#Talking about Cater. One of the reason she joined this club was because she promised it to him | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

yinses · 3 years

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meticulously

| you just needed him to do this one thing … then you wouldn’t ask for anything more | sukuna ryomen rating: 18+

a/n: we only accept au sukuna in this nandos. my second longest work to date and its sukuna.

maybe it was because you were tired of hearing it all.

about how you were such a good girl. so ambitious and focused on your studies. they made it seems so honorable that you were willing to put boys on the back burner in order to achieve your goals.

as if you had a choice.

as if you weren’t a timid little thing who incidentally teased the edges of something before falling back the recesses of your comfort zone. how many apps had you applied for only to waste the time of yourself and others. those sites were never meant to find true love- just conveniently hook ups to release pent up stress.

and you had a lot of it.

so maybe that's why you decided that it was okay to have a little more to drink tonight- to wander further from your friends into the wilderness. you could have one day to make a bad decision and face the consequences for it.

clubs were never your thing which was likely another reason why you were in this drought.

it wasn’t as easy as you thought it would be, as old habits die hard. every so often you were approached with promises of drinks and suggestive conversation. and each one you shied away from and earned a scoff before they already started in pursuit of their next challenge.

it was possible that you were doing it wrong. you lacked the confidence to just ask for what you wanted, mostly because you didn’t know. play coy, they told you, make them do the work for you.

so you find yourself on the dance floor instead with a new strategy. lost among the masses with the bass thrumming in your veins. here there would be no room for talk.

it only takes one song for you to feel him behind you. he doesn’t whisper sweet things in your ear. instead, his hands start at your hips, just a brush of touch to see how you react. when you don’t move away, he pulls you close and moves your hips in slow circles.

you’re immediately attracted to his confidence. in the way he guides your hand upward, instead of lower, encouraging your hand to grip at the short of his hair. the angle it provides is an open invitation for him to begin placing open mouthed kisses up the length of your neck. when he reaches your ear he pauses, and you hear the dark timber of his voice.

“i saw you turning away all those little boys earlier. what are you looking for, kitten?”

kitten. you shiver at the name. main characters in novels always turned into a giddy mess over the pet name, losing themselves to the velvety whispered promises and underlying possession. the name brought more of a thrill than anything else; to know that he had been watching you in the distance.

you fight the urge to turn, wanting to stay in the moment for as long as you could. for some reason, like this, you think you could become the person he thinks you are. someone who knows what she wants and doesn’t accept anything less. back at the bar, men asked you too many questions and allowed the opportunity for your insecurities to bleed through.

like this, you only needed to admit one thing.

“i want you.”

its stupid and reckless. he could be a list of anything dangerous yet you advanced him to the top of the list. it was too early to tell but you hope he could be the one. then all of of the little details wouldn’t matter. you were here to lose your first time, not remember it.

you don’t expect him to use the grip on your hips to turn you, the sudden shift and lingering alcohol leaving you disoriented for a moment.

he was tall, though you had judged so from the reach it took to curl your fingers into his nape. the hair you had been blindly acquainted with turned out to be an unusual pale shade of pink. but it worked for him, and the interesting accompaniment of vermillion eyes. you were just starting to account the black lines of dark ink peeking from under his sleeve when his voice drew your attention back to his face.

his grin was telling. he wanted you to take him in because he knew you’d like what you saw. he doesn’t even need to ask. it was too early to tell if he was calling your bluff or enabling it.

he brings his mouth down to hover above yours, lips brushing as he speaks,”so your place or mine?”

this is what you needed, no thoughts beyond what your bodies could offer. this was the man who would take your virginity.

the first sign of hesitance you show is when offering your home. it was close enough to the campus and your neighbors would hear your scream if your ignorance turned out to be your undoing. he agrees, naturally, because why would he turn down a willing lay?

your fingers fumble quickly and shakily as you quickly text your friends that you’re bringing someone back. the answers vary from concern, to disbelief, to excitement and back to apprehension. ultimately, your roommates agree to leave the apartment to you for the night but vow to turn up first thing in the morning.

all the while, his hand is at the small of your back as he guides you towards the entrance. the icy cold air that hits you when you step outside is unkind to the thin sheen of sweat you’d accumulated. the price paid to look good rarely came cheap. the heat radiating from behind you was less of a comfort and more of a reminder as you shift from foot to foot in wait for a taxi.

“ names’ sukuna.”

it came as a jest rather than to inform. the way your eyes widen in realization proving that you’d skimmed over that step unintentionally. the men prior had offered it up without prompting as if it as their key trait in the introductions. while you’d grinded on this man for nearly two songs and hadn’t even thought to ask.

you stumble over your own name and his grin widens further.

he leans close enough for your visible breaths to mingle.

“you’re so fucking cute, kitten. i can’t wait to unwrap you.”

and then he was kissing you senseless.

he tastes of whiskey and menthol, a savory smokiness that would be a lingering flavor for hours to come. there was a unique sense of excitement that came from kissing a stranger. the anxiousness blurred the lines between your thoughts and emotions. his tongue met yours and swept it into a fast, claiming pace.

just when your hands rose to find purchase on his shirt, the incoming headlights fanned against your joined bodies. sukuna, the apparent level-headed one, pulled away for you.

“don’t worry, we’ll have plenty to explore soon.”

sukuna surprisingly does not encroach on your space in the back of the taxi. his arm rests comfortably along the back of your seat, but his fingers don't chase the easy access to the back of your neck there. it makes you annoyingly anxious as your knee jumps in place. you refrain from looking at him in the corner of your eye already knowing what awaits you on his lips.

the remainder of the drive is short and uneventful.it takes less than ten minutes between the club and the arrival at your front door. you impress yourself with the lack of tremors as you fit your key into the door and welcome you into your home.

the light from the kitchen highlights only what you need to make it to your bedroom without injury. too many had happened before that became habitual prior to any night out.

there is a rattle in your spine as you carefully pull one shoe off than the other. its an action that you take your time with as you gather your thoughts. when you look back at him, he hasn’t wandered a step from the entrance, though his gaze travels where the light allows. at the feel of your gaze he cocks a brow,”i’m waiting on you kitten.”

right.

this was happening.

you’d made it this far.

tilting your head, you lead him to your bedroom without another word. you’re thankful that your widow sits in view of the night sky, taking the place of any artificial light you might have to provide.

every muscle is as stiff as a board as you toss your shoes into a corner. your mouth opens to stupidly point out that this is your room.

sukuna laughs, because why wouldn’t he after learning the mysterious vixen not only had a name but was a timid little thing. still he didn’t cater to your anxiety nor did he allow it to slow his pace.

his arms flex as he reaches behind himself to pull at his shirt from the tag. you’d caught glimpses of his tattoos in the darkness of the club without really looking, but you haven't been able to connect the lines of a pseudo sleeve. the double bands circle both wrists and biceps with encompassing circles swirling around his shoulders. it was a simple yet uniform pattern. you could just see the beginning of another figure curing from behind his neck as well.

“i’m starting to think that i should just be flattered when you get quiet like that.”

his hand makes itself home again at your waist as he walks you backwards until the edge of your bed knocks against the back of your knees. sukuna keeps you from falling back while his fingers go to curl at the hem of your dress.

“it’s only fair,” he says in your ear, as if the removal of his shirt was any kind of equivalence.

he helps you along the way, or maybe makes it worse as he starts to kiss your neck. his hands slide along every new available inch of skin from your thighs to your navel. he shamelessly cups your bra, squeezing the mounds in appreciation.

sukuna pulls away to rid you of the dress entirely. before you can adjust to the loss, he leans back in to unhook your bra as an afterthought.

he grins when you immediately bring your arms over your exposed chest,”don’t be shy. this is what you wanted, right?”

you don’t miss the implied probe behind the tease. it's faint but it’s comforting to know he’s still seeking consent and it eases a bit of your anxiety.

it makes you pliant enough for him to cup the backs of your thighs and lie you back against the sheets. though the moment your bare skin comes in contact with the sheets with his broad form hovering over you, all the brief conviction shrivels up.

your hands curl into the bedding for leverage when his weight is suddenly there to ease you back down. his arms slip around you to anchor you in place, pinning you under the hard warmth of his chest. his lips meet your ear, tongue sliding along the shell,” these mixed signals are going to get old real quick, kitten. “

there is a warning there but you don’t know what exactly it alludes too. how could you when you’d invited a complete stranger into your home.

but sukuna seems to know what to look for, eyes carefully watching the way you shy away from his touch yet draw yourself back on your own. he’s attune to the push and pull, seeming to understand the paradoxical conundrum that you’d drug him into.

you can just barely catch the cut of his smile in the darkness,”are you a virgin, kitten?” he asks, voice light and cool.

the way his body is keeping you in place makes it impossible for you to curl in on yourself, your embarrassment left on display.

“oh baby, if you let me, i’ll take good care of you.”

and how could you not agree to that?

he swallows your affirmation, tongue pushing into your mouth and making you groan.

“ ‘m gonna make you feel so good.”

his hands slide between the apex of your thighs to cup you, digits gliding along your covered slit. two fingers from his other hand press against the aperture of your mouth with the single command to suck.

you only hesitate briefly, tongue flicking out to taste the salt from his fingers. his impatience grows in the moment, idly feeding you a few inches until your lips hollow to stop him before he can reach the back of your throat. it feels more like a sloppy mess than anything remotely sexy as you drool around him, sucking harder to contain the wetness.

but sukuna seems to eat up the attention, idly thrusting in and out when he can. “you’re such a good learner,” he praises with hoarseness.

a garbled squeak manages to leave you as the elastic of your panties is pulled from your hips. you can feel the stick trail connecting you to the fabric, but seeing it is a whole new wave of mortification.

sukuna is able to tug them down to your ankles before your legs can lock up. “don’t be shy. i love filthy girls like you.“ your nerves jump to attention when he presses his thumb against your throbbing clit. “i can work with this.”

you gasp, lips losing their grip on his fingers, as you press your head back against the pillow. heat rises in the low of your stomach, a sensation that you’d never been able to achieve on your own. he starts with a single digit, easily making its way through your passage with the slick provided. his fingers crook in search of an ideal angle, making a sound of encouraging praise when you keen and rock your hips down for more.

your lashes flutter with the effort of keeping them open as he manipulates friction against your sex.without warning, he adds a second finger in alongside the first,”kitten you have no idea how happy i am that you grinded back against me on that dance floor.” the introduction allows for a scissoring action as he tests the stretch of your walls.

you’re happy to have the flat to yourself as the next whimper shatters your coherency, snapping any restraint that you had on your volume. sukuna chuckles at your cry, flexing his touch to reach new depths.

“i really wanted to see what you could do with your mouth but i don’t think i can wait.”

he gives one last swipe against the tackly mess before he fumbles with his belt. you don’t get offended when he only drops his pants far enough to free his cock. its distracting enough watching him stroke himself idly to fullness. sukuna harbors no shame as he cants his hips, fucking into the tight circle of his fist.

he pulls his wet fingers from your lips and you swallow around the absence.

you’re immediately grateful when he pulls out a condom, uncaring when the empty foil packet gets lost on your floor.

sukuna can feel the tightness as he palms your hip and positions himself at the stretch of your entrance.

“don’t go getting all nervous on me. i went through such a great deal to prepare you for this.”

his hand slides past your naval to grip your breast, rolling the hardening peak with his thumb. the lack of attention they’d received thus far acts as enticing interference.

he still doesn’t go for the unanticipated approach, keeping you vaguely aware by running the head of his cock up and down your dripping cunt.

it’s still easier said than done as all the reddit and gossip forums come reeling back the the forefront. you hadn’t even thought to get a towel, what if there was a lot of blood- too much? should you have gotten painkillers ?

above you sukuna tsks and you jolt from the sharp pain of him cruelly pinching your nipple. when you go to protest, he merely gives you a look, holding your gaze while his head drops take the abused bud into his mouth.

when he gives a particularly hard suck you know what’s coming as his hips roll up against you.

he’s big. of course he’s big given that he’s your first and all that you’ve had prior to your own fingers are his. sukuna expresses a show of kindness that you weren’t expecting with the initial push, as he uses his grip to ease himself in slowly.

it still burns; the uncomfortable stretch as he drags the friction of his cock past the slick barrier. but its not thee sharp punch you were expecting even before the base meets your pelvis. your hand darts up to smack against the hard flat of his stomach to stop him there but the centimeters separating you were barely negligible.

his mouth pops off of your breast with a wet sound as you pant, squeezing experimentally around the width of him. it was more manageable than you were anticipating, and you adjust your hips in another trial. the movement pulls a sharp hiss from his lips and his fingers clamp down tighter at the curve of your waist.

his vermillion eyes are no longer slits of concentration, now blown wide to contain the depth of lust simmering there. there is a shudder a he holds himself back from fucking into you. “if you’re done playing, i’d like to fuck you now.”

instinct drives you to reach around him, nails gripping traction around his shoulder blades as he grates his hips. the motion starts the first thrusts of many as sukuna introduces you to the truest definition of fucking.

its gradual, the way he picks up speed, introducing each part of you to himself before overpowering the nerves with a firmer touch.you should be embarrassed by the broken sounds leaving your mouth, but you can hardly remember your own name let alone decency.

sukuna on the other hand, relishes in the way he fucks you stupid, taking each bite of your nail and shattered speech with pride. “you have the prettiest fucking mouth for a virgin.”

it was impossible to accept the praise with the way he was knocking the sense from you with each thrust. he made it feel so good. all of it. from the inclination to the way he filled you up.

he continues to slam inside, breathing barely affected by the effort of pulling you apart at the seams. god he just doesn’t shut up. and you don’t want him too. they way he can make you hang from each word.

you don’t know how he can handle words with all the smugness oozing from is lips, “i know you wouldn’t know the difference. but they’re typically so quiet- biting their lip and shit as if they’d scare away their own orgasm.”

“but not you baby. you fucking speak to me.” its not the kind of praise you were expecting but you latch on to it anyway. his arm comes around your waist and brings you forward to pin against his frame.

you don't know what possesses you to do so, mayve its the new proximity, but your hands cup his face and bring his lips to meet yours. sukuna doesn't fight the action but his attention is elsewhere as your head bobs with the effort of keeping your mouths attached. ultimately it's the sharpness of your teeth against his bottom lip that prompts him to participate.

his tongue shoves past your lips to twist with yours. then he angles his hips just so and you sob. its an epiphany for you but its exactly what sukuna was looking for as he aims there again, and again, abusing that little patch of tissue that makes you witness nirvana.

sukuna drops a hand between your bodies to pass a thumb over your clit. he smirks when you jolt, still managing a perfect enunciation of your name even as his hips lose rhythm.

“all i need you to do tonight is come. can you do that for me, kitten?”

and you can, even without his instruction as your legs come up to squeeze around him despite the tremors. hot pleasure radiates up your spine from the source, washing over you in waves as you spill around him. it feels incredible to finally be able to let go. fuck, you don’t know if anything else will be like this first time. but you’re damn sure not going to forget it anytime soon.

even as your body falls pliant, sukuna keeps the pace as he chases his own release. the beginnings of bruises protest at your hips as he pounds a fragment tempo until he stills. the groan he lets out nearly brings you to a second orgasm as the sound shakes your body.

you’re thankful that he has enough energy to unhinge your legs from his hips, laughing to himself at the little trembles they give off. the act of him leaving you is a strange sensation to describe. despite the beating it took, your cunt still tries to hold him in.

it naturally earns you a crass comment as he uses the edge of your comforter to wipe himself down,”kitten, i don’t think you could handle another round of me.” you don't want to think about where he tossed the condom, just hoping that it was within the vicinity of the trashcan. but that was something future you would have to worry about.

you don’t offer him a place to stay and he doesn’t give you the opportunity to do so.

present you was starting to learn a new type of soreness as you gathered your legs against your chest and bring the blankets around your body. there wasn’t much of a delay as sukuna got dressed, tracing back his steps easily to his discarded shirt and tucking himself away long the way.

when he looks back at you, you must look like a child snuggled away for the night.

his looks at you with silent consideration. it was finally time to conduct the awkward ‘thank yous’ before the two of you parted ways forever. but at least it wasn’t you taking the walk of shame. though you don’t think it will be sukuna either with the swagger still linger in his step.

it’s the blatant admission that you weren’t expecting, “ i like you. so i’ll leave my number for another time.”

that is not how a one night stand should end.

sukuna assumes you can’t handle the basic technological skill of adding his contact to your phone and proceeds to write it instead on the planner board posted by the door. it’s written so big you can just make out the numbers from the bed.

“be sure to call when you think you can handle me at my best.”

you wait, listening for the front door to click shut in his departure before you fall back against your bed. you should really be changing the sheets but you cant bring yourself to do more than roll onto your side.

you did it.

finally experienced all the gossip and jazz everyone talked out.

and now you could focus and get back on track.

without prompt, your gaze drifted over to the dry erase board. sukuna had completely disregarded the individual squares dedicated to different days and messily scrawled his information between two weeks. it was a direct representation of the chaotic energy he gave off.

you would just clean it up in the morning along with any other remnants of this night.

...

or perhaps you could save as a sort of emergency contact.

you’d just discovered a new source of therapy after all.

#sukuna x reader #sukuna ryomen #sukuna ryomen x reader #sukuna sins #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen

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outer-bnks · 3 years

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Two Burning Hearts Are Dared to Break (JJ x OC) Ch. 14

JJ catches Elle and Topper in a compromising position, eliciting a fight in which some truths are exposed.

Warning: brief mention of alcohol, smoking. hella angst

Word count: 1.5k

“JJ! Wait!”, she followed him out to the side entrance of the garden that was thankfully empty, watching as he made his way over to a catering truck that stood in the carpark attached to the club.

“For what Elle?! What I just saw doesn’t need explaining!”, he huffed, as he continued walking away from her.

“What are you even doing here?”, she questioned, unaware that he was going to be attending the party. Noticing his navy shirt and slacks, she realised that he was working one of his multiple jobs in order to earn enough to pay off his restitution. He opened the back doors of the truck, beginning to unload them.

“What does it look like? I just thought I’d swing by for shits and giggles”, he sarcastically answered, his arms out wide, looking around at the crates around his feet.

“Well you could’ve told me that you were coming!”, she exclaimed.

JJ scoffed, “What difference would it have made, you looked like you were having a pretty good time in the laundry room!”. The fuzzy feeling that she was experiencing with Topper had definitely dissipated, leaving the all too familiar sinking sensation in her stomach.

“It would have made a lot of difference JJ!”. For starters, she might not have agreed to be Topper’s date in front of the boy she actually had feelings for.

Rolling his eyes, he turned away from her again, continuing to work, “I don’t even care, it's just that I didn’t think you’d move on so fast”, he shrugged, trying to make his disinterest believable by adopting an apathetic tone of voice.

Elle’s eyebrows furrowed, confused by his choice of words, “What? Move on?”. As far as she was concerned, they had nothing to move on from, he had made that very clear as of recently.

“John B’s only been gone for 2 weeks, you know I just wouldn’t have thought that you’re the type to just-”.

Elle cut him off, utterly bewildered by what he was implying, “Wait wait wait. John B?”.

“Yes John B, Elle! It’s so obvious that you’re into him”.

It was her turn to scoff, “Are you out of your mind? I do not have a thing for John B! I never have!”. He thought she was into John B? Maybe she’d thought she had a crush on him when she first moved to the OBX, but that quickly changed as soon as met JJ. She was even sure that John B was aware of her feelings for JJ, making sneaky comments that only she could hear, or winking at her whenever the pair were left alone together for more than 5 minutes. But she’d never actually had a conversation with him about that, he was the kind of friend who knew what you were feeling before you even knew it yourself.

“Could’ve fooled me”, he mumbled, locking up the back of the truck as he had now emptied the crates into numerous stacks.

Looking around the garden, puzzled by how he’d come to this conclusion, she sighed, “God JJ you really do talk out of your ass sometimes!”. Had he forgotten about how obsessed John B was with Sarah? Or the fact that Elle was actually excited when Sarah joined the Pogues?

This seemed to get a rise out of him, turning on his feet and walking over to her, “Oh please! All the times I would come over to the Chateau and you were already there, in his bed fast asleep, or answering his door basically naked?”. He knew that the way he spoke definitely portrayed his jealousy, and was uncalled for, but he hoped that masking it with confusion or anger wouldn’t give away his true feelings.

Honestly, it killed him the first time he entered the Chateau and found out Elle had decided to sleep in John B’s bed instead of the empty spare room. It was the morning after they’d been hanging out as a group, smoking, watching movies and binging on the snacks Pope had brought over. Often, on nights like that everyone would stay over, usually having already fallen asleep during the last movie. However, JJ had decided to sleep in his own bed that night, knowing that his Dad was on an overnight fishing trip with his workmates. He hadn’t even thought about whether Elle had stayed over or headed home, until he walked in the next morning, calling out for John B and banging on his bedroom door, not expecting her to answer in nothing but one of John B’s oversized t-shirts. He quickly put two and two together, knowing that she had a drawer in the spare room with some clothes in it for whenever she decided to stay over, and concluded that the scene in front of him, reeked of sex. And of an unspoken betrayal that JJ promised himself never to mention.

That wasn’t the last time he had caught her in that situation, it recurring exactly 5 more times, over the space of the past year. To ensure that he would never feel that betrayal again, JJ had pushed down his feelings for Elle, rebuilt some of the walls that he’d let come down around her, and used sarcasm to hide how he actually felt about the idea of his best friend hooking up with the girl that he thought he was falling in love with.

Shaking her head slightly out of disbelief, she rebutted, her voice rising a few decibels, “Excuse me? I have never slept with John B. So what we shared a bed, does that automatically mean we were hooking up? We couldn’t have just been friends who fell asleep in the same bed after talking for a few hours? JJ I’ve shared a bed with you, Pope and Kie tonnes of times! Was I hooking up with all of you as well?”.

Looking down at the ground briefly, he lowered his voice, becoming aware of how loud they were being. “It’s different with us and you know it”.

Following his lead, she lowered her voice, her anger showing through in her tone instead, “Do I J? I’m surprised you even noticed with all the tourons coming and going from your room”.

His eyes darted up to her face, “What's that supposed to mean?”.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she continued, “You get to have your fun, aren't I allowed to have mine?”. That’s all JJ ever referred to his one night stands or brief flings as, fun.

Pointing back at the door that they’d emerged from, he referred to Topper, “This is what you call fun Elle? Fine, have all the ‘fun’ in the world, but please spare me, I don’t wanna see it”.

She raised her eyebrows out of surprise, two could play at this game. “Oh and you thought I enjoyed watching you mack on anyone with a pulse at our keggers?”. She couldn’t count the times she had watched him sweet talk a touron at a kegger into going for a walk down to the water with him, often not returning for over an hour. Not that Elle was keeping track (although she was definitely keeping track). In that hour, she’d usually devoured way too many shots, or danced, or began chatting up a guy herself, to ease the dull heartache that seemed to consume her.

Defeated by this argument, and his blood still boiling, he resorted to his defences, “You know what, do what you want, just don't come crying to me when he turns out to be exactly who we think he is”.

“From what I can remember, you wanted nothing to do with me, so what do you care who I’m macking on?”.

“The only reason I care is because of John B and Sarah. We’re trying to find ways to clear John B’s name and get justice for Sarah, whilst you're hooking up with her goddamn ex.

When this whole thing between you two blows up like it inevitably will, just know that you have no one to blame but yourself”, he spat, turning and walking back over to crates, beginning to take them around to the kitchen entrance of the Yacht Club.

“Thanks JJ! I’ll be sure to keep that in mind”, she called out after him, watching him make his way inside. She felt as though steam was coming out of her ears and she swore that her face was beet red right now, matching the faded stain on her dress. She was expecting some sort of drama to occur tonight, but not once had she thought that it would’ve been with JJ instead of Topper.

Hearing the door to the garden close behind her, she took a deep breath before turning around to face him, “Hey, are you alright?”, he asked softly. He had definitely heard the fight, probably opting to stay inside so as to not incite any more tension.

“Yeah I’m fine”, she nodded, grabbing his hand in hers and giving it a gentle squeeze, “let’s head back inside, you might need to show me how to act like a proper Kook, I think I’m finished with being a Pogue for the night”, she winked.

Topper recognised her joking tone, hinging from the hips in a faux bow, “Why of course my lady, follow me”. If she was going to be treated like a Kook, what’s the harm in acting like one?

Taglist:

@mybillyhardgrove @cyrrusmreadings @downbytheouterbanks @belledutchess @imagines-and-preferences1216 @teamnick @lauraxwndrlnd @thehomeiknow @obxlife @shawnssongs @rudyypankow @gigi-june @x-lulu @frodofreakingbaggins

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kn1feinthec0ffee · 3 years

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new team - shoyo hinata

shoyo hinata x fem!reader

summary: you teach hinata some skills in middle school and to pay you back, he guarantees you a spot on the karasuno volleyball team.

warnings: NONE VERY FLUFFY

word count: 1,737

notes: i rlly rlly liked writing this bc i love my boy hinata and this just flowed so naturally and i’m rlly proud of it :’)

i also usually write gender neutral reader bc i’m nb and i wanna cater to as many ppl as possible and make them feel valid, but it was kinda necessary to the story for reader to be fem in this one

********************

after setting a ball to your friend, you noticed a short boy by himself in the corner of the gym with bright orange hair, setting and receiving against the wall. you made your way over to him, observing that he actually wasn’t too bad.

“oi, redhead,” you called out playfully. he turned around with a look of confusion on his face, as if to say ‘me?’ “yeah you. i couldn’t help but notice you’re playing all by your lonesome over here. any particular reason for that?”

his cheeks tinged pink at the callout, but he responded nonetheless. “w-well there’s not enough boys for the school to create a boys volleyball club, so i’m trying to get as many hours of practice in at school as i can.”

you nodded in recognition of his situation. “well, sorry to say you won’t get very far if the wall is your only opponent. but you’re certainly welcome to practice with me when my practice is over. if you’re interested, of course.”

“woah, really? you’d do that for me?” he asked in astonishment, eyes going wide as saucers.

“of course i would. i may not know much about you, but i can tell you have a passion for the sport, and it’d be a real shame for that to fizzle out,” you smiled genuinely. “i’ll help you practice...”

it took him a moment to realize you were waiting for his name. “oh! hinata! shoyo hinata.” he introduced.

“well shoyo hinata, i’m y/n l/n and i look forward to practicing with you.” you grinned. a whistle blew behind you, pulling you from your conversation with the boy. “sorry, i’ll see you later!”

sure enough, you found him waiting out by the baseball field, spinning a volleyball in his palm. after a short while of practicing, you realized you had underestimated this kid and the power he can pack in his spikes. it was clear he needed to improve in his receives, but he was in remarkably good shape for playing against a wall every week.

the two of you quickly became good friends, shoyo becoming your number one supporter - aside from your parents, of course. he attended all your games, cheering obnoxiously loud when it was your turn to serve.

over the summer from 8th to 9th grade however, the two of you didn’t see each other nearly as often as you used to. you had to admit it made you sad; the sweet redheaded boy had carved a special spot in your heart and you missed him dearly.

you attended karasuno high school, hoping to join the girls volleyball club and make some new friends. upon examining the club applications, much to your dismay, it appeared that such a club didn’t exist.

volleyball was your passion, and it hurt that you had no way of pursuing it anymore.

hanging your head in defeat and crumpling up the paper, you heard footsteps approaching rapidly from in front of you. before you could look up, a body suddenly collided with you, nearly knocking you over with the momentum they had built up.

“y/n!” a familiar voice cried out. you quickly realized the voice belonged to hinata, who’s arms were currently wrapped around you.

“hinata! i can’t believe you go to school here! i’ve missed you so much!” you squealed, hugging him back.

he pulled away, a look of surprise on his face. “are you kidding? i can’t believe you go to school here! you oughta be wherever the best girls volleyball club is! speaking of that, have you joined yet?”

you glanced down to the crumpled paper that still pressed against your palm. “well that’s the thing, it’s not even a choice on the club application form. unfortunately, i don’t think karasuno has one.”

shoyo gasped dramatically, jaw falling open in shock. “so what are you gonna do? you can’t just not play anymore, you’re so good!”

you smiled at the compliment from the boy, but your expression grew sadder. “thanks, shoyo, but i’m not sure what i can do. this seems like it’s out of my hands.”

a look of determination painted his features as he grabbed you by the shoulders. “no, i’m not gonna let this happen to you. don’t worry, y/n, i’ll find a way for you to play.”

he ran off, leaving you alone with your thoughts in the deserted hallway.

despite having absolutely no idea what he was planning, you trusted the boy. you knew he had your best interests at heart and would do anything to help you succeed, and you adored him for that. you just hoped whatever method he had to allow you to play wasn’t too embarrassing for you; you weren’t too keen on begging some team to let you play for them, but you had a feeling hinata’s plan wouldn’t involve that.

——————————

“please?” hinata begged.

“a girl? join the team? i don’t know hinata, you’d have to run it by the coach.” daichi uttered hesitantly.

“but you’re the captain, daichi, you have the final say!” he reminded him.

daichi sighed. “yeah, you’re right. what’s so special about this girl?”

he watched as hinata’s eyes lit up in excitement when he spoke about her. “well she was the setter in middle school, but that was only because no one else was good enough to play that position. she’s really versatile and she taught me practically everything i know about spiking! she’s also got some mean overhand serving skills; she’d be a great addition to the team! please, daichi, pretty please?”

he looked down at the boy to see him glancing up with a pair of puppy eyes, intent on winning him over. daichi felt he was powerless to do anything but give in, though his description of you did sound pretty great if he was being honest.

“alright, i’ll talk to the coach and see what he thinks. bring her to our next practice and introduce her to everyone.” he said, not missing the bright grin that donned the redhead’s face at his words.

“thank you so much, sir! you won’t regret it, i promise!” he ran back towards the basket of balls to practice serving once more.

——————————

“where are you taking me, shoyo?” you muttered. “can you take your hands off yet?”

he had cornered you back in the main building, insisting you accompany him to some unknown destination he had in mind. since then, he had been walking directly behind you, his hands covering your eyes.

“i’ll show you...” he waited until you took a few more steps. “now!”

you blinked your eyes open to find yourself outside of the gym building. “the gym? what are we doing here, hinata?”

you turned to him and he grinned. “volleyball practice is about to start.”

“volleyball - as in boys volleyball? what am i doing here? am i here to watch you practice?”

he donned a soft smile at your confusion. “no, you’re gonna practice.”

your eyes widened. “i am? i don’t even have any athletic clothes, shoyo, i just have my uniform!”

“i wouldn’t worry too much about that today,” he pushed you towards the doors. “i’ll just be introducing you to everyone today.”

“introducing...? what is going on here, hinata?” you questioned. he pushed the door open to reveal a large group of mostly tall boys, all staring down at you.

most of them looked friendly and approachable, but several of them looked rather intimidating. “everyone, this is y/n. y/n, this is your new team.” shoyo announced.

you gasped, turning towards hinata. “m-my new team? you got me a spot on the team?”

the look of gratitude in your eyes had him blushing a bright pink and he scratched the back of his head nervously. “it was nothing, really. y-”

he was cut off as you hugged him tightly, thanking him for allowing you to continue the sport you loved. “you don’t have to thank me, it’s not a huge deal or anything.”

“are you kidding? it’s a huge deal! i can’t believe you did this for me!” your smile nearly reached your ears.

he walked you around the gym, introducing you to his teammates. sugawara and asahi were incredibly sweet, even offering to set you a few balls to test your spiking abilities, though you declined since you were still wearing a skirt.

the intimidating one you saw earlier - tsukkishima, you had learned - was not as sweet as the others you had met and seemed rather distant, though you hoped that would fade as you got to know him.

tanaka and nishinoya were full of energy and practically gushing over you even though they hadn’t yet witnessed your abilities.

the one shoyo introduced as kageyama shot you a nasty glare. “what position did you play?”

“setter,” you murmured, slightly on edge from the look of intensity in his eyes. that intensity morphed into fury after your words, intimidating you further.

you quickly remembered this was the incredible setter hinata had mentioned several times before. “o-oh! don’t worry, i don’t plan on taking your spot or anything, i’m sure you’re far better than i am!”

“good.” you smiled at him nervously. “if you’re good enough, maybe i’ll send you a couple sets.”

and of course you met daichi, the captain to whom you owed your spot on this team. he was very friendly and personable and you suspected he was the type to give inspirational speeches before games.

kageyama pulled hinata aside, practicing quick attacks with him, leaving you with daichi.

“hinata talks about you quite a bit, y’know,” daichi murmured, catching your attention.

“he does?” you queried. “all good things, i hope.”

the captain smiled down at you. “he speaks very highly about you and your skills. i think he’s got a bit of a bias since you taught him what he knows, but i don’t doubt you’ll really prove yourself on the court.”

your eyes went wide at the faith he already had in you, despite never seeing you play. “thank you, daichi, that really means a lot.”

the boys divided themselves into teams, starting a practice match as you and daichi observed from the sidelines. your eyes found hinata in the back row, who gave you a wide grin and a wave.

you waved back, your heart warming at the gesture. you had only just met the boys, but you couldn’t wait for the next practice.

********************

i might make this a series? maybe?? maybe not?? idk but let me know what u think :D

tags: @aestosia @elysianslove

not working: @akaashis-keiji @bloodydestiney

#hinata #shoyo hinata #hinata shoyo #shoyo hinata x reader #shoyo hinata imagine #shoyo hinata fluff #shoyo hinata fanfiction #shoyo hinata fanfic #shoyo hinata fic #haikyuu!!#haikyuu #haikyuu x reader #hq #hq x reader #my writing

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muhammadammar · 3 years

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I need a girlfriend!”

Today you told yourself, “I need a girlfriend!” Easier said than done? Don’t worry, we’re here to help you get the girl of your dreams — and keep her in your life. Here’s the thing: getting a girlfriend isn’t exactly easy, and keeping her can be even more complicated. The problem is that men have picked up the wrong lessons over the years, from both society and popular culture. This has led to misconceptions and misunderstandings where love and the opposite sex are involved. So when you say, “I need a girlfriend,” it’s very important to unpack the contents of that statement. We will assume that you don’t mean a casual fling — you want a real, healthy relationship built on mutual love, honour, and respect. But real life isn’t a fairy tale, and no one is guaranteed a happy ending. A real relationship requires hard work, effort, and commitment. Both parties need to have a certain level of emotional intelligence and maturity to make things work. So, forget about those tricks that purportedly help you pick up chicks. Those “tricks” are not effective or valuable if what you want is a real relationship.

There’s no gaming the system because we’re dealing with actual human beings and emotions here. In this article, we’ll cover two areas: how to get a girlfriend, and how to keep her. Both are equally important in the pursuit of a true human connection. How To Get A Girlfriend you’ve said, “I need a girlfriend,” one too many times, this is the answer you’ve been waiting for. As we’ve said earlier, no tricks here. Rid yourself of the mentality that love is a game. A woman worth your time and effort will not stand for the usual mind games that pick up artists love to play. Instead, we will focus on actions that can real results. Let’s get started. Go out and broaden your network. What’s your usual routine? We’re willing to bet that you shuffle between your house and office on the regular, with just a sprinkling of bars and restaurants on the weekend. That’s too boring! You won’t meet new people if you stick to your old haunts. Instead, you need to broaden your horizons and make the opportunities for yourself. Join a book club, hit up a comedy bar, go on a wine tasting event. Besides, joining an event you’re interested in means you are bound to meet like-minded people, which makes building that personal connection is a lot easier. Be ready for a real commitment. There are no half measures here if you want a real relationship.

You have to be ready to go all in. Women can sense when you’re playing them, and they most likely won’t stand for that if what they want is a real connection. Before you make any attempt to meet and date, it’s important to consider every aspect of your emotional status. Are you ready to get into a relationship? If you’ve never been in one, think about your motivations. Are you envious of your peers? Are you lonely? Take these factors into consideration. If you’re dealing with a bad breakup, maybe don’t get into a relationship just yet. At least wait until you’re truly over your ex, so you don’t create unnecessary stress for yourself and your new partner. Don’t push yourself into a relationship unless you’re truly physically, mentally, and emotionally ready. Don’t be a doormat. Some men think that the only way they can get a woman is by agreeing to everything she has to say. They are afraid to antagonize her and therefore make all efforts to just cater to her every whim. That’s not boyfriend material — that’s a doormat! You don’t want to let anyone walk all over you, and women will find you disingenuous. After all, it’s not normal to agree with somebody 100%. Being a doormat shows a woman that you’re way too desperate, and she’ll know that you aren’t the best candidate for a real, long-term partnership. Yes, you said, “I need a girlfriend,” but she doesn’t have to know that! Be interesting. This advice sounds a little too generic but bears with us. Do you know how a lot of women lament the “nice guy”? This is because being nice is the lowest common denominator. No one wants to willingly date someone who identifies as arrogant and obnoxious! However, if nice is all that you have to offer, women will look somewhere else. You have to a fullfledged person with hopes, dreams, and hobbies. When we say “relationship,” we mean women are also seeking out the same strong and long-term partnership that you’re looking for. That means they want a man who is just as complex and interesting as they are so that they can build a life together. Develop your inner life! Have fun hobbies, follow your dreams, be ambitious!

Women love and respect men who have goals and are working hard to achieve them. Don’t forget about your hygiene! Indeed, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but there are ways to make yourself more attractive. Don’t be too focused on what society believes is beautiful or handsome, because otherwise, only guys who look like Chris Evans would be in a relationship, and that’s not true. If you think yourself ordinary or plain, don’t worry. Just focus on the areas you can improve. A good haircut is important. Make sure your hair complements your face shape. Maintain good hygiene. Shower regularly and use products that are appropriate for your skin type. A lot of men mistakenly see skincare as a feminine thing, but why should taking care of yourself be limited to one gender? Another tip: get clothes that fit you right. Wearing shirts that are too big for you to make you look way too sloppy and greatly diminish your attractiveness. Finally, try to be fitter and healthier. Hit the gym or go for a run regularly — do these things both for yourself and for your future partner. Exercising has wonderful benefits for both physical and mental health, after all.

Be confident and let her know your intentions. Don’t be that guy who hides his feelings, acting like a friend when he wants something more from the woman. People like to talk about the friend zone these days, but lots of men who find themselves in there never even let the woman know about their feelings. If you want a romantic relationship, you have to be upfront. Let her know what you want! Women aren’t psychics, and no one wants to be presumptuous. If you want to date, let her know. How To Keep Your GirlfriendNow that she’s in your life, the bigger challenge is keeping her. Relationships, as we’ve mentioned earlier, require a certain level of work and commitment. This isn’t a one-time thing, where you win a girl’s heart and kiss her then wait for the screen to freeze and fade to black. Real-life means you have to keep going even after happily ever after. Of course, it takes two to make a relationship work. This isn’t entirely on you alone. It’s a partnership after all, and you both have to pull your weight to keep the relationship healthy and strong. That being said, when you find a woman worth your love and devotion, you never want to let her go. What’s the best way to keep her in your arms? Be a good listener. It’s not enough to just listen to what she says and nod your head at every appropriate junction.

Learn to listen. How would you feel if your partner ignoring you? That would suck. Your partner is someone who’s got your back and listening to each other is a basic expectation for any relationship. Take time to hear what she’s telling you, even if sometimes it seems like she’s just venting about her bad day. Give her that opportunity to talk and to feel like someone understands what she’s going through. Don’t forget to compliment her. The thing about being in a relationship is that sometimes, you forget about the small things. Remember that you have to renew that loving feeling again and again. Don’t forget to notice the small changes in her appearance and always make her feel like the most beautiful woman in the room. Notice when she uses a new perfume or gets a haircut. Be there to compliment her when she tries on a new dress.

Be grateful. It’s easy to take each other for granted in a relationship. Though you may not forget to be grateful in your heart, it helps to say it out loud now and again. Any woman would be happy to hear her man say thank you. It doesn’t matter if it’s a small gesture; just make sure to let her know you appreciate everything she does.

Act like you’re still in the early dating stages. Remember how you had butterflies in your stomach back when you were just dating? It was a magical, wonderful moment. For many relationships, that stage is fleeting as you get to be more comfortable with one another. There’s nothing wrong with developing comfort in a relationship, but of course, you want to have that sweet, giddy feeling in your heart again and again.

Don’t lose the sweetness. Go on a surprise date, take a random trip, send her flowers at work when least expects it. Don’t let yourself go. She loves you for who you are, definitely, but no one wants to be in a relationship with a ticking time bomb. Other than losing your physical attractiveness, letting yourself go means you’re living an unhealthy lifestyle. Your girlfriend is going to worry about your health and what this means for your relationship. Make sure to work on yourself and always work to stay attractive to your beloved, as best as you can. Keep your promises.

Trust is the key to maintaining a good relationship. She’s here because she loves and trusts you. She knows that you’re someone she can rely on and that she can count on you to have her back in anything, whether big or small. Breaking one small promise from time to time for valid reasons isn’t an issue. You are human, and sometimes circumstances are out of your control. But if you’re always breaking promises and can’t seem to keep any of them, one day she’ll get tired and leave you for someone who can. Share your feelings. A lot of men find it difficult to open up because society has deemed it unmanly to talk about your feelings. But, for women, opening up is very important and crucial to any relationship. They want to know what’s on your mind, and they need to hear it from you. Remember that every relationship is a partnership. Don’t be afraid to talk to your partner and let her know what’s going on. Give her some space. It’s all about balance.

We talked about taking time with her and not taking her for granted. At the same time, though, never forget that you are still two individuals. Losing that sense of self can be bad for any relationship. You want to maintain your individuality while in a relationship so that you can bring more into it in the long run. If you lose yourself, it becomes a co-dependent situation where you don’t know where one ends and the other begins. Let her have some personal time. Don’t be in her face and crowd her all the time. She needs time to spend with her friends and family, and you need the same. Be sensitive to her needs, but don’t overstep your bounds. Respect is highly important in any relationship. Men are trained to be the “provider” of the family, but that doesn’t mean you should treat her like a child. Never forget that she’s a grown woman — someone who is as smart, talented, and driven as you are. As her partner, you want to give her everything she needs, but you also need to be respectful of her independence and her identity.

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doof-doofblog · 4 years

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"... Till There's Absolutely Nothing Left!"

Monday 28th September 2020

Good evening everyone! Hope you've all had an enjoyable weekend! As of today I will back being up to date with my blog posts. I'm looking forward to seeing what this week of episodes have in store! Let's not waste any time and jump right into it!

Tonight's episode started with Max still looking for Ian, Max is wanting to get his hands on his money, he's already fuming at Ian for dodging him and ignoring him. Ian has come up with excuses upon excuses to Max for not being able to get his money to him urgently. As Max leaves after having a word with Kathy, Ian is seen peering behind the door-frame, as if he's been hiding from Max, which we know he is - he's avoiding him like the plaque! Ian is such a weasel isn't he? Why doesn't he just grow a pair and admit to Max the truth, it's only a matter of truth before all his secrets come out!

Meanwhile, Gray and Karen are catching up at the club. Karen informs Gray that Mitch is currently sleeping at the salon as he's not welcome at the house for having doubts about Gray. Gray tries to ask Karen not to act harshly on Mitch, as everyone is still grieving for Chantelle. Karen can't believe he's sticking up for the man who's basically accused him of murder, it's then she turns to him and says "You're such a good man!" ... the only thing my brain is saying is "If only you knew Karen, if only you knew!" Ooooo I can't wait for Gray to be found out, it's going to be SO good when he finally gets seen for the murderer he truly is!

Oh yes! At the hospital, Denise is still watching over her biological son, Raymond. Ellie seems to be surprised that Denise is back visiting him, as they chat she informs him that Raymond made it through the night and he seems to be slowly recovering. Denise is visibly relieved, Ellie also seems surprised by her reaction. - I'm not 100% sure what to make of Ellie, it's been revealed she's going to be a type of villain? I have my speculations about this current storyline, I'm really excited to see where it's going to go, but something tells me it'll be a battle of who gets custody of the young child. I think, perhaps, Denise will try and get Phil on side - if she tells him everything she knows about the adoptive family passing away, Phil will probably do the right thing and help Denise get custody of her son. But how is Phil going to act when he learns about Ellie and what will she do to get in their way? - Ellie asks Denise if she'd still like to help out and Denise insists that she'd love to, she's instructed by Ellie to get some new pyjamas for the young boy, Denise is only willing to do whatever she can for the boy so she goes off without hesitation. As she leaves, Ellie looks really suspicious - why would Denise want to help? Is she just being a good Samaritan? Or is there more to it? (Oooo I can't wait to see when Ellie finds out who Denise actually is!)

At the club, Mick walks in on Frankie taking pictures of Ollie, at first it seems only friendly and as if she's doing no harm, of course Mick is a little suspicious as Frankie barely knows the child. But it's when he grabs the camera without her looking and takes a look at the photo's, he realises there are quite a lot of photo's of Ollie that she's taken, plus also ones of other family members. When Frankie realises, she makes the excuse that it's Street Art Photography that she's doing. Mick does seem very uncomfortable at the fact that he's been photographed without his knowledge, he asks Frankie is kind of polite way to not to post them on social media and maybe to delete the images, mainly because Linda would feel uncomfortable about it. Frankie promises to do as he asks, but surely his mind must be racing? Who is this girl and why is she taking photos of him and his family?! I've heard some kind of rumour that perhaps Frankie could be Mick's secret daughter, but I'm not 100% sure whether to believe it's true, I mean, it could be - but who knows?!

In the cafe, Stuart is visibly excited to be marrying Rainie, both Callum and Ben are watching on as he's happily smiling as he's having a conversation on the phone with his future wife. I thought it was cute, personally, after so long of being such a dark character, Stuart is finally getting some happiness - and I think he bloody deserves it, as does Rainie! As they're saying their goodbyes on the phone, Ben makes a silly comment to Callum "A tenner says this marriage doesn't last as long as this goodbye!" - It's lovely seeing Stuart all smiley! When he finishes the call and turns to the boys he starts talking about how weird it feels, him getting married and then Callum moving in to the Mitchell's, it's then Ben says that he'll be a Mitchell now he's living under their roof! It's funny as all these one liners comes out, I'm thinking to myself, he's pretty much there now after what he's doing to Phil! As Stuart leaves after reminding Callum of his Best Man duties, Ben again makes a comment of Callum and his Dad being best mates, it seems as if Callum comes clean to his boyfriend, he reveals that he and Phil have been chatting a lot recently, plus he reveals the big news about Phil offering him a job to work on the family firm side of things, Ben is clearly surprised and perhaps confused to hear this news.

In the laundrette, Kathy and Bobby are picking up their clothes from Linda, I just want to say that I absolutely loved the moment when Linda couldn't remember where she had stored their dry-cleaning - B for Beale or C for Cathy, only for it to be under K for the correct spelling of Kathy! I don't know why, I just thought it was brilliant! As she finds the clothes, she overhears Kathy and Bobby talking about Ian's money problems, Kathy informs Bobby that Ian needs this new contract otherwise he wont be able to pay Max back! Linda knows the situation regarding Max and his money, is she going to do the right thing and tell Max? He deserves to know what's happening and what's happened with his share of the restaurant. I kind of hope she does.

Back at Ruby's, Denise and Jack are catching up. He questions Denise on where she has been, she claims she's been shopping and the thing she bought she's planning on taking back anyway. Suddenly Jack's phone rings and he excuses himself to take the call, as he moves to one side, Denise watches as Phil makes his way into the club and sits by the bar. Will she tell him the truth about his son? Next minute, Isaac and Sheree are seen in the club corridor, they appear to be talking about Isaac's run in with his boss about the allegation of him using drugs, as they both walk in they see Denise on the other side of the club, and then Phil sat at the bar. Phil is the one to break the silence and makes a snide comment about him coming to see his dealer. Isaac isn't wanting to hear another word, it's only then that Denise gets involved in the conversation and reminds Phil that's he's not as innocent as he makes out, claiming he doesn't his granddaughter to be taught by a druggie, when he was addicted to crack a couple of years back. She basically insults the Mitchell family name, accusing them all of being criminals! Isaac, Sheree and Jack watch on in disbelief as Denise stands up to Phil! It's a pretty brilliant scene I have to say! Something tells me though that Denise is only doing this because of being reunited with her son, Raymond, who Phil just so happens to be the Father of. As she leaves the club, she appears to be holding a gift bag, we see that it's a set of boys pyjamas that Ellie asked her to buy for Raymond, she then suddenly decides to bin the clothes and walk away.

Back at the Mitchell household, Ben is looking like he's wanting answers from Callum, he wants to understand what his boyfriend has been asked to do. Then suddenly it clicks, he realises that Phil has asked Callum to perhaps get him inside information about what the police are looking for and what they might want. Ben can't understand why Callum would risk losing his job and his future if he was to do what Phil was asking him. He explains to his boyfriend that he is good and that is one of the reasons why he loves him. It's then that Phil walks in, Ben wants answers now! Why is he bringing his boyfriend into this? Why is he making Callum do dirty work? Phil explains to him plain and simple, it's good for business and he's part of the family now, which is why it will work! As Callum and Phil both leave the room, Ben is stunned!

Back at the Vic, Karen is drowning her sorrows in a pint when Kheerat walks in. She tells him not to even think about causing any more trouble, he tries to defend himself, whether it was right or wrong, he cared for Chantelle. He loved her. Karen asks him to picture Chantelle if she was to hear their conversation, she'd hate everything that was happening. Kheerat pauses for a second, thinking that actually what Karen is saying is true. He agrees, he apologises to her and promises not to say anything again and peacefully leaves her with her drink.

At the Beale's house, Ian is looking ready for his meeting, he greets Charmaine and welcomes her into his home. At first, she feels perhaps his house is a little bit unprofessional, as she's after a catering company, you'd think the restaurant would be a better place. Ian insists that she enters his living room where there appears to be a dining table very elegantly displayed with cutlery and dishes. It's then Ian introduces Bobby to Charmaine, and she is instantly aware of who he is. She reveals, much to Ian's surprise, that Bobby and herself had been emailing about a charity named The Lucy Beale Foundation, which Bobby has designed and created himself. Ian's shocked and his ears are ringing as Charmaine admits that Bobby had her reaching for her cheque book, he instructs Bobby to get themselves some food and invites him to join them both for lunch.

Meanwhile, back at the laundrette, Max is opening up to Linda, revealing that Jack is wanting to be a proper family with Denise and the kids, he's worried that Jack might end up asking him to move out. He reveals he's contemplating going to New Zealand to go and see Lauren and Louie, even promised little Abi that he'd take her, once Ian returns his money to him. As Max is revealing all this to Linda she can't help but look guilty, she tells him not to get the little girl's hopes up. Instantly, that doesn't sit right with Max, why would she say such a thing? Why would Abi be disappointed? He moves in on Linda and can see that she's hiding something, he asks her why she's looking so guilty, she backed into a corner, she can't let him think everything is okay when truthfully it's not, she lets out a sigh - will she tell him what she knows?!

Back at the Beale's, Bobby is talking confidently to Charmaine, explaining how much he had to rebuild his life and how much he wanted to focus on turning such a tragic event in his life, to potentially something positive. Charmaine is truly touched by Bobby's honesty and asks whether Ian will match her donation to the charity, Ian insists he will but turns the whole subject back on to the catering contract. She says that she can see how much it means to him, it's then that Ian starts to take advantage of Bobby's idea and - I don't know whether you guys think so too - but does he actually lie saying he's doing it to honour Lucy?! Or is he just playing at her heartstrings just so she'll sign on the dotted line?! Bobby is clearly annoyed with his Father for making such a claim, just then Max storms in - (Linda has told him everything then!) - Max storms in on their meeting and bellows to Ian that he knows he's been lied to for weeks, he's stolen his share of the restaurant, his life savings and he wants them back!!

Back to Denise, we can she's on the phone to Ellie, explaining that something has come up regarding the little boy's pyjamas. Suddenly, Jack walks in on her phone call and she hangs up almost immediately. Jack is already realising that something isn't right with Denise, he asks who it was that she was talking to on the phone, but she brushes it off saying it wasn't important. It's then Jack is asking her for answers, asking why she let rip on Phil earlier in the club, she explains she was trying to stick up for Isaac. Jack informs her that that is not their fight and they don't need to get involved. Denise apologises and reassures him that there is no need for her to speak to or even go near Phil Mitchell ever again!

Meanwhile, back at the Beale's - Max is keeping quiet as Charmaine apologises to Ian and states that she can't do business with him after what has been revealed. Once again, Ian is trying to worm his way out of the situation, telling her that him and Max had an informal loan arrangement in which the terms have been disputed. Max isn't having anymore of Ian's lies! As Charmaine leaves, he reveals he knows about him using his money to buy the Vic! Max instructs him to sell the pub so he can get his money back - I don't know whether you guys noticed, but as Max and Ian are arguing, Bobby is seen counting under his breath, quite tensely squeezing or pinching the side of his arm - is this a coping mechanism? Can he not handle confrontation and big arguments at the scene of where his sister died? Max almost goes lashing out at Ian, as he does so, Bobby shouts at them to stop fighting! Ian tries to calm the situation, he explains to Max that they will find a solution, but not in this current situation where everyone is shouting to have their say.

I'm not 100% sure where Mick and Linda are staying right now? To me it looks like Kush's old apartment, or it could be Ted's old apartment? Who knows? I know I'm wrong, so if anyone could shed some light on where Mick and Linda are currently living, I'd appreciate it! Anyway, Linda admits to Mick about telling Max everything she knows about Ian buying Sharon the Vic with Max's money. He jokingly calls her a "Grass!". As they both get comfortable on the sofa, Mick opens up about his concerns about Frankie taking photos of Ollie. He explains to her that she had taken pictures of the family from a distance, he tells her that Frankie told him it was art, but should they be worried? Linda seems pretty unfazed, she suggests that that is what teenagers are like nowadays, taking pictures of people and things and calling them art. Which, to be fair, is kind of true?! It's clear to tell that Mick is unsure, only time will tell exactly what Frankie's obsession with Ollie and the Carter family will be.

The final scene of tonight's episode, I feel was an absolutely brilliant one! Ian walks into the Queen Vic cellar and realises the light isn't working. As he goes to grab some alcohol, we can see Max lurking in the shadows. He softly speaks to Ian and slowly approaches him, now Bobby isn't around they can carry on their conversation from earlier on. Ian is now finally backed into a corner as Max gets closer. Ian proposes to pay Max back in instalments, at first Max sees that as an insults, why would he agree to that?! But then Ian confesses, it's the only way he'll be able to pay him back the full amount. Max looks to floor, nods and agrees to the arrangement, but he gives Ian one final warning, if he missing any payment, then he will come for him!!!

I think it's finally about time that Ian got what was coming to him, let's just hope he'll be able to pay Max back every penny. What do we think tomorrow's episode will have in store?! I hope you enjoy this post and I hope you all enjoy the rest of your evening. I'll be back tomorrow folks! Goodnight! xXx

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clansayeed · 4 years

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Bound by Destiny II, part 1 ― Chapter 9: The Matriarch

PAIRING: Kamilah Sayeed x MC (Nadya Al Jamil) RATING: Mature

⥼ MASTERLIST ⥽

⥼ Bound by Destiny II, part 1 ⥽

While struggling with nightmares of lives she’s never lived, a shadow from the past looming over her city, and the proposed idea that her life may just be a little bit too weird to handle alone, Nadya makes sure to tell herself that everything is perfect just the way it is. If only. When the self-proclaimed King of Vampires (and Maker of her sometimes-girlfriend and always-boss, can’t forget that little tidbit) Gaius Augustine returns intent on claiming Manhattan as the throne that was promised, she and her friends find themselves forced into the task of saving the world. But with millennia-old vampires and an Order of hunters on their heels as well as allies hiding catastrophic secrets at their backs… it won’t be an easy task. Too bad destiny didn’t exactly ask for her input.

Bound by Destiny II and the rest of the Oblivion Bound series is an ongoing dramatic retelling project of the Bloodbound series and spin-off, Nightbound. Find out more [HERE].

*Let me know if you would like to be added to the Destiny II tag list!

⥼ Chapter Summary ⥽

Cadence reveals the last person to hold the Amulet of Nero was Isadora de la Rosa; unfettered mafia boss and matriarch of the New Orleans vampires. And she isn't happy about a couple of out-of-towners wandering around her territory without permission.

[READ IT ON AO3]

Some might say Lily enjoys it a little too much.

Before they even step foot in Flechette they have to stop no less than five times to get her to calm down.

“Calm down — calm down?” The last time Nadya saw her like this was after Maricruz’s birthday, and no matter what Jax said she’s still not unconvinced a couple of the Shadow Den’s donors weren’t on something; if you catch her meaning.

“How could I possibly be calm at a time like this? Don’t you realize what’s happening Nadi’? We’re living a real life True Blood fantasy right now.”

“Yeah, see — don’t even think about mentioning that once we’re inside, please?” Cadence tugs at the collar of his shirt uncomfortably. “They know every reference, no matter how obscure. There are no strikes in a place like this; if you bring pop culture into their world they will kick us out — and that’s only if Izzy’s feeling generous.”

“Why do they care?” asks Nadya.

“For the misconception of it all. Flechette may be a cover, and Izzy is certainly no dominatrix. But most of their money these days comes from loyal customers and members. The de la Rosa dynasty is accustomed to a certain amount of wealth and status. Risk that… and it isn’t uncommon for you to go ‘missing.’”

Adrian’s surprise is quickly clouded by narrowed eyes and a stern frown. “That’s against your Accords, though, surely.”

“In the same way unauthorized Turning is against the rules of your Clans.”

That sobers Lily up pretty quickly. She and Nadya exchange glances; both trying to hide their worry from the other. But Lily pulls her a little bit closer by their linked arms and Nadya doesn’t exactly stop her.

Admittedly Nadya would feel a lot better if Katherine had joined them for this, too. But only claimed humans were exempt from what Cadence describes as a pretty lax ‘feeding policy’ beyond the club’s front doors. “And no,” the huntress hadn’t even given Nadya the breath to ask, “that’s not a thing Cade and I have done. I like my freedom a little too much for that.”

He looks her up and down warily; eyes lingering on her very healthy and very not-bitten neck. “You are claimed, aren’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t feel a —”

“I said yes, Cadence,” she lifts her bracelet and lets the compass-esque charm of Clan Sayeed catch on the nearby neon lights. The hardest part is not letting it feel like a ball and chain weighing her down and reminding Nadya of her problems back home.

She’s got enough of those in front of her at the moment.

He acts as their local tour guide along the way; pointing out places and spaces every once in a while with a fun little factoid about the city’s histories; the ones both human and supernatural. It’s a good front — for most of their trip Nadya’s so interested in listening and imagining that she almost doesn’t notice what Cadence is really doing. It doesn’t hurt that the vampire sounds so sure of himself, too.

But then he’s halfway through a story about some stone troll (still yet to be seen, still yet to be believed) that tried to run for city Mayor and that’s neither distracting nor interesting. It’s just talking for the sake of talking.

“You’re rambling,” Nadya realizes — and realizes at the same time it was a much more astonishing revelation in her head than it is out loud, “like… nervous rambling.”

The blond scoffs. “What? If you weren’t interested all you had to do was —”

“Nope—I hear it too.” Lily’s eyes narrow, and beside her Adrian looks like he’s playing everything back on a mental tape recorder. “Trust me — I’ve lived with it long enough. That’s some Grade A tongue-twisting. Why’re you nervous?”

“I’m not… going to be able to convince you, am I?”

His blue eyes flicker to Adrian; some kind of Older Vampire Solidarity thing, but if Nadya and Lily are suspicious then Adrian sees no reason not to join in. Broad shoulders slump in his sweater and Cadence gestures for them to keep walking.

“I don’t hide that I have a history with the de la Rosas. When I first arrived in New Orleans the laws were far more lax and by all accounts Carlo let me off easy for coming onto his territory in secret.”

Lily’s eyebrows raise. “Even if you didn’t know what you did was wrong?” And Cadence nods.

“Even then. I served my dues and paid my debts. In his last days I would have even called him an acquaintance — which is saying quite a lot if you ever met him.”

“I did,” Adrian nods in agreement, “and that’s… high praise.”

“Isadora took over the Family affairs in the middle of the Mardi Gras crisis. We worked together then because we needed to — and because Izzy’s a cunning woman.” A strange look glazes Cadence’s eyes behind his lenses; something Nadya might almost call nostalgic. “She has an acute sense of smell for power; when it shifts, where it goes, and how to attain as much of it as she can. A short while after Kathy and I returned from New York she paid me a visit at my office.”

“Not for tea, I’m guessing?”

Of course not. “The overall purpose of it was a goodbye. All debts, no matter how small, were cleared. She made it clear she would have nothing more to do with me — and by extension, neither would the Family. The New Accords bind us legally and magically; through them I will always have a say in matters concerning the vampire community here. But beyond that…”

His words trail off into the night air but they don’t need to be heard for the visitors to understand them clearly. Beyond that, Cadence is risking a lot to bring them to Flechette; to Isadora.

It’s a knowledge that clearly makes Adrian uneasy. “Once we arrive, if you need to leave — it might be better that way.”

“Without me there’s nothing tying you to the city. The moment you step inside she’ll already know when you arrived. And the first thing she will want to know is why you didn’t declare yourselves until hours later. You may be spared, Adrian, for your title up North. But I don’t see Lily walking out without at least a decade of service to the Family dragging her down.”

Cadence pushes up his glasses with a resigned sigh. “This is the best way. But I know the risks. Don’t worry about me.”

His smile is strained and doesn’t last long — quickly he turns and resumes leading them on but this time in a stony and stifling silence.

Nadya feels a squeeze on her arm and finds Lily’s eyes completely devoid of their earlier delight. It’s a look she recognizes; one similar to the moments before their descent into the Council Chamber.

Just like then, she squeezes back. Their pinkies linked in a silent promise to one another; I’ll keep you safe.

They go down a block or two more before Flechette comes into view around the corner. Actually — it’s pretty hard to miss. It stands at the end of the street, borders the last of the buildings distinct to the French Quarter. This whole time Nadya’s been under the assumption that without Cadence guiding them they might not even know what to look for.

But now she’s pretty sure she could have found the place without her glasses.

There’s no ignoring the club bass pounding so loud it almost shakes the pavement. Like he reads her mind Cadence immediately explains in a lowered voice; “Fae wards seal the sound around the block. Works great for the music… and any other noises that might draw attention.” Thick black metal bars seal off the windows. Nadya and Lily exchange half-chuckles; reminded of the city.

Two men in suits stand on either side of the entrance. Nadya watches one with a clipboard in hand undo the hook of a velvet rope and allow a couple inside. She pretends the dark stains on their clothes illuminated by the neon lights are fake campy homemade blood. For her own sanity.

A large rose hums with electricity over the second floor windows. Below it; Flechette in large blocked capitals.

“What’s it mean in English?” Lily asks with a nudge to Adrian’s shoulder. Because of course he knows French. Nadya once watched him spend an entire work evening on a conference call with some biotech company in Lyon. He’s actually pretty good.

“It means dart, or arrow, something along those lines.” But the translation is nothing without the answer, so they all turn to the nerd.

He surprises them with a shrug. “Hell if I know. It’s always been the name of Carlo’s business. It was a photo house when I came to town; specializing in ones you definitely didn’t want to show your mates on the front lines. Catering after that, hired performers after the second war, and an escort service briefly when the dot-com boom hit nationwide. The club was actually Izzy’s idea after she came back up from Miami. A small group of our kind pitched in to own one together for an unlimited feeding source. It’s definitely been their most successful venture.”

“All of which had to do with sex; in one form or another.” Adrian states dryly.

“Sex sells, baby. Even sexy caterers.” Lily bumps her hip into his — he’s so taken aback that he nearly stumbles off the curb. Nadya doesn’t even try to hide her laughter.

The hairs on the back of Nadya’s neck stand up alert as they pass the queued line. Envious eyes drilling holes right through her; judging her and Lily and Adrian and Cadence, too. All of them like they’re on a shiny silver platter.

She makes the mistake of looking back when a scoff catches distant in her ear. The offender couldn’t be older than a college kid — obviously shirtless underneath his black leather jacket and for a moment she sees something glinting near his upper lip and it almost makes her stumble. But a quick look into his eyes and Nadya notices right away they’re the wrong shade of red. Too bright, too wide, too human.

He blinks and the colored contact shifts in place.

“Nadya, come on.” Adrian calls; and Lily tugs at her sleeve until the pair of them fast-walk passed the rest and through the sleek black door held open for them begrudgingly.

She looks into the doorman’s eyes, too. Those aren’t contacts.

“What happened back there?” Lily whispers at her side. Up ahead Cadence starts to lead them down a short hallway and in the dark humidity Nadya has to make a conscious effort to remind herself she’s not going to find the Baron at the end of this tunnel. “Did that kid say something to you?”

Nadya blinks back to reality. “What — no, no. He… he was wearing colored contacts.”

“So? I have every color of the rainbow back home. You’ve seen me in ‘em.”

“Yeah…” and Lily’s talking sense; they both know it — but the knowledge doesn’t shake the unease from her bones.

“What was it then?”

“He was doing it to look like one of them.” One of you. “Did you see his face, Lil’? He was so young.”

He makes Nadya think of who she was at that age. How little she knew about the world — not even counting the vampires, the Ferals; the scary truths hidden in the dark. She’s a good person — she surrounds herself with good people. But the Vegas of the world; the Lesters and the Priyas and anyone else who would even consider the awful act of Turning someone that young? They’re all too real.

When will I start to see those memories, Nadya wonders, how long until they tear me in two?

Lily’s steps falter; she hesitates. “Are you sure you can do this right now?”

It doesn’t matter whether she can or not. “It’s something I’ve gotta do anyway.” Luckily they follow Cadence and Adrian through a doorway covered by a velvet curtain shortly after; so she doesn’t have to keep talking about it.

From the outside it definitely didn’t look like Flechette could hold this many people. The building has several stories but only one floor — she has to crane her neck up high to see lights in iron-wrought fixtures all the way up top. Between the floor and ceiling various cages hang on heavy chains; scattered for space and each one with a dancing individual — a big one a little too high up for Nadya’s comfort sports three.

Servers in different states of undress — but all bearing the same thick black collar and silvery rose-engraved pendant — flit back and forth through other similarly curtained entrances with trays. Trays of drinks, one passes with three glass bowls of multicolored pills, and oh look that one has a fancy assortment of plugs… the use for which Nadya will very happily keep from her head.

Some members are dancing, others are grinding — all of them care about themselves, the person(s) they’re with, or the ones closest to them giving a show. She had expected to feel a lot of unusual things here but relief was not one of them. Not that she’s complaining.

But even though Nadya can’t tell by first glance who here is human and who is vampire; she knows for a fact the last time she was in a room with this many of them things were drastically different for her. She wasn’t a Bloodkeeper back then. Well — she was, but none of this was happening to her.

So it comes as no surprise when she locks eyes with someone—certainly a vampire—and feels something wet in her mouth that definitely isn’t there. Slick and succulent and all she has to do is bite — harder this time…

Nadya forces her eyes down and lets Lily weave her through the path Cadence carves for them. “Do you think this place is campy,” Lily calls over the music only growing louder the deeper in they go, “or do you think camp is based on places like this?!”

“I think we need to hurry up!”

“Spoilsport!”

Everything’s going just great until she’s yanked to a halt.

With one hand as a blinder Nadya shakily raises her eyes to see what’s happening.

Just up ahead Cadence and a short and balding man are locked in heated debate. The music mostly drowns them out but she catches an angry “bastard” and Cadence’s accented “demand you let us through” before it all dissolves back into noise.

“Adrian,” Lily hisses, and even that makes Nadya feel a little fuzzy, thoughts that aren’t hers starting to filter in through her best friend’s touch. Lily somehow keeping her grounded and making her feel less present at the same time, “we gotta get her somewhere — I don’t know, just somewhere not here.”

Somewhere not here sounds amazing. Yes please!

The sleek black shoes step out of Nadya’s sight — there’s a thud and the nearby laughter and conversation goes quiet. Which, of course, somehow makes Nadya’s situation feel worse.

Adrian holds the smaller man up by the front of his ruined suit; feet dangling a good foot from the ground and up in his face, words she can’t understand because she never mastered the art of lip-reading hissed between his fangs.

Cadence tries to push him back but Adrian snaps something that gets him to back off. He jerks his chin in Nadya’s direction and for a moment she holds his red-eyed gaze and doesn’t… quite recognize who she’s looking at.

And that has nothing to do with her pounding head. It has everything to do with Adrian — and Adrian alone.

Sweat beads on Nadya’s brow and stings in her eyes — she’s five solid seconds from passing out when the curtain Baldy is guarding gets pushed back and a woman dressed like she’s ready for a Victorian funeral stands as barrier. She observes each of them silently — or Nadya doesn’t see her lips move anyway — before her eyes fall on Cadence and grow hard.

Adrian drops the doorman and gestures for the two of them to come forward. It’d be a real freakin’ help if she could hear anything right now.

It helps that once they’re off the main club floor and the (surprisingly sound-muffling) curtains are closed behind them she finds immediate relief. She can hear again (and not the echoes of memories — all the better) but boy does her head hurt.

While Lily rubs the small of her back, one of the collared servers offers her a tray with a glass of water and three white pills.

“You have no reason to worry, they are for the headache; nothing more.”

The woman speaks out of sight which is ominous enough but Nadya really could care less. She’d do anything to stifle the pain, the memories; and practically launches the pills into her throat before chasing them down until the water glass is empty.

“Th—Thank you.”

“Of course,” Nadya hears the shifting sound of cloth on leather while she rubs her eyes with the heels of her palms, “I would have you collect yourself before we proceed.”

She goes to lean against Lily — where’s Lily?

“Wait, what do you mean pro—ceed…”

A larger and rougher hand than Lily’s comes down on Nadya’s shoulder. Strong enough to hold her back; keep her at bay. And when everything, including her full range of sight, finally comes back…

She really wishes it hadn’t. She’d like to take her thanks back too, while she’s at it.

Isadora de la Rosa sits as a blooming rose on an onyx canvas; dark waves of hair almost blending in except where the shine catches the light. The brightest part of her (and the room at large) is the crisp white of her pinstriped pantsuit. She watches Nadya with an unreadable deadpan and a cigarette between her long fingers. With all the black in the room the smoke can’t hide as it curls up into the air and dissipates.

Her desk, large and not unlike Adrian’s back at the office, is flanked by the Victorian funeral woman and another, much younger girl dressed similarly. She can’t be more than Nadya’s age. Maybe closer to the human boy back outside in line.

Nadya could do without the three large suited bodyguards holding three stakes to her three friends’ hearts though. If there was one thing she had to complain about, it would be that.

“You’re really leaning into the whole mafia vibe now, I see.” Cadence quips, and there’s a little quirk of his lips as the (much shorter) man behind him struggles to keep the blond held back with the stake right over his heart. It wavers and ends up more near his stomach.

He throws a look down behind him. “Looking well, Tony. Be a peach and push up my glasses for me?”

‘Tony’ hesitates — then slowly pushes them up from where they were perched dangerously on the tip of Cadence’s nose.

“Thank you.”

“Shut it.”

It’s not unlikely that the man restraining Nadya is a vampire too; but there’s no harm in trying to get herself free, right? She wiggles — the grip tightens so hard her knees almost buckle. “Ow ow owowow!”

“Get your hands off of her!” Adrian barks; and judging by the shadow that flickers over the dark, crow-like features of the vampire holding him, he’s giving her the best fight of everyone.

Lily immediately goes for some part to bite — Nadya’s got some serious respect for that. But not if it costs Lily her life—er… undeath.

And all the while Isadora de la Rosa just looks on. Not with amusement, not with malice; more bored than anything. The perpetual exhaustion with everything she must witness reminds Nadya, achingly, of Kamilah.

Cadence sighs. He’s the only one who hasn’t bothered with even the slightest escape attempt. “Adrian, stop.”

“Listen to him, Mister Raines,” Isadora finally says; but instead of looking at him she’s focused on snubbing her cigarette in an ash tray so black Nadya almost thinks it’s the desk, “you aren’t exactly giving the finest impression of your so-called revered Council of vampires. Compose yourself — and die with dignity.”

I’m sorry, do what with dignity?!

She raises two fingers as if to signal, but in a panic Nadya cries out before she can bring it down to act.

“Wait—please Miss de la Rosa, please don’t hurt him—them—anyone!”

It would have come off less whiny and beg-y if Nadya had some plan to distract Isadora, all of her vampire mafia guards, all the vampire mafia fetishists on the other side of the curtain, and get everyone out alive and intact. But she doesn’t — so the look the vampiress gives her — the one that screams ‘I had no respect for you to begin with but you’ve definitely lost some regardless’ — is justified.

Finally Isadora raises a single brow. “Well?”

“W-What?”

The younger of the women near her desk giggles under her shroud. The other shoots her a look — maybe? She definitely looks that way and it definitely shuts her up.

“I assumed you had more to your impassioned plea,” de la Rosa leans back in her chair, “but if that is not the case…”

Nadya opens her mouth but all that comes out is a long, deep, and extremely masculine groan. Oh thank god that wasn’t her.

“Why are you pulling this, Izzy?” Which is apparently not a nickname that’s public knowledge because oh dear god they are so going to die right now. “This is a stunt your father would pull.”

Isadora’s features flicker in obvious annoyance. “Did anyone ask you, Cadence?” She snaps. “Tony, cut out his tongue.”

“Tony don’t you dare.”

Tony probably would — if he could reach that high. “Didn’t I tell you to shut it?”

“Anthony.”

“Y-Yes ma’am!”

Calling it chaos would be a kind understatement. And Nadya can’t even tell if Cadence is doing anything on purpose; all of these little irritants that make one woman laugh and distract another and fluster Tony and make Isadora look ready to—

Nadya blinks and Adrian’s a blur — then he’s a blur with a stake that he hurls to the floor before taking his captor’s head in both hands. He doesn’t look like Adrian again and the sight of it has her more terrified than anything that’s happened so far.

“Let. them. go.” He grits in even measure. “Or I rip her head off.”

To her credit Isadora takes the threat coolly and in stride. “Will you now?”

“We came here willingly, Isadora. None of this hostility is necessary.”

“We shall have to agree to disagree on that.”

“Let them go and we can talk — like civilized people.”

Slowly she stands, does up the button at the bottom of her blazer and smooths down her skirt. More Wall Street than kinkfest. “What about this has given you the impression I want to talk about anything? You have power, Raines, I’ll give you that. So I forgave you for slighting me once. But you know what they say… Happens once, shame on me. Happens twice… ensure it doesn’t happen a third time.”

Lily squirms. “That’s… not a thing people say, like at all.”

“Lil’.”

“Well it’s not!”

But thankfully Isadora is too fixated on Adrian to have noticed.

“Examples have to be made,” she continues, “and what message would I be sending my Family if I were to let you wander my city unpunished?”

Adrian growls. “There were extenuating circumstances.”

“There are always extenuating circumstances with you.” But Isadora doesn’t meet Adrian’s eyes as she says it — Nadya catches her looking away from Cadence with a sigh. “I have a responsibility to keep me and mine safe.”

“We aren’t the threat.”

She answers with silence and pursed lips. The tension in the room shifts uncomfortably — and just like that Adrian seems to realize he’s the one holding a woman hostage. Conflict paints thick across his face as he takes in their options, the faces of the foreign vampires watching his every move.

Resigned, he lets the de la Rosa vampire go. Steps back with hands held up.

Nadya lets out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. It sends her into a coughing fit and draws his attention — distracts Adrian just enough for the older of the veiled women to come up at his side with a new stake sharp at his ribs.

But it’s with an unparalleled relief that she sees her Adrian again in his concern.

“Nadya, are you okay?”

She nods and swallows air like it’s in short supply. “Fine and dandy. Are you?”

He doesn’t answer.

Only now they’re back in the same predicament and this time without any element of surprise. And she does not want to die in a fetish club in New Orleans…

At least not without telling Kamilah how sorry she is.

The dark rug muffles the tap-tap of the Southern vampire’s heels as she approaches Adrian; closes the space between them. “If you’re going to threaten anyone, Raines, next time it had better be me.”

“Noted.”

She clenches a fist at her side but has the willpower not to raise it. “Why are you back in my territory anyway?”

Behind her, Cadence swallows audibly. Before Adrian can even open his mouth she’s turned her back on him. Knows now he’s not the one she should be questioning.

The pained frustration of decision furrows Isadora’s dark brow. “You idiot… can’t you see, Cadence, that this is exactly what I meant when I said I wanted you far away from us? You invite trouble — worse than that, you are oblivious to the fact.”

His broad shoulders slump. “You’re the one who brought out the stakes.”

“I gave you what you wanted. Why do you insist on complicating my life? Why could you not take your lead and leave the Quarter?”

He recoils, affronted. The thought hadn’t even occurred to him. “What? I — this is my home just as much as it is yours.”

“I think we both know that not to be the case.”

“Izz—”

“No, not you,” she presses a finger to his lips; Cadence falls silent, “someone else… you.”

Nadya’s nerve drops out of her stomach when Isadora decides to round on her. Nadya does not handle herself well in front of powerful women in business attire, and if her current track record is anything to go by she’s not exactly going to be their saving grace here.

“Me?”

“You, yes. What was your name again?”

She feels like she’s eaten fancy cheese; but she endures. “Nadya, I’m Nadya.”

“And why do you keep such unusual company, Nadya?”

Well that’s not what she was expecting. “How do you know it’s not the other way around?”

“Because you don’t look like a pet human. At least not like the ones out there.” Isadora waves a hand towards the main club. “And because you seem to have an acute understanding of what is happening here. You have not dissolved into panic, and you wear the claim of a vampire not present with us on your wrist.”

The heavy hand leaves her shoulder and Isadora approaches sultry; catlike. She reaches forward and takes Nadya’s hand in her own — strokes her thumb over a knuckle and for a moment she almost thinks the vampiress is going to kiss the back of it.

Instead she turns Nadya’s wrist up and examines the way the dim lighting catches her bracelet. Isadora speaks low, now; so low Nadya strains to hear her.

“Is Kamilah Sayeed here, as well? How is she doing these days?”

“You know Kamilah?” Of course she knows Kamilah. Why are you even surprised?

Isadora doesn’t break her hold. Nadya knows exactly what will happen if she tries to take it upon herself to separate them though. “That was not an answer.”

“No — No she’s not here. She stayed in New York.”

Isadora seems amused, which in Nadya’s opinion is a welcome change from murderous. But they definitely can — and probably do — exist in the same house.

“Why are you and your friends in my city?”

Nadya tries to look over her shoulder to Adrian. Hoping; praying he could somehow give her something to say. Because all she can think is the truth and telling everyone the truth isn’t exactly part of the plan.

Adrian sees her panic. “She’s got nothing to do with this, Isadora. Leave her alone.”

“See the more you say that, Raines, the more I think you’re not telling me the truth. So, Nadya, I’ll ask again.”

“Isadora —”

He’d probably do better yelling at a brick wall. She finds it all too easy to ignore him; let him fade into the background as she leans down and close to Nadya’s face. Tilts her chin up with a dark and manicured fingertip.

“Why are you and your friends in my city?”

Vampires can’t hypnotize people, right? Like, Adrian and Kamilah would have made it a point to tell her if vampires could hypnotize people, right? If Jax and Maricruz had shared some innate vamp-y hypnosis secret with Lily, then Lily would have told her, right?

Nadya can’t say she’s ever been hypnotized before so she isn’t certain but wow does it feel like Isadora’s trying to hypnotize her. Making her look deep into her eyes, red and practically glowing with pupils narrowed into slits and the way her voice curls around her words is… is really pretty and…

Holy mother of crap can vampires hypnotize people?!

While Adrian struggles to peer over Isadora’s shoulder to see exactly why Nadya’s gone so quiet, Cadence doesn’t have to. He’s had enough of whatever the heck this is, apparently, and pushes Tony off of him and into the nearest wall with startling ease.

“No — this is too far, Isadora, she’s human for god’s sake!” He gets to them before anyone else can stop him. “Get out of her mind before you do any damage.”

Not that she listens. Maybe she can’t listen. Nadya’s definitely having a harder time hearing the room around them so suffice to say it’s the same for Isadora, right?

Get out of her mind.

Oh god. Get out of my mind. You can’t see what’s in there.

She feels frozen, trapped and bound in a vice of her own skin. But it isn’t something she’s never felt before. She has, and rather recently too. The only difference is Jameson connected them at her temples. Isadora de la Rosa does just as well using only her eyes.

Get out, please. You can’t see.

Why can I not, Nadya? Show me.

I just can’t. You — You won’t like it. She doesn’t like it. She doesn’t like it one bit.

How about I make that decision for myself?

“What are you standing around for?” shouts Lily. “Get her away! Nadya, can you hear me? Nadya!”

But Cadence hesitates; hands hovering just over them. “If I break the connection while Izzy’s pressing in… it might not go well.”

Lily looks to Adrian in a panic. “Dude!”

“Cadence, it’s okay. Do it.”

He frowns at Adrian; his glasses slip down his nose. “She’s a powerful psychic, Adrian. I don’t want Nadya to get hurt.”

“She won’t be. Break them up.”

Can someone break us up, please?!

Why are you resisting me? What are you hiding?

“But —”

“Nadya’s not the one who’ll be hurt! Just—listen to me and do it!”

Convicted and terrified, Cadence places his hands on the backs of their necks and pulls.

When Nadya opens her eyes she knows, objectively, that there’s been a passage of time. But the usual sluggishness, the feeling like she’s emerging from a pit of black sludge isn’t there. Somehow, she was both conscious… and not.

The carpet is itchy under her palms and Nadya might have shattered her tail bone into a thousand pieces. It sure feels that way. Adrian holds her halfway upright with a hand firm in the middle of her back. She’s grateful that he’s both worried and cautious enough to keep from touching her directly; and instead his hand hovers just shy of her face.

“Nadya, can you hear me?”

But that’s Lily’s voice — oh, Lily’s there too. She speaks again but slower; “How many fingers am I holding up?”

She squints. Everything is still blurry.

“I don’t… I can’t…” then it hits her, “you’re holding up my glasses, aren’t you?”

They fall into her waiting hand. When everything comes into clear (if smudged with a stampede of fingerprints) view Nadya looks up to see Lily beaming.

“She’s in the clear.”

“No,” comes Isadora’s growl from somewhere not in her immediate reach—thank god, “none of you are.”

It’s a little relieving that Nadya wasn’t the only one thrown on her butt. But Isadora’s recovery is faster and that’s a big yikes. She pushes the worried faces and reaches of her subordinates aside and stands on her own. She tries to smooth herself back to her previous perfection but the damage is done — there’s no changing the tension coiling tightly inside her, or the wild uncertainty in her eyes.

Something happened — Nadya’s foggy on exactly what but she knows that much. Just like she knows the look Isadora’s giving her.

She knows.

A ragged groan breaks the silence and all eyes turn to Cadence who was somehow also thrown off his feet; only he doesn’t have anyone to check up on him. Nadya gives a pleading look to Lily and immediately she’s at his side. He’s groggy, but despite the shaking in his arms he can hold himself up. He’ll live — long enough for her to thank him anyway.

Isadora has never been the type to be at a loss for words. Nadya can see it now; decades of being loud, being harsh; whatever it took to be respected in the world. Whatever it took to carry on the de la Rosa name and legacy.

The city hadn’t even given her the chance to mourn him.

“You shouldn’t be possible,” she whispers, and Nadya laughs — says the vampire.

Adrian looks between them with growing confusion. “What happened?”

She pats at his arm and he gets the hint; helps Nadya and her knocking knees to stand. She’s tired of being looked down on by them, believe it or not, so if she can look Isadora in the eyes then she’s going to.

“You wanted to know why we were here, in New Orleans,” Nadya speaks slowly to keep her voice from betraying just how shaken up she really feels, “well now you do.”

When Nadya closes her eyes she can see it; the Amulet of Nero. In flashes of printed-out pictures on Adrian’s office wall and resting cupped in Cadence’s palms and held dangling by the chain up to the light of this very office; reverent — and solemn, too. A gift from someone given up a long time ago.

All that through Isadora’s eyes.

Nadya sighs and rubs her aching temple. “She doesn’t have the Amulet.”

Neither Adrian nor Lily hide their shock. “How do you know?” he asks. But how can she reasonably say she just does?

When Isadora steps forward one of the veiled women reaches out to try and stop her. Nadya can feel the energy—uneasy-uncertain-doubtful-fearful-of-the-unknown—coming from the Southern vampires like waves of endless nausea. But her hand is batted away. Isadora is the only one certain of anything right now.

“You’re right,” she answers in measured caution, “the Amulet is no longer in my possession. But I can tell you where it is… and, should you be willing, try and help you get it back.”

Murmurs of confusion ripple out from the other vampires. Isadora shrugs them off — her intense focus on Nadya strong; stalwart.

You’ve seen what’s at stake. What could—will—happen if we don’t.

Yes, I have.

Nadya nods.

“We could use all the help we can get.”

#bloodbound #bloodbound fanfiction #nightbound #kamilah x mc #choices fanfiction #adrian raines #lily spencer #bloodbound mc #mc: nadya al jamil #oc: cadence smith #oc: isadora de la rosa #fic: oblivion bound #oblv: bound by destiny ii #oblv: new chapter #; my fics

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ellixthea · 5 years

Text

Anniversary

Request: @xxkellsvixen19xx “Request for Colson/MGK romantic wedding anniversary with reader please!”

A/N: Here you go! Hope you enjoy it ;)

“Your first anniversary is coming soon! Any plans for the occasion?” Lizzie, your best friend for 12 years asked you.

“Actually, I started to talk to him about it, but he cut me off telling me he was taking care of everything, so I guess I’ll have to wait.” You replied, taking a bite of your meal. In a week, it would be yours and Colson’s first wedding anniversary.

The first time you saw him was in a restaurant. You walked in with a bunch of your friends to celebrate one of your closest friends’ birthday. You didn’t see him at first, you didn’t really pay attention to the people around you but when you were about to sit down, it was where you saw him, across your table. He was with other people, ordering their meal when he eyes met yours. You couldn’t explain what you felt but you felt something. You didn’t believe at love at first sight but with all the emotions rushing through your body, it felt like it was. His face looked familiar, but you couldn’t put words on where you would have seen him. He gave you a smile which you returned before sitting down between your friends. During the whole time at the restaurant, you would sometimes check him out which surprised you since usually you wouldn’t do those kinds of things, but you were even more surprised when you caught him do the same thing. When it was time for you and your friends to leave to keep celebrating in a club, you felt a little sad knowing that you would never see this unknow person ever again. You were all heading to your cars when you heard someone calling you. “Hey!” You turned around, and so did your friends. “Yes, you” he started, and you felt your heart beating faster. “I was wondering if I could get your number. I saw you at the restaurant and I don’t know what kind of sorcery you did but I couldn’t keep my eyes off you.” His statement made you giggled and you accepted to give him your number. “I’m Colson by the way.” “Y/N” “Such a beautiful name, have fun with your friends Y/N.” He said and soon he was heading back inside the restaurant leaving you both speechless and excited. Then things went on simply, you went on several dates, learnt a lot about him and especially his career and soon enough the two and you started dating. What you felt for him was indescribable. He made you feel like you were the only woman in the world. What Colson felt for you was something he barely felt for a woman. You were so important to him and made you understand it in every way. After 2 years of being together he proposed to you, which you immediately said yes.

“Ooohhh I wonder what it is.” Lizzie added smirking.

“Lizzie you know what he’s planning don’t you?” “I don’t know maybe but you’re not getting anything from me.” She laughed soon joined by you.

The week went on slowly as you were excited for the surprise Colson was planning. You would try to steal information from him, but it would always end up either you being frustrated or into a make out session.

When you woke up on the day of the anniversary, you turned around to cuddle with Colson when you found the bed with only you in it. You frowned your eyebrows as you wondered where he could have been. You got up and made your way in the living room where you saw him through the large bay windows with a joint between his fingers. You came behind him and wrapped your arms around his waist.

“Good morning handsome.”

“Good morning babe.” Colson replied, turning around to hug you and kiss you languidly. When he pulled away, your eyes were still closed, as if you wanted to recall every second of it. His arms were around your neck when he started to talk.

“I know today is our day, but I have to go. It’s not gonna take long I promise.” You pulled away from him.

“What? Why? It’s our first year and you’re leaving?”

“Don’t be mad, I promise you that when you’ll know the reason why, you’ll be happy.” You were confused at his statement which made you raised your eyebrow, something that would turn Colson on. “Oh, babe don’t do that thing with your eyebrow. You know how it makes me feel.” You got closer to him, wanted to play on the situation. “That’s what you get for leaving me.” You replied, lifting your eyebrow once again, a smirk drawn on your face before going back inside.

Colson was right, his little excursion didn’t too long but long enough for you to miss him. During the day, he would have cute attentions towards you, treating you like a goddess. You loved everything that he was doing for you but as the day was going you wondered if him behaving this way was the surprise, he told you about. It was around 7p.m. when Colson joined you in your bedroom. You were trying on bracelets when he had an expression you knew way too well. “Babe, I want you to wear whatever that makes you feel amazing. We’re leaving in an hour.” He said before grabbing a bag that you had never seen before and leaving the room. You couldn’t fight the smile growing on your face and decided to get ready. You opened the dresser to find what to wear for the night. You didn’t know where you would go so you decided to wear a night blue dress which was tight at the breast and flared from the waist until the end of the dress which was ended in the middle of your thigh, not too short but not too long. A reversed triangle shape exposed your back. The dress was suiting your figure perfectly. Once you were done with the outfit, you went to the bathroom connected to your bedroom to do your hair and makeup. You went on for a messy yet chic bun and for your face, you decided to put on mascara, eyeliner and burgundy lipstick. You were fixing yourself in the mirror when you heard Colson knocking at the door.

“Can I come in?”

“Yes, you can.” You said as you exited the bathroom only to be face to face with him, both shocked at each other outfit.

“You look amazing Kells.” You said getting closer to him. He was wearing a dark chino pants with a white shirt.

“What should I say about you then! You look incredible Y/N. I can’t wait to take that off.” You weren’t expecting him to say that, even though he always did those kinds of comments. “Kells!” You said laughing. “Are you reading for our night?” “More than ready!”

On the way to the mysterious location, you realized that Colson was driving away from the city. “Wait, why are we getting that far from the city?” “You’ll see.” He simply replied, raising his eyebrow, imitating what you usually did which made you rolled your eyes in an amused way.

After 20 more minutes of driving, you finally parked in the high of the city. He offered you his hands, guiding you to the hills and you were glad you decided to go for flat shoes. Once you arrived you couldn’t believe what was in front of your eyes. A spot which was overhanging the city, and which gave a glimpse of the sea afar. Bunch of beautiful and colorful flowers were around a table that had been set up for the two of you.

“Colson, it’s amazing.” You were speechless. You would talk sometimes about how you loved being away from the city and how you would love to spend a night there but couldn’t do it with Kells’ busy schedule and yours. The fact that he took note of what you said, even the flowers brought you so much joy inside your body.

“A caterer is on the way.”

“A caterer? I didn’t even know it was possible?!” You replied, even surprised. “Everything is possible when you want to.” As a response, you only smiled and kissed him.

Here you were, standing on the top of a hill, with an amazing landscape and the love of your life. Back in college, you used to be worried about your future, afraid to fail in life and you were also concerned about what life had planned for you but what you were living was everything you would have hoped for.

You were still looking at the view when Colson took your hands in his.

“Y/N, I didn’t know I needed you until you came into my life. I know it’s hard to keep up with my shit sometimes and I’m thankful you didn’t give up on me, on us when the times were rough. I can’t explain how in love I am with you because I guess nobody has experienced this love ever. Making you my wife was the best decision I have ever taken. Thank you for being an amazing step mother for Casie and thank you for being an amazing and sexy wife.” By the end of his sentence, you were crying. It was rare for him to open up that much.

“Thank you for being the best Kells, I love you so much.” You replied, jumping on him, wrapping your legs around his waist and kissing him until the both of you couldn’t breathe anymore.

#machine gun kelly #machine gun kelly imagine #machine gun kelly x reader #machine gun kelly fanfic #machine gun kelly fanficti #mgk #mgk imagine #mgk x reader #mgk fanfic #mgk fanfiction #colson baker #colson baker imagine #colson baker x reader #colson baker fanfic #colson baker fanfiction #one shot

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promise-tingzz · 4 years

Text

I’m back with another collage but this time I’m doing something different…I am going to be talking about……ANIMES TO WATCH DURING LITTLE SPACE/REGRESSION…whatever you want to call you headspace is a-okay with me. I will being listing the names of the anime and descriptions below, I personally don’t usually watch cartoons in little space, and if I do I’m sorta in baby space. Continuing though I love to watch anime in general, in and out of my headspace, but sometimes little me can’t follow the plot of certain anime’s I watch when I’m big, so I usually stick to slice of life and light romance sort of anime’s. But getting on to the topic at hand, I will be listing the names of anime going down row to row. These anime’s are so good, I promise.

Top 9 anime’s I recommend to watch in little space

•the first one we have up there is blend S, I know you heard of the intro before. Smile, sweet, sister, sadistic, surprise, service. Yup it’s that anime. The anime is basically about a High school girl, named Maika Sakuranomiya, who has a lot of trouble finding a part-time job because of how scary she looks when smiling. Which is what you usually need to do when doing any part-time job. You have to show enthusiasm, moving on though. Even though she has trouble with her smile, she is scouted one day by an Italian man who is also the manager of Stile, a café where its waitresses are given unique traits such as tsundere and younger sister. It’s a comedy/ slice of life type anime. I give this anime a 10/10 and it’s perfect when I watch it when I regress.

• the second anime going down is power puff girl z, the plot doesn’t differ from the regular power puff girls cartoon except in the anime. Professor Utonium was, infact, experimenting while his son Ken Kitazawa/Utonium created Chemical Z (a variant of his father's Chemical X) when a local restaurant specialty fell into the Chemical X. Ken uses the chemical to destroy an ice glacier and avoid an ecological disaster. The impact causes white and black Z-Rays to fly across the skies of New Townsville. The white lights hit Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup transforming them into the Powerpuff Girls. Those hit with the black light became the series' villains. After defeating Mojo Jojo, Mr. Mayor assigned them to be the heroines of the city. They are called to action using the cry of Ken Kitazawa's robot pet puppy, Poochi. Yes I know the anime sounds very similar to the cartoon, I just find PPGZ more appealing to my taste. Again 10/10 I would total recommend.

• the third anime is POKÉMON, oml I love this so much, any gen will do. Ranging from the old Pokémon getting aired in 1997 to Pokémon the series: sun and moon. The old Pokémon is about our main protagonist, a young Ash Ketchum, just began his Pokémon training as he finally turns 10. But things don't go as expected for the him, when he gets a Pikachu instead of a standard first Pokémon. Winning gym badges is also tougher than Ash thought it would be. He's not alone in his quest for the badges, though, as former gym leaders Brock and Misty are by his side, along with some new friends. I love it all. 10/10.

• the fourth anime, starting from the second column is bananya it’s basically a cutesy anime basically about a white cat who lives inside a banana. That’s it. My regressed self can follow the easy plot and my regressed two year old-ish self can laugh at it. 10/10 totally recommend.

• the fifth anime we have is miraculous ladybug. Yes I know, don’t come for me alright, I know it’s sort of a cartoon but the creators had the thought of anime still in mind so I’ll call it even. It’s basically about a girl named marinette. She seems to be a normal teenage girl, she dreams of becoming a famous fashion designer, is a bit awkward/shy and has a crush on one of her classmate. But she has a secret other teenagers don't have, she lives a double life as a crime-fighting superhero known as Ladybug. She uses her superpowers to help protect her native Paris from supervillain Hawk Moth. She is assisted, much to her dislike, by fellow hero Cat Noir. even though she insists she doesn't need him -- a stance she might not take if she knew his alter ego is her crush, Adrien. Together, Ladybug and Cat Noir help keep Paris safe from Hawk Moth and other villains. The plot is kind of a bit to much for me when I’m tiny, but overall I rate it 9/10.

• the six anime is called miss kuboyashis dragon maid it’s about an average office worker Named Miss Kobayashi and she lives a boring/ not exciting life, alone in her small apartment–until she saves a female dragon in distress. The dragon, named Tohru, has the ability to magically transform into an adorable human girl (albeit with horns and a long tail!), who will do anything to pay off her debt of gratitude, whether Miss Kobayashi likes it or not. With a very persistent and amorous dragon as a roommate, nothing comes easy, and Miss Kobayashi’s normal life is about to go off the deep end. It’s a very cutesy and slice of life anime, I give it a 9/10. The only reason why is the short/small service scenes.

• the seventh anime, starting from the last column we have ouran highschool host club. it’s a romance/comedy type of anime which I love, in and out of littlespace. Following the plot, it is about an elite upper school catering to the ultra-rich, which is called ouran academy. Haruhi Fujioka, one of our main protagonists, is a working-class scholarship student, which is rare at the school. While searching for a quiet place to study, Haruhi stumbles on an unused music room which turns out to be the club room for the school's "Host Club" — a group of idle rich boys possessing exceptional good-looks who entertain female clients. After accidentally knocking over a priceless Renaissance vase that's worth far more than Harhui can possibly repay, she is forced to join the Host Club as an "errand boy" to work off the debt. Soon after, however, Haruhi proves to be a 'natural' Host (no training needed) and is promoted to full membership of the Host Club. It then becomes clear that something isn't quite as it seems. I love this anime so much. It also slightly grazes the topics of gender identity and sexuality. Covering the sexuality, lesbian, in one of the episodes. And covers the gender identity, non-binary, in episode one. Our little haruhi is non-binary. THEIR REPRESENTING SO HARD. I literally cried when I figured out haruhi was non-binary in the anime. Enough of that. I give the anime a 9/10. Only because it’s has a short/small amount of service scenes that I don’t like in little space.

• the eighth anime, the second in the last column, is called kiss him, not me. It’s appropriate I promise. The plot is basically about a girl named Kae Serinuma being a fujoshi, a female manga and anime geek who loves reading yaoi (boys love) material and imagining men together in romantic relationships, both fictional and real. But while she was watching her favorite anime one of her favourite characters is killed off, Kae is so shocked that she locks herself in her room for a whole week, missing school. Not spoiling the anime, she comes out different goes to school, and at first, nobody recognizes her. When they do they are shocked and overwhelm her making her cry and run off. Later on a group of boys gain crushes on her and fight to see who will win all of her love, slightly forgetting that she devotes her life to anime. I’ll let y’all decide if you wanna see what happens or not. I give the anime a 10/10.

• the last, and ninth anime we have today is…the old, classic, and one of my very favorites…SAILOR MOON. We all know sailor moon right?? It’s about a middle-school student named Usagi Tsukino, who lives in Juban, Tokyo. She befriends Luna, a talking black cat who gives her a magical brooch enabling her to become Sailor Moon: a soldier destined to save Earth from the forces of evil. It has kitty’s and a female protag who kicks butt to the max, what more do you want?? 10/10.

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caramell0w · 5 years

Text

The Acquisition- Chapter 7

Parings: Business owner!Bucky x Reader (AU)

Summary: You are part of a business merger. Can you make it through with your heart still intact, or will The Winter Soldier tear you apart?

Warnings: None

A/N: Yay! Next chapter! I wanted to release this today in honor of my book coming out tomorrow!! Enjoy this chapter and as always, love is always appreciated!

Word Count: 2070

Masterlist | Previous Chapter

If you like my fanfic, check out my books

The wedding designer, Natasha, comes to visit and she is a flurry of activity. She drops a few large bags on the kitchen floor and looks around, wide eyed and bushy tailed. “Wow, this place is huge!” She seems to then notice me and extends her hand. “Hi, I’m Natasha. You must be the bride-to-be.”

I take hers and she gives me a firm shake. “Hi, I’m Y/N. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Mr. Barnes has told me money’s no object and whatever you want you can have. Have you found a dress yet? Do you have any color schemes in mind? What about flowers?”

I chuckle. “No to all. It’s a sudden engagement and I figure whatever you want to do will be good enough.”

She apprases me. “Pregnant?”

I wave my hands in front of me. “No, definitely not. There’s a family issue and this is what’s going to work best for us.”

I hear Steve and Bucky coming down the stairs, the two of them in the middle of a discussion. They come into view and Natasha straightens her back. “Sirs.”

“Hi Nat. Thanks for agreeing to plan this on such short notice. I promise you, whatever you need I’ll make sure you get. Steve is going to stay here. I have a few things I need to take care of and then I’ll be back.” He places his hand on the small of my back. When I turn my head to the side, offering him my cheek, he leans down and plants a delicate kiss on it. “I’ll see you all later.” He drops his hand and turns to Nat. “Make sure she’s happy, Nat. I’m trusting you.”

“I’ve got her. She’s in good hands with me.”

He keeps his lips pressed together and nods once. He looks at Steve and the two of them have a silent conversation. What is that about?

He leaves and Natasha jumps right in talking about arrangements, flowers, centerpieces, and invitations. My head spins with all the dizzying details she’s throwing my way. What color do I want the napkins to be? What about the centerpieces? Do I want floral or something more contemporary. Where is the wedding going to take place? The last one is what really get me. I have no idea where I want to get married. Most girls dream up their perfect wedding from a young age. I won’t be able to do anything I want, not with such short notice anyway.

“Would I even be able to find something nice with such short notice?”

“Maybe. It all depends on what you want though.”

I bite my thumbnail, my face scrunched, then sigh. “I don’t know what I want. Do you have any suggestions?”

“We could always look at a function hall type of place, or even a hotel. They might have a ballroom empty. I’m sure if we let them know it’s for James Barnes they will find a way to make it work.”

“What about at Asset?” I want to look around the place again, now that I know what to expect, and this would be a good excuse to do so without letting anyone know my real intentions.

Nat’s eyes light up and she nods. “That would be perfect. They have the big open area, we just need to move the spanking bench out of there and the floggers. I’m sure there is a spot it can be stored for the time being. We also have the ballroom area down there that could double as the dance floor. We just need to move the cages out. I love it! Steve what do you think?”

He eyes my suspiciously. “I’m not sure. We would have to run it by Bucky.”

“You’re half owner, Steve. Plus Bucky said whatever makes me happy. This would make me happy.” I bounce in my seat a little. “When is he going to be home?”

“He’s in a meeting this morning, he said he would be home around three.”

“Well I can’t wait that long. Let’s go.”

“Go where?” he asks.

“Asset. I want to check it out and see if it would work for the wedding. It would be cheaper because he already owns it, we wouldn’t have to rent the space. It’s just a matter of a caterer, and rentals for the tables, chairs and linens. Overall, that wouldn’t be so bad.

“I think we should wait for him to get back.”

Now’s the time to pull out the big guns, and see how much pull I have. “Steve. Bucky said to keep me happy, and this is what I want. You’re coming with us, it’s not like we’re leaving you here. Nat can show me around, let me get a sense of the place and I can decide if it’s right for me.” In more ways than one.

“Steve, she’ll be safe with us. Come on, I think it’s a great idea, and the place means a lot to him,” Nat persists.

Through gritted teeth he responds. “Fine. I’ll let him know where we’re headed and he can meet us there.”

The driver is weaving his way through traffic, heading toward Brooklyn. “So, Nat. How do you know Steve and Bucky?”

She looks at Steve before answering. “I’m a member of the club. I also help plan the socials they host once a month.” Hesitantly she asks, “How much do you know about the club?”

“Bucky brought her there yesterday and she ran out after Tony scared her.” He turns to look at me and tilts his head a fraction. “Which is why I find it interesting that you want to go back.” He raises his eyebrow in question and crosses his arms over his wide chest.

“Are you part of the scene?” Nat interjects.

I small giggle bubbles up. “No. I, um, yesterday was my first time in that type of situation.”

Her eyes light up and she licks her lips. “A virgin? Let me show you around. There are places only subs and enter. There are also a lot of rules when you enter that must be followed. I’ll help you blend in today.”

I look down at my summer dress and wedges. “Is this not good enough?”

“No. There is a strict code that must be followed. I’m sure we can find a corset and skirt that will fit you. James’ favorite is black, and I’m sure we can find something appropriate.”

“Nat,” Steve warns through clenched teeth.

I place my hand on his arm. “No, Steve, it’s fine. I want to see and if this is how it’s supposed to be done, I want to do it. It’s fine. You’ll be there to keep me safe. I trust you.”

“Yeah, well I don’t trust half the men in there,” he mumbles. I ignore it and look at Nat who’s beaming.

“I’ll be right outside the locker room. Nat, if she’s not out in ten minutes, I’m coming in after her.”

“So protective. You’d think she was made of gold the way you are with her.”

“Bucky has his reasons for wanting to keep her safe.”

She links arms with mine and pulls me into the locker room. It’s a bit of a let down. I was expecting there to be all sorts of black lights and kinky stuff. This looks like the locker room at the gym. Lockers, showers, toilets.

“You were expecting more?” Nat quirks her eyebrow.

I chuckle and shake my head. “Yeah, I guess so. I thought it would be… kinky or something.”

“Not everything has to be that way. Sometimes you need to pull back to get in the right frame of mind.” She opens a locker and pulls out a corset with a bunch of belts along the front and a flared black mini skirt and black thigh high socks. She seems to have no shame and waits for me to take my dress off and I fidget, not wanting to get naked in front of her. “Oh. Go behind the curtain and get changed. I’ll help you get the corset tightened.”

I do as she asks and come out with the corset pulled up around my boobs, skirt and socks. My panties are still on too. She fastens the corset and pulls my hair back out of my face and looks at her handy work. “Lose the panties. It throws everything off.”

“No. Someone might see my butt, this thing is way too short.” I put my hands over my butt trying to make sure it’s covered.”

“It’s been ten minutes, Nat.” Steve says pushing the door open. He stops in the doorframe and blinks at me a few times.

“How do I look, Steve?” I spin in a slow circle and stop when I’m facing him again.

He clears his throat. “Good. You’ll, um, you’ll fit right in here.” I smile and clasps my hands in front of me, looking toward the ground. He sticks his finger under my chin and tilts my head up. “You don’t belong to anyone and you have not given submission to anyone. Don’t look down when you’re talking with Dom’s here. Some are like vultures, and you’re fresh meat. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. You hold all the power.”

Nat joins us wearing something similar to me, but she has on thigh high boots with a small red hourglass design on the side. “Come on, let’s show you around and plan your wedding.”

We take our time walking through the various locations as Nat paints a picture of the whole set up for the wedding. She truly has a talent for designing and making me understand her vision.

“Nat, I think this is going to be amazing. You’re sure you can pull it off?”

“I’m sure I can figure it out. There are a few vendors that owe me, I’ll make sure they pay up.

The air around us seems to electrify and shivers run down my body. I turn to see the reason for my unease. Bucky is standing a few feet behind us. Watching. Waiting. I shift my weight from one leg to the other and jut my hip out, crossing my arms over my chest. The extra pressure pushing my already restrained breasts closer together. The look on his face is one of raw lust and he licks his lips, never breaking eye contact.

“Y/N, why are you wearing that?”

I look down, suddenly insecure in my appearance. Don’t look down. I repeat the words Steve said earlier and look back up at him. “Nat thought it would be best for me to fit in while she gave me a tour of the place and hatched out our entire wedding. Do I not look good? She said you like black.”

He takes a few steps toward me and stops when the toes of his shoes touch mine. “Give me a few minutes alone with my fiancée.” He grabs my elbow and gently leads me toward one of the rooms, closing the door behind us.

“You don’t have to do this. We don’t have to have the wedding here, and you don’t have to dress like that.”

“Nat said there is special protocol I have to follow when I’m here. I thought you’d appreciate that I’m trying to follow the rules you have in place.”

He runs his fingers through his hair and a lock falls over his eyebrow. I push it back in place, waiting for him to continue. “You’re the exception. This isn’t your scene. This isn’t what you’re in to, and that’s fine. I won’t force you.”

“What if there are some things I wouldn’t mind… trying?”

His lips raise in a half smirk. “Are there?”

“Maybe,” I squeak.

He takes his hand in mine. “This world is all about trust. You would have to trust me to not let harm come to you. You would have to trust I know what’s best for you in a scene. I would never push you into anything you’re not comfortable with. That includes anything in regards to me. I will push you to limits, but I won’t break them.” He appraises me. “You really need to get some clothes on, because I may have a lot of willpower, but even I have a breaking point. And that outfit is it.”

Next Chapter

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nicolewoo · 4 years

Text

First night on the road

Pairing: Finn Balor x Reader

Scenario: It’s the reader’s first night backstage at RAW and meeting the good brothers.

Warnings: A little cursing

I'd only been in the arena for a few minutes before I heard a delighted scream. “YYYY/NNNNNNN” Ettore was running straight for me. He wrapped me in a huge hug, picking me up off my feet and spinning me around. “I heard you were coming to work with us!!!” Kofi and Austin followed close behind wrapping me in a giant group hug.

“Who's here?” Kofi asked jokingly, and all three members of The New Day began chanting “Who?” “Who?” “Who?”

“Y/N! That's who!” Ettore said.

I couldn't help the laughter that escaped me. I felt a pair of hands wrap around my waist and pull me back from the pack of jokers. “Easy now fellas. T'is one's mine.” Fergal joked as he pulled me against his chest.

“So the rumors are all true?” Austin asked.

All three of them looked to Fergal and I. I paused for effect but smiled big and said “Yes.”

“You're really working for RAW?” Kofi asked.

“No.” I corrected. “I'm working for the WWE, but for NXT.” I informed them.

“But you're on the road with us?” Ettore questioned.

“Yep.” I grinned at them all.

At that, Fergal and I were wrapped in a giant group hug again.

“Seriously though,” Austin said after a second. “We are so glad everything worked out for you.” He paused before adding “Both of you.” He wiggled an eyebrow at Fergal. “But why are you traveling with RAW if you're working for NXT?”

“I can work anywhere, and they wanted to keep Fergal and I together, so here I am.” I explained hoping that they wouldn't ask more questions about what I do for the company.

Kofi asked, “So what are you doing for the WWE?” Figures.

I pondered a second before answering, “It's all technical social media stuff.” I tried to appease them, but they were having none of it. They stared at me expecting a little more information.

Austin was the one who spoke, “Go on. We're smart men. What type of technical social media stuff?”

Fergal stepped in now, “Guys, she's not allowed to talk about it. She has an NDA.”

That brought a couple of raised eyebrows. “So, you're like the WWE CIA or something?” Ettore joked.

“Something like that. A little more like MI6 actually.” I laughed, grateful for both Ferg and Ettore for allowing me an easy way to end the questions.

“Now young lady,” Kofi wrapped an arm over my shoulders. “You're gonna have dinner with us, right?”

“Guys, it's her first night....” Fergal was going to say something else, but Ettore cut her off.

“Then she's lucky to have friends to eat dinner with. You can't hide her away from us Ferg. You can come to dinner too.” Kofi said.

I knew Fergal didn't like to eat at catering. He preferred to grab his food and go eat alone or with the good brothers, so I knew a compromise was in order. “Gentlemen,” I butted in. “How about we all eat together tomorrow? I promise. I just want to get familiar with everything today.” I smiled warmly, and they smiled back.

“Tomorrow then.” Austin ceded.

“I'm gonna get her settled in, guys. We'll have dinner tomorrow.” Fergal promised. I got hugs from each of them before we left.

Walking through the halls I got a LOT of odd looks. Some seemed confused, some seemed unhappy. No matter how they looked, everyone noticed Fergal and I walking in together. I heard whispers behind us after we passed. Fergal squeezed my hand to reassure me. “Give t'em time. T'ey'll love you once t'ey get ta know ya.” He gave me a warm smile and ran his thumb over my knuckles. “Here we are.” Ferg knocked on the door that had a piece of paper taped to it reading BALOR CLUB. He ducked his head in checking to make sure everyone was decent.

“I haven't been this nervous since I first met you.” I admitted.

Fergal grabbed my hand, “No reason to be nervous. T'ey're gonna luv ya.” Ferg looked down at me, “No reason to be nervous. Trust me, luv.” He placed a quick kiss on my forehead then opened the door.

Chad (Carl Anderson) and Andy (Luke Gallows) were both dressed in their ring gear. Both were taller than I thought; which only intimidated me more.

“There she is!” said Chad and he walked full speed to wrap me in a giant hug. I'm usually a hugger, but not before I've even met someone. A split second later, Andy joined the hug and pulled Fergal in too.

“Group hug!” he practically yelled.

“All right. All right.” Ferg said pushing the boys back. “Give her some room to breath.” He wrapped his arm around my waist. “You ok, luv?”

The combination of my anxiety and the crazy greeting had me laughing. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Enough mushy, Ferg.” Chad said. “She's gonna have to get used to us hugging her,” he smiled at me.

“Y/N these are t'e good brothers, Chad and Andy,” he introduced the duo properly. I noticed the smiles on their faces as they shook my hand.

“Good to meet the woman who put a permanent smile on Ferg here.” Andy said as he patted Ferg on the shoulder a bit too hard.

Chad and Andy had the first match of the night and Fergal had the second to last match, which meant I'd have someone with me at all times. It was a comforting thought. I knew the boys would be kind when in charge of me.

After Fergal got into his ring gear, we headed to a nearby room to watch the show with other talent. By the time we headed back to the dressing room, the boys were showered and dressed in street clothes.

“Do you want to watch Fergy's match?” Andy asked.

I nodded yes, “If you don't mind.” The three of us settled headed back into the common area to watch the match.

Watching Ferg wrestle before I met him was one thing. Now that we were together, I cringed at every hit he took. Andy took notice and patted my shoulder reassuringly. “You'll get used to it, Y/N.”

“He's the best, well, besides me. Nothing to worry about.” Chad said.

“You say that like he hasn't just returned from 7 months of recovery.” I said quietly.

“I know it's all a bit scary,” Andy said, “But once you get to know more about wrestling, you'll learn what can hurt a wrestler and what just looks dangerous.” His assurance didn't help, because I knew that any move could hurt someone if done wrong. Needless to say, I was happy when the match was over.

After the match, we went back to the locker room and talked while Fergal got showered and dressed.

“Ok, I'm starved. Let's get some food.” Chad said bluntly as Fergal finished dressing.

We all followed behind and climbed into the SUV the good brothers had rented for this leg of the journey. The boys started immediately asking about me. “How do you like it in the WWE?” “Tell us your hobbies.” “Favorite music.” Thankfully, it was a quick drive, because I was starting to feel like I was being interrogated.

Ferg squeezed my hand before we got out. I was finally getting used to the idea that I couldn't touch him in public. Andy opened my door, and helped me onto the sidewalk. Ferg came around the car and placed his hand on the small of my back. Andy then placed his hand higher on my back. I cocked my head a bit and looked to Fergal for an explanation. “Ah, t'e brothers.... actually t'e whole roster will help cover any PDAs. If I touch you, and someone else touches you, t'e press and fans won't assume you're dating anyone.... jus' t'at we're all friends. It's how everyone keeps their relationships secret.”

“That's genius.” I declared.

The restaurant was beautiful and posh. Low lights, candles, classical music, white tablecloths. We followed the maitre d to a side room just off the main dining room. We were still within view of the other patrons, but partially blocked. I could see the guys appreciated a bit of privacy. Just a bit.

We were joined by Benjamin Satterley (Neville) and Rami Sebei (Sami Zayn). Once we settled in, the conversation became all about wrestling. First, the wrestling here at the WWE. Story lines, who's the best heel, etc. Then came the old “embarrassing” stories from NJPW. Chad was dead set on telling me every crazy thing Fergal did while in Japan. Ferg was turning brighter shades of red with each story. Ben must have noticed, because he stopped Chad by turning the conversation to me.

We discussed my work history and what it was like to live just across the river from St. Louis. The guys were all excited for their next show in St. Louis because I agreed to show them the city. When the conversation turned to what my role was in the WWE, I panicked. The Non-disclosure-agreement loomed in my mind. “I'm working with creative.”

“Thank the heavens!” Ben said. “Maybe you can get the writers' heads out of their arses,” He started, but Fergal stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

“Guys, she's just started. She's not even working on the main roster. She's working with NXT.” He interjected.

“And actually,” I continued, “I'm working with the social media side of things,” I said shyly. I didn't want to disappoint them, but it was true. Of course, I didn't offer up that much of what I was doing.

Rami jumped in to calm the boys, “As long as you're happy and you're sticking around. I haven't seen this guy” He patted Ferg on the shoulder, “so happy in ages.” That made Ferg smile shyly.

“Wait.” Ben started, “You're working on NXT, and you're on the road with RAW? That makes no sense.” He looked to me for answers, but I didn't have any that I could say aloud. My eyes shot to Fergal who promptly changed the subject. “Guys, it's boring.... trust me.” Well THAT wasn't the response I wanted. I elbowed Ferg in the ribs. “I just mean, that none of us would want to do it. Sitting at a computer all day isn't our idea of fun.”

“You're not out of the dog-house yet,” I teased.

Fergal snaked an arm around my waist, and to cover the PDA, Rami wrapped his arm around my shoulder. Both of them leaned in to kiss my cheek. “The other patrons are going to think I'm a slut.” I joked nodding my head to the other dining room.

Just then, the food arrived breaking up the whole thing. Chad and Andy insisted I sit between them; Ferg across from me. I almost protested, but it really was the smartest move to keep our relationship a secret from the public. At least this way, I got to enjoy the salacious looks Ferg shot at me and the warm smile as he talked to his friends. He really was too beautiful. I said a thankful prayer in my head.

Dinner was eaten, jokes were told, stories were re-lived, laughter and joy all around.

When the plates were cleared, the conversation turned to Fergal's injury and the time off. I could see a hint of pity on all of the guys faces when talking about the 7 months off, but Ferg smiled the whole time.

“I neva woulda met t'is wonderful lass if it wasn't for t'e injury.” He beamed at me, and my heart swelled with joy. I hoped he meant it.

“Here's to bad circumstances that bring us joy,” Rami raised a glass to toast, and we did.

We were then interrupted once by a young boy about 8 years old. He'd spotted the superstars from the main dining room. He knocked on the door jamb with father in tow and asked for autographs. His dad apologized for interrupting our night, but the boys were happy to put a smile on the kid's face. The father explained that his son was obsessed with wrestling and wanted to become a wrestler. Ben made sure to tell the boy, “Find me when you graduate from school. I might need a tag team partner then.” It was really sweet.

By the time we climbed back into the SUV to go back to the hotel, I was exhausted. I snuggled up close to Fergal and rested my head on his shoulder. Chad and Andy were shockingly quiet, and I was nearly asleep by the time we arrived.

“Let's get ya inside.” Ferg whispered as he helped me out of the car and up to our hotel room. “Did ya have a good first day on t'e road?” He asked as we got ready for sleep.

I nodded yes. “Good but tiring.” I admitted as I crawled under the covers and Ferg crawled in behind me pulling me against his chest and wrapping his arm around me.

#finn balor fergal devitt wwe raw

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sweeter-thejuice · 6 years

Text

Bound: I

OC x Erik

Warnings: smut, angst

Word Count: 6.2k

Sweat glistened off of my body while my legs pumped at full speed, half resistance on the elliptical. With music blasting in my ear, I pumped hard trying to drown out the stress and trepidation that resonated through my bones over these past five days. Coming back to my hometown gave me a certain uneasiness that I couldn't ignore. The gym being my main stress outlet, I made it my first priority, the second I got here, to get a weekend pass to work out until I was numb, physically and mentally.

It’s been three years since I left this town, unannounced. Mia, my best friend, being the only person informed of my whereabouts. I made the impulsive decision of moving from New York to California, 2,764 miles away from everyone, the day after my high school graduation. This weekend was the first time we’d seen in each other in years. Over the past years, the act of Mia and I interacting, physically, was forbidden and taboo. I wanted nothing persuading or swaying me to feel guilty of my selfish decision. We communicated through social media and FaceTime, keeping our connection strong. Now that I’m prepared, and my life in California is too established for me to leave, I decided it was time for us to have a reunion.

Minus the constant trouble, negative energy and depression, I did, unfortunately, have a good, oblivious life here in Brooklyn. The universe gave me friends that cared about me, a boyfriend who loved me, and, all-in-all, a family that I chose.

We’re called the fab five. Five of the baddest, black women in our hometown walking around like the world revolved around our satisfaction. Honestly, we’re just a bunch of rude bitches, dividing and starting unnecessary mess within our community. The fab five hosts all of the parties, keeps our grades top of our class, dresses to impress, keeps our hair and nails slayed and only dates men that were above or on our level. You had to be cute, to our standards, or rich to associate yourself with us. We didn't even know the damage we were causing to self-esteems and quite frankly, we didn't care. The group started in the ninth grade and lasted until our senior year, surprisingly.

Tori, a dark-skinned, beautiful demon is the leader of the group. With her being rich, powerful and smart, the name and rules of the group was coined by her. Jade, Tori’s right hand woman, is always cleaning up Tori’s mess and creating some of her own. Her light skin complexion got her in and out of a lot of trouble. Keiosha, another member, followed Tori and Jade. The most calm of the group, Kei made it a priority to stay out of mess and settle any beefs. Although peace is her mantra, she finds herself in a lot of sticky situations, you know, with her head being stuck up Tori’s round ass. Then there’s Mia, a sad, depressed, troubled young woman and my best friend. We are polar opposites from everyone else and try to stay as far away from their mess as possible. The only reason we joined the group is because of the connections and, although we hate to admit, power.

“Bitches, we’re getting dumb lit prom weekend!” Tori announced while stuffing chicken nuggets in her perfect mouth. The rich bitch payed the security guard to allow the fab five to leave campus for food. Her father owned an oil company and her mother was an investment banker. The influence that they had on the school and public officials around them were too real. There was nothing money couldn't get them. “My mom rented out this club in upstate New York and we’re going to have the time of our lives. Free drinks, an unlimited supply of weed, a DJ, food catering, you name it and it’s there! My dad set up the arrangement and he’s working on the flyers. We’ll be passing them out Wednesday.” A squeal came from the girls that sat next to her, Jade to her right and Keiosha to her left, both her little minions. Unimpressed, Mia and I gave each other a look and stood up from the table.

“Uh, sounds good,” I said picking up my bag and putting on my backpack, “we’ll catch up with you all later.”

Tori waved her hand, dismissing us like we asked for her permission. Just a couple of more months and I don't have to look at this tired ho ever again. If it was up to me, I would've beat her ass a long time ago, but my fear of jail and losing all of my life investments spooked me out of the idea. Being her friend wasn’t all that miserable. I got a bomb ass scholarship out of the situation, Bill Gates to be exact. Almost one million dollars for college that I can spend at my own leisure. No debt, all four years paid for and extra spending money is what heaven sounds like to the average college student.

“Is she trying to mess up our opportunities or something? Talking about alcohol and weed. Bitch, we’re barely eighteen!” Mia ranted beside me. We were headed to our sixth period, government class that we shared together.

“Girl, you know how that silly bitch gets, thinking she runs New York and shit. I’m not going to the party. I refuse to associate myself with her after prom.” Mia shook her head in agreement. Inches away from the classroom, Mia took my hand and pulled me backwards.

“Wait!”

I yanked my hand from her firm grasp.

“Girl, what the fuck is wro-” I was about to tear the bitch another asshole when the sound of the orchestra played beautifully behind me.

When you're feeling lost in the night

When you feel your world just ain’t right

Call on me, I will be waiting

Count on me, I will be there

Monica’s, For You I Will was being sung by our school’s choir. They all wore yellow, my favorite color. The smiles on their faces were enough to wipe my anger away and send me into a smiling fit. I turned to Mia to see if she had some information but my eyes immediately fell to the beautiful yellow rose in her hand. Holding it closer to my face, she shook her head and stuck out her tongue.

“Take the flower bitch and go in the classroom!” I took the flower from her hand as she slid my backpack from my shoulders. My legs moved hesitantly towards the classroom where I was instantly blown off my feet at the scenery inside.

Hanging from the ceiling were beautiful yellow lights and the desks were pushed against the back wall. Yellow flowers, dahlias, my favorite, were shaped on the floor in letters that spelt out the words ‘Prom, lil nigga?’. A chuckle escaped my lips as tears rolled down my cheek. Nobody but Erik’s weird ass would do something so thoughtful and romantic, yet so hood. My tears were cut short when I felt a couple of strongs arms wrap around me.

“Prom,” his lips grazed my ear, “lil nigga?”

Turning around to meet his gaze, I pecked his lips. “Sure, big nigga.” With the choir and orchestra still going, we swayed in the middle of the classroom to our favorite song.

I pumped a couple of more times before my music paused and started again.

bestfriend sent you a message:

-Bitch, the kick back starts in 10 minutes.

Honestly, I forgot all about that party. Going to the party was not apart of my agenda. There was going to be too many of my demons there for me to face, unfinished business. If it wasn't for Mia manipulating and threatening me, I would've blocked her number and called her when I got back to Cali.

Forcefully removing myself from the machinery, I shot her a quick text saying that I’d be there in thirty minutes. I walked to the gym’s restroom, wiped my body with a fresh towel then headed to my car.

The girls and I planned on going to NYU together before I broke the group up changing to UCLA at the last minute. The fab five was not true to my character or who I wanted to be as a woman. Being self-absorbed is not a bad thing but when it’s used to divide and single out other women, it reaches a new form of evil. The group was not the best time of my life and if I could erase some of the memories from it, I would and that’s exactly what I wanted to do. If it wasn't for the history, prior to joining the group, that Mia and I shared, I would've cut her off too, but she was my sister and we promised to always be there for each other.

I parked in front of the huge chateau, belonging to the leader of our dismantled group. It was supposed to be a small get together, only the fab five and their plus one, but the cars splattered out of the driveway and on the road said other wise. Glancing at my self in the mirror, I pulled my now frizzy silk press back in a ponytail, adjusted my sports bra and smeared lip gloss on my lips. Maybe, I should’ve brought a change of clothes. Opting out of being completely careless, I pulled my light purple jacket from my gym bag and placed it over my body. My gym outfit was colorful, but not too bad. Why do I even care?

I checked the time that read, 8:03. My plane departed around two o’clock so I had my escape plan ready. Everything was packed back at the hotel but that was going to be my excuse. I plan on gettting out of here by nine o’clock, amen. Before I even arrived to the door, it swung open letting out an aroma of weed and alcohol. It’s about to be a long night.

“BITCHHHHHH! I missed you!” Mia yelled out, fake because we’ve been with each other for the entire weekend. I squealed and pushed her off of me quickly, denying that type of physical contact.

“Leigha!!!” And just like that the other three members of the fab five were embracing my body, kissing, grabbing and tugging all over me. Some touchy bitches they were.

“We missed you so much!” Keiosha practically screamed in my ear while hugging me.

“Okay get off me!” I said pushing them, knowing how I felt about intimacy.

“UGHH, you couldn’t find some better clothes?” Tori asked with a disgusted expression plastered across her gorgeous face. She wore a light blue, fitted, thin spaghetti strap dress with some strappy, nude heels, showcasing all of her womanly curves and kick ass body. Her thick hair was pulled up into a curly ponytail, leaving her shimmery shoulders on full display. A whole meal and I wanted a bite. My mouth watered ready to taste the rich chocolate and if she wasn’t such a bitch, I would have asked, even begged to have a piece.

“You couldn’t find a darker foundation shade?” Her makeup was fine but I wanted to match her tone.

“Tuh, bitch, my makeup is beaT.” her arms found her chest.

“Yea-” my mouth was ready to combat.

“Alright, Leigha, everybody is here and they’re so excited to see you.” Mia took my hand and walked me through the foyer, up the stairs and down to the party room where the rest of the guest were. If it wasn’t for her, Tori and I would have stood there fighting for dominance with our words daring the other to make a move. The tension between us was sexual on my end but volatile on hers, which is not a good combination. She’s still mad I broke up the group. Mad because she can’t control me like she does the rest of these girls.

I greeted all of the guest individually, genuinely happy to see everyone. There were a couple of football players, dance members and ‘popular’ kids along with the boyfriends of the fab five spread out in the dim-lit room. I get sick to my stomach thinking about how much these people love to hang on to their high school glory days. That shit was three whole years ago, it’s time to grow up.

One thing I can give Tori is that, the devil knew how to throw bomb ass parties. The music was banging from the wall speakers and the decor complimented her home well. Rose gold accessories were spread out on the tables and floor with off white flowers creating that bougie feeling. It was a small party, to her standards, so there was no need for catering. She had a food table, with finger foods and a sweets table with cookies and brownies. To the far right of the room, there was a bar with pre-rolled blunts on a rose gold platters. I walked over to the bar and found a bottle of water. Making my way around the room, I stopped at the food table and viewed my options.

“Leigha, when are you going back home?” I was picking through the small selection of finger food when I heard Tori’s irritating voice over the soft talking and speakers. Of course everyone stopped when the queen began.

After filling my plate, I turned to her and stated bluntly, “At two AM.”

“So let me get this straight,” my legs worked their way to an empty chair, “You just got out here from California, today, after three years of no communication and now you’re leaving for California in a few hours?” Her hip swayed to the side and stayed, her hand meeting it.

“No,” I placed the plate on the table and took a bite from my cucumber, “I came here Thursday and I’m leaving tomorrow, which is Tuesday, at two AM.” I plopped my fingers in my mouth and sucked them loud enough for her to turn up her nose at my rude table manners.

“See! This bitch is a whole ass bird.” I chuckled at her choice of words and dug into my tuna sandwich. The chatter picked up again and the four girls pulled up some chairs close to me.

“Lei, why didn’t you tell us you were here?” Keiosha spoke, the mediator of the five. Her hair was in a blunt cut and she wore a silk, red pants, two piece. Her and Tori had on the same shoes. Jade, a light skinned devil, sat next to her with her gorgeous body covered in a cute, orange romper. Mia was trying to contain her laugh while she stared at me with the other set of eyes.

“I didn’t want all of the attention on me. We all know how Tori gets when people aren’t talking about her all time.” Mia lost it.

“Cut the shit. You know exactly why you failed to inform us of your arrival, exactly why you failed to tell us about you going to UCLA. Ex-fucking-zackly why we had to get updates about your life for three fucking years from Mia. You're a coward. You and Mia are two selfish ass bitches who only think about yourselves.” Rolling her long neck, she placed her arms over her breasts pushing them up a bit

“If you don’t get the fu-“ My insult was cut short when the chatter in the room picked up, volume increasingly high. We all stood up in unison, ready to defend each other from a possible threat.

Unfortunately it wasn’t a murderer or a thief, nope, it was much worse, Erik Stevens showed up. The way I left things off with Erik was nothing short of a disaster. He was in the dark like everyone else. Mia promised me that he didn't know about this party. She told me that she made everyone promise not to tell him about it. My stomach knotted and sweat built up on my already scorching skin.

“Why is he here?” fear was laced in my tone.

“I invited him.” Tori announced pulling down her dress and making her way towards him. Jade and Keiosha followed like puppies, waiting for their owner’s command. Me and Mia sat down watching the pettiness exude from their perfect bodies. I wanted to get up and smack fire into them greasy bitches, but my memory of Tori’s power slapped me out of the thought.

“I hate that bitch! She’s always starting some shit. I’m sick of her, man. How do you still hang out with her?” Mia touched my leg as it shook fiercely and looked down at her feet. Against all of my natural reflexes, I left her hand there and rubbed my thumb on her skin trying to ease mine and her nerves.

“They’re all I have, Leigha. You left me, remember?” My body couldn’t have turned quicker.

“That’s not fair. You could have came with me, you didn’t!”

“Tuh, you’re the one who got that Gates Scholarship, Lei, not me! I couldn’t afford a move to Cali and I for damn sure wasn’t getting into UCLA.” Her arms found her chest and her body slouched in the chair. My lack of problem solving skills and empathy made me turn back around in my seat and glance at the wall, all thoughts of Erik’s presence pushed out my head, guilt replacing it. “I missed you, you know? You’re my best friend. The only person who knows everything about me. You ju-“

“You told me this before, Mia. I don’t want to hear this shit.” Standing up, I walked to the door that led to the balcony and slammed it shut behind me.

What did they expect from me? I don’t live my life for them. I’m tired of being the backbone. They need to learn to survive on their own, I’m doing it. Pressuring me to conform to them and cater to their needs is only going to push me away further. Mia will be alright. She don’t need me, man.

My thoughts were cut short when I heard the door open and shut behind me. “Mia, it’s my last night with you. I don’t feel like this, okay?” My legs turned so my eyes could fall on a creature that was the exact opposite of my soft best friend. With his dreads pulled back in two braids that ran to the back of his neck, his firm features were on full display. The gold in his mouth glistened on his pearl, white teeth as his dimples made an appearance. He looked simple with a plain white, fitted shirt, light washed jeans and white Nike’s.

“Do I look like Mia, lil nigga.”

“Fuck no. Mia’s not nearly as ugly.” I turned around to my original spot and placed my arms on the metal gate that circumferenced the balcony. Shortly, he stood next to me, his shoulder touching mine.

“Now you know I’m not ugly.” I felt his eyes burning the side of my face. Naturally, I turned to meet his gaze.

“You may not be ugly but you certainly not cute so what is it?” Gorgeous, an angel, crafted from the finest soil and molded by Jesus himself? Yes.

He showed his grill again and put his hand on my hips pulling me into his chest. My nipple grazed his bumpy upper body and my vagina shuttered at the touch. Aren’t I supposed to be feeling some type of guilt or anxiety? Nope, I’m horny. The same feelings that ran through my bones three years ago resurfaced for this man and my previous nerves vanished at his touch.

“I missed your smart ass.” Surprisingly, I welcomed his embrace and we stood there for a while, silent. It was nice to be held by a strong, confident human again. I haven’t felt this feeling in a while. Hugging was such an intimate thing for me, being an empath and all. Auras and spirits are absorbed through hugging so I try not to do it too often. Emotions were transferred from their body into mine and I felt some of his strength radiating through my blood while his arms pulled me closer. I wonder what emotions he took from me.

“You feel so good in my arms, lil nigga.” His softness surprised me, why isn't he yelling, making a scene? Something big twitched near my lower region and I knew that wasn’t his leg. I pushed him off of me, breaking the contact.

“Alright, that’s enough.” My arms found the rail again.

“You wasn’t trying to come to this party, huh?” Closing my eyes, I prepared to get dragged. At his lack of words, I opened them and found his eyes on me scanning my body. I looked down and remembered my work out attire.

Relieved, I chuckled lightly and did a slow spin while swaying my hips. “You not feeling it? Straight from the clearance rack at Academy.” I stopped and met his expression.

“Oh, I love it. The color contrast is what really speaks to me. A purple sweater, a pink sports bra and green shorts. Girl, what you trying to do, taste the rainbow?” I cackled. He always came prepared with the jokes.

“Anyways,” My legs moved to the lawn chairs displayed against the back of the house, he followed.

“Speaking of rainbows, you still with that gay shit? Mia told me about you dating girls and shit.” I’m killing the bitch. My sexuality wasn’t something that I brought up to just anyone, so I trusted her with that information. I didn’t even explore the thought until I got to California but that’s beside the point. Let’s get into this nigga trying to invalidate my entire existence.

“What you mean ‘still into that gay shit?’ As if it was some kind of phase or act of rebellion? And I’m not gay, I’m bi-or- I don’t know, but boy, you can get the hell on with your dismissive tone.”

He pulled a blunt out his pocket and lit the end with the tip in his mouth. “Mmhm.” He took a drag and then held it out for me to grab. I swatted it and shook my head ‘no’.

“You’re still a square, I see.”

“You’re still annoying, I see.” I layed my head back on the lawn chair and stretched my body across the seat, memories of us in high school playing in my head.

“What if we get caught, Erik?” We walked behind the math building, going to Erik’s infamous smoke spot. It’s where all the rebels like Erik and his bad ass friends went to do God knows what. They smoked over here, had sex, shot dice you name it. No matter what it was, it was trouble and I had a reputation and scholarship to keep, so did Erik.

“We not going to get caught, relax.” His hand was soft in mine, making me swoon at his touch. Whatever he asked me to do, I did. I don’t even know why, honestly. He’s my closest friend besides Mia, but my feelings weren’t as strong for her as they were for him. We finally stopped at a spot hidden by an old raggedy storage unit. He pulled out a neatly rolled blunt and lit the end with the tip in his mouth. Taking a drag, he inhaled and let out the smoke then placed it in my hand.

“I don’t know what to do.” I admitted with no shame. Erik never made me feel insecure, everything was peaceful with him. I experienced a lot of firsts with him, this moment being one of them.

“Just place it between your lips, suck and inhale slowly, then let the smoke out.” He explained, simply. I did what he said but, somehow didn't have the same outcome as him. Instead, I was a coughing mess, cuffing and squeezing my chest. That stuff burned. I guess it was a comedy show to him because he laughed loud ass hell shaking and clapping his hands.

“Nigga, that’s not funny. I could’ve died.” I placed the death stick back in his hand and watched him in disgust. “But, I’m happy you’re amused.”

“Here, do it again.” He moved it to my face and I rejected his offer shaking my head ‘no’.

“I’ve had enough, thank you.” He took another drag and repeated the same action.

“Come on, man. I don’t want to do it on my own.” He made puppy dog eyes and fluttered his long lashes. I refused to succumb to his blatant manipulation and peer pressure.

“I said no, big nigga! Now hurry up before we get caught.” He laughed and finished off the blunt.

“Square.”

I smiled softly recounting that iconic moment in my life. Erik noticed my expression and spoke up gently. “What you smiling at?”

“You and how much shit you dragged me in.” He laughed sitting back in the chair beside me.

“Yeah, but you let me. I did as much as you allowed.” There wasn’t a lie in sight. If Erik asked me to jump, I didn’t even have to ask how high, I already knew. No matter what we did, I always knew that he had my back. I guess that’s why I followed him like a lost puppy, along with the attention he gave me that I so desperately needed.

“Yeah, I was stupid. But all that shit gone change when we turn forty, Craig.” Getting the reference, he laughed and placed his hand on mine squeezing lightly.

“You weren’t stupid, just in love.” Speechless, for the first time in my life, I was speechless because where is the lie? I couldn’t find it. Never have I ever been able to put how I felt about him into words and here he goes, with his all-knowing ass, telling me exactly how I felt about him. Telling me something that I would never admit out loud.

“Nigga, didn’t nobody love your wack ass.” My hand moved trying to lose his grip. He pulled it back effortlessly.

“Don’t lie.” His tone was serious now and I felt the tension from his body enter mine. This is why I hated physical touch. “Because I, unapologetically, loved your ass.” He sat up in his chair swinging his legs to where he was in between our chairs, staring at my body. His eyes were fixed on my frame, dancing over it, admiring my figure.

“You like what you see?” I tried to change the subject.

“Love it.” There he goes with that word again. “Sit up.” I did exactly what he said, my knees meeting his. “You loved me?”

“No.” He placed his hands on my thighs and pulled my legs open.

“Don’t lie, Leigha.” My body was off the chair as he picked me up and placed me on his lap.

“Erik, if- if you already know then why- why you need me to say it?” Pleased with my undoing, his lips turned up into a sinister smirk.

“Because I want to hear you say it with your words.” He kissed my cheek gently and took a puff from his blunt that I was suprised wasn’t finished yet. Keeping the smoke in, his lips met mine as he released the smoke in my mouth. I took it in like he taught me and then blew it out the side of my mouth. His lips met mine again and I instantly submitted to their passionate touch. A moan escaped my mouth while his groin touched my moist center. My body hasn’t been touched this way in years, his touch being the last, and it’s enjoying all of the attention. “Say it.”

Without missing a beat I uttered the three words I dread saying, “I love you.” With that, he pulled me closer to his chest, syncing our bodies together. I threw my arms around his neck deepening the kiss. His strong hands moved to my shoulders sliding the jacket off of my arms. The jacket hit the ground while his soft lips met my salty neck sucking and biting the exposed skin. Whimpers left my mouth and filled the air. One would think that him and my neck had a vendetta the way he smacked and chewed on it. Rocking me back and forth on his hard shaft, his firm hands squeezed my ass. Instantly accepting the stimulation, my hips moved to his pace and soon we were dry humping on the lawn chair. I moaned and whimpered as soft as possible trying not to signal someone inside.

“Erik, please, we can’t. Not out here. T-there’s- our friends are inside.” I sat up trying to escape his movement but he puled me back down deepening the initial contact. We needed this.

“If you be quiet, they won’t hear us, baby.” I shook my head in agreement and continued moving my hips on his covered member. It was rock hard while it grazed my soaked folds over my thin layer of clothes. His lips met mine again, instantly placing his tongue between them. His tongue found every inch of space in my mouth, his lips sucking and sinking on mine.

I broke the kiss, fed up with the teasing. “Erik, please fuck me.” He didn’t have to be asked twice. He stood me up, pulled down my shorts and placed me on his lap again in a matter of seconds. He sat up just enough to unbutton his pants and pull them down. Without hesitation, I settled down on the tip of his hard dick. His eyes met mine and my mouth opened wide. Trapping the moan I was about to let out, his lips crashed into mine. With his hands on my hips, he eased me down onto his long, thick shaft stretching every wall I had. My juices spilled all over his member, making it easier for me to slide down. I twitched and wiggled at the uncomfortable yet satisfying feeling.

“Mmmmmhhmm” I sat there for a while lips still on his adjusting to his length. He moaned into me and placed his hands on my ass. We stayed there for a minute before he got fed up.

“Move or get up!” Like the champ that I was, I pushed the uneasiness aside and moved my hips up and down his length. The man is a monster. His moan was deep and concentrated. After a while, comfort had me attacking his dick, moving to the rhythm of the muffled rap songs coming from inside. At that point, I didn't care if anyone heard us. I swayed on his dick, twerking and bouncing confidently trying to milk all of his love juice from his veiny friend. I wanted it in me. My body moved for him, trying to make up for the lost time and betrayal. My moans were sloppy like my riding, filling the dense air and encouraging my juices to spill all over his lap. My toes curled up and pressure built up in my stomach. He moaned into me neck as I reached my peak, cum shooting down his thighs. I shook at the orgasm that took over my entire body.

Before I could come down from my high, he flipped us in the chair, positioning himself on top of me. He slammed into me like a mad man, digging for lost gold inside of my throbbing center. His thrusts were powerful and strong making my legs, that rested on his hips, allowing him to hit my special spot with each stroke, shake and quiver.

“Say it, Leigha!” His lips found mine again. “Say it.”

“Daddy! Daddy!” I screamed unsure of what he wanted to hear. His lips traveled to my ear where he nibbled and sucked. Slowing down his strokes, his hands snaked around my body pulling me closer.

“No, not that, baby. Tell me you love me.”

“I love you, Erik.” He put his forehead on mine and a tear, that wasn't mine, met my cheek.

“Then why’d you leave me, huh?” His pace picked up and now he was attacking my slit. I felt myself getting wetter with each thrust, my orgasm coming on strong. More tears fell from his eyes and I moved to wipe them but he took my hand and pinned them above my head. “Why the fuck you left me, huh?”

“Erik, please? I-I don- OHHH!” My body shook under his fiercely, orgasm taking over. His strokes were sloppy as his warm seed traveled in my hole coating all of me. Still inside of me, he put his weight on me slowing his breaths, trying to gain his composure. My body twitched under him, wanting more. Going against my hunger, my hands moved to touch his back, rubbing up and down trying to help him with his recovery process.

A few minutes passed and he pulled out of me, pulling up and zippening his pants. I layed there, breathless, as he wiped me with my jacket and pulled me up helping me put on my shorts.

“Answer me.” He held me in his arms taking in my scent. “Why did you leave me?”

“Erik, I didn’t just leave you. I left everyone. I wanted to start a new life, I guess.” I closed my eyes and squeezed him gently, his sadness filling my bones.

“You didn’t think twice. We had plans and you just up and left without informing me,” he pushed me off of him gently. “ Do you know how fucking sad I was? My best friend, my girl, my fucking wife left me. That was selfish as fuck Leigha! You hurt all of us. We fucking needed you. I needed you. I love you!” Tears left me violently. I hated how they tried to villainize my decision of bettering my life. Why did they all try to control me? We don’t have to be stuck up each other’s ass our whole life. They can live without me.

“And I know what you’re thinking. No, we can’t fucking live without you. Tori was being a bitch, causing Kei to relapse. Jade went back to that abusive ass nigga that she won’t let me kill and Mia is just a sad, depressed, suicide case. Do you know how many hospital visits I had to make? The therapists, counselors. Nothing is working. You left us! We need you!” Quickly, my sadness turned into anger.

“How fucking dare you blame y’all fucked up life on me? Where the fuck were y’all when I needed help? Where were y’all when I was dealing with my crazy ass parents? Why the fuck am I always held accountable for y’all’s mistakes and life choices? I can’t cure depression or an eating disorder! Tori has always been a bitch and y’all know that! Y’all chose to stay here. Y’all could leave but y’all don’t!” The words left my mouth quicker than a freight train. I was not about to accept his abuse. None of that that was happening to them was my fault. We stood there for awhile staring and crying roughly. He tried to hold me but I rejected the contact. When he said nothing, I stormed through the door and grabbed my phone and keys.

“Leigha where were you?” Mia’s clingy ass asked. She saw my face and instantly softened her tone, “What happened? What’s wrong?”

“Fuck you, Mia!” That wasn’t the words that I wanted to say but that’s what came out. I was a mess.

“Bitch, what’s wrong with your dramatic ass?” Although the words were harsh, Tori was genuinely concerned as she ran after me with the other women while I ran to my car. I unlocked the car, opened the door and plopped down in my seat. Putting my key in the ignition I locked my doors, put the car in reverse and backed out. The women screamed words and beat on my car window begging me to stay and talk to them. I looked at the clock that read, 9:45. A few more hours and I would finally be back home. This place fucking sucks.

The ride back to the hotel was annoying and so was the ride to the airport. Surprisingly, Mia didn't show up, with the rest of them, at my hotel. I wanted to sleep away the emotions that Erik forced out of me, but I couldn't. Instead, I laid on the bed crying, for hours, begging the universe to take away the pain. I hated that he brought all of that up. He had no right to make me feel bad about their problems. I wasn't this kind of savior that they made me out to be. They needed professional help, all of them and I was just as fucked up as they were.

They all text me like crazy people. Between the five of them, I had over one hundred notifications: missed Facetime calls, audio calls, messages and even snapchats. These hoes were relentless.

One missed message stood out the most to me. It was a message from Tori, the wicked witch of the West:

-If you leave here without saying goodbye, make it a priority to not come back.

The words sat heavy on my chest. The audacity of her to think that I was going to come back, anyway.

Bound II

tags: @eriknutinthispoosy @theunsweetenedtruth @yourstrulyylauren @yoyolovesbucky

I wanted to keep going but 6k words was enough henny. Idk? lol but please give me some feedback and tell me what I need to work harder at.

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kiarcheo · 3 years

Text

Six Stars Quarantine - Ch. 2 - Rewind: How It Came to Be

Everything had started with the cousins.

Everything always starts with the cousins, the others would say.

Basically it’s the background on which the idea – and the first chapter – was built upon. I’m not sure how it well flows because they were originally bullet points notes about who was doing what and their history together.

You can read it (and the first chapter) on ao3.

—————————————

In normal times Anna is the one who lives at the Palace the most. While her job as tv commentator – after an injury interrupted a successful sport career – has her going on occasional trips for big international competitions, she is mostly based in the city…and she doesn’t even have to commute there every day.

The second most permanent dweller is Cathy. Nobody becomes a writer to get rich, but she is successful enough that a full-time job is not necessary anymore and she has a flexible, writing-friendly job where she can pretty much pick and choose how much she works and when, getting paid either by the hour or by project. And both her jobs can be done pretty much anywhere, and that is often at home. But she also likes to travel, finding inspiration in new experiences, and when she does, she is usually tagging along with Kat on her trips (she also travels for book promotional tours, but those are not really conducive for any kind of working, writing or otherwise).

Kat alternates periods travelling and periods at home. She is a history communicator. It all started with videos for a school project that became a YouTube channel spurred by her genuine love for history and her annoyance at popular misconceptions about it, both regarding topics (anything to do with talking about the medieval times as ‘Dark Ages’ is a major pet peeve of hers) and history in general, such as it being boring, just about names and dates. Videos with her talking about historical events and figures in a way that was both simple and interesting and factually correct started to gain a loyal audience, and with the years it got bigger and bigger until she landed a tv program. Her life could be described as cyclical. She travels the world doing research, visiting places and talking to experts. Then she returns home to do the writing up. Then she travels again shooting the episodes. Then she is back at home for the final touches, the recordings at the studios, and then the planning and initial research for the new series. And then everything starts all over again.

Then there is Jane. As a world-renowned singer, she is often on tour and promotional gigs. But she had fought to base herself in England rather than in America, so all her ‘downtime’, whether proper relaxing or just working on her next release, is spent at the Palace.

As much as they would have loved to follow Jane’s example, that option had not been as feasible for Catalina and Anne, with Los Angeles, New York or the US in general being the places to be for the film industry. Things are now better since being established and successful in their respective careers as director and actress give them more freedom and choices in events to attend and projects to take. Solid reputations and networks make it so that they are kept in mind even when they are not physically present all the time. And naturally success brings money, which means they don’t need to cram job after job while also chasing side-gigs and survival jobs to pay the bills, they can take time off between projects....or if there is nothing interesting on offer. All in all, after more than a decade of living the majority of the year away, Anne and Catalina are finally at a point in their lives and careers where, whenever they are not on sets or promoting their latest work, they can spend most of that time at home at the Palace.

All things considered, while Anna is never alone in the big house for more than a couple of months consecutively and combinations of the inhabitants vary, it’s quite rare they manage to be all six together, and usually it’s for the holidays and never for longer than a few weeks.

Despite the limited time spent there, everyone considers the Palace their primary residence and they don’t regret their decision to buy a big home all together. Just the comfort of knowing that they can return at any moment and they will always have a place and at least some members of their family waiting for them is well worth it.

And while being together is the main attraction, the Palace itself being awesome doesn’t hurt. They truly built their dream house. Every bedroom, including the guest ones, has an ensuite. Individual studios for everyone as well as some bigger ones that can fit more than one person…or even all of them. Every interest is catered for: library, recording studio, music room, gym, home cinema, game room…you name it, they have it. Two state-of-the-art kitchens (and a small kitchenette for Anne when it just can’t be avoided). Sprawling grounds all around with a swimming pool with a retractable enclosure so they can use it all year round, a multi-purpose sport field, a dining area with a small but fully equipped outdoor kitchen, pizza oven and BBQ grilling station included. They have everything they need or want, whether to work or entertain themselves. Some of them are rich after all – Kat jokingly refers to herself as the poor cousin – and pooling together their resources meant they could pretty much get everything they could think of.

Still, if you had told them when they were living together as students that they would have a custom-made place...

Everything had started with the cousins.

Everything always starts with the cousins, the others would say.

One day Kat had approached Anne, offering the older schoolmate a shy, ‘I think you’re my cousin.’

Her class had been assigned a family tree project, and Kat, already very much into history, had really delved into it, finding out previously unknown connections. Unknow to her, at least. But also to Anne.

The older girl had been surprised, because she had never talked to the kid who was claiming to be her family. Still, why would she lie? Moreover, she knew that her mom supposedly had siblings so that was not completely impossible. And looking at the impressive family tree (she remembers doing hers, way less branches and way less details), the specifics seemed to match. Her mom’s name and her date and place of birth. Same for her grandparents’ and the rest of her immediate family.

Then Kat had pointed out another familiar name. ‘I think Jane Seymour is our second cousin.’

So they approached her, who also recognized that from the great grandmother they apparently shared down to her family line Kat seemed to have correct information.

They agreed to looking into it. Asking their families. Well, Jane and Anne did, as Kat explained that she had already tried to ask, only to be summarily dismissed, told that she already knew her family, why was she bothering them? That’s why she had gone digging on her own. She knew quite well the difference between them just wanting to get rid of her and them not wanting to talk about something.

‘I nosed around. Asked some questions...and it’s true. They had nothing good to say, but they admitted it,’ Anne tells them.

‘Can’t speak for you,’ Jane nods at Kat, ‘but I sort of agree,’ she mutters. Her family is a piece of work. And from Kat’s expression, hers isn’t that much different.

Even if their families don’t interact and downright ignore each other’s existence (even once famous, which was surprising, in a way, but they are too proud and too stubborn and too hateful to ever acknowledge their relations, even if it could be beneficial to them), they grow closer.

Jane and Anne are not much older than Kat, just few years, and for better or for worse, Kat is quite mature for her age – a consequence of her family treatment quite likely – so a strong bond flourishes. Anne and Jane take Kat under their wing, trying to give her all the support and love she isn’t getting elsewhere, as it doesn’t take long for the older girls to realise that Kat is quite neglected by her family. So much that when at 16 she informs them she is moving out, they do not even ask with whom, the reactions to her leaving ranging from indifferent to welcoming, the only recommendation being not to let the family name down.

Kat goes to live with her cousins, who are starting university (Jane) and drama school (Anne). The first accommodation is not the best, since they had little idea of what to look for, or what they wanted. And that is without taking in account the whirlwind of more or less lazy, noisy, weird or downright creepy housemates.

They are soon looking for a new place and they end up choosing a 6-bedrooms house, which they would later dub the Castle, that is in the perfect location midway between their schools and it is not too expensive. Especially since they decide to rent the whole property and then look for the other tenants themselves, so that they can have a say in who will live with them, after some not-so-nice experiences. They all still have monetary support from the families, but they don’t want to rely on that too much. And they want to save as much as possible...there is a reason the struggling artist is a trope...and it's not like history, which is what Kat would like to study, is a lucrative field.

The first one joining them is Catalina, an older student whom Anne had met in drama school while collaborating on a project.

Then Anna, a promising athlete who had moved to the UK from Germany and met Kat at the exclusive sport club where Anna trains during the off season. Kat’s family might neglect her, but she never lacked anything material because they have always been very keen to maintain a certain image. They barely know where she lives, but they still pay her membership, just like they still pay for her music lessons, despite never showing up at any showcase or concert.

Getting wind of the growing friendship, Anne and Jane insist on meeting Anna, because semi-famous, successful, older athlete befriending a 15-years-old girl is a bit suspicious. Once they realise that Anna’s intentions are genuine and she just found a good friend in Kat....she gets two additional friends. Because by then, the cousins are a package deal.

Once Anna comments how lonely and empty her flat is, and Anne replies that she should try sharing with five other people – well, they are just four at the moment at the house, but she gets what she means – and then talk. And Anna replies she’d love to. Few chats later, a joke becomes a serious proposal and Anna moves in, while also offering to cover the sixth room if they don’t find anyone suitable – she would still pay less than she does for her current flat, and she’d get the company she craves.

The last one to move in is Cathy, a remote acquaintance of Catalina who gets in touch to ask for advice when she moves to the city for a creative writing course. They meet up few times and upon learning she is still looking for a permanent place to stay, Catalina tells her she might have something, but needs to ask. The others agree on a trial period of some months, not wanting to upset the balance they have found if things don’t work out.

But they do and Cathy never leaves the Castle. Not until they all move out once the household splits as Anne and Catalina both move to America, one shortly after the other, chasing opportunities. Which reveals itself to be the right choice, as they slowly start to make a name for themselves and get involved in projects that launch their careers.

Time passes and Jane is getting famous too and with the money she is making she wants to buy a house instead of renting. But at the same time she doesn't want to leave her family. Not after realising how isolating the showbusiness can be and especially with how lonely she feels during her first tour.

As things often go with them, what starts as a crazy idea, just a chat about what their ideal house would look like, it slowly begins to get off the ground. Research is carried out, locations are looked at, lists are made, folders are created.

Kat and Cathy are a bit reluctant. Not because they want to get a place of their own instead of sharing with the others. They had indeed discussed that, but simply because they are currently living with Anna, but she has been getting offers and is likely to move to another city if not to another country. In all honesty, their hesitation is because they are on a whole different financial level compared to the others.

Kat is making some money from her YouTube Channel and with gigs at museums and schools, which is enough to live on, but not much more. Even if she wanted, she would not be able to ask her family for help as they are not in contact anymore, since they cut her off when she decided to pursue a PhD in Public History rather than a more prestigious/useful/lucrative career.

Cathy, whose first novel has been moderately successful, has just signed a new contract and got a book advance for her second one, but there is no guarantee besides that. Her 9-to-5 office job is what pays the bills.

Neither of them has enough money to invest in the type of project the others are talking about. Because of course they would not be happy with just buying a house. They want the perfect home for all of them, which means lots of work to be done, if not building it from scratch altogether.

And then Anna gets injured. Kat and Cathy in particular rally around, since they are there, but Jane, Anne and Catalina return as soon as they can. And it’s cramped, a house for three with a small guest room that is pretty much unofficially Jane’s suddenly having six residents. Kat gives up her room, sharing with Cathy, but still...

And even if they know it won’t last too long since Catalina, Anne and Jane all have stuff lined up, most of it out of the country, it cements their wish to find a place for all of them and convinces Kat and Cathy. Well, Anne and Jane make it clear that Kat would get a room in any house they’d get and wouldn’t be better if she got a say in it rather than get saddled with whatever they decide?

Not convincing enough? It is for Kat, who is self-aware enough to know that if her cousins were to ask her to go and live with them, she would say yes and just accept whatever they had chosen. Kat knows her personal weaknesses, and her cousins do too.

Once Kat is on board, Cathy follows.

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sandralow97 · 7 years

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Semester 1 - January 2017.

Hey readers! Welcome back to my blog. As your read this post, I’m already in my Semester 2 now, but before delay any longer and let all the old memories becoming a history, I want to share my personal experience in detail for you all. Which I did mention in my previous blogpost that I’ll write one regarding on my current Physiotherapy course. Let’s start. It was a decision made on last Christmas, 2016. Without being procrastinate, I just did it by enrolling myself into Physiotherapy course in INTI, Nilai. I remembered I was in a dilemma between doing psychology, or physiotherapy. As for law, it has been disqualified long ago. I’m glad that I did not choose that path because as soon as I realised the life of a law student, it wasn’t any of my passion. However, choosing physiotherapy wasn’t my super-confirm choice too. It was a result of “elimination” on all the tertiary courses that are available. So, I will encourage you not to be too worry or concern over what you want to study for your UNI level, I’ve only decide mine two weeks before class commence. I meant that you don’t need to stress and be confirmed of what you want to pursue, but just putting options and choices on the table is the first step. Sooner then, you’ll find favour and somehow everything just falls into place. I couldn’t find any best word to describe my semester 1, Physio in Nilai except being grateful. I’m really thankful for all that happened and I’m so blessed to be in such place, meeting the right company of friends, learn new things, strive for studies, grow under pressure and do life together. Firstly, I want to share about my group of friends. We have 16 in total. I’ve actually written in one of my old blogpost, the starting was “Let’s start talking on my degree course-mates that I met in INTI, I’m sure a lot of people have been wondering how it goes. For this first January Intake, there’s only 16 of us in Physiotherapy course. Surprisingly, it’s an odd to know that guys’ population are greater than girls who take this course for our batch. In addition to that, God’s favour is upon us. We are known to be the closest 1st Semester batch ever. It was last Tuesday, we had our very first class day trip down to Subang as an early celebration of CNY before we all head back our hometown. It was a great bonding day and eventually that outing pulled us closer to one another. I have a good feeling that we’ll be able to pull it through for the remaining 4 years of journey studying together. Be it for the great, worst or challenging moment, we’ll stay and fight to be one. I’m looking forward to greater things ahead and definitely create more memories along the way.” To continue the above story on my beloved fellow course-mates, our friendship became stronger and closer when we have planned multiple -outings, the “CNY outing”, “MitSui Outlet outing”,“Mid-valley” and “After-finals Sunway outing”. All these outing have make our bond stronger and built a memorable memories to look back one day. Moreover, we did Korean Spicy Noodle Challenge, went Karaoke, Pool playing with Bobby. Towards the end of semester, when we have some free time before finals, we somehow went Cyber café with the guys for counter strike game. For the girls of my course, we actually had two times of sleepover at Yong Jing’s house. Not forgetting one night in my room, where we had three of us squeezing in a single bed. As for our guys of my course, most of them are quite sporting and active, Wey Loc as our captain for previous sports meet has continued his role and started out a work-out plan, “Say-No-More” challenge to keep our body healthy and ensuring a productive time in Nilai. I’m really grateful to be placed in this batch of semester as the size of our class is just nice and easier to bond together. We even came out with our own short film within this semester, “Kisah Tenabi”. The purpose of this film is to serve our MPU assignment marks and for entertaining purposes, it wasn't the best product which we have planned out in the beginning because of time-limit and there's some complications throughout the process. Our script was changed twice by the lecturer because of certain reasons. A big thank you to our scriptwriter, Henri Junior who finally made this story-line a success and approved by lecturer before shooting can be further progressed. However, I want to highly appreciate and give credit to the VIP, the real hero who put double the efforts in making this drama a success - Jonathan Chew. Also not forgetting everyone who has taken part in this process of filming. It was indeed a long, time-consuming and tiring process. Yet, it's worth to see that this came to past and we made it through our little short skit. As for my club activities in INTI, I joined Taekwondo, Frisbee and Physio club (compulsory) initially. As time passed by, I have stopped going Frisbee training without any reason xD. I feel guilty. However, it’s fine for me as long as I’m still continuing my taekwondo training. I’m as proud and happy as I have successfully promoted to green belt within a year. My plan is to get black belt by 2019, before I finished my studies in INTI. In Physiotherapy, it is a 4 years duration course. Three years of theoretical studies, while the remaining one year, which is the last year is for clinical posting, as a student physiotherapist trainee. Under the first semester, there are two major subjects, which are anatomy and physiology respectively. These are the fundamental knowledge and understandings that must be acquired as a health care student. I was really encouraged along the way because I managed to achieve good result by God’s grace. I even achieved an A+ for my Anatomy subject. When I said this, I’m not trying to boast or brake about, but really really, I never would have imagine to be in such place but because of God’s favor upon me throughout the period of studying and exams. Not forgetting that I was actually in rock bottom of my life last April, May until finals approach. God is gracious and good Father, He indeed has not forsaken me when I cried out for help and His divine strength during that difficult period time of my life. As for another two minor subjects, which also counted in GPA are University English and Psychology respectively. At first, I was really unhappy of the English to be part of our course structure for this Semester. All my life, I thought language subject should have ended in my high school long ago. Yet, it proceeded to my college, and now until my Uni life. I was really frustrated and upset. However, we have no choice but to just do it. It wasn’t any easy time for me because English has always and forever a challenge for me personally. The difficult part was to write 4 essays in 2 hours’ time during finals. Apart from compulsory classes, we were privileged enough to be offered extra session, guided by our seniors to reinforce our learning and revision on our studies, known as P2P. It caters to only semester 1’s newbies. Through this time of learning, we actually gained a lot of tips and advice in how to study effectively and access material resourcefully. One of my long-waited miracle, has been answered by God after 5 months, which is the cancellation of MUET requirement for 2017 students. For my church life, I have been attending Acts church for the moment. One highlight was the Fairstival Conference, where there’re varieties of electives to learn and be eyes-opened. I thank God for Carolyn in looking after me and praying for me throughout that period time. Another woman of faith is Elisha, she is like an older sister to me and just happened to live in the same block as me. She brought me out to Palm Square for movie when I was in stress and down. She was more willing to hear from me of my struggles, life problems and direct me into God’s way and His truth. I love to hear from her as she always have great insight and her living and faith in God is forever inspiring. I feel her presence is like an angel appeared to my life in supporting me which sent by God in this season of my life which I’ve asked for. To sum everything up, it has been a great journey for the past 6 months studying in Nilai. It’s an interesting one and God has showed me his assurance and favor. I’m blessed by His favor throughout the entire semester, it will not stop there. I will hold onto God’s promises and continue to live a favorable, abundant life for the next semester and toward the time that comes.

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