#stickers are chugging along

[pigeonwithapen]

6/23, two demi angelfish! I might double up more as we get to the end of the month, wanna get as many flags in as I can! Thanks to anon for the suggestion!

[ID in alt]

[tumbleweed-run]

I think we should all be grateful that I don't usually post while in the process of writing. I know there are a few on my AO3 account but its not even a fraction.

Going through my external hard drive to find docs about a very specific, very old, unfinished fic, and there are frankly HUNDREDS of half-written fics.

I'm sad because they were good too.

[gracieheartspedro]

Crave

Part 3 of "How Long"

pairing: f!reader x brother-in-law!joel miller

find part 1 and 2 here!

dedication: @jenispunk <3 I love you sm jen. thank you for always supporting my writing and being the best wife a girl could ever dream of. you make my heart so happy. thank you for helping me edit and being the first to read this and encouraging me no matter what! love you love you love you!!!

description: a weekend escape with joel and sarah, kinda. the bed situation is a little confusing. luckily you and joel make it work. when sarah's not around, of course.

word count: 5.5k

warnings: MINORS DNI! this is 18+, pre!outbreak joel, there is smut in this part!! unprotected p in v, oral sex (f receiving), joel is a CONSENT KING AGAIN, dirty talk, daddy kink (aha), hotel sex?, begging? lmao I think that's it.

author's note: finally. it's here. I feel like I've been staring at this doc for 7 years. thank you all for your patience. I want to continue this series but I have to sit down and really brainstorm what I'd like the next parts to be. let me know your thoughts! THANK YOU FOR READING!

“My favorite Millers!” 

Your face was beaming, seeing Joel hop out of his truck with Sarah in tow. The truck was still running, the diesel engine chugging louder than any truck you had been in before. Joel always had a nicer, newer truck. He made great money and he was always having to go into construction zones that needed an all terrain vehicle. They always got pretty banged up with dirt and rocks, but he took excellent care of the interior. 

Joel grabs both of your bags, taking them to the backseat where Sarah would be crammed in with all the luggage. You give him a nod, silently thanking him. Sarah wraps her arms around your waist, giggling with excitement. 

“I’m so happy you’re coming with us! It’s going to be a great weekend,” She explains while you two walk over to the tall truck. You always found climbing into a truck unnatural and awkward yourself, but it was hot watching Joel hop in with ease. You agree with Sarah, all the while opening up the door for yourself. Sarah springs up to her seat, and you struggle to crawl up into the cab. It makes Joel chuckle. 

“I’m making you lift me into this thing next time,” you joke, easing back into the fabric seats, “Especially since you think watching me struggle is funny.”

Joel looks back in the rear view to see if Sarah’s paying attention, “‘s no problem at all, darlin’. I will gladly help you next time.”

You knew he was flirting. It makes your stomach bubble with excitement. He makes sure you two are buckled and starts on the two and half hour journey to Houston. Once you leave your neighborhood, Sarah taps your shoulder and holds out her new CD player. It’s purple and covered in sparkly stickers. 

“Looks like your Dad is supplying you with all the ways to listen to music,” you observe, glancing over at Joel. He’s just watching the road, one hand on the steering wheel, the other propped up on the shifter. He looks younger, the dusk sky the perfect back drop for his pronounced nose and beautiful eyelashes. You couldn’t help but stare, even as Sarah’s talking your ear off. He just nods along to her, making sure she knows she’s heard. 

“Think I’m gonna listen to my Kelly Clarkson CD this time,” Sarah explains, putting her earphones over her voluminous curls, “So don’t try to talk to me!”

You and Joel giggle, shaking your heads at her comment. It’s not like you were the one’s talking before, you both think. 

It gives you both a moment without a kid’s ears nearby. 

“How was the rest of your work week?” He asks, tapping the shifter to the soft hum of the radio.

“Boring,” You mumble, “Think one of the guys in marketing has a crush on me and he’s making it impossible to avoid him. I can’t even go to the break room without him bothering me.”

You didn’t know why you felt the urge to tell Joel about the situation. It wasn’t even a real situation, it was just an annoying thing happening in your life.

“Hmph,” he ponders for a moment, “Want me to kill him?”

His tone is serious, but you know he’s just messing. You grin, nudging his arm with your elbow gently, ensuring it doesn’t move the steering wheel. 

“My hero,” You comment as you watch a smile crack across his face, “No, thank you, though. If it starts to get to stalker status, I will call you.”

“Seems like stalkin’ already, baby girl.”

The nickname makes your stomach flip. You purse your lips, contemplating his words. Sure it was creepy, but the guy was scrawny and you could probably snap him in half with two fingers. He had nothing to really worry about. Right?

Joel steals a glance over at you. 

“Maybe, but I’ll handle it.”

You wanted him to think you were strong enough to deal with unwanted attention, but to be honest, you weren’t sure how to say no to most men. You only ever had Tommy and he scared everyone away. Now everyone around town knew you were on the market, and men were drawn to your natural beauty and somewhat sassy attitude. 

Little did they know, you were hung up on the other Miller boy. 

“You let me know if you need me to talk to him,” He doesn’t take his eyes off the road, just reaches his right hand out to rest on your thigh, “Man to man.”

His hand is so warm, you feel it through your black leggings. He was almost always like a furnace, but it was okay, because you always ran cold. But every time he touched you, you felt that warmth trail up your arms and legs. He made you feel different. Every fiber of your being became electrified when he was around. It was a sensation you never noticed when you were with Tommy. You begin chalking it up to just being nervous because he was older and larger and… well, hotter. 

“Again, my hero,” you respond sarcastically, letting your hand rest on top of his. It makes him more confident, gently massaging that area. You watch as his hand creeps closer and closer to the crack between your legs. You practically gasp at the contact, but you catch yourself before you do, remembering there’s a child behind you. 

So you smack his hand away, shooting him a glare. 

“What are you doing?”

“Nothin’ just… sorry.”

You didn’t want him to pull away, your leg already missing his touch, but you knew what would happen if you did stuff like that in front of Sarah. She’s a teenage girl. She’ll talk. It’ll find it’s way to someone’s ears. 

You wanted to act like you didn’t care if Tommy found out, but deep down you knew it would be a disaster. You didn’t feel like being the talk of the town. You didn’t feel like explaining yourself to Tommy. You didn’t feel like watching Joel deal with the flack from his family, especially his mother. 

If you two wanted to continue this… game… you would have to keep it secret. That included keeping it away from Sarah’s eyes and ears. You and Joel would just be friends. You would just be her aunt. That’s it. 

“Don’t apologize,” You whisper, “Just not here.”

You two let the radio take over the rest of the trip, occasionally chatting about a song or what the newscaster says about the weather. Once you get into Houston, it’s already 8:30 at night. Joel pulls into the parking garage to the Marriot and you already start craving the bed that awaits you inside. 

-

“I call the bed near the window!” Sarah throws her stuff down, jumping straight onto one the huge queen size duvet. The room was nice. A large television set catches your eye immediately, proving that this was probably an expensive room if they were giving you free cable tv. The curtains were open, giving a beautiful view of Houston’s skyline. 

One thing you notice, too, is the fact that there was only two beds. You knew this, but it still made your stomach sink a bit. 

You realize you three hadn’t discussed the sleeping situation. You didn’t care where you would sleep, honestly. You just knew Sarah was a restless one, having slept next to her in a tent when she was 9. Family camping trips entailed you, Tommy, Joel, and Sarah sharing a 6 person tent and being absolutely miserable the whole entire time. Between Tommy’s snores and Sarah practically flailing all around the tent at night, you remember not getting a lick of sleep. 

“Go get a shower, Sarah. We will figure out who’s sleeping where.”

She groans at Joel, like usual. 

“Dad!”

“Shower,” he throws his bag down on the ground near the dresser, “No arguin’.”

Sarah sulks, her bag in hand, straight to the bathroom by the front door. You don’t say anything. You just start following Joel’s lead by putting your bags down next to his. You stand a bit too close to him, waiting for him to say where you’d be sleeping.  

He clears his throat, “I will take the recliner, if you want the bed.”

“Of course I want the bed, but I don’t want you to have to sleep in the recliner.”

It makes him laugh, how matter-of-fact you are. 

You hear Sarah start up the shower. You wouldn’t have to fear she hears you and Joel talk about the possibility of sleeping with one another. Again.

“It’s not a big deal,” He explains, unzipping his bags to grab his pajamas, “Sleep on the couch all the time.”

“But you have a nice plush couch,” You gesture towards the hard and structured looking recliner, “That doesn’t look comfortable at all.”

For a girl who didn’t want Joel touching you in the car, you were practically begging him to sleep next to you in the big comfortable hotel bed. 

“So, where do you want me to sleep?”

“Just take the bed.”

“But you want the bed.”

You swallow, not even looking up at him, “We both can have the bed.”

He’s silent, gripping onto his sweatpants and t-shirt. He slowly looks down at you, his eyes carry a curious glint in them. You cock your head, giving him a mischievous smirk.

“You and Sarah?”

“No, you and Sarah.”

He groans, “You are a fuckin’ tease.”

You giggle, watching him brush pass you to position himself close to the closet. He opens the closet door, slipping in like he’s looking for something in there. 

“What are you doing?”

“Changin’.”

“In the closet?”

He grabs his shirt from the nape of his neck and pulls it off smoothly. You can’t peel your eyes away, partially seeing his right peck from how he’s standing. It was like the morning after having sex with him. Your eyes were glued to him, his tanned skin practically asking to be touched and licked. 

You horny bitch. 

“Joel, get out of the closet.”

He chuckles, “Why? You want me to give you a show?”

Why yes, I really do, Joel. You think to yourself. You hum a response, peeling your eyes away. You needed to find your pajamas, a pair of Nike sports shorts and a black tank top. Lately, you’ve been sleeping completely naked, but that was obviously not an option here. 

Sarah finally leaves the bathroom as soon as Joel slides his pants up. She has her hair wrapped in a towel, which makes you smile. She looked so grown up, it’s hard to believe you met her when she was 6 years old. You wordlessly walk into the bathroom, beginning to change your outfit for your sleep wear. You splash some cold water on your face, your cheeks still blushed from seeing Joel shirtless. 

You hear the door outside open and close. You peak out, your traveling clothes wrapped up in your arms. Joel stands in the middle of the room, fiddling with the remote for the TV. 

“Where did Sarah go?” You question, packing your clothes back into your duffle. 

“She wanted to go get ice from the ice machine,” He grumbles, “Said she wanted to see if any of her teammates were awake or nearby.”

“Is her whole team staying here?”

“Yeah, pretty much every team gets a floor. Last year it was a like a huge sleepover. Fuckin’ nightmare,” Joel mutters, flicking through different channels, before landing on some westerns. You smirk, deciding to plop down on one of the beds. As soon as you lay back, Sarah comes back in, bucket in hand. 

“Can I go stay in Amelia’s room? Her mom is there, just two doors down.”

Well that solves the bed problem. 

Joel rolls his eyes, you can tell he’s already annoyed. “Is Amelia’s mom okay with that?”

“You want to go talk to her? I promise Dad, we will get up at 5:30 like we need to. Pleas-”

“Let’s go talk to Amelia’s mom.”

You hear them leave the room without saying anything else. 

You were tired from a long day at work and the long drive. But some excitement blooms in your stomach when you realize it may just be you and Joel, all alone in a hotel room. 

Before you have time to ponder all the wonders that may be in store for you, Joel comes back with a frustrated huff. 

“She staying over there?”

“Yeah, Amelia’s mom said it was fine. Then she started askin’ who you were. Guess they saw us in the hotel lobby.”

Your stomach twists, nervous at what his response was.

“And?”

“Told her you were Sarah’s aunt. She gave me a weird look.”

“Great, now the soccer mom’s will be oogling me tomorrow.”

“Well they will anyway,” Joel responds, finding a spot next to you on the edge of the bed, “Single ones won’t leave me alone.” 

You know he’s really just seeing if you’ll get jealous. But you don’t play into his little game. You just let out a loud hearty laugh. 

“The ladies just love a Miller.”

He grumbles something inaudible, nudging you with his elbow. “You do, don’t ya?”

“Sure do.”

His face softens, his eyes flicking down to your lips. 

You grin, “She’s 14 and super goofy. Loves to play socc-”

“You’re truly testin’ me today, ain’t ya?”

You can’t help yourself at that point. The way he’s flirting only gives you more reason to taunt him. 

“Is Sarah seriously going to be gone from the room all night?”

“Yeah,” He nods, leaning back on his palms. He acts like he’s watching TV, ignoring your not-so-subtle hints that you want his eyes on you. 

“So, I can finally ask you why you think it’s okay to tease me in the car?”

“Don’t know what you’re on about, darlin’,” He smirks, he knows.

You tilt your head to the side, finally lifting your hand onto his lap. You immediately start toying with him the same way, your hand creeping towards his crotch. His eyes peel away from the TV. He watches you closely, his eyes trailing from your gaze down to your fingers dancing on his pant leg. 

“You put your hand on my thigh and started inching closer and cl-“

“Are you tryin’ to make a point or pose a question?”

He was getting annoyed with the games already. But you’d only just begun. 

“I’m just trying to explain how you can’t do things like that to me in front of Sarah,” You remark, flicking your eyelashes up to his glare, “Especially when you can’t finish it.”

“Who said I ain’t gonna?”

You huff, “Well here we are, all alone in a hotel room. No kiddo in sight. Still not touching me.”

“Don’t think you deserve it cause you’re a tease.”

“How am I a tease, Miller?”

“You exist and that’s enough. Walkin’ around in a tank top,” He gestures to your chest, “Just beggin’ to be touched.”

Your skin is set alight. The words go straight to your core. 

“Joel-“

You’re cut off. His hands work quickly, pulling you by the nape of your neck, right to his eager lips. You begin to realize you had been longing for this moment for so long. He couldn’t resist anymore, his whole body buzzing at the fact that he finally has you again. 

His lips are soft and slow as they make their way around yours. His hands eventually trail down to your butt, his hands cradling both cheeks. He lifts you forward, sliding you up and onto his lap. 

“Been wantin’ this for months, baby.” 

Butterflies erupt in the pit of your tummy. You can feel them travel up to your chest as you look down at him, his eyelids heavy and his lips pursed.  

He waited for you to respond to his calls, knowing you needed time. He needed to be patient. You would come around, he knew it. After months, here you are. 

He thinks back to every time he was touching himself late at night, he would imagine the night you two shared. Your soft curves and needy dripping pussy. It drove him wild imagining you like this again. 

“I think it’s been more than wantin’, Joel,” You grind down on his prominent bulge growing in his sweatpants, “Think you need it.”

He grins, finally getting out of his own head.

“Such a little tease, damn it.”

You lean down, mindlessly speckling kisses behind his ear and neck. Your boobs rest right in front of his face, and you’re right, he needs it. His hands leave your behind, reaching up to the straps of your tank top. He tugs them down your biceps, allowing your cleavage to spill out more. 

Your hands find his dark peppered curls at the nape of his neck, pulling downward. You needed him closer and he obliged. He starts to kiss your collarbones, wandering down to the swell of your breasts. You can feel yourself staining your sports shorts with anticipation. 

You rock your hips, craving more. He takes the hint, reaching back down to lift you from your ass. He switches spots, laying you on your back on the plush white duvet. He’s leaning over you now, which gives you a great view of how spent he looks already. His gray sweatpants are hanging lower, tenting where his cock has grown hard. 

He smirks, taking off his shirt the same way he did earlier. With one hand, it slips right over his head and onto the floor. 

“Jesus,” You huff out, using the time to remove your top, “I need you, Joel.”

The smirk never leaves his lips. He leans down, pushing your legs apart with his pointer and middle finger. You open up for him, wanting nothing more for him to dive into you in every possible way. You watch as he slides his fingers up your thigh, past the openings of your shorts. 

He realizes you aren’t wearing underwear. He sighs as he swipes the pads of his fingers across your wet slit. 

“I know you do,” He drawls, watching you writhe under his touch, “You need me as much as I need you.”

He practically tears off your shorts, not wasting any time fighting with the fabric. 

You adjust how your laying to accommodate him laying between your thighs. He lays down on his stomach, bringing your hips close to his mouth. You watch as he kisses your inner thighs, his breath hot fanning against your skin. 

You remember the last time you were in this position. You spent night after night remembering the best head you’ve ever gotten, from the one and only, Joel Miller. And you could tell Joel was not going to go another moment without making you cum on his tongue. 

When his tongue hits the top of your slit, you whine at the contact. He presses his face in, diving deeping into your lips. As soon as he finds your clit, he puts all his attention there. His nose is pressed against your mound as he hums against your sensitive bud. 

“Joel,” You cry, reaching down between your legs to grab the crown of his head, your hands lacing into his locks, “Right fuckin’ there.”

He continues his movements, only increasing in speed in which he flicks his tongue. He wraps his lips over the swollen area, sucking and lapping your sweetness. He pulls away, the slick between your thighs missing him instantly. He brings his fingers up to his mouth and wets them with saliva. He glances up at your completely dazed face. 

“‘M gonna fuck you with my fingers first,” His voice is deep and hushed, “Make you cum. You gonna cum for me like a good girl?”

You don’t even know where it comes from. But you say it with your chest.

“Yes, Daddy.”

You never expected the moan to come out of his mouth. It’s deep and guttural. He couldn’t believe his ears, and he can’t believe the words came from your mouth. His good girl? That fuckin’ flithy?

He slips his fingers into you without resistance. His mouth finds it’s way back to your core, fucking you in unison. 

You reach up to your chest, cradling your own boobs. Joel’s still only in sweatpants but they are riding low on his hips. As he’s giving you his all, he’s grinding his hips into the bed, trying to get whatever friction he can. Watching the motion alone is driving you wild, sending your hips rotating on his tongue. You knew the release was coming, you could feel it in your fingertips. 

And when it comes, it’s like fireworks inside your stomach and chest. You lurch forward, crying out his name. You knew it was probably way too loud for the thin hotel walls, but you couldn’t help yourself. The orgasm sends stars speckling across your vision. 

Joel fucks you through the comedown. You are the hottest thing he’s ever laid eyes on, he thinks. When your body rests back, you’re panting, trying to ground yourself for a second. Joel pulls his fingers out and sucks each digit. 

“You’re gonna be the death of me,” You mewl, reaching out for him. You just need to touch him. 

He shimmies his sweatpants down and off his legs. He’s sitting back on his knees, smiling down at your desperate eyes. He crawls on top of you, his dick prodding at your thighs. He leans down, trapping your lips into another longing kiss. His hands trail down your sides, leaving goosebumps in their wake. He pulls back after a couple seconds, gazing into your eyes. 

“You still on that birth control?”

You hum in response. 

“Need me to pull out still?”

You smirk, lacing your arms around his shoulders, “No. Need you to cum inside me.”

He shakes his head, sitting back to line himself with your entrance.

“My dirty girl,” He runs his cock head between your swollen red lips, triggering your hips to move closer to him, “You drive me insane.”

“Come on, Joel. I’ve been waiting for ages for you to fuck me. Need you. Now.”

He chuckles darkly, still not giving you what you want. “Waiting ages, huh?”

“Joelllll,” You beg, smacking his chest, “Please.”

“Mmm,” He pushes forward just enough to relieve your ache, “Love it when you beg for it.”

He practically splits you open when he snaps his hips. You both groan simultaneously, unable to hold back this sick fantasy you’re both playing into. You feel more full than you ever did before. You don’t remember it hurting this good. 

“Holy fuck,” you whine, “So fucking full, Joel.”

He slowly pulls back, “You tell me if it’s too much, ‘kay?”

You shake your head, throwing your head back as he sets a cautious pace. He’s watching all your facial expressions, making sure he’s not hurting you. You wince when he starts to pick up the pace, which causes him to halt completely. 

“No,” You plead, “More. Faster. Please, just please.”

He says nothing, just pushes up your thighs so the back of them are flush with the front of his. He leans over you, his elbows on each side of your head. He grinds into you while his dark curls fall into your face. You tilt your head up, finding the crook of his neck again. 

His cock felt so good dragging in out of you. You felt like you could stay in this position forever. You molded so perfectly around him. He treated you like this beautiful mural, taking his time with delicate strokes. His hands wrapped around the back of your head, holding you in the curve of his body.

You latch your lips onto his neck, peppering lovebites everywhere. You didn’t even think about if they could be seen later. In the moment, you only thought of him as yours. He was yours and everyone would fucking know it. 

He’s starting to get more greedy. He pulls back, his warmth moving away from your perked up nipples. His upper body the best view you could get, so you couldn’t complain too much. He grabs behind your knees, using them as leverage as he starts to pound into you. 

Your eyes meet and for fuck’s sake, he’s perfect. You never knew you could see Joel Miller like this. Like someone who fucked you so good, but also cared so tenderly for you. He wanted to see you in the throws of pleasure, not even worrying about when he’d get his rocks off. He got his rise out of seeing how much you enjoyed yourself.

His ravenous drive to bring you to the edge is causing the headboard to slam against the wall which each stroke. He brings his left hand up to your bouncing tits, grabbing your nipple and tugging on it. He knew what touching your boobs did to you. He remembers watching your visceral reactions to him toying with them before. It brings a smile to his face. 

“I’m gonna-”

You don’t even finish your sentence, you just gasp as you feel his cock head hit the deepest parts of you. A place no other man has made it to. 

“I don’t want anyone else,” He musters out, his teeth clenching as your pussy restricts around him. He means it. He may be drunk on you, but he feels those words down to his bones. “I only ever want this.”

It was never just about the sex. Joel cared for you. Fuck, maybe he even loved you. 

You swallow, propping yourself up on your elbows. You glance down, watching his cock slip so perfectly, in and out of you. 

“I’m yours, Joel,” You manage to peep out before the orgasm you’ve been holding back builds to a maddening point, “I’m yours.”

The words make his cock twitch. He can’t help himself, he needs you to cum right this very moment. He doesn’t say anything, just unhooks your legs and uses his right hand to put pressure on your clit. Tears start to prick in your eyes as he lazily rubs circles, humming in satisfaction. He feels you tightening up, he knows your close. 

Your vision goes white. You body starts to vibrate, the pure bliss he’s sending you into takes you to a whole other dimension. You want more. More. More. More. 

As he watches you seize up, he can’t resist his own orgasm. The explosion sends him into a moaning mess. He fucks into you, painting your walls with his cum, not letting a drop go to waste. 

He collapses on top of you. You don’t even care, you feel like jello anyway, he could melt right into you.

He rolls off after a minute. 

You always miss him when he’s not near you. 

You stare at the ceiling, pondering the right words to say to him. Nothing comes to mind. He gets up, walking naked to the bathroom. He grabs a rag from the shelf above the toilet, running it under some warm water. 

When he returns, you let him clean all around your body. You make sure he doesn’t wipe away the wet kisses he left all over you, though. 

“You okay?”

You finally look at him. 

You want to say yes, because you were okay. Physically. But your heart wanted to pulsate out of your chest. 

“I will be,” You state simply, “Just tired.”

He slowly starts grabbing all your articles of clothing off the floor, dressing you once he collects all of them. He’s careful with you. Gentle. 

“Do you want to sleep in the same bed?”

The question rings in your ears. Of course you did. 

“As long as you get up at the ass crack of dawn and move before Sarah comes in.”

He chuckles, pulling his sweatpants back over his waist. He doesn’t even bother to put on his shirt.

“Will do, baby.”

-

When you wake up, you realize the overheard light flickered on. You contort your sleep dazed body, Joel’s upper body practically laying over you. You try to blink the haze out of your eyes, but your tired mind is completely shocked when you see an outline of a girl. 

Shitshitshitshitshit.

You fling your body upward, rattling Joel awake. He’s startled, his arms flinging off of you. 

“I knew it!” Her voice is piercing. “I knew it! Holy shit!”

“Sar-”

“Are you two dating? Or are you just… wait, ew!”

She’s rambling, her words clashing together in confusion. Your heart is about to hammer out of your chest. 

“Sarah, we aren’t dating,” You declare, your voice shaking. 

“But you’re sleeping together?”

You could cut the silence with a sword. It’s so thick and awkward. 

A 14 year old girl shouldn’t know you’re sleeping with her Dad. Let alone walk in after you spent all night tangled up in him. 

“Sarah,” Joel’s voice is buttery and raspy after he wakes up. You hold the comforter up to your chest. You had your tank top on, but it hangs so low on you, you don’t want to risk anything. “Grab your uniform, get dressed. We can talk about this later.”

“Does Uncle To-”

“Sarah! Stop!”

It scares you since it’s so close to your ear. His voice changes so abruptly, it makes you cringe a bit. 

Hearing the question from Sarah’s lips makes you feel queasy. Having the girl who you always considered your niece ask if her uncle knew you were sleeping with her dad... God what a fucking mess. 

You watch her storm across the room, grabbing her backpack and race to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. 

Joel groans next to you as he slams back into the plush pillows. 

“She will be fine. We will talk about it later,” Joel says under his breath. 

You open your mouth but nothing comes out. 

You hadn’t thought much of this through. Ever since you and Joel first slept together, you pushed your harbored feelings to the side. Sometimes they creep in, which would send you into a panic. Because deep down, you knew you felt something for Joel. Something you hadn’t felt since you first started dating Tommy. Maybe even ever. It was exciting. He made you feel special. After everything he said to you last night, you knew he possessed some similar emotions and feelings.  

You felt crazy for believing this could work. 

You knew this would be complicated. Now Sarah is involved. How do you explain these emotions to a child? You don’t. 

You think about all the horrible outcomes to this situation. Tommy wanting to fight Joel. His mom never accepting you back into the family. Who knows, maybe Sarah gets so upset at the situation, she never treats you the same again. 

But then you think about Joel. How he’s a night and day difference to what Tommy was to you. He wore his emotions on his sleeve. He wanted to protect you. He wanted to take care of you every chance he could. 

You start to think back to the times when you were still with Tommy. Joel defended you when you two had a blowout fight. He always made sure to have a watchful eye on you when you all went out to bars. He was even there when you graduated college, giving you a bouquet of beautiful daises he swore up and down Sarah picked out. But you knew the truth. Joel loved daisies. He even had his Mom plant some in his front yard last year. 

You were just so scared. You didn’t want to be hurt again. You did not want your feelings to be wrong. 

You glance down at him, your back still turned. He could read your face, he knew you were overthinking everything. Your mind was working overtime, trying to muster up some excuse to run away and forget everything that happened between you two. There was nothing normal about this situation. 

But fuck, you both really wanted it. So bad. You couldn’t keep lying to yourself. 

His hand creeps up your back, resting a reassuring palm on your aching shoulder. 

“Stop thinkin’ for a minute,” he whispers, “You don’t need to make any decisions right this minute. We will just take it one second at a time. Ain’t no way ‘m lettin’ you go. I want you here.”

You didn’t know if he meant here in general or in the figurative sense. 

He meant it both ways. 

Maybe it was crazy, but that feeling was deep in your chest. This palpable inkling that this could evolve into you being his. 

This being more than sex? More than a crush?

Being Joel’s sounded like a fever dream.

He wanted nothing more but to wrap you up into his arms, hold you and kiss your head, reassuring you that you two can figure it out together. But instead, Sarah walks out in her soccer uniform, squashing the moment. She stands in front of the bed, finally making eye contact with you. 

“You guys gonna get up and watch me kick ass, or are you gonna to lay in bed all day?”

You smile at her. You silently prayed this girl would stay in your life forever.

“I know my answer.”

Joel smiles, “’s go kick some ass.”

-

again thank you for reading!! let me know your thoughts!

find part 1 and 2 here!

[nekomori-art]

Never mind the toot, that's just my creative engine chugging along 🚂

'Artsy Fartsy' sticker available from my shop!

[thesoftboiledegg]

New merchandise at the mall is still scarce, but when I checked last weekend, Spencer's was chugging along with a new hat.

I guess Garfield is back in style? Welcome to the 90s.

I was bored later in the week, so I checked out one of the thrift stores in my area and found a couple of new shirts. I love the design on the first one. Looks like a 70s record cover.

They also had a set of boxers to wear when you're watching Rick and Morty with the bros. "FEEL ME"? Don't mind if I do!

This weekend was a little different. Instead of malls or head shops, it was time for the...

🌽 County Fair Roundup 👩‍🌾

The county fair is where you watch hog races and demolition derbies in crowds of people wearing ball caps and Yee Yee shirts. It's where announcers say a prayer before people race ATVs and smash their cars into each other. And it's also a place for bootleg Rick and Morty merchandise.

No fair is complete without the booth selling bootleg tumblers, and it's ALWAYS the same design:

The sticker guy from a different fair last year was back with more Rick and Morty designs:

"Your boos mean nothing," "Nobody exists on purpose," "I'm sorry, but your opinion means very little to me..." All the classics.

I didn't see any Rick and Morty prizes at the carnival games, but I saw what looked like a Pickle Rick hat on a table. However, this was no ordinary hat...

...it was a streetwear Rick and Morty hat! Morty wears Supreme, of course.

Likewise, the walls and racks were lined with bootleg hoodies.

I also tried mango lassi for the first time! It was so good that I went back for another.

This was fun, but I have one more update that I didn't tell you earlier. When I went to the mall, I discovered that...

RUE 21 IS COMING BACK!!!! 😭😭😭

Rue 21 and Spencer's are the backbone of the merchandise roundups. I was so disappointed when Rue 21 filed for bankruptcy, but it looks like they're trying to claw their way back.

I did think it was weird that the "rue 21" signs were still hanging up after the employees had cleared out the store, but maybe this was the plan all along. Doesn't make sense to me, but I'm not the business expert. I just go in, take pictures of Rick and Morty apparel, and leave. 📸

[dial-p-for-placey]

Chugging along with the new Sailor Moon sticker designs

[eartheats]

[picture: several pictures of a pride event down in levincia. multiple people of all walks of life are posed for selfies, though any kids have stickers over their faces. it generally just seems to be a good time; ren doesn't seem to be in any of the shots, granted, but...]

hi guys!!! sorry about the silence, work's been super busy and the replacement nurses are a lil more strict about phone time than even mads was, so i just got these in from kevin and lydia!!! they got to start on the celebrating early, and they sent me a whole bunch of nice shots. i can't wait to get some in myself tomorrow! i even went diving again, and y'all, look at this--

[picture: pay no mind to the messy (as in dirt messy, no dishes here) sink but there is a VERY cute pastel yellow tutu-like skirt drying off over it! along with some purple ribbons, and what seems to be a very small, slightly dirty black halter dress. the ends of it's skirt look frayed like someone took a pair of scissors (which are, conveniently, within the shot) to them...]

kevin went diving on the way back too because i said i was probs just gonna go in one of my school uniforms, but he found this dress and skirt in there??? and i found the ribbons after shift, in perf condition too!!! and like, these are totes gonna be a labor of love, but thankfully! i have tomorrow off!!! and i am here to chug a monster while scrubbing these down to perfection and makin' the ultimate frankendress!

i think i've got everyone confirmed for tomorrow, so we can still livestream and facetime with y'all! 🥰🥰🥰 tomorrow's gonna be the big day with all the floats and the biggest parts of the parade, so i can't wait to let you all experience it!!! take care while i work on this project here and make myself the cutest i can be!

[wolfybean]

Hi! It’s been a bit since I’ve been here, and I wanted to update you on some personal art I made yesterday!

So, things are still highly crazy and stressful, but I’m slowly chugging along! I’m on a good routine right now where I work out in the morning, go to work, and do some self-care at the end of the day. It’s been a lot, and due to the amount of support I’ve been getting (which has been so wonderful. Thank you to my friends and partner for keeping me steady🩵). Still, it’s also forced me to realize that all the toxicity in my life or that was once in my life is actually/was far worse than I had initially thought and imagined. I’ve been going through some rough patches with my mental health due to this, and it’s forced me to be relatively isolated from how draining it’s all been.

However, despite this, I am trying my best to keep things rolling! I’m planning on moving out of my house, so I may open up commissions again (however, this may take me a bit of time due to the chaos and my workload) or, at the very least, donations. But I haven’t decided yet! I’m also planning on possibly opening my art shop, where I’m thinking about making stickers, key chains, and more! So that may be something to look forward to in the future!

Just know that even though I’ve been gone or haven’t been super talkative, it’s not a personal thing; just becoming more of an adult has made my life a lot busier.

Thank you all for your patience, support, and kindness throughout this! I sincerely appreciate every one! 🩵

I’ll be attempting to post more art soon! So I look forward to that! My art style might change due to my wanting to experiment with it, and there might be a shift with certain tones of posts because I want to make more mental health awareness and such in the future!

I’m excited and stressed beyond belief, but I’ll push through one day at a time!

Remember! You are loved and important to this world. Drink lots of water, eat yummy foods, and rest when you can! Thank you again, and see you around!

[professorhawthorne]

An update and RUMBLE WEEKEND!!

Hey everyone!

Its been a long time since I've posted to this blog but that's because I've been buisy getting life stuff sorted! My post-grad work is chugging along, I got a new job in my field and I'm learning to drive about 10 years late! But I've been playing a ton of pokemon in the mean time! I've got some full odds hunts in generations 3 and 4 on the go to get some fun playthroughs in before bank shuts down (Maybe in April?).

Fig 1. Full odds hunts for Spheal/Snorunt in RSE and Chimchar in platinum!

My luck with full odds hunting has been atrocious until the day of writing this post though. I've put the gen 3 hunt on hold because I was overcome with an urge to play Platinum again and do some pokeradar chaining so I expanded out to 3 consoles and took up soft resetting for Wimpod on the side in Sun.

Fig 2. Triple hunting Chimchar (My resets for Wimpod were done on the black and blue 2DSXL in the pile) ((I also cleaned up my desk finally, feels good))

Unfortunately I passed odds on Wimpod and a soft reset caused my 2DS to freak out and delete the entire game install, fortunately I was juuust in the time window to redownload it from the eShop so I'll pick it back up again some day! Until then though, the hunt for Chimchar continues.

I've also been slowly building up a collection of retro junk that's fun to tinker with! Meet my new CRT and VHS setup! (I'll get a tv unit for it the second I find an era appropriate one!)

Fig 3. He just wants his swamp back

While we're on the topic of retro tech, let me tell you about my favorite latest project! My roomie had a spare wii that he didn't want so I took it, soft-modded it and dressed it up in a pretty see through shell!

Fig 4. A top down view of the console and its first stickers!

Fig 5. A side on view of the transparent shell

I've been using this puppy to catch up on all of the gamecube and wii games I've missed, mostly Colosseum, Gale of Darkness and Resident Evil stuff! However there is one other thing I've been loving~ Pokemon Rumble and its fan mod, Weekend Edition! The mod adds in gen 2 and 3 pokemon that were missing from the base game and there's even a roughly quarterly shiny hunting event called Rumble Weekend where you only hunt in Rumble! The odds are roughly the same as the gen 3 and 4 games (1/8192) but the encounters fly by so fast that shinies feel relatively common.

I participated for the first time this weekend and after only an hour or so of playing I had my first two Rumble Weekend shinies!!

Fig 6. My first Rumble shiny!! A beautiful, healthy Manectric

Fig 7. My second Rumble shiny! A lovely Ourple Swampert!

I wanna try and play more next Rumble weekend but I'm so happy to finally break my shiny drought with two gen 3 gems!! I plan on posting more now that I'm transitioning to a new job with a much less chaotic schedule, see y'all around! <3

[kikyosartstuffs]

Showing the last of the Kanto Pokemon Starters; Squirtle! Guess how much popcorn was consumed in the making of this sticker? I cannot wait to continue with the rest of the starters form the other regions! Lots to do beforehand, but we are chugging along smoothly! All Kanto starters are available on our shop!

[chiimeramanticore]

Working on any fun projects rn?

sort of! i've been worried lately that i seem radio silent on projects lol, but ive really just kinda been working on things i cant entirely share yet. this has probably gone under some newer followers' radar but work has been slowly chugging along on the animatronics zine im running @showroomcertifiedzine ! all the contributor art is finished, and i'm just waiting on another mod to finish the cover art so we can move into the fun cool preorder phase where people involved in the project can actually get to start talking abt it lmao. look forward to it soon! (hopefully in the coming weeks?)

i also have a couple slightly less serious things going on-- im always working on potb of course, and i've been recording myself narrating chapters when i have the free time for a potential upcoming podfic version of it (though i may toss those recordings if i happen to find VAs for the characters cough cough hint hint wink wink nudge nudge). i also do plan to restock my rae stickers soon, since those did really well, and maybe there'll be a new face or two this time?? (but you didnt hear that from me lol)

believe it or not i havent given up on making more video essays yet lol. the cec video has a significant amount scripted, but progress has slowed to a glacial pace as ive had to backseat it for the zine and more immediate stuff. i also have a handful of other scripts in various stages of completion so something's bound to get done eventually lmao

tl;dr: i know it's been quiet, im doing stuff i promise its just all still cooking. wait no dont unfollow me wait where are you going come b

[asteriskemily]

Monster High x Batman Prompt #2:

(Well, someone has to get adopted)

Frankie is in Gotham for…. Reasons, and they get somehow end up kidnapped by the Joker. After being blindfolded, stuffed into the back of a van, and dragged into a creepy (and not in a good way) abandoned warehouse, the Joker’s goons strap them into an electric chair.

At first, Frankie’s almost having fun, sure these normies seem a little weird, but maybe clown makeup is just really popular around here. Plus, these electric shocks are actually kinda nice, sorta like chugging 20 five hour energies.

The Joker on the other hand, is not have fun. The kid his goons picked up to lure in Batman, isn’t playing along. They keep giggling every time he electrocutes them. He’s losing patience quickly, raising the voltage higher and higher hoping to get some reaction other than joy

Unfortunately for Frankie, there is such thing as too much of a good thing. As the voltage rises, they suddenly feel a shock go straight through their brain. They scream in pain before their body gives out and they fall unconscious.

When Batman finds the Joker, he’s laughing, standing over a unconscious teenager strapped into a torture device. He makes quick work of incapacitating and restraining the mad man, before turning all focus on the kid.

Their skin is discolored, and their hair (black with streaks of white and blue) stands on end. Their body is covered in stitches and scars, and their prosthetic leg is covered in stickers and doodles, one of which reads ‘Frankie,’ so he guesses that must be their name. Their chest is still rising and falling, and even though their heart beat is faint, he can still feel it. Batman breaths a sigh of relief.

The kid (maybe, probably Frankie) comes to as he’s working on removing the straps that are trapping them in the chair. They immediately jolt upright and ask where they are

Frankie is incredibly confused. As it turned out, receiving XX Volts directly to the brain served as a factory reset of sorts, leaving them with no memory of the (un)life that they’ve lived up to that point.

Bruce talks Frankie through the situation, telling them how they were captured and how they’re safe now. His heart clenches when they tell him that they can’t seem to remember anything. It’s then that notices their eyes. Heterochromia, he notes somewhere in the back of his brain. One eye was green, and the other… their other eye was blue.

[onemorecountrychristiangirl]

I got a new water bottle yesterday, it’s a Owala.

I love it!! The built in straw method, along with the bigger hole if you want to actually chug your drink is something I find very useful.

I plan on ordering some cute stickers to decorate it because it is an all black one.

[calculatedliterature]

Wednesday, November 30th

Last day of November! What a relief. Less than a month left of classes, too. I’ve been excited about these cute stickers for my keyboard that came in yesterday. I’ve been waiting for ages for the mail, but they’re meant to prevent the natural oils from your skin from wearing down your keyboard. And they’re just so pretty!

They’re motivating me to get my analysis problem set done. It’s not due until Monday but I figured it couldn’t hurt to work ahead, especially since I won’t want to be doing any work this weekend. So I’m slowly chugging along this 12-problem assignment. And running code in the background, since that needs to be done, eventually.

[lastoneout]

which fob song were you thinking of?? for some reason i can’t think of it and it’s driving me crazy also i love the idea behind the post so true <3

Oh, it's "What A Time To Be Alive" from their newest album! I'm literally obsessed with it, it's SO good and I am incredibly impressed that they managed to flip to a completely new genre that's so different from their other music and immediately nail it. (I'd embed it here but youtube is evil and hates embedding so here's the link.)

And tbh, if you'll indulge me, Fall Out Boy really is the band that, to me, most encapsulates the spirit of "we can do whatever we want who cares what anyone else thinks". Like all throughout their music is the theme of how expectations are a prison that destroys creativity and the best way to be free is to say fuck it, and I am so fucking inspired by them because of it.

So really, who gives a shit about consistency or sticking to one style or any of that crap! Be an emo rock band unapologetically releasing a goddamn Earth Wind and Fire song. Switch from western cartoon styles to anime to watercolor to oil paints to whatever. Write books and fanfics and poetry and video essays, draw and make animatics and comics and stickers. Stream video games and learn to sing and drop both on the same youtube channel. Make sad things and then happy things and then sad again. Switch genres from project to project just for fun. Because you might make some truly amazing art when you stop limiting yourself to one style, one skill, one hobby, one anything. Just do what you love, do what sparks joy, let your passion take you wherever it takes you, even if you've never been there before.

Like, that's part of why it annoys me so much when I hear people say they don't like when a band tries new stuff, or they wish they'd just stick to the same kind of music that made them popular. Or when I hear people say this about like, literally any type of artist or creator. You do not have to do the same thing forever. We SHOULD try new stuff and drop the old when we've lost interest. Insisting that artists never do anything new is how we get the 50th Marvel movie that's just the same as the last one, or 20 meaningless live-action Disney remakes, or youtubers or streamers or artists who keep saying they WANT to make new content but they lose their audiences when they do so they just keep chugging along with stuff they've lost passion for.

We should let stuff that was good go when it's time has passed and embrace new things, even if we end up not liking them as much, because we only stand to benefit from it. When we let artists and other creators and OURSELVES go out and try new things we get wonderful new creations, and even when we don't we still grow and will make even better stuff next time. We have to try new things and fail and keep going to grow as people and as artists and I will always encourage that.

That's what Fall Out Boy's music is to me, beyond emotional catharsis. It's a reminder that I don't EVER have to be or make just one thing, and that it's better, I'm better, when I don't let anyone convince me I do.

(Anyway that got long and rambly, sorry. And I know FOB aren't the only artists that exemplify this, but I do love them for really going out of their way to make it clear they aren't going to just do one thing forever. Especially because they're proof when people try new stuff they can make amazing art.)

[kitausuret]

👀

Oh gosh, now I'm running out of WIPs haha. Sooooo here's a bit from the opening for chapter 14 of Dust to Dust! Definitely plan to get chugging along on this one once I finish a couple obligate WIPs.

-----

"I agree. It's not as glamorous as being Vice President of a massive multinational conglomerate, but…" Harry shrugged with an amused little smile. "Kinda feels right, actually. The last owner decided to step down after the whole… Manhattan blackout situation, but a generous investment kept this place alive. Limited hours though, at least until I can get more staff."

"A 'generous investment', huh?" Flash tapped a small sticker on the table. "'Free Wi-Fi sponsored by Alchemax'."

"Still gets people in the door. And this close to ESU, we get a lot of college and even high school students through the door." 

"The Coffee Bean is a mainstay in Midtown, Harry." Flash reached up and clasped his friend's shoulder. "And there's no one I know better to run it now than you."