#my ability to raise and lower my heart rate at will

[website-com]

found a small pocket of people on quora who also do this so i have concluded i am once again normal

[ms-demeanor]

On insurance: I still live with my parents and don't know a lot yet about the sorts of things adults usually have to spend money on. I've always been skeptical of things like insurance and credit cards because it seems to me they wouldn't be selling that if they didn't expect to make money from it. I talked to my cousin a while ago about credit cards and basically came to the conclusion that they do that because they're betting on the customer getting sloppy and letting their debts stack up, and the way you beat that and get money from credit card companies is just by being careful.

I'm a little more confused about insurance though because it seems much more straightforwardly like a gamble they will simply not take if it won't pay off for them. Like, you don't go to a casino because every game they play at a casino is one they've done the math on and have determined that statistically most people will lose money on most of the time. Is insurance not kinda the same? Where they estimate the risk and then charge you an amount calculated to make sure it probably won't be worth it for you?

I know if you have a car you legally need car insurance so everyone knows you can pay for another car if you crash into someone, and I gather that here in the US at least health insurance companies have some kinda deal with hospitals so that the prices go down or something, and there's a reason I don't fully understand why not having health insurance is Really Bad. But we get to pet insurance, or like when I buy a concert ticket and it offers ticket insurance in case I can't make it to the show, and surely if they thought they were gonna lose money on that they just wouldn't sell it, right? Or they'd raise the price of it until it became worth the risk that something bad actually will happen? Wouldn't it only be worth it to buy insurance if you know something the insurance company doesn't?

So the deal is that most people don't use their insurance much, and often insurance companies will incentivize doing things that will make you use your insurance less.

So, for example, you can get a discount on car insurance if you have multiple cars because people who insure multiple cars are more likely to be responsible drivers (the ability to pay for multiple cars stands in as a representation of responsibility here). The longer you go without an accident, the lower your premiums get because that means that you are not costing your insurance company anything but you are paying into the system. The car insurance company's goal is to have the most responsible, safest drivers who never get into car accidents because they can predict (roughly) how much they're going to have to pay out to their customers and they want the number they pay out to be lower than what's paid in. So they try to discourage irresponsible drivers by raising their rates and encourage responsible drivers by giving them discounts.

Health insurance companies often do the same thing: I recently got a gift card from my health insurance company because I had a visit from a nurse who interviewed me about my overall health and made sure I had stable blood pressure and access to medications. It is literally cheaper for my insurance company to give me a $100 giftcard and hire a nurse to visit me than it is for me to go to my doctor's office a couple of times, so they try to make sure that their customers are getting preventative care and are seeing inexpensive medical professionals regularly so that they don't have to suddenly see very expensive professionals after a long time without care.

Insurance in the US has many, many, many problems and should be replaced with socialized healthcare for a huge number of reasons but right now, because it is an insurance-based system, you need to have insurance.

We're going to use Large Bastard as an example.

Large Bastard had insurance when he had his heart attack and when he needed multiple organs transplanted. He didn't *want* to be paying for insurance, because he thought he was healthy enough to get by, but I insisted. His premium is four hundred dollars a month, and his out of pocket maximum is eight thousand dollars a year. That means that every year, he pays about $5000 whether he uses his insurance or not, and if he DOES need to use the insurance, he pays the first $8k worth of care, so every year his insurance has the possibility of costing him thirteen thousand dollars.

The bill for his bypass surgery was a quarter million dollars.

The bill for his transplant was over one and a half million dollars.

His medication each month is around six hundred dollars. He needs to have multiple biopsies - which are surgeries - each year, and each one costs about twenty thousand dollars.

Without health insurance, he would very likely be dead, or we would be *even more* incapable of paying for his healthcare than we are right now. He almost ditched his insurance because he was a healthy-seeming 40-year-old and he didn't think he'd get sick. And then he proceeded to be the sickest human being I've ever known personally who did not actually die.

Health insurance costs a lot of money. It costs less money for people who are young and who are expected to be healthy. But the thing is, everybody pays into health insurance, and very, very few people end up using as much money for their medical expenses as Large Bastard did. There are a few thousand transplants in the US ever year, but there are hundreds of millions of people paying for insurance.

This ends up balancing out (sort of) so that people who pay for insurance get a much lower cost on care if they need it, hospitals get paid for the care they provide, and the insurance company makes enough money to continue to exist. Part of the reason that people don't like this scheme is because "insurance company" could feasibly be replaced by "government" and it would cost less and provide a better standard of care, but again, with things as they are now, you need to have insurance. Insurance companies are large entities that are able to negotiate down costs with the providers they work with, you are not. If you get hit by a car you may be able to get your medical bills significantly reduced through a number of means, but you're very unlikely to get your bills lower than the cost of insurance and a copay.

Because of the Affordable Care Act, which is flawed but which did a LOT of good, medical insurance companies cannot refuse to treat you because of preexisting conditions and also cannot jack up your premiums to intolerable rates - since Large Bastard got sick, he has had the standard price increases you'd expect from aging, but nothing like the gouging you might expect from an insurance company deciding you're not worth it.

Pet insurance works on the same model. Millions of people pay for the insurance, thousands of people end up needing it, a few hundred end up needing a LOT of it, and the insurance companies are able to make more money than they hand out, so they continue to exist. This is part of why it's less expensive to get pet insurance for younger animals - people who sign up puppies and kittens are likely to be paying for a very long time and are likely to provide a lot of preventative care for their animals, so they're a good bet for the insurer. Animals signed up when they are older are more likely to have health problems (and pet insurance CAN turn animals away for preexisting conditions) and are going to cost the insurance companies more, so they cost more to enroll (and animals over a certain age or with certain conditions may be denied entirely).

This weighing risk/reward is called actuarial science, and the insurance industry is built on it.

But yeah it's kind of betting. The insurance company says "I'll insure ten thousand dogs and I'm going to bet that only a hundred of them will need surgery at some point in the next year" and if they're correct, they make money and the dogs who need surgery get their surgery paid for out of the premiums from the nine thousand nine hundred dogs who didn't need surgery.

Your assessment of credit is correct: credit card companies expect that you will end up carrying a balance, and that balance will accrue interest, and the interest is how they make the money.

And it is EASY to fuck up financially as an adult. REALLY EASY. But you are still likely to need a good credit score so you will need a credit history. That means that the correct way to use a credit card is to have a card, but not carry a balance.

To do this, never buy anything on the card that you can't afford. In order to avoid needing the card for emergencies, start an emergency fund that is at least 3 months of your total pay *before* you get a credit card. That seems like a *lot* of savings to have, but from the perspective of someone who has had plenty of mess-ups, it's a lot easier to build up a $10k emergency fund than it is to pay off a $10k credit card debt.

If you don't understand how interest works on credit cards, or why a 10k savings is different than a 10k debt, here are some examples working with $10k of debt, 23% interest (an average-ish rate for people with average credit), and various payments.

With that debt and that interest, here's how much it costs and how long it would take to pay off with $200 as the monthly payment:

Fourteen years, and it would cost you about twenty four thousand dollars in interest, for a total amount paid of about thirty four thousand dollars.

To save $10k at $200 a month would take four years and two months.

Here's the same debt at $300 a month:

4.5 Years and it costs about six grand (again, just in interest - sixteen thousand dollars total). Saving ten thousand dollars at three hundred dollars a month would take just under three years.

Here's the same debt at $400 a month:

3 years, about $4000 dollars (fourteen thousand dollars total). Saving ten thousand dollars at $400 a month takes just over two years.

The thing is, with all of these models you're going to end up paying one way or another. Insurance vs out of pocket is you weighing the risk of losing a fair amount of money by signing up but not using the system, or potentially losing a catastrophic amount of money by not signing up.

For credit cards they really only work if you know you're never going to need them for an emergency, because an emergency is what you're not going to be able to pay off right away. I didn't have an emergency fund when Large Bastard had his heart attack and needed surgery, or when we moved between states suddenly, or when we moved between states suddenly AGAIN and needed to pay storage costs, or when Large Bastard needed a transplant, or when Tiny Bastard got in a fight with my MiL's dog, and the fact that I didn't have an emergency fund is still costing me a lot of money.

So, young folks out there: what's the takeaway?

Get insurance. Get the best deal possible, which usually ends up being the one you sign up for early. You may think you can let it ride without insurance, but man in the six months between when I graduate college (and lost my school insurance) and when care kicked in after 90 days at my job I got electrocuted and needed to go to the ER. If that hadn't been a worker's comp payout I would have had thousands of dollars in bills. Something could happen. You could break your leg, you could get hit by a car, you could suddenly find out that you actually have heart disease at twenty, you could develop cancer. Have insurance, you need insurance. You legally need car insurance in the US, and you financially need health insurance. If you have a pet, I think it's a good idea for them to have pet insurance.

Credit cards are not for emergencies, they are not for fun, they are not for buying things that are just ever so slightly out of your budget, they are for taking advantage of the credit card company and managing to get by in a system that demands you have a credit score. ONLY put purchases on your credit card that you already have cash for. Before you get a credit card, build up an emergency savings so that you aren't tempted to put emergency charges on your card.

If you DO end up with an interest-bearing debt, pay it off as fast as possible because letting it linger costs you a LOT of money in the long run.

Stay the fuck away from tobacco and nicotine products they are fucking terrible for you, they are fucking expensive, and they are not worth it put the vapes down put the zyns down put the cigarettes down I will begin manifesting in your house physically i swear to fuck. Knock that shit off and put the cash that you'd be spending on nicotine into a savings account.

Take care, sorry everything sucks, I promise that in some ways it actually sucks less than it did before and we're working on trying to make it suck even less but it's taking a while.

[salt-baby]

POTS Medication Vocabulary

after about the third time a doctor prescribed a medication that made my POTS drastically worse, and about three doctors visits past giving up on being an easy patient, i started asking my doctors the following questions whenever they prescribed a new long term medication:

is this medication a hypotensive? (will this medication lower my blood pressure?)

does this medication have a risk of tachycardia? (can this medication raise my heart rate?)

is this medication a diuretic? (will this medication dehydrate me?)

can this medication cause hyponatremia? (will this medication cause my body to lose salt?)

your doctor likely doesn’t know all of this off the top of their head for every medication, but they should know the most common adverse reactions. some may simply tell you they have no clue. i still think it’s worth asking to force them to consider these mechanisms.

for additional consideration:

your pharmacist likely knows the answers to these questions better than your doctor does. 

an additional list of types of drugs which should be avoided is available here, in the table on the fourth page. (note that propranolol, a beta blocker, is often prescribed for POTS but is discouraged by this paper. as someone whose taken it, it’s worth trying to see if it will improve symptoms, but didn’t for me. Additionally, these are just guidelines, and in those with, for example, both hEDS and POTS, the benefits of opiates for pain relief may be worth the risk of worsening POTS.)

regardless of what the doctor says, I always look up the FDA info sheet before taking a medication. these can be found pretty easily on google (your med + “fda pdf”), and list most of the adverse effects. I’m happy to make a post about reading these info sheets.

there’s a reason prescribing medication is left to those with years of medical training - it’s a complicated and difficult process. but oftentimes those who do this work are so overworked and burnt out, they don’t have the ability to read someone’s entire medical file, or be aware of an adverse event that only affects those with an uncommon condition. I find asking these questions forces my doctors to think about my chronic conditions, and after so many adverse events, I always check a medication for myself before taking it. 

remember that you can and should refuse to take a medication that is making your life worse or harming you. even pediatric patients have the right to refuse a medication, and often times, I’ve found nothing other than a very firm “no, I refuse” will get a doctor to consider other options. and even though its against the norm, remember that you have the right to ask your doctor why they’ve chosen that medication for you.

as always, feel free to ask questions, they make my day!

[lanafofana]

Cuckoo for a Cuckhold

(I forgot to take screenshots of daddy zevlor so have this instead, it still fits cause...well you'll see)

Just under the wire (depending on your timezone) DAY 5 for HalsinTavWeek has come crashing through the finish line! But Lana! Where is Day 4's prompt?? Shhhh, my beauties, it's sleeping.

Pairing: Halsin/Tav(F)/Zevlor Summary: It's a special occasion. Halsin wants to watch someone rail his wife. Rating: Explicit. Minors DNI Warning/Tags: Modern AU, Cuckholding, smut, masturbation, established relationship, banter, P in V sex, innapropriate use of tiefling tail, consensual kink No beta, we die like Yonas (RIP Yonas) And lo, an AO3 link for thee

Sitting at a gaudy bar, heavy bass music thumping loud enough to make him regret having ears, and drinking some of the worst swill he’s ever tasted, Zevlor was not having a great time.

Despite being the only patron physically sitting at the bar the bartender seemed pathologically incapable of giving him the time of day. When he tries to wave him down and the man, yet again, turns to someone else walking up to order something, the tiefling grits his teeth, tail lashing and resists the overwhelming urge to give him the stern talking to he so richly deserves. 

“Excuse me,” says a warm friendly voice. “We noticed you across the bar and really dig your vibe. Would you be interested in fucking my wife?” 

Caught in the middle of draining his glass, the last sip of lager slips down the wrong pipe and Zevlor chokes, coughing and sputtering. Regaining his composure he wipes his mouth and turns to look at who’s approached him just in time to see the most gorgeous woman he’s ever seen smack her hand against the thick bicep of, easily, the largest man he’s ever seen.

“Not like that!” The woman chastises with a mortified smile. When she turns her attention to Zevlor he feels his earlier irritation fade as if she contained some innate ability to soothe the ruffled feathers of grumpy old men. She hands him a napkin which he uses to dab at his chin while he eyes the pair expectantly. 

“Sorry,” she was explaining, with an exasperated glance at her husband. “He was raised by wolves.” 

“Bears,” the man corrects. 

“My heart, my love, pleasestophelping!” The man grins, pecking her on the head and settling himself down on a stool miming the action of zipping his lips and placing the invisible key in her hand. “What he means to, er, say is hello, I’m Tav and this is Halsin.” 

Zevlor reaches out and gently takes her hand in his, gallantly lowering his lips to her knuckles. “Zevlor, my dear,” he intones mildly, the barest hint of a smile on his lips. “Enchanted.” 

“Oh!” Tav’s nervous smile softens, pleasantly surprised with the little display of chivalry. She looks lovely, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, a soft blush dusting her cheeks and he’s amused that she only thinks of withdrawing her hand when he lightly squeezes it. 

“I believe you were making a proposition?” He asks wryly, eyes flicking to the man behind her, who hasn’t stopped watching the proceedings with interest. 

Tav coughs,”Right.” Then, cheeks remaining stubbornly flushed she proceeds to stumble through the most charmingly awkward come-on Zevlor’s ever witnessed, let alone received. 

“You two are terrible at this,” he remarks not unkindly when she’s finished and Halsin stifles a laugh. 

“Practice makes perfect,” defends Tav with a sniff but she looks just as amused as her husband. “What do you say, Zevlor?” The heat in her eyes could have scorched him where he sat. 

“It would be my absolute pleasure.” At his wicked smile the petite woman grins and takes his hand, tugging him along behind her while Halsin settles the tab. 

They don’t go far, which is just as well considering the electric tension that practically fizzes into view everytime they catch each other’s eye. The fancy hotel they’re staying at already has a reservation in Tav’s name and the three manage to get all the way to the elevator before Zevlor’s tail snakes around her waist to yank her close enough to kiss. 

Hands snake up his chest to find purchase on his shoulders and he barely swipes his tongue across her lips before she opens up for him, moaning prettily as their tongues glide against each other.  

His hands on her waist travel down, untucking her shirt roughly. He slips his thumbs just below the waistband of her short skirt to trace circles on the sensitive skin of her hips, an action that earns him a particularly lewd moan that he greedily swallows with his tongue and teeth. His tail wraps around her leg and snakes upward towards her skirt and when he traces the warm damp line between her legs she shudders. 

“I know you don’t mind if I enjoy the show but I feel obligated to point out that this elevator has cameras,” says Halsin and Tav jerks back in alarm. Zevlor chuckles while she buries her face in the crook of his neck, hiding from the camera’s view, the tips of her ears burning brightly. Reluctantly he removes his tail from her skirt though he does take a moment to trail the tip down the back of her thigh as he does so.

Soon enough the door to the suite is shut behind them and Tav leads him by the hand to an impressive bedroom with a wall of floor to ceiling windows that reveal a breathtaking view. A sea of city lights spreading out into the distance, a cluster of artificial stars outshining the night sky.

Tav puts a finger under his chin to direct his attention back to her and gives him a look that could incinerate. “Unless you’re thinking about fucking me up against those windows, I think your attention is better served elsewhere, Commander.” 

He quirks a brow at her. “I didn’t tell you I was a commander,” he chides, face breaking into a slow smile. 

Tav shrugs, eyes twinkling, “You were right. We’re terrible at this. C’mere.” 

The tiefling bends his head to kiss her, hands finding her hips to tug her close. Her perfume smells like coffee and orange blossoms and he slips a clawed hand into her hair to hold her close, deepening the kiss.  

“I for one would like to revisit the window suggestion,” Halsin chirps from the bed where he’s already bare chested and under the covers. 

Breaking the kiss Zevlor gives the man an exasperated look. “Aren’t you supposed to be the silent observer?” 

“She broke character already!” Halsin defends. 

“It’s not your birthday, is it? She’s allowed to break whatever the hells she wants!” He leans back into Tav’s orbit to press a lingering kiss at the pulse point of her neck. “Well, my lady. Where would you have me?”  

Putting her hands on her hips Tav surveys the room, gaze lingering on the windows. “You know, this feels a lot less sexier than I imagined it. What happened to letting everything happen, y’know, organically?”

“Says the woman who planned out an entire scenario to pick up her own husband at a bar,” says Zevlor, unbuttoning his shirt and smiling innocently when she rounds on him with a frown. 

“What was wrong with my scenario? It had a lot of potential!”

“Oh yes, right up until, ‘We dig your vibe’ over there couldn’t keep his damn mouth shut.” 

“Yeah, well your wife was too head over heels seeing you scowling at the bar to do anything but stare at you. Someone had to do something or we’d all still be down there.” 

“Fuck’s sake,” says Tav, aiming for annoyed but landing somewhere closer to fondly amused. She takes off her shirt and tosses it aside, stalking towards the wall of windows. “Right, you,” she points at Halsin. “Sit at the edge of the bed, there, where I can see you.”  

Obediently he does as directed and Zevlor, kicking off his boots and unbuttoning his pants gives him an arch look. “How are you already naked?” 

His husband shrugs with a wide, self satisfied grin. “No buttons.” 

“And you,” says Tav, feeling a little like she’s trying to wrangle cats. “Come here.” 

“Finally,” breathes Zevlor, crossing the room with wide strides and wrapping her in his arms. 

He kisses her hard, sinking his hands into her hair to hold her steady while he plunders her mouth. She tastes like sweet water and cinnamon and he moans when she sucks his tongue into her mouth. Breaking apart for air he grips her thighs just under her ass and lifts her, pressing her against the window pane and leans in to suck a soft warm nipple into his mouth hungrily. 

With both hands and mouth occupied his tail glides up between their bodies and sinks between the lips of her damp folds until he brushes against the tight bundle of nerves.

“Shit, Zevlor,” she gasps, jerking, mouth falling open. Through half lidded eyes she spies Halsin, sitting on the edge of the bed, his hand palming his own erection while he watches them. When his gaze finds hers on him the man smirks, widening his legs and leaning back to improve her view. “Gods.”

“That’s it, sweetheart,” Zevlor growls against her skin before switching to her other breast, sucking on her nipple to the point where pleasure meets pain and she keens, one hand fisting in his hair tightly while the other grips one of his horns. Releasing her tit he bares his teeth, his eyes burning bright with the ferocity of his lust. “You’re so beautiful like this. So wrecked for me, aren’t you?” Between her legs the tip of his tail slips warm and wet against her clit in a slow and lazy pace that has her blood burning in her veins. 

“Fuck! Zevlor, I can’t–,” her breathing comes in shorter, desperate bursts. “I can’t think.”

“Shhhh,” he smiles into her skin before he drags his teeth against the delicate skin in the crook of her sweaty neck, licking the salt from her body greedily. “Don’t think, my dear, let Zevlor take care of you.”  

She rests her head against the glass window at her back and her gasps give way to wanton groans and back again as he works at her clit with maddening precision. Her orgasm hovers just out of reach and she’s powerless to chase it, caught in his meticulous rhythm. 

Glancing at her other husband on the bed she whimpers at the sight of him, skin flushed with arousal, his leaking cock being stroked at the same careful tempo that has begun to beat like a heartbeat in her cunt. 

“Kiss me,” she demands, feeling the burning ember of her orgasm fanning into a sudden blistering wildfire. She tugs on his horn and he grunts but surges in to crash against her mouth, swallowing the moan that rips through her throat in tandem with her climax. 

He holds her through the inferno and when she can finally meet his gaze with eyes unclouded with mindless lust he lets her down gently. He removes his tail from her body but she’s always been faster than he gives her credit for and she snatches it. Holding his gaze she brings the tip, glistening with her arousal,  to her lips, sucking it into the warm wet heat of her mouth with an appreciative moan that punches the air from his lungs. 

He places his hands on the window on either side of her head, boxing her in, and breathes out harshly at the roguish smirk she gives him with his tail sticking out of her mouth. 

“You’re playing with fire, woman,” he mutters roughly. 

Tav swirls her tongue around the tip of his tail before pulling it from her mouth with a pop. “What do you want to do about it?” It’s a challenge and permission all in one. 

He turns her around kicking her feet apart and pressing her against the window and wishes he could be outside looking in at the sight she must make like this. Wet pussy dripping, pupils blown wide, skin flushed and hungry for a fuck right after an orgasm. 

He runs his hands down her body reverently, marveling that she’s given him the privilege. She’s so fucking soft and sweet and perfect. He runs his claws down her spine to the small of her back, smirking when she gasps and her hips jerk. Lining up his swollen member to the tight wet slit he kisses her shoulder before pressing his hips forward, clenching his jaw at the overwhelming sensation of her body taking him so beautifully. 

“Hells, woman.” He pauses, head bowed as he draws in a shuddering breath. 

Over her shoulder she grins at him, nothing but wicked mischief in her eyes. It’s all the warning he gets before her back arches and she presses into his crotch until he’s fully sheathed in her cunt, his balls brushing against her clit. 

Zevlor curses, grasping her hips tightly to hold her still, his tail flicking from side to side in agitation. But his wife isn’t one to be swayed and her back bows and arches, her hips rolling into his and he grunts. He can feel his composure slip through his fingers at the undulation of her tight wet heat squeezing his cock and in the reflection of the glass window he can see her smirking at him. 

“I warned you,” he grinds out through his teeth. The brimstone of his eyes flaring bright and hot sends a shiver down her spine. He tangles one hand in her hair, holding her face to the window and with his other he grips the soft plump flesh of her hip hard enough to leave bruises. He snaps his hips, pleased with the resulting lust drunk moan it elicits, fogging the glass. 

Her cunt is a hot wet heaven, swallowing his dick and his brain cells with each increasingly desperate slam of his hips. Their breathing becomes more labored, loud and harsh and peppered with desperate moans and grunts. Tav reaches a hand between her thighs and places her fingers in a ‘V’ where his body meets hers, adding a firm pressure to the base of his shaft that has his eyes nearly rolling in their sockets. 

With her face pressed against the glass Tav has a clear shot view of Halsin who looks nearly as wrecked as she feels. His hair, already loose from its customary tied back style, frames his face, strands stuck to his sweat slick throat and damp face. When their eyes meet the unfiltered intensity could have set her on fire. Her spine curves and she pushes herself back into Zevlor’s thrusts, desperate for release. 

The tiefling releases his grip on her hair and instead reaches between her legs, encircling her wrist and yanking it up to pin it against the glass. He doesn’t linger in the position long, her inner walls are bearing down on him so tightly he can practically taste her orgasm in the air. 

Taking both her hips in his hands he fucks into her harder, faster. Tav’s panting sighs turn into guttural moans that taper off into delicious whimpers. With each wet grasp of her cunt on his cock her breathing increases, each cry coming faster and sharper as she begins to unravel.

Wrapping a hand around her front he jerks her body away from the window and against his chest, slotting his mouth where her shoulder meets her neck. Pressing his teeth to the silky flesh there his tail lashes around and slipping deep into the lips of her pussy, grinding hard against her clit. The orgasm tears through her with a wail from her throat that goes directly to his balls and a tight clamping sensation on his dick that has him exhaling a breathless moan, his vision clouding with his own climax of euphoria. 

Spent and panting they stay locked together for a brief minute before with a tender kiss to her shoulder he pulls out, smiling softly at the noise of complaint it tugs from her lips. She turns to face him and pulls him in for a breathless kiss before they both break apart to look at Halsin.

The elf looks ruined, skin flushed dark, laid back on the bed with his arms spread out. His cum covered chest rising and falling as he catches his own breath. 

“I changed my mind,” he says when they join him on the bed. Zevlor, running a warm damp cloth down his husband's chest and cleaning the mess of ejaculate, arches his brow in question. “That was an excellent scenario.”  

Tav scoffs. “That was hardly what I had in mind.” She rolls over, nuzzling her pillow drowsily. “Maybe role play isn’t for us.” 

Halsin and Zevlor trade a look, their faces breaking into slow conspiratorial smiles.

“I don’t know,” says Zevlor casually, tossing the used rag to the floor.

“Practice makes perfect,” confirms Halsin sagely, grinning when he peels back the blanket to tug a squawking Tav into his embrace. 

The End

[yyako]

There Are No Credits in Sun Haven: 1.3 Edition

Sun Haven's 1.3 patch, adding lots of new art, vfx, new characters and additional writing drops today. What it will not contain is a list of the artists who created that art, crafted those vfx, designed those characters, and wrote the new writing that went into the patch, nor will it contain the names of anyone who previously contributed to the game. All "credits" seen in the game go to Kickstarter backers only. This has been a known issue in the game for as long as it's been in development-- my partner worked on the game and he's had a chance to talk with other ex-Sun Haven devs about these problems.

I really wanted to be nice and try not to hurt the people still working on the game. At this point, though, I think it will hurt more people to be silent. Pixel Sprout is hiring basically every position and I'd feel bad if I didn't warn people away from this scumbag company.

A couple of things: in the game industry there's not a single game that's made without any pain, stress, or mis-development. It's a creative field and a job; those things are inevitable. I wouldn't be out here saying that Pixel Sprout is a bad company if the development was rocky but they paid their workers fairly and gave them credits. But the fact of the matter is that they don't pay their workers fairly, and they don't give credit.

So I've already gone over the credit thing. Let's talk about pay! The director, Bruce, doesn't want his employees to talk about pay, which is always a good sign [sarcasm]. I only know 2 salaries, but they're both illustrative. My partner was one of the best-paid members on the team, being paid $15/hr for a highly specialized skill. This was significantly lower than his usual rate, and he didn't get a raise until two years of work had passed. Though my partner was expected to function as an almost full time, exclusive employee, he was on the books as a contract worker-- meaning he had to do his own taxes and received no medical insurance.

The other salary I know was for one of the lead writers, who quit explosively and alleged that he was earning $7/hr for his specialized work. Though I don't have any more precise numbers, I know that Bruce hires aggressively in countries with weak economies so that he can pay those workers below the American minimum wage-- and those positions are specialized work like pixel art.

Now, about those credits... I think people understand why they're important, but let me make it clear: even if you as a layperson don't usually look at credits, they're extremely important to the people credited because credits are how you get work. The games industry is very insular: everyone knows someone who worked on some game, so it's hard to break into. It's easier to break into if you can point at a game you've worked on and others can go and check to see that you're not lying. Not including credits in your game robs people of the ability to get jobs. It's gravely serious.

I'm going to end this post by once again saying that I'm not calling for a boycott, and you can decide for yourself if you want to play the game, knowing that playing it isn't going to affect whether or not credits get added. But please, do NOT submit an application to work for them until you know you'll be compensated for your work through credits. And keep pestering the developers about it. It's not going to make the credits happen (see: how hard they've been failing to produce a Switch release), but if we can annoy the director, my petty heart will be warmed.

[sunnyrosewritesstuff]

The Twelve Transformations of Bilbo Baggins

Rating: T

Warnings: N/A

Status: In-progress (7/14)

Tags: Quest of Erebor | magical transformation | Bilbo is an accident magnet | so done with magic | Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies | Dwarven Ones | Soulmates

Summary: Finding what he deemed as a puzzle box in the trolls’ hoard, Bilbo is subjected to twelve magical transformations all of different duration and abilities. Getting the dwarves to Erebor might not be as easy as he thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Chapter: Chapter 6- Head Full of Flowers

“So what brings you out here, Master Oakenshield?”

Thorin continued to play with the flower in his hand, and Bilbo felt his heart skip a beat wondering if he realized. Heaving a sigh, Thorin slowly lowered himself to the ground. Feeling weird at the newly established height difference, Bilbo sat down next to him. Thorin had a hand to his ribs, his face pinched, but he continued to breathe evenly through his nose. Bilbo decided not to ask him about it, and insult the dwarf’s pride. Besides, Bilbo could tell something was weighing on him.

“We never finished our conversation.” He stated.

“You mean where you were going to apologize, but never did?”

Thorin huffed as he raised a wry brow at the hobbit. “Can’t you just accept the attempt?”

“Was there an attempt?” 

That earned him a breathy laugh. 

“Very well then. Master Baggins, please accept my sincere apologies from a humble dwarf king.”

“I suppose. Even if it was heavy with sarcasm.”

For more of this chapter, please click the AO3 link above!

[atlas-of-a-human-soul]

I’m obsessed with A Little Danger! Please please please write another part :)

A little danger - Series Masterlist

A/N - A quick memo as this part has a warning for violence as will a few other parts in the future.

Pairing: Sky of Eraklyon x mind!fairy

———— PART 8 ————

Waking up next to Sky with the sunlight casting its rays over the two felt like a dream. Inhaling deeply, her lips curve into a content smile, her eyes moving to her left hand laying over his chest. His heartbeat is slower than usual, relaxed for a change. Taking a quick glance at his face, she finds the worry lines have faded, the one between his eyebrows the only one visible – just barely.

How much stress is he under when his eyes are open for her to remember him more for his worry lines and quickened heart rate over the absolute peaceful, almost boyish features she’s gazing at now?

Did she contribute it?

Surely, she’s part of the problem, but no longer. She’s going to do all she can to make sure his worry lines are replaced by smile lines. For that to happen, she cannot base their relationship on a lie. From now on, when she accidentally uses her abilities on him, he will know. Lying about it will only further her fears and his uncertainty.

Noticing his heart rate pick up, she can’t help but smile. Pulling herself up on her elbow, her hair brushes his chest as her head blocks the sun from his face.

“Who turned off the sun?” He mumbles jokingly, his lips twitching as he tries to keep himself from smiling.

Running her fingertips across the right side of his face, Y/N grins. “Open your eyes and find out.”

“Mmmmm, I don’t think my eyes can function without a proper kiss.”

Snorting lightly, she bites her lower lip. “Is that so?”

“Mhm.”

“Well then”, she smirks as her nose brushes his. “Wouldn’t want your eyes to remain closed forever”, her lips press against his as his hand buries itself in her hair. With his free hand resting on her hip, Sky uses his weight to flip them over.

With Sky on top, Y/N smiles as his weight presses her into the mattress. She could get used to this human sized weighted blanket.

“Maybe if you pull her shirt off, the show would be more interesting.”

Sky breaks the kiss, his back stiffening under Y/N’s fingertips. “Sorry”, he whispers before looking at Riven who winks at him in response.

“What? You’re the one doing the dirty with your roommate in the room! Can’t blame me for enjoying the view!”

“I think Riven would like to learn a lesson or two on messing with a mind fairy”, Y/N raises her brows and Sky is quick to get off her.

Sitting on his knees, Sky gives her a pointed look. “I don’t think he’s the one you wanna lose control over.”

Scoffing, Riven stands up, putting his shirt on. “I mean, she could try, but we both know she can hardly make any threats. I haven't seen a fairy so incapable of being a fully functional being before meeting Y/N.”

Eyes turning purple, Y/N’s hand open wide, palm turned to Riven and in an instant he flies into the wall above his bed.

“WHAT THE FUCK MAN?!”

Raising her hand she brings him closer to the ceiling.

“STOP HER!”

Sky glances at Y/N, searching for a clue that she’s just playing around but she’s not blinking, her lips are pressed in a thin line and her hand begins to close at the same time Riven grabs at his throat, gurgling.

Placing his hand over hers, Sky’s eyes widen as he realizes her focus isn’t quite so easy to break. “Y/N!” He calls for her, but she doesn’t budge.

Riven’s trashing around, helplessly hanging from the wall, choking.

Grabbing her face in his hands, Sky forces her eyes to shift to his terrified grimace. “Please stop.” His voice is calm, pleading. “You don’t want to hurt him. Not really. Please.”

The purple disperses in her eyes, blinking. Her hand opens, relaxing her previously rigid stance, releasing Riven from the chokehold she held him in. He falls, bouncing off the bed and onto the ground with a gasping groan, still holding his throat.

“Fucking psycho”, he grumbles as he picks himself up, sitting with his back against the bed. “I was teasing! Didn’t really warrant a murder attempt!”

Swallowing thickly, she nods. “Learn who you can tease. Sometimes words are a trigger and you never know who you’ll piss off.”

Sky stands, heading to Riven with an open hand. Riven slaps it away. “I can get up on my own.”

Pushing himself up to stand, Riven glances at Y/N before looking at Sky, pointing his index finger at his chest. “You keep her away from me.”

“I can make you forget this”, Y/N raises her brows innocently. “If that would make you feel better? But I worry the lesson would be lost to you then and I’d hate a repeat of this situation.”

“What the fuck, Y/N”, Sky exclaims, his mouth open in shock. He’s never quite expected her to turn so ruthless with a flip of an invisible switch.

Shaking his head slowly, Riven heads to the door with arms up in mock surrender. “You’re out of control.”

“So they say”, Y/N remarks. “I think I’m in just enough control to deal with assholes like you.”

Once Riven slams the door behind him, she lets out a heavy sigh. Hiding her face in her hands, she closes her eyes. She’s never quite had a good relationship with Riven since she got to Alfea. Their interactions always consisted of his attempts to trigger her destructive powers and he caused more than a few of her outbursts. For Riven, it was pure entertainment. For Y/N, those were times she lost trust in herself as quickly as the rest of the students decided she’s pure evil that cannot be controlled.

Riven is the reason why her name is synonymous to a horror show for most students and she still can’t forgive him for it. Maybe she’ll never be able to forgive or forget in his case.

She could feel the bed dip on Sky’s side, painfully aware of his disappointed gaze resting on her. How could she explain to him that Riven is a lit match lingering next to her short fuse? He’ll see it as an excuse, but didn’t she promise to be honest it him regardless of consequences now?

“I know you want an explanation, I just don’t think you’ll like it.”

“You lost control”, Sky begins but she shakes her head.

Looking him straight in the eye, she swallows thickly. “I’ve never been more in control.”

His eyes narrow, dropping to the bed sheets instead of her. “I don’t understand why you’d do that.”

“He bullied me”, she shrugs meekly. “He’s done it every chance he had simply to enjoy the chaos that happens when I lose control. I guess I just wanted him to feel what that chaos did to me.”

“You almost killed him”, Sky raises his voice ever so slightly.

“I didn’t”, she remarks. “I was in control.”

“And what if you lost control?” Sky’s eyes find her once more. “Huh? If you lost control for a split second?”

Pursing her lips, she turns her back on Sky as she gets up. “I didn’t.”

“But what if you did?!”

“BUT I DIDN’T!” She shouts and Sky’s jaw clenches. “I know it was risky, I’m more than aware! I know you don’t understand where I’m coming from, but I saw the smug look on his face as he began taunting me and that was nothing! You’ve never heard or seen what he did before to make me act this way and you’re defending him on a basis of a weak what if?”

Sky speaks through gritted teeth. “I don’t want you to do something you’ll regret later.”

“No”, she smiles meekly. “You don’t want me to do something that will make you regret me later.”

“That’s not true”, Sky insists. “Nothing could make me regret this”, he places his hands on her shoulders, spinning her to properly face him. Cupping her cheek, Sky’s worry lines soften. “If you hurt him today, you’d hate yourself for it. Even if it's just Riven.”

“I don’t think I would.” Sensing his worry spike despite his face remaining calm hurt her. “Does it worry you I wouldn’t?” Sighing, she gnaws at the inside of her cheek. She promised herself to be honest. She promised and she cannot go back on that promise anymore. “I can sense it. I don’t want to and I sure as hell don’t enjoy sensing your emotions right now, but I can feel you’re worried and if I had to guess, you’re wondering just how powerful is the darkness you saw today.”

“I am”, Sky admits. “Because that version of you, purposefully malicious? It’s new to me.”

“Told you I’m not an angel, Sky”, she pulls away and this time he doesn’t stop her. “I have darkness in me. A lot of it. Sometimes it will win and if you can’t handle that”, she pauses, aware that she’s about to offer him an exit once again, but she has to. He’s too pure compared to her. “Maybe the moments we shared so far were meant to be just that…moments.”

“Bullshit”, Sky all but growls. “You will not use this as an excuse to push me away.”

“I am not pushing you away!” Y/N’s voice breaks and she pinches the bridge of her nose. “I’ve done all I can to hold onto you and the person you want me to be, but I’m more than the girl you grew up with!”

“I’m well aware”, Sky runs a hand through his hair. No matter what he says, he can’t promise her he’s okay with what he saw her do. He loves her, but she scares the living shit out of him at times and he can’t explain it, but his heart tells him to stay. Being away from her doesn’t work, for either of them. He tried for a while, he really did and it made him miserable and her powers only got worse over time.

“I should go”, Y/N sniffles. “I have to get ready for the stupid banquet.”

“I’m your date”, Sky reminds her.

“Are you?” She raises her brows, “you can still walk away.”

“Stop offering me a way out, it really pisses me off.”

Rolling her eyes, she purses her lips. “Your’re masochist.”

“No”, Sky smiles. “Just really in love with one.”

“You’re in love with me?” She asks sheepishly, slowly coming closer to Sky.

“Wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true.”

Smirking, she nods. “You seem very displeased with the fact.”

“Sometimes”, he admits. “Just a normal part of love, I guess.”

“Yeah?” She wraps her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes. “Well, I guess I’m in love with you too”, she tells him lightheartedly.

“You guess?” He raises his brows in amusement. “Only guess?”

“Yup!”

Chuckling, he shakes his head. “I’ll take that.”

Pecking his lips, she grins. “And I’ll take you as my date too.”

“You will”, Sky kisses her back. “What will you wear?”

“That’s a surprise”, she quips.

“But we’re supposed to coordinate. How am I to know what to wear?”

“I’m not Stella or Bloom. You can wear whatever you like.”

Eyes wide, Sky gulps. “Are you sure?”

“Your head will not roll if you show up in a different color scheme than me.”

“Promise?”

“Umm”, she takes a step back. “You’re a bit traumatized by them, aren’t you?”

“A bit”,

Y/N shakes her head. “Wear whatever you want, Sky. You’ll be handsome in anything.”

“What if I come naked?” He wiggles his brows.

A light blush adorns her cheeks as she picks up her bag, “Even better as far as I’m concerned!” Putting her clothes inside, she gives him a quick once over. “In fact, I’d prefer it.”

Sky chortles, his eyes glimmering as she winks at him. “You’re a flirt.”

“Gotta keep you on your toes”, she licks her lips before elaborating. “In a non-murderous way.”

“Ah, of course”, he frowns at the bag, “I wish you’d stay.”

“We’ll see each other soon enough”, she reminds him. “I’ll take a bath, get ready and be waiting for you to pick me up around five.”

“That’s almost seven hours from now”, Sky deadpans.

“Only seven?! I gotta run”, she exclaims before rushing to the door only to have Sky running after her.

Planting his hand firmly against the door, Sky ensures she’d have to stop and look back at him. The moment she does, his lips are on hers, plucking away any sanity she clings to.

“I have to go”, she whispers against his lips.

“So you keep saying, but you’re not moving.”

“You’re blocking the way”, she argues.

“We both know you could have moved me out of it if you wanted to���, he counters with a self-assured grin. “So what’s stopping you?”

Furrowing her brows, she inhales sharply. “Kissing you feels better than I expected.”

“Yeah?”

“Ugh, stop teasing me!” Pushing against his chest, she opens the door as he shrieks of laughter. Shaking her head, she takes a few steps away from the door before turning on her heel. With a quick touch of her lips upon his, the laughter dies.

Forcing herself to part with Sky, she exhales loudly before running away from a shell-shocked Sky for in a blink of an eye Y/N was gone, but her kiss lingered for the rest of the day and he was certain she used her magic to make it so.

Part 9

[eastofthemoon]

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12

Rating: PG

Series: Voltron Legendary Defender/Avatar the Last Airbender

Summary:   After the fight with Zarkon, Shiro accidentally gets tossed into  another  reality where humans have the ability to bend the elements. His  best  shot at returning home is with someone called the Avatar, while  he waits  he might as well take on the job of being the Firelord’s  bodyguard.

“Do you think they’re doing alright?”

Zuko glanced up from the paper he had been signing. “They’re speaking to my father, I doubt they’re having a good time.”

Katara sighed. “I know, but they’ve been down there awhile.” Aang winced from his seat. “It has. Maybe we should go check on them?”

“It’s not even been 30 minutes,” Sokka said as he twirled his boomerang in his hands. “Don’t be so nervous.”

Suki raised an eyebrow. “Says the man who fiddles with his boomerang when he’s trying to calm his nerves.”

Sokka paused in his twirling. “I’m not nervous, I am fidgeting. There’s a difference.”

Zuko groaned over where this argument was about to go when thankfully the door opened and Toph appeared.

Katara instantly rose and went over. “So, how did it go?” She then frowned. “Wait, where’s Shiro?”

“In the garden,” Toph said and crossed her arms, “recovering.”

“Recovering?” Aang said. “Is he hurt? Did Ozai do something-”

“No,” Toph said and then sighed. “Well, yeah, he did but Shiro isn’t physically hurt. It’s complicated.”

Zuko raised an eyebrow as Sokka approached. “What do you mean?”

Toph stroked her chin. “It went as expected. Shiro went to talk to Ozai and as we suspected he didn't know a thing and was just trying to see if he could use Shiro to help him regain the throne.”

“Of course,” Zuko said darkly.

“Shiro was going to walk away but then,” she bit her lower lip. “Ozai said something that seemed to spook Shiro.”

Aang narrowed his eyes. “What was it?”

She raised her head. “He said Shiro was a killer, just like him.” She raised her head up. “I immediately felt his heart rate go up, like he was panicking? I’m pretty sure I heard him grab Ozai. He let him go, but it was a long pause and I got to admit I was debating if I should step in or not.”

“But that’s crazy,” Aang said.

“I agree,” Suki added. “He’s a good fighter, but he’s not a killer. He’s probably one of the nicest guys I’ve met.” She turned to Sokka. “Right?”

Sokka grimaced as he rubbed his neck. “Well...”

Zuko crossed his arms, “You’re remembering the Agni Kai aren’t you?”

“How can I not be?”

Aang and Suki exchanged baffled looks.

“Are we missing something?” Aang asked.

“Yeah,” Sokka said as he rubbed his neck. “You two didn’t see how he was during the Agni Kai. He was intense. There are reasons people are still calling him’ the dragon’.”

“And his universe is going through its own war at the moment,” Katara replied as she rubbed her arms. “We all know what kind of impact that can have on people.”

Aang frowned and nodded as he gripped his staff. “Maybe I should go talk to him-”

“No,” Zuko said as he placed a hand on his shoulder. “I should.” He turned to the group. “I have a feeling I can better relate.”

The group exchanged glances, but all nodded.

“He should be in the garden,” Toph said. “Probably hanging out with Appa and Momo.”

“Cuddle time with furry critters is good for relieving stress,” Sokka commented.

“Right,” Zuko said as he left. “I’ll go find him. Could one of you fill Uncle in on what happened?”

“I’ll do it,” Toph said as he crossed her arms.

“And in the meantime, who’s up for a game of cards?” Sokka said.

“Only if you’re not dealing,” Katara chided.

“Why?”

“Because you cheat!” Everyone shouted.

Zuko repressed a chuckle as he left and headed for the garden.

---------------------

There was nobody in the garden, which was what Shiro needed. Upon arriving, Momo had jumped onto his shoulder. Shiro glanced up and upon seeing the lemur’s concerned face staring back at him, he gave a small smile.

“Worried about me?” Shiro asked.

Momo chirped at him.

“I’m okay,” Shiro said quietly, although it was mostly to convince himself.

He walked over to where Appa was currently napping and sat next to him. The flying bison cracked open an eye.

“Mind if I join you?” Shrio asked.

Appa gave a snort before shutting his eyes and turning his head.

“I’ll take that as an ‘No’,” Shiro said softly and leaned back.

He breathed in and out. He needed to clear his head. He had to just..not think about what he had just heard. But how could he not?

Because it’s all true, he thought darkly.

He sighed deeply listening to only Appa’s snoring and the light purr like sounds from Momo. Before long, Shiro heard footsteps.

He opened his eyes and saw Zuko.

“I take it you spoke with Toph.”

“She gave us the details more or less,” Zuko said as he sat down next to him. “Are you alright?”

Shiro sighed. “I’ll..be fine.” He shut his eyes. “It just brought up some memories I prefer not to recall.”

“Memories or the nightmares you’ve been having?”

Shiro froze. Momo hopped off his shoulder as he straightened his posture. “You know about the nightmares?”

Zuko raised an eyebrow. “I know from personal experience it’s impossible for a person to get scars like these,” he pointed to his face, “and not get nightmares.”

Shiro opened and shut his mouth. Right, I suppose he would know.

“Do you get yours often?” Zuko asked.

Shiro rubbed his neck. “It’s not as bad as it used to be, but I will admit they aren’t nearly as bad as the…”

“Flashbacks?”

Shiro paused, but slowly gave a nod.

Zuko was quiet as he crossed his arms. “I’m assuming the others told you how I got my face burned.”

Shiro rubbed his neck. “Um, no actually.”

Zuko blinked and looked genuinely surprised. “Wait, really?”

“They told me it was something to do with an Agni Kai, but they wouldn’t tell me any more than that.”

“Huh,” Zuko said softly as he watched Momo dip his hand into the water. “You might as well know.”

Shiro held up his hand. “You don’t have to tell me.”

“You’re probably going to learn it from someone at some point, it’s not exactly hidden information, and I rather you hear it from me.”

Shiro narrowed his eyes, but remained quiet.

“During a war meeting I spoke out against a general’s plan to use newly trained soldiers as bait in a battle.” He turned to Shiro. “Believe it or not, that general was Bujing.”

The man I fought, Shiro thought. He recalled the arrogance of the older man. Yeah, he would be the kind of guy to have that plan.

“You weren’t wrong for speaking out,” Shiro said.

“No, but it wasn’t my place to. I was young and was only supposed to observe quietly.” Zuko took a deep breath. “My father was outraged at my behaviour and an Agni Kai was declared to settle the matter. I had assumed it would be with Bujing, but that wasn’t the case. Ozai was my opponent.”

Shiro’s eyes widened. “You… had to fight against your father?”

“No, because I refused. To ‘teach me a lesson’ Ozai gave me this,” he pointed to his burn. “It was a few days after while I was still recovering that he banished me and said I wasn’t allowed to return home unless I captured the avatar.” He gave a shrug. “You can guess how that turned out.”

Shiro was silent as the gears turned in his head. Zuko was no older than Keith. The war ended three years ago. Did that mean?

“How old were you?” Shiro asked.

“13,” Zuko replied darkly.

Shiro sucked in air between his teeth and shut his eyes to cool his temper.

“I should have killed him,” Shiro said with a growl.

Zuko scoffed. “You’ll need to get in line. Katara, Sokka and Toph instantly started to make ‘murder plans’ when I told them. It took Aang and I days to get them to calm down about it.”

Can’t say I blame them, Shiro thought.

He took his own deep breath. “Okay, my turn.”

Zuko touched his shoulder. “You don’t have to.”

Shiro shook his head. “No, it’s only fair.”

If Zuko felt comfortable enough to tell him the details, how could he not return the favour?

“You know the galra I told you about? I was on an exploration mission when I first encountered them.” Momo came over and sat at Shiro’s feet. “We weren’t a large group. Just me, the pilot, and two scientists; Sam Holt and his son Matt. It wasn’t supposed to be anything other than a mission of scientific discovery, but we were captured by the galra.”

“Because they thought you had information?” Zuko asked.

“I don’t know,” Shiro replied.

He never really understood why they had been captured.

“But the end result was Sam got taken away while Matt and I got sent to the gladiator ring.” His body tensed. “Matt was so frightened. I knew he wouldn’t survive so I injured him so they were forced to take him out of there, but I don’t know where.”

“So, you were left there alone?” Zuko muttered.

Shiro nodded, “I was there for a year before I was able to escape,” Shiro said. “I don’t remember much about that time, but I do know three facts.” He held up his cybernetic arm. “It’s where I got this as well as my scars, every fight was to the death,” his fist tightened, “and I was granted the title of Champion.”

Zuko’s face hardened. “You mean, every fight you won-”

“Had to end with someone being killed,” Shiro finished. “I’ve met former prisoners who remember my time there and they said I was their inspiration, but I’ll admit I’ve yet to understand why.” Shiro lowered his arm as glanced over to the pond. “Your father is right about one thing. I am a killer just like him.”

Zuko scoffed, “Shiro, I haven’t known you for long, but you are nothing like him.”

Shiro’s eyes hardened. “Zuko-”

“You’re not.” Zuko repeated firmly. “You had to kill to survive, meanwhile my father tried to burn an entire nation to the ground just because he wanted to feed his ego.”

Shiro was quiet.

“Besides, that fact that you feel guilt over it is proof enough,” Zuko continued as he touched Shiro’s shoulder. “Ozai doesn’t question it for a second.”

Shiro’s shoulders slumped. “It’s easy to say that, logically, but-”

“It’s difficult to believe it?” Zuko asked.

Shiro nodded.

“Have you ever discussed this with your friends?”

“No,” Shiro said softly as he shut his eyes. “We’re in the middle of a war and they have enough on their shoulders. I don’t want to burden them.”

Zuko’s eyes narrowed. “You’ll just make things worse though.”

Shiro glanced at him, but kept quiet.

“Keeping things in doesn’t help anyone,” Zuko continued. “You probably think you’re protecting them, but all that’s doing is letting things build up inside and trust me, it will come out.” He turned to him. “At the worst possible times.”

“Personal experience?” Shiro asked.

Zuko didn’t reply, but he could tell from his face that the answer was a yes.

“I know you’re right,” Shiro said softly. “Just hard to know when I’m ready.”

Zuko took a breath and then rose. “Well, I know what we can do in the meantime.” He turned to him. “Starting tomorrow, I’m teaching you how to meditate. Uncle taught me when I was first recovering and I can’t deny it was a big help to me.”

Shiro raised a hand. “I appreciate the offer but-”

“It’s not a request,” Zuko said firmly, “it’s an order since you are currently acting as my bodyguard. I’m sure Aang would be willing to assist too.”

Shiro debated if he should argue, but Zuko was clearly not going to back down.

He really does remind me of Keith, Shiro thought. I wonder if they would get along?

Shiro rose and tossed up his hands. “Alright, you win.”

“We’ll start in the morning then,” Zuko said. “Let’s go back and check in with the others.”

Shiro nodded silently as he followed feeling just a little bit better than he had before.

[dragonandtiger]

Dreaming To Reality: Oneiromancy Chapter Twenty Eight - 13

“Huh?” Piyomon paused at that, her eyes widening.

“I… also had someone to assist me, to help me carry this burden,” Cassandramon said, her voice going rather quiet. “But now, I am alone.”

“O-oh��,” Piyomon immediately deflated, drooping. “I-I’m sorry-”

“Tiresiamon,” Cassandramon said. The sudden name caused the bird Digimon to stop and blink in mid-apology. The seer paused before she closed all eyes but the one on her forehead, raising her voice. “His name was Tiresiamon. And the temple holding the altar of Love and Hope belonged to him.”

“What happened to him?” Sora asked, her voice gentle, as she slowly approached Cassandramon.

“The same thing that happened to Huanglongmon, and countless other prisoners of the humans that now make the Dark Ocean their home,” Cassandramon said. Her voice was rough, uncharacteristically so. It was enough to make the Chosen of Love stare at her before grimacing and clutching her hands together and placing them over her heart. The seer didn’t look at Sora, her lower eyes still closed. “And now, so too does he. Only I escaped… through no choice of my own.”

Only then did Cassandramon finally look at Sora. The neutral mask she wore cracked in that moment, and in her wet eyes was a dark pit of a level of sorrow that the Chosen of Love could barely fathom but felt keenly. “It was... to achieve the best future, he said.”

Sora felt tears build in her own eyes, even as the seer Digimon’s mask went back into place, the infinite sea of sadness hidden beneath a placid surface of neutrality. It took her a moment to collect herself enough to speak, her choked words coming out barely above a whisper. “I’m so sorry.”

“It is not your fault,” Cassandramon said. There was no hint of the vulnerability she showed before, her voice once more an emotionless monotone that gave away nothing as she stared at the Chosen with three unblinking eyes. “It is the fault of those now condemned to the Dark Ocean, the scientists who played god with our lives - and yours. The consequences of their actions have long outlived them, and we are left to deal with them to the best of our ability.”

Yamato grimaced before he rubbed his forehead. A lot of the conversation didn’t sit well with him, but he had enough empathy and tact to keep those thoughts to himself. “So why are you here, then?”

“I am… resting,” Cassandramon said. “What little part I played in weaving this tapestry is over, and all I can do is wait to see what future is created. The multitude of threads now move on their own, and cannot be influenced any longer - not by me, at any rate. Come what may, with this final act, I am done.”

[witchofthescions]

The next day, Sylphie and Ernastral brought Lenar over to Gatty and Sanche's hut in the woods. Gatty greeted them enthusiastically, while her mother regarded the elezen accompanying them with obvious suspicion.

"This is Lenar, one of Ernastral's friends," Sylphie explained. "He's not a conjurer, but he's a skilled healer."

"I figured it might be worth it to have a proper healer look you over and treat you, if that's alright with you?" Ernastral said, looking right at Sanche. "And Lenar's the best healer in the world!"

"I'm not sure I'd go quite that far, love," Lenar chimed in, bashfully fiddling with his cane. "But I will admit that I've garnered something of a positive reputation even as far off as Sharlayan."

The woman's gaze flicked between Erna and Lenar, suspicion writ plain across her face. Gatty tugged at her mother's tunic, giving her a look somewhere between hopeful and concerned.

"Please, mama? If there's a way for them to help you..."

Sanche's expression softened as she ran a hand through her daughter's hair, mindful of her horns. She sighed and turned back to the group.

"Alright, fine, I'll let you have a look at me."

"Thank you. I advise the rest of you to stay outside until we're done."

"But..." Gatty cast a worried look towards her mother, suddenly unsure of the very course of action she just advocated for.

"There's nothing to worry about, love," Lenar reassured her. "It's simply that I may need to ask your mother some embarrassing questions in the course of the checkup. Things that a young girl wouldn't want to hear about her mother, such as her bathroom habits."

Gatty's face scrunched up into a look of obvious disgust, eliciting a laugh from her mother and another affectionate hair ruffle. "Gross!"

"Alas, healing is often a very gross affair," Lenar said.

"Come on, let's get this over with," Sanche said, turning and leading the way into the hut. Lenar dutifully followed behind her, Sapphire dashing ahead to help lead the way. As they entered the hut, Sanche lowered her voice. "You aren't actually going to ask about my bathroom habits, are you?"

"If we were dealing with a stomach upset, mayhaps," Lenar murmured back. "But not for a heart condition, no."

Lenar's questions were thorough, and touched on things that Sanche never would have otherwise thought to bring up. She had to admit that she was impressed by this fact. Lenar may not have been willing to admit it, but Sanche was fairly certain there was quite a bit of merit to Ernastral's praise.

"So," she said as the questions wound down, "what's the verdict?"

Lenar fell silent for a moment. He'd taken a seat, laying his cane across his lap while Sapphire sat on the floor beside him. He twirled the cane a bit as he gathered his thoughts.

"...To be blunt, not good," he finally said. "I gather that your heart condition has always been a degenerative one. Even with the best of care, you likely would have had a significantly shortened lifespan."

Sanche lowered her head and nodded, despite knowing he couldn't see the gesture. "Aye."

"And you have spent the past twelve years without any sort of proper care. 'Tis frankly astounding that you've lasted this long. That all being said, I fear my ability to oversee your care is limited. I cannot halt the progression of this illness."

Sanche let out a heavy sigh, leaning back on the bed. "I suspected as much."

"I'm sorry," Lenar said, voice soft and quiet.

She shook her head. "Don't be. Like you said, I've always known my time was limited."

Silence fell over them for a few moments. The only sound was the sound of the carbuncle scratching behind her ear, and the gentle tinkle of the fairy's light.

"How much time do I have left?"

Lenar's lips pressed into a thin line. "At the rate you've been going... I'd say a month."

"It's that bad, is it?" Sanche said quietly.

"It is," Lenar replied. After another moment's pause, he asked, "what would you like to tell your daughter?"

Sanche raised her head, frowning at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Do you intend to tell her of your prognosis? That you do not have much time left?"

Sanche glanced away. "I'd... rather not."

"It's your decision," Lenar assured her. "Personally, I would advise telling her. Losing her mother will be awful, but... giving her some time to prepare would be better in the long run, in my opinion."

Sanche stared at the ground, one hand gripping her pants leg. He had a point, she knew that. But... "I don't want to burden her."

"I understand," Lenar said gently. "She is just a child after all. This is an awful situation for the both of you. But as I said, it's your decision and I have no intention of undermining that."

"Thank you," Sanche said. She quietly wiped away a tear. "You know, you're a lot more reasonable than the conjurers."

"Oh?" Lenar said, looking surprised. "How so?"

Sanche's gaze briefly wandered towards the window, where she knew her daughter was waiting. "How much do you know about... my daughter's situation?"

"I was mostly informed about your condition and that you and your daughter have been living in the woods for most of her life." The carbuncle lifted her head and gazed curiously at Sanche. "If there's more, then Ernastral neglected to inform me of it."

Sanche's eyes widened. "Huh... and here I was, worried she'd gone back on her word." She shook her head. "Since you aren't a conjurer yourself, and don't seem to be associated with them, I'll tell you the story."

She took a deep breath before launching into her tale. "My daughter is a Padjal. She's been chosen by the elementals to convey their will to the people of Gridania."

"A significant honor, I'm told."

"Aye," Sanche said, some bitterness creeping into her voice. "By Gridanian law, the conjurers had the right to take her from my arms to teach her how to be their servant."

"What?" Sanche glanced up to see the look of shock and horror on Lenar's face. "Wait... As a newborn?"

"As a newborn." Sanche grimaced and looked away again.

"Fury preserve, that's..." Lenar grimaced. "All other concerns aside, taking an infant from a loving mother seems far too cruel."

"As I said, it's their right. But I had lost my husband, and she was all I had left. So I took her and fled."

"I cannot say I blame you," Lenar said, quietly. He let out a sigh. "So that is why you have gone without medical care for the past twelve years. You fled the law so that you could raise your child in peace."

"And now my selfishness has put us both in danger," Sanche said darkly. "She lacks control over her power, and now it's attracting wandering voidsent."

"Which I'm sure has done wonders for your heart condition," Lenar said dryly. "Joking aside, there's no reasonable way you could have foreseen this. You simply wanted to keep your child safe and by your side. There's nothing inherently wrong with that."

"...Thank you," Sanche said. She shook her head. "But what's done is done. I'd like some time to think things over."

"As you wish. I will not tell Gatty of your prognosis, as you requested. Is there someone who has been overseeing your care so far?"

"Aye, the younger conjurer. Sylphie's her name, I believe?"

"I shall share my findings with her, then. She needs to know in order to provide proper care."

"Don't let her tell Gatty."

"I shall ensure she doesn't." Lenar stood up, dusting himself off. "With that, I shall leave you to it."

[purplesaline]

One of the consequences of getting covid is that it can trigger POTS in a lot of people, it's what's been causing Long Covid for many.

POTS is a condition that not much is known about (it's believed it may be an autoimmune disorder) and it causes dysautonomia, aka impairs the autonomic nervous system.

One of the most noticeable ways this expresses itself is an impaired baroreflex. Baroreflex is your bodies ability to regulate your blood pressure when theres a change that would cause it to increase or decrease, and this impairment means that the body never recieves the signal for blood vessels to properly constrict to help force blood back to the heart, resulting in blood pooling in the lower extremities when you stand up. In response your heart beats faster to try to force the blood to move, but the blood volume isn't high enough for that to be very effective, so your heart beats even faster.

When I stand up and do absolutely nothing but stand quietly without moving my heart rate can reach 170bpm within 20 minutes. Simply shopping at the grocery store was enough to cause my heartrate to get to 200bpm. Even sitting upright in a chair raises it to 120bpm.

This is exhausting

It's actually beyond exhausting really. Imagine doing a full set of wind sprints any time you do anything.

POTS also causes heat intolerance, and raising your arms above your head is very tiring, making the simple act of showering incredibly difficult.

Now, most people with POTS don't have as severe a case as mine and will have flares where they notice the issue (my life is just one long flare I swear lol) and their heartrate doesn't get quite as high, but it will rise by at least 30bpm within 10 minutes of standing, which is still a very noticeable and tiring experience.

The good news is that it isn't life threatening, the bad news is that it can be devastating to your quality of life.

I've been bedridden for nearly 2 years (I need a chair to make a fucking PB&J sandwich), and the 4 years before that wasn't much better.

YOU DO NOT WANT THIS

And if you have ADHD or hEDS, especially if you are AFAB, you're at a higher risk of developing POTS.

Wear your fucking mask!!

For your own sake, PLEASE wear a mask and avoid situations where the risk of getting covid is high.

POTS is a life changing condition and it can cause permanent, severe disability preventing you from being able to work to support yourself.

I'm lucky, I live in the Province with the best disability program in Canada. I get $1,787/mth to live on. Most of you will not be this lucky.

Wear

Your

Fucking

Mask

PLEASE

I'm begging you. Even if you aren't afraid of covid and you don't think you can die from it (and you're probably right honestly), you should be worried about developing POTS. I developed it after a stomach bug 6 years ago (viral or bacterial infections are one of the main triggers)

It doesn't matter if you're super active and healthy, you can still develop POTS, and then say good bye to your fun active lifestyle.

This used to be an incredibly uncommon condition, amd them the pandemic happened and now I can't throw a rock without hitting someone who got POTS in the last couple of years.

Please for the love of all you hold dear, PLEASE just wear a damned mask and avoid high risk activities. I am quite literally begging you.

"A significant percentage of COVID-19 survivors develop POTS within 6-8 months of infection"

Autonomic dysfunction, of which POTS is an important subset, has been noted in more than half the patients with COVID-19 as post-acute sequelae in some studies

There is an approximately 1 in 10 chance (2-14%) you will get POTS if you have a symptomatic covid infection. Every time you get covid.

Please wear a mask

“The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that as of August 12, COVID hospitalizations had increased by 21.6%. In comparison, during the week ending on August 5, hospitalizations had increased by 14%. On July 8, there were 6,454 confirmed COVID hospitalizations in the United States, but since then those numbers have nearly doubled, now sitting at 12,613 hospitalizations nationwide.”

—

COVID Hospitalizations Now Up Nearly 22%

I know that we are all super over it. I know we all want to go back to our lives, and not think about masking indoors.

I feel it. I really do. And as much as I hate it, the reality is that Covid is still out there, still contagious, and it does not care if we are over it, or not.

I don’t agree with the minimizing “it’s just the flu” or “it’s just a cold” rhetoric. I suspect that’s coming from people who are tired, and really WANT Covid to be “just like _____” instead of what it is. But even if the rhetoric were true, I don’t want to get a cold, and I don’t want to get the flu. I don’t like feeling shitty. So I will continue to be cautious. I will continue to mask indoors, not because I’m modeling anything, not because I am afraid, but because I want to minimize my exposure risk to all airborne illnesses, even the ones that aren’t as unpredictable as Covid (and the Long Covid cases, which we still do not fully understand.)

Please be safe, take care of yourselves, and stay healthy.

[karate121]

The Health Advantages of Low-Cost Karate Classes for Children and Teens

Creating strategies to keep kids physically and mentally active is crucial in today's fast-paced environment where kids and teenagers are constantly exposed to devices and sedentary activities. Affordable karate courses offer a great answer and have other health advantages besides teaching self-defence.

The Health Benefits of Karate for Kids and Teens

Many parents look for inexpensive choices that promote both physical activity and intellectual development when it comes to keeping their kids and teenagers active. The ideal martial art for this is karate, which provides a wealth of health advantages that support the overall growth of young minds and bodies.

Physical Fitness

Strength and stamina

Karate is a very physically demanding art that requires its practitioners to be strong and resilient. Kids and teenagers can enhance their stamina and build stronger muscles via regular workout. Affordable karate lessons provide a convenient way to improve physical fitness, assisting kids in maintaining a healthy weight.

Coordination and Balance

Karate requires regulated and precise moves. Kids and teenagers who learn karate dramatically enhance their balance and coordination. These abilities benefit martial arts practice as well as other pursuits, lowering the danger of mishaps and injuries in daily life.

Cardiovascular Health

Karate training on a regular basis raises heart rate and improves cardiovascular health. It's a great technique for children and teenagers to strengthen their heart and lungs. Young people who take low-cost karate training can lower their chance of developing cardiac problems in later life.

The state of my mind

discipline and attention

Karate practitioners get focus and discipline from their instructors. Children and teenagers learn how to listen to instructions, exercise self-control, and focus on their objectives. This mental toughness carries over from the Black Panther Karate (karate training hall) into their personal and academic lives, improving their general wellbeing.

Stress Reduction

Even young children and teenagers experience stress in life, which negatively affects their mental health due to factors including peer pressure, parental expectations, and school. With karate, children and teenagers may direct their energy into a constructive activity, finding an outlet for stress. They can unwind and achieve inner peace by practicing karate, which incorporates meditation.

Self-belief and confidence

Children and teenagers who can afford karate training are encouraged to create and accomplish goals. Their self-esteem and confidence increase as they rise through the ranks and receive higher belts. Their improved social relations and increased resilience in the face of difficulties are both benefits of this enhanced self-assurance.

Self-Defence Skills

Empowerment

The ability to defend oneself is one of the main reasons parents sign up their kids for karate lessons. Kids and teenagers learn self-defence skills through karate in case they ever find themselves in a dangerous scenario. In addition to giving them more confidence, this knowledge also gives parents peace of mind.

Stopping Bullying

However, bullying is a common occurrence among kids and teenagers. They gain the skills they need from karate to confidently confront bullies and, if necessary, defend themselves. Karate can help develop both physical and mental toughness, which can be a potent barrier against bullying.

Conflict Resolution

Karate places a strong emphasis on conflict resolution methods and teaches children and teenagers when and how to safely use their martial arts talents. They may promote peaceful conflict resolution and steer clear of pointless confrontations with the help of this insightful lesson.

Low-cost Karate Classes

Accessibility

Karate is available to a variety of families because to low-cost classes. It makes sure that a youngster or teen's access to karate's many advantages is not restricted by a lack of money. There are numerous dojos (karate training facilities), schools, and community centres that provide affordable choices.

Unique Community

Karate encourages its practitioners to feel a sense of community and friendship. Kids and teens from all backgrounds frequently enroll in affordable karate courses, fostering a friendly and accepting community where friendships are formed, and support networks are developed.

knowledgeable instructors

Affordable karate classes don't sacrifice instruction quality. Kids and teenagers receive the best training possible thanks to the correct direction and mentorship provided by qualified and experienced educators.

Adaptable timetables

Affordable karate lessons frequently include flexible hours to meet the hectic lives of parents and the academic obligations of kids and teenagers. This makes incorporating karate into the daily routines of families simpler.

In result

Putting your kid in low-cost karate lessons can make a huge difference in both their physical and mental health. Karate offers a comprehensive method for developing a person, from increased physical fitness to improved mental focus, self-defence abilities, and a welcoming community. It's an investment that returns out in the form of children and teenagers who are confident, accountable, and strong. Consider the many health benefits that karate has to impart if you're looking for a low-cost strategy to boost your child's growth. One kick and punch at a time, give them the chance to realize their potential.

We respect you reading, and we wish you and your child a successful and healthy karate career!

martial art

[lenbryant]

(LONG RE-POST) In the LA Times's desperate attempt to become profitable again, I hope they never lay off Michael Hiltzik. His columns are one of the few reasons that I still read the paper (online). Plus, I was delighted to add a colorful new word to my vocabulary: "rictus."

Column: The only thing voters liked less than Ron DeSantis’ anti-woke crusade was Ron DeSantis

By Michael Hiltzik, Business Columnist | Jan. 22, 2024

Sunday was a tough day for those, like me, who get their entertainment jollies by watching losers try to redeem themselves. I’m not talking only about the Buffalo Bills, the only NFL team I care even two cents for, whose effort to erase their four consecutive Super Bowl losses (1990-1993) was defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Even more crushing, I am forced to bid farewell to the Ron DeSantis for President campaign.

The theme of the postmortems that started appearing in the political press almost instantaneously after DeSantis’ announcement that he was withdrawing from the quest for the Republican nomination was that his campaign’s recklessness was matched by its fecklessness.

That’s true enough, as far as it goes, but it doesn’t go nearly far enough. The DeSantis campaign exposed the vacuum at the heart of Republican policymaking, which is that it doesn’t involve policymaking at all, only the ceaseless repetition of grievances against fabricated enemies — teachers, librarians, doctors, transgender individuals, advocates of social inclusion-equity-diversity — accompanied by performative viciousness.

The campaign also exposed the vacuum in our political press corps, which tried valiantly to prop up the Florida governor as a doughty maverick who shouldn’t be underestimated. (Pamela Paul, New York Times, Feb. 9, 2023: “His policies land better with voters than with progressive critics.”)

The elevation of DeSantis into some sort of political virtuoso with frighteningly occult skills began midway through his first gubernatorial term, when Politico ran an article headlined, “How Ron DeSantis won the pandemic.” This oustandingly ignorant piece underscored the folly of calling the game before the final whistle blows — indeed, even before the game has begun.

The truth was that the pandemic was defeating DeSantis even then, since 32,000 Floridians already had died of COVID-19; by the time the pandemic was declared over, Florida would have one of the worst records against COVID of any state in the union, due mostly to DeSantis’ resistance to sensible social policies and his demonization of the COVID vaccines.

DeSantis continued to snow the press with disinformation about his COVID response, citing Florida’s relatively high median age to explain away the state’s wretched performance against COVID. The problem there is that three of the four states with higher median ages than Florida (Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont) had significantly lower death rates than Florida.

There are two chief methods of assessing the DeSantis presidential campaign. One is to examine its nuts and bolts and assess DeSantis’ ability at retail campaigning; that’s the method of the political press corps, which prefers horse-race coverage to writing about things as dull as policies. The other is to examine the implications of a DeSantis presidency for voters and their families, which is where the rubber meets the road.

In both respects, DeSantis was a disaster. Let’s take them in order.

DeSantis’ campaign began with the audacious tactic of announcing his candidacy May 24 on Twitter Spaces, an online audio feature that Twitter (now X) owner Elon Musk thought would raise the social media platform to a new level of user appeal. Didn’t work that way.

Musk couldn’t get the thing to function, plying the audience with feedback, weird musical interludes and long stretches of silence instead of with DeSantis. Scheduled to start at 3 p.m. Pacific time, it finally got going about 18 minutes late.

Musk and the moderator, a Musk acolyte named David Sacks, kept trying to assert that the technical screw-ups amounted to a triumph brought about by a large audience. “We are melting the servers, which is a good sign,” Sacks said early on.

This sounded like the claim by SpaceX, another Musk venture, that its April 20 launch of a prototype rocket, which ended with the vehicle exploding in flight four minutes after liftoff, was a success. Never mind that the launch destroyed the launchpad and showered a neighboring community with debris, which sounds like a convenient metaphor for the DeSantis launch.

On the stump, DeSantis proved singularly maladroit. Coverage of his personal appearances focused on his obvious discomfort in meeting with strangers and his fruitless efforts to laugh or even crack a smile, which tended to produce only a hideous facial rictus.

He sat down for interviews only with right-wing sources such as Fox News, where he could be assured of receiving questions as solid as balls of yarn. After I wrote that DeSantis had “all the charisma of a linoleum floor,” The Times received an indignant letter from an architect objecting to the unwarranted affront to linoleum.

The end of the campaign was as slipshod as its beginning. In his withdrawal speech, DeSantis quoted Winston Churchill as stating, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Um, no. After checking Churchill’s ample canon for this quote and another line purporting to define “success,” the International Churchill Society reported that it could “find no attribution for either one,” and that an almost equal number of online sources credit them to Abraham Lincoln — but the society couldn’t find them in the Lincoln archives either. At least one dedicated sleuth found the same quote in a Budweiser beer ad from 1938.

That brings us to the more important ramifications of the DeSantis candidacy, for the residents of Florida today and potentially for Americans who might have lived under a DeSantis presidency.

Whether or not he and his sedulous sycophants in the Florida Legislature specifically tailored their in-state policies to his desire to pose as the most extremist culture warrior in America, the consequences for Floridians have been dire.

Start with the pandemic. After bragging about being personally on hand to welcome the first shipments of the COVID vaccine into Florida — he called it a “historic day” — DeSantis staged an about-face.

Evidently calculating that throwing in his lot with the anti-science, anti-vaccination right wing was a surer path to electoral success than protecting his constituents from harm, DeSantis demonized the vaccines and joined the far right in trying to turn Anthony Fauci, the most respected immunological authority in America, into the chief pandemic villain.

He hawked campaign swag like beer can cozies and T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan, “Don’t Fauci My Florida,” a reference to Fauci’s advocacy of vaccination and social distancing — policies that Fauci actually had no authority to enforce. This while COVID cases were exploding in Florida and nationwide.

In September 2021, DeSantis appointed as his state’s surgeon general the COVID crank Joseph Ladapo, an advocate of the useless anti-COVID nostrums hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin and a persistent anti-vaccine advocate.

Supporting his advice to all Americans to avoid the mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer with fabricated research papers and long-debunked claims about the hazards of the vaccines — which have protected millions from death and hospitalization from COVID — Ladapo has used his position as a state public health official to undermine public health nationwide. As I described him, “the most dangerous quack in America.”

Ladapo’s ideological and ignorant pronouncements against the vaccines prompted the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to upbraid him jointly, in a letter notifying him that his claims are “incorrect, misleading and could be harmful to the American public” and warning that his activity “puts people at risk of death or serious illness that could have been prevented by timely vaccination.”

But there’s more. In April, DeSantis signed one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the nation, barring the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy — before many women even know they’re pregnant. He was so proud of his decision that he signed the measure late one night.

In September 2022, minions acting in DeSantis’ name deceived nearly 50 immigrant asylum seekers in Texas into boarding flights to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.

The immigrants, who were in the U.S. legally, were told that they were being taken to Boston or Washington, D.C., where they would be given jobs and receive a host of immigrant services. Instead, they were dropped off on the island, which is reachable only by air or sea and where no one capable of providing such services had been warned of their arrival.

This stunt may have been designed to show up the islanders as heartless liberals who talk a good game but don’t walk the walk. Instead, the islanders met their humane responsibilities, providing succor to the deceived innocent victims and arranging the services they had been promised. All this was paid for by Floridians’ taxes. DeSantis hasn’t yet paid the price for his contemptible behavior.

Then there’s DeSantis’ impersonation of a champion of election integrity, shown by the arrests of 19 people, 14 of whom are Black, for alleged voter fraud in 2022. Most believed they were entitled to vote because that’s what they were told by state elections officials. The first cases to go to trial ended with dismissals or acquittals, and all the rest are probably destined to go the same way.

The most significant and far-reaching DeSantis policy is his assault on education. DeSantis eviscerated New College of Florida, a state college that has long been considered a beacon of liberal arts education; he fired its board and replaced it with a passel of right-wing ideologues including the egregious Christopher Rufo (last seen as an advocate of firing Harvard President Claudine Gay). The board fired the school’s president and replaced her with another GOP time-server who has presided over plummeting academic standards.

DeSantis’ notorious so-called Don’t Say Gay law and other policy initiatives aimed at banning books from school libraries have turned teaching in Florida schools into a potentially career-ending minefield. The harvest has been one of the most severe teacher shortages in Florida history, which the Florida Education Assn. attributed to the deliberate creation of “sustained chaos in public schools” designed to “undermine parents’ trust in their child’s neighborhood school with the ultimate goal of having a fully privatized education system.”

Remarkably, major institutions kowtowed to DeSantis’ basest instincts. The College Board rewrote the syllabus for its advanced placement course in African American studies to meet his objection that it made slavery look too mean. The National Hockey League refashioned a conference aimed at recruiting diverse candidates into its management ranks when DeSantis henchpersons objected that it was too “woke.” The Special Olympics rescinded a COVID vaccine mandate for a meet in Florida when DeSantis threatened it with a massive fine. He was the meet’s honorary chairman at the time.

All those institutions deserve to be shamed for failing to stand up to a bully.

The truth is that most voters appear to be repulsed by extreme right politics of this sort. In every state where they’ve had their say on abortion, including red states, they’ve favored expanded abortion rights. School board candidates who advocated book bans lost their elections in November coast to coast. The voters see through the “parents’ rights” flapdoodle when it’s used to narrow the educational opportunities for their children.

DeSantis’ failure to appeal to even Republican primary voters — who tend to be the most right-leaning among Republicans generally — should raise questions about whether the GOP has any appeal to American voters at all, outside Trump’s strongman personality cult.

But his impact on his home state will last far longer than his campaign. “The damage of the laws he pushed through in Florida,” the Miami Herald lamented in an editorial on Sunday, “will live on. Without his political ambitions, there likely wouldn’t be ‘Don’t say gay,’ woke wars and the waste of state resources to fight meaningless battles against drag queen bars.

DeSantis ended by endorsing the candidate he had been attacking in the final stages of his campaign, Donald Trump. That’s the most vivid manifestation of the condition of Republican electioneering in this presidential cycle. Shakespeare described it best: “A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

PHOTO: A man holds up his hands.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis: Bye-bye

(John Bazemore / Associated Press)

[nomzamomajolaotblog]

A Mother and Child, two equatorial parallel lines crossing along the border of the earth, together yet apart.

The bond between mother and her unborn child is one that is incomparable, the interchanging and intertwining of the two souls in one body carried at the source of one of a woman’s most treasured organ that gives the ability to be one with a new life as she becomes the source of oxygen , with the hope and possibility that it will be a part of the many amongst its generation that will form a part of the change that we need in the world….. that we need in the future.

Maternal health is a crucial practice as it increases the chances of good maternity, the state of pregnancy not only takes a toll on a woman physically, but it so does emotionally, psychologically, and socially. Maternal health promotes sufficient care for both the mother and unborn child, ensuring that simultaneously their needs are being met. This is something that should be mandatory in the health care system worldwide as it is the anchor to a successful and safe prenatal stage, childbirth, and postpartum stage. Maternal health includes access to sufficient health care services, adequate nutrition, emotional support, preparation for the post-partum and education on childcare.

 Unfortunately, woman have been robbed of that accessibility – this we see mainly in the lower economically developing countries mostly in Southern Africa, Statistics show that in 2020 the lifetime risk of maternal death in low-income countries as a whole was 1 in 49, compared to 1 in 5,300 in high-income countries. Among regions, women in sub-Saharan Africa face the highest lifetime risk (1 in 41), which is approximately 268 times higher than in Western Europe  (Maternal Mortality Rates and Statistics - UNICEF DATA, 2023). When we take a look at these statistics, I am taken back to my experience with a 21 year old mother of a 9-month-old baby who seemed to be raising a healthy baby girl. I had asked for consent to do a development assessment with her child and very trustingly she handed me the baby who had reached all her milestones and showing normal development , I followed with questions about the baby for the rest of the session and realised a minute or two before I ended the session that I had not even bothered to ask how she is coping , and when I did she shared a heart breaking story of her pregnancy and I realised that she had postpartum depression 3 months after birth. That is when it hit me that as health professional practising and non-practicing, postnatal and postpartum depression is seen yet it goes undiagnosed because the focus shifts quickly into the immediate needs of the child and It’s development, growing in a financially unstable home and the mother is neglected when she is the first source of the child, forgetting the unexplainable connection that mother and child have which further illustrates that when the mother’s health is compromised this directly affects the child. As occupational therapists our role in maternal health is to address life role transitions, role attainment in the adjustment to motherhood and how the body and mind impact function and performance in daily occupations (OT in Maternal Health, 2023) . but as practicing OTs we expect mothers to immediately reintegrate into the community and society putting on a façade that they know what they are doing and assume to provide information solely which benefits the child but why not the mother? Are we not regressing the child’s health if we fail to see the importance of maternal health? Mothers need the emotional support in support groups, education on prevention on self-harm, building confident through goal setting which is what we as occupational therapy can enforce.

On the other hand childcare is prioritized more in Therapy especially within the community setting as communities have learnt how to care for the young ensuring the children’s safety and education this is evident in the community of Kenville, as I have observed that many of the community members have started a day centre which assists children mostly who have parents that are employed and work long hours by providing shelter and protection during the day – this indicates growth in our society and a realization of how communities have the ability to come together and solve their common everyday difficulties but this requires some pioneers in the community setting that as Occupational therapists, we can be able to take part in promoting good child health by training these pioneers in the community on how to attain different skills such as teaching cognitive stimulation, by the kids engaging in early education of basic concepts such as shapes and colours as well as gross motor skills by providing a safe and conducive environment for the  children to explore the occupation of play. Child care at Lower economically developed countries is constantly failed by the government who acts oblivious to the fact that the poverty chain is an endless cycle. The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that half of the deaths of children under the age of five years are caused by undernutrition. In addition, malnutrition in children’s early lives may lead to stunted growth, which is detrimental to cognitive performance ability, thus impairing school and work (WHO, 2009). In South Africa Maternal education levels can affect child health through two main channels (mechanisms or pathways). Firstly, it is indirectly affected through increased income – through mothers being in the labour force (Lindeboom et al., 2009; Aslam & Kingdon, 2012) –which could provide better choices in terms of the affordability of care and increased prospects of better care. Secondly, a child’s health can be impacted directly through maternal health literacy (Lindeboom et al., 2009).

Without the proper resources available the child’s health is compromised, nutrition plays a huge part in the growth of a child as long as our government fails to recognize these issues food insecurity will become our new pandemic.

In this blog it is made evident that maternal health levels can affect child health through two main channels Firstly, it is indirectly affected through increased income – through mothers being in the labour force (Lindeboom et al., 2009; Aslam & Kingdon, 2012) –which could provide better choices in terms of the affordability of care and increased prospects of better care. Secondly, a child’s health can be impacted directly through maternal health literacy (Lindeboom et al., 2009). This proposes the thought that if the government and the health care system work together in ensuring that maternal health care is treated as an essential and if health service simultaneously provided with child health care, we might just be able to change our future and our children are the future and the change, but it has to start with us.

reference list

Reference List:

arguijo, crystal. (2018, June 24). A Mother’s love. A Fathers’s love. Pinterest; Pinterest. https://za.pinterest.com/pin/405394403956530921/

Briltz, V. (2019). SOAR @ USA SOAR @ USA Student Capstone Projects Student Research. https://soar.usa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1019&context=capstones

Child poverty in South Africa - summary. (2020, July 7). Unicef.org. https://www.unicef.org/southafrica/reports/child-poverty-south-africa-summary

HEE. (2022). AHP Careers in Mental Health- Occupational Therapy in Perinatal Services [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDQRGmJxolQ

Maternal Health Quotes. QuotesGram. (2023a). Quotesgram.com. https://quotesgram.com/maternal-health-quotes/

Maternal Health Quotes. QuotesGram. (2023b). QuotesGram. https://quotesgram.com/img/maternal-health-quotes/3098597/

Maternal mortality rates and statistics - UNICEF DATA. (2023, February 27). UNICEF DATA. https://data.unicef.org/topic/maternal-health/maternal-mortality/#:~:text=In%202020%2C%20the%20lifetime%20risk,Europe%20(1%20in%2011%2C000).

OT in Maternal Health. (2023). Motherhood OT & Family Wellness. https://www.motherhoodot.net/pages/the-need-2#:~:text=In%20maternal%20health%2C%20OTs%20address,how%20people%20occupy%20their%20time).

What is postpartum depression? (2022). Unicef.org. https://www.unicef.org/parenting/mental-health/what-postpartum-depression?gclid=Cj0KCQiA0oagBhDHARIsAI-BbgfotyCI3sl4xoZpxEkrhzaJejHMzr596qWo93FUU-JG5Ay7suYVlIIaAtGnEALw_wcB

World. (2023, February 22). Maternal mortality. Who.int; World Health Organization: WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality

[alectoperdita]

@luxielovesparkles's lovely art makes my neurons light up like a fireworks show! With her permission, I wrote a short ficlet inspired by demon!Jou and his flirty outfit. I just couldn't resist Jou in this outfit, and neither could Kaiba, hehe.

It's been a while since I really wrote or published anything, so I hope y'all find it entertaining if you give it a chance. <3

Set in the Two monsters walk into the club universe for expediency. Rated E, contains some smutty bits, rimming and light blood drinking may be of note.

Read the edited and expanded version on AO3

"Let me guess, you’re giving fetish modeling a go."

Seto had walked into many a peculiar sight since Katsuya started frequenting his penthouse. It usually happened after he was freshly awake post-sunset. For a creature without a domicile—or someone who treated Seto’s home as one, and nope, Seto wasn’t going to interrogate that right now—the incubus sported a bottomless wardrobe, figuratively. Seto couldn’t recall Katsuya wearing any articles of clothing, much less entire outfits, twice, and he had an exceedingly good memory.

But the sight of Katsuya in a woolen, pastel pink dress?—tube top?—something, bent forward at the waist and checking out his own reflection in the window, still raised an eyebrow. Because while the weather had taken a turn for the cold, lengthening nights much to Seto’s relief, a sweater of that make wouldn’t keep any creature, even a demon, particularly warm. It could’ve been a fever dream, but vampires didn’t dream so...

Less surprising was the large heart-shaped cutout in the garment exposing the creamy flesh of Katsuya’s lower back, through which his tail also poked through and swung lazily. No, that was par the course for Katsuya’s sartorial tastes.

Katsuya straightened with a snap of his waists and spun to greet him with a beaming smile.

"Okay, so I was going through social media looking for fit inspo for this party tonight—"

Party, translation: gangbang/orgy/mass hookup.

"—and figured I’d give it a try. Cute, right?"

Seto padded across his cavernous living room, making no noise as he moved. The only sound was the soft swish, as Katsuya’s tail flicked back and forth in eager anticipation. Seto never could decide if it resembled a cat’s or a dog’s tail more, but he supposed it depended on context. Similarly, the incubus rocked back and forth on his feet when Seto stopped in front of him to study the ridiculous get-up.

The pink complemented his smooth, sun-kissed skin. The dress was sleeveless, strapless, and hugged his body like a second skin, meaning the bodice wrapped tight around Katsuya’s bosom and cinched even tighter around his shapely waist. While it was, by no means, the shortest thing he’d seen Katsuya wear, the hem hit high on Katsuya’s legs and was barely long enough to cover his pert ass. It was obvious he wore no underwear underneath.

By now, Seto had caught onto the incubus’s shapeshifting abilities, and he often shaped his figure to accentuate an outfit’s strength. But he never deviated far from his preferred form: defined but lean and always pleasing to the eye.

Today was no different.

"Well?" Katsuya asked and canted forward, his palms resting flat over his thighs. The posture lent to an illusion of a slight cleavage peeked over the bodice. But as he next angled himself more to the side, it drew Seto’s gaze to the arch of his spine, the flex of his shoulder blades, the hint of his cleft poking though the heart’s tip, and his long, black swaying tail.

When Seto didn’t immediately reply, the incubus, armed with an impish grin, edged closer and threaded his arms around Seto’s neck. Seto fought a shiver as Katsuya carded his fingers through the hair near the base of his skull. The incubus threw off more heat than an overworked furnace—a balm on Seto’s chilled skin, a reminder of the warm glow that settled in his chest after feasting on his blood. The material, cashmere or whatever magical approximation of it Katsuya had conjured up, was surprisingly soft against Seto’s bare chest.

The truth was Katsuya could wear a burlap sack, and there’d be a line of people drooling to hop into bed with him. Seto had no intention of telling him, but Katsuya already knew such a fact.

"Cute’s not the exact word I’d use. But I doubt you’ll stay dressed long enough for anyone to notice," Seto drawled, a low scratch in his voice.

A husky laugh shook Katsuya’s naked shoulders. "Maybe. But check this out, doing this doesn’t tear the outfit to shreds," the incubus purred.

A sensual toss of his hair, a confident roll of his shoulders—dark, leathery wings materialized in a gusty whoosh of air that ruffled Seto’s bangs. Amber bled into his slitted irises, majestic horns sprouted from his golden mane, completing the transformation.

Now here was a vision to steal Seto’s vestigial breath away.

"Convenient, huh?"

Without thinking, Seto wound his arms around Katsuya’s waist, placing one palm low over the heart opening and the other bracing between his shoulder blades. Out of the corner of his eyes, Seto glanced at their tangled reflection in the window. As always, they presented the image of an odd couple: Katsuya in his slutty sweater dress and Seto in nothing but his pajamas pants.

Heat bled further into his body, flowing through his navel and pooling in his groin. It didn’t take long for his hands to wander, finding purchase in the ridge of Katsuya’s wings and enclosing around the base of his wagging tail. He didn’t tug on the appendage, no matter how much he wanted.

Instead, his index finger dipped into Katsuya’s cleft.

Katsuya wiggled closer, huffing hot air over Seto’s neck. "Oh, that too. Can’t argue with the easy access, either."

Seto took that as permission to slide his hand under the dress and cupped one buttock. In return, Katsuya lightly scratched the back of his neck and pressed his hot lips to Seto’s throat. Soon, Katsuya’s tail, always with a mind of its own, coiled around Seto’s wrist and up his forearm. The weight and pressure were far more comforting that he’d ever admit out loud.

With one arm already firmly caught in Katsuya’s clutch, Seto gripped the incubus’s hip and turned him toward the window, pushing him up against the glass. Their eyes locked through their reflections. The eye contact held, hot and heavy, as Seto tugged the dress down. Katsuya cooed as his pecs popped free of the bodice. Seto kept pulling until the base of the tail bumped against the border of the opening and the heart-shaped cutout perfectly framed the incubus’s round ass. His fingers followed, parting Katsuya’s cheeks to reach the petal soft hole in-between.

The grip around Seto’s forearm tightened.

Gently, he dropped an open-mouthed kiss on the back of the demon’s flushed neck. Hearing Katsuya’s excited hum and feeling him rock back against Seto brought a grin to his face. From this proximity, he smelled the ambrosia thrumming through Katsuya’s veins. He slowly kissed his way to Katsuya’s ear, catching the lobe between his fangs and gnawing briefly.

He didn’t draw far away as he whispered into his ear. "We should test how well your easy access works, then."

Katsuya’s wings fluttered and beat against Seto’s breast. He bore down on Seto’s fingers until his hungry rim parted and suckled on his fingertip.

"Ah—" A shudder. A wild clench. "—great idea. You’re a genius, ah!"

Further inspiration struck Seto. Katsuya’s hips wiggled desperately and tried to chase his extracted fingers. But Seto pinned him against the glass. Ignoring the stranglehold of Katsuya’s tail, he lowered himself to the floor, his knees thudding when they hit the wood.

"Seto!" Katsuya whined and tried to push away from the window.

Seto dug his nails into the incubus’s ass, then his fangs in further reprimand, leaving two puncture wounds in their wake. Crimson droplets welled to the surface, but he swiftly cleaned it with his tongue. Above him, Katsuya moaned and finally quit fighting. Seto fought a similar groan with the sublime taste of his blood on his tongue.

The puncture healed immediately, so he redirected his attention to Katsuya’s pucker. The twitching muscle was softer than cashmere and pinker than his dress. Without hesitation, he lapped at the entrance. The skin was thin here, dense with capillaries and nerve endings. Katsuya’s pulse beat against his tongue.

Seto started drooling in no time.

He threw himself into his self-appointed task, shoving the length of his tongue as far as possible into Katsuya’s fluttering hole and scrapping his fangs around its outside. Of course, Katsuya bled for him. Bled sweetly and divinely to paint Seto’s lips and whet his hunger. The sanguine nectar coated the inside of his throat.

He was ravenous. Not just for Katsuya’s blood, but for the taste of his skin and the warmth of his insides.

Katsuya sang his praises, loud and unabashed. The not-so-ethereal flaps of his wings mussed Seto’s hair. Seto believed in no higher powers, but this could be his altar for now.

Later, as Seto slid his cock into Katsuya’s well-stretched hole, blood and spit easing the way, he wagered the party was the last thing on the demon’s mind.

Saw an art with this dress so, I wanted to draw it on demon!Jou

[ilikemesometaetaes]

Good Day (M)

Jeon Jungkook Oneshot

•••> Author: @ilikemesometaetaes​

•••> Summary: His motive was made quite clear once he called you out of work. He just wanted to spend a nice day with his girlfriend. Is that too much to ask for?

•••> Pairing(s): Jungkook/Reader

•••> Requested by Anon: “Can I request a Jungkook oneshot(established relationship) where they just want to spend the day just getting drunk on wine and having sex on the couch? Y/N could be dressed in just his shirt and Jungkook in just his sweatpants”

•••> Word Count: 6.15k [Unedited]

•••> Rating: 18+

•••> Tags: smut | Established Relationship | Jungkook!au | Boyfriend!Jungkook | Lazy Day/Sex | Wine Drunk

•••> Warnings: smut, slight bloating!kink (but there isn’t actually any bloating), unprotected sex, dirty talk, kookie is a horny little fuck, he literally just wants to bone, all day, he’s also a drunken idiot sometimes, cursing, alcohol use, shower stimulation, showerheads can be a girl’s best friend, drunk sex, lazy sex

Copyright © 2021 ilikemesometaetaes. All Rights Reserved.

Thank you for the request, anon! It took ages to complete and I’m so sorry! I hope you enjoy it :)

~#~

Arms tightened around your waist as you woke. The embrace was slightly suffocating.

“Baby,” You wheezed through your unused vocal cords. The grip only tightened and constricted your lungs, serving for a rude awakening. “Kook.”

“Murph.” Hot breath on your neck after a groan of exhaustion was a welcome feeling- comforting despite the uncomfortable position you were in. You smiled despite your lack of ability to move and looked down to see his tattooed arm overlapping the bare one over your ribs.

“I can’t-“ You were cut off as he tightened his grip with a slight whimper of distress.

Immediately plagued with concern, you grabbed his arms and wrestled them from your body so that you could turn to face him from within his encircled limbs. You only got more worried when you noticed his obvious stress-ridden eyebrows, arched up with eyelids fluttering rapidly. His lower lip was trembling as he quietly began muttering ‘no’ repeatedly.

“Jungkook.” You gently placed your hand on his bare shoulder and shook him. His fingers dug into your ribs painfully, warranting a more stern call of his name. “Jungkook!”

“No!” He yelled while sitting up abruptly and heaving for breath. You were thrown from his clutches and rocked on the bed from the movement. Despite the disturbance, you sat up with him and reached for his back to rub it soothingly.

“Baby,” You cooed, quick to reassure him with gentle touches. “I’m here. We’re here. You’re okay.”

Following your statements and ministrations on his back, his breathing gradually slowed with a few sputtering gasps and an audible gulp. Once you gauged his level of calm, you broke the silence.

“What happened?” You asked, tilting your head and leaning forward to get a better look at his face past his long hair. His eyes were shut tight with eyelids wrinkled at the corners while he inhaled slowly through flaring nostrils.

Your boyfriend opened his eyes after a moment, blinking a few times in the process, before turning his head to set you in his line of sight.

“They were taking my dad away.” He wavered. “But he’d already completed his time.”

You knew better- Jungkook’s father was safe in the comfort of his own home in Busan, already having served the mandatory enlistment for his home country- but you also knew that you needed to reassure your boyfriend so that he could relax his tensed shoulders.

“Do you want me to give him a call?” You asked. “I’m sure he’d appreciate hearing from us and it’s not too late in the evening over there.”

“No, it’s okay.” Jungkook said, letting the tremors fade from his body as he let reality sink into him. “He should get his rest. I’ll call him this evening.”

“Alright, Kook. Sounds good.” You gave him one more pat before looking at the clock. Your alarm would go off in eight minutes. “Shit. Might as well start getting ready now.”

“You do have work today.” Jungkook said the words as a statement, as if confirming prior thoughts.

“Yes,” You chuckled, smiling lightly and leaning in to kiss his cheek before getting out of the bed. “I do.”

A soft whine escaped his throat as he quickly grabbed onto your fingers. “Nooo… Don’t goooo…”

“I have to, baby.” You lightly tugged your fingers from his grasp to make your way towards the bathroom. Shuffling sheets from behind you signaled that Jungkook had also gotten out of the bed.

As you turned the shower handle and began taking off your clothes to shower, you heard him creep in behind you with light footsteps padding across the wooden floor.

“Don’t even think about it.” You giggled while he crowded his body against the back of your almost-bare one, wrapping his arms around your waist and pressing his ever-present morning wood against your skin. “I can’t be held up.”

“Then call out.” He whispered into your ear, to which you pulled away and turned around so that you could raise an eyebrow at him. Did he really just tell you to call out of work just so the two of you could bone?

His eyes were dark and playful as if challenging you while you stared up into his gaze defiantly. You scoffed in disbelief. “Jungkook, I can’t.”

“Why not?” He jutted his lower lip out into a pout. Fuck. You internally scowled at his tactics, hating the way your heart began trying to convince your brain to consider calling out.

Before you could crumble under the pressure of his ways, you huffed out a response. “Because I can’t, babe.” You slid your panties off and opened the shower door to step inside.

“-And don’t even think of coming in here. I can’t afford to be late.” You added the last part as you closed the glass door behind you, knowing his next strategy would be to tempt you with his naked body- a strategy you would surely lose to.

Jungkook groaned, pressing himself against the door with one arm bracing his weight against the distorted surface while you wet your hair. You watched in amusement as he slowly began accepting his defeat.

“But you work all the time.” He whined again, causing you to smugly and mockingly pout in response.

“So that I can make money.” You jokingly copied his tone and continued with your shower before he backed away from the glass in silence and stepped towards the sink. You watched as his shapeless body moved, deducting that he was going to brush his teeth as he reached into the drawer where you kept the toothpaste. Once he placed the toothbrush into his mouth and began brushing, you smiled, shook your head, and continued to shower.

“Y’know,” His words were jumbled as the toothbrush obstructed his speech. “You gon’ make me act up.”

“Act up?” You asked while laughing. “How are you going to act up?”

Jungkook leaned over the sink and spit, leaving a break of silence to drag your curiosity further. Once he rinsed his mouth, he turned to look at you again despite being unable to see you clearly. He sighed dramatically.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, babe.” He quipped before exiting the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

You only scoffed at him again, rolling your eyes and hurrying with your shower to stay on schedule.

~#~

Fresh-faced and ready for work, you grabbed your purse and walked out of your bedroom to make your way towards the front door. The sound of something scraping against a pan while the oven fan hummed lowly tipped off that Jungkook was in the kitchen.

“Jungkook?” You called for him as you were about to round the corner. “Do you know where my phone is?”

The sight you walked in on was one of dreams.

Your boyfriend stood in front of the stove, cooking eggs and bacon, in nothing but a pair of sweatpants. Muscular back on full display, you let your eyes slowly trail all the way down the cut definition around his shoulders to the dimples stamped into the flesh of his lower back. The adorable crevices were graciously uncovered because of how low his pants hung on his hips.

“It’s on the counter.” He haphazardly gestured to the kitchen island with the spatula he was holding. You had to gulp down the saliva that collected in your mouth and blink a few times to snap yourself out of your haze so that you could grab your phone and leave.

“Thanks, baby.” You rushed up to the counter, grabbed your phone to drop it into your bag, turned to kiss Jungkook on the cheek, and quickly began to leave. “I’ll see you later. Love you!”

“Oh, by the way,” Jungkook started. You stopped in front of the door to put your heels on. “Your boss called.”

“She did?” You reached into your purse and fumbled around for your phone. “What did she say?”

“She said she hopes you feel better soon.”

“What?” You froze, unable to understand, and looked up at Jungkook who had already set the food on two plates. “Why?”

“Because you’re bedridden right now. Your head hurts oh, so bad and you have a runny nose with a fever of one-hundred and one degrees.” He pouted and looked at you with a mischievous glint in his eye despite wearing a somber expression on his face.

Realization set in all at once.

He. Did. Not.

“Jungkook,” You started, slightly upset. “I swear to god, if you did what I think you di-“

“A sick person shouldn’t be all dressed in heels and a pant suit. Why don’t you go change into something more comfortable and then come eat so we can get some food in your belly?”

You spluttered incredulously to a halt as he spoke, shocked by his drastic measures to keep you home. He lied to your boss and called out of work for you.

“What- exactly- did she say?” You gritted out.

Jungkook grabbed the two plates and walked to the kitchen table with a seemingly unbothered demeanor, placing them down carefully.

“She just said that you had it coming. You work too much for your own good and now you’re sick because of it.” He sauntered over to the fridge as you eyed him critically, glaring daggers into the back of his head while he spoke. “I agree with her, to be honest. You don’t look so good. All that working took a toll on you- do you want orange juice? Or water? Or some iced coffee?”

The oblivious facade only irritated you further, warranting you to kick off your heels, drop your purse, and stomp over to him. Grabbing him by the shoulder, you spun him around angrily, only to see a smug smirk plastered across his lips.

“I’ll take that as you wanting iced coffee. You were always a grump without some caffeine.” He grinned.

“Jeon Jungkook.” You hissed, glowering at him with increasing intensity. “What the hell did you call me out for?”

“I called you out-“ He started with a smirk, wrapping his fingers around your wrist and spinning you around quickly to press you against the fridge. His face morphed into a stern expression quickly. You never broke eye contact with him, intransigence unwavering under his pressure.

“- so that we can crack open those bottles of wine we hoard and I can fuck you open on the couch over and over again while we pretend to pay attention to a movie playing on the TV.”

Your anger dissipated instantaneously, brain functioning coming to a halt as his words sunk into your skin.

Well… shit. What’s your name again?

“Do you understand now?” Jungkook asked, leaning down far enough that his hair brushed against your forehead and his mint-scented breath tickled your nose and top lip.

“Y-yeah.” You stuttered.

“Good. Now, go change.” He grinned, backing away from you and reaching into the fridge to grab the orange juice and the iced coffee. You followed his command like a robot, excitement building in you so fast that you had no way to process the fact that you were livid with him moments ago.

It wasn’t long before you were bare-faced and clad in one of Jungkook’s shirts that you picked up from the bed. His scent filled the shirt, shampoo and body soap mixed with a slight edge of his natural musk. It was almost dizzying in your current state of arousal.

The heat between your legs distracted you throughout your breakfast as you sat at your small kitchen table across from Jungkook, but falling into a conversation with him came naturally. Your boyfriend lying to your boss about your sickness went easily forgotten as you began to enjoy the day off.

Before long, your plate was empty and all that remained in your glass of iced coffee was a few melting ice cubes. Looking over to Jungkook’s side of the table, you noticed that his dishes were also cleared of food.

“I’ll clean the dishes.” You said, getting up with your silverware, glass, and plate in hand.

“I won’t fight you on that.” He chuckled, getting up from his chair and grabbing his things too. “I’ll pour us some wine.”

“Sounds like a plan.” You affirmed.

As you set the now-clean items on the drying rack, you turned to find Jungkook leaning against the kitchen island with two wine glasses in one hand and a bottle of some nameless wine that someone had gifted to Jungkook not too long ago in the other while he grinned at you.

“Couch?” He asked.

“Couch.” You nodded, nerves building in you once again at the mention of the location.

You were just about to finish your second glass when you noticed Jungkook reaching for the bottle to pour himself the last bits of wine left inside.

“Nooo.” You whined, causing him to turn and face you in the process of pouring the remaining alcohol into his own glass. “I wanted it.”

“Nuh-uh.” He playfully turned his body away from you so that you couldn’t reach for the wine as he poured it. “This was my idea, so I get to have three cups. We can open another bottle anyway. We have a shit load.”

“But this one tastes yummy.” You complained, grabbing onto his shoulder to lightly urge him to face you.

He looked into your pleading eyes for a few moments with his lips pressed into a tight line before he huffed.

“Fine! But on one condition.” He set the bottle down on the table.

You raised your eyebrow at him expectantly. “What is the condition?”

“I’ll pour you this last glass if you join me in the shower when you’re finished with it.”

The shower? Oh boy. “I already took a shower, Kook.”

“So?” He smirked. “That doesn’t mean anything. I want you in the shower if I give you this last glass.”

Slightly warm and agreeable from the delicious wine, you gave in with a grumble. “Fine. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“Sweet.” Jungkook gestured for you to offer your glass so that he could fill it. Once he did, he brought the empty wine bottle to the kitchen and dropped it into the recycling bin, only to turn around and meet your following eyes as he stalked towards your bedroom with a devious smile on his lips. “See you in a few.”

You watched with slightly parted lips as he turned back around while beginning to hum an aimless tune to skip the rest of the way, giving you whiplash with how quickly he could turn from a man that made you lustfully feral to a boy that made you want to joyfully frolic through a meadow.

Determined to remain true to your word, you sipped your wine quickly. He wanted to be joined in the shower? So be it. It wasn’t long before your glass was empty once again.

Three glasses of wine and adrenaline pumping the alcohol quickly through your veins were the factors that caused you to feel a slight head rush and a bit loopy once you stood from the couch. Giggling softly at your condition, you left your empty glass next to his and headed in the direction of your bedroom.

Distantly, you heard smooth notes of a familiar song drifting from the bathroom. Jungkook loved to sing in the shower and you loved to listen to it. The sound of the water running only made taking a shower with him more inviting as you approached the closed bathroom door.

Sneaking in quietly, you shed your clothes once again, hoping to take him by surprise. Your plan only resulted in failure when Jungkook slid the door open to beckon you inside when you were in the middle of taking off your boyfriend’s shirt.

“C’mon, babe. We haven’t got all morning.” He smiled, wet hair mussed and pressed to his forehead.

“We don’t?” You laugh as you step inside so that he could close the door behind you. Immediately, you were encased in the tight, warm, and humid space. “I’m pretty sure that you made it so that we do.”

Swiftly, Jungkook wrapped his arm around your waist and spun you around to meet the steady stream of water. Crowding your back with his chest, Jungkook pressed his face up against the back of your neck.

“I know, babe, but I have a few plans now that you’re off.”

“Plans, you say?” You giggled and craned your head down to get his wandering nose away from your neck. He knew that you were ticklish and loved to attack the spot when he got playful.

“Yes ma’am.”

After a moment of standing in the shower, the telltale signs of your situation becoming hot and steamy made themselves prominent in the form of Jungkook’s semi-hard erection brushing your skin and the subtle notes of a growl tainting the edge of his exhales.

“You alright there, baby?” You teased.

“Mhm.” He hummed, detaching a hand from your body to reach for the showerhead. “Just wanna rinse you really quick.”

“Be my guest.” You let your head fall back to rest on his shoulder and closed your eyes, heart slightly picking up its pace at the elevating tension. For a moment, both of Jungkook’s arms left you to change the setting on the water pressure and you felt the steady stream turn harsh right below your collarbones.

You hummed in appreciation while he returned one of his arms around your waist and began running the water over your shoulders and arms with the other. Gradually, he began massaging you with it.

It wasn’t long before Jungkook’s true intentions came to the surface; slowly, the point of the pressure moved south from your shoulders to your breasts. You felt the showerhead point the stream closer and closer to your nipples, causing your eyelids to flutter open and look at the man delivering the sensations to your body.

You gasped softly as the water covered your left nipple and Jungkook tore his gaze from your chest to meet your eyes once you did. What greeted you in his irises was pure, prominent desire.

“Kookie.” You whispered, lips brushing his as your body became electrified like a live wire.

“Say the word, baby.” He crooned softly, encouraging. The pressure on your nipples only left you with your lips slightly parted and taking sharp inhales with a whine teasing your throat. Jungkook only continued to push you along, desperate to hear. “That’s it, baby. Say it.”

You whimpered, barely able to get it out. “Please.”

“As you wish, my love.”

And then he made the showerhead descend further down.

Your toes curled against the floor in anticipation that was fueled by how slow he moved. Your stomach vibrated while the water migrated down your expanse of skin to the place you wanted it most.

As the water touched the top of your mound, you reached up and curled an arm around Jungkook’s neck to prepare for the onslaught.

Your moan was unexpected; the force of the water shocked you into submission instantly.

Jungkook’s grip on you tightened soon after, followed by the low, comforting ‘sh’ that slid through his teeth when your body curled inwards.

The water pressure, turned high, forced its way past your pussy lips with no trouble at all. In its trajectory, your clit was battered as the only thing in the showerhead’s path. The intense amount of stimulation had you approaching an orgasm faster than you could count to three.

“Jungkook,” You whined at a high pitch, unused to the most adamant sensation of pleasure you’d felt in a while.

“You’re okay, baby. Just breathe. It’s alright.” Your boyfriend’s voice in your ear came out as a soothing coo, yet you couldn’t find it in yourself to breathe correctly when he was holding the showerhead so close to your bundle of nerves and tightening his grip around your waist to prevent you from escaping.

“I-I-“ You breathed so fast, it almost felt like you were hyperventilating. Your clit, taking the entirety of the assault by the water, throbbed wildly and spasmed as if attempting to get out from under the force.

Almost on instinct, you raised a leg to allow the water more access the the entirety of your pussy, hoping that your orgasm would crest upon you before you lost your mind, and braced your raised foot against Jungkook’s knee. You hoped that taking the attention off your clit would help balance out how boggled your mind was, but all it did was drive you crazy when you felt the pressure beginning to spread your folds apart to push inside.

“Oh, no. Now I can’t let that happen.” Jungkook spoke as if he were speaking to a child in disdain, repeating the word ‘no’ a few more times with his bottom lip jutted into a pout.

He moved the showerhead back up to solely torture your clit, warranting you to cry out and tighten your arm around the back of his neck while you squeezed your eyes shut. His voice turned into a growl. “I’m the only one who gets to be inside you.”

“No!” You groaned in frustration, jerking your hips in response to the stream returning to your most sensitive area. “Nononono baby, please.”

“It’s unhealthy for you, baby. I can’t put water up there. So just be a good girl and take it here.”

Jungkook seemed to punctuate his statement with a light twist of his wrist to circle your clit with the showerhead. Your legs shook from the strain of spreading them so hard and trembled from the new burst of stimulation.

It only took another few moments for your body to begin curling in on itself again.

“K-kook.” Your teeth chattered as you mumbled his name, eyes rolling back into your head.

Jungkook braced his back against the wall before squeezing your waist to lift your body against his chest. You had half the mind to help him, supporting some of your weight on his neck so that you could wrap your other leg around his to spread your thighs even further.

“You gonna cum?” His breathing was harsh in your ear as he watched your body.

Your response came out as a whimper of affirmation, unsure of how to speak with the vibrations of the water shooting up your spine and back down to your curling toes.

Jungkook’s erection throbbed against your back while you let out sounds that were a mixture of huffs for breath and moans of pleasure. At this point, though, you couldn’t bring yourself to care about anything but making sure you orgasmed in the next five seconds.

You knew you were going to cum when you felt the tingling sensation spread like wildfire from your battered nub. It bloomed in your lower belly and seared every muscle in its path throughout your body, causing all of the sinew and tendons to tighten in response. As the orgasm ripped through you, your body became rigid with a few jerks of sensitivity.

Your eyes rolled back and you pressed your forehead against the side of Jungkook’s neck with the need to be as close to him as possible during your orgasm. Your ecstasy seared through you and overtook your body to act on its own accord. Far beyond the darkness of your eyelids, you reveled in the immense satisfaction, pussy spasming in the aftershocks.

Once Jungkook removed the showerhead and your body calmed, he slowly lowered you back down to the floor. Shaky legs prevented you from standing completely straight and you laughed breathlessly at how the prior activities caused an uncanny amount of oversensitivity in your nether regions.

One step forward and your clit was slightly rubbed, shooting sparks of mild pain and pussy-clenching pleasure throughout your stomach.

“You shouldn’t have done that, babe. I’m way too sensitive for any more action now.”

“That’s alright, love.” Jungkook kissed the side of your temple and switched you around so that he could stand under the stream of the shower. “Go and get dried off and dressed. I’ll meet you in the living room for a movie?”

As if it was glaring at you, you couldn’t help but drag your eyes down your boyfriend’s toned body to the angry red tip of his dick.

“I, uh…” You trailed off sheepishly. “I can suck you off? Let me help you out.”

“No, it’s okay, babe. Now, go.” He ushered you out of the shower while you furrowed your eyebrows in confusion. Why was he giving himself blue balls?

Leaving him alone in the shower was most definitely bothersome, but on shaky and fatigued legs, you couldn’t really fight him on the matter. As you toweled off and glanced through the shower door to look at Jungkook’s form, you furrowed your eyebrows even further when he didn’t start touching himself.

After you were dressed in his shirt- again- and sitting in the living room with Netflix open, ready for your boyfriend, you began to feel the exhaustion from your earlier activities on top of the fact that you hated waking up early for work. Comfortably warm, showered, and relaxed on an unexpected day off, the calm had your body sinking further into the couch and reveling in the warmth of the blanket placed over your body.

Just as you were about to drift off, you heard Jungkook padding down the hallway from your bedroom, prompting you to turn and look at him.

Your eyes had trouble staying on his playful expression when he was dressed the way he was dressed.

His hair was still wet, droplets dripping onto his shoulders and cascading down the expanse of his shirtless body. All that covered him was his favorite pair of raggedy joggers. Frankly, they were your favorite pair as well- for obvious reasons.

“Wine?” He asked as he made his way into the kitchen.

“Yesss.” You drawled with a newly awakened sense of excitement.

After grabbing two bottles and popping them open, he snuggled into the couch with you, wine glasses in hand. You held your breath and attempted to control your body, pussy pulsating slightly from the aftermath of the shower.

It took a while to get back to where you were before, but once you were much past the point of being giggly, you began to slur your speech as the movie played on.

Jungkook wasn’t in much better shape.

“You know,” Jungkook sat up and swayed a little too far forward, catching his body right before he toppled over. He snickered at himself before he continued. “I haven’t really been paying attention to anything we’ve been watching.”

“What?” You were honestly shocked, drunken mind and all. “But ‘About Time’ is so good! Like, what the heck Kookie-ookie-ook! This movie is so cute and interesting.”

The new nickname sent you into a fit of giggles. Your creativity tended to get a bit wonky and, honestly, comical when you were drunk.

“But how could I possibly pay attention to the movie when I’ve been thinking about burying my cum in-between your legs for the past hour?”

His statement surprised you to say the least. Your pussy throbbed uncontrollably, sensitivity still present from the shower. You couldn’t help but think of how sex with him in your current state would be.

“Why didn’t you let me suck your dick in the shower? I could’ve taken care of you, you know.”

“But I wanted to give you a break so that I could cum inside. That’s the only place I want to cum.”

“So you don’t want to cum down my throat?” You blamed the wine for the filthily honest statements coming out of both or your mouths. Speaking this casually about your sexual activities wasn’t exactly the norm.

“On any other day, I’d say yes. But today? I really just want to fill you up. Fuck you all day.” Your boyfriend inched towards you slowly without actually looking at you. It seemed that he just wanted to be in a closer proximity with you yet was hesitant to get too close. “Make you bloated. Hear it slosh around when you move.”

You were kind of mortified, but you were also extremely horny at the same time. Of course, he wouldn’t be able to bloat you nor would he be able to hear his cum inside of you, but it was the thought that counted.

“You wanna fuck?”

Jungkook turned to completely face you, chocolate-brown doe eyes silently pleading for the go-ahead. He bit his bottom lip before pushing it out into a pout as he whined. “Uhuh.”

You laughed as you threw off the blankets and spread your bare legs. Your boyfriend’s shirt came to rest on your waist from the action.

You gestured to your crotch and then curled your fingers towards yourself, smiling.

“Come to momma.”

Jungkook did not hesitate to cover you with his body and kiss you sloppily. The wine was taking its toll on your movements with him, encasing him in your hold lazily.

Somewhere between the messy tongues and teeth, Jungkook had managed to push your panties aside to thumb over your sensitivity. It took everything in you to not scream out- whether it would be a scream in pain or pleasure still had yet to be determined.

Your nub tingled desperately, pleasure-fatigued and vulnerable to the ministrations of Jungkook’s thumb. Finally, though, he had begun dipping his fingers into your core to balance out the bliss.

“Gonna paint you white. Make it drip.” Jungkook mumbled almost incoherently as he spoke with your bottom lip sucked between his plump ones. Your fingers threaded into his blonde locks, tugging when you needed a way to release your sexual frustration from his dirty words.

You hadn’t noticed when he retracted his fingers from your depths, but you definitely felt the sensation of him rubbing his dick into your folds. The smooth surface of his tip contrasted sharply with the roughness of the pad of his thumb. You hadn’t even realized that he had slipped the waistband of his sweatpants down to free his erection.

The sensation was beginning to sober you up just a little.

As he slipped inside you, you keened, angling your hips to receive him. He kept one hand hooked around your panties to keep it to the side and circled the other around your waist to allow himself to lay atop you. All of his body weight crushed you into the couch, but the closeness of him on you was gratifying.

Jungkook dug his face into your neck, moaning softly as your velvet walls parted to caress his cock. He wanted to feel your pussy drag on him and squeeze in an attempt to bring him back inside. He needed to feel how much your body enjoyed him inside of you.

So he kept his movements to a slow minimum, lazily curling his hips to just barely rear back so that he could reenter with an unmotivated rhythm. It was perfect for you because your mind was already warm and fuzzy, unable to keep up with much.

You sighed in relief, feeling his skin rubbing against your clit as he bottomed out time and time again. He separated your walls agonizingly slow, yet it was the perfect rhythm that allowed you to feel each time the head of his dick kissed the end of your cavern.

You moaned softly as the movie played on, begging for attention but receiving none. It was no use ignoring the fact that your orgasm was building with Jungkook’s hips touching your skin. Even at the leisurely pace that he fucked you, the passion was ever present and working you up.

For the next ten minutes, Jungkook kept his tempo gentle and relaxed, uncaring of reaching his climax too soon. You, on the other hand, reached your tipping point as he dug his nails into your waist.

Almost like a dream, your orgasm layered itself onto you softly. You trembled under his weight but held him closer to help accommodate the bliss of your muscles contracting around Jungkook’s deliberate thrusts.

When you heard the tell-tale sign of your boyfriend softly grunting into your skin, you could tell he was beginning to feel his impending orgasm born from your own. It was only moments later that he began leaving sloppy kisses and love bites onto your neck as he shuddered a breath.

Calm and still quite drunk, you still managed to feel his cock pulsing against the restrictive embrace of your depths. You ran your fingers through his hair and smiled delightfully at the sensation of being the one to receive his love and affection. The temptation to to kiss his sweaty temple was too strong to resist once he ceased moving and slumped against you.

The silence was peaceful. Minutes had passed without a word. The afterglow of your sex was strong and loving, warming the two of you like a blanket.

From the way he breathed so evenly, you believed that Jungkook had fallen asleep. It was only when he let out a light chuckle that you looked down and saw him smiling with his cheek smushed against your chest.

“I like drunk sex.” He muttered. “It’s fun.”

You had to agree with him on that one. “I think it’s fun too.”

After a beat, he whined. “But why do I still want moreee?”

“I’m afraid that’s not entirely up to you.” You tipped your head back and laughed, inebriated mind coming up with more silly nicknames. “It seems that Mister PP can’t take any more right now.”

Drunk Jungkook was one you could always get behind. Instead of acting like an idiot, he acted like a kid- not the bratty kind, of course. He was cute and cuddly, a perfect opposite to how he acted sober.

However-

The moment he attempted to retain his erection by pulling it out of you and yelling at it became one of the few moments that he acted like a complete idiot.

“No! He can go again! Isn’t that right, Mister PP?” You watched as his dick gave one last jerk of life before it began softening. You wheezed from laughter as your boyfriend’s eyes widened in horror. “No! You can’t do this to me right now! We were supposed to fuck her full of cum!”

“It’s okay, babe.” You reassured him as you slowly nudged him off of you so that you could go clean yourself. “Just take a break, okay?”

On shaky legs, once again, you stood and headed for the bathroom to clean yourself with a giggle slipping past your lips.

Once you got back to the living room, your eyes immediately zeroed in on Jungkook sitting upright on the couch, tenderly stroking his dick through his sweatpants with a look of defeat on his face. You just sighed and grabbed the remote to turn up the volume of the TV in hopes of distracting him.

He couldn’t help it. He was much too drunk to get himself hard again so soon after sex, so you would wait until he was since he was so determined.

The movie as well as your second bottle of wine were coming to an end when he screamed in success. You jumped out of your skin at the exclamation, placing a hand over your racing heart.

“Yes! He did it! He’s back!” You looked at him in shock when he reached into his waistband to grip himself. His eyes locked with yours as he did so, smirking in the process.

You raised an eyebrow at him expectantly, yet below your cool exterior was the unavoidable truth that was the awakening of the flames of your desire.

“Is this why you called me out today?” You turned your whole body to face him. “So you could fuck me all day?”

“Mhm.” He affirmed, grabbing you and slowly turning you onto your stomach. “That’s exactly why. I just need to be inside you. Like, all the time.”

As you felt him slide your panties down your legs, the tone in his voice changed. The chuckle he let out wasn’t nearly cute and innocent anymore; his demeanor became dark and menacing.

“I called you out so that I could fuck you all day- in every way I could think of.”

A shiver ran up your spine at the sudden shift of mood. Your body, worn out and exhausted, still managed to vibrate in excitement when Jungkook took a handful of your ass and squeezed it harshly. He leaned over your body to whisper in your ear after running a hand under your shirt to tweak a nipple between his fingers.

“You got the lazy vanilla shit first. Now, let’s play.”

~#~

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