#one is available on store shelves. not even over the counter!

[the-four-humors]

Out of all the blatant scams Youtubers shill, I think Keeps pisses me off the most

[suguboos]

CANDY SHOP

horny and inexperienced, choso stumbles across a sex shop nearby. little did he know his purchase of a toy would include more than stellar customer service.

FEATURING: choso kamo x fem! sex store worker

CONTENTS: 18+ content, MDNI. non canon compliant/au, smut, use of a toy, sorta kinda public, orgasm denial, submissive choso, use of mistress

WORD COUNT: 1.2k

AUTHOR’S NOTE: i love pathetic men (ᵔᴥᵔ)

“welcome to arousal zone.”

you stood behind the counter with a playboy magazine in hand, chewing cherry flavored gum while haphazardly flipping through a couple of the pages. anything that helped pass the slow shift faster.

working at a sex store on the outskirts of tokyo hadn’t been exactly what you’d wrote down on your five year plan—but it paid the bills. once you removed the occasional frat boy that stumbled in buying an anal plug as a gag, the job wasn’t too bad.

you looked over to see the pale man stepping foot into the store—immediately looking out of his element. he gawked at the selection available at the front like a zoo exhibit, staring at anything and everything that he could take in before making his way further into the shop.

choso roamed the halls of the store like a lost puppy—staring at all the different toys outlining the shelves. cock rings. fluffy handcuffs. pocket puss- choso nearly cracked his neck with how fast he did a double take, eagerly placing the box in his hands. he began reading through it, sticking it under his arm when he finished.

along with a waterproof vibrator. until he realized.. he had no idea how any of this shit worked.

“excuse me,” he walked up to the counter with the two items in tow, meeting your bored expression when you looked up from the magazine.

“do you have any tips for any toys… or how they work?” he rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish expression on his face at the question. you raised a brow, leaning across the counter. not missing the way his gaze went down to your chest.

“well it usually depends on what you’re into, but i can give you a hands-on demonstration if you’d like.”

which is how you found yourself locked in the cramped fitting room, rubbing your palm across the stranger’s hardening cock. “lemme see the toys you picked out,” you snagged the boxes up before eyeing each piece, deciding to unbox the vibrator.

“so this one has four modes—each one more intense than the last,” you explained, your fingers tracing the outline of his cock. you looked up from the manual to see him gulp, a devilish smile appearing on your lips. “don’t worry, i’ll take care of you.”

you flipped the switch on, the wand vibrating in your hand, “though i gotta say, you’re desperate. letting me do this and i don’t even know your name.” his cock visibly twitched the moment you pressed the tip against the tent in his pants.

“d’ya want to know my name?” the man asked through shaky breaths, his chest starting to heave. he unzipped his pants, lowering them down to his thighs before speaking up again, his cock leaking onto the patch of hair going up his stomach.

before you had the chance to respond, he quickly spoke up, “choso, my name’s choso.”

“choso,” you tested the name on your tongue, a moan leaving his lips when you did. you slowly started to move the vibrator against his hard cock, watching the man grow even more and more sensitive.

“more,” he looked over at you with big, pleading eyes that almost made you want to agree.

“try that again,” you clicked your tongue, pulling the vibrator away completely. you dragged your manicured nail down his happy trail, pulling away before you reached the trimmed patch of hair at the base.

choso racked his brain as he tried to figure out what you wanted to hear, deciding to go with the next best option, “give me more, please. i’ll do whatever you want me to do, accept whatever. just give me more.”

“that’s it, there you go,” you placed the vibrator against his shaft yet again, moving to the second level of intensity. your hands moved down to his sac, holding them in your palm before starting to gently move them in your hold.

“ngh-fuck!” choso was reduced to a puddled mess, gripping onto the ends of the dressing room bench. you switched over to the last level without much of a warning, feeling his thighs quiver underneath you.

he tried—he really did. try to think of anything else other than the impending orgasm. thought about the wretched smell wafting off his brother’s back. thought about the questionable things he’d encountered during his late night wanks. but to no avail.

it was shameful how quickly just a couple of your words and the vibrator had him this close.

"lemme cum," choso whined, his cock twitching with every buzz of the vibrator that jolted against his shaft. drop after drop of precum fell onto your hand as he approached his climax, his balls growing heavy.

"i don't know, you were being a little impatient there, baby. we talked about this," you cooed, cruelly pulling the vibrator away just right before he had the chance to cum. a loud whine left his lips, bucking his hips to try to get any friction. to try to get anything.

“p-please mistress. make me c-cum,” choso’s voice cracked, quickly correcting his mistake. you pressed the vibrator two times, lowering the intensity before pressing it against his sensitive cock. rubbing his own pre with the wand like lube.

“see what happens when you ask nicely,” you mused, leaning in and pressing an open-mouthed kiss on the side of his neck that had him shivering. gently suctioning the skin between your lips, leaving him with a purple-red reminder of your time together. “but fine, i promised to take care of you after all.”

choso came within seconds of you increasing the vibration against him again, a pathetic and desperate moan leaving his lips, “right there, mistress. right there, please please don’t stop.” rope after rope of cum landed over his pants and thighs, a couple droplets managing to land on your fingers.

his eyes were locked on the way you stuck your pointer in between your lips, watching intently as you swirled your tongue around it to collect every drop. it had him wondering what you’d do to his cock if given enough time. “leave a couple seconds after,” you broke his fantasy, getting up from your spot and setting the vibrator down.

discreetly leaving the dressing room like it was all a dirty secret. and as the post nut clarity started to hit—hard (almost nearly as hard as him after that sinful imagery), he started to feel like a dirty secret.

choso took a couple seconds to gather his breath, pulling his pants up and stuffing the vibrator back in its box before making his way over to the register.

"come again soon," he didn’t miss your innuendo, scrambling to pick up his bag as soon as the receipt printed. he left the store with his cheeks slightly flushed and his zipper down, a couple white stains marking the black material of his jeans.

about as subtle as a bull in a china shop.

you turned to look at the next customer in line, a balding middle aged man with a gold ring sparkling on his finger, “can i help you?”

"can i get the same service that he got?"

[bonny-kookoo]

Jungkook

𝓢𝔀𝓮𝓮𝓽 𝓣𝓸𝓸𝓽𝓱 [Cookies]

Jimin isn't sure anymore what to think about you and Jungkook. But maybe tonight he realizes something.

Tags/Warnings: Human!Yoongi, Human!Jimin, Rottweiler hybrid!Jungkook, Cat hybrid!Reader, Enemies to friends to lovers, mentions of past trauma, some Yoonmin here and there oops, Main story focus are MC and Kook though, some Angst in this, major fluff too, christmas!!!

Wordcount: 3.1k words

There is no taglist for this fic.

-> Masterlist

♥━━━━━━━━━━•.♡.•━━━━━━━━━━━━♥

Jimin has no idea how to talk to you anymore.

It’s not like you became an entirely different person overnight, or as if Jungkook actively keeps him away from you- it’s just.. awkward. He’s seen you search online for jobs, something you’ve never done before, or at least you’ve never actually seemed to be interested in that. And neither has he ever wanted you to do get one- he’s making enough money for the both of you, you don’t have to provide for yourself.

But he believes that Jungkook might have something to do with it.

“jiminie?” You say, skipping towards him to put your phone down, a page opened. “can you drive me to my job interview tomorrow?” You ask, and Jimin frowns, looking at the page on your phone.

It's an email. You’ve been apparently asking for a job at a local grocery store to just help stock the shelves and such, but Jimin worries. “are you sure?” He asks, and you deflate quite a bit. “eight hours a day is a bit much to start with..” he says, and you huff, slumping over onto the kitchen counter.

“But I wanna have my own money too…” you mumble, complaining when the door opens, Yoongi entering.

“But baby you don’t have to? Just tell me how much you need and I’ll give it to you.” Jimin says, earning some attention from Yoongi who gets himself a bottle of cold coffee from the fridge.

“But then- noo, that’s not right!” You huff, tail smacking against your chair you’re sitting on. “no, I need my own for that!” You complain. “eight hours isn’t a lot! I can do that!”

“Can I look at it?” yoongi asks, and Jimin slides the phone over with a sigh. “eight hours five days a week. Have you ever worked before?” He wonders, and you sheepishly shake your head. “then eight hours might be a bit much as a start. Don’t they offer part time positions?” He asks, and you shrug.

“I’ll get less money then though..” you say disappointed, leaning back a big as your legs swing around.

“Work your way up then.” Yoongi encourages. “it’s a good job, decent pay even as part time.” He mumbles, looking through the job description. “I’d like to look over the contract before you sign it though. Just to make sure it’s all good.” He says, turning around to throw the bottle in the trash.

Jimin notices instantly how you look at Yoongi.

“There’s my princess!” Jungkook however breaks through the moment, picking you up from the chair you’re sitting on to hug you, tail wagging with excitement. He’s apparently just come home from work to pick you up- like he always does.

These days, the moment Jungkook is available, you’re gone out of sight.

Yoongi has already slowly brought up the topic of potentially changing the living situations permanently in the future- switching around so to speak, with Jungkook and you living in one house, while Jimin and Yoongi occupy the other. Of course, this wouldn’t be official due to the fact that both Jungkook and you are still hybrids and therefore legally not allowed to rent or own any land or property, but it could still work as long as the paperwork stays the way it is right now. Jimin isn’t really sure if he likes the idea.

He knows it’s inevitable, but that doesn’t mean he likes it.

Jungkook and you are gone as quickly as always, with the dog hybrid helping you wrap your scarf around your neck to keep you warm outside. He’s taking you for a bit of a date- he’s doing that a lot in fact. But especially now- with Christmas fast approaching and your love for all things sweet, it’s the perfect time to spoil you rotten.

You don’t tell him about your job hunting. You kind of want it to stay a bit of a secret.

“Do you know what you’d like as a Christmas present yet?” He wonders, warm hand holding yours as he swings them a bit, both of you walking through the busy streets full of food stalls and advertisements. You think a little, unsure.

“I don’t know.” You admit. Jimin and you always exchanged tiny presents, never truly having to think about what to gift the other.

“hm, I’ll have to think of something then.” He chuckles, squeezing your hand a second before he looks ahead again.

Back home, Jimin and Yoongi are arguing once again. “I’m just saying- what if they can’t keep the house tidy? She’s pretty messy..” jimin worries.

“Jungkook will get her to clean up, don’t worry he’s a bit chaotic but they’ll manage.” He easily defends. “jimin, I know it’s hard to let go but-“ he sighs when Jimin turns around, facing away from him. “-she’ll stay close? Literally next door.” He offers.

But it’s not enough. He wants you home.

“She’s already looking for a job. She clearly must be thinking of it too.” Yoongi says. “You can’t keep that away from her. She deserves that freedom.”

“She never worked before. She wont last.” Jimin says, sitting down again to put his head in his hands. “I don’t want her to go through that feeling of failure. She’s fine as it is- why does she suddenly want her own money? Just because Jungkook works?” He whines, and Yoongi shrugs, because he has an idea as to why you could be doing this.

“Does it really matter?” the older male says, sitting down as well. “this isn’t about the money, or the work, or the house, and you know this.” He tries to reason. “it’s about the fact that you don’t want her to leave.”

“Why can’t I have you both?” jimin softly complains. “it feels like I have to choose. Like.. I’d have to take Jungkook away from her to get her back.” He reveals his feelings, making Yoongi stay silent.

Because there’s really nothing he could say to make him feel any better.

♥━━━━━━━━━━•.♡.•━━━━━━━━━━━━♥

Yoongi waits for you in the car as you return from your job interview, offering him the documents to read through. “You know you don’t have to do this, right?” yoongi asks, reading through the papers with a pair of glasses.

“Yeah, but I don’t.. want to just be lazy.” You mumble, playing with your new acrylics you got done with Jungkook. They’re Christmas themed. “Jungkook.. works a lot. And he's always so proud.” You say quietly. “I know working in a grocery store isn’t as cool as his job but..”

Yoongi looks over at you, a gentle expression on his face. “You have a lot to be proud of too.” He says, giving the documents back to you. “and even just part time is already a big thing. You’re a different category than Jungkook, remember that.”

“How do you know?” You ask, surprised.

“both simple observation-“ He smiles a bit, before he flips a page of your document. “-and the ability to read.” He chuckles, causing you to become a bit shy now.

He's right. It’s all written down right there.

“You’re right in the middle of categories. That’s got to be confusing.” He gently tells you. “Go slow and steady. They offer a training day, take it. I’ll bring you and pick you up, and then we’ll decide whether or not you’ll sign it, okay?” He asks, and you nod, watching him drive home in silence.

The moment you both step out in front of his house, you do something unique-

You hug him, an actual, full on hug, arms wrapped around him as you rub your cheek on his chest to scent him. “thanks.” You mumble, and Yoongi awkwardly pats your head, before you run off at the sight of Jungkook after giving yoongi the documents, as the dog hybrid is seen opening the front door to greet you.

“Well, that’s new.” Jimin hums. “is she growing closer to everyone but me now?” He half-jokes- though yoongi can hear some genuine insecurities.

“I think it’s simply evening out, Jimin.” Yoongi tries to explain. “see it like that. Her attention is like a bottle of water. And before, it was all just filling one cup- yours.” He says as they’re both inside the kitchen now, him taking out two glasses and a bottle of water. “But now, there’s more cups to fill. And Jungkook’s simply gets a bit more from her.. well, because it’s a special cup, you could say.” He chuckles.

“I was just as spoiled, huh.” Jimin sighs, taking the glass of water from him, staring at it.

“Pretty much. But just like her, you’ll adapt.” He gently hums, hand on his. “it’s just a bit tough right now. And hey-“ he says, leaning over the table a bit to get closer, faces only inches apart.

“-You’ve got your own special cup too, no?”

♥━━━━━━━━━━•.♡.•━━━━━━━━━━━━♥

Jungkook and you cuddle on the sofa, when he notices it again.

Sometimes, whenever you’re close like this, or he offers you just a tad bit too much physical affection, you seem to become almost drunk off of it. He’s noticed it in public too, whenever he hugs you fully and gives you a lot of kisses or even just a hand on your back running up and down a bit too often. Now, he knows that cat hybrids can get excited from a lot of physical contact- but you seem especially sensitive.

Almost as if you’re not the same category as himself.

He doesn’t really know how to ask you, considering that it might be a touchy subject- but he’s also endlessly curious. Though, right now, it’s not a very pressing issue, as you’re both in the privacy of the home he technically shares with Yoongi. These days, your things have found their way into this house as well though- from clothes in the wash, blankets on the couch, or stuffed toys in his bedroom that you wanted to show off but forgot to take back.

He can’t say he doesn’t like it.

You’re happily purring against him, rolling over onto your back, sweater rising up a bit to reveal your stomach- and he can’t help himself as he leans over you to kiss the skin, cold top of his nose making you giggle. “You’re so pretty.” He chuckles as well, moving up to kiss your lips now. You’re buzzing with emotions now, tail swiping from side to side, smacking hard against the couch now as he charges you up again.

It's then that you bite him, and he notices it.

As if he looks at you for the first time so intensely, he realizes a few things. From the more pronounced feline shape of your pupils, to the more defined sharpened teeth of yours. It doesn’t just seem like you’re a different category- you most likely are.

And yet you seem so aware? Something doesn’t make sense- but right now, it’s not the moment to ask about it.

Instead, he watches how you let go of his arm again, only some slight marks present on his skin, proving that you didn’t mean to hurt him at all- that it was just a reaction to get rid of all that excitement. It’s cute to him, most of all, so he doesn’t really care about it, happy sighing along with you as you both entangle your legs together before you cuddle up, getting ready to nap a little.

It's Jungkook’s favorite part of the day.

If he didn’t like his job so much, he’d stay home with you all day every day, and he’d never get bored of anything at all as long as you’d be there at his side. But to spoil you how you deserve it, he needs money- so it’s currently for the best to be away for seven hours and be able to offer you the best he can.

And you deserve only the best, in his opinion.

♥━━━━━━━━━━•.♡.•━━━━━━━━━━━━♥

You feel ashamed when Yoongi picks you up from your first day.

You had to take breaks way more often than you thought you’d have to, it was honestly stressful despite the fact that you did nothing but stock shelves for four hours. You’re being paid- but you also feel almost defeated. You can’t see yourself doing this long term- you feel absolutely drained.

“I know I’m repeating myself, but it’s fine to admit if it’s not for you.” Yoongi tells you, who just starts at your lap. “no shame in it.”

“Why can’t I be normal?” You mumble.

“Because no one is.” Yoongi simply chuckles. “some might fit a common standard. But there is really no ‘normal’. Only average at best.” He explains.

“then I wanna be average.” You say.

“But that’s not you.” He shrugs. “and we all like you the way you are.” He offers. “Jimin mentioned to me that you don’t like Christmas. Are you upset because of that right now?” He wonders, genuinely curious.

“Christmas.. I don’t know.” You tell him. “It’s all.. a lot. Like, the lights, and the noise, and everyone’s always on edge, and nervous..” you confess.

“Its stressful.” Yoongi concludes, and you nod.

“And I also always feel bad.” You admit. “because.. Jiminie always gets me a lot of presents, but all I can give him is.. stupid stuff I made myself.” You say.

“Ah, now I get why you want to work so badly.” Yoongi clicks his tongue.

“I want to give you guys nice stuff too!” You cry out, finally letting it all out to someone. “I want to make you happy too, but I can’t do anything, and I can’t buy anything! I can only take, that’s it!” You huff angrily, ears pinned back when you notice Yoongi pulling up to a small grocery store. “Huh?” You wonder, distracted, when Yoongi runs a hand over your head- the touch able to calm you down quite a bit as you look at him.

“you and Jimin are very similar, you know?” He smiles. “You need to be more open. Don’t suffer all by yourself- getting help isn’t admitting defeat.” He says. “how about you help with chores at home, and I’ll give you some pocket money for it?”

“But then I’ll take money from you again.” You deny.

“Its not that different from working. You do something, I’ll pay you. Simple.” He shrugs.

“…OK.” You nod, determined, as he reaches over to wipe your cheeks, tears staining them that you didn’t even notice falling.

“there we go.” He grins, before driving back home with you.

♥━━━━━━━━━━•.♡.•━━━━━━━━━━━━♥

After Yoongi had informed the rest of them back home about your actual issues with the holiday season, Jungkook is now busy making sure the new Christmas lights aren’t blinking anymore but instead glowing steady, settings adjusted. He's almost done, when you rush into the house, almost tripping upstairs. “everything okay?” Jungkook calls, Jimin and Yoongi looking after you as well.

“Everything’s fine, promise!” You call down. “I just gotta wrap some stuff!!” You say, before something chatters, making Yoongi chuckle.

“So all those Years.. she didn’t hate Christmas at all?” jimin wonders.

“I mean, cats are pretty sensitive to stuff like that.” Jungkook mumbles with his head almost entirely stuck within the large Christmas tree. “and she’s a different category so- ouch!” He flinched when the pines prick him a little.

“I never thought that the difference in just seven percent is that big..” jimin shamefully sighs to himself.

“Well, you know now.” Yoongi reassures. “the past is the past. Let’s focus on the future.”

You’re downstairs a few hours later with a few colorful bandaids on your fingers from papercuts, watching the cookies in the oven bake with Jungkook hugging you. Some of them are shaped like cats, others like dogs. “can we eat them when they’re done?” You wonder.

“They’ll be hot though.” Jungkook chuckles. “you’ll burn your tongue.”

“I don’t wanna wait..” you huff.

“I’ll distract you then.” Jungkook suggests. “we can go put the presents under the tree while they cool down.” He says, letting go of you to take them out, careful not to have you get hurt.

“Okay.” You nod, fetching all the little things you wrapped admittedly a bit chaotically. Still, everyone’s proud- it’s not an easy task for you, and it’s clear that you had to take breaks multiple times in between wrapping to get your focus back on track. “mine look all crumpled up..” you pout, sitting on the floor in front of all the presents.

“You got drastically better though after the first two.” Yoongi comments. “that one there looks pretty neat.” He points to a small one, and you purr at that, before you turn. “You want some?” He offers the peeled tangerine, which you take.

“She’s warmed up to him.” Jimin notices from the sidelines, and Jungkook nods, tail wagging.

“Isn’t it great?” He says, though his tail slows when he notices Jimin’s rather somber look. “Why are you so against us loving her.?” He asks, and Jimin looks towards the dog hybrid in surprise.

“What?” He asks, caught off guard.

“I don’t know. But it feels like you’re.. upset that she’s befriending Yoongi. Or that she loves me now.” He explains.

“I’m not upset.” The older human denies. “I’m just.. scared.”

“Of what?” Jungkook calls, bewildered. “aren’t we a family now?”

A family.

Jimin hasn’t really thought of it that way- but Jungkook’s right. Yoongi and the dog hybrid aren’t taking you away, really- they’re more like an extension now, added on instead of pushed into the existing bond you two once had. The only one who pulled away had been himself.

“we all love her. In different ways.” Jungkook smiles. “the only one who’s making it weird is you.” He jokes, before he joins in, tugging on your tail playfully to get you to turn and tackle him, Yoongi sighing as he has to make sure you both don’t tumble right into the tree.

And that night, a switch had been flipped.

Jimin finally jumps over his own shadow again, helping you unwrap your presents, while also almost brought to tears when he receives yours. It’s all warm, and happy, and almost like you’re both back to normal again- but one look around him offers him a true picture of what it is now.

You both have always considered each other family-

You’re just a few more people now.

[child0feden]

PLUSHIE LOVE

lewis hamilton x wife! reader x ( platonic! ) oc daughter

♡ a look into how winnie started collecting plushies!

୨୧ this is just a little expansion adding onto the plushie ritual from honey hamilton <3

♡ related smau available here, related hc available here and here | view my formula 1 masterlist here

reading music recommendations: little one by philip sheppard - all is full of love by bjork

♡ as mentioned in honey hamilton, lewis began buying her a plushie every time he was away in another country for a race

୨୧ it starts because she’s too young to fly around the world with him so you have to stay home with her and he HATES it!

♡ he hates leaving his girls behind…

୨୧ no matter how much you try to tell him he’s only gone for a little while and you’ll be fine, to him it feels like he’s leaving you for a year and facetime calls only bring him so much comfort

♡ so he started buying a plushie to bring home for her, a way to apologise and gifting her something so that next time he left, she’d have a piece of him still at home with her

୨୧ and when she’s old enough to travel for races with you and lewis, he takes her to stores that only sell plushies, letting her pick out just one for herself ( as much as he wants to spoil her rotten, if he let her go crazy the shelves in her room would be overflowing within a day )

♡ he built her shelves that wrap around her entire room just for her plushies to sit on!

୨୧ one night when she’s a little older, she demands to sleep with ALL of her plushies in bed with ber… you guys peek into her room when the sun comes up and can’t help but share a laugh at how she’s literally buried under plushies, only her head visible and her bedsheets completely hidden

♡ her absolutely favourite plushies is a bulldog one, it looks EXACTLY like roscoe and it’s the one she takes everywhere with her

୨୧ as she gets older, it gets a little worse for wear and lewis sends it off to professionals to get it fixed up, just because it has some major damage like one of the button eyes is hanging by a thread and it has some rips… you guys tell her the plushie needed emergency surgery

♡ the week it was away was the worst week of winnie’s life :( she wanted it back an hour after it was gone but stuck through the week and ran out to meet the mailman who held the package the day it was arriving home

୨୧ she didn’t let go of it for the whole day, marvelling at how much better it looked, professing how glad she was that his “ surgery ” went well, you and lewis cooing from the side over how much of a sweet daughter you raised together

♡ y’know how there are those stores that sell and make custom clothes just for plushies?

୨୧ well lewis and winnie LOVE those stores, at first you thought it was just winnie but then you noticed how lewis actually spent a lot of his own time browsing the store, buying clothes he thinks look good for almost all of the plushies

♡ the plushies even have their own mini wardrobe…

୨୧ you think it’s absolutely insane but also love how he and winnie bond over fashion, even if it’s plushie fashion

♡ lewis absolutely loves to play plushie dress up with his honey! they spend nearly an hour picking out the BEST outfit for just one of them before they come bounding downstairs and into the kitchen where you’re cooking dinner to show you their outfit on their plushie model, lewis making the plushie walk across the kitchen counter like a catwalk whilst his honey giggles at his antics

୨୧ winnie has names for ALL of her plushies too! you and lewis have absolutely no idea how she remembers every single one but lewis has them all wrote down in a notebook with a written description of what the plushie looks like next to the name

♡ for her 5th birthday, you guys took her to build a bear to make her own plushie!

୨୧ lewis thought she would make it a princess or a fairy but she told the worker she wanted her bear to wear a racesuit, just like her daddy…

♡ he was beaming for the rest of the trip, giving her compliments on everything she chose to add to her bear and just adoring how much his little honey looks up to him

୨୧ he looks over at you every now and again, a look in his gorgeous eyes that speaks a thousand words but most prominently “ thank you for giving me such an amazing daughter ”

♡ you could thank him for just as much…

[milunalupin]

— sugar

sirius black x reader ★ 1k words

a/n : first post ! ty for reading <3

Honeydukes was packed with witches and wizards of all ages as it always was on the weekends, tables and shelves stocked with most colorful and exciting sweets in the area. You made your way to the back of the shop where your favorite treats were, relieved the see this part of the store empty.

As you scanned the wall for your sweets, someone cleared their throat behind you. You turned to see a man grinning at you, leaning against the shelf behind him. He was wearing a fitted black shirt, and a leather jacket. His dark curls perfectly framing his defined face.

"You've got good taste, I see. Honeydukes always has the best sweets. What's your poison, chocolate frogs?"

You eyed the handsome man in front of you, then offered a smile towards him.

"I'm more of a sugar quill girl."

The curly haired stranger chuckled, his grey eyes crinkling in the corners.

"Ah, a woman of refined tastes, I see. Sugar quills are definitely a good choice. The only problem is, you're going to need something to wash them down with. Say, a butterbeer?"

"That is quite a problem, isn't it?" you bit your lip, your eyes twinkling mischievously.

His grin widened, a knowing sparkle in his eye.

"Sure is. Lucky for you, I've got a solution. Allow me to take you to the Three Broomsticks, where I can ensure you have the most delicious beverage available to pair with your equally delicious snacks."

You couldn't help but smile, his charm almost impossible to resist.

"Take me away, handsome."

"Sirius Black. Shall we, sweetheart?" He offered you his elbow, a gentleman through and through.

You took his elbow and gave him your name, grinning up at him as your eyes twinkled with excitement.

The two of you walked up to the counter and after a few "Sirius, no!"s and a "I've got it, sweet girl", the cashier handed you the bag of sweets Sirius paid for. You thanked him as you left the candy shop and walked down the streets of Hogsmeade together.

As you entered the Three Broomsticks, Sirius escorted you to the bar, pulling out a stool for you. He ordered a round of butterbeers and pumpkin pasties for the both of you, the bartender nodding to his request. As you waited for your drinks, Sirius leaned back on his stool, watching you with amusement.

You looked around and smiled softly at the cozy atmosphere, then turned to him when you noticed him watching you. You smiled nervously, bringing a hand up to your mouth.

"Do I have something on my face?"

"No, you're perfect, love. But I wonder.. why a woman like you would be having a butterbeer with a known troublemaker... some might think you have a thing for bad boys."

"And what if I do?" You smirked at him, taking a small sip of your butterbeer.

Sirius's eyes twinkled in response. He seemed to find your spirit and openness refreshing.

The two of you talked about anything and everything as you drank together, Sirius especially interested in your work with magical creatures.

You cut your pumpkin pasty in half, sliding one half over him before taking a bite out if your own half.

"Here, before it gets cold."

Sirius chuckled, reaching out to take the offered half. Their hands touched briefly, and he felt a tingle run down his spine. He blinked, trying to play it off.

He felt his cheeks grow warm. Even the way you ate a pumpkin pasty was endearing. His eyes flitted across your face, his heart pounding in his throat. His mind was racing with possibilities, thoughts that he hadn't let himself think in years. He was in trouble.

"Um, would you care for another butterbeer?" He motioned to the nearby bartender, who nodded in acknowledgement. He was going to need a whole tankard of butterbeer if he had any hope of keeping himself from completing embarrassing himself in front of you.

He knew he should stay cool, but there was something about you that threw him off his game. Before he even realized what he was doing, he blurted out, "Godric, you're beautiful."

Your eyes widened and you let out the biggest laugh, throwing your head back. The blush on his cheeks deepened as your laughter filled his ears. He leaned in, his words filled with sincerity.

"And you are the kind of woman who can make a man forget about all of his worries. I could listen to you laugh all night, love."

He reached out, taking your hand in his, his thumb stroking the back of your hand gently. He was falling for you hard and fast, and he had a sinking feeling that he was in trouble. But at the same time, he couldn't be happier.

"You're trouble, you know that?"

You looked down at Sirius stroking your hand, then looking back up at him with a teasing smile.

"Trouble? You're the one who kidnapped me."

Sirius chuckled, the soft melody of your laughter tugging at his heart. He felt warm all over, his lips curving into a soft smile. He was never the romantic type, but there was something about you that made his heart ache with longing.

"I may have kidnapped you, but you're the one who's stolen my heart." Sirius's voice was soft, a whisper meant for your ears only.

It was your turn to be flustered, your cheeks turning pink as he looked at you sincerely.

"Merlin, who knew you'd have such a way with words." You chuckled softly, tilting your head to the side.

"Maybe I've been saving them all for you." Sirius took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure.

A small gasp left your mouth, giggling at the man sitting beside you.

"Sirius Black, where have you been all my life?"

Sirius chuckled, his eyes twinkling at your reaction. He knew you were feeling the same way he was, and it made him feel alive. You had lit a spark within him, one that he thought had died long ago. He was thrilled to have found you, and he wasn't about to let you go. He leaned closer, his voice just above a whisper.

"Waiting for you, sugar, waiting for you."

[koyagifs]

𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝔀𝓸: 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓱𝓪𝓰 𝓸𝓯 𝓱𝓪𝓬k𝓮𝓽𝓽'𝓼 𝓺𝓾𝓪𝓻𝓻𝔂

pairing: poly!ot8 x reader au: werewolf | camp counselors | the quarry genre: angst | horror | fluff (?) word count:3.684k synopsis: you were supposed to stay inside the cabin. Why are you having a bonfire right now?! warning(s): Minors do not interact! mini make out sesh, megan not being a good friend. megan tries to kiss san!! mentions of death.

August 22,19:00

જ⁀➴ Megan clung tightly to San’s arm, her voice cheerful and light as she babbled on about random topics, clearly enjoying the proximity. San wore a forced smile, nodding occasionally to her words, but his mind was elsewhere. His thoughts kept drifting back to you—specifically, the fact that Jongho was spending time with you while he was stuck here, playing along with Megan’s over-the-top enthusiasm.

He sighed internally, resisting the urge to pull his arm away. Of course, he thought, bitterness creeping into his chest. Jongho gets to be with her. Lucky bastard.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust you or Jongho. The poly relationship you all shared was built on a foundation of trust and communication, and San knew that. But he couldn’t help the jealousy that flared when he wasn’t the one by your side, especially now, with the strange atmosphere of the night weighing on him.

“San, are you even listening?” Megan’s voice broke through his thoughts, her playful tone masking a hint of annoyance.

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” San replied quickly, blinking as he tried to focus. He forced another smile, hoping it was convincing enough to satisfy her.

Megan narrowed her eyes at him but didn’t push the matter. Instead, she tugged him closer as they approached the small store. A smile placed on Megan face.

" oh so you're single? odd, yn was telling me that you were taken."

San froze for a fraction of a second, his hand on the door to the store. He quickly recovered, pushing it open with a nonchalant shrug as he stepped inside. "Oh? Did she now?" he asked, keeping his tone casual, though his mind was racing.

Megan followed him, her smile widening as if she could sense his discomfort. "Mhm," she said, her tone light and teasing. "She seemed pretty confident about it too. So, which is it? Single or taken?"

San busied himself with grabbing a basket, pretending to focus on the shelves as he responded. "It's complicated," he said, keeping his answer vague. He wasn’t about to let Megan dig her claws any deeper into the dynamic between you all.

Megan leaned against the counter, watching him with a smirk. "Complicated, huh? Sounds like there’s more to the story than you’re letting on."

San shot her a brief glance, his expression unreadable. "Maybe. Or maybe I just don’t feel like sharing my personal life," he said smoothly, grabbing a pack of chips and tossing it into the basket.

Megan hummed in response, clearly not satisfied with his deflection. "Fair enough," she said, her voice laced with curiosity. "But for the record, 'complicated' makes you sound... available."

San clenched his jaw but didn’t respond, focusing instead on grabbing a few more items. He wasn’t sure how much Megan really knew or if she was just fishing for information, but her persistence was starting to grate on him.

San moved through the aisles, his focus firmly on the shelves in front of him. He wasn’t in the mood for Megan’s constant hovering, and the weight of her gaze was starting to wear on him. She was too close—again—and he could practically feel her plotting something.

“San,” Megan’s voice came out soft and almost... inviting. He glanced over his shoulder briefly, catching the mischievous glint in her eyes before turning back to the shelves. “You’ve been awfully quiet.”

“Just trying to get this done,” San replied evenly, reaching for a box of cookies and tossing it into the basket. He hoped his disinterest would make her back off, but Megan wasn’t the type to quit so easily.

Megan stepped closer, invading his personal space, and placed a hand lightly on his arm. “You know,” she began, her tone low and suggestive, “it wouldn’t hurt to loosen up a bit. This is supposed to be fun.”

San tensed under her touch, pulling his arm away subtly but firmly. “I’m plenty relaxed,” he said, forcing a polite smile as he grabbed a pack of chips and placed it in the basket. “Let’s just focus on the snacks, yeah?”

But Megan wasn’t giving up. She stepped in front of him this time, blocking his path. “San,” she said, her voice dipping into a softer, more intimate tone, “don’t you think this whole ‘complicated’ thing is a waste of time? I mean, you’re here, I’m here... Why not make the most of it?”

San blinked, his brows knitting together in confusion before realization dawned. He sighed, exasperated. “Megan,” he started, his tone firm, “whatever you’re thinking, just... don’t.”

But Megan wasn’t deterred. She leaned in slightly, her eyes locking on his. “What’s the harm in one little kiss? It doesn’t have to mean anything,” she said, her voice honeyed, as if she were offering him something irresistible.

San stepped back immediately, putting the basket between them like a shield. “Yeah, no. Not happening,” he said flatly, his expression hardening. “I don’t know what you think this is, but I’m not interested.”

Megan’s playful smirk faltered for a second, replaced by a flash of annoyance. She quickly recovered, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Oh, come on, San,” she said, feigning nonchalance.

Megan fingers on his chest, her body now uncomfortably close as San was quick to drop the basket, his reflexes kicking in as he grabbed Megan’s wrists firmly but without hurting her, stepping back to create space between them. His jaw clenched, and his usually calm demeanor cracked, revealing a sharp edge to his voice.

“Megan, stop,” he said, his tone firm and unyielding. His dark eyes locked onto hers, leaving no room for misinterpretation.

Megan eyes harden as she scoffed, stepping back as she yanked her hand back from his grip. Rolling her eyes, she walked away mumbling as San let out a sigh of relief.

August 22,19:22

જ⁀➴ You and Jongho walked side by side, your fingers interlocked as the gentle crunch of leaves beneath your feet filled the quiet air. The glow of the sunset ahead illuminated the darkening woods, casting flickering shadows that danced among the trees. Despite the chill in the air, the warmth radiating from Jongho's hand and the soft, comfortable silence between you made the walk feel serene.

" wonder how wooyoung and seonghwa hyung are doing, considering Wooyoung is a dramatic one," Jongho asked.

You chuckled softly, resting your head on Jongho's shoulder. "Knowing them? Seonghwa is probably trying to keep Wooyoung from tripping over himself while carrying firewood. Or getting distracted by something shiny."

Jongho smirked, the corner of his lips twitching up. "Yeah, that sounds about right. I give it ten minutes before Wooyoung tries to turn the whole thing into some kind of competition. You know how he gets when he’s bored."

You hummed in agreement, the image of Wooyoung challenging Seonghwa to some ridiculous firewood-stacking contest playing in your mind. “And Seonghwa will just sigh and go along with it because he’s too patient for his own good.”

Jongho laughed, his deep, rich tone filling the quiet space around you. "Hyung does have the patience of a saint. If it were me, I’d just dump the wood on Wooyoung and tell him to figure it out himself."

You tilted your head to look up at him, a teasing smile on your lips. “You wouldn’t actually do that, though. You love Wooyoung too much to let him struggle.”

Jongho rolled his eyes playfully but didn’t deny it. “Fine, maybe not. But I’d definitely make him carry the heavier stuff.”

The two of you shared a laugh, the comfort of Jongho’s presence making you forget about the eerie quiet of the woods for a moment. “I wonder if they’ll get here before San and Megan,” you mused.

Jongho raised an eyebrow at the mention of Megan. "What’s her deal anyway? She’s been acting weird all day."

You sighed, not wanting to think about the strange tension Megan seemed intent on stirring up. “Let’s just say she’s a little... overconfident,” you said, choosing your words carefully. “But enough about her. This is our time.”

Jongho smiled at that, pulling you closer. “Our time, huh? I like the sound of that.”

You giggled softly as Jongho pulled you onto his lap, his hands settling gently on your waist. The warmth of his touch sent a comforting wave through you. He pushed a stray piece of hair away from your face, his fingers lingering briefly against your cheek.

“You’re cute when you laugh like that,” Jongho said, his voice soft but filled with a sincerity that made your heart flutter.

“Oh, stop,” you teased, feeling your cheeks warm under his gaze. “You’re just saying that because we’re alone.”

Jongho smirked, leaning in slightly. “Nope. I’d say it even with Wooyoung whining in my ear about how unfair it is that you’re with me right now.”

You burst out laughing at the thought, leaning your forehead against his shoulder. “He would, wouldn’t he? Probably try to guilt-trip you about how he never gets enough time with me.”

Jongho chuckled, his chest rumbling against you. “He’d probably make it a whole speech. But honestly,” he said, his tone growing softer, “I don’t care how much he complains. I’ll take every second I can get with you.”

Your heart swelled at his words, and you cupped his face gently, looking into his eyes. “You’re so sweet, you know that?”

He shrugged, his lips twitching into a small, shy smile. “Only for you.”

The moment felt perfect, just the two of you in the glow of the sunset, lost in each other’s presence. The sounds of the forest seemed distant, leaving only the quiet crackling of the flames and the steady rhythm of your breathing together.

As his lips brushed softly against yours, a spark ignited between you. The warmth of his touch deepened the kiss, making your heart race in your chest. His hand, firm and gentle, gripped your waist, pulling you closer as if he couldn’t get enough of you.

You melted into the kiss, your fingers brushing against the back of his neck, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath your fingertips. The world around you seemed to fade away as you became lost in the softness of his lips and the heat of his embrace.

The world outside seemed to vanish as you grew more wrapped up in each other. Jongho’s arms tightened around you, pulling you even closer, and you shifted slightly, your legs wrapping around his waist, instinctively seeking more of him. The kiss deepened, slow and filled with that growing intensity, as your fingers tangled in his hair, tugging him just a little closer.

His hand rested on the small of your back, guiding you gently but firmly, while the other found its way to your waist, his fingers lightly digging into your skin. You responded with equal fervor, your touch tender yet eager, both of you lost in the moment, letting everything else fade into the background.

You both froze, caught off guard by Wooyoung's sudden appearance, and it took a moment to compose yourselves. Jongho quickly stood up, adjusting his shirt, his ears burning with the faintest pink hue as he shot Wooyoung an awkward look. You scrambled to your feet too, laughing nervously.

Wooyoung, ever the playful one, grinned mischievously as he dropped the wood into the fire pit. "We got the wood!" he announced proudly, before his eyes narrowed in on Jongho’s red ears. "Hey... why are your ears pink?" he asked, his voice dripping with teasing suspicion.

Jongho cleared his throat, trying to play it cool. "N-nothing, Wooyoung," he stammered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just a little hot, that's all."

You bit your lip to suppress your laughter, giving Jongho a teasing nudge. "Yeah, it's a bit warm out here," you added, your voice casual though your cheeks were starting to heat up too.

Seonghwa, who had been quietly watching from a distance, couldn't help but chuckle at the situation. His gaze flickered between you and Jongho, his smile playful as he crossed his arms. "You two are terrible at hiding it," he teased, his tone light but knowing.

Jongho gave him a sheepish smile, looking more embarrassed by the second. "We weren’t doing anything," he mumbled, avoiding eye contact with both Wooyoung and Seonghwa.

You couldn't help but laugh at Wooyoung's dramatic outburst as he rushed to your side, his hands playfully cradling your face. "Ynie! How could you! You betrayed me like that?" he exclaimed, his voice full of mock hurt.

Jongho chuckled softly beside you, his embarrassment slowly fading as he watched the two of you. "Oh, don't act like you weren't expecting this," he teased, nudging you gently.

You giggled, trying to pull away from Wooyoung's barrage of kisses, but he was relentless, peppering your face with exaggerated smooches. "Stop it, Wooyoung! You’re embarrassing me!" you said between laughs, trying to push him off lightly.

Seonghwa, who had been quietly observing the chaos unfold, leaned back with a smile, shaking his head. "You two are ridiculous," he muttered, but there was an affectionate tone in his voice.

Wooyoung, finally giving you a moment to breathe, grinned wide. "Come on, Yn. You know I love you," he said dramatically, as if he hadn't just spent the last few minutes covering your face in kisses.

You rolled your eyes playfully, still smiling. "Yeah, yeah, I know," you replied, your heart light with the warmth of the moment.

You turned to see Yunho strutting toward the firepit with a dramatic flair, his arms raised as if he were making a grand entrance. "Hope you bitches aren't partying without us!" he exclaimed, his voice loud and playful. "You need music, don’t you?"

"Yunho, you’re a bit late," Wooyoung teased, though the excitement in his voice was clear. "We already got the fire going, but yeah, we definitely need your musical expertise."

Yunho grinned, clearly pleased with his entrance. "Well, I had to make sure I looked good before gracing you all with my presence," he said with a wink, making everyone laugh.

Yeosang, who had followed Yunho with a quieter, more reserved entrance, shook his head in amusement. "You didn’t even grab the speaker, did you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Yunho froze, a sheepish look creeping onto his face as he patted his pockets. "Uh... I may have forgotten that part," he admitted, his voice a little less confident. "But don’t worry! I’ll just sing!" he added, raising his arms again in dramatic flair.

You all burst into laughter at his antics, the night feeling even more carefree and light-hearted with his infectious energy. Jongho gave Yunho a teasing look, his voice laced with amusement. "Maybe you should leave the music to the professionals."

Yunho shrugged, unbothered. "Well, if you insist on not hearing me sing, guess I’ll go get the speaker."

"Good idea," Seonghwa said, laughing.

Everyone quieted down as Megan and San appeared from the trees, both looking slightly out of breath but with matching grins on their faces. Megan’s expression was more curious than anything, her eyes scanning the group.

"What are we laughing about?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked from one person to the next, clearly amused by the sudden silence.

San, walking a few steps behind her, had a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He looked like he might be in a better mood now that the tension from earlier had passed. He gave you a quick glance, his gaze softening when he saw you. “Don’t tell me you guys are already gossiping,” he added, his tone teasing but with a hint of playfulness.

"Of course we are!" Wooyoung chirped, still grinning from earlier. "We’re just talking about how Yunho was going to serenade us with his beautiful singing skills."

Megan smirked, glancing over at Yunho who had just returned with the speaker in hand. “Oh, I’m sure he’s got that covered,” she said, crossing her arms and leaning casually against a tree.

Yunho shot her a mock glare as he set up the speaker, clearly not too thrilled by the mention of his musical abilities. “I was just getting the speaker,” he grumbled, but there was no hiding the smirk on his face.

San chuckled, walking over to you and pulling you a little closer as he dropped down beside you on the log. “Guess I missed out on all the fun, huh?”

"Not too much fun," you teased, leaning into him. "Just some lighthearted teasing about Yunho’s ‘singing career.’"

Megan rolled her eyes at the group. "As long as you don’t start a karaoke session, we’re good," she said, her voice playful but with a hint of sarcasm.

August 22,20:15

જ⁀➴ As Seonghwa began to speak, the atmosphere around the fire grew tense. His voice was low and captivating, drawing everyone’s attention as he weaved a story of mysterious creatures and eerie happenings in the woods. The crackling of the fire seemed to punctuate his words, adding a sense of foreboding.

Wooyoung, ever the jokester, kept his arm wrapped around you, pulling you closer as he glanced around with a teasing smile. "Don’t worry, Yn, I’m here to protect you from the ghosts," he whispered in a playful tone, though the glint of mischief in his eyes suggested he was just as caught up in the eerie story as everyone else.

You rolled your eyes, trying to fight back a grin as you leaned into his side. "I don’t think a ghost’s going to be scared of you, Wooyoung."

Seonghwa’s voice dropped even lower, his eyes scanning each of you in turn as if he were making sure to keep you all on edge. " it's said that since the fire, you can see the spirit of the hag of hackett's quarry."

Megan scoffed, taking the sip of her beer. " what a load of rubbish,"

Seonghwa’s eyes never left Megan as he continued, undeterred by her scoff. “It’s not just a story, Megan. People have disappeared around here. Strange things happen, especially when the full moon rises. Some say the spirit of the hag roams the woods, taking those who wander too far from the camp.”

The fire crackled louder, almost as if to punctuate his words, and the air seemed to grow heavier, colder. Everyone fell quiet for a moment, the only sound being the occasional snap of a branch in the distance, making you tense up for a moment.

Megan rolled her eyes, but her casual demeanor faltered slightly as she took another swig of her beer. “Oh please. Ghosts? Spirits? This isn’t a horror movie, Seonghwa. You’re just trying to freak us out.”

Seonghwa’s smile remained playful, but there was a glint of seriousness in his eyes now. “Maybe. But I’m just telling you what I’ve heard. People say she’s still out there... and that she’s not as forgiving as some think.”

Wooyoung snickered, clearly not buying into the tale. “Yeah, yeah, Seonghwa."

Seonghwa rolled his eyes, " did you guys even look up this place before we came here?"

Everyone shook their head, all but one and that was you. Seonghwa winked at you as he began to nag at the others. " what about the murders that happened here back in 2021?"

The mention of the murders sent a chill through the group. Even Wooyoung, who usually found humor in every situation, fell quiet. The playful atmosphere that had lingered in the air evaporated instantly. All eyes turned to Seonghwa, and then to you, as if they were waiting for you to speak up or explain.

You swallowed, feeling a lump form in your throat. You hadn’t planned on bringing up the murders—there was something deeply unsettling about it. The events from 2021 were still fresh in the minds of the locals, even if they had tried to move past it. But Seonghwa had thrown the question out there, and now you couldn’t avoid it.

"Yeah," you said, your voice quieter than you intended, " the two survivors say it was a werewolf but the cops concluded it being a bear attack. There was a bunch of evidence towards the original owners, Chris hackett as well for the disappearances ."

The fire crackled louder, the only sound breaking the heavy silence that fell over the group after your words. Everyone was frozen for a moment, processing what you had said.

A werewolf? The idea was ridiculous, of course. But the survivors, and the evidence... it was hard to dismiss. And then, of course, the tie to Chris Hackett, the original owner of the camp, who had always been a figure wrapped in mystery.

Seonghwa raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "A werewolf? That’s... new. I thought you were just joking when you said there were rumors." His voice dropped slightly, no longer teasing but genuinely curious. "So, you think Chris Hackett had something to do with all of this?"

You shrugged slightly, not entirely sure yourself. "It’s all rumors and speculation, but some of the stuff the survivors said made it seem like it was more than just some wild animal. There was talk that the Hackett family had... a connection to the whole thing, like they were involved in something they shouldn’t have been." You trailed off, feeling the eyes of the group on you.

Jongho let out a nervous laugh, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, that’s a fun thought. A werewolf. Great, now I’m not sleeping tonight."

Megan, still sitting off to the side with her drink, shook her head, clearly skeptical. "A werewolf? You guys are seriously buying into this crap?" She scoffed, leaning back on her hands. "Let’s be real. It’s all just exaggerated nonsense. A bear attack is a lot more believable."

Wooyoung, clearly wanting to keep things playful despite the tension, grinned. "Yeah, Megan, but a werewolf sounds so much cooler." He gave you a teasing look.

Megan rolled her eyes as she held mischief in her eyes. " how about we spice things up and play some truth or dare?"

[fushipurro]

Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy

Chapter 2 - Synched Spirits

<- Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter ->

☆ Content: 18+ MDNI, cowboy!au, fluff smut & a bit of angst in between, guns, mentions of blood, pet names, creampie, anal, threesome (f/m/m), gangs

☆ Word Count: 5.4k

“So, you must be Clementine then, huh?”

The palomino huffs back, examining you with big brown eyes. Her ears flicker with interest, no doubt curious to the strange new human holding taking her by the lead to the other end of town. You can’t blame her for being wary, you’d feel the same if your beloved companion left you for another so you can only imagine how she and your Valentine are feeling right now.

She’s not the only one cautious of you. It’s hard not to miss the many townsfolk eyeing you down, what with how last night went. Between the robbery and your duel, everyone’s on high alert for the foreseeable future.

One would like to believe they’d be more grateful you didn’t outright kill the guy. Maybe they wouldn’t care so much if you were a man instead of a natural born, gunslingin’ woman, but sucks to suck. That drunken fool is lucky you decided to be nice and let him off with just a mangled hand. Had it happened after Valentine was stolen, the results would have been much different.

You hitch Clementine up outside the gun store, pushing past the door and greeting the shopkeeper. They’re about the only person so far today not afraid of you, but in all fairness, he’s the one with a dozen guns an arm’s length away.

“Lookin’ for anything in particular, Ma’am?”

You hum in response, scanning the available goods displayed out across the various shelves. There’s plenty of ammunition for a good price; wouldn’t hurt to replenish your pistol stocks after that duel. You decide on a few, bringing them over to the checkout counter.

“I’ll take these and…” Glancing up behind the clerk, there’s several cabinets containing an assortment of larger weaponry. A little voice creeps up from the back of your head offering a wonderful idea. “…maybe a rifle, depending on what ya have.”

He turns his back to you, unlocking one of the many units. Across the empty counter in front of you, he places down a few options, naming them as he goes, “Rolling Block, Varmint, Springfield, Bolt Action…take your pick.”

You’re instantly drawn to the Rolling Block, a girthy beauty that screams power and fine craftsmanship. “How’s the firepower on this one?” you ask, lifting the weapon up to better examine.

“You won’t find much competition with that one,” he tells you, and that’s exactly what you like to hear.

If someone dares to so much as think they can get away with stealing your horse, then you’re sure as hell going to track them down and put a gaping hole right where their heart should be. That black-haired outlaw better watch his back if he knows what’s coming. Once all is said and done with, Calamity Jane will be needing a new nickname after you usurp that throne.

“How much?”

“$187 even, Ma’am.”

Tch, that’s steep. And more than you have on hand thanks to the rest being buried in Valentine’s satchel.

You sigh, begrudgingly looking over the rest of the artillery. “How about the rest?”

“The Varmint here is our cheapest at $72 if you’re goal is hunting rabbits and other small game; otherwise the Springfield is our next cheapest at $120.”

You replace the Rolling Block in your hands with the Springfield Rifle, trying it out just like you did with the former. It’s lighter in weight with less range on the scope, but the clerk assures you that with some express or high velocity bullets, distance won’t be an issue.

“I’ll take this then.” You pass a billfold to the clerk, seething once again over why you’re doing this to begin with. Money’s hard to come by in this day and age, as far as legal opportunities go for someone like you. So help that bastard if he finds the rest of your stash and decides to take that for himself.

Leaving the store with your new weapon in hand, you’re quick to notice a gathering of lawmen outside the Sheriff’s office just across the street. A dozen uniforms with an equal number of horses all geared and ready to go.

“Who’s the Sheriff around here?” you call out, approaching the group.

“That would be me, Miss.” The crowd parts, making room for a young, white-haired man. “Sheriff Satoru Gojo. How may I be of service to you on this lovely day?”

You scoff, This guy? He’s clean as a whistle. Even the star on his chest could be mistaken for a mirror with how much he’s shined it.

Any other time and his equally bright smile might feel akin to fresh rain in the New Austin desert, but currently, it’s more like greeting the sun after a wicked night in the saloon.

“I’d like to know what’s being done about those thieves from last night.”

His blue eyes wander your figure up and down. Curious, but invasive. “You’re not with the bank, are you?”

Does it look like I’m wearing a suit or a fancy dress?

“My horse was stolen by one of those bastards and I intend on getting her back. Today,” you hiss impatiently.

Giving attitude to a man of the law may not be the smartest decision lest you desire a night behind bars, but to be fair, you have every right to be pissed given the circumstances. Had they have been competent in their line of work, then the criminals wouldn’t have gotten as far as they had or even been able to leave town in the first place.

It’s infuriating.

And the nonchalant nature of this man only pisses you off further.

“You’re in luck then, Miss…?”

You reply to the man with your name, sternness evident in your tone.

“Pretty name for a pretty girl,” he remarks, earning a glare of disapproval from you that he shrugs off with a laugh. “My deputies and I are heading out on a lead if you want to sit tight inside.”

You place a hand over your hip, all nice and sassy with your face anything but. “I’d rather come with y’all than sit on my ass.”

Satoru takes the lead of a pristinely clean cremello stallion, its fur almost as perfectly white as the hair on its rider’s head. “I won’t stop you, but…” He pauses, hoisting himself up and over the saddle effortlessly, showing off those long legs of his. “…it could be dangerous.”

You pat the gun holster attached to your hip, just another way of showing that you’re anything but the normalcy ‘round here. “I think I’ll be just fine.”

The rim of his darkly colored cattleman hat dims his facial expression as he hunches down over the horn of the saddle, but not the light coming from that toothy grin stretching ear to ear.

“I don’t doubt that for a second, I’m aware of the duel that occurred last night.”

“Good, so then you know I mean business,” you warn, not once wavering from the eye contact with Satoru.

He outstretches his hand, beckoning for you to accept. “Of course. You want to ride up here with me then so we can get going?”

“Thanks, but no thanks,” you respond, pointing your thumb behind you at Clementine. “This girl will do just fine.”

“Didn’t steal her, I hope?” he teases in an effort to lighten the situation. It doesn’t necessarily work as you roll your eyes the moment your back turns on him. From there, you and the rest of the deputies mount up to leave town, destination unknown.

You hunker back from the rest of the posse, allowing the mare to instinctively follow while you take in the surrounding sights. You had come to this town from a different path than the one you’re marching on now, but given the view, you’ll for sure find yourself adventuring out here again in the future. The settlers here picked a beautiful spot to build the city of Valentine on. In the distance lie snow-kissed peaks and plateaus in nearly every direction, a wide-open prairie, and now the freshwater stream trailing at your side.

The stream runs clear as crystal, giving you an easy view of all the trout and pike that call it home. Measly shadows darting around in search of food and the ducks swimming along the surface. Sunlight catches on all the ripples, reflecting a dazzling lightshow of effects.

“So… what brings you to our fair city?”

You turn to your opposite side where Satoru and his majestic stallion ─ Mugen as you’ve come to discover its name to be ─ are nestled up at your side, stirrups annoyingly clashing with utter disregard for personal space.

“Do I need a reason or permission to come?”

“Well, no,” he pouts, “but as Sheriff I like to know who all is coming and going.” He further invades your bubble by leaning over in front of your line of sight, leather scrunching with every motion. “Besides, you’re an interesting change to the usual visitors. How could I not be curious?” he adds pointedly.

You sigh, giving in to his questioning. He doesn’t seem like a bad guy after all, compared to the horse thief you’re eagerly waiting to meet later. Satoru’s merely caught you on a bad day is all.

“I’m just a traveler like any other,” you drawl, a seldom undertone in your voice. “I used to call Tall Trees home, but that’s long in my past.”

“Bear country, huh?” He whistles out of surprise. “No wonder you’ve got the balls of one.”

“You could say that.” An amused huff leaves you. “Hunting bears is what ensured our survival up around Aurora Basin,” you explain, looking off in the direction of the mountains you at one point called home. “Had to watch our asses at all times to avoid Brumas or Lobo’s pack always hanging around our house.”

“Brumas?”

“Yeah, she’s a local legend in those parts. ‘A giant clad in golden fur.’” You exaggerate with your hands the sheer size of the bear. “Many doubt her existence, but my dad and I saw her firsthand one winter while hunting elk. Barely made it out intact but we made sure to leave her with a memorable scar on her face.” The memory of that day pulls the edges of your lips upwards.

“It's kill or be killed,” the words of your father sound in your head. “Either you stand your ground and fight back, or you won’t survive in this world.”

As they say, there’s always a method to the madness. Grizzly hunting as a kid is what geared you up to take no shit from others today. Especially for a lone woman carving her way through the frontier, you need to have the balls of a bear as the man next to you so sweetly described.

“Yikes,” Satoru grimaces at the fierce display of your nature stretching across your face. “Remind me not to get on your bad side.”

“Help me get my horse back today in one piece and you won’t have to worry.” You wink.

“By my honor as Sheriff of Valentine, I will get your steed back.” He pulls a semi-auto pistol from his belt, twirling it around his finger like you’d find in those animated photographs big cities always show off. The cocky cowboy, slick as could be with the metallic extension of themselves. “I’m the strongest, after all.” He winks back.

You have to hand it to him; he knows how to make an insufferable day a little less so; like a chaser you’d have following some throat-burning liquor. All it took was just some conversation and fond thoughts to get you back in the right mindset.

A pungent smell wafts your way sooner down the path, the luscious greens of the shrubbery abruptly turn to charred remains covering the expanse of land before you. A thin boundary of life and death.

“Forest fire?” you question rhetorically at first, but Satoru offers an answer.

“Kinda, we’re approaching what used to be a town by the name of Limpany.” He pauses, exhaling a discontent sigh. “Burned to the ground last year along with the rest of what you see.”

Kinda?

“Do you know how it started?”

There’s another brief pause, enough to shift the atmosphere in an awkward direction. You aim your head at Satoru, finding his downcast expression and a bittersweet smile. He brushes his fingers through Mugen’s mane, finding comfort with his trusted familiar.

“Since you told me your story, I’ll tell you some of mine,” he begins, taking in a focused breath. “My best friend and I were once deputies together, our sights set on becoming the sheriffs of a town no one would dare mess with thanks to our presence.” A flicker of remorse passes through the depths of his blue orbs. “We had a job that went sideways, and it wasn’t the same for us after.”

“How so?”

“I went on to become sheriff like we originally planned, but Suguru started to pull back and decided on going home to Limpany for a while.”

A pit in your stomach forms, giving you a sinking suspicion as to where this story could go. Considering his mood, the destination ahead, and the reveal of someone important to his life, there appears to be more to this as a whole than just a bank robbery. Nevertheless, you allow him to speak freely.

“Suguru discovered some serious corruption going on in the town by its people. In response, he ended up decimating nearly the entire town in one night, sparing no one. From that day forward, he became a wanted criminal in the eyes of the law.”

You wonder what could have been so severe to require that much lethal force, but at the same time if you were in his shoes, you might make the same choices. It wouldn’t be that far off on things you’d do considering how you decided to get back at the men who stole the lives of your parents.

Now here you are sympathizing with the man you’re hunting for your own personal vendetta. Oh how the tables have turned once you see the other side.

“I take it this Suguru is your gold thief?”

He sighs, “Unfortunately, that looks to be the case.” As you already expected to hear.

The town comes into sight, and with that, an end to your conversation. You’re surprised to see that despite the raging inferno that had occurred, buildings remain standing all along the settlement. Crumbling and disregarded, but still feasibly sturdy.

Smoke still hovers in the air as nature has yet to blossom and overtake the land once more. Maybe once spring has truly set in, new life will occur in its wake. So far, It’s quiet, but that may not necessarily be a good sign. Satoru orders his men to disperse throughout the town, going door to door in search of any signs of the gang.

The two of you hitch your horses out front of what used to be the Limpany Sheriff’s Department. The lettering on the building has long since faded from the flames but remains legible to a degree. Next door however is a jailhouse that stands without issue, and scarce of any blemishes. While Satoru is occupied with the main building, you decide to check out what lies beyond the iron door. There’s a click as you pull the safety of the gun, cautiously opening the door and ready for whatever lies inside.

Come to find out, it’s empty. The eeriness of the room sets off a trail of goosebumps down your spine. There’s smoke damage on the walls inside, but elsewhere nothing is damaged as far as you can tell. One of the locked cells houses two adult skeletons shackled to the wall. The bones of their wrists still nestled between the cuffs. The cell across somehow felt more ominous. The door is opened, leading to an empty room which in itself isn’t a cause for concern, but the scattered loot tells a different story. You bend down to pick up once such piece.

Is this… a child’s shoe?

Your eyes widen.

No doubt that one, but multiple children were being held in this very cell for reasons unknown. Is this what Suguru had come home to find…?

“Surprised? I know I was when I first saw this.”

His voice startles you, causing your sudden turn to meet him. “Satoru, what is this?”

“Corruption,” he answers bluntly.

What a cruel world this can be to live in. And with that thought, you can’t blame Suguru for crossing that threshold of sin.

A commotion sparks up outside, drawing both of you to the door. “Sheriff, come quick!” One of the deputies calls out. You get up to follow Satoru out as the two of you are led to another section of town where lawmen have quickly begun to circle. “It looks like they camped here and left this morning! There’s fresh hoofprints everywhere too.”

“Mount up!” Satoru shouts confidently, “They couldn’t have gotten far, let’s not waste any more daylight here!”

You’re about to whistle for your horse off muscle memory when you immediately have to remind yourself that she wouldn’t be able to hear your call.

They don’t prepare you for these things.

Valentine is all you have left right now. Losing her is like losing family. As much as you find yourself resonating with Suguru, the fact remains that you’re heartbroken without her. Hopefully she’s safe and the two of you will be reunited again soon. You brush the thoughts, running off with Satoru before galloping off with the rest of the posse.

The roads outside Limpany aren’t the most well-travelled, so for any decent enough tracker, the thousand-pound impressions in the dirt are easy enough to spot. There’s evidence a wagon or two may have joined the group, all leading down the Dakota river towards the Upper Montana. Trees quickly become scarcer as you enter this new area thanks to logging companies, making it easier to see everything in front of you but at the same time, everyone can see you as well.

The group stops short of a tree line near the river to use as cover. Up ahead lies a small home and barn to match looking all too lively and full for its size. A fatal flaw in their attempt at laying low, but one you’re thankful for. Pulling out a pair of binoculars from your satchel, you investigate the scene. There’s a long, gray-haired man and another shorter bald guy walking around, weaponry in hand, and several more interesting characters around. Among the dozen horses grazing from their posts, none are Valentine.

“Are those the men we’re looking for?”

“Looks like it,” the white-haired man sighs, tightening the grip on his own pair of binoculars. “I see some other wanted faces the Outlaw Killer was looking into.”

“The Outlaw Killer?” you scoff, quirking a brow. Interesting title that speaks for itself.

“Yeah,” he snickers. “He’s a crazy bounty hunter. You’d know him if you saw him, I’m sure. Grouchy asshole that only ever wears black ─ hell, I think all his guns and even his lasso are the same color.” He rolls his eyes and an image of the blacked-out stallion and its flirt of an owner came to mind from the night before. So much for a bad temperament.

“Good to know,” you hum, raising your new rifle from its holster, taking aim at the gray-haired man first on instinct.

“Woah woah woah, what are you doing?” Satoru’s urgent voice fills your ear.

“What’s it look like?” you calmly reply, “I’m gonna pick them off one by one.” The safety clicks just as the man reaches out with a hand on the barrel to low the gun.

“I’m itching to get this done with as much as you are, but I’d like to arrest them, not kill.”

You click your tongue out of annoyance, “What’s your plan then, Sheriff?”

“Let’s just get a little closer and see what more we can learn first. It won’t do us any good if they’ve stashed the gold, and I doubt they’ll tell us anyways.”

He has a point, sadly. For now, you’ll just have to go along with it. You lean on the reins with a tap of your heel to guide Clementine. “Have it your way, but just remember that I’m not the one wearing a silver star.”

“Hey if this goes well, I’m more than happy to give you one.” He smiles, following your lead with the rest of his men. Once again, he’s got Mugen right up at your side, hunched over the saddle to see your face. “You’re just the kind of attitude we could use; that and I’m enjoying your company.” You roll your eyes but the faint smile tugging at your lips gives you away all too easily.

Being a deputy isn’t something you’ve had in mind before given your sense of exploration and all, but another way one could view it is imagining it as a means of settling down somewhere. An ever-growing supply of work paired with using your favorite set of skills to earn money; all and all giving you stability and a place to call home if you ever decide that’s what you want in life.

It's worth thinking about if he’s serious. A second option to consider on top of Kento’s.

To avoid spooking the gang, you and the rest of the posse tie the reins of your mounts to some trees a few yards back from the tree line closer to the homestead. From there, it’s all about maintaining a stealthy approach. Plenty of shrubbery dots the property, so even with the lack of tall standing trees, you’re able to keep as low a profile as you can without inciting a shootout. The rest of the men can have their fun with their hunt for gold or apprehending dangerous individuals. Your first and foremost objective is securing Valentine.

Since she’s not outside, one can only assume she’s in the barn out of sight. It’s a good size, but in desperate need of some TLC as you learn the moment some rotted wood snaps cleanly off with a simple tug. You crawl through from the back, entering the structure into a bed of hay. Looking up from the ground, you quickly find that it’s not just you stuck in a 12x12 box.

A familiar tobiano paint stands proudly, turning his head in your direction. Beautiful black and white markings cover the gelding with a splash of white on one side of its face revealing a sole blue eye. The other eye is a rich shade of brown, surrounded by black fur.

“Good boy,” you whisper to the horse, hoping to not frighten him or anyone else that may be inside to your presence. He eyes you back with a huff and some widened eyes, but thankfully their ears move in attentive patterns rather than that of aggression.

You measle around to the front of the stall, managing to swoon him with your pets between soft whispering coos. “I should steal you and show him how it feels. You want that, big guy?”

A high-pitched whinny pierces the air, drawing your eyes to your long-lost Valentine one stall over. She stomps her foot aggressively, but her warning comes all too slow before the stall door flings open. Before you can reprimand yourself for being snuck up on, let alone draw your gun, the opposing force already has their own aimed nearly point blank.

“My, I didn’t expect anyone to check here first, let alone wish to steal Uzumaki from me?”

You turn slowly towards the man you’ve been wanting to see all night and day. The same silky-haired bastard that made off with your mare. He stares you down the iron sight of a Cattleman’s revolver, holding a salacious grin as he takes amusement in this whole ordeal.

“I think it’s only fair, seeing as you stole my own horse after your little escapade in town last night.” Unlike his suave tones, your voice is laced with the venom of a diamondback rattlesnake. Just because he has you cornered, doesn’t mean you’re any less dangerous than a pit viper itching to strike.

The sound of gunfire alerts you both to the events unfolding outside the shabby walls of the stable, all with the shouting of a dozen men. The sliding door to the entrance of the barn opens with a bang, and the outlaw is quick to draw up a second revolver at the new arrival.

“Suguru, put your guns down.” Satoru says, trying to mask the hints of pain and grief beneath a stoic demeanor.

On the other end, Suguru is cheerful and keeps his sight set on the other with a cheshire smile. “Satoru~ long time no see.”

You clear your throat, reminding the two of your third wheeling presence. “Nice reunion and all, but you’re outnumbered here.”

“That may be.” he pauses, rolling his head in your direction once more. “But I’m holding the guns here so it’s up to you both to decide how you want to walk out of here.”

Funny how things ended up working out after that.

Between some more bickering, monologues, thundering hooves, and dwindling gunfire, who knew a simple suggestion to “kiss and make up” would lead to you being sandwiched between them in one of the empty available stalls occupying square bales of hay to use as surfacing.

Straw digs into your back annoyingly, but the pleasure of two cocks in either end transition you to a state of euphoria. Muffled whimpers fail to escape, instead warping around Satoru buried deep in your throat. It’s long, veiny, and curves in all the right directions. His hands find comfort over the mound of your breasts, kneading into the flesh with each thrust.

You can’t see it, but those breathtaking blue eyes look in awe of your figure adorned with a sheen of sweat and the sight of Suguru’s cock disappearing into your perfect little pussy. “So pretty,” he purrs, noting how you’re glowing brighter than any star could hope to achieve, silver or not.

Suguru’s hands brand the dipping of your hips with a bruising grip, rutting into you with his especially girthy extension. Each jerk of his body hits right into a sweet spot bringing you ever closer to undoing the knot at the base of your core.

They both momentarily pause as you begin to unravel, choking out cries that leave Satoru reeling with pleasure from the tightness of your throat. Suguru feels it too. Your gummy walls encasing around him in erratic motions. The two of them aren’t far away from their own release.

The sounds each make only serve to keep the wings of your pussy fluttering for more. Irresistibly charming, and all the more passionate given the shared history they share, and you now caught in the middle.

Suguru leans forward over you, cupping Satoru’s cheek to draw him closer, crashing their lips together in a messy embrace. That one action forces each to come undone, painting both ends of you so perfectly white. They pull out, savoring the whining noise you release from the loss. The black-haired man takes a moment to admire how you clench around nothing and the cum gushing out like a waterfall of love.

“How are you feeling, baby?” Suguru asks, and both Satoru and you simultaneously answer positively making him chuckle all low and honey-like.

“You’re doing so well, but we’re not done just yet…” Both men exchange a look, as if reading one another’s mind. Soulmatism at its finest. “Well, Satoru?”

“It’s been too long, Suguru,” he responds gleefully. Satoru then proceeds to lift your tiring body up and onto his lap, making you straddle him as the other comes around into your view. “Ready for more, princess?”

“Less talk, more stuffing,” you scoff, taking it upon yourself to line his tip with your eager cunt, graciously accepting him into the depths beyond what Suguru could reach.

“You heard the pretty lady, Satoru,” the other whispers into his ear, nibbling the lobe as he slowly thrusts up into the man. The slick coating his shaft that you provided just moments ago make for a smooth entry, earning a deep fulfilling rumble from Satoru.

His fingers slid up your thighs and over the curves of your body, pressing into the plush to bounce you on him. You saw plenty before of the cobweb of veins that marble his cock, but feeling the ridges trailing along your insides leaves you breathing out such sinful sounds. He works it like the most formal of fountain pens, writing poetry on velvet walls that could put even Shakespeare to shame.

“Fuuh-uck,” you murmur, burying your face in the crook of Satoru’s neck, shamelessly letting him contort your body however he desires. Your arms wrap tightly around his neck and hair, locking him in against your bare chest.

“Now now, don’t go hiding yourself,” Suguru says between disheveled breaths, trying not to let his pace falter as he urges your face up. He overtakes your lips, mixing sloppy kisses with nips across your bottom lip.

Satoru uses this chance to pepper your open neck with marks fashioned all in his name, biting down with more force each time his lover hits that sweet spot inside. He can feel not only his own chest tighten, but his balls as well.

Suguru breaks the kiss, but only to push the two in front of him down. The weight of Satoru comes down over you, taking your mouth against his and soaking up the taste of all the combined flavors. Suguru unleashes powerful thrusts into Satoru that force him in and out of your own body as he chases his high.

“You missed me this much, Suguru?” He gazes over his shoulder, smiling as he tries to form cock-drunk words. “S-so much more aggressive than usual, f-feels good.”

“Not a day goes by where I don’t see a reminder of you.” You can just barely make out the seldom, yet saccharine face Suguru makes, your own vision clouded with a hazy white. “It’s just like the old days with o-our new friend here.”

“Our princess here is taking us so well, isn’t she?”

“She is,” he says, and you feel feather-light touches come over your thighs that attempt to coil around Satoru for closeness. “You’re such a good girl, I bet you want to cum, don’t you?” You feverishly nod, unsure how much longer you can hold out.

“Come on, baby.” A finger moves over your clit drawing star-shaped patterns until that’s all you’re able to see. “T-that’s it,” he drawls, following soon after.

Hot ropes of cum spill out inside you once more, making a beautiful cocktail of three. Suguru mercilessly ruts into Satoru until he himself finishes, savoring the feeling he’s long since missed and relishing in the new ones you’ve brought him.

Satoru’s body relaxes leaving you trapped underneath. You take the time to brush your fingers through his hair as you come down off your high, feeling yourself ground to the Earth in the process.

Suguru pulls out, leaving a chaste kiss to you both. His delicate fingers push the hair of your face, admiring the beauty of your afterglow. You close your eyes, soaking up the feeling of one another, completely oblivious to anything else.

Well, almost oblivious.

“It’s been fun seeing you again and meeting such a lovely new woman,” Suguru starts. You open your eyes and Satoru as well to see Suguru dressed and mounted atop the tobiano. “I’ve got to get home before my daughters begin to worry. See you around sometime.” He winks, galloping out of the stable before either of you can say another word.

Satoru stands up, exhaling a defeated sigh. The plan to arrest Suguru ended up with the two of you being detained by love. Both his gang and the gold are long gone to wherever his hideout lies.

Satoru helps you up, cleaning you off as best he can before readying the horses, and yes, that means yours too.

Valentine is home, back with her family.

You.

As you sit atop her on route back to the city of Valentine, you feel a discomfort in your clothes and the crunching of parchment to follow. The source of which is a pamphlet courtesy of Suguru, detailing drawings and hints on how if you’re interested, you can use these clues to find him and his camp of outlaws.

And so, a third opportunity for your future presents itself, but that’s for the future. For now, the only thing on your mind is a steak dinner. Here’s hoping the Butcher has finished his job.

☆ Notes: KFC breakup – saloon edition

Fr this chapter was hard for me to write. I love satosugu but I’m not confident in writing them just yet :( I cursed myself so many times and had to close to document. march weather also has got me not feeling too well so that sucks.

I was kinda stumped how to transition from gunpoint to dickpoint in a way that wasn’t so dubious or noncon so I hope you don’t mind me just skipping straight to the action :3 threesome smut is hard to write for me

[wizardinrhyme]

Summary: Sometimes you just gotta read the End User License Agreement instead of taking the System at face value.

Just a little something for Genuary 2025 :)

“So I see here in this Agreement there is a section about point conversion. What points can I convert and how?”

[System can convert Earth’s Karma Points to B-Points. Karma Points will be lost on transfer if not converted. Convert all points? Yes/No]

“Yes. Now, I see there is a shop. How do I access it?”

[System Shop is available at Save Points. Would you like to access the Shop now?]

“Yeah, show me what you’ve got.”

A virtual store popped up, looking like a games shop with shelves of cartridges, disc cases, books, and miscellaneous tchotchkes. Shen Yuan strolled through the aisles, having no basis for what was or wasn’t a good deal.

“What’s my balance and how do I get more points?”

[Shen Yuan Account currently has 0 Protagonist Satisfaction Points and 19,836 B-Points. Points are awarded for improving Protagonist and Reader satisfaction. Further point types may be unlocked by user actions.]

Okay, that didn’t really give him any idea how easily replaced these points were, but you can never go wrong with a permanent income booster. He grabbed a cartridge marked 'B-Point Multiplier x4' off the shelf and continued shopping.

“How frequent are Save Points? Can I just save whenever? And can I reload?”

[System will auto-save before and after key story events. Saves will only be used as a backup in case of System Error.]

“So useless to me, then. What’s up with this?” He waved at an empty display marked ‘Special Offers’.

[System may offer scenario specific rewards at any time by its own discretion. Offers are nontransferable, non-refundable, and offered for a limited time only.]

“Are there rewards that are transferable or refundable?”

[Insufficient access]

“Are there other users?”

[Insufficient access]

“I see. You said my role now is to improve the original story; how much can I change?”

[Key events must occur; Protagonist must participate in key events. System will issue quests as appropriate.]

“What happens if I reject a quest?”

[Rejecting a quest may result in punishment up to and including account termination if System determines you have failed to comply with the Agreement.]

Hm. Shen Yuan had never been in danger of inheriting the family business, but he had certainly learned a few things about contracts. He leaned against the shop counter and made a few edits to the Agreement (which he had forced the System to create a physical copy of), initialing and dating each change.

“I will sign if you agree to my updates.”

[…]

[Processing…]

[Agreed]

On the signature line of Shen Yuan’s copy “SysAdmin02 (Authorized System Representative)” appeared in a stereotypical console font.

“I’ll hold you to it,” Shen Yuan promised, leafing through to make sure each edit had been initialed before adding his own signature.

Fast forward and he’s standing in front of a portal to the Endless Abyss, Luo Binghe is freaking out, and the System is threatening to send him back home.

“This goes against our Agreement.” He says, face and tone dark.

[Correct. User has failed to comply with the Agreement. Account will be terminated in- two… minutes… if not brought into compliance.]

“No, you’re the one breaking the Agreement. You stated that 10,000 points would be lost if I didn’t push the protagonist into the Abyss; I have 30,000 points which is well over enough even after you tried to double the penalty. I didn’t reject the quest and I have the means to pay the fine for not completing it. In what way have I not been compliant? You on the other hand are saying you’ll send me back to my original world- which is in clear violation of the conditions. Look under ‘Terms and Termination’. See where it says ‘previously purchased Content will remain available to You’? Now how is that going to work if I’m in another world?”

He jabbed a finger at his purchase history.

“What about this body?” He had purchased quite a few power-ups, not to mention the back-up clone waiting in stasis. “What about all of my artifacts? My custom skins (so much easier than getting ready every day)? My exclusive pets? Can you send those with me in a usable state? Would I even be able to use them after being sent back to that body?”

He was prepared to keep going, but the System beeped in protest.

[Error. This condition is not part of the Standard Agreement.]

“You agreed to my edits. You signed the updated contract,” he smiled, all teeth and no warmth. “I think you should direct your attention to the ‘Arbitration and Compensation’ section where you’ll find you owe me recompense for attempting to unjustly terminate my account.”

And that is how Shen Yuan, now Shen Qingqiu, got away with doing whatever he wanted for the next few years until the System got too frustrated and terminated the Agreement, paying a hefty fine and leaving everyone to their own devices.

[wayward-dreamer]

Slow Night

Square/s Filled: FREE @anyfandomgoesbingo | Pet names @anyfandomkinkbingo

Pairing: Steve Harrington x F!Reader

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 2,262

Summary: A slow night at Family Video has Steve and Y/N face the reality of how they feel about each other.

Warnings: Swearing, fluff, smut: dirty talk, oral sex (f receiving)

A/N: My first Steve fic which wouldn't have been my first if it hadn't taken me so long to write lol. Hope you all enjoy it! Thanks to my loves @hintsofhoney and @makeadealwithdean for looking over this for me! <3

Lashings of rain beat down on the cars in the parking lot, some of the downpour hitting the windows of the building as it ran off the thin shelter above the store. Wednesday was already a slow night for Family Video, and the rain was an added factor on that particular night. Y/N leaned back against the counter, her arms crossed as she grimaced at the weather outside, hoping that the rain would cease, and the last two hours of her shift would take a turn for the better. Another customer or two and they would make a good enough profit for the day, despite it being their least busy.

With a glance behind her, she took a deep breath as she watched her co-worker for the evening push the cart of VHS tapes down the aisle, stacking them back on the shelves. Steve Harrington. Yet another reason she wanted a few more customers to come in, so she didn’t have to be completely alone with him. It wasn’t because she didn’t like him, but because she did. A little too much maybe.

He had joined the team along with Robin about 5 months ago, and while Keith hadn’t been thrilled about Steve as a new addition, she definitely was. Or at least she had been at the time. The crush settled in pretty quickly, and she had hoped that he would notice, but he hadn’t. So, she did what she did best, pushed down her feelings and ignored the ache in her heart.

“Alright, I’ve put back every single tape that was in the office,” Steve informed as he took the same position as her against the counter, “can’t we just call it a night? I really don’t think anyone’s braving the rain.”

“You’re already on Keith’s bad side, do you really wanna mess with that?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I thought you had my back with him,” he countered, turning to face her as he placed his hands on hips, his eyes locked on hers.

“I mean, I usually do. But see, if I let you leave early and Keith asks, I’m gonna have to cover for your ass… and I just risk my own this time, Stevie,” she teased, a smirk pulling at her lips as she turned to him.

“Okay, well… then we just cover each other’s asses,” he suggested, leaning his elbow on the counter as he continued to face her.

She chortled, staring up at him before she shook her head, stepping away from him. “That’s some idea, Steve Harrington.”

“See, you’re being sarcastic but I really think there’s something to it-” he started to explain himself, but stopped as she grabbed his hand and dragged him behind her.

“I bet there is, but how ‘bout you help me sort the posters that came in this morning,” she interjected, pulling him into the back office.

Y/N walked into the room with Steve in tow, the desk covered with rolled up posters for the movies that they would have available at Family Video. She dropped his arm as she stood in front of the table, shuffling the pile in half as she moved one set closer to him.

“Alright, let’s open them and see what we got, then we can decide which ones go where,” she instructed, looking up at him.

“Yeah,” he breathed, quickly getting started.

They took several minutes as they unrolled all the posters, seeing what they had and where in the store they were going to put them up. Y/N took the ones that they weren’t going to use and put them aside, keeping the ten that they were going to put up open with paperweights.

“I think we should put these four in the window,” she stated, pointing them out. “And these six inside, two on each wall.”

“Okay,” Steve said, removing the weights and picking up the first poster.

Y/N yelped as the corner of the paper nicked the top of her finger, causing her to flinch and pull her hand back. She looked down, trying to see if the skin had broken and if there was any blood.

“Oh shit, s-sorry,” he stuttered, moving over to her and quickly taking her hand in his. “You okay?”

She gulped, the feeling of his skin against hers having more of an effect on her than the paper. “Y-Yeah. No blood. I’m good.”

“Good,” he muttered, as he gave her a once over. “Those papercuts can be nasty.”

“Yeah,” she agreed, looking down at their hands.

Steve’s thumb brushed over her knuckles as their hands remained locked, neither of them pulling away. Her mind was reeling, and she knew she should’ve moved away from him but she couldn’t bring herself to. His fingers pressed against hers, feeling how soft her skin was. She didn’t even know that he felt the same way, and he had since the moment they met on his first day of work. It was as fast as a bullet, and he had only felt like that once before. Nancy Wheeler, second semester senior year. It was different to Nancy, though, and he knew that was a good thing but he was too scared that he would get burned like he had previously.

But he had to start letting that go.

Steve leaned in slowly, the gasp leaving her before he pressed his lips to hers making him smile a little as they kissed. It was soft, gentle, amazing. Along with that, it was far too brief as Y/N pulled away first, staring up at him with wide eyes.

“I-I shouldn’t have done that-” he began to apologize, thinking that he misread the moment, but she stopped him by shaking her head, tugging on his green work vest.

“No,” she breathed, her lips pulling up into a smile. “I’m just surprised. I liked it, though.”

“Me too,” he added, smirking. “I like you, Y/N. So much.”

She huffed in disbelief, a small giggle escaping her. “Really?”

“Yeah, really,” he replied, before dipping his head once more.

She met him halfway, their lips moving against each other’s in a passionate kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she pushed herself closer to him, his hands sliding down her back and onto her hips. He shifted her backwards towards the desk, his right hand leaving her and swiping the posters off the surface, sitting her down on top. Her legs wrapped around him as she reached for his work vest, pushing it off his shoulders and letting it fall on the floor. Their lips continued to move sensually as her hands slid down his chest, tugging at his shirt that was tucked into his jeans, but he stopped her, his fingers clasping hers.

“We shouldn’t do it like this,” he stated, softly once he pulled away. “I mean, I should at least take you on a date first, right?”

She smiled up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and stared into his eyes. “You should… but not right now.”

He smirked, leaning in once more and kissing her, with as much passion as when their lips first touched. When she reached for his shirt again, he didn’t stop her, briefly pulling away to let her take it off him. She gasped softly as her hands slid down his soft, alabaster skin, feeling the ripple of his muscles. Their mouths met again as he pushed her Family Video jacket off her shoulders, her arms moving back to let it slip down and onto the floor. The kiss became heated just as her movements became frantic, not wanting to waste any more time. She laid back on the desk and pulled him close once he leaned over her. His lips left gentle pecks along her jaw and neck, his fingers plucking the buttons of her shirt open and exposing her white lace bra and more of her skin to pay attention to.

“Steve,” she breathed, her fingers combing through his incredible locks as he drifted down her body. “I-I”

“Tell me what you want, baby,” he muttered, leaving a kiss over her ribcage just as his eyes glanced up at her.

She gulped as she looked back at him, the glint in his eyes and the way she had always wished to hear him call her ‘baby’ being too much for her in that moment. She couldn’t think straight.

“I n-need, need your mouth,” she gasped, feeling his lips brush over her skin in the most delicious way possible.

“Here?” he asked as he placed a soft kiss to her stomach.

She groaned slightly. “L-Lower.”

“Oh,” he smirked, slowly unbuttoning her jeans and pulling them down sensually. He nipped at the flesh over her hip, a low chuckle leaving him as she jumped. “There?”

“Steve, please,” she whimpered, tugging lightly at his hair. “Don’t tease me anymore, please…”

He laughed again as he continued to remove the denim along with her panties, throwing them on the floor. He didn’t bother to remove her sneakers as he was far too impatient to get his mouth on her. He felt his cock swell, straining against his jeans but he wanted to pay attention to her first. He really did like her, and if he couldn’t take her on a first date before doing this, then he at least had to show her he cared in other ways. Y/N’s head tilted back and scraped lightly against the desk, a loud moan escaping her as his tongue licked a long stripe against her sex. Her calves rested on his shoulders as he shifted closer to her, his skilled muscle continuing to move over her folds. He groaned at the taste of her arousal as it met his tongue, the sounds vibrating against her and making her fingers clench in his luscious locks.

“Fuck,” she gasped, her eyes fluttering closed. “Steve, that feels so good.”

He pulled away briefly, kissing her inner thigh as he peered up at her. “You taste so good, honey. Wanna feel you cum on my tongue. You can do that for me, can’t you, baby?”

“Y-Yeah,” she stuttered, glancing down at him.

Steve continued his ministrations, bringing her the most euphoric feeling she had ever experienced as his tongue moved to her clit, running circles around it as he grabbed her hips tight in his hands. She pushed herself up one elbow, moaning as she bit her lip, watching the way he pleasured her. He picked up the pace, causing her to throw her head back with a lustful whimper, her hips rocking against him, grinding against his mouth.

“Fuck, yes, oh, Steve,” she moaned, wantonly. She held him in place by gripping his hair, wanting to get him as close as possible and hoping he didn’t pull away. “Oh god, r-right there…”

He alternated between paying attention to the bundle of nerves and her folds, moving his tongue faster. Short puffs of air left her as she became overwhelmed by what she was feeling, while he was like a man starved, relentless with his talented muscle as he brought her closer to the edge. She felt her core tighten and she knew she was close, her pelvis continuing to grind against him as she chased her release.

“Oh god, S-Steve, I-I’m close,” she cried out, her hands so tight in his hair she feared she’d pull out a few of those precious strands.

“Cum for me, honey, wanna feel it,” he muttered against her sex as he pulled away slightly, before he picked up where he left off.

She felt the pressure build up as waves of pleasure washed over her, and it was only a matter of moments before she fell over the edge, her arousal covering his tongue and mouth. He grunted against her as he lapped at everything she had to give him, making her shiver with a small moan leaving her. She breathed heavily as she giggled, her fingers combing his hair back while he shifted away slightly, their eyes meeting.

“That was…” she started, biting her lip to keep herself from grinning. She couldn’t stop herself though. “I think I saw stars.”

“Well, that was the goal,” he said, standing up between her legs, bringing them around his waist.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as his moved around her, pulling her close as they kissed, passionately. She moaned at the taste of herself on his lips, her arousal growing as they continued their embrace. They were too caught up in their need for each other to hear the bell above the entrance to the store ring.

“Hello? Anyone here?”

Y/N’s eyes widened as she ripped her mouth away from Steve’s, pushing him away and getting off the desk, picking up her jeans. He took his vest and put it on, as he was more decent than her at that point.

“You get ready, I’ll handle this,” he promised, kissing her cheek.

“Thank you,” she blushed. She loved how sweet he was and she couldn’t wait to see where things went with them.

He tucked his shirt back in, wiped his mouth and fixed his vest, looking her over once more and winking. She was amazing and he couldn’t believe that he finally got to be with her, but he was going to make sure he earned that. With one last look between them, he walked out of the office, clicking his fingers as he shook his head, smiling.

“So much for going home early.” 

[kitchengadjetsmarket]

Maximize Your Kitchen Space with the Perfect Kitchen Rack: Organize, Store, and Style

Maximize Your Kitchen Space with the Perfect Kitchen Rack: Organize, Store, and Style

In today’s modern homes, the kitchen is more than just a place to cook it’s the heart of the home. However, with the increasing number of gadgets, utensils, and ingredients, keeping your kitchen organized can be a challenge. This is where a kitchen rack comes into play. A kitchen rack is an essential tool for maximizing space, improving organization, and enhancing the overall functionality of your kitchen.

Why You Need a Kitchen Rack?

A kitchen rack is a versatile storage solution that can help you declutter your countertops, cabinets, and drawers. By providing additional storage space, a kitchen rack allows you to keep your kitchen essentials within easy reach while maintaining a clean and organized environment. Whether you have a small kitchen or a spacious one, a kitchen rack can make a significant difference in how you use and enjoy your cooking space.

Types of Kitchen Racks

There are various types of kitchen racks available, each designed to meet specific needs and preferences. Here are some popular options:

Wall-Mounted Kitchen Racks: These racks are perfect for saving counter space. They can be installed on walls to hold spices, utensils, or even pots and pans. Wall-mounted racks are ideal for small kitchens where every inch of space counts.

Countertop Kitchen Racks: If you have ample counter space, a countertop rack can be a great addition. These racks are perfect for storing cutting boards, baking sheets, and other frequently used items.

Over-the-Sink Kitchen Racks: These racks are designed to fit over your sink, providing a convenient place to store sponges, dish soap, and other cleaning supplies. They help keep your sink area tidy and organized.

Pantry Kitchen Racks: For those who need extra storage for dry goods and canned items, pantry racks are a great solution. They can be placed inside cabinets or on pantry shelves to maximize storage space.

Rolling Kitchen Racks: If you need a mobile storage solution, consider a rolling kitchen rack. These racks come with wheels, making it easy to move them around as needed. They are perfect for storing pots, pans, and other heavy items.

Benefits of Using a Kitchen Rack

Improved Organization: A kitchen rack helps you keep your kitchen tools and ingredients organized, making it easier to find what you need when you need it.

Maximized Space: By utilizing vertical space, a kitchen rack allows you to store more items without cluttering your countertops or cabinets.

Enhanced Accessibility: With a kitchen rack, your most-used items are always within reach, saving you time and effort during meal preparation.

Aesthetic Appeal: A well-chosen kitchen rack can add a touch of style to your kitchen, enhancing its overall look and feel.

Tips for Choosing the Right Kitchen Rack

When selecting a kitchen rack, consider the following factors:

Size: Measure the available space in your kitchen to ensure the rack fits perfectly without overcrowding the area.

Material: Kitchen racks are made from various materials, including stainless steel, wood, and plastic. Choose a material that complements your kitchen’s decor and is easy to clean.

Functionality: Think about what you need to store and choose a rack that offers the right compartments and features to meet your needs.

Durability: Opt for a sturdy and durable kitchen rack that can withstand daily use and hold heavy items without bending or breaking.

Conclusion

A kitchen rack is a simple yet effective solution for keeping your kitchen organized and functional. Whether you need to store spices, utensils, or cookware, there’s a kitchen rack that’s perfect for your needs. By investing in the right kitchen rack, you can transform your cooking space into a more efficient and enjoyable environment. So, take the first step towards a more organized kitchen today and explore the various options available to find the perfect kitchen rack for your home.

By incorporating a kitchen rack into your kitchen, you not only enhance its functionality but also create a more inviting and stylish space. Start your journey towards a clutter-free kitchen with the perfect kitchen rack today!

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#KitchenRack #KitchenOrganization #KitchenStorage #HomeOrganization  #KitchenDecor   #SpaceSavingSolutions #KitchenEssentials #OrganizedKitchen #KitchenDesign   #DeclutterYourKitchen

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[upthewitchypunx]

I’ve had a few questions about the rooms in our house, so for those of you actually interested in the rooms, here’s some info ...

We are two punks in our 40s (pronouns: he and she/they) I own the house in North Portland a few blocks from the Yellow Line Killingsworth Max stop. I’m vegan and my partner is an omnivore so our kitchen is a vegetarian compromise and that is non negotiable. No cooking meat in the house or storing meat in the kitchen. Eggs, honey, and milk are okay just no on my favorite well seasoned cast iron skillet.

The house is 120 years old and while we have replaced the wiring, windows, heater, sewer, etc.The kitchen and baths need updates. It also has has old house issues like no AC, few electric plugs, weird doorknobs, etc.

There are bands that practice at least two nights a week in our basement so it would not be a good option for a student or someone who needs quite. The practice space could also be used by you if you make music. We live by the freeway which creates a nice ocean sounding white noise, at least I think so. It also makes the sound of band practicing drown out.

Pre-pandemic we hosted a lot of house guests from all over the world from trusted travelers, zine friends, or musicians. Not so much currently, but maybe in the future. That's just something to keep in mind.

We are not neat freaks. My partner washes most of everyone's dishes and will tidy up the kitchen for everyone, but there are often piles of neglected projects on the dining table, and dust that needs to be swept off the stairs and stuff like that. If something bothers you, clean it, don’t complain about it.

We work from home and cook most of our meals, we are here a lot and we listen to a lot of podcasts. Customers also come to our home to pick up orders.

There are two bathrooms, one we are planning on doing some work on this year and the upstairs one has a giant clawfoot tub. We also have a gas stove, fire place, porch, washer and dryer in the basement, small yard jam packed with lots of plants and veggie garden boxes.

Both rooms are upstairs. The big room is $750/month including all utilities (water/sewer, gas, electricity, internet and some other stuff like toilet paper, dishsoap, sponges, etc) our friend from Utah might take the room in autumn so we might have a short term space available. The smaller room is $650/month including all utilities and is strange but kind of charming because someone tried and failed at turning it into a kitchen at some point in the 70s and it has a build in retro kitchen counter and cabinet situation that makes for nice built in shelving.

We are old punks but we are pretty chill, not interested in drama and would prefer someone over 25 and even more preferred would be someone over 30. (You know, through your Saturn Return). We are queer and trans friendly. We hate racist, nazis, fascists, and terfs. Also, we are up to date on COVID vaccinations and expect you to be too.

No dogs, but well behaved cats are a possibility. We might be interested in someone who needs a place to land for a few months when they move to Portland, or someone who just wants to spend a summer in Portland or a couple months, or someone who wants to rent one room and share the other a studio space as it is currently or greenhouse/backstock for the shop.

Oh, hey also, I’m an agnostic secular witch and soft animist. This house has a name and is heavily warded so you would need to be alright with that.

Room will be open July 1 or a bit earlier or a bit later if it works out better for new denizens.

[mr-eccentricist]

Tips on Buying Right DVD Rack for Your Store

Countless options are available in today’s market when it comes to DVD rack and if you own find out more here a store you need one type of rack, which will not be the same in case of your own home. Here is how you can make the right choice.

Having a DVD rack is mandatory for those who keeps on adding to their DVD collection. Now, there can be a question as to which DVD stand can be the best for you. After all, you cannot keep on adding these stands to your home or store. Moreover, you have to give some serious consideration over the aspect of your budget for the CD/DVD stands as well. That is why, a careful thought on all the aspects related to space, budget and design have to be considered before you walk to store and make a choice among DVD display stands and buy the best one for you.

Space: Even before you head out to buy a DVD stand, first think where you will put it. You may go for a nice decorative DVD rack if you have enough space to put it. In that case, just beside your digital TV or your computer unit, you can put this rack which will not only make it easier to reach for the DVDs when you will need them, but will also add to the aesthetic value of the home. On the other hand, if you are living in a studio apartment or a very small room, you can always go for the counter top or one pocket or 4 pockets CD/DVD stands. This way, it will be easy also to sort out the DVDs and keep them well organized. The same is applicable when you are putting DVD rack in a store for display as well. More space can be utilized with spread out, floor stands while you can utilize less space with the counter top version of DVD display stands.

Budget: This should be another major consideration while buying DVD rack. Unlike DVDs you cannot keep buying CD/DVD stands and add them to your collection. That is why if you are in the habit of collecting movie or song DVDs or for your professional purposes you need to have lots of DVDs, it is better to go for the DVD shelf instead of a single DVD stand. Alternatively, you can buy one DVD stand for the entertainment versions and another for the work related DVDs. You can even go for the portable stands which you can move from place to place to redecorate and utilize space. For the store, generally large display racks for DVDs are needed in which case open space large 8 or more tiered DVD display stands will be perfect. Along with the main racks, store owners can add the counter top versions as well just to showcase the latest DVDs for a quick browsing.

Design: DVD rack is available in various shapes and designs. You can go for the elegant wooden DVD shelves or the stylish and chic wrought iron CD/DVD stands. There are also the small counter top versions with one pocket, 4 pocket or 4-6 tier versions. You can select among these based on the space and budget and keep your DVDs safe and well organized.

Having CD/DVD stands have almost become mandatory for every house hold now a day, needless to say about the DVD stores. This is the easiest and effective way to keep all your DVDs well sorted and safe. You can even add a touch of style to your room with designer DVD racks.

[moshintheteagaiwan]

T. Kettle Part 10: Display Staging & The Wedding

I was none too happy with someone new coming to my store to do display staging. For months now this has been my responsibility and my layouts had been given excellent reviews from upper management. I had turned this store into one of the top rated stores in the company. Besides the gigantic malls, we had the highest sales of all store locations. What could I do though? I had no choice and so I waited for dreadful hour when the new staging rep would arrive. From the moment she walked and I introduced myself I wasn’t impressed. She was a bit stand offish and immediately gave that impression of “what I say goes”.

She began tearing down shelf displays and dropping merchandise everywhere she could. It was covering the counters, the floor, the back counters, and everywhere in between. And all this while customers were coming in trying to browse, but were met with an unruly mess. You see she was not there just to adjust our displays but to create all new displays for which all store would be modelled off of. Issue was that not only had she never been to any of the other stores, she was also not aware that not all stores has differing product, display bays and shelving set ups. I tried to explain to her how certain things might work here but not for other stores but she had no interest in hearing it.

She spent over five hours tearing apart displays, reconstructing them, and then tearing them down again. And she also had me assisting here to do this while I also tried to deal with customers. It was clear she had no real idea of what she was getting into or what was available. I remember she has me drag out this massive old DavidsTea floor display stand to set up all the new Christmas tins on. I dragged the stand out onto the floor and she asked me leave it to her. We had around seven new tins to display and of the seven tins, three where red in colour.

She set up the tins on this round display so that one shelf had tins broken up by different colours but then decided that all red tins should be displayed side by side on one shelf. It goes without saying that this cause the three different tins to blend in which each other and hard to tell apart. She asked me what I thought of her display and I explained the issue with the colour layout. Unsurprisingly she didn’t understand what I meant. I had move things around on my own in order for her to understand the issue and even then it wasn’t sinking in. But finally after several hours of this back and forth nonsense she was done and my shift was over!

Admittedly and rearranged some things the next day.

Christmas shopping was starting of slowly this year due to Covid which was understandable. It was so nice to have the hours available to not only have a proper team, but to also have someone to work with and lunch break relief. Prior to the Christmas season, with only three teams member including myself, and only enough hours to staff equal to the number of hours the mall was open, I often worked full day alone. Because of how I was forced to schedule, at least four days a week I would work alone from open till close, and would have to close the store in order to take any kind of break.

I hated these times, especially through the week as it got quite lonely at times. It worked out so that I didn’t work weekend because I worked most of the week alone, and my other team members had more availability in weekends due to school. The company wanted managers to work all weekend, but due to the circumstances surrounding scheduling I said no. And because our store non the less was a high sales store, upper management usually left me alone about it. Now I could work a full shift with a partner to keep me company and keep the store running for lunch breaks.

I was glad I had such a knowledgeable and strong team behind me because I needed to leave the store for a week during busy season to get married. My original team members were amazing at picking up the ball and keeping operations running smooth while I was away. However, if you could believe it I got a call on the day of my wedding from an operations rep wanting to discuss an issue at the store. Apparently the day after I had left for my wedding, upper management had asked the manager on duty to make up eight $100 gift cards, and that someone would be coming to get them. The manager on duty did this as instructed. When the person arrived at the store, the manager had them pay for the gift cards and handed them over. However, this person was not told nor instructed not to charge this mystery person for these cards and upper management wasn’t happy.

I explained the this rep that not only was I unaware of this incident, but that I was about to get married, and has informed the company of this months ago, and asked why I was being contacted. I could tell the rep was red in the face and she quickly apologized and hung up. Thankfully I never heard from the again during the rest of the time I was away. I later learned they contacted the manager on duty and had them do a full $800 refund and that our store numbers would be affected by it even though this was a company error.

Beyond this and the occasional scheduling issue with the seasonal staff, the Christmas season went great. We sold out of promotional gift offers, our Christmas teas were big sellers, and our sales were in the top two almost weekly. It was wonderful being back in that Christmas shopping environment. Sadly though it would be my last...

[thephoebeyates]

≈ novelty book store. with @somcthingliminal

“You know, I don’t necessarily mind movie-book covers, but a few of them are a bit…well, much.” It was the nicest way for Phoebe to describe what most literary folks would describe abominations to the art-form, scrolling through her Kindle phone app to show Nydia what she had in mind. Who knew a by-chance crossing of paths in the same block they lived in would be the cultivation needed for what Phoebe could consider a tight friendship? It was nice to have friends with similar interests; sure there was Dante and Linc when it came to music — even if it was overshadowed by the drama of their own relationship — and despite the age difference, Saul was her go-to when it came to certain trash reality TV. But truly there was no better connection to books than that of someone who literally owned a store dedicated to the craft.

“Oh, never mind. It was some rom-com one anyway.” She let out a huff of defeat, sliding the phone in the back-pocket of her jeans, before leaning against the counter in her usual position, able to yap a t the shop-owner without disrupting the other customers. “Actually, there’s worse ones out there that aren’t movie ones…have you seen the Wordsworth Classics? They look AI Generated.” Though she stopped from pulling out her phone a second time, though at that moment it did buzz in her pocket, but paid it no mind for now. 

Letting the silence consume her for a second, Phoebe looked around, letting the comfort of the store wash over her. For as long as she could remember, there was always solace in visiting bookshops. A few of her mom’s nicer boyfriends would often treat her to the big stores like Barnes & Noble, or even the funky little second-hand bookstores in the back streets of bigger towns. Sometimes Word on the Street was on rotation at the market too, and they encouraged her to go wild with it. Phoebe being Phoebe, of course, always chose the cheapest thing available when she wasn’t allowed to say no to being treated. Then of course, it would lead to her mom’s weird insecurities about attention…

She shook the thought away, scanning the far shelves, wondering what her younger self would have picked if she had all the options now. “How’s business, anyway?” She asked, turning her attention back to Nydia. “I bet a bunch of kids with their long summer reading lists will come trudging in soon. Or is the summer better for the yoga studio?” Another funny coincidence the women shared, laughing about Phoebe’s many failed attempts to become a yogee over the years. Fuck it, she had finally decided after a full January class where everyone was making a start with their resolutions, Foster found her flexible enough, she really didn’t need the aching limbs. Or humiliation.

[crimsonfluidessence]

Prompt 18: A Fish Out Of Water

Esredes couldn't help but relax as the white gradually faded to green and the temperatures rose. Besides checking up on how his brother who wouldn't talk to him was doing, he only ever got to come down to the Shroud on a supply run or similar like today. After he found a spot in the woods to discreetly land and change back into his human form, the man smiled as he took his basket and messenger bag and headed in towards town.

A whole several hours. A whole several hours to be alone, and pretend he had gil again when in reality it was the movement's, and remember what it was like to be in civilization proper. There was almost a skip in his step as he made the journey down the path. No Temple Knights, no wild beasts, no freezing cold- just him, and the trees, and the approaching city-state of Gridania.

In truth, he understood why Seraphiaux decided to hide out in the woods, and others accused take up residence here despite the risk of the Temple Knights hunting them down. The Shroud seemed like such a beautiful place, and Gridania was a quaint city-state. It was also the only place on the Star where Esredes blended in. Back in Ishgard, when he could access it, anyhow, he always stood out. But here, there were plenty of Elezen, and red hair was much more common, and people did not all blend in with imaginary snow. He still wasn't looked at like an insider- people immediately pegged him as one of those visiting Ishgardians- but he didn't care. It was the closest he would ever get to feeling like he belonged, even if he still did not.

Gridanians were not fond of outsiders either, but they were still polite enough that Esredes didn't care. He could say hello to people and they would at least acknowledge him. They wouldn't give him that look of hatred and disgust he endured every time forces clashed on the battlefield, and sometimes people would actually talk to him. But most of all, he could walk in and out of every store, through the entire length of the Shaded Bower- it was no Crozier, but the homey feeling was nice- and he didn't need to feel afraid of a patrol coming and attacking him with swords.

Yes, supply run days were the best. He was just one faceless entity among many, and he loved it. He had the list of everything the movement wanted bought, half-committed to memory, and he was going to make the most of this shopping trip. Esredes took a leisurely stroll through the city, taking his time as he walked in and out of stores, greeted shopkeeps, heard totals and dolled it out in gil instead of stealing it- it felt good. It felt good not to think any further of it, and just keep on going as if he were any other customer.

His basket slowly accumulated with candles, paper, ink, butter, brown paper sacks- and the gil pouch was steadily draining to nothing as anticipated. He'd been following a trick he was given, more of an excuse to stay in stores longer- listen for what the price is for locals before you buy. Sure enough, they heard his voice and tried to charge him more, but in these runs he'd gotten decent at haggling. Eventually, he made his way to a store selling wooden furniture of all kinds, big and small. He pushed the door open and heard the bell ring, the elderly Elezen woman at the counter greeting him in a sweet voice. "Good day to you, sir. Welcome. Are you looking for anything in particular?" He smiled back. "Ah, yes, actually. Where is the kitchen stuff?" "Over in the left corner," she pointed. "Thank you," he said, and then followed directions. The left corner of the store was rather quiet and secluded, the tall shelves on either side making Esredes feel almost as if he were in a labyrinth. And he certainly didn't mind the quiet, for now. He set about matching the list with what was available- a few cups and bowls, no need for regular wooden silverware, the camp culinarians needed a new cutting board... Sure, a lot of this they made themselves sometimes, but with lumber shortages afoot in Coerthas, that wasn't always a reliable method. The Shroud had everything in abundance. If only they could be rebels against a Church down here, things might be so much easier...

The bell rung again as the door opened. Esredes tried to look over to see who it was, but the shelves were too tall. Instead, his eyebrow raised as he heard the unmistakable sound of chainmail. The Wood Wailers didn't use chain, so probably a passing adventurer? "Good afternoon, sir." The woman greeted again. "My, there's a lot of you out and about today. Has Ishgard gotten too cold?" She chuckled. A male voice that was unmistakably Ishgardian laughed back at her. "Oh, no, ma'am, Ishgard is just fine. I am simply in search of furniture for a new member of the family- have you any cradles available for sale or custom order?" Esredes froze. His blood turned to ice. Oh no. Oh no. That was not the chainmail of an adventurer. "We have a few set out, actually! Go to the left part of the store, past the bed frames- they're right at the edge in the middle." "Thank you very much, ma'am. I appreciate it." The footsteps grew closer. Esredes took a quick look around his surroundings. There was no way to get out and hide in another part of the store without the man seeing him- leaving only one option. Esredes went towards the sound of footsteps, crouched down by the floor, and waited for the man to get in range- then, he focused his sixth sense on the man's mind, and sent out an invisible wave- which successfully connected with the man's mind, creating a stable link as he came closer.

When the man stepped into view, he would not see Esredes, as long as Esredes stayed still as a statue. For as long as he was within the link's range, Esredes would appear as if he were not there. As his side profile revealed himself, Esredes took note of a man in full Temple Knight gear minus the helmet. The Elezen man looked approximately around Esredes' age, maybe a little older, but he did not recognize him, for certain. His brown hair looked surprisingly soft, gently draping down his sides down to the base of the neck, and as he looked Esredes' direction, to which Esredes' heart stopped a moment, his face looked rather nice and pleasant, actually. As if you could sit down with him for a nice chat over tea.

He would have hated to kill this kind of man in battle. But alas, he would not be chatting with him over tea. Instead, if he revealed himself, the man would most certainly look at him in horror and draw the sword at his hip, telling him he was under arrest. Instead, Esredes watched as the man began inspecting the cradles, paying the shelf Esredes was crouched in front of no more mind. "How long until the little one comes?" The woman asked. "Five months," he replied. "We'll figure out how to decorate and paint the cradle once we know what we're expecting. All the possible names either way are already picked out. Why, depending on what happens, we may just replace the wallpaper in the room entirely." He chuckled lightly. Esredes felt his heart sink. Born soldiers weren't supposed to have families, but he understood Ishgard didn't have enough civilians to completely dominate reproduction. Too many died. But what if, by some stroke of misfortune, he did have to face this man in battle? There'd be no way to know until his least favorite part of the process, removing the helmet. And suddenly he felt quite sick to his stomach just thinking about it. But the man just kept gushing on about his coming child. "Right now, if it's a girl, our winning name is Belindelle. And if it's a boy, we'll probably name him Laurelaux. Though her and I have had a fair few disagreements about Belindelle or Laurelle, because you see, on our wedding day the altar was adorned with laurels, so she thinks either way it should honor that. But I had a sister named Belindelle and I feel it'd be appropriate if we have a girl. If she does come out that way, we'll just have to make a decision. For now, we'll just have to wait and see. We pray to Halone each day for their safe deliverance unto us." On top of feeling sick in the stomach, Esredes' legs would soon begin to ache. The man stood there talking about his child, his wife, and the cradle for what felt like ages. It was too risky to move and leave the store. Finally, after what felt like an entire eon, he moved to the counter to pay. And Esredes took that opportunity to escape, quietly pushing the door open and ducking into another store to hide.

A few minutes later, he peeked out the window and saw the man leaving. Esredes then frowned to himself. Should he follow him discreetly from a distance, taking the first opportunity to kidnap him and convince him of the movement? Him, who was expecting a child, and would easily be killed in the movement? Or would he be willing to give his life up to see his child to a better future free of dragonfire, as he surely already thought he was doing now?

In the end, Esredes sighed to himself and let the man walk out of sight. It was too risky to get him alone, and he could not be arrested by Wood Wailers today. He would simply have to pray to... he would simply have to hope they never had to cross paths in battle. And maybe he would come to regret not following him.

When the coast was clear, Esredes walked back out into the open air and looked around. The nausea hadn't subsided and the sense of joy he felt earlier was gone now. He decided it best to find the nearest body of water, sit by it, and recollect himself. Gods know he needed to stretch his legs.

[acrylics01]

The Versatility of Acrylic Stands and Displays: Enhancing Presentation and Organization

Acrylic stands and displays have become integral tools in various industries, offering a sleek, modern, and functional solution for showcasing products and organizing spaces. Whether in retail environments, exhibitions, offices, or homes, acrylic stands provide a sophisticated way to present items while ensuring durability and style. In this article, we will explore the benefits and uses of acrylic stands, acrylic displays, and acrylic boxes, highlighting their versatility and why they are an ideal choice for many applications.

What Are Acrylic Stands and Displays?

Acrylic stands are transparent or clear structures made from acrylic material, designed to hold or display items in an organized manner. Acrylic displays refer to a broader range of products made from acrylic, including stands, boxes, and shelves. These displays are widely used for showcasing merchandise, brochures, signage, awards, and collectibles.

Acrylic stands for display come in various shapes, sizes, and configurations. Some are simple tabletop displays, while others can be freestanding or wall-mounted. These stands can be customized to suit specific needs, such as displaying art, jewelry, promotional materials, or small electronic devices. Acrylic's inherent clarity allows for an unobstructed view of the items on display, making it a popular choice for retailers and exhibitors alike.

Advantages of Acrylic Stands and Displays

1. Durability and Strength

One of the key advantages of acrylic stands is their durability. Acrylic is a tough, shatter-resistant material, making it a safer option than glass. Unlike glass, acrylic is less likely to break under stress, which is especially important in high-traffic environments like stores or trade shows. Acrylic stands for display offer long-term reliability, even when exposed to the wear and tear of daily use.

2. Visual Appeal

The clear, glass-like appearance of acrylic gives it a premium, professional look. Its high transparency enhances the visibility of the items displayed, drawing attention to the product without distracting from it. Acrylic displays are available in various finishes, including glossy, matte, and frosted, allowing them to complement different design aesthetics. Whether used in modern, minimalist settings or more traditional spaces, acrylic displays fit seamlessly into any decor.

3. Customization and Versatility

Acrylic stands can be easily customized to meet specific needs. They can be fabricated in any shape or size, allowing businesses to design displays that suit their products or branding. Additionally, acrylic displays can be printed with logos, graphics, or promotional messages, making them an excellent marketing tool. From counter displays to large showroom setups, acrylic stands can be adapted for nearly every purpose.

4. Lightweight and Easy to Maintain

Compared to other materials like glass or wood, acrylic is lightweight, making it easier to transport and reposition. This is particularly important for retail displays or exhibition setups where frequent changes may be required. Acrylic is also easy to clean and maintain, requiring only a soft cloth and mild cleaning solution to keep it looking pristine. This low-maintenance aspect ensures that your acrylic displays retain their clarity and shine over time.

The Role of Acrylic Boxes in Display Solutions

Acrylic boxes are another popular type of acrylic display used for protecting and showcasing items. These boxes come in a variety of sizes and can be designed to hold anything from small collectibles to larger retail products. Acrylic boxes are often used in museums, galleries, and stores to display valuable or fragile items while keeping them protected from dust, dirt, and tampering.

The transparency of acrylic boxes allows viewers to see the displayed objects from all angles, making them ideal for showcasing items like awards, trophies, jewelry, or electronics. Some acrylic boxes are designed with locking mechanisms, adding an extra layer of security for valuable or sensitive items.

Conclusion

Acrylic stands, displays, and boxes are versatile, durable, and visually appealing solutions for organizing and showcasing products or collectibles. Whether you're looking for a display stand for retail purposes, an acrylic box for displaying valuable items, or a custom display solution for exhibitions, acrylic materials provide an ideal balance of strength and style. Their durability, customization options, and ease of maintenance make acrylic displays a preferred choice in a wide range of industries, from retail and hospitality to art galleries and corporate offices. By incorporating acrylic stands and displays into your presentation strategy, you can enhance the visibility and protection of your products while maintaining a clean, modern aesthetic.