#ping pang pong

[save-the-data]

PING PONG LIFE | S01E10

Chinese Drama - 2021, 44 episodes

~ Episode List ~ |  ~ Chinese Drama Master List ~

[novemberheart]

{overview} A doctor mistakes you for something you're not

{warning} fem reader, a/b/o dynamics, poly 141, panicking, MDNI mentions of masturbation towards the end

Chapter 16 <- Chapter 17 -> Chapter 18

Priya was waiting for you when you got to the bottom floor the next day. When you woke up that morning the last thing you wanted to do was get out of bed. You had slept in Johnny’s bed, well not really slept. You drifted in and out waking up every half hour from some creak in the floor, or the sound of the refrigerator making ice. When the sun started to come up you finally felt comfortable to sleep- that was cut short by your alarm.

“I know it might not sound fun, but it is,” she smiled. It felt wrong going someplace without Anais. You pushed that thought away. Surely she does things with Jane and her other friends.

The walk was nice. The weather was starting to heat up for the start of summer. You were mostly excited to tease your pack with your summer dresses.

The thought sends a pang through your heart. God you missed them.

The rec room was nice and nearly empty. A few older doctors seemed to be taking their breaks in there, playing a round of ping pong. You and Priya settled on checkers.

You had grown bored after the third round, even though you had won two of them. Priya was still invested, making the game drag on for another five rounds. She won most of them.

“Hungry?” you asked, already standing up to push your chair in. Your lower half had grown numb, the tingling verging on painful as you began to walk around the room.

“There's a vending machine in the hall,” she stood as well. Luckily your pack had left you with some money.

“What are you thinking about?” Priya asked, making you jump.

“Just miss my pack,” you sighed.

“Mmmm. I remember those days. You'll get used to it and then pretty soon you'll be wishing for some space,” she chuckled.

You couldn't imagine wanting space from them. Especially when they seemed so far away.

You bought a bag of chips- or crisps as your pack would say.

“I'm going to run to the bathroom quickly,” Priya excused herself, dodging away before you could say anything. You shrugged plopping down in a hard blue chair. This reminded you of when Simon was in the hospital. His hazel eyes droopy from all the medicine in his system. You wished you committed them to memory more, now all you got were his sharp calculating eyes.

“There you are! Come, you are needed in room B17,” a doctor- seemingly appeared out of nowhere. He reached down grabbing your arm, pulling you up from your chair. “You omegas are always taking breaks,” he growled, pulling you along. Your phone slipped out of your pocket, clattering against the tile.

“No! I'm here with a friend I'm not here to”-

“Keep your bloody voice down. People are trying to sleep,” he chided. You wondered why he was so angry. It made your stomach twist in knots, your throat running dry.

“Stop,” you growled back, pulling yourself away.

“I’ll report you if you don't knock it off. Damn holding houses always sends the difficult ones,” his grip on you was tight, too tight. You will undoubtedly have bruises tomorrow. Everyone seemed to disappear as you were tugged along the seemingly never-ending hallway.

‘Just remain calm. This is just a misunderstanding.’ you told yourself.

“Sir, stop. This is a mistake. I have my own pack here on base, you need to let me go,” you tried your hardest to keep your voice calm. He didn't seem to be listening. He opened a door and pushed you inside. “I’m not here as a healer,” you insisted.

“Stop your whining and get on with your job. You all get sent out here and then come up with every excuse to not have to do anything. I saw you playing checkers,” he spat. “This isn't a vacation.” he began to shut the door, your hands reaching forward to keep it from shutting. You quickly lost. The door locking into place. What kind of place has locks on the outside of the door?

“Fuckfuckfuck,” you repeated, surveying the room you were tossed into. There were two large men hooked up to various machines. You knew what you were sent in here to do. The same reason you were sent here for Simon. One man was sleeping peacefully and you couldn't quite grasp what was wrong with him. The other man had been beaten to a pulp. His face was black and purple. You couldn't bear to look at him for more than a few seconds. You approached the other bed cautiously, looking for a call button on the side of the bed. You found it, digging your thumb into it like your life depended. It very well may.

After a minute of pressing no response.

Two minutes passed, your eyes trained on the clock above the door.

“You,” a low voice from the other bed alerted you. Your blood ran cold. Your eyes quickly fled to the bed, you couldn't tell if his eyes were open or not. “Don't hurt me anymore. I payed enough.” your brows furrowed before the realization hit you like a bolt of lightning.

It was him. One of the men who attacked you. The one who pulled the other one away.

The one that was missing.

You backed up heading towards the door. You needed out. You needed out right now.

“I only did it because Lieutenant Hale asked me to. We weren't going to hurt you,” the man practically whimpered.

“What did Hale want?” you questioned, trying to hold steady.

“I don't know. I didn't know who you were when he asked me to get you. He just gave me a description of what you smelled like. I didn't even know you were 141 till you turned around. I would've never done anything had I known,” he was shaking more than you at this point, his heart rate monitor going off the charts.

A sudden heat filled you. You couldn't tell if it was rage or fear but there was no stopping it.

“You shouldn't have done it anyways,” you snarled. You held all the power. You alphas had protected you. The evidence was right in front of your face. You were a part of their pack- it was time you started to act like it. “Fuckin disgusting,” you spat. You turned back around pounding on the door with all your might.

The door unlocked and you pushed it open before the person on the other end had time to think.

“Get back in there and stop”- it was the same doctor from earlier, his grip on your arms returning.

“I’m not a freelance omega,” you snarled. His eyes widened at your disrespect. “You know who my Alphas are? Captain John Price and Lieutenant Ghost. That ring a bell?”

It was cliche but the results were immediate. His hands left you, instead resting against the wall, the other one patting his chest.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I had no idea”-

“Instead of thinking you know everything, how about you listen to people. Especially omegas. We don't owe you anything and deserve to be treated with respect,” you chided. He quickly nodded his head, too panicked to disagree. “You put my life at risk.”

“You're absolutely right. I'll start”- you didn't wait for him to finish turning on your heels walking back down the hall, and grabbing your phone.

You breathed in the fresh air like you had been under dense smog for years. You leaned against the building, quickly texting Priya.

I'm outside by the door we came in. You aren't going to believe what happened

I went home! You disappeared… wanna hang out tomorrow?

You rolled your eyes, already heading back home.

You left her on read.

You slept peacefully that night.

Your phone ringing woke you up. Your heart pounded at the sound.

“Hello,” you answered quickly.

“Hey, peaches,” Johnny’s voice went in through your ears all the way down to your toes.

“Mac,” you whined.

“None of that,” he snipped gently. “I wake you up?”

“No,” you lied. “I am in your bed though,”

He groaned from the other end.

“What are you wearing?” he purred, making you giggle. You put on your best seductive voice.

“Nothing,” you whispered.

“You’re a new type of evil, hen,” he chuckled. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too,” you sighed. “Very much.”

“Alpha wants to talk to you. I'll see you soon, Bon,” Johnny ended. You heard a bit of shuffling your heart rate picking back up.

“How you doin’ pretty girl?” the muscles in your body went lax at the sound of John’s voice. He'd only been gone for about four days and you had already forgotten the effect his voice had on you.

“John,” you breathed into the phone. “I miss you.”

He sighed heavily into the phone- bordering on a growl.

“We’ll be back in three days, pretty. Finishing up here early. Then we’ll be all yours, okay?” he eased.

“Okay,” you agreed. Your head felt light. If this was how you felt now you could only imagine how bad it would be when you were finally marked. “Be safe.”

“Always.” he lied, hanging up.

You stretched out under the covers. Your body was warm and tingly, with a tight constriction in your lower abdomen.

You don't get “excited” often. Unless it’s your heat of course. You had little to no interactions with suitors, only being constantly surrounded by your peers. When you were around “potential” mates you never felt much desire towards them.

Your pack changed that.

You've suddenly found yourself in a puddle most of the time, your thighs clenching at the most inopportune times. Kyle and his feathery touches, the way his lips always skimmed your neck when he would whisper to you late at night. Johnny and the way his hands seemed to be permanently glued to your hips, squeezing your soft flesh. The way John’s beard scraped against your cheek or your lips. It was easy to imagine what it felt like against your thighs. Then there was Simon. He wasn't incredibly physical with you, but that left even more to the imagination.

You groaned, rolling over onto your back.

You did have the place to yourself. Your finger danced across your stomach, trying to imagine they were Kyle's instead. You slowly slipped them under the waistband of your underwear, moving to where you felt it should go.

You were pathetic. You hardly even knew how to touch yourself.

A few minutes later you had dried up, frustration the only thing on your mind. You growled rolling back over to bury your face into Johnny’s pillows.

Maybe when your pack got back they could help you with your problem.

Hi friends! Short chapter today! I'll see you in two days for chapter 18! The boys come back! 🧡 I wonder how they’ll react to your little run-in with the doctor……

[ticktokrobotsnot]

Cooking Up Speculations

Pairing: Carmen Berzatto x fem!reader

Summary: With y/n rushing around to doll herself up for an event, it's only a matter of time before things get out of hand.

Word Count: 6.7k

Notes: I have never written something like this before, and I thought I would give it a shot. I haven't checked the grammar, but if Google Docs missed anything, that's none of my business.

warning: alcohol and mentions of throwing up out of nervousness but no one actually does, or even comes close.

__

The prep work was close to done and for once in The Bear’s short existence it was not a screaming disastrous mess. Everyone was on track and prepared, the sauces were sitting in the fridge, the cakes were waiting to be sliced, the rolls were warm and ready to be cut open and it was all thanks to (y/n) coming in extra early this morning. She had started the prep work for most of the chefs that had yet to arrive in the effort of softening the blow. She would be abandoning them for the dinner rush on what was predicted to be a very busy day.

What sport was being played? Who is playing? And who won were all unknown to y/n but all she knew was that the restaurant was going to be filled with rowdy and obnoxiously drunk men who were going to make everyone’s life miserable and she was going to get a “get out of jail free card”. She felt a small pang of guilt for basically leaving them for dead but sacrifices had to be made and if she could cover anyone’s shift with little to no notice she was allowed one day to herself.

The restaurant was expecting the dinner rush to crawl in at about 6:30 pm which left y/n about an hour and a half to get ready. Y/n was finishing up cutting up some garnishes so that everything would be perfect. The sounds of a spoon slapping skin was approaching and y/n knew that she needed to state her case convincingly so she could leave early. Fighting the urge to not bring anything up, work through her shift and miss her event was deviously tempting but with a deep inhale she put the knife down and turned on the balls of her feet.

Her (e/c) eyes meet his and before she could choke out a lame excuse as to why she was blocking him she spit out, “I was wondering if I could have a word with you.”

Carmen looked expectantly, he thought she was going to ask him to taste test the braised beef she had just finished prepping, or ask an obscure question about the food science between ingredients. Y/n had once asked if he found it annoying during one of their late night clean up sessions and he said it was a nice change of pace and he really didn’t mind. How could he when you were so eager to learn?

Y/n didn’t want to do this out here, people are working and if she was going to beg, which is how she expected the next 5 minutes to go, she didn’t want any witnesses. The damage that would do to her pride would force her to change her name, move to Vegas and make money by selling timeshares to idiot tourists.

She cleared her throat, “Privately, chef”

Although his face didn’t betray anything, y/n knew that she had caught him off guard. After a while of spending most of their time together cleaning the kitchen after hours and talking about every minute detail in their lives, y/n knew that she had raised a few alarm bells in Carmen’s head. If she paid attention she could hear the sounds of a car alarm blaring in the back of his head signifying that he thought something was wrong. He always assumed the worst possible would happen, like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

He wordlessly guided y/n to his office. The door was closed and it felt like they were transported to a different dimension where there was nothing outside but the vacuum of space, it was just the two of them in this room and if one of them were to leave the outside pressure would make their body implode and smash into the size of a ping pong ball. She really didn’t want any of them to leave.

With a silent inhale, “I have to leave early today.”

Carmen softened the crease in between his eyebrows, “ Yeah sure, take the day off.” The imaginary crisis was averted and the car alarm stopped blaring in Carmen’s head.

Y/n was surprised that he was being so easy today. Y/n had yet to ask for a day off but she had spent last night imagining the worst possible scenarios possible, she would get yelled at, rejected, or worst he would guilt her for leaving them to deal with the upcoming shit storm.

“Honestly, I was expecting a bit more of a fight.” Y/n joked, “I even made this whole pitch to convince you.”

“ I can hear the pitch so that it doesn’t go to waste,” Carmen said with a glint of humour in his eyes.

Carmen was giving her an inch and so she might as well take the whole mile. Knowing she was about to push her luck and Carmen’s patience a bit more she continued.

“I came in at 4am and started everyone’s prep and helped Tina with the sandwiches during lunch, and did all of Syd’s prep because she had that doctor’s appointment. And I think it's cruel and unusual that you wouldn’t give me a day off when all I did today was prove how much of an angel I am. The least I can get is a measly day off…What you're not gonna give me a day off you selfish prick? You see this is what always happens, little guys always get pushed aside by the Big man. Carmen you're supposed to be better than those billionaire pricks who probably hunt their interns for sport. And I think it's so unfair that I grace you and this business with my presence and I don't even get a single day off- ” Carmen let out an exhale from his nose and covered his mouth with his hand to hide his smirk. The move had almost made y/n fall to her knees, the way his hair was tousled, the way he looked up at her with his sharp blue eyes, the tattoo flexing on his hands that were a calloused and dry from years of washing them nearly a hundred times a day, the veins trailing up from his hands to under his white shirt.

“Okay, I get gist.”

Y/n knew he didn’t ask for an explanation but she wanted to keep him here for just a bit longer.

“I have this thing I have to go to and I live too far away to go home and change so I need your office to get ready. I would get changed and stuff in the bathroom but the lighting is really bad, the outlets don't work, it’s smelly-”

After a quick glance at his watch he realised that he had a few vendors coming by and he needed to get back to the kitchen. “I know, that bathroom is a real shit show. I told Fak to fix it but nothing he fixes lasts for very long. The office is yours.” Carmen rushed out.

“I'm going to be here till 12 so if there is anything you need me to do before I leave just give me a holler.”

Carmen gave a nod of appreciation before his eyes lingered on her face for a second before grabbing a few papers and a clipboard and then opening the door to leave. It was stupid and childish but y/n held her breath wondering if he would be crushed to the size of a ping pong ball as soon as he left but when she heard him yelling at Richie she knew that the “alone in space” fantasy had died.

Y/n slipped out and went to her locker where she pulled out a dress, makeup and a straightening iron. She had an hour and a chance to make herself look like she just came out of a Mattel box and it was a daunting task for someone who didn’t have much experience dressing up.

Makeup was a bit of a disaster at first because she didn’t want to ruin any of Carmy’s papers but after she accidentally dabbed a bit of concealer on a light bill she just stopped giving a fuck and finished up. The hair was tricky, the outlet was near the ground and she had to crouch to straighten her hair.

The last and most daunting task was the dress because y/n was about to strip in her bosses office and although she had dreams about something this amazing, the reality was much less sexy. In a small burst of paranoia she rolled the chair over to the door so no one would walk in by accident and quickly changed. In the back of her mind all she was thinking about was the small glimmer of hope that Carmy would be the one to walk in. In reality, it would be Rich or Fak because boundaries were a foreign concept to the both of them.

And with 10 minutes to spare, y/n was done. She sprayed some perfume and hyped herself up to leave. She knew she would get teased so she wanted a smooth exit, an Irish goodbye would be perfect, fingers crossed hoping that Richie was out back so she would get out before he made these stupid jokes.

After a few deep breaths, y/n picked up her things and opened the door. The coast was clear and she made a beeline to the lockers to grab her purse, change her shoes and go. She would leave most of her stuff, because if you want to survive you have to be light, like those firefighters that ditch their equipment so that they don't get burned alive. Everyone looked busy and with a quick once over, y/n tried to walk through the kitchen. And although women and heels have had centuries of history, the heels still managed to betray her at the very end. The long sound of heel on tile brought Syd’s head up. Y/n eyes widened as she shook her head as to signal to Syd to drop it but Syd let out a playful gasp and Y/n knew that the jig was up.

“You look amazing.”

And a sea of eyes were looking at y/n.

“You get all dressed up for me?” Syd joked and for a split second y/n wondered if she could make a run for it before she realised that she would fall and crack her head open.

“Who else?” Y/n joked back hoping to get out before she was held captive by their questions.

“You look so nice, where are you headed?” Tina said as she came closer and dragged you closer to everyone.

“Umm- I was actually going to-”

“You know who you look like?” One of those women who seduces James Bond at a casino.” Sweeps commented unhelpfully. A hum of agreement was shared among the crew. Y/n’s face grew warm.

“So where are you going?”

“A date, women don't dress like that if it's not for a date” Ebra chimed in.

Another gasp, “ IS it a date, is he handsome?” Sydney probed.

“Actually, I'm not- '' Y/n tried to finish before she was interrupted.

“What type of car does he drive?”

“We'll see when he picks her up. When is he picking you up?”

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU CLOWN JABBERING ABOUT '' Richie burst through the door to see what all the commotion was about and he looked like he was in utter disbelief.

“I didn’t know that it was possible for you could look like that”

Y/n was slightly offended.

“You normally look like death.” Richie laughed. Scratch that y/n was very offended.

“I could look like this everyday if I wasn’t in front of a stove, you clown.”

Ignoring her, Richie asked the room,“ Where is she headed?”

“A date”, Sweeps added.

“I'm going to my friends-” y/n tried to interject.

“A date huh, our little y/n is all grown up now. Soon we’ll be sending her off to college.” Wiping a fake tear and leaning on Tina for mock support, “They leave the nest so soon, it was like it was just yesterday when I saw her struggling to walk.”

“It WAS yesterday and I was only struggling because I hit my knee on the shelfs in the walk-in.”

“Who’s the guy?” Richie asked

“ Your dad.” Y/n knew it was childish and unoriginal but she was too flustered to be a bit more creative.

Richie ignores her and continues, “You know what you look like? You look like one of those girls who kills Johns”

“Are you saying I look like a prostitute?”

“A classy one for like the president and shit.”

“or an ambassador,” Ebra added.

“or a CEO,” Richie continued.

Y/n knew it was going to be tough but she wanted to get out before she was stuck forever.

“I have to go now, I’ll see you guys bright and early tomorrow. Richie you suck major ass. And just so you know, i'm not going on a-”

Carmen walked in with a clipboard and a pen not even sparing a glance up.

“Ok, I just got the beef delivered so we should have enough for Ebra till the end of the week.”

“Heard, chef”

“And Marcus”, who watched the whole thing and didn’t offer any help to y/n except the occasional chuckle.

“I have your eggs”

“Heard, chef”

Although no one said it, everyone was waiting for the moment that Carmen looked up and saw y/n. The dishwashers who never really left their stations shut off the water and were subtly watching this mess unfold.

It was the longest that y/n had seen Richie quiet. He just stared at Carmen, while hiding his mocking smile under the guise of rubbing his stubble.

“I know we are low on onions but the guy is coming in a bit so sit tight”

“Heard”

Maybe, y/n thought, she would be able to walk past Carmen unnoticed if she walked on the balls of her feet so that the heels made less noise. Y/n took a step forward to hightail it out of here so she could make it in time and even though the heel was a lot quieter then last time, the unusual silence in the kitchen made it impossible to disguise the sound.

The sound of heels on tiles brought Carmen back to reality.

He looked up and y/n didn’t know if she imagined it but she thought she saw him raise his eyebrows. And if she was really going to feed into her delusions, she would say that his eyes widened and his pupils dilated too.

All that came crashing down thought, because after a beat of silence barring the sounds of sizzling and bubbling. Carmen questioned, “I thought you would have left by now chef.”

“I got held back but I really do need to leave now. I'm going to miss you guys and I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow.” And with a quick wave y/n brushed shoulders with Carmen as she left. The smell of her perfume lingered and Carmen felt a bit dizzy.

Carmen wanted to ask where y/n was going but he didn’t want to overstep any boundaries, not when the two of you have already gotten so close. Richie had different plans, “Hey cousin guess where y/n going?”

“I don’t know cousin, that isn’t really any of our buis-”

“She is going on a date”

“A hot one” Syd chirped

“With a nice car” Ebra added

Richie’s comment felt like a ton falling on his head. Now he felt a different type of dizziness. He quickly composed himself

“Chefs, we have a dinner rush coming, now is not the time.” Carmen said with a bit of an edge.

Richie led Carmen to the front under the guise of asking a question about the tablet. The crew looked around and shared a knowing snicker.

“I can't believe that you let her go like that?” Richie added. “Right now she is in some guy's car about to get wined and dined to high heaven while you wait here with your cock in your hand like some cuck.”

“ Cuck?” Carmen said with venom, it's like he was giving Richie a chance to take it back before he killed him.

“I would be fucken pissed. I wouldn’t let someone take my girl out like that, all dressed up for someone who isn't me”

For a second Carmen imagined you sitting across from your rich new date with the nice car and the handsome face and felt like throwing up. He was angry, he was angry with this “date”, he was angry at Richie for saying all that stupid shit to get a reaction, and embarrassingly enough he was angry at y/n. He had no right to be but he just couldn’t help it.

“Richie if you don’t knock it off, I’m going to send you flying out the fucking window”

“Yes, chef.” Richie mockingly replied.

And with a swift turn Carmen returned to the kitchen with a different temperament then he had 10 minutes ago.

The dinner rush was a nightmare, but the kitchen was hell. There wasn’t a single thing that didn’t set Carmen off. He wasn’t screaming like he was with the to-go orders but he was on edge. They could feel it when they had to remake dishes because he didn’t like them, or when they had to listen to him criticise innocuous things after housekeeping. When that dinner rush ended, the crew looked like they wanted to be anywhere else but there. The second the restaurant closed, chefs cleaned as fast as they could to get the hell out of there. It was the fastest they had cleaned since the morning rush with the pre-orders.

With a quick goodbye, everyone but Carmen left the restaurant hoping that he would be in a better mood tomorrow.

Carmen did what he did every night, got on his knees and scrubbed the floor with a towel. Carmen knew it was unfair and he knew he had no right to dictate what you did. You weren’t his and he waited too long. A part of him understood where y/n was coming from, during one of their late night conversations he had mentioned that he had never had a girlfriend and he didn’t really have the time. This conversation took place some time after the two had gotten close but before he realised that he might have liked her for quite some time. Things were different now and Carmen wanted more.

He tried his best to be understanding but the thought of y/n clinging onto someone else’s arm and laughing at their stupid unfunny joke, made him livid. What if they kiss? Or what if they sleep together?” That thought made him stop scrubbing and sit on the balls of his feet and throw the wet towel with an unnecessary amount of force to another corner of the kitchen. He couldn’t do this today, he couldn’t be here. He got up and cleaned up the towel and bucket of dirty soap water and walked home.

He ended his night with a nightcap hoping that he would fall asleep easily but it didn’t work. He spent a good amount of time staring at y/n contact hovering over the call button before flaking out because it was 2 in the morning and he had to get to work at 6:30. Maybe Richie was right and he was a coward but before he could think too long, sleep had overcome him.

The restaurant was a bit of a walk away from Carmen’s house but he never minded it before, it felt like a good buffer between “Home Carmen” and “Work Carmen”. Today was different, he couldn't not think about y/n and that annoying date of her’s so for the first time in his time in Chicago he listened to music on his way to work. The music was so loud that it was just obnoxious noise and allowed him to stop worrying for a few moments. Carmen couldn’t think about y/n without feeling a bit… he didn’t know how he felt he just knew it was not a great feeling.

Being the first one in the restaurant was not new to him but it felt strange that after 30 minutes he was still the only one there, normally y/n would be there by now asking Carmen about a baking show they both happened to catch the night before, or ask what he ate for dinner last night and breakfast this morning. Carmen would always fight the urge to lie and say that he cooked something magnificent when in reality he probably ate a bag of chips and drank some flat soda. One of the things that these AA meetings emphasised was honesty, to both himself and others, and even if it was embarrassing he told you the truth. You never really judged him because you did the same thing.

After sorting through fuck ton of bills, a few of which had brown power on them and one of them had a (s/c) smudge on the corner he heard a buzz in his pocket. He looked at it hoping it was you saying that you'll be there any second.

(Y/N): I'm so sorry to do this to you but I'm going to be a bit late today, not super late but like an hour. I have to grab my extra apron from my place and I'm a bit far from there. I'll be there by 8 the latest. Again, super sorry :(

Carmen read the text a few times to check if he read that right, you were going to be late because you weren't home and slept somewhere else and needed a change of clothes. Which translated to, you were with someone else, which means you might have done something with someone else. He just stared at the text for a few more seconds before he heard the sound of the front door opening, Carmen didn’t have to look to know it was Sydney. He snapped out of it and sent back an “ok”, lowercase just to be a bit petty. Was it immature? Yes. Did he regret it? Not really.

Y/n spent the rest of her food budget for the week yesterday in a drunken haze with an uber from one side of Chicago to the other. The bachelorette party was a success and y/n was glad that her friend had a good time at the fancy restaurant that she picked out. Y/n was trying to be responsible and limit herself to a few drinks but it's hard to say no to the bride to be and before she knew it she had to leave her car at the restaurant because they took her keys and y/n and her friends crammed into an uber headed towards one of the bridesmaids houses.

Y/n woke up in a hurry, she grabbed a random shirt and joggers from her friends closet because all she had was that dress, which now had wine spilled on it. She quickly gathered her things and texted the group chat that she had to leave early so she could get to work. They would read it when they woke up. Not repeating yesterday’s mistakes she took the train to the restaurant, got her keys back and drove at illegal speeds to get to her place where she took a shower, changed back into her friends clothes because she was way behind on laundry. She took one last look in the mirror before grabbing the apron and sprinting out the door to drive to work. She got there at 7:30am and she felt like death. The hangover was finally catching up to her, and she poured herself some water from the dispenser out front. She knew everyone was in the kitchen by now. She gave herself a few more seconds of quiet before she opened the door to the kitchen and gave a quick hello and rushed towards the lockers to put her stuff in and change into her non-slip shoes and apron.

Richie raised his eyebrows. This was too good, it was too easy, all he needed was for Carmy to get out of that depressing office of his to bear witness to this.

Richie was the first to ask, “New shirt? Never seen it before? ”

“Good Morning to you Richie, if you need to know I borrowed it from my friend.”

Carmen wanted to rush out as soon as he heard your voice but he refrained. He promised himself that he would give you a bit of space to respect you and your date/boyfriend. That didn’t stop him from listening through the door.

“Some friend you got there, real close.” Richie jokes

y/n didn’t know what he was talking about, “Friends tend to be close, Richie. You would know that if you had any.” Y/n barked back.

“How was it?” Syd asked as she sliced what looked like gallons of onions.

Y/n knew that last night was probably a good night but she was so drunk then and so hungover now that it all made her a bit nauseous to think about.

“Honestly, I don't remember much but I do know it was fun.”

“Hungover?” Tina asked.

“Very, my whole body feels like i was run over by a semi”

Marcus handed y/n a gatorade before going back to work with the cakes.

“You come back to us in new clothes, showered, late, hungover, and sore. You must have one hell of a night!” Richie said louder than necessary just so that Carmen would hear, he had a feeling that Carmy was eavesdropping.

“Im telling you guys i didn’t actually go on a-”

Carmen didn’t want to hear anything after Richie spoke because he felt like he was going to hear something he didn’t want to know. He picked up a clip board, slammed the door open and began walking around.

“Chef.” Carmen said mechanically

“Chef.” Y/n replied back fully expecting this, she left early, came late and was now distracting everyone.

Y/n quickly busied herself with peeling garlic and the rest day fell back to its usual rhythm. The prep finished right before the restaurant opened and they worked on filling to-go orders along with the regular lunch and dinner orders. One thing was noticeably different to y/n, Carmen hadn’t looked or approached her once. Normally he would walk by all the chefs and ask how they were doing, checking the quality, etc but the second he got to y/n who was at the far end of the kitchen he circled back. He made comments to everyone’s dish and he had yet to even get within a 3 feet radius on y/n.

Y/n could feel that something was off and to test it, after the dinner rush she finished making one of the test items that Sydney and Carmen had wanted to try out and after a small taste she knew she killed it.

Y/n walked up to Carmen with the dish and set it down. “Can you taste it and tell me what you think?” Carmen didn’t look up, he just grabbed a fork, took a bite and said a quick “It's fine, chef”.

Y/n then looked the dish over to sydney and asked her to try it.

“It added a bit of chocolate because I read somewhere that Japanese people put chocolate in their curry”

“Chocolate huh?” Sydney grabbed a small notebook and made a note.

“It’s okay?” y/n asked.

“It's fire, chef. Great work”

In y/n mind that confirmed that something was wrong with Carmen. Y/n waited till the restaurant closed and everyone left to bring it up. It was just Carmen and y/n alone in the restaurant and y/n could feel there was something in the air.

“You don't have to stay late, you should leave early” Carmon proposed while not looking at her.

That was strange because Carmen never asked her to leave early. She walked up to Carmen who was sweeping the floor and ripped off the bandaid.

“Thanks for the offer but I want to stay with you for a bit longer.” Carmen’s grip on the broom toughened till his knuckles turned white. It was a risky thing to say and after a beat of silence y/n took the coward’s way out by diverting and changing subjects.

“I'm sorry I was so late today Carmen, are we good?”

“We're good.”

Another awkward silence.

“ I don’t think we're good, you seem, I don't know, pissed?”

“I'm good, you're good, we’re good” Carmen said by turning his attention to a very interesting onion skin on the floor.

“You didn’t say anything about the dish I made, or that I was late. Someone told me that you seemed off yesterday.”

“Was this someone named Sydney?”

“Cannot confirm or deny, Carmy”

Carmy finished sweeping and took a few steps back.

“There it is again! You keep walking away from me and not looking me in the eye.”

Carmen didn’t know that he was being obvious, he thought he was subtle because Richie would have brought it up if he wasn’t. Carmen forced himself to look up at y/n and felt like the wind was knocked right off his lungs, he really hadn’t seen her at all today and he missed her.

“You can tell me what's happening so that I can help or at the very least listen to what's wrong.” y/n offered

Carmen bent down, and started to scrub in silence. He looked like he was piecing something together and y/n didn’t want to intrude so she continued to scrub assuming the conversation was over and that they were going to spend the rest of their lives in this uncomfortable silence. A few minutes pass and then a long sigh is heard from the other end of the kitchen. Carmen looked up.

“I’ve been a bit..” Carmen started. Y/n wanted him to finish his thought before she called him a dick.

“It's been a weird day.. I know it shouldn’t but I can't help but ask..”

A pregnant pause passed.

“How was..” y/n leaned in so she could hear.

“How was your “thing” yesterday?” He spit out.

Y/n looked a bit confused, “Umm it was fine, I mean we were at a restaurant so it wasn’t anything to crazy”

“Why were you so late today?”

The other shoe dropped, “ I knew you were pissed that I was late.” With an exhale she continued “We went to dinner and then got shit faced drunk and ubered over to a friends house. I had to go by that restaurant in the morning to pick up my keys and drive to my place so I could take a shower and not smell like a walking liquor store.”

“How was he?” Carmen choked out after a few more beats of silence.

“How was who?”

“Your umm…”

“Mmm” Carmen continued.

Y/n waited but it felt like he was testing her patience,

“Your date?” Carmen finally conceded while swinging his head down.

“What date? I went to a bachelorette party with a few of my girlfriends.”

Carmen’s head shot up, “ I thought-”

“The people in here are so nosy, I kept telling them that it wasn't a date and they wouldn’t bother to listen.”

Carmen’s shoulders relaxed and he felt like he could finally look at you without feeling guilty that he was looking at another guy’s girl.

“What’s been on your mind, Carm?” Y/n probed and Carmen's shoulders tensed up again.

Y/n could feel the atmosphere change and she wanted to capitalise on it while she still could, she could trick herself into thinking that Carmy was jealous of some imaginary guy that he thought she went on a date on, when he probably was just diverting attention to avoid talking about his own problems.

More silence.

More scrubbing.

Carmen looked up with a look of determination, y/n assumed that he had finally hyped himself to tell her what has been bugging him. Although the tension was killing her she did want this moment to last for a bit longer. In this moment she could convince herself that Carmen was troubled because of her and not because work was drowning him or that he is a mess because his brother left him this shithole and left.

She wanted him to have a problem with an easy solution. If he liked her, the easy solution was that she would kiss him and tell him how much she longed for him. He would then confess how much he yearned for her and she would give all of herself to him and he would finally have a win in his life, something that wasn’t tainted by his love/hate relationship with cooking, his family, his brother. Something that he would have all to himself, her love.

Just for a few moments she repeated, that's how long she had till the dream died. This wasn’t the first time something similar had happened. They would stay late and in the comfortable beats of silence Carmen would look up with such a look of determination and y/n heart would flutter hoping for those three special words but she would get something completely different but still equally important, information about a very private part of his life whether it be the AA meetings, or the guilt he felt for resenting his brother. And everytime y/n’s heart would break a bit and then mend itself knowing that even if she couldn't have him like she wanted to, she would still be important to him.

That type of relationship, friendship, used to be enough, but not anymore. With his plans to change The Bear he was getting further and further away from her. It used to feel like it was the two of them but y/n was starting to wonder if she was going to be left behind. If she would stay friends for a while until the longing grew too strong and y/n would leave The Bear. Even if Carmen misses her for a while, y/n knew he would bounce back like he always did and she would slowly be replaced by Sydney or whoever. The thought that in a few years he will have learned to cope with his grief and trauma and move on from the past, move on from y/n, and maybe settle down with someone else made y/n feel like throwing up.

This time y/n didn’t fall for Carmen's “look”, she had a neutral face and was ready to hear what Carmen's issues were. She wouldn’t assume that she was going to get a confession. This time she will help him with his problems and move on from this one-sided crush. Maybe she WILL go on a few dates to forget about him.

“Carmen, do you want to talk about it?We don’t have to do anything you don't want to.”

Determination morphed into apprehension.

“I am feeling something, it is n-n-not…” He exhaled through his nose.

”It's selfish y/n. I'm being selfish. You have every right to do whatever you want but I..”

Y/n tried to look as comforting as possible trying her best to hide any confusion, if Carmen was any other person she would ask if he was sober right now because he was a total mess.

“I’ve never done this before, and I-” and he ran his palm through his hair.

Y/n refrained from thinking about how amazing he looked under the fluorescent lights with his tousled hair and apprehensive gaze. He could bring up his nightmares or sleepwalking, and she would feel so guilty for perving over his eyes.

“You looked very nice in that dress yesterday.” Y/n felt like a lump was forming in her throat. He was going to say something like this and think it's an off handed comment but she would go to the bathroom and cry because she knew nothing would come from it. Y/n thought it was a bit cruel.

“You looked so beautiful yesterday it was hard for me to look at you without making a fucking idiot out of myself. I wanted to run over to you and tell you that as soon as you left but Richie told me you're going on a date and it was…”

Carmen continued, “You are special and you deserve someone who isn’t…me. And you're free to do whatever and if this is completely …wrong…bad…i don't know, just stop me and we will never talk about this ever again…”

He searched y/n’s eyes looking for a sliver of doubt or disgust but he was met with glassy eyes and a look that longed for him to continue.

“When I thought you were going on that date I knew that I couldn’t not have you and that made me feel….” A sigh reverberated through the kitchen.

“ I like you…romantically.” Carmen uttered.

Y/n didn’t say or do anything for a moment, she spent a few moments wondering if she was hallucinating or dreaming. And in a moment of pure adrenaline, she scooted over to Carmen who was still on the floor before cupping his face in her hands and whispered, “Can I kiss you?”

The kiss wasn't electrifying; it felt like a wave of warmth seeped into every corner of their beings. It felt like dipping your hand in warm water after shovelling the show, the type of warmth that sends shivers down your spine. Y/n fingers get lost in his wavy hair and his hands hesitate, not knowing where they should go before landing one on her hip and the other on the back of her neck to pull her closer. Y/n heart was beating so hard she wondered stupidly if he could hear it, Carmen was wondering something similar. They slowly pulled away for air before getting a good look at each other, both their lips were swollen and red and their eyes were dazed.

Y/n knew he was a flighty person, one wrong move and he would go running for the hills so she refrained from asking if they were dating now, this could have just been a one time thing and she didn’t want to ruin it. Thankfully Carmen held her hand and stroked it with her thumb before swinging his head down and looking up at her.

“I want to be with you y/n”

“I like you too, Carmen, for a very long time.” And their lips meet once again.

Y/n resisted the urge to say that she only bought the dress in the hopes that he would take it off of her, that was a story for another time.

“Let's get you home” Carmen mumbled into her lips, the vibrations and the friction making her lips burn in sensitivity.

Carmen helped y/n get up before they both packed up their stuff and headed out the door. Both hiding the smile of triumph from each other, not really knowing how much the other loves them yet, and only time would remedy that.

[tokkiwrites]

┈─ 𖧷 Harvey Wallbanger 🥃

in which you're curious about how a classic harvey wallbanger tastes so you ask Joel, your dad's best friend, for a sip of his. he lets you try itㅡ in a not so conventional way.

★ ͘ dbf!joel miller, age gap, fem!reader, afab reader, no use of y/n, hair pulling, spit kink, p in v sex (unprotected), creampie, kind of voyeurism, lots of pet names, lmk if i missed anything.

The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow over the backyard where the family gathering unfolded. The scent of barbecue lingered in the air, intermingling with the fragrant aroma of magnolia blossoms that adorned the edges of the patio. Strings of fairy lights twinkled overhead, adding a touch of magic to the evening. Mismatched lawn chairs and a weathered porch swing created a cozy seating area, where laughter and chatter filled the air. The wooden table, adorned with an array of homemade dishes, bore witness to the love poured into the get-together.

but that wasn't something you cared about right now.

Joel Miller, a man weathered by years and life's challenges, guarded his emotions behind a rough exteriorㅡㅡ at least that's what it seemed like.

You couldn't help but stare, unknowingly drawn towards him, as he conversed with your aunt. Family gatherings were a bittersweet affair; you resented his constant presence yet yearned for it, more than you cared to admit.

With a sip of the overly sweet virgin mojito, you suppressed a sigh, wondering if your dad had momentarily forgotten your age, given the drink he made for you. attention fixated on Joel, you observed the way your aunt touched his bicep; it sent a pang of jealousy through you. The effect he had on you was undeniable. You hated to admit it.

"Everything's alright, sweetheart?" Your dad's voice interrupted your envy-induced trance. "Huh?" You furrowed your brows, snapping back to reality. "Oh, uh... yeah, Dad. I'm just trying to get this drink down," you laughed nervously, swirling the cold glass around.

A knot tightened in your stomach. What if your dad sensed the unspoken tension between you and his best friend? you couldn't help but wonder how he would react if he knew the truth.

"What, you don't like my mojitos?"

"Dad, this is in no way a mojito." you laughed, settling the glass down onto the table next to you. "Well, you're still my little girl. I can't have you drinking alcohol now, can I?"

As you laughed off your dad's questionable mixology skills, your eyes inadvertently found Joel. His rugged silhouette stood against the backdrop of the setting sun. Why does he have to be so...him?

You didn't know much about the man, even though you grew up with him around all the timeㅡ you didn't know much. just knew how much you wanted him and how wrong it was.

On so many levels so wrong, yet you couldn't help but tremble as a wave of unspeakable thoughts had drowned your mind. Pressing your thighs together, you breathe heavily and decide to save yourself while you can, swiftly making your way inside the house.

No one seemed to notice. Almost.

"Now why'd you run off like that? the ping-pong game just started." His voice, a gravelly drawl, cut through the air.

fuck. he knows. he saw you stare at him the whole night, of course he knows.

turning around, you meet his gaze. he towered over the kitchen entrance, a small glass in his rough hands. Jesus christ. You force out a smile, voice hitching.

"Hi, Mr. Miller! we didn't get to talk tonight, huh?" You slowly back up towards the kitchen island. "Why are you inside?"

"Don't change the subject, darlin'. i saw you tonight..."

oh, fuck.

"sneaking in to steal some of your dad's alcohol." he laughs, pointing towards you. "now, i told your dad you ain't one to drink those kiddie things."

thank god.

you laugh in relief, throwing your hands up. "you got me!"

"yeah, all grown up now. need a grown-up drink, no?" His eyes lock onto yours, and you gulp down the lump in your throat. nodding your head, you reach to play with the hem of your dress. "what are you drinking?"

"oh, this? 's a Harvey, don't think you'll like it much. old man drink." the corners of his mouth lift up into a smile. "can i have some?" you pip. "i bet its better than what dad made me drink." laughing, you try and stare out the window, as to avert Joel's gaze.

"that so?" he hoarsed. oh my god, this motherfu-

he circled around you and made his way to the cabinet that housed your dad's most cherished whiskey. Joel settled his glass down, the amber liquid catching the warm glow of the kitchen lights.

"C'mere, girl." He motioned you over, a command that sent shivers down your spine, and you obeyed. There was a magnetic force in his presence, an unspoken poison in his voice that drew you closer. As you approached, you caught a hint of his cologne, a rugged scent that added to the intoxicating atmosphere. He could ask anything of you right now...you'd do it.

Joel poured a generous amount into a glass filled with ice, the sound of the liquid gliding against the crystal and echoing in the quiet kitchen. The air thickened with anticipation as he handed you the drink, the warmth of his rough fingers grazing yours.

"i-i'm kind of scared to try it now, honestly." you divert his gaze. "come on, now." he pushed closer to you, his scent enveloping you. joel grabs the glass from your hands, his fingers lingering just a moment longer than necessary. His other hand cupped your cheek, thumb pressing against your chin.

"open up." your eyes widened. did you hear that right? are you drunk? maybe that mojito wasn't virgin at all. "don't make me repeat myself, girl. "

you complied, uncertainty and excitement blending in the air. Joel tilted the glass, and the rich, hard whiskey slipped past his lips. Leaning down, palm still around your jaw, your breath caught as he slowly spat the liquid into your mouth.

his eyes never leave yours, and your heart feels like it could rip through your chest right now. Joel withdrew, the warmth of his touch lingering on your skinㅡ the taste of that forbidden sip plastered on your tongue.

The air crackled with an unspoken tension, and for a moment, time seemed suspended. As you caught your breath, Joel's expression remained unreadable.

"really think i couldn't see you starin' at me, angel?"

"I'm - so sorry, mr. Millerㅡㅡ"

"sweet girl. been dyin to know what's inside that pretty head of yours when you look at me like that." His fingers brushed a loose strand of hair from your face. "you know how much i had to hold back? wanted to ravage you, toㅡ" he trails "to destroy you. make you beg for me to stop..." joel leans down, his rough beard tickling your neck, drawing a soft moan from between your lips.

"dirty girl." a dark chuckle evades his throat "wonderin' how soaked that pussy is right now, hm?"

"mr. Miller, p-please..."

"so fuckin needy, i ain't even touched you yet." His voice, a husky murmur, resonated with a mixture of amusement and a raw need. his hot breath against you belied the intensity of the moment, leaving you yearning for more.

Desire hung thick in the air as Joel's hands lingered, teasing and exploring. Each touch ignited a fire within you, and the temptation between you two pulsed like a heartbeat faster than your own.

"Sure you want this, darlin?"" Nipping at your bottom lip, he waits for your signal. "So sure." This is it, the moment you had only dreamed of. that's when his lips crashed against yours, his mustache pricking your skin. you kissed back, hungry, so hungry like you've never felt before.

at any moment someone could walk through that doorㅡ but you didn't care, couldn't care. not whilst joels tongue clashed against yours. your arms wrapped around his neck, his slipped down to your ass, squeezing it, prompting you to yelp into the kiss.

"wanna fuck you over this counter, baby. want that pretty pussy wrapped around my cock." you moaned at his dirty words.

dirty. dirty like his touch that left your skin tainted, dirty like how you know you'll feel after all of this is over.

but you like dirty. you love dirty.

you were too deep into it. Maybe it was the booze or his voice digging at your core. you barely realized when he turned you around, bending you over the kitchen counterㅡ The cold surface almost sizzled against your skin.

joel pressed himself against you, still clothed. fuck, he was huge. pulling your dress up and panties down, he traced his finger agains your dripping folds.

"fuckin hell, baby, all this for me? c'mon, let me hear you say it."

"'s all for y-ou, mr. Miller ㅡ" you choked back a moan, pushing yourself back onto his bulge. he laughs, tilting his head to the side slightly. " a fuckin dream 's what you are, girl. didn't know what i was missin all this time."

joel unbuckled his pants in a hurry, pulling them to the ground and positioning himself better behind you. he drags the pulsing tip up and down, up and down as if he didn't make you wait long enough.

after he thinks its sufficient, he starts to push inside, causing you to bite onto your forearm and shut your eyes as tears welled up in them. "atta girlㅡ you can take it. you're a big girl, ain't ya?" he teased.

by the time he was fully inside, you were a mess, tears stained your cheeks, drool at the corners of your mouth covered in smudged lipstick ㅡ a dream.

joel moves, at first, slowly as to let you adjust. he's patient. praises trail onto you as he kisses little pecks on the small of your back. "That's it, darlin'. take it all like a big girl." your body trembles from every breath and touch of his.

his pace picks up, skin hitting yours roughly, fingers tangled in your hair and his other palm flush against your belly. "feel me there, sweet girl?"

"I- yes, yes, please, p-please ㅡ " you were hanging on that counter for dear life, your brain foggy. nothing made sense but this. Joel buried deep inside of you.

he fucked you hard, and deep, your stomach churning at every hit. his calloused hands gripped tightly at you ass, his moves now more ragged.

"f-uck, baby ㅡ i gotta come. where, tell me where?"

"inㅡinside-"

"god, fuckin dammitㅡ" with that white ropes painted your velvet walls, causing you to reach your high also, squeezing joel in.

and for a moment there was silence. this really just happened. joel pulled out, letting his seed drip down your thighs. "shit, babyㅡ look at that. so pretty." he smiles kissing your shoulders, "so pretty like this, f' me."

you sigh, of relief you didn't get caughtㅡㅡ or maybe of sadness because it was all over.

"let's get you cleaned up, huh? we're lucky your family takes ping-pong games so seriously." joel laughed, helping you up.

"mr. Miller?" you chirp.

"yeah, angel?"

"I really didn't like the Harvey."

⏜⃞♡⠀⠀🐰 guess whos baaack???? sorry for the extremely long time i was gone. uni drains me of all my powers. but i wrote this short 2k word story as an apology. dont forget to leave requests guys!!!! muahh i hope you like it.

[eqt-95]

a new kind of romance, pt 2

part 1 | s'mores

🖍️ | purple

“Mmm, purple,” Esme said after her tiny scowl scrutinized the coloring page and definitely didn't register Kara's pouting lip.

“Not red? Blue?” Kara offered with a pot-turned-scowl ping-ponging between her niece and the superhero cartoon sitting between them.

“No,” Esme continued with a confident head shake, “purple.”

Kara sulked, holding the uncapped red and blue markers in either hand. It didn’t matter that it was Esme’s turn to choose, but it did matter that Esme was choosing a very not Supergirl color palette. 

And so Kara sulked. She sulked and sulked as more and more of the super suit was scribbled in a deep purple that she didn’t want to admit complimented the green eyes Esme had chosen.

And, honestly, Kara was about to label the whole afternoon ruined.

But then. Then, her sulk softened by the growing proximity of a familiar heartbeat. Even Esme’s eyes glanced toward the door, and Kara wondered if her niece noticed the uptick in Kara’s own pulse. She hoped not.

Seconds later jangling keys, creaking hinges, and heels clicking against Kara’s hardwood floors were met by Kara’s second-favorite sound: 

“I’m so sorry,” came Lena's hurried voice, a little breathless with flushed cheeks to match. 

And Kara, crouched and bubbling with excitement, rocked on her heels between the instinct to jump up and pull Lena into a koala hug or to keep her cool at the coffee table surrounded by crayons, markers, and a very very un-Supergirl superhero.

Esme was definitely less chill, climbing to her feet with the excitement of a sugar rush, and Kara felt a little envious.

“I didn’t think I’d get held hostage by that-”

“Hey, language,” Kara warned, spinning to peer over the back of the couch.

“Sorry,” Lena said with a small eye-roll hand draping her jacket over the back of a bar stool. “I didn’t think I’d be ‘stuck’ in the meeting.”

“Better,” Kara said with a nod, a smile, and absolutely zero interest in coloring a silly superhero cartoon because Lena was here. Lena, who Kara hadn’t seen in two whole days if you didn’t count the fly-by hello she gave the night before or the coffee date they had that morning.

“It’s no problem-” Kara began, watching a squealing Esme run into Lena’s arms, and Kara swallowed down a tiny pang of jealousy. Because it was fine that Esme would want a hug from her godmother. It just so happened that Kara wanted one too, but Kara was trying to be cool and chill because Alex had told her in a not-so-subtle-way that Kara was maybe giving off creepy attachment vibes around Lena.

“Aunt Kara picked me up and we had ice cream and now we're coloring.”

“Ice cream?” Lena asked over Esme’s tiny back-stabbing shoulder. One perfectly sculpted eyebrow arched in question toward Aunt Kara.

“Yep,” Esme nodded vigorously. “It’s our secret.”

And Kara’s eyes narrowed because, yes, it was their secret.

“I think we need to discuss what a ‘secret’ is, little bug.”

“But we tell Aunt Lena everything,” Esme said with a small frown and nervous expression. She glanced up at a now standing, stunning, smirking Lena and Kara’s crouched, cramped, confused form. “Right?”

“Uh, right,” Kara said with a quick spin and flop back onto the floor, eyes glued to the heinous purple superhero monster Esme was probably going to make her stick on the fridge.

Because boy did Kara feel a bit conflicted about all of that. She stuttered, feeling the weight of Lena’s presence from the kitchen, guided by Esme’s tiny hand, now moving to the couch. 

“Aunt Lena, you can help us finish!” Esme exclaimed, settling back down next to Kara who had subconsciously picked up a blue crayon.

And that… that got Kara’s problem-solving skills working overtime because here was the situation: The coloring page was standard letter format, and it was already cramped with one tiny-sized hand and Kara’s big grown-up hand. Add another hand? Even an Esme-sized one would be cramped and… well let’s be honest, Lena had larger than normal hands.

Not that it was a problem! Lena had great hands. The best hands. Her fingers were long and delicate and her nails always so clean and short and pretty and no doubt she could weave and maneuver in and around wherever they needed to get to all the right spots and actually maybe it wouldn’t be so difficult to-

Kara coughed to interrupt herself from her thoughts. Her thoughts which were making her cheeks feel a little warm. Was it a little too warm?

“I don’t think there’s enough room,” Kara choked out. "Where will Aunt Lena sit?"

“Oh I don’t know,” Lena hummed from the couch, and then… 

And then?

And then. It got even warmer.

Boiling hot.

Like, lava hot.

Because then two legs wrapped in fancy purple pants straddled and settled onto either side of Kara. And suddenly purple didn’t seem so bad.

Because then there was the press of Lena’s chest against her back. And then there was an arm extending over her shoulder to pluck up a purple crayon. And then there was a soft, warm breath on the back of Kara’s neck. 

“I think we can figure it out,” Lena whispered into Kara’s ear and it definitely tickled and it definitely sent a shiver up her spine and it definitely, definitely, didn’t help interrupt her thoughts.

- - - - - part 3 | zippers

[vera-dauriac]

Wow. I'm now 25 minutes in and not even out of Act 1 yet, and I feel confident in saying that I haven't seen anything this WTF since that Salzburg Donny G that ends with him rolling around naked in paint. I might have to go back and get screencaps.

Just started the new Turandot from Naples, and OMG, this production is already a disaster and I'm only 5 minutes in. I will be watching the whole mess.

[earths-roots-grow-up]

Batman and Turandot crossover, because it just makes sense :D Joker is carrying the show, in the role of all three ministers: Ping, Pang and Pong. Collab with @reine-du-sourire who is the author of this script and idea, and imo, it's brilliant xD

[tryingadifferentsong]

Schloss Einstein Rewatch Folge 121 - 124

Wolf stichelt weiter gegen Kevin, Ingo macht vor allem mit, um Wolf zu verteidigen, Atze steht die meiste Zeit leise daneben und Tine ist mal wieder die einzige, die den Jungs aufzeigt, wie lächerlich sie gerade sind. Wolf kommt aber auch wieder zu Verstand und rettet Kevin vor dem Supermarkt-Miarbeiter, indem er eine Dosenpyramide umfährt. Sorry, aber wer in einem so engen Supermarkt so Dosenpyramiden aufbaut ist ist selbst schuld, wenn die (absichtlich oder nicht) umfallen 😅 Ingo muss später natürlich auch noch mal anmerken, wie cool Wolf dabei aussah ☝️

Louisa hat ein ✨ Handy ✨ bekommen und ist ganz groß im Klingeltöne-Game drin. Max steigt ein und bestätigt gleich mal meine eher nervige Erinnerung an ihn, indem er Chinesisch "spricht" und dabei nur "Ping Pong Ping Pang" usw. sagt. Oh Gott es wird noch schlimmer, später macht auch Herr Fabian einen chinesischen Akzent nach, indem er einfach alle Rs als L ausspricht. Und dann auch noch Louisa und Laura im Geisha-Kostüm, help 🫣

Warum bedankt sich Vera bei Sebastian dafür, dass er bei ihr Modell stehen möchte, mit einem Wangenkuss? Genauso wie es für die gesamte Story am Ende echt kaum relevant ist, ob Sebastian jetzt ein Akt-Model ist oder Vera ein Porträt von ihm zeichnen würde. Immerhin ist Vera so gnädig und Sebastian darf seine Shorts anbehalten, aber so wie auch Sebastian anfangs dagegen ist, hinterlässt das echt einen unangenehmen Beigeschmack, einen so junge Schauspieler in so eine Szene zu stecken... (Zum Glück wird da heute deutlich mehr darauf geachtet!) Und ein Porträt von Sebastian in seinem Romeo-Kostüm wäre doch sowieso viel cooler gewesen!! Als Vera die Situation gegenüber Elisabeth auflöst, hätte echt nur noch ein "bei mir brauchst du dir sowieso keine Gedanken zu machen, dass ich dir irgendeinen Typen wegschnappe, auf die steh ich sowieso nicht" gefehlt, so wie sie und auch Josephine davor reagieren, kann sich eh niemand auf dem Internat vorstellen, dass Vera Interesse an Jungs hat 😄

Ich konnte mich überhaupt nicht daran erinnern, dass Franz anfangs in Elisabeth verliebt war 😳 Und dann kommen wir zu einem ikonischen Seelitz-Moment. Elisabeth will Sebastian für sich gewinnen, indem sie vortäuscht im See zu ertrinken, so dass er ihr Retter sein kann. Bei seinem Rettungsversuch bekommt Sebastian einen Wadenkrampf und Elisabeth muss Sebastian retten. Als er noch benommen am Ufer liegt, küsst sie ihn und wählt die romantischen Worte "weg da, das ist meine Wasserleiche" 😍😂 aber bei aller Komik; irgendwie ist das auch einfach super übergriffig?! In diesem Moment wirkte Sebastian zwar auch so, dass er geküsst werden möchte, aber der Junge ist gerade fast ertrunken und einfach dankbar, dass er gerettet wurde und ist davor Elisabeths mehrmaligen Annäherungsversuchen deutlich aus dem Weg gegangen. Und danach sind die dann wirklich zusammen, wtf?? Und warum hab ich das früher einfach überhaupt nicht hinterfragt? 🙃

Sehr schön, dass wir nochmal was von der Freundschaft zwischen Frau Feilke und Frau Seiffert sehen! Aber dass sie wieder mit Atzes Vater zusammen kommt gefällt mir gar nicht... Sie weiß ja selber, was er für ein Mistkerl ist, und natürlich sollte man Menschen auch eine zweite Chance geben usw. aber ich glaub bei Atzes Vater leider auch nicht dran, dass der sich ändert und ich glaub Atzes Mutter hält da einfach an der Vorstellung einer Happy Family fest, obwohl sie selbst weiß, dass das mit Atzes Vater langfristig nicht klappen wird 😭 aber Atzes Aktion seinen Vater zu einem anderen Treffpunkt zu schicken, als ihn ihre Mutter nach Hause einlädt, ist trotzdem nicht fair, auch wenn ich verstehen kann, dass er keine Lust darauf hat. Und das Ultimatum "Papa oder ich" ist natürlich auch nicht okay. Aber das sieht er ja später selbst ein.

Oh wir sehen mal wieder Herr Wolferts liebe Seite, ich will mehr davon! Im Gespräch mit Antje ist er wirklich verständnisvoll und gibt ihr sogar unverbindlichen Hinweise (Zwinker Zwinker), auf welche Themen sie sich für die nächste Klausur vorbereiten sollte. Haha, als Antje den Tipp von Iris befolgt und ihre Geschichtsbücher unter ihr Kopfkissen legt, weil man dann am nächsten Tag angeblich alles kann, was in den Unterlagen steht und am nächsten Tag mit einem verlegenem Hals in die Schule kommt, habe ich mich sehr wiedererkannt. Das war halt wirklich ein Ding früher 😂

[t-annhauser]

Turandot, per chi non è appassionato, è l'ultima opera di Puccini, incompiuta a causa della sua prematura scomparsa. È storicamente anche l'opera con la quale si chiude la grande stagione dell'opera lirica, iniziata tradizionalmente con la rappresentazione dell'Orfeo di Monteverdi presso la corte di Mantova. Gli appassionati dell'opera, chiamati melomani, sono persone speciali: sanno accettare il buffo e l'anacronistico contenuto nei libretti per andare oltre la loro involontaria comicità e godersi la musica e il bel canto. Il bello di Turandot è che è pura fantasmagoria, una favola apparentemente senza senso ma che l'abilità teatrale di Puccini ha reso speciale. Turandot è la figlia dell'imperatore della China (in origine la favola era persiana, ma Puccini, dopo il Giappone e il Far West, aveva deciso che trovava più esotica la China). I suoi pretendenti vengono sottoposti a una prova mortale: a chi non risponderà ai tre enigmi proposti da Turandot verrà mozzata la testa. Nessuno risponde correttamente, e il regno di China si trasforma in un'impresa di pompe funebri. Cosa mi piace di più della Turandot? La prima parte misteriosa e cupa, la comicità di Ping, Pong e Pang, ministri imperiali un po' papponi e un po' beccamorti. Aria più famosa: "Nessun dorma". Aria preferita: "Perché tarda la luna?". Mia edizione preferita, questa (Innamorato perso di Liu/Barbara Frittoli):

[romanceyourdemons]

it’s so funny reading the names of the ostensibly chinese characters in turandot. we have turandot, altoum, ping, pang, pong, and liù. whose name is pronounced liǔ

[hughjidiot]

Total Drama Level Up Chapter Four Sneak Peak

Chapter four of Total Drama Level Up is coming along nicely, and should be ready to go live next week around Easter. So here's a brief sneak peak for anyone interested.

The rec room was mostly empty when Wayne and Raj arrived. The only ones there this early were MK and Julia, seated at one of the many tables scattered about. Julia was on her phone, sorting through the numerous selfies she’d taken so far during the season, while MK had broken out a deck of cards and was engaged in a game of solitaire.

“Morning ladies,” Wayne said as he and Raj walked in, getting the girls’ attention.

“Uh, hey Wayne,” MK said, she and Julia giving them nods of acknowledgement. “Hey Raj.”

Having decided on the walk over that they might as well play since they’d used it for an excuse, the Hockey Bros made their way over to the ping-pong table. Coincidentally it happened to be closest to where MK and Julia were sitting.

“Sooo, what have you girls been up to since season two?” Wayne asked as he picked up a paddle.

MK and Julia exchanged glances, their expressions caught between confused and annoyed.

“Not much,” MK said simply, glancing towards the ping-pong table. “Turns out we don’t live too far from each other. We hang out every now and then, sometimes appear on each other’s livestreams.”

By now Wayne and Raj had taken their positions, the latter tossing a tiny white ball up and catching it repeatedly. They nodded at each other, and Raj served, sending the ball across to Wayne who swiftly returned it. The air became filled with the light, rapid taps of the paddles hitting the ball and the ball hitting the table.

“Cool, cool,” Wayne said, nodding. “Hey when I watched the season two finale back, Julia mentioned something about you guys starting a podcast?”

“We decided to put that on hold for a moment,” Julia said, feeling a pang of annoyance at being reminded of the plans she had made using her prize money. “Why the sudden interest in our personal lives?”

“Just being friendly,” Wayne said cooly, lunging to hit the ball back before it could sail past him. “You guys are Rajjy’s teammates and Raj is my bro, so that makes us like… teammates-in-law.”

“Not even close to how that works,” MK said flatly.

“Also we’re just teammates for now,” Julia stressed, craning her neck to fix Raj with a flat look.

Raj smirked at her in response, returning a powerful hit from Wayne.

“What about you MK?” He asked. “You get yourself a cool car yet?”

Julia sputtered and coughed, dropping her phone to the table with a clatter. Wayne guffawed, and even MK couldn’t help but snicker.

“Not that again,” Julia groaned, glaring. “Look, everyone has been taking that confessional completely out of context!”

“And what was the context?” Raj pressed.

“All I was saying that MK’s brain came up with a good plan! I was complimenting her for it!”

“So good that you’d date her brain for coming up with it,” Wayne said casually.

“Exac- wait no dammit!”

“How exactly were you gonna accomplish that anyways?” MK asked playfully. “Were you gonna do some mad science and put my brain in a jar? ‘Cause that might make driving a little tricky.”

“Don’t encourage them!”

Growling Julia stood up and started walking away, a still-chuckling MK following shortly behind. When she reached the door Raj finally missed a swing and the ping-pong ball went bouncing along the floor.

As the ball bounced in front of her, Julia raised her foot and brought it down fast.

“Oops, my bad,” Julia said bluntly, and left with MK.

Wayne and Raj stared at the crushed white disk on the dirty linoleum.

“Think we can reinflate it?” Wayne asked.

[save-the-data]

Ping Pong Life | s01e03

Chinese Drama - 2021, 44 episodes

~ Episode List ~ |  ~ Chinese Drama Master List ~

[manfrommars2049]

Ministers Ping, Pong, Pang by Diego Cunha via ImaginaryHumans

[purplesimmer455]

Meanwhile in the main universe, Megan was back at home. She checked in on her daughter, who was hanging out in the kitchen with her older cousins, and headed to the backyard. She smiled as she saw her wife Tess grilling blue moon steaks. Tess’s eyes lit up as she saw Megan, and it send a pang of guilt through Megan. Just an hour ago she'd been thinking of Iseul and what if they'd ended up together, and yet here was Tess who loved her and who she loved. How can I even think about Iseul when I have my amazing wife? Megan thought, biting her lip. "Everything okay, honey?" Tess asked. "Yeah, it is now." Megan said, kissing her cheek.

"So, I ran into Is at Center park." Megan said Tess nodded, biting into one steak. "She met Saf and Amir, and we just hung out. Plus we played ping pong and she kicked my butt but I'll get her back next time." Megan said, grinning. Tess smiled too. "That's good, Meggs. I just mostly hung out with Rory, practiced sparring, ran around in my wolf form to deal with any fury, and attended a pack meeting with our pack and the Moonwood Collective, it was a bit boring but necessary." Megan grinned. "I'm glad, babe." She said. "So..." Megan said flirtatiously. "Once Emmy's asleep, would you want to woohoo?" She asked. "Sorry Meggs, I'm so tired and all I want to do is sleep." Tess said, biting her lip. "But maybe tomorrow." She added. "Sure." Megan said. They snuggled up in bed later that night, and Megan smiled as Tess burrowed her head in her shoulder, starting to snore lightly as she knocked out immediately. Okay, she told her brain sternly, We're going to stop thinking of Iseul as anything other than a friend. I love Tess, and she's one of the best things that's ever happened to me, I don't love Iseul anymore. She added, ignoring the thought that Iseul had been the best thing to happen to her as well, back when they'd first met in college.

[parisupdates]

Ring in the New Year Gala || December 31, 2023 - January 1, 2024

What better way to ring in the New Year than with drinking around the world? No, I don't mean to get on my private jet and just go - it wouldn't fit all of Paris. But, I have the funds to bring the rest of the world to Paris.

You're welcome,

Heather du Pont-Moreau

When/where does this event take place in game?

The gala will be held on December 31, 2023. This event takes place at the du Pont-Moreau Residence, which is located in West Paris.

How long do we have to write?

Threads can begin on Sunday, January 6th @ 12:00 AM EST and must be wrapped up by Sunday January 13th @ 11:59 PM EST.

What else do we need to know?

Aside from every other detail in this post, it should be noted our first interest check will still occur on Sunday. You are not required to participate and you will not need to pause your regular threads; but we ask that any threads related to the event are tagged clearly either using a personalized tag or as #paris.event:001. We ask that any starters specifically for this event are also tagged as #paris.event:001 in addition to being tagged as #paris.starter.

This event will include a decent set of drinking games from around the world hosted by friends of Heather's from abroad, live entertainment, and fine cuisine. Some examples can be found below; but please feel free to use your imagination or even suggest some that we could add to this post.

Games & Activities

Goon of Fortune (AUS); Loosely based upon Wheel of Fortune, this is yet another drinking game where players must sit in a circle, this time underneath a Hill Hoist-style clothesline. Attached to one end of the line is a bladder of goon, the local term for cheap, boxed wine. Spin the line, and whomever the bladder stops above has to drink. And no, you never need to buy a vowel or ask to solve the puzzle.

La vache qui tache (FR); No surprise, you’ll need a wine cork to play La vache qui tache (“The Cow Who Stains”), of which one end is blackened by a candle flame. Players take turns calling out fellow players by their pre-assigned numbers until someone screws up in remembering an opponent’s number. At that point, your face gets spotted with the blackened cork and game play continues.

Ping Pong Pan (JPN); Start in a circle with one person saying “ping” then, going clockwise, the person to their left must say “pong.” Then, the next person says “pang” while pointing to a random person, who must then say “ping,” and so on. Seems like they could really spice this game up with an actual ping pong ball and some Solo cups.

Sapo (PE); Unlike most drinking games, which simply involve a table, some alcohol, and some drinkers, Sapo actually involves an apparatus that seems a little costly. Purportedly created by an Incan king, players today toss tokens at a board adorned with a brass sapo (toad) and 25 holes. Tokens that land in the toad’s mouth are worth the most.

Kinito (ESP); Kinito is like Yahtzee for drunks. In this popular game in the Basque region, players sit in a circle (of course). One player shakes two dice inside a shaker, then privately looks at what she rolled, telling her opponents what that number is (which may be a lie). The next player guesses if she is being truthful or not, then rolls his own dice, trying to score higher. At least sangria is usually present and ample.

Pon/Toma (MX); In this game, a six-sided dreidel is employed, with each side bearing a drinking instruction (“toma dos”). Sit in a circle with a community libation in the middle, and then spin the top—whatever the dreidel lands on, you do (i.e. “toma todo”—drink the whole cup).

Bear Paw (RUS); In Bear Paw, a large mug of beer is passed around in a circle. After each player takes a sip, the displaced fluid is replaced by vodka, and the game continues. In theory, eventually the mug will be pure vodka, at which point vodka is displaced by beer, and so on. Winner is last person standing.

Fuzzy Duck (UK); In this game, players sit around in a circle, alternately calling out “fuzzy duck” or “ducky fuzz.” If a player, upon his turn, inadvertently calls out “does he?” then play immediately resumes in the opposite direction. If a player screws up on his turn, he drinks—simple as that.

Kastenlauf (GER); Kastenlauf literally translates to “box run,” and indeed, this drinking game involves running with a beer crate while methodically chugging its contents. Teams of two carry a crate full of beer (20 bottles) between themselves while each drinking a bottle. The first team to finish all their beer and cross the finish line wins.

Party games; Manhunt, charades, Uno, Marco-Polo (the more drunk - the more fun)

Photobooth

Bowling Alley

In-home Movie Theatre

Dance floor & DJ

Silent auction of AJ's things (out with the old)

Sip and Paint class with Tina Fey | Sip and Paint Splatter with Anne Hathaway

Tattoos by Koolsville

Cocktail mixing class with Mr Lyan

Houseplant by Seth Rogen pop-up ( get your goods, guys )

Forever Golden pop-up ( permanent jewelry )

12 AM firework show from outside garden (nice view of Eiffel Tower) -sparklers available

Event Features

Bars & Food

Cocktails are free and run all night, including an extensive Red & White wine list, licensed bartenders ( 11 bars at disposal ); specialty drinks for the night include The Ball Drop ( pornstar martini ), 2024 ( amaretto sour ) and Moreau ( Red wine spritzer with Merlot ) Each of the 11 bars are based off a specific country; comprising of a chef from each country who crafts the dish in which the country is known for, and a mixologist who makes the cocktail in which the country is known for.

Italy by Chef Massimo Bottura ; Negroni and pizza

Mexico by Chef Enrique Olvera ; Margarita and Tacos al pastor

China by by Chef Susanna Foo ; Baijiu and Kung Pao Chicken

Germany by Chef Alfons Schuhbeck ; Schwarzbier and Brot & Brötchen

America by Chef Bobby Flay ; Mai Tai and steak burgers

Japan by Chef Masaharu Morimoto ; Sake and sushi

Morocco by Chef Najat Kaanache ; Berber whiskey and B'ssara

Greece by Chef Georgios Evlampios Petretzikis ; Ouzo and Gyros

United Kingdom by Chef Gordon Ramsay ; Whiskey and fish and chips

Peru by Chef Gastón Acurio Jaramillo ; Pisco sour and alpaca burgers

Barbados by Chef Creig Greenidge ; Rum and cou-cou and fried flying fish with spicy gravy

Live Entertainment

Comedy show by Taylor Tomlinson, Pete Davidson and John Mulaney

Special performance by the artists (dancers) of the Moulin Rouge

Intimate performance by Lady Gaga

[myfavouritelunatic]

WIP Ping-Pong!

The game: Let's help each other's WIP goals by playing a rousing game of WIP Ping-Pong!

The rules: If you've been tagged (pinged), post any number of lines from your current WIP of your choosing. If you'd like to continue the so-called ping-pong match, tag the person who pinged you (pong), as well as anyone else you'd like to play with!

Thank you for the pings @pursuitseternal @demonscantgothere and @thrillofhope ❤️❤️❤️

From Made the Pieces Part of Me:

He had enough time to pick a playlist and light a cigarette before she was opening his car door. “Must you smoke?” “I’m nervous. Need something to take the edge off.” The woman slid her hand into his lap, grinning slyly at him. Halbrand grunted a little at the contact. “Fucking minx.” “You love it.” “Obviously… but not when I’m about to meet your fucking parents.” “Consider it my way of… taking the edge off. Something to keep in mind for later.” She gave his now firm crotch a squeeze before releasing him. “So thoughtful, baby.” Halbrand said, leaning across his seat to give her a kiss. “That’s right.” She whispered into his mouth. The kiss lingered longer than Halbrand meant it to. A subconscious delay of the day ahead. But on her part. She didn’t want to let him go. A pang of sadness shot straight through him then. He almost wanted to say “Fuck it, we don’t have to go if you don’t want.” But this wasn’t about doing what they wanted. It was about doing what was needed. Even if it meant Galadriel would have to suffer a little. Halbrand broke the lustful kiss, before placing a loving one briefly on her to ease her. “Later, yeah?” He spoke softly, running a hand through her hair. Galadriel nodded silently, smiling gingerly, giving his hand a squeeze. The two then sat back in their seats, and to Halbrand’s random playlist of metal and rock music, drove the 40 minutes to the Noldor household.

Tagging: @pursuitseternal @demonscantgothere @thrillofhope @coraleethroughthelookingglass @somebirdortheother @scriberated @youwearfinethingswellwriter @gil-galadhwen @heronamedhawks @klynnvakarian @90shaladriel