#you know the thing where you put a bar of scented soap in there

[blujayonthewing]

got a little too lost in the sauce last night playing with perfume and spritzed a couple into my dice bag and now it smells exactly like a grandma's sock drawer

[snowball-doie]

| pairing: submissive!Haechan x Dom!gn!Reader

| warnings: 18+ MDNI. Handjob. Noona kink. Edging. Praise kink.

| wc: 2.5k

| aurora's note: say goodbye to mine and @hisunflower's sanity!

Haechan took his skin care seriously— Not more so than Mark, truth be told, but certainly more so than other people. It was mesmerizing watching him complete his ritual every morning and every evening. The care he put into it, the time it took, the love he had for doing the same thing over and over again every day just to have some semblance of a routine when things as an idol could get so chaotic on a whim. You liked watching him go about his morning and evening regime.

In the morning, he’d wake up early— More so than you preferred since his alarm also woke you up even though you didn’t have to get ready until hours later; However, waking up to the sound of his alarm always gave you the chance to feel him shifting around next to you to reach for his phone and turn off his alarm before turning back to you to kiss your cheek. You always smiled to yourself when he did that. He didn’t have to go out of his way to kiss you first thing in the morning, but Haechan admitted one time when you asked about it that his favorite thing was waking up every morning next to you, so he always felt like he had to show his appreciation for such a gift.

After shuffling out of bed, Hyuck would trudge to the bathroom where he would start the shower to let it heat up while he stripped off his pajamas and set out all of his skin care on the counter. There was so much of it that he had to keep it organized under the sink or else your bathroom would be overrun by his belongings, leaving no room for your toothbrush and toothpaste. Once he was ready and the steam from the shower was fogging up the mirror, he’d step under the water and begin his shower routine, which wasn’t so simple like the ungodly “3-in-1” bottles at the grocery store. While the water was still hot, he would wash his body with scented soaps— Hyuck took his perfumes seriously. Sometimes he would shave. Most times not. Shaving only happened if he had performances or photo shoots coming up; Other than that, he kept his happy trail just for you since you loved it so much. Then Haechan would cool the water just slightly so that he could begin washing it with a shampoo that helped make it as soft and fluffy as it was, and it prevented hair loss due to all the hair dye and hair gel he had to apply over the years. As he approached the end of his shower, Haechan would force himself to wake up with icy cold water. You could never shower with him because of that. His conditioner protected his hair even more and gave it that silky final touch. But just to make sure, Hyuck used a hair care product meant for hair growth and softness. He really cared about making sure his hair was soft.

By the time he was out of the shower, you were up, starting the coffee pot in the kitchen and pulling out a protein bar and banana for him to eat either on the way to work or once he would arrive. To let the steam out, Haechan would open the bathroom door. You took that as your sign that it was safe to bother him finally.

“Are you getting lunch with Renjun today?” you asked, taking a seat on the counter.

Haechan nodded before applying his shaving cream to his chin and above his upper lip.

“M’kay.”

Usually you and Hyuck got lunch together, but you understood that he had plans, so you’d stay home or get something quick near the apartment.

You watched silently as Haechan began shaving slowly, leaning over the counter to make sure he could see clearly since he didn’t want to bother with glasses or contacts yet. When he was done, he quickly washed his face to get rid of the leftover shaving cream.

“When’s your next team dinner with ilichil?”

Haechan began shaking his skin care bottles to mix up the ingredients. “Next Friday. We’re getting chicken and beer at that place in Gangnam— You know, the one with the cheese and bread chicken?” You nodded. “Yeah, that one. Then we’re gonna drink at Doyoung’s place.”

“What? No one wants to carry him home again from the bar?” you teased.

“Fuck no.”

As the water ran, Haechan leaned over the sink and began washing his face with soap prescribed to him by his dermatologist.

“At least you don’t have to also deal with drunk Taeyong now.”

Haechan gulped. “Yeah…”

It wasn’t as funny as you meant it to be, so you fell silent again while he applied a foam based product also prescribed to him— In fact, everything sitting on the counter was prescribed by one person or another. Idol things.

Bottles and bottles of different skin care were pulled forward for use then pushed back to be set to the side to signal the end of their use. You watched intently the entire time. The way Haechan’s palms made sure his entire face was covered in the products, his fingers brushed his wet hair out of his face whenever it fell forward due to gravity, and the towel on his hips slowly falling down… You were enchanted by him. He was doing mundane morning shit, yet you were so in love with him that you thought he was the prettiest man on Earth. You wished he didn’t feel the need to wear make up— Or that the company wouldn’t make him do it just because he was an idol. He was perfect the way he was. His moles were so cute, you had to kiss them almost every night when you two would cuddle in bed. The pimples on his face were addicting to stare at— You knew that he hated them, of course, but, fuck, you loved them so much. “But the skin care’s supposed to get rid of them,” he’d argue with a pout. “They’ll go away eventually, Hyuck, don’t worry.” And he’d pout some more while you kissed his blemishes.

“Do you wanna get dinner tonight?” he asked, squeezing toothpaste onto his tooth brush.

You swung your feet back and forth in front of you while staring at his cheeks. “Sure. We can go to the market out by Kyung Hee University, get some street food?”

He nodded with a smile.

It’d been a while since the two of you went out for street food. You could really only get away with it in the winters since everyone was so bundled up to fight the cold that no one looked twice at the two of you, wondering if the man hiding under layers of clothes, a hat, and a mask was an idol or not.

Hyuck began brushing his teeth aggressively, his cheeks hollowing out around the brush while trying to prevent any toothpaste from dripping down his freshly shaved chin. His moles… The pimples… His wet hair… His soft stomach… The towel that was barely hiding anything of him now… Fuck, you couldn’t help yourself—

You slid off the counter, catching Haechan’s attention who raised a brow at you as you walked behind him and wrapped your arms around his torso, propping your chin on his shoulder. His continued to watch you with confusion. A kiss to his shoulder that drifted up to his neck, and your hands laying flat on his lower stomach, thumbs pushing into the plushness of it, that gave him more answers than if you would’ve told him straight up, “Sorry, you’re irresistible, let me use you for a few minutes.”

He mumbled while still brushing his teeth, “I gotta leave soon.”

You didn’t entertain him with a reply. Instead, you left a hickey on his neck. Hyuck hissed at the feeling and tried to squirm out of your grasp, but you held true, hands drifting down to finally remove his towel completely. He was already getting hard. It wasn’t difficult to get Haechan worked up, truth be told. Your touch on his body was always so tempting, how could he not give into every single one of his fantasies around you? When you took his length in one of your hands, Haechan hesitated, his mouth agape, threatening to spill some of his toothpaste. He stared at you through the mirror. You were so preoccupied with leaving a hickey that you couldn’t pull away to look back at him completely, but seeing you glance at him through your lashes made his knees weak. His cock pulsed in your hand. He was getting harder. There was no going back.

But he was still going to be late for work. So Hyuck, against his better judgment, continued brushing his teeth, albeit with a lot more caution, like he was waiting for you to make another sudden move that would paralyze him. Of course you did just that. Your hand slowly worked its way along his length, starting down at his base before dragging up to his sensitive tip, which you teased with your thumb, forcing Haechan to abandon the thought of holding his toothbrush so that he could catch himself on the counter before he could completely topple over. He let out a gasp, but his teeth stayed gritted against the plastic handle of his toothbrush.

“You’re too cute, baby,” you cooed in his ear.

Haechan bucked in your hand in an attempt to get away from the brutal stimulation over his tip. You indulged him slightly by transferring your attention to jerking him off fast. His knees buckled under his weight, but thanks to your arms still wrapped around him and his hands pressed against the bathroom counter, he hardly faltered, allowing you to continue pleasuring him.

“Noona,” he croaked into his toothbrush.

You grinned against his skin. Fuck, he smelled so good. And he was so soft after his shower… Fuck, you would keep him trapped in bed all day with you if you could. It killed you to have to let him go eventually.

The sound of your hand pumping the length of his cock echoed throughout the bathroom. The heat of his heavy breath and his skin heating up against yours started fogging the mirror up again. When you looked at him again, he was red, he couldn’t keep his eyes open, and his thighs were trembling while he tried to balance his weight against your body. He looked so cute when he was overwhelmed.

“I just… I just showered… I can’t… We can’t make a mess…” His words were so gargled it was hard to make it out, but you knew what he meant.

“I like making a mess of you, though, pretty boy,” you replied seductively. You grabbed his cheeks, reveling in the way his skin texture felt against the pads of your fingers. “Watch yourself.”

Hyuck gulped.

He looked so pretty with a clean face that was a bit redder than usual, aside from what was caused by sex hormones, because of how much he’d been messing with it during his morning routine. His pimples were a bit irritated. They were angry with him for applying so many counter-measurements that would attack them until they were gone. You savored that moment. Both of you watching his naked body through the mirror as you jerked him off and he struggled in your grasp the closer he got to the edge. Poor thing was already dripping pre-cum which was ultimately to your benefit since it acted as lubricant to ease your quick motions.

Haechan grabbed your wrist with one of his hands, championing for you to go even faster, but you fought him on it, immediately stopping what you were doing. He moaned, the toothbrush falling out of his mouth and onto the counter.

“Please!” he cried out.

“Behave yourself.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry… Please… Let me cum. Please.”

“I will, I will,” you cooed in his ear before kissing behind it.

Slowly, after he released your wrist, you started up again slowly, showing special attention to his dripping tip. You shushed him calmly. Yet Haechan was adamant about chasing his orgasm, so he tried his best to trick you into fisting him faster while making it look like he wasn’t doing a single thing; Although it was clearly obvious to you what he was doing. Still, it was kind of cute watching him struggle… You liked seeing his face contort through the emotions of trying to control himself and feeling an overwhelming amount of pleasure. You could feel his stomach tensing under the hold of your arm.

“So fucking pretty… Smell so good too… And your hair’s gonna be so fluffy today once it dries, I can just tell already…”

Haechan blushed.

“You like that? Being told how perfect you are?”

He tried to hide his face from you, but you continued to make him look in the mirror. Your thumb drifted gently over one of his moles. Ah, fuck, you could’ve cum on the spot…

“Noona,” he mumbled, still trying to hold in the tooth paste sloshing in his mouth.

You teased him with a hum of faux confusion.

“C-c-close—”

With a confident grin, you finally said to him the magic words he had been dying to hear. “Cum for me.”

Haechan stood on his tip-toes in an effort to aim for the sink to avoid making an annoying mess that one of you would have to clean off the cupboards and the tiles. It kind of worked. As he came, the initial shocks were enough to leak straight into the sink while he moaned loudly, his cock twitching in your hand. When coming down from his high, however, it began to pathetically dribble onto the counter, then down his cock. He groaned one last time before settling flat on his feet.

“You made a mess, silly,” you told him, swiping up the toothpaste that had been running down his chin and collecting at the corners of his mouth. Haechan looked up just in time to have you putting your finger in his mouth, forcing him to clean up the toothpaste. “Can’t let any go to waste.” He whined pathetically around your finger. “Good boy.”

Once you released him, Haechan relied on his hold on the counter to keep him upright as he was finally able to spit out everything into the sink while catching his breath. You stole one last kiss from him, aiming directly for the moles on his cheek just so you could see him fluster up one more time before you escaped the bathroom to climb back into bed.

[russellsppttemplates]

Hi I don’t know if your taking requests but if you are and your ok with writing this I was wondering if you could do one where the reader gets the pheromone perfume from TikTok and try’s it out and is with Lando and they go a dinner with all the drivers and she goes to the bathroom and puts it on and Landos reaction is hilarious

Note: I understand the science behind it - even though it's still something science needs to work on (one of my teachers was doing some research on it and we discussed it a lot in class), but I can't help but be a bit sceptical about it, ngl! Until otherwise, my requests are always open and you can send in requests anytime you want!

"Do you have it?", Carmen asked as you looked for the tube inside your bag.

"I can't believe you have it - I'm curious to see how it works, though", Rebecca offered.

"You and me both", you giggled before getting up from the table.

"Where are you going, baby?", Lando asked as soon as you were up.

"I'm going to the bathroom, I'll be right back", you smiled.

"You know she won't vanish into thin air, right?", George joked as Lando followed you with his eyes until he couldn't see you anymore.

"Just making sure she's okay, George, have you ever heard of that?", your boyfriend bit back.

By the time you came back to the bathroom, the group had moved up to the bar area of the restaurant, the room closed off to anyone else so you could have some privacy.

"Hey, baby", Lando hugged you, "I was about to get you something to drink", he smiled, kissing your lips and taking a wiff of your scent, "did you freshen up?".

"Are you telling me I was stinky before?", you joked.

"No, no, it's just you smell really nice, very nice", he kissed along the way from your clavicle, up your neck and behind your ear before something clicked, "This is one of those TikTok things, isn't it? Max showed me last week", Lando searched the answers on your eyes, "which means that if I can smell it, so can anyone else - they can smell you too!", he gasped, "we need to wash this off", he whispered on your ear, squeezing your body against his.

"You're usually all over eachother on any good day, but right now? He's not leaving you to go to the bathroom even!", Carlos chuckled as his friend's antics.

"We have something important to do!", Lando pulled you with him to the bathroom, ignoring the whistles and claps from the group, "I don't care what the soap smells like, you're not going to get close to the guys smelling like this - it's intoxicating, and a bit mind numbing", he sighed.

"That's all you want to do about it, though? I even have that nice lingerie set you really like underneath this", you gestured to your outfit, "we already have the fame, might as well have the advantage too", you smirked.

(Thank you for sending this in ✨️)

[rainybubbles]

What 141 would do if you're experiencing self-doubt ?

Ghost, Price, Soap, Gaz

(Sorry in advance for my mistakes, English is not my mother tongue. So sorry if it's badly written or if they're OOC.)

SIMON : 

-"I am not enough; I will never be, and you know it. You know it because, in a crowd, your gaze wanders elsewhere. Your fingers barely brush against me, and you only utter kind words without ever mentioning my beauty. I will never be like the others; I can never fill your heart. I am just a silhouette in your life, while I constantly dream of being the leading role in our film. But it’s just a film, an illusion, and I can’t be content with that."

-Out of breath, they stood before him, tears in their eyes. Their exhausted eyes let every tear fall, their breathing was labored.

-He stood motionless, rigid, unable to move, to utter a word.

-This silence was like a knife, silently cutting the bond between them, answering the unspoken with more silence.

-"I see," they murmured as they turned to leave.

-But their momentum was interrupted by his hand firmly gripping their wrist. He stood there.

-"Do you honestly think you can compare yourself to the others?" he murmured.

-"Don’t hit where it hurts, I—"

-"Do you honestly think you can compare yourself when your smile makes me forget the blood I shed? The souls screaming in my ears. When each of your breaths is a wave of desire I struggle to restrain, while for ten years, I struggled to feel even lust? When your voice, your ambitions are the only things I think about. You haunt me. I’ve tried day and night to flee from you, to distance myself, to keep you as an acquaintance, but no matter my efforts, I found myself at your feet begging for a crumb of your smile. Do you honestly think I see you like the others?"

-Stunned, they didn’t know how to respond.

-"Simon."

"I can’t, I didn’t want to. Not yet. I can’t afford to have people to lose, but you’re here, and I find myself unable to let another take your heart."

"Then take it."

Hesitant, the soldier could see his mother, Beth, his brother, his nephew. Having someone meant being able to lose them. Having only his life meant a gentle, painless death.

-But between putting them in danger or losing them, Simon’s heart had made its choice.

-He wouldn’t risk finding them one day dead in his living room, killed by an enemy. He couldn’t. Yet the idea of having them in their living room, their house, seemed so sweet.

"It’s not that simple."

"Simon, please. Be clear, you can’t—"

His hands were on their face, wiping away each tear he had caused.

"Look at us, Simon," they murmured.

Their breaths close, the heat rising, their gazes shifted from one to the other, settling on their lips. And everything happened quickly. A moment, a second changing everything. A kiss.

"You are enough," he murmured after the first kiss.

But it wasn’t enough; starving, his heart burning, Simon kissed them again and again.

Feeling their body under his hands, their much-desired lips on his. Their breath, their scent, their sounds, their hair, everything was them, and he could only get intoxicated again and again.

They were an addiction.

"I can’t get enough of you."

"Neither can I. Don’t leave me again, Simon."

"I wouldn’t dream of it."

They were enough, more than that, they were too good for him. But Simon was a selfish man, and if they allowed him, he would stay in their affections as long as they let him.

PRICE : 

(Tall reader implied in this one.)

"Am I... pathetic, John? Not enough?"

On a summer evening at the base, which was deserted due to the nice weather and the open bar, two colleagues smoked outside.

-The conversation had shifted from light banter to work, and now, as dawn approached, alcohol was loosening their tongues, steering them towards deeper topics.

"Pathetic?" John repeated.

"Yes."

They stubbed out their cigarette abruptly.

"Sorry, it sounds childish. I'm complaining about my life when we were talking about something else. I should go to bed, I—"

They were interrupted by his gaze.

"No, I'm listening."

They sat back down, almost timidly.

"Have you been with people, John?"

"I've had my share of lovers, yes."

"Everyone has, at our age, right?"

"I guess."

"Not me."

John observed their in silence, sensing their hesitation.

"My parents say it's pathetic, being only good at writing reports, not even able to seduce soldiers in a barracks. That my ugliness, my height, are horrible traits they can hardly stand to see at each meeting. And I know they're wrong, but when I hear stories of kisses, love letters, children, marriages... I can't help but wonder: what's wrong with me? Why... why have I never felt that desire, why has no one ever had it for me? Am I... pathetic?"

John removed his cigar from his lips, his eyebrows furrowed. He stood up without a word.

They guessed he was bored by their words, their problems, and regretted having said too much.

But John knelt in front of them.

"You'd have to be very cruel to think a person like you is pathetic. If you are, then I'm just a pathetic man who desires a pathetic person."

"John..."

"Not feeling desire, not having loved, kissed, or slept with someone at our age shouldn't be a shame. Love isn't a race, and if you start in your thirties, forties, or fifties, so be it. You should never feel any pressure or degradation about it. Because a man, a lover, a good one at least, will never define you. You are a wonderful person who may choose to have someone in their life, or not. It’s optional."

"It’s hard."

"I know."

On his knees, he reached out to cover their hand with his.

"You are not pathetic. Your laughter at Simon's awful jokes, that little tic after writing a report when you click your tongue, your height towering over even Johnny... I live for that. Every morning on this base, I wish to give you a report I spent too many hours falsifying just so we can correct the errors together, so I can sit next to you and feel your leg brush against mine, your scent filling my clothes, or leave my silly hat on your head in winter. I want you to see me, as I see you. Because if you did, you'd never dare, never even think to use the word 'pathetic' to describe yourself."

"John..."

"I'm not asking for anything. I know your desire now, and I guess I don't meet your expectations, but please, don't let this define you."

Slowly, he stood up, his hand leaving theirs.

"Why?" they asked, interrupting his walk.

"Why what?"

"Why tell me this when you... you know I could never have that physical desire for you?"

"Because my desire isn't just sexual, I want all of you. A life without sex doesn't bother me, not if I can see your smile every morning, not if I can fix a stupid sink we bought together, not if I can admire those lines on your face every day."

"You're an idiot."

"So it seems."

Wiping their tears, they blew their nose. With a determined step, they joined him.

"Where are we going?"

"Where?" he asked

"Well, a date should be somewhere nice, right?"

A smile appeared on his face.

"I know a place," he murmured.

"Let's go."

Hand in hand, the dawn rose on a new relationship at the base.

SOAP : 

— Wait, talk to me, we can fix this, he said, running after you into the bathroom.

— It’s not a problem, Johnny. It’s not a disagreement, you said, sitting on the floor.

— What is it then?

— ME! I’m... I’m completely useless. Seriously, all through this party, I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t even drink. I was paralyzed by a panic attack, standing there like a statue while my friends wanted to celebrate. I ruined their moment, I... I’m not worth it. Every time they want to hang out, they look for uncrowded places because of me. They delay our meetings to make sure I don’t faint on public transport. They try to guess if today’s a good day for me before even suggesting anything. I’m a burden to them. And I hate myself for that. I hate that I can’t talk to people without overthinking, I hate that I faint in crowds, I can’t go outside when I want to, I can’t call people, I can’t even tell stories. Because I don’t have any; I’m stuck in a boring life with anxiety slowly eating me away.

— Is that what you think? he whispered. That you’re not worth it?

— Yes, you sobbed softly. Because it’s the truth.

— Do you think your friends see you as a burden? That they hang out with you because they have to?

— Yes.

— No. They hang out with you, they take your anxiety into account, they plan around your feelings because they want to. They wish they could see you every day because you’re a wonderful person, you’re a delight to be around. They know they can’t always see you, so they take care of you. I... take care of you. I can’t count the number of times I’ve wished to see you every day, to go out with you every day. But I love you too much to impose my desires on your anxiety. We love you, we do all this because we care about you. Tonight was a mistake.

— A mistake?

— We were supposed to be five, but Thomas’s friend invited more people, and it turned into a big party. We couldn’t warn you in time.

— So...

— We wanted you there, we wanted to celebrate with you, with our friends. Not with random drunk people.

— You love talking to drunk people.

— I love talking to people, period.

— I feel stupid.

— Then I’ll be stupid with you, scoot over.

— John, there’s no room to sit, we’ll be stuck in the bathtub.

— So?

He settled in. The two of you tangled up in an empty bathtub, a laugh escaped your lips.

— You’re ridiculous.

— I’m whatever you want me to be.

— Even bald?

— I admit, I won’t touch my hair.

— ...Do you... do you really want to see me more often?

— Yes. But I know how you... how you need your space after socializing.

— You sound like a personal development book.

— Maybe it’s from "Introvert’s Guide", I admit.

A sigh escaped, a smile forming.

— Thank you, John.

— No problem.

— You... you could come to my place, maybe.

— You-

— So we can see each other... more. More than just outside.

— Okay.

Slipping a key into his pocket, John could only take your hand and gently caress it.

— You deserve it, this happiness , believe me.

— I’ll try, you whispered.

KYLE : 

The silence lingered at the end of the line.

"You're supposed to answer after a “how are yo”, you know?" Kyle said.

Usually they would have said “yes I’m fine.”

But that wasn't the case. It never had been. But they had always managed to lie, to downplay their problems. Yet their trembling lips betrayed them, letting slip the truth.

"That's not the case."

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, I was catching up."

Idiot. Kyle Garrick was nothing if not a stubborn and obstinate man.

"You think I'm going to buy that?"

"Kyle, I'm not sure that..."

"You just admitted what I've been waiting for months to hear. I'm not letting go."

"You were waiting?"

"Do you really think I believed you? You... you talked about your neighbor for hours to avoid my questions, please, just answer me."

"Have you ever wondered why I always seemed to mess everything up?"

"You..."

"I wonder every day. My parents barely talk to me, I did an art degree to avoid finishing my bachelor's and being in debt, I started a history degree only to end up cleaning after my graduation, unable to find a teaching position. I lost my apartment, my dog, my first love, and my second. And my college friends. And today, my job, and they all say the same thing, it's my fault. So Kyle, tell me, did I ruin your life too?"

The sound of the line crackled.

"No."

"You can't lie, I..."

"Your parents are disappointed that their prodigy of a child didn't do what THEY wanted for you. Your art school was filled with artists copying from the internet. Teaching positions come and go every year. You're just young, and as for your friends, they were nothing but hypocrites, taking advantage of your notes and then leaving. Your exes had their flaws and projected them onto you. They're all idiots if they think you're the bane of their existence, because now, they must realize how much you helped them. You mattered. You matter."

"Kyle."

"I wouldn't know who to call, who to tell the stupid things I see here to forget if you weren't there. I know you ask me to describe the scenery in each of my calls so I don't remember my missions, that you don't talk about my work to give me a bubble. And it matters to me, you matter to me enormously."

"I'm just trying to... help you."

"Then let me help you in return. Why don't you... why don't you come to my apartment?"

"Kyle, what?"

"You don't have a job anymore, do you? Rent is expensive and you have nothing holding you back. Come to England. My parents know a university, you could work there as a teaching assistant or find something else."

"Why?"

"Because you deserve better. I don't want to play the savior, I... it's selfish, but knowing that when I come back, I'll find you in my apartment is a selfish wish. I can't just settle for calls anymore, I want to hear your voice every morning."

"As friends?"

"No."

"I see."

"But if that's how you see us, then I'll respect your choice and my offer will always stand."

"I can't ask you to let me move in with you if I know that."

"I'll do anything for you."

"You're stubborn."

"Yes."

"I... I'll think about it."

"You haven't given me an answer."

"Do I really need to?"

"No. I... damn it, I wish I could kiss you."

"You'll have to wait until you come back."

"I can't wait."

If you want more : masterlist.

[ikeuverse]

I WANT YOU — p.sunghoon

PAIRING: sunghoon x fem!reader  GENRES: fluff, a pinch of angst  WC: 4.5k+

WARNINGS: mentions of drinking, coming home drunk (being carried, literally), a few swear words. and let me know if I've forgotten anything else.

SYNOPSIS: hiding the fact that you were dating your brother's best friend was easy, but it was hard to control the jealousy of comments made when his friends didn't know about your relationship.

NOTES: i don't remember ever seeing a story with sunghoon being the best friend in love, so i wanted to write something like this. i hope you enjoy it as much as i enjoyed writing something for him like this.

masterlist

Friday night was the moment when you felt the peak of your tiredness beating against every fiber of your body. Taking off all the clothes you wore to work during that tiring day, getting into the hot shower was the only thing you needed for a moment.

Water on your skin, strawberry-scented soap and shampoo, and a lot of relaxation as soon as you turn off the shower to dry off and look for more comfortable clothes.

"Y/n?" the voice called out from downstairs in the apartment, indicating that your brother had just arrived home.

Putting on your baggy T-shirt followed by your pajama shorts, you went downstairs to meet him in the living room, turning on the television.

"Oh, did you just get out of the shower?" he asked when he turned to you. A smile played on his lips as you smiled back, without much enthusiasm for being completely tired from your exhausting day.

"Do you want something to eat? I'll order—"

"Actually" he interrupted you, walking with you into the kitchen where he leaned against the worktop, "I just came to drop off my backpack and let you know I'm going out with the boys."

Oh, your whisper came out softly, he was still smiling while his hands were flat on the marble in front of him.

"Be careful, please" you asked him "Don't come loaded tonight, okay? Tomorrow you need to study for your final exams."

His smile was contagious. And you felt the weight of your brother's body as he came up to hug you and put his chin on your head.

"I promise I'll take care of myself, okay?"

He didn't take care of himself.

You laughed at the brief thought earlier in the evening as soon as you hung up the phone. On the call, Jay's loud voice was indicating that your brother had already left about fifteen minutes ago with Sunghoon.

Park Sunghoon. That's why he hadn't come to see you that night, he was with your brother in that bar.

Of course. You couldn't just ask your brother's best friend to stay with you, when in fact your brother was a pit of jealousy. So your relationship with Sunghoon had to be a secret from the day you first kissed.

The party was going on and you would never have thought that Park Sunghoon, the high school skater, would have a crush on you. He kissed you. He kissed you so hard until you lost your breath - or until your brother threw you away in your last year before university.

After that, no one ever saw the two of you together again. Meanwhile, on the sly, the two of you couldn't keep your hands off each other. The only person who knew about you and Sunghoon was Callie, your best friend, and Jay's girlfriend, your friend and your brother's friend.

She was one of the only female figures completely close to you and your circle of friends, so opening up to her about everything that was going on was almost inevitable.

"He went to take your brother who drank too much" Callie muttered on the other end of the line. "I just got home with Jay and I think tomorrow's studies are going to be postponed."

"Really?" you scratched your temple with your free hand, already imagining the state in which your brother would arrive at the apartment.

You had asked him not to drink so much, but knowing his stubbornness, he certainly wouldn't listen to you like that. So you just shrugged.

"We can set up the session at your place tomorrow, what do you think?" your friend suggested a few minutes later, probably paying attention to the two of you calling and Jay mumbling something incomprehensible on the other end "That way you and Sunghoon can be together a bit more, since today didn't work out" she whispered, knowing that this had happened so that Jay wouldn't hear.

"I'd love to, actually" the sound of the doorknob made you jump up from the sofa, glancing at the door before it opened "They're here, I'm going to help them. See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow, kitten" Callie said goodbye and hung up, and just as you did the same to put your cell phone on the coffee table, the door opened.

Your brother was hanging on to one of Sunghoon's shoulders, who was struggling against his weight to stand up. You ran the few steps closer to the two of them, holding back your laughter when your brother raised his head and looked at you with narrowed eyes.

"Y/n?" he looked at you, then at Sunghoon "Are we home?"

"We're home" Sunghoon was panting, holding the other boy's body up high enough.

"Shit Jake, what's gotten into you?" your voice had a worried tone, ignoring Sunghoon's gaze on you the whole time since he closed the door and entered the apartment.

"We bet" he sobbed, disentangling himself from Sunghoon's arms, "and I lost."

He kicked his shoes off his feet, keeping his socks on as he unbuckled his belt, throwing it into a corner of the living room.

"Okay, no naked here" Sunghoon ran up to him and grabbed Jake by the hands "Let's go to your room, you need a shower."

He even tried to deny it and protest, but he knew he wasn't up to it, especially since even you were harder than he was. You almost pushed him into the bedroom with Sunghoon's help.

"But… Wait…" Jake stopped at the door to his bathroom, turning around "You're not going to see me naked, are you?"

"No" Sunghoon laughed, followed by you "I'll just go in, she can sort out your nightclothes, how about that?" his gaze was on you again, and with a nod, you went to Jake's closet to get some clothes.

Your mind must have been wandering as you picked out something for your brother. Sunghoon was right there, under the same roof as you. It was strange to see him so suddenly, even though you were looking forward to meeting him that day.

It was always a surprise when you saw him because, every moment, Sunghoon was different. Not physically, you mean. But his features. Sometimes he was frustrated about something at work or college. Or even his sleepiness, which made him so cute. You felt like kissing him non-stop when he mumbled into your pillow that he didn't want to leave.

"Have you chosen?" Sunghoon appeared in the bathroom doorway. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, his pants were folded to his knees and yet all the fabric of his clothes was wet.

You realized that you had rambled on too long because Jake was already drying himself off while you were singing in the bathroom. Sunghoon just smiled in your direction as you handed him some clothes and he went back into the bathroom.

Less than a few minutes later they were both out. Jake with wet hair and a slightly better appearance. Sunghoon seemed to check the room, seeing the bottle of water that Jake always kept by his bed.

"It's full, he'll be fine" he said as he pointed to the object, you just nodded in agreement.

"Hey man, thanks" Jake yawned as he flopped onto the bed, still feeling everything around him spin. He waved for Sunghoon to come closer and so he did "Without you, I wouldn't be able to get home."

"You know I'm here for anything" Sunghoon smiled at him "Now, go to sleep, I have to go home and check on Heeseung and Jungwon."

Jake muttered something else that neither of you could understand, so all that was left was to agree and say goodnight. Letting your brother know that he would be in the next room if he needed.

You were the last to leave Jake's room, taking another look at your brother's sleepiness, who was now dozing off peacefully and so quickly. It was the effect of the drink that always made him fall asleep so quickly. So as soon as you turned off the lights, you carefully let the door close completely.

Before anything could be said, Sunghoon's hands traveled up to your face and, without effort, he got close enough to touch your lips with his. A slow kiss that tasted of alcohol because you knew he had been drinking too. Maybe not as much as your brother, but still, and that made the kiss taste so sweet on your tongue when you slid it into his mouth.

Kissing Sunghoon was incredible and dangerous at the same time, even more so in front of Jake's room. Knowing that he wouldn't wake up, nothing stopped the chill in your stomach from chasing you, even when Sunghoon pressed his body against yours at the exact moment your back met the wall. You moaned into his mouth, the contact of his fingers against your skin sliding down to your waist, lifting the T-shirt you were wearing to touch you there without warning.

"We… We can't…" you tried to catch your breath as his lips descended to your neck; without leaving a mark, but enough for his tongue to slide against your skin and send shivers down your spine.

"Shit" he cursed in a whisper before giving your neck one last kiss and aligning his face with yours. Leaning our foreheads against each other so he could be close enough to you "I missed you" he confessed.

That little sentence wreaked havoc on your heart, which was beating fast against your chest. You smiled, stealing another kiss from Sunghoon's lips and resting your hands against his face, one on each side.

"I missed you too" you said quietly.

"Leaving Jake was in my plans from the moment he asked me to go to that bar" Sunghoon's voice could only be heard because of how close the two of you were. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to hear him "I should have come to see you before anything else."

"It's okay" you tried to reassure him, leaving a kiss against his jawline "You're here now and I'm glad we were able to meet."

He was more than happy to see you too, and it showed in the bright look he was giving you. The small smile adorning his red lips and the subtle touch on your cheek before Sunghoon moved a little away from your body.

"Now I have to go and check on the boys" he slid his hands into yours, interlacing your fingers in his, "or it'll be dangerous kissing you here."

"Why can Jake see us?" you whispered jokingly.

He moved closer again, brushing his lips against yours as he bent down to meet you.

"Because I can dawdle in your room."

You felt your knees tremble at the intense gaze, the warm breath against your mouth, and the grip of his hands. But he was right. Sunghoon had to leave before it was too late.

"I'll see you tomorrow" he said, kissing you once more before pulling you out into the hallway, out of sight of Jake's bedroom door.

While you walked him to the door, stumbling on the way as you exchanged numerous kisses with him, your brother continued to sleep peacefully in his bed. Not even imagining the scene that was unfolding inside your shared apartment.

Jake thanked Callie for having a brilliant mind and suggesting study time in his apartment – or because she knew Jay's friends well enough to know that they would all be hungover – especially the boy who couldn't even open his eyes properly.

Your brother's head had been lying on your lap since everyone had arrived and gathered in your living room. You hadn't had much interaction with Sunghoon apart from the few minutes Jake had been in the bathroom when Sunghoon arrived, managing to steal a quick kiss from you before sitting down on the other side of the sofa and facing you.

"Man, I don't think I'll ever drink again" Jake whined, looking up to meet your eyes, which had previously been on the notebook you kept for studying.

"You say that every Saturday morning" you said, causing all his friends to laugh.

"You all could have at least taken it easy" Callie finished writing something down in her notebook, looking at Jay who was squinting at his book.

"Yeah, tonight I think we crossed a line" Heeseung almost cried when he felt a twinge in his head.

"How about some coffee?" you suggested.

"We love you more than we love your brother. You know that, don't you?" Jay looked at you with eyes that were so affectionate, but at the same time so pleading, asking you to really make yourself something strong to drink.

"Stay away from her" Jake huffed.

In the middle of the laughter and side conversations, you quickly glanced at Sunghoon to see him already looking at you. With a wink in your direction, you contented yourself with not running to grab him, let alone trying to look so shy at the way he stared at you.

You only came back to reality when you felt Jake get up from your lap and sit down next to you on the sofa while you chatted with the boys.

Study time taking a break for them to reminisce about last night's events. You and Callie just laughing at their antics or how Jungwon had done so badly at the billiards. He and Jake were a team, hence your brother's state last night when he got home, having lost a whole round to Jay and Heeseung, drinking more than he should have.

"But the winner last night was our friend, Sunghoon" you hoped your brother wouldn't notice that the moment Sunghoon's name was mentioned, you stopped typing your report on the laptop in front of you. Looking from the screen to the boy on the other side of the room, you knew he was avoiding you when he cursed your brother.

"Fuck off, Jake. Don't talk nonsense" Sunghoon said.

"Am I lying?" Jake laughed a little, followed by the other boys.

Your gaze quickly fell on Callie. She was already looking between you and Sunghoon, trying to think of something she could do.

"That girl lied when she said she didn't know how to play billiards just so Sunghoon would help her" Jay said nonchalantly, putting his notebook aside and running a hand through his hair.

"I think she was interested in another cue" Heeseung said "Ouch" he shouted as Callie threw a cushion in his direction, hitting him in the face.

Everything seemed too far away as they talked and insisted on talking about Sunghoon and what had happened. You heard enough to know that this subject was the cause of your blurred vision and the burning in your eyes.

It was impossible to type a single word, let alone to know whether they were calling you to a meeting or not. You just looked at Sunghoon, who kept his hands clenched into fists, his gaze on you as he kept himself from getting up from the sofa and walking towards you.

You got up with the excuse that now you could make the coffee they so desperately needed. Sunghoon managed to follow you saying that he would help you since he was the only one in the room who wasn't hungover apart from you and Callie. By some miracle, your brother didn't even object, going back to talking about something when you and Sunghoon disappeared from everyone's view.

"Y/n…" his voice entered your ears like a heartbreaking sound. You didn't turn around immediately, concentrating instead on getting the container from the machine to prepare what you needed "Y/n, please…"

Your work in ignoring him was proving successful. Concentrating on getting the number of cups you needed and putting the coffee you needed in the machine were enough for you not to focus on his presence right behind you. But it all came to nothing when Sunghoon's hands grabbed your waist, pulling you around and turning you to face him.

"Listen to me, please" he asked once again.

"I'm making the coffee" you tried to change the subject, but it was getting harder and harder as his fingers tightened around your waist. Sunghoon looked disappointed and you didn't understand why, after all, you were the one who had heard things that really made your heart sink.

"Absolutely nothing happened in that bar" he began, his hands softening around your waist when he noticed that you had your attention on him "She stood in front of me, asked me to teach her how to play, and when she leaned over the table I walked away. I walked away and—"

"Why are you telling me this?" the image of the events flashed through your mind and made your eyes sting even more. Sunghoon knew you would cry and it killed him inside because he was feeling guilty enough.

"Because you deserve to know."

"Guys" Callie whispered, making you and Sunghoon almost jump in your seats. He turned away from you for a moment, and that was enough for the tears to fall freely down your cheeks "Jake went to the bathroom, but I think he'll be in soon to check on the coffee."

"Thanks for the warning, Callie" Sunghoon thanked. He didn't know if he was worthy of such a thing.

"Can you two finish without me?" your voice was broken and you didn't want to go on, so you quickly walked past Sunghoon and Callie out of the kitchen and straight up to your room.

Your best friend stood there, knowing that Sunghoon had a lot to say. And since you didn't want to hear it now, maybe she could do it in your place if he wanted to tell you right now.

"Are you sure you don't want to go?" Jake looked at your figure wrapped in the blanket and sitting on the edge of the sofa. You agreed, giving your best smile to your brother as he left a kiss on your forehead and walked out the door.

Counting the weeks you avoided Sunghoon, adding up the times you cried because you refused his calls or didn't want to cross his path when he came to the apartment you shared with your brother. It was painful to have to think about it, even more so because you were in a fucking secret relationship… And why? Because of your brother's idiotic jealousy? Because Sunghoon didn't want to lose Jake's friendship? Or because both you and Sunghoon were cowardly enough not to say anything?

Too many questions and no answers to what you were feeling. That was unfair. So long in hiding to have to end up like that, with him after you and your tears falling every night because you couldn't forget the bloody scene that was described. And what's more, with all his friends - including your brother - commenting with the greatest joy. Of course, none of them knew about you and Sunghoon, but it still hurt. It hurt so much that it suffocated you in a way.

"Fuck" you almost shouted in fright when your phone rang.

Watching the movie credits roll by and noticing that you'd rambled on so long that you hadn't even looked at the ending, but it didn't matter, that comedy had been seen so many times that you'd even memorized the line.

On the second ring, a loud music noise was heard for the first time. You even thought about saying something, maybe they'd hear you, but your best friend's voice was quick enough.

"Y/n? You have to come here" Callie practically shouted to overpower the music, which had worked because you heard her voice so well.

"I told you I don't want to leave…"

"No, you don't understand. You have to, y/n" she emphasized, and something inside you screamed. Jumping up from the sofa and not even knowing why, you ran upstairs to your room.

"What happened?" while you put the call on speaker, looking for an outfit, Callie seemed to be looking for a quiet place to talk to you. Finding the party bathroom, she locked the door behind her to continue the call.

"Well, let's say Sunghoon told your brother about you and him" she said, "and now Jake's furious and swearing to kill him."

You almost tore the T-shirt you were wearing, running to your phone with a hysterical scream.

"He what?" you reached for the handset before taking it in your hands "Shit, shit, shit. What did Sunghoon do?"

"Baby, I don't know. But you need to come quickly."

That's what you'd do, of course. You just didn't know that getting changed in five minutes, ordering an Uber in three, and being at the party in ten minutes would seem like an eternity to you.

Meeting Callie and Jay at the entrance, your friend hugged you quickly while Jay wrapped his arms around your body.

"I'm sorry, please y/n, I'm sorry" Jay said while still hugging you, slowly releasing your body until you could face him.

"For what, exactly?"

"For that stupid thing" he said as he walked you and Callie into the party "If we knew about you two, neither of us would joke about it."

The only thing you could do was agree and lean on one of Jay's arms so as not to get lost in the party. Thanking him for his words that had really made you smile, warming a little of your heart that was getting faster and faster as he guided you and Callie to a more secluded spot.

A corridor illuminated by red and pink lights, hurt your eyes so much that you wondered how people managed to stand there. It was almost impossible to walk past and not get a headache or something.

When you stopped walking, Jay stepped in front of you and you felt Callie's arms intertwine with yours. A way of saying that she was there without saying a word. That's why she was your best friend.

Everything seemed too quiet for your liking. Your eyes traveled from your brother to Sunghoon, neither of them with any bruises or cuts on their faces, everything intact and without any scratches. At least no physical force had been used.

Jake was the first to get up, walking towards you as he watched Callie disentangle herself to get some distance away from you.

"Jake" you called him.

"Y/n" he called back, taking your hand and clearing his throat in the process "I'm an idiot."

"What?" your eyes flicked past him and then to Sunghoon. Your heart raced and your legs trembled at the small smile that adorned your brother's mouth.

"I heard some truths from Sunghoon and I know I was extremely stupid."

"You… You two…"

You looked at Callie and Jay, the two of them close to the others while you were further away with your brother. Only Sunghoon looked at you and Jake.

"We got into a bit of an argument, but it wasn't that big" he said, "Heeseung had the idea for Callie to call you like that or you wouldn't have come to us tonight."

"I'll kill that asshole" you whispered, feeling your eyes fill with tears as Jake pulled you into a hug.

"I'm sorry if everything that happened hurt you, I really am, y/n" he whispered between your hair, wrapping his arms even tighter around you "I let my stupid jealousy speak louder and I didn't realize what was best for you."

"I think I can take care of myself and you can do it with me too, Jake" you whispered back before he pulled away to kiss your forehead "You just don't have to deprive me of a relationship…"

"Did it have to be with one of my best friends?" he whined.

"Of course! She can't do that to anyone else" you and Jake abruptly turned to Sunghoon. He had a faint smile at the corner of his lips as he looked at you both and then fixed his gaze on your face.

"Is this the time I go out and leave you two alone?" Jake asked, seeing you and Sunghoon agree "Okay. I'll be right there, whatever" he nodded, turning away from you and going to find the rest of the group of friends.

Sunghoon moved a little closer, his hands coming out of his pants pockets to reach for your hand and entwine your fingers in his, pulling you closer.

You thought about calling him, saying something or simply cursing him for telling your brother without telling you first. But as soon as his lips touched yours, the softness of his mouth against yours, everything was forgotten.

That's where you had to stay, that's where you belonged from the first kiss you exchanged. Sunghoon knew it too. He was sure that he had found everything he needed from the first moment he saw you, and touched you. He also knew that it would be a huge obstacle to tell Jake and try to get around his enormous jealousy of his little sister. But he didn't know how he'd managed it. The drink might have helped him a little to confess, even though he'd heard Jake swear at him a lot and almost threaten to hit him again.

But it would all be worth it if he had you in the end. He wasn't going to give up and that's what motivated him to do what he did. That's why he was sharing that kiss for the - second - first time in front of everyone.

"Sunghoon" you called after him as you ended the kiss, controlling your breathing as his hands went to your face and caressed your cheeks "Why did you do that? Tell Jake…"

"Because I want you, y/n. Since the first time, I've always wanted you" his voice lowered so that you could hear him, his lips still brushing against yours as he kissed you slowly once more "I was a coward not to tell your brother before and I almost had to lose you to realize it."

"But you didn't lose me, you idiot" his laugh tickled your lips, loving the way he was holding you so precisely.

Sunghoon left one last kiss on your lips before pulling away and entwining your fingers in his, pulling you into the group and sitting back down on the sofa. He pulled you along, and you sat next to him in the circle while smiling contentedly at the happy looks on your friends' faces.

They all shared in the joy of finally being able to see you and Sunghoon together. Jake controlled his jealousy because he trusted his friend enough to take care of his sister.

"You know, I should have taken that bat and hit that girl in the head" Heeseung finished his can of beer after everyone had changed the subject, congratulating you and Sunghoon on the secret that everyone had just discovered, except Callie.

"Heeseung!" Sunghoon laughed, slapping the arm of his friend who was sitting across from him.

"What? It's serious!" he sounded serious, which made you laugh too. Because Heeseung managed to lighten the mood while the conversation took another turn.

Now and then you managed to catch Sunghoon's eyes on you, and this time with the certainty that you could kiss him in front of everyone, without having to hide.

© ikeuverse, 2023. do not copy, translate or steal my stories.

[lucid-loves]

Black Blood Red Kiss ~ Simon "Ghost" Riley ~ Part 2

Pairing: Ghost x vampire!reader (fem!reader, 141!reader, callsign “Fangs”)

Word Count: 2.5k

CW: angst, violence, blood, strong language, scars, fluff, attraction and sexual tension, reader POV and ghost POV, minors DNI, smut, biting, teasing, kisses, grinding, dry humping, office sex.

Let me know if I missed any CWs.

Story Synopsis: Being turned into a vampire never stopped you from joining the military. In fact, it only made it easier for you with new strength, stamina, reflexes, and precision. The only challenge you now faced was keeping your true nature a secret. This is incredibly difficult to do when your new teammate, Ghost, smells so delicious. What will happen to your relationship with him once you both get a dangerous taste of each other?

Chapter Synopsis: Hoping that Ghost would forget about the bite, you've been dodging all of his efforts to talk to you. With an acute sense of his scent, it has been easy. Ghost finds a way to corner you, though, and things quickly get heated in more ways than one. (SMUT ALERT)

Part 1 ~ Part 2

Damn it, how much longer was he going to tail you? Ever since you bit him, Ghost has been trying to talk about it with you. You knew based on how he tried to approach you. Purposeful. Urgent. Each step he took said he was a man on a mission. 

And you have been doing your best to completely avoid him. 

Since the night you tore away on your motorcycle after drinking his blood, your mind has been scrambled. Horny, hungry, and anxious. You didn't mean to bite him. Instinct to satiate your hunger just took over. And now your whole life was in jeopardy if Ghost put the pieces together. 

That's probably what he wanted to confirm with you. 

Ignoring his sharp gazes, walking off before he could speak, and changing directions once you smelled him has helped you avoid the confrontation. Yeah, the boys thought you hated his guts, but it was better than having to explain that you were secretly a vampire. 

Fighting maddening arousal too since you had to leave yourself hanging. 

“That's all. Meeting adjourned.” Captain Price dismissed everyone after a rather long, agonizingly boring meeting. General overviews always had you feeling bored out of your mind. Besides the fact that this was a mandatory meeting, Ghost was also driving you nuts by sitting next to you the entire time. 

He was sure to catch you this time. 

Yet, as soon as Price dismissed the team, you bolted right out of the room. Before anyone even stood up, you were gone. At this point, Ghost was getting pissed. He's been chasing you all week. 

When you dined and dashed on him, it left him stunned and unbelievably excited. He was so startled that he didn't stick around with the boys at the bar. All he did was say goodbye and head home. There wasn't a single second where his mind wasn't on you. 

Aside from wanting an explanation on what happened that night, he's been dying to get some of your attention again. 

But all he got from you was the cold shoulder. 

Soap gave a small chuckle to lighten the mood. “You make her angry or something, L.T? It looks like she’s been avoiding you like the plague.”

“Kinda spooky how she knows when he’s coming too. One moment, I’m talking to her. The next, she’s out the door. Then just a second later, Ghost is in her place.” Gaz chimed in, his own nosiness coming through.

All Ghost did was give a curt grunt. He didn’t have a good answer for them. Were you angry at him? No, probably not. How could he explain that you drank his blood though? This was between you and him.

Price, noticing the growing tension, waved Soap and Gaz away to talk to Ghost in private. Like the observant captain that he is, he has realized that you were completely avoiding his lieutenant unless it was mandatory to be with him. At this point, he was concerned that something was splitting his team apart. “You didn’t get into a fight with Fangs, did you?”

Ghost looked away and crossed his arms. “Not exactly.”

“Then what? We are supposed to be a team. I’m not saying that you are at fault here since I don’t have the full context, but that’s exactly what I’m trying to understand. Can you give me anything that could help patch things up between the both of you?” Captain urged, taking this as seriously as a combat zone. 

“To be honest, Captain. Even I don’t know the full context. I’m still figuring it out.” 

“Well, figure it out soon if you can. We can’t have this strain during a mission.”

With those final orders, Ghost left the conference room with a heavy heart. That was it. He was going to talk to you now, whether you liked it or not.

~

Jesus, fucking finally! You have been around the entire base hiding from Ghost, and he finally disappeared. You had better speed and stamina as a vampire, but anyone would be exhausted trying to avoid a very stubborn man. You have barely gotten any work done all day since working at your desk was a no-go. You had no choice but to hang out in the ammo closet within the shooting range, laptop in hand to get what you could done. Unless you wanted to play the reverse bloodhound game with him again, it was gunpowder city for you.

After working for several hours to catch up, it was close to midnight when everyone should be done with work, asleep, or heading home.  There was no way in hell Ghost should still be looking for you. Any sane person would have called it a night. With this benefit of the doubt, you exited the closet, returned your laptop to your desk, and began gathering your things. 

You didn’t even notice him standing within the shadow near the door.

When the door closed, you jumped, startled that he could sneak up on you like this. Damn ammo closet probably clogged your sense of smell with the metallic scent of gunpowder. It didn’t help that Ghost always seemed to vaguely smell of it too. You cursed under your breath and attempted to take your leather jacket off from your desk chair.

A large hand held it down in place. “Talk to me, Fangs. What happened that night?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. Let’s forget it ever happened.” You tried to brush off, avoiding eye-contact as much as you could.

Ghost wasn’t ready to let up. “I’ve been trying to talk to you all week about it. You’re not avoiding this.”

You scoffed and tugged the jacket out from under his grip. “It’s personal.”

“Yeah, it is fucking personal.” He agreed in his own way, before taking your wrists in his hands. Firm so you couldn’t escape like you always did, but gentle enough not to hurt you. To stop you from pushing and pulling, he stood extremely close to you. With your back against the desk and your chest facing his, you were pinned. 

Even now, as irritated as you were, you were still so beautiful. “Tell me, Fangs. That’s an order.”

He had you now. You took your job so seriously that you wouldn’t dare disobey a direct order. Being on your best behavior made people less suspicious of your real identity. This habit still stuck. Clicking your tongue, you prepared to say goodbye to the life you worked hard to build.

“Isn’t it obvious? I drank your blood because I’m a hungry vampire. I hadn’t eaten in a while and you were a meal right in front of me. Anything else, Lieutenant?” You confessed with venom, hoping to somehow hurt him before he could hurt you. 

The tension between the two of you was heated. Thick. Ghost had never heard you be so aggressively defensive before. So insulting with your tone. However, he knew you spoke the truth, as much as it sounded hard to believe. If you didn’t bite him that night, he probably wouldn’t have believed you.

Ghost wasn’t done yet. There was another pressing matter he needed to get closure on. The matter that did make all of this really personal. “When you bit me, it didn’t feel painful. Quite the opposite. Why?”

You finally met his eyes and blinked a few times incredulously. Was that really important right now? Was he really asking you why he was hard for you?! Your cheeks rapidly grew red with his blunt questions. The gunpowder stench that lingered on your nose was beginning to fade, allowing that sweet and spicy scent of Ghost to make your heart race. 

Fuck, why did he have to smell so fucking good?! Why did his eyes have to be so blue?!

Ghost was feeling the pull too. It happened when he first saw your vulnerable side and it was happening now. His heart beat loudly in his chest as you became flustered. Brows furrowing in both frustration and embarrassment. Cheeks turning a cute rosy hue. Chest rising and falling rapidly as you tried not to lose the cool everyone knew you as. 

Without even getting bitten first, Ghost wanted to fuck you right on your desk. 

“Bite me.”

“Wh-What?!” You stuttered, unsure if you heard him right.

Ghost leaned forward closer to speak directly into your reddening ears. His voice became husky as he lifted up some balaclava to reveal a smooth neck. “Bite me, Fangs. That’s an order.”

Reacting on a mix of vampire and soldier instinct, you bit into him to taste his delicious blood. Electricity zipped on your tongue as you drank, the energy traveling all throughout your body. Power. Arousal. Fuck, this was good.

With a burst of strength, you broke out of his grasp and put him in yours instead. It was so sudden that Ghost had to brace his hands on the desk, papers and mugs shaking from the force. Sharp nails dug into his skin, tugged at his shirt, pulled him closer. Pressing your bodies together, you moaned, sending vibrations through Ghost that had him hiss from the sudden pleasure. 

Of course, he was as hard as a rock. His cock pressed tight against his pants almost painfully. The bite didn’t even hurt with how strong the aphrodisiac effect was. But he was still unaware if you felt it too. To test this, his hands went to your waist to lift you onto the desk. Now in between your legs, he pressed his clothed erection into your covered, dripping cunt. Just for a second. 

That second was enough. Your body tensed and you moaned sharply. Dizziness overcame you so bad from your lost breath that you had to stop drinking. Panting hard, you tried to regain some control. 

Ghost lost all of his, though. 

Without a second thought, he took your hips into his hands and grinded into you some more. You gasped and released a melodic moan that just made Ghost more eager. Damnit, if there weren’t any fucking clothes in the way he would take you now.

For now, he wanted to make you cum just like this. Not that you were going to stop him at this point. You wanted to cum so badly too. Ever since last week you’ve wanted him to make you cum. His grip on you, the lingering taste of him, and bated breaths only heightened the feeling. The teasing. Your panties were hot and soaked for him. A dark, wet spot was starting to spread through the fabric of your pants.

“F-Fuck!” You whimpered, brows furrowing and back arching in hopes to make more pleasurable friction. Legs began to tremble as the pleasure spread. Drool began to drip down the corner of your mouth with how much you were salivating. Fuck, just a little bit more!

You weren’t the only one that was going crazy. Ghost was struggling to not tear your clothes apart with his bare hands. Miraculously, he was close to cumming just from the clothed grinding too. It was like you were a drug. A sexy, beautiful, blood-thirsty one. He couldn’t get enough of the way you cursed within your moans. How you moved your hips in-sync with his for more. 

Your toes curled as you teetered right on the edge of orgasm. The feverish friction on your clit, against your folds, all of your wetness spreading around was getting too much. Noticing how close you were, Ghost grinded harder. Even if you squirmed, you weren’t going anywhere. Not again. 

Eyes fluttered closed as the feeling overtook you. Before you knew it, you were screaming it all out, pussy tightening around nothing. You wished that his cock was buried deep inside you so badly that it almost hurt. The grip you had on his shirt was sure to stretch the fabric out. Not that Ghost cared. All he could focus on was how fucking hot it was to watch you climax which triggered his own.

You felt the pressure of his hands on you to keep you still. You noticed how he froze and held his breath before choking out a groan. Witnessing how much your lieutenant could fall apart in pleasure turned you on.

But, you were done. The both of you were. For now, at least. As you both tried to catch your breath, sweat dripping down your temples, you got back on the ground to be on your feet. Every nerve in your body felt like jelly, but at least some of the pent-up arousal you’ve been holding in all week was relieved. Not only that, you were recovering faster from the recent meal.

Out of habit, you began to put on your jacket to leave. Yet, Ghost wasn’t ready to let you go. His voice sounded deeper and strained when he spoke. “Wait. We’re not done talking.”

You sighed, exhaustion now a thing of the past for you. “You plan on telling everyone what I really am?”

“No. I wouldn’t do that.” He replied resolutely, startling you. There wasn’t a shred of dishonesty in his blues that told you otherwise. 

It didn’t make sense on why he would keep this secret for you, but you weren’t going to question it. You didn’t want to give him second thoughts. “Then what? What else needs to be said?”

Ghost felt a sting in his heart from your curtness. Making you cum didn’t seem to soften your edges at all. 

He wanted to fix that. Taking your hand gently in his, he gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I’m your Lieutenant. Rely on me more.”

Your heart skipped a beat from this gentle and confident side of his. The desire to kiss him passed through you for a moment. You haven’t even seen his face yet, but you knew that Ghost would be your undoing if you weren’t careful.

Pulling your hand back, you headed towards the door. With your back still turned to him, you paused at the doorway. “I’ll let you know when I’m hungry.”

“And I’ll feed you. Promise.”

[trivialbob]

Back from the camping trip. Work tomorrow.

It was a smooth and fun weekend. I worry too much about something breaking in the trailer or the truck. We've never had any disasters though. The first year we owned a trailer I learned to carry a tool box and two or more of certain things, like freshwater hoses and electrical cords. Neighboring RVer are helpful about sharing ideas.

RV tip: Do not rush when putting up or taking down. People in a hurry are the ones that (try to) drive over wheel blocks (guilty) or forget to shut the ceiling fan cover (guilty). One thing I love about some campgrounds are how veterans watch out for the newbs. "Oh, hey man. I know you were going to disconnect that power cable before leaving, but because you had your truck in gear, well I thought I'd be a buttinsky even though I'm sure you were going to take care of it."

In one of the small towns yesterday I bought some organic, artisanal, foo foo scented soap at a boutique (the one next to the liquor store). If I see a fancy, nicely scented bar and I'm on vacation, I will gladly pay what top line beer cost for a single bar of soap. The soap lasts longer anyway.

Sheila has class now. I cleaned the trailer and put it away. Tonight I'm doing many loads of laundry. Bedding and dog blankets need washing. The weather forecast had been all over the place, so we over packed to be prepared. Now all that has to be washed. I'm not sorting out the unwashed clothes. They're all getting washed.

The dogs have barely moved tonight. I can tell they're happy to be home. They'd never say no to camping, but home is home.

The last load of laundry is in the dryer. My personal level of satisfaction is high. Getting the clothes and bedding done and put away relaxes me. There's no way I would have had a sound sleep if there had been dirty clothes in the laundry room overnight.

Tomorrow I'm going to a new downtown office building for the first time. I know my card key works, but I'm not sure where I can eat breakfast or lunch without leaving the building. I'm still excited to go downtown for a day.

I'm going there because my boss and some other managers are in town to meet people.

I have to drive downtown. After the pandemic there are no more buses I can ride downtown in a reasonable time.

[cowgurrrl]

Alone and Forsaken

Pairing: Joel Miller x fem!reader

Summary: “if there is a light then i am going to swallow it. if there is a god then i’m going to make him cry.” - s. osborn, from “blasphemies at the 5th street station” aka you and Joel meet for the first time [3.0k]

Author’s note: god he’s so dramatic I love him (gif by @loregifs) also blame @pedges they told me to make this a cliff hanger

Warnings: canonical type violence, reader being a badass because I said so, enemies to ???

It was supposed to be a normal run. Get in. Get out. Try not to die at the hands of raiders or jumpy FEDRA officers or Infected. It seemed simple enough, and you trusted Tess. She would never put you in a difficult position if she could help, and even if she did, she'd be there to bail you out. So, you didn't think twice about climbing the stairs and knocking on her apartment door as FEDRA repeated orders about curfews over and over again. 

Things have been getting tense in the QZ. Not that things haven't been tense since the Outbreak, but it feels like even the smallest thing is enough to get you hung these days. Cards are tight, rations are limited, and gunfire fills the days and nights. The Fireflies think they're getting closer to liberation, but liberation seems pretty fucking stupid when there's constantly innocent blood staining the streets. Watching bodies burn in the pit or listening to people screaming certainly doesn't make you feel liberated. You knock on Tess's door again, anxiety digging into your skull at her lack of a response.

When she doesn't answer the door, you pull your gun from its holster and keep it low as you turn the knob and walk into her apartment. The fact that her door was left unlocked does nothing to soothe your fears, but you ignore it. The living room is a mess, with first aid supplies strewn about and a handful of dirty dishes next to the couch. Nothing super out of the ordinary for her, you think as you turn toward the bedroom and come face to face with the barrel of a gun. Okay, so that's not normal.

You raise your own gun to match the looming man in front of you and plant your feet. If he tries to rush you, you could at least try to hold your ground long enough to get the drop on him. He's big, though— all broad shoulders, long legs, and strong hands choking the grip of his gun. His eyes are dangerously dark, almost black, as he stares you down with a brutal snarl on his lips. In another life where he's not holding a gun to your head, you would think he's handsome. 

"Who the hell are you?" He asks, a deep southern drawl slurring his words together.

"Where's Tess?"

"'M afraid you're not in a position to be askin' any questions, sweetheart," He says. Your finger twitches on the side of your gun, and you set your jaw before you give him your name. A flicker of recognition sputters behind those deep brown eyes, but he hides it before it can linger. "I've heard a lot of shit about you."

"Yeah, I can tell by the way you're pointing a fucking gun in my face."

"I should shoot you."

"Then, neither of us gets what we want. And where's the fun in that, huh?" You ask. You also want to point out that he's had every opportunity to bury a bullet in your brain, and he's yet to do it, but you know not to push your luck with men like him. "Where is Tess?" 

There's movement on the other side of the bedroom door before it flings open and reveals a bruised Tess. She looks terrible, with a rough patch of stitches holding the skin of her forehead together and a limp affecting her gait as she walks into the room. Her hair is wet, and she smells like the soap you trade for. Not the shitty FEDRA lard of soap, the nicely scented lavender bars of soap that come from somewhere way more peaceful than here. "Joel, would you drop the fucking gun? She's with me," she says, more than annoyed with him, before looking at you. "Jesus, it's like having a feral dog." 

Nobody moves for a full breath until Tess gives the man, now known as Joel, a nasty look. You catch him grinding his teeth together, his jaw working as he thinks before finally putting his gun down. You follow the unspoken truce and wiggle your toes in your shoes to distract your racing mind. Who the fuck is Joel, and why is he in Tess's apartment? How does he know who you are? Why didn't he kill you the second you stepped foot in her space?

"You look like shit," you say, and she nods. "What happened?"

"Got into it with a group of raiders. Killed 'em all, but they made sure to get a few good hits in."

"Is that why you asked me about making this trade?" You ask. Joel gives Tess a look, and she rolls her eyes. Something unspoken travels between them, and she turns and holds up a finger to tell you to give her a second, and she grabs Joel, turning their backs to you. All of it gives the illusion of privacy when in reality, you catch every other word they say to each other. Something about Joel not trusting you, how he can do this alone and doesn't need "a goddamn babysitter." You think you hear the word "rat," but Tess doesn't care enough about it to change her mind. It's one of the many things you admire about her. That and her ability to be absolutely ruthless when she needs to be. You've seen her in action a handful of times, and every time, it reminds you not to get on her bad side. Tess tells him something you don't quite catch, but Joel's shoulders relax just enough for you to know that she's got him right where he wants him. "Are we gonna do this deal, or are we gonna point guns at each other again? I'm fine with either." 

"You two are gonna go," Tess answers, and they both turn to look at you. "You just have to meet Cindy at the old 7/11 outside the walls. She's got bullets, pills, food, and some clothes to trade for what I gave Joel. Make sure it's all there before you let her walk away. She can be sneaky," she walks over to you and puts a gun in your hand. It's an older model but still something with a good amount of power. When you check the magazine, it's full. You look at her, confused by the gift, and she steps closer so only you can hear her. "I stole it from one of the raiders and figured you might need it. That old one's been jamming on you, anyways." She says simply, and you chew the inside of your lip to fight a smile.

"Thanks," you say, tucking the gun into your jacket and peering over her shoulder at Joel. "You trust this guy?"

"I do," she says, and you nod. It seems silly to put all your weight in Tess's opinion, but she hasn't steered you wrong yet. "Be smart about this. I don't need either of you coming back looking like me, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Joel is reluctant to leave with you, but one look from Tess, and he's following you out the door. He doesn't say anything as you wind down the crowded streets, ignoring the stray Fireflies or people you deal to, which you're fine with. You're not exactly excited to do this job with the man who shoved a gun in your face. He remains stony-faced and unreadable even as you approach the section gate. 

"Walk in front of me." Joel finally speaks, switching sides with you so he's closer to the guard, and you scoff. 

"How chivalrous. Do you make Tess walk in front of you, too?"

"No, she can hold her own."

"'M not dead yet." 

"If you were, there'd be a lot less goddammed talking." He says, and you nod, dead set on proving him wrong. As you get closer to the gate, you spot a familiar face and let yourself animatedly light up. It's over the top and stupid, but you know he eats it up like a man starved.

"Sammy, how are we doing today?" You ask in a sickly sweet voice, and the guard gives you a look.

"I thought we talked about not calling me that while I'm on patrol." He says, and you pull a pout. Joel watches with a glint of something in his eyes, but you barely look at him.

"Oh, c'mon. You really gonna make me call you Officer Wilson?" You ask, and Sam shakes his head, a smile pulling on his lips. You pull your papers from your bag for him to look at, and Joel does the same. Sam looks between you and Joel and raises his eyebrows at you. "We're visiting a friend."

"I thought you didn't have any friends." 

"You gotta stop believing everything you hear these days, Sammy. You know I'm friendly enough," you smile as he returns your papers. "Can we get through now, or are you gonna interrogate us for the rest of your shift?" You ask, and he mumbles something under his breath before buzzing you through the gate. You squeeze his bicep as you pass him and ignore the incredulous look on Joel's face. Together, you weave through the section until you find your usual opening in the wall and crawl through to the other side.

Boston was a shit hole even before the world ended, but outside the wall is a little more tolerable. There's sprawling greenery and actual animals that come through every now and again. The quiet is what always surprises you. Outside the QZ, you can hear the wind rustling through the trees and distant bird songs, and if you're observant enough, you can hear Infected groaning as they stumble around. You like to take a second to listen every time you're out, basking in the silence of a fallen city. "So, do you just have all the FEDRA officers wrapped around your finger or just that one?" Joel asks, interrupting your thoughts, and you laugh.

"My connections to them have nothing to do with wrapping them around my finger and everything to do with what I know about them and how much they want to keep a secret." You say as you trudge through the overgrowth. 

"Like what?"

"Like Wilson failed his weapons test, but he's fucking his boss's secretary, so she forged the documents for him. He can't shoot worth a shit," you say, and he raises his eyebrows. You can tell he doesn't believe you, but you don't really care. "He also owes me cards, so there was no way he was gonna say anything."

"And how did you get that information?"

"Girl's gotta keep her secrets, cowboy," you shrug. "Do I get to ask you something now? It seems fair enough since you practically accused me of sleeping with the enemy."

"I did not," he starts but then stops himself, shaking his head. "Sure."

"What's your whole deal?"

"My deal?"

"Yeah, like the whole grumpy, southern survivalist deal."

"I don't think the apocalypse ever put anyone in a good mood," he says, and you hum. "And 'm from Texas."

"Long way from home." You say, and he nods. You tell him where you're from as payment for the tiny bit of information he's shared with you. These days, opening up is hard even when you trust the other person. It's no small feat that he answered your question. 

You fall back into as comfortable a silence as possible with the practical stranger next to you. You don't ask about why he was in Tess's apartment, and he doesn't ask about what information you have about other FEDRA officers or how you got it. He constantly checks over his shoulder, making you nervous, but you don't say anything about it. You think it's probably a tick or those survival instincts of his kicking in as you get closer and closer to the run-down 7/11. He switches sides with you again, wordlessly putting you to his right, and you make a mental note to ask Tess about it. He's not jumpy, but he's protective, you guess, is the right word.

You see it in the way he walks next to you, and the way he adjusts the grip on his gun as Cindy and two young guys with guns come into view. Tess was right, you think. Having Joel around is like having a guard dog. Selfishly, you kinda like it. Cindy does not look happy to see you and crosses her arms over her chest the second she stops twenty feet from you. "Where's Tess?"

"Busy," you say. "I'm doing her a favor."

"Like you did me a favor? Or Robert?" she spits, and you roll your eyes. "How much longer do you think you can live with yourself, huh?"

"Do you want your fucking pills or not because we can call this off and go back to the QZ if you're gonna talk to me like that," you say. Joel clenches his jaw in your peripheral, staring down the two guys she brought as protection. At the same time, they seem to realize she would need way more than the two of them to keep her safe from you and Joel. "Withdrawl is a bad fucking look for you, Cindy. I'd hate for you to get any worse."  

She doesn't say anything as she stares at you, the gears turning in her head. You can feel Joel's unease at the situation and the fact that you know something he doesn't. It seems to be a reoccurring theme for him this afternoon, and you're not sure how he feels about it. You shrug when she doesn't move and turn to start walking away. "Wait!" She calls, and you smirk before facing her again.

She makes her guys hand over the supplies Tess promised you, and you look them over. Cindy watches with shaky hands and darting eyes as you produce your end of the trade. The second the younger guard grabs the bag from your hand, a shot fires nearby, and the kid goes down. A hand finds your shoulder and drags you down as gunfire explodes all around you. All at once, Tess's story of her last drop comes flooding back. Raiders. You pull your new gun from your jacket and see Joel next to you, firing shot after shot into the gas station. They're mostly blind shots in the general direction of the firefight, but you spot the sniper on the gas station's roof. 

You take a second to breathe as the bullets whistle above your head and fire a shot. The little handgun kicks back harder than your usual sidearm, but it gets the job done. You watch blood spray from the sniper's neck before following Joel's line of fire, firing a shot simultaneously. You don't know whose bullet hit where, but you know that the air around you stills and your ears ring so loud it feels like the sound will pierce your brain. Joel isn't bleeding or acting like he's been shot, so you take that as a good sign and let your body rest against the overturned truck he hid you behind.

Joel is looking into the shattered gas station windows when a pair of solid hands yank you from safety. You scream and thrash, throwing your head back until you make contact with something. Someone yelps, and the grip loosens enough for you to turn and shoot Cindy's second guard. Before his body can even hit the ground, movement sounds from behind you, and you quickly turn. Your heart is beating so fast, and your mind is working in overdrive as you struggle to lock your eyes on the raider trying to get the upper hand on Joel.

It's a mess of bodies, voices, and dust flying as Joel tries to protect himself. The raider has a knife to Joel's throat, and you quickly steady your hands against the gun's grip and fire two succinct shots. Joel jerks in shock as the bullets hit the raider, making him go limp. You let out a shaky breath and turn to scan the area to see if anybody else wants you dead. 

"Are you fuckin' crazy? You almost hit me!" He yells as he stands and walks over to you. He's pissed. A pulsing vein pops out of his forehead, and you wonder if his teeth hurt from gritting them like a feral animal.

"Relax, I was not gonna hit you." You say, tucking your gun back in your jacket and moving to retrieve your supplies. 

"Are you serious?" He asks, and you groan. 

"Jesus Christ, are you always this dramatic? I wasn't even close to hitting you!" You yell, turning to face him again. It's not completely a lie. You were not going to hit him, but you're a little surprised the bullets didn't even graze him. Maybe you're a little better of a shot than you thought you were. 

"You're a real piece of work. You know that?"

"Like you're much better. You'd be fucking dead if it weren't for me." You spit. In one movement, he puts his hands on your arms and pushes you against the wall of the gas station. You fight against him but freeze when you feel a knife tip pressing lightly against the bottom of your shirt. His body is flush against your own, his touch sending sparks across your skin. His breath fans across your face and neck, and his pupils widen as he stares at you. 

"I've known you for less than a fucking day, and you've already almost gotten me killed. Everyone we've run into has said something about you bein' dangerous," he says, his voice rough as he holds you in place. "Who the fuck are you?"

if i forget about this goddamn tag list one more time: @evyiione @nyotamalfoy @abbyhaslongshorts

[lykegenia]

He Makes Her Cry (He Doesn't Like It)

Fandom: The Wayhaven Chronicles Pairing: Mason x Rhiannon Lloyd Rating: T Warnings: None Summary: After the disastrous attempt to stop a kidnapping leaves Rhiannon injured, Mason has time to reflect on his mistakes.

Read on AO3

--

Mason’s clothes scrape across his skin. It burns where air currents brush against it. He hears the biomechanical creak of the joints in his fingers clenching and unclenching, the working of his organs. The glare of lamplight on the bright, biohazard yellow walls makes his eyes water. Brick dust clogs his throat. In the next room, the hiss of the shower faucet masks Rhi’s heartbeat as well as her movements, and that sets him just as much on edge as everything else as he argues between needing to know she’s alright and knowing he won’t be welcome if he invades her privacy.

Fuck, he wants a cigarette. But she doesn’t like the smell and he’s not about to step outside and leave her when she’s still so vulnerable.

He’s already had to do it once. Transferring her over to the medic, to be swept behind a plastic curtain and assessed for who knew how much damage, was one of the hardest things he can ever remember doing, her limp, fragile human body too far gone in shock to even register being handed over like a sack of cloth. The worst part was when he finally let go, and the scent of her blood finally wound beneath his panic. With his mouth watering, he shed his outer layers right there and fled, threw himself under the stream of his own shower to be rid of it. He scrubbed under the stinging water until his skin was chafed raw and his nose and eyes burned with repeated latherings of soap. The memory of it lingers, caught in the back of his throat with the dust, but at least in her room he can focus on the other facets of her scent. Hand lotion. Sawdust. Beeswax. The unscented shampoo she switched to about a month back.

There’s no further sound as she continues washing off the worst of the grime from the collapsed warehouse, at least not that he can sense over the noise of the water. He suspects she’s making a conscious effort not to do anything that will have him banging on the door again – or barging through it – but if the silence goes on much longer he’s going to start tearing out his hair.

The emptiness gives him too much time to think. The hollow, glassy look of Rhi’s eyes when he found her. The bruises already blooming across her cheeks. The coldness he can’t fathom and can’t stand that she’s forced between them ever since that morning at the bakery when he so royally fucked up. It bothers him most that he cares at all – that if the wall that fell on her were just a little heavier, or the steel bars more exposed, or the annunaki less injured, then that conversation might have been the last one they ever shared. The words burn through his mind, the shame of them unfamiliar and unwelcome, but incessant.

Why did humans have to be so damned breakable?

What she wants is to see me naked, that’s all that’s going on here.

The instant the words spring from his mouth he wishes he could cram them back in. Rhi’s pulse spikes, blood rushes to her cheeks, the peppery burn of anger laces the air. A moment passes in iron silence before she turns away to gather her coat from the back of her chair.

Sorry, Haley, it looks like I’m running late. Put it on my tab, yeah?

He has an instant to register the stab of fury at being so thoroughly ignored before her gaze flashes to him with such vitriol he almost forgets she’s human.

You’re a dick.

He only catches the tremor in her voice because he’s paying attention. By the time he’s processed it, she’s halfway down the street. The joking line he tries to get her to slow down makes her round on him with a snarl worthy of a werewolf.

Will you just stop? How many times do I have to sit through one of your shitty come-ons before you get it through your thick skull that I’m not interested?

Her heartbeat betrays her. But it’s the sharp break from her usual stoic denial that drives him close, tired of rejection. There’s nothing wrong with my come-ons, Sweetheart.

My name is Rhiannon.

Why are you making such a big deal out of this?

Because I’m sick of it!

The words are hissed, like she’d rather shout but doesn’t want to draw attention to herself. Too late for that. She’s trembling.

If you’re that desperate for a fuck, go to a bar and pick up someone who’s actually impressed, because I’m done. I’ve had enough. I’m sick of being your punching bag. If you ever say anything like that about me again, I will be putting in a harassment complaint with your handler, understand?

He wants to scoff, to diffuse the tension and brush off whatever this is because since when have human emotions ever bothered him? Their brief passions never hold his attention for long. And yet, beneath the blaze in her eyes and the song her pulse is singing him, he recognises pain. He’s hurt her.

Do you understand?

I speak English, don’t I?

He snaps because he’s thrown. It’s not a state that improves when she turns on her heel and marches off.

Where are you going?

Work.

In case you’ve forgotten, there’s a bounty out on you.

What the fuck do you actually care?

It stopped him short. The tang of salt drifted back to him on the wind.

He smoked through a whole pack within an hour trying to take the edge off the strange, sharp ache in his chest, then snapped at Felix for daring to ask how his morning went.

The rush of the shower cuts off. A few last drips, and then the tentative pat-pat of feet as Rhi steps out. There’s a faint hiss of pain, followed by the rustle of plastic as she removes the protective covering for the cast on her arm. Mason bends his head towards the door. He catches the burst of mint from her toothpaste, time stretching too slowly as the brush scrapes over her teeth.

When the handle finally clicks open, he pushes off the wall so fast that she startles. For a moment she stands in the doorway in loose pyjamas, her hair a dark, damp mass down her back and her skin now clean enough for the bruises to stand out like wine stains against her cheek.

“You’re still here,” she blurts, with a note of surprise that twists in his gut.

He doesn’t know if this is a prelude to being kicked out, so he shrugs. “Didn’t know if you’d need anything.”

“Oh.”

Rhi’s gaze flicks over him with a wariness that’s becoming habitual now, as if this is an interrogation and she’s waiting for him to switch from Good Cop to Bad Cop. But she’s tired, too. He reads defeat in the slump of her shoulders as she shuffles past him towards her bed.

“At least I hopefully don’t smell like blood now.”

His smirk is hollow. “I can always smell your blood, Swee–”

No. She doesn’t like being called that.

What did you even see in that asshole anyway? he asks as her ex saunters away trying to hide how close Mason brought him to pissing himself. When he tilts a look sideways, however, she doesn’t seem to share his amusement.

You mean between the constant innuendo and the saccharine nickname I didn’t ask for? Not a clue. Her stare bores into him to make sure the point is driven home before she turns her back in clear dismissal. Stay out of it next time. I don’t need your help to deal with Bobby.

She catches his stumble now and her heartbeat jolts again, her limbs stilling for the tiniest instant before continuing the struggle of climbing under her duvet with only one working arm.

“Let me know if the forensics team finds anything, will you?” she asks, settling back exhausted against the pillows.

He makes a decision.

“I’ll know when you know.”

The creeping stiffness in her muscles means she has to turn her whole body to frown at him. Slow. Vulnerable. Defenceless.

“I’m not leaving you alone,” he explains as he drags a chair to her bedside.

“You mean you’re going to just sit there all night?”

“The medic said you have a concussion.”

It’s only half an explanation, but he doesn’t know how to articulate that if she’s not in front of him – safe – then he won’t be able to see anything but the memory of her being crushed under a pile of rubble. At least if he’s watching over her, he’s doing something.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he promises.

Her jaw works. Her chest expands with an inhale that gets cut short by a wince of broken ribs, and whatever she was about to say dies in her throat. With the smallest shake of her head, she rolls her back to him and hunkers down under the covers. It’s a measure of how exhausted she is that she doesn’t argue, though it doesn’t lessen the tension coiled around the length of her spine. Her pain is a palpable thing, and Mason finds his hands balling into fists at how little he can help – not that actions have ever been his strong suit, and he’s even worse with words.

And then he smells salt. She’s crying again.

“What’s wrong?”

Her shoulders twitch as she sniffs. “Nothing.”

“Bullshit.”

“I’m fine,” she insists. “Just tired.”

It’s him. Something he’s done. He’s fucked up again without knowing it and now she’s crying. Again. He can’t even pretend he’s annoyed because it’s a waste of energy.

“I can go,” he says. He even gets up from the chair. “If you’d rather –”

“No –” Rhi half sits up. Winces. “No, it’s alright. It’s just… been a long day.”

Slowly, in case she changes her mind, he settles himself again, one ankle crossed over the opposite knee. “You should sleep. I’ll watch over you.”

Another deep breath, cut off by pain. It’s an effort not to splinter the arms of the chair. Gradually, however, the stiffness recedes and her breath evens as sleep takes hold, her pulse slowing to a steady thump-thump that leads his own to follow it. She’s safe. It doesn’t matter if part of him yearns to see her face as she sleeps, to make sure her dreams remain untroubled; moving would mean disturbing her, and if she wanted to face him she would have done it herself.

Still, he’ll take what he can get. After the shaky ground they’ve been on since the bakery it’s a relief just to be able to stay. He’ll sit here all damned night if that’s what it’ll take to start him on the road to earning back her trust. He’ll stay. As long as she needs it.

[echantedtoon]

In The Moon's Shadow (Yandere Kokushibo x Reader) Ch4 Beginning

(Warnings: Y/n's boss treats her horribly.

For context the sun looks like the picture above. Pic not mine. Found on Pinterest.)

You didn't remember when you collapsed.

It must've been sometime during the middle of the night because you woke up the next morning collapsed on the floor just behind the table of perfumes. You woke dizzy and confused. Why weren't you in your bed? Where was your house? You had sat up confused. It was still raining outside although not quite as  bad as last night. You remember that part at least. It was only when you moved. It was only until something red fell from your lap. When a red candle rolled across the floor. That you remembered.

A demon had visitedh you last night 

Disregarding everything else, your body managed to get to the front door of the shop and opened it up to poke your head out and look up and down the streets. Rain pelted everything in sight as grey clouds filled the sky and thunder continued to clash overhead every few minutes. The winds continued to blow the trees but not as bad as last night. The streets remained empty as they had did yesterday. No human or demon in sight. With no one around, you closed the door and backed up into the safety of the store. After a moment of standing there, your head turned and stared at the candle. A moment later feet approached and a hand picked the rather large red candle off the floor holding it up to turquoise eyes. The smell of cinnamon rolled over your senses before a sigh escaped your lips. 

"So it wasn't just a nightmare."

A demon had been here. A demon that you had met before in the woods, and who now wanted you to do a custom candle carving for him. His voice from last night echoing in your mind the longer you stared at the cinnamon red candle.

 "I want you to carve a sun into this. Make the sun look as if it was made of dancing flames."

For whatever his reasons were, he wanted you to do a custom job for him on the candle. It was such a surreal experience. .. Turquoise eyes glanced at the table. A few bottles of perfume was still knocked over. On instinct a hand reached out to start neatly pushing the bottles right side up, however it paused when eyes caught sight of a green soap bar. The green soap smelled of mint and was partially carved into a blooming rose. It was a bit strange to carve a green mint soap into a rose shape when it didn't even smell like the flower but it was unique and that's what you liked about it. You liked it's scent and spending so much free time carving as much detail you could into it as a hobby. You thought it looked beautiful but then again so did someone else.

 "Then I want this also, looking as if it was in full bloom."

The demon had taken interest in it also and ordered you finished it along with the candle. Within two weeks no less. All that hard work you put into it down the drain. But we're you going to argue with a six foot demon that looked like he could rip you in half with a single hand?

No. No you were not.

You could always restart on making you another one. No little piece of soap was worth your life. The surreal day was very quiet aside from the rain, lightning, thunder, and wind. Leaving you alone in the home. Not knowing what else to do, you walked around your boss's home and tided up her living space and doing some chores around her home. It'd be something to help you get your mind off things. In reality you were stalling on returning to your home. It's not that you didn't want to go home to your own house, but you were afraid. Afraid to go outside in the storm by yourself and  running into that demon. Or worse. Running into another demon that wasn't so...nice?? You wouldn't say the one you met was friendly but rather him than an unfriendly one.

Eventually after some time you say down at the table and picked up the red candle again looking it over before fetching a small metal stick about as thick and big as a single chopstick, and setting to work starting on the wax. A sun made of dancing flames...You had an idea of what it should look like but it would take at least three maybe four days to carve out such a detailed design on a big candle since you usually didn't do such big designs and so detailed. But you supposed now would be as good as any time to get started you guessed. No one else showed up that day, neither did your boss although you kept glancing out the window for any signs of life.  None made themselves known. At the end of the day, you managed to find some food in your boss's food you borrowed and slept on a few spare pillows and blankets you found for the night not wanting to walk home right now. Well..she also said you could stay so you didn't have to walk home in this weather. You awoke the next morning to the sounds of a door opening and the sounds of footsteps shuffling around. It jolted you awake out of fear of the approaching figure, but instantly calmed down as the surprised face of your boss shuffled into her home.

She looked surprised seeing you laying there on the ground but soon scowled at you lying there. "Just what are you doing here?"

You should've known it was here from the shuffling and tiny fast footsteps but you guessed in your sleepy stare hadn't registered it. But you were relieved seeing that it was her. "I-I was tired and fell asleep."

She scowled harder at you. "You slept here? I said you could stay for one night not two!"

"I'm sorry," you apologized to her.

"You used my blankets, and you ate my food!" Her hands rested on her hips in annoyance. "You completely went against what I said!"

"I said that I was sorry-"

A hand was held up to your face. "No excuses! You took advantage of my kindness and I won't have you trying to defend such vile actions!"

"But I cleaned for you-"

"Talking back to me? You don't know when to stop do you?! For that you'll work the rest of this week without pay!," she proudly and angrily stated puffing her chest at your stunned look. "Perhaps that'll teach you not to talk back to your elders! Now get off my floor-" She roughly pointed a hand out the door. "-and go clean those sheets! I won't sleep in them after you used them!"

"But-"

"Talking back again? You can do my entire futon then and make yourself useful!"

You just shut your mouth and decided not to argue with her anymore in order to avoid anymore scolding and possibly more chores thrusted upon her. Under her angry gave, she followed you gathering sheets and laundry before essentially kicking you out arms full of clothes. You stared back at her angry look as she gripped the door.

"And don't return until your finished with it!"

SLAM!!

You flinched when the door slammed shut in your face and you were left standing in the middle of the street. The mud and puddles from the previous two day's showers squished under your feet as you just stepped back..and looked around. The streets were barren still and muddy and wet because of the rain. Water droplets dropped from the roofs and branches of the trees making a faint sound of rain even though it currently wasn't raining. The skies above were littered still with grey storm clouds but they were spaced apart from one another. Hopefully that met the storm was leaving soon. The wind gently blew across the empty streets giving it an eerie feeling. You felt a shiver run down your spine before you turned and started quickly walking down the road towards your home. You'd do the laundry there and change before coming back. Hopefully by then your boss would've calmed down.

The safety and warmth of your own home greeted you with glee and you were happy to be back. Happy to run a quick bath. Happy to do laundry. Happy to clean up around a little bit before just stopping to just take a breather and eat while waiting for the laundry to dry. Some time to yourself for a change before gathering up the sheets and folding them neatly. Gathering them in your arms before leaving your home again back down the quiet streets and back towards your boss's house. Turning one corner- And ramming into what was practically a wall of purple and black. Startled you jumped back and blinked nearly slipping on the muddy ground and looking up before completely freezing-

"Aren't you supposed to be working?" Your eyes stared widely at the looming figure of the demon you saw two night ago. His six eyes glaring down at you under the hat sat upon his head. "It's still rude to stare."

Immediately you froze. A cold feeling running through your veins before immediately your body bowed. "I-Im so sorry, Sir! I didn't m-mean to run into you! That w-w-was my mistake."

He didn't move but did tilt his head at the sheets and blankets you carried before humming. "Yes. I forgotten women must take care of their households. I suppose your husband has you running laundry."

You blinked. "Huh?" You glanced up to him in confusion before leaning back up and shaking your head. "N-No. These are for my boss."

The eyes shifted back up to you making you flinch. "I was under the impression that you were employed at the business I visited two nights ago."

"I am. But my boss ordered me to clean these for her."

The eyes continued to stare at you but became half lidded. "I wasn't under the impression that you were also her personal aid."

"I'm not, but I might as well be with everyone else she's had me do for her. But I have a job and I can't complain about it.'' Your eyes wondered from his face to his haori coat which was soaked and clinging slightly to his body. "You're soaked."

"I know."

"Have you been out in this weather since I met you?"

"Since before I met you," he corrected calmly but bluntly, "I made to stay in your village's inn but it seems no one wanted to answer my knocking."

You glanced over his soaked body for a long moment before looking back up to the sky. The grey clouds were still trudging along slowly. He's been outside in the weather for who knows how long. With everyone still terrified and in hiding, it's unlikely that he'll be able to get proper shelter especially if anyone else knew he wasn't human. You felt a pang of pity for him but.. Turquoise eyes glanced back to the sword on his side. You weren't going to chance anything. Who knows who this man was and what he did for a living? You'd have no part of it...But-

"If it's shelter you want," you spoke slowly making your eyes look back to him, "-there's an old abandoned cabin just outside town where the exit leads further into the mountains." You gestured to the far side of town and the complete opposite of where your home was. "No one's lived in it since the owner died a few years ago. Nowadays it's just used by a few men when they go hunting in the woods."

He did not say anything but just stared at you in silence. You stared back feeling more nervous, the more he bore into your eyes. The mud under your feet squishing as you shuffled uncomfortably. 

"...I see," he settled on saying making her jolt slightly. "You should be working. I will not pay if I don't believe that Im not getting my money's worth."

You blinked and bowed- Or .. That's what he was expecting her to do but instead she frowned upon him, her brows furrowing.

"For your information, Sir, I am working on what you wanted," you calmly stated, "My work entails more than just carving so you'll have to understand that I just can't drop my other duties to tend to your order alone. I will get it done how you'll like, but that doesn't mean you will undermine my job."

......He blinked-

"Please give me patience. I understand you want it done within a certain timeframe and your agreement shall be met. Do not rush me for the detailed work you want will take time. I pride myself on not being sloppy." You politely stepped around him. "I'll try to be done by next week's end. Good day to you."

Your shoulder lightly brushed his by accident as you passed his form. He continued to stand there before a hand reached out to where her shoulder lightly brushed his own. Fingers gripped the fabric bunching up his haori sleeve. A head turned silently towards the retreating woman's figure. ...A simple hum escaping his throat.

Your boss was happy when you arrived back a few hours later with the clean sheets, however she then yelled and scolding you loudly over dragging mud onto her porch and onto her home. Demanding that you immediately clean it up then and there, on top of cleaning the floors and mud she HERSELF dragged in when she came back. You didn't argue. You deflated and grabbed a bucket and scrubbing brush from the back, not in the mood to fight and argue with her anymore today. She sat comfortably in the corner painstakingly looking over each and every sheet as you just swept the floors.

"..... There's a stain on the top one here!," she unfolded the top blanket and pointed out a smalL acorn sized stain in the corner of the blanket that would otherwise have been unnoticeable to anyone. "I told you to CLEAN them!"

"But that stain was there long before I cleaned them. It's sauce from one of your lunches you spilt remem-"

"Talking back to me again?! For that you can clean ALL my floors then and I expect you to move furniture! That should teach you for doing an inadequate job and talking back to your elders!"

You wanted to yell at her, but only frowned and returned to your sweeping and biting your tongue. You didn't feel like gaining a headache further from this stupid situation. You found yourself nearly getting spooked by her when she shuffled into the front of the store. Your knees bare from rolling up the hem of your dress and sleeves to better scrub the floors with. Dipping your brush into the water filled bucket next to you before pressing it back against the wooden floors and scrubbing it clean. She stayed to scrutinizingly glare over your shoulder as you did so, but you weren't expecting her to leave for a moment. You felt relieved for only a second before something red blurred in your face. You instinctively jumped back dropping the scrub brush with a thud.

"AHA! And what's this?!," she demanded holding up a red cinnamon scented candle at your face. The very same candle you had left on the small table by the perfumes. "What's the meaning of this? I didn't give you any permission to touch any of the candles! It's a candle to be sold, not a canvas for your hobbies!"

You just stared tiredly letting her finish her yelling before giving an inhale. "I'm not using it for a hobby. Someone asked me to do a custom carving for them."

"Who?!," she demanded squinting her eyes unbelieving at you.

"A man. He came a day or two ago and asked me for a few carvings for him."

"Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"He said he'll be back sometime within two weeks. If you don't believe me, you may wait until he arrives and I'll show you him."

"Don't tell me what I may or may not do in my own home!!," she spat at your tired face, "For that you can scrub the porch too!" She hissed before whipping her hand to the candle and the beginnings of a carving on it... before huffing and turning to drop it back onto the table. "But if you think it will amuse me, I certainly will wait and we'll see this 'man' you speak of. If he exists."

"If? But he does-"

"TALKING BACK AGAIN!! YOU CAN DUST THE SHELVES TOO!!"

You turned back around and just went back to scrubbing the rest of the home's floors. You would not be getting any work done today it looked like. Unbeknownst to the both of you someone saw. Someone who had gone to hunt while you swept and was just now making his way back to a certain cabin with a plump pheasant in his hands from a successful small hunt. Passing yell got his attention briefly on the yelling woman and the young lady scrubbing the floors but he only passed on by with nothing but a hum to the situation.

You in fact did not get anymore work done that day too busy with cleaning everything while the angry older woman continued to scrutinizing you until it got dark enough for you to go home, and by that, your boss made you make her dinner before kicking you out for the night. You went back home exhausted and frustrated at the situation but returned the next day with the intentions of finishing up your work. This time you paid no mind to her angry ramblings or her glares as you just sat back down and began carving into the surface of the red candle. One day turned to two. Two to three. Three to four-

"It's been half a week already. There's still no sign of any man," your boss chastised you while putting more incense bundles she dried up on the shelves one day while giving you a suspicious look as if you had deliberately lied to her. 

"I said he was returning in two weeks time, not half of one week." Small shavings of red wax fell to your lap as you began adding the final finishing details into the candle. By the end of today at least one job will be done. You paused to blow the smaller shavings off the wax for a clear view of the patterns etched around the body of the red candle. 

The older woman paused narrowing her eyes more. "Are you talking back to me?"

"Not at all. I'm only telling you what he told me," you said politely to avoid anymore arguments.

"Hmm. To me it sounds like you're talking back." 

"No. Please not again." You stopped tracing the very last detail in to look over your shoulder at her tiredly. "I promise you I'm not."

"You're definitely talking back to me!" Her expression soured as she crossed her arms and scowled at you again. "So once you're done with that candle, go clean my bathroom before you start on anything else he supposedly asked for. Clearly you haven't learnt your lesson."

"But-"

"Anymore back talk and I won't pay you next week as well!"

You decided to bite your tongue again and just go clean the bathroom after finishing up the candle. It wouldn't have been the first time you cleaned it and you didn't want to lose another week's pay over an old woman's anger. However you supposed you should've went into more detail about what exactly he wanted because she practically flipped when she saw you continuing work on the green soap rose.

"What are you doing?!," she roared as soon as she saw you push the small carving knife into the green soap to continue carving the fake petals. "You're supposed to be working! Not wasting time with stupid toys you're making for yourself!'' she demanded angrily pointing out the objects in your hands.

You didn't even bother looking up this time and only focused on your work. "He wanted this too."

"WHAT?!"

"He saw this and decided that he wanted to purchase this from me too. I told him it'd take me a while and that's why he said he'd return within two weeks time."

She sneered almost instantly. "Now I know you lie! You're only saying that because you want to laze about like a lame cat and fiddle with your own stupid hobbies than put in real work and expecting to be paid still!"

"I never said that I expected to be paid if I lied-," you ever patiently said politely to avoid making her further angry, "-but I did not lie. I'm not doing these things just for myself but genuinely because I am working. And I have put in a lot of real work. I have done everything you have asked me to do."

"Well, since you want to insist on this little charade and lie about this, I'll indulge you only so I can catch you in your lies! But since I know you're lying, and you continue to talk back to me, you can just finish restocking all these shelves yourself while I go visit my grandson." You gave her a look and opened your mouth- "Don't you dare give me that dirty look! For that you can just wash the windows too!"

You decided not to argue as she dropped the last of the incense bundles on the floor and stomped away. You only tiredly glanced as the bundles thudded onto the floor before looking at the soap in your hands still needing to be carved and you sighed. You would not be getting it done as fast as you hoped. You only turned paused your carving and stood up to carefully pick up the incense bundles off the floor to neatly stack them back onto the shelf before turning to walk towards the kitchen in the back. You'd be needing some water to clean up all the windows. A bucket and cloth later, turquoise eyes glanced out of the window towards the outside. A moment later a damp rag was pressed to the glass and started wiping away any dirt and dust. You'll do the inside first before cleaning up the outsides of the windows. Thankfully there wasn't very many so you'd be done quick and be able to get back to work. Turquoise eyes watched the rag on the window.. before glancing up and pausing as they stared into the multiple eyes of a tall demon. The man was there again just on the edge of the porch looking directly at you. Both of you just stood there for a long moment unmoving-

"What are you doing?!" A loud voice made you jump whirling around to your annoyed boss. "I'm heading out now, that doesn't mean you can slack off."

"I-I wasn't! I was just-" You looked back out the window and paused again. He was gone- He was literally standing just right there feet away from you! How did he move so fast?! Your head leaned into the window to look around more. Where did he go?!

"Uh huh. Well if you're done with your daydreaming, get done! I want them spotless by the time I come back!"

You didn't make any complaints as she left. You did not see anymore demons that day.

The town had slowly gone back to normal over the last few days as you continued on your carving. People started coming out again cautiously at first and only the men to gather supplies for their families. But they soon fell back into routine which was enough reassurance for their women to go out too followed by their children like the scare a week before had never happened. You supposed it should've been comforting to you to see life back to normal but you knew there actually was a demon about. A very tall demon with a sword...

But he hadn't made a move to harm anyone.

The most he's done that was even remotely threatening so far you've seen was that night you first met, when you realized he had been gripping his sword in defense, but you had snuck up on him so you couldn't blame him for being on the defensive and he had stood down as soon as he saw you didn't mean him any harm. And he also hadn't shown any other aggressiveness from the few other times you saw one another. Sure he might've been a bit rude and blunt but that's hardly dangerous. So you decided to keep it to yourself. That...and you didn't know what your boss would do next if she had found out that the man you were doing business with wasn't a human man. One more day. One more step closer to finishing. You were almost done with it now cutting each little fake petal into the soap until it looked like a little green rose. You left your finished work next to the red candle with the bright swirling sun carved into its red wax. Your boss continued to scrutinize you as the end of the time frame approached. Often looking outside and commenting that she never saw anyone.

"No one came in for you today."

Or whenever there was a customer, she'd comment on how they weren't there for the carved items.

"That was Mr. Sako. He bought some bath salts for his wife, but I see he didn't even mention anything about your work."

Or just plain accusations.

"I'm starting to run out of patience for your game! Make yourself useful and get me some tea!"

You were starting to get worried. It was almost the end of the week and you hadn't seen this demon yet. You'd thought about going to the old cabin and seeing if he was there, but the thought of going to see a demon alone didn't sound like a good idea even if he hadn't done anything to anyone. You only hoped for him to show up soon.

With another day coming to a close you just went about minding your own business sweeping the floor when a huff made you pause in your movements and look over. The older woman could be seen at her little station in the back pulling a blue candle out of a small cauldron in the fire where bubbling wax was boiling. The process of candle making warmed up the home a lot, and as it was already a warm summer, the windows had been opened and the door left wind open to help regulate the heat. 

"It's getting close to sundown," she commented holding up the candles above the cauldron by the wicks, watching as the wax dropped off then and back into the pot before she'd let them cool a bit and add another layer by dipping them back in. Repeating the process until they were the size she wanted them to be. "The day will be over soon. Don't you think you should head home?"

"I will after I finish sweeping like you told me," you politely said with a smile. 

She only huffed before turning back to her work. "I'm surprised that you're insisting on getting back on my good side. After all, after this week is over and Im proven right, you won't be getting any pay for at least a month for lying to me for so long."

You frowned before just sweeping the floors again. This really wasn't your best time. The bristles swept the small pile of dirt closer and closer towards the open doorway as your focus was mainly on the floor pushing the dirt along until the broom bumped against something in the way. Turquoise eyes followed the thing on the floor before pausing in sudden realization as a foot stood there right next to another. Your head snapped up. A gasp escaped your throat and the broom dropped from your hands with a clatter. The noise had caught the attention of the older woman who turned with an annoyed look but also paused shocked seeing the looming tall figure in the doorway.

The demon had returned.

He stayed inhumanly silent as you both stared back at him before he decided to speak. "I'm here to see if you have finished." His voice was as monotone and blunt as ever as his head tilted at you. "I did tell you that I would be back."

Your boss froze seeing him letting the wax drip out onto the floor no doubt making a mess. You stood there blinking before slowly exhaling and giving him a smile. "O-Oh. Of course. I'm sorry. I didn't hear you walk in. You startled me."

"Apologies."

"No it's alright." You held up a hand making him blink. "I'm sure you didn't mean to do don't apologize." That...wasn't something he expected her to stay. You smiled wider before pointing at the inside of the home. "I finished every just today so you came at a great time. Come in and I'll show them to you."

You walked on over to the small table in the middle of the room and he slowly followed silently stepping over the broom on the floor. He watched as she smiled and lifted two objects in her hands before turning back to him with a smile and presenting them out to him. The smells of cinnamon, cloves, and mint filled his senses and he was almost taken back when he first saw them, six eyes widening. 

"I hope you're pleased with them." The eyes looked back to turquoise ones. The unusual pretty color of them catching the lantern light above her making them sparkle like two clear pools of water making them go even more wide. "I tried to put as much detail as I could into the designs without making it too complicated. I hope that's alright."

He didn't speak for a moment. Taking in the sight of her sparkling eyes... Turquoise. Strange color. He'd never seen another woman with such a specific color eyes. It seemed like a perfectly calm and cool color matching her soft features, especially her soft lips smiling at him and the slight rosiness of her cheeks no doubt caused by the heat in the house, but it was such a soft pink one could confuse her for blushing.  Blushing at him-

BU-BUMP-

A clawed hand harshly dug into the front of his haori as the rest of his body, including his eyes stayed motionless and fixated on you. The sudden grip of his arm made you jump and blink at his hand gripping his chest.

"A bee." She blinked back to him. "There was a bee flying about. Forgive me." His hand slowly lowered from his chest to reach out to her hands holding the objects. "I would like to examine the objects before I decide on any payment."

She nodded holding them out to him. "That's perfectly fine. I'd want to be sure you're getting what you're paying for."

She watched him pick up the candle first, his calloused hands brushing against her scared palms. ..Soft. Her skin was softer and warmer than it looked- He forcibly pushed those thoughts to the side and just looked at the red candle. Again eyes widened. Carved with the curve of the candle was a spiral circle twisting around itself, on the outside of the strange spiral circle was flames reaching out and dancing in different directions. It was...Lovely. His brother would no doubt definitely like this. She didn't say anything when he reached out and just took the other object from her hands and looked at it. The smell of mint was added to the spicy cinnamon, as he stared at the green soap carved into a rose. It wasn't the real thing, but it looked rather close to it. This should suffice for his wife. 

You felt a slight nervous feeling the longer he stared at them before he bothered talking. "These will suffice."

A breath you didn't know you were holding escaped your mouth in a relieved sigh before smiling again at him. "I'm glad you find my work acceptable."

"What's your price?"

"Uh..." You.. hadn't really thought about that. You were too busy trying to get the work actually done and doing whatever your annoyed boss ordered you to do. "I..I haven't really thought about that actua-"

"Fifty ten!" You jumped and turned as your boss confidently shuffled up beside you both and proudly smiled at him. "No more no less! I charge a decent amount for my wares!"

You stared at her in shock. How could she stand there and dare yell at a frightening looking demon?! But then you realized. She must not know he's a demon. His long bangs hid most of his eyes and the darkness of the low hat he wore disguised anything else that might've peeked through, so unless you pushed them out of the way, you'd have no idea he wasn't human. Otherwise he looked completely normal like any other man. Nevertheless his head tilted at her... before silently looking back at you.

"How much did you want?" You looked back to him. "Money is not an issue."

"I just said-"

"It's rude to interrupt a conversation, especially one where you're not involved in, Woman." Your boss stopped shocked by his tone and you also looked surprised by his sudden slight annoyed tone. "I'm speaking to the one who actually put in the work."

Your boss stared slack jawed, obviously caught off guard that she'd dared to be talked like this before she again scowled and pointed at him. "I'll have you know that the candle and soap you're holding was made by my hands!!"

"And yet you're not the one who's made them into beautiful artworks. You did nothing but leave them to be used for anyone else to enjoy. My business is not with you."

"I put my hard work into those things! Who do you think you're talking to, Boy?!"

"A nagging wench who should learn to hold her tongue." Your jaw dropped and eyes went wide as your boss turned a deep red and so angry you were expecting steam to pop from her eardrums. "I refuse to do business with one who refuses my existence. Your wailing is so obnoxious that I could hear it in my sleep. You're position of owner doesn't apply to authority over her like a slave."

You were stunned to say the least. Watching silently as he just told your angry boss off like a child before his hand reached into the folds of his haori coat. The sounds of metal jingling filled the air as a decently sized bag was pulled out and held out to you. 

"I believe this will cover the expenses for each of them."

You only continued to stare at the bag before shaking hands reached out to take it from him and good gods!! It had a bit of weight to it. Automatically you reached up to pull the strings lose and pull the cloth back- Only to almost have your eyes bug out of your skull at the sight of shining yellow.

"I-Is this-"

"Yes. And it's only for you. If anyone else should try to take it for whatever reason-" He spoke while putting his free hand on the hilt of his sword. "-I will not be so kind then." His actions got the old woman to go wide eyed before gulping and taking a step back.

"I-I don't know w-w-what to say." You stuttered out looking back at him. "I-I can't accept this much. T-This is much too much. I-Id be taking too much from you." Your hands held it back out to him. Your actions in doing so surprised him as he leaned back surprised. "At l-least take it back so we can work out a more appropriate payment."

He stared before turning his head from it. "No. You'd offend me more if you refused my offer." His words had you lower the bag. "Take it to make up for the lost wages my presence here has cost you." Wait. How did he know about that? "My business here is concluded. Will you be leaving soon?"

You just...numbly nodded before on autopilot reached down to pick up the broom again and just made back for the dirt pile that was still in front of the door. "I just need to finish the floor here." You mumbled.

"Then I shall wait and walk you home as it's late." He silently watched for a few seconds as you numbly finished your sweeping before turning back to the still pale old woman. "...Your wax is boiling over."

Her head snapped around and a screech left her mouth as the candle wax left unwatched boiled over and dropped messily into the fireplace the smell of burnt wax filling the air. 

Her screech had snapped you out of your stupor and you made to help her but a strong hand grabbing your wrist had stopped you. "She can fix her own mess for once. Leave her and head home."

You could still hear her cussing and wails as you chose to walk down the street with a demon still holding your wrist, being too nervous to argue with the tall demon. The bag of gold coins firmly in your other hand as you awkwardly started walking down the road like this. A few people still walking around despite the setting sun stopped to give you both some curious looks but you only looked down red in embarrassment. This was incredibly strange and awkward for you and you had no idea what to think of this or how to feel. The best you could do was to just walk faster hoping to get to your home faster and get this over with. He said nothing during the entire duration of your traveling until you had tugged on your wrist and stopped in the middle of the road. He obliged and let you go as you looked at him. 

"I-I live on the end of this road. You can part ways w-with me now," you spoke still politely as he looked at you, "T-Thank you for...for...for everything however. It was a pleasure doing business with you."

He only gave you a half lidded look. "That woman. She is the owner?"

You blinked as he just blatantly ignored anything you just said but slowly answered, "Yyyeesss?"

He hummed. "Hm. I am surprised that she's able to keep her business running the way she does ordering everyone around her like that."

You shrugged. "She's always been that way. People around here are just used to her by now. I'm used to it too."

"That is why you are a pushover?"

You frowned. "I'm not a pushover. I just don't have many options for a job being a woman especially in such a small town like this. If I quit or get fired then my only other choices would be to either settle down with one of the men as a wife or became a maid in the local inn."

"Do you not already work at that woman's maid?"

"Yes, but at least with her I know what I'm dealing with. The inn is also the local tavern where men like to drink. Id rather not deal with the drunk shenanigans of men...Ah. No offense."

He blinked. "You apologize to me as if I were a man to be offended-"

"Aren't you?," she asked innocently tilting her head and blinking her large eye almost...cutely. "I may not know a lot about you, but you are a man. Aren't you?"

"I am a demon."

"How is that relevant? You are a man, and I don't think you should be treated differently because of the small fact of being a demon or not."

He didn't say anything. Just stared at you with those eyes studying your figure for a long moment. Turquoise eyes blinked back at him sparkling from the retreating sunlight.

"....You should go home to your husband before it gets dark."

"I'm not married." He hummed at you. "I don't have a husband. I'm not seeing anyone."

A beautiful woman like her without a husband? Doubtful. At the very least she was already being courted and closed to being engaged.

"Hm...You should go inside before it gets dark. Women shouldn't stay out at night where it's dangerous."

You took that as your chance to leave. With another bow, you quickly turned and practically sped walked down the street until you got to your house at the very end of the road. You turned back once, made eye contact with his form, smiled and waved at him, before turning back around, and quickly opened the door. He watched her form fully disappear inside her home before turning and starting to walk away towards the exit of town. 

Shame...She was rather lovely. Such unique eyes as well.

[ofoceansandtombsanew]

Aishify: Weeb Perfumery Review

This review was a long time coming but I'm happy to get this out. If you're a fan of perfume and all things anime and manga, then I can't recommend Aishify enough.

Aishify is a two-person, black-owned business that specializes in creating perfumes based on anime and manhwa. From mainstream hype trains like Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man to 90's classics like Yu Yu Hakusho and Sailor Moon. These individuals will do their best to craft scents based on the character or trope of choice. They have even begun crafting personalized scents as well!

As mentioned before I have ordered three times from this business and I'll be leaving my thoughts of these perfumes down below.

Thus far, I've ordered scents based on characters from JJK, Fruits Basket, Howl's Moving Castle, JJBA, Fairy Tail, YYH and One Piece. They all last a sturdy amount of time before you need to reapply and I will say, a little goes a long way!

Jujutsu Kaisen

Infinite Void ;D: bright green apple, violet leaves and amber with dark undercurrents of freesia for a fragrance that can go on forever

Honestly you can call this scent 'He Smells Rich' because that's exactly what it smells like. Luxurious, you're making it rain money, like it smells more expensive than it actually is. This is honestly one of my favorite perfumes, if I'm being honest. I doubt I have to even say who this scent is based on but yes, it's Gojou Satoru.

You would wear this to an interview for a store that sells luxury goods like pearls or diamonds. You can try going band for band with Gojou and you'd definitely lose. It has green apple in it too but thankfully doesn't give 'dish soap'.

Instead it gives a slight playful kick reminiscent of the character. It smells so high brand that it kinda gives off a lonely vibe to it because you almost don't wanna add anything else to it. Which also fits the character when you think about it. Like the saying goes 'it's lonely at the top', and Gojou's a pretty lonely character.

Demon Dog: a mellow blend of plum, ginger and caramel with undercurrents of chocolate and lightly singed rose petals

The Megumi scent! Really good, dark chocolate scent but not too overwhelming. It smells very romantic and soft, not too hard on the nose. You can definitely smells the dark chocolate but it's not an overwhelming sweet. It's one of those 90 to 100% dark chocolate bars where there's barely if any sweet taste.

I'd wear this for a date night. Hell I'd wear this just because I to think I look good in the underwear I have on. Very fitting for Megumi as a character!

Overtime: a very functional and elegant blend of aloe vera, roasted spearmint and cherry blossoms with undercurrents of eucalyptus and violet leaves

Very good scent for going to an interview. Very crisp and well put together, just like the character Nanami it is based on. Perfume is for everybody but I think this is a good scent for anyone who, for lack of a better word, thinks perfume isn't really for men. Tbh both this scent and the Gojou scent, smell very gender neutral. If you really want to play into gender norms, a man in the office could wear either or and not have to worry about judgement from their peers

Not that they should anyway, that's not on them it's on their bum ass colleagues. But if that IS something you worry about, Overtime is a good scent for you to wear.

Fruits Basket

Just Call Him Daddy: fresh mint, black cherries and a touch of tobacco

One of my absolute favorites, the scent based on Shigure Sohma who is one of my favorite characters. Probably THE favorite.

Shigure smells like putting on your man's clothes because he's on a business trip and you miss him so you put on his hoodie because it smells most like him. And you know how Shigure usually wears traditional clothes around the house and stuff so it kinda gives 'cozy but sexy'? This smells cozy but sexy. I've worn this scent to sleep.

The black cherries gives it that sexy allure with the mint giving it a small little 'hey!' that matches the mischievous aspect of the character. I was skeptical of the tobacco being mentioned but not gonna lie it somehow gives the scent a 'lingering on the clothes' smell I was mentioning with the putting on your bf's clothes thing. I got the 10 ml twistie for my first ever purchase but I'll definitely being buying the 30 ml spray bottle next time, I even got one for Mom2.

Just Call Her Bestie: green apple, lilies and jasmine

My absolute favorite character in all of Fruits Basket, my first ever manga, Tohru Honda. So clearly I had to grab her. I think once this scent mellows out after the initial application, it becomes enjoyable. But the batch I got definitely leaned a bit too heavy into the green apple scent.

Other than that, it's definitely bright and cheery just like Tohru herself. The lilies and jasmine adds to the elegance of the scent. My only nitpick honestly is that Tohru's signature color in the series is pink, so I think a pink perfume would have better represented the character. But other than that, I look forward to buying the Kyo and Yuki perfumes.

Howl's Moving Castle

Howl's Moving Me: a mercurial yet alluring blend of pink champagne, roasted rose petals, cherrywood, vanilla bean and dragon fruit with the tiniest of hints of peppermint leaves

Magic in a bottle.

Howl's scent distinctly smells like what I imagined sophie was breathing in when he showed up and whisked her up into the sky. Magical, unexpected and charming. Something you'd definitely wanna wear for a date that's on the more exciting side like going to an amusement mark. Definitely not something for a boring date.

Or you know that scene from legally blonde where Elle gave over her resume and it was pink and scented? Her resume would smell like this for sure. It's nice, it's fun, it's a lot but it somehow doesn't overdo it

Jojo's Bizzare Adventure

Joestar Bizarre: a quirky mix of pomegranate, cranberry and cool spearmint leaves

I couldn't decide which Joestar perfume to get first so I said 'fuck it, let's get something to represent them all!' And this is another magical scent, it's very creative and everything blends together well. It's like a star tickling your nose, for lack of a description.

Because of that, I say it definitely encompasses the Joestar line whether it's pre or post part 6.

Lil Bomber: an airy, light mix of bergamot, hydrangea, jasmine and star fruit

It was a very hard toss up to see what other scent to get to kick off buying the JJBA perfumes, but since I was in the middle of being in my feelings about Narancia again, I got his scent. It's really good!

My only nitpick, and this isn't about the quality of the perfume because the quality is good, is that the perfumers used some sort of orange blossom scent for this one? Arancia means orange and Narancia's favorite drink, ironically enough, is orange juice. So I think that would have better represented the character, but other than that I really have no complaints.

Fairy Tail

She Loves Gray: a watery, elegant blend of water lilies, poppies and jasmine

I enjoy this perfume a lot. It's very elegant and like the Gojou scent, smells a lot more expensive than it actually is. It's something that will definitely get you compliments, I think. Mom1 is fond of it!

It makes me think of dipping your toes in a pond with lotuses. I haven't watched FT in years but Juvia was my favorite character, so I decided to grab this for the sake of nostalgia and I don't regret my puchase.

Yu Yu Hakusho

Spirit Gun: a familiar blend of of birch, roasted vanilla bean and a touch frankincense

If you know me, then you'll know YYH was my absolute first anime back when I was 7 years old so I had to cop all the available YYH scents. I love, love love this scent. The most apparent note from it is the the vanilla bean but thanks to the birch and frankincense, it isn't overwhelmingly sweet. At the risk of sounding like Thanos, it's perfectly balanced.

And to be honest, Spirit Gun is probably my favorite of the YYH line. I'm hoping they add more characters.

Spirit Sword: a calming, comforting blend of cucumber, bergamot, lilac and sandalwood

This smells very cute and I like it. It's got a hent of sweetness thanks to the lilac that feels very Kuwabara in the fact he's a total teddy bear underneath the tough guy act. I'd wear this more during late spring, when summer is around the corner and it's starting to get warmer

Other than that, there's not much to say. This is very well put together and represents the character very well!

Dragon of the Darkness Flame: a fiery, spicy blend of mahogany, cherry wood, cinnamon and toasted peony petals

Heavenly, divine, best descriptions to use I don't care if it's ironic because Hiei is a demon. This smells so good, this is what Hiei smells like talk to a wall. Wearing this around the neck? 11/10. It smells dark but not overwhelmingly dark if that makes sense and it quietly creeps up on you

I honestly don't wear this enough, but I'm about to start wearing this when I sleep. Or I'm wearing this tomorrow when I go out to the movies. Some of these scents they really knock it out of the park for making something really embodies the character it is based on.

Rose Whip: a romantic, elegant blend of rose petals, roasted English ivy, with a hint of orange blossom

This smells like something you would wear to afternoon tea. This really does smell exactly like how I think Kurama would. It's a floral scent but the ivy really balances it all together so it doesn't smell needlessly sweet. You sound like you might have gone through a flower shop rather than rolling around in pollen.

I think this is a great first time scent if you want something that isn't too sweet and you're new to wearing perfume.

One Piece

Fire Fist Ace: a spicy, fiery blend of cinnamon, black currant, pink pepper, pineapple and cranberry

My husband, the man of One Piece himself and a scent I wear often. I really don't want to sound corny but this really is a sugar and spice kind of smell. The berries will definitely be the first thing that catches your nose but then immediately underneath you get that kick of spice that compliments it really well, especially when applied on the skin and not just sniffing the bottle

This is a scent that lasts particularly long, so reapplication doesn't need to be frequent and it honestly smells it's best after it tapers off a bit and the spicier scents can come through. Considering who this scent was made for, it works very well. I enjoy wearing this pretty often being an Ace simp myself.

Flame Emperor Sabo: a mellow, slightly tangy mix of sandalwood, tangelo, leather and balsam

Like the Juvia and Gojou scents, this smells rather expensive. Honestly a steal and very fitting for the dapper character it's based on. Sabo is always well-dressed and he's pretty charming to boot when he isn't Dragon Clawing people to death.

I'd say this is very workplace appropriate too, so if you like wearing perfumes to work but you don't want to wear something too overwhelming this is the scent you go for.

Pirate King Luffy: an adventurous blend of roasted almonds, honeysuckle, peach and sequoia wood; it's bouyant and carefree like the infamous captain of the Thousand Sunny!

I'm planning on getting all the Straw Hat perfumes in order of their joining the crew so of course I had to start with Luffy! This scent is lovely, I'm actually wearing it while I write this review.

Buoyant and carefree really is the best description for this scent. It smells lightweight, a little woody. It's not a sweet scent which I think works for a character like Luffy. It's fun but practical, like something you'd want to have on when you're spending a day with some friends!

Pirate Hunter Zoro: a fresh, clean yet slightly woodsy scent of cherrywood, sandalwood and aloe vera with an undernote of plum and amaryllis petals to warm it up

Next up on the list is our boy Zoro! It definitely has a smell reminiscent of 'lost in a forest' and if you know anything about the character, you know that is very fitting off rip. It definitely have a very fresh and clean smell to it as well. Also ironic considering the character jfdsnfkjsdnfkjn let me stop sorry Zoro hoes, your man is awesome

The perfume is also pretty reminiscent of the shade of green Zoro's hair is, so that's very fun!

And that summarizes all of my thoughts concerning the perfumes I've bought thus far, I'm definitely planning on buying more. And should you check and see a character you'd like a perfume based on isn't available, just send in an email! Ada and Uche are constantly looking over customer responses and what people want more of.

I honestly have very few complaints and the ones I do have are more like minor nitpicks. I hope to see this brand grow more and more and hopefully this review contributes to that. There's something here for everybody from a scent called Truck-kun to recently added Apothecary Diaries perfumes. I haven't personally yet, but I recommend checking out their BNHA scents because the Bakugou scents was one of the first ones they made and the reason they even created their company to begin with! Fun little fact about them <3

There's a lot more I wanna buy and I hope some of y'all decide to get a scent too!

I'm personally keeping my fingers crossed for an Orihime perfume to drop from their Bleach collection.

[cinnamonaventura]

weekly tag wednesday

thank u @nymacron for the tag, this is my first one I think!! i'm doing it a day late cause I've been working

name: jay

zodiac sign: leo; i don't know the other stuff cause I think I have to know my hour of birth for it, but I was adopted, so my parents don't actually know it lol

how many trips have you made around the sun? 25

what time is it where you are right now? 5.21pm

what is the candy you wish you were eating right now? chocolate candy, it's europen i suppose, it's called Lindt. it's a chocolate shell and chocolate mousse liquid kinda thing inside. it's amazing.

would you rather swim in a swimming pool or a natural body of water? a pool a hundred per cent. i like the ocean, but just to look at it. i can't see pretty well, so actually being in the ocean is pretty scary to me.

what's the last thing you ate? a few slices of ham

find the closest book, what's the last two words on the last page of the last chapter? "head examined" it's from A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, which I haven't read yet, but it's on the list.

what's the last scene of shameless that you've watched? I'm rewatching season 11 episode 1; i'm at the scene where kev and v are putting the baked weed goods on the bar counter and frank tries to get some; i think a guy who tried a joint passed out and frank took his joint to smoke

what's the next song you're going to listen to? a noah kahan song I guess

what scent is your body soap? some flowers lilies i think, idk

what does your pillowcase look like? its brown and yellow

when's the last time you did laundry? sunday (?) i lose track of time, I'm not sure

what does the sky look like where you are now? no visible sun but still bright, a few clouds tho cause I think it's gonna rain again

go drink some water and put any emoji here to denote completion of this task: 🩵💧🚰

was the name of the earliest childhood teacher that you can remember? oh, the name will be difficult to pronounce; her name is ms. zhecheva; she was my kindergarten teacher and was always really nice to me

tags: @sleepyheadgallavich @sxvxntyxnx71 @tayf-ghost

[sam-loves-seb]

weekly tag wednesday

thanks for the tags: @mybrainismelted @spookygingerr @jrooc @energievie @deedala 💜

name: sam(antha)

zodiac sign: libra

how many trips have you made around the sun? 26, almost 27

what time is it where you are right now? 7:25pm

what is your favorite the candy you wish you were eating right now? reese's cups

would you rather swim in a swimming pool or a natural body of water? swimming pool

what's the last thing you ate? turkey tacos

find the closest book, what's the last two words on the last page of the last chapter? my life

what's the last scene of shameless that you've watched? the end of the gallavich wedding episode because i made my friends watch the episode with me in new york last weekend <3

what's the next song you're going to listen to? something off lainey wilson's new album, i've had it on repeat today

what scent is your body soap? i don't know if it has one? it's the dove pink beauty bar

what does your pillowcase look like? like a gray-ish blue-ish

when's the last time you did laundry? sunday and i still haven't folded all of it whoops

what's the sky look like where you are right now? sunset-y

go drink some water and put any emoji here to denote completion of this task: 🤍

what was the name of your earliest childhood teacher that you can remember? kindergarten, Mrs. Malone

tagging: anyone who hasn't done this yet!

[saucymincks]

GIFT-GIVING TIPS AND REMINDERS NO ONE ASKED FOR

Hello, my name is Caro and I fuckin' love giving people gifts. This year, we're all doing the "shit shit money is tight oh no" thing, a lot of us have to buy things for people we don't know super well, etc. so here are a few ways to make cheap/generic/last-minute gifts a little more special!

WRAP THE GIFT I know this might seem obvious, but you'd be surprised. Get some cheap wrapping paper and scotch tape and wrap it up! Or, if you're like me and hate wrapping gifts, grab a gift bag AND TISSUE PAPER. Don't just throw the thing in the bag and call it a day, a little puff of tissue paper makes it look like you gave a shit. Plus, the gift wrap is a great way to add a personal touch - you can use someone's favorite color, it can be cute or pretty or funny, whatever you want it to be. There are all sorts of creative ways to wrap gifts, too - I've seen part of the gift itself used as the wrapper, like when I received a book wrapped in a scarf and tied with a hair wrap!

REMOVE THE PRICE TAG Either cut the price tag off or, if it's printed directly onto the gift in any way, scratch it out with a pen or sharpie. It's not entirely about hiding what something costs (though there are reasons to do that) so much as it's about making it seem like you put any effort whatsoever into this. I've received $5 bargain bin gifts that were thoughtful and wonderful! But when you receive a $5 bargain bin gift that has the big red sticker on it and is unwrapped, it kinda feels like a "fuck you". I've also received expensive gifts and felt guilty/inadequate when I saw the price tag. That's not the energy you want when you're giving a gift. PERSONALIZE IT Even if you're giving something generic, you can personalize it at least a little most of the time. I'll use bath stuff as an example - we often think of that as a general "buy this for whoever" kind of thing, and it totally can be, but it's also easy to make bath stuff thoughtful! If I'm buying for my mom vs. my best friend, the vibes will be very different. My mom is more of a sunshiney organicy type, so she'd get light floral/herbal/citrus scents in colors like pink, light green, cream, etc. My best friend is basically if Morticia Addams and Tia Dalma had a baby, so she's getting things in purple, black, gold, forest green, with heavier scents like you'd associate with incense and the woods. They're both getting a candle, a bar of soap, and a sheet mask, but those items are personalized to their tastes and vibes.

IT'S OKAY TO ASK If you honestly don't know what to get someone, you can ask! And you don't have to phrase it like "what do you want me to buy for you" because that might make them feel weird! A more tactful way to ask what someone might want as a gift that doesn't make them feel as pressured to have the "right" answer is to ask them "is there anything you've had your eye on that you haven't been able to justify getting for yourself", or "is there anything I can help you replenish that you might need", or "what sort of things are you trying to keep on hand these days", or something along those lines. Ask them what they're watching or listening to these days, ask them what they're enjoying as hobbies, ask them where they like eating, etc. All of these questions can spark a ton of ideas!

IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU Some people really struggle when the person they're shopping for just wants practical or "boring" stuff, but remember: giving a gift is about giving a gift, not about receiving points. If someone says all they want is socks and a grocery store gift card, give them those things. If someone is overloaded with stuff, consider gifting them an experience or a subscription (I'm giving both my parents the gift of "pick a night, pick a theme, I'm your personal chef, you get to hang out and watch movies while I continue to hand you food until you say stop" this year). Don't buy loud stuff for little kids unless the parents are okay with it. Consider the person you're shopping for rather than how the gift will make you appear. If you're really hung up on the whole "paying your electricity bill for a month isn't a gift", "cleaning supplies aren't a gift", "underwear isn't a gift" thing, get them something indulgent in addition to the thing they're asking for.

GO ONE STEP FURTHER I have a friend who is BIG into Pokemon. I don't know a dingdang thing about Pokemon. I could very easily give him a Pikachu plushie and call it a day, and he'd be delighted by it, but you know what's a little more creative and fun? Doing some research and finding something a little more out of the box and unexpected. Which is how I stumbled across a bunch of Pokemon-themed cocktail recipes, and how I stumbled across the idea of making little cocktail kits in small mason jars with dried fruit and sugar cubes and stuff like that and pairing them with airplane bottles of liquor, which is how I gave that friend a gift that made him go "BITCH THIS IS SO CUTE, I'M GONNA MAKE THESE JIGGLYPUFF JELLO SHOTS TONIGHT" at the top of his lungs one year. Plus, he still has and still uses those jars after about a decade! It didn't cost me a ton of money, I was able to DIY most of it, and it was cute and personal. There are a lot of ways to do something a little unexpected and create a gift that's not going to set you back a ton but that has a ton of heart and love put into it.

CONSIDER A BUNCH OF TINY THINGS I...love tiny things. I love knickknacks. I love stuff and tchotchkes. I love opening a box or a bag and finding SO MANY LITTLE THINGS IN THERE. If you know someone like that, oh my god, shop for them like that, trust me, it's so much fun. Sometimes it's hard to come up with one big concrete item to give someone, so maybe...don't! One of the nicest gifts I ever got was literally a box of a bunch of little things that reflected me as a person. There was a mini bottle of a bourbon, a couple of jars of spices, a pair of fingerless gloves, some stickers, a box of shabbos candles (I am forever forgetting to replenish my supply and having to light random candles on Fridays), all sorts of random but personal stuff. Each item on its own was inexpensive and simple, but when it was all put together, it added up to an incredibly thoughtful mixture of practical, indulgent, and just plain fun!

YOU CAN REGIFT BUT YOU GOTTA BE CAREFUL ABOUT IT, BUDDY Look...it happens. We receive a thing we can't use/don't like/already own. Someone else might like it. We give it away. But please, please, please be strategic about regifting. I've regifted things plenty of times, but the trick is to keep it outside the circle so the person who originally gave it to you doesn't see you blatantly passing it along. There's honestly nothing inherently bad or wrong about regifting, in my opinion, but there can be hurt feelings attached to it for many people, so it's a good idea to try and avoid that. Also, if the item is personalized in any way...most of the time, regifting is not gonna work. Use your head here!

This is all I can think of at the moment but if y'all have other advice please feel free to add. Gifts don't have to be a "feed the capitalist machine" thing - they can be (and should be) an opportunity to give a loved one a tangible reminder that they are cared for, a chance to give someone a little treat to make their day and by extension their life better and happier. Gifts also should not be something that causes you stress and shame and frustration! Gifts should be JOYFUL for everyone involved. Now go out there and don't forget to buy tissue paper.

[retainerstainer]

Why self care so much more "caring" than any mans actions in a relationship.

"But my man loves me more than anything. blah blah blah" "You're just jealous you don't have one" "You literally don't know what you're talking I love doing my man more than doing things I like for myself because I care more about me and what I want for my needs and desires besides other people's judgements , such as my boyfriends preference, or dislike about my appearance." Ladies, we get it, you have a man, he pays for the bill, he opens the door for you, gentleman and chivalry characteristics are blooming from him, we're happy for you. But let's be honest, does his words say more than his actions?

Having or being in a relationship with man can be both, limerence fever in the air, or questioning your title as the "candid girlfriend of your mans dreams" or even questioning your sexuality at times. For girlfriends or women in general, that are accustomed to doing things for their man, (I'M not saying every WOMAN) not because they're forced to, but because it is apart of their love language of saying "I love you". Those kind of woman either KNOW how to maintain themselves for the benefit of simplicity and to just make them feel like them, in their time, their space, their small little hours of me moment, or panic and calculate how long it take for him to drive to work, finish work, change in to workout clothes, go workout, change and shower again, go to the bar with the boys, hang out at said boys house and play game and smoke the MJ, come home, POUNDTOWN, sleep, repeat.

To the girls who do that, let me hold your timer when I say this, YOU NEED A HOBBY. Me time. A moment to yourself that DOESN'T INVOLVE HIM. Your life shouldn't revolve around him because he is APART; an ADDITION to YOUR life. YOUR LIFE. Read it again. YOUR LIFE. That's where self care comes in.

I write this piece hours after I just did my everything technic, to staying healthy, clean, and hairless for the next month or two. A routine that reminds me of care, self love, and calm that I needed to reground myself and to maybe think of what I want in my life and what I really need. A routine/system that I continued since I could wax every inch and place of my body that people question why I didn't do gymnastics as a career.

The technic goes as follows: - turn on wax heater - gather hair products: coconut oil, (the best if you want to have that shine for your hair to make it look so really healthy), Carols Hair Oil, OGX Renewing Hair Oil and Coconut Hair Mist (for the morning), Shea Moisture Hydrate and Repair Multi-Action Leave in, Shea Moisture Hold and Shine Moisture Mist. - Separate hair into two parts from the back (like to make pigtails), and part by part add in the coconut oil. The oil will melt very fast in your hands. From top to bottom, From scalp to tips. After your done with the one side, add in Carols Daughter in the scalp, very little goes a long way, and message all the way down. Repeat to the other side. When finished, tie the two parts into braids or weird looking buns to keep them in the air. - Wax every part including her down there if you're up for it, if not then you can shave which I will write later. - Wax eyebrows - Turn on bath and add in scent free soap and Dr. Teals lavender salts or your own kind. - foot scrubber and foot massage. -In tub, shave miss kat and legs (optional) - Wash off hair oils and shampoo twice, and condition your hair once - Dry off, add in body lotion, cream, oils, etc. - Castor OIL! - TEEF! flossing, crest white strips, and oil pulling - paint your toenails if you want - TOWEL dry your hair, add in the Multi-action leave in, then put your hair in the towel again for 5 minutes. - After the 5, blow dry your hair until really dry, - Dry brush - Spray the Hold and Shine Moisture Mist. - add a dime size of the OGX Renewing hair oil, heat the oil in between your hairs and run it through your hair, tips, on the top of hair then tie it up on for a messy bun. (Next morning just spray the coconut oil mist and you're good) This routine has kept me smelling vanilla, fluffy cloud on ecstasy for 5 days I kid you not. But this whole routine itself has made me alone with my thoughts, wonders of the future and rethink some things that I need to change or I need to add for my character. My point of this piece is, Self-care often feels more "caring" than actions from a partner because it’s rooted in self-awareness and personal responsibility. When you practice self-care, you are directly addressing your own needs—whether they are emotional, physical, or mental. It’s an act of prioritizing yourself and understanding what genuinely nourishes your well-being. This deep level of understanding can make self-care feel more fulfilling because you are in control of giving yourself exactly what you need without relying on someone else. In relationships, even if a partner is caring, their actions might not always align with your needs or expectations. Sometimes, partners may express love or care in ways that don’t fully resonate with you, or there might be external factors (like miscommunication or emotional distance) that make their care feel insufficient. Self-care, on the other hand, is personal and doesn’t depend on anyone else, making it feel more consistent and reliable.

[joeltheresa]

pls if you do write for Wendy know you'll win every ounce of love I have to give I'm dying out here

I mean, since you asked so nicely <3

Creased Shirts

Pairing: Dr Wendy Carr x (f)!reader

WC: ~1000

Warnings/TWs: Implied sex, (f)!reader because she's very obviously a lesbian BUT I haven't used any gendered language for reader. One night stand-ish.

Notes: Super quick little thing. I've been feeling kind of off with my writing lately, so apologies for that. Not proofread or edited.

Summary: You wake alone after a night together with the most put together lesbian you've ever met.

It’s still dark when you open your eyes. 

The warm body besides you, the one you fell asleep next to, is gone. Your fingers search for it, tap the sheets until you reach the edge of the bed, and pull your hand back to your side. 

Not only is it dark, but it’s freezing. It must be what woke you, because even underneath the covers and a soft, plaid blanket, you’re shivering.

The idea that the owner of the apartment must’ve draped a blanket over you before she opened the window to keep you warm… your insides suddenly feel very funny. 

Doctor Wendy Carr. 

You met last night. It was warm, then. Hot, even. Your top stuck to your back the way clothes always do when summer nights are too warm and humid. The radio had been blaring out Bee Gees and Queen and your hips had been swaying in time to the beat. The man you danced with was an old army vet that had seen both Vietnam and central Europe and was old enough to be your father. 

He came every Friday evening like clockwork. Sometimes he sat in the bar with a cold one, head together with the younger vets. Other times, when his hip didn’t hurt too bad, he joined you on the floor. He always kept his hands at a respectful distance from your bottom and only ever flirted the way queer men do. 

When he needed to sit down (goddamn this hip, sweets), you sat down next to her. She didn’t necessarily look out of place, every sort came through here, but her shoulders were square and the way she stirred her cocktail was almost jerky. She had discarded her suit jacket, but the white button up underneath was still neatly pressed and her ankles were crossed.

Like a lady, you heard your grandma say, somewhere in the back of your head, and your lips tugged up in a half smile.

“You come here a lot?”

Her head snapped up and your eyes met for a moment, and some of the tension seemed to leave her.

“No”, she admitted. Then: “But you do.”

It wasn’t a question. 

-

Three hours later, she tugged the covers over you. The sheets were damp with sweat and the room smelled like need, like sex, like love. You had fallen asleep before she returned from the shower.

You find a discarded shirt and tug it on, and find her standing by an open window in the living room.

Wendy only wears the same shirt she had earlier tonight. It’s creased, unlike earlier, and only two of the buttons have been closed. She leans heavily against her right leg, and it almost feels lazy when she sucks in a deep breath of the cigarette.

Your cigarettes. 

“I thought you didn’t smoke”, you say and come to stand next to her. There’s only a moment’s hesitation before you wind an arm around her middle and press your chest to her back, top of your nose finding the crook of her neck. Her hair is still wet and the scent of her perfume lingers, something sweet and heavy you can’t quite place. Her soap must be lavender.

“I don’t”, she replies, but you can hear the smile in her voice. She holds out the smoke for you to take a puff, then has another drag for herself.

“I can see that.”

Silence falls.

Her body feels like a personal heater, where you’re pressed to her. It’s only when you brush against her wet hair that you’re reminded of how cold it is, and both your arms and bare legs have prickled from the chill by the time she puts the cigarette out. She has placed a plate on the window sill, something that shifts in brown or yellow. It’s impossible to tell in the dark.

Despite the freezing night, she keeps the window open for a moment longer. The gentle murmur of a car can be heard in the distance, and voices come from the street below. You believe you can hear the chirp of an early bird, and her breathing is as soothing as a lullaby.

“I have never done this before”, she admits, finally. When the words leave her, it’s as if the remainders of tension from the bar does, as well, and she leans against your body.

You exhale and her hair tickles your nose.

“What? A woman?”

She laughs, and it’s one of those chuckling laughs that almost sound as if they hurt, as if it’s coming from the very pit of her stomach and forces its way out before she can even try to hinder it. It’s impossible not to smile, to feel her happiness in your very soul.

“No”, she replies, when she has managed to catch her breath again. “I’ve never brought someone home, for the night.”

Now, that is difficult to imagine. The way her soft lips felt against your skin, the way her fingers mapped out your  body, the way she found spots to massage you didn’t even know existed.

You move to press your lips to her throat, linger by her pulse to feel it against your lips.

“Doesn’t have to be for the night.”

She laughs again and twists around, until she can wrap both arms around your neck. You bury your face between her collarbones and suck in another breath of that perfume, until it leaves your head swimming with nothing but her.

“I have work!”

You reluctantly pull away to glance around the room, until you find what you’re looking for. The soft tick-tack had lulled you to sleep earlier.

4:26. 

“Already?”

“Already”, she confirms. This time, she tears herself away from you and you straighten. When her eyes dip down to have a quick look at your lips, you don’t hesitate for a second.

She tastes of cold mint. Her lips are just as soft now as they were earlier. “If you stay”, she says, when she pulls away from the kiss and presses her forehead to yours. “Do me a favor and change the sheets. Shower. And brush your teeth.”