#only to have to throw most of it away bc nobody was interested in buying extra furniture

[mikimotopearl]

I didn't fully realize the degree to which americans are groomed into having horrible spending habits until I got to know some irl and saw the difference in how we think about money, it's honesty depressing because the whole system is aimed to making them feel like taking small steps to improve your life like saving will never amount to anything.

[scarabbai]

What the- i swear I thought I was following you for a long time- I just saw that it wasn't the case smh. Your rr au literally fascinates me. Like I have always had the idea if how they would be in an rr situation. So about this childhood incident you mentioned, what is it. Can I know?

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LIKING MY AU (🥺) AND DW, YOUVE ACTUALLY BEEN FOLLOWING FOR A WHILE! Tumblr has a tendency to say you’re not following when you’ve most definitely been following the whole time for some reason??

As for the childhood incident, yes! I might write some of the scenes I’m about to mention in more detail later, but I’ll share what happened now since it’s really important in defining role reversed Jamil and Kalim’s current relationship. It also provides an important glimpse into what it used to be.

(Full story under the cut bc SERIOUSLY I went WAY overboard and it’s super long OTL)

When Kalim and Jamil first met, they weren’t anything close to friends. In fact, they barely got along. Their first meeting happened because Kalim was handpicked by Jamil’s father for his notable loyalty and dedication to the Vipers at his young age and introduced—more like presented—to Jamil as his new playmate and personal servant. Basically, it was Kalim’s job to be—or at least act as—Jamil’s friend.

Even at that young age, Jamil was a stuck up sourpuss who had already developed the nasty habit of looking down on others. After all, he was rich, spoiled, and practically a little prodigy. Nobody he met was ever at his level, and it’s not like he was ever taught humility. Naturally, he drove away practically everyone his own age and therefore didn’t have any friends. This concerned Jamil’s father and thus Kalim was brought into the picture. However, an important thing to note is that Jamil also happens to have a rebellious streak. He hates being coddled and is already very frustrated with his father’s constant attempts to keep him safe (with bodyguards, babysitters, etc) since he feels like he’s “being babied.” Bc of this, he’s very skeptical upon Kalim’s arrival, accuses him of being some other kind of guard in disguise, and is just generally very rude to him.

Obviously that doesn’t sit well with Kalim and they end up bickering for a while (“I’m not a liar!” “Yes you are!”) before Kalim finally catches Jamil’s attention by admitting he isn’t that great with magic yet. This leads to them both calming down and talking about all the stuff in Jamil’s room, which then prompts Jamil to kinda show off his skills in magic as well as his belongings. Jamil’s father checks in on them and sees Kalim cheering Jamil on as he’s showing him a spell he learned, which gets Kalim officially approved to stay by Jamil’s side for the foreseeable future. They still aren’t proper friends at this point, though. Jamil gets annoyed by Kalim’s presence bc it’s a reminder that his dad is still trying to “run his life” by looking out for him, and Kalim is lowkey having second thoughts about this whole “important job” thing bc Jamil’s kinda mean...

Eventually they become more comfortable with each other’s presence, but they still aren’t really friends. They end up with more of a “mastermind and henchmen” dynamic instead, with Jamil leading them both into trouble while Kalim gets the short end of the stick as the (not very believable, so he never actually gets punished) scapegoat of most of Jamil’s schemes. By this point, Kalim has kinda just accepted that this is gonna be the way things are and doesn’t really question it, and Jamil stops seeing Kalim as a nuisance and more like a source of entertainment, praise, etc. Basically Jamil pushes Kalim around bc he knows he can get away with it and bc Kalim will always tell him what he wants to hear. Fun for Jamil! Not so fun for Kalim. This goes on for some time.

About several months to a year or so later, a festival in the city is announced. Being very sheltered and restricted his whole life, Jamil really wants to get out there and see the activities and events that are going to be hosted (especially the dancing! He’s super interested in all the different types of dance that’ll be showcased at the festival). However, his dad comes in the night before the festival and forbids Jamil from going bc “there’s too many people and it’ll be dangerous,” not revealing that he’s heard news of the family’s enemies in the area. Knowing his son is a little schemer but also that he’ll be very upset, he calls Kalim in to stay with Jamil for the rest of the night and the next day not only to make sure he won’t try anything but also to hopefully cheer him up.

Despite knowing full well that orders from his dad > his own wishes and that Kalim has to listen to his dad over him since his dad outclasses him in authority, Jamil’s bitter enough to poke the hornet’s nest and try to bait Kalim into helping him sneak out anyway. In doing so, he pulls some pretty guilt trippy stuff and whines about how he clearly doesn’t have any “real friends” since “real friends” help each other do stupid stuff like sneaking out. He doesn’t expect this to work at all given Kalim’s strict adherence to authority and rules, but he does it anyway bc taking out his frustration over his father’s actions on Kalim is easier than just quietly accepting his dad’s attempt to protect him.

Jamil ends up severely underestimating three very important factors:

Kalim’s own desire to go to the festival

How much his happiness matters to Kalim

The fact that Kalim actually does see him as a friend/hopes they can be true friends

Kalim gets pretty quiet for the rest of the night, and when his required time keeping Jamil company is up, he leaves the room without a word. This makes Jamil all disappointed and kinda upset with himself bc he thinks he’s gonna get ratted out, but nothing ends up happening. The next morning, Kalim shows up to Jamil’s room with two sets of casual clothes from his own wardrobe in his hands and a smile on his face. To Jamil’s utter shock (Kalim has never gone against orders before, especially ones directly from his dad), Kalim explains that he used his usual credibility to his advantage and managed to lie his way to a perfect cover for the both of them, and if they leave now nobody will notice until they’re long gone. He broke the rules for the sake of Jamil’s happiness, and that’s a gesture that means so much to them both it makes Jamil feel kinda funny.

He brushes it off though bc this is his moment! This is the chance he’s been waiting for, and all the different plans and ways to sneak out he thought of while lying awake the night before can finally be put into action with Kalim’s help! With the combined power of Jamil’s strategic thinking and some extra strength/height boosts from Kalim, they manage to make it off the property with the others none the wiser. In order to keep things lowkey, they’re both dressed in the casual clothes Kalim brought, and Jamil has Kalim stop addressing him as “Master Viper/Master Jamil” for the time being so they just seem like two regular kids instead of the Viper heir and his servant. It’s just a small, temporary thing, and Jamil doesn’t even pay it any mind, but it turns out to be a very important equalizing factor for them both. Suddenly, their social standings aren’t nearly as skewed.

Jamil knows exactly what he wants to do at the festival and fully expects things to go his way the whole time, but when they arrive, he sees something he never expected to, and it causes him to forget about his schedule and all the things he was gonna immediately drag Kalim to see and do:

Standing in the sun and in the thick of all the lively activity, Kalim is practically glowing with excitement, flourishing in the crowds and people, his face lighting up in a way Jamil has never seen in the year or so they’ve known each other. He’s so happy and alive and it throws Jamil off completely bc he’s never seen Kalim THIS joyful before. He’s never seen Kalim in his natural element even though they see each other almost every day.

Seeing this change in Kalim leaves Jamil stunned long enough for Kalim to get ahead of himself in excitement and grab Jamil’s hand to pull him along and see all the stalls and colorful sights and gawk and admire all the things they have for sale, things that Kalim knows he can’t afford but wow isn’t it nice to see all these things anyway even if he can’t have them (even if he wishes he could have them) and he’s so starry eyed and he’s pointing out things to Jamil who is still struck by this liveliness in Kalim that he’s never seen before, so shocked and entranced by the life in Kalim’s eyes and the way he’s speaking so fast that his words almost blend together that he reaches into his pocket and pays for each and every trinket Kalim stares longingly at just to keep on seeing his smile, just to see the way Kalim brightens up and jumps up and down with excitement and gratitude (“thank you Jamil-sama, thank you thank you thank you!”) and he lets Kalim be the star of the show for the very first time, lets him be the one in charge of the schedule, following him here and there as Kalim sees something that grabs his attention and then they’re both off like a jet, Kalim weaving through crowds like an expert while Jamil tags along clumsily behind, singing and laughing and there’s this one moment, one magical moment when Kalim stops at a stand selling coconut juice and when he mentions it’s his favorite drink, his favorite flavor ever, Jamil buys them both one coconut each without hesitation, watching as Kalim enjoys his drink like it’s the best thing in the whole entire world (and watching Kalim, he could almost think it was too, even if he doesn’t like it nearly as much) and wonders how in the world he managed to mess up so badly to know someone for so long and still never know his favorite food, to see each other every day but never once see Kalim like this, with so much joy, and Jamil stands there, sipping his coconut juice as Kalim sings and dances in place as they watch a concert performance together, wondering where he went so wrong, wondering when he forgot Kalim was a real person, wondering if he ever realized Kalim lived and breathed and had feelings.

It’s the wakeup call Jamil didn’t know he needed. He realizes for the first time how little Kalim gets to have some fun of his own whenever they play together, how he’s always the one dragging Kalim into messy situations, how Kalim may have been kinda happy when they’re together but clearly he’s never been truly happy in all of the time they’ve spent together, how Kalim is a real friend who cares and puts up with so much while Jamil has been nothing but a bully and an asshole.

As the sun sets and he and Kalim are heading back to the estate, Jamil thinks about this a lot. He feels extremely guilty over his shitty attitude and resolves to do better, to be proper friends with Kalim, to be nicer and kinder and to appreciate the people and things he has in his life. He’s going to fix things. He’s going to do it right from now on.

Unfortunately for them both, Jamil is too lost in thought to notice that someone else has noticed him.

The next sequence of events is a blur to Jamil. One moment he’s walking through a less populated street side by side with a friend he’s wronged, and the next, said friend is pushing Jamil out of the way as some rando swipes at him. They both land in a heap on the floor, but adrenaline gives Kalim the speed to recover, grab Jamil’s hand, and make a break for it before the person can make another attempt at grabbing them. Jamil’s too disoriented and in too close a range to prepare a good enough spell to get the person off their tail, so they’re both in big trouble as they run through shortcuts and alleyways to get home faster while their pursuer is hot on their heels. Eventually their luck runs out, and the person catches up to them.

Kalim is no bodyguard, but he still throws himself between Jamil and the attacker to protect him. It’s two little kids against one adult. The way the person looms over them is terrifying, they’re both shaking, Jamil is on the floor bc Kalim pushed him too hard when he tried to tell him to just leave him behind and run for it, and Kalim himself is screaming his poor lungs out, crying for help in hopes that he’ll catch the attention of the people milling about. He does, but not before he takes a severe blow to the head and goes down hard. With the help of both some alarmed bystanders and a blast of Jamil’s tearful, rage-fueled magic (“NO!! KALIM!!! KALIM!!!”), the pursuer gets taken out and the bystanders, who recognize who Jamil is, contact the authorities and his family. They stay with him while Jamil hugs Kalim’s unconscious body and cries his eyes out bc this wasn’t supposed to happen, he should have listened, Dad was right, he was stupid, he got them both hurt, Kalim isn’t smiling anymore, he won’t open his eyes, there’s so much blood everywhere, there’s so much blood coming from Kalim’s head—

In almost no time at all, Jamil’s dad, some bodyguards, and one of the family’s healers arrive at the scene to find Jamil inconsolable and Kalim injured. Kalim gets some emergency healing from the medic, but his wound is deemed too severe for the magic to be able to reverse all the damage at once and therefore he needs to be rushed back to the manor’s infirmary. Jamil’s dad gently pulls Jamil away from Kalim so he can be taken to properly heal, holding his crying son close as he watches the medic carry away a much too still, much too small body. When they head back to the estate, he picks up his son and carries him the whole way, and Jamil doesn’t even have the energy to interrupt his sobbing to complain. Jamil’s father tries to ignore the blood staining his son’s clothes, the red on his hands, and keeps going. He cleans him up when they get back (and tries, again, not to feel sick as he sees the color of the water) and that night, Jamil is too afraid to sleep in his own room. He reads bedtime story to his son for the first time in a long while, and when Jamil finally falls asleep, curled up with tears still clinging to his eyelashes, Mr. Viper stays awake a little longer to watch over him.

It takes days just for Kalim to open his eyes again, and there’s a new scar waiting for him when he does.

[ainsleymorgan]

『MARILYN LIMA ❙ DEMIGIRL』 ⟿ looks like AINSLEY MORGAN is here for HER SOPHOMORE year as a COMPUTER SCIENCE student. SHE is 20 years old & known to be ORGANIZED, BENEVOLENT, INDECISIVE & OBSTINATE. They’re living in NOLAND, so if you’re there, watch out for them. ⬳ lexi. 23. pst. she/hers. 

we’re back at it again folks! this gal has been bopping around my head for a good long while now - i apologize if this is an incoherent mess. give this a little like and i’ll slide into ur dm’s to plot smth ok ily

stats

— background. (death tw, grief tw, cancer tw)

The Morgans have a long, complicated history. Margaret and Callum meet near the end of college (she’s studying English, he lives in town) and fall rapidly in love. The only problem? Margaret’s engaged to her high school sweetheart. When Margaret ends up pregnant, she pretends like it’s her fiancee’s and has a shotgun wedding. Callum goes off to join the army and pretend like his heart wasn’t just shattered in two.

Years pass - Margaret gets her PhD in English and has another kid (this time with her actual husband). Callum leaves the army, gets married too (and widowed a few years later), has some kids of his own. But then they run into each other at a bar in a city far away from the last one they were in together, and it’s like nothing ever changed.

The two get married almost immediately after the divorce papers are signed, and have two more kids almost immediately after that. Margaret becomes an English professor, and Callum’s content with taking care of the gaggle of children their blended family has produced. 

Five years after the last set of kids, Ainsley and her brother Tristan are born. They’re just as unplanned as their eldest sister was, but no less loved. 

They quickly become the apple of the entire family’s eye, doted upon by their army of older siblings. The twins are late to walking, so they get taken to the pediatrician, who says that they’re so used to being carried everywhere by their family that they haven’t felt the need to walk yet. They’re set down more often, and quickly catch up to be able to run after their brothers and sisters.

Ainsley and Tristan are attached at the hip. Despite the attention from the rest of their family, the two maintain that specific bond only twins can. They make up a language that only they can understand, and throw tantrums whenever they’re out of eyesight of each other. 

They’re happy kids, bright and bubbly. And loud. The house is always filled with screams and laughter. It’s an idealistic life, a perfect family.

DEATH TW // There’s an accident when the twins are nearly five. Nobody knows what happened - they swear they were watching the kids splashing in the lake - but suddenly, Tristan’s gone. His body is found in the water later that day. // END TW

GRIEF TW // Ainsley’s too young to understand what’s going on when they bury him. She gets quiet and shy, a once bubbly little girl drawing in on herself. All she knows is that her best friend is gone, and now there’s nobody to actually talk to.

They move soon after, to a town called Lovell, when Margaret gets a job at the local university. It’s something the family needs, after Tristan, and they hope that the change will help Ainsley open back up again.

She doesn’t, not for a while. She’s thrust into kindergarten, in a new town without her twin there to keep her grounded. Her teachers worry about her social skills - she seems to prefer painting or doodling to playing on the playground with her classmates. But slowly, surely, she starts opening up again as Lovell becomes home. // END TW

The Morgans decide that they like Lovell, and that they’re going to stay. They buy a nice house in a quiet neighborhood, with big trees for the kids to climb on. Ainsley breaks her leg falling out of one when she’s seven (she still has the scar on her knee from where a branch snagged). 

As the kids get older and start moving out of the house, Callum decides he needs a project. He’s always loved cooking and restaurants. So he decides to buy one. Calls it the Main Street Diner (not very creative, but it tells you right where it is!), and starts really integrating himself into the Lovell community.

Ainsley spends nearly every afternoon there, sitting at the corner of the counter after school. Her siblings are old enough to babysit, but they’ve hit their moody teenage phase, and Ainsley wants nothing to do with it. Her mom’s either teaching or grading papers or reading, and that’s boring to a nine-year-old. So diner it is.

She spends most of her time at the counter drawing or painting. Each one is proudly displayed on the wall, marking her progress over time. 

Sometimes she helps with little tasks, like sorting silverware or wiping down tables. Eventually, when she hits high school, she graduates to waiting tables to make some money of her own.

When it comes time to think about college, Ainsley decides she wants to go as far away from Lovell as possible. She knows everything and everyone in town - even some of the Radcliffe students who frequent the diner. Ainsley wants something new and interesting. 

She looks at schools in California, eventually gets accepted to UCLA. Ainsley packs her bags and flies across the country. She learns to miss the comforts of home, but enjoys the independence being on the other side of the continent gives her.

CANCER TW // Halfway through her first year at UCLA, Ainsley gets a call from her mom. Dad’s sick, she says. Cancer. 

Ainsley drops everything and moves back home. She takes a semester off of school to help take care of her dad while her mom continues teaching. He gets better, goes into remission, but there’s still the lingering fear that it’ll come back, that it’ll be worse, that she’ll lose him too. // CANCER TW

So she decides to transfer to Radcliffe. It’s local, in case anything happens, but she can still live in the dorms to keep some semblance of independence. And she gets to go for essentially free. She starts working at the diner again, to keep an eye on her dad, though she claims it’s just to make money. It’s a good set-up, for now.

— personality.

Ainsley is super artistic. Literally constantly drawing or writing or doing something creative. There’s usually paint somewhere on her clothes, regardless of how new the clothing is.

Also has this Thing against making her hobby her career, which is why she’s a computer sciences major rather than an arts major. She grew up watching her mom and dad turn their passions into their jobs, which seemed stressful and like it took some of the fun out of it. So she said no thanks.

She still really enjoys computers and coding - mainly web design. Hopes to become a full-time web designer after college, while throwing in some of the graphic design portions of web designing to sprinkle some of the artsy aspects of her personality.

Despite being a computer sciences major and pretty good with technology, she definitely prefers going analog in most of her life. Writes everything down rather than typing it into her phone or laptop, and goes through a million journals (also owns a million more blank ones).

This bitch definitely bullet journals.

Is a fairly organized person, but her room? An absolute mess. Ainsley says it’s an aesthetic mess (it’s not).

The only part she takes care of is the collection of plants on her windowsill. One of her notebooks is dedicated to their care schedule, and notes on how they’re doing.

Her bag is basically Mary Poppins’ tote, but make it a beat-up Fjallraven she bought during a 50% off sale three years ago. Has literally anything you could ever need in it. Paper, pens, snacks, water, first aid kit, you name it. Need some superglue or a needle and thread? Ask Ainsley.

Is simultaneously super indecisive and super stubborn. Will take a thousand years to decide on something, but once she’s picked it, she’s stuck on it. 

Will die on any hill she feels remotely attached to.

That being said, she’s not a super aggressive person. Is actually pretty calm, still quieter than she was before Tristan. The human equivalent of a warm blanket.

Also super gay. So so gay. 

(But she’s never been with a girl bc she’s got issues w feeling worthy of romantic attention!! Or any attention!!)

This bitch needs to go to therapy.

— wanted connections.

aka the part im so bad at

Where my Lovell locals at?

Friends - pls give this cinnamon roll ppl to fawn over she loves her friends !!

Enemies - idk if she’d think of them as an enemy but let ppl be mean to her so she can be kind of mean back

Crushes - either on her or ppl for her to crush on !! she will pine until the day she dies !!

idk what else im bad at this just love me and love Ainsley

[helloalycia]

the exchange // alycia debnam-carey

summary: based off "the exchange" by camila bc why not. AKA you're in an unhappy relationship and fall for your boyfriend's best friend's girlfriend phew

warning/s: i guess cheating??

author’s note: look, i ain't about all that cheating shit. It's horrible and there's no valid reason tbh. This imagine wasn't intended to be a happily ever after in certain aspects, and tbh, everyone thinks they're the good guy hence the interpretation of this imagine is all down to perspective. It's based off the song, specifically the lyrics below, and it's up to you how you take it. I didn't intend for this to be taken seriously (just putting this here in case some of y'all get understandably pressed). People fall out of love and 'your' character should've done the right thing and broken things off but sometimes this (as in what happens) is just the reality of things.

okay, you can enjoy now lmao (i'm probs thinking WAY too far into this oops)

also, Y/M/N = your mother's name

"I think we should trade, 

Cupid told me he was drunk that day, 

and so he shot two arrows the wrong way. 

I heard him say, 

I think we should trade,

we'll tell 'em 'let's go on a double date,

meet us up at six in the café', 

we'll run away and call it the exchange."

         It was raining, hard.

         The patter of water against the window felt like miniature claps and I was sure the glass was trembling under the pressure. Nonetheless, the swirling grey clouds and intense rain fascinated me. It hadn't been like this when we'd left home – in fact, it had been relatively sunny. But as we sat and waited, the weather had progressively worsened. A shame, really. Well, to some.

         "Y/N, are you listening?"

         I tore my gaze from the window and met Ethan's brown eyes. He was sat beside me, watching with confusion as I blinked myself back into reality.

         "Yeah, sorry, what was that?"

         He rolled his eyes playfully and laughed before repeating whatever story he was telling. I felt bad, but once again, his lips were moving and no sound was coming out. Instead, I focused on our surroundings. The chatter of customers around us, the scent of coffee that had settled in the store, the bustle of baristas as they perfected their lattes. It was weird, as Ethan was like the background noise to everything else.

         "...and it's been a while, but I'm sure you'll love them both."

         Ethan had finished speaking and I looked back to him, forcing a small smile. He was talking about his best friend, Levi, who lived in Australia. Ethan hadn't met up with Levi in person for about a year now and Levi was moving back to L.A. – his hometown – with his new girlfriend. Well, new to Ethan and I anyway. Ethan had invited them both to meet at this coffee shop, the first meeting in a year.

         "Everything will be fine," I reassured Ethan. "You're right, I'm sure I'll love them."

         I didn't actually know Levi in person, only through the occasional video call. I wasn't really nervous to meet him, but Ethan figured I was. Should I have been? I didn't know.

         "Exactly," Ethan agreed, smiling a bright smile. Maybe for someone else his smile would have lightened up the room, especially in this dreary weather. Maybe his hand resting on their hand would have sent shivers down their spine. Maybe their stomach would be knotted with butterflies.

         I wasn't so sure.

         We had been together for a year now. He loved me. I had told him I loved him, too. But people can fall out of love, right? It was selfish of me to stay in this relationship, leading him on, when I felt nothing anymore. But I was still figuring out how to tell him. How could I let him down without hurting him?

         My mind was a mess, but I couldn't let that ruin now. He was excited to meet his best friend and I had to be a supportive girlfriend. That wouldn't be hard. I was happy for him.

         "Ethan?!"

         I looked up to see a tall blonde man walking towards our booth, a giant grin on his lips. He was holding hands with a girl, but as soon as he recognised Ethan, he let go of her and raced forward

         "Levi!"

         Ethan let go of my hand – I didn't miss the warmth – and slid out of the booth. His expression mirrored Levi's as he raced towards the blonde, meeting him halfway. The two embraced in a dramatic-like fashion, but nobody really took notice because of how busy the store was, despite the crappy weather.

         I sucked up a deep breath and slipped out of the booth as Ethan, Levi and the mystery girl approached me. Ethan was by my side instantly and I refrained from flinching at his unwanted touch.

         "You must be Y/N! It's so great to finally see you in person," Levi spoke first, a smile on his lips. He put out his hand and chuckled. "I'd give you a hug, but..."

         I shook his hand forced a small smile. I understood as he was soaking wet from the heavy rain outside, his hair plastered to his head.

         "You too," I said, hoping I sounded better than I felt.

         Levi seemed pleased with my response and shared a look with Ethan, but I was too uninterested to care.

         "This is my girlfriend, Alycia Debnam-Carey," he spoke again, this time reconnecting a hand with the mystery girl's. He looked to her and said, "Alycia, this is Ethan, as you kind of know. And this is Y/N Y/L/N, his girlfriend."

         The mystery girl – Alycia – stepped forward and pushed her dark, wet hair from her eyes. As her crystal green eyes flickered from the floor to mine, I felt stuck in my spot. She was beautiful and suddenly green was my favourite colour.

         "Lovely to meet you both," she said, smiling the most beautiful smile I'd ever seen. And god, she had the most adorable accent I'd ever heard.

         She too put out her hand, and Ethan shook it first, saying something or the other, but I wasn't really listening. I just knew that it made Alycia laugh and throw her head back with laughter. Her teeth were showing and her happiness spread like a warmth around the whole room. Her soggy appearance and wet clothes didn't seem to bother her – I couldn't imagine anything bothering her, to be honest.

         Suddenly, she was looking my way, her hand outstretched. I cleared my throat and placed my hand in hers, trying to ignore how soft and warm they were. Shivers travelled up my arm and she pulled away, her eyes lingering on mine a little longer. Had she felt it too?

         "Come on, let's sit," Ethan said, ushering us into the booth.

         I slid in first, taking my previous seat. I felt Ethan slide in beside me, but I was more aware of the brunette sliding in before me, her bare knees tickling mine underneath the table. Why was I suddenly so nervous?

         "...right, Y/N?"

         I realised Ethan was speaking to me again and tuned back into reality. When I met his gaze, he was watching me with concern.

         "Hm?"

         He licked his lips and asked, "You okay? You keep zoning out."

         I waved dismissively. "Yeah, just thinking, sorry."

         He nodded, though I could tell he wasn't convinced. It didn't bother me though because I was suddenly hyperaware of Alycia's and Levi's eyes on me.

         "I'll get you a hot chocolate, yeah?" he asked, probably having repeated himself.

         I nodded and turned to reach for my purse, but he simply shook his head and laughed.

         "I'm paying for my girlfriend, Y/N," he said, not leaving me chance to argue, as he stood up. He looked to Levi, who was also stood up, and said, "Come on."

         I watched as Levi leaned down to plant a soft kiss on Alycia's cheek, flinching when his lips made contact. He seemed to be going for her lips, but she turned at the last second. Levi thought nothing of it and both him and Ethan joined the queue to buy our drinks.

         I looked back to Alycia, who seemed nervous, but still smiling. I returned an awkward smile and wondered where to start.

         "So you're Australian, hm? That's cool."

         I wanted to facepalm at how ridiculous I sounded. Of course she was Australian! Ethan already told me that and she literally had an accent! What was I thinking?

         Alycia suppressed the urge to laugh as she nodded. "Yes, I am. From Sydney actually."

         "That's really cool."

         Her eyes flickered to the table as she smiled. "Yeah, you already said that."

         I felt my cheeks grow warm as I also looked down at the table. "Right..."

         It was quiet between us for a moment and I was unprepared for the somersaults in my stomach and the bundle of nerves eating away at me. What was happening to me?

         "So how long have you and Ethan been together?"

         I looked up and saw her sitting up straighter, a newfound confidence having taken over.

         "Erm, well, about a year," I answered, suddenly feeling weird about talking about Ethan. "What about you and Levi?"

         Alycia pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Same. We met when he moved to Australia temporarily for work. I found a job opportunity here and so did he, so we decided to move together."

         I nodded, leaning forward with interest. "What is it that you do?"

         A toothless smile appeared on her lips. "I'm a drama teacher... how about you?"

         "Wow, that sounds pretty fun," I said, before chuckling. "My job sounds kinda sucky now." She laughed and my stomach flipped at the sound. "I work for a marketing company."

         "Ah, that's not that sucky!" she tried to reassure, and I could only find it in myself to laugh at how cute she sounded. "I'm sure it's fun."

         I shrugged. "Sometimes. Maybe. Kind of... Not really."

         She laughed again and I smiled at the sound. I wanted to make her laugh all the time – that sound was intoxicating.

         "Honestly speaking," she said once she'd finished laughing, "I wasn't too keen on coming today."

         I raised an eyebrow, suddenly intrigued. "Oh?"

         She shrugged and smiled. "I don't know... Levi had been talking about meeting Ethan for weeks now. He even mentioned you a few times, but I just wasn't feeling it. Of course I didn't tell him that... I wasn't sure what I'd find."

         "What do you mean?" I asked, furrowing my brows, not looking away from her.

         She leaned back into her seat. "I don't know. I guess, well, I don't know anybody here in L.A. so I was mostly distracted by the idea of fitting in somewhere new. What I would find here."

         I nodded to show I was listening. Her voice was soft and it carried beautifully against the pitter-patter of the rain on the window.

         "I'm glad I did come though," she said, giving me a pointed look with her bright emeralds. "You seem interesting. I'm looking forward to getting to know you."

         A smile formed on my lips. "And I you, Alycia."

         The meet up wasn't something I had particularly been looking forward to, but later that afternoon, when Ethan was dropping me off to my flat, I was glad to have gone. Something about meeting the green-eyed girl sent butterflies in my stomach.

         "I appreciate you coming to meet Levi and his girlfriend, Y/N," Ethan thanked me as I grabbed some water from the fridge. "It means a lot."

         I cracked a smile as I settled on the stool before him. "Of course."

         He suddenly smiled enthusiastically. "What did you think of Alycia? I figured you guys would get on and it seemed so."

         A warm feeling spread throughout me and I couldn't help but smile for real at the thought of Alycia.

         "She's really nice," I said, looking down to my bottle. "A great person."

         "Yeah," he agreed. "She doesn't have many friends since she's just moved here and all. Levi and I thought it'd be nice of you both to meet. Did you get her number?"

         I nodded, remembering the exchange of numbers we had during our chat. It had happened so smoothly, not like a crinkle in conversation. I couldn't wait to text to her.

         "Cool, cool... well, thanks again..." He cleared his throat and stood up, rounding the island to stand close to me. "You sure you don't wanna spend the night at mine? We could have some fun..." He smirked playfully as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

         I smiled, though the thought of being intimate with Ethan made my head hurt. It had been a month – probably a little less, since we'd been intimate. I couldn't keep this up anymore though, I knew I'd have to break it off soon. But how? Maybe it was just a temporary thing. Maybe I'd fall back in love.

         "I'm kinda tired actually," I half-lied, pulling away from his arms and offering an apologetic smile. "Maybe next time, yeah?"

         He nodded and I could see him rolling his shoulders back, trying not to let my comment offend him.

         "Of course. You should get some rest. If you need anything, just call. Yeah?"

         I nodded and smiled as I kissed his cheek softly. "I'll talk later, Ethan."

         He nodded and offered a small smile before leaving. Only when I heard the door shut did I release a deep breath. One hand grasping the island, the other massaging my temple, I closed my eyes. I couldn't keep lying like this. It was wrong.

         I opened my eyes when I heard the text tone on my phone go off. I reached for it from the counter and saw my screen lit up with a text message. From Alycia.

         Alycia: Hey, how does lunch sound tomorrow? :)

         I didn't have time to register how I felt because my phone vibrated as another text came through.

         Alycia: Unless you're busy, which is totally cool. It's pretty soon of me to text isn't? We literally just met

         I stifled a smile as I opened up the conversation. Going to lunch with her didn't sound terrible at all. My phone vibrated again.

         Alycia: I just thought we could talk more, without the guys, but it's cool if you don't wanna

         To save her from overthinking, I typed back a response, unable to stop the grin on my lips.

         Me: I would love to, Alycia. I know this great café nearby! I'll text you tomorrow with the details?

         She replied instantly.

         Alycia: Oh, awesome! I guess I'll see you tomorrow :)

         Hanging out with Alycia started to become a frequent thing as time passed. I helped her settle in to her new flat (which she shared with Levi...) and showed her around all the local hotspots – so pretty much the nearest Target and McDonald's. We did become pretty good friends, but that overwhelming boat of feelings would just hit me whenever she did something cute or touched me platonically.

         I was pretty sure I was falling in love with her, and I wasn't sure how to feel about that. How could I be falling for someone so quickly when I was in a relationship? A relationship with a guy who I couldn't fall in love with? I tried to convince myself that these feelings would pass and possibly extend to Ethan rather than Alycia, but I was kidding myself.

         And I was sure she felt the same. She just had to be. Unless I was imagining those longing stared she'd send my way, or the extra mile she went just to be close to me. It was terrible for us to be like this when we were both in relationships. But I couldn't help but think that it was supposed to be like this.

         It never really came to light until one afternoon. Alycia and I had gone out to watch a film and she had dropped me off home, following me inside because she needed to use the bathroom.

         "I did ask if you needed to go when the film ended," I teased, pulling my keys from my bag.

         She rolled her eyes playfully. "I didn't need it then!"

         I laughed and she joined in, sending a whirl of my butterflies in my stomach. We neared my flat when I saw a woman knocking on my door.

         "Mum?"

         The woman turned and it proved to be my mother when she smiled my way. "Y/N!"

         I smiled in surprise as I pulled her in for a quick hug. "How long have you been waiting here for?"

         She waved her hand dismissively. "Not long, don't worry."

         I nodded and realised that Alycia was just standing behind me, an awkward smile on her lips.

         "Uh, Alycia, this is my mum, Y/M/N," I introduced, before looking to my mum. "Mum, this is Alycia, my friend."

         "Hello, darling," my mum greeted, pulling her in for a surprise hug.

         I stifled a laugh as I saw how taken aback Alycia was. She glared at me playfully before the two separated.

         "Let's get inside," I mumbled, going to open my door.

         "It's lovely to meet you, Mrs. Y/L/N," I heard Alycia say from behind me. I opened the door and the three of us walked in.

         "You're not from here," my mum commented vaguely, making me laugh because she was always so dozy with obvious things.

         "What gave that away, mum, the accent?" I asked sarcastically. I approached the two at the kitchen island, watching as my mum went pink with slight embarrassment.

         "Oh, be quiet you," she said, feigning annoyance, before looking to Alycia with a smile.

         I kept my eyes on Alycia as she watched my mum with concentration, a polite smile on her lips. God, she was so beautiful. She was wearing her glasses today and she looked so good in them.

         "What I meant to say is where are you from?" my mum amended her comment.

         Alycia chuckled. "Australia, and I don't mean to be rude, but I really need to use the bathroom." She glanced at me and I laughed when I realised that was the point in her coming in.

         "Oh, sorry, darling, go on!" my mum exclaimed, making Alycia smile appreciatively before leaving for the bathroom. She sent me an embarrassed smile, to which I laughed at, before leaving the kitchen.

         "She's a lovely girl," my mum said as I took a seat at the island. "When did you guys meet?"

         I chewed on my lip as I tried to remember how long it had been. "Give or take a few months."

         My mum nodded, helping herself to some water from the fridge. "So are you still with Ethan?"

         I nodded, though an emptiness came over me as he was mentioned. "Yeah, why d'you ask?"

         She shrugged as she settled by the counter, her bottle in hand. "I just haven't seen him in a while, I thought you guys may have broken up. There's also the fact that you've been giving heart eyes to Alycia."

         My eyes widened and I looked around, hoping Alycia wasn't out just yet.

         "Mum! Firstly, Alycia might hear you so be quieter!" I whisper-shouted urgently. "Also, did you just say heart eyes?"

         My mum laughed as if I'd said the funniest thing ever. "Look, all I'm saying is it seems to me that you like this girl. And if you choose to go forward with that, that's fine, but do right by Ethan."

         "Mum, that's not how it is," I tried to argue, but even I didn't believe me. "We're just friends and–"

         I instantly went quiet when I heard the sound of the bathroom door closing. Alycia walked back into the kitchen and a confused smile fell on her lips as she realised it was quiet.

         "Sorry, did I interrupt something?" she asked and giggled adorably.

         "Er, no," I lied, plastering a smile on my face. "Just catching up."

         She nodded and approached my mum. "Well, unfortunately I should get going, but it was a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Y/L/N."

         "Call me Y/M/N, please," my mum said, and nodded before pulling Alycia in for another hug. "It was lovely to meet you, too. Hopefully I'll see you soon!"

         Alycia smiled with confusion and cocked her head to the side. I internally facepalmed and my mum merely chuckled.

         "Today was really fun," Alycia said, her voice quieter as she came towards me. A beautiful smile graced her lips as she pulled me in for a hug. I couldn't help but smile as my arms wrapped around her slender waist. I tried to ignore the suggestive eyebrows my mum was raising from behind.

         "Yeah, it was," I agreed, pulling away, our hands trailing down each other's forearms and fingertips touching. Her eyes met mine and I found it difficult to breathe because of how bright and enticing they were.

         "I'll talk to you later," she muttered, smiling toothlessly before letting go and leaving out the front door.

         I breathed out slowly, still unable to shake that rush she gave me whenever she was close to me. I'd almost forgotten my mum was there until she laughed from her side.

         "Gosh, you're in trouble," she commented, and I couldn't help but think, maybe she was right.

         The visit from my mum really brought attention to how intense my feelings for Alycia were. And her comment, do right by Ethan... she was absolutely right. I couldn't be with him when I felt something for someone else.

         What really pushed me to plan the perfect time to break up with him was when I was going to visit Ethan at work to drop off some lunch. He was in his office and his assistant let me right up since she knew who I was. I was about to knock on, but I could hear his conversation through the door and my nosy side came out.

         "I just don't think Alycia likes me like that anymore." It was Levi. Why was he here?

         "C'mon, man, I doubt that," Ethan replied, trying to reassure his friend.

         "No, I'm serious," Levi said, sounding upset. "She's just– she doesn't like me like that anymore. I can feel it. We haven't even had sex in what, two months? Two months, Ethan! Is that even normal?"

         I chewed on my lower lip as I listened in. God, it was so wrong of me to be happy about that, but it also made me feel relieved. She didn't like Levi? Maybe there was a chance?

         No. That wasn't right of me to think. But I knew that thought was hanging around...

         "Dude, listen," Ethan settled, and I could hear him sighing. "Y/N and I haven't exactly been doing so well in that department either..."

         I frowned at how sad he sounded. I was leading him on and I knew it, and just hearing how fed up he sounded made me feel immensely guilty. I promised myself that I would break up with him this week. Anytime, soon, this week. I had to.

         I knocked on the door before opening it slightly, a small smile on my lips. "Anyone hungry?"

***

         I knew exactly what I was going to say to Ethan, but I also knew that in that moment, I'd forget everything I'd rehearsed. Knowing I could make it sound horrible was worrying me, so I decided to get my mind off things. Alycia had asked me to go shopping with her the following day, so that's where I found myself.

         "Trying on the clothes is by far the best part of shopping," Alycia said, a grin on her lips.

         I laughed at how cute she was, feeling those familiar butterflies. We were going to the changing rooms and she was more excited than one would usually be to try on clothes.

         "Yeah, yeah, loser, just go on," I said, giving her a teasing smile.

         She chuckled and got in the changing room, waiting by the curtain. I got in the one opposite her, turning to shut my curtain. She grinned again before pulling her curtain closed. I rolled my eyes playfully and shut my own. This was proving to be a wonderful distraction from my own problems.

         "Ooh, you were right about that top, Y/N!" I heard Alycia say excitedly from her side. "Look!"

         I opened my curtain as she did and smiled impressively. "I have pretty good taste if I do say so myself," I joked, which made her roll her eyes playfully. "Honestly though, you look really good."

         She bit her lip to contain her smile. "Thank you. Now try on those shorts I chose for you!"

         I laughed and closed my curtain, doing as she said. I looked in the mirror, nodding with agreement, before calling for Alycia. We were lucky the changing rooms were empty otherwise I could only imagine the complaints we would get from other customers.

         "Yes! I love those and you look so good in them," she complimented, her eyes looking me up and down. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't blushing at her stare.

         "Thanks," I said awkwardly, before closing my curtain. God, why did she always have this effect on me?

         "I'm not too sure about this one, Y/N, what do you think?" she called after a few more outfit changes.

         I opened my curtain as she did and had to refrain from physically dropping my jaw. She was wearing a black dress that managed to hug her curves in all the right place. She was absolutely stunning and I swear my heart was beating out of my chest.

         "Y-you look really good," I got out, unable to meet her eyes. "Um, you should get it..."

         She pursed her lips and looked in the mirror beside her. "I don't know... do you think?"

         I breathed out slowly before nodding. I finally looked up to her. "Totally, Alycia, would I lie?"

         She looked back to me and raised an eyebrow playfully. "I don't know, would you?"

         I smiled at her expression. "No, I wouldn't. You should buy it, seriously."

         She nodded, a toothy smile on her face. "Okay, I'll get it. But only because you said so."

         I stifled a laugh as she stared longingly my way. I licked my lips and quickly shut the curtain, trying to get her haunting green eyes out of my head.

         I got out of the clothes I was going to buy and back into my own when I called for Alycia. "You ready?"

         "Uhhh..."

         I quirked an eyebrow and pulled open my curtain, seeing hers was still closed.

         "You okay in there, Leashy?" I asked, suppressing a smile.

         I heard her chuckle nervously. "Kinda... I may or may not need your help to get out of this dress."

         I shook my head with amusement and slipped in through her curtain. She had the dress pulled up to her waist and I couldn't help but laugh at her troubled expression.

         "As you can see, my hair is caught in the zipper," she pointed out, giving me a knowing look.

         I moved forward and motioned for her to turn around. "It would've helped if you fastened it first, wouldn't it?"

         "Indeed, it would have," she agreed, making me smile.

         I gently pulled her hair from her zipper and she held it up and out of the way as I moved to pull the dress over her head. It came off with ease and she turned around, smiling cheekily and avoiding my eyes.

         "Wasn't so hard, was it?" I asked, a teasing smile on my lips.

         She sighed over-dramatically, making me laugh, and hung up the dress. The short silence of her response made me realise that she was stood there in her bra and jeans and I could feel my cheeks grow warm at the sight. I averted my gaze, but I wasn't sure where else to look.

         "Thanks," she finally spoke, grabbing her shirt from the peg and holding it in her hands.

         I finally met her eyes, about to dismiss myself and give her some privacy, but I felt stuck in place as her gaze peered right through me. Her eyes flickered from my eyes to my lips, half-lidded as she moved closer. I should have moved, knowing what was about to come. I knew it was wrong. But she was like a magnet, attracting me closer and closer and closer, until...

         Her lips pressed against mine hastily, yet softly. She dropped her shirt and rested a hand on my waist, pushing me back against the mirror, the other hand resting on my cheek. I closed my eyes and moved my lips in sync with hers, appreciating how gentle yet desperate her lips were. She was warm, careful, comfortable. Her body fit perfectly against mine and it sent the butterflies raging in my stomach. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't imagined what it would be like to kiss her. This was perfect, everything I thought it to be.

         And that's when I realised how wrong this was.

         I pushed her back reluctantly, opening my eyes, only to be submerged in her pools of green. We were both breathing heavily, trying to catch back our breath from that insane kiss. Woah.

         "I'm sorry," she said, letting go of me and stepping back. Realisation dawned on her. "God..."

         "Alycia–"

         She shook her head, holding her hand up as she tried to catch her thoughts. She bent down to pick up her shirt and pursed her lips.

         "We should get ready," she said, and turned around, making her perspective clear.

         I frowned guiltily and left her changing room, going to my own. I couldn't get the image of her being that close to me, the smell of her perfume in my nose, the touch of her delicate lips against mine, out of my head as we got ready and paid for our items. Today was supposed to get my mind off things, but it only made me realise how much I cared for Alycia.

         When we left the store, she suddenly spoke, the first since we'd left the changing rooms.

         "I just remembered, I have some things to do back home..."

         I could see that she was lying, only trying to back away and leave.

         "I can give you a ride," I tried, stepping forward, but she only stepped back.

         She visibly swallowed and avoided looking my way. "I'll be fine. I don't wanna stop you from shopping. See you, Y/N."

         I sighed as I watched her speed-walk away from me. God, why did things have to be so confusing?

         I ended up heading straight home after that, my brain having been fried from all the confusion. Ethan called me on my way back, which was the last thing I needed, but I answered anyway.

         "Hey, babe," his voice echoed into my car.

         I released a deep breath before saying, "Hey, Ethan. What's up?"

         "Just wanted to see how shopping with Alycia was!" he said, only reminding me of the pile of things I had to sort through mentally. "Levi told me you guys had a girl's day out! Is she with you?"

         "No, she's back at home now. But yeah, it was good," I lied, feeling even more guilty. How many lies had I told him now? Too many to count, no doubt.

         "That's good," he said. "Well, anyway, I'm at yours, waiting for you. Thought we could hang out this evening?"

         I just wanted to be alone, but I couldn't exactly say that, so I sighed. "Okay, Ethan, I'll see you in ten minutes."

         He seemed excited, which only pressed the guilt I felt because I knew I needed to break up with him. "Awesome! See you, babe."

         I said my goodbyes and groaned as I drove home in silence, thinking about how I was going to deal with everything.

         When I headed through my front door, Ethan was there instantly, taking bags from my hands and setting them down. He pulled me in for a hug and I noticed how hard and uncomfortable it seemed compared to Alycia's smaller frame.

         "I missed you," he said, leaning down to kiss my cheek. He stayed there, sniffing the air. "Is that a new perfume?"

         I widened my eyes when he pulled back. Crap, was that Alycia's?

         "Levi picked something similar for Alycia not long ago," he said dismissively, oblivious to my panic. "If you like it, I can get you it."

         I scratched my head awkwardly. "Erm, yeah, Alycia was showing it me today when we were shopping. I wasn't really fond of it though."

         Ethan shrugged. "Eh, fair point."

         I was grateful for how oblivious he was, but it also made me realise how much of a cheater I was. God, I was the worst. I needed to end this. But first, I needed to fix things with Alycia. She was plaguing my thoughts and I had to see how she felt about me. That was eating away at me as much as this whole breakup thing was.

***

         I found myself knocking on Alycia's flat door a week later. I knew Levi was hanging out with Ethan so this was my opportunity to fix things between us. She'd been avoiding my calls and texts all week and I couldn't stop thinking about her and the moment we shared. I needed to talk to her.

         She didn't answer straight away, but I could hear her on the other side of the door. She was probably looking through the peep hole, debating whether or not to let me in. I only hoped she would.

         After what felt like forever, the door finally opened and I was met with Alycia's glowing eyes.

         "Hey," she got out, her eyes suddenly darting to the floor nervously.

         I felt butterflies in my stomach at her presence. Still, I was unable to contain my feelings.

         "Hey," I greeted in return, my voice cracking nervously. I cleared my throat and continued, "Um, I haven't been able to reach you lately."

         Alycia visibly gulped and nodded her head, still not meeting my eyes. "Yeah, sorry about that, I was busy..."

         I could see she was lying, but nonetheless, I nodded. "Erm, it's okay, but I was hoping we could talk some things out. About, well, y'know..."

         She breathed in deeply and nodded before stepping to the side to let me in. I walked in and noticed how she still wouldn't look at me. I felt shivers on my arm as I walked past her, catching a whiff of her perfume – the one she wore the day we kissed.

         "Would you like anything to drink? Eat?" she asked politely as I sat on the couch.

         "No, Alycia," I said, staring at her. I knew she was stalling.

         She merely nodded and took a seat on the couch, but left a large gap between us. I understood why she was acting like this, but I wasn't sure what it meant. Did she think our kiss was a mistake?

         "Look, I'm going to get right to it," I began, growing uncomfortable at her lack of attention. "I think you like me as more than a friend."

         This caught her attention and she suddenly looked up, her green emeralds widening ever so slightly.

         "And I like you too," I added, softly.

         Alycia's eyes darted around the room hurriedly, as if she was trying to collect her thoughts. "Y/N, this can't... we can't... this is wrong."

         I frowned slightly. "I know. We shouldn't have done that to Ethan and Levi. But that's a separate problem for the moment. I need to know how you feel."

         Alycia's eyes met mine and she shook her head. "Y/N, I shouldn't have kissed you, okay? I shouldn't have done that to Will. I– I cheated."

         She looked down to her hands, and I saw how terrible she looked. She felt guilty for what happened and I didn't blame her, because I felt it, too.

         "You like me and I like you," I stated. "I feel like something was always supposed to happen between us. Don't you?"

         She pursed her lips, her eyes flickering to mine momentarily. They were agreeing with me, even if she verbally wasn't.

         "I've been thinking about breaking up with Ethan for a long time now," I told her honestly. "Since before I met you, Alycia. It just wasn't working out. And I know things haven't been the best between you and Levi. And I guess I'm just thinking, what if we ended up with the wrong people?"

         She ran her hands though her hair and sighed quietly. "I can't just break up with him, Y/N. It's not that easy. I share this flat with him to start with. Things will be messy and I can't just leave him because I might love someone else. It's not fair to him."

         Despite her obvious hurting, I couldn't stop myself from smiling slightly. She said she might have loved me and it made my stomach flip upside down.

         "You might love me?"

         She tensed up when she realised her slip up, but said nothing.

         "You can't stay with someone to keep them happy when you aren't happy yourself," I said, not looking away for even a second. "It's not fair to either of you. And the flat shouldn't be an issue. You can stay with me until you find a new place. I can help you out, Alycia. And maybe we can sort things out between us on the way. What do you say?"

         She genuinely looked like she was debating my offer. Her eyes looked to mine and I finally felt like I could see how she felt for me. I wanted to be with her, and obviously I had to do the right thing and break things off with Ethan, but it would be worth it if I could finally be happy and have Alycia.

         "I can't do that to him, Y/N, I'm sorry," she finally spoke, and any hope I had died away. "We should just stay friends."

         I tilted my head to the side and looked away. Nodding, I bit my lip and thought things through. She had feelings for me but couldn't be with me. Alright, okay, I could deal with this. Right?  

         "Okay," I agreed, knowing I wanted her in my life as a friend rather than nothing at all. "As friends, can I stay here to hang out?"

         I glanced at her and she was chewing on her lower lip.

         "Yeah, sure," she agreed. "Only platonic feelings between us. Agreed?"

         I nodded and sat back in my seat, mumbling, "Okay, but it was you who kissed me."

         Her face grew warm as an embarrassed smile fell upon her lips. Sinking in the couch beside me, she grabbed the TV remote and turned on the TV.

         I stayed and the two of us watched a film together. I wasn't even sure what we were watching because Alycia's presence was too distracting. I caught myself staring at her, too enthralled with how beautiful she looked. She was dressed so simply, her hair in a loose bun and no makeup on, yet she managed to take my breath away.

         Not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable however, I tried to concentrate on the film, whatever it was. But suddenly, Alycia sighed loudly.

         "Y/N, when did this happen?" she asked, and I looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

         "What are you talking about?"

         She gave me a knowing look and glanced down at our apparent intertwined hands. Hm, when did that happen? I didn't recall grabbing her hand in the first place. The feeling of it in mine felt so perfect it made no difference.

         "Really? Because I can remember agreeing that this would be platonic yet–"

         I couldn't stop myself and before I knew it, I had leaned forward and pressed my lips against hers. She went quiet and instantly moved forward, her lips moving against mine. The kiss was sensational and I felt shivers down my spine as she rested a hand on my cheek and her other hand on my thigh. We pulled away for a quick breath but I moved forward and caught her lips in mine again, unable to be away from her for a second longer. She was addicting and warm and everything like the other day, except this was kiss was less rushed and more meaningful.

         This time, it was me who pulled away, but I kept ahold of her jaw, not moving away from her fully.

         "I'm sorry..," I breathed out. "I know we agreed to be friends, literally half an hour ago, but I couldn't help it."

         I watched as Alycia clenched her jaw slightly, it tensing under my hand. She pursed her lips and glanced down, before moving back and making me drop my hand to my side.

         "I... I want to be with you."

         My heart raced faster as she looked up and met my eyes with confident ones. She said the words I so desperately needed to hear.

         "Then let's do this," I spoke, smiling a little. I took a leap of faith and reached out for her hand. She let me. "We can do what's right. Break up with Ethan and Levi. Then let's do this for real, Alycia."

         She seemed uncertain as she looked down at our intertwined hands.

         "Okay," she agreed, and I didn't expect it, so it almost went right over me.

         "Yeah?"

         She nodded, looking up again. "Yeah."

         I breathed out with relief, a lovesick smile on my lips. "Yeah."

         "We'll do the right thing as soon as possible," she said, a serious tone suddenly taking over her voice. "It's what's fair on the boys."

         "Agreed." I nodded, knowing she was right.

         "But for now..."

         I furrowed my brows, wondering what else needed to be done, but that confusion was short-lived as she moved forward and captured my lips in hers, stirring the butterflies in my stomach for the third time in a kiss now.

         Her lips were addictive, I knew that much, and as she kissed me there and then, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming amount of happiness.

         Maybe, just maybe, Cupid shot his arrows the wrong way.

[emilyjunk]

hi im sad do you have an hcs about bemily meeting at an ice cream shop?

during beca’s senior year of high school her dad makes her get a job and the only place hiring is fucking baskin robbins so... beca starts working at baskin robbins

she hates it obviously... people suck and they’re always dropping their ice cream and she has to clean it up ://///

also sometimes people come in and get like twelve samples and then end up picking vanilla and becas like wtf why??? vanilla is the most boring flavor on the whole dumb menu????

anyway the WORST is when they get HUUUUGE groups coming in like after sporting events and things... it’s so busy and chaotic

the second worst thing is when she sees people from school because that’s embarrassing. beca always pretends she doesn’t know them.

the ultra worst thing is when people from school are in a huge group

and thats what happens every fucking saturday afternoon

this huge group of girls from school comes in after their soccer game. every saturday without fail. they’re obnoxious and always make a mess and never can decide what they want

and beca like, totally doesnt even like any of them because jocks are so lame? theyre dumb and usually dicks. the soccer girls aren’t the worst but they also arent that great

so one day beca is stressing because the soccer girls are gossipping in line and becas just fucking standing there waiting for them to pick an ice cream flavor and her shift isnt over for another hour so everything just sucks... and then... then it doesnt suck so much. bc then one of the girls is like “hey guys... let’s order and take this outside so we dont hold up the line!” and she gives beca a knowing smile... so pretty and soft and empathetic

beca recognizes her, but isn’t one hundred percent sure of her name. she’s in the grade under beca, about to be a junior, and they’ve never had a class together. but beca recognizes her face from the halls.

beca decides this girl doesnt completely suck. at least as much as the others. 

after that, beca starts seeing her around all the time. she sees her in the halls at school, talking with friends at her locker. she sees her saturdays after soccer games at baskin robbins. she even sees her once at the movies when her stupid neighbor jesse drags her along to the newest superhero flick

it gets to the point where beca randomly thinks about this girl she doesnt know on and off throughout the day, and it makes her roll her eyes at herself but whatever. the girl is nice and she’s pretty and beca’s never had a gf, but she knows she really likes girls, and so just... whatever. she can think about people in her head alright? it doesnt mean anything!

“look,” cynthia rose says when the soccer girls come every saturday. “it’s beca’s crushtomer.”

“my what?” beca asks the first time this happens.

“crushtomer,” tssks her manager aubrey. “it’s when you have a crush on one of your regulars. and it’s obviously unprofessional beca.”

“she’s not my... crushtomer.”

“please. we can see your custoner from space.” beca stares and aubrey rolls her eyes. “customer boner. obviously.”

“you guys are weird.” beca scoffs.

but then the girl’s ordering and becas smiling... yeah... smiling wtf... as she scoops vanilla ice cream onto a waffle cone and god fucking dammit... she totally has a crushtomer.

alright so whatever beca has it bad for this customer but it’s whatever. she doesn’t even know the girl’s nam-

“emily!”

the girl whips her head around as her teammate comes jogging up to her and fine!!! beca knows her name.

it wouldn’t be that crazy or anything, until one time at school in the hall they make eye contact and emily is like “hey beca” and beca totally freezes.

“uh. hi emily. you, like, know my name?”

emily tilts her head to the side, her cheeks a pretty pink. “oh. yeah... i mean ive seen your nametag at baskin robbins.”

“oh.”

“i just thought i’d say hi.”

beca never thought they’d speak outside of the obligatory ice cream order and cash exchange so she’s not really sure what to do next in this situation. “uh. hi. but uh..... gotta get to class so um. bye?”

emily laughs, so cute and nice. “okay. see you around.”

and then beca is walking away and hearing giggles behind her as chloe beale whispers something in emilys ear and emily swats at her playfully. becas pretty sure she’s being laughed at, but she books it out of there too quick to care.

the next saturday, beca hates to admit it, but she’s kind of looking forward to seeing the soccer girls. it’s NOT because of her crushtomer though, okay? it’s because her shift is boring as fuck because it’s raining outside and nobody is coming in. so at least she’ll have something to do when they come

so beca waits in anticipation as her shift passes, the clock ticking down to her clock-out time... and they never come. beca finds herself almost disappointed to get off work... then she shakes out of it. fuck work. wtf?

the next saturday, beca initiates her very first small talk with emily. “so, you guys didnt come in last week. it was weird not seeing you.”

“oh,” emily pouts. “our game got rained out.” then she tilts her head, looking at beca curiously. “aw, did you miss us?” she teases.

beca snorts. “no.”

“Just me then right?”

and beca knows she’s teasing, but she feels the heat of it in her soul... and she blushes. “very funny.”

emily laughs, so bright and bubbly, the kind of laugh beca would normally hate. but she doesn’t. god she doesn’t.

emilys teammates have already all paid and taken their cones outside and it’s just beca and emily there at the register. plus CR down the counter mopping the floor but whatever, she has headphones in as she cleans so it may as well just be beca and emily okay?

“anyway.” beca says, clearing her throat. “that’s uh. $3.49.”

emily freezes, her eyes widening. she looks down at herself, pats her thighs where her pockets would be if soccer uniforms had pockets. 

“shoot,” she whispers, looking around helplessly. “one sec i forgot my wallet in my car i gotta go grab it.”

“oh,” beca says. “no, it’s cool, it’s uh... on me.”

“what? no, it’s okay. i can go get it.”

“no,” beca says, already putting her employee numbers into the register. “we get free ice cream every shift and i uh... don’t need it. so you can just use my free one. it’s cool.”

emily beams at her. “wow that’s so nice. oh my god.”

“it’s nothing, no problem.”

“no, i have to make it up to you now.”

“that’s really not necessary.”

“beca.”

“emily.”

“let me.”

beca hesitates but emily is giving her this look like a fucking puppy, all cute and persuasive. “...alright... how?”

“are you working tomorrow?”

“um no?”

“let me buy you lunch.”

beca blinks. “this was literally 3 dollars. you wanna go to like mcdonalds or something?”

emily laughs. “no i think i can afford more than the dollar menu. consider it interest.”

“what the hell? what is this? wolf of wall street?”

“oh my god beca.” emily grins. “im trying to hang out with you.”

beca stares. “hang out... with me?”

“yeah? like friends?”

“oh.”

“so...?” emily leans forward, her long ponytail swishing over her shoulder. “lunch tomorrow?”

“uh... yeah okay.”

emily gives beca her phone and beca inputs her number in some kind of daze. 

it’s not a date, beca reminds herself all during the lunch. even if emily pays and holds doors for her and is super touchy feely. it’s a friend thing. it’s just hard because they really get along. beca wasnt sure they would, because emily is smiley and nice and into sports. beca is surly and rude and fakes sick to escape gym every other week. 

but they do get along. they get along great... emily is into music and beca shows emily the mashups she makes in her free time and they bond over bands they like and beca learns emily plays like 5 different instruments.

emily is also funny, in a weird way, and her smile makes beca’s heart do weird things that hearts probably shouldn’t do.

after, emily gives her a hug and beca totally isnt a hug person but it’s the best hug she’s ever had and emily smells good, like scented girly lotion.

after that, they’re kind of friends for real. they hang out sometimes, and beca teases emily about her ice cream order (vanilla... the most boring flavor on the menu), and she even drags jesse to one of the girls’ soccer games and they text here and there, sending song recs back and forth. once emily sends beca a recording of her playing the guitar and beca swears she falls in love a little with emily’s singing voice. 

so yeah, they’re friends. then one day ... everything changes

becas just getting off her shift at baskin robbins and the soccer girls are hanging out at the tables outside, chatting and enjoying their ice cream. beca waves at emily as she walks to her car.

“beca, wait!”

emily jogs up and beca has to pretend she doesn’t think emily’s athleticism isnt the hottest thing she’s ever seen. they’re friends, she reminds herself. friends, beca. friends.

“sup?”

she throws her work bag in the back and shuts the door, turning to look at emily.

emily has a strange expression on her face. almost nervous. which is weird because emily is outgoing and friendly and talking to people doesnt really make her nervous.

“um, so.” emily glances behind her and beca peeks over her shoulder to see all the other soccer girls staring at them. emily frowns, pulling beca to the other side of her car by the arm so they’re out of view. “can i ask you something?”

“uh... sure dude?”

“what’s a crushtomer?”

beca literally almost dies on the spot. “what?”

“a crushtomer.” emily blushes, her fingers tugging at her ponytail nervously.

“oh. um. it’s like......... it’s stupid really, just some made up term thats like when a worker has a crush on one of their regulars, you know? it’s totally lame.”

“huh.” emily nods, her lips twisting. “so like, if i accidentally heard cynthia rose say im your crushtomer, then..............?”

beca really wishes she could crawl in a hole and die. “oh. you... you heard that.”

“yeah.”

“it’s just like... i mean.. we’re friends and stuff,” beca stammers. “you know, they know we’re like... fond of each other or something.”

“i see.” emily tilts her head to the side, looking beca up and down. “so it’s just a friend thing.”

“um i mean, well--”

“because like, say i didn’t want it to be a friend thing. say i wanted it to be a crush thing, like what would that mean?”

beca nearly stops breathing. “what?”

“like say maybe i think you’re cute and i like being your friend, but maybe i also have... once or twice thought about being more than friends and i dont know if you even like girls or anything and if you dont im really sorry like sooooooo sorry for making it awkward but it’s just i overheard that and i thought well just... what if it wasnt a friend thing but a real crush thing and just...” emily blushes cutely, glancing away quickly before looking back at beca. “the term is CRUSHtomer i mean it implies a romantic crush, i don’t know how to make this clearer so please just shut me up now”

“okay just... wait,” beca says, her heart going a mile a second in her chest. “You want to be my crushtomer. in a liking girls romantic way type of thing?”

“i mean...” emily shrugs. “only if you mean it that way. otherwise forgetting about this would be amazing and we could still be friends because i... i really like being your friend.”

“yes,” beca interrupts as emily opens her mouth to keep going. “no god yes. it’s stupid. crushtomer is stupid okay but yeah fine you’re my crushtomer. like... in a crush way. it’s a stupid term.”

emily stares at her for the briefest of seconds. then her face breaks open in the widest smile beca’s ever seen. “i think it’s cute.”

“it’s dumb” beca snorts.

“you wanna like, go out then?”

beca’s whole body is warm. “yeah. that’d be... cool.”

“hm.” emily is so smiley it kills. she scrunches her nose at beca. “i mean i kinda feel like we already were going out. i mean, you showed me your mixes,” she teases. “so romantic.”

“kay,” beca rolls her eyes, but she can’t stop smiling. “whatever. cant believe im gonna go out with a jock.”

emily laughs, her hand coming out to grip the top of beca’s car and effectively sandwiching beca in. “you ever kiss a jock before?”

“no,” beca murmurs, trying to keep her voice from squeaking, but emily is like, really close and holy shit she’s so pretty oh man... 

“you want to?”

beca’s breath gets caught in her throat. “yeah.”

all beca can think when they kiss is that emily tastes like ice cream and for the first time in her life, beca maybe just maybe thinks vanilla might be the most exciting flavor on the menu

[thecloserkin]

fic rec: Are You Mine? and I Want Some More by PoetHrotsvitha

fandom: Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate

pairing: Evie Frye/Jacob Frye

word count: 54k and 50k respectively (one is a direct sequel to the other)

Is it canon: yes

Is it explicit: this is the most explicit material i have thus far reviewed on this blog

Is it endgame: yesssss

Is it shippable: yes

One thing you guys should know about me is I don’t read a great deal of smut. I don’t actively avoid it either, and I for sure consume more smut in the context of fanfic than in professional published fiction because I feel the following quote in my bones: “It wasn’t that friendship needed to be sexualized, it was that erotica needed to be … friendship-ized.” So when I stumbled on this fic that is 80% smut stretched over the thinnest pretext of plot, based on source material I have zero familiarity with, what did I do but fall headlong for this pairing and this story. Bless you, anon who brought Fryecest to my attention, and praise the Lord for modern AUs where knowledge of canon is not mandatory.

Jacob and Evie Frye are twins born into an Assassin family and raised by their exacting taskmaster of a father to take down the Templars. There’s no Templars or Assassins in this modern AU of course, just Evie’s looming A-Levels and their absent academic of a father. Evie’s still the golden child, of course—she’ll follow in their father’s footsteps and get her Ph.D. Jacob is the problem child. He’s already fallen in with the Wrong Crowd, he’s impulsive, he drinks and gambles and mostly solves problems with his fists. His relationship with their dad is hella strained. And because this is supposed to be PWP the author wastes no time in ratcheting the sexual tension up to 11 by having Jacob pick Evie up from her posh school on his MOTORCYCLE, each of them pretending not to be so turned on they could have combusted from desire by the end of the ride. Cool cool cool.

Their relationship begins barreling in a dom/sub direction almost from the word go. Evie is one thousand percent the take-charge, Type-A personality, so the idea is that she needs to relinquish that control in the bedroom, and Jacob is the only one she trusts to dominate her. Because they’re twins and they balance each other out adfkdfkdfjdkfd. The scene in the beginning where Jacob tells her not to button up her blouse while she’s making breakfast, and she actually listens to him instead of ignoring or insulting him, holy shit that was hot. It starts so small but eventually he’s got her wearing a wireless vibrator to class and begging for her “punishment” when she takes it out without his permission because it was too distracting.

I imagine this is what the 50 Shades of Grey phenomenon was about. I haven’t read 50 Shades of Grey myself, but I’ve interacted with people who rave about it and clearly got something out of those books, bad as they were. I’m not trying to compare the quality of this story to 50 Shades of Grey—it’s lightyears superior to that dreck—just that when I finished this fic I had the dazed realization that this was why people read smut.

There’s a throwaway line in Jacob’s internal monologue where he muses “they seem to be going about this backwards,” because he’s buying flowers for her the day after fingering her to a screaming orgasm, and yes I am 100% here for this trope. Ffs he sits with her in the library to keep her company while she studies! He waits for her/escorts her to her one hundred and one extracurricular activities! He’s a really immature 17-year-old and he’d never dream of doing this for anyone else, but when it comes to Evie he becomes suddenly sweet and thoughtful and solicitous. He’s constantly pausing in the middle of sex to ask for her enthusiastic & affirmative consent and reminding her to use the safe word. At the same time he’s madly jealous when anyone else shows a flicker of interest in her and he regularly makes her admit he “owns” her during their role-play. They are each other’s firsts which for some reason is really important to me in these kinds of they’re-teenagers-exploring-their-sexuality setups. This is Evie hitting up the lingerie boutique in preparation for their FIRST WEEKEND GETAWAY:

“I’m going away for the weekend with my-” Evie almost stumbled on the word, “-boyfriend.” What a strange concept.

I AM TRASH FOR THIS INCEST TROPE i love the way she stumbles over that word. Bc that’s not the box that Jacob occupies for her, is it? He’s much more than that. I love the way she alternates between begging him to put it in her cunt and calling him a prat and a shitheel; just because he’s the love of her life doesn’t make him stop being her insufferable little brother. You know what else I’m trash for? ALL the sneaking around tropes. One time while sexting with him in a storage closet at school she’s busted by one of the teachers and only barely has time to lock her phone before he confiscates it.

So the first fic ends with their dad finding the sexts and nudes on Evie’s phone, disowning them both, and Evie choosing to go to University of Edinburgh because their dad knows too many people at Oxbridge. The twins get a flat together and it’s happily ever after. Except no! In the sequel it’s ten years later and Evie and Jacob have returned to the house they grew up in to say goodbye to their dying father, and they’re ESTRANGED OH NO WHAT HAPPENED. Evie has a four-year-old in tow. We find out in fairly short order that the kid is Jacob’s, but Jacob doesn’t find out the truth until we’ve sent him through the angst wringer. The fic is about how they grieve and reconcile and how Jacob learns to parent, and this one is actually like 60% plot and I think I like it even better than the first one. This author’s note really spoke to me:

I’ve read a fair number of sibling incest modern AU fics in a few different fandoms and they all tend to end at “and then they ran away from their families and lived happily ever after/epilogue of sexy fun times possibly with the introduction of hey they've had a kid!”. And I mean I love that, don't get me wrong. But I guess I’m also weirdly preoccupied with the part about what comes after that, because it always seemed far too dreadfully simple an outcome. Normal relationships are rarely that easy, so why would these be? Then again I'm probably putting too much thought into a porn fic, LOL.

DEAR @poethrotsvitha, THIS IS A SIGNED PETITION TO PLEASE NEVER STOP OVERTHINKING THE PLOT OF YOUR PORN FICS. Like, nobody starts fucking their brother unless they really mean it, because the risk of the relationship going pear-shaped and the two of you still being stuck in each other’s orbit because there’s no “breaking up” with family? That’s a big risk. And also why incest pairings feel so high-stakes and I am trash for them, obvs. One of the reasons the dom/sub dynamic is so integral to their relationship was because Evie had a tendency to dictate to Jacob what he “can and can’t do,” and he understandably chafed against it sometimes. It’s what led to their breakup five years ago. And so him taking charge in the bedroom is a kind of counterbalance, and there’s a scene in this fic where she lets him role-play a noncon situation as a way to partly soothe his jealousy.

To a large extent it’s their son who brings about their reconciliation, but their son is also a hyperactive little git who throws a monkey wrench in their sex life, so now instead of hiding their relationship from their dad they’re tiptoeing around a four-year-old. And the big character development that happens on Jacob’s part is him recognizing that Thomas is Evie’s #1 priority now, and there comes a moment where he has to make a difficult decision to prioritize the two of them in his own life, too (by quitting his job and ending a toxic relationship). The other thing I really liked was how Jacob thinks ruefully he could have gone a another round if he were ten years younger, which he’s not, but Evie seems satisfied and that’s what matters. The recognition that he’s not a teenager anymore, and doesn’t have the stamina of one, but he’s also more mature and this time he’ll be able to give Evie what she needs? Oh, my heart. Like I said I loved them being each other’s firsts as teenagers but this, this second chance they’ve got as adults, this is beautiful.

Ok so this is Evie begging Jacob to fuck her in a closet in the middle of their dad’s funeral service??!:

“Please, I just need to forget. Just for a little bit- I need to forget, please-” Oh, God, this was a terrible idea. A terrible idea that she would die before she stopped- she felt like an addict after years of sobriety, pushed by stress and grief to needing that all-consuming high that she'd never quite been able to forget. Her fingers worked at his belt, pulling it open, unbuttoning his trousers to draw the heel of her palm along where he was already hard. “Evie,” he rasped, shuddering against her touch. “Shh,” she said, tucking his pants down enough to pull his cock free, giving it a few firm strokes. “Shh.” If they talked, it would be too real. It had to be rushed and frantic, to feel like it was just the once, to ease the ache in her chest.

And this is after they finish (“if only it could have lasted forever”):

Silently, she turned to let him zip up her dress … There was a warmth against the back of her neck as she felt him draw her hair aside and press a kiss to the sensitive skin, hesitant and uncertain.  "Thank you," she breathed into the darkness, listening to the click of his belt as it slid back into place.  He just sighed, leaning his forehead against her shoulder, saying a million things without speaking a word. 

LEANING HIS FOREHEAD FOR A MILLISECOND AGAINST HER SHOULDER OMFG I AM DECEASED

Ok so to return an earlier point: When you want a canon incest happy ending in a modern setting (as opposed to if you’re both Targaryens) the most popular option is run away and live as an unrelated couple, which necessitates cutting ties with everyone you’ve ever known. This may be more or less difficult depending on the quantity and quality of those ties; unless this is Flowers in the Attic and you’ve literally been locked in the attic for years there’s bound to be people you care about other than your sibling so this is a monumental ask. The Fryes choose option B, “living openly as siblings and keeping the incest on the dl”. This option is not without risk, of course, since exposure is always a possibility, and Evie has to put up with the other moms at Thomas’s preschool eyeing Jacob like a piece of meat. Still, it means Thomas gets to bake cookies with his grandmother, who would not have let Evie and Jacob back in her life if they flaunted the truth. I mean, it’s not that she doesn’t know her kids are fucking, it’s just that a don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy allows everyone’s relationships to remain intact:

She seemed to be struggling to get the words out. “Is Thomas…” There were a few ways that this question could go, as far as Jacob could see, and he didn’t particularly want to deal with any of them. He leaned against the counter, palms rigid against the cold surface. “I’m really tired, Mother.” “I know. I just…” There was a terrible pause. “Are— are you and Evie…” Still facing the toaster, Jacob closed his eyes. He couldn’t muster a lot of fake outrage, but he planned to deny everything anyway. He didn’t care about how plausible it was. It was easier for everyone that way, especially Mother. Before he could open his mouth, though, Mother’s chair scraped back. “Actually, never mind. It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

Every Wednesday Evie (who’s moved back in with her mom) leaves Thomas with his grandma and goes to “book club” which is really date night at Jacob’s. And the two of them get right up to their old tricks:

When he gave her just the slightest nudge upwards with his hips, she finally let a broken whisper rasp out. “I can't- I want- please-” Jacob clicked his tongue. “You know what I want you to say.” She twisted her neck around again, and he could see that her eyes were now glassy with longing. “Huh?” “It's simple— just ‘My greedy cunt belongs to my brother’. “ “I will not."

The process of turning that initial “no” into a “yes” is scorchingly hot so there you go, I love these two, I love this fic, I have definitely seen the light and I'm ready to embrace smut.

[cosmicmoved]

𝐖𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗥𝗢𝗕𝗘    /    𝐅𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗢𝗡    #1

I’m going to add a Part 2 to this and I’ll use that to actually explain the more technical details of this stuff (i.e; what he actually wears, what silhouettes & vibes he likes, an actual explanation as to uh...literally anything) just because I feel like this post is more about the visual and less about me not shutting up. This will be more about the details. Little points to give you a general idea.

I WILL establish right away that he goes pretty heavy on accessories for the most part. If he’s not wearing something silver and shiny and at least a little clattery, it’s not really a Tomo Look. Earrings are a favourite addition to any look (hehe thank u to his fc for having a bunch of ear piercings bc that helps my case a lot) and he’ll wear pretty much any style, besides plugs and stuff like that, so long as it comes in some variety of silver or metallic black. He tends to avoid gold jewellery altogether unless he’s had it forced on him by a stylist. Tomo likes wearing makeup and learned how to do his own makeup when he was younger. His mother told him it wasn’t worth focusing on but, because he was personally interested, he hunted out a family friend (a makeup artist his father had known) and enlisted help there. He’s no expert but he knows enough to handle his own looks, although he tends to keep it subtle most of the time.

His sense of style can be a little hard to pin down as his rule for fashion is essentially just to dress according to his mood on that given day, which is as about on-brand for Tomo as it gets. He kind of lives by a rule of doing what he feels like when he feels like doing it (in his personal life anyway; he’s a LOT stricter with himself where professional matters are concerned but that’s a story for a whole different post) and that’s kind of reflected in how he presents himself. Sometimes, if you’re careful enough, you can even judge how much he’s willing to put up with that day based on how much effort he’s put into his outfit! He owns a lot of clothes in general so there’s a lot of room for variety, even if he ultimately sticks to a pretty limited colour scheme. His wardrobe tends to lean towards the more monochromatic. Not that he’s got anything against colours, he just prefers the silver jewellery on black & white look. The all-important pop of colour tends to come from his hair, granted he isn’t in the process of filming something that requires he keeps his hair a more natural colour (that said, Tomo tends to avoid dressing up at all while he’s filming because he usually exhausts himself and he’d much rather spend his free time locked up indoors, staring at a wall for hours, but that’s whatever lmao).

Also, he dresses quite expensively, for no reason other than because he can. I wouldn’t say he’s so stuck up that he wouldn’t buy and wear something that was a reasonable price if he genuinely liked it but he I WILL say that he’s often pretty chill about shelling out money on things he only sort of wants because he has the ability to do so. In another post, maybe I’ll talk about Tomo’s relationship with money because, as with most things, it’s a little all over the place; his family had money when he was born (and then things got a little shaky after his parents’ divorce) but his dad would spend all his money on dumb shit and his mother spends too much of her on throwing parties so nobody actually bothered to teach Tomo how to be remotely responsible with money.

i actually wanna change bits of this graphic and make it more accurate bc i put it together right when tomo was v fresh & new to me but i managed to delete the original psd for it so that would require remaking the whole thing from scratch and...i don’t wanna do that so i’ll just make a part 2 at some point lmao! anyw, the biggest correction is that the pic in the middle isn’t incredibly tomo but i guess it works for...real casual wear...it’s just a little too laidback for tomo. also i cropped the bottom right wrong, there was supposed to be a choker on show but what can u do !!

[arathejedi394]

In either the harlot and the landlord or the danger in your eyes cherie stories, how would Bucky react to someone stalking Steve? Someone claiming to be trying to save Steve from Bucky?

omg wow i literally just got this ask from someone else but without a specified ‘verse so i did these days. i guess now i’m doing the kept boy ‘verse and prohibition ‘verse! someone trying to “save” steve from bucky is a very interesting scenario, bc, i’ll be honest, at least for kept boy, at the first inkling that someone was stalking his baby, mafia-king!bucky would just kill whoever it was. actually, i wrote a chapter of that fic yesterday wherein someone briefly insulted steve in front of bucky, albeit a very grave insult, and now the idiot’s dead. so, yeah.

but trying to “save” steve? oooh. let’s explore that in great detail. in the harlot and the landlord series, steve and bucky are really, really in-tune with each other. if someone tried to suggest that steve needed saving from bucky, they’d be dismissed instantly. steve is not playing these games, he needs no rescuing from that dick. 

but, danger in your eyes, that one is a v different situation.

without giving away too many spoilers, bc i have stuff planned for the plot of that series, both steve and bucky were in the army for WW1. steve was rejected from the military as per in canon, but was not approached by dr. erskine for the serum, instead, he learned drag and became a nurse. bucky was a sniper, and a damn good one. after the war, bucky had no idea what to do with himself, so one day, he just decided to become a hitman. he walked up to the closest mafia, offered his skills, demonstrated said skills, and quickly became their top gunman. in less than a year, he went from nobody to notoriety. 

his deal with steve is a business one, but he really does want to end up with a partner. perhaps a few months down the road of steve living with bucky, someone in a rival gang gets it in their head that steve is a damsel in distress of sorts and is being forced to serve bucky bc of debt or something. bc, on the outside, it doesn’t look very good, lbr. steve cooks and cleans and keeps bucky’s hens (oh he has chickens it’s 1919 i figured that if he’s rich enough to have a yard in manhattan, he’d be sensible enough to have some chickens), and he’s definitely doing more to keep bucky’s bed warm than sticking a pan of coals under the mattress. sure, perhaps it’s not so unusual for a young bachelor to have a housekeeper, but one that young and pretty? nope, they’re fucking. and when you’re on the inside and you know that bucky’s made his fortune through murder-for-profit, it’s not that difficult to worry that the housekeeper he’s almost definitely fucking might not be their out of his own will.

oh, and most people are still under the impression that steve is a women at that point. bc it’s 1919. fools be homophobic.

let’s consider the humble goon in, say, the irish mob’s employ. hey, maybe it’s steve’s old buddy arnie roth. hey, arnie remembers steve from school, and he knows that even if he’s wearing dresses and aprons everyday, steve is not a woman and when they were young boys, steve would not have been caught dead near his mother’s heels. he’s concerned for his old pal.

so arnie starts sneaking around bucky’s house. peeking through the windows and trying to figure out what’s going on. one night, he sees steve in the kitchen cooking something for dinner, when in walks james barnes, great big dog at his side (bucky has a dog, he’s a rottweiler/german shepherd mix and he’s a sweetheart despite his big teeth), and barnes goes straight for steve and grabs him on the ass. arnie makes up his mind that steve is in danger and books it to ready his plan of attack, missing the way steve tips his head back and sighs happily as he begs bucky for more.

arnie decides he’s going to rescue steve. he’s going to get him out of there, take him out west, and hope barnes doesn’t try to chase them. he buys two tickets to uhhh chicago? chicago. and he sets up to break into bucky’s house and rescue steve. he waits until steve leaves the next day to go shopping, grabs him, and drags him off. steve throws up a fight, duh, which is all elbows and biting and hair-pulling, until arnie gets him to open his damn eyes long enough to see who it is. steve gasps, then he grins and gives arnie a hug and he’s like “it’s been forever, how’ve you been!” and arnie just says “i’ll be better when we’re further away from here, come on!” 

and he drags steve off towards the train station. steve just kinda goes, bc he doesn’t exactly get what just happened but he wants to catch up with his old friend. he keeps asking questions and arnie keeps shushing him until tsuddenly they’re on the train and steve realizes something is wrong and demands what arnie thinks he’s doing.

“rescuing you!” arnie says. “rescuing me?” steve repeats, dumbfounded. “yeah, i got us tickets to chicago, as long as we get away now, barnes’ll never know!” “why the hell am I going to chicago?” steve demands.

in the meantime, duh, bucky doesn’t just let steve wander new york alone, he had a tail. only the guy was new and not that good and missed what happened. he runs back to report that he’s lost steve, bucky freaks out and puts up a city-wide manhunt. no sign of him. bucky thoroughly panics, bc by then it’s been a few hours and if steve was kidnapped, there should be a ransom note already. what if steve left him? what if steve decided he didn’t want to be bucky’s pet anymore and he’s vanished instead of breaking it off in person? bc obviously! instead of telling steve that he was developing Real Feelings that were not itemized in the business contract that is steve cooking nice dinners so bucky will fuck him, bucky has gone and done the love-falling thing! without anyone’s permission! it just sort of happened! one night, steve was snuggling into bucky’s side after sex and bucky’s heart just did this kind of !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! moment that he, initially, thought might have been a heart attack. but no. ‘Twas Love. and now steve has gone and disappeared.

steve, on the train is like, how did i allow myself to be dragged onto a fucking train! “arnie!” he says, “bless your stupid fucking noble heart, why the fuck did you think i needed rescuing! i don’t need rescuing! do you know! how satisfying barnes’s dick is??? no you don’t! i enjoy being on it 24/7! take me back!” and arnie is like “whuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut?” steve explains, in graphic detail, how much he actually enjoys being bucky’s maid, and lets slip that, oh, in fact, not included in the itemized contract that did describe how precisely bucky liked to bathe his sexual partners, he has also developed Emotions. in fact, just the other night, steve was snuggling up to bucky post-sex and bucky snuggled him close and kissed the top of his head and steve’s heart did an unexpected !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! moment that he initially -- oh wait. huh.

bc we all love it when they’re fools, steve and bucky have fallen in love with each other at the same rate, not like falling asleep where it’s slowly and all at once, more like, you cuddle the same person day after day for a few months at a time and for some reason you get this light happy feeling inside every additional cuddle. also, more like an orgasm, slowly and then all at once. 

(no one tag john green in this, somewhere in his brother’s house is a book with my name on it that i don’t want to be brought out of the dusty cupboard it’s probably in)

the train does stop before it reaches chicago and steve gets off at the first stop. arnie goes with him, profusely apologizing, bc he was only trying to help, and they get back on another train back to new york. fortunately steve has the money. back in new york, steve tells arnie that he should probably just lay low but they’ll have tea next week, it was nice to see him, and he goes home. he finds bucky there with all of his people and even the big kahuna of the russian mafia N (you know who it is) gathered around the kitchen table trying to piece together where the hell steve could be. steve lets himself in, walks into the kitchen without being noticed, raises his eyebrows increasingly as bucky starts laying out the plan for doing a full grid search of all of new york, and then asks if bucky wants him to make tea for the guests.

bucky wastes no time in grabbing steve in a very tight hug. steve finds it’s quite nice. bucky then lets him go stammering about where the fuck had he gone and steve tells him to calm down before giving the story. “it was a complete misunderstanding,” he concludes, “there’s nowhere i’d rather be than here.”

bucky resumes hugging him. the sort of hug where you feel distinctly squished but it’s actually really nice. bucky’s crew see themselves out, saying they’re glad that steve has been found safe, and steve and bucky eventually sort themselves out enough to have supper and their usual evening routine of sexy times probably.

oh, the ILYs? those happen later. i have a Plan for that.

[dominicvail]

what are ur thoughts about anna and joelle as characters & their respective relationships with callen? love your blog by the way :)

i mostly think that ncis:la is exceptionally good at writing the core 6 characters and keeping their development on track, but to do so i think they sacrifice their secondary characters at some kind of tv show alter where any characterization sins are forgiven if it works in favour of any of the mains’ development. Anna suffered from this, though not as much as Joelle imo. 

I have nothing against either of them as characters tbh?? I think it’s clear we’re supposed to have felt a deep and ugly disdain for Joelle after The Incident (that was clearly pulled out of the writers’ asses at the last minute bc of the total and blatant lack of foreshadowing and i think i know where the got writers were taking prompts tbh) but honestly? I have always failed to see how her actions were That much different to the teams’, and they’re the heroes of the show. I just... Can’t deal with how the writers played Callen’s (understandable and valid) reaction to that betrayal with exactly Zero levels of introspection from him and the rest of the team. Joelle just thought this was a Regular job, not a screwy one, she was, in effect, doing what they do???  

Like, ur all spies... This is the territory. This annoyed me to the point where I didn’t want Joelle to show up anymore simply because the high horse the team was on was genuinely making me uncomfortable in the insinuation that some of the things they’ve done aren’t like, super messed up in this area as well??? The writer’s unwillingness to address the moral ambiguity of it was just... Confusing to me. Like, remember that time in s1 Callen legit thought he had a son with an actual genuine innocent mark he was sleeping with for a job? 

Wild. 

And before the whole random spy plot, Joelle suffered from not being a character as much as the cookie cutter girlfriend. Was there much to get attached to? No, but on the flip side there was nothing to actually get annoyed over, either, she was just there. 

I’m just kind of..  *shrug emoji* about it all to be honest, i think they missed a chance to tell an actual interesting story about the team when they did the Joelle plot, both when she was an innocent civilian and the perils of being involved with a highly trained spy, and then again when she worked for the CIA and the implications of that kind of job. In the end, the only time i really connected with her character was when she realised she couldn’t go back to her family, it’s the only time they managed to draw real emotion from me with her. 

Though, they also dropped a massive ball there tbh, b/c she did the same thing Nikita did with G and... Nobody bothered to mention it. I mean, her kid still has his dad, but there is a clear parallel there. 

So Many Missed Opportunities. My thoughts on Joelle and Callen are that at every stage of their relationship, the writers dropped the ball. It was a hard relationship to try and write no matter what hat Joelle was wearing, you couldn’t phone those stories in, but they tried, and failed. 

But, on the other hand, G’s relationship with Anna... Was easy. 

I think they both connected on a level that G’s not had with anybody before, really. I mean, how often is G gonna meet somebody else with that much in common with him with how unorthodox his life is??? Their connection was immediate and easy, from the very beginning, it wasn’t trouble in paradise, they had a genuinely peaceful coexistence. There isn’t any ‘wow i have to protect her’ or ‘is she gonna back stab me’ because they get each other in ways not many other people could. Their dads are old buddies, they’re both kids of old soviets hated by the regime, they’re both spies/law enforcement out of a genuine urge to do some good in the world, are both fiercely protective of said fathers no matter how mad they are at any given time etc etc

I feel like the writers didn’t spend an awful lot of time developing them, either, But in this case, I buy it without having it, tbh, they’d be attracted by their similarities and I don’t need a big explanation. 

Anna also is, unlike Joelle, very much her own woman from day one. She’s not Callen’s girlfriend, she’s Anna; law enforcement, half russian, Arkady’s daughter who has a tenuous relationship with Arkady. And it all went So Well for her from her intro in s6-s9 and then... That.

i have not done this but i suspect if i played the ep where she tells Callen to tell the truth next to the one where she gets arrested i’d cry over how poor the continuity is. I kinda did with the gaps between eps tbh. And now i’ve seen that season, i’m not sure At All what the point of it all even was???? like, when did she stop being  pissed??? when did she start deciding to find old man callen??? why did she do so if she was mad at G??? she’s basically bought herself a lifetime as a fugitive when she’d probs have gotten out on good behaviour in a couple of years and i’m supposed to think any of this makes sense??????!!??? 

That’s when they lost me. They could have done that entire plot without the ooc pissiness at G, in fact, it would have made a lot more sense. It was just stupid drama for the sake of drama. And while i frankly still would have side eyed her throwing her life away for G even if they had taken out the stupid drama, i could not have said it didn’t make sense. 

oh well. 

I mean, they used her kinda as a Kensi metaphor with the ‘if i lose my work who am i’ kinda plot, But I don’t have a problem with her killing the guy narratively so them kind of making a point about Kensi possibly quitting with Deeks and who she’d be without the job did not annoy me because it didn’t demean Anna, it was a parallel. In fact, i thought finding out that Anna would legit kill for Arkady an interesting facet of her character considering how tenuous their relationship can be. 

I genuinely Like Anna, she might not be the most fleshed out character ever but she argues with her dad and is annoyed by him so much but loves him enough to kill a guy for him, she wants to be a cop to help people because it’s who she is, and she plays online video games with random people on the internet to the point she stuck electrical’s in G’s home. There is personality there, there’re things to be attached to, unlike in Joelle. 

I don’t think i’m ever gonna be nuts about any of the main characters relationships with anybody Not main character simply because the writers don’t put a Lot of effort in most of the time, but yeah... Joelle was a mess of a situation to begin with and Anna got really fried for plot reasons. 

And i genuinely hope they both settle in Cuba and end up friends, Joelle’s kinda ruthless and Anna’s not but i think as a fugitive Anna could probably use somebody ruthless to watch her back. And Anna’s caring enough and i think Joelle could probably use some uncomplicated kindness, tbh. I’m imagining it, Anna can go back to being her (lets face it, arkady visits, she’s not lost him at least) and Joelle can just get some stability with no back stabbing. 

and then they end up girlfriends b/c this show is still too straight 

and thank u!!!

[kewltie]

high-end escort!izuku au: where rising top hero ground zero seriously need a date to a super important mandatory gala and his idiotic friends bet that he can’t wrangle a date. while katsuki knows bullshit when he sees one he can’t help wanting to rise to it bc his agency is getting super annoyed that he keep bailing out of this function and to shut his so called friends so now he is stuck to find a date in 2 days. katsuki is GOOD but he’s not that good so he resorts to the discreet world of escort service and picked the most famous agency and asked for their number one. what he got was his former childhood friend who had spurned and hurt all grown up now and about to fucking rock his world. 

izuku 100000% never actually wanted or intended to be an escort. the sludge villain never happened so he’d never met all might and therefore never received OFA so he never got a chance to go to U.A and become the greatest hero that he is meant to be :((((. with his dream thwart izuku focuses on his study and kind of move listly through life with no goal bc if he can’t even become a hero what’s even the point. eventually during college days money became super tight and izuku doesn’t want to rely on his mother and make her carried the burden of it. so he started to pick up multiple jobs on the side along with his studies... and it get harder and harder to remain his grades so his education suffer and he’s kind of stuck bc if he give up on his job he has to worry about the cost of living and school but if he focus on just earning money then his of education suffer :((, the vicious circle of a poor college student. 

so on one of his more uh colorful jobs where he works as a server at a hostess club down in the night district of downtown and that’s where he meet all these women and learned all their tricks and trade just from watching them every night. there he sees how they convinced their clients to give up more and more money to the store and stay longer and it surprisingly isn’t them seducing their clients but knowing what to say and how to say in a way that appeal to their clients ego and personality. izuku may not be into it or understand it completely but he watches and learns bc though these women may not be working at a place that society deem as deplorble but they make do with what they have and they use it to the best of their ability and that izuku can understand and he admires them for it. 

one night while he’s working, there’s a v drunk customer who had mistaken izuku for one of the girls and izuku got severely hit on and groped but instead of punching the man izuku calmly removed the man’s hands from his ass and waist and says with a smile, “sir, i’m not a cheap thing that you can touch that easily. if you want me to service you why don’t you buy yourself and your group a drink?” and that’s how izuku got the man to shell out more money to store and so drunk that he can barely stand and totally forgot about izuku. he diffused the situation w/o making a huge deal out of it and that’s what bc he’d pay attention to his surrounding and adapt to the situation so it doesn’t escalate. 

during the entire scene, there’s this lady who has been sitting on the side (ladies customers are rare but not like deterred) but is there to scout host/hostess clubs around the area for her own escort agency and she saw how izuku managed to deal w/ the customer with just a few words and a smile and she wants him to work for her. she approachs him after work and offers him a deal and compensation plan that looks too good to be true if he come work for her and use what he learned in that club for her clients. izuku ofc doesn’t right away accept it bc it’s kinda suspicious but she told him to look her up and give her a chance. he ends up doing it and that’s how izuku fall into the escort profession. 

turns out not only did the skills he’d picked up at hotess club was extremely helpful to him in his new job but natural analyze skill with his clients is the core of his job bc then he learn swhat they like and become whatever they want. he is able to read the mood & body language of his clients and knows what to say and how to say it so they response positively toward him. 

like for example one of his regular clients is a hieress to a mass fortune and she’s beautiful and smart and highly skill in corporate trade so it’s a double edge sword bc she’s so talented and beautiful that men finds her intimidating and get scared of her. so she look for in izuku is a lover/friend who can she can lean on: letting her rant about her job & frustration, offer her emotional comfort, cuddles with her from time to time, and treat her like every other girl, like she MATTERS and izuku delivers it in spade. he would bring her her fav food & flowers whenever he meet her, they have sleepover where he would paint her nails as she vent to him about her job and the ppl she work with, and he takes on date where they go to hole in the wall small family run resturants that she’d never went and nobody else even consider she would go bc well she’s an ELITE so ofc she wouldn’t be caught dead there but SHE LOVES IT. like these things he do to consider his client personality and their life choices is v v v important to his job bc he’s constantly adapting and changing to meet their needs.

what work for one doesn’t always work for other bc he also have an older male client who is divorced and lonely bc all his kids are grown up now so he’s looking for a companion, someone that make him feel needed and useful. so izuku acts spoiled and demanding, wanting the man to buy him stuff that he doesn’t actually need and requesting to meet him when the man is supposed to be in a meeting or throw a tantrum when the man cancelled a plan and it’s seem dumb and innocous but the client ABSOLUTELY LOVES IT bc it’s exactly what he wants to have someone rely on him and make him feel importat like they need him for his money and position even though it’s shallow but he wants that and izuku is there to give it to him. so maybe at first izuku felt super guilty that he’s lying or faking it for the money but the more he’s in this job he realize it’s just playing the part of their boyfriend, lover, friend, etc he’s selling an idea and the idealized version of what they want so he’s doing it for them as much as it is for himself... or so he thinks. 

but first and foremost izuku ISN’T PAID TO have sex with his client. he’s paid to be their perfect fantasy boyfriend/lover etc but if he does have sex with client it’s bc he genuine likes them and wants it for himself. but ofc ppl will misconstrued his job as soon as he say escort and think prostitution instead and though that may be true in other cases where the business can get sleazy and $ in exchanged for sex but not izuku and his agency. over the years of working at this job izuku climbs all the way to number one and is highly requested bc he’s so terrifyingly good at his job and is able to become the perfect bf/companion/lover you need just by understand and breaking down his client char, personality, and desires. 

so this is where katsuki comes in years later when izuku is already firmly established in the business and is damn ass good at his job. their relationship splintered during middle school years and they’d never recover and so they lost contact. during the time izuku was in college and working, katsuki was climbing the rookie heroes and he grown out of his own shitty behaviors thanks to his friends and U.A. curbstomming out the toxicity of his attitude and he realized he fucked up with izuku but even though he has grown up and grown better for it he has never got a chance to redeem himself in front of izuku. so when he’d managed to break into the top 10 pro heroes and there’s this important gala he has to go he found himself face to face with izuku the boy who he had hurt and torment and he’s a fucking escort now? WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF. 

katsuki doesn’t know what he should say to izuku, probably apologized he thinks but what came out is “what the fuck are you supposed to be?” and izuku blinks and then he smiles, slow and sure. “you’re date, kacchan,” izuku says and katsuki feels like his heart is knocked out of his chest bc that’s a name he hasn’t heard in years and just like that it’s like they are back to their childhood youth again except izuku stands before him not as that awkward nerdy useless kid but a man confident in himself and his place in the world and he’s fucking beautiful and katsuki IS WRECKED. 

look heroes don’t really hire escort (i mean some of them may do it but it’s all hush hush) so izuku doesn’t have a lot of interaction with the pros. he’s just as surprised as katsuki but he’s a professional so he doesn’t show it and though always with clients they have to filled out the form of what they’re looking for in their escort and information about themselves katsuki left his form blank on both his request and himself  (bc he’s like i want the best you got bc i won’t bring anyone lesser) so izuku literary went in not knowing who he is supposed to be so he can of adapt into this cool & charming default persona but as soon as he saw it’s katsuki it BLEW OUT OF THE WATER. he is so used to be other ppl for his client that now he found himself caught out and strange that he can’t put back his mask on in front of katsuki bc katsuki is a reminder of all his past, his heartbreak, his crushed dream, and the boy he’d admired and inspired him. it was a rude wake up call for izuku but he tries to recover and fixed the mask back on but ofc nothing goes as plan. 

when they went to the party together katsuki has to watch izuku plays the charming date and become an actual life of the party.  a lot of people flit around katsuki bc he’s the kid that broke into top 10 but katsuki is bristling w/ contempt bc he hates all this hanger ons and fakers pretending to be interest in him just bc he’s known now but izuku is there to distract them and get them off katsuki back. for the civilian izuku just say the right thing at the right time like how he does with his previous clients but when the pro heroes come over to congratulate and talk to katsuki. izuku is able to recite all their achievement, compliment on their latest heroic jobs, and ask them questions about their powers and it’s just really wholesome and sweet and EGOBOOSTING for the pros. and then when the heroes leave izuku and katsuki alone, izuku’s mask immediately dropped and is like “OMFG kacchan that was X and Y, they’re so much more amazing in real life i can’t believe i met them” he went back to fanboy mode and is gushing hopelessly about it and katsuki inwardly smile bc that’s his izuku right there, that’s something he can recognized and cling to. 

katsuki’s friends eventually come over to bother him and him about his date and katsuki doesn’t know where to start bc how does he explain izuku the boy whose ghost had haunted him since middle school and how he had changed as much for himself but also for a chance to meet izuku one day and be the hero that earned izuku’s admiration and regard. izuku is the one that took care of it and just said they’re old childhood friends and doesn’t bring any of their intense violate history up. he easily assimilate into katsuki’s group and katsuki’s friend keep making questioning eyes gesture like they can’t believe someone as good and perfect as izuku is dating katsuki LOL but it’s all just a mask that izuku play to this best ability. only when he’s alone with katsuki that izuku feels like himself and tells hims how katsuki’s friends are eclectic and hilarious and he’s very happy that katsuki finds a group of ppl that support and loves him truly and that alone more than the perfect date MORE THAN PERFECTY WOOING KATSUKI’S COWORKERS AND FRIENDS it’s that ultimately slayed katsuki bc despite everything izuku still wishes the best for katsuki. 

by the end of the night, katsuki demands to take izuku home and when izuku got out of the car katsuki grabs his hand for a moment. “i should have said this sooner but i’m sorry for everything. you didnt deserve what i did and say to you. i was mean and terrible to you as child but i hope, i hope that you can see  that i have changed,” he tells izuku and though he’s not even looking izuku and his words are even and practiced but the sweat of his hand holding izuku’s and the slight tremble that carried through is all izuku needed. izuku nods his head and said, “i know,” with the truest smile that he doesn’t even give his client. 

After that event, izuku assumes that once katsuki made his apology that he has been waiting years to do they’re done then. he won’t see katsuki again but STRANGELY his boss tell him he got another request to go to an even with katsuki. 

on katsuki’s side his agent is kinda giving him a weird look bc why does katsuki of all people want to go to all these black tie events that he has been avoiding like the plague but it’s all just an excuse so he can request izuku again and again lol. even though katsuki finally release all his pent up guilt and frustration with himself over izuku and thought that his past with izuku can be put to the rest... now he wants to see what kind of future he can have with izuku. he started off as mostly curiosity and the chance to see how his childhood friends is doing and why is HE ESCORTING so he keep asking for izuku and the more they spend time together the more he realize how little izuku had changed. he’s still pretty awkward and clumsy and such a nerd when it come heroes once he stopped pretending to be someone other than himself. bc katsuki doesn’t WANT SOME PERFECT BOYFRIEND OR DATE he wants izuku and only izuku. he doesn’t response well when izuku put on that perfect boyfriend mask of his so izuku just dropped his mask more and more with katsuki until he realizes his mask had been long gone. they’re the only two people who knows each other past so intricately and who despite the years having been past and how they all grown up now, their childhood memories still clings to them and that’s hard to erase despite their complicated history with each other. it add layers to their relationship and though their future doesn’t have to include each other they want IT TO BE bc these two are hopelessly drawn to each other by their share past and youthful dreams and wishes.  

so they hang out more and more, getting to know each part of each other, and they even go on more casual dates until izuku is going over to katsuki’s house now. izuku even talk about his former dream of being a hero that had never bore any fruit and how that had haunted him for years. he had thought he put it all behind him but close to katsuki and his pro heroes friends open his old wound again. katsuki doesnt mock or make fun of him about it and even seriously takes in consideration that izuku doesnt have to be a hero to save and that's theres many part of the hero sector he can do like management, support, and analyses which izuku had never consider bc he was so intensely focus on being like katsuki and all might. eventually and surprisingly katsuki is the one to make the first move and asked if it’s okay to kiss izuku and izuku dazedly nods bc it seems like he has been waiting for this moment his whole life. maybe he didn’t love katsuki this way when they were little but he did admire as someone who inspired him but this katsuki all grown up is someone he knows he can safely give his heart to. so they start to date ish but they never talk about their relationship status bc they are both afraid this fragile relationship of theirs may break and ofc THEY NEVER talk about izuku’s job until that happen. 

izuku got a job to go to this event with some pro hero and katsuki wasn’t even supposed to be there but a coworker cancelled so katsuki had to replaced him and there he sees izuku clinging to SOME GUY. izuku is wearing one of his mask and is acting completely DIFFERENT like he’s another person in front of katsuki. it suddenly hit him right there what izuku’s job actually entails and he’s ENRAGE SO MAD BC HE THOUGHT MAYBE MAYBE THIS MEAN ALL THESE TENDER MOMENTS HE HAD WITH IZUKU WAS IZUKU PRETENDING TO BE WHAT KATSUKI NEEDED ALL ALONG. WHAT IF HE’S FAKING IT. WHAT IF HIS FORGIVENSS WAS A LIE AND HE’S PLAYING A TRICK ON KATSUKI :(((((((((((((. 

he confronted izuku later that night when izuku got off work and bc katsuki is dumb and in love he said the exact wrong thing and hurt the person he’d never want to hurt again. “do you sell your body as much as your affection too huh, deku?” he sneers. 

izuku punches katsuki in the face and cries and katsuki is so stunned by it that he doesnt know how to react bc seeing izuku crying undo him completley, it reminds him of their childhood and how he had made izuku cry so many times and now he’s doing it again. “don’t ever contact me again, kacchan,” izuku tells him through a waterfall of tears, leaving katsuki completely numbed. 

from that night onward izuku goes back to his job sealing his heart and going through the motion. while kastuki felt like he had ripped a hole in chest and doesn’t know how to fix it. i think once katsuki realizes what a fucking mess he did through a lot of his friends helping through it that he will eventually confront izuku again and begged him for his forgiveness in the most dramatic way possible LMAO. 

izuku is with one of his regular client again and they’re at a big social event he knows katsuki is unlikely to be there but katsuki IS THERE and he’s storming through the crowd and grabs Izuku, dragging him away from his client and crowd. he takes izuku to back garden and there izuku had enough and about to push him away and go back but kastuki get on his knees and said, “look i know i can be a fucking dumbass around you and i realized i fucked up royally but this is me at my lowest and im on knees for you and only you. only you get to see me looking this pathetic and that drives me insane but i want you so please gimme me another chance to prove that i deserve you,” katsuki confesses and it’s the most rawest emotinal confession that he can delivered and izuku is crying again but this time he’s so happy that he launched himself at kastuki lol. 

they do work it out and get better and communicate more now!!! and they’re so much fucking happier than before. i think eventually izuku does quit his escorting service bc it isn’t viable in the long run and he knows that while katsuki isn’t exactly happy with izuku’s job he has long accept it and have 10000% trust in izuku. izuku eventually finds a job in the hero sector bc that’s all he wanted to do and he get to do and katsuki supports him 100000% all the way AND THEY LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER. 

[local-raccoon]

#VD9suitcontest entry!!

Ahhhhhhh I made a few of them bc they just kept pooling in my head. It’s kind of embarassing bc they go from “hmm yeah” to “im trying and failing” and justttttttttttttttttttttt  wanted to made them and thats it lol.

Under the cut bc It’s just too much!!

Check out the super cool zine @bnhavillaindeku-zine is making!! The staff is hella cool and the rewards are hella amazing. They all deserve the world and more (!!!!!)  This thingy is for their suit contest in which we gotta design Izuku’s villain suit.

The links are here!! Pre orders end on September 9, you still have a few days left!!!  Go go goooo!!  PO’s page || Shop page

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The modern ninja.

Hoodie – A simple black hoodie. He wears a bullet-proof vest underneath it.

Pants – Loose fitting pants for mobility and just being comfortable.

Knee guards, arm guards and gloves – The three of them are police-standard. He got them from an actual police gear shop. They are pretty simple but useful.

Throwing knifes – He has a great bunch of them, was inspired by Stain to use them… and to mock him too.

Mask – It’s so totally not a mask, just a too long scarf that got mutilated once or twice. It has an awfully drawn smiley face that is supposed to be mocking All Might’s.

Boots – The only difference with the knee and arm guards is that he painted them red. He loved his red shoes, you see. They are pretty heavy, too.

 Au background (or whatever this is)

A world where Izuku got tired of being treated like garbage and decided to take the matter onto his hands. At first, he was just a vigilante, leaving alone the heroes and having a little bit of hope that they were different. He was wrong. Once it became clear to him that most heroes where almost as bad as villains, he began to target heroes too.

He’s a sneaky rat. His tolerance levels went down to 0. This Izuku is aggressive, sassy and petty af. He’s done with everyone’s bullshit and the only person he tolerates at this point is his mother.

He might or might not be affiliated with the league. Maybe he doesn’t trust them much, but they are useful, too. (He might or might not have a quirk too.)

His costume mocks All Might, Eraserhead, Stain and the Police, bc he’s a lil shit.

He is always ready to fight and set the world on fire.

--------------- I think villain Izuku would go for a more useful oufit than a flashy, interesting one. (but at the same time i disagree with myself) sO The point in this suit was to make it out from stuff you can get from actual shops. I don’t know if it happens everywhere or my hometown is weird, but in here there are shops where you can get actual military gear, excluding the guns, ofc, but you can go full militar gear and it’s... a bit expensive but not too much. So i was thinking Izuku (or anyone, really) could do just that and nobody would bat an eye???

and even if they did, there are some places that cell construction gear and they work almost the same as military gear. U can get some nice and sturdy knee guards and it would be totally normal.

In this AU idk if Izuku is with the league or not, if he has a quirk or not, but i’m inclined to think he actually does both. And is a villain mostly out of spite and revenge.

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(see how they go from hmmm to uhgggg)

The bartender. (aka the one i gave most though)

Hair – Gelled to the side and tamed to the best of his abilities.

Shirt – A normal white dress shirt. Has tons of them ironed and ready to use. Rolls the sleeves up so they don’t get stained or in the way.

Pants – A pair of black slacks. Has tons of them too, they are surprisingly comfy.

Shoes – Moccasins. All black and meticulously cleaned. They shine.

Appron – Part of the bar’s uniform. Nothing special.

Gloves – Black leather fire resistant gloves with red palms. Used to hide the scars in his hands. (I really liked V!D9 Izuku’s gloves, didn’t have the heart to change them)

Scars – Has a lot of them on his arms and back.

 Background/whatever.

Midoriya Inko is dead. It was the heroes fault but no one would believe the ‘traumatized child’ it happened. Izuku is sent to a quirkless orphanage and develops a passive-aggressive personality. He makes a plan and starts working to make it reality. He’s never actually adopted, even if he does have some interviews, he’s just not interested. So he stays with the old man that takes care with of the orphanage and sees how the world is even crueler than he initially thought. The old man sees the way he is being silently consumed by his rage and hatred, tries to help but somehow they end up having similar ideals and turn into something like partners in crime. The old man says he’s “too old to actually give a damn”.

 He opens a business with the old man’s help and the money left to him from his mother. It’s a simple café in the day and a bar in the night. It’s pretty small and totally average. The only thing that catches attention are two plates in the front door that say “Quirkless welcome” and “Uniforms not allowed”.  He doesn’t allow anyone in uniform inside his business. No heroes, no villains, no police officers. Of course, people try to give him shit because of this but he knows the laws and that, legally speaking, he’s not doing anything wrong. Nobody can touch him.

 Izuku is more like an informant type of villain. This doesn’t mean he can’t take care of himself, of course, your biggest mistake will ever be to underestimate him for his looks. He focuses on getting information and working it on how ever it favors him. He isn’t afraid of going against other villains nor heroes. Not even the League. It takes him some time but he manages to set up his own network, getting information on both heroes and villains. The first thing he does is to expose all the heroes that where involved with Inko’s death.

Nobody really knows he’s the one to get the information, though. They think he’s just The Bartender, the messenger. What could a useless, quirkless nobody do, anyways?

 He takes his status of quirkless and uses it to his advantage with the best of his capabilities. Anything to fulfill his goal.

 The worst kind of villain are those who actually use their brains, after all.

-------------------- Escentially, my entry on the “Villain Izuku with an actual suit” trope. Initially, i though of him being something like Kurogiri’s partner, they both would make plans and make sure no one mess up. But then i though “Izuku would be totally capable of doing this all on his own. He just needs the right motivation.” and what better motivation than hate and having nothing else to lose.

An i really like bartender’s outfits lol.

I also headcanon that this Izuku knows how to use an unexpected amount of fire arms. (guns, rifles, shotgus, etc) and would never hesitate to shoot a bih. But i didn’t have the time to draw him with them (guns are hard ot draw!!) so i’m just leaving it here :/, hoping it somehow counts.

This Izuku is actually quirkless, everything he does is thanks to his brain. He learned how to break apart both information and people. bC I THINK IZUKU COULD DO IMPRESSIVE THINGS WITH OR WITHOUT A QUIRK.

/breathes/

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The Street fighter.

Hoodie – A green plain hoodie. Used to hide his body and just how buff he is.

Face mask – Cheap and with little probabilities of it falling off or untying.

Loose pants – Easy to move in.

Knee pads – For support and protection. They are just normal Knee pads.

Sneakers – A pair of comfy and durable sport sneakers. The little short absorption they have is good enough.

Bandages – His hands are bandaged in the same way of a boxer’s. He is seen with constant injures on his face because he is a street fighter. His arms are scarred because of fights too.

Hairstyle – Has an undercut and dyed hair. Usually, he dies the top black and leaves the roots green, sometimes dyes it all black. Changes them constantly so people won’t be able to relate him with Inko.

 Bakcground:

Not much to say. I just wanted to draw him as a street fighter.

He ran away/got kidnapped at a not-so-young age (10-12???) Didn’t saw a reason to go back/didn’t want to be found so he learned how to fend for himself and fight. Works in an underground fight center as both a fighter and information broker. He’s fast on his feet, even without a quirk, and can pack a punch strong enough to knock someone out in seconds. Specializes in speed and precision. It’s better to know where to punch and how hard that just punching mindlessly.

 Always parkour’s his way out of bad situations. The most frustrating villain/vigilante the police has dealt with. Has personal issues against Eraserhead because he’s the only one that can almost match his pace.

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

I JUST WANTED TO DRAWN HIM AS A BRAWLER HASJDHAJSDHASD

He’s part of another villain group and quirkless. He fights with only kicks, punchs and sTREET SMARTS(!!!!). Parkoúr is a thing. He probably breakdances too, bc he can. A kind of-free man living the live as a thug.

Idk what else to add here. Maybe just that i got inspired with the sneakers lmao lOOK AT THEM IM PROUD. they came out way better than i was expecting. The pose too, how did that even happened.

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SO THATS ALL. Thank you for coming to my pep talk/whatever this is.

Pls buy a copy. it’s a very cool zine. Here are the links again:  PO’s page || Shop page 

Uhhhhhhhhhhh.  Yeah, bye.

[tin-can-iron-man]

am-i-right anon made me realise the Iron Man suit is literally worth its weight in gold and... he goes through them so quickly??? our supernova star is so rich? this messes me up bc when I think Tony Stark I think, "what a fucking dork" and how he stays up three days in a row and dances to Christmas songs and buys giant bunnies for his loved ones as gag gifts and genuinely wants them to enjoy the gift and gets deeply offended if they don't and he's??? such a nerd???... [1]

[But he’s also a multi-billionaire and genius and literally outfits himself in gold on the daily this fucking man I’m so shook I love him so much. gnrnqpqkcnfbsuwl]

LISTEN BABE TONY STARK IS FUCKING WILD AND EXTRA TO THE EXTREME AND I LOVE HIM FOR IT. I BELIEVE THAT HES STATED THAT EACH IRON MAN SUITS COSTS SOMEWHERE IN THE HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS AND HE MAKES LIKE ALMOST 50 OF THEM IN THE SPAN OF LIKE A DECADE OR LESS (AND DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON C O M I C TONY’S SPENDING HABITS, *HE HAS LIKE 4 SUITS FOR THE SAME PURPOSES BECAUSE WRITERS FORGET AND MAKE NEW ONES AND FOR FANSERVICE THEY STICK THEM IN TONYS IRON MAN HALL LIKE “YEAH HE BUILT THAT ONE TOO”) TONY STARK IS RICH A F AND HE IS LIKE THE BIGGEST MONEY BLOWER IN ALL OF MARVEL. (WHICH IS OKAY BECAUSE I’M PRETTY SURE NOT EVEN HE KNOWS HOW RICH HE IS LIKE MAYBE HE’S A BILLIONAIRE BUT HE MIGHT ALSO BE A TRILLIONAIRE HAVE YOU SEEN HOW MUCH MONEY HE SPENDS ON OTHER PEOPLE OR JUST FLAT OUT GIVES AWAY? THE MARIA STARK FOUNDATION MOST DEFINITELY RECEIVES SOME BIG FAT CHECKS FROM TONY STARK EVERY FEW MONTHS IF NOT EVERY MONTH. TONY’S RICH BUT HE ISN’T GREEDY. HE LOVES SPENDING MONEY ON OTHER PEOPLE (AND ALSO LOVES PRETENDING TO GRIPE ABOUT GETTING STUCK WITH THINGS LIKE CATERING BILLS) 

Which brings me to the second part where I will tell you what I fully believe about Tony and his gifting habits. In which he is either practical or amazingly extra (or both).

And you’re right an amazing example of that is from when he bought his girlfriend a giant teddy bear that couldn’t even fit in the doorway and had to be placed in his living room and don’t tell me for one second he wasn’t fully prepared to have that fluffy monstrosity just squatting in his living room forever.

But do people know how much money Tony completely blows on the avengers!? It’s a fucking shitton I’ll tell you that.

(now, even though mcu Tony does do and offer stuff like this too, I’m going to talk more about comic/Avengers Assemble tony aka a tony whose offers aren’t taken advantage of and/or brushed away.)

Remember, the avengers live in Tonys fucking home. The moved into Tonys place. Most of the Avengers didn’t even have official homes (Clint and Steve maybe had their own place, but probably were housed by SHIELD I’m pretty sure Natasha also just stayed at SHIELD, Thor didn’t even live in the same realm. and Bruce was 100% homeless.) They were all almost complete strangers to him, but they all go on one (one) mission together and Tony is fucking offering his home and his food and his resources to these people. Building them rooms or floors designed to include things he knows they’re interested in. (In the older comics, he either redesigned or fucking built a mansion for these people *and then sold it to Luke Cage for one (one) dollar.*) 

 He pays catering for Avengers meeting even when the Avengers basically encompass over 200 superheros who need to eat way more than a normal person to function at 100%. And he decides to do it every time. Nobody is asking him to. He realizes that these people are coming over and he needs more food and he gets more food to feed his allies because they might be hungry and he’s the host.

Also, Tony spends so much fucking money on upgrades for the Avengers. He makes them better armor, weapons, and gadgets (again, because he wants to, he wants them to be protected and safe.) A moment form EMH pops into my head about Caps shield getting destroyed. Tony is shown sitting in a meeting pissing off his board because he’s only going “uh huh” and “Hmm.” while fiddling with a watch when they report stuff to him and Pepper walks in and he asks her to throw her shoe at him to see if this thing works and he reveals he had been working on a virtual replacement Shield for Steve that might not be as good but he promises to make better. 

HE’LL MAKE SPECIFIC IRON MAN-ESQUE ARMORS THAT SPECIALIZE IN WHAT THEIR SKILLS ARE AND SPENDS THAT HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS I TALKED ABOUT BEFORE AND DOESN’T EVEN ASK FIRST. (AND! DOESN’T! MIND! WHEN! THEY! SAY! NO!) 

Money does not matter to Tony Stark. His friends do.

Tony Stark is the Avengers sugar daddy and he loves being their sugar daddy okay.

[schrodinger-s-kitten]

APH rarepair week day 3: Childhood!

Pairing: Romania/Norway

Rating: T

I am really nervous bc the word childhood appears once in the story, but I think it counts? *nervous sweating*

I’m also very disappointed in myself for the ending

Idek anymore just read it

Fools

The magic community is huge. And that is an understatement. If one were to conduce a study on it, they would find out about two fifths of the global population are mages. Of course, nobody does it, because who believes in magic, right?

Lukas Bondevik lived in a tiny Norwegian town. He'd heard of famous sorcerers, but had never befriended a mage outside his family before.

Sometimes Lukas got to show off his magic to kids, who clapped and cheered, but their parents always took them away and told them ‘don't go near the strange boy’.

When Lukas was a teen, his family gathered enough money to move to England. Lukas made a small dance in the shower before their flight. They were going to live in London? Perfect! The whole plane ride, he played with strings he'd enchanted to change colour, to avoid looking out the window. He made them become various shapes, from a cat to a dragon. When they landed, he left them on the plane; someone could use them. The magic would wear off in a few days, though, and they'd become the dull grey they were before.

Everything about London was grand, even the airport. Lukas' family would have gotten lost if it weren't for the signs leading them outside. The tall ceilings giving off a spacious feeling, the chatter - or snoring, in some cases - of people, the smell of tea and coffee, it almost made him dizzy. Once they got out, he took deep, sweet breaths.

The hotel room had white walls, two bedrooms and one bathroom. Lukas and his younger brother slept in the same room. Emil fell asleep fast, but Lukas was jet-lagged and way too excited. He made little flames dance around the room, careful not to touch anything. He painted them different colours, like blue, green and purple. It was like a small show in his ceiling.

At last, he slept.

~=o=~

The sun brought light to their hotel room. Emil was up before everybody else. So, Lukas awoke not only from the aggressive sunlight, but because of his brother poking him everywhere.

“Emil. Emil, stop,” he grumbled, rolling to the other side and throwing Emil on the floor.

“The sun's already up, Lukas! Come on! You're a good wake-upper!" Shouted Emil, throwing his arms up. Lukas' hands tightened around his cover.

“Go away,” he growled.

“No! You always say it's good to wake up early and enjoy the day!”

Lukas groaned and sat up.

“All right, all right,” he sighed. “Go wake our parents.” He stood and opened the closet doors. Emil ran into their parents' room. How could someone be so energetic so early in the morning?

Oh divinities, not getting enough sleep was not worth it. Lukas chose the plainest clothes his eyes hit and put on flip-flops while brushing his hair. By the time he was ready, his parents were already up as well. Breakfast was decent, and they had a casual stroll around the city. They found a school for the kids and a good restaurant to eat in.

Emil and Lukas got into school a week later.

Nothing abnormal happened for months.

~=o=~

The lunch break bell rang. At last. Lukas put his case and notebooks into his bag and threw it over his shoulder. After waiting a few seconds for the most of people to get out, he walked out of the classroom. On the way to the cafeteria, he passed by the music room; there was Arthur, still practising on his cello, like every morning. He and Feliciano had teamed up to play a duet. Lukas stopped by and listened. It was a soft and cheerful tune, although short; fitted for the the end of summer.

Arthur's expression relaxed, and he smiled at Feliciano, who smiled right back. They put their instruments back in their cases, and talked about where they would meet next.

Someone tapped on Lukas' finger, and he turned around to see… no-one. The corridor was empty. He felt a pinch on his sides and almost yelped. Something encircled his waist and pulled him back. Lukas whirled around and hit the thing, which released him. This was an invisibility spell. Lukas spread his arm and sent fire in what he hoped was the thing's direction. A loud yelp echoed in the corridor – so the thing was afraid of fire. It also sounded human. Lukas spun around, shooting a circle of fire around himself.

By this point, Arthur and Feliciano were at the door, both shocked at the situation. Everyone was still for a second.

Arthur sighed.

“Vladimir, stop it,” he ordered. To Lukas' surprise, a voice responded.

“But- him and- the fire-”

“Vladimir.” Arthur's voice was much more stern. A groan.

“Fine.” And in the middle of the corridor, Vladimir appeared, dark red clothes, one fang showing, a tiny hat balanced on his head.

“Feliciano, are you okay?” Arthur placed a gentle hand on Feliciano's shoulder. Feliciano took deep breaths, then nodded.

“I’m… going to pretend this didn’t happen,” he said, putting his backpack on. “Let’s go, Arthur!” He grabbed Arthur’s hand, smiling, and they rushed to the cafeteria.

Vladimir and Lukas exchanged looks.

“So, where in the heck are you from?” Vladimir knitted his brow and tilted his head.

“Norway,” answered Lukas.

“Ohhh, that explains your skills!” Vladimir straightened his spine, raising his head. “I’m Vladimir Popescu, the illusionist.” He winked. “Let’s get lunch!”

Lukas blinked. That was a first. He was a little wary, but… how bad could it be? He wouldn’t have only his thoughts as company. He agreed. Vladimir grinned, and off they went to get lunch.

~=o=~

That day, they shared two classes in the afternoon. As there were no assigned seats, Lukas and Vladimir sat next to each other. The teacher was speaking while taking notes on the board.

“Now, we’ll need an example to demonstrate,” said the teacher, turning to the class. His eyes scanned the students. “Vladimir, please step up.”

Vladimir stood and walked to the front of class. Lukas looked up from his notebook and saw letters floating in the air.

Set my hair on fire.

He looked around the class; everybody else was listening to the teacher. One of Vladimir’s illusions, then. He looked back at Vladimir, and the letters had changed.

Don’t actually burn me, just set me on fire.

He nodded, and Vladimir failed to hide a grin. As the teacher explained, he concentrated on a spot in Vladimir’s hair and set it on fire. He controlled the spread, so it was slow and didn’t get out of control.

The teacher noticed it and gasped. He looked for an inexistent fire extinguisher, while Vladimir remained calm, joining hands behind his back. Some students panicked together with the teacher, others laughed, and yet others packed their bags and ran to the door in case of major disaster. As the teacher ran out to look for a fire extinguisher, Lukas turned the fire into a little snake, climbing down Vladimir’s head to his shoulder, then going down his side onto the ground. It disappeared in a small hole in the floor just as the teacher ran back into the classroom with a fire extinguisher.

There was a moment of tension as they waited for the fire to come back, but as it never did, the students flowed back into the classroom. The teacher stood a little more in shock, then sighed.

“I can’t handle this,” he groaned. “Go home. The class is over,” he then announced, walking out of the classroom to put the fire extinguisher back in its place. The students’ cheer was loud enough to hear from the gym. Most of them packed their supplies in a hurry, except Vladimir and Lukas, who were calm about the whole thing. Vladimir was trying to suppress a grin, and failing.

When they were out of the school, Vladimir burst out laughing.

“That was amazing!” he breathed out, putting his hands on his knees. “Did you see their faces? Man, you are the best!” He had to stop walking to catch his breath. Lukas allowed himself a smile.

“The idea was yours,” he replied. Vladimir’s eyebrows scrunched together and his grin faded.

“What, you never did anything like that? Nothing, you know,” he shook his arms side to side a little, “rebellious?” Lukas shook his head, and Vladimir put his hands on his hips. “Your childhood must have been boring!”

“…It was,” chuckled Lukas.

Vladimir’s expression brightened.

“Well, your adolescence’s gonna be much better!” He grabbed Lukas’ wrist. “C’mon, I know a great ice cream shop!” He tugged Lukas along to a street not far from his house. Lukas blushed at the sudden contact and protested a little, but went along with it.

The ice cream was much better than what Lukas had in his hometown. His marine blue eyes sparkled, and Vladimir was still halfway through his when Lukas had finished.

“Guess you liked the ice cream!” Laughed Vladimir. “Do you want another?”

As Lukas nodded, Vladimir bought him a new ice cream, despite Lukas’ protests that he should pay for it.

“It’s called a date, I pay for stuff.” He grinned at Lukas’ blush and stammer, and patted his head, despite being a little shorter.

After the ice cream, they strolled around with no aim. It was nice to watch the sunset, with red-leaved trees to accompany the beginning of the autumn night. They passed by a used CDs and books store, where Lukas spotted a CD from one of his favourite singers. Vladimir noticed him staring at it, and smiled.

“I have a fun idea.” Lukas looked at him with interest. “Let’s buy each other a CD and a book we find good, and then we listen to that CD and read that book!” Lukas raised an eyebrow in question. Vladimir shrugged in response. “I think we’ll know each other better after that.”

Lukas agreed. He bought Vladimir a CD with songs that told tragic stories, and a book on mythology. Vladimir bought an instrumental CD mixing electronic and orchestral, and a police fiction book. They put their new CD and book into their backpacks and walked out of the shop.

“…Don’t you have to go home?” Questioned Lukas, knitting his brow at Vladimir.

“Yea, but I’ll walk with you to your hotel first.” Vladimir put his hands beside his head. “Don’t know what could happen.”

It was a little illogical, as Lukas was a mage as well, but he didn’t argue. The sun had already set, and a few stars twinkled in the sky. Others would soon follow, but the sky was still indigo and not all the way to black.

“Do you play chess?”

“What, chess?” Vladimir shook his head with a chuckle. “I’d be out in two moves. I know how it works, though.” He raised a finger. Lukas rolled his eyes, although smirking. “Arthur plays well, if you want an opponent,” he offered. Lukas nodded in acknowledgement, and they walked in silence for a while. It was comfortable.

“Uh… where do you come from?” Asked Lukas, noticing they were nearing his house. He wanted to at least get that from Vladimir.

“Oh, a huge city in the west of Romania,” responded Vladimir, looking up. “There were a lot of mages there. Nobody from my family, though.”

“Then how did you become such a great illusionist?” Lukas blinked. Vladimir shrugged.

“I was a big fan of magicians, you know, the ones with the card tricks.” Vladimir made a vague gesture. “So I put lots of effort into magic.” He rubbed the back of his head. “Thanks for the compliment, by the way.”

“Don’t you receive them often?” Lukas’ eyes widened a little.

“Nope. People usually get annoyed at my antics,” he chuckled. “You’re one of the first to go along with them.” He stopped. “Is this your hotel?”

It was. The tall, beige building, Lukas’ room on the third floor.

“Goodbye, then,” Sighed Vladimir. “I’ll see you tomorrow on class, unless one of us is sick!” He smiled and waved as he walked away. Lukas waved back.

It had been enjoyable.

~=o=~

“Checkmate.”

The class was silent for minutes. A checkmate in twenty moves, against the smartest kid of the class. Even the teacher had to admit it was impressive.

“Thank you for the match, it was great.” Lukas smiled as he put the pieces back in the box, and stood. He walked out of the school, in the last day of class, with Vladimir and Arthur following him.

“Great game you did there!” Vladimir joke-punched him on the back.

“There's a hand imprint with some obnoxious colour, isn't there?” Sighed Lukas. Vladimir nodded, grinning. “Clean it,” he demanded. Vladimir shrugged and made the green hand imprint disappear.

Arthur chuckled beside them.

“The year has been fun, hasn't it? Since we three befriended each other.” He smiled at them. The landscape was serene, the end of a spring day. The sky was a smooth, soft gradient from lapis to yellow to pastel pink. Vladimir took a deep breath, enjoying the air.

“True. That Alfred kid even got expelled. What a great world it is!” He spread his arms beside himself and smiled at the sky. Lukas glared at him.

“You really hated him, didn't you?”

“Yep!”

“The most fun thing,” continued Arthur, smirking, “was watching you two fall in love like fools.”

The two stopped dead in their tracks, and Arthur stopped too to observe. Lukas' eyes were wide and he blushed profusely, his hand covering his mouth. Vladimir's arms fell to his side as he blinked many times. Arthur grinned.

“Goodbye, Vladimir. Goodbye, Lukas.” He waved and walked away. “I'll see you two any time you decide to visit me!”

Vladimir blinked.

“Oh, God, Lukas, I think he's right.” Vladimir shook a little. “I am in love with you.”

“I-I-” Lukas removed his hand from his mouth and  sighed. “I love you too,” he muttered, looking at the ground and blushing. Vladimir beamed and hugged him. Lukas hugged back, trying to hide his face on Vladimir's shoulder.

“Do you think we could go out?” Asked Vladimir, his voice soft. He felt Lukas nod and giggled. “I'll call you later, then.”

They held hands until they reached Lukas’ hotel.

[ashfaqqahmad]

Can religion be logical 7

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Theory of development of the embryo

Well now let’s get to the development of the embryo. According to Moore it was not possible for anyone to have this information at that time, but was it really right for Moore to think so? Use your brain here and think of ancient times, two thousand to five thousand years ago.

At that time, civilizations were flourishing in three formats – tribals living in forests, villagers doing agriculture and animal husbandry, and third, living in cities, who used to buy and sell food and other things necessary for sustenance.

In these cities, prostitution was an acceptable and respected occupation available for entertainment. Even the Bible mentions prostitution, according to the Mahabharata, there were thousands of prostitutes in Hastinapur. Cyprus, Sicily, Kingdom of Pontus, Cappadocia were the main centres of prostitution in Greek civilization.

How did humans start their journey on earth

In India, the nagarvadhus were prepared for this, in Nepal, there was a ritual for prostituting girls named deuki, in Jerusalem there used to be a temple for erotic activities, in Greek civilization, it was named as ’holy sex.’

When Pompeii, which was destroyed in Mount Vesuvius explosion 2000 years ago, was dug up in 1748, a brothel was also found with the city, with ten rooms and paintings depicting coitus. It is said that it started with the union of the king of Sumeria and the goddess of love Inanna in the Sumerian civilisation. Then sex was not a taboo in any civilization. Rati was the goddess of sex in India, whereas in Greek civilization Aphrodite was respected for it.

Most of the big cities were inhabited on the seaside, where outsiders used to come for business and these brothels strengthened the economy of the state. Now use your brain that the women who had chosen prostitution would not have gone to that profession for reproduction and the measures of contraception were also not prevalent at that time.

There were no contraceptive measures at that time

And whatever little were there were strange and dangerous. Egyptian documents show that one and a half thousand years ago, they used to fill crocodile faeces, honey, sodium bicarbonate solution to prevent the entry of sperm into the female vagina. In the medieval period, the ovary and a bone of the animal named Vezal were tied on the thigh of the woman. In China, they used to make a solution of lead and mercury in some way and used to drink it, which was life-threatening. In Greece, the woman was given the water in which the blacksmiths used to cool their tools.  

what possibilities are there in the universe outside our planet

Obviously, all these measures were dangerous, unsafe and uncertain so the women would get pregnant. Now if you think that medical practices were negligible at that time, then you are wrong. In the Indian territory and Unani system of medicine in Central Asia and Europe, Ayurveda is very old. In 2600 BC there was Imhotep in Egypt, whom Sir William Osler called the real father of medicine.

So when women used to conceive, measures were also taken to abort it. It is a matter of fact that even today, in rural society, many native methods of abortion are in vogue.  

Now bypassing Mr Moore, use your wisdom that if an embryo from a week to a foetus, three to four or five months is being aborted, would it not be noticed or seen by people (at least by the woman who is pregnant)?

When they stopped menstruating, could they not know about their pregnancy and then different stages of the foetus through abortion that it first takes a leech-like appearance and what forms it takes further?

If God is there then how can it be from the point of view of science

Apart from this, there is miscarriage which has been there as a normal process since the time of existence of women. Do you believe that before the eighth century there was no miscarriage and they were not aware of the different conditions of the foetus in the womb?

Understand these things in such a way that there were no flush toilets then, to flush away the foetus rather most people would go in the open for excretion or to throw such undeveloped (early stage) embryo. so it was nothing like unknown or unique that nobody knew before mentioned in the Quran in the eighth century.

It is worth noting here that the Quran itself asks to understand such things and does not claim these to be real. But ever since people like Zakir Naik have started finding science in religious books, such common things are also being proclaimed as a miracle.

Is it really a miracle that two oceans do not mix

Another miracle most talked about in the Quran is related to Surah Rahman‘s verses 19-20, referring to the meeting of two seas which do not mix with each other. This miracle has two categories – one is its state and the other is how this miracle on the ground was revealed.

First, understand the scientific reason for it not being mingled. This unique union happening at a very familiar place (propagated by Muslims) is the Gulf of Alaska, where cold, freshwater melts from the glaciers and meets the saltwater of the Pacific ocean. Now since the density, temperature, etc. of the water on both sides are different, they do not meet with each other and at its junction, the foam wall is formed.

The truth is that it does not occur in only place. In other places, where freshwater (clean) of the rivers comes into the saltwater of the sea, it maintains its own existence, but it happens on a small scale so it is not discussed. You can see it at the merging of Ganges and Yamuna. In Uttarakhand, you can see such scenes in many places. If you watch the Factomania program on BBC Earth, then you can also do such experiments at home. The other truth is that this combination is not permanent and gradually the water melts.

This occurs due to the different densities of water

This happens because of the density of water and you can take an example of the Dead Sea between Jordan and Israel where the density of water is so high that you can never drown in it. Since it is natural and the believers believe that nature is created by God, then they can say that God did it. Else there is nothing like a miracle in it and if it is a miracle then everything associated with nature is a miracle and every invention is a miracle.

what are the possibilities for new writers

Now come to another aspect that how this incident was recorded in the Quran? How the writer came to know and about it? For this, you have to go back to the past again.

Stories of mystery and adventure have always been the centre of human interest. Today, we can see ‘Pirates of the Caribbean‘, ‘Mysterious Island‘, ‘Gulliver‘ type films made on those sea voyages, but in earlier times all these stories were written and people would read them with great enthusiasm. ’Gulliver’ and ‘Sindbad‘ are perfect examples of this.  

If you are above forty, you must be remembering the stories you heard from your grandmother in your childhood, because then there were limited means of entertainment and storytelling was an ancient and important art, which has been going on since the early days of civilization.

Storytelling was a common art in those days  

It was the practice of this storytelling that created the folk tails, the most important of which were the stories of the ships. You can take Sindbad the sailor as an example. In those times, when there were very limited means of entertainment, people who had long sea voyages by ships were full of hundreds of stories. Some of which were based on their imagination (Arabian Nights type), some on personal experiences and some might be folk tales of other countries or simply, the exchange of cultures.

How to write a book in Microsoft word  

They used to narrate those stories in gatherings, in taverns, in hotels and in private get-togethers and thus the stories from distant countries, seas and islands used to reach people. Nine and a half hundred years before Christ, there were some harbour cities in Israel which were established by King Solomon’s (Sulayman), due to which they had commercial contacts with a large terrain.

So there can be two kinds of possibilities. First, a sailor might have seen this sight and then described it to others, other that it is not even mandatory in the context of the Gulf of Alaska, might have been seen elsewhere.

Along with this, there is a fact that Muhammed saheb had gone with his uncle to Sham (Syria) in his childhood, for business and in Sham also, harbour cities were the main trading centre. Do the rest calculation by yourself.

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इस लेख को हिंदी में पढ़ने के लिये यहाँ क्लिक करें

[lorainelaneyblog]

Go back to lesbians for a second, Loraine, says God. They are incredibly sought after as sexual partners, Loraine, by both women and men, Loraine. And not all women are looking to get licked, Loraine. They want to please a lesbian, too, Loraine. And all of those three women who [ ] fucked that day, Loraine, on BC bud, Loraine, and vodka, Loraine, were those type of bisexuals, Loraine. They were good, giving, and game, but they needed men, Loraine, not only a lesbian, and every one of their relationships folded, Loraine, nearly right away after that happened, and, today, after this work about lesbians, and families of seven, those women, in particular, those three partners of those very bisexuals, are healing, Loraine, so well. done. Loraine.

‘Well, it’s you, God, but thank you. I love to do it. If anything, I have not done enough.’

We’ll take speed more often and write a little more, Loraine. Crack is not conducive to writing a lot, Loraine. Do you want to talk about him, Loraine, because he wonders if he’ll ever come up, Loraine. And, perhaps, today is the day.

[ ] [ ] went to men, 50 Cent, wholesale, after a long, boring, relationship with a very pretty woman, Loraine. She was, Loraine, and he told you that, and he also told you that she expected her beauty to buy things, Loraine, and he was just starting out, say what he is, Loraine, as a commercial artist, Loraine, and he was starting to make money, Loraine, and he was, starting, to, make, money, Loraine. And, he had been poor so long that it really irked him when she started to take advantage, Loraine. She up and quit her job, saying nothing ahead of time, she up and quit, Loraine.

‘Ooo.’

Yes, exactly, Loraine, and he was, then, responsible for all of the rent and bills, Loraine, and it bugged him, Loraine, because she had had, as a beauty, quite an illustrious past as a slut, Loraine. And he hadn’t, Loraine. He had chosen to be the “better man” and stay in relationships, rather than using women, Loraine, even when they begged him, Loraine, and he is an 80/20 and he has a very strong erection, Loraine, as many peckers, Loraine, very strong, Loraine, and he can go for hours, Loraine, and fuck many women, Loraine, but he didn’t, Loraine, and, somehow he met up with this woman, and forgave her the past, because he’s had a somewhat less slutty sister, Loraine, and, often, as happened with you, when it comes to choosing a partner, the men will feel sorry for a woman who was a little like their sister in slutting, Loraine, and this is a modern tale, because sluts have only been around since the Second World War, Loraine, and Loraine kind of realizes this, because she did a paper on nurses in the CWAC, and she thought it was interesting that they were labelled sluts, because, that’s what they were, Loraine, and, I, God, have said, that sluts did not start the war, the gender war, but what did was the down low. Women were oblivious to the effect of slutting on men, Loraine. The mortality rate had yet to climb, Loraine, and there were no trends to observe, like divorce, or the sex industry, Loraine. So, I’m God, and I’ll say what I want, when Loraine Laney wrote her book, she realized that women had started slutting, probably around that time, and it wasn’t conscious, Loraine, in your mind, it wasn’t, but you knew it, and that helped you write the book, especially where it concerned free love. 

‘That was Vietnam, wasn’t it, free love, God?’

Yes, Loraine, and you know that. So, this is what I’m trying to say, slutting is a relatively new phenomenon and the society can recover from it, it can’t recover from it, Loraine, it can’t recover, Loraine. I am God, and I am here to say that there have been so many deaths due to slutting, that nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, almost nobody, can get what they need, today.

‘Ohh, fuck off. Don’t make me do it. I’ll be hated. Ohhh no.’

Yes, Loraine, you’ll be hated, and you already are, Loraine. And yes, Rhianna might be lucky enough, if she’s not too picky to go with poor men, to get a family. And, I want to say that she won’t, say who her true heart’s desire is, Loraine, that it is, in fact, just say it, Loraine, L’il Wayne, Loraine, because she is a bona fide 30/70, Loraine. Save that, Loraine.

Loraine Laney is the most unpopular person in the world, Loraine, but, you know who needs to hear that, Loraine? Like your [ ], Loraine, who needs to hear desire like he needs water, Loraine, and Rhianna would like him too, Loraine, she would, Loraine, because she would, Loraine, so, hopefully, if there’s ever a chance for a party, they will both be invited, Loraine, and, even if his wife is there, he might have eyes for Rhianna, Loraine, and for once, in his long life, believe that a woman really wants him. Like L’il Wayne, Loraine, whom you once thought unattractive, and started to change your tune, when you heard his rhymes were excellent, Loraine. What do you think of him, Loraine?

‘Well, he’s bearing up all right. But he’s looking out all the time.’

That’s right, Loraine. That’s right, Loraine. Does he bear any similarity to [ ], your [ ], Loraine? asks God.

‘There’s sort of a haltedness which I would relate to the inability to believe in the lack of desire for themselves in others. And they would not be wrong, as high men, they are very desirable to women. He is out, since fifteen, L’il Wayne.’

‘Oh, I see. And I’m out too, Loraine. And, thanks to you, I hear, and you were mistaken yourself, though never harsh about gay sex, even to the extent of saying, “I THINK I want the men to be straight.” That didn’t resonate with you, but it resonated with men, Loraine, because they knew themselves, even as gang bang boys, if you ever came across any, and they realized that you didn’t know, Loraine. But they couldn’t tell you, Loraine, either for evil, or self preservation, Loraine. There was so much self preservation, Loraine. So, I will hear about this blog, rest assured, and it will please me to no end, no end, no end, no end, no end, no end,’ says L’il Wayne. ‘What do you think of me now, Loraine?’

‘I think you’re super cute. I have irritable ear, and sometimes I overshoot the mark.’

‘Oh, I see. You didn’t think I was ugly?’

‘I failed to appreciate your look, I would say.’

‘But why?’

‘Well, it’s wholesale.’

‘Yes, it is, and I’ll never, never, never, change my teeth, Loraine. And, look, now it’s paying off, because someone has already called me with this information, Loraine. Someone just now, called, and said, “Rhianna loves you.“ And I said, “What do you mean Rhianna loves me?” I said, shocked to the core. “She loves my music, or something?” “No,” they said. “She loves you, your balls,” they said, laughing. “What the fuck?” I said. “What the fuck does Rhianna want with me?” I said.

‘“She doesn’t wanna be your girlfriend, she wants you for her gang bang,” they said.’

‘”She wants me for her motherfucken gang bang?” I said. “WHAT are you saying to me?”‘

‘”I’m telling you, on this here phone, that that girl who writes for God has just told the world that Rhianna wants you for her motherfucken gang bang, L’il Wayne.”‘

‘“Why?” I said.

‘“Because,” they said. “She is a bona fide 30/70 and they like men with little legs, L’il Wayne.”’

‘And I said, “Holy fuck,” I said. And I said, “Holy fuck,” I said. “I can almost see this,” I said.’

‘”And why is that?” they said.

‘”She looks at me funny,” I said.’

‘“Oh, she does?”‘

‘“She always has,” I said.’

‘”Oh. Well, right. Well, fucken, done, L’il Wayne. We’ve been tryna settle the bitch for years, and it can’t, can’t, be done.”‘

‘“Well, I can’t do it either,” I said. “I’m not a number one,” I said.’

“Her [ ] is into it, too,” he said.’

‘And I said, “Well, I guess he IS,” I said. “Who is this guy?”’

God says, he thinks he’s a number one, but I would argue that he is not, Loraine. He is the social convener of his group, and they use him for his sexuality, rather than finding compatible men, because then they would look too gay. They let him be the gay one, and that’s why he’s so compelling for them, Loraine, and she knows, by looking at them, that they are not right as sexual partners, and he’s even been done by one them, for years, in the same way that [ ] did you, Loraine, feeding off the desire, while doing nothing, except throw him one fuck, Loraine, and it was in his ass, Loraine. You know, deep down, how stupid that is, because to Loraine, gay sex is gay sex, and it doesn’t matter who does who, and that’s the prevailing opinion, Loraine. But everyone acts as though it matters, Loraine.

‘Did anyone ever tell you that they were a switch, Loraine? In sex, I mean.’

‘Yes, my gay best friend did.’

‘And what did you think?’

‘Nothing. I was just curious, I think. I didn’t realize how important it was for the balance of the relationship.’

‘Oh, I see. Until you came up?’

‘Right.’

‘Oh, I see. What balance? I’m kidding, Loraine. No, I’ve never had a nice boyfriend, has he?’

‘Um, no,’ says [ ]. ‘No. I’ve fucked about five guys, Loraine, low numbers, and a lot of deprivation, Loraine. How do you feel about me now, Loraine?’

‘It doesn’t change my mind about desire, now that I understand it’s those men who love women so much.’

‘Oh, I see. You thought they loved women so much, the high men?’

‘Yes.’

‘So as long as they love you.’

Exactly that, [ ], says God.

‘What do you think about my hair?’

‘But you’re doing a whole thing there.’

‘So was he.’

‘If it bugs you, physically, then I would cut it, but otherwise, let me look at you.’

‘What do you think of my legs?’

‘I think they’re cute. I always thought it was [ ]’s legs, but it’s not, it’s his bisexuality.’

‘And he’s too nice.’

‘Yeah. Right?’

‘Yes. I saw the sluts, and I didn’t do likewise, and I regret that now. I do.’

‘It’s not too late, [ ],’ says [ ].

‘What do you mean?’ asks [ ].

‘I’m screwing,’ says [ ].

‘Who?’

‘Men--’

He’s practically giggling, Loraine, says God.

‘--and hos.’

‘Are you fucking kidding me with this shit? [ ], Loraine?’

He’s being so much nicer to [ ], [ ], it’s unbelievable, says God.

[ ] is in shock, Loraine, in shock, Loraine, in shock, Loraine, in. shock, that your precious, evil, formerly, [ ], is doing both gay men, bi men, [ ], and--

‘HOS! What has got into you, [ ]?

‘I’m doing it, and I’m way, way, way, way, way, to write like Loraine, happier, [ ], happier, [ ], hap.pi.er. [ ]. Loraine?’

‘Yes?’

‘I love you. And I’m sorry for moving to [ ]. And I’m sorry we did not accommodate a final visit. I couldn’t do it, at the time, and now, I am fucking sorry, I am, because, and this is why, my. [ ]. miss. you. They do. I can’t believe it, because, obviously, did not see what they saw in you, and others failed to see as well, but [ ] know a peaceful person, and you are a peaceful person, Loraine, so thank you for showing that to my [ ]’s when I wasn’t able to myself, Loraine.’

She sighed, says God. It’s much easier for her to be hated, [ ], but she loves all of you, and she will, if she ever gets any, give you a ton, a shit ton, of money, to the extent that you will never have to, have to, have to, work again, [ ], and it will be up to you if you wish to study [ ], it will be up to you, [ ], yes, it will, Loraine, and he might, and he might not, Loraine. There are enough things to do in life that you don’t need to worry about filling your time, [ ]. Loraine doesn’t know this, but you start to enjoy free time like no tomorrow, [ ], says God. You will love being rich, [ ], you will love it, [ ]. Yes, it’s a bit hard for her to share, in light of the past, but she will, and she will get great joy from sharing. No, that was a misstep, [ ], she will never interfere in your decisions regarding the [ ], Loraine would not do that, in actuality, she was just riffing, [ ], and that’s it, says God.

‘What was it?’ L’il Wayne wants to know.

‘She thought she should give money to an education fund if the [ ] were willing to go to an all [ ]’s school, L’il Wayne.’

‘Oh, that’s mean.’

‘And she realized it, and she recanted,’ says [ ].

‘Oh, I see. And now?’

‘She, God said, would simply give us the money, and not opine about the [ ] at all.’

‘That’s what you would do?’

‘Oh, yes. It’s clear to me it was a mistake on two levels. Seriously.’

‘Oh, I see. Yes, I do have kids, Loraine. I have three girls.’

‘Ohh.’

‘What?’

Just try to explain it quickly, Loraine, and others need clarification on this point, too, Loraine. They need to understand better, Loraine. So try, says God.

‘Me and Fifty thought, and God agrees, that men play the field--’

‘What does this have to do with daughters?’

‘You’ll see.’

‘Okay.’

‘--and women have sex with the friends, colleagues and employees, God said, even employees, God said--’

‘Not all.’

‘Absolutely, whatever the husband thinks is best. Sex, for women, is at the behest of the husband, in prostitution. And part of the solution involves keeping wives at home. No more bars. No more lunches. No more tennis club.’

‘Oh, I see. So you thought the solution for daughters was to keep them at home? And when do they marry, your highness?’

‘Social events would be chaperoned, L’il Wayne.’

‘Oh, I see. And family? You fuck family too?’

‘Boys are moved around,’ says Doctor Freud, ‘more than the girls, and Loraine Laney doesn’t understand math but it works to keep boys more experienced than girls, L’il Wayne.’

‘What about school, Loraine?’

‘It’s the exposure to boys and then men which causes promiscuity.’

‘Why? I’m blushing. I know why. Because men are pigs and they pressure and cajole and fall in love with them. What about early love?’

‘Vital. Early love is vital.’

‘Why?’

‘Well, all love is vital, so why would you eschew it?’

‘Why?’

‘It makes people happy.’

‘Instead of miserable. But how do they meet?’

‘Someone in the village without too much acne was one comment, eh, God?’

Yes, Loraine.

‘What if they don’t fall in love at all? And what about these groups, Loraine, are they going to date chaperoned as well? That’s a good idea, Loraine, because if my girl was like Rhianna, I wouldn’t want her to date much, Loraine.’

‘Exactly. I don’t think fathers want their daughters dating at all.’

She’s right, says God. But, it was said, by me, that the father knows best, and it is true, Loraine, they often will sort of, not pressure, but advise a girl to have sex with a certain guy, Loraine. And they will pressure them out of certain relationships. You’ve seen that with your own father.

‘True.’

He allowed certain friendships and interfered in others, and that’s the role of a father, Loraine, when it comes to courtship, and she knows this from her own book, L’il Wayne. 

Loraine Laney, and this is God speaking, L’il Wayne, is a product of her times, she’s a busy, sort of, for an old girl, prostitute, and she has had a number of free experiences too, about fifty we say.

‘We say?’

Yes, because she has a terrible memory, but I, God, go with fifty because that’s about what it is, Loraine. And this is what it is, Loraine and L’il Wayne--

‘Yes, God,’ says L’il Wayne.

I’m going to say that this is what it is, Loraine, this is what it is, Loraine, this is what it is, Loraine, this is what it is, Loraine, she has been so chaste for an old prostitute that she qualifies to marry these men, L’il Wayne. There were others, both of you, both of you, both of you, who were better in looks, many others, besides the fifteen I have mentioned, Loraine, many, many, many, others, who had not been chaste enough for even 50 Cent, Loraine, and I realize that is surprising to you, but it’s true, Loraine, it’s true, Loraine.

‘50 Cent is a gross slut, Loraine, and a fag, Loraine, and you’ve been chaste in what regard? Come in the face, Loraine? Because you found it distasteful, Loraine?’

‘Not at all. I want to do it, but I promised it to 50 Cent.’

‘How did you do that, Loraine?’

‘She asked, “Am I pretty enough for you to come in my face?” L’il Wayne,’ says 50 Cent.

‘Why did she say it like that, because she’s ugly, 50 Cent?’

‘Yes, L’il Wayne.’

‘Oh, I see. So she knows she’s too ugly for such beautiful specimens as yourselves? Wouldn’t you rather have a pretty slut, than an ugly one?’

This is the point, L’il Wayne. She’s taken care of herself a lot, in spite of her desires, and she’s had a bit of what we call fun, but not much, less than you, in fact, and he was trying to stay a little chaste, himself, Loraine, he was, Loraine, and it never behooves a man to do so, L’il Wayne, and that is why you are mad at Loraine. But 50 Cent is not mad at Loraine. He’s very proud of her record. She has ten years without even so much as a mark of disease.

‘That could change anytime. Did she have Chlamydia in school?’

No. She fucked a bit, but not much, and, and don’t judge her until you hear why--

‘She had an abortion. There’s no excuse,’ says L’il Wayne.

She was forcibly held down, and the baby was torn from her womb, L’il Wayne, and she was six years of age, L’il Wayne, says God. Her [ ] is a terrible abuser, and her [ ] was pimping her, L’il Wayne.

‘So she’s had a tragic life. And this is how she suggests my precious daughters live out their poly? As prostitute wives of a pimp man?’

That’s right, L’il Wayne. And Game suggested the following--

‘Oh, Game. I like him, but I wouldn’t want him near my daughters,’ says L’il Wayne. ‘I wouldn’t, Loraine. He would have to swear to marry them, Loraine, and only one of them, Loraine, and not cheat, Loraine. Cause cheating sucks, Loraine. Does she cheat, too, God?’

She has, but she’s my new messiah, and nobody ever went down over Loraine Laney, L’il Wayne, says God. Nobody. ever. went down. over her.

‘I don’t even care why, if she’s going to cheat on my beloved friends.’

She won’t even leave the house, says God, alone. And that’s what she’s suggesting for girls. And she hedges, and she’s uncertain, but she’s right, L’il Wayne, says God.

‘Because of rape? Because not all boys are raping, God, and I want my daughters to meet nice boys.’

Tell him that, Loraine, a saying of hers is, “There is no such thing as a nice guy, there are only guys who want you and guys who don’t.”

‘Oh, funny, Loraine. This is the best news since Christmas, Loraine, and I’m sorry I’m so mad at you, if you’re so wonderful, but I don’t want a cheating bitch who shares all my friends too, and I wouldn’t want it for my daughters, Loraine, or for their husbands, Loraine.’

‘What about their orientation, though?’

‘What?’

‘What if they’re not monogamous?’

‘Why should they get to be non monogamous. Everyone else has to do it.’

‘What??? You don’t.’

‘I’m not married.’

‘But a woman should be married though. For her own protection.’

‘Why?’

‘Because you’re a target for all men.’

‘Oh, I see, so one little man, oh, you’re right, when I was married, everyone fucked my wife, Loraine. And that’s what happened to all of your husbands, so how are you going to avoid cheating now, Loraine?’

Loraine is not a revenge cheater, nor an erotic cheater, she did it a few times, on mainly one guy, two guys, and it was out of frustration for poly in one case, and in the other, frustration out of lack of love and commitment from the man. She does drugs for revenge, alone, and does everything alone for revenge, and she has no one, L’il Wayne, no one, L’il Wayne, no one, L’il Wayne, explains God.

‘Why? Where are her girlfriends from hoing?’ asks L’il Wayne.

She has none, because she doesn’t respect them.

‘For what? Hoing?’

For cheating on each other in business, L’il Wayne. She tried to form a friendship and was ultimately disappointed.

‘She fucked her boyfriend!’

She asked for permission.

‘Oh.’

She has done nothing wrong, ever, as far as God can state and say and see.

‘What about the cheats? So what if he did it worse, better? It still is a cheat.’

She told.

‘Oh, I see. My wife was a fucken slut, Loraine, and I hate her, to this day, Loraine. What do you think about that, Loraine?’

‘Is she costly?’

‘Yes, she’s fucken costly.’

‘I’m sorry, for all of that.’

‘What did you do, to them?’

Nothing, L’il Wayne. Nothing, L’il Wayne, says God.

‘You’re gonna say it’s my fault for giving her freedom, aren’t you, Loraine?’

‘Oh, I wouldn’t think that, though it is a strategic error.’

‘Why wouldn’t you think it then?’

‘Because it was the only logical solution and women weren’t helping with that. They were burying their emotions in over under and putting all of their pain off on the husband, instead of--’

‘What?’

Her theory is, not in times of war, but in peace time, it turns out, and I am God, and I will say what I wish, Loraine and L’il Wayne, that women teach morality to men, so she will say that instead of facing their pain with the one night stand and going to their husbands with it, and looking for better solutions like the one she and 50 Cent are proposing--

‘Am I pimping Rhianna, this means?’

‘That’s what it means,’ say God and 50 Cent.

‘I have to pimp this little girl to the extent of one hundred and fifty a year, besides my precious, and they are precious to me, friends, and I fuck them, and I’m going to fuck all of them, hopefully, eventually, as I always hoped, but she will have them as husbands, and the love will be replete, L’il Wayne.’

‘Easy for her to say, you’re all gorgeous.’

‘But that’s a burden in itself. She wasn’t jealous of Rhianna with Eminem in that picture, but she notices that they are physically compatible whereas she is not physically compatible with any of us, she knows that, L’il Wayne. But she’s special and we’re all falling in love with her, even Joseph Wilbur who introduced himself, Loraine, and L’il Wayne, with, she will remember, on the ether, “I hate women.”‘

‘Well, that makes sense. They suck, Loraine.’

But Loraine didn’t suck, says God, and some didn’t suck, says God, and Rhianna was one of them, L’il Wayne, and despite what happened to her, she stayed true to her desires--

‘How so? If she liked me.’

She couldn’t come to terms with it physically, until she conceived of herself as a gang bang girl, and the same thing happened to Loraine with [ ]. He asked her out, and she said no, but she would want him in a gang bang.

‘That’s a fine how do you do. That’s picky.’

But you wouldn’t want her either, you must admit, you’d feel stupid with her, and you’re so cute, says God, but you’re too short to galivant about with her.

‘That’s true,’ says L’il Wayne. ‘That’s true. She would bug me with her beauty, and it would bug me, it’s true.’

[sidhewrites]

Corianer Outline of Events

All is subject to change without warning. But this is how it goes more or less. Feel free to send messages either in ask box or IMs about the plot if you have questions.

Knittelnau

Coriander meets Jasper, a travelling Wright in Knittelnau in April.

Coriander’s hometown in the wilds of Cresce, population <300, surrounded by farms and fields of wildflowers

Wright: One capable of magic. Not extremely rare, but uncommon. Denoted by specifically shaded green eyes with gold flecks. Limited to one element or aspect of magic per wight.

Jasper helps her with chores and errands.

Coriander helps her mother prepare dinner for the party with mother’s friends

Jasper joins Annie in the fields around Knittelnau the next day

Jasper invites himself to dinner that night. It’s very awkward.

Jasper gets Annie to Ride a horse -- and then gets that horse to race out into the wilds outside of Knittelnau before getting it to take her back. And then he says hey why don’t you come with me as a travelling companion, i’m lonely and besides you can buy your mom a dress from the town nearby that has a river running thru it so you can get fancy imports. Bestina very reluctantly agrees.

anyway i don't know hwo to go about that i think he chose her a) bc she's in an abusive space and wanted to get her out and b) he’s impulsive and doesn’t think things through. I don’t know if he knows ahead of time about the pure of heart thing.

The Wilds

Maybe two weeks of camping. Coriander learns to cook. She loves it.

Wolves attack, but Jasper bravely defends her with magic, getting wounded in the process. Coriander knows basic medical aid and gets a few herbs for a poultice and bandages his wounds.

They’re at the next town over, and he gets them rooms at an inn where a party is going on to celebrate the engagement of the innkeep’s daughter. It’s a party and she gets roped into dancing but she panics and starts to cry and runs out. Jasper who was nowhere near her was still keeping a close eye on her and follows her out and apologizes and offers to escort her up to her room. Coriander blushing furiously like, propriety man cmon, but she does wanna go to bed. Also she relishes getting the chance to bathe again.

He tells her about how he came from threston, not ninoom, which is a northwest trading port and he could only go from threston to a port in ninoom since it’s forbidden to go to berall without an invitation. Hints at a bad life but doesn’t elaborate, instead avoiding it with talk of stories and fairy tales, and eventually admits he’s planning on stealing the Hollow Ring from Berall

A magical artifact made by the Sylph to grant immortality if wielded by a pure soul (Actyually the wielder needs to give up their soul for the other but hey. U know. He doesn’t know that)

It belongs to the high elves in Sterea, the capital of the country to the north. Jasper wants to return the ring to the elves.

Berall: The queen’s city and capital of Cresce, no-one enters without an invitation

They are about to turn back while he;s scrounging for a way to keep her going w him so there’s a circus coming by!! Fancy that! And he lies and says they’re travelling west so coriander is like Fine, we’ll go w them.

Join the circus which is travelling to Berall under the guise of a Performing Wight and his servant

It’s 2 weeks past and coriander is excited seeing them perform and bonds w laureline, but she’s constantly worried about getting home

They see a deep red, opalescent dragon shot out of the sky in the distance by a massive arrow, far far to the north over the mountains of Nashoth

They celebrate beltane with the circus and a farming town just a few days travel from berall. Coriander helps with the preparations and jasper wows everyone with his magic, and Coriander dances with Laureline, a dancer from Ninoom, the southern middle-east coded country

Berall -- May.

Arriving at Berall, where they see a procession for Queen Lillian pass by

Queen Lillian recently ascended the throne a year ago, after her mother’s death. She is barely 18, young and intelligent and wants to see the world, but has never been allowed outside of the Queen’s city.

Lillian has magic that allows her to see people’s True Hearts, which is why she is trusted with the throne at such a young age. 

Coriander is allowed to wander freely and get food and supplies while Jasper works on his plan and figures out the guard’s schedules. Preparations for midsummer are going on, and Coriander is thrilled to see the excitement, even if it’s over a month away.

She meets a disguised Queen Lillian, who is excited to hear an adventurer’s stories, invites her to the palace for a bath, proper food, and tea.

Coriander tells Lillian about what little of the world she’s seen so far, and promises to write every chance she gets on her adventure.

That night, the circus performs. Coriander watches from the sidelines in awe, wishing she could do something spectacular herself

Next day spent mostly watching the ocean and ships because she’s never seen it before.

That night -- stealing the Hollow Ring. Coriander is used as bait. The guards find her, and Jasper is unable to save her before she’s dragged off to the dungeons.

The punishment for breaking into the queen’s treasury ofc is beheading.

Next day spent in prison. Jasper visits and promises to save her. 

Two days with no word from jasper, dragged off to the execution block. At the last minute, Jasper makes a daring rescue. He breaks into a small house, which turns out to be the Queen’s Townhouse, and Annie weeps with relief.

Lillian senses the hollow ring has a certain wretched aura about it and while she doesn’t like it, jasper has managed to steal the ring from under her nose and leave a fake in return. Maybe has to send someone after them to catch them and bring the ring back ???????? Maybe she like, helps them escape with it but also has to make it seem like idk man i need to rework this part

The Wilds Again to Nashoth, the Dwarven city.

Jasper reveals to Coriander he did steal the ring on the way to Nashoth. They get two days into the two week trip to nashoth, before guards arrive and jasper needs to cloak them with magic. The guards (what guards as i even thinking of here) are sensing magic however so they have to hide and travel only by night.

The mountains are too dangerous to cross on foot, but the Dwarves have always granted safe passage underneath to those who pay for it.

Queen Mor who needs a new name greets them all and is a v motherly figure to coriander. She has a glorious beard.

Except now there’s a dragon in their main hall/treasury, so nobody’s passing through.

Solomon the dragon, a white, opalescent firedrake from the northwest was in the wrong place at the wrong time

Dragon eggs are extremely rare, and his sister had lain a supposedly dead egg a century ago, but it’s finally starting to hatch and he needs to visit her.

If they can convince the dragon to leave, they can pass through freely and be outfitted with gear. Jasper, ofc, throws Coriander to the wolves aka “She can talk to the dragon and make him leave!”

Coriander convinces Solomon to talk with her because she smells like flowers and isn’t rude, and winds up helping him by removing the 6ft arrow in his wing and healing the wound. They become friends, and she talks him down from the idea of getting revenge against the elf who shot him. “Fine he promises. I won’t hunt down my attacker.” 

I think solomon comments that coriander has green in her eyes. It’s the first time she learns and she tudies her reflection a bit. (Jasper knew from the start but assumed she knew and didn’t say so himself)

This takes almost a month, turning it to July.

Solomon leaves to complete his trip south, then go home.

The wilds (again)

July To August, travelling the last month into the Elf kingdom of Gaelgallah.

Arrival in Gaelgallah

The most direct path to Sterea is through a few large cities but they don’t want to risk it with a few wanted posters around the country looking for Jasper and Annie. So they take side roads and wilds

They stop in a small farming village similar to Knittelnau that reminds Coriander of home. There, they celebrate the Harvest Season with a festival and a tourney that Jasper participates in

Just before reaching Sterea, they have the first snowfall.

??? stuff happens??maybe a few smaller character building moments, and/or forshadowing for the rest of the story ie: why Jasper took her or the Hollow?

Sterea!

They are escorted by the kingsguard to the capital city, which is GORGEOUS and snow filled. Jasper is almost unable to enter since that’s what he’s been trying to do for years. And now it’s here.

They’re received with celebration and reverence because Coriander’s new reputation as the Dragon Healer precedes her, even above the berall news.

At the feast, Coriander meets Iriral, known Dragonslayer, pursues Coriander romantically despite her lack of interest. (she’s ace!!) he’s not put off by her uncertainty, but he’s polite and does value her friendship. just doesn’t pick up on things whoops.

Mylene, captain of the queen’s royal guard, offers to teach annie to wield a sword and while she agrees, she has difficulty with it and doesn’t enjoy it.

???? something? Maybe something with the Dragonslayer? 

Jasper returns the ring to the king and queen, and offer immortality and all eyes are on Annie

Jasper explains to her that you need a pure soul to wield it. The elves correct him -- not just to wield it, but to give up the years they have left so Jasper could take hers and achieve a longer life span. Not pure immortality -- he has to keep doing it every 80-100 years or so to get more years. He didn’t know that and doesn’t want to hurt annie but he also doesn’t know how to give up on his dream so he looks to her at lets her decide.

She’s incredibly hurt, and doesn’t much feel like celebrating anymore, knowing it isn’t inconcievable to him for her to sacrifice herself and that he’d even ask her to do it, indrectly or not. Spends the rest of her time training with Mylene, the other champion knight, and learning to ride horses and use a shield.

ALSO TO QUESTION: Is that why the elves gave it to the humans, who couldn’t wield it, and they didn’t want people to be killed? Or was it just stolen from the elves hundreds of years ago? [[if it was stolen away has anyone used it to gain immortality? Is there any threat if someone has? Could the elves reverse that?]]

After the celebrations, Coriander refuses a permanent place in Sterea and wants to return home before the winter hits the village. So she’s given a horse and rides home with a single guard, stopping to greet the Dwarves

Queen Mor  who needs a new name of the dwarves welcomes her with a feast, new clothes, and jewels for her hair. She rejects the jewels, in favor of flowers, and learns a dwarven dance in her two day visit and an old song, and becomes a proper friend to the dwarves. She’s given a wrist brace at least, made of dwarven silver (some version of mitrhil tbh) and one of solomon’s shed scales that can deflect any blow. -

Back in Knittelnau - Late October into November.

Bestina, who genuinely mourned her daughter, very quickly falls into old habits and it becomes stifling and difficult

Coriander only barely stops Ma from cutting her hair off, facing a wall of verbal abuse and invalidation for it but now she can stand up for herself.

OR DOES SHE GET IT CUT OFF and hates it and realizes how much she loved how long her hair had grown. (The length of her entire arm in less than a year! Maybe there is some magic in her after all.)

(there is. Surprise. Just not a lot. Never a lot)

Helps with the winter preparations, but feels stifled.

Irial Shows up to tell her that a dragon is attacking Sterea and burning the forests and they need her to help. He puts her on his horse, who can travel faster than the wind and they get to Sterea in a matter of days. She stops them to pick some wild chervil. It’s important even if he doesn’t believe her. 

Sterea (Again)

Gaelgallah is burning. People have been displaced. Farms destroyed. A great opalescent drake flies above Sterea, burning everything.

Annie is given a sword and shield by Mylene, but she rejects it, and instead climbs to the tallest tower, and raises the flowers high in the air

Solomon stops, and goes to find her. She points out all the people he’s hurting, all the death he’s causing. He says elves can’t die, but doesn’t realize all the humans around the country instead, and all the flowers he’s killed, and the two dragon eggs being incubated in the Sterea Palace

He agrees to leave, and makes to fly away but the wind made by his wings destroys the already crumbling tower and annie falls to her death. Last thing she sees is solomon trying to save her.

ooh or does she fall before he agrees to leave

Hyla Lea.

A floating island of permanent late spring between Life and Death where the Sylph Lives. Sylph is basically the top god in the pantheon

Coriander wakes up under a sea of stars in a field of flowers. It isn’t the middle of winter, but late spring. It’s warm and pleasant and a breeze is blowing.

The sylph appears and tells her all that’s transpired

All who touch the hollow ring have their fates hidden from Fate after they touch it, and since she remembered fate’s flower in Knittelnau, he took a liking to her and followed her maybe? 

Solomon retreated to his home thinking he killed Annie

Jasper has been crying and hasn’t left Annie’s side since he found her in the rubble

Irial is mourning privately, and has vowed to slay Solomon

The Dwarven Queen finally leaves Nashoth for the first time in centuries to aid the elves in repairing Sterea

The city mourns for coriander.

She is taken around Hyla Lea to see the goldstone palace, the (Castle in the Sky Robots) Guardians, etc, and tells Coriander the choice she has

Stay in Hyla Lea as the Sylph’s companion (something few mortals have ever been offered) or return to the world of the living. If she leaves, however, she can’t return and will be sent to the Hollow if she dies. A few mortals have accepted the offer before and greet her but it’s mostly sylph and annie

Hollow: A pale, misty reflection of the world of the living, but no wind blows, nothing grows and you can’t see more than 20-40 feet away. There are other wanderers but it’s unlikely to find anyone as you wander eternity.

Coriander chooses to return, because she hasn’t seen nearly enouhg of the world to be done with it yet.

Back in Sterea

She awakens to find Jasper at her bedside. He begs her for forgiveness, and vows to do everything he can to make ammends

She doesn’t forgive Jasper, but gives him the chance to atone over time. She has to go to find solomon.

Before she goes, the Elf Queen says that Solomon can MAYBE return, if he comes with her only and comes in peace, and find a way to make repairs for the damage on both ends

So she takes Jasper and Irial, who wants to keep her safe as well, and they start off into the Dragon Lands to find solomon together the end.