#this guys need some sleep. and drink amiright ! | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

keichanz · 5 years ago

Text

Working Hard

NOTE: TITLE CHANGE. previously titled Workin’ Hot

anyway, i totally meant to post this in the morning but when i finished it last night i forgot to send it to myself so i could post it at work. oops lol. and hey lookie that, just in time for Valentine’s day too! it’s not at all Valentine’s related, but it’s inukag and that’s all that matters amiright ahahha.

moving on tagging my ladies because if i don’t they’ll maul me in my sleep: @clearwillow @sssuperbartola @lemonlushff @tsukinohimeusagi @dangerouspompadour @meggz0rz @cammysansstuff @britonell @eternalnight8806-3 @bearpluscat @morikothehalfangel @hinezumi @ideasthatbuildcities @thunderpot @fantastiqueparfait @umacaking

sorry if i forgot anybody <3

also please note this is entirely unedited so beware the typos and other errors haha.

lol totally forgot to add this but here is a layout of Kagome’s office to get a better perspective.

“Damn dog’s working you to the bone today, eh, missy? When’s the last time you had a break?”

Kagome smiled, however she didn’t look up from the huge printer as she continued to feed invoices and purchase orders into the tray to be copied. The stupid thing kept jamming on her whenever she looked away for even a second and she was already behind schedule as it is. As it was, she’d have to stay at least until seven now instead of five like she’d originally planned, but that was because the maintenance guy had failed to show up at the allotted time of two pm to fix the malfunctioning air conditioner. He’d called and said he would be late, but hadn’t mentioned how late, and now Kagome was stuck after hours in a stifling hot office with no AC and with a million and one things she still needed to do. She was tired, and hot, and hungry, and she just wanted to go home, but she couldn’t leave until the damn AC guy showed up and she had no idea when that would be.

Her job sucked sometimes, but at least the people she worked with made up for that.

“Hi, Bob,” Kagome greeted one of their driver’s and only looked up once the last PO had gone through the copier. She sighed and collected the copies, stacking the purchase orders in a neat pile on the desk to be received later before taking the originals and filing back where they belong. She left the invoices on Sango’s desk to be done first thing in the morning; she knew her friend would appreciate the help, little as it may be.

“You know as well as I do that Tai has nothing to do with me still being here,” she said, walking barefoot to the filing cabinets; she’d kicked off her heels long before since it was just her in the office and Tai always locked the front door after he and Sesshomaru left for the day.

“I volunteered, and there’s too much to do to take a break. With Kagura on maternity leave and Ayame out sick, it’s only me, Sango, and Shiori to pick up the slack, but because Shiori’s still in training there’s only so much she can do.”

Sliding the last PO into the appropriate folder, Kagome shut the drawer with another sigh and finally turned to face her friend and favorite driver of Taisho Metal Finishing. Rotund, bearded, and with a perpetual flush on his face, Bob treated her like his own daughter and she in turn saw him as a sort of father. Though he constantly harassed and teased her, always stealing her keys and pretending to hide them somewhere in the plant, he also always asked how she was doing and made sure she wasn’t overworking herself. She adored him for it, and usually she would take the time to sit down and chat for a few minutes if she ended up staying late, but right now she simply didn’t have the time.

“It’s hot as balls in here,” he grunted and whipped a hand over his sweaty brow. “Drinking enough, at least?”

Smiling, Kagome ambled over to her desk and lifted up her cold water bottle in answer before taking a swig.

Bob nodded, satisfied, and finally allowed a grin to stretch his tanned face. “That damned AC guy still not here?”

Kagome wrinkled her nose and shook her head, taking another sip of her water before setting it back down and ambling over to the back table to grab the incoming PO’s. Back over to the printer, she fed them into the copy tray and poked around on the screen to get the settings she wanted.

“No,” she muttered and the annoyance was obvious in her tone. “He hasn’t called since the first time when he said he was going to be late, I don’t even know if he’s on his way, and—”

The printer whirred, beeped obnoxiously at her for several seconds, then flashed an error message at her on the screen.

“—and this stupid thing keeps jamming on me!”

Scowling, Kagome refrained from kicking it in sheer frustration – her bare and unprotected toes would not appreciate that act – and huffed out a harsh exhale before angrily jabbing her finger onto the screen to clear the message and start over.

Unable to keep from chuckling despite her obvious frustration, Bob shuffled over and patted her shoulder, squeezing once.

“Take a break, missy,” he told her gently and guided her over to her desk chair. Kagome gave in easily, thinking that perhaps he was right and it was time she took a break. “You’ve earned it. Now, if I leave to go unload my truck, will the printer still be in once piece tomorrow?”

“Oh, shut up,” Kagome laughed and swatted his arm. Bob released a hearty laugh, patted her back, ruffled her hair, and retreated back to the even hotter floor where his truck sat at the dock waiting to be unloaded.

Kagome watched him go with a fond smile. Bob had always been able to lift her spirits and make her day a little brighter and she was grateful to him.

Sitting back in her chair, Kagome grimaced when her clothes stuck to her sweaty skin uncomfortably and she sat back up, fanning her flushed face with her hand and blowing out her cheeks in another sigh. Of course the AC just had to go on one of the hottest days of the summer; it had to be at least eighty in the office, and it was probably reaching one hundred out on the floor where all the hot water tanks, ovens, and machinery were. She couldn’t imagine how the floor employees had faired today. The drivers at least had the reprieve of leaving to pick up and drop off orders in their nice air-conditioned trucks.

Wrinkling her nose, Kagome glared down at her blouse, bit her lip, and gave a mental “to hell with it” before unbuttoning it and shrugging it off. It was only her in the office anyway and she didn’t care if any of the drivers saw her in just a skirt and her camisole. Hell, they were probably walking around without shirts out there since the bosses were gone. No one to yell at them for it.

Feeling better already without her blouse sticking to her skin, Kagome splashed some cool water into her hands via water bottle and dabbed at her face and neck, sighing as the chilly water cooled her heated skin. It was a brief reprieve, but welcomed none the less. It was hot, dammit. She fished around in her desk for a hair tie and bundled her hair up into a loose bun, wondering why she hadn’t had the smarts to do this in the first place.

“Much better,” she sighed, feeling better already. “Alright, now back to—”

The door that led out into the plant opened up and an unfamiliar male voice called out, “Hello? I was called to fix a faulty air conditioner unit. Someone sent me up here to talk to a…Kagome?”

“Oh, thank god,” Kagome muttered to herself and then said louder, “Yes, hello! Just a moment please, wait right there and I’ll come show you where it is.”

Using her feet to drag heels out from under her desk, Kagome slipped them back on and stood from her chair, taking a moment to smooth out her skirt and make sure her hair wasn’t a complete mess. Hoping she looked at least halfway presentable, Kagome stepped out from behind her desk and—

“Oh!”

Either impatient or he simply hadn’t heard her, the repair man had followed her voice from the lobby into the office where only employees were permitted. Wearing stained coveralls with the repair company’s logo on the left breast, the man had black, greasy looking air that fell down his back in unkempt waves and leering red eyes that sent not so pleasant shivers crawling along the length of her spin. He grinned at her and Kagome took an involuntary step back, feeling a chill course through her entire body despite the stifling heat. The man set a heavy looking toolbox on the ground and advanced toward her, his scarlet gaze unabashedly dropping to ogle the cleavage bared by her clingy camisole.

“Um, s-sir,” Kagome stuttered and took another step back. “Y-you’re not allowed back here. Please, the—the AC is upstairs…if you’ll follow me—”

“Kagome,” the man murmured and his smirk had a sinister lilt to it. “Was it you I spoke on the phone with earlier? It was, wasn’t it,” he continued without waiting for an answer. “You’re even lovelier than you sound.”

Kagome paled. Oh god.

“Ah, sir, p-please,” she squeaked and hated how her voice wavered, “This isn’t—the…the air conditioner—”

“Can wait a few more minutes,” he murmured, his voice like a serrated knife cloaked in velvet; malice hidden behind purring tones and slick words. “I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Naraku. Pleasure to meet you, Kagome.”

The way he said her name had a sick, heavy feeling settling in her stomach and she swallowed several times through a throat tight with sudden anxiety. She offered a strained smile and backed up again. He followed her, seemingly either uncaring he was making her so uncomfortable, and completely oblivious.

Kagome suspected it was the former and it made her heart race.

“W-well, Naraku,” she said and licked her dry lips. His eyes followed the movement and she shivered in a mix of fear and disgust. “It’s…nice to meet you, too.” Lie. LIE. “I, uh, I can’t leave until you’re gone, so…if you could…go upstairs, down the hall, and to your left, you’ll find the room where the AC is.”

There was no way in hell she was going to be alone with this man for any length of time now. He can go find the damn AC by his own creepy self. And maybe she’d run out and grab Bob to keep her company in case he came back downstairs for whatever reason. She knew he’d keep her safe. Or maybe even Sha—

“Really?” he drawled and the grin he gave her stretched his mouth, ruby eyes glinting with fiendish delight.

Oooh shit. Maybe she shouldn’t have mentioned that.

“I-I mean—th-the drivers, they—one of them could come in any minute and I won’t be alone and—”

Oh god, she was rambling and not making any sense and he was getting closer and Kagome felt the first tendrils of panic skitter across her skin like thousands of needles—

“Hey, asshole. The fuck you think you’re doing?”

While Kagome gasped and caught herself on the back table behind her as relief surged through her entire body, Naraku paused inches before her and looked over his shoulder to level a carefully neutral look at whoever interrupted them.

Standing behind the reception desk, a six foot wall of solid muscle donned in ripped jeans and a black ball cap, Kagome’s inadvertent savior only spared her a brief glance to assure she was alright before pinning her tormentor under the weight of his unwavering amber gaze. To his credit Naraku seemed unaffected and merely stared back, not moving away from her, but not getting any closer either.

When still the asshat didn’t move away from the clearly uncomfortable woman, dark brows snapped low over his eyes and a deep growl echoed in his throat. Fucker apparently had more balls than brains, but at least he had enough sense to not ignore his presence. A wise decision; if he hadn’t, Inuyasha would have been forced t use a much more physical means to intervene, and he was positive neither his dad nor Sesshomaru would appreciate that.

“Maybe you didn’t hear me,” he started, voice low, gaze narrowing just the slightest. “Or maybe you’re just stupid, but I asked you what the fuck you think you’re doing. This area is off limits to anyone but employees, asshole. Beat it.”

He gestured behind him with a jerk of his head, indicating the lobby where he should get the hell out of his sight, and fast.

Once more Naraku proved that he was below average intelligence when he again refused to move away from Kagome and instead merely half-turned and pegged the half-demon with a narrow-eyed stare.

“The lady and I,” he began, either not noticing or ignore as the lady in question subtly inched away from him, “are having a conversation. One you quite rudely interrupted, I might add.”

“Conversation’s over,” Inuyasha told him firmly and his tone brooked no room for argument. “Now I suggest you leave the lady alone, get the fuck outta my sight, and go do what you were specifically hired to do. And in case your sense of direction is as shitty as your hearing, that would be up the stairs, down the hall, and to your left. Door’s labeled ‘Employees Only.’ Can’t miss it.”

Naraku pegged him with a sinister glare that time and Inuyasha didn’t miss the way his hands clenched into tight fists. His gaze sharpened and he tensed, but didn’t move.

“Kagome was just about to show me herself,” the repair man claimed and swung twin pools of unnerving ruby red said woman’s way. Kagome froze in her gradual bid to escape and Naraku smiled. It was not a nice smile.

“Weren’t you, Kagome?”

Wide brown eyes cut to his and beneath his ballcap Inuyasha’s ears pinned against his head as another growl welled in his throat.

“Tough shit,” Inuyasha snapped and watched as the asshole visibly tensed before once more turning his head to level him with a murderous glare. “I don’t give a rat’s ass if she promised to give you a goddamn tour of France, dickhead. Kagome is busy, I have shit to do other than waste my time standing here talking to someone who clearly forgot his helmet at home and licks windows in his spare time, so do us both a favor, grab your shit, and go do your fucking job.”

Maybe it was the low, ominous growl that even Kagome could hear now, the sudden ring of the company phone that shattered the tense silence that followed, or perhaps it was Kagome driving to go answer it, but whatever it was evidently Naraku finally decided to heed the hanyou’s request. He pursed his lips, glowered balefully at the silver-haired figure for several charged seconds, then wordlessly picked up his tools and stomped by him toward the stairs.

Kagome hunt up the phone, looked over her shoulder, then gratefully sank down into her chair with a loud, relieved sigh. She pressed a hand over her heart and closed her eyes, taking a moment to breathe as she willed her tense muscles to relaxed. She heard him approach and when she opened her eyes again, her water bottle was being held before her by a clawed hand.

“I can’t thank you enough, Sha,” Kagome said and grabbed her drink with a grateful smile. “You have some pretty incredible timing.”

Leaning back against the printer and crossing his arms again, Inuyasha studied her quietly for a moment as she took several deep gulps of the cool liquid before replying.

“Bob asked me to check in on you,” he revealed and Kagome blinked in surprise. “Said he looked pretty sketchy and got a weird feeling about him when he asked where to go.” He cocked a brow. “Suppose he was right.”

Kagome sighed. “And how,” she muttered, setting her drink on her desk. God, if Sha hadn’t intervened when he did…

“Any idea how long it’s gonna take?” he asked and nodded his head toward the ceiling.

“No,” she answered, wrinkling her nose. “And I can’t leave until he’s gone.” She didn’t sound very happy about that and he couldn’t blame her.

Inuyasha frowned. “Are you staying late because of him?”

Kagome shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. You weren’t exactly lying earlier; I really am busy. I still have quotes to send, tags to make—oh! Those are yours, by the way,” she said and pointed to a colorful stack of papers – the aforementioned product tags – on the table. “Then I need to file invoices, finish some receiving, update pricing…the list goes on.”

Inuyasha whistled low, mentally wincing in sympathy. “Damn. Sounds like you’ll be just as busy as me. That idiot Houjo dropped an entire fucking skid of Horschel – an entire skid – from the forklift earlier and it’s giant goddamn mess.”

Kagome’s eyebrows rose and despite herself her lips twitched. “Was that what I heard a few hours ago? That huge crash?”

He grunted and Kagome took that as her answer.

“Oh, man,” she said and her smile was sympathetic. “I hope it wasn’t expedited.”

Inuyasha winced.

Kagome’s mouth dropped. “No.”

He groaned that time and Kagome had to bite her lip to stop from giggling. She really did feel bad; the Horschel brothers were not going to be happy when they hear their entire order had been destroyed.

“Oh…I am so sorry,” she said sincerely. “That’s just…damn.”

“Yeah,” he rumbled, dragging a hand down his face. “Looks like neither of us will be leaving any time before seven, I’d wager.”

“Well,” Kagome piped up, ever the optimist. “At least it’s Friday?”

Inuyasha’s ear flicked beneath his cap and the corner of his lips flickered with the beginnings of a grin.

“Good night for pizza and Netflix.”

“And breadsticks. And—oh! Chicken wings. Hot chicken wings.”

“You absolute mad woman.”

“I know.”

Inuyasha snickered while Kagome dissolved into giggles and as he watched her laughing, face flushed, dark eyes bright and raven hair piled up into a messy bun, the urge slammed into him so hard he didn’t even think to resist. And if he was being honest with himself, it was something he’d been wanting to do for quite some time, and well…no time like the present, right?

“Listen,” Inuyasha began and Kagome cocked her head, curious, but before he could continue, the phone on his belt chose that moment to ring and he released a muttered curse. Sighing, he rolled his eyes, gave Kagome an apologetic look, and when all she did was smile and wave a dismissive hand, he unhooked the annoying device and pressed the call button.

“The hell do you want, I’m busy.”

While Inuyasha talked on the phone with who was probably one of his drivers, Kagome’s smile lingered on her face as she watched him, unabashed taking the opportunity to really get a good look at him while he was distracted.

Good lord, but the man was…mmm. Donned in the light blue company uniform shirt paired with dark jeans and scuffed up shitkickers, Kagome would be lying if she said he didn’t look utterly delicious. Most likely in deference to the heat, he had the top half of the shirt’s buttons unfastened and the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. His skin glistened with a fine sheen of sweat since it was much hotter out on the floor than in the office, and the white ribbed tank top be wore beneath his shirt clung to his chest very enticingly. His long hair was tied into a low ponytail and he had a five o’clock shadow that attractively darkened a strong jaw.

Inuyasha Taisho – or Sha, as most people called him – was the shipping manager and in charge of the drivers that worked for the company. The son of the CEO and half-brother to the president, he didn’t let his relation to the big bosses make him any different from the other employees. He didn’t receive any special treatment either, which was fine with him anyway. He was a hard worker, and though Kagome didn’t work with him much and saw him even less, she knew he was also a valued part of the company and made sure his drivers were on time with both deliveries and pick-ups.

He spent most of his time out on the floor if not in a truck himself, but when she did see him in the office, he always treated the office ladies with respect and was never rude or impatient if he came to them with an issue with the paperwork. Kagome genuinely liked him and had to admit she was a little disappointed she couldn’t work with him more often, but knew his presences was required out on the floor so she didn’t complain.

…Much.

Oh, who was she kidding? For a while now Kagome had been wanting to know far more about him and not just the surface knowledge a coworker was privileged to. She wanted to know his favorite food or if he was a coffee drinker. Was he an early bird or a night owl? Cats or dogs? McDonald’s or Burger King? She wanted to know his quirks, the little details, and okay fine, yes she was crushing. Big time.

But while Kagome was over her with moon eyes and a dopey smile, he hadn’t so much as spared her a second glance so she’d never approached him like she truly wanted.

“Keep your dick in your pants, I’ll be there in a minute,” Inuyasha drawled and promptly stopped the insistent whining in his ear by hanging up the phone. He grumbled and shook his head, clipping the device back on his belt. Christ, he leaves for ten goddamn minutes and the entire floor is having a fucking conniption because he’s not there.

“Do your people need you?” Kagome asked with a teasing smile.

Inuyasha snorted. “My people are idiots and can’t do a damn thing for themselves apparently.”

Shaking his head, he sighed, studied her thoughtfully for a moment, and decided he’d ask her later, after McCreepy Fuck was gone. She had work to do anyway and he didn’t want to distract her more than he already had.

“I’ll stick around,” he said and flicked a brief glance toward the ceiling in explanation. She beamed at him and his heart skipped a beat. Christ he was done for. “Anything happens, you call me. I’ll hear it. I promise.”

He could see it as she visibly relaxed and he was obvious it meant a great deal to her that he was willing to hang around so she wouldn’t have to be alone with him.

“Thank you, Sha,” she breathed, truly grateful. “It…means a lot to me. Really.”

Inuyasha nodded, expression softening. “No problem,” he murmured just as his phone rang again. Kagome giggled as he tipped his head back with an exaggerated sigh, rolling his eyes heavenward.

He quirked a grin, tipped his hat at her – relishing in her quiet laugh – then grabbed the tags she’d already created before turning around to head back toward the floor, unclipping his phone and answering it with a barked, “What, Miroku? I told you I’d—no, dammit, don’t let him on the forklift again—!”

The door to the plant slammed shut and Kagome was once again left alone. Or as alone as she could be given the circumstances, but she decided not to dwell on that, standing up and getting back to work to distract herself. Let’s see, first she’d finish filing the invoices, then the receiving, and after that get those quotes sent she wasn’t able to send earlier…

It was perhaps two or so hours later that Kagome had just hit send on the last quote when she heard the AC unit kick on with a stuttered whirr, some clicking sounds, and then smooth out into its usual background buzzing noise.

“Finally,” she muttered and closed out of Gmail before shutting down her computer. She was honesty a little surprised that Naraku had actually stayed upstairs, but then again, he probably didn’t want to get on a certain half-demon’s bad side if he bothered her. Inuyasha had indeed popped in several times to give updates on the goings on of his drivers and to also just see how she was doing. She liked that he took her discomfort about the repair man seriously and loved that he seemed so protective of her. It gave her all the nice warm and fuzzies.

Warm and fuzzies that had abruptly traveled southward at an embarrassingly fast rate when Inuyasha, sans his uniform shirt, had at one point during a brief chat unconsciously grabbed the hem of his tank top and pulled it up to wipe the sweat from his face. Kagome had gotten a very nice view of his toned abdomen and the line of silver hair that disappeared into his jeans which in turn pointed out the enticing V of his hips. Kagome’s face had gone very red, and when she’d finally managed to life her gaze, she was met with the sight of a cocked brow and a knowing smirk.

Needless to say, she hadn’t been able to look at him again after that without turning five shades of red and she could still hear his little chuckle as he all but swaggered away.

Cocky bastard. Damned if she didn’t absolutely love it.

Standing from her chair and glancing at the clock on the wall that read 6:32 pm, Kagome sighed, stretched, and went about tidying up the workspace to be ready for Monday morning. The plant had gone quiet about forty-five minutes ago, signaling that most of the warehouse workers had gone home and it was just the drivers now unloading their trucks and putting away product in its required bay. She knew Inuyasha was still here, though Bob was gone, having left about half an hour ago.

Kagome wiped clean the day’s notes and messages from the dry erase board on the back wall and tided up the table, humming under her breath as she placed pens and markers in their appropriate place. She shut down Shiori’s computer because she forgot to again, turned around—

And screamed.

Naraku raised his brows as scarlet eyes glinted in amusement.

“My apologies,” he murmured, a smirk curling his lips. “I did not mean to startle you, Kagome.”

Hand pressed against her rapidly beating heart, Kagome recovered quickly and put more distance between them with a few steps backward. Jeez, he was quiet; she hadn’t even heard him come down the stairs! She also highly doubted he hadn’t meant to startle her because if that were true, why hadn’t he said anything and just stood there like a creeper?

“It’s, uh, fine.” It wasn’t. “All finished?” As discreetly as she could she inched toward her desk. It wasn’t much, but if she could just get to the pepper spray in her purse…

“It’s running,” he murmured, his eyes half-lidded as he blatantly stared at her chest. “Replaced some wires. Took longer than expected…”

He trailed off and Kagome frowned, deliberately crossing her arms over her chest, her back to her desk now. His gaze flashed back to hers and he adopted a look of nonchalance as if she hadn’t just caught him ogling her and Kagome had to bite back a snort. God, this guy was all kinds of sleaze and she couldn’t wait to get rid of him.

“Good,” she said with a nod. “You can put the invoice on the reception desk on your way out. Thank you for your service. Have a good weekend.”

An obvious dismissal delivered in a clipped, firm tone that suggested he’d do well to heed it.

Imagine her surprise when he didn’t and instead reached out too fast for her to react and snatched her wrist.

“I think I’d rather stay a while,” Naraku purred and his smile dripped with ill-intent.

Kagome gasped and yanked at her hand, her neutral expression falling to be replaced by an outraged scowl.

“Don’t touch me,” she hissed, gritting her teeth as she struggled to escape his grip, but he was surprisingly strong, tightening his fingers around her wrist to the point of pain. Kagome winced at clawed at his hand with the nails of her free hand, digging into his skin, but he barely noticed, his smile broadening as a chuckle escaped his lips.

“My dear,” he chuckled, tugging her closer and ignoring her attempts to free herself. “You don’t have to pretend anymore. I know you didn’t want that half-breed to interrupt us earlier.”

Kagome gaped at him. He couldn’t be serious.

“Don’t be shy, now,” he purred and oh good god, he was serious. “It’s only you and I here, after all. Your eyes were begging me to touch you, to bring you the pleasure that no vile half-breed could ever—”

Before he could finish his disgusting monologue that was making Kagome want to hurl in his face – or punch him in his face, which ever came first – Naraku was suddenly yanked away from her and the grip around her wrist vanished. Kagome stumbled backward, rubbing the abused flesh and watching with great satisfaction as the creep was bodily slammed face-first against the filing cabinets.

Roughly cranking the fucker’s arm behind his back and shoving his weight against it to put strain on the shoulder, Inuyasha reveled in the hiss of pain that reached his ears as Naraku struggled against his hold. He only tightened his grip, claws digging into his arm, and when Naraku tried to headbutt him by throwing his head back, Inuyasha retaliated by slamming his face into the cold metal of the cabinets in front of him.

“Alright, you demented fuck, listen up,” Inuyasha growled in the bastard’s ear, unwilling to let him get away with the stunt he’d just pulled. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re on that makes you think it’s okay to touch her, but my fist is begging to make nice with your face, so unless you wanna be nothing but a bloody fucking smear on the wall, you have three seconds to get the fuck outta my sight after I let you go. We clear?”

Naraku grumbled something and Inuyasha pulled on his arm. The fucker paled, gasped, and then nodded, and satisfied Inuyasha gave him one last shove against the cabinets before releasing him and stepping back. He purposely placed himself in front of Kagome and crossed his arms, fierce scowl on his face and fangs bared as a steady growl echoed in his throat.

To his credit, though he looked mightily pissed, Naraku didn’t even spare the two of them a glance as he grabbed his toolbox and hightailed it out of there. Seconds later the door slammed closed and Kagome was able to breathe easily again.

“Ugh,” Kagome muttered and leaned back against her desk, her knees feeling weak. “If I never see him again, it’ll be too soon.”

Inuyasha only relaxed fully when he heard the sound of a motor starting up and then fading away as the asshole left the premises and he turned to face her, eyes immediately zeroing in on the reddened skin of her wrist. He frowned and gestured toward it with a nod of his head.

“You alright?” he asked, wanting to take her delicate wrist and massage away the soreness while at the same time removing the fucker’s stench from her skin. God, he hated that he touched her.

Kagome smiled at him and he was happy to note that it was genuine, her eyes soft as she regarded him fondly and with something else that made his heart rate kick up a notch. Did she…?

“I’m fine,” she answered, rubbing the skin for a moment before bracing both of her hands on the desk, fingers curling around the edge. “Thank you, Sha. Once again you proved to have some pretty impeccable timing. Any later and you probably would have witnessed me decking him in his stupid face.”

He snorted. “What I wouldn’t give to see that,” Inuyasha remarked and moved so he was leaning against Sango’s desk, arms and ankles crossed as he faced her. “You’re welcome, but this time I actually had an ulterior motive for showing up. I wanted to ask you before, but it didn’t feel like the right time.”

Kagome’s eyes lit up and her smile was hopeful. “Oh? Ask me what?”

Inuyasha studied her for a moment, golden eyes heavy-lidded and intense as they searched her face. Kagome held her breath, biting down on her bottom lip as her heart raced in her chest, butterflies rioting in her belly.

“Sha?” she breathed when still all he did was stare at her.

Something in his expression shifted as his gaze locked with hers and Kagome felt goosebumps ignite on her skin that had nothing to do with the significantly cooler air in the office courtesy of the now working AC.

“Call me Inuyasha,” he rumbled as he pushed away from the desk and closed the scant distance between them. Kagome didn’t move, didn’t stop him as he grabbed her hips and lifted her into the desk, nudging himself between her thighs as hands first slid along the solid muscles of his arms before slipping her own around his neck.

Kagome sighed and closed her eyes as he blazed a trail of soft kisses along her neck.

“Inuyasha,” she murmured and was rewarded by a gentle nip to her ear. “What did you…”

“Do I really need to ask?” he whispered in her ear and kissed along the line of her jaw.

“Mmm.” Kagome turned her head, nuzzled his temple, and breathed, “So, Netflix and chill?”

Inuyasha laughed, Kagome giggled, but then the sound was promptly silenced by his mouth as he kissed her with a slow but passionate thoroughness that left Kagome whimpering and pressing herself against him. She eagerly returned his kiss and she felt his pleased growl in some very nice places. Her blood heated, her stomach fluttered as arousal sparked a flame deep in the pit of her belly, and when his hand dropped to nudge her forward into the cradle of his hips, she gasped at the feel of him, thick and ready for a long night of hard—

“Fuck,” Inuyasha cursed against her mouth and he felt her lips curl into an impish smile. Despite himself he chuckled and nipped her lip before soothing the brief sting with a swipe of his tongue.

“My place?” he groaned and closed his eyes, tilting his head and letting his little vixen lavish his neck with nips and kisses of her own as her hands slid beneath his shirt to run her fingers over his stomach. He shuddered and moved his hand to grab her thigh, shoving her skirt up to feel the soft flesh beneath his palm.

“On one condition,” Kagome purred and curled her hand around his neck to tug him back down for another hot kiss. He indulged her with a heated growl, slicking his tongue along hers, fangs nipping soft flesh, relishing in her sweet taste.

“Name it,” he growled, willing to give her anything she wanted as long as she kept kissing him like that because fuck.

“Pizza and wings afterwards. You’re buying.”

Inuyasha laughed. God, he was already half-way in fucking love with this wonderful woman.

“Deal,” he rumbled and with a wicked grin, he stole her mouth in another kiss that Kagome happily returned, hands diving into his hair while he pushed her back and then she let him do some very unprofessional things to her on the surface of her desk.

Hardly Working

#working hard #inukag #inuyasha #kagome #oneshot #keizfanfiction #fanfiction

206 notes · View notes

icecream-and-gadreel · 4 years ago

Text

Stage Fright

Summary: After finals are over, Kevin insists on dragging you to a karaoke bar (though socializing is the last thing you want to do). When a guy from your college freezes on stage, you go to the rescue.

Pairing: SamXreader,

Other Characters: Kevin, Charlie (mentioned)

Rating: If the warnings don’t turn you away, you’re good!

Warnings: language, drinking, kissing

Word count: 1800+

A/N: This is from the archives! Thank you @lipstickandwhiskey for recovering this for me! Also, everyone needs some slightly aggressive reader, amiright?

Eternity squad: @sheinthatfandom @lipstickandwhiskey @feelmyroarrrr @bcarolinablr @mrswhozeewhatsis

You groan as Kevin leads you into the karaoke bar. He gabs on about you needing to relax, though being in a crowded bar did the opposite for you. Finals were over and everyone felt dead – both mentally and psychically – so the only thing on your mind was going to sleep.

“Come on, I barely get to do anything!” Kevin whines, looking back at you with a pout. You resist the urge to mention that it’s his fault for piling so much on his plate, offering him a tight-lipped smile instead. As he leads you to a table in the back of the bar, you recognize a few faces. Apparently, this is the place to be after cramming five weeks of information into one night.

“Just one song,” you grumble. You could almost feel the bed underneath you. It wasn’t luxurious, but it was much better than standing. Gripping your arm, Kevin leans to your ear.

“I know you don’t do the whole friendship thing --" he glances at his group of friends sitting at the table -- "But can you try?” he whispers before sitting down with the others. You recognized Charlie but that was about it. You wave over the bartender, asking for a shot of whiskey and immediately drawing out your ID. He squints at it, flipping it around and drawing it closer to his face. When he raises the ID to compare it to your face, you boil over.

“Yeah I decided to fake my way into a fu-” Kevin covers your mouth before you can continue, covering the moment with awkward laughter. The bartender passes it back to you with squinted eyes, muttering under his breath.

“No, seriously,” a voice booms from behind you, making you turn your attention to the source. The first thing that sticks out is his dimpled cheeks. His hazel eyes shine brightly in the dimly lit room and his smile melts you. You haven’t seen him around campus, then again you haven’t seen many of the other students. He pulls his hair into a bun with a laugh. God, this is the first time you've wished you were in on the joke. People begin chanting your school's song, and you sink in your seat as every student joins in. When the man with the bun joins in, you lose a bit of respect for him.

“You can do that but you can’t get on stage?” a girl laughs and nudges him, making his smile fade.

“I said no.” He forces out a laugh, downing the brown liquor in his cup.

“Y/N?” Kevin calls, waving his hand in your face. You snap your head away from the piece of eye candy and raise your eyebrows. “You wanna go up with me or..?”

“Whatever,” you say, downing the shot in front of you and calling the bartender once more. The people at the table next to you all stand, softly whispering someone's name. After a few moments, their rhythmic chanting grows louder.

“Sammy..Sammy….Sammy…” Pretty soon the whole bar is chanting. Most of the people don’t know what’s going on, but they join in none the less. The group makes their way to the stage and poking out above all of them is the mystery man's head, his bun bouncing as they push him. They leave him on the stage, cheering when he picks up the microphone. The room goes silent as the sea of eyes train on him. He doesn’t move nor does he say a word. He just stares back at everyone with the color draining from his skin. After a solid minute passes, the ‘boos’ begin. He was dying up there. You toss back your third shot before standing up and heading toward the stage. You grab the mic from his hand, leaning in close to him.

“Name?” you whisper. He chuckles, leaning his head to you as well.

“You didn’t hear? I’m Sam,” he says. You look over to the person controlling the jukebox, nodding your head at him. He furrows his brow, raising his arms in confusion.

“Turn on a song you prick!” you snap, gaining a middle finger from him. He turns on a song, pausing to flip you off once more. You recognize the lyrics instantly thanks to your mother's musical taste.

I cried a tear, you wiped it dry

I was confused, you cleared my mind

You sing with your eyes closed tight, trying to keep your voice from cracking too often. Sam leans down and sings with you, his deep voice sounding much better than yours.

“I sold my soul, you bought it back for me,” he leans away, allowing you to step in.

“And held me up and gave me dignity!” You chuckle over the lyrics, swaying from side to side to the melody. You couldn’t care less about 'awws’ you received. Singing with him actually brought a bit of brightness into the night. After the song ends you drop the mic and make your way off to the side, heading straight for the rude jukebox operator.

“Hey, asshole-”

“Thank you,” Sam interrupts you with a pat on your shoulder. You hold your finger up to jukebox guy and whirl around to him. He scratches his scruff, eyes hooded and a toothy grin on his face. “I have stage fright so..”

“No kidding, those guys aren’t your friends,” you say, glaring behind him at the group of people. He glances to them with a chuckle.

“No, I guess not.” Sam pauses, clenching his jaw and shoving his hands into his pockets. “You wanna get out of here?”

“Please?” you nod and grab his hand in yours. “I’m taking Sammy home.” you grin at Kevin as you pass, giving him a thumbs up. He frowns and shakes his head with his mouth gaping.

“Wait he’s –”

“Bye Kev!” you squeal, snatching the shot from in front of him and downing it. Sam follows behind you, pausing in front of Kevin’s table and smiling softly.

“How’d finals go?” he asks. Kevin sighs, slumping his head onto his fist.

“I barely made it,” he grumbles. You roll your eyes at Sam and tap your foot. What kind of college kid asks about tests? You would regret your decision if he wasn’t so cute. After exchanging more small talk with Kevin, he finally follows you out of the bar.

………….

“How old are you again?” he chuckles, watching you sink into the swing.

"You’re never too old to swing.” You begin pumping your legs slowly, waiting for him to sit next to you. Reluctantly, he makes his way to the swing and begins swinging lightly.

“What are you in for?” Sam asks, leaning his head against the chain.

“Generals, can't make up my mind yet, you?” You flick your eyes to him and take in a breath. He’s staring up at the moon, a faint smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. Something akin to wonder is molded in his gaze.

“Linguistics.”

“My best friend does that crap,” you chuckle, your mind wandering to Kevin. He was probably hugging the stage and singing – slurring – a Journey song.

“Kevin?” he asks. You nod, kicking the sand and letting your eyes fold closed. “He’s a nice guy,”

“Sadly he decided to latch onto me,” you say, a smile creeping across your lips.

“I don’t think it’s sad, you’re a sweet girl,” he says. Your eyes dart open and you kick him, a growl escaping your lips. He retracts his leg with a hearty laugh, holding his arm out in defense as you swing at him. “It was a compliment!”

“It was a bald-faced lie!” you try to hold it in but a giggle escapes you. You're giggling with a stranger. This is new.

“How? You saved me!”

“I...” you pause as his words sink in. “Fine. I’m sweet. Don’t let anyone know.” You point at him threateningly before leaping from the swing and heading towards the slides. Sam follows after you, laughing loudly at your antics.

“Wait for me at the end,” you command, climbing the ladder and staring back at him. He rolls his eyes with a nod. You climb in, glancing nervously as the slide creaks under your weight. This is fine. It's designed for kids under forty pounds, but this is fine. You slide down the freezing surface, smiling when you see Sam staring up at you. When you meet him, he rests his hands on either side of the slide. Butterflies collect in your stomach as you stare into his eyes, your heart pounding in your chest. He leans down, pressing a soft kiss against your lips with a puff of air.

“I hope that’s why I was waiting here,” he whispers against your lips.

“It is now,” you giggle – god he was making you do that too often – and hook your hand behind his neck. You press a second gentle kiss against his lips, enjoying the heat radiating off of him.

–

“You what?” Kevin squeaks, halting and whipping his head to you.

“I know I know, I said I’d never date in college but-”

“You kissed SAMMY?” he asks in a high pitched voice, willing his legs to go forward.

“What, does he have a girlfriend?” You furrow your brow, running over the conversations you had with him yesterday. He never mentioned it.

“No, but – is this why you’re walking me to class?”

“Well, yeah."

“Y-you said you wanted to bond with me more!”

“Two birds, Kev.” You shrug and dart into the classroom, searching for Sam. When your eyes land on him your jaw hits the ground. “Oh my god.”

“Hi.” He rises from his desk and makes his way to you and Kevin. He doesn’t have his hair in a bun anymore and now has on a suit. ’Professor Sam “Sammy” Winchester’ is strewn across the board in sloppy handwriting.

“You..you’re a..” you stammer over your words, glancing from him to the students.

“Thanks for walking me home, I was pretty tipsy.” He puts on an awkward smile, letting his eyes fall on Kevin.

“I know all about your --” Kevin raises his hands --“walk.” He quotes over his words with squinted eyes. Sam clenches his jaw, his eyes wide and trained on you.

“You told him?!” he asks through clenched teeth.

“I didn’t know!” you retort in a small voice. The three of you fall into an awkward silence. Finally, Sam lets out a hearty laugh, brushing his fingers through his hair.

"I mean, I did have fun last night," he says, ignoring the glares from Kevin. "Karaoke tonight?"

Though you try -- and god do you try -- you can't help the smile on your face. "It's a date."

26 notes · View notes

unexaltedonewhoisnotking · 2 years ago

Text

Was reminded by a discord friend that First Kill premiered today so I spent the day dropping my reactions and junk in our #gay channel

spoilers ahead

Okay started watching rn because thank you for reminding me and good good the fucking? Theme song? Has a line “our love is deeper than Edward and Bella’s”. First of all that’s a pretty low bar right. Second. Stop. We have no need for a twilight reference within literally the first minute of your show in the year of our lord 2022. Inevitable twilight reference in vampire media is acceptable but do not kick it off IMMEDIATELY with that

So blood pills?

Idk I have been curious since the trailer how vampires work here. Because Juliette seemed to be implied to be born a vampire. How does that work.

If I was Juliette I would have started killing people to drink their blood long before my birthday because I cannot swallow a pill. Gimme the liquid blood

It’s acting all mysterious about her being a vampire lol

Juliette: is burned by silver and has fangs for a moment, Narration: “Oh yeah. That.” Omg guys she’s a vampire I did not see it coming

Juliette: “What was it like? Your first?” Aunt: “Freddy. He was beautiful. Eyelashes for days” gears whirring in asexual brain :squint:

[yes I know now that that is her sister, not her aunt, but I didn’t know at the time that I originally made that message]

Something something eroticism of vampires. Apparently a trend here (based on a sample size of two lmao) to choose someone attractive as your first? Emphasis on this whole first thing. Is this whole thing supposed to be some kind of loss of virginity metaphor

Still no clarity on how one grows up as a vampire, Ig they’re not undead?

Oooh nice nice we get Calliope narration too

Lmao the CGI is not super great. It’s supposed to be a little creepy, oh no how did this Gross Monster get here but then it’s just funny watching its head roll away

“She passed out? She didn’t disintegrate? Then that wasn’t a vampire Cal” 😭 Is the mum just disappointed that Cal doesn’t know her monsters and not, like, freaking out that Cal (seemingly) stabbed a human? ARE YOU NOT CONCERNED THAT YOUR DAUGHTER POSSIBLY KILLED A HUMAN

The kiss scenes are. Hgmm. They really just start. Convulsing

“You ate my mother” PLS WHY IS THAT SO FUNNY. Man just stood still and unhinged his jaw and CHOMPED HER WHOLE BODY DOWN jfgdksud when your mother in law’s a bitch amiright

“A few people were acting sus” AMOGUS I saw Juliette vent!!!!

“I can’t eat, sleep or think straight unless we’re together” i don’t think you’re exactly thinking straight when you’re with her either are you

Whoa is it fitting to feel another tooth coming in while watching a vampire show? My wisdom teeth are apparently coming in left bottom, right bottom, now right top and how DARE they. I don’t put on my shoes and socks in different orders, I don’t expect my teeth to defy this rule 😤

Those restraints did NOTHING

Pls the camera pointed up at Theo’s face while he’s running just looks so funny

Why… why did I get it in my head that Talia and Jack were Theo’s aunt and uncle? Calliope clearly called him and Apollo her brothers and yet when it was revealed that Theo’s mother was dead my brain was like oh BOTH of his parents are gone and he lives with his aunt and uncle. My sister and I are half-sisters, half siblings should have been my first assumption

lmaooo these werewolves… again with this bad CGI

Carmen deserved to actually be more involved but as it is she kinda just exists to look dramatic

#first kill #first kill spoilers

0 notes

hoseokbubu · 6 years ago

Text

Pinkie [chapter 3]

When they walked up the stairs to their floor, Yoongi was getting ready to take out his trash. “Hey Jimin”. Jimin’s heart stopped, but he knew after their conversation earlier, he had to start calling him by his name.

“Hey Yoongi” Jimin squinted at the way his voice sounded so insecure. They just passed each other and went their separate ways. When they made it into the room, Jimin let out a huge breath.

“That was crazy… did you see that?” Taehyung was pretty amused, to say the least. “You guys literally only said hi to each other..” Jimin threw a pillow Taehyung's way and got him right in the face.

“Better than nothing amiright?”

◾◾◾

It's now Saturday afternoon and it's Jimin day off. He usually sleeps in as long as he can, or takes as many naps as he can. He’d be napping right now if it weren't for his loud neighbors. Most saturdays, Yoongi and his roomate seemingly have a few friends over and it's always pretty loud. He didn't mind much, unless he was trying to nap like now, but Jimin’s grateful this is a once a week type of thing and not every night, so he doesn't get mad, just decides he's done napping and climbs out of bed. It's better if he does something productive anyway. He barely made it to his dresser when there was a knock on his door. He quickly grabbed the closest sweatpants and ran to the door, assuming to find Taehyung. They always try to find a way to see each other on days off, but when Jimin opened his front door, shirtless and sporting some bad bed head, all he saw was “Yoongi hyung?” Yoongi tried his damn hardest not to let his eyes go where they wanted to go. It was LITERALLy painful keeping control of himself.

“Hey Jimin, morning, did I wake you?” he was dressed in light wash skinny jeans and a big black zip up hoodie and Jimin couldn't but stare. He looked so comfortable and simple but so fucking hot.

“No, not at all, what's up?”

“Well uh, I have a couple friends over right now and were just kind of doing karaoke and drinking and.. well do you wanna maybe come hang out?” Jimin was ecstatic at the invitation but laughed.

“You guys start drinking this early??” Yoongi smiled at the giggling Pinkie and pulled out his phone to check the time.

“I mean it's past 2 so..” Jimin laughed again “yeah I think I’d really like that” When silence fell between them again Jimin suddenly remembered he was shirtless and crossed his arms. “I'll be over in a second I need to change” he laughed awkwardly and didn't give a Yoongi a chance to respond and just shut his door.

“Okay breathe. Breathe. Call Tae. Tae will help.” He quickly dialed his best friends number and jogged in place nervously.

“TAE TAE TAE TAE TAE” Jimin yelled when he finally picked up. “Oh my god what??”

“HEINVITEDMEOVERTOHANGOUTWITHHISFRIENDSANDDRINKBEERSANDIMGOINGOVERWHATDOIDO?”

“Okay… uh. So you're gonna go hang out with him and his friends.. In his house?”

“YES. NOW HELP.”

“Okay, but calm down first. What are you going to wear??” Jimin was raking through his hangers trying to find something. “I don't know Tae I was kinda hoping you'd HELP ME” Taehyung laughed, “Wear your ripped skinny jeans and a black t-shirt, don't overthink it. You're only going over to hangout so just dress comfortably.” Jimin let out a breath.

“Thanks, I seriously can't think at all right now.”

“No problem just remember, be yourself and stay calm.” Tae always has the best advice. Jimin feel 200% better as he hangs up with Taehyung and yanks his clothes out of the closet. He laid it out all on the bed and stared at it thinking, ‘now how can I make this sexier?’ He suddenly remembered the thin leather choker Tae bought him for his birthday last year. He's never really had a reason to wear it until now. Once he was fully dressed he smiled at himself in the mirror and slipped his converse on. It took him way too long to knock on Yoongi's front door but once he did, it was opened almost immediately revealing a very drunk looking friend of his.

“Oh hey you're Jimin. Come on in Yoongi is peeing.” Jimin laughed at his words walked came in holding a bottle of wine that's been sitting in his cabinet for too long. The first thing he sees when he walks in is a big comfy couch with a hyper ass boy jumping on it singing Bboom bboom by Momoland at full volume. The man who opened the door for him quickly got his attention back though when he hears a “damn your ass IS fucking great” from behind him. His eyes widened and he turned to look at him but Yoongi was pulling Jimin by the arm.

“Don't listen to Hoseok. He's already an idiot but when he's drunk there's no telling what he'll say.” Jimin tried to pay attention to his words but all he could seem to focus on was the burning feeling he felt on his wrist where Yoongi was still holding him. He must've noticed Jimin absence because suddenly Yoongi let go “sorry”. Jimin silently gasped.

“What? No it's okay, sorry, I was just uh distracted by what your friend said.” Yoongi's eyes narrowed, “What did he say to you?”

“Oh? I thought you heard him, it's not a big deal.”

“I didn't hear, I only mentioned him having a big mouth because I half expected him to hit on you.” Jimin flushed up a little at that, not knowing if he should tell Yoongi that's exactly what he did. Yoongi caught on.

“Oh shit, he did. What did he say? Did he make you uncomfortable??” Jimin smiled at his protective tone but decided not to overthink it.

“He just said, “damn your ass IS fucking great” but it's fine, it's kinda nice to hear that my ass is great. And He's your friend so I'm sure he's harmless, right?”

“He said… what?” Yoongi looked more than irritated but swallowed it down. “No you're right, he's harmless, but he's also taken, so.” Jimin’s heart sank. Taken by who? You?

“OH cool no don't worry I wasn't gonna go after him, I was just caught off guard a little, I uh don't want your man I promise.” Yoongi felt a twist in his tummy. He told him that so he wouldn't try to get with him, not so he'd think Yoongi was his boyfriend. He wanted to explain that they in fact aren't dating but a very buzzed Bboom Bboom boy ran up to the pair with two beers.

"You haven't started drinking yet??? Come on come on they have Big Bang!!!” He yanked Jimin to the TV, despite not even knowing his name, and put on If You. Bboom Bboom boy was very tipsy already but Jimin wasn't so he took a second to chug his beer and set it aside. If he's about sing in front of his crush, he's doing it at least one beer in. The intro played through and Bboom Bboom boy started out very soft and emotional. Wasn't he just jumping around two minutes ago? Jimin sang his part and got so lost in it that he forgot Yoongi was watching him, four feet away on the couch. Some time when it wasn't his part, Hoseok handed him another beer, and before he knew it, the slow song was over and him and Bboom Bboom boy were jumping around screaming the lyrics to Cherry Bomb. Yoongi sat there with a grin plastered on his fact, he's glad Jimin gets along with his friends, and he's hoping that means he’ll come back soon. Hoseok was next to him on the couch, but was still too plastered to function. He just sat there laughing and dancing in his seat.

“Jesus christ he's hot” Hoseok spewed out, eyeing Jimin who's still dancing around and laughing and drinking. Yoongi knew he was drunk so instead of snapping like he wanted to he just took a deep breath and agreed.

“Yeah, he is.” In less than 20 minutes, Bboom Bboom boy who, at some point during the last song, introduced himself as joonie, was now on his back out of breath. Jimin just laughed and turned to look at Yoongi but only saw a passed out Hoseok with a beer that was ready to spill. Jimin found him in the kitchen, rummaging the fridge for a drink.

“Thank you for inviting me tonight, I'm having a lot of fun. Your friends are nice.” Jimin giggled and swooshed the beer in his hand around. Yoongi met him at the kitchen counter with two fresh beers. “I'm glad you're having fun” he sipped from his bottle and an awkward silence fell over them. They both had something to say but had no idea how to say it.

“Me and Hoseok arent-”

“I'm sorry im always-” They spoke at the same time, cutting eachother off. They both laughed at the situation, but did it again.

“I'm sorry-”

“You first-” They stayed quiet for a second and Jimin just cutely pointed at him to suggest he starts. The elder chuckled, ‘how much cuter can he get?’ he thought.

“I was just gonna say that Hoseok and I aren't together.. kinda seemed like you thought that earlier” he fiddled with the cold bottle in his hand. Jimin's heart swelled, ‘oh thank fucking god’ he thought, but he just says ��OH sorry for assuming.. thats rude haha”

“What were you gonna say?” Jimin suddenly regretted speaking before, because now it’s his turn.

“Oh it's nothing I just wanted to apologize.. for always running away. You're not a scary guy, you're really nice..” Yoongi took a sip from his drink to give him the courage he was lacking.

“I forgive you.. but can I know why? If not because I'm scary then why? I mean.. it's been two years, Jimin.”

“I know, I know, and I'm sorry, I'm such a shitty neighbor I just-” he stopped talking to chug the rest of his beer.

“Listen, I'm not very confident okay? so when I see someone who I'm attracted to, I tend to take the fuck off instead of talk to them” Yoongi's face had changed at some point from a confused expression to one that Jimin couldn't figure out.

“Attracted to?” Jimin didn't bring his head up but just nodded.

“So… the reason you haven't talked to me for a full ass two years.. is because you're attracted to me??” Jimin took a deep breath. He really didn't wanna ruin this new friendship. He nodded again, and for a good 30 seconds, neither of them said a word. and apparently it was long enough for Hoseok to stumble into the kitchen and interrupt.

“GUYS namjoon passed out and I can't carry his heavy ass by myself please help me”

#jimin #yoongi #yoonmin #neighborsau #park jimin #min yoongi #bts #hoseok #jhope #namjin #namjoon #rm #seokjin #jin #jeongguk #jungkook #taehyung #v bts

7 notes · View notes

moonprincess92 · 7 years ago

Text

Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are

the food travel au

3 ½ month film schedule. 31 countries. 24 episodes.

2 people who might just fall in love along the way.

(read on AO3)

Chapter 1: London Author: @moonprincess92nz

It’s her first fucking day and she’s late.

“SHIT, SHIT, SHIT–” Jyn dodges through suitcases, around security guards and even leaps right over an empty bench at one point as she races throughout Heathrow Airport. She practically slams right through a holidaying family and nearly bowls into a couple of kids with giant backpacks on their backs, but nothing slows her down because if there is anything worse she can do than being goddamn late on her first day, she can’t think of it. Her rep is bad enough, she needs this job –

ARRIVALS, the sign blares.

Her poor battered suitcase screeching to a halt next to her, Jyn stops to stare around at the hordes of people pouring out of the arrivals gate. The production crew is flying in mostly from USA, she thinks she is one of maybe three people who are from the UK. They told her to meet at the airport, and she checks the email on her phone for the billionth time before scanning the crowd once more.

Finally, she catches a familiar face.

He isn’t so much familiar because she knows him, but rather because she may or may not have binge-watched Cassian Andor videos on YouTube for about eight hours the previous night. Thing is, Jyn honestly wouldn’t call herself a foodie. She knows how to scramble eggs and burn chicken nuggets, but that is about the extent of her cooking skills. Half the time she doesn’t know how she even ended up getting this job, but there she was balls deep in some popular Mexican cooking show because apparently, his face wasn’t so bad to look at. It was only when her roommate barged unceremoniously into her room at four in the morning to ask, “Don’t you have to be at the airport by like, 7am?” when she figured that she might have a bit of a problem.

(“Shut up, Bodhi,” she threw back at him).

Operating on as little sleep as she is, seeing Cassian Andor in person kind of makes her ovaries feel like exploding.

SHIT.

Luckily, before she says something and makes herself look ridiculous, it appears that someone notices her. She hastily says her name, and she’s pulled into the sea of formal introductions by who is apparently their production manager, Mon Mothma. Jyn has never been good at this part. Sometimes, she thinks that she chose the wrong profession entirely – she should be working in a lab or office, somewhere with as little human interaction as possible – but rather unfortunately, she’s chosen a profession where it’s impossible to get by without kissing arse and playing nice with others.

She’s learned over the years how to put on a polite mingling face, but Jesus, it takes it out of her.

“Hi! I’m Luke, the social media manager!” a bright-eyed blonde says.

“Wedge Antilles,” their sound engineer introduces. “Looking forward to working with you!”

“… Kes Dameron. Sorry, I haven’t had coffee yet,” It turns out their head of security is about as sociable as she is this early in the morning.

Honestly, she’s doing fine until suddenly she’s face to face with Cassian Andor and that’s about when it strikes her what she’s really gone and gotten herself into. She’s standing in front of an honest-to-god celebrity, here. She’s never worked on something on this large a scale in her life! It doesn’t help that there’s really something about his jawline as well, but either way she is a professional, goddamn it. She holds out her hand and says,

“Jyn.”

Cassian quirks an eyebrow.

“Is that… your favourite drink, or…?” he asks in confusion.

“What? Oh, bugger,” Jyn curses as he tentatively shakes her hand. “I don’t mean gin, I mean – it’s my name, Jyn with a J – and a y – apparently my parents hated me as a child,” She tops it off with a slightly awkward laugh.

God, she is bad at this.

“Oh. If it helps, I often get called Caspian whenever I go to Starbucks?” Cassian offers.

“Well, that was your first mistake going to Starbucks.”

“What’s wrong with Starbucks?”

“Talk about commercialisation!” Jyn points out. “Whatever happened to supporting your local businesses?”

Incredibly, he laughs. “I’m sorry, you’re the new camera operator, right?”

“Right, right – I was offered the job a little last minute.”

“Of course – Kay unfortunately got sick – that was the guy who was originally hired.”

“Ah, I see,” Jyn tries to lean casually on her suitcase. “I wasn’t given any details, just a contract and a place to meet – sucks to be him, amiright?”

Cassian frowns. “He’s my best friend.”

Jyn blinks. Of fucking course he was his best friend.

She just gestures vaguely behind her somewhere. “I’m gonna…” she says, weakly. He smiles politely back.

If it was at all appropriate for the setting she would be SCREAMING.

“… so all in all,” Jyn eventually says through Skype later that night. “within the first minute of us meeting, I convince him I’m an alcoholic, criticise him for going to bollocking Starbucks and also somehow manage to insult his best friend!”

Little Bodhi through the screen shakes his head. “Oh my god, Jyn…”

Oh my god, Jyn sounds about right. She snuggles down into the hotel bedsheets and is at least thankful that she’s on a production that can afford actual stars underneath their accommodation. The last time she had a job, she was put up in a student hostel, and she’s pretty sure she’s still washing fleas out of her hair to this day. Most of day one was dedicated to production meetings with only a few establishing shots being filmed that evening. After hours of listening to Mon Mothma drone on and on (3 ½ month film schedule, tight deadline, 31 countries, 24 episodes, etc., etc.) Jyn was thankfully able to clear her head down by the Thames. With only her and the essential crew, she was finally able to breathe as she captured her city by sunset.

She honestly doesn’t know what this job is really going to entail. The travelling she is relatively familiar with thanks to her job, but even then she technically hasn’t been out of the country since she was 16, and she mostly tries to forget her time with Saw anyway. She might not have had a family for a long time, but she’s at home here in London as much as she’s ever been. It’s the only place she’s ever felt truly safe, felt like she has ground beneath her feet and she’s a little (a lot) terrified to actually leave it.

But hell, bills need to be paid and a T.V. show needs to be filmed.

“What am I doing, Bodhi?” Jyn mutters underneath the blankets.

“I believe it’s called ‘flirting’,” Bodhi smirks back in their flat on the other side of the city. “and, if I might add, you’re not doing it very well.”

“Fuck you, mate.”

“Just calling it like it is.”

“Seriously,” Jyn stresses, then. “what am I doing here? I’m working on a travelling food show and I barely know how to cook!”

“You’re the camera operator, not the bloody caterer,” Bodhi says, exasperatedly. “I’m fairly certain you don’t need to know.”

“But–”

“Jyn, listen,” Bodhi cuts her off. “Lord knows I’d prefer to just wrap you up and bring you back home, but honey, you gotta stick with this, ok? No more flaking! You think you don’t fit in, fine – fake it until you do. Go get bloody lost in Germany or finally learn how to make pasta or something, I don’t care, just get out and do it, because we both know you’re not really living here.”

“I’m living!”

“You’re existing,” Bodhi sighed. “and I know your life has had its fucked up moments. I know. It sucks. But it’s time, Jyn.”

She snorts. “You know, when I called you it wasn’t for another therapy session. How much do I owe you this time?”

Her best friend rolls his eyes. “A lifetime of free pancakes.”

“You know I can’t make pancakes.”

“Lifetime supply of Jammy Dodgers, then.”

“That, I can do,” Jyn points at the screen.

Bodhi laughs, only it quickly turns into a violent yawn. “BLIMEY, I’m tired.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll take the hint,” Jyn smirks. “but, um, before you actually do go – on a scale of 1 to 10, exactly HOW bad was the flirting?”

“Minus 5,” Bodhi deadpans. “Don’t insult his friends next time.”

“Yeah,” Jyn grimaces. “I’ll do that.”

He grins. “Love you, Jyn.”

“Yeah. Love you, too.”

tellmewhatyoueatofficial check out that view! #tellmewhatyoueat #london #tower bridge #filming #cinematogropher #travel #sunsetwiththecrew #bts @jynserso

bodhitherook JYN BABE U MANAGED TO MAKE IT ONTO THE OFFICIAL INSTA ACCT

bodhitherook also how the fuck are u not wearing a jacket

tellmewhatyoueatofficial @bodhitherook i confess we might have asked her to take her jacket off for the #aesthetic

bodhitherook WHO RUNS THIS ACCOUNT JYN BC CLEARLY THESE PEOPLE ARE TRYIN TO KILL U IT’S OCTOBER

jynserso pfffft sun was out, was a solid 15 degrees that’s basically sunbathing weather

jynserso but still calling you out @walkstheskies his name is Luke Skywalker go stalk him

Jyn manages to corner Luke Skywalker in the hotel hallway.

“WHY ME,” she despairs. Her phone is open on the show’s official Instagram page, and it’s pretty clear what she’s talking about, although she quickly adds, “and before you say anything, I KNOW signing the contract means technically I consented to my image being used on multiple forms of social media, but still–”

Luke just shrugs happily.

“I belong behind a camera, not in front of it,” she protests.

“Hey,” Luke counters. “you look beautiful in that shot! Also, I should be the one complaining, after you sicced your best friend on me.”

“Oh good, Bodhi did his job then,” Jyn says. She steps out of the way hastily as several of their fellow crew members run down the hall between rooms, someone cheering something about shots in the background.

“He’s sent me about a dozen messages insisting that I look after you and treat you right,” he laughs. “Nice guy!”

Jyn just smirks slightly before eyeing down the hallway once more. It’s been two days, and their insane shooting schedule is already starting to hit them all. Quite frankly, none of them have any business still being awake at this time, but it was a long day and apparently they are all still so hyped that trying to sleep with the racket they’re making would be fruitless anyway.

“We should get out!” someone calls enthusiastically from one of the open rooms, and Jyn turns to see their lighting director’s face beaming when she notices her. Shara Bey dashes over and clings hold of her shoulder. “Hey! Where should we go?”

“What’re you looking at me for?” Jyn asks in bewilderment.

“Well, you’re the local girl,” Shara points out.

Jyn stares at the over-tired, wired and enthusiastic faces all staring back at her. They’ve all spilled out of their rooms, nodding and asking and between this and the Instagram post, Jyn isn’t sure she’s been on the receiving end of this much attention in her life. There’s a reason she stays behind the camera! She glances at Luke, although the man just shrugs at her in response.

“I’ve never been to London! Where do we get good food around here?” he asks.

Shit.

“Uhhhh... I know a place that sells killer fish and chips?”

“It’s an adventure and it’s happening - c’mon, guys!” Shara leads the way.

She ends up bringing them to The Cantina, of all places.

A fun fact to rattle off is that there are literally thousands of pubs throughout London, and somehow she always ends up here. Her and Bodhi almost haunt the place at this point. It’s objectively not the most popular in London nor even relatively famous, but in Jyn’s opinion it captures the very heart of British pub culture (you know, getting shit-faced and yelling about football). It’s kind of what the entire show they’re filming is supposed to be about, so… yeah, here they are. The place is always dark and a little shady, the music always slightly too loud and the lights slightly too piercing, but Jyn feels almost relaxed here.

“I moved back to London when I was 16,” she explains as they approach. Shara Bey has already filmed several snapchat videos of herself by this point and now seems to be flirting with the security guy. Most of their group is hanging onto her every word and she adds, “We’d come here on the weekends with our fake I.D.s and get hammered.”

“My kinda party,” Luke grins.

They all pile inside The Cantina, Jyn dutifully avoiding Cassian’s eyes. Honestly, she had no idea that he was even coming - did famous T.V. presenters even do that? - but someone called out to him just as they were walking out of the hotel doors to go catch a train and he dashed out to join them. After embarrassing herself so spectacularly, she figures the only way to handle tonight is the true British way: ignore all emotions and pretend everything is fine.

She notices a gap at the bar and she manages to quickly order two shots as everyone piles into the pub. She thought she had avoided all scrutiny as her colleagues get caught up in which drinks to order, but apparently nothing gets past the social media manager. Luke gives her a look of bemusement from over his shoulder and Jyn bites at him,

“What?”

“Steady on,” he says.

“Shut up,” Jyn accuses.

“You know, if you want to talk to him all you have to do is open your mouth and start saying words,” Luke says, slyly.

Jyn glares. “What d’you know? You know nothing.”

“I know that look! Trust me, I get it. I’m a huge fan too.”

Jyn finally meets his knowing gaze.

“You also watch three seasons in eight hours?”

“Without subtitles!” Luke nods. “My Spanish got a LOT better.”

“Stalk on Instagram?”

“I’m a social media manager,” Luke scoffs. “Raise me something actually valuable.”

“Imagine marrying someday?”

Luke laughs. “Jyn, we all know that he’s out of both our leagues, but with you�� ehhhhh, there’s potential.”

“I’m sorry, EHHHHH?”

“I also said potential!”

Jyn was going to offer one of the shots to Luke, but with that statement, she keeps them both for herself. It’s true, she’s been filming this man for the last two days and she still technically hasn’t had any kind of one-on-one conversation with him that isn’t to do with camera angles. Besides the disastrous first attempt, that is. She isn’t even sure what’s stopping her at this point. It’s not like she’s kidding herself that something is going to happen – they’re on a schedule, they’re going to be travelling in a tight knit group for months without space to get away, and who even looks at her like that anymore? – so it’s not even the fact that he’s hot that makes her like this.

She’s just never done anything on this kind of scale before. These people all have established careers, been featured on Ellen, have followers on Twitter… this is the first time Jyn’s worked on a project where the director isn’t some uni student filming a sex scene in their parent’s garage. Bloody hell, what could she even say to him?

“Ok, look,” Luke sighs next to her. “exactly how many shots is this going to take? Because I will literally buy them all if it will get your ass over there.”

“I don’t know,” she says honestly. “but at least one more.”

tellmewhatyoueatofficial rumour has it that somewhere round here you can get some killer #fishnchips! @theofficialcantina #tellmewhatyoueat #bts #london #camden town #camden market #london pub #the cantina #filming #cinematogropher #travel

Her ass inevitably did not end up over there.

“Ok, we’re going for the casual ‘we’ve just stumbled upon this place’ feel,” Their director, Draven, is running backwards somewhere behind her, trying to keep up with the action as Cassian walks down the street. She’s aiming for the vision of him being in amongst the crowd, just one with London, which is kinda contradicted by the fact that they have blocked off one side of the entire stretch of street outside the restaurant they’re currently featuring and their security guy is letting through a controlled amount of people to walk through their shot. Still, she gets to watch Cassian stroll down the footpath with his hands in his pockets, contently gazing around the streets, so she’s probably got the good end of the deal, here. Voiceovers will be added in later, so literally all he has to do is walk and smile as Draven yells out direction.

“Ok! You reach Rebel Rebel,” he calls out. Cassian pretends that his eye is caught by the actually previously chosen restaurant, glancing up at it. She zooms in on his face.

Yes. Definitely has the best deal, here.

“CUT,” Draven yells. “Perfect, we’ll shoot it once more, then head on in.”

They take a break before moving into the restaurant to do more filming and she listens to Draven rave to their producer about how big they’re expecting their audience to be for this particular episode. She probably doesn’t try hard enough to hide her scoff, but she’s exhausted from being up until 2am that morning and still too pissed off at herself to care. Despite all of Luke’s encouragement, she still hadn’t managed to get herself over to the table where Cassian had been sitting. She had an opening and alcohol, and yet…

“Look, I’ve worked on this show before and I’m yelling you,” Luke nodded at Cassian last night. “He’s a good guy! He’s worth getting to know.”

She was sure he was. It was just getting to the point of knowing him that worried her. She glances bitterly up at Rebel Rebel. Honestly, of all fucking places in London, they just had to choose the most cliché.

“Why do you not like this place?”

She whirls around in a slight panic, heart practically leaping into her throat. Cassian’s watching her curiously, water bottle in hand and please Jyn, please remember what proper words are.

“Who – who says I don’t like it?”

“That expression on your face,” Cassian points out.

She’s almost impressed that he noticed. “Is filming going to be this forced the entire time?”

For a moment she isn’t sure if he’s going to give her a real or diplomatic answer. She supposes his job’s on the line, but just as that thought occurs he admits, “A lot of things are pre-shot filming this kind of show. It’s like reality T.V., we pretend it was all filmed on the spot when actually we planned the entire thing. But the food and the reactions, that’s going to be real. You can’t fake taste.”

“What if you don’t like something? Are we allowed to include that?”

“Usually depends on who I’m allowed to piss off,” he mentions.

“Well, I dunno who chose Rebel, Rebel, but this place sucks,” If he can figure it out from the look on her face, then there’s no point denying it. Jyn points out the restaurant that is technically one of London’s top places to eat. Recommended on Trip Advisor, stars and celebrities were known to dine there and even Jamie Oliver did a special there once, but as far as Jyn is concerned the entire place was overrated.

“How do you know that?”

“Like I couldn’t possibly know great food,” She winces a little at the tone. Blimey, she needs to work on not sounding so defensive.

“Show me,” Cassian suddenly challenges. “After filming today, take me to the good food.”

He can’t be serious. Surely he isn’t? They have a schedule, they have deadlines, they can’t just go bloody rogue! Yes, fine, she does have somewhere in mind. She might consider wine and a can of tinned soup a decent meal, but that doesn’t mean she can’t recognise great food when she sees it. The memories suddenly hit her, of meat sizzling, of swinging on vinyl chairs and knives clinking against plates. She remembers being allowed to stand on a stool behind the counter to take customer’s money and running through the kitchens trying not to get caught by the chefs. Whenever she hears classical music she’s taken back and they’re literally only around the corner, but…

It’s a stupid idea.

She shrugs. “I think Draven’s gonna burst a blood vessel if we don’t get back to it.”

JUST TAKE HIM TO THE FUCKING RESTAURANT JYN DO IT DOOOOOO IIIIITTTTTTT

FKJDJFKJDFJKFJKDF KILL ME Also are u still harassing luke to be nice to me bc honestly bodhi

Im just lookin out for mah gurl Also turns out he’s kinda funny so But not the point, just take him Jyn seriously

But it’s such a personal place and we barely know each other

Don’t make it about you then. Just say u know a place that’s better, bring ur camera and film the magic. Oooooh, get baze to make his special, that shit is GOOD Plus this way you’ll get to know each other eeeyyyyy

I’m going to regret this

No u wont

It eats at her, until eventually Bodhi manages to make her snap. Damn it, it will not leave her alone and apparently, her way of asking people out these days is just turning up at their hotel room door and demanding them to come with her, since the moment Cassian answers her slightly too hard knock on his door she blurts out,

“Get your coat on, we’re going somewhere.”

Cassian blinks slightly, but seems entirely non-phased as he ducks to the side to grab a jacket and follows her out the door. “Where are we going?”

“To the good food.”

It’s a bit far to walk and she’s still not used to the T.V. glamour of being able to take taxis everywhere, so she drags him out into the cool, drizzly evening and onto the tube. Taking the Piccadilly Line into Covent Garden, the night is fresh and just starting to buzz when they climb up into the street. She wasn’t going to get her camera out until they reached Lahmu, but the side street they cut down is strung up with multi-coloured lanterns and his face is honestly too good to not try and capture.

“To be honest, I’m not entirely sure if we’re even allowed to do this,” Jyn admits, as she points out the way. “Like, filming outside of scheduled shooting. Have I just violated my contract or something?”

“Depends if Draven likes what he sees,” Cassian answers her.

“I’ll delete it later, then,” Jyn says, walking sideways as she filmed and hoping that nothing got in her way lest she accidentally go flying. “No one has to know a thing. And if you talk, I’ll kill you.”

He laughs a little into the camera. “I’m starting to think I wouldn’t put it past you.”

“But anyway, welcome to Covent Garden again,” she makes a deal out of saying, ensuring that she can still see his face through her lens. He pauses under a lamp post and thankfully, no one seems to recognise them in the dark and without the addition of an entire film crew. To someone else, they could literally be any random YouTube vloggers or something. “Naturally, this damn show only brings you to the touristy side of London, but there are some admittedly great places to eat in this area. Not fucking Rebel, Rebel though, I mean shit that’s actually edible.”

“We might want to edit that last part out.”

“Yeah, post can handle that,” She would wave a hand if she had one to spare. “Tell me, superstar Cassian Andor, how are you enjoying London so far?”

He smiles a little against the backdrop of lit restaurants. “It’s cold.”

“Of course it’s cold, it’s fucking England.”

“But it’s exciting,” he adds. “There’s so much history here, buildings that have been around for hundreds of years… it’s great to see.”

“You’re supposed to say you love the food, stop going off script.”

“Sorry – I love the food.”

“Good,” she says. “because if you don’t love where we’re going, then I’ll buy the next round of drinks.”

“Where exactly ARE we going?”

She points across the street and she films him turning and seeing the lit up sign of Lahmu. Owned for the last fifteen years by Baze and Chirrut Malbus-Îmwe, it’s known for its wildly eccentric yet still somehow delicious menu. Jyn leads Cassian there, waving to the matire’d on their way in and asking if Baze is around.

“You’re a regular?” Cassian asks.

“Kind of,” Jyn hedges. “it’s weird to explain.”

She doesn’t rest until they find Baze in the kitchen, the co-owner and chef shaking Cassian’s hand vigorously like any person who was vaguely familiar with food would. Jyn keeps the camera rolling the entire time until finally, he tries Baze’s famous Secret Special and the unearthly sounds that come out of his mouth Jyn deems a little too inappropriate for their G-rated show.

“This is fucking amazing,” he practically moans.

“I’m glad,” Baze says warmly as Jyn hastily cuts the recording.

“And you seriously won’t tell me what kind of meat this is?”

“Of course not, that’s the secret part.”

“It’s not going to have me arrested, right?”

“No. Well… I don’t think so, at least.”

Cassian just shrugs. “Good enough for me.”

Carefully working on packing the camera away in the bag she has strung around her neck, Cassian continues to enthusiastically shovel whatever mystery meat it is into his mouth. Over by the kitchen bench, Baze leans in and squeezes her shoulder.

“So can I expect to actually get on T.V. here, or not?” he asks in undertone.

“Probably not,” she admits.

“Ah, well. It was a nice idea while it lasted,” Baze sighs, gruffly.

“You guys are still doing well, right?” Jyn asks, casually.

“Stop worrying. We’re fine,” Baze shoots her a look. “Exposure never hurts, however.”

“Just let Cassian tweet about this place,” Jyn points out. “You’ll have people coming in hordes.”

Cassian cuts in to scoff, “I’m not THAT popular.”

“When you have a follower count with 5 digits or more, you’re considered popular, mate.”

Cassian protests, but honestly they’re mostly silent after that as he apparently just savours the flavours Jyn knows have to be hitting his tongue. She realises at one point that she’s closed her eyes and she hastily snaps them open because Jesus, Jyn, get a grip, she can listen to the boiling soup and scraping of pots without looking weird about it. It’s only when Baze moves away to carry on directing his kitchen, however, when she finally says,

“Look. I think we got off on the wrong foot when we first met,” she says. “I swear I usually know how to talk to people normally. I’m a big fan?”

Thankfully, he laughs and she lets out a slow breath of relief. “I’m honoured.”

“No really,” Jyn points out. “I don’t even speak Spanish, and I watched all three seasons of your last show.”

“That’s dedication.”

“Sorry again.”

“Hey,” he shakes his head. “It’s fine – I’m a big fan of yours too.”

“Piss off,” Jyn says before she even stops to think whether that might offend him or not. “I film obscure niche documentaries and indie films that lose money rather than make money, there’s no way you like any of that shit.”

“No really, I looked you up when we knew you were coming,” Cassian points out. “Or, ok, Kay sort of insisted that we look you up, he was feeling a bit territorial. But we watched a little of that one documentary you did on the abandoned insane asylum?”

“Oh god,” Jyn shivers. “that place was creepy as all fuckin’ hell. I had nightmares for weeks.”

“But the camera work was beautiful! Wait, exactly how creepy?”

“I’m pretty sure that one of the film crew got possessed.”

“You’re not serious?”

And it’s weird, but he finishes his Secret Special and she tells the quite frankly terrifying story of when one of her crew members had gone a little nutty and claimed that they were having visions of dead people and it kind of… goes well. Her heart is still pounding, but they’re finally talking. It at least makes her feel a little more grounded, a little more like she actually fits into this project that until this point made her feel like she was just floundering under water. This isn’t another weird documentary about haunted buildings, this is something that will eventually air on prime time British television…

“So how did you end up as a T.V. presenter, of all things?” Jyn asks once his plate is scraped clean.

“I started in regular journalism. Believe it or not, but I’m not the best cook.”

“Shut the hell up,” Jyn insists.

“No really,” Cassian says, earnestly. “I can appreciate good food, but I still cannot make anything like my mother can.”

“Well, I burn toast so together, we’ve got this show covered.”

“Thank God, I was starting to worry.”

She laughs. Fucking laughs. But he’s laughing too, so she hopes it’s ok and he asks her then, “How did you get into camera work?”

“The professional answer is that I have always appreciated the entire filmography of whoever happens to be employing me at the time,” Jyn says. “The real answer is that I was running out of time to pick an elective at uni and I chose this random media studies paper on a whim.”

“So we pretty much started in the same place.”

“I guess, yeah,” It’s hard to imagine herself having literally anything in common with the celebrity, but what the hell does she know in the end? They’re quiet for a moment, Cassian moving to wash his own plate and Jyn pretending that she isn’t watching. It’s only when he’s finished and everything is put away when he turns back to her and says,

“So what’s the story?”

“Sorry?”

“The story,” he reiterates and Jyn’s chest thuds painfully. “about why this place. Don’t try and tell me there isn’t a story.”

It’s true, there is one. And she honestly wasn’t sure whether she was going to say it when she first brought him in here, but there’s something that makes her want to say it now. She takes a deep breath and answers,

“My father used to own it.”

He nods, but doesn’t say anything else. He waits, clearly willing to let her talk when she’s ready, and she eventually sighs in exasperation. “Fine, my father owned it and it’s how he met my mother,” she adds on. “I practically grew up here, but they died and it got sold when I was eight and it’s never felt exactly the same since. I guess I still try sometimes, though.”

It’s a very glossed over version of the story, but it will do for now. He nods in understanding before gesturing to her camera once more. “Do you mind?”

She frowns. “What do you want to film?”

“I have an idea – just roll with it?”

She humours him, once again pulling out the camera. She’s at least thankful that the kitchen lights are kind of perfect for filming as she sets it on top of an upturned saucepot in lieu of a tripod. She prompts, “What are you thinking?” and Cassian looks up right at her through the lens.

Blimey.

“We’re going to be taking Europe by storm, right?” he says, and she almost thinks his words aren’t even intended for the camera. “The idea is that we experience multiple cultures and different kinds of foods, but I love that there’s one thing that seems to be universal. No matter where you are in the world, food has this ability to connect things. We associate food with the places we come from, certain celebrations, smell with memories, a restaurant with home…” Her heart is definitely somewhere up around her throat and he smiles at her. “and that’s pretty awesome.”

tellmewhatyoueatofficial rumour has it if you order the #SecretSpecial you’ll become a changed person! #tellmewhatyoueat #restaurant #food #filming #locations #london #covent garden #bts @lahmurestaurant

k-lara7 omg I love this place!!!!

yavemiel @ pingou7 we are so going here next time you come visit me

bodhitherook I had no idea they were filming here @jynserso??????

doptimous Definitely would recommend @lahmurestaurant. The owners are so nice, you’re never waiting long and it’s honestly a great experience every time we go.

In the end, Draven loves their side project so much that it turns into his idea.

They were all supposed to be on a flight to Cardiff at this point, but the network has apparently let them delay by twelve hours to allow them to shoot additional footage and anything that gets her favourite restaurant exposure is fine with Jyn. But despite their filming obviously fake candid shots outside the restaurant, Draven’s admitted that there’s a lot of charm in the real candid-ness of what they filmed the previous night and hopefully, a lot of their original footage will end up being used in the final cuts.

“I’m going to miss London!” Luke says cheerfully as they wait at the airport. Definitely not a big enough production for a private jet, they get a few looks waiting amongst everyone else but luckily at 4am not many people care all that much about the moderately famous food show host and crew. Jyn is attempting to sleep in her cold, plastic chair but it’s kind of hard when Luke won’t stop chatting.

“Do you ever stop?” she asks.

“What do you mean?”

“Never mind,” she mutters. She gets up and leaves Luke to his cheerful trawling through Twitter and notices Cassian slumped down near the phone charging station. With his hoodie pulled over his eyes it’s difficult to tell if he’s awake or not, but he stirs when she sits down next to him.

“Naturally the network couldn’t wait for tomorrow and literally had to book us on the next flight to Cardiff,” she says. “Who the hell even flies to Cardiff at this time in the morning?”

“Right?” he smiles a little. Then, after pausing he adds, “Hey, um… I’m sorry if I stepped over a line or something before. When we were filming at Lahmu. I know you didn’t really intend on it being a part of the show and it got kinda personal so I just wanted to make sure you’re…”

“It’s ok,” Jyn says softly.

She isn’t sure what it is. It’s 4am in an airport, it’s one of those liminal spaces where time stops existing and only vacant expressions and stress endures. But she turns to glance over at him and he’s looking at her and shitballs, her stomach twists itself inside out. She still doesn’t know what to expect from this entire project and she certainly doesn’t expect anything ever from him, but a part of her is really, really pissed off to know that they have to part ways at the end of all this.

But then again also, they have 30 more countries to go.

Finally, the announcer is declaring that their flight is beginning boarding. All around, tired people stand and yawn, stretching and picking up suitcases and rousing sleeping children. Cassian sighs before pushing back his hood and giving her a determined look.

“Let’s go to Wales,” he says.

“Let’s go to Wales,” Jyn agrees.

---

#rebelcaptain #rebelcaptain fanfic #dailyrebelcaptain #rebelcaptain food travel au #food travel au #chapter 1 #WHAT UP BTICHES I FINALLY DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!#JADED THIS IS FOR YOU #i honestly hope yall like this pls reblog me i love yall xoxoxo #my fanfiction

123 notes · View notes

killer-barnes · 8 years ago

Text

Get Out.

Peter Parker x Reader

Request: Yes

Summary: Deciding to stay in for a date, Peter and the Reader are faced with annoying and embarrassing comments from the whole team, who are unaware of their relationship.

Word Count: 2,428

Warnings: language, fluff, annoying avengers (??), embarrassed!Peter, embarrassed!Reader, cuteness, LOTR trilogy. (Let me know if I missed any)

A/N: Alright homies, I apologize it has taken me so long to upload something. I’ve been reaally stressed. So hopefully this is okay? For the anon that requested this, I hope you like it. I’d love some feedback, as always. Enjoy reading!

Dark, gray clouds blocked any source of light from shining through the big, thick glass windows surrounding every inch of the building.

The entire tower was filled with a solemn mood that spread into every corner and room.

Most of the team dreaded days like these, since it put a damper on their mood, (especially Steve).

You, however, cherished days like these the most.

It’s where you find your peace and inner self, no matter how depressing that may sound.

It helps you relax and release any stresses that corrupt your thoughts.

But the best reason of all is that you don’t have to leave the house, even if you had a date with Peter tonight.

However, thinking that idea through, you realized something.

The whole team would be here.

With Peter and you.

During your date.

Well, fuck.

Now, your dad, Tony, know you and Peter are dating, but when it comes to the rest of the team, you tried to keep it under wraps.

You hated all the attention and knew Peter most likely felt the same, since he barely did any PDA.

It’s not that you didn’t want to tell the team, you just didn’t want all the questions and embarrassing comments to surface once you do.

Like, for fucks sake, you were just trying to have a successful relationship, especially since this was your first.

And since it was your first, you had an advantage of being able to manipulate the team into thinking nothing was going on.

Smart pickle, amiright?

After reminiscing on these past memories and moments, you head towards the bathroom in your room and wash the filth that was covering your skin.

Once you returned out of the bathroom from the steamy, hot shower, you grab a simple pair of comfy clothes and continue downstairs towards the kitchen.

Knowing most of the team, besides Bucky and Steve, are still sleeping, you try to be as quiet as possible getting some breakfast for yourself.

Pulling out a random box of cereal from the oversized pantry your dad insisted on buying, you pour it into a bowl and grab the milk from the fridge.

Putting everything away, you carefully walk towards the living room to watch some morning cartoons, as Steve and Bucky arrive back from their usual morning run.

Too focused on the show, you don’t hear Steve come behind you.

“Mornin’, Y/N.”

Grasping a hand over your heart, you set the cereal down carefully before exasperatedly replying, “Shit, Steve. I’d say good morning, but you made me almost spill my cereal all over me, jerk.”

Hearing Bucky chuckle from behind, you glare at him.

“Got somethin’ to say, Barnes?”

Laughing, he puts his hands up in defense, “no, doll. Continue bashing Steve.”

Turning your attention towards Steve, you hear him sigh.

“Sorry, Y/N. Just wanted to see how you were doing since you’re up so early on the weekend.”

Internally groaning at how hard you were on Steve, you fill with guilt.

“No, Steve. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. I’m doing okay, thanks for checking on me. H-How are you doing?”

Smiling and kind eyes glistening, Steve takes a seat beside you.

“It’s okay. But, besides this awfully depressing weather, I’m doin’ good. Buck and I just had a great run. Wasn’t too hot, which was nice, y’know?”

Returning the smile, you chuckle, “is that rain or sweat then? You need a shower either way, Cap.”

After taking a whiff of himself, Steve shrugs, “eh, probably both. Who knows. Do you have any plans today? I think Tony was talking about a mission or something.”

Sinking into the couch, you mumble, “most likely this. It’s too gloomy to do anything but binge movies. A mission? Hm, I haven’t heard anything from my dad.”

“You sure are living the life, huh kid? I remember on days like this, Buck and I would play some cards or go to this little diner that was at the corner. They played some good music.” His face full of glee, taking a glance at Bucky.

Placing your hand on his, you give him a sympathetic smile.

“Y’know, I wish I could’ve been alive during that time. Seriously, if I could go back to any time period, it would have to be mid 40’s or 50’s. I mean, besides all the war and stuff, the culture is what I’d love to experience.”

“I didn’t know you liked it so much, I would’ve ranted with you about it all the time! Well, how about once you have time, I’ll talk all about it. Okay, kid? Man, I can’t wait to listen to the music again.”

“That’s the best part, my friend!”

Conversations like these with Steve made your day shine brighter than before.

He felt like the older brother you never had and you were so grateful to have him, as well as the rest of the Avengers.

Most of the team knew you and Steve would talk about random things all the time, so no need for suspicion there.

As Steve left to take his shower, you cleaned up your breakfast and headed back into your room, unsure of what to do.

Opening the door, you realize how dark it actually is and decide to open your blinds to let as much light as the sky is willing to bring in.

Turning towards your bed, you see a lump that wasn’t there before.

As you get closer to inspect, you hear soft breathing and see the covers lift slightly.

The random “guest” moves to find a better position, causing the covers over their face to fall, revealing the one and only, Peter Parker.

Chuckling to yourself, you squeeze next to him and pull him into you.

Eyes widened, Peter blushes, “h-hey, Y/N. M-Morning, uh- I thought you would still be sleeping, but I came in and you were gone and I was just so tired tha-”

Silencing him with a peck on the lips, you add, “that you fell asleep on my bed? You’re such a dork, babe.”

The blush on his face burns against his soft cheeks as he looks down, mumbling, “d-do you still want to do the d-date? The weather is horrible outside. I had everything planned out, too!”

Lifting his face to yours, you see an evident pout.

“Hmm, what if we had a movie day here? We could have the theater room all to ourselves and binge whatever we want.”

“That sounds amazing,” Peter adds, “but, what about the team? T-They don’t know about us a-and I wanted to make our time special, together.”

Fuck, your words know how to melt my heart.

Dear lord.

You thought, looking into Peter’s chocolate brown eyes.

“It’s okay, I’m pretty sure they are all busy anyway. Steve said something about a mission.”

Sighing, Peter questions, “will we have to go?”

Playing with his fingers, you murmur, “hmm, I don’t think so. My dad would’ve mentioned it last night. He probably doesn’t want us going because of school and all.”

Peter scoffs, “yeah because he cares soo much about school.”

You smack him and chuckle.

“I’ll head to the theater, while you get the snacks, okay? Don’t look suspicious, Peter.”

“As you wish!” Peter exclaims, running down to the pantry in the kitchen.

After grabbing some pillows and fluffy blankets, you headed down to the theater, cautiously looking around every corner and turn.

Arriving safely, you set up the blankets in a comfortable position and open the cabinets that hold your dad’s array of different movies.

As you start browsing, you hear the door open behind you.

Coming down the steps, Peter’s arms are overflowing with snacks and drinks.

“I could’ve helped you, babe.”

Peter looks at you sheepishly, “what? No. I’ve got it, see? I’m Spiderman, I’ve go-”

However, Peter missed a step, causing the handful of goodies to fly above his head.

But somehow, somehow, he manages to catch everything with his web shooters.

“Bravo, bravo, my hero,” you clap dramatically.

Peter smirks as you, “Spiderman is always here to save the day, baby.”

Once you two had settled down, Peter let you choose the movies to marathon since he always picks one of the Star Wars movies.

You too were a big nerd, so of course your first choice was the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Best 12 hours you’ll ever experience.

You thought, pressing play.

Peter had never seen them before, so this was the perfect chance to get him hooked and marathon with you in the future.

Plus, you need him to steer away from Star Wars and show him the rest of the nerdy movie world.

“Get ready for 12 hours of pure walking, my friend,” you mumble, with an excited expression.

“What?! They just walk? Y/N, babe. Noo-”

Putting a finger to his lips, you hush him.

“Shut your cake hole! You’ll love it. Just watch, please?”

Turning his attention to the movie, Peter begins his own 12 hour journey.

The rest of the Avengers are spaced all over the tower.

Bruce, Tony, and Bucky are in the lab going over some new quirks to make on Bucky’s arm.

Steve and Sam are in the living room playing cards, as the news is on low volume behind them.

Wanda is in the family room on the farther side, reading a book, while Nat is looking through some Cosmo magazine.

And Clint is bored out of his fucking mind.

“How are you guys not bored? This is hell. Pure hell.”

Steve chirps in, “well, want to join us in cards? Sam’s winning, but I bet you could kick his ass.”

Sam scoffs, “you can sure as hell try, arrow guy. But no promises.”

“Wait, whatever happened to that mission Tony told us about?” Nat spoke up.

“I guess it was a false alarm, or somethin’.” Steve answers.

Sighing, Clint gets up from laying on the ground, “I’ll pass, birdman. Bu- hey, where’s Y/N and Peter? I haven’t seen them all day…”

“I don’t know, maybe working on homework or something? They do have school on Monday and you know Peter..” Wanda interjects, looking up from her book.

“Actually, I think they might be in the theater. Y/N was saying something about a movie marathon this morning?” Steve questions.

“Without me? Geez, what have I ever done to you people?” Clint yelps, raising his hands in the air.

“They’ve been doing a lot of things together…” Nat comments, looking suspicious.

Sam is the first to get up and sprint towards the theater, “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m going to spy this one out.”

“I second that!”

‘Wait! I want to come!”

Meanwhile, you and Peter are already on The Two Towers.

So far, Peter enjoyed the first one, which made you happy.

“These are really fucking cool, Y/N! I can’t believe I haven’t seen them before. I’ve been missing out.”

“Hell yeah you have, Pete! There’s more to life than just Star Wars.”

Putting a hand over his heart dramatically, Peter replies, “ah, my heart! Star Wars is life…”

“Keep telling yourself that, babe.”

Tip toeing up towards the theater, the team cautiously avoids making any obnoxious noises.

As they get closer, they hear the character, Eomer, from the movie announce, “What business does an Elf, a Man, and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!”

“Why the fuck are they watching the Lord of the Rings without us?! Those movies are the shit! Oh, they’re so going to get it,” Clint exclaims over the loud movie.

He quickly makes his way up to the closed doors and barges in, however since the movie was so loud and the characters were bickering, Peter and you didn’t hear Clint enter.

Clint stomps down the stairs in the dark room illuminated by the large screen.

The team is slowly walking behind him, careful of each step they make.

As Clint reaches the row you are in, he stops dead in his tracks, the rest of the team bumping into him as they turn their gaze to where he is looking.

They all see you snuggled into Peter’s chest as he slowly places a kiss to your head, smiling.

“WHAT IS THIS?!” Clint shouts, gaining the attention of the two love birds.

His shout causes both you and Peter to jump.

“W-What? Uh- I- nothing, w-what?” Peter stutters, eyes blown.

“You’re watching Lord of the Rings without me? I cannot believe this.”

With a confused face, you quickly lie, “o-oh, sorry, Clint! I forgot to, uh, get y-you!”

Hearing Nat chuckle from behind, you give her a glare, which she just smirks at.

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s have a marathon!” Clint exclaims.

Mentally slapping yourself, you think,

Well, this is officially the worst day of my life.

After a few minutes, you hear Nat speak up during a quiet part, “so, how long has this been going on, you two?”

Avoiding the real context of the question, you dumbly reply, “well, since it’s the second of the three, about 8 hours?”

Laughing, Sam interjects, “I think you know what we’re talking about, Y/N. Don’t play dumb with us.”

Looking to your left at Peter, you see him blushing and looking at you with a pleading look.

“A-Alright, we’ve been dating for, uh, 4 months.”

Hearing a bunch of ‘what’s’ and ‘the fuck’s’ you hide your face into Peter’s neck.

Peter laughs nervously. “Well, at least we got that over with, right…?”

“Oh, you wish, Parker. You are going to get an endless amount of shit for this,” you hear Nat tease.

Groaning, you wish you were dead.

Nothing is worse than this.

After a couple hours, you were on to the last movie, the Return of the King, your personal favorite.

However, you were getting sleepy due to the amount of food and snuggles you’ve been having with Peter.

Seeing your face contort into a huge yawn, Peter turns his gaze towards you.

“H-Hey, babe? Are you tired?”

“Hmm…? Jus’ a little, Pete,” you reply sleepily.

“Here, lay your head on me. I’ll wake you up when it’s over, okay?” Peter softly inquires, nuzzling his nose with yours.

“God damn, you two are so cute.”

“Oh my god, goals.”

“Tony is going to kick Parker’s ass.”

Turning to face the team, Peter whispers loudly, “GET OUT!”

Soon enough, they all scramble out of their seats and you two are finally able to finish your date in peace.

Even if you fell asleep.

A/N: Fuck, this is pure trash. I’m sorry guys. Forgive me on this one. I just kept blabbering on about nonsense. Yikes, anyways. Please let me know what you think. I need reassurance.

3K notes · View notes

dcnativegal · 7 years ago

Text

Another autumn behind the sagebrush curtain

Something I’m getting used to in Christmas Valley is body odor. I don’t want to embarrass my smelly clients but I also need to breathe, so I regularly plug in one of those melted wax aromatic thingamajigs, and it does help. But I was in line at the Chevron, which is also kind of a fast food joint and a grocery store, and the gentleman before me was quite odiferous. Wow, phew, ack. A lot of my clients and perhaps a significant part of the population up in North County is without running water, sewage hookup, and/or electricity. Maybe you’ve heard of that zen saying’. Before Enlightenment: chop wood, haul water. After Enlightenment, chop wood, haul water. Well, all that chopping and hauling is the day to day reality here with no pretensions for spiritual edification.

I did a couple’s counseling session recently and one point of contention was who does the dishes. Sounds familiar to most couples, amiright? In this case, it’s a matter of hauling water and sometimes but not always heating it to do the dishes. Good grief. Same with gardening. You want vegetables? You gotta haul the water.

When money is tight, and a felon and his disabled girlfriend are living on her disability check, and sometimes his phone is out of minutes and sometimes hers is, and they haul water, and sometimes pay for a shower at the RV park ($4. Not sure if shampoo is provided), and the laundromat is 40 miles from your homestead…. Body odor will result. Me and my nose will adapt.

Winter is on its way. We’ve already had several frosts. The outdoor potted plants are now indoor. We never did plant the azaleas that Karen gave us to prove that azaleas are possible to grow in the high desert. (I remain skeptical.) One just up and died, and the other one is on a window ledge by the wood stove. I’m back to keeping a warm coat in the car just in case the car breaks down and I have to wait in the cold for help. I have an emergency kit, a spare tire, bottled water and protein bars. I don’t plan to break down any time soon or to hit a deer or god help me an elk, but you never know. I’ve learned from last winter to be prepared. Cell phone reception is an iffy thing, and we all depend on the kindness of strangers in bad weather. At the beginning of November, I’ll have my studded tires put on and then I’ll be ready for whatever ice and snow gets tossed on us humans in these high altitudes.

I learned recently that for every 1000 feet in altitude, it is 5 degrees color than at sea level. So at 4,000 feet up, it’s 20 degrees cooler. Lakeview, the county seat, is the highest altitude town in Oregon. That doesn’t seem right, since there are the Cascades and all. Maybe the highest county seat.

It’s gonna be in the 80s today in DC. A bit warm for early October but by no means unusual. It was 29 last night in Paisley.

I’ve graduated a bunch of people with Substance Use Disorder since I started in February, giving them a certificate, notifying their probation officer, closing out their treatment plan, changing their diagnosis to say, in remission, making a compliance note, and then a service conclusion note. They are so happy not to have to call in every morning to see if their random urinalysis color is on for the day. If their color is called, they have to get to our offices during the day, and if they work a job during the day, it’s a hassle, although most employers are cool with it. I’ve been flexible with my clients since I started practicing in North Lake, allowing the clients to come in for a spit test (for guys because I’m a gal) or a pee test or UA (for gals because I’m a gal so I can watch them pee. Oh joy.) when they are already in town, saving them gas and another trip to come in between 4 and 5 when we’re supposed to be most available for drug tests. And I’ve been happy to oblige. However, I’ve been informed from people above my pay grade that I’m not supposed to be that flexible, ‘cause then everyone will want to come in whenever. So new clients are going to have to come in from 4 to 5pm when their color is called. Gas or no gas. If they ‘no show’, they have to start the 90 days over again.

I have an ambivalent relationship to the punitive aspects of drug treatment. Sometimes I think, just have abundant available treatment options, people, and come on, taxpayers, pay up. And other times I see that, in one case or another, threat of jail and even brief time in jail scares them sober. I’m particularly worried about the poverty around here. A gallon of gas is beyond some folks some days. I do encourage my clients to quit smoking because you could buy gas with that cigarette money.

Or food. One of my clients just had kids taken by DHS and now the client is not eligible for food stamps. Apparently, when single years ago, this client could get food stamps for a month near to $200. Not anymore. Do folks realize that it is Democrats who shore up the ‘safety net’ and increase food stamp allowances? Not these folks. If they vote, they vote Republican. Do I point this out in session? No, I do not.

I wish I could tell you some stories from my clients’ worlds but I can’t. I will share themes, instead.

One theme for people with ‘substance use disorders’ is about cannabis. I have at least 4 clients who have stopped using methamphetamine, and good on them. Seriously. But they still smoke pot. Weed. A bowl. Now and then or several times a day. And they object to the fact that their body fluid drug tests (spit or pee) are ‘dirty’ with THC. They stopped using meth! They aren’t drinking whisky or beer. Why can’t they have weed? It’s LEGAL. It’s NATURAL.

If you’re under 18 it is NOT legal.

If you’re on probation for a drug offense, and sometimes if it is not a drug offense but you’re on probation, or you lost your kids to foster care for domestic violence, then YOU CAN’T USE POT. PERIOD.

I tell them, I’m so sorry, but that’s the rules. And my job is to help you get off probation. I did not make the rules. Neither did the probation officers. If they want to lobby Oregon state legislature, get on to Salem, and knock yourself out. Meanwhile, YOU CAN’T USE IT.

So then I hear, but I can’t sleep without it. I get so angry without it. It helps me cope with my PTSD. Which is for real.

It’s MEDICINAL.

Do they have a medical marijuana card? Nope. And even if they did, most judges say, tough, no THC in the drug test. No nothing in the drug test. Not a single beer.

Okay then, let’s look at the options for treating the PTSD. Nightmares, flashbacks, panic attacks, hypervigilance. There are options. Some of them has to do with talk therapy, and that’s where I come in. but there is help from medications. There really is. I’ve seen it work since I got here. We have a psychiatric consultant who is a nurse practitioner. He treats half the rural counties in Oregon, and does it remotely from The Dalles. Thursday is Lake County day. He looks like Arlo Guthrie, and recently failed to kill a single elk with his bow during a 10 day vacation.

Okay, so these clients then say, drugs aren’t natural. Pot is natural.

My retort is that arsenic and uranium are natural, too.

They don’t want to be dependent on a drug. Excuse me, what is cannabis? They don’t want to have to pay for a drug. They grow their own medicine in the form of pot and why is that a problem? I mention again, it’s against the terms of probation.

But, but, I once was on a drug and it made me crazy. Did you try another drug? Nope.

I don’t believe in drugs. So if you had an infection in your leg and it was either take an antibiotic or have it cut off, what would you do? Stuff it with herbs and wait.

See what I’m up against? Those clients who kicked meth but work daily on 6 bowls of pot, chopping wood, hauling water, hustling cigarettes, bartering for hay for the goats and feed for the chickens are going to be on probation forever. I’ve had clients on probation for 7 years. Alrighty then. I’m taking your spit and meeting with you and your probation officer looks at you with the stink eye and Oregon Health Plan pays for me and the spit, and taxpayers pay for the probation officer, and here we are.

For the folks who finally get clean of all of those substances, gosh they are my favorite clients. I miss them when they graduate. They are so glad to be done, to be off probation, to have a simple life with a job and their kids at home, and church on Sunday. I give them their certificate, tell them to stop by to visit if they’re nearby, lend them movies for free, and remind them to be nice to gay people. (Especially at church.) Off they go.

At some point they made a decision to get clean and stay clean. For most but not all it was residential rehabilitation that did they trick. Removed them from their day to day, sat them down with a counselor and with a group of fellow ‘substance use disordered’ folks, and forced them to gaze at their navel. After a month or 3 months, boom, they are clean and sober. They return to 90 days of random testing and weekly visits with me in what is called aftercare. And then, they are DONE. And their sweet simple life is so sweet and so blissfully simple.

Mostly I sit and listen to their stories. I am grateful to be a witness to their transformation.

I wish I could do a study of all the gay people who grew up in Lake County. I’d like to know how they survived high school at one of the three schools (North Lake, Paisley and Lakeview). When did they came out to themselves, to one other person, to their parents, and what happened then? Where did they move after high school? How out are they now? And are they okay. (Did it get better?)

I have pretty darn good gaydar which I keep refining over the years. I’ve been wrong a few times, because effeminate men can be straight, and butch women can be, too. But I knew the first few minutes of the movie Juno that the actress, Ellen Page, was gay, and that was years before she came out. I just knew it by how she marched to the convenience store for yet another pregnancy test. I said, lesbian. Queen Latifah is gay, too. I don’t think she’s ever coming out. Jody Foster. Most definitely, and finally out. Anyway, there are two boys in Paisley that I think are gay. And I don’t know for sure. But I wish I could cast a protective aura around them. Because whatever they evolve into, (gay, bisexual, trans) they could be targeted because they are gentler, more creative, and have emotional intelligence. We’ll see. I’m not close enough to either of them to offer protection. And one is related to a very conservative family. So I’m just watching. I’m not sure what else to do. I go to the same church as these boys (when I go to church in Paisley). So that’s something. My mere presence as an out gay person must mean something.

Maybe next June I’ll hang a rainbow flag on the house. I fear a stray bullet. Or rather, an intentional bullet coming from a 12 gauge. I know, from good authority (Valerie’s daughter), that ‘nobody cares.’ But I don’t quite believe that. I still don’t have the nerve to put on my car, in defiance, the brilliant bumper sticker: I don’t mind straight people if they act gay in public.

I miss gay people. There is Valerie. And a few lesbians in Klamath County that I located with the help of google, the Herald and News (out of Klamath Falls) and one lesbian in particular who hooked me up with the others. I am ridiculously glad to see my one gay male friend who works with some of my clients, and now that another of my clients has moved to a third foster home, he is no longer the client’s worker so I see him less often. But he stopped by last week in Christmas Valley and is investigating a former client so maybe I’ll see more of him. Not that I ever wish anyone to be investigated because some kid is neglected. But sometimes kids need to be rescued and parents need a wake up call. He’s an awesome social worker, and all around great husband and father to four kids (who were born to substance use disordered cousins). Gay men make perfect friends for women, gay or straight. They have emotional intelligence. They don’t want to get in your pants. And sometimes, they share your interests, like knitting. Or social work. Valerie’s first husband’s husband knits AND crochets.

It’s dusty out here. Sometimes it’s alkali dust from the dried patches of the lakes, when the wind is just right. Sometimes it’s dirt dust. This weekend I’m staying in a tiny town in Deschutes county where Valerie is cow and puppy sitting. The ranch house is full of flies; she says it’s because of how close the leppies (baby calves whose mother rejected them) are to the house. But when I visited her here when she was the main ranchhand, a few summers ago, there were piles of dead flies in the window sills. She was just now talking to her sister on the phone and walking around killing fly after fly. I am amazed at her deadly skill. And then there’s dust. On everything. Thick layers of it. She apparently mopped thoroughly ever single floorboard just yesterday. Today I can write my name in the dust with my be-socked toe. The views from the house are beautiful. The house itself is adorable, with a lovely porch, decorated in Rustic Cowboy. But I am having trouble with the dust. Val says, at least it’s not bus exhaust and city soot. Yea, true. But when I close the windows in the city, the soot stays outside. She says it’s because of the wind here. And the dirt is just real dry. The dirt can go wherever it wants to! I just don’t want to live in it.

I didn’t realize I’m such a prissy butt.

I’m near to Bend while visiting Brothers, which is a proper city, with stop lights and everything. I have a ‘must visit’ list now every time I approach a city: If it’s Sunday, I attend church. I check out the ethnic food. (I highly recommend the salmon pho with the cheerful all-male waiters at the Vietnamese.) I check out the local yarn shop and make a bee line for the sale bin. And I see a movie. If I’m lucky I can do all four.

Tomorrow, we’re going to an episcopal church, and sing hymns with multiple verses that I recognize. Alleluia. Not sure where we’ll eat. I’m voting for Indian. I have enough yarn (for the rest of my existence) so I’ll pass on the store this time. On Monday when I’m heading back south, I’ll go into Bend again and I’ll probably see Blade Runner 2049. I loved the first version, and I’ll love this one, too. I’ll have had my fix, and head south into a food desert, conservative churches, and zero movie theaters. Although the chili and cornbread at the Sage Hen Café is pretty good and I love the chicken and avocado Caesar salad at ‘erry’ restaurant. It used to be Jerry’s, but the J and the s are missing.

Dallas is not in Texas. Springfield is not in Massachusetts or Ohio. Lewisburg is not in Pennsylvania. Florence is not in Italy. Newport is not in Rhode Island. Bridgeport is not in Connecticut. Warrenton is not in Virginia. Oakland is not in California. I’ve mentioned before that Albany is not in New York, and Ontario is not in Canada, either. They are all in Oregon. The ocean, known as the coast or the beach, is West, not East, of wherever I am. Do not under any circumstances pass a snow plow on the right. That’s just dumb. And never go into a rural area without a full tank of gas. I started out at the edge of a reservation on the way to Portland recently and figured there was a gas station. WRONG. I spent about 30 miles wondering what I would do if I ran out of gas. With no phone signal. And way past the age where all I had to do was show a little leg (a la It Happened One Night.) I figured maybe I write a big sign that said OUT OF GAS, and pray. But I finally made it to a gas station just in time.

Also in Oregon: Sweet Home, Bonanza, Remote. Halfway, Paradise, Pendleton, Aloha. Eightmile, Thirtymile, Tenmile and Friend. Chiloquin, Keno, and Paisley.

One benefit of living in a frontier outpost is that there are virtually no chain businesses, with the exception of a couple of gas stations and the one Safeway in Lakeview. One Dollar Store and a True Value. Everything else is a small business. You can buy almost anything from a store that has only one location. I can buy excellent quality yarn at Willows in Christmas Valley. There are at least 3 thrift shops with big selections. I bought a little bit of furniture for my office at a store in Lakeview. Many stores serve multiple functions, like the Chevron/fast food/grocery store. The True Value sells toys. You can buy clothes and rent movies at Santa’s Hardware in Christmas Valley. Ammo, knickknacks, milk, nails, and deodorant are available at the Paisley Mercantile. If you’re into quilting, there are shops in Lakeview and Paisley. The county could use more pharmacies—there is only one, called Howard’s, in Lakeview. And there is the one hospital, of which I am an employee since they took over the county mental health service. Folks in north lake county go shopping up in another county, Deschutes, where there is Costco and Walmart and BiMart, which has a pharmacy. Is BiMart only for bisexuals? No. Bisexuals are the largest category of not-straight, though you’d never know it by popular culture. I guess I’d have to dust off my official bisexual card. Kidding. No such thing. I’m a lesbian-identified bisexual, based on my history, and a persistent crush on Ryan Gosling. Anyway, we support small businesses out of necessity here in the Oregon Outback because we have no choice. And I gladly pay a little more for gas at the Summer Lake General Store and the Chewaucan garage to thank them for persisting and existing.

Since I moved out here, I’ve been especially interested in stories in the news about people who are building bridges, across class and race and political party. Black friends on facebook encourage all their white friends to be a proactive ally against racism in all its forms. I do speak up when there is an opportunity, which is a tricky thing to recognize. Speaking up in a way that communicates, and builds a bridge. I listen to a bunch of podcasts which are focusing on studies of bias (Hidden Brain, Invisibilia, Freakonomics.) A recent story from Sincerely x was narrated by a black woman who was told repeatedly by her mom and her teachers that she ‘ain’t nothing, and ain’t gonna BE nothing.’ She has proven everyone wrong. I listen to This American Life, Moth Radio Hour, Strangers, Terrible Thanks for Asking, and a couple with funny names like “Conversations with People who Hate Me.” There’s a podcast called Home of the Brave, and the narrator interviews Trump supporters hoping to understand them better, and another called Strangers, same thing. Us & Them is a podcast out of West Virginia. It had a recent episode called Hillers and Creekers which described the bullying that upper class (Hillers) did to working class (Creekers) residents. Wow. To make sure I don’t lose touch altogether with black culture, I listen to 2 Dope Queens and Historically Black. I’ve subscribed to Reparations but haven’t listened yet. There’s Still Processing from the New York Times, which focused on biracial folks in the most recent episode. I fill my ears and mind with hours of podcasts every week, what with all the driving I do beyond the reach of radio. I am the better for it. I may work less than 30 hours a week, but I drive another 8 hours for my commute.

I confess I wish someone would like to build a bridge to me. A friend of Valerie’s invited us over for dinner early on, and included one of the resident gun-worshipping, trump-supporting curmudgeons. She proceeded to start a conversation about racism. It did not go well. Of course, the curmudgeon did not have a racist bone in his body (where are those blasted racist bones, anyway?) And, naturally, he’d had one unfortunate encounter with a black person in which the black person was mean to him and so, that’s it: black people had a chance and they blew it. It was too vast a territory to traverse over tri tip. He didn’t trust me. And I don’t know what our host intended. Self-described as a moderate republican, she is a decent person, and noble to the point of saintliness in some of her activities here in rural America. But I felt put on the spot, and discouraged. I’m game. But I do not desire to be put on a hot seat and ask to explain 400 years of white supremacy, and why it is still real and still important, as a sort of freak show. I had an idea about starting an anti-racist book group when I first arrived. Let me get my health together first; i just don’t have the energy right now.

Have I mentioned how gorgeously beautifully picturesque this place is? How happy I am to snuggle next to my beloved girlfriend in the fake brass bed I got off of the DC Craigslist? How much I enjoy all the wool I am collecting? I am one prolific lap blanket maker right about now. How glad I am that I made this move?

#antiracism addiction lgbt rural

1 note · View note

artificialqueens · 8 years ago

Text

New Man Pt. 2 - Fucking Awful.

A/N: THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR KIND FEEDBACK! I am so appreciative that you took the time to read Part 1 of “New Man” and glad to hear you enjoyed it. You all make my little Grinch heart grow 10 sizes.

Here is Part 2 – I know I promised fluff and happiness, but the story took me in a different direction for this chapter. That said, this is Part 2/?? and if you bear with my I promise to take you to the Promised Land of kisses and glitter. Darkness before the dawn, right?

A good chunk of this is flashback/Roy recounting how we got here, so not as much forward movement as background. Hope you don’t mind some heavy-handed exposition…

Last 2 things – I’m seeing what happens if I switch into Roy’s POV, because I like the narrative structure flipping back and forth between the 2. Would love to get feedback on that, and happy to adapt the structure to one POV or the other if you have strong feelings. AND THIS IS A LONG ONE, sorry if 3K words is brutal.

Thanks for readying, y’all are the real MVPs.

This was going really fucking great.

That was the only thing running through Roy’s mind as he felt Danny smile underneath his kiss. In the 4 hours he’d been in Seattle he thought he had totally screwed up his plan, but somehow things had gotten back on track. Clearly this was meant to –

And then Danny broke away. Suddenly, roughly. Ripping is lips away and pushing off with surprising force. Roy stumbled back a few paces as both men caught their breath.

“No. This is…you’re…no.” Danny picked up the lighter he’d dropped in the heat of the moment, still muttering to himself just low enough that Roy couldn’t hear. Then he grabbed Roy by the forearm and dragged him back into the bar – again, sudden and rough. Roy couldn’t help but giggle just a tiny bit, thinking how ridiculous Danny must look hauling a 40-year-old man off like a misbehaving toddler.

“This isn’t funny, man. What was…ugh!” Throwing his hands off dramatically, Danny let go and continued back to their friends. Shit, the kid was really frustrated and probably even a little mad. Roy steeled himself from the drunken giggles, rejoining the table a few seconds behind.

He was thankful that the crew didn’t acknowledge anything that had just happened – the benefit of drunk friends, amiright? Roy eased back into the group conversation, light chatter about who totally saw the ending coming on Westworld or what memes would make the best protest t-shirts. He took every opportunity to steal an unnoticed look at Danny, who was half participating in the discussion and half furiously clicking at his phone. In his cross-faded fog, Roy couldn’t tell what the kid was doing. Grindr? Writing a novel? Playing Bejeweled – that was still a thing, right?

His stealth staring mission was clearly a failure, though, evidenced by the sharp kick of Jinkx’s boot on his shin.

“OH what the fuck Jinkx?!” Curiosity became shooting pain as Roy clutched for his leg underneath the table.

“Sorry Roy, clumsy as ever! Let me grab you a drink, dull the pain. Come with me to the bar?” The redhead emphasized the last request with Uzo Aduba-level crazy eyes. This was not a request, and while Jinkx didn’t intimidate Roy he was too fuzzy to fight.

“Sure, queen. Somebody has to make sure you don’t drop the booze.” Oof, his snapbacks were weak tonight. The two left the table and headed to see Todd at the bar.

“I’ll take a –“

“Oh no, you’ll have a water. Todd, water for Bianca del Drunko. I’ll take a few shots of Jack for the table, and Ginger backs.” Roy pouted and raised an eyebrow, sorting through his Rolodex of Hate for a quippy insult about ginger and redheads and minj, but finding his speed dulled a bit by the smoke and alcohol.

Jinkx turned back to him. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on with you right now but get it together. Jesus, del Rio, you’re supposed to be the mature one. The rest of us get to fuck things up. Just drink your water and mellow out for a minute.” The redhead knew about Roy’s plan, his oh-so-secret plan to use this weekend to woo Danny, and could tell he was putting it at risk.

“Alright, alright Jinkx. Don’t get so worked up you fall asleep on me.”

The joke fell flat. “You can do better than that.”

“Damn straight I can. You –“

For what had to be the millionth time that night, Roy was interrupted. This time by his phone, pinging with a text – from Danny. Roy looked over to the table to see what was going on, but all he saw was the kid deep in conversation and finally ignoring his phone. Roy swiped to open…

Danny: What the hell, Roy? I know we haven’t gotten to see much of each other since I moved up here, but something is different about you and it’s really fucked. You’ve been acting like a bit of a cunt the last few weeks, you hardly call me or Shane or even your mom anymore, and now you’re here doing everything you can to cheat on your boyfriend? With strangers, with me…This isn’t you, and if it is then I’m not sure I know you anymore.

Roy scanned the text eight more times before throwing his phone down on the bar. Jinkx didn’t flinch, too occupied flirting with one of the cute bartenders. Seizing the moment, Roy grabbed the three shots of Jack the guy had poured and knocked them back in quick succession. It wasn’t until the slam of the last shot glass onto the bar that the redhead looked up, just in time to see Roy storming for the exit.

As he stood out on the curb, trying desperately to get an Uber with his now smashed up phone, there was only one thing running through Roy’s mind:

This was going really fucking awful.

—

Roy woke up suddenly, eyes snapping open to his unfamiliar hotel room lit by dawn creeping through haphazardly closed curtains. He rolled over to look at the clock – 5:12am. It figures, Roy was never one to sleep off a night of drinking. While most people spent the next day wrapped in blankets and sleeping like a rock until at least 11am, he always seemed to be yanked out of slumber after only a few hours of restless shut-eye. Sometime between 5am and 6am he would be awake, mind reeling and trying unsuccessfully to will himself back to sleep until the headache went away.

This morning was no different – only the pain was so, so much worse. Sure, he used three shots of whiskey to put an exclamation mark on a night of heavy drinking, but the pain that was nagging him most was emotional. Roy grabbed for his phone – oh right, it was smashed to shit by angry Bianca last night – and re-read Danny’s text. He was hit by a sudden wave of nausea, a feeling that made him want to cry as it made him want to vomit. He grabbed a bottle of water from the minibar, charge be damned, and chugged the whole thing has he tried to figure out how the hell he had screwed this up so badly.

—

His plan was never *simple*, but that wouldn’t be Roy’s style. As Bob had frequently told him, he was a “lover of complexity” and couldn’t help himself. The plan to woo Danny was no different.

To say he cooked this up when he caught Sky sleeping with one of his personal training clients 2 weeks ago was only half right. Roy had actually planned to spend the three months off between the US and UK legs of Not Today Satan to finally make a play for Danny, but bitch moved to Seattle before he could make any of the many grand gestures he’d cooked up. In the first few weeks after Danny left, when the kid’s social media had been flooded with posts about how much he loved Seattle and the people, Roy hit a real low point. Jealous, exhausted, and feeling quite sorry for himself, he met Sky in a bar and hooked up with him a few times before falling into an effortless relationship.

Effortless not in the good sense of the word, though; effortless in the sense that Roy put in literally no effort, and didn’t care to make it work. The guy was named SKY after all – Roy could barely believe he’d been able to fuck a guy named Sky for 2 whole months, but he supposed the abs helped. Sky was just a nice distraction, a pretty shiny toy to brag about when he needed to overcompensate in conversations with Danny and Shane…which had quickly become all the time. He learned a hot, rich boyfriend is a great way to deflect questions about himself or his wellbeing. The new man, combined with dialing the bitchiness up to 11, was like armor; helpful in denying to himself and the outside world that he was not in a good place.

But when Roy walked in on Sky with his 2pm-Tuesdays balls deep in his ass, he resolved that even in his lowest moments he had the self-respect not to date a cheater. So he cut if off with Sky and 20 minutes later booked a 2 week trip to Seattle. Time to put the Noriega-Haylock plan back in action, for the thousandth time in 4 years.

This time, Roy would show Danny how perfect and the right kind of effortless they could be. He would breeze into town – but let’s be real, Roy never breezes – and seamlessly integrate himself into the Seattle version of Danny’s life. He would meet the new friends, support him at all his local shows, become a member at the EMP…hell he’d even buy a few flannels and a beanie. At the same time, Roy would make his feelings for Danny abundantly clear. He was confident that Danny reciprocated them; he knew it in his heart, but he also knew because Danny had told him on more than one occasion. Three times over the course of their friendship Danny had been the fearless one and professed his love for Roy. Ok, so maybe fearless is the wrong word – the drunk and cross-faded one may be a more apt description – but the point was that Roy knew Danny wanted this as much as he did. He felt it in his soul, his mind, every fiber of his body. Now it was time to make it real.

After booking the flights, he called Dela to layout his plan. He knew he needed a confidante in this, and it wouldn’t be fair to Shane to put him in the middle of this.

“B, I’m really glad you’re finally taking the plunge with Danny. It’s been too long coming. But you realize you have 2 big problems, right?” Ben was his always-enthusiastic self, but had some concerns. “You still aren’t solving the long-distance and time problem you’ve always been worried about.”

“We’ll find a way to work through it. I have to stop using that as an excuse to not give this a chance.”

“Very big of you, and I agree. But, uh, the second thing – don’t you have a boyfriend?”

“Well, funny story – no. That was always a waste of my time – c’mon, his name was SKY – and I caught him getting fucked by a bear about an hour ago.”

“Oh sweetie, I’m so sorry! Are you ok? Are you alone?” Ben launched into caregiver mode, instantly making Roy uncomfortable.

“No, Ben I’m really fine. It was not –“

“I know Michelle’s in town, she’s always my breakup guru, maybe you should –“

Fuck. Roy realized a major problem. If he announced to his friends (and social media, shit) that he and his new man had broken up, his life would become an endless barrage of sympathy. Everything he’d done to ward off questions about the bags under his tired eyes, the increasingly infrequent and short calls to friends and family, and the mess in his usually tidy life would crumble. Roy couldn’t have that – he was fine, he was the caretaker for everyone else, and he couldn’t stand people to fuss over his well-being.

It was in that moment that he made the decision that made the plan *complex* - “Ben, stop. I’m fine, really I’m ok. Peachy fucking keen. But can I ask one favor of you? One tiny thing and I’ll name my next dog after you?”

“Anything, dear.”

“Do not – and I repeat, do NOT – tell anyone that Sky and I broke up.”

“What?” Ben was confused, understandably.

“I don’t want to deal with all of these conversations about it, and the only person who really needs to know right now is Danny. I’ll tell him in person when I’m in Seattle, please just keep quiet about it until then.”

“I’m not sure that’s the best…”

“Please, Dela. Just let me do this my way?”

After a long pause – “Ok, alright, sure. Let me go on record saying I don’t think that’s a healthy way to handle this.”

“Dually noted, Judge Judy. Thank you, I appreciate it.” Roy hung up with Dela and began crafting his “casual” message to Danny to tell him he’d be in town. Mid-way through the 5th round of editing, his phone rang: Jinkx.

“Hey Jinkx, can I call you back I –“

“Are you an idiot? I mean really, are the blonde wigs affecting your brain?” Jinkx steamrolled him.

“Excuse me?” “Dela is on with me – I know what you’re coming to Seattle to do –“

“Well now it’s to come cut up that bitch Dela’s wigs. I asked you one thing, you little fruit fly –“ “Sorry Roy, I –“

“Don’t apologize, Ben. He was right to tell me, he’s going to be out of town when you get here and someone has to help you not screw this up. I know we can’t talk you out of it, but at least let us try to support you. This is big risk, big reward, and it could – you’re going to need wing-people.”

Roy knew there was no point in fighting. As good natured as Jinkx was, bitch was aggressive. If we wanted to help, goddammit he was going to help. With a sigh – “Ok, you’re in on this. Great. But please let me handle this they way I want to – I need to. Danny and I are endgame to a long, long story and I have to do this the way I feel is right. If this gets out beyond the two of you, I will call Darienne and Roxxxy so that those shady elephants can trample you. Is that clear?”

“Sure, whatever you say.” Jinkx scoffed.

Ben soothed. “What Jinkx means to say, Roy, is we are here for you and support you. We are so happy you’re finally going after what we’ve all seen for years.”

“Yes, all that.” Jinkx reassured. “And I promise I won’t let you fuck it up.”

Roy laughed. “Gee, thanks.” Now, with less sarcasm – “I do actually appreciate it. But I think I got this.”

It was Jinkx’s turn for sarcasm. “Uh huh, sure.”

—

It did not bring Roy any joy to have proven Jinkx right. Again, he felt nauseous.

He had basically blown his chance with Danny on the first night but if he was being honest the mistakes started long before. The sexting. See, Roy refused to tell anyone else – not Shane, not Detox, nobody – about his breakup with Sky. That meant a lot of nights alone before his trip to Seattle, pretending to be busy to avoid having to be avoidant. That also meant a lot of solo wine nights, which somehow quickly devolved into sending dirty texts – so, so many dirty texts – to Danny. Now that he was committing to his pursuit, the fact that his every sexual fantasy had the same male lead was not something Drunk Roy felt the need to hide. At some point every night, his filter would disappear and he’d send Danny a (he thought) beautifully written description of the patterns he wanted to draw across his body with his tongue, the ways in which he wanted to tie up and be tied, the rhythms he wanted to pound into him, etc.

That Danny did not respond to these texts or bring them up in their regular conversations was a little confusing to Roy, but he was glad for it. He figured Danny just read them when he was equally pissed drunk – he knew he deleted messages as he read them – and forgot about it. At least that’s what he hoped, so that there could be some element of surprise in his plan. But seeing Danny’s reaction to the kiss and everything after, Roy understood he was wrong. It seemed like Danny was actually mad about it – not a reaction he had expected.

And then there was the bar – for that, Roy couldn’t muster an explanation or an excuse. He knew that he did this. During times of high anxiety and stress, Roy makes terrible decisions when he drinks. He tried for years to understand how or why, but for some reason worry plus whiskey turns him into a bad idea machine. This wasn’t the first time the same combination ended with him lip-locked (or worse) with a stranger that he later regretted. He should’ve just kept it low-key last night, not drinking much if at all so that he could play it cool with Danny. But nerves got the best of Roy, and from the moment he got on the plane he’d been building a buzz. By the time he got to the bar he was browning out, and he barely remembered how he ended up cuddled up with this random guy.

It wasn’t until Danny started singing that damn song that Roy realized what was going on. Immediately he was horrified – it looked like he was cheating on his boyfriend. Not only did he ignore the love of his life when he had flown to Seattle to see him, but he also appeared to be committing Danny’s #1 cardinal unforgivable sin. He immediately stood up and left the stranger’s table, and rejoined his so-called friends – What the fuck, why didn’t Jinkx stop him? What kind of wing-person was that? Roy sat for a few minutes, half seething and half feeling like he was actually going to die of embarrassment and sadness. When he saw Danny get up to leave, he jumped at the chance to catch him outside and apologize.

And yet – again, with the good ideas from Drunk Roy – instead of apologizing he found himself aggressively accosting Danny before going in for the kiss he’d dreamed about for years. And for just a few seconds, Roy thought everything was going to be ok. He thought that despite all his mistakes today, the last two weeks, the last few years…he thought he’d finally gotten it right. But we all saw how that ended…

—

Finished with a second bottle of water now, Roy emerged from his self reflective daze. He stared at the text from Danny hoping against all hope that he would feel better and last night could be erased and that he could save him and Danny. But when he looked down at the message for the thousandth time, he had to choke back searing tears.

I’m not sure I know you anymore.

“Sometimes I don’t think I know me anymore either, kid.” He muttered. He rifled through is bag to find some Benadryl – the only way he can sleep some days – and popped two of the pink pills before rolling back to bed. “But I’ll make this right. God and Joan Rivers help me, we’re gonna do this.”

Roy couldn’t fix anything now, so at least he could try to sleep.

—

[End of Part 2]

#bianca del rio #adore delano #jinkx monsoon #bendelacreme #biadore #angst #tw cheating #tw depression #rpdr fanfiction #submission #new man #fucking awful #canon compliant

33 notes · View notes

iheartsurveys · 8 years ago

Text

128

closest living thing to you? I have a lucky bamboo on my mini dresser side table thing, and another on my desk. I love bamboo, and succulents too but the last one I had died since my room doesn't really get a lot of sunlight so I've just stuck to the bamboo anything planned for this sunday? Today is Sunday & it's pretty much over... we drove home from ny and then ran some errands here and watched the caps game. Now I'll probably do 1 or 2 surveys and maybe watch an episode of parks & rec, or just put the tv on and fall asleep because I'm so damn tired do you get cold easily? Yes I'm almost always cold do you use a toaster or toaster oven? Toaster do you have a job? Yes but I haven't started yet, story of my life amiright?!? are you a big zac efron fan? He's attractive and I probably follow him on insta but I'm not like obsessed & wouldn't include him in the top 5 of my celeb crushes. Even back in the day when he was in high school musical, I thought he was cute but hsm coincided with the Jonas brothers in their prime and I loved nick, and at the same time I loved fall out boy & Pete wentz. So yeah he's never been my ultimate fave... lol @ me liking nick Jonas and Pete wentz at the same time, that's just middle school me in a nutshell would you rather drown or burn alive? Well that's a lovely question. I guess for the sake of idk what I'll answer & say drown do you own a dictionary? Yes but I haven't used it in forever because the internet is your friend do you like to mow the yard? Never have, and we have a lawn guy were you happy when you woke up today? No because I woke up at 5:30 after only 4 and a half hours of sleep. Of course the one night I needed to go to sleep at like 10 or 11 the people in the hotel room next to us decided to have a party or something, idk it was so loud I was so annoyed who was the last person you ate with? My mom and stepdad did you drink any coffee today? No who is the last person you got really pissed off with? The people in the hotel if you’re in school, how is it going for you? I'm not who was the last member of the opposite sex you laid in a bed with? Andrew I guess? Damn and that was forever ago my romantic life is so blah these days have you ever thought about going to culinary school? No what time do you have to be in work? Not working yet what color is your father’s car? I'm actually not sure because he's gotten a new car since the summer when I saw him what type of sushi do you like to eat? Not really into sushi where’s the last place you wore a hoodie to? I wore one today on the car ride home from ny are your nails painted any special color? They're not painted give us your plans for the next three hours? Finish this, maybe do another, probably not Netflix anymore I'm so sleepy, and might just put on the tv and fall asleep can you live a day without tv? Sure how many pets do you have? 4 lol has this weekend been good? Yeah it was nice, I love going to Long Island and it's nice seeing family you haven't seen in a while. And of course the food in NY is amazing, I need to def hop on the working out train tomorrow Have you ever had a best friend who was of the opposite sex? Yeah was yesterday better than today? Yeah because I got to sleep in and I was still in NY and we went to the diner (twice lol) and today I had to wake up at the ass crack of dawn and spend hours in the car and I didn't get to nap do you prefer broccoli or asparagus? Asparagus. Broccoli smells awful and the tops are gross it's like eating moss or something bleh where do you buy most of your shoes? Dsw or target ever drive all night to get to someone? No do you have any complaints about your life? It's pretty decent but I have a few things that could be going better where was the last place you stayed over? Hotel in NY skim, 1%, 2%, or whole milk? 1% would you rather be a priest or a drug dealer? I guess a priest lollll. I mean I really don't want to be either, I'm not strongly religious, but I could never be a drug dealer like I don't do drugs and I already have anxiety, I'd be constantly anxious then. Which is why between the two I'd go priest was the last person you kissed physically attractive? Yes do you watch the news? Yes does anything on your body itch right now? Nothing did, until I read that sentence lol now what are you listening to? My fan do you have any bug bites? No can you listen to music and read at the same time? Nope doesn’t the thought of getting a cut on the back of your ankle make you sick? I've been cut there! The bottom corner of a storm door got my foot when I was like, 11 maybe. It hurt like a bitch and I still have the scar own a sundress? No do you prefer to say ‘haha” or “lol?” I use either, doesn't matter do you have any flowers in your room? I have a fake one do you know anyone that owns horses? My cousin has 2 horses how many stories does your house have? 2

#surveys

0 notes

viralhottopics · 8 years ago

Text

‘Are You The One?’ Recap: Hi My Name Is Tyranny And Im An Alcoholic

Hello everyone. I would like to thank my loyal followers for questioning my whereabouts on Twitter. I was actually on vacation, because Im not poor. Sorry, but watching these morons was just not a fucking option. I was zen AF and I dont need Carolinas crocodile tears ruining it, k thx.

ANYWAYS, so onto the episode. It was kind of eh, Im going to be honest. If youre looking for another reason to be annoyed by Giannas existence though, then it def delivered.

AFTER THE MATCH CEREMONY

They are all pumped about getting four beams. In fact, if you took a shot for every time someone said four fucking beams youd need to get stomach pumped four fucking times.

Tyranny is like Ossssssssssssssssvaldo is my match. Honestly can we just cut the accent though? Hes from Chicago for gods sake, not Italy.

Oswaldo is not so sure. Hes like she could be my match! Or she isnt! Yeah, thats pretty much how life works, actually.

Also, can we acknowledge the giant-ass drink Tee has the whole time? That cup is actually my favorite cast member this season.

Carolina and Hayden start having a pillow fight because FOUR FUCKING BEAMS, AMIRIGHT?

Now Carolina is very suddenly into Hayden. Carolinas emotions give me whiplash. Betsy DeVos nomination was more certain than this bitch.

Gianna is like “OH NO. NOT TODAY. I DID NOT LEAVE THE SOUTHSIDE FOR THIS.” Shes like I’M GOING TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE THIS MAN WHO TREATS ME SO WELL. Even though they are a confirmed no match. Makes total sense.

So you unfriend-zoned him to cock block him? Seems v fair. So when you go to sleep, do you leave Haydens balls under your pillow or on your nightstand? Let me know.

*Starts Twitter Poll* Is Gianna hot? Yes or No?

Tyler apologizes to Taylor and is like “I have no excuse for being the ‘big bad wolf’ in this.” So youre eating peoples grandmas now? Very Hannibal Lecter-chic. Not sure Tyler understands that hes referencing a fairytale, but hes pretty so well overlook it.

Hes like these girls are all over me wah, life is hard.

TAYLOR: Im mad *looks at Tylers beautiful face* but Im not like, thatttt mad

Hes like Im not that guy, you know that! Shes like,

TYLER: I want to dump Shannon and date you

EVERYONE AT HOME:

Gianna goes to have a talk with Hayden, which she announces for everyone to know. Shes from the Midwest, okay? Shes not used to this whole having brains thing, cut her some slack!

GIANNA: HEY CAMERA GUY IM GOING TO HAVE A TALK WITH HAYDEN ALSO GIANNA: were very low-key shhhh

Little Mike is like this is bullshit, they are not a match, they need to stop and its like SAY IT LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK.

GIANNA: I dont want to stop you from doing something but stop fucking doing it. (Im not even making that up, thats an exact quote) HAYDEN: But I need to play the game GIANNA: Did I fucking stutter

So Hayden has relocated from friendzone island to being a little bitch island. Need a house warming gift, Hayden? Ill get you crowbar so you can pull your head out of your ass. Youre welcome.

Gianna and Hayden have sex, giving life to the newest Trump supporter Im sure. Carolina sees all of this and is like wtffffff. Shes like, totally in love with Hayden! Like, they spoke for a whole 10 minutes. Didnt that mean anything to him?

Andre is like “IF THEY FUCK THIS UP IM GOING TO BE PISSED” and Im like do it. Get mad. You wont. No balls.

Honestly, Gianna could probs take Andre in a fight. That girl should be a fuckin prison warden.

THE CHALLENGE

The challenge this week is for the dudes. The guys have to spin themselves and then go through an obstacle course. Then they have to shoot a basketball into the hoop of the girl they want to date. The person who shoots the third basketball in the hoop wins the date.

challenges sound like the hazing the gay frats do. Its all v weak.

The guys start the game and are falling all over the place. *plays Ed Sheeran*

Hayden is like, fuck it. Fuck this game. Idfc anymore, Im here for Gianna.

HAYDEN:I love Gianna

ME:

He decides to help Oswaldo win a date with Tee. See heres the thingI like Hayden, but I also think hes being very dumb. Its a hard spot for me rn. Really struggling.

Tee being proud of Oswaldo for winning is like Trump being proud of winning president. We all know he couldnt have won without Hayden/Russia.

Derrick and Joey are trying to win Rush Boobss date. Derrick wants to win because fuck Joey. Theyre shooting for legit five minutes. Seriously, Ive seen better shots from . When is the last time you played basketball? Third grade? Derricks like I played division I basketball! which sounds like an alternative fact to me.

Joey wins. So its Osvaldo/Tee and Joey/Rush Boobs.

Ryan tells them they are going to trapeze and Tee is like Im black, I shouldnt be in the air. How did you get to the Dominican Republic? Drive? Horseback? I didnt know your skin color made you less aerodynamic. I just saw and honestly, Im a fucking scientist now.

BACK AT THE HOUSE

Lets all agree that Tee is low-key alcoholic. Shes constantly sipping from that big-ass cup and it seems like they have a good connection. Could that be her match?

Eddie is talking to Alicia about how he is poor and shes like “LOL not me, cant relate to you peasant.” Eddie, you need to get your ass over to Kam where you fucking belong. Know your fucking place. Do not fuck this up for me, Eddie.

Tyler is trying to break up with Shannon and it is a train fucking wreck. Hes like I need to do the right thing and leave you. He actually stole the whole speech from Gabriella in .

REAL PICTURE OF TYLER:

Shannon is like “I feel dumb.” And she should, because she just got played. I feel bad for Shannon. Her voice makes me want to take a waltz off a bridge, but I do feel things, kind of.

Tylers like I didnt realize girls have feelings and get mad when you treat them poorly. Thats like saying I didnt know when you light shit on fire, it gets hot.

Meanwhile, Tee is very much trying to date rape Osvaldo. Its creepy tbh. If a guy was doing that to a girl on this show I would be dialing 911 by now. Tee, knock it off, it’s super gross.

They go to the boom boom room and literally boom boom because they break something. Oswaldo, way to not hold your ground.

Kam is oiling Eddie up and being goofy. I needed this.

Shes like I know Alicia and Eddy have a good friendship, Im not getting territorial, because this is a game show. I LOVE YOU KAM, I AM STARTING YOUR FAN CLUB. Shes so rational. Everyone be like her please.

THE DATE

Oswaldo is like this date will take our relationship to the next level, even though it already has gone to the next level. *wink, wink* I remember when I lost my virginity. We get it, you had sex.

They go to the trapeze place and Oswaldo is like Hopefully I dont break my neck. Thats a pretty reasonable goal.

They all are like surprisingly good at this. Even Tee, whose blackness surprisingly does not hinder her capabilities. Its a miracle.

Oswaldo and Tee are like being lovey-dovey because they fucked that one time. Hes like shes not trying to rape me and I like this side of her. I too am a big fan of the people who dont try and sexually assault me. Weird.

THE TRUTH BOOTH

Ryan comes in hot and asks about the no matches, aka Gianna and Hayden, still hooking up.

Giannas like HOW IS THIS OUR FAULT??? Uh, youre a confirmed no match and youre hooking up. I feel like Im taking crazy pills. Leave the dumb shit to Rush Boobs, please god.

The house is like, “ugh we hate you, lets just get this shit over with.” Thats how I felt with pledges in my sorority.

Tyranny and Oswaldo go to the truth booth because duh.

OSWALDO: Im excited to learn if were a match and really connect on a deeper level. TEE: Im tryna fuck.

Im stressed because Tee will def die of alcohol poisoning tonight if this doesnt work out. And what do you know, NO MATCH.

Tee was like I was falling in love with him. Shes crying. Hes crying. This is depressing. Did I accidentally sit on the remote and turn on ?

Oswaldo starts boxing while Andre is talking him down and all the guys hug him. Wow, I love the bromance. What I love more is that eventually one of them will try and fight another. #Drama

After everything, Tyler and Shannon are still hanging out. Whats Tylers favorite thing about Shannon? She isnt Taylor. Hes got high standards, ya know? #FourFuckingBeams

Taylor is like youre fucked up. And hes like why, because Im having a conversation?

Ugh Taylor, this paaaaains me to say, because I usually automatically side with the hot girl, but hes low-key right. You need to chill out and move on. Hes not worth it, dude. Hes just not.

Andre asks Taylor wtf shes doing with Tyler and Im like YAS KEEP THIS UP.

Andre is like actually, we like each other, Taylor. And shes like wait, yeah we do. WTF is this Jedi mind control shit Andre has.

ANDRE: *swinging coin back and forth* you are getting very sleepy.. and youre going to fuck me TAYLOR: *eyes glazed* yes, master

He says that she should be a Victorias Secret Model and honestly she should marry him just for that. Like thats compliment of the goddam century.

THE MATCHUP CEREMONY

Its the boys pick tonight. Please note that last time they blacked out harder than Tee does on any given weeknight.

Little Mike gets the ball rollin the wrong way and picks Kam.

Mikes like following our heart doesnt work. Hes like we should venture off, and though thats noble, maaaaaaybe not at the match ceremony. Thats like Michael Phelps being like LOOK FREESTYLE JUST DOESNT WORK right before the 4×100 relay.

Ozzy picks Hannah.

Oswaldo is up next and hes like “I GOTTA DO ME.” He picks Taylor.

Ryan asks Taylor how she feels about Tyler and shes like whos Tyler? Andre and her give each other looks and Im like OKAY YES IM HERE FOR THIS SHIT.

Ryans like Andre, do you wish you were with her and hes like Im practicing my patience. Whatever the fuck that means.

Oswaldo is like standing next to her like, lol just fuck me, right?

Andre picks Casandra.

Eddy picks Alicia and is like this is my homie.

KAM: I AM NOT WORRIED. ARE YOU WORRIED, BECAUSE I AM NOT WORRIED!!! *twitches*

Joey picks Rush boobs.

Derrick picks Gianna. Weird.

Tylers up and fucking moseys up to the front. Goddam hes like a walking Shakespeare playtragically beautiful.

Hes like Ryan, let me speak and Ryans like I didnt even say anything, but ok.

Tyler goes off about how he was painted as the villain and how he is innocent and how all this Taylor shit is fake news and the failing lamestream media is spreading false rumors!!! Sad!

Ryan asks Tyler who he likes more, Shannon or Taylor and Tyler picks Shannon.

RYAN: Do you think Tyler is your match? SHANNON: IDK RYAN: Is Taylor his match? SHANNON: IDK RYAN: Is the world round? SHANNON: IDK

Tylers talking about his breakup with Taylor and is like it sucks because you cant delete people in the real world. This is the first thing that I agree with him on. Dont worry Tyler, Ive watched . Well get to that point someday.

Michael picks KARI. Is it Carrie or KAAAAAARI? I have been saying KAAAAARI. Please DM some confirmation.

Hayden is next. Hayden tells the group that him and Gianna are affecting the game and they are going to stop screwing everyone over.

Gianna is like “WTF. WHO TOLD HIM HE COULD SPEAK? WHO LET HIM OUT OF HIS CAGE?” He picks Carolina. Hehe.

Jaylen and Tee are last. Tee is really bummed about Oswaldo and Ryan is like, “bitch its week four.”

These couples are random AF but idk Im drunk and just here to shit talk. Dont give that much of a fuck.

No blackout, so thats good. They get four beams again. Cant wait to hear them talk about it incessantly.