#reason number 1: it’s not working anymore. Clearly.

[ghostzzy]

i need to get off the viibryd and get onto literally any other SSRI.

[4only1]

Could you please write Gitae obsessing over Jake's gf? Him getting jealous when he got to know that reader was dating Jake and when he tried to pursue her she had no intention of betraying Jake. This made him more determined to make her his and Jake hating his brother more. Thanks!!!

Trouble

Gitae Kim x Reader (Also technically x Jake Kim but barely) Word Count: 943 Masterlist -----------------------

Peace had finally returned to Big Deal. After the recent events, Big Deal was finally proven innocent, allowing the gang to return to the street. It made you happy that now you technically, weren’t dating a wanted man anymore.

You had been sweeping, when a large shadow had overcast you. Looking up, you are greeted with the sight of a very tall man. You couldn't recognize him, so he clearly wasn’t part of Big Deal. His words only confirmed your suspicions. 

“Hello, I’m looking for someone, can you help me? Where is Big Deal’s Number 1, Jake Kim?”

His voice was smooth, but still kept you on edge. You didn’t want to tell the man where Jake was, he sounded like bad news. Swallowing your nerves, you spoke.

“Oh Jake, I’m not quite sure, but he isn’t here at the moment.” 

It took a lot of energy to keep your voice steady, but it still wavered a bit. The man in front of you leaned closer, causing you to take a step back, clinging onto your broom tighter. He examined you, closely, seeming to like what he was seeing. 

He moved closer, again, causing you to take a step back. This pattern continued until your back met a wall. The man reached an arm above your head, effectively caging you in.

“Now I came here to see my brother, but I found something much tastier. What’s your name?” 

Brother? The gears in your head worked quickly to deduce that this man was in fact, Jake’s older half brother, Gitae Kim. What did he want with Jake, and why did he have to come after everything had just settled down.

“I’m not a fan of repeating myself, so I'll ask once more. What is your name?” He leaned in closer, his face right in front of yours. You didn’t really have a choice, knowing it would get ugly if you continued to refuse.

“(Y/n) (L/n). Why are you here?”

Since you told him your name, you felt you had the right to ask him a question. Maybe he was feeling friendlier than he looked and would answer. And he did, although whether it was due to him feeling kind or taking a liking to you was up to debate.

“I told you, I’m looking for Jake Kim. You said he isn’t here, so why don’t you keep me company until he is.”

Worry began filling you. You didn’t particularly trust this man. At all! His intentions with Jake were obviously bad and he clearly was playing with you right now. You needed to stay strong, and hopefully, get Gitae to leave.

"Jake won't be back for a while, so don't waste your time here."

"Now, now, no need to get upset with me. I was just asking a question. I can't help but wanna hang around a girl as pretty as you. I approched you for a reason."

He spoke with not a care in the world. It was as if he knew that whatever he wanted to happen, would happen. You tensed as he moved, his hand coming up from his side towards you cheek.

Thankfully, the tension was interrupted when someone grabbed Gitae’s wrist, pulling it away from you.

“Now, now, harassing girl’s is no way to get a date. I can give you some pointers if you want some romantic advice.” Sinu had appeared.

You breathed a sigh of relief, as Sinu’s appearance allows you to slip away from Gitae. You moved yourself to hide a few steps behind Sinu, out of harm’s way, but in reach if needed.

The conversation between the two men was a blur to you. All you could think about was what this man wanted to do to Jake. As the two men clashed, you took a few more steps back, until a kick to Gitae’s face caused him to look at you. No, he actually looked past you.

Following the gaze, you let out a sigh of relief as Jake’s figure appeared. You moved quickly, hugging yourself around Jake’s arm, who reacted in confusion.

“(Y/n), what are you doing? Not that I don’t mind, but can someone tell me what is going on here.” 

Just as Jake spoke, his brother’s arms wrapped around both of you, hugging you tightly. Gitae’s arm squished you between him and Jake, making it a bit hard to breath. He spoke, but you zoned out, too focused on the feeling of his muscular arm squeezing you.

Gitae removed his arm from Jake’s shoulders but kept it over yours. He took a step back, dragging you with him, being quite happy that you weren’t putting up much of a fight. He couldn’t help but admire you, despite not fighting back against him, you didn’t let yourself look weak.

Jake, getting angry at Gitae’s hold, moved, pushing his brother’s arm off, and pulling you behind him. You peaked out, finally paying attention to the conversation.

“I don’t care that you're my brother. You come here, asking about Gapryong Kim and now harassing my girlfriend! What is your problem?” Jake yelled, arm out, guarding you.

Gitae’s expression darkened. Girlfriend? Now that isn’t right. He had taken a liking to you, wanting to get a better taste, only for you to be taken by his brother. Despite this new information, that didn’t take away from your appeal. In fact, it made you even more delicious. 

He now had a second objective, making this girl his, no matter how much of a fight she put up. She seemed loyal to Jake, but that didn’t matter, a chase made things more fun anyways.

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

Please excuse any grammer and spelling mistakes.

That first picture is just 😘chef's kiss. But who TF is this man below?

😞 I still love him but why does he look like he hasn't eaten in days. He's losing muscle by the chapter. His downfall was when the art style changed and they unslutted him (buttoned his shirt up. Speaking of which, did this man only bring one set of clothes?)

Sorry for the rant, I didn't wanna make another post.

[lisenberry]

The mountain is you

Ch. 2 - I don't know what it is that I'm climbing to

~2.4k

E/MDNI/18+

CW: BDSM negotiations, dom!Price, dom!Ghost, pain play

(Chapter 1, Chapter 3, Chapter 4)

It’d been a while since John had spoken to his former lieutenant, and even longer since he’d seen him.  The last few years had passed in a fog, so it was a shock when he saw the familiar number come across his phone.  He only briefly hesitated before answering. 

Soap and Gaz texted him all the time.  Links of foolish videos on the clock app, and pictures of mysterious rashes on their body parts that they needed help identifying.

But Ghost wasn’t one to waste anyone’s time.  Whatever it was, it was important.  And as it turned out, he had a proposition for him.

“You need a project, Cap.  Something to keep you sharp.”

“Are you worried about me, Simon?”

“We all are.”

John had been the one to start Life Connect 141.  An opportunity that gave the lads a place to channel their post-combat restless energy in a way that wouldn’t get them a murder conviction or a stint in a maximum-security psych ward.  It kept them together as a team and gave them a purpose.  And the opportunity to launder some of the not-quite-above-board money they’d liberated over the course of their travels.

Some veterans of special ops worked with rescued pit bulls.  Others started fitness programs, backpacking guide schools, and preparedness training facilities.

His boys filled their own rewarding niche.  Even after John’s departure, the company had flourished and from what he could tell, they were all staying out of trouble.

Judging by Ghost’s concern, he was the one who was floundering.  A marriage to the wrong woman, and the subsequent messy divorce, had left him dangerously adrift.  He’d thought about returning to the work, but his heart wasn’t in it anymore.

“Just meet her.  Trust me.  You can decide then if you’re doing me a favor, or the other way around.”

And he did trust Ghost.  With his life.  And if anyone had been keeping track, he imagined the scales were just about even between who owed whom more.

In the end, he agreed to the meeting.  For no other reason than to see for himself what had one of the toughest, most resourceful bastards he’d ever known seeking his expertise. 

They’d been at the table for a half hour, going over your file and discussing the particulars when John glanced up to catch his first impression of you.  A breezy blouse and a long, colorful skirt.  You looked around the outside seating area but didn’t see them.

Or more likely, you didn’t recognize Ghost without his mask on, judging by the surprised laughter that met his ears a few seconds later.

“Ah, dove.  There you are.”  Simon grinned as he stood, pulling you into a friendly hug. 

“You’ll have to forgive me, I’ve never seen you without the mask before.  I’m trying to reconcile the picture in my head.  I’ll try not to stare.”  An endearingly warm smile lit up your face.

You weren’t at all what John had pictured, either.  He’d clearly have to adjust the conclusions he’d reached based on your file.  He’d read about your stressful, demanding job, your high intelligence and predilection for punishment, and he’d imagined someone harder.  Colder.

There was a notation in the margin on one of the pages that had stood out as well. 

Daddy issues??? Undisclosed but probable.

He made his own note to inquire further, suddenly anxious to know everything there was to know about you.

“The mask is an improvement, don’t you think?” Ghost shrugged.  Was he actually blushing? 

Surely it was just the heat of the sun or a trick of the light.

“It has its charms, but you have a very honest face.”  The way you laid your hand reassuringly on his lieutenant’s arm made John clear his throat and offer his own hand in greeting.

As cute as your connection was, you were there for him, and he noticed the way you’d nervously avoided meeting his gaze.  The way you’d chosen to cling instead to Simon, the devil you knew. 

He had no desire to forcibly extricate you from your bond with your previous Dom.  That wasn’t how it worked.  At best, John could match it.  Slowly.  If he did his job right, in time, you’d come to look at him with a similar trust.

“Nice to meet you,” your eyes finally flitted to his as he took your cool, smooth palm into his own. 

It was then that he felt it.  The twitchy, fevered thrill of a worthy mission.

“So, what does that file say about me?”  You sipped your pint, finding your throat suddenly dry and your forehead warm, and in need of something to do with your hands. 

Ghost had excused himself a short while before, after making the introductions and sharing a few stories of his and John’s time working together.   

You’d found being alone with him to be...intense.  He seemed impenetrable.

He didn’t look down at the folder, and kept it closed on the table.  His pen held between his two hands, contemplative and resolute.

“That you’re a pain slut.  With a high tolerance.”  His voice didn’t rise above his gruff, conversational tone, and you didn’t bother to look around at your fellow patrons seated near you.  With the din of the restaurant, they wouldn’t be able to hear.  “Does that bother you?”

“No.  It’s the truth.”  You didn’t have anything to hide.  Not from him at least.  Not if this was going to work.

“What is it about pain that you seek out?”  He crossed his arms over the table and leaned in closer.  Biceps bunching under his t-shirt.  Ghost had always worn a suit.  John looked like he came from a construction site.  Unshaven and slightly dangerous.

You didn't hate it.

“When it’s done right, there’s a moment right before it gets to be too much that my body starts to fight back.  As if to say, ‘Go on, I dare you.  Is that all you’ve got to give?’  And just then, right before I give in and quit, it’s the most powerful I’ve ever been.  The most alive.”

“It’s the rush then, is it?”  He studied you like a therapist.  And you felt like a patient.  Only this therapist’s job was to tie you up and make you cry.  And come.  And cry again.  The thought made you shudder inwardly with anticipation.   

“It doesn’t work for all pain.  It’s not the blood or the risk of injury.  I don’t get off at the thought of the dentist...” you trailed off with a light laugh, finding it easier to talk to him about this than you'd thought. “But sometimes, the more helpless I am, the stronger it feels.  There aren’t too many things you can do without thinking about it.  Against your will.  Beating, breathing, feeling.  There’s a freedom in it.  Again, if it’s done right.”

“You don’t like to think, then.  You’d rather be surprised?”

“I don’t mind surprises.  I like them, actually.  We don’t have to negotiate everything ahead of time, so long as it feels right in the scene.”

You finished off the last of your pint and smoothed the napkin that had caught to the condensation on the bottom.  A first date, a therapy session, and an interview all in one.  And yet it didn’t fill you with the same anxiety as it should.  It could’ve gone wrong in a hundred different ways, and yet the more you confided, the more you relaxed. 

“Talk to me about these hard lines.”  He opened your file, skimmed it, and moved his pen back and forth as if he was underlining something boldly.

“Always be honest with me about what you’re going to do.  Don’t play games or make me have to choose something in order to please you.  Keep me engaged, but if I have to make a decision it will take me out of it.”

“That’s important to know, thank you.”  He made another note on the page.  “It also says no choking, but with an asterisk next to it.  Care you elaborate?”

“When I was little, I had terrible asthma.  Life threatening at times.  It’s under control now, but not being able to breathe, or even the threat of it, doesn’t...” you paused, searching for the right word to convey your biggest fear, “arouse me.  Let’s just say.”

“I understand why it wouldn’t.”  No sympathetic indulgence, thankfully, just a solid nod of support. 

Could he relate?  You wondered what hard lines he had.  You couldn’t imagine anything scaring him. Ghost had reacted the same when you’d had this discussion.  No questions, no bargaining.  Just respect for your vulnerability.  Surprising, from two men who seemingly had none themselves.

It prompted you to delve in further, and leave no room for misunderstanding, just in case.

“No collars, no ribbons, bows, belts, neckties, your hands, anything please.”

“Neck is off limits.  Noted.” 

“You can still kiss me there, if that’s something you like.  Or you can slap me, to get my attention.  And if you need to move me around or hold me down, you can grab my hair.”

You punctuated the last with a helpful smile and a shrug of your shoulders.  His gaze seemed to find your neck then, perhaps contemplating what it’d be like to kiss it.  Did the thought bring him as much excitement as it did you?

“Fair enough.”  A contented grunt was all you received in response.

“You said that this would be a reciprocating agreement.  What do you want from me?”  The question that had been on your mind since Ghost had called you.

With him, you just paid him money.  That was your end of the deal.  Without payment, that left too much to your imagination and you’d let it run a bit wild. 

“I’ll tell you what I want, and when I want it.  Is that clear?  I won’t ask for your permission, and you’ll never have to wonder what I’m thinking.  I don’t hear yes and no, or green and yellow.  Red means take a break and try something else, and the safe word is a hard stop to call it a day.”

“Understood.  Thank you.”  It was a plan you could definitely work with.  “But what about you?  What do you hope to get out of this?”

“I like to be in charge.  Take care of things.  And do the hard things that need to be done.”

“And who takes care of you?”  A simple question, but he seemed to bristle at it.  Perhaps you’d pushed him too far, too soon. 

“Good little girls who listen and behave.”  He adjusted himself in his seat, straightening as if to get back some control.  “Let’s talk punishments.  No spanking, obviously.  You’ll enjoy it too much.”  His eyes seemed to darken in both amusement and desire.

No doubt proud of himself for changing the subject and redirecting the friendly interrogation.

“Hopefully I won’t displease you, but you could ignore me.  That will make me rethink my attitude real quick,” you replied, with an answering grin.

“Ignore you?  I think that would hurt me more than you, sweetheart.”

Sweetheart.  You liked that.  Probably said as much with the flood of heat to your cheeks and the breathless giggle that sounded so foreign to your ears. 

“I think we’ll get along just fine...John?”  You questioned what name he wanted to be called.

“Sir.  Just sir.”

On the day of your appointment, he texted you the location and the key code for the door lock.  You found the building easily, and stepped into the elevator, double checking the apartment number to be sure you were in the right place.

When the code worked on the door to the fifth floor, you entered to find that it was someone’s home. 

The office of Life Connect 141 was in a nondescript office space on the outskirts of Canary Wharf, not far from your office.  If anyone spotted you, you could use the excuse of taking a meeting or doing your due diligence on a property you were looking to liquidate.

This, on the other hand, was well off the beaten path.  A restored factory building in a neighborhood you weren’t familiar with, but appeared to be up and coming judging by the activity along the street.  You’d already noted a few restaurants to try on the short walk from the Tube station and filed them away to pick up something to eat on your way home. 

A flat of this size and builder quality must have cost a premium, or else the owner bought in cheap before the neighborhood began to blossom.  It was well-appointed and comfortable.  Floor to ceiling windows that opened to look just above the shorter buildings next door.  Privacy from looking directly at your neighbors, but still connected to the bustling down below.

Once inside, you followed his directions to the letter.  You’d arrived early, dimmed the lights and set your bag on the hook by the door.  Cell phone ringer turned off and your shoes in the basket in the hall.

"I’ll leave what I want you to wear on a chair, you’ll know which one.  Wear nothing else.  There will be a pillow on the floor, you’ll know which one.  You’ll greet me on it."

As you moved in past the entryway, the remaining room was an open concept.  A kitchen with an attached dining area, and a living space on the opposite side.  Two plush sofas and an assortment of chairs and tables.  You didn’t know what to expect.  A pleasure room, maybe, or a dungeon of racks and toys.

It was just a living room.

Any nerves you’d been holding onto dissolved when you spotted the fabric draped across the lapis lazuli velvet wing-backed armchair.  Was that going to be his seat?  It was large enough to hold both of you comfortably...if you were on his lap.  It was certainly a statement piece.

The outfit he’d chosen was a simple, pink silk backless slip dress.  Not cheap satin, but the softest, sheerest gossamer.  You shivered as you stripped from your street clothes and gently settled the confection over your skin.  It barely covered your ass as you folded your things and hid them out of sight.

You briefly warred with whether to leave your hair up or down, deciding on the former, before you finally took a deep breath to center yourself.  Whatever happened next was out of your control.

When your knees met with the pillow at the foot of The Chair, your mind emptied and you felt the tension that you’d been carrying for weeks start to fade.  

Just in time to hear the click of the front door.

[maximoffwitch]

wait that’s so creative with the spotify wrapped thing

dunno if i’m first but i’ll choose my lucky number 5 and jennifer jareau x reader as the pairing

praying it’s something fluffy but i’ll read anything

Guilty as Sin

pairing: jennifer jareau x reader

warnings: a small bit of smut (hinting at oral sex and praise kink), 18+!

summary: you can’t help it when your mind wanders to your night with jj, her touch haunting you so stunningly.

word count: 615

a/n: send me a number 1-100 and i’ll write a fic/drabble! this was totally inspired by this shot of jj sitting on emily’s desk…bc look at her!! i hope this is fluffy enough for you :))

#5 on my spotify wrapped was guilty as sin by taylor swift

You couldn’t stop staring.

And who could blame you, when JJ was perched on Emily’s desk, wearing a black skirt, one shorter than usual that hit just above her knees, exposing her toned legs.

You let your eyes subtly trace JJ’s figure as she chatted with Emily and Derek about something you honestly couldn’t care less about. How could you when JJ was sitting there looking like that so effortlessly.

As you admired the blonde’s golden skin and sparkling blue eyes, you couldn’t stop your thoughts from wandering.

JJ’s touch burned your skin, her fingertips leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake, as she trailed them up your leg.

When she reached your lace panties, she looked up at you, her eyes dark. “Can I?”

Too far gone to form any words, you simply nodded and let out a whimper.

JJ torturously dragged your underwear down your legs, flinging them over her shoulder, not caring where they went, her only concern being on what was right in front of her: you.

As she kissed a path up your legs, JJ mumbled into your skin, “So fucking gorgeous.”

You squirmed under her touch, silently begging for her to touch you where you needed her, to relieve your ache. When JJ bit the inside of your thigh, you couldn’t help the moan that escaped your lips.

“Mine.” She smirked into your skin, playfully nipping your flesh again.

“JJ,” you panted, grabbing the sheets tightly, unable to hide your desperation anymore. “Please.”

JJ chuckled lowly, clearly enjoying your pleading. “Please what?”

Looking down at her, you met her intense gaze. “Please fuck me, Jayje.”

“Since you asked so nicely,” she hummed contently, before pressing a gentle kiss to your throbbing core.

“Such a good girl for me, (Y/N).”

“(Y/N)!” JJ’s voice interrupted your daydream.

“What?” You startled, snapping your head up from her legs. Noticing three pairs of eyes on you, your cheeks flushed.

“Distracted there, (Y/L/N)?” Emily teased.

“Oh, bite me, Prentiss,” you mumbled as you reopened the file you had been working on.

“Don’t you have JJ for that?” She wiggled her eyebrows, laughing at the flush creeping up your neck.

JJ chuckled lightly, pushing herself off Emily’s desk before taking a few steps over to you. “You’ll always have me,” she said and kissed your temple.

You bit back a grin, ignoring the teasing remarks coming from Emily and Derek. As Hotch announced a new case and everyone started heading towards the round table room, JJ offered you her hand, which you gladly accepted as you stood up.

But before you could go anywhere, JJ pulled you closer to her, her lips brushing your ear. “Don’t look so innocent,” she murmured, her voice lowered. “I know your thoughts are guilty.”

JJ punctuated her words with a kiss to you neck, one totally not appropriate for work but hidden by your hair. Feeling a shiver creep up your spine, you straightened your back, a mischievous glint sparkling in your eye. For some reason, you were feeling bold today. You knew she’d make you pay for it later, but you didn’t care.

“Someone told me,” you leaned forward, your lips ghosting hers, “there’s no such thing as bad thoughts. Only actions talk.”

You kissed the corner of her mouth before slipping out of her grasp.

As you caught up to Emily and Derek, you looked back over your shoulder at JJ, who still stood by your desk, her lips slightly parted. Feeling your eyes on her, JJ looked back at you, her icy blue eyes sharp, giving you a stare that you swore would be the death of you.

But, oh what a way to die.

[fkinavocado]

put a price on emotion

The Honourable Judge Styles has a dark secret. He prides himself on being notorious for his cutthroat sense of justice. But is he really any better than the ones he imprisons? Or is he a victim much like the ones he acquits?

Put a price on emotion - Masterlist, Author’s Notes & Warnings 

Prologue (important part to the story so please make sure you read the prologue first!) / alternatively, read on wattpad

Chapter 1 (word count: 3.5k)

Harry knew this was one of the last cases he’d be presiding in Chicago. He never stayed in one place for more than 2-3 years at a time. Sure the paperwork was gruelling but he preferred it over having to be stuck in the same place for too long. 

He also couldn’t stay, even if he wanted to. It was only that long until people started figuring out that this judge wasn’t exactly… ageing.

So every decade or so, Harry had to not only switch states/ countries (that he did every few years), but take up a whole new identity, from scratch. He’d build a stellar career from scratch. He’d done it, time and again. Luckily, he knew how to work the ropes to make it seamless. But it was tiresome, for sure. He’d always kept his given name, switching up his surname. The bar exam was child’s play at this point.

He wondered how long till he’d grow tired of this, too. Before being a judge, he’d been a crime investigator. That had lasted for well over 50 years. He was getting close to that number again, presiding over cases. 

He didn’t know if he’d pick it up again after Chicago, or if it was time to switch it up again. He’d decided to take a bit of time off to see where “life” took him next.

He mulled over all of this back in his chambers, after he’d removed his cloak and lit up a cigarette. Nasty habit, to be sure, but since he couldn’t exactly develop lung cancer he figured, what’s the harm?

He’d taken a lover once that really didn’t like the smell- but she found it incredibly hot when he smoked, and with her out of the picture there really wasn’t any reason not to indulge from time to time. He of course couldn’t develop an addiction to nicotine, either.

What he did have an addiction for, to his dismay, was blood. He could go for a long time without it nowadays, but still he needed to get his fill soon, he could feel it. 

Usually, if he was really busy, he’d resort to blood bags. Ever the walking cliche, he had a friend working in a hospital that provided him with the necessary amount should he need it. 

But that was a last resort kind of situation. Because as much as Harry disliked most of what being a vampire entailed, he did enjoy the thrill, the chase, the very laborious ritual of preying on his next victim, seducing them and then having them succumb to his charm.

Because, yes, Harry seduced his victims. He didn’t like calling them that, but he supposed it was a morally grey area that he’d needed to make amends with early on in his “existence”. He’d battled with feelings of guilt for the longest time, but he came to realize that the only person he was hurting in doing so was himself.

His victims were never aware of what he was using them for. He’d feed from them without them ever knowing. Sometimes these victims were one night stands, sometimes they were lovers like the woman who lowkey liked his smoking. 

But he never got serious with anyone, for obvious reasons. Just because his heart wasn’t beating anymore didn’t mean he didn’t have one still.

And if he was being honest with himself, nobody really did it for him anymore. He could see things much more clearly as a vampire, could see things for what they were, and most of the time, things just weren’t that great up close as they appeared to be from a distance. He grew tired of his lovers, bored even, and he knew it was unfair to them, but he had so much more life experience, so much more wisdom and emotional maturity that it made it hard finding someone that would intrigue him anymore. How could he ever expect someone with a few decades under their belt to ever match up to his centuries?

Thankfully, that didn’t really get in the way of his sex life. Because that, he could never tire of. Centuries of experience didn’t dampen his libido, if anything, it kept fueling it. 

Harry enjoyed being good at what he did. Be it in the courtroom, or the bedroom. He also enjoyed being in charge. Notice a pattern, there? 

He didn’t feed from all his sexual partners. He always saved it for particularly enticing lovers, nowadays. Because he always drank from them in the throes of climax, after he’d made them come over and over again, he’d finally give in and absolutely loved combining his delayed release with the sweet nectar his partners provided him, particularly after flooding their bloodline with endorphins. It was the biggest high.

He sighed, returning to his notes he’d taken that afternoon, thinking to himself he’d probably have to resort to his friend at the hospital this time around. He just hadn’t found anyone… biteable, as of late. 

He wasn’t the kind of vampire to just feed off of anyone, he wasn’t a brute, after all. He had his standards.

But his ability to stay focused was starting to decline. He knew the telltale signs all too well by now. He needed to feed in order to operate at a functional level, ideally at an efficient level.

The way he had to make a conscious effort to focus on the notes and not let his mind wander off was quite telling. He kept thinking about the young woman, and how he was worried she’d sabotage her own case with her apparent dismissal of her attorney’s advice. 

It was a simple case of self defence. If she played her cards right, she’d make it easy for him to issue the verdict in her favour. 

But why did he have a feeling it wasn’t going to be that easy?

Even if he was planning on going under the radar soon, he still couldn’t issue a verdict that would be, at least apparently, unjust. And if she didn’t heed her attorney’s advice, it just might be the case.

He decided to call it a day and head home. He’d see what he could make of it all after the next hearing, when the young woman would testify and also some eye witnesses would take the stand.

He did stop by a bar he frequented on the way. Just on the off chance someone caught his eye. No luck, though.

He decided to give it a few more days before he called his friend at the hospital. He could muster through, he knew he could.

Or was it that he tricked himself into thinking he could? Was it maybe that he’d had his eye on someone all along, and therefore automatically excluded all the other possibilities? 

And maybe it was deeper than that? Maybe he should’ve paid more heed to what others have always warned him of? Sometimes it wasn’t as simple as it seemed. 

Sometimes bonds were formed. 

*

“Defense counsel, you may present your case.” 

The young woman’s attorney nodded to the judge. “I call Grace Gwyneth Cohen to the stand.”

Grace walked to the witness stand and the bailiff approached her as she was about to be seated. “Raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”

“I do.”

“State your name.”

“Grace Gwyneth Cohen.”

“Miss Cohen, let’s go way back,” her lawyer approached the bench and the young woman listened intently. Harry noted she seemed a bit more likely to cooperate with her attorney today, which pleased him. It would make his job infinitely easier. “First, let’s get an idea about why you were at this bar to begin with. A lovely young woman such as yourself, surely you don’t find yourself in such dingy places normally…”

“Objection! Irrelevant.”

Harry raised an eyebrow to the plaintiff. The defence hadn’t even started yet and already this guy was breathing down his neck. “Sustained.”

Grace’s attorney turned his attention back to his client, continuing “And even if you did frequent this sort of establishments, that doesn’t have to mean anything, of course. I’m just saying, it’s not your usual scene, is it?”

“I guess not.”

“You only went that night because you were meeting up with someone you’d met online, is that correct?”

“Yes. A client.”

Harry didn’t miss the attorney’s deadpan. This was surely not the way he had intended it to go. “A client. Let’s go over what you do for a living, then, shall we, Miss Cohen?”

“Sure.”

“You’re a sex worker. Is that correct?”

“No.”

Harry took note of the attorney’s clenched jaw once more. 

“What would you call what you do, then?”

“I’m not really sure, but I’m no prostitute.”

“Sex workers aren’t prostitutes. There’s a wide foray of services that fall under that category but don’t include an actual sexual act. Let’s see if what you do falls under this category. I believe the proper term would be that you’re a “cam girl”, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Which basically means, you record yourself for a paying audience, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Do you undress for your audience?”

“Depends.”

“How so?”

“Well if you’re asking if I’m ever in the nude, then the answer is no. I don’t ever take off all my clothes. I tease them a little, but there’s never been any nudity.”

Harry furrowed his eyebrows. How she ever got people to actually watch without her ever fully undressing was intriguing. Not to mention earn a living out of this.

“Do you only get undressed with clients you meet up with?”

“No.”

“Wasn’t this why you were meeting up with this client at the bar that night?”

“That’s what he thought was going to happen. In reality, I was planning to string him along for a bit, hopefully get him to give me some money in the hopes that I would give him more than he saw of me online.”

“Is this your only source of income?”

“At the moment, yes, because I’m a student. My curriculum doesn’t leave me with enough time even for a part time job with a fixed schedule. So I have to… freelance. I tried a number of remote jobs before I opened my onlyfans. I get to keep my anonymity, I never show my facial characteristics online, I get to make up my own schedule depending on what little free time I have and so I thought… it wouldn’t hurt to at least give it a try. I didn’t expect for anyone to chip in considering I don’t even fully undress, but surprisingly, I do have people stream my live shows. I haven’t really had time this month to stream, because I’ve had exams to study for. So money was tight. This guy was in my inbox begging for me to meet up with him. Again… I had no intention of actually going all the way with him, at most I thought maybe I’d earn a free meal out of it. I didn’t want to offer a private show for him instead either, didn’t want to risk leaving any digital footprints… I deliberately chose that pub, it’s a crowded place on a Saturday night. Figured it would be… safe.”

“But it wasn’t safe, was it, Miss Cohen? Going back to the night in question. You had set up a meeting with one of your online clients. Had any promises been made beforehand as to what would happen during this meeting?”

“I’d vaguely alluded to the possibility of more happening, but no promises had been made, no.”

“Would you mind giving us a rundown of what happened, exactly, at the bar?”

“Of course. I met up with him at the Silver Church, on the evening of the 27th of July, at 8. He said his name was Dave, and that he’d be waiting for me at the bar. When I greeted him, I immediately had an unsettling feeling about him, but I still tried to play the “date” to my advantage somehow and try and see if I could milk some money off of him. I flirted with him but never agreed to go back to his place like he kept insisting. Eventually, I asked him for some money and told him I’d be buying a lingerie set to wear on my next live stream, just for him, and consider going out with him again. He didn’t seem to like that very much, but he did give me the money, eventually. He kept insisting he’d take me back to his place even though I’d made it clear I wouldn’t be doing that, yet. I wasn’t ever planning on going through with it, of course, but I was leading him on. I don’t know if he figured out I was playing him, but he then insisted he’d walk me home. Which of course, was out of the question. I realized he wasn’t going to take no for an answer and I excused myself to use the lady’s room, but in reality, I was looking for a backdoor exit. I figured I’d already gotten my money, and that if I wanted to get rid of him now would be the time to try and make a run for it.

“I made a beeline for an exit I’d spotted at the other side of the bar when I thought he wasn’t looking, and I thought I’d been pretty stealthy and quick, but somehow he caught up to me. Before I knew it, he was right there behind me in that back alley, no one else in sight. I was expecting him to ask where I was going, something of that nature, but instead he outright attacked me!”

“What did you do then?”

“I, well– I don’t remember.”

“Would you say the assault made you lose conscience?”

“Yes, he pounced on me, and bit me –”

“And would you say you hit your head when he jumped you?”

“Yes, but–”

“So you don’t remember defending yourself?”

“Well, no. No, I don’t.”

“That's all. I have no further questions.”

Harry sensed the attorney’s irritation, and how the defendant clearly wanted to say more. He hoped, again, that for her sake she’d not walk right into the trap the plaintiff was no doubt setting up for her. “Plaintiff's counsel, do you have any cross-examination of this witness?”

“Yes, your honour. Miss Cohen, I couldn’t help but notice how you wanted to say something when your attorney so rudely interrupted.”

“Objection!”

“Sustained. Your point, plaintiff?”

“Just trying to get the full picture, here, your honour. Going back to the night of the murder, Miss Cohen. You mentioned Mr. Montgomery attacked you. Bit you, I believe is the term you used. Why would a grown man bite you? Wouldn’t there be other alternative ways, more effective ways of stopping you from leaving the club?”

“That’s what I thought as well. I was shocked by his action, I was expecting him to force himself on me but he went straight for my neck and bit… hard.”

“Why do you suppose he’d do such a thing”

“Objection!”

Harry sighed, knowing he had no choice but to let her get to her point. He already knew what she was going to say, by the look in her eyes. 

The same terror he’d seen in them that fateful night.

“Overruled.”

Grace had gone pale, her gaze had zoned out. Eventually she spoke out, her voice shaking, not at all similar to the tone she’d accustomed the court thus far. “It’s because… because he was… a vampire.”

The court gasped in unison in shock, and Harry had to exercise his gavel for the first time that evening. “Order! Order in the court!”

The judge had to insist on reinstating decorum and then the plaintiff resumed. “A… vampire. Just for the record, Miss Cohen. Your statement is that Mr. Montgomery was a vampire?”

She nodded reluctantly. “I know how this sounds. I know! But he didn’t just bite me… no, he… his eyes, his clear blue eyes turned pitch black. In the blink of an eye. When he lunged at me, his fangs were… on full display. It was only a fraction of a second before he lunged at me, but there was no mistaking what I saw. Trust me, his canines were perfectly normal over at the bar. So were his eyes. And the pain… the piercing pain he inflicted when his fangs tore the skin on my neck… I can still feel it sometimes. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before.”

Harry watched as she instinctively brought her nimble fingers to the side of her neck, tracing the skin there. 

The plaintiff cleared his throat, barely masking his amusement. “What happened then, Miss Cohen? Did he drink your blood?”

“Objection! Leading question!”

“I… like I said, I don’t remember. He tackled me to the ground. I must’ve either hurt my head or just passed out from the… assault.”

“So… you don’t remember fighting back.”

“No.”

“How do you explain the state in which the two of you were found then?”

“I… don’t know…”

“For the record, a member of the club’s staff was taking out the trash in the back alley when he stumbled upon what appeared to be two people lying on the ground. One of them severely injured. And that person wasn’t you. No, Miss Cohen, when the ambulance arrived they performed a thorough physical examination both on site and later at the hospital, and concluded you weren’t injured. In fact they couldn’t find so much as a scar on you.”

The court gasped in unison again and the judge gave them a warning look without having to use the gavel.

“Mr. Montgomery, on the other hand, wasn’t as lucky. He was declared dead, killed by a puncture to his heart inflicted by a switchblade.”

“Order!”

Grace watched as if in slow motion how the people in the court switched from looking at her with curiosity to giving her accusatory glances, and she couldn’t help but let tears well up in her eyes. She faintly heard the judge’s gavel but not even that could steady her beating heart. She had pleaded not guilty at the counsel of her attorney, but the truth was… she didn’t know what the truth was.

She must’ve been in shock, her memory of the incident completely blocked as a defence mechanism or something. The last thing she remembered was hitting the ground, the vampire hovering over her. She definitely did not remember stabbing him, hell, she’d never even seen that switchblade before. She’d have recognized it if it was hers. She did carry a pepper spray but she of course had no chance to retrieve it, the guy had been on her within the blink of an eye, his morphed features shocking her into a frozen stupor. 

Initially she thought she might have done it in self defence, and the shock was just blocking her memory of it. But then the lab concluded that her fingerprints weren’t on the switchblade. In fact, it had been wiped clean. 

She couldn’t fathom ever going through the trouble of doing all that, and not flee the scene of the crime at least if she was trying to conceal her actions.

Nothing added up. The rest of the interrogation was a blur. She was taken back into custody until the next hearing. Back in her cell, but somewhere nicer than where she was headed- she was always reminded by whomever escorted her there.

She was left alone with her thoughts yet again, back to staring at those barren walls and trying to make sense of all that was happening to her, trying to make peace with the fact that this was probably what the rest of her life would be like.

Harry was staring at a much different wall, a wall decorated in all his accolades and honorary achievements back in his chambers. But he had the same thing on his mind.

This was unjust, and the feeling made his skin crawl. He wasn’t used to such a feeling. The only time he’d felt that before was when he’d been robbed of his own life, just like Grace was getting robbed of hers. 

He kicked his feet off his desk and grabbed his briefcase, deciding to head home. His hand hovered over the light switch, pausing before he finally left.

He’d find a way, but it just might be that it would have her live in limbo for the rest of her life, not unlike himself.

A/N: hints and smoke and mirrors, aka a slow burn cuz y'all know me 😅

beta’d by the lovely @adorebeaa ❤️

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[apomaro-mellow]

King&Prince 1

Steve moved like the sword was an extension of his body. Normally, he thought nothing of it when he sparred with some of the knights. But today his father was watching. Steve had been the apple of his parents' eyes once. But it didn't take long before everything he did turned from 'adequate' to 'not good enough'. Alric watched his son from a window high above.

Steve had showed promise when he was coming up. He wasn't especially bright but in body he was sound. He had surrounded himself and made himself the center of attention of the young lads of the court, as he should. Alric encouraged Steve having an entourage who looked up to him and hung on his every word. But at some point, he'd grown... well the best way he could put it was listless. No longer did he have a crowd who trailed after him. He had discussed it at length with his wife and they both agreed he needed something to whip him back into shape.

And a good smack just didn't do the trick anymore.

Alric had his suspicions. That Steve had gone soft for one reason or another. The cause mattered little to him. What was important was fixing it while there was still a chance. Alric's slight frown turned into a deep glare. A young squire had fumbled and stumbled with his practice blade and Steve stayed his hand while he waited for the other to right himself. Whatever happened to the son who would have struck down any enemy without a thought?

"We could be going to war soon", Alric said late into the night. He stood before the fireplace, staring into it. Juliana sat, nursing a drink.

"I thought we were doing all that we could to avoid that. If that Mad King retaliates with all his forces..."

"He won't. He talks a big game. My father knew it and my grandfather knew it." The previous kings of the Harrington line had all fought with the beast one-on-one. It was rare to hear about him moving any number of soldiers. But it was well documented that he had power over a horde of monsters. If he ever decided to invade, Alric had to admit, if only to himself, that he would be strapped for man power right now. But he was assured that the Animal across the border wouldn't do that. He wouldn't do anything.

"What does this have to do with Steven?", Juliana asked, worry creeping into her voice. She knew what her husband might say next but was dreading it. They had discussed before but...

"I'm going to send him to the mountains. To the keep we've maintained in the north. The retainers up there will put him back together again."

"Alric please, they'll destroy him."

He walked from the fireplace to the window. "They'll make him into a proper king. Something that we've been unable to do somehow. If a few pieces of him get chipped off in the process, then all the better."

And if it was more than a few pieces, if Steve was completely broken, well Alric could work with that as well.

They announced it about a week later, when the preparations had already been made and Steve walked into his room to find a servant already packing his bags.

"You're sending me away?!", Steve shouted as he nearly crashed into his father's study.

Alric had his back to Steve, looking out onto the horizon where their enemies lay in the distance. He was like a stone and Steve almost took a step toward him when he caught his reflection in the window. He was looking at Steve through said reflection, clearly waiting on something. Steve took a breath and turned around. He walked out, closed the door. Now on the other side, he knocked.

"Who is it?", Alric asked.

"Steven, Father", Steve announced himself.

"You may enter."

With a sigh, Steve, opened the door, gently this time, entered, and then closed it behind him, but stayed by it until his father invited him closer.

"What brings you to my study, Steven?", Alric asked as he turned around.

"I had to hear from someone else that you're sending me away. Why?"

Alric sat down behind his desk and templed his hands. "Why am I sending you away or why did you hear it from someone else?"

"I don't understand? Did I do something wrong?" Good princes didn't get sent far away to a frozen hell.

"It's to build you some character. You'll thank me for it later."

"But why am I going?"

Alric suddenly stood up and the abruptness made Steve take a step back towards the door. His pulse quickened as his father slowly moved around to stand in front of the desk.

"You may have forgotten, but I am your king. You go where I order you to. And perhaps while you're there, you'll learn some manners."

"How long am I to stay?"

"Until I get a report that you have become a proper prince."

Steve turned and opened the door, ready to leave when he father cleared his throat. Steve looked down at his feet as he closed the door and turned back around, asking for permission and having it granted before leaving the study.

It was honestly just his luck. Winter would be over in a couple of weeks and spring would be finally showing its face and he was about to be shipped off to the coldest place on earth. On the day of his departure, his mother kissed his cheek, the last bit of human warmth he'd probably be feeling for a while. And it was just as chilly as a snowflake on his skin. There were platitudes as they were packing his things away into the carriage, but Steve felt like he only heard half of it.

As the carriage set off, Steve realized that he honestly wasn't leaving much behind. He had no friends, and his parents were devoid of anything but disappointment. He would miss the greenery, though. Steve kept his eyes on the passing scenery, taking in as much as he could before it would be taken up by snow and rocks. Steve was so deep in his own wallowing, he had forgotten that the path would take them close to the border. And as the carriage edged closer, an ambush lied in wait.

Part 3

[tedwardremus]

I feel like Ron fans really want him to be an Auror for the rest of his life like Harry is because its a "cool" job but it makes perfect sense he stops after 2 years? He is canonically lazy. That is not projection. That is not bashing. That is how he IS. He is lazy. Why would he want such a work intensive, difficult, and stressful job long-term? I really think the glory would wear off fast once you realized you can't even talk about what you are doing, you have to work overtime, you can get injured, you deal with constant stress, and for what? A basic pension. You don't even get rich off of it. Ron at the joke shop suits his character SO much.

oomph

Okay, Anon. I love you, and this is a safe space for people to discuss their controversial opinions with no judgement but I will have to push back a bit because I am a member of Team Ron Defense Squad.

I agree that being an auror wasn't the perfect fit for Ron, but I disagree with his laziness.

He was lazy when it came to school work. But a lot of kids are? That's hardly unique for a teenager. School didn't really interest him. But he was bright enough to do well in all his subjects (well, except history and divination, but those were joke classes) so he didn't really feel the need to work harder.

But in the things that he was interested in? The boy was not lazy.

You don't become the best chess player Hogwarts has ever seen at age 12 when you are lazy. That is years of hard work and skill development (prodigy level!). He probably spent hours at the Burrow as a kid studying chess moves and learning to see the board. That's not lazy.

You don't become a prefect by being lazy.

He also went off by himself and practiced quidditch so he could make the house team. That's not lazy. Thats determination (and a little insecurity because he was afraid of beign mocked for putting effort in or being told he wasn't good enough)

Which is totally relatable. Have you ever been afraid of failing or being compared to someone who, in your mind, has already mastered the skill you are practicing, so in the end, you didn't really try? because not trying is better than failing? That's not lazy, that's being insecure and anxious.

Ron is also with HArry on all his adventures. Going into the forbidden forest, starting an underground defense club, solving mysteries, fighting in the Ministry. This isn't lazy.

One of Ron's number one traits is his caregiving. Offering tea, the easy way in which he assures people, making sure Harry eats. Caregiving is not lazy. It takes attention to detail, emotional intelligence, and a lot of follow-up and determination.

I think Ron retired from ebing an auror early for several reasons.

1.) The job was finished. They caught the death eaters, the trials were over, he had some breathing room, and he realised that he could move on. That it was a job he felt he had to do but didn't really enjoy doing

2.) He saw that Harry really did enjoy it and that Harry didn't need a caregiver anymore, he wa an adult who could take care of himself and had Ginny at home to also care for him.

3.) Hermione, the ultimate girl boss that she is, clearly has ambitions and was career driven. Ron wanted to make sure she wasn't burnt out and that she had someone at home to take care of her (and their future children). Ron is the ultimate wife guy and I love him leaning into the role hard and with vigour.

caregiving and homemaking aren't laziness, and seeing a traditional feminine role as lazy in the body of a male character is sexist.

4.) I love Ron and the twins relationship. They are very close, even if the Twins mocking him crosses the line. And I can see Ron caring for George after the war in his very Ron-like way. Stopping by after an auror shift to help clean the shop and make sure he ate that day. Takes him to the pub for a pint, where they don't talk, but Ron just wants George to know he is there for him.

Over time, Ron learns that he loves working at the shop. He is good at it. And Geroge loves Ron being there, and he needs the help. George wants to be creative and invent things, and Ron has a great mind for business. He is using his logic skills to improve their business strategy and expand operations. He is good at balancing books and making sure bills get paid (oh no! It Looks like he enjoys a bit of homework after all!)

And Ron loves greeting customers and talking to kids in the shop. Being friendly and a bit goofy and his warm and comforting self.

He doesn't need fame and fortune because he is secure in his role as a caregiver, it is his ultimate strength. He has matured and moved on from his childhood insecurities. He is no longer in the shadow of his large loud family.

He is Ron. And he is enough (kenough)

[garden-of-gay]

Can You Feel It? It's Burlesque Part 2

This chapter is a bit shorter than the last, but that is because I've been super busy and I wrote too much for one chapter, so I am giving a shorter chapter now for a longer chapter 3. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter <3

Ch 1, Ch 2

Also here on Ao3

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

Eddie made his way up to the door Steve had motioned to and upon entering the back was hit with a wave of perfume and absolute chaos. The back was extremely crowded, dancers were everywhere in all the different mirrors and stations but above all a woman’s voice could be heard.

“Ladies! Let’s move it, ladies!” She yelled.

There was a cacophony of replies along the lines of “Yes ma’am” and a couple of “Where is my costume!?” but for the most part, the chatter was hard to decipher although, Eddie managed to pick up a bit since his time working in the noisy bar.

“Does anyone know where Billy is?” someone asks.

Eddie is thoroughly overwhelmed in this moment as he searches for Joyce. He overhears a dancer talking to someone and figures it’s his best bet to find Joyce; follow the dancers.

He hears a dancer complain of losing a contact on the stage and the older woman from earlier speak up.

“Okay, if you fall off the stage remember, leg extended, boobs up” she chuckles.

The younger woman she was seemingly talking to then chimes in,

“Remember you’re a goddess.”

“Thank you, Robin” the dancer replies with a smile before the older lady repeats the phrase in a mocking tone towards this Robin.

Backstage is chaos, but he loves it. It reminds him of the few times his dad allowed his band to play at the bar and there was a certain anticipation that hung in the air right before performing. He bumps into one of the dancers before she calls out to a man loitering backstage.

“Lonnie, the sink upstairs is broken again,” she said.

“I’m not calling a plumber, Barb” He replies.

He then makes his way over to the elegant older woman and Eddie can slightly make out what they are saying.

“Joyce, have you read this letter from the bank?” He asks.

“Lonnie, how many times must I tell you? No business during business hours” She huffs, annoyed.

“Come on, Henry Creel is coming to the show tomorrow night, this isn’t going away Joyce,” he says.

She rolls her eyes at him and is clearly disinterested in continuing the conversation, but he continues anyway.

“You won’t talk to me before shows, you won’t talk to me after, it’s like you are avoiding me.”

“Well, I didn’t divorce you to spend more time with you” She jokes.

“I may not be Mr. Joyce anymore but I still own half this place,” he says before walking away in a huff muttering on about how it’s not paying the bills.

Eddie then approaches Robin who is in the midst of fixing up a dancer’s hair and then asks.

“I’m looking for Joyce?”

She nods her head in the direction the older woman, Joyce, went and he wanders over to her.

“Hi, are you Joyce?” He asks.

“Yes, honey, why are you in my mirror exactly?” She replies kindly.

“Oh sorry, I’m a friend of Steve’s and I’m looking for a job.”

“Where have you danced?”

“Ummm….”

Eddie had for some reason not anticipated this question and was now left floundering.

“At home? I promise you I can move though.”

She gave him a polite smile in the mirror before speaking.

“Give your name and number to Robin and she can contact you when we have our next auditions.”

“When will that be exactly” he asked.

He never got his answer because Robin approached, and Joyce turned her attention to her.

“Where is Billy?”

“I don’t know, he’s late again,” Robin said

“Oh, I’m never late” Eddie interjected hoping it scored him some brownie points.

“That’s great buddy now leave your name and number with your friend Steve downstairs, and we will give you a call, promise,” Robin said with a gentle push towards the stairs.

 “I’ve just never seen anything like it, and I would just love...” Eddie began before bumping into yet another dancer, this time in big sunglasses

“Billy! Robin and I were just talking, and you know she said…” Joyce said and then gestured to Robin to finish the thought

“That it was so sad that Billy couldn’t join us for the opening number, and it would be so great if he joined us for the next one”

“Listen, less flab more ab, my workout took longer than expected” Billy replied to the women.

“And so is finding a new job when I fire your late ass” Joyce joked, but Eddie could tell there was a bit of truth to her statement.

Billy then turned and acknowledged Eddie for the first time since they bumped into each other.

“Hey, bring me a martini extra dry, straight up, three olives,” Billy said with an heir of entitlement.

“He doesn’t work here Billy” another dancer replied while Eddie remained speechless, staring at Billy.

“Then he isn’t busy,” he said smarmily.

Eddie continued staring at Billy for a moment. Billy then seemed to notice and spoke with a cocky grin on his face.

“Didn’t your mama ever tell you it isn’t polite to stare”

“You’re just so damn handsome” He replied

“Screw your mama, stare away” Billy exclaimed with a cheshire grin

“It’s just no one would ever know” Eddie replied

“Know what,” Billy said angrily.

Eddie took note that Billy seemingly had a short fuse and was easy to rile up… perfectly.

“That you are smooth like a Ken doll down there,” Eddie said with a wink before descending the stairs back into the busy club.

-

Once he got back down to the bar, Eddie took inventory of everything happening. He needed a job ASAP and it looked like this place needed a proper waiter. He observed the club for a moment and realized that the waitress who was supposed to be getting drinks to patrons was sitting around chatting with someone at the bar. He watched as a customer waved her over and she blatantly ignored them saying something along the lines of “In a minute”. This just wouldn’t do, and a plan began forming in Eddie’s head, if he couldn’t tell them why he deserved a job then he would just show them.

He stripped the leather jacket he was wearing draping it over a chair before picking up a tray from the bar and making his rounds from table to table based on who was in need of drinks. Once he was satisfied with gathering orders he returned to Steve at the bar.

“A shot of Patron and the tough-looking guy in the hat wants a Cosmo,” he said, Steve looked puzzled but replied

“What are you doing?”

“One night, if I’m not better than boobs-for-brains over there, you don’t have to pay me” Eddie practically begged he needed this job and he needed it bad.

-

Turns out Eddie had done something right and was told he could return the next night to begin proper work on the condition that he wore the proper club uniform. He had easily agreed as the uniform was all black and even if he hated it he would wear it because a job is a job and he needs it. He had been told to arrive 30 minutes early to his shift to be shown where everything was and get a feel for the place but other than that he was left to his own devices since he had waiting experience under his belt.

Once the club had opened and the seats were filled, Eddie began getting drinks for the tables as they waited for the opening number of the night. Eddie had no idea what to expect but was just as excited to see the performances as the attendees. After a while, the lights dimmed and the opening to Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend by Marylin Monroe.

A kiss on the hand May be quite continental But diamonds are a girl's best friend

A kiss may be grand But it won't pay the rental On your humble flat Or help you at the automat

Men grow cold As girls grow old And we all lose our charms in the end

But square-cut or pear-shaped These rocks don't lose their shape Diamonds are a girl's best friend

Back at the bar, Joyce and Robin could be found watching Eddie as he worked.

“Isn’t that the guy that was backstage yesterday?” Joyce asked

“I think so?” Robin replied

“Hey Steve, what’s he doing here?” Joyce called out to him.

Steve’s face flushed a bit red at this, but he replied nonetheless

“He really wanted a job and so…he’s our new waiter”

“And when did I make you the head of personnel?” Joyce joked with Steve

“He just picked up a tray and started working,” Steve said with a shrug, face still flushed

“Really?” Robin asked, her eyes bugging slightly out of her head

“Well, his name is Eddie” Steve replied sheepishly.

“Eddie” Joyce repeated before calling out to the man in question

“Hey Eddie”

Eddie waltzed over to the bar nervous as to what Joyce had to say, would she be super upset? Would she fire him on the spot? He couldn’t lose this job, he just got it and based on the look on her face, she meant business. As he got closer, however, her face softened before she spoke.

“The uniform looks nice on you but roll up your sleeves you look too formal. Also, put up your hair you got a cute face so don’t hide it”

Eddie flushed and hoped the lighting would hide his blush. He had been told he was hot before by the men he had hooked up with, but he had never been called cute, especially not by a motherly type; it was nice.

“Also, don’t ever go behind my back again,” Joyce said more stern

“Yes ma’am” Eddie replied, and he felt like saluting but figured that it would not bode well.

“And don’t ever call me ma’am again” Joyce huffed

“Yes sir, I mean ma’am, I mean…Joyce” Eddie fumbled. Damn, he was doing bad at this.

“Get on the floor” Joyce joked before patting Eddie along.

-

The performance continued and Marilyn sang:

Tiffany's Cartier Black Starr Frost Gorham Talk to me Harry Winston Tell me all about it

As the lead dancer ripped jewels from the other dancers’ bodies. Eddie watched mesmerized, slowly picking up the steps to the dance and dancing along as he went from table to table getting drink orders. He was pulled away from watching when a man’s voice spoke.

“Excuse me, Dewar’s rocks and a bottle of your best champagne for the table…and oh, will you tell Billy that I’m here”

“Any you are…?” Eddie asked, especially since this man clearly had money and no manner when it came to introducing himself.

“A member since ’91, Henry Creel. And you are?” Henry asked

“Eddie” He replied

“Eddie" Henry parroted back

-

Meanwhile, as Eddie waited tables, Robin had made her way backstage to make sure the performance was going alright and that she could help with any malfunctions and costume changes to come. As she watched, she was made aware of a presence once he came crashing up to her.

“I’m here,” Billy said

“You’re late, you’re late for a very important date, Vickie went on for you” Robin chuckled because of course Billy expected the club to wait on him.

Billy then looked between the beaded curtains at Vickie before he spotted Eddie and turned to Robin.

“What is that waiter doing here, I want that bitch out now” Billy exclaimed angrily.

“What did he ever do to you?” She asked

“He said I have no dick” he pouted

Robin just laughed before replying

“That can’t be the first time that’s happened”

Billy just gave her an angry look before turning to look up at the lighting guy and saying:

“Get my spot”

“Billy, what are you doing!” Robin exclaimed, trying to stop Billy but it was too late, he had already stepped out onto the stage and to reel him back in would just disrupt the performance.

-

Eddie watched as the dancer from yesterday, Billy, stepped on the stage and began to fight for the spotlight over the original lead dancer.

There may come a time When a lass needs a lawyer But diamonds are a girl's best friend

There may come a time When a hard-boiled employer Thinks you're awful nice But get that ice or else no dice

Of course, Billy was like this. Eddie had encountered people like this before who needed everything to be about them, and Billy seemed just the type to do that. He pushed and shoved his way in front of the other dancer and the poor girl did her best to adapt to the situation.

-

 As the number came to an end Eddie found himself back at the bar watching and imagining himself in the place of the lead dancer.

Diamonds Diamonds I don't mean rhinestones But diamonds are a girl's best Best friend

He would sing and the crowd would go wild, clapping, throwing flowers for him, and overall cheering his name. “Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!”

“Eddie! Eddie, what do you need?” Steve asked, snapping and pulling Eddie away from the daydream he was having

“Dewars rocks and a bottle of Dom” He began

“And keep it coming” Steve finished

“So, he’s a regular” Eddie questioned

“Henry Creel, real estate guy. Dating Billy. This week at least” Steve answered.

Good to know that Steve and seemingly the club were not homophobic because that might have become a problem at some point but Eddie was more focused on how the dancers got to soak in the applause and bask in the moment. He turned to Steve.

“I wanna be up there, I wanna do that”

“Question is, do you have the talent?” he asked

“I do” Eddie replied

“Are you sure?” Steve asked

“Yes!” Eddie replied with a grin

“Positive?” He asked with a smile of his own

“Yeah!” Eddie said, grin getting bigger

“Good because you’re on” Steve replied with a smile before pushing a tray of drinks towards Eddie.

His smile dropped pretty quickly after picking up the tray of drinks and he huffed an annoyed sigh.

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

Taglist:

@irregular-child

[gazeofseer]

Timeless Pyschic Reading

This period of time I am not been able to do anything great this season of spring is quite slow, and steady as things are moving in it is hard for see through the divine especially when it is busy with executions we planned before hand being here today, But where am I ? What am I even doing all this lost count of emotion and thought because I have been walking, pathless towards somewhere, where my heart and soul leads.

Note : First see the pictures clearly and close your eyes whatever comes first has a deep encounter to your wandering questions. It is timeless intuitive reading which is relevant to the time being of the divine indication towards hope in your life path ahead !

Which Stage of Life you are right now ? ( Advices )

Image 1 :

Waiting for people who hurt you to understand your part in the situations can feel heart wrenching because they won't, I see some small argument happened but it was something sensitive for someone close to you but just because you chose to do something else and it made them feel hurt, they misunderstood your intent, you said no on someone's behalf ? now this is your calling, calling to let your intent speak for you then your purpose has to, do not tell what could have happened tell people your intent towards them, you have been alone lately seeing, black crows and it voices kids, playing couples giggling and is it raining or gloomy or you travel at night? you are walking in the darkness longer to feel comforted because people would not.

Signs : You are on a healing journey somebody left you or will but you would know deep down about this person and it will guide you from there following may month, 4, 8 numbers and a pearl accessory you may have as prominence in your life this will be a short cycle, it would not last even weeks if you simply accept that it's okay, even if they don't understand without letting it affect you anymore or rub you off in anxiety or triggers.

Advice : Do not resist crying, cry at least till you feel your neck especially the throat part getting freed and elevated !

_____________________________________________________________

Image 2 :

Dreaming is safe, who would put a war upon ideas and people I can have all of it in my head, huh but only in my head..trust issues are running on you overwhelming your heart and mind, constantly scrolling, sighing, numbing, I bet you can't remember what you had in the breakfast without thinking for a five minutes, because you are ignoring, pushing and laying wondering something will sway you off this life somehow and it will be the change, but it would not be you but it also scares you, because trust issues comes from you, not believing that you can..go through the phases of life.

You created enough options in your life but choosing one is always a hell of a task, you barely have two or one close feminine friend otherwisw you indulge well with the masculine energy around you.

Signs : Taurus, Ego Issues, You have been recently judged or insulted for something especially regarding a skill you believed being a pro at , Virgo, you may have birthday on 26 or something special on this date

Advice : Ground yourself, flying is great as long as you trust your fall greatly on the grounds of something secure like faith, divine or on yourself !

_____________________________________________________________

Image 3 :

It happens, you might feel the world is running while I am just being a apart of a audience watching the show in autopilot routined lifestyle, it feels annoying to even wake up in the morning, the job is killing you quite be it at home or at work, you just need balance, it is easy to put you either over or under the board because you believe everyone is good, and even if they are not they have no good reason to harm you and the those hurt you the first, it leaves you in tireless repetition of patterns which can feel exhausting that you let go of everything all at once and rest, lose, and get lost in the overthinking on where did you went wrong.

Signs : Pisces, Joint or Big Family, Too much talking and noise around you I see you squeeze your forehead often in worries, tension and being annoyed, you might be quite traditional, 14 November came out of the blue, blue is your favourite only if you feel sad or happy otherwise you love yellow and pink.

Advice : Say No, and say unless three times and see people and things if it gives upon you or not. test the world without putting anyone and yourself on the pedestals of marathon.

_____________________________________________________________

I understand waiting having patience can feel like stagnation but maybe it is a pause, we asked for only to find out what is happening inside oneself, because trust the divine nothing ever stops you except for your own energy flow.

I hope this reading brings clarity into your current living time period, let me know what parts were resonating and does this reading helps?

_____________________________________________________________

[tossawary]

I read Part 1 of "Jojo's Bizarre Adventure". (I can't watch anime anymore. Reading is just so much faster.) I know people recommend starting with Part 3 or 4 instead, if you're going to give JJBA a chance, but I was kind of curious to see this batshit take on Victorian England specifically and kind of wanted to read something silly.

It was... very bad! It was Not Good for a number of reasons (writing is nuts, art is too busy and generally bad, it's thoughtlessly racist, classist, sexist, etc.), but it was also absolutely nuts in a way that was kind of entertaining anyway...? Fun kind of like reading "The Castle of Otranto" in a way. I did have fun. It's like if someone was simultaneously watching bad film adaptations of gothic literature (like "Dracula") and also bad martial arts films, and then was like, "I have an idea for a GREAT terrible battle shounen!"

Yeah, sure, the vampire has summoned a pair of 300-year-old zombies who were the sworn knights of Mary Stuart and look like they should be fighting Conan the Barbarian, this might as well happen next. How exactly does the "magic system" in JJBA work, I may ask? "Yes!" is the answer. Or maybe: "No."

It's very childish, especially in the "extreme gore is cool" way, which is probably suited to its target audience? I read a lot of very bad manga back in middle school and it reminds me of that (the art style actually kind of reminds me of some godawful shoujo and josei that I read back then), and that nostalgia and morbid curiosity carried me through it now, even though my middle school self probably would have rightfully turned up their nose at this nonsense. It's very... passionate... It is clearly the longstanding passion project of someone trying to do... something, which is to me specifically more charming than it has any right to be. Shoutout to Dio Brando for being relentlessly, cartoonishly, almost hilariously The Fucking Worst.

I do not recommend it. Don't read it. But I'm probably going to keep casually reading just to see what the fuck happens next. (My friend and her husband are anime fans and Jojo fans and I want to be able to talk to them about it.) I looked up how long it's been running and the entire house heard me say, "THIRTY-SIX YEARS?! It's still GOING?!" Later, I said to my brother, "It HAS to get better, right?" and he said, "It gets Different."

[julianalvarez9]

"don't you know what you're doing to me? " "you look good with my hands around your throat." w Ruben Dias pls

attention / rúben dias

summary: wearing your brother's best friend's jersey, in normal circumstances, wouldn't mean anything other than your support for the club where your brother plays. except, you have a slightly more complicated relationship with the owner of the last name displayed in your back.

pairing: rúben dias x stones!reader

prompts: "don't you know what you're doing to me?" + "you look good with my hands around your throat" from this list.

mentions of: unestablished relationship, bit of vulgar language, implications of past sexual encounters (?

author's note: not as smuttish (? as i'd like it to be, but i loved the concept of rúben x stones!r too much 😮‍💨 if anyone has any ideas or concepts for this pair i'll work on them right away 🙏🏻

wc: 1.2k

you never really cared what you wore inside your home, which you shared with your older brother, john. it was always baggy shorts or joggers, depending on the weather, and a random shirt: more often than not, belonging to his wardrobe, fitting you like a dress due to the size difference between john and you.

but today, you did it on purpose.

you knew messing around with rúben wasn't the smartest idea: not only due to him being a footballer, which was bad enough on its own, since your brother made you swear when you were fifteen that you'd never date one, but because he was your brother's best friend.

and if the whole ordeal wasn't bad enough for you, rúben had the audacity of ghosting you for a week, before coming to see your brother, not even sparing a glance at you.

truth was, last time you two were together, his mind slipped. he had told you the infamous three words in the heat of the moment, and although you two hadn't discussed it when you finished your funny business, rúben was punishing himself for it. he knew he said it because he meant it, but he also knew that there was no possibility of you two ever getting together. that's what you had told him from the start: "1. we're not friends. 2. no feelings involved. 3. john can't know".

so, it was understandable, from an outsider's point of view, why he was trying to distance himself from you, but since rúben never told you the reason, you were pissed. rightfully pissed.

that was the reason behind today's attire: shorts and rúben's number 3 on your back.

when john saw you this morning, at breakfast, he didn't even spare a glance. he knew you had a few jerseys belonging to his teammates, including a kevin de bruyne one that you cherished with your life, almost never wearing it, only on special occasions. but john had seen you repping the dias surname on your back, and not once questioned it. not even today, when he knew that his friend would be coming to play some video games, enjoying the free day off training that the team got after the fa cup final won the day before against man united.

staying seated on the couch after breakfast, wasting time scrolling on your phone wasn't strange behavior for you, either. you stayed there until you heard your brother open the door and greeted his friend in, giving you the perfect excuse to go back to your room: they were gonna play their video games for hours, and you weren't about to be hours on end looking at a screen, enduring the angry shouts of two grown men.

you jumped up, picking up your phone and water bottle to go, just when rúben was walking onto the living room now, happily chatting to john until he saw you standing there. you waved, displaying a friendly smile on your face, even if your blood was boiling at the sight of the portuguese who couldn't even text back, but who could come to your house so shamelessly -even if he wasn't planning to see you. still, you made sure that he could see your figure disappearing when you left the room, and with it, his name clearly printed across your back.

you weren't even thinking about rúben anymore the next time that you exited your room. you simply were trying to get to the kitchen to refill your water bottle, and you did just that. yeah, it should have seemed a little strange to you that you couldn't hear any shouts from your brother's best mate, but you attributed it to the fact that he was generally calmer than john; he was competitive, but not at your brother's level. you didn't think anyone could match him, to be honest. so, it shouldn't have surprised you to find him, seated on your bed when you came back to your room, but still, it did.

"you're doing it on purpose, aren't you?" he questions, his tone not wavering once. you try not to look into his face when he gets closer, bringing you all the way into the room to close the door behind you softly, as to not raise suspicions. when you murmur a soft "i don't know what you're talking about" you can't see how his browns crease due to your gaze being focused on the ceiling above to avoid his eyes. he can still see the lie painted all across your face, and most importantly, the proof resting on your figure, so he forcefully angles your face by your jaw to finally connect his brown eyes with yours.

the act takes you by surprise, and you shove his hand out of your face. "what the fuck, rúben!?" you whisper-shout, and you worry when you remember your brother's not too far away from the room in which you two are in.

he scoffed. "don't ignore me now" rúben scolds, and you roll your eyes at him, annoyed, which only infuriates him more. he has to stop his desire to smash his mouth into yours, because after a week, he does think he'd be able to stop, not even when his best friend could walk in on you any minute. "acting innocent now," he continues, holding onto your waist with a bruising force. "don't you know what you're doing to me? flaunting my name on your back" he says, tugging your shirt one, two, three times, with so much force you think he's gonna rip it off your body. "while i can't do anything about it?".

you laugh bitterly at his argument. "well, that's entirely your fault, big boy".

the mocking way you use to refer to him has him laughing bitterly and throwing his head back in resignation. "how is it my fault?", rúben questions, and it's like he genuinely doesn't know, which only fuels your anger more. "i don't know, maybe try not messing around with your best mate's little sister and then ghost her for a week, right?".

"stop with the attitude," he scolds, and his hand, previously grasping your cheeks to get your full attention, slides down your throat, pressing onto it lightly. you gasp at the small pressure, and his eyes shine with lust. "you look good with my hands around your throat, did you know that?".

he grins when your whimper at his filthy praise, and you use the small moment of distraction to reach for the back of his neck to draw him in. its been a couple of days now, longer than it has ever been since your little arrangement started, at least, so the kiss is anything but gentle, tongue and teeth clashing against each other. you know that, if you continue this path, your floor will be covered with your clothes and his, so yo need to stop it, with the last bit of clear judgment you have in your brain. "we're not fucking with my brother in the next room".

he laughs against your neck, and it has your neck erupting in goosebumps with the way his hot breath fan across your skin. "who said anything about fucking?" he asks, continuing with the neck kisses after the rhetorical question, and his touches leave you forgetting everything, including that your brother is probably looking for him.

"i won the game, rúben! 5-0!" john screams, and by the way it sounds so far away, you can breathe since he's still in the living room. "where the fuck are you?".

[raisedbythetv89]

I feel like Logan’s death really commandeers the conversation about how terrible season 4 of Veronica Mars is (understandably so it is horrific) but there’s literally SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT 😭

Veronica isn’t Veronica and Logan isn’t Logan (really NO ONE is truly in character anymore). Rob Thomas clearly has NO IDEA what healing actually looks like so Logan becomes this pop psychology stereotype with no depth or emotion and like Veronica literally says A POD PERSON. And he describes his therapy as controlling his anger so it doesn’t consume him. That might have been the move as a temporary band-aide immediately to stabilize his life after season 3 but what like 12 years later???? When season 4 starts? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Fire that therapist immediately 😭 He should be WELL into the source of his anger. Healing isn’t about control it’s about surrender and acceptance of your feelings and developing healthy coping strategies to process your newly uncovered feelings so you can live WITH them not in spite of them. There’s a reason so many “good guy” characters are so one dimensional and boring it’s because the male writers writing them literally have NO CLUE what a healthy well adjusted men act like 😭 - (Ted Lasso was so rare because we had good men writing good men)

And yes we know Logan punching people does it for Veronica but that’s because it is ALWAYS in defense of her but his safety and well being is always her number 1 priority (he pulls a gun to save her in the Fitzpatricks bar and she screams at him because she doesn’t want him to get hurt or killed in his attempt to defend her and she’s terrified). Him just punching a kitchen cabinet in rage and frustration is NOT the same thing at all and she would show concern in that situation not immediately instigate sex ROBERT.

The idea that Veronica did ZERO growing/healing/processing in those 12 years is so insulting and just not realistic - once she got space and distance she would have come out of fight or flight and been assaulted with all the repressed emotions from seasons 1-3 before law school yet somehow she’s WORSE than she was when she was younger with less stability and support and capacity to handle everything she was dealing with.

Especially after everything established in the movie!

“Are you gonna ask me if I did it?”

“I wouldn’t be here if I thought you did”

THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH THAT SHOWS IN VERONICA IS ACTUALLY INSANE. Miss never trusts anybody, suspect EVERYONE until your can verify the truth - believes Logan and Weevil AT THEIR WORD. Trusts THEIR CHANGE implicitly and picks helping Logan and Weevil BECAUSE SHE CARES not because it’s a fucking addiction as Rob tried to frame it in the movie 💀💀💀 Veronica always helped because she’s SOFT because she has a good heart and can’t help but help when she knows she can which is classic of parentified children - you believe everything is your responsibility to fix if it’s in your capability to fix. Does she get neurotic trying to solve cases? Absolutely! But that is trying to control and fix external problems as a distraction from her own. It was a coping mechanism and taking that coping mechanism away in the 9 years between season 3 and the movie would have caused serious problems for her that would have forced her to confront her issues.

Season 4 could have been Veronica having a complete break down from her always too full plate coming crumbling down trying to help and fix too much combined with logan being gone and always at risk when he is gone, Wallace bringing new life into an increasingly corrupt neptune she can’t seem to save, Mac working for Jake Kane?!!?! I would have loved If instead she was helping Mac deal with the swapped at birth thing they NEVER touched again. Combined with her dad’s health problems and Weevil falling back into his old habits. She is someone who feels responsible for everything and everyone around her because everyone blamed her for EVERYTHING when she was younger and eventually that catches up with you and THAT is what I wanted to see her strength crumble forcing her to be truly vulnerable and instead of asking for favors asking for HELP allowing her to stop acting like a woman written by a man and act like an actual adult woman BY women who actually understand that experience. Rob was SO out of his depth - his portrayal of Leanne in earlier seasons already proved that.

But that’s just one of literally 1 million possibilities that would have been better than the direction Rob chose. He managed to strip away everything we loved about ALL of his characters until they were ghosts of themselves and it makes me SO UPSET 😭 because he literally revived a show just to finish the destruction path he started in season 3, that had started to be corrected in the movie because it was so controlled by the fans.

Rob and Joss - two men who’s success was built upon a largely female audience and then their misogyny caused them to try and destroy everything their audiences loved 🙃🙃🙃🙃

[fuck-customers]

Oh I have fucking HAD IT with this disrespectful condescending ass bitch!

This one manager has been rude and disrespectful to all of us employees-talking down to us, rolling her eyes when we ask questions, responding to everything we say to her with an incredibly disrespectful tone of voice, treating us like we're all braindead since day 1 of her being hired here. (She claims she's worked at this company for 10+ years, but I doubt it, considering how often she fucks up and how she still hasn't learned to treat employees with basic respect)

I was going to report her to HR last week, but I chickened out when I discovered that I'd have to input my personal information (full name, employee number, etc) with the report. (We don't have an in-house HR person. If we want to report something to HR, we have to email them. I personally have never filed a report, so I'ma littleunsure on the details, but I do know that when I attempted to file a report, I had to log into my work account with my employee number to access the email) But now I'm like fuck it. I have HAD IT.

A short list of things this bitch has done:

•Rolled her eyes and made a "blah blah blah" hand gesture when a new hire asked a question over the radio on multiple occasions.

•Knew a piece of equipment was charging incorrectly and didn't put a note on it or anything and didn't let me know (it was doing that thing that old phones do where you have to leave it at a VERY specific 45° angle for it to charge correctly) and then waited until I used the machines to snap at me for using it when it's supposed to be charging...when she never communicated that to me at all.

•In general, purposely doesn't communicate and then snaps at employees (or maybe just me specifically) for messing up something she was working on...without ever communicating that.

•Refuses to answer employees' calls for backup over the radio when she is clearly not busy.

•Will nitpick and belittle employees for extremely minor mistakes in front of other employees and customers. (Almost everyone on the crew is a new hire within the past few months + management doesn't train them)

•Also talks to customers in the same condescending tone as she talks to us employees in. (Like if a customer accidentally uses the wrong word for a product, she'll give them a condescending ass grammar lesson. This is not a real example, but if a customer wanted wood stain, but forgot the correct word for it and just asked for "wood paint" or "wood color" and one could reasonably piece together what they wanted, instead of just showing the customer the fucking wood stain, she would say something along the lines of "well we don't carry wood paint, we have acrylic paint and wood stain" and the customer would be like "oh yes, wood stain. That's what I meant" and she would say "well why didn't you just SAY that?")

And last of what I could think of + the thing that pushed me over the edge enough to seriously consider reporting her to HR, I don't even care if my name is attached anymore:

•Yelled at me for...using the wrong clear tape? There was no scotch tape in my department, only packing tape and I quickly needed to tape a product and used the packing tape instead. She yelled at me about it when 1. I'm too busy being the only employee running this department to look for scotch tape and 2. The spare scotch tape is kept in a cabinet in the office that only keholder management can access. Guess what she is?

Posted by admin Rodney.

[starlightkun]

2024 tumblr wrapped

i was (sort of) tagged by @suhnandmoon (ilysm sunny you're literally so sweet im so honored that pur autre vie and the strawbsunday anthology were some of your favorite fics of 2024). i wrote so many fics that i'm really proud of, tried out new genres, and just had so, so much fun writing in 2024 (so much so that i wrote like 150k more than i did in 2023...)

2024 fic stats

number of works posted: 25 ! (i counted sequels that had different titles to the original fic as separate and multi-parts that were just part 1, 2, etc. as one work) fics in progress: 2 (oh my god who am i?? i only have two official wips wth) total words written: 392.3k in 2024 (that's actually so crazy omfg... i think i need to go outside actually)

top 5 fics (by notes)

1. that hot (sungchan x reader, meet-ugly/forced proximity trope) 2. tongue-tied (model!jeno x journalist!reader, revised sleepless cinderella route for a former member that was deleted) 3. filler episodes (punk drummer!sungchan x normie!reader, band au, the beginning of the venue:hell au) 4. out of left field (baseball player!jisung x rich kid!reader, brother's best friend au/college au, holiday themed) (yall omg that was posted a week before the end of the year?) 5. tourist trapped (sungchan x reader, getting stuck on a ferris wheel, secret relationship)

fun fact, half of my top ten most popular fics in 2024 were sungchan fics

most recent fic

out of left field (baseball player!jisung x rich kid!reader, brother's best friend au/college au, holiday themed)

longest fic

frankenstein complex BY FAR at almost 68k words lmao

favorite fic i wrote

god this is SO HARD, i played around in so many new genres and with a lot of different dynamics and just put out SO MANY fics i adore... if i had to pick ONE, it really has to be frankenstein complex. even tho it didn't get nearly the notes that my other fics do, i did it for the arts not the charts and the people who did read it left THE MOST AMAZING FEEDBACK EVER AND WERE SO INTERACTIVE AND INVESTED it rlly has been... dare i say... a cult classic. sci-fi is my favorite genre to read in my own free time and it was so much fun to finally take a crack at writing it this year (twice)

goal for 2025

keep having fun!!! like i felt absolutely zero pressure or stress while writing this year, it truly was my favorite hobby, and i really want to keep that groove in 2025. ngl, i wouldn't mind my word count going down IF it means that i'm like going out doing things and hanging out with friends and stuff 😅 like this year was incredible from a creative standpoint, but also between work and this, i spent a lot of time inside on a computer...

fave fics books i read this year

sooo i don't really read fic anymore blasphemous i know, but i will rec my favorite books that i read this year:

the complete robot - isaac asimov

this isn't actually all of asimov's robot short stories, but it's most of them. some of his lore was direct inspiration for frankenstein complex. i like this particular compilation not only bc it has all of my favorite short stories, but i think the introduction at the beginning is worth reading as well. asimov discusses the difference between Robot-as-Menace and Robot-as-Pathos stories and i think abt it all the time. my favorite short stories in here are robbie(!!), light verse(!), true love, satisfaction guaranteed(!), feminine intuition, reason, and the bicentennial man(!)

mouthful of birds - samanta schweblin (translated by megan mcdowell)

this is another short story compilation with several focusing on women and various, insidious ways that they're oppressed under the patriarchy (also, the author is argentine, and the characters/setting are clearly meant to be in south america as well), but it's all shown and represented through a surrealist, borderline horror lens at some points. like, don't read this one if you're looking for a light, easy read. there's some body horror and odd, dark imagery, but it's also so, so good. my favorites are mouthful of birds(!!), headlights, the merman(!!), heads against concrete, a great effort, the heavy suitcase of benavides(!)

being mortal - atul gawande

this is a nonfiction book about how we approach mortality, dying, end of life care, and death in the west. the author is a doctor and provides a lot of great insight both professionally and personally. despite the topic, i found it actually be a very optimistic and inspiring read if you can handle open and honest conversation and depictions of grief and mourning

don't really have anyone to tag and it's also super late to be doing this! but if anyone sees this and wants to do it go for it and tag me, i'd love to see it and also make new writer moots <33

[lady-astras]

Healed Promises - Pt 1

! By Xizara i mean Evil Xisuma, that’s the name I have him !

! These phone numbers are purely randomly typed into the keyboard, please do not try calling them !

Xisuma prided himself on the fact that he kept his promises. He was a man of honor - whatever he told someone he’d do (or implied that he’d do it), he would do it. No one would be let down under his watch, least of all his hermits. 

He didn’t see Wels all that often, but he liked to think of their pride as a bonding connection.

Maybe there was a reason for that. Maybe it was the guilt that consumed his soul every single day since he was eighteen. The guilt that ate away at him, constantly reminding him of a fateful portal he’d opened.

He’d let them down by leaving.

He always kept promises after that though. Ones he could keep, ones that were iffy. He always kept them. A promise was like a little trinket, something small that meant something big to someone else. They’d entrusted him to keep it and so he honored that wish.

Which was why he was initially so hesitant to send a reply letter back. By no means was it a huge commitment. But… did he really want to see him again?

Xizara had never, ever done anything wrong. He had always been the one to wrap Xia in blankets and whisper soothing words to her, all while he himself was the one who invoked arguments with his parents as a last-ditch effort to try to help. Maybe if he’d been more emotionally available for his siblings they wouldn’t resent him so much. Xizara had probably asked to meet him just to tell him off after gathering the courage to see him after fifteen years.

He picked up the letter to read it again, parchment clearly ripped out of an empty notebook, the paper softened from the times he’d crumpled it up and instantly regretted it.

Xisuma -

I write to you after a while to tentatively ask to meet. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, and as everyone knows, twins always stick together.

Void if only they could have stuck together, like False and her twin did. 

I know you’re busy - you always are, precious Admin child.

Was he being made fun of? Was that some form of anger being expressed in the note of always being overlooked?

So if you could please write back that would be great. We can arrange a time or something?

My new comm number is 682-720-8165 if you want to save it. If you’re mad at me just say that.

Inanis’ blessings,

Xizara Void

Dammit this was difficult. Was he annoyed or not? Surely if he was annoyed the letter would be worded differently? But he could be trying to hide it.

He pulled out a piece of paper and a fancy pen from his stationery drawer.

Hey Xizara,

Yeah I’d be down to meet! I’m pretty busy lately but as the admin of the server I’m sure I can delegate or something, haha.

Do you want me to come back home or do you want to visit me here? I can make accommodations for the air and stuff, but it’d be helpful if you still have the helmet or mask I gave you.

I don’t have much of a preference but I get the feeling I’m not really welcomed at home anymore…

You can contact me as well if you like by personal comm at 451-269-0157. If that’s the wrong number just let me know, I get my work and personal numbers mixed up sometimes.

Regards,

Xisuma Void, Ad.M

He sighed, setting down the pen. The promise was inked and he was now obligated to send it.

If this was a trap waiting for him he’d rather be prepared, but if it wasn’t he didn’t want to estrange his siblings even more.

To the interdimensional post office.

[shellbells-things]

So, I was chatting with some friends and we were discussing how, lately, the ASKS on Tumblr have been plagued with a bunch of “people” coming into our space, trying desperately to convince us that Jikook are basically estranged. It’s crazy how all over the place these ASKS are!

For example: “They have always hated each other and now they don’t have to hang out anymore. They are brothers and work friends only. They used to be a thing, but they aren’t anymore. They are cover for a real relationship. The company forces them to mention each other on social media. And my personal favorite….They’ve only seen each other a couple of times this year, they just aren’t close”.

What?! Are they stupid or something? Do they honestly think that the ONLY time Jikook (or any of the members actually) see each other is when they talk about it or post about it on social media? The rest of the time, nothing? Oh Lordy, I need something pretty to calm my nerves.

Phew! Thats better! Do these people really live in such an isolated world that they believe that the litmus test for a relationship is the number of posts on Instagram? Because that’s the standard they are holding Jikook to. Heck, I checked my own personal social media pages and saw that I’ve posted things about the people I actually LIVE WITH or that I see every single day…only a handful of times this year. So clearly, social media posts aren’t necessary for maintaining (or proving) a relationship.

We all know why that specific group of people are here. They NEED to try and disprove Jikook because if Jikook exists as a couple, then their fantasy is just that, a fantasy. And listen, they KNOW. They see it. Images of Jikook, in all of their Jikook glory, are burned on their retinas. They wouldn’t take Jikook moments and alter them (badly…oh so badly) by replacing Jimin’s face with, well, someone else’s, if they didn’t see the moments as romantic. Oh the second-hand embarrassment I get when I see those edits. Yeeeeshhh.

As for the so called “insecure Jikooker”, I can see how it happens. Listen, we used to basically LIVE with BTS. We saw them during practice, at concerts, eating together, backstage, on RUN BTS, Bon Voyage, Bangtan Bombs, In the Soop (1&2), during special content, at music shows and awards shows, photoshoots, commercials. They were much more active on social media, posting selfies on Twitter, talking in Fan Cafes, doing vLives regularly. I mean dang! It was constant. During all of that, from day ONE, we saw Jikook together. Sometimes they were quiet, sometimes they were loud. Regardless, they were always together (Satellite Jeon saw to that). Now, during solo era, we rarely see any of them together. And there is no “natural reason” for Jikook to be joined at the hip in the public eye. Before, they had reason, they had “cover” so to speak. But now? Suddenly, they share very very little about themselves. It’s quite the adjustment for fans to make and I can see how it leads to “discomfort”.

So now, I’m finally to my point! Jikook has been close for 10+ years, closer than close. They’ve risked a LOT to be together, worked through tough and scary times together. After all of the risk, hard work, and commitment, do we really, really think that different schedules would cause them to throw in the towel? Do we really think that having different work priorities would make them suddenly fall out? Really? I call BS on that. Out here in Normalville, people in relationships manage to go to different jobs daily, have sets of friends that do not crossover, even go on work or pleasure trips without each other, and still maintain a healthy, happy relationship. Couples in Normalville don’t have to post about each other regularly on social media, nor must they FaceTime all of their family, friends, and coworkers just to give them an update or their relationship status. Yet, this is the standard people are holding Jikook to. If they don’t prove themselves, they aren’t real? Wow. Harsh.

I saw this tweet and I thought it went well with my Ted Talk today. All you have to do is look at them and you know they have something special. And just because we can no longer see them as often, it doesn’t change the fact that their special relationship still exists. Just look at them. LOOK AT THEM. I feel confident, based on what we HAVE seen during this solo era, that Jikook are the same as ever. They are just having to travel down a new path together. And an actual BONUS for them, I think, is that they are getting to have a lot more privacy than they have had in the past. Anybody who says different has their own agenda and I, for one, don’t plan to give them any of my attention.