#maybe professor ken

[fulltimecatwitch]

that part when Emi was falling and Ken screamed NOOO BABY with genuine concern and then accidentally broke her arm trying to save her made me think of how in trying to keep Ken safe Professor Sato also ended up accidentally hurting him (emotionally) and maybe that is an inevitable part of love and we always hurt the ones we love when trying to keep them safe

[joontroverted]

of course other women want your boyfriend

pairing: nanami kento x reader

tags: nanami is 34. is that a warning? lol.

"your dad's kinda hot."

the bar isn't too full, just the regular crowd, and then some. of course there were other college kids, none that you knew. well, except this one.

you've seen aiko around, always at the back of the class. not that that's worth shaming, you ended up back there too often due to sleepy mornings to be looking down on her.

no, it's the constant bitching and laughing during class that pissed you the fuck off. not an ounce of respect or decorum for the rest of you depressed losers just trying to make it out of class with notes that made sense, or the poor professor, who has long since given up on admonishing her. so maybe you did once tell her off in the middle of class a week before finals. just once. or twice.

and here she is, having tapped on your shoulder as you were sipping your drink, bitching and laughing with her friends hanging behind her, snickering along.

"that's not my dad," you reply, ticked off.

her eyes widen in faux shock. "even better then! I didn't wanna make it too messy for you. what's his instagram?"

you laugh, bunching up your shoulders, finally putting down your drink and getting up. you're usually not the jealous type, and you're not even feeling jealous right now, more like a bubbling irritation.

"he doesn't have an Instagram. he's thirty four, what instagram do you think you're gonna be hitting him up on, huh?"

"thirty four? he looks forty plus at least! I didn't know being with a stuck up bitch like you would age a man like that, but makes sense!" she scoffs, looking you up and down.

"so you can pick up on social cues! I was wondering how you couldn't figure out that he's my boyfriend from the kiss he gave me or, perhaps from the way he was holding me, but turns out you're just a rude bitch who wants to slather her fingers all over my boyfriend!" you snap at her.

that makes a few people around you look over, and as much as you wanted to smack her across her face, you needed to maintain your standards.

"then where is he now? where's your boyfriend? and which forty year old brings his little girlfriend on a night out to a bar like-"

"there you are, sweetheart."

kento slides his arm around your waist, slipping into the seat next to yours.

nanami kento. thirty four. food critic! 6' 1", honey blonde hair slicked back, but a few pieces spill out on to his face, deep brown eyes that are both soft and sharp. his white shirt's sleeves rolled up to his elbows showing his thick forearms, veiny with light, golden hair. the bar and the girl in front of you almost fade to the back of your mind when his cologne hits your nose, sending you into a daze.

almost.

"ken!" you breathe.

"did i keep you too long? you know satoru, refusing to get to the point," he frowns, dropping a kiss on your forehead. "what's got you all worked up?"

"hey!"

his eyes leave yours to look at aiko. "yes?"

"how come she doesn't bring you around more often? she's always all by herself, in her own little world! so shy, really! i'm aiko, we go to class together!" she smiles at him, all cute and bubbly like.

"what are you trying to do?" you ask, shouldering youself between kento and her. "you trying to swoop in and show him a better life or something? do you need attention that bad?"

"oh my god, you guys, look she's getting all bothered!" she gasps to her friends around her. "no babe i didn't mean it like that, i just meant it like i am personally, SO happy that someone like you's found love, you know? even if it's with someone who is SO different from you, you're finally out of your shell, and clearly, there is someone for everyone!" she gushes, and then looks over your shoulder at kento.

"why are you looking at him, look at me," you interject, something finally snapping in you. kento can sense the change in you, and places his hands on your waist.

"sweetheart, i think- "

you appreciate it, but you can handle this, you're FINE.

"no no," you repeat, "look at me! because do you think he's gonna treat you the way he treats me? do you think he's gonna keep up with your bullshit, and your little friend group and not see you for the pathetic attention seeking loser you are? you think he's gonna buy you the stuff you want and take you to all your raves and whatnot? this man goes to sleep every night by eleven thirty! you don't see him at parties because he's thirty four fucking years old, and his definition of a night out is wine and fine dining, with ME! he treats me like this, and buys me whatever the fuck i want, because i'm me, he's not gonna treat you like that babe!"

"don't get all worked up!" aiko spits "we can just be friends, you know!" she twirls her hair, her eyes still on kento.

"what are you twirling your hair for? he's not even looking at you, the only thing that that's gonna do is make you even balder. spending all your time trying to poach another bitch's man the whole time your bald spot's been making direct eye contact with me."

she gasps, and deep down you know you would never say that to a girl unless she absolutely deserved it, and aiko has been begging for it.

kento squeezes your waist, standing up, towering over you from behind.

"baby, she said she just wanted to be friends, didn't she?" he asks. "why don't you give her my instagram?"

aiko chuckles, seeming to have recovered. she pushes her phone into his hands, instagram open, and he hands it over to you diligently.

you scoff and type in his username, pressing the follow button and shoving it back to her.

"now that that's done," sighs kento, holding you. "it's getting a little hot in here, isn't it honey? let's get this scarf off of you."

his hands unfasten the scarf that you had tied around your neck, that you're sure aiko just attributed to poor fashion sense. despite the previous chaos, your eyes follow his thick fingers as the open the knot, and unloop the scarf from around your neck, causing the scarf to slip out and leave you neck bare in the deep v neck top you had put on this morning.

deep red and purple bruises litter your neck, all the way down to your breasts, disappearing off behind the lace borders of the neck of your top.

kento stares at you, smug and unclouded desire clear on his face. he slides his hands up and holds the sides of your neck firmly, squeezing slightly. he pulls you closer and your lips meet in a deep kiss, his thumbs rubbing slow circles on your cheek. the kiss leaves you breathless as he pulls away and leans back in to place on more kiss on your wet, parted lips, taking you by surprise.

"that's perfect," he thumbs on one of the hickies, eyes never leaving you. "my perfect girl."

warmth floods up your chest and face. a smile can't help but spread across your face as you lean into him.

"let's go, love. dinner, wine and that eleven thirty nap time awaits us," he chuckles, taking your hand, gathering your bag and turning away to leave, not a single glance given to aiko.

aiko!

you turn to her, a lazy, easy grin on your face, glancing to her phone open with kento's instagram, and then back up at her. "happy stalking!"

aiko and her friends are sure to spend the night pouring over kento's instagram, which is filled to the brim with pictures of you, you and him, food, you, travel and his girlfriend, you.

DO NOT REPOST

yay first fic!!!

likes, reblogs, comments HIGHLY appreciated 🩷

[kiwiikato]

mommy’s here // kenji sato x reader

Chapter Twelve

masterlist

note! AT BOTTOM!!

a giant aircraft flew through the air, the tail of the vehicle turning around as stands came out, creating a soft landing. a vertical door came down, showing the five of you together, like a family.

you walked in the middle, between professor sato and kenji, your hand in the tanned males arm as he gently guided you down the slanted walkway. you smiled at kenji quickly, turning to listen to his dad as he spoke.

"i thought it would be good for all of us to get out of the house." he soft voice spoke as you both trailed behind him, the view capturing your eyes. it was gorgeous to say. a soft golden hue hugged the grassy mountains, their trees casting shadows that made the view almost look unrealistic. it was like staring at a painting, only this time, it was all in front of you.

you couldn't help but gasp seeing the giant body of water glimmer under the soft rays of light. the sight would never bore you, no matter how many times you've seen it. "it's exactly the same" ken said in awe, feeling equally as captivated. you turned around to hear emi's chitters of excitement as she stared at the life around her.

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a traditional shoji door slid to the side as professor sato let you in. "haven't been in a few weeks" he grunted as he pushed the sliding door open. you smiled at him, helping him open it how you usually would. it was a sad thought but he was getting older and sadly weaker, so you tried to help him as much as you could when you both worked together.

"thank you y/n." he said smiling, to which you nodded with a smile as you flickered the lights to the room on. kenji walked in, his eyes filled with awe stepping into the all familiar room. "so many great memories here." the words left his mouth as a breathy whisper, letting nostalgia course his veins.

"i repurposed it into a bit of a lab after you moved away." professor sato spoke up, walking slowly to the map that hung on the wall. you quickly rushed to him, placing your arm around his waist to help. he smiled at you, turning back around to walk to the map with you.

kenji stared at the map on the wall, his fingers grazing the post-it notes that stuck on it. pins and threads of red yarn stuck on the map, with photos of his mother hanging around. "you know your mom, she could never sit still." he said, an audible sound of love lacing his words.

the tanned male turned to his dad, "you did search for her." he couldn't believe it. he had grown to believe that his father stopped looking for her after she disappeared. that just maybe, just maybe, his dad actually gave up on her. his heart ached slightly, remembering how he yelled at his dad when they first saw each other.

he was so stupid. he felt stupid. how could he accuse his own father of giving up on his mother? on his wife! the literal love of his life!

he snapped himself out of his thoughts, taking in the sad look in his dads eye. "yes... god, i miss her. her heart, her passion for life, she showed me what it means to be human." his voice cracked. god he really did miss her. what could he do not knowing where she was. he turned to the side, facing the map with you helping his stability.

his hand reached out for her photo. she looked so happy. one could mistake her for an angel. and that's what she was. to him at least, that was his angel. he very reason for life. he felt your hand lightly squeeze his shoulder in reassurance, to which he squeezed back with his own. he was thankful he wasn't alone all those years kenji was abroad.

"i-im so sorry, dad." kenji leaning dad and placing his hand on his dads other shoulder. you smiled seeing professor sato take his hand back and place it on his sons. they had gradually begun to get closer over the duration of taking care of baby emi. it was heartwarming.

you slowly walked out of the room, letting the two of them reconnect. it had been a while since they both had time for one another, to be father and son. not instructor and student.

you feet lightly tapped as they walked towards the kaiju, watching as she hopped around in excitement. mina flew around her, making her play almost a game of chase. "mind if i join you both?" you ask, making emi run to you. "hi emi, how's my baby doing? are you enjoying yourself?" you ask her as she rests her head on your small palm.

you couldn't help but laugh at the size difference between you. mina floated down to you. "we can play a game of catch, it appears to be emi's favorite." at the sound of catch, emi opened her eyes as she ran to the empty patch of grass up ahead.

"a game of catch sounds amazing!" you say, you walk over the small bag of baseball equipment that kenji brought for moments like this. picking up the ball, a regular sized bat, a glove, and even dragging emi's bat over, you handed the items amongst the three of you.

mina took the glove in her mechanical arm as you passed emi her giant bat. you kept the baseball in your hand, deciding that you'd be the one to pitch it to emi, with mina behind to catch the ball if the adorable kaiju were to miss.

you all took your positions, emi's tail slightly wagging from excitement. you couldn't help to giggle as you launched the ball over to emi, now waiting to see if it was a hit or strike.

emi missed the ball by a smidge, making her slightly sulk as mina caught the ball in her glove. you called out to her. "it's okay baby! just try it again, you got this! show mommy how much of a good player you are, just like daddy!"

she cheered up, lifting up the bat as mina threw the ball at you. you caught the ball, holding it in the palms of your two hands. "ready?" you asked emi as she chirped back in confirmation.

"here it goes!" you yelled out as you launched the ball towards her. it almost felt like slow motion when you watched desperately, nervous to see if she'd hit it this time. a loud smack was heard as emi's bat smacked against the white ball. the ball flew towards you, making you yelp as you jumped away to avoid getting hit.

almost as luck was on your side, an arm circled around your waist, preventing you from falling to the side as their other hand caught the fast paced ball in their grip. you looked up to see that kenji had been the one to catch you, making you sigh in relief.

"you okay y/n?" he asked with worry in his eyes when he saw how fast the ball was flying to you. she was lucky to have had him come out of the room with his dad at the sound of a clang coming from emi's baseball bat.

"yeah!" you slightly yelped out in shock. he chuckled, glad to see that you were okay, although even with a bruise of mark on your face, he'd still find you beautiful in his eyes. "atta girl. here let me help you."

kenji smiled as he pulled you more upright so you could stand on your own. you stood straight, your ankle suddenly aching from applying pressure. it wasn't bad, but it wasn't comfortable and you'd knew it would get in the way of you being able to play.

you slightly winced but kenji had caught on to the slight stumble you had as you tried walking it off. "nope nope, not on my watch, come on." you almost yelled when you felt your body lift off the ground, but saw that it was only kenji.

he turned towards his dad, "dad! i'm gonna treat y/n, we'll be back in a bit." his dad nodded as he turned to watch mina and emi play. you couldn't help but grumble in annoyance at having to leave the game, you knew you'd have to make it up to emi soon.

kenji made his way up to the aircraft you all had came in. he walked with ease up the ramp, surprising you with how easily he had carried you. his eyes linked with yours, giving you a small smile as his footsteps tapped at the metal flooring.

it wasn't long till he found a restroom, softly setting you down on the toilet seat so you wouldn't apply pressure to your foot while standing. kenji bent down to the cabinet in the restroom, pulling out a first aid kit. "here it is." he mumbled to himself as he pulled out a roll of bandages and ointment.

he turned towards you, rolling up the bottom of your jeans to see a cut on your leg. he winced seeing the redness and the slight blood that pooled from it but quickly grabbed a rag and wet it. using the wet rag, he wiped away lightly at the cut to clean it up.

you sighed at the feeling of the wet rag, bringing some comfort to the area. you watched as he twisted the bottle of ointment open, applying some on the tip of his finger. he softly rubbed the ointment onto the wound, making you smile.

"you remembered." you said looking down at him. he smiled up at you. "yeah i did, i had to remember if i wanted to help you properly with your wounds the way you helped me with mine that one time." he said as he began to wrap at your ankle with the bandages he took out, making it tight but with not too much pressure.

"thank you kenji." you say smiling getting ready to get up. "of course, anything for my girl." you couldn't help but feel your face heat up, a noticeable blush on your face for him to see. he chuckled seeing you red, making you even more nervous. 'curse how good his laughs sounds'.

you nervously looked around, trying to avoid becoming even more flustered cause of the man in front of you. kenji looked back at you seeing you looking the other way, he couldn't help but smile at how you avoided him.

how badly he wanted to kiss you. it had been a little while since he did. the both of you had been busy with his dad around and trying to train emi, it felt like moments of privacy hadn't happened in a while for the two of you.

before he knew it, he was in front of you, the palms of his hands turning your face look at him. your face was red as your eyes slightly widened at him suddenly appearing in front of you. his fingers delicately tracing at the outlines of your cheeks, pressing each mark.

"hi," you awkwardly said, mentally facepalming at your words. 'hi?? seriously??'. kenji smiled still, snapping you out of your words. "i've missed you." you heart melted, he was always so sweet with his words, it was easy to become flustered.

"i've missed you too. i'm right here." you said reaching up to hold onto his hand that held your face. "i know, but i've missed this, having privacy with you. i feel like we barely have enough time with one another, just me and you." he softly says, you smile now knowing that you weren't the only one feeling that way.

"i've missed that too. i love all the time with emi and your dad, but i miss those times we had just for ourselves, but it's okay, cause we'll find time when we come back." you say smiling at him softly.

he was silent for a second, his eyes flickering between your lips and your eyes. you couldn't help but blush feeling his stare. "i want to kiss you so bad." he suddenly blurted out. his tan skin held red on his cheeks, making you smile at how shy and bold he was. you were the same way either way.

"i never said you couldn't." you whispered back making his eyes widen. it didn't take long till you felt his lips slam against yours, his hands pulling you closer by your neck to instantly deepen the kiss. he was desperate. it was obvious as day that he had missed the feeling of your lips on his. but gosh did you feel the same.

your hands found his hair, messing up his neatly brushed locks. kenji moved more forward, kneeling on his knees to reach your height as you bent down as close as you could to him.

the kiss was needy, like an animal that hadn't eaten in weeks. he was craving more even while he still kissed you. kenji pulled away, catching you off guard as his lips found your neck, playing soft kisses to every inch of it. a gasp escaped your mouth as you felt him bite down, his tongue licking at the indent right after making you shiver.

kenji suddenly separated from your neck, standing up off the floor. you stared up at him, watching what he was going to do. strong, firm hands grabbed you as he threw you over his shoulder, causing you to shriek slightly as the sudden movement.

"k-kenji?!" you yelled out, confused. he was silent, opening the door from the restroom as he moved quick through the hallways. his hand found your ass, grabbing a handful with a squish as you turned red from his sudden boldness. 'oh god what did i get myself into'.

it wasn't long till he stood in front of a door and opened it. he walked it throwing you on the bed, being gentle to not hurt your injured ankle. you gasped when he followed in trail, crawling over you.

like a fly in a web, he hunched over you like a spider about to eat their prey. "can i? please." was the only thing that left his mouth as he stared down at you. you could only nod as kenji's lips found the crevice of your neck. his tongue trailed down, slightly sucking like he was trying to find something.

and he found it. a soft moan left your lips as you closed your eyes in shock at the sensitivity of your sweet spot. he couldn't help but smile at the sweet sounds of pleasure you made, it made him excited.

he quickly captured your lips in his, his hand running down the side of your torso, gripping at your waist to keep you under him. your hands attacked his disheveled hair, hearing him groan from small pulls at his locks.

kenji rose up, pulling you up with him as he flipped the two of you in bed. he now laid down with you hovering over him. grabbing you by his neck, he pulled you down to him, giving animalistic licks at the side of your neck, only to nibble at the lobe of your ear slightly.

kenji's hands found your ass, his thumbs kneading at your skin through your shorts. "kenji? what about your dad?" you asked nervously, worried about taking a long time. "oh god, i forgot about them." he instantly sat up, you still in his lap. "i hope you don't mind, next time?" he asks making you laugh.

"next time then." you say smiling. kenji gives you a quick kiss on your lips, now helping you get up off the bed carefully so you don't fall. the both of you walking back, slightly embarrassed for taking a little while longer than planned.

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note! GUYS IM SORRY - im not trying to tease you all or anything, or uh c***block you all but i'm just so hesitant to write more steamy scenes. trust me i am not innocent at all, i just worry about younger readers seeing that and ruining themselves.

before anyone starts saying they're not pure at all at a really young age - some of you guys are still minors. it's my responsibility as the adult here to look out for you all. besides i feel like a scene here is just too out of nowhere, not enough privacy or the chance to throw this into the story line without messing it up a bit.

now how do you all feel about me just giving you guys some 'action' more later on? as a separate chapter, it's tied to the story BUT it's barely mentioned at all so it could be separated for those who don't really like this type of content?

TAGLIST — CLOSED!

@ilovemyhusbandaaravos @miffysoo @ldykir4 @chaoticotaku @channit @shingsoluvely @m00nd0v3 @mixvchelle @ifharbingerbad--whyhot @dreamayy @justanotherkpopstanlol @bat1212 @angelitadiaz @snowbusiness @witcwitchy @mizzowizzo @buggs-1 @mmeerraa @everywonuu @nevermorekisses @f1uveryysblog @t4naiis @stxrrielle @ixqiix @arrozyfrijoles23 @sincerest-one @imsimping4life @sassy-cat-in-town @jack-of-all-trades-696 @flutterfly365 @eternalgoddessofart @hulyenl @leabrainrot @sunmigs @m3q3kic @lynbubble @leviannx @call-me-nyxx @gurofushi @ya-boi-v @im-sidney @haitani-zoe @mtheooo @chreiiii @secretlyapartofthisfandom @greenmanshoe @badbishsblog @reallysparklychaos @deimmortales99 @ashsallyblue2 @matchalatte06 @random-3455 @reivelmin @jennyfernan @solatiiium @liliabrary @maxi-ride @22carolina08 @coffetears @vyxnn-xage

[em1e]

ᶻz feat. draken + mikey + ran !!

tokyo revengers && haircare

☓ they let u touch their hair !! ran's is a lil suggestive :3

ᶻz・ken ryuguji ‘draken’

⠀ ⬤ and helping upkeep his dark dye job.

“your roots are coming in.” you hum out with a tap to his forehead. 

draken swats your hand away with a grimace, standing from his kneeling position in front of the bike he was fixing while wiping his hands on the rag he keeps in his belt loop, “yeah? ‘ve been meaning to get some dye.” 

you smile, “can i do it?” 

“you gotta dying degree?, his eyes narrow to slits, quick to ask. 

“cosmetology degree,” you correct, unwavering, “and how hard can it be? you seem to do just fine.” 

“i’ve been doing it for a couple years.” he rolls his eyes, “and it’s so dark, i dunno how good of a job you’ll do.” 

“tomato, tomato.” you wave off, “what brand do you get? i’ll stop by the store and grab a box before you’re home.”  

he doesn’t have it in him to argue - not when you’re giving him such a big grin and those puppy-dog eyes - he can’t say no. 

“revlon,” he relents, “but if you mess up you’re never doin’ it again.” 

“aye aye captain.” you giggle, standing on your toes to press a quick kiss to his lips before you’re practically skipping out of the garage.

when he comes back to your shared home, you’re sitting in the living room, a towel in the middle of the floor with one of the dining room chairs set in the center of it. he raises an eyebrow at it, and you hold up the box with a smile. 

“ready?”

draken changes from his work clothes while you mix the bowl of dye. he ends up sitting in the chair while you drape an old hand towel around his neck and press a kiss to his nose when you’re satisfied with the placement. 

“try not to get it in my scalp, yeah?” he grimaces at how dark the color is, suddenly very aware of each stroke you put onto his head despite you being mindful of each part you section off before moving to the next. it takes you maybe thirty minutes before you’re satisfied, making sure to use what dye remains to blend it in with the rest of his hair. you give another kiss to his forehead when you’re finished, and grimace when your nose presses into the still very wet dye. 

draken wipes away the little dot smeared on the tip of your nose with the corner of the hand towel, smiling at how you perk up at such a little interaction. 

“‘kay, it has to stay on for 25 minutes and then you can rinse it out.” 

“i know,” he laughs, “i do this like once a month.” 

you pinch his shoulder with a huff, “i was just reminding you.” 

draken stays in the chair as the 25 minutes pass, worried about dripping dye on your brand new carpet, and lets you help him wash it out when the time comes, leaning over the edge of the bathtub while you run water and shampoo and conditioner over his hair. 

you towel it try while he sits on the toilet, pressing a kiss to his forehead when you’re finished and smiling at how well of a job you’ve done. 

“none on your scalp.” you hum out, stepping back when he stands to look at himself in the mirror. you adore him like this, hair down and falling over his shoulders. he runs a hand through the still slightly damp hair, examining with the critique of a college professor.

then he gives you a toothy grin, brushing some fallen pieces out of his face, “you did good. might have to make this a habit.” 

ᶻz・manjiro sano ‘mikey’ 

⠀ ⬤ and letting you put his hair into different styles.

mikey was practically purring while you ran your fingers through his messy blond hair. 

the sensation of your fingertips against his scalp was magical, leaving him to bonelessly slumping against you while you part and section as you please, and despite you tapping his shoulder multiple times and mumble something about him needing to stay sitting up straight so you can properly fix his hair, he always ends up in the same position. 

it makes your job twenty times harder, tying up his pretty locks at an awkward angle and having to redo it multiple times when it’s uneven, and part of you suspects maybe he’s doing it on purpose - the need to have your fingers in his hair ever present with the sighs that fall from his lips. 

still, you do as well as you can, and press a soft kiss to the top of his head when you’re finished. 

he doesn’t have to look in the mirror to know you’ve done a good job. his body goes even limper to lean his full weight against you, sighing softly as you wrap your arms around his waist and hook your head over his shoulder. 

“how’s it look?” he asks more out of courtesy, since you did just spend the last twenty minutes doing whatever it is you’ve decided to do to his head. 

“cute.” you answer with a smile, “wanna see?” 

he hums, eyes closing when the warmth that radiates from you seeps into his back. he really doesn’t want to move.

and it’s as if you can see into the future - having already brought over a small hand mirror for him to look into when you grabbed the various hair ties and clips that are currently in his hair. you offer it to him gently, and he takes it with one eye open, head tilting as he takes in his new style. 

it is cute, he can admit. small colorful butterfly clips sat mixed into the usual half-up hairdo he normally wears. 

“you did good.” he turns his head slightly to give you a small peck on the cheek, smiling when he sees the blush that flares from the spot as if he’s burned you. 

“thanks.” your voice is quiet, but giddy. happy he’s happy. 

he sets the mirror face down onto his stomach, closing his eyes and letting himself relax in your embrace. some stray clips poke into the back of his head, but he can’t really find it in himself to care when the air around you brings such peace. 

he thinks he could stay like this forever, laying with whatever silly decorations in his hair if it means you’ll stay there, too. 

ᶻz・ran haitani

⠀ ⬤ and braiding his stupidly dyed hair.

“you are so annoying,” you groan out, undoing the entirety of the braid you’ve just done when ran turns his head to face you with a grin. 

“what?” he asks innocently, as if he hasn’t been the reason you’ve spent thirty minutes on his hair and still haven’t gotten a single braid finished. 

you replace the hair tie on your wrist, twisting him to face forward by his cheeks to restart, “we were supposed to leave twenty minutes ago. rindou is gonna kill me if we’re late to this stupid dinner.” 

his grin falters at the mention of his brother’s name, turning to face you fully despite your protests, “who cares ‘bout him. you ‘nd i can have plenty of fun without goin’ to that dinner with him.”

the look you set him with would send any normal person running, but ran haitani has seen it all. death doesn’t scare him as much as it probably should, and neither does the way your eyes are scanning over his face. 

“it’s his birthday.” you settle for instead, forcing him to turn back around so you can start over with a frustrated sigh. 

“he ‘nd i already celebrated.” he says dismissively, turning back around despite you clicking your tongue and dropping your hands into your lap with another sigh. 

your aggravation is palpable, clear with the crease in your brows, “ran, i’m serious. i still need to get dressed and the reservation is five minutes from now and the place is almost fifteen if we speed-” 

he shuts you up with a kiss, pulling you towards him with a desperation that has your eyes fluttering closed and returning it as if it’s something as natural as breathing. your hands come up to tangle in his hair, fingertips meeting the hair tie still separating the half of it from the rest, and you pull. far harder than necessary, and it has him pulling away from you with a groan. 

it’s enough to tug the hair tie out completely, and you’re satisfied with the way his mixed colors fall over his shoulders and frame his face. 

the grin he gives you is sharp, all teeth and teasing, and your eyebrows raise with a pointed finger, “no ran. you are going to this dinner with your hair down and i am going to get dressed.” you slide out from behind him as quickly as your body will allow, already in the process of stripping off your shirt to put on the clothes you’ve set out previously. 

“c’mon babe, we’re already gonna be late.” his arms wrap around your bare torso, teeth pressing into your shoulder from how hard he’s grinning, “what’s a few extra minutes? s’not like he’ll be alone, izana ‘nd the others’ll be there to keep him company.” 

“ran.” your voice is warning, but you’re letting him pull you towards the bed and your resolve falters with each second he’s holding you. you are already late anyways. what’s twenty more minutes?

[beyourselfchulanmaria]

Daily life 11. 8. 2024 | Take a rest in the morning - A New hotel nikko kaohsiung opening in November, near by my studio just walking for 1000 steps to get there. Pretty nice there what I love her the way design & display of art in the lobby. and 又多了一個地方讓我可以『逃亡』. lol

When I was a young girl (20 yrs old/amost 40 yrs ago hahaha terrible O my old) my favorite books of one. but I never touch this book once for a very long time, maybe my life so hard; the day I was starting reread this book：

「叛逆的靈魂 (奧修自傳) Autobiography of a Spiritually Incorrect Mystic」

by 奧修 Osho/ Rajneesh  (रजनीश चन्द्र मोहन जैन 1931-1990 Indian godman, philosopher, mystic and founder of the Rajneesh movement.) 奧修國際資訊中心網址：www.osho.com

📌 Drawn from nearly five thousand hours of Osho's recorded talks, this is the story of his youth and education, his life as a professor of philosophy and years of travel teaching the importance of meditation, and the true legacy he sought to leave behind: a religionless religion centered on individual awareness and responsibility and the teaching of "Zorba the Buddha," a celebration of the whole human being.

˗ˋˏ ♡ღ ˎˊ˗ 第9章 - 性師父 (SEX GURU) p. 134-138 in English 👍

問: 曾有人寫過你的事,說你是鼓吹「免費的性」的師父, 報導還指出你的交心團體裡曾發生男女濫交的事情, 這是真的還是假的? 你是否在控制人們的心智?

答: 請問你認為性是應該付費的嗎? 難道它不該是免費的? 難不成你還要為它付錢嗎? 對我來說, 性是單純、美好、自然而然的現象。如果有兩個人享受彼此的能量, 沒有人有權利干涉。說「免費的性」暗示著你希望性也成為日用品, 日用品是要花錢去買的：你不是花錢向妓女買一個晚上,就是向太太買一輩子, 反正性得花錢買就對了。 是的, 我主張性是免費的。我相信每個人天生都擁有權利去分享性、陶醉在性裡面, 性會為你帶來許多樂趣, 沒有什麼好嚴肅的。那些說我在倡導「免費的性」的人真的很悲哀, 他們是性壓抑的一群人。

— 摘自與《早安美國報〉(Good Morning America)

記者肯恩·卡希瓦哈拉(Ken Kashiwahara)的專訪

▪︎ 我常告訴你,從性到超意識是有可能的,而你聽了很高興,因爲你只聽到「從性」,沒聽到「到超意識」。

那些反對我的人就是這樣,而那些支持我的人也是這樣,他們全都沒有兩樣!人們幾乎是大同小異的,朋友與敵人並沒有太大差別。我一直被敵人誤解,這是合情合理的,但我也被支持我的人誤解,這一點叫人不懂;敵人還情有可原,但支持者就很難說得過去了。

▪︎ 爲了讓你意識到生命中有些更高超、更美好的事,爲了讓你知道生命中還有更狂喜、更高潮的事,這是唯一的辦法。 性只是一個開端,不是結尾。你將它視為開端並沒有任何不對,如果你執著於它,那你就開始走錯了。

在做愛之後,至少打坐一個小時,只要去觀察發生了什麼事,你就會懂我的意思,你會明白為麼我說性是愚蠢的。

▪︎ 唯有透過靜心,你將能了解我一直對你說的。這不是爭辯就可以裁決的,只有經由你自身的靜心、了解與覺知才能決定。

▪︎ 我從沒教過人「免費的性」,我所教的是「性的神聖」。我向來就認爲,性不該從愛的範疇降級到法律的範疇。當你愛一個女人的理由是因爲她是你太太,而不純粹因爲你愛她,這就是一種賣淫,一種合法的賣淫。我相信愛,如果兩個人相愛,他們可以因爲愛而住在一起,當愛遠走的時候,他們就該從容地分手。

(🤸‍♀️ yes! woof woof 🐕‍🦺 )

[justsomerandomfanfic]

Upcoming Fanfics! - 10/4/24

Posting this early!

Here are some of the fanfics that are going to be posted in the upcoming months! (There is a poll below if you want to vote for the one that you are most excited about).

---

Here are just some of the upcoming fanfics... I've got to keep some of them a surprise. (Sorry about my terrible summaries!)

This Is Halloween - Bruce Wayne X Female Reader/Batmom X Batfamily - DC Comics/Batman

Summary: You convince Damian into dressing up for Halloween.

2. Playing With Fire - Cooper Adams X GN Reader - TRAP

Summary: After Cooper Adams' divorce, he later meets you, and he's not the only one that has secrets...

3. The Words Upon Your Lips - Jaime Reyes X GN Reader - DC Comics/Blue Beetle

Summary: Jaime loves to say sweet things to you in spanish, not knowing that you can understand him.

4. Whirlwind - Tyler Owens X Female Reader - Twisters

Summary: You and Tyler go through a whirlwind of emotions. Oh, what a simple tornado can do to unleash some hidden feelings.

5. Halloween Cookies - Beetlejuice X Female Reader - Beetlejuice The Musical

Summary: Beetlejuice really wants to go to your friend's Halloween party, though you are a bit worried that Beetlejuice will dish out more tricks than treats...

6. Against The Spiderverse - Miguel O'Hara X Female Reader - MCU/Spiderverse

Summary: You never thought there were more Spider-people out there, until you met Miguel O'Hara.

7. The Perfect Paradox - 10th Doctor X Female Reader - Doctor Who

Summary: You love your perfect life, but maybe it's too perfect?

8. Battlezone - Ken (Ryan) X GN Reader - Barbie Movie

Summary: When you decided to take Ken to play laser tag with you, maybe you should've told him what laser tag was...

9. A Question Of Courtship - Kili X Female (Human) Reader (Requested) - The Hobbit

Summary: You never thought that joining your adoptive father on this journey would lead you to the love of your life.

10. The Weight Of Perfection - Otto Octavius X (Platonic) Female Reader (Requested) - MCU/Spider-Man

Summary: You've been struggling in college. You need to have perfect grades, only living off cups of coffee... Your professor, Otto, steps in to help.

[mrjgain]

The solid snake rp is superrr hot, something about getting well known fit characters and making them fat is mmmmm. Did you like doing the rp, and will you do more rps in the future with other characters?

Yeah I still have about 3 maybe 4 more vids with Snake to upload. Next up is Professor Birch sometime (already have the outfit). Also got a Bowser inspired outfit ready I've yet to do. Got future plans for a Darius (League of Legends) and possibly Ryu or Ken. Sandayu from Housamo. Feel free to leave suggestions🔥

[queerwritersingerdramaqueen]

TUMBLR, I WILL MAKE YOU POST THIS

PREVIEW: 

AKA-NO-KEN YOU ACTUAL PHSCHIC HOW THE FUCK DID YOU GUESS ALL MY GOD CASTINGS CORRECTLY???

AGAIN, WISDOM SAGA SPOILERS SO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. ALSO MAYBE A TRIGGER WARNING FOR LOVE IN PARADISE CAUSE THAT WAS MORE THAN I WAS FUCKING EXPECTING.

THIS IS SHERLOCK AND BILL'S FUCKING SAGA NOW BITCHES BROS AND NON-BINARY HOES. AND AGAIN, I'M FANGIRLING AS I GO.

So, with where we left off, William's having a minor relapse in his mental state but it won't become too much of a plot point/serious thing. He and Moran are on funky terms but if there is no "reconciliation" in later sagas then We'll figure that out when we get there. Anyway, this saga ain't about him.

(ALSO, I MISSED A FUCKING OPPOURTUNITY

VON HERDER AS TIRESIAS, IM A FOOL)

Anyway, lets get started.

The Wisdom Saga:

Legendary - BILL IS HERE FUCKERS. SHERLIAM'S ADPOTED SON IS GONNA BE LEGENDARY. I really like how this parallels with Canon when Bill only knew William as a genius professor and Sherlock's actually the one who introduces them in a way. It'll set up nicely for when we get to "I can't help but wonder" and Telemachus/Bill has to toss up with the fact that his Dad just removed the twenty year problem but he did also kill a bunch of people (you know, like in canon.). So this starts out with the lights slowly coming in and Bill's "room" has a chair and a few other easily moveable props. This is a very dancey number I'm finding so these props are probably gonna get taken off stage so there can be actors milling around for Telemachus to interact with, I think he'd be mostly weaving between them trying to avoid them while they keep swiping at him. The majority of suitors can be off the stage but Antinous and a few others are up there ready for the "Whatcha gonna do about it, champ?" The lights would change on Boy to a red colour. It would be so cute seeing Billy fight for Sherlock's Honour. I think something really cool that could happen is when Telemachus sings "somebody help me" the lights flash blue for a second like Athena has heard his plea. and at the very end of the song, he punches Milverton square on the nose (in the fake way of course).

Little Wolf - My big idea for this that would absolutely not transfer over to a regular production of Epic the musical would be that Antinous/Milverton is not the one fighting Telemachus/Bill. I cannot really see Milverton fighting for himself and would definitely have lackey's doing it for him; but outside of this AU Antinous absolutely fights for himself. But yeah, Milverton mocks the shit out of Bill while he's fighting somebody. The lights stay red while the suitors and Milverton are doing their thing. When Athena appears the lights turn blue like fighting of the panic of being in a fight. I think this is one of those moments where its so fun having Sherlock as Athena and Penelope cause it's like "Don't worry baby, Mama's here to help." But, onto the super cool crossover intertexuality talk I can't seem to do right now, Sherlock as Athena fits very nicely cause he, alongside William, helps Bill get into the university; so Sherlock being the one helping in this fight reminds me of that. And Athena's "I've no respect for bullies" reminds me of his disdain for Milverton and his methods of blackmail. ALSO, HER PIANO IN THAT PART IS SO FUCKING GOOD I FUCKING ASCENDED. PAIRING IT WITHT HE DRUMS THAT WAY, WHO DOES JORGE THINK HE IS. In a way, this is like showing how Penelope would like to react to her suitors beating up her son (it just popped into my head but kind of like a batman meme, Penelope dressing up as the goddess of wisdom to fuck up her son's bullies). Athena's whole solo there sounds a lot like Sherlock when he was talking to Irene. And when the fight ends and Antinous says Penelope needs to pick a suitor, Athena/Sherlock is very disturbed before he helps Bill up.

We'll be Fine - The thing I love the absolute most about this musical is exploring Sherlock's side of this whole fiasco they were in and giving him a chance to vent some of this frustrations. Because it wasn't easy on him either and he might blame himself a little bit for not being able to help more. Bill knows a little bit about it from gossip and rumour and being a part of the Epic cast for a little while, not too much but between the two of them, Bill understands that Sherlock is letting out a bit of his frustration with the previous problem and the repeat that seems to be occurring, because he's super smart like that (I say seems because in real life, it won't last that long and William is probably gonna be ok and reconciled with Moran by the time we get there. It'll hopefully make sense once we get to the next saga but I just can't keep knocking this dude over he needs to start healing and giving him a less self-jeopardising problem to fight). Even though he and William have worked through a fair bit of what happened and their still going really strong, Sherlock is still worried. Sherlock's super soft on Bill because he's so similar to William. Bill, while sticking to the script, is just subtly reassuring him that it's ok, they'll get through this rough patch and they'll be fine. Sherlock doesn't need to be the first responder. A little bit of it probably comes out as Bill saying "William wouldn't want you to beat yourself up over this," especially when he mentions Athena's friend (William and Bill are also probably really close friends at this point, don't tell me William wouldn't take him under his wing immediately after they're introduced). When Athena calls him a good kid, Sherlock ruffles his hair and then Bill makes a move like someone's calling him and runs off, leaving him for the next part.

ALRIGHT I'M HAVING FUCKING ISSUES WITH TUMBLR RIGHT NOW SO STAY TUNED FOR PART TWO BECAUSE ANYTHING LONGER THAN THIS WONT FUCKING POST OR SAVE AS A DRAFT.

@aka-no-ken I'M COMING SWEETIE AND I'M BRINGING MY WORK WITH ME JUST BEAR WITH ME

[from-the-clouds]

you know what kendall deserves his version of willa (with a happier ending) he can do his lewis and clark of sex manic episode thing with her, it starts as filling the void with sex and pushing shit away, she wanted some fun and the money wasn't a bad thing and doesn't find him to be as awful as she thought he could be.

she becomes super protective of him once she realizes what he's actually going through, doesn't let his family speak over him. None of that your kids aren't your real kids bullshit, all 'that's it we're doing something about it' attitude. she convinces him to go back to rehab and stay in therapy treatment (and she waits for him)

it goes from sex buddies to actual friendship to love.

she becomes his number 1 fan, she gets him into collecting records and investing into things he actually cares about. maybe he starts a label? or he funds one. he wants to patch up his relationship with his kids guess who's there ready to be there for him?? when kens guilt returns about the waiter, about the election, about his kids, about everything shes is there. if the jess publishing a book thing is an in universe thing and he gets to see himself from the outside, she is there.

she also comes from this hard background and has done tons of work to heal, so she's ready to be there for him. nobody has ever actually cared about him, and wasn't counting on that being the direction of the relationship so it takes him a while to realize this isn't just sex and money anymore.

he probably keeps thinking the only reason she stays is because well she likes his money, the more he likes her the more he pushes her away because he thinks it's for the best. nobody really needs to put up with him, she figures it out though.

she knows the cycle, she has lived the cycle. they don't have to be together anymore but she will not leave him, he breaks, it's love, it's real. it might not be forever but close enough, and it's real love.

_

Anyway I'm not a writer I'm just tired of the nihilism of people with kendall my man is happy and content in the future, he finds happiness again. He still has stewy who will be definitely investing on the label thing even if he says he won't work with ken ever again. ken funds stewys lube line (the wetter the better) in repayment.

sorry that i sent this to you but i needed it to be out there somewhere. love your Professor!Ken headcanons! hope you're having a great time on your vacations 💜

i totally could see ken ending up with a willa! or someone like him. there are some really good ken x reader fics that have this sort of dynamic, too, even if doesn't go exactly how you type it out here!

i think kendall could literally do anything with his money, a record label would be a great idea since he's so into music/art and pop culture stuff! also him dating someone younger would keep him 'hip' to everything so he would see that as a perk of seeing her.

and yes! i could see their relationship being sort of cyclic like the show. maybe he pushes her away when he gets too emotionally involved, but she sort of keeps coming back because she likes him too.

i understand why kendall's ending has to be seen as grim for the sake of the show, but i don't know that it's as grim as 'he's going to die' if that's how jesse wanted to end the show that's how he would've ended it, you know? like i think it's intentional kendall was kept alive, but he will probably find something else to be obsessive about eventually. and the cycle will keep repeating!! but its not all bad in my opinion.

[flagonofdragons]

Ken just wanted to visit his sister...

So I was thinking how nice it would have been to have an episode where Ken visits Gwen at Friedkin. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised how utterly bizarre and bewildering that visit would be. Gwen and Kevin are showing Ken around and introducing him to people and it just keeps getting weirder and weirder, just imagine:

Because first up you've got Zed, Kevin's alien dog who used to be one of Ben's enemies. Then you've got Professor Hex who used to be one of Gwen's enemies.

Depending on what was supposed to happen after 'The Most Dangerous Game Show,' it's highly likely that Charmcaster is still at Friedkin, who of course was Gwen's number 1 enemy. If this was a couple months later, then maybe Gwen has succeeded in befriending her and helping her change her life for the better. Or if Charmcaster hasn't quite changed yet, then she'd either still be trapped in her bag, or possibly be allowed out of it for some freedom but with a spell on her to stop her using her magic so she couldn't harm anyone (like the spell Gwen put on Darkstar) and either way this is going to look majorly weird.

Then there's Professor Xagliv 'The Art History Professor of Death' who isn't actually an enemy, but was once mistaken for one of Ben's old enemies (Vilgax)

There's also Professor Aniceto from the drama department, who for some reason was stealing plutonium and ended up fighting Lucky Girl.

Ken: The eyes on that painting keep following me..

Kevin: Yeah they do that, don't stare at them too long or they might try to steal your soul

And Kevin's only half-joking because no ones really sure why the paintings do that and knowing Friedkin University it's possible they're actually haunted or cursed.

The guy who sells sandwiches isn't evil (as far as we know) but gives off a really ominous vibe.

They walk past a group of students and Ken asks his sister why some of them are wearing dark robes; "Are they part of a D&D club?" And they explain that no, actually they used to be part of a cult that worshiped this guy who's still Gwen's enemy (Darkstar)

Kevin: Don't worry, we beat him and he doesn't go here anymore. We don't really know what those kids do anymore but they haven't caused anymore trouble so it's cool I guess.

Ken: Wait that guy used to go here?

And they're walking around showing Ken the buildings and he points at one.

Ken: That looks new, is the University expanding?

Gwen: No that's just repair work from when Charmcaster sliced the building in half when we fought once. And that new archway over there was built after she destroyed the last one when she turned into a dragon.

Ken: ...

Kevin, grumbling: And over there is where she made my car vanish.

By the time they run into Bezel, Ken's just like "let me guess, he used to be one of your enemies too?" And Gwen tells him "actually, no! He is however the most powerful sorcerer in the universe." And right on cue, Bezel pulls out a deck of cards (that are clearly facing the wrong way) brandishes them at Ken, and gleefully asks him to pick one.

Other than the DNAlien incident, it's probably the weirdest visit Ken's ever done (but thankfully far less traumatizing)

[misterfeller]

the cryptic asks are fun :)

you'll never know who i am

mainly because we're not mutuals and i dont follow anyone, so i'm invisible to you

so uh

you can call me whatever you want

ohhh okay!!!! i thought you would be one of my mutuals. you kind of remind me of faggot mouse. i am okay with more cryptic asks this is so fun yay! deciding what to call you is going to be really hard bc i barely know anything about you. i have this stupid thing in my phone where it gives me cats and i name them. maybe you could look through them and see if any names feel like you. i would put screenshots of all the names here but there would be too many. i will copy and paste some for you. under the cut bc there are 5 million even with some taken out

a kiss without the moustache is like an egg without salt

agate

al crane

alabaster

alberta

aldebaran

alexandra vondude

alfie

alma

andromeda

aphid

arnold babatunji

arthur

aziraphale

baas kwaadwillig

bat masterson

bcos

beach ball

bebop

betty

beverly

big audrey

big louise

billy brown

billy the phantom bellboy

birdie

blubbert

blynken

bobby

bobo botn

bora karaca

bruce bunyip

cab calloway

captain buffalo birnbaum

carl azuz

cassiopeia

catskills

catsup

chase

chick the cherub

chicken nancy

chris harrington

clarinda quackenboss

clive montague

colonel ken krenwinkle

copper

cordelia

crowley

d'artagnan

dandelion

darlin companion

davy

davy jones

dawn

deady bye bye

dinner

dionne

dirty bobby

doris

dot

dr. charlotte

electric larry

elizabeth van vreemdeling

elizatryst

erlking

eunice

fancy

fats waller

flapsur

flop

flossie

floyd

flying saucer

ford

found

francine

francis

frankanon

frosted mini spooners

fuffy

ganymede

gee wilikers

gizmodgery

gladys

gloopy

gnash

go to bed

good

goopy bloppy drippy sparkly

gradene

gwendolyn marshrat

hammersmith odeon

harold boonstangle

her majesty

hergeschleimer

hootenanny

horatius birnbaum

hot dog supper

ichabod

iggy birnbaum

irving

japonica

jason

jaws

juno

jurgen leitner

k spar

kitty nebelstreif

leitmotif

little bunny foo foo

live at the beeb

lola

louis

lullabye

mab

magic

maple leaf rag

marlon

mary

matches

maurice

melvin

meowy

milk

millicent

minnie the moocher

molly o'malley

moly b. denum

molybdenum

monkberry moon delight

mr bloodvessel

mr moon

mr moonlight

mr. plumbean

mrs. wimpydimple

ms. magistra

muffin man

nash

neddie wentworthstein

nick bluegum

nod

odds bodkins

nick bluegum

nod

odds bodkins

opal

orion

orthoclase feldspar

pajama

paloma

pearl

peppernut

percy "thrills" thrillington

peterkins

pickled pepper

pierre

pizza pie

plagioclase feldspar

pleistocene

polly pocket

potassium feldspar

povitica

prairiedog birnbaum

presyncope

prime meridian

professor tag

rex the wonder horse

ricky

rip van winkle

roberta

roger van tussenvuxel

ronnie wolfspit

rural

sadie

sally

samuel klugarsh

sandor eucalyptus

sargent caleb

satin spar

scarecrow

seamus finn

serutan yob

shangri-la

sheridan

sholmos bunyip

sinister

smokey joe

sorghum

space station level 7

sparkle

spookhuizen

sporty

stella octangula

steve craft

strega nona

suzie bunny boo boo

sweetie

syncope

the baritone buckaroo

thine

time machine

topsy

tough bananas

uncle borgel

valentine

wah watusi

wallace

wanda

weer

wendell

whorlygig

wicked anabella

wing ding

winnifred

wolluf

woofy davis

woopty doo

wynken

yggdrasil birnbaum

zaphod beeblebrox

zooxanthellae

[loveandthings11]

How Deep My Love Goes, Chapter 14

Read on AO3 Ch 1 Ch 2 Ch 3 Ch 4 Ch 5 Ch 6 Ch 7 Ch 8 Ch 9 Ch 10 Ch 11 Ch 12 Ch 13

Fic Summary: A fix-it alongside canon that answers the question "how would things change if Rava said yes?" 💗 Chapter Summary: At Argestes, Kendall gathers support for the takeover from Waystar's inner circle even as tension builds and trust splinters within his team. Everyone scrambles to gauge each other's reactions to Logan's out-of-control anger.

Breaking News

Shanghai, 2003

“I can’t deal with this,” Kendall says into his office phone. She can hear that he’s suffering as she struggles to stay awake in New York.

“I’m sorry I’m so tired,” she says sleepily.

“No, I should have called you earlier. You- you should be falling asleep with me,” he says. He sounds almost desperate. “You have to come out here. I can’t stand it without you. I seriously, like- I’m not- I need you. Fuck. I miss you. No one understands how hard this is.”

She takes in a breath.

“I might be the only one who does,” she says more clearly. “I miss you so much it hurts.” She hugs her pillow. “I wish I could hug you right now. Make you feel better.”

“Oh my god, I’m dying for it,” he says. His voice sounds so stressed and it hurts that she can’t be there to comfort him.

“I want to hold you and cover us up in this comforter,” she says. “Keep you warm, kiss your face.” Sometimes she stays away from it, but tonight she’s just allowing the torture.

He drops his head into his hands. “I fucking- I need that so badly. I need you. I’m-“ he shakes his head “-yeah, you know what? I’m sending a plane for you. Come stay with me. Please.”

“What about-“ she starts.

“I’ll call Yale. It doesn’t matter. You can finish the semester from here. We’ll figure it out.”

“Oh? And how is that going to work?” she laughs.

“Because I’ll make it work. I’m calling them tomorrow.” He sounds serious.

“And- they’ll just say yes?” she asks, trying not to let herself believe it yet.

“One of the few advantages my father offers,” he grumbles. “Their endowment can increase significantly.” He and his dad have been fighting for months over Logan’s decision to send him across the world for a year.

“Oh, one of the few,” Rava smiles.

“I’ll pay your law professors personally. They’ll do individual sessions, whatever it takes. It’s your last year. You’ll have bar exam tutors, whatever, I’ll fly them out.”

“Okay! Well, you’ve convinced me,” she says. She feels a smile spreading across her face. “Ken, can you actually do this? Because if I think I’m going to be wrapping my entire body around you this week and then it doesn’t happen-“

“Well, now that you’ve put it like that, my entire body is very ready for that scenario,” he says. He drags a hand over his face. “Jesus. Two months since your last visit is like a fucking year, I’m fixing this right now. I’m gonna let you go to sleep before I lose my mind in this office.”

“Okay,” she agrees reluctantly. “I really wish you were here.”

He sighs.

“I can’t even think about you in bed right now.” He pauses. “Except that now I will think about you in bed, and nothing else, for the rest of the day.” He pictures their fluffy comforter, soft-as-air sheets wrapped around her perfect body, arms reaching toward him with sparkles in her eyes. “What are you wearing?” he asks to complete the fantasy.

“I thought I wasn’t supposed to talk about that while you’re at work,” Rava teases. He chuckles.

“You’re not. But now I fucking have to know. Break my rule. Get your camera and email me a picture.”

“Kendall Roy, what kind of a girl do you think I am?” she asks with pretend shock. He smiles.

“Does that mean you’re not wearing anyth… no. Don’t answer that. You’re getting on a plane this week.”

“Whatever you say,” she says nonchalantly. He raises his eyebrows.

“Whatever I say? Are we keeping that rule when you get here?” he asks.

“Maybe,” Rava answers sweetly. “What are you wearing?”

He grins a little but refuses to give in.

“A suit.”

“That’s not very descriptive. That’s like me just saying ‘lingerie,’” she says. He wonders if anyone can see his smile through the glass of the office. Anyone could tell this is not a business call but he can’t stop.

“I’m not describing my suit.”

“Oh, you’re soooo serious and business-like,” she says mockingly. He tries unsuccessfully to keep his expression neutral.

“Okay. Well, this is a serious day-“ he attempts.

“What color is it?” she interrupts.

He gives it up, shaking his head and laughing.

“Navy blue. Are you happy?” She loves the sound of his laughter. It takes a lot of work and it’s always worth it.

“I will be if I see you this week,” she answers honestly. “You’re really going to call them tomorrow?” she asks hopefully. The possibility makes her heart race and she yearns for definite confirmation that she’ll have him back in her arms soon.

“Absolutely.” He looks at his watch and sighs. “Okay, well-“

“Nooo, don’t go,” she coos. But she knows she has to sleep and he has to work.

“Believe me, I don’t want to,” he says. She makes him feel more wanted than he’s ever felt.

“Okay. Thank you for taking care of this. I love you so, so much. I hope I get to see you this week.” She buries her face in the pillow and wills herself to stop being so excited before she knows if it’s really going to happen.

“You will. I love you too,” he says. He remembers the awful feeling of practically being pulled away from her at the hangar when he left and seeing her crying through the jet window. He can’t do that again. “You’ll stay? When you come?” he asks.

“For as long as you want,” she smiles.

“Forever,” he says. “Just so we’re clear.”

She blushes into speechlessness. She can’t believe how lucky she is.

“Forever. But we’re not staying there forever,” she half-asks.

“Don’t even worry. The day we get back to New York, that townhouse is gonna be home for real.” He’d bought them their dream place on the Upper East Side right before Logan had casually announced that Kendall would be in Shanghai for a year. He can’t wait to propose this coming year and make it all official.

“I love that,” she says dreamily.

“The place is good so far?” he asks. He’s jealous he’s not getting to experience it with her. His long-term hotel penthouse feels cold and impersonal and he misses Rava’s ability to make every room she walks into feel like home to him. He feels warmer at the idea of her in the suite. He likes it better already.

“It’s perfect,” she replies truthfully. “It’s missing you, though. It’s a good thing I have your sweatshirt.” She pauses. “Actually, can I break your rule?”

He smiles.

“Sure,” he agrees.

“Your sweatshirt. That’s what I’m wearing,” she says.

He wonders how she’s real.

“That’s even better than what I was thinking. Well, sort of.” She giggles. She’s warm in their bed inside his sweatshirt. He can’t do this anymore without going insane. “So… you go to sleep. I’ll take care of everything. You’ll be here within the week.”

“You’ll tell me exactly when tomorrow?” she asks. They had stopped doing their hourly count when she’d emailed him to ask how many hours til she saw him and he’d replied “a million :(“

“Yes. And it’s going to be less than a hundred hours. I can make it,” he says. “I think.”

“I’m so ready to see you. Less than a hundred hours.” She’s suddenly filled with relief. It hits her and she squeals. He smiles at the sound. She’s that excited to see him. “You have to cancel everything on your schedule because when I get there I am not letting go of you for two entire days!”

“That sounds so good,” he says. He glances out his glass office door at Nate and three of his coworkers heading his way. “Okay, I’m really sorry, but the guys are coming in here for the meeting. I love you. I can’t wait to see you. You have no idea.”

“I’m so excited! I love you!” she exclaims. Have a good meeting. I love you, I love you, I love you!”

……

Kendall’s leaning against the upholstered headboard smiling as he reads Rava’s gifted diary. He’d planned to read it all in one day but decided that reading one entry at a time was better.

She drapes her arm over his stomach from the pillow.

“What are you reading about?” she whispers.

“The week you came out to Shanghai.” He looks down at her. “You’re so fucking cute.”

“Mm I remember that. Just couldn’t take it anymore!” she smiles and nudges him to come closer. He slides down back under the comforter next to her and she puts the journal in the nightstand drawer.

“Yeah, that was physically painful.” He rolls onto his side and pulls her into his arms, exhaling fully. “This,” he says. “This is what I needed.”

She kisses him slowly and remembers the absolute euphoria of running into his arms as soon as she’d touched down.

He’d picked her up at the bottom of the plane staircase and she’d finally felt like she was flying even though she’d been in the air for hours. His driver and the flight attendants had stared at them kissing on the tarmac and fumbling and tripping backwards through laughs into the waiting limo.

“You brought literal sunshine with you,” he’d smiled as she shamelessly laid on top of him on the long seat and they saw the rays shining through the window. She had beamed at him and kissed him again and again.

“Where are we going?” she’d asked as the car started moving.

“Bed. Immediately.” He’d flashed her a devilish smile and she’d returned it as he started slipping his fingertips under her shirt.

She’d been terrified for months that she was going to lose him to someone else or that he would get stuck working in Shanghai permanently and wouldn’t be allowed to come home.

The relief of knowing she doesn’t ever have to be without him again floods her like it had in that moment and she rubs his shoulders.

“Hey,” she murmurs. “I love you.”

“I love you,” he mumbles into her hair.

“I’m going to go to Argestes with you,” she tells him.

He’s glad to hear the confirmation. He wants to look at her but he wants to stay where he is more.

“Yeah? Even with the kids and the plane and everything?”

“Yeah.”

He nods contentedly.

“Good.”

……

After dinner that night, Rava scrolls through The New York Times headlines while the staff cleans up. Kendall is reading through his hundreds of subject lines looking for anything that actually needs his attention when Connor calls him. He’s surprised for a moment but picks up right away once he remembers what the rest of the family is doing.

“Miss you, Kenny,” Connor slurs a little as soon as Kendall answers the phone. “Miss. You.”

Kendall is touched. And touched by guilt. He’d told himself he was going to make more of an effort with his big brother and they’ve barely spoken since RECNY.

“Hey, I miss you, too. How’s, uh… where are you all again?” He feels a pang of being left out. It’s been wearing on him lately.

“Tern Haven. What the Pierces call their compound.” Connor rolls his eyes. “They won’t take me seriously as a candidate, you know? They’re so into their elite establishments-“

“Dude. Criticism of the elite? Like- seriously?”

“Ha! You fit with everyone so well. Fuck,” Connor shakes his head. “Even when you’re out, you’re in,” he says. Kendall can hear the resentment and envy.

“Uh. Well, I don’t know that Dad would say that,” he responds. “So- so, what’s been happening? Is Nan Pierce-“

“Kenny, I love you. But I’m not calling to talk about company bullshit.”

“Oh- uh, right. Okay. Well…” Kendall doesn’t know quite what to say for a moment. “So- how are you?” he asks.

“Well, thank you for asking. I’m tired of not being taken seriously.”

“Well- Con, I get it, but you have to prove you deserve it to Dad if you want his-“

“-love?”

“-I was going to say respect. Although….” Kendall rubs his face. “He- I mean, not that I necessarily know everything- but- I think I’ve spent a lot of time close to him, so…”

“That you have,” Connor says plainly. Kendall’s a little thrown off by the attitude.

“Uh, are you guys drinking a lot?”

Rava glances up at him.

“You’re going to ask me if I’m drinking?” Connor asks with an edge.

Kendall sighs and looks at Rava with an expression that conveys how aggressive his brother sounds.

“I just- you seem…” he searches for the right words.

“Upset? Taken advantage of? You’re god damned right. And you’re off with your other family just laughing it up and taking away the company that makes any of us somebodies.”

“My other family?” Kendall is a little aghast at that and Rava looks taken aback. “You’re the one who- who always said I’d get them back? What the fuck? You know what happened with Dad. I had to do something.”

“Not this!” Connor exclaims. Kendall can hear the booze in his voice. “Splitting us up. We could have all been here together, you know? For once.”

“Okay, I’m not doing this. It is not my fault that we’re- you know, split like this. Blame Dad. I’m sure he’s pinning this all on me, but, it’s not just me. What was I supposed to do?” Rava is increasingly annoyed at the disruption in their peaceful day.

“Not take everything for yourself,” Connor grumbles.

“What? It was all taken from me. I- I can’t talk to you when you’re like this.” Kendall has a bit of an out-of-body experience saying the things that were once said to him in similar situations. “I’m just going to hang up- and- and we can talk later.” He thinks he sounds like Rava four years ago and wonders if she thinks the same thing.

“No,” Connor says. “I’m sorry. I’m- drunk. I don’t want to- just, you’re the favorite and you don’t appreciate it. You’re not even here. The one time I’m actually invited.”

“Con, Dad tried to destroy my life multiple times in the last four- five months. I don’t think I’m his favorite. Or- not anymore, I dunno.” Hearing himself say it makes him sad. “As for me being there, that just doesn’t- it doesn’t make any sense. When you’re back in the city we can get together. If you want.”

“Sure,” Connor says dully. “But we won’t.”

“Yeah, yes we will,” Kendall replies. “You know, if it made any sense for me to be there, I would be. I actually- it’s hard not to see anyone. Are you going to be at Argestes?”

“No,” Connor answers flatly. “Not invited to things like that. You know, the way the little ones talk to me is unacceptable. Roman thinks I’m a joke and Shiv couldn’t care less.”

“I mean- that’s the way they are,” Kendall says as sympathetically as he can. “They talk to me like that, too. Sometimes it’s good with them, but then- well, they have their own thing.”

“You three have your own thing.”

“Uh, less now. I mean, if it makes you feel better that we’re apart,” Kendall says with some bitterness. He doesn’t like it himself.

“Great, now I’m bad for wanting to separate you,” Connor replies. Kendall rolls his eyes. This conversation is impossible. Connor continues, “But you know, I would know, it sucks that you aren’t talking to them.”

Kendall feels more guilt seep in. His frequent talks with Roman and his last one with Shiv are too secret to mention. He hates to lie when Connor feels like this.

“I mean, yeah, it’s hard not to see them much, but- but all of this is necessary. And it’s temporary.” His carefully chosen words make him feel slimy.

“Right.” Connor scoffs lightly. “Necessary. Because you can’t live without Waystar, right?”

Kendall looks down. He’s sorry to say it, but at least he can tell the truth here.

“Not- not really.”

Connor nods sadly.

“Yeah.” He pauses. “I fucking love you, Kenny. I really do. I’m happy you’re happy.”

“Well- I don’t want you to- I- I mean, I love you, too. I don’t know if I’d say I’m just happy. Everything you said? Roman and Shiv? I don’t like this either.” Rava shifts in her chair and looks sad for a moment. He catches her eye and points to the phone like he had to say it, but she can tell it’s not all made up. He pauses for a moment and gets up to walk out of the room. “Look- you- you helped me when things were bad,” he says quietly. “So, if you want to talk about anything-“ he sees an opportunity. “-the President thing maybe?” he approaches cautiously. “Like, are you just doing this for-“

“Attention?” Connor finishes. “In fact, I am doing this because my principles are the ones America needs to adopt in order to save herself.”

Jesus, Kendall thinks.

“Okay, well. If you want to talk. You know.”

He feels bad but he can’t stop wondering about what happened at dinner. He thinks he’d better not ask Connor.

“Yeah. Okay. Well, I made a friend here. Maxim Pierce. I kinda hate him, but he kinda hates me too, so it’s fun. He’s got some port that’s life-changing. I guess I better get back out there. So…”

“I’ll see you in New York,” Kendall offers.

“Uh-huh. That’ll be good,” Connor says. Kendall hears the doubt in his voice and promises himself he’ll do better with reaching out.

……

Tanya the travel nanny sits reading to the kids in their seat cluster on the jet as Rava pores over the latest documents the firm sent her. Kendall looks out the window and plays music to hype himself up for the upcoming run-in with his dad and siblings at Argestes. He looks at the text he’d received from Roman the morning before and lets it fill him with energy.

Naomi Pierce swung the vote against Waystar. An absolute no. But Dad will get them at Argestes anyway.

Stewy laughs at his phone and calls over to Kendall’s side of the plane.

“Take off your headphones and come look at this shit,” he says. This girl just sent me an article from some site called Fuckable in Finance. It’s a countdown. Top ten.”

Rava looks at Stewy disapprovingly for his language and its content near the kids, but Kendall’s obvious intrigue dances on his face. Stewy gives her an unconvincing apologetic look. Kendall pulls the headphones down around the back of his neck.

“So-?”

“Guess who number one is?” Stewy asks smugly.

“Do we have to?” Rava says drily.

“I guess no one really does now,” Stewy answers mock-thoughtfully.

Kendall stands up and strides over to Stewy, picking up his iPad and scrolling. He wrinkles his nose.

“Four?”

“You’re very hard on yourself, Ken,” Rava says as she pretends to focus on her paperwork.

“I know, seemed a little high for you,” Stewy says. “Recent media appearances probably skewed it in your favor, though. People love it when a thirty-nine-year-old goes through a rebellious phase.”

“Okay. Ha ha.” Kendall wishes Roman were here to do something annoying like put a blanket over Stewy’s head, or at least mess his hair up. “Are there a lot of these countdowns?” he asks.

“Oh god, take the iPad from him now,” Rava says to Stewy as she gives him a rare rye smile. Stewy looks triumphant as Kendall furrows his brow and does a Google search.

“Kendall, do you want to read the next chapter to the kids?” Tanya calls over. “They’re asking for you to do it.”

“With the voices!” Sophie exclaims.

Rava looks at Kendall lovingly and he looks up from Stewy’s iPad.

“Uh, yeah. Okay. I’ll be right there.”

“iPad, please,” Stewy says in a self-satisfied way. Kendall drops it onto Stewy’s armrest without looking at him as Rava stifles a laugh at their adolescent behavior. Kendall walks over to the kids and glances over self-consciously at Rava and Stewy watching him expectantly as he picks up the book.

“In here,” Kendall says to the kids, and ushers them behind a curtain to the other room.

……

Rava glances over at Roman and Kendall poking each other as soon as they’ve walked into the building for Argestes day one.

“Rockin’ some horny ankle cleavage,” Roman’s saying quietly to Kendall. Kendall looks at him with a smirk.

“Oooh, that’s scary. I’m scared.”

Rava chuckles and looks around to see who she might chat with. They’ve been spending so much time alone together lately that she hasn’t seen Bro Kendall in a while. She forgot how funny the inflated ego makes him.

“Maybe you should be scared,” Roman smirks. “We have this deal on lock.”

“I don’t think you do,” Kendall says, trying to sound sure of himself. “I think Nan wants nothing to do with Dad, Waystar, and especially ATN.”

“Well, unless you’ve got something huge to stand in Waystar’s way, you and Stewy and Sandy are dead in the water.”

Kendall works hard to maintain a neutral face until an hour later, when he and Stewy are sitting in armchairs in a breakout room, laptops out and coffees on tables.

“Are you seeing this email from Sandy?” Stewy raises his eyebrows as he scrolls on his phone. Kendall stares at his computer screen.

“Yeah. Fuck. This is a shitstorm. The wolf pack, the whole fucking- I think Greg knows all about this cruises shit… we should have stopped this, done something-“ Kendall starts.

“Dude. What are you talking about, Sandy’s thrilled! No chance Pierce sells to your dad once this story is released,” Stewy almost laughs. “It was supposed to be a while til they published this, but you know Logan’s going to make another attempt to buy while Nan is here. We’ve got to stop that. Waystar tanks, it’ll be nice and easy for us to buy it up.”

Kendall looks at him.

“I- I mean, yeah, but this can’t be the reason Pierce doesn’t sell. What are we doing to stop this article?”

“Stop it?” Stewy drops his head back. “Ken. Don’t be sentimental here. You want Waystar? This is how we get it.”

“How we get it?” Kendall’s wheels turn. “Did Sandy have something to do with this? Did- did he move up the publishing date?”

“Don’t get crazy,” Stewy warns.

“He fucking called New York Magazine?”

“It is his.”

Kendall gives Stewy an almost hurt look.

“Stewy. I did not agree to this. I wasn’t consulted, I would never have allowed this.”

“Well, you’re not the one in charge yet,” Stewy says.

“But you knew about this, obviously. And you didn’t tell me?” Stewy keeps the calm voice that he knows Kendall has to hear right now.

“You can’t always see through it all. It’s Sandy’s way of making things work, okay? You’ll be glad down the line.” Kendall looks at him like he’s insane.

“There might not be a way through it all. He didn’t even talk to me? Stew. Fucking- level with me. Is he trying to get me off the team? Does he have a new CEO in mind?”

“Don’t be paranoid. You’re fine, he’s just being practical.”

“He hasn’t taken my calls the last two days. We don’t have to destroy the company’s reputation,” Kendall says. Stewy still looks far too tranquil.

“Well, it’s happening. Nothing I can do,” Stewy shrugs. He sees a group walking by outside the door and nods at Kendall. “I’ll be back later.” He starts walking away.

“Come on, bro, I’m not done with this. Don’t fucking-“

Kendall is left standing by himself, tension bubbling from his stomach into his chest and clouding his head. The only thing he can think is that he has got to talk to Sandy. He shuts the door of the side room and reenters the cavernous networking space. He spies Sandy schmoozing with some others in the corner and begins to make his way over. He glances up at the balcony and sees Roman and Gerri rushing away into a conference room followed by Hugo and Logan. His stomach flips and he feels a physical pull toward that room. He should be in there. They’re defending the company. He tries to straighten his thoughts. He’s going to try to defend the company the only way he can. He walks over to Sandy and gives him a tight smile.

Sandy extricates himself from the group he’s with and walks with Kendall into a corner, sporting matching publicly-viewable smiles and relaxed expressions.

“Sandy. New York Magazine?” Kendall starts, keeping a pleasant tone for the many curious lookers-on. “This- this is how you want to win?”

“Kendall, I think you are maybe a little close to this situation,” Sandy says with an edge to his voice as he looks calmly at Kendall.

“What does that mean?”

“You are more concerned about the company’s reputation than ensuring our success.”

“Well, yeah, it matters that the company is in good shape once it’s in our hands.”

“This is a good move, and if it were any other firm, you’d agree that this is the right path.” Kendall tries not to think about whether that’s true. “I think you’re a bit emotion-focused right now.” Kendall tries not to let the fury spill out. “We can PR this… unseemly issue.”

“Sandy-“

“You’re not willing to damage the value temporarily, which we need to do in order to take over,” Sandy continues without allowing the interruption. “We have to stop this Pierce deal. Make them balk.”

“They already said no at Tern Haven. Roman told me so.” Kendall says flatly.

“For their own floppy reasons,” Sandy points out. “Logan is a persuasive man, is he not?” Kendall can’t argue with that. “We need something that even he can’t outbid. Something the Pierces will find sharply distasteful, not just generally offensive.”

“Sure, but-“ Kendall tries again to interrupt.

“But it’s your baby. Isn’t it?” Sandy maintains eye contact with Kendall, smiling placidly as if this isn’t a question that could end the world. “I also worry that this is more about your ego than anything else. You were across the department at the time, you might get dragged for it.”

“I- well- no. It’s- that was Mo, and Bill, first of all,“ Kendall starts. “It’s more than that. This- I am serious about being CEO, Sandy, and shepherding Waystar into the future. Let me say first that obviously whatever happened back then is not okay. I was not aware. I mean, of course there were people I- Mo, you know, he was an old family friend but- but, yeah, we should’ve gotten rid of him. There were-“ he shakes his head. “Sandy, you don’t have to publish. You don’t have to do this.”

“Kendall. It’s going to happen whether we do this or not. And I think you are gong to have to figure out what to say about these things when they come up. I’m sure you will.” And with that, he’s walking away and Kendall’s standing there silently arguing.

He’s so worked up he’s running his hand over the back of his head and starts looking around. He clocks Stewy coming toward him and slapping his own serene smile on top of his concern.

“Ken, what are you doing?”

“Sandy’s fucking threatening me I think?” Kendall begins. “Unless I’m good with the company being destroyed by his article, I’m out?”

“Relax,” Stewy practically whispers. “You are not being removed. He’s doing what is necessary.”

“And if that results in the company being trashed?”

“We’ll PR that shit so hard no one will even remember.”

“Stewy. The cruises thing is fucked up, but I can take care of it our way. Those responsible should be held responsible, but-“

Stewy rolls his eyes.

“We’ll get you your very own soap box,” he says, patting Kendall’s shoulder. He sees someone out of the corner of his eye and walks away again.

Kendall stands in a spiral and looks around hoping to find someone who will relate. Just then, Rava sidles up to him and gives him an excited smile.

“Oh, this is actually fun,” she says. “It’s been a long time but I just had a great talk with-“ she sees his frown. “What’s up?”

“Uh- no. Nothing. It’s good you’re having a good time, I like it here too.”

“Okay. So… what’s with the face?”

He sighs.

“There’s an-an article coming out, about cruises stuff. I don’t know exactly what the story is but it’s going to be bad. Make the company look like shit, possibly make me look like the bad guy. I fucking know who the bad guys were.” He grumbles. “Sandy’s publishing in New York Magazine, which he owns. I couldn’t even- stop him, he’s doing this. He- he doesn’t care what happens to me, Stewy says we’ll just PR it, but I don’t know that I come out of this, or that Waystar even comes out of this-“

“So, what, you just keep it a secret? What kind of accusations are we talking about here?”

“I don’t- I don’t even know. I-“ he glances at her. “You know, bad guys. They did bad shit. Shadow logs, coercion… maybe some assault. Maybe, uh, worse.” He braces himself.

“Maybe some assault?” Rava repeats. “And what, murder? What are you going to say about this?”

“Well, it’s going to depend on how they frame it. They’re doing whatever Sandy says, so the blame is going to land wherever he says it’s going to land. It doesn’t matter what the truth is. Sandy is not that different from Dad, you know… If he says it, it’s real.”

Rava scoffs.

“It is not real just because he says it. And Sandy doesn’t want you to look bad. You’re on his team. I mean, right?”

Kendall thinks for a minute.

“Sure. For now. But, but yeah. If this comes out, we’re going to have to have a big reaction. People are going to look to me. I have to condemn this, have a better reaction than the sibs. I’m going to call some crisis people.” Rava sighs and nods. Always another crisis.

……

The next morning, Kendall and Rava sit with Sandy and Stewy at a table staring over at Logan and Nan and Rhea. The tension is thick in the thin air. Rava’s watching Kendall and can practically hear his thoughts. Can’t believe Sandy’s fucking doing this. He sits refreshing New York Magazine’s home page over and over, wondering what Roman and Shiv are thinking about this. He notices they weren’t invited to Logan’s table this morning.

“You good?” Rava whispers.

He nods.

“Had enough PR people and lawyers to last me a lifetime last night.”

“Oh?” Rava asks, mock-insulted.

He gives her a stressed smile.

“Yeah. Well, except one.” He fidgets in his chair and Sandy looks over.

“Can you relax? It’s not as bad as it could be, Kendall. I am not destroying the company I’m taking over,” he says. Kendall notices his use of “I’m.”

Over at the other table, Rhea is doing the same refreshing. Sandy grins and glances at the time.

“Three… two… one.”

The story pops up on Kendall’s screen and he starts to read it furiously between stares at his father’s table.

Sandy looks on contentedly as he watches Rhea get up from the table with Nan and sees Logan look after them.

“And there goes Pierce,” Sandy says in a tranquil tone.

“Fuck,” Kendall whispers as he reads. “I mean… this is not good.”

Rava reads over his shoulder. Sandy clinks glasses with Stewy and Kendall tries not to throw something. Stewy looks at his face and knows.

“Ken. This was necessary. No Pierce, Waystar’s ours.”

“Ours and ‘embattled,’” Kendall says indignantly as he continues to read. He is sick of being embattled.

“You really don’t see what this does for us?” Sandy asks. Kendall is seething.

“Respectfully, neither of you built this company,” he says in as controlled a voice as he can.

“You are not going to be taken down by this, man,” Stewy tells him. “It’ll be a temporary dip. You know this.”

Sandy and Stewy glance at each other and know that Kendall just can’t see the big picture here.

“You’ll see,” Sandy says. Rava looks at Kendall supportively but she wonders if it might really be necessary to make the takeover happen.

……

After hours of pacing and texting endless questions to Stewy while trying to find out what response Waystar is going to have at the evening’s panel, the time finally comes to sit down and watch it happen. He fidgets anxiously next to Rava in the audience as the discussions begin.

“Who are they even going to have?” he whispers between nail-bitings and foot bounces.

“Stop that,” Rava whispers back, forcing him to sit still and not draw attention to himself. “The more obvious it is that you’re here, the more people are going to stare.” He does his best to stop.

“This is insane.” He glances ahead of him two rows at Stewy and Sandy sitting together. “I would know exactly what to say for this if I were up there,” he whispers into Rava’s ear.

“I know. But it’s probably for the best that you are not the face of Waystar right now, don’t you think?” Rava points out.

“Yeah, I-I guess. Let Shiv and Rome look like idiots trying to defend this? Or throw me under the bus?”

“They can’t do that without also throwing your dad under the bus, which I doubt he would like very much. If they’re going to say you knew, no one would believe he didn’t know.”

Kendall sighs. That’s something. Roman and Shiv are announced and make their way onto the stage.

“This is a joke,” Kendall whispers.

His eyes bore into them as they begin their interview, but after a minute it’s too hard to look at them. He should up there, he should already be CEO. He makes himself take a look around at who else is there. He spots Frank and wills him to turn toward him. Frank continues gazing forward with his hand holding his face. Kendall doesn’t take his eyes off him. This could be the moment to convince him to leave.

“Maybe it’s time for a good old-fashioned dinosaur cull,” Shiv says. The room quiets. Kendall’s mouth falls open and so does Frank’s. In a moment, Frank turns and he’s looking right at Kendall. Kendall eyes him intently, hoping he’ll read his mind. But he lets his godfather lead and stays stoic until Frank breaks the silent pause.

“We need to talk,” Frank mouths. Kendall nods.

Half an hour later, he watches Frank cross his legs as he leans back in the swivel chair at the of table of the small conference room they’d snuck into. He observes his every expression as he continues making his case. “You can’t be seen to take the side of the old guard. Look what they allowed to happen.”

“Well, Ken, if we’re being honest, it could look like this is what you allowed to happen,” Frank says.

“Well, Frank, if I’m going to be honest with you, it could easily look like you orchestrated it and are trying to blame me.” It’s ribbing, it’s serious, it’s everything in between. Frank sighs and Kendall continues. “I-I mean, I’m just saying, I think it’s a solid move for you to show that it wasn’t you. Come to the light, you know? I know you, panic-meister. This is killing you. You’ve got to do something, yeah?” he says with mounting enthusiasm. “Yeah?! I fucking know you! Get away from the incompetents, come remake this thing with us.”

Frank looks at the door and back at Kendall.

“You trust Sandy?” Frank asks.

“I…” Kendall realizes a pause is dangerous. “Yes. Yes, I trust him.”

“Well,” he sighs. “I’ll think about it. He’s easing into the possibility and Kendall tries to temper his eagerness.

“Okay. Good, that’s all I’m asking.”

Frank gets up and turns toward the doorway.

“Hey, Frank?” Kendall asks before he goes. The uncertainty of his situation is getting to him. “Do you think- do you think I can do this?”

“Well,” Frank answers, “I think your dad has definitely thought so. In the past, you know.”

“Sure,” Kendall says. He loves hearing that. “But, do you?”

Frank nods equivocally.

“Yeah,” he says lightly. “Probably, yeah, I think you could. Maybe,” he chuckles.

Kendall nods. He hopes he’s right about whose team Frank’s going to end up on.

They walk back into the room full of networkers, shoe-lickers, show horses, and hangers-on. Kendall darts up the stairs and knows exactly who he’s looking for next. The tallest man in the room.

“Greg the motherfuckin’ egg,” Kendall smiles sardonically as he finds Greg walking down a hallway. Greg looks like he’s been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“Oh, h-hey, Ken! How’s everything going with, uh-“

“Greg,” he interrupts. “I’ve been thinking about our conversation at my sister’s wedding.”

“Oh-oh, yeah? Yeah.” Greg swallows and tries to breathe slowly.

“Well, I’m just wondering how much of this you know about. Because some of that insider information might be very useful. I thought we could talk about some opportunities for you at the new Waystar.”

“The new Waystar. That’s super- exciting, yeah. I really- um, I’ve been working a lot with Tom… though?”

“Tom?” Kendall scoffs lightly. “Greg. I like Tom. I do. But Tom is in charge of ATN. I’m about to be his boss. I already was his boss. If he’s lucky and gets to stay, we’ll see. He was also directly in the line of information that you shouldn’t have.” Kendall thinks for a second and looks directly at Greg. “Actually, is- is that where you got this information? From Tom?”

Greg looks too scared for that not to be the case. Kendall laughs a bitter laugh.

“Right. Okay. So you’re both stuck. I think you know I have every incentive to place the blame squarely on Mo, where it belongs, by the way, and Bill for covering it up, and unfortunately, that means Tom is in the line of fire. You, though? You could escape. Take the lifeboat.” Greg looks worried and Kendall looks at him seriously. “Just in case you hadn’t noticed, the cruise ship is sinking.”

On the other side of the room, on the ground floor, Rava’s gaze crosses the door that Logan, the old guard, Shiv, and Roman had entered after the panel discussion. Suddenly, she sees Roman stumble out holding his jaw and is shocked to see some unmistakable drops of blood on his hand where he’s holding his face. Her mouth drops open and she makes a beeline for him. He sees her coming and tries to turn the other way.

“Roman,” Rava calls, approaching him slowly. She’s pretty sure she knows what just happened. She catches up to him as he turns a corner into an empty hallway. “Roman. Are you okay?”

“I’m fucking fine, why is everyone asking me that?” But he’s looking at his hand in horror.

“Well,” Rava indicates his hand, his face.

“It was nothing,” Roman insists. “A fucking- accident.” But there are tears forming.

Rava reaches her hand out to touch his shoulder. It’s so tense it feels like a rock. He’s defended and doesn’t really respond.

“Hey. I’m not new here,” she says softly. He still doesn’t want to make eye contact. “Did he break anyth- oh, god,” she reacts as he pulls a tooth out.

“Ow, fuck. It’s fine, it’s nothing, I’ll get a new one,” Roman shrugs. But he’s obviously falling apart.

“Unbelievable,” she whispers. “I’m so sorry.”

She puts her arm around him even though he tries to shrug her off. He sniffles.

“I’m sure Kendall loves that shit, but I’m stronger than him. If he even chipped a tooth he’d be in a plastic surgeon’s office with three psychiatrists convincing him not to jump off a fucking building.”

Rava squeezes her eyes shut and smiles.

“Okay. Can I get you some ice?”

He thinks about saying no but he can feel the swelling.

“Fuck you, fine.”

“Rome?!” They hear Shiv’s voice echoing as she quickly strides in their direction, the door slamming behind her. Rava watches her turn the corner and spot him, bending down to look at his face and make sure he’s okay.

“I’ll be back,” Rava assures him as she heads to find a server.

Once she’s collected the ice, she returns to him, now sitting in a chair in an awkward ball next to Shiv.

“Here you go,” she hands him the pack. He sighs.

“Thank you,” he says begrudgingly. “Where’s Ken, by the way? Can you- where is he?”

“I’ll get him,” she says immediately. “You want me to send him here, or-“

“No,” Shiv says. “No, we’ll be in Rome’s room. Right?” she asks him. He nods.

“Okay. I’ll tell him to come right to you.” Rava takes off to find Kendall. She walks all around the room and looks up to the balcony. Greg is slowly turning away from Kendall and walking back down to the Waystar room Roman just left. She takes long strides to get to Kendall faster. He catches her eye and she gives him a look that screams problems. He rushes to meet her on the staircase.

“Hey. What’s up?” he asks tensely. He looks pulled in a million directions and there’s about to be one more. She tries to keep her voice as delicate as possible.

“Uh, Ken, I’m sorry to tell you this, but your dad-“ she sighs. “Your dad hit Roman- pretty badly. Lost a tooth, he’s-”

The color drains from Kendall’s face.

“He fucking what? When- just now?” Rage spurts out of him. “I’m going to fucking kill him.” She puts a hand on his arm to make him keep listening.

“Yes, it was just a minute ago. I found Roman coming out of the room, and he’s with Shiv now. He asked for you to come to his room.”

Kendall is about to lunge toward the room he knows Logan is in when he’s physically pulled in the other direction by her words.

“He- he wants to see me?”

“He does.”

“Well, is he- is he okay? I’ll go right now.”

“He’s sort of okay? I got him some ice and stayed with him until Shiv got there.” Kendall pauses and looks at her.

“Of course you did,” he says quietly. She’s so good. He holds her hand. “Thank you.”

She squeezes his hand.

“He’s pretty shaken up. But I think he’ll recover.” Kendall looks almost as upset as Roman. She gives him a quick hug. “You should go, take care of him.” He nods.

“Yeah. Okay, yeah, I’m going now.” He walks briskly in the direction of the residences.

Rava watches him go and wishes for freedom for all the siblings. As he disappears behind a corner, she’s approached by a tall man in a suit who taps her on the shoulder.

“Rava. Nice to see you in the wild,” the man says.

“Oh, Joe,” she says. “How’s the case I want back?” she jokes, though they both know she’s serious.

“I’m glad you’re here, figured you’d be attending since the rest of the, uh, family is here,” he laughs a bit and she grins unconvincingly and nods.

“Yes, it’s a great day to have the last name ‘Roy,’” she acknowledges.

“Do you have a few minutes?” Joe asks. “I wanted to update you on the latest from the firm. Things have gotten interesting.”

“Oh? Well, yeah, actually, this is good timing for a few minutes.” Rava follows Joe into a nearby breakout room.

In the next set of buildings, Kendall knocks on his brother’s door.

“Rome? It’s me. Rava said- you wanted me to come.”

Shiv opens the door.

“Hey,” she says mirthlessly. Her expression looks like she’s been to war.

“Hey,” Kendall says, uncertainly giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Everything, uh..?”

“It’s pretty bad. He’s in there.” She indicates the bathroom.

“Should I-?”

“Sure, take a shot,” Shiv answers. She sits on the bed with her head in her hands, taking a moment before she reaches for the snifter of brandy on the nightstand. Kendall will handle her next. He walks into the bathroom and beholds Roman in a cloud of steam from the shower examining his face in the mirror, wrapped in a huge white robe. It’s far too big for him and Kendall could swear he still looks like the scared little kid he used to comfort.

“Hey,” Kendall starts. “Rava told me you- uh-“ He looks more closely at his face in the mirror. “Fuck. Wow. He’s such a piece of shit. Come here, let me see.” Roman reluctantly turns toward Kendall and lets him look.

“It was an accident. Whatever,” Roman tries.

“Rome,” Kendall stops him. He can see that his little brother’s eyes are red. He looks at Roman’s mouth.

“Where’s the-“

Roman gestures to the tooth on the counter. Kendall drags his hands over his face.

“I’m gonna fucking kill him,” he says.

“Would you stop? I don’t- it’s fine.” Kendall puts his arm around Roman and he lets it happen for a moment.

“Your wife tried this shit too. I said she’s just used to a weaker man who needs it.”

Kendall smiles at him.

“Sure,” he says, allowing the dig. Picturing Rava taking care of Roman in such an awful, lonely moment makes him ache for her. “Rome, you know none of that was okay. I’m gonna go talk to him, I am.”

“Don’t fucking do that. It was nothing.”

“Hey. It wasn’t nothing,” Kendall says gently. Roman seems to relax a few muscles and Kendall leaves his hand on his shoulder. “You okay?” Roman shrugs. “You’re going to be okay.” He looks at Roman’s eyes as he looks away and makes a face. “Yeah?”

“Whatever, yeah.” Roman finally answers. “Yeah. I’m glad you could take time out of your busy schedule of ruining our family’s company to come here,” Roman attempts to spit out.

“Uh huh. Me too.”

“Are you even going to defend yourself?”

“Today? No.”

Roman rolls his eyes.

“Go talk to Shiv. And just- don't talk to Dad today."

Kendall pats his shoulder and nods reluctantly. He walks back out where Shiv is sitting with her knees up leaning back against the headboard with a nearly-empty glass. To him, she’s eight years old again, looking to him to explain why their brother won’t come out of his room.

“Hey,” he sits on the bed near her.

She takes a shallow breath in and stares at the bed.

“It was my fault. So. There you go.”

“Shiv-“ he says.

“No, it was. I said ‘dinosaur cull,’ he hit our brother.”

“It’s never your fault,” he echoes one of his early therapists. “I- I mean, you know that.” He can’t quite help himself. “I might have phrased the- dinosaur thing differently, but- but it doesn’t matter. This?” He gestures toward the bathroom door. “This is not your fault.” She glances at him and back down at the bed, takes a long sip. He leans away from the smell and she puts it down.

“Sorry,” she says, back to avoiding his gaze.

“No, if I could I would. Believe me.” She nods and he reaches for her hand and holds it. “If you don’t want to go to the dinner tonight, you don’t have to.”

“Oh, sure, you would love that,” she says, grabbing a pillow and holding it. “But of course, you have to go, because if you missed a night of bullshit, you might die.”

“Shiv. Come on.” He hates that she’s a little bit right. But he means it when he asks, “Do you want me to stay here? I will.”

She shakes her head.

“No, no. You go. I’ll be there.”

Kendall looks concerned.

“Well- what about-“ he indicates the closed door.

Shiv shrugs.

“I texted Connor. He said he’s going to call him.”

“I mean, sure, Roman’s not going to answer, but-“

Roman walks out of the room on the phone and dramatically shushes them.

“Can you stop talking about me, I’m on a call,” he snaps sarcastically. He walks into the second bedroom of the suite and shuts the French doors loudly.

“You think?” Kendall asks. Shiv raises her eyebrows.

“I guess so!” They sit for a moment of quiet.

“So, back to the shitshow?” Shiv asks. They share a guilty moment of being the ones who love the drama. Kendall nods and sends a text to Connor.

Thanks bro. Back in the city day after tomorrow. Come over for dinner?

Kendall and Shiv walk out of the hallway together into the room full of people, which has quickly started turning into a cocktail party. Kendall looks around for Rava and sees her on the balcony walking out of a breakout room with a man he doesn’t recognize. He nods up at them.

“Hey, who is that?” he asks Shiv.

“Oh, that’s Rava’s side piece. Sorry you had to find out this way,” she teases.

“Uh huh. Okay,” he nods.

“You’re so jealous. You wish you had a relationship like mine,” she tucks her hair behind her ear. Kendall watches as she notices Tom talking to another woman on the other side of the balcony and clocks her disgruntled face.

“Yeah? And how is the perfect marriage going?” he asks. “He tell you what he knew before the article came out?”

She rolls her eyes because she can’t answer that and they walk away from each other.

Kendall climbs the stairs to meet Rava.

“Hey,” he greets her.

She slips her arm around his waist and he dips his head toward her. She makes him want to leave the party and go lie in bed with her watching something funny on tv.

“Hi, baby.” She uses pet names when he might be more anxious than usual. “How’s Roman?” she asks.

“Uh, he’s…” he shakes his head. “I dunno. He seemed okay. He was on the phone with Connor when we left.”

“Are you sure it’s a good idea that you leave him alone?”

“Well, not alone. With Connor, sort of.” Rava raises her eyebrows and he acknowledges that she’s right. “I’ll go check on him before dinner.” He looks up and sees the same man strolling the hall. “Who’s that?”

“It’s Joe from the firm that took Tony Trume’s case! They found a bunch of information. They’ve got management names, company info, they’re working on tracking the company’s history, which is basically impossible, but they’re magicians. I learned so much just from being in there. I think I’m going in their New York office next week.”

“Company history. Gotta be careful when that starts coming out,” Kendall notes.

“Yeah, can’t say I’m hearing great compliments about the Roys tonight,” she says.

He sighs.

“Yeah, and I can’t imagine it’ll get much better at dinner. You good if we-“

“Leave early? My favorite,” Rava smiles.

“Okay,” he chuckles. “Good.”

…..

“Permission to never board?” the comedian calls out.

Stewy looks at Rava and snickers. Rava knows Kendall’s emotional fallout would be worse if she joined in, so she privately gives Stewy an amused look and lets it turn into a grimace at the distasteful joke. Everyone takes a second to look for Logan’s reaction at the next table. Stoic. Unmoved. No one’s surprised.

Shiv leans over to Kendall.

“Did you talk to Roman again?”

“Yeah,” he whispers back. “Well, sort of, he just told me to fuck off so I came here.”

She shrugs.

“Then he’s probably fine,” she says. They look at each other. “But I’ll go back after this is over. I had to come to dinner. Can’t be seen being a bad sport and not showing up,” she says as she straightens her jacket. Just then, Logan gets up from his table and storms out, seemingly following Nan Pierce out the door. Kendall and Shiv turn in their chairs to stare after him.

“Or maybe you can be a bad sport. What the fuck?” Shiv whispers. Suddenly she realizes their conspiratorial camaraderie is not appropriate. “Actually- no. You know what? We are not talking about this. Why are you even at this table?”

“Why are you at my table?” Kendall counters. “I don’t see you being invited to that one.” He gestures to the one Logan had left.

“Fuck you, I wasn’t even supposed to go to this stupid thing.”

“Kind of making my point,” he says. She looks away from him. “Shivvy, you’ll join my side eventually,” Kendall grins.

She gives him a look and turns her attention back to the comedian, who has finally moved on to others.

Once the performance has wound down, Rava looks questioningly at Kendall and he nods. They get up to go and say their goodbyes to everyone at the table. Stewy rolls his eyes dramatically.

“Ugghhh, you’re going to bed at- what is it, like ten o’clock? Drink three? Rava, can you make him stop being so fucking boring?”

“Can I make you stop pretending you’re twenty-two?” she asks playfully.

“Age is just a number. On a bank account in Geneva.” He gestures to the server that he wants another drink. A voice pops up behind Stewy.

“Yeahhh, I thought only women had ages.” Roman gives everyone a confused look as he sits down at the table. “Men just have bank accounts that get bigger. Right, Shiv?”

She smiles for a millisecond before it turns to a scowl.

“Look how delighted she is to see me.”

Kendall relaxes a little and doesn’t see Gerri’s long concerned look at Roman from Logan’s table.

“Glad you’re here, bro,” Kendall says. He looks at Rava hesitatingly. She nods graciously and sits back down. He scoots his chair closer to hers.

“Are you kidding?” Roman says loudly enough to be heard at the next table. “Wouldn’t miss this shit-fest. Someone just texted me that Dad and Nan are yelling at each other outside. I heard it was a must-see event.” Gerri takes a sip of her martini as she stands up.

Kendall tries not to smile at the welcome news of their argument, but he knows what that means. He glances down at his phone and opens a text from Connor.

Roman’s doing all right. And yes. I’ll come to dinner.

Rava taps him to look up for a second as Gerri walks by with Frank, now deep in conversation. Kendall leans toward them to try to eavesdrop. He only catches a few words from Gerri’s forceful whisper, but they’re enough.

“…Logan… losing it?”

Chapter 15 💗

[galaxyedging]

I'm still in shock from how much I enjoyed the Barbie movie! I highly recommend seeing it if you can.

My brain is unhinged at the best of times but even more so when it's happy, so I wrote this.

Barbie x Pedro Boy Kens

MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR THE BARBIE MOVIE. DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS.

Warnings: Smut. Rubbing of plastic parts. Feelings

WC:1.6k

Come on Barbie

Every day was perfect…until it wasn't. One morning, Barbie woke up feeling unsatisfied in more ways than one. Something inside of her told her to go spend more time with the Kens. That one of them would be able to satisfy the ache inside of her.

At first she spent time with Art Professor Ken. Art Professor Ken was sweet. Maybe a little too sweet. He made her breakfast, and he made lunch and he made dinner. Not that she'd asked. If she was out he packed a lunch with a note telling her how pretty and perfect she was. When he wasn't talking about art he was comparing her to art. It was nice. Really nice. It was just a bit…much. Especially when he talked about starting a family after two dates.

Then came Knight Ken. Knight Ken was exciting. He rode a beautiful horse. He'd travelled all over the land. He had a dangerous looking scar over his eye. He would protect her, maybe a little too much, given that the other Ken weren't really a threat. He would also completely forget she existed if there was any food around. Although, she did have to admit, there was something alluring about the way he ate with abandon.

This led her to go find DEA Ken. His intense stare and tight jeans made her non-existent vagina flutter. She'd even let him peel off her Sweet Creams nightgown and lay on top of her to rub his smooth crotch against her. It hadn't done anything for her but he had smoked afterwards. As much as she always had a great time with him, she always felt that he wasn't 'present' with her. His mind always seemed to be elsewhere. She guessed it was on the bad guys he was perpetually chasing. Not that there actually were any there.

Much like DEA Ken, Prince Ken made the smooth place between her legs tingle. He'd also convinced her to take off her Apple Print Sheath dress and let her caress the mounts at her chest, again it didn't do much for her but it was nice to have the attention of a Prince. Until he insisted on bringing another Barbie along and gave her more attention.

Cowboy Ken wasn't an actual cowboy, but he did come with a hat and a lasso. He was fun, but he didn't seem trustworthy.

Spaceman Ken came with a space suit and a poet's heart. She had a feeling his clever tongue and fancy words hid something dark as well.

Businessman Ken was the final straw. He was ridiculously handsome, well dressed, fun but he was so preoccupied with work. He didn't even seem to have time for his son.

Nope, none of these Kens would do, there were more but she didn't want to waste any more time. The feelings inside her were growing. As well as unsatisfied, she felt lonely. She was desperate to be understood she went to someone she never thought she would visit, Crazy Barbie. Crazy Barbie with her odd hair and permanent splits position.

Crazy Barbie had explained that there seemed to be a connection between her and someone playing with her doll in the real world. If she wanted to get rid of those feelings and be a regular Barbie again she had to find that person and help them.

That was how she ended up in the real world with Superhero Ken at her side. He'd insisted on coming, as soon as he had arranged for Skipper to babysit his daughter.

They hadn't been there long when the swords strapped to his back caught the attention of the police. Who in turn called Mattel. Who came to collect them in big black vehicles that she had never seen before. They'd taken her back to their headquarters, and promised to send her home. Much like some of her Kens she felt like their words hid something. The moment she had the opportunity, she sprinted away from them. 

The place was a maze. Door after door, all the same dull metal, lined the walls. Every one was locked. Until she rounded a corner, the first door on the left opened up. Once inside, the first thing she noticed was the desk littered with pages and a single doll sat in the middle. A doll that looked exactly like her.

The second thing she notice was him. A Ken. His hair wasn't perfect, it was tousled and wild. He didn't have ridiculously sculpted washboard abs. His stomach was soft under the moth bitten sweater he wore. His glasses sat on the tip of his nose as he looked at her. He looked at her with something the other Kens never did, genuine hunger. The unsatisfied feeling flared up. She needed to be satisfied and she had a feeling he was just the Ken to do it.

"Hey." Was all he said with a smile on his lips.

"Hey." She replied with a dreamy tone in her voice.

The distance between them closed as if they were being pushed together by an unseen force. There was something so familiar about him, aside from his good looks. 

It didn't feel strange when they kissed. Well, a little since it was an actual kiss not just their mouths pressing together. It felt right when the kiss deepened and he touched her.

The tingling between her legs intensified. Her light pink panties were stained a dark pink with her arousal. She desperately wanted to rub their parts together. She whispered that to him, suddenly shy about the whole thing.

"You want to dry hump? Sure. We can do that. Come here, Beautiful."

When he stripped down to his underwear, his private area wasn't smooth. He definitely had genitals. Big, hard genitals by the looks of it. He was so direct, he sat in the nearest chair and tapped his bare thighs, motioning for her to sit. When she did straddle his lap, it was an odd feeling in two ways. One, she wasn't used to her legs moving that way, and two, the heat of him pressed into her sent a current right through her. It lit up all her nerves. Eager for more, she began to move her now flexible hips experimentally. The feeling was incredible. She just wanted more and more of it. It seemed that Ken did, too. He kept making groaning noises and asking her for more. Eventually, he just put his hands on her hips and moved them himself. Faster and faster, until glitter burst behind her eyes. Her whole body shivered, and her new vagina pulsed. A next way of heat hit her between the legs as Ken moaned beneath her. A wet patch formed between them. "Oh. Does that usually happen?" She asked curiously.

"If you do it right, yeah." He signed contentedly.

His contentment seeped into her. The doll on the desk, she thought. It was him. He was the human all her desires were coming from. 

"The doll?" She nodded her head in its direction.

"Oh, that. I've been modelling for all these Kens for so long I guess I just started to long for my own Barbie."

Before Barbie could contemplate what that meant, there was a loud banging at the door followed by a definitely angry voice. "Bravo! We're looking for an escaped Barbie. Make yourself useful, come and look for her."

Barbie felt Kens sadness of being nothing more than an object to them. "Ken, we have to go!"

"Dieter." He stopped her from pulling him up for a moment. "My name is Dieter."

"It's pretty." Her face heated as she smiled at him. Another bang on the door jilted her from her daze and into action. "Dieter, we have to go."

"Where?"

"Away from them. Back to Barbieland."

"Barbieland? Wait, you're a doll?"

"Yes."

"Wow." A lopsided grin spread across his face for a moment before he focused again. "Come on, the back stairs are this way."

"Don't you think it's weird that I'm…not real?"

"I play poker every Thursday with the ghost that lives down the hall. Real is subjective. Wait..."

Grabbing her hand Dieter headed down the back stairs across the floor below before climbing back up to his floor. Ruth's room was two doors away. They managed to slip through inside before any more executives showed up.

"Hello. What a lovely unexpected visit. How are you, my dear?" Barbie took a second to realise she was talking to her. No one ever asked how she was because Barbie was perfect every day. 

"I'm…I'm…so many things. Scared, sad, excited, happy, tingly…" she glanced back at Dieter "...and very confused."

"Sounds very…human." Ruth smiled. "Now, Sweetie, you have a choice to make. I think you know that."

"I do." Barbie nodded before turning to Dieter. "If you could be anything, what would you choose to be?"

"What I am now. I'm an actor. I get to be anyone I want."

"I like the sound of that."

"Being an actor?"

"No, being anyone I want."

The white of the room grew blindingly bright until it washed out all of her senses.

Six months later.

Every day was almost perfect. Barbie woke up feeling as satisfied as she could hope for. She had a purpose, helping others find theirs. The school that she enrolled in to earn the qualifications to help people full time was going well. She was making friends. She even had her own Ken, or Kens, that came over to keep her company when she needed it. Sometimes Cowboy Ken would visit with his cute hat and whip. Sometimes DEA Ken would come over with his handcuffs. The Ken that came over the most, her personal favourite, was Actor Ken. He was the one that she thought about sharing her dream house with. Right after she finished figuring out just what kind of Barbie....human she was.

@kirsteng42 @prolix-yuy @thegreenkid2 @hquinzelle @fangirl-316 @gracie7209 @jedifarmerr @doommommy @scorpio-marionette @sturkillerbase @harriedandharassed @aynsleywalker @mswarriorbabe80 @quica-quica-quica @rise-my-angel @adancedivasmom @kinda-nobody @movievillainess721 @munsonownsmyass @mandoloriancookie @faceache111 @elegantduckturtle @manazo @simpingcowboy @pedrit0-pascalit0 @yourcoolauntie @pedrostories @geekrenaissance @its-nebuleuse

[starkawaiichan]

A PPGZ and RRBZ story (2024 version)- a Wattpad story written by me

Another day, another school day, Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup arrive at their school. While walking head to their class, Blossom spoke up.

"Hey, you girls heard about a rumor going about in school?" she asked, "Apparently, there will be some new students coming to our school! I hope they will be boys, and a handsome one too!" She squeaks in excitement. Bubbles replies to her.

"Well, I think they will be girls! Or maybe both." She smiled at her friend. Buttercup just rolls her eyes and shrugs before saying something to her friends.

"Well whoever they are, I don't care. As long they're not annoying" She said.

The three had made their way to their class, sat in their seats, put their things down, and continued to chat. As the class filled with more students, a sudden announcement from the principal caused everyone to turn their attention to it. The principal spoke.

"Attention all students! Please head over to the venue in a matter of minutes. Again, please head over to the venue in an instant" The announcement ends. Everyone heads over to the venue, even the girls. What's so important about now?

A few minutes later, and, everyone was in the venue. The principal comes on stage and tells everyone the news. He cleared his throat and began his speech.

"Everybody please remain quiet. The mayor will be here very soon" He said. Every student began to question what major the school would be. Minutes go by; a white car enters the school's grounds. It was the mayor's. The car park beside the venue and Miss Bellum got out of the car to open the mayor's. Looks like there are extra people in it. As they got out too, it was the Rowdyruff boys!

"Why are they bringing the Rowdyruff boys to here? I thought they were learning some stuff with the professor back at the lab" Buttercup said with a curious tone while still looking at the front.

"I don't know, let's hear more from the mayor. He better give us some explanations to do" Blossom replied.

All 5 went up to the stage venue. Miss Bellum and the boys stand behind the other staff members of the school and the mayor to the front to give a speech. 

"Fellow students of New Townsville Junior High Schoolers. As you heard 3 years ago of the news about these 3 boys standing behind me, they will start going to attend school starting today. Please welcome three new students to the front" The mayor gestures to the boys to go forward and introduce themselves to everyone.

They walked nervously but tried to stay together. Boomer was up to talk first. They took a deep breath and spoke.

"Uh, hi! My name is Kaito Hoshino, and I hope we can all be friends." he smiled at the crowd. Lots of girls find them cute with all the shy-like attitude. Brick was then introduced himself next.

"Hey, my name is Ken Hoshino. Please to meet you guys." Like Boomer's or, rather, Kaito's situation, lots of girls giggling, and saying he's cute. Lastly, it was Butch's turn.

"Pleasure to meet you. My name is Kenzo Hoshino. Thank you for allowing us to be here in this school.  I hope we can get along with each other" He then bowed a little to show a sign of respect. Like the situation with the other 2, lots of girls squealing, screaming, giggling, and saying how they look handsome.

"New names huh? Guess we better call them by their other names now" said Buttercup to her friends. Blossom and Bubbles nodded.

"Look how many fan girls they got now, almost like every girl in school likes them," said Blossom, whispering to her friends.

"I know right?" Bubbles then pointed her finger to Princess Morbucks, "Even Princess likes them too," she said. Princess was screaming their name hoping to get their attention on her. The boys saw how every girl like them, were scared of the girls. Having a bunch of fangirls was enough to make them running away from it. Oh boy...

After they introduced themselves, the principal then spoke, "Alright everyone settle down! They will be attending here in this school so make sure to make them feel comfortable. They will be in class 1-C" The principal finished his speech.

"They'll be attending in OUR class?!?!" Buttercup screams in a whisper. The other 2 are the same. The mayor did it with his obnoxious idea again.

The assembly ends and everyone leaves the venue. School day with the Rowdyruff boys now, and they're now quite popular among girls, what could possibly go wrong?

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The boys were screaming and running from the fangirls. They then hid behind the storage room. After a mob of fangirls were gone, they got out and quickly make their way to their said classroom. They catch their breaths while look around hoping the fangirls were not in sight. Feel sorry for them. Guess I spoke too soon.

(Chapter 1 end. Please read some of my other work there! Thanks a bunch!)

[douchebagbrainwaves]

OUR FATHERS WEREN'T THAT STUPID

You can thus gradually work your way into their confidence, and maybe charge for premium features. What do they have to go pretty far down the list, and indeed, no one is sure where the end is. From what we've seen, being good seems to help startups in three ways: it improves their morale, it makes other people want to help them, and IBM could easily have gotten an operating system elsewhere. If you feel you're really helping people, you'll keep working even when it seems like your startup is cheap to run, you become a member of an institution. And yet all those people have to be even faster, and more efficient. But when you ask adults what they got wrong at that age, nearly all say they cared too much what other kids thought of them. If you plan to get rich, and this essay is about how to make money by inventing new technology. But maybe not. It's a smart move, but we didn't do it because we want their software to be good. Maybe it's not a coincidence.

When I was running a startup, there are probably two things keeping you from doing it. Thanks to Ken Anderson, Trevor Blackwell, Daniel Giffin, Sarah Harlin, Shiro Kawai, Jessica Livingston, Matz, Jackie McDonough, Robert Morris, Eric Raymond, Guido van Rossum, David Weinberger, and Steven Wolfram for reading drafts of this essay. Structurally, the list of n things is in that respect the Cold War teaches the same lesson as World War II and, for that matter, how much is outside of our control. Or rather, any client, and if you try to make it as a portrait by an unknown fifteenth century artist, most would walk by without giving it a second look. But why should people who program computers be so concerned about copyrights, of all things? And no one can stop you. It's not for the people who make things. It was written by just three people. Ultimately you always have to guess. It's not something you face and read to an audience that's easily fooled, whether it's someone making shiny stuff to impress would-be startup founders but to students in general, because we'd be a long way toward explaining the mystery of the so-called real world. Otherwise their desire to lead you on will combine with your own desire to be led on to produce completely inaccurate impressions.

What are people doing now, using inadequate tools, that shows they need what you're making? Visiting Sand Hill Road. A startup is like a giant galley driven by a thousand rowers. That is a liberating prospect, a lot like a charity in the beginning. It does help too to feel that you're late. Facebook. But in fact if you narrow the definition of beauty to something that works is by trying things that don't. Mainly because it's easier than satisfying them. SLAC goes right under 280 a little bit south of Sand Hill Road precisely because they're so boringly uniform.

And there is a natural fit between smallness and solving hard problems. Anyone can adopt Don't be evil. Naturally wealth had a bad reputation. My Y Combinator co-founder Jessica Livingston is just about the easiest thing in the world. Microsoft, who have abandoned whatever mysterious high-minded principles produced the high-paying union job a myth, but I suspect that if you can't raise the full amount. The other students are the biggest advantage of going to work for a company, and his friend says, Yeah, that is a very real element in the valuation of companies. I would rather cofound a startup with a friend matters.

Imagine an American president saying that today. They just represent a point at the far end of the world. Sometimes young programmers notice the eccentricities of eminent hackers and decide to adopt some of their own are enormously more productive. The situation pushed buttons I'd forgotten I had. The worst case scenario is the long no, the no that comes after months of meetings. In the late 90s my professor friends used to complain that they couldn't get grad students, because all the undergrads were going to change something, all the hackers I knew were either writing software for the first few months comforted ourselves by treating the whole thing as an experiment that we might call off at any moment. The thing about ideas, though, if I've misled people here, I'm not eager to fix that. Wealth is what people want. But galleries didn't want to start a startup. The best place to meet them is school. Fortunately, there were few obstacles except technical ones. I knew the founder equation and had been focused on it since I knew I could see using something like that.

[oopsiedaisiesbaby]

Very into the idea of sugar daddy/sugar baby au for either clegan or Curt/Ken.

Both intentional or unintentional. Like I think maybe John is younger, going to school, family can't help him pay for university and Gale has money due to his blue collar job, maybe they meet at a car or coffee shop or something and after a while John realizes that Gale has been paying for everything but when he tries to protest Gale insists that he wants to. That he would happily take care of the bills and John could read and paint and write all day to his heart's content

Or maybe more intentional. Maybe Ken seems out a sugar daddy through a service to pay for his mechanics training and that's how he meets Curt. He ends up being very, very attracted to his curt but they break it off after his schooling is done because there's no "reason" to keep it going and he doesn't think curt likes him back.

His first day working as a chief engineer for the air force this major walks in. It's Mr. Biddick, who saw him name on the sheet and was curious to see if it was the same Ken Lemmons from over a year ago

You have come to the right place 😈🤣

First thought… sugar baby!John and sugar daddy!Gale.

So, people can make stupid money in the oil field depending on the job and if I remember correctly Gale worked on rigs. So, Gale’s out here making more money than he ever thought possible with no one to spend it on because it’s just been him since he and Marge got divorced (amicably, we love Marge in this house).

They run into each other at a coffee shop and John is short on money for his so Gale pays and they get to talking and it’s like puzzle pieces fitting together instantly so John asks him out before he runs off to class and it’s like they’ve been married for 10 years on their first date, it feels so familiar.

Gale insists on paying for everything, will even subtly pay the bill when John’s gone to the bathroom at restaurants. Then after they’ve been dating for awhile, something like John’s car breaking down or something equally as expensive happens and John has to ask Gale for a loan but Gale insists he doesn’t have to pay him back, it was a gift.

John’s super uncomfortable at first and then he looks around his shitty little apartment at all of the clothes and items Gale has bought for him. Even his textbooks one semester because Gale went and looked at his book list and bought all of them for him. John realizes he’s been snipe sugar babied. He’s more okay with it than he expected because he knows Gale and knows it’s born from Gale just caring about him.

Gale is slightly horrified when John points out he’s essentially been a sugar daddy and has to sit in silence for a very long time and think about his life choices lol John cheers him up by telling him all the throngs he’s gonna buy Gale when he’s finally earning money after college.

Side note to all of this, John would be absolutely feral over Gale’s rough hands and terribly turned on (in theory) by Gale coming home filthy from the field. Until Gale finally lets him try something before he showers and John learns just how disgusting Gale actually gets at work… he still thinks it hot though, it’ll just have to stay a fantasy though 🤣 Also… imagine John convincing rough neck Gale to roleplay as a professor “because our age gap is perfect for it Buck” and Gale gives in because he always does but it’s so awkward they end up crying laughing. John definitely calls him daddy when he wants a reaction out of him at any given time.

Second thought… sugar baby!Ken with sugar daddy!Curt.

They absolutely start off as an arrangement that they both enjoy. John knew Curt needed arm candy for events and we’ll say Gale, the unintentional sugar baby for John this round, nominates his friend Ken as tribute in exchange for getting his school paid for.

Ken and Curt have zero qualms because they both find each other attractive, funny, and good company all around. They are both devastated when Ken graduates because they’ve both fallen in love by that point but refuse to believe the other loves them back despite John and Gale’s insistence.

I’m imagining Curt showing up at his graduation with farewell flowers and a gift and just 😭😭😭

So, when Ken shows up for his first day of work at his big boy job and sees Curt is his boss. He nearly faints because there’s no fucking way??? Later, when he can get a second of Curt’s time he makes a joke about HR and dicking down the boss. Without hesitation, Curt says he’ll convince HR to change the rules so that they can and they’re both just kind of eying each other like “are you saying what I think I want you to be saying?” until Ken admits it always meant more to him than a sugar arrangement and Curt agrees and resolves to get that rule changed by HR asap 😉