#man i can't wait for the day i am not sharing living space with her. i like my other housemates!

[moinsbienquekaworu]

Housemate is letting one of her rabbits walk around at night again :/

[jillsandwhichs]

RE Character x Reader Smutshot Collection , Chap 9 , Tip

Masterlist

Pairing: F!Reader x Leon Kennedy

Summary: You are a waitress at a local diner in the city. Sure, you've had your fair share of flirty, pervy customers but none have ever been as enticing as this one

Status of your guy's relationship in this one shot: Strangers/Hookup

WC: 4.1k

Type: NSFW

Warnings: Reader is in early adult years, Leon is late 20s, Flirting, Leon is cocky and rich, BJ, Slight cum kink, Spanking, Hair pulling, Cums in your mouth, Protected P in V, Riding, Dry humping and Dirty talk

A/n: Hi! Hope you all enjoy. Please check out my masterlist, there's a lot of stuff there. You can get to know me, you can see the rules of my blog and then you can see all of my fanfictions. You'll be able to find the previous chapters to this fic and upcoming ones. You'll also be able to find my Wattpad & AO3. Comments, reblogs & likes are appreciated. Thank you

It has just been another casual day at the diner. Cleaning tables and dishes, attending to customers and sweeping the floors, it's just another Monday. Waiting tables is what you do for a living, for now. It isn't ideal but you don't mind it too much. You always get decent tips and an alright pay. You live alone so you don't have to worry too much about how big your paycheck is or how much you make in tips daily. As long as you're rolling in dough, you're set.

This day particularly has been slow. Mondays are one of the slowest days of the week because it's the first work day which means less business. It's mainly older people and church groups who eat during the day on Mondays but towards the later hours of the day, families and sports teams come in. The diner you work for is the hot spot in the city. Everyone who lives in the city or nearby comes often.

Your shift is getting closer to being done. You only have two hours left. It ends at 4:00 PM and you started work today at 8:00 AM. It's been so slow that it feels as if you've been here since yesterday. You can't wait to get back to your homey apartment. You have an essay due today in your Art History class so you'll have to get that done but after that, the rest of the day is yours!

Wiping down a table, you heard the main door open. There is a bell attached to the top of it to tell workers anytime someone walks in or not. The two customers that were just at this booth made sure to clean up their space and it put you in an even better mood. You sprayed hygienic water onto the table one last time and wiped it down before setting out new napkins and silverware for when the next group comes in.

You were about to amble off to the back but you were stopped by a man's voice. His voice was deep and husky. It startled you a bit, admittedly. You turned around to face and you were left stunned by how tall he was. You're short, yes, but this man is a giant! Your eyes went up to meet with his. His are a bright blue. They are oceanic. He has a broad stature too, he clearly works out often. He's wearing a casual outfit but it still appears a bit more fancy for where he's currently at.

"Excuse me, could I get a table for one? Just looking to have some lunch." He said in that deep voice. You looked him up and down and as you did, he said another thing. "My eyes are up here." He teased, his blue eyes locking with yours. You felt embarrassment wash over you. How could you not admire this man? He looks like a model. "Um, sorry... Just follow me." You murmured, heading towards a clean circle table near the center of the diner.

The man followed behind you and once you presented the table to him, he took his seat. "I'll be back shortly. Figure out what you'd like to drink until then." "Wait, what's your name? Isn't it courtesy that the waitress tells her waiters her name?" You told him his name with a scoff. He seems slightly cocky. "Pretty name. I'm Leon." Leon stated. "Cool name. I'll be back shortly." You said a bit more sternly. You walked off and pushed the back door open to enter the kitchen.

You checked to see if all of the drink machines are still working. Your manager let you know yesterday that they've been a bit janky. You tested each one and they all seemingly worked. Only three other people are working with you today. Leah, Maverick and Dean. Leah is a waitress and Mav & Dean are cooks. Mondays truly are so easy to work.

You exited the kitchen and went to wait another table before Leon's. This table just wanted one plate of Alfredo and a plate of beef stew. "I'll have those out to you two in a bit." You said with your customer service voice. You've gotten very good at it. Strolling over to the kitchen, you stuck your ticket up on the metal bar. "Order for table four, be quick guys." You said to both of the men working. You trust they'll get it done quickly.

Leah was waiting her own section of tables. Hers seem to be going by a lot faster which irritates you. You want more tables for more money. You don't necessarily need it, but of course it's nice to have.

Making your way back over to Leon, you saw his face weirdly light up when he saw you. Is this guy a creeper? You stood in front of his table with a notepad before asking what he'd like to drink and eat. "I'll just take a coke and to eat, I'll have your creamy ravioli. I have a question for you now." He stated. "Uh, okay, go ahead and ask." You replied softly as you wrote his order down. "When is your shift over?" "That is none of your concern."

Assumption confirmed, this guy is a weirdo. Why would some elegant looking man be asking you of all people that odd question? Does he want to kidnap you or something? You were always taught to not give out info like that. It's vital.

"I'm not some pervert or anything." He chuckled. "Can a man not be curious?" "Why are you curious about when I get off of work?" "Because I think you're a pretty girl and I'd like to take you out." Leon smirked at you. "I bet you say that to all the ladies." You rolled your eyes. "I'll be back with your food in a bit." You scoffed and went to walk off but this arrogant man stopped you once again.

"When does your shift end?" This guy's persistence is appalling. Can't he take a hint? "None of your business." "Three? Four? Tell me." He said softly, his tone a lot less deep down. You sighed deeply. It won't kill for him to know. You're going straight home anyways. "Four. You aren't taking me out." "We'll see about that." You gave him an irritated look and trailed off. You're just going to give the paper to the chefs so that this man can leave ASAP.

Stepping up to the kitchen area again, you handed them a new ticket. You want this Leon guy in and out of here. You've had one to many men hitting on you, do these men realize how young you are? Leon appears to be in his late twenties, possibly early thirties and you're a College student! Men are so desperate nowadays. Sure, drabbling in older men isn't a bad thing, but not these kind of older men.

You grabbed a tray of refill drinks to take to one of your other tables. You almost forgot about them.

Exiting the kitchen, you went over to their table and set their drinks down. "A water for the lady and a coke for the gentleman. Enjoy." Leah will most likely take this section over soon, she tends to. Your eyes went to Leon's table and unsurprisingly, his eyes were on you. "What a loser." You mumbled beneath your breath. He's a handsome man, most definitely, but why would he want anything to do with you? He's probably just trying to get a quick fuck in.

If he wasn't so forward and weird about it, you would probably give in. That pretty much sums up how you are as a girl. You aren't a virgin, you like sex and you've never had it with an older man. You bet it's quite the experience.

After waiting almost eight minutes, you got the couples food to them and set it down. "Here you two go. Enjoy." You said with a friendly tone. Leon's was done as well. Time to journey back to the table of doom.

With the bowl and drink in hand, you went to Leon's table and set both down. "There you go. Enjoy your beverage and meal." "I sure will. Thank you." Leon replied, looking you up and down. His look is rather enticing. He's an enticing man. "Don't look at me like that." You said with a shy tone. It made you rather nervous, shy even. No man has made you feel that way in some time. "Like what?" "Like that."

He knows what he is doing. He does. "What is your problem?" You put your hands on your hips. This is completely against protocol. Even when a customer is an ass, you should remain calm and collected but God, this guy is insufferable. "I'll answer anything you'd like... If you agree to come with me after my shift." Has this man ever learned about stranger danger. "No, you could be a murderer." "I could be, but I'm not. I'm just a blind dog looking for a bone." He is cheesy.

You rolled your eyes and rubbed your temple.

"What is it you want?" "You." "Why?" "I can see you're different. Plus, you're stunning." The compliment made your stomach heat up. "Different? You've spoken to me only a little." "What's your point?" "You know nothing about me." "I'd like to know everything about you." God, can he not take a hint? You giggled. "We can just sit in my car after your shift and talk. We'll even stay in the parking lot, if that makes you feel safer." He smirked at you.

Why is he so fucking convincing???

Your eyes scanned the clock above one of the tables and you heaved softly. "Come back at four. We'll talk then." You smiled softly but tried to hide it. Leon bit his lip and nodded. "See you then."

-

Four PM.

You're in the locker room. It's a small but useful room. Your removed your apron and released your hair from its ponytail. You shook your hair and brushed it slightly. For a moment, you completely forgot about the whole Leon situation, but it's suddenly hit you. Before he left his table, he left you a $50 tip. That's insane. You were grateful and expressed that. You suppose its only respectful if you go with him.

He promised to even let you hold onto his car keys if it makes you feel better. You know what it'll most likely turn into and you're down, even though you didn't want to admit it at first.

You left the room and pushed open the entry door back into the restaurant and you saw Leon's car out in the parking lot. You sighed deeply and looked over to Dean who was also about to clock out. "See you Wednesday." "See you then." Dean waved goodbye to you. You returned the gesture and made your way out of the diner.

Leon's eyes met with yours. Those blue orbs, they are intoxicating. You rolled your eyes and walked up to his vehicle. He has a Cadillac. You can tell by its shape and symbol. He nudged his head for you to get in, and you did. You opened up the passenger door and sat down and immediately put your hand out. "Keys." "Right here." He placed them in your hand. They are the right keys. This eased you a lot more.

"What do you want with me? Do you do this with other women?" "I mean, I have. I won't lie to you. It has been a long time though, little over a year." Leon tittered. "I just think you're very pretty." "You've established that." "Isn't it rather obvious what I'd like to do with and to you?" That made your heart skip beats. "Not really." You have an idea. You'll play dumb though. You want to hear it from his own mouth.

Leon laughed and grinned. He leaned a bit closer to you. "I entered that diner and immediately saw a pretty girl with a pretty mouth. I'd like to see it around my dick." You lost your breath at his words. It's been a long time since you've hooked up with anyone and this is quite the way for it to happen after all this time. "What?" You said breathlessly. "I also want to show you how a real man fucks. Not none of that College boy bullshit." He adjusted himself. So he is aware that you are in College. Great guess.

Running your fingers through your hair, you felt your entire body heating up. You were most definitely blushing. You could feel the gush between your folds beginning to form. "If you want to just hookup with girls, why not use Tinder?" "I find doing it through person more real and authentic." You couldn't tell if that was sarcasm or not. "You are a total creep." "I'm a man with needs and you'd fulfill them well." You scoffed at his sentence. "Bite me." You went to open the car door but he grabbed your wrist.

"Hey, no, no, please." Leon said softly. "If you really want to go, then okay, have at it but I promise I'll give you such a good time." Leon pleaded with you. His tone was desperate. Why was that attractive to you? Your eyes went to his bulge. He was clearly rock hard. You are wet, you can feel it. Why do you feel so odd for doing this? It's just a hookup.

You bit your lip and analyzed the outside area before handing him his keys. "There's an alleyway about three block from here. Take us and I'll hookup with you." Confidence filled your voice. He laughed. "Smart girl." He turned his car on and began the drive to the alleyway, which only took maybe a minute or two.

-

The second he parked, your hands went to his belt and he snickered. "More eager and horny than I am now, huh?" "No. I just want to get this over with." "Right." He snorted. You removed his leather belt and tossed it in the back. You undid the singular button that was sown onto his pants and that was when his huge cock sprung out. Bigger than any you've ever seen or had. You already can foreshadow how this'll feel down your throat.

He already had precum as well. To you, cum is so hot. You have an intense kink for it. You rubbed the semen on your thumb and sucked it off of it. Leon chuckled. "That's a good sign." He hummed. You brushed your hair to the side and smiled at him. "Make sure my hair stays out of my face." "Will do." That was the last thing you said before you wrapped your lips around the base of his cock.

This isn't anything you haven't done before. You'd even call yourself a pro. At a slow pace, you moved your head up and down. He was big, so you wanted to take it at a decent pace. Leon's hand stayed on your back for the time being. You felt his hand rubbing it softly. He was being gentle with you. His tip kept hitting the roof of your mouth. You couldn't believe it but you could already sense you'd be gagging a whole lot.

With your tongue, you slurped around the head of his dick. You felt his hole twitch when you did that. "You're a fucking goddess at sucking dick." He said bluntly whilst his head went backwards. You wanted to laugh but you physically couldn't. You continued to lick and suck. It's weird but you want him to feel as though you're the best he's had. This is like a challenge for you, a game even.

You began to bob your head faster now. Your head moved up and down at a quick pace. Leon's hand tangled in your hair. His fingers tips lightly scratched your head and it made your pussy tingle. You haven't felt this way in such a long time. Leon wrapped your hair around his hand, his grip was firm. You knew he was this type. He seems like a kinky man overall.

The little whimpers you made caused Leon to moan himself. He found you very sexy and your noises only added to that. "You look beautiful like this." He huffed out. His throat felt like it was going to close. His muscles were tightening. His member was twitching in your mouth. The man is close.

"How many hummers have you had to give to be so good?" He grunted. Now he was basically pushing your head and pulling it back up. You didn't even have to do the work anymore. His hand pulled your hair and God, it felt good. You moaned around his dick. You swiped your tongue from the lower base and back up to the tip and that must've been his undoing.

Leon kept your head in place. His tip was deep throating you. That familiar taste filled your mouth and entered your taste buds. All cum has tasted similar to you with minor differences. Whats different about Leon's is the fact is more of a thick texture rather than the usual more liquidy version. It was fine though. You swallowed it all.

The man was panting heavily as you popped his cock out. Your licked your lips and wiped them with your sweater. "Jesus..." He laughed. "That was good." He praised you. "Unfuckingbelievable." He smirked at you. "I've had practice." "Clearly." He squeezed your hip and gazed at you. "Get in the back so I can fuck you." He chuckled. You giggled to and looked behind you.

You crawled over the center console and squealed as you felt a hard smack to your ass as you did. You briskly sat down and adjusted your skirt. You are wearing a beige sweater with a printed skirt. It was the change of clothes you brought to work since it's Fall. The weather is breezy & chilly but also warm and cozy. Leon just held his pants up as he got out of the car and got into the back. There was no way he was going to climb over as you did.

He sat down and spread his legs to a degree. He pulled his pants back down too. You gawked at him momentarily and he noticed. "Like what you see?" "Mhm." You nodded moderately. He laughed. "Sit on my lap." You listened. You straddled him. Hands on his shoulders and thighs on either side of his. His hands went to your waist. "Feel that?" He was referring to his tip rubbing against your panties.

"You need it inside of you, hm?" He began to slowly pull your hips forward. The slight grind he was forcing you to do made you even more soaked. "I do." You whispered, hiding your face in the crook of his neck. "I know you do doll." You felt a surge of lust course through you. You want this man to destroy you.

One hand left your hip and went to his cock instead. He rubbed his tip against your cunt through your panties. "I can feel how wet you are." He sighed softly, kissing the side of your head. "I wanna feel how tight you are." He murmured against your ear before biting the lobe of it. You moaned and felt your stomach twist. How is he making you feel all these ways all at once? He's a master at this. It's such a turn on.

Pulling your panties to the side, he stroked his cock through your bare folds now, picking your wetness up. "How does this feel?" He said in a low tone. "Good. Really good." You hummed in reply, kissing his neck gently. "Mmm, good." He kissed your cheek. He let go of his cock and reached into his pocket. "Gotta wrap it." "Yeah." You snickered. You lifted your body up so he could put the rubber on. Once he did, he pulled you back down.

"Now princess, tell me, how does this feel?" And as he hummed that to you, he stuck his dick inside of you. You moaned softly and gripped his shirt. "Mmm, you just gave me the exact answer I was searching for." You moaned again and pressed your lips against his. You don't think Leon was expecting that, but he liked it. His hands went to your face as you began to both kiss him and ride him.

You rode him at an unrushed pace. He kissed you passionately. Almost right as you two started to make out, you both opened your mouths and tongued one another. You bounced on his cock as you stuck your tongue deep in his mouth. Leon caressed your face and slowly brought his hands down to your ass cheeks. He held onto them tightly and ever so often slapped them.

"You're so fucking tight." He grunted, licking your lip and kissing you again. "You feel so deep inside of me." You whimpered. It was true. He's so long and girthy. He's rubbing against your wet & gushy walls in the most pleasurable way. "You can take it. You're a slut, I know you can." You laughed at his words and bit his lower lip. "I'm not a whore." "You sure fuck like one. Look at how you're riding me." In all fairness, you are skillfully riding him and bouncing on him. Your movements are of expertise.

You rolled your eyes at his snotty words. "Guess me getting around has really paid off." "Yeah, sure, but I promise I'll be your best." He slapped your ass hard, making you speechless. Only noises of pleasure and need came from you. He felt so good. Your cunt was tightening around him, you could feel it and so could he.

Your head autonomously tilted backwards. Your mouth was agape as little whimpers emitted from him. Leon's hands continued to grip your ass. He occasionally spreaded your cheeks and stuck his finger on your anus, making your body shake. He must have a thing for that, you suppose. "Pretty girl." He reached his free hand up and taped it around your neck lightly. "Gonna make you have the best fucking orgasm." He whispered to you before he began to thrust up.

You quit moving your hips entirely and just sat there as he fucked you messily. His hip thrusts were sloppy but they were getting the job down. "Taking is so fucking well. I need you again sometime." You couldn't tell if there was truth in that or if it was pure lust and desire. You simply rested your head against his shoulder as he pumped up into you. "I'm gonna cum." You whispered, your tone soft and shaky. "Cum for me babygirl." Leon kissed your forehead.

That'll do it.

Your body shook as your orgasm blew over you. You felt waves and waves of pleasure crash into you out of no where. Your walls clenched around his member and that was what finished him off. "Fuuuck." His words dragged out as he came. Your arms encased around his neck and you just sat there as you came down from your high. He hugged you back. His cum squirted into the condom. You wish it could've been inside of you. Such a waste.

After a minute or so, you sat up and got off of him. You were breathless and at a loss for words. Your eyes glanced down at the condom; Pure white liquid filled it. "That was... God." You giggled, closing your legs and staring at him. He nodded and removed the condom, tossing it in a baggy. "Sure was." He caught his breath.

Leon looked at you and took your hand in his. "Was that the best orgasm you've had?" "I don't mean to bruise your ego but..." Leon snickered and playfully nudged you. "Shut up." You snorted and smiled at him. "Yeah, it was really good." You nodded. "I'm glad." He blew out a big breath of air.

"For the record, I wasn't just saying that." "Saying what?" "That I need you again sometime. I meant it." "Oh." You said with tranquility. "I'll give you my number then...?" "Yeah, I'll take it." Leon replied.

He handed you his phone and you began to jot the digits in.

This definitely won't be the last time you see Mr. Kennedy.

[scarletttries]

Roronoa Zoro Falling In Love Headcanons (One Piece)

Pairing: Roronoa Zoro (Live Action One Piece) x Reader

Rating: Fluff

Word Count: 1.6k

Author's Note: After lacking a bit of inspiration recently I just finished watching the live action One PIece on Netflix and am completely obsessed, especially with Zoro! So here a few little headcanons for him, and I might do a part two of relationship headcanons too. Also requests are now open for any of the one piece characters so send them in! 💗☺️

- Oh Zoro. Truly the epitome of a heart of gold hiding behind a sarcastic, borderline cold, facade. A man who pretends to be affected by nothing, despite having so much space inside him for friendship and devotion.

- Chances are he'd first come across you when he and Luffy are docked in another new town. Maybe you're a pirate whose name he's heard in passing and considers trying to capture for the bounty. Maybe you're someone who just loves and helps out the small seaside village you live in, trying to make a few Berry from the ships passing through. Maybe you're the next key step to reaching Monkey's dream of finding the piece. Whatever he expects to find when your paths cross, it certainly isn't you.

- Before he even knows you're the person he's looking for, one look at you and he knows you're important. Like you exist in a slightly brighter light than everyone else he's ever met before, and he's not sure if he should shield his eyes or if he can't bear to look away. He stops dead in his tracks at the sight of you, the first glimpse enough to have his heart pounding in his chest like it never has before. Luffy watches his usually stern friend let his mouth fall open in silence, baffled by his actions until Nami leans over and whispers to him. Zoro can't hear exactly what she says but he hears the word 'crush' and feels his stomach churn at the thought. He wants to run, but he's unsure whether he wants to go towards or away from you. He grips his white katana as a panicked instinct when finally you glance up and send a friendly smile to the eclectic group of pirates standing, staring at you.

- Luffy can tell before you ever say a word that you're good and kind, and destined to be aboard the Merry as a part of his crew. Zoro can't bring himself to do anything but loom over his captain as he makes a sales pitch. The part of his brain that likes to be in control hopes that you're busy and tied down, that you'll reject Luffy's offer and he'll never feel as shaken and desperate as he does in this moment again. A much bigger part of him knows that he won't survive if you say 'no'. Like without you he might never dream again, doomed to spend the rest of his days sailing aimlessly, searching for the same rush he feels every time you look up at him over his friends straw hat. Thankfully Monkey rarely asks someone to join his crew that he isn't certain will eventually say yes. And so you do, accepting it's time to try a new path and join this strange group of good-hearted sailors, hoping for a new shot at your dreams.

- Monkey, Sanji and Usopp are all friendly from the get-go. They can't wait to share stories of their journey so far, and make sure you feel as safe and at home on the ship as they do. Nami takes a bit longer to open up to you, but when she does you can understand why, and while her friendship is harder to earn, it feels all the more solid for it. And then there's Zoro.

- You notice that whenever you all walk into a room, he'll always take the position or chair next to you, awkwardly stepping in front of Sanji on more than one occasion, or forcing himself into a tight spot rather than create distance between the two of you. He doesn't often strike up conversation first, but when you ask him something about himself he always looks very relieved and happy to have something to talk to you about. If the group has to split up he'll always stick by your side, taking the role of keeping you safe to heart. Your unspoken bodyguard. It gets to the point that the crew adjust to leaving a spot next to you for him to settle into, and never asking him to go out without you. All the while Nami takes great joy in speculating on his behaviour with you, and teasing Zoro for his complete inability to act like a normal human being. Sanji has to lay off his harmless flirting with you after he notices the daggers Zoro's shooting at him, and he's sure one night at a bar he heard him start to draw his sword when he put a hand on your leg.

- It doesn't take many conversations with Zoro, or many chats with Luffy who spends a lot of his time telling you about how wonderful and impressive Zoro is, for you to start finding his strange behavior more than a little flattering. The tall, talented swordsman can't help but soften under your gaze, and you feel yourself slowly leaning closer to him every time he settles at your side, before long finding yourself practically draped against him when the group find themselves at some gaudy bar on the outskirts of a marine base, failing to keep a low profile. Usopp insists on dragging you onto the dancefloor, and thankfully Nami asks Zoro to come dance with her before he has to either sit without you, or volunteer to dance of his own volition. Despite his athleticism, of course he's a terrible dancer, all uncoordinated movements and awkward energy as he fails to copy Usopp's charismatic moves. Taking pity on him, you take his hand in yours, letting him hold you closer as the rest of the group seem to fade in the crowd behind you having seen more than enough of his desperate longing to stick around for this. As Sanji and Usopp slink off to find another drink, Nami and Luffy can't resist keeping just in view so they can watch on as they finally see Zoro smile widely and let his guard down, relaxing against you as the pair of you sway. Nami wants to make a bet on if Zoro finally gets the nerve to say something about his feelings, but after a few months of being her closest friend she decides to just root for you both instead, trying to pull Luffy just far enough away to give you two some much needed privacy.

- As you feel his arms encircle you, a soft sway in his hips that matches yours, his mouth drops open and closed a few times over. It's always hard for him to find the right thing to say to you, but when he has you this close, with your eyes sparkling up at him, it's almost impossible to even think. It's all consuming living on the same ship, his heart jumping in his chest every time someone enters his cabin in case it's you, his feet taking him to stand outside your quarters almost every day just willing himself to knock on the door and finally put words to his devoted actions. He couldn't fight his longing to be near you for even a day, and watching you open up to him and start to inch closer yourself, he can't help but hope that you might be feeling just a drop of the ocean of affection he navigates for you. His eyes focus intensely on yours as he tries again to speak, stumbling over the word 'I' a few times before resigning himself to silence for another night.

- You could see the conflict of fear and hope in his eyes, the man of few words clearly straining to explain things his training had never left room for. He was trying, and you were sure you knew what he was going to say, but you didn't think you could be the one to articulate it for him. That didn't mean you couldn't give him a bit of encouragement.

- Trailing your hands over his arms to settle on his shoulders, you stepped flush with his body, the extra contact enough to stop his gentle sway and turn his whole frame rigid. With the softest smile you could muster you leaned up onto your tiptoes, giving him a moment to pull away before letting your lips press softly to his. It was just for a second. A mere moment of soft, sweet, contact. The kind Zoro had never even let himself imagine because it felt so far out of reach for him. But it happened, and it was perfect. A wide grin spread over his face at your action, finally feeling like he might be able to share his life with someone other than the ghost he carried with him on his hip.

"WAHHOOOOOO!YES YES YES!"" A deafening cheer echoed through the bar, shaking the light fixtures and turning every single head towards your ecstatic captain. Nami looked mortified as Luffy continued to punch the air in celebration of his first mate finally achieving a dream a little less violent than he'd first set out for, his joy for his friend all consuming and without an ounce of tact.

"Luffy! Stop it! We'll leave you to it." Nami had to physically drag him away as you heard the unfamiliar sound of Zoro laughing to himself, the grin across his cheeks only spreading as his focus returned to you. Leaning back in to find your lips again, he whispered,

"What Luffy said."

[maretinelli]

YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT

Sírius Black X fem!reader

Summary: Lily and James get married. And in the middle of their waltz, Y/n has a great choreography idea for when she gets married. And of course Sirius wouldn't fail to make a wish later.

Words: 2.4K+

Warnings: Nothing that alarming. Just drunk Remus and couple's sweetness.

Author: English is not my first language, I apologize for any errors there may be throughout the story. Second, I'm addicted to writing imagines based on my wishes. Today, Y/n (I) want to dance You're the one that I want at my wedding🥹

MASTERLIST

The long-awaited wedding of Lily Evans and James Potter had arrived. The biggest day of their lives.

They were both so excited for that day that they almost couldn't sleep close to the date. Rumor has it that James has been waiting for this day since his first year at Hogwarts, when he first laid eyes on the redhead.

The day was cool, but not cold. It was perfect for a country wedding. As Lily expected.

Lily and James had made a reservation at a farm hotel in the Muggle community. Where Lily always went when she was little. They rented the space for the wedding, the party and the rooms for some of their most special guests. Which was the case with Remus, Marlene, Sirius and Y/n.

Especially for these. Since they would be the couple's godparents and bridesmaids.

Y/n was in her shared room with Sirius getting ready and putting the finishing touches on her hair before heading to the ceremony.

Y/n had gotten ready with her fiancee. Lily made a point of doing this with Y/n, as the woman had been the redhead's best friend since their first year at Hogwarts.

Of course, Y/n can't refuse this beautiful request.

However, now after they were tidy, Y/n went back to the room and Lily went to take some photos.

Sirius was in the bathroom still finishing fixing his tie and Y/n was sitting on the bed putting on her heels.

"Baby, is it ending there? There are 40 minutes left before the ceremony starts and Lily wants the groomsmen there, in 10 minutes" Y/n says, soon standing up and looking once again in the mirror to fix her dress.

As the wedding was in the countryside, Lily chose a color palette that highlighted everyone who would be at the altar with her and James.

And each groomsman couple had a color. If the bridesmaid's dress was red/blue or another color, the best man's tie would be the same.

However, as Y/n and Sirius would not be godparents to the same person. They were different colors.

Lily said she had a fight because she wanted Y/n and Sirius as her godparents and James as well. And the only solution they had was to separate the couple and each have one. Which resulted in Sirius and Marlene being James' godparents. And Y/n and Remus are Lily's godparents.

"I am going!" Sirius exclaims as he exits the bathroom, still trying to tie his tie. "What a pain!! I spent my entire adolescence doing this and now I'm blank" he says and Y/n quickly looks at her boyfriend.

She lets out a smile as she approaches.

"Help me-- OH MY GOD. YOU LOOK DIVINE!!" Sirius' eyes widen when he sees his girlfriend wearing a navy blue silk dress.

It had a low back and straps, and on the right leg there was a not very large slit.

Y/n smiles shyly. Even hearing these types of compliments for more than six years.

"You look divine too, darling" Y/n approaches him and places a kiss. Sirius soon gets excited and delves deeper.

Y/n moves away and places her hands on her boyfriend's chest.

"Okay, as much as it hurts to say this. Enough!!" She laughs and Sirius smiles. "We have to fix your tie and marry Prongs and Lils"

Sirius just nods and Y/n fixes his dark green tie.

As he would be Marlene's date at the wedding, he had to buy the same color tie as his friend. Even though he hated it, because he said he was in Slytherin.

Marlene and Y/n almost hit him the day they went to buy it. Because he looked like a child having a bad time in the middle of the store.

After they both finished getting ready, they left the room they were staying in and walked around the place where the ceremony would take place.

"There are a lot of people here already, how many minutes left?" Sirius whispered to his girlfriend as they walked to where they would be positioned before entering the ceremony.

"I think there's half an hour left, or less" Y/n says quietly too, while looking around behind Remus or seeing someone she knows from school.

"Hello, good afternoon. Are you the groomsmen of the bride or groom. Right?" The officiant asks and Sirius and Y/n look at her at the same time.

"Hi, Yes!" Y/n smiles kindly.

"Okay. Are you godparents to the same person?"

"Oh! no. I'm the bride's godmother and the groom's Siri" Y/n explains.

"Okay. So Sir...what's your name?"

"Sirius Black. But you can just call him Sirius. I prefer it" he says and the officiant agrees.

"This way"

"Bye, my dear. I'll wait for you at the altar" Sirius places a kiss on Y/n's forehead.

Y/n laugh.

"Okay dear. But I'm not the bride, so you can wait for me at the altar" she smiles.

"But it will be someday" he winks and Y/n smiles, rolling her eyes.

She gets lost in her world looking at all the decorations, until she is awakened by Remus and Marlene arriving together.

"Hi, Y/n" Marlene says and she turns around. "Have you seen where Sirius is?"

Y/n smiles when she sees her friend. More precisely, your second best friend.

"Hi Marls. He's up front" Y/n informs and the shows him discreetly with his finger.

"I thought he would be late."

Y/n smile.

"That's not the case with me. Either you're late or you're left behind"

"It's good that you started dating him. Sirius was always late"

Y/n and Marlene laugh at Remus' comment.

"I remember. I almost had a fit when we were still just friends and I had school work to do with him. I was always late for the library" Y/n laughs along with the two.

"I'm going to go there, before Lily comes and kicks me there." Marlene says before leaving. "By the way, you look beautiful in that dress" Marlene looks her up and down. "Sirius is lucky"

Y/n widens her eyes and laughs. "Thanks"

"What the hell. I'll tell your girlfriend, Marls."

"Nothing" Marlene makes a gesture with her hand. "She said that day that we all went to try on the dresses together."

Remus and Y/n laugh.

"Bye Marls, see you soon." Y/n nods. "BY THE WAY, YOU CAN PINCH SIRIUS IF HE DOESN'T BEHAVE OR WANT TO TAKE OFF HIS TIE" Y/n says louder, when Marlene was already close to her friend's boyfriend.

"IT CAN LEAVE!!" Marlene smiles and makes a piece of jewelry with her finger.

"heyy," Sirius protested.

It doesn't take long, the ceremony begins. James enters, then the groomsmen and then the bride.

She was beautiful. The chosen dress fit Lily perfectly, as if it were made especially for her.

The ceremony wasn't that long, but it gave some people time to shed some emotional tears. Which was the case with Y/n and Marlene.

Which made Sirius look at his girlfriend with even more love. He couldn't wait any longer to live this moment with Y/n. It was everything he had ever dreamed of, ever since he asked her to be his girlfriend in his fifth year at Hogwarts. Under a flowering cherry tree in front of the lake.

As soon as the ceremony was over, the bride and groom asked everyone to go directly to the reserved room.

After they had the reception, they opened the dance floor, dancing to a slow and beautiful song to the sound of Abba.

"Look how beautiful" Y/n says, already at the table reserved for all the groomsmen.

Sirius, who had an arm around his girlfriend's waist, looks at her passionately and agrees.

"Yes, it's very beautiful" he says, still looking at her.

"But you know what..." she turns to her boyfriend, still saying quietly. So as not to disturb the moment. "I wouldn't choose to dance to a slow song to open the dance floor"

"No?"

"No! I would choose something more lively"

"y/n!!" Sirius laughs.

"I'm serious... I know it's their wedding. But in mine--OUR" she pauses and looks at Sirius. He smiles from ear to ear. "...I would want to dance some crazy choreography made by us"

"Like those choreographies we did at communal parties?" Sirius smiles.

"That!!"

Sirius laughs.

"I don't know, some song like You're the one that I want..." Y/n says, and then realizes what she said. "AND THAT!!" She says loudly turning to Sirius, making some look at them, especially James and Lily who laugh. But Y/n doesn't even notice. "We can do a choreography for You're the one that I want. What do you think?" She says quietly again and then turns to see Lily and James finish the waltz.

"I would love!!" Sirius says smiling and then kisses Y/n's neck. Leaving a little bite before walking away.

"Aah" she complains, but smiles.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Hours had passed and the party was still going on. Most had already left, but the people from Lily and James' school days were still there and didn't intend to leave anytime soon.

They were enjoying themselves so much that they even got poor Remus drunk.

Y/n, who was sitting with Lily around a table, laughs when she watches James, Sirius and drunk Remus dancing.

"Poor Moony, look what they did to him" Lily comments, holding back a laugh.

Y/n laughs.

"My stomach hurts from laughing so much."

After the song ended and another one started that didn't catch Sirius' attention. He returns from the dance floor and approaches Y/n and Lily.

"What did you do to poor Moony?" Y/n asks and Sirius looks back and laughs seeing Remus.

"We didn't do anything. He went crazy alone"

The two women laugh.

"What a gift"

Sirius smiles and sits next to Y/n.

Y/n didn't notice, but he was a little distressed. He snapped his fingers and banged his finger on the table.

Lily looked at him and whispered quietly to him, while Y/n was talking loudly to James who was on the dance floor with Remus, Frank and Peter.

"Are you well?" Lily asks.

"More or less..." Sirius says and then discreetly opens the blase and shows a small velvet box.

Lily widens her eyes and puts her hand over her mouth discreetly.

"Marriage?" He moves his lips and shows it on his dress, in case he didn't understand.

Sirius shakes his head and smiles.

Lily looks emotional and tries not to express too much. Until Y/n turns around.

She looks at Sirius and smiles without showing her teeth, before taking another sip of her drink.

"I danced so much that I ran out of breath. Do you want to take a walk with me outside?" Sirius asks and looks at Y/n.

She shakes her head and asks for a minute with her finger, to finish drinking the liquid that was in her glass.

"I'm done. Let's go!" she says excitedly and Sirius laughs.

He stands up and extends his hand to Y/n. She takes it and smiles at Lily, who was sitting across from her.

"We'll be right back, Lils. Keep an eye on Moony" she says and Lily laughs.

"Leave it" she smiles and then looks away at Sirius, as Y/n bent down to button her heels again. "Good luck" Lily says excitedly and makes a jewel with her hand.

Sirius just blinks and smiles.

After Y/n put on her shoes, they left the room and went for a walk around the field that was lighting up with cute lights.

Some ceremonialists were still at the ceremony site, arranging and removing some chairs that were still there.

"Did you see how radiant James and Lily are after today?! I'm so happy for them." Y/n says, holding hands with her boyfriend, as they walked to a pergola that was in the center of a lit lake with some flowers scattered around.

"Oh, I didn't know about this place" Y/n says looking at everything, while walking on the bridge that connects to the pergola. "I thought it would be cool for Lily to decorate here, even though we couldn't see it from the hall or the ceremony location" She says, arriving at the place and looking at the water of the lake, which was dark because of account of the night.

"Actually...I asked for the decoration here" Sirius says and then Y/n turns and looks at him.

"Why?" She says suspiciously.

"I came to make a request" he kneels down and removes the black box from his suit and Y/n's eyes widen. "Since the day I laid eyes on you at Hogwarts, I've fantasized about you for a lifetime. And all the moments I've spent by your side, since the day we became friends, hookups and boyfriends, have been the best. And today , when we became engaged, it couldn't be any different. Y/n, you are my point of light in the midst of so much confusion that I went through, you are my support, my heart, my love, my life and my future wife. n Y/s, will you marry me and dance? You're the one that I want at our wedding??" Sirius asks and opens the box revealing a beautiful pair of silver rings.

Y/n laughs at the last sentence and wipes away her tears.

"How can I say no to you?? Of course I accept marrying you, and especially dancing You're the one that I want with you" Y/n laughs with a few tears falling.

Sirius smiles and then puts the ring on Y/n's finger.

"I love you so much, my heart" he stands up and kisses his bride passionately.

"I love you infinitely, my life" Y/n responds and then touches her forehead to his.

"SHE ACCEPTED?" They hear James' muffled voice in the woods.

They look back and can see James, Lily, Peter, Frank, Alice and Marlene who was holding Remus by the shoulder so he wouldn't fall into the lake.

"Yes, she accepted guys!!" Sirius shouts, still hugging Y/n on his side.

"What's going on?? Who accepted who?" They hear Remus' questioning drawl and they all laugh.

"We better go, we have to get our Moony back" Y/n says and Sirius throws his head back laughing.

Author: I always forget to let you know, but I'm always open to requests. Just go to my question box and ask!!!

[starlightshadowsworld]

My thoughts on Bsd chapter 117

Spoilers below

I knew it!

Well not really but I knew Bram being here had something to do with Akutugawa. That's his godamn coat.

... Wait nooo.. Nooo! Fuck you don't make me watch Bram die again.

Aya trying to mean to lessen the blow. Bram feeling like he failed her. The flashbacks to his daughter...

"One day I'll carry you on my back"

Devastating how dare you.

Honestly considering how seriously Akutugawa keeps his promises, this seems like a good idea.

Ayyy Kunikida!

I do love how we're leaning into making Fukuchi some eldritch horror. Because fundamentally he should not exist.

Because it goes against everything. He is not of this world, of course his very existence fills you with dread.

I didn't think one look would take out Junichiro tho.

Kunikida filled with absolute terror and still having the strength to say what are you, fuck he's so cool.

Oh... Fukuchi can talk. Kinda ruins the vibe a little tbh but okay that's a choice.

"I am all. I am none." I am justice. I am the night. I am Batman.

I agree Kunikida what is going on at this airport? Everyone in Bsd talks about shit going on in the Train station but that is nothing compared to whatever this is.

Public transport man don't use it in this universe. Or any transport to be honest.

I love that Fyodor's just standing here not saying a word like okay fine you can have this one.

Ohhh ohh why did he sneak up on him ahhh nooo. Also you can't see one of Kunikida's hands and I am concerned.

Oh yeah this is the first time anyone in the Agency but Atsushi and Fukuzawa have dealt with Amenogozen.

Someone really should've told the others this fucker lives up to his name as the space time sword.

Atsushi you might wanna go the other way, whatevers going on there isn't looking so good.

Thank you Kunikida, see why don't we all just pack up our shit and leave.

"Tanizaki when I give the signal use your ability to escape"

You know this means whatever comes next is going to have everyone be like erm actually it could just be Junichiro's special ability.

Asagiri knows this fandom to well.

... AHHH!!!??!????? WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK

KUUNNNIIIKIIIIIDAAAAA!!!

That better have been Junichiro's ability I swear to God nooooo! OHH AND ATSUSHI GOT THERE TOO LATE

Whyyyy why would you do this?!

Ohhh his hands are melting I'm like actually crying.

I feel like this itself is a sign that those killed by Amenogozen can come back because no one dies in this series. Because there's no way Asagiri would just kill Kunikida off... I hope.

Atsushi grabbing Junichiro out of harms way like that must've been the hardest decision to make to go.

"Fantastic move"

He's so proud of them.

Very confusing statement from Fukuchi that this blade shouldn't be able to harm Kunikida(?) as it stabs him. I don't know what this line means, if it's meant to mean anything.

Literally paralleling lines to when we thought Kunikida died in the helicopter soo... I dunno what to think anymore.

Also during the helicopter thing, Kunikida essentially told Junichiro that he was in charge... And now Junichiro's had to watch him maybe die again.

The shot of his notebook on the ground is just foul.

Atsushi no it's not you're fault!

I share the sentiment Junichiro I really do.

... THE SWORDS ABOVE HIS HEAD WHATF THE HELL?!

And it ends.

I don't think they'll get Junichiro too but Atsushi was alone in the epilogue.... Oh no.

[legacygirlingreen]

hi there! I recently finished your fic called 'peace' with an ofc!xrex and was wondering if you had more information on her as a character! I am really fascinated by mae thus far and can't wait for part 2... So if it is ok I will ask a few, feel free to answer all/some/none, I am just so interested! Thank you for sharing your story with us!

whats her hobbies?

what is her biggest fear?

what is her favorite color?

What is something she cannot stand?

What is her biggest dream?

What is her biggest regret?

Introvert/extrovert?

Thank you so much for your kind message! I am glad you enjoyed my silly little story and I hope to have pt. 2 up soon! In the meantime, I thought I’d let the lovely lady herself answer your questions… so, here’s my lovely OC Mae answering some of your questions….

Hi there anon!

What are my hobbies? I love surfing! Being out on the water and shredding a wave is where I feel I was meant to be. It’s like the single most place in the galaxy where I feel the most content. Growing up on a planet that was largely covered by frigid and foggy oceans, the seas of Pabu are much more agreeable. Learning shortly after I moved here, it’s become a lovely pastime of mine. Beyond that I enjoy reading and more tactile things such as cross stitching or pottery! I don’t have much free time though, so I mostly surf!

What are my biggest fears? Uh, I like to think of myself as a fairly fearless person. I’ve seen just about any injury under the sun. I’ve been thrown into combat zones. I suppose I do worry that I will always be lonely. All my friends are slowly finding the people they are meant to be with, and I do wonder if I am always meant to be alone… not that I despise being alone… I find a lot of comfort in my own company, but still. It would be nice to have someone there at the end of the day to take some of the burden…

Favorite Colors? I like cooler toned colors! Blues and Greens are some of my favorite! Perhaps a rich green or a vibrant blue! That being said, I wear a lot of baby blue since I’ve been told it looks good on me!

Something I cannot stand? Those who belittle others. People who think they are above common decency. People unwilling to see past the surface level. Life is complex. There are rarely black or white answers. We exist within shades of gray. It is easy to see my past and judge me for actions not my own. When people are single minded it shows a lack of being willing to learn or adapt… for some reason that really upsets me. Beyond that, I tend to not like loud noises or overcrowded spaces if I can avoid them!

My biggest dream? I am not really sure if I am honest. Most days I feel as if I am living that dream. I am safe from my family. I wake up each morning in paradise. I have a sense of purpose through my work. I am doing what I always wanted to do. At the end of the day I have more to be thankful for than things to long for…

My biggest regret? Man… that’s a bit personal… perhaps leaving behind my siblings when I fled home? I know that a life on the run is not suited for younger children, however I do carry regret for leaving them behind. I always hope one day I can be reunited with some of them… however I doubt any of them would leave as I did…

Am I an introvert or extrovert? Depends on who you ask I suppose. I do not mind discussions to which I feel are worthy of having. However, I have often been described as a bit blunt at times. When I speak to people, I often do so with a reason or goal. There are times I feel overwhelmed and prefer silence. Perhaps we could call me an extroverted-introvert. Someone who can survive lively spaces, if I have the correct amount of time afterwards to recharge…

Thank you again for your questions! I love getting to talk to you all! This is a tiny reminder that my story is a work in progress, with the first part available HERE! Anyways shoutout to my friend @leenathegreengirl for capturing me first thing in the morning for this mock interview! See you all soon in my follow up… ☺️

[poodlewizard]

Hello all, update on my life

Generally I don't speak about my personal life but I have hit rock bottom, two weeks ago my partner whom I was in a relationship with for 5 years decided that for the best of us that we should end our romantic relationship. The week prior we took some time and we both had to endure it, it was devastating in it of itself but when it really ended I felt like I was dying, I started panicking and trying to negotiate at first but it was a final statement.

Since then I've been with a heavy pressure on my chest and palpitations, I barely have appetite and can barely function. I drew a lot of stuff for october, made a bunch of spooky ocs for you all but I couldn't even draw after that. I have been struggling financially too but that's an everyday thing.

I tried getting help from my local mental health institution but they didn't accept me because I wasn't having a panic attack in the waiting room. I tried going to my university's health center but they couldn't do anything either because the year's ending. I tried going into two small healthcare attention centers near my house and one told me they had no psychologist and the other had me checked up with a medic, who gave me a paper stating that I needed psychological help urgently. But the next day when I went into the same hospital for an appointment so I could get some help, they said they didn't had any psychologist either.

I'm getting really tired of trying to get help, couldn't go to college classes because I didn't do any finals and I just felt like a failure this year. I'm scared of what will happen on my birthday (dec 25) because I get really sad and melancholic, the only support I had was my ex partner, who baked me a mug cake and his sister, who organized me a birthday party when no one else cared. I am still friends with her and with his brother, I deeply care for them and I know they are good people, I just want to see them happy because they deserve it.

Last week I stayed at her house and felt loved again, had such a good time and I really hoped it would help me want to live my life, get my shit together and do stuff. It did, but I am not that strong, I don't have any mental health support or anything to help me get help from a professional. Things that both of them have, but they can afford a private psychologist. I can only hope to get noticed by the public healthcare

I have also been taken advantage of by one girl that I wanted to be friends with, because I had no friends. And by a man that I looked up as a father figure. Now I feel weird around them and I don't know how to deal with that.

I'm afraid of my own head, my house is not a safe place for me either because of the constant noise, I am afraid that I might do something bad to myself because of the guilt of ruining my most trustworthy relationship with a friend. I am afraid of making my mom sad. I'm sorry for being so pathetic, that I can't even draw stuff for the people who gave me love sharing, commissioning, commenting and liking my stuff

I want to live in a safe space, where I can just stop thinking that everything will go wrong in a matter of seconds.

I'm sorry even for this long ass post yapping about my life, but I just feel so bad and unimportant that just hoping someone will read this is enough, hope anyone reading this gets a warm hug from a loved one

Hope this post even makes sense

[herald-divine-hell]

My Journey Through Thedas

As Veilguard downloads on my PC, I thought to give my journey through the Dragon Age games and what BioWare's fantastical world has meant for me over the years.

Let it be known, I have been critical with aspects and elements of Thedas' worldbuilding, as well as routes I thought have been fascinating to delve into but BioWare either did not think or were incapable of actually implementing in game (Leliana/Inquisitor). Despite this, Dragon Age is one of my favorite series of all time, and this is my first ever Dragon Age release! So, why don't we go down along memory lane.

I first played Dragon Age in the summer of 2015, at my aunt's house in Texas (at the time, I had lived in New Jersey). While waiting for my family to get ready to get ice cream, I asked my aunt if I could hope onto my cousin's PlayStation 4, because of how terribly bored I was. Thankfully she agreed, and while going through his game sections, I noticed this really cool dragon covering, with a man weilding a sword and shooting a something like a green lasso at the dragon. On it, it read Dragon Age: Inquisition. I was, and still am, a huge fantasy fan, so the sight of that looked really fucking cool. So I hoped in, and went on my cousins save, and there he was at, seemingly just having arrived at Skyhold. I was utterly confused, so I went back and started - as I should have done - a new game.

And oh, boy. Was I excited. The character creator (despite nowadays a weird revisionist take that somehow DAI's character creator was actually bad - I'll give the hair tho) was absolutely fantastic, and since I love nobility I picked a male Trevelyan mage...who was white with violet eyes. (I can't recall if that was the time I started to like Dragon Age, but I played mostly white characters). And oh boy, I was in for a treat.

The opening cutscene was amazing, and there I saw the greatest thing that has ever graced my screen - Leliana, hooded and beautiful. At the time, I thought she was actually Muslim, because I thought her shawl was a hijab. Silly dumb fourteen year old Tim, lol. But I fell instantly in love with Leliana, especially when she stopped Cassandra from beating my ass for someone I had no idea I did. ("She likes me!" No, child Tim. She just wanted info. "No, she loves me.")

And from there it grew. I went and bought DA:I on my Xbox, and began to read Dragon Age Fanfiction, specifically Leliana and Inquisitor. One of my favorite fanfics was actually the Leliana/Inquisitor Trading Secrets by dats__gayyy (who never wrote that Trespasser epilogue :() Shoutout to them for introducing me and giving confidence to write my own fanfic. But at the time, I noticed a heavy leaning toward women, so I thought it was only fair that my first real Inquisitor should be a women rather than that prototype Trevelyan on my cousin's PS4. And in that year, the Hamilton soundtrack came out, right before they went to broadway. It was a match made in heaven. Hamilton - Trevelyan - they sound similar, no! And as I read Ron Chernow's Alexander Hamilton, images and thoughts of Alexandra appeared before me. A hyperactive, bisexual mess who loves to write and refuses to sleep? Perfect for Leliana! And from there, Alexandra Trevelyan, dearly beloved for so many of my friends were born, scarily pale skin and green-golden eyes all!

And from there, Dragon Age saved me. Without Dragon Age, I don't think I'll be alive. I certainly wouldn't have made a Tumblr and met all my lovely friends who provided a safe and secured space for me to explore and recognize my depression and anxiety, and who loved me despite my many, many faults. There were tough times in this fandom, and great times too, and though I may share my frustrations, I still remember going through Haven for the first time to reach the Breach, and seeing Leliana's face, and a very sparkly-eyed Tim whose heart was going to burst from his chest at the sight of her. Can't believe next year will be ten years since I fell for that Orlesian bard, lmao. Now I understand the Warden's pain.

No matter if this game is good or bad, thank you BioWare for making this. Thank you to all the developers unjustly let off by EA after Veilguard's development was over. Thank you all for existing! Now, let's go crack some eggs!

[xjoonchildx]

Dearest Miss Ana,

Now that Kanalia has ended ( and I repeat, what a wonderful ending!) I have a few questions. A sort of follow-up if you will.

A) Does the Queen confide in Boram about her relationship with Lord Jung and their baby? Does Yoongi know about his bestie’s extracurricular activities?

B) After the announcement of the Queen’s pregnancy how did King Namjoon and the unofficial Queen reacted?

C) Did our Queen ever write back to her sister? ( sorry I’m just very close to my sis and I want Queen to get along with hers 😭)

D) After the baby did anything changed in the relationship between their majesties?

Sorryyyy for the many questions but I am a woman that lives, breaths and gets motivated to exist by the ✨chisme✨ and I need the juicy details 😭😭

Also may I say this quickly, but from the moment that Yoongi went into the military and he had to break all contact I feel like I wasn’t able to keep up as much with the fandom.

I was expecting for there to be less of Yoongi but not in this degree and I feel like we were somehow thrown into the Anexo (a place where families send drug addicts to get clean but it’s brutal) .

I know it’s ridiculous to suffer so deeply the lack of someone that you don’t even personally know to this degree, but it hurt and I had to take a step back.

Reading the ending of Kanalia helped me reconnect with my love for BTS and Army, I may still be a bit away but you helped me remember the goods parts that I was missing.

Thank you Miss Ana ✨

sweet, sweet paloma 💕

honestly, what have i ever done to deserve you? if i am in any way connected to your rekindled love for BTS and ARMY, i'm forever humbled and grateful 💕 having you here to chat with and obsess about hoseok with has been a flipping blast.

so let's talk about your questions 😉

A) so ... the queen would not breathe a word about what's going on with another soul, not even boram. it's not so much that she doesn't trust boram (because i believe she's the kind of friend who would take a secret like that to the grave) but it's because sharing that kind of secret with boram would make the burden in some way hers, too.

that's a very heavy load to bear for even the queen and lord jung, so i can't imagine either would want to drag their innocent friends into it.

B) the king's reaction to the pregnancy announcement (even if he does have his suspicions) is generally positive. he certainly hasn't been able to produce an heir and he needs one! so he's going to slap that smile on and play the part.

privately, i'm sure he has some thoughts about it -- but he could be wrong, right? surely this is just in his head? 😉

C) yes, the queen absolutely writes back to her dear chaehee. she supports her sister in the marriage she's so happy for even if her mother thinks her new husband is below her station. and once the baby comes along, she invites chaehee and her husband to visit. at least now she actually has something beautiful of her own that she can share.

D) very little changes between the majesties after the arrival of the baby. they remain cordial and a bit distant, but at least now they both have a place they can go to in order to have connection and peace.

let's talk about missing yoongi because babe, i get it. i was watching his doc the other day and it really helped me understand why he needs this time away from the spotlight. he's an introvert who is far too talented to stay that way, but in the end he's got to retreat to his private space in order to stay sane.

i imagine that after this time in the military, he's going to come back with something brilliant like he always has -- and he's going to commit even harder to this dream of his. i know it's hard to wait, but man i can't wait to see it 💕

[occult-roommates]

The landbitch

One night, Charlie got called by the landlady when she dropped the new she was raising the rent again. No, she can't do that! Where's that solidarity between people of the same species? They're both vampire after all.

Charlie: Margrit, please... Margrit: We are not on a first name basis, you will call me Misses Fairchild and nothing else. Charlie: I can't really call you misses considering you're divorced.

Well, Charlie did not help her case at all with that comeback. Great, now she gotta announce that to the other roommates.

To think she used to have pity of that woman. Her story on how she became a vampire is a bit tragic. She was born in what is now modern day Austria in 1884, exactly a century before Charlie, and moved to the States at only 20 to marry a man twice her age. To be fair, it was mostly in a gold digging move. The 1930s rolled around, and she caught him cheating on him with a woman who was born the year they got married. She threatened a divorce, and as revenge he tried killing her by hiring a vampire hitman. The hitman failed to fully suck her blood out and instead turned her into a vampire. Still alive, she got to divorce, but now the Fairchild no longer wanted anything to do with her, and her family back in Austria rejected her for being a vampire. She still had enough divorce money to buy an apartment building in the art district though, and she's been the landlady of the place ever since...Oh and all of that was for nothing, cause the old husband croaked less than a year later.

However, Margrit has long since reached a point where Charlie could no longer feel bad for her.

Charlie: Bad new folks, the rent increased again. Dawud: Are you kidding me? Rudi: Ah for fuck sake, I just got a raise at work! Dawud: Well, personally, and I'm just saying, but I am the only one here with like, a full time job that pays more than 15$ an hour. Like, I know these are though time, but you guys need to step up. Akva: Easy for you to say, you were pretty much given your job when you moved here and got trained for free. My pay is shit but I can't find anything else, and flight school is freaking expensive. Kino: You could ask your new girlfriend to move here. Akva: I don't think she would wanna do that, she has a nice apartment all to herself, unlike us who barely have enough and just forgotten what having a bit privacy is like. I mean, she's a video editor, do we even have space for her desk here? Why don't your girlfriend move here uh? Kino: I broke up with Lilah yesterday. Through text. Charlie: Kino, you can't keep breaking up with people through text! Kino: Why not? And also, we would have more place to sleep if you agreed to share your room too while all five of us plus my baby are cramped in one bedroom. Charlie: Well speaking of baby, you barely take care of him, I'm his main caregiver. Which great, not only are you not arsed to be a parent, but it's an extra financial strain on the household.

Having run out of argument, Kino simply made a random move that was similar to the C part of the YMCA dance. It seemed out of nowhere, but it was because it is the equivalent on Sixam of giving the middle finger.

Rudi: Talking a lot of shit anyway for someone who doesn't have a job. Kino: Well yes, but I'm paid by the government agent who sent me here like...an amount of money I will not disclose. Rudi: Say it! Daniele: STOP FIGHTING PLEASE I DON'T LIKE IT! Akva: Dan, shut up, you literally don't have a job and you were raised rich... Daniele: I do have one, I'm a tailor at my aunt's fashion workshop, but I don't work that often and she doesn't pay me cause we're family. Dawud: That's kind of a dick move on her part actually...Wait when we think about it, your family has well enough money that you don't need to live here, what are you even doing in this apartment? Yes, you were kicked out by your parents, but you also lived with your aunt your entire teenage years. Daniele: My family is rich but I don't have much money to my name and I wanted to leave as soon as I turn 18 but currently I'm wondering if I should not just go back... Charlie: Nobody is gonna move out of this place, we can't afford to lose anyone. If anything, we need a new member! Rudi: We clearly don't have place though, and will the landbitch even let us? Akva: Legally, every household is allowed to have a maximum of eight people, and as long as that maximum hasn't been reached, you cannot deny someone to move under a roof. However, as soon as there's eight people, you cannot accept anyone else, which is why anyone who can get pregnant needs to go on birth control if there's eight people in a household. Also, it's not because you have to allow maximum eight people that every house or apartment is made to accomodate that eight people. Dawud: ...That's messed up what the hell... Kino: Yeah, I don't wanna go on birth control against my will! Charlie: What, so you can get pregnant with another baby you won't take care of? Rudi: The idea of having an extra roommates wouldn't be so bad if you didn't had a fucking private bedroom while the rest of us plus the baby were all sharing the same room!

The roommates kept on arguing, which almost escalated into insults. "Thankfully", their next door neighbor knocked and told them to shut the fuck up, it's almost 11 pm. How was little Joseph even sleeping through that? Silly them, they shouldn't be mad at each other, clearly they should be pissed at Miss Fairchild for putting the rent so hard they need to be seven roommates to make it, and that's not even including basic stuff like food etc...But well, if getting a seven roommates is what it would take, like, they have someone of each species except a fairy so it would be the perfect opportunity to get a fairy under this roof.

And now, for totally unrelated reason, Audrey eating a burger.

Prev - Next

[weatherw1tch]

mihawk hovers by the entryway, watching her precise strokes and quiet scrutiny. he knows that she knows he's there, but that she lets him observe, waiting for him to approach. and he does, knuckles traveling down the line of drucilla's spine and lips brushing against her bare, freckled shoulders. " i'm not distracting you, am i? " his voice is a low rumble, muffled while he spreads his kisses to the side of her neck, brushing fiery hair over her shoulder. there's an empty space above the fireplace he could hang her painting when she's done, a place of prominence that he could look upon everyday. " it's beautiful. " ( < 33 )

@a11sunday

Sometimes there are ideas, and sometimes there are feelings, and at the moment she has no plan other than to put to color to canvas. Her paintings aren't always happy things, but they mean more when they are. This painting is for her, simply for the abstract thought. She is home -- with no deadline, no money to be earned and traded through slick handshakes -- ensconced in a room full of supplies that offers ample opportunity with no expiration. Her roots grow, nourished by oil paints and the love of a man who crossed the sea to bring her back.

It's a familiar swirl of colors on the canvas, the blues and greens reminiscent of the ones that make up the lakeside and forest outside the castle. There are pops of red and pink here and there, too, melding into a semi-sunset. It's a portrait of feeling, of the happiness that sits inside her chest like a roaring fire. Painting has always been a means of expression when she had few words, or words meant nothing in the face of eyes that did not want her. It was a private thing, like a journal.

Her Zoan allows her to sense him before he reaches out to her, even before he enters the room, but it goes beyond that: wherever he goes, he takes with him an invisible string tied to her heart. She knows the feeling goes both ways, as it's why she's warming him up to the idea of travelling with her when she takes part in missions for the Revolutionaries. No one is going to tie you down, she told him once with a glint in her eye, except me.

Her body molds to his touch. She presses against him, seeking his warmth, eyes fighting against the sensation to remain open. "Been a distraction since day one, but I'm keeping you anyway."

She wants him in a way that is a hunger as much as her Zoan's hunger is need. It's a draw, a pull, she can't resist. She turns around on her stool and stands, sliding her arms around his waist, enveloping them both in the shroud of her shawl. She would paint him a thousand pieces if it meant he continued to look at her like that for the rest of their lives, as if she brings him as much happiness as he brings her.

"I love you," she likes to glimpse his expression whenever she tells him, but most of all, she likes to tell him more. Her lips brush against his with lazy surety, time at a standstill in the quiet of their shared home.

[munsonology]

Not to be a hater but quite literally if given the chance I would absolutely lay into my ex friend. Like he called me a slew of names spaced out over time each one worse then the previous, shared my trauma with people and tried to use it against me, and even told the kids I babysat for years MY FUCKING KIDS (not mine but basically they were) (and their parents) that I was a bad influence and a bad person. Like I took the name calling, but then I distanced because of the wife situation, but then I find out the rest of this shit????

Like ONE CHANCE I'd take it. Let me fucking at him. ESPECIALLY if I was in a group! Like you trying to come for me???

You??? No degree barely graduated high school can't swing a hammer or change your own oil man??? Coming for a smart strong bachelor degree woman???

You lived with your parents for years, not because of a cultural thing, but because you were "scared" to live alone! Bending to your mother's every beck and call. I should call you Norman Bates with how far up your mother's ass you are.

I could get a man or woman or ANYBODY if I wanted. I have options. remember when you had a crush on me dumbass and asked me out remember when you simped for me and took me to the movies for free what about that concert that was over 300 dollars FOR FREE cause you wanted me so bad? I could have had you and DIDNT and no one wants your 30 year old ass thats why you chose an 18 year old you fucking creep THAT is why we aren't friends and then all your dirty little secrets and skeletons about what you told others about me came out. You think your shit don't smell because you are full of it

You think you are so good and kind and everything you do is golden well its fool's gold you clown. Karma gonna get you just you wait (and thats the only reason I haven't fought u yet like...im trying to be the better person but they say one more thing in my presence...)

(And yes it is fucked they went for the 18 year old and it is even more fucked that they are now married like it was so quick like who thought that was okay not me that poor girl I hope she gets out cause he is not good he is not the love of her life hes just a man!!! Let me run him over cause YOU ARE A CHILD AND) (no I was gonna be petty af and post a throwback photo and tag everyone cause I have a picture of me, him, and his wife when she was 4 and he was 16 like 💀💀)(also again no shame to her if she needs help i am getting her out but she is devoted to him and disillusioned rn he got her brainwashed and yes we all grew up together and yes its a fucked situation and I want to go all Carrie Underwood on his ass and dig a key into the side of his car and knock out his headlights but karma is coming for him and karma could do better then me) (sorry for spilling in your inbox I am a ball of hate found out today and I mean AN HOUR AGO he actually was the one to spread a rumor about me that haunts me to this day as well as telling people about secrets I had told him that were not ok to tell and he has the fucking nerve to have come into MY HOUSE under false pretenses just to record me out of context and share it as proof im terrible oh fuck him)(please note as soon as I found out he was with the 18 year old I cut him out of my life but we work together just in different departments so I see him pretty regularly still sadly and I cant quit because I signed a contract but thankfully I dont have to see his crusty ass every day cause if I did....call me Elsa with the stone cold attitude he is receiving)

oh my god bestie 😭😭 first thank you for sharing 💖 he’s a weirdo for real. the fact he married an 18 year old is just sick, and what’s worse is you know he didn’t just meet her at 18 because they never do 😒

and that’s commendable of you to wanna look after her. it might take a while for her to see who he truly is. i think it’s important to remember she might not accept help :/ it might be healthier for you to take a step back. sometimes we need to put ourselves first for our own wellbeing. hopefully her family is aware.

it always hurts when people you think are your friend are the ones who purposely and carelessly hurt you the most. and i know you wanna fuck him up and key his car but he’s not worth going to jail over. the universe has a way of always working out, what we put out into the world we receive and trust he’ll get his for all the clownery he’s doing. it might take a while but it will. and when it does you can sip your tea with a big slurp 💀

[ketso]

Episode 1

It has been fifteen years that I have spent behind bars. Today, I am a forty-three-year-old free woman. I did my time, but none of it was good behaviour. My daughter, Wandisa, is a groovy beautiful woman now. She is twenty-five years old now. She's a sassy grown woman that I did my best to raise behind bars.

You see, her father is a married man who came into my life and turned my life upside down for the worst. I lost my jobs. My businesses. My reputation and my child. I needed to beg his wife to raise my child for me. But in the end, I had to remove her from that situation. Nathi had other children with his wife, Thandeka, and she had a way of differentiating between my daughter and her kids with Nkosinathi. So, I asked her to take my child to boarding school and just let her grow up there. They paid her fees. I did the rest from behind these bars.

"Mah!" She's here. My child. She's waiting for me. She's the spitting image of her father. But she's grown into this bright young woman that I'm so proud to call my daughter. Now, she's here to pick me up with her Polo TSI from prison. One day, I'm going to buy her one of the cars that I used to drive when I was hot and relevant.

She hugs me so tightly.

I'm so thankful that I detached her from Thandeka. When she went to university, she made sure that she visited me every weekend in prison, and we would just talk. I told her everything there was to know about me and everything that is true about her father and me. She told me that she still had a relationship with Thandeka and she likes that relationship because as distant as her father is her, she feels close to him because of Thandeka. Thandeka lets her visit the house as often as she likes. She has a relationship with her younger siblings. She's part of their perfect little family and I'm happy for her. All I'd ever want is for her to be happy. Honestly, it's the only thing that I can really offer her at this point.

We drive away from this correctional centre and when I see the sign "Never Again" staring at me, I swear that indeed, never again will I be behind these bars.

"I was watching this show called The Wire. When one of the main gangsters came out of jail neh - his name is Avon Barksdale - his best friend bought him new clothes to wear so he could throw the prison clothes out the window. I thought it was pretty cool. So here, I got you new clothes. Please lady - throw out the jail bird and be this glam mother that I know you really want to be inside", she says.

We both laugh.

She's such a silly little girl.

I'm changing into these high-waste baby blue pants and a white tank top. She even bought me heels.

"Now throw out those prison stuff! Whoooooo!" She says.

This child mara.

But I throw out my clothes and I do the whole "whoooooo" with her. It feels so good! So so good! Oh man! There's no better feeling than this.

I'm out. I'm with my daughter. Oh man. God is faithful. It's okay if I never see Nathi again. But I do need to get out there and make a plan for my daughter and I to move out of this "ama-rooms" situation that she lives in here in Orlando, Soweto.

We arrive at where she stays and there are no cars in the yard. I'm sure people have gone to work. She parks the car then she leads me to her room. She unlocks the security gate then the door. We walk in.

"Welcome home, mom. This is us for now." She says.

It's actually nice. It's a huge open plan space.

She has couches in here that look very expensive. It's one two-seater couch and two single seater couches. The two-seater couch is navy blue and the single couches are yellow.

In front of these couches is a mounted 65inch plasma TV. Then, there is her bed - a king sized bed that is dressed in Egyptian cotton bedding. This room feels like a hotel.

"It's not big kodwa -

"It's bigger than the cell I had to share with fifteen other people."

"Fifteen? Yho mama, I can't even host fifteen people in here. I wouldn't want to. They'd just mess up my stuff." She says.

I just laugh.

She's such a grown woman.

"I bought you some stuff. You can have the cupboard. I've emptied it. We will go shopping together and get you more stuff. I'll take the chest of drawers." She says.

The cupboard is black and just nice. There is space here. A lot of it. And it's nice space. The chest of drawers is wide and long, with ten drawers to it. It's black. It's beautiful. The one empty wall in here is a full mirror wall. This girl has taste. I'm even beginning to forget that we are in a township here.

I walk into the bathroom because I kinda didn't bath this morning. I didn't want to. I didn’t want anyone taking a chance on me because they knew that I was leaving. I didn't want anything ruining the chance of me being with my daughter this very moment.

The bathroom is tiled with grey tiles. Her bathtub is that stand alone bathtub and it's massive. She has a shower as well that is black and dimmed. Her basin is lovely. The toilet is stunning. There are Egyptian cotton white towels in here and they feel AMAZING!

"I bought you that pink salt from the taxi rank, mama. Bath yourself with it and just clean everything that you could have gathered inside. You are not going back in there. Okay?" She says to me.

"Okay, baby." I promise her with a smile.

"Please mama, feel at home. I'm stepping out to make some deliveries then I'm going to meet up with Senzi. I'll see you later." She says.

"Wandisa, kancane nje baby girl." I stop her before she dashes out.

She stops and gives me her undivided attention.

I know she sells clothes and does freelance writing and promo work. She says she makes forty thousand rands from her jobs every month. I know that Senzi is her boyfriend. He is the one who bought her that car she drives. Like I said, we spoke a lot during the visits.

"So, you still doing your piece jobs?" I ask her.

"I'm a businesswoman, mama. Who still wants to be an employee in this messed up economy where unemployment is at its peak and you have to depend on building someone else's dream just to make sure that you can eat at the end of every month? Hai ngeke bo. But I'm saving for a house, mah. With me being self-employed, I can't get credit, so I buy all my things cash and save for the really big things." She says. Ja no, these kids have their own way of thinking. Hai.

"USenzi yena? Is he still flying planes?" I ask. I know he's a pilot. She's very proud of it.

"Yeah. It's his job. An aeroplane is not exactly cheap to buy." She says.

"Is he away often?" I ask her.

"Ja, a lot actually. But it's perfect because it gives me a chance to get my business straight. Phela uyithanda ukufa i-attention lo mlisa. When he's around, Wandi goes MIA in his room. But today, I told him it's your first day back. So, I want to take you out to dinner and spoil you and just watch a movie with you even." She says.

"Ngiyabonga, nana. Be safe out there, okay?" I say.

"I will, mommy. If you need anything, I have left money for you on your side pedestal. It's one-thousand-five-hundred-rands. Here's a cellphone I bought for you. It's an iPhone. It has everything. When you've started up, please call me so I have your number. I've written my number down on paper. Use an Uber to go anywhere and everywhere you wish to go. And -

"Wandisa, ngizoba right. Just go." I tell her.

She smiles at me. She kisses me and says, "Sizoba right, mah. You are home now. I love you."

This means everything to me. ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING.

"I love you too, baby girl." I say.

Then, she's gone.

I start off by running myself a good bubble bath and I chuck the entire white groff salt bottle and pink salt bottle in the bathtub. I light the scented candles that I see around the bathtub. Then I sink myself into the water. I literally slide in and even let the water cover my face and hair. This room is definitely Sandton level, but the kids running and screaming in the streets is reminding me that I'm still in the township. I can't begin to describe how happy I am that I have a relationship with my child. There's nothing else that I want. Nothing.

I see products here that I can use. These are all the products she'd tell me about every time she would visit me. She would tell me that she got a promo job with these big brands and she would get paid in money and a supply of the products. I pick one range that focuses on uneven skin. I use that and start cleaning myself. She's actually doing okay for herself. I'm proud of my baby girl.

When I'm done bathing, I get out of the bathtub and I drain the water from the bathtub. I clean the bathtub then lotion myself. I also use her hair dryer to dry up my hair. Maybe I should take this money that she left for me and do something about this afro situation on my head. I wear the outfit that she brought to prison for me to change into. I like it. She definitely has style and taste.

I open my cupboard send I see some handbags in here. I take a small handbag and sling it across my body. I start up my cellphone and as promised, I phone her - dialling in the number on my side pedestal.

"Hello?" She answers.

"Wandi, it's me."

"Mah, hey. Okay, I'll save this number." She says.

"Okay. I'm going to a salon to do something nice with my hair. Can you recommend anywhere that I can go?"

"Hai bo, doing my hair is one of my businesses. I'll buy hairpiece and we can braid each other tonight." She says.

"Okay." I say.

"Mama, relax. Enjoy the TV, walk around the township. Go have lunch at a nice mall. Just please, enjoy yourself." She says.

"Okay baby. I'll see you later." I say.

"Later."

She hangs up.

Yho. I gave birth to something else.

I briefly Google Dr N N Buthelezi. He pops up and I see where his offices are based now.

I get an Uber to take me there.

The Uber arrives and indeed takes me to his offices. When I arrive at the hospital, I go to the doctor's suites and I find his offices. I walk all the way into his office then I bump into him talking to his receptionists. He looks at me. He stares at me. I stare at him.

"Hi", he says.

"Sawubona." I say.

"You can come through to my office", he says.

I'm glad he's not being hostile and horrible. I just follow him to his office.

"Can I offer you -

"Nathi, I'm not here for all of that. I just wanted to say thank you for raising Wandi. She's one hell of a woman with a beautiful spirit and I'm proud to be her mother. I know that you and Thandeka had your challenges with her, but you did well. She's a strong young woman that's even taking care of me now. I'm proud of her. I'm proud of everything she is. And I want to say thank you ukuthi despite everything else, you've been a father to her. A single father raising her with a stepmother. You know. That couldn't have been easy."

"Thandeka did all the heavy lifting. She even did the parts that I honestly couldn't do. Even now, her relationship with Wandisa is something I wish I had with Wandisa."

"Well, I'll be sure to thank her too. I hope the two of you are doing well."

"We've... we've actually decided to get a divorce. It's been finalized and everything. We went through too much and I suppose we reached a point of no return. We are great with co-parenting the kids and it's better this way. Maybe this will also help me co-parent better with you." He says.

"I'm sorry to hear about your divorce. She's a good woman."

"She is. But I've been destroying her for years. I love her enough to let her go. It's time." He says.

I nod my head.

"You look really well. You look as beautiful as I remember you to be the first time I saw you. Wow, Maphuthi. You haven't changed one bit or aged one year."

I can't help but blush.

"Can I maybe treat you to lunch?" He asks me.

"I was going to grab something quick then head back home. Wandisa has all these plans. And as overwhelmed as I am, I don't want to disappoint her. I mean she's giving up her time with her boyfriend just to spend time with me. So until she gets back home, I just want to be alone. I need to breathe a little bit, you know. I need the reality of being free to finally sink in." I say.

He seems to understand.

"Let me at least drive you home." He says.

That I don't say no to.

The car ride is nice. It's quiet.

"I'm in the process of buying Thandeka a new car. I'm thinking I should maybe get you something as well." He says.

"Why don't you buy your daughter a car first? She has a boyfriend buying her cars when her father is this generous about buying cars?" I say.

"Ngiyazama nje, Maphuthi."

"Angiyena uThandeka, mina. Let's just get that straight. Ungang'phapheli."

"I was just looking after the mother of my child."

"When did you realise that I was the mother of your child? I was inside a cell for fifteen years and you never even bought me a fizzer. Now you've suddenly grown generous enough to buy me a car?"

"Maphuthi -

"Lalela! I know that Thandeka is the love of your life. I don't need there to be equality in how you treat us. Besides, Wandisa is twenty-five years old now. What exactly are we co-parenting?"

He stops the car outside the rooms that Wandisa lives at. She's not back. Good. I'll have a minute to myself before she gets back.

"Uhambe kahle!" I step out the car and say.

"Maphuthi", he says.

I look at him.

"I didn't mean to offend you. I'm sorry." He says.

I nod my head.

"Your number? Can I perhaps have it?"

"For what?"

"Any emergencies. It's good for us to have each other's numbers. We share a child."

"If you have anything to say to Wandisa, you can contact her directly."

"And if I have something to say to you?" Him

I pull out my phone.

"What’s your number? I'll buzz you." I say.

He calls out his number then I punch it in my phone and buzz him. His phone rings then he says, "Got it. Thanks."

I nod my head, close the car door and walk into the yard as he drives away.

I finally see someone who lives here. A man who could be my age if not older.

"I've never seen you around here before", he says to me as I unlock the door.

"I'm Wandi's mother."

"Mother? Not sister? Are you sure?"

I uncomfortably giggle. I know I'm beautiful, but I don't like hearing it from other people.

"Chase", he says to me as he extends his hand for a handshake.

Men can't look like this, call themselves Chase and introduce themselves to me when I'm fresh out of prison and have been having sex with myself for fifteen years. It should be illegal. The palms of my hands are even beginning to sweat.

"Maphuthi", I say and shake his hand.

"What a pleasure", he says as he kisses my hand.

Yoh! Chase cannot do such things to me. He just cannot.

"So, you live in one of these rooms?" I ask him.

"Yeah actually. I just recently got divorced and my ex-wife sued me for everything you can think of. So until I find my feet again, this is the place I call home and that white Audi A4 is the car I call transport." He says.

"Any kids?" I ask him.

"Yep. Four. Three boys and one girl. Their mother has packed them up too and took them back to the UK without me. They won't even talk to me. I know I fucked up, but I don't deserve to not be in my children's lives. I definitely don't deserve for my wife to feed my mistakes to my children and have them view me different. You know?"

I just nod my head.

"Is Wandi your only daughter?" He asks me.

I nod my head and say, "Yeah. My only baby girl."

"You did great with her. She's amazing."

"It was mostly her father and her step-mother that raised her. I was in prison for the past fifteen years. I only came out this morning."

His aura immediately changes.

I just know I've led him to losing all interest in me.

"I'll see you around, Chase." I say.

I get into the room and close the door.

Silence at last.

I actually do nothing fancy with my time. I don't watch TV or listen to music or learn stuff off my cellphone. None of that. I just sit here, lie on my back, shut my eyes and simply breathe. That's it. That's all that life requires of me today. To just breathe.

In and out.

In and out.

In and out.

I think about the novel that I wrote and finished in prison. I told Wandi about it and she was so excited for me to come out so that she can help me promote it, get it in stores and have me make honest money out of it. If I can just get a laptop, then I can just view it on a machine one more time before I start printing and selling it. It's titled "A mother behind bars: materially misbehaving inside so she could be all that she wants to be outside."

I think about the people that I never wish to see again. I laugh at the moments that I had inside. I laugh at how hard I had to fight to get out and be here... like this... with my child. Fifteen years of being a child in a small shack filled with fifteen other children and we all get one plate of food a day. Whoever eats the fastest will sleep the most full. Whoever eats the slowest will be hungry before the others. That's what prison is like. It's a fight for survival every single day. And I survived. I sold drugs inside so I could give my child start-up capital for all these businesses that she has. Every time she made bad decisions and they cost her financially, I had to step in. I sold girls from the inside. You'd be surprised how much money this gives you on the inside. When she got this place and she was required to pay six months rent in advance, she came to me behind bars, and not to her father who is a specialized doctor and a half. I did what I had to do. And my baby is okay. So, my actions have never been in vain.

When I think about my mother and all that she failed to do for me... I could never be her. She let her boyfriend rape me the minute our father left us for another woman. Another family all together. I grew up knowing I was beautiful because all the men who touched me told me so. I grew up knowing that my beauty can get me anything because the teachers at my high school who took me to their houses told me that when they did things to me. Sleeping for something that I want became normal to me. It's like even when I started working... I slept with the right people to get the promotions that I wanted- no matter how brilliant I was at my job. Sad reality, but very true.

I'd lie to anyone that would listen that I was a spoiled daddy's girl whose father left businesses upon businesses for me. It made me feel like I was exactly like all the other kids who had fathers that never left them for other women - that chose them over leaving. And in a weird way, my little lie of my perfect father and all the things he was doing for me kept me going.

I started getting into crime out of greed I suppose. I could always do with an extra rand or two... I could always do with a house that had an extra brick or two... I could always do with a car that had some extra power or two... and in the end, the Buthelezis came into life and I went to jail for everything that I've ever done wrong in my life.

But now, I've done my time. Now, it's time to get my groove back.

I just need one night of passionate sex and I swear I'll even think a little bit better. Nathi is not on my list. Hell no. Chase was a strong contender, but now he's scared of me because I'm suddenly tattooed "convicted criminal" on my forehead to him.

Eish.

For now, let the hand do its job. I normally feel sleepy after helping myself. I guess the nap will be sweet and Wandi will wake me up when she gets back.

...

"Unjani umah wakho, Sthandwa Sami?" Senzi asks me as we both lie in the bathtub full of water, bath foam and relaxing bath oils. We are enjoying some champagne as well as we sit in here and just catch up with each other.

"She's good, baby. I'm just worried about her." I tell him.

"Why?"

"She just comes across as if she doesn't want to enjoy life because she still has to pay for her sins, you know? I don't want her to feel that way. She's my mother and I love her. I want a chance to be in her life and have her be in my life fully."

"Love, she just got out of prison. She's adjusting. It will take some time, but she will be okay eventually."

"I know... it's just..."

"Just what, babe?"

"Senzi, we all have one goal when we wake up everyday. Our goal is to return home untouched by the things of the world even though we live in it. No woman plans to meet her rapist on her way to school or work. No woman plans to meet situations that force her to make difficult decisions that have such consequences. I want my mom to know that I understand that she did what she had to do and it's okay. It's really okay. I want her to move on."

"I hear you, baby." He says. Then he kisses me.

"Maybe you should tell her that. It would mean the world to her." He says.

I nod my head.

"Have you spoken to your dad?" He asks me.

"Not really. Ubaba is not exactly keen about him and I having a father and daughter relationship."

"But, he just concluded his divorce. He needs a hug too. He needs the love and support that you are giving to your mother."

"I spoke to uKhanya. He says dad bought a new place and he is living his best life. Obviously, they visit him - uKhanya noKhosini. But, I don't think ubaba has room for me like that in his life. He never has" I say.

"Well, now that he is divorced -

"No, I don't even want to think like that. UMam'Thandeka has been nothing but nice and loving to me. More than ubaba even. I'm not going to insult her by even insinuating that she is the reason ubaba just never wanted me."

He is silent.

"Anyway, babe... I need to get going. I'm sure umama is wondering where I am." I say.

I stand up and get out of the bathtub.

"Baby! Wandi! Are you upset?" Senzi keeps saying as I make my way into his main bedroom and start lotioning myself.

I'm getting dressed in the blue denim jeans that I arrived in and the see-through shirt that I wore with it. I can get away with shirts like this because I'm the sexy lingerie and underwear kind of girl. I took after my mom with the wide hips, round ass and thin waist. But with my boobs - the Buthelezi family definitely gave me boobs for days. I've even gone for a boob reduction just to have them be a little smaller. They were making me look fat more than anything.

I don't tie my braids, I just let them hang from my head.

"Baby", he starts.

He is naked. He still lives at home and his mother hates me. He must get dressed before his mother just walks in here and shits on us. Thankfully, his bathroom is attached to his bedroom.

I'm still wearing my heel-like push-in sandals that have a transparent wrap over my foot. I don't like flat shoes. If you see me in a flat shoe, it's sneakers. I'm all about heels, so I have them in every sandal, slops, and morning shoes. All my boots have heels. I just don't understand flat shoes. They are uncomfortable and so unattractive. They just don't make sense to me. But a sneaker, I'll forgive for not having heels and that's me trying to be basic.

"Wandi", he says as he wraps himself around me. Okay, now he only has a towel wrapped around his lower body.

I finally look at him.

He is a very tall man. He reminds me so much of my dad. He is a successful career man who is good-looking and very charming. He has these small eyes that I love so much. Sometimes I tease him and tell him that he doesn't see me coming sometimes because his eyes are so small. He is a dark-skinned beauty... he looks Ghanaian. His mother is from Ghana and his father is Zulu. So, you can imagine how sexy his bone structure is and how deliciously tall he is. He couldn't be ugly even he wanted to and that Ghanaian sauce is heat deep on him. I can't help but smile at him. His smile defeats me all the time and he knows it.

He uses his body to push me and corner me against the wall of this bedroom.

"You know that I love you, right?" He says.

"I know", I say.

"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. Baby, I just want you to be happy." He says.

"I know. Sometimes it just feels like you don't understand where I'm coming from half of the time. You have your parents living under one house and you are an only child who does not have siblings scattered between different parents. I'm the girl whose mother spent the last fifteen years of her life in prison. I spent the last nine years building a relationship with my mother through prison bars and on weekends and public holidays only. My mother was a side chick who turned my dad's world upside down by being pregnant with me. My dad lived my entire life apologizing to his wife about the fact that I even existed. I barely have a relationship with him because his wife tolerated me more than he did. I don't have a perfect life, Senzangakhona. Nothing is normal about my life. I was raped as a six-year-old child and no matter how hard I try to get over it or forget about it, I look at my mother and I realise that raping women is a norm where I come from. I could have easily been her. Mam'Thandeka saved me from that. Sometimes, when you give me advice about my family, I think you romanticise how painful it is to be in my shoes sometimes. I try my best to not blame my parents for it."

He hugs me. We share a deep and long hug.

"One day, I'm going to build you a house on a plot that is far away from the busy streets of townships and cities. We will grow our own vineyard and have the perfect banana tree. We will have a huge yard that we will fill up with trampolines -

"For me to jump on and lose weight", I say and we laugh.

"And we will have a huge swimming pool that is built with rocks and bricks that were used to build Rome and we will have our little Italy in our backyard."

I laugh.

"And I'll give you one baby." I say.

"Only one?"

"Okay, maybe two."

"How about three or four?" He says.

"Okay. Only if you buy yourself your own airline and have other people make money for you so you can spend all your time with your four kids and me", I say.

"Anything for you, baby. Anything." He says.

"We will start our own family. Just you and me and our four bundles of joy."

"And we will protect them. We will love them. We will try very hard to make sure that it's different for them."

"What happens if we fail, Senzi?"

"We can only do our best, my love."

"What if one of us die and someone else must come in and replace one of us in their lives?"

"Ssssshhhhhhhh...." He says as he hugs me tighter, pulling my head towards his chest. He kisses the top of my head.

"God is hearing our prayers, my love. And His answers are yes and amen. Always remember that." He says.

Yes, he is a youth pastor.

I look up at him. We kiss.

...

My mom was fast asleep when I got back from Senzi's house. It wasn't even 7pm yet. I didn't wake her up because I just felt that maybe she needed the rest.

Today, we woke up and we prepared breakfast together. After we ate, I plaited her hair. It took us about three hours and we were just talking as I was braiding her hair. She was telling me about prison and that she went to see my dad yesterday. I don't know why she did that. We don't need him. We really don't. She must just let him be. Some things must stay where they are. Like him.

As we clean up the hairpiece on the floor, I see Khanya's car park at the gate. Khanya and Khosini are my brothers. They are my younger brothers that were birthed by my other mother, Thandeka. I can't even call her my stepmother. She was so much more than that to me.

These two come here so often that they even know how to get in and just be comfortable. Khanya is twenty-two years old and Khosini is nineteen. But they are both taller than me and they think they are hottest things since sliced bread.

We are really close - all three of us. We have another sister - Sinqobile. She's Khosino's twin. She unfortunately passed away when she and Khosini were a couple of months old. So, it's just us three.

"Hello, sis", my brothers greet me.

I wish I could ask them what they are doing here, but this is their world. I just live in it.

"You guys look so good. Nibuyaphi?" I ask them.

"I'm coming from work. This one, I just picked up from campus. We going to dad's place for a braai, so we came to fetch you", Khanya says.

"I wasn't invited to a braai nje. And you know I'm still hanging out with my mom. She just got back from prison." I say.

They both look inside of my room and they notice my mother. She is also looking at us.

"Sawubona, Mam'Phuthi." They both greet her.

"Hello", she says, making her way to the door where we are standing.

"You are so grown. The last time I saw you, you were in diapers". My mom says.

"Now, you are grown and annoying as hell." I say.

They all laugh.

"Ubaba really wanted all of us to come, Wandi." Khosini says.

"He didn't say anything to me and he has my number." I say.

"He didn't say anything to me neither. He told Khanya and Khanya just passed on the message to everyone." Khosini.

"Hamba, baby girl. I'll be okay." My mom says.

"I'll go if you all go to church with me tomorrow. Including you, mama."

"Hai hai hai!" Khanya and Khosini protest.

My mom laughs.

"You are the mam'mfundisi here. Not us." Khanya says and everyone laughs.

"Please guys. Just come. We will just attend the youth service. Senzi is preaching." I say.

"USenzi is a preacher?" My mom asks.

"Youth pastor." I say.

My mom seems surprised.

"Mah, that church is so huge. There are three different services on a Sunday. It accommodates 300 people at a time. Yoh, I'm sure pastor Senzi earns a lot of money from that church. That place is a business. It even has a mall inside, mama." Khosini.

My mom is in stitches.

"Why are you like this? You know it's his parents' church and they started it from nothing. All they had when it started was material to build a shack and land. They had that land and shack then grew it into what it is now." I say.

"Mama, it's a mall. It sells all sorts of religious things. Then it's stunning infrastructure and it's just a vibe. Mama, they have musicians, brand and marketing people. For a church? A church, mama?!" Khanya keeps saying and honestly, my mom is going to faint at this point from all this laughing.

I love how my brothers are even calling my mother, mah. I love these two idiots.

"Well, I'll go to church. Maybe, I can even find a job there for now just to keep busy", my mom says.

"Thank you, mommy."

"Fine. We will also go." Khosini says.

I smile.

"Now, let's go to dad's place." Khanya says.

I quickly shower and get ready as they sit outside on the stoep with my mom. They actually talk. Like really talk and laugh.

When I'm done showering, I look for an outfit to wear.

I pull out a dress that I haven't worn in a while. It's a short dress, but it's cute. I wear it with Jordan sneakers. I grab a bag and we use Khanya’s BMW 1 series to head to my dad's place. I sit in the front seat next to Khanya who is driving and Khosini the baby sits at the back. It's just always been that way.

...

I'm cooking in the kitchen and the guys are braaing outside. It's just the three of us and my dad. I honestly feel uncomfortable. I don't feel like this is home for me.

"Hey", my dad comes into the kitchen with empty trays and braaing utensils covered in sauces that I used to marinate the meat.

I just give him a fake half smile.

"Kunjani ukuhlala nomama wakho?" He asks me.

"It's fine." I say.

"I was thinking that maybe I should get you guys a bigger place." He says.

"There's no need for you to do that." I say.

"I want to. And I want to buy you a car. I don't like this thing of you driving cars bought by other men", be says.

The fucken nerve!

"And when did you decide that? Around about the time when you woke up one day and decided that you are my father?"

"Wandisa -

"Baba, sobabili we know that I'm only here because my brothers have asked me to be here and they fetched me and brought me here. You don't want me here and if it were up to you and me, I wouldn't be one of your children."

"It's not like that, Wandisa. If you could at least give me a chance to explain before you write me off..."

"Don’t do that! Don't create expectations from me that we both know you won't be able to fulfil. You've let me down enough, baba. I can't open that door to you ever again only for you to let me down over and over again."

He seems hurt.

"Wandisa, ngane yami... I'm not a perfect man. But I do love you. I really do. At least tell me that you know that." He says.

I just turn around and focus on the pots again. I really don't want to entertain this any further. I don't.

[strangerthingfanfic]

Chapter 3 is live!!!

Find it on AO3 Here

Or scroll down beyond the picture to read it

Chapter 3: New Life

A giggling sound made the two of them jump and look in the direction it came from.

Steve laughed when he saw the baby monitor sitting on the table next to Billy.

Steve looked over at Billy, grinned, and said, “I guess they approve”.

“I'm sorry,” was all Billy said as he dashed past Steve and out the front door. The sound of the door closing heavily behind him echoed in Steve's soul.

The night wind howled in Billy's ears as he searched for a place to hide, to breathe, to disappear. “You're useless, dumb, and loving a man is wrong and you will never amount to anything and your children will hate you,” his father's voice whispered inside his head.

Inside, Steve was left alone, feeling confused and hurt. Sitting down, he took a deep breath and watched the door, wondering why he always scared off the people that meant the most to him.

When Billy hadn't come back home even after a couple of hours, he was beginning to fear the worst, so he called Joyce.

“Hey Steve, how are you darling?” Joyce asked when she answered.

“Not well. Billy took off after we kissed and now I don't know what to do. Should I call Hopper to search for him? Should I get a sitter so I can go look for him, or should I just stay put?” he asked, his voice breaking.

Before she could answer, the front door opened and Billy was in the doorway, then in front of him and then his lips were on his. He melted into Billy's kiss, allowing the phone to drop from his hand and leaving Joyce asking if he was ok. After a few minutes, to Steve's disappointment, they parted, and that's when he remembered he was on the phone.

“I’m ok, Billy came back,” he quickly texted Joyce. When he got an “I'm glad” text, he put his phone down and looked at Billy.

“Where the hell did you go? And just because I accepted your kiss, I don't forgive you for just taking off,” he said as he wrapped his arms around himself and turned his back to Billy.

“I'm sorry. I heard my father's voice in my head, but as I walked in the cold air alone, I realized something. He was old and bitter, and I am allowed to be happy in whatever form that comes in. I hope you won't give up on me,” Billy replied.

Turning around slowly, Steve said, “Your honesty makes it hard to stay mad at you. I forgive you this time. But if it happens again I’m not promising anything,” and found his space within Billy’s arms.

The next couple of months were filled with end-of-school activities and homework, along with counseling sessions with their therapist.

“I can't wait for summer so we can have time to spend with the girls and each other,” Billy said as they were putting away dishes.

“Be careful what you wish for, Hargrove. Sometimes it isn't what you think,” Steve replied and pecked him on the cheek.

When summer break finally arrived, Billy was excited. But that didn't last.

“Two weeks. That's all it's been, and the girls are driving me nuts,” Billy said as he picked up Max and moved her away from the flowerpot she was trying to climb into.

Steve laughed and quipped, “You were so excited summer break was here, and we could have the girls home all the time.”

Flipping Steve off, Billy put Max in the playpen, then pried Mary from Steve's arms, whom she hadn't let go of all day except to eat, and placed her in as well.

Going back to where Steve was seated on the floor, he wrapped his arms around Steve and kissed him. “You're mine for a few minutes,” he said as he bit the edge of Steve's ear. Looking up to check on the girls, he could swear Mary was giving him a death glare for touching Steve. “I don't think Mary wants to share you with me,” he said, laughing.

“She knows she has me wrapped around her tiny finger,” Steve said as he turned his head and kissed Billy softly.

The girls played in their playpen while Steve and Billy watched TV. A commercial came on for a vacation package to San Diego. Steve saw a longing on Billy's face and said casually, “The two of us should take a nice vacation”.

The smile that crossed Billy's face said he agreed, but he said, “I don't think I'm ready to be away from Mary and Max for that long.”

Right then and there, Steve swore to himself he would get Billy to get away and relax somehow.

****

It was the last week of June when they flew out to San Diego for a five-day vacation at a beachside resort.

A scared deer was the only way Steve could explain the look on Billy's face. He had finally talked Billy into taking the vacation they had talked about.

“Don't worry, you pumped enough milk for them until next June and Joyce loves the girls, so everything will be just fine. Plus, we can FaceTime them every night,” he said as he physically sat Billy down on the bed.

“And what about Jonathan and Will? What if they go off and tell everyone about the girls and… and us?” Billy asked.

Sitting down next to Billy, Steve cupped Billy's face and said, “Stop worrying so much about other people. So what if everyone in town found out? It just might mean more babysitters. And the ‘us’ part, no one is going to care. Hawkins may be a small town, but it also has a lot of really loving people. Hell, even Tommy has a soft spot for kids, and I think he already thinks we are hiding something.”

Taking a deep breath and cracking half a smile, Billy nodded and laid on his back on the bed. “I guess this isn't so bad. I can teach you how to surf and you can finally get a tan on you.”

The next day, Billy showed Steve how to stand on a surfboard and was excited when Steve survived his first wave. They had a video chat with Joyce and the girls that night.

“Hope the girls are being good,” Steve asked as the girls waved at the camera, testing Joyce's ability to hold both of them.

“They're great and I'm enjoying having girls for a while,” Joyce said with a laugh.

They said their goodbyes and headed to bed.

As the third day became the third night, Billy was sitting on the bed while Steve was in the shower when there was a knock at the door.

Billy slowly got up and went to the door and looked out the peephole. He was taken aback by the woman with blonde hair with purple streaks and piercing blue eyes, much like his own, staring back at him from the hallway.

He undid the lock, and the woman wrapped her arms around Billy. “Long time no see little brother”.

“How did you know I was here?” he asked. He heard the shower turn off. “Give me a second,” he said before she could answer and went to the bathroom, letting Steve know they had company and he would need more than the towel. When he turned around, his sister was sitting in a chair by the desk and he asked again as he sat on the bed, “How did you know I was here?”

“My friend works here, and she told me she saw you. She even gave me your room number,” his sister replied as Steve came into the room.

“What's going on, Billy?” Steve asked, sitting next to him.

“This is Crystal, my older sister,” Billy said, trying to keep his voice steady despite the anger and confusion he was feeling.

“Mom and dad have been worried sick about you ever since your disappearing act almost two years ago,” Crystal said.

“I didn't know Satan knew how to worry about others,” Billy replied, not holding back the venom in his tone.

“Grow up already, Billy. Yeah, dad was an ass at times, but he loves us and mom. His old way of thinking made life hard, but your vanishing has really been tough on him since he blames himself. Couldn’t you at least stop by and let them know you are alive,” Crystal said, her eyes locked on Billy.

“Maybe you should, Billy. I will be right there with you,” Steve said softly, placing a hand on Billy's shoulder. Billy just nodded. Both Steve and Crystal took that as a win.

Giving both Steve and Billy a hug, Crystal took her leave.

“She seems nice,” Steve said as they got comfortable in bed.

“She is a good person and a great sister,” Billy said, turning to face Steve. “Are you sure you want to be involved in my family drama?” Billy asked as he moved a piece of hair from Steve's eyes.

“Of course I do. Plus, I'm interested in meeting Satan himself,” Steve said, causing them both to laugh.

The next morning, they headed over to Billy's old house. It looked exactly the same as when Billy left, which made him even more nervous. It subsided a bit when Steve placed his hand on his. Taking a deep breath, he got out of the car and Steve followed suit. Hand in hand, they went to the front door and Billy knocked.

They heard Billy's dad grumbling as he approached the front door. When he opened it, his face went from frustrated to disbelief in seconds. “Marianne! Billy's home!” the man yelled and motioned for them both to enter.

A woman wearing a red night robe came running into the room and when she saw Billy she ran straight for him, wrapping her arms around him. “I've missed you so much, my son,” she said as the tears streamed down her face.

“I've missed you too, mom,” Billy said softly.

Once she let Billy go, she motioned for him and Steve to have a seat. When she got back with coffee for everyone, Billy introduced Steve and told them about what he had been going through the last year and a half.

When he was done, neither one of his parents said a word. Suddenly, his mom burst into tears and wrapped her arms around him again. “I'm just glad you're alive and safe,” she said over and over. Even his dad had tears threatening to fall as he tried to keep his composure. It was a side of his dad Billy had never seen.

They spent the afternoon talking about Mary and Max and Steve. As the sun started to set, Billy hugged his mom and shook hands with his dad. It was a start.

“If I could get your email, I would like to send you tickets to join us for Thanksgiving dinner. If it goes well, I will also bring you out for Christmas, but I warn you if you hurt Billy or the girls in any way, I will make sure you never see them again,” Steve said, surprising Billy's parents and making Billy grin.

“I like this one,” his dad said as he wrote his email for Steve.

When they got back in the car Steve said with a laugh, “Satan isn't that bad”.

“Yeah, I guess we can graduate to Neil,” Billy said with a smile and started up the car.

As they were heading back to the hotel, Steve asked, “Where did that come from? I'm so proud of you but the fact you were so open was a shock.”

“The reason is you,” was all Billy said.

Steve knew not to push Billy to talk, so he turned on the radio. California Girls by Katy Perry was playing. “I have my own California girl,” Steve teased, pleased, as he watched the red stain on Billy's cheeks.

That night, they cuddled together.

“You know, I'm glad you dragged me out here,” Billy said as he kissed Steve's neck.

“Me too. We both needed this break,” Steve replied as he rolled onto Billy, smiling, and reached over and flipped the light off.

The next morning, they sadly had to head to the airport. They were excited to see the girls and give them the gifts they got for them, but they would miss the alone time.

When they landed in Indianapolis, they claimed their baggage and headed out to the front of the terminal, where they found Joyce and the girls waiting for them. As they walked through the arrivals door, the most amazing thing happened. Max said, “mama” and reached for Billy while Mary said, “dada” and reached for Billy, too. Both Steve and Billy gasped, dropped their luggage, ran over and picked up the girls, hugging and kissing them and then switching babies.

“Wow, you're like an old married couple,” Joyce said with a laugh as she wiped away her own tears, making them both blush.

The girls repeated mama and dada for the next hour on the trip back to Hawkins.

A couple of days later, a blanket was spread out on the grass in the backyard. On it was a picnic basket, Steve and Billy cuddling together, and two baby girls waiting for the Independence day celebrations to begin.

When the sky faded to black, bright stripes of light rose from the Hawkins fair.

As the fireworks exploded one by one, the two girls clapped and cooed while the young me shared a deep kiss.

“You know this means that school isn't that far off,” Billy said as they cleaned up the picnic.

“I know, but hey we still have over a month, so let's make the most of it.”

And they did.

They spent a lot of time in the pool, taking road trips to look at the farms surrounding Hawkins and, of course, visiting Joyce.

***

“Dammit, going back to school came way too fast,” Billy complained as he put together his school stuff for the next day.

Steve didn’t want to go back either. All the girls' firsts they had witnessed were a blessing, and he knew that both of them were not ready to miss anything.

Billy had spent the last week mentioning everything new the girls had done down to Max and Mary sticking their fingers in each other's noses. As the day to start classes got closer, Billy’s attitude got worse, and he complained about everything, cursing out anything that dared to get in his way.

“The nice thing is that we only have classes until noon except for Fridays when we have basketball practice,” Steve said, trying to calm the Goliath down.

Billy looked over at him, a look of fear mixed with pride on his face. He asked, “So are we still taking separate cars and shit”?

“No,” Steve answered and left the room, leaving a confused and worried Billy behind. He came back in with a small piece of paper and put it on the table where Billy could read it: ‘Hawkins High parking pass for Steve Harrington and Billy Hargrove, good for the 23/24 school year.’

“One car, one team. I also thought we could bring our friends to meet Mary and Max tomorrow morning since tomorrow is orientation and school starts on Monday,” Steve said. He tried not to laugh as Billy groaned and threw his backpack onto the floor, collapsing onto the bed. Laying on top of Billy, Steve kissed Billy’s nose. “It will all be ok, you will see,” he said and kissed him.

The next day didn’t feel alright. Mary and Max were crying because of having their first teeth coming in and nothing was soothing them. Billy and Steve finally decided that Steve would go to orientation and hopefully could pick up Billy's class list.

When Steve left, Mary screamed and made Max scream louder, too. Billy looked at the clock and hoped that the orientation wouldn’t take too long.

After an hour, some cold teething rings, and a good feeding, Mary and Max finally fell asleep in their playpen. Billy went to the couch and ended up falling asleep.

Multiple voices in the room awakened him. Keeping his eyes closed, he listened to the conversation.

“Oh my, he’s so adorable when he's sleeping,” a female voice said.

Billy recognized it as Nancy Wheeler.

“I just want to grab his ass.”

That was definitely Carol Perkins.

“He isn’t that good looking,” chided Tommy Hagan.

“Can we hold them?” asked Robin Buckley.

Jonathan Byers said, “I wouldn't wake them. They are as cranky as I suspect their father is when you wake them.”

“And right now, I’m majorly cranky,” Billy said as he sat up, making everyone in the room jump. “Why the fuck are you all here?” he asked quietly, trying not to wake the terror twins.

“I asked them to come so you could tell them about things in a more relaxed setting,” Steve answered, kissing him on the cheek and sitting next to him.

Billy relaxed and motioned for the others to take a seat. He gave them a basic rundown, leaving out most of what happened because he emotionally couldn’t go through it again right then. When he finished, he showed them the scar, at the request of Tommy.

“Damn Hargrove, guess you’re the mom, and Stevie here is head of the household,” Tommy said with a chuckle.

“I do love my sugar daddy,” Billy said as he ran a hand up Steve’s thigh, making everyone laugh because Steve was visibly turned on. And right on cue, Mary started crying loudly, and Billy said, “I’ve got competition, though.”

Steve got up and picked Mary up and she immediately stopped crying and started saying “dada”, reaching for his face.

“I would be careful Hargrove, you have a competitor, and she really does have a cuteness advantage,” Tommy said as he fell over in a laughing fit.

Jonathan went over to the playpen when Max started making a noise, as she realized Mary wasn’t there. Picking her up, Jonathan held her in his arms and started humming a soft melody, which made Max calm down.

Within ten minutes, everyone was surrounding the girls and showering them with attention. As long as girls could see Steve or Billy, they loved it.

Robin kept looking over at Billy.

“Can I help you, Robin?” he asked.

Blushing, Robin asked, “Can we watch when you feed them? I know it's weird but none of us have seen a guy feed babies and it would be educational.”

The look on Billy’s face was meme-worthy, but he actually agreed to it more out of necessity than anything else, since both girls started their lunchtime cry. Taking off his shirt, he collected Max from Jonathan and was glad when Steve brought Mary to him and set them up for their lunch.

The silence in the room was deafening, mixed with the fact that he felt like a sideshow. It was sending his anxiety through the roof. He kept his cool for the sake of the girls.

When they were done, he laid them in the playpen and rubbed their tummies until they were asleep. Replacing his shirt, he asked, “Who wants a sandwich?” as he went towards the kitchen.

When lunch was done and everyone had left, Steve watched as Billy slumped onto the couch, looking broken. “What's the matter, babe?” he asked, sitting down on Billy’s lap.

“I'm just worn out. Between the girls teething and knowing not only the loudmouth of Hawkins knows everything, but so do my parents, my head is just spinning,” Billy said, pulling Steve in close to him.

Steve wrapped his arms around Billy’s neck and said softly, “Together we will get through this” and kissed him.

“I can't believe the girls will be one in a week,” Billy said once he calmed down. He started to flip through his phone.

Steve looked over his shoulder and noticed Billy looking at party gifts and ideas. “Can I plan it?” Steve asked excitedly.

Billy looked at him and nodded because he was too exhausted to fight.

***

Balloons filled the living room like it was a circus. A banner hung above the fireplace that read “Happy First Birthday Mary and Max”. ‘The Party’ was there as well, along with Joyce and Hopper, and Billy’s and Steve’s friends from school.

The birthday girls were in their playpen, loving the balloons and bubbles from the bubble maker.

Steve's eyes watered when it came time to cut the cake.

“Wow Steve, you're really invested in those girls aren’t you,” Tommy said as he took his piece.

“I love them like my own,” Steve replied as he continued to hand out cake.

Billy came over and wrapped his arms around Steve and whispered, “The girls are hungry and since we plan to wean them soon, it might be nice to have a small family feeding.”

This made Steve full-out cry. Joyce thankfully took the knife from him and motioned for both of them to scamper off.

They each went and got one girl and headed up to the nursery.

Billy handed Steve Max and got comfortable in the rocking chair as he removed his shirt. Steve then handed him one kid at a time and then sat in the chair next to Billy’s, resting a hand on his arm.

When they were done, Billy put the girls on the play mat on the floor.

Nothing in the world could make this moment for either of them any better until both Max and Mary both stood up and took a couple steps before falling on their bottoms, destroying both of them emotionally in a good way.

***

Between on the move one-year-olds and senior-level school work, both Steve and Billy were exhausted.

Their saving grace was that all their friends wanted to help with the girls. They could go out two nights a week for a dinner date, which most of the time meant grabbing some fast food and sitting in the Camaro, just enjoying each other's company.

September slowly faded into October. As Halloween approached, Billy would’ve liked to take part in the seniors’ Halloween party, but it was on Halloween night and the girls’ first real Halloween, and that was much more important.

When the day came, Billy found out that Steve had gone out of his way to get their costumes and had made sure it was a group thing. Billy ended up in a tan dog outfit while Steve had on a blue one and the girls were each in a onesie, one blue and one tan, with matching dog ear headbands.

“I feel ridiculous in this,” Billy said as Steve got the stroller ready.

“Well, I wasn’t going to let you dress like I imagined you would’ve had,” Steve said as he placed the girls in their stroller.

“What does that mean?” Billy asked, caught off guard.

“You would probably go shirtless with tight leather pants with a bad 80s wig and go as some old rocker,” Steve said.

Honestly, Billy couldn't argue, so he gave in.

The girls were asleep by the time they got back from trick-or-treating, so they let them sleep in their costumes.

When Steve and Billy finally got out of theirs, they put the candy bags in the cupboard and then went and laid down.

“That was an amazing night. Now we have the family Thanksgiving and Christmas to deal with,” Billy said as he cuddled against Steve.

“We will get through this. I mean, how bad could it be having both of our parents in one place?” Steve said.

Both of them couldn’t help but laugh.

“Let's just hope it doesn't become a bloodbath,” Billy said as they drifted off to sleep.

***

November in Indiana meant snow. The girls got super excited from the first snowfall of the year.

Billy was just astonished at how much snow could really be in one place.

They spent weekends making and destroying snowmen and Steve showed the girls how to make snow angels.

Thanksgiving came faster than either of them imagined or really wanted. Billy surprised Steve by cooking dinner while Steve set the table up for their impending guests. The girls had fun practicing walking within the safety gates they had set up.

Right at 3:00 pm, the front door opened, and Billy met Mr. and Mrs. Harrington for the first time. Steve's mom had on a very elegant dress while his dad had on a sharp black suit.

“Billy, this is my mom Caroline and my father David,” Steve said and went to greet them.

Caroline gave her son a hug while David shook his hand.

Billy shyly came out of the kitchen and followed behind.

“So, you're the young man my son called in the army for. I’m glad he has someone here. We are so busy with work we don’t get to spend enough time with him,” Caroline said, giving Billy a hug. After an awkward handshake with Steve’s dad, the Harringtons went over to dote on Max and Mary.

That’s when there was a knock at the door, making Billy freeze in his tracks. Knowing he should be the one to open the door, he headed over to let his parents in.

When he opened the door, he was taken aback by how beautiful his mom’s dress was and how handsome his dad was when he was clean shaven and in a suit.

“Mom, you look absolutely beautiful,” he said as he motioned for them to come in. He hugged his mom and shook his dad's hand. “Everyone, this is my mother Maryanne and my father Neil,” he said and moved aside so they could meet Steve’s parents and the girls. He went over to where Steve was and took his hand.

Steve squeezed his hand in response. “We will get through this together,” he whispered.

Dinner went remarkably well. The girls loved the mashed potatoes and mashed yams, and the rest of them enjoyed the amazingly moist and perfectly cooked turkey.

Beaming with pride, Steve said, “Billy cooked everything.”

“Wow, Billy, you’re an amazing cook,” Caroline said.

“Thank you, Mrs. Harrington. I have my mom to thank for that. I was always watching her in the kitchen,” Billy said, smiling at his mom.

“Mrs. Hargrove, you have an amazing son. And please, everyone, can call me Caroline,” Caroline said.

“Please call me Maryanne,” Billy's mom added, ignoring the compliment Caroline gave to Billy.

After dinner, Steve showed the Hargroves to the guest bedroom. His parents called it a night and headed upstairs as well.

Billy cleaned the girls up, gave them each their bottles, and held them until they fell asleep.

When Steve reappeared, he kissed the girls goodnight and Billy laid them in the playpen until they were ready to go upstairs, still not completely trusting the other adults he barely knew not to run off with the girls. He knew it was ridiculous, but he couldn’t seem to shake it off.

The two of them cleaned the kitchen and dining room before taking the girls up to the nursery. Only then were they able to head into their room to lie down.

Cuddling up close Steve said softly, “It could’ve been worse”.

Billy nodded and said, “You're right, but they’re here for two more days. Think it will last?”

Steve closed his eyes and replied, “Hopefully. This is nice.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Billy said, kissing Steve’s cheek as the two fell asleep.

The next two days went by quickly, with no major issues. Billy showed his parents around Hawkins, and Steve took care of the girls while catching up with his parents.

When Sunday rolled around, Steve’s dad surprised everyone by inviting Neil and Maryanne to fly home with them on Harringtons’ private jet. David and Caroline had business to take care of in California before they headed back to their house in London, their home most of the time when they worked in Europe.

As they were leaving, Billy was in for another shock: his dad came over and hugged him, telling him he was proud.

His mom then came over and hugged him and told him the same thing and that he is a wonderful cook. Then she went over to Steve and said, “Thank you for taking great care of our son when we were too blind to do so. I hope we will see you at Christmas.”

“Of course. We can’t wait to see you then,” Steve replied.

Steve's dad even hugged Steve, apologizing for being away so long and saying he couldn't wait for Christmas and that he had a huge gift for him.

Steve hugged him back and then hugged his mom.

“I'm sorry, son, that we haven’t been here. We will try harder,” Caroline said as she held Steve tighter.

“I forgive you, mom. Let's move forward from here,” Steve replied, hugging her more.

As they made final moves towards the door, the girls walked over and said “Bye nana, bye papa” making eyes tear up. The four grandparents hugged Mary and Max goodbye, promising to see them at Christmas.

After the last goodbyes, the two sets of parents got into David's rented car and headed off.

“Well, I’m glad they get along,” Billy said as he pulled Steve to the couch and onto his lap, both facing the girls so they could watch them.

Steve laughed and watched as Max and Mary walked over and reached to be picked up. He picked them up and sat them on his lap.

They stayed that way until the girls fell asleep and then gently took them upstairs, placed them in their crib and then laid down themselves.

“Think things will go well this Christmas?” Billy asked as he wrapped himself around Steve.

“I think so, I’ve heard grandkids can make people change. I’m glad how my parents responded to them,” Steve said with a yawn.

Billy kissed the back of Steve’s head and they fell asleep.

***

One day, while Steve was out, Billy turned the house into a Christmas wonderland. The girls, with Billy's help, made paper ring garlands for the tree.

When Steve walked in, he was in awe. As he placed a small box on the table, he heard Mary say, “Paper dada paper dada,” as she pointed at the tree. Steve looked over and with tears said, “That's a beautiful garland, Mary,” picking her up and hugging her. Max walked over and said “up” and so Steve had both girls in his arms when he went over to Billy. “This is beautiful. It’s the first time in a long time the house looks like Christmas,” Steve said as he laid his head on Billy’s shoulder.

Setting the girls down, he whispered something to them, and they walked towards the table and picked up the box Steve had put down when he came in. They brought it to Steve, who went over to Billy and got down on one knee, making Billy squirm.

Billy knew what was next.

“You and the girls came into my life in the most chaotic way possible, but it’s what I needed. Billy Hargrove, will you give me the pleasure of being my partner in life?” Steve asked, opening the box.

Inside it was a beautiful engagement ring.

Billy just stared and then he heard two little voices saying, “Yes, yes, yes.” Looking directly into Steve's eyes, he nodded.

They embraced, and Steve put the ring on his finger.

Suddenly there were screams of congratulation causing Billy to jump and look around. He noticed Steve must’ve started a live chat with their friends and parents on the TV.

The girls had forgotten all about them and went to the TV and were kissing the nana and papa boxes, making Billy and Steve laugh.

“I have one more surprise, but that waits until Christmas,” Steve said with a grin.

Raising an eyebrow, Billy smiled and kissed him, which got an aww from the TV. “That's creepy,” he said. He had a smile on the outside but inside he was freaking out because he didn’t have any money to get Steve a gift that measured what he got him. At that moment, his cell phone rang, and he answered.

“Hello Billy, it's Caroline. I have never seen my son so excited. I have created a bank account for you and have placed $10k in it to give you some financial freedom. Plus, you're going to be my son-in-law and I will be here whenever you need anything. Your parents were going to surprise you with the same thing, but I thought I would step up early,” she said.

“I don’t know what to say. How did you know I was worried?” he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.

“I could see it in your face over the chat. I’m sure your parents could as well. Just say thank you and you accept and all will be good,” she replied.

“Thank you, and I accept it. I can’t wait to see everyone at Christmas,” he said. After goodbyes, he went to the kitchen and broke down, sliding down to his knees on the floor.

Suddenly he felt arms around him. Looking up, he saw Steve and tried to collect himself. “I'm ok,” he said, but knew immediately Steve didn't buy it for one minute.

“What's wrong, babe? Don’t worry, the live stream is off and the girls are safe in their playpen,” Steve said as he stood up, hands on hips, staring down at Billy.

“I'm not used to all this. My parents are supportive, people are helping me financially without repayment and now… You and the girls are literally the only things that make sense at this point,” he said.

Steve took a deep breath and said, “I’m just as lost, but we will get through this, I promise, but you have to get off the kitchen floor.”

Standing up, Billy looked at Steve and said, “I’m beyond embarrassed. You planned this wonderful proposal and I break down on the kitchen floor.”

Steve kissed his cheek and said, “We all have breakdowns,” as they went to check on the girls.

The next few weeks before Christmas break, Billy had many people offering to help with the wedding. Robin wanted to do decorations while Nancy was willing to help with catering ideas.

When Christmas arrived, their house was full of presents and grandparents, who upon arriving, sprung it on them they would stay over the New year.

Steve recorded the girls opening their gifts first so they could go down to their nap since they had been up since daybreak to make sure Santa had come.

As soon as they were down and out, the adults opened their gifts. It would be the last gift though that pulled heartstrings.

Steve handed Billy an envelope.

Billy eyed it, and then carefully opened it up. When he pulled out the documents, he couldn’t hold back his emotions.

Inside were two birth certificates, one for Mary and one for Max, and on the line for parents was Steve Hargrove-Harrington for Father and Billy Hargrove-Harrington for Father.

“They are official documents. Now all we need is that marriage license and this family is complete in the eyes of the law,” Steve said, holding back his own tears.

“I love you, Steve Harrington,” Billy said for the first time out loud in front of other people, making Steve lose it emotionally and they kissed right under some mistletoe.

“We aren’t done,” David said, handing his son his own envelope.

Steve cautiously opened it. His eyes widened as he saw the deed to the house and the card to his trust fund. It wasn’t until he saw the paperwork for a trust fund both sets of grandparents had started for each of the girls that brought him to tears. “Are you sure about this, dad?” he asked.

“This house was your grandfather’s and when I married your mother, it became mine. Now I am passing it on to you,” David said, wiping tears from his own eyes.

The two men hugged.

When everyone thought their heartstrings were safe, Maryanne stood up and went over to Billy. “Billy, I want you to have this locket. It was my grandmother’s and now it is yours. I know it’s not a house or trust fund, but it's my most valuable possession, except for you.”

Billy put the locket around his neck and held onto his mom, saying, “This is amazing, Mom. I will treasure it forever.”

By noon, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

Between playing in the snow and hanging out with friends and family, New Year's Eve came quickly.

Billy and Steve planned on spending their first New Year's Eve together as a full family, but their parents had other plans.

“We heard about the party the seniors are having and you boys are going to go. We have the grandkids,” Neil said, handing Steve and Billy jackets.

“But it’s the girl's first New Year celebration,” Steve argued. Neil quickly shut him down. “They're one. They will be asleep by the time the ball drops and if not, they can hang out with us and have some apple juice. Now, go.”

Steve and Billy looked at each other and, not wanting to cause a scene, headed to the school gym in the Camaro.

They found their little group of friends at the party and found themselves enjoying being out and socializing again.

As the clock ticked closer to midnight, the music slowed down. When the bell rang, indicating it was midnight, Steve and Billy shared a long kiss, both of them excited and scared of what the future holds.

[gagmewitha-spork]

The Dark Side (Jessie Fleming x reader)

Warnings: none

Description: reader plays for arsenal and has mixed feelings about Jessie signing for the blue side of London (though we all know the whole of London is red)

Transferred from wattpad. Not rechecked/proofread so any mistakes belong to past me.

Word count: 1466

"Chelsea? Really? Of all the teams!", I exclaim, holding my phone in front of my face, on FaceTime to my girlfriend. Jessie just rolled her eyes.

"When are you going to get over it?", she asked me, "I thought you'd be happy I was joining you over in the UK?", she questioned me, as she had every other time we'd had this discussion since she'd informed me she'd be joining the dark side.

"I am happy about that, but", I paused, "Chelsea? Really? I totally could have got you in at Arsenal!", I told her, for the umpteenth time.

"They have a good team!", she replied, yet again rolling her eyes at my complaining, "and I don't want to get onto a team because my girlfriend pulled some strings", she explained to me, "I want to play for a club that wants me".

"Yeah yeah, you're telling me you didn't get offers from any other clubs in England?", I questioned her.

"None that were in London", Jessie informed me with a raised eyebrow, "so I actually picked the team that was closest to where you are", she gave me a look, telling me I should be thankful, though I knew that I definitely wasn't the main reason she chose to sign with Chelsea, it's nice to think that me being nearby had a little to do with it.

"At least you didn't pick Tottenham", I told her, making her laugh as I made a fake gagging sound afterwards.

Jessie and I had been together for almost two years now, since we'd both been twenty. We'd met at UCLA, which she attended for the full four years, and I'd attended for about the first year and a half, before dropping out and heading back to the UK.

I'd grown up playing in both the Sunderland youth teams and England youth teams, following in the steps of players like Jordan Nobbs, Lucy Bronze and Beth Mead, but had made a rash decision when I turned eighteen that I wanted to play in the US, and the best way to do that at the time was to play at collage there. So I'd attended UCLA and the first year went pretty well, the football was great and the school stuff was alright. I'm not particularly academic but I studied sports science which was pretty easy to get through, considering I was surrounded by people who had studied it, all the time. But after a while I guess I just got board of the school stuff and just wanted to do the football stuff, so I made the decision to try to go pro.

I had planned on re-signing with Sunderland, this time for the full team, but when people heard I'd decided to quit collage and go pro for real, I'd got a few offers from a couple of different clubs, and not just clubs back in the UK. NWSL teams gave me offers, and even a couple of lesser known European ones. But I knew England was the place for me, at least for the moment, so I signed for Man City and played there for a year before transferring to Arsenal where I'd been ever since.

Jessie has supported me through it all, she always said that whatever I wanted to do, so long as I was happy, she'd be right behind me. And I was the same for her, it was just a slight kick in the shins that she'd signed with Chelsea, of all the teams. And let me tell you, when I say the rest of the Arsenal girls will never let me live down the fact my girlfriend joined the dark side, I mean, they will literally never stop mentioning it.

But I was glad she was going to be so close by, and I was reminded of that fact as I sat with her in FaceTime right now, while she sat in her basically empty bedroom at her parents house back in London, Canada and I sat in my seemingly empty bedroom in my shared flat in London, England. I'd cleared some space in the cupboards and draws in my room, which was soon to be the room I shared with Jessie, in preparation for her flying out the next day.

"I can't wait until you get here", I told her smiling, "have you packed everything?".

"I can't wait to be there", she told me, "and of course I've packed everything, unlike some people I don't leave all my packing to the last minute", she teased, because of course by some people, she meant me, "is Jill excited to see me?", she asked jokingly, referring to my teammate and roommate, Jill Roord, who was one of the prime suspects when it came to teasing me about Jessie's choice in signing.

"Oh yeah, she can't wait for you to get here", I told her sarcastically, "she can't wait to hide all of you left socks", I laughed. Jill had made it particularly clear that while she was absolutely fine having Jessie move in with us, she definitely wouldn't stop the teasing and she definitely wouldn't go any lighter on Jessie. I'd also be lying if I said I wasn't going to tease my girlfriend about it constantly. It's just friendly competition, and I knew Jessie would definitely end up giving as good as she got, just as she did whenever we played each other internationally.

"Why the left ones?", Jessie laughed.

"Would you prefer she hid all of them?", I questioned her, raising her eyebrow, "or just the right ones? Do you have a special personal relationship with your left socks?"

Jessie just laughed, she would have shoved my shoulder if she'd been sat next to me.

"I miss you so much it's actually killing me slowly", I told her then, over dramatically of course, and flopped over the back on the sofa, right next to where Jill was sat watching the Manchester derby that was currently being played.

"I miss you too", Jessie said sweetly, before my phone was ripped from my hand, "hi Jill", my girlfriend greeted my roommate.

"Hello traitor", Jill said, "when are you getting here?", she asked, "she won't stop going in about how much she misses you", she tilted her head towards me, as I still lay flopped over the back of the seat.

"My flight is literally tomorrow", Jessie told her, rolling her eyes, "I've only been gone a few days".

"And she's been super annoying for all of them", Jill confirmed, I decided that was enough and snatched my phone back off of her.

"I will not take any more of this slander", I joked, "I'm allowed to miss my girlfriend", I defended myself.

"Y/n, we've literally spent the last two years of our relationship away from each other for months at a time", Jessie explained to me, Jill just went back to watching the game.

"Yeah but", I started, pausing to think of any excuse as to why I'd been complaining about missing her so much, "I'm allowed to miss my girlfriend", I repeated, "and now I know I'm going to have you around all the time I can't wait".

Jessie smiled, "I've missed you too", she repeated her statement from earlier, "so much that it's killing me slowly", she smirked, mocking me.

"Good", I told her, "there's a lot to miss", I said gesturing to my whole body, she just rolled her eyes at me again.

"I do miss your body", Jessie admits, "I can't wait to kiss you again".

"If you guys are going to have phone sex, could you at least do to the other room", Jill states, "I'm trying to watch the game", she turns her head to look at me, staring at me with a deadpan look.

"I'm flying tomorrow I'm sure y/n can wait one more day", Jessie giggled.

"Ugh fine", I sighed over dramatically.

"I'm gonna have to go now", Jessie mumbled, "I can't wait to see you", she informed me again.

"Ok, I can't wait to see you either, love you", I blew a kiss at the screen.

"Love you too", Jessie blew a kiss back before saying bye and hanging up the call.

"I can't wait until I have to live with all the lovey dovey shit 24/7", Jill commented sarcastically. I popped myself down on the seat next to her and she wrapped her arm around my shoulder, squeezing me in a quick hug, "Now we need to plan all of the pranks we are going to pull on Jessie when she gets here".

I just laughed and we spent the rest of the night watching the football and planning all the different ways we were going to tease my girlfriend once she arrived.

[iteration-anomaly]

-{{ Right. This should be fixed now. Thanks, Telamon- Ah, there we go. Anyway here's an introduction for anyone who doesn't know me, below you'll find an attachment of my general appearance. I'm Traveller Anomaly, Iteration: Anomaly... Or just Anomaly. Wow, I'm awkward at this. }}-

-{{ As the name suggests, I'm a traveller that's specifically designated as an anomaly. I'm good with most pronouns, just don't like being called she/her. He/him, it/its and they/them are the typical ones I go by. No idea how old I am, but I've been around for a while. The Atlas won't let me die. More like I don't stay dead, to be accurate. Ha. Hmm... I can't really think of what else to say about me. }}-

-{{ Guess I'll move onto why I've decided to start these broadcasts for other Travellers to pick up. Basically, sometimes I get bored and I like to talk to myself. Also, I quite enjoy photography. I thought it might be nice to share my photos and discoveries on the go, since I've been told I can attach files to these things. Apparently I can also just... Share things I like here? I'll have these asks and submissions things turned on, so feel free to share things with me too. Oh, wait! My partner, @priestentitynada, talks about stuff on their own broadcast-blog thing. I can't just not give them a lil' promotion here. So, uhh, yeah. That's it for now. }}-

(Additional information below, out of character, will contain story spoilers. My main blog is @thornheartless, and I also run the blog priestentitynada.)

I've been playing No Man's Sky since 2016, days after it came out. This blog will not completely follow canon, with it including headcanon and some AU stuff. Most notably:

Nada, Polo and base NPCs do not forget everything when the simulation is reset due to the effects of prolonged Traveller proximity.

Anomaly is basically a human under his exosuit. However, he does not always stay that way since he can shapeshift. Sometimes he likes to be what's effectively a space dragon. Or a void dragon, as he puts it. He can get quite eldritch at times. Anomaly takes advantage of knowing he's living in a simulation, having ties to the Atlas or the Abyss can leave Travellers with the ability to affect reality in minor ways.

It's not uncommon for exosuits to connect to the wearer through cybernetic implants.

The fact that Anomaly, and some other Travellers, can come back after death doesn't mean there won't be lasting damage. It doesn't always happen, but it can.

The Space Anomaly did not always look as it did now. Anomaly was there when the inside was much smaller, and there was nobody there except for Nada, Polo and Anomaly himself when he visited. Upon a reset of the simulation, something went wrong in Anomaly's journey and he found himself in the World of Glass. By the time he got out, the Space Anomaly (and everything, to a degree) had changed. Meeting other Travellers for the first time induced worry about the state of the Atlas, but Anomaly was glad that he could meet them.

Some Travellers may inherit or gain memories relating to the creator of the Atlas.

-{{Test.}}- Cra geypt -{{on? Ah, translator error}}-. Well that's... awkward. I should probably go fix}}- dihya.

Puga vok nadz -{[another}}- tuapsemu, -{{hang}}- nok... -{{Nope}}-, vir -{{doesn't}}- hilku -{{that either. Damnit.}}- Vaybi, -{{someone might}}- yems -{{able}}- gep -{{understand}}- ibol. -{{Actually-}}, VOD -{{don't}}- ady bashich - {{else}}- gep zuyor -{{right-}} luy. -{{Some}}- nii ludo but ady vok yud Odinov, -{{some}}- nii ludo push lamy bod -{{idea who}}- VOD hum. -{{Really? It'll translate}}- mech -{{literal name}}- ads zay olkh — kzzt —