#the back of the record store is a room with couches and old game consoles and shi

[theworstcreature]

When people ask me what I want to do with my life but I can’t say my dream is to own a combined record store/bookstore with someone I love and with a few cats strutting about and a lovely area to chill and basically be a third location/hangout spot for the locals so I just say I want to be a psychologist

[writers-hes]

how do you want to spend new years eve?

hello, guys! thank you so much for your support on christmas record! i’ve been getting some requests to continue it and late christmas and i will get to it, after the plans that im currently thinking of! meanwhile, here is a new years-themed fic! if

if you haven’t read the fics mentioned above, you can read them here.  if you want to be a part of my taglist, you can do so by reblogging or liking this post. 

don’t forget, requests are open! ❤️

warnings: SMUT !!!!! swearing, alcohol + unedited

(it’s my first time writing smut so please leave me some feedback! i love you guys and thank you guys so much for 140+ followers, i love u all!)

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“I can’t do this anymore,”

Words that Harry told you when last year’s New Year’s Eve. Harry didn’t know why he was saying those words, perhaps it was because he wanted to take the young model to bed instead of you. Harry watched you crumble that night, asking what happened, asking if it was your fault. It wasn’t any. In fact, things were going great--so great between the two of you. Perhaps the reason why Harry broke up with you was because for him, distance was the antidote to the love he was feeling. Perhaps he was scared because all of his past relationships never seemed to work out, a sick part of him wanted you not to work out. Heartbreak brings a new writing material, anyway. He felt it at first, how in love he was suddenly being when you combed the stores in London to find his favourite bath gel. It was the little things that you noticed and the little things that Harry’s beating himself up for now.

The year was so great for Harry, releasing his new album and all that. He just had two successful live shows in Los Angeles and in London. People celebrated him wherever he went and he had this rockstar status that you once used to love but he’d just rather be at home with you. He’d rather spend the night with you instead of getting wasted during the afterparties, trying his best to forget the greatest mistake he’s ever done. It was annoyingly painful, how he saw your face in crowds, he knows you weren’t there but he was hoping. One time, strolling in his hometown, Holmes Chapel, he thought he saw you. He ran after you, grasping the arms of the girl in front of him. It wasn’t you--she just looked like you. Seven billion faces in the world and yours was the only face he memorised perfectly. He memorised how you scrunch your nose, how you’d raise your eyebrows, the curve of your lips, the shape of your tongue, and the softness of your eyes.

It wasn’t purposefully, how he never saw if you were off having the best life you could. He was just bored and decided to go on Instagram. He was scrolling through the photos of his friends, even liking some of them when he stumbled upon a picture of you, wearing a shirt he gave you, whilst looking another man in adoration. He bit his lip, making himself believe that that was not his shirt and even if it was, you weren’t looking at another boy--you were looking at him. He lightly tapped on the photo, seeing as you tagged the prick that was in it. He chuckled, it was Leon Harris, a friend of yours that he always found annoying. How come he never recognised him? He saw how this Leon guy was looking at you while you were both dating. He frowned. How long have you been with this Harris prick? It was jealousy bubbling in the pit of his stomach but at the same time, it was the need to see more of you. He wanted to see how Leon Harris viewed you. Does he see you the way Harry does? Does he kiss you like Harry does? Does he hold you like Harry does? Was he a better man than Harry?

He sighed, scrolling through Leon’s photos. He’s a douchebag. Surely, my angel could do better than this. Harry was irked and irritated. Leon never posted photos of you--he only posted photos of football, gaming consoles, going out with the boys, and unnecessary flexing of his father’s money. Harry was annoyed. He felt his skin prickling with the thought of you being touched by Leon in ways he shouldn’t. That night, he drowned himself in putrid brown liquid. To think, he had all the money he could ever want in the world but still settled for convenience store-grade whiskey. Tomorrow would be a better day.

“Fuck,” he said once he woke up. He remembered the night before, him downing the bottle of whatever shit was in the glass bottle. His head was pounding and he knew that if you were here right now, you would take care of him. He always looked for you, even though he was the one who broke your heart. New Years Eve was coming around and people were already asking him to make an appearance in some parties. He wanted to, he really did but the risk of bumping into you in some of the parties were high. He wasn’t ready to see the face of the woman that haunted him every night for the past year. He lazily walked towards his en-suite, one of the many rooms that smelled like you. He made sure to buy the exact perfume you always wore and spray it around the house. Harry knew that it was unhealthy, holding onto every piece of you when he was the one who decided to end things. He was annoyed at himself and wanted nothing more than to call you but it will only stay like that, a wish. He couldn’t bring himself to do it and to call you because he knew you were hurting. Perhaps you weren’t hurting now, seeing as you were with Leon but maybe you’re still stuck on him, seeing as you were wearing his shirt and a chain around your neck with his heavy ‘H’ ring hanging. Who else was ‘H’ in your life? He couldn’t remember any. As he was taking a shower, he was confused. Was that photograph a sign to call you? Or was it you slapping him in the face because you would never come back to him?

-----

Harry decided to drop by Nick’s NYE party. He never got to see his old friend around and wanted nothing more than to confide in his friend. Nick was your friend too but he always belonged to Harry. He was Harry’s friend first, after all. He might see you there but at least, liquid courage would flow freely into his bloodstream, giving him all the confidence that he needs in order for him to talk to you again.

When Nick learned that Harry was coming to his party, he was ecstatic. It’s been awhile since he last saw Harry and he really missed him. After the break-up, he knew immediately that Harry was broken and in the seams--so were you. Nick invited you to his party, too and you weren’t sure if it was an act of kindness or generosity. Perhaps he was pitying you because all of you and Harry’s mutual friends left you after the break-up, a confirmation that they never really liked you. They only liked to be closer to Harry for his money, fame, and influence. Who wouldn’t want to be near the Harry Styles after all? Still, you knew Nick wasn’t like that. He genuinely liked you after Harry formally introduced the both of you to each other. You were practically joined by the hip whenever Harry was touring and it was nice--it was just you who decided to distance yourself from the friendship when you and Harry broke up, avoiding everything that was related to him.

You had just woken up when Leon knocked at your door. Through your break-up, Leon was there to console you. You tried dating each other but it just didn’t work out--Leon was not Harry and you were not a boy. So instead, you hired Leon to be your assistant, seeing as he was unemployed and was also your friend.

“Y/N if you don’t wake up the fucking door I will break this down!” Leon called from outside. Groggily, you made your way to the door of your London penthouse. You opened the door to reveal Leon, in what he would call an outfit that was out of his comfort zone. You understood, though, seeing as Leon was still inside the closet. The only people who knew he was gay was you and his sprinkling of boyfriends who also happened to be inside the closet. You understood, though. Leon’s family was strict when it comes to homosexuality so he had to act as a straight black boy--always going to the gym, making his Instagram as douche-y as possible, and so one. You felt for him, always asking him if you could do something for him. He would always say no telling you how much your friendship and the job you gave him was enough.

“What do you want?” you asked as you walked to your couch to continue your sleep.

“Remember? Nick Grimshaw is coming in today for a fitting,” Leon reminded. You sighed. You were a designer based in London but because of Harry, you had more artists come at you for designs. That was how you and Harry met, you being introduced by Harry L, his stylist, before his world tour for a couple of suits. He then came to you a few months after, asking for some pieces for his magazine covers and you agreed. Your heart ached at the memory of you and Harry playing with new pieces you came up with. Harry always loved your designs.

“Oh, yeah. Where was it again?” you asked, disoriented because you’d see Nick Grimshaw again. You’d be reminded of Harry again. It wasn’t as if you weren’t reminded of him all the time, though. The burning sensation of his gold ‘H’ ring hanging from your chest every time. It became your source of comfort and it was pathetic how you still held onto it for so long--it’s been almost a year. “It’s here, yeah?” you asked, to which Leon nodded. You nodded as well, limping towards your bathroom to be ready for the day.

“I’ll make coffee!” Leon shouted as you trudged to the comforts of your hot shower.

It was a few hours later when your doorbell rang. Nick’s custom silk pants and denim jacket was laying on your couch, ready to be worn by the celebrity. If it fit him, you’d be focusing on the apliques and the details that he wanted to have--they were quite easy actually. He just wanted to have his name in sparkling red embroidery, almost looking like something inspired from Gucci (Harry’s favourite, your heart hurt) but entirely different at the same time. Leon opened the door as you shuffled back and forth to make sure everything was dandy. “Y/n! Oh, how I missed you so much!” Nick greeted as soon as he saw you flip through the crystals that you would embed on the lining of his pants. You smiled and gave him a hug, to which he returned. He looked at Leon and greeted him as well. Leon only replied with a “hey, man” and if it weren’t for Nick not knowing that Leon was gay (they kissed many months ago), he would think that Leon was your boyfriend. “How are you, Nick?” you asked. “Really doing well but better because you’re coming to my party!” he answered. You frowned in confusion. “I’m not going,” you told him. “Harry would be there and I don’t really wanna see him.” “But Y/N…” he trailed. “It’s been so long since we last hung together! If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were avoiding me,” he pouted. Leon decided to exclude himself from the conversation going straight to the kitchen to get some refreshments for your guest. “Nick--” “Just come on to the party and all will be forgiven,” he cheekily grinned. In reality, he was never really mad at you. He understood why you decided to distance yourself from him but he still likes you as a person and wanted to be your friend. You sighed, nodding to his request. He squealed. “Now, where is it? I wanna fit through my special outfit now,” he said. You motioned him to the pieces lying on the couch. “So you wanted to have something hip and vintage, right? Well, here’s a pair of black silk pants. They would be embedded with diamond Swarovskis on the side. Then,” you trailed looking for the surprise that you wanted to give him. “Ah, here’s a special just for you. I worked on it by myself,” you said, showing Grimmy a large hand-made sewn on patch of his caricature. You also showed him ‘GRIMMY’ in a font quite similar to BBCRadio1 in sparkling red thread.

“Wow--I am floored! These are so good!” he exclaimed, carefully taking the patches from you. He observed them, amazed by how far you went onto the detailing of his face to his favourite shade of red.

“Thank you,” you smiled. “It’s nothing. You’re my friend and I wanted to make your day extra special,” you muttered. “I’ll have them sewn on before the event ASAP so you could get it tomorrow or the next if the blank pieces already fit you or the 30th if there are still alterations to be made,” Nick stood up immediately, trying on the pieces over his current clothes and declared that they were the perfect fit. You smiled at him, appreciating how much he appreciated your work.

“I’m really glad to be your friend, y/n. I know Harry will be there and I know what he did but if you ever need me for anything, just call an old man like me, even if it’s just for a laugh,” he said. “The pants and jacket are a perfect fit, by the way.”

-----------

It was the day of the gruelling New Years Eve party hosted by Harry’s friend--Nick Grimshaw. He wasn’t quite sure if you were coming but just in case, he wore the other half of his iconic ‘H’ ring--the gold Gucci ‘S’ ring on his pinky, the ring you gave him on his ring finger, as if telling you that he was still yours to take, and a couple of rings he bought from all around the world. He also wore a custom polo shirt from you, one that you collaborated on with his mum for his birthday. No designer brand could top off the beauty that he was wearing. He was hoping that maybe, just maybe, after you see him tonight, you’d come back to him.

He sighed, anxious to see you—or not. From what he could recall, you distanced yourself from Grimmy. Maybe you rejected his invite, maybe not. Who knows what you were doing anymore? Why should he care? You were with Leon Harris. In his mind, the worst rebound you could ever get. You knew he hated Leon, that prick was a good for nothing douchebag. Harry went over to his collection of liquor, pouring himself a shot of vodka. Who was he to judge your tastes? It was him who broke things off, leaving you with nothing and no one. He knew that your mutual friends sided with him and left you. He groaned as he downed the shot, annoyed at himself. He misses you and he doesn’t know how to take you back.

“Leon, stop!” you groaned as he laid down your revealing party dresses. You were opting for a pair of floral pants and black shirt. Leon, however, disagreed with your choice.

“What? You should show him what he’s missing,” he shrugged.

“There’s nothing to show,” you muttered, taking a red dress off the bed to shut Leon up. You changed, not really minding if Leon was there, seeing as he wouldn’t even think about you that way.

“Look, I know you’ve been wallowing in your sadness since he ended things but it’s been a year, y/n. You should let things go,” your friend sighed as soon as he zipped you up. You sat on your vanity chair and took your curling iron.

“It’s not that easy,” you sighed as your curled the first strand of your hair. You spent the afternoon like that, fixing up your hair and putting on your makeup. Leon sighed, he knew that you were clearly affected by seeing your ex again. Leon was happy though, you maynit see it but you were clearly stressing about what version of you you would present to Harry. Leon was positive that this would end up in some make-up sex but who knows?

Harry arrived at the party earlier than you did. Knowing you, it probably took you hours to get ready for Leon. You loved doing that and you used to dress up for him. Sure, you were a secure woman but you still loved to make sure that your man’s eyes was on you and you only. Still, from a far, he would stare at you, the way he did when you were still together. He immediately made it a mission to look for Grimmy. He was porbably out there, entertaining guests but Harry wasn’t really in the mood to socialize. He was just here to get drunk and see you—if you were even coming.

“There he is!” Nick exclaimed as he saw Harry walk towards him. Nick’s friends looked at the poostar.

“Hey, Nick. Thanks for the invite,” Harry smiled. Nick saw that Harry was clearly uneasy.

“Love the polo shirt but you’d probably want to look like you actually want to be here,” Nick said. “Y/N’s attending the party,”

“Could’ve told me that before I wore this shit,” Harry grumbled. He took a flute of champagne to one of the bartenders walking around and downed it immediately. Nick looked at him incredulously. “If I have to see her, I have to see her while I’m drunk,”

Nick sighed but still guided Harry to the special booth for Nick’s closest friends.

You stumbled in, a little tipsy in the bar to look for Nicky. Nick when you’re sober, Nicky when you consumed alcohol. You were with Leon who was holding your hand, just in case someone bumped in on you and you tripped. Leon sighed, obviously being sober in this situation. He was sure that Harry was here, seeing as there were shitty headlines such as HARRY STYLES WEAR Y/N Y/L/N’S COUTURE IN NICK GRIMES ANNUAL NYE PARTY.

Leon saw it though. He was wearing the special polo shirt you and his mother designed. He knew the intricacies of the polo shirt because on your first and last attempt to date, you rambled about Harry. You told him that instead of the signature tag of the customers with Mademoiselle or Monsieur as prefix, you opted to embroider my love, Harry--a one of a kind polo shirt. Leon has seen him wear the said shirts in Harry’s appearances, even getting the nickname ‘Harry’s special’ by many of his fans.

“Y/N!” Nick exclaimed as he saw you and Leon. You looked at him and immediately sobered up, seeing as Harry was latched onto his shoulder. You looked at Harry, suddenly aware of his presence and your self. He was looking at Leon with jealousy and you knew it, Harry never liked Leon and you walk in here with him in a dress like yours? It was killing him.

“Y/N, Harris.” your ex-boyfriend acknowledged. “Harry,” you nodded. Leon looked at him, aware that your ex was probably killing your friend in his mind. “I see that you have replaced me so easily, y/n,” Harry slurred. He was pretty sure he won’t remember shit tomorrow so he decided to just go with the flow. “Ha! See, Nick? Liquid courage,” he chuckled as he took a swig off of his beer bottle. “Alright, Harry. That’s enough,” you interjected, trying to take the bottle away from Harry. He clearly drank a little too much and you know that when Harry was drunk, he has the tendency to say things he didn’t mean at all. It’s not even a defense or anything, he just does it. “No, you’re not my girlfriend anymore. You can’t control me. Why don’t you go be with that Harris prick? Honestly, angel? You could do way better than that wanker, yeah?” he says, pointing his bottle to Leon who was busy eyeing down Nick.

“Harry--give me that bottle.” you said, clearly annoyed with how things are currently going.  Why was he being difficult?

“Do you still love me, y/n? Look, I’m wearing the polo shirt you gave me,” he says, twirling like a little girl showing off her new outfit. “I see you’re wearing my ‘H’ ring, too. I saw it the other day...Instagram. That must mean something, yeah?”  he asked, tilting his head to the side. He surrendered the bottle to you.

“Come on, let’s go somewhere so you could sit and clear your head, yeah?” you asked, holding his arm. “Leon,” you called to your friend. “I’ll just help Harry clear his mind. I’ll find you later, yeah? I’m sorry,” you said. Leon only nodded, mouthing a ‘sure’ before talking to a friend Nick introduced him to.

“If you don’t love me, you wouldn’t take care of me like this. Remember when you would do this lot? I miss it,” he rambled. You weren’t sure if he was being serious enough but you decided that either way, your heart was hurting. A silence fell upon the both of you as you sat on the booth.

“Harry, stay here yeah? I’ll see if someone could get you some water,” you said, standing up from the couch. Harry grabbed your hand.

“Please, stay. I promise I won’t say anything anymore. Just...stay here, love? Please? It’s been a while since you were this close to me and tonight, let’s just do things like the old times, yeah?” he asked. You were torn, so fucking torn with what he was saying. Wasn’t he the one who asked for a break? It’s been a year and you missed him. You really do.

“Harry,” you started, staring at his lips. You missed how soft it was, you missed how he kissed you. “Can we, can we kiss?” you asked. Harry sobered up. Were you really asking him to kiss you? He sat up straight looking at you. He inched closer until he could feel your heavy breaths. Your chest was heaving and you were itching for him to get closer. He smiled, taking your chin with his ring clad fingers until your lips met. It was slow and nice, two lovers yearning to be with each other again but soon enough, with too much yearning and passion, your kiss became heated. You didn’t notice it but Harry’s hands soon found your arms, caressing your bare arms up and down, the coldness of his rings against your warm skin a pleasuring contrast.

“Fuck,” he breathed as soon as you both pulled away. “Do you want to take this somewhere?” he asked. You nodded, mind too hazy from what just happened. You collected your bag that was left beside you.

“Let’s use the back door and walk discreetly, yeah?” you asked, Harry was never one to bring drivers during the holidays and so were you. You were intoxicated so you both didn’t want to drive. “Then, let’s just hail a car or something when we’re a little too far away,” you said. “I’ll just text Leon,” you added as you unlocked your phone.

“W-wait, Leon,” Harry rasped.

“You don’t have to worry about him. I’m single and I’m not his type,” you breathed as your grabbed his hand. He wasn’t sure if he should believe you, but nodded anyway. He was too desperate--all he wanted was to feel you close. You both made a beeline to the backdoor and exited, silently thanking the Lord for the absence of paparazzi. You walked, an awkward silence falling between the both of you. Still, your minds were hazy with lust, yearning, and love. You were a little far away when you hailed a taxi, telling the driver to go straight to Harry’s place, seeing as his house was nearer than yours. The both of you were obviously itching to touch each other but you refrained, you didn’t want anyone to see and complicate things.

The moment you arrived at Harry’s door (thank God he cleaned), your mouth was on his. This time, your kiss was more daring and passionate, all curfew thrown outside the window. You moaned as he trailed down to your neck, your back against the wall. He was sucking and licking the spot where your neck and shoulder blades met, your spot as he would call it. You were sure that he would leave a mark in the morning but you didn’t care. You were tugging at his hair, something that he always liked, to encourage him to go lower.

“Come,” he rasped as he took your hand to his bedroom. You both tiptoed in the dark hallways of his massive house until your back met the mattress in his bedroom. “How do you think I feel once I saw you in this red dress?” he asked. You weren’t able to answer his question as he kissed you again, only this time, his hand was playing with the thin straps of your silk dress. He lowered it.

Meanwhile, your hands were on his polo shirt, carefully unbuttoning the material off of his torso. Once you were able to take off the buttons, your hands met his tattooed chest. He moaned at the contact.

“Unzip me?” you asked as soon as he moved his lips down to the skin visible on your chest. He sucked your skin as you raised you body, his hands going underneath you to unzip the tight red dress off your body. He stopped for a moment, looking at your naked chest.

“Fuck, I missed this,” he moaned as he put his mouth on your nipple. You arched your chest towards him, his ring clad fingers kneading your other breast. Your hands were inching towards your underwear, nothing really special because you weren’t expecting this. “Ah, ah, ah,” he taunted, the moment he felt your fingers go lower.

“Harry—“

“No, let me do it, love,” he whispered. His mouth latched on to your other nipple, only this time, his fingers were trailing down to your clothed center. Your hips grinded on his hands, the rings giving you more texture. You were whimpering, begging for your ex-boyfriend to touch you. He chuckled a little bit, pushing your underwear to the sides before teasing your clit. You grounded your hips again, and Harry gave in, flicking the button in between your legs.

“Fuck,” you moaned. “more, Harry…”

“You want this? You want me to fill you up?” he asked, breathy. Quite frankly, his manhood was penting up in his pants. You nodded and Harry moaned, completely removing your underwear. Your hands trailed to his pants, massaging him through his fabric. Your hands immediately unbuttoned his trousers, and he stood up, removing it alone with his boxers. Your hands immediately found his dick, rubbing the precum all over before you pushed Harry onto the bed.

“What do you want me to do, Harry?” you asked seductively.

“Ride me,” he says. He bucked his hips towards your hands, clearly wanting more. “Come one, love,” he encouraged. You sat in his lap, taking his dick in between your hands, rubbing it on your clit for a few times before inserting the tip inside you. “I missed this, fuck,” he moaned. You moaned too, sitting lower until his length was filling you up. “I think you had your fun already,” he taunted, flipping you over. He leaned onto you as he pounded into you a few times.

“Harry, shit, shit,” you moaned. Your hand went to your clit, rubbing it as Harry went in and out of you.

“You just can’t get enough can you?” he asked. Your other hand and legs were around him, your nails digging onto his back. You nodded. “You’re not gonna cum until I tell you to, love,” he said as he pounded into you harder. His hand was immediately on your nipple, pinching and tugging it. It was sensory overload, his hands on your breast, yours on your clit, him inside you, your nails onto him. He moaned, putting his mouth on yours as his tongue entered your mouth. You both felt his thrusts going sloppier and sloppier as your walls started to clench.

“Harry, I’m cumming, fill me up...cum inside me,” you moaned. The popstar only gruntled, obviously bathing in your wetness.

“Cum, princess. Cum on my cock, cum with me,” he moaned as you both came, his cum filling you up and your walls clenching around him.

“I love you,” you whispered, hoping he didn’t notice but he did, stopping for a moment, looking at you. “Let’s talk about it later,” you smiled.

He thrusted for a few more times before removing his girth inside you. He immediately looked for a towel to wipe you with it and you waited. He always did this—you waited, basking in the afterglow of sex.

—————-

It was 4 am in the morning and you were both naked underneath the sheets. You didn’t talk about your confession, sleeping immediately once he wiped down the mess on your legs and he sighed.

It was 4 am and he was sound asleep, his tattooed arm wrapped around your torso. You removed it carefully and he shuffled in his sleep. You watched him, tears springing in your eyes before silently dressing up and tiptoeing until you were outside his room. He didn’t notice it, too sound asleep. You were silently sobbing as you buckled the straps of your black heels, calling for a car. It took a few minutes of you waiting outside his gates, the cold breeze raising goosebumps on your skin.

That was how you spent your New Years Eve and New Years, having sex with your ex and then, regretting it hours later because you told him you loved him.

PART TWO?

happy new years! i hope this is the first / last fic you’ve read for the decade. thanks again! xxxx

taglist:

@giitterysuits / @floral-suits @bree082 @dezzym17 @bouncebackbyers @lolapuffs @belleamoree @demolition-lovers-blog @gorgeouslygrace @styledharry @nervousshoeghostmoney

[septiembrre]

I'm not mad for the three word prompts pls xx

“I’m not mad”, 3 word prompts

I couldn’t sleep last night and instead of writing the prompt that has an actual deadline and due in a few days, I decided to write this because @sothischickshe is so nice and keeps giving me internet kudos, and I wanted to answer their prompt. <3 This is kind of a weird, nonsensical conversation. I know I’m not selling it, but truly I wrote it at 3 in the morning. Also yes, there’s lot of endearments in this that haven’t yet been used this way in the show, don’t @ me. 

On Ao3, too. 

Set: One day in the future when Brio is an item. 

-

Beth had made a mistake. She had started the bread late, off schedule.

The meet with their new contact was pushed back from a blithe afternoon meet and greet at Rio’s bar to eight in the evening semi-dinner that wasn’t incredibly tense but not really the kind of thing you actually wanted to eat at. But, regardless of business woes, she was still committed to making walnut bread whether she liked it or not. The parent group for Emma, Jane, and Marcus’s soccer team organized a bake sale for the team. Despite the ever-present shadiness of upper-middle-class, overly prideful parents, she had happily committed herself to three loaves - one for each of the children. It could be worse. At least she was no longer at a stage where all of her babies were elementary school-aged, and running ragged trying to room mother and volunteer at games.

Successful as the day was with their new connects, her whole bread-making schedule had been thrown off. By the time they had gotten home it was after eleven and she just had time to start the bulky second prove before she collapsed in exhaustion from the long day. Rio had tugged her zombie-like to bed.

But that was then and this was - now. Her over-disciplined mind had woken her up at an hour that still qualified as the middle of the night to shape the bread. Beth tried to undergo the mental gymnastics of which floorboards to avoid, to make it all the way to the kitchen without stirring Rio, but damn if she was still tired. He who must not be disturbed was snoring softly at her shoulder. Beth could already hear him, but she would just take it slow. She started first with one arm, and then the next. Limb by limb she freed herself from his all too enticing warmth and peeled away the blankets.

Slowly, she shifted her weight out of the bed, as a hand emerged out from under the piles of blankets to snag her own wrist.

Fuck. She moved two feet and she already got caught.

“Where you goin’?” Rio says it slow, rolling like molasses through his exhaustion and the fog of sleep. Rio always collapses into slumber, chronically under-rested. He took the luxury of rest where he could. It meant he slept heavy and he was always fussy to be interrupted. Beth leans back into the bed and kisses his temple, then his cheekbone.

She leans into his ear to whisper, “I need to go check on the dough.”

Beth strokes the scrunch of his brow, kisses the bridge if his nose. She’s pulling out all the stops.

“Go back to sleep, baby.”

He groans. The sound is loud in the darkness of their bedroom. Beth loves it, she loves him sleepy but holds her ground.

There’s a short pause, as she continues to stroke his temple. She’s hoping he decides to go back to sleep, he’s waiting for her to get back into their bed. For a moment, it’s a stalemate. Then, he gives.

Another groan - a purely theatrical protest, he certainly could answer a work text at any hour of the night.  He runs his hands over his face trying to clear the sleep and then continues to make his little show by lumbering out of bed as if this asshole ever had an ungraceful day in his life. “I’m goin’ wit you.”

She huffs. “I’m fine.”

��Nah, you want to do this now. So we’re gonna do it.”

“Go back to bed.” Beth sternly whispers, trying to keep her voice down. For who she isn’t sure. They’re alone, the kids at their respective parents for the week. Maybe she does it to maintain the decency of the hour.

“You go back to bed.”

His fingers reach out to her, curling under the top of her pajamas, and pulling her closer towards the mattress. Rio’s hands are warm and big against the softness of her skin there. She considers relenting, inviting his body to curl back around her, knows she could probably get an orgasm out of this. But, the children!

“Let’s just buy it tomorrow.”

A year ago she would have scoffed, offended. Now she just rolls her eyes at him the dark. Maybe he can’t quite see but she knows that he knows.

She catches his hands. Slaps him on the wrist.

“If you’re coming with me you have to behave.”

“No.”

“Christopher.”

“Fuck. You sound like my middle school math teacher, Mrs. Ramos-“

“Or like your mother.”

“Or like a really mean librarian. Mrs. Castillo-“

“Oh my god. Let’s go.”

-

Rio collapses on a chair at the island, blearily keeping an eye on her. Beth turns on one of the lights in the kitchen. Halfway through her checking unearthing the proved dough, he starts playing Animal Crossing on his phone. She recognizes the app jingle.

“The kids play that.”

“E’rybody plays it.”

“I mean kids do.”

“Sweetheart, it was on the GameCube in ‘01.”

Beth scrunches her face at him. It’s an ungodly hour, he’s pouting like her youngest, who is for the record an eight-year-old who plays Animal Crossing, and watering his fucking crops or fishing or whatever. She lets herself digress because certainly, she wouldn’t be the first to indulge in childish behavior. Also, the fucking GameCube? This guy. “How old are you again?”

“Four years younger than you.” This is a pattern they’ve fallen into, a refrain. The other day he finally showed her his license but then she reminded him, it could be fake for all she knew.

“No one our age played the GameCube.”

“Your age maybe. My age they did.”

Fuck him.  She glowers.

“What, your old hubby never played Galaga? Or whatever the fuck boorish white dudes played in the 90s? Bet he was a Tetris guy.”

“First of all, Tetris is fine. I’ve seen you play Tetris! And white people play Animal Crossing.” She ends a touch snidely.

“Yeah. Like I said, everybody plays it. Nintendo is the shit.”

She would know. All of her children, and her pseudo-eldest, Annie, cannot remove themselves from whatever the Nintendo calls itself these days. All of Annie’s social media updates have been about her virtual island. And then Ruby had started using Sarah’s console, and joined Annie there - on that island. They took kind-of cute cartoon pictures wearing matching hot pink outfits with what they adamantly claimed was “juice” but was definitely a daiquiri. Beth was just feeling a little left out is all.  

“I thought you said you didn’t like the phone game.”

“It’s not good like the Switch, but it’s a fix.”

“Uh huh.”

“Besides your sister is blowin’ shit way the fuck out of proportion on New Horizons. I already visited her damn tacky island three times this week. She bought a fuckin’ port-a-potty and put it in her house. It’s fuckin’ weird. She kept insisting we take screenshots by it-“

Beth stops listening, distracted as an image of a cartoon Rio drinking mimosas with Annie and Ruby on stylized furniture flashes in her mind's eye.

“Don’t pout, darlin’.”

She scoffs and then her lips purse a little more.

“It ain’t becoming’.”

The bowl she’s working with clatters a bit as her movements become more vigorous.

“Did you just tell me to ‘smile’ at four-thirty in the morning?”

He opens his mouth as if to answer her, shuts it, and pointedly continues tapping on his phone. After a minute he lowers the volume. All that can be heard is the jingle playing softly.

She continues shaping the bread. Rio migrates over to the living room and Beth hears him collapse on the couch. She stores the bread, tucking it back into it’s proving spot, and sets the timer so she can wake up and bake the dough later in the morning.

“Elizabeth.” It’s not lush, weighty like he usually says it. He lets sleep curl around it and soften the syllables. She comes to perch against the open entrance of the living room. Rio’s pulled a blanket down with him on the couch and is being purposefully charming. It works but god is it annoying.

“Sweetheart, c’mere.”

She stares at him.

“Don’t be that way.”

Beth lofts her head. “I’m not mad.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Let’s go to bed.”

“C’mere, please.”

He lifts the blanket. She glimpses his hoodie-clad body underneath and she knows the toasty warmth of his body and she knows she’s mad for no reason, so she tries to get over it, and goes to lie with him on the couch.

They wrap themselves around each other. He kisses her forehead. “You just feel old because it’s five in the mornin’ and that makes everyone feel like shit.” He dips down to kiss the grooves under her eyes. “You interrupted our beauty sleep.”

His kisses travel the frame of her face and then he continues.

“Also, your girlfriends and I aren’t going to decide we all like each other better and un-invite you to the party.” He pecks her lips. “Besides your sister’s a freak and there’s no way she’s replacin’ you as my best friend. No way anyone is replacin’ you.”

“Not even Mick?”

She notices that he makes an uncommitted noise, but allows herself to melt further into their embrace, kisses his shoulder. She lets herself be soft.

“I love you.”

His hands dip lower to the swell of her ass. She can tell he’s eyeing the way her boobs swell up pressed against his chest.

“Yeah, darlin’?”

“Either say you love me back or go to sleep, Christopher.”

He chuckles and whispers a quick I-love-you into the shell of her ear and then a nip, “How much time we got before you check the bread again?”

Now she’s laughing. Fuck it. They’re up anyway. She kisses him, dips down to suck a mark into one of the wings at his neck.

“Plenty of time.”

[emma-nation]

Without You - Bloodbound AU (Chapter 10) *For You Sequel*

Summary: Gaius is back. While coming up with a plan to take him down, the gang must deal with some new life-changing events.

Genre: Angst/Adventure/Romance

Rating: T - Warning for violence and language

Tag List: @begging-for-kamilah, @lulu-the-cat, @ilovekamilahsayeed, @zoe6111, @kennaxval (If you want to be tagged in future chapters/fics of this pairing let me know!)

Notes:

- English is my second language, please forgive me for any mistakes.

- Hope you enjoy it, your reviews and likes are always appreciated.

Lysimachus

After waking up from one his terrible nightmares, or better, flashbacks from his dark days in a Roman prison, he opened his eyes, expecting to find some comfort, relief... but the opposite side of his bed was empty. Lysimachus sighed heavily.

Boom! A loud explosion noise came from his living room, followed by a hysterical laugh.

"Ha! How do you like that, huh?!"

Priya was standing in front of his TV, focused on a VR game he had never seen before. Without her awareness, he unplugged the console.

"WHAT?!"

"I told you to stay in bed. You need to rest."

"More?" She frowned. "I've been resting for days."

"Let me check it out."

Under her shirt, he examined the bite wound on her shoulder. It had mostly healed. For the last few days, he had been often feeding Priya his own blood and her body was doing the rest, fighting off the infection successfully.

“Almost there,” he announced.

“Thank you so much, Hunter. I mean, for this story you invented to the media about the deadly infection. It worked like magic. Look at all this gifts I’ve been receiving. I was even trying this game, that will likely never come out in the stores!”

“Really?!” Lysimachus grabbed the game cover. “Come on! I’ve been waiting for this for ages! How come did you...”

Priya winked and grinned in response. For a second their eyes locked, and as the moment started to become to awkward, he changed the subject.

“By the way, you were right. Lester was next on the list.”

“Did you go to that famous strip-club he often visits?”

“Yes,” Lysimachus told. “And as you suggested, there was already this woman, set up by Gaius, ready to cause him trouble. Later, she’d take him to Gaius to finish his life. But everything is solved now and Mr. Castellanos is safe and sound in Spain.”

“Hmpfff...” Priya grunted. “You should at least let them give that perv a lesson.”

“We can deal with that later... now...” he went to his evidence board. “The Baron next?”

Priya was pensive, intrigued. She looked at him, raising her eyebrows. Lysimachus, in this short time he had been in her presence, learned to not like that look.

“What’s up?” He questioned.

“Where’s Kamilah? And Amy, mostly? That chick has which every Vampire is looking for. Shouldn’t we be keeping her locked in a safe for now?”

He didn’t answer. He hadn’t spoke to Kamilah since that night at his apartment. He didn’t feel capable of fully forgiving her yet.

“Man, you can’t be pissed at you sis, the one you’ve spent your whole life seeking for revenge for... because of this,” she pointed to her shoulder, as if the bite was nothing. “She was only playing her role. I’d have probably done worse.”

“You could’ve died.”

“And so did she. She did what she had to do, Hunter...” Priya punched him on the chest, before heading for his cabinet and grabbing an early drink. “Now about our plan, should I be proceeding with our... thing tonight?”

“No way,” Lysimachus shook his head. “You’re not completely healed yet and after what he did... I’m not risking your life again.”

“Too bad,” the Fashion Designer smirked. “I’ve already gave me Clan the orders. We are doing it.”

“You will not!”

“You’re not my man, Hunter. You can’t tell me what to do. Do you think that some creepy old ass can try to kill me and get nothing in return? You should know me better at this point, you know, before we move to the next level.”

She closed the front door behind him, going for a meeting with her Clan. Lysimachus clenched his fists in rage, before falling on the couch wondering what she meant by ‘the next level’.

----------

Kamilah

"You're not thinking straight," Adrian gave her a disapproving look. "Kamilah, there's a lot that could go wrong... what if... what if she Turns Feral? Do you remember my wife, Celia?"

Of course Kamilah did. She not only supported him during his mourning time, but she helped him to gain strength to open that coffin and stake her heart. She witnessed the beautiful Celia, who she had recently watched marry Adrian in the church, to become a pile of ashes, as her monstrous body vanished. It was a scene she’d never forget.

"Being The First Vampire's descendant? I doubt it,” if the closer to the First Vampire, less chances of becoming Feral, Amy probably had a big advantage. “It's my best option at the moment, Adrian. As mortal she's weak, fragile and barely capable of protecting herself. Also, they need her alive to make use of her blood."

"What about The Council?" Adrian ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm out of The Council, remember?"

"They could use it as an excuse to kill Amy and you, for unauthorized Turnings."

"Don't worry," Kamilah walked headed to the door. "I have you, Jax and Priya in my favor."

"A-are you counting on Priya's vote?"

"I can easily make her. After all, she owes me her life."

Some time later, she was already in her car, placing everything she'd need for the ritual. She was conflicted it was true, apart from the fear of Amy becoming Feral, she also didn't want Amy to experience most of the things she did, such as watching all her loved ones to die or becoming completely numb to the world around her, but sacrificing her wasn't an option either.

"Are we ready to go?" Amy was waiting inside the penthouse, grabbing some bags.

"You tell me. Are you ready for this, Amy? Is it what you want?"

"Yes, I've never been more sure of something in my life."

"Are you aware of the risks?" Kamilah sighed deeply, affected by Adrian’s words. "That it could go wrong and..."

"It's not happening," Amy didn't let her finish. "It worked for Lily, it'll work for me too."

"And that your feelings may change. Including for me."

"Lily haven't changed."

"You can make the decision based on somebody else's experience."

"Are you trying to change my mind or what?" Amy angered.

"No," Kamilah patiently answered. "I only want you to be sure. There's no turning back."

“One thing I’m sure, I don’t wanna die in some sick ritual.”

The next moments were tense and silent. She could tell Amy was nervous, though she was determined. It wouldn't be easy for herself either, planning the less painful manner to kill her fiancée, in order for her to be reborn as Vampire.

Suddenly, Amy jumped on top of her, kissing her feverishly. Her tongue finding a way between her lips, as her fingers tangled into her long straight hair.

"If my feelings ever change... all you have to do is remind me of this. Got it?"

"Whenever you wish."

Before going to the Hamptons, she took Amy to her office, in order to discuss the last details. First, she'd need to make sure to avoid problems with The Council.

"So you're spontaneously giving up on your mortality?" She recorded on video, in case she needed later.

"Yes," Amy answered. "In order to preserve my own life."

"Whose idea was that?"

"Mine"

"Good," Kamilah turned off the camera. "We got what we need. Now..." she stopped. "How do you want me to do it?"

"Traditionally?" Amy furrowed her brows confused. "I mean, there's no other way to Turn someone, is it?"

Kamilah sighed, taking the question straight to the point.

"I mean... how do you want me to kill you?"

"Oh."

The question hit Amy a little hard, as she hadn't considered this part yet.

"No pain," she finally spoke. "How did he kill you? Drinking all your blood, wasn't it?"

Kamilah nodded in response.

"Did that hurt?"

"Not much. I only started to feel weaker, my vision went dark and..."

Speaking about it didn't make Kamilah feel so comfortable, even after all this time.

"That's how we're doing it then."

"Okay."

They both went silent again. Tension hanging in their air, until she decided to lighten the mood.

"So, what would you like to do in your last day as mortal?"

Amy finally smiled, biting her lower lip playfully.

"I have a few ideas in mind."

----------

Amy

That was one idea Amy had in mind for a while, but Kamilah being a Vampire and the CEO of such a large company, it wasn’t possible until the moment. She blindfolded her fiancée and took control of the car.

“I don’t like any of it,” Kamilah complained from the passenger seat.

“Which part?” Amy asked, loud, her voice was being muffled by the wind entering the windows. She wanted to feel it as human one last time. “Driving your car or taking you on a mysterious place?”

“Both.”

After she removed Kamilah’s blindfold, the female Vampire rolled her eyes, unable to believe the place in front of her.

“You didn’t brought me to an amusement park.”

“Of course I did. I mean, you’ve never went on a roller-coaster ride or had an ice cone. Everyone must experience these things.”

“Mortals, Amy. Not me.”

Before any more protesting, Amy took her hand and dragged her to inside the park.

“So, what would you like to try first, the Thunderbolt, the Cyclone or the Sling- Shot?”

“I don’t understand any of the things you’ve just said.”

“Those are some of the wildest rides.”

“Whatever. You pick.”

For the rest of the morning, Amy took Kamilah to her favorite rides of the park. Though the Vampire didn’t express any excitement or fear, Amy could tell she was enjoying it. Then she took her for lunch, Kamilah stared at the food in complete disgust.

“Come on,” Amy took a bite of her corn dog, “try it. You’ll like it.”

“I’m not sure I can handle the scent of grease for another minute,” Kamilah covered her nose with her hand.

“Cheese fries then?”

Kamilah rolled her eyes, hesitantly taking one fry and putting it into her mouth.

“So?” Amy asked, expectantly.

“I feel it’s going to give me a stroke.”

“Dramatic much?”

“That’s okay, I can wash the taste away from my mouth with...” she took a sip of a can of soda. “this.”

Amy laughed and observed as Kamilah discreetly took some fries off the plate, time from time, refusing to admit they were actually delicious.

“I’m afraid to ask but,” the female vampire spoke after they finished, “what’s next?”

“Dessert, of course!”

"What kind of it?”

“We have funnel cake, deep fried Oreos...”

“Do your kind honestly needs to fry everything?” Kamilah interrupted, whining.

“Or we can have ice cones,” Amy finished.

“I’d prefer this way.”

They sat down on a bench, tasting their ice cream. Amy wrapped an arm around Kamilah’s shoulder and kissed her cheek.

“Thanks for doing this with me. I know it’s not your favorite day ever but... it means a lot.”

Kamilah was still thoughtful and not very chatty, but the corners of her mouth curled up a little.

“I’ve had worse days before.”

“I can imagine...”

“Like when you and Lily took me to that nightclub. I’m positive that hell is somewhat close to that place.”

Amy bursted into a laugh, imagining Kamilah was about to say something dark and serious.

“Oh my god, Amy,” the vampire rolled her eyes again. “Look at you, there’s ice cream in the corners of your mouth. You’re always so classy...”

Before Amy could take a napkin to clean it, Kamilah stopped her.

“I’ll handle it,” with her thumb she wiped the corners of her mouth and then sucked it gently, before pressing her lips on Amy’s.

As the evening approached, Kamilah wanted to know if she had any more requests before they go to the Hamptons’ house.

“A classic one for every couple. A kiss on the top of the Ferris Wheel.”

“We’re not really like every couple but... of course.”

----------

Kamilah

It was early in the night when they arrived at the Hamptons' house. The mood between them was nervy again, but Kamilah wanted to keep it as normal as possible, letting Amy enjoy the last hours of her mortality in the living room while she prepared everything for the Turning ritual in one of the bedrooms.

"You've done it a thousand times," she repeated to herself. "It's just the same."

But it wasn't. Amy wasn't any mortal, she was the First Vampire's descendant, the results of her Turning experience were unknown. Adrian thought she could become a powerful being. With a pure blood, she could become so strong as Kamilah herself, or even Gaius.

"Kamilah," Amy yelled from the living room, "I'm starving. Is there any food in this house?"

Kamilah rolled her eyes, wondering if as Vampire her hunger would also be enhanced.

"I forgot about it... why don't you order some pizza?"

While the girl celebrated, she felt her stomach twist. She never had such a large amount of junk food in one day.

Everything was prepared. After dinner she'd drive Amy to the bedroom, where she'd drink a goblet of her blood. Then, Kamilah would suck her blood completely, until her death, and place her inside a coffin, where she'd remain for the next six hours while she did the last arrangements.

She hadn't told Lysimachus about their plan. She had no idea of her brother's opinion about it. As he read Wright's complete research, he could know things about Amy's gift she didn't know, and prevent her from doing a mistake.

Against her will, Kamilah dialed his number. It was turned off. It was always turned off when he was too busy with Priya.

"Screw them," Kamilah angered. "I can make it on my own."

The door bell rang. She hear Amy going to answer. It should be her pizza. In at least an hour, they'd begin the Turning ritual.

Kamilah took a deep breath and walked to the living room, trying to appear confident.

"Amy," she shouted. "You left the door unlocked again. How many times do I have to tell you we're not in your cozy little town?"

She didn't answer. She probably had a mouthful of pizza in the kitchen.

"You didn't even wait..." For her surprise, Amy wasn't in the kitchen either. "Amy?!"

Kamilah looked outside, in the lounge, in the backyard and even on the beach. Amy was nowhere to be found. A chill went down her spine.

The bell rang again. She opened the door, expecting to find her fiancée but...

"Here's your pizza. Ms. Parker, right?"

"N-No... it was a prank. Sorry."

She quickly closed the door and grabbed her car keys and cell phone, attempting to reach her brother as she drove.

She only had one destination in mind. That one small beach town in Jersey.

----------

Lysimachus

"Don't get over excited, please," Lysimachus begged to Priya through the audio plug.

"Hunter, this is my kind of place! Look at this... How couldn't I have such a morbid idea before? Mortals vs. Vampires would boost my parties!"

Somewhere near the club, he pretended he was not listening.

"Baby steps," he thought. She wouldn't suddenly change all her views and behaviors. The fact she hadn't betrayed them or that she was able to stay away from parties and orgies for almost two months was a great achievement.

"Whose idea do you think was that? It was certainly not Gaius'."

"Probably the bar owner's, after he was hypnotized."

"Okay..." she took a breath, calming herself. "What's the next step?"

"Finish watching the games, make your presence to be noticed and go to Anya, ask her to take you to her boss."

"Noted."

Lysimachus still wasn't secure about this plan. Before Gaius' attack on Priya, the findings about the ritual and his fight with Kamilah, everything was certain. Now there was a lot that could go wrong. Lives were at risk.

"If he tries anything remember our safeword. I'll be down there in a blink of an eye."

Priya grunted on the other side of the device.

"Stop with the overprotection. I can take care of myself."

"But..."

"I mean it, Hunter. One more time and I'll turn off the plug."

"Okay."

"Go take a walk, Hunter. The show is about to begin. Go get us some girl for later... Bye!"

Lysimachus ignored her words again and started driving around on his motorcycle. He momentarily turned off the device, refusing to hear Gaius' horror circus. It was too much for him.

He went to the town's library, to read some of its history. The place was highly known for its supernatural events and the presence of strange forces. Jameson should know that. No wonder he had picked that place to hide Gaius.

He turned on his cell phone, to keep himself informed of the events in New York. As The Baron refused to cooperate, he sent Jax to keep an eye on him. He and Priya had a hunch that he was Gaius' next target.

For his shock, he had about 20 missed calls, from his sister.

"Kamilah, what's wrong? I'm in Jersey and I just saw..."

"Don't move!" She yelled from the other side of the line. "I'm going there. He... He took Amy."

"How? Does he even know she's back?"

"I don't know. She mysteriously vanished from the Hamptons' house, while I was busy with... something else. Something that could save her."

Lysimachus noticed his sister and discreetly crying.

“Okay, I-I... I’ll meet you on the road.”

"Fuck," he punched the table and headed back to his initial location, near the Midnight Lounge. "Priya? Can you hear me?"

"Yeah, this thing is better than I've ever imagined! After we defeat Gaius I'm calling dibs on this bar."

"Stay alert, he kidnapped Amy. Find your way down there, quick!"

"B-But and then? Am I supposed to save her?"

"Give your best show. I'll stay here listening."

----------

Amy

"Let me go, your son of a bitch," Amy screamed as Harvey threw her inside a dark room. "Traitor! Kamilah is going to kill you!"

"That's a really noisy one," the male Vampire complained as Jameson joined him. “I expect a raise after this service."

"Hello, Amy. It's a pleasure to see you again."

"Oh?! Aren't you a back-stabber son of a bitch? I always thought you were a weirdo, Jameson. It's a shame no one else could see it!"

"Can you please silence her?" Harvey begged. "If I have to hear her voice for another second, I..."

"The Master wants her perfectly intact for the proceedings."

"Again?" Amy rolled her eyes, wondering if they were part of Keaseth's cult. Of course, bringing his Maker back would bring Gaius a lot of benefits.

She couldn't believe it was happening. How did they even find out she was back?

"Of course," she remembered Jameson had a lot of mind skills, telepathy should be one of them. He was the mysterious person at the bar. "How could I be so stupid?"

Another figure entered the room, a female. She recognized her from Ahmanet Financial. That should be Anya.

"The King wants us in the main hall," she announced. "We've got something big to happen."

"But who's going to keep an eye on this thing?" Harvey asked.

"Just leave her. It's only a mortal, it’s not like she's going anywhere."

"Good point."

The three vampires closed the door, leaving her alone inside the dark room. With both of her hands and feet tied, she needed to find a way to free herself.

First, she moved her hands repeatedly, loosening the rope around her wrists. Then, she crawled on the floor where pieces from a shattered glass bottle were lying.

"I just have to..." Amy placed herself near the glass, grabbing the sharpest piece she could find and trying to rub it on the ropes repeatedly. "Come on... cut it... cut it..."

She insisted, until she was finally free. After untying her ankles, she carefully approached the door, opening it only a little bit. Gaius was having an important meeting with...

"Priya?!"

Amy watched as the Fashion Designer entered the main hall, escorted by four members of her Clan, clapping.

"Congratulations, Old Ass. Not even my twisted mind could have planned such a sick attraction. I'm impressed."

"What are you doing here?' Gaius snarled. "You were supposed to be..."

"Dead? And so were you."

"What do you want? Did you come here to defy me?"

"The opposite... I'm here to offer you a partnership. I've heard you need an army, don't you? I'm offering my Clan."

"In trade of?"

"Power. I'm done playing with losers! Do you know what Lysimachus is planning? An ambush, with his little magic tricks! As if they even worked, we're not in Hogwarts, jeez. We're Vampires. Bloodsucking creatures."

Gaius stared at her in silence for a brief moment before his eyes turned red in anger.

"I don't trust you. Remember you helped to trap me inside that sarcophagus?"

"What was I supposed to do? Adam offered me power, money... it was a win-win situation, babe."

"How do I know you're not part of the ambush? I'm aware of your liaisons with that... boy."

Amy noticed he clenched his fist in extreme rage as he spoke about Lysimachus.

"Who told you that?" Priya let out a small laugh. "Kamilah? Because... you know Kamilah isn't hypnotized at all, don’t you? She comes here, lies to you, collect info and take to The Council."

"Traitor!" Amy spoke in low voice. "Kamilah was right all along!"

"So, what do you say?" Priya started walking around Gaius in circles, as he was conflicted with the latest news. "I could be your new Queen. I have way more to offer than she does..."

Suddenly, Anya looked at her direction, noticing she was peeking through the door.

"Hey!" She yelled, coming in her direction.

Amy slammed the door closed, thinking she only had one chance to escape. She remembered some lessons Lysimachus gave her, about hunting Vampires.

As Anya entered the room, Amy stabbed her right in the chest with the sharp glass. It wasn't enough to kill her yet, but she got what she needed, her blood. Before cutting off her head and watch her become a pile of ash, she drank some of it.

"I think I'm going to puke," she thought.

By this time, she was surrounded. By Harvey, Jameson, Priya and... Gaius. It was the first time she was seeing him in person. He looked even more intimidating and evil than in her visions.

"Don't be afraid, Amy. It's not time for that..." she told herself.

"Your useless bastards!" Gaius angered. "I know I shouldn't have trusted you to capture her! I need her precious blood to make me stronger. After this, I'll gain all the powers Keaseth possessed!"

"Or not!" Amy yelled, pointing the glass to her own neck. "I've drank a lot of Anya's blood before killing her, you know? If I kill myself, it's over, isn't it? As a Vampire my blood becomes useless!"

Priya eyes went wide and she shook her head, as if she was telling her to not do that.

"One more step and I..."

From the back, Priya impaled one of Lysimachus poisoned stakes in Gaius' heart, giving her Clan members time enough to fight Harvey and Jameson.

In a flash, she grabbed Amy by the hand and took her outside the bar.

“Girl, you’re crazy as shit,” she said. “H-How could you...”

“You...” Amy answered between pants, “betrayed... us...”

“It was part of the plan! If you and Kamilah hadn’t been so stubborn about it, you’d know. Now you've ruined everything!”

“Oh. What about the part where you ratted Kamilah? Was it part of your plan with Lysimachus too?"

“Please,” Priya rolled her eyes, “he’d know eventually. I had to find a way to get into him."

Coming from the same direction, they spotted Lysimachus’ motorcycle and Kamilah’s car. Amy signaled them to stop and she entered the car, along Priya.

“Drive away, quick,” the Fashion Designer ordered. “I staked him.”

“You did what?!” Lysimachus yelled from the audio plug.

“Shit hit the fan, of course. Amy pulled a crazy move, threatening to kill herself and become a Vampire, I took the opportunity and... bang! I told you it wasn't the best moment to have a twin squabble with your sister."

“But to become a Vampire,” Kamilah was curious, “she’d have to drink one’s blood.”

Amy looked at her with puppy dog eyes. She knew Kamilah wouldn’t be happy with the news.

“Please, don’t be mad at me. I killed Anya, it was my life or hers... so...”

“Okay.” Kamilah sighed deeply. "I supposed I can find somebody else for my Marketing Department."

“That was brave of you, Amy! Did you pull the moves I taught you?” Lysimachus wanted to know.

“Hell yeah! First I stabbed her then I went straight to the neck.”

“I’m sorry to ruin the Vampire Hunter party, but where are we headed?" Kamilah interrupted. "We can’t go back to New York, Gaius will come straight at us.”

“I agree, sister. But I still need to get my weapons, we’re gonna need them more than ever.”

“I have an idea,” Priya spoke from the passenger seat. “Let me drive, Kamilah.”

----------

Kamilah

"What is this place?" Kamilah asked. "Is it yours?"

Priya drove them to a small, secluded mansion in the surroundings of New York. It seemed a good place to hide, but she still didn't trust the Fashion Designer.

"No, it was Adam's," she answered. "Sometimes he'd bring me here and we..."

"I don't need to hear that."

“I’m gonna get a drink” Priya announced. “Are you joining?”

“In a moment.”

Amy was quiet and worried, looking through the window. Kamilah embraced her from behind, offering some comfort.

"Are you alright, Amy?"

"I'll be. I'm still kinda in shock, you know? Being kidnapped, having to kill your Clan member and... seeing him in person. He's even more scary and powerful than I thought."

"And yet," Kamilah placed a soft kiss on her neck, "you fought braver than most of the Vampires that had to face him."

“I learned from the best,” Amy turned around and smiled. "What about you? How are you coping?"

"I'll only feel completely relieved when my brother is here."

A few minutes later, a car parked in front of the mansion leaving Lysimachus and a metal crate, full of combat weapons. When he entered the house, his expression was from pure fear.

"Brother, is everything okay? No one followed you, right?"

"No, I dropped my bike at a parking lot and hired a car service. But... I have terrible news."

She, Amy and Priya watched him expectantly.

"He's striking hard, guys. He has killed The Baron and taken his Clan."

"It's not such a big loss," Priya commented. "At least we don't have to worry about that pig betraying us anymore. Besides, you wiped most of his Clan members last year, remember?"

"It's not the worst part, he has also attacked the Shadow Den. Dozens of Vampires were killed."

"Oh no," Amy got alarmed. "Lily! Please, tell me she's fine."

"She, Jax and part of their group were able to escape and hide in a warehouse."

"What about Adrian?" Kamilah wanted to know. "Have you warned him?"

"Sure, he safely locked inside Raines Corporation. He offered his aid on the battle, in case we need him."

Lysimachus stopped and took a deep breath.

"It's a matter of time until he starts a mass-killing on mortals. We need to act quick."

"So, what's the plan now?" Priya asked.

"I have none yet..."

"But I do," Amy stood up from the couch. "We're doing the ritual."

Next: When Amy is willing to sacrifice herself to defeat Gaius, the gang will count on an unexpected ally... and on luck! Stay tuned!

[mochismilesbrighterthansun]

Blurred Lines

Chapter 12

Pairing: Park Jimin x reader

Word Count: 4,626

Warnings: Dark theme, violence, bad language. Smut, fingering. Dirty rough smut.

Genre: Angst, Smut.

Summary: Jimin takes a job as a correctional officer alongside Jungkook. You are a prisoner in Max and deemed a very dangerous inmate. But Jimin can’t help but feel protective over you.

A/N: This story contains violence and abuse physical as well as emotional if it’s not your thing pls skip it. Smut.

A/N #2: This story is nearing it’s end, only like two or three more chaps max. Thank you so much to everyone who has liked this story and has kept up with it. 

“It’s yours, I bought you clothes as soon as I talked to Seokjin about you getting out.” Jimin explained.

“That’s another thing, how can you afford all of this? I mean I know I was locked up for a good four years but I doubt correctional officers are making bank.”

You both lay on the bed naked covered only in the thin sheet. After dinner you had both wandered into the bedroom tangled too preoccupied with each other.

“My parents own a very successful company.” Jimin explained playing with your hair.

Your head laid on his bare chest.

“Company of what?” You prodded, “then why are you working in that prison?” You lifted your head to look at his face.

“It’s a company of IT, we deal with the use of computers to store, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data or information.” he explained. “And my dad doesn’t think I am responsible enough.” He caressed your face then. “So he told me to get a job and prove I could hold a job and be responsible.”

“Ah so you are a pampered prince.” he smiled at that.

“Not that I guess I never thought about changing. Or be responsible. I did good in school in my defense.”

“Wow when I met you, you didn’t seem like that. I never got to see you in action except when you were riling the doc.”

He groaned at that.

“Whatever happened to your guys’s date?” you wondered.

“I canceled it, told her I wasn’t feeling all that well.”

“I’m sure she was disappointed.”

“I wouldn’t know, I have not spoken to her.”

You stared at his passive face. You leaned your chin against his chest.

“I bought some stuff for you but it would be better if you went out and picked the stuff yourself.”

“I don’t want to go out yet. I don’t want to go out alone.”

“I’ll go with you.” He offered smiling in the way you just loved.

“Okay,” you agreed. You yawned then and laid your cheek against his chest snuggling against him.

Jimin chuckled. He rubbed your arm until you fell asleep.

You woke up to an empty bed. You glanced at the small clock on Jimin’s nightstand and it read three thirty pm. You stretched and teared the sheet off of your body, you went into the bathroom and brushed your teeth. You showered quickly and grabbed another of Jimin’s T shirts. You went to rummage through the drawers Jimin said were yours. You found underwears and some leggings. You got dressed and ventured outside.

“FuCK NO!” you were startled at the scream only to find Jungkook on the living room with a controller on his hand, wearing a headset.

He was dressed casual, black sweatpants and black t shirt.

“Fucking move bitch!” He yelled again.

You moved further into his line of vision. He looked at you briefly before returning his complete attention to the screen.

“Hey Y/N didn’t mean to wake you.”

You went to sit next to him and see what he was playing. He was a soldier? Killing zombies? You weren’t sure you just saw him losing his sanity and pressing the keys furiously and yelling into the headset.

Finally after what seemed like forever he took the headset off and turned off the console.

“You didn’t wake me by the way.” you offered.

He smiled softly and threw the remote onto the couch standing up.

“Jimin is at work, he didn’t wanna wake you. He should be off soon I don’t think any of us will be doing over eight anymore.” He explained. “Are you hungry?,”

You looked up at him seeing him tapping onto his screen.

“We can have pizza, unless you want something else?”

You groaned. “Pizza sounds delicious, I haven’t had pizza in years.”

“Pizza it is. What toppings? Please don’t sacrilege against pizza and tell me you like pineapple on it cause I’ll personally kick you out.”

You laughed at that.

“I like bacon.” You offered.

“Yes finally someone who likes bacon on pizza.” He kept pressing on the screen, after a few more moments he finally stopped tapping on it and threw the phone on the small table in front.

“Do you know how to play?” Jungkook asked motioning to the consoles.

“We-”

“Without fucking cheating.” He interrupted.

You glared, “I didn’t cheat Jungkook, you’re just jealous.”

“Fuck no I was wondering why you kept winning.”

“Whatever, but not those I am familiar with Mario games. I’ll play Mario Kart and Mario Party and stuff like that,”

“Don’t worry I’ll get you up to the big leagues without the fucking cheating.” he smiled.

You were about to retort when a knock interrupted you. Jungkook frowned and walked to the door. He opened it after checking through the peephole.

“Sorry sir someone left this for you and Mr. Park.” The old man handed him an envelope.

“Thanks Tom.” Jungkook closed the door and opened the envelope. “It’s a gala, what a fucking surprise.”

“What do you mean?” you asked getting up and trying to peak.

He looked at you and handed you the invitation.

“Oh, it’s a charity party thing.” You handed the invitation back to him. “Good luck.” You said with a smile going back into the living room.

“Good luck?” He snorted. “You are coming with, as the distinguished girlfriend of Park Jimin you have to attend.”

“Uh I beg to differ but no one knows he is dating me. And if he says, he can say I got sick.” you argued.

“No it doesn’t work that way, I’m sure Jimin has his own persuasion methods which he will use to convince you.” he laughed then.

When the pizza arrived you both sat down on the living room to eat. Jungkook put on a movie for you both. You guys were eating when Jimin walked inside. He took his jacket and shoes off. He threw the jacket to the counter and went to sit next to you. He kissed your cheek and leaned back on the couch.

You offered him a bite off your slice which he took happily.

“Hey dude we got an invitation today.”

Jimin groaned loudly which made Jungkook laugh. They hated going to those functions but they had to go. They always had to show up being the heirs to the empires their families had.

“Your girl said she wasn’t going.” Jungkook didn’t look at you when he said this his eyes glued to the screen.

Jimin wrapped his arm around you and pulled you to him.

“What do you mean babe? You have to go.” Jimin said with his chin resting on your shoulder.

“Those things aren’t for me, I just got out of prison. I think I should lay low until I figure out what I wanna do.” You said trying to keep your voice steady.

“What do you mean what to do?” Jungkook asked finally looking at you. “You’re ditching us?” He asked sounding offended.

“No, I just … I don’t know I don’t think I can be here locked up twenty four seven. Like I need a job. Or something.” You turned to Jimin, “Did Seokjin happen to mention what my record is gonna look like? Can I even get a job?”

Jimin looked pensive for a moment. “Oh I hadn’t thought about that, I guess I thought you were staying here always with me in bed preferably.” He nuzzled your neck.

“What the fuck I’m still here can you wait like an hour that’s when I go to work.” He shook his head rising from his seat. “I can’t even enjoy a slice of pizza without you trying to eat your girl man that’s fucking disrespectful.” Jungkook called walking into his bedroom.

“Oops I guess he got mad.” He chuckled kissing your neck.

“Jimin” you whined.

“Mmhh”

“Can you ask Seokjin? Please?” You pleaded under his ministrations.

“Of course babe.” He pushed you off softly and got up. He held out his hand for you, you took it and rose to your feet. He led you into the bedroom closing the door behind you.

He pushed you into the door and began kissing you.

“Fuck I miss you so much when you aren’t around.” He groaned into your skin. “And then I come home and find you wearing my clothes, makes me wanna rip them off from your body.” He kissed every inch of skin available to him as you whimpered helplessly. He stopped then, you looked up to him confused.

“Why did you stop?” you frowned when he stepped away from you.

“I’m waiting for Jungkook to leave babe.” he grinned then. “I have a gift for you.”

Your eyebrows pulled together at that.

“A gift?” you asked.

“Why do you look upset yeah a gift.”

“For me?”

“Well it’s more for me than for you.”

“I didn’t see you coming in with anything?” you scrunched your nose. “Wait are you the gift?”

Jimin laughed loudly at that, with his whole body. You’d only seen him laugh like that once or twice. And you enjoyed the sight. You loved seeing him so happy.

“No baby I am not.”

There was a knock on the door then.

“Guys I’m leaving, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Came Jungkook’s voice through the door.

“Alright man see ya!” Jimin yelled.

He turned to you then with a smirk. He walked towards you and caressed your face.

“Can you do daddy a favor?” he asked sweetly. You nodded furiously. “Take your clothes off and sit at the edge of the bed.”

He walked outside the door and left you alone, you took the shirt off and then the rest of your clothing. You sat down at the edge of the bed and waited for him. You were nervous and self conscious, everytime you got naked you were already hazy with lust. Never had it been like this.

You felt exposed, every scar on your body in display, and you wondered if Jimin had ever noticed how scarred you were, not just inside but outside too. Had he ever looked at the pinkish scars adorning your body, evidence of the abuse you received within those prison walls?

You flinched at the thought and rushed to pick up the shirt from the ground. Your back was to the door so you didn’t notice Jimin walking inside. He frowned when he saw you putting the shirt back on.

“Babe?”

You jumped at his voice but didn’t turn.

“Y/N?” He tried again.

Slowly you turned and you knew you were crying by the concern etched into his beautiful features. He dropped the bag and jacket on the ground and grabbed your face in his hands making you look directly into his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” his voice didn’t tremble, even if he was dying inside wondering what got you into such state.

“I just, you have never asked me to get naked like that.”

“Did it bother you? I made you uncomfortable?” he asked serious. “That wasn’t my intention Y/N I just… I don’t know I’ve seen you naked I didn’t think…” he trailed off.

“I just... have you?” you looked at him fearful.

“Have I what?”

“Looked at me naked?” he looked at you with confusion written all over his face. You broke away from his grip and turned away. “Have you really looked at me? My scars and everything? Because I have a lot Jimin.” you said not daring to look at him.

“I have seen them Y/N, many times. I saw how Seulgi stitched you up time after time. I’ve seen them, you might think all I want when I have you naked is to sink my dick into your cunt but I actually look at you. And I love every inch of you scarred or not.”

You looked back at him then with tears in your eyes.

“Do you mean that?” you hated how weak your voice sounded.

He got closer to you and grabbed the hem of the shirt.

“Can I?” he asked, you nodded and he pulled the shirt over your head. You tried to cover yourself but all he did was shake his head. “I love you. All of you.” He kissed you then fully. Slowly as if trying to show you how much he loved you with a kiss.

“I love you too” you said into the kiss.

He held you closer to his body and after a few minutes he led you to the bed. He pushed you until you were at the edge of the bed and he kneeled in between your legs.  He broke away from the kiss and went to search for the bag. He kneeled back between your knees and looked up at you.

“What’s the safe word?” he asked.

You looked confused for a moment but then your remembered.

“Red” you mumbled quietly.

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes of course I trust you.”

He smiled then. He reached into the bag and pulled out a box. You couldn’t exactly see what it was, until he pulled the object out from the box.

“A plastic dick? You got me a plastic dick?” you laughed at the face he made.

“Will you let me do what I wanna do?” he asked annoyed.

You bit your lip and nodded smiling.

“Okay baby girl remember you can stop this at anytime.”

“Okay.”

He took the dildo into the bathroom and washed it, he came back into the room and kneeled in between your legs again. He leaned and licked a stripe from your hole to your clit. You jerked at the action and leaned back into your elbows.

“You taste so good baby.” He leaned back and started licking more forcefully, he sucked your clit into his mouth making you moan loudly. “That’s it baby girl let me hear how good I make you feel.” You felt something else on your pussy and you tried to sit up to look at what he was doing. He began sliding the dildo through your folds wetting it. You whined when you felt it at your entrance.

“You can take it baby be a good slut for me.” He began pushing the toy inside. “That’s it, your pretty cunt is sucking it up like the slutty cunt it is.”

“It’s too much.” You moaned.

“Come on I know you can take it, you take my cock so well. I know you can do this whore.” he growled, “relax.” He mumbled just before sucking your clit into his mouth. You jerked as he continued to push the toy, the burn replaced by pleasure instantly as he continued to play with your clit. “See I knew my slut could take it.” He said as he saw the toy completely inside.

“Jimin pleease.” You whined.

“Please what bitch?”

“Please fuck me please.”

“Beg me.” he demanded.

“Please fuck me Jimin…. please I’m begging you, you fuck me so good…”

“That’s better.” He pulled the toy out and began slamming it at a brutal pace.

“Jimin!” You chanted over and over.

“Do not cum. Daddy will be pissed if you cum.” he growled seeing how turned on you were.

“Please I need to cum please daddy please let me cum for you.”

Jimin groaned at that.

“Cum.” he said before sucking your clit into his mouth as his pace quickened on the toy. Your walls tightened and you released with a silent scream.

He took the toy out and stared at you as you regained your breath. He cleaned his mouth with the back of his sleeve and threw the toy on the bed. He began undressing in a hurry and as he took his jeans and boxers off you saw his dick hit his abdomen. The tip was an angry red glistening with precum.

“I want you to suck my cock, but I want you to ask me to suck it.” He demanded stroking his dick.

“Can I suck your dick daddy?” You asked looking up at him innocently.

“My whore can do better than that.” He caressed your face.

“Daddy would you please fuck my whore mouth?” He lost control at your words and grabbed your hair roughly, your scalp prickling with pain. But you ignored it.

“One more time fucking say it one more time.” he demanded getting your face close to his.

“Daddy please fuck my mouth, I love having your dick in my slut mouth it tastes so fucking good.” You moaned at his actions. He growled and pushed you down on your knees as he sat at the edge of the bed.

You licked his tip but he wasn’t having none of that. He pulled on your hair to lift you off his dick. He reached behind him and grabbed the dildo.

“Fuck yourself while you choke on my cock. If you stop I stop and remember you can’t cum unless I say so” he handed you the dildo and you pushed it inside. Once it was fully inside you began a slow pace you moaned and Jimin chose that moment to push you down on his dick. He began a brutal pace hitting the back of your throat but you tried your best to keep going.

You kept pushing the dildo in and out of your pussy moaning. “Faster, fuck yourself faster.” He growled. He pushed you down on his cock and kept you there. “You’re a fucking cockslut, but just for me right.” He pushed your hair off your face to see you trying to nod. He pulled you off his dick and you began coughing. “Say it slut.”

“I’m your cockslut daddy just yours.”

“I didn’t say you could stop fucking yourself bitch.”

You began moving the toy again moaning.

“I want you to make yourself cum on that toy for me, fuck yourself faster.” You began thrusting the toy as fast as you could, and as if that wasn't enough Jimin licked two fingers and began rubbing fast circles on your clit. “Fucking cum bitch.” You screamed and came instantly.

You almost fell but Jimin grabbed you before you could fall. He sat you down on the bed with him and pulled the dildo out. He threw it somewhere on the floor and eyed you.

“Can you ride me babe?” he asked searching for your face.

“Yes daddy, anything for you.”

Jimin slid on the bed until he hit the bed board. He tapped on his thigh and you crawled on hands and knees to him.

You positioned yourself over his dick and began sinking slowly. You both hissed as your walls fully wrapped around his dick. He was bigger than the dildo. He hugged you tightly against his body and began kissing your shoulder and neck and jaw. Anywhere he could.

“Before you start bouncing on my dick. I want to ask you something.”

You looked at him incredulously. “Now? You wanna ask me something now? While your dick is inside of me?”

He grinned then. “Are you going to the gala with me?”

This asshole waited to have you on his dick to ask. He knew what he was doing. You couldn’t say no and he knew it.

“What if I say no.”

He chuckled.

“Baby two can play at this game.”

He grabbed your hips and began lifting you and dropping you on his dick but at a slow pace.

“Jimiiiiin” you whined.

“Yes baby?”

“Please harder….” your voice came out in whimpers.

“If my slut wants me to fuck her harder she is gonna have to go with me. Or else we can do this all night, I have patience.”

“Yes daddy I’ll go.” you caved in.

He laughed. “So soon? I was hoping I could play with you a bit longer.”

“Please daddy fuck me,” you wrapped your hand on the back of his hair and pulled him into a kiss. Desperate, you needed him to own you like he always did. “Please daddy, I’m your cumslut remember? Just yours you can have me daddy I’m your cock whore just for you.” You said sweetly against his lips. Licking and biting at the skin.

Jimin growled and wrapped his arms around you. He lifted you a little and began brutally slamming into you. You began to almost scream at his actions.

“Yes right there! Fuck Jimin it’s so good!”

“Yea? My bitch likes that?” He growled against your skin. He took a nipple into his mouth and began sucking and licking. He bruised your skin with bites. He sucked at the skin on your breast as he continued to slam into you from below. “Fucking tell me your mine.” He demanded.

“Yours im yours Jimin fuck your cock it’s so good! It’s fucking me so good!”

“Yea baby only I can make you feel like that.” He continued thrusting into you. “Where do you want me to cum?” He demanded sucking into your neck.

“Fuuck my pussy, cum inside me that’s your cum dumpster no?” That did it.

Jimin groaned loudly against your neck biting into the abused flesh roughly. He continued thrusting into you in sloppy thrusts, you felt his seed seeping into you. He reached for your clit and began rubbing fast circles bringing you to your third orgasm.

You chanted his name over and over as you came down from your high. You stayed on top of him for a while before he moved slipping out from you. You always hated the feeling of emptiness whenever he pulled his soft dick out.

You twitched slightly at the action. “Sorry did I hurt you? I didn’t mean to get that carried away, you just make me lose control of myself when you say things like that.”

He was searching for your face. He tucked a strand of hair behind your ear.

“I loved it Jimin. I love everything we do.” You bent to kiss him softly reassuring. “But I can’t believe you used sex to agree to go to that thing.” You pouted causing Jimin to laugh.

“I know babe, but if you don’t wanna go you don’t have to. I would love it if you went with me but I hate to make you uncomfortable so whatever you decide it’s fine with me.”

You smiled widely at him.

“I’ll go but, I don’t know how to dress for that type of event. In case you haven’t noticed I’m not a sociable person.”

He smiled at that.

“Don’t worry about that baby, I’ll take care of that.” he moved you off of him and began getting up. “Let’s go shower babe.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I don’t know pink is not really my color.” you said eyeing the dresses.

The attendant rolled her eyes for the millionth time. Jimin had left you at the store with an attendant and he went off with Jungkook to get his tuxedo.

“What would be your color miss?” she wondered annoyed.

You knew how you looked to her in a pair of jeans and hoodie. Jimin had taken you shopping earlier and you had settled with the comfortable clothes.

“Uh something else.” you suggested.

The attendant left to fetch another dress for you too afraid to lose the sale. It wasn’t every day someone showed up and left his girlfriend under her care saying to spend whatever she needed. So when she came back she held another three dresses. A blue, a black and a champagne.

“Would you like to try them on?”

You were embarrassed by this point and simply nodded.

The attendant smiled for the first time at you because she smiled plenty at Jimin before he left. He assured you he would be back soon. But soon had passed and he wasn’t back. The lady led you into the fitting room and hanged the three dresses.

“I’ll be out there, just yell for me if you need me.” she closed the door behind you leaving you by yourself.

You stared at your reflection and wondered why you had agreed to go to this thing with Jimin. You obviously didn’t fit there. You were not made for that type of lifestyle, you weren’t used to that. Barbecues was the closest thing to a high end party you had ever had.

You looked at the dresses, grabbing the champagne one first. And you had to admit it was beautiful. The fabric was fine and sparkly. You rid of your clothes and pulled the dress on your body. It was completely naked on the back and the small straps led to the breast portion. There was cleavage, a lot of it. You stared at your arms, the latest scars adorning not one but both of your arms. You flinched so insecure with your body.

There was a knock on the door and you assumed it was the attendant.

“I’ll be out in a minute.” you said staring at your reflection.

“Babe?” Jimin called through the door. “May I come in?” he asked in a sweet tone.

You opened the door slightly and poked your head out.

“I look ridiculous.” you muttered.

“Let me in baby, please?” he pleaded.

You opened the door widely for him to come in and turned around to face the mirror. Jimin stood behind you and wrapped his arms around you.

“You look beautiful babe,” he kissed your neck.

“You really think so?”

He nodded.

“Take that one, you look really good in it. I can’t wait to rip it off of your body when the function is over.” he said smiling mischievously through the mirror.

“Jimiiiiin.” you whined.

He chuckled. “Yes babe?”

“You can’t say stuff like that while we are in public.” you complained.

He got closer to your ear. “You mean I can’t tell you how badly I want to bend you over and sink my cock into your wet cunt?” he whispered.

You closed your eyes tightly groaning.

His laughter rumbled through his chest into your back.

“I’ll let the attendant know we are taking this one.” he said with a smile leaving you alone in the fitting room.

When you finally left the fitting room with the dress in hand you saw the woman speaking animatedly with Jimin and Jungkook. And you knew that was the effect they had. They were gorgeous men both of them. They turned heads wherever they went either because people knew who they were or just because of their looks. Jungkook was taller than Jimin, but they both had the same charm to them.

Jimin turned to look at you once you reached them.

“That’s the one ma’am.” Jimin said.

The lady fake smiled at you and grabbed the dress. Jimin went to pay and grabbed the dress. He interlaced your fingers with his and walked out the store with Jungkook following closely behind.

“Did you get your suit or whatever you were gonna get?”

“Yeah it’s in the car already. Along with all your thousand bags.” Jungkook chuckled.

“Oh it wasn’t that much.” you complained.

Jimin wrapped his arm on your waist laughing.

“I’m excited about what you bought.” he said, “I enjoyed today in contrary to Jungkook.”

“Of course you are you spent like an hour in that fucking lingerie store with her. I don’t want to know why.” he looked away and just shook his head. “I’m starving you guys, can we go eat?” Jungkook wondered looking at the both of you.

“Yeah let’s go eat.”  Jimin agreed.

You all walked into a restaurant and sat down to eat. You felt comfortable with them, they instilled warmth within you. They were so kind to you, and you would never be able to pay back everything they had done for you.

[halo-of-honey]

Concrete Jungle

Daveed Diggs x Original Fem. Character

Synopsis: Emerson O'Connor has always dreamed of playing in a Broadway pit orchestra. After fleeing Boston to move back home to New York, she is approached by Lin and her whole world changes. But moving to a new city to get away from her past may not be as simple as she originally hoped.

[[ Read on AO3! ]]

Part 1, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20

Chapter Two: Living Arrangements

That Sunday morning, I put on a nice outfit -- a navy blue floral dress, mustard yellow cardigan, and knee high brown riding boots -- and made my way to the train station early. I used my commuter pass to catch the express train to Grand Central Station. While I sat on the train, I watched out the window with a new perspective. I was 26 years old and finally... finally fulfilling my dreams. I thought after I moved back to New York from Boston because everything there fell apart that I was stepping backwards. But it seemed it was quite the opposite.

I loved taking the train. It was one of my favorite things. Especially into New York, since I hadn’t ever gotten to do it that often when I was a teenager. All my friends would go down to the city in groups to see concerts or just be tourists. But my mom never let me go. So when I did, it was a treat. I was fascinated by Harlem. All the street art and basketball courts. It was a completely different world that had only ever been a few hours away. Then the train would plunge into darkness. As my eyes adjusted, I could make out the subway tunnels as we trundled by.

I followed the crowd of people exiting the train about two hours from curtain. I breathed in the stale stench of the underground and train exhaust. I loved it. It meant I was back. It meant I was here. Where I belonged. I made my way up to the street and decided what I wanted to do. Lin asked me to come by the theater an hour before curtain, which meant with travel time I had about thirty minutes to do whatever I wanted. I decided to catch an Uber to the Nintendo store and kill time playing some games on their massive TV.

When it was time to walk over to the theater, I was feeling really good. I tried to ignore the slight sense of creeping anxiety as I pushed my way across Times Square. I never liked big crowds, but I knew I’d have to get used to it eventually. When I got to the Richard Rogers, there was already a long line of people waiting outside. All eyes were on me as I went up to the entrance doors and knocked to get the attention of a young woman standing a little ways inside. She came over to the door and cracked it open a little.

“Hi, I’m Emerson O’Connor. I’m here to see Lin.” I said as quietly as I could. The girls at the front of the queue were focused intently on me and I didn’t want to make it seem like if they just went up and knocked they could get in.

“Oh! Yes, yes. Come in quickly.” the girl said, pulling me inside.

She shut the door firmly behind us and then headed over to the ticket counter, “Hey, Candice, can you page Lin? That girl is here to see him.”

I waited in the lobby for a little while before Lin burst through a side door in jeans and a grey hoodie, “Em! My bestie! You made it!” he said cheerily, coming over to hug me.

“Yeah, of course.” I said.

“Come! Come! Everyone is so excited to meet you!”

“Everyone?” I asked nervously.

“Oh yeah! Come mami !”

I followed him back through the side door into a long hallway. At the end it turned a corner and I could suddenly hear voices and singing. I trailed behind him and he turned suddenly into the first room. I was immediately greeted by a room full of voices. It was a mix of words and it took me a moment to get them all sorted out. When I did, I realized I was standing in front of the majority of the cast and crew.

“Em! Meet Alex!” Lin said, tugging gently on my arm to steer me towards a tall man with curly hair and dark neatly trimmed beard.

“Emerson! Yes! It’s so great to finally meet you!” Alex said, holding out a hand for me to shake.

I took it and shook firmly, “Yes, you too.”

“I was watching some of your YouTube videos. You’re ability with the cello is very impressive. Were you also playing some other instruments on those tracks? Or were they synthesized?” he asked.

“Yes, actually...” I started. “I started on violin when I was little. I also play bass, a little ukulele, and piano. Though I can’t say I’m very good.”

“Awesome! Very cool. Well, I am so excited to get you started. I can give you a copy of the score a little later, so you can get to work.”

“Great, yeah. I’d really like to get a headstart.”

“Of course! I’ll get it to you before you head back home tonight.”

“Okay, so now everyone!” Lin said, satisfied I had met Alex. “Everyone! Meet Emerson! Our new cellist!” he announced.

I turned my focus back to the rest of the room where all eyes were on me, “Hello, everyone!”

‘Everyone’ waved and then a few people scattered. Clearly Lin had made as many people as he could come to greet me whether they had other things to do or not. A few people came over to introduce themselves including some of the ensemble members and the pit bassist. Lin insisted I meet some of the main cast members and dragged me over to where they were all convened on the couch together. I stood there feeling slightly flustered as Lin gave me all their names at once.

“You have such a pretty name, where does it come from?” an Asian woman named Pippa asked me, her smile glittering and beautiful.

“Oh, well my parents both really loved Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. But it also derives from Emer, who was the wife of this wicked cool Celtic warrior.”

“Wow! That’s so cool!” she said.

The lights in the room flashed and I checked my watch, 45 minutes to curtain. The room started emptying, people excusing themselves to head to their dressing rooms to get ready for the show. Lin decided this would be a good time for me to see the pit before he had to leave me himself. So he pointed me in the right direction, told me to come find him in his dressing room after the show, before I cautiously made my way back down the hall and through a door into the theater. Alex had his head sticking out of the trap door in the pit and he smiled when he saw me come in.

“Emerson! Come see your new home!” he said, waving me over.

He pointed to the door and I let myself in, shutting it behind me. It was a small pit, there weren’t very many live players since it was half pre-recorded beats anyway. Most of the musicians were already there, getting warmed up and tuning their instruments. Alex showed me where I would be sitting, close to the back corner of the room next to the bassist and a violinist. I introduced myself and was sincerely thanked by the violinist, who had been covering some of the cello parts on a viola in the interim. With only ten minutes to curtain, Alex showed me how to get up into the private box where Lin had reserved my seat.

I sat there alone, reading through the playbill until the lights dimmed. The music started like a explosion and I could already feel myself getting emotional at the thought that soon I would be a part of it. I tried my best to divide my attention between the music and the acting but found myself quickly getting overwhelmed. Every break between songs was enough time for me to recompose myself. I was thankful I had stuffed a pack of tissues into my purse. By intermission I was practically leaping out of my seat, ready to get started.

When the show was all done, I headed to the bathroom to reapply my makeup since I had managed to cry most of it off through the closing number. When I went to go through the door to the dressing rooms, I was stopped only until I explained my situation. Then they quickly apologized and let me pass. I headed down the hall, past the green room and then started reading the names on the doors, looking for Lin’s. I found it at the very end of the hall and knocked gently on the closed door.

“Who is it?” he called in a sing-song voice.

“It’s Emerson.” I answered back.

“Oh, come in, mami ! Come in!”

I hesitated for a second before pushing the door open to his small dressing room. A massive L shaped couch was crammed in one corner facing his dressing table and there was a shelf stacked with books and a small TV set up with an xBox. Lin was stretched out on the chaise, already in street clothes, playing what looked to me like Destiny. When I went to shut the door again he shook his head.

“Nah, just leave it open and come chill.” he said, patting the couch next to him.

When I sat down, he passed me the controller, “Do you play video games?” he asked.

He was playing some quick matches, which were easy enough. I had only played Destiny a few times on other friend’s consoles, so I wasn’t incredibly good. But I was definitely holding my own. “Oh yeah, mostly PlayStation though.” I said.

“What did you think of the show?” he asked eagerly.

“It was incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever cried over a musical more in my life. And I’ve seen Phantom and RENT live.” I answered.

“I’m so glad you loved it! That’s so exciting. I think you’re going to be really happy here.”

I glanced away from the TV to smile at Lin, “I think so too.”

Suddenly someone appeared in the corner of my vision at Lin’s door, knocking on it, “Hey, I wanted to ask you about that change you were talking about for Lafayette?” they said to Lin, clearly not noticing me sitting there.

“Oh yeah! For sure.” I had just started a new match and had commandeered a sparrow, taking off to find a good sniping position to try out Lin’s high level sniper rifle. Lin started talking like my being there was commonplace, “I think in Yorktown it might be cool to play Lafayette a little more cocky. You know, man? Like...he got all his French brethren to help us. I think he would be more proud of that.”

I glanced up from the screen for just a moment to see a tall man with wild curly hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and big lips looking directly at me, “Right, of course.” he said, responding to the suggestion, eyes dragging back to Lin.

“Oh! Daveed! Duh! This is Emerson, our new cellist. Sorry, I forgot you hadn’t met yet!” Lin said quickly.

“How’s it going?” Daveed said, smirking at me.

I tried my best to look at him to respond, but I had died and respawned right in the middle of the map where it seemed every player from the other team just happened to be camping out. “Good, sorry...fucking game...right in the middle of...OH NO YOU DON’T!” I shouted at the TV as a guy tried to sneak up behind me and mele me. I heard Lin and Daveed laugh as I spun around to kill that guy, only to be shot by someone from across the map. “Fuck!”

“Wow!” Lin chuckled.

I put the controller down on the couch, “Sorry, excuse me.”

“It ain’t no thang, chica .” Lin said, picking up the controller for himself.

When I looked over at Daveed, who was still standing in the door, he was looking at me intensely. I stood up and took a step so I could shake hands with him, “Hi, I’m Emerson. It’s nice to meet you.”

I wasn’t especially short, but Daveed seemed to tower over me. His hand engulfed mine when he took it, shaking it gently as if he didn’t want to crush it, “Nice to meet you, too. So you’re joining our crazy little family here, huh?”

I nodded, “Yes, soon hopefully. I was just fired from my last job so...soon.” I answered.

“You were fired?” Daveed asked.

Lin laughed behind me, “Oh yeah. And it was my fault too.”

Daveed raised an eyebrow, “How was it your fault?”

“Her theater put on In The Heights last week. I went to go see it, fell in love with her, so I went to offer her the job here. Apparently word got around her company and people got pissy. So her director fired her.” Lin explained for me, not looking up from his game.

“Is that right?” Daveed said.

I nodded, “Yeah, completely ridiculous. But maybe it was meant to be.”

“Maybe...” Daveed said smokily, something sparking deep down in his umber eyes.

“I promised Em dinner, do you wanna join us, D?” Lin offered, finishing his match and standing up to return the controller to the shelf.

Daveed shook his head, his curls undulating around his head, “No can do, man. Not tonight at least. Promised Rafa I’d work on some Clipping tracks with him tonight.”

“Oh is he in town?”

“No, we’ll probably Skype or something. But he’s getting antsy to hear the new stuff.”

“It’s cool, it’s cool.” Lin said.

“Well have a good night, you two.” Daveed said. He smiled down at me, flashing teeth, “Emerson...”

“Daveed.” I said, feeling my ears getting hot under his gaze.

Daveed left and I could feel Lin grinning behind me, but I chose to ignore him. When I turned around he had already moved on, shuffling around his dressing table gathering his wallet and other belongings. Once he was satisfied he had everything, I followed him out of his dressing room back down the hall. He poked his head into every room that still had people in it, seeing if anyone wanted to join us for dinner. In the end, everyone but Alex had plans already, so it seemed it would just be the three of us. We called an Uber and Alex handed me a thick, one inch binder that held the cello score.

“Don’t worry, I don’t think you’ll have a hard time picking it up.” Alex assured me. “From what I heard about your performance of In The Heights , this will be a cake walk.”

The Uber arrived and we hurried to climb in before anyone noticed Lin. I was sandwiched between the two men and I opened the score to flip through some of the pages, “Oh for sure. My high school always used professional level music. So I’m used to it. We never played the arranged stuff.”

“Did I tell you? Em’s a total boss. She ripped open a callus during the performance and kept playing!” Lin raved.

Alex chuckled, “I remember you telling me, Lin.”

I shut the binder, “I’m really excited to get started. But I still need to find a place to live.” I said.

“Oh yeah! I did look into that!” Lin said.

The Uber pulled up in front of a restaurant and we clambered out onto the sidewalk. I followed the men inside and a host led us to a quiet round booth at the back of the room. I slid in, yet again flanked on both sides by the two gentlemen and tucked my purse and the binder down by my feet. Before we could even get into what Lin had looked into, a waiter came over to take our drink orders. Lin ordered a beer, Alex a glass of red wine, and I ordered a Jack and Coke. Once the waiter was gone, Lin pulled out his phone.

“So I don’t know what your budget is right now, but I have a handful of options.” he started, scrolling through his phone. “There’s a studio open in Harlem where my friend lives for $950 a month. I think one of the lighting guys was telling me his building had a vacant apartment for twelve hundred. And then Daveed mentioned the other day that he had an extra room at his place he was willing to rent out for $450.”

“Daveed as in the Daveed I met earlier?” I asked.

I could feel Alex’s smug smile, “Yeah yeah. He's got a tiny brownstone up near the tram for Roosevelt Island. Nice place.” He said.

“Well uh...I'd have to think about it of course.” I mumbled, not sure how I felt about the flush creeping up my neck or the way Alex and now Lin were smiling like they knew something I didn't.

“Of course of course! Just let me know what you want to do and I can put you in touch with whomever.” Lin said. Our waiter came back with our drinks and while the men weren't looking I took two big gulps to calm my nerves. Lin turned back to me, “I know I’ve asked a million times. But I’m just too damn excited. When do you want to start?”

“Well I suppose I could make the commute a few times this week before I figure out the living situation. When is the next rehearsal?” I asked.

“Pit has a rehearsal this Tuesday morning and I think we have a full rehearsal on...Friday morning?” Alex asked Lin.

“Yeah Friday morning.”

“Okay. Then I guess I'll start there. If we decide I'm comfortable enough with the music after Tuesday I'll see about making the commute for the shows in between.”

“That sounds perfect.” Lin said, smiling.

The men launched into a conversation of their own, leaving me to retreat into my own thoughts. While all of this was very exciting and I was ready to get back to work, it was also still somewhat overwhelming. The options Lin had given me for places to live were tricky. The place in Harlem was definitely out of the question. I had never lived in the inner city so it might not be safe for me, a skinny white chick from upstate. The other place was much too expensive for what I could afford right away. I only had about three grand saved up since I was still paying off student loans and my car. But then there was Daveed’s tiny brownstone.

On the one hand it wouldn’t have been the first time I lived with a man. But it would be the first time I lived with a man I knew nothing of. Granted even that was debatable. The only college roommate I liked had been my best friend Kevin and then I lived with my ex, then boyfriend for two years. But I left Boston for a reason and while I had been living with my mom and her boyfriend for the last three months, I was sort of looking forward to living alone again. $450 a month was a hard offer to pass up. By the time dinner was served, I decided maybe it wouldn’t hurt just to get some more information. Make a final decision from there.

Alex caught his own Uber home after dinner and Lin insisted on going to the train station with me. We stood on the sidewalk outside the station after our Uber dropped us off, “So do you have any thoughts on your living arrangements?” Lin asked with that knowing grin again, as if he was reading my mind.

“Well obviously Daveed’s offer is the most logical choice financially. But honestly I need a lot more information and time.”

“Well that’s fair. Should I pass on your number?”

I was glad for the darkness to hide my flush, “Actually if you could just ask him if it’s alright for me to get in contact with him. I think that would be best.”

“Whatever you need to do.”

“Thanks Lin. Really I mean that. I owe you everything.”

“Em, mami , you deserve it. You really do, just let the love in.” he said, putting his hands on my shoulders.

“I’ll try. I’m still working through...things.” I said.

“Well go home, get some sleep. We’ll see you on Tuesday.”

He hugged me and let me go into the station. I boarded the next train north and found a seat on the side that would be closest to the river. About halfway home I received a text from Lin.

- Texted Daveed. He said go ahead

Another text came through with a phone number. I saved it to my contacts then put on headphones to zone out for the rest of the journey. By the time the train pulled into Cold Spring station, it was almost 10pm and I wasn’t feeling like going home quite yet. The air was close and warm for this early in spring, thick with a fog that was rolling in through the valley. I decided to go for a drive, wandering around until I ended up down on the docks of the Hudson River. I sat there wondering what to do.

At midnight, I pulled out my phone to stare at Daveed’s number. I wondered if I should text him. It was very late and I didn’t want to wake him. But the curiosity was killing me. Why had he offered his home so generously to someone he didn’t even know? He clearly hadn’t seen me before or he would’ve recognized me in Lin’s dressing room. So it wasn’t about appearances. But the way he had looked at me...no, that was nothing. Was Lin’s word worth that much? I knew I needed to let it go for the night and headed home to bed.

[news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog]

We're all second-screening. Here's how you're doing it wrong.

Second-screening — watching TV while also looking at your phone, tablet or laptop — is probably the  most widely adopted destructive behavior of the decade. We keep hearing that it's bad for us; we keep doing it regardless. It's the smoking of the 2010s. 

Psychologists were sounding the alarm as early as 2012 that this kind of screen-based multitasking seemed to be correlated with depression and anxiety. Did we listen? Did we hell. Back then, according to Nielsen, a mere (!) 40 percent of American adults looked at their phones or tablets every day while parked in front of the tube. By 2017, according to eMarketer, that number had climbed to over 70 percent. 

The same study anticipated that second-screening would afflict 76 percent of us by 2019; looking around our living rooms now, that figure seems too conservative. 

SEE ALSO: Dear significant others: Please let us watch our shows alone

"It relaxes me," my wife says, slightly defensively, when I catch her playing a mobile game rather than paying attention to our show. And really, who am I to judge? Many's the time I've thumbed through Twitter in the dull moments of a so-so episode. No one could be faulted for trying to hide from the commercial break by plunging into their phones instead. 

Let he who has never second-screened cast the first stone. 

So if we all do it, perhaps it's time to acknowledge that — and instead of wagging hypocritical fingers at each other, try to limit our second-screening in sensible ways that can help head off the worst, most anxiety-inducing aspects. Here's a look at the ways we're doing it right and wrong. 

RIGHT: Stay on topic

Probably the most positive use case for second-screening is breaking news. Cable channels can give you one stream of information on a fast-developing story, the internet can provide another, and the two together make you less quick to jump to wrong conclusions. 

When you've got multiple sources agreeing on the details of any still-murky event, you're doing news right. 

With one eye on the news anchor and a thumb on Twitter, you're less likely to feel useless in the face of the latest unspeakable tragedy. You can donate, you can write to your representatives, you can motivate and console friends. A 2015 paper on "Second Screen Use and Its Effect on Online Political Participation" reached the conclusion that it actually makes us better, more engaged citizens. 

The record high youth voter turnout in the 2018 midterm election, the most recent test of our activist second-screen culture, certainly did not disprove this theory. 

But you don't have to be saving the world from your couch to feel good about second-screening. The psychological toll (not to mention the IQ-dropping effect!) of multi-tasking seems to derive from the effort of making our brain pay attention to two disparate topics at once. 

If you're looking up the answers to questions brought about by the show, or live-tweeting it, you're going to have a better time than if you're just randomly browsing Instagram or scrolling anxiously through your email.

The early 2010s saw a brief flurry of interest in official second-screen apps specifically designed for popular shows, such as ABC's Grey's Anatomy Sync. That app has since vanished from app stores — possibly because it was redundant, given Twitter's ability to host all kinds of conversations, but more likely because Big TV realized that most of us aren't second-screening that way. 

According to that eMarketer study, 131.5 million U.S. adults were looking at unrelated content on their phones and tablets while watching TV; just 46.2 million were browsing something related. 

Be smart. Be one of the 46.2 million. 

WRONG: Don't do it tired

There is, my wife the expert suggests, a limited pool of mental energy available for second-screening. The research on multitasking would seem to back this up, although we probably need more specific research on second-screening itself.

But anecdotally, I think we all know this to be true. Second-screen for too long, or do it too late in the evening, and you end up in a kind of mindless zombie second-screening situation. One where, if you were suddenly asked at any given moment what was happening on either of the screens, you might be hard pressed to answer. Where has your mind gone? 

Our current global epidemic of sleeplessness is at least partly caused by the blue glow of LED screens. There's also a second-order effect involved: our obstinate insistence at bathing in two screens at once, too close to bedtime. 

RIGHT: Stay alert for ads

An unsuspecting family about to be lured in by marketing.

Image: Getty Images/Hero Images

The zombified nature of the worst kind of second-screening may also be responsible for another  trend: we are ridiculously receptive to advertising when we're doing it. 

That's partly because we're in more of a position to follow up on a TV ad if we have a device in our hands already. A 2018 study found the average viewer is 75 percent more likely to search for the product if they're second-screening, and that you're even more likely to do so if you're over 40. 

But it also works the other way around — in terms of the screen and in terms of generations. A more recent study by Aki Technologies found that viewers were 59 percent more receptive to mobile ads if they're second-screening, moreso if they're millennials. 

In other words, the more screens we use, the more advertisers and marketers have us right where they want us. Far be it for a journalist to decry this state of affairs and bite the hand that feeds us, but we should at least be aware that it's happening — not just to us, but to our kids too. 

WRONG: Doing it alone

Pick a screen, dude.

Image: Getty Images/Maskot

Second-screening makes a kind of sense for couples and families. It surfs the fine line between together time and alone time without you having to move from the couch. Your significant other can watch their favorite show while you catch up on work, indulge a good old-fashioned Facebook session, or maybe even — whisper it low — read a book.

But if you're flying solo, there's less of an excuse — and more of a possibility that you're just using multiple screens as a substitute for sociability. Are you getting that bright zombified buzz from being bathed in completely disparate kinds of media at once? Maybe pick a lane and stay in it. 

Better yet, invite a bunch of introverted friends over, specifically for second-screening purposes. The lure of alone time together is stronger than you might think. 

RIGHT: Stay connected

Even if you and your partner/family are all on the couch together, there is a right and a wrong way to second-screen. 

Everyone's mileage differs on this, depending on your ideal level of physical affection. Personally, I'd argue that second-screening without some form of snuggling is no kind of second-screening at all. Holding hands while staring at different devices, occasional squeeze included, is a good way to remind each other that you're present, no matter how deep your internet rabbit hole has gone. 

The other element of second-screen connection to consider is this: are you creating a safe, warm, happy space for conversation? Can anyone look up from their device at any given moment and say what's on their mind? Or are you hushing them, or dramatically rolling your eyes when you have to hit the pause button to hear them out? 

I'm occasionally guilty of the latter. But it's important to remember, especially in our digital age, there is literally nothing we can't put down or pause for a chat. Humans come first. 

No matter how many screens you have around you, remember: they come second.  

WATCH: Report says popular apps are silently recording your screen

[swimintothesound]

Pop Culture Cannibalism

One of the fondest memories of my childhood is a simple one. It’s not a surprise trip to Disneyland, or my first kiss, or the unboxing of a brand new video game console at Christmas. No, in fact, it’s more banal than almost anything you could ever imagine. In reality, one of the most saccharine and amber-coated memories of my pre-teens involved sitting in my family’s living room with my best friend on a lazy summer day watching VH1’s I Love The… Series. We sat there lethargically sprawled out on my family’s couch, pacified by the television as we killed an entire bag of those cheap grocery store fudge pops and gleefully watched early 2000’s actors, comedians, and musicians warmly reflect on the pop culture events of yesteryear.

It feels like such a small thing. It wasn’t a “big” event, there was no defining moment, and if you asked me, I probably couldn’t even remember which season of the show we were watching at the time. If you asked my friend, he probably wouldn’t even remember this happening in the first place. It’s lost to time, one of the dozens of other nameless summer days that we all happily wasted enjoying our reprieve from of middle school.

I remember this day because I remember the feeling. I remember appreciating it in the moment, and it’s something I think of often, especially during the summer. I spent the rest of that summer playing video games, running around with friends, and watching as much as of the “I Love The” series possibly could. Luckily my family had just set up our first DVR, so I was able to methodically record every episode of each season and watch them all sequentially.

It felt good. Actually, it felt incredible. It was like a self-imposed history lesson. I felt like I was doing homework that I actually enjoyed. In my mind, I this show was a comprehensive look at every year of pop culture before I was born. It was the first time I was ever “pop culture woke,” and I realized that a lot of important stuff happened before I was born. I made it my duty to study it. This was my first step toward becoming a pop culture historian.

A couple years later in 2008, I listened to my first podcast. That’s a topic deserving of its own post somewhere down the line (it’s something I’ve been working up to for years). But in 2011 that podcast spun-off into its own show and subsequent network: Laser Time. Laser Time is a topic-based podcast that covers the hyper-specific happenings of our pop-cultural landscape. The show has covered everything from bad Beatles covers, and dirty Christmas songs to surprisingly pervasive concepts like 80’s rap commercials and celebrity vanity projects. The network is also home to a comic book show, a video game podcast, a chronological exploration of The Simpsons, and much more.

Amongst the days and days worth of programming on the Laser Time Network, there is a slightly higher-concept show titled Thirty Twenty Ten. Thirty Twenty Ten is a “pop culture time machine” podcast that looks back at the music, movies, TV, and video games of this exact week 30, 20, and 10 years ago. It’s a blast to listen to, and it just recently clicked that I love this podcast for the same reason that I watched I Love The… series as a kid: it’s a fast-paced, unrelenting, and (relatively) comprehensive look back at our own pop culture history. It’s a carnivorous approach to media, one that doesn’t discriminate, and talks about these bits of the past with an absurd amount of reverence… well, as much reverence as you can have with a fart joke every episode.

I mean what other show would take the time to describe the beauty of the 1986 Transformers movie with an earnest and loving 30-minute discussion? And speaking of earnest, what podcast would care to break down the surprisingly-complicated history of Ernest P. Worrell? Hell, what other piece of media would jump from Predator, OK Computer, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and the finale of The Sopranos all within in the same episode?

Thirty Twenty Ten is a blitz of pop culture past. Like a train whizzing by at 50 miles an hour where each compartment is a great forgotten album or hilariously-shitty TV movie. The conflux of the host’s knowledge and anecdotes from the audience (like yours truly) combines into a beautiful listening experience that’s unlike anything else out on the digital airwaves right now.

When I sat down to start writing this it was a warm sunny summer afternoon that brought to mind that one day I spent with my friend watching low-budget VH1 programming. Now as the sun sets over the trees I’m grateful that I have a new weekly fix that emulates the same experience, improves upon it, and gives me a 90-minute trip down memory lane every week.

It’s a pop culture geek's dream.

We’re blessed to live in a world where we can find anything we want in an instant. From childhood recipes to old commercials, to half-remembered lyrics of some distant song. The thing is, most of us don’t take advantage of that resource because these memories aren’t on the forefront of our consciousness. Both I Love The… and Thirty Twenty Ten are great because they capitalize on this information in a way that nobody else is. They’re diving into the rich mine of our shared cultural touch points, and emerging with something from the listener’s own memory. Something that reflects who we are.

Over a decade ago VH1 programmed me to be an absolute dork of a pop culture sponge. Someone who collects, categorizes, and memorizes obsessively. Someone who values the history of art both high and low. It changed my life and made me into the person I am today.

And now Thirty Twenty Ten is reinforcing that. Giving me weekly satiation for my pop cultural hunger. And as my life becomes busier and busier, I can’t be that kid anymore. I can no longer be that middle schooler who spends an entire summer day sitting on his couch downing half a bag of fudgsicles. And as I’ve felt my post-college life whirring into place over the past year I’m grateful to have something like Thirty Twenty Ten there for me when I’m too busy or too tired to do it myself. It’s an absolute joy to have this program and its hosts in my life, and I hope that they continue the show until its logical conclusion. Podcasts have changed my life, and Thirty Twenty Ten is proof that this is all worth it.

[enteratcloudtk-blog]

The new iPad review: This is the best couch computer ever

The last time I purchased an iPad was in 2012. It was a decent iPad. Yet, progressively, particularly when the iPhone 6 turned out with a greater screen, I found that my iPad began picking up clean.

The greater iPhone could basically do all an indistinguishable things from my iPad, and as my iPad's equipment got more seasoned — regardless it utilized Apple's old-style charger — I quit utilizing it.

In any case, Apple's most current iPad advised me that for iPhone clients, a major tablet that does likewise things can be an enormous extravagance. Perusing the web, playing recreations, and checking web-based social networking is all more charming with a greater screen.

So half a month back, I purchased Apple's most up to date iPad. Mac just calls it "iPad" however you may have better fortunes Googling "2017 iPad" or "iPad (fifth Generation.)"

At last, it isn't so much that very different than alternate iPads that have been sold in the course of recent years, aside from one major change: It's shabby. I paid $329 for mine.

In any case, I couldn't be more joyful with my buy. It can't do anything new contrasted with different iPads, however it's an awesome esteem, and plainly Apple has refined the iPad in the course of recent years to just be an incredible tablet for a great many people.

I don't utilize my new iPad for anything beneficial. I utilize it for substance utilization, for the most part — and it never goes out. What's more, in the wake of utilizing it for as far back as a month and a half, I'm sure it's the best lounge chair PC ever.

This is what I do on my iPad:

Crashlands

Crashlands, the iPad diversion I've been playing recently.Crashlands

I surf the web. Versatile Safari, the iPad's inherent program, is great, stable, and quick, and there aren't numerous sites that the iPad can't deal with.

I play diversions. I've been investigating the extensive number of amusements accessible on Apple's App Store, and there are an astonishing measure of profound recreations that you could empty at least 20 hours into. I've been playing Crashlands of late.

I watch video. I've been utilizing my iPad to stay aware of Nationals diversions on MLB At Bat while my flat mates watch what they need to on TV. I've additionally viewed HBO, Netflix, and other gushing administrations on the iPad's sharp 9.7-inch screen. It's entirely immersing, particularly with earphones.

I check online networking. On the off chance that there's one issue I have with Apple's iPad when all is said in done, it's that there's no Instagram or Snapchat applications for iPad. That being stated, it's an immaculate gadget to get up to speed with the majority of my social encourages, including Facebook and Instagram.

I iMessage my companions. Messaging from an iPad is troublesome, yet in the event that your contacts utilize iMessage, it's anything but difficult to send them notes and stuff from the iPad.

This is what I don't do on my iPad: anything taking after efficiency. I set up my different email accounts on the gadget, however I turned warnings off, and I haven't generally checked my mail or sent any messages on the iPad. I can deal with fast notes from my iPhone, and on the off chance that I have to do any word preparing or work, I'll boot up my Mac.

Outline

Macintosh iPad 3

Hollis Johnson

This present iPad's plan is not going to astonishment you. It's a rectangle, based on an excellent, thick, high-pixel screen.

I hadn't utilized a 9.7-inch iPad all the time since 2012, and I quickly saw two things about this new iPad. To start with, it's sufficiently light you can utilize it for truly long extends of time, something that I didn't discover on my more established, heavier iPad.

Second, there's no physical quiet switch. You'll need to kill the sound on the touchscreen, or hold down the "volume down" rocker until it goes noiseless.

At long last, the greater part of Apple's new iPads, including the 2017 model, accompanied a unique mark sensor. While the unique finger impression sensor is less helpful on the iPad than it is on the iPhone, it can even now be convenient, particularly on the off chance that you plan to impart your tablet to your family — basically give everybody their own unique finger impression watchword.

Battery life

Macintosh says this iPad can oversee 10 hours of battery life and I trust it. I haven't planned to what extent it takes this iPad to totally come up short on battery, yet I do know it doesn't appear to lose charge from everyday when I'm not utilizing it, and it can last a whole evening gaming. I haven't ever had an issue where the iPad came up short on batteries and I expected to charge it.

For my utilization, the battery life isn't sufficiently great — it's vague whether a change would improve the iPad fundamentally.

Which iPad would it be advisable for me to get?

ipad lineup

Apple/BI

I got the $329 model of the new iPad in Space Gray, since I lean toward the dark outskirt around the tablet's screen. It comes in gold and silver too, yet those accompanied a white bezel on the front side.

The section level accompanies 32GB of space, which is all that could possibly be needed for me, since I'm not transferring recordings or music onto my tablet. Up until this point, it's a lot of storage room for my utilization, and unless you know you utilize a great deal of space, it most likely will be for you as well.

Following a time of overwhelming use, despite everything I have more than 15GB of space still accessible on my iPad.

I additionally declined to get the cell empowered model. For $459, the iPad accompanies a modem so you can get rapid web on the iPad without associating with a Wi-Fi organize. Obviously, the cell benefit requires a month to month expense. Since I utilize my iPad at home, associated with Wi-Fi I didn't require it — so I spared the cash.

Would it be advisable for you to get it?

Mac iPad 2

Hollis Johnson

For about everyone, I believe Apple's most current iPad is the best esteem on the off chance that you know you need an iPad.

You might need to move up to the iPad Pro 9.7-inch in the event that you like the size and shape, in any case need to have the capacity to utilize Apple's stylus, the Pencil. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro likewise has a marginally better screen, speakers, and camera, yet for my use, it's not a tremendous overhaul, and since it costs $599 from the Apple store, it's not worth the $270 additional for me. The more costly iPad Pro likewise works with Apple's console case, however there are a lot of outsider alternatives for the more affordable model.

The greater iPad Pro is the most costly and heaviest iPad demonstrate. I utilized an audit unit given by Apple to a couple of months before I purchased my new iPad. My recommendation is that in case you're utilizing it for media utilization, as I do, then it's not the best choice. In addition to the fact that it is more costly, the ergonomics as a love seat PC doesn't work that well — it's overwhelming, and feels larger than average. Just get this one in case you're certain you need to utilize an iPad as a portable workstation substitution.

The iPad Mini begins at $400, and its screen is an indistinguishable determination from the 9.7-inch iPads. It's more costly than the most recent iPad, and it has a slower chip. I wouldn't prescribe it unless you're certain you like the littler tablet estimate. It doesn't bolster the Apple Pencil.

On the off chance that you don't fit into one of these classifications, I'd prescribe Apple's most recent iPad. Apple's evaluating the tablet forcefully, and it's a superior incentive for the vast majority than whatever else in Apple's tablet lineup.

[nintendroid]

Trailer Park Gaming: What Was The Gang At Sunnyvale Playing?

Ever wonder what games the guys at Sunnyvale trailer park were playing? I attempted to find out through episode and console release dates, socioeconomics and vague console specifics!

When I first discovered Trailer Park Boys, I was on a stretch of days off from my old dollar store job in 2012. I lived in an old double-wide trailer that should’ve by all means been condemned, living off of microwaved noodles and sticks of pepperoni. The struggle was real.

I was bored and wasn’t exactly in the best of moods at the time due to my living situation. Thankfully, I had my Wii and access to someone else’s Netflix (Pretty sure it was Admin Jake’s). I got a recommendation to watch the show but I had kept putting it off for months.

Finally, I got bored enough to say “screw it” and I started the series from episode 1. I laid on my mattress in my -30 living room floor and watched the show. Around the end of the third season, I realized that this was easily everything that I had ever wanted in television show.

Trailer Park Boys in short, is about the misadventures of three guys that live in Canadian trailer park. Most of their time is spent trying to earn a better living by means of petty crime and selling weed. The show creators themselves describe the show as “COPS” from the criminal’s point of view and that’s probably the best explanation you could give someone about Trailer Park Boys.

More than the storylines and banter, I could appreciate the setting and the show’s charm. Sunnyvale Nova Scotia is an almost mirror image of Pikeville Kentucky (my home at the time). Trailers are lined in gaudy floral-print couches, floor model television sets are still a standard, bottoms of two-litre pop bottles doubled as cups. It was like watching my neighborhood on TV and I loved every second of it. The characters were all people I went to high school with, worked with, all presented in a charming and endearing way. Even if they were all small-town crooks, you love ‘em for who they are.

What makes these guys so lovable is that they enjoy the simple things in life. Money, good weed, name-brand chicken fingers, Donairs and video games.

While the guys in TPB don’t game much, it’s a pastime that’s brought up throughout the series. Consoles are never mentioned (or shown for that matter) specific games aren’t brought up, Their gaming lives are really vague. So what I want to do here is to try and find out what the heck the boys are playing?

Episode 14: “The Kiss of Freedom”

Air Date: April 20th, 2003

In this episode, characters Ricky and Julian get out of jail with a bunch of money waiting on them from a big drug sell made in the second season finale. The boys are spending money wildly, buying new cars, fireworks and gas station pepperoni.

Near the end of the episode, Julian asks bubbles to come to his house for pizza and that “new wrestling game”. A console is never specified but by going on Julian’s word that the game is “new”, the most recent wrestling game that would’ve been out near the episode’s release date would’ve been WWE Wrestlemania X8, for Gamecube.

The game was released June of 2002 and the episode April 2003, by this timeline, Ricky and Julian would���ve been in jail during the game’s release so Julian wouldn’t have got to pick it up until after serving his sentence. The episode would’ve been recorded sometime, early 2003 so the timeline matches up. So from this bit of information, we know that Julian bought a Gamecube and Wrestlemania X8 to play with his buddy Bubbles.

Episode 23: “A Man’s Gotta Eat”

Air Date: April 18th, 2004

Near the beginning of the episode, Ricky is looking for lackeys Cory and Trevor to fix Julian’s trailer as somewhat of an apology for maxing out illegal credit cards in Julian’s name.

Ricky meets Cory and Trevor at Lucy’s house and finds them playing with an Nintendo 64 on a hilariously small TV. The game is blurred out but looking close enough, it looks as if the boys are playing a fighting game judging by the bright colors and stationary, shaking ground. I’m guessing fighting game due to the intensity Cory and Trevor show playing it and the rapid button-mashing. Since the episode was released in 2004, the entire N64 library is at their disposal, so it could be anything.

Going by the colors and the way the ground shakes, My best guess is that Cory and Trevor and playing Dark Rift for the Nintendo 64.

I’ll mention that the noises of the gameplay don’t match up. The sound effects are in line with a space-shooter, but I’m writing it off as the show’s editors masking the game’s actual audio to keep from getting sued. 

Episode 38: “I Am The Liquor”

Air Date: June 12th, 2005

Ricky and Julian stole a ton of hash at the beginning of the season and have been disguising it as a driveway. While Julian is away, he makes Cory and Trevor stand guard and makes sure no one messes with the driveway.

To find out what’s going on, series antagonists Mr Lahey and Randy buy a video game system in hopes of buttering up Cory and Trevor to tell them about what kind of scheme Ricky and Julian has going on. The episode release date is 2005 so the home consoles available at the time were GameCube, PlayStation 2 and XBOX

There’s a brief scene where Randy brings the console into his trailer, but all you can see is that it’s black and lays flat, so that rules out the GameCube.

When Randy goes to tell Cory and Trevor about the game system, the only spec he gives is that it has four controller ports for multiplayer. Since the PS2 only has 2 controller ports,  that narrows it down to an XBOX. Randy also mentions that it comes with 7 games. By this point, the XBOX 360 has been announced, so Randy more than likely found a XBOX bundled with 7 games for sale.

They don’t normally have this kind of money for lavish gaming, but Mr. Lahey has been getting large sums of money from Julian, who’s looking to buy his trailer back from Mr. Lahey. Since Lahey and Randy are so petty against our heroes, no expense was spared in getting this console in hopes of screwing over the boys.

I’m probably way off the mark here, and I know i’m reading into this way too much, but this is what nerds like me do. We overanalyze and look for answers to questions no one asked. I tried to tweet at actor Cory Bowles about what they played on set and...he never got back to me. 

So for now i’m gonna guess my assumptions are correct, there you have it, trailer park gaming. Now my head hurts and I need to lay down.