#maybe I'll draw Apple White | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

captainjamster · 8 months

Note

hi i have a request Price gives stress relief to reader

if youre too busy thats fine

i absolutely read your username instead of price and started writing for graves until i realised, so uhhh... this idea but with phil coming at some point! also wasn't sure if you meant stress relief or stress relief, so this gets nsfw!!

thank u for the ask my little sunshine i hope you enjoy, i am never too busy for a request, especially not from a fellow graves lover <3

Pairing(s): Price x AFAB!reader (no gendered nicknames or pronouns) Warnings: NSFW, fingering, light dirty talk Wordcount: 2.2k Summary: Price gives you a hand winding down after a frustrating day at work, though mutual satisfaction is on his mind. AO3 Link: Right here <3

Full fic is under the cut <3

The pages rustle as John flickers through them, smoothing out with the tapping of your phone to create a peaceful, white noise. Yet despite the atmosphere, a heavy weight presses on your chest, brow furrowed and shoulders tight as you scroll through your apps. You can feel John's eyes on you, taking in your sullen form as you glare a hole into your screen.

"You're quiet, love."

John breaks the silence, looking down at his book again. You take a moment to compile a response, debating whether to delve into the frustrations of your week.

"Just a day, I guess."

He takes in the short, avoidant answer, thumbing the pages of his book. "Don't want to talk about it?"

"I don’t know. Not really."

John looks at you again, and this time, you turn to him too.

"Can I hold you?"

You nod, not trusting your voice. The moment your head inches forward, the book thuds onto his bedside table with a careless toss, immediately spreading his arms open. "C'mere, sweetheart."

You crawl into his lap, curling up and sinking into him. His arms wrap around you reflexively, bringing your head to rest against the bristle of his chest, the other arm rubbing up and down your back. He doesn't press the subject, just sets a steady pace to inhale and exhale with, rocking you softly with each breath.

After a few minutes, you initiate conversation yourself, mumbling against the skin of his sternum.

"So... Shit. Everything is so shit."

"Shit, love?"

You rub your cheek against his chest hair as you nod. "I hate people."

"Yeah?"

Drawing in a sharp breath, the feeling of burning frustration reignites in your lower stomach as you spill out an angry tirade. "God, I just want to tear their fucking heads off sometimes! I want one day, just one day, where I can speak my mind. I could ask them "oh, I'm sorry, is your fucking price wrong? Okay, now is it MY fault or YOUR fault that you didn't check the coupon was in date before you used it?" Maybe their fucking brains would start working if I didn’t have to just smile and say “yes customer, no customer! Whatever you want customer!” like the stupidest shit didn’t just come out their mouth!”

You turn, back pressed to his stomach as you gesture agitatedly. "I can't stand it! "Oh, oh! I dropped this jar and now it's cracked! Can I get it for free? Oh, my kid ate half of this apple, but he doesn't want it, so I'll just put it back on display! Let's berate this minimum-wage worker because the line was slightly long at midday, like they have any control over that!" Like, why do people become such monsters whenever they step foot into a store? My friend from that clothing shop down the street? She said someone tried to return a whole bag of dirty underwear, like what the fuck?"

Huffing, your jaw clenches tight as you cross your legs, flopping your head back against his shoulder dramatically.

"I'm sorry, baby." He murmurs lowly, running his hands up your arms, digging his thumbs into the tense flesh of your shoulder. "S'not fair, you deserve to be treated better than that, your friend too."

You soften into his arms, biting at the inside of your cheek. “I just wanna quit. Management sucks, everyone else working there is just as miserable. No wonder their turnover rate is so high.”

John’s hand drops down from your shoulder, running past your chest to rest against your midriff. "Always can, doll. Put in your two weeks, live off what I've got in the bank 'til y'find a better position. Y'know I'd let you never work a day in your life, if you'd let me."

His tone is gentle and passive, content in his reminder with your desire to keep financial independence and stay busy when he leaves for deployment. The room falls into silence again as you nestle into an arm, manoeuvring it to rest over your chest like a seatbelt and clip between your legs. His other arm rests along the length of your leg, and you feel him lean his weight back against the bed’s head as you continue thinking, playing with his arm hair absent-mindedly. John is content to let you fiddle away, his hand caught in the grip of your thighs comfortably, thumb traces little circles against the skin it rests between.

His body shifts underneath you after a few minutes of quiet, readjusting to move closer. You’re suddenly flush against him as he sits up, pulling you tighter against his soft, sturdy chest and pressing a kiss to the back of your head. The movement surprises a squeak out of you, squirming before a pressure against the crotch of your underwear stills you. Warm air brushes against your hair as John huffs in amusement, readjusting the hand cupped against your sex in an effort to tug you closer, intentionally positioning his hand to spread and fully cover your mound.

"John..."

He hums in response against your neck, lips pressed into the skin.

"Your hand."

"My hand, dove?" He pulls away, leaving one last kiss behind your ear.

"It's, ahhh...”

He flexes his fingers tighter for a second, the increase in pressure barely stimulating the sensitive nerves beneath. “What? Just movin’ you closer, ‘n my hand’s nice and warm down there.”

The playfully avoidant answer earns him an exasperated groan, though the desire seeping into you leaves it breathier than you’d like.

“Want me to stop?”

You shake your head before he can finish the sentence, grip tightening on his forearm. The vibration of his chuckles jostles you against his torso, warming your cheeks. Before you can exclaim your embarrassment, he shifts under the blankets and nudges your legs open, his feet hooking round your ankles to pin them apart. “How about some stress relief, hm? Get all those yucky feelings out for the night.”

His fingers trail teasingly against the hemline of your elastic, running his nails over the soft fat that meets the cotton barrier. All it takes is a “yes, please” for his fingers to breach the elastic, honing to your entrance only to glide back up the damp skin of your lips. At your whining insistence, his fingers deftly pull your lips apart, using his middle finger to collect the slick gathering between your folds and lather it against your clit. Your hips jerk at the contact, and John tuts, chasing your hips to flick his thumb over the sensitive button. “Askin’ for it, but y’won’t sit still, huh? Jus’ wanna help my baby feel better.”

Moving his arm to cup your chest, his hand crawls under your shirt to pinch your nipple, sending shivers down your spine as he rolls it between his fingers. Your whimpers only egg him on, emboldening him to trace little circles around your clit as he works to build the delicious tension growing between your legs.

Warmth flushes through your body, combining with the body heat radiating from John’s chest against your back, leaving you burning up in your own desire. It only takes minutes of John’s ministrations to draw wet squelches from between your legs, filling your ears as your eyes flutter closed, focusing on the way John’s fingers curl and tease around your most sensitive spot.

“John, please…”

He takes your unspoken request without argument, leaving the begging for another night as his fingers leave your swollen nub to graze against your needy entrance. Your hole twitches at the slight contact, clenching as if to draw him in, eliciting a chuckle from John that goes unchallenged in your distracted state. Catching a line of slick dribbling down your perineum, he guides it back up, coating his fingers before he dips a digit into your hole.

You hiss wantonly at the sensations, hips bucking up to urge his finger in deeper, and John tuts. “Keep still, needy thing. Tryna play with this pretty cunt properly.”

He teases you with a sole finger, crooking it to stroke against the spongey muscle that has you leaking with each pass. Despite the stimulation, the single digit leaves your needy cunt feeling empty, fluttering against the intrusion with a desperation until you’re mewling for more.

“I know, y’need more, pet,” he murmurs into the skin behind your ear, dropping kisses down to your jaw. “Let me take care of you.”

The thick finger retreats from within you, leaving you whining in complaint as your hips chase his touch. Your eager hips are met with a firm spank to your folds, leaving John’s fingers trailing with slick as you gasp and retreat to the mattress, back against the protruding bulge in his lap. The compliance is rewarded with a soothing swipe of his fingers along your stinging lips, collecting arousal against his calloused skin. His fingertips circle teasingly at your entrance again, tracing the quivering muscle as he chuckles at your reactivity. Sensing the protest rising in you, he silences it with a swift thrust of his fingers, filling you up again.

His fingers work like they were designed to coax the stress from you with each drag, replacing the tension with a buzzing need for release that has you flexing and relaxing in waves against him. The pressure builds in the pit of your stomach as his fingers pump in and out of you, his other hand abandoning your breast and travelling down to reclaim its spot nestled against your clit, rolling tight circles around the nerve ending in harmony with the drive of his digits. He masterfully orchestrates your undoing, timing each thrust with each involuntary grind of your hips, kissing the salt from your neck as your head lulls against his shoulder, panting.

“Fuck, right there, m’so close John,” you moan, hands fumbling to find something to grip, finding purchase in his hairy thighs. The way your nails sink into the meat of his muscle has him groaning in your ear, breaking his smooth rhythm with a particularly deep thrust as he struggles to contain his enthusiasm. “Fuck, sweetheart, my god.”

Your cunt tightens so fiercely around his fingers that you’re sure they’re being crushed together as your orgasm hits you, squeezing the digits like you could milk the life out of them if you tried hard enough. John hums praise against your neck as he waits for your walls to relax to resume lazily thrusting in and out through the last sparks your climax, his own breath laboured as you tremble in his embrace.

His hand remains between your legs, fingers snug within you as your breathing evens out, the other travelling to trace small circles on the inside of your thigh. You float on the high of your orgasm, sweaty and satisfied as the strain dissipate from your legs, relaxing against John’s.

“Any improvement?”

You give him a breathless giggle, pulling your eyes open to tilt back and look at him. “Yeah, don’t feel like decapitating someone anymore.”

“Good.” He gives you a pleased smile, dotting a kiss on the corners of your lips. His face is warm and flushed, eyes still hazy with lust as he looks down at you, which brings a thought to your mind.

“Do you want me to take care of you…?”

His expression flickers to something guarded behind the smile, gently disentangling himself from your body. “I’m fine, don’t worry,” he announces gruffly, clearing his throat as he ducks into the bathroom. You frown, gazing at his retreating figure as you shuck off your soiled underwear, waiting for his return. He re-emerges with a damp cloth, crawling across the bed to kneel between your still spread legs, wiping delicately at the mess of arousal sticking to the sensitive surface of your skin.

The cloth is slightly warm as he pats at any excess water, collecting your dirty underwear as he pulls away. Walking to the closet, he discards the used fabrics in the laundry basket, grabbing another pair of underwear for you. Readjusting the sheets and blankets, you watch him quickly tug off his boxers, grabbing another pair that he manages to pull around his knees before you gasp in realisation.

“John, you didn’t?”

He turns around with a bashful expression, tucking himself into the crotch as he grins. “What? Pretty thing like you grinding up against me like that, can’t help myself.” Giving up with discretion, he chucks his own soiled boxers into the basket, returning to the bed with your underwear in an outstretched hand.

You pull them on as he climbs in next to you, tucking himself under the covers as you turn off the lamp and join him. He raises his arm, holding the blankets up like a cave as you grin sleepily, shuffling across the sheets to scoot into his embrace. The covers descend on you as John takes care to tuck them underneath you, entangling your legs between his as his hand finds home in your hair.

“Thank you, John. Was feeling really shitty about that.” You whisper into his chest, blinking your eyes closed as a sleepy warmth grows heavy in your limbs.

John grunts, patting at your hair. “S’what I’m made for, lookin’ after you. Get some sleep 'n we’ll work everythin’ out in the morning.”

A smile tugs at your lips as the last whisps of consciousness fade from your mind, and a gruff I love you is the last thing you remember before falling asleep.

#this was meant to be 800 words but i just keep yappin #jams asks #jams writing #price x reader #john price x reader #price x you #john price x you #cod fanfic #call of duty fanfic

53 notes · View notes

sofiiel · 6 months

Text

𝐂𝐡.𝟐: 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 | 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 | 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 | 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭

CW: No warnings needed I think | Word Count: 1,825

Bea sat among the sunflower fields, with her worn plaid blanket and her sketchbook. Tossed to the side in the dirt lay a study book. Abandoned in the soil.

Bea kicked her feet to the song that seemed to be stuck in her head and focused on her drawing.

However, after a while, a distant melodic buzzing broke the rhythm of her song.

Bea stopped kicking her feet, pausing to let the buzzing pass. The wind would shift the sunflowers and the buzzing would stop, but only to pick back up moments later.

She heaved a bothered sigh and started to pack up her sketchbook and pencils, rolling them up in her blanket.

Bea's Jelly shoes stomped against the ground as he exited the fields. Her eyes looked left and right. But there was no one and nothing around.

... Well, nothing except for the loud barking dog heading her way. Skip's fluffy black and white tail waved like the car lot inflatables behind her.

"I was coming back home Skip." Bea said while she gave the dog a pat on the head.

Skip barked and circled Bea.

"I know, I know..." Bea murmured, disliking the idea of being herded.

The distant buzzing melody came yet again, buried beneath Skip's barks. Bea paused, and looked towards the far fence, the long way back home.

"Titi says nobody comes out here," Bea told herself, turning her back to the sound and heading back into the fields with Skip to take the shortcut.

You're hold up in your art studio, perched on a pale wooden stool before your easel and canvas. White paint-splattered sheets cover the wooden floors.

It's been an hour since you started working on this painting, Your rear screaming for a chance to walk around.

But you hadn't received a commission in months.

"This has to be perfect..." You murmur.

With a sigh, you glance out the studio window. Sunshine and chirping birds, "It should be a crime to be inside." You thought.

You adjust the brush in your hand and go back to work, focusing on the portrait of the Mayor. No, you didn't vote for him, but you had no objections to taking his money.

Your attention wandered outside once more, past the apple tree and through the tall wooden fence, you'd thought you saw a shadow move.

You squint your eyes, for a clearer look, but it's already gone.

"Maybe it was some birds." You thought, turning your eyes back to your work.

"No one's around for miles, You're just looking for excuses to stop." you murmur.

Kip and Skip's barking followed the slamming of the screen door.

"Titi! I'm back!" Bea shouted.

"I'm in the studio!" You call back.

The wooden floors groan and creak, sounding off every step.

"How come you get to paint all day and I have to study? It's Spring break...." Bea murmured.

She picked at the strings hanging from the hem of her overall dress.

"Because this is work-related. Trust me - I'd rather be outside." You replied.

Bea shrugged her shoulders high, "So go outside and paint."

Your wrist stops moving, and you slowly turn to your niece. Wondering why you hadn't thought of that.

Bea looked about the room, "You got to carry a lot of stuff out though."

Standing up, you cleaned your brush and got to work on staging and gathering your supplies.

"At this point, it would be worth it." You sighed, "Go get your study book, and we'll work together outside, I'll meet you out there in a bit."

Bea smiled faintly and with a quick turn of her heel, left the studio.

Eddie dug through his belongings in search for the crackling device emitting a frustrated voice.

"Hello? Helllooo? Eddie, man you there?" Dustin's voice came through as a muffled echo.

"Shit...shit, come on, where?" Eddie hissed in a whisper, digging through a box full of personal items.

His hands grasped the walkie, fingers fumbling with a slipping grip.

"Yeah, I'm here, I'm here." Eddie answered quickly.

"I've been trying to reach you for two hours!" Dustin raged.

"Kinda overslept. There aren't many places that don't make me feel like I'm being watched." Eddie muttered.

He glanced out the van window, his eyes scanning the lush farmland. There was something about this little patch of Hawkins that felt like a warm blanket and a cool pillow.

Dustin sighed, "Where are you?" He asked.

"Out by the old sunflower cottage," Eddie replied. "I already told Wheeler by letter..."

"Well don't move, I'm coming out there with supplies," Dustin instructed.

Eddie snatched up his lukewarm cola, "Does anyone else know I'm back?" he asked curiously.

"Nancy, Steve, Robin, Wayne knows, haven't told Hellfire yet." said Dustin.

Eddie gave a slight nod, guzzling down his soda before eyeballing a few tomatoes sitting in a plastic bag.

"Hey with those supplies you think you can bring me some bread and mayo?" Eddie asked.

"Sure but why?" Dustin questioned.

Eddie slowly smiled, "Tomato Sandwiches. Duh."

"You can't steal from the property, Eddie!" Dustin scolded.

"Why? No one lives there, right? Old lady Anita died. She'd want someone to use her prized garden." Eddie reasoned.

"There is something wrong with that place Eddie, the plants never wither, the sunflowers never die, trees always have leaves. They aren't evergreens...." Dustin warned.

Eddie shrugged, "maybe old lady Anita had a real green thumb." he mused, "Besides, how else is a guy supposed to eat? I can't exactly waltz into town?" He added.

"I'll bring you food, just stop, you'll get yourself caught." Dustin sighed before hanging up.

Eddie scoffed, "Not a chance." Slipping on his jacket Eddie released a satisfied sigh, "Actually, could go for some apples..." he murmured.

Bea quickly got tired of waiting on her Titi and wandered off wanting a snack, she went to find her favorite red apple tree. It'd had four bright apples hanging low.

Looking up at the deep green leaves, her brows furrowed tightly.

"Gone..." Bea murmured. Her brows lifted in speculation, "Maybe there is a bear." she whispered.

Kneeling down, Bea started to look for footprints in the grass. She'd read her GeeGee's book on hunters. Even though she wasn't supposed to.

But there weren't any tracks, and Bea wouldn't know how to look for them anyway - the book never went into much detail.

As Bea went to stand, she noticed a patch of grass had been pressed completely flat. She gasped a little and a smile came to her face. "Bears" she whispered, looking around. Through the hedges, for only a moment she thought she spotted something move near the further cluster of sycamore trees.

"Bea? Where'd you go!" she could hear her Titi calling for her.

Bea exhaled, she'd have to investigate later.

"Coming!" Bea called.

"Where'd that girl go?" You questioned.

You'd created a lovely little space to finish your painting under the shade of Poppy. Once again perched on that uncomfortable stool, though with the fresh air and the smell of the sunflower fields it was less bothersome.

"Titi! Titi!" Bea shouted, barreling towards you as fast as her Jelly shoes would allow.

For a moment, you started, "What happened?"

Bea shook her head, "No, nothing is wrong!" she cheered. A grin tok over her face.

"There is a bear!" she added.

You nearly dropped your brush, "Wait, you saw one? Bea you didn't get close to it, did you? We need to call the-"

"No!" Bea shouted horrified, "They'll send it away, all it wants is food!"

You exhale, fear deflating as you watch Bea protest.

"Nobody's going to be nice to it. If it were bad, it would be causing trouble." Bea went on.

"Bea...bears a big dangerious wild animals." You stated carefully.

"But what is this one's magic?" asked Bea.

You side glanced quickly, a slight frown on your face.

"not again." You thought.

"Bea...there's no such thing as-"

"GeeGee said there was!" Bea barked, her cheeks puffing out.

You didn't have the heart to argue against that. After all, when you were small, you used to think your grandmother was magic as well.

"Okay fine, tomorrow we'll take Kip and Skip and check around." You stated calmly.

Bea settled down, "really?" she asked.

You give her a nod and a hint of a smile, "Really."

"I doubt there was a bear, but then...what did she see?" you thought.

"Can we bring it fruit for later?" Questioned Bea.

"Sure why not, now let's both get to work huh?"

Eddie strummed at an old acoustic guitar that had seen better days. It wasn't his Dragonslayer and it was a mighty far cry from Sweetheart. But Eddie could not deny it was a good companion all the same.

Eddie strummed lightly when he heard the sound of bike wheels approaching.

"Pst! hey!" Dustin's voice whispered.

Eddie rested his guitar agaist the wall of the van and opened the back doors.

"Hey, Henderson! been a while." Eddie greeted.

Dustin held a look of dismay as he looked Eddie over. "Dude..." he lulled. "You look like a cartoon hobo!" Dustin laughed, pushing down his kickstand.

"Yeah laugh it up, It's part of my disguise." said Eddie.

"Only you still look like yourself...just caveman edition." Dustin replied.

Eddie welcomed Dustin into the van and the two settled down inside on the floor.

Dustin watched as Eddie rummaged through the bag of supplies.

"Seems Steve was right about buying you a shaver..." Dustin sighed.

Eddie pulled out a cox os cigarettes and started to pack them down.

"So what's Wheeler got planned?" He asked Dustin.

"Nancy thinks she can get access into the files with evidence supporting the cover-up." Dustin reported.

"Oh yeah? How? Why all of a sudden? That sounds a little too easy to have taken this long to think of..." Eddie murmured.

"Easy, we didn't have Suzie back then. Suzie didn't know how. Going to college for Computer science? That helps a lot. We now have a way into their system." Dustin said.

"You came out here to brag on your girlfriend?" Eddie teased.

"Be serious, Eddie." Dustin sighed.

"Sorry, sorry. It's just good to talk with someone face to face again." Eddie confessed. "I'm all ears I swear."

"When we know how to reach the files, Nance and Robin are going to try and sneak in. We think, we know of where they're kept. Turns out...they still really like Hawkins as headquarters." Dustin explained.

Eddie could feel a cold sweat develop as his palms became clammy. "They are? Why am I here if they are here, Henderson?" Eddie stammered with rushed words.

"Because under their nose is the last place they'd look." said Dustin, "I trust Nancy. Do you trust Nancy?" he pressed.

"Course," Eddie answered quickly.

"Then stop panicking."

"I don't like this feeling of fresh deja vu, for the record," Eddie murmured.

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 | 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 | 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭

#My Neighbor Munson #eddie munson x afab reader #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fan fiction #no descriptions of reader's bodily appearance are given #eddie munson afab!reader insert #fugitive!eddie munson #30yo!eddie munson #1990s!eddie munson

18 notes · View notes

sillygoofyqueer · 5 months

Text

The Untamed review: episode one!

"I wish I was still dead" LMAO WEI WUXIAN

"You you you!!!" "Me me me???"

Bro is getting his own backstory from this random guy

HOW DID HE DO THAT??!

Her husband just wants to be a part of the situation, leave him alone

BRO IS HAVING SO MUCH FUN, HE'S LITERALLY JUST BEEN REVIVED

The crowd just pointing and laughing

He's such an actor

*fake crying* "now return my things." *stops and looks at the crowd, then starts fake crying again*

BRO LITERALLY RAN CIRCLES AROUND HIM.

Taunting the guy, goddamn.

Lan Sizhui coming in clutch

Still an alcoholic in all forms lmaooo

THEFT BUT SO CASUAL

"RETURN IT OR I'LL HURT YOU!!"

What a sweetheart Lan Sizhui is

HAVING FLASHBACKS TO HIS BOYFRIEND

"I wasn't actually gonna huuurt himmm :("

Do it, give it to him, see what happens

HOW CAN HE PLAY SO WELL AFTER THIRTEEN YEARS??? WHAT IS HE EVEN PLAYING???

Lan Sizhui is also having flashbacks woah

"Yo, we've heard this before" "nah, bro, I ain't ever heard anything played that badly" Lan Jingyi you are this whole show already

I swear you can't play a blade of grass that well, no matter who you are

Shit getting real now

HE'S FERAL, PUT HIM DOWN

HOW IS IT HIM??? HE'S LITERALLY INSANE (allegedly)

Scratching his head like bro what am I doing here

"You deserve it" cackling

DON'T SLANDER MY BOYS

Wei Wuxian standing up for his sons already

Her husband's had enough of her as well, he's snapped

KILL HIM

PUT THEM BOTH DOWN

"Hang on a minute, you're calling my old friend with romantic tension?? Don't do that, I can fix this, I know I'm insane but-- SHIT-"

Bro's got gains

I love imagining actors acting this wacky shit out

"Ugh, he's not a ghost, get it right" Wei Wuxian, she literally knows nothing about this, leave her alone

"The fuck you laughing for, you psycho??" Lan Jingyi, you are my favourite

"Those aren't actually those guys" "how can you tell?" "They beat me with their right hands ☺️🤭"

Nobody's questioning how the lunatic knows this stuff though

DISTINGUISHED JUNIORS, MAY I DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE TWITCHING LEFT ARM ON THE WOMAN RIGHT BEHIND YOU??? DO NONE OF YOU HAVE THE MIND TO TURN AROUND?

Bro tried to snatch his hair

"Guys, the evil thing is scared of talismans EVERYONE STRIP-" *proceed to tug off their outer robes in perfect unison*

Nice catch on behalf of the demon

Wei Wuxian is sooo plotting

"get up, whores, time to work"

AAAAHAHHHAAHHHHH

HE'S HERE

IT'S HIM

LAN WANGJI!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can't tease me like that and go back to the fight

Cool fight though

Wei Wuxian jury fucking flicked some shit

"I know that magic anywhere, it's my BOYFRIEND HIDE"

Lan Wangji literally ascended from nowhere like Jesus

AND HE STICKS THE LANDING

The way the juniors' faces all light up at the sight of him 😭

Those puppy dog eyes that Wei Wuxian is throwing at Lan Wangji are anything but straight

Nice hairpiece

I want a floating guqin that I can use to charm and get rid of evil things with :[

Stoooop "he's always dressed in white, like he's going to attend a funeral" AND THEN A CHEEKY GRIN

I just don't see how anyone could think they were ever straight

"Bitch give me that sword"

Wei Wuxian sneaking away

THE LOOK THAT LAN SIZHUI AND LAN JINGYI SHARE THEY HAVE ONE BRAIN CELL

"Maybe the Yiling Patriarch didn't die!" and Lan Wangji's look is literally 'don't tease me like that'

"Eyo, where's Mo Xuanyu gone?"

“Wei Ying is it really you?? 🥺🥺” LAN WANGJI'S INTERNAL MONOLOGUE IS KILLING ME

Who's the hottie with the fan and can he teach me some moves?

LITTLE APPLE, THE STAR OF MO DAO ZU SHI

Woooahhh, who could it be?

#four being a dumbass #Four's live review #i guess???#mo dao zu shi #cql #the untamed #the untamed spoilers #wei wuxian #mo xuanyu #lan jingyi #lan sizhui #lan wangji #little apple

12 notes · View notes

kayakoto-enterprises · 2 months

Text

Burmean Python [2/2]

Do it. Do it. Do it. Part 2 of 2. Please read the first part before proceeding!

I love these messy lesbians and I'll finally draw them tomorrow!

General warnings that apply for BTTWNS in general (gore, drugging, torture). Also a bit suggestive but not explicit in some areas.

I had to stop and catch my breath. When the telephone rang out as loud as death.

What does anatomy permit? What does it limit? Mice eat seeds, cats eat mice, jackals kill cats, bears kill jackals- that's the way the world works. Some people are just meant to be killed to make ends meet. How do you put this reality lightly? Julianne is such a sensitive soul. She cries over wasted food. Her ears obviously droop when she gets scared. She's always asking people if they're alright. I always knew about the bad relationships she found herself in. The people she attached herself to. The person she killed. Honestly if it wasn't a jackal I would've been happier.

It sounds insensitive to say out loud in any way one could put it. Maybe you shouldn't tell your girlfriend she's well far down the food chain. A domesticated cat, no less: they have zero hunting skills, they're quite spoilt, and lazier than any other critter I've seen in my lifetime. When I woke up this morning I turned to my side to wake up my guest but was left disappointed nobody was there. When you wake up next to a murderer what do you do?

I'm sure she's in her apartment still sleeping. She's next to her plushies and she's going to the city and meet with a client. Later she'll eat the beef bowl she always orders at Guy's on her way home. Then she'll find her favorite cake on her favorite plate from her favorite girl on their anniversary.

Today, the world revolved like nothing had happened last night. Nobody wondered why there was a screaming match at my house. Nobody had asked me about my relationship today. A slow afternoon commenced like usual. I opened up my journal and noticed the wedding invitation slip under the counter. Picking it up from the upside, Kaku's cursive handwriting said "Ms. Strong & Ms. Lucky". I opened it up to read the details. Ticking every benchmark a Woodbrook wedding would have. At the chapel. At 2 pm. A lakeside reception. No white. Wear blue and yellow- it's tropical.

"To be held...on November 17th, 1987. RSVP for 2."

On this slow fall afternoon there was nothing after me after all. I've just attracted a swarm of wasps on myself. I pushed the envelope flap back and pressed, pocketing it in my jacket.

The folded bike slid neatly into the cabinet next to the door. I went to open the radio to fill out the empty space. I've stayed alone for 20 years but I somehow couldn't bear a night with my own thoughts. I set a dinner set for two almost like routine. Something new's been hardwired into my system. Longing to not be alone. Longing to have something to hold me back. A safety net. A harness. Handcuffs. I closed my eyes holding the spare pillow I bought for her.

I opened my eyes greeted by a headache and a thick fog that surrounded the forests of Golden Apple City. I had wrapped my apron into a makeshift pillow and my toolbag was missing from my side. I jolted up in panic running through foliage keeping my eyes open for it. A loose branch tripped me off my balance and I landed face down on the stream from my new camp. Someone set up my hoist. Peeking behind a tree there were wild jackals swarming the body hung on it. They began licking the fresh wound pouring with blood before they could begin their business. Despite the deep cut on the carotid artery it was wincing, struggling and still aware of the torture it was going through. Once the fog began to clear around the injured body, my mind shut down when I recognized it was Julianne struggling to get off the mechanism. She began wiggling about to loosen the rope on her ankles and hit the floor once the tripod lost its balance. Her face planted into the plate pooling her blood and she began panthing looking around her for help. Her eyes met mine and she ran. I chased after her to the end of the thick forest and into the altar. She fell to the ground weakly and called for Kaku and Liv's help. "I'm live bait" she screamed "Sam set me up in there and watched me get torn to shreds. God saw what she did."

Fuck. It can't be, can it? Someone knows and someone is gonna tell. I have to do something. And I need to do it quick.

The essentials are here. Knives. Ropes. Gloves. Syringes. Plastic. An excuse. I stuffed as much painless remedies as I could in a flurry of sweat and fear. I started the truck and quickly made my way to the edge of town where the Sunset Valley apartments stood. I put on my jacket walking to the entrance of the complex. Visiting hours are over it seems. There's still a chance she's awake. Looking up to the 5th floor, the window with a fake stained glass design was still wide open. The lights were dim as usual but she's surely awake at this hour.

Cling, cling, cling... Cling, cling, cling...

That should attract her to cautiously look around her. She nervously peered out the window, sleepy eyes widening seeing me right outside. Her paws gestured to keep myself quiet. I only replied to her that we needed to talk now. Her green eyes widened then drooped, nodding before locking the window. Minutes later, Julianne was downstairs in a cami top and shorts. I checked my watch- yes, it's 2:27 am.

"It's so late.." She began "Why are you still awake?" "Same question for you." I shrugged, unlocking the door for her "Were you going to sleep?" "I already was but I couldn't. I don't know why." Julianne yawned, stretching her arms up as her teeth chattered instinctively again. "Let's..talk about..yesterday...at our favorite hiding place." The truck slowly drove its way down town, dreading what could happen next.

About that first question,

What does anatomy permit? What does it limit?

Python bivittatus, also known as the Burmean Python, is a choke artist. It is powerful enough to kill a deer. To be able to kill such a large pest, they bite their prey then quickly coil around it- crushing their air supply and autonomy, and only then can it spread its venom into the bloodstream. The bigger the prey, the more energy it takes. It's taking a year. It only took a year for this to begin falling apart. I've bitten into her. She's excitable, eager for touch or affection of any kind even when it stings. It makes her melt when I place my palms on her round figure. She purrs when I comb her fur. She's already been marked as my prop. My decorative toy. And she likes the role. Coil around her by being ever present in her lonely life. Give her a space to stay in my house. Invite myself into her space. Spend nights in the forest looking at the stars. Break those protective walls and defenses until she's completely in my palm ready to serve. I remember one night I stayed over after a trip to the city. The warm dim lights invited me immediately to bed, my body sore from harboring a moose to and from the truck that afternoon. It was a big catch- I would have said if I was stupid enough. Julianne sat next to me and asked if I wanted to order in dinner. I shook my head then absentmindedly crawled to lay my head on her lap. She laughed and called me adorable. Her paws ran through my fur. I could hear her purring. I rolled back to look up at her, admiring her soft features lit by the moon outside. I asked her if I could hear one story before I crashed in again.

"Personal, Public Domain, or Original?" She held me closer to her chest like a stuffed animal.

"Whatever you can think of now."

"Well...once upon a time, there was a princess who woke up in a tower. It was dilapidated, gloomy, and cold. There was barely anything in the tower. A bed, a shelf, a bag full of clothes, and a sword were her only company until smoke filled the room. She looked out the window and saw a fierce dragon guarding the prison."

"However, upon further inspection she found that the dragon was also chained. Its bounds connected to the tower itself. It was shaking in fear. At first the princess was afraid that if she stepped out of line, the dragon would fly away, crushing the tower down with her. But it was timid and pitied the princess. They both had no idea how the princess got trapped in the first place. Hell knows its not the dragon who did it. They were clueless but they bonded over their imprisonment. The dragon grew close to love the princess. It swore to protect her from everything that came into the cave they were in. Many men, princes of every kingdom came to save the damsel but the dragon burnt them to a crisp."

"One day, the princess' father came with an army of men angered that the dragon had killed all the men he offered his daughter up to. Thousands climbed the tower to retrieve the prize. Hundreds stabbed the dragon to stabalize it. They were both screaming for help. Afraid of what would happen inside the tower, the dragon flew up. The tower tumbled over the army and killing the princess inside it."

Suddenly my sleepiness left me as I sat back up to process the story. "You can't make childrens' books with stories like that, Sweetie. That's so sad." I said, looking up to the glow in the dark stars on her short cieling. She laid next to me moments later, tickling her fingers to intertwine with mine.

"Yeah but it's interesting though, right? People who love each other stuck in their own prisons."

I looked back to her and slowly blinked. She repeated the gesture.

"How'd you know that?"

"Melody and I used to...do things."

"Huh." There was a saddened look on her face. I quickly pacified it by pulling her closer to me, squishing her soft sides to tease her. She pulled her ears back.

"Well forget about that now, she's still obsessed with her husband, Hun. There's nothing I can do especially when I have you." Then here it comes: the venom. I parked in front of the elementary school building. This shouldn't take long. I took her hand as we walked through the uneven earth. Some of the rocks that used to be visible had been consumed by the kudzu. We agreed it was less of an eyesore now until we nearly tripped on its branches. The moon was high above us, guiding us to a clearing surrounded by oak.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, cupping her right cheek as I kissed the left from behind her. I reached for a syringe filled with curare. Positioning her closer to me, I flicked the cap off, ready to pierce the skin. My hands were shaky. I fought against the thought of backing off. She knew too much. She had to go. Now.

"Don't move."

She stood still with her fists clenched then began toying with her hands. A cold chill swept around us and her tail flew up blocking the bullseye.

I dropped it. My hands redirected to taking off my jacket and wrapping it around her like a blanket. Julianne turned around when she felt the weight of the clothing on her shoulders.

"Just put it on. It's cold here."

She obediently nodded, putting it on and noticing it was a bit too big for her. I quickly picked up the open syringe and cap, hiding it in my back pocket. I looked at my shaky hands. It was hard to even keep something still in my hands.

"Is there something wrong with your hand?"

Julianne put hers into mine. Like magic the anxiety running through them calmed.

"No. Let's sit down, shall we?"

The wind continued to blow against our fur sitting on the tall grass. We stared at the craters of the moon for hours with the right words stuck in our throats. Julianne rested her chin on my shoulder.

"Are you ever afraid of being alone?" She asked. "I can live on my own. I don't need anyone. But living with you for almost a year now puts a lot of things into perspective. I do like company. Just when they aren't trying to get me in jail or trying to sleep with me through murder...when they're naive." "Do you think I'm naive?" "Just a little bit. But that's what you are when you're young. You're excited. But everytime I pursue something in a relationship, it has to end with me being alone. It's my nature. I'll always be alone."

Julianne frowned. She began to tear up but stopped herself from feeling further.

"I'm still here, Samantha." "Why?" "I dunno. I'm a fool I guess. And you're a sweetheart, you know? Even if you try and tell me that you're nothing like what you put on for Woodbrook, when we're alone you look at me fondly and you smile. I never knew that feeling until you make me think about it."

I reached back to completely hide the syringe. I felt guilty for once trying to kill someone.

"I look at you like that because you make rooms feel nice. And it isn't fake or anything." "So I'm not just bottom of the food chain junk to you after all." "What? No, no you're not. It's just a pessimistic philosophy I've enrolled into when I was young for survival's sake. I'm telling you now you don't believe in it or else you'll end up like me."

I brushed her tears away with my thumb and peppered kisses on her forehead.

"I'll keep your secret, okay? You just promise me one thing.." "Even if I killed a jackal?" "You could've killed a lion. I'll keep my mouth shut."

She buried her face into her kneecaps in shame. I continued to brush the fur on her upper back, sprinkling in a few tickles on her sensitive spots. After a while she sat back up giggling between sniffles.

"H-hey, I'm weak there." "I know. I know what I'm doing." "I hope you do.."

She invited me down to lay on the grass, pressing her soft body down as kissed her. This new energy release and repeat satiated the need I felt that night. I still couldn't keep my hands still. They were wandering around her. I couldn't let that go. Not yet. Not now. Oh god not ever if I can. "Sam, I-I can't wait for you to get better. I need you, you know? You can kill all the critters, I'd prefer if you didn't, but there's nothing you can say or do that'd drive me away."

"I'm not someone to look up to, Julianne."

"I'm an awful person too, dammit. Let me also be jealous and ugly."

I carried her into my arms and cradled her like a doll. I felt her tummy through the fabric of the jacket but before I could tease her further I remembered something was inside its inner pockets.

"Unzip that for me, please?" "Middle of the forest, honey." "No, not that, Jesus. There's something I wanna show you." I put up the invitation from Kaku. Julianne's eyes immediately grew bigger.

"Ohhh oh they're getting married? Already?! Wow this is such nice paper..." Julianne carefully flipped through the stationery.

"They've been around Woodbrook for ten years now. It makes sense they'll marry. Seen them since I was in college."

"Huh. If it's tropical themed, why won't Liv just get married on the beach.."

"Too expensive..hey, do you have a blue dress?" I redirected her focus on the little footnote on the dress code. She looked at me and shook her head.

"I gotta look. All the stuff I display is pink or brown or white. I think I do..." She looked back up at the stars before looking back to me.

"I'm glad we talked this through. Or over. Or under. I couldn't sleep without someone next to me now it's stupid."

"Aww. Do you want me to sleep at your place?"

Julianne slowly tilted her head as she blinked.

"It'd be an honor."

#self shipping #self ship #yumejoshi #oc x canon #safe shipping #safe ship #self insert #romantic f/o #f/o community #f/o #fictional other #yumeship #House Guest 🐈🐻#beneath the trees where nobody sees #HOUSE GUEST ON MAIN TAG HELLO MAGNIFICENT YOUNG PERSON WHO REBLOGGED THE SECOND PART

6 notes · View notes

sadruru · 7 months

Text

The first part of the post for the Springfinder event. The second will be up tomorrow. God, everything was supposed to be b&w… 1) Family:

- Careful Lissa. I know you like it spicy, but don't overdo it with the pepper and mix it thoroughly. We've got tavern guests to feed.

-Wow! So, our little goat is learning to cook already? Well done! Just what the family needed. When you're older, I'll teach you how to make our specialty apple cider.

-Yeah!

-Don't distract her from cooking! Lissa, pay attention, or the soup won't come out.

...

Sometimes Melissa remembered some moments from her childhood. Most often it was in the tavern. Then along with the smile always came the burning resentment and pain. What if she had been born an ordinary girl? What would have changed then? It seemed impossible to break the cycle. The easiest thing to do was to drown the intrusive thoughts in alcohol and forget again. She didn't want to appear in a bad mood. It would be better for everyone. And for her, too. Right? 2) Death:

She's trapped, poisoned, alone. It was too late to run, there was no way out. Like a merciless fury, the tiefling went into her final battle, taking the life of each of her pursuers. First, fourth, seventh… She lost count. The blood in her veins boiled with rage. All were doomed. … Promise fulfilled, no one got out alive. But what was the price? The injuries were too serious, and the killing wound was on her neck and was bleeding heavily. If there had been anyone around, maybe she would have been saved. Looks like her luck has run out on her now. The play was over. Or not yet? The strange woman looked around the battlefield. Before her was a curious picture of corpses against the silence of the snow-white forest, but only one of them, still warm, stood out the most. The huge beast stared at the sudden visitor. He should have growled and defended his mistress or what was left of her, but he didn't. The piercing eyes seemed to be begging for help, no matter from whom. It couldn't just end like this. Not even death would stop her from her grand plan.

It was time for the main experiment.

...

I can't draw animals!!! The leopard's name is Fluffy. It's a boy. He's like a house cat in personality, only bigger.

All she can make is spicy family soup. KEEP HER OUT OF THE KITCHEN OR COOKING PLEASE!!! (you'll have to eat it...) The event itself, let it be:

#Springfinder #pathfinder: wrath of the righteous #pathfinder wotr #melissa #knight commander #wotr commander #oc #original character

13 notes · View notes

shallowoak · 4 months

Text

Design Chatter - MLP East Blue Crew!

>> Link to the art here! <<

I've seen some fellow MLP au artists talk through their design ideas, so I thought I'd share my two cents and ramble a bit! Fair warning this will be long and there will be spoilers!

I kept a few simple guidelines for myself in mind:

Keep it fun and surprising, in the spirit of the original!

I draw in the G4 style, but features from every gen and toy line are fair game

Anypony who appeared in the comics as a cameo is not immune and has been redesigned for my selfish needs

I love back card / blind bag style character blurbs. I live for crumbs of worldbuilding XD

I've purposefully not included cutie marks because I suck at drawing them and I'd never finish a piece if I had to draw them :v (maybe a post for another time?)

🌅 Luffy 🌅

In-universe:

"Friendship isn't so much magic but a mandate for those this pony captain likes! This joyful newbie idolises Shanks, a fellow flightless Pegasus pirate. Though rubber wings are useless for flight, his ultra-lightweight body means he is still adept at aerial combat- falling slower and flinging faster. He passes the time between islands gliding by the mast with the gulls."

Design:

I'll level with you all; I'm not huge on red and black ponies. It's nothing personal to anyone who uses the scheme; it's just not my bag. The contrast is a bit harsh on my eyes. (And that every brony in 2015 slammed ponies with the scheme, forever ingraining that bias into me)

Rather, Luffy's scheme is based on his shorts! Light blue and white evoke the shoreline and sky, two limitless places where he spends a lot of time. A softer scheme allows me to draw his vest and hat without them becoming lost on his fur, and I feel it gels better with his light n' bright attitude to life. There's no way he's edgy enough for red and black-!

The swirls on his wings (and hoof fluff) are from the G3 depiction of Pegasi. It's such a gosh darn cute way to draw wings. It's also a fun little nod to the pattern on his fruit and Gear 5 form later on. Ponies are always skirting around the idea of destiny. For him to be a Pegasus was an easy pick for me, the wings symbolising both freedom of movement and spirit!

💚 Zoro 💚

In-universe:

"This aloof Zebra spends all year saving for Apple cider season, where he promptly blows all his bits in under a week. He often unknowingly intimidates those he meets; a bias unaided by the three swords he wields with magnets embedded into his front hooves."

Design:

I'm weak. I couldn't resist the alliteration of Zebra Zoro. You can blame Zecora for starting that. You can also blame her for the parallel of people misunderstanding Zoro's personality based on first impressions. I Pinkie-promise he's a big softie really.

Before I'm bashed, I'm well aware Zoro is Asian. In this instance, you can view that his being a Zebra just connotes that his ancestry lies outside of the East Blue rather than drawing any real-world correlation.

It's the little things that make this version uniquely Zoro, though. His stripes are sword-shaped, come in threes and neatly avoid his back. Hoof magnets were a popular play feature of G3 ponies before kids kept eating them 😶 But I think it's a fun way for Zoro to retain that Earth Pony-adjacent strength whilst still being able to hold all three swords. His stance has always looked weird, anyway.

🍊 Nami 🍊

In-universe:

"A light-footed, citrus-scented Pegasus who gambles with the best in Klugetown. Nothing escapes her- not even the bits from your purse! After a decade of being on high alert, she's more in tune with the weather than even other Pegasi. The sight of rainbows stretching across the sky makes her think of home."

Design:

Honestly, it's nice that we don't know anything about Nami's birth family. When she was adopted, she was just a baby, even younger than Sanji. Belle-Mere (Mare…) and Nojiko shaped her entire life. To that end, I wanted her design to be free of speculation and to focus on what we know for sure.

Her being a Pegasus was influenced by a few things. In G4, Pegasi often have an affinity for the weather and sky. Like Luffy, her wings symbolise the emphasis on freedom in her story. Farming is traditionally an Earth Pony job, so it also shows the disconnect between her passions and current situation.

In this case, the clipping of her wings doesn't stop her from sailing away any more than it does in canon. But it adds to the feeling of control Arlong holds over her, another physical reminder of her duty and self-sacrifice.

Despite what the timeskip art style wants us to believe, Nami is pretty but also really... normal. Normal proportions, face, hair, profession. She's weird for an OP character in that way. To reflect that, I decided that her coat should reflect the colour of the maps she creates. Unique from the pastels around her, but not super stand out, much like her orange mane. The darkened ends of her fur walk the line between showing hard graft and dirtied hooves 🥲 I expanded her tattoo to be a full leg design- 'cuz why shouldn't she show off the symbol of her life truly beginning!?

🎱 Usopp 🎱

In-universe:

"A young, apprehensive Changeling who often lives disguised as a Pony. He uses his transformations to bring stories to life and dazzle those he meets! When danger arises, he shifts into the form of a smaller animal and hides..."

Design:

The choice to make Usopp a Changeling speaks to his insecurity. Why present yourself as a village foal when you could be a great pony of the sea? Or anyone else you could dream up? It also speaks to my own insecurity as an artist, not touching the idea of drawing his nose on a horse face with a 10-foot pole. It's not happening, nuh-uh. It's a horn now for a reason, trust me!

But it also allows for some very literal metamorphosis as he grows throughout the series. His horns grow larger and change shape as the slingshots he uses evolve. (Yes, he absolutely does use his horns to fire things from!) In Pony form, his cutie mark changes to reflect which part of himself he identifies with -or has the most faith in- at any one moment. As an artist, I bet he has great fun drawing up new marks to use.

Rather than becoming a muscly bug after the skip, his wings literally break out from his shell. It isn't the end of his development, but it signifies his change in outlook and newfound faith in himself. Followers of God Usopp view his Pony form as one they, as "common folk" can easily comprehend, rather than his true nature.

He's the only one I drew as his timeskip design, just because it was the most interesting to me. Hyperfixation does strange things to a man.

🍥 Sanji 🍥

In-universe:

"A hot-headed Unicorn who breaks expectations, he fights rude customers with kicks that match the strength of a true Earth Pony! His unusual tail is a hot topic of speculation for off-duty chefs at the Baratie- but he won't speak a word about his past. Maybe try asking about his specials instead?"

Design:

Classic Unicorns are calm, refined and beautiful. Everything that Sanji is... on the surface. I love how Sanji constantly plays with our expectations; who says a creative can't kick ass? Further to that, Sanji's magic skills are wholly unimpressive, with a grand repertoire of two spells. It helps separate him from Robin, the actual magic scholar on board. As an Earth Pony unable to teach him, Zeff has always felt guilty.

His blue coat reflects the shirts he often wears, sure, but blue feels so appropriate for someone who loves the sea so much. It also allows for his fluffy black socks to stand out, coining his epithet. (If horse Sanji wore pants, would he wear them like this? Or like t h i s?) Not naming any names, Luffy he's the only fighter sensible enough to wear horseshoes to protect his feet and often visits Farriers when they make port.

His tail isn't hairless, but is covered in a thin layer of fur like his body until it reaches the tip. It's useful for working in the kitchen as it's easy to wrestle into a hair net. In the Baratie, he's often seen with a red bow decorating it, warning customers that he'll kick if provoked. This style of tail is a largely lost trait of old Unicorns, now most commonly seen in nobility who care a little too much about bloodlines. It's not a feature he's proud of, especially when it calls into question the nature of his relationship to Zeff- a pony he otherwise closely resembles.

15 notes · View notes

vintagelacerosette · 1 year

Text

Tag game catch up ✨️

I'm doing some tag games & picrews I've missed 🫶🏼 and I was tagged by these dearhearts Macy @celestialmickey Cross @crossmydna Evie @energievie Laurel @lupeloto Anna @rereadanon Ling @lingy910y Cherry @too-schoolforcool Ajax @transmickey Lyle @milkovetti Vey @look-i-love-u Coralie @shinygalaxyperson Becki @francesrose3 Ri @tanktopgallavich Jay @surviving-maybe Michelle @michellemisfit Deanna @deedala Julissa @heymrspatel Paola @mishervellous Melodie @sirrudo Thanks y'all 🥰

Name: Myn

Pronouns: She/they

Where do you call home? Sydney

Favourite animal: Cats, ducks & otters i can't choose 🐈‍⬛️🦆🦦

Cereal of choice: Gosh I love american cereal I gotta say I'm now a cinammon toast crunch fiend & lucky charms used to be my fave haha

Are you a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner? Kinaesthetic/visual

First pet? A tank of fishes but I also count a black & white stray cat we took in which we named Gato & oh how i miss him

Favourite scent? Something woodsy or citrusy

Do you believe in astrology? Kinda like I believe some aspects but wouldn't take it so literally in life

How many playlists do you have on spotify/apple music? I'm not one for playlists but I do have like 8 music ones on youtube lol

Sharpies or highlighters? Hightlighters all the colours yall 🌈

A song that makes you cry:

A song that makes you happy:

and finally, do you write/draw/create? if so, use this as an opportunity to shamelessly (😉) promote yourself! Yes I draw & make crafts which you can check out on my tag myn's art 💘 I also definetly gunning to write fic omg the amount of gallavich plot bunnies I have may be in the double digits??

Picrew 1

Last week tag game tuesday ✨️

Name: Shermyn

Age: 26 (27 in 12 day!!!)

Favorite color: Pink

Beverage of choice: Yukult I shot em back like shots lmao

Do you have push notifications turned on for tumblr? I do & for some ppl's blogs too. It can be a lot lol

Opinion on fireworks? Pretty & loud 🎆

Favourite childhood toy? This stuffed bunny I had since I was a kid which I use play pretend like they were real & to pet it so softly 🥰

The store you shop at the most: uhhh maybe ubereats lol does that count 😅

Do you swear a lot? As an aussie fuck is like a brother to me

Favourite trope: Sexual attraction at first sight then falling in love

An album with no skips: Infinity on High by fall out boy

If you could play any instrument, what would you choose? something whimiscal maybe a lyra or ocarina or a steel drum

Your biggest pet peeve: Getting told I'm being disrespectful bc I have a tone that was 'hard'

Favourite time of day: Sunset

and finally, did you drink water today? Yes indeed!

Picrew 2

I'll still tag some loves if they wanna play 💘 @ian-galagher @scarcrosseduntouched @bekkachaos @sisitrip @darthvaders-wife @suchagallabitch @iansw0rld @arrowflier @milkmaidovich @auds-and-evens @callivich @mikhailoisbaby @creepkinginc @mikcrymilkovich @sleepyfacetoughguy @suzy-queued @gardenerian @sickness-health-all-that-shit @stocious @shameless-notashamed @mmmichyyy @xninetiestrendx @intotheblindinglight @skies-below @notherenewjersey @psychicskulldamage @silvanshadow

#tag game #picrew #Spotify

34 notes · View notes

orginllazyblog · 1 year

Text

The White Knight and the Lone Raven

How the Two Vessel's Meet

Enemies to Friends to Lovers

Lucian Mackinley, the vessel of the Noble Sevens, was tasked to find the other vessel of the Great Sevens, called the "Evil Flower." Before they could take over Twisted Wonderland. Or so he been told.

The King (of KoH) wanted him to kill it before it's too late. As for the Queen, she only told Lucian to observe to see if this evil flower really evil or misunderstood.

"Your Majesty, not to be rude, but why do you think the evil flower is misunderstood? The phropercy said so."

"Lucian, they might of been hurt so bad that it's hard to let go. Instead of raising your weapon on them, try to lend a hand. Listen to their story, heal their broken wound, and guide them to a happy ending."

After hearing those words from the Queen, he couldn't understand what she could have meant. As the white carriage carried on, Lucian was sent off to attend Royal Sword Academy to start off with his quest.

"Don't worry, little apple. Maybe once you meet this other vessel, they might not be so bad after all." (Snow White)

"Hard to say, I couldn't forgive what Ursula did to my father." (Queen Ariel)

"Same here. The Queen is just pacifiest." (Sultaness Jasmine)

"Wild Flower, just take easy and enjoy the view outside or get some sleep before you arrive." (Queen Aurora)

'I will. Thank's, Mother Aurora.' (Lucian)

It's been 9 months and still can't find the evil flower vessel. Lucian had been busy with their school life, finishing essays, group projects, sword practice, upcoming potion presentation, and keeping quiet bein the vessel of the protagonists, and their sidekicks. Well, not that everyone knnows about them except his home country.

He even got himself some sort of cat beast which he encounter during his orientation. A female magical cat beast with white fur and their pink flaming tail. With name suggestions from the noble sevens, they name it Felicia.

Friday was here, Lucian went to a fast food place to eat dinner as he can't cook anything other than making breakfest. As he walk out with his food, there he sense it.

'The evil flower must have been near.' (Lucian)

"Be careful kiddo. Remember to what my decendant said." (Hercules)

"Don't draw attention, cub." (Simba)

As to what they said, Lucian looked around his suroundings. There he saw a figure in the distance far away, and their....huh? Is it another magical cat?

"Grim, we need to head back home. The sun is setting." (???)

"Mmm..." (Grim)

"Aww~ You went fast asleep. Dont worry, I'll cary you back." (???)

To Lucian surprise, this person, the evil flower the king told him, just turn out to be a teenager like him. As he walk to them, he feels a powerful aura from them.

"Oh? Can I help you?" (???)

And... CLIFFHANGER! Now as for Lucian, I thought about him being the "Yuu" version of RSA, just the opposite as for Yuu in NRC are friendly than the rest of NRC students.

And if he is a similar of Yuu, then he should get a magical familiar. A ragdoll cat, the opposite of Grim by having flames inside of his ears and having a pitchfork tail like.

With Felicia, she has a pink tail flame, and little feather wings by their paws for glidding, not flying. The name is referance to the kitten in The Artistocats movie. She would have a have scarf with the magic stone on it.

Now time to prepare myself as the Diasomnia Arc part 5 is tomoroow.

#twisted wonderland #disney twst #twst lucian mackinley #twst noble sevens #twst great sevens #disney characters #twst rsa #twst nrc #twst yueme #twst grim #enemies to friends to lovers

25 notes · View notes

thepaintedlady00 · 1 year

Text

Nightshade

Chapter 16 | Chapter 18

Chapter 17: Candy Apple

TW: as always language, drinking, smoking, some minor blood and violence, a few lewd thoughts, minor panic, but overall a pretty chill chapter this week This was edited quick, so sorry for mistakes. And I'll be totally honest with y'all I am not loving it. This chapter was really just giving me the most trouble from the start. There was so much I wanted to add and I just bit off a bit more than I could chew with this one so a lot got cut and it feels kinda rushed, but I figured it was best to get it posted and out of the way so we can move on to bigger and better things. So, sorry if this sucks! 😅 I still hope y'all enjoy it!

Rain splashed against the pavement in large drops, making it hard for Jake to ignore as he rode his bike through the bustling city streets. The chilled liquid slid down the arms of his leather jacket and onto his hands, making them feel stiff in the October air. A taxi drove through a puddle, splashing the bottom of his pants and getting him even more wet than before. God, he hated the rain.

In the alley ahead, he could see a sopping wet head of red hair. Lena stood in the downpour as Sasha, Ari, and Scott all smoked beneath the safety of the covered doorway. As the traffic filtered out of his way, he could better see how her hair dripped and how calm her face was as she talked to their coworkers as if she weren't soaking wet, but it was her peaked nipples that caught his and Ari's eyes most. Her white shirt was nearly sheer from the rain, and the thin bralet she wore did little to hide her breasts from the world, not that he was complaining.

He rode across the street, drawing the eyes of everyone in the alley, but hers were all he cared about. The green was more vibrant in the rain, but they still paled compared to her smile. A soft whisper of his name was all it took to make his heart beat slightly faster. Scott looked at his wet pants and shook his head with a chuckle. "Not the best weather for bike riding."

"No shit," he grumbled in reply.

Lena shrugged. "I think it's fun riding bikes in the rain!"

"You would," Jake looked at her wet clothes again. "What'd you go swimming before you got here?"

"Oh, haha, you're so clever!" She mocked, rolling her eyes and lifting her head up toward the sky with another smile.

She was so beautiful. His eyes studied her again, her hair, those eyes, the slight arch in her back as she leaned back, her breasts. Maybe the rain wasn't so bad after all. Sasha flicked a cigarette into one of the puddles. "I don't think I've ever seen a wet Tiger before."

Ari giggled, leaning against the Russian. "It's kinda hot."

Lena glared at both of them. "Perverts."

"You gonna work soaking wet tonight?" Scott asked, snuffing out his own cigarette.

Ari grinned. "Only if she's in the front with Jakey again."

She flipped the short-haired woman off before answering Scott. "Course not. Unlike the two of you, I'm a professional."

"Excuse me!" Sasha scoffed. "I speak four languages!"

"That's cute," Lena teased, pinching his cheek as she walked past him.

"You little cunt face!" The Russian replied, smacking Lena's ass and muttering some Russian to her.

She only laughed while Scott followed the rest inside. "Don't drag that water through my fuckin kitchen!"

"Yes, Chef!"

Jake followed his coworkers inside, hoisting his bike over one shoulder as he maneuvered around the shelves and people. Ari and Sasha headed out to the table, promising to save Lena food while she dried up. Scott went straight back into prep as Jake followed Lena up the stairs and into the locker room.

Simone was standing in front of the mirror, applying some of her favorite red lipstick. Their eyes met in the mirror as he set his bike against the wall. She smiled. "Good morning, my love. I trust you slept well."

The subtle shift of her eyes glancing at Lena didn't go unnoticed. The redhead said nothing as she began changing into her dry work attire. "I slept fine. Thought my fucked up hair would be enough for you to tell."

It was nice hearing her laugh, a sincere sound that made him lower his guard and relax as he hung his jacket up to dry and changed. Simone looked at him, shaking her head. "I should cut it like I used to. Maybe then you'd remember to brush it."

Chuckling as her fingers ran through his hair, Jake shook his head. "I'll pass. I don't wanna look like shit for the next two months." After she rolled her eyes, Jake carefully nudged her. "You seem to be feeling better. Taking a few days off must've been a good call."

"I am," Simone said softly. Her eyes flashed to Lena again. "What did you get up to while I was gone?"

Even though he'd already discussed the importance of keeping their new partnership quiet with Scott and Lena, Jake felt a pinch of anxiety tense his muscles. "Nothing interesting. You know me."

"I do indeed," she replied, gently squeezing his shoulder. "I'll go get us some food."

"Thanks."

"Good morning, Lena," Simone greeted as she passed the redhead, now doing up the buttons of her shirt.

Lena smiled politely. "Good morning."

Simone's eyes took in her wet hair with an arched brow. "Looks like you've had quite the walk this morning! Do you need help drying your hair before service?"

"Walking in the rain is always interesting, but I enjoy it. And thank you for the offer, but I've got it under control."

"Do let me know if you need anything," Simone replied before making her way down the stairwell.

It made Jake feel far better than it should've, seeing the two interact with one another in such a friendly manner. He knew both women had reservations about the other, but they were trying, and that's what mattered. Lena turned, pressing an old t-shirt to her wet hair. "Pull a hair tie out of Ari's locker for me?"

He followed her simple request, knowing Ari's combination by heart at this point. "You don't have one?"

"Thought I did," she replied. "But it looks like it got lost or something."

"Here." He handed her the hair tie and leaned against the locker next to hers. Watching her work her fingers through her hair, gently twisting it into an elegant and simple bun with only a few shorter curls sticking out and framing her face was mesmerizing. Once she'd made herself presentable, she hung her wet clothes up beside his jacket to dry, and the thought he'd been being onto just came out. "So you and Simone seem to be getting along."

Lena shrugged. "I may not be a member of the Simone fan club, but I respect the group's president enough to be nice."

Maybe it was stupid to feel so happy about something so simple. This wasn't the start of some budding friendship between Simone and Lena, he knew that, but it still felt nice knowing the woman standing in front of him - the one that meant more to him than even he was willing to admit - wouldn't ask him to choose between them as so many others had before.

The relationship he shared with Simone was complicated, but she was his family… The only person he knew he could count on no matter what. Most women felt threatened by that; most demanded that he choose either them or Simone. That answer was always easy. Simone. As Jake looked at Lena, a sudden thought made the smile vanish from his lips. If Lena asked him to choose, would that answer be as simple? He couldn't imagine losing her, and that meant that somewhere along the way - somewhere between the first day she'd walked out of the kitchen doors and now - Lena Harrow had become as important to him as Simone.

Her green eyes held his attention as a name echoed in his mind and consumed his soul with an answer. An answer to a question Jake would never ask. An answer Jake would never let himself acknowledge. Her eyes narrowed as she tilted her head slightly, asking, "You feeling alright, tough guy?"

"Yeah," he responded, lamely moving away from the locker and clearing his throat. "Just tired."

"It has been kind of a crazy week," she admitted with a teasing smile as she lifted her hand to his forehead. "Maybe you're the one that should be taking a few days off."

He brushed her hand away with a chuckle. "I'm sure Howard would love that."

"Well, you are a real pain in the ass for management." She tapped his chin with her finger. "Don't worry though, I'd still miss you."

It was playful banter, their usual kind, but her reassurance that his absence would mean something only made the feeling in his chest harder to shove down. Jake nodded to the door, gently urging her forward. "Come on, let's get this shift over with."

Family meal was something Jake rarely attended. He had no interest in sitting around some table with people he worked with, pretending that they were some big family. Even the name of it rubbed him the wrong way. After everything with Tess, his distaste for it grew. He'd show up early, per Simone's orders, but he'd stay as far from that damn table as he could. Jake would take the plate of food Simone saved him and eat it at the bar, isolated, uninterested, and angry.

It was odd to think as he sat at that table, surrounded completely by the noise and gossip of the people he'd worked with for so long they were… Kind of… A tiny bit like family. Even as he sat beside Simone, a statue of calm and composure, Jake interacted with the people around him. He joined in on their jokes and genuinely listened to what they said. When he looked over at Simone for a split second, he could've sworn he saw a scowl, but she discreetly rubbed his back and sipped on the wine Howard had selected for their morning.

Howard - the only thing that could put a damper on Jake's newfound positive outlook - entered the room with a stiff smile and those beady little eyes fixed on the woman sitting across the table from him. If everyone else at 22West were ships cast out to sea, Lena was a lighthouse. She was warm and bright, and safe. Everyone was drawn into her safe harbor, but Howard was the biggest ship, willing and able to speed past the others to have that harbor all to himself. A thing Jake was determined to keep from happening even if it meant sinking his own dinghy boat.

Lena turned her head, leaning back in her seat to give the manager her attention along with everyone else. "Changelings! Today's extraordinary, but rather obvious, selection of wine was chosen to celebrate an unexpected change, but I hope it'll be a good one in the long run."

"We're getting raises!" Nicky shouted, followed by a chorus of laughter.

"Or he's stealing more of our tips for the dishwashers," Sasha grumbled.

Howard chuckled, shaking his head. "Our dear Rosalyn has accumulated enough funds to tour Europe for the next few months.

Ari took a big drink of her wine. "How'd that bitch manage that?"

"Maybe she had another job?" Heather added.

"Obviously, we are very happy for her," Howard continued. "But, it's left us without a hostess. So, after much deliberation, we're happy to announce that Lena will be moving to the front to cover hostess duties for the time being."

All eyes were on her as Lena's face fell. Sasha, who sat beside her, muttered in Russian before gulping down his wine. Simone sat up, looking at Howard with narrow eyes as she asked, "Whose decision was this?"

"Mine," Howard replied. "Though our beloved owner showed nothing but support for it.

Jake could practically see her teeth grinding together as Lena set her jaw in place as Simone continued her questioning. "Did you discuss this with Lena first?"

"No, but if she has an issue with this new arrangement, I am more than happy to discuss it in private." He held Lena's gaze as he turned to leave. She was up out of her seat, following him to his office with fire in her eyes in seconds. Jake smirked. Despite having the biggest boat, Howard certainly wasn't doing himself any favors getting the lighthouse to like him.

"What the fuck was that?" I demanded, slamming Howard's door shut.

He sighed, taking his seat at his desk. "Given your position, I thought you'd be happy to have a more secure set of duties."

"I don't give a shit about being a hostess, Howard. Why didn't you come to me first?"

"I didn't think it would be an issue."

"Bullshit." I tried not to grind my teeth together. "After your part in springing, my mother and Olive on me, I thought you would at least consult me about changes like this. Changes that affect me."

He shook his head. "I am sorry, Lena, for springing this on you and for my part in the whole… Mess, that was our field trip. Things have been… Stressful as of late, and I find myself faced with very difficult choices. Choices I've had to make alone."

I breathed out my anger. Howard was a lot of things, but I knew he wouldn't have made a decision like this - one that put the delicate structure of the restaurant he'd dedicated his life to in jeopardy - lightly. "I understand that. Just… Talk to me before making announcements like that in the future. You know I hate surprises."

Chuckling, he nodded in agreement and pulled a dry cleaning bag out. "One last surprise."

"Seriously?" I questioned, looking at the sapphire dress inside. "Is this some kind of new uniform for hostesses?"

The manager shrugged. "The guests seem to appreciate it."

I accepted the dress with reluctance. "So I should start wearing fancier clothes to work from now on?"

"I am more than happy to provide you with suitable attire, Lena. Accessories as well. We both know Liz would have offered them to you if she were around."

Examining the sparkling blue earrings, I smiled at the fond memories of Howard's late wife. I'd only met her twice, long before the two had actually gotten married, but from the little I knew about her, I was certain Howard was right. Elizabeth was always kind and bright. "I'm still kind of mad at you for not giving me any warning, but I'm honored that you trust me with these small pieces of her."

Howard glanced at the now wilting white orchids on his desk. "They're just trinkets. Little things that sparkle. They pale in comparison to what she was."

"Still, I'll take good care of them."

"I know you will."

"I guess I'll go change again." I exited the office, still holding onto the tense frustration of the sudden announcement. It was harder to hold onto the anger; after all, it seemed Howard had been just as blindsided by Rosalyn's departure as the rest of us. I didn't envy the decisions on Howard's plate, especially with all the recent scheduling issues and the drama my mother had invited into the space in the form of her assistant. It was a tough decision, but Howard made it like he always did. The restaurant came first.

As soon as I walked through the kitchen doors with the dry cleaning bag on my arm, Scott scoffed, shaking his head. "Fucker actually did it, huh?"

"What?" I asked, slowing down.

"He put you on as hostess," Scott clarified, pointing a knife at the dress.

My eyes narrowed. "He told you?"

The chef continued his prep work. "It's what we were fighting about the other day. He wanted to 'give me a heads up', and I told him you were the one he should be warning. He seemed to think you wouldn't care."

"Huh," I scoffed. "I don't mind being the hostess for a bit while Howard looks for someone new. Though, I would have appreciated the heads up."

"I was gonna tell you," he replied. "But Howard was adamant he had it under control, so I thought it best to back off. I don't need that drama, especially not with all the other shit we have going on."

"I understand, Scott," I reassured him. "Have a good service, chef."

Scott shook his head again. "Don't we always?"

I changed into the new gown, silk rather than the other night's satin. It was light and comfortable but made my chest a bit more… Pronounced. If it got chilly tonight, I was certain my nipples would be giving the guests a very different dining experience. The thin straps drew attention to my neck and shoulders, while the long sapphire earrings accentuated my jawline. It was quite the look, one that still didn't quite sit well with me, given the environment.

Though the dress was beautiful and the accessories were stunning, I hated that it made me so overdressed. I looked more like a guest than a hostess, and as everyone else looked at me as I passed, it was obvious they thought so too.

Jake's brow arched as he watched me exit the kitchen and head to the hostel stand. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he discreetly moved his bar rag along the already polished part of the bartop to stand behind me. "Guess I should get used to you being the center of attention out here."

"I'm hardly the center of attention," I answered, sparing him a look over my shoulder. "There will be plenty of fancy-looking guests."

"None that look like you," he responded, eyes dragging down my body.

"You're laying it on thick!" I laughed. "Who would've guessed that hostesses had such sex appeal."

Jake just shrugged. "It's a force of habit. I've spent the past six years flattering my way into every new hostess' pants."

I smirked. "And that turned out so well for you, right?"

"They may have hated my guts after the fact, but I assure you both parties involved had a good time."

Shrugging again, I kept up the playful facade. "Oh, I don't doubt you had fun."

His brows lifted. "Are you insinuating I'm a selfish lover?"

"I'm not insinuating anything," I replied with a grin as I turned to flip through the reservations book.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him chuckle and lean against the bar between us. "I could show you. That'll erase any doubt from your mind."

I held the book close and smiled at him, leaning over just enough to draw his eyes exactly where I wanted them. "Promises promises."

Service was going surprisingly well. At least, Jake thought so. The guests seemed satisfied with their lavish evenings. Some even left generous tips. But, as Jake made the drinks, dishing each one out with a dazzling smile, he couldn’t help but notice Howard’s leering.

Lena was gorgeous, as always. She commanded the room in a way that made Becky, Rosalyn, and every other hostess they’d had at 22West look like amateurs. The silky blue of her dress reminded him of the night sky, soft and smooth and filled with stars if he looked at it long enough. But, no matter how nice of a dress it was or how alluring Lena looked in it, the whole thing didn’t sit right with him.

No one got that nice of a wardrobe working here. No one. Not even Becky had received such lavish and expensive tokens, and she’d been sleeping with Howard for months before he transferred her. At first, Jake thought it was just a coincidence that he’d caught the managers lingering gaze, but the night continued, and the gazes did too.

It didn’t matter where Howard was in relation to her; the reflection of that dress was always visible in his glasses. Jake might not have been the smartest bartender to grace the Earth with his good looks and raw skill, but even he was smart enough to know that this wasn’t normal. The outfits, the sudden change in her position, all of it stunk. He caught Howard staring one last time and ground his teeth together. He caught a glimpse of Simone as she headed down to the wine cellar; Jake leaned over and tapped Nicky’s shoulder. “Cover me for a minute?”

“You got it,” Nicky said, moving to replace him as Jake made his way down the stairs after the blonde.

She searched the wine racks with leisure, knowing each placement of each bottle by heart by now. Her eyes twinkled as she looked back at him. “Tonight’s been going well.”

“Yeah.”

The polite smile faded. “Is something wrong?”

Jake sighed, looking out at the second smaller kitchen in swing. “I don’t know.”

Simone held the wine bottle in her hands and took a step toward him. “Tell me.”

“It’s Howard,” Jake admitted.

“Did he say something to you?” She demanded, cold and angry in seconds.

Shaking his head, he gave her a reassuring look. “No, it’s just this whole hostess thing doesn’t sit well with me.”

Her face relaxed, and she smiled slightly. “I would have thought you’d be overjoyed with it. Lena, being upfront certainly makes it easier for you to stare.”

He rolled his eyes at her teasing. “It’s not that. Well, not just that.”

“What is it then?”

“I dunno. I just find it weird that Rosalyn all of a sudden has money to go to Europe.” He scoffed. “Bitch was poor as hell when I fucked her.”

Simone nodded. “That was some time ago.”

“Yeah, but then instead of doing interviews or anything, he just puts Lena as the hostess. He moves the stand, gives her these dresses and accessories, and then just stands there and stares at her.”

“You think there’s something going on between them?” She asked, tone curious.

Jake practically laughed. “Hell no! Lena’s too smart to fall for his bullshit.”

Simone’s eyes narrowed as she asked, “What is it you’re saying, Jake?”

“I’m saying Howard’s up to something.”

She knew what he was asking of her without him having to say it, and with a gentle touch on the shoulder and a reassuring nod, Simone said, “Relax, love. I’ll see what I can find out.”

He leaned into her touch and sighed. “Thank you.”

If anyone could find out what was going on, it was Simone. So, Jake returned to work with a sense of calm washing over him. She would handle it like she always did, meaning there was nothing to worry about.

Service was relatively smooth as the guests slowly began to filter out, leaving just three tables to wait on. Most of the servers gathered around the bar, gossiping and sharing jokes quietly as they waited for the last esteemed guests to take the hint and leave. I stood by the hostess stand, memorizing the names and tables set to join us tomorrow night, when a familiar chill swept across my skin.

I hated the feeling of eyes focusing on me, but I got used to it after a while in this dress, being upfront with all the people. The chill was something else, something far more unsettling than just a few long looks. As casually as possible, I looked around, trying to pinpoint where the lingering set of eyes was coming from. Howard watched me from the upper floor, and the group of gossiping co-workers shared multiple looks my way. A deep wave of nausea filled my gut as I slowly turned to the window and searched the shadowed figures moving through the streets. There was no visible reason for my body's reaction, no obvious sign of someone watching me, but that chill refused to settle.

After a minute or two of looking, I forced my eyes away and chose to ignore the feeling altogether, convincing myself it was just simple paranoia. I focused on Jake, watching him work the small crowd still sitting at the bar. I focused on his familiar movements and his cocky smile and dazzling eyes of mischief. I focused on the warmth that spread through my chest when those eyes met mine, and he graced me with a smug wink. I was here. I was safe.

Olive moved through the background of the bar, having been assigned to keep it well stocked since it seemed to be the least difficult thing for her to get right without Simone helping to remind her. All through the night, I noticed the tiny glares she gave Jake and me and how she'd purposely bump into Jake while he mixed drinks or reached for things. Whatever he'd said to her certainly pissed her off. While I found her attitude mildly amusing at first, that amusement vanished when her little bumps got rougher and more obvious over the course of the night.

Jake started wiping down the bar as the last remaining guests left. He made some offhanded request to Olive about putting the glasses away, and before I could even register what was happening, all hell broke loose. The sound of glass shattering filled the restaurant with startled gasps as all eyes looked to the bar. Jake’s low curse was what I heard loudest, though and my body was moving before I could recall telling it to. The second I rounded the bar, I saw blood coating the bartop and soaking through the rag he held to his arm.

White hot rage filled my chest as my eyes sifted, finding Olive’s big, fat, fake tears and her shocked breaths. “Lena-”

“What the hell?” I demanded, moving to place myself between her and Jake.

“It… It was an accident.”

“Like fuck it was!” I yelled, not caring whether or not I drew the attention of the guests.

Jake’s hand squeezed my arm, grounding me and pulling my attention back to the person that really needed me. “I’m gonna need a hand cleaning myself up.”

Keeping my eyes locked onto his face to ignore the stench of blood and the crimson color that stained his shirt, I nodded. “Come on. I think the first aid kit is in the locker room.”

We hurried through the kitchen, ignoring everyone's questions and Scott’s warning about getting blood in his kitchen. Upstairs Jake sat down on the sofa and continued holding the rag to his arm as I tore the room apart, trying to find the first aid kit. My heart was pounding in my ears, old memories and past pains making it difficult to stay in the present. “I can’t fucking believe her!”

"I’m sure it was an accident," Jake said calmly as I finally pulled the first aid kit out from a pile of clothes in the bathroom.

"Sure as hell didn't look like one from where I was standing."

“Alright, maybe it wasn’t an accident.” He chuckled. “Didn’t think she’d go that far, though. I’m kind of impressed.”

My hands shook, and my heart raced as the sight of blood - the sight of Jake's blood - threatened to pull me into full terror. “This isn’t funny.”

He bent his head down enough to catch my eyes, unable to reach out while he held the rag to his arm. "I'm okay. It's just a scratch."

Breathing out a shaky breath, I shook my head. "You shouldn't be scratched at all. Fucking stupid bitch."

Chuckling, Jake smiled. "I should get injured more often."

"What?"

"You look good, all riled up about my well-being."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "Don't get used to it." Nodding at his hand, I sighed, "Let's see."

He lifted the bloody rag from his arm, wincing slightly as the material peeled away from the wound. The cut was larger than I expected, starting from the center of his forearm and curving down toward his wrist. It wasn't nearly as deep as the last cut I’d tended to. "Guess I'm gonna have to cancel my morning boxing lessons, huh?"

"You shouldn't be out of the ring for too long," I reassured him with a sigh of relief. "But, you're telling Patrick."

"Cruel." His eyes watched as I cleaned and bandaged the cut easily. "You're good at this."

Part of me wanted to shrink into myself, to push him away from the trail of a past that still haunted me, but, to my surprise, I didn’t. Instead, I shrugged, a casual thing with more meaning than Jake would ever realize. “I had to deal with a lot of things like this growing up.”

“From the gym?”

“Some of it.”

“Did your mom…” He paused, knowing exactly how loaded the question waiting on the tip of his tongue was. “Did she hurt you like this?”

Lying would have been easier. It would have saved me from the slew of questions that would undoubtedly follow the truth. But again, I found myself opening up to him instead of shying away. “No. She favored blunt tools. Sticks and open palms, things that wouldn’t leave too noticeable of a mark.”

He nodded a brief understanding lingering in his eyes. “So, there was someone else then? Someone that made you get familiar with treating wounds and whatnot?”

My heart stopped, and I could feel my mouth open, the words, the admittance… the truth hanging on the tip of my tongue. Footsteps echoed from the stairwell, and a sigh of relief drew Jake’s attention away from me to the doorway, where Simone quickly entered. “Thank god you’re alright! Let me see!”

He waved off her concerned fussing. “I’m fine. Lena patched me up.”

“I cannot believe that Olive did this!” She huffed, examining his bandaged hand closely. “Accident or not, it’s just unacceptable.”

“I’m sure she’s all bent outta shape about it,” Jake replied with a grin.

Simone rolled her eyes. “Good to see the cut didn’t damage your poor sense of humor.”

I gathered up the garbage and closed the first aid kit, quickly moving away from the pair to collect myself. “A tiny cut isn’t enough to rid the world of my amazing charm.”

“Lena,” Simone said as I neared the doorway. I turned, looking at her as she gave me a simple nod. “Thank you for helping him.”

“It’s not a problem,” I replied, glancing at Jake before hurrying out the door and down the stairs.

It was an odd feeling that followed what could have been the biggest trauma dump I’d had since Cape Cod. Not disappointment but not relief. Something so mixed up and confusing that it sent a spike of panic through my veins. I’d almost told Jake everything. On a whim. Without any kind of prompting or an event that would force such a thing out of the cage I kept it inside. I’d almost shared the deepest, most scarred parts of myself with him of my own volition, and that was almost as terrifying as the thought of Tony waltzing through the restaurant doors like he used to all those years ago.

As I helped Nicky dish out after-shift drinks to the gaggle of gossiping co-workers, I resigned myself to tightening to locks on the cage. I trusted Jake. I cared about him. But I still felt so afraid that the truth would smother both of us. I was afraid that he would look at me differently if he knew everything, but truthfully, I was more scared of the possibility that the truth would change nothing. I was terrified that he would still look at me like I was beautiful and mesmerizing and… me.

The group burst into cheers and hollers as Jake and Simone joined us. Sasha threw an arm around the dark-haired bartender. “An injury! Whatever will you do now, poor Jakey?”

Ari smiled into her glass. “Relax, it’s not like he can’t still use his fingers. Or his tongue.”

Sasha slapped her arm, suppressing a giggle. “I’m talking about his bartending! Dirty whore.”

“I can still bartend,” Jake reassured the Russian. “Like I said, it was just a scratch.”

Heather glanced over at Howard’s office door. “I don’t envy Olive right now.”

“It will be a miracle if this doesn’t get her fired,” Nicky added.

“She won’t get fired,” I replied, scrubbing the bartop a little harder. “My mother will have seen to that.”

Simone frowned. “Well, I hope she’s at least learned a lesson.”

I shook my head and bit back a scoff. “I doubt it.”

Jake watched me scrub the bar for a minute before everyone stopped and looked at Olive as she exited Howard’s office, big eyes free of tears and a smug grin set on her face. That fucking bitch. I made a move to follow her as she exited through the kitchen doors, but Jake’s hand reaching over the bar and taking hold of my wrist stopped me. “Relax, princess. Scowl any harder, and you’ll burst a vessel or something.”

“This isn’t funny,” Simone chided. “You could have been seriously hurt, and she doesn’t receive any punishment?”

“It’s fine, Simone.” Jake nudged her with his shoulder. “I’ve had worse.”

“Irrelevant,” she replied, turning away from him as Howard appeared. “Howard.”

The manager merely looked at her. “Yes?”

“Walk me home?” Her voice was cold. It was clear this wasn’t a question but a demand.

He tilted his head slightly but gestured for her to follow him. “Of course. Goodnight, changelings.”

The tension slowly filtered out of the room as they vanished past the windows. Sasha sighed, holding his glass out for a refill. “Well, now that blondie has that handled, who is up for dancing?”

“Me!” Ari replied instantly, shooting up from her seat and following the leather-clad Russian to the door.

“Still coming to Ozzy’s with us?” I asked, setting the dirty bar rag aside.

Jake nodded, tossing his jacket over the bar to me. “Course I am. I gotta give Patrick the bad news.”

I laughed, not fighting with him about wearing the warm leather and joining him at the door as we followed behind our co-workers. “He’s going to be thrilled.”

Ozzy’s was buzzing with people and music when we arrived. Some Halloween decorations hung from the ceiling and the walls, an obvious attempt on Ozzy’s part to get it all up before Quinn’s birthday. We all moved through the crowd, running right into my brothers as they stood by the bar, waiting for an opening to get Ian’s attention for some drinks.

“FUCKING BULLSHIT!” Patrick hollered, looking at Jake’s arm with a scrutinizing glare.

Jake scratched the back of his head and shrugged. “Sorry.”

My brother sighed. “Well, guess we’ll have to focus on your legs or something til you’re back to a hundred.”

“Oh.” Jake looked surprised.

“What?” Patrick asked with a quirked brow. “Did you think a little cut was gonna get you outta training?”

“I mean kinda.”

“Not a chance, little brother. Not. A. Chance.” He laughed and clapped Jake on the shoulder. While my brothers moved up to the bar and ordered their drinks, Sasha, Ari, and Heather headed out onto the dance floor, and Jake and I joined Will and Prue.

"Where is she?" I asked Prue as I slid into the seat across from her.

"Work." Prue glanced around. "She should be off soon, though."

"Arcade again this year?"

"Hell yes!" Her enthusiasm was infectious as Will followed the conversation without a clue as to what we were talking about, but still, he got excited anyway. "It's her favorite place."

"Do we need to book it?"

"Already done."

I grinned, giving her a quick high-five. "You're a saint!"

Jake asked as he sat down next to me. "What are we talking about?"

"Quinn's birthday party. You wanna join the planning committee?"

He leaned forward with that mischievous grin of his. "Desperately."

"You can be in charge of the cake," I offered, relaxing back in the booth. It wasn't something I thought would be particularly challenging, especially considering how little Quinn cared about the cake, but the slight widening of Jake's eyes told me he considered it quite the task. "You don't have to."

"I can manage a dumb cake," he insisted with that deep-set scowl that was starting to grow on me.

"Quinn could care less about the cake," I continued. "She doesn't usually even eat it. It's more for everyone else."

Will's brows furrowed. "What does she eat then?"

"Candy apples!" Patrick proclaimed as he and Peter slid into the booth, shoving Jake into my side. "Nana makes 'em special for her every year."

Peter smiled fondly. "Nana makes sure everyone gets something special on their birthday."

"An angel, that woman," Patrick added lovingly. "Always makes me the best, booziest rum cake."

Will tapped Peter's shoulder, asking with a dumb grin. "What does she make you?"

Though it was a simple question, I could see Prue's eyes light up as she answered, "Jam. She takes Lena and Quinn berry picking and makes me my jam and a big plate of jam tarts."

Peter leaned back, closing his eyes slightly. "Can't wait for my batch of cookies this year."

"Same," I replied. "I won't have to try and smuggle them to you."

"What does she make you?" Jake asked, glancing at me as he took a drink of his beer.

Before I could answer, Patrick spoke, "The real question is, what doesn't she make on Lena's birthday?"

Jake turned to my brother with a chuckle. "Should've guessed Lena got the royal treatment."

"Lena's not special," Pat insisted. "She just gets a big party because that's when she got back."

"Got back from where?"

My brother's mouth shut. He scratched the back of his head, chuckling nervously as he talked over himself, trying to find something to say. Something that wasn't a lie, but that wasn't the truth either.

The truth. How was a person supposed to casually discuss how they narrowly escaped death at the hands of a rich and psychotic "ex" just a few days before turning sixteen? How could anything I said possibly explain the horrors every birthday previous to that had been filled with? The mixed emotions my birthday brought were a can of worms best left untouched, so I didn't meet Jake's curious eyes, instead letting my eyes lock onto Quinn as she emerged through the crowd. "There's the birthday girl!"

She welcomed the attention, not stopping until everyone wished her a happy, almost birthday. "All this love and attention is good for my skin." She sat down next to Peter, smudging glitter onto his shirt. "What'd I miss?"

"Nothing," I said quickly. "Just discussing your birthday."

She clapped. "Let me guess! Prue already booked the arcade, and now you're trying to find people to dump cake and booze on?"

I rolled my eyes. "We all know I'm on booze duty."

"Til the day we die bitch." Quinn laughed. "So, who's the poor bastard on cake duty this year?" Narrowing her eyes, she pointed at Peter. "Kiwi?"

Peter rolled his eyes at her new nickname for him, a term almost everyone had adopted upon seeing the fuzz growing on his head. Secretly, Peter enjoyed it. The kiwi fuzz meant he could get his old hair back. "Nope."

Her finger turned toward Patrick, who nearly rolled out of the booth to avoid it. "Don't even try to curse me like that."

Quinn frowned, shifting her gaze to Jake, who gave her a shrug. She clicked her tongue. "Oh, you poor boy."

"I've been assured the cake isn't a big deal," Jake said, looking at me.

"Course she'd tell you that," Quinn replied. "No one has ever been able to find me a good cake."

I rolled my eyes. "That's because you're a drama queen with impossible cake standards."

She shrugged, stealing Patrick's drink as he slid back into his seat. "I've never had a cake I liked. Sue me."

"If I could, I would."

"Why have you never had a cake you liked?" Jake asked, throwing his arm over the back of the booth behind me as he relaxed into the booth's shitty cushioning.

"I blame Halloween." She gestured to the decorations Ozzy had half-heartedly started putting up. "Everyone's so focused on the candy that they start neglecting bakeries."

Prue shook her head. "I'm fairly certain bakeries thrive in October."

Quinn signed and said, "Maybe I just hate cake. God knows I've had enough shitty cake to last me a lifetime and then some."

Everyone at the table could sense the shift in her mood, but Patrick and I felt it on a deeper level. The three of us hated our birthdays. Quinn and Patrick pretended they didn't, and maybe some part of them did enjoy the attention and the gifts and the celebration, but deep down, the pain of all those birthdays spent alone lingered.

Patrick spent every birthday on the street or among strangers until he found his way to our gym. Quinn spent hers cooking herself a cake and eating it alone while her dad was passed out on their sofa. And I spent mine either in the ocean or on the floor of a polished penthouse. Every birthday between us was spent blowing out those damn candles and making a wish. A desperate and stupid wish that would never come true. A wish that we'd each finally get what we wanted. A wish that our lives would somehow change for the better.

For Patrick, that was a home, a family of his own that loved and accepted him. It was a thing he'd found with us, but a thing that still felt like it wasn't entirely his. A damaged way of thinking that no one, not even my dad, could keep him from feeling.

For Quinn, that was happiness. She had a lot of happy moments since we became friends, but the joy and lightheartedness were still things she considered fleeting. A deep-rooted, broken part of herself that no one could repair but herself.

For me… For me, it was peace. I had good days, bad days, and the moments in between, but peace, true fucking peace, well, that was a fucking pipedream. Unlike the others, my wish hinged on a madman's whims. One that was determined to remind me this life I'd built for myself, that I'd fought and bled and killed for, wasn't permanent. Not while he lived.

Wishes were for children, yet we sat in front of the candles every year, closed our eyes, and made that same wish. Only the three of us knew, and while everyone else clapped and cheered, we all shared the same look. The look of tired hopefulness, clinging to our wishes while also preparing ourselves for the ultimate disappointment of them not coming true.

The conversation shifted, leaving the three of us sharing that look over the table as we carefully rejoined the world around us. No one noticed except Peter, who'd seen it all enough times to recognize it, and Jake. To my surprise, his eyes shifted from my face to Patrick's before they settled on Quinn. A look, realization, and something else made his face drop.

Familiarity. I realized. Jake knew what the looks on our faces meant because he had a similar experience. He watched Quinn closely for another minute, determination and resolve settling in those blue eyes like a storm. Whatever he had planned, he was going to make sure it happened.

The two of us hung out with the group for a while before we snuck out the back door and settled on the couch in the alley. Whisky was quick to jump into our laps, having taken to following us out or waiting for us on the couch. Burrowed against my chest, cloaked in the warm leather of my jacket, the cat purred contently as Jake rested his head against the alley wall. “How’s the arm?”

He turned his head slightly, glancing at me with a smile. “Worried about me, are you, princess?”

“Course not.”

“Bullshit.” He leaned over slightly, pressing his shoulder into mine. “You looked like you were gonna cry earlier.”

I rolled my eyes. “I absolutely was not!”

He chuckled, raising a brow. “No? You seemed pretty shaken up about it to me.”

That urge to tell him the truth returned, and I had to tighten my grip on it to keep it all from tumbling off my tongue. “I don’t like blood.”

“You seem fine with it when you’re boxing.”

“That’s…” I sighed, turning away from him. “That’s different.”

Jake sat up, the vulnerable curiousness that he’d shown in the locker room resurfacing. “I’m guessing it has something to do with what we were talking about earlier.”

“Jake,” I breathed out. “Please don’t.”

His fingers brushed against my leg. “As much as I wanna bug you about it… I’m not going to push it.”

“Thank you.”

“I get it,” he answered. “There are some things that just… need time.”

My finger smoothed down Whicky’s back, letting the rumbling purs lull the fear and tightness in my chest until it felt easier to breathe. “So, what kind of cake are you gonna get Quinn?”

Jake laughed. “Fuck if I know. I was just gonna ask you a million questions and get whatever you told me to.”

“That’s not how this works!” I insisted, slapping his arm. “You gotta fail on your own, just like the rest of us.”

“I’m not gonna fail.”

“Oh?” I teased. “You some kind of special hot shot baker now?”

Rolling his eyes, he shook his head at me, leaning back into his comfortable position, lazily petting Whisky’s little head as he poked it out of the top of my jacket. “Guess you’ll just have to wait and see.”

“I’m tingling with anticipation,” I mocked.

Jake's eyes sparkled. "I can think of a few better ways to make you tingle."

"Shut up."

It was always kind of weird being in an empty arcade, but I found that I enjoyed it. The games chimed and echoed their cheesy catchphrases in my ears as Prue, and I finished setting up the last of the birthday decorations. Will, Peter, and Patrick were scattered around the arcade making sure everything was ready for Quinn’s special night while the employees sat back and relaxed, knowing the drill well enough by now to know we’d refuse any kind of help.

We’d been at it for hours, making sure to cover all our bases and make the space reflect the over-the-top dramatic birthday girl. It was all just the way Quinn liked it, cheap and sparkly. Prue waved to get my attention, quickly signing, “Did you remind Jake about the cake?”

“No,” I replied. “I doubt he needs a reminder. He seemed pretty determined to get it right.”

“Text him?” She begged. “I want everything to be perfect!”

Smiling at her genuine concern, I nodded. “Aye, aye, Captain Prue.”

Hey, tough guy, don’t forget the cake.

The response was immediate. I didn’t forget the cake. Where do you want me to take it, though?

Nana’s. We’re going there after the arcade for food.

Sounds good. See you at 7.

Will exited the game area with a smile. “Everything is ready!”

Patrick and Peter both left the laser tag area with grins. “Laser tag is gonna be epic tonight!”

“Thank you, guys!” Prue sqealed, enveloping all of us in a big hug. “I hope she likes it.”

“She loves it every year, Prue,” I reassured her. “It’s going to be amazing.”

We spent the rest of the time running errands for Nana and making sure every part of Quinn’s party was going to be exactly how she wanted. It was the least we could do, and Quinn deserved every second of it. After Nana essentially kicked us all out, we waited outside the arcade for everyone to show up.

Beneath the neon lights and the distant arcade sounds, we all happily clamored together. Sasha and Scott were the first to arrive, followed closely by Heather and some of the cooks. Jake showed up later, smoking a cigarette as he hurried across the street, ears covered by one of his black beanies and his hands tucked safely in his pockets. The chilled air stung my legs as I leaned against the arcade door with a smile, arms perfectly warmed by his leather jacket. “You’re actually on time. I’m shocked.”

“I just finished dropping the cake off,” he answered, blowing smoke in my face. “Nana insisted I stay to test some of the food.”

Patrick groaned. “Lucky bastard! Nana never lets me taste the food anymore.”

Peter laughed. “Because your version of taste the food is having a four-course meal.”

“They’re coming!” Prue signed quickly as she bounced on her feet, still holding onto Will’s hand.

“Here they come,” I shouted to the rabble as Quinn and Ari rounded the corner.

Everyone cheered and sang and showered Quinn in attention as she walked, hand in hand with Ari, to the center of the crowd and bowed. “Oh my god, this shit’s even bigger than last year!”

Ari kissed her, staining her lips with the dark burgundy lipstick. “You deserve it, babe.”

I could see the blush that colored Quinn’s cheeks as she looked around at all the familiar faces with a smile. It was something she still wasn’t used to, having so many people actively here for her. After living the majority of her life with an addict father who could have cared less if she was there or not, it made sense that she’d be a bit starstruck by it all. I opened the door. “Come on, let’s go inside before everyone freezes, and this turns into a mass event rather than a birthday.”

The mixture of spooky and birthday decor fit Quinn’s personal tastes well, drawing her eyes in and bringing a bright smile to her face. “It’s fucking perfect, you guys!”

Ari tugged Quinn to the skeeball machines, giggling about how whoever got the highest score would get an illicit prize. Everyone fanned out, finding something to enjoy while Peter threw his arm over my shoulder. “Laser tag?”

“You fucking know it!” I replied with a wicked grin.

Patrick clapped Jake on the back. “We get the boy this time.”

I shrugged, confident in my skill. “Take him. I’m still gonna beat your asses.”

Jake raised a brow. “Wow, you sound real cocky right now.”

“Coming from you, I’ll take it as a compliment.”

“Let’s make a bet,” he suggested as we slowly followed Patrick and Peter toward the laser tag door.

“I thought we were gonna bet for drinks again.”

“That’s the general bet for everyone. I’m talking about another one, just between us friends.”

I smiled, curious about the idea behind that sinful look he was giving me. “I’m listening.”

Jake stopped just outside the door and leaned against the frame, his earring poking out of his beanie as he grinned down at me. “Winner gets a whole day where the loser does whatever they want.”

“So, when I win, you’ll have to spend an entire day waiting on my every whim?”

Chuckling, he shrugged. “If that’s what you want.”

“Count me in.”

We got geared up and were standing around listening to the safety speech when Jake’s hands squeezed my hips, and his lips brushed against my ear. “You’re gonna look so good in the pictures I plan on taking of you when I win.”

His words made my mouth run dry and my body heat rise. “Pictures?”

“Mhm,” he breathed, pressing himself into me. “Let’s just say I plan on getting up close and personal with those tattoos of yours.”

I couldn’t have contained the shiver that ran down my spine even if I’d tried to. Jake’s lips curled into a smile against my ear. “Sounds like you’re gonna be really disappointed when you lose then.”

His teeth scraped against my neck, forcing me to bite my tongue to hold in a loud moan. “Good luck out there, princess.”

He joined Peter and Patrick, leaving me with nothing but a wink to fill the loss of his body against mine. I quickly scoffed at him and turned to Will and Sasha. “Let’s kick their asses.”

The match started like every match did, with both of our teams trying to execute wild half-thought-out plans before the other could dwindle our numbers. Will and Sasha went to take the high ground while I stayed low, convinced Peter would still want to conserve some of his energy. The thick fog made it hard to tell which of the neon lights that surrounded the space was one of the vests belonging to my opponents or just decoration. I stayed close to the wall, intent on using the smaller walls to duck behind if the need arose. It was a good plan, one that didn’t account for Patrick’s insanity.

He dove out of the fog, almost tackling me. I would have tried to shoot him if Peter hadn’t of emerged from the balcony to lay down cover fire and drive me forward. Ducking under the walls and hurrying through the maze of fog and lights, I made it to the other side of the room, carefully moving out from my cover to aim down the path behind me. Patrick was like a bloodhound, so I knew he would be following me.

While my attention was on the maze I’d left behind, Jake slid out from his cover to my left. I caught the movement but turned too late. His hand grabbed the laser gun in my hand and tugged it to the side, his body moving forward just enough to press mine into the wall. I struggled against him for a minute, trying to free my gun from his grip, but with an aggravated sigh, I stopped. “Let go!”

Jake smirked. “Alright.”

While his hand loosened around my gun, he pushed himself forward and ducked his head down, his lips pressing against mine in a fervent and feverish kiss. I opened my mouth to him, tangling our tongues together as his now free hand disappeared in my hair while the other still held his gun. My head hit the wall as I tilted it back, desperately trying to give him more access to my mouth while I dropped my gun and gripped him by the hair.

The exaggerated sound of the laser tag gun going off echoed in my ears as my vest vibrated. I pulled away from his lips, looking down at my now-red vest and Jake's gun aimed at the sensors. He shot me. Looking up at his stupid smug face, my mouth fell open. He fucking shot me! Using the tip of his laser tag gun, he lifted my chin, moving his head back down until his lips hovered over mine. "Have fun buyin’ me that drink, princess."

“That’s cheating!" I slapped his arm, glaring as he pulled away with another wink. “Asshole!”

We never stood a chance. Patrick and Peter had effectively led me straight to Jake knowing full well he’d be more than capable of distracting me. And while I was lulled by the lustful need to feel Jake’s lips on mine, my brothers made quick work of my less skilled teammates. The perfect plan.

While the winners cheered as they exited the laser tag room, I scowled. Patrick laughed, squeezing my shoulders. “Don’t look so glum, sis! You put up a damn good fight at the beginning!”

“Oh shut up,” I growled shaking his arm off me. “Just figure out what drink you want, dick.”

Jake stood next to me, smug and insufferable. “So, what day works best for you?”

“Planning your little photoshoot already?” I questioned.

“Absolutely,” he answered, those fucking eyes running down the length of my body. “Got any red lingerie? I’ve got a vision.”

“I have plenty of lingerie,” I replied. “But you won’t be seeing them.”

He bit his lip. “Oh, you want a fully nude album then?”

In spite of my blushing cheeks, I scoffed at him. “You cheated. Why should I give you anything?”

“A bet’s a bet, princess.” He replied. “Unless you’re too… intimidated to pose for me.”

“November 19th. It’s a Sunday so we’ll both have the day off.”

Jake leaned forward, his breath mingling with mine. “It’s a date then.”

The remainder of the night was filled with dancing and karaoke. Quinn was having the time of her life, and I could tell that it meant a lot to her to have so many people show up for her birthday. Once it came time to head to Nana’s for food we all cashed in our tickets, walking away with shitty prizes that weren’t nearly as good as the frog I’d won last time. The air was cool and the walk was calming, though it was still difficult for me to keep my heart from beating wildly while Jake looked at me. I could practically see the scheming going on in his eyes as he examined every move I made, committing the poses he liked best to memory.

Nana had the whole diner decorated, food set out on every table and the entire staff present ready to holler. She stood between Ozzy and Abdul as Quinn entered, her face twisting into a beaming smile. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!”

She’d never admit it, but I saw the tears building in Quinn’s eyes as she looked around at the room of people she loved and let Nana’s arms wrap around her. “Thanks, Nana.”

“Anything for my girls,” the old woman said, pinching her cheeks. “Anything for you my Quinny.”

The food was immaculate as always, comprised of Quinn’s favorite meals and of course her candy apples. When the time for cake came Jake set a box in front of the birthday girl with a nervous shrug. “I did my best.”

Grinning evilly at him she started to open the box. “We’ll see about that, bar boy.”

The grin faltered. Ari was the one that pulled the cake out of the box, laughing at the comically large peach that resembled an ass perfectly. Written on the top was a simple message that Ari read, “A Peach for the Queen. Happy birthday Quinn.”

Everyone was silent as we watched Quinn look up at Jake with glossy eyes. “Where did you get this?”

“Had a few of the bakers at the restaurant whip it up.” He tried not to look like he cared as he shrugged his shoulder. “Sorry if it’s garbage.”

Quinn shook her head and stood, quickly pulling Jake into a tight hug. “It’s perfect. Thank you, Jake.”

He stood there awkwardly for a minute before he set a hand on her back and relaxed into the hug. “No problem, Peach Queen.”

Nana and Abdul lead the song, but I was too focused on Quinn’s face to sing along with them. She looked so happy, smiling like an idiot with Ari hanging off her shoulders, pressing kisses to her head and face. Her eyes looked around the room, taking it all in with a look of wonder that I’d never seen before. Ozzy clapped loudly. “Blow out the candle dear girl!”

She stared into the flame for a minute, closing her eyes tightly as she blew the candle out. More cheering and celebrating echoed in my ears as she looked at me. It wasn’t like the other looks, not tired or dumbly hopeful, but genuinely happy instead. Patrick and I glanced at one another, surprised and emotional smiles tugging on our lips and making our cheeks hurt.

Quinn’s wish came true. And that meant that maybe… just maybe ours could too one day.

The girls and I walked to Quinn’s apartment and settled in for our traditional sleepover. While Prue gathered the snacks together in Quinn’s tiny kitchen the birthday girl and I sat in her bed. Quinn was half laying back in a sea of pillows and soft blankets, letting me take the clips and braids out of her hair while she stared at the wall in front of her, still smiling.

"What'd you wish for this year?" I asked, running my fingers through Quinn's hair, gently removing the rhinestones and pins.

"A million bucks." She joked before shrugging, leaning further back into me. "Seriously though, this was the first birthday I've had where I didn't know what to wish for." Quinn looked up at me with tears building in her eyes. "This is the first year I've had everything I could ever want. I'm happy."

I wiped her eyes and smiled. "That's good, right?"

"It's weird," she insisted with a laugh. "Good weird, though."

"Good." Setting her accessories on my nightstand, I nudged her. "What'd you wish for then?"

Quinn snuggled into me. "I wished that everything would stay this way. Happy."

I kissed her head. "That's a really good wish, Quinny."

Sweet harmonies echoed in the glass house. Anthony stood at the window, gazing out at the bright city below as he languidly swirled the wine in his glass. His ringed fingers tapped along to the sounds behind him.

People sounded so different when they were underwater. Their bodies thrashed and struggled so much slower. Unlike most would think, the cold water made the pain more pronounced and more noticeable. The body would fight to conserve heat, and in situations like this, it would only see to the prolonging of its own suffering. The ways one could… Persuade the mind in the cold were numerous and long if done properly. Hot water, however - a scream echoed out amongst the orchestra.

Hot water made the blood vessels widen. It opened itself up in turn, allowing more inflammation. The heat made bleeding out far quicker, so one had to work quicker, but Anthony trusted his associate's skills in that regard. Jules knew Anthony favored using cold water to get information, but this wasn't about information. This was a lesson. A punishment.

"PLEASE!" He closed his eyes, savoring the sound as slowly sipped his wine.

He tapped his finger against his glass twice, and Jules saw to another dip in the scalding water for their guest. The screaming added so much depth to the music, something Anthony had always enjoyed about simple moments like this. After a few seconds of muffled thrashing and quick bursts of screaming, Tony set his glass down and rolled up his sleeves, turning to greet his guest with a smile.

He looked vastly different than he had when they first grabbed him. His face was swollen, and once pristine, well-cared-for skin was now marred by deep cuts and burns. Barely conscious, he struggled to beg, but that was fine. They were past begging anyway. His measured steps clicked against the marble floor until they stopped in front of him. Taking his favorite knife from Jules, Anthony smiled as they tore his shirt open. "Let's get started, shall we?"

25 notes · View notes