#study

[crowleyanthonys]

#mom says it's my turn to gif the lighter scene from jennifer's body

[slasherscream]

Crazy Ass Girls Gang ft. what type of yandere are they

warnings: yandere behavior - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Tiffany Valentine / clingy, obsessive, manipulative 

You'd better be damn sure you want to be with Tiffany before you ever bring up dating her because there is no escape once you've embarked on the exciting journey of being her romantic partner.

But if we're being honest you never really had a choice. You think you met organically? Became close by fate? No, Tiffany saw you and wanted you and decided to have you.

It was love at first sight on her part.

You'll be friends for a few months as she weaves the inescapable web around you. Best friends, actually. You'll tell her absolutely everything about yourself. Learn everything about her in turn. It's pure bliss to have a friend like Tiffany. Supportive, charming, affectionate.

You can tell she loves you more than anything. Loves you more than anyone else has ever loved you before, and she isn't afraid to show it.

You probably already had a partner when you met Tiffany. She was heartbroken when you first told her. The heartbreak didn't last long. Why cry over spilled milk? She wants to take it slow with you anyways, make sure that this time every aspect of the life you build together will be perfect.

She's come in too heavy before. You can't rush perfection, her mother always told her. For you, the lesson is finally worth learning.

Everything can be a tool. In the right hands. And Tiffany's hands? Why, they're incredibly skilled. She uses your soon-to-be-ex as a diving board for your upcoming relationship with her. Even if you'd been perfectly content with the relationship until you met Tiffany, suddenly everything is awful.

Tiffany points out every mistreatment. Every cancelled date. Every strange tone they used when talking to you. Every shitty, unoriginal gift. Every moment they weren't enthusiastic enough about good news you had to share.

It gets to the point where you can't even look at them half the time. You'll end dates with your partner early just to go spend more time with Tiffany: "What do you think they meant when they said that, Tiff?" / "I think they forgot who they were talking to, sweetheart! They're lucky I wasn't around or I would've cut out their tongue."

Tiffany has you so wrapped around her finger she's not even the one who suggests the break up. She was still going to wait a month or two before she began to truly push.

But when you show up at her doorstep in the middle of the night, holding flowers and her favorite takeout, rambling about how you've been so blind and it's always been Her...

Well, she has to smile as she pulls you in, savoring the last first kiss your lips will ever gift another soul.

She almost forgot how good she is at getting what she wants.

Jordan Li / protective, obsessive, lucid

You're so sweet. It was the first thought Jordan remembers having about you. The beginning of the end. They haven't been able to stop thinking about you since that one fatal moment.

Jordan has plenty of other things to think about. Things that should outclass you in importance easily. Their ranking, Brink's careful mentoring, their grades. They tell themselves that it all still matters more than you but they know they're lying to themselves.

It scares them a little, how much they actually think about you. Not a minute can go by without their thoughts drifting to you.

Did you eat today? / Your next class is in ten minutes, let me walk you, I've got the time. / You were running out of your favorite perfume. Got you a new bottle. / You look upset. Did someone fucking say something to you?

They can't help the way they hover around you during every spare moment they can find.

Jordan knows your schedule by heart to maximize the amount of time you can spend together. It's a balancing act they have to play with their brain for the simplest of tasks: you can spend the rest of the day with Y/N but you have to finish grading these essays first.

They can't function properly when they go too long without you. They swing on their sparring partners too hard. Stare at the clock during lectures instead of listening. They rip textbooks and snap pens by holding them too tight.

Sometimes they have to give up and call you. If they can't go and see you for whatever reason the sound of your voice makes it better. Hearing you talk, the sound of you breathing, laughing. It helps. Calms the buzz beneath Jordan's skin. They dial your contact, glaring into space as they wait for you to pick up. As soon as you do their body relaxes.

They recognize that their behavior isn't normal. Always needing to know where you are, who you're with. Feeling sick when they don't know.

You're like a drug for Jordan. They know you're an addiction, the way you've crawled under their skin. No high on earth compares, and Jordan has fucking compared them all. They pull you into their lap, as close as they can get you and it's never enough. Nothing is ever enough.

"Please don't fucking go anywhere, yeah?" Jordan will mumble into the skin of your neck. Their grip on you is too tight, face twisted at the desperation they feel. It's not pillow talk. They're begging. Genuinely. They'd do anything to keep you this close, always.

"Of course not, Jordie." You coo back. They close their eyes and pretend the words are enough. Nothing ever is.

Nancy Downs / delusional, possessive, obsessive

As soon as Nancy wants you there's no other option for you besides her. You can either choose to go along with it or you can fight it.

Fighting against her is like fighting against the tide, though. You can tread water for awhile. Keep your head afloat, sure. But eventually you'll get tired. Nature wins. Besides, fighting against Nancy becomes unpleasant fast. Being hers is so much nicer. She's gentler that way, kinder.

You're allowed to have friends, she doesn't isolate you completely.

It's just your old friends sucked. They didn't appreciate you. Didn't look out for you. Selfish users just like everyone else. Moths are always drawn to the light, and she'll kill every moth that strays a little too close to you, before it ever gets a chance to singe itself on your warmth. It's a mercy, really. Living a life in the darkness and having one brief moment in the sun is miserable. Nancy should know. It almost drives her crazy when you're not around. If you ever left she'd want to be put out of her misery too.

Her coven, though? They're perfect. Her coven is a family. And you were the last missing piece of it.

Anything about your old life, the life before her, can be viewed as a threat at a moment's notice. Family. Friends. Memories you speak of a little too fondly. Even a hobby could do it. She wants your focus to be her. It's only fair, her only focus is you.

Even when she's not around. Even when you're completely alone you swear you can feel her eyes on you. Her magic drifting against your skin as if she was sitting right beside you.

Nancy's intensity can be scary but she makes anyone else's love seem dull in comparison.

Who else could love you like she does? Who else would die for you? Nancy wouldn't even have to think about it first. All she asks in return is for you to do the same. Live for her. Dedicate every breathe in your lungs to her.

It's not so hard, she'll lead by example.

Jennifer Check / manipulative, possessive, clingy

She couldn't give a shit about anyone else but you. Somehow you managed to sneak your way into her heart and she can't let go of you. Won't let go of you. You're the only thing that's keeping that small, soft, human part of her alive. You dragged that bit of her back from the grave she put it in, actually. So it wouldn't be fair for you to try and leave, after you made her weak again. Human again.

Her world revolves around you. Her priorities are her next meal and you. Of course she gets pissed off if you don't reciprocate her energy. Look at her, how could you ever put anything above her?

Jennifer wants you to be everything to each other, though she won't say it out loud. It shows in her actions.

You belong to her. Every version of yourself that exists in the world should belong to her. The version of you that you are when you're someone's best friend. When you're someone's partner. It's all hers. She won't let anyone else take root in your life in a role that she can fill. She'll do a better job anyways.

The enormity of her ego and the way she clings might seem at odds. She thinks she's a God walking amongst fucking cattle. But she sticks to you like a second skin. A hand always at your waist. Her lips always chasing yours, whining when you don't give in fast enough, when you don't melt like she does. Her grip iron clad when you hold hands. If you pull away too soon from a hug, from a kiss, she bites, she holds on with claws.

She coos at the marks she leaves on your skin and kisses all the scratches and bruises she leaves better. / "I'm sorry baby, you know I hate letting you go."

Carrie White / idolizer, protective, selfless

Not in her wildest dreams did Carrie think anyone could be as kind as you. People are cruel. Their first instinct is to cause hurt before they'll ever reach out a hand to help, to shield, to love.

But you're not like that at all. You're something ripped straight from a fairy-tale. The rare ones that her Mother let her read, that weren't hiding devil worship between their poetic words.

You're so patient with her. So gentle. You treat her like glass. You hold her close, and kiss her soft, and cup her face in your hands that are always so warm.

You say you love her in a breathless way, every time. Like even expressing how much you care makes you dizzy. As if she overwhelms you. She feels dizzy herself as she hangs on your every honeyed word. Clings to you every time you reach out your hands to hold her.

Carrie doesn't know if she believes in God nowadays, but if she did you'd be an angel sent straight from heaven. A gift, maybe, to make up for all the years of torment she endured from everyone she'd ever known.

She'd think you were some kind of God yourself, if you had any sort of abilities like her. But you don't. You walk around doing what's right, being good down to the marrow of your very bones just because it's who you are. You greet the world with your fists raised and you're only human, and it scares Carrie so much.

You're the last decent person alive and you'll throw yourself onto any pyre you see if it means doing what's right. Carrie loves that about you. It terrifies her.

So Carrie throws herself into the ring with you. Your sweet, gentle Carrie who you're always trying to protect. But Carrie doesn't need your protection. She's not the helpless little girl she used to be. She won't let anything hurt either of you, from now on. For the rest of your lives you'll be safe, happy. Together. Carrie would burn the world to ash if it meant not a scratch would befall you.

"You're an angel, Y/N. The most wonderful angel God ever made."

Ginger Fitzgerald / possessive, impulsive, protective,

Sometimes Ginger wishes everyone else in the world would disappear, besides the two of you. They're a hindrance.

She feels insane when she watches you. She feels her claws come out and makes herself bleed as she fights against the instinct to rip out every tongue that speaks to you, and every pair of eyes that's ever looked into yours.

She shivers when you claim her. The only time she enjoys being around other people now is when you're introducing her: "This is Ginger, my girlfriend." "This is Ginger, my partner." "This is Ginger, my best friend." "This is Ginger, my everything."

She loves being yours. Relishes in the way you say the word mine. She wants to lick the words from your mouth, the weight of your total ownership over her sweet and poisonous.

She wonders if you get the same pleasure from belonging to her. She wants you to. She wants to carve her name into your skin with her claws and have you moan at the first sharp sting of the letter G.

It's primal, the way she wants you. Beyond anything humans have words for. She leaves her scent on your skin and wants to growl when you wash it away with artificial soaps and perfumes. She sucks bruises into every inch of you that anyone else could see.

She wants you to do the same. Wants to roll onto her back and expose her neck, and have you bite so hard you draw blood.

Ginger's wanting comes with teeth. What she is demands she sinks her teeth into things, that she draws blood. Even when she loves you. Because she loves you, maybe. She needs to leave a mark on you. She needs to always be there. She needs the same from you.

Needs you to leave scars on her that she can touch when you're not around. Proof that you were there. Proof that you're coming back. You don't carve your name into things and then abandon them. When you own things you keep them.

When you're gone the world goes dim and cold. She couldn't survive in a world without you. She wouldn't even attempt it. What would be the fucking point?

"We're a pair. We belong to each other. Always, yeah?"

[scott-summers]

hobbies include eating boys

[kairennart]

player hater <3

[mauswyx]

soft-spoken s/o

TLDR: Thomas Hewitt, Brahms Heelshire, Jennifer Check, and Bo Sinclair's reactions to having a fairly quiet s/o WORD COUNT: 1k CW: none, fluff AO3

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ .

Thomas Hewitt

ironically would not be used to the silence at first; he’s used to chatters and screaming! He’s never met someone who speaks so quietly 

will lean towards you when you speak, listening intensely 

finds your silence comforting after the initial shock and enjoys your quiet presence as he goes about his business

quickly adapts to communicating with you via body language and facial expressions, etc; it is a method he’s familiar with after all

takes great pride that he’s the only one that can read your mind or decipher your mumbling

He couldn’t help but spare you a glance every so often as you sat at the opposite end of the barn as he worked. You were mending a shirt Luda Mae scavenged from some luggage…or at least trying to. Your bottom lip was swollen from being gnawed on and your brow was furrowed–the needlework must be tedious, he concluded. He turned his attention back to his work, a few minutes passed before he decided to glance up again only to find that you were muttering to yourself, trying to rethread the string through the eye.

Despite finding your frustration amusing, he couldn’t take your suffering anymore. He strode over to you, gently enveloping your hand in his before plucking the needle away. He made quick work of the thread, giving you a knowing look as he set back to work, but not before hearing a quiet “Thank you Tommy.” 

Brahms Heelshire

does not enjoy that he can’t coax loud reactions from you; he works so hard to mess with you and you don’t say anything?! How rude!

will switch gears and will purposefully pretend not to know what you’re gesturing to or that he can’t hear you to annoy you; he can play by your game but he won’t play fair

he’s been (watching) studying you through the walls so it’s quite easy for him to pick up on your body language to know what you’re feeling or wanting of him 

actually likes your voice and will do everything in his power to get you to use it; even if it means getting a scolding 

bedtime is his favorite part of the day because he gets to listen to you read; will pick out exceptionally long books to listen to you just a while longer 

Echoes etched the room as you tapped your foot against the dusty rug. He had been in a mood all afternoon: being especially disobedient and ignoring your calls from within the walls. He was being so difficult that you had no choice but to search for him, though it proved to be in vain as you couldn’t find him anywhere. A worried knot began to form in your stomach. There was only one thing you could do. With a deep inhale you rolled your head on your shoulders before letting out a shout.

“Brahms!” Your voice was hoarse–not used to being at such a volume, rolling your eyes in frustration “Please come out!” The scraping of wood met your ears shortly before his long arms wrapped around your waist from behind. You bit the interior of your cheek as you could hear the smugness in his voice, having won his game.

“There’s no need to shout.”

Jennifer Check

“they said no pickles.” embodiment 

at first, mistakes your quietness for being flustered by her and she amps up her prowess only to realize you’re like this…all the time…with everyone 

will speak for you whether it’s ordering your food or answering a question on your behalf; is actually exceptionally good at knowing what you want without much effort 

actually doesn’t mind the silence when you don’t feel like talking—grateful that you two can just share a moment together or that she can have someone to rant to

will not make a big deal if you feel talkative, she’ll casually continue the conversation in hopes it’ll make you feel more comfortable

“-and who does that? It’s bullshit!” she scoffed, gently scraping the tips of her long nails on the back of your hand as she laid next to you. You silently nodded in agreement, staring up at her face: her nose was scrunched and her eyes were glazed over, lost in thought–before suddenly snapping down to stare into your own. “I mean, you don’t think I’m in the wrong do you?” 

You couldn’t help letting your lip curl up at her pout, she had definitely been the cause of the altercation but you’d never tell her that; instead, you opted to halfheartedly shake your head. As expected, your poor acting didn’t go unnoticed and her eyes widened before playfully swatting her hand at your stomach.

“No way! You’re supposed to be on my side!”

Bo Sinclair

“huh” x5

cannot understand what you’re saying for the life of him and gets annoyed very easily; more so at his own inability to comprehend you when everyone else seems to understand you just fine

interrupts you when you’re speaking, trying to guess what you’re saying instead of just listening 

puts on a big show to do as you asked when he does finally pick up on what you’re saying 

often wrongly infers what you’re saying but at least he’s trying

“Darlin’…'' he groaned, running a hand down his face “-you’re gunna needa work with me…” You huffed out a breath of air, already annoyed at having had to already repeat yourself twice and repeating yourself a third time honestly wasn’t even worth it; you just wanted the step-ladder to reach something in top-stock, but at this point you’d rather just climb the shelves themselves than have to be stuck in this never ending game of charades. You were half-tempted to do just that, but the look on Bo’s face made you relent; he had been so patient the least you could do was not give up on him.

“I need the ladder…” you said again, this time trying to enunciate your words as best as possible and to your surprise his face lit up. Not a great sign. 

“Bladder?” he repeated, not waiting for a response as he sped towards the shop counter, “Don’t worry baby! I’ll get the restroom key!”

[aughts]

j. check.

[joelswritingmistress]

Neighbors With Benefits: Part 1 (Joel Miller x f!reader)

Part of the #hotdilfsummerchallenge (I will be adding more and tag the Masterlist) Thank you @hellishjoel for putting on this contest. It's a lot of fun!

Pairing: Joel Miller x f!reader

Word count: Roughly 5000

Warning: Dilfy smut, age gap (23 & 42)

Mid-June, 2024. The first summer back home upon college graduation. You knew there would be an adjustment period and while you didn't necessarily feel unhappy, there was a strangeness that left you with feelings you couldn't quite pinpoint. This was your childhood home, your hometown, your room - but still, somehow it felt foreign.

You hung up the maroon cap and gown that showed off the primary color of Texas A+M, the college where you had spent the last four years studying your ass off to get a degree in criminal justice. At twenty-three years old after spending the last few years in a little off-campus apartment with some friends, you were feeling both aggravated and nostalgic upon returning to your parents' house in the suburbs. They were great and you got along just fine; but the freedoms that had gone along with renting your own place were now reeled in a bit tighter. At the very least you knew your mother would likely stay awake on the nights you were out late. Still, you appreciated how much they cared about you.

You moved to your bedroom window and flung it open to let in some air to get rid of the stuffiness that lingered in the house. Immediately, your eyes landed on a man next door standing behind a grill as smoke filtered up above him in a faint, little cloud. He flipped a burger with a pair of metal tongs and took a sip from what looked like a bottle of beer.

"Hey, honey."

You jumped at your mother's voice as if you'd been caught doing something wrong. "Hey." You pressed your eyebrows together and motioned out the window as she entered the room. "Who's that?"

"Oh, I guess it never came up in conversation," your mother said with a shrug, "That's our new neighbor. He moved in back in January."

You glanced back out the window.

"He’s a bit too old for you,” she teased with a laugh.

You whipped around and made a face. "I'm not... I'm not checking him out. I'm just asking why there's a stranger in the Wilsons' backyard." You smirked and raised your eyebrows, "Maybe if my mother told me things I wouldn't have to play detective."

"Isn't that what you got your degree in criminal justice for?"

You chuckled, knowing she would most certainly outwit you in a verbal battle. "And I'm 23 years old. No one's too old for me anymore."

"Well, in that case I hear they just built a nice, new nursing home down the road with plenty of widowed men. I can drive you there if you'd like."

You let out a hearty laugh. “I’ll pass."

The two of you giggled and your mother continued, "Will you be joining your father and I for dinner tonight? We were thinking of just going to Chili's and then heading to a play at the little theater downtown. The kids are putting on Grease."

You smiled as your phone vibrated with a text from your best friend. "It's Holly."

"So, I guess the answer is going to be no," your mother suspected. She smirked and got the hint. “Keep in touch.”

"Okay," you agreed and then cleared your throat when she turned to go. "Mom, what's his name?"

"Huh?"

"The neighbor," you went on, "I should probably introduce myself since I'm going to be a resident of 45 Harding Drive again."

"Joel," her mother replied, "Joel Miller."

Your parents left soon after and so you wandered out to the back steps, waiting for them to take off first before popping open a beer. The ice cold beverage tasted better than normal because of the incoming summer heat that was supposed to really strike the following morning. With a content sigh, you leaned your elbows back on the top step of the set of four that led from the back door into the oversized backyard.

"Jennifer?" a deep, scratchy voice made you jump for the second time that night. You put a hand on your chest and glanced off to the side when you realized a man had called out your mother's name.

The neighbor, you thought, feeling your stomach knot up.

You cleared your throat and rose to your feet, leaving the beer on the top step. "No… I’m (Y/N)." You took a few steps in his direction though he made his way almost all the way to the steps.

"(Y/N)?" His features became clear when he stepped into a small, back light beside the door. The man flashed a friendly, boyish grin from beneath a trim beard. "Tim and Jen’s daughter?"

You looked down sheepishly and smiled before lifting your eyes to meet his stare. "Yeah."

He’s hot, your inner monologue informed you, as if your cheeks hadn't suddenly grown hot.

His eyes shifted to the beer and his grin widened even more before he extended a hand. "I'm Joel... your neighbor."

"Nice to meet you." You gave a closed-mouth smile and took in his appearance, consciously telling herself not to stare. His plain white t-shirt showed off his broad chest and shoulders

Joel cleared his throat. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's fine," you assured him and then cleared your throat, "Do you want a beer or something?"

A smirk twisted onto his face., "No thanks. I was actually just coming over to see if I could borrow some butter."

"Oh..." You glanced over your shoulder at the back door and then back to Joel.

"You don't have to," he said reassuringly, unable to keep the grin from his face. "You don't even know me yet so-"

"No.” You cut him off, "No, it's fine."

"Are you sure?" Joel's voice cut through you like a knife and he kept his eyes firmly locked on yours.

You nodded, unable to look away for a moment and then waved him inside.

"Don't forget your brew here, honey." He reached down and scooped up the beer as you flung the back door open.

You smiled again, "Thanks."

Joel nodded and followed you in, before glancing around at the modest but modern kitchen. "You, uh... you even old enough to drink this shit?" He motioned to the beer.

You rolled your eyes, "I can show you my ID if that makes you feel any better." You flung open the refrigerator, "I know my parents are going to treat me like I'm in high school again."

"Well... they're just trying to protect you," Joel said. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-three." You glanced over her shoulder at him, somewhat pleased to catch him staring - or so you thought. It prompted him to look elsewhere.

"Here." You removed a stick of butter and crossed the room to hand it to him. When the butter landed in his hand you decided to be bold and didn't immediately let it go, "How old are you?"

He chuckled before holding a wicked smirk and again held her captive with his playfully intense eyes. "How old do you think I am?"

You stared back, somewhat used to gaining control over the guys you had dated or been interested in in the past. Already, this time you felt a bit outmatched and part of it was your instant attraction to him. When Joel took one step in her direction, you swallowed hard and gave a random answer.

"Thirty-two?"

Joel laughed a little louder, putting a hand on his stomach. He ran the other hand through his messy brown hair and pointed. "You're so full of shit."

You smiled at him, "I was thinking more of thirty-eight, thirty-nine."

He sucked his teeth and gave you a look up-and-down before smiling wide again. When he didn't say anything in response you flat out asked, "Am I right?"

"Forty-two," Joel finally informed you after a long pause.

"Over the hill then?"

He snickered and then motioned to the fridge, "Ya know... I will have that beer if you don't mind."

You smiled before reopening the fridge to fetch one for him. When you placed a bottle of Bud Lite in his hand he used the counter to pop the top rather than twist it. When the dented bottle cap fell to the floor and danced in circles for a moment you glanced back up to find him continuing to stare as he took a long swig from the bottle.

Joel wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Your dad going to notice that a few of these are missing?"

"They're mine," you informed him, "And I'm not-"

"A kid, I know..." Joel rolled his eyes now and the two of you shared a laugh, "Believe me when you're my age you'll love that someone will accuse you of being younger."

"I'm sure I will."

He reached down and scooped up the cap from the ground and then held it out in his palm. When you went to reach for it he closed his hand and smiled playfully.

"I'll take it," Joel offered, "Don't want you to get caught drinking these things when your parents come home." He continued to tease you about your age.

"You know, I could've guessed you were fifty."

He laughed out loud. "Smart mouth on you," Joel flashed his index finger at her with the hand that held the bottle, "I like it."

You looked down and laughed again, feeling your cheeks grow hot again from his remark.

"Anyway, I should be getting back." Joel continued to smile, almost triumphantly and winked. "It was nice meeting you."

"It was nice meeting you too.”

He held your gaze for an extra second, forcing him to smirk a final time before heading out the back door.

"Thanks for the beer," he said casually, "I'll see ya around."

8:15 pm - the following evening

"Sorry I couldn't make it out last night," Holly said to you. The two of you sat side by side at barstools down at one of the local bars in town. "My boss can be a real pain in the ass sometimes."

"It's fine. I had the house to myself so I kind of just had some time to chill and binge watch some old shows."

"Sounds terrible."

You laughed and shrugged. "It was alright."

"Well, here's to... summer?" Holly raised her martini glass and you tapped her beer bottle gently against it.

"To potentially the weirdest summer of my life."

"Why's that?"

You shrugged, "I don't know. Being back home doesn't feel so 'at home' anymore."

"Give it time." Holly sipped her drink, "In a month it'll feel like you never left."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"Hey, it's not so bad. I'm here." She smiled and raised her eyebrows, "Jill and Molly should be home within the week too. We can get the old crew back together before we all get real jobs and have to do shitty adult stuff."

"I'll drink to that," you agreed, taking a longer swig of the beer. You sighed and began to peel at the blue Bud Lite label, letting your mind drift to the night before with Joel. You envisioned him snapping the cap off the top of the beer bottle, using the counter. A smile crossed lingered on your face.

"Ooohh... someone's checking us out," Holly commented, "Or maybe they know you..." Her eyebrows pressed together and she motioned using her head toward a table in the corner of the bar.

"Oh shit." You couldn't contain your response but realized it must've sounded out of place.

"What?" Her friend asked, "Do you know him?"

"That's my neighbor," you informed her, "New neighbor."

Joel smirked and gave a wave but quickly entertained a conversation he was having with two other men at the small, corner table.

"He's kind of a Dilf."

You snickered and shrugged, unable to take your eyes off of him. When Joel glanced back in your direction you looked away and quickly took a sip of your.

"You think he's hot," Holly suspected with a laugh.

"What?" You shook your head, "No... I mean he may have some Dilf qualities or something like you just said but…” The sentence drifted off.

"Mm-hmm..." She continued to stare at her friend with playfully accusing eyes.

"Stop," you joked, "I just met him last night."

"Last night?" Holly perked up, "And..."

"And what?"

"You tell me."

You laughed again, "He came over to the house because he needed some butter."

"More like some sugar," she winked and glanced up toward a television that had a baseball game on in front of them.

You let out a hearty laugh and shook your head.

"He keeps looking over here." Holly’s voice perked out, "Oh! He's getting up," Holly whispered, stalking him for a moment with her eyes.

You glanced over and felt your stomach twist in knots when he headed in their direction.

"So you are over twenty-one," Joel cracked a wide smile and tapped the back of her chair as he continued to walk by.

"Twenty-three," you called after him, smiling wide.

He glanced over his shoulder, winking once before continuing on around a corner toward the bathrooms.

You let out a sigh and Holly turned back around.

"What the hell are you waiting for?" her friend asked. Before you could attempt to plead your case Holly went on, "He's hot... and he's totally flirting with you."

"He's not flirting with me."

"That was a Frank Sinatra-worthy wink."

You shook your head, laughing again. "Where do you come up with these things?"

"You're glowin. You're crushing on this guy. Who cares if he's your neighbor. Get on that."

"He's forty-two," you lowered your voice.

Holly raised her eyebrows and glanced toward the doorway where Joel had just walked through before returning her attention to her friend.

"Forget it." You sipped your drink and tried to pretend like you were nterested in the game on the television.

"At least admit you're crushing."

She turned to her and shook her head, "Fine... he's hot. Okay?" You focused on the screen for as long as she could and tried to pretend not to notice when Joel rounded back into the bar. You let out a deep breath as he crossed behind you and felt a rush when he came up beside you to flag down the bartender.

"Another round?" the middle-aged bartender asked, already reaching for a beer.

"Please,” Joel said with a nod, "You can put it on the tab." He turned to you, "Any interest in playing darts over here?" He nodded toward a dart board in the corner.

"Sure."

"Don't feel obligated." He forced your eyes back to his and continued to stare into them.

"I don't." You felt that intense paralysis again and couldn't turn away. When the bartender came back with the round of beers for Joel, you felt relieved and let out a breath.

"Get these two what they want," Joel added to the bartender, "Next round's on me when you finish those."

"Oh, you don't have to-"

"It's fine. I owe you one from last night." He headed back to the small table with his friends and Holly finally snapped you out of your daze.

"I thought you just gave him butter," she whispered with a giggle, "What was last night?"

You swallowed hard and rose to your feet, prompting Holly to do the same. "I offered him a beer and he took it," she said, "It was nothing... believe me. If I had anything interesting to share I would tell you."

Your legs felt heavy as you crossed the dark bar that was scattered with only a handful of other people. While the two other men began collecting darts and erasing the chalkboard to the side, Joel stood staring with his elbow on the table. For a moment everything else was in the background and you could only focus on him.

Shit... Any wit she had going for her had betrayed her. The instant, intense attraction you had to him was completely clouding your judgment. You felt like you were about to enter a wolf den, though you didn't at all mind playing the part of Little Red Riding Hood.

The anxiety-ridden feeling you had had leading up to the game of darts diminished as the night went on. You played a few games, swapping teammates several times, beginning with a 'boys versus girls' theme and then pairing off randomly when one game ended.

"He's going to fuck it up, you watch," Joel taunted as his friend lined up, closing one eye as he released the dart, only sending it clunking off the board and to the ground. "You didn't even hit the fuckin' board." His words drew laughter from everyone and the man that missed stumbled to retrieve it, chuckling as he went.

"I'm fucked up," Skip, the older robust man, remarked as he struggled to pick the dark up from the floor.

"Ya think?" Joel joked, continuing to sip on his beer.

"It's about time I get this man home to his wife and let her deal with him," the other man, Charlie, chuckled from behind a pair of alcohol-induced crimson cheeks. "Can't hold his liquor."

Skip huffed a breath and closed his eyes with a hand on his head. "The old lady's going to be mad at me. Especially when I tell her we've been hanging out with these lovely ladies." He motioned to you and Holly, laughing at himself and making the others do the same.

"I'd leave that part out if you knew what was good for ya," Charlie informed him with another laugh. "Come on Skippy. It's past your bed time."

"Game over?" Holly asked you.

"I guess so." You raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"Charlie, you guys to get home?" Joel asked.

"It's just a quarter mile down the road," Charlie waved a hand. He smiled, "Good night ladies."

"Goodnight," you both said at the same time before Holly turned to you.

"I'm heading to the bathroom. Be right back." She raised her eyebrows, noting it would give you and Joel a moment alone and you tried to play it off coolly.

"Okay." She watched a moment as Holly made her way down the bar and around the corner.

"Hope I didn't kill your girls night," Joel said.

"No." You turned back to him and leaned an elbow on the table, "We were just bored. Had to get out of the house."

"Mmm..." He slid back down into a seat and you took upon herself to join him as you waited for Holly.

Joel leaned both elbows on the table to straddle his beer, "You're probably used to night clubs filled with young guys just dying to buy you a drink. This has to be fuckin' lame."

"I was over that scene by my junior year," you told him with a laugh as you shook your head. "They were all the same with their cheesy cologne and gelled up hair."

Joel huffed a laugh and took a sip of his drink. "Sick of that shit huh?"

"Very." You mirrored his position and continued to sip on the beer you had been milking for the better part of an hour, "I'm kind of over the party scene... and the being at home scene."

"You've been home for one fuckin' day." He raised his eyebrows, "Get over it. You're saving money."

You nodded, "Yeah... yeah you're right."

"I know I am." He smiled, a charming arrogance radiating out of him.

When your phone buzzed in your pocket you jumped and quickly removed it, finding a text message from Holly.

I'm getting in my car. Snuck out the back. Have fun. You'll thank me later.

When you looked back up Joel was grilling you with his eyes. You wondered if he had managed to read the message or not. You cleared her throat. "Holly," you said simply.

"You guys need to go?"

You opened her mouth to speak, still unsure if he had seen what your friend wrote but decided to chance it and lie. "She... got sick. She's on her way home."

"She okay?"

You nodded. “Just a little embarrassed I think and decided to go." You took a sip to buy yourself some time in case he asked any more questions. When he didn't you tried to change the subject. "This place is dead."

"What's so bad about the college scene?" Joel asked.

"Huh?"

"The young guys, the night clubs..."

"Oh... nothing, I guess." You cleared her throat feeling like he was trying to read your mind. Again, your face felt flush with heat and you continued, "They're just... all the same. There's no appeal anymore. When I was eighteen I thought it was cool sneaking into bars and all that." You smiled and shook her head before looking him in the eye. "This is more my speed."

Joel stared back and didn't immediately say anything.

You almost couldn't take the quiet stalemate. The sexual attraction for Joel burned in your chest and in that moment, in the quiet corner of the bar, it was hard to fight it. All the same, you felt like you had to be reading his body language correctly in assuming he was feeling something too. Still, the fact that he was your older neighbor, who you didn't know very well, lingered in the back of your mind.

Getting involved with Joel would satisfy your instant craving for him but beyond that you knew it could only lead to making both of your lives more complicated.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom," you told him, when you couldn't contain your feelings any longer. It was the only thing you could say without leaping across the table and initiating a make-out session that played out animalistically in your mind.

"You gunna disappear on me too?" he joked, though you could see there was a hint of seriousness in his piercing eyes behind the wicked smile that hadn't left his face all evening.

"Not a chance." You felt embarrassed by the bold nature of your words, but took a deep breath and made the long walk across the bar into the restroom area. When you pushed open the door you felt relieved that no one else was in there and quickly made your way to the sink to pat some water on her face. You let out a breath, leaning both of her hands on the counter and then took in your appearance to make sure you was satisfied with the way you looked.

I'm being ridiculous, you thought. I'm too old to feel this out of control over a guy... or a man.

Joel was a man. He wasn't at all like the college boys you had been surrounded by who loved to crush beer cans on their heads, brag about how many consecutive beer pong games they'd won and worst of all when they threw the cheesiest lines at you and your friends to try to get laid. Joel didn't have to say or do anything in particular. He could simply look at you the right way and you found yourself ready to obey any request or demand he threw your way.

I’m in over my head, you thought, but I don't care.

You took in another deep breath and felt like you had the quick break that you needed to hold a sensible conversation with him without the constant interference of your out-of-whack hormones.

"Okay," you whispered to yourself and fiddled with your hair before pulling the door open to head back into the short, dark hallway. When Joel rounded the corner at the same time from the bar both of you stopped abruptly.

His eyes stalked the length of your body before finally re-settling on your gaze.

"Checking to make sure I didn't bail?" you joked, nervously laughing just after. Your tongue danced along your bottom lip, and you couldn't help but look him up and down the way he had just done to you.

Joel swallowed hard, tipping his mouth up into a half-smirk before walking past the men's room door in your direction.

You didn't have time to process all of the questions in your mind because he marched up and planted his lips against yours, immediately penetrating them with his tongue as his hands successfully shoved you up against the door to the women's room. It opened a few inches beneath the force.

You felt an explosion of adrenaline filter through your body as you kissed him back even more savagely than in your daydreams.

Joel pushed the door all the way open with one hand, not separating himself from you as he gripped your ass with his free hand and pushed his hips firmly against yours.

You tangled a hand in his hair, kissing him back with a heated passion that you didn't bother to try masking now that he had initiated the fantasy that had been playing out in your mind since you had him.

He moaned into your mouth before taking a breath and crushing his lips back against yours. Your back collided with the tile wall at the back of the bathroom, and you arched your neck as he began to ravage you, sliding a hand down the front of your pants while gripping your face with the other to kiss you hard again.

It all was happening so fast. You struggled to keep up but couldn't process a conscious thought when his first two fingers slid inside of you.

You bit down on your lip in a break in the kiss and spread your legs wider to give him more access.

Joel left a single kiss on her lips and spoke against them in a husky whisper, "Let it out honey," he kissed you again, "Let it out."

You knew the bar was nearly empty and there wasn't another woman that had been there. Even if there had been you didn't know that you would have cared. When his fingers twitched, arcing perfectly in his technique to make your entire lower body shiver with pleasure, you groaned.

"Fuck Joel," your whined his name, desperate for his tongue to dominate your again as he continued to finger you relentlessly until you felt like you were going to explode.

Joel's arousal heightened when he traced your lips with his thumb of his free hand, prompting you to take the tip of it into your mouth.

"God," he closed his eyes relished in the feeling, pushing his fingers deeper into you.

You whimpered again, writhing beneath his touch and attempted to reach for the belt buckle on his pants. "I want you."

He removed his hand from beneath your slick panties and placed his hands against the wall on either side of you as you managed to undo his buckle and shove his pants down off his hips.

Instinctively, you dropped to your knees, taking in as much of him as you could. Joel moaned and bucked his hips once as he grasped the back of your head with one hand. You looked up, watching his head fall back as his closed eyes pressed shut tighter. Joel allowed you to have your way with him as you continued to go down on him like you might never get another opportunity to do so. "Fuuucckk." He drew the word out, encouraging you to continue as he grabbed a fist full of your hair. "Ohh shit..."

Had anybody walked by the door there would have been no way to mask what was going on. Joel didn't hold back and felt an additional jolt of pleasure when you stroked him with your hand before quietly demanding him to come.

He opened his eyes, letting his mouth hang open as he glanced down, making eye contact with you as you engulfed him again.

"Jesus..." Joel's eyes closed and he felt an unmistakable buildup brewing below his waist. He couldn't ask you to stop, not when he was on the verge of exploding. "I'm gunna come." He shouted the words so loud that you thought for sure that someone had to have heard your encounter from somewhere in the bar. Still, you didn't let up and allowed him to push deep into you, gripping the back of your head with such force that you couldn't have separated your mouth from him if you tried.

He groaned, not attempting to hold back what he was feeling, alternating different curse words in between uneven breaths that ultimately left him panting as you finished him off. With a final breath he released your hair, letting his hand drop toward your face as you wiped a hand across your mouth and slowly rose to your feet.

Joel stood there for several seconds, breathing heavy with his pants at his ankles and a hand still on your face. When he finally came down off the high enough to speak, a chuckle left his mouth and ran a hand through your now-messy hair. "Shit honey... you didn't get yours." He let out another breath and then retrieved his pants from the floor and straightened out his appearance.

"It's alright," you told him with a sly smile, noting the heat that was still brewing between your legs.

He huffed another breath and adjusted himself over his pants before regaining your gaze. Joel smiled and drew his thumb gently under your eye, "Mascara's running. Sorry honey."

You closed her eyes as he continued to wipe the stray makeup away from your face. When you reopened them, Joel sported a half grin and he raised his eyebrows.

"Guess I fuckin' owe ya one."

You snickered, pleased to know that he wasn't at all expecting this to be your only encounter. "Yeah... you do."

Joel took a final, deep breath. "Well... you know where to find me."

"Next door."

"If you see me outside come on over to... borrow some butter or something.”

"Butter..." You snickered and then swallowed hard when he took a step toward her and slid a hand back down the front of your pants.

Joel touched his lips to yours as he spoke and this time gently began to massage up and down your wet center. When your mouth twisted up in a smile and you closed your eyes again he grinned and removed his glistening fingers. "It's a shame this is going to go to waste. Too bad you're so damn good at giving a blowjob. I had all the intentions of fucking you but I could just not ask you to stop.”

"Damn," she said quietly, but smiled, praying he might have it in him to continue.

Joel smiled, reading the disappointment on her face. "I'll be in and out tomorrow," he claimed, "You see me and you feel like bringing me over some butter…”

"I think you’ll definitely need some."

He looked down and made his way to the sink to wash his hands before turning to her with a smile. He ended the night the same way he had the night before, "I'll see ya around."

CLICK HERE FOR PART 2

[wileys-russo]

jenni hermoso ”i knew i would find you from here” a house party

j.hermoso II never too late

"i'm just gonna get some air!" you yelled over the music, kissing your best friends cheek who nodded, downing your drink and dropping the cup on a table on your way out, exhaling at the sudden peace and quiet of the backyard.

you pretended not to notice the few couples littering the back patio, curled up together in darkened corners and pool chairs taking advantage of the privacy as you wandered a little further away, sitting down at the edge of the pool.

this was supposed to be a high school reunion of sorts, though it felt a little sad to watch some of your now near thirty year old classmates try to re-live their 'glory days' most of the class now married, engaged or on call for their kids babysitters.

you of course had none of the above, having chosen to study right out of school and though you had a very high paying well respected job to show for it, you couldn't help but feel robbed of some other aspects of life you'd been too careless with.

"i knew i would find you here."

speaking of things you'd missed out on.

you looked up at her voice, a smile settling in your features as you took in the woman in front of you, no longer the awkwardly tall teenager you'd messed around with in empty classrooms during your free periods.

"jennifer hermoso fuentes." you smiled, pushing yourself up to your feet, stomach fluttering a little at the knee buckling grin she sent your way. "in the flesh, hola hermosa." the girl opened her arms for a hug as you settled into them, laughing as she jostled you side to side gently, kissing your cheek.

"of all people i expected to run into here, you weren't on my list jen." you admitted, the two of you breaking apart and taking a seat beside one another, legs dangling in the pool.

"mm and why is that?" she asked with a curious smile, leaning back on her hands and watching you. "a title winning national football campeón? slumming it at a house party with us campesinos." you teased as she playfully rolled her eyes and flicked you with water.

"what can i say? the honor is yours." jenni winked and you'd be lying if you said your stomach didn't do a little flip just like when you were a teenager.

"vale enough about me now! y tú? what are you doing with yourself?" jenni finished catching you up on everything around a half an hour later, bumping her shoulder into yours as you shrugged.

"-but sometimes i feel like i blinked and ten years has gone by, and i have a career sure but i do not have much to show for it in a way of a personal life." you wrapped up your summary, cheeks blushing pink as you looked away.

"what are you-" you questioned as the taller girl grabbed your hands inspecting them. "checking for a wedding ring, i would hate to be flirting with a married woman." jenni grinned cheekily as she dropped your hands and you couldn't help but smile.

"you have not changed." you chuckled at her abrupt boldness, jenni never afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve, one of the most honest women you'd ever known even if sometimes you did not ask for her honesty.

"i have too! i grew up, i am an adult." jenni stuck her tongue out at you as you shook your head. "big child in an adults body maybe." you teased, pushing her as a comfortable silence fell between the pair of you, the faint pulse of the music inside as the night ran late and the party started to slowly die out.

"hey you have something that none of the idiotas here have." jenni stated as you gave her a curious frown, caught off guard as she leaned in and pecked your lips.

"you've kissed a world cup winner!" her lips curled into a wicked grin as she lay down looking up at you and you had to laugh, touching your lips where they tingled a little at the familiar sensation of kissing her.

"maybe you have changed..." you mused, leaning down closer as she quirked an eyebrow, playful glint in her eyes. "...you used to be a much better kisser." you whispered, patting her chest and sitting back up as she looked up at you incredulously.

"es que tan?" jenni sat up quickly, clearly offended by the statement which only amused you more as you nodded. "sí, de verdad." you confirmed, features painted into a smirk.

"mmm well maybe you have changed too princesa." jenni echoed as you now raised an eyebrow at her, though before you even had a millisecond to comment you were plunged underwater, feet hitting the bottom.

"you used to be a good swimmer!" jenni laughed, doubled over as you resurfaced coughing and spluttering, eyes narrowed into a filthy glare.

but you hardly had a moment to condemn her as she dove in to join you, popping up in front of you with a wiggle of her eyebrows and a pearly white toothy grin.

"i did not miss you cabrón." you spluttered, treading water as the footballer swam even closer. "yes you did." jenni nodded, hovering right in front of you now, her face only a few centimeters from yours.

"i did not." "you did." "you wish." "maybe i do."

another silence fell between you as your eyes roamed one anothers faces, drinking in every little detail both new and old that had stayed or appeared in the ten or so years you'd not seen her up close.

"why did we break up?" you were caught a little off guard at the abruptness of her question, sighing at the way her eyebrow creased curiously.

"i don't know jen. you were getting serious with football, i was going to university. we just...we went down different paths of life that didn't cross over." you struggled out an answer, neither of you really holding any ill will with the other but you'd be lying if you said you hadn't occasionally found yourself doing a little internet deep dive into what your ex was up to.

"i only came here hoping i would see you." again you were caught off guard by her statement, searching her eyes for any signs that she was messing with you but only finding blunt honesty, her speciality.

"well...here i am." "here you are." jenni smiled and those butterflies appeared as you reached across to push a few wet strands of hair from her forehead, shivering lightly as a gust of wind blew hitting your damp skin.

"vamos, lets get dry." jenni nodded toward the steps, the two of you swimming over, jenni hopping out first and extending a hand to help you. "you didn't think this through, did you?" you questioned, motioning to both of your soaking wet bodies and not a towel in sight as she smiled sheepishly.

"well...i'm not staying far from here. i have a very spacious shower in my hotel room, and lots of towels, comfortable bed, movies on order, snacks." jenni grinned hopefully, poking at you as you smacked her hand and wrapped your arms around your wet form.

"are you asking me to come for a sleepover hermoso?" you teased as the taller girl chuckled and shrugged. "maybe. but just, with a little less sleeping." she hinted with another wink that had your stomach twisting, offering you her hand with a charming smile, brightening as you grabbed it and the pair of you headed off toward the side exit.

maybe it wasn't too late for some things to work out for you after all.

[lanawinterscigarettes]

Being best friends with jennifer check and one day she suggests you practice kissing on each other "just for fun" until you slowly realize you're falling in love 💓💓

this is the kind of Jen content we need more of honestly 💖

Practice Makes Perfect (Jennifer Check x reader)

Warnings: (almost) friends to lovers, kissing (duh), swearing/salty language, slightly suggestive, could be seen as coersion as reader isn't entirely sure to kissing at first

Jennifer had invited you over to her house for what was supposed to be a study session, but it ended up being more of a hang out than anything else. The two of you were lounging on her bed, Ayesha Erotica playing faintly on her MP3 player in the background.

You were just about to ask if she could change the music to something less vulgar when she dropped a major bomb on you.

"We should kiss," she suggested in a way that was much too casual for your liking as she filed her pristine nails, not even bothering to look up. "You know, for practice. In case either of us meets someone and we need to know how."

You choked on the soda you were drinking, which led to a good two or three minute coughing fit before you were finally able to respond. "What?" You asked incredulously, a look of shock evident on your face.

"I said," she began with an eye roll, speaking slow and condescendingly. "We. Should. Kiss. What's the matter, scared you might like it?" She taunted with a smirk.

You scoffed at her question as if it was the most ridiculous thing in the world. Truth be told, you were a little afraid of liking it, but more than that you were worried about her making fun of you for being inexperienced.

"No, that's not it. I just- I wouldn't want to ruin your lipgloss, is all." A lame excuse, even by your standards, and one that she could surely see through, but it was better than nothing.

It was now her turn to scoff at you. "Oh, please. Don't be such a pussy." She moved over to where you were sitting on the bed, reaching her arms out to wrap around your neck before you could stop her.

"Wha- you-" You tried to speak, but your words got caught in your throat. It didn't help that the close proximity was making it damn near impossible for you to think straight.

"Are you telling me that you don't want to kiss me at all? Not even in the slightest?" She asked in a tone full of false offense and hurt, sticking her bottom lip out as she pouted at you.

"N- No, that's not- that's not what I'm saying, Jen..." your voice trailed off as she leaned in close, the scent of her perfume filling your nostrils.

"Then kiss me." She said in an uncharacteristically soft tone, doing her best to look as innocent as possible. "Please?"

Your resolve weakened and you finally nodded your head before closing the distance between you and pressing your lips to hers. She tasted like her strawberry lipgloss and felt like a dream come true.

She pulled you down on top of her on the bed as you kissed, but you barely noticed. Until you heard her let out a soft moan, that is.

You quickly shot back up, feeling your face grow warm as you realized what just happened. Jennifer merely giggled as she looked up at you from where she was still laying down, her legs spread slightly.

"Oh, come on. Don't leave me hanging," she teased as you shuffled away from her, going to sit on the opposite end of the bed. She sat up and slowly crawled over to you, smirking before giving you another kiss.

"We should do this more often," she murmured suggestively, her lips still close to yours. "After all, practice makes perfect."

You didn't say anything in response, instead choosing just to kiss her again. After all, what do you say to your best friend when you realize you might be falling in love with her after one stupid kiss?

Likes < reblogs | comments are greatly appreciated <3

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[tryingtograspctrl]

LUNCH: JENNIFER CHECK X BLACK PLUS SIZE READER

SUMMARY: When Jennifer wants something she doesn’t hesitate to do everything in her power to get it. When she sets her eyes on you, making you hers is a no brainer.

Warning: Mentions of killing and blood. Otherwise it’s pretty fluffy.

Note: Reader is a shy and nerdy also super oblivious.

Jennifer had her head down as she walked through the halls, texting away on her phone.

You were walking in the opposite direction in front of her, nose deep in a book.

She gasped as the two of you collided your drink spilling all over her, her purse falling to the floor and most of her belongings falling out of it.

"Ugh what the fuck!" She squealed.

"I'm so so sorry, i should’ve been paying attention." You apologized scrambling to pick her things up.

"Damn right you should’ve." She growled watching you toss her items back into her bag.

She paused as you stood up again, getting a good look at you, her anger quickly fading.

You were adorable, big e/c eyes, a chubby face with the softest cheeks that she was just dying to pinch and the cutest pouty lips that you were currently nibbling on nervously.

"I can't get the stains out here but i dont want you walking around all sticky because of me, come on." You spoke softly, grabbing her by the wrist and dragging her to the bathroom.

You took a few paper towels from the dispenser, wetting them in the sink and squeezing out the excess water.

Jennifer shrugged her jacket off, throwing it on top of one of the stalls.

She watched as you scrubbed her skin gently, removing all the sticky residue.

"Sorry again for ruining your clothes." You mumbled.

She melted as you looked up at her through your lashes.

"That's alright. Here, put your number in my cell and i’ll text you my address, that way you know where to drop off my jacket after you clean it." She explained handing you the pink device.

You nodded, typing in the digits quickly and handing her phone back to her.

"Thanks cheeks." She smiled at you before exiting the bathroom.

After school

You started up the washing machine, pouring some laundry detergent inside and watching it bubble up in the warm water.

To your relief the stain remover you bought had actually worked, now you just had to get rid of that coffee smell.

You tossed jennifer’s jacket inside closing the lid, then walking to the kitchen to make yourself something to eat.

You pulled out the ingredients for a sandwich, placing them all on the counter.

You perked up at the sound of your phone dinging, a small red icon beside the message app.

You clicked on it, a text from your friend popping up.

Mel: Party 2nite!!! You coming?

You shook your head, smiling fondly as you could practically feel her excitement radiating through the screen.

You: Can’t, busy tonight :(

Mel: Yeah yeah busy sticking your nose into one of those books like always BORINGGG

You rolled your eyes placing you phone on the counter.

Hours later

Night time rolled around fairly quick and you were so busy studying that you had almost forgotten about the jacket.

“Shit.” You ran downstairs praying that it didn’t shrink in the dryer, though you were sure if it got any smaller it’d probably just disintegrate.

You sighed in relief seeing that it was still in the same condition it was when you put it in there, only now it was cleaner.

You pulled your phone out of your pocket, looking over the address that Jennifer had sent you once more before grabbing your keys and heading out the door.

The drive there wasn’t very long, surprisingly she lived just a few blocks down from you, honestly you could’ve walked.

You knocked on the door a couple times, stopping when you heard shuffling on the other side.

“Oh hey, come in!” Jennifer perked up at the sight of you, pulling you into her house.

You looked around for a moment, taking in her home, noticing a few baby picture of her hanging up on the walls.

“You want something to drink?” She questioned opening to fridge.

“No i’m good.” You fiddled with the ends of your sleeves.

“Loosen up a bit i don’t bite, unless of course you want me to.” She smirked getting into your personal space.

You inhaled sharply taking a step back.

She laughed going to sit on the couch, grabbing the remote and flicking through channels.

You took a seat beside her awkwardly.

“You didn’t wanna go to the big party tonight?” She eyed you, taking a small sip of her soda.

“Parties aren’t really my thing, plus i had to study.” You spoke quietly staring at your shoes.

“You’re really cute.” Jennifer cooed scooting towards you, cupping your face in her hands.

“Thanks.” You smiled shyly.

“I mean it, you’re adorable.” She booped your nose sitting back on the couch to give you some room.

The two of you watched tv, chatting every once in a while, mainly her asking questions, getting to know you better.

You were surprised at how nice she was, you didn’t like to feed into gossip or listen to rumors but you had seen with your own two eyes how nasty Jennifer could be and yet the girl sitting beside you was like a completely different person, soft spoken, sweet.

“It’s getting late, i should head home.” You spoke up after a while, glancing at the clock on the wall.

“Aww so soon?” She pouted intertwining your hands.

“Maybe we can hangout some other time.” You suggested.

“Yeah i’d like that.” She smiled standing up to walk you out.

You slipped your shoes on, heading out to your car.

She waved goodbye once you got inside, waiting for you to pull out of her driveway before closing the front door.

You smiled to yourself on the drive back home. She wasn’t as bad as she seemed, hopefully you could call her a friend.

A few days later

You and Jennifer had gotten a lot closer over the past week, spending nearly all of your free time together. Watching movies at her place or yours, going shopping, playing video games, karaoke, you name it. Where one of you went the other wasn’t far behind.

You were in your room one night, textbooks sprawled out on your bed. Jennifer was supposed to be coming over but after an hour had passed with no sign of her you were starting to get worried.

You decided to call her, sighing in relief when she answered on the first ring.

“Hey cheeks, what’s up?” She asked.

“You were supposed to be coming over to study, remember?” You questioned furrowing your brows in confusion.

“Sorry i went out to grab a quick bite to eat, guess i just lost track of time.” She stared down at the lifeless body of the boy she just feasted on.

“Oh well that’s alright, just let me know when you get here and i’ll come down and unlock the door.” You responded.

“K babe i will.” She hung up, stuffing her phone in her pocket and wiping blood from the corner of her mouth.

She had arrived nearly 10 minutes later, tossing her purse on your desk and plopping down in the bed beside you.

What was supposed to be a study session for the math test that you two had the next day quickly turned into a night of chit chat about everything under the sun.

You shifted uncomfortably when the topic of discussion turned to boys and hookups.

“You mean to tell me you never had your first kiss?” Jennifer stared at you in disbelief.

“No i haven’t.” You ducked your head, embarrassed.

“Aww i didnt mean to make you feel bad cheeks, that’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’m just a little shocked that’s all, nobody has tried to kiss someone as cute as you?” She placed her fingers under your chin, tilting your head up.

“Nope.” You fiddled with your fingers, avoiding her gaze.

She looked at you for a moment, eyes scanning your features, eventually landing on your mouth.

“Fuck it.” She mumbled before crashing her lips against yours.

You yelped in surprise before relaxing, despite it being your first time kissing someone it didn’t take you long to get the hang of it. Your lips moving in sync with hers.

She pulled away after a few minutes, the both of you panting trying to catch your breath.

“You didn’t have to do that.” You looked at her slightly in a daze.

“I wanted to.” She shrugged, fingers tracing patterns on your thick thigh.

“Why?” You questioned.

“Isn’t it obvious? I like you y/n.” She huffed slightly annoyed.

You blinked a few times, brain trying to process what she just said.

Jennifer check liked you.

“Is it really that hard to believe? I’ve been flirting with you since i met you.” She rolled her eyes.

“Flirting with me?” Your face scrunched up in confusion.

“The girl i told you i liked and was the describing the other day was literally you.” She stared at you in disbelief.

“I thought you were talking about that girl in our chemistry class, she has some of the same features as me.” You spoke defensively.

“If i liked her i definitely would’ve made a move already. I don’t even know her name.” Jennifer responded.

“God to be an academic genius you sure are an air head when it comes to picking up on social cues.” She laughed.

You frowned, nudging her with your foot.

“Come here idiot.” She grabbed your shirt pulling you in for another sweet kiss.

A/N - Was thinking about Jennifer’s body today and decided i wanted to write a fic. The title is inspired by Lunch by Billie eilish and that song is Jennifer through and through. At first this was gonna be smut but i decided to turn it into fluff. I really hope you enjoy this. 🌻

[crushedsweets]

I fear to stain your clothes with blood; Stain them, I don't care 'Eyeless' Jack Nyras in Creeped: BACKSTORY

PT. 2: PRESENT DAY General disclaimer: This AU is an amalgamation of headcanons, fanon, canon, and the occasional rewrite. There is an overarching story that HEAVILY strays from their canon stories. TW for toxic relationships, descriptions of gore/torture, cannibalism

BACKGROUND

➣Jackson Nyras was born on December 1, 1995 in North Dakota. He was the eldest of 6 children, with 3 little sisters and 2 little brothers.

➣His household was always bustling. Sunlight flooded every window as his father chased his little brothers, tossing them into the air with shrieking laughter. All while Jack found himself in the warmest place, besides his mother in the kitchen and chopping up bell peppers.

➣Jack's childhood home was always drenched in warmth. From the rowdy children to his mother's decor. Vibrant vases of marigolds littered the house.

➣Night after night, Jack would lead dinner. He'd feed the household and let his mother rest, regardless of Jack's own plate of homework waiting for him.

➣Jack was exceptional. Dedicated to his family and his education, he managed to graduate high school at only 16. His family gave him a bittersweet send off to Alabama to attend the Heersink School of Medicine.

➣Jack put his all into school. He maxed out his credits, spent hours doing homework, refused any friendly invitations just so he could prioritize his education. 3 years later, Jack received a bachelors in biology and was accepted into medical school. Once again, an early graduate. Exceptional.

➣It was 2014 when he met Jennifer Gold, a bubbly blonde in a nursing program. She shared a few classes with him and practically chased him down to give him a torn note with her number. It embarrassed him, watching this girl barrel down the stairs just for him. He'll admit, he never gave people the time of day. But she was beautiful, and she was smart, and he was tired of isolating himself for school. Besides, she'd be a good influence - she was just as focused on school as him. A nursing student, too.

➣Jack didn't think he could love someone like he loved Jenny. He reserved all his affection and care for his family, never once has a classmate cemented themselves in his life like this. Night after night, she came to his apartment. He'd cook for her, she'd wash the dishes. They'd settle down under a blanket and she'd doze off against him as they watched a movie. In the dark of the night with the soft blue light illuminating the room.

➣For their 6 month anniversary, Jack gifted her a silver necklace with a sapphire pendant. Jenny was special, he thought. Warm, loud, safe.

➣But in time, Jack had to share her attention. Her club seemed to suck in a lot of her energy, especially as their relationship progressed. Hours slipped away from them, and he began to accept that he'd go several days without a simple text. ➣It seemed a little odd to Jack. Anytime he inquired about the club, she brushed it off as something religious. He didn't even know she practiced any religion, but Jack wasn't the type to pry. It just seemed odd, but it was her thing. He didn't want to intrude.

➣It sure didn't help when her attitude soured. It started with neglect, until she became aggressive. He would find unsavory messages between her and other men, and somehow, the night would end with her crying and Jack fumbling out apologies. It seemed that every night she came over, rain pounded against his windows. It was a warning he chose to ignore.

➣Her voice grew piercing. He'd send her texts, tapping against his cobalt blue phone case. Jack's anxiety shot through the roof as the months progressed. Anytime he heard that 'ping!', his blood turned to ice and he hesitated to check his phone. Insults were frequently barreled his way.

➣It didn't make sense how this happened. He could study her all he wants, but she grew unpredictable. Cold, quiet, dangerous.

THE SACRIFICE

➣Only after several weeks of thick tension did Jenny come to him softly. Knocking at his door, slotting herself between his arms, whispering how she missed him all day long. Peppering kisses along his shoulders and asking if he could spend more time with her.

➣Of course he obliged. Sure, it was a little weird that 'spending more time' meant dragging him to a club meeting, but that wasn't a problem. He'd go to any pointless meeting to have his Jenny back, despite the odd air emanating from the situation.

➣The group was unassuming. A handful of college-aged students laughing together in a random library's study room, sharing drinks and lukewarm pizza. Breaking a few of the library's rules, adding to Jack's nervous demeanor. It wasn't until Jenny handed him a disposable cup filled with red punch that he calmed down. He relaxed a bit too much, he began to notice. His vision started to blur and his limbs tingled. He whispers to Jenny that he feels unwell. She laughed at him, nudging him back and telling him to stop being weird.

➣So Jack stopped. Everyone's laughter began to subside. His mind swarmed until his body slumped forward and everything went dark. He had passing moments of consciousness, times where he could feel large arms throwing him into a trunk and hushed whispers from the front seat. He could feel the ride starting smooth, until he faded right back out.

➣Jack fully came to a couple hours later. He didn't know where his glasses were, he didn't know where Jenny was, he didn't know where he was. He tried to sit up, only to realize he was restrained. He turned his head, realizing he was chained to a fucking table. A cheap, foldable, plastic table easily found at the nearest Walmart. He couldn't see the metal stakes dug into the dirt and obnoxiously duct taped to the table's legs, cementing it to the ground.

➣He heard matches strike. Several candles illuminated the cold, dingy cave he realized he was in. He craned his head upwards and, to his horror, was met with several cloaked figures.

➣Deep, purple cloaks cascading to the ground and hoods that shadowed their faces. Jack shouted obscenities and demanded an explanation. He thrashed at his restraints until a large, calloused hand slammed his shoulder back down and tightened the cuffs till they harshly pinched at Jack's skin. The pain quickly humbled his attempts.

➣It was pathetic how quickly he began to cry. When grimy fingers were shoved into his mouth and tore fishing hooks through his cheeks. They were tightly tucked behind his head, forcing his mouth open. With every violent thrash, the same hands grabbed his skull, lifted it as high as it could with his restraints, and slammed it harshly into the table. Jack lost consciousness again, far too overwhelmed with the situation.

➣He woke up again to a metallic, inky taste. He was choking on something, gagging and turning his head to vomit. His eyes shot open again to a cloaked figure looming over him. He couldn't even process the chants echoing off the cave walls, he was only focused on that damn mask. It was round and a dirty navy blue, with deep black cavities resembling eyes. His own eyes searched for some humanity. His gaze trailed to their neck, falling upon a silver necklace with a sapphire pendant. ➣Jenny. He tried to scream at her, but the hooks torn into his cheeks prevented real words. He didn't understand what she was doing. And he sure as hell didn't know what was in the rusty metal bucket in her hands. He could only see dark liquid dripping off the sides, not even able to distinguish the exact hue. ➣Skinny hands dug into the bucket with a squelch. She lifted a long entrail out of the bucket, and immediately it clicked in Jack's mind. He tried to plead but his choked gargles fell upon deaf ears.

➣Jack didn't know how much time passed. He was force-fed organs, choking them down and occasionally throwing them back up. He spent the first 30 minutes convincing himself they belonged to an animal, but the ritualistic chants and curious whispers told him otherwise.

➣All he wanted was to keep falling unconscious. Every time he felt himself slipping away, relief washed over him. Until he was woken up to new pain. Calloused hands once again yanking at his own, pinning them harshly to the table. He didn't realize what they were doing until he somehow gargled out a scream to the pain of a knife being lodged beneath his nailbed and violently tearing the nail off of each digit. It's like they were violently declawing a wolf.

➣Jenny had dropped the bucket by this point, opting to gently smooth his hair back as his torture progressed. As if that was supposed to be comforting. In the passing seconds that he could stand to keep his eyes open, he stared at her mask, pleading for mercy with his bloodshot eyes.

➣All he received were pathetic strokes against his cheeks, and all it did was further agitate the hooked wounds her accomplice gave him.

➣The worst, and final, part of the ritual eventually took over his body. A small pocket knife being shoved beneath his eyelids, carving out the organ and carelessly plopping them right into that bloody bucket. Jack's throat was torn from his cries. His entire body ached, his digits trembled violently, and the agonizing pain Jenny inflicted once again knocked Jack out.

➣He wasn't conscious when she peeled back his lids and used a stupid, dirty spoon to scoop an inky, black substance into his sockets. He wasn't conscious when they unhooked his jaw. He wasn't conscious when the warm, brown tone of his skin was dusted into a bloodless grey.

➣Frankly, he wasn't even conscious when his body began to move again. Something new completely took over, gearing his body up with newfound strength and adrenaline.

AFTERMATH

➣In hindsight, this was a stupid plan. Performing a ritual to honor a faceless being in its own forest? One that wants to be left alone? So far away from the city, too. They knew it would stop people from hearing Jack's screams, but they hadn't thought about their own.

➣Jack's body, possessed by an unknown entity, tore itself off of the table. Jenny was the first victim, but only for a moment. He quickly moved on to the others, about 10 more college-age students to tear apart.

➣As he hunted them through the forest, his body continued to change. The strength of his jaw increased tenfold while his teeth tore into their flesh. Between the unintentional crunches of their bones, cracks of Jack’s joints were muffled. His body began to grow, stretching him from 6’2 to an alarming 6’7. Jack’s eyesight was gone, but every other sense intensified and he had two new ones. His now bat-like ears offered him echolocation, and his sensitive skin provided thermavision. It was a horrifying sight, especially to the peering proxies watching from a distance. 

➣He ate until he threw up. Then he ate again. The cycle continued until the corpses were strung across the forest, and Jack’s body took heavy steps back to the cave. Similar to his torture, his consciousness slipped in and out. Him and the demon fighting for control of his body. He fell to his knees in front of Jenny’s corpse, which was left relatively untouched, aside from the broken neck. 

➣He fell on top of her, screaming and sobbing into the crook of her mangled throat, his bloody hands gripping into his lover’s waist. Shakily, he began to slip the mask off of her. He saw his angel’s face quickly losing heat. His hands fumbled with that damn cloak, eventually finding poorly sewn on buttons. He frantically took it off of her, just wanting to hold her before she fell too cold again. 

➣He rested his head against her breasts, desperately seeking a heartbeat. His sobs settled down for a while as he violently shook against her, unsure where to go from here. He was hyper aware of the heat seeping from her body. He just waited in silence until he fell asleep against her. ➣He woke up to gore. His sweet Jenny, her body once left relatively intact, torn apart by his hands. Her torso was shredded, revealing cracked ribs and several missing organs. Why was he doing this to her? He wasn't hungry anymore.

➣In shame, he brought that mask to his face. He couldn't eat with it on, at least.

PT. 2: PRESENT DAY

[thisisnotthenerd]

active stat tracking for never stop blowing up: episode 7

systems of die types in spreadsheets, oh my

another incredible episode folks. we saw all of their new group abilities come into play, had some fantastic character progression, and some truly absurd scenes. quick note: ally said they only had 2d20, but by my count they have 3, so there may be some discrepancies. as always i am one person, watching and trying to catch as many rolls as i can.

everyone is up to a d20, so the final ability, dark night of the soul, will be unlocked. can't wait to see what that is. on that note, we saw some crazy progression this episode, notably, jennifer drips going from a d4 in stunts to a d20 in a single progression, and benefiting from the double explosion twice to end up with 24 tokens. absolutely crazy.

at this point average progressions are out the window, given that they're working their way up so quickly. everyone still has at least 1d4. jennifer, g13, and greg all have multiple d20s. we're at the 70% mark and things are looking crazy, people. everyone progressed at least one skill, with vic only getting 1 (d12 in hot), and jennifer getting 4 (d20 in stunts, d20 in brawl, d12 in tough, d20 in wits)

we saw two impossible dc skill checks: dang farting people into unconsciousness, and liv crushing usha back into g13's body. insane asks turning into insane moments. this season is a distillation of ostentatia's divine intervention, markus' fog of war, kristen's ribbon dancing, daisy shitting out a window, conrad's appeal to spirit, and jacob wysocki, all chucked into a centrifuge and then distributed into every single moment.

we've now gotten our final interface, with jennifer and russell, and russell finally understanding feminine rage.

no big mechanical changes, save mentions of the wildcard strength, which rekha is allowed to use once in the season. i don't know what it will do, and i'm afraid to ask.

also, we got confirmation that the system combines kids on bikes and murph's increasing dice game, with tokens to make it a little more reliable.

paula donvalson / jack manhattan

abilities: duelist, relentless, studied (brawl), quick healing, protector

stunts: d8

brawl: d4

tough: d10

tech: d4

weapons: d20

drive: d8

sneak: d6

wits: d10

hot: d8

liv skyler / kingskin

abilities: wealthy, trouble maker, demolitions, quick healing

stunts: d6

brawl: d20

tough: d12

tech: d10

weapons: d8

drive: d10

sneak: d4

wits: d10

hot: d10

andy 'dang' litefoot / greg stocks

abilities: trained (brawl), mastery (weapons), smokin', quick healing

stunts: d12

brawl: d0

tough: d20

tech: d8

weapons: d6

drive: d12

sneak: d4

wits: d8

hot: d20

wendell morris / vic ethanol

abilities: transporter, protector, trouble maker, quick healing, resilient

stunts: d10

brawl: d12

tough: d12

tech: d6

weapons: d6

drive: d20

sneak: d4

wits: d6

hot: d12

russell feeld / jennifer drips

abilities: trained (hot), neck snapper, quick healing, inspiring

stunts: d20

brawl: d20

tough: d12

tech: d4

weapons: d6

drive: d4

sneak: d12

wits: d20

hot: d8

usha rao / g13

abilities: wildcard, hacker, stealth, quick healing

stunts: d20

brawl: d4

tough: d10

tech: d20

weapons: d4

drive: d20

sneak: d6

wits: d20

hot: d6

group abilities:

la familia (stepping in for a tough roll, lending tokens at a 1:1, sharing skill dice for optimization)

diesel circus (doubling number of tokens on a double explosion, roll 2x on first roll after injury, successful drive check allows a second skill check on top)

alpha squad (gaining 2 tokens when the group suits up, reduce explosion range by 1, two characters roll and add the result)

the ones (reroll a nat one with a different skill, take a nat one as a max roll and blow up, accept a nat one and get 1/2 the tokens of the die value)

[hellomynameisbisexual]

Bisexual erasure. “When bisexuality is ignored, discriminated against, demonized, or rendered invisible by both the heterosexual world and the lesbian and gay communities. Often, the entire sexual orientation is branded as invalid, immoral, or irrelevant.”

what does it Look like?

- Assuming that two women together are lesbians, two men together are gay, or a man and a woman together are straight

- In most scientific studies, bisexuality is lumped in under “gay” or “lesbian” identities

- Many LGBTQ+ organizations don’t offer programming for bisexuals

- Questioning someone’s bisexuality if they haven’t had sex with both men and women.

what does it sound like?

- “I’m not interested in dating you because you’ve only dated men.” (Implying that I’m actually straight)

- “Bi women are more likely to leave you for a straight relationship.”

- “He’s only ever dated men, so he’s obviously gay.”

- “There’s no point in coming out as Bi if you never plan to leave your current relationship. You just want attention.”

what are the consequences?

- Bi erasure leads to bi phobia (discrimination, anger, blame, and hypersexualization).

- Bi people have *significantly* higher health risks than any other sexual identity group, including alarmingly high rates of depression and suicide.

- Bi women experience much higher rates of domestic violence.

- In the ‘80s and ‘90s bi people were blamed for spreading HIV. and we are still blamed for the spread of other STI’s.

what can I do?

- If you want to help, here’s what you can do:

- Check your own biases When someone says something shitty about bisexuality, correct them—even if a bisexual person isn’t present

- Ask your local LGBTQ+ orgs to offer bi/Pan programs

- Donate time or money to bi-specific organizations.

- Resources: Bisexual Resource Center (BiResource.org) Bi Plus Organizing US (@BiPlusOrgUS) Bi Pride UK (BiPrideUK.org) BiPhoria! (biphoria.org.uk) American Institute of Bisexuality (bisexuality.org) “Greedy: Notes from a Bisexual Who Wants Too Much” by Jen Winston “Look Both Ways: Bisexual Politics” by Jennifer Baumgardner “Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body” by Roxane Gay

[sleeplesssmoll]

Vertin during part 2 of Green Lake.

I love her dynamic with Jessica! When she's with Jessica, you can see both her playful side and her parental side.

Vertin calls Jessica before her exams to check up on her. She is relieved when Jessica isn't anxious. Vertin seems more anxious than Jessica, who picks up on this and asks her about it. It's precious.

Vertin kept Sonetto's notebook from their school days. She used Sonetto's notebook to help her study and stay out of the guardhouse. She lets Jessica borrow them. It appears after the break away event they punished Vertin with the guardhouse treatment for not doing well on her homework or exams. Before the break away event it was only used for “correcting behavior” (according to what we see anyway). This makes Vertin’s later punishments feel like targeted attempts to harass her since her arcanum is weak and she was not a good student.

Vertin is constantly negotiating with the Foundation to make Jessica more comfortable and to give her leniency. The instructor goes as far as calling it “special treatment”.

Vertin stopped the Foundation from using “fasting” and “grounding” as punishments (flashbacks to guardhouse).

Vertin asks about how things are going/doing for Jessica in every call. Priorities. The Foundation isn't allowed to bully her little bambi! I think Vertin is scared they're going to hurt Jessica the way they hurt her as a child. She's very on top of things when it comes to her crew.

Also, we see her hide her face a lot. She's always done that when she feels negative emotions throughout main story but here she does it whenever she "fails". As in, she failed to give Jessica the best life she could. She does the hat tilt when Jessica expresses unhappiness, longing, or loneliness. Vertin takes her feelings more seriously than she does her own smh. I think my HC of Vertin going out of her way for her crew as a provider has more strength behind it after playing this event. Side note, imagine if a crew member snapped at her for some reason and decided to leave the Suitcase? From what I've seen during this event, it would hurt her a lot.

Vertin visits Jessica while she's at the Foundation dealing with Horrorpedia. No one knows she's done this because the speaker doesn't announce her visit. Could this qualify as more of Vertin being stealthy? That or she told the security guards to get bent because she is the Timekeeper. First one sounds more likely but the second one gives me joy.

The school complains to Vertin about Jessica's behavior. Vertin tries to find out the cause of the misbehavior and creates a solution instead of berating her. A very gentle Suitcase Dad. Finding ways to redirect a child's energy in productive ways is a skill. She might have learned this specific one from Tooth Fairy, who also does this for Jessica. Make promises within your power. Find solutions to problems by tackling the source.

Talking to Jessica makes her nostalgic so she does have a few good memories of the Foundation.

She compliments the tiara Jessica made. She accepts Jessica's gift even though she never takes off her hat lol. She does say she’ll wear it though and so far she's kept her promises to Jess. Maybe we'll see her wearing it one day? Just her, Jessica, and Jessica's Critter friends doing a photoshoot with Blonney lol.

Vertin gives Jessica a room in the Suitcase right next to Jennifer's. She gets it.

She is the King of the Living Dead! She plays along with Jess's idea to scare Blonney and Horrorpedia. They aren't scared, but Blonney puts on an act for her little “monster”. They're all so cute!

I may not be around to reply as much, but I do read your responses! If you have HCs or observations you want to share, pls do ☺️

[balkanradfem]

So, I've decided to start learning biology.

My education left me with only primary school biology knowledge, because I had zero biology lessons in high school, and now I find myself sorely lacking in knowledge. Which is inconvenient, now that I'm sick and have no idea what to do. I didn't know where to start, but my roommate is in high school right now, and I borrowed her biology textbook to get myself started.

The biology textbook was so misinformed and outdated it made me worry for the education system. Not only they didn't update any info from the last 40 years, some of the info was completely wrong. For instance, it claims there's 6 billion people on the planet (there's 8), and that there's 6 empires of all living things (there's 8, and some of the old ones have been renamed and disputed). I learned quickly to fact-check every bit of information on wikipedia, and this is where I found some truly astounding info that I had no idea about.

If you all have learned this in highschool and it's common knowledge, please excuse me, but I am shocked.

One of the first topics the book covers is evolutionary history of the planet, and it explains how blue-green algae were the first historic plants to produce a lot of oxygen, which sounds like a positive development for us, because most of the living things right now thrive on oxygen. But, looking it up wikipedia uncovered that it was in fact, an extinction event. Most of life on earth was at that point, thriving in non-oxygen environment, and the introduction of oxygen killed 85% of all living species on earth. It was a huge disaster that happened! It's called 'Great Oxidation Event', or the 'Oxygen Catastrophe'.

But that's not all, I found out that it was not only that which destroyed almost all life on earth, but there's been 5 different events in the history that destroyed close to 80% of all species on the planet, and for some of them we don't even know why. We only found proof that lots of species disappeared at all times and the dominant species on the planet rapidly changed, but no idea why, for some of them it's assumed it has to do with volcanoes or ice, and of them that is well known is the meteor, that ended the big dinosaurs.

I never realized how much of evolution was destruction and then starting over, this was shocking to me. It was also fascinating, I found myself following links and learning more about extinction events, also that we're currently in the extinction event caused by humans who are driving lots of species into extinction by taking over their habitats, which made me sad.

At this point I started reading other, biology-related materials, for example, I read a book named 'What an Owl Knows', which is written by Jennifer Ackerman, an owl scientist who studied owls her entire life; now I know more about owls. I also started listening to an audio book about the ocean, and this one proved to be very difficult to follow, but I'll tell you what I learned from both.

The owl book was charming, I found out that owls are the most quiet, soundless birds when they fly, because their wings and feathers are the biggest part of their bodies. This is how they manage to swoop up prey without anyone hearing a single flap. They're also very silent and subtle. Unless you're studying owls, you won't be able to tell if the owl is startled, or scared, because she will sit very still and not give you any clues. Smaller owls can go into their 'freeze' response easily if they're being hunted, because their instinct is to be still and not move when in danger! It can make you feel like the owl is not scared, since she's not moving, but she is most likely not comfortable if anyone is approaching her.

Owls have similar faces to our faces, and they're very charismatic to us; this is why baby owls, and injured owls in human care, can sometimes imprint on humans. This is bad news for the owls, because once it happens, they can never again be released into the wild, they'll either never learn to hunt, or they'll act towards humans, like they do to other owls - brawling, attacking, aggressive, territorial. Even if they really like us, they will keep acting like we're other owl, not a different species. They see us similarly to how we see them.

One of the best information I've learned, is that in Serbia, there's the biggest gathering of owls of all species, there can be more than 300 owls in one place at the time. The reason for this is common use of old-fashined methods of harvesting grains, which leaves a lot of leftover corn and wheat on the ground, attracting mice, rats, and other small rodents, which creates a great food source for owls. Serbian farmers don't use rodenticide, so owls don't get poisoned. Owls so beloved and appreciated there, that they have an owl festival every year, and the whole month of november is called 'Sovember', because owl in serbian is 'sova'. I never knew about this, even though it's my neighbour country! I looked this up, and I found a website for the international owl festival, but I couldn't find any more info. I would appreciate it so much if any serbian followers could write me about this and tell me their experiences with it, I've never wanted to visit Serbia more!

The book contains information about owls used in Harry Potter movies, including the names of the owls, as well as discussing how the books made owls popular, and how it made people want them as pets. Owls do not make good pets, because they're predators and will destroy things and be very difficult to care for, but the book encourages readers to find the local owls and keep them safe, to leave old trees with holes in them standing, so the owls could nest in them, or to hang up baskets that can also be used as nests. It was a lovely, charming book and I recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about owls.

The ocean book is named 'How the Ocean Works', by Helen Czerski, and I haven't finished yet, but it opened up a lot of questions for me. The funniest part of it was the breakup of what people used to think about the ocean; apparently before research, people assumed that the sea is salty because it's been left in the sun for too long, and that's just what you get from sun exposure, they believed that deep down it was not salty anymore. They also believed that the sea water cannot go putrid if left standing. It took a scientist checking this to confirm it was not true; sea water did go putrid left in a bucket in the sun, and non-salty water did not turn salty when left in the sun for months. It was interesting to know that for the longest time, people didn't realize it was the salt in the sea that made it salty, I then wondered how they got salt, and it turns out they just got it from the salt mines, which are leftover from the long-dried up seas.

Now new information that I didn't know, was that the salinity is different between the oceans, the Atlantic is saltier than the rest. The book also explained about how the salt is connected to the currents, and to the movements of the sea, and also changes the density of the water. One thing that had me taken aback was that the ocean waves are not only caused by the wind, but the water is reacting to earth's rotation, and this rotation is constantly moving the water. It feels like the ocean is being pulled both by the earth and the moon, constantly being driven by planetary forces, which is interesting, because it's difficult to tell that just by looking.

The book calls ocean the 'blue machine', because it's always moving, and filled with energy. Sun is always warming up the surface, making it a great reservoir of solar energy, and the book goes on about how it's possible to harvest this energy, using hot water, and cold water, apparently there's already buildings being cooled down by the ocean power, but I never managed to figure out how! I tried looking it up, and also found nothing. I wish the book explained the physics of it, so that I could try it out, it's a great thing to be able to get power jut by using hot and cold water, and the water is already heated by the sun, while you can get cold water from the bottom of the sea.

I think I might understand this book better if I read it, rather than listening to the audiobook, which as you can see, just has me puzzled because I do not catch details. Still I wanted to share my new learnings, and ask if anyone can tell me more, or if this is all knowledge that people who had biology in high school already have. I'm having a great time learning, especially because I can just divert in any direction that has my interest, and I can seek out information that gives me useful, practical knowledge. Wish all learning processes could be free and inspired like this!

[ktempestbradford]

I saw this and was only mad for .002 seconds because I thought of a great way to undermine this: Teach the Bible using actual Bible scholarship. I bet some teachers in Oklahoma could get away with using some of the following videos for instruction:

Story Time with Dr. Jennifer Bird or any of her other excellent videos.

CentrePlace, a church in Toronto, has a super informative History, Theology, and Philosophy lecture series that comes from a scholarly standpoint. Since they're a church, it might be easier to sneak these in. The list at the link above might seem a bit daunting. To get a flavor for what they've been discussing recently, check this playlist on their YT channel.

Former monk and current professor of Biblical studies John Dominic Crossan has a lecture series called "The Challenge of Jesus" that comes from a perspective of faith AND scholarship, which could again help it fly under the radar. Technically, you're supposed to buy it from an outfit called Faith and Reason, but if you want to check it out first, there's a playlist on YT.

PBS Frontline did a quite good documentary called "From Jesus to Christ" that includes scholars and theologians talking about how we get from the historical Jesus to the Christ of faith. Part 1 | Part 2

I could go on because I have been down the rabbit hole of Bible scholarship for the past year and I have TONS of recs. I feel like if kids in Oklahoma have to learn about the Bible, let them learn the truth about the Bible.