#tomatoes are a bit old and from a store

[loudestcloud]

I made stringing nettle soup for the 2nd time ever and then had to microwave it for 1:30m because I'd under cooked it a bit. I added mushrooms, seeds, basil and tomatoes just because and now it looks like a whole garden in a soup

[rafesangelita]

hii!! i was thinking of bsf!jj but a bit pervy?? like for example he always warns reader to wear tops that are less revealing and don't have her tits all out, but when she does wear tops like that— he uses her as some sort of prize at random stores for free shit, being the little innocent thing reader is, jj coaches reader what to do n how to do it!!!

warnings: dark themes (you’ve been warned!!), manipulation, coercion, playful banter

a/n: okay i can’t believe i let this req sit for so long.. some more pervybsf!jj requests would be amazing and immensely appreciated!!

jj never failed to make you cross your arms over your chest, an inkling of insecurity gnawing at your heart strings as he lectured you about wearing anything that showed too much skin.. especially your tits. he’d pull you aside from the rest of the group, caging you between his arms as he leaned down and spoke roughly in your ear. “what did i tell you about wearing shit like this? you have everyone looking at you and thinking of god knows what.” despite him making a pout form on your lips, the harshness of his words was softened by the slow strokes of his fingertips against your cheek.

“i just thought it was pretty—” you gazed up at him with teary eyes, “it is. it’s sooo pretty, but i don’t think everyone needs to see you in it,” he traced the neckline of your top, a shiver running down your spine as he skimmed the soft flesh of your breasts, “unless you could get me something out of it..” your face twisted into one of confusion as jj was hit with an epiphany, an evil grin spreading across his lips at the thought. from that day forward, jj made you wear a cardigan with all of your cute tops, only allowing you to take it off once you two walked inside a store or restaurant establishment.

“remember to do what i told you, alright? you’re gonna go in, lean over the counter, talk up the guy at the front and pretend you forgot your money, yeah?” you nodded, repeating jj’s instructions to yourself as you also tried to remember his food order. “and don’t forget to bite your lip a little bit like we practiced, okay? don’t overthink it too much, you’re already the prettiest thing in this joint, just let your face and your tits do all the talking.” jj was quick to push you inside, a small gasp leaving your lips as you nearly lost your footing on the uneven floor tile of the old diner.

jj paced back and forth outside, occasionally glancing through the window to make sure everything was going as planned. in no time, he was smiling to himself as you walked out with two bags in your arms, your face heated with embarrassment as you sipped on a strawberry milkshake. “that’s my fucking girl, look at all of this!” he helped you out and took the bags full of food, quickly unwrapping a burger and taking a bite. “eugh— what the fuck.. y/n, i said no tomatoes!” he cursed under his breath, picking it out and throwing it over his shoulder.

“i couldn’t remember! i had a lot going on in my head, okay?!” jj waved you off, pressing a kiss to your temple before stealing a sip from your shake. “s’fine..” he winked, “this is dinner.” slipping on the spare t-shirt jj had hanging from around his neck, you two walked into the chateau, announcing for everyone to come and eat. john b, along with pope, cleo, and kie all looked at each other suspiciously, their gazes flickering between you and jj. “okay.. i know for a fact that y/n didn’t pay for all of this, and you have ten bucks in your pocket on a good day, so how did y’all—” jj laughed nervously, cutting pope off, “are you hungry or not?”

[mayasaurusss]

I love your writing.Pls, can u do jinx gets reader to try out a lingerie 🙏

It fits you just right

Contains: suggestive themes but not exlicit smut, soft Jinx.

"Babyyy, I've got you something!" Jinx's loud voice echoes inside her hideout, catching your attention.

She has been gone for a couple of hours at least, having told you that she was going to do some of her usual mischief in Piltover. You bet she painted that town blue from head to toe.

She walks in on the helix, humming a made up song and carrying big patched sacks on her shoulders.

You get your from the couch and push away the book she so kindly took -stole- for you, following her small bouncing with your eyes. "Jinx! What have you..." she throws the bags on the ground just before your feet, their contents spilling all over the floor.

Trinkets of any type, scraps of dull metal, old cupboard sweets and clothes overflow from the linen sacks, tinkling resonating inside the room. You marvel at the many trinkets she got, turning over their glass shells and admiring the many colors reflecting on their metal surfaces. "Jinx!" you say while stuffing your hands inside the creases of a brand new coat, "where have you gotten all this stuff?!".

Her silence is enough to make you understand what she did before she even opens her mouth. "What?! They took everything from us, I'm just repaying them the favor" she moves around you and watches as you intently examine every object she took -stole, again-.

"I told you to me and to me again, you gotta stop steal-" you are rudely interrupted by her exasperated voice, "Yeah yeah I get it! I know".

Silence fills the space again, something that doesn't usually happen while Jinx is there. You look up to see her usual pale skin tone replaced by a faint pink. Her bottom lip is pressed beneath her teeth and her eyes avoid yours. You can already feel a bit of annoyance at her almost childish ways taking their place on the sides of your brain, "What is it?". A small choked sound comes from Jinx's throat, she rocks in the balls of her feet for a moment before you see her taking in a deep breath, closing her eyes and pushing a paper bag towards you. You blink your eyes a few times, surprised by her, before you take the paper bag and open it.

Inside it sits a small brown packet. The way it's nearly stored gives away that whatever is in there must be special to Jinx's standards. The brown paper is adorned with Jinx's signature drawings, colorful traces of crayons depicting small characters -mainly you two holding hands- , scenarios and hearts all over it. A pink ribbon ties everything up, completing the picture.

"Jinx, what is this?" you ask her, earning a whine from her blushing figure. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, no?".

She watches in anticipation as you unite the ribbon, carefully peel the paper back and...

A set of lingerie sits in front of you, all embroidered and neatly stored. "Do you like it? It's even in my color..." Jinx's words make you realize that the set is a deep navy blue.

You snort at her words. "Really? You steal a pair of lingerie and your first thought is to search for blue ones?" she would have reacted shyly if she hadn't seen the playful smirk on your lips. "I-I mean... It's important, you know?" you walk closer to her, making sure to sway your hips as you do.

"Why? You like seeing me all pretty for you, in your favorite color?" as if she wasn't red already, blood starts to pump even faster into her veins, making her look like a tomato.

"Y-yes I do! N-now put these on!" she roughly shoves the pair against your chest, much to your amusement. "Alright, just wait here, cutie" the way your voice drags over the last word makes something inside of Jinx move, pumps blood in her heart and in her hips.

A few minutes pass by, Jinx's mind already finding new things to think about, when she hears your sing songy voice "Cominggg".

A gasp leaves her when she sees you wearing the lingerie on your skin. It's just perfect, emphasizes every curve of your body, every scar, mole or freckle visible through it: and most importantly, it's her color.

"Wow..." Jinx sits up from the couch, reaching her hand to touch your shoulders, then traveling to grab at your hips. "It fits you just right..." her eyes are glazed and cheeks pink as the ribbon she used to tie your little present up.

"Sooo? Do you like it?" you let out a gasp as her grip on your hips tightens, making you suck in a sharp breath. The way she has you at her mercy makes something pull at your heart strings.

And Jinx? She looks like an absolute mess. Pretty flushed cheeks, eyelids heavy with desire, mouth open and heart full of desire. "Like it? I fucking love it" her nose presses against the cease of your neck, inhaling your scent deeply. "You look so good in this..." she starts to press kisses, electric against your skin. "How did I ever find someone as perfect as you?" her words come out as hot as molten lava, as sweet as honey.

"Jinx..." your breaths are heavy against the unnatural cold of your home. Jinx slides her hand up to your neck, hugging you closer to her. All her newfound confidence suddenly blurs and you can feel her heartbeat through her chest on yours. Again, that shyness she harbors for you and you alone resurfaces, making her look so small against your body. She pushes her lips outwards, pouting a bit before she asks something of you.

"Could we...you know..." her voice is hoarse, creacking here and there. Deep violet eyes stare at yours, assessing if you understand her and silently waiting for an answer. "Could we...what?" you already know what she wants to ask you, but you are having far too much fun teasing her. Her eyes widen for a moment and she swallows hard, before looking at her boots. "You know...you know what I mean...".

You still aren't satisfied with your teasing, waiting for her to admit what she truly wants with words instead of embarrassed chocked sounds. "I don't think I do" that dumb smile of yours only makes Jinx feel more and more embarrassed, tempted by your lips but pulled back by her shyness. She can't do it anymore. With an exasperated whine, Jinx strengthens her grip on the back of your neck and pulls you down towards her, kissing your lips fiercely.

The kiss is all teeth and tongue, all sighs and touches, leaving you breathless and yearning for more. You pull back from her, lips wet, feeling blood rise up from your veins into your cheeks. "Woah...I guess that was enough" you say, giving her a knowing smirk and earning a sigh from her, before she brings you back to her lips. "Oh shut up toots".

[jyeoulzhu]

she's MINE.

summary . y/n invites karina to a family dinner, and their younger cousin (who's lowkey in love with karina) gets super jealous every time y/n and karina act couple-y.

pairing . yu jimin x gender neutral reader

y/n should’ve known bringing karina to family dinner was a mistake.

the moment they walked in, their six-year-old cousin, minho, sprinted across the room, skidded to a stop in front of karina, and gasped so loud it echoed.

“OH MY GOD,” he whispered, clutching his chest like he was overcome with emotion. “YOU’RE… YOU’RE SO PRETTY.”

karina, ever the menace, crouched down to his level and smiled sweetly. “hi, minho. it’s nice to meet you.”

minho’s entire soul left his body.

his face turned tomato red, his knees buckled, and he let out the softest, most lovesick sigh y/n had ever heard.

then, he turned to them, scowling so hard it aged him fifty years. “you don’t deserve her.”

y/n blinked. “HUH???”

before they could process that insult, minho grabbed karina’s hand and held on for dear life. then, with all the confidence in the world, he said,

“you can go home now.”

karina bit her lip to keep from laughing, but y/n was outraged. they turned to their family, expecting SOMEONE to defend them, but everyone just looked like they were watching a drama unfold.

y/n’s own blood had betrayed them.

-

minho sat right between y/n and karina like a tiny, angry guard dog. every time y/n even tried to touch karina, minho blocked it like a security system.

at one point, y/n stretched their arm over karina’s chair, only for minho to physically remove it.

"personal space, bozo," he snapped.

y/n turned to their aunt. "can we return him? i feel like we can still get store credit."

"unfortunately, no," she sighed. "we lost the receipt."

minho smirked in victory.

karina? she was having the time of her life.

"minho, do you want more rice?" she asked sweetly, patting his head.

"only if you feed me," he replied, dead serious.

y/n nearly choked on air. "BRO, USE A SPOON—"

minho ignored them as karina, grinning, picked up a spoonful of rice and held it out for him. minho took the bite like he was a prince being doted on, then turned to y/n with the SMUGGEST EXPRESSION ON EARTH.

"yeah, that's right," he mumbled through his food. "cry about it."

y/n was about to throw hands with a LITERAL CHILD.

after dinner, y/n FINALLY managed to steal karina away to the living room. they had her all to themselves. peace. tranquility. romance.

…or at least, they thought so.

because the SECOND they leaned in to rest their head on karina’s shoulder, MINHO APPEARED FROM THE SHADOWS.

like ACTUALLY. like HE CAME OUT OF NOWHERE.

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT."

he wedged himself between them like a tiny, aggressive chaperone, then crossed his arms like he was about to kick y/n out of their OWN HOUSE.

“bro,” y/n hissed. “do you even know what personal space is?”

“do you know what boundaries are?” minho shot back.

y/n was about to LOSE IT. but before they could, karina turned to them, grinning like the little shit she was.

"are you jealous?" she teased.

y/n scoffed, arms crossed. “of a six-year-old? no way.”

karina’s smirk widened. she leaned in real close, her lips right by y/n’s ear.

"then you won’t mind if i give minho a kiss on the cheek, right?" she whispered.

y/n’s soul EXITED their body. minho overheard this and IMMEDIATELY sat up so straight his back CRACKED.

"PLEASE," minho begged.

y/n, panicking, GRABBED KARINA'S HAND AND STOOD UP IMMEDIATELY.

"ACTUALLY IT'S GETTING LATE. WE REALLY SHOULD BE GOING. BYE MINHO."

they YANKED karina out the door, SLAMMING IT behind them.

from inside, minho’s BLOODCURDLING SCREAM echoed through the entire house.

as soon as they were outside, karina burst into laughter. "oh my god, i can't believe you got jealous of a six-year-old."

y/n groaned, burying their face in their hands. "YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND. that little menace is gonna make my life a LIVING HELL for this."

karina giggled, lacing her fingers with y/n’s. “don’t worry,” she whispered. “i only have eyes for you.”

y/n sighed in relief, but then their phone buzzed.

enemy #1 “sleep with one eye open, bozo.”

y/n stared at the message, fear settling in. they could already hear minho’s evil little giggles in their head.

…yeah.

they were SO doomed.

[hollaforlyla]

dating the ninja: series (headcanons) | lloyd garmadon , jay walker x reader<3 ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

a/n: theres a word limit, and i dont have enough space to add all the ninjas in one whole post, so we're doing this in parts of two. hence; series! part one will be lloyd and jay :) also this is mostly my old writing, words may not be spelled correctly.

warnings: none really, more like i cant remember lol

just enjoy (╥﹏╥)

 · It took him so long to consider liking you. He's been through so much, especially after Harumi, he's scared to fall in love again. 

 · But he's been with you, even before Harumi and he knows you're not a bad person. He just has some trust issues her's trying t deal with. 

 · Harumi kinda broke him :/

 · After considering his crush on you, it was Jay and Kai's mission to make him confess to you. Nya was with you on the other end. You told her you liked Lloyd for while and she had the biggest, dorkiest smile on her face as she squealed and hugged you. 

 · When Jay confessed to her, she was speechless, she can only imagine the pain you feel not being able to tell the person you liked them. 

 · Confessing to you was the hardest thing he's ever had to do. He would stammer on his words, make weird Lloyd noises like groans or whines when he messed up on a simple sentence, and his face would be as red as a tomato. 

 · You felt stunned when Lloyd stood in front of you waiting for a response. You would say nothing but give him a hug and said 'I love you too, Lloyd.' and he had tears of joy falling from his eyes.

 · Nya, Kai, and Jay would be in the back hiding, spying on the too. When they say them hug and kiss each other on the lips, Jay jumped out a screamed "LET'S GOO!!" 

 · Durning the relationship, Lloyd would be the sweetest boyfriend even though he has no clue what he's doing. He wants to give you the world, but has no idea how to do that. 

 · He's also not the best with PDA. He's never received much as a kid, so he gets a bit jumpy when someone hugs him by surprise or when he holds someone for a certain amount of time.

 · Comic store dates>>>

 · He has no idea how to plan a date, so he normally asks if you want to go to the comic book store with him and you'll go from there.

 · One time a date ended with you both getting ice cream and taking a walk around the beach docks. Wanting to take a peaceful selfie of you and him and a sudden seagull came and snatched his ice cream right out of his cone, hitting him in the face.

 · You now have a photo of a burry Lloyd losing a fight to a seagull while your in the back scared but laughing at the same time. 

 · You taught Lloyd how to ride a bike. When he was still younger you noticed how little he knew about riding a bike, so when he grew you were able to show him and he got a little bit embarrassed when the guys found out.

 · When you both sleep, Lloyd's normally the first to wake up but he's  g r u m p y !!! 

 · He wakes up because of training and because of that he's kinda forgotten how to sleep in in the mornings. Hence why's he's so tired in the mornings and sometimes afternoons? 

 · He's also nervous to cuddle you while you sleep, but it's cute when they guys catch him snuggling into him like a cat in the mornings. He tends to cuddle into you during your and his sleep, it's so cute to catch. 

 · Did I mention he's a cat person? Lol

 · Run your fingers through his hair, tell him he's worth it, just make him feel proud of himself and he'll be wrapped around your finger just like that.

 · He's willing to do anything for you, do the same for him!

 · Non-stop kisses. Whenever he sees you you better be ready to be bombarded by kisses to the lips, cheeks, nose, and even forehead from the Lightning Ninja!

 · He likes to sneak up behind you and give you surprise kisses on the cheek. He loves seeing the way you jump forward when he scares you and when he sees that blush that forms on your face? He's gonna 'awe' at it and poke your cheek.

 · He was the first one to confess to you. It was actually not planned out even though he did plan it out with the help from Kai and Cole, but of course, it backfired during a 'date' Kai and Cole made up for the two of you.

 · He ended up blurbing it out all in one breath-

  · "Y/NITHINKYOURTHEMOSTAMAZINGPERSONINTHEWORLDANDIDONTKNOWWHATIWOULDOIFINNEVERMETYOU!YOURTHEBESTPERSONIHAVEEVERMETANDIWANTEDTOTELLYOUILOVEDYOUFORSOLONGBUTIDIDN'TKNOWIFYOUFELTTHESAMEFORME!SOIUNDERSTANDIFYOU-"

 · You shut him by placing a gentle kiss on his lips, pulling away, and giving him the sweetest of smiles. "I love you too, JJ." 

 · The amount of confidence he's got now because of that moment>>

 · Kai got a bit jealous when he was told Jay was able to get himself a lover before him, and Jay took advantage of that always giving you a quick kiss on the lips when Kai walks by, wrapping an arm around your waist during movie night and seeing the angry look Kai gave him. 

 · Jay never felt more pleased- PFT

 · Kai soon found Skylor and his jealousy was soon gone. 

· Dates happen more often than you think. He takes you to the movies, gets some food, but he's sometimes broke and only has enough for take-out and you both sit in your room in your apartment and watch some Netflix. 

 · You both like to help PIXAL repair some of the vehicles. The Bounty is the main vehicle you repair. The Super Sonic Radar is also one of them and Jay adores the time you both have while PIXAL'S basically third-wheeling. 

 · If you go to school, Jay loves to walk with you. He'll offer to carry your bags, books, heck he even offered to carry you! 

 · When you make it to school, Jay acts like it's the last time he'll ever see you again.

 · 'Do you haaave to go? I'll be alone allll day without your cuddles." 

 · He gave you the cutest of puppy dog eyes, but you tried to endure it and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, "I'll be back later, Jay. Don't get your bolts in a knot!"

 · You came back and he tackles you, every daywhen you come home it's adorable.

 · His favorite place to kiss you has got to be your nose. The way it scrunches up is so cute he can kiss it all day. His hands are on your cheeks, but they're sometimes also in your hair or hands. 

 · He's a cuddle bug, if you haven't already known, he can hug you all day and he will! One morning he refused to remove himself from your touch, so he rolled onto your back and you struggled to stand up...but once you did you basically gave him a piggyback ride until it was time to train. 

 · For breakfast he just chewed on a piece of buttered toast and Zane was not pleased. He told Jay to eat a proper breakfast but Jay was too into the toast and your warm touch to listen to the Nindroid. 

 · Speaking of mornings, Jay takes up almost the entire bed it's so hard to share one with him, but you're able to somehow get some room, but his hand is smacking you in the face and his legs are tangled with yours. Thank god you are used to it.

 · When he wakes up there's drool on the sheets but he just wipes it down with his hands and turns back onto his back where he accidentally pushes you off the bed now he's awake when he hears a loud thud and you standing up with a scream causing him to scream.

 · You rarely cuddle in the morning because one Jay pushed you out of bed and two you're both wide awake. 

 · He uses such dorky nicknames like, what??

 · " Hey Cutie Patootie!  "Snuggle Muffin"   

       ( or if your a boy )

 · "Mister Man"  "Baby Boy"

 · He's cringe but that's okay 

[loveharlow]

↷⋯♡ᵎ LOVE ROBBERY

JJ Maybank x Applejack!Reader [ more jj content ]

SYNOPSIS & WC ‧₊˚ [1.4k] The day JJ walked into the island's new farmer's market and met the biggest sweetheart of his life

WARNING(S) & A/N ‧₊˚ Tr & JJ are younger here, probably a poorly written country accent (sorry not sorry, i think it's cute), swearing (per usual), outfit description (ik that triggers all the fashionistas), brief mention of poor home life, last line kind of kills the vibe but :p

THE BELL ABOVE THE DOOR CHIMED AS JJ ENTERED THE NEWLY-CONSTRUCTED FARMER’S MARKET. The day was already heating up, promising the kind of sweltering Outer Banks summer that the island’s residents lived for. The blonde was out doing the weekly, more like monthly, grocery shopping — which wasn't so much shopping as it was...negotiating. And what better place to negotiate than the newly opened farmer’s market run by a family who just moved here?

The market was a chaotic mix of locals and tourists, a riot of colors and smells. He ambled through the stalls, eyeing the overflowing baskets of produce — freshly grown tomatoes, newly picked strawberries, ripe vegetables. His stomach growled. He grabbed a shopping basket, filling it to the brim with everything that he could taste on his taste just by looking at it within a matter of minutes. Before he knew it, he struggled to put the last item, a bag of chips, on top. 

A fourteen-year old JJ Maybank was on his way to check-out, a toothpick between his lips, when he saw you.

Behind the only open register, sat atop a barstool with a book in your hands, feet kicked up, and a lollipop between your lips, paying no mind to the blonde boy standing awestruck at the sight of you. Tinted cheeks from the blazing sun and eyes that sparkled like cider, even as they were looking down. You were wearing a simple denim dress with the cutest cowgirl boots he’d ever seen.

JJ, never one for subtlety, sauntered up to your stall and sat his basket down on the counter before leaning his arms against it, effectively gaining your attention. He swore his heart had stopped beating as you moved to look up at him — wide, doe eyes surprised by presence…and proximity.

“Ready to check out?” You asked, closing the book and straightening your posture, lowering your feet. “Those’re on sale, by the way. ‘Case you wanna grab another two for free.” You pointed to an item in his basket. He wasn’t expecting your voice — the pitch of a true sweetheart with a small rasp and a decent southern drawl. Your voice made it clear you weren’t from anywhere near here. “And...you do know we have carts, right?” You asked lightheartedly, eyeing the amassed amount of produce in the boy’s basket.

“Sorry, just got a lil’ excited coming in.” He shrugged, palming the back of his neck. “Haven’t eaten in a couple days. The sight of food is a little bit overwhelming, to say the least.”

“What’re you on one of them fastin’ diet things?” You asked, talking around the lollipop in your mouth. “Those things are no good for you, y’know.” You told him, talking and beginning to ring up the items.

“Nah, no diet here. I don't believe in such things.” He joked, watching the price jump as you scanned item after item on the digital monitor. “But I might need to get on one after discoverin’ this place. You grow everything yourself?”

“Yep.” You smiled, shooting him a brief glance. “Me and my family.”

“Hm. That’s neat.” He praised, nodding his head. “I’ll give it to you — the product seems good. But the prices? C’mon...” He scoffed, knowing the prices were beyond generous, especially in comparison to the local grocery store. But JJ walked in with a plan…and no more than twenty bucks in his pocket. 

You raised a brow as you bagged his sodas. “Wha’dya mean?”

“Five bucks for eggs? Those are, like, the base of every food ever.” He challenged, taking one of his bags from the counter.

You couldn’t help but scoff. “Compared to the store down the road that’ll charge ya ten? For a carton that’s prob’ly been sittin’ in the fridge for well over a month or two?

JJ tilted his head and shrugged a singular shoulder. “Alright, fair point.” He downturned his lips. “...What about the gallon of milk? Ten dollars is highway robbery, darlin’.” He tried again, mocking your accent mildly.

“What can I say?” You shrugged cutely. “Our cattle’s well fed and lovin’ly raised. We don't work for free. Our cows don't, either.”

“Oh, no doubt. I saw the field out back, it’s nice.” JJ agreed. “Then what about the strawberries at the front? You chargin’ a dollar per seed or what?”

“They’re a dollar a pound.” You dismissed simply with a small scoff. “Look, if you wanna stuff your pockets ‘n book it on up outta here, by all means, be my guest. Lucky for you, it’s me on the register today ‘n not my daddy. He usually handles customers like yourself. I, on the other hand, am not interested in playin’ cops ‘n robbers or tit for tat.” You paused in bagging his groceries, leaning over the counter at this point — almost nose to nose with the Maybank boy. “So, what’re you gettin’ at, blondie?” You eyed him, a small, playful snarl on your lips. “You tryna hassle me?”

“Hassle? No, no…” JJ dismissed, pulling the lollipop from your lips and holding it in the air. “Just a...friendly word of advice from a local. Maybe a boy is simply hopin’ that in exchange for some advice that’ll surely boost your business, you’ll let me take some of this stuff off your hands for free...” 

“Ha!” You threw your head back, laughing, before meeting the boy’s blue eyes once more, shaking your head. “You are tryna hassle me!” You retorted, a lopsided smile on your face as you snatched the peach-flavored lollipop back, putting it back in your mouth. “I tell you what, hell-raiser — that charm of yours will only get you so far and unfortunately, it don’t work too well on me.” You lied. Unbeknownst to JJ himself, he was the first and only boy to make you interested in talking with him. Interested enough to entertain his sly advances. “But I can recognize effort when I see it…” You trailed off, stepping back from the counter and pressing a few keys on the register as you spoke.

“How ‘bout this?” You began. “You pay for half of what’cha got and I’ll handle the rest.” You offered, pointing to his new total which was practically nothing now. JJ’s eyes went wide as they flickered between you and the price displayed.

“Won’t your folks be mad? I don't want to get you in trouble.” He asked, suddenly feeling bad for haggling you.

You shifted on your feet, flicking your hair behind you. “Doubt it.” You scoffed. “I do inventory and they already know I steal some of our stuff. I’ll just say it was me.”

“...This is a lot of food to put on one girl.” He laughed uncomfortably.

You crossed your arms, looking at him. “Well, this girl can eat. So, you payin’ or what?”

“Yeah, yeah. Thank you...” He said, fumbling to fish the wrinkled twenty-dollar bill from the back pocket of his shorts. You plucked it from his fingers and slotted it into the register as he gathered all of his bags and started walking towards the door.

“Hey,” You called after him, holding your hand up. “Y’don’t want your change?”

JJ just looked at you over his shoulder, pursing his lips and shaking his head. “You can keep it. Consider it a token of my gratitude, cowgirl.”

“If you say so.” You laughed lightly, shaking your head. “I’ll put it on your tab.” You joked, turning to put the money into the register. “You stay safe, blondie.” You said in farewell, assuming the blonde would go and, hopefully, come back soon.

To your surprise, the bell above the door didn’t sound immediately, prompting you to turn back towards the market entrance where he stood, still staring at you. The look in his eyes made your cheeks go warm. He was looking at you like you’d just hung the stars in his sky.

“You alright?...” You asked, waving from your place behind the counter.

“Yeah, I’m alright.” He seemed to snap out of it. “So...who do I ask for next time I come in?”

You just chuckled. “What?”

“What’s your name? So, I know who I’m lookin’ for next time I come by.” He rephrased his initial question. “Or do you prefer darlin’?”

A smirk rose on your features as you leaned back against the counter, crossing one leg over the other as your hands planted behind you kept you steady. “How ‘bout I tell you next time you come in?”

An equally bright and sheepish smirk broke out on JJ’s face at your words. “Fair enough.” He laughed to himself, giving you a small wave as he made to leave the market — bell on the door chiming as the door opened. “I’m JJ, by the way.” He called over his shoulder. “Welcome to the Outer Banks, darlin’.”

And as promised, JJ came in the very next week, still spinning words and throwing smiles, but you weren’t sure it was just to get free stuff this time.

It didn’t become apparent as to why the boy always came in for things he couldn’t afford until you saw him walking home one day and saw him go into the house you always passed, with beer cans in the front yard whose lights were never on...

You never charged him for anything again.

JJ Maybank Taglist & Applejack!Reader Taglist in replies!

feedback is appreciated! thanks for reading.

©loveharlow

[lizdive]

Heyy :3 I saw your Lynette! Reader and I'm love with it 🥰 Can I also request some version for Welt, Gallagher, Argenti? Ofc platonic all they wayy [I love ur work 🫶🫶🫶]

Yes you can nonnie 🫡🩷 thank you so much for your sweet words MWAH MWAH 🫶🫶 thank you for requesting !! if you’re unsatisfied just tell me and i’ll redo it <33 ALSO !! NOT CLICKBAIT I GOT TWO POSTS OUT TODAY AND THE CROWD WENT HOME 💯‼️ *Comically gets tomatoes thrown at me* /j

notes 𐙚 gender-neutral reader — "you" used to refer to reader ,, reader is a teenager ,, reader is based off of "lynette" from the game genshin impact ,, platonic relationships ,, mentions of being sold, close to being 'used', creepy old men, and other things relating to lynette’s past ,, mentions of various other characters in various parts ,, platonic relationships ,, not proofread ignore typos

⭑ Much like Dan Heng, WELT did not expect you to fully trust anyone on the express quickly, which was why he tried to make himself seem as welcoming as possible even though he very much is welcoming on his own.

⭑ He was patient with you and respected your boundaries, and when you’d give him your wacky replies he’d just nod his head and leave you alone. He never pushed you to do stuff with any of the members and was overall pretty chill.

⭑ His comforting and welcoming vibes alone helped you trust him easier than the other members of the express, and soon enough Welt found himself walking around with you trailing behind him like a duckling. If he was sitting in the parlor cart, you were next to him practicing or showing him your card tricks. If he was in his room, you were probably there just in the corner doing your thing.

⭑ Tea time anytime anywhere. WELT will always have the time to enjoy tea and snacks with you whenever you’d like! If you make your treats yourself, he’ll help you make them, too. It’s nice bonding time. He’ll also learn a thing or two about tea making from you as it seems that you take the art very very seriously.

⭑ He’s not a swordsman by any means but he’s seen many different fighting styles in his time so he’ll give you some tips on how to improve. He’d still prefer for someone else to properly mentor you and by someone else I mean Dan Heng as he’s the closest one to a swordsman on the express.

⭑ Like some others in the first part, he’ll keep something sweet with him in his pocket so if you’re ever craving something sweet or feeling hungry in general he’ll be able to hand you the sweet treat easily. Feels bad whenever he doesn’t have anything on hand, especially when there aren’t any stores nearby.

⭑ He can do the talking for you if you want him to. He’ll calmly tell others that you aren’t comfortable with conversations and that he’ll be doing the talking for you during interactions. If they don’t cooperate then he’ll just,, leave with you. He needn’t waste both of your times with someone who cannot respect boundaries.

⭑ Not surprised by your feline features as he’s seen many things in his time, but if you lean more into the feline mannerisms he’ll give you extra head-pats and ear scratches and may buy you cat toya if you want them. Makes sure you take care of your nails too!! Doesn’t want you hurting yourself.

⭑ He doesn’t mind participating in your performances. He,,,, he has experience on stage,,,, ahaha,,,, WELT can entertain a crowd! Doesn’t like the tricks that involve the both of you getting a bit messy thought like the water container, but he’ll indulge you in any other tricks! He also doesn’t mind watching your performances! He’ll smile and clap after every trick, praising your skill and what you do. He’s very supportive and would be honored if you teach him how you do what you do.

⭑ If you ever open up to him about your past, he’ll be there for you as he pats your head and rubs your back soothingly, telling you to take your time and that he’s so proud of you for getting through that and having the courage to tell him all of this.

⭑ Like Veritas, I don’t think WELT do anything to the man should he still be alive. He’ll help you forget him if you’re bothered by the memories and help you heal should you be repressing emotions. He’ll teach you how to accept and will make sure by the end of your journey you’ll be the best self you can be. He’s already so proud of you.

⭑ You both are like old people with technology and both learn as you go. A member of the express teaches WELT something, he’s quick to message or tell you about it and vice versa.

"Humans are complicated creatures. Even when they are not doing so intentionally, they will still unconsciously hide their true selves. Though I can always notice a few 'redundant' details, I won't expose their facades when it isn't necessary."

"That’s… very nice of you?"

⭑ You were a performer at the bar, many of the patron and visitors flocking to the bar just to watch your amazing performances. GALLAGHER couldn’t deny that you were a talented kid, and he also quite enjoyed your performances.

⭑ You were young, so it’s not surprise some people did try to get you to work for them instead in hopes of exploiting you. GALLAGHER would always step in if they were being too insistent and sometimes even kick them up, however most of the time they left you alone due to your eccentric replies. They always made him snicker in amusement secretly.

⭑ GALLAGHER will make you drinks as you work and fix up small snacks if there’s anything available. Because of you he’s become a bit of a tea-making expert. Every time you take a break or finish a performance he’ll have a nice cup of tea set up for you in the staff room at the back. He awaits your feedback.

⭑ When you invite him to joins you in your tea breaks? He’s either tossing the bar to Siobhan or another employee, and if there’s non then uhm,,, yeah he can’t join you but he’ll make it up to you! And if you help him with drink making he’ll cry a bit internally. You’re such a good kid,,,

⭑ Not only are you both a good duo in the bar, but you both are a good duo in officer work. He’s is a bit intimidated with your swordsmanship, but he also admires your quick and clean cuts. You become his unofficial official assistant sometimes when it comes to snatching up criminals and it’s actually kind of fun.

⭑ You suck at technology, he’s decent at it, he doesn’t mind. If you want to improve he’ll help you out but if you don’t he’ll supervise you whenever you’re using anything relating to technology so that you don’t burn the bar down or something. Is it possible to get hurt in the dreamscape? I can’t remember. But still, he doesn’t want you to get hurt.

⭑ Calls you 'kitty' jokingly but if you get upset he’ll drop it. Also, only he’s allowed to call you that. Nobody else. He feels that if others do it then it’s mocking you — even if they mean well he just doesn’t like it so only he can do it.

⭑ He’ll help you practice but I don’t think he’d perform insane acts with you. Maybe the more simplistic ones or ones that don’t require him doing really complex things. He just doesn’t want to mess up and ruin your acts. If you want him to do a dramatic announcement for you before you go on stage, he’ll do so happily.

⭑ The moment you open up to GALLAGHER trust that he’ll make sure you’re much more guarded and kept safe. He’ll also be much more observant of the patrons and visitors and nobody will be offering you work offers. He’ll ask you during your break times if anyone tried to do anything to you, and if so, to give him as many details as you possibly can. No need to ask why — he’ll deal with them.

⭑ Should the man that you were sold to dare be alive and enter the bar, GALLAGHER will have him out of there before you even catch a glimpse of him. He’ll also make sure that man is out of the dreamscape. Man, Sleepie has been needing a new toy as of recent!

⭑ Does the talking for you but at the same time not many people will be talking to you anyways after your performances because you’re having your tea break and so he’ll tell anyone that wants to interact with you that you’re unavailable for the rest of the time.

"If you explain a magic trick, then the allure of the performance is lost. Personal relationships are the same. If you want to understand me, why not learn a bit at a time, and gradually piece together a complete picture?"

"I like how you think, kid. Don’t change your mindset ever, got it?"

⭑ A new feline-featured performer holding a show in a planet nearby? Oh how delightful! ARGENTI’s getting a ticket to your show the second they’re available! He’s always loved performances and shows as they show how skilled others are and are always so beautiful.

⭑ He absolutely loved your performance and even wanted to thank you personally for the lovely time! And so after the lights were back on and all guests left, he made his way outside in search of you with an appreciative rose in hand which he expected he’d be able to give to you.

⭑However, what ARGENTI didn’t expect was for you to give him the wackiest response ever. He blinked, handed you the rose, and then continued to converse with you. He’s like Sunday but oblivious — there is no winning with him he can talk for hours.

⭑ It’s a huge yapper / listener situation. You travel a lot for performances and he travels a lot in search of Idrila, so you can’t escape him because he has the excuse to follow you around. Well, he does protect you even if it’s not needed due to your swordsmanship, but it’s convenient so you guess it’s fine.

⭑ ARGENTI also does all the talking for you which is a nice and huge bonus. Sometimes he does it without even realizing and nobody is able to make him shut up. It’s a big win win for the both of you and he never brings it up out of concern because you don’t seem bothered by it.

⭑ Finds your feline features beautiful and would love to help you groom your ears and tail if you’d let him !! He’s be very gentle as he brushes out the loose furs and if you like head pats / ear scratches he’ll sneak them in while he grooms your ears. He’s somehow so good at it for being a first timer (or so he claims.)

⭑ Very present in your performances and will always be there to support you and cheer you on, handing you a rose as a congratulations for the successful show. If you perform for him alone during your free-time, he’ll clap with a big smile and tell you how wonderful that was and how you’re improving so much.

⭑ ARGENTI is probably the best performance partner out of everyone because he puts in so much emotion with the tricks and acts he pulls. Also, he doesn’t mind being in front of a large crowd and he manages to captivate their attentions so that’s a bonus. You’re deadpan and he’s very emotional. A good duo.

⭑ If you open up to him, ARGENTI will be appalled. Not at you — never ever you — but at that disgusting man who dared to even think about using you. He’ll promise you that he’ll make sure nothing like that ever happens again and then he’ll ask if there’s anything he can do to make you feel better. Would you like a specially prepared fish dish? Some sweets? Tea?

⭑ Speaking of tea, he loves tea time with you! It’s a nice time for the two of you to bond and relax from life, enjoying the flavors of the teas that would vary each time you prepared some. If you teach him how you make your teas he’ll be over the moon.

⭑ I don’t think ARGENTI is bad with tech, he’s probably pretty good, so he’ll help you figure out how to not bust everything that contains some sort of tech or machinery. If you break things he won’t be upset or anything — he’s a pretty patient person. He’ll care more about you and if you’re injured.

⭑ Spars with you and constantly praises your agility and clean cuts. You both share tips and tricks for tending to your weapons and fighting in general, too. ARGENTI won’t be too rough on you but he will put up a challenge — he genuinely wants you to improve!

"Building a relationship with someone is like gambling. No matter how much information you have, it's hard to predict how other people might change. I've always had the habit of keeping a safe distance from others, but in your case... I'm willing to shoulder the risk of losing a bet."

"I promise you, you will not regret this gamble nor will you lose."

[o-sachi]

Wishlist! - Headcanons for WinBre Week!

ᯓ what are the furin boys putting on their wishlist this year? ᯓ characters; sakura haruka, suo hayato, sugishita kyotaro, mitsuki kiryu, kaji ren, umemiya hajime, hiragi toma, togame jo ᯓ tags; just plain platonic headcanons

[🐟]: for day 5 - holidays prompt! @windbreakerweek

Sakura Haruka

"Ehhh? No... I don't want anything..."

He's only saying that because he'd feel like too much of a burden knowing someone might go out of their way to get him a present.

But he's like the easiest person to give a gift to because he will appreciate anything you give him. Hell, the fact that you even thought to get him anything is a gift in and of itself.

Although, he'd prefer something that isn't super expensive.

Wishlist: a new blanket, coupons for omurice, another pair of shoes (pls get our boy a new pair of shoes)

Suo Hayato

"Oh? A gift? How thoughtful of you."

Not really choosy when it comes to gifts either. He's probably hella rich and has everything that he wants already, so gifts are like a kind gesture to him if anything.

Although, he prefers gifts with meaning over ones that are practical.

It's because he can buy the practical stuff, but he can't put in meaning into things that he buys for himself.

Wishlist: rare tea leaves, lucky trinket, calligraphy brush (a hobby he picked up recently)

Sugishita Kyotaro

"For me? Why."

Doesn't really think about gifts, both in the sense of giving and receiving it.

But if you give him one, he'll be over the moon. Doesn't matter what it is really. He's similar to Sakura in this regard.

However, his issue with gifts is that he doesn't know how to react when he's given one. Is a thank you enough? Should he get them a gift too? He's so overwhelmed. Poor guy...

Wishlist: a small plant for his room, a plain shirt, Ume's approval (he's been told you can't put things like this on a wishlist, but he got mad)

Mitsuki Kiryu

"Yippee! You're the best. Thank you so much."

He likes to joke about stuff that he likes to receive. Also jokes about not needing gifts because his fangirls already give him more than enough.

He judges gifts based on aesthetic appeal rather than its practical use. He doesn't care if its useless as long as it'll look good on him or in his room.

I just know this dude has the best reactions when given any gift. Even if he has experienced it soooo many times, he'll make you feel as if he's so thankful for it each time.

Wishlist: gems for the game he's playing, a cat charm, a hamburger phone case (so he can alternate between that and the hotdog phone case)

Kaji Ren

"Wha? What's the occasion? Well, thanks. I guess..."

Super adamant about not wanting to receive any gifts. He says he's happy enough to have loyal friends by his side. Honestly, he's just scared to get emotional if the gift ends up being too good.

Gifts from close friends hold more value to him regardless of what the gift is.

It's pretty easy to predict the things that he would like...

Wishlist: a box of lollipops, a new hoodie, a year's worth of Spotify subscriptions (me too actually sob)

Umemiya Hajime

"Whaddaya know? I also have a little something for you here!"

It actually puts a bit of pressure on you to find Ume the perfect gift because he is THE GIFT GIVER. It's like he always knows what everyone would love.

A really simple guy. Even quality time is considered a gift in his eyes.

Ume prefers gifts that aren't the usual kinds of things you'd buy from the store, so stuff like handmade gifts, home cooked meals, and letters are his favorite things to receive.

Wishlist: a new trowel for gardening, a shirt that says "Tomato Dad", a dinner party with the entire Furin student body (awww)

Hiragi Toma

"Thanks. I'll make sure to use this."

He's like an old man, so gifts that are practical are is preference. His eyes go wide when the thing is multi-purpose and a steal for its price.

He's also the type of person to preserve gift bags to use for another time. Although, he has definitely gifted back to a person using a bag given to him by that same person before...

A big believer of the saying, "It's the thought that counts."

Wishlist: stomach medicine... lots of it, hair gel, perfume/cologne (I JUST KNOW HE SMELLS GOOD)

Togame Jo

"Aww, this for me? You didn't have to."

Nonchalant as fuck when receiving gifts, but trust me, he is sobbing inside. He's so happy someone thought of him.

Also prefers practical gifts, but it hardly matters. As long as you got him something, he'll be grateful for it.

He won't admit it but he enjoys the moment of unwrapping the gift. Even better if it's wrapped neatly and with a bow on top. Kame's not sure why, but he just loves that part.

Wishlist: food foood fooooood, a new pair of sandals, fancy shogi set (to show off to the old men he plays with lol)

o-sachi © 2024 pls do not translate/copy/reupload my work on other platforms.

[macabrebatz]

Uhm is there a chance that I could request a fic about like... how reader and Bubba Sawyer first met...?

idk how to word request my apologies

HOW YOU MET BUBBA SAWYER

Author’s Note: I could’ve sworn I wrote a “meeting Bubba Sawyer” oneshot in the past but I was wrong. So here you go! I hope you enjoy!

Warnings/tags: Gender neutral reader, you get called pretty once, original timeline TCM characters, no use of (Y/N), Bubba is shy, you get to meet Nubbins & Chop Top as well, this is just short and sweet

The Sawyers had been neighbors to your family for years. Your family lived in a small house down the street from the Sawyer’s house. You were the only other family that lived on the street for miles. Before you had even been born your parents had become good acquaintances with the family but never close enough to call them friends. When you were younger, your family would share produce grown from their garden with the family and occasionally your father would help fix a truck for them. But other than that your families barely interacted.

The Sawyers were secretive, to say the least. The only one you had officially met was Drayton, who ran the old run-down gas station in town.

You would come into the store ever so often to pick up basic things that you or your family needed. There weren’t many close stores so you often opted into going into the little station. Drayton was always pleased to see you. He was a kind old man although he seemed a bit odd. He often would mention his brothers and how he thought you should meet them.

“Bubba would like you. I know he would. He’s too shy though. Barely ever comes out of that house,” he said one day.

You leaned on the counter as he counted out your change.

“For as long as I’ve been living down the road, I’m surprised I haven’t met him yet,” you mumbled.

You had caught glimpses of the brothers over the years, usually when you were walking by. But you didn’t know which one was which and you were too shy to just go up to their house and meet them. And apparently, they were the same way.

Drayton handed you your change. You took it and your items off the counter. He picked up a copy of the local newspaper and began reading. You said your goodbyes and began to leave the store but stopped to read a flyer on the window. It was an advertisement for an annual chili cook-off. Under the entry details, it had Drayton’s name as last year’s winner.

“Chili cook-off, huh? Are you competing again?” you asked.

“Mhm,” Drayton hummed as he flipped through the newspaper.

“Well, good luck,” you said.

You opened the door but were quickly stopped by Drayton calling you back.

“You just reminded me. Did your family grow any tomatoes this year? I need some for the cook-off,” he asked.

“Oh, yeah. I can bring over some this afternoon,” you said.

“Thank you. Maybe you’ll finally get to meet some of my family,” he said.

You nodded and walked out the door. As you walked home you couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. You had always wondered what the rest of the Sawyers were like and you were finally going to find out.

You headed to the garden once you got home. You filled up a small basket with tomatoes and added a few other vegetables just because.

As the sun started to set you grabbed your basket and began the short walk down the road. You could see down the long dirt driveway that Drayton was home.

You went up the stairs of the front porch and knocked on the door. Drayton opened it and ushered you in.

“Come in, come in. It ain’t much but it’s home,” he chuckled.

You could hear in a back room what sounded like arguing.

“Give me a second.”

Drayton sighed and walked towards the sound, disappearing into the house.

You stood by the stairs and looked around. The house was as you expected it to be. It was a small, two-story farmhouse. A small smile crept on your face as you wandered into the dining room and placed the basket on the table.

“Get it together. We have company,” you heard Drayton’s voice say from another room.

After a couple of minutes, Drayton appeared once more followed by two lanky men. One had dark hair and a large birthmark on his face. The other wore what you could only assume was a wig and purple sunglasses.

“These are the twins. Nubbins and Chop Top. Say hello,” Drayton ordered them.

They both grumbled short greetings. Nubbins even shook your hand. You introduced yourself and smiled at them. Neither seemed particularly happy at the moment but you brushed it aside.

“Where’s your brother?” Drayton asked Chop Top.

“I don’t know. I don’t keep up with him,” Chop Top mumbled.

“Go find him and bring him here,” Drayton said.

Chop Top grumbled something about licking his plate under his breath as he wandered off, going through a sliding door by the stairs.

After a couple of minutes of having very peculiar Polaroids shoved in your face by Nubbins, you heard heavy footsteps coming towards the dining room.

Chop Top reappeared this time followed by a large man who had his covered by some sort of mask. His eyes darted quickly towards you and he retreated behind the door frame, peeking out just a bit.

“Bubba, come here. This is our guest. They live down the road. Have been for years now,” Drayton said.

Bubba barely took a step forward, turning his face away from you and his brothers.

“He’s shy,” Nubbins giggled.

“Bubba’s afraid of the pretty neighbor,” Chop Top teased.

You took a step forward, reaching your hand out towards the man.

“Nice to meet you,” you said in a quiet voice.

Bubba’s head shifted ever so slightly to look at you. He reached out his hand, quickly grasping yours and shaking it before pulling away.

“You’re not gonna get much out of this one. Not yet at least. He’s gotta warm up to you,” Drayton said, patting Bubba on the shoulder.

“Well, I should be heading back home,” you said, glancing at the clock on the wall.

“Thank you for inviting me over. It was nice meeting all of you. Enjoy the veggies,” you said.

“See ya later,” Chop Top said.

“Come over anytime,” Drayton said as you headed out the door.

You turned around and for a second through the screen door, you could see Bubba give you a small wave. You smiled, waving back before you stepped off the porch and headed home.

[cloveroctobers]

NOTHING SWEETER — BODE LEONE: [Spring Prompts]

A/N: This will probably flop since it’s basically a ghost town in this tag but here I am! Plus it was also requested for me to write for Bode (again) lol which I don’t have a problem with, we love that guy over here. They’re wrong for going on break after giving us what they gave us! I also just want to say that I really miss Max’s curls but here it goes!!

PROMPT IS FROM HERE + I’m using: 18.  “Damn, I hate pollen.” + 8.  “IT’S A DEER!” “Yeah, and?” “I CAN SEE IT!”

<- read my previous anthology prompt here.

⋆˙⟡♡✿ ⋆˙⟡♡✿ ⋆˙⟡♡✿ ⋆˙⟡♡✿ ⋆˙⟡♡✿ ⋆˙⟡ ♡

Eve was lucky you loved her.

Being up this early on your first day back in Edgewater to give her a ride to Three Rock (her car was in the shop) was a lot to ask! Not really! but what kind of friend would you be if you didn’t complain a good portion about it on the ride up to camp?

“If I get you an iced coffee, would you love me again?” Eve pinched the space in between her brows, elbow resting against the car door.

You hummed while using one hand to tap on your chin, “Add in a Mozzarella, Pesto, and tomato bagel then we’ll talk.”

Eve twisted her lips upwards, “…that’s a thing? Whatever happened to a simple cream cheese with eggs and avocado?”

“You’re lucky I’m not asking for a soft boiled egg stuffed with caviar.” You respond as you reduce your speed once you cross the bridge, spying the familiar deli spot up ahead.

Eve scoffed as she side eyed you, “oh yeah, Switzerland done made you bougie.”

Which earned a laugh from you as you pulled the Toyota 4Runner into the small parking lot. If you weren’t a bundle of nerves you would have got out of the car with Eve to see what changed about the deli you spent many afternoons in with your old friends. However you let your mind wander a bit as you stared out into edgewater’s view.

You were home…except your childhood home was just a memory now that your divorced parents no longer resided in Edgewater. So you crashed at Eve’s although you were completely fine staying in a hotel since Jake talked you out of an air bnb after watching some movie called, “Barbarian,” and you were tired of hearing the statistics and other real life horror stories he pulled out of his ass. Eve was your number one best friend and she was more than willing to open up her place for a friend like you.

As you took up a interest in archery and later turned into a professional Archer, you were inspired to see what the world had in store so the sooner you got out of Edgewater, the better it was for you. Some just didn’t get it (your parents mainly, with your mother being an orthopedic surgeon and your father a fire chief before his MS took over) and expected you to start your own roots here. It was kind of a thing here in this small town, that you were to begin again and build your own legacy. However you were in the tiny group of odd’s that wanted more than the expectations hanging over your head.

Which is why you were proud to say that you’ve been participating in the Olympics every few years because of your passion for archery. Of course you had people down your neck all throughout your career but you still stood as tall as you could.

Now you were back home in the place that was full of doubts but the tightness in your chest wasn’t as noticeable the closer you got to camp.

“Thanks for dropping me off, I appreciate it.” Eve starts as she spots a few inmates hanging around on the yard already, “If you stick around for a minute I’ll even do you a solid and send Bode your way. Since I know it’ll be difficult otherwise.”

Taking a deep inhale you say, “I still can’t believe he’s here.”

“Yeah well…if he stays on the right track this time he’ll be out even sooner.” Eve tells, “He’s still a big pain in all of our asses but I think it would do him some good to see you…you did come all this way.”

It’s been years since you last saw each other but you came back for Riley’s funeral and you reached out to Bode when he moved away to a few towns over and changed his last name. You tried to be there even being ocean’s apart but when Bode felt low, it always felt like he wanted to take the world on his shoulder’s and find a way to make it spin again. Yet that landed him in prison and Eve had no problem filling you in on everything in between.

Would he even want to see you? It’s not like your relationship turned sour or anything…it’s just been awhile being in contact with each other. You weren’t nearly this anxious seeing Eve and doubted you would be when you had lunch with Jake and Cara—which was still weird to you—But being near Bode was different from everybody else and you knew that.

“I did…didn’t I?” You loll your head to face Eve, who studies it for a moment before dipping her head.

She tapped her hand against the outside of the door, whispering into the spring air, “it’ll be fine. He’s in a much better headspace and you’re still family no matter where you disappear off to, you got that?”

A watery smile goes Eve’s way before she leaves you to collect yourself. You’re pulling your mirror down from the sun visor, patting underneath your eyes and beginning to second guess yourself. You were here for two weeks and there was no way that you planned on not seeing Bode. You ran into his parents just last night at the bar, craving some wings before heading to Eve’s, just to be received with warm arms and classic banter from the Leone’s.

They were the parents you could talk to more than your own. If you weren’t crashing at Eve’s then you would definitely be at the Leone’s but then Bode and Cara happened so that’s when some of the distance was created. They didn’t last, like most teenage relationships but out of respect you felt like it was the right thing to do.

It felt right being back, even if it was only temporary.

Maybe that’s just how you had to view Bode’s situation. He wasn’t a temporary kind of friend although you couldn’t socialize as much but you tried to be hopeful. Even climbed out of the car pacing back and forth, not paying much attention to anyone around until you spotted the green dust decorating the navy car.

Scowling in disgust, you swiped the arm of your jacket around the hood of your car before cringing at the greenery you wiped on your sweatpants afterwards.

“Damn, I hate pollen.” A voice comes from behind, which makes you slowly stand up straight and glance over your shoulder.

There he was.

Bode Leone, standing in the flesh, hands deep in his jacket pockets, and a small smile on his lips.

You fully turn to face him and tilt your head to the side, “Didn’t I tell you once before that Orange isn’t your color?”

Bode lifts his shoulders with humor in his blue-green eyes as he motions towards the spot on you, “yeah, well maybe green isn’t yours either.”

You scoff as you motion to your outfit, “what? You don’t think I’m pulling it off?”

The blond chuckles as he takes a step towards you, “As long as you don’t start itching then sure, whatever you say.”

“Oh,” you scratch at the back of your hand and shoot a glare at the man who’s got crinkles by his eyes now, “why did you have to go and say that Bode! Now I’m doing it!”

“Sorry! It’s just that I sorta remembered that you were sensitive to almost everything including air.” He says to you, teasing somewhat, now standing face to face with you.

Rolling your eyes you couldn’t help but to smile at that. You didn’t know what it was growing up in high school, you were highly allergic to almost everything which landed you in the nurses office a lot but it seemed to relax as you reached your twenties and moved away. You always joked that maybe it was Edgewater that was making you sick. Yet the longer you stood in this town and interacted with not only Eve but Bode, you knew that wasn’t completely true.

“It’s good to see you, Bo.” You lightly shove his shoulder back while he nods in agreement, “can I give you a hug?”

Bode blinks the furrow of his brows away as if you were being ridiculous, “of course you can.”

And you’re cradling the back of his head while his fingers are at your spine, swaying from side to side in a firm but gentle squeeze. Then he’s burying his nose into your shoulder and the feel of the embrace tells you that this was meant to be.

When your eyes open, you realize that you could live just fine in Bode’s arms. You remember your final kiss goodbye in Drayscott, one month before you left the country and one month before Bode attempted to pull off a robbery—it was the sweetest thing—the kiss obviously! because it should have been happened. It didn’t come out of nowhere, it was full of intention, full of wonder and love but you were aware that it wasn’t the right time to be something more.

Maybe some day it could be.

Little did you know, Bode kept that memory not far away. He was kicking himself for the what if’s but when he manages to pull himself out of the blue, he thinks about the best possibility being you.

The both of you could be good together, could see the world together and he wasn’t sure how it all looked but he was willing to imagine.

A gasp makes Bode pull away, alarmed.

“IT’S A DEER!” You point, over Bode’s shoulder.

He glances over his shoulder to in fact see the said brown animal, peering at the two of you, “Yeah, and?”

“I CAN SEE IT!” You attempt to lower your voice but the excitement got the best of you as you almost bounce on your toes.

Bode’s still lightly has a hand resting on your waist now, as they watch the beautiful creature sniff at the grass and carried on deeper and away into the woods.

“Are you telling me they don’t have deer out in Switzerland?” There’s amusement in Bode’s voice as he peeks back at you.

“I’ve been in the city mainly but it’s been awhile since I’ve really been one with nature, you know? Which reminds me, I’ll have to make time to go off roading with this baby one of these days. Or hiking.” You jam a thumb back at the car.

Bode nods, “you’ll be careful won’t you? Don’t get so easily impressed with animals, not all of them will have the best intentions.”

You were an animal lover back in the day, so much to the point you wouldn’t dissect a frog sophomore year, which landed you in the principal’s office.

“What?” You blow a raspberry, “I’m like freaking Princess Aurora. Animals love me.”

Bode squints his eyes, “…didn’t you get bit by a goat when we were like what? Fourteen?”

“You’re really killing my vibe man and I don’t like that.” You yank on the end of Bode’s hair who laughs again.

He raises his hands in surrender and grips your wrist from his head, “alright, alright. My bad but if it makes you feel better, I still have that scar after that horse kicked the shit out of me when we had too many drinks partying at Tamsin Kadoka’s farm.”

“Really?”

Bode nods, “yeah, right on my lower back and it’s shaped like Utah.”

You meet each other’s gaze before bursting out laughing in unison at yet another memory. He’s gripping your shoulder again while he’s got your attention, “just promise me when you’re out there in those woods that you’re careful. I’d hate it if something happened to you.”

“Well the feeling is mutual, Bo.” You state, “you just had to go on and choose firefighting huh?”

Bode shrugs, “Must be in the Leone blood.”

“Yeah, must be.” You murmur, staring at him like there’s stars getting ready to rise in your eyes and Bode can’t help but to lean forward to place a lingering kiss on your forehead.

His facial hair pricks you but you don’t mind.

“Leone!” A guard calls out, which means your time is up for now.

You hold his hand, interlocking your fingers, which he squeezes with a smile to match, eyes wandering all over your features, almost as if to tell himself that you are in fact really here.

“Until next time?” He questions.

You smile, “See you soon, Bode.”

And he grins at you, those crinkles by his eyes returning before he slips his hand from yours.

This was brief but sweet and you’re mentally kicking yourself for thinking that this could go wrong.

You’re watching Bode walk away from you and he can’t help but to jog backwards to get another look at you. Almost as if you would disappear again and you would never see him again. When he turns back around, heading to the guard on shift who announces the inmates need to get ready for line ups inside at the bunks, he meets up with Cole on his way.

“Who was that?” Cole nudges his chin in your direction.

You’re seated in the driver’s seat, window down, leaning on your arm as you watch the men in Orange make their way back inside.

Catching Bode’s eye, you wave before rolling your window almost all the way up and pull away from the camp site.

“Someone i would like to give the world and more to once im out of here.”

Cole is smirking but appreciates the honesty as he claps Bode on his shoulder, already knowing what that look is for. “Then let’s make it happen, Leone! Nothing sweeter than having something on the outside to fight for, you know?”

“I agree.” Bode pulls his gaze from your retreating car, finding himself standing up straighter as they awaited for Eve to start their day.

When Eve’s brown eyes set on Bode’s, he just barely tips in his head in thanks, which the woman echo’s as she carries on along the line.

Bode already can’t wait for the next day he can get reconnected with you in person again so, he bites his smile away.

⋆˙⟡♡✿ ⋆˙⟡♡✿ ⋆˙⟡♡✿ ⋆˙⟡♡✿ ⋆˙⟡♡✿ ⋆˙⟡ ♡

Continue with my spring anthology prompts here.

[afyrian]

☆ chapter two - words unspoken m.list

    propping another yellow tulip into the paper wrap, you hold it with up your arms stretched outwards, trying to get a full view of the bouquet. leaves escape the top of the brown paper, peeking out into the world. staring at it, your finger mindlessly picks at different petals and flowers. "it looks perfect, stop messing with it," yachi walks into the shop, her puffer jacket still on, wool scarf cascading down her back and chest.

  pulling off her matching hat, she rests it on your coat rack. the old wooden rack coming from the same heirloom antique store you delivery flowers to every week. as you look at yachi, you start to notice just how much of your shop's atmosphere comes the loved and the lost. biting your lip, you find your head shaking slowly, "i don't know, something seems off."

  "put it with the other in-store pick ups and remember that your first instinct is always your best," yachi removes her scarf, continually trying to remind you that you understand flowers, and questioning yourself never helps.

  rolling your eyes, you pat the counter, finally backing up and walking to the storage space at the front of the store. the light wood color matches that of the coat rack, something you strived for when searching every nearby hardware store for stain. fist-sized holes in every shelf leaves space for the stems on the flowers. setting the dozen tulips in, you stand back to stare at it once more.

  the bouquet rests alone on the shelf. despite the tulips having each other for company, they have nothing else around them. their happy disposition confined to one space, setting a small frown on your lips. "more people are gonna start coming here, ordering from us. don't they say the first three years are the hardest for new businesses?" 

  looking back at yachi, your shoulders shrug as if they have a mind of its own. "right, yeah. just a bit disheartening is all," you crossing your feet as you stand there, hands clasping behind your back.

  "well, to help calm your mind, why don't you just deliver these and grab us some lunch. they always give us a discount when we bring them a few complimentary sunflowers," yachi starts bagging a few small bouquets to hand you, one of the nearby restaurants contributes to a barter-like system with you. 

  her hands work delicately as she carries them over to where the sunflowers rest. a small basket holds a clear, plastic liner. inside the stems rest in a small layer of water, some fertilizer mixed within. "there, now get it delivered and get us a couple sandwiches," she sets the bag down onto the main counter, grabbing a small receipt. 

  meanwhile, you slip on an old jacket you got from your mother. the fleece inner lining rubs against your shirt, a long scarf quickly following behind. tossing it over your shoulder, you get up to grab the bouquets off the counter. letting out a short breath of hot air, you shrug your shoulders, grabbing the bagged set of bouquets. a few sunflowers placed deliberately within them.

  "and i assume no tomatoes-"

  "and no pickles, but you can get my pickles on the side if you want," yachi leans against the front counter, hands holding up her chin as her elbows press against the wood grain.

  nodding at her, you push the front door open with your back, instantly feeling the rush of cool air. snow still falls slowly, the roads warm enough that it turns to water as soon as it collides. yet it builds along the grass and above the trees, starting to collect on your scarf. holding up the bag, you walk your way down the street, double-lined socks keeping your feet warm. 

  this small offshoot of tokyo has always been welcoming of small businesses. from local coffee shops that always think of a new drink to serve to a small board games store where the owners even create their own games to sell. and each and every store helps the others, making sure to leave a (not completely) complimentary iced coffee in exchange for a deck of cards. 

  however, getting calla lily off the ground has not been easy, the typical customer doesn't seem to make it to their website. all despite yachi's brief time with graphic design and the passion she poured into the website and the social media accounts she made. and due to the time of the year, most patrons tend to visit any nearby grocery stores to grab a poinsettia. 

  leaving your crocuses and daphne shrub to sit idly in your shop and eventually as a bouquet in your living room. even though you know a yellow crocus would work great for a gift or celebration. the rich color reminds you best of the sun's bright light on snowy days, only occasionally obscured by the clouds above. carrying the bouquets through the town, you spot the best lunch spot.

  their outside string lights glow beneath a pile of snow, the bricks recently fixed after someone forgot to switch their car to reverse. using your free hand you reach for the handle, only stopped by a leather-clad hand reaching for the same thing. looking up from the handle, you spot the only person you didn't expect to see today... the mysterious stranger who destroyed your bouquet.

  “come to squash another?” you bring your hand back, gaze unable to escape his. 

  “what kind of monster would do that to such beauty?” he motions his free hand at the shop, urging to step insane, quickly following after to get out of the snow. only suddenly realizing his words came out wrong, “because your bouquets are stunning. i even scoured your website some last night.”

  “really? well feel free to order if you have any events or holidays coming up. people tend to like mistletoe this time of year,” you step into the line, free hand stuffed into your jacket pocket as you continue to look back at him and his golden tie that seems to match his eyes.

  he raises his eyebrows, looking away from you with an auspicious smile. pursing his lips, he’s able to return your look, the same silver watch shining under the sun’s beams into the shop. “my boss is looking for a florist for our work event, maybe i’ll have to bring your name up, which is?”

  “l/n y/n, owner of the calla lily and also part time deliverer. the reason for that being that men seem to always run into me and somewhat overpay for the squashed bouquets. some people call me the magnet, and you are?” you look up towards the board, wondering if you’d like to try something new. 

  “kuroo tetsuro. i happen to have been in the same situation, what a crazy world,” that same smile makes its way to his lips and you can feel the breath leave your lips, “so your shop must be pretty successful then?”

  “we just opened earlier this year and so i would be hard pressed to define it as ‘pretty successful’. however, someone did order a bouquet yesterday, so i’m hoping the trend will pick up. so, mysterious kuroo, what do you do?” you narrow your eyes, stepping forward as someone finishes their order. 

  the sweet aroma of the morning pastries still lingers in the air, a hint of savory following from the stove-top grill. the soft overhead lights do little to compete with the sun’s bright rays. “i just work at the japan volleyball association, pretty menial work right now. but running into you has definitely made my days more exciting.”

  “i would hope so, i am quite an exciting person,” you wink at him absentmindedly, like you would with yachi or any other friends, and yet unbeknownst to you, it strikes a cord in his heart strings.

  turning towards the barista, you order lunch, making sure to give her the replacement bouquets for the tables. making sure to mention that yachi’s sandwich shan’t have a tomato in sight and the pickles can go on the side. leaning against the counter as you order, even grabbing out your wallet, you seem to not be able to keep your eyes from mystery man kuroo. 

  standing off to the side as they start making your sandwich you listen to kuroo place his order. something involving pacific saury and a side of rice. shoving his hands into his pockets, he stands beside you, inches between your shoulders. “so, maybe i’ll see you around town again?” he questions, unable to look at you as he questions.

  “i’m usually out and about or in my store if you ever want to pop by, so, that’s up to you mr. kuroo,” you look over at him, tempted to say something else before your phone starts to go off.

  the ringtone resembles a soft orchestra, the bass lowered and the brass section in need of a louder microphone. pursing your lips, you hold your phone up to your ear, but not before answering it and noticing that yachi is the one on the other end. she mentions something about the customer still not coming and wanting to know how long the sandwiches are going to be.

  as you explain to her that you aren’t quite sure, kuroo’s order gets called, his gaze meeting your’s once more before he leaves for what you guess to be work. for a second, you see his lips twitch, like he wants to say something. instead he simply walks out, words unspoken. watching him fade from the store’s view, you return to yachi, “yeah, it shouldn’t take too much longer, why?”

  “it’s just that sometimes they take forever and i know you like to be here in case any new orders come in.”

  taking in a deep breath, your foot starts to tap against the restaurant’s tile flooring, “i doubt they’ll take much more time, but you got this. if any order comes in, i’ll just do it when i get back-”

  “well you may want to hurry then, another order came in. this time it was for a mixed bouquet from the same number as the last one. it looks like they left instructions,” yachi sends your heart racing as she tries to navigate to the instructions, her online knowledge beginning and ending with a website’s appearance.

  “well what did they say?”

  “‘i hope you enjoyed the last bouquet, consider them and any more to come as a gift’… oh my god, y/n, you have a secret admirer or something.”

a/n: unedited but hopefully a banger taglist (open): @eggyrocks @causenessus @applepi25 @softpia @bakery-anon

@nekozaki @nnnyxie @kameyyy @grassbutneo @asrichin

@boosyboo9206 @anqelkoz @rriwyu @ssabvln @thesleepingrose

@chososcamgirl @lale-txt @weezerbby @cupidsblonde

[twistedheartsclub]

His Favorite Mistake- Yandere Ex Male X Female Reader

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING — This story contains themes of emotional manipulation, cheating, toxic relationships, possessive obsession, and psychological tension. Features morally gray characters, jealousy, non-graphic sexual scenes, and blurred lines between love, lust, and revenge. Reader discretion is strongly advised.

She begged him once. He left. Now she smiles when he burns.

Aisle Seven

Y/N hadn’t expected to see him again.

Certainly not in the middle of the grocery store, under warm fluorescent lights and soft pop music, while she reached for fresh thyme.

But there he was.

Him.

The man she once loved with every aching part of her.

The man who broke her.

He was pushing a cart. Laughing. A woman clung to his arm—pregnant, glowing, unaware.

Y/N froze.

She could’ve turned. Walked away. Pretended she hadn’t seen him.

But it was too late.

“Y/N?”

His voice hadn’t changed. That effortless charm. That smile she used to melt for.

“Wow, it’s been a while.”

She didn’t speak right away. Just… looked at him.

At the woman.

At her hand on his arm.

At the small swell of her belly.

She blinked once. Then smiled—perfectly.

She looked stunning. A tight sundress hugging her curves, wedges lifting her calves just right, her makeup soft and glowing. In her basket sat fresh herbs, red wine, pasta, garlic—his favorite. The recipe she used to make when he was hers.

“Hi,” she said sweetly, voice smooth as silk.

Something shifted in his expression.

She looks good. Better than I remember.

Who’s she making dinner for?

The woman beside him adjusted her bag. Nervous. Unsure.

“Hi, I’m Elle,” she said, holding out her hand. “I’m his fiancée.”

Y/N smiled even wider. Shook her hand gently.

“Lovely to meet you.”

She didn’t ask questions. Didn’t linger.

“I’m in a bit of a rush. Hope you both have a beautiful day.”

And just like that, she walked away.

But not before catching the flicker in his eyes.

He watched her go.

Like a man who just realized he lost something he should’ve held onto with both hands.

Y/N’s Apartment — 7:42 PM

The apartment smelled like garlic, white wine, and basil.

Y/N stirred the pasta with one hand and scrolled on her phone with the other while her best friends lounged at the kitchen island, sipping rosé and nibbling cheese.

“You’re so domestic lately,” Maris teased, stealing a tomato off the cutting board.

“Yeah,” said Bree. “Like, scary domestic. You’re making fresh pasta now? Who are you feeding like this?”

Y/N smirked and shrugged. “I just wanted comfort food.”

She didn’t say his name.

Not yet.

But it slipped out during dinner. Between bites of the creamy sauce he once moaned over, she said it—

“I saw him today.”

Both girls stopped mid-chew.

“Wait. Him him?” Bree asked.

“Matt?” Maris blinked. “Your Matt?”

Y/N nodded, sipping her wine. Her voice was casual. But her grip on the glass was a little too tight.

“Market aisle seven. With a very pregnant fiancée.”

“Jesus,” Bree muttered. “What did he say?”

“Hi,” Y/N said sweetly. “He looked… surprised. I think I made his brain stop.”

They all laughed, but there was a quiet under it.

A hum of something bitter.

Matt’s Apartment — 8:05 PM

Dinner was plated in front of him.

He hadn’t touched it.

Elle smiled gently, rubbing her belly as she watched TV from the couch.

“Who was that girl earlier?” she asked. “You seemed weird after.”

Matt barely looked up. “No one.”

“She was really pretty.”

Silence.

Elle looked at him.

“Seriously, who was she?”

He exhaled. “Just someone I used to know.”

“Old friend?”

“…something like that.”

He pushed his food away and got up. Walked into the bedroom. Shut the door softly.

Then grabbed his phone.

He searched her name.

Clicked on her profile.

And froze.

Her latest post was from last night. A photo at her apartment—candles glowing, pasta plated beautifully, two friends laughing in the background.

She looked good.

Her lips were glossed. Her dress soft and short. Her eyes glowing in low light.

He stared at the caption.

"Girls’ night in 🍷✨ comfort food, comfort people."

Who’s she cooking for?

She never looked like that with me.

Is someone else touching her now?

Does she even think about me?

He saved the photo.

He didn’t know why.

But he couldn’t stop looking.

Matt hadn’t meant to check her page again.

But it was muscle memory now.

Y/N’s name.

Tap. Scroll. Watch.

The 4:05 a.m. selfie—face flushed, ponytail messy, captioned “beat the sun 🌅”.

The yoga video her friend reposted—tight black leggings, form perfect.

The pic from school—“My students made me cry today 🥹 #teacherlife”.

She was doing good.

No.

She was doing better.

And that made something sour coil in his gut.

He clicked her tagged photos next. Every brunch, every bookstore run, every glass of wine with her girls. He studied the background. The angles. Looking for a shadow of a man. A wrist. A second glass. Anything.

He didn’t find one.

But that didn’t calm him.

It infuriated him.

She cried for me.

She begged on her knees. Her voice shaking. Hands gripping my shirt like she’d die if I walked away.

And I did. I left.

The night before I left, I made love to her.

Slow. Deep. Her whispering “I love you” against his neck like a prayer.

He remembered the way her lip trembled when he said it was over.

How she broke.

And now?

Now she glowed.

Now she thrived.

And something in him… fractured.

He wasn’t sorry.

Not in the normal way.

He was angry.

Angry that she healed. That she smiled. That she lived in a world where he wasn’t necessary.

She was supposed to shatter without me.

Not become something more.

He closed the app.

Sat in silence.

And whispered to himself—

“She was mine.”

His fiancée called from the next room.

He didn’t answer.

He was already planning the next time he’d “accidentally” run into Y/N.

And next time?

He wouldn’t be smiling.

Y/N’s Apartment – 6:47 PM

She stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the sleeves of her satin blouse, smoothing the hem of her skirt.

Her makeup was soft. Hair curled. A warm red lip she hadn’t worn in months.

Her friends buzzed around her, giggling, handing her a glass of wine she barely sipped.

“Come on, Y/N,” Bree said. “This guy is perfect. Handsome, steady job, no weird ex drama, wants marriage and a dog.”

“He’s seriously looking to settle down,” Maris added. “And he’s seen your photos. He asked us if you were single.”

Y/N laughed quietly, shaking her head. “That’s terrifying.”

“It’s called fate, babe.”

And so, at 7:30, she walked into the warm glow of the downtown restaurant. Candlelight. Leather booths. Glasses clinking.

And across the table—Luca.

Tall. Calm. Easy smile.

He asked her questions. Listened. Laughed at her jokes. Held the door open when she got chilly and offered his coat.

It felt… nice.

Easy.

Too easy.

And someone else—somewhere else—was watching.

Matt’s Condo – 8:06 PM

The second she posted the photo—just a plate of pasta, a glass of wine, the blurred edge of a candle—he knew.

She’s on a date.

He stared at the screen, heart thudding.

He refreshed her friend’s story.

There she was.

Laughing.

Her hand near a man’s wrist.

“Who the f*ck is that?”

His knuckles cracked as he gripped the phone.

He didn’t recognize the guy.

Didn’t care.

He paced his kitchen like a caged animal, every breath sharper than the last.

She’s dressed up.

She’s smiling at someone else.

She doesn’t look sad. Doesn’t look like she’s waiting for me.

She looks happy.

That’s what pushed him over.

That’s what made him snap.

He threw the wine glass against the far wall.

It shattered.

He stared at the shards.

“You little liar,” he whispered. “You said you’d always love me.”

Meanwhile — Y/N’s Doorstep – 10:42 PM

The date had ended with a soft goodbye. No kiss. Just a hug, a warm smile, and a “Let’s talk again soon.”

She was halfway through taking off her heels when her phone buzzed.

Unknown Number:

You looked beautiful tonight.

Her blood went cold.

Then another:

But you looked more beautiful crying on my floor.

She dropped her phone.

Her heart pounded.

Outside, a car sat idling at the curb.

Dark. Windows tinted.

She didn’t know it yet…

But Matt had already followed her home.

Y/N’s Apartment – Night Before

Her phone was face down on the kitchen table, untouched.

Her hands shook.

“He followed you home?” Maris whispered.

“Did he see you?” Bree asked, already pulling up a lock change service on her phone.

Y/N nodded, eyes glassy. “He texted me. Said I looked beautiful. And then—he reminded me of the night I broke down for him.”

The silence between them went heavy.

Maris wrapped her arms around her. Bree joined, warm and fierce.

“He doesn’t get to come back now,” Bree said. “He left. That was his choice.”

“You’re not that girl anymore,” Maris added gently. “Don’t let him make you one again.”

The Next Day – 10:12 AM — Bookstore

It was her safe place.

Always had been.

The scent of old pages, quiet piano music overhead, warm sunlight slanting through the windows. She took her time, trailing her fingers along the spines of novels, pretending everything was still okay.

Until she felt it.

That shift in the air.

That presence.

She turned—too late.

Matt was there.

Eyes dark. Hands in his pockets. Blocking the aisle.

“Y/N.”

Her heart slammed into her ribs. “Don’t do this.”

“I needed to see you.”

She stepped back, clutching her bag tighter. “You moved on. You said I love you once too. You burned the love I had for you.”

Her voice cracked.

“You had your chance. Go enjoy your perfect little family with Elle.”

He closed the space between them fast.

Too fast.

She hit the wall behind her with a soft gasp. His hand slammed beside her head. His other hand gripped her hip.

“I didn’t burn it,” he hissed. “You’re still burning.”

She flinched as his face came close—too close.

His eyes dropped to her lips. Her neck. Her dress.

“I still know this body. Every. Inch.”

“Let me go.”

But his hand didn’t move.

His thigh brushed hers.

His voice was low. Breath heavy. “You let him touch you? That soft little boy from your date?”

She shoved his chest.

“You don’t get to ask me that.”

He grabbed her wrists.

Pressed them against the wall.

And kissed her.

Hard. Possessive. Messy. Like he was starving.

She twisted beneath him—but somewhere in it… something broke.

And she kissed him back.

The pressure of his body. The fire in her stomach. Her fingers curling into his shirt. His groan vibrating against her lips.

It was familiar.

It was wrong.

But it felt so good.

When they pulled apart, they were both breathing like they’d run a mile.

Their eyes locked.

Neither of them said a word.

The air between them didn’t cool.

After that kiss—wild and burning—Y/N couldn’t breathe. Matt didn’t give her time to think. His hand was already gripping hers, tugging her toward the exit of the bookstore like he owned her path.

She should have pulled away.

She should have said no.

But her lips were still tingling. Her heart was still racing. And when he opened the passenger door of his sleek black car, she got in.

“This is a mistake,” she whispered as he pulled onto the road.

His hand slid over her thigh. Firm. Hot.

“Then tell me to stop.”

She couldn’t.

In the Car

The city lights passed by in a blur. Her breath hitched every time his thumb stroked soft circles on her bare skin, just beneath the hem of her dress.

“You’re shaking,” he said, glancing sideways.

“This is wrong,” she whispered. “You have a fiancée. A baby.”

“I only see you.”

His voice was low. Raw. Like something inside him had snapped and spilled out.

She swallowed hard.

But she didn’t move his hand.

Y/N’s Apartment — The Door Clicks Closed

The second it shut, her back hit it. His mouth was on hers again, rougher this time. Desperate. His hands roamed down her waist, under the curve of her dress.

She gasped as he lifted her, carrying her toward the bedroom like she weighed nothing.

Her hands gripped his arms—hard, sculpted, familiar. His scent was intoxicating, his mouth moving from her lips to her neck, biting and kissing down to her collarbone.

“I shouldn’t want this,” she breathed.

“But you do.”

What Follows Is Fire

Clothes hit the floor in flashes.

The way he touched her—like he’d never stopped knowing how. His mouth on her breasts, sucking hard, tongue circling until she cried out.

His hands on her thighs, spreading them wide.

Every thrust was punishment and worship.

She arched, her head thrown back, moaning his name like it was pulled from the deepest part of her. Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling as he groaned into her skin.

He didn’t stop.

Not when she whimpered.

Not when her body shook.

He took her again. And again. Until her voice cracked and her body melted against him.

After

They lay tangled in her sheets, skin sticky, hearts pounding.

He pressed soft kisses to her shoulder, his chest rising and falling behind her. One strong arm wrapped around her, his fingertips drawing slow circles into the curve of her arm.

“Why,” she whispered into the dark.

He didn’t answer at first.

Then—

“Because no one else gets to touch you like that.”

“You’re mine, Y/N. You always were.”

Matt’s House — 2:14 AM

He unlocked the door quietly.

Elle was asleep on the couch, one hand resting protectively on her belly, the TV still glowing in the background. A baby onesie ad flickered across the screen.

Matt stood there in the dark, still tasting Y/N on his lips.

His shirt smelled like her. His skin, her perfume. His thoughts? Only her.

He stared at Elle for a long time.

But he didn’t feel guilt.

He felt… annoyed.

She’s not Y/N.

She never was.

Sunday Morning — 9:42 AM

Y/N sat on a sunny patio, sipping coffee with Luca.

She wore a soft yellow blouse and a pair of delicate earrings. Her hair was tied up loose. The same fingers that gripped Matt’s shoulders the night before now toyed with a silver necklace as she smiled.

“You have a really cute laugh,” Luca said, eyes warm.

She laughed again, tipping her head.

“You’re just saying that because I ordered pancakes and a croissant.”

He chuckled. “I respect it.”

She leaned forward a little, her legs crossed, casually gorgeous.

Like nothing had happened.

Like she hadn’t moaned Matt’s name hours ago.

Like she wasn’t still sore from the way he devoured her.

But her smile?

It was real.

Because this was control.

Meanwhile — Matt’s POV

He was still lying in bed.

Staring at the ceiling.

Elle had asked if he wanted to go out for brunch. He said no.

He opened Instagram.

And there she was.

Y/N. At a café. Croissant. Pancakes. A man’s arm in the corner of the frame. Her smile wide.

His jaw clenched.

She doesn’t look wrecked.

She doesn’t even look like she’s thinking about me.

He locked his phone.

And threw it

Sunday Morning — Café Jardin, 10:06 AM

The sun filtered through the patio umbrella, casting soft shadows over Y/N’s table. Her coffee was still hot. The plate in front of her was nearly cleared. She was glowing—fresh from yoga, skin soft and flushed, the barest shimmer of gloss on her lips.

Across from her, Luca smiled with that effortless charm. Warm, polite, well-dressed in a crisp button-down.

He was easy to talk to.

Safe.

“So,” he said between bites of his omelet, “your friends said you were in a pretty serious relationship before?”

Her fingers paused around the coffee cup.

She smiled.

“Yeah… it ended about a year ago.”

“I don’t want to overstep,” he said gently, “but you seem really grounded. Not everyone gets through something like that and still believes in… you know, dating. Love.”

She tilted her head, watching him over the rim of her mug.

“I believe in second chances,” she said sweetly. “But only when someone deserves one.”

He smiled. “Fair.”

She didn’t say his name.

She didn’t need to.

But inside her chest, something tightened—an ache she had no interest in naming.

Time Skip — Monday Evening, 6:42 PM

Y/N’s Yoga Studio — Front Entrance

She pushed open the glass door, mat in one hand, water bottle in the other, ponytail damp from sweat and effort. Her body felt lighter. Her mind clearer.

Until she saw him.

Leaning against the black car parked right outside the studio.

Matt.

Still in a white fitted tee and dark jeans. Forearms crossed. That same chain around his neck. Eyes locked on her like a hunter who’d been waiting hours.

She stopped dead.

“Seriously?”

He said nothing at first. Just pushed off the car and walked straight toward her.

“You’ve been ignoring me.”

“Yeah,” she snapped. “That was on purpose.”

“Get in the car.”

She laughed—dry, disbelieving. “Are you serious right now?”

“Now, Y/N.”

“Why don’t you go home and play daddy?” she hissed. “I’m sure your pregnant fiancée is wondering where you are.”

His jaw tensed. His nostrils flared.

He grabbed her wrist—not roughly, but firmly—and yanked the passenger door open.

“We’re talking. One way or another.”

And before she could fully think, she was in the car.

The door slammed.

He got in. Started the engine. Said nothing.

And she said nothing either.

Until she realized—he was taking the turns toward her place.

Her breath hitched.

She looked at him.

His profile was sharp. Angled. His knuckles white around the wheel.

She hated the way her thighs pressed together. The way her chest rose with every breath. The ache.

“You know what?” she said quietly. “We can talk… over coffee.”

Back at Her Apartment — 7:11 PM

She handed him a mug.

He didn’t say thank you.

They stood in the kitchen, the air thick.

“You don’t get to act like this,” she said finally. “You don’t get to follow me, drag me into your car, show up. You’re engaged—”

“You kissed me back.”

She blinked. “That doesn’t make this right.”

“No,” he said, stepping closer, “but it makes it real.”

His voice had dropped. Dark. Rough. He placed the coffee down slowly.

“You smiled at that guy yesterday like he could give you something I didn’t. But you let me fuck you like no one else ever has.”

Her face flushed. She tried to look away.

He stepped closer.

“What did he get? Pancakes?”

“Matt—”

“I gave you everything. And you’re pretending it didn’t mean anything.”

“Because it shouldn’t mean anything,” she snapped.

“Then why are you shaking right now?”

Silence.

Then—she stepped forward. One hand in his hair. The other pressing against his chest.

And kissed him.

Hard.

Hungry.

Like she needed it.

“Shut up,” she whispered. “Just shut up.”

He grabbed her waist, lifted her off the ground like she weighed nothing, and carried her down the hall.

The Bedroom — A Blur of Heat

She didn’t remember how fast her dress hit the floor.

His mouth was on her neck, her shoulder, her chest. He didn’t undress her gently—he tore through the silence, through her restraint.

She gasped as he bit the skin of her thigh, sucking hard until it bloomed red.

He was rough. Deep. Possessive.

Her hands gripped his hair. Her nails scraped his back.

She moaned his name again.

And again.

And again.

After —

They lay tangled in her sheets, again.

His arm around her waist. His fingers tracing her skin like a ritual.

She was quiet.

Until—

“Why do you keep coming back?”

He didn’t answer right away.

But when he did, it was a whisper.

“Because no one has ever ruined me the way you did.”

It had been a month.

A month of Sunday breakfasts and weekday yoga.

Of late-night messages and secret key turns in the lock.

Y/N was still dating Luca—charming, kind, the kind of man who made her tea when her throat hurt and sent good morning texts with heart emojis.

But she was still fucking Matt.

Hard. Secret. Messy.

Sometimes she hated herself for it. Other nights, she let him ruin her until she couldn’t even speak his name.

She was playing with fire.

But she liked the warmth.

Thursday — 3:14 PM — Boutique Downtown

She didn’t mean to run into Elle.

Y/N was just looking at candles, smiling softly at the scent of vanilla smoke and clean linen when a familiar voice chirped behind her.

“Y/N?”

She turned, slow and sweet.

Elle stood there in soft blue maternity wear, a headband pulling her curls back, shopping bags in one hand and polite curiosity in her smile.

“Oh, hi!” Y/N said with practiced delight. “You look so cute.”

“You too!” Elle smiled, a little too tightly. “You… you used to date Matt, right?”

Y/N blinked once, then laughed, covering her mouth lightly.

“Oh, you didn’t know? That’s funny—yeah. I was the one before you.”

Elle’s smile strained.

“He never really talked about you.”

“No, I imagine he wouldn’t,” Y/N said, voice sugar-slick. “Hard to explain that kind of love to your new girl.”

Elle’s lips parted, unsure if she was being insulted.

“How far along are you?” Y/N asked suddenly, tilting her head. “You’re glowing.”

“Six months.”

“Aw,” Y/N said with a hand to her chest. “So sweet. Pregnancy looks so good on you… I was just saying to my friends the other day how Matt always loved that domestic look.”

Elle blinked.

Y/N smiled wider.

“Anyway, I’m running late. Take care of yourself, Elle. And say hi to Matt for me.”

And just like that, she walked out—heels clicking, perfume lingering.

That Night — Girls’ Dinner

The wine had flowed. The pasta was gone.

Y/N wiped her mouth with a napkin and said it:

“I ran into her today.”

Both Bree and Maris leaned in like wolves.

“Elle?”

“Elle.”

“Did you tell her?”

Y/N grinned. “Oh, I let her connect the dots. Told her she was glowing. Asked about her due date.”

“You bitch,” Bree whispered in awe.

“Queen,” Maris corrected.

Y/N sighed, swirling her wine.

“I can’t do this forever. I told myself once Luca asks me to be his girlfriend… I’ll cut all ties.”

“Do you think you will?” Bree asked gently.

“I have to,” Y/N said. “Because the thing about Matt is… if I don’t leave first, he’ll never let me go.”

That Night — Matt’s Home, 11:03 PM

Elle sat on the edge of the bed, brushing lotion into her belly in slow, distracted circles.

Matt had just come out of the shower, towel around his hips, hair damp.

“You didn’t tell me your ex was that Y/N,” she said softly, like a landmine whispered into the dark.

Matt froze.

“What do you mean?”

“I ran into her today.”

Her voice was calm.

That was worse.

“She was very… polite.”

Matt reached for a shirt without speaking.

“She said you used to love the domestic look. That it looked good on me.”

His jaw clenched.

Elle looked up at him slowly.

“She’s beautiful. Even more than in her pictures.”

“Is there something you want to tell me, Matt?”

Silence.

He met her eyes, cold and unreadable.

“No.”

Elle didn’t argue.

She didn’t cry.

But she turned off the lamp without saying another word.

And Matt lay in bed beside her, staring at the ceiling, thinking of the woman who had just played his fiancée with a smile.

Three Days Later — Friday Night, 7:28 PM

Luca’s Loft — Soft Music, Candlelight

Y/N stood on the balcony, wine glass in hand, city lights sparkling below.

She felt safe here. Steady. Like she could almost have a normal life.

Luca stepped behind her, arms warm as they wrapped around her waist.

“You’ve been glowing lately,” he said against her temple. “I like seeing you like this.”

She leaned into him.

“I like feeling like this.”

He turned her gently.

Held both her hands.

“Y/N…”

“I know we’ve only been seeing each other a short while, but I don’t want to keep playing it casual.”

Her heart picked up.

“I’d like you to be my girlfriend.”

There it was.

The moment.

The promise she made.

She stared at him—kind, beautiful Luca—and smiled.

“Yes,” she whispered. “I’d love that.”

He kissed her.

And she let herself believe it would be enough.

But somewhere inside…

Matt’s name still echoed between her ribs.

Matt didn’t hear it from her.

He saw it on her profile.

A soft photo: Y/N in Luca’s coat, her hand resting gently over his, their fingers laced across a café table. Captioned:

“✨He asked. I said yes.”

A simple sentence.

But to Matt?

It detonated.

He didn’t sleep that night.

Didn’t go home the next one.

And on the third day?

He showed up at her apartment.

Saturday — 6:31 PM

Y/N had just opened the door, keys in hand, when she froze.

Matt.

Standing there. Leaning against the wall outside her apartment, black shirt rolled at the sleeves, eyes burning through her.

She blinked, tried to shut the door, but he caught it—fast. His foot slid between it and the frame.

“We need to talk.”

“I’m on my way out—grocery store,” she said lightly. Her voice was too sweet. Her outfit even sweeter—short skirt, tight top that hugged her waist, made her breasts spill just enough.

He stared.

“Dressed like that for produce?”

She smiled. “Don’t girls in relationships dress cute now?”

His jaw tensed.

“You talked to Elle.”

“She talked to me.”

“What did you say to her?”

“Oh, just that she was glowing. Asked about the baby. That sort of thing.”

Matt stepped inside before she could stop him, his eyes dragging over her body like he wanted to carve her open with just his stare.

“You’re not funny.”

“I’m not yours.”

Wrong words.

Too sharp.

He slammed the door shut behind him.

“So Luca’s yours now? That soft little thing gets to touch what I ruined first?”

She turned, heart pounding.

“This isn’t your life anymore, Matt.”

“Then why do you keep letting me back in?”

She opened her mouth.

But he was already on her.

Hands gripping her waist, lips crashing into hers like punishment. Her back hit the door hard, breath stolen from her lungs.

She kissed him back.

Like fire and denial.

Like maybe this would make it easier to let go.

His hand slid under her skirt, gripping her thigh.

“Matt—” she breathed against his mouth, “—this has to be the last time.”

He didn’t answer.

Because he knew it wasn’t.

And so did she.

Saturday Night — 8:12 PM

The restaurant glittered with crystal chandeliers and hushed elegance. Waiters in black. Tables dressed in white.

And Y/N?

A vision in red.

Her dress hugged her curves like it was painted on—backless, slit high, the neckline dipping just enough to earn stares. Her hair curled in glossy waves. Power-red lips. Cute heels. Confidence in every step.

Luca held her hand as they were guided to their table. He couldn’t stop looking at her.

“You’re the most beautiful woman here,” he whispered as he pulled out her chair.

“I know,” she teased with a wink.

And then—

Matt.

Sitting three tables down.

His head turned when he heard her laugh. He went still.

Elle touched his hand, following his gaze—her smile faltering when she saw Y/N.

They weren’t just in the same place.

They were in the same orbit again.

The Collision

Eventually, someone suggested they say hello. Or maybe Elle couldn’t resist. Or maybe Matt needed a closer look.

The two couples stood face to face between tables.

Y/N smiled.

“Elle. Matt. Fancy seeing you here.”

Elle’s eyes flicked over her outfit, her makeup. The glow.

“You look… different.”

“Healing does that,” Y/N said sweetly. “Luca, this is Elle and Matt.”

Luca offered a charming smile, clearly unaware of the tension crackling beneath the surface.

“Nice to meet you.”

Matt said nothing.

He just stared at Y/N’s mouth.

Later — Restroom Powder Room

Y/N was reapplying her lipstick in the mirror when Elle’s reflection appeared behind her.

“You wore that on purpose.”

Y/N kept her eyes on the mirror.

“Wore what?”

“That dress. That color.”

Y/N capped the lipstick slowly. Turned.

“Wouldn’t be the first time I wore red for Matt.”

Elle flushed.

Y/N stepped closer, eyes amused, voice low.

“Remind me—how did you two meet again?”

Elle blinked.

“We… well, he said he was ending things with you.”

Y/N’s smile sharpened.

“Ah. So he was cheating.”

Elle stiffened. “He said it was over.”

“That’s the funny thing,” Y/N whispered. “You can tell yourself that. You have to. Otherwise, what are you really standing on?”

She took a step toward the door.

Then turned back.

“You’re glowing again, by the way. But this time… I think it’s fear.”

With a smile like a blade, she walked out—heels clicking.

Elle stayed frozen by the sink, throat tight, suddenly unsure of everything.

The dinner was done. Drinks finished. Laughter fading.

Luca stood inside by the register, card in hand, chatting casually with the hostess.

Y/N stepped outside for air, heels clicking on the stone steps, the breeze brushing over her bare shoulders like silk.

And there he was.

Matt.

Waiting.

Eyes dark. Jaw tight.

He didn’t speak—just reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her around the corner, out of view from the front entrance.

“You’re really doing this,” he hissed. “Parading around like that in front of me.”

She smiled. Dangerous. Radiant.

“I wasn’t parading. I was glowing. There’s a difference.”

“You talked to Elle like that on purpose.”

“Oh, baby,” she cooed, stepping close. “You still think I accidentally hurt people?”

His breathing was heavier now. She could feel it—his jealousy, his need, his rage wrapped in desire.

“You think he touches you the way I do?”

She leaned in slowly, lips a breath from his.

Her voice? Velvet and venom.

“I’ll think of you…”

“…while he fucks me.”

Matt’s hand twitched at his side like he didn’t know whether to drag her closer or shove her away.

But she was already stepping back.

Right on cue, Luca pushed through the front doors.

“Everything good?” he asked.

Y/N turned, radiant and untouchable.

“Perfect,” she said sweetly. “Just catching a little air.”

Matt stood frozen as she walked away, red dress swaying with every step, her hand sliding into Luca’s effortlessly.

She didn’t look back.

But over her shoulder, she said with a smile:

“You always liked watching me leave.”

Luca opened the car door for her like the gentleman he was.

And Matt?

He stood on the curb, burning from the inside out.

[gl1tchy-4rt]

Building a band!!

Here's the Members of...

"Here in 'Go Make Some Sound' it's all about doing something fun and enjoying ourselves, if we are not enjoying it then we try something else" - Marla the Mushroom

Marla the Mushroom: Bass player of the group.

She is peppy and outgoing, she maybe the only gal in the group but don't let that make ya think she won't defend herself!

Works part-time at "Noisette Cafe" and is good friends with the owner.

"I don't care if our music is silly, or childish or anything, what matters is that me, my pals and the audience we are having fun!" - Stretcher the Cheese

Stretcher the Cheese: Drummer of the group

He may look a bit old but i assure you he is full of life! Always amazed by the life and animals that live in the world.

Works part-time at Virgil's farm.

"All i have to say is that life is pretty amazing and i'm glad to be here" - Tommy the Tomato

Tonny the Tomato: Guitarist of the group

The chillest clown that ever lived, but that doesn't stop him from being a party animal!

Works part-time at a convenience store.

"I...i'm just happy to be alive and well, and especially that my friends are here and okay" - Brad the Butcher

Brad the butcher: Pianist of the group

Don't let his scary appearance fool you, he is pretty nice and pretty much the dad of the group, despite his challenged vision you, he can play music like a freaking master!

Works part-time as an actual butcher.

"Life's about enjoying yourself, so that's what we are doing! enjoying life" - Presley the Pineapple

Presley the Pineapple: Lead vocalist of the group.

A Strong yet melodious voice to set the stage and lead the band to a wonderful performance! And is that voice is no other than Presley! Leader of the group.

Works part-time in a bar.

"We are all here! and that's so cool!and i'm so glad that... we all changed, for the better!" - Peshino the Bot

Peshino the Bot: Accordion player of the group.

Hands that used to make pizza are now used to play wonderful melodies with his new friends! He is never afraid to put a bit of color to life.

Works part-time in a post office.

Last but not least be can't forget about their manager: Snotty and his secretary: Ms. Iceyy! By @fizzysartplace

Sadly we couldn't get an interview with them :(

(archive photography) /jk

So yeah! that's "Go Make Some Sound!!" i really enjoyed drawing them :)

See y'all next time! Buh-bye!!

[ratherembarrassing]

2025: week 6 and 7

previously, on ratherembarrassing, our heroine was fleeing the mothercountry for the new world...

around the world in thirteen days: so all up, i made my way through every timezone in 13 days. i... don't recommend it, i don't think. it's possible that it was less good because, uh, i didn't sleep for 2 weeks, but who the fuck can say. in any event, onward to the ununited states!

newark!: the calmest airport in the entire country?! the cute little monorail to the train station?!?! the complete lack of signage about the two different train operators and the requirement to get a completely different ticket for each????? i will never fly anywhere else ever again if i can help it.

wet dream tomato: that congestion tax really is working because the streets of midtown were quiet at midday. the vibe was really off until hours before i departed when i saw what looked to be an eight year-old smoking. a shout out to myself for dropping a pin in the three theatres i was seeing shows in on maps and booking a hotel in the middle of the triangle, because that was, actually, sweet as fuck.

theatah!: oh, mary! (lyceum theatre, broadway). as previously said, laughed so hard i nearly peed my pants in a new york theater. as not previously said, i also sucked every bit of myself up and stage door'd in the rain and told betty gilpin, through the power of close proximity, that i love and adore her. go see this.

and then i bought a coat: this truly was an endeavour. the half abandoned basement of a macy's in brooklyn could well have been where i met my end, but i lived to see another h&m and the sweetest sales girl in the world found me the last remaining coat in all of the eastern seaboard. getting this home became a whole thing.

bagel bagel bagel!: so many bagels, the most enchanting of which was one filled with birthday cake flavoured cream cheese from a BTS (the band???) themed bagel store. new york, you are so weird and i love you so much. honestly, because of the weather i was really committed to just not leaving a 4 block radius if i didn't have to (alas, brooklyn) and just wringing the weirdest shit out of those four blocks was incredibly fun. i've been visiting new york for eighteen years and lived there for long enough to pay rent three times, and i've never spent so much time in times square, but i had a fun snowy time.

also, tho: you get mobile signal with data on the subway now?!?!?!?!

theatah!: sunset blvd (st james theatre, broadway). i actually have an entire post in me about this so i'm going to just say that you are free to picture me in the world's largest puffer coat, snoopy style, attempting to melt into the floor as nicole scherzinger said she liked my good luck babe hat as it quietly midnight snowed all around us. byeeeee. (go see this, oh my god go see this!)

theatah!: death becomes her (lunt-fontanne theatre, broadway). i did not know destiny's child's michelle williams was in this until she appeared and i very rudely said out loud, oh my god that's destiny's child's michelle williams. regardless, i was three for three with bangers on this trip. go see this.

go west! life is not peaceful there: absolutely nobody appreciated the moment we were all standing on line for an aggressive pat down by the tsa at jfk when wind beneath my wings started playing over the pa system. i was not amongst my people at all, so i had to leave. on the way, i visited texas for a grand total of 5 minutes. please picture me running off my plane, dashing 3 gates down the terminal, hugging @xactodreams, and running onto the next plane.

a brief interlude: once again they let me drive on the wrong side of the road. they probably shouldn't. why are the traffic lights only on the other side of the intersection. hertz does this thing now where you can just wander around the lot and take whatever car you want, which was more stressful than anticipated.

conclave conclave: this is, actually, the entry for @tgifemslash, my beloved little gay con that you too could attend if you want to do things like, uh, sit in a circle for an hour raving madly about the various wonders of 2024 movie of the year conclave. at this point in our story i had slept very little and was about to commence 3 nights of approximately zero sleep before 4am.

taco taco taco!: i admittedly have historically not been a fan of most mexican food, entirely because it's just not good in australia. in the hands of @wanderson20 mine eyes have been opened to the glory.

traditional shoutouts: clark street diner (my favourite place on earth). the grove (why do i always end up here) (i had to buy a suitcase). erhewon or however the fuck it's spelled (i joined a cult). the nice woman at the qantas desk (thank you for not charing me to check my second suitcase (see grove, the)). panda express (lax's international terminal's only good quality).

oh also: kbox karaoke in a deserted strip mall at 9pm on a sunday in an otherwise entirely empty karaoke place is, actually, it. were there other patrons for a brief window of time, howling on the other side of the wall, or was that the ghosts of patrons never.

SHE GETS THE JOB DONE: swerved 20 minutes out of my way and paid homage at the chappell roan billboard. shout out to the other person there doing the same thing. then i had to go home :(

and then a hero comes along: entire row of seats to myself, love of my life. it's such a rare treat these days to commandeer three tiny, shitty pillows and three gross blankets, strap yourself awkwardly to a bench slightly too short for even your shortass body, and drug yourself into unconsciousness for 11 hours. amen.

and then nothing good ever happened again the end au contraire.

cannibal club!: the yellowjackets is BACK, BABY! the severance/yellowjackets double feature is the only reason to get up in the morning, tbh.

a little brunch: little molli's (abbotsford). the smoked pork neck french dip is to die for, but the blood orange cream soda is to live for.

if anything else happened, i will never remember it, good night.

[lawrenceofbessarabia]

Chicken Paprikash

In the spirit of #draculadaily, here's a translated-by-me recipe for chicken paprikash from an old Serbian cookbook that used to belong to my great-grandmother. Other than adding a few editorial comments and reformatting it to make it easier on modern readers, I haven't changed the text much. Photo of original recipe below the translated text.

Chicken Paprikash with Nokledes

Ingredients:

For the paprikash:

1 whole chicken (recipe starts by assuming you will pluck your own!)

0.5 kg yellow onion (about one large one)

1 tablespoon butter (can substitute other cooking oil, but I recommend using a saturated fat)

1 tsp paprika*

1 red bell pepper OR 1 long, green pepper

4-5 roma tomatoes

Parsley

Black pepper

For the nokledes:

2 egg yolks

1 knob butter

"Snow of two egg whites" I think this means egg whites beaten to stiff peaks

Flour (no quantity specified, typical grandma stuff)

Pluck and clean chicken, if not done already, and cut into pieces. Peel onion and slice into thin ribs. Place in pot (I recommend a large dutch oven) one tablespoon of butter/oil and heat over medium-high heat. When butter/oil is hot, add sliced onion and salt immediately, then fry until completely soft. Add on top one tsp* paprika, bell pepper or long green pepper with the chicken meat, and fry with onion until onion is completely fried (nice and brown). Pour in enough water to cover meat. Add into the paprikash 4-5 chopped tomatoes, finely chopped parsley, a little black pepper, and salt as needed. Lower the heat and simmer the paprikash on a low flame until nearly all the water reduces, all while stirring frequently to avoid burning. When it is ready, it must have enough juice. Serve the paprikash with nokledes that are made in the following way:

Mix together all ingredients listed until well-beaten. Fill a pot with water, salt it, then bring to a boil. Wet a spoon in the boiling water and use it to take out little balls of dough and add them to the boiling water. Remove nokledes when cooked, and finish by frying in butter (you can also just use store-bought...)

Personal note: the original recipe calls for "one blade" of paprika, which my dad says is equivalent to one teaspoon. I have no idea what it means, so if anyone knows please share in the comments!

Unfortunately the bit about the nokledes got cut off, so if anyone wants the rest let me know and I'll get my dad to photograph the rest.

[thestudentfarmer]

3 19 2025

Hello everyone here's the update for now :)

The littlest peeps update

These ones will be moving to the 2+ month old grow space soon and I'll be putting together a 3rd grow out space before integrating the newbies.

In addition come the 23rd-27th, we've a potential for 6 more chicks (though we don't expect all 6 to hatch). These hatches will most likely be sold to pay for feed (our ultimate goal is to have them paying for themselves as much a spossible).

One of our "free seed" areas, this was jsut left to go wild with weed seeds and added seeds. I find it particulalry funny they had such a divide 😂 between the sunflowers and the mallow-weed. Among them looks as if theres some tomatoes and squash or watermelon along the back, though I'm keeping a close eye on both to be sure.

The adults were given all the stuff I pulled from this zone.

Stinkweed seems to be pretty spread this year :( it's invasive/considered a noxious weed . I pull it with extreme prejudice as I spot it and feed it to the hens. They slurp it up like spaghetti.

The carrots are going to flower 🤩 i am so excited for the butterflies, moths and even some of the pretty beetles and flies. I hope to catch some stunners to share!

Radish flowers (breakfast radish is the variety)

The green onions from the store bought snips, their finally poking out :D

Past that, there has been lots of rain, not sure if it's potentially early monsoon or just weather skewing but it rained pretty good the last two weeks.

So I've been cooking a bit this week and quilting.

I got some mending projects finished and dyed some clothes to "renew" them.

My apologies for the short post today, but I wanted to be sure to post something as it's been a bit again. Mostly due to weather and just waiting for sprouting actions to begin.

🌱🐝Happy urban and suburban Homesteading 🐝🌱