#which is NOT TO SAY that the employees were at fault I don’t think it was clear to anyone how big of an event this was going to be

[cookinguptales]

So I’ve been enjoying the Disney vs. DeSantis memes as much as anyone, but like. I do feel like a lot of people who had normal childhoods are missing some context to all this.

I was raised in the Bible Belt in a fairly fundie environment. My parents were reasonably cool about some things, compared to the rest of my family, but they certainly had their issues. But they did let me watch Disney movies, which turned out to be a point of major contention between them and my other relatives.

See, I think some people think this weird fight between Disney and fundies is new. It is very not new. I know that Disney’s attempts at inclusion in their media have been the source of a lot of mockery, but what a lot of people don’t understand is that as far as actual company policy goes, Disney has actually been an industry leader for queer rights. They’ve had policies assuring equal healthcare and partner benefits for queer employees since the early 90s.

I’m not sure how many people reading this right now remember the early 90s, but that was very much not industry standard. It was a big deal when Disney announced that non-married queer partners would be getting the same benefits as the married heterosexual ones.

Like — it went further than just saying that any unmarried partners would be eligible for spousal benefits. It straight-up said that non-same-sex partners would still need to be married to receive spousal benefits, but because same-sex partners couldn’t do that, proof that they lived together as an established couple would be enough.

In other words, it put long-term same-sex partners on a higher level than opposite-sex partners who just weren’t married yet. It put them on the exact same level as heterosexual married partners.

They weren’t the first company ever to do this, but they were super early. And they were certainly the first mainstream “family-friendly” company to do it.

Conservatives lost their damn minds.

Protests, boycotts, sermons, the whole nine yards. I can’t tell you how many books about the evils of Disney my grandmother tried to get my parents to read when I was a kid.

When we later moved to Florida, I realized just how many queer people work at Disney — because historically speaking, it’s been a company that has guaranteed them safety, non-discrimination, and equal rights. That’s when I became aware of their unofficial “Gay Days” and how Christians would show up from all over the country to protest them every year. Apparently my grandmother had been upset about these days for years, but my parents had just kind of ignored her.

Out of curiosity, I ended up reading one of the books my grandmother kept leaving at our house. And friends — it’s amazing how similar that (terrible, poorly written) rhetoric was to what people are saying these days. Disney hires gay pedophiles who want to abuse your children. Disney is trying to normalize Satanism in our beautiful, Christian America. 

Just tons of conspiracy theories in there that ranged from “a few bad things happened that weren’t actually Disney’s fault, but they did happen” to “Pocahontas is an evil movie, not because it distorts history and misrepresents indigenous life, but because it might teach children respect for nature. Which, as we all know, would cause them all to become Wiccans who believe in climate change.”

Like — please, take it from someone who knows. This weird fight between fundies and Disney is not new. This is not Disney’s first (gay) rodeo. These people have always believed that Disney is full of evil gays who are trying to groom and sexually abuse children.

The main difference now is that these beliefs are becoming mainstream. It’s not just conservative pastors who are talking about this. It’s not just church groups showing up to boycott Gay Day. Disney is starting to (reluctantly) say the quiet part out loud, and so are the Republicans. Disney is publicly supporting queer rights and announcing company-supported queer events and the Republican Party is publicly calling them pedophiles and enacting politically driven revenge.

This is important, because while this fight has always been important in the history of queer rights, it is now being magnified. The precedent that a fight like this could set is staggering. For better or for worse, we live in a corporation-driven country. I don’t like it any more than you do, and I’m not about to defend most of Disney’s business practices. But we do live in a nation where rights are largely tied to corporate approval, and the fact that we might be entering an age where even the most powerful corporations in the country are being banned from speaking out in favor of rights for marginalized people… that’s genuinely scary.

Like… I’ll just ask you this. Where do you think we’d be now, in 2023, if Disney had been prevented from promising its employees equal benefits in 1994? That was almost thirty years ago, and look how far things have come. When I looked up news articles for this post from that era, even then journalists, activists, and fundie church leaders were all talking about how a company of Disney’s prominence throwing their weight behind this movement could lead to the normalization of equal protections in this country.

The idea of it scared and thrilled people in equal parts even then. It still scares and thrills them now.

I keep seeing people say “I need them both to lose!” and I get it, I do. Disney has for sure done a lot of shit over the years. But I am begging you as a queer exvangelical to understand that no. You need Disney to win. You need Disney to wipe the fucking floor with these people.

Right now, this isn’t just a fight between a giant corporation and Ron DeSantis. This is a fight about the right of corporations to support marginalized groups. It’s a fight that ensures that companies like Disney still can offer benefits that a discriminatory government does not provide. It ensures that businesses much smaller than Disney can support activism.

Hell, it ensures that you can support activism.

The fight between weird Christian conspiracy theorists and Disney is not new, because the fight to prevent any tiny victory for marginalized groups is not new. The fight against the normalization of othered groups is not new.

That’s what they’re most afraid of. That each incremental victory will start to make marginalized groups feel safer, that each incremental victory will start to turn the tide of public opinion, that each incremental victory will eventually lead to sweeping law reform.

They’re afraid that they won’t be able to legally discriminate against us anymore.

So guys! Please. This fight, while hilarious, is also so fucking important. I am begging you to understand how old this fight is. These people always play the long game. They did it with Roe and they’re doing it with Disney.

We have! To keep! Pushing back!

[revolant]

So I think what I’ve learned here today is to always plan extra time beyond what the book event page says but I came, I saw, I got my book and left because an hour (ish) into the signing and there were still over 100 people in line in front of me (#170 something) rip

[lani-heart]

|| series masterlist || next // previously ||

genre(s) -> angst, fluff, smut, non-idol, hybrid au, poly au paring(s) -> ( eventually ) ATEEZ x reader warning(s) -> smut, manhandling, words -> 1.7K

abstract -> “Always used to getting what you want don't you?”

hongjoong’s pov

“Are you sure you want to go to a heat hotel?” Seonghwa asked me and I didn’t know what else to do… “You’re gonna regret it,” Yeosang added. “I don’t want her to feel like she needs to help me… I don’t want to force her” I said and they seemed to understand. 

“She’s already accepted you both… besides she doesn’t mind helping us,” Wooyoung said and I felt like I had to just wait… for whatever reason.

“Hongjoong, are you ready!” I heard as I saw y/n now ready to take me to spend my heat with a stranger… 

“Don’t come back saying you regret it” Seonghwa warned and I think I would regret it either way… but for now I had to go to that stupid hotel.

They took me away and it felt weird not having y/n with me… she won’t be with me for a week. I wouldn’t see the apartment for a whole week. I then saw a tiger hybrid like Seonghwa with her fur white but a bit duller than his… enter the room. 

I could smell her heat, but for some reason, it didn’t push me further into mine. I know I was experiencing my pre-heat but surely I should’ve wanted to succumb to my desires right?

“Have fun” the employee said as I was now left alone with the unknown hybrid… “You're a collectible” she muttered and I growled. “I don’t mean that as offensive… I didn’t even mean to say it but your collar looks expensive” she defended and I knew that it was.

Each collar of hers was the same but different color or different jewels which differentiates me from the other hybrids at home… unique and made for me... which was a crimson red.

“Your owner must have not wanted to deal with a hybrid in heat huh?” she asked and it made me mad how many questions she asked… “No I decided to do it, '' I said and her eyes widened. 

“And your owner actually listened?! No way… I was told all of the hybrid collectors could care less about their hybrid’s opinions!” she laughed and it took lots of control to not threaten her.

I found her annoying so how was I supposed to spend the rest of my time with her?

“You do smell like you’re in heat though… I haven’t started mine but I’m having pre-heat symptoms” she said as she now got closer…

“Ready?”

“Told you so,” Wooyoung said, teasing me and I scoffed. “What happened?” Seonghwa asked, clearly amused. “She kept talking about me as if I was a collectible, it was annoying. She was annoying and she had the same stupid fur color as yours” I muttered and they laughed at my misery.

“All hybrids see us that way because most of the hybrid owners as rich as ours collect hybrids,” Yeosang said and I knew he was right but I didn’t want to hear it…

“Hongjoong! Why would you threaten her?!” y/n soon rushed where we were to yell at me. She was trying to reason with her owner on the walk by phone but I think she just has to pay for damages and the hotel charges for that stuck-up she-tiger…

“She annoyed me” I muttered and she sighed and walked off still talking on the phone negotiating with the she-tiger’s owner. “You do know now you have two options y/n or pills,” Wooyoung said as he tossed me heat suppressants.

I walked silently to my room… Luckily, y/n agreed to move Seonghwa and let me have a room to myself despite the Doberman’s protests.

I sighed… I really didn’t want to take heat suppressants. I never have and starting would be bad for my health…

“Hongjoong” I heard as I saw y/n come in. I was annoyed how she constantly smelt like that panther hybrid especially how he’s been sleeping in her bed as of recently though that is my fault. 

“Have you decided what you want to do?” she asked with a soft smile… she looked so innocent, why did I hate it? I wanted to ruin her…

“Hongjoong?” she said pulling me away from my thoughts. “I’ll just lock myself in here–” “That's not healthy though” She cut me off and I know it wasn’t but the hotel wasn’t an option anymore. 

“I’ll be fine… thank you” I said and she sighed. “I can help you know? I… trust you” she said, actually genuine. “You shouldn’t give your trust to me you know” I said and she smiled. 

“I do though… so Hongjoong?” 

no one’s perspective

You asked one more time before the tiger’s fantasies took over and nodded. Getting closer to the tiger, he grabbed a hold of one of your thighs before pushing you onto the bed he was sitting in a second ago.

If you told Hongjoong he’d share his heart with a human he would’ve laughed at you a few months ago… but the way you looked up at him curious about what he’d do waiting for his move made him feral. 

Those innocent eyes looked up at him… but he knew better. The fox was quite a sex crazed… and the panther a possessive lover, while the Doberman made you the loudest he’s ever heard you. 

It was no secret how much those three loved you… but he never believed that it was truly easy to love you. 

“Don’t look at me like that” he said… even though he likes your eyes looking up at him submissively, even though he knew that it could become an addiction. 

“I thought you were okay with me helping you?” you asked and he hissed. “Not when you make it hard to control myself” he muttered and you offered him one of your genuine smiles… one that differed from the scared and anxious written expression he used to cause. 

“You don’t have to… I'm not fragile, you know?” she asked and I chuckled. “Not that… I know you aren’t. But you make it hard for me not to claim you and mark you for your little mates to see” he teased and you then understood what he meant. 

“I think… you don’t have to worry about that. Do what you’d like” you said and it shocked him. He let you go and sat down on the bed facing his back towards you… not wanting to make a mistake.

“Hongjoong… you’re bonded with Seonghwa right?” you asked and he nodded. “Well… then you really don’t have to worry. I know we had bad impressions but we put that behind us. I’m not stupid… if you want to make me your mate then do it” you said as you put your chin on his shoulder and he chuckled. He turned his head to face you… 

“You’re making it harder on me than anyone i've met” he confessed and she chuckled. “It’s different when you like the person isn’t it?” you said and he didn’t say anything instead he grabbed your jaw but not like he did months ago. He messily and harshly kissed you now desperate…

It was messy as the both of you got lost at the moment. You didn’t even notice when Hongjoong had pinned you down on the bed as his hand stopped your head from moving too much. 

When he pulled away he didn’t give himself any time to let his lungs rest as he sucked and bit on your skin. Specifically on the scar he caused… he didn’t like seeing it so he wanted to cover it with a different meaning. His free hand in the meantime clawed through your shirt and ripped open your bra. He gripped you harshly as if you were trying to run away. 

His tail even gripped onto your thigh letting him comfortably lay between your legs, his chest pressed against yours and his mouth on your neck. 

“Are you sure you want to continue?” he muttered, finally pulling away but not even to look you in the eyes but instead to observe the work he’s done with the dark colored love bites adorning your jaw and neck. 

“Please” you begged and he chuckled. “So pretty when you beg like that” he muttered as he leaned in to give you a loving kiss before trailing down to kissing down to your chest and teasing you until he decided to go lower and stop just at where your panties covered you. 

He ripped them up with his claws as he teased you. The cold air now makes it obvious just how wet you are as he smirks down at you. 

“Anything to say my darling girl?” he asked you and you felt embarrassed having to beg especially when you weren’t used to it. not when the other three were so giving. “Please?” you said and he laughed at your innocence. “Always used to getting what you want don't you?” he teased and he was right… in more ways than one. 

You suddenly yelped as he grabbed the back of your thighs and pressed them up against your chest. “But it's not like I can fight these urges,” he said now feeling his heat slowly getting him pent up.

He lined up his cock against your pussy and teased you as you felt the pressure of his weight on your clit. He wanted to see how your hands pressed against his stomach from his rough handle on you. Almost like prey trying to get free. 

“Please Hongjoong!” you let out and he chuckled as he did what you requested but all in one go making it sting just a little to accommodate his size. 

Hongjoong also let out a string of curses as he freed one hand by putting your leg to rest on his shoulder just to play with your clit making your moans only get louder and your expressions get more lewd. 

He wasn’t normally one to think pervertedly but he definitely wanted to see what type of faces you make when he’s fucking you. 

Both were desperate for one another and this perverted scene wasn’t going to stop anytime soon. He was also intending to make more marks on your body… like handprint bruises on your thighs and more purple hickies adorning your body. Maybe even filling you up in so much cum that you’ll be leaking for days.

Just cause he had to share you, didn’t mean he wasn’t a possessive lover but maybe he’ll convince you to mark him up a bit too?

@wonuangel @danirael @angelsaway @krissroo @minkysmilk @mayonnaise-on-toast @robertsbbygirl @superbbananananana @hyukssunflower @kitty4hwa @justconniez @senpai-of-doom @kibs-and-bits @caityelise99 @ilovekinny @ateezennie23 @wooahaelemons @purplelady85 @watamotee33@chidess97 @littlelostdemonofthelight @maliamaiden @burntarm1n @spooo00oky @eastleighsblog @momo-peachy @kitstar1117 @quartzpirate @sunnyhokyu @iwishiwasrichasfuck @theginger543210 @pandolinka @ddaeing @kpopnightingale @slid3er @kekdo-520 @puppyminnnie @sparklinghwa222 @calicanbeevil @itsvxlentine @atinism @loumin908 @smally97 @rxnexxi @acetruepunk @majesticbeluga @namjooncrabs @tashizxy @itstheghostofmypast @smilefordongil @teeziny @totallynotlyntv @kyeos4ng @prodsh00ky @acescavern

please don't be a silent reader !! reblog, comment, and like <3

[showtoonzfan]

Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel is concerningly a trojan horse of white feminism. White feminism identifies with white patriarchy and strives to find a place of power within it, whether or not they acknowledge white men would never see them as equals. This type of feminism enforces the same patriarchal values that hold them down.

On both shows, the male characters are favored, the actions of the shitty male characters are justified to be right and that they are to be sympathized with little to no regard to their victims that are made to be at fault for being being imperfect at reacting at the abuse they receive.

And what is most perplexing to me as an outsider, is that Medrano is supposed to be a victim of abuse by some guy, and yet identifies and upholds her abusive male characters. In her attempt to humanize them, she disregards the weight of their actions. Her actions with her ex-employees and ex-friends show that the victim became the abuser to regain a sense of power, which is typically what white feminism is.

I know I shouldn't be psycho-analyzing her as a distant observer, but I'm tired of people mystifying a suffering deer with fungal-mutated horns and not thinking there's something wrong with it and that it needs help.

No you’re completely right. Vivienne has shown for many years that she isn’t a girls girl. On the outside she’s tried to paint herself as pro feminism and that she cares about other women, when in reality she’s transphobic, has put other women down, and has slut shamed them in her work. She’s basically that obnoxious girl in middle school that acts like she’s a girls girl but in reality is constantly and desperately seeking male validation, like how she once made a tweet questioning why she hasn’t been acknowledged for being a famous female content creator in a world dominated by men even though there were many other female content creators before her that were already rising to the top. I never came out of watching or reading something she made and thought “she hates men”, cause she doesn’t. She hates women and it shows in how she writes them and uses them. Her males are allowed to be 3 dimensional yet 90% of her females are one note. Viv also caters to the male audience who lusts over her female characters and I don’t need to explain that one.

Meanwhile she hasn’t got a single favorite or popular female character. There’s a reason why for years she’s said her favorites are Alastor and Angel and how she loves writing Adam, hell…she confirmed Adam is her favorite HH character. She doesn’t care about her female characters and only her males, whom she can find enjoyment in, either woobifying or sexualizing them. I think it kinda tells you something when you learn that Val is supposed to be based on her abuser yet she constantly likes tweets by Val apologists and sexy/silly fanart of him.

Meanwhile (as everyone has been saying), her content is for white queers/white fujoshi’s, no one else. She tries so hard for some reason to act like she’s new and progressive, challenging the world that’s been dominated by white people and their bland perspectives, but she hasn’t really added anything new to the table, and the way her fandom (and she herself at this point) treats black people is fucking nuts.

[unsolvedjarin]

Can we have more mentor!Seb x Ferrari driver!reader? Maybe she wins in Monza the same season as the last fic? 👀

note: sorry it took me so long to get to this request, life has been KILLING me lately. this one is pretty short but hopefully you enjoy!

FOCUS.

part one here but can be read without <3

pairing: (mentor! sebastian vettel x ferrari driver! reader) (mick schumacher x ferrari driver! reader AT THE END)

summary: monza was never an easy race, and that certainly wasnt changing anytime soon. but maybe some luck is on your side this year— and a supportive mentor.

content warning: none besides my verb tenses being all over the place

Max had gotten pole. So not good for you.

You lost P2 as well to Lewis by two-tenths of a second, but P3 was fine, P3 was good. Hopefully good enough for today. It was finally Sunday, and you couldn’t be more excited— it was finally Monza.

“Well the goal is to win,” you say, although it comes out muffled with food in your mouth. Sebastian had invited you to paddock brunch on race day, and you were not one to turn down free food.

Swallowing, you add, “I mean obviously the goal is to win. We’re in Monza, that’s every Ferrari driver's goal.”

The Aston Martin driver had been listening intently to your complaints about Ferrari’s performance recently, and from what he’s hearing, it’s not looking good. Not only was the car lacking in pace, the team itself had bad strategies left and right. While you had gotten a podium back in Spa, it was starting to look like it'd be the last podium for Ferrari for a while.

Charles had DNF’ed last race, and you ended up P9. Not a great result, but it still kept you third in the Construction Championship. This race, however, was too special to have a mediocre result.

It was the home of the Tifosi; the people, the cheers, the chants, it was all for Ferrari— all for you. You couldn’t lose in Monza.

“So you think you’ll win later then?” Sebastian asks, taking a bite of his own food.

“Well I don’t don’t think I’ll win, so there’s that.”

“What a strange type of confidence.”

“Thanks, I try.”

Sebastian laughs, a genuine one that makes you smile as well. You’d been spending more time with him since learning about his retirement at the end of the season, which says a lot when you were already always together. He didn’t mind though, he loved spending time with you above all the other people on the grid– well, except for Mick. He tagged along sometimes when he could. You liked having him around too.

“If it amounts to anything, I think you can win it.��

He always says that. ‘If it amounts to anything’ or ‘If it matters,’ as if everything he says wasn’t important to you when it was. “Thanks Seb, but save that optimism for yourself, you need it,” you tease.

You say it in a joking manner, but Seb knew there was a hint of seriousness to your words. Aston Martin hadn’t been performing well either, and if you considered Ferrari’s performance bad, then you could call theirs atrocious. You knew it wasn’t Seb’s fault, he had been trying to contribute to the efficiency of the car with his knowledge and he pushed it every race.

Nodding, he sighs, and you can sense the tiredness in his breath. 2 years of a slow car will do that to you. Before you could give him any comfort, however, a Ferrari employee calls out your name for you to get ready for the race.

“Good luck Schatzi, I believe in you,” Seb says, getting up from his seat. You get up and hug him tightly, smiling when he hugs you back just as tight.

“You too Sebby.”

“Do what I couldn’t,” you hear him whisper.

You don’t reply. You don’t tell him, ‘I’m sorry,’ because he already knows. He knows because you’ve told him it before many different times on many different races when he used to drive for Ferrari– but you’ll always remember Monza.

It was his dream, the most important thing he wanted out of joining Ferrari besides winning the championship with them. But he never got it. Every year he was there, something took the win out of his grasp. Engine failure, collision, slow pace, no grip, it didn’t matter what the reason was. He never got it.

You separate, both going to get ready. You’ll make him proud, you think to yourself.

The race was tight. Lewis was giving you a good fight, always just less than a second away, but conveniently farther whenever you were in a DRS zone which meant you couldn’t overtake him. Thankfully, he slipped up during a straight, and gave you enough slipstream and space to pass him.

Then it was just you and Max. He was 10 seconds away, and you were so sure it was over. But then he pitted a little too long, giving you enough time to take his position.

And then you were leading.

You were leading in a Ferrari in Monza.

Holy fucking shit.

Just one more lap, one more and you could see it– you could see the end.

“...Y/N L/N SEES THE CHECKERED FLAG, AND COMES TO WIN THE ITALIAN GRAND PRIX! FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2019, FERRARI WINS IN THEIR HOME RACE!”

You couldn’t believe it.

You won. You won in Monza. In a Ferrari.

You did it.

If the screams of the fans were loud in Spa, the cheers of the emotional Tifosi were deafening here. Exiting your car, still shellshocked, you’re immediately approached by Max, who gave you a quick hug in congratulations.

Slightly snapping out of your buzzed state, you run towards your crew who was on the other side of the barrier, practically jumping into their arms. They couldn’t believe it either. When you finally removed your helmet, the muffled sounds of everything else suddenly became clear, and somehow the already thundering roars of the crowd had gotten louder.

Despite all that commotion, all that chaos and celebration, there was only one man you were looking for. You heard he had DNF’ed, which meant he would be in his garage, but you didn’t care. You were going to look for him before you got on that damn podium.

While Max and Lewis went to the cooldown room, you got ready to sneak out and go to the Aston Martin garage, when a hand grabs yours and spins you around to face them. It takes you a second to realize what was happening, but when you did– “SEBASTIAN!”

He enveloped you in a hug, lifting you off the ground and spinning you around. You could hear his proud laughs, and you started laughing as well. You had done it.

“I ca-”

“I-”

You both start at the same time, making you both laugh even harder. You gesture for him to start first, and he does. “I can’t believe it. You actually fucking did it,” he says, the joy evident in his cussing.

He walks with you back towards the Podium, an arm around your shoulder looking proud. When you get to the side stage you pause in protest, but he reads your mind before you can say anything. “Go, we’ll talk later.” He gives you a little nudge, and off to the platform you go.

You asked Charles once, and he told you that when you get up there on the platform, everything goes quiet. You would see the crowd, the fans clad in red, and you would feel the love, but you wouldn’t hear it– as if all their cheers mixed together into a large vast silence. One thing would come into focus, and when you see what you’ve focused on, it’ll all make sense. For him, it was a man wearing a shirt with the number 17 on it. In the large mobs, it was the one thing his eyes had focused on.

For you, however, it wasn’t in the crowd. It wasn’t in the endless support of the Tifosi, nor the trophy given to you. No, it was in the man you could see in your peripheral vision, standing on the side, clapping proudly and looking at you as if no one else was on the podium.

Sebastian. It was him. Your mentor, your father figure, your friend. You finally understood what Charles was always rambling about. That loving feeling— not one you feel with a romantic partner, but the one that buries itself deep into your soul and grows over time, unseen and unnoticed, but when you finally focus on it, everything makes sense.

The second the podium festivities ended, you ran into Sebastian’s arms and hugged him tightly, not minding the cameras all around you. He didn’t understand what was happening, but he hugged you back, not letting you go.

Tomorrow— not today while the chaos of the fans was still ongoing— the media will spew rumors about you and the older driver, but you don’t care. Not when you’re finally happy here; content.

With content tears flowing freely down your face— along with some champagne from earlier— you finally disconnected from the hug, looking at Sebastian with a grin.

He looked confused, “What’s happening? Are you alright? Is everything okay?”

Shaking your head with a laugh, you reply, “It’s fine, everythings okay. I just— I can’t believe I did it. And with you watching. I couldn’t be happier.”

Sebastian takes a moment to intake what you said. He had never felt this way before. Never felt so utterly proud of someone. You had done what he never could, had finally achieved the Ferrari dream he had always wanted for himself. He could see himself in you now, the sheer joy of a win with a team he always wanted to win with. He couldn’t be more happy for you too.

“Sebastian?” you ask, worried about his silence. Maybe what you said was too much, too forward. But then he smiles softly at you, and you can see the tears welling in his eyes.

“You have no idea how proud I am of you.”

You breathe a sigh of relief, “Oh thank god, I thought you were thinking of scowling in disgust or worse; not hearing what I said and making me repeat it.”

He laughs, a hearty one, and you laugh as well. The roar of the crowd was still loud, but amidst all the chaos, your eyes still only focused on one person.

“Dinner?” he asks softly.

“Yeah, let’s get dinner.”

a bit of bonus for my mick girls out there:

“Y/N!” you hear a voice shout from across the paddock. It catches your attention, and you turn your head to the Mercedes hospitality where the voice came from. Sebastian is beside you, an arm around your shoulder, accompanying you for a post-race dinner.

“Mick! What’s up?” you ask, disconnecting from Sebastian’s hold to walk towards him. He meets you in the middle, giving you a quick hug before smiling.

“I just wanted to congratulate you on your win. We should celebrate!” he says, pausing for a moment as if thinking how to word his next sentence. “I was thinking— just a random thought really— we could…go out to dinner to celebrate? I mean just throwing ideas out there, you don’t have to.”

He’s looking everywhere but at you at this point, his eyes pointed down at his shoes and you can see his hands fiddling in his pockets. You notice Toto Wolff watching from the hospitality, but you pay no attention to him, instead keeping your eyes on the man in front of you.

“I’m sorry Mick I would love to, but I’m actually going out to dinner with Seba—”

“He can come,” Sebastian butts in. “He can join us, I have no problem with it.”

“Oh, then great!” you exclaim, nudging Mick softly. He looks up at you with a slight red dusting on his cheeks you don’t notice. Oblivious, you intertwine your arm with his, walking with Seb tailing the both of you.

You ramble on about the race to him and don’t notice when he turns his head around to face Sebastian quickly, who was giving Mick two thumbs up with a cheeky grin. The younger driver blushes softly, before going back to facing you and listening to you talk.

Unbeknownst to the both of you, however, the older driver was already secretly thinking of an excuse to get the two of you alone at dinner.

[rafesgoldrings]

Rafe x trophy wife where an employee talks down to the reader (not knowing who she is or how much power she holds) and she goes along with it, pretending to not know anything about Rafe’s business until the man himself, aka her husband walks in at just the right time where the employee is calling the reader a dumb bitch for not knowing anything 👀

The guy had to be new because there’s no way one of the employees that had been there for awhile would even think about speaking to you that way, let alone actually say it to your face. It was subtle at first, each time he saw you grabbing the papers from your desk he’d offer to help you out. You thought he was just being nice after seeing the large stack of paper you had, but then he started saying snarky remarks to you. Any meeting you had with him was always full of something along the lines of ‘the adults are speaking sweetheart, why don’t you go get us some coffee and let us do our jobs’ and it took everything in you to not slap him. But you were smarter than that, smarter than him, and knew that if you planned it out, Rafe would catch him and the guy would quickly learn why he shouldn’t talk down to his fellow co workers. You sent Rafe a quick text asking him to come to your desk so you could give him something, and that wasn’t necessarily a lie…it was just a very early birthday gift that you conveniently decided to give him when you saw the asshole co worker approaching. You purposely sent him an email containing the wrong information about one of the sales Rafe made knowing it would set him off. The perfect plan to get this asshole caught. You’d gotten a reply saying he was on his way and smirked, setting your phone down and watching as the guy walked closer and closer. “Do you realize what you the hell you just did?” his face red and voice slightly raised. “No, did I do something wrong?” your eyebrows scrunched in confusion, a total look of absolute innocence on your face. You bit back a smile watching his nostrils flare, jaw clenching and chest rising with every increasing breath. “God you’re such a dumb bitch. You don’t know anything about this company. The only thing you’re good for is being the young hot thing in the office with good tits and a good ass who’s cu-“ a loud booming voice cutting him short. A smug look on your face as the guys face paled and eyes widened. Nobody wants their boss to address them in that way. That means they did something they shouldn’t have and are about to be fired. “Who the fuck do you think you are talking to my wife like that?” he looked down at your hand, noticing the giant diamond ring on your finger and name tag on your desk. ‘Y/N Cameron’ oh fuck. He tried to stammer his way through an explanation, he didn’t know who you were and he was sorry. But Rafe didn’t care, nobody disrespected his wife. You worked your ass off to help him and worked your ass off before he’d even married you to help his company. You were his equal, you deserved the same respect. “I-I’m sorry sir I don’t fucking care. Say you’re sorry and then get the hell out” apparently he didn’t move quick enough because Rafe grabbed him by the back of the neck and harshly pinned him against your desk. He cried out apologies before Rafe threw him to the ground, telling him to get the hell out of his building before he had him thrown out. He wasted no time scrambling to his feet and running out the doors, not even bothering to grab his stuff. You could only bite your lip and smirk, clenching your thighs together. There was something so hot about Rafe protecting you, he walked over to you and grabbed your hand. He’d place a gentle kiss to it and apologize for the employees behavior to which you promised him it was okay, it wasn’t his fault. The gift you wanted to give him? The very same gift you used to lure him in? A remote control to your new vibrating panties. “You’re going to kill me princess, but not before I have you on your knees in front of me. Crying, begging me to stop after about your 20th orgasm”

[kix-mm]

Hey you asked for fear angst things to write. I’m not sure if you wanted an comment on that post or an ask but.

Maybe the tinies are the reason for fear. Like an average person maybe finds themselves in an tiny world. But like the tiny military gets ahold of them. And maybe experiments or uses them as a weapon. Cause sometimes tinys can be scary as heck too.

I imagined a few different scenarios with this prompt! Sorry if this story is a little short, I've been very busy recently, and I'm coming down with the flu!

“Wait- wait! There has to be a misunderstanding!” The alien called in their foreign language, nobody could understand their words, their pleas. Many tried to settle their foreign visitor with little to no success.

It was hard for either parties to trust each other, one was chained, hidden, and exposed to experiments such as sampling and strange studies, they were unable to rest easy and became delirious with time due to the constant trauma and lack of sleep.

The other was subjected to decades of brainwashing, distilling fear of the unknown into their minds ever since they were young. The size difference between the two only made the humans more wary… though over time more and more employees began to speak up. Stating that their experimentation was inhumane and unnecessary.

Eventually those who fought against the cruel treatment gained the upper hand, and all tests were shut down for good. And over time, experts managed to find a way to translate the aliens words, even managing to find a way to reassemble them into new sentences which they then used to communicate with the alien.

It took a long time to gain their trust, but not many will ever be able to forget the fist day of making verbal contact with their visitor…

Professor J. August enters the room. Subject immediately notices their presence and attempts to make themselves as small as possible while pressing their body into a corner. J. August attempts contact.

[Hello? Can you understand me?] Mr August doesn’t attempt to get any closer to subject in hopes to make them more at ease.

Subject looks unmistakably surprised yet remains still, they do not try to communicate in return. Mr August attempts contact again.

[Hello? Can you understand what I’m saying?]

“Y-yes…”

[I’m Professor August, do not worry, I’m not here to cause any harm… none of us here want to hurt you]

There was a long uncomfortable silence before the subject positioned themselves more comfortably, they still seem very wary.

“You did hurt me… you hurt me a lot, I just want to go home, please, please let me go…”

Mr August, along with the majority of his employees look defeated by the pleas… guilt fills the room in silence.

[I know, it was cruel to treat you like so, we promise to release you soon. It’s only right to set you free after all we had done to you. Please know that none of my current employees ever supported this poor treatment.]

The subject aggressively leans forward, the chains tug on their limbs.

“I want to go home! I don’t want your pity! I want to go! Let me go!”

The professor takes a step back and flinches, hastily typing on their tablet before giving up and attempting direct communication in the language.

“You will go home! You will! I promise you that! But please you have to settle down so you don’t scare the authorities into thinking you’re a threat.”

There was another sudden silence between the two. The subject now begins to cry due to their anxiety and high levels of stress. Doctors and scientists suspect that the alien is only a juvenile, around the ages of 12 to 16, treating like the suspected range of age has yielded positive results.

[I’m sorry for my sudden behavior, I didn’t mean to yell at you. I only want to help you and I… I panicked. I don’t want anyone to hurt you anymore.]

“… I didn’t mean to scare anyone… I thought I was the only one that was scared. I’m sorry…”

[it’s not your fault, but please try to stay as calm as possible okay? Then I promise you that everything will go well]

"And if it doesn't...?"

[... you have my word]

The subject doesn't seem too happy with the answer, and it retreats back into its corner.

From then forward, none other than professor August was permitted to communicate with the specimen. Their relationship never improved much despite his efforts to comfort and bond with the child. This never persuaded Professor August to prolong the beings' stay. At the end of that same year, the being was set free.

Unfortunately for earth, it's reputation from then on was permanently tarnished, for not only holding a young child hostage but also torturing it. To this day, every other species has deemed this planet unnegotiable due to their false promises and brutal treatment to their own species and those of any other...

[percyposting]

Now while I am of course critical of them as characters, I’m not that crazy about when people, when talking about Percy and his family, either put all the blame on one side or the other. Like, when people who don’t take the time to understand Percy’s perspective will say he was unjust and didn’t love his family and a scorn upon the Weasleys, which is obviously a very black and white and incorrect perspective on his character which literally is incorrect when you reference the canon. But on the other hand, I don’t always agree with some of the ways people defend him, either, because a lot of those statements are also black and white; for example when people say Arthur is a terrible father, or that Percy’s siblings are unwaveringly cruel, or that Percy didn’t make any mistake/he was imperiused. I especially hateeeee that last theory specifically because it really undermines everything that he was going through during the course of the story and does more damage to his character than anything. He made the choices he did not because he’s a bad person but because he was like nineteen and wasn’t being listened to and he was being manipulated by the individual Minister’s he worked under because they were targeting his biggest weakness which is that he comes from a poor family that have been labeled as ‘blood-traitors’ and because of that, he was not born with as many opportunities that others are, and this clearly effects him as he brings it up during his argument with Arthur. He blames Arthur for their struggles, while he is wrong about this it’s not like he’s given much help to see why he’s wrong. Percy is naive and believes he’s smarter than he is (not slander of course, like these are very reasonable things to be as a 18-19 year old) so it leads to him thinking he understands how the world works but really he’s stuck in this box his government/society has built around him. And I think the rest of the Weasley’s are only a tad bit more enlightened, because they don’t seem to recognize this. They just don’t realize that Percy is just as much a victim of this system as they are, and can’t help but point fingers and resent one another.

I wouldn’t say any one of the Weasley’s are really at any major fault here. Percy misunderstands that the reason he’s struggling is not because his father’s lack of effort in his work or in providing for his family, but it’s because his father is actually a decent employee but the institution he works for will never give him any benefits or a raise because they hate him and his family. This is one of the major reasons for Percy’s split between his family, and it’s not his fault, nor his family’s fault, it’s the fault of the pureblood aka oppressive and corrupt society that they live in that actively promotes their downfall. Along with any other person that doesn’t match their blood purist beliefs.

I don’t think any of the Weasleys hated each other. I believe they loved each other VERY much, and the forces actively and canonically working against them nearly succeeded in tearing their family — but in the end they ultimately failed because that the Weasley’s truly do love each other and never wanted to be split apart. That’s what I think people miss when they attempt to defend one or the other: they misunderstand that no one is the villain but corruption, manipulation, and misplaced blame. Percy was young and tricked into believing something hopeful after his entire future was almost crushed (Barty Crouch Snr’s death and the subsequent investigation). Arthur didn’t want to believe his son would actually align himself with the enemy and tried to get Percy to understand the truth, but this only causes more friction because he goes about it wrong, instead insulting Percy’s capabilities, which are his most tender subject. And Percy’s siblings grew up in a loud, chaotic house where there wasn’t enough validation to go around, so they accidentally began resenting each other as time went on, most of the time because one was getting what the other wanted or (like Percy getting constant praise and attention for his academic achievements while the twins watch, waiting to be scolded for ‘not being successful like Percy.’) These are common family difficulties! They’re very realistic. And I don’t think it points to anyone being the bad guy, just that they may have said and did some bad or hurtful things, but by the end of the book most of these things are resolved because the Weasleys find each other again and go “I’m sorry, I love you, and I forgive you.”

[bray-washed]

Some of you are gonna hate this, disagree with this, get mad at this. Whatever.

Let me say from the jump: CM Punk, 100% should not have assaulted his coworker. Should not have. That’s a fact.

HOWEVER, and this is in no way excusing the actions but this is not ALL his fault like everyone is saying. This entire scenario was building because TK cannot be a boss, that’s not to say TK is a bad person - by all accounts TK is known to be a good person just not a good boss. In TK’s defense (& being in the wrestling business as a booker & promoter myself) it’s hard to be a boss to your friends, because that’s what happened his employees became his friends and that’s a hard position to be put into; however, that does not mean he needs to neglect his duty as a boss and he clearly has. (& in my opinion, is being taken advantage of by people who are using him for his money but that’s a different conversation)

Watching that footage, it’s clear to see that CM Punk was telling the truth. Point blank, what he said happened that night, happened. So that leads me to believe that everything else leading up to that moment also happened. We can’t (conveniently) hear what’s being said but I would guess Jack said something that angered Punk - neither were really showing aggressive behavior, maybe when Jack went to turn away from Punk in the beginning & Punk pulled him back - but like? Jack was turning away mid conversation if I, as a veteran, was trying to talk to a new kids about something & they turned away from me? Yea, I’d pull them back… cause the entitlement is not happening absolutely now.

Seems to me like Jack Perry was being uncooperative from the get-go. Why? Who knows. That’s the real speculation, Punk will say it’s cause of his “friends” (the Young Bucks) influence which is a fair speculation but it could be anything. Jack Perry is young & dumb & is probably forming some kind of ego of “I know better than the old timers” every wrestler gets that mentality for a little while and they need to grow up & out of that mentality.

Punk comes from the era of wrestling where if you talk shit, you get hit - fuck around & find out, if you will… and I as well come from that era & mentality, being a professional is first on my list so I’ve never gotten into a physical fight but it doesn’t shock me or fill me with rage when it does happen - not saying it should but some people need to have those consequences come to light. Jack fucked around and Jack found out.

Now, whatever Punk said to TK, no clue… I don’t think just watching that that TK can say that he feared for his life there was nothing to fear there. Now, we can’t hear anything & I’m sure yelling was happening… but fearing for his life? Be so for real right now Tony, honey, you run a wrestling locker room… arguing is bound to happen… relax.

Genuinely, this showed most of us nothing & I don’t think it did anything to benefit AEW. AEW is just trying to fight fire with fire, for no reason. If TK wants to run a “business” then… do that. Want to know what WWE 100% would never do? Show footage of a former employee in a fight backstage. When all that nonsense when Punk left happened… did WWE show footage of Punk leaving to “prove a point”? No. Ditto for Steve Austin - who ALSO famously took his ball & went home and WWE has camera crew literally everywhere… there have been TONS of fights most likely caught on camera but we’ll never see them why? Cause they are a business.

I think this was a bad idea all around… but that’s just me.

(But also can we please talk about Samoa Joe just pacing back & forth, minding his business, getting pumped for his match…. I don’t know why but that just made me love him more.)

[c-jay-s-text-posts-only]

A Special Mission

Written with permission from @juanarc-thethird

With further inspiration from @riku-izanami

Late one evening, team RWBY were hiding in the bushes. They were waiting for Jaune, Nora, Ren, and Oscar to return from the Schnee Family’s estate; their goal - to cut a long introduction short - was to extort money from Weiss’ Father. He’d cut her allowance off again; as usual, without good reason, and was content not to restore it.

He’d cut Winter off as well - which everyone involved thought was strange, so the two sisters consulted together, and hatched a plan.

Time passed, and Weiss was getting more and more worried.

As far as she was concerned, they were taking too long.

“Do you really think they’re okay?” She asked for the umpteenth time,

“I’m sure they’re fine.” Ruby patted her shoulder, “I’ve been travelling with them for-like-ever now, they know what they’re doing.”

“I hope you’re right . . .” Weiss conceded, but she still felt uncomfortable,

“I’m more concerned about how this was all your idea.” Remarked Blake, “I know you don’t like your father, but I never thought you’d go so far as to blackmail him to fund our adventures.”

“Yeah, I’m with Blake on this one.” Put-in Yang, “We know how screwed up your family is, but this is pretty sick!”

“Yes . . . we’re a messy house.” Weiss agreed with a sigh, “But if he’s going to say that I’m not a member of the Schnee Family anymore, then he’ll get what’s coming to him.”

Just then, they all heard the sound of an approaching vehicle, and they poked their heads out to see.

A large, double-wide military van cruised along the road towards them; Ruby whipped Crescent Rose and peered through the scope. She could see Ren and Oscar in the front, while Nora, who popped her head out of the moonroof, turned around to wave at them.

Ren brought the van to a stop when he saw Ruby go out into the middle of the road.

“We’re back!” Shouted Nora, “Did we miss anything?!”

“Nope!” Yang popped the ‘p’, “Thing’s’re movin’ a mile-a-minute around here.”

“Sweet, ‘cuz have we got a lot to tell you all!” Nora vaulted herself from the roof of the van, and executed a perfect mid-air tumble.

She landed easily in front of them. Ren and Oscar just opened their doors and stepped out.

Ruby was excited.

“So how’d it go?” She asked, “Did you get the money?”

Nora’s winning smile faltered.

“Y- . . . yeah . . . about that . . .” She began, “We- uh . . . we didn’t . . . we didn’t get anything . . .”

“What?!” Weiss couldn’t believe it, “What was the point of this mission then? What happened?!”

“Look, it’s not our fault!” Nora insisted defensively, “He’s a horrible person! Now I get why you wanted to blackmail him so bad!”

“Well that makes three of us now.” Muttered Blake,

“Okay, tell us what happened from the start-” Yang tried,

“No, seriously, I can’t believe he’d be so ruthless!” But Nora wasn’t finished, “Like, everything he did to his own employees and family?! It’s terrifying! People like your father are the ones you have to stay away from!

“Nora!” Yang interrupted, “Just tell us what happened already!”

“Okay-okay-okay!” And Nora took a breath to calm down, “We just went there, and then we gave him the run-down, y��know, like: ‘pay us this much, and we’ll keep our mouths shut’, blah-blah-blah.”

“Uh-huh . . .” Nodded Ruby,

“Sounds about right.” Yang nodded as well,

“But then he kinda, sorta got angry . . .” Continued Nora, “so then I got cheesed . . .”

“. . . Okay . . .?” Weiss was growing concerned.

Nora raised her eyebrows and glanced away.

“And then . . . things kinda just . . . went from there . . .”

Team RWBY exchanged worried looks.

“You-” Weiss tried, “You didn’t threaten to break his legs, did you?”

Nora gasped dramatically.

“I am oh-ffended!” She exclaimed, putting a hand on her chest, “Of course, you know I totally did . . .”

“Alright, then did you actually break his legs?” Asked Blake,

“Of course I didn’t!” Nora looked even more offended, “What kind of violent woman do you take me for?!”

No one had an answer; secretly, Weiss was relieved to know Nora hadn’t gone that far.

“Well, thank the Gods for that.” She murmured,

“But we did kidnap his wife~!” Nora’s eyes lit up,

“You what?!” Weiss exclaimed,

“You did what?!” Yang's eyes popped open.

Nora giggled excitedly and meandered over to the back of the van. With a click, the doors opened, revealing a fine rump firmly straddling a well-known waist - the boots and pants stuck out from underneath her. A wet, sucking noise cut through the air from behind the seats.

Weiss was horrified.

“Mother!?” She shrieked,

“Oh shit!” Yang’s jaw hit the ground,

“Woah . . .” Blake was surprised,

“Yo . . . I didn’t know he could work it like that . . .” Ruby whispered.

Willow sat up and turned around when she realised someone had called her; now everyone could see how she looked.

Her hair was let down and dishevelled, flowing freely past her shoulders. She had taken off her blue jacket, and her blouse was open, but not enough to expose anything indecent, just the impossibly deep valley of her chest - which Weiss would only very quietly admit to being jealous of.

“Oh!” Willow brushed a few strands of hair away, “Hello Daughter. I didn’t realise we’d gotten here so soon, no one told me . . .”

“Too soon . . .” A familiar voice from near Willow cracked and sighed dreamily.

“Yeah sorry, Ma’am." Nora apologised, thoroughly unabashed, “Didn’t wanna interrupt the uh- y’know . . .”

She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, but Willow just gave her a warm smile.

“Please, sweetheart.” She said, “Call me by my name. It’s really the least I can let you do, considering everything you’ve all done for me.”

“Please, don’t stop on our account.” Blake thought this was very funny.

Weiss found her voice again and addressed her issue calmly.

“Mother, why are you kissing . . . him?” It was very difficult for Weiss to ask without wanting to throw up in her own mouth.

Willow gave Weiss a perplexed look.

“I had to pass the time somehow, didn’t I?” She told her, as if it was the most obvious thing, “Besides, he’s actually quite charming. I’d have been a fool to stay back at the Manor and let this gorgeous, young man walk away.”

The familiar voice gasped like he’d just seen something amazing, and he sat up a little, just enough for the others to see the expression on his face. Jaune's lips seemed brighter in the low light, and his cheeks and chin were smeared with pink lipstick; a lonely mark stood proudly out on his forehead.

“You really think I'm gorgeous?” His smile looked hopeful.

Willow turned back to him, returning an all too tender smile, and gently stroked the underside of his cheek; her eyes twinkled in a sweet and unbridled way.

“Of course, Love.” Willow nodded.

Jaune flopped back down and giggled in such a giddy fashion, even kicking his feet like a little girl. Willow tittered along with him; it was so cute to her. Yang thought it was almost adorable.

‘Man, if only I didn't already know why he's so happy.’ She mused, ‘. . . It's really sad now that I think about it.’

“Oh come on, Mother!” Interrupted Weiss, “Jaune of all people?!”

Willow looked a little surprised and switched her gaze between Jaune and her daughter.

“Jaune?” She asked, “This the annoying boy you wrote to us about?”

“Yes, that's him!” Weiss nodded fervently.

Jaune looked embarrassed; he hated remembering how foolish he’d been back in those days. But Willow just cupped Jaune’s face, eyeing him analytically.

“Hmmm . . . well, he’s more handsome than you'd let on.” She appraised, “And he’s hardly scraggly. He's quite well-built and kept. He’s also been nothing short of the perfect gentleman since he and his friends helped me escape.”

“What?” Weiss felt her world begin to crumble,

“Oh- and his hands have only ever been right where they needed to be.” Willow smirked coyly, "He's also very huggable and warm, it's just what I needed after all this time."

“Um-” Ruby raised a finger,

“Around my shoulders or on my back.” Willow clarified, “He asked permission before touching anything else.”

“Oh-” Ruby lowered her finger, “Wooowwwww . . .”

“Excuse me!” Weiss tried to argue, “Are we forgetting who this is?! He was scraggly when we met!”

“Well, he’s clearly not anymore.” Willow furrowed her brow, then broke into a teasing smile, “Weiss you're looking at-”

She stopped for a moment and turned to Nora.

“Um, what is it you young people call it?” She asked, “A beef tart- no, pie, was it?"

“Uh- Beef cake.” Nora corrected her, “Close enough.”

“Ooh yes, that’s it!” Willow snapped her fingers, “He’s a proper Beef cake. Not over-muscled, but not too frail either. And he’s the perfect height too!”

The others couldn't see it, but Jaune’s face had turned as red as Ruby’s cloak. He felt so loved.

“D’oh, stop it!” He crooned, “You’ll make me blush!”

“You dunce, you'd blush for just about anything, wouldn't you?!” Snapped Weiss,

“Weiss,” Her mother warned, “He’s not a dunce, he’s a dear. But if he’s to wear the dunce cap for anyone, it will be for me.”

Willow turned back to Jaune, tickling his chin.

“Now, darling, be a good boy, and bring those wonderful lips back to Mommy.” She licked her own,

“Woof!” Jaune’s voice cracked a little.

Just as their lips were about to touch.

“Mother, stop it!” Weiss was ready to rip her hair out.

Willow, exasperated, rolled her eyes and sighed.

“Oh relax, will you, Dear.” She chided, still stroking Jaune’s face, “It’s not as if you two are together.”

“That’s as may be!” Admitted Weiss blushing, “But he’s still my friend!”

“A friend you regularly spurned if my memory serves correctly.” Willow's reminder was firm, “Who was it complaining about his every advance in her letters? Not me, certainly. I wasn’t there, but if I had been, I’d have urged you to say yes. Or I'd have taken him out myself, perhaps.”

“YOOOOOOOOOO-!!” Yang, Nora, and Ruby shrilled, none of them could believe their ears.

Willow Schnee thought Jaune Arc was attractive?

A billionaire woman liked - for lack of a better word - a bumpkin?

What had happened to the world since team RNJR started their adventures together?

And not only that!

In spite of her constant drinking, Willow had read the letters Weiss wrote home. She had been paying attention to her after all.

Now that really topped it off!

Weiss shrunk back a little.

Deep down, she knew her mother was right. Although she had apologised to Jaune for being so rude in the early days, she had a very sinking feeling that he hadn’t accepted it.

Now she worried Jaune was doing this just to spite her.

Weiss would admit she knew next to nothing about boys outside of what Winter, Klein, and her father had told her, and what she had seen in Whitley.

Most of it had been not promising - Klein notwithstanding of course, because he was always so wonderful - and it led her to believe all boys had a sordid, icky endgame, one which only they would benefit from. So, Weiss had opted to stay away from them.

Despite of the forewarning, she had briefly dropped her guard and pursued Neptune back at Beacon, but that was ancient history now. There were bigger fish to fry, and romance was not among the cards as far as she was concerned.

While Weiss stewed in her thoughts, Oscar and Ren gave their friends a proper run-down of what had happened.

It was just as Nora said.

They went to the Manor and were invited inside. They spoke to Jacques and laid out their proposal, but as it turned out, he was already prepared for the blackmail they had, and he threatened to call the police after having them escorted out.

So, the team had to fall back and rethink their strategy. But as they made their daring getaway, they came across Willow; she had seen and heard everything and was desperate to get away as well.

She even promised to help with blackmailing Jacques further, which everyone thought was hilarious, and immediately invited her along. When they jumped into the van, Nora noticed how Willow was acting, and - in her infinite wisdom - offered Jaune to her, mostly so she could let out her frustrations. She knew Jaune was good for venting.

Ren was too, but he was her man.

So it was arranged.

Jaune and Willow took the seats in the very back of the van, while Ren drove with Oscar in the passenger seat.

Nora stayed between both parties and decided to watch their six, occasionally poking her head out and very suspiciously eyeing Schnee Manor while they drove away, as if the whole mansion, grounds and all, might get up and chase after them.

Jaune stayed huddled with Willow, keeping her company. He'd done this sort of thing before; comforting people came easily to him.

Now because Nora was too busy keeping a lookout from the moonroof, and Ren and Oscar kept their eyes on the road, none of them had seen what was going on between Jaune and Willow; until Nora came back down and heard a noise, a very distinct smooching noise, so she peered over the seat to look.

As soon as she saw it, Nora wanted to whoop and cheer for Jaune; seeing him lock lips with Willow Schnee of all people was equally as amazing as it was funny - his luck really seemed to hold out as far as mothers were concerned, and Weiss’ was definitely no exception.

But what really made Nora happy was the look on Jaune’s face after they shared their first kiss.

They had all been through so much since The Fall; everyone knew Jaune blamed himself for damn-near all of it - both she and Ren knew this was mostly because he felt guilty about Pyrrha.

And when she saw Jaune open his eyes again, Nora saw a spark in them.

One she was sure had been snuffed out some time ago.

Nora was so happy she nearly couldn’t contain herself, but she knew they had to be quiet, so telling the others about it would have to wait, at least until they were far enough away. But by the time they were, they had arrived back to their friends.

Weiss began feeling very light-headed.

“I don’t like to be that person.” Oscar called to Willow and Jaune, “But it's time we left. They’ll have caught on to us by now.”

Willow let out a disappointed whine, and accidentally wiggled her hips on Jaune as she adjusted herself.

“Oh, please, just five more minutes?” She begged, “We’ve finally come to a-”

Willow stopped when she felt something poke up behind her.

Something big. And thick.

“Oh~,” She purred,

“Sorry . . .” Jaune looked most embarrassed.

But Willow didn’t mind at all.

“Make it ten.” She bit her lip, “I doubt any road will be smooth enough for what I want to do next~.”

“Ew.” Weiss’ frown was so broad, Blake thought her mouth might fall off.

“Make it fifteen!” Ruby piped up, “I want in!”

“What?!” Demanded Weiss,

“The fuck!?” Yang’s eyes popped open.

To everyone's shock, Willow looked excited.

“Oh my, yes!” Undaunted, she pushed the back seat down, allowing for more space in the van, “The more, the merrier.”

“YES!” Ruby pumped her fist, then stuck her finger up Yang's nose, "IN! YO! FACE!"

And with a flourish, she used her semblance to close the gap; dashing inside and slamming the door behind her before Yang could do anything. The van rocked and creaked as the three of them started going at it. Weiss and Yang were speechless.

“This might just about the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.” Nora was happy for Jaune,

“I think this is the quietest it’s even been between these two.” Blake pointed to Yang and Weiss,

“WWWHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!” Wailed Yang,

“And there it goes . . .” Blake sighed,

“Why do these things keep happening to me?!” Weiss couldn’t believe it, “I go to Beacon, I don't get to lead! I see a nice boy, but he's a dirty flirt! And then Beacon is destroyed, I'm forced to come back here, help save the world-”

Weiss was so upset, she couldn't stop thinking about everything she'd seen go wrong.

“Be strong, Weiss,” Yang wrapped her weakly into a hug, “We’ll get through this together!”

“Shut up, don’t touch me!” Weiss hugged her back,

“I don’t want to be the one who jinxes it,” Ventured Ren, “But things could’ve been worse . . .”

“Oh, worse, how?!” Demanded Yang,

“Could’ve been?!” Weiss was indignant, “I fail to see-!? ”

“Winter and Raven.” Blake figured.

Weiss gagged, and Yang snarled; both girls tightened their grip on each other.

“Well . . .” Nora rocked back and forth on her toes, “I can’t speak for Raven, but . . .”

“But what?!” Snapped Weiss, “Out with it!”

“I mean-” Nora pretended to think carefully about what to say next, “How do you think we got the van?”

Weiss turned as white as her hair.

“Dear God . . .” Muttered Blake,

“There’s more . . .” Added Oscar,

“Nooo . . .” Groaned Yang, “No mo-ho-ho-ho-ore . . . It was enough to know that this guy fucks! And that my baby sister wants to too!”

A symphony of sweet moans rang out from the van.

“AAOOHH GODS, SHUT THEM UP!” Yang couldn’t take it anymore,

“Yeah, Winter’s arranged to see him soon.” Oscar said quickly, “Either after we escape Atlas, or when we meet her later. We have to keep the van somehow-”

“NNNOOOOO!” With that final sob, Weiss passed out in Yang’s arms.

“YES~!” Willow trilled from inside the van,

“And-now THIS is a katana~!” Hollered Ruby.

‐---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A very awkward thirty minutes later, Weiss woke up, and the teams were on their way to a safe haven, far away from Schnee Manor. The ride was quiet, aside from the tires humming on the road beneath them.

Both Weiss and Yang were upset - Weiss more so than Yang, but that still didn’t mean it was something to sneeze at.

Jaune could feel Weiss’ angry eyes boring holes into him.

“Um-” He tried,

“Not!” Weiss interrupted, “A word out of you.”

The message received, Jaune shrank into himself, and shut his mouth. Strangely, Blake stepped up to defend him.

“You can’t be mad at him, Weiss.” She said, “He didn’t do anything wrong really.”

“Oh, can’t I?” Snorted Weiss, “Nothing wrong, indeed!”

“You heard what Ren and Nora said,” Blake reminded her, “He was only doing what he could to cheer her up.”

“He didn’t even try to stop kissing my mother.” Weiss was not having it, “But he did it for her, because it made her happy, so I can’t be mad at him for that now can I?!”

Jaune wanted to say something.

“I-” He tried again,

“Shut up!” Weiss interrupted again.

Once more, Jaune deflated. This time, Ren defended him.

“I think this has more to do with being repressed than anything else.” He reasoned from the driver’s seat, “Your mother went years without the touch of a loved one or a true lover. Jaune is willing to fill that role for her.”

Yang spotted the chance for a dirty joke, but didn't dare take it.

“And Jaune’s always thinking about what’s best for us.” Oscar put-in from the passenger seat,

“Annd he still has to bang your sister for the van in a while.” Nora added, almost too chipperly,

“Not helping, Nora, but thank you.” Ren called,

“Look, can we not talk about banging each other’s sisters for a sec?” Yang was feeling enormously uncomfortable.

Weiss was still upset.

“Well, he might’ve held better control over himself!” She said huffily, “And that- um, other sword of his . . .”

Jaune shifted awkwardly in his seat, but relaxed a little when Willow’s arms snaked discreetly over his shoulders. Thankfully, no one else seemed to notice.

“Alright, I hate to be on Vee-Bee’s side,” Yang admitted, “But I can’t really judge him either.”

At that moment, Ruby popped her head up from behind the seat next to Jaune; she was most eager to hear this.

Weiss was taken aback.

“Excuse me!” She put a hand on her chest,

“Weissy, have you seen your mother lately?” Yang asked, “Like, actually looked at her from head to toe?”

“What has that got to do with-” Weiss tried to brush it off,

“Weiss, your mom is hot.” Yang said bluntly, “There’s no easy way for me to say this.”

Weiss was appalled and speechless. Because she didn’t say anything, Yang took that as her cue to continue.

“I mean, look at her,” She insisted, “like, really look at her! She’s pretty, she has boobs as big as mine, a slim waist, and butt so fine, Blake almost looks a little small next to it-”

The words were out of Yang’s mouth before she could stop herself. Blake raised her eyebrows in a challenging way.

“Careful . . .” She warned,

“Sorry,” And Yang continued, “But I seriously can’t blame Jaune, looking at this objectively anyway. If I was a man with a working pair of eyes, your mom would give me a hard-on too. Hell, I like girls too, and she's doing me favours just being here with us!”

Willow blushed and smirked proudly behind Jaune’s head, she felt very flattered. Until now, she and Ruby had been quietly recovering out of the others’ sight.

“Um . . . thank you?” Jaune shrugged, unsure of what was going on just then.

Yang gave him a very pointed look.

“You’re still not off the hook with me, dude.” She said, shaking her head.

Once more, Jaune recoiled and sighed.

“Anyways, the point is there’s nothing we can do about this now.” Blake explained, “What’s done is done, and we should be focused on the real issue. How are we going to get money for our adventure?”

“Ideas, anyone?” Oscar asked, turning around to face his friends,

“Become professional jewel thieves?” Suggested Yang,

“Stage a series of bank robberies?” Weiss considered,

“Become prostitutes!” Declared Nora,

“WHAT?!” All the other girls were disgusted,

“What?” Nora shrugged, “It’s legal in Mantle.”

“. . . Seconded, I guess . . .” Ren muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

Jaune knew this was only so he could keep an eye on Nora - if push came to shove. It had been her idea, after all.

Ruby shook her head.

“Okay, let’s try this again,” Ruby piped up for the first time in a while, “do we have any legal ideas?”

Willow, who hadn’t said anything either, poked her head out and calmly intervened.

“My dear, if you needed money, you should have just asked me.” She said, addressing Weiss specifically.

Everyone stopped fussing for a moment, and flipped their gaze between Weiss and her mother. Collectively, they all ignored where Willow’s hands were resting.

“I . . . I could have?” Weiss seemed surprised,

“Of course!” Willow assured her, “Whatever made you think you couldn’t?”

Weiss looked down and mumbled; she looked a little hurt.

“I . . . I didn’t think you’d answer if I did the asking . . .” She said quietly.

Willow smiled kindly.

“Weiss, you’re my daughter.” She said, “My sweet, darling girl. I know you may not think I would, but I’d do anything for you if you asked. I’m not your father, but like you and everyone else, I’ve been hurt by him too.”

‘. . . Oh . . .’

Jaune looked a little to the left and reached up, gently clutching her hand, he brushed his thumb over her own; Willow accepted the gesture, and their fingers twined.

Once again, Weiss was speechless. She didn’t know what to think. For so long, Willow had made herself an invalid, in Weiss’ eyes, and now to see her coming back to life in such a profound way . . .

To see her coming back into her life . . .

It was moving . . .

“Thank you . . .” Weiss nearly wanted to cry.

At last, they arrived at Atlas’ Edge. This was like a border crossing for the Kingdoms of Atlas and Mantle; some of the airships travelling between the two kingdoms were big enough to carry small vehicles, like cars and pick-up trucks.

Now, the general public had their own fleet of airships for basic travel, but authorised personnel, such as Atlas Specialists and certain huntsmen still affiliated with the military, were transported using different ones. These were twice the size of the others, big enough in fact to carry military equipment like weapons, dust shipments, and, of course, the double-wide vans.

Willow directed Ren towards the authorised airships, and he gently cruised the van to a stop. Everyone got out and stretched their legs, and after a few minutes, they saw Winter come out from the shadows. Weiss was relieved to see her big sister.

“Winter!” She called.

Winter wasted no time and gave her sister a hug.

“I’m glad to see you made it out safely.” She said, hugging Weiss back, “All of you. We’ll be taking you to Doctor Polendina’s Pharmacy, you can lay low there until this situation blows over.”

“Thank you, Winter.” Weiss was grateful,

“Phew!” Remarked Nora, “That’ll be great. Your dad sucks, bee-tee-dubz.”

“What?” Winter blinked, “Oh yes, um, you’re right, he does.”

“Hold on, who’s we?” Asked Blake.

Before Winter could answer, an airship drew smoothly into the dock, and the ramp lowered.

“I can fly an airship.” She explained, “But I knew I should wait out here to make sure you arrived on time. Specialist Amin is in the cockpit now. Speaking of which, by the way, you’re late.”

Weiss gulped. Although she knew the teams were in a hurry, she hadn’t known how close they’d cut it.

“Five minutes behind schedule, what kept you?” Winter demanded.

“Five minutes isn't too bad though, is it?” Asked Ruby.

At that moment, Winter spotted her and Willow limping into view.

“What happened to them?” She was concerned,

“We- uh, heh-heh . . . we kinda had a little fun on the way?” Ruby chuckled, abashed,

“Fun?” Winter raised an eyebrow, “You two? Together?”

“Well yes, my dear,” Willow smiled, “Jaune was quite good to us both.”

Winter’s forehead wrinkled somewhat, she looked stern.

“But mother~,” She almost whined in a petulant way, “I thought we agreed I’d be the first to do it!”

Weiss’ eyes nearly fell out of her head.

‘Nora hadn’t lied?!’ She realised.

“I’m sorry, Winter.” Willow apologised earnestly, “But we both know he’s just what we need.”

Winter pouted uncharacteristically.

“. . . Fine.” She sighed, then turned to Jaune, “In that case, I have a favour to ask.”

“Uhh . . . yes, Ma’am?” He looked a little nervous,

“I’ll be needing you, your friend in green, and Specialist Amin.” Winter said firmly, “In the van after we load it up.”

“Oh.” Blake was stunned,

“. . . Uuuuhhhh . . .” Yang had no words,

“All three-?!” If Weiss’ jaw hadn’t dropped before, it’d have fallen from the cliff when she heard Winter say that.

Ruby had jumped back into the van to help Marrow and Nora load it up, so she hadn’t heard anything. Neither Yang nor Blake nor Oscar could believe it themselves, there was so much going on!

Since when was Jaune so good with cold women?

Jaune had nothing to say himself, he just gulped; once again, he could feel Weiss’ angry eyes boring holes into him. Ren was nervous too, the look in Winter’s eyes was a hungry one, and he didn’t know what to make of it.

“Altogether, they’ll suit my purposes.” Winter stated, matter-of-factly, “We still have approximately thirty minutes before our scheduled departure time.”

“Um, I- I don’t think my girlfriend would-” Ren tried, blushing brighter than anyone thought was possible,

“How much are you willing to offer?” Nora had bounded over before anyone noticed, she had heard everything.

Both Willow and Winter smirked.

“How ever much you’d like.” They said together.

Nora’s eyes lit up and sparkled like fireworks.

“YOU GOTTA DEAL!” And with both hands, she shook Winter and Willow’s, and then she turned to her teammates, “ALRIGHTY BWOIS, GET IN THERE!”

And reeling her hands back, she slapped their backsides harder than intended. Jaune and Ren yelped and stared in utter disbelief as Nora, unabashed as ever, ran back to the hull of the airship.

“HEY, BISCUIT-BREATH!” She hollered at Marrow, “GET YOUR TAIL DOWN HERE, MISS WINTER’S ASKED FOR YOUR HELP!”

How could it have gone so far?

“Jaune?” Ren gulped, “I’m both scared and aroused . . . what do I do?”

Jaune just shook his head.

“I’unno, dude.” He sighed, “Let’s just get it going . . .”

And cracking his neck, Jaune made his way over to the hull. Ren quietly followed him. Winter kept on smirking and led them on, swaying her hips as she went.

Willow gazed proudly at them all.

“That’s my eldest.” She smiled, then she had a thought, “Do you know? I think I’ll go watch them.”

And with that, Willow headed for the airship as well.

Everyone who remained outside couldn’t help staring as Marrow dropped down from a higher level and clambered excitedly into the van.

Yang ventured over to where Weiss was standing.

“Uhh . . . Weissy?” She asked carefully, “Are you okay?”

Weiss didn’t answer.

“Weiss?” Yang tried again.

Still nothing happened.

“I think we need to give her some time.” Blake patted her shoulder, “I don’t know how I’d take it if my mother wanted to have um, relations, with Jaune of all people.”

Yang agreed. It would be a very jarring moment.

Although Yang would also admit, she knew she would be very angry if she found out Raven wanted to spend time with Jaune like that. And Gods forbid if Summer were still around!

She wouldn't excuse it, no matter how much he looked like her father.

“We should get on board.” Said Oscar, “We’re still escaping.”

Yang and Blake nodded at each other, and scooping up Weiss, they scrambled up the ramp and entered the airship. As they did, Oscar thought of something.

“Hey, where’d Ruby go?” He asked.

Yang and Blake looked around. Sure enough, Ruby was nowhere to be seen. Then Blake remembered.

“Wasn’t she helping load the van?” She pointed out,

“Yeah!” Yang snapped her fingers, “So she has to be in the-”

She stopped short.

“I remember seeing her get in the van, but I don’t remember seeing her get out . . .” Blake pointed out.

Yang stood stock-still for a moment.

“FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!” She shrieked at last.

[a-substantial-trash-pile]

i love my mom but man does it suck when she starts talking to me about god shit. because it always leads to her trying to guilt trip me into being more religious, saying things like, “it makes your dad and i very sad that you don’t believe in god” and “you’re depressed like this because you don’t talk to god.” when i tell her that choosing not to go to church anymore is one of the few choices in my life that i don’t regret, she gets upset with me. sorry, going to go on a little bit of a rant about family and religion here (specifically catholic/christian), but i’ll stick it below the cut.

usually this convo comes up when my cousin is mentioned, because my mom and my aunt will gush about how my cousin goes to church every sunday. this happened today actually. they ignore the fact that my cousin is still a horribly spoiled, selfish, honestly terrible person who yells at/doesn’t bother to help her physically disabled, sickly mom. my “wonderful church-going” cousin who left to go on a vacation to hawaii with my shit uncle, leaving my aunt alone at home even though she had covid AND had recently broken her back. which led to me having to take 2 weeks off of work at the last minute to go stay with my aunt and take care of her. during those 2 weeks, my “wonderful” 20-something-year-old cousin would repeatedly call my aunt to cry and complain that she wanted to come home because she “didn’t feel good.” and my aunt, laying in bed with her broken back and various other health issues, would baby her. oh, but my cousin goes to church, so that means she’s such a good person! i just don’t get it.

one of the reasons i refuse to go to church anymore is because of this backwards-ass hypocritical way of thinking so many people there seem to have. there’s just this feeling of insincerity to it all where people show up once a week to pat themselves on the back for being “good people”, then gather in the lobby after mass to gossip about the one trans woman who recently joined the congregation (unfortunately this isn’t an example i made up). or later go to the supermarket and yell at an underpaid employee. or go on a hawaii vacation and leave your mom home alone with a broken back.

i attended church from age 1 to age 18. as i grew older, church started to feel more and more suffocating. it got to the point where i was having anxiety attacks during mass. i tried distracting myself with drawing on the pamphlets given out at the front door. and when i was banned from that, i resorted to drawing on my skin, which didn’t last long. i ended up sneaking earbuds in and hiding the wires under my hair and clothes so i could drown out the sounds of church with music. i would just stare at the floor and try to just focusing on breathing, but it was just all too suffocating. i was told that the reason i was feeling and acting this way in church was because “the devil was talking to me.” “the devil” was trying to take me away from church and god, so i needed to stop feeling like this and just pray. that time i started crying in the pew because it all became too much and i felt incredibly overwhelmed? that’s the devil. pray about it. uh, actually, mr. jesus, it was because i have bad social and generalized fuckin anxiety. and also very likely autistic but i haven’t been officially diagnosed until this day. so yeah.

thinking back on it now, it was kind of fucked up. but i don’t blame my parents for how they acted. sometimes i feel a little angry and disappointed about how they handled things, but i don’t blame them. because as i watched kids be baptized, i would hear the priest tell the parents that it was their responsibility to raise their kid to be a good god-fearing person. that it was their responsibility to keep their kid from “straying from the light” and avoiding damnation. i know my parents were told the same thing when i was baptized. that it’ll be their fault if i “stray from the light” and end up getting sent to hell. i just see it as guilt-tripping bullshit. it was my choice to not go to church or follow the religion. i hate that this system has told my parents they should feel guilty about this and that it’s their fault that my soul won’t be saved, because they didn’t “guide me in the lord’s way” good enough. i hate that this system has made me feel like i’ve failed my parents. it’s bullshit.

i’m sure there are churches out there who contain genuinely good, accepting folk. and i’m sure there are people who find comfort in having a religion. i’m glad for them. i’ve just personally have some negative experiences with religion and I’ve learned that it’s just not for me.

i try my best to be a good and kind person. i try really, really hard. i just don’t go to church anymore. the fact that i don’t do this one thing shouldn’t devalue all my efforts.

[cambot77]

When you mentioned Becky doesn’t know how to budget, I came up with this short caption.

Anya: So, how’s living like a “commoner”?

Becky: Oh, it’s been great actually. I’m shopping for my own food and getting stuff that I like and good for me. Don’t know why you make things so hard?

Cashier: That will be 200.

Becky: Okay, just put it on the blackbell account and bag it up please.

Cashier:…I have no idea what you’re taking about.

Becky: I-Oh! I forgot, you see my dad is making me live like a working class person as a punishment and usually when I buy something I told them to put it on the blackbell account. But I forgot about that.

cashier: That’s great, you still own 200 for all the food.

Becky: I don’t have that much money, can I pay the what I have and pay the rest when I’m done with my punishment?

Cashier: *Baffled* I’m sorry but we don’t give stuff away.

Becky: So what can I do to pay this bill?!

*Later* Anya:…That uniform matches your…socks.

Becky, in a cashier uniform: I feel remorse for you Anya.

Aaah, Anon! This is great! So sorry for the late response - I've been thinking about this for a long time, though.

----

Becky shut the locker door with a snap and took a moment to rest her head against the cold metal. The employee breakroom was deserted at this time of night as most of the other closers were either finishing their final tasks or had already gone home for the night, but Becky being new (and therefore slow at her job) still had to mop the aisles of the store and put the go-backs on the shelves. She had slipped into the breakroom to take a breather, and the pounding at her temples echoed the pounding of her feet where they pressed against the still-stiff pleather of her new work shoes.

To say the day had been hellish was an understatement. She had thought that this last day of her first week would be a bit easier than previous days, but she had been wrong. The milestone meant nothing, because even though seven days had passed, Becky was still struggling to master even the most basic tasks of this, her first job, ever. Which she shouldn't even need to have in the first place! How was she to know that Daddy had been serious about his threats to cut off her access to the Blackbell money if she moved in with Bill while they were still in college? It was ridiculous to still think like that these days, but he had actually meant it! She had been shocked when she had tried to make purchases at her usual stores and been denied, and a quick trip to the bank had just confirmed that Mr. Blackbell was playing hardball with his rebellious daughter. Well, two could play at that game. Becky had always prided herself on her resolve, and if her father thought he could bring her to heel and give up her independence and love using money, of all things, then he was sorely mistaken.

That still left the matter of how to afford things. Bill had his own savings but Becky had never saved because she had never needed to. That had been a very frank conversation between them, but Becky had been confident that she would be able to contribute. Getting a job had never been a goal of hers, but after all, people went to work and made money every day. How hard could it possibly be?

Apparently, very, if her aching back and oncoming headache were any indication, and that didn't even begin to touch on the positively awful way some of the customers had talked to her that day. Who knew people could be so terrible over trivial things? Was it her fault they had run out of sale items, or that all the cashiers had decided to go on break at once? No, and yet she had borne the brunt of their anger just because she had been close by at the time! She wasn't even a manager! It just wasn't fair!

But she'd persevere, because the alternative was just too awful to think about.

Her father would pry her housekey with Bill out of her cold, dead hands.

Filled with fresh resolve, Becky stood up straight again and slapped her cheeks to get some life back into her. Just half an hour to go, and then she could go home to the apartment she and Bill now lived in. It was modest (to her eyes, it was still larger than most family dwellings in the city) but nicely furnished, and Bill would be home, waiting for her, to kiss her and tell her she had done well that day and make everything worthwhile again.

She smiled to herself. Yes, it was all worthwhile just for that. For him. Because she knew that he would work jobs like this - or even worse ones - if it meant they could be together. How could she do any less in return?

"Becky!" someone called before they opened the breakroom door, and she looked up just as Dwayne, the manager on duty, came in.

"There you are," he said, and rifled through a stack of envelopes in his hands. "Thought you'd left already."

Becky shook her head. "I still have to do the mopping. What are those?" She gestured to the envelopes in his hand. Dwayne looked at her curiously.

"Our pay packets? Today is pay day, you know."

"Oh!" Becky exclaimed in surprise and delight. "We get paid in envelopes!"

"Uh... yeah." Dwayne handed over the envelope with a raised eyebrow. She had put a different last name on her hiring paperwork, so her lack of general commoner knowledge sometimes caused her co-workers to look at her strangely because they did not know one of the richest heiresses in Berlint was stacking cans amongst them. She knew they thought her an escapee from a boarding school or some such thing, but in that moment, she did not care. Becky ripped into the envelope eagerly. Finally, all of her hard work was paying off!

Then, her face fell.

"This... this is it?"

Dwayne was already going back out the door. "If you have an issue, call corporate payroll. And don't forget to leave out the wet floor signs when you mop this time."

Becky slumped against the lockers, not in defeat, but in something very much like it. How could a week of work only earn the sum in the envelope? She did the mental math, but each time, the numbers didn't lie.

She had spent more than this on a single meal in the past, and now looking back, she cursed herself for her wastefulness. Money wasn't just numbers in a bank account or an intangible, invisible thing to her anymore; it was hours of work, discomfort, and real, hard proof of her efforts. It meant food in the cupboard, lights in the apartment, heat, hot water, all of it. It wasn't a certainty anymore but it was still a necessity, and as she stood there and counted her pay one more time, she realized something equally important.

This was the moment her father had been counting on to break her. He had probably hoped that when she tallied up her pay and expenses and saw the imbalance, she would be swamped with hopelessness and come crawling back. Becky Blackbell, after all, was used to nothing but the finest, and there was simply no way that her meagre paycheck could sustain even a fraction of that lifestyle no matter how much Bill could supplement it with his own money.

And there was a moment (brief yet fierce) where her soul did quail, and a small voice whispered that a simple phone call would make it all go away. She could be back home in her huge, luxurious bed before midnight, snuggled up and safe with all the Blackbell fortune like an invisible wall behind her...

But she would be alone in that bed, and no fortune, however large, could replace the strength and security of Bill's arms.

Becky swallowed down the fear and uncertainty and firmed her resolve once more. She would just have to work harder, or even get a second job, whatever it took to make it work. She was sure that plenty of people had survived on less than this, and besides, once she was graduated and had her degree, why, she could earn even more! There was nothing saying she had to work at grocery stores for the rest of her life! And Bill's career in the Army was also pretty much guaranteed, so really, there was no reason to buckle now! They were just getting started!

And they would stay together. That was what really mattered to her.

Of course, they would have to tighten their purse strings a bit... maybe she could forego her morning coffee to save some money...

She mopped the store as quickly as she could, plans and budgets spinning in her mind while she worked, and by the time she stepped outside she was full of her usual cheerfulness again.

That cheerfulness only doubled - no, quadrupled - when she saw who was waiting for her.

"Darling!" she cried out happily as she took a running leap into Bill's arms. He caught her easily and she reveled in how tightly and happily he held her. How could she have thought, for even a moment, that she could survive without him?

"Hi, sweetheart," he smiled as he held her with her feet dangling off the ground. "How was work?"

"Horrible," she said with a smile, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Have you come to take me home?"

"Of course, you know I don't like you wandering around by yourself at night." He looked stern and protective and Becky felt her heart melt just a little.

"You're so sweet," she sighed. She squirmed to be put down. "Let's go home."

Bill did not let her go, though. "Actually..."

"What is it?"

"Well... your dad called."

Becky stiffened. "Oh?" The last time she and her father had spoken had been the day of their blow out fight, and she didn't like to remember it if she could help it.

Bill's expression gave nothing away. "Yeah. He wanted to talk to me, actually."

Now Becky was really alarmed. She knew her father had nothing against Bill in particular, had even been happy when the two of them had started dating, but still. He had also been adamant that only a wedding ring would allow Becky to live with a man, and as she and Bill were still only "engaged to be engaged," she didn't think her father had called to chat with Bill about the weather.

A horrible idea came to her.

"How much did he offer you?" she snarled. Bill looked taken aback behind his glasses.

"What?"

"To give me up. How much? One million dalc? Two million?"

"Becky, that's--"

"Don't tell me he offered less?" Now she was really outraged. "Oooh! Put me down! I'm going to march straight to his office and tell him just where he can put his bribe money!"

She fought her way back down to the pavement and Bill lowered her, but he kept his hands around her arms to keep her from storming off.

"Listen!" he insisted over her ranting, and she huffed into silence. "He didn't offer me anything."

"So he threatened you instead?!" If Becky had had fangs, they would have been out. How dare her father even think--

"No," Bill said pointedly. "He called because he wanted to talk about you and me -- not like that! Listen, sweetheart! -- he wanted to make sure my intentions are pure and honorable, basically. And he wanted to know how you're doing. He's really worried about you, Becky. When I told him you were working overtime at a grocery store, I think he just about fainted."

"Well, he probably thought I'd come home by now," she allowed as she crossed her arms. "But the only home I want is with you, so the sooner he realizes that, the better."

"I think... I think he realizes that now," Bill replied hesitantly. "I told him the truth: we are definitely getting married and I'm absolutely serious about our future together no matter what. And he knows you're serious, now, too. So, he wants to come over tomorrow to talk it over with us, and maybe he'll give us living together his blessing after all."

"I don't need his blessing," Becky retorted, then softened. "But it would be nice to have."

Bill gathered her close again. "I know how much it means to you to be on good terms with your father, sweetheart. And who knows? Maybe if he gives us his blessing he'll give you access to the family bank account again."

Becky pulled back to insist once again that she didn't care about the money, but she saw the twinkle in Bill's eyes and knew he was joking. She batted at his chest ineffectually.

"Even if he did I certainly wouldn't spend like I used to! Did you know, things cost actual money? Like real, tangible sums?" She looked up at Bill and saw him stifling back laughter. She pouted.

"I mean it! I worked my butt off all week, and the paycheck barely covers our food bill! I tell you, when we get home we are going to have to make some changes."

"Who are you, and what have you done with Becky Blackbell?" Bill laughed tenderly, and then tugged her close as they turned and walked towards home.

--------

Well, this certainly spiraled out of control! I do like the idea of Becky working some crappy job and realizing, oh my gosh, this is how normal people have to live every day. How does anyone do it???

Of course, Bill's money is probably more than enough for them to get by, but it would still be finite and so horrible customer service job for Becky AU is born!

Lol, thanks for the idea, Anon! :D

[serenefreakgeekao3]

Chocolate and Pining

Jim Halpert x GN!Reader

PART ONE

[TABLE OF CONTENTS]

Check Table of Contents for entire fic summary and Key!

Summary: The cameras arrive and begin their rotation through the office. What will their shiny lens and intrusive questions uncover?

Warnings: canon-compliant cheating (if you count Pam flirting while engaged)

Author's Note: First post of the new rewrite, and Im kinda glad I only post two chapters of this previously because I went through and changed the entire thing from third person pov to first, to match along with the rest of the xReaders i’ve been writing.

[ ֎” ]

"Alright," You begin, your legs crossed while you tap one hand on your thigh. "What do I even say?" You huff a little laugh, shaking your head. You sat on an uncomfortable grey plastic chair, blinds slightly drawn behind you to block the view of the rest of the office working. You turn around and glance back, looking through the small opening available and noting three different cameras roaming the office and zooming in on people.

"What do we do here?" You repeat the question you're given, turning back toward your own interview camera. "Well, this is Dunder Mifflin, Scranton branch. We're a paper-pushing company." You stop for a moment before the producer behind the camera does a sort of wave as if urging you on. "Uh- well, I'm the receptionist here. I took the job almost a year ago. I transfer calls to the department they need to go to, write notes during our meetings- I'm basically Michael's secretary." You awkwardly laugh, glancing at the wall of the conference room shared with Michael's office as if he could hear through it. You wouldn’t doubt it if someone told you he stood there with his ear pressed to the wall.

"What's the most interesting thing about this job?" You furrow your brows in concern, uncrossing your legs and sitting forward. "Look, I don't know what you guys were expecting when you came here with a whole film crew, but we're a paper company. There's literally nothing interesting about working here."

[ ֎” ]

"What's interesting about working here?" Oscar asks, glancing through the blinds before leaning closer to the camera, waving his hand as he speaks quieter, "Now I'm not one to gossip, but the big thing going around is the office romance right now. And I'm not talking about Kelly and Ryan getting back together for the fifth time." He laughs shortly at his own joke before continuing. "See, Pam is engaged to Roy, he works here in the shipping warehouse downstairs. They've been together for years and they finally have a wedding date set for about a month or so from now.

"However, Jim has the biggest crush on her, everyone can tell. Before Y/N got here, Pam was the receptionist and Jim was always jumping up and going over to her to flirt constantly. Now, some believe the flirting is still going on while their desks are right next to each other, but I think it's gotten tamped down a bit since Pam scheduled a date for the wedding.

"And then there's Y/N. They started here when Pam was finally transferred to sales, and the position opened. They actually became quite close to both Pam and Jim pretty quickly, which makes some sense considering Dwight and Michael basically attacked them their first day here." —

[ ֎” ]

"Attacked Y/N? Please," Dwight scoffed, shaking his head, "I was merely preparing the new employee. If you’re not ready for a surprise stab from a ninja on your first day on the job, then I really don’t think you’re ready for work at all.” Dwight huffs out a breath, crossing his arms. “Besides, Jim made me use the dull blade.” He looks away from the camera in a strop, shrugging his shoulders. “If he hadn’t taken my sharp one I wouldn’t have had to pull out the dull one. I had to put extra force behind the attack for it to do anything, so really it’s Jim’s fault for the bruises.

“Michael? He couldn’t hurt a fly.” Dwight scoffs, then scoffs again for emphasis. “The fact that he tripped and fell that day means nothing, he was merely catching himself from falling with the closest available thing to grab. Which happened to be Y/N’s body, which he then happened to pull down with him. An honest mistake, that.”

[ ֎” ]

— "Now," Oscar continued where he left off with a smirk, "You'd think Jim flirting with Pam, and her egging it on while engaged, should be drama enough for you. But, then you have to figure into the equation that Y/N also likes Jim. I have a pretty good view of the receptionist area when Y/N sits in a certain spot, and I can hear whenever they talk to each other... Sometimes.

"Now I don't know if Jim realized he's a little flirty," Oscar wiggles his fingers with this, "But certainly not as much with them as with Pam. But- man, it's almost painful how hopeful Y/N's voice gets when they talk with Jim. Almost, but mostly just entertaining. And of course, none of the three know about this. It's basically the office soap opera at this point, and no one wants to say anything to disrupt the saga."

Oscar leans back, chuckling to himself before glancing at the camera, "Oh, almost everyone. Don't tell Dwight or Michael either, they're sure to give it away." He pats his leg for a second before smirking, "I'm team Pam. Now don’t look at me that way! I would love for Y/N and Jim to get together, but he’s just too obsessed with Pam! And that woman really needs to get herself a new man, that Roy is a real piece. of. work."

[ ֎” ]

"Team Pam or Y/N?" Phyllis asks, her smile soft as she raises a hand to cover a giggle, "Now I don't like drama, but absolutely team Y/N. Pam is engaged, it's inappropriate."

[ ֎” ]

"Team Pam, all the way." Meredith nods, smirking to the camera. "She was here first. Gotta be loyal to the branch."

[ ֎” ]

"Oh! Team Y/N!" Kelly squeals, wiggling her body in excitement.

[ ֎” ]

Jim sits in the seat, smoothing his pant legs down and sighing. "So, uh, what exactly do I say?" He places his chin in his hand, his fingers tapping restlessly against his bottom lip.

"Anything interesting?" Jim repeats, glancing out the window in the general direction of Pam and Y/N before looking back. "I mean, there's nothing really interesting about this job. Toner prices, how much each piece of paper weighs or costs-" Jim sighs, shaking his head and dropping his hand, "Honestly, the only reason I'm still here at this point is probably my friends. Pam, my desk-mate over there, we've been here for a while together. And then there's Y/N, the relatively new hire. Or, are they new?" Jim tilts his head to think about it, squinting his eyes toward the ceiling. "Has it almost been a year already?"

Jim shrugs, smirking before tapping his leg, "Oh, and also pranking Dwight. Gotta make your own fun here."

"What the- Jim!" Dwight suddenly yells, drawing half the office's attention. The other half continued blandly on with their work, used to their antics it would seem. Jim glances wearily over toward Dwight as he lugs something up from his bottom drawer, placing a plate with yellow jello and a stapler floating inside onto his desk. "What did you do?"

Jim struggles to hold back a laugh, his hand curled in front of his face and chin resting on his palm. Instead, he shrugs, leans back and crosses his arms while trying to maintain a poker face. "Nothing, Dwight. By the way, what happened to your stapler there?"

"You should know, you did it!" He sits there for a moment, glaring at Jim before bounding up, running and calling out, "Michael!"

You were half standing behind your reception desk to get a good look, sniggering to yourself about this prank- it was a good one. You look over to Jim and see him give Pam a high-five, mumbling something to each other before Jim looks in your direction and shoots you a full smile instead of the smirk he had been wearing. You smile back, sitting back down in your chair and scooting up closer to your computer.

The camera swings around closer to Jim, listening more in on their conversation. "How did you even do it?" Pam asks and snickers quietly before straightening up suddenly, grabbing her phone to press to her ear in an attempt to look as if she was doing her work as their boss exits his office.

"Let me see, let me see-" Michael finally lays eyes on the prank, laughing loudly. "Wow, just- wow!" He laughs some more, patting Jim on the back. "This is a creative one, good job Jimbo!" Dwight scoffs, moving to be in Michael's line of sight. Michael jumps slightly as if remembering he's the boss before clearing his throat and looking at Jim. "Oh, but don't do it again."

"Do what again?" Jim asks, playing dumb still and raising his eyebrows at Michael. Michael barks a laugh in return and pats his back again before wandering back into his office, mumbling about jello under his breath. Jim turns toward Dwight with a victorious grin while you stand, carrying your lunch box toward the kitchen. You tap Jim's shoulder twice in passing as if to say good job, and Jim barely has enough time to lift a hand to yours as you gently pull away to continue to your destination.

"Get it out," Dwight demands, standing near Jim and glaring at him.

"Get what out?"

"My stapler!"

"Well, it is your stapler, Dwight." Jim turns back toward his computer, chuckling under his breath.

"Oh, and how am I supposed to get it out?"

"I don't know, eat the jello?" Jim suggests, causing Dwight to scoff loudly as he plops in his chair.

"I can't just eat the jello, Jim. I wrote my name in whiteout on the stapler so everyone would know it's mine." Dwight pauses for a moment before narrowing his eyes. "Unless you knew that, and you'd assume I'd eat this. You're trying to poison me!" Jim sighs loudly, widening his eyes toward the camera before shaking his head.

"Ok, and with that, I'm going to take my lunch." He stands, turning to make his way toward the kitchen.

"If you need something to eat, I have a whole plate of jello right here for you Jim!"

Jim enters the kitchen, watching you press a few buttons on the microwave to heat your lunch. He dons a small private smile before sneaking closer behind you, reaching out and grabbing your sides while calling out a quick, "Boo!"

You jump heavily and yelp, turning around quickly with a hand pressed to your chest, panting out your breaths. "Fuckin- Halpert!" You yell out, smacking his arm before slumping against the counter behind you. Taking a few more breaths as Jim bends over laughing, you call out, "Unfair!"

"Oh? Unfair?" Jim replies, grinning toward you, "This is just payback for that email!"

"Hey, I sent that yesterday!"

"And I just opened it today." Jim grinned, not at all sorry, as you remember the jumpscare chain email you had forwarded to him, hoping to see his reaction.

"Well, that's unfortunate. I wanted to see you jump, I must've missed it." You pouted slightly and Jim's face did a small change, becoming softer and crinkling slightly at the eyes. You don’t seem to notice as you turn toward your food once the microwave beeps.

"Yeah, you were being harried by Michael, something about new shoes?" At which you groan loudly, holding up a finger with an eye roll.

"Don't even get me started on that." You thought back to that same morning when Michael came in with muddy shoes, whining about how he had just bought them even though you could’ve sworn you had seen Michael wearing them for the last half a year. How exactly did time pass in Michael's world, you wondered? And how had they gotten muddied? It wasn’t even raining outside!

"If you need to talk about it, I'm here," Jim said, sounding oddly sincere, but then continued quickly, "Although if the opposite is true I'm also very willing to go into detail about the newest book I just finished of my series."

"Oh? You mean your nerdy novels about swords and dragons?" You reply, raising your eyebrows and smirking at Jim as you stirred your lunch. “Aren’t you supposed to be a jock or something?”

"Don't pretend like you don't love the series, you listen to me ramble about it every week," Jim replied, never losing his smile and never looking away from you. His focus felt like fire on you, and there was nothing you could do to put it out. You weren’t even sure you wanted to. “And it is possible for someone to like sports and reading at the same time.”

"Hmm." You hum, pretending to think about it. It really wasn't a hard choice- while the stories sounded interesting enough by themselves, it was Jim telling them to you that made the whole week worth it. Listening to Jim become so passionate about something he found interesting was almost infectious, you practically waited for these days just to gain inspiration for your own writing. And if you happen to write fanfiction about the stories you've never actually read- well, Jim didn't need to know about that. "Alright, fine, if you insist. So what's new with Salamander and Patterson?"

"It's Sally and Parker," Jim began in disbelief, rolling his eyes fondly as you pick up your lunch, the both of you moving to the break room. You had known that, of course, but watching Jim try to explain for the seventh time why Sally is absolutely not a salamander and is, in fact, more like a snake than anything else just brings a smile to your face and a warm feeling to fill your chest.

You sat down at a chair, thankful for the empty break room as Jim wandered over to the vending machines. He put in some money and roughly pushed a few buttons, complaining all the while about his book characters. He ends up chuckling and shaking his head as he states that he needed to 'start from the beginning.'

A packet of double chocolate chip cookies lands in front of you, and you grin brightly while reaching for the gift. "My favourite, how did you know?" You look up to see Jim looking quickly away, not noticing the red starting to stain his cheeks and the tops of his ears.

"You eat it every week," Jim replies quietly as if that explains it, fetching his own lunch. "Anyway so then Parker-"

It was later in the day, and you sat bored at your desk, a word document pulled up on your computer that was half written with a personal story. Though you weren't actively typing it, instead spinning a pen in your hand as you stare in the direction of the sales associates.

"I honestly don't know what I'm looking for here," Jim speaks lowly, chuckling as he held Pam's hand in both of his, her palm facing upward. He looks up into her eyes as she giggles, shaking her head.

"No, look closer, here," Pam takes one of his hands, taking a finger and tracing a line on her palm as if this would help him read it, "This is the life line. Or- wait, maybe it's the heart line?" Pam giggles again, though misses Jim's almost yearning gaze as he holds her hand a little tighter.

"I don't know what either of those mean, Beesly," Jim replied, his voice low, and Pam finally looked up. Their eyes met and you finally had to look away, the pain in your chest becoming almost too much to bear.

And, almost as if on cue, Roy pushes in the door to the office, walking forward with his hand holding a leather jacket over his shoulder. You glance up quickly, about to start your usual introduction before realizing who it is and clearing your throat loudly, throwing a worried glance toward Jim. He glances over in time, thankfully, yanking his hands back as if burned when spotting Roy turning the corner. It seemed as though Roy hadn't noticed, smiling at his fiance as he approached before leaning down and kissing her forehead.

You watched the pained expression cross Jim's face for just a moment before he managed to school his features into a poker face. You felt for him, honestly. You knew how it felt when the person you liked, well, liked someone else. You just wanted him to be happy above all else, and you knew pining after Pam was not it. If only Pam wouldn't egg it on constantly, maybe he'd have a chance to get over her.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah, let me just pack my things and print out one more file, I'll meet you down there," Pam replied to her fiance, smiling blindingly bright at him before they kiss once more. Roy turned around, passing the reception desk before grabbing a few pieces of candy that you kept out on the top of the desk. He popped one in his mouth before choking dramatically, turning around and coughing a few times before looking directly at you.

"M&Ms? Really? I liked it better when it was Skittles."

"I've never put out Skittles, I like chocolate."

"It doesn't matter what you like, it's for the guests, isn't it? Pam used to put out Skittles and no one complained." He tossed the remaining few pieces onto the floor beside him before walking out of the office. Pam ran up quickly, a worried look on her face.

"I'm so sorry, he must've had a bad day-"

"It's fine, Pam, really." You paste on a smile, annoyed not just at Roy but at Pam for earlier. Pam nodded slowly, her smile regretful as if knowing how you felt before turning around and pressing the last few clicks on her computer to shut it down. She gathered her things in silence, sliding her newly printed paper into a file on her desk. Meanwhile, you stared at your computer screen, not really reading what was there.

"Bye Jim. Bye Y/N, see you tomorrow!" Pam called out, and you replied with a little wave before pressing save on your word document, downloading it to your flash drive. The door to the office hadn't even closed before a new presence was at your desk, leaning over to try and spy on their computer. You looked up to see Jim smirking, looking directly into your eyes.

"Did you close that document just 'cause I came over? Hiding something from me, Y/L/N?" His teasing tone had you smiling against your better judgement, leaning back and crossing your arms.

"Well, I wouldn't want you discovering my master plan. It's a secret for a reason, you know." Jim laughed at your joke, leaning back and taking a handful of M&Ms to pop into his mouth. Watching this, you felt their face deflate just slightly before you hear Jim’s whispers.

"You know, I think I prefer the M&Ms over Skittles any day." He winks, then dumps more from his handful into his mouth, walking back to his desk to finish up his day. You once again couldn't help the small smile that adorned your face in response.

[ ֎” ]

"I've always had a thing for chocolate," You said, shrugging, "I'm the one who sits there all day anyway." You bite your lip for a moment, trying to suppress a smile. "Besides, who cares what Roy thinks? Other people in the office like them, that's all that matters."

[ ֎” ]

"What kind of person do I like?" Jim makes a baffled face, blinking a few times before resituating in his seat. "I don't know why that's relevant, but if I had to choose..." He trails off, his eyes taking on a far-off look, "Someone sweet, smart- someone who laughs at my jokes while also making me laugh. Someone who will help me with my pranks and listen to my ramblings." He looks back up to the camera with a small smile, "Someone with a sweet tooth that I could spoil."

"You coming, Y/L/N?" Jim calls out, the office dark. You're the last two in the building now, it seems, and you glance up from your desk where you're standing to smile at him.

"Oh, I just have a few more papers to print, you go on ahead."

"Don't work too hard, Y/L/N. The effort isn't worth it." You laugh in response, waving him off. You both exchange a quiet goodbye before you wander over to the copier, which was printing multiple copies of what looked like Dwight's face on the 'Scranton Strangler' wanted poster. The camera swings between the pages and back to you, where you only shrug and smirk.

"It'll be funny," Is your only excuse as you take the pages and start hanging them on the pillars of the building around the office, sliding an extra copy into Jim's desk as a memento.

[showtoonzfan]

A problem with helluva boss is they take conflicts that initially appeared to be due to character flaws, and reveals that actually its due to misunderstandings or someone else’s fault.

And maybe that was always the plan. But it makes the character drama far less interesting.

Yup, 100% agreed. I think people fail to realize that what made Stolas and Blitz interesting in the first place was because Stolas was painted as this flawed man who hurt his family, and Blitz was someone who hurt people in the past. People liked them because the drama was genuinely juicy regarding these two being bad people, same goes for their relationship. People liked them BECAUSE it was a weird pairing and because they were both faced with the consequences of their actions, but season 2 just twists everything to “actually it wasn’t their fault and you should feel bad for them because they were traumatized, also their relationship is lovey dovey and they care”- which completely erases the said flaws they had, now they’re boring characters because it’s obvious on who the writers want you to root for and who they don’t. (Cough, Striker, Stella)

It really shows how tone death Vivzie is, for some reason she’s genuinely convinced she’s writing flawed unapologetic characters when the only characters that are like that are the villains. She and her fanbase love to say we can’t handle flawed characters and I WISH her characters were flawed, I fucking wish they actually did bad things but no. Stolas cheating on his wife was okay because she was already abusive. Blitz ruining his relationship with Barbie and Fizz is okay because he didn’t actually start the fire. Blitz treating his employees like shit is okay because he’s actually “sweet” and cares. Viv is convinced on making her main characters the good guys, and the villains the bad guys, there’s no in between, and she should stop spouting about how we can’t handle messy characters and come back when she’s actually created a character that has done messy evil things WITHOUT it being excused.

[neallo]

Thinking about bury us both & specifically about names. Spoilers through chapter 11 under the cut. Sorry for waxing poetic about my own fanfiction, it may well happen again.

Mello is the one to have helped Near pick out her name when she came to Wammy's. She's the one to have created this rivalry that defined Near's adolescence, too, and the one to have left Near on her own to inherit the role of L. Obviously this is not Mello's actual fault because she was a child, but I think she actually does feel some level of guilt over having "trapped" Near into this role, especially as she watches Near slowly fade into the title over the years. I think she feels responsible for having created Near (in the sense of having turned her into the person she is, since Mello's actions directly led to many of the things that have shaped Near's fate).

In that vein, Near is only really herself around Mello; her employees refer to her as Near or as L, but Near as an alias doesn't hold the same weight in their mouths as it does in Mello's. Mello is also the only person to ever refer to Near as Nat or Nathalie, which are these little tethers back to Near's childhood and who she might have been if things had gone differently.

It goes both ways, though! Mello has been working under various aliases to carry out her contract killings for the last seven or so years; in that time, I imagine Near is the only one to have called her Mello. You'll notice if you look that Near never calls Mello Mihaela or Miha before chapter 10; this is, I imagine, because she has previously been asked not to use these names [though the request may have been made as long ago as the Kira investigation]. This is the result of a mixed attempt to keep Near at arm's length and an attempt to truly sever herself from her past (massive failure, 0/10). By the time we reach chapter 10, something has obviously shifted in her attitude towards Near and their relationship, which is reflected in a number of different ways, one of those being this little exchange:

“Mello?” “Miha,” Mello says. “You— you still call me Miha.” It is what Near called her when they were small, before the rivalry took that and everything else from the both of them. “Miha,” Near amends.

The next morning, as Mello is preparing to leave, we have this exchange, too:

“Don’t,” she says, voice sharp as a blade, gaze sharper still. “Promise me.” Near swallows. She does not break eye contact. “Why should I?” “Nathalie.” Narrowing her eyes, Near answers lowly: “Miha.” Mello exhales as if struck. “Please… please. I’m begging you. When I— when I come back, I’ll do whatever you want.”

which I think both shows the change in their relationship-- the fact that Mello is willing to plead with her-- and the impact that Near using that nickname has on Mello <3

[offsidekineticist]

I'M BACK!

This chapter took forever to figure out. Turns out the pacing was off, and what I figured would be 1 chapter is actually going to be closer to 2 or 3 chapters. Which is frustrating cuz it really feels like the fic just keeps adding chapters to itself at least as quickly as I can write them.

ANYWAY. Time for More Feelings! And Qweck being Absolutely Done with her customer service job.

Previous chapter (part 16) here

CW: Suicidal behavior and ideation; references to burning to death; burns; body horror

Nobody Is Always Right

"Yeah, so, would it be possible to get the Laria's Latte with no milk? And no caffeine?"

You take one of the ceramic cups on the counter and hand it to him. "Yes. Here."

"Oh...do I go fill it somewhere?"

"You wanted a latte with no milk or caffeine, right?"

"Yeah."

"There you go. NEXT!"

"Wait - I never actually ordered - "

"Sir, you have been served. If you want something else, please go to the back of the line."

"Whatever happened to 'the customer is always right?'"

"It was a lie. Nobody is always right, and you're old enough to learn that."

Usually this is where Mori, the brown-eyed girl from Corentyn who came in with a crop a few days after you arrived, would slide in between you and the countertop with a fabricated excuse for you to go back to the store-room while she smoothed things over with the customer. You would pretend to be torn about leaving someone so newly freed to handle the customers alone before acquiescing. By the time you returned, you’d have calmed down, and the problem customer would be gone.

Usually.

Today, though, Mori is desperately avoiding your gaze. All of your coworkers are desperately avoiding your gaze. They barely speak, and when they do it is only what is purely necessary. No niceties, no small talk, no jokes–just the bare necessities. And it’s not even your fault.

He took her in, raised her on his own, and she has nothing but contempt for him–and so she started pouring poison in your ear and you just believed her?!

The trap door to the dormitories above the shop was still open when Giliys arrived last night, and he was loud. Everyone in the building heard what he had to say.

But of course you did–she’s a pretty face, isn't she? She's someone new and exciting and we both know you–

So now, instead of bailing you out, Mori is very deliberately looking through the beans and blends under the counter, even though you don’t need any, while you are having the worst self-control day you’ve had since you were an initiate at the cloister in Ostenso.

You don’t know what exactly has caused their alienation–are they embarrassed at having heard that? Are they upset because they believe what he said about you and Laria? Are they jealous that you have a “father” you don’t supposedly don’t appreciate? You don’t know. Nobody will tell you.

“Where is your manager? I want to talk to her!”

“You’re talking to her.”

“What about Laria?”

“She’s out sick today.”

Laria came downstairs before sunrise to open the shop, only to find ash covered streets swarming with guards. She went back to her room after that, leaving you in charge to “keep the customers from walking all over” the newly freed employees. The others think Laria is just really upset about all the people who are missing or dead. You know better. You don’t know the nature of her relationship with Giliys, but she seemed surprisingly fond of him. You wonder if she still is, now that you’re sure she knows what he is.

“Well, then,” the customer–a dark haired youth, almost certainly a student–takes a moment to recover his equilibrium. “I’ll be back when she’s better to lodge a formal complaint! You have no idea how much trouble you’re in, Miss, I–”

“PRINCESS!”

The entire cafe seems to turn to look at the harried halfling running through the door. 

“What are you doing here?” you hiss.

“Look, it doesn’t matter. I have to talk to you now. It’s an emergency.”

You feel your face cool. “What happened? Where’s Theo?”

“What? No, Thay’s fine–it has to do with–y’know–remember at Rivad? The part I don’t remember?”

“Excuse me! I am still here!” the customer exclaims. You throw a wet dish towel in his face before turning to Mori.

“You take care of the customers, I have to deal with this.”

“You’re just leaving?!” Mori asks–the first thing she’s said to you today.

"How dare you!" The customer shrieks, his voice cracking. You ignore him.

“Yes. Is that a problem?” You don’t mean to glare at her, but you must have given how she seems to shrink into herself.

“N-no. Sorry,” she mumbles, and you know you’re going to catch hell for this later from Laria, but you don’t care.

You walk out from behind the counter, grab Giliys by the arm, and drag him into one of the backrooms of the coffeehouse, ignoring the brat's entitled spluttering. You do not slam the door behind you. You push it closed with exactly the appropriate amount of force for the situation. 

“The fire in the Villegre. That was you,” you say, skipping pleasantries. “It happened again.”

He squeezes his eyes shut and nods. “Yeah.”

That fucking bastard. You pick up the first thing you can grab–an apple–and hurl it at the wall with a roar. “I should have killed you at Rivad,” you snarl.

“Yes,” he agrees. “You can kill me now, instead.”

“Don’t tempt me,” you snap.

“I’m not tempting. I’m asking.”

Your body feels like ice. “What?”

He closes his eyes with a deep breath, and you are suddenly struck by how exhausted he looks. “I can’t stop her. Next time she comes out, I won’t come back. So we can’t give her the chance.” He flicks his wrist, and an ornamental dagger slides out of his sleeve into his hand. He holds it out to you, pommel first, tip angled towards him. “She’s weak from what she did this morning. If you’re quick, she won’t stop you. When it’s done, get rid of the body–make sure nobody will ever find it again. She’s trapped in a gem in my chest. Nobody can be allowed to find it again. She’s too strong now. My fault for feeding her.”

This–he–what?

“What about Theo?” you ask, suddenly remembering why you are so glad you didn’t kill Giliys at Rivad. “You’re going to leave me to deal with him alone?”

His exhaustion shifts to regret. “I’m sorry. If I had a choice–”

“You did have a choice!” you snap. “You had a choice when you decided to let a monster live in a gem in your chest!”

“I know.” He takes a deep breath. “Please, Qweck. I don’t know I’ll be able to do it by myself.”

He never calls you Qweck. He also never begs.

Another thought strikes you. “What does Theo think of this?”

His jaw sets. “Just take the fucking dagger, Qweck.”

“Does he even know?”

“Please–”

“It would kill him to lose you, you know that, right?”

“He hates me!” Giliys exclaims. “He just forgot. I confused him–he’s not himself. It’ll be better once I’m gone.”

“He could never hate you! I don’t know why you keep saying he does, but he doesn’t, so if you actually care for him, you’ll find another way to–”

“I fed her some of my crops.”

For a moment you wonder with confusion when Giliys was ever a farmer, and why plants would satisfy a creature that fed on souls. You know what the word ‘crops’ means to a Bellflower tiller, but no tiller would ever think of doing what Giliys just said he had done.

And yet, as you stare at him in dawning horror that you’re sure is visible on your face, he holds your gaze with something like defiance. “I had to feed her souls to keep her from taking over. So every so often–when she got hungry–I would pick out someone from my crops. Someone alone, who had no one waiting for them. Someone that no one would miss. I’d say I had a place in the city and invite them to stay with me while they got their feet under them. They always said yes. Always so happy to finally have a friend. I’d take them down a back alley and….” He stops, still looking you in the eye. “They’d always try to scream. It was always too late by then, but they’d try. Hellfire burns fast. It never took long. Just long enough for them to realize. And then they’d be gone. No soul, no body, just a pile of ashes that I’d spread out to be less obvious. And then I’d go back to Cheliax, to Brastlewark, and Thay would see there was something wrong, realize I’d ‘lost’ one, and he’d fuss over how my clothes were wet and muddy, and he’d give me some of his to wear while my clothes dried out, and I’d pretend not to notice they were much too big for him and nothing like what his normal clothes, and he’d give me cocoa and tell me stories about the kids at his library until dawn, and by the time I left, I’d feel ok. Every time I felt her hunger and felt like this time I couldn’t do it, I’d remember that he’d be there when I was done. And it would be enough.”

You’re shaking now, and you don’t know if it’s rage or shock or cold or all of it. “Does he know?” you ask, voice low with anger.

He nods. Oh, gods, he nods. “He told me he’d kill me if he ever saw me again. And then you called me to get him out of Rivad.”

Theo knows. He used Theo to carry him through damning innocents, and he let him find out. 

You’ve known Giliys for decades, worked with him, even vouched for him on occasion. You’ve known from the beginning that he was a murderer, that he subsisted off of a combination of paid assassinations and corpse robbing, but you let it go because he was dedicated to the cause–or so you thought. You shouldn't have. You should have realized–how did you not realize–

But what you’re feeling right now can’t possibly compare to what your father felt when he realized. To care so deeply for another for years, only to discover that he was a monster who used your affection to motivate his atrocities–it would be heartbreaking. The confusion and uncertainty–wondering if you had ever known him at all, if he had ever returned your affections or cared about you beyond your ability to comfort him when his conscience woke. Asking yourself how he fooled you for so long–how you could have possibly loved that–

It was a betrayal that would destroy anyone. How had it not destroyed your father?

Maybe it did, and you just never noticed. 

There’s no thought in your movement. You have barely realized you’ve taken the dagger from him before you have him pressed against the wall, golden blade bared against his throat.

“You son of a bitch,” you growl through grit teeth. You feel his body relax, and that only adds fire to your rage–does he think you won’t hurt him? Does he think your healer’s oaths will keep him safe? That your self-control and discipline will hold you back from giving him what he deserves?

No. He knows they won’t.

This is why he told you. He told you so it would be easy to kill him. So that even if it would break your oaths, you’d kill him in a fit of rage. And it almost worked.

What is wrong with you??

You are a child of Irori on the path to perfection. You should be above this. You should be above snapping at customers. You should be above lashing out at Corvinius. You should be above abandoning your father to the monster who used him.

The bastard must see the rage clearing from your eyes, because his face hardens. “Do it,” he hisses. “Just fucking do it! I deserve it–you know I do–just–”

You need to think. You need everything to stop so you can think and figure out what to do–if killing him is right or if you just feel like it is because you’re angry or–

Pain.

You hiss in pain as you recoil, practically jumping backwards, away from Giliys. You look down at your left arm–the one that had been barred against his chest to hold him in place–and find an ugly burn on the side of your forearm. You hear a strangled cry, and when you look up at Giliys, face twisted in pain as he gasps for breath and claws at his chest.

His chest which is now glowing through his smoldering shirt.

All else forgotten, you move to help him. “What–”

“No–get back! Get back!” he croaks, left hand shooting towards you to push you back if you come too close, right hand continuing to claw at his chest, heedless of the flames and growing burns.

“You’re–”

“What is going–” Your words die as he raises his eyes to meet yours–green eyes ringed with hellfire. You know the answer before he says it.

“Get everyone out. Out. Out now!” he pants.

“We’re too late. She’s back.”