#the thing where. they will continually buy items they have no space for

[yousaytomato]

Living with a hoarder who fills every inch of every communal space full of their own useless stuff, but who will then spend the day going through the tiny storage space you use and control, throwing things out and reorganising without even asking <3

[drdemonprince]

For the last eighteen years (the entirety of my adult life), I have never lived in a place longer than twenty-four months. 

If you’re a renter, you know the deal: one apartment has leaks coming from the ceiling, thanks to a bathtub upstairs that the landlord never sealed up; in the next, you can hear skittering in the walls. I get a new job, so I have to head a mile south to find a commute that is tolerable. The relatively affordable one-bedroom on the corner where the ambulances are always blaring gets bought out, so the rent shoots from $900 to $1200 per month. Over and over the leaf blower of economic progress has expelled the flimsy debris of my life from the corners where it has settled.

There were less prosaic reasons for the many moves, too, like the 55-year-old roommate who would bang on my door at six in the morning accusing me of sampling her milk and let her dog shit on my rug. Or the boyfriend who stalked me after we broke up in graduate school, who would sit in the parking lot outside my window curled up into an angry, devastated ball, shrieking and crying until somebody came out the back exit and he could rush in to get me. I left the rug behind when I moved, because it had gotten stained. And when I escaped from the boyfriend, I left behind all the books from graduate school that reminded me of him, too. 

As a renter (especially one with a limited income) you never have any control over your surroundings. Where you live, how much space you have, what pests reside there, what works in the building and what doesn’t, how things get fixed, if things get fixed — it’s all determined by market forces and landlord whims. Nothing is permanent, and everything is uncomfortable, so you learn to keep your life light and ready to be picked up and dashed away with at the first sign of trouble. 

I never really learned to settle down into a place and let my weight expand gently all over it. It was better not to count on anything. Every time that I moved, I culled my possessions: the vintage exercise bike that I brought with me from Ohio got left behind when I darted from a depressing, windowless spot in Roger’s Park to a tiny studio in Lakeview. When the studio in Lakeview had cockroaches crawling up the bathtub drain, I found a dupe of a subletter and left behind my desk and half my kitchen items, and used a $40 folding table from Aldi as my counter, dining room table, and workstation for the next five years. 

That’s one thing that people don’t talk about, when they complain about landlords: how much disregard for your surroundings that renting breeds in you. It’s not only that the owner of your building never cleans the pipes. It’s also that you have no reason to feel invested in the pipes’ long-term functioning, and every reason to feel bitter about the thousands of dollars you’re already wasting on a broken building each year. 

And so you buy the Drain-o, even knowing it does damage. You don’t invest in a hair trap, because it shouldn’t be your job. Maybe you even flush kitty litter down the toilet, as one neighbor of mine did, because why the fuck shouldn’t you? It almost feels like revenge to wreck a place that was never yours, even though the only people who will suffer the consequences are the poor broke renters who come after you. 

There is no gratitude, no sense of continuity — only a steady march of expenses and breakdowns that never stop, until you’re kicked back on the street again.  

But this June, after almost twenty years and fifteen moves across various apartments and sublets, I have finally arrived at a place where I might be able to stay a long time. I’m no longer paying a landlord’s bills with my wages. I have become, as Eula Biss puts it, the husband of a space. This home is my duty to protect, to build up into something that might last for me and everyone else who passes through it. 

Suddenly I can see the consequences of my actions: A stick of incense left burning on the bathroom counter leaves three small, orange marks I have to buff out with a scrubbing sponge and a layer of Barkeeper’s Friend. When I ignore a leak from the hot water spigot that runs over the side of the tub, the liner swells up with moisture and has to be cut out and replaced. Life is no longer lived in pay periods, but in years. Unattended problems only get worse over time, and everything is riding on me. 

I wrote about making a home, adopting a cat, and learning to let my life have weight. You can read the full essay for free (or have it narrated to you by the Substack app) at drdevonprice.substack.com

[sailtomarina]

Buy None, Get Two

cw: smut, M/M/F

It was supposed to be a short stop, your intention being to pick up a few personal items then head on home. Today was the one and only day of the Weasleys’ Wizarding Wheezes Spring Sale, after all, and their lines of WonderWitch were second to none in creativity and efficacy.

In hindsight, it would have been smarter to enter like any other customer from the front door. The main entrance meant light, open space, and plenty of witnesses. You would have been able to shop in peace with little interruption but the knowing wink of the clerk.

Let’s just say that eagerness played a part in your absence of thought. You tossed on your favourite corduroy skirt, a heavy knit jumper, and your trainers before grabbing your purse.

You went through the Floo by habit, stepping directly from your cottage into the twins’ flat above the shop. Were this any other day, the lights would have been out, the space quiet, the telltale ginger hair bent over experiments or paperwork downstairs in their offices.

So when you walked directly into the well-lit sitting room where Fred and George lounged on the sofa directly facing the fireplace, you froze.

“Well, well, what do we have here, Forge?”

“I don’t know, Gred. It looks like our girl’s here to take advantage of some great savings.”

You could feel your lips curling into the familiar grin these two always prompted, but you angled your body towards the front door in an attempt to squeeze by safely. “Now boys, I only have a small window of time that I intend to use wisely–”

Your well-laid plans ended in a squeak as you were lifted off your feet and laid unceremoniously across two sets of legs. Fred’s arm cradled your head carefully while his other automatically wrapped around your waist. George immediately took to removing your trainers, strong fingers massaging circles against the tight muscles and turning you limp.

“Our little sale has been more successful than anticipated and we thought we’d get away for a breather–,” Fred said lightly, his hand now tracing down your cheek.

“–so your arrival comes at a perfect time, love,” George picked up where his brother left off. You couldn’t help the sigh that escaped you as he slipped off your socks. His hands were warm against your smooth skin, and you thanked yourself for the foresight of shaving the night before.

“What did you two have in mind?” While you knew exactly what it was you wanted, you decided to play coy. They’d disrupted your original ideas, after all. You couldn’t make things too easy for them.

“Well…” Fred’s fingers propped your chin up as he leaned down to hover just out of reach, “that depends.”

“On?”

Your eyes flickered away from Fred to watch as George shifted on the chaise, separating your legs so he could turn and kneel between them. 

George licked his lips as he eyed the two of you, and his hands moved up your thighs to continue his gentle rubbing. “On what it was you were planning on purchasing.”

Trapped between their warm bodies as you were, you couldn’t help the flush that worked its way up your chest to fill your cheeks. They smirked at the sight.

“I wanted to pick up some Daydream Charms,” you continued despite the way Fred clicked his tongue in disapproval, “Crush Blush, since I’m almost out, and a Tongue Twister–”

“I can understand the blush, but do you really need the others when you already have two wizards who are more than happy to fulfil any fantasies you might have?” George interrupted.

His hands slipped beneath the thick fabric of your skirt, long fingers sweeping up the expanse of your thighs and encouraging you to widen them as he bent forward.

“George, you really don’t need to–”

“He wants to, love, as do I,” Fred said, gripping your chin firmly and raising his eyebrows. “Or do you want us to stop? Just say the word.”

The mouth that had been kissing its way up your inner thigh paused now above your centre, the heat of his breath priming you for a very different sort of tongue. A gush pulsed through you at past memories of how skillful they were with their fingers and mouths. They were insatiable, their focus unwavering and discerning of how every single sensation affected you. They used that knowledge to their advantage and your demise, turning you into a helpless puddle at their beck and call.

Sometimes it mortified you, afterwards, thinking about all the ways you unravelled at their touch, how easily they could make you say and do things you never would have dared on your own. You weren’t a very open person, despite how your body and mind seemed to unfurl at the mere suggestion of their eyes on yours.

You knew without a shred of doubt that, were you to say so, Fred and George would remove their hands. You hadn’t put a label on what it was that went on between the three of you just yet. You hoped, yes. You craved and dreamt.

“Don’t stop.” Low and breathless, you sounded desperate because, well, you were.

“Your coins are no good to us, sweetheart,” Fred murmured. He maintained a steady commentary while George mouthed you through the thin cotton of your knickers. 

The barrier was a joke sodden as it was with the combination of his spit and your steady arousal. He sealed his mouth against you and hummed. The vibrations sent you into a backbreaking arch with a moan. It was only Fred’s hands against your shoulders that stopped you from lifting off of the chaise entirely. His chuckle was warm against your cheek, his kiss a reassuring pressure to your temple.

The moment the gusset of your knickers was swept to the side and George ran a flattened tongue the full length of your slit, you cried out, scrabbling for purchase on something, anything.

Fred met you, fingers threading through yours and lips crashing down to muffle your cries. Slowly, he brought your hand up with his own to wrap around your throat. He didn’t squeeze, but he didn’t have to. The mere presence was close enough of a claim to tip you over the edge as George plunged two fingers inside and curled them upward.

“Pretty girl, so sweet and good for us,” Fred cooed. “Can you be good for a bit longer?” His hips shifted beneath your head where it rested. You could feel the thick length of him straining against the constraints.

“Please!” This was why you’d come over, wasn’t it? You’d dreamt last night of a scenario much like this one where the twins moved over and around you, taking turns wringing pleasure from you like another one of their experiments. 

You only had to turn your head the barest amount before your jaw opened wide to take in his bared cock, while, at the same time, you felt a blunt pressure at your cunt. Like they shared one mind, they impaled you from both ends. Hands pressed against your hips and the back of your head, bringing you flush against them. You trembled, and you gagged, and still they held on tight.

“Nnnnn,” you couldn’t speak with your mouth and throat stuffed full; you weren’t sure how much longer you could last like this.

One of them, you weren’t sure who, shushed you. Fingers brushed against your clit, a fist tightened around your hair, spots danced across your vision through which you could only see the milky skin of Fred’s lower abs and a thatch of red hair slightly darker than the rest.

Just as you felt like you were about to pass out, they pulled back, and you gasped for air just in time to be filled once again. They repeated the process until you shouted around Fred’s cock and shook beneath George’s circling thumb.

“Oh, fuck, oh, fuck, I’m–” Fred groaned deep as he started to come, spilling down your throat as you worked to swallow all of him. “Look at you, drinking me up.” He didn’t care about the cum still coating your lips as he bent down to tangle his tongue with yours, thrusting deep and swirling around as if he meant to clean you up.

His mouth caught your cries as George pulled your knees up and spread them in a wide v, thrusting as deep as he could to finish. George nuzzled against your tits over the jumper you still wore as he pulsed inside of you. The slight tingle of magic across your abdomen let you know one of them had cast a contraception charm. It wasn’t until he slipped out of you and sat up that Fred pulled back from your kiss.

“Any chance we can convince you to join us downstairs?” George asked as he offered you your knickers. 

They both wore satisfied grins, eyes crinkled at the corners and lips swollen and red. Given the state of their faces and how their hair stood in disarray, there was no question about what they’d been doing in their free time. 

You tapped your chin as you pretended to think. “I do still have a few more fantasies I’d like to experience if there are any more Daydream charms left…”

Laughter bubbled out of you at the insulted looks they gave you, a joy that turned into dismay when George vanished your knickers with a casual wave of his hand.

“Cheeky witches don’t get to wear knickers,” he sniffed. The act was just that, his smirk giving away his amusement.

“We do still need to eat, if you’d like to join us for lunch.” The uncharacteristic seriousness in Fred’s voice prompted you to look more carefully at him.

“Are you asking me out on a date, Fred Weasley?”

“What if we are?” His chin came up in that stubborn way of his you sometimes saw around his family and rivals. George looked much the same, even with the hint of his smile remaining.

You could slap the invitation down with your usual playful air, and they’d likely go along with your decision. While none of you had strictly gone out of your way to hide the attraction you felt for one another, this would be the first such instance of publicly acknowledging it as such.

“I could be persuaded…”

You looked them both over, biting your lip as you imagined all the ways they could go about convincing you. The possibilities were endless, your mind a playground for three. They leaned forward, beckoned by the prize dangling before them.

Then you bolted, aiming for the door sans knickers and trainers knowing full well they’d never let you make your escape. Laughter rang out behind you, then the familiar weave of their magic wound around you and yanked you back into their arms.

Right where you belonged.

1825 WC

5.19.24 FB: Lauren’s Kitchen prompt: “sale”

Cross-posted on Tumblr, Facebook, and AO3.

[leahrintarou]

☠︎︎ DAY ONE: TOYS FT. TSUKKISHIMA ☠︎︎

☠︎︎ WARNINGS: soft!dom tsukki, usage of a vibrator, female anatomy, orgasm denial, edging, drabble.

☠︎︎ WORD COUNT: 780+

"y/n, something came in the mail for you"

y/n looked up from the the device that rested on her lap before seeing tsukishima holding a small package in his left hand, his phone in his other, eyes focused on the screen. y/n reached an arm out while tsukishima handed her the boxed item.

"thanks, tsukki" she mumbled before placing it onto the nightstand beside her, almost avoiding her gaze from the box. "you're not going to open it?" tsukishima was able to pick up on her sudden odd behavior before a smirk made it's way to his lips.

"um, i'm doing an assignment that's due in a couple hours, it can wait. I'll open it later."

"hm, okay. i'll be back" y/n's eye's immediately darted up to be met with tsukishima's back, watching as he took lazily steps towards the rooms exit. "where are you going?"

"i have to pick up some volleyball equipment from the gym" he said before finally exiting the room.

y/n let out a sigh when she finally heard the front door close. she turned her attention to the package that was resting on her nightstand and carefully closed her laptop before setting it aside on the space beside her.

taking the box into her hold, y/n saw that the seal was already severed on the opening. she re-read the name on the front of the box before silently cursing herself. she'd accidently ordered the package under tsukishima's name since they shared the same account.

he'd mistaken the package for his own.

y/n felt an uneasy feeling in her gut after remembering tsukishima's smirking expression. she hesitantly opened the box, the purple colored item being the first thing that she saw.

being in a small daze, she didn't pick up on the sound of the front door opening once again, but she was finally snapped out of that daze when she heard tsukishima's voice. "you wanna test it out?".

y/n's heart basically pounded out of her chest when she heard his tone. "i thought you were leaving?" she questioned. "and i thought you had an assignment due in a couple hours?"

but, you seem like you have different priorities," he eyed the item that was being displayed in y/n's hold, an anticipating smirk growing onto his lips. "shut up" y/n mumbled, making quick movements to put away the device.

tsukishima took a couple steps up to y/n's seated figure before stopping her movements by placing a light grip onto her wrist. "you sure you dont wanna try it? you looked pretty curious just now, y/n." she looked up at the blondes figure and a groan erupted through her voice.

"what if it doesn't feel good?"

"you're the one who decide to buy it, but either way; if this toy ends up being shitty, i'll show you why you can alway rely on me if you wanna feel good."

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

that's how the two ended up in their current situation, with tsukishima repeatedly adjusting the frequencies of the toy just to hear y/n whine due to her pleasure being taken away so suddenly.

"you can handle it a little longer, can't you?" tsukishima admired y/n's unsteady breathing and her pleasured/annoyed expression. he continued to alternate frequencies by controlling the device through a small remote, ignoring y/n's small pleas.

relaxing himself, back against the headboard while y/n laid back, against his chest, tsukishima had a cocky smirk on his lips. he was able to get y/n worked up so easily and with a click of a button; he was able to take it all away just as fast.

he'd noticed how y/n's moans were slightly different than usual, more impatient, more needy, and less quiet. to be frankly honest he'd never expected it to have such an effect on y/n, but due to the fact that the vibrations were traveling directly to her bud, he couldn't help but let out an amused hum.

"you wanna cum, y/n?" tsukishima turned down the frequency since he actually did want to hear a coherent answer from her. "please" she answered through pants, gripping the fabric of tsukishima's sweatpants.

he placed a small peck to y/n's bare shoulder, turing the frequency of the toy on it's highest setting almost immediately sending y/n over the edge. her legs waverd, feeling every inch of her satisfied pleasure course through her body, erupting paired sounds past her lips.

"I guess this thing wasn't so shitty after all. round two?"

"can you give me a minute?" she rolled her eyes, still trying to steady her breathing after tsukishima finally turned off the toy.

"nope"

and with singular response, the toy was imeedietly turned back on, letting an uncontrollable yelp leave the lips of y/n.

[bullet-prooflove]

Two Points For Honesty: Alden Parker x Reader

Tagging: @kmc1989 @mandy426 @caffeinatedwoman @elefrog25-blog @toheavenwmydrms

Companion piece to:

Pillow Talk - Alden realises he's a shitty husband.

Alden finds the letters hidden at the top of the wardrobe, tucked away in the shoebox where you store the other items from your first marriage. He thumbs past the divorce and marriage certificates bearing Kris’s name before he comes to the water stained envelopes, all postmarked with his prisoner details.

There’s three of them just like you said.

If he were any other spouse he’d be offended or hurt that you’d chose to keep the correspondence but he isn’t any other spouse, he understands that these letters are evidence in the continued campaign of harassment your ex-husband wages on you from prison.

His hand shakes as he reads them, each one of the words like a barb prickling under his skin, a reminder of what a shitty husband he’s been over the past few months. Going on the lam with his ex, leaving you behind to deal with the FBI alone, it eats at him. He’d torn your whole world apart and you’d just welcomed him back with open arms.

He's sitting in the greenhouse when you get home that night, a whiskey in his hand as he stares up at the stars through the glass. You linger in the doorway, your gaze fixed on him as you fiddle with your wedding band. You haven’t said more than a few words to each other since the conversation last night and the distance between the two of you it feels like a chasm right now.

“Lisa…” He says softly as you start to draw away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”

He trails off then, his eyebrows furrowed into a frown as he bows his head.

“I’m a bad husband.”

“Alden.” You drawl as you step into the room, settling yourself into his lap. “I know a thing or two about bad husbands and you certainly aren’t one of them.”

“Lisa.” He whispers as you take the glass from his hand and set it on the steamer truck in front of you. “I read Kris's letters, the things he says…”

“They’re not true.” You murmur, shaking your head vehemently. “I know you weren’t fucking around with Viv, you wouldn’t do that to me…”

It’s then that he meets your eyes and your heart just sinks.

“Oh.” You say and that numbness, it just starts to fill you exactly the same way it did with Kris when you found out about his affairs.

“She kissed me one night.” He tells you, his voice rough with emotion. “That’s as far as it went-”

“Did you enjoy it?” You interrupt him. “When she kissed you, did you want to take it further?”

“No.” He says forcefully as he looks into your eyes. “It went against every single fibre of my being.”

You can see the honesty of it in him, the sorrow in his features, the guilt that he’s been carrying. Alden’s spent months punishing himself for this indiscretion, one that wasn’t his.

“You don’t love her.” You say quietly as you look into his eyes, your palm coming to rest upon the space where his heart resides. “You love me right?”

“With everything I have.” He tells you, his hand covering yours, clasping It to his chest.

“Then I am choosing to draw a line underneath this.” You tell him, your forehead coming to rest on his. “But Viv, she can’t be in your life anymore, not if she still feels that way about you.”

“I know.” He promises you, his thumb tracing over the apple of your cheek. “That's why I’ve made it very clear that she’s my past and you, you are my future.”

Love Alden? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Interested in supporting me? Join my Patreon for Bonus Content!

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[edelfie]

#𝓣𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘! wannabe chart topper.

there is a certain sense of degradation and shame that comes with being a well-known industry figure not for what you create, but for how terrible you seem to be at it. no matter what genre or style it seems you just haven’t got the midas touch. your friends aren’t gonna let that stop you from doing the thing you love—no, not creating music, silly! publicly shaming your exes through song!

or, there is no better cure for heartache than money, revenge, and clout (in that order).

POST CREDITS! —

There's a heavy sigh that escapes Asahi's lips as he closes out from the group chat. Normally the mood isn't so...dour, and the seldom times it is it appears to be a product of his own doing. Yet to see you, especially, so downtrodden upset him. Asahi knows that everyone becomes sad for one reason or another, naturally, but the ever-confident Y/N L/N being insecure? Unfathomable, he declares.

From the day he met you, you have been a rock. Not just in his life, but also in his idealized version of you. Of everyone in the group, you had one of the bigger personalities—it was hard to know for sure if yours was the biggest when Tendou is being...Tendou. Regardless, you always carried yourself like you knew you could buy the entirety of Japan with your pocket change.

You couldn’t, of course—you didn’t even come close. But the unwavering confidence you held in that you could was admirable, if not slightly arrogant. In Asahi’s mind though, it took a certain type of person to be selfish, headstrong, self-centered. And to pull it off so well that he didn’t even hate them? He had to give flowers where they’re due.

And if you're none of those things, you're a damn good actor—and maybe that's part of your "star power" too. You had him fooled, and he's sure you'll fool the entire world too. So, with a bit of selfishness, he'll continue to remain by your side and push you into the limelight so he can bask in that aura once more. Even when he knows it isn't real.

You are a rock, the one which holds their entire rag-tag group together. You are the post in which the ship hauls their anchor upon. You are the jagged edges which cut through those who earn your ire, drawing blood. You are softened by the crashing tides which erode at your exterior. You really are special, and he can't imagine you being anyone else.

"Oi, are you still listening?"

Asahi snaps to attention. He had completely forgot he was on the phone with Yuu, so absorbed with his thoughts. The lack of sleep was also likely to blame as he teetered from left to right, eyes hovering open just a crack. Still, he makes a great effort to not look like he was totally spacing out.

"Ah, yeah I am! Sorry..."

"Right," Yuu drags the word on for a few seconds "Anyways, like I was saying..."

NOTES! —

Rise and shine (ursine)! Today is a new day, and I'm aiming to double post today, so be on the lookout for that! Ah, but don't hold me accountable if I don't either—I get out from my classes late today and commute in peak traffic, so the second chapter may be released wayyyy later today or not at all (until tomorrow that is wkwk). Anyways, today's fundraiser goes towards supporting Rachel Pikrel-Hawkins and her children in Colorado.

Rachel's ex husband, Michael Hawkins, is a retired police sergeant and convicted felon and sex offender for the continuous rape and sexual assault of his daughter and two adopted daughters. However, he is free from custody while Rachel is in jail for objecting to court-ordered reunification therapy between Michael and two of their sons. The case is beyond horrifying and revolting, and I recommend reading into it further in the description of the GoFundMe page. If you are able to assist Rachel in paying for attorneys to defend her and her children in court, please consider donating here and sharing their story with others.

If you’ve noticed, the “blind items” section looks different today! That’s because it’s supposed to be an in-universe bonus section for gossip and rumors, usually about what happened in the screenshots. However for this conversation, obviously nobody is telling any gossip pages about this, so I replaced it with “Post Credits”! Now whenever there are no blind items, this section will appear instead and will detail the inner thoughts, feelings, and opinions of the characters—or, just anything that didn't make the cut. These are all still canonical, but weren't included in the chapter for a platitude of reasons (conflicting pov, limited time, etc.) Please take these crumbs of writing as a sign of my gratitude for all you readers!

PREV + MASTERLIST + NEXT

© all rights reserved—edelfie (2024) // do not plagiarize, modify, copy, use, translate, or repost my work on other sites without permission

[cyanide-mustard]

I Don’t Have the Words To Describe (How Much You Mean to Me) ~ Chapter 3

Also on Ao3

Summary:

James, Viktor and Jayce settle into routine and James makes a new friend.

AN: Guys I can’t for the life of me picture their stupid lab setup in my head so if there’s any discrepancies between what I write and what it actually looks like, no there isn’t lol. Also sorry if this chapter sucks, the next couple chapters will be (slightly) better.

A=𝜩, B=𝜣, C=𝝃, D=𝛴, E=𝜓, F=𝝇, G=𝝋, H=𝝺, I=𝛃, J=𝝣, K=𝝥, L=𝟄, M=𝟇, N=𝞖, O=𝝠, P=𝝮, Q=𝞈, R=𝞀, S=𝞏, T=𝞔, U=𝞒, V=𝞃, W=𝝸, X=𝞹, Y=𝞾, Z=𝞙

The next day Viktor and Jayce woke up early, before James did, so the taller man stayed to start on breakfast and clean the apartment, to be more welcoming to their guest, while the other left to buy groceries. When Viktor returned he put all the food away and worked beside Jayce, helping him make breakfast.

James emerged from her room, unaware of the two men in the kitchen who were also unaware of their own heavy staring. She was wearing a pair of light blue shorts and an even lighter blue camisole that sat high on her stomach and rose higher when she stretched her arms above her head. Thankfully the boys averted their eyes right before James jumped in shock at seeing the two of them in the kitchen. She ran back into her room and returned with a navy sweater on.

Jayce cleared his throat before speaking.

“Good morning James”

“G𝝠od 𝟇ornin𝝋 Jayce. Good morni𝝋 Viktor”

“Good morning”

When she saw the food they were making, she grabbed her notebook and wrote down the items in English and then Piltovian.

“E𝝋g, 𝜣ac𝝠n, t𝝠ast” she pointed to each, looking to the boys for confirmation. Jayce nodded and repeated each item.

James tried again “Egg, bacon, toast”

“And Coffee” Viktor

“And C𝝠ffee”

Viktor lifted the the labeled the sugar and milk container

“Sugar?” James lifted two fingers

“Two sugars?”

“Tw𝝠 sugars” she confirmed

“Milk?”

She lifted her fingers in a pinch this time

“A little bit of milk?”

“A little bit 𝝠f milk”

He passed the mug to her

“Thank you” she took her mug and sat down at the table. The boys joined her, bringing the plates with them. When they all sat down, Jayce rested his hand on top of Viktor’s which lay on his lower thigh.

“We are going to go to the lab today”

Jayce drew a picture of the lab after seeing her confused face.

“Ahh lab today” James says in understanding

After eating they made their way to the lab. Once there, James made herself comfortable on top of the large sprawling table, sitting right beside the window to take advantage of the natural light.

They all set out on doing their work. About an hour passed when Viktor felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see James holding her notebook

“What is your name?” She had the same look on her face that Jayce got when he was testing out a hypothesis.

“My name is Viktor?” His reply sent her face into a beaming smile.

“Who is he?”

“That is Jayce”

“What is this?”

“This is a book”

After about a million more questions, Viktor realized she was learning how to ask questions and verifying the subjects of each question word.

She would continue the day like this. Working in her newly claimed space before going up to Jayce or Viktor to test out a language point she learned or try and get clarity on something.

Jayce often asked her to pass him things, partly so he didn’t have to leave where he was sitting but also to help James work on her vocabulary. Although it took a little longer to get the tool, the smile on her face when she found the right one made it worthwhile.

They went on like this for the next four days. They had been making breakfast in the morning and eating more regularly; they felt bad after the first day when they got wrapped up in their work only realizing it was 5 o’clock and they had skipped lunch when they heard James’ stomach grumble from across the lab. Working throughout the day on their own projects at the lab, going home (somewhat) early, before getting a more socially acceptable level of sleep rather than their normal fuck we ball amount. James had learned some basic vocabulary but putting together full sentences was a struggle.

On the fifth day Jayce and Viktor left the lab in the afternoon to grab lunch and bring it back for them all to eat. Leaving James in the lab so as to not draw any unnecessary attention to her. This was unfortunately at the same time Caitlyn had decided to make an unannounced visit. She opened the door and was met with the sight of James looking for a purple-coloured pen in Jayce’s drawers, which to unknowing Caitlyn, the scene looked like a woman had broken into the lab of the top scientists of Piltover and was now stealing Hextech.

“HEY! STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING” Caitlyn yelled before bolting across the room.

James jumped nearly a foot in the air, scrambling back on top of the desk, reaching for the nearest tool, which so happened to be another screwdriver.

“𝝋𝜓𝞔 𝞔𝝺𝜓 𝝇𝞒𝝃𝝥 𝜩𝝸𝜩𝞾 𝝇𝞀𝝠𝟇 𝟇𝜓!!!” The woman barked out.

The teenage girl took big imposing steps forwards, which James responded to by backing away, slowly trapping herself further in the nook. Feeling the wall behind her, she lunged forward with a warning swipe of the screwdriver. The sound of Jayce yelling from the door, stopped both of them from injuring each other.

“CAIT STOP” Jayce yelled from the door.

At the sight of him and Viktor entering the room, James dropped the screwdriver, bypassing Caitlyn and sprinting towards them. She ran into Jayce’s right side, quickly seeking comfort before turning around to face the other woman. James stood behind the two, holding each of their jacket sleeves tightly in each hand, ready to pull them back at the sight of danger. When Jayce first started walking forward, she pulled him back.

“It’s okay, she’s a friend” She let go of his arm as he walked forward again.

Viktor put his arm behind her back, slowly guiding her forwards with him.

“Who is she? What was she doing in your lab?”

“I’m going to tell you only if you promise you will not tell a single soul”

“Alright”

“I’m serious, Cait, absolutely no one. Not even your mom or dad”

“I understand, absolutely no one”

He explained the best he could, given that much of the whole situation was unknown to him or Viktor, possibly known to James but she was currently unable to explain it to them. Once he finished she stood with her mouth hanging open for a couple seconds.

“Cait?”

“And this wasn’t your fault?”

Jayce rolled his eyes. Cait moved her gaze to James and looked at her with guilt. She moved forward taking her hands in hers.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to chase after you or try to attack you, well actually I did mean to but that was only because I thought you were stealing something, so I’m actually sorry for thinking you were a thief and not giving you a chance to expl-”

“Caitlyn slow down. She is not going to understand half of what you have said” At Viktor’s words she looked at the woman’s face again. She understood her sentiment but she was lost at every other word.

“Oh, sorry” Caitlyn looked sheepish. Seeing the girl’s embarrassment James stepped forward.

“Hello, My name is James. What is your name?”

“I’m Caitlyn, it’s nice to meet you”

“It is nice to meet you too. Would you like to be fri𝜓nds?”

“Yes, I’d like that very much”

Cait’s eyes focused “Is that my top?”

“Oh uh yes” Jayce replied

“You gave the poor girl my old clothes” , Cait shook her head in disbelief. “Her and I are going shopping and soon. But that does makes more sense than what you really said the clothes were for”

“What did you tell her you needed them for?” Viktor questioned.

Jayce turned his face back to his work away from the other three, which Viktor recognized as what Jayce did when he was trying to hide his face when it was a deep blush red.

“Jayce?”

“I might have said you wanted to try out a new style”

“You what!”

“I didn’t know what else to say!”

Caitlyn and James looked at each other, both needed to cover the mouths to quiet the giggles they let out because of the boys bickering.

“Literally anything else! Say that we needed them to blow up, I don’t know. Caitlyn thought I was asking my boyfriend for his younger sister’s clothes, that is weird Jayce. I love you but sometimes it is so embarrassing to be dating you”

Notes:

Translations:

𝝋𝜓𝞔 𝞔𝝺𝜓 𝝇𝞒𝝃𝝥 𝜩𝝸𝜩𝞾 𝝇𝞀𝝠𝟇 𝟇𝜓 = Get the fuck away from me

Please let me know what you think! Any love or feedback is always welcomed!

Taglist: @im-just-a-simp-le-whore

[genshin-impacted]

Exchange of Rings

(Alhaitham x Reader - 2/?) 

You and Alhaitham get settled into your shared home in the beginning of your year-long test run of your marriage. The both of you try to figure out how to best live together piece by piece. OR apartment shopping + eating dinner + packing lunch

Word Count: ~3.7k 

Notes: afab!reader, second person pov “you”, switches pov with Alhaitham, modern au, arranged marriage, fall first/fall harder, mentions of sex, slow burn

[Previous - Next]

.

.

.

The first thing in order is to get an apartment that the two of you can both agree on. As the two of you are fiancés, there really is only a need for one bedroom and one bathroom. You’re almost excited to share a bed with someone else again, but temper it with the knowledge that you’ll only be sharing a bed with Alhaitham and nothing else. 

For now, at least. You try to not let your mind linger on what Alhaitham said at the first meeting regarding any… sensual possibilities. Regardless, the step to share a home is something inherently intimate.

The location of the apartment is at the halfway point between your parent's homes in a cozy suburban area with amenities close by and with enough space to fit two people. For one, the kitchen is spacious, and they leave you with a nice living room for activities next to a cozy dining room. With the both of you making wages, the payment is honestly not bad at all. You agree to split fifty fifty with him.

The apartment comes partially furnished. Together, the two of you bring enough furniture to make the apartment look more like a home. Alhaitham was kind enough– or would you say, meticulous enough to share a document between the two of you so you know what is still needed and who is bringing which item. It makes it easier to determine which item belongs to whom to return to if things go sour, but it also lets you see what the two of you still need to buy together. 

It’s a very efficient way of doing things, and you see that in the other ways he plans things to make it as easy as possible: You come to pick him up at the apartment so the two of you can carpool together to shop since the store is in the same direction; Alhaitham tells you that he intends to rent a delivery van for any big purchases to reduce any of the hassle of doing it yourselves. And he’s fair too– he tells you he can pay you for gas for the car ride, and though you feel like it’s unnecessary, you feel inclined to agree anyways.

Alhaitham pauses in the middle of the conversation, and you take your eyes off the road for a second to glance at him. 

“Anything wrong?” You ask him, “Did we forget something at the apartment?”

“No,” he says. “I suppose I’m just surprised you’re agreeing with all of this so easily. I expected push-back.” 

“Push-back for what?” You say, genuinely curious. “It all sounds good to me. You’re very organized.”

You glance at Alhaitham again to see his hand at his chin, thoughtful. You expect him to elaborate, but he doesn’t, deigning to continue the conversation where he left off. It isn’t until you’ve parked and Alhaitham is waiting for you at your car door that you decide to ask again. 

“So about earlier,” you begin, walking a few steps more to match Alhaitham’s long strides. Gratefully, you see him slow down for you to catch up, and the two of you begin walking side-by-side. “You said you expected me to… say something about what we were going to do? Why would I do that? It makes sense to me: buy essential stuff, unpack what we have, go buy what we’re missing if need-be…”

“I just have contingency plans in case something doesn’t go according to plan,” Alhaitham says. Now it’s his turn to glance at you, and there are those eyes again, piercingly observant like everything you do he will catalog for future reference. “Not everyone agrees with the way I work. I anticipated something like that would happen.”

You have a small feeling that the ‘disagreements’ Alhaitham mentioned happen often. You can see it: Alhaitham has a tone that may not sit very well with other people. It’s brusque at worst and matter-of-fact at best, but you find comfort in the confidence he exudes and the instructions he provides. You also don’t take his tone personally, which is for the best, you think, for this union. You have a feeling it is hardly personal when it comes to him. 

“We can work things out if we disagree, can’t we?” You tell him. “We’re reasonable people… for the most part.”

At your last words, you hear Alhaitham huff in amusement, and his lips upturn into the smallest of smiles. You try not to look so bewildered when he tells you he’s going to get a cart, but you think that’s the first time you’ve seen him really smile.

You catch up to him the moment your heart stops leaping.

.

It’s fun shopping with Alhaitham. It’s nice having someone to ask for their opinions or taking turns pushing the cart with your collected items. You like to think Alhaitham doesn’t mind shopping with you either, mainly because he seems like the type of person to speak his mind, and he hasn’t complained about you taking too long to decide between what type of bowls you want for the apartment yet. (He chooses porcelain over plastic– microwavable safe.) 

For the most part, you aren’t a very imposing shopper, moving through aisles quickly and only glancing over the things that aren’t important. You do take some time sifting through the candles though, and Alhaitham clears through your hesitation between cranberry and peach by putting both stacks of candles into the cart. 

Just take them both– that definitely solves your problem of picking between the two. You try not to laugh at how his efficiency extends to shopping as well, even if it means indulging in your purchases. You think it's kind of cute of him, but you try not to let your hopeless romantic side speak too loudly (even if it's right!).

.

.

.

The moment Alhaitham finds an empty table, he brings his cart over and sits himself comfortably to wait for you. You’re at the middle of the line now to buy your frozen yogurt and cinnamon bun at the little shop at the exit. He lets his eyes follow your movement for a moment before he takes out his book from his bag to get some light reading in. 

Or so he had planned, but he takes the time of solitude to gather his thoughts.

Some people who don't know him well at all may say that he treats interactions with other people as though they were transactions. Tit-for-tat, this for that– but Alhaitham could care less about receiving any favors back. Truth is he will only do something if he truly wants to, so the thought that someone needs to pay him back for something he’s done that has benefitted them is unnecessary to him. He lives by his own set of rules and morals, and however everyone else does it is none of his business. 

It is his business, it turns out, when it comes to his roommate and fiancé: you. 

Maintaining a relationship requires equal effort from both sides. An uneven distribution of labor, for example, sharing chores and duties of the household is a one-way ticket to the destruction of a relationship. It only makes sense to him that the two of you will divvy up the workload and weigh in on decisions together. He gives back what you provide, and hopefully it will be the same when he does it as well. 

Like you said earlier, the two of you are reasonable adults. Thankfully. Alhaitham knows he has spoken with you at length during the first meeting and in short snippets since then, but he never really knows someone unless some time has passed. What are you like under stress? How will you react to unexpected situations? What will you do when the two of you fight? Power imbalances, as he has read, causes a greater rift when conflict occurs, so it’s best if he sets the precedence now for shared responsibility. 

Tit-for-tat, this for that– Alhaitham has never felt the need to return what is given but then again he’s never really attempted to make a relationship work now, has he? 

“Here you go.”

Alhaitham looks up from the book to see you hold out an ice cream cone toward him. He glances at your other hand to see another cone and at the table to see a cinnamon bun steaming from its small container. He takes the cone and you sit across from him, tearing off a piece of the cinnamon bun before smearing ice cream onto it. 

Before you take a bite out of the sweet, you look at him with growing confusion. “Oh, sorry,” you say, “did you not want the frozen yogurt? I guess I just assumed you would; I always get one when I come here.” 

“I don’t mind it. I actually enjoy sweets in moderation,” Alhaitham replies. Tit-for-tat, he thinks. “Let me pay you back for it.”

You wave a hand flippantly. “Nah, it’s okay. It’s really cheap anyways. You’re already paying for my gas so it’s really not a big deal. Here-” You slide the cinnamon bun roll closer to him. “Have some of this too. I got it for both of us.” 

A small wrench in his plans. Perhaps he’ll pay you back another time? In another way? Or would it bother you if he treated every favor and action like a transaction to be paid back– he hasn’t considered this yet, and hasn't taken into account your personality in regards to what he should do. To his knowledge, you are… quite honestly, reasonable. Even-tempered, adaptable, even easy-going: it may do him good to review his plan and make some changes.

Perhaps he’ll just follow after you for once. 

“Thank you,” he says, turning to his frozen yogurt and taking a taste. He looks up at you right in time to see you look away, smiling. For good measure, he rips a piece of cinnamon bun and, emulating you, smears the vanilla onto it.

It’s sweet. 

.

.

.

The apartment ends up being an amalgamation of both your styles. The bookshelves are his, the couch and television are yours, and all the utensils and cooking ware are all bought. You had taken Alhaitham with you to buy everything, but he had very little to contribute to when it came to style. He commented more on practicality and only when you had asked him to choose between two did he make a stylistic choice. You find that he is a minimalist at most except for when it comes to his books, his bookshelves specifically from his own room. You find that oddly endearing, and when you suggest he purchase bookends, he denies it only because he already has his own. 

For the most part, with the apartment, it feels like any agreement with a roommate. When will each person do their chores, what chores, how frequent? What are your schedules like? You tend to stay up late while Alhaitham is more than likely to sleep earlier to get his full night's rest. 

"I work at 9 AM so I'll most likely be awake by 8," he tells you, "and come home at around 5:30 PM."

"I'll let you know my schedule for each week," you offer. "It's not as consistent as yours so I might work weekends too." You laugh at the quick grimace from Alhaitham. "It's not too bad. It's not like I work weekdays AND weekends. It just depends." You check your watch. "I can cook for tonight," you tell him, rummaging through the newly stocked drawers for utensils. It's been cold lately, so you think some stew would taste nice. You glance up at him right as he nods, and you wonder if he would be open to eating together.

It would be your first meal together, and the thought makes you a little giddy. 

You open your mouth to say something when he speaks first. "Thanks," he says simply. He begins to turn away when you scramble to gather your courage and speak up again.

"Um, Alhaitham- ow!" You wave your hand in pain briefly after you bump it onto the corner of the drawer. 

"Yes?"

"Would it be okay if we ate dinner together?" You ask. The ladle is still in your right hand, making you feel more childish than you want to be. 

Alhaitham pauses for a second, and you hold on hope that at the very least, his first instinct isn't to say 'no.' "Based on your question," he says, "I'm assuming you mean for all our dinners, not just this one?"

Passively, yes, but you had intended to work up to asking him to eat dinner with you as a routine rather than come out the door with the suggestion. "Yeah," you say, not one to play coy. "I was thinking of tonight but if we could make it a 'thing' we do together that would be nice."

A part of you who still rejects the concept of an arranged marriage roils at the thought that you have to ask to eat dinner with your fiancé. The other part finds it a welcome challenge. And the other, larger part of you just wants to eat dinner with your fiancé; you try not to look so eager.

.

.

.

You are very adept at masking your emotions, as Alhaitham has observed. You are careful to not react when you ask him a question about his opinions on this or that so as to not sway him one way or another. You freely express yourself any other time though, your emotions painting your eyes, brows, and mouth to convey how you feel.

Alhaitham can see the way your eyes widen in anticipation and the grip on your ladle tighten as you hope that he says yes. He doesn't particularly find the idea whichever way. If anything, it is a natural thing to eat at the same time considering how you split your roles as cooks evenly. 

But, hm, eating together is more than just eating at the same time, isn't it? It means eating at the same table with your presence at the forefront. Luckily, he finds that you are not an unpleasant person to be with, so until further notice, Alhaitham finds no problems with doing this with you. It is only a matter of time for the two of you to get to know each other, if only to gauge for compatibility. Besides it's a small act for something that makes you giddy and smile all throughout dinner. 

There is no conversation at the table yet; you hardly know each other to come up with any worthwhile topics. But when he compliments your food for being flavorful (much like his mother's cooking, actually), he watches you hide your smile behind another bite of food before going into depth about the recipe.

Alhaitham thinks that you may be easy to please, but he finds that he does not mind that at all.

.

.

.

Alhaitham offers to do the dishes and it is hard for you not to beam at him at the suggestion. You clean up the table and set away any leftovers for another day. You don't have work tomorrow on this Tuesday but you know Alhaitham does so you glance over your shoulder and ask if he would like to pack lunch. 

His shoulders are broad and his back expansive when you look over. When he responds, you try to not look so dreamy.

"The leftovers?" He asks, glancing down at the bowl. "If you won't be needing it then I wouldn't mind taking it to work."

"Okay, then I'll pack it for you?"

"Thank you."

The tupperware seals cleanly over the dinner you made, and you place it into the fridge for Alhaitham tomorrow. You sneak another peek at him as he places the dishes onto the rack to dry. It's not as if you are easy to enamor, but the domesticity of him washing dishes makes your heart flutter with affection.

You're almost tempted to write a note for him on his lunch. Something cute, but not too much. Something basic to start with? You take another glance at Alhaitham before shaking your head. Best not to start off too strong; Alhaitham seems like the type of person to go at a steady, calm pace while you're the impatient one, trying to race off without preparations. 

Maybe you can write him a note next time?

.

.

.

Alhaitham is not a heavy sleeper, so when he feels you climb out of bed at around midnight, he wonders where you went if not straight to the restroom. You pad back to the room just as quietly as you left, much to your credit, and slide back under the sheets.

The next morning, Alhaitham readies for his day at work, brushing his teeth and washing his face with only basic soap and water-- you had stared at him enviously at the lack of product he uses-- as you sleep on in your shared bed, unaware of it all. He opens the fridge when he heads into the kitchen to find his packed lunch to see the tupperware with an addition sitting on top of it: a small bag of peeled orange slices and a note that he concludes must be in your handwriting. 

"Have a good day at work! The oranges are yours too. :)”

Alhaitham finds a pen on the counter and writes his own message below it before placing it onto the counter where you can easily find it. 

(It's a short 'thank you' from Alhaitham. It's not much, but it is something– or at least it's enough to put a smile on your face the next morning. You pick up the paper and let your eyes scan over the words. His handwriting is neat, to the point, and somewhat elegant, much like himself.

You sigh dreamily.)

It isn't unusual for Alhaitham to prepare meals and pack his own lunch. He goes for whatever tends to be available in his fridge or opts to eat in the first-floor cafe for the sake of convenience. Having someone pack his lunch is a novelty; the last time someone has done that for him was in middle school when his mother did it for him. 

It takes him the entire fifteen-minute commute to work for him to notice that he is still thinking about your note. That must be why you had stepped out last night: to write the note. Your handwriting is neat, rounded and connected as though you are used to thinking too quick for your hand to write. The note is ripped from a little notepad that you had brought over, like you're used to writing messages for little lunches that you make. Little details in the actions that he gets to find out. It gets his mind off of traffic well enough and even as he walks through the office building door.

The oranges are a nice touch. Alhaitham doesn't remember you peeling them before the two of you went off to bed, so you must have done it the same time you wrote the message. He'll be sure to remember to tell you not to put in the hassle of doing something that late at night; no need to waste time sleeping doing this for him. 

Alhaitham pauses his movement as he clocks into his workplace.

For some reason, the phrasing doesn't sit right with him. He has a feeling that it will only discourage you and push you to do more, which is the opposite of what he wants. He'll need to think of a better strategy to tell you, but that's a problem for later. He manages to dodge most of his coworkers on the way to his secretarial office where he sits on his ergonomic chair he purchased himself; no need to wear himself out doing his job, after all. 

He lets out a long breath as he turns on his monitor and checks his emails, only to find that he has two meetings to go to that morning that, based on the descriptions, might as well just be emails. It’s going to be one of those days, he thinks blandly and gets to work. 

.

Though most days pass by without much event, Alhaitham, much like anyone else, looks forward to the half-hour lunch break. He normally doesn’t need an alarm to remind him, because like clockwork, Dehya will come into his office and pop her head in. "Hey, Alhaitham," Dehya says, right at noon. "Nilou was asking the office if we wanted anything from the cafe so she could go grab it."

“No, I have lunch today,” Alhaitham says, and he doesn’t need to look at her to know that she shrugs before closing the door. With how loud it’s getting, it seems to be the cue for his break as well. 

The lunch he takes out from the tupperware is as good as it was yesterday. Alhaitham eats his lunch and wonders if this is the type of life he would have if he got married. So far, so good– though he supposes it's too early to say having only been living under the same room for a few days and speaking on regular terms only a few days more. The two of you are bound to find something to disagree on: it's only a matter of when. Though, for the first time, Alhaitham thinks perhaps it won't be as much of a hassle as it could be with you.

It's sweet, he thinks, popping a slice of oranges into his mouth. It seems to be a theme with you, if the past few days are of any indication. Alhaitham has yet to update his grandmother (or parents, by extension) but he can already feel the mild smugness she’ll exude when he eventually calls her and tells her how well it’s actually going. So far, anyways. The cynic in him knows they could be one argument away from dissolution, but he is anything if not a pragmatist. With how willing you are to compromise and to talk things through with him, he thinks there’s a possibility that the two of you can get through any possible conflict.

It’s a foreign feeling, he thinks, to have belief in something to last, but he supposes there is always a chance for something new, even for him. Something tells him that if you knew that was how he felt, you would be elated. 

You’re easy to please in that way, with your perpetual smile and abundant laughter; Alhaitham finds he does not mind that part of you at all.

[max1461]

Some thoughts on gentrification discourse:

There is a school of thought which says that gentrification is the result of desirable conditions of economic freedom. As more people want to move into a neighborhood, the price of housing will naturally go up because demand is higher. The people willing to pay these higher prices are naturally going to be the people who most want to live there, and so the market is efficiently allocating the limited space that exists in cities to the people who most desire it. It may be unfortunate that the people who already live there are priced out of their homes by this process, but ultimately it's for the better, and an example of markets working as intended.

Of course, there is the obvious caveat that this viewpoint ignores: that willingness to buy an item at a given price is only an effective proxy for "who wants the item most" if everyone has the same amount of money. As long as people's wealth varies considerably, how much someone is willing to pay for something is not necessarily a good cross-subject measurement of how much the thing is desired. The efficiency of price rationing as a distribution scheme is inversely related to the amount of wealth inequality there is, and in our present society there is a lot.

On just these grounds we might take gentrification as at least potentially very unjust in any given case, if not necessarily so.

But I think there's another factor that's often overlooked in these discussions, which is the breaking up of communities. I think that people get a huge amount of illegible and difficult to price value out of community ties and lasting social relationships. Not everyone does, some people are more inclined to solitariness or more inclined by personality to atomic life than others. But I think that most people do. I also think (and know by experience) that suddenly loss of one's community can be an actively traumatic event.

That is to say, I think the good in "getting to continue living where you are already living" is systematically underestimated by people who talk about gentrification as an economic issue, and the harm in "suddenly having to leave where you are living and go elsewhere" is likewise systematically underestimated.

As a more controversial claim, I will say that this is why I am more sympathetic to rent control than most economically informed people (to be clear I am not deeply economically informed, my knowledge of economics is very moderate). The general critique of rent control is that it entrenches current residents against people who would like to move there, and I think this may not be as bad of a thing as it is generally presented as being. But I gather there are other problems with rent control related to the incentives around housing construction, which I don't know much about and won't comment on.

[theresattrpgforthat]

Hello! I'm looking for an RPG that's set underground with a focus on mining and modern vehicles/technology, in the vein of Lego Rock Raiders and Power Miners. If nothing comes to mind, any systems you know that you think might be easily adapted to an underground mining setting works too!

THEME: Mining, Technology, Underground.

Hello there! I've got a few solo and a few multiplayer options for you, some about mining, some about tech, and some that might have to be tweaked but I think could still fit the bill!

Stoneburner, by Fari RPGs.

In his will, Brokur has bequeathed to you the cursed mines of the Long Belt, its dilapidated settlement, and the leadership of House Grandrock.

However, other dwarf houses seek to overthrow you and take control of the valuable minerals hidden deep within those cold tunnels.

To complicate matters further, most of the mines’ galleries are haunted by fire spitting demons from the underworld.

Cleanse. Rebuild. Survive.

Stoneburner is a sci-fantasy solo-friendly demon-hunting community-building tabletop role-playing game.  Inspired by the new school revolution movement, players take on the role of a group of dwarves who must assume control of a demon haunted mine, along with its accompanying settlement. A settlement which they inherited after the death of their distant relative. The game focuses on the dwarves' journey as they navigate the challenges of their new responsibilities, rebuild a new thriving community, and clear the mine of its fire spitting monsters.

Technically the mines of Stoneburner are in space, rather than underground, but I think there’s going to be some similarities nevertheless. The game is a combination of combat, survival and base-building, using the items that you find to create things that will help you hold your own. There’s machine upgrades, expeditions across a map, and problems that will show up every time you take a break. I think it’s definitely worth checking out!

Robo Goons, by Unknown Dungeon.

It is the distant future, humanity has disappeared from the surface of the Earth, and nature has taken back the planet. All that remains are overgrown man-made structures returned to the wild, vicious beasts that stalk the surface, and sentient robots who pick through the ruins of civilization for salvage. You are one such robot.

Robo-Goons is a lightweight, tabletop adventure game where the players take control of randomly generated robots and explore the ruins of humanity in search of upgrades and salvage. The core rules fit on a single page and all that's required is a pencil and paper, two six-sided dice, and some friends to play with.

Robo Goons uses the setting of a ruined civilization, with an added detail that your robots have solar batteries that need to be re-charged. If your robots are continuously salvaging from underground, or even just beneath heaps of scrap, then you have a natural cycle of going down and up again, giving you breaks as you play. The game also comes with a map, which represents the ruins that your robots will explore, with plenty of roll-tables to determine what kinds of places they’re exploring, and what threats might show up.

Astro Miners, by 7 Card Stud.

Astro Miners is a TTRPG about mining in space.

You are an robotic mining worker with a human brain. The only problem is your brain was wiped of all memory. You don't remember your name, your old life, even your sexuality and gender are all lost. You are a robot.

If you can mine enough material you'll earn enough credits to regain your memory and buy your freedom from the company if you want. 

Astro Miners is built for 3 players, but if you don’t mind doubling up on character classes, you can probably play with 4 or 5. Since the game is built on LUMEN, I’d expect your characters to be hyper-competent, with plenty of room for upgrading and customization. There are dropships that you can call in order to be able to sell things you’ve found and buy things you need, and you can also buy robots to help you carry things, fight things, illuminate dark areas and more!

Numenera: Destiny, by Monte Cook Games.

This is the Ninth World. The people of the prior worlds are gone—scattered, disappeared, or transcended. But their works remain, in the places and devices that still contain some germ of their original function. The ignorant call these magic, but the wise know that these are our legacy. They are our future. They are the Numenera.

Set a billion years in our future, Numenera is a tabletop roleplaying game about exploration and discovery. The people of the Ninth World suffer through a dark age, an era of isolation and struggle in the shadow of the ancient wonders crafted by civilizations millennia gone. But discovery awaits those brave enough to seek out the works of the prior worlds. Those who can uncover and master the numenera can unlock the powers and abilities of the ancients, and perhaps bring new light to a struggling world.

Discovery (the base game) is mostly about exploration, but Destiny, the biggest and most useful supplement, gives you character options for building and crafting, as well as plenty of interesting machines and vehicles for you to build and use. Numenera isn’t explicitly underground, nor is it about mining, but I think there are plenty of places within the world that you could start building an underground base in, or at least something similar.

DELVE and UMBRA, by Blackwell Writer.

DELVE: A Solo Map Drawing Game is a map drawing game that puts you in control of a dwarven hold as you discover the horrors that lurk below. This 44 page zine has everything you need to generate natural formations, forgotten ruins, enemies, wyrd magics, and ancient monstrosities. It has a simple turn-based combat system, rules for building your hold and optional challenges for a harder experience.

UMBRA: A Solo Game of Final Frontiers is a map drawing game that puts you in control of a sci-fi colony as you struggle against starvation, the void, and the many threats that will assail you from above and below. This 48 page zine has everything you need to generate natural formations, alien ruins, enemies, technologies, and forgotten terrors. It has a simple turn-based combat system, rules for building your colony and optional challenges for a harder experience.

DELVE firmly places itself in fantasy, but it is first and foremost a game about delving underground. In contrast, UMBRA is about mining in space, while fighting of alien threats. You draw cards from a deck of playing cards to find resources and discover landmarks, while combat takes the form of a tower-defense format. There are a lot of supplements available for DELVE, as well as a Cyberspace and a Stations expansion for UMBRA.

Other Games You Can Check Out

Underground, by emmy.

Dark Delve, by Fedmar.

[dokeythings]

| new beginnings | (dokyeom)

your hands are sweating and your heart is racing, although you've never been nervous in quite this way before. you're face to face with one of the prettiest men you've ever seen, and against all odds he is yours. the latter part has not grown on you yet, and you're still jittery around him as you try to navigate the new relationship. you met dokyeom almost a year ago through the friend of a friend. typical. you didn't think too much of the encounter at first, although you did think he was the total package. you thought for sure he would have already had a girlfriend. it wasn't until a couple weeks later you found out he was single. you only saw each other here and there at social gatherings, and you talked when you found the chance. usually this involved your friend shoving you towards him against your will because you were so nervous. you still have to remember to thank her for that, because you've been dating for a couple months now. 

it's all still new, and you've never been in a relationship as serious as this before. you were beyond ready, but you didn't know that relationships like this actually existed. he has been nothing short of perfect, buying you flowers and making you dinner after long days at work. he's your own romance novel boyfriend. in general you are a shy person, and everyone who knows you would say the same. you've only had one relationship before this, and it didn't last very long and was nothing in comparison to what you have now. it was toxic to its core, and you're grateful for this new beginning. 

dokyeom makes you feel safe; protected. but you're still shy, and the nerves double every time he's around. he thinks its sweet, and only showers you in compliments when you get like this. he's been way too kind, and taking things as slow as you need. everything's basically brand new to you, and you're glad its all with him.

you turn your gaze towards him as he squeezes your hand, catching you in your daydreaming state. you're met with his dokey smile that you've grown to love more than anything in the world. 

"what are you thinking about, baby?" he asks, knowing you too well. in fact, you think he knows you better than anyone ever has. already.

and god, still every time he calls you baby a whole chorus of butterflies soar in your stomach. no ones ever called you that before. he loves how much you love it.

"you" you smile sheepishly, answering honestly. you learned right off the bat that theres no need for keeping secrets around him. he always makes you feel comfortable. 

"yeah?" he asks, smirking as he squeezes your hand again. 

you nod shyly in response, earning a,

"you're too cute" from him. 

you two continue walking down the block, looking for your destination. you're meeting up with a small group of a friends to celebrate a birthday. of course, you both share friends, so this part has always been easy. the destination is a cute place where you get to pick out a pottery item and paint it however you'd like. you've never been but have always wanted to go, and you're super excited because you love to do artsy things like this. you finally find the location, and step foot inside as dokyeom holds the door open for you. you shiver as your body reacts to the sudden change from the cold outside air to the cozy heat. the space has been rented out just for you guys, making the atmosphere perfect for someone like you. a few of your friends are already there, greeting both of you as you walk in. 

you take your coat off and place it on the back of a chair at their table. 

"come pick out what you want to paint! it's taking me forever to decide" your best friend says excitedly, grabbing your hand and dragging you to the wall filled with shelves of options. 

you scan up and down the shelves in awe, wondering how in the world you will decide on just one. theres anything from sculptures of cats and dogs to mugs and plates. you spot a pretty mug on the top shelf, and think its perfect for a tea lover like you. you already have a million paint ideas swirling around in your head. of course, even on your tippy toes you can't reach it.

you turn around to see dokyeom standing at the table and talking to one of your friends. 

"babe?" you call out softly, hoping it was enough for him to hear you.  

the pet names has been something you've been working on as well. you're ex boyfriend hated them, and you were never allowed to call him them, although you find them really cute. dokyeom just about melts every time you call him one. he smiles brightly at you as he turns around to find you standing by the shelves, happy that you're growing more and more comfortable by the day.

"yes baby?" he asks, initiating the butterflies. 

"can you help please? i can't reach" you pout. he chuckles at you endearingly before coming over.

"which one?" he asks.

you point up to the mug that you've chosen. he reaches up and takes it off the shelf effortlessly, smiling as he hands it to you. 

"for your tea?" he asks, already knowing exactly why you chose it. you nod happily. 

"which one are you going to paint?" you ask, noticing he hasn't looked at them yet.

"i don't know" he shrugs, "i'm not very good at stuff like this" he says.

you shake your head sternly, "you're good at literally everything" you blurt out, nothing having said something so honestly before. 

"everything, huh?" he asks, smirking and raising an eyebrow suggestively.

you blush madly. "dokyeom!" you say, hitting his chest softly. 

"you said it, not me!" he laughs, shrugging as if he's innocent in the matter. 

sometimes you're convinced he just likes to make you blush. 

"hey lovebirds!" one of your friends yell, getting your attention. "come sit down and start painting, we're spilling drama" they say, enticing you. 

you quickly pick out a puppy for dokyeom to paint, which is extremely fitting. you sit down where you put your coat, and he sits next to you. everyone gets to conversing as you are in your own little world picking out the colors for your mug. he smiles at you without you even noticing, getting caught up in how precious you look. he knows he's in love. he's known he was in love for a while now, but didn't want to pressure you into feeling something if you weren't ready yet. 

he doesn't know that you already positive you're in love too, but are too scared to say it first.

once you have all the paints squeezed into your pallet, you choose a paintbrush and get to work. you chime into the conversation every now and then, laughing at all the jokes. dokyeom paints his puppy, which is turning out amazing just as you expected. after you've finished the base your hand starts to cramp up from the weird angle its been in. you lay down your paintbrush on the table. while he's amidst in talking, you nervously reach your hand out under the table and rest it on his knee. every once in a while you just get the overwhelming need to have him close. your ex was not touchy feely, and wasn't favorable to your clinginess. dokyeom is even touchier than you, so you knew you didn't have to worry about that anymore. 

you look up at his face as you notice a smile appear at the gesture. he answers your friend, then puts his paintbrush down as well. he places his hand on top of yours and then brings it up so its resting higher up on his thigh. butterflies, again.

"sorry, i just felt like you were far away" you mumble, immediately cursing yourself for apologizing. you hate that your ex has made you feel like normal things aren't normal. 

he smiles gently as if he heard your internal dialogue. "you can touch me whenever you want to, sweetheart. no apologies needed". he squeezes your hand as if to send the message home.

"i know, i'm sorry" you say. dammit, you did it again. 

he giggles at you, shaking his head. he just leans forward and kisses your cheek, which is bright red, of course. 

you all continue to finish up your paintings, having a ton of fun as you sip on the champagne and tell stories. you're pretty proud of your mug, and dokyeom loves it so much he takes a picture of it and sends it to his mom. you say goodbye to everyone and start walking again, making your way to your apartment. you don't really want him to go home yet, but you know you are both busy with work tomorrow. 

"did i ever tell you how much i like your hair like that?" you ask jokingly, only because you're sure you've told him a hundred times. you love it when its down and fluffy. he stays holding your hand as you make your way up the steps until you're in front of your apartment door.

"maybe once or twice" he jokes with a smile, "but you can keep saying it" he adds, wiggling his eyebrows. 

you giggle back at him until you both get quiet, neither one of you wanting to say goodbye.

"i have to tell you something" he says, and for once he is the one looking nervous. the role switch is endearing. 

you nod, indicating that you're listening.

"i love you y/n" he says, finally saying it out loud. he starts nervously rambling "i don't expect you to say anything back yet. i know it might be too soon for you and i'm sorry but i just couldn't ke-"

you cut him off. 

"i love you too, dokyeom" you say, as if its the most obvious thing in the world. you've never been so sure of your feelings. 

he is still caught up in his nerves, "what?" he asks, making sure he heard you right.

"i said i love you too, stupid" you giggle. 

he smiles so wide you're scared his mouth might break. and then he's pulling you into the tightest hug you've ever been in. he pulls away and cups your face, kissing you lovingly as you bring your hand up to his hair. the kiss only stops once you lose your balance and stumble into the closed door, causing him to break away and chuckle at you. 

"stay the night" you say seriously, not even phrasing it as a question.

"oh thank god, cause there was no way in hell i was going home" he says with relief, pulling you back into him with an arm around your waist.

you put the key in and open the door quickly as he keeps you close. you barely manage to get the door open before his lips are on yours again.

"now lets continue that kiss, shall we?" he says, kicking the door closed with his foot as his hands grip you to him and you stumble to the couch.

[escapetothelake]

dale & robert for the ship asks?

thanks for the ask!! i had so much fun writing this :) some of it isn't exactly canon compliant, and therefore it's kind of a happier au

who made the first move: robert was pretty aloof with dale at first, and of course, the earliest interactions they had involved dale arresting robert, which doesn't make for a good first impression. however, dale was still kind to/patient with robert, and genuinely wanted to help him figure out what happened to laura. after robert published false accusations, dale read it and decided to meet up with robert, where they got to talking, so i guess you could say it was dale.

who kissed who first: robert did, in a moment of passion.

who started the relationship: oh boy. both of these guys have intimacy issues, so this would be quite the slowburn. despite being a pretty amicable guy, dale kind of distances himself from getting too close to people due to his trauma. robert is more open to it, but still reluctant due to the rough ending of his relationship with laura. i could see robert initiating once dale's put himself out there.

who remembers things: robert keeps a calendar and notes to help him remember things. as busy as he is, dale never forgets the important things, but sometimes trivial things slip his mind. for instance, despite liking to be prepared for whatever he may encounter, he often forgets items as he leaves the house.

nicknames for each other: dale calls robert "bob" or "rob" on a casual basis, but "honey" or "sweetheart" in private. robert often calls dale "detective", "darling", or "my guy".

who is more likely to pay for dinner: dale makes bank as a detective. robert was unemployed for a while, but some time after he published false accusations, he decided to become a full-time author. therefore, dale paid most of the time in the beginning of the relationship, and it continues to be that way, especially because robert does many of the household tasks.

who normally cooks: dale's mother taught him some nice recipes, but cooking often brings back sad memories of her. robert likes to cook, so he usually does it.

who remembers anniversaries: robert, with the help of his calendar. dale also always remembers (though sometimes at the last minute).

what would they get each other for gifts: robert's more of an acts of service kind of guy, so many of his gifts are doing things that make dale's life easier. if he wants to get an easy material gift, he can spring for some good coffee, fancy cigars, or a new shaving kit. dale's more of a gift giver, and he likes to take robert out for a drink or get him a new book. sometimes he'll bring home food or flowers.

most trivial thing they fight over: robert drinking milk straight from the carton. he forgets he's not single sometimes.

how often do they fight: not very often—they're usually both pretty chill—but that doesn't mean they don't fight. most of the fights are caused by dale not caring for himself, dale's alcoholism, and their mutual anxieties over various things. due to their trauma, both feel a need for control, which can also create conflict.

who uses all the hot water: both are used to taking quick showers because they have to get up for work, but robert loves a nice long bath every once and a while.

who calls up the super/landlord when the heat’s not working: dale. detective work has made him great at talking with people on a professional basis. of course, he has to make the call before robert tries to fix it himself and gets injured.

who leaves their stuff around: dale tries to be tidy, but when he gets very invested in a case, this often goes out the window. robert used to be very messy, especially after his breakup with laura, but being at the facility taught him that a clear space is a clear head.

who remembers to buy the milk: if dale's out, he'll do it. sometimes robert drinks straight from the carton. it drives dale bonkers.

who controls the netflix queue: robert watches more tv, but dale really enjoys putting his feet up and enjoying a nice documentary after a long day. i'd say both.

who steals the covers at night: robert usually sleeps perfectly still. dale likes to hold the blankets as though they're a person, often bunching them up and hugging them in his sleep, which leaves robert bare sometimes in the middle of the night. he runs a bit hot, though, so he doesn't mind all that much.

who cusses more: i think dale would, oddly enough. mostly when he's frustrated.

who does most of the cleaning: robert.

what’s their favorite non-sexual activity: relaxing at home. sometimes they just cuddle on the couch and read together.

who’s the cuddler: robert. he's a huge romantic. dale doesn't often initiate cuddles, but i'd say he needs them a little more.

who’s the big spoon/little spoon: big - robert; little - dale. that's often how it goes, but they switch from time to time depending on who needs to be held at the moment.

who’s more dominant: they're both switches imo

who is the dirty talker: robert does it more, but dale... that voice... 😳

what do they do when they’re away from each other: robert has separation anxiety, but he copes with it by doing mundane household tasks, going for walks, or writing. dale.. also has separation anxiety.. but he deals with it by sinking himself into his work.

what would they do if the other one was hurt: dale has anxiety regarding injuries, but he knows minimal first aid due to his job, and can therefore keep a level head when he focuses on doing that. robert would also panic, but i see him as a very protective individual who would stop at nothing to ensure dale's safety.

a headcanon: dale often gets very wrapped up in his work, and therefore sometimes forgets to take care of himself in basic ways, even such as eating and drinking (beyond pot after pot of coffee). after extensive therapy, robert learned to care for himself, and he sometimes imparts this knowledge onto dale. however, telling him "you need to get some rest" doesn't always work, and can even frustrate dale sometimes ("these cases aren't going to solve themselves, robert"), so robert chooses to care for him in more subtle ways. when he left the facility, he decided to preoccupy himself with new wholesome activities such as cooking and cleaning, and he utilizes these skills to keep dale's space clean and bring him a warm sandwich when he's up late at night. these efforts certainly do not go unappreciated.

[mothgodofchaos]

Antique

Heist wants his house to look like a museum, prove me wrong.

Heist!Mark (Indigo) x GN!Reader, TW: none Words: 727

The air smells of dust and must, feeling like you’ve stepped into the past as you hear the chime of the old brass bell above the door. Indigo’s eyes light up as you’ve uncovered what may as well be a treasure trove for him. His fingers start twitching, and you cover his hands with yours.

“Remember, we’re buying things for the house.”

“I know, just excited.”

“Why don’t we start with furniture?”

“Yeah… probably a good idea. Hard to hide a couch in your pocket.”

The antique store is filled to the brim with things stacked upon others, any flat space crammed with various small objects and decorations. Kind of feels like those old iSpy books you’d flip through in the library. Simply trying to find second hand things for the house may be a little more difficult than you thought. Indigo comes up to two side tables, inspecting both of them for any signs of damage. Considering the state of the shop, they’re actually in quite good shape, and you take a picture of them on your phone.

Continuing walking around, next comes a pair of matching lamps for the side tables, a television console, a record player, and you even find yourself thumbing through old VHS tapes and records. Indigo has struck up a chat with the old lady at the register, laughing occasionally at whatever is being said. He took your phone to show her what items you were hoping to purchase. You gather up your finds into a basket you liked and bring them up to the register. He seems impressed with your haul, setting a hand on your shoulder as you step up beside him.

“You seem rather happy with your finds.”

“I had to show restraint and not take everything.”

“Why not? We recently got paid plenty for you to get what you want!”

“The basket got too heavy.”

He laughs, not expecting that to be your reason.

“You know what, I can understand the restraint now. I’m eyeing those pots over there… although I wonder if it’s worth bringing those home with how rowdy Thief can get.”

“We could build a greenhouse, and just keep them in the garage until we can. It’s too cold to start planting anyways, so it gives us plenty of time to get a garden built.”

“Would we even be able to maintain a garden with how often we go on business trips?”

The older lady isn’t behind the counter anymore, but a glance up at the camera facing the two of you means you probably can’t reveal any true details anyways.

“We could go on one of those apps where you hire someone to take care of your pets or plants while you’re gone. It’d be even better if we do that and get someone consistent to watch Thief. He might like having a sitter instead of the neighbors popping over to let him out.”

“You know, I didn’t even think of that. I’ll look into it.”

“Not today, you’re not! We gotta get this stuff home and clean it up! We can get some takeout and sit on our floor for one last night before our couch gets there.”

You take your phone, showing the several online listings for second hand furniture you found and purchased. He scrolls through, eyes widening at some higher price items that usually are impossible to get your hands on.

“Oh these will give the house a ton of character. Maybe it’ll finally look like the museum of our dreams.”

“As long as you don’t plan on sticking lasers everywhere in the house. I refuse to be woken up by alarms because you tripped on Thief in the middle of the night.”

“Fair point. No lasers. What about trip wires at the doors with nerf guns?”

“That might be worse.”

The two of you laugh as the older lady brings the tags for the furniture you chose back to the counter. A couple of guys, assumedly her grandsons, come out from the back and begin moving them out to your car. It takes a bit of finessing, but luckily you get everything in. You pay for the things in cash, waving to the lads as you drive away.

“Please tell me I didn’t just hand a family business counterfeits.”

“Nope, used them all up at Walmart.”

“Oh good.”

[kit-williams]

Barn Anon. I think I’ll be freed soon. There’s an itch I want to scratch on my head without getting dye on my fingers.

You’re not sure how you’ve gotten yourself in his situation. You’re now sure that that’s a Chaos Marine that you have currently sprawled on your floor right under your ceiling fan. You had seen him a few weeks ago on an late night walk. It had started to rain and you felt sorry seeing him getting drenched as he stands leaning against a wall.

You thought you were doing a good thing when you handed your umbrella to him. Your home wasn’t far and it was adorable how small it seems when he held it. You were ready to write your umbrella as gone for ever so it was a surprise to open your door to find it hanging on the handle. He had followed you?

That wasn’t too bad right? You’ve seen the videos and pictures online. Space Marines are friendly, kind, gentle. Then gifts started turning up. At first it was things like pretty looking rocks. Your neighbour joked that he was like a cat bringing home gifts.

You start seeing him around the neighbourhood more. You gain the courage to one day go up to him and he spoke, though you understood none of it. He pats you on the head before letting you leave. Huh. But you carry on and start hanging out with him time to time.

Then one day as you were on your way home, you had gotten mugged. You were crying when you reached home and your “Space Marine” was there. He disappeared as soon as he was sure you weren’t hurt.

The next day on the news there would be a report of a body found dismembered and scattered in field. Your “Space Marine” was in your house, he lets out a pleased rumble when he saw the news. Ruffling your hair as he does. He seems pleased? Delighted? What?

When he leaves as he usually does, you start looking up space marines once more. You see it now… they’re different… from yours. You thought it was purely a cosmetic difference but you go down a rabbit hole and learn about these Chaos Marines. That there’s Chaos and Loyalists.

Your heart races as you look into it more. The gifts he has been leaving you, recently have gotten more questionable . With some being items like rings and other expensive items. You never thought to ask where he has gotten them, never felt reason to be concerned until now..

You look over the top of your laptop as you see him just laying on the floor watching the ceiling fan. You are diving down the rabbit hole of Chaos Space Marines and swallowing as they tend to not be the friendly, kind, and gentle marines that the Loyalists that everyone posts about. You learn about the maulings... the indifference... the high likelihood that they'll just up and leave... the paranormal and occult like activities... and... oh you blush and feel flustered at some of the things that they get up to. You jump as a clawed hand just slowly closes your laptop for you.

Your marine just grins at you as he pulls you into his lap just cooing at you as you try to be brave.

"I... I like your gifts..." You say and he stops his petting just cooing down at you putting a hand under your chin for a moment before continuing to pet you, "Just ummm where have you been getting them?" He pauses before you hear that rasping laugh of his as his hands cup your cheeks.

You jerk back on instinct but you have to let him squish your cheeks as you whimper slightly. That slightly manic grin as he coos down at you seeming to enjoy the way you squirm at his actions.

"I'm sorry I asked I wont ask anymore." You finally relent as that seems to be the trick as he lets go but pulls you close to nuzzle you making inhuman noises as if praising you again.

It seems he's decided he's staying the night as he goes into your kitchen and sets out items for you to cook... you don't remember buying the meat that he sets out but you just nervously smile at him as you relent, "Well I guess we can have that tonight. I get to have some right?"

He frowns at you and huffs as if that was a stupid thing to ask but he returns to cooing at you and petting your head. You suddenly notice the rings on your fingers and forcibly ignore the blood on one of them.

He's... he's a good boy and not a scary stray you just let into your home... no let into your life. By just giving him a simple umbrella.

[sha-n-dowbannedlol]

Zhongli — You're the only one he will ever love. Even if it hurts. Even if it makes him feel like he wants to rip his heart out every time.

CW: angst, major character death, reincarnation

"Excuse me for being rude, but I feel inclined to ask; Do you know me?"

You didn't know what you were doing, disturbing this fine gentleman who only wished to go about his day. You thought of backing out, already about to step back when his eyes met yours. Much to your surprise, the man didn't even seem the least bit upset at the disturbance. His look was gentle—fond, even—a start of a smile turning the edges of his lips upward.

"Mayhaps," His deep voice rang, and though his words are unsure, the familiarity in his bright amber eyes says otherwise. "May I have the pleasure of confirming your name?"

Just like that, you gave the man your name. You watch as he repeatedly says it, the soft smile etched on his lips still not leaving his face as he allows your name to roll off his tongue.

"Yes, I do know you," he said, an amused lilt in his voice making you cringe inwardly—he's not taking you seriously at all. Maybe he just found the prospect of a stranger suddenly approaching him and asking such a strange question amusing which is why he went along with it.

You were about to apologize and allow him to go on his merry way once again but suddenly spoke the moment you opened your mouth.

"But you may not remember me anymore. In that case, allow me to reintroduce myself." He bring his hand in front of you, clad in black gloves, palms open as if waiting for you to put yours in his—inviting you to a handshake, perhaps?

His fingers immediately wrapped around your hand that moment your hand came in contact with his, the warmth of his hand contrasting the cold of the ring on his thumb. His thumb caresses your skin, before his lips met your bare hand.

"I go by Zhongli these days,"

Just like that, this man—Zhongli—suddenly became a constant in your everyday life, and spending every day with the man lead you to the conclusion that he is strange.

Yes, strange in the normal sense of he seems to act like he's the creator of mora, buying so many things without looking at the price tag that a single day of strolling through the markets of Liyue with him is enough to make you go bankrupt, but also strange for you in a sense that he feels so familiar, yet so different.

You've never met someone with the same exact physical features as his, and yet, his bright amber eyes have always felt so familiar.

You've never heard of the name Zhongli before, and yet, you already knew that he hates seafood and that he likes Osmanthus Wine.

Similarly, you were certain that you've never divulged much information to the man but he somehow knew what your favorite dish was, remembered your allergies, and always has a favorite item of yours in hand whenever you meet him every morning.

It was strange, but it never really bothered you even though the rational part of you knew you should be bothered about it. You thought of confronting him about this strangeness time and time again, but the moment his amber eyes meet yours, the moment you see the smile on his lips as he fondly greets you a good morning, his warmth immediately envelops your doubts, your emotional heart taking over your rational mind as you return his smile with a greeting of your own.

The moment your rationality vanishes as soon as the name Zhongli pops into your mind is the moment you realized you had fallen for the strange gentleman.

Deep in your heart, you knew there was no other way out of this. He had to know of your affections, else, your shared friendship may continue to be awkward as you space out more and more often as he goes on his rambles. If he rejects you, then you can start the process of moving on, but if the Gods in Celestia have blessed you and the object of your affections return your feelings, then maybe your relationship can become something more.

And there, where you first met, you shakingly conveyed your feelings to the man who stood there, confused at both your words and nervousness.

"You seem nervous and unsure..." the consultant spoke, a frown tugging at his lips, "Why?"

"I..." you start, clenching your fists at your sides to will yourself to speak, "I don't know how you'll respond, so-"

He's even more confused now.

"Of course, I feel the same." he confirms, "I was under the impression that I was already courting you, was I not?"

"You... were?" now you're the one who's confused.

"Yes. I've been courting you for quite a while,"

"Since when?"

"Since the day we met."

Tears of relief started flooding your face, and before he could even ask if yo were alright, you had already wrapped your arms around his neck to pull him to yourself. In the same place where you first stood as you asked if he knew you, in the sweltering afternoon, the suns rays hitting you and the heat becoming bearable because of the slight breeze as the busy people continue to mind their own business in the ever busy Liyue harbor; you shared your first kiss with Zhongli.

Everyday was like a dream after that, everything felt so natural, felt so right. It was like being with Zhongli—looking after him, sharing your day with one another, walking around Liyue with his hand on your lower back, dates where he actually remembers to bring his wallet to—has been something you have been doing your whole life. Everything just falls into place, as if he was a missing puzzle you have been searching for your whole life.

He just fits.

If you didn't believe in the prospect of soulmates before, then you definitely do now.

If this were a dream, you never wanted to wake up.

Unfortunately, everything comes to an end; Zhongli—or rather, Morax, himself, already knew that.

He feels his body trembling, his heart dropping to his stomach, body frozen in place. His amber eyes glued to the sight that welcomed him in the adventurer's guild, one that lead him to close eyes for a while, picturing the warmth of your smile that you gave him this afternoon, the sun' rays hitting you just right that made you look ethereal in his eyes, the soothing sound of your voice reassuring him that you won't be long, your words echoing in his head.

"I'll be back before you even finished blinking!"

A blink, you said? A blink.. So, once he opens his eyes again, you'll be there, safe and sound, correct?

He opens his eyes again, and harsh reality hit him. It was cruel, absolutely cruel, which made him question whatever he did for the Celestia to hate him this much. It was too soon, too soon that even he hadn't expected it...

From your past lives, you usually had at least half a century to live, he usually had a few decades to spend with you. He had a few decades to spend in your arms, decades that he always makes the most out of before you were taken from him once again in various ways; at times they were cruel, but most times where it was your old age that makes you wither—and those Morax prefers than most.

But this lifetime was cruel.

He was only given only a year before the Celestia ripped you away from his arms.

His steps were slow and hesitant, unlike his usual confident strides, his hands reaching out to touch yours, bringing your palm to his lips like he always does. The crimson liquid stains his face, but he couldn't bring it in himself to care. Your skin against his lips is now devoid of the warmth you usually radiate, the warmth that brings him comfort, the warmth that was enough to soften even his heart made of solid rock.

Time and time again you were taken away from him, and he would have thought he would be used to it by now, but the pain feels just like the first time he had to hold your lifeless body in his arms. He knew how it will end, he always knew, but the moment you find your way to him once again, he always finds himself not caring about the pain it will bring him.

He'll let you break his heart over and over and over again.

"Mr. Zhongli...." the familiar voice of his boss rings out, even her voice was trembling.

Memories of you joking around with Hu Tao in the funeral parlor suddenly flooded his thoughts that caused him to speak to Hu Tao unknowingly.

"I will have an employee and a friend discount, will I not?"

He'll wait for you again, no matter how long it takes.

Because you're his beloved. The only one he will ever love. Even if it hurts, even if it makes him feel like he wants to rip his heart out every time.

Before he knew it, another millennia had passed...

"Excuse me for being rude, but I feel inclined to ask," A familiar voice rang, making the former Lord of Geo turn to face a familiar face bearing the same set of familiar irises. "Do you know me?"

The former God watches as they cringe, suddenly turning pale as they thought of backing out, they opened their mouth to speak but he was quick to beat them before a sound could come from their mouth.

"Mayhaps," The current vessel of Morax responds, a smile tugging at the edges of his lips as this scene plays out again the same way it always had for the past thousands of years every time he meets the reincarnation of his beloved.

"May I have the pleasure of confirming your name?"

[cherriebbyyyy]

My dear Snoopy the only merch of him I got / other than the plush found 💀

Anyways below is my debrief of my LVGP experience 💖💖💖

Anyways this was my first LVGP and I know for a fact I will be returning to LVGP next year so worth it and hopping I can get more girlies to come and split it so hotel is a bit cheaper

First love how F1-ified everything is like I was in Vegas earlier this year and saw like a few things here and there I loved the Extra promo they had around.

Now to the weather idk if I’m like used to this specific kind of chill ? Or since we were legging it the entire day we just stayed warm but all the vids complaining about the cold had me a little peeved because I cancelled my pool club plans the day b4 when I actually probably would have enjoyed lounging and day drinking, (also to note I had a spirit personal item aka basically a jansport) so space was v limited and didn’t want to waste space in a swim suit + cover up)

Anyways went to the Free Fan Experience that I had gotten b4 I even got my GP ticket manifesting hard being in Vegas. And for a free event it was pretty cool based like the f1 academy was a cool demo, I did the pit stop challenge which was really fun and tiring, while it was just one lug nut I have a new found respect for it, but lowkey alpine should hire me I would have been ready for Estie and had a 6.27 time change.

Looped around the hub a few times and line was LONGGGGGGGG and had a feeling snoopy was also no longer in stock so we didn’t get in line and stopped for food at the restaurant that was basically at the end of the hub line, Had 3/5 chicken wings before I felt like I was getting sick was also drinking like blue lemonade daiquiri not sure what it was but I did vomit it up before even leaving the restaurant so …. Yeah and it was the only thing I had eaten since breakfast but I felt better after because I am queen of Rallying and at this point I am wearing kitten heals so feet are hurtinggggg but we continue and stop at Walgreens where I say Hi to the redbull boys as Max and Checo cutouts great us I buy the foot pain / freeze thing, a sugar free Red Bull, and a buzz ball as we head back to our hotel and I Take the L and buy $20 slides and the gift shop and finally also check in.

All this took btwn when we landed at 11am -4pm on foot and I wish I wore an Apple Watch to get my steps but I know I got a few miles in

Obvi freshen up take note that I have 2 blisters one on each foot and one was already popped !!! Yay.

Relax for a bit after showing put the foot stuff on and get the kitten heals back on because the show goes on. (I pregame my drinks the Red Bull is giving me wings)

We do a few loops and get extra steps in because we are just girls who can’t get instructions correctly 🤗😓 I can carry a pretty good speed walk tho and my friend wore docs she’s also slightly handicapped as we enter the Venetian once again and stop by the hub to see no line and it’s about 7:30 pm we go in and no snoops of course we we just buy malbon crew necks and grab our Amex radios as we get lost in the Venetian trying to go to the sphere zone 💀💀💀 and just barley as we scan out tickets in see the end of the drivers parade.

Food Review that was included w/ ticket

1. All food was Luke warm

2. Had a slice of the cheese pizza it was a 6/10 felt like a frozen pizza that was reheated

3. ‘Savory Pie’ it a chicken pot pie 7/10 this one actually had potential I think would have 10/10 if it was actually hot/warm

4. S’more brownie thing 8/10 very good and decadent

None of the food made me sick so that was a win!

Now drinks in my opinion the should have had a separate line for ppl who didn’t want alcohol anyways the cocktail bar area personally need to be ran better my bartender was like low on supplies and I orders a vodka Red Bull and he had to go look for one and then like told be if I wanted to try it w/ a splash of Jarrito which I said yes but then he also had to look for it so it was like ???? If it wasn’t ready why offer it to me like just taking too long to make a vodka redbull imo. Came back later during the race and wanted a cocktail but even tho the lines were shorter they were takinggggg forever so I just I just got a Heineken from their bar instead way faster.

Now since I got my ticket very last minute, I didn’t really see the vents they were going to be holding before the race so when Ludacris came on best believe I was having a good time! Like his set really hyped up the crowd! He was playing for the ladies which I always appreciate. When baby came on the three other girls in our section, also screamed and we all sang along. Low-key some people gave us a little looks when we sang/ vibing out the songs but also what else are we supposed to do be miserable waiting for the race to start no. Like Move Bitch GET OUT THE WAYYYY was playing during the warm-up laps like having Luda play in the background as the cars went was amazing!! Also I stayed in the same area the entire time next time if I go for all three days my Explorer better options in the zone to see because it was pretty full when the race started, but as it kept going, people dispersed, and some came back and some just left but it was good enough and so crazy to see the actual gaps btwn the cars like 3-5 seconds is actually really long when you watch them zoom also for me it helped knowing who had what color camera on there car like Carlos having the neon yellow and Charlie having black one so when I wasn’t paying attention to the commentary I knew who was passing in front of me. And then on that note the transmission on the radios was a few minutes behind the live race and the audio in the zone also I wish there was a screen so we could keep up with the race and not have to be constantly checking my phone / watching a live stream eating up my phone battery.

Loved the section of ppl we were with because Ferrari based but also pro spanish speaker like I think when Carlos overtook Charles I cheered when they passed us again and quite a few ppl joined in and I was like “Checo common bud we need to do better” and ppl started talking about yeah Checo let’s go! And the next few laps we all cheered for them and colapinto as well that someone else in the section was rallying for and it was just fun cheeeing as they passed like even though they can’t hear us just good vibes in the GA stands

My friend is a Lewis Hamilton stan so we were very happy with the finish and around the last 3 laps we were just singing Viva Las Vegas because Carlos was also on Podi and Max was wdc x4 and the end was great and for those moments my feet didn’t hurt but then we began the trek back and caught the fire work show outside of the Venetian which was also super cool

Skipped out on clubbing because we didn’t want to go in w/ our crew necks and even did have club clothes on the feet were starting to give but I have never been barefoot in Vegas and it was still a touch early for me to start. Got back to hotel about 12:30 ish and scrolled til like 2 and saw all the radio drama lmao and had kinda a bad sleep because I’m like princess and the pee when it comes to pillows and both the ones on my bed didn’t do it for me. Got back up at 5:30 am to get ready to checkout as we had a 7:30am flight, lemme just say Las Vegas at 6am is a very fun people watch experience as we saw other like us getting ready to leave, people bare foot coming back in, a lot of dude bros drunk still looking for the next thing, drunk ppl falling out of the uber as we got on out uber and saw the sunrise over the strip.

The flight back was nice because lots of familiar faces from the flight b4 and so manyyyy ppl in their merch, everyone in my row and I’m assuming most of the place was slumped! Like I had a moment where I woke back up and looks over to my right and the guy next to me asleep and the guy next to him not even on the tray table just fully folded over himself knocked out and closed my eyes and nodded off once again for a few before we landed and I got back home and layed down for the rest of the day as my body was so sore and I had to drain my blister yum yum.