#sorry for taking so long to get to these i needed to be on desktop i hate typing on my phone lmao

[chantryexplosion]

1 - 4 - 11 - 21

for the dark urge ask game <3

(questions from this post)

(also prefacing these by saying i am not known for being very good with words and making sense of my thoughts lol)

What circumstances led to your Dark Urge becoming their Class/Subclass?

so, ronen is an oath of vengeance paladin, and it's kinda like. you'd think it'd be impossible for any paladin durge to keep their oath pre tadpole right? and the oathbreaker knight does mention in game that they saw each other a lot before. so what i think is, ronen chose to be a paladin partially as kind of a cover, a way to be able to exist outside of the temple without people questioning him too much, and a way to give him easy access to non culty things when he needed it. and i said partially before because i also think maybe a small, mostly subconscious part of him was trying to resist even then. despite all that i do think he and mr oathbreaker knight saw each other Very Often.

4. What would your Dark Urge consider to be their greatest flaw? Is this accurate?

hmmm. the thing about ronen is, his guilt levels are astronomical. so i think, to him, his biggest flaw and failure is what he believes to be his inability to handle the urges better. he thinks himself to be weak willed, because if he wasn't he could've resisted more, fought back more, and maybe if he had alfira would still be alive. and then the fact that her death at his hands affected him so much to the point that it kinda paralyzed him, he thinks he should've been able to handle that better too. he hates how much and how deeply things affect him.

and as for if that is accurate, i'd say not really. i think he did fine considering everything lol. and this would be far from his biggest flaw

11. What motivates your Dark Urge to either embrace or resist the Urge?

ronen resisted the urge the whole time. or as much as he could anyway. and this might be kind of a basic answer but he just. wanted to be good? he woke up with no memories, and with just a few things on him, including the book with the oath of vengeance tenets. so if he's a paladin then he must be good, right ? good and righteous. but then all evidence kept pointing to the contrary and that was really messing him up. it felt wrong. he felt sick at how much he enjoyed being violent, how much he enjoyed killing and how much he loved the taste of blood in his mouth. whatever he was before, he didn't want to be it anymore. (that said, he still enjoys violence and killing and probably always will)

and then it's also that he wanted some sense of control. he hated not being in full control of himself and not being able to predict his own movements and his own thoughts. whether good or bad, he doesn't want to be a puppet to any urge or father or god. he wants to be free and to belong to himself only.

21. What are 2-3 songs that your Dark Urge would relate to?

oh boy i have a whole playlist (its very unfinished) but 3 songs from it are:

family tree (intro) by ethel cain worn by king woman somewhere i belong by linkin park

thank you so much for asking !!!

[turtledovenycx]

Work Pressure (B.C)

🎧The Neighbourhood - Sweater Weather

“No, you don’t understand,” he said his cool fingers finding your warm skin and raising goosebumps. “I missed you, I missed being close to you.” 

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝐍𝐒𝐅𝐖

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐱 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧

𝐭𝐚𝐠: 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧! , 𝐬𝐦𝐮𝐭🔞

𝐖.𝐂 𝟑.𝟐𝐤

ꜱᴍᴜᴛ ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴜᴛ. ᴍɪɴᴏʀꜱ ᴅɴɪ

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐱, 𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐢-𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐞𝐱 (𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐞𝐬. 𝐈'𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈'𝐦 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲), 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐣𝐨𝐛, (𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐯) 𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭��𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐱 (𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐱𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞, 𝐰𝐫𝐚𝐩 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐚𝐩 𝐢𝐭), 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐍𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲, 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐱. (𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐦𝐭𝐡𝐧.)

_

Soft tunes could be heard despite Chan wearing headphones. It was past working hours at the JYPE building, the only people left putting in some extra hours of practice, production, or the cleaning crew for the night. Worried your boyfriend would skip his dinner for the nth time you had shown up with dishes from his favorite place - you reckoned he deserved a treat after working so hard for days. 

After the man was well-fed and rested his eyes with a power nap on your lap he wanted to get back to work. 

“Is it gonna take long baby?” you had asked, settling down on the sofa, his jacket as blanket knowing you might be in for a long night. 

“An hour or so love…. I’m sorry but I have to finish this.” 

“It's okay, I might do some work too later but I’ll just chill here if that’s alright.”

“Don’t wanna go home?” he asked getting up from your lap, leaning to kiss you before he adjusted his jacket on you. 

“I’ll be alone,” you said he kissed your forehead before going back to his system, sitting down he glanced at you once before putting his headphones on partially covering one ear in case you needed something. 

.

It has been two hours almost, you had fallen asleep in the initial 45 minutes waking to see Chan slumped over, his shoulders looking like they hurt, staring at his computer as the lines kept moving, the glare from the screen painted his face in blues. The only source of light was from his desktop. Chan had barely moved from that position except to turn the lights off to let you sleep, and you felt bad. 

He did not register you getting off the couch and stretching, so he was startled when you touched his shoulder. His palms fly to overlap yours, 

“You scared me,” he said taking the headphones off,  neck resting on the headrest as he looked up at you. 

“It's been two hours.” you reminded him running your fingers through his curls before massaging his forehead and temples. Chan hummed the throbbing pain in his head subsiding from your fingers. You massaged his head, his sinuses finally working your way to the knot on his neck his head fell forward a groan falling out of his lips.

“How about we stop? Hmm?” you asked as he pulled you to stand in front of him, your hands still on his shoulders. 

“I need to get this done.” he sadly voiced head leaning forward to rest on your tummy as you ran your fingers through his hair he hugged your lower half sighing. This week was tough there was too much to do. Chan just wanted to sleep without worrying in his bed in the arms of his girlfriend. 

A few frustrated tears left his eyes and your eyebrows furrowed in worry. 

“Baby?” you asked holding his face, he closed his eyes not willing to see you yet, but his actions were contradictory as he pulled you into his lap. A gasp left you but you recovered, palms holding his face as he cried. Salty tears stained your necks and shoulders as Chan let out quiet sobs. 

You just let him cry, he needed it but it broke you to see him hurt. This man carried his job and responsibilities on his broad shoulder but wore his heart on his sleeves. 

“I...I am so sorry. I’m sorry…. Sorry.” he repeated and you were beyond confused, slowly you coaxed his face from your neck to look at you, his eyes opened.

“Why are you apologising?” you asked wiping off his tears and cradling his face, he sniffed and you grabbed a tissue for him. After he caught his breath you kissed his forehead, his red nose his cheeks his eyes. The dark eye bags were prominent and you hoped your kisses would ease his fatigue. 

“Don’t say sorry baby. Talk to me,” you asked holding his face as he wrapped his hands around your waist. 

“I’m such a shitty boyfriend. I can’t even finish one track and I’m scared. I’m letting the team down.” His eyes were downcast as he spoke.

“What no..” you tried but he shook his head. 

“It’s too much, I can’t make it past this one verse. Nothing is perfect, and I was too harsh on Jisung today. He got so mad and left. I’m tired y/n. And I’m troubling you.”

“Wait, troubling me?” 

He nodded opting to hide his face in your neck, “You're alone at home, you are sleeping on my studio couch you deserve better baby. I’m so so-”

“Don't you dare say sorry again Bang Christopher Chan ” you unintentionally raised your voice. At the mention of his full name, he stiffened.

“I know it's been a tough week for you. But don't for a second think that you have been anything but the best boyfriend. Channie, you are tired and you’re frustrated and you made some mistakes. But you are still trying and putting in the work. You have a lot on your mind and you just need a break baby.”

“But I-”

“Ssh…. all of you are tired and overworked. It's probably why Jisung reacted that way, he still loves his Channie hyung. He is the one who texted me telling me you had a bad day that's why I came to cheer you up, I fell asleep because I had an early start today that’s all.”

He hummed hugging you as you spoke in hushed whispers. 

“Chris, baby I need you to know something. Yes, I am alone at home on some days and it does hurt me but I will never hold that against you, I love you and your work. I’m so proud of you baby you still work like a dog even after reaching so many people with your music, you’re consistent, hard-working, and fucking dedicated. I love that about you, don’t ever think that you are a burden to me. I would gladly spend days on this couch if it means I can spend my time with you. I’m worried I might disturb you!"

“No, no you made my day,” he said wiping tears.

“Then you have to believe that seeing you makes my day too. Even if I have to sleep on a couch. I don't mind it I love sleeping on the couch it's so comfy actually. Oof that Spotify dust-covered pillow don’t you just love the smell of dust,” you joked hoping to get a smile out of him. It did, his tired face broke into a smile, a small laugh escaping his lips. 

“So don’t you ever tell nonsense like that, tell that stupid voice in your brains to shush. You are doing so well. I’m really proud of you.”

“I love you.” he breathes into your neck.

“I love you,” you emphasize with a kiss on his cheek. Then without stopping, you placed loud kisses around his face, mwah mwah mwah! 

He giggled before begging you to stop 'okay okay okay... Okay, stop.' You pulled away to look at him, worn out he was still so handsome and you missed this, you missed him so much. Chan did too which he expressed by pulling you in for a long kiss. His lips were dry, you wet with your saliva as they moulded with each other, you held his face leading the kiss palm holding his cheeks. He lazily licked your lips before you parted yours to let his wet muscle into your mouth. The kiss was heating up, softly still. He detached and reattached your mouths. Again and again and again and without thinking a small moan slipped passed his mouth. 

“Sorry,” he gasped when you pulled away. You pulled his face back and bit his bottom lip it didn't hurt he felt a sharp sting. “What did I tell you about apologising Chris?” you questioned hands gripping his hair and pulling his head back

“Mm.” he groaned as your lips found the column of his neck. “Don’t apologies.” you say as you bite his neck.

“I miss you,” Chan said tongue tracing behind your ear before his teeth grazed it, drawing a whimper out of you. “I miss you too,” you say his hand began to wander further, from your shoulders to your waist as they raised the hem of your sweater wanting to feel your skin slipping his big palms in. 

“No, you don’t understand,” he said his cool fingers finding your warm skin and raising goosebumps.

“I missed you, I missed being close to you.” 

“Haa..ah Chriss.’ you whined as he traced along your back simultaneously creating love bites.

“Me too,” you whispered lips finding his. Your sweater moved up as it got lodged on his forearms. This kiss was less comforting, it was more of an ‘I miss you’ passionate kiss, he held your hair to angle your head to his liking, you melting at the touch as his tongue traced patterns in your mouth.  

“Mm I want you princess..” he whispered onto your lips as his hands adjusted your thighs so that you were properly straddling his lap, you could feel his hardening cock through his pants. 

“Here?” you questioned, both of you satisfying each other regardless of the time and place was not something foreign but in his company where someone might walk in, it was unprofessional and would cause a lot of problems for him. 

“Please.” he pleaded, his hands now under your outfit palms inching towards your breast

“Please…” he emphasized as he squeezed your breasts over your bra, being touch starved you let out an embarrassingly loud moan. 

“Someone might hear us..” you say hands in his hair as he begins to grind up into you.

“Recording room,” he said breaking the kiss as the two of you looked at the overly huge sunglass thingy inside the soundproofed room with a glass window. You looked back at Chan who looked like he would almost cry- for different reasons this time. 

“Fuck.. okay.” you had barely finished speaking when Chan rose from the chair holding you. 

“Chri-is” you gasp as he hiked you higher holding your thighs and plush lips sucking where your neck meets your shoulder you moved your head away inviting him to kiss and bite more. 

Somehow, he managed to open the door and plop you down before he turned to close it, propping a chair on the knob. It was dark as none of you bothered to turn the lights on. Chan reached for the switch but you stopped him. 

“No lights please,” you begged kissing his swollen lips before moving down his neck careful not to mark his skin for PR reasons. 

“But, I want to see yo- ah” he moaned as you began to palm his dick. 

His mind blanked completely forgetting about the light switch as his back hit the wall. You dropped to your knees in front of him working on the ties of his sweatpants before pulling them down to release his aching dick. He was fully hard now, the shaft hot and heavy as you held him in your palms, stroking softly. Chan was groaning, sensitive from not being released in days. His fingers found their way into your hair as you placed soft kisses and licks from his tip to his balls. 

“Mmph.. baby. I-” his sentence cut off as you took his tip into your mouth, tongue licking over his slit tasting his precum. You sucked diligently on his tip for a few seconds. Chan moaned as you forced yourself to take more of him into your mouth. Pulling away to catch a breath before pushing yourself to accommodate his length. You gagged tears spring to your eyes as you felt him graze the skin at the back of your mouth. 

“Ah …. Ah… ah” Chan was a mess, fingers holding onto your ponytail as he slowly fucked your face. You began bobbing your head up and down and he tightened his grip on your head all politeness leaving him as he was desperate to finish. Your jaw began to hurt but he deserved a release so you hollowed your cheeks, past the sting as you sucked him dry. He came with a broken moan, his release hitting the back of your throat. You pulled off his dick and swallowed the mess to which he tsked. 

“Baby… you didn’t have to swallow,” he said between gasps. “It's okay I wanted to.” he helped you onto your feet, attacking your mouth he could taste himself on your tongue. He groaned at the flavour and his hands once again found the skin of your back, unclasping your bra. You gripped at his black t-shirt as he made work of your sweater, removing it and throwing it on the floor. 

Your bra unhooked but Chan did not even bother removing it before he placed his lips on your right nipple, he was on his knees now one hand kneading your breast as he sucked on the other one.

“Aah, Chris… Channie..” you kept crying as soft as you could as he bit and marked the skin of your breast, fingers unzipping your shorts and feeling their way to your mound. 

Your knees buckled and Chan pulled you onto his lap once again, he sat on his knees your thighs straddling his once again. He could feel your wetness through your panties as his fingers pushed them to the side to touch you. He palmed your pussy before playing with your clit, you jerking at that, he had to hold you down. You could not keep quiet biting the back of your palm as Chan’s fingers entered your hole. You tried to pull away his hands and mouth everywhere at once but Chan roughly pulled you into him.

“Don’t. Pull. Away” he said fingers moving at an awkward angle. He looked over your shoulders to see your clothes on the floor stopping his fingers. He pulled away and placed you on the floor delicately before moving to move your sweater and removing his shirt to make a makeshift blanket on the floor. Though it was carpeted. He picked you up before gently placing you down on top of the garments. 

He plopped himself between your legs, throwing your shorts beneath the two of you. Lips finding each other. Moans and whimpers echoed in the room as you held onto each other tighter desperately grinding against one another. He gripped his cock out from its confines and tore open a condom, the only cloth left on his body was his sweats. After sheathing himself he slowly traced your pussy lips. 

Your body jerked, “Channie please..” 

“Please what pretty?” he teased your old chan slowly returning. You smiled before your mouth formed an o, hips stuttering as Chan spread your lips, grazing your clit with his member. He licked his fingers using them to wet your pussy thoroughly stimulating your wetness to produce in ample amounts. He slowly pushed in just the tip, a sigh leaving his lip.

“Aah..” your back rose from the floor as Chan slowly ground into you, ‘You felt so warm so so slippery fuck he had missed this so much.’ 

Your arms found solace behind his neck playing with the hair while Chan held his body weight on one arm, his other grabbing your face to kiss you dirty and deep, teeth clashing and spit exchanging. The sounds muffled as the two of you breathed into each other's mouths. He had begun to pull away to the tip before pushing back in. Repeating the action as your mind grew dumb. A loud moan broke through the room as he found a comfortable pace to thrust. Just then a beep was heard and the main door to the studio opened. Your eyes widened as Chan slapped his hand on your mouth. He stopped thrusting but grinded slowly not to lose the momentum. You both were huddled on the floor near the wall out of the vision line. But still your heart began to beat faster. The janitor was simply checking whether the studio had vacated, but he saw Chan’s bag and jacket in the room. After a few moments, he left thinking Chan had gone on break. Your whimpers were muffled by his hands as he breathed in relief at the sound of the door closing and locking automatically. His hip still moving slowly you felt his pubic bone rubbing against your clit with each jerk. Chan removed his hand to see you drool a bit 

“See, I told you it was a bad id- Chris!” he snapped his hips fast you screamed but it was in a soundproof room. “Fuck baby, so wet for me.. aah I missed this... Missed-mph so much. Your cunt is so warm…. So warm.” he nudged your gooey spot and you wrapped your legs around his waist pulling him closer. Chan now thrust into your hole, fast and deep licking his index and middle finger before bringing it to draw on your clitoris. He drew mindless shapes on the swollen bud as he groaned into the skin of your neck biting your shoulders. Because of all the movement, his pants too slipped off his frame near his feet. 

Your nails dug into his skin as the two of you lost yourselves in each other. “Baby, I’m so close, are you? I wanna... Ah fuck.. I wanna cum with you..” he voiced breathing ragged as he kissed your plump lips. 

You could only manage babbles “Yeah..ah.. So- bi..ig cha- aah” 

He took your nipple into his mouth and your back arched pushing your breasts into his face. 

“Chan.. Chris I’m I’m cumming..” you breathed words cut off by moans. 

“God... fuck princess me too.” as the second orgasm for Chan washed over that night you moaned carelessly knowing well only he could hear it. He jerked his hips a few times before emptying completely into the rubber and falling onto your body. His whole weight felt comforting to you, like a heavy warm blanket. He was still inside you as the two of you caught your breath.

_

The source of light from his desktop had dimmed long ago but the window was open and soft moonlight made your vision visible. Chan moved his body to hover over yours again. You were still in a blissed-out state. 

“You okay?” he asked softly pulling out, his nose nudging your face before he placed a soft kiss on your jaw.

“I’m okay.” you say taking his face in your hands again, “you?”

“I’m better, sweetheart. I needed this,” he says, kissing you once more before getting off the floor. Chan disposed of the condom and checked whether the coast was clear before moving the chair blocking the door. Tightening his pants he walked out of the recording room shirtless and rummaged around his table. You sat up once he returned with a tissue box and some water. 

“Thank you.” you finish gulping the water before moving onto your feet. Your sweater was stained with your release Chris apologetically handed it to you. You did not mind reassuring him with a peck on his cheek and grabbing the rest of your innerwear and putting them on. Thankfully your shorts and his T-shirt were clean. 

Stepping out of the record room he turned on the dim light, you grabbed his jacket to cover your upper body, the outfit big for your frame. Chan clad in his t-shirt hugs you from behind as you are zipping it up. 

You looked at him to kiss his cheek. 

“Let’s go home,” you say placing your hands on his. 

“I have to finish this babe.” he calmly said. Before you could protest your boyfriend lifted you off the ground and he sat back down on his chair you on his thighs. 

“Don't worry, I’ll just record a sample and we can go. I’ll do the rest with Jisung soon.” he did, and you applauded his stamina with a kiss before nuzzling your face into the crook of his neck. He worked on with you sleeping peacefully in his lap even when he sang into the mic. His mind felt clearer and he finished the job within an hour. 

“Done,” he said looking down to see you fast asleep, gripping onto his t-shirt. He checked his phone after packing his things into his bag on the ground still not waking you up.

There were notifications from Han which read, ‘Hyung, I’m sorry. I’ll work harder tomorrow. Fried chicken on me?’ he felt the last of his worries vanish knowing that the younger was not mad at him. He shot a quick reply with lots of hearts and gently woke you up. 

“Baby? Let’s go home.” 

_

𝘋𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺, 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦. 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘺𝘤𝘹 ©

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝

A/N: What would I give to love this man like this. Hope you enjoy this

tags 🏷️: @comet-falls

note: Hi love it's _🪽anon, Blog reveal haha. I hope you enjoy this. Let's be moots? (If that is alright). If you loved this fic do check out my other works too, I would love to get some tips from you as you are one of the authors I look up to.

[getologist]

suguru watched silently as you focused on your laptop—typing on the keyboard without breaking your gaze through the screen, and suguru almost winced because he knew that your fingers were going numb from how long you were revising your groupmates' papers.

he knew you were tired, and how badly you wanted to finish this damn thesis, how badly you wanted to eat, take a shower, do your skincare, and sleep for the whole day. but the world has always been unfair—and suguru badly wanted to close your laptop and pamper you already.

and as your boyfriend, of course he wanted his baby to eat on time and take care of you. that's what he promised to your parents and to himself since he courted you.

he waited for a few minutes before walking in your shared room, holding a wooden tray with your favourite food. suguru grinned when he saw your fingers stopped from typing, and turned around to see him standing behind you with food that caused you to forget a moment from what you were doing earlier.

suguru pulled a chair and placed it beside you, settling down the plate on the desktop table and the smell of curry reached your nostrils that made your stomach growled. you huffed a breath when the man beside you chuckled.

"later, i have to finish this first." you pouted when suguru didn't listen and took a spoonful of rice with curry before lifting it up, and as much as how badly you wanted to eat, you have to finish the revisions so you can finally get a rest. that was your goal right now—but unfortunately, your boyfriend was making it hard for you to reach that.

suguru glared at you softly when you pursed your lips and moved your head to the other side, "baby, you have to eat." and he said it so softly that you felt your heart beating faster.

but you stood your ground, not wanting to have any distractions. "this is needed in two weeks, and you know there is no one else who would do this other than me."

"you still have two weeks, baby. you have time to work on that."

you shook your head, "i have other things to do aside from this, i still have to do my report, essays, papers-" your words trailed off when you felt lightheaded and winced as you massaged your temple.

suguru clicked his tongue, out of all the things he hated, seeing you getting stressed and struggling was the first thing on his list and he didn't want any refusals coming from you at this point.

without saying a word, he closed your laptop and before you could protest, he gently shoved the spoonful of rice in your mouth. you glared at suguru who had an irritating satisfaction plastered on his face as he watched you munch the delicious rice mixed with curry in your mouth.

you couldn't get really mad at him since the food was really good and made you forget your problems for a second, that's how good your boyfriend was with cooking.

"i know you want to finish all your activities as soon as possible, but please, don't forget to eat and take breaks. it's not a sin, you know." you almost rolled your eyes at the last sentence but you still felt your heart getting warm as you noticed the worry and sadness in his eyes.

silence absorbed the room aside from the sound of the aircon, your cat purring on your shared bed as he slept peacefully, and the soft pitter patter of the rain outside your apartment.

suguru silently took a spoonful of rice and hoisted up; you opened your mouth as suguru fed it to you and munched it without a word. you looked away when you saw an amusement in his eyes.

"i'm sorry," you muttered after you swallowed your food, still looking from outside as the raindrops softly knocked the window. "didn't mean to make you worry."

"it's fine, baby." he held your hand and slowly pulled you into a warm hug, you instinctively wrapped your arms around his waist and hid your face on his neck. his familiar, manly scent brought comfort to you as his fingers combed your hair, while the other gently scratched your back. "are you doing fine? is my baby already tired?"

two questions. those two questions made you think back about how you were doing up recently, and you realized that you weren't having enough rest for the past week. you didn't realize that you were stressed and tired from your groupmates and professors who kept piling up your work.

except suguru, he has always been there silently. he always knew how you were doing, and you just realized that he never forgets to bring you food and always reminded you to take breaks every once in a while.

you nuzzled your face to his neck when your eyes sting from those thoughts, unable to control your emotions anymore and you cry in silence to your boyfriend's embrace. suguru held you tighter, rubbing your back as he pressed kisses to your face where he could reach.

"it's okay to cry, hm? i'm always here, baby."

you stay in that position for awhile before whining, moving away from his neck to wipe the tears on your cheeks, "i shouldn't be crying, this is your fault."

suguru pressed a soft kiss on your lips and smiled, "well, you needed it, and it's not bad."

you pouted, "then give me more kisses to help me feel better."

he laughed in amusement, and his lovesick eyes flickered to yours, "needy, aren't we?"

you wrapped your arms around his nape before pulling him closer, "well, yes. considering how busy i was recently, you didn't give me kisses more than you usually do. you have to pay your debts."

"yes, ma'am." he chuckled against your lips before pressing his lips against yours, kissing you slowly, and you sighed in contentment when you felt his soft lips against you. one week without giving your boyfriend attention that much was really a toll on the both of you.

you pulled him closer to deepen the kiss, mind going blank except suguru's lips at this moment. his hands moving down to your waist, tracing his warm fingertips on your skin under your top.

the tension between you was getting heavier and before the both of you couldn't control yourselves, suguru broke the kiss—chuckling when you whined, trying to pull him closer again.

he shook his head, "baby, no. you have to freshen up, you still haven't finished your food." he pointed at the warm plate, "finish it while i prepare your bath, i'll do your skincare after as well."

"but-"

"no."

"just one last, i promise. one last kiss and i'll do whatever you want." suguru arched an eyebrow before laughing.

"will you?" he hummed, moving himself closer to you to peck your cheek and you nodded. you raised your pinky finger to him, a sign that you were really sincere, in a heartbeat.

suguru chuckled at your antics before raising his pinky finger as well, "god, i love you."

"i know, i love you too," he grinned before giving you the kiss you've always wanted, the kiss that always made your stomach turn—that it never failed to give you butterflies, and the kiss that always made you breathless.

after a whole minute, suguru was the first to break off the kiss again. his chest swelled with pride as he saw how red your face and lips were, how you gasped for air, and how you clutched on his back.

"satisfied?" he muttered and smiled when you nodded subconsciously. he pressed another kiss on the corner of your lips before standing up, "great, now finish your plate as you promised. i'll be at the bathroom when you need something."

you hummed as you took the plate closer to you, still feeling your hands kinda numb and felt yourself a little breathless from the kiss. he's really intense, you thought. but that was one of the things you loved about suguru.

you shook your head as you felt your face getting warm again, you took a large air before exhaling slowly to calm yourself before taking a spoonful of rice from your plate. day by day, you always found yourself falling for suguru harder and harder.

and it was a good thing because suguru falls for you harder and harder everyday as well.

[evanpeterswhoresblog]

Behind the Crime

Warren Lipka x f!reader

warnings: smut, unprotected p in v, oral male receiving, dominate warren, underage drinking, underage smoking, use of marijuana, rough sex, hint of choking, talk of robbery, um yeah i think that’s it

summary: from the moment you were brought into the heist, you knew working with warren was going to be hard…

word count: 3.4k

a/n: sorry for not posting guys i have not been on the grind lately. i watched this movie and omfg evan was so attractive i just needed to write. if you’re the real warren lipka just scroll this is about evan…

~~~

You sit back in your chair, the crew members adjusting your mic. You’re starting to regret doing this interview, but it’s too late to back out now. Everything’s already set up, the camera is about to be rolling. The interviewer is sitting a few feet away from you, notes in his hand. He waits for you to give him the signal that you’re ready. You nod, he begins.

“So, y/n, how did you become involved with the group?” He asks.

“I was first approached by Spencer when I was eating lunch outside one day...”

~~~

You were sitting alone, the cool fall breeze almost too cold to be comforting. You didn’t pay much mind to it though, you were more focussed on your studying. You were flipping through the pages of another history article when suddenly there was a presence beside you. Looking up at them as soon as you noticed, you recognized the boy as someone from your class.

“Can I help you?” You asked, your tone polite.

He looked nervous as if he were about to ask you out. “Hi, uh, I don’t know if you remember my name, I’m Spencer we have Art History together.”

“Oh, yeah, I’ve seen you,” you replied. “Do you need help with the homework or something?”

“No, I actually wanted to talk to you about something else, if you’re not busy or anything,” he said, his voice quiet.

You look away for a second before replying. “Sure, sit down if you want I’m not busy.”

He smiled at you before quickly sitting at the spot across from you. He put his bag on the table, you could see him take a deep breath. Was he really going to ask you out? You thought he was cute, but definitely not your type. You started to pray he wouldn’t say anything along those lines.

“I started to ask around a week or two ago about people who are good with computers and stuff, a lot of people told me you were the best person to go to,” he started. He lacked confidence in his voice, you felt bad for the poor guy but paid close attention to his words. “I need some... help with cameras.”

“What kind of cameras?” You asked, intrigued.

What he was saying was true, you were decently good with computers. You mostly would hack into places and disable things you didn’t like, like the cameras on the public library computers. It wasn’t anything illegal, at least you didn’t think it was illegal. It probably was, but you didn’t care.

“Just you know cameras in... semipublic places...”

You raised an eyebrow. “Like what kind though? Phone, laptop, desktop, security?”

“Security,” he answered quietly. “But before you say no listen, how does a couple hundred thousand dollars' worth of payment sound?

“What?”

“I won’t tell you the details till I know you’re on board but let's just say something is going down and we need help with the cameras. The pay would be huge and all you’d have to do is just mess with some cameras for like twenty minutes.”

You only stared at him; your mouth slightly hung open. Was he being serious? Was he really asking you to join him in a potential robbery that would pay hundreds of thousands of dollars? You never would’ve expected to be asked such a question on a cloudy Thursday at lunch. You shut your book completely and look around to make sure nobody is close.

“This money, it’s guaranteed?”

He nods. “As long as we get the job done, you’ll have it.”

You knew it was crazy, you knew whatever was going to happen would either result in you going to prison or having to run off into hiding. But the thought of being able to pay all your student loans off and have extra money to live off of was more appealing. Hacking into cameras wasn’t that hard, and it wasn’t going to hurt anyone. Unless it was.

“If you’re trying to get me to make sure a murder or rape isn’t on camera I’ll snitch,” you warned him.

“Oh no, nothing like that is happening at all. It’s just you know a robbery,” he replied, his expression genuine.

You nodded your head, convinced whatever he was asking couldn’t be that bad. “Okay, yeah, I’ll do it.”

~~~

“What was your first impression of the guys?

You smile. “They were really cool, funny, just overall really fun people to hang out with.”

“Do you remember the first time you met all of them?”

“Of course, like it was yesterday...”

~~~

The house you sat in front of didn’t look like a typical criminal's house. It looked like an average American’s family house actually. You were parked out on the road outside the house Spencer told you to go to, you were meeting the rest of the people involved with the robbery. It had been about ten minutes of you sitting out there debating whether or not to go in before you got a text from Spencer asking where you were. You sighed, praying to God this decision was the right one before getting out of your car.

You knocked on the front door with a shaky fist. You started to regret your decision, you thought about turning around and leaving, but the door was opened before you could act on it. An older woman stood in front of you, she looked to be in her 50s.

“Oh, you’re very pretty,” she said, making your cheeks turn red. “You’re here to see Warren, right?”

You had no idea who Warren was, but you nodded. The lady's smile grew, and she opened the door for you and ushered you inside. She directed you to the basement entrance, asking you a million questions you had no answers to. After those few but excruciating painful minutes though, you walked down the basement stairs and finally caught sight of Spencer.

There were three other guys in the room and all of their eyes were on you. Two, along with Spencer, were sitting on a couch. One of them was skinny with glasses, the other muscular with no glasses. They didn’t grasp your attention though. The last guy who was standing did. He had long dark curly hair, and eyes to match. His eyes met yours before you watched them slowly move up and down your body. You didn’t know how to react.

“Guys, this is y/n,” Spencer said, breaking you out of your thoughts.

“Hello, I’m Eric,” the guy with glasses introduced himself.

“Chas,” the muscular guy spoke, not paying much attention to you. “Are you sure this was a good idea, Spence? How much do we really know about this chick? No offense.”

“Shut up, we agreed,” Spencer hissed. He waved you over and you complied, walking to the couch and sitting on the end beside him.

The standing guy took a step forward and held out his hand to you. You looked up at him before accepting his handshake. His hand was rough, you liked the feeling of it in yours. “I’m Warren and you are our cameraman or woman I guess.”

You laughed. “I guess.”

“How much has Spencer told you?” Warren asked after letting go of your hand and stepping back. It was then you noticed the maps on the wall with drawings all over them, the layout looked familiar.

“Just that I need to hack some cameras and that it’ll pay me a lot,” you answered. “I don’t even know what you guys are stealing.”

“Well y/n, I’m sure you’ve been to your own school's library right?”

You nodded.

“Have you ever taken a tour of the library’s rare book collection?”

You nodded again.

Warren smirked. “Then you know exactly what we’re stealing.”

Your face fell and you immediately looked at Spencer and the rest of the guys. “Are you serious? You guys want to steal historic books?”

“I told you this was a bad idea,” Chas mumbled from his chair.

“Shut up Chas,” Warren quickly snapped. He looked back at you, his dark eyes engulfing yours completely. “We’ve been planning this out for months, and you are the last piece to our puzzle y/n. Think about how much you’ll be earning.”

You didn’t say anything. Maybe it was a bad idea.

~~~

“Chas eventually stopped being cold to me, I actually think in the end he became my closest friend in the group,” you say, finishing your story.

The interviewer gives you a look. “Well, besides Warren right?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” you reply, a confused look on your face.

“I have to ask if the stories are true, you know about you and him. The other guys say something changed between the two of you after a party you all attended. I mean, didn’t the police even question if your involvement had a deeper meaning than simply the money?”

You shake your head, giving your best performance. “Me and Warren were only ever best friends, there was never a deeper meaning behind anything.”

~~~

Music was pumping through your body, from the tips of your toes to the top of your head you could feel it. It had been a few weeks since you met the guys, and they all wanted to do something fun before the heist. So, a frat party was naturally the easiest option. That’s where you were now, already two shots and half a joint in. You didn’t know where Spencer, Nick, and Warren were, but Chas was dancing with you.

Though the two of you got off on the wrong foot, you and Chas quickly learned how well you get along. He was a good friend, all of the guys were. You liked how easily they could make you laugh and brighten your mood. They were all good people who you enjoyed being around.

Warren was the only one that you felt different for. You didn’t know why, but from the first day you met you knew your feelings for him would be different than the other three. The way he looked at you alone was completely different than the others. There was always something darker in his eyes, something you knew wasn’t supposed to be there for simply a friend. Every time the two of you looked at each other, your stomach filled with butterflies. You wanted it too. But in those first few weeks, nothing had happened. No matter how much either of you wanted it.

After some minutes of you and Chas dancing, Warren and Spencer appeared. They asked if the two of you wanted to go out and smoke, you both agreed and followed them outside the back. Not too many people were in the backyard, but there were enough for there to be a bonfire going. The four of you found an empty spot near the fire and sat down. Warren took out a joint and lit it before passing it around.

“Where’s Nick?” You asked after taking a hit.

Spencer shrugged. “Probably with the weird kids doing weird stuff.”

“He’s not that weird,” Chas replied. “He’s just awkward.”

You watched as Warren took another long hit of the joint. Because of the weed and alcohol, you found yourself even more attracted to him than when you were sober. You wanted so desperately to run your fingers through his hair, you wanted to hear his voice as you touched him. He suddenly met your gaze, his lips curled up into a mesmerizing smile. You wanted to kiss him. It was too much for you to handle.

You swallowed and stood up, brushing the dirt off your shorts. “I need to um use the bathroom.”

You didn’t wait for any of their replies. Instead, you rushed back into the house straight to the kitchen. You poured yourself a shot, downing it before giving it a second thought. You needed these feelings to go away. How were you supposed to work with Warren if you couldn’t even look at him without thinking about having sex with him? It made you feel awful. A hookup couldn’t be the reason the robbery went bad, you refused to let that happen.

After another shot, you started to forget about your feelings. In fact, you started to forget about Warren completely. All you felt was the burning sensation of the alcohol in your stomach and chest, it felt good. You stumbled out of the kitchen and into the hallway, grabbing the railings of the staircase for support. Suddenly, you felt a presence next to you, their hand on your back.

“Y/N, are you good?” It was Warren.

You turned your head and looked at him, God how could he look even better? “No- I’m not okay.”

“You’re wasted, you need some water,” he said. He moved his hand around your waist and pulled you up straight. You felt like you were on fire. “Come on, back to the kitchen.”

“Why are you here? I just- I just wanna forget about you,” you mumbled.

He started helping you walk back to the kitchen. “What? Why would you want to forget about me?”

“Because... I want you but I can’t have you. I thought you- felt the same that’s why it’s been so hard to resist,” you spoke, stumbling over your words. “I can’t look at you without thinking about you fucking me.”

Even in your drunken state, you could still see the cockiness on Warren’s face. He lifted you up onto the kitchen counter effortlessly before turning and getting you a cup of water. You leaned your head back against one of the cabinets, your head was spinning. You couldn’t think straight.

“Drink,” Warren’s voice filled your ears.

You lifted your head and grabbed the solo cup from his hand, downing the water faster than ever. When you finished, you threw the cup to the floor, your eyes meeting Warren’s once again. He was standing close enough that if you reached, you could touch him.

Perhaps it was because of the alcohol, or perhaps it was because of how long you’d felt the tension between you two, that gave you the courage to gently place your hand on the top of his head. His hair was soft, just like you’d expected it to be. You smiled and played with his curls. He didn’t object, you were glad. You needed this.

“Do you want me?” You asked, your voice barely audible against the loud music.

“What do you think?”

You shrugged. “I thought so, but I could always be wrong.”

“Maybe I should make it clearer,” he said. He grabbed your wrist and pulled your hand off his head before stepping closer to you. “If this house wasn’t crowded, I’d fuck you right here, right now.”

Your heart was racing, your cheeks bright red. You couldn’t believe this was happening. Warren was still holding your wrist, it sent electric shocks throughout your body. His eyes began to shift from your eyes to your lips and so on. You swallowed; a lump had formed in your throat.

“There’s probably an empty room somewhere,” you mentioned. “You could take me to one of them and show me you mean what you say.”

Warren raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know, you’re pretty drunk.”

“I’m not- I swear. I consent, I’ll remember all of this in the morning,” you replied quickly.

“All right.”

Before you could say anything else, Warren scooped you into his arms and began to carry you through the house. You didn’t know whether to pretend you were drunk so it wouldn’t look suspicious or stay awake to also not make it look suspicious. You chose to stay awake and within minutes you and Warren were alone in a bedroom, your lips connected.

The kiss was fast and rough, everything you expected from him. His arms were wrapped around your waist, he towered over you. You wasted no time, immediately kicking off your shoes and pushing Warren back until he fell onto the bed. He pulled you on top of him, guiding your hips in slow motions over his clothed erection. You felt like you were on fire, you needed more.

You broke this kiss and leaned back so you were straddling him. You pulled off your shirt and bra, Warren followed your actions. Once your eyes fell upon his toned abdomen, you audibly moaned. You quickly leaned down again and kissed his chest, beginning a trail down his body. Each breath that left his mouth made your pussy drip even more. And when you reached his navel, his breaths turned into soft whispers.

“Keep going.”

“Please.”

“I’ll do anything.”

When you no longer had any skin left to kiss you looked back up at him, his eyes were already on you. He got your signal and instantly pulled his shorts and boxers off, leaving him completely naked. You weren’t surprised at his size; you had a feeling he’d be big. You started off by slowly stroking him with your hand, the expressions on his face already enough to make you cum.

After a minute or so of that, you bent down and pressed a small kiss to his tip. You loved the way his leg twitched. It made you proud. So, you took him into your mouth. He gasped, one of his hands finding its way to the back of your head. He didn’t push you; he only twirled your hair back into a ponytail-like style and gripped it tight. You moved your head up and down, taking as much of him in your mouth as you could. You were never a fan of giving head to guys, but with Warren, it was a different story.

Not much time passed before Warren pushed you gently, telling you he wasn’t going to last much longer. You didn’t care, you wanted him to finish in your mouth. But he told you he wanted to have sex, so you stopped. You peeled off your shorts and underwear before you climbed back onto him. His naked body against yours felt unreal, you were almost convinced this was all part of your drunken imagination.

However, when Warren pulled your head down and began to kiss your lips again, you knew it had to be real. His hands gripped your ass, kneading and playing with your skin. You positioned his tip at your entrance, you were so wet you didn’t need any lube. You broke the kiss and looked into his eyes, you wanted to know it was okay. He gave you a nod and so you began to push yourself down on him.

He filled you well, just the perfect amount. You had thrown your head back, a moan escaping your lips. You hadn’t had sex in months, and this was the perfect way to break that streak. You started to move your body forward and backward while simultaneously going up and down. Warren’s grip on your ass tightened with each movement you made.

“Fuck baby,” he moaned. “You do it so well.”

Your confidence was boosted; you began to move faster. This only lasted a few minutes though, much to your dismay. You weren’t too athletic; you didn’t have good stamina. Warren noticed this, and without saying anything he flipped your bodies. Once on top of you, he began violent thrusts. You almost screamed from the pleasure; you’d never felt anything remotely close to it in your life. He hit your cervix each time, it made your back arch off the mattress and your nails dig into his back.

“Warren,” you whimpered. “Oh, fuck Warren.”

One of his hands wrapped around your neck. He didn’t squeeze, he just rested it there. You felt the knot in your stomach form at this. It felt so good to be dominated by him. It had been your dream for weeks, and it had finally come true. You closed your eyes and let the feeling of Warren fucking you fill your senses.

When you came, you practically screamed his name. You swore you could see stars. You’d never experienced an orgasm so hard in your life. Warren came a few seconds after you, you felt his dick pulsing inside you. He collapsed on you. You didn’t care about how his weight crushed you, you still held him as the two of you began to come down from your highs.

~~~

As the crew packs up, you remain in your chair, staring blankly out one of your windows. The interviewer is still across from you, but you don’t notice until he speaks.

“Just tell me one thing, off the record,” he says, grabbing your attention. “Did you love him?”

A small smile grows on your lips. “With all my heart.”

[glittermutt]

mutt's guide to using dsr on ts4, with pictures!!!

ok so, dsr is a thing available for nvidia gpus that allows you to take veeery high resolution screenshots of games without much trouble, like this

it's an alternative to srwe, as it plays nicer with a lot of reshade shaders and is just, generally more nice to use! let me teach you how to use it - full tutorial with pictures for every step under the cut (im sorry its too long without the cut)

step 1: right click your desktop and open the nvidia control panel

step 2: go here (adjust desktop size and position)

step 3: make sure your settings are set as follows! this is important

step 4: now, go here (change resolution)

step 5: under change resolution, click on this button (highlighted with a red square)

step 6: in the windows that appears, make sure that "enable resolutions not exposed by display" is ticked! this is very important! (again, highlighted in red - it should look like this)

step 7: now, click on "create custom resolution"

step 8: this is where you set your desired resolution, and where i get a bit rambly; so, in my opinion, there is ZERO reason to go above normal 4K for TS4, as it's generally not a really high-poly game and it has rather simple graphics. you can fuck around a lot here, but if you don't feel like it, here are my settings - this will give you 4K screenshots. NOTE: THE REFRESH RATE DOESN'T NEED TO BE 75! SET IT TO WHATEVER THE REFRESH RATE OF YOUR MONITOR IS!

step 9: now, click on test

step 10: let the thing load, and after it's done, a window like this should pop up.. but yknow, in your language. click on "yes" (or accept or ok!! idk mine's in russian; basically, the button highlighted here!)

step 11: click "ok" in the window that pops up! like this! afterwards, close the nvidia panel

step 12: open the sims 4 and go into game options, then into graphics

step 13: set your "display type" as "fullscreen", like this

step 14: under "resolution", select whatever resolution you setup earlier; in my case it's 4K, so if you used the same resolution, your settings should look like this

step 15: click on apply changes!

AND UR DONEE!! WAHOOIEE!! now, take your screenshot using reshade, and then go back into sims settings and set it back to what you usually play at, then apply changes!

every time you need to take an HD screenshot, simply open game settings and use your custom resolution! that's it, have fun :3

[thezombieprostitute]

Lmao this made me think of Jakey Poo

You know what? I'm making this canon for how Jake and Sunshine met.

Summary: Jake knows he's the luckiest man in the world and it's all because of you.

Warnings: None at this time. Please let me know if I missed any!

A/N: Reader is female. No physical descriptors used.

Part 1

Tech Tuesdays Masterlist

Poor Jake didn't have much going for him when he left military service for the civilian life. He's just not sure what to do with himself outside of work and gaming. He tries to go out, especially when he's meeting up with The Losers again, but often he finds himself just feeling lonely with too much time on his hands.

Then he gets a ticket from you. The problem seems like an easy enough fix so Jake, still being the new guy on the team, gets assigned to it. He signs onto the Zoom app that he despises with all of his being, but it's company policy to use it.

When you answer the Zoom call your voice is so sweet that it takes Jake a second to respond. You actually think there's something wrong with the connection and he hears you saying, "frick. Even in the future nothing works."

He laughs, recognizing the Spaceballs reference, and startles you. "Sorry about that," he chuckles, as he hears your gasp. "That was just...really funny. Don't meet a lot of Spaceballs fans these days." He shakes his head, "anyways, I'm going to take control of your computer for a bit so I can try to fix it."

"Of course," you reply. It is standard procedure.

Jake gets a remote look at your desktop background and gasps, "you're a Pokemon fan!"

"Gen 1 and proud," you reply.

"That might explain what happened," he starts. "You let your Magnemite get too close to your laptop!" You laugh at the joke and Jake feels his cheeks heat up.

"Well it certainly isn't a Rattata chewing on the wires," you chuckle back.

"Hmm. Maybe we should get maintenance to double check," he jokes. He starts poking around your system files and is immediately at a loss. "What the..."

"Everything okay?"

"Umm..." Jake starts floundering. "I, um, I think. Hmm..."

Shit, he thinks. He was really hoping he could impress you. He's never even seen you but you're so nice and a fellow geek. He wanted to go in, press a button and fix your problem, but this is something more complicated than the ticket implied. He's wishing he had his pirate hat to help him think.

"Okay," he shakes his head, clearing his thoughts, "I think I'm going to need to take a look at the computer itself to figure this out."

"Sure thing." You exchange names and give him your cubicle number and quickly start cleaning up your desk. He might be an IT guy but his voice is very sexy, his laugh even moreso. And he's a fellow geek! Not someone who looks down on you for liking "childish things". You want to make a good impression.

By the time Jake gets to your cubicle you've tidied up pretty well. You smile up at him and Jake swears he's never met a more beautiful woman in his life. He's barely able to get out a "hi" because you've taken his breath away.

You're trying hard not to giggle and kick your feet at how cute Jake is. The fact that you've flustered him isn't lost on you and it makes you feel even giddier.

"Um, I um, I like your, your Gravity Falls sweater," Jake finally gets out.

Looking down you realize you're wearing your handmade Mabel Pines sweater and your face lights up. "Oh, thanks! I made it myself!"

"That's so cool," Jake says, earnestly. "I'm always so jealous of people who can make their own cosplay stuff."

"I could make you something," you quickly offer. "If, that is, um, if you'd like."

He smiles at you and, for the first time in a very long time, he feels like everything's going to be okay. The clouds are parting and you, the sunshine, are lighting up his life.

Part 1

Tech Tuesdays Masterlist

Tagging: @alicedopey; @delicatebarness; @ellethespaceunicorn; @icefrozendeadlyqueen; @jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory; @late-to-the-party-81; @lokislady82; @ronearoundblindly

[3-2-whump]

Wrong Turn

<prev next>

Divine Judgment comes

Thank you @whumped-by-glitter and @generic-whumperz , this chapter would not be what it is without you beta-ing for it!

Obligatory Author's Note: So, it's pretty obvious we're nearing the end of Tom's story, but at this point, it's pretty open ended. If you'd like to stop here and imagine he mansplains-manipulates-manslaughters his way outta this trap, then by all means go ahead. Fanfiction is a thing, canon divergence is a thing, I encourage it, if anything! Just, you know, tag me or let me know in some way. But let's get right to it!

TW/CW: slave whump, intimate whumper, (brief) dehumanization, whumper turned whumpee, kidnapping, leaving off on a cliffhanger

Thomas J Costa, you are a fucking genius, the mob boss thought to himself. This was one of the best two weeks of his and Khaled’s shared life together. Two weeks of coming home to a sparkling clean penthouse, a plate of either half-cooked or slightly scorched food (hey, the boy was trying), and a submissive bedmate made him perversely wonder why he didn’t try this scare tactic sooner.

He checked his watch. It was only half an hour until he’d usually leave for home, but he decided he’d been at work long enough that day. Just as he was about to log off of his desktop, an email of high priority chimed. He opened it, then groaned. That meeting with the stakeholders of White Shore Resort: Miami was tonight, and he’d completely forgot. As much as he’d rather not do it tonight, he did not need to burn this bridge, of all bridges. So, with a reluctant sigh, Thomas put on his coat and shot a text home. He’d left Khaled with the spare cellphone he’d given him when he was in the hospital that one time, a dense brick of a device that could only perform basic call, text, and photo taking tasks, specifically to send him messages like these.

To: Holes Forgot about a meeting I have tonight. Be home late. Wait for me.

With that sent, he tucked his phone into his coat pocket and begrudgingly left.

The boss was a little more than surprised to find his car keyed and his tires slashed. What surprise he did feel was quickly replaced with burning rage as he marched his way to the guard shack and banged on the door. “Nico!”

Michael’s nephew opened the door, brown hair amess and blinking in confusion as if he had just woken up from a nap. “Boss? What’s up, what’s wrong?” he asked, pulling his coat around him.

“Don’t even - somebody’s slashed my tires on your watch!” Thomas grabbed Nico by the arm and yanked him along across the parking lot. He practically threw the young guard at the defaced car. “Look at this! Did you see who did this? What the fuck am I even paying you for if you don’t even know who did this?!” he roared.

“Shit man, I-I’m sorry! What can I do to fix this?” Nico asked.

Tom checked his watch again. Despite the meeting being on the other side of the city, and the whole setback with his car, he knew he could still make it. “You,” he decided, “are going to drive me! No arguments, let’s go!”

Nico’s mouth opened and closed mutely like a fish before he threw up his hands in a shrug.

It was a very awkward drive in Nico Clemenza’s cluttered Jeep. Some people kept the interior of their cars spotless, some people treated the interior of their cars like a large storage locker, and it became very clear which one Nico was that evening. Thomas must have counted at least three first-draft essays, one notebook, four pairs of unwashed athletic clothes, and a pair of sneakers back there. At least the weather was cold enough out that they didn’t stink, which was a small mercy of being trapped in such a disgusting car. He wanted to retch, but this was his best and quickest option to get to that meeting on time. Maybe I’ll just make the kid drop me off a couple blocks away, and I can walk there, he thought to himself.

Meanwhile, Nico himself seemed visibly on edge as he drove stiffly and uncomfortably with the boss in his car. It was enough to make himself feel tense. Thomas sighed. “Look, Nico, bud, I know you don’t necessarily approve of how I handle your dear little friend, but there is no reason why things have to be so tense between us personally,” he said. “I’ve never actually done anything to you, have I? Like, I’ve never physically harmed you or nothing. And I’m on great terms with Bennie and Michael, so why don’t you just relax a bit? I’m not gonna kill you, I swear.”

Nico nervously glanced at him before focusing back on the road. Thomas shook his head. There was an impassible power barrier between himself and some of the younger guys in the organization, one that wasn’t there before he became the boss nearly eight years ago. It made people act all fake and freak out over little things as they forgot that he was just a person, too; like how Nico completely missed the exit they needed to take.

“Hey, wait, the Antechamber Taphouse was back that way,” he reminded him. Nico kept driving, not responding as his eyes remained fixed on an unseen destination. “Nico, hey, Nico!” Tom snapped his fingers in front of the driver’s face, hoping to get his attention. “Nico, you missed it!”

“No I didn’t, because that’s not where we’re going,” Nico relied cryptically.

“Yes, it is, though, I told you we were going there!” He brought this fingers up to Nico’s temple and poked at it. “What’s wrong with you?” Nico did not respond as he pulled off at the next exit and drove them further from Thomas’ intended destination. “Take a left, and another left,” he instructed. They might just be able to make it to the taphouse if they took the detour Thomas knew about.

Nico pulled off at the next exit and ran every red light as he took the exact opposite directions, driving them closer to their unknown destination. The passenger gave up dictating directions once he realized this dumb fuck behind the wheel wasn’t going to listen to him. Whether it was because Nico didn’t know the area and was stubborn enough to spurn all directions, there was not much Thomas could do until they got where they needed to be. With a final grumble, he whipped out his phone and started sorting through emails. Confirmation of reservation, reminder of reservation, junk mail, junk mail, junk –ooh, a user called ‘there-a-Glock-in-my-sock-85’ responded to my Reddit question!

It was only once the car came to a stop and parked that he looked up from his phone. Far from the urban core of his intended destination, he found them parked at the docks, just outside the empty warehouses. ‘Something is wrong’ seemed like the understatement of the moment here as Thomas tried to determine Nico’s true intentions. 

Then, the door to one of the warehouses creaked open. Nico unlocked the doors and unbuckled his seatbelt. “Alright, sir, come with me,” he said.

“Where are we?” he asked, unbuckling his own seatbelt.

Nico did not respond, only silently opening the door of the car as he pivoted his body to get out. The boss finally figured out there was something much larger at play. He thought about the young guard’s sketchy demeanor and their conveniently desolate location before remembering what Nico had said the last day he saw Khaled.

“But, he didn’t do it, sir! He had no part in it! I can prove it, just listen to me!”

His jaw dropped as he made the connection. “Wait a minute, you were the one who put that hit out on me last summer?!” The lack of an answer was all the confirmation the boss needed. “Oh, you little shit!” Thomas grabbed Nico by the shirt collar and yanked him away from the door. He pulled Nico by the back of his hair and slammed his face into the dash board –once, twice, and one more time for good measure before pushing Nico out the open door and crawling into the driver’s seat himself. He was just about to close the door of the Jeep and lock it until a chillingly cheerful voice called out from the shadows.

“Where you going off to, man? You just got here!”

Tom immediately unsheathed his pistol, aiming at the source of the voice amongst the dark. A pair of cat-like golden eyes gleamed in the darkness as the boss of Juicio Divino emerged like a phantom from the dark warehouse entrance. Six more phantoms materialized alongside him with their own weapons drawn and aimed at the Costa boss. Julio’s eyes briefly flickered down to his accomplice who’d been thrown out of the car before fixing back on Thomas again. He lazily grinned, his teeth shining unnaturally white in the dark night. “Why don’t you step out of the vehicle and come on in here?” It did not sound like a request. Six guns remained trained on his body behind the windshield.

Thomas growled like a cornered animal as he reluctantly set his gun on the dashboard, got out of the car, and put his hands up. Attacking Julio directly would guarantee he’d be killed, but surrendering and giving them what they wanted now would at least open an opportunity to gain the upper hand later, he reasoned. Although he doubted this wild cat would ever give him the chance.

Le Tag List: @kabie-whump , @rainydaywhump @whumped-by-glitter @skittles-the-whumpee @generic-whumperz @bamber344 @there-will-always-be-blood @morning-star-whump @a-la-whump @watermelons-dont-grow-on-trees @defire

[mercurysgem0]

Tanjiro Headcanons! (General, Platonic, Romantic)

my first writing in a while, might be terrible. also the formatting MAYYYY be off i rarely use tumblr let alone post on here.. gulps. ENJOY THO!!! shoutout to @thecardiganzlovrx3 for some ideas and support love u a lot buddy! <3

General:

-despite what everyone thinks, he is KINDA ASS at cooking 

-he doesn’t burn things (often) and knows how to sorta use spices and seasonings, but he is no 5 star chef 

-(probably isnt even 3 star)

-sometimes neglects his own hygiene, just isn’t that important to him with all of the things he has to do

-definitely reminds others to take care of themselves, though

-not disgusting by any means but perchance a little smelly here and there

-gets really embarrassed when he realizes how long its been since he’s gotten clean

-if this were the modern era he would for sure use 3-n-1 (sorry guys… its more efficient hes a busy man..)

-pine or a woodsy scent :)

-ROUUGGHHH hands i dont even think this is a hc this is CANON

-could sand wood with them thangs 

-cried when he got his ears pierced, he doesnt know why it just gave him the urge to cry :(

-loves animals, he listens very closely whenever Mitsuri is gushing about her cats

MORE MODERN ERA HCS:

-cleanest desktop ever. so organized

-dont even get me started on his files

-he might not know a lot about technology but he knows how to keep it clean

-doesn’t download anything, just pictures of his family and friends

-lock screen would be a landscape, maybe a river or mountains

-main screen is for sure a picture of at least him and nezuko if not the whole squad

-doesn’t know how to download things on mobile 😭just took a screenshot of something he liked and set his wallpaper to it (credit to my wife kell for this one love u bby)

-definitely an android user, probably a samsung galaxy

-none of his contacts have pictures, he doesn’t know how to set them

-dry texter do i even need to say this

-isnt much of a music guy

-he wouldnt even know where to look to find music

-not that he doesnt like it, he just rarely listens on his own

Platonic: (like best friends)

-finds little things on his outings that reminds him of you

-sometimes he loses them and doesn’t realize until he’s back, and gets really sad

-always gives them to you when he doesn’t! it makes him really happy to see how much you like whatever it is he gave you

-he loves you like family and will treat you as such

-sometimes overbearing with his care but he means well

-crazy protective like how he is with all of his family (and friends for that matter)

-wouldn’t be the same if you died, for any reason

-there would definitely be a mental scar forever if he lost you

-always surprises him when you reciprocate any kind of love or care towards him, he just isnt used to it

-appreciates it a LOT though

-if you have longer hair he would definitely try and style it for you (disguises it as practice for nezuko’s hair but really he just thinks your current style is atrocious)

-if you have shorter hair, hes clueless. completely clueless

-no idea what to do so just brushes it and maybe puts in a cute little hair clip (GIGGLING TO MYSELF RN ANYWAYSSS)

-someone give me more ideas for this im OPEN TO ANYTHING i will do a part two if needed

ROMANTICALL:

-an old fashioned man (its literally the 1920s cmon)

-in addition to the things he finds to give you, he also buys you a lot of things

-doesnt care if you protest, he loves you so you have to accept it!

-very shy with affection at first, almost uncharacteristically 

-slow progression, doesn’t even kiss you until around 4 months in

-sometimes this makes you feel unloved, if you bring it up he’ll immediately apologize and try to reassure you, and explains hes not used to loving someone physically

-after this talk he does start doing little touches

-grabbing your shoulder, your hand, brushing your hair behind your ear, cute stuff like that!

-simple pet names nothing over the top

-honey, dear, baby, and maybe a cute personalized one :) (like something about your personality or an inside joke)

-uses your crow to find out what kind of dates you would like the best, and what to wear to said dates

-picture a cheesy 2000s movie getting ready scene like with the changing room and the peoples reactions but its tanjiro and your crow (ALSO CREDIT TO KELL FOR THIS MY LITTLE HELPER)

-goes over the top on holidays, especially because he probably doesnt get to actually enjoy very many holidays

-valentines day god. 

-gets really giddy when he sees you interacting with nezuko, something inside of him warms up (he definitely gets more cuddly after this)

-once he’s fully used to loving you, BE PREPARED.

-every love language ever

-mainly gift giving, words of affection, and physical touch

-not too big on pda but hes not completely against it

-he prefers to have private moments, your love is between him and you <3

-hand holding, hugging, kissing, he’ll do that stuff almost anywhere, but in small amounts

-behind closed doors.. hes a beast. 

-cuddling EVERY NIGHT HE CAN. loves being close to you and knowing you’re safe with him to protect you (he knows you’re strong and can fight anything off, it just gives him peace of mind)

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows 3

Warnings: non/dubcon, clashing personalities, exclusion, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

Characters: moody boy Curtis Everett x bubbly, plus-size reader

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.

You arrive early with your laptop. The meeting room appears occupied as you wait outside. You don’t knock for fear of interrupting and stand patiently in the hall.

You check your watch, the hot pink casio with the digital face. It’s getting close. You try not to worry too much. The IT tech will no doubt show up and realise what’s going on.

As you begin to build the upcoming meeting as more than it is, the door cracks open and a man pokes his head out. He wear frameless rectangular glasses and his blond hair is spiky and shiny with gel. He smiles as he lets the door fall open.

“Hey, sorry to keep you waiting, you must be our one o’clock,” he says, “I’m Jake.”

You shake his hand and introduce yourself. He welcomes you in as you ponder his words, ‘our’? As you enter, you are faced with the last person you expect. The man’s neutral stare turns to a chagrined scowl as your eyes meet. The very same moody lunch partner from the day before.

“Hi,” you say sheepishly as you sit down and place your laptop on the table.

“Curtis will be doing most of the set up,” Jake explains as he sits beside the other man, “I’m mostly here for moral support.”

“Shut up,” Curtis sneers under his breath.

“Curtis,” you beam brightly; you finally got a name for the face. You give your own happily, enunciating it as if he’s never heard it before.

“Let’s get this done with,” he reaches across the table and takes your laptop. 

You can only watch as he lifts the lid and starts typing. Jake looks over a tablet and offers a few words as Curtis fiddles around with your laptop. He’s met with grumbles and dismissive nods. They seem an odd pair.

“So, how are you liking it?” Jake turns his attention to you, “making any friends?”

“A few I think,” you glance at Curtis as his brows draw together, “pretty big company.”

“Yep, don’t let the corporate sea drown ya,” Jake says, “my tip, stick with the IT nerds, we mostly don’t care what’s going on upstairs. We’re all about the backend.”

The steady clack of keys underlines your small laugh. You’re nervous. You hate meetings and you just want to go back to your desk and pretend you’re reading policies.

“What is this?” Curtis grimaces and turns your computer to you. He points to the clock your installed on the desktop; Hello Kitty’s face with two clock hands ticking.

“It’s cute. It’s a clock! Oh, and the app also has a reminder setting–”

“Can’t have it on a work machine,” he grits.

“It’s fine, Curt. Won’t hurt–”

“This shit is from some Discord troll. Bullshit it can’t hurt,” Curtis insists, “policy; no third-party apps. Everything you need is already installed.”

“Okay,” you twirl your thumbs around each other, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

He looks at you above the laptop and squints, his lip slightly curling. Jake rubs his neck nervously and nudges him. You still your hands and bite into your cheek.

“He’s had a long day. Spilled coffee on himself,” Jake explains.

“Oh,” you round your eyes, looking at the wall evasively.

“We can show you how to use the system clock and reminders. You’d be surprised the features most people don’t know about,” Jake offers.

“Thanks, uh, sounds good.”

Curtis jams his finger on the touchpad harshly. He keeps his snarl aimed at the screen. You watch him, waiting for him to look up. He doesn’t. You don’t blame him, you’ve been a real thorn in his side. But you only meant well.

🌞

After the meeting, you swept up in a whirlwind of overthinking and guilt. You didn’t mean to ruin Curtis’ day. You never meant to be anything but friendly. Somehow, it rarely translates to more than a nuisance.

Still, you don’t like when people are mad at you. You’re not a grudge holder and frankly you don’t understand them. Why hold onto all that bad emotion? You need to to just apologise and let it all smooth over.

You go down to the cafeteria and grab one of the few leftover pastries. A cinnamon bun with icing, yum. You stop and make a coffee before you head back to the floor. You guess on a dark brew, he seems the type.

You wander past Research and Development and through Accounting. You don’t really know where you’re going. The further you get, the more your anxiety mounts. Surely, you can’t get lost in an office building.

You see a man with a headset and send a psst in his direction. He looks up, combing back his greasy hair with his fingers and smiles.

“Uh, hey,” he says.

“Um, is this IT?” You keep your voice down in the curdling silence of the department.

“Sure is. You need a repair?” He winks. Not exactly your taste. You shake your head.

“I’m looking for Curtis,” you say.

The man looks at your handful. He nods, deflating.

“Pretty boy’s over there,” he points towards the corner.

You thank the man and press on in your journey into the villain’s lair. You can only hope your offering is enough. Forgiveness, maybe that’s too much, but an understanding, possibly.

You turn down the last row of desks and see Curtis’ large hand brush over the back of his buzzcut, his rings twinkling in the fluorescent glow. He stretches in his chair, leaning back as he reaches his arms up. His set-up looks almost too small for him.

As you approach, he stands. You don’t expect it. The motion sends his chair back just as you get close and knocks the coffee out of your hand. The cup hits the seat and soaks into the mesh. Your squeak draws the man around in surprise.

“You,” he growls as you gape at him in shock.

“Hi,” you don’t know what to do so you hold out the cinnamon bun, “um, sorry?”

He glares at you. A deadly look that chills you to the bone. His eyes fall to his drenched seat and you cringe. You see the rage pale his face. His hands ball to fists.

“I was just…” you inch closer and set the dessert on the corner of his desk, “apologising but I see now that–”

“Go,” he grits through his teeth.

“I’m sorry, Curtis–”

“I said go,” he sneers as his grey blue eyes slowly move towards you, “before you ruin anything else.”

[piosplayhouse]

I don't know if you'll answer but I need to know the lore behind sexy times with Wangxian, like is it a fanfic? why do people hate the author??

It was the longest mdzs fic posted during its time in 2021 and gained extreme notoriety for its absurdly long tag list, frequent update schedule that consistently forced anyone scrolling any of its tags to see it at the top of their page, and escalating poor, racist, and trolling authorial behavior that ultimately culminated in the author virtual1979 being suspended from ao3 for a month because she posting an author's note saying she hoped that all her haters would contract covid and die. She deleted the fic from ao3 a little while after this happened, ig bc she wasn't getting enough attention anymore, but allegedly the thing's still up on dreamwidth under strict friendslock. The fan lore article goes pretty in depth about it:

The best summary for why it pissed people off so much is really just showing you these screenshots of what the fic looked like towards the end of its life on desktop and mobile (be warned opening the full image):

From my personal experience:

from 2019 up until around 2021 the fic really was just a normal-ish, if very strangely written and kinky, wangxian porn fic about them basically just fucking around post canon and enjoying day to day life. It updated pretty frequently and had a fair amount of tags because the author was literally just tagging anything that she wrote. But like the first few hundred, maybe even a thousand tags were pretty accurate to what the fic was because of that, and were relatively manageable for the first few years that it didn't pick up any attention really.

At some point in 2021 when cql was really starting to blow up online and the tag count was starting to pile up to the point of annoyance, the fic started receiving some comments that were just like "hey can you try to cut down on tags, I don't think it's necessary to be so specific as to tag 'Korean food' or 'eggs' or whatnot". The author did not share this idea, evidently, and instead built a grudge against commenters who would tell her to delete tags, subsequently adding more and more as time went on.

As the tag count and updates increased, the content of the fic did too-- it got a lot, lot weirder. I'm sure someone's saved it all somewhere but for reference it spun out into what I can only describe as like if Rick and Morty's plot was cut to be just the parts of the show with underage/incest plotlines with All Tomorrows level sex dystopian world building exclusively to elicit the most visceral audience reaction possible. Around this time is when more people started to notice the fic and its escalating tag issues, leading them to leaving more comments complaining about it, leading to the attention seeking author spitefully adding more tags. Around this time is when she also started adding fake tags that didn't apply to the story whatsoever (sorry to disappoint, "talking vagina" was one of those. I did check) just to boost the count, take up more space on people's screens, and bait people into commenting hate for attention.

By this time, it had become a fandom-wide annoyance as she had begun to tag entirely unrelated ships, therefore putting the near-daily updating titanic of a fic at the top of any mdzs-related tag. People were outraged about this, and calls came for ao3 to step in. Ao3 waffled around for a bit as there was no official rule at the time that imposed a tag limit, so there wasn't established ground to ban virtual1979 (who btw many people suspected of being 40 whole years old due to the username and allegedly some other internet sleuthing on Facebook or something). Meanwhile, she began to tag other fandoms-- tgcf, svsss, BTS, basically anything that would get a lot of attention and draw hate with the advent of The Monstrosity suddenly drowning out all other recently updated fics of the targeted fandoms.

People had been trying to retaliate without ao3 action, though, by coding their own themes/skins that would allow someone to block a user or work and other fic writers made their own parody, the "bland times with wangxian" collection, which were minimally tagged sfw shortfics typically featuring wangxian just doing laundry or things like that. A good amount of them were actually like just fics where wwx would explain to lwj how to install custom ao3 themes and block fics that were taking up too much space on his screen. Imo it was pretty funny, but these also sparked some controversy as people disagreed with fighting annoyance with more annoyance to people trying to find content.

Either shortly before or after ao3 staff said they'd step in due to an insane amount of reports and backlash, I forgot which atp, virtual1979 began perhaps the worst tagging spree of the fic's life by changing the title, many of the tags, and the summary to a slew of racial slurs, sexually explicit imagery, and other generally offensive statements. I'm pretty sure this came after the fic was temporarily hidden once, as this update gained considerably less attention than the rest of the tagging saga, but people were still rightfully pissed about it. Ultimately, like I mentioned before, the author was then suspended for a month for wishing covid and death on her haters, and attention seemed to die down during this time to the point where she didn't really fight much more when her suspension ended and deleted her account and the work shortly after. Again she seems to have moved to dreamwidth, but most have forgotten her and I'm not sure if her presence is public at all on there. But that's the story of the worst mdzs fic ever written

[ohnococo]

Right Start | Ijichi x Reader

After working himself to exhaustion, you provide Ijichi with some much needed stress relief.

❧ WC: 2.2k

❧ Warnings: fem bodied reader, no pronouns used for reader, established relationship, whiny sensitive Ijichi, kissing, pussy job/intercrural sex, vaginal sex, creampie

Ijichi’s work stresses him out, well, all of the time. That’s why when he’s forced to bring it home you can’t help but be left with your heart aching for him. He never says no, because he feels like he can’t - it’s his job to give it his all. And in turn it makes you feel like it’s your job to support him, especially when he’s within your reach at his home office, brows tense, adjusting his glasses and tucking the same strands of hair behind his ear again and again as he tries to keep every bit of his tired mind on point for his work.

So you do what you can, checking in to make sure he takes breaks every few hours, and when he won’t even do that much, bringing him food and drink to at least keep him going.

It’s become a ritual for you, watching the clock to make sure you aren’t bothering him too often, but knowing if you leave him too long he’ll sit there for hours and hours until his stomach is grumbling and he’s nearly dehydrated.

This time, as you walk down the hall and give his door a little knock before opening it, it seems even your diligent efforts haven’t kept your sweet Kiyotaka from succumbing to his stress. His head is down on his desk, face down in fact. He hasn’t even been able to remove his glasses, leaving the arms askew with how his face is pressed to his desktop. One arm hangs limp off the arm of his chair, while the other is draped across his keyboard, leaving a string of semicolons being typed on page god-knows-what of his research.

“Kiyo?” Your voice is gentle, not wanting to startle him, and when that doesn’t rouse him you approach him quietly. This time when you say his name it’s accompanied by a hand on his shoulder, squeezing until he’s taking in a sharp breath and blinking himself back to consciousness.

“Oh no…” he looks at his desk, the drool in front of him, the nonsense starting mid-sentence in his document, then he finds his bearings and realises you’re the one who roused him and turns to you with worried eyes. “Was I asleep long?”

You shake your head, “No more than half an hour.”

“Good.” he sighs, relieved, as he rubs at his eyes, straightens his glasses, and starts trying to get back to where he left off.

“You’re wearing yourself out. Why don’t you take a break? A proper one, not just a bathroom break.”

He puts his hand over where yours is still resting on his shoulder, trying his best to reassure you before he settles his fingertips back onto his keyboard. “I think it should only take a few more hours.”

“Hours?”

“I just need to finish this, I’m sorry.” He looks up at you with pleading eyes, knowing how concerned you are. It might work if you weren’t so worried for him, but you’re undeterred as you softly tug on his shoulder until his chair is swivelling and he’s forced to face you.

“Kiyo… you can’t be productive like this. Just give me an hour and I’ll get you back in here fresher than before. I promise you’ll feel better afterwards.”

He looks to his laptop screen, then back to you a few times, toying with the hem of his shirt with unsure hands, before sighing and nodding with his eyes closed. “You’re right.”

You have every intention of keeping your word as you settle him down onto the couch, opening the windows to let fresh air in, setting the quickest food and drink you can gather in front of him - making him relax and take care of himself for a moment before dealing with everyone and everything else on his plate. You even turn the little clock on the shelf above his television around, assuring him that you’ll let him know when it’s time to get back to work.

Twenty minutes later and a difference has already been made, as Ijichi is fed and calm and looking at you with his usual loving gaze as you two talk about something other than work for what felt like the first time in ages.

“Thank you for coming over, even if I can’t be a better host.”

You shrug, “Work is work. Besides, if I didn’t come over you would have been passed out at your desk and starving. You need to worry about yourself too, okay?”

He looks down and bites at his lower lip, knowing it isn’t the first time he’s needed the reminder. “I know… I don’t want you to worry about me.”

When his eyes come back up to meet yours he has the sweetest shade of pink tinting his cheeks. His lashes flutter and he seems a little embarrassed at what he’s about to say, but pushes himself to say it nonetheless. “But I do like it when you take care of me.”

A warmth spreads through your chest, making its way up to the tips of your ears as you chuckle at your boyfriend’s earnestness. “Then it’s a good thing I love taking care of you.”

You pull his glasses off, setting them to the side before holding his face in your hands, rubbing your thumbs across his sunken cheeks and pressing a kiss to his forehead. He melts into it, resting himself against your lips, and when you lean back he lets his head slide right down to rest in the crook of your neck. You wrap your arms around him, rubbing at his back, feeling his long lashes brushing at your neck, and think for a moment that he just might be dozing off until he brings his lips to your skin.

It’s a light kiss, soft lips against your pulse as the breaths from his nose tickle at your skin, then as the second kiss is slightly firmer you can feel him tense as he’s lost in thought. The third kiss is deeper still, slightly wet as he lets just the tip of his tongue brush against your neck before you’re laughing softly at the wavering hesitation of his actions.

“We have time. You can get back to work afterwards, okay?”

It’s all the rationale he needs, finally sucking at your neck lightly, licking before his lips part just to move to another spot to kiss.

You pull him further into your embrace, leaning back and lying down across the couch with him on top of you. He nestles into you, happy hum accompanying his kisses along your neck when you squeeze his hips between your thighs. The kisses take a path downward as he tugs the neckline of your shirt just a little bit lower, lips gentle against what he can reach of your chest like this, until you’ve had enough and pull your shirt up yourself.

He helps you take it off, then sits up, arms raised as he lets you pull his shirt off in turn before he’s coming back down to press your bodies together, slotting himself slightly lower so he can press kisses against your breasts. His long fingers curl into the waistband of your pants, but he can’t make much progress with removing them thanks to how the two of you are lying, so you raise your hips and help him along. With them out of the way, you lie back and let him make the choice of how to proceed.

A choice is made with slow and deliberate movements, as Ijichi sits up and pulls your underwear to the side, keeping them hooked in place with his thumb as he slides the fingers of his other hand through your wetness. His brows knit further, as he looks nearly pained with the intensity of how you feel just with fingertips.

“So soft…”

He knows you are, but has to reiterate it every chance he gets, always lost in the thought of it when it’s presented to him like this. It always feels like it’s not quite real for a moment until you’re speaking to him, encouraging and warm.

“Go on, Kiyo.”

He nods, pulling his fingers from you just long enough to start shoving his own pants down, barely low enough to give him the access he needs. As his cock springs free, standing and aching and twitching as you angle your hips upwards, he shakes his head instead. His glassy eyes meet your confused gaze as he seems to change his mind last minute, “I want to- let me just-“

Ijichi stops, biting at his lower lip, trying to make sense of his thoughts and wants even as his head is crying out for the comforts right in front of him. Then, he lets out a desperate little whine, grasping himself at the base. He presses it against you, gliding through your wetness in a path that has his silky tip stopping for a moment to slide just that bit more firmly against your clit as he pushes his hips forward to thrust back up.

His eyes meet yours again, hoping his actions can help explain, “Just like this, for a second.”

You nod, reaching down to hold your underwear in place as he thrusts in the tight wetness formed between your folds and his own fingers. He looks into your eyes, letting out shaky breaths as he tries to pull his thoughts together.

“Feels good, Kiyo?” The addition of your voice to his slow movements has him whining. He nods enthusiastically as he pulls his hips back enough to really focus the head of his cock against your clit as he slides over it.

“Y-you too?”

“Yes.”

He smiles, wide and happy, like a cat basking in the sun as he continues his soft thrusts. You settle a leg on his shoulders, the other dangling off the couch, and he rests his head against your calf, letting out sweet little coos at the feel of you against his cock. He’s content with his slow, but firm, movements - getting you close but not quite pushing you over that edge as he leaves you clenching around nothing. You grip at his thighs, feeling the wiry muscle jump as he indulges himself in you for this much needed break.

He isn’t worried, he isn’t watching the time, he isn’t thinking about anything but how good this feels. You do the same, letting him partake in your body how he sees fit even as you lie there growing more and more needy for him to push his way inside of you.

Eventually, that time comes for him. He locks eyes with you, brows raised in a silent request, until you nod and he refocuses on finally working his way into where he’s needed most. He pulls back, letting you wrap your legs around his hips as he lines himself up at your entrance, and lets out a shaky breath as he slides in.

He’s too far gone to take it any slower than he already has, burying himself inside of you fully in one quick push. He nestles his face in the crook of your neck, thrusts already sloppy as he whines against your skin between wet, distracted kisses. When even that isn’t enough he brings his lips to yours, trying his best to kiss you, though his focus is pulled in too many directions to do more than slide his tongue messily at your mouth.

The slow and steady pace of before is long gone, and Ijichi is lost in the need to shove the momentum he’d built further and further as he brings both of you closer. His hips rock against yours, barely pulling out before he’s pushing in and pressing himself flush to you. It’s friction enough to have him moaning into your mouth, more focused on the feel of you gripping his cock as he slides against your sweet spot just right than he is on the kiss that has now turned to his wet lips brushing yours. Every signal your body gives him has his body responding in kind as he begins to throb inside of you, whining out your name through gritted teeth as his end fast approaches.

He grips at the cushions beneath you, stomach clenching, trying his hardest to hold out as he feels you just catching up to him. You look up at his desperate face, lips swollen, eyes glassy, and it’s the last thing you need alongside his rutting into you deep as he can to have you cumming on his cock. With just that first tight clench around him, he’s crying out, shaky, rocking into you sloppily as he unloads inside of you with eyes rolled back and muscles tensing so hard you think he may just pass out.

The thrusts continue even after he’s collapsed on top of you, whining steadily at the intensity as he sees you through your own orgasm until you’re satisfied and rubbing at his back, letting him stop before it’s too much. He rubs his face against your chest, panting and sighing, eventually twitching as your touch begins to tickle, and he looks up at you with happy eyes.

“Do you feel better now?”

He laughs, pressing his flushed face against your skin and indulging in your warmth a little longer. His breath tickles at you as he confirms, “Yes.”

“I told you you would.”

[whoisneo404]

u should write abt nick x his bestfriend!

maybe something abt how they r bestfriends and they have been for a long time and nick is starting to have feelings for him but doesn’t wanna ruin their friendship

good little angsty story with a good ending

Ik you will cook king🤗

Kiss the birthday boy.

Summary: You like Nick and he MIGHT like you too. we dont know. and its his birthday soon.

TW: reader is refered as ‘girl’ but not as in reader is a girl, as in ‘giiirl’.

“Which one do you think he will like the most?” Jake looks at me while showing me two jackets.

“Girl… none, buy that one over there, the dark brown one. He will like that.” I say pointing out a jacket hanging behind him.

“Girl, you do know him so well, that’s why I brought you here… and because you and Johnny are good friends, but anyways. Ill buy this, thanks.” He leaves the two jackets he had on hand and grabs the dark brown I pointed out and walked to the cashier. I turn around and start searching for Johnny outside of the store. “Johnny.” I say when I see him.

“Hi.” He says waving awkwardly at me.

“Ugh, I wanna go home.”

“Me too.” he hands me a coffee. “Bought this for you.”

“Thank you.” He nods.

“How are you and your… Nick situation.” I almost choked on my coffee when he said that.

“Don’t call it that.” I say wiping the coffee from my lips.

“What should I call it then? The ‘oh no I like my best friend and I think he also likes me but I’m not sure and I don’t want to ruin our long friendship’ situation?”

“Dear god Johnny, that doesn’t help.” I laugh a bit and he does too.

“Sorry… but how are you with that?”

“It doesn’t help that it’s his birthday soon?”

“Why?”

“I never buy him anything, I never have. I always gift him handmade things, he loves that kind of thing. But every time I sit down to write him a letter, I end up confessing my feelings, I can’t write something normal.”

“Rough.”

“Don’t even tell me.”

“You should talk to Jake.”

“He will tell me to just confess, it isn’t that easy.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Jake gets out of the store and walks to us.

“Coffee.” “Movies.” Johnny and I say at the same time, the three of us exchange looks.

“Movies.” “Coffee.” We say again but the other way around.

“Okay babygirls. Whatever, I won’t ask if you guys have your little secret secrets.” Jake laughs and starts walking to his car.

Once Jake drops me off in my house Johnny gives me a thumbs up and I weakly give it back to him.

---

“Still nothing?” Madi is ‘sitting’ on my desktop, my phone is propped up against my wall and she is wrapping up the gifts for Nick on the floor of her room.

“I can’t do it. I just can’t. It ends up being awkward or I end up saying how much I like him and that I wish he liked me back.” I cover my face with both of my hands and let out a groan. “Maybe I should just tell him I’m sick and I can’t go to the party.”

“He will ditch all of us to take care of you.” Madi said smiling.

“No, he wouldn-… yes he would, he is so kind and lovely to everyone.” I look at Madi and she gives me an empathetic smile which transforms into a smirk.

“Guess who’s calling me.” she says in a singing tone.

“God no, tell him to go away.”

“Already added him to the call.”

“Madi! I need to fix my hair.”

“Too late.”

“Madi!”

“Hiiii!” Nick pops up on the screen, he is smiling and standing in the middle of the room. “What are you guys chatting about? Just so you know, I am deeply offended that you didn’t invite me.” He says while fake crying. I just stare at him, trying to not bury myself into de ground.

“I was talking to this guy about what I’m gonna wear to your party. But it’s a surprise so you can’t see.” Madi says.

“Oh, I like surprises. I’m sure the both of you will look amazing.” He says while walking around his room, cleaning it up a bit. “You guys are staying to sleep, right?” I quickly look at Madi and she mumbles something that I did not understand.

“I am…” I say quickly.

“Cool.” Nick says and then he starts rambling about how exited he is to see his friends and all the things we will do at the sleepover after the party. Eventually he finished cleaning up and grabbed his phone to lay on his bed ‘with us’. We talked about our days, I told them I went out with Jake and Johnny but didn’t say why. After two hours Madi go ‘sleepy’, that’s what she told Nick because when she left the call, she texted me telling me to enjoy my alone time with Nick.

“So, Johnny, huh?”

“What does that mean?” I laugh a bit.

“You and him are close. Well, closer than before.”

“I guess.” I say, I look at my ceiling. My phone laying beside my face.

“Isn’t he like… 5 years older than us?” I quickly sit up and grab my phone, putting it in front of my face.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Like… isn’t he a bit older for you?”

“Nick… what are you saying?”

“Do you like him?” he says quickly.

“What? No. Why would you even think that?”

“I-… I don’t know. I just… fuck- it’s nothing, I just thought… I didn’t but I thought maybe you liked him and I don’t know. Look, it’s late, I’m tired. I’ll text you tomorrow.” And then he hangs up on me. nothing else. Nothing. Silence fills my room and I am confused. Why would he say that?

---

“I’m serious, he was jealous.”

“Madi stop.” The light sound of music fills Madis room as she gets ready to go to Nicks party. It has been two days since that call and I did not have the courage to text Nick, neither did he.

“I’m just saying. I have known Nick for only a few years more than you but I can talk, I know him.” She says applying on her mascara.

“I don’t know…” I lay on her bed, my legs dangling off the edge. “I just don’t know. I want to cry so bad…”

“Hey, hey.” Madi quickly drops her mascara and runs to me, she sits down beside me and I sit up, my elbows on my knees and my head between my hands. “It’s okay…” She comforts me, her arms around me. “You don’t have to go…”

“I will. He is my friend. They are my friends. I- I told Matt I was going to be there.” I mumble. “Also, I have to give them their gifts…”

Madi sighs. “If you need anything just find me. Okay?” I nod and she kisses my cheek gently. “Want me to do your make up?” I chuckle a bit.

“What for?”

“To cheer you up of course.”

“I think that will cheer you up more but, why not?”

---

“Wooow. Who did your make up?” Jake says as we enter the house.

“Oh, Madi.”

“Well, she did a great job.” Johnny adds.

“It’s only mascara, blush and… lip gloss? Lip balm? I don’t know, she put a few things there.” I laugh a bit.

“Have you seen the birthday boys?” I ask.

“Over there.” Jake points to the kitchen and I nod to them. I walk over there and let out a short sigh to brace myself.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” I scream opening my arms and hugging the three of them at the same time. I feel someone laughing, awkward hands patting my back and I hear a muffled ‘thanks’. “How are my birthday boys?” I ask when I let them go.

“I’m glad you came.” Matt says.

“I’m good! we rented a jumping castle.” Chris adds with a childish smile on his face.

“No way…” I say

“Yes way.” He adds.

“Take me there.” I hand him my hand and Chris drags me. “Happy birthday Nick…” I mumble as I pass beside him.

---

It’s 3 am. Almost everyone is gone, I lay on the jumping castle alone, watching the stars blink at me.

“Don’t you feel alone in that castle?” a familiar voice comes from outside the castle.

“Depends who is asking…”

“May I be of company to the prince?”

“You may…” The soft material of the castle moves as he enters the castle and lays besides me. “Well, I think you should be the prince because it’s your birthday.”

“It was yesterday, it’s already 3:20 am.” I roll my eyes and turn my head to look at him. he was already looking at me. “You look good…”

“Most of the make up already washed off.”

“Don’t care. You look good…” he pauses for a bit. “Chris and Matt really liked your gifts…” I hum. “I can’t help but wonder where is mine.”

“I-… it’s in my car.” I sit up and look down to the bright color of the castle.

“Why didn’t you give it to me?”

“I can’t…” I feel him sit up too.

“Look at me.” His hand grabs my jaw gently and he turns my head.

“When it’s late you act weird…”

“You think I’m weird?”

I chuckle. “You know what I meant.”

“No, tell me.”

“You act different… like a few days ago.” He nods, his hand still on my face. “Nick… I can’t.” I grab his hand and pull it away from my face. “Don’t, please.” My eyes fill with tears.

“I’m not doing anything…” I look down and I tighten my grip on his hand.

“Look. I know that you are more… sure about everything, more confident, more outgoing. I’m not. I’m scared…”

“Just tell me.” He whispers. “It will be okay, I promise.”

“Nick-.“ My voice cracks. “I like you.” I whisper, a tear rolls down my face.

“I know… I like you too.” Suddenly the cold breeze of the night isn’t freezing anymore. Time stops for us. His hands go to my face and he kisses me, the kind of kiss that can cure any heart ache. I feel alive.

“I’m sorry.” I sniff. “I shouldn’t be crying. God, this is so awkward. I was so scared.” He grabs my hands that were shaking.

“What do you mean? This is the best gift ever. And not a lot of people can say that the love of they life confessed at a castle.”

I laugh. “Nick, this is a kids jumping castle.” He wipes away the tears of my face.

“I know, I don’t care.” He kisses my lips softly one more. “Let’s go inside. There is taco bell and pizza, you choose what to eat.”

Nick grabs my hand and softly guides me out of the castle, I smile weakly at him and he kisses my cheek. Together, we walk inside of the house.

taglist: @freshloveforthefit @shywolfapricotfan @sturnphilia @matty-bear @thenickgirl @stvrniolvsp @paige05 @soursturniolo @miloisdone1 @teenagetrash00 @lovely-calypso @h3arts4harry @malirosee @m3laninangel

[fayes-fics]

A Few Blog FYIs and Changes

What to expect from this blog

I am not going to write angst or traditional romance stories. Please don’t come to my blog wanting or expecting rewrites of romance books. That is not my style or my wheelhouse. If you want that type of writing, please look elsewhere or, even better, have a go yourself!

What to do if you don’t like my content

If you do not like my content, that’s okay! I know it’s not for everyone. I only ask you don’t reach out to me personally and give me shit about it. Please do unfollow me and/or you can even block this blog so it doesn’t appear in the various Bridgerton tags for you. I will be none the wiser and you will enjoy your fandom experience without me in it.

I also know fandom is transient. Perhaps you once enjoyed Bridgerton, but no longer do. If you signed up to my taglist but no longer wish to be notified about my fics, that’s also understandable. Just send me a private message asking to remove you from my list and I will happily do so. 🫶

Asks/Feedback

My ask-box is still open for feedback, q&a and chat. I will leave anon asks on for now, but please note I reserve the right to change that if I get messages that are rude or abusive.

Fic requests

As it currently stands, I will no longer be accepting fic requests unless they are from trusted mutuals. I will not be reopening to requests publicly. The experience I had yesterday has completely soured me to writing fic for just anyone who asks for it. I don’t need that sort of rudeness and entitlement in my life. I’m sorry if this is disappointing to a few people.

I’m done trying to please people and spending hours pouring effort into fics to either never hear from the original requester (this is 99% of the time with anons) or to get negativity and rudeness that my hard work isn’t what they wanted.

Fic taglist

I’m going to keep my taglist running for now. It does take a long time to tag everyone, so I do periodically check if everyone on it still follows this blog. If they don’t I remove them.

I’m also going to change my approach so the taglist is not on the original post. Updates to tumblr setup means I have to switch between desktop and mobile for tagging to ‘stick’. From now on, all tagging will either all be on a reblog or in the notes field (tbc on that).

Upcoming holiday fics

As of today, I am shelving my plan to write a Bridgerton-verse version of While You Were Sleeping for the holidays. I have lost the motivation to devote the time. It would have been a considerable undertaking. Instead, I will spend that time with my loved ones.

I have one Christmas modern AU smut threesome already written. I may write one or two more short fics, but no guarantees.

I’m sad to I’ve had to write some of this, but I hope you can understand why.

Thanks for reading my fics and supporting me. It means a lot 🫶😁🧡🧡

[dirtysvthoughts]

𝓟 𝓡 𝓘 𝓥 𝓐 𝓣 𝓔 𝓓 𝓐 𝓝 𝓒 𝓔 𝓡 - CHAPTER THREE

pairing: prospective club owner! joshua x stripper! reader

word count: 2.2k

general tags/warnings: smut, pwp, worldbuilding before the dirty stuff (be patient 😉), female! reader, mildly cocky! shua, dom! shua, power play/brat! reader, full nudity for reader, use of pet names (love, baby, sweetheart), shua tries to get reader to fall for him but to no avail (or yes avail?)

playlist songs: special affair - the internet, give me head - sweet the kid, na na - trey songz

notes: chapter 3 baybeeeee! sorry this took so long, but it’s finally here! i’m gonna start working on chapter 4 and that should be done vv soon! hope you enjoy besties!

taglist: @im-gemmy @enhacolor @hooniewnderland @svtup @kawaiikels @weeevrse @diorsfxck @kyexvly @woozarts @ifuckcheol @marsstarxhwa @haoxiaoba

“and i’m telling you, i don’t need any help, take your service elsewhere,” your boss, mia, says over the phone, curtly hanging it up afterwards. “fucking nuisance,” she mumbles under her breath as you enter her office.

“somethin’ happen?” you say as you shut the door behind you, away from prying eyes and listening ears.

“shouldn’t you be getting ready, sage?” mia says not even looking in your direction, fiddling with whatever paperwork is in front of her.

you roll your eyes, “it’s 5 PM, i only came here early to practice my new routine. plus, i needed to ask you something, but then i overheard you. you know i’m one of the few people you actually trust here. so seriously, what was that all about?”

she stops messing with the papers and finally directs her eyes towards you, breathing a heavy sigh. “okay, so you know the club has a few more debt payments before i can solely own this place right? well, this man i was on the phone with can more than likely wipe away the rest of the debt with a snap of a finger.”

“so if he can do that, why would you tell him to fuck off? i don’t get it.”

“because he wants to own majority of the business! all of the creative decisions, finances, even down to the dancers’ employment would be his decision. i’m not doing that! i’ve worked way too hard to get to where illusion is today. and do you know how many strip club owners are women? not a whole lot. this is my pride.”

you both sit in a minute of silence, her words repeating in your mind. she was right, so much went into this club and those who weren’t on the pole proved that a club could run without a man’s help or approval. and you knew your boss wasn’t desperate enough to give in just yet.

“well no one but you is gonna run club illusion. fuck another owner or a co-owner,” you firmly say as mia shakes her head and smiles, now directing her attention at her desktop, moving her mouse around.

“why do i like you so much, sage?”

“i dunno, i guess i have that effect on people,” you smile as you push your hair back, opening the door so you could start getting ready.

“by the way,” you say with one foot out the door, “what was the guy’s name?”

“somethin’ hong, i kept forgetting the name, why? does it ring a bell?”

“nah, just wanna have a name in mind just in case he shows up, you know they like doing that.”

“well let’s hope not,” she groans as she stretches her arms out. “i really don’t need the extra stress - i can already tell tonight’s gonna be extra for no reason.”

and crazy enough, your boss was right. security had to break up two fights, one of the dancers ended up getting sent home (she was overly drunk), and a bartender ended up quitting - all in the span of four hours.

you look at the clock on the wall, readjusting your bodysuit straps and making sure your makeup was still intact. it was finally midnight, which hopefully meant the rest of the night would be better until it was time for the club to close.

“crazy ass night huh?” your closest friend and fellow dancer, hana (also known as chardonnay) approaches you. she finds her makeup kit and grabs a brush, dolling up her face.

“who are you tellin? and it’s only thursday! if heads into the weekend,” you say but hana finishes your thoughts.

“oh hello no, do not manifest that energy. this weekend can be busy, but not crazy,” she puts her kit back in her corner and checks herself out.

min then walks into the dressing room, hastily scanning the area for one person. “hana!” she calls out, slightly panicking. “you have a whole party waiting for you and you’re talking in the dressing room?”

“i know min, i just had to make sure i was ready, sheesh,” hana rolls her eyes. “gimme five and i’ll be out. they can wait.”

“you better hurry up,” min says walking away, “mia already has had to deal with a lot of shit and i’m pretty sure the last thing she wants to deal with is y’all acting out.” she closes the door behind her and the music becomes muffled again.

“lemme head out there before even more hell gets raised,” hana sighs as she switches her clear heels for her champagne-colored ones. “i guess i’ll see you out there in a bit.” she and a few others leave the room, leaving the space nearly empty.

——

after checking yourself out, you finally head back on to the scene, deciding to walk around and look for clientele since you already performed on the main stage for tonight.

as you get deeper into the center, you notice a figure at one of the small, standing tables. intrigued, you walked closer and your body can’t deny it’s reaction when you see how handsome he is. his dress white shirt had a few buttons opened, his black hair styled to where not all of it was in his face, and his eyes? oh you felt like you could melt in them.

when you finally get close enough, you place your hand on his shoulder and he looks up at you, putting his glass of whiskey down. “hey there,” you smile flirty at him, and he responds by smiling back at you.

“hey beautiful,” he says in the most soft, yet incredibly sexy tone. “i haven’t seen you around before, are you new here?”

“oh, so you’ve been here before,” you say going to the opposite side of the table, your eyes not leaving is. “that’s interesting, considering i’ve never seen you, i practically have a sixth sense when it comes to this place.”

“mmm, different days, different times, maybe,” he picks up his glass and takes a sip and when he puts it down, you reach for his hand and take hold of it.

“well that can’t stop us from getting to know each other better,” you rub his hands softly. “what’s your name?”

“hong. joshua hong, to be more specific,” he says. “and yours?”

you try to keep a poker face, but you fail drastically as your expression changes. “hong?” you think to yourself. “hong.. why does it sound so familiar?”

you mind then recalls the conversation with mia, and you slowly remove your hand from his. “w-wait a minute, hong? are you a club owner or something?”

“actually i am, how did-” you interrupt him by scoffing and shaking your head, not believing what could’ve happened.

“no fucking way.. you’re the man that called my boss earlier today weren’t you? about wanting to own this place?”

“yeah, that was me,” he says with all the pride he can muster and it made you a little annoyed. “this place has so much potential, and it’s becoming one of the most popular clubs in the area. with my help, it can reach that and more! everyone would benefit.”

“look, hong - whoever you are, this club is doing fine. mia didn’t need a savior before and she doesn’t need one now, especially from some cocky motherfucker who he thinks he can change everything just by walking into the room.” you walk away ready to find another customer, but he comes in front of and stops you.

“you’re bold as hell.. i love that in a partner,” joshus says grinning as he begins to kiss the side of your neck teasingly, his lips feeling like a soft pillow. your body and your mind are now drastically confused. yes, he was trying to take over the club and you didn’t want that, but you couldn’t deny your physical attraction to him either.

after a few more seconds, joshua pulls away and smirks at you, clearly enjoying the fact that you were starting to break down your walls. he takes something out of his pocket and slides it into your hand, and when you feel it - it’s a thick wad of cash.

“let’s go upstairs baby,” joshua says as he pulls you towards him, having you lead the way. watching your surroundings, you firmly grab his hand and you lead him to the vip rooms, walking up the steps and then finding the closest, empty room.

unable to hold back anymore (and away from any other eyes), you sharply pull him closer to you and smash your mouth against his, hands roaming his hair as he walks backwards. when he reaches the edge of the couch, joshua gently sits down and pulls you onto his lap, his hands now palming your ass. you lowly moan at the feeling as you begin to roll your hips into him, his touches becoming more firmer as he squeezes your cheeks.

“you couldn’t resist me, could you?” joshua laughs to himself. “just a second ago you were telling me off, and now you’re like putty in my hands.”

“fuck you,” you moan out when he starts playing with the crotch of your bodysuit, dragging two fingers over the cloth. he continues the motion until he can start to feel a familiar dampness.

“awww cute, you wanna fuck me,” he gloats, dragging his fingers into your bodysuit, playing with your inside lips. he continues the motion for a few moments and then you muster every good bone left in your body, to pry his fingers away from your now dripping core.

“fuck, i shouldn’t be doing this.. i really shouldn’t be doing this,” you say hesitantly.

“well why not? we’re already here aren’t we? no one has to know, baby. this’ll be our little secret, m’kay?”

and that was all you needed to hear. this was definitely something you’d be carrying with you to the grave.

“fine. one round and then that’s it-” you can’t even finish your sentence before joshua slams his lips once again on yours, this time with more vigor and fever.

——

for the millionth time tonight, your body and your mind are in two conflicting states. how could something this bad be so incredibly good?

“m-mmm, sh-shua,” you moan into his ear as he thrusts into you, your bodysuit completely off and his pants pooling down at his ankles. “you feel amazing,” you continue to feel him up, pressing down on his shoulders. joshua hisses at the feeling, guiding your hands down to his waist so you can see and feel what he was doing to you.

“that’s all you,” he smiles as you move a bit to match his pace, almost moaning with you at the new intensity you both set. “with me here, you could have this every night, hmmm, maybe even more than that to be real with you.”

he was really trying to get you over, but for your sake - it couldn’t happen.

“and with you here, you’d probably take out 20% of my pay,” you chuckle but it’s immediately cut off when joshua thrusts sharply into you, causing you to hunch over and moan, almost loud enough to where someone could hear you.

“i thought you needed to be quiet? you’re fucking the new potential owner, can’t have everyone finding out, right?”

“fuck, fuck, f-fuck,” you whisper, joshua not sure if that was from the sex or if you were still frustrated that your morals have gone out the window.

you feel a tightening in your core, and you knew any minute that you were about to come. as he continues to thrust into you, the coils in your become smaller and more detailed.

“joshua, shua, i- mmmm, i-!” you call out for him and moments later, you juices leak on him. you relax into his chest, regulating your breathing to a slower pace.

——

“this doesn’t mean anything you know,” your back facing him as he helps you fix the strings on your bodysuit. “i’ve already crossed some lines that i can’t return from.”

“i keep telling you sweetheart, no one has to know. you’re making it seem like you have to tell the whole world.”

several thoughts run through your mind, including ones of him railing you from behind in one of the secluded vip rooms. you try and push them out of your head when you finally speak.

“and if i did want to see you again, how would i go about that?” joshua then hands you a business card and pats your back, signifying that he was done.

“just gimme a call love.”

you both walk out the room, and he turns to face you again, leaving a kiss on your forehead. “see you soon, baby.” he walks away, leaving you dazed and in suspended motion. you almost don’t hear your name being called out.

“sage!” hana calls out to you and you walk over to her.

“who was that? he’s so fucking hot! how’d you bag him?”

you sigh as you lie through your teeth, “he’s no one special. just another customer.”

[seenoversundown]

Amongst The Stars: Chapter Eight

Josh x Quinn (Nonbinary OC)Warnings: Craig, pining, general feelings of self doubt, guilt Word Count: 4.4k Summary: Josh has always loved love,  and he's finally found it. Buuuut, he can't exactly tell anyone. Join him as he navigates the ins and outs of his sweet, secret romance. Author's Note: Sorry this is so late! I had a crazy day at work. But, here we are. I am not gonna lie to you, I don’t love this chapter. Not because of the content, or because I’m unhappy with it. But, I don’t love it because I know what happens next :) Again, forgive any weird formatting. Desktop Tumblr hates Josh, you heard it here first, folks!

“Hold you in my arms, I just wanted to hold you in my arms” Starlight - Muse

Being this excited about getting my things from Craig’s house feels wrong. I threw a years-long relationship away. I should be at least a little bit upset, but I can’t find it in myself to care. My only regret is that Willa can’t be here with me to help pack. She had some work thing and couldn’t get out of it since everything moved so quickly. I wasn’t anticipating Josh being so willing to help, but I had to jump on the chance when it was offered. It has been an absolute pain in my ass not having access to my clothes or my entire stock of art supplies. I haven’t even had my sketchbook. It was the one thing I meant to grab before heading to Willa’s house, but I managed to forget it. Before I get too into my feelings about it, my phone buzzes, and I know it’s Josh. I grab my canvas bag and head out the door without even pulling it out to check. 

When he notices me hit the bottom step, he scrambles out of the truck and walks around to the passenger’s side. 

“Hello, dear,” he gives me a shy smile as he opens the door. “Do you treat all your guests this way?” I laugh, jumping up and settling into the seat. He leans against the door, watching as I buckle myself in.

“Only the ones I like,” he winks, shutting the door before I can say anything else. 

Why is that attractive? Get it together; he’s just helping you move. 

He walks back around to the driver’s side and hops in. “I really appreciate this, you know.” “It’s nothing. Friends help each other out.” Right, right. Friends. 

“Wanna put the address in?” he asks, handing me his phone. 

I’m slightly taken aback; Craig would have rather died than hand me his phone for anything. I opened Apple Maps and typed in my old address before returning the phone to him. He fiddles around with the music app for a moment before putting the truck in reverse. 

“I hope you’re okay with pop music,” he looks at me from the corner of his eye, “It’s a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine.”

I smile as the opening notes to “Feather” filter through the stereo. 

“Perfectly fine by me. Your song choice is weirdly appropriate,” I laugh. 

“What do you mean?” “This song played in my car as I left Hobby Lobby the first day we met. My ex begged me to turn it off. I should have taken it as an omen.”

He barks out a laugh, and I quirk an eyebrow at him. 

“I’m not laughing at you, I promise. It’s just that’s the first day I ever heard this song. It came on shuffle when I went home, and I immediately fell in love with it. Added it to the playlist at my brother’s bar and everything just to piss people off.” I can’t help the wide smile that makes its way to my face. 

“Hell of a coincidence.”

“Indeed it is.”

We continue our ride in comfortable silence, letting the GPS guide us toward my old life with Craig. The end of my old life with Craig. Joy swells in my chest at the very thought of being completely done. 

Josh enters the apartment complex's parking lot and parks in the first free spot he sees. He shuts his car off, and his eyes soften as he looks at me. “I’m ready whenever you are. We’ve got all day, so if you need a minute to prepare yourself, take it.”

My heart squeezes. 

Josh continually amazes me with the care he shows those around him. 

“I really appreciate that,” I say, patting the hand he placed on the center console between us. “But I’m ready. I want to be done.”

He nods, unbuckles his seatbelt, and practically sprints out of the car to get my door for me. “You are entirely too sweet,” I laugh, unbuckling my seatbelt and taking his hand as he helps me down. “Nah, I just try to be a gentleman when possible.”

Why is that attractive? 

I internally shake myself. I don’t need to have these thoughts about Josh. He’s a friend who is doing me a simple favor. Even if he was into it, I can’t start a new relationship immediately after leaving Craig. How would I know it’s real and not some weird rebound situation? 

I couldn’t do that to Josh or me. 

“Get stuck in your head again?” Josh squeezes my hand to pull me out of my spiral. 

“Mmm, yeah. Thank you.” 

“Well, no time like the present.” Josh moves a hand to my lower back to guide me toward the apartment. 

Just another show of how caring he is. 

“I’ll warn you, Craig can be absolutely terrible. Just ignore whatever he may have to say to you.”

He flashes me an easy smile. “Oh, I’m not worried about him one bit. I’m here to help you, so let him act however he wants.” 

“If you say so,” I suck in a deep breath, then begin the slow ascent to the apartment. 

“I’m sorry that you kind of have to help me pack, too,” I fold my three-hundredth worn-out band tee and place it in the cardboard box in front of me. “The breakup happened so fast that I couldn’t pack anything before leaving.”

“Quinn, how many times do I have to tell you that I’m happy to be here? If I didn’t want to help, I wouldn’t. So, please stop apologizing.” 

I shake my head and roll my bottom lip through my teeth. 

“What's up?” Josh asks. 

“Nothing; you're just so different from what I'm used to.” 

“Well, hopefully, I can continue to surprise you.” 

“Oh,” I giggle, “I am certain you will.” 

Josh grabs the full box from me and tapes it up before scribbling “Shirts” on it and setting it aside. “I’ll take a load of boxes down to the truck in just a minute.”

Our conversation is interrupted by a minor crash outside the bedroom door. I roll my eyes. Of course, he’s throwing stuff again. Why couldn't he just stay out of our way? I immediately turn to apologize to Josh; it's not fair that he’s being subjected to Craig’s moods. But I notice that he’s walking toward the door. 

“Hey, Josh..” 

He ignores my warning and opens the bedroom door. 

“Hey man, can you keep it down? We’re trying to get out of your hair as quickly as possible, but we can’t do that if you're throwing shit around and distracting us.” 

I creep up behind Josh, peering over his shoulders at Craig. I know I shouldn't press this, but I have to see the look on his face when Josh calls him out. I see a faint look of recognition cross Craig’s face. That’s strange.

Craig didn’t initially spot us when we came in. I assume he was in the bathroom, but he definitely doesn’t look happy to see us now. His face contorted in rage, and I grabbed Josh’s arm, preparing for whatever he was going to say. I brace myself, knowing how Craig can be, and I can only hope that Josh is ready to face it as well. 

“This is real fucking nice, Quinn,” Craig bypasses Josh altogether, shifting his head to make eye contact with me. “What?” “It’s real nice that you bring the dude you’ve been cheating on me with over here to help you move out. What’s he gonna do, pack all your shit up into his truck, and y’all are gonna move in together like some kind of–” He cuts himself off. “Some kind of what?” Josh straightens his back and speaks directly to Craig. 

“Some kind of. Some kind of U-HAUL LESBIANS??” I burst out in an ill-timed fit of giggles at the sheer absurdity of it all. My giggles cause Josh to chuckle, and I see Craig’s face go beet red at the perceived slight against him. “You do realize that to be ‘U-haul lesbians,’ both of us would have to be women?” Josh says between bouts of laughter. “And neither of us are.” Recognizing that Craig has limited patience, I decided to try to smooth things over before Craig could try to hit Josh. “Also, not sure if you forgot, I’m moving in with Willa.” Craig opens and closes his mouth a few times. “As friends,” I add in to stop his floundering. I see Josh roll his eyes at my addition, clearly understanding what an absolute moron Craig can be.

Sometimes, I daydream about what my life would be like if I never got involved with Craig. Would I be happy? Would I have met Josh organically?  Would we be together? That’s ridiculous, Quinn. Why would you even be worried about that? He is your friend and nothing more. I scrub one hand down my face, trying to will those thoughts away. It’s too soon; my heart is still, for some reason, vaguely battered by the messy breakup with Craig. Though, at this point, I don’t know if my heart is battered because of Craig or because of the years I wasted with him. 

“It was lovely to see you, Greg. Now, if you’ll excuse us.” Josh punctuates his point by slamming the door in Craig’s face. I let out a relieved breath. “Thank you, Josh. You didn’t have to send him away. I could have done that.” “It’s no trouble, darling,” he says, placing a hand on my back and rubbing soothing circles between my shoulder blades. “I think you’ve dealt with him enough.”

I lean into his touch, accepting his small comfort before quickly remembering myself and pulling back. “Let’s just get this done and get out of here.” “Whatever you need, darling.”

That small sentence, whatever you need, darling, may be the death of me. This behavior comes naturally to Josh; it’s plain to see. He was born to be a light in the world, and he is slowly proving that to me over, and over, and over again. I only wish I could accept his light without feeling some type of misguided guilt. I owe Craig nothing, so why is he still dictating my feelings? Why is he still hindering the way I interact with other people? I pull myself out of my thoughts and begin surveying the room. 

“We really don’t have much left. I’m choosing to be the bigger person and leaving him the furniture because I don’t want him to have anything.” “Mm,” Josh adds a noncommittal noise to let me know he’s still listening. “What?” “You’re just a better person than I am.” I scoff, practically begging him to explain himself. He is sunshine incarnate, there is no way I am a better person than he is. “Well, if I were you, I’d be removing every single thing I paid for from this house. I’d tell him to figure it out.” I let out a small chuckle. “Oh, I could never do that; that’s horrible. He can’t get ahead, should he ever get his shit together, if I start him off on his own with nothing.” “See, you’re a better person than me. In my eyes, he made his bed, and he can lie in it,” he crosses his arms over his chest, “Or.. not. But, you know what I mean.”

His tough facade cracks as he starts laughing, which sends me over the edge. I fall into his side as we dissolve into a fit of giggles, and I feel his arm wrap around my shoulder, pulling me closer. I lean my head against his shoulder, trying to reel in my laughter. I shift my head to look at his face, taking in how his eyes crinkle up and his dimples are on full display. The laughter dies on my lips as I take in his pearly white smile and his plush, pink lips. I pull back from him like I’ve been burned. Too close for comfort, get it together. I watch as the smile drops from his face, and he clears his throat, walking over to the boxes we set in the corner. 

“Well, I’m going to take these down to the truck,” he pats the top box on the stack. “I, uh, I can help with that.” “No, no! Please finish up here, and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Uh, okay..”

I watch as he heaves the first box and opens the bedroom door, revealing Craig eavesdropping. 

“Oh, hey, man.” “I just wanted to talk to Quinn for a minute.” Josh turns to me to gauge my level of comfort. Just another way he’s perfect. Stop that. I meet his eye and slightly nod. He huffs a small breath out of his nose as his face falls, just a hare. 

“Of course,” Josh steps aside and lets Craig enter the room. 

Once Josh exits the room, Craig stands in front of me, picking at his cuticles. “You don’t have to do this, you know,” he refuses to look at me. I give him a sad look, knowing that he is in denial and will not take well to the rest of this conversation. 

“You know that I do, Craig,” I start, gently patting his arm. “No, I really don’t,” He flinches away from me, and my heart cracks a little bit more. “How can you not? We have done nothing but argue for the past few weeks,” I pause, “Actually, it’s been longer than that, and you know it.” He scoffs, refusing to meet my eyes and instead choosing to look around the now sparsely decorated room we once shared. “So, you’re just taking everything?” “I’m leaving the furniture. But, yeah. Pretty much everything else. I either made or bought all the decor. So..” “I’m supposed to just look at white walls?” “Look, Craig. What is this? What are you trying to do?” He kicks his foot against the rug that our - his - bed sits on top of. “I’m trying to stop you from making the worst mistake of your life,” his eyes, filled with determination, whip up to mine. “You’re trying to what?” “You heard me, Quinn. We love each other, and you’re throwing it all away.” I want to roll my eyes all the way back in my head, but instead, I fix Craig with a tight-lipped smile. “I think that you should be quiet now, Craig.” “Why? Are you starting to realize I’m right, and you don’t want to think about it too hard?” “No, Craig. I’m starting to get mad.”

I turn away from him, trying to calm myself down. I look at the bare walls of our bedroom, expecting to feel some form of loss, but instead, I just feel determined. I know in my blood and very bones that I am making the right choice. I let my determined anger lead my actions. 

“You’re getting mad?” “YES, CRAIG,” I shout, “I’m ANGRY. I’m furious that you keep putting me through this shit. I have given you everything, and you still don’t think it’s enough. It’s never been enough for you, and it will never be enough.” “It’s always been enough, Quinn.” “Well, you’ve never shown that, and I cannot keep begging you to,” I hang my head and sigh, “I will not keep begging you. I don’t want to keep begging you to. So, we have nothing left to say to each other. This is done, there’s no salvaging it.” Craig flinches as if I’ve slapped him, and I may as well have. He’s always been less than stellar - understatement of the century - at handling his emotions, so I know that that statement likely felt like a physical blow in his mind. 

“What do you mean there’s no salvaging it?” He says as he takes a step closer to me, clenching his fist. I step back, but the tension in the room deflates as the bedroom door flies open, revealing Josh and his windswept curls. His eyes widen as he takes in the scene before him: Craig, with his fist held tight, creeping toward me. “They said what they said, Craig,” Josh interjects. “Didn’t ask you, Josh.”

Wait a minute, I didn’t introduce them. Craig knows the name Josh, but they’ve never met. The wheels start turning in my head as I look between them. They’re caught in a stalemate, staring each other down. 

“I wasn’t aware you knew each other..” Craig looks at Josh, then me, his face morphing into something cruel. “Oh, you didn’t tell her?” I roll my eyes at Craig’s slip-up, knowing he only does it to hurt me. “No, I didn’t tell them. We don’t exactly talk about you.” “So, you talk often, then?” “I’d say so, but never about you.” A lie.

I quickly turn and head toward the boxes stacked in the corner. As I move to pick one up, Josh rushes to my side. “What are you doing? I can help,” he says, placing his hand on my wrist. “The testosterone is so high in here, I can smell it. I don’t really care to be around it, so I’m taking my stuff to your truck.”

He looks properly chastised, opening and closing his mouth, trying to formulate an apology. I’m not sure if I care to hear an apology right now. From either of them. They’ve been keeping secrets from me and bickering like old maids about it. I couldn’t really care one way or the other for an apology or an explanation. I just want to get my things and go. Josh nods his head and uses his thumb to rub a soothing circle along the inside of my wrist. I struggle to suppress the shiver that runs down my spine. I meet his eyes and let a small smile creep to my face. He pulls his hand back from my wrist and gives me a shy smile in return. 

“Are you kidding?” Craig practically shouts, breaking the peaceful moment between Josh and me. 

I clear my throat, fixing him with a glare. “I don’t think you’re the one who gets to ask questions right now. I actually think you, both of you, owe me an explanation.” My annoyance bubbles to the surface again. I can’t believe Josh kept this from me. Craig, yes. Josh? My stomach feels slimy at the thought. It feels wrong that my new friend would keep secrets from me when I’ve been an open book to him. If I ignore the amount of misplaced pining I've done over him. It’s not pining; it’s normal to think about your friends. “Quinn, believe me,” Josh starts, “I didn’t want to keep this from you. But, I figured it would hurt you more than help you to know that Craig came to see me at Hobby Lobby.” My eyes slide from Josh over to Craig and I cock an eyebrow, asking him to continue. “Uh, yeah. I did.” “And he came into my brother’s bar,” Josh adds, hoping that being honest now will save him from my ire. Craig looks over at him and rolls his eyes. “Telling Quinn all your secrets isn’t going to make her like you.” “I don’t care if they like me, they deserve honesty.” “You didn’t seem to think so when you told me not to mention it.”

Did Josh really decide to keep this secret? I could see Craig, but it just hurts worse knowing that Josh chose this. Would Craig have told me if Josh hadn’t sworn him to secrecy? Thoughts rattle around in my head as I try to keep the hurt from flashing across my face. I slowly blink a few times. Am I taking this too hard? No, Quinn – You are allowed to feel your feelings. Yeah, well why does it feel so annoying then? Pulling myself out of my internal struggle, I lock eyes with Craig. “Elaborate. Right now,” I huff. 

I listen in stunned silence as it tumbles out of Craig’s mouth that he basically stalked Josh and harassed him at work and again -  allegedly by accident, though I’m not sure if I believe that - at the tavern that his brother owns. I can’t help the shock that shows on my face as he elaborates on the fact that he talked down on me and Josh came to my defense. I glance over to Josh, while Craig finishes his story, allowing my eyes to trace over his features. I catalog the slope of his nose, and the spot I know a dimple pops out in when he smiles. I can’t really be mad at him, I think as my eyes get caught on the shape of his top lip, He’s too cute to be mad at. I shake my head, dispelling the thought. I should be angry with Josh. He may not have sought Craig out, but he certainly kept it a secret from me when he had ample time to tell me.

“This is insane, you know that right?” I look between Josh and Craig, ensuring that they realize I am talking to both of them, “In what world would you think that keeping this secret from me was a good idea?” 

I see the regret immediately flash across Josh’s face, Craig following shortly behind. 

“You’re right, Quinn,” Josh Starts, “I should have told you, but I didn’t want to get in the middle of your relationship.” 

“Littlelateforthat,” Craig huffs under his breath, causing me to roll my eyes. 

I turn to Craig, raising an eyebrow, “Well, do you have anything to add.” 

Craig simply shakes his head and leaves the room, putting an end to our conversation. I sigh, turning away from Josh and moving to pick up my final few boxes. 

“Whatever’s left in here is staying,” I say in a clipped tone, hoisting a box into my arms. I’m annoyed with Josh. I’m annoyed at the fact that I’m not more annoyed. It hurts that Josh didn’t tell me, but it hurts more knowing that it doesn’t matter. I was going to break up with Craig regardless. Hell, Portland’s a small town, they likely would have met each other eventually. But that should have been on my terms. And it shouldn’t have been a secret. “That’s fine,” Josh responds and picks up the last two boxes, following me down to his truck. 

The drive back to mine and Willa’s apartment is frosty to say the least. Josh has kept his metaphorical tail between his legs since the confrontation with Craig earlier. The only sounds that pass between us are the sounds of the radio and the occasional GPS direction. 

When we get back to my apartment, he wordlessly puts his truck in park and jumps out to open my door for me. We carry each box up to the apartment and into my (new) bedroom in complete and utter silence. When Josh has dropped the final box on the floor of my room, he finally heaves out a long sigh. 

“I’m sorry, Quinn. I didn’t want to keep it a secret.” He ducks his head, picking at his cuticles. 

“I believe you, it was just a shock.” He looks up at me with the most hopeful look in his eyes and I crack. I can’t stay mad at him. “Do you mean it?”

“Of course, Josh,” I smile, “But, I really should get started on unpacking.”

Josh nods his head, “Need help?”

“Oh, I couldn’t ask that of you, but I’ll walk you out.”

We make small talk all the way to the door, and I open it to usher him outside. 

“I really appreciate your help today. I couldn’t have done it without you, truly.”

He gives me one of his dimple-popping smiles and pulls me in for a hug. 

“Anything for you, dear,” he whispers into my ear, crushing me against him. 

It would be so easy to just… before I can rethink it, I turn my head and capture his lips with mine. It lasts just a second, a ghost of a kiss, before I pull back. What the fuck have I done? I quickly put a little bit of distance between us, taking in Josh’s wide eyes. “I’m so–” before I can finish my apology, Josh closes the distance between us and presses his lips against mine. I let out a small gasp and he takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss, sucking my top lip between his. My hands completely of their own volition wind their way into his unruly curls. He lets out a small Mmph at the feeling. His hands find my hips and pull me closer against him as his tongue traces against my lips, begging for entry. As if he’s searching for any possible way to get closer, closer, closer. 

Who am I to deny him? 

I sigh, giving him what he wants, and our tongues tangle together. 

I lightly tug at his hair and he lets out an almost growl as he lets his hands gently, tentatively, roam my body. 

His right hand trails up my back before coming to rest on the back of my neck, pulling me closer, closer, closer. 

He backs me against the wall next to the door and pulls his lips from mine, before moving to kiss down my neck. 

“Fuck,” I hiss as his teeth graze a particularly sensitive spot. 

No. But actually, FUCK. 

“Josh,” I start. 

“Mm,” He ignores me, continuing to press open-mouthed kisses and nips along my heated flesh. 

What am I doing? 

I shove him away from me. 

“What the fuck is this?” I say more to myself than Josh. 

“You need to go. I need you to leave immediately.” 

“I, uh, I,” He stammers. 

“No! Leave. Now! And please, just… don’t contact me. Clearly we’ve done enough.” 

I watch as he nods his head and leaves. 

Was Craig right? Is Josh the reason our relationship went to shit? Am I the one in the wrong? 

I can’t stop the guilt and thoughts from swirling through my head as I spend the rest of the night settling into my new home. 

I let the guilt eat at me even hours later, as I tuck myself under my comforter and ignore Willa’s frantic knocks on my door. 

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[turtleduckscribbles]

Close to Home

“No matter where I go to offer aid, Link remains at my side…”

~A brief exploration of Zelda’s personal journey toward home, and how she finds it in Link.

Read on AO3 or continue below.

<< Chap 8 <<

~o~o~o~o~o~

Chapter 9: "Weathering the Storm"

“Um, hellooo? Yoohoo, Princess? You in there?”

Zelda shrank away from the window, directing her attention back to the tiny, jabbering researcher. “Yes!” she blurted, tucking her hair behind an ear. “Er, yes, I’m here. My apologies, Purah. I seem to have allowed my thoughts to wander a bit too far…”

Purah held her scowl, all scrunched-nosed fury, until her mouth drooped into a pitying frown. “Ya know, if you don’t like any of my ideas, you can just say so. I know I’m small and cute, but we’re old friends, remember? No need for any of that tiptoeing business with me!”

“I know,” said Zelda, her shoulders sagging. “Again, I apologize. I agree with you, truly. Providing additional functionality to the travel feature should take precedence over all else. It would prove marvelously useful in our efforts to dismantle ancient technology across the land. Transporting large groups of people with the Slate would be… It would really be…”

“Aw, there there, Princess, it’s okay!” Purah soothed, her tone softening at Zelda’s sudden breathlessness. She sprang from her stool and scurried over to the opposite side of the table, patting Zelda’s hand in consolation. “Deep breaths, now, alright? I didn’t mean to upset you. We can take things in any direction you like, promise! Just say the word and I’m with you.”

Disoriented, Zelda gave a weak nod, barely feeling her friend’s touch. “I’m sorry, Purah. I’m not sure what’s come over me. I suppose there’s been a lot on my mind lately…”

A cup of herbal tea appeared before her. Symin took her gently by the elbow, easing her into a seat at the table. “Of course you have, Princess,” he said, tossing Purah an accusatory look that said, Really? “You’ve just gone through a major life change. It’s quite understandable that you would feel this way. You’ve had so much on your plate for so long, and I can’t imagine…” He shut his eyes with a sigh, shaking his head in empathy. “What I mean to say is that you are in safe hands. You should go at whatever pace feels most comfortable.”

Zelda gave their hands a grateful squeeze. She had only just met Symin, barely even knew him at all, but already the old Sheikah researcher felt like kin. “You are too kind. I can’t express to you both how much I appreciate your support. But really, I’m managing fine. Devoting myself to this work is just what I need right now, and… and what the country needs as well.”

“Hmm…” Purah’s mouth twisted, her expression turning skeptical. “Well, as long as you know we’re here for you, Princess, okay? A happy princess makes for a happy Purah—and you’d better remember it.” She gave Zelda’s hand another reassuring pat. “And far be it from me to talk you out of Slate experimentation! What do you say, Princess? You ready to knuckle down? Just like the good ol’ days! If we plug this baby in, I can tinker with the transportation setting and see what we’ve got to work with. See what kind of mess Linky left us with.”

Nodding along, Zelda reached for the device at her hip but pulled up short at Symin’s hum of uncertainty. “Ah, Ms. Purah…” he said, face blanching, “I realize this is a bad time, but… well, it appears the guidance stone has grown dark again…”

The rate at which Purah switched from coolheaded to scandalized was so true to form that it snapped Zelda out of her reverie. With an appalled gasp, the little researcher bolted to the window, skidding on loose papers as she leapt onto the desktop. Her jaw dropped open.

“AGAIN?! Are you serious?! Blast it all! You little miscreants, get back here!”

Zelda turned in her seat to peer out the window. Sure enough, a band of cackling children scampered away down the hill, the telltale blue flame held high in the air by a single torch, flaunted like a prized trophy.

“You think you’re sooo clever, don’t you?!” Purah screeched, face smooshed against the glass. “Oh yes, very awfully clever, stealing our power source out from under us like that! A real hoot! Don’t think I won’t come out after you this time, ’cause I will! I absolutely WILL! Only naughty children play with fire, you know!”

“Ms. Purah…” Symin sighed in resignation. “Please, Ms. Purah, let’s be reasonable. Remember they are only children. Shouting isn’t going to—”

“‘Reasonable’?! I’m the most reasonable six-year-old you’ve ever met! They’re the ones who are unreasonable here!”

“While that may be so, let’s keep in mind that they are true six-year-olds—not centenarians-in-disguise who look a lot younger than they actually—”

“But the guidance stone, Symin! The guidance stone!”

Symin put a weary hand to his brow, and Zelda winced in sympathy for the poor man. “Ms. Purah… I thought you had said that… that there was more to life than the guidance stone…”

Purah wheeled around, looking aghast at her assistant. She stomped her foot in frustration. “There’s more to research than the guidance stone, Symin! Not life!” Suddenly, she broke from her tirade, putting a hand to her chin. “Although now you mention it, our research is life-giving, so what difference does it make, really…”

Accepting his plight, Symin groaned and returned to his spot in the back of the room cataloging books. 

Zelda took the risk and, speaking as delicately as possible, asked: “Is there… anything I can do to alleviate the situation?”

Letting loose a plaintive wail, Purah flopped down onto her back, her limbs sprawled out amongst pages of notes. “I’m sorry, Princess… I didn’t mean to spoil your day. We should’ve nipped the problem in the bud long before you got here, I know, I know.”

“There is nothing to apologize for, Purah,” said Zelda, giving her friend a genuine, conciliatory smile. “You’re not spoiling my day at all. I’m elated to be here with you, no matter what. I suppose I’m just surprised that this is an ongoing problem.”

“I just—!” Purah raised her arms and legs and let them fall back onto the desk with an exhausted thud. “I don’t know what to do about them! It’s not like I can go out like this—just look at me! I’m like them! But they can’t keep getting away with this either. They think it’s so hilarious to tamper with tech beyond their comprehension levels, and it’s—argh!”

“Do they really have no other daily preoccupations?”

Symin cleared his throat from across the room, books stacked high in his arms. “I don’t believe so, Princess. Either the children help out at their families’ businesses or they find their own amusements. It’s always been this way.”

“What about an educational institution? Is there one of those they attend?”

“No, not even that.”

Zelda adjusted the tea saucer in front of her. The thought that had been niggling at the back of her brain since her first visit to the lab burst from its hiding place, clamoring for attention. As a child, she’d rather enjoyed her private sessions with her tutors, honing her needlework and diving headlong into history books, learning more about the vast kingdom she was to serve and protect; the same kingdom she’d grown to love with her whole heart. Those were different times, in disparate circumstances, yes—the lives of farmers and erstwhile princesses were practically separate worlds—but Zelda couldn’t help but feel that strengthening the connecting thread that bound them all was of utmost importance.

“What if… we were to help with that?”

Purah shot her an inquisitive look. “Alright, I’ll bite.” She turned onto her side and propped up her head with a hand. “Whatcha got cookin’ up there in that scholarly brain of yours?”

“I just mean…” Zelda ran her finger along the rim of her saucer. “I’ve been thinking about the state of the kingdom lately. So much has happened—the world has been irrevocably changed in such a short span of time, and yet… I feel as if the general populace remains unaware of all that’s transpired. We owe our welfare to those who have come before. So many brave souls have given their all so that we may be free today, so many who have paid the ultimate price—” She swallowed back the lump in her throat. “They deserve to be remembered. I believe it is our duty to ensure their memory lives on. By providing educational opportunities, we not only honor our forebears, but help people everywhere build a safer, brighter future. Especially the children.”

Symin wiped at his eyes underneath his glasses. “That is very admirable, Princess. I couldn’t have said it better myself. You have my full support.”

“Aaaand that would take care of the little rascals pestering us all the time too, snappity snap!” added Purah, eyes sparkling. “Everyone’s happy!”

Symin gave her a deflated look. 

Zelda sipped her tea. Now that she’d voiced this particular idea aloud, it was feeling more and more right by the second. Their prosperity as a people was tied to the fate of the land; so it had been since time immemorial. Thus, it was vital that they did all they could to inform Hyrule of its history. Without structured institutions to aid in the endeavor of knowledge, they would find themselves in the same position they were in prior to the Great Calamity, adrift in a fugue of fear and uncertainty. But having these institutions, these schools… They had research centers for the scientists, so why not learning centers for the children…?

“Anyhoo, since we’re dead in the water, how’s Linky Love?” asked Purah out of nowhere, flipping onto her stomach and cupping her chin in her hands. “You finding all sorts of top-secret knick-knacks of his while he’s away?”

Zelda nearly spilled her tea. “Dedicated as always,” she answered after a speedy recovery, ignoring the latter question. “His level of productivity knows no bounds. He inspires me to achieve the same.”

“Oh, come now, Princess!” whined Purah, kicking her feet childishly in the air. “Don’t hold out on me like this! I know I age-reversed myself, but I wasn’t born yesterday! Give me all the details, the good stuff! I’ve seen his photo album, I know the monkey business he gets up to! Does he still make muscles at himself when he thinks no one’s watching? Does he sleep with his sword at night? Tell me!”

The memory of Link’s self-portrait with the bokoblins resurfaced in Zelda’s mind, followed by sun-kissed golden days by the water. She set down her cup, avoiding eye contact. “I’m afraid I must disappoint you, Purah. All I can say is that I’m forever grateful for his hospitality. These past weeks have been an adjustment, I’ll admit, but he’s so very patient with me, and he’s made it all the easier to bear. I am… very indebted to him.”

“I am certain the feeling is mutual, Princess,” said Symin kindly. “You were a guiding light to him in the early days of his memory loss. You mean the world to him, just as you mean the world to us all.”

“Yes, well…” Zelda shifted in her seat. “I am very fortunate to count myself amongst friends like you. There are so many logistics to work through at the moment. I struggle to think where I’d be without you all.”

“And that’s why you’ll be back tomorrow so we can make headway on that travel feature!” cheeped Purah. She hopped down from the desk and skittered over to a pile of books on the floor. “Those troublemakers might have stalled us today, but they haven’t completely sunk us. Once we get the guidance stone back up and running, we can dip into the Slate’s files and unravel its teleportation mechanism, lickety-split!” She twirled enthusiastically on the spot. “Now, if we can just reverse-engineer that travel medallion Linky left us…”

They were so immersed in scientific deliberation that by the time the setting sun turned the windowpanes ruby-red, it was well past dinnertime, and before Zelda could run out the door, a small loaf of bread was pushed into her hands, along with Symin’s assurances that he would accompany her home. Unable to persuade him otherwise, she said her goodbyes to Purah and made the downhill trek back to Link’s cottage, this time in the goodly company of a friend. 

With Symin close, she could easily cast her worries to the wayside. With him, she paid little heed to the encroaching darkness, hardly noticed the prying villagers peeking out at her from their doorways, where a murmured “Karin, stop staring and get back inside!” rang out a touch too loudly near the chief’s house, followed by a patter of tiny feet. Instead, she inhaled the mountain air, kept her chin up, and lost herself in pleasant conversation.

Night had properly fallen when they arrived, and after her heartfelt thanks for his generosity (“It is my pleasure, Princess, and the perfect excuse to get my daily steps in. I can’t be cooped up with my books all day, you know!”), Zelda bid the old researcher good night and they parted ways. After a couple slices of the bread with wildberry preserve and leftover cream of vegetable soup, she tended to her horse then headed off to bed, her mind teeming with thoughts of geographic coordinates and travel medallions, hoping they would fend off the lingering shadows.

Her hopes were dampened, unfortunately, when the next morning brought a thunderstorm.

She jolted awake to the crack of lightning and a volley of hail striking the roof. Startled, she shot up in bed, clutching the comforter to her chest until her racing heart returned to a pace resembling normality.

It’s just the weather… Just the weather…

Shaken, Zelda rose and readied herself for the day, going through the motions. With every wall-shuddering crash from outside, though, it became increasingly apparent that there would be no visiting the lab today. With the Slate’s forecast showing nothing but lightning bolts, it seemed she was destined to spend her day indoors. Alone.

She tried to keep herself busy. She saw to her morning toilet, prepared a light breakfast, made the brief but water-logged run outside to her horse (he was dry in his shelter but understandably spooked, which was soon forgotten once she replenished his feed). Business as usual. But the foul weather only reflected her mood, and the present moment seemed locked away from her.

Minutes trickled into hours. The raging tempest kept up its battery, wailing against the facade of the house. Zelda clasped the covers at the foot of the bed, her anxiety spiking with every clap of thunder, watching heavy raindrops purl down the window.

She’d promised him. She had promised Link—and Purah and Symin—that she would be okay on her own. That she could spend a night or two by herself. And she had. Against all odds, she had stayed the course, true to her word. But the flashing and the crashing and the constantly falling rain dredged up dreadful memories, and suddenly Zelda was carried back to another rainy day, the lightning-forked sky illuminating a field of carnage and twisted metal. In place of a cottage was a swamp plagued with Malice, tainting everything and everyone with Calamity. Scores of soldiers and civilians cut down like puppets with severed strings. Even Link, her immovable pillar, toppled like an empty shell, slick with rain and sweat and blood alike, mixing with her tears as they streamed profusely down her face onto his lifeless body…

Zelda forced herself to stand. No. She wouldn’t do this. She couldn’t afford to keep doing this. For her own sake, for her kingdom’s. For Link’s.

Link was just fine. He had to be. His company was surely bunkering down this very moment, keeping themselves and their supplies safe from the elements. Yes, their reunion would likely be delayed now… but Link had spent many a rainy day in the wilds, fending for himself even in the harshest of storms. He’d be back soon enough. He was fine. She was fine.

Smoothing out her dress, she left the window and descended the stairs, heading for the bookshelf by the kitchenette. Ever since childhood, books had been there for her when no one else had, the most reliable of companions. Certainly that wasn’t about to change now. She picked through Link’s hotchpotch library, seeking a gripping tale or historical account—something to get lost in—she’d even take the one on interior design—when her eyes settled on the bottom shelf. 

A collection of thick tomes sat undisturbed, their spines cracked with age. It looked as if they hadn’t seen the light of day in years. Stooping, she chose the largest in the row. The cover was warped and brittle, and it felt like it might fall apart in her hands. There was no title. 

Cautious, but curious, she blew away the coating of dust and gently thumbed it open. She skimmed for clues that indicated its origin. She sincerely doubted it came with the house. Link must have picked it up somewhere during his travels… but from where, was the question…

She studied the worn pages of text. Dark blots rendered the script illegible in places, but it wasn’t entirely a fool’s errand. Her fingertips grazed the writing, a belated sort of recognition rising up at the blocky penmanship. Slowly, distinct words began jumping out at her: research… relics… Hyrule… sacred power… her own name, multiple times… 

It struck her as forcefully as the lightning rampaging outside. Zelda staggered back, her legs smacking against the dining room table, and it was all she could do to keep the book from slipping from her fingers.

Breathing heavily, she scrounged together every last whit of her strength to stand on her own two feet, pushing away from the table. Like a wraith, she ascended the stairs, the book clenched in her unfeeling hands. She crawled into bed, huddling beneath the sheets, and, under the yellow lamplight with the storm howling outside, she commenced reading her father’s life account: the writings of Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule.