#on Monday i got up early and Did Things all day including going to work and therapy and cooking and i was completely exhausted and done at

[tkbrokkoli]

.

[storiesofsvu]

Decadent Desires Ch 13

Warnings:Language, alcohol, brief politics mentioned/talked about, teasing, sexually charged situations/sex eluded to, gratuitous smut, fingering, oral, squirting, scissoring, spit, mommy kink, use of the word kitten, choking, we’re gonna call it snowballing, breeding kink, rough sex, derogatory dirty talk, I think that about sums it up…

Monday:

The flight wasn’t long, a little over two hours, just enough to finally have a breather from the constant and slightly stress inducing work week Heather’s team had had. You spent most of it on your work phone, queuing up social media posts and statements on Heather’s accounts, double checking her approval before you confirmed everything. You were going over the itinerary for the week with her assistant Cynthia when Heather came up, tsk'ing at both of you as she pinched your arm, leaving flutes of champagne on the table, reminding you both to relax as she disappeared into the back of the jet.

That was the one thing about travelling while part of the Dunbar team, it didn’t matter how work heavy the trip was going to be, she was always going to make sure everyone got to actually enjoy the trip too. There would likely be a couple of days book ending the work days to take advantage of amenities, explore the city or just relax on the beach. She had already pencilled in a few dinners and mini festivities into the agenda, spreading out the brown nosing and elbow rubbing that would need to be done on top of panels and meetings.

Landing in Florida you were whisked away to The Ritz-Carlton resort, naturally Heather had a one bedroom suite booked for herself with a separate living room where you would all meet whenever privacy was needed. She kept you in a smaller adjoining suite most trips, this one included, with Cynthia on the other side of your room. If anyone else was brought with, they were usually down the hall, giving them a little bit more space from the work side of things as they would likely only be needed once or twice during the week.

The resort was gorgeous, ocean views, beachfront property, multiple pools and plenty of things to keep you occupied. Four restaurants and bars, coffee shop and café, tennis courts, an entire golf course, fitness center, full service spa along with a plethora of outdoor activities included with your stay ranging from kayaking to horseback riding. There was absolutely no way that any of you would have a spare minute to be bored, not on a trip like this.

Check in was a breeze and you were escorted upstairs where you promptly told Heather you were crashing for a nap, the extra early morning meetings straight into the flight had utterly wiped you. Knowing that you’d been putting in far too many overtime hours, including over the weekend she had no complaints, heading out to explore the resort with Cynthia.

When you woke up a couple of hours later you thankfully felt refreshed and after a brief checking of your phone you decided to head downstairs to check out the gym. You wanted to get a run in and there was no way you were doing it outside midday, it may have been December but you were still in Florida. There were a few familiar faces downstairs that you said a friendly hello to or shared some small talk, and you were more than well aware of a Congressman’s eyes on your ass as you did your cool down stretching.

Back upstairs you could hear Heather on the phone in her room, and knowing there was either dinner or drinks happening tonight, you figured you would jump in the shower, getting ready and presentable for the evening. It gave you the warm up and rejuvenating time you would need, slipping into the more extroverted role you would have to play for the week, friendly, approachable and even a little flirty to everyone while remaining quick and smart as a whip to always come out on top and get all the support and backing you could.

Politics was a nothing but a game of strategy, after all.

*

Tuesday:

You knocked on the door leading to Heather’s adjoining suite, her voice calling out only a second later.

“It’s open.”

Opening the door, you stepped through it into the living room area, Heather glancing up from her laptop, “got a weird request.” You started, “you’re a master at French braiding and I’ve been trying and failing for like twenty minutes now.”

“You look dressed for golfing.” She commented, “you don’t know how to golf, my kids beat you at mini golf before they were ten. Are you seriously golfing?”

“Yeah.” You replied with a shrug, “I mean I’m not going to actually golf, I’m going to sit in the cart, serve drinks and bat my eyelashes until three more congressmen are wrapped around my finger.”

“And you need French braids for that because…?”

“Have you seriously not seen any of those videos going around?” You asked and she shook her head, “it’s like a trend, bartenders testing out hairstyles to see what makes the most tips and pig tails always wins. Double French braids count, so why not see if it makes any difference.”

“I’m not even sure I want to think about the logic behind that.” She grimaced, “but come here, sit.”

Heather gestured to the ottoman in the middle of the room and you followed her instructions, handing off the supplies you’d brought from your room. As you knew, she was an absolute whiz at it, after quickly combing through your hair she had one braid in and swiftly finished the other one, tying a tiny elastic around it. She tilted your head side to side to make sure it was even before tapping at your chin,

“Up. Face me.”

You did as asked, turning to face her, waiting as her eyes surveyed your outfit, short pleated white skirt and a patterned green and blue collared tank top, it tied at the bottom so just enough amount of skin would peek out and had a zipper on the top half that controlled the level of neckline.

“Cute.”

“Tony picked it out.”

“Not surprised.” She murmured, her fingers gently tugging the shirt down a little bit before the moved to the zipper, undoing it further than you previous had it, plucking at the fabric until she was satisfied with the amount of cleavage showing, “now, wear it like he would want you to.” You rolled your eyes but let her continue fixing the fabric, “there.”

“Am I free to go Ma’am?” You asked dryly and she chuckled at your tease.

“Have fun, but don’t get drunk, we’ve got that dinner tonight.”

“Heather I approved your schedule, I know.”

With a glance and a last thank you for the hair help, you disappeared back into your own suite before leaving to tackle the day.

*

Dinner that night was at KOJO, a high end Asian inspired restaurant with plenty of offerings to choose from and an extensive list of Soju ready to sample. It was an extended dinner, debating over politics, views, upcoming bills and legislations that everyone wanted heavy backing on. Plates of tofu bites, gyoza, truffled chicken wontons, wok fried green beans, boa buns and a plethora of sushi were passed around the table until everyone had had their fill.

Heather swiped the bill before a debate on how to split things up could even think about being started, earning her more brownie points than anyone else at the table. By the time the cheque was signed there were a handful of verbal agreements, some future lunches or meetings over cocktails planned for the week, and a few under the table handshakes securing offers.

A quick debrief was had in Heather’s suite before the others made their way out for the evening, either to bed or for a nightcap to wind down. Heather stepped out of her heels, letting out a soft sigh at the sensation, beginning to take off her jewellery, placing it back into the travel case.

“You did fantastic work tonight.” She praised, turning back to face you “how was golfing? Looks like you got some sun.”

“It was fine.” You shrugged, “secured Talbot’s support, flirted my way into Swanson’s good books even if it means I’ll have to have drinks later this week and promised to go on a date with his very eligible bachelor of a son when we’re back in town.”

“God.” She rolled her eyes, “talk about going above and beyond, you’ll never fail me sweetheart. You are a godsend; you know that right?” Her hands landed on your shoulders, squeezing gently as she smiled at you.

“Of course.” You grinned, “you always told me that hard work would pay off. And if I went for extra credit on trips like this… I’d be rewarded.”

“Ah…” her lips curved up into a smirk as her fingers trailed up your neck and across your jaw, “you’re still interested in that?”

“Of course.” You nodded.

“What about your little FBI agent?” She asked, stepping even closer to you as her thumb traced just under your lower lip and you let out a small scoff of a laugh.

“I seem to remember you having a husband.”

“Fair point.”

“She buys me nice things, I spend time with her that’s incredibly enjoyable for both of us, done deal. You know exactly how that works.”

“Good.” She husked, “because I was looking forward to seeing what you’ve got underneath this dress.”

Heather’s lips met yours and despite it being the first time of the trip, there was no gentleness to it as she completely dominated the kiss. Her tongue slunk into your mouth at the same time her fingers slipped underneath the straps of your dress, pushing them off your shoulders before snaking around you and pulling the zipper down. She shoved the fabric down, nudging at your hips to guide you to step out of it as she began to back toward the bed. While your lips moved with haste against each other, your hands made quick work of her dress, leaving her a luxurious lingerie set when the backs of her knees hit the bed.

She broke the kiss, her lips peppering across your jaw and you couldn’t help but let out a breathy sigh, your head rolling back, giving her prime access to your neck. Her teeth scraped across your skin and your breath caught in your throat, a small gasp leaving your lips when she actually bit you.

“Hey!” You swatted at her side, “busy week, no marks!”

“I won’t leave any visible ones, don’t worry.” She glanced at you with a devilish look in her eyes as her hands ghosted up your sides, “don’t be so demanding and you’ll get what you want.” Her fingers pinched at your nipples through your bra and you whined, “you want this, right?” She cocked a brow at you and you nodded, “words kitten...”

“Yes mommy…”

“That’s what I thought.”

Heather dropped down onto the edge of the bed, a quiet yelp leaving your lips as she tugged you into her lap, quickly ridding you of your bra. A hand tangled into your hair, pulling your mouth back to hers and her tongue was quick to sink into your mouth, rolling against yours as you moaned into the kiss, your arms loosely draped over her shoulders. She once again began trailing her mouth down your neck, softly this time to not earn any scolding from you as her hands slid up your sides. She groped at your chest, fingers rolling your nipples as she pinched them harder and harder with each roll. You couldn’t help but let out a louder moan, your head tipping back, body arching into her touch as you sank deeper into her lap. Leaning forward, her tongue flicked over your nipple before her lips wrapped around it, sucking it into her mouth, tracing around it with her tongue. Your hand slid into her hair, holding her tight to your chest as she continued to suck at it and you couldn’t help the gasp that escaped you when her teeth sunk into you skin.

“Oh fuck!” You whimpered out, a shiver running through your body as she did it again and you couldn’t help yourself, grinding down onto her lap, your cunt aching for friction as you tried to shift yourself over one of her thighs.

Heather chuckled darkly, nipping at your tit once more before one of her hands grasped your hips, grinding you down into her lap, “there she is… mommy’s desperate little slut.” Her free hand continued to play with your nipples, her tongue darting out to flick at them between her words. “If I’d known you were this needy I would’ve put a little vibrator in that pretty pussy of yours over dinner, gotten you absolutely drenched… made you keep your cool, try not to come in front of all those important people.” She chuckled again, “then again, you’re probably already soaked, aren’t you kitten?”

Her hand sunk between your legs, cupping at your heat, pressing the flimsy fabric into your pussy as her fingers massaged you. A smirk on her lips when she felt your juices soaking through, her hand pulled away only to spank your cunt and you gasped.

“Mommy please…”

Her fingers pushed your panties to the side, sliding through your folds a few times before she raised her hand, “open.” Your lips parted and she slid her fingers into them, smiling as you obediently closed your mouth to suck on her fingers, “it’s been a while, let me warm you up kitten.” She murmured, leaning forward to kiss across your neck again, “you know how much I love to play with my food before eating it. Love playing with your needy fucking cunt, feeling you squeezing around my fingers until you can’t take it anymore, begging like the whore you are. But you never really want me to stop, do you?” She nipped at your neck again, “because you know I love how sweet you taste, making you come on my tongue. You’re such a cum slut you love tasting yourself on my lips, sucking it off my tongue when you think I’m done with you.”

You couldn’t help but moan around her fingers, the wet patch on your panties practically destroying them as she continued to ruin you with her words.

“But you’re not just a cum slut are you?” She asked, teeth sinking into your chest again, “you’re such a needy whore for cock, you’ll do anything for it, isn’t that right? Just love being stuffed full, cock buried nice and deep inside your drenched cunt, just absolutely wrecked, hmm?” She sat back, eyes darkening with the way your lips were still wrapped around her fingers while you ground down into her lap. “Colour, kitten?”

Your eyes cracked open when she slipped her fingers out of your mouth, “green.” Your lips formed a pout when she didn’t move and a whine escaped your lips, “please… please mommy. I’ve been so good.”

“You have.” Her fingertip tapped the tip of your nose, “and good girls do get rewarded.” Her hands grasped your waist, nudging you off her, “so lie back and take off those pathetic excuse for panties so I can see that needy fucking pussy.”

You quickly shuffled back on the bed, dropping into the pillows as you tugged your underwear down your legs, tossing them to the side. Just as swiftly Heather moved through the room, grabbing a couple of spare towels to lay across the bed and you lifted your hips so she could arrange them properly. Your legs spread as she crawled back onto the bed, her hands ghosting up your thighs, spreading you even more open for her as she settled on her knees between your legs.

“Such a pretty pussy.” She cooed, her thumbs rubbing up your entrance, brushing just against your clit, “you know…if I hadn’t been so patiently waiting for this I think I’d tie you to the bedframe and leave you whining and whimpering until you were such a mess I would have to take care of you.”

“Heather!” You grumbled, your hips rocking down towards her touch.

Lightning fast, her hand shot up, circling around your throat, squeezing harder as she leant toward you, “you know better than that.” She growled, laughing darkly when she caught the way your lips curved up into a grin at the sensation when she squeezed harder.

“Sorry ma’am.”

“That’s what I thought.” Letting go of your neck she patted your jaw, “now… you’ve been doing so much hard work for me, such a good little kitten… you may come whenever you want understood?”

“Yes.” You nodded, sucking your lower lip into your mouth as you looked down at her, “please… please touch me!”

“Alright kitten.” She smirked, “you asked for it.”

Her fingers slid through you once more, smearing your juices around your cunt before two of them sunk into you and you let out a soft moan, your head falling back into the pillows. It was like it was pure muscle memory, just how quickly Heather’s fingers were able to fall into the rhythm that you liked so much, each thrust of her hand earning a breathier moan, pussy fluttering around her fingers already. She twirled her fingers around, bending them ever so slightly so her knuckles brushed across the extra sensitive spot inside you.

“Fuck…” You groaned, feeling yourself get wetter with each pass of her hand.

“Who knew you were this fucking desperate.” She chuckled, her fingers twirling once again so her finger tips could press into the same spot, pulling another gasp from you, “needy little whore’s gonna come in record time.”

Heather picked up the pace that she was fucking you, fingers pulling out more wetness with each flick of her wrist. Her other hand slid up your body, tilting your chin down so two of her fingers could slip into your mouth again, coating them with saliva before she pulled them out, spitting onto your pussy and using her wet fingers to start rubbing at your clit.

“Oh god!” You cried out, “harder please mommy! Oh fuck!”

“That’s it kitten…” she purred, “come for mommy. Let me see how big of a mess you can make.”

She increased the pressure of her hand, tight fast circles rubbed on your clit while the hand inside you pressed longer and harder against your g-spot with each thrust.  Your thighs were already shaking and the sounds coming from your cunt were absolute sin, pleasure soaring through you higher and higher until you felt the coil deep within you burst and your pussy clamped down around Heather’s fingers, a strangled moan leaving your throat as you hit your peak and juices dribbled down your thighs, soaking the towel underneath you.

“Good girl…” her fingers slipped from you, bringing more wetness with them, “you’ve got another one in you, I know it.”

Sinking down to her stomach her hands clasped around your thighs as her mouth wrapped around your dripping cunt. She gave you no time to recover from your first orgasm, clit throbbing, pussy pulsing as her tongue swiped through it. You couldn’t help but moan, each one louder than the last, a string of breathy swears on you lips as the fire very quickly began to build underneath your skin again. Your nipples were hard in the cool air, your hands ghosting across your own body as you began to play with your chest, a shimmer of sweat glistening on your skin in the low light of the room while Heather ate you with expertise. Her nose bumped your clit and you couldn’t help but cry out, your hips jolting up off the bed,

“Fuck!” Your eyes scrunched shut and you pinched at your nipples, “s-so good mommy, feels..s-sooo good.”

Heather’s hands wound tighter around your legs, pinning you to the bed while her mouth continued to move against you, groaning over your taste. One of your hands sunk into her hair, unable to control yourself when her tongue flicked through you again and you couldn’t help but grind against her face, letting out a low moan as the sensations fluttered through you. Her fingers pinched at your skin as a warning and when your hand slightly tugged she pulled away from your cunt, turning her face so her teeth could sink deep into your thigh.

“Shit!” You swore, the pain mixing with pleasure as your thigh throbbed, clit puffy and swollen begging to be touched again.

“Greedy little thing.” She tsk’d, shaking her head at you before her tongue made a torturously slow lick through your pussy, just daring to flick at your clit. “I thought you were a good girl.”

“I am.” You whimpered, your body shaking with need, “please mommy. I’ll be good, I swear.”

“You better.” With a near growl she ducked down to your cunt again, this time lips wrapping around your clit, sucking it into her mouth to trace patterns with her tongue. Two of her slicked fingers came between your legs, sinking into your heat again, matching the tempo of her mouth.

“Oh god! Fuck!”

Your eyes shut even tighter, a glittering of stars behind them as she sucked your juices into her mouth. All you could feel between your legs was wetness and throbbing need, the sounds echoing around the room were pure filth as you begged her for more, begged her to not stop, that you were so close, just a little bit more. You felt like you were about to burst, the fire in your chest, tears in your eyes or cum out of your pussy you weren’t entirely sure. One of Heather’s hands slunk up your body, beginning to pinch and grope at your chest and her lips smirked against your skin at the way your body began to shake, you were putty in her hands and you both knew it.

“Right there.. oh ff-Uck!”

Your hands clawed at the bedsheets, back arching off the bed as your second orgasm hit you, cum leaking out of your pussy. Heather’s hand was soaked, your thighs smeared with your juices as her mouth finally popped off your clit.

“That good, kitten?” She asked with a knowing smirk, wiping her face and fingers on one of the towels.

“More, please.” You whined, chest heaving and she chuckled.

“More?” She raised a brow, “kitten there’s a puddle between your legs and you want more?”

“Want you to come…” you looked up at her with pleading eyes, “wanna feel your pussy.”

“You want to touch?” Her fingers slid into the waistband of her panties, tugging them down her legs, “or you want me get off by grinding on your puffy pussy? You want mommy’s cum smeared all over your messy fucking cunt?”

“Yes!” You cried out, your pussy clenching at the thought already, a gasp leaving your lips when she spanked your cunt.

“Yes to which?”

“Second.”

“Dirty fucking slut. Just so eager to be as naughty as possible, hm?”

She raised a brow at you and all you could do was nod as she manhandled your body into position, turning you half onto your side and pulling up one of your legs, resting it against her shoulder. She dropped herself down onto you, letting out a soft moan at the feeling of your drenched cunt rubbing against hers. She began to rock her hips, smearing your juices together, coating herself with your cum as your eyes fluttered shut again and you were moaning before she even expected it.

“You like that?”

“Mmhmm…”

“Feels good doesn’t it?” She ground down on you harder, “so fucking wet and slick for me, such a good girl.” She pressed down harder, a gasp leaving her lips as her clit dragged over your pussy, “oh god..”

The desire for her own pleasure took priority over continuing to degrade or praise you as she continued to grind her cunt against yours, pleasure tickling under her skin. She could see the way your body was trembling, knowing just how sensitive you could be, it wouldn’t be long until you were coming again, gushing against her. Her free hand moved up her body, toying with her chest as her hips picked up the pace, fire prickling under her skin.

“Fuck.. oh yes…” her head dropped back as her eyes fluttered shut, “just like that…”

You had just enough energy to open your eyes at this point, staring up at her, watching as she rode you, the pool of wetness collecting between your legs growing with each roll of her hips. You felt the coil tightening inside you again, your clit swollen and slippery against her, it was almost too much, your body trembling at how sensitive you’d become.

“Mommy please!”

“Are you close already, you little slut?” She groaned, grinding down harder against you as she moved even faster, “gonna squirt again, make a fucking mess of mommy’s pussy?”

“Mmmhmm.” You nodded, biting down on your lip as hard as you could so the entire floor wouldn’t know what you were up to.

“Let go for me.” This groan was a little louder than the last, her thighs beginning to shake around you as the pleasure electrified her, shooting through her body, just about to burst at the seams. “Come with me, kitten.”

“Fuck!” You couldn’t help the cry, tears nearly prickling in the corners of your eyes as your body shuddered, juices gushing out once more and only a moment later you felt Heather trembling, a loud moan escaping her lips as the pool between your legs got another burst of liquid.

“Fuck…” she muttered, dropping your leg as she sat back on the bed, taking a moment to catch her breath. Her hand soothed up your leg, fingernails digging into the forming mark on your inner thigh, “colour?”

“Green.” You panted back, chest heaving and she laughed darkly.

“Good.”

You let out a gasp, your legs clenching shut around her when she suddenly dove down between your legs once again, her tongue lapping at your slick pussy, sucking and licking as much cum as she could into her mouth. Heather crawled over you, her hand closing around your jaw and you quickly opened your lips wide so she could spit the mixture into your mouth, watching as it pooled on your tongue, slowly dripping down into the back of your throat.

“Good girl.” She tapped your chin, her other hand closing around your neck as you swallowed the liquid down, “now, you still want my cock?”

“Yes, oh god yes.”

“Then roll over, hands on the headboard and don’t you even think of moving them? Understood?”

“Yes mommy.”

Heather surprised you with a new strap, larger than the one she would usually use, stretching you out, fucking you so incredibly deep all you could see were stars. Your knuckles white from clutching at the headboard as tightly as you were. The pillows muffled your cries as she made you come another two times around her cock before finally spilling her cum deep into your pussy, making sure you got every last drop of it before she pulled out. She chose not to torment you, letting you drop to the mattress as she held your hips up, playing with the lube, fingering it back into your heat as you whined. She slipped from the bed, placing the strap in the bathroom to be dealt with later.

“Jesus Christ.” You groaned.

“Satisfied?” She asked with a smirk.

“Very.”

“Good. You better be for the amount of mess you made.”

“I need a shower.” With a wince you pushed up from the bed, stretching out your stiff body, “maybe a Gatorade…”

“Take an extra reward in the morning, charge some room service breakfast to my room, I’ll expense it.”

You cast a look over your shoulder as you gathered your clothes, “it’s a work trip Heather, everything gets expensed…”

“You take the fun out of everything; you know that right?”

“Oh… I’m so sure.”

*

Wednesday:

Heather knocked on the unlocked door between your suites as she moved through it and you glanced up from your spot on the bed where you were working on your laptop.

“I’ve almost got your endorsement emails finished and ready to send out.”

“Good.” She smiled, “but that’s not why I’m here.”

You glanced at the time on your screen, “Heat, it’s barely ten a.m.…and I just showered.”

She laughed, shaking her head at you, “McKnight and Wallace want to barter it out over a game of doubles, I need a partner and we both know Cynthia is so uncoordinated she trips over her own feet walking.”

“You play tennis?”

“What else do you think I do at the country club?”

“Drink, gossip and trash talk?” You offered up and she paused, a chuckle escaping her lips.

“I suppose you’re not wrong. It was always more something of Rob’s interest, but if I’ve got the skill I figure I may use it.”

“You’re lucky I’ve got a good backhand.” Letting out a breath you closed your laptop, slipping off the bed, “but I’ve got to be back by two thirty, Durant booked us in for facials down at the spa.”

Her lips flicked up into a smirk, “play a good game of tennis and that won’t be the only facial you get today.”

“Oh?” You raised a brow.

“What?” She gently pinched at your chin, “we’re here all week, did you really think I’d only bring one flavour of lube? You always look so pretty down on your knees.”

“Focus.” You flicked her palm, “we’ve got a game of tennis to win.”

*

Thursday:

It was time for the excruciatingly boring day. While the week was pretty evenly balanced between meetings and socializing, Thursday was the jam packed schedule of all work. Brunch followed by a morning of assemblies, speaker after speaker droning on about what policies and procedures they thought were best and why everyone else should support them, the changes that should be made.

Lunch was a luxury buffet provided by the hotel, where the mood barely shifted from work as everyone mingled about the room making small talk with those they hadn’t gotten a chance with yet. Cocktails were served, which helped everyone loosen up a little bit and have a little bit more fun than otherwise, so that was the saving grace.

The afternoon was dedicated to the up and comers, a couple of assemblies catering to high school students, those with an interest in politics, debate team, federal jobs and the like. The others with very similar themes (though maybe more specialized) dedicated to university students who were very likely going to end up on the same career path. While the younger students were shuttled back to their schools when everything wrapped, the others were invited to a special cocktail hour to socialize, able to ask various levels of politicians or their teams whatever one on one questions they may have. It was good education for them and a fantastic opportunity for everyone to secure more support and hopefully votes when the time came. While it was mainly a group of people who had their eyes set on the White House, Congress or the Senate, there were also a scattered bunch that weren’t looking for that, rather just in the general field which meant you weren’t lucky enough to escape quite yet.

At the very least you were thankful cocktail hour also included tables and waiters with trays of hors d’oeuvres so you weren’t left completely starving until dinner. Heather managed to track you down while you were finishing up a chat with a couple of very promising looking up and comers, passing off both yours and her business cards, telling them to email to set up an appointment whenever they happened to be in D.C.

“Bored yet?” She asked with a tease, plucking a drink off a nearby station before handing the server a twenty.

“On the contrary, having the time of my fucking life.” You replied dryly and she chuckled, her eyes surveying the room and you watched as her gaze settled in on something and her brow raised. “Huh..”

“What?” You asked, not even bothering to find out where she was looking.

“Looks like Jackie’s just about finished up her day. I should send you over with a drink.”

“What?” You laughed, “are you pimping me out now?”

“No,” she swatted at your arm, “but it would be a shame if she had to leave alone. And I did miss out on a rather fun night, the opportunity just happens to be presenting itself.”

“You are insatiable…”

“You love it.” She smirked over the rim of her glass and you huffed.

“I’m exhausted. I’d love it if there was at least one night you would just let me sleep. It’s no wonder you have to keep multiple sugar babies around to stay satisfied.” Finishing your drink you placed it down on an empty table, “I want to go upstairs, put on pyjamas and order room service.”

“You’re no fun.” She scoffed.

“Then go have yours.” You laughed.

“I’m not going to fuck her alone.” She muttered, “c’mon, just one drink, we’ll go down to the beach bar that has the good mojitos.”

“One drink.” You reluctantly agreed, “there is a pizza with my name on it.”

*

Friday:

At the very least, Heather let you sleep in today, which you were incredibly thankful for. You got a late morning workout in, swung by the café to grab a bite to eat before heading out on something that was a mix of a pub crawl and an afternoon of meetings. The group bopped around all of the hotels in the area, taking in the sites, learning about the amenities and bonuses that each location had while enjoying a drink and a few appetizers at each location. The trip extended outside the resort area as you were shown a few of the cities main attractions while you continued to rub elbows and play politics.

Returning back to the hotel you were happy to retreat to your empty room, enjoying the air conditioning for a bit while you drafted up a couple of things. Once satisfied, you knew you only had a couple days of sunshine left before heading back to the dreary Washington weather and figured you should probably take advantage of the private terrace. You changed into your bikini, grabbed a couple of books and draped across one of the loungers on your stomach.

It was only when you jolted awake to something cold dripping onto your back that you realized you’d fallen asleep. Heather’s hand soothed up your back a moment later,

“Can’t have you burning.” She muttered, “how long have you been out here?”

You glanced at your watch, “couple hours.” You let out a gentle groan when her thumb dug into your shoulder blade, “you sure that’s sunscreen?”

“If it was lube I wouldn’t be rubbing your shoulders, that’s for sure.” She chuckled, wiping off any of the excess on a spare towel before her hands slid up the back of your thighs, just daring to grope at your ass, “but if that’s something you’re interested in I’m sure it could be arranged.” Her fingers began toying with the strings of your suit, “first you’ve got to roll over for me though. I know Tony wouldn’t suggest a new suit unless your tits looked spectacular.”

Rolling your eyes as you laughed you rolled over onto your back, pushing yourself up to sitting so you were on display for the other woman, “happy?”

“Mmm. That man has fantastic taste.” She tugged at the straps, letting the triangles of fabric fall from your skin, “now let’s get you inside before anyone overhears you…”

*

Saturday:

A morning yoga class with Jackie before lounging on the beach to start your day off, trying to take advantage of the sunshine and ocean air before the humidity hit and it was simply too hot to be in the direct sun. You only briefly parted ways, picking up lunch on your way back to your room to eat while you finalized a few more work things before jumping in the shower.

Just before dinner time you were headed down to the docks, the final item on your agenda of the day being a party on the very large and luxurious yacht of the Florida governor. Cocktails, beer and liquor were plentiful, appetizers on trays of wandering servers while everyone got relaxed and chatting. Dinner would be served at eight, succulent plates of surf and turf, including freshly caught seafood while wine was refilled, a glass never empty the entire evening.

It was much more party centered than anything else that week, people getting comfortable, letting loose, secrets quietly spilling from lips as the sun sunk in the sky. A sense of playfulness drifted over the boat, wine changed into hard liquor and shots, small talk began to edge the line of dirty talk while people began to disappear to different decks or down small hallways.

Heather found you returning from the bathroom, stepping out onto one of the side decks for some fresh air. A moment after resting on the railing her hands were on either side of you and a shiver ran down your spine as her lips pressed into your skin.

“I just know there’s a gorgeous set of lace underneath this dress and I am absolutely dying to see it.” Her teeth nipped at your neck, “you wouldn’t deprive mommy of that would you? It is our last night after all.”

You let out a soft moan, turning so your back was resting against the railing, “when did they say they we’re docking next?”

“Ten forty five.”

“Enough time for one more drink then.” With a smirk you moved around her, a sway to your hips that had her eyes glued on your ass as you wandered back towards the bar.

______________

@mickey-gomez @momlifebehard @daddy-heather-dunbar @maybe-a-humanbean @rustyzebra @leftoverenvy @kades95 @dextur @supercriminalbean @emilyprentisssluvr @lex13cm @zizzlekwum @emobabeyy @riveramorylunar @scorpsik @onmykneesformarvel @inlovewithemilyprentiss @regalmilfs4me @ara-a-bird @inlovewithmiddleagewomen @kmc1989 @irishavengersassemble @hopedoesntknow @venromanova @waitaminuteashh @noahrex @imlike-so-gaydude @wittygutsy @cx-emerald-cx cx @momily @nilaues @borinxnovak @soverign @v3nusxsky @mccdreamys-writes @l4yne @obsessedwjill @supercorpstan97 @asolitaryrose3 @lisqueen @mrs-prentiss @whitewinewithice @d33pd3sire-blog @daffodil-heart @maximoffcarter @i-lovefandom @chimnlex @moonlightjxuregui @chestnutninny @gamma-rae-bursts @just-moondust @idkifimasub @gaydragonwitch @dowsedwithbleach @divergentalwaysandforever-blog

[apparitionism]

Bonus

Happy particular Monday! Here’s a story for it, which came about mostly because I wanted to put a couple of people into a clichéd situation, and then I had to do leadup and aftermath... anyway, it’s intended to be a two-parter (yes, I know; aspirations) set in a not-entirely-canonical season 4, in which the Warehouse did get brought back and Helena did leave without explanation, BUT Artie doesn’t go full Father Data and Leena doesn’t suffer the consequences—mostly because Mrs. Frederic has sensed some badness to come and thus sent Artie and Leena away. Because why not? Also I have Claudia jumping into Caretakering, and even a bit of Artieing, with some enthusiasm.

P.S. I know I haven’t yet finished last year’s Christmas story—that’s a pain point—but I genuinely am working to get back on various horses, including that one. Weather (in all senses) permitting.

Bonus

“I genuinely cannot believe we’re stuck in an elevator,” Myka says. It may be the most true statement to which she’s ever given voice.

****

SEVERAL HOURS EARLIER...

Myka’s reasonably pleasant thought, burring along as background to her monotonous tasks, is I don’t mind this. She and Steve are in the Warehouse office early in the morning, doing file inventory, and it’s true: she doesn’t mind it. It’s a little lacking as a holiday activity, but with Artie, Leena, and Pete all away, “lacking” is pretty much the flavor of the moment.

Claudia pokes her head in and says, “Ping.” She’s unenthusiastic, speaking of lacking. Where’s the usual revving about what it might be this time? “At some midwestern accounting firm, because it’s important to have a boring Christmas.”

Ah. “An accounting artifact?” Myka asks. Speaking further of lacking: here, it’s artifacty zing. Then again, artifacty zing got Myka trapped in Alice’s mirror, among other catastrophes, so maybe boring isn’t so bad. “Balance sheets?” she ventures. “Pluses and minuses?”

“Some people at this pingy company just got extremely large Christmas bonuses,” Claudia says, “and some got their pay extremely docked. So yeah, ‘balance sheets, pluses and minuses’ just about covers it. Probably. I mean, I might be trying to manage expectations here.”

Claudia’s certainly right, in that getting one’s hopes up—about anything (or anyone)—is a fool’s game.

But still, there’s something to be said for boring-but-remunerative, even if only for some people... what a nice idea. “I’d like a Christmas bonus someday,” Myka says, “instead of a Christmas penalty. Which I think pretty accurately describes the Pete-plus-artifacts situation.”

“It’s two days before Christmas, and he hasn’t done anything yet,” Claudia says. “That you know of,” she amends.

“Because he’s been with his family in Ohio for the past week,” Myka points out, and she’s gratified when Claudia rolls her eyes. It’s practically a concession.

Steve says, “It’s inappropriate to say ‘Christmas’ bonus these days. It’s ‘end-of-year.’” The contribution suggests he’s listening with only one ear.

“I wish appropriateness mattered here,” Myka says, not really to him but in general. Who knows how a Warehouse HR department would make heads or tails of the application of employment laws—much less employment niceties? “Not that it makes a difference. Christmas, end-of-year... call it Fred, and we still wouldn’t get one.”

“If I ever do get a bonus, I’m absolutely naming it Fred,” Claudia declares.

Myka shakes her head. “Poor Fred. Doomed to be injected right back into the discretionary economy.”

“Inject-o-what are you even talking about?”

“Just a guess, but: you’d spend it on things you don’t need.”

Claudia harrumphs. “Thanks for lumping me in with the avocado-toast-and-Starbucks crowd. My fiscaling is way more responsible.”

“Really? What would you use Fred for?”

“Asus VG278HE gaming monitor. Plus a graphics card, maybe the Nvidia GTX 690, depending on how hefty Fred is.” At Myka’s snort, Claudia challenges, “Fine, where would you inject it?”

“My Roth IRA,” Myka says immediately. She’s not sure what assets her evil, crazy, or dead self will need in retirement, but given the many and varied forms each of those, or combinations thereof, could take, it seems like a good idea to have a financial plan in place. That’s another thing a Warehouse HR department might be useful for...

“You’re the actual human manifestation of an accounting artifact,” Claudia accuses. “Speaking of which, here’s the deal. I gotta stay here—some Mrs.-F homeworky stuff—and Steve’s busy reassuring all the misfit toys in the building that Leena hasn’t deserted them forever. And I’d say ignore the ping entirely, but your never know what’ll go viral, and I bet Artie’d say the last thing we need is another financial crisis. Or maybe you’d say it. Anyway, you’re it. And for your backup, when you get to Cleveland—”

Myka groans. “Cleveland? Seriously? Pete’s going to be so mad about you pulling him away from the family.”

“I’m not pulling him away,” Claudia says, blinking like she’s some innocent little lamb.

Myka groans again. “You’re making me do it?”

Claudia shrugs. “Sure. Why not. You’re partners, right? But here’s some advice: wait till you get there to call him. You know, put off the misery, if that’s what it is, as long as possible. Besides—more advice—I really think you should spend your travel time thinking about bonuses. Who gets ’em and why. Because what’s a bonus, really?”

“An economic stimulus whose nametag reads ‘Fred,’ if I’m understanding things correctly.”

“We’ll see what you think about that when you get to Cleveland.”

“On the day before Christmas eve,” Myka grouses. “By the way, that’s a whole lot of ‘advice,’ coming from somebody who’s over a decade younger than I am and not technically my boss.”

“By the way,” Claudia mimics, archly mocking, “we’ll see what you think about that too.”

“When I get to Cleveland?”

“When you get to Cleveland. On the day before Christmas eve.”

“Sounds like the title of a lesser Christmas carol,” Steve says—he’s tuned back in to the conversation. He then says, with his grin that curves so impish, “Think we could get Mariah Carey to sing it? It’s a hit if we get her, right, no matter how lesser?”

“‘When You Get to Cleveland on the Day Before Christmas Eve?’” Claudia skeptics. “Hit-wise, that’s gonna need a lot more power: Mariah dueting with Darlene Love at the very least. Plus we’ll need a Destiny’s Child reunion for at least one chorus.”

“Thanks for reinforcing my sense of how awful this is likely to be,” Myka tells them both, and Steve’s grin turns apologetic.

Claudia, however, shrugs. “Maybe you’ll sing it different.”

Myka is now the one to roll her eyes. “I won’t sing it at all.”

Surprisingly, Claudia doesn’t go with another eyeroll. “We’ll see,” she says, and Myka is struck by the Mrs.-Frederic resonance in her words. Does the homework include practicing the enigmatic tone?

Steve looks up and catches Myka’s eye. He winks. Myka would wink back, but he would probably interpret that as her saying she understands what’s happening. And that would be a lie: serious enough, probably, to make him wince and massage his temples.

So Myka just blinks—not Morse or any other code, just basic eye-moistening blinks. Then she goes upstairs to collect her always-packed travel bag for her trip to Cleveland.

****

Her flight departs late, of course; it’s December in South Dakota. But that’s this-time fine, because it allows Myka a necessary excess of opportunity to prep her Pete-placation. Under her breath, she practices the delivery of such words as “shorthanded” and “necessary,” aiming for maximum sincerity.

When she at last emerges from her Cleveland Hopkins jetway, that extensive prep deserts her entirely, for what awaits her is the manifestation of a Christmas wish she has worked overtime to convince herself would not, could not possibly be granted:

Helena.

Whose arms are crossed, and whose posture betrays that her foot might recently have been tapping out impatience with the plane’s tardy arrival. The attitude is so normal, so entirely of-the-world (rather than of-its-imminent-end), that Myka wants to reverse course, get back on the plane and redisembark, just so she might meet it again, meet it and refeel this wash of absolute relief at seeing Helena impatient in an airport.

Devious, Claudia, Myka thinks. Outstandingly devious. “Hello, Fred,” she murmurs, then tries, in the ten seconds she has before she and Helena are in proximity to speak, to engage in a far more consequential prep.

For Helena has been gone—has been, as Myka put it to Steve not so long ago, “god knows where”—since shortly after the Warehouse did not explode. She was there, in the Warehouse, but then she was gone, and Myka was told only that Helena had “matters to attend to.” God presumably also knew what those matters were, but Myka hadn’t, in the wake of that first moment of absence, and hasn’t since, been able to pry any information about matters or their whereabouts out of anyone, divine or otherwise.

And through the seemingly endless wondering, Myka’s mind and heart have gnawed themselves ragged.

Until this moment, when the wondering and gnawing end: now her blood speeds, coursing with urgency even as everything else seems to slow.... her movements, her reactions, her thinking, all are sluggish, unresponsive; only her blood matters. This blood knowledge. For all her wondering, she’s been avoiding gnawing her way to that answer.

“Claudia said you needed backup” are Helena’s words when they meet.

Myka’s attempt at prep has fallen grievously short—not that she could have risen to such an occasion, not when hearing that voice for the first time in some time, and certainly not when faced with what her blood’s embarrassing insistence has forced her to confront anew. “I... assumed I’d be calling Pete,” she says, to at least go with truth.

“Interesting assumption. Perhaps necessary, if you believe I’ll be insufficient.”

Myka’s impulse is to reassure: “More than sufficient—you’re necessary,” she would shout, or better yet, whisper. Instead, because Helena’s tone is neutral—is she in actuality indifferent?—she falls into a defensive, businesslike crouch, offering only implicit denial of the premise of Helena’s statement. “Let’s head for the accounting firm,” she says, internally cursing herself.

Cursing, but also justifying: Helena is here as backup, thanks to Claudia’s cleverness, and Myka should not assume (speaking of assumptions) that she even wants to be here. All focus should be on retrieving the artifact. Certainly on that and not on Myka’s (honestly) predictably overexcited blood.

She tries to concentrate on Claudia’s advice (while at the same time trying not to resent her success at being cryptic about it): what’s a bonus, really? Helena’s presence, the sight of her, the apprehending of her impatience, the experience of blood: whatever else may happen, these have been—must be—are!—the bonus.

****

The cab ride is quiet. Myka’s resolve to think only of backup and bonus is dissolving by the second, and she lets words reach her tongue that might start a conversation with Helena about things... but those words don’t escape her lips, for a strand of formality seems to be stiffening Helena’s spine. Does she know how Myka cherished her impatience? Is she attempting to discourage such adoration?

Myka, in regret and relief, follows that more-strict lead.

That’s a bonus too, though, for it turns the ride into unpressured, liminal time, perfect for simply basking in presence. It’s best, Myka is now thinking, to treat this reunion as something that was of course going to have happened. For backup or other professional purposes. Despite the fact that it’s the thank-god fulfillment of recurring, desperate dreams.

However: at one point in the traffic-backed silence, Helena, completely unprompted, turns and smiles at Myka.

Myka smiles back.

It’s a previously missing puzzle-piece slotting into place... yet in its aftermath, Myka finds herself having to push with force against a will to worry over other missing pieces; in particular, she must fight the fret-intensive futility of trying to count them.

****

They find the accounting firm’s lobby spacious but quiet—holiday-low staffing, presumably. Myka asks the receptionist, “Is there someone we can talk to about end-of-year bonuses? Also penalties?”

“I’m a temp,” says the young man. His tone suggests it’s his answer to every query... but then he adds, very quietly, “Unofficially, there’s this one guy...”

That has the ring of “artifact,” so Myka nods, encouraging him.

“Super-vocal about his paycheck the other day. How tiny it was. I mean, he’s the kind of guy you might have theories about what else is tiny, but I—”

“Who was that?” Myka interrupts, even as she feels Helena’s readiness to laugh. Mr. Super-vocal is thus probably not a wielder of an artifact; more likely, one of that wielder’s... victims?

“Bob,” the temp says. “I’m sure he’s got a last name, and I’m sure he thinks everybody should call him ‘Mr. Lastname,’ but my care level? Anyway he’s down the hall—one of the only ones in the farm today. Spite-working. Maybe on his anti-everything manifesto.”

“Down the hall” turns out to be a vast expanse of cubicles: definitely a farm.

Myka says to Helena, “Follow my lead?”

“Always,” Helena says.

It’s a tonally sincere utterance—and in that, admirable—but it’s also manifestly untrue; nevertheless, Myka’s blood decides to believe it, to recognize it as another puzzle-piece. I really need to function, Myka tries to explain to her interior. So if we could climb down just a couple rungs. Like to the cab-ride level, maybe?

Her body refuses the agreement.

Of course.

The occupant of the first inhabited cubicle they find is an over-coiffed middle-aged man who clearly spends far too much time in tanning booths. He’s typing aggressively, as if the force of his keystrokes will power his message. His manifesto?

“Are you Bob?” Myka asks him.

“You better be here about my money,” obviously-Bob says, clearly spoiling for a fight.

Myka finds his demand incongruous—his job has to do with other people’s money, and Myka and Helena are manifestly other people. Who could have money. Fred or otherwise.

“In a way,” she says. She follows up with “We’re from the IRS,” and it’s never not funny for that to be useful. Bob winces, as if she's about to strike him. Also never not funny. “We’ve noted some suspicious discrepancies in end-of-year reporting.”

“You have?” Bob asks. Now he’s avid rather than confrontational.

“Looks like some overreporting. Also underreporting. So you see our concern, particularly about effects on withholding.” She is making this up, as she generally does whenever she has to go actual IRS on someone. Read up on tax law, she reminds herself, as she generally does every time. Not that she’ll ever have the leisure to do that... “What we need to find out is whether it was in error, or if it warrants a full investigation.”

“Nancy Sullivan,” he says, with contempt, the name itself a curse. “She’s the one you should investigate, and then send straight to jail. She’s always been a witch about year-end, but now?  On steroids. Talking about making her list, threatening to mark down people she doesn’t like, including yours truly, as naughty... and then we got our paychecks, and somehow she did it! No idea how she managed to push that garbage through, but I swear you better get her up on some kind of charges!”

He rises abruptly, clutching a slip of paper; his chair topples over behind him. He shoves the paper in Myka’s direction, his knuckles nearing her astonished nose—but in the instant before contact, Helena intervenes, her arm blocking his, stopping his forward motion.

Backup.

Helena plucks the paper from his pushy hand. “And what’s this?” she asks.

A pretty minimal manifesto, Myka thinks initially. But then she replays his screed in her head, and his babbling about Nancy Sullivan resolves into meaningful references; struck by the realization, she very nearly misses his next statement: “My pay stub. She can’t just do this.”

Helena says, “Of course not.” She’s soothing him, her voice a faux-caress. It’s enough to tempt Myka to act out, just to hear it directed her way, even as Helena continues, “But we understand some of your colleagues, to the contrary, received large bonuses.”

His “tanned” skin darkens further. “Guess she thought they were nice. To her. Suck-ups.”

Mya looks a Find out anything else that’s relevant at Helena, who nods. Retreating back to the pre-cubicle hallway—relieved that her nose is intact—she Farnsworths Claudia. She skips the pleasantries, starting with, “A very disgruntled employee says the woman who signs off on bonuses was making a list.”

Claudia chortles. “You’re hilarious. Was she checking it twice?”

“This is my point. We don’t know exactly what we’re dealing with, not yet, but I bet that’s the crux.”

“I should’ve known you weren’t aiming for hilarity. So you really think this is some Santa thing?”

“No. I’m saying words about lists because I think it’s a grocery thing.” Myka wants to shake her fist at the heavens and every deity who occupies it. Occupies them. All the heavens. “Of course I think it’s a Santa thing! I also think it’s Pete’s fault somehow.”

“Just because it’s Christmas? C’mon.”

“Christmas and Ohio?” Myka snorts. “You c’mon. I don’t believe in coincidence.”

“Maybe you should though. For peace of mind?”

“That’s another thing I don’t believe in. Just see if you can find anything about a Santa’s-list artifact, would you?”

“Roger. By the way, how do you like your backup?” She chortles again and disconnects.

“I like my backup like I like the sunrise,” Myka tells the blank Farnsworth screen.

“What about the sunrise?” Helena asks from directly behind her.

Myka wishes the sound of her voice were either more or less startling. She wishes also that she knew exactly how much overhearing had occurred.

“It’s inevitable,” she sighs.

In response, Helena blinks.

They take the elevator to Nancy Sullivan’s office.

In that elevator, which is aggressively mirrored, Myka can’t help but glance repeatedly at herself. So many reflections. You called this into being, thinking about Alice’s mirror before, she accuses. She tries not to focus on how her hair could really stand to be more controlled... she’d focus on Helena instead, but who knows how that would be received? Instead she allows herself one glance, then looks down.

She likes being on the elevator with Helena, though; it’s a space of relative privacy, like the cab. Have they ever before been on an elevator together? Alone or otherwise? She runs through their interactions, fast-forwarding from the Wells house to D.C., Tamalpais to Moscow, Yellowstone, Colorado Springs, Ohio (here Myka trips over the fact that Helena’ s now been to Ohio twice, if only once in physical form), Pittsburgh, Hong Kong...

The review—the speed with which she can conduct it—reminds her of how limited that time has been, so: an elevator ride. Yet another bonus.

“That fellow,” Helena remarks, and Myka looks up again; their eyes meet in the mirror of the elevator’s doors. It’s uncanny, as if they’re both holograms, so Myka turns her body toward Helena, who meets Myka’s actual eyes and continues, “He attempted to make a lewd joke about his willingness and ability to be naughty when it’s called for. I pretended not to understand.”

Myka can’t help it: she snorts. “I bet he didn’t buy that for a second.”

“I have the ability to perform ‘prim’ when it’s called for,” Helena says, and Myka has to acknowledge that statement as good evidence of itself. Then Helena’s face reshapes into a devilish grin as she says, “In a slightly different vein, his quailing at those three letters with which you assailed him? Hilarious.”

“Letters?” A little perverse-quirk makes Myka want to hear Helena say them, though she’s probably not pulling off “disingenuous” in making the request.

Helena seems fine with the perversity, for she obliges: “I,” she begins, then draws out “Aaaaare.” Then, after a beat: “Esssss.”

Myka now herself feels assailed—by how right Helena’s reading her. She tries to step it down with, “I wasn’t aiming for hilarity. I never do. Claudia can vouch.” But she does spend a little moment thinking about the context of that previous assailing: we’re from the IRS. We are here, together, from an agency. We, together, represent. It isn’t by any means everything Myka would have wanted... but it’s something: part of this bonus. “Fred,” she says, sotto voce.

The office they’re seeking is on the building’s highest floor, suggestive of Nancy Sullivan’s bonus-approving rank; it features several large windows, one of which affords the office a view of the hallway, and vice versa. Through it, Myka and Helena watch a woman, presumably that powerful Nancy Sullivan, writing with a quill-esque pen.

“It’s the pen,” Myka says, because it has to be. “It’s always the stupid pen.”

“Always?” That’s unusually tentative, like Helena’s trying not to step.

“Okay, once,” Myka concedes. “My dad and Poe and a pen, and as a result I’ve developed a severe aversion to those quill things.”

Helena takes a beat. Then: “I never liked feather pens.”

“Are you just saying that,” Myka says, because she might be, and she might admit it, and that might be good or bad or something else Myka has no way of evaluating. Why does Helena say words like this? And for that matter, why does Myka keep spending her limited time on this planet trying to parse them?

“Yes? In that I’ve... said it?”

That really didn’t help with any of the whys. “I mean, just to make me feel better?”

Helena shrugs. “The fact is, today’s ballpoints et cetera are far more reliable. Does that make you feel better?”

She’s playing at being obtuse—surely that’s for a reason? But Myka has no time to wonder further, for Helena is knocking on the office door and opening it without waiting for an invitation, and the real retrieval is underway.

Myka flashes her badge. “I’m Agent Myka Bering, and this is Helena Wells. We’re from the IRS.” She glances at Helena—all these glances!—and gets a small smirk in response.

Rather than introducing herself, the woman says, “Really? I bet that’s not true.”

“Why?” Myka asks. Have she and Helena, over the course of the elevator ride, lost their ability to perform “official” correctly?

“I have a feeling you’re here for this,” Nancy Sullivan says, and she lofts the pen, waving it like a wand. “Mostly because I also have a feeling that I want to close my fist around it, punch my way past both of you, and make my escape.”

Well. “That’s self-aware,” Myka says. “Unusually so.”

“Thank you? Although it’s less self-awareness than kind of a... sixth sense.”

Helena raises an eyebrow at Myka. “Sixth sense aside, we appreciate your good sense to refrain from attempting to punch your way past us. That would have ended poorly.”

“I wish I’d had the good sense not to use this pen,” Nancy Sullivan says.

“Is there a reason for your wish?” Helena asks. She sounds, to Myka’s ears at least, like a recently summoned, slightly flummoxed genie.

“Because of how much I liked using it—particularly when I realized nobody was going to question anything. I signed off on all these orders, and it was like...” she trails off. Then she concludes, “Magic.”

To keep her talking, Myka prompts, “Was it?”

“Having the power to reward good people has been fantastic,” Nancy Sullivan continues, “but penalizing the awful ones? I mean I’ve sort of resented feeling compelled to use the word ‘naughty’ about them, because that’s way out of character for me. But other than that? Utterly spectacular.”

“Bob,” Helena suggests.

“Oh, god, you met him?”

Helena offers a dry “Alas.”

Nancy Sullivan’s smile is as dry as Helena’s tone, astringently vindictive. “I could not have been more thrilled to hit him and everybody like him where it hurt... I admit I’ve always been kind of judgmental, but wielding this pen? Intensified. Like, the hates are more. In particular, the hates are more. I’m not saying the Bobs of this company didn’t deserve what I did, but I feel it more. Punishment. It’s satisfying, but also weirdly costly. Grinch-in-reverse costly.”

That’s a little on the nose. Myka glances at Helena again, because the satisfactions of punishment, of judgment, even of hate, are among the things they will need to talk about. Maybe. Someday. If they are to have a someday that is theirs... if that is even possible after so much time and tribulation... Myka lets the glance grow into a gaze, a resting regard, and it stays that way until Helena, too, glances, with the result then that their eyes meet and lock... such a clasp, Myka feels, could ground that potential, and potentially necessary, talk of things, if only they were not in the middle of a retrieval...

...which makes Myka think. Why are they in the middle of a retrieval?

“I wish I didn’t feel like I need to articulate this, but where did you get the pen?” she asks. Because she has a niggling sense of something larger happening, something beyond her grasp. Nevertheless, it is not—repeat, not—a vibe.

Fine. It might be a vibe.

“My cousin gave it to me,” says Nancy Sullivan.

“Your cousin,” Myka says. “Whose name is?” Now she’s knows what’s coming, and that has nothing to do with a vibe: no, it is entirely deduction based on experience.

“Pete Lattimer.”

TBC

[messrmoonyy]

can I have something really sweet and fluffy messr? Maybe waking up with Tess and having cuddles? Maybe it could be pre apocalypse, no badness at all. I don’t care if it’s short or anything I just really need some fluffiness with Tess 🥺🥺🥺

Doctors orders

Tess Servopoulos x fem!reader

A/N- a few of you sent asks this week saying you wanted something fluffy as fuck so here you have it. I hope this cures any and all things you might be going through rn. Take a break. Come take a read and snuggle with Tess. You deserve it. Also look at how mesmerising that gif is my god she’s so beautiful. I’ll probably still post on Monday/Tuesday like normal I just wanted to drop this now cause it’s short and sweet ||| there is no readmore cut in this as everytime I included one it chopped off the bottom three paragraphs.

Warnings: none // pre apocalypse au.

Word count: 1.3k

Masterlist

Reblogs and comments are always greatly appreciated <3

You woke up to the sun shining across your face, peaking through a crack in the curtains and drowning you in early morning light. You twisted away from the curtains with a small groan, rolling over and reaching out for Tess. Only for your hand to find empty space instead.

Your sleepy eyes opened, handing patting the empty space as if she might somehow materialise back onto the sheets. Remnants of her warmth lingered in the cotton so should couldn’t have been gone long. You pressed your face against her pillow, comforted by the familiar scent of her and letting it ease you into a better sense of awareness.

Before you could call out for her, or get up and have a wander around the house to see where she’d gotten to, the bedroom door opened and she re appeared, climbing carefully back into bed again

“ sorry baby did I wake you? “ she asked as she opened her arms to you, letting you curl up against her chest.

“ it’s fine you didn’t “ you mumbled, pressing your face against her neck and sighing. You loved mornings like that. When you could just… exist together. Quiet and calm and warm.

Especially when the world outside seemed so… on edge lately. Rumours and fake news, scaremongering people about something or other. Wars in one country and famine in another. But in your house, your space, you could pretend the world was at peace.

“ don’t get too comfy. I have to get up and get ready for work soon “ you groaned in annoyance and it drew a small laugh from her, pressing a kiss to your head “ unfortunately not all of us have the week off “ you’d both booked the week out from work, needing to use up vacation days and hoping to spend the week alone together. You’d even discussed possibly going away for the weekend.

That was until Tess had come home last week to tell you she had to cover the week instead, one of her colleagues having had her baby or some shit like that. You’d known she had had the news the second she’d walked through the door with flowers to soften the blow.

You only got flowers on special occasions or when she’d pissed you off too much and needed to sweeten you up again. You knew it wasn’t her fault. But it was still annoying.

“ fucking Carla and her fucking baby “ you grumbled, tightening your grip on your girlfriend in some hopes it would make her stay, tangling your legs up with hers. She laughed in the way that always pulled a smile onto your face, light and melodic in a way that didn’t feel like it belonged to her.

“ yeah fuck Carla for getting pregnant huh? “

“ fuck em “ she shook her head, still laughing and ran a hand through your hair.

“ they’ll be plenty of other times we can spend the day together “ You sighed and shifted onto your back, looking up at the ceiling “ don’t get grumpy “

“ M’not grumpy “

“ yeah well tell you’re fuckin face that then “ she said with a smile, turning on her side to look at you, brushing your hair away from your face “ I can try get away early. We’ll go out for dinner or something, how’s that? “ you pondered on it for a while. Dinner would be nice. You hadn’t had an excuse to get all dressed up for a while. But it wasn’t enough. Four days worth of moping around the house bored because you didn’t have to work and she did, was finally coming to a head.

“ or you could just not go in at all “

“ baby-“

“ my god I think you’re sick “ you said with a dramatic voice, pressing the back of your hand to her forehead suddenly. You shifted to sit up more and pulled your best despair filled expression “ fuck. Yep. Burning up. Maybe it’s a fever “ she gave you a confused look, a smile pulling at her lips as she watched you “ I think you could even be contagious. I think for the benefit of your colleagues you need to stay home. It’d be pretty selfish to go and make them sick too wouldnt it? Oh no. What a shame. You’re just gonna have to stay home with me all day “

“ oh I’m sick? “ the smile on her face was the only real contagious thing about her, making it extremely difficult to force away your own.

“ so sick. I mean look at you, throwing up all over the fuckin place! Temperature. Got the chills. Man. You are just… you’re so sick. I think you should call in right now “

“ you are absolutely mental. Did you know that? “

“ fuck are you hallucinating now too? You’re worse than I thought “

“ that is possible for saying you’re being a fuckin head case right now. What have you been smoking? “ you rolled your eyes and folded your arms across your chest.

“ you have to stay home and be tended too by your wonderful, delightful, caring girlfriend “ you said, jutting your chin up with some air of superiority. Her hands reached out for you, tugging you back down onto her chest.

“ it’s sweet that you want me to stay. But I have to go to work “ you sighed and she brushed the backs of her fingers against your cheek, some gentle way of trying to ease the frown etched into your face “ cheer up “ she slid her hand round to the back of your head, pulling you in to kiss her. Knowing full well it would eliminate your frown immediately.

Which of course it did.

You’d long ago decided that it was physically impossible to be anything but overcome with immense joy when she was kissing you. Before her you’d not thought much of kissing, maybe because none of your exes had been particularly good at it. But she was. Fuck she was.

The gentle way in which she could command control with the soft press of her fingers, the way her lips seemed as though were made to kiss no one else but you. As ridiculously cheesy as it sounded, you were quite convinced they were made just for you. No one else on planet earth could make you feel the way she could.

“ that’s better “ she said softly against your lips, kissing you once more before pulling away “ see you crazy ass. I’m fine “ you shook your head, half lidded eyes falling closed again as you brushed your lips over hers.

“ still seem sick to me “ you whispered, kissing her again hoping to simply just distract her enough that by some miracle she might forget that she had to leave. Of course it wouldn’t work but at least you were giving yourself more reasons to kiss her.

“ a nurse now are you? “ she asked in between your kisses, a hand sliding up your back in a way that told you that your ridiculous plan might actually be working.

It was true that if anyone could make her do something it was you. Joel always joked that you two were joined at the hip, simply following the other around no matter what they did. Two lovesick puppies still stuck in the honeymoon phase even though you’d been together for years. And it was true for the most part. You were inseparable. The honeymoon phase probably was still in full effect. You had your ups and downs, but the ups were more frequent. And you wouldn’t have it any other way.

“ actually I am medically trained to the highest

“ well. If it’s doctors orders who am I to argue “ she said with a grin, hands soothing up and down your thighs. You reached over to the side table and grabbed her phone, scrolling through her contacts and clicking the number of her boss and handing her the phone

“ doctors. Orders “

[myculinaryblogtx]

Day 1: The New Job

Hello readers, it has been an eventful week...

I'm sleep-deprived, and my body is sore, but I feel fulfilled.

For the last month, I have been working at a second job at a bakery/brunch spot downtown.

I initially applied for a baking position to gain experience before graduating. But they needed someone to help expedite and run food, which is no problem as I have been a food runner at a fine-dining steakhouse for the last two years. I thought it would be similar, but I was wrong.

In my first week, I had to learn how each dish on the menu was plated correctly. The kitchen is small, but it can make fantastic food. Thankfully, the menu was new, so everyone, including me, was learning how the dishes were supposed to look, and I caught on quickly. If anything can catch my attention, it's food. Learning about the different garnishes or sauces that went with each dish was stressful but informative.

For example, we are doing a Japanese Omurice with spam fried rice. This is a typical Japanese dish, but we add hollandaise on top, a citrusy, dark soy sauce on the side, and garnish with pork floss and seaweed. It is one of my favorite things on the menu!

I don't get to garnish the dishes often at the steakhouse as most of the kitchen does it behind the line. My main objective there is to put the food in the correct order before it goes out to the guests. The most I do is ask for compound butter and sauces or pour some ketchup for fries.

But at the bakery, I get to make the plates look beautiful, and knowing I was the one who did them drives me further to pursue my studies at school.

For my latest development at the Bakery, one of my managers called me when I was visiting some family and asked if I was still interested in working on the actual bakery side, as they needed some help.

Eagerly, I accepted. They asked about my school schedule and what day I would be available for training, and the only day I was available was Halloween. I knew it was going to be an early morning, so I planned to sleep in on Friday, but fate had other plans.

A few days later, on Sunday, they posted the schedule, and my heart sank.

I had to train 4am-7am on Wednesday and Thursday.

I am not a morning person, and my usual shifts start at 9am on Saturday and Sunday. This was going to pose a challenge for me.

But I knew what I was getting into, so I sucked it up and braced myself for the hectic week ahead. On Monday, when I drove home, I promised myself that on Tuesday night, I would go to bed and wake up at 2am, as I don't live close to the city and get there early to make a good impression.

Well, long story short, I failed.

Instead of waking up at 3:30am, I woke up at 7am!

Pissed, I got dressed and ran out the door, hoping I could get to the bakery and see if I could do anything, but my manager texted me about it, and. I explained what had happened, and he told me to not come in, but he would move that training shift to Friday... Great.So, no sleeping for me then. I drove back home and went to right back to sleep. Later in the day after talking to my mom, dad, and my boyfriend, I had a plan.

I would just stay up all night.

I am a night owl so it was not that hard. I played video games and chatted with friends, and then an hour before the shift, I washed my face, changed my clothes, and left the house at 3:30am.

After waiting for someone to open, I eventually began training! I was mainly taught how to fulfill the orders we had for someone who was going to pick them up at 6 a.m. I also learned how to finish off the baked goods, such as adding chives to the bagels, powdered sugar on Danishes, and how the fruit was to be cut and presented on the pastry.

Then, I learned how to prep the next order for the later shift to bake. I would Pull dough out from the freezer and set the number we needed aside to proof. On my first day after all of that, I helped make butter pats.

Essentially, we took parchment paper and folded it into a kind of envelope. Then we had huge blocks of butter, which I used and sliced lengthways. I aligned them in the folds of the parchment and closed it back up before pounding it with a rolling pin so it would come together for my trainer to make sheets of dough for croissants.

On the second day after doing the same thing but solo, I prepped out some cookies and brownies before I was let go and drove straight home to pass out before going to my other job at 3:30pm.

I know baking is a lot, and I know it will take me a lot of drive to work out the kinks in my plans, but I feel good about this.

Next week is not as hectic. I still have to get up early, but only at 9am on Thursday and 7am on Friday. Much better. They plan to train me in actual baking and proofing. At least, that's what the note said. I am going to go check on my chicken thawing in the kitchen and think of what I am going to eat, as all I had today was coffee, 2 pieces of bacon, and a bowl of buttered noodles. They are not the healthiest choices, but I'm a broke college student, and beggars can't be choosers.

Till next time, my friends! And if you want to stay notified, follow and tag yourself below, and I'll add you next time I post!

[guckies]

Wouldn't Bad's availability make him the best babysitter? Like he's the one always stepping up to do so when he could be spending his time on the server doing other things. But he likes taking care of eggs (and parents often DO explicitly ask him to babysit on top of this) and has the time to do so. And he does a good job at it. Which,, makes him the best babysitter doesn't it?

Roier hasn't been babysitting multiple eggs in over half a year. He may have been the first to do in the first month of the eggs being around but he never kept up with it (for understandable reason, but it doesn't make him a reliable egg babysitter) and isn't really comparable to Bad. I'm not sure by what metric you are determining babysitters at tbh

This could be about several posts so I’m assuming you’re talking about this post but if not lmk anon (time to break out the read more cause we got a lot to say 😞(this is so fricken long and basically includes all my thoughts on the “bbh is the best babysitter” thing))

I’m not sure if you missed this on the post but anon did speak about the fact that Bad isn’t the first choice for the egg parents.

For foolish, he is sometimes the first choice because he’s aware of how often Bad is online but Foolish rarely asks anyone to babysit because he knows Leo will get on and whoever she’s most comfortable with she will ask to take care of her (and most of the time Leo chooses Roier if he’s online). Then Fit who always makes sure, that he can take care of Ramon; Pomme and Richas have like 6 parents so they just hangout with different people because they don’t need to worry about tasks like the og kids; and then Phil has a myriad of people(Tubbo, Forever, Fit, Niki & ect) he asks to babysit before Bad.

Really the only way Parents ask Bad to take care of their kids is when they know their usual go to babysitters won’t be online or if the egg admin cannot get online early enough to play with the parent or someone else they would typically ask. Like the night the eggs went missing, Leo’s admin could only get on really late (which Foolish couldn’t predict because he spent all day waiting for her) when only really 2-3 people are typically online so Bad and Tubbo took care of her because they were the only ones left online and Foolish couldn’t get back on again because of preplanned stream content with friends that he can’t just drop suddenly.

Sorry this might sound a bit blunt but not all of qsmp members are strictly minecraft streamers. Some of them are variety content creators and have lives outside of the qsmp so therefore cannot spend 6-12 hours everyday playing qsmp. (This isn’t saying Bad or tubbo don’t have a life but the others clearly have more strict boundaries of how long they will “work” for ie Phil rarely plays over 6 hours because it’s will end up being 2am for him or cellbit who doesn’t stream on mondays or Tuesdays )

Lowkey though I’m sick of using the term best babysitter because it doesn’t mean anything past just being an available babysitter cause literally anyone can do the tasks. So I am going to stop using it when talking about this. But when people are using this term to make Bad seem like this great person on qsmp is a bit wild. Cause saying he is “good at babysitting” or the “best babysitter” is kinda of like saying he’s the best parent which is discrediting the effort other parents genuinely put in for their egg children. Although y’all may not mean it directly like that, it is what y’all are saying cause babysitting really only involves doing the tasks, keeping the child alive and hanging out with them which is what the parent also have to do.

Like some bbh defenders will talk about bad being available to babysit as if he’s the only single parent and he’s working 3 part time jobs on top of this which he isn’t. He and Dapper just have more free time to play on the server and he doesn’t struggle with egg tasks cause of this. Like when he babysits he does the tasks and then hangs out with the eggs like everyone else would. That doesn’t make him the greatest babysitter alive it just makes him a decent person like everyone else on the qsmp who has and would do the tasks for any egg.

So when y’all say bbh is the best babysitter you are kind of blurring the lines between actually meaning babysitter and really saying he’s the best parent. Which is a stupid thing to argue cause none of them are the best, they are all just trying their hardest to keep their child that they love and care for alive.

Also I was talking about Roier mainly in the past since I’ve only really compared him and Bad babysitting Leo. But what I’m trying to point out is the inaccuracies when people talk about Bad babysitting. Like saying that Bad’s the only one that does it or that he’s the best because he gets on with all the eggs. When literally everyone gets on with the eggs and Roier who has done babysitting exactly like Bad has. Also Roier is still active on the server and babysits Leo & Richas (although it’s more Richas and Roier hanging out). I could say the same for Tubbo who took care of Chayanne and Tallulah for a week or the odd time Foolish or Baghera pick up an extra egg when taking care of their own egg. But I choose Roier because his experiences babysitting from the past are incredibly similar to Bad’s. Although I could argue about how it is different because the eggs that Bad does babysit are very independent now and he only has to do the tasks while the eggs roier took care of back then were way more dependent and needed constant supervision but I won’t because that’s useless.

Plus part of my argument about all this is that the eggs being babysat is completely dependent on who the egg is most comfortable with, who is online and who is with the parent that has to leave; which again isn’t always Bad.

So no I don’t think Bad is the “best babysitter” because any “sacrifices” bad puts in for the eggs are his own free will/doing. Anyone could do the same as him but the only reason he can make those “sacrifices” is because he has way more free time then anyone else on the server apart from tubbo so it’s an unfair judgement. Plus there really shouldn’t be the best of anything on the qsmp cause when y’all argue about there being a best of anything, it just puts down the other members who do honestly try their hardest when doing anything on the server.

If y’all wanna talk about the worst of everything but playing the villain, I could make a post about Quackity (/j!!)

[shieldofiron]

I feel like I've left you alone for long enough sooooooo do you have any big tigerfreak/Jason hcs or blurbs that just so happen to be floating in that big beautiful mid of yours (also I changed my user)

Hmmm... I have a few things I'm working on for But I'm a Cheerleader but this just popped into my head, partially inspired by this adorable Harringrove fluff that my friend wrote.

Carver was missing.

Not that Eddie meant to notice. It just wasn't every week that he had to give up his planning period multiple days in a row to cover gym classes. He felt singularly unqualified when reading through Carver's meticulous emergency substitute plans, which included an overall class assessment form that Carver must have made up on his own because Eddie hadn't seen it before.

"Come on," Eddie sighed when the vice principal approached his room in the morning with that telltale red folder, "Can't anyone else cover for Carver? I'm a music teacher, not a gym rat."

The vice principal shrugged, "Don't know when he'll be back."

This wasn't like Carver at all. Sometimes Eddie would arrive early and see Carver doing laps by himself on the track, like he didn't get enough exercise every day. He had perfect attendance. He was the head of the specialists department, and he apparently volunteered with the boys and girls club after school, based on the calendar he had in his office.

But Eddie ended up taking the red folder because... to be honest he felt a little guilty.

It had just been another Friday night getting drinks after school, and one thing had led to another and Eddie'd woken up the next morning to Carver throwing his shirt in his face and telling him he had to go, right away.

And then Monday... he was missing. Then Tuesday. Then Wednesday.

Christ, Eddie didn't mean to freak Carver out. It was just a one night stand, it could happen to anyone. He wasn't going to out someone he worked with.

And so on the third day, with his calves straining a little from Carver's stupid substitute plan, Eddie buzzed the bell for Carver's apartment.

"I'm not gonna out you or make it weird," Eddie rehearsed in an almost whisper.

There was no answer from the bell, and Eddie leaned back, checking for the third time that he saw Carver's jeep on the street. It wasn't hard to see, because for some reason it was parked half on the street. It wasn't one of those fancy video doorbells, but Eddie half wondered if Carver knew it was him.

He was about to turn and go when the intercom buzzed, "Yes?"

"Carver? It's Eddie... Ah... Eddie Munson from school," Christ, Eddie was sweating like crazy. "Y'know. We work together."

"What're you doing here?" Carver's voice was garbled, but it could just be the intercom. He sounded more exhausted than annoyed."

"You've been missing from work for three days," Eddie squirmed.

"Yeah, I know," Carver snapped.

"Look, can I talk to you a minute? I'll be quick."

"I'm sick," Carver replied.

"Just a minute, man," Eddie groaned.

He expected Carver to tell him to fuck off but the door buzzed open.

He climbed the stairs, almost jumping out of his skin when he saw Carver leaning against his door frame. His face was swollen, especially his jaw, and his eyes looked puffy and red.

"Holy shit, what happened to you?"

Carver frowned. Or at least Eddie thought he did.

"I got my wisdom teeth out," Carver mumbled. It hadn't been the intercom, it was Carver himself.

Eddie gaped, "Today?"

"No, Saturday," Carver frowned.

"After I..."

Carver nodded, "Yes. After... that."

Eddie shook his head, not completely able to take this in, "Mr. Davidson said it wasn't expected absence."

Carver shrugged, "I expected to be back Monday."

Eddie blinked, "Two days after surgery?"

Carver's face twitched into some kind of expression, impossible to read, "What did you come here to say?"

Eddie rubbed the back of his neck, "I guess it doesn't matter. I thought... it's stupid."

"You thought what was stupid?"

"I thought you not coming had to do with me. Like you thought I would out you or something," Eddie squirms under that cold blue gaze. "I know I was kind of clingy, staying over, but..."

Carver huffs, "Don't worry about it. I'm already out at school."

"You are?"

"Yeah," Carver's mouth frowns wobblingly, "My whistle is rainbow for fuck's sake."

Eddie just blinked at him.

Carver rubbed his hand over his face, "So is that all you had to say? I gotta go to the pharmacy."

"Yeah. Sure, I'll uh... let you go."

Carver nodded and then turned to lock the door.

"Wait... are you going alone?"

Carver's shoulders twitched, "Do you see anyone else?"

"You can't drive alone, you're probably on painkillers!"

Carver didn't respond, just locking up without another word.

"Let me drive you," Eddie pressed.

"I'm fine on my own," Carver grumbled, pushing past on unsteady feet.

"Did you drive home from the surgery?" Eddie's voice rose about an octave and a half and he clambered down the stairs behind Carver.

Carver swept his arm out, "Do you see anyone else? I wasn't put to sleep. I'm afraid of anesthesia."

"Carver-"

"The pharmacy is only a few minutes away, it's fine."

"This is dangerous. Shit, if you'd told me on Saturday, I would have picked you up," Eddie practically growled.

"I don't need your pity," Carver groused.

"It's not pity. It's literally road safety," Eddie huffed. "You could've hurt someone. You could've hurt yourself."

Carver waved a lazy hand in the air.

Eddie rubbed his eyes, "Carver. What the fuck?"

"Look," Carver spun, leaning against the wall to steady himself, "I didn't mean... I mean, obviously I meant to. Sleep with you. I've had the biggest dumbest crush on you since high school. But you don't have to feel responsible for me just because you feel bad for sleeping with me."

There was a lot in those garbled, hard to understand words, but Eddie couldn't help but focus on one thing.

"You have a crush on me?"

Jason covered his eyes with his hands, "Clearly I wasn't obvious enough before. Why don't I just get a bumper sticker?"

Eddie's heart skipped a beat. He really hoped he wasn't getting a heart attack from doing gym for the first time in fifteen years.

"You have a crush... on me?" He repeated, numbly.

"Yes, fucking-"

Eddie realized only after he kissed Carver that maybe he should have waited for the swelling to go down. Carver hissed in pain, and flinched back.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm sorry," Eddie touched Carver's cheek. "Just... I've been wanting to do that for months."

Carver's eyes were still puffy, and he blinked slowly, "What?"

"Let me drive you to the pharmacy," Eddie whispered, pressing a much gentler kiss to Carver's swollen lips. "And take care of you. I'll make up for lost time."

"I don't need-"

"I need," Eddie smiled, "To take care of you. Please. Let me."

Eddie watched every micro expression cross Carver's face before he finally smiled.

"You have a crush on me, Munson?"

"Yes," Eddie grinned, "Even with the swollen head."

Carver just smiled like a loon and let Eddie steal his keys. He brushed their pinkies together in the aisles of the pharmacy and let Eddie buy him ice cream. He had a crush on Eddie. Eddie wouldn't have missed this for the world.

[lemoncrushh]

Out of Bounds - Chapter 33

STORY PAGE

Word Count: 3503

By Friday I was finally caught up with all my school work. If I wasn't with Harry, I was studying or emailing resumes. I had all but given up, admitting to myself that I'd have to spend the weekend filling out applications at the mall, when just before five o'clock I got a call from a temp agency. It was the same one I had worked for previously, and they had a client that needed someone during the holidays, possibly longer. I made an appointment with the representative for Monday after my English class.

Feeling like things were looking up, I was excited waiting for Penny to get home. It was a rare night where both Harry and Zack were scheduled to work the bar at Mikado's, and Penny and I made plans to go up there together.

We arrived early enough that we didn't have to wait for a seat at the bar. We quickly ordered drinks and a couple appetizers, flirting with our guys and setting the tone for the evening. Soon more customers filled the empty seats, including Mr. Thompson whom I made sure sat next to me. Penny thought he was hilarious and charming, and I could tell the feeling was mutual. He even bought us a round of drinks.

By nine o'clock the bar was a party. I had a good buzz, and I could tell Penny did as well. I was in the middle of a belly laugh, a result of one of Harry's corny jokes which seemed ten times funnier drunk, when I finally realized Britney was sitting at the end of the bar. I hadn't even noticed her come in, nor sit down. But she must not have been there long since she was just telling Zack her wine preference.

I had to admit I was glad she was sitting on Zack's side instead of Harry's. Most likely if she'd had her way she would be on his side, but seeing as the bar was crowded, she probably took what she could get.

"Oh no!" groaned Penny beside me. She obviously had just been made aware of Britney's presence too. "Isn't that—?"

"Yep," I grimaced.

"What is she doing here?"

I shrugged. "Apparently she's still after Harry. She thinks she has a chance so she's not giving up."

"As if!" Penny exclaimed, rolling her eyes.

I chuckled as I raised my glass to my mouth.

"That poor girl," I heard Mr. Thompson say, leaning towards me. "She's got it bad."

I side-eyed him as I took a sip from my cocktail. "Thanks I lot," I commented sarcastically.

"No, no," he grinned, shaking his head. He lifted his large hand and patted me on the back. "Listen, sweetheart. If Harry has any sense at all - and I know that he does - he'd pick you over her any day of the week."

I felt my mouth ease into a smirk. "Thanks."

"Want me to kick her ass for you?" asked Penny.

I threw my head back in a laugh. "That would be great to see, Penny, but no."

She shrugged. "I could do it if I had to."

"I know you could."

I looked at Harry who was busy mixing a cocktail. When he handed it to the customer, his eyes met mine and he smiled. I felt a little flutter in my chest as I smiled back.

"I'm not threatened by her," I added, my gaze still set on Harry. He winked at me and mouthed the words I love you.

"Good," remarked Penny, her voice in my ear but sounding somehow distant. "You shouldn't be. I wouldn't be."

I love you, too, I mouthed in return.

"I think I'm drunk, baby doll," Penny declared, slurring her words. "And I have to pee!"

I stifled a giggle as I stood up from my stool and helped Penny off of hers. I held out my arm for her to grab and steady herself before we made our way to the restroom. There were only two stalls and one was occupied, so I let Penny go first while I waited. Once the second stall was empty, I stepped inside and locked the door.

"Did I tell you Zack's invited me to his parents' house for Christmas?" I heard Penny ask on the other side of the wall.

"No!" I exclaimed. "When did this happen?"

"Couple days I go I think? Earlier this week. He was so cute. He said he felt torn because he wanted to be with me but he'd already promised his mom he'd come home. I said, 'Baby doll, that's your family. That's what Christmas is all about. Don't worry about me.' And he said 'Of course I'm gonna worry about you. I love you, and I don't want you to be alone on Christmas.'"

"Aww, that's so sweet, Penny," I commented.

"I know. So then he asked me if I wouldn't mind spending Christmas with him and his family. And I told him of course not."

"That's awesome. I'm glad things are going so well for you two," I said.

"Me too. So you'll be with Harry, right?" I heard Penny ask just before she flushed.

"We haven't really discussed it, but I assume so."

The sound of my flush and the running water from the sink filled the bathroom as I pulled up my pants. Then Penny's voice echoed and bounced off the walls.

"What do you think you're doing?"

I was about to ask her what she meant when I heard a second voice.

"Excuse me?"

"You need to give up this little game you're playing," demanded Penny. "It's not gonna work."

"What the hell are you talking about?" the other voice inquired.

I jerked open my stall door to see just what was going on. There stood Britney, her arms crossed under her chest and a combination of shock and a scowl on her face. Penny stood at the sink, glaring at Britney in the mirror.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Penny narrowed her eyes. She turned off the faucet and grabbed a paper towel. Then she tossed it in the trash and turned to face Britney. "Harry is not interested in you. He never was. And now he's in a serious relationship with my best friend. They are in love. Like true L-O-V-E, you got that? So you just need to grow up and move on. Stop coming up here thinking he's going to give you the time of day. Your little charade is over."

Britney looked over at me and then back at Penny. Then she rolled her eyes and scoffed, strutting to the stall and shutting the door behind her.

"Did you just fucking see that?" Penny yelled.

"Penny-"

"She just rolled her eyes at me."

"It's okay, Penny, it's not worth it," I muttered, walking to the sink to wash my hands.

"You wanna come out here and tell me how you really feel, you little bitch?" she shouted at the closed stall door.

"Penny!"

"She better hide in there the rest of the night if she knows what's good for her!"

I dried off my hands and grabbed Penny's arm to pull her out of the bathroom. I knew Penny meant well, but it was obvious she was drunk and might end up saying or doing something she'd later regret.

When we returned to the bar, I was glad to see that our seats hadn't been taken. Mr. Thompson was still there, so I had a feeling he might have had something to do with it, although the bar was no longer crowded anyway. I was barely on my stool when Harry placed a shot in front of me.

"Ooh, that looks good," said Penny. "I want one of those, babe."

"No, I think your girl could use some water," I told Zack when he grabbed a shot glass.

"I have a water!" she whined.

"Then drink it," I demanded. "You're gonna get dehydrated and that's not gonna be a pretty sight."

Penny stuck her lips out in a pout before throwing her arm around my shoulders.

"Thank you for looking out for me," she whispered loudly. "I love you, Tisa."

I playfully leaned my forehead against hers and squeezed her hand. Then I looked at Harry who was grinning, one eyebrow raised. I shrugged and took the shot he'd given me. I wasn't in the same state Penny was in. However, I figured that shot was enough for the time being. I grabbed my water and took large gulps.

Just then, I saw Britney return to her place at the end of the bar. She kept her head down until she looked at Zack and said something. I watched as he handed her back her credit card and she signed the receipt.

"Looks like she's leaving," I poked Penny in the side.

"She better be," Penny scoffed. Then she raised her voice for the entire bar to hear. "And if she's smart she won't be coming back!"

I nudged her shoulder for her to pipe down, but didn't stray my eyes away from Britney. Again, she kept her head down as she got down from her stool and slipped her purse over her shoulder. As she walked away, I caught her wiping her eyes.

"I think she's crying," I whispered.

"Good! Maybe she's finally faced reality."

I chewed the inside of my cheek as I watched Britney walk out the door. When I finally moved my eyes back to Penny, she was glaring at me.

"Don't tell me you feel sorry for her now!" she exclaimed. "That girl's done nothing but cause trouble for you."

"I know," I sighed.

I wasn't sure why I felt bad. I guess I just didn't like seeing people cry. She had a crush. I couldn't blame her for that. She'd just chosen the wrong way to go about it, and had let it get to the point of obsession. Although she hadn't been a threat to me physically, her making a point to come out to Mikado's to see Harry, with the intent of getting him to notice her, with no regard for his feelings for her or anyone else was bordering on stalker behavior. I could only hope this was the last I'd see of her.

"Have I ever told you how much I like your man bun?" I asked Harry.

"You do?" he chuckled as he sat down on the bed and pulled off his boots.

"Mmm hmm," I nodded, stepping closer to him. "I definitely like your hair down, so I can run my fingers through it, but when you have it pulled back like that, I get to see your whole face."

"I take it that's a good thing," he said as he began to unbutton his shirt.

"Are you kidding?"

He gave me a smirk as he shook out of his shirt, throwing it in the laundry basket that sat on the floor beside his dresser. I sat down next to him to remove my own shoes.

"I'm going to get some water," I told him. "Be right back."

"Hey," Harry grabbed my arm and pulled back to him, covering my mouth with his for a quick kiss. "Hurry back," he murmured.

I teased him with a kiss of my own, lightly nipping at his bottom lip. I could still feel the effects of the alcohol, making me feel light-headed and aroused as I made my way to the kitchen. I grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and drank about half of it before walking back to Harry's room.

The bottle almost slipped out of my hand when I stopped frozen in the doorway. There he laid in the middle of his bed in all his glory, his hands behind his head, his penis hard and ready.

"Damn," I cursed under my breath.

He raised his eyebrows and gave me a sexy grin as I shut the door behind me. I immediately got undressed, tossing my clothes next to the overnight bag I'd brought.

"Harry..." I whispered when I stood at the foot of the bed, looking down at his naked body. "God, baby, you're so beautiful."

He let out an audible sigh as I ran my hands up his thighs. When I reached the base of his shaft, I positioned myself between his legs and licked my lips. As my top teeth grazed gently across my bottom lip, I looked at his face. He said nothing, though his eyes pleaded for me to take him into my mouth. I smiled softly before lowering my head. I darted my tongue out to lick the tip of his cock, sliding lower and lower to get him good and wet. Then I enveloped my lips around him taking him in deeper and deeper.

I heard him groan as I began to move a bit faster, sliding my mouth up and down. I moved my left hand up to grab his balls, fondling them as my right hand squeezed tighter around his shaft. I began to pump at a steady pace, my hand meeting my lips. Harry's breathing quickened as I felt his fingers touch my hair.

"Mmmm, baby..." he sounded. "That feels so good."

I hummed against him as I sucked harder. I could feel myself getting incredibly wet, aroused by the knowledge that I was pleasing him. I loved making him feel good.

I slowed down for only a moment, sliding my tongue up to the tip once more, circling it while my hand continued to pump. My eyes met Harry's as he stared at me, his mouth open. I teased him by taking the head into my mouth, my lips sliding down and back up again, releasing him only to do it over again.

"Please, baby," Harry choked as he bucked his hips, "let me fuck you."

"Nuh uh," I refused.

He groaned again, dropping his head back on the pillow. Taking him deeper inside my mouth, I moved up and down, sucking and pumping harder. Harry moaned louder, grabbing fistfuls of my hair.

"Oh shit, baby, you're gonna make me come!" Harry exclaimed, nearly out of breath.

Popping his dick out of my mouth for a split second, I nodded. "Yes."

Finally surrendering, Harry cried out my name, moving his hips against me. I could tell he was close, teetering on the edge of orgasm as I moved my tongue around while I sucked.

"Aaaahhhhh fuuuuuck!"

I kept my mouth on him while he came, slowing the pace of my hand until he was finished. Then I crawled up beside him, watching his chest rise and fall.

"I love you, you gorgeous man," I whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek. "And I love the sounds you make."

I caught the sight of his dimple dipping as a smile spread across his face. His eyes were still closed, but he rolled onto his side and pulled me closer to him. He kissed me passionately, darting his tongue inside my mouth to meet mine. Resting his hand just below my ear, his lips made their way down to my neck, nibbling and sucking with fervor. His other hand grabbed my waist as he shifted our bodies so that he was above me. Then he slid his hand up my side to cup my breast, his thumb grazing across my nipple. I was already so turned on, yet I could feel the blood rush to my privates as I let out a soft moan.

"I'm gonna make you come now, my love," Harry promised, his mouth still on my neck, his voice low. "I want to make you feel so good."

I bit my lip as his other hand slid down my other side, stopping just above my hip. He lifted his head then, his hair still pulled back but a little messy from our previous activity. I focused on his face, his lips parted slightly before he took my nipple into his mouth. My eyes fluttered closed at the sensation, my hips grinding against his body with want and need. Acknowledging my movement, Harry ran his hand down my hip to my inner thigh, teasing me with a light touch of his fingers across my wetness.

"Oh," I breathed, arching my back.

Harry chuckled against my skin, moving his mouth to my other nipple, licking and sucking seductively. The he began a trail with his lips and tongue, sliding down my stomach. I watched him as he lifted his head, hooking his arms around my thighs. His eyes burned into mine before he lowered his head again to kiss me between the legs.

He worked his magic with his tongue, licking me softly at first, then adding more pressure. I felt my toes curl against the bedding while I tried to relax the rest of my body. Attempting to resist grabbing hold of his hair, I fanned my arms out and above my head. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard, reveling in the bliss.

As he picked up speed, so did my breathing as well as my heart rate. I bit my lip again as I let out a moan. Harry's hands slid underneath me to cup my bottom, raising my hips to meet his mouth better. I opened my eyes to gaze down at him. Something about watching him pleasuring me was so erotic, it sent me to the edge.

"Oh, God!" I cried.

I grabbed hold of the pillow beneath me as I climaxed, my hips bucking against Harry's mouth to get the most friction as possible.

As my body shook while I came down, Harry left soft kisses on my thighs and stomach. Then he made his way back up my body until we were face to face again.

"I love the sounds you make, too," he said.

I blushed, breaking a smile. Then I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"You're so fucking sexy," he added before giving me a deep kiss. I could taste myself on his tongue as I pulled him as close to me as possible.

After holding each other for a while, and lots more kissing, I got up to use the restroom. When I returned, I opened my overnight bag to grab my toothbrush and something to sleep in.

"You know," I heard Harry speak behind me. I turned to face him, his hair now free from the bun. He laid on his side, resting on his elbow. "You should probably just leave that stuff here."

"What?" I asked, slipping into a pair of pajama shorts.

"Your clothes and toothbrush," he replied.

I puckered my lips in thought. "I suppose I could. So I don't have to bring it every time."

"Yeah, and you could go ahead and bring some more stuff, too. And, you know, just leave it here."

I glared at him, recognizing what he was getting at. "Harry."

He shrugged. "And I suppose since your things would be here, you could just stay too. It would make the most sense."

I pulled the tank top over my head and walked to the bed.

"Harry," I repeated, "I can't move in with you."

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because I..." I paused, trying to think of the best response. "I have to get my life sorted out first."

"But aren't I part of your life? Doesn't that include us?"

"Of course it does," I told him as I sat on the bed. "You're the biggest part of it right now."

"Then come live with me," he insisted. "We love each other. We should be together."

"What about Zack?"

Harry furrowed his brows and shook his head. "No, I'm not as in love with Zack."

I playfully slapped his arm. "You know what I mean."

"Zack's pretty much always with Penny now," Harry commented. "I could see them moving in together soon. And even if he was here, I sincerely doubt he'd mind that you were here."

I chewed the inside of my lip as I considered what Harry was saying. I loved him. I knew I loved him and wanted to be with him. But part of me was still very afraid. I had loose ends that needed mending, and I felt like I needed to get those fixed before committing to something like this.

"Can I have some time to think about it?" I finally asked.

Harry sighed. "Sure."

"Thanks," I muttered.

I stood for a second until Harry pulled me to him again.

"Tisa," he said, looking into my eyes, "I know you're scared. But you don't have to be. I'll take care of you."

I nodded before he kissed me once more. Then I went back to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

I'll take care of you. Harry's words echoed through my mind as I stood in front of the sink. My chest clenched and my stomach churned.

That's just what I was afraid of.

MASTERLIST | KO-FI | FEEDBACK

[cleolinda]

Weekend links

My posts:

Took an unexpected week off the Varney the Vampire recaps, but it's an opportunity to shift towards the "see it a day early on Patreon" schedule I'd like to do. Health issues! We make them work for us! Why have I started using exclamation points lately!

In the meantime, catch up on the first ten chapters here.

Perfume: Chanel No. 5 (1921/1986) and No. 5 Eau Première (2007), which includes a "wtf are aldehydes" sidebar and some reactions I did not expect to have.

Perfume: I did in fact order a Zoologist T-Rex sample, along with the Scent of the Century, a few things for an eventual sandalwood post (love a sandalwood), and a Hypnotic Poison update.

I have been informed that it was not just Elon Musk's money that was set on fire and that also it was scientifically a good thing, and I am in all honesty too salty to be rational about it, so I will save my mockery for the next time he fucks up something on Twitter.

(How is Substack Notes? Are people liking that?)

Reblogs of interest:

In case you missed it, Tumblr has activated PVP mode: you can now blaze other people's posts. Fortunately, they have put in a bunch of opt-outs to manage your battledome experience.

SPN News Network finally got me: there's going to be a Twilight tv show

The use of the word "friend" in queer history

A history of drag kings

Lich & Mushroom

no. he can't handle the pressure. no. not swag.

tfw you can't admit fairies aren't real because the grownups can't calm down about it

A classic: have mercy at the end of days, Jolene

Another classic: World War Tea

Save this for Monday morning

Personal tags of the week:

#corvids, because I'm just gonna reblog "lalala lala" every 1-2 months

#color, because I just really like tagging art or photographs where the color pops in some way, and I just reblogged an aurora borealis painting

#vampire wardrobe, because Gaultier made an actual Vampire Suit

[invincible-selfxmade-punk]

Grocery shopping for the next couple of weeks is done. I made an order from Walmart and as soon as it was brought to me I realized I needed like five or six more things. So I had to go back out. Then since hubby is at work I had to bring everything in myself which is just exhausting. I think I am owed a nap.

My sister asked what I wanted for Christmas and it was pretty hard because I really have everything I need. I asked for more bedding and I've had my eye on some Firefly glass bracelets. I see the ads for Nogu constantly on here. I've been looking at the bracelets there and of course the more I look the more ads they send me. It's just their bracelets are fairly expensive and I'm so afraid that I'm going to spend the money and then they are not going to look like the ones in the pictures. I really want the green glow in the dark glass. So I found one on Etsy that was half the price and my sister ordered it. She also ordered us some monogram sheets and a bunch of bedding that just arrived today and I haven't even had the energy to open it up.

However she had also sent me something much earlier in the month that we had had a hard time getting delivered because neither one of us were home whenever you UPS came by. I started getting really curious about it because she said it was something very special that she saw it and thought of me. Well. , , it was delivered yesterday and oh boy...... I kind of felt like someone had given me a leg lamp. It was a set of super heavy Green Glass candelabras with dangling beads coming off the sides. And in the candelabras were these electronic candles that supposedly had their own remote control for that controlled how they flickered. It was the biggest ugliest monstrosity I think I have ever seen. And I guess she thought of me because it was Green and the Green Glass is very pretty but oh my God........ it's hideous. And I'm not even sure what the remote control is supposed to do we got the candles to turn on and that's about it.

They are so unbelievably heavy I guess if I could swing them they would make a great self-defense weapon. That's about the only good thing I can say for them.

But she is the only family I have and it is a thought that counts so I'm glad she was thinking of me.

Tomorrow I am going to go and send off my final Christmas present Period I was able to get two of my closest friends And my sister Personalized tumblers from this place that does it locally. For my other friend who Is usually In much more need of groceries, I sent a gift card from Walmart and she was able to get herself an air fryer and a few groceries with it. So that made me happy.

Tuesday I'm sitting up a table at the only coffee shop in town where I happen to know the owner fairly well. I'm trying to sell off these dozens upon dozens of extra Mary Kay cosmetics I ended up with.

I had ordered some of them for a teacher that I work with but when I had to discipline her absolutely hateful and disrespectful son who told almost every teacher on campus---- including her --'to shut up and go to hell.

I don't know what he told her about me but suddenly she did not speak to me anymore,, & hasn't spoken to me in the last year.

So of course she was unwilling to purchase all the Cosmetics she had actually ordered from me once they came in. *sigh*

Also last year I had to order $300 worth of cosmetics in order to keep my status as consultant. But then I just ran out of the energy to go out and sell the stuff. Most days I just want to go home and go to bed I don't want to track down any clients I don't want to give makeovers I just want to sleep. So anyway I'm trying to make whatever I can offer them and selling them cheap as stocking stuffers monday. Going to try to drag my carcass out of bed early and catch the morning Rush of people and I am so hoping I can sell a few things just to get them out of my hair.

[televinita]

To make up for my terrible Monday, I had an AMAZING Friday, which I randomly had free of work and so I went to TOWN, going to bed early enough that I was naturally awake by 8:30 and ready to leave before 11 (even dawdling and having a nice breakfast), plotting an efficient garage sale route of six stops with an estimated ~45 minutes of driving (roughly in a circle, even, so it was only 10 mins to home after that), and then having such an absolute blast stopping at every additional sale AND Little Free Library I passed along the way that I was out for five hours.

Even with a 25-minute diversion to a dollar store, because I hadn't originally expected to be out for more than 2-3 hours max and so hadn't brought anything to drink and was FEELING the humid, 90-degree weather by mid-afternoon (even though for most of the day, there was enough breeze that, driving in air conditioning, it didn't honestly feel too awful!)...I managed to fit in every stop I'd planned, getting to my last one at 4:15, because they were the only ones open 'til 5 instead of 4. Perfectly timed!!

Got back, had a nice cool shower that felt AMAZING, then did the dishes, and am now preheating the oven (yes despite the heat :P) for a Hawaiian pizza + Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire** viewing night w/ husband and it's gonna be great!

(**have I ever seen a ghostbusters movie in my life, including the one to which this I think this is a sequel? Nope! But all I need ever is a good cast and a rating below R, and I like this cast, so I am excited.)

And I got some things, too, but I actually can't remember them all because I just scored left and right and it's almost pizza time, so I'm gonna do Neopets dailies and then log off. Will round up tomorrow, I guess.

For now, just gonna say: the absolute best part of my day was petting a black and tan longhaired mini Dachshund, who was so petite and trim I think even our cat is bigger than her, and we do not have a large cat.

She was wearing a snazzy pink harness, which sadly blocked some of her fur, but she was still SO very sweet, climbing up on my leg while I was crouched to look at a box of books, accepting head pats, and then turning around to flop into a classic Dog Lean pose, resting her tiny weight against me to accept further petting.

Long-haired dachshunds: officially added to the short list of Small Dog breeds I'd be cool with owning.

[foreverrandomwritings]

Actions Speak Louder Than Words- Part 2

Summary: When Harvard and Yale decide they want to get stationed at a different base the navy calls in one of the best 2 seater jets they have ‘The Does’. They may be younger than the other pilots by a couple years but they have quickly made a name for themselves with the impeccable work they do together. But the question is will they fit in with the other pilots already in California or will they crash and burn?

Pairing: Romantic Mickey ‘Fanboy’ Garcia x Afab!OC (Slow Burn) Platonic Jane ‘Mute’ Hall x John ‘Ramble’ De Luca

Warnings:I can’t really think of any. If someone finds one they think I should include please let me know!

Word Count:2326

Masterlist Series Masterlist

It was a tradition for Jane and her backseater to get up and get a flight in together before everyone got to base on the first day. They had done it everywhere they were stationed since the two of them were permanently paired together. The duo always made sure to clear it with the superiors first so as to not ruffle any feathers.

Jane had cleared this flight with the team leader Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell. He had instantly assured the two that they were free to do so. He had let the duo know when the other members of the squad would be coming in. He wanted to make sure they got up and done by the time morning meeting would be happening.

It was an easy flight for the pair. Feeling out the plane in the new sky they would be flying in. Getting to know the area and the set up of the base. They looked at the light greens of the grass and the darker greens of the trees. The different browns of the sand and dirt. The blue of the sky and the small patches of color that were filled with flowers back on the ground.

They slowly made their way back to base as Jane realized the time. As they neared the landing strip Ramble turned and looked out the window seeing people gathered in a group on the not quite hot tarmac. He figured that had to be the Dagger Squad.

“Hey Mute, it looks like the squad is waiting on the tarmac for us.” Ramble said with excitement clearly in his voice.

“Alright Ramble let’s set her down and get it over with.” Mute replied back with worry in her voice. She knew once they landed the nerves of last night would come crawling back. But she pushed through that thought and brought the F/A 18 down on the tarmac.

Taking a deep breath she opened the canopy and they began to climb out of the Super Hornet. The group of people stayed where they were which she was grateful for. She needed a minute to get herself together before the introductions. She reached up and took the heavy helmet off while John did the same. A couple minutes passed before John was grabbing one of the many straps on her flight suit and began leading her to the group.

🛬🌤️🛬🌤️🛬🌤️🛬🌤️

The Dagger Squad was aware they would be getting a new 2 seater team with the absence of Harvard and Yale. They hadn’t heard much about the team, just that they worked impeccably well together.

Maverick had kept his mouth shut about anything that would give away who the new members were. He only said that they were going to be a great addition to the team and that he had heard nothing but incredible things about the pair. Telling the squad that they would just have to wait and see who they were because he wasn’t going to say anything other than that. The team had all been so eager that they agreed to show up early on Monday to feel them out.

What they weren’t expecting when they showed up to work on Monday morning was to see the 2 seater team already in the air. They had all gathered on the tarmac waiting for them to come down so they could introduce themselves and see who the new team members were.

Standing there for a couple minutes they began talking amongst themselves about what they were expecting and who they thought were going to come out of the box. Phoenix and Halo were hoping it was at least one woman to help balance out the testosterone a little. Hangman, Rooster and Fritz were hoping it was 2 women so they could try to flirt their way into their pants. Omaha, Bob, Coyote, Payback and Fanboy were just hoping for them to be chill and good team players.

They all quieted down once they heard the F/A-18 turning around and coming to the tarmac to land. After seeing the softest landing they’ve ever witnessed they all started fidgeting, standing up expectantly to see who was going to get out of the aircraft. They looked the equivalent of kids standing around at pick up waiting for their parents.

Watching the pair climb out of their plane. A shorter pilot came out of the front seat and a taller wisso came climbing out of the back seat. Taking off their helmets the two spoke no words to each other but stood by the plane for a couple minutes. The taller of the two grabbed a strap on the flight suit of the shorter one and started leading them to the group.

As they came closer the group noticed the features of the duo. The taller one had dark black hair that had been messed up by his helmet. His skin was a light Olive tone. He wore a big smile on his face and looked simply and completely carefree.

The shorter of the two had a simple short red braid. The top of her hair a mess from her helmet as well. Her skin pale like that of a porcelain doll. She was looking at the ground so they had no idea what expression she wore.

They both looked relatively young. Definitely the youngest of the group now. They were all in their late 20’s and early 30’s with Rooster being the oldest. The duo looked to be in their mid 20’s at most.

Before they knew it the duo was right in front of them. The dark haired man spoke up. “Howdy guys! My name is John and this is Jane.” He pointed his head back towards the girl behind him. His finger was still hooked in the same strap. “We also go by Ramble and Mute or the Does!” Mute as they now know her kept her head down. Recognition seemed to work its way into many of the Dagger Squad as some turned to each other with wide eyes and others simply nodded their heads.

Omaha was the first to pipe up. “Wait, are you guys the 2 that flew that mission in Russia last year?” If they thought Ramble had a wide smile before they were wrong. His smile got even wider, his cactus green eyes sparkling as he quickly nodded his head.

“That would be us at your service.” Ramble exclaimed using the hand not holding his front seater to go across his stomach as he slightly bent down in a bowing motion. They saw the red head shake her head, slightly rock on the balls of her feet and let out a quiet laugh. The little antics that he did always made her react. She found him to be very silly and that was one of the many things she loved about him. With that Ramble turned his head to her.

With confidence and pride “This one flew so well we both got a promotion.” He said pulling on the strap that was still on his finger. Mute finally looked up, giving him a small smile and looking at the group in front of her. As her Prussian blue eyes scanned the group, they finally landed on a set of chestnut brown eyes that were already staring at her.

At that moment Fanboy was sure he had altitude sickness even though he had been on the ground all morning. That was the only logical way to explain the sudden shortness of breath, lightheadedness, quickening of his heart rate and churning feeling he had in his stomach.

Mute quickly averted her eyes back down to the black tarmac under her feet with her eyebrows furrowed. Luckily if anyone noticed the sudden tension between the new front seater and the veteran wisso no one said anything.

From beside Fanboy, Payback opened his mouth to ask the duo a question. It was cut short by Mavericks' voice. “There you all are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you guys!” He exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. “Hangar 2 in 20 minutes let’s go.”

The group all answered him with a mix of okay, yes sir, see you soon, nods and a couple thumbs ups before Maverick dipped back inside. Mute and Ramble were happy that today was a flight suit day so all they had to do was take their gear off and fix their hair.

Turning around the group started walking back inside. Phoenix hung back some to wait for Mute and Ramble. They quickly made their way to her side and she started walking next to them. “I’ll walk you guys to the locker rooms and hang about to walk you both to the Hangar as I’m sure you'd get lost in this maze of base trying to find it.” She said turning to face them. Mute nodded her head and stayed close to Ramble's side. Phoenix noticed that he had finally let go of the strap his finger had been hooked in during their short lived introduction just moments ago.

Ramble was the one to speak up. “You’re Phoenix right? You flew the Uranium mission a couple months ago?” Phoenix smiled and nodded her head.

“Sure did, along with my wisso Bob, Payback, his wisso Fanboy, Rooster, Maverick and Hangman as the spare.” The trio reached the locker rooms as her sentence ended. Mute and Ramble both went into their respective locker rooms as Phoenix kept her word and stayed outside.

🛬🌤️🛬🌤️🛬🌤️🛬🌤️

It took them about 10 minutes to get their gear off and their hair tamed. Neither bothered to shower as they hadn’t sweat much that morning. Jane was taking deep breaths and looked over her appearance once more. Thoughts going to the man she locked eyes with on the tarmac. It was a brief moment but she had already wanted to know more about him. Taking another deep breath she grabbed the 4 Tupperware containers of cookies out of her locker and headed out to the hallway.

Her best friend and Phoenix were already in the hallway talking when she came out. The conversation came to a stop as John put his hand out and Jane passed him 2 of the containers. Noticing a hair out of place on her wissos head she reached up and fixed it earning her a grin in return.

“Alright Phoenix, guide the way.” John gestured dramatically in front of them waiting for the brunette to start walking. She shook her head playfully and started walking ahead of them. John stayed behind with Jane slinging an arm across her shoulders. The two dark haired aviators continued the conversation on the way to the hangar. From the little clips you heard it was about the fact that they had both grown up in California.

The three finally made it to a door with the words hangar 2 on a plaque next to it. “Cammineremo” John whispered the Italian words in Janes ear. Jane turned and whispered back “Saremo Potenti” before turning and entering the hangar after Phoenix.

All heads turned to look at them. The tall wisso still had his arm slung across his front seater and a spike of jealousy crawled up Fanboys back like a cold chill. With the way they acted with one another there was no way they weren’t a couple. Fanboy knew they had only locked eyes briefly and he had no right feeling like this but he just couldn’t help it.

Fanboy watched as they continued up the room to find seats. There were eight rows of chairs and tables. On the left Phoenix sat next to Bob, Omaha and Halo sat together, then Hangman and Coyote. On the right Payback and Fanboy, with Fritz and Rooster both sat alone. Leaving the only empty seats the row behind Hangman and Coyote or between Fritz and Rooster. The pair decided on the seats behind Hangman and Coyote.

Setting the containers of cookies down on the desk Ramble finally let go of Mute and pulled her chair out for her before they both sat down. They heard Maverick before they saw him.

“Welcome in on this fine Monday morning. As you can all tell we have 2 newcomers in our midst. We will be doing a little exercise this morning to get to know each other down here and in the skies. We’ll be saying our names, callsigns, and one fun fact about you! Then after we get through that we’ll be dogfighting in the skies.” He got out quickly before pausing and looking around the room. They had heard that Maverick was childish but they weren’t expecting to be involved in an exercise done by sixth graders on the first day of school.

Starting with Phoenix they all slowly went around the room answering the questions. Most of them were quick and simply stated their favorite color or favorite show. Others talked about where they got their callsign. Then there was Jake who turned around and winked at Jane after telling the rest of the group that he’d been told he was good at a lot of things. Bob and Natasha had rolled their eyes while Bradley scoffed and John let out a laugh before answering the questions himself.

Then it was on Jane. All eyes on her. “Lieutenant Jane Hall, callsign Mute. John and I made cookies last night.” She answered quickly while holding up the containers. John was beaming next to her. He knew that was likely all they were gonna get from her today that wasn’t in the sky. But he was happy she had said something.

Maverick quickly dismissed the group to the lounge room where they could wait and listen to the teams up in the sky and hang out. He called Hangman, Phoenix and Bob to be first in the sky. Giving the newcomers an opportunity to see how the dogfights worked.

Translations: (Italian done by google translate so don’t come for me if they are wrong)

Cammineremo- We shall stride

Saremo Potenti- We shall be mighty

A/N: I already have part 3 done for this series! I’ll be posting it most likely Sunday! If you liked this part please please please let me know! If you’d like tagged, tags are open! I know that this part was pretty slow as well. I promise the next part has more action in it!!

Tags: @wkndwlff & @sylviebell

[canonicallyobserving911]

Several Sentences Sunday

Fanonwriter2023 on AO3

Where CANON and FANON collide!

___________ 

I was tagged by @spotsandsocks.  Thank you for the tag💕.

I wanted to share seven several sentences from chapter 4 of “I’m still in love with you but... I needed to learn how to love myself too!” 

I’m enjoying writing this fic because it’s giving me the chance to unravel the mess that was the 6x18 ending for Buck, Eddie and Chris.  Also, it’s taking them places the show refuses to go including Buck facing his past (Taylor’s book just bit him in the ass at the end of chapter 3 and Eddie doing a self-evaluation journey so he can try new things, some of which he believes he missed out on when he was younger.

Chapters 1, 2 & 3 are already available on AO3 and chapter 4 will be posted soon.

___________

Here are two snippets from chapter 4 since Eddie’s in El Paso and Buck’s still in L.A.

___________

Eddie

Eddie wakes up when his phone starts ringing at 7:02AM.  He glances at the contact info on his cellphone and he only answers it because he sees his sister, Adriana’s picture.

“Adriana, why are you calling me so early?”  He says with a rough raspy voice.

“Well… hello to you too Eddie and did you know good morning is the best way to greet someone this time of day?”

“Yes, I do know that but you’re calling me way too early.  Is everything ok?”

“It is but I’m calling for a good reason.”

He sighs and rubs his hand over his face.  “Oh yeah, what’s the reason?”

“I’ll tell you when I know you’re awake.  Are you fully awake?”

“Adri, are we really doing this at…”  He trails off as he pulls the phone away from his ear to see the time.  “7:03AM? Surely you could have saved this conversation until later in the day.”

“I could have but I want to take you and my nephew to breakfast.  We all took off work for the family reunion and since we haven’t seen you in a couple of months, we want to spend time with you.”

“Look... we just got here last night and I was planning to go grocery shopping this morning since we’re staying at an Airbnb and…”  He doesn’t get to finish because she interrupts him.

“Eddie!  Let me treat you to breakfast, please?”

“Ok, ok… but I need to be back her before 12noon.”

“Why?”  She asks with a huff at the end of her question.

He goes back and forth about whether he should mention he’s in therapy but instead he decides to avoid giving her a direct answer.

“I have some stuff I need to do... stop being so nosy.”

Buck

He cringes when he hears a laugh followed by, “If it isn’t Evan Buckley as I live and breathe.”

Even though he wasn’t sure on Monday when Ali Martin drove into the firehouse with her son, or on Tuesday when he bumped into Natalia Dollenmeyer at the beach with her fiancé or on Wednesday when he saw Abby Clark’s, or whatever the hell her married last name is, new baby announcement on Facebook; but now he’s 100% sure the universe is not only mocking him, it’s taunting and making fun of him too.  He wishes he would have listened when the universe tried to warn him but it’s reminding him that he didn’t.

Taylor loudly says, “Come on Buck, I know you broke up with me but we can still be friends, can’t we?”

Buck doesn’t respond, he just turns around and walks out of the coffee shop.

Taylor’s right on his heels and she follows him towards the parking lot.

“Wow, I didn’t know you would completely stop talking to me.”

“Uh… I don’t think we should be talking to each other right now, I—I mean with everything that’s happened.”

“Oh, you mean my book. Don’t worry Buckley I didn’t name you specifically.”

Buck sees red and he wants to curse her out but he’s trying to remain dignified.

“Let’s not do this Taylor, please.”  He exasperatedly says.

“Let’s not do what? You mean payback?”

“Payback?  What the hell does that mean?”

Buck’s so involved in his conversation with Taylor, he’s not paying attention to the Channel 8 news crew that just pulled into the drive thru.  The cameraman starts filming when he recognizes them and he captures their entire argument on film.

___________

Summary: Months after Buck and Eddie were hit by the same lightning strike; they’re still struggling with the aftermath of it.  But before they make their love confessions, they’ll spend time getting to know themselves as individuals first. Eddie learns to enjoy the simple things in life as he participates in activities on his own and with new friends while Buck learns the rest of the 31-year-old deep dark family secret about his conception and birth. Their journey to forever is still a work in progress but once they finally admit they’re in love with each other, everything that follows their love confessions will be cataclysmic.

__________

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 - Eddie makes a new friend while Buck receives devastating news regarding the sperm donation he made for Connor and Kameron.

Chapter 2 - Buck does a lot of research to learn more about the abnormalities found in his red blood cells and Eddie starts a new therapy journey that’s all about him and not the traumas he’s experienced.

Chapter 3 - After more than a month, Buck and Eddie finally spend time together outside of work but it doesn’t end well and they part with a lot of uncertainty regarding their places in each other’s lives.

Chapter 4 - Will be posted soon.

__________

Buddie Multi-Chapter Fanfic - Hiatus Reading

Read chapters 1, 2 & 3 on AO3.

No pressure tagging: @shortsighted-owl​.

[harrywavycurly]

I wasn’t sure if I’d be into the Seven Wives concept, but I read through them all and - as per usual with anything you create - fell in love with the girls, the concept, the awkward Steve being flustered in front of Eddie and one of the wives. Patiently waiting for Tuesday though, because I think she reflects some of my traits best (at least that’s what I got from the character sheet, even though I’m not a ♍️). Dunno if you have anything planned/in works for her, but may I request a little something?

Relatively early into their relationship, as Eddie introduces Tuesday into the mix, he brings all of his sheepies to meet her (including Jonathan, who’s like a bff with her now obvi, and the rest of the older kids). He’s not an expert in reading his wives’ traits/moods yet, because it’s just her and Monday at this point, so it takes him a little while to clock that her loner nature makes her anxious and a bit reserved around so many people. While some of the older kids find it strange, and the younger ones are a bit oblivious, he notices that she tends to follow him or Monday for extra safety around the group until she disappears from the party altogether. That’s how he finds out she’s bonding over their shared love of Pink Floyd and wacky sci-fi literature with Jonathan.

Now, we know that Tuesday is the jelly, lone gunslinger who gives out advice to Eddie’s sheepies. But how would she form these reluctant friendships with the rest of the group and how would it look like from Eddie’s POV? I can’t help but imagine him seeing different people come and go from her trailer all week long (one day, it’s Mike and Will, next day it’s Nance in the morning, and a little teary eyed Max in the evening etc) and he’s hesitant to bring it up with her, but he just has to know what is going on.

As a borderline introvert, I just have this feeling that she would allow these friendships develop on a 1:1 basis, rather than being thrown into a group. At least that’s what I did with all of my friends, and I keep most of them separate and never meeting one another for years.

Anyways, sorry if it’s too specific, hope you won’t find it too difficult and I totally understand if it doesn’t spark anything. sending lots of love!

— 🦇

Hiiii lovey!! So I also love Tuesday and she’s the one I relate to the most so it’s so odd she’s the only one with nothing written about her 😂🙈 so I love what you said about Eddie wondering how she got to be so close with everyone so I hope you enjoy this!💖

-find all things Seven Wives of Eddie Munson here✨

*Eddie doesn’t mind seeing people leave your trailer…he just is a little curious as to why they are there*

“Hey baby,” you turn your head towards your front door as you hear Eddie’s voice. “Uh sorry am I interrupting something?” You roll your eyes as Eddie raises an eyebrow at Jonathan who is sitting in the recliner across from where you’re sat on the couch in the living room.

“No no sorry I was just getting her uhm advice on something.” Jonathan is quick to explain as he stands up and grabs his jacket off the back of the chair. You get up off the couch and give him a reassuring smile as you reach over and wrap him in a quick hug.

“It’s going to be fine.” You whisper in his ear making him let out a little sigh of relief, you reach up and give his cheek a little pat as you pull away. “Now get out before my husband here fully loses it.” You joke but Jonathan’s eyes go slightly wide as he rushes towards the front door.

“Uh see you later Eddie.” Jonathan mumbles as he passes Eddie on his way out of the trailer. Eddie turns and looks at you as his hands fall to his hips.

“Before you get all huffy I want to remind you that you’re the one who wanted me to be friends with everyone.” You watch Eddie roll his eyes as you make your way towards the kitchen so you can start making lunch.

“Yes and I’m so glad you’re making friends baby,” Eddie starts as he follows you into the kitchen. “But lately you’ve had people coming and going all the time.” You just shrug as you grab a plate form your cabinet and turn to open the pantry so you can grab a bag of chips.

“They come to talk about stuff.” You explain as you bend down to grab the chips Eddie liked to have with his sandwich that you were going to make him for lunch. “Like today Jonathan needed some relationship advice.” Eddie just nods his head as he takes a few steps closer to you so he can wrap his arms around you from behind making you let out a little squeal.

“Nancy trouble?” He asks as he rests his chin on your shoulder, he quickly places a kiss to the side of your neck and gives your hips a little squeeze before he relaxes his hold on you.

“Yes.” Eddie doesn’t push it when you answer because he knows you’d never just spill everyone’s issues to him, even if he is your husband. “Oh you’re really fucking mean to Mike and you need to cut that shit out or I’ll kick your ass.” Eddie feels his eyes go wide as you turn around and glare at him as you reach over and grab the bread off the counter.

“What? I’m not mean to Wheeler.” You raise an eyebrow at him as his shoulders slump a bit. “I mean I’m not that…mean to him.” You just roll your eyes as you begin making his sandwich. “Did he tell you I’m mean to him?” His voice was full of concern as he stood next to you.

“No.” Eddie let’s out a sigh as you slather on some jelly to one piece of bread. “Nancy did.” Eddie runs a hand through his hair as you place the sandwich in the plate and cut it in half.

“What did she say?” Eddie asks as he sits down on the barstool in the kitchen. You just look at him and shrug as you place the plate in front of him and open the bag of chips and pour some out on the plate next to the sandwich. “Come on sweetheart tell me what she said.” You just let out a huff as you grab a chip off his plate and take a bite of it.

“You’re just harder on him than the others or that’s how it seems to her.” You spill and Eddie just nods his head letting you know he’s listening. “I’m not sure if Mike has said anything to her about it this is just her perspective and she’s just being a good older sister.” You finish explaining making Eddie just let out a sigh and run a hand over his face.

“Well I’ll do my best to try to ease up on him a bit.” You smile as you walk around the bar so your standing behind him.

“You can still be his big bad dungeon master just maybe be a little nicer when you’re not at the d and d table.” You suggest as you place your hands on top of his shoulders making Eddie relax under your touch.

“I can do that.” You smile as you lean in and place a kiss to the top of his head. “I really am happy you’ve made friends baby.” Eddie adds as you begin rubbing his shoulders. “But if I come home and see another man sitting in your living room without warning I might have to toss him out on his ass.” You laugh because as big and bad as Eddie seemed to everyone else you know him better, you know he’d never actually kick anyone out but he was just letting you know next time he’d like to know ahead of time if you’re expecting guests.

“Won’t happen again honey.” You reassure him as you lean over and place a kiss to his cheek making him smile. “I love you, now finish your lunch while I go see if Monday needs help with the laundry.” Eddie pouts as your hands leave his shoulders.

“I love you too baby.” You smile as Eddie looks at you letting you know he needs something, you just let out a chuckle as you lean in and place a kiss to his lips making him smile as you pull away and head out the back door. “Nancy thinks I’m mean?” He mumbles to himself before taking a bite out of his sandwich.

[daymies]

“Grr, stupid kids! You made me look bad!”

Beginning Notes - Hey guys, before you start reading, this is the first fic I had written a while, some nice criticism will be great. Another thing, I'll be adding YOUR original characters to this story! Make sure to DM your OCs in my discord sillymies#0696

One last thing, this story will be LONG... so stay tuned. Check out my social media for drawings and comics (along with some extra scenes) for this fic! And, of course, for more content for our favorite two characters, Streber and Kevin. I hope you guys enjoy the first chapter; I already have an extra two chapters written already; however, they are heavily edited during this time. The next update should be up by tomorrow. (This is also posted on AO3)

———————————————

October 1st, 2012 Monday 6:00 PM

"KEVIN!" "KEVIN! KEVIN!"

Oh great, not those two again.

Today is the first day of October, which meant Halloween was coming soon enough. A holiday that employees that serve the public can't certainly enjoy. Unfortunately, I had the pleasure of being the only guy who sold candy in this crappy town. As a result, this business was almost busy. My two best customers– If I could even call them that, viewing, I give them free candy every day waddled themselves here.

I sighed, "What'll be kids?"

Ugh, I don't know why I asked! I already knew what they wanted! But these two do love Bocadins. I don't blame them; they're delicious. I'm not entirely sure why they don't use the actual name, but whatever.

"Can we get a candy can? Please, Kevin!" "We'd waited all year like you said!" "Yeah! It's finally the spooky month!"

Right...

Kevin's Flashback

The Candy Club shop had existed for a while. Funny enough, I never thought I'd work at this place. Jeez, I didn't even think I'd be the only employee in this dead-end job. In middle school, I remembered when this building was under construction. I had to be around fourteen when everybody realized a new business was opening in this tiny town. I was definitely an eighth-grader when this happened. I don't have the best memory. By the time I reached sophomore year, it had finally finished production. With a small town and low labor, it was bound to take a few years to complete.

After Candy's Club's grand opening, the place was frequently packed, visited by everybody I knew. Literally.

It was next to my high school and a couple of neighborhoods. So it was bound to get heavy traffic. If I had to be honest, I always dreamed of visiting the place, but I couldn't. Of course, it didn't help that my walking route to home, school, and my best friend's place forced me to walk in front of the business occasionally. So it was almost every day I walked past it.

I remember the first day I visited. I wasn't a huge fan of candy. Scratch that. My parents were heavily against it, so I couldn't form a strong opinion on it. So I never really knew whether or not I would've had a sweet tooth in my younger years. Now in my early twenties, I can finally say I love sugary food, which, if you haven't noticed, includes candy.

Radford was honestly the one who took me for the first time. He'd just turned sixteen and applied at the local theater we used to visit during our free time. The place he applied at wasn't JUST a theater; it had an arcade and was pretty cool. Radford was the one who mainly spent all his allowance and time there.

Anyways, he got the job. No surprise there. Radford knew the owner due to how frequently we visited. He had a great relationship with the guy. Man, Radford didn't even have to go through the struggle and process of an interview. He was hired on the spot when he asked. What a lucky guy...

Radford was more than happy when he realized he was hired on the spot. The first thing he did was excessively call me. Even though Radford smiled joyfully when we met, my parents weren't. They were upset with the bill they got from the calls from Radford.

We'd typically celebrated things by, well, hanging at the theater/arcade, but Radford wanted to change things up. To be fair, I don't think you should celebrate the news of your brand new job at– well, your new job location. With the theater being a no-go, he wanted to try out the new candy shop with me. The one that everybody in our high school went crazy on. The Candy Club.

I was excited. But I had to pretend I didn't want to. What if my parents saw it? I freaked out, knowing my parents would've grounded me for something so small.

"Come on, dude, you gotta at least try it. Your parents aren't even here. What are you so worried about?" Radford could tell I was nervous when we walked closer to Candy Club. But, of course, Radford being the worst friend I ever had, found this funny. Jerk.

"You know my parents can sense when I did something wrong! They're like super crazy freaks–! Oh crap, I shouldn't have said that. What if they heard?!" I could visually remember how I looked around my surroundings just in case one of them was watching me, but not a single figure. That didn't even matter to young me. He was still feeling uneasy.

I was an extremely paranoid kid. I didn't have abusive parents; they were sweet but heavily overprotective, and they could've been harsh at times too. I was the only child they had, so that could be why they were so weird sometimes. They were against anything considered unhealthy, like pizza, burgers, or whatever. Obviously, that included sugary substances. For most of my life, I was on a strict vegan diet.

Man, I remembered when I had my first bite of a burger. It was so delicious. Radford took me all around town, trying out different fast-food restaurants. Grills & Boys had to be my favorite restaurant at the time! It's a shame it wasn't like it used to be before.

I think today; I still might be a little paranoid. Not as much as before, thankfully.  But I still kept up with eating vegetables. I had to maintain my figure somehow; it's not every day you see some good-looking guy down the street! Right? I'm kidding.

I worry a lot; it's the one thing I'm known for. Radford constantly has to remind me to 'calm the fuck down,' but what does he know? His life was much smoother than my miserable one.

"Dude. You're the super crazy freak. Come on." He mocked. He found my terrified outbursts funny. But, like I said, Radford didn't take me seriously. Even today, he's still basically the same person.

He forcefully dragged me to the candy shop, ignoring my complaints whenever I mentioned what my parents would do to me if they found out. After that, which would've been nothing, I was just all talk.

My parents wouldn't have done anything necessarily wrong to me. The worst thing they could've done was a long boring lecture about how sugary foods can kill me. Just the usual on what their speeches were usually about.

When we entered the place, we were greeted heavily by the only employee who worked before me. To get this straight, no, I wasn't the first to work at Candy Club. I'm glad I wasn't the first employee at this shit establishment. I would've been more disappointed if I had worked here since the beginning it was built.

"Hey! Welcome to the Candy Club! Where your satisfaction is our treat!"

At the time, previous Candy-Club employees had to say this 'slogan' whenever someone entered the store. That has never changed. It's required for all employees to say once a customer comes in. But I don't do it. I refuse to say it because I find it so stupid.

Radford was the first who started talking to the guy. It looked like they knew each other, once again, not even a surprise. Radford liked speaking to people. I didn't.

"Hey, Dennis! Did you get your latest shipment in?" Radford asked, pushing up his glasses as they were clearly a bit too big for him. I never knew why Radford wouldn't get actual glasses that fitted his face, but whatever. He was a weird guy. He still is, actually, now that I think about it. Radford doesn't even wear actual glasses anymore. I'm pretty sure he has contacts. He didn't even need authentic glasses, so he replaced them with 3D glasses, nerd.

At the time, Radford had a sweet tooth, constantly chewing on some type of flavored gum. Back in high school, that's all he ever ate throughout his school days. Now? Not so much. Let's just say he frequently visits our local Dentist in town now.

I'm not entirely sure how Dennis, you know, the first ever Candy Club employee, and Radford's friendship began. Still, I can just guess that Radford was his best customer, considering all the sweets he bought had the Candy-Club logo on them.

"Just got it earlier this morning! Who's ya new friend there?" Dennis responded and pointed right at me, not knowing who I was. The town was small, so sometimes everybody knew each other, but I wasn't as social as Radford back then. Few people knew me. Not like I cared. I much preferred that way!

Up until when I became the new guy who sold candy in town. Fucking Dennis... I shouldn't have listened to him.

"Oh, this lame guy? Come on, dude, introduce yourself!"

Radford was a much more talkative person. He was more playful, open, and much more of an asshole than me. But, we had similar traits, and we were both... Never mind, I lied. We actually don't have anything in common. He was the one who spoke to me first back in middle school. Radford never even left me alone; he was so talkative. How we met is a story for another day.

I glared at him, irritated by the name-calling. Lame guy... you're the lame guy, Radford.

Dennis was— gazing at me. He seemed like a friendly guy. He had blonde hair and had to be older than us by a couple of years. At the time, I recalled rolling my eyes and giving out a huge groan. I wasn't the best at introducing myself to new people during my teen years. Now that I'm in my early twenties, I am even worse at talking to new people. So it's Radford who gets me to chat with somebody new.

"Kevin," I said, this being all I managed to tell Dennis.

"Nice to meet ya, Kev. Say, what's your favorite candy–?"

Why did he care? If you could compare Dennis and me, we're both entirely different. It's clear Dennis enjoyed his job, interacting with customers, and everything this job had to offer. Me? Not so much. Sure, it was nice to talk to people without forcing a conversation. Still, I soon realized anybody who came through that glass door would verbally abuse me for no reason. That's business, though! Great.

I cut Dennis off midway through his sentence, "I don't like candy. Not really my thing." I told him, crossing my arms. I frowned at him. Dennis was probably around 19 years old when I first met him. I don't talk to him now. He's closer to Radford, not me. I do see him occasionally, but it's just awkward.

I heard a loud sigh. The sigh came from nobody else but from Radford. "Come on, man! Kevin has never had candy before. He doesn't even have an opinion on it! He has no say in anything half of the time!"

I sneered at this as I crossed my arms and looked away from the duo. I was pissed. Yeah, it was true, but it wasn't like I wanted everybody to know about it.

"Is that true? Huh. Say, Kev, grab a scoop of those fruit gummies. I'd think you'll enjoy them." Dennis said, now he too was crossing his arms. But he wasn't upset. He remained happy the entire time, which I respected about Dennis for a long time. Dennis was still annoying, though.

It's not like I was a downer all the time. I just genuinely had no idea how to respond or even react to things.

"It's Kevin. And where? there's a lot of candy in here."

Dennis' head pointed to the left side of the place.

"Top row, pink bin."

Dennis was an asshole, too. I knew he was messing with me when he was facing the bin on the tallest shelf of the store. See, sixteen-year-old Kevin wasn't the tallest person at the time. I was a 5'4 kid, pretty much considered short at the time. I grew taller since then, but Radford continued to tower over me. I continued to glare at Dannis. He should know why I'd be pissed off.

"I can't reach that."

They both laughed with each other, with Radford being the loudest in the room.

"No worries, Kev, that's on me! I'll get it for ya!"

"Whatever," I said, turning my head away so I didn't have to face these two. Radford was already annoying on his own, and adding Dennis? They were even much more irritating and more menacing than these two stupid kids right in front of me—

Oh no! Oh crap! I forgot they were still here!

Dammit, Kevin! You need to quit dozing off on the job! This is how you get your candy stolen! You're lucky these two aren't 3 miserable preteens who wore hats!!

"Hey, err, Kevin? Are you okay?" Skid was the first to ask. He seemed concerned, but I could tell he was mainly curious about why I had been staring at the wall for a good minute.

"Yeah! You were looking at the wall for a while! Are you sick, Kevin?" Pump was more considerate than the other. Well, they both are, but Pump was typically the one who usually acted.

Huh, I forget they both are good kids. I just wished they had stopped pouring through my store, screaming at the tops of their lungs. They're not bad kids. Hell, they're the only two decent human beings who don't entirely make fun of me.

Lila and Pump's mother told the truth when they said these two kids were the purest and most excellent boys. But god, how destructive they were.

"I have some medicine the man in the van gave us!" Pump shouted, taking some mysterious bottle out of his backpack.

What the hell?

"What? What are you two talking about?! Give me that!" I completely ripped the bottle out of Pump's hands and tossed it in the trash.

"Stop talking to strangers, you two! Don't you know how dangerous that is? Where'd did you even get that from!"

These two are oblivious! How aren't they dead yet?! I can't even imagine what their parents must deal with at home! I'm glad they're not my kids! I'll never be a dad.

I groaned as I reached to grab the two pieces of candy I had saved for these two earlier today before they ran out. After pulling my hand from behind my desk, they both practically had stars in their eyes when they realized what I had.

My glare soon faded away. I smiled. It was nice to see happy faces on people. Especially innocent children. I can tell why Dennis loved this job. But, listen, I don't hate these two kids. But, as I said, they sometimes are too loud and dangerous.

I gave these two a long genuine smile. Then, with the two pieces of candy I had, I dropped them into their hands.

"Remember, they're called Bocadins. Call them by their real name next time, will ya?"

"Whoa! Thanks, Kevin! You're the best! And we will!" They said to me both at the same time. Jeez, it's like their heads are telepathically connected.

"Yeah, yeah. Now go away." I said, my smile now fading quickly. I squinted at these two. That was enough socialization for me today.

Instead of walking out of my store, they just stared at me! What the hell could they possibly want now? They got what they wanted. Why are they still staring at me? They could be so weird sometimes!

"What? What do you want?"

Pump and Skid looked at each other and started giggling. They were whispering pretty loudly to each other. A ton of 'No! No! You tell him! No, you!' Okay, now these two were getting on my nerves already.

"Tell me before I kick you both out."

They continued to giggle as they both finally turned to face me. Whatever it was, it was obviously so important.

"Did you hear, Kevin? There's a new haunted house! You should go!"

"Yeah! You'll like it, Kevin!"

Not that important, apparently. Sighing, I gave the two one last smile for the night.

"Sorry, kids, those things aren't for me. Now go away, please. I'm tired. I had a rough night last night!"

They looked disappointed. Of course, since they're Skid and Pump, they looked at each other, and a smile suddenly formed quickly.

"Oh well, let's go, Pump!"

"Oh, okay! Let's go see the new guy!"

New guy? What new guy? Was this the second thing they would tell me if I agreed to go!?

"New guy? What are you two talking about?"

I tried to get an answer from these two, but they were already running out of the store! Why are they so quick with things?!

"Bye, Kevin!!!"

That was the last thing they said before I stood there, confused. What new guy can they possibly be talking about? Who would even move to this town?!

———————————————

End Notes - Hoped you guys enjoyed it. I'll be taking suggestions throughout the story! Remember to check out my social media for more content for the story!

[fitzpirations]

haven’t really been on here in ages- had all these articles I was going to share and proper nerdy posts to make but really who has the time 😔

Also gave up all my socials for Lent and felt I’d get stuck on here if I returned. Made a year at my job @ the streaming service the other day which has been… idk how I feel about it. I still work a weirdo late shift so I may or may not be in the office now, sitting alone, getting the setting sun on my cheek. The schedule is not conducive of socializing. Have thoughts on the Tony noms,, although mostly petty ones as I have been so uninterested in just about every musical this season and only technically saw DOWAR, (off-Broadway because I feared I couldn’t recreate my magical/chaotic night @ the Atlantic) and Prayer for the French Republic V pleased for their collective noms. Re: Days of Wine and Roses-Idc that they closed. Where’s their best musical? Orchestration? Some of these nominees… I have to remind myself New York, New York was up for a TON last year. Sorry to all involved but BOY was that show,,, tragic to me. Had the bones on a surface level but refused to come together for me every step of the way. My friend won the lotto post-Tonys and we went on a lark, and our lukewarm feelings translated into the show announcing its closing that very night. My power, if you will.

volunteered @ my local theatre for a night and left wanting to cry because I’ve been getting v into ~acting craft~ recently, and all the community people are so nice but I can’t do any work on any production,, so sad but nice to be asked to stage manage a One-Act Festival,,,

I do background work on my weird Monday off from work & had two really cool experiences recently! Worked on a film with less than 30 others w/ a huge, half up-and-coming star that I’m pumped about- did they even look my way? No. But they were locked in & it was a real cool set-up. Would it have been nicer if the costume and prop and makeup people didn’t rub fake dirt over all of us extras? Yes. But I got paid the union rate and met some really cool people, including a gentleman 33 years sober who was greatly moved by Days of Wine and Roses! And you know what? He brought up the show, not me.

also did a fancy streamer show I’m quite stoked on- got placed right in the action in the scene, the lead walked right up to me as he swapped with his stand-in and said hi, which is such a minimal thing (and I don’t do it to leer @ stars or w/e) but he thought he was sitting next to me the whole scene and was being friendly. The seat next to me was unfortunately empty by design, but there were a ton of takes where the only people visible were the two actors & me. Which,, is crazy. Like they cleared the room and I was just sat there. Can’t give context, but boy was I actually acting for once. To the extent I was sure I was doing too much. But no one said anything, except the friends I made hours prior on the bus during our early call time, who were thrilled on my behalf about the great placement.

trying to join the union now which is crazy, and maybe a mistake, but the hourly pay is better than my full-time job at a v reputable media company. Know my worth or something? Even if I worked on just the occasional Monday, it’d be great money, and better gigs/placement on jobs. And who knows, maybe I’d put in for even better gigs. Right now I’m chained to the 3pm-11pm, and the dogs I walk in the morning.

saw Prayer for The French Republic with my friend a while back which we sobbed through & had a truly enriching convo on life & religion and such at dinner afterwards. I also saw Teeth at Playwrights which was a wild treat, it was still in previews, literal Michael R. Jackson was in the lobby, my mother felt bad I was going alone and INSISTED I bring her with,, imagine how I felt when my tickets were center SECOND ROW and not in the fourth row, and I was sat next to my mom watching vagina-has-teeth, the musical. She was crazed when we left. I warned her prior, but once she committed to going with me, it was pointless to remind her the concept of the show. Quite the time! It’s one thing to be close enough to occasionally make eye contact with the actors, and another to be locked in an intense gaze with Steven Pasquale as he plays a pervy gynecologist, plunging his arm into someone. Was shaking in my boots. They’re hinting on moving it somewhere which I am against! but as long as it lives off-Broadway it can still rock, I think.

anyway anyway. Trying to write more and be more around art & dig myself out of this rut I’m stuck in. This time last year I was fruitlessly waiting to hear if I got a Stage Manager fellowship with the City Center. It was a nice thought at the time! Maybe one day. The market is so weird I’d have to win the lottery and have a generous offer before I’d be comfortable actually quitting my job for something else. I’m unsure. Feels like I’m wasting away, in friendly enough company at least.

been reading War and Peace (or trying to!) which I jokingly refer to as WAP to myself. Tolstoy would get a kick out of that one, I’m sure. Enjoying Matt Koplick’s Broadway Breakdown podcast which may sound very geeky to admit but he’s very well-informed and isn’t afraid to have a real opinion on modern theatre! Maybe that sounds conservative-coded, but I mean he is never downright cruel, but willing to say some shows were bad (and why! In academic detail) and I’ve got into some great peices & performers listening to his work. I recommend. See also: BdJ on the Drama podcast recently, I am not a frequent listener by any means- the only other one I think I’ve caught was Kelli’s back last year? But what a great listen. (Seriously)

anyway anyway. I love a long-read. I think my writing is half-nonsensical here, but here we are. I enjoy the tiny little community of people I follow on here. Trying to go back to this blog’s roots- inspiration! Art! Action!