#may have overdressed for work drinks

[nevermore-neverwhere]

3 pictures in a day, aren't you lucky?!

[guess-my-next-obsession]

the alchemy | iii. the first time

pairing: no outbreak!dbf!joel miller x fem!reader

chapter rating: Explicit [18+ only, minors dni, dbf/secret relationship, age gap (joel is 34, reader is 24), alcohol consumption, one douchebag of a man interacting with reader, jealousy, angst, oral (f!rec), soft dom!joel, unprotected piv, not proofread—may contain some typos but i can’t be bothered to check]

summary: you go out to the bar with your friend Maria and run into the Miller brothers. jealousy arises, feelings are made known, joel shows you just how badly he wants you.

wc: 4.4k

the masterlist | next chapter

You never did get the chance to sneak over to Joel’s place. Most nights, your dad found himself over in Joel’s backyard or in his living room, the two of them tossing back beers while talking work or watching whatever game was on. 

You tried to tag along, if only for the sake of seeing Joel, but it quickly became apparent to you that Joel had no intentions of slipping up around your father. He hardly looked your way, save for a few longing glances whenever your dad left the room. So, instead of sitting there like a third wheel, you busied yourself with hanging out with some old friends at the bars downtown. 

Tonight, a Friday night, would have been the perfect opportunity to try and spend some time with Joel, except that he was busy celebrating Tommy’s birthday. Tommy had invited you out, too, but the thought of hanging out with both Miller boys seemed a bit too awkward. Tommy had no idea about you and Joel, and Joel had heard every detail about you and Tommy. It didn’t seem fair to Joel to force him into watching his brother flirt with you all night, and vice versa. 

But you weren’t about to let Friday night go to waste by locking yourself up in your room and reading. 

You decided you’d head downtown with one of your old roommates from sophomore year, Maria. You could always count on her to turn a bad night into a drunken memory, and that’s exactly what you needed. Slipping into one of the few mini-dresses that you’d kept from college and a pair of chunky heels—you were not about to be wearing stilettos to the club—you called yourself an Uber and headed downtown. 

The bar she picked for drinks before the club was more of a dive, leaving you feeling a bit overdressed in the dim lighting. A couple frat boys tried to catch your attention as you walked past them to pull up a seat by Maria at the bar, but you ignored them. After your date with Joel, you had no interest in flirting with anyone, let alone a couple of little boys. 

You could only hope he was just as faithful to whatever this thing was between you as you were. 

“Look at you!” Maria let out a squeal and pulled you in for a hug before giving your outfit a once over. “I see you came out tonight on a mission.”

You laughed and rolled your eyes. “Yes, to get as drunk as I did freshman year.”

“I can get you there,” she assured, giving you a wink before grabbing the bartender’s attention. “We’re gonna need a couple shots. Tequila, maybe?”

You groaned but nodded your agreement. Tequila turned you into a drunken mess, but wasn’t that exactly what you were aiming for tonight? 

“So,” she said, smirking at you. “Tell me more about your older man.”

“Stop,” you said, laughing. “He’s not even a decade older than me.”

“Old enough to be scandalous,” she said, shrugging. “And no judgment, by the way. I love an older man.” 

“He’s so…ugh,” you groaned, rolling your head back. “He’s perfect. And totally off limits. And god, I just want to ride the wheels off him.”

“You talking about me?” A man entered your conversation from beside you, forcing you to give him a scrunched look of disapproval. He was older, that much was true. But he was also sleazy, smelled like cheap beer, and looked to be the same age as your father. 

Not Joel in the slightest. 

“Definitely not,” Maria said, gagging. “Turn around and fuck off.”

“Cunt,” he spat, as if he expected the two of you to cower. Instead, his insult was only met with laughter. 

“Anyways,” you said, turning back to Maria. “His name is—“

“Is that who I think it is?” This time, the voice hitting your ear was familiar. Too familiar. 

You carefully turned around, a faltering smile on your face as you met Tommy’s eyes. “Tommy, hey.”

“Thought you said you were too busy to come out for my birthday,” he said, arching an eyebrow at you as he smirked. 

“Yeah, she’s busy with me,” Maria replied, mimicking his stance. Tommy eyed her with amused shock, chuckling at her refusal to back down. She turned to you, nudging her chin towards him. “Should I tell him to fuck off or no?”

“No,” you said, chuckling. “Tommy, this is Maria. Maria, Tommy.”

He held his hand out for her to shake, which she accepted after making him sweat for a few seconds. “Nice t’meet ya, Maria. Pretty name.”

“Wish I could say the same,” she said. “Tommy’s a little boy’s name.”

“I keep tellin’ him to change it.” 

Oh god. That voice. You knew it like the back of your hand. You heard it in your dreams, you fantasized about the way it would sound when he was moaning your name. 

Joel. 

“There you are,” Tommy said, patting Joel on the shoulder as he joined your group. You turned around to face the bartender as he set your shots down on the counter. “Maria, this is my brother, Joel.”

“Nice meetin’ ya, ma’am,” he said, polite and southern as ever. “Y’all takin’ shots?”

Maria looked your way, curious over the fact that you had yet to do so much as acknowledge Joel. “You good?”

“Yeah,” you muttered, nodding your head absently before picking up your shot of tequila and downing it. 

“Bitch, we were supposed to do that together,” she said, laughing as she reached for hers to do the same. 

“Next round is on me,” Joel offered, squeezing in beside you in the empty space the sleazy guy from earlier left. His arm brushed yours as he settled his elbows on the bartop, the sensation warm in a way the burn of tequila could never replicate. You trailed your eyes up from the contact he made, slowly lifting to meet his. He smiled once you locked eyes with him, a look of relief washing over his handsome face. “Didn’t think I’d run into you.”

“Yeah,” you chuckled, a soft sigh of a thing. 

“Y’alright?” he asked, lowering his voice as he leaned in just the slightest. 

You glanced over at Tommy, finding him in the midst of a debate with Maria. Turning back to Joel, you twisted your mouth and shrugged. “I’m good. Just…fighting the awkwardness.”

“What’s awkward?” he asked, turning to face you better. “Are you…regrettin’ things?”

You were quick to shake your head, your eyes softening as you noticed the brief look of panic in his. “No. No, not anything like that. Just…you know. Tommy.”

He let out a sigh, nodding his head. “Don’t worry ‘bout that. I told you, I could care less about what went on between y’all.”

“And what happens when he tries to flirt with me in front of you?” you asked, smirking as you tipped your chin to look up at him. 

“Someone’s got an ego,” he teased, his smile enough to make you weak in the knees. “I don’t think we’ll have to worry ‘bout all that. He seems awfully interested in your friend.”

You turned to check the two of them out, and just as Joel said, Tommy looked as smitten as a schoolboy over Maria. “Well, look at that.”

“Mmhm,” Joel hummed in agreement. “Stars in his eyes and everything.” 

“Why don’t you look at me like that?” you asked, just to tease him. 

“I do,” he countered, drawing your attention back to him. “Just not when you’re lookin’.”

“Is that right?” 

“Mmhm.”

“Then how come you act like I’m not in the room whenever I come over with my dad?” You crossed your arms over your chest, pushing your cleavage together just to watch his eyes fall to it. 

“Because I like bein’ alive,” he said, chuckling. “But don’t think for a minute I’m not lookin’ at you every time he stops payin’ attention.” 

You smiled, rolling your eyes at him to hide the fact that inside, he was burning you alive with his words. Melting you to the fucking core. 

“What’re y’all talkin’ about?” Tommy asked, ruining the moment. 

“Just brainstormin’ ideas for y’all’s weddin’,” Joel said, the lie smooth as silk on his tongue. “I’m assumin’ we’re gonna be the best man and maid of honor. Only right given that we were here the first time y’all laid eyes on eachother.” 

“Shut up,” Tommy said, chuckling as he tried to hide the flush in his cheeks. Maria, however, didn’t bother to deny it. 

“I’m thinking Vegas for the bachelorette party,” she said, looking at you. “Hire as many strippers as you want.”

“Y’all are stupid,” Tommy chuckled again, shaking his head before leaning over to counter to order another round of shots. “You’re payin’, right, Joel?”

“Mmhm.”

“Then make it top shelf,” Tommy said to the bartender. “Gotta treat my future wife.”

“Technically, it’s Joel who’s treating your future wife,” you said, earning a laugh from Maria. 

“Yeah, why don’t I go talk to him instead?” 

You bit your lip to keep yourself from declaring him taken, the jealousy brewing in your chest foreign and entirely baseless. 

“Come on, Joel,” Maria said, walking over to loop her arm in his—the entire time keeping her eyes on Tommy just to watch him bite his tongue. “Come have a cigarette with me outside.”

“I don’t smoke,” Joel said, his eyes glancing your way. 

“Then come watch me smoke,” she said, tugging him to follow her. 

You could only stand there and watch as she dragged him off into the back patio of the bar, leaving you alone with Tommy. 

“I’m gonna marry that woman,” Tommy declared, watching her sway her hips as she walked off. 

“Joel might beat you to the punch,” you muttered, folding your arms over the counter to stare blankly ahead at the wall of liquor in front of you. It beat watching Maria walk off with the man of your dreams. 

“Nah, he’s seein’ somebody,” Tommy said. “Won’t tell me shit about it, but he seems into her.”

You smiled to yourself, feeling a bit of relief. 

“I think it’s that girl that moved in a few houses down from y’all,” he added. “Ava, I think. Pretty blonde, has a daughter around Sarah’s age. He was actin’ flirty when we went over to help fix her water heater a couple of days ago.”

Well, there went the relief. 

Ava…the name was unfamiliar, as was her description. But it wasn’t like you made a habit of going around to meet your neighbors. Joel, apparently, was more than happy to do just that.  

“What about you?” Tommy asked, nudging your side. “Still not ready for the whole datin’ thing?”

“No,” you managed. “Thought I might be, but…I don’t know anymore.”

“You’ll find somebody,” he assured, the words that were meant to be comforting only sounded patronizing. “Just gotta keep your mind open.” 

“Hey, I’m not feeling good. Could you tell Maria that I decided to go home?” You weren’t about to just stand here and fake a smile when jealousy was tearing through you, alluring your mood and stomach. 

“Yeah, you alright?” He furrowed his brows at you, concerned and confused. 

“The alcohol’s not mixing well with my dinner,” you lied. “Just gonna go home and lay down.”

“Alright, well, I’ll call you a cab.” 

Twenty minutes later, you were back at home, all alone. Your dad had gone off to Vic’s place again for the weekend, and though you’d normally be glad to have the place to yourself, it just seemed so dark and lonely now. You wanted him around to distract you with boring conversation, to throw on one of his old action movies so that you could tune out your inner thoughts. But now, all you had to cling to was silence. 

Somehow, you found yourself out in the backyard eating the burger and fries you had delivered to your door, the night sky clear overhead. You sipped your soda and chewed mindlessly as you stared up at them, praying that a shooting star would streak across the sky just so that you could wish on it. You wouldn’t ask for much. Just for Joel to finally be yours. 

You’d come so close, your date with him fooling you into believing that the stars had aligned. But tonight threw that all off. 

Even if he was being flirty with you, even if he did look at you with the same twinkling brown eyes Tommy had fixed on Maria, that wouldn’t help the fact that you’d never get to claim him like you wanted to. Be it Tommy or your dad, someone was bound to get hurt if they found out about the two of you. Not to mention this Ava that Joel was apparently flirting with. 

Hope slipped through your fingers like water, leaving you with nothing but the chill of your reality. You’d never have him. Not completely. Maybe not at all. 

It was nearing one in the morning when your phone began to ring on your bedside table. You scrambled for it in a half-conscious haze, blindly accepting the call in case it was Maria. 

“Hello?” you said, your voice groggy with exhaustion. 

“Hey.” The sound of Joel’s voice shooed away any hopes of going back to sleep. You sat upright, pulling the phone away to check that it was, indeed, Joel who was calling. 

“Joel? What—what’s going on?” 

He sighed, the sound drawn out. “Well, one minute I’m standin’ outside with your friend, givin’ her Tommy’s entire life story, and the next, Tommy’s walkin’ over, tellin’ us you’d gone home. Didn’t say goodbye or anythin’.”

You let out a breath through your nostrils and sagged your shoulders. 

“I just wasn’t having a good time,” you admitted. “Didn’t want to ruin everyone’s fun with my bad mood.”

“You weren’t in a bad mood before I left,” he countered. “So what happened? Tommy say somethin’?”

You scoffed, rolling your eyes at no one. “Yeah, he said something about you flirting with a girl named Ava earlier this week. Ring any bells?”

“I wasn’t flirtin’ with her,” he argued. “Tommy might’ve thought I was, since he doesn’t know the difference between bein’ polite and tryin’ to get into someone’s pants, but I was just bein’ neighborly.”

“Yeah, just like you’re only being neighborly with me.” You shocked even yourself with your tone, the clipped bit of attitude that you’d never once given him.  

Another sigh slipped from him, along with a muttered curse. “Can you come downstairs and let me in so we can talk about this face to face? I’m not doin’ this over the phone.”

“There’s no point,” you said, though you found yourself doing exactly as he asked. “You have every right to flirt with other people. Just wish you would’ve told me about it so that I could move on.”

“Honey, I promise you, I wasn’t—“ You cut Joel off by opening the front door, finding him pacing on your doorstep with one hand rubbing his temples. He let it fall as he took you in, your old sleeping shirt and bare face, your frown and your arms crossed. Joel slipped his phone into his pocket and shook his head, his eyes softening. “I wasn’t flirtin’ with that Ava lady. Believe me or don’t, but I take this—“ He gestured between the two of you. “Seriously. I’m not lookin’ for anything else. I don’t want you to move on. I want…”

“What do you want, Joel?” 

“God, I want you.” He took a step towards you, and you allowed it. You might’ve even leaned in when he lifted a hand to cup your face. “I know I can’t give you what you deserve. You’ll have to hide and lie, sneak around and make excuses, but honey, I’m ready to do all that, too. I’ll lie to whoever I have to lie to, I’ll make the excuses so you don’t have to. Whatever it takes to have you, because I’ve wanted you from the minute I saw you.”

You knew this wasn’t going to end well. That be it you, or Joel, or Tommy, or your dad—someone was going to walk away upset. But god, when he looked at you like that…nothing else seemed to matter. You’d lie, too. You’d do whatever you had to do, just like he would, because despite all the roadblocks, your heart had chosen him. And it would continue to choose him, no matter the cost. 

“Joel,” you sighed, tugging him close by his shirt until he was pressed against you. He tilted your head back to slant his lips against yours, slow and careful at first before both of you grew too needy to care. 

He walked you back into the house, kicking the door shut behind him, all the while continuing to map the curve of your lips with his. “Tell me you want this, baby.”

You moaned against his lips, nodding your head as he pressed you against the wall. 

“Uh-uh,” he tutted with a smirk, pulling away with a shake of his head as he held your face in the palms of his hands. “Tell me. I wanna hear it from these pretty lips.”

“I want you, Joel.” You lifted your hands to the back of his neck, pulling him in again to kiss him slow and deep. One of Joel’s hands slid down to your waist, squeezing you tight against his body as he pinned you to the wall. You let a hand wander down his chest and stomach until you were cupping him through the soft denim of his jeans. “I want this.”

Joel groaned, pushing his arousal into your palm as he trailed his lips down your neck. You canted your head, giving him room to suck a mark against your thumping pulse, a soft sigh escaping your lips. “Better take me upstairs, otherwise I might just fuck you here against the wall.”

You liked that idea. 

So much, in fact, that you took it upon yourself to pop open the button of his jeans, tugging his zipper down to emphasize your point. 

“Fuck me,” you purred, slipping your hand beneath the cotton of his briefs to grasp the warm velvet of his cock. “Right here.”

“You’re gonna kill me,” he sighed, pulling away and taking the warmth of his body with him. But before you had the chance to pout over it, Joel was crouching to the floor in front of you, his hands roaming up your bare legs. “These fuckin’ thighs…want ‘em wrapped around my head ‘til I suffocate.”

You giggled, combing his hair back. “I prefer you alive.” 

He smiled, leaning in to kiss the inside of your thigh as he hiked your leg to rest on his shoulder. “Least I’d die a happy man.” 

You grinned down at him as he trailed his lips across the soft, sensitive skin of your inner thigh, inching closer and closer to the area that throbbed with need. You lifted the hem of your sleep shirt to watch as he pressed a kiss against your clothed seam, his nose brushing against your clit. “Fuck, Joel.”

He hummed at the desperation in your voice, hooking his fingers into the side of your underwear to tug them to the side, exposing your wetness to the cool air around you. Dragging his thumb against your arousal, he pressed and circled it when it reached your clit, sending a heavenly strike of pleasure down your spine. “Look at that. Such a pretty fuckin’ pussy, honey.” 

His words and ministrations had you tossing your head back against the wall with a dull thump. 

This man was going to kill you, and god, you would go gladly.

“Look at me when I eat your pretty pussy, baby,” he commanded, bringing your hooded eyes back to him. “That’s it.”

He kept his eyes locked on yours as he leaned in, dragging the flat of his tongue up your seam and moaning at the taste. Your face scrunched up in pleasure, your fingers tightening their hold on his chocolate waves. “Fuck, y’taste so good, baby.” 

“Shit, Joel,” you whined, your hips bucking instinctively every time he swirled the tip of his tongue over your clit. 

Oral had never felt this good before. It had always been enjoyable, but never enough to bring you to the edge. But Joel kept you there the moment his tongue touched you, as if he had a special, sinful superpower he was keeping to himself. 

How on earth did his exes want anything more than this, right here? This beautiful man, his warm hands, his skilled tongue, those eyes that screamed adoration? 

You shoved them out of your mind. You wouldn’t waste a minute of this pleasure by giving them any attention. They’d made their choice, and now you were reaping the benefits of it. 

Joel’s lips molded around your clit, sucking the swollen bud into his mouth between swirls of his tongue, the tempo driving you closer to the edge with each switch. When he guided two thick fingers into your fluttering cunt, the dam inside you broke. You writhed against him, fucking those fingers deeper as your hips bucked against his mouth, curses and praise filling the silent room along with the wet sound of him drinking down your arousal until you felt boneless. 

“So fuckin’ sweet,” Joel murmured, kissing your sensitive clit softly before rising to his feet. He held your face in his hands, sharing your taste with you as he kissed you, his tongue dancing with yours. 

“Joel,” you whined, tugging at the waistband of his unbuttoned jeans. “I need you inside of me.”

He growled at that, turning you around to face the wall. “Yeah, you want my cock, baby?”

“Mmhm,” you moaned. You listened as he slid his jeans down to his knees before feeling him do the same to your underwear. 

“You want it inside?” he purred, slapping the heft of his thick cock against the flesh of your ass. “Want me to fuck you nice and deep?”

Shivers covered your arms in goosebumps in response to the beautiful filth slipping from his lips. “Yes, please.”

“Love it when you say please like that,” he murmured against the shell of your ear, his hips thrusting as he sandwiched his cock between the globes of your ass, teasing you with what was to come. “Wanna hear you say it again.”

“Please, Joel,” you whined, arching your back to meet his thrusts. “I want it so bad.”

“Good fuckin’ girl,” he groaned, one hand leaving your hip to grip his cock. He slid the fat tip of it across your wetness, coating himself in it before pressing lightly against your entrance. “Want you t’use your words when I’m fuckin’ you, baby. Alright? Tell me what you need.”

“Okay,” you managed, biting your lip as you turned your head to the side to watch him through your periphery. 

“So fuckin’ good,” he mumbled, shaking his head as a smile brightened his face. 

He didn’t keep you waiting long, his cock pressing into you slowly to give you time to adjust to his size until you’d swallowed him down to the base. Joel let out a ragged groan at the way your walls squeezed him in welcoming, his grip on your hips turning rough as he dragged himself out to the tip before slamming back in. You held onto the wall for purchase as his thrusts came on sharp and deep and deadly accurate. 

“Fuck, it feels so good right there,” you whined, clawing at the wall as he snapped his hips against your ass, the room filling with a lewd slap. 

“Yeah?” He narrowed the aim of his thrusts to target that spongy soft spot deep inside, making your stomach clench and thighs tingle. “Right there?”

“Fuck, yes,” you cried, reaching one hand back to rest on his hip. “Don’t fucking stop.”

“Uh-uh,” he promised, drilling into that spot like his life depended on it. “Not gonna stop ‘til I feel you comin’ all over me, baby.”

“Shit!” Your knees buckled so much that Joel had to wrap an arm around your waist just to hold you up, his free hand moving to your clit to rub circles into it. “Joel, I’m so fucking close!”

“That’s it, baby,” he growled, pressing a kiss to the side of your face. “G’on and come for me.” 

You let out a strangled sob and went lax in his arms, your climax spreading from the tip of your head down to your toes as he fucked you deep and slow, drawing it out until you were sure you’d blackout. 

“Where d’you want me?” he asked, his chest heaving against yours. 

“Inside,” you panted, only half-there, the other half lost in bliss. 

“Fuck.” Joel moaned into your ear, the sound sending another pulse of pleasure down your spine, making your walls squeeze him as he spilled deep inside your cunt. “Fuck.”

The two of you stood there, leaning your weight against the wall as you caught your breath, a comfortable silence washing over you. Your thighs were weak and trembling when he slipped out and pulled away, forcing you to cling to the wall for support. Joel turned you around to face him, a grin that spread from ear to ear on his face as he took you in. 

“Fuck, you’re pretty when you’re fucked out,” he said, leaning in to kiss your lips. “How was I?”

You laughed, shaking your head. “Too good. Suspiciously good.” 

He helped you over to the couch after buttoning his pants and helping you slip back into your underwear, plopping down beside your pleasure-limp form. “I’m gonna get addicted to watchin’ you come like that.” 

You rolled your eyes at him and snuggled into his chest, breathing in his familiar warm scent. “Not to do the whole ‘what are we’ thing, but—“

“I’m yours if you’ll have me,” he said, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “It’ll be hard to figure out, sure, but I’m committed to this.”

“Well, then so am I,” you said, tilting your head up to look at him—his flushed cheeks, his hooded eyes, that satisfied smile. 

All of it was beautiful and addictive and ruinous. 

And the best part was that it was all because of you.

[innerfare]

Mihawk’s Type 

Summary: A list of headcanons describing Mihawk's ideal type

Genre: Fluff

CW: None // SFW

———

Would go for someone with a more sophisticated streak, the sort of person who can name what all is in his wine cellar, who knows which drinks go in which glasses, could arrange a society soiree (not that he would ever host such a dreadful thing), wears silk pajamas, etc.. If you can expertly arrange the flowers from his garden, dislike loud, unruly crowds, and are more likely to be overdressed than underdressed, you’re probably his type. 

In that same vein, he likes it when you use his full name. “Dracule Mihawk.” Something about it sounds right falling from your lips. 

Also would want someone intelligent and well-read, the sort of person who will discuss what he reads in the newspaper every morning with him and is content to spend their days in his library, not just browsing but taking stock of what he has and going out to purchase anything he may need. 

With that in mind, wants someone who will assess what he may need more generally, too. Is he lacking in any way? This man’s dream date is you telling him his flaws over a bottle of wine so he can rectify them. Low key a masochist. 

All that being said, he doesn’t like people who are too out of line. He has a weakness for strays, so someone who’s put together on the surface but has a rougher, more wild side would be his absolute weakness. 

He also likes people who are independent, people who can entertain themselves and have their own goals. He wants someone who, upon arriving at his castle, will explore on their own rather than ask him for the grand tour. 

He would want a person who isn’t naive. Someone who knows how the world works, possibly even a bit of a cynic, not someone who is going to sugarcoat things and make excuses for corruption (or listens to the excuses the government gives). 

I see Mihawk with someone who comes from a good family, the sort of person who possibly attended the One Piece equivalent of finishing school. More than likely, a government employee he met some time after he became a Warlord (or possibly even before, meaning they had an illicit affair while he was still a wanted man). Someone who sees through the World Government and finds the corruption disgusting, but is also not a pirate. 

———

Hope you enjoyed it! If you want more, you can check out my masterlist here!

[jjunieworld]

07. wtf is your issue? ⸝ ˚⋆

↳ half written, half texts. word count: 2.6k

the walk wasn’t that far from your dorm room to sakura’s house. you and your friends all decided to walk so you could all drink, but thinking about it, you realize this may have been a bad idea. five super drunk people walking home in the middle of the night on the roads? yeah… the idea wasn’t your brightest.

it doesn’t help that you also dropped your fries earlier in the walk trying to do a cartwheel, so you were still kinda hungry.

the five of you reached the driveway of sakura’s house, which was gated with a small crowd of people and three security guards. you look between each other.

“all this for a college party seems excessive,” jake says aloud. he was right. you would’ve thought this was some high luxury celebrity after party or something.

“for all we know, beyoncé might be here,” yunjin adds.

you wait your turn as the guards scribble things on clipboards, sometimes sending people away with annoyed looks or straight up crying. i guess you knew sakura and her friends were well off, but you didn’t know it was this well off.

finally it was you and your friends’ turn. the guard barely looked at you as he said, “name?” you got a peek at the clipboard to see lists of names along with a small picture printed next to them.

“y/n…” you trail off. “y/n y/l/n? these are my friends… sakura said i could bring them.” you motion to your friends behind you. he flips a couple pages, pen trailing down the page, and lands on your name. it had one of your highschool school pictures along with “FRIENDS ALLOWED” typed next to it.

you cringed a little at the picture, of all the ones she could’ve chosen, she chose that one? you’ll admit, it wasn’t your best photo, and you wished it wouldn’t see the light of day.

the guard stepped to the side and pressed a button that opened the gate. it gave a slight screech before beginning to move and the guard motioned you in without another word. you looked to your friends and they looked just as bewildered as you. stepping through, the gate quickly closed behind you and you heard the guard ring out a “next!”

“if i knew it was gonna be this high security and luxurious i would’ve put on a different outfit,” yeonjun says as you all walk to the door. it’s a big white door with a decorated semi-transparent glass accent.

the rest of the group murmur their agreements. you spent a lot of time on your outfit, not wanting a plain outfit since it was a party and not wanting an outfit that was so over the top you would’ve been overdressed and uncomfortable. you settled on a skirt that was designated as your going out skirt, it was a little shorter than you would’ve liked, and a nice long sleeved cardigan top so you wouldn’t get cold on the walk back to your dorm. you kinda wished you would’ve just went with the over the top option.

you could hear the music from outside and it only got louder as you went in. people were shouting over the music just to hear each other. bodies were dancing everywhere, red solo cups were strewn about, and some people were even in corners already passed out.

“let’s get some drinks!” hueningkai shouted, and you all nodded. there was a whole huge bar set up with staff working. and from the looks of it, the drinks looked unlimited based on the wall of alcohol behind them.

walking up to the bar, the group mainly got either whiskey or tequila. you weren't a big drinker, but tonight was a special case.

“dance with me!” yunjin said, pulling you with her. in turn you grabbed the nearest hand of your friends, which happened to be hueningkai’s, and pulled them with you.

the crowd was so large, you wondered how many people were actually at this party as yunjin led the two of you towards the center. it had to be at least three hundred people, maybe even more with how big the house is. you were only on the first floor.

you all downed your drink and let the music playing through the speakers flow through you. circus by britney spears started playing and you could feel your nerves melt away by the second.

i feel the adrenaline moving through my veins. spotlight on me and i’m ready to break.

“oh my god!” yunjin squealed and jumped a little. “i love this song!” she took you and kai’s hands as she began to dance. you both laughed as you joined her.

i’m like a performer, the dance floor is my stage. better be ready, hope that you feel the same.

in the back of your mind, you imagined the just dance dance to this song and it made you laugh a little. you’re surprised hueningkai didn’t start doing it the amount of times you danced it together. you glanced at him and could tell he was holding it in.

all eyes on me in the center of the ring just like a circus.

you closed your eyes and threw your hands in the air as you danced to the beat. you felt someone spin you and opened your eyes as yunjin sang the lyrics.

you felt alive dancing in this small circle with some of your closest friends.

at some point between the end of the song and the middle of the next, you three decided to get more drinks, ready to speed this night up. you don’t even know how many cups you downed… two? three, maybe? all you knew is that you were feeling it now. the world around you was grainy and your head was blissfully clouded.

“what do you think are on the other floors?” jake asked the group, which had migrated to one of the couches a little away from where everyone was dancing. yeonjun shrugged, “let’s go look!”

so you all got up and made your way up the grand staircase towards the door.

on the second floor there were more people dancing, the music continuing through the speakers. surprisingly, there was another fully staffed bar. on the third, there were still a lot of people dancing, but a lot more people seemed to be either playing drinking games, or lounging around. another staffed bar.

“this floor looks more fun,” hueningkai commented and you agreed. the floor was humongous and there were doors to other rooms that you couldn’t see inside.

you pointed to the mostly empty ping pong table that had a couple people playing beer pong, “do you think they’ll let us join?”

when you all walked up to ask they immediately let you join. they were clearly very drunk and spilled the bottle of tequila on the table as they poured it into the ten small cups.

one of the guy’s handed you the ping pong ball, claiming you’re first, and you gladly took it. you were teammates with jake and the guy was teammates with a girl you were assuming was his girlfriend.

your goal was the top of the triangle as it was the closest, but who knows with the alcohol buzzing through you. you hoped the other team were more drunk than you were.

steadying yourself, you locked your eyes on the cup, trying hard to anticipate the amount of force you’d have to put behind the throw. you threw it and held your breath. you released it as you realized you overshot it and it landed in a cup in the back row.

“yes!” jake shouted as he jumped up and down holding you, causing you to laugh. the guy smiled and shook his head as he picked up the cup and drank from it. he removed it from the table and handed another ball to jake.

jake exhaled and bent down a little, completely zoned in. or as zoned in as he could be. he threw it and it landed in the center cup. “bitch cup!” the guy and his friends shouted, cupping their mouths. you raised your eyebrows, “bitch cup?” you laughed and he nodded.

“he has to shoot from his knees until he makes another cup,” the guy replied. jake turned a circle in disappointment, “fuck!” you heard laughter from your friends and joined them. the guy’s girlfriend took the cup and drank it, then discarded it.

she then took a ping pong ball and immediately tossed it. it bounced off the table next to the cups and bounced to the floor.

“yes!” you and jake shouted, high-fiving each other. you grabbed the ball and handed it to the guy. he took it, inhaled, tossed it, and then exhaled. it landed in the top cup.

“damn it,” you said. you picked the cup up and drank, immediately scrunching your face up when your tastebuds came in contact with the contents.

the round went on for a while until jake threw the ball and landed it in the final cup you needed. suddenly you were crowded by all your friends, jumping and yelling in excitement.

the game continued for about another hour, you and jake in the lead with four to zero. that was, until yeonjun got the final cup and eliminated you two. you picked the cup up, giving him a playful side eye, and turned to walk to the couch as you drank. you were absolutely gone by this point and you swayed from side to side, barely standing, trying to drink and walk at the same time. “woah there!” one of the guy’s friends said and helped you to the couch.

as you finally managed to connect your lips to the cup, you eyes wandered to the opening door, immediately connecting with soobin’s. the stare lingered for a second before you looked away, downing the cup. once you sat on the couch and were steady, the guy went back to his seat.

you could feel his stare weighing down on you as you saw him move through the floor with his friends out the corner of your eyes. he disappeared and you sighed. you decided to scroll on your phone as you waited for the beer pong game to end.

— SOOBIN’S POV —

anger rushed through him, absolutely flooded him. he wished that he didn’t drink what he did. maybe then he could push these feelings down like he’s been doing all day.

he needed to find sakura. demand to know what the fuck she was doing here.

soobin turned to his two friends, beomgyu and sunghoon, who were drinking out of red solo cups next to him. “where’s sakura?” he almost seethed. he had to hold it together.

“fuck if i know,” sunghoon replied, taking a drink from his cup. “i’m surprised you weren’t following her around like a lost puppy,” taehyun said, sitting next to him. sunghoon shoved him, causing some alcohol to spill on taehyun’s pants. taehyun laughed.

“she’s probably upstairs or something,” beomgyu added. soobin downed his drink and slammed the cup on the table, standing up. “woah… what’s wrong with you?” taehyun asked, shocked by the outburst. soobin gave a wry laugh, “nothing.”

making his way through the floor towards the stairs, his eyes landed once again on y/n. she was laughing at the fact that one of her friends completely missed the cup by a mile. her eyes wandered to his and she immediately turned and looked away, talking to some guy soobin didn’t know.

what the fuck? who the hell even is that? was she doing this on purpose? to make him jealous?

he had to stop himself from going over there. clenching his fists at his side, he continued to the stairs.

once soobin got to the fourth floor he did a quick scan around. like the previous floor, this one was also packed. a guard stood at the entrance. soobin paid him no mind as the guard stepped to the side and let him through.

towards the back, sakura sat on a couch surrounded by a group of girls, two of them the girls from yesterday. her head turned to him as he approached.

“well if it isn’t the man of the hour!” she smiled and took a sip from her margarita. the ice clinked together as she did.

“we need to talk,” soobin said, and turn on his heels, not bothering for her response.

he walked towards the center of the floor close to one of the walls where it wasn’t as crowded. he heard the click-clack of sakura’s heels as she followed, shouting his name.

sakura grabbed soobin’s shoulder and pulled him towards her so he would turn around. as soon as his eyes locked on her, he angrily asked, “what the hell is wrong with you?” she gave him a dumb look, which annoyed soobin more.

“what are you talking about?” she asked, crossing her arms.

“y/n,” he replied, “why is she here?” sakura dropped her arms. “i invited her for you! i even let her bring her friends.” she rolled her eyes at the last sentence.

soobin took a deep breath. “i didn’t ask you to do that.”

“i’m not seeing the problem.”

when soobin just stared at her, she she sharply exhaled and continued. “i invited her to help you out. i threw this party for you! so she can stop being up her own ass and you can win this bet! can’t you see that i was trying to fucking help you?”

soobin couldn’t keep in his anger anymore. if he wasn’t so buzzed, he’d be seeing red right now.

“i don’t need your fucking help!” he yelled, scaring sakura and causing to take a step back. he raked his hands through his hair and turned, making his way towards the bar that was on the floor. “what the fuck is your issue?” sakura yelled after him. he didn’t know. he really didn’t.

he waved one of the staff over and asked for something strong. from his pocket he felt his phone buzz.

fuck. fuck! soobin wanted to throw his phone.

why did he just do that? why didn’t he just leave the texts alone?

he knew why. all he was thinking about when replying was sakura’s stupid ass choices. that guy who y/n was talking to. wasn’t she clinging to him when he first saw her?

soobin downs his drink and asks for another, downing that too. fuck, he has to fix this.

like he’s on fire, he jumps from his seat and sprints down the stairs to the third floor. he looks towards the ping pong table where he last saw y/n, but she isn’t there. neither are her friends. he jogs up to the people he saw with them earlier.

“that group that was with you,” he says, “where’d they go?” a girl tells him they left the floor about five minutes ago. shit, soobin thinks, i need to catch her before she leaves the house.

he turns on his tracks and runs down the stairs. second floor, nothing. he makes it down to the ground floor and frantically searches around.

spotting yeonjun with a cup in his hand heading towards the door, he runs up to him and grabs him by the arm. yeonjun turns to him, eyebrows furrowed. he opens his mouth to speak but soobin beats him to it.

“y/n… where is she?” soobin breathes.

yeonjun looks him up and down. harshly removing his arm from soobin’s grasp, he spits, “it’ll be better if you just leave her alone. nothing good ever comes from being involved with you and the people you call your friends.” with that, he turns his back on soobin and walks out the door.

masterlist.

summary: choi soobin has always been the popular kid surrounded by his popular friends. y/n… not so much. one night, soobin and his friends make bet that soobin can’t get y/n to date him in a month. unfortunately for y/n, they’re a hopeless romantic.

A/N: the ball dropped😨 quite literally… enjoy! i don’t think i’ve mentioned this before but please ignore the timestamps for this smau lmao

taglist: @imagineyour-kpopboy @gothgyuu @carengene (if your name is bold it wouldn’t let me tag you!)

— kipo <3

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

How You Remind Me

Epilogue for Sweet Treats AU: by character | chronological | epilogues

Warnings: these drabbles will include dark elements such as noncon, control, intimidation, and other stuff that may not be specified. Take this as you chance to scroll by.

Note: here we go.

Please let me know what you think <3

🍫🍫🍫

“How can I help you, sir?” Your question floats before you as you stare at the man.

His eyes, his jaw, his cheekbones. It’s eerie how much this stranger looks like him. The resemblance has you on edge. Any man makes you wary, but he has your adrenaline bubbling. That moment of shock and panic still curdles in your blood.

“Hmmmm,” he hooks a thumb in his pocket thoughtfully. “How about a cafe au lait…”

His demeanour alone sets him apart. It’s not that bullish stance that Bucky takes, not the constant posturing of a man ready for a fight. And his tone doesn’t make you want to shrink to a speck of sand.

“Cafe au lait,” you repeat as you hit the screen, “size?”

“Just a twelve,” he rubs his short stubble as he taps his chin, “and… cheese danish sounds about right.”

“Sure thing,” you key in the rest of his order and hit total, “cash only.”

“Hmm?” He tilts his head, “uh, yeah, should have enough.”

He reaches under his jacket and takes out his wallet. You stare at the top of his collar, the top button undone, no tie. Even so, he feels overdressed. He lays out a ten and slides it over the counter.

“Keep the change.”

“Oh, uh, thanks,” you open the drawer and shove the money inside carelessly with the fives. “Order will be up at the end.”

You point to the end of the counter and turn away. You can’t hide fast enough. Candy stands by the machine as you pull out a small frothing pitcher and some milk.

“Cheese danish,” you say curtly as you focus on your work.

“Hm,” she doesn’t move as she puts her hand dangerously on the metal top. 

“Careful,” you give her a look, “it gets hot.”

“Sorry,” she drags away her hand, “you okay? I coulda taken care of that guy.”

“It’s fine. He’ll be gone soon.”

She nods and exhales heavily. “Spitting fucking image,” she whispers, “I swear, I was ready to unleash my judo skills, Coco bean.”

You snort quietly. Candy’s tough but she knows how to make you laugh. The tense eases as you chuckle and you sigh.

“Would you stop standing around and get that danish?” You chide.

“Sure thing, boss.”

“Hey,” you call over your shoulder, “I told you, I’m not the boss.”

“Oh? Then who is, ‘cause it sure as shit isn’t Birdy and I’m not taking that responsibility.”

“Let’s call it a joint venture,” you counter as you spoon the foam onto the concoction of milk and coffee.

You lift the mug gently and carry it to the pick up window where Candy’s left the danish. She busies herself by wiping down the countertop. She’s not very subtle as she sends curious glances down to the man as he approaches you.

“And there ya go,” you present his drink, “enjoy.”

“Thanks,” he slides his coffee closer but doesn’t hurry, “so, you own this place?”

“Uh, three of us do,” you answer evasively as you fix the napkin holder.

“It’s nice. Quaint.” He slips two fingers through the mug’s handle but still does not budge, “so you from around here?”

Your eyes snap up and your lips part. You were wrong. His eyes are different. Lighter. Or perhaps it’s only that he’s not glaring at you.

“You got a lot of questions.”

“Sorry, yeah, I’ve been told that before,” he laughs at himself, “I, uh, I’m just passing through. On my way to cottage country, you know? This place is dull as dust so… tryna make it less.”

“Mmm, well, I wish I had some recommendations but you don’t seem like the quilting circle type.”

He scoffs again.

“Funny,” he muses as he taps his fingers on the mug, “like I said, I’m not staying long but if you think of anything to keep me busy, name’s Nick. Got a room down at the lodge.”

“Oh, the lodge,” you nod and give a sarcastic smile, “well, I do have some advice, Nick,” the last consonant clicks in your throat, “we supply the lodge with desserts so you don’t need to come all the way down here for a danish.”

He winces and his cheek dimples. He smiles at your dry rejection and reaches for his danish. You flick your brows up then down dismissively and spin away. You swiftly march into the backroom and nearly collide with the rolling cart as Birdy moves it into your path.

“Jeez,” you exclaim as you catch the side of it, “careful.”

“Uh, I’m just– Candy told me to tidy up. I’m tidying,” she pouts, “gosh, I can’t do anything right. Steve was–”

“Shhh,” you hush her sharply, “don’t. No more. We’re done talking about him. About any of them. Got it?”

She harrumphs and nods. She looks down and slowly rolls the cart onward as you let it go.

“I didn’t want it,” she utters quietly, “I was drunk…”

“I said, can it,” you go to the stove and peer through the tinted window to the muffins rising inside, “we’re past that.”

[voldemorts-tap-shoes]

Second submission for reputation/fearless era of @cruelsummer-ficfest 🖤💛

Gorgeous

Every time the door of the pub swings open, it lets a blast of raucous noise into the street that slows my steps. The Leaky Cauldron may as well have a Hermione-repelling charm cast over it, the way it’s making me feel as we get closer. The click-click-click of Lavender’s heels on the sidewalk as I follow her keeps time with my pounding heart until she finally calls over her shoulder, “C’mon, slowpoke. We’re already late.”

“Isn’t that a thing?” I grouse, though I pick up my pace to catch her. “Fashionably late?”

“Sure it is, but it’s not why you’re dragging those designer heels I forced on you.” Lavender stops and spins to face me, planting her hands on her hips as she fixes me with a raise of one perfect blonde eyebrow. I stare back at her, not wanting to admit out loud what we both already know perfectly well. “You’re nervous about seeing Ron.”

Well if she’s going to come right out and say it…

“Two years is a long time. What if he met someone?”

“At the Auror Academy? No, he’s definitely still single.”

“Honestly, that’s worse.”

Lavender scoffs and throws her hands up in the air. “How is that worse?”

“Because…then I don’t have any excuse not to tell him that I haven’t stopped thinking about him for two bloody years.”

“Well that’s honest,” Lav says with a laugh. “What are you worried about? Didn’t you guys have some sort of…I dunno, agreement, before he left?”

“You know we didn’t.” I sigh and glance over my shoulder, away from the pub where Harry and Ron’s welcome home party rages on. “Come on, you’re always trying to get me out to these Muggle clubs you like. We’re overdressed for the Leaky, anyway.”

“Stop it, you look gorgeous. And that’s an absolute waste of a dress if Ron doesn’t see you in it. Or out of it.”

“Lavender!”

“Besides, if you’re that worried about talking to him, you could always just march up to him and snog him. Worked for me.”

Lavender grins, and I give her my best death glare, though I know she’s only teasing me. We’re long-past the drama of sixth year. Still I retort, “You’re more evil than Voldemort sometimes.”

Her laugh rings off the cobblestones as she loops her arm through mine and starts us walking toward the pub again. “Come on, let’s get a drink in you. You’ll be fine.”

Fortunately, there are enough people coming and going from the pub that my entrance with Lavender doesn’t cause any particular ruckus. Harry spots us first and manages to make his way over without dislodging Ginny, who’s wrapped around him like a Devil’s Snare.

“Hey, Hermione, so glad you made it! It’s great to see you! Hi Lavender!” Harry’s exuberant greeting and flushed cheeks give away the fact that he’s had more than a couple of drinks, and I hug him back enthusiastically. He’s a happy drunk, at least.

“It’s great to see you, too. Welcome back!”

“Thanks! Last time I saw Ron, he was…” Harry gestures vaguely around the pub, and since we’re still standing by the front door, he could be just about anywhere.

“Thanks, I think we’re going to get a drink first.” Ginny quirks an eyebrow at me but doesn’t comment. “See you in a bit.”

I pull Lavender towards the bar, keeping my eyes peeled for Ron the whole time. He’s usually not hard to spot, head and shoulders above practically everyone, but we make it to a couple of barstools without seeing him and I let out a little sigh of relief. I take the shot of firewhiskey Lavender sets in front of me, the hot liquid crackling down my throat, and then reach for the soothingly cool butterbeer.

Just as I’ve finished one drink and motioned to Tom for another, Lavender chirps from beside me, “Oh, there’s Ron!”

Part of me wants to crawl under the bar and hide, but my body turns of its own accord to look where Lav is looking. He’s halfway across the room, chatting with Dean and completely oblivious to Lavender’s frantic wave or my slack-jawed stare.

He looks the same, sort of—same ocean-blue eyes, same slightly crooked smile—but also not the same at all. His lanky frame has filled out, arm muscles on full display beyond the sleeves of his black Cannons t-shirt. He looks like he may have somehow actually managed to get taller, too. There’s a neatly trimmed layer of ginger hair covering his face, and just a hint of a tattoo beneath one sleeve that keeps ducking out of sight as the magical image moves.

He’s so gorgeous it hurts. Actually hurts, down in the pit of my stomach where all of my insecurities about him not wanting me live and where they are now multiplying like someone cast a Geminio charm on my gut.

“Aren’t you going to go and talk to him?” Lavender asks, snapping me out of my stupor.

“I think I just saw Susan, so I’ll just—” I grab the fresh drink from the bar top and slide off the stool, heading in the opposite direction of Ron. I hear Lavender muttering something about Gryffindor courage as I take off in search of someone else—anyone else—to talk to.

She’s right, of course. The defining trait of our house has completely failed me at the prospect of facing Ron after all this time. Fighting Voldemort and dealing with all the myriad horrors of seven years in a magical castle feels like a walk in the park compared to this, and I’m completely chickening out.

I haven’t seen Ron in two whole years, and although we did have something of a denouement between the end of the war and him going off to the Academy, there was no commitment. We were both free to do as we pleased, romantically. For me that meant a whole lot of pining over him and nothing else, but Merlin only knows what he’s been up to while he was away. I know he did fancy me back then, but two years is a long time and surely he still can't feel the same way.

We’ve stayed in touch throughout his time away, and he hasn’t mentioned a girlfriend or anything, but the idea of us rekindling things when he got home also never came up. Not that I brought it up, either. But if I don’t bring it up, then there’s no possibility of rejection. Cowardly? Yes. Safe? Also yes.

“For Merlin’s sake,” Lavender huffs as she catches up to me in the dark corner I’ve tucked myself into. “Even if you’re not ready to tell him how you feel, the man is your best friend. You can’t hide from him all night.”

“I can try.”

“Then why did we come?”

“Good point, let’s go.” Lavender holds out an arm to stop me before I can take a single step past her, and I sigh. “Okay, fine. But I need to stop in the loo first.”

Lavender narrows her eyes at me. “You have five minutes before I come in after you.”

“That’s—I’ll just be a—”

I catch Lavender’s eye roll as I make another escape, sneaking around the back side of the bar to the witches’ room. There’s nobody else in there, so I lock the door and add a charm for good measure before I take a long look in the mirror and try to calm myself.

You can do this. It’s just Ron.

Just the love of my freaking life who may or may not have moved on.

There’s a knock on the door and I groan softly. “It has not been five minutes, Lav!”

“It’s me.” My heart stops at the sound of Ron’s voice. “Can I come in?”

I make my steps as slow as I can as I approach the door, but it’s not a big room so I can only stall so long. I take a deep breath and turn the lock back to its open position, then the door cracks open from the outside and Ron peeks in, his face so close to mine that I can smell the hint of firewhiskey on his breath. The smile he flashes me is infectious, even in the face of my nerves. “Hi.”

“Hi yourself. Everything okay in here?”

“Sure.” I swallow hard and give him a tense nod. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Because you’re hiding in the bathroom, and I swear you’ve talked to everyone here but me.”

“That’s not—” Ron raises an eyebrow at me and I can’t get the lie out.

“Did I do something?” he asks as his face scrunches with worry. “I mean, I know I haven’t been writing as much lately, but it’s been so hectic with final qualifications and everything and I—” Ron cuts himself off and smiles at me again. “I’m really happy to see you.”

“I’m really happy to see you, too.” That’s certainly true, even if my insides are wriggling like flobberworms.

“Okay, good. So…come back to the party?”

“Sure, I just…need a minute.”

I try to give Ron a reassuring smile, but he’s not convinced and pushes the door open further to join me in the bathroom, locking it behind him. My heart pounds as he looks me over, his eyes full of concern.

“Hermione, what is going on?”

It takes a few minutes to find my voice but I finally squeak out, “You’re back.”

“That’s a good thing.” He takes a step closer, and when I don’t respond, he adds, “I missed you.”

“Really?”

Ron laughs. “Are you kidding? I missed you like crazy. You’re my best friend.”

His best friend. Right. The knots in my stomach turn to lead, and I can’t bear to keep looking at him as I fix my eyes to the floor instead, praying I can keep the tears at bay until I get out of here. Unfortunately, Ron is currently between me and the only escape route.

“Well, I missed you too, but as way more than just my best friend, which is why I’ve been hiding so I wouldn’t have to tell you that I fancy you in case you don’t feel the same and you obviously don’t, so now that I’ve thoroughly embarrassed myself, I guess I’ll just stumble on home to Crookshanks.”

The words tumble out in a rush as I try to squeeze my way around Ron, but he catches my hand in his.

“You’re as mental as ever, you know that?” Ron rolls his eyes as an affectionate smile plays on his lips. He tugs at the sleeve of his shirt, revealing the tattoo I noticed earlier, and I feel my jaw drop as I watch the little silvery-blue otter scamper around his arm. “I will admit I was a little drunk when I got it, because I kind of thought I would tell you how I feel about you before I went and tattooed it on myself, but…” He lets the sleeve fall again and shrugs. “Reckon this’ll get the point across, anyway.”

“You got…” My hand finds its way to his arm of its own accord, drawn to him like a magnet, and I let my fingers follow the otter’s path. Ron’s skin pebbles up with goosebumps under my touch, even though it feels about a million degrees in here between the two of us, and I start to believe he might actually be as affected by me as I am him. “You have a tattoo of my patronus.”

“Yeah.” He gives me a sheepish grin. “Still just want to go home to Crookshanks?”

I reach up to wrap my arms around his neck, leaning forward on my toes, but even with the help of Lavender’s heels, Ron has to duck his head to brush his nose against mine. “Only if you come along.”

[fangirl-saya]

@codepend3nt There's a pretty long RP below, so to avoid taking over your feeds, hiding it under "read more." (Crossover between Renfield and Korean Odyssey ftw)

It's early 2000's. Ogong, the disgraced deity known as the Monkey King, has just been “accidentally” sprung free from his 500 year imprisonment in the Marble Mountains by his bestie, Ma-Wang, and now both of them have to pay. Ma-Wang’s determination to get in Heavens’ good graces and attain godhood are unwavering. He needs to help someone dear to him, and the only way he can do it is by becoming a god. To become a god, he needs to collect a number of good-deed points (GDP? lol), and he lost a bunch of them when he freed Ogong. Ma-Wang (mostly) plays by the rules, maintains a facade of a human existence (via a persona of an owner of a huge entertainment company in Korea). Thus, while filthy rich, he is somewhat limited in what he’s willing/able to do. Ogong’s main objective is to be able to drink alcohol again. This prohibition is one small way the Heavens are still able to punish him. After 500 years of being under house arrest he is restless and eager to enjoy the world. He has friends in high places and enemies in even higher places. He mostly doesn’t care. Still, he feels he owes Ma-Wang for orchestrating his escape, so he works on collecting GDP by taking Heavens’ assignments to dispatch various baddies. For the most part, he’s been getting assignments around Seoul, but on this particular occasion, the assignment will take him to Seattle, WA, USA. To his surprised protests (“Why the hell are you sending somewhere so cold and dreary? Why do I have to be so far from my beloved car, Ma-Wang’s big TV and my cozy hot tub?”) the heavenly official only shrugs, and says the order came all the way from the Top. And so Ogong has to pack. To his relief, his car actually fits into his suitcase, though registering it at the destination may be a nuisance. There’s also not a ton of space left, and he eyes his collection of fur coats critically. It’s always raining in Seattle. Will he even be able to wear them, or will they get drenched the moment he walks into the streets? He stuffs a couple of his favorites into the car’s trunk and sets off to the airport. A private jet is already waiting for him, along with a brand new identity and a healthy bank account. Finding Dracula in a city of 700k+ residents is no easy task. Cut off from his regular channels, he bribes some humans and threatens some spirits to find out that an unusual number of homeless people have been going missing in the recent weeks - information that hasn’t made it to the press. Human souls are human souls, homeless or Fortune 500 founders. And so, while he’d much rather be somewhere warm and cozy, he is stalking foggy, cluttered alleys on the periphery of downtown Seattle, where the impromptu homeless encampments tend to spring up seemingly overnight. It’s been two weeks with little progress. Interviewing the not-always-coherent local residents revealed that the disappearances happen all over the city, that besides being homeless, the victims seem to have little in common - age, gender, health, origins, race, personality - all over the place. A couple of particularly inebriated fellas told him of a lanky guy with “glowing yellow eyes, dude!” that they’ve seen around their encampment a few times before one of their drinking buddies disappeared. “Do you think you’ll be able to bring Sean back?” “Unlikely,” Ogong answers bluntly. “Y’all make sure you stick together. Safety in numbers and all that.” Finally, on a Wednesday night, wet and dreary like any other, Ogong spots someone observing a small encampment from the shadows. “That’s definitely lanky,” he thinks to himself. And in the next moment he’s standing behind Renfield, a hand on his shoulder. “Hey there buddy. What brings you out here on such a fine night?” If Renfield were to turn around, he’d see a Korean young man, 5-11, almost comically overdressed for the relatively warm weather, with an oversized scarf and a heavy wool coat (let’s say it’s summer, and it’s around 65F?).

Renfield couldn't help but jump when he felt the hand clamp down on his shoulder, bright blue eyes going wide at the sound of the voice. "I...um..." he blinked a few times, slowly turning to face the man. Despite having a few inches on the guy, Renfield still seemed to cower under his gaze. Was he a cop? He was dressed kinda funny for a cop, even an undercover one. But still....Dracula would not like this one bit.

From inside his pocket, he let go of the handkerchief and the bottle of chloroform he'd been about to pull out. Then slid his hands out of his jacket so they were visible, just in case.

"I lost my cat. He got out of my apartment, and I was looking for him." He turned his head, looking back down the alleyway before calling out, "Fluffy! Fluffy, where are you?" A blatant lie, but one he was determined to stick with. He'd find someone for Dracula to eat somewhere else.

“A cat, huh?” Ogong gives his customary sardonic half-grin. “That simply wouldn’t do. Shall I help you look?” The words are dripping with mock concern and sarcasm. Ogong’s hand remains on Renfield’s shoulder, and while he isn’t squeezing it, exactly, Renfield can feel that the grip is pretty firm, and he’s unlikely to be able to twist away with human strength alone.

[mlmxreader]

Back In the Day | Eames x gn!reader

『••✎••』

↳ ❝ anonymous asked: May I please request something using the following prompts for Eames X non-binary, male, or gn!Reader: “Fuck, back in the day it was all different” ❞

: ̗̀➛ things change, relationships change and the things that you once loved just aren't doable anymore. Doesn't mean everything has gone to shit, though.

: ̗̀➛ mentions of alcohol consumption, swearing, smoking

•──────────────────★•♛•★─────────────────•

Lights were flashing, reds and greens and blues and yellows streaming across the room sharply and brightly; people were jumping and dancing in every inch of the boat, docked at the harbour and proudly displaying its status as the best club in the city.

Eames felt rather overdressed in his pink dress shirt and blazer, formal trousers and shoes; when he looked at you, seeing you dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, he knew he overdressed massively.

But he soon shrugged it off when you pressed his drink into his hands, shouting in his ear to make sure he heard you over the music.

"You wanna come out for a smoke?"

Eames nodded, holding your hand as you guided him through the thick crowd; outside was a lot quieter. People were chatting and kissing on the benches and on the deck. The music was faded, almost inaudible. People shared lighters and filters, grinning at one another.

Eames grabbed a seat on a nearby bench, welcoming your presence on his lap as he held onto you easily. It had been his idea, neither of you had had a night out for so long that he had completely forgotten what it was like; it had all changed so much. He enjoyed the changes, really; not needing to dress like he was going to a restaurant with a dress code.

Not having to be quiet and having to keep his hands to himself. It was a lot more liberal than it used to be, and he was glad of it as he snuck his hand up your back and splayed his fingers out; your skin was so warm, and his so cold that you shivered softly, your breath on his ear.

It made the fine hairs on his arms stand upright as he bit back a smile.

His drink resting beside yours on the table next to him, he watched as you lit up two cigarettes, fixated on your lips for a moment before you gave him one of the cigarettes. Eames was glad of it, really.

Even though he wasn't used to the way things were now, he was glad that he had brought you out with him; he had missed the long nights out together and the mornings where you both slept in. It had been far too long since you had last done it.

Cobb was taking him away from you more and more, and even though you understood that he had to work, it wasn't fair that you hardly got to see him. The late night phone calls and the endless emails and texts weren't enough; you needed to see each other, to feel each other's skin and know that you were there.

But none of that mattered now, you were together; he wasn't going anywhere. He could only hope that you knew and understood that, that he wasn’t going fucking anywhere without you; he really hoped that you knew, though.

He really, really, fucking hoped that you knew. 

The music was getting louder, though, and people were starting to dance on the deck as they kissed and cuddled; drinks were spilled on the already slick flooring, although nobody minded much.

They just carried on, and Eames loved that; no one batted an eye at the sight of you on his lap, nobody so much as blinked when you kissed him softly. Eames really did love that, especially.

People were either too drunk, too happy or too much of both to care about what the two of you were doing on that bench.

He knew that your relationship wasn’t perfect, he knew that, but he hoped that nights like this were worth the wait between them; when he noticed that the current song was one of your favourites, though, he gently pushed you off of his lap and stubbed his cigarette out as he grinned. 

“Fancy a dance, darling?”

You grinned back as you nodded. “I thought you’d never ask, darling.”

You threw your cigarette overboard and took his hand, giving it a small squeeze as you laughed softly and led him towards where the music was loudest and there were less people; one hand on his waist, the other still clutching his as he put his hand on your shoulder. Swaying gently to the beat together, hardly able to stop smiling.

He used to take you dancing a lot, before he got back into the ranks with Cobb; it was almost a tradition to go dancing together every Saturday at exactly nine o’clock. He used to make tea beforehand, usually something filling and easy like spaghetti bolognese. Just something to keep you both going for a few hours, no need to be fancy.

But… but Eames always dressed so nicely that you wondered if he spent the entire day picking out what to wear; he always wore those fancy shirts that were a little tight around his biceps and his chest, those soft trousers that never had so much as a speck of dust on them.

He would always have a few of the buttons undone, showing off just a little bit of his chest - just enough to tease you and get you going.

You both used to love and adore going dancing every Saturday night, it was always your favourite thing in the world. You used to look forward to it every week, always bragging when people asked if you had plans; Eames knew you always bragged about how he used to take you dancing.

But he couldn’t anymore, he hardly had the time even though he wished he did. He often wondered if you dreamed of it, but he couldn’t bring himself to invade your privacy like that - not without your full consent. That didn’t mean everything was shit, though.

He still had your body pressed against his as you danced together, watching you smile when he started to sing the words in a soft whisper. It was only for one night, but Eames was glad that he had taken you out and brought you with him. 

“Fuck, back in the day, it was all different,” you admitted, shaking your head. “I miss it…”

Eames nodded as he gently kissed your cheek. “I do, too, darling… maybe one day, we’ll be back in the good old days, hmm?”

“With any hope.” 

[gretchensinister]

Daily (Spooky) Fic Highlight: Winter Knight for the Summer King

"Winter Knight for the Summer King" is a Jack/Sandy ficlet that I wrote for a Jack/Sandy week event in 2014. It was written for the AU day, and I wrote a fae AU in which Jack is a knight of the Winter Court, sent to the Summer Court in exchange for peace. He has to swear his fealty to the Summer King, and he may have gotten in over his head. 980 words, T, M/M.

I admit that this fic might seem a little odd to go in the spooky collection, but it is meant to be a scenario in which Jack is both unsettled and seduced. I also think that fae/fairies/etc. are underutilized and/or underappreciated in spooky stories, at least in my experience, so here is my small part to remedy that.

Sample:

He felt stupidly overdressed in his elaborate armor of frosted ice, and even more stupidly unable to look at any of the Summer fae without staring. Though no two looked alike, they were all astonishingly beautiful in ways he hadn’t even been able to imagine before, so different were they from those of Winter. Was this how mortals felt, seeing any of them? He could almost sympathize. To focus, he lifted his gaze towards the Summer King—and immediately had to lower his gaze. This King, too, was unlike what he had expected, being nearly the complete opposite of the Winter King. He reclined in a low throne of polished driftwood that branched above him and along the ground almost as if it was a living thing, drinking from a golden cup. He was short, plump as a ripe peach, golden as the sun, with a broad, handsome face and round, open, but somehow uncanny eyes. He wore no impressive ceremonial robes, but only a light toga of green-gold silk that fluttered in the ocean breeze, and a circlet of seashells tied together with dune grass.

[codepend3nt]

@saya1984

The year is around 2003. Ogong, the disgraced deity, has just been “accidentally” sprung free from his 500 year imprisonment in the Marble Mountains by his bestie, Ma-Wang, and now both of them have to pay. Ma-Wang’s determination to get in Heavens’ good graces and attain godhood are unwavering. He needs to help someone dear to him, and the only way he can do it is by becoming a god. To become a god, he needs to collect a number of good-deed points (GDP? lol), and he lost a bunch of them when he freed Ogong. Ma-Wang (mostly) plays by the rules, maintains a facade of a human existence (via a persona of an owner of a huge entertainment company in Korea). Thus, while filthy rich, he is somewhat limited in what he’s willing/able to do. Ogong’s main objective is to be able to drink alcohol again. This prohibition is one small way the Heavens are still able to punish him. After 500 years of being under house arrest he is restless and eager to enjoy the world. He has friends in high places and enemies in even higher places. He mostly doesn’t care. Still, he feels he owes Ma-Wang for orchestrating his escape, so he works on collecting GDP by taking Heavens’ assignments to dispatch various baddies. For the most part, he’s been getting assignments around Seoul, but on this particular occasion, the assignment will take him to Seattle, WA, USA (Or location of your choice? This is some 15 years before Renfield and Drac move to New Orleans, so they could be anywhere). To his surprised protests (“Why the hell are you sending somewhere so cold and dreary? Why do I have to be so far from my beloved car, Ma-Wang’s big TV and my cozy hot tub?”) the heavenly official only shrugs, and says the order came all the way from the Top. And so Ogong has to pack. To his relief, his car actually fits into his suitcase, though registering it at the destination may be a nuisance. There’s also not a ton of space left, and he eyes his collection of fur coats critically. It’s always raining in Seattle. Will he even be able to wear them, or will they get drenched the moment he walks into the streets? He stuffs a couple of his favorites into the car’s trunk and sets off to the airport. A private jet is already waiting for him, along with a brand new identity and a healthy bank account. Finding Dracula in a city of 700k+ residents is no easy task. Cut off from his regular channels, he bribes some humans and threatens some spirits to find out that an unusual number of homeless people have been going missing in the recent weeks - information that hasn’t made it to the press. Human souls are human souls, homeless or Fortune 500 founders. And so, while he’d much rather be somewhere warm and cozy, he is stalking foggy, cluttered alleys on the periphery of downtown Seattle, where the impromptu homeless encampments tend to spring up seemingly overnight. It’s been two weeks with little progress. Interviewing the not-always-coherent local residents revealed that the disappearances happen all over the city, that besides being homeless, the victims seem to have little in common - age, gender, health, origins, race, personality - all over the place. A couple of particularly inebriated fellas told him of a lanky guy with “glowing yellow eyes, dude!” that they’ve seen around their encampment a few times before one of their drinking buddies disappeared. “Do you think you’ll be able to bring Sean back?” “Unlikely,” Ogong answers bluntly. “Y’all make sure you stick together. Safety in numbers and all that.” Finally, on a Wednesday night, wet and dreary like any other, Ogong spots someone observing a small encampment from the shadows. “That’s definitely lanky,” he thinks to himself. And in the next moment he’s standing behind Renfield, a hand on his shoulder. “Hey there buddy. What brings you out here on such a fine night?” If Renfield were to turn around, he’d see a Korean young man, 5-11, almost comically overdressed for the relatively warm weather, with an oversized scarf and a heavy wool coat (let’s say it’s summer, and it’s around 65F?).

Renfield couldn't help but jump when he felt the hand clamp down on his shoulder, bright blue eyes going wide at the sound of the voice. "I...um..." he blinked a few times, slowly turning to face the man. Despite having a few inches on the guy, Renfield still seemed to cower under his gaze. Was he a cop? He was dressed kinda funny for a cop, even an undercover one. But still....Dracula would not like this one bit.

From inside his pocket, he let go of the handkerchief and the bottle of chloroform he'd been about to pull out. Then slid his hands out of his jacket so they were visible, just in case.

"I lost my cat. He got out of my apartment, and I was looking for him." He turned his head, looking back down the alleyway before calling out, "Fluffy! Fluffy, where are you?" A blatant lie, but one he was determined to stick with. He'd find someone for Dracula to eat somewhere else.

[writtenjewels]

[A scene from the "Love Spell" AU I wrote on AO3]

Salim stepped inside the greenhouse, his eyes widening as he took it all in. He expected the place to have lots of plants but was still amazed at just how many. Some were lining shelves while others hung from the ceiling, larger ones set on the floor. Also hanging from the ceiling was a light fixture, unnecessary at the moment with sunlight filtering through the glass encasing the greenhouse.

There was a table and two chairs set up in a corner of the greenhouse. Salim took a seat and waited for Jason to arrive. He was feeling a little nervous. Jason played it off like it was no big deal, but Salim knew that being invited into the Kolchek family's greenhouse had to be significant. This was where they kept all their plants and herbs they used for their spells, passing down through the generations.

Jason entered carrying a tray with food and drinks. Salim's heart beat a little faster seeing the younger man. Jason was casually dressed today wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a gray cap on his head. As always, the shemagh Salim gave him was tied around Jason's neck.

“Hey.” Jason's gaze flicked over Salim and his expression shifted to admiration. He reached out and tugged on the collar of Salim's shirt. “You just get off work?”

“Ah, yes.” Jason's attention had his heart fluttering. The library required Salim to wear business casual attire but now he was feeling extremely overdressed.

“You look hot,” Jason assured him, making Salim blush. Jason tugged again, bringing their faces close for a kiss. Salim returned the pressure and slid his hand to Jason's back. The kiss ended far too soon. Jason set down the tray and waved his hand over the food. “May hunger be sated and energy renewed,” he chanted in that tone Salim was recognizing as the one Jason used when casting spells.

“What was that?” he asked with interest.

“Just a quick little witch blessing,” Jason answered. “We do it at every meal. Hope you like this,” he added. “I made sure it was halal.” That came as a pleasant surprise. Salim smiled and took a generous bite.

“Very good,” he declared after swallowing. “Are there spells on the food?”

“Nope. I'm drinkin' some of our enchanted tea, though,” Jason added, lifting his glass.

“Iced tea,” Salim observed, shaking his head. “You heathen.”

“Don't knock it 'til you try it, old man,” Jason chuckled. Salim smiled at him warmly and took another bite of the food. Jason had confessed he cast a love spell that brought them together. It was broken now but Salim hadn't felt any different. If anything, the more time they spent together the stronger his feelings for Jason grew.

The two of them fell into comfortable small talk as they ate. Jason went over some of his latest jobs and Salim babbled about Zain. Salim felt comfortable and happy here with Jason. The sun filtering through the greenhouse glass was just warm enough on his skin. And there were so many plants here, making the place look alive.

“I hear you thinkin',” Jason spoke up.

“I'm just admiring the plants,” Salim told him. “Is this why one of the qualities in your love spell was to have a garden?”

“I was fuckin' ten, Salim, I don't know what I was thinkin'.” Jason took a bite of his food, swallowed, and added: “Though I guess that was on my mind a little. Penny's the green thumb in the family, not me. These plants are alive thanks to spells I put on the seeds and soil.”

“You're protecting them,” Salim guessed. Jason shrugged and tugged on the brim of his cap as he always did when he was embarrassed. “That must be why they grow so well,” Salim reflected. “You are a very good shield, habibi.” Jason's face turned red in a blush and he snorted.

“Give your mouth some rest and eat your damn food.” Salim smiled and took a few more bites. The meal soon ended and they piled the dirty dishes onto the tray. Jason gave Salim a quick kiss before heading out to put everything away.

Salim decided to wander the greenhouse while he waited for Jason to come back. He eventually found himself in the corner where Jason had some flowers growing. On a whim, Salim picked two of them. He held them out to Jason when the other returned. Jason stared at him with wide eyes, face flushed as he accepted.

“Why'd you pick these?”

“I'm not sure,” Salim shrugged. He was more familiar with vegetables than flowers. “I just liked how they looked. Why do you ask?”

“ 'Cause...” Jason's blush reached his ears. “You picked the sword and shield.” Salim looked at the flowers again. “Gladiolus,” Jason explained, holding it up. “The sword lily. And this is fibigia clypeata, commonly called Roman shields.”

Salim stared at him, stunned and breathless. He felt a blush creeping over his own face. Jason tucked the gladiolus behind Salim's ear, keeping the Roman shield for himself. Their lips connected, Jason wrapping his arms around Salim. Salim did the same and parted his lips to taste Jason's mouth.

It felt significant that Salim found their symbols in Jason's family greenhouse. Like an assurance that spell or no spell, they belonged together.

💙💚🍔🌱

[ladieswholead]

5 Things To Know When Going For A Meeting With A CEO Of A Larger Corporation

Our Founder & CEO Aabha Bakaya, given the degree of importance for our members, shares 5 things to be mindful of, when meeting with a CEO of a larger corporation. After all, we at Ladies Who Lead, are known to do things differently, aren’t we? Here’s her personal philosophy on the matter:

A CEO never has enough time in her day. She is managing multiple tasks and her head is always in a different place. When she gives you a focussed 30-minutes how do you use it to ensure you get the most value for your business out of it? Read on to find out.

CEOs don’t have enough hours in a day. Especially when they are managing a large number of employees, involved in key decision-making at a daily level, dealing with regulators, markets, and calls across time zones. When a CEO carves out some precious time to meet you, make sure you are ahead of time. It will take you a while to find the office, maneuver parking and security, and make your way to the c-suite. And then you wait because that is the right thing to do. Asking a CEO to juggle their day by 30-min or more is unpardonable. It has happened in rare cases and extreme emergencies – but those can only be exceptions. You’ll find that they hardly ever make you wait, they are extremely punctual and often may increase their appointment with you by 30-minutes if they find it fruitful. 

When going to visit a CEO, think about what you’re going to wear and how you are going to look the part. You want them to take you seriously, but this does not mean you must wear pants. You could wear an elegant dress, with smart heels, a lovely blouse with pearls, a tailored jacket. Avoid frills that are distracting like too much jewellery, loud make-up or accessories. Keep it classic so the attention is on you and what you are saying. Also remember you are there for work and not a social event so while looking polished, don’t overdress. Isha Ambani dressed in a simple salwar kameez when she met with us, Aisha De Sequeira of Morgan Stanley was always in a suit, Arundhati Bhattacharya always wears a saree till date with maybe one string of pearls. Chanda Kochhar used to be known for her fancy diamonds and jewellery and clearly that did not go down so well. 

Please have the right body language in a meeting. Straight back, fingers gently together, legs crossed, poised and confident. Please do not yawn it is truly a sacrilege. You cannot look sleepy or bored. You can still look drenched in the rain or flustered by a car puncture but you MUST have your game face on at all times. You have probably waited weeks to get this meeting. Ask questions, engage, make conversation, find some common points. Then get to the agenda within the first few moments. Use your time to maximise gains for your business. Business heads will meet you via referral (patiently), on your credibility  (so don’t kill it), or your pitch – so they will be waiting to hear that. Time is money in the business world and one thing CEOs hate is a waste of their time. 

They will always ask you whether you would like a cup of tea or coffee. I used to say no because I hardly had time to drink it! I was too busy talking or too nervous. However it does help to break the ice. I will say I have never finished a hot beverage during a meet and I have never seen the CEO finish theirs. Apart from recently when someone met me over a mango and almond milk smoothie. And they offered me coconut water or a fresh smoothie as well. I said no to everything as I knew I would not finish it, or what if I did not like it and did not want to offend anyone. Corporates have the worst machine coffee, CEOs have their own french press which they make just for themselves when there is more time. And some places think they have amazing coffee but don’t know how to make it and it tastes like hot muddy water and you really don

’t want to have it – unless you need caffeine in any form!

Pro Tip – When you’re going through your meeting notes, always think back to what they asked you. The answers to what they are looking for are in the questions they ask you. That will give you a clue and help you strategise your follow-up. It is always there in the gentle nudges, and hopefully you would have answered off that bat with some clarity because it is true – first impressions are very very important. It is a mix of how you present yourself as well as what you say and the relevance to them. They listen because they don’t want to miss out on the next big thing. So don’t spam them but let them know you appreciate their time, follow up where required, else get back when the time is right when you have something that will be fruitful for them.

About the Contributor:

As Founder & CEO of Ladies Who Lead, Aabha Bakaya has set out on this radical journey to co-create the future for women in the workforce and speed up meaningful change, in ways unimaginable. Through Ladies Who Lead, she is empowering, engaging, and enabling powerful women leaders, executives and entrepreneurs to grow and succeed through curated learning and networking experiences. 

[uniqueclothgroup]

10 Interview Garments For Men To Make Your First Impression Best

Do you have people offering you help with formal attire ideas for any upcoming interview? Show your thanks by coming up with a classic look for your interview outfit. The selection of a tie and jacket combo can be difficult to get right.

The Best 10 Interview Outfits For Men

1. Button Up Shirts With Dark Trousers Making an impression but being hesitant to dress up for an interview? Then, go ahead with casual interview attire for men. Pick up one of the neutral coloured button up shirts and match it with dark trousers. You can also add a tie to your look. White button up shirts and grey/black trousers work best for the occasion, without looking too overdressed.

2. Tweed Blazer With A Plain Shirt A perfect idea for what to wear to an interview for men is a tweed blazer with a plain shirt. Men’s work clothes can be worn to an interview we they give the perfect look to how professional you will be if employed for the position you are applying for. Going old school in a modern look by adding a tweed blazer to your button up shirt & men’s work trousers Australia will finish off the look you are trying to achieve. Choosing a shirt that is plain and crisply pressed is also essential and if you are unable to iron yourself take the time to go to a dry cleaner and get it freshly ironed. Alternatively, if you do not have access to a tweed jacket then you can select a light brown jacket or a grey one as they both go well with dark trousers.

3. Light Coloured Single Breasted Suits Not sure of the dress code of the interview? Why not try something that is a perfect combination between formal and casual. Prepare a light coloured single-breasted suit with any men’s neckties. You can wear neat men’s work clothes, dress pants of the same colour as the jacket for a perfect look. You can add a tie with your business shirt to accompany your suit jacket that you wear to an interview.

4. A Solid Plain Coloured Shirt Simplicity is the best way to dress nowadays. If you don’t want to overdress with your interview outfit, then it is best to wear a plain shirt and mens work trousers Australia. You are best choosing a light coloured shirt rather than a pattern shirt with a bold design as it will not distract from the look that you are trying to make.

5.Formal Chinos Bringing a modern spin to the same old traditional look in the interview outfit for men, formal chinos are a great creation. They are a wonderful look for both formal and casual occasions, you would be able to attend the interview and then join your friends for a drink on the same day. These lightweight pants go nicely with both button up and solid shirts. Accompanied with a nice pair of shoes with mens socks Australia they will give you the polished look for what you are trying to achieve.

6. Polo Shirt Should your interview be more casual and laid back a polo t-shirt may be a the fine choice. Ensuring it is a new polo shirt and not your favourite in the wardrobe. They are great for warmer days and go very well with mens work trousers Australia. So, for the job interviews with a casual dress code, you can confidently wear this smart casual attire for the interview. There is no need for men’s neckties, just a set of men’s work clothes that have a neat casual look are ideal in this situation.

7. Printed Ties The ending of a formal look, printed ties, are a great option for many occasions. The patterns highlight the colours of the outfit, making several features shine. You can choose either a plain, checkered tie or a striped one for a good impression. So, when you are wondering what to wear to an interview, make sure to add a printed tie to the list. You can pick up a tie at any good mens wear shop to make your ideal look.

8. Belts A belt may seem unnecessary to some, but you will be surprised how many men wear them without even noticing it. By adding a belt to their formal attire, you can make all their outfits look stylish. Remember your trousers & shirt should be paired with belt over the top of your trousers and to the top button of your shirt. A good example of this would be adding a brown or black belt to the ensemble you we wear for an interview.

9. Shoes It is essential to choose your shoes with care. Wear low cut suede shoes that have a formal look but are not too formal or too trendy as they will be uncomfortable to wear during the interview. An alternative is to wear a pair of black leather shoes accompanied with a new pair of mens socks Australia, that go well with the rest of your interview outfit.

10. Watches A nice watch goes well with any outfit, but especially for formal wear. A leather band goes well with a suit, but you will also be able to wear it with your polo shirt and chinos combo. Choose a watch that looks in good, neat condition.

Things To Consider Before Choosing An Outfit For An Interview? Make sure you are groomed well. Either clean shave before the interview or trim closely to remove any unruly growth. If you are not a morning person, then wake up early to clean shave or trim.

Make sure your clothes are neatly pressed. It is essential to iron your suit and shirt yourself as it will ensure you look presentable. If you are unable to iron them yourself then get them pressed at the cleaners for a polished look for what you are trying to achieve.

Shoes & Socks For Professional Men’s Work Clothes There is nothing worse than having to fight with your shoes on the day of an interview. Shoes should be cleaned and polished if needed.

Additional key points to remember: 1. Research the company, do your homework before the interview date. Check the organisation’s background and the culture they believe in. This will allow you to get a better understanding of the company’s goals and mindset. Knowing these key factors will be beneficial for ensuring a good position.

2. Keep your outfit simple, don’t wear an exaggerated outfit that unnecessarily makes you the standout among the candidates for the wrong reasons. Remember less is best, so keep it simple and go with light coloured outfits.

3. Be mindful when choosing your clothes, if it is a office job stick to plain colours. Once you score the job you will get a better feel for the way the company expects their employees to dress.

4. Accessorise wisely, nice belt, tie & clean shoes that blend in with your clothes.

[babtqftim-madness]

The questers around their crushes

Babtqftim x Reader (SFW Headcanons)

Bendy

- Bendy becomes the most cockiest guy you’ll ever meet when he’s around you

- He gives you a variety of different nicknames! “Babe”, “Honey”, “Doll”, “Beautiful/Handsome” stuff like that

- He’ll stop or tone it down if any of it makes you uncomfortable

- Although he can be a bit cocky sometimes, he can also be a perfect gentleman

- He’ll pick up something that you dropped and give it back to you, gives up a seat for you, pulls a chair out for you at restaurants, compliments you, offers to pay for drinks and food, kisses your hand, and sends you flowers.

- He gives you all different kinds of jewelry as gifts

- He always wants to look his best for you, so he is almost always overdressed compared to the rest of the questers.

- A small thing that happens with Bendy, is that his tail starts to wrap around your leg or arm when he feels safe and relaxed. He doesn’t notice when this happens, so he gets extremely embarrassed when you point it out, and quickly apologizes.

- He also purrs when you hold him close to you, and he also doesn’t realize when he does this either.

- He’s not very great at jokes, but when he’s with you, he tries his best to make you laugh, especially when you’re upset.

- He’s always there when you need him, even when he’s busy, he’ll immediately drop what he’s doing, so he could focus on you.

- He’s always the one flirting with you, so he gets caught completely off guard when you even slightly flirt with him back, and he becomes a flustered mess.

Cuphead

- Cuphead may not know he has a crush on you yet, but between you and everyone else, it seems pretty obvious that he’ll realize it eventually.

- He treats you the way he’d treat any of the questers, only a little bit better. He DOES respect and trust you. Definitely a lot more than anyone else there.

- He spends a lot of his free time with you, and he’s always there when you need him.

- When you walk into the room, his face lights up a bit, and you could practically see a spark in his eyes.

- You always manage to put a smile on his face when you’re around him, even when he’s going through a difficult time.

- After a while, the realization that he loves you practically STRIKES him like a lightning bolt through his head and chest.

- He does love you a lot, but at the same time he doesn’t wanna ruin what the two of you already have going on, so he keeps his feelings for you repressed.

- But now that he knows that he’s in love with you, he becomes extremely nervous and tries to hide it by acting cool. Which is a disguise that anyone could see right through.

- He’s way too scared to actually tell you that he has a crush on you, so he tries to tell you through the small things that he does. Holding the door open for you, offers to give you his coat when you’re cold, makes sure that you get home safely, and puts his coat on you when you’re asleep without a blanket.

- He also starts giving you nicknames, though he immediately regrets saying them the second you hear them being said, and he gets so embarrassed. He calls you “Princess/Prince/Princette”, “Babe”, “Love”, “Sweetheart”, and “Hun”.

- He will immediately stop working if you flirt with him, and his face will turn completely red. It might take him a minute to process what happened.

Mugman

- Mugman becomes very bouncy and stimmy around you, but tries to tone it down in fears that he may scare you.

- He tries to make it obvious that he has a crush on you

- He hugs you a lot, and hugs you a little longer than he normally hugs other people.

- But if you are uncomfortable with hugs, he understands, and will steer away from doing so.

- He never misses a chance to compliment you, even if it’s on something simple

- When it comes to nicknames, Mugman has only ever called you “Pal” or “Buddy”. But once, he accidentally called you “Sweetheart” and after that incident he blushed and immediately apologized multiple times. Cuphead never stops reminding Mugman of that moment.

- He always wants to spend time with you, wether the two of you are playing games or just talking, he’ll enjoy you’re company no matter how it’s spent.

- His face lights up when you enter the room

- He always tries to make you smile when you’re down

- He’s always telling a joke around you, because he likes listening to you laugh

- Mugman learned how to bake so he could make all sorts of treats for the two of you to enjoy

- Mugman always says I love you to you. To him, it could be read as either platonic or romantic. And he gets so happy when you say I love you back to him.

- He’s not very good at flirting, he always fails miserably, but you can always tell he’s trying his best.

- And if you were to flirt with him back, he hides his face with his scarf so you can’t see how red he is, or how you could practically see the hearts in his eyes.

Felix

- Felix is always nervous around you

- He blushes uncontrollably when he sees you

- His hands become very sweaty, so he always wipes his hand on his clothes before he touches you

- He constantly stutters when trying to conversate with you

- He acts half his age around you, like a flustered teenager

- He always pays attention to you when you need it

- He smiles at you a lot

- He’s always asking if you need his help with anything, so he could spend some time with you

- He can’t help but get lost in your eyes when you speak, he looks at how beautiful your eyes are, while also paying attention to what you’re saying.

- He loves your voice, and he loves listening to you speak, even when you say something so simple. And he even admits this!

- He purrs when he’s around you

- He always tries too hard to impress you

- He’s always there to talk when you need to, and he’s a very good listener

- The only nicknames he calls you are “Darling”, “Love”, and “Hon”. He doesn’t think much of the nicknames, as he just thinks he’s being friendly.

- Felix is the worst at flirting, but he tries his best. His flirts end up being incredibly corny and sappy, and he internally dies every time he says one, so eventually he just stopped.

- The first time you flirted with him, he was drinking, and once you said it, his face immediately got red, and he choked on his drink. He always feels so embarrassed when he thinks of this moment, there was no way to act cool after that happened. And now he just hopes that somehow you forgot about that moment.

[cassidy-mcgraw]

delilahfimclain​:

@covairecitystarters || Open Starter

Location: The Rusty Nail Time: 6 pm or Later Open to: Anyone

The brunette had spent the first week in Covaire City moving into her new apartment, which still had no furniture, not even a bed. It wasn’t cause she didn’t have money saved, but simply cause she was nervous about what life would bring in this new city. So far, she had lived off Ramen packages and sandwiches from her first venture out when she arrived. What caused her to go out that night? She wasn’t sure, but she found herself walking the streets of Covaire, following the GPS on her map to the nearest bar, The Rusty Nail. She felt, overdressed as she walked, noticing how her modest attire differed from most of those in the city.

Some were not discreet with the way they were staring, but she didn’t seem too worried. By the time she reached the bar, it was as full as she expected, but it wasn’t hard for her to squeeze into the bar. When she sat on an empty stool at the bar, she waved down a bartender. She sweet smile on her face as she ordered. “Could I get an Old Fashioned, please?” She wasn’t sure if she’d stay past one drink, but she would just have to see where the night would take her.

Delilah had her drink in hand soon enough, starting herself a tab knowing she may stay awhile. Her eyes scanned the bar, looking at everyone inside, trying to guess what creature they could be. She found it harder to identify some rather than others but didn’t seem interested in engaging herself in conversation. She could feel eyes on her, too many to keep track of, almost making her feel like prey in a sea of predators.

-

The Rusty Nail was Cass’ go to place for a drink. One, because it fit his vibe, and two, his best friend often worked there. Everyone knew him there, and no one bothered or stared, not even when he showed up without his arm. The damn thing was starting to hurt again, so he needed to make an appointment with the doctors to get it checked out. The last time he went they said the pain was due to stress, which caused Cassidy to promptly walk out of the office. He didn’t really want to hear that shit again. 

The drinks he ordered were strong, enough to block the pain. The low hum of the bar soothed his nerves and washed away the stress of the day. Eventually things were going to get better or easier. That was what everyone said. Eventually the phantom pains would go away, and everyone would get their shit together at the station. Eventually. 

As Cassidy grew more and more lost in his thoughts, his eyes scanned the room. It was a bad cop habit of his that he really couldn’t help. As he scanned the room, he saw thew face of all the regulars, the familiarity put him at ease. Then his eyes settled on a face that wasn’t familiar at all. Someone new. The Rusty Nail wasn’t the first bar he’d expect new people to come to, as it was a bit of a dive. When her eyes met his, Cass didn’t have time to look away. Now he looked like a creep, let’s make it worse. 

He sighed and walked up to the bar, signally the bartender for another round, “You look a little lost”, he said quietly.

@covairecitystarters || Open Starter

Location: The Rusty Nail Time: 6 pm or Later Open to: Anyone

The brunette had spent the first week in Covaire City moving into her new apartment, which still had no furniture, not even a bed. It wasn't cause she didn't have money saved, but simply cause she was nervous about what life would bring in this new city. So far, she had lived off Ramen packages and sandwiches from her first venture out when she arrived. What caused her to go out that night? She wasn't sure, but she found herself walking the streets of Covaire, following the GPS on her map to the nearest bar, The Rusty Nail. She felt, overdressed as she walked, noticing how her modest attire differed from most of those in the city.

Some were not discreet with the way they were staring, but she didn't seem too worried. By the time she reached the bar, it was as full as she expected, but it wasn't hard for her to squeeze into the bar. When she sat on an empty stool at the bar, she waved down a bartender. She sweet smile on her face as she ordered. "Could I get an Old Fashioned, please?" She wasn't sure if she'd stay past one drink, but she would just have to see where the night would take her.

Delilah had her drink in hand soon enough, starting herself a tab knowing she may stay awhile. Her eyes scanned the bar, looking at everyone inside, trying to guess what creature they could be. She found it harder to identify some rather than others but didn't seem interested in engaging herself in conversation. She could feel eyes on her, too many to keep track of, almost making her feel like prey in a sea of predators.

[povlvr]

1. Fuck It, What's The Worst That Could Happen?

Pairing: Biker Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Summary: You had a decision to make: Netflix & a bottle of wine or a dive bar with a reputation for violence & occupied by a biker gang?

Word Count: 2k

Warnings: Violence, alcohol consumption, smut ...ish

A/N: I prefer giving my female reader an actual name rather than Y/N.

You were discovering being new in a small town had its drawbacks, no matter how many times you refused it, it was inevitable that your boss would sign off on the transfer & you would end up here, here in the middle of nowhere, no friends, no family & absolutely nothing to do on a Friday night. Contemplating your options, you concluded they consisted of either Netflix with a bottle of wine for the fourth weekend in a row or sit at the local bar & try to make a friend whilst not getting murdered. You’d heard stories from your new colleagues about the only bar in town when you suggested an after-work drink so if you remained unscathed it would be a successful excursion & a much needed change of scenery from the four walls you had been trapped in each night for the last month. Going from living in the city that never sleeps to the dusty half abandoned town you found yourself in you were desperate for some excitement, fuck it, what’s the worst that could happen?

Like everything in your life at the moment your apartment was bland, cream walls, light floors, nothing on the walls, nothing on the sides, just an empty shell you’d been provided by your company to ‘ease the transition’. It felt temporary or more accurately you needed it to feel temporary in the hopes it would be a quick assignment & then you’d be home in New York where you belonged, most boxes were still unpacked hidden in the spare room. You had every intention of giving it a go once the transfer had been confirmed, the chance to start fresh, explore a new place, your life packed up in a U-Haul van but the endless road on the trip to the hellhole you find yourself in left you hollow, with no one waving you off & the daunting task of starting again overwhelmed you, so your mind did what it always did; deny & compartmentalise your feelings. You convinced yourself you were going to be here for 6 months then back home, home to no-one.

Shaking off the looming thoughts plaguing your mind you peeled yourself off the sofa & set about choosing what to wear, it proved a difficult task, the fine line between wearing something that could draw unwanted attention to yourself & nice enough to make a good impression on anyone you did meet was on a knife edge with your limited wardrobe. You settled on your favourite leather skinny jeans, a lace black body, & leather jacket. Double leather seemed a bit extreme, but kind of appropriate for a bar that according to your new colleagues is home to a motorcycle gang.

-

Entering the bar you could see where you went wrong with your outfit, a band tee with a pair of light wash denim & your converse would have sufficed for this place, nevertheless you walked with confidence through the crowd to the bar, practically all eyes on you, the stranger, fresh meat. The atmosphere seemed friendly enough despite the staring, the floor was a little sticky from years’ worth of beer spillages & the windows blacked out but there was a typical Friday night buzz of people relaxing & enjoying themselves.

The redhead behind the bar let out a low whistle as you sat on an empty stool.

‘Honey, you will be in a lot of trouble if you come in here looking that hot.’

‘Yeah I may have slightly overdressed in hindsight.’ You sheepishly admitted whilst closing your jacket around your exposed skin.

‘I take it you’re new around these parts? I’m Nat, what can I get you?’

‘Is it that obvious? I’m Florence, I’ll have a glass of white wine please … large.’

Nat busied herself with your drink & you twisted around on the stool observing the busy bar, a figure approached in your peripheral vision & stationed themselves next to you at the counter, returning your gaze to the beautiful fiery bar tender she passed you the glass containing more than a generous serving.

‘Are you meeting someone?’ she enquired as you settled your bill, eyes wide at the price she was charging you.

‘Are you taking pity on me & not charging fully or something? That can’t be right.’

‘Sure is honey, gave you the good stuff too. Figured someone who looks like you do wouldn’t settle for the house white.’

‘Don’t let me go wild if that’s the case, I’m from New York & you couldn’t get a glass of water for that.’ You said laughing, it was a sound you hadn’t heard in quite some time, ‘and no I’m not meeting anyone. I don’t actually know anyone in this town yet.’

‘Well, you do now, I’ll give you the rundown of the town & where to go, where not to go, what to do. You need anything I’m your woman.’

You had heard of southern hospitality but never midwestern, in fact you’d heard they were very unwelcoming of newcomers to their small tightknit towns, but here was this gorgeous woman showing you a kindness unlike any other & it brightened up the cloud that had been solidly stationed above your head since you arrived in town.

‘Thank you Nat, I’ve been spending my nights with Netflix for company so any help is appreciated.’

A low voice interrupted ‘I can help you with that toots’, the gentleman to your right who had been loitering next to you made his presence known, he attached himself to your arm in a very unwelcomed exchange breathing his whiskey soaked breath down at you.

‘Carl', I told you I’d only let you in if you didn’t cause trouble.’ Nat harshly warned.

‘Not causing any trouble here, just talking to the pretty lady.’ He pleaded.

The pair were staring daggers towards each other as you studied the man who had attached himself aggressively to your limb, his greasy lank hair clung to his mottled clammy complexion, his clothes worn & tired, filth lodged in his fingernails, the sight rendered you queasy at the thought of him touching you more. The longer their stare down lasted the more uncomfortable you got in his grasp, you were used to sleezy men hitting on you but them laying hands on you was a whole different matter, initially you froze in shock but as the reality set in on how brazen he was you got angry.

‘Please let go of my arm’ you said through gritted teeth.

Bucky sat at his table in the shadows, surrounded by his crew his eyes hadn’t left you since you strutted into the sleepy bar awaking something he’d not felt in a long time. His brief time in the military sharpened his ability to assess situations, he was especially quick to assess you, confident, clearly from a place far from here, no ring & from the lack of looking around or checking your phone not here to meet anyone, you were alone. It was inevitable that the person approaching you would do so, usually Bucky would send one of his crew to rescue whichever poor woman had crossed paths with Carl but was studying you, he wanted to see how you would react to him. After all, in Bucky’s head you don’t walk around clad head to toe in leather without being to handle the unwanted advances from men. The same head to toe leather that got his blood pumping & his trousers tight at the very sight of you let alone the bulge he was now sporting at the thought of lying you on his bike, peeling the leather off your sticky skin & eating your pussy until you drenched his seat. Seeing the bold move Carl pulled by laying his hands on you was enough to get Bucky out of his seat, jaw clenching with an overwhelming urge to protect you, his associates stood in unison looking to see what stirred their leader; Bucky gestured for them to sit & they watched with intrigue as he approached the situation from behind ready to put Carl in his place.

‘Now now toots ignore her, we can have a real nice night together.’ You could see Nat trying to stay to keep an eye on you but getting more & more patrons shouting out orders, you calmly nodded in her direction to let her know you would be ok. She relented, but not before you notice her eyes dart behind you & a look of recognition flash on her face.

You’d known Men like Carl your entire life, they think women are there to cook their dinners & warm their cocks, they think they have the right to touch whatever they like & women will just take it then think themselves lucky for the attention. You were none of those women, you were a New Yorker & made of sterner stuff.

You felt the presence of someone behind you, the one Nat acknowledged & the look that set hold in Carls eyes said enough to know they were bigger than him, you used the moment of distraction to stomp your stiletto down on to Carl’s foot resulting in him screaming profanities at you, much to the amusement of the person behind you.

‘Do not ever touch me again, do I make myself clear.’ You spat at him whilst removing you embedded heal from his foot.

‘You fucking bitch, you fucking whore, you broke my fucking foot.’

He had already begun to swing for you when the words came out of his mouth, Bucky swiftly moved to intercept making sure to guide you behind him, he was lightening quick & you had already braced yourself to be punched. He caught Carl’s fist in his, whilst cupping the back of his head with the other hand & slamming it on the bar. The wall of muscle you were facing completely rendered you mute, safe to say Carl lost a tooth or two & slid down to the floor knocked out, Carl was swiftly scooped off the floor by two men you had not previously noticed & carried away as you processed what had just happened.

‘Seriously Bucky, there are fucking teeth on my floor & I’ll have to clean up the blood.’ Nat barked, clearly not intimidated by the giant man who was now staring at you.

‘You shouldn’t have let him in in the first place Natasha, he has no respect for women & will harass them until someone gets hurt.’ His eyes didn’t leave yours as he spoke to your newly acquired friend. He was a vision, warm brown hair cropped short, a rough beard you could tell was a recent goatee, a complete solid wall of muscle towering over you.

‘Are you ok?’ his low velvet voice was hypnotising, he was careful not to touch you hovering his hands around you but never on you, he began darting his eyes around you to check for any injuries. You were mesmerised by him, his eyes blue as the Indian ocean, everything about him warm as a summers day just from the way he looked at you, the concern on his face increased with your silence.

Managing to shake yourself from his trance you nodded at him, ‘yeah I’m ok, th-thank you for helping me.’ His smile at your response set your whole world on fire, you never wanted anyone to look at you in any other way again. You had just seen him knock someone out, yet you hadn’t ever felt safer in someone’s presence.

The two men who had not so graciously thrown Carl out of the bar returned to the scene, the two of you lost in each other’s eyes, Steve, Sam & Nat exchanging amused expressions with each other, seeing Bucky smile was a rarity but the grin plastered to his face looked like it had been now permanently etched in his visage.

‘Hi.’ He said to you in a shy smile.

‘Hi’ you repeated back.

‘I’m James,’

‘I’m Florence.’