#that was then. this is now. and my current town is also FULL of gang violence (and a lot of human trafficking) and drug deals on the street

[feeshybeach]

I live so far away from the nearest larger city that I'd have to walk over 46 miles to get there - likely more due to the fact the place I live has strict laws about bystanders walking on freeways/highways. if I wanted to walk fewer miles, I could walk roughly about 10 to 12 miles (again, just to get there, not round trip).

Have I mentioned I'm disabled? I can barely make it down to the mailbox and back without feeling weak and exhausted. that's at maximum, 70 feet away from the van I live in. If I had to walk to the closest E.R. I'd have to walk 19 miles.

Even when I didn't live in a more rural space and admittedly lived in a larger city with a lot more infrastructure. It was still completely unreasonable to walk to any location - the elementary school (that I didn't go to as I was in middle school and also I did online school but that's not the point) That was a walkable distance - even in my current disabled state. Why? It was. Literally across the street.

the only other major place that was worthwhile for me to go to was a local garden/park area, and even then, that was insanely difficult to get to. The sidewalks were severely under maintained, and some of them were so overgrown that the plant matter was directly affecting the MAIN ROAD!

“America IS walkable, you’re all just lazy” my childhood home was an hour from the nearest hospital (by car)

[majorproblems77]

Another day another LU analysis with me!

Dawn 9 is here and with it the end of the next arc of the LU comic is done!

This update did a lot and is also a full 10 pages long! So there's a bunch to unpack!

As always linked universe belongs to @linkeduniverse and Jojo, I own none of the pictures I'm using and please give the original post some love. It's very well done and I love this comic so much.

You can find the comic here!

Oh, and obviously spoilers for the most recent LU update if you've not looked at it!

Now, checklist. Popcorn, water and time to read half an hour worth of rambling.

Without further ado!

The letters!

So, Twilight, four and Time all appeared to get letters, with Time getting multiple (More on that later)

Twilights reaction to the super sale was my reaction while playing TP (I recently finished it for the first time! :D) when they opend the store in castle town. Every time i couldnt get there to get potions i was low key gutted.

And Four. Four's grandpa is a mood and i hope we get to meet him.

HE

blorbo blorbo blorbo

The master of standing 🧍

Beloved blorbo i love him

Okay im done

(Im not done)

Poor Sky He's so sad about it D:

But... I, as a part of the The team is heading to Skyloft next, team. Believe that Sun has done this on purpose. (Or that the Skyloftians dont have the mail system for him to retrieve anything) but i like to think its the first one.

Hmmm.... Time got multiple letters. (That takes care of the letter discrepancy)

Twi asking about the ranch, Time looking to one of the letters. This tells me one of two things.

The letter he's looking to could be from Malon, and he's genuenly not concerned.

or The letter he's looking at isnt from malon. Infact, by the way he's looking at it i think its from his Zelda. Possibly a report about black bloods in his time period. (As last time we see them in Time's era. They dont actually fight anything)

Twilight being cheeky and Time's dad face are giving me life.

But... as we know, Time is Twilights direct decendant only by a few generations at most. With the infomation we have from Twilight princess with Shade. And from jojo with Time and Twilight. I'm seeing this conversation as more of a father and son conversation over brothers.

And the rest of this conversation follows this same pattern. Twilight is very much being scolded. He's biting back with what he see's as Time's own words. (not that time know's as such)

Twilight looks genuenly shocked to hear this.

From the hero's shade (Time) in twilight princess.

"You may be destined to become the hero of legend...but your current power would disgrace the proud green of the hero's tunic you wear. "

I am screaming

And now im screaming more. Twilight nooooooooooooo

The we care about Twilight's well being gang. Spoiling us with the full body shots againnnnnnn.

Give me more of these three i love them all together.

And I'm convinced that theres going to be something bad happens to time directly after the end of the LU timeline.

Time is missing an eye. So we know that Shade and Time are closer together than the hero of time (In game). SO.... If time dosent Die on the adventure with the chain. I'm almost convinced he does almost right after he returns back to his time.

The armour is almost identical. He has most of the scaring which lines up....

If the helmet turns up, then i think Time dies during this adventure. It's the only thing i can see as missing.

Twilight.... Now i think Twilight thinks that the gods are giving him an opportunity to save the hero of time from dying to become the heros shade. but thats the funky thing about timetravel.

(Depending on how Jojo and LU time travels works.)

I believe that the timetravel in LU solidifies the adventures of the other links. And that nothign that occours in this adventure impacts their adventures. Even if something was changed it wouldnt change the past.

IE - Twilight breaking his shadow crystal wouldnt mean that wild didnt remember having the wolf on his adventure - as its already happened.

(I hope that makes sense. - time travel is confusing i see it as an alternative timeline type thing)

Moving on!

Wild is best brother 101

Also twilight getting flustered about a girl oh bless this man i low key love him okay

Her!

Also

Smiley man

Epona is a wonderful girl and i love her so much okay

Also Warriors!

HE LOOKS SO HAPPY AGAIN

Man got his emotional support scarf and is no longer stressed (Atleast not visably)

HE!

BELOVED AGAIN HE IS SO HAPPY I AM NORMAL ABOUT THIS MAN

okay

Please understand how much i am cackling at the shenanigans of these three.

Wind rolling around because it is clearly faster mode of travel

Go zoomies wind go zoomies!

Wind rolled down the stairs you cant convince me otherwise. Look at his little superhero pose as hes moving around the corner.

Older brother alert, dont ruin the kids fun warriors they are just getting excited about being on the road again.

Also Warriors, This is normal link behaviour. Just ask Time. He would eailsy tell you that he rolled around hyrule field.

I LOVE HIS LITTLE FACE OKAY

MY BELOVED BLORBO 🧍

(if i run out of pictures i swear to hylia)

There's so much brotherly energy in these panels i love them all so much okay.

Also Sky offering to Pay Time back for the Inn Fee this is why i love the wonderful blorbo okay

Guys im sorry, he's their dad. You cant change my mind.

Thats a dad walk, with a dad sentence.

'Okay guys i need to make sure you are not gonna get killed please have swords.'

The blacksmithing gang getting the love they deserve.

Sky leading the charge! (I know its cause he knows the way and stuff But...)

It also makes a lot of sense. If Sky is the slowest of the group(Again not confirmed but we have had jokes about his stamina), it makes sense to put him at the front to maintain pace of the group. Stops people going too fast and prevents people from being left behind.

Which i might add has already happened. (Warriors and Hyrule im looking at you.)

We just need to read the boss partterns for a bit so we can then decide how to fight it. You know, like we did when we were in our adventures and had to figure out boss mechanics.

Important that hyrule is saying this as his game is arguably one of the hardest. He probably spent a long time on each boss learning attack patterns.

Oh this arc was fun! So much fun i love it so much okay

Thank you so much again for hanging out with me while i write these. I love making them and i really appreciate all the support on them. (If you could share it around i'd really appreciate it :) )

Have a wonderful day! :D

[macabrecabra]

The other half of the End of the Line Pokemon AU are the characters who live in Viridian Village who end up getting involved in the plot!

Given Hauts is currently lying low in Viridian Village and working as a bartender at the Sweet Berry Tavern, these are co-workers as well as the silly anthropologist that he's dating c:

Frieda is the protagonist who's love of studying the mortal gods and her inability to become a raichu causes her some unwanted gang attention.

Read more below to learn more about each one! <3

FRIEDA OLIVINE (Pikachu)

One of the two main characters, Frieda grew up always fascinated by the mortal gods and was raised in a very religious household dedicated to deep respect of the ancient mortal gods. This would lead her to become an archeologist and anthropologist, exploring and looking to unlock the secrets of the mortal gods and their connections to pokemon and the "lost gods". She is currently working on her doctorate, hoping to become a pokemon professor!

On one of her outings into Viridian to study, she found Hauts near death and got him back to the village for medical treatment and the two became close friends, then started to date. Frieda is a rare pikachu that cannot evolve into a Raichu, even when exposed to the lighting stone at the Surge Shrine in Vermillion City. To the very religious, this means she has been blessed by the greatest of mortal gods, Ketchem, with a higher calling. She just finds it sort of demoralizing.... Design Notes: Wanted bright colors to make her clearly seem energetic and upbeat in nature, the sort of character that loves to talk and probably not stop. Her being a pikachu and gangs wanting to capture her is a joke on Team rocket wanting to capture pikachu... it is genetic. CHLO WEEDYEL (Oddish)

Chlo is one of Frieda's best friends and the two talk a lot when Frieda is hanging around the tavern. Chlo is an upbeat, laid-back sort that enjoys her work serving and also tending to the garden of the tavern. Her dream is to make it big as a writer and artist and be able to move to the city to work on big shows and movies as she wants to put the country life behind her and be the first of her family to be a city girl.

Loves punk music and aesthetics, but is a bit shy about going full into it and keeps saying she'll get there if she ever get to her Gloom phase in life. For now, she's happy with where she is and shares a passion about ancient mythology with Frieda that they can go on for hours. She also DMs Caves & Dragon Types games with friends. Design Notes: I had an oddish on my team I adored named Weed and Chlo gives homage to that little guy <3 Felt a more subdued design with some punk elements to show where she wants to go was nice and leaves more to let her design grow in the story!

OLIMERANIUSCHU "OLI" QUASHIRE (Wooper)

Oli has lived in Viridian Village all her life with her very large family and they have been their generations fishing and just living a slow pace life and Oli is no different. She is happy where she is and not about to back down from trouble that comes to ruin the peace, that's for sure. She does most of the fishing for the tavern and is good friends with Chlo and Frieda, joining their weekly Caves & Dragon Types game. She is also a town gossip and always looking for the newest rumor and drama to hear about. Absolutely addicted to tabloids when she gets her little hands on them. She is one of the only water-types that hangs out with Frieda (other than the "weird fish kid" *affectionate) due to her type making lightning a little less concerning. She loves to go ramble out in the woods and is a bit hesitant about the idea of going to the city, but promised Chlo if she went, she would go with her and try her luck there.

Design Notes: I LOVE WOOPER. OF COURSE a character is going to be made based off Wooper! <3 I just felt lazy and overalls was just the look for this character and it took a long while to get the face and eyes just right <3

SANDZABAR SLASH (Sandslash)

A newer person in town, they moved in from the Pewter area to the north after the destructive earthquake hit the area and caused huge damage. They needed a new lease on life and have a job at the inn and are a bit shy about serving, but still getting their feet under them. They are easily impressed though by the wild stories Oli and Frieda will tell about things but finds others, like Hauts, to be a bit scary and intimidating. They are really afraid of doing a bad job and thrive on praise.

They have become fast friends of Oli, Chlo, and Frieda and likes to watch them play their weekly game, preferring to make cookies or tea for the game than participate as they don't feel they are very creative and too shy. However when push comes to shove, they can be a fearsome individual, all bristled up to try and intimidate.

Design Note: I always keep a sandslash on my team if I can, I just like this little pokemon so much! Decided I had to add sandslash to the roster and work with making this pokemon more animal than humanoid to show how different designs can look across the board <3

VERN (Weedle)

Nothing much is known about Vern. He is a pokemon of few words if any at all, and just minds his own business, cooking and cleaning up in the kitchen of the Sweet Berry Tavern. Rumors are he was a champion bug fighter. Others say he was part of some mafia. Still others say he is a secret agent. To most in Viridian Village, he's just Vern, the cook, who watches things go by and never bothers anyone about anything, but seems to have a sixth sense for when trouble is near. He never bothered to evolve, preferring to live his long life as a weedle.

Design Note: I just wanted a bit fry cook weedle in my story and no one could stop me. Also wanted to show evolution is NOT tied to maturity or age, but rather to just increases in power/prestige. Evolved pokemon/rarer pokemons tend to be treated with more respect and higher class than those who are lower or common.

[rin-bellatrix]

Oasis

"When everything's meant to be broken, I just want you to know who I am." - Goo Goo Dolls

August finds himself in the middle of the Pandoran desert, left to clean up his business' loose ends. Though, he's not as alone as he once thought, coming face to (pretty) face with the grifter who stole his heart. It seems that Sasha has some of her own loose ends to clean up as well.

I love Sasha and August ok

I'm firmly in the belief that August needs to reclaim his full redemption arc (he started towards the end of Tales and well, we just never got to see the end result 🤷🏽‍♀️)

So here's my first "saugust" piece! (Pls tell me if there's a better ship name for them out there 💀) I've written them as bg characters in my rhyiona fics, bc we love a big ol' happy family affair, but this is their first solo spotlight on my blog 😌💕

they need more recognition, they're kinda like Bonnie and Clyde, love my lil outlaw couple 💖 so stinkin' cute 🥰 (not to be confused with everyone's favorite villain couple, jackisha, who I've also written for 🤭)

Ahem, anyway~ this is part one, so this is unfinished. More to come from this particular story ✨️

Also. Am I posting this in the last hour of the month of August, instead of getting my shit together and posting it sooner...? Don't worry about it~ ☺️

Enjoy~ 🧡💜

It was always sunny on Pandora. Or at least, it seemed to be whenever August had to venture out of the dark shithole that was Hollow Point. The white sub-giant star that was Pandora's sun seemed to be on full blast today, the curve of the horizon a warbled, dancing edge in this heat. Sweat rolled down the side of his face and gathered at his jawline before spilling off in incessant drops. He shook his head to get the sweat out of his eyes before leaning into his truck bed and grabbing two fistfuls of rough canvas.

He tossed another burlap covered carcass onto the small pile of bodies, grunting with its weight. His Ma might be gone, but that just left the family business up to him. Which meant cleaning up the mess when a rival gang thought that they could prove themselves bigger and badder. Not a chance. But it was best to dump the bodies farther away from the entrance to Hollow Point to avoid scavengers somehow finding a way to spill into his town. That was the last thing he needed.

Dusting his hands off, he slammed the trunk door closed and ripped an old rag out of his back pocket. Mopping the perspiration from his neck and face (minding his piercings), he squinted up at the ball of fire in the sky and cursed its heat. What he wouldn't give for an ice cold drink right about now, he was fucking parched.

Stuffing the damp rag back into his pocket, he rounded his truck to head to the driver's side. His boots kicking up sand, his mind already focused on securing a cold shower as soon as he got back home. Gripping the handle, he pulled and yanked the door open, one foot on the step bar ready to hop in, before he looked up and froze.

"Thirsty?" Sasha chimed, sitting relaxed behind the wheel, dangling a cold bottle that was dripping with condensation.

The sight alone had him wondering if this was a mirage, if the heat had really gotten to him and made him hallucinate this as his own personal oasis. But then her scent of orange blossoms hit him, and he took a step back in shock. The sweet scent that sometimes haunted his dreams was a startling contrast to the freshly decomposing bodies that he just unloaded from the back of his truck.

How did she even get here without him knowing...?

She was as beautiful as ever, maybe even more so if that was possible. Her locks were pulled back in a sleek style, much like the last time he saw her during that whole vault debacle. Her outfit looked clean and classy, a stark contrast to his current state of sweaty and sandy. She wore reflective sunglasses that kept him from seeing her eyes, only his own warped image staring back at him.

When she arched a pretty brow, waiting for a response, August had to reel himself in. "What the fuck are you doin' in my truck?" No one could ever say that he didn't have a way with words.

"Is that the greeting I get? After I came all this way to bring you a nice refreshing drink, because I know you always leave to come here without one."

It shouldn't move him that she remembered his dump sight. It should mean nothing that she remembered he always forgot to pack a drink. It wasn't a big deal that she came to drop off a cold drink. She was a con artist, this is what she did. It's how she wormed her way into his heart the first time. He told himself this, and tried to ignore the way his heart beat a little faster at the implication that she still cared about him.

Did she ever really care about him...?

"What's it to you? If I forget to hydrate, how's it any of your business?" He glowered at her, old hurt resurfacing as if it were just yesterday.

She watched him from behind her sunglasses, quiet as she struggled to find a new lie to fixate on.

"Listen, I don't care, get the fuck out of my seat and go back to wherever you came from. You've got nothin' here, unless ya want me to put a bullet in your brain."

Sasha pursed her lips, her free hand settling firmly on the steering wheel. "I'm gonna drive you back." When he opened his mouth to argue, she continued. "I just want to talk." When he remained suspicious, she reached up to remove her sunglasses, meeting his eyes clearly. "Please?"

Her eyes were so clear, the light jade so beautiful with her complexion. His mind told him to watch his heart, not to fall for her tricks. But his heart told him to go along with what she wanted, simply because it was her who asked. August considered himself a strong man - an intelligent man - but in the face of the woman he loved, he crumbled far too easily.

He grunted as he slammed the door closed, rounding to the passenger side of his own damn truck. He hopped in, the cab rocking with his momentum, the door shutting behind him as he huffed.

Sasha held out the bottle again, and he watched as a drop of water raced down the side and gathered at the bottom before splattering across his leather seat. He looked up at her and met her eyes again, ignoring the excitement that wanted to bubble to the surface.

"Is it poisoned?"

The pretty grifter frowned, before twisting the cap off and taking a swig, once again holding it out to him. "That answer your question, smart ass?"

He hesitated before taking the bottle from her. Glancing down as she shifted the car into drive and pulled off, he noticed the faintest glossy shine of her lip gloss on the lip of the bottle. As the truck rumbled through the Pandoran desert, he recalled how slick her lips were when she would kiss him after applying it. They way she giggled when he pulled back and groused about the texture. How she would joke with him, arms looped around his neck, if she should withhold her kisses then. And he would snag her closer by her waist, pulling her into him and grumbling a complaint against her wet lips as he kissed her through her laughter.

He eyed the residue of it on his bottle now. Then, he lifted it to his lips and drank deeply, imagining that he could feel a phantom press of her lips against his own. It quenched him like nothing else.

☆

TBC

☆

☆ borderlands masterlist ⋆ main masterlist ☆

©rin-bellatrix 2024

[soweirdondisney]

First, I want to say thank you for all you do to keep the So Weird fandom alive. I know many of us are silent fans because, though we love the show, it's difficult to find much new to say at this point. Second, I know that a So Weird revival is unlikely (which is a shame, because I genuinely think it could be really good, unlike so many of the revivals that have already been done), but I was wondering if you had any plot ideas of your own for a potential revival. Just for fun of course.

Maybe you had no idea when you wrote this, but you sent this at the perfect time. I was dealing with some drama behind the scenes (nothing serious and it's over now) that made me wonder if I take So Weird too seriously and should ease up on the effort to keep up with it all. Then I logged in to find your message and it was validating - a reassurance, if you will. So thank you, too.

As far as my own plot ideas… I'm not sure if you meant for one-off episodes or one that's part of the bigger plot, so I'll answer both.

(Putting it beneath the cut because this is going to be long.)

I once read about ghosts in the aftermath of natural disasters (think the New Orleans hurricane and Japanese tsunami). The ghosts (previously living people) don't know they're dead but are able to flag down taxis. Drivers would accept them but once at the destination no one was in the car anymore to pay the tab. Other instances include riders saying street names and towns that no longer existed or had been abandoned after evacuation. Cab companies reportedly stay out of certain areas because of this, and it would make a great So Weird episode.

I would love for Fi to meet a group of witches around her age who practice witchcraft. Fi spends so much time with her brother and "shared" friends and the one time we saw Candy it was mostly about Rick. I want Fi to experience some sisterhood bonding with people who get her. But if Disney wanted to do a Hocus Pocus crossover that could work too.

Other episode ideas - the boys go to a haunted house that is actually haunted, a retelling of The Monkey's Paw, spotting the loch ness monster, a Disney-friendly version of saying "Candyman" or "Bloody Mary", Molly is a guest performer on a historical ship as paranormal happenings ensue.

In terms of the bigger plot, I'd love a two-part episode where Molly and the gang go to Europe. It would be a special event like a lifetime achievement award for Papa Bear or a PKB Hall of Fame induction.

While exploring the area Fi discovers fairies who "know" she's met a will o' the wisp. (Not sure how this would be, maybe how the banshee acted toward her?) It's a parallel to Jack following Bricriu, but this time she's lead to a leprechaun.

Her ring keeps him at a distance, almost as a protection barrier, and he wants nothing to do with Fi until she makes a comment about a gold award her family/family friend is getting. He's intrigued, and after looking at her closer, mistakes her for another Fiona, even remarks they haven't seen each other in ages.

Fi says something like, "Fiona's my great-grandmother" (yes, another parallel) and the fella runs off, reappears, and runs off again as she tries to question it. Exasperated, Fi says something to the extent of, "You remind me of someone too." And his response is a serious, "Yes, but you knew that didn't you?"

And this baffles Fi to no end - the realization that her great-grandma knew what was going to happen? Was the other Fiona destined to save the world, too? Did she fail and that's why it's on Fi now? And if she doesn't complete it then future generations in her bloodline will have to try? Who knows!

All through this Jack can't enjoy the trip. Poor guy's having massive headaches (like the people in Memory because this special is full of callbacks) cause he's living his current life in the location that overlaps with his past life as a knight. Dude keeps dreaming of the Strangeling events he experienced with Fi and also of an older lady named Fiona who he would recognize if he wasn't in so much pain.

None of this has been researched so the mythology might be off, but that's what I came up with to your question and hopefully it was fun to read. Thank you for writing!

[starry-blue-echoes]

okay so I went on a walk and my brain started rotating the Merstars AU SO hard so I'm just going to yeet a bunch of random bullet point thoughts that I came up with and see what comes out of it-

the "world" the AU takes place isn't really like "real" life and is instead a super huge archipelago with hundreds of thousands of islands of varying sizes and kinds

Mers and other various Sea Magics are pretty well known as A Thing That Exists. Is it accepted? Depends on the location and the people, and Mer Hunters are unfortunately a pretty common thing, but it's slowly started dying out. This is actually thanks to Speedwagon since after Jonathan's death he started trying to use his influence as a Very Important Wealthy Merchant to change public opinion, and it's actually been working

Jonathan was a pretty well loved and very social member of the mers. He wasn't their leader by any means, but almost every mer in the archipelago knew about him, and his murder pissed a LOT of people off. Luckily thanks to Speedwagon, since then relations have gone from "it's on fucking sight" to "don't approach me and I won't approach you"

Morioh is one of the more isolated islands and a bit of an exception to the above thing, being the most accepting island in the whole archipelago. Honestly, at this point like half the town has at least a little mer blood in them, but they are primarily human passing. There are a couple of full blooded or half blooded mers that hang around, but Josuke was one of the first ones born in the town in a long while

currently debating how exactly the Morioh Trio are gonna be, since I want them to be a "full blood, half blood, human" trio for the funnsies, but other than Josuke I don't know which should be which. My current thought process is 1) Okuyasu is the full blooded and when he was younger he had a run in with Hunters which is where his scars came from since his dad more or less just fucked off and left him at their mercy at which Keicho had to save him which led to the two of the moving to Morioh, Koichi is the human and is Their Little Guy, is super familiar with how to work around mers and climbs them like a god damn jungle gyms, or 2) Koichi is the full blood and a really small mer but still Big for humans, he's a cuttlefish, got separated from his family when he was little which led to him being adopted by the Human Hiroses and Okuyasu is human and the resident Normie Guy, he's recently moved to Morioh and is getting used to how Positive human mer relations are here

still trying to figure out how the Stand Arrows work, since Stands..... aren't really a thing now. Probably some kind of super powerful Sea Magic thing going on, maybe turn partial mers/humans into full blooded ones?

the "Italy" of this world is a collection of islands that are under Passione's control, aka a group of pirates that have a literal fleet. Diavolo and Doppio are brothers, with Diavolo being a half-mer (maybe lion fish? I'm still deciding tho) and Doppio being a full human. Doppio is the face of the operation, but his brother is always lurking in the depths below the ship and even makes a couple appearances as the True Boss in human form. Trish is by extension 1/4 mer and they want to kill her so the truth about Diavolo won't get out

Passione, despite all the shitty stuff they do, is actually a surprising area of Human Mer teamwork. There are a lot of hybrids and even full blooded mers to the point they're almost the majority. For the most part people don't care what you are as long as you get your job done, and honestly if what they did wasn't drug trade and trafficking, they'd be pretty cool

the Bucci Gang don't have a whole lot of mer blood, and any they do have is pretty distant to the point they're almost human save for a couple little features (they also don't get full transformations), with the exceptions being Trish and Giorno. Trish I've explained, but Giorno is...... Really Really Weird with what he is. His birth mom was a mer, but Dio had mostly been using her to try and lure other mers so by the time Giorno was actually born she was killed. Giorno was then taken in by the Shiobana's, which obviously sucked ass, but he was able to pass as a human for a shocking amount of time because Sea Vampire Genes fucked with his aging, so he also looks a lot smaller than he should be. He's also been forced to stay in his "human" form for much longer than is strictly healthy which ALSO fucked with his size and health

Giorno is gonna be a giant sea snake, because I think it'll be funny because That's The Traditional Sea MonsterTM. Maybe during the final fight with Diavolo he gets shot with the arrow and falls off the ship all dramatic and everyone thinks he died but SIKE he suddenly grows to full Absolutely Fucking ENORMOUS Size And Kicks Ass

Jolyne is a siphonophore, I don't make the rules, she's Really Fucking Long

[twig-tea]

I am freaking out about Be My Favorite Ep8. So much happened! All of it so good! How does this show continue to surprise me?!

This isn't going to be coherent, sorry in advance.

First, the way this show never lies to us in the previews but still manages to make us second-guess?! I think @respectthepetty said this first and it's remained true; I was truly blown away by how the preview of Kawi confessing on the balcony was undercut but still borne through, and even moreso how Kawi crying in Pisaeng's arms in the past/present is made more poignant as we the audience realize that Kawi's also reacting to what he knows happens in this moment in the past, which is his father dying. The storytelling! The throughline from that moment of realization last episode! And the additional weight this gives to Kawi's decision to go back anyway, to relive this moment of loss knowing he absolutely could not fix it?! I am freaking out about how good this is. No wonder he hesitated before going back in time! No wonder he was overwhelmed! I'm not ok.

Then that bit about Kawi asking Pisaeng to stay away in public!! As @lurkingshan said this show is definitely paralleling Krist's real experience and real history, and as an apologist/redemption vehicle I have to say it is doing its job, damn, A++ to everyone involved in that decision.

Then we got Pisaeng's mother once again turning me into an absolute rage monster. @waitmyturtles already said what I wanted to say about this, how her suggestion to run is perfectly contrasted with Max's conversation with Kawi about how it may be more difficult but staying and fighting is worthwhile [note: no judgment to people who legitimately have to leave to survive, as a person who only exists because my Jewish relatives left Ukraine before the town was murdered! Time and place, nuance, etc]. I think @bengiyo is right and this woman is evil, and I always love a story where the banality of evil is allowed to shine.

Then. Then!! We got Kawi giving Pisaeng the diary. The way I GASPED. I cannot tell you all how much I was not struggling with Kawi confessing to Pisaeng with the imbalance of both age and knowledge on his side, and this show said "Not Today, Lying By Omission Gang! Full and Enthusiastic Emotional Consent Only" 😭 I have so many emotions about this. When we saw him with it in the preview I was worried Pisaeng had found it and read it and drawn weird conclusions about what Kawi wants (which...I was half right lol). Kawi really did not have to share this at this point in the narrative, and as that balcony conversation showed, it was a hard sell as the truth. But now everything is on the table. The secrets are out! Anything that comes now will be something external, that they can then choose to either fight together or let break them apart.

I have Thoughts about the future mystic guy showing up in this episode. Are we to take his offer as a representation of the "easy way out" and Pisaeng rejecting it as an indicator of his character [This is currently my favourite theory but I'm not fully convinced; it fits with @lurkingshan's brilliant meta about the way this show is pushing for doing the work, accepting consequences, and not taking shortcuts though]? If Pisaeng had said yes, would he have been given a chance to change his past (but it's a strange moment for him to want to change, having gotten hope from Kawi for the first time); or would he have been given a glimpse of his future to help him make a decision in the present? Are we supposed to think that Pisaeng and Kawi are soulmates and this guy is their guardian angel trying to help them get together faster (but he seemed happy that Pisaeng turned him down?)?

And on that note, I just have to say that I am as happy as everyone else that we're seeing Kawi finally take responsibility for his choices and their consequences, finally think about the impact on other people, and work actively to make the lives of his friends better not just his own. It makes sense to me that Kawi needed to see "success" as he'd defined it and realize it sucked before he was willing to let that go. It also makes sense that he'd mature more quickly after getting years of memories every time he goes into the future. And I think experiencing the loss of his father, Pearmai, and Pisaeng in succession via memory really helped him put in perspective who was important to him. He seems to need to see how something falls out rather than thinking it through in advance, so this seems in character as a means of gaining clarity. The way he was talking about himself with Pisaeng in that flashback was so interesting too, "you didn't tell anyone about me, did you?" as though there IS something to tell; living that future really solidified Kawi as Queer for Kawi, in ways his uncertainty in the present/past hadn't. And there's something lovely about Kawi coming to terms with his sexuality in the past because he's seen how much it hurts Pisaeng in the future if he doesn't. I also really, really love that he still hesitated, and had trouble getting it out because as @waitmyturtles said, change is not easy.(This also feels connected to some of what @dribs-and-drabbles has written about Kawi rewriting his sense of self in real-time).

I'm 100% with @grapejuicegay that I want Kawi to decide to live in the past as his present and to be present for it, and shockingly it seems like in this episode he's already come to that decision himself?! Which now has me wondering what the conflict will be in future and what it will have to do with time travel.

I'm calling now [get ready to clown] that Kawi's going to get too tempted to check his future one last time over a decision, even though Pisaeng tells him not to, and gets stuck in a future he doesn't like. Wild speculation: Pisaeng is dead because of Kawi and Kawi goes to the future guy for one last chance, and he's given two choices: keep things as they are or go back to the first timeline. Kawi goes back to the first timeline (because you can't ever really go back and fix your past), but takes the lessons he learned to improve his (and all his friends') present and future. This show has been really good at giving me better than I could come up with, and I'm looking forward to being proven wrong.

Most of all I just want to celebrate in this moment that this show is doing everything I had hoped (none of which I expected to get), and none of what I'd feared, and it has far, far surpassed my expectations!

[rose-of-pollux]

Quiz thing

Also tagged by @belphegor1982 for this--

Rules: list the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern!

(I'm skipping the incidental AU blurbs I did for AU Roulette except for the one that launched the Ashen Pines AU)

It was with a newfound nervousness that Doc, accompanied once again by Marty, sped off across the desert in the DeLorean, now with more provisions and a full tank of gas. -- A Moment of Peace (BTTF, Ashen Pines AU

Las Vegas itself had been another casualty of the war, though plenty of foresight had made it possible for residents to prepare for the eventual evacuation. -- Nowhere to Turn (BTTF, Ashen Pines AU)

Doc found himself having to commandeer a few things from the ruins of the town; he justified it by promising he’d find a way to pay once he could regain access to his bank account—for now, all he had was whatever cash he’d had on hand before the government agents had escorted him out of town just before the town had been leveled. -- To Be Told You're No Good (BTTF, Ashen Pines AU)

Doc’s homecoming was worse than anything his nightmares had ever produced. -- Up in Smoke (BTTF, Ashen Pines AU)

Doc finally understood the true meaning of exhaustion. -- No Rest for the Weary (BTTF, main timeline)

Doc knew that the stability of the entire space-time continuum depended on Marty going back in time on that night, in the very same circumstances as he did in his original timeline. -- No Turning Back (BTTF, main timeline)

The war was over. And Dr. Emmett L. Brown was forever changed. -- Miles to Go Before I Sleep (BTTF, main timeline)

Sometimes, being able to steal away to the Hofbrau in town was the sole beacon of sanity for Newkirk; it was a temporary escape from the tunnels and Stalag 13 and the chaos within, and a chance to enjoy some food and drinks—and if he was lucky, meet up with one of his local contacts for a date. -- Wrong Place at the Right Time (Hogan's Heroes)

The Ghost Host, being the majordomo of the Haunted Mansion, took his job seriously—in life, and in death. -- Call and Response (Haunted Mansion)

The appearance of various witches and warlocks at Vincent’s castle was something that the gang had gotten accustomed to while living there. -- Occupational Hazard (13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo)

...The pattern here is that I enjoy putting Doc Through It regardless of timeline. 😅 That, and my opening line is usually a matter-of-fact declaration about the current situation.

Oh yeah, tagging @threephantomrey and anyone else who wants to do this!

[thestorytoad]

Male Cowboy/Outlaw OC x Female OC Roleplay (18+ only and literate/novella) [PAUSED]

Whats up! I am currently in search of a literate/novella style Roleplay partner interested in historical cowboy/outlaw plot, whereas my cowboy man plays against your lady. I am up to multiple types of tropes, character arcs, and styles and will summarize below :)

Literate/Novella Style is appreciated. I am a writer by heart and even as my hobby, I tend to go full throttle. Depth, inner dialogue, description, I love love love it all. My bread and butter baby!

EST time zone! I would prefer you not be far from it as I do have a work life and other responsibilities that veer into hours that may not be the best is you aren’t in a similar time zone

Regular responses. I am an adult with a job so i more than understand handling hobbies and life at once. But a semi regular and predictable routine would be nice.

I love realness and character development. Depth and analysis and Headcanons, all of it. I like to have them go on a journey, that is natural and also fun but without veering into cartoon-y stereotypes or Mary Sue territory. But if you love a good character arc and development, I’m here for it.

Dark themes. I don’t stray into graphic portrayal or gore, but I do include dark backstories, trauma, and some violence. Triggers/Avoidables will most def be discussed but if that’s not your thing as a whole, may not be a match

NSFW. I don’t require it or specifically seek it out but an open to the prospect if it happens in the story. Obvs we can discuss as/when it comes up what we both are comfortable with

All characters must be 18+. Simple enough lol

ldeas:

Outlaw finding shelter working as a ranch hand on the run and starts to develop a relationship with the daughter/sister of the rancher

Gang starts to harass town/cause trouble when my character and yours meet. Could be the daughter of the sheriff, regular town person, or more steamy plots as a sex worker

Rival gang members (classic)

Ranchers find injured man (my outlaw) and decide to assist, unknowing he’s a member of the gang nearby

Open to more! These are what I can think of here and now but am always up to hearing ideas and delving more into one!

[brawlstars-dragon-au]

please talk abour shelly and colt for. 5 hours thankiyiu

You got it! A long bundle of Shelly and Colt HCs/info in my AU (as well as ship HCs at the bottom as well 🛐).

Shelly:

Her attacks consist of a medium range solid fire breath. With enough charge, she can release a more explosive breath that shreds through walls as well. A regular shot is more orange, but her "super" is a lighter blue with a tint of purple.

Under her bandaid, she has a little scar from her younger days.

Her classic yellow bandana is a gift from her parents. She's gained quite a few over the years!

She was once part of a gang that was decently well known in the Wild West areas of the Park. They had taken her under their wings and cared for her from a young age. It disbanded after a few successful years (By this time, she was considered about 20 for humans), leaving Shelly to wander alone until situating herself in the quiet-ish life of the main town.

During her time in this gang, her coat colours were not as bright and were mostly light purples leaning to shades of grey and black.

She has a black cat named Starlight! She's very small but she loves her a lot 💛 she sometimes sits in her bandana as she does casual errands. Sometimes they have the exact sma expressions and it's kinda silly hehe

Colt:

The gold star on his back, as well as his tails, are dyed. (This fact may change in the future, as I want to give Colt a slight redesign.)

Colt's attacks consist of different bursts of fire that he breathes out. He usually attacks with a quick bursts of flames that go a far range, with a strong red flame on them. Stronger Super attacks lean to an almost pinkish orange colour. A small detail I want to expand on is that some brawlers' hair (pr another part) will actually turn slightly elemental-like when using what we consider as a super in the regular game. Colt's hair will become similar to a flame when he uses his supercharged flame blast.

His scar on his chin came from a heist back when he was still part of his mom's gang. He scraped it when falling to the ground. He once took pride with it, as it looked just like the one his father had. Now, it's more of an upsetting reminder of the life he left behind.

Additionally, back when he was in the gang, he dyed his hair and wings black to differ himself from his mother (which had a very bold red coat and feathers.) Similarly to Shelly, his colours were simply shades of dark blue and grey, apart from the red that shone through.

Colt's feathers are his pride and joy. You'll never catch anyone touching them, let alone preening (the act of cleaning feathers with birds, this also applies to dragons). The only acceptions are for those he trusts very much. Some examples are Shelly and Pam (Belle was once allowed, but in current times she is definitely not. Family drama!!!)

He left the gang during his late teens after conflicting ideals and issues that had been festering for years.

A bit after, Colt gets taken in by Pam, who welcomes him into the family. Cause of this, he is an honorary Junker ❤️

Colt's actually supposed to be very fluffy, but he sheers off a good chunk of his fur to give the appearance of a "vest" rather than a full fluffy hide. This trait is from his dad.

Finally, some classic Sholt - it's getting a bit long, so I'll add a read more here:

Years ago, while they were still in their gangs, they did interact a few times. Nothing too huge, let alone friendship, but a mutual respect for each other. They almost didn't recognise each other when interacting again as adults.

Colt fell first, Shelly fell harder.

Shelly is one of the few who has seen Colt during his molting period. She brought him snacks and made sure he knew she would still love him even if he thought he looked like some balding hatchling. I actually have an old fanfic for this. Might post it sometime!

When they nap together, Shelly will rest her head just above his wing, using the fluffy fur almost like a pillow. Colt will then rest his head on hers.

Colt's ways of showing affection vary so much, with all coming right from the heart. He gives words of affirmation with flirts and compliments. He'll put on grand displays of affection through small songs or even a little dance. He'll bring gifts that remind him of Shelly (can range from a new bandana he thinks she'd like, or simple trinkets and items that remind him of her).

On the other hand, Shelly's prefers to express her affection through actions. She would not hesitate to protect him in brawls and assures him that she's happy with him (leaning into the subtle insecurity at the heart of Colt's pride).

Shelly asked him out first officially. Colt had asked a few times before, but they were sort of casual and not direct enough. Shelly made that first step to directly say, "Do you wanna go on a date together?"

^ Colt probably sat there in shock for a few minutes /pos. Of course, he agreed! They've been happy ever since <3

In the future (or perhaps in a divergent au/future with fankids), they have a daughter named Shea. She's a lovely ruby red colour, with wing feathers a light lilac colour at the ends. She attacks similarly to Shelly, using stronger mid range attacks. Her attacks do seem to carry just a bit of electric magic/power in it, but that's only noticed when she's older. 🤭

There we go! That's a few of the headcanons I've got for these two. I do wanna flesh out their story in my au, as the past with the gangs really do give a lot to think of... but that'll come much much later when I at least have more designs for the AU 😭😭 Thank you for the ask! It was a pleasure writing this out! ✨️

[fates-calling]

I caved and made this silly side-blog! Mostly: because I want a place to scream about my Tavs and the game itself.

So! Meet my three guys!

The only player characters I have made. So far...

Romance: Gale | Playthrough Status: Complete! | Alignment: Chaotic Good

Romance: Astarion | Playthrough Status: Complete! | Alignment: Neutral Evil

Romance: Undecided | Playthrough Status: Act 1 | Alignment: Lawful Good

Some more detailed facts about them under the cut!

Soren

He was taken in by a thieves' guild (which I named the 'Silver Tongues') in Baldur's Gate when he was young after running away from home - who posed or were also bards as a cover-up

He is a raging kleptomaniac, and genuinely can't seem to help himself sometimes

In-game every single romanceable companion in the tadpole gang, tried to sleep with him: except for Karlach. Even the Emporer tried. He only slept with two of his party members, Gale (ofx) and Astarion in Act 2: twice.

His musical instrument of choice is the lute!

His choice of weapon is a longbow & longsword! He actually uses Phalar Aluve.

He and Astarion have a bit of a messy relationship. It's queer platonic, honestly at best. But also, they are kind of in love with each other. However, Soren chose Gale and also believed that the vampire needed a friend, more than a lover. As well as, as much as he adores Astarion - he respects Gale's desire to be monogamous.

He grew up never in one place, being dragged from one city or town to another by his ever-drinking & abusive mother. They were cast out of their eleven town because Soren, was the result of an affair: and with his father being a rich lord and his mother not his wife, well - they were tossed to the streets. He learned how to swindle and steal to survive.

Durge

At first, I named my Durge run well, "The Dark Urge" because I thought it would be funny. And I couldn't think of a fitting name but then it just stuck. Now, the lore reason, is that he really doesn't have a name. So - when meeting Lae'zel and realizing that calling himself the 'dark urge' might cause mistrust, or make him seem pretentious: he simply combined the two words. Durge.

He is a dual wielder! Currently using two shortswords (Knife of the Undermountian King & just a gith blade)

While I am doing a completely evil run with Durge - he is going to reject Bhaal. Because he wants to be free, and as an aasimar, all he has known is submission and orders. He isn't going to become a good person - no, he just wants freedom. To kill who he wants. When he wants, be in complete control of himself and his deeds. Kill in his name.

He had a one-night stand with Lae'zel unable to resist her demanding allure. He regretted it the day after, realizing that he should have thought about it more. But! It did help him discover that sex makes him feel the same way giving into his urges does. It's a stress relief! It also made him remember how many people he has slept with a lot. Almost as many as he has killed. Apparently - casual sex is a habit of his.

He is obsessive. About everyone who comes into his vicinity, and who allows themselves to be under his wings & gain his respect/trust. Whether they be a friend or lover. Durge holds the people he cares for too tight and leaves bruises upon their bodies because all he has known is darkness and blood. How does he deal with these other feelings? That he wasn't built for. So, instead of casting light like most aasimar - he drags people into his swirling shadows and bloodied wings. And he won't let them go. Not without a fight.

Ouroborus

Ouroboros was a part of the Blood War before escaping Avernus

Every time he uses divine magic, it essentially hurts him as well due to his fiendish blood (half-devil)

If it were mechanically available he would totally be an Oath of Redemption

While playing, I have him in his full cambion form, he hides his devil linage and presents himself as a teifling to the party until Act 2 ish (just take away the wings pft)

I plan for him not to use any of his illithid powers, or give into any of them! Something Durge & Soren both did.

Currently using the Everburn Blade!

He has the least developed personality & backstory of my three Tavs, obviously because I haven't played with him for long. I am very excited though.

[coffee-in-veins]

Dismas for the bingo? Also I keep seeing the 'fandom is wrong about them' the filled with no further explanation, if you fill it could you elaborate? Thanks!

ding-ding-ding we have double bingo!

who is surprised? certainly not me

as for the "everyone else is wrong about them" elaboration...

my problem mostly lies with how fandom loves to absolve characters of their shittiness - and now canon does too.

like if we look at DD1, canonically, Dismas is not a good man. maybe kind in his own right, maybe loyal, maybe friendly in his own way, i'm not denying any of it. but he did shit. he killed people. he robbed, mugged, most likely caused road accidents (considering how highway robberies were made). very few people write/draw/talk about him as a man who has serious problems, is probably an alcoholic, a tobacco addict, and considering times, proooooobaby on some dubious opioid/alcohol/only Light and Para knows (probably more Para than Light) what else mix which was considered medicine at the time - that is, if he can be bothered or can afford it. he has to be at least somewhat shady.

in my opinion, he has to scheme, lie his ass off, double cross people - it's what kept him alive for so long, after all. sure he can tell noble lies, but it doesn't mean he's any more honest. sure he knows his way around people, but look at his barks, he surely is a braggart. he sees his skills as superior (as anyone in Hamlet does, really, but that's beside the point). he is a conman, a shitbag, a cheater - and yet in most cases, I see him portrayed much like a cat: a bit bumbling, a bit of a jerk, sometimes moody but in the end, harmless. and this isn't what he is, imo. he's a thug. a thug who writes poetry in his free time, sure, but a thug nonetheless.

it's honestly my problem with DD2 mostly. characters there are washed-out toothless poor little meow meows. and it saddens me, since i see them as horrible people who try to make the most out of their current situation - it doesn't make them any less of the shitbags for it. like, i have no doubt that Dismas would suicide-rush a boss to save a friend (much like that Darius highwayman who met his end in encounter with Shambler) - but it doesn't mean he won't sacrifice a seeker he doesn't care for to assure his or his friend's survival or won't mug some sorry bloke in the town if he wouldn't have enough for a bottle. fandom, unfortunately, is usually pretty bad at seeing the moral greyness of characters and sticking to it. they either become the bastards or the infallible "precious babies". and since Dismas is widely popular, he bears the brunt of it.

we know he was in prison but it is barely explored (we don't talk about DD2's portrayal of him there in this blog, i need to be much more inebriated to talk about Buffmas). he is writing poems, but it's rarely referenced. he used to be a candlemaker, used to have a lover, maybe was in Vvulf's brigand, and knows marine terminology, so maybe he was on a ship or was sold as a galley slave from prison - there's so much going on in his backstory that seeing RH dumbing it down to "desperate meow meow who had literally no other viable options was tricked by a bad gang to assault a clown car" and even the "moral sin" which is pushed heavily as the reason he came to Hamlet in the first place was washed off him; in DD1, he shot the carriage deliberately: he heard a noise, and fresh out of a fight, his reflexes snapped into pulling the trigger. but the big emphasis of the scene in the comic was that it was after the fight was completely and utterly over. that was the tragedy - the same quick reflexes that let him live to his age, that he always, always starts the run with, screwed him over into murdering a defenceless woman and a child. however, in DD2, he's robbed even out of that, as they died, as Narrator puts it, "in erratic gunfire", cleansing him of deliberately pulling the trigger and having full responsibility of it when there was no need for it.

i can go on and on but... those are the biggest gripes.

[joysofescapism]

The Havoc Boys Series by C.M. Stunich: This is Ridiculous! I love it.

This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I sure enjoyed myself reading the whole series. Read my full review under the cut.

And if you want to know my thoughts on each book just click: (1) Havoc at Prescott High (2) Chaos at Prescott High (3) Mayhem at Prescott High (4) Anarchy at Prescott High (5) Victory at Prescott High

I will start this review by saying: I hate bully “romance”. And since these tropes were huge in young adult-high school settings, I don't read those anymore.

But The Havoc Boys was an exception. C.M. Stunich’s storytelling was able to chain my ass on a chair allowing me to finish the whole thing. Not only that, the story didn’t focus much on the bullying and only gave you flashbacks of it.

I didn’t think it will make much of a difference if the bullying element wasn’t included in the plot development since she already had an awful life throughout her teenage years. It felt like it was just thrown out there. The H’s bullying her into "leaving town" didn't hold any merit since we didn't see the consequences of that (i.e. h was still obsessed with these boys who did an overkill on her while she was going through all the abuse). But, it wasn't my story, so.

I think you should proceed with an open mind and low expectations. There were a lot of things in the series that weren’t something to give a comprehensive explanation of. This was for a specific kind of audience and I also consider this a self-indulgent read if you’re looking for something specific, as well as my guilty pleasure.

The Book Cover

The book covers played a huge part in convincing me to read this series. I wasn’t entirely sure about the premise at first seeing that the characters were barely legal and all. And yet, the cover art did an amazing job of pulling me in.

It was your typical shirtless guys, but the focus wasn’t entirely on them. It was elegantly made despite the story environment. It also gave an accurate depiction of the H’s characteristics and their relationship with the heroine.

Havoc at Prescott High was my favorite. While Anarchy at Prescott High was a close second.

Characters

Let me talk about the main characters first, starting with the heroine.

Bernadette Blackbird. I have a love-hate relationship with her. I understand that she was an aspiring writer, however, her monologues... weren’t impressive. She was edgy to the point of being cringe. I don't love her. But I don't hate her either, at least most of the time. How was she able to lust after the guys who made her life a living hell for years? I have no idea. But then again, this is why I hate bully romance.

One of the reasons why I was able to get through the story was because the bullying didn’t happen on the current timeline. I didn’t know if what she went through would be considered “bullying" or just downright assault and abuse. At least you were able to see some form of maturity in her character later on. But, she still embodies that teenager who thinks she already knows everything there is to know.

Next up, the harem. The HAVOC Boys. I won’t be commenting about their physical aspects like how the author did them. I don’t care much about those things. I’m more on how they were written: if they were fleshed out well or if they were only words on the paper with no personality at all. Considering that, we have 5 Hs in this series that fulfilled the usual tropes.

I will say this, these guys don’t act their age at all. Thinking about it now, I could give this series a higher rating if the characters were older. Anyway, more of those later below. Let’s get back to the characters at hand:

You have the over-the-top intense leader/boss, Victor Channing. He was an asshole. But hey, he has to be. He was a gang leader after all. If you are into bad boys (read: assholes) that are obsessed with you and only care about you—and maybe his bros—you'll probably like this dude. Is he a great character? No. But do I at least like him? Maybe. Again, if you like the domineering types, you’ll probably bark at Victor Channing.

Then you have the trying-to-be-the-hero-ex-boyfriend, Aaron Fadler. I hated him at first because his past actions didn't show his supposed loyalty to Bernie at all (don't worry it's not an OW drama). But goddamn me because I like guys who are amazing with kids (and with the elderly). Yes, he was Bernie's ex. And yes, he was there during the bullying (abuse) which happened after they broke up. Among the guys, I believe he was the closest you can get to being "normal." He tried to be a good person but considering everything he had already done, I didn’t think that would be possible. The only way for him to grow was to accept his darkness. Good thing it did happen.

Of course, there’s always going to be the manwhore. Hael Harbin. But he was that type of manwhore who at least respects women. Yes, I know it's the bare minimum but you get the point. He also plays the role of balancing the dynamic of the group. Oh also, he loves vintage cars. He's a mechanic with soft hands, according to Bernie. Among the boys (Yes, boys. They’re minors despite what the author tries to say), Hael was the most chill. He can give pull off a bad romance kind of relationship. The one that's so bad but oh so great. He also falls into that category of being the manwhore who will drop his whore-ish ways when they find the right one.

Next on the list. The gang needs to have a brain and that was Oscar Montauk. While Victor makes all the decisions, Oscar was the one who weighs those decisions. He was also the hater but was actually obsessed with the heroine. He was not great with feelings and he also has a lot of trauma. I think the most awful one as well. Among the characters though, Oscar got the most character development though we could only witness the process, I think it was a good thing. He was also that character who you’ll probably get scared of but also be interested in. He could either go full serial killer or just be a weird dude with dark thoughts. Though to be fair, this was a gang story so all of the Hs are murderers by default.

Last but not least, the most mysterious one and possibly also the most dangerous, Callum Park. He gives off quiet-killer vibe and lurks about most of the time. He was the silent one. The one who prefers to be by the sidelines, just observing. But everybody knows he was dangerous and he could go off like a bomb if anything happened to the object of his fascination. He was the resident pretty boy as well, since he was supposed to be a primo ballerino but because of things that happened in the past he couldn't anymore.

The characters are heavily influenced by the overused western media tropes and archetypes. You know the usual stuff about high school TV shows. They’re cringe, and dramatic, everyone has trauma, the adults were practically useless, and everyone wasn’t acting like their age. Perhaps a little ridiculousness from time to time could be good for your mind.

But, since I do like my stories with vivid storytelling, it surprisingly worked well for me. I also don’t find that much character development with the characters, except with Oscar. Also maybe with Aaron and Victor as well. Hael and Callum’s character growth aren’t that significant but I don’t think they have to since they weren’t presented with something to work on.

Plot

The plot was able to immerse me into the H.A.V.O.C. world and Stunich deserves her roses for a skill like that. One reason why I pushed through was: the action didn’t occur that much around the school setting. This might be your typical high school bully who runs a gang, but the storytelling was what sets it apart from the rest. This trope was highly overused in the reverse harem contemporary romance genre, so the only way for a series to be different is all up to the author’s prowess.

It was a simple revenge plot but the action made it all interesting. There's nothing much special to it but again, this is for self-indulgent purposes. If you can get past the Riverdale cringe, you will enjoy this one.

The pacing was a little fast, and a lot of things are happening all at once. But it was executed well and everything worked perfectly. Despite all that is happening, I loved the feeling of suspense that went through with it. Putting aside all of the things that didn’t work well for me, the plot was well-developed to keep you interested.

If you don’t want to be spoiled, I suggest you do not read the ending section of this review.

Ending

The ending of a well-developed series is always going to be a deal breaker, just look at Game of Thrones and Supernatural. I will say this though, the ending of Havoc Boys may not be the best ending there could be, but considering all that led up to that particular moment, it was perfect.

Stunich used the False Death plot device and was executed well enough that I actually thought the character died. This was the part I cried about and the reason why I still considered this one good for my taste. I think an author who can make you cry just by reading the journey of their characters is a phenomenal author.

In the actual end, we got our HEA. Yay!

Rating

The average rating of this 5-book series was 3.5. I rounded it down to 3 out of 5 stars.

This whole thing was a damn roller coaster ride.

Despite the initial apprehension and almost not finishing the first book, I finished all five with no breaks in between. There might have been elements that didn’t work for me, but the storytelling alone made up for all of it.

A huge suspension of disbelief is needed to enjoy this series. Sure, you won’t be able to gain much but, to be honest, this is not for that. The Havoc Boys series is highly self-indulgent and smut is top-tier. Not too graphic to the point of boring me to death, but just enough. Frequent, yet still enough.

Final Thoughts

Do I want a sequel for this series? I don't think so. Let's leave the ending at that. The characters are lovable enough throughout the five books, but not enough for me to get curious and look at what they could be doing in the future.

Do I recommend this to others? If you want to indulge in a guilty pleasure without needing to think too much and give reasons for everything, this could be a good read. I don't think you should be picking up this book just to find all that is wrong with it. Or if you are not ready to try and experience something out of your comfort zone.

Was this a heavy read? There are mentions of past extreme bullying, sexual assault (on minor characters), attempted sexual assaults, pedophilia, sexual relations between teenage characters, and the usuals when it comes to crime fiction (drugs, violence, murder, etc.). So if you are new to this kind of genre, this might be uncomfortable for you. But if you're not, this is mild. Again, all you have to do is enjoy the ride. Some things might not work for you, and some might, it all depends on personal preferences.

Will I read this again? I re-read the whole series: twice on my own accord just to feel some emotions it brought me the first time I stumbled upon it; another one to relive and remember the plot to pull out this review. It being a part of my “I could read it again” shelf says something.

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[basicallyjaywalker]

Deep inhale. Well since you asked so nicely :D

On Razed Ground

Current WIP, takes place between S4 and S5 with some minor canon divergences (Pixal has a body already, Morro does not return in the same way) and is a three line story following the ninja, Pixal, and Ronin and Skylor respectively. Zombie AU! Telltale's Walking Dead inspired but I mostly wanna focus on the terrible human tragedy of an apocalypse (do you guys ever think about death?) and am going to draw on other zombie/apocalypse media (most of which was recommended by the very cool @finn-m-corvex ).

It's actually in the process of a semi-rework, taking my first outline and draft and doing a little extra planning. First thing I'm actually doing a full big plan for before writing because I want things to be really, really good

Broader Zombie AUs from that

And now, because ADHD is a menace, I have about 3 different other Zombie AUs that are scrapped ORG ideas.

One is the apocalypse happens at the very start of the series and all of the seasons/the pilots are rewritten with that as a change. So basically the day Nya would've been kidnapped is the day the outbreak hit their village

One is zombie apocalypse with the previous generation of EMs, not much aside from that, just a concept

And the last is just a series of unrelated one shots that mostly deal with death, grief, and ethical quandaries and will probably be the grab bag of any scrapped ORG ideas or scenes (because I have a lot of ideas but there's only one way someone can die)

The Grand College AU

What started as cute silly lesbian fluff spiraled into three separate storylines. Help

The first one is a Nya x Jasmine (OC) story. Both are workaholics whose friends encourage them to join one of the theatre groups on their campus to chill tf out. Jasmine is a sound and lights girlie, Nya is a minor actress, they both fall fast and hard and pine for weeks. Shenanigans ensue!

Then there's the polycule Jay fucked around and found himself in after he and Nya (amicably) broke up after graduation. Jay gets three boyfriends through autism rizz and it is similarly silly. Dumbassshipping + Kyle (OC).

And finally there's a cute friendship between Lloyd and his new roommate, Nataly (OC). Which I have one full scene thought out and it's them hashing out complicated feelings about their parents, and the rest is them getting into misadventure!

Overall a very silly AU. There's also Pixane but it's mostly Pixal being an exhausted wingman for Nya and Jasmine and she makes Zane watch movies with her after to decompress (he enjoys it)

Hallmark Movie (WIP title)

Another current WIP!

Another silly romance one! This is Kai x Hannah (OC) wherein they are both trying to get their shit together after some life fuckups.

Hannah moves into a new town after a breakup with her long-term girlfriend. There, she meets this annoying guy named Kai. Neither can stand each other at first, but they come together to restore an old building in town they have a connection with. They procees to slowly inch towards love in the process.

New Americana Inspired AU

Bruise celebrity AU! Jay was raised by Cliff and is groomed to be a child star. Hates this lifestyle. Cole has a similar backstory to canon, including running away from home and living with this weird old guy who runs a tea shop with his nephew. Lou still pushed him to be a dancer and Cole became famous for a bit before running away and disappearing off the face of the earth. They have a chance meeting and begin a forbidden romance. Themes of self-discovery and independence ensue! The finale is planned in my head

Scooby Doo AU aka Ninja Mystery Solvers

Monster Living AU

Fan season fan season! The basic idea is what if the people who ran Mega Monster Amusement Park were an evil megacorp and decided to make entire towns where everyone in them works for the Corp and the Corp controls everything in their lives! Very WIP

Kai, Nya, Pixal, Jay, and Cole are the Scooby Doo gang and I reimagine seasons/plotlines through the lens of Scooby Doo

Jay and Cole are Scooby and Shaggy (who has whose energy changes)

Nya is Daphne

Pixal is Velma

Kai is Fred

No planned ships other than some possible side character crushes and would mostly be a collection of the sillies

Original Masters AU

Story where the original elemental masters/embodiments of the elements are like gods. Some of them come back to Ninjago and try to make everything anew, disliking the direction the FSM's creation has taken. Problem being they have very little regard for life! Oops. There's also a possible crime drama/ace attorney scene in this. Because I can. Because it's fun

Other horrors include the masters having the ability to possess the current EMs and use their abilities. This requires having physical access to both the EM and the EM being extremely weakened though, as their powers naturally fend off the possession when at the level of strength that would interest one of these gods

And yeah that's about it! I have a few others but none of them are really fleshed out enough to talk about here

ANYONE that has a Ninjago AU omfg, please spill, I really want to hear ur guys’ ideas, AUs are so awesome and it’s so cool that creativity can bring so much insane stuff, DROP THEM NEOWWWWWW (and if u reblog don’t put it in tags…😞) I want to read them, I’m curious…

[meanwhileinstasiville]

Today’s theme is Phil Lee

Ashland entrance bridge: Red and white semi’s going both ways as I reach it

Ashland Overpass: Single car; white Dodge Neon going one way, Southern Oregon Comfort HVAC going the other way

Ashland Food Pantry: Seriously curated, and with three whole cans of green beans to show for it. Eric expy rolls up as I’m perusing to say “we try to keep it full, take as much as you want” to offset the past happenings I have observed there, and to assume *what was stocked there originally, and looted or redirected by latinos monitoring it for goodies, is what I’m seeing at present* when I check it out.

Such as: Woman singing the “ass bandit” song at the top of her lungs, marching her 90lb body on heels that once “I can only walk this far, to this food pantry and no farther!”, delivered several bags of cans to a nearby bathroom. She opened each one, took a bite or two, and left the mess of them in its entirety inside (She’s been observed all across town, so suspect her definition of “walking”)

The Chicago-esque guy and wife/girlfriend: Who once asked me, “What do you expect to see/find here; what do you look for?” and who is notable for putting rebottled olive oil (that isn’t olive, and in all probability is not safe) sealed with electrical tape (now with a "THIS IS NOT OLIVE OIL" crude note taped to it), inside. I told them that “it’s what I don’t hope to find, like trash, empty containers, and dirty clothes…” to which they both seemed surprised could happen. Seeing as that particular pantry has pride flags literally painted on the sign, that woman’s singing, and also the implicit disrespect makes sense in context.

The squatter heavy: Who weighs like 300lbs, unclean and unshaven and who periodically empties the food pantry because *he needs to eat a lot to stay so fat and keep everyone so thin* Cartel commentary about America via Mexico, I think.

Dear Bryan: Every mini cooper that rolls up where I go or meets me at an intersection pushes me away from your religion, toward the muslims, and some of the other Arab types. I’m sure that’s completely understandable and can be corrected, unless of course, it’s a Latin King thing, in which case its backed up by cartel murder (both seeing them, and the responsibility of the drivers for meeting me with them). And *that* pushes me even farther away from the Latinos.

And there are TWO red Hondas parked outside Love Revolution today: Not just the one, for additional cartel hilarity

Sitting at the bench above the pickleball courts to snack: Always seems to produce very heavy set to morbidly obese women, line of sight, within a minute or two of beginning to eat. “He likes to eat, he must like fat women” the cartels *suggest at sword point for their amusement*

Trying to figure out what the fuck a mommy-domme is: Has produced white haired old lady “looking for mister goodbar” stalkers in the very same cartel way. In the worst possible projected interpretation; I get the impression the cartels don’t like me very much, and the feeling is mutual.

I haven’t wanted anything to do with SNK dba Phil Lee antagonism for a bare minimum of 14 years: And I *still* occasionally get followed by the Ryan expy Pathways driver. Currently experiencing a sociopathic and *completely staged* outburst by the heavy set veteran who seems to like sleeping here. And usually while sitting at terminal 9. To go with Laurel and Hardy on terminal 10 and terminal 11, who sometimes picked him up when he fell out of his chair. They pretend to sleep at the computer sometimes for cartel gang hilarity courtesy of SNK. The guy who lives on the second street alley (the one that washes out every year) in a mobile home, itself a mystery of sorts, is kind of an unknown. He’s sitting on 5, but I think that’s probably also an SNK regular thing.

Edit: I used to be used as a dream interpreter, like a certain group of people in whose traditions I was literarily raised (after my mom had a breakdown). A house of cards formed from several race's prejudices will not exterminate Muslims, fyi. Chechen's are white; Chechen's are Muslims. Wherever you guys go, you go with you, and your generational violence by Africans forever ago comes along for the very long ride. Always got to be ready to court pharoah, right? (if anyone wonders why I *never ever* reblog cats, among other things from a specific part of North Africa)

*staged conversation about batteries from walking arsenal noisemaking guy, and his crew sitting in the corner* at: 12:46, you know. And mumbling about Japan while sitting *oh yeah suggestion and gangs* kitty corner. I'm curious, are the emphasized words including names supposed to...make someone money? Make someone respectable? Make someone win at gambling? Speaking of southern seeming street gang types. Definitely terminal 1 in weapons. Compared to the other guys who all outweigh him.

Addendum, Gang Activity: Safeway has a kid who stalks me through the parking lot, sometimes through the store, and even outside at the bottle return. Today, he walked parallel to me all the way across the front of the store, while *actively* watched by someone I later met back in the dairy aisle, and who refused to get out of his car (sunglasses and all) as though acting security. In gang style. Seems that kid was called into work for that express purpose. And you know, odd enough though it is, Safeway's bottle return *only took 7 bottles*. Someone should see how this story is going to end (those machines are all networked, and incidentally stamped Norwegian on the inside; though that's the fabrication plant while the design was in Italy). There's the alcoholc with *three whole hurry-k-knee giant cans of alcoholism* to go with his face. And his neglected kid. Ahead of me in line long enough to gang speech. There's the guy who spit at me on the plaza, saluting the hulking reference librarian who drives a Latin King colored luxury car, touting her as "a real rockstar" and "I'd expect nothing less*.

I think there's supposed to be some emotional hook to this that isn't there: Alcoholics I've known get (including my parents) get drunk and fight. Scary they're not. Sometimes they throw (or threw, I should say) up blood. A sober cousin close to seven feet tall once threw me into a wall, like he was tossing a barrel. Alcohol is not scary. Too much WWF watching. What are supposed (and I'm guessing here) ways to regulate or browbeat based on intimidation and all, as opposed to commiting the level of murder that installed BOTH Aryans and Latin gangs. They fall on deaf ears. Everyone else, and then me. Always outgunned and outnumbered; never been any different.

*An old guy wearing a "phillies" shirt walked by at the time of the writing above* (Kill everyone and then eat your lunch all by yourself)

All those things gangs can't do, and yet, why do old people identify with them?

Any of the people who are supposed to look like me who continue to gang-stalk, for lack of a better word, that pushes toward Islam too. And also potentially getting hurt for stalking me. And the woman who meets me at the entrance and exit on gang purpose, and who usually parks (and has literally rolled up on me) next to 460 down the street from the library (she's on track to getting assaulted). Thanks for understanding instead of misunderstanding on purpose.

[sparkleofpizza]

Ace of hearts

Paring: biker!Steve Rogers x fem!reader

Requested: no

Summary: Moving to a new city that is completely different from everything you have ever know, you meet a certain biker. 

Warning: smut, piv, fingering, cursing

Word count: 11.4k

Steve was a bit confused at first. He hated that he couldn’t quite understand what had brought him to the predicament he was currently in. He always thought he had his whole life figured out, he knew what he wanted, he knew who his friends were, he knew that he enjoyed having a tattoo studio and being a tattoo artist for a living, he knew the type of woman he was attracted to and you? You weren’t normally who he would go for, so why the hell couldn’t he stop thinking about you?

It had all started innocently enough. He knew he shouldn’t have done that double take he did when he saw you walk through the doors of the dinner he went to every morning to get his fill of coffee.

You walked in with such confidence and a beautiful stride in high heels that he had to do a double take. You were wearing a tight skirt, a baby pink shirt tucked in and a jacket on top. Your hair was styled to perfection, flawless makeup and a purse held close to you. You didn’t look like you belonged there. You looked like you belonged in one of those tv shows he sometimes liked to watch in his free time.

That’s the reason why he did a double take in the first place.

He knew he lived near New York and that there were all kinds of people there. But the dinner he went to every morning? Mrs. Martha’s diner? Oh no, he went there his whole life and people didn’t dress the way you do to go there. Maybe some kids show up there during prom night and that’s the fanciest he’s ever seen anyone. He isn’t saying people dress up badly, but normally they’re wearing jeans, or summer dresses, or shorts, and definitely sneakers, not high heels.

He was intrigued to say the least. What brought a woman like you to a place like a small diner? You seemed to belong to a fancy coffee shop where they’d charge 25 dollars for a single espresso.

The blonde male watched you as you came up to the counter and took a seat at one of the red stools there. He could only see your profile now, but he felt weird watching you smile at the waitress and start speaking to her.

“Whatcha looking at?” Jake asked, hopping on the booth on the opposite side. “Uuh, she’s pretty.”

“She’s weird.” Steve countered back.

The other male frowned. “Weird? Why is she weird? She’s just a gorgeous woman ordering some breakfast. One of the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen, if I’m being honest. Not more beautiful than my bunny, but you know what I mean.”

“She doesn’t look like she belongs here.” He explained, his eyes still trained on her. “Look at the way she’s dressed! Who the hell wears heels to come eat breakfast?”

Jake laughed, digging into his plate of eggs and bacon he had abandoned for a while to go to the restroom.

“You’re pissed because she’s wearing heels? Sometimes I don’t understand you, man.”

“I’m not pissed. I’m just…” But Steve found himself at a loss of words. He was just what?

He couldn’t exactly pinpoint what was making him stressed, but he knew you were stressing him out. You were making him feel weird and he decided right now that he didn’t like you one bit.

“Maybe she’s new to town.” Jake offered, mouth full of bacon. “Maybe she’s just passing by, but leave the poor gorgeous woman be.”

He rolled his eyes. He wasn’t going to go up to you and be rude, but he also didn’t have to enjoy your presence. Your gorgeous presence, as Jake placed it. Steve just assumed that what threw him off was just how much out of place you looked in the town. You didn’t seem to belong to a place like Rendalle.

Rendalle was a medium-sized town near New York, a perfect place to raise your kids, but it was also a place with biker gangs, with men like him. And you? For what he observed so far you seemed like a fine woman, fancy, your outfit probably cost almost the same amount as his bike. What are you doing in a place like this? He was so curious and intrigued by you and he hates it because he knows you’re trouble.

You were happy for your change of scenario. Moving to a new city where no one seemed to know who you were was exactly what you needed.

You were born and raised in New York, that's all you knew your whole life, that style. The skyscrapers and an enormous apartment where your parents raised you with your big sister. You knew the Sunday brunches and trips to Italy during summer. You knew private schools that probably cost more than someone make for living, and the luxurious cars because you didn't learn how to take the subway until you were a freshman at college since your parents refused to go there and instead ordered someone to drive them around town. But then, after graduating in law school, you were offered a great job opportunity but it was away from home.

Rendalle wasn't far from the place you grew up in. With luck and no traffic you could be home in three hours, or take the train and maybe you'd be there quicker. It was a big change, you were aware of that when you said yes. For the first time in your life you'd be doing things on your own and that was all going through your head when you said yes.

Of course your parents weren't happy, you'd be shocked if they said they were. Your dad wanted you to work for a friend of his, he was a powerful man and needed a good trustworthy lawyer by his side, but you knew what would happen if you said yes. You'd be stuck working around your family for the rest of your life, under their watchful eyes forever and before you even realized it, you'd be married to someone they set you up with and you'd be doing everything they wanted you to do without batting an eye. You didn't want to end up like your sister.

So accepting a job offer to work at a law firm that paid a bit less than your monthly allowance when you were younger was everything you needed. Money wasn't a big deal for you, you were of age and once your dear grandfather passed you and your sister received your share part of the inheritance. You weren't doing this for the money, you were doing this because you wanted to grow up on your own, you wanted to get job opportunities because people heard your name and knew you were a good damn lawyer and not because your parents were big influential people.

Sure Rendalle was not New York, it wasn't nearly as big, but it was homey. And you were damn sure you'd get a shot at actually doing things your way and finding your own path and happiness there. So instead of listening to all the horrible things your parents told you, how you'd be miserable, you simply packed up your things and left on the next day.

House hunting was the easy part, a mom of a friend of yours is a real estate agent, a good one for the matter. And before you knew it, she had found the perfect apartment for you - although your friend told you that once she got your list of demands, she asked him if you had gone crazy. But the apartment you chose with two bedrooms, one for you to sleep with an ensuite and a guest bedroom for when your nephew came to visit was enough for you. You knew that the rich people you grew up with wouldn't understand.

As far as you are concerned this new place you got, even if you have only been here for two weeks, is more your home than your home has ever been. This place looks like you, it has your little touches like the plant you got from a very kind man that owns a flower shop down the street from where you live, or the handmade fruit basket you brought from an artesanal shop you passed by on your way to work.

And the best place ever? The diner near your work. That place was heaven on earth to you. Sunny Side Up Diner owned by Mrs. Martha, she was probably the kindest woman you have ever met in your whole life. In the first fifteen minutes of conversation she already knew you were new in town and weren't yet used to a place that wasn't like New York, and then she proceeded to tell you the story of the place. How it was owned before her by her husband's mother, and once they got married they decided to take care of the place so the older lady could rest, and how owning a diner was the happiest times of her life. She was so sweet and didn't grumble under her breath when you asked if they served fresh croissants and called you a snobe. She actually suggested the best breakfast you had ever had in your life, and you felt like you had a new friend.

Work was nice. Your boss was an older man, but he wasn't an asshole to you like you expected him to be, maybe it was just your experience dealing with your father's friends that made you apprehensive of older men in general. Since you were fairly new to the whole being a lawyer thing, he gave you a small case to work on, with his assistance of course, so you'd be more at ease at doing things. And everyone seemed so nice and friendly at the office. You were really starting to think that it was honestly the best decision you had ever made in your life. To say yes to an unknown man offering you a job you found online on LinkedIn, and then moving to a town you knew a total of zero people.

You didn't have your own office, which you were fine with, working in the open area near the office's assistant and the interns was good to you. That's what you wanted after all, to be treated like everyone else. If you wanted to have your own office, you needed to work your ass off, and that's what you're going to do.

"Hey, I'm going to grab some coffee." You announced, pushing the rotating chair away from the desk so you could stand up. "Do you want some?"

The office's assistant looked up from her computer's screen. Big round eyes staring wide at you, mouth covered in lip gloss hanging a bit open. She cocked her head to the side as if she was still processing what you were saying, but you stood at your place, waiting for her reply.

"Are you… Are you asking me if I want coffee?" You nodded your head yes, frowning your brows a bit, confused. "I'm sorry. I'm just not… Normally people don't ask me if I want coffee."

"Why's that?" You asked, genuinely curious and a bit afraid of her answer. Honestly if she told you people didn't ask her if she wanted coffee because she is the assistant and is supposed to get them coffee, you're going to be pissed.

"I'm…" She shook her head. "It's not important. Yes, I'd like some coffee, please."

You were still curious, but didn't want to be pushy, so you smiled and asked her how she'd like her coffee before retreating to the break room.

The firm you were working for was actually bigger than you expected, and having a break room with a Nespresso machine was everything you could ask for. You weren't sure if you'd survive long enough if you had to deal with waiting for the coffee pot to brew. You had a slight problem with caffeine that you developed in college and when you needed your coffee, you needed your coffee, or else you'd get a migraine.

The break room was empty aside from two other lawyers sitting at a table eating yogurt. You offered them brief smiles before grabbing two clean mugs and started the machine to make coffee.

As you were placing the first capsule on the Nespresso and waiting for it to brew, you heard one of them call out your name. You turned your body halfway so you could still watch the coffee and talk to them at the same time.

"How are you enjoying the Rendalle so far?" Casey asked. She was a short blonde woman, her hair was near her shoulders and she liked to dress up in bright colors. The other one was Tiffanny, she was taller than Casey and had short curly dark hair covering her ears with dangling earrings, she liked to dress in pantsuits, and looked damn good in them. They were both nice and friendly to you since you started working with them last week, even taking you out to lunch on the first day.

"It's really nice. I'm really enjoying living here." You replied honestly.

"That's great!" Tiffany said in a cheerful tone, but then her expression changed up a bit. "So, listen. We don't want to gossip or anything, but since you're new to town, we feel as if it is our duty to warn you."

You frowned, not understanding where the topic of conversation was going.

"Warn me about what?"

"We heard you asking Crystal if she wanted coffee." She continued on. "Look, we're not saying she is a bad person, but her boyfriend and his friends are bad news."

"Have you ever heard of the Aces?" Casey asked you, leaning her body over the table so she could rest her face on both her hands. You shook your head. "They're a biker gang, and you don't want to get involved with a gang. Her boyfriend is Andy Barber, he is part of the Aces."

You stared at them, trying to figure out if they were pranking you or not.

"We're just looking out for you." Tiffany smiled sweetly. "We don't want you to end up getting mixed up with the wrong crowd."

Getting mixed up with the wrong crowd. God, they sounded so much like your parents right now. You nodded your head, taking them with a tight smile as you turned around to finish getting the coffees ready. Adding cream with a little more force than necessary, you watched as the foam formed and you tried not to steer it angrily and risk spilling the precious black liquid sitting in front of you.

You tried to understand where they were both coming from, but at the same time you just wanted to tell them to fuck off.

So with a tight lipped smile, you turned around to look at them, gripping the mugs on your manicured hands.

“Thank you so much for the concern. I appreciate it.”

You didn’t really appreciate it, but still.

Their words only made you feel stuck back in New York, when you could only socialize with the people your parents wanted you to socialize with. Is your best friend really your best friend because you would want to have him in your life, or was it shoved down your throat that you should be friends with him? You will never know. And now, here you are, in a new town and someone is trying to tell you who you can and can’t be friends with. That’s bullshit!

You went back to the main room, trying to calm yourself down before you spoke to Crystal again. You didn’t want to treat her badly because someone else had pissed you off, people seemed to treat her badly enough already as it is.

“Here’s your coffee.” You placed the mug on her table with a much more friendly smile on your face. “Hope I added the right amount of creamer.”

“It’s perfect, thank you so much.” She replied with a smile.

You nodded your head, going back to your place and taking a sip of the steaming coffee in front of you. It was sweet and perfect just like you enjoyed it.

Crystal seemed to be a sweet and nice woman, you didn’t understand why people didn’t want to hang around her. Her boyfriend couldn’t be that bad that they needed to go out of their way to treat her badly because of it. You were almost 100% sure they were acting like this just because they are part of a biker gang, which still sounds like utter bullshit to you.

The only downside of living in a town where no one knows you is that you have no friends which means you are always alone, and that includes weekends. Now here you are, wondering about town, trying to find something fun to do. It is a Saturday night and you’d normally be out partying with your friends, but you can’t just go to New York for the weekend just because you are bored.

You came across a pub on the other side of the road. You debated whether or not you should go inside. On one hand, you did feel like you needed a drink, but on the other hand going to a pub alone was never a good idea, you never know who you are going to meet.

Before you knew it, you were crossing the road at the same time a bike was coming to a stop near you. You watched them for a bit before realizing you knew who was climbing down behind a big man.

“Crystal!” You exclaimed excitedly. That’s exactly what you needed, to randomly run into someone and ask her to have a drink with you.

“Hi!” She said, smiling widely at you. “What are you doing here?”

You shuddered. “I was taking a walk, saw the pub and decided to go in for a drink. But then I saw you and now I want to have a drink with you because it’s going to be much more fun than just me and my thoughts.”

She nodded her head, seeming just as excited as you to the prospect of having a drink together.

“That’s great! They serve good drinks here.”

Just as you were about to tell her you should head inside, the man from the bike stood behind her. He was way taller than the both of you, wearing a leather jacket and dark jeans. His dark hair was combed backwards, he had a nice trimmed beard and dark blue eyes.

“Oh, this is my boyfriend, Andy.” Crystal said, then proceeded to tell him your name. “She’s new in town, we work together.”

“Hi.” You smiled at him, offering your hand in a polite manner. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Welcome to Randalle.” He smiled briefly, holding your hand in a firm shake. “Let’s go inside, it’s getting cold.”

You nodded, entering the pub behind them.

So this is Andy from the supposedly biker gang. He seemed… nice? At least he was polite to you.

You followed them inside, not knowing where to go. Apparently they went there a lot as you watched them come to a stop at a table full of people, all greeting each other with warm smiles and pats on the backs.

Maybe asking Crystal to have a drink with you wasn’t the best idea after all? She was probably looking forward to spending the night with her friends and not with her new coworker. But you also didn’t want to turn around and leave, you didn’t want them to think you were rude, and you really wanted a drink.

But then she turned around to look at you with that friendly smile on her face that made you want to seek her friendship in the first place, and you felt more at ease.

“Guys, this is my coworker. She just moved here.” She said, introducing you to them. “These are my friends. This is Jake.” She pointed to a short haired guy with blonde tips, and then to a smaller girl by his side that was his girlfriend. “This is Curtis and Ari.” She pointed to two strong men sitting side by side. Curtis had a buzzcut and Ari longer hair. “Oh, and this is Steve!”

The man coming up to the table holding a beer bottle in his hand was probably the most beautiful man you have ever seen in your life. His blonde hair was slicked back, there was a growing beard covering half his face. Piercing blue eyes. He was so tall, broad shoulders covered in a leather jacket. You felt the breath get knocked up from your lungs. Is this what love at first sight feels like?

He frowned a bit watching you, before his face relaxed and he offered you a nod.

“Hi. Nice to meet you all.” You replied, after you realize that you haven’t said anything after Crystal finished introducing you to her friends.

She looked at you with a giggle. “Let’s go get our drinks.”

You both walked towards the bar, taking seats on the stool and waiting for the man behind the counter to come up to you.

“Was I completely ridiculous back there?”

She shook her head with a laugh. “No. Steve is a handsome man, it was an honest reaction.”

“I feel like I embarrassed myself.” You whined, covering your face with both hands. “It’s just that… He is so beautiful. I was totally taken aback by him, like I did not see that coming.”

“It’s ok. Steve is super chill, he isn’t going to be cocky about it or anything like that. Don’t worry about it.”

You didn’t know if she was saying this just to make you feel better or if it was actually true. But still, you felt embarrassed for having openly ogled at him like that.

The barman came up to the both of you. A washcloth was thrown over his shoulder as he organized some drinks.

“What can I get you ladies?” He asked, looking up briefly from his work at hand.

“I will have a margarita, please.” You ordered, offering him a smile.

“I will have a club soda.” Crystal asked.

He nodded his head, starting to prepare your drinks.

There was an awkward silence for a moment. You weren’t sure if Crystal really wanted to be there with you, and that made you self conscious. Most of your friends are people that have been in your life for a very long time, or people who were introduced to you by your parents and simply stuck around. The last time you had to make friends on your own was during college and that was almost five years ago, and still, your best friend had been there by your side because the both of you decided to go to Columbia University together, on different degrees, but still.

For a brief moment of panic, you realized that for the first time in your life you were doing something without your best friend by your side. But then Crystal was calling out your name, her soothing voice doing something to your impending anxiety.

“Are you ok?” She asked, placing a hand on your arm.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” You shook your head, trying to get rid of those bad thoughts or they’d eat you alive. “I was just thinking about how I basically threw this whole drinking with me thing on your face, you probably would rather be with your friends right now.”

“No, I don’t. Don’t get me wrong, I love my friends, but…” She sighted. “I’m with them most of the time, and besides the boys and well, now Jake’s girlfriend, I don’t really have any other friend, or female friend for that matter.”

“Really?” You cocked an eyebrow, clearly doubtful of that. “You’re like super nice and I find it hard to believe that Jake’s girlfriend is your only female friend. What about the girls at the office?”

Okay. That was a bit low of you considering you knew Casey and Tiffany didn’t like her, but you wanted to know more. You wanted to know if they were the kind of girls that would talk shit about you behind your back and be friendly once you’ve turned back around. You also wanted to know if there was any specific reason as to why they decided that her boyfriend and his friends were bad news. Basically, you just wanted to know more about Crystal, and hopefully this question will let you.

“They don’t really like me, I guess.” She shuddered. “I mean, they never said it to my face, but I can tell from the way they treat me differently to the way they don’t invite me to get drinks with them every other week like they do to everyone else at the office. Basically to them I am just there to assist everyone.”

“What?! I can’t believe they don’t invite you out. This is ridiculous.”

The barman placed the drinks in front of you and left without a word.

“Yeah, they don’t. And they post about it on their Instagram, so it’s obviously a thing even if when I am close enough they say it’s not.”

You took a sip of your margarita, humming in appreciation of the tequila on your tongue.

“But why do they do this?” You asked, tilting your head to the side. “They seemed so nice. Are they one of those people that you actually think they like you but they actually hate you in secret?”

Crystal chuckled, also taking a sip of her drink while she nodded her head.

“In their case, I don’t think the hate part is very secretive. I think they dislike me because of Andy. No, I’m pretty sure it is because of Andy. They were super nice to me once I started working at the firm, we used to hang out all the time, but once I started dating him, they simply cut me off.”

Now you were shocked. They sounded so much like those horrible people back home that would drop a friend without a notice just because they did something that the group disliked so much.

“That’s just horrible. Good to know this, now my opinion on them has completely changed. I can’t believe this. Why would they stop talking to you just because of your boyfriend?”

She dropped her shoulders, busying herself taking a very long gulp of her drink, almost as if she didn’t want to reply. You kept on staring at her, waiting for an answer.

“Well, you are new to town, so you obviously don’t know many things about here.”

“I did do an intense research about the town on Google.”

That got a laugh out of her. “I bet you did, but things here are different from New York. Are you seeing my friends over there?”

You turned around to stare at the table that was laughing lively. They all seemed so happy and at ease with each other.

“Are you seeing how they all are using leather jackets with an ace on the back?” At your nod she kept on talking. “That’s because they are the Aces, a biker gang. They’re aren’t the only ones, there are other gangs around here as well, some have nice people, some don’t, but there are people like Casey and Tiffany that judge that. And that’s why they don’t like me. Because I hang out with bikers.” She took a deep breath, her eyes shifting to look at you once again. “And I understand if you don’t want to be friends with me anymore. I know it is a lot to deal with.”

“You think I don’t want to be friends with you anymore because your boyfriend is part of a biker gang?”

She nodded and you scoffed.

“Girl, you are completely wrong. I like you a lot, and now you are stuck with me. Unless you don’t want to be my friend then we are still very much in fact friends.”

You watched as a smile blossomed on her features.

“Then we are friends!”

“Great.”

You clicked your glasses with hers.

“Now that we are friends, please, tell me some office gossip.”

By the time Crystal and her friends decided it was time to leave, you were a little bit drunk.

They were all so nice and you had a good time, making promises to show up more because apparently they had all liked you too.

You were standing outside of the pub, cellphone in hand as you typed the address to your apartment, hoping to find an uber at three am on a Sunday. You had completely forgotten this isn’t New York and you can’t count on the fact that there are always Ubers, Taxis and the Subway to take.

“Is someone coming to pick you up?” Jake asked, taking off his jacket and placing it around his girlfriend’s shoulders as it was cold outside.

“Nope.” You shifted the weight of your body to another foot, wondering why you thought wearing high heeled boots was a good idea to begin with. “I’m waiting for an Uber. I forgot there is no subway here. Oooh, I could get a bus. There are buses here, right?”

Jake chuckled at your question, realizing you weren’t thinking very much straight due to the alcohol.

“I don’t think I can let you take an uber or the bus this late at night, alone and drunk.”

“I’m not that drunk, ok? I can definitely fight someone if I have to.”

He shook his head. “Still a no. It’s too dangerous. Steve can give you a ride home, right Steve?”

The taller blonde looked up from his cigarette to look at the both of you. He was leaning against the wall of the pub, smoking. You haven’t even noticed him there.

“No, there’s no need for that.” You giggled, eyes wide as you stared at him. “The uber will be here in… fifteen minutes.” You cursed under your breath. “Fifteen minutes?”

Steve pushed off the wall, throwing the cigarette on the bin next to him as he came to stand beside you. Even in your high heels he was still so much taller than you, he could crush you if he tried. That thought made a chill run down your spine.

“It’s late, and you’re drunk. I’ll take you home. It’s safer this way.” He said in a gruff voice.

The whole night, you had a feeling that he didn’t like you very much. He treated you differently than he treated everyone else at the table. You figured it was because they had been friends for years and you’ve known him for less than a day, but then he kept on staring at you like he was trying to figure you out or something. He didn’t stare at anyone else, just you. And after the whole ogling fiasco thing? He probably dislikes you already.

“No, I don’t want to bother you. But thanks.”

He shook his head, already digging the keys from his jacket’s pocket and turning you in the direction of where he had parked.

“You’re not bothering. Come on.” He placed a hand on your shoulder, starting to walk and in doing so forcing you to do so. “Bye guys, see you on Monday.”

You turned your head to look over your shoulder, waving at your new friends with a smile on your face.

“Bye!”

You watched as they laughed at the both of you and waved back.

Steve stopped walking, making you almost stumble if it wasn’t for his grip on your shoulders. You whipped your head around to look at him then at the bike in front of you. Oh right, he is a biker, so obviously he has a bike. Duh.

“Uh. I don’t think I have much of a balance right now.” You said, watching as he gave you a spare helmet. “I tend to lose a bit of my balance when I drink.”

“I noticed when you almost fell earlier.” There was a hint of amusement in his voice, which made you feel a bit better. If he was making fun of you then maybe he didn’t dislike you as much as you thought he did.

“What if I fall down while you’re driving?” You asked in a small voice.

He stared down at you, lifting the helmet to place over your head once he realized you hadn't already.

“You won’t fall down. You just have to hold onto me really tight.”

You were glad he had already placed the helmet on you, this way he wouldn’t be able to see the giddy expression on your face over the prospect of holding him.

You told him your address and watched as he placed his own helmet over his head, sitting on the bike and then offering a hand to help you hop on top of it as well.

His hand was much bigger than yours, and soft to the touch. Once you were fully seated, you took a deep breath before wrapping your arms around his waist. The first thing you felt was how strong he was. His abs were pure solid muscles, and you wondered what it would feel like to run your hands over it with him wearing nothing.

He roared the bike to life and then took off.

Somewhere during the drive to your place, with the wind blowing your hair back, you felt at peace and that made you sleepy so you placed your head on his back. There was the material of the helmet between you and his skin, and you hoped he wouldn’t mind. Then you realized this was probably the third time just tonight that you have embarrassed yourself in front of him, but it was already too late.

You came to a stop in front of your building. He got off the bike first, helping you out too, still holding onto you as you almost tripped over. Stupid heels.

“Thank you for bringing me home.” You smiled at him.

Steve nodded his head, still looking serious, but you could notice a hint of smile on the corner of his lips.

“No problem, just glad I could help you get home safe.”

You stood on your tiptoes, placing a kiss on his cheeks.

“I’m glad you did. Have a good night, Steve.”

You took a step around him and then entered your building once you put the code on the gate. Not daring to turn around to see if he was still watching you.

Steve stared after your reatring form, a frown etched on his face.

He knew you were trouble and after meeting you, he was sure you were trouble. Even after hearing you talk, and laugh, and drink all night long you were still a mystery to him, and that only drew him in more.

He hated himself for being attracted to you.

On Monday morning you woke up, did your morning routine a little bit happier than usual considering you’re not a morning person by any means, but after the weekend you were feeling extra happier. You’ve finally found some friends.

You drove to your law firm, parking inside the underground garage of the building, and then walked to Sunny Side Up Diner as you’ve been doing every day of the week ever since you found the place. It was nice to have a small chat with Mrs. Martha before heading to work, and the fact that she made the best omelet you’ve ever had in your life also helped a lot.

At first, when you entered the establishment, you didn’t notice Steve sitting in a booth, but he definitely saw you. Already frowning at your high heeled form, it already made a bit more sense to him the way you dressed once he learned you work with Crystal, but he still couldn’t understand why you were such high heels.

After ordering your usual breakfast consisting of a chocolate cappuccino, cheese omelet and a french toast, you turned around to find a booth and that’s when you saw him. Sitting alone and nursing a single mug of coffee. He was staring out the window with a furrow on his browns, which made you wonder if he was always frowning.

You debated whether or not you should go up to him and say hello. You still weren’t sure if he liked you or not, but he still drove you home on Saturday when he could’ve let you take an Uber at three am on your own. With a deep breath, you decided it wouldn’t be so bad if you said hello and then went your way.

The blonde turned his head around at the sound of approaching heels and the first thing he saw was your chest.

“Good morning, Steve.” You greeted him cheerfully.

He flushed a bit once he realized he had been caught looking at your breasts and shook his head so you wouldn’t see, before focusing his eyes on your face.

“Good morning.”

There was an awkward silence between the both of you for a moment before he decided to break it.

“Would you like to sit with me?”

You smiled at his offer.

“Thank you.” You took a seat across from you, being careful not to bump your legs on his knees. “Are you waiting for someone? I don’t want to bother.”

He shook his head. “No. Just Jake and maybe Curtis, we usually have breakfast together.”

“Oh, in this case I should probably…”

He grabbed your hand before you could properly move to try and get out of the booth. You looked up at him in surprise and he let you go as quickly as he had grabbed you, avoiding your gaze.

“Sorry.” He cleared his throat. “You can stay. Any friend of Crystal is a friend of ours. Besides, the guys liked you.”

You wondered if it included him.

”Thank you.” You offered him a shy smile.

You didn’t know why you acted this way towards him. Usually you are confident when it comes to guys you have a crush on, but with him? Steve makes you feel like a teenager dealing with her first crush. You literally don’t know what to say to him! And the fact that you keep embarrassing yourself in front of him isn’t he’ll, at all.

Luckily the waitress showed up to save you from further awkwardness. She placed a mug full of cappuccino in front of you before refilling Steve’s mug with fresh coffee.

You blew the steam of the hot beverage before taking an appreciative sip. The first cup of coffee in the morning is always the best. You felt your muscles relax a bit as the caffeine started working on your body, making you more alert and properly waking you up.

When you opened your eyes again, Steve was watching you with a different expression other than his furrowing brows, although you couldn’t even fathom an idea of what he was thinking.

“Sorry, I’m a bit of a coffee addict.” You said sheepishly. “Developed it during college.”

“That can’t be much health, but I need my caffeine intake too, so I can’t be one to judge.” He brought the mug to his lips. “So you’re a lawyer?”

“Yeah. Graduated a few months ago, actually, I just passed the bar exam. After many sleepless nights studying with lots and lots of coffee.”

“Congratulations, then.” He offered you a brief smile.

You felt as if you had won in the lottery with a smile like that directed at you. His whole face lit up when he did it and you hope he did it more often around you.

“But I have to ask, why would you choose to come to Rendalle when I’m sure New York has many more opportunities for you?”

You sighted, avoiding his eyes for a moment. You were sure someone would ask you this sooner or later, you just wish it had been later.

“My dad wanted me to work for a friend of his and I wanted to do something on my own. God, sorry, I sound like a stupid rich girl with stupid rich people problem. That’s what I’m trying to avoid, rich people. I want to do something because I want it and not because my parents planted the thought into my head and made me think I wanted it.”

“You don’t get along very well with your parents?” He asked lowly.

You shook your head. “It’s not that. They just have this future planned for me and it’s not what I want. So I decided to take on a job opportunity in a town I knew nobody so I could try and do something for myself for once.”

“That’s very brave.” He smiled. “Most people would just do what’s more comfortable.”

“Yeah, that’s what my sister did and well… I don’t think she is very happy.”

The waitress placed your order on the table before leaving, but you barely even noticed her presence.

“Then you should go after what makes you happy.”

“I’m trying to do that, it’s not very easy without having my parents support, it’s like they’re expecting me to fail.”

He shook his head, reaching across the table to lay a delicate hand on top of yours. It was warm and resisted the need to intertwine your fingers.

“Then you should find a better support system.”

Steve had such a beautiful smile on your face that you felt yourself falling further. You didn’t even know him that well, but you were sure that if you did you would fall head over heels in love with him.

Steve walked you to work after you finished breakfast, even after his friends had shown up, he still said he’d walk you. It was such a short amount of time, but just the thought of him wanting to do this small thing with you was enough to send butterflies erupting in your belly.

Now you looked even more forward to having breakfast at the diner everyday because you saw him, and you two talked for what felt like hours, and then he walked you to work, and the next day you’d do the same thing again and again and again.

He still didn’t understand you completely, but talking to you everyday was starting to make more sense to you and the thoughts he had previously. But he wasn’t sure how he felt about you, you made his heart race and you are the first thought on his head when he wakes up and the last thing he thinks about before he goes to sleep. Is it a good idea to fall in love with a woman who can very much up and leave? He has to be realistic and consider the fact that maybe you will go back to New York and all of this is just a rebellious phase of yours.

After all, he was someone’s rebellious phase before and he isn’t ready to be it again.

“So this is your workplace.” You called out, announcing your presence from the doorway.

Steve looked up from the cloth he was using to clean his hands. You were dressed way more casually than usual, wearing leggings and a sports bra covered by a thin jacket.

“Hey you.” He smiled, standing up from the stool. “What are you doing here?”

“Crystal mentioned you worked here and I decided to come by to say hello.” You said casually, shuggring. “We were on our way to the gym.”

“Oh? And Crystal didn’t want to say hello?”

“She’s already working out, she’s having a dinner date with Andy later.” You smiled at him, coming inside the shop and letting the door close behind yourself. “But I would rather see you than lift weights.”

The blonde hung his head low so you wouldn’t be able to see the blush dusting his cheeks, but by the small giggle he heard, he was almost 100% sure that you knew you had flustered him.

“You’re lucky I’m finished too, we can go lift weights together.”

Your eyes widened. This was definitely not what you were expecting.

Ok, Steve is a well built guy and you knew he went to the gym, and considering there was one right beside his tattoo shop, it made sense he went there as well. But just the thought of watching him all sweaty and lifting weights, made you all hot and bothered. You would probably faint watching his building muscles. Maybe it was a bad idea to let Crystal convince you to join her on her fitness crusade, who needed to workout at a gym after all, right? You could very much buy a yoga mat and do Pamela Reif or Chloe Ting’s workouts at home, where no one could see you and there was no hot guy you were crushing on.

You must have zoned out pretty good because the next thing you knew, Steve standing right in front of you, a hand on your shoulder.

“Are you ok? Maybe you shouldn’t workout today.”

“No. I’m fine, good. I’ve never been better. Just super excited to workout with you and your muscles. Not your muscles. My muscles. I want to have muscles.”

He chuckled at you, shaking his head.

“You’re really cute, you know that?”

Now it was your turn to be flustered.

“Thank you. You’re very cute, too.” You widen your eyes. “I should probably stop talking.”

He placed a bag over his shoulder, guiding you to the door. Waiting until you were outside beside him to close and lock the door.

“I like how you don’t seem to have much of a filter while talking.” He said as you both made your way to the gym, him pushing the door open for you.

“That’s your fault actually.”

He frowned, looking down at you. “How can this be my fault?”

You huffed “I’m usually a very collected person, but whenever I’m around you is like my brain stops working and blurt out things I shouldn’t say out loud, or I become stupid and keep tripping over my own feet. It’s all your fault, Steve.”

“So you’re telling me I make you a flustered mess?” He cocked an eyebrow up, a smirk pulling at his lips.

“Ugh!”

You left him standing on the doorway, deciding that lifting weights would be better.

Steve shook his head laughing at you. At that moment, realizing he already was a goner for you.

Steve was watching you from afar. You were sitting at the bar on your own, typing away on your phone and nursing a drink. He was by the pool playing with his friends, but he was keeping a close eye on you, making sure you are ok and safe.

“So, how much longer are you going to keep admiring from afar?” Curtis asked, leaning against the pool table, a smirk on his face.

“What?” Steve snapped out of his concentration on you, focusing on his friend who was now laughing.

“I knew this would happen, since the moment Jake told us about you complaining about her at the diner.”

The blonde rolled his eyes. “We’re friends.”

“Sure thing. Oh, I wish Bucky was here to watch this unfold, it’s like one of those tv shows we’re all so invested about.”

“You mean you and your girl are invested about.”

Curtis scowlded at that.

“You might want to step in.” He gestured with his head towards where you’re at.

Steve turned around quickly, watching as some man was chatting you up. He frowned, seeing red. How dare he go perturbe you? Couldn’t he see you were doing great on your own?

You were cowering on yourself to try and get away from the man. With a deep breath, Steve took long strides towards you, stopping right behind you and placing a hand on your shoulder. His eyes fixed in a glare at the man in front of you both.

“Is everything ok here?” He asked in a gravelly voice.

You had once tensed under his touch, not knowing who it was, but relaxed once you heard his voice. You allowed your back to rest against his solid chest. His hand slid all the way over your arm to rest his arm over your shoulder, his palm was so soft, you were sure he used moisturizer. You wanted his touch like this on your skin forever.

The man’s eyes went wide.

“I didn’t know she was your girl, Rogers. I’m so sorry!”

“Yeah, she’s my girl.” He grumbled, tightening his grip around you to bring you even closer. “And you better fucking leave before I leave my patience.”

He nodded, scrabbling to his feet before hurring away from the both of you.

You sighed in relief. He was making you really uncomfortable, asking you a lot of questions and trying to get you to leave with him, even after you told him you weren’t interested.

You shifted in the stool, turning it around so your side was pressed against Steve’s chest. You rested your head against him, wrapping your arms around his middle.

“Thank you.”

He rubbed your arm in a sweet manner.

“Are you ok? He didn’t touch you, did he? I swear I’ll…”

“No, he didn’t.” You looked up at him, and held your breath, he looked so handsome. “So I’m your girl?”

He rolled his eyes before cupping your face with his uncopied hand, bringing your lips to his.

He tasted like whiskey and mint, and his tongue was warm against yours. It felt like there were a million butterflies batting their wings on your stomach alongside with fireworks exploding inside of you, it had been so long since the last time you felt this happy to kiss someone. You hugged him closer to you, hoping the kiss wouldn’t end.

You heard someone yelling, but you didn’t care, all you cared about was Steve kissing you, he was finally kissing you, after weeks of pining, it was finally happening.

When you broke free, your lipstick had transferred a bit to his lips, but you didn’t think he minded because he was diving right back to another kiss.

“That was better than I had imagined it to be.” You mumbled once you took a deep breath.

He smirked “You’ve been imagining kissing me?”

“Only since the night we met.”

He smiled, you noticed he had been doing that a lot more around you lately. In the first few weeks when you had met, he wouldn’t even chuckle near you, but now he was smiling.

“But I thought you didn’t like me very much.”

You waited for a moment, thinking he was going to agree with you. You wouldn’t be mad if he said he didn’t, you knew sometimes you could come out as difficult because of the way you were brought up by your parents. But he kept smiling at you.

“That’s just me being me.” He placed some hair behind your ear, keeping his hand there, cradling your face against his large palm. “In case you haven’t noticed, I kind of like you.”

A smile blossomed on your face. “I kind of like you, too.”

You weren’t sure if you two were dating, but there was definitely something there. He picked you up at home most of the days, drove you to Sunny Side Diner, then walked you to work just to pick you up and drive you home once the day was over. He was just a dream come true. And you were happier than ever.

But you should've guessed things were going too well for you to be actually happy with your new life. And your good mood went downhill the moment your cellphone rang and on the screen display was written your sister's name.

You actually debated for a solid 30 seconds whether or not you should answer it, you were still bitter over the fact that she allowed your parents to chew your head off for moving to a new city and she just sat there on the couch, nursing a martini and not saying anything while they yelled and yelled and yelled. You thought she would at least tell them to calm down.

"Hello?" You placed the phone over your ear, hoping this would be a quick call.

"Hi! How are you?" Eliza said eagerly over the phone, which could only mean one thing, she was probably a bit drunk.

You frowned looking at the clock, it was almost lunch time, but who were you to judge?

"Hey, Liza, I'm fine. How are you?" You tried to macht her cheerful tone.

"I'm doing great, actually. Thought I'd call to give you a little heads up about this gala that me and Matt are organizing."

Matt. Right, her douchebag of a husband, the one of you who you have to call your brother in law and act like you actually enjoy his presence during family gatherings. If there was one person you could punch in the face several times and it still wouldn't be enough that would be him.  

"Oh… That's nice." You cringed at how unistersed you sounded, that's because you were. "Just let me know when I will put it on my schedule."

"Look at you, acting like you're all busy or something." She giggled on the other hand and you gripped the phone tighter in your hand.

You were on your way to Sunny Side Diner to have lunch with Steve and some friends. Crystal had gone ahead of you as you had to finish a phone meeting and now you wish you had told her to wait for you because if you weren't alone there was no way you were going to have answered the phone.

"That's because I am busy, Liza, some of us have real jobs."

"Right." She giggled again. "Let's see how long this act can go on for. I am betting that by New Years you will be crawling back home, but mommy thinks you will last by Thanksgiving."

"What?!"

They were making bets on you, those fucking idiots.

"I know right? I guess I have a little more faith in you then her, but then again I know you better than our parents and I know how stubborn you are so there is no way you are coming back sooner! Hopefully by the time you get back you have your head in the right place."

"My head in the right place? Are you fucking kidding me right now, Eliza? What is wrong with you?"

She laughed again. You took a deep breath coming to a halt in front of the diner but turning away from the widows to keep your conversation.

"Jesus, it is just the truth."

Is it bad if you tell your sister to fuck off? You knew she would probably tell your mom who would call you scandalized and start yelling at you. It would definitely make you feel better, but would it be worth it all the drama you'd be creating?

"Is there anything else you'd like to tell me or was it just the gala?" You asked through gritted teeth.

"Just wanted to know if you're going to bring someone."

You thought about Steve. You'd love to bring him as your date, but did you want to put him through misery by dragging him along in your family drama? He didn't deserve it. But you also aren't sure you can face them all alone, without him by your side, you're going to need him there.

"Yes, I will bring a date."

"Oh really?" She said as if that was finny too. "May I know who?"

"No. My love life is not really any of your business." You wanted to add something about her husband's mistresses and her fair share of infidelity as well, but you bit your tongue instead. "E-mail me the details to the gala and I will be there."

"Sure thing. See you soon then, bye-bye!"

You didn't bother to reply, ending the call as soon as she said bye.

If Steve said no to going to the gala with you, you'd just ask Crystal to go with you, it could be a girls only weekend in New York, that would be fun too. And you'd still have your best friend there, so that wasn't all wasted.

You massaged your temples, already feeling a headache forming in the back of your head. It was your sister's effect, she just knew how to get under your skin.

"Hey, you okay?" You almost jumped out of your skin feeling a hand at the small of your back.

You spun around, coming face to face with Steve who was looking at you with concern in his eyes.

"Yeah, everything's fine." You sighed. "Just my sister on the phone. She knows how to piss me off."

He held a sympathetic smile on his lips before pushing my body closer to his so he could kiss my temple. I swear I could melt right there.

“I don’t like seeing you like this, sunshine.” He mumbled against your hair. “You’re always so happy, it makes me sad to see you sad.”

You tried to hide your smile at the pet name, looking up at him through your eyelashes.

“Sorry, my family is just complicated.”

He kisses you on the lips this time.

“Guess I’ll have to help you relax later.”

You didn’t know what Steve meant when he said he’d help you relax later, but that got you thinking about it for the raimining of the day. You were eager to finish your work so you could go home and see him. He drove you to work today and said he’d pick you up as well, so you’d see him sooner than expected and all you wanted was him.

Since you two started whatever this was, you haven’t slept together and you definitely kept thinking about it. You were making out with a man twice your size full of solid muscles, you couldn’t help but want more. The fact that you haven’t been intimate with anyone since your graduation party also didn’t help.

The tension kept building up. Steve was always touching you in some sort of way. When you both have breakfast together he’d place a hand on your thigh under the table and rub small circles. When you’re together at the pub he always has his arm wrapped around you, and he insists on leaving small kisses wherever he can reach, it doesn’t matter if it’s your cheek, neck, temple or your own lips, if he can put his mouth on he is going to.

All of this definitely keeps you up later than usual at night.

“Hey.” Tiffany stood in front of your table, a friendly smile on your face. “Some of us are going out for drinks right now, do you want to come?”

Your relationship with her had been a bit awkward ever since she realized you had been hanging out with Crystal, but you didn’t really care. You didn’t want to be friends with someone who judges others as quickly as she did.

“Thank you, but I already have plans.” You smiled politely at her, gathering your things and putting your purse on your shoulder. “Maybe next time we can all go out, all of us.”

Her shoulders dropped a bit at your tone, but she didn’t lose the smile.

“Sure, sounds like a solid plan to me.”

And just like that she left, as if you didn’t just dig one at her.

You rolled your eyes, she kind of reminded you of some people from back home. Some fake people who would only pretend to be your friend so they could get to the best parties and get closer to your best friend.

“Is Steve picking you up?” Crystal asked, tapping the first floor button on the elevator.

“Yes, he drove me this morning.”

She side eyed you before realising a small laugh.

“What?” You asked.

“Nothing. You two are just too cute.”

You felt your cheeks heat up, but didn’t offer a comment back. Some part of you were really glad for her approval.

When you stepped out of the building a smile blossomed on your face watching Steve leaning against his bike waiting for you. You don’t really recall telling goodbye to Crystal, you know you said something, just not sure what.

You came to a stop in front of him, leaning in to place a kiss on his lips.

“Ready to go home?” He asked, handing you a helmet.

You nodded, placing it on your head. It’s time to see what’s waiting for you.

The ride was a blur on your mind. You recall inviting him up and you two kept stealing glances at each other from across the elevator. It wasn’t the first time he was going up to your apartment, but it felt like so because you were suddenly feeling nervous.

As soon as you unlocked the door and stepped inside Steve was on you, hands on your hips and lips smashing against yours. His lips were soft and you actually moaned when his warm tongue slipped inside your mouth.

“I’ve been thinking about you all day long.” He said against your lips, his hands roughly kneaded with the flesh of your bottoms. “Actually, no, I’ve been thinking about you for much longer.”

His lips trailed kisses along your jaw and lower, sucking and biting, and then soothing with his tongue.

“I’ve been thinking about you, too.” You admitted.

He smirked against your skin, hands trailing to your thighs and helping you hoist yourself so you could wrap your legs around his waist. Now you were face to face. You kissed him again, getting lost in his taste.

You've been waiting for this for a very long time, all you wanted was for him to touch you and it was finally happening.

You didn't even mind as he maneuvered you both inside your apartment. He had been there before so he knew where your bedroom was, and you were relieved you were both thinking the same thing when he placed on top of the bed. You'd be really disappointed if this was just a really hot makeout session, although they are usually really good, you are so ready for more.

Steve's hands trailed over your body, popping open the buttons of your blouse and shoving it aside, staring at your bra covered chest. You slide your hands over his shoulders to get rid of his leather jacket - he looked really hot in them, but right now you'd very much rather see him in nothing.

As he pulled your skirt down and reached the hem of your panties, he lifted his gaze to yours.

"Are you sure about this, sunshine?" He questioned you in a quiet hum. "Because once we do this, we're done for, you're all mine, no going back."

You cupped his face, smiling up at him.

"Yes, I'm a hundred percent sure of this."

The idea of being his ignited a fire in your belly. You couldn't wait to tell people you are Steve's girl.

He slid your panties down your legs, placing kisses along your thighs, his hot breath fanning against your wet center. Your breath hitched when his fingers ghosted over where you wanted him the most. He placed a single finger on your clit, drawing circular motions in a slow pattern to work you up, and you closed your eyes to enjoy the sensation. You felt a finger slowly slide inside of you, working you up.

He surely was taking his time with you, and you weren't going to complain as he was building up heat on your lower area.

Steve added a second finger, scissoring you open.

"Need to work you over a bit before I enter you, sunshine." He whispered against your neck, placing gentle kisses along the sensitive area. "You're already so tight, can't even imagine what your pussy is going to feel like wrapped around my cock."

He sped up the motions of his hand, bringing you over the edge before you could even realize it. You came with a breathless moan and a small plea for him to just fuck you falling from your lips.

His blue eyes were now a pool of darkness, you stared at him for a moment as his hands left you to come rest between his lips. Tasting you for the first time.

"You taste even better than I have imagined."

At the moment you couldn't even bring yourself to feel embarrassed by the idea that he had thought about what you'd taste like.

He smiled down at you, joining your lips for a brief kiss. You could taste yourself on his tongue. His hand groped at your breasts, twisting at a nipple, and eliciting a moan out of you.

You watched with blissed out eyes as he stripped out of his clothes. Watching as his perfect adonis body came into view. Trying not to gape once his underwear was gone and you could see his cock bob against his abs.

Steve laid on top of you again. You felt him press against your entrance, prodding before slowly sliding in. You threw your head back in pure bliss, feeling all of him, every vein and rigidness right against you. He was big, and it felt like he was sliding in for ages before his hips finally made contact with yours.

He hissed before retracting his hips and snapping them forward forcefully. You opened your mouth.

"So tight." He panted against your lips. "So fucking tight."

All thoughts left your head, all you could think about was the pure pleasure he was bringing you. It felt so good, too good. You could blame the fact that you haven't been with anyone for a while, but after this you were a hundred percent sure you weren't ever going to want to be with anyone else but him.

He angled his hips, hitting deeper than before. You keened against him, throwing your arms around his back to bring him closer to you.

You were tethering over the edge, and apparently he could tell by the way he sped up his movements. You closed your eyes and saw stars burst behind them as an orgams washed over your whole body.

"You look so pretty like this." He praised you, leaving open mouthed kisses wherever he could reach. "Shit, I'm-"

"It's ok." You interrupted him. "I'm on birth control."

That's all he needed to hear before cumming inside of him. You release a small sight at the feel of his hot seed inside of you. Steve sagged on top of you, panting against your ear.

You stayed like this a few more minutes, gathering your breaths.

"I hope I helped you feel better." Steve said, making you laugh.

"Oh, you definitely did." You smiled up at him. "Thank you."

He kissed you on the lips.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

You shook your head. "Not really."

He nodded, pushing off your body before pulling off you slowly. He watched for a moment as his cum dribbled out of your pussy. A small smirk curled on his lips.

"I might just get used to this sight."

You giggled, watching as he left to the bathroom before returning with a wet washcloth and kneeling back in between on your legs. He cleaned the mess left behind, offering you sweet smiles and a kiss on the forehead before leaving again.

When he came back, you laid back together on bed, resting your head on his chest. His hand on your hair, the other resting on his chest. It was a nice peaceful silence before you decided to break it.

"Would you consider going to New York with me for a weekend?"

Steve looked down at you.

"Sure."

Your eyebrows shot up. "Really? Even if it means a family event? With my fucked up family."

"Of course, sunshine." He smiled at you. "There isn't much I wouldn't do for you."

You smiled fondly at him, pecking him on the lips.

You could've asked him what he meant by that, but you were too content at the moment. So you just closed your eyes, feeling happy in his embrace and allowed sleep to envelop you.

You could see yourself falling in love with him, and you were pretty sure you already were.