#so you can consume a really broad range of content

[sickvictorianangel]

☽ Dangerous Elysium ☾

A fanfic about Dutch Van Der Linde, Arthur Morgan and John Marston's relationship with fem! reader.

Summary: Your whole life changes after a traumatic night. Lost and alone, you find yourself being saved by three outlaws. As you try to adapt to this new life full of danger and drama, you start to develop feelings for Dutch, Arthur and John.

Masterlist

Author’s Notes:

So, ya girl finally decided to post the 1st chapter of the story! Guys, I really hope you like it, and if you don't just keep scrolling and don't be rude 🥺 Any constructive criticism is good and please, if you like and reblog I will really appreciate it! ♡

TW: 18+ content, eventual smut, slow burn, maybe gore, mentions of death. Minors DNI!

The story is narrated through the reader's pov. The () are the reader's thoughts.

Tag List: @photo1030 @roamingtigress @margofiore

*I will tag anyone that wants to be alerted anytime I release a chapter from this story.

♡ Dividers by Saradika ♡

♡ Dividers (DNI) by CafeKitsune ♡

Prologue:

It was late at night, darkness had consumed everything around me. The only thing I could see was a sky full of stars, shining bright like diamonds. My face was wet from all the tears I’ve cried, the gunpowder smell still lingered on my nose. My hair was disheveled, I was a picture of pity and misery. My nightgown was the only thing shielding me from the cold air around me. I lost everything that night. My house, my belongings, all my most prized possessions. And most importantly, him... 

It was a normal day, I was working in the house while my husband was taking care of the farm animals. When the sky was a mix of orange and gray,we both retired for the night. That’s when a group of men knocked on my door. The night was silent, the only noise was the crickets and wind that swayed the trees. The knock sounded rushed, impatient. When my beautiful Henry opened the door, the last thing he saw was the bullet coming out of the cold pistol. I remember seeing him on the ground, his empty eyes staring at nothing, lifeless. No trace of the man I once loved so dearly. 

The filthy bastards invaded my home and completely destroyed me and everything I once loved. 

I still remember their cold eyes staring at the depth of my soul, the only thing I could see was pure evil, no regrets, no fear… I knew that would be my demise, and to be fair, death wouldn’t be so bad right now, the chance to be with my love again, to see my parents once more and to finally be at peace. 

That’s when shots rang from everywhere. 

Three men, on top of their horses were shouting and shooting at the bastards. Their green scarves, now stained with red. Bullets flying everywhere, a picture of chaos. I could swear those were the three knights of the apocalypse, ready to take the lives of those who stood on their way. My head went blank, as the tall and broad man, with a black hat stared at me. I saw his mouth moving but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. Suddenly, my feet began to move, I didn’t have control over my body. I stared at Henry for the last time and ran, as far as I could. 

Now, I am here, alone and lost. With nowhere to go. To be fair, I know I can’t survive the night. For all I know, I can be the next meal to a hungry animal or the victim to a man’s greed. I would prefer being the dinner to a hungry puma than to suffer the latter. What I can’t understand is why the three outlaws allowed me to escape… For all I know, they could’ve killed me there or done even worse. 

And talking about them… 

The silence of the night was cut by the sounds of horse hooves, rushed, like they were on a mission. It was getting closer and closer and again, I couldn’t move. Apparently my flight or fight instinct doesn’t work. As my body shuts down, I hear their voices. The man on the white horse looked imposing. His presence alone made me understand that he was the leader. I couldn’t make out much about how he looked because everything was pitch black. Only thing I could see was the gold details on his outfit shining under the starlight. As I stared blankly at him, looking like a hopeless deer, ready to be shot, he got down his horse and approached me. 

Dutch: “Ma’am, it’s okay. We are not gonna hurt you. We followed you after we dealt with the damn O’Driscolls. They are savages and I am so sorry they did such brutality to you and your…”  He said with concern on his face. 

Y/N: “Husband…” 

(O’Driscolls… What is he talking about? The monsters that killed my Henry?)

Dutch: “You see lady…”

Y/N: “ Y/N… Y/N Y/L/N “ 

Dutch: “Mrs. Y/L/N, I’m really sorry you had to go through that. Sadly, you are not the first widow they made. But let me ask you dear, do you have anyone or anywhere to go?”

I don’t understand why he cares at all. I’m just another victim to these damn O’Driscolls, as he said. So why does he want to help me? What could he gain with that? I know I shouldn’t trust someone I don’t know, especially if they are outlaws, but something about the way he talks and presents himself gives me a sense of safety… And if he wanted to kill me, he would’ve done it by now.    

Y/N: “I don’t have anywhere to go and I don’t have anyone. It was me and my husband, and that house and everything inside it was all I had.”  I could feel the tears filling up my eyes again… 

Dutch: “I see…” He took a moment to think, by his expression, it was something of great importance. And then he proceeded with a sudden question that I didn’t know how to answer. "Would you like to join us, Mrs? You see, these two (as he pointed to the two other men, the one with the black hat being the only one I can fully remember. The other, I could only discern the long hair and maybe some dark features) are not the only family I have. We are part of a big group, we even have women and a child. So you have nothing to worry about. We only want to help you.”  

(A big group of men, and I suppose all armed as well…? And what could these women possibly do in a group like that?) 

Thing is, I don’t have a choice. And, again, if they wanted to kill me, they would do so. I literally have nothing else to lose but my own life. 

Y/N: “I would like to join you, Mister…?”

Dutch: “Van Der Linde. Dutch Van Der Linde, honey. And these two are Arthur Morgan and John Marston.” 

The other two men just tipped their hats, not fully giving me their attention. 

Y/N: “If there is no problem, I will accept joining your group… I just don’t want to cause any trouble. That’s all.”

Dutch: “Don’t worry, darling! (He said while opening his arms in a welcoming manner). No way you can be any bother. Now, let me help you, you will ride with me. We can make it to the camp before the sun starts to shine again. And of course, welcome to the family, dear.”   

John: “Welcome, Mrs. I’m sure you will like the others. Maybe not all of them, but at least the women are alright!” 

Arthur: “Shut up, Marston! Don’t go scaring the lady before she even gets to know everyone!”  

Dutch: “Okay, you two. Enough! Let’s go, we shouldn’t be mingling at these hours in the middle of nowhere. I wouldn’t be surprised if more of the damn bastards showed up. Now, Mrs, are you ready?”

As I nodded, Dutch lifted me effortlessly and put me on top of his horse. We rode through the night, peacefully. He kept his horse on a slow gallop, afraid I would fall. I could feel the cold wind on my face, drying my tears as they fell freely on my face. I knew nothing would be the same again. The life I’ve lived was long gone and I would never be the same woman. I held tightly to his waist, and as I was starting to fall asleep, I heard someone shouting. From the distance, I could see the sparkle of lights and some people talking, others singing…

“Who’s there?!” (A male voice shouted from afar)

Arthur: “It is us, Charles!” 

Charles: “Oh, welcome back! Eventful evening?” He said as he nodded his head in my direction.

Dutch: “Oh, you have no idea, friend! Damn O’Driscolls boys made poor  Mrs. Y/N a widow.” 

I couldn’t do anything but stare at Charles. He was a tall man, and looked like a nice feller. I could definitely see a glimpse of pity in his eyes as he stared directly at mine. 

Charles: “I’m sorry, Mrs. They are a nasty bunch…” 

John: “Yeah… But she is with us now, I’m sure we can keep her safe. At least we will try.” 

(Why did he say that with a smile on his face…?)

Arthur: “Marston, don’t ya think before ya talk?!”

Y/N: “Hey, it is okay. I know he is probably joking. I’m just not in a very funny mood right now… I’m sorry.” 

As I said that, trying to hold a weak smile, Mr. Van Der Linde finally spoke. 

Dutch: “None of us would be, darling. After something traumatic like that, we don’t expect you to. Now, let me introduce you to Ms. Grimshaw. I know you are in a dire need of some rest, so I will trust you in her capable hands. We can talk tomorrow about how you can contribute to the gang. She is always needing some help around.”

(Miss Grimshaw was an older and also imposing woman. She was dressed in nice clothes, hair styled perfectly and classy. A woman I wouldn’t dare to mess with. But, did he say…) 

Gang… So now I am part of a gang of outlaws.

( I mean, better than dying alone or being used by some sick bastard. Right now, the only thing I need is to try and get some sleep. Tomorrow is a new day, and I’m curious as to what will hold.) 

♡ …I hope everything will be okay. ♡

[egregiousderp]

what does wee lees yes mean? I've always wondered

Hey, anon!

Wee Lees Yes is up in my bio as my safe/encouragement tag. It started out after I joined a Rock Lee Discord and found out it was…mostly teenagers. XD

After a bit of fluster and asking them if it was still okay for me to be there, we became friends.

Broad ranges of age groups aren’t that uncommon among my friends. My oldest friend is Ninety and I’ve known her since I was about eighteen. My youngest friends are about sixteen. Plenty of people my age have children, and some of them are teens by now, and it just…kind of happens when you mostly hang in niche groups by interest, or do stuff as groups in places where your families are. The kids join in or the parents join in pretty organically if you tabletop game or do board games. (I’ve got like. Two seventy year olds I follow on tumblr and their fandom posts or crafting posts are always *Really Interesting*. Different generations consume content and produce content in different ways but that’s…digressing.)

Since I used to have a cluster of minors following me, I started making a tag specifically for them full of Safe Things.

Usually these involved animals (like capybaras—usually chilling in the presence of other animals. Which seems to be…my designated symbol on the part of the Wee Lees.) or useful life posts of things I wish I’d had when I was a teen or…dad jokes. (Because I’m “Dad”. Which is…another long story.)

The three remaining Wee Lees, Frange, Alu, and Nino are all in their twenties now, but I still have all the infrastructure for encouraging posts or…posts that would be safe for a minor to follow if they stumbled on my blog and wanted a hand-tailored tag that’s safe for them.

It’s…basically rooted in the same reason my unsafe tag is “Wee Lees No” and not one of the more common unsafe tags.

Tumblr over the years has had a habit of deleting or restricting certain tags, so I wanted to be sure a less safe tag would still be searchable but also very clearly marked so people could avoid OR seek it out. (Tagging things as NSFW for a while meant they didn’t show up at all.)

I also trigger tag things by request so sometimes you see a whole tag for something like “Not Safe For Cams” in addition to “tw: arachnophobia” because the viability of the more commonly used tags fluctuates depending on current censorship on the site.

Redundancy tends to keep people safe when you don’t know if you can trust something common, but unusual tagging also gives people the option to consume content without necessarily following me as long as they understand my intentions and want what the tag has to offer.

It also means people don’t have to reveal their ages or personal info for me if they’re just trying to take or consume what they want. Because…I’m from that kind of generation of internet safety, and I’m really not that reliable at bio-checking anyway.

[plasteredwalls]

I think indie has an edge because they have more control over the content they make. Sure indie has to appeal to the YouTube algorithm or build up alternative funding but studios have to appeal to mass audiences, rich guys, merchandisability, international potential and how to cut costs as much as possible while throwing all their money at one big person....so rich guys.

Indie wants to work hard into making a good animation and studio wants to work easy to make profit. Which is really ironic because Studios can take box office punches and still survive off of mediocre products whereas for indie there's usually 0 monetary incentive until there is and the money tells them to make what they were making anyway - good stuff.

Also it's like a meme that "Oh my god we have to apologise to story mode now" but like story mode also didn't have the same impact because of this edge. Technically speaking Telltale is indie but also they built their portfolio based on licensing IPs so...yeah. The story in story mode wasn't bad it was just okay. Because they had to compete with the likes of Stampy, DanTDM and Aphmau for story telling. If anything it's quite smart to include these influential people into the game to tap into their audience and garner their trust.

12 year old me flipped my shit when that murder mystery episode came out. But my inner child who first learnt about the rumours back in 2014, marked the perceived release date of May 2016 on my calender and has been waiting for this isn't flipping his shit. A pretty obvious Pink Sheep reference flew right over my head because of how uncanny the sheep looked. If you told 10 year old me that there'd be a pink sheep ref I would have flipped my shit but now it's happened it hasn't touched the inner child at all.

It's as palatable and generic as it gets plot wise. I hate "modern family meets fantasy and gets fixed" so much its so common and so boring and that man charecter gives me bad vibes why do I feel like he's gonna do so much inexcusable shit that gets excused in the end. But indie animators wouldn't care about being generic or palatable.

Element animation made a WHOLE PARADOY ANIMATION about the niche topic of players using viligars houses for easy wood and it was a amazing. "Your door was locked" is on my playlist and every time it plays I get very judgemental and weirded out looks from everyone around me. Because minecraft, while touching a broad range of sub communities, is not palatable. It is a bit weird, we made it weird and we adore all its little quirks. Its something that makes sense to us and we cant make it make sense to others. Minecraft content does not reach the majority consumer and that's great but that's not what Studios want. They've tried to make it touch everyone but instead they've discredited, undermined and turned off the loyal fanbase while the movie STILL LOOKS REALLY WEIRD TO THE AVERAGE MOVIE GOER.

A minecraft fan can at least appreciate the stylistic choice moderately but regular people would assume its bad cgi and wouldn't bother. I feel like the critics are going to absolutely dome this movie and fans are gonna say "Well this movie isn't for you, you don't get it and yeah you're kinda right it sucks BUT NOT FOR THE REASON YOU THINK".

Anyways, go watch Story Mode animated when it releases because that is a cool project made by members of the community for free and its gonna be awesome. Give your money to indie minecraft animation and storytellers instead.

I know everyone and their dog are talking about the Minecraft Movie trailer and all possible opinions on it have already been stated but I have a new take

This all ties back with the Studios vs Indie war that's been brewing. Because you may not think of it that way, but the buckets and buckets of minecraft animation strewn across YouTube are indie animation projects. Of course the movie was going to have to compete and get compared to Story Mode, but it was also going to get compared to Captian Sparklez, Rainimator, Squared Media, Villager News, Animation vs Minecraft, and so much more. All of these count as indie animation, though usually they're left out of the discussion.

Despite having infinitely more resources, people, and funding, studios keep fumbling again and again and again. They keep losing to tiny teams of ametures making videos on YouTube and the Minecraft Movie makes it so much more obvious.

Death to the studios, long live indie animation

[voiceofentrepreneurlife]

Sony Pictures CEO Ravi Ahuja

At a time when streaming wars and technological disruptions are transforming the entertainment industry, Ravi Ahuja, who currently serves as the Chairman of Global Television Studios and President & Chief Operating Officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment, emphasizes the importance of flawless execution alongside creative excellence.

As he prepares to step into the role of President and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2025, Ahuja’s journey from growing up in Cleveland to becoming a Hollywood executive showcases the value of continuous learning, strategic insight, and adaptability in navigating the evolving entertainment landscape.

Hollywood Connection

Born in Tennessee and raised in Cleveland, Ahuja’s rise to Hollywood’s elite is marked by strategic career decisions. With both undergraduate and MBA degrees from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, his academic background set the stage for his success in the entertainment sector. Despite his notable achievements, Ahuja maintains a sense of humor about his distant connection to his Indian heritage, joking, “I can’t speak the language. But I do know the bad words.”

Ahuja’s career path reflects his ability to build upon his accumulated knowledge and expertise. Before joining Sony in March 2021, he held prominent roles at Walt Disney Television and Fox Networks Group. At Disney, he was pivotal in the integration of Disney/ABC Television and Fox Networks following Disney’s acquisition of Fox in early 2019. His 12-year tenure at Fox saw him leading investments in emerging technologies and platforms, such as Hulu, Roku, and Draft Kings.

At Sony, Ahuja oversees all production operations for Sony Pictures Television (SPT), managing a broad portfolio that spans US and international productions, non-fiction content, children’s programming, and game shows. Under his leadership, Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has delivered a wide range of critically acclaimed television series worldwide, such as The Crown, The Boys, Gen V, Cobra Kai, Better Call Saul, The Last of Us, Shark Tank, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, 90 Day Fiancé, Octonauts, SuperKitties, and more. In 2023, the studio achieved a record-breaking 54 Emmy nominations, including three in the Best Drama category.

What Sets Him Apart

Ahuja’s strategy at Sony distinguishes him from many competitors in the media landscape. While other media conglomerates are heavily investing in direct-to-consumer streaming platforms, Sony has carved out a niche as a content creator for various services. During an interview at TheGrill 2023 Spotlight, he stated, “Our entire focus is on film and television production.” This approach allows Sony to remain agile in a rapidly evolving market, though it does come with its challenges. “The biggest hurdle to our strategy right now is the pullback in streaming,” Ahuja admits.

Despite these obstacles, Ahuja maintains a positive outlook on the future of the entertainment industry. He perceives the current upheaval as part of a broader transition: “I believe that in 2040, we’ll look back at this period and say, ‘Wow, that was really simple. Television just transitioned from one form of delivery to another.’”Read More-https://voiceofentrepreneur.life/

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Navigating Social Media Marketing: Tips for Effective Campaigns

In today’s digital landscape, mastering digital marketing skills is necessary to stay competitive because brands and companies need to have it all. Social media is a constantly changing and really important tool for both experienced marketing specialists and newcomers. You should do your best to get to know all the details of social media, and only then will you succeed in marketing. And now let us see a few tips on how to deal with social media campaigns.

Know Your Audience

Prior to launching any social media campaign, it is important to conduct some research to understand the audience. Who are they? What is it that they are hoping to achieve, what difficulties do they have, and what are their preferences? It is vital to do the research with regard to your target audience so that you can get ready to deliver the content and messaging that fit your consumers.

Choose the Right Platforms

Social networks are not a group of websites but rather a set of a large number of platforms. On the other hand, the way we are going to use the platform will be defined by our target audience. On the other hand, it may provide different functions. Here’s a quick overview:On the other hand, it may provide different functions. 

Facebook: It is fit for business-building purposes, the space for interaction with a broad range of people from your current and prospective clients, and the platform for promotional campaigns with a single key message.

Instagram: It will give you control over your visual content, especially when you need to reach young people.

LinkedIn: The forum will feature B2B marketing, networking, and thought leadership—just what you need.

Twitter: Hot news, customer service, and brief messages—that's good.

Consistent Branding

Synchronize your brand on all media platforms. Apply the following again: the exact same avatar, background image, and brand palette, respectively. The fact that consistency is one of the most reliable elements in creating a link between your audience and a brand is beyond doubt.

Engage Authentically

Social media is a dialogue rather than an announcement. Get related to your followers truly. Do not forget to respond to comments, messages, and mentions in due time. Demonstrate appreciation, recognize challenges, and build a safe space.

Conclusion: 

In conclusion, it is clear that well-thought-out social media marketing requires a planned approach. Know your audience, adopt the right platforms, ensure that the branding is consistent, develop useful content, and connect with the audience authentically. Now, it’s time for action! Need personalized social media solutions? Reach out to our experts today! .

Remember, social media success isn’t about the number of followers—it’s about meaningful connections and measurable results. Happy marketing!

[anatomyonecbdgummiessideeffects]

Anatomy One CBD Gummies Reviews- Shocking Update Don't Buy Before Read

Anatomy One CBD Gummies Reviews - Having a healthier life and highlighting the virtues of CBD is the priority of the Anatomy One CBD Gummies. With organic and 100% natural ingredients, straight from Colorado in the United States, it offers a wide range of products to meet the different needs of consumers: getting a good night's sleep, having less pain (osteoarthritis, arthritis, migraines, body aches…), be more relaxed or just for fun. Our experts' radars reacted immediately: did you say well-being, relaxation? 

Do you want Anatomy One CBD Gummies products? As we understand you, we are used to testing many products and what a relief to find the one that will relieve your pain or help you sleep better. So let yourself be tempted, because the best is still to try for yourself, and form your own opinion. Moreover, we are going to give you a little boost by offering you Anatomy One CBD Gummies , to take advantage of a 15% discount on the entire site (code PLANPOSEY).

The Anatomy One CBD Gummies specializes in the extraction of CBD and the sale of cannabis products. The founders are passionate about hemp and, above all, about its many properties, which are now widely recognized . It is a multi-faceted plant that acts on our organism in a natural and healthy way. This is what pleased the creators of the brand who saw it as a way to bring you maximum well-being, both in terms of your body and your mind.

👍Anatomy One CBD Gummies Reviews: What Are The Products Really Worth? We tried !

The Anatomy One CBD Gummies brand offers a wide range of products, all of excellent quality. You will find :

many 100% organic flowers, individually or in a discovery pack;

oils with different CBD contents;

resins/hashes and pollens;

powerful extracts (crumbles, isolates, crystals), thanks to their high concentration of CBD;

herbal teas and other foods: hemp oil, sweets;

caps 

oils for your little hairballs with 2.5% and 5% CBD;

cosmetics: care creams, massage oils, milks, etc.;

and vaporizers, which can be great gift ideas 

CBD can serve another human need that many people crave. "Just calm down" and let go of the stress, a perfectly understandable wish in increasingly hectic times. This increases blood pressure and heart rate because the organism is running at full speed, so to speak. At this point, the human endocannabinoid system is no longer able to control its own stress to a healthy and tolerable level. 

👍Anatomy One CBD Gummies Reviews

Revive CBD Gummies offers a wide range of oils, pure and broad spectrum (THC-free), with a CBD content ranging from 5% to 30%, to meet different needs.

👍Anatomy One CBD Gummies Reviews : What Do Existing Customers Say?

Customer reviews are very positive. The quality of the products is unanimous among consumers. The delivery, fast, discreet and reliable, is also a very appreciated point.

👉Our final opinion on Anatomy One CBD Gummies

Our experts recommend Regen CBD Gummies. There is a choice and the products are really of high quality and effective. Nothing to say about the customer service, responsive, and the delivery, fast. 

On the other hand, we would like the analysis carried out in the laboratories to be visible on the site, for more transparency.

[baileyleonardblog]

Considering Wine Regions Advice

As soon as the vacations are approaching, carry your red wine cupboard with numerous wine for entertaining visitors. Look at the write-up beneath for several excellent red wine information that you can use now and all through the year. Know your path about your vino retailer. Not every store is the same. Every single retailer has distinct costs, options and focus. When first moving to the vino-tasting world, finding a shop that sells only the costliest companies isn't a great idea. Select the retail outlet that meets in with what you need. Anytime you buy wine, your personal style should be the most significant element. What you love to beverage is a lot more crucial than land of origin or color. Even when you like low-cost wines, stay with it. The idea is to accomplish why is you content, not what another person affirms is best. If you frequently get headaches soon after consuming wines, consider enjoying smaller portions. Red wine contains sulfites, which happens to be an component which can cause headaches in people. It is recommended to ingest relatively. There is no need to be scared of the sulfite warnings about the bottle. Realize that every wine contains some sulfite even so, in the usa, it really is a regulation for suppliers to such as a sulfite caution. Some individuals are sensitive to sulfites, but most individuals will have no effect in any way. Tend not to use reddish colored vino within a filter cup and bright white inside a vast glass. The white wine glass was created to retain the fluid cool, and thus is narrower. Use larger sized cups for red wines. The bigger opening enables much more air into experience of the wine, warming it and awakening the flavors. Intend on visiting the area where by your best red wine is cultivated. The easiest way to understand about the grapes on their own is to visit where by they're grown. This could boost your understanding and terminology to describe aromas and flavours to other people. Vino locations are stunning and you could have a lot of fun, also. Try to get a big range of wines with your strategy. This really is ideal, because you may not want just one single sort of wine on hand. Experiment with a broad array of wine for example white, red-colored, glowing and treat wine in order to be a terrific number. It is important to understand how to peel a wine jar tag away. A simple way to make sure you can eliminate the entire tag without the need of ripping it can be to heat it in the stove until finally you can actually peel off the tag. The biggest difference between red and white-colored wines are the grapes which can be utilized. Powerful bodied purple grapes make reddish vino. White wine beverages even so, use grapes of a natural coloration which are significantly crisper. wine regions Evidently, the dissimilarities do not quit there, though this is the most basic variation. There are various considerations when purchasing and keeping wine. Whenever you don't know what you're doing, you might wind up in mayhem. These suggestions will allow you to along with your friends appreciate a lot of fine containers of wine well to the potential.

[learnwithabi]

DIGITAL MARKETING

Digital marketing, also called online marketing, is the promotion of brands to connect with potential customers using the internet and other forms of digital communication. This includes not only email, social media, and web-based advertising, but also text and multimedia messages as a marketing channel.

TYPES OF DIGITAL MARKETING   

1. Content marketing

Content marketing involves creating and distributing content—text, pictures, multimedia— that adds value for your audience, instead of just broadcasting an advertising message. If you’re in B2C (business to consumer), ‘content’ can mean social media posts, blog articles and fun videos; if you’re in B2B (business to business), it might be more white papers or reports, webinars and educational videos.

2. Search engine marketing

Search engine marketing is all about getting your website to appear at the top of the results when someone searches for your brand, your products and services and other relevant words and phrases. Think Google (let’s face it, that’s the main one) but also Bing (often installed on business computers, so good for B2B!). It includes both organic or natural search (search engine optimization, or SEO) and paid search (pay per click, or PPC) and both desktop computers and mobiles (as well as smart home assistants these days—see number 10—audio marketing).

3. Display advertising

Display advertising, also known as banners, is a lot like the traditional print ads you’d get in magazines, except that they are online, and you can target specific publications that you know your audience reads. It has become much more sophisticated now with programmatic advertising (where ads are booked, analyzed and optimized automatically using algorithms) and retargeting (like when you look at a pair of shoes on your favorite department store website and then those shoes follow you onto every website you visit for months afterwards).

4. Mobile marketing

Mobile marketing is almost as broad as digital marketing itself and will overlap with a lot of the other types. It involves doing everything you’re doing on desktop but adapting it to mobile, as well as doing mobile-specific things like in-app advertising, sending text messages, and using social messaging apps. It’s especially important if you’re targeting a younger audience who spends all their time on their phones.

5. Social media marketing

Compared to other channels like TV, print and even online display advertising, social media adds a whole new dimension of engagement and interaction. Instead of just broadcasting messages out at a mass audience, you can really interact with your customers and listen to what they have to say. There are all sorts of channels—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Snapchat—and options ranging from organic—for example, Facebook groups, page posts, stories and Messenger—to paid—like Facebook ads. Pretty much every business should be on at least a couple of these social channels.

6. Email marketing

Email may seem old school in a world where everyone is instant messaging or Snapchatting, but email marketing is still one of the most effective digital marketing tools. Especially e-commerce sites and retail brands are seeing a lot of success with pushing seasonal promotions and discounts (think Black Friday deals or Mother’s Day), while you can also use email newsletters to ‘nurture’ your prospects by giving them a lot of value beyond just pushing your products and services. Since digital marketing is a rapidly changing space and it is imperative for companies to stay up to date on new and emerging strategies. There are many ways that companies do this, some of which are the responsibility of digital marketers and some of which is done by other departments.

[jostenneil]

I recently read Balancing Toy and Cross Game because of you and I loved both! They were so good at depicting mundane life and packing emotion in subtle ways. Could you recommend some slice of life manga?

this makes me so happy, omg! 😭 i’m really glad you enjoyed them, i love the slice of life genre so much for how it’s used as a medium. i’m going to recommend some other titles here, but i think yamakawa aiji and mitsuru adachi’s other works are definitely worth checking out as well! 

sangatsu no lion (manga/anime) - this may be one of the more obvious recent choices within the genre, but i think it’s with very good reason! chica umino has the slice of life genre down to a science. the story primarily follows rei, a shogi prodigy who has recently started to live alone due to tensions he felt he was creating within his adoptive family. he’s very lonely and depressed due to what he felt was an invasive experience on his own part, so a lot of the narrative follows him being reached out to by other people and him learning to ask for help rather than keeping all of his struggles to himself. there’s a lot of complex emotions and trauma tied into the narrative, but they’re often depicted against very simple situational backdrops, so it feels like you’re walking through ordinary people’s lives but in a way that’s deeply relatable. i believe the anime is on netflix so that’s very convenient as well, and i think it does a beautiful job of conveying a lot of the imagery that’s so crucial to depicting the ideas contained within the story. i would definitely recommend chica umino’s other primary work, honey and clover, for similar reasons as well, but i recommended that in my shoujo recs post already so i won’t rehash that here

azumanga daioh (anime/manga) - i’m not sure how to describe this series. it follows a group of teenage girls (and a few of their teachers) as they navigate three years of high school. and that would sound like an at least semi-serious endeavor, except it isn’t really on the surface. the series operates as a progression of chronological one shots centered on different gags and nonsensical situations, and it makes for comedy that i think has remained pretty timeless despite the series being nearly two decades old. the anime is great, both the sub and dub are phenomenal, and the manga is written in the form of those comic strips you used to read as a kid on sundays. it’s just super simple, lightheartedly funny, and surprisingly heartfelt when it wants to be due to the relationships you see illustrated between the girls. i would recommend kiyohiko azuma’s other primary work, yostuba&!, for similarly lighthearted and funny material. also, these are some of my favorite scenes from the anime

ojamajo doremi (anime) - this falls more into the shoujo category, esp since the mcs are witches who navigate a witching world, but i think it operates by slice of life parameters because of the way the story is told. ojamajo has received a lot of praise for its timelessness due to the relatability of its multiple scenarios to people of all ages and backgrounds. most simply put, it starts as a show about a girl who accidentally becomes contracted to a witch and so becomes a witch-in-training herself. doremi gets into all sorts of ridiculous messes and has to solve them not just through use of her powers but also just per normal problem solving skills. there’s narratives about friendships, relationships with our family and our teachers, growing up, learning to accept different kinds of people, etc. and similarly to azumanga, tho it initially feels like a purely one shot set-up, the plot and development of the characters builds in a way that’s subtle but also pleasingly noticeable. it’s just super down to earth and kind and funny, and there’s even a movie that came out last year (i believe?) to celebrate the twentieth anniversary, which made its main characters be girls who had grown up watching ojamajo and were now seeking out their own adventures as they grew up. i think that’s really sweet

horimiya (manga/anime) - this is perfect to get into right now bc the anime just started airing! it follows a pair of students, hori and miyamura, who come to find out about each other living “double lives”. hori hides the fact that she goes home everyday to take care of her house and her brother bc her parents are always at work, and miyamura looks like an otaku bc of the way he dresses but is actually just a normal guy with some tattoos and piercings. they coincidentally cross paths one day and are made privy to each other’s “secret” lifestyles, so a friendship and eventually a romantic relationship strikes up between them. the nice thing about the manga is that not a lot of time is spent on getting them into the relationship. you actually see them as a couple for most of it, doing couple-y things, engaging in couple-y conversation, having couple-y squabbles. there’s also a cast of characters outside of these two who deal with their own day-to-day issues and such, so overall it’s a nice casual read about people and how they interact. i wouldn’t say it ever gets angsty (at least not that i’ve read so far) but it’s nonetheless very enjoyable for its straightforwardness and simplicity

bokura ga ita (manga/anime) - i haven’t watched this in a long time so my memories are somewhat hazy, but i think this features one of my favorite explorations of grief in a shoujo manga. it starts with nanami, a high school freshman who hopes to make new friends but is also put-off by the most popular boy in school, yano, bc of his superficial attitude. yano is actually still emotionally recovering from the death of his girlfriend the year prior. she died in a car accident and was with her ex-boyfriend at the time, so yano assumed she was cheating on him, and instead of properly processing the event, he pretends to act like he doesn’t care. he and nanami grow close over the course of the narrative, but there are a lot of levels to yano’s trauma and grief that keep them apart in various ways. it’s very much true to that era of romance manga in the sense of all of the ridiculous drama and love lines, but i think it’s really weighted because so much of that drama stems from real trauma and characters’ issues with depression, etc. if you loved nana or paradise kiss, i think you would enjoy it. also, if memory serves, i believe the anime covers only half of the story, prior to a major time skip 

i didn’t want to feature any repeats, so i’m going to direct you to my shounen recs post for some more stuff i love from the slice of life genre as well. in particular, i think silver spoon and sket dance are great for that (as is oofuri, but it’s also a sports series very detailed with its sports lore, so idk if you’d be interested in that). and while i haven’t read the following personally, these are some trusted recs that i’ve either been meaning to read or got from friends: mushishi, oyasumi punpun, barakamon, nichijou, beck. i hope this all helps! 

[blue-bird-kny]

How You Spend Days Off

I stuck to only the three main peeps, but I’m looking forward to writing for more JJK characters. It was actually really nice to write for them, so I hope you enjoy~Amanda

P.S: Be safe out after dark!

Warning: N/A

( 2.1K+ words)

   ↳{shenanigans you and your S/O get up to on days off}

Yuji:

Days off with Yuji are unpredictable and always either involve something thrilling and very energy consuming or it can be some of the simplest things a person can do- no in between.

Yuji usually is the one who makes plans during your spare time (though he always gets your opinion, of course), he just really values time with you and wants to experience so much together while he can

It was common knowledge that this coming Friday, all the students would have the time off to rest as a reward for all their hard work with the recent influx of curse activity. Yuji wasted no time in planning the perfect day together, from the moment you woke up next to him to when you both fell asleep, he had something ready.                               

“Ah that was delicious Yuji, thank you” you cheered, arms stretched high above your head in an attempt to work away the sleepiness the food had made you feel. “No problem! Only the best for you, princess” Yuji’s smile reached past his shining eyes, thrilled you enjoyed the assortment of plates and bowls filled with your breakfast favorites he’d surprised you with. “Well then, my prince, to what honor do I owe your company today?” you asked leaning against your balled fist and bent elbow on the table, amusement and adoration laced on all your features. “For one day only, yours truly scored us tickets to…! Drum roll please!” Yuji posed dramatically, eyes cast down while crouched and pointing in a funny manner.

You proceeded to bang your fist against the table, laughing lightly, “We’re going to spend all day at Monster Con!” he pulled out two floppy pieces of paper from his back pocket as you gasped, “Oh I’m not finished yet, princess, we’ll also be wearing matching costumes I hand selected” You stood quickly, clapping at his theatrical performance as he bowed, repeating, “Thank you, thank you”. You made your way to infront of the boy, your arms wrapping around his broad shoulders while he enveloped your waist tightly, pressing you against him. “Not going dressed as your pesky alter ego, huh?” you joked staring up at the taller kid, earning you a slight pout, “No, he’s not invited” he grumbled. “Sorry, that joke was in poor taste” you apologized, shifting to run your thumb along his juted bottom lip to smooth out the lines.

“No worries, I know ya didn’t mean anything by it” your hand stayed cupping his cheek, both star-filled eyes trained on each other as you both wore the cheesiest grins. Just as you stood on your tip-toes to close the space between each other, a warm gust of breath blew against the palm holding Yuji still, “I was wondering why you hadn’t spoiled the moment” you sighed, lowering yourself to lean your forehead against Yuji’s chest instead. A small mouth carved into its host cheek frowned, now free to speak without your hand suffocating it, “I can handle the women’s teasing, however what have I done in my many lifetimes to have to suffer through this painful love-sick puppies act” Sukuna complained. “Many things actually” you responded, muffled by Yuji’s shirt that smelled of a citrusy-warm blend you couldn’t get enough of. “Why do you always kill the mood?” Yuji  groaned up towards the ceiling, earning himself a scoff from the demon king. “Oh? You mean like that I wouldn’t let y-” “SHUT UP!” Yuji slammed his hand against his own face to silence the man, his cheeks inflamed.

Now clad in matching costumes, you as frankenstein's wife and Yuji as Frankenstein, from the hair to the clothes to the make-up, you both spent the day without any further hiccups; how Yuji kept Sukuna at bay, you didn’t know, but I didn’t really matter. The stares from passengers on the train to the convention center was obvious to everyone but you two, lost in your own little love-sick world of old-fashion horror movies, delicious food, and pure, unfiltered content.

Megumi:

Megumi is a simple guy who likes simple things; he’s overworked and more exhausted than he even realizes, however he doesn’t acknowledge that...ever. In fact, you could run a mile ‘too quickly’ by his standards and he will have you take a break and drink his bottle of water (though you had your own and he knew that).

On your rare days off together, Megumi would silently stick to you like glue; he wants to do something for you in the creative way Yuji does and definitely wants to spend the time with you, but he can never come up with a complete idea of how to ‘wow’ you.

Except you didn’t need to be wowed, in fact you really were burnt out, so when the day came when you had  nothing to do but be together, you planned a whole day of nothing with a side of Netflix and take-out.

You knocked on the door to Megumi’s dorm that was just a few paces away from your own. It was almost noon and you still wore your pj’s from last night, cookie monster shorts and an old shirt of Megumi’s you took last week, having made no attempt to fix your hair. “Umi~!” you whined, banging on the door a little harder, the plastic bag from the convenience store rustling at your side. “Coming” Megumi opened the door in a similar state; pj’s still on and hair sticking in even weirder directions than normal.

“Mornin” you greeted with the faintest grin, “sorry to wake you” “ I was just getting up” he yawned while he tried to rub the sleep from his eyes. “Sure I can tell by the bed head” you teased, earning a playful eye roll from the boy. You waved the bag of goodies in front of his face, “Let me in, I’ll make it worth your while~” he chuckled, “I doubt it” despite his words he stood to the side, letting you past and closing the door behind you.

His dorm was dark and a little stuffy, clearly Megumi hadn’t had time to do the in depth cleaning the little neat-freak was so fond of. The continents of the bag clacked together and scattered around as you tossed it onto the small table in the corner, making your way over to his comfortable futon that smelled of his signature eucalyptus soaps. You flopped about for a moment, stretching, snuggling into the sheets still warm from Megumi, who was watching the small scene from the door, “C’mon Umi’ I wanna get through at least two episodes of SVU before we inevitably fall asleep wrapped in each others arms” you called dreamily with lidded eyes, already tired again as you buried beneath his sheets and pillows.

Megumi could feel his chest ache and stomach flutter at the image of the one who he cared for so much that it physically hurt laying there in his bed with soft, kind eyes just for him- it was almost too much. “Umi, I will eat all the sour snakes if you don’t come over here, your sheets are getting cold” Megumi was cut off by his own thoughts of admiration by your voice. He chuckled at the cute way your face cringed a bit at the sour-sweet taste of the candy before sliding into bed too, your head laying on his chest as he held you close. A small, genuine grin spread across his lips as the sound of Netflix starting rang from the TV, holding you even tighter, ‘this is perfect’

Nobara

Be ready to put on your best dressed because you and your girlfriend are hitting the town! Of course Nobara would find her way into the city whenever she could, foreign to the endless wonders the busy streets had to offer and luckily for her, you happened to be far more native with the many sights to see.

She’d let you sleep in, holding you tender as she traced her nails across your skin to form intricate patterns until you woke. You both would totally be the couple that wears matching outfits, the same colors and patterns tailored to your personal styles- of course this would also lead to thousands of pictures for Nobara’s instagram.  

You two would laughed, eat delicious foods, and would spend way more than either of you cared to admit nor did you want to because the price of absurd, unfiltered laughter and the feel of just a good time, was one both of you could pay a thousand times (and a new pair of shoes too)

The sun hung lower in the sky than it did when you started this little adventure before noon, having been sold on the idea by Nobara that she “only needed a few things” this morning. Now, exhausted perched on a steel chair outside some cafe you’d never heard of with your sore feet elevated on the other empty one you waited for your girlfriend who was inside somewhere.

“Jeez even my fingers are cramped” you groaned flexing your numb digits; shopping was a grueling vice because no matter how much you’ve already bought, more cute sweaters, tops, and matching accessories called to you by name and the art of saying ‘no’ wasn’t exactly in Ms.Kugisaki’s vocabulary. “Here ya’ go babe” Nobara emerged from the shop with two cups, handing one to you before sipping gingerly from her own. You brought the plastic straw to your lips, sighing in relief as the contents quelled a thirst you didn’t even know had been building up. “I don’t think we did too much damage” your face fell and eyes bulged, flailing your arms out around at the brightly colored parcels that littered the table and surrounding floor, “Nobara there are at least fifteen bags here”

She laughed, her hand falling on top of your thigh, giving a gentle squeeze, “Still no that bad”. She scooched her chair closer to yours, her thumb rubbing nonsense circles into the denim of your jeans, “What next?” she asked leaning into her seat, her brown irises watching yours fondly, “Food? We haven’t eaten since a lot earlier and I could turn into a wolf any second and eat you” you teased, though food sounded better and better the more you thought about it. “Eat me? You promise, baby?” Nobara’s smirk earned herself a not-so-graceful, but light kick from you.

“An impromptu picnic sounds great” Nobara decided, tapping against you in finality. It became a game: You both had 30 minutes to run around the delicious food district to pick out each other's favorites, as many as you liked (which would be more food than two can eat), then you’d reconvene at the same cafe. Nobara offered to pick up a blanket at the convenience store because she ‘knew you so well she wouldn’t need the whole half hour.’ The game was on and time was ticking as you both rushed in opposite directions with several bags and a hunger to please the other.

You scurred around each vendor, selecting different meat dishes and veggies, cakes and watermelon, and even splurged on some fancy sushi from the place she'd wanted to try. Your arms quivered under the weight of the many shopping bags and take-out boxes, but you were determined to get back first. “Just around the corner- Are you kidding me?!” you yelled. In the exact steel seat she sat in earlier, was Nobara with an array of bags around her, boxes and the blanket stacked neatly on the table with dark sunglasses adorning her face and her legs crossed cockily as she spoke smoothly, “Beat ya”

Both of you grossly overestimated the amount of food you could eat in one sitting as practically unopened boxes lay stacked on top one another on the blankets while watermelon rinds and used plates were thrown into a garbage bag. The sun was low, almost at the horizon, painting the sky in pastel oranges and pinks with hints of purple and blue; the spring chill had blown a little heavier now that the sun was setting and it was getting harder to stop the shivers. Nobara laid against the trunk of a tree with you between her legs, holding you as her manicured fingers idly massaged your scalp quietly- you would have fallen asleep at the small gesture had you not been actively keeping your eyes open. “The boys will be grateful for the food, I’d hate wasting it” she yawned to which you only hummed.

“Hey” you turned your head up slightly, only enough to meet her gaze, “today was really fun” she smiled, slithering across your arm to grab your cheeks gently in her fingers, forcing your lips to pucker, “yeah it was.” Your wobbly smile made Nobara feel things, too many things at once, and a lump began to form in her throat, “I love you” you mumbled, Nobara’s breath caught for only a moment, whispering a thick “me too.”

Masterlist 

[snowbird-down]

Prompt 1: Foster

(One fine day, over a year ago now...)

Just when Laelia was certain she was starting to adjust to life in this Solus-damned, bug-filled, backwater haunted forest, she stepped outside her ship one beautiful morning and right into an enormous pile of dung. Whatever had left the All Saints’ treat on her doorstep had likewise dug up her garden and absolutely ransacked the old ceruleum barrel she’d been using as a trash can, apparently consuming nigh the entire contents – including stuff that technically wasn’t edible. The pilot locked into an incredulous stupor, her unlit cigarette tumbling from her lips. The Sylphs had assured her there were no bears in this part of the forest! So what the fuck was this?

She spent the better part of the morning cleaning up (starting with her boots). Most of the garden could thankfully be saved. Whatever had come through wasn’t interested in consuming produce so much as it just seemed like it wanted to dig. In fact, it was while she was stooping to pin her peas back to their trellises that she noticed a trail of paw prints in the soil: one monstrous set sunk deep into the soft tilled earth, orbited by a frenzy of tinier prints.

Wolves! Of course. A mother with her babies, by the look of it. But…

Laelia frowned and looked again. These seemed awful clumsy for wolf prints. Wolves had longer feet and a lighter gait, at least that she’d seen around here. These were broad, stocky, built to hold something large and powerful. These looked more like…

“Canis pugnax?” She blinked, lifting her head in the direction of the Wall. She couldn’t see it from here, of course. That was kind of the point of this whole hiding-in-the-forest thing. But…it was close enough, and Oriens had had one hell of a kennel facility. Pugnaces had been instrumental in helping patrol the endless malms of Baelsar’s Wall.

She wasn’t sure what the state of Castrum Oriens was now that the Alliance occupied it. So far as Laelia knew, the dogs had all been left behind when everyone evacuated. She wouldn’t put it past the bleeding-heart Eorzeans to have put the poor beasts down in the name of mercy, as though they had been tempered. They’d look upon the Pugnaces, having no idea of how to handle them, and see only monsters.

In any case, one had evidently gotten out and gone stray. The moment Laelia’s garden was in order, she went back into the Delphinus, fried up some bacon, and grabbed her hat and gun. It couldn’t hurt to look, at least.

But Laelia’s quarry proved far more cunning than she would have expected. The big bitch’s trail was hardly subtle; her paws left deep prints in the earth, and the forest was a mat of snapped twigs and flattened foliage in her wake. And yet no matter how far Laelia ranged and how much she piled up the bacon, no dog ever appeared. She called out with the commands she’d observed the kennel masters using, to no avail. If anything she probably looked like a half-mad Garlean deserter, screaming at the trees in her native tongue.

…Most of that actually was true, but that was besides the point.

Eventually she hit the part of the forest where the sunlight was unable to reach through the canopy and the plant life was beginning to turn purple, so Laelia decided to give up and go back. Lee was no stranger to Larkscall but if the bitch had wandered up there then she was absolutely the Sylphs’ problem now.

She decided to take a detour on the way back, to grab some wild mushrooms for dinner tonight. Her new flying cabbage friends had been all too happy to show her the ones that didn’t lead to either bodily exorcisms or violent death, and she was quickly growing fond of them as a meat substitute. As it was Laelia knew fuck all about hunting, and she didn’t have much in the way of coin to spend on luxuries like meat. It wasn’t like that was a hard problem to solve – by the sounds of things around the Hawthorn Hut, Gridania had no shortage of work for adventurers, but…Laelia wasn’t really comfortable with the idea of sauntering into a more populated area, with or without her hat.

A piteous cry snapped her from her thoughts. Laelia blinked and pulled her hat off so that she could better see her surroundings. There, it came again: small, distressed, confused. It was hard to focus her third eye in this damn forest with so much moving but she thought she sighted something trundling around down by the water.

Laelia carefully picked her way through the growth down to the river. And there, waddling in tired circles upon the riverbank, was a tiny pugnax puppy. He was small, and skinny – most likely the runt of the litter. And if he was the runt, it was entirely possible he’d been abandoned.

Laelia Belisar felt her heart grow three sizes that day. It also was busy tying itself in knots. She felt the sudden, overwhelming urge to protect this little pup. Pulling the last strip of bacon she had left, Laelia knelt in the grass and softly called out. He bounded over with zero hesitation, gobbled up the offering, and proceeded to climb all over her, wiggling and wagging and brandishing kisses.

“Well aren’t you friendly! What the hell kind of a pugnax are you?” she asked, laughing. “Where’s mom, hm? She leave you here?”

Laelia gathered the puppy into her arms as best she could (by the Emperor, this little bean just would not sit still!) and whistled into the woods. She tried the commands again, to no effect. Sure enough, however, the same set of prints were down by the riverbank when she checked. The mother had certainly been here.

Well, she reasoned, if the big bitch meant to simply leave the puppy here and come back for him later…surely it wouldn’t be difficult to track him a bit further to Laelia’s camp. For now, the pilot didn’t have the heart to leave him.

So the puppy came back with her, and she waited. Laelia dug in to her stores of meat and milk, trying to feed him and fatten him up. But the suns turned into a fortnight, and a fortnight into a sennight; Laelia ran out of both milk and meat and there was still no sign of the mother. In fact, she’d seen neither hide nor hair of any dogs since.

“Well, little guy.” Laelia smirked faintly, stooping to heft up the puppy one day. He’d certainly begun putting weight back on, there was no denying that. “Guess you’re stuck with me now. You could definitely ask for a better foster mom, but…I’m gonna do my best, yeah?”

He licked her face. Laelia chuckled and hugged him.

In truth it was nice to have a piece of home here with her. Hells, it was nice to have companionship period. It was getting lonely living out here like this. All Laelia had ever wanted was peace and quiet while out on deployment, but now…now she missed the Squad. She missed the restaurant. Both of her homes had only ever been chaotic and loud. Now it was just her and a dog and an airship she couldn’t safely fly.

But more importantly…this wasn’t about just her anymore. Laelia could no longer put off buying meat. She’d have to suck it up and start venturing to Gridania -- not for herself, but for the dog.

Solus’ beard, she hated responsibility. 

But then she looked down at that wrinkly little face and her heart melted all over again.

“Well, boy, I think it’s time for us to make a little trip into town, hm?” Laelia returned the puppy to the ground, grabbed her hat, and planted it squarely atop her head. “Figure I’ll blow what I got on as much food as I can get for us both and pick up some work while I’m there. Oh! And I guess we oughta get you a collar too, huh? Make it official and what not.”

She turned at the hatch, grinning as he trundled after her. One day this creature was going to grow into something the size of a Galvsdamned horse, and she wasn’t sure how ready she actually was for that. But for now…she’d enjoy the fun size.

“Atta boy. Let’s get goin’. C’mon, Brutus!”

[legoshi-plz]

Compelled (Bill x Reader)

Summary: Scenting. That’s it, that’s the plot. Yandere!Bully!Bill x Feline!Reader

Warning: Smut (NSFW 18+), Bullying (could be seen as dark/ with grey consent so if that’s even slightly uncomfortable for you please don’t read)

A/N: Sorry for the delay but we’re back with more Yandere! Bill 

////////

“I’m going to be late for class, I don’t have time for this today, Bill,” you whined as you were pushed into an empty classroom by that very Bengal Tiger.

“Like I care, now lay back. You know the drill,” he growled, locking the door behind him and pulling the curtain to the door’s window.

You did indeed know the drill and you hated it yet you followed his orders none the less. You didn’t want to make the tiger any angrier than he already was. And he was always angry.

“Spread em,” he snapped, and you immediately parted your legs wide for him, your shame and embarrassment at this routine long ago run its course.

Bill dropped to his knees in front of you, tossing your legs over his unnecessarily broad shoulders. He buried his face into your panty-clad mound and inhaled deeply before exhaling, all the tension seeming to leave his body.

This was the routine that you had somehow ended up an unwilling party of. He’d pulled you away at any given time to somewhere the two of you could be alone and then get drunk off your scent. It was one of the weirdest fetishes you’d ever seen (in person that is) but you didn’t dare question him on it. Bill was a headache at best and volatile at worst. You couldn’t be positive of how far the tiger would go if provoked so you simply complied to participate in his little ritual you never really understood.

Before all this started, you didn’t actually know Bill, not to say you really knew him now either. You knew of him but other than him bumping into you a few times (and not even sparing you a parting glance, let alone an ‘excuse me’), you had never had much interaction with him. He was a tiger, the most popular and celebrated of Big Cats. He was not even on your radar and you most definitely were not on his. Though you might both be feline, the two of you were destined to live extremely different, separate lives.

The first time Bill saw you, (which apparently was not his first time seeing you, since you later came to find out he was very well aware of who you were), you had been leaving gym class. Your class had been forced to run laps the entire time as punishment for performing so poorly on the city-wide fitness exam the week prior. You were pretty sweaty and had lunch for the next hour so you decided to forego eating and immediately head to your dormitory to shower followed by a well deserved nap.

You were heading down a near empty hallway when you passed Bill and his senses seemed to go into overdrive. He nearly ripped your arm out of the socket as he grabbed you and slammed you against the wall. He was visibly salivating at the mouth and his fangs were bared. He was in an attack stance and you were sure you saw his eyes change color, pupils dilating entirely.

He immediately went for your neck and you thought he was going straight for the killpoint but he only hovered above it, mouth still open menacingly as he inhaled your sent. You were waiting for him to deliver the final blow when his head began traveling south, down your chest and abdomen until he reached your shorts. He took another whiff before burying his nose into the front of your shorts. He gripped your hips, forcing you forward trying to go deeper.

You were utterly horrified to say the least. But once he finally seemed to regain control of his senses, he bolted. Not even stopping to explain what the hell that encounter even was. However, he still kept coming back again and again for more, your scent almost like a drug to him.

“Fuck, Y/N,” he sighed contently, bringing you out of your memory filled gaze and back to the present. You’d nearly forgotten the sedated tiger between your legs.

“Get wet for me,” he moaned lightly, rubbing his cheek against the soft fur of your inner thigh.

“I told you before I can’t just do that on command, I have to be in the mood,” you huffed.

“I don’t care,” his voice was breathy and his eyes were closed in pure bliss.

Bill leaned back so that he could pull your panties off, bringing them to his pink little nose immediately, inhaling like his life depended on it. The moan he let out was nearly pornographic and you felt your cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

“Still as pretty as ever,” he groaned, looking at your now exposed slit as he licked his lips hungrily. You tried to inch away from him without his notice but he hands instantly found their way back to your hips, pulling you forward til you were nearly hanging off the desk, your only option to keep from falling being to put your legs back over his shoulders. He hummed contently at the return to your previous position.

“Good girl,” he growled before plunging right back into your folds.

You squirmed as he nuzzled his nose into your exposed heat, brushing dangerously close to your clit. You bit your lip to try and stay silent but you weren’t able to hold back your moans. This was all purposeful of course. He knew exactly what this did to you and that it was the quickest way to get you wet without him overstepping his bounds.

“Tits,” he grunted, his voice muffled from being between your thighs.

“W-what?” You asked breathless. You had unknowingly began to grind against his face.

“Play with your tits,” he growled , his lips brushing against your entrance as he spoke.

You didn’t need him to tell you twice as your hands immediately flew under your shirt, rolling your hardened buds between your fingers.

“Where I can see it,” he growled, landing a hard slap against your thigh. You let out an unexpected moan and felt his grip on you tighten. He was just as worked up as you were.

You pulled your shirt and bra up so that he had a full view of your chest as you went back to fondling yourself. You were practically dripping at this point, the slick from your arousal lewdly coating the fur on Bill’s face yet he didn’t mind in the least. He was in pure heaven.

“I want to taste you. You want it too, I can feel it. Let me eat you out, I promise I can make you cum, baby. All you have to do is say yes,” he moaned, desperately nipping at your thighs.

Bill was a hardass in nearly every aspect except this one. He was a stereotypical Alpha male: tough, ruthless, and uncompromising in nearly every way. But when he was between your legs with his thoughts hazed with the scent of you, he turned into a complete service top. The scent of your orgasm took him to a whole different plane of pleasure and he was so desperate for it he’d do nearly anything, including unknowingly shifting the power dynamic in your favor and giving you control.

“F-Fine, Bill,” you gasped, your own pleasure beginning to consume you. Bill didn’t waste a second as his incredibly long tongue wrapped around your swelling bundle of nerves. He devoured you in every sense of the word, lapping at you juices as if it was his lifeline. One large hand reached up to your mouth, two fingers pressing against your lips.

“Suck,” he commanded and you granted him instant access. Just as you began to deepthroat his thick digits, they were gone. He took the same two fingers he’d made you lubricate and slid them into you, curling at the knuckle slightly to accommodate your tightness.

You threw your head back, your orgasm in sight. Bill had long since released his own member, stroking himself in tandem with finger fucking you.

Bill was a panting mess beneath you. His desperate moans along with him begging for you to cum for him was enough to push you over the edge. You juices flowed relentlessly as you came all over his fingers and face.

“Fuck, Y/N, you know w-what this does to meee,” Bill whimpered, his voice cracking as he spilled his thick seed all over his hand which began to drop down his arm.

You laid back on the desk, staring up at the ceiling of the classroom as you tried to process what just happened. Bill was an arrogant asshole and you honestly couldn’t stand to be in his presence, especially with the months and months of humiliation he put you through by craving the scent of your nether regions. But despite all that, you couldn’t deny he had just gave you the most extraordinary orgasm of your life.

“Shit...” Bill groaned, apparently coming to his senses. You knew what this meant so you sat up and began adjusting your shirt back into place.

“Great, now I’m gonna be late to my next class too,” you hopped off the desk, pulled your skirt down to an appropriate height and reached for your panties discarded on the floor only for Bill to beat you to them.

“Not a chance,” he chuckled, shoving them into his pocket.

“Asshole,”

“What else is new,” he said playfully. You were ready to leave before things got awkward (or more awkward that is) so you made your way to the classroom door.

“Hey.... Y/N,”

“Wha-” You has barely turned around before he slammed you against the classroom door, his mouth devouring your own. You couldn’t move a muscle in the hold he had you in, surrounding you completely while he shoved his tongue down your throat. You could taste the lingering essence of your release still in him and you immediately felt your face heat up in embarrassment.

Bill allowed his forehead to rest against your own after finally breaking the kiss. And then he was gone, just like that.

You were left pondering the whole perculiar event when the bell rang, indicating you were already late for your next class.

[theonetheycallhannah]

The Treatment of Captain Syverson-Chapter 11: Discharge Plan

Characters: Captain Syverson x OFC (Shane Dawson)

Summary: The highs of Shane and Sy’s first weekend as a couple are followed up by some big news from Sy, leading to our couple’s first fight.

Don’t miss a session! Click here to catch up on this story or explore my other works!

Word Count: 2.7

Warnings:  Language, mature themes, smut, sort of unprotected sex, rough-ish sex, angst, alcohol consumption,

Author’s Note: First off, I wanna talk about the word “victuals.” I’ve loved this word for a long time, even though it makes no sense, phonetically as it actually rhymes with the “fiddles” or “riddles.”(It’s true, look it up!) It’s very pastoral and somewhat archaic, so you don’t hear it too much anymore in current writing about the present, but I just felt like Sy would say it. Secondly, it was really hard for me to put my darlings through the argument in this chapter. I want them to have only happy times…but that provides no tension or motivation for story development…and I want to keep writing them more than I want them to be happy… I guess I finally understand why authors torture their characters! Lol! It might take a bit of time for me to sort out what their relationship looks like adding the distance factor, but I have some ideas that might work. Also, it might be an opportunity to do a bit more of Sy’s perspective, which I thoroughly enjoy, and may go back and fill in some blanks for him in between chapters I’ve already done. I hope you all enjoy this installment of the Treatment of Captain Syverson! Feedback in any form is always appreciated!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me, Henry is not mine, le sigh, and all mention of him, his characters, any characters from his films, or his precious doggy, Kal, are strictly for transformative and recreational use. I neither ask for, nor accept payment for the work I post on Tumblr or AO3. Unbeta’d because this is for fun and escapism.

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@oddsnendsfanfics

@omgkatinka

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Hope I’m not forgetting anyone! If you want to be notified when I post a new chapter or work, I’ll be happy to add you to my tag list! Stricken blogs are getting personal messages from me when a new chapter is uploaded because Tumblr’s faulty tagging system will not stand in the way of me delivering what the people want!(?) lol! (Although…their lackadaisical notification system might…sorry for that. I have no control. lol!)

X@X@X@X@X@X@X@X@X@X@X@

The rest of the weekend was spent in blissful relaxation. Sy went to his place to feed Aika and bring her over at Shane's insistence. The dog had been slightly standoffish with her, but Sy assured her that it was in her nature to be aloof, and that she needed to be engaged or instructed to behave more doglike.

"It's her training. She's still a soldier. It's hard for us to shake those habits. Like me calling you 'ma'am' at first."

"She's another die hard. I respect that." she chuckled, scratching Aika behind her perked ears, and eliciting pants of contentment from her.

Sy's skills with a spatula were unmatched. That was to say, he made the best pancakes she'd ever had. They almost didn't need syrup…almost. They ordered an obscene amount of Chinese takeout which lasted them about three meals each. Sunday evening, though, which had a gloom to it no matter the circumstances, required some comfort food. They agreed on pasta, so Shane made up some of her famous alfredo sauce and probably twice the recommended portion of pasta for two humans to consume. There were no leftovers. Sy had three helpings, himself. Three heaping bowls of it. Shane couldn't handle more than one and a half servings, even though she wanted to gorge herself. She knew too much would make her ill.

When they weren't eating, the were cuddling on the couch, or in Shane's bed. They watched more Parks and Rec, and a few other films and shows that Sy requested, just to break things up. Their bodies were constantly wrapped in each other, leading to frequent bouts of making out, fooling around, and sex in almost every room of the house.

Her favorite had been the shower. She insisted on getting cleaned up, but Sy had objections.

~~~~~~~~

"I'll be less than ten minutes, come on, I reek! You can't wanna kiss me when I smell like this!" she said, trying to shut the bathroom door on the human mack truck before her. Broad and formidable.

"You smell like sex, and…me, darlin. I've never wanted to kiss you more," he said, backing her up toward the shower doors. "but I guess if you must. Lemme help, though." he pulled open the glass door, forcing her into his captivating kiss, and maneuvering her backward into the walk-in, stone tile shower. He pulled off her tank top, capturing her breasts in his hands and mouth for a moment before kneeling to remove her shorts and kiss her thighs. He pulled himself away too quickly and started the water flowing.

"Sy, you're fully dressed!" he was barefoot, but otherwise, in jeans and her favorite of his tees. The letters DILLIGAF across a skull, black on red. She always laughed on the inside when she saw it. Because although Sy often had to put on a calloused and brusque act when he'd been an officer in the Army, he was terribly soft and sweet when the occasion called for it. The irony being that although he didn't look like he gave a fuck, he actually did.

"I've got more clothes in the truck and you've got a dryer." he maneuvered her under the pulsing stream of the showerhead. "Gotta get you wet." he let the water run through her hair as he reached for her shampoo, a coconutty concoction that reminded her of summer, squeezed a bit into his hand, and lathered it up. He worked the suds into her wet hair gently, raking his nails across her scalp in a way that excited and ignited every atom in her. She sighed at his touch which made him groan with need.

He tilted her head back to rinse the lather out and reached for the conditioner. He was a bit more generous with it than strictly necessary, but she didn't protest. He pulled her hair forward in two sections, one over each shoulder and worked the emollient into the strands. His hands slick from the product, he ran them over her breasts and her abdomen and hips…between her legs. There her own arousal was primed to combine with the tropical unction. She gasped as he worked his fingers over her, slow at first, but speeding up, only to slow again. When she finally whimpered in frustration, he undid his jeans, and backed her up to the stony grey wall, not giving a fuck, as his shirt had suggested, that he and his clothes were getting soaked. His only care now apparently, was to satisfy the simpering cries of "yes, please." from Shane.

His first few thrusts were slow and measured, knowing that she was still adjusting to his size. But it didn't take long for him to lose control. She wasn't sure what was making him like this, but she was not complaining in the least. The texture of his jeans on her bare, wet thighs was a sensation she wouldn't soon forget. She gripped at him, holding onto his shirt for dear life as her climax built to impossible heights.

She was loving the way he lost himself in the ferocity of the act. And his release led to hers immediately. She wrapped herself around him in blissful embrace, and whispered his name as a prayer.

"Sorry, darlin,' I meant to…"

"It's okay. I'm on the pill and I'm not at a particularly dangerous time in my cycle."

He kissed her tenderly and reached for her bath puff and some body wash. "Well, let’s get ya cleaned up."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The only good part about Monday was that she'd be treating him. Although, he was scheduled in the afternoon. Her morning would drag on eternal.

He greeted her with a typical "hey, susnshine" and she led him into the gym, feeling his gaze on her ass, wanting, even though they'd just left each other quite satisfied that morning. He was freshly showered, beard well groomed, and his hair growing back in very nicely. He'd asked her weeks ago whether he should keep the buzzed look or not, and she had been entirely for growing it out. She wanted something to run her hands through. She'd be fine if it was at least shoulder length, but she wouldn't push that on him.

They did their normal warm up on the bikes, followed by some plyometric drills, which made him scowl at her in a way that lit her up like a firecracker. But the fact that he was able to jump up onto the box was encouraging. He couldn't have done that a month ago. He was progressing so well and was so close to his long term goals and discharge. It almost made Shane sad. It wasn't as though they wouldn't see each other, but having him break up the insanity of her day three times a week for just an hour was invaluable.

As they were doing their usual end of the session stretch in her treatment room, and she noted the improved range of motion he was getting, he broke the amiable silence with a question.

"Hey, can I bring a pizza or somethin' over for dinner tonight after you get off?"

"Sure!" she could tell there was something he wanted to say, but was holding back. She prodded. "Everything okay? You've been a bit…off today."

"I'm good. Just a little distracted." he deflected by touching her hip, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. She swatted him away.

"Not here, Sy."

"But that makes it fun!" he pouted.

"No, that really could get me fired! Getting frisky on company time!"

"Mmmm, I'd love to frisk you right now." he reached between their legs to try and grab her again, but she thwarted him and pinned his wrists at his ears.

"Cool it, cowboy, or your last two sessions are gonna make you wish you'd never met me." she threatened.

"Ain't nothin', nothin' on God's good green earth could make me wish that, sunshine." His stunning blue eyes softened her resolve and she let go, continuing to stretch him.

"Still…cool it." she grinned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She'd just had time to change into some comfy clothes, wash her face, and put her hair up when her doorbell rang.

Sy stood smiling under the porch light, a modern white knight, carrying a large pizza from Pizza Hut and a six pack of Miller High Life.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes! And it's nice to see you too, Sy!" she laughed, teasing him.

"Should I leave the victuals and go?" he asked, mock concern on his sarcastic brow.

"Get in here, soldier."

She got out napkins and paper plates because as horrible as it sounded, she just couldn't think about doing dishes tonight. She was even glad Sy had brought drinks in disposable or recyclable containers, and not wine, which she tended to prefer. She was exhausted, but not upset, which made the silence they ate in bearable. Sy still seemed to have something on his mind, though.

"Did you have something you wanted to talk about tonight, Sy?"

"Kinda, yeah, uh…it's kind of a big thing for me, and I know this is new, what we have, but…well, I'll just tell ya."

"Go on." she encouraged, worried.

"I…I talked to my old CO about jobs in the private sector. He referred me to a company that…well it's sort of an employment agency for vets. Mostly security for private companies and individuals. I had a phone interview with them this past Tuesday. I just got a call this morning that they want to meet me in person to finalize everything. Mostly a formality. When I go for that, I'll also have to stay there a couple of weeks to a month for training."

"Where is this…gig?" She said, flat affect hiding the feelings brewing under her skin.

"The offices are in Charlottesville…Virginia. And there may be some cross country training there in Shenandoah National Park."

"Cross country…by that do you mean survival training?" She was still cool, but getting more livid.

"You could call it that, I guess. But it won't be a challenge for me. I'm more worried about the technical stuff." His bravado and flippancy about the whole endeavor was enraging her. The thought that he'd be in the wilderness alone, was only a fraction of the big picture. He was going away for a month? And he had known about the job for a week now. A week in which so much about their relationship had changed, and shifted. How could he think she'd just accept this without a bit of raging.

"You waited until after we slept together to tell me this. You did it on purpose, Sy." that was the biggest problem, she thought. The fact that he seemed to be hiding it from her. It brought back old trauma that she thought he'd never have subjected her to.

"Yes and no, Shane. I wasn't intentionally keeping anything from you, I just didn't wanna bring it up until somebody bit."

"You wanted to keep me in the dark about something you were excited about? How do you think that makes me feel?"

"I didn't wanna get your hopes up or mine. Honestly."

"Saying 'honestly' doesn't make it honest, Sy. I've told you about everything that Elliott put me through. The lies. The secrets. This puts a bad taste in my mouth. You have to see that. Can't you?"

"Oh, sunshine, I--"

"No, please. Do not do that right now. Don't call me sunshine when all I can see is the night."

"I'm so sorry. My intention was not to make you feel in any way like that asshole ever did. Please hear me when I say that. I want to be the opposite of him in your mind in every way, darlin.' Please believe that."

There was so much sincerity in his voice, now nearing tearfulness that she felt he must be telling her the truth. She nodded. But was still apprehensive about the nature of the job and the training.

"But…what if you get hurt again?"

"I won't. You've all but fixed me, Shane. I'm stronger than ever."

"Can't you just…find a safe job? Here?" She was being selfish. She couldn't help it. Even though she knew she might regret it.

"Sit at a desk, ya mean? Deliver pizzas?" he indicated the box between them on the table. "Call people and ask them if they're happy with their cable services, Shane? Is that all I'm good for now?" he was angry.

"I didn't mean it like that."

"No, of course not. You're a PT. That's what you were meant to do, right? Well, imagine if you couldn't do that no more. Something or another, an injury, perhaps, or just plain ol' shitty situation, left you in a position where you couldn't go back. Couldn't do your dream job. Couldn't fulfill your purpose." he spat. "Wouldn't you do anything you could to be some shadow of what you were meant to be?"

She couldn't speak. Because he was right in so many ways.

"Because right now, I'm nothin'. I'm not doin' anyone any good. I'm a drain on my country, the one I swore to protect with my very life. It's like I've broken an oath. And it's fractured my soul."

"I see that. I truly do. But I need you here. You do ME good, Sy. I'm already half dreading d/c'ing you. I don't wanna have to say a goodbye, too." it was her truth. But it hit him very much sideways.

"So…what is it, Shane? You only want me when I'm broken? You only want me so you can fix me?"

"No, of course not! That's not what--"

"Am I a charity case to ya now? Is that why ya finally gave in and let me in your bed?"

"Sy, no!" she was crying now. It had hurt so much to think that he could have gotten that from what she'd said.

"I think if you can have feelings hurt about this situation then so can I."

He stood to leave, but she caught him by the wrist.

"Shane…you know I would never, ever harm you. But please… don't test my limits. Let… go." She did.

She was still quite a bit faster than him, so she ran ahead and blocked the door.

"Move." he insisted. She didn't.

"Hear me out, and then I'll let you go."

He crossed his arms and nodded, his gaze still one of cold steel.

"Sy, I didn't mean to make this job that you're clearly excited for into a source of anguish or to make it about me. I'm thrilled that you're going to get to do something you want in another field. I really am. I just…being with you has made me realize how good life can really be. And even if you'd told me before we slept together, I would have said the same thing. It was selfish of me to haul my baggage into the conversation when you aren't, have never been, and could never be Elliot. His best couldn't compare with your worst. And I will do my best in the future to think about who you are before I complain about the work you find to do."

"It's like I said about Aika before. She's a soldier. Hard trained. And so am I. It took a lot of hard work for me to get where I am, so much that it fundamentally altered who I am as a person. Now, in my opinion, those changes were for the better. I was kind of a shit before I became a soldier, thought the sun rose and set with me. I got some perspective and met some good people…lost some, too. Saw some shit I can't unsee. Some of it haunts me to this day, and I figure it always will. But I reckon if I can keep fighting the fight somehow. Keep protecting people in whatever way I can, my training and experience won't be a total waste."

"I understand and respect that, Sy. And I will back you in any way I can. I'll water your plants, I'll keep Aika whenever you're gone, I'm here for you."

"Oh, shit! I wasn't even thinking about having to leave my dog behind! Maybe this WON'T work!" he chuckled.

"Second fiddle to another woman already. I knew you were gonna break my heart, Captain Logan Syverson."

"Never intentionally, sunshine." he hugged her, tight, and with his whole body. Their argument in the past and their future an exciting mystery. Shane had never felt so safe and loved.

Up Next: Chapter 12: Final Home Exercise Program

[joelmillerthirstqz]

You asked for more prompts so here I am! 49 - Chair Sex. Joel + any female. They try chair sex once, then find other types of chairs and go wild. There's a list of chairs wiki, pick whatever ones sound most fun/kink. In case Joel being ridden gets old (ha!) feel free to mix in other creative positions. Or add in a new kink with each chair! 2 or 3 different chairs is plenty or do more if you want. I'll leave chair/kink combos up to you unless you want me to pick.

ilu buddy, if you have preferences, hmu! 

That said, I did write a chapter that isn’t really super bound to plot for Like Real People Do where Molly is just trying to integrate their record collection and ties Joel to a chair to get him to stop pawing at her for two seconds. Because I love that you prompted me, here it is! Not posting on AO3 until it threads into their story chronologically.

---

“Joel,” Molly mumbles, pulling the record from its sheath to confirm its in the correct place and nodding before adding it to the shelf.

Joel followed her down to the floor after she’d shooed him up onto the couch for unsettling her piles. Molly had undertaken the delicate work of integrating their pilfered record collections (50, his; 49, hers; 5, a mutual pile broken in the attempt to bring them home from the music shop outside of town) when the rain made clear they wouldn’t be going anywhere for the day. Her objection to his proximity came at his tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, a reliable precursor to him becoming more distracting.

“Joel,” Molly protests as his knees cage her hips from behind, mouth dropping to her bare shoulder, index finger tugging a knitted cardigan off of it.

“Do we know different alphabets?” he criticizes, pointing to the next record she’s picked up. His mouth slips to her clavicle, hand snaking around her middle.

“Joel!” Molly turns, eyes flashing. Joel shifts to sit on his heels, raising his hands in surrender.

Molly bites her bottom lip and considers him, rising smoothly and moving to the door to retrieve the rope hanging there. She returns with a kitchen chair loudly dragged behind her, wooden feet scraping the floor.

“You can’t keep your fucking hands to yourself, so you’re going to be good while I finish it,” Molly gestures to the chair. Joel looks up with raised eyebrows and smug interest, shrugging and complying with a tilt of challenge to the set of his jaw. Molly hisses into Joel’s ear, doing her best to secure his arms behind the kitchen chair from above him, even as he tries to nip at her neck when it comes near enough. He holds his arms in position for her to bind them, though, so she cinches the rope tight and hovers close to his face.

“Unnecessary, you were doin’ just fine,” Joel’s close enough to breathe against her mouth for her to hear him.

“I am on ‘C’, Joel,” Molly protests, flopping with her back against the couch to sort her crate among the piles of Joel’s records awaiting their new companions on the floor.

Joel’s leg starts to shake immediately, his eyes restlessly calculating. His hands can’t help but clench to test her knot-tying, broad knuckles making the fabric rasp as he moves.

Molly’s eyes shoot up to watch him between two records she’s comparing to one another, narrowing at the sound.

He tries to look innocent for half a second before letting his legs fall open. Molly flicks a glance to his capable thighs, annoyed that he’s realized what makes her miss a beat.

She moves a complete pile to the bookcase, gently setting a bookend to hold them while she finishes the rest of the shelf. Pausing to shrug her sweater off, she doesn’t look up when she hears the chair creak with impatience.

“How about, if I’m good until ‘M’ I can come help again?” Joel proposes.

Molly looks at him over the top of a record once she’s seated again.

“You’ve been terrible from ‘A’ to—” she glances down, “‘H’,” Molly says, fixing him with a haughty, pitying look. “Rough track record.”

“I’d show you my hands if you hadn’t tied ‘em,” he complains.

Molly smiles and resumes her task, stacking records one at a time after careful verification of the sleeves’ contents.

Joel’s leg starts to bounce once again, impatience not disguising the way his eyes rake over her.

Joel spots the cover of the next record.

“That counts as an ‘M’,” he supplies.

“And we had no such deal, Joel Miller,” Molly says without looking up at him, the tap of another record hitting a stack resounding.

“Molly—” Joel sounds strained, quiet.

Molly looks up at him critically. She rises silently and unbuttons her jeans, sliding them down and off. Her shirt follows, and she settles back against the couch in her underwear, largely ignoring him. Rising to put everything up to ‘R’ on the shelf, she takes her time watching him crane towards her in profile.

Settling primly onto the couch and selecting the next of their dwindling disparate stack, she looks up at him from under her lashes.

Joel watches her singularly, nostrils flaring as his jaw tenses.

Molly flips up two records as if to ask him to opine on their order, smirking and setting one aside when his eyes don’t leave hers. Stepping over him without sitting down, she scrapes his chin with blunt nails, Joel going easily to her touch, trying to get close enough to her abdomen to catch her off-guard.

She finishes stepping over him to cross the room for the record player, Joel lurching forwards to try to catch her off balance as she goes. He takes in the slope of her back and long legs and thinks his mouth may actually water, agonizingly hard as she carefully sets the needle.

Later, Joel would swear he’d recognized what she’d put on, but all the drifting sound does is intensify her form returning to him.

Joel bites at her, barely out of range as she settles back over his lap, closer to his knees than his hips. Molly tilts her forehead close to his, looking at him before brushing her lips against his.

Smiling down at him, flicking his top shirt button open, Molly slips the first knuckle of her finger into his mouth, fascinated by how pretty it is below his beard, inflected with scars from busted lips over the years.

Joel bites her index finger and there’s a sharp crack as he twists out of the rope holding him.

“Fuck!” She protests, Joel tugging her against his lap forcefully, tongue in her mouth without prelude (though she’s prepared to accept).

He rises with one of her thighs in each of his hands, adrenalin narrowly tempered by remembering to turn his palm up to catch her head as he pins her under him on the floor.

Molly’s more smile than surprise, biting her tongue when he tears her underwear, other hand getting through his belt, button, and zipper in a second, maybe two.

Joel penetrates her quickly, which would have been a stupider idea if she’d liked watching him puzzle his way through being out of control less.

She grunts as he frames her face with his hands, heedless of trapping her hair under his hands.

“Not—done—” Molly manages to complain, flailing a wrist towards the records, one of Joel’s hands pressing directly down onto her thigh, spreading her open beneath him.

“Yeah? Got too close,” he stumbles, focused on finding the right angle to take her apart.

Molly bites his earlobe when she has the chance, nails leaving neat punctures on his shoulders in her wake. Joel snaps his hips in kind, shrugging at the pinprick sensation.

He collects her wrists in each of his hands, spinning her to her stomach and entering her again, rough enough for her to sigh with the impact. Joel slows for a scarce moment before she shoves her hips back against him, earning a swift reply. Her shoulders ache wrenched behind her, but she melts with his teeth grazing her jaw, shallow thrusts angled where she needs.

“I should come and leave you right here for that,” Joel murmurs against her ear, lost in how they move together, a stuttering but coordinated rhythm building sweat on both of them.

“Yeah, you wouldn’t,” Molly breathes, catching his free wrist and moving his hand to her core. She bites his lower lip harder than she needs to while he takes up stroking her clit like he’d known the pattern his whole life. Her whole life.

Joel releases her hands to capture her jaw in his palm, kissing her seriously, past the bounds of necessary with his cock hilted into her.

Molly’s eyebrows draw together and she whimpers, twitching around him without reservation. Joel smiles against her mouth and presses his tongue deeper when she smacks him softly, riding her orgasm through.

He spans his hand between her shoulder blades, snapping his hips with commanding calm, firm and rapid. Molly basks in the deep resonance of his thrusts, scrabbling at the carpet as he stretches her from a new angle.

Molly grins as her suspicions are confirmed and he comes far sooner than usual, clearly spurred by light denial. Joel makes this tame, consumed noise that has her reaching back for him, needing him closer even as he falls to his elbows over her, gasping. When his breath changes, Molly wriggles onto her back, tugging him close and admiring the way their hearts meet below rapidly expanding ribcages.

“You’re helping me with the rest,” Molly whispers into his hair.

“Mhm,” Joel acknowledges, stroking her sides.