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#but it's still nice to get my paycheck actually on payday!
burningspy · 1 year
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Update on my post from this morning:
At 3:17 PM, I finally received a text alert from my bank saying that a direct deposit has been received!
I have money in my bank account again. Just in time to use it all to pay rent and other bills.
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jeramewrites2 · 9 days
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3-19-24
And the world continues to spin. That is very hyperbolic for a person that has no real problems. As of right now. My current life consist of going to work 5 days a week and taking care of patients. They are not sick they are just injured. So that much is nice. I am attempting to learn to breath before I panic. This morning when I woke up I looked and was paid for my job and the first 1/2 of the paycheck had been deposited but the bulk had not. So this had happened before and my actual payday isn't until the 20th anyway. I decided not to panic and start reacting but instead see where everything settled. I did and the rest of the funds materialized like normal.
I am attempting to be less reactionary. I am trying to be more centered in who I am and what I do. There is a time and a place for action but that is once you actually know what is going on in a situation and not assuming what is going on. I feel like I do need to keep an ear out for new work. I may reach out to old co-workers and just see how things are going. I'm not sure just yet but it is good to have options open.
I have ideas swirling in my head for things to do in my zombie story but I have not had the time or inclination to implement them. I have an exam due today and I still need to study some more on that. I think I will do fine. I am understanding the material I believe but it is not sticking as well as I would like. Then there is still part of me that would like to learn how to code. I think I will try that during the summer break. Although I should just take some classes at Brookhaven to get them though with as well. I could do the history and language classes there. I think it would be cheaper and easier. I want to get into my creative writing classes but as a sophomore I have a few more credits to get out of the way.
I have not been great on my diet. I have been snacking and I didn't bring anything to eat with me today. So there is some pizza in the fridge so I might just go for that later today. We have a toaster oven here anyway so maybe it won't be so bad. Is 5 day old pizza still good? I am sure it's fine.
As with all of my journaling I will inevitably fall to the video games I happen to be playing at the time. I will be honest as a 41 year old nerd I don't have a lot going on in my life. So I am now working through yakuza 3. I have gotten to the point where I think I am almost to the final confrontation. I am going back and getting all of the revelations that I had missed before I realize now I think I could have gotten them the whole time but this is where we are. Yakuza 0,1,2, and 6 are all on special with xbox right now. I think I am going to go spend 20 bucks on them and play though all of them. I kinda wish there was a little more RPG going on but it's still fun stuff. I have not gotten into the mini games that much but Haruka did just beat my ass in bowling. I will report back later.
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keilemlucent · 4 years
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long days for bad people
(r18+)
hawks | takami keigo x reader
ao3
word count: ~6k
Being a prized, adored possession was far better than you thought it would be.
warnings: light daddy kink (no age play, just the name in mostly jest), spit kink, crying kink, degradation, brief descriptions of blood + violence, kidnapping (consensual?? read a/n), brat taming, light sadomasochism, mind break, praise kink
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here it is, mafia au, villain hawks, dom, brat tamer, soft(?!) hawks. what more could you want? 
there’s briefly described kidnapping at the beginning of the fic but it is reiterated throughout that this is consensual! no yandere/stockholm stuff in this fic. 
i’ve been working on this one for a while and i’m happy to finally share it. hope y’all enjoy!!
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You shouldn’t have fucked around with the League.
God, it was common knowledge in the parts of town and circles you inhabited. Of all criminal syndicates, mobs, to fuck with, the League wasn’t one of them. They were known for their complete cruelty and violent delights. The League had such a reputation due to the fact that they openly left bodies carved up and burnt as they pleased.
But, you were a fucking idiot and got involved anyways.
It was a small loan, Giran almost seemed to scoff when he gave you the cash. You and your almost-stranger of a roommate were just very late on some bills and were going to lose a lot of material items if you didn’t scrounge up at least two paychecks in about three days. 
You swallowed your pride and took the first and easiest loan you could get. That just happened to be with gap-toothed, wide-grinning Giran of the League. He, you knew from what you’d heard, was somewhat fair in matters like yours. 
You had two weeks to pay him back.
...
You didn’t make it in time.
You were close to the amount, notably. You scrounged and clawed your way into getting the cash back. You weren’t much of a pickpocket, but you snagged some odd jobs around the apartment building that you and your roommate were still fortunate enough to keep a room in.
After one particular job, a nasty carpentry gig that you weren’t qualified for, you returned home tired and worn.
Sure, you were a day late on payment. But with this last gig, you were so close. The League would have to pity two, stupid, stupid young girls?
They didn’t, you realized, as you stepped into your apartment.
Your roommate's slain corpse was laying over the arm of your cheap couch, eyes vacant and mouth dripping blood onto the old beige carpet.
You dropped to your knees, horrified and completely stunned.
“You should’ve known better,” it was a hum from across the room, from a figure you didn’t even know was in the room until then. “Really, you’d expect folks to be smarter.”
Your mouth dried as the figure moved from the nighttime shadows, flashing a dazzling smile and ruffling crimson wings.
Hawks.
You’d heard of him, everyone had. Terrifying, fast, precise, and cutthroat. He took orders and didn’t ask questions other than snark. He talked too much, fucked too much. 
“W-wait,” You didn't know why you were pleading, but you had to try, right? “I’m so close, wait—”
Hawks sauntered up to you wielding one of his feather blades, the red of blood mixing with the filaments of his feathers.
He crouched down in front of you, tsking, “I don’t like begging, angel. I’ll make this quick for you. Your friend there?”
Hawks jerked his finger behind to your dead roommate.
“She fought, pleaded, begged, all that normal shit I don’t like hearing when shitheads like you two don’t make payday,” his voice was slow, talking about death like some casual thing. “I’ll make this nice and fast if you don’t run your mouth anymore, how about that?”
You swallowed, nodding.
The small percentage of your brain that was fully functioning figured dying quickly was a much better way to go than whatever the hell had happened to your roommate. There was far too much blood for that to be quick.
Hawks hummed, the tip of his feather blade tipping up your chin so you were forced to meet his gaze. You vaguely heard the pitter-patter of your tears hitting the carpet below. Blood rushed in your ears as you stared death in the face.
Hawks appraised you.
You watched the metaphorical cogs and wheels turning in Hawks’ skull as he looked you up and down before flashing forward, gathering you in his arms and flying from the apartment. 
Your first thought was obvious as you clung to him in the open air:
He’s going to drop you and kill you.
When you screamed, tears growing thicker, he slapped a gloved hand over your mouth, “I’m giving you an out, kid. Trust me. You’ll prefer this over death.”
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 Your new existence was certainly better than death.
If you were ever caught and convicted of any of the illegal things you participated in, you’d be fucked, thrown into prison until you rotted, until you were just dust and bone.
But, until then, you worked for the League.
You had groveled at the feet of their leader, Shigaraki, hands clasped on your lap, claiming your worth, or maybe lack thereof. Not many attachments, not many people who’d miss you, a semi-useful quirk. 
With a boot shoved into your skull, he sneered that you’d be the League’s new errand dog. 
The real reason they accepted you was due to the threatening air Hawks was exuding and the fact that their old ‘errand bitch’ had died the week prior. They needed a new body to act as a civilian and do things that only an unsuspecting-looking ‘civilian’ could. You fit the bill, and Hawks had taken a liking to you.
 Oddly, working for the League was actually pretty okay.
You got your own room. It was small, but you only had to share a bathroom with the somewhat unhinged Himiko, but she was fairly nice once she warmed up to you. Everyone lived in the League’s HQ and went about their business, getting drunk at their bar front each night.
Most of the mess happened at night, but it was important to put on a nice veneer and keep spirits high. Not to mention that no one would dared to fuck with the League, anyways. The cops and federal government had long been paid off due to the resources that the League had acquired for them. 
You felt somewhat untouchable.
A lot of this confidence was due to the fact that you had become Hawks’s... Keigo’s...
‘Songbird’
As he liked to call you, anyway. 
Keigo was the general, loveable annoyance of the League, but his connections were invaluable and his skills were unmatched. Despite how he could grate on people (read: Dabi and Shigaraki), he was respected and feared just as much as everyone else was, if not more so. And being his metaphorical and literal pet had its perks.
Sure, the first time he had you come to his ‘office’ and he fucked you against the window until it was smeared with cum and blood was a bit surprising, but god, if you didn’t fucking love it. Being Keigo’s personal fucktoy came with protection, pleasure, and a surprising amount of genuine attention. The dude was lonely, and so were you. The two of you made a good ‘couple’, if you could even call yourselves that. The sadism he doled out was always counterpointed by affections that did seem genuine. 
Keigo was fond of you, and you of him. Maybe your brush with death had twisted something in your head, to even allow yourself to get close to a man like Keigo, but you couldn’t make yourself care. 
You were comfortable and content. 
...
[bird boss]: hey babe ;^) get to my office in the next thirty minutes 
[you]: what if i don’t
[bird boss]: do u really want to find out
[you]: ...
[you]: im just curious 
[bird boss]: don’t get cheeky songbird 
[you]: u make me wanna u know
[you]: i know it gets you riled up
[bird boss]: tread lightly kid
[you]: oooo i gave you some guff over text
[you]: what’re you gonna do about it?
[bird boss]: use your imagination
[bird boss]: 25 minutes now, songbird
[bird boss]: don’t make this worse for yourself <3
 You set your phone on your cheap duvet, quickly primped yourself to see Keigo. He wasn’t too strict about your appearance but wearing dark clothes and some of the more expensive gifts he’d gotten you over the months he’d been screwing you never hurt. Something about ownership with him always got him hot and bothered. 
You tried to remind yourself frequently that Keigo saw you as some sort of possession, but a possession with feelings.
Meandering through HQ was always a bit daunting, despite your protections. Your skimpy outfit choice and hardly-hidden lingerie made you feel a bit more like an object than you liked too. 
There were hardly hungry mouths around the League, they kept you all fed, but god, were there starving eyes. 
Dabi wolf-whistled as you walked past him through a common room, shouting something about how Keigo was collecting his pound of flesh for the day. Maybe a line or two about being a whore, but that was all flavor at that point. Keigo called you far meaner, more sinful things. And hell, it wasn’t like Keigo hadn’t... shared you on more than one occasion. 
Maybe you were a little fucked up for enjoying your lifestyle to the degree you did, but why not indulge where you could? Life was far shittier scraping paint off old fences and picking up cans to just scrape by. 
Opulence was a breath of fresh air. And if you were Keigo’s fuck toy? Then, god, you were Keigo’s fuck toy.
When you arrived at Keigo’s office, you knocked gently on the door, quickly adjusting your skirt and blouse. 
The door opened, though no one was behind it. Only a single one of Keigo’s feathers allowed you entrance. 
His office seemed daunting and extravagant for a man who did most of his ‘work’ in far-shadier, far-bloodier places. The walls were covered in mirrors and old paintings, something out of vanity and pride, knowing how Keigo saw himself. There were several black leather couches scattered around against walls, some stained by your various... activities. There was a broad desk parallel to a back wall made entirely of windows. 
Night had fallen, leaving the room lit by a few lamps and warm fixtures. 
“Hey, boss,” You hummed as you stepped in, shutting the door behind you just before the lingering scarlet feather flicked the lock on the door.
And the other one.
And the deadbolt.
You swallowed thickly. 
As much as you enjoyed a lot of the perks of your... position, it was also daunting.
Keigo was daunting, all bloody colors, vanity, and hunger. 
He sat behind his desk, wings puffed up, and partially extended over the back of his chair. The desk chair was massive, specifically acquired so that you would have enough room to properly straddle his lap for hours on end if he so wished. 
Keigo idly clicked around on his desktop computer. He leaned slack and back into the chair, legs spread wide and exuding casual confidence that reeked of his own ego. 
Keigo normally wore a mix of black and red, as edgy as it was. He liked to seem clean, hide the stains of sanguine that undoubtedly lingered on him no matter how he tried to cleanse himself. His black slacks were pressed, the seams pristine. The black shirt he wore was rolled up to his elbows, the buttons of his red vest undone as well. His black tie hung half-undone and limp around his neck. His tousled gold hair was mussed as normal, ruffled by his flights. His feathers might’ve needed preening, but you doubted that that was the reason he called you to his office. 
And based on the deep set of his brow and the sickly smile on his lips, he was already on edge and in a mood. 
“Songbird, come over here, will you?” Keigo sat back from his typing, watching you from across the room. He took you in the same way a parched man sucks down red wine, greedily and soon to be fucked. “On my lap.”
You complied, despite your earlier attitude. You padded across the room, going around his desk. 
As you moved to straddle his lap, worn hands gripped your waist. His amber eyes gave you a warning, crinkling at the edges, “Not like that, sweetheart. Do daddy right.”
Oh, so it was one of those moods. 
Maybe you were Keigo’s sexual punching bag so he could exert control on something he could later kiss better and patch up. 
Sure, he was going to fucking ruin you, but part of the fun with him was that the more it hurt, the nicer he was after. And, all things considered, with some of the... other folks the League brought in to satiate its member’s desires, you fared far better. Keigo cared about you, in his own particular way. 
You tried to lean over his lap yourself, but his hands and feathers positioned you perfectly as he wanted. With the tight grip he had on your waist and shoulders, dragging you just as he liked, it was easy to see his need for control. 
Your head hung off of one of his thighs as you squirmed in his lap. His bulge already pressed into your ribs, a wonderful reminder of the reward you’d reap later on. Keigo’s hands gathered your hand to the small of your back, a feather replacing their grip a moment later.
“Sit with me while I finish this shit,” Keigo grumbled, going back to clicking the desktop. His leg bobbed absentmindedly, his free hand rubbing over the curve of your barely-covered ass. “Be a good girl, (Y/N). If you can stand that.”
He laughed under his breath. 
You let your head dangle limply downwards, blood rushing to your cheeks. 
You’d thought you’d be in for more of an ass-kicking, but it appeared Keigo was taking things unusually slow. You knew better than to complain, but kicking up a bit of metaphorical sand couldn’t be that bad, right?
“I dunno,” You hummed, kicking your legs lightly. “I don’t think you like it when I’m a ‘good girl’, daddy.”
“Watch it.” A single, sharp smack to your butt was hardly enough to shut you up, but Keigo did so all the same, rubbing over the covered flesh a moment later, “I’m not in the mood.”
“Are you sure about that?” You wriggled, intentionally pushing up against his growing erection.
His breath stuttered, a smirk pulling at the corners of your lips. The hand on your ass didn’t rear again, rather Keigo kept thumbing smooth circles as he continued to click around on the computer. He might have been actually doing work. Or, he was ignoring you, egging your sass on. 
“If you didn’t want anything, why’d you call me in here?” You asked, way too cheeky for the way Keigo’s body was practically vibrating underneath you. Pissing him off had consequences, of course, but you weren’t in the mood to play ‘good girl’ that day.
“I told you, I want you to sit with me,” Keigo pinched your ass. “But, you’re too mouthy to do just that one thing. You’re usually better than this.”
“Am I?” You played innocent, craning to give him a wide smile. “Hadn’t noticed. What I am noticing, is your already-hard cock, dear.”
“Oh, ‘dear’?!” Keigo paused on the computer. “Cheeky. Cute.” 
Keigo would just dig in more, lean in, before ‘snapping’, if you could call it that.
You gulped as his hand swatted at upper thighs, his nails almost knicking your skin.
“Up and don’t get smart about it.”
Oh, you were going to be remarkably smart about it.
You rose but hardly stayed upright for long. Sliding down to your knees, you pushed at Keigo’s legs, “Wouldn’t you prefer me down here? Just for a treat while you finish your work?”
Keigo clicked his tongue, gaze flickering down to you, “Fine. Behave yourself.”
Yeah, right. You both knew that that wasn’t going to happen. 
You were already tucked underneath his desk, undoing the fly of his pants. 
You pulled his cock from his trousers, pumping his cock to full hardness. Smearing around preek for a bit of extra flare before inching forward.
Wrapping your mouth around Keigo’s dick was somewhat of a feat— he had a decent girth to him, so you usually took the opportunity to warm him (and yourself) up with a bit of tip-kissing and kitten licks.
But, you were feeling bold.
You spit on his dick, a move that normally would have earned you plenty of verbal snark, but anything Keigo could’ve said to you was swallowed as you took his cock down to the back of your throat.
You sucked around it, massaging the vein on the bottom with the flat of your tongue. Drool began to pool at the side of your lips as you let the head bump your throat, gag reflex be damned.
All the while, Keigo had stopped moving above you. The fabric of his trouser balled up in his ringed-fingers as he gazed half-lidded down at you. 
You smiled around his dick, looking up at him innocently as you began to slowly bob your head. His wings fluttered, twitches and air stirring around you. 
Keigo stifled a laugh, a hand tangling in your hair, “All that talk earlier and now you’re treating me to a blowjob without even me having to tell you to? Dove, you’re too much.”
You pulled off of him to reply, “I can only try.”
Before he could reply, you spit on his dick again, and went back to slurping around him.
You held the base of his cock in your hands, twisting and spreading spittle. It almost felt like your actions were for show, but Keigo’s eyes were rolling back in his head all the same.
You smirked.
A drool pool from your mouth, puddling in your lap and soaking your skirt. Not like you weren’t already dripping from the sinful sounds Keigo stopped trying to hold.
“A-ah, that’s it, angel,” Keigo fucked into your mouth with his hold on your hair. “Just like that.”
Your hand rose to play with Keigo’s balls, teasing at the sack as he cried out a high moan above you. 
Considering the performance you were giving, it was unsurprising to feel him tensing above you. You’d been on your knees for him hundreds of times; you’d learned to see the little twitches and puffs of breath he’d give when he’d get close to coming. 
You pulled off his cock with a pop, detangling the hand from your hair in the motion. It was all fast enough that Keigo couldn’t have stopped you in his hazy, pleasure-filled state. 
Based on the look of rapid disbelief he was giving you, your trick had worked well. Knowing Keigo’s... tendencies made you hesitant to push him too much in the past, but for whatever reason, you were feeling stupidly bold. 
Consequences.
“Sorry, daddy,” You wiped at your mouth with the back of your hand. “Didn’t feel like swallowing today.”
Keigo’s disheveled appearance was more than gratifying. Knowing how easily you made him come undone by that point was one of the perks of your position.
His hair was more than ruffled, strands and tufts chaotically curled around his cheeks and ears. There was a bright blush on his face, spreading from his nose to the apples of his cheeks, down his deck. At some point, he’d popped the buttons at the top of his shirt. He was covered in a sheen of sweat, half-panting and based on the darkness in his brow and the far-too peachy smile on his face, Keigo was fucking pissed.
His wings stood on end.
You gulped from below him.
Maybe you pushed your luck too far.
Maybe. 
“You’re playing real cute today, aren’t you songbird?” Keigo didn’t move, but his feathers twitched above him, wings flaring out even farther. “Real fucking cute.”
You were fucked.
Good.
A few feathers flew from Keigo, one snagging at your wrist, wrapping around it, and pulling you up from the desk.
You wobbled as you stood, dragged across the room as Keigo leisurely followed behind you. When you tried to set your own pace, Keigo swatted your ass with a huff, “You never learn, huh? I thought I’d trained you better than this.”
You opened your mouth to spit some dickish retort, but you were cut off as Keigo’s shoved you onto one of the leather couches.
“Don’t.” Keigo’s tone was acidic as he stood over your, wings still flared out. “I told you I wasn’t in the mood for your cute bullshit, dove, and you still decided to test your luck, huh?”
You kneeled on the cushions, sucking down air, shaking with anticipation.
“You don’t feel like swallowing today? That’s fine, I can work with that,” Keigo shrugged easily from above you.
Keigo had an... active sexual imagination, and you could tell by the crook in his lips that he had something devilish planned as retribution.
A sharp slap came down on your cheek, Keigo catching the opposite jaw and keeping you from recoiling too far. You blinked as the pain spread around your skull like licking flames against a frostbitten body. 
You wanted more.
A little grin stretched against your mouth as Keigo rubbed at your cheeks with his thumbs, “Aw, you always get so sweet like this, dove. You can be a good girl if you try, can’t you?” 
His actions carried candor and his words absolute torment. 
Despite how Keigo was trying to goad you into submission, you had a bit of spark left in you. 
Plainly, you spit on him.
The glob of saliva landed on Keigo’s cheek, under his eye.
He blinked at you. 
You continued to smile.
His own expression grew strained.
“Oh, songbird,” Keigo damn near lamented, wiping away the kind gift you’d given him. His voice was smooth without any bit of waver, all of the sexually-charged anger rolling just beneath the veneer. “You’re just being pain slut today, aren’t you?”
You were, absolutely. You could feel your arousal wetting your panties, the heat of the strike from your cheek beginning to boil something in your gut. 
“You just need a bit of special attention today, right? That’s all.” Keigo tsked, fully removing the tie from around his neck. “You just need a little reminder.”
“Reminder of what?” You asked, tilting your head quizzically. 
Keigo flipped you, feathers pushing and bracing you as needed while nimble hands tore off your clothes without reverie.
“Plenty of things, especially with this attitude you’ve got today,” Keigo’s tie looped around your wrists, binding them together at the center of your back. 
“You definitely need a reminder of who’s the boss around here,” Keigo shoved you forward, stomach flush with the back of the couch.
You reeled from the pace of it all, shifting your knees for any bit of stimulation you could get. Keigo’s feathers were slicing and pulling your clothes from your body faster than you could keep track of. It was overwhelming, making your mind swim in the best possible way. You throbbed. 
“Maybe a reminder about who fucking provides for you,” Keigo’s own clothes were shaken off, dropped to the floor and forgotten.
It was true. Keigo always made sure than you were taken care of, in more ways than one. Despite how fast-paced and laid back he could seem, he was always on top of making sure you had more than enough material and immaterial pleasure whether than be in the form of food, fucking, or otherwise.
You yelped as a smack fell across your ass. A feather caught the elastic of your panties, snapping a moment later, leaving you fully bare before him. 
Keigo’s worn hand came to press at your throat and jaw, tilting your head back as he climbed behind you, “Maybe, you need a reminder about who keeps you safe.”
This phrase was softer than the others, a sweet kiss pressing to your cheek and his voice a bit more gentle. It was jarring at the skin still stung from his earlier strike, but you cherished the heat besides. 
Once again, true. The folks in and outside of the League were greedy. There were plenty of unwanted souls that stole glances at Hawks’s prized songbird. There were starved eyes that tore into you whether you were dolled up for Keigo or not. There had been some... close calls, one could say, but Keigo always was there, in the end, unafraid to get his hands dirty. 
“You know what the most important reminder is, dove?” Keigo rolled his hips against you, cock wedging between your thighs.
“N-no,” You stuttered, brain turning gooey as Keigo’s arms snaked around your waist, sharpened nails leaving indents in your hips.
He nosed at your neck, leaving a few love bites in his wake.“‘N-no’, what?” 
“I don’t know,” You leaned back into Keigo’s chest, rubbing your thighs around his cock. 
 “Oh, songbird, you sweet thing,” He chuckled, all teasing and self-indulgent. “I’m the one who makes you feel good.” 
He was so right, wasn’t he?
With the way he’d learned your body over the last few months, he’d had some undeniable pursuit to make you feel the best. 
Keigo was inquisitive by nature. He had kept you on your back for hours while he finger-fucked you, watching every twitch and roll of your hips to figure out just the right ways to break you. He’d kissed and sucked and slapped every inch of you, sussing out the perfect ways to make you writhe and cry for him. 
Sure, you were an absolute terror to him sometimes. Not to mention that Keigo jumping you covered in the blood of that day's targets was as macabre and horrifying as it sounded. 
But, fuck, if he didn’t know how to bring you to ecstasy that fucking ruined you in the best way. 
Keigo got off on watching you shatter for him. It was the reason he’d torn you from that cheap, bloodied apartment in the first place. A kind, naive little morsel that he could play with as he wanted. You didn’t complain. Fuck, you reveled in his attention. You gave it back to him, like the fucked up, semi-divine being could be any more debauched than he already was.
Corruption spreads, but you’d never complain. If being plucked from struggling for pennies to being fucked stupid by a man who could kill you at a moments notice, a man who would kill for you, somehow poisoned you?
You’d die with a bitter taste on your tongue and a smile on your face.
 Keigo rubbed at your clit, nipping at your neck, and rolled his hips greedily. His cock was covered in a mix of your slick and his own preek, easily sliding between plushness of your thighs.
“You love pushing me, acting all tough,” Keigo chastised, clicking his tongue. “I mean it when I say it's cute.”
You don’t have any more quick retorts in you, not when his fingers are down your throat, gagging you as spittle dribbles down your chin onto the leather below. It was sure to leave a mark.
“Behind all that bark and snark, you’re just a good girl, aren’t you?” Keigo punctuated his words with a bite and nip to your neck. “Just needed a reminder, right, dove?”
You whimpered against his fingers at the praise, grinding against Keigo’s touch needily. 
His fingers pushed pinched your tongue, breath curling over the shell of your ear, “What are you?”
You mumbled against his fingers, “A g-good g-girl.”
It was humiliating in the best way. Keigo’s light laugh at your attempt. The way he nuzzled his nose into the sweat at the crook of your shoulder was just aloe on the burn.
“I misspoke, if you can believe that,” Keigo’s cock pulled out from your thighs. “Songbird, you know what I meant to call you?”
You squirmed at the loss, but he was quick to hush you. His fingers left your mouth with a thick trail of spit. 
“You’re my good girl.” 
You melted in his arms.
Falling back against Keigo’s chest, you craned your neck to lock your lips to his. 
Maybe that was it, why all the filth didn’t bother you. Because you had worth. Maybe it was insecurity, or maybe it was self-aware in the face of your lived experience. Before being taken, the life you’d lived made you just a rusty cog in a dying machine. You wouldn’t have amounted to anything, probably. 
But with the League?
You were the prized, beloved consort of an angry god. 
Keigo owned you, body, mind and soul, and you let him. That’s not even to mention how you had him wrapped around your finger. He adored you, under all of it.
Fighting with him was for sport, not blood.
Keigo licked past your lips, pressing his cock to your cunt teasingly. You whined against him, wriggling in his arms.
“What does my good girl want?” Keigo loved making you beg for him, claw for any bit of stimulation. He liked it even better when you were already soft for him.
Stray tears pricked at your eyes, “Y-your cock.”
He pinched the meat of your thigh, shaking his head, “Not good enough. Speak properly, dove. Clear and correctly.”
You swallowed, searching for the words in your own haze.
Your words were willed to be solid.
“I want your cock, daddy.” 
It was just enough.
Keigo pushed forward, the head of his cock already stretching your cunt. Consider the girth of it, the lack of preparation stung and burned more than you would’ve liked, as good as it felt to finally be filled.
Keigo cooed at your soft tears, keeping your face to his with a firm hand on your jaw. He shushed you, far too sweetly while licking the salt from your cheeks, “Relax, angel. Big breaths.”
You nodded, sputtering as he speared into you. Keigo’s free hand went back to toying with your clit, encouraging the tension to drain from your body.
As he bottomed out, you shuddered, falling back into his chest. Keigo’s wings fluttered, twitching in wait. Hot breath fanned over your face, Keigo groaning and locking his jaw. 
The stimulation was overwhelming. You had expected Keigo to be meaner, considering how mouthy you’d been. 
Yet, it made sense. Keigo had figured out one of the better ways to make you break was softness. 
(Truthfully, it made him crack in the same way, but he’d never tell.)
“Feel that?” He asked, just barely rolling his hips. 
Keigo released your jaw in favor of wrapping a hand around the front of your throat, tugging you as close he could manage.
“Uh-huh,” You panted. 
You could, the kiss of his cock head against your cervix was almost uncomfortable. The delicious pressure and sensitivity already had you reeling in his arms, unsteady and wanting.
“I fill you up so good, don’t I?” Keigo praised his own ego, his cock, but he wasn’t wrong. The curve of his cock rubbed against all the right spots. He stretched you just right, the burn ebbing away into a need for more, more—
“Please, Keigo—” You gasped. Your legs shook as Keigo slammed into you, shoving you forward and into the wall.
His pace was brutal. Hands and feathers kept your back in a harsh arch as he rearranged your insides to his liking. He was kind enough to keep stroking at your clit, bruising your hips and babbling filthy nothings. 
“I’m the one who makes you feel this good, only me, right, dove?” Keigo growled into your ear with a particularly hard thrust.
You nodded against the wall, aware of the drool slipping down your chin as your mouth lolled open. Your insides were hot like white flames, searing any ability to use coherent speech. 
Keigo snickered at your state. Slowing, he gripped your ass cheeks. You yelped, inside jumping as he pried them apart. You flinched, hole twitching as he spat down, the liquid cool against the flushed skin.
It was little moves like that, Keigo just subtly making your shudder and feel dirty that got you the most fucked up and fucked out.
You pressed back on his cock, panting against the wall and keening. You would’ve spoke, if you could, but anything that you had the ability to say would’ve been torn apart by Keigo’s sharpened, silver tongue. 
“My filthy little dove, huh?” Keigo sneered, watching you try to bounce on his cock the best you could. “Such a glutton when you get broken down like this, needy whore.”
The pleasure of Keigo’s cock tearing up your insides was all you could focus on through the fog of your mind, desperate and wanting and greedy.
“Y-your,” You corrected, the words bubbling from your lips, disjointed and messy. “Yours.”
Keigo may have been avian, but he purred like a damn cat at your admission. He held you like a possession, cock throbbing as he fucked you just right. 
“God, you’re sweet, angel,” He nipped at your jaw before wrapping his hand around your throat. “Even all fucked up, you know who you belong to so well, don’t you?”
You nodded, rolling your hips back. 
Keigo must’ve taken pity on you, squeezing at the sides of your neck. Cruel as he could be, he must’ve noticed the way your thighs and knees trembled against the leather. Keigo knew the cloud in your eyes well— how to get you hazy and how to fuck you perfectly through the fog.
He fucked back into your dripping cunt, pace harder and faster than before. You were helpless to do anything other than fall forward into the wall, cheek squished against the scarlet. 
“Who’s brat are you?” Keigo squeezed a bit harder at your neck as you swallowed against his palm.
“Y-yours—!” You squeaked out, mind going numb from the stimulation and pressure.
A wicked sneer curled against your ear as Keigo’s movements grew sloppier. His tongue lolled over your shoulder, messy kisses and slobbery bites and marks left in his wake. He was close, but you weren’t far off easier.
“Little bird,” It was sweeter, closer and hotter. “Can you come for me? Come all over my cock?”
You nodded.
“Not good enough.” Keigo bit down, nearly breaking the fragile skin of your neck. “You know I like words, angel.”
You gave him words, plenty of them. 
Nearly incoherent pleads and cries poured from your bruised lips as Keigo pounded into you. Each blabbering wail was met with Keigo groans and grunts, condescending little phrases spitting over you without release.
Your lack of leverage and use of your arms made you thumping against the couch and wall, vision darkening on the edges as the pressure in your gut and the hold on your throat remained. 
You were breaking in his arms, tears rolling down your cheeks as you held yourself from cresting. The exertion of it all was taking its toll, legs jellied and chest beading with sweat. 
Keigo sensed it, shifting his hips to hit the spongy spot in your cunt, “Come, dove.”
You let go.
A sob shattered in your throat as your climax crashed through you. Keigo released your throat, holding you by your bound arms as he bottomed out. His own harsh cry panged against yours as he stuffed you full. 
Surprisingly gently, he rocked his hips against your own, letting the ambient throb of your cunt milk him dry.
You came down, rolling and spinning as you sucked down air a bit too fast. Keigo panted behind you, though the sound seemed dull.
The pressure from your wrists released, soft thumbs rubbing at where the fabric had bitten into your forearms, “Hey, angel, you with me?”
You could only nod weakly, exhaustion and aches creeping in. 
Keigo repositioned the two of you, setting himself against the arm of the couch, wings up free to drape and splay over the floor. He dragged you with him, pulling you to lay on his chest. The stickiness of his spunk, your slick, and general sweatiness might’ve been uncomfortable, but you weren’t quite lucid enough to care.
“How are you feeling? Still feeling a little mouthy?” Keigo teased, already knowing your answer. 
You muffled a groan against his chest, shaking your head against the sweat of his chest. 
“Awww,” Keigo chuckled, fingers brushing over your cheeks, “Is my dove a little fucked out?”
“Keeeigo, b-be nice.”
Your voice broke, parched.
Keigo snorted, pressing a kiss to the side of your forehead, “I guess I can manage that. Just for you, though. Can’t let the others see me get all soft.”
You wouldn’t; seeing Keigo warm and gooey, both of you mutually fucked-out, was a pleasure only you got to indulge in. And you loved every moment of it. 
++++++++++++
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Friends Can Break Your Heart Too - Chapter 5 < ao3 link
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Story summary: Mia Flores flees to Santo Padre for one reason and one reason only: her godfather and the man who raised her, Bishop Losa. The last thing she expects is for Angel Reyes to come into her chaotic life and just maybe be the one thing that starts to make sense.
Chapter summary: Bishop gives Mia a talk then Mia and Angel have some fun.
Rated: SMUT. Sex, oral, cream pie, all that good stuff.
A/N: Esai Alvarez in this story is played by Manny Montana with Rio from Good Girls tats! Just a reminder!
Chapter 5:
“Mija?” Mia hears Bishop’s voice travel up the stairs to the bathroom where she’s finishing getting ready for a party at the clubhouse. The boys just got a big payday and that usually means a fun night.
“Bathroom!” she calls back while touching up her mascara, not at all surprised Bishop is the one to pick her up today. Angel was very clear in his text this morning the reason he wasn’t climbing into bed with her was because her godfather mentioned he planned on stopping by. Angel also mentioned that he was tired as fuck and couldn’t wait to see her later.
It doesn’t surprise her that Bishop wants to see her, he always wants to touch base after being gone on a run, and him and the boys did two back-to-back over the last week and a half, with only being home one day in between.
What does surprise her was that Angel texts her when they are on runs. It isn’t frequent, of course, but it is at least once a day, sometimes more if possible. He doesn’t say much, just that everything is going good and everyone is whole, but just the fact that he even tries means the world to her.
Most the time with Esai, Mia didn’t know he was home until she woke up and found him in bed with her, or passed out on the couch, or heard from Bishop that they were home and wanted to get lunch or dinner or something. It was rare for Esai to text her daily on runs—maybe when they first got together or if something particularly shitty was going on with her mom. She got maybe one or two texts over a five-day period, if that.
She hears Bishop making his way through the shopping bags that litter her bedroom floor. “Nice to see you’re spending your money wisely,” he comments.
“You’re the one who said you wouldn’t take anything from me for the first three months,” Mia counters while twisting the mascara closed and giving her face a last once over. “I tried to give you more than half my paycheck because I know I owe you, but you—”
“I know, I know, I’m just fucking with you,” Bishop stops her with a chuckle as he leans on the doorjamb leading to the bathroom. “You’re only doing what I want you to do—rebuild your life. I’m glad you’re making yourself at home, or at least,” his eyes flick back to the mess on her floor, “making a few businesses happy. Took a trip to El Centro?”
“That’s where Letty said the good mall is, and some pretty awesome boutiques. She wasn’t wrong,” Mia answers with a shrug. “I got her a few things too, and I’m not letting Coco pay me back, just letting you know.”
“That’s his fight, not mine,” he responds with hands up in surrender and they both smile at one another. “You look… good,” he settles on after looking her up and down a moment later.
She’s wearing a new pair of Army green cargo pants that hug her ass and thighs but are baggy at her feet. It’s matched with a dusty rose top laced up through her breasts, showing skin the whole way, but has long flowy sleeves. She isn’t wearing a bra, of course, that would throw off the whole look, but is covered up enough that Bishop won’t say anything, even if his eyes do. It should elicit a different reaction out of Angel though.
“I know,” she replies, and he chuckles again, having learned long ago that fighting about her clothes was a losing battle. “Everything went good this week? No problems?” she asks while passing him on her way out of the bathroom and starts digging through the bags for her brand new white Nikes.
Of course, she knows all went well—Angel had told her so, but Bishop doesn’t know that.
“All the drops went good, prisons up the coast and in AZ are flush with enough H to keep our brothers inside on top, and the other charters are making their deliveries,” he informs her.
“And the Chinese? I know their order was a surprise, but it seemed like you all had it handled,” she says while slipping the Air Force 1s on and smiling down at her splurge. Her godfather’s right, it’s nice to have more than a handful of things to call her own again.
“We’re a well-oiled machine,” Bishop assures her and at this Mia chortles.
“You’re definitely a well-intoxicated one,” she jokes, and they laugh once more. “I’m glad everything went well, Bop. You guys deserve this party tonight, you’ve been working your asses off lately.”
“Like we need a reason to party,” he comments, and she grins. “But a big payday does always make the boys more agreeable, and that I’m a fan of.”
“I’m sure you are. I’m ready to go if you are,” she says and slips her phone in her pocket, the only thing she’ll need for the night.
“You, uh, don’t seem surprised I’m here,” Bishop mentions.
“We usually get together when you get home,” she reminds him. “I figured we’d be doing something. It’s past lunch, so dinner,” she adds on with a shrug. “And I’m paying by the way, no buts.”
“Yeah, that ain’t happenin’,” her godfather states easily. “But, uh, wanted to check in, see how you’re doing now that you’re settling in at the job and the house, you know,” he goes on while taking a seat on her bed.
Realization washes over her. He’s not here for their normal post-run hang out, and this whole ‘check in’ shit is just that—shit. He knows how she’s doing with the job and the house, they talk every day, and before she started at the clinic he saw her everyday because she was making money at the clubhouse or scrap yard.
This isn’t just ‘checking in’. He wants to have a conversation about something particular but doesn’t know how to start it.
“I’m having flashbacks to my quinceanera, when you spent an hour talking about how I was about to become a woman,” she mumbles while taking a seat next to him, “but what you really wanted to know was if I was still a virgin because you knew Esai was about to ask me to be his girlfriend and you worried that he was going to deflower me that very night.”
“Did he?” he asks, and Mia looks at him with a raised eyebrow.
“That is none of your business, but no, he did not,” she appeases him, which isn’t a lie.
Technically, because she wasn’t a virgin that night, so when she had sex with Esai after her party she wasn’t deflowered. Not that he needs to know about that, there are some things her father doesn’t need to know. Esai was her first, but she isn’t fan of the word ‘deflower’ nor is she interested in talking to Bishop about the concept of virginity. No man’s dick is important enough to change any part of her identity.
“Good, good,” Bishop murmurs and nods. “My warnings didn’t stop you from slow dancing with him at every chance that night, though.”
“Bop,” Mia sighs and crosses her legs, “why don’t we do what we didn’t manage then? Just ask me what you want to know or tell me whatever it is you want to say, because it took me a good year to realize what you wanted from me during that long, excruciating talk before my party started.”
“I thought I was pretty clear about how decisions you made that night could affect you for the rest of your life, and how you needed to protect yourself, and do what you thought was right,” he replies.
“I was fifteen, Bop,” she reminds him. “Besides that, I knew Esai was going to officially ask me out, so I had a little more on my mind than figuring out what you were actually trying to tell me,” she goes on. “Plus, I was dreading what you all would say during your speeches, which I was right to because it was another hour of men talking about my virginity without actually talking about it and I was mortified,” she says then remembers that this isn’t the conversation her godfather wants to have. “What is on your mind, Bop?”
“Look,” he starts and leans forward onto his knees, his hands clasped together between them. “I know this shit ain’t my business, that we try to stay out of each other’s personal lives, but if it involves my club and one of my guys, I should at least know what’s going on.”
“What are you talking about?” Mia asks as dread trickles down her spine, not sure exactly how dumb to play. She doesn’t want to give away information he doesn’t know while he’s fishing for whatever it is he wants to know, you know?
Bishop continues, “I know these guys, Mia. I know them, I know their habits, their routines, and I know when something is off with one of them. They are my family just as much as you are, I’d die for them, and they’d do the same for me.”
“That’s morbid, but sweet,” she comments innocently.
“I’m being serious, Mia,” Bishop says, his voice booming. “I need you to be honest with me.”
“Then ask me what you want to know instead of trying to trick me into saying something,” she responds, her tone now just as serious.
“When we’re on runs and we’ve reached our drop point and we’re bone tired, we spend the night,” he starts. “But, boys being boys, they don’t always spend their time sleeping, if you know what I mean, and Angel is no exception.”
Mia’s stomach sinks. Does Bishop think she’s dating Angel and trying to tell her he slept with someone else on their run?
Sure, she and Angel aren’t together, but they agreed while they are hooking up to only hook up with each other. Then again, with the clinic opening she’s done little more than eat, sleep, work and repeat in the last two weeks. Maybe since she’s been too busy and tired for sex lately, he started to look elsewhere. After all, that’s what Esai used to do—get his needs met when on a run. It meant she was less likely to run into whoever he cheated with, and it also meant it was with a girl who knew better than to expect anything more from him.
“Okay,” Mia manages after a minute, not sure what else to say, and not sure why her chest feels like an open wound. It’s not the first time the guy she’s sleeping with stepped out on her when on a run.
So, Angel broke their deal, she doesn’t know what Bishop has to do with it, especially since he wasn’t supposed to know they were sleeping together in the first place. If he thinks they are dating does he think Angel just cheated on her? He always stayed out of her and Esai’s relationship—that is, until she brought him into it because she was a stupid, heartbroken kid who wanted her dad on her side, not caring what position it put him in with the club.
“I don’t know what you want from me, Bop,” she murmurs. “You know the rules, what happens on a run stays on a run, and I don’t know what this has to do with me.”
“I want you to tell me the truth about what’s going on with you and Angel, Mia,” he insists as he turns his face to look her in the eye. “I wanna know if you’re the reason why the guy who never makes the smart move and chooses to sleep on a run actually has done just that ever since you moved here.”
Oh. “Oh,” she mumbles and thinks of what to say as warmth blooms in her chest and she fights the urge to smile. He didn’t cheat on her!
Well, of course he didn’t, because they aren’t dating. He’s just the best friend she’s sleeping with.
“I know you two are close, and at the first I thought it was just him actually being tired, but it’s been months and—”
“Angel and I aren’t together,” she cuts him off quickly. “If we were, I would have told you,” she assures him. “That’s not something I would keep from you. I know what being with a guy in the club means, the power it holds, and the weakness it can be. I wouldn’t keep it a secret from you. Angel and I, we aren’t doing anything like that.”
“You sure about that?” he asks with a look of disbelief on his face.
“Yes. We’re sleeping together, that’s it,” Mia admits because there is no point in hiding it now.
They haven’t exactly been discreet. The boys know, Letty almost walked in on them, it’s only been two weeks and a few of the girls at the clinic are already whispering about him. Besides, Bishop’s too smart to think they are just friends; he knows the both of them too well.
“And we’re friends. Good friends, more like best friends, even though that makes us sound twelve,” she mumbles as an afterthought. “We can talk to each other, no bullshit, and he makes me laugh, but we’re just friends, I promise.”
“Friends,” Bishop repeats and then barks out a laugh.
“We are!” Mia insists. “I’m not fucking with you.”
He stands from the bed, a hand attempting to stifle his laughter. “No, no, I know you’re not. I know you believe you’re friends, that’s what makes this funny.”
“Bop!”
“You know, I was friends with your mother once,” he says.
“Ew! No, we’re not—this is not the same thing,” she tells him, standing so she can look him in the eye.
“Your dad was friends with her too,” he goes on.
“Enough, can we go now, please? You got the information you wanted, I’ve been adequately traumatized, I think we’re done here.”
“Yeah, yeah, we can go. Just, be safe, will ya?” he pleads, his eyes much softer now.
Mia groans. “We went over this before my quinceanera too, Bop. I know how to use a condom and have my end taken care of—”
“That’s not what I’m talking about,” her godfather cuts her off. “I mean, I’m glad you’re using protection, but I’m talking about this,” he said and jabs a finger at her chest. “Your heart doesn’t give a fuck what’s going on up here,” he says and now points at her temple. “You have control over a lot in life, what you wanna do, where you wanna live, the stuff you wear and how you show yourself to the world, but your heart? That fucker you don’t have much control of, and it’ll get you every time, trust me. So, you protect it any way you can, you hear me?”
Mia nods and bites her lip. “I hear you, Bop,” she assures him. “But you see what you just said, that’s what you should have told me before my quinceanera,” she says. “That is the straightforward kind of shit a fifteen-year-old needs to hear.”
Bishop grins and leans forward to kiss her forehead. “Shut up and get on my bike, will ya?”
“Sure thing, Papa,” she answers and leads the way down the steps and out the door, completely missing the look on Bishop’s face at her calling him dad, even if only in passing. If she had, she probably wouldn’t be calling him just ‘Bop’ much longer. “But I’m still paying for dinner!” she calls over her shoulder, not caring to listen to his response because she isn’t going to fold on this one.
Hours later Mia tilts her neck to the side, giving Angel room to continue his hot kisses, her eyes trying to focus on the fire in front of them, but everything is getting hazy. “I’m starting to think I shouldn’t have told you,” she murmurs, hoping he thinks her low tone is because she’s trying to be quiet, not because she’s breathless.
“What you mean?” he wonders, his lips now at her ear, his teeth teasing at her lobe.
“You wouldn’t be torturing me like this if I hadn’t told you Bishop knows,” she moans and pulls away when he hits a particularly sensitive spot. “We need to stop. I told you we have to be respectful when he’s around.”
“Baby, this isn’t disrespectful,” he insists, his hands now playing with the lace strings at the front of her top. “If you want to see what that looks like though…” he says and tugs on the knot.
“Angel!” she gasps and slaps his hand away. “Be good.”
He grins and pulls away, leaving an arm around her shoulders and leans back in their bench seat. It’s the backseat of what probably was some kind of station wagon that the boys pulled out of the scrapyard. It fits three, and since they are so low to the ground Angel’s legs are spread out in front of them, otherwise they’d be touching his chest.
“Fuck, it feels good to be home for more than 12 fucking hours,” he sighs while scooting down the seat even more so his head can rest on her shoulders. “Feels even better to know I get to spend tomorrow doin’ nothing but you.”
At this, Mia laughs, and it’s full and hearty. “As long as you make it worth my time,” she comments. “I do only get one full weekend off a month, you know?”
“Mi dulce, have I ever not left you shaking uncontrollably on my cock?” Angel questions while lighting a cigarette, his actions very nonchalant after the sentence he just dropped.
“Hey, there’s a first time for everything,” she teases him.
He shakes his head at her. “Keep talkin’ shit, we’ll see how tough you are later,” he warns as he decides he isn’t comfortable enough and moves so his head is in her lap, his legs taking up the rest of their seat.
“Ooh, I’m scared,” she sing-songs.
“Better be,” he insists as smoke escapes his lips. “I just spent the last week on the road with dudes, busy as fuck, and without tasting my girl for sixteen days because of her job. I have needs, querida.”
Mia rolls her lips together to keep from laughing. “My poor little drug smuggler,” she coos. “Did you have a tough time partying in Oregon?”
“Yeah, fucking right. It always turns into a pissing match up there,” Angel grumbles. “They are the biggest charter next to Oakland, so they think they got bigger balls than the rest of us. The rest of ‘em forget they wouldn’t have any H if it wasn’t for Santo Padre risking our asses in the tunnels, over the border, and riding it up the fucking coast.”
“I’m sure you guys didn’t have a problem reminding them,” she comments with a hand carding through his hair.
“Didn’t have to,” he replies, “E did it for us. He’s still new to the prez patch, so he’s making sure everyone knows their places, that even though his pop isn’t the president of Oakland anymore doesn’t mean they aren’t in control.”
Mia’s movements stumble. “E? E—Esai was there?”
“Yeah. He likes to make himself known on big hauls, says he’s getting his hands dirty too, not just getting rich off our work,” Angel tells her. “Earns a lot of respect that way, and he gets to know everyone, even prospects.”
She nods, her eyes studying the orange glow. “He does have a way of making everyone feel special,” she mumbles. “Did he… did he, um, ask about me?”
Angel inhales deeply. “Asked Bish,” he says with smoke leaking from his mouth.
“What did he say?”
“I don’t know, they were walking away, wasn’t my business to listen,” he reminds her.
“Not your business?” Mia demands. “I’m—we’re best friends, it’s your business if I say it is and it is.”
“Oookay?” Angel says with his voice on the verge of laughter. “What did you want me to say?” he asks while flicking his butt into the fire. “’Wassup bro, you know the only girl you said you’d ever love? Well, I’m fucking her regularly. She says hi’?”
Mia shrugs. “You coulda gone without ‘the only girl you’d ever love’ part, I feel like that’s a little blow the belt,” she offers, and he chuckles.
“You’re alright with the ‘fucking her regularly’ part then?”
“I mean,” she starts with another shrug, “I’ve heard enough about his exploits, he can hear some of mine.”
Angel takes her free hand and links it through his. “You miss him. Just call him, querida.”
“He didn’t talk to you at all?” she asks, ignoring him, and his suggestion, as she does every time she thinks of it herself.
“We spoke, I guess? Said hi, asked how shit was, I said good, asked how his shit was, he said good, we laughed at something dumb Pac said—”
“Pac was there?” Mia questions, her voice sad as it tapers off. “Of course, Pac was there, he’s Esai's El Pacificador,” she mumbles to herself. “What’d you laugh at him for?” she demands with a punch to the chest with their connected hands.
“Ow! Nothin’! It was a joke. We weren’t laughing at him, geez,” Angel defends.
“Pac’s the fuckin’ best, he was always being made fun of by assholes when we were kids, but… he did it on purpose. That way they weren’t teasing anyone else,” she tells him. “Then Esai came around and a fight would break out. I was the look out,” she says with both nostalgia and pride splashed across her face. “We were the three musketeers.”
“Did that extend to when you and E started dating—stop fuckin’ hitting me!” he exclaims in a laugh.
“No, it did not,” she answers anyways. “But Pac felt left out so I’d make sure to plan stuff with the three of us,” she goes on. “He used to get upset because girls were afraid to date him knowing if they hurt him I’d fuck them up.”
Angel stares up at her and licks his lips. “Call them, baby, I know you miss them.”
“It’s not that easy—”
“It is. Especially with Paco, you think he’s gonna bring up what happened? He’s just gonna be happy to talk to you. He’s like a fuckin’ puppy with a gun.”
At this, Mia laughs. “You’re not wrong, but if I talk to Paco, he’s gonna tell Esai and—”
“So fucking call them both,” he cuts her off again. “Esai’s fucked you over enough times that he definitely owes you one. Call, you don’t have to say you’re sorry or explain shit if you don’t want to. If he’s fuckin’ smart he’ll just pick up wherever you left off.”
“Owes me more like a hundred and one,” she mumbles. “I’ll think about it, okay?”
“Alright,” he replies easily.
“That’s… that’s it? You’re not gonna keep pushing me or tell me I should do it or anything?” she wonders.
Angel sits up and gives her a shrug, “Ain’t my place. I said my part. I think you should reach out. You’ve never given Esai your new number, so he can’t do it. If you want me or Bish to pass your number along, just say so. Otherwise, it’s on you.”
Mia leans forward and presses a kiss to his lips. “You’re cute, osito,” she whispers.
“Don’t spread it around,” he murmurs, then kisses her again.
“Imma spread something later,” she says and Angel chuckles against her lips. “That sounded better in my head,” she admits and drops her head to his chest.
“To be fair, I didn’t think we were spreading mulch around,” he replies while wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “Fuck, that reminds me, I told Bish I’d cut your grass tomorrow.”
“You just volunteered for this?” she asks as she lifts her head enough to look him in the eye.
“He was about to make EZ do it, and I didn’t want him at the house—I’m tryna keep you naked most the day tomorrow—so I said I’d do it, that I was dropping by anyways,” Angel explains. “Now that he knows we’re fucking he knows that was a lie, but,” he stops with a shrug. “Imma still do it.”
“You’re trying to keep me naked tomorrow, huh?” she says with a smile. “Then how am I gonna give you a beer dressed in a tiny bikini top and my shortest shorts while you mow the lawn?”
Angel pulls her by the back of her neck until they are kissing. “That ain’t happenin’ unless you want me to take you right there in the grass.”
“Only if you’re on the bottom,” Mia counters, “I feel like grass would rub in a bad way, you know?”
He laughs as he drops his head to her shoulder. “So, you want my ass on fire?”
“Better than mine!” she replies. “And you get to stare at my boobs, so no complaining.”
“Never,” he murmurs, about to go into another kiss when they are interrupted.
“Either of you need a beer?” they hear over their heads and look up to find EZ.
“If we fucking did you look real empty handed,” Angel tells his brother, then grimaces when Mia smacks him once again. “Fucking stop that,” he mutters and rubs his chest. “It’s the same spot every fucking time.”
“No, we’re good Ezekiel, thank you,” Mia answers for them after a pointed look at his older brother.
“We are?” Angel asks with crinkled eyebrows.
“If you plan on driving me home, yeah,” she tells him and he pouts, but doesn’t speak up because he knows its code leaving soon.
He does, however, stand up. “Alright, if we’re heading out I gotta take a piss,” he says, taking her hint. “You should too, you know, for what I got planned for you,” he says while sending a wink Mia’s way before sauntering off.
“You know,” EZ starts while plopping down next to her. “He’s heading into the clubhouse like he hasn’t whipped it out in front of us all week on the road.”
“Yeah, most the girls have probably seen it too,” Mia agrees, and EZ laughs in agreement. “Woulda saved him a trip.”
EZ looks to see his brother disappear into the clubhouse. “Look, I, uh, wanted to talk to you real quick before Angel comes back.”
“Should I be nervous about this?” she asks, racking her brain for something EZ would need to talk to her about, but comes up with nothing.
“No, I just—” he stops and lifts his butt up as he reaches for his wallet. “When we were teenagers, Angel was real into art. He was really good at it too, it was something he and our mom did together.”
Mia nods, not wanting to tell him she already knew this, but is intrigued all the same. What could he have to tell her?
“But, uh, back then he doodled on everything. It drove our parents nuts. It would be all over the mail, the newspaper, his homework, everything,” he goes on. “He, uh, he stopped when Mom died, and as far as I knew he hadn’t gotten back into it,” he stops and looks to make sure Angel isn’t on his way back yet. “But, uh, before we left the motel at one of our stops, the guys made me go in to check the rooms, to make sure we didn’t leave anything. I saw this and took it without thinking,” he says and pulls a folded piece of paper from the wallet to hand to her.
She opens it with eyes crinkled to find a sketch of her done in pen.
“When I looked at it closer later I thought you should have it,” he finishes.
“I… um,” she stutters, her eyes glued to the paper. It’s only from her shoulders up, and it is rough, but undoubtedly her.
“You’ve brought out a part of my brother Pop and I haven’t seen in over eight years,” EZ tells her as she studies the sketch. “He’s not as angry or closed off. He actually even mentioned our mom the other day and we never talk about her.”
“EZ, I—”
“You don’t have to say anything, Mia. I know you guys are just friends, but I know that my brother feeling lighter, and it’s all because of you. I just wanted to thank you and give you this. It’s of you, so you should have it,” he insists.
“Thanks,” she murmurs while refolding it and putting it in her pocket. “He’s my best friend, the best I’ve ever had.”
“You’re the best he’s ever had too,” EZ tells her and stands, then offers her a hand. “Just don’t tell Coco, a fight might break out.”
Mia shrugs as he helps her up. “I don’t know, I think I could take him, he’s small, you know, and I have training.”
“I’d pay to see that,” he replies and they are laughing when Angel comes back.
“Aye, get your own girl best friend,” Angel jokes while slipping both arms around her shoulders from behind, making his little brother shake his head and walk away. “You ready to go?”
“I don’t know, but I am ready to cum,” she says then laughs at her own stupidity.
Angel turns her around and looks at her as if embarrassed for her before shrugging and lifting her over his shoulder.
“Ah! Angel!” she laughs with hands on his hips to steady herself as he heads for his bike.
“I’m just giving you what you want, mi dulce,” he insists. “Better yell bye to Bish, you’re gonna be busy for the rest of the weekend.”
Mia tries to take in her surroundings between the strips of hair blocking her vision, looking for her godfather in the upside-down masses. When she can’t find him, she just takes Angel’s advice. “Bye, Bop! I’ll call you tomorrow!” she shouts and the people around her laugh, Angel included.
“Alright, be safe!” she hears and raises a hand in acknowledgement at his double-edged meaning, but he has nothing to worry about. She’s on the pill and while Angel is in her heart, it’s not in a bad way, a way that would end in heartbreak like all her relationships do. He’s just her friend because anything more would fuck everything up and she isn’t going to let that happen.
Angel is too important.
*
It had just been a joke the day before, a flippant comment.
Mia had no real intention of putting on a bikini and teasing Angel as he mowed the grass, but—well, she did just buy one and it is hot outside and Angel isn’t one to turn down a beer, ever.
Him outside in a light pair of gray sweatpants and t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up didn’t help, his skin glistening in the California sun, hair free of its usual gel and so blowing gently in the breeze, and those dark shades on his face—it’s enough to make any girl weak in the knees.
Seconds later she’s running up the steps and digging through her shopping bags searching for the bikini Letty insisted she buy the day before. It’s a warm yellow with long strings that wrap and crisscross underneath her breasts before tying at her back. Instead of matching it with the bottoms, she jumps into her shortest black shorts that barely cover the slope of her ass. She throws her hair up into a messy bun before putting on some lotion, so her skin is extra soft and glowy, and envelopes her in a flowery smell, which she knows Angel is a sucker for.
Mia takes a beer from the fridge, cursing him for not buying twist offs as she searches for a bottle opener just as the lawnmower cuts off.
“Fuck!” she curses and decides to forget about opening it. If Angel actually decides to drink the beer while she’s wearing this they are going to share loud words.
She opens the door to the backyard to find Angel on his knees, his hands on the lawnmower, looking at something. He doesn’t look at her as pushes his sunglasses up into his hair before reaching for his phone and, she guesses, sends a text.
“I ran out of gas,” he calls over, his eyes trained on the cell phone screen. “Do you know if Bish keeps a gas can around?”
“No idea,” she answers while patiently waiting for him to look up.
“He doesn’t,” Angel confirms as he stands, his thumbs flying over the screen with a look of annoyance on his face. “He’s gonna send Creep with a gas can in a little bit, what’re you—” he stops as he finally lays eyes on her.
“I thought you might be thirsty,” she says innocently and holds the beer out, but makes no move to get closer.
His eyes look her up and down. “Are you fucking kidding me?” he asks with no heat.
“What’re you talking about?” she questions and shakes the beer a little. “Do you want the beer or not?”
“Fuck no,” Angel answers. “But if you don’t get in the house right now we’re gonna find out if grass really does burn.”
Mia drops the bottle when Angel starts after her, and she shrieks with laughter. He catches up with her in the living room, grabbing her around the middle and lifting her off her feet.
“You think it’s funny to tease me, hm?” he asks in her ear, his hands splayed across her abdomen now.
“You were teasing me first,” she counters and bites her lip as his hands attempt to feel every inch of her. “Wearing those sweatpants low and showing off your arms. I’m only being fair.”
“You think this is me teasing?” Angel demands of her as he makes his way to the couch, pushing her down onto it. “Nah, I’ll show you how I tease, baby,” he warns before getting on his knees.
In retrospect, she should have known Angel would take this as some sort of challenge. He always does, even if they are just playing around.
Later, she might think he does it as a way to prove himself, even if subconsciously, to show he can do anything she puts him up to because his parents never expected anything out of him the way they did EZ.
But now, as his buries his face between her legs, the psychology of it is far from her mind. Except maybe her own, how she’s a glutton for punishment, but instead of falling into old habits of shitty boyfriends she does this. It’s a healthier outlet, that’s for sure.
“Angel, baby, please,” she pleads when he pulls away after edging her for the third time.
“You think you deserve to cum, mi dulce?” he asks as he wipes her wetness from his beard and starts to leave wet kisses up her stomach and chest.
“Yes,” she breathes and gasps when he nips at her nipple after having pushed aside the cup of her bikini.
“But you haven’t been good,” he tells her before switching to her other breast, teeth scraping and tongue swirling, making her moan and mewl. A moment later he slips two fingers inside her and she sighs at the feeling of something filling her up, even if it’s not as big and thick as what she’s craving.
“I—I have,” she stutters out as she cradles his face in her hands.
“You think?” he asks and his fingers crook inside her just right making her tremble.
Mia nods. “Please, I want to cum for you,” she whispers and pushes her forehead against his. “Angel, let me show you I can be good.”
He smiles at her, it’s easy and carefree makes her heart skip a beat. “Do as I say and I’ll let you cum as much as you want, okay?” he starts and she nods up and down over and over until he starts rubbing slow circle on her clit as his long fingers slip in and out of her. “Say it.”
“I’ll do as you say,” she moans, her eyes struggling to stay trained on his.
“That’s my girl,” he murmurs with a quick kiss. “You’re not going to cum on my fingers or my mouth, you’re not allowed to,” he tells her, and she wants to whine, but knows it won’t help her case. “Soon, I’m gonna get on the couch and you’re gonna ride my dick,” he says, and she nods once more, this time appreciatively. “And you’re gonna cum as much as you can when I’m inside you. I wanna feel you cum on my cock, you hear me? I want to feel every single one of ‘em. I want you to cover my cock in your cream.”
“Yes, yes, okay,” Mia agrees with her hands threaded into Angel’s hair.
“Then, when I think you’re done, you’re gonna get on your knees just like I am now and lick it all off me until I cum down the back of your throat,” he finishes.
“Yes, please. Angel, yes,” she pleads and pulls on his shirt in an attempt to get him on the couch, but all it does is make Angel remove his shirt entirely.
“Oh, baby girl,” he says with a lick of his lips. “I said ‘soon’ we’re gonna do all that, remember? I’m not done tasting you,” he tells her. “Until last night I went sixteen days without this, and I hated it,” he mumbles as his fingers start to play with her slit again.
Mia just closes her eyes and enjoys the feel of his fingers inside her, playing with her, torturing her.
“You’re so fucking wet for me, baby,” he mumbles against her skin. “Look at me,” he orders, and she forces her eyes open, but her eyelids remain heavy. “Feel with me,” he says, his voice much softer now, and takes her hand in his and brings it down to her opening. “Put your fingers in.”
She does as she’s told and her much smaller fingers slide in with no resistance, coating her skin in her slick juices. She moans at the feeling, but it’s nothing compared to Angel’s long fingers, and not even close to his thick dick.
“I want you,” Mia whimpers as Angel guides her fingers in and out of her. “Not me, I want—”
“I know,” Angel cuts her off. “Here, see why yours is my favorite,” he insists and brings her wet fingers to her mouth to taste. She opens for him and he smiles. “Good girl,” he murmurs as her lips close around her own fingers.
“Mm,” she moans at her taste and Angel smiles at her.
He leans down and takes a swipe up her slit and mimics her ‘mm’ before getting up on the couch and shucking his sweatpants off. “C’mere, baby,” he offers, and she jumps at the chance to swing a leg over his hips and settles down on his dick. “Fuck, I missed you,” he sighs as she sinks down on him. “I know I said it last night, but it’s fucking true,” he insists with his hands on her hips.
“I missed you too,” she replies as she starts to move frantically on top of him, chasing the release he’s been keeping from her. Her arms wrap around his shoulders for leverage, and she leans her head to rest against his. “Please, please, please,” she chants as she practically impales herself on his cock.
“C’mon, you can do it. I wanna feel the way you shake around me,” he says and it’s like a switch goes off inside her and she does exactly as he says.
She cums and her body shakes as her pussy trembles around him, but rather than let her come down Angel starts bucking his hips up inside her. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” she swears and buries her face in his neck as she comes again, not as strongly, but it still makes Angel cuss as she clamps down around him.
Mia’s still trembling when Angel shifts to lie down on the couch, his hands undoing the knot at her back so her bikini becomes slack. He slips it over her head and tosses it to the side before lifting her chin to look at him. “You done already, mi dulce?” he asks while pulling at the back of her knees so he’s even deeper inside her.
She moans, but shakes her head.
“You sure?” he wonders with a thumb circling her clit. “All you gotta do is tap out and get on your knees to finish this, baby.”
“I’m not done,” Mia says once she composes herself, then with a twinkle in her eye stands, hating how empty she feels, even if for only a moment, before turning around and settling back down on him in reverse cowgirl, knowing it’s one of his favorite positions.
“Yes,” Angel groans in pleasure, his hips bucking to get deeper inside her.
She leans forward with hands on her knees and gets her hips going, throwing her head back as she grinds down on top of him. Suddenly, she feels a tug at her scalp, and she’s pulled back against Angel’s chest, her back arched perfectly in the air.
With one hand in her hair, Angel uses his other to reach around and rubs his fingers into her swollen clit. “Where am I, baby?” he asks in her ear, his voice low and full of gravel.
“My stomach, holy shit,” she cries and cums, this time feeling a gush and she knows she’s creaming his dick like he wanted, and it only makes her hips move faster. “One more, one more, please,” she pleads with both Angel and herself.
Angel lets her hair go and both arms move to pull at the back of her knees so she’s folded in half, lifting her in the air as his hips buck up into her pussy. “You’re so fucking tight, baby girl,” he says with each plunge inside her.
Mia completely let’s go, letting Angel take the lead and relaxes the best she can in his arms, her pussy clenching on his cock as she readies to cum.
“Go, go, go,” he chants, and she does with a spasm, her whole body shaking as it does when Angel is deep inside her, pleasuring her over and over again.
She hears him grunt behind her and knows he’s painfully close, he has to be.
When he puts her down, she doesn’t hesitate. It takes all the energy she has left to get off him and turn on her knees, doing as she’s told and takes all of him in her mouth in one go.
“Fuck,” he swears with fingers threaded into her hair so she doesn’t move. “You taste yourself on my dick, querida?” he asks, and she nods as her head bobs. “Suck it all off, baby.”
It’s not even a minute later that Angel is emptying himself down the back of her throat as promised. She opens her throat and takes everything he gives her, swallowing his white heat.
When she lets him go with a pop, she finds his face looking completely blissed out as she wipes her lips.
“Wanna know a secret?” she asks while lowering herself on top of him, his arms automatically wrapping around her, holding their sweat slicked bodies close.
“Mhm,” he murmurs with fingers carding through her hair.
“Your dick is my favorite too,” she admits and hears him chuckle against her hairline.
Before her can respond they hear the loud roar of a motorcycle pulling up. “Fuck, that’s Creep with the gas,” Angel groans and flips so she slides down the side of him onto the couch.
“Have fun finishing the grass,” Mia sighs and feels a blanket being placed over her, making her smile.
“You think you’re real funny, huh?” he asks while hopping into his shorts.
Mia shrugs, then squeals when he tickles her side.
“Aye, Angel, you in there?” they hear as the door starts to open.
“Yeah!” her best friend exclaims and runs for the door before Creeper can come in. “Lemme take you ‘round back,” he says and stops the other Mayan from coming in.
Mia just smiles against her blanket thinking she’s a lucky girl. She’s got a best friend who can fuck her then get up and cut her grass. He’s definitely a keeper.
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reeesea · 4 years
Text
Something Sweet: Part One
~the sweetest drink on the menu~
one ~ two ~ three ~ four ~ five ~ six ~ seven ~ eight ~ nine
pairing: just minsung, han jisung/lee minho
warnings: mild language (like barely)
words: 3.5k (2k too many ngl)
summary: Minho is working his usual shift at Seoul's most expensive high end restaurant, when a trio of new-comers arrive and by the end of Minho’s tedious night he’s plus one additional phone number.
a/n: To be honest this is the first thing I’ve ever written and actually posted. SO please accept this minsung one-shot that just came out of wanting more waiter Minho in my life. anyway if you read it and like it let me know, and maybe ill write more of it. In my head it has at least a few more chapters of non-plot where the other boys show up <3
---------------------
It had only been an hour since the dinner rush started and Minho was already counting the minutes until he could collect his tips and go home. Sure, he could think of countless more exhausting jobs compared to being a waiter at Menu 98 (an upscale restaurant in a part of town he most definitely did not live in), but today just hit different. He never had to do much more than just put on his Customer Server Smile ™, not mess up the orders, pour the wine without spilling, and recommend the highest priced appetizer if asked. Pretty simple stuff. Nothing too draining, but still the exhaustion set in, probably due to spending 2 more hours in the dance studio than he should’ve the previous day. 
His feet were paying for those additional long hours trying to perfect choreo by making each minute of his shift more painful than the last. Even so, working at the ever popular restaurant paid for the daily discomfort that Minho may have felt from his blistered feet. The restaurant was a well known hot spot for anyone with enough money to casually spend the equivalent of three of Minho's paychecks on a meal. CEOs and their business partners along with idols and some lesser known celebrities made up most of their usual clientele on a casual Friday night like this one. The customers always came in waves on Friday evenings, parties of usually 4 or more coming in to celebrate some successful business venture that took place during the week. Great for Minho really, because that meant usually more wine, more appetizers, larger meals, and larger checks, which means bigger tips. His bank account really needed these Fridays especially if he was gong to keep saving up to finally pursue his dream. 
A new party of six was just assigned to Minho’s section. Trademarked smile: on, Feet: still aching, Hours until close: at least another three. It looked like tonight it was going to be a long ass night. 
An hour or so passed before Minho was able to get some form of rest from being out on the floor. Minho leaned his body weight against the wall near the back of the dining room, appreciating the brief calm before the night crowd started to roll in. Thoughts of the dance he was trying to choreograph flashed through his head. He hoped that the movements he’d chosen would be able to convey the emotions of the song he had in mind. The thought of asking Hyunjin to watch his performance briefly popped in his head, but before he could consider it further the hostess was calling his name. 
“Minho! There's a new table for you in section three.” Minho moved from his comfortable position against the wall and went through his checklist; Apron? Flattened. Backup pens? Check. Hair gently moved out of his face to perfectly frame it? Check. Lastly, Polite customer service smile? Obviously. 
The three boys at the table were definitely new customers to the restaurant. Minho observed that the three of them appeared to be blissfully unaware of the de facto business casual to fully formal dress code that the other patrons in the restaurant followed. The Trio seemed to sport the street style that you would see in the popular clubs not only a block away. Two of them clothed in almost all black outfits while the third wore a bright pink colored hoodie under his jean jacket. 
“Hyung, I still can’t believe we did it! The crowd was huge, I mean after going on stage I don't even remember anything. I might have blacked out. Holy shit did I actually black out….” Pink hoodie seemed pretty animated about whatever the reason was for their meal out. Maybe a little too animated, as other tables glazed bitterly toward the source of their evening’s disruption.   
Before approaching he considered the possibility that these boys being idols was likely, but Minho still found it odd for multiple reasons. He didn't recognize them at all as idols, which he was usually pretty good at keeping up with, and when idols did casually come in it was more likely to be on a weekday for an early dinner and not a late Friday night after the dinner rush. Nonetheless, with his perfect waiter image on, he walks over to the table never showing his curiosity.
“Good evening gentlemen, My name is Minho, and I’ll be serving you tonight. Is there anything I can get you to drink before your starters?” His script rolled politely off his tongue like it had the whole night. All complete with a slight smile and arms perfectly placed behind him, as carefully and as naturally as a doll whose been posed in the same position for the past six hours.
The wide set, somewhat brooding boy has already decided after glancing at the drink menu, “yeah I'll order a bottle of the house red for the table,” glancing up at Minho from beneath his black cap. Minho swiftly wrote down the order, and moved his glance over to the next boy at the table.
“Hyung, you're the only one of us who chooses to drink wine voluntarily,” Pink hoodie spoke up, seemingly upset about the prospect of drinking bitter fruit water. 
“Jisung, you're just saying that because you can't handle anything that you can actually taste the alcohol in. I'll drink whatever Bin gets,” the handsome curly haired blonde mentions, glancing at the soft hoodied boy next to him with a look that reminds Minho of a disappointed father. Minho actively fights off the smirk that is wanting to form on his lips.
“WHAT that's not true, THAT ONE TIME I drank an entire bottle of-”
“Fine, fine just stop yelling. You’re gonna get us kicked out before we even get to eat” Mr. Black cap glances up at Minho again, but with a more apologetic look. “Add on an order of the fruitiest and sweetest drink you serve still with alcohol in it, for the small squirrel boy.” That last part came with a smirk from the dark haired speaker and a glare from from the ‘squirrel boy’ to his left. 
Minho had trouble keeping the smirk from forming this time. And maybe his perfect image faltered for a second, but he was quick to recover, and confirmed their orders with a straight face and a promise to return with water as he left to give them time to select from the menu. 
---
“Great now our waiter thinks I'm a whiny baby who looks like a squirrel. Wow, thanks Changbin-hyung.” Jisung grumbles and pinches his cheeks that cursed him with the rodent nickname. 
“Good, at least he won’t be fooled into thinking you're anything but the truth” 
“Yah! WHa-”
“Hey settle down you guys, lets try not to get kicked out please. Binnie recommended the food here, and I would very much like to eat it before we are politely asked to leave” 
Jisung grumbles something inaudible at Chan’s request, and Changbin can't help but respond with a smirk at getting to see the younger be told off.
“Also we're supposed to be celebrating selling out our show so lets do that, yeah? First show 3racha single handedly sold out! WE did that!” 
All three of them get proud smiles after that, and the bickering is left forgotten as the three recount the night, even though they had lived it together
“Not gonna lie, I think our Binnie stole the show tonight. You were on fire tonight man.” Chan said proudly, receiving a thankful smile from the younger boy, who had become shy and bashful at the praise.
“Though, Chan-hyung your rap was so charismatic tonight, you almost made that girl in front faint when you winked at her, the whole audience fucking lost it” Jisung had switched from literally yelling to just a whisper shout for emphasis.
“Hahaha, yeah I can't even believe that happened. Man, today’s energy was just different.” The smile on Chan’s face was blinding, as usual. “Hopefully we can get to play even bigger venues soon. I could get used to this...” Chan mused, seemingly already focused on the future plans of 3racha. 
“Yeah, those paydays would be real nice right about now.”
“Bin-hyung, what are you talking about, you’re literally loaded. Plus since you got that producing job, we can actually pay the rent on the apartment you parents let us stay in '' Jisungs pretty thankful for all the support Changbins parents had given them, while the three of them worked toward their collective dream to make and perform music. But he thinks they all can agree that finally being able to use their own money to live instead of just relying on handouts and the kindness of friends or family to help keep them from becoming starved or homeless, is a new kind of satisfying that Jisung hadn’t considered before. Just look at them now, at one of the nicest (and most expensive) restaurants in Seoul, fighting over drinks and having a meal that would hopefully be the first of many celebrations for their groups accomplishments. The trio could all agree that the financial stress has been one of their greatest worries, and that beginning to escape it has been all kinds of relieving. 
Before any of the boys could respond to Jisung’s comment, Minho had returned with three glasses of water, three glasses for wine, and a bottle of wine all balanced perfectly on a tray perched on the palm of his hand. Jisung had to admit it was impressive how he had managed to balance all of the glassware and liquids without losing balance, and while moving with more grace and agility than he would expect from your average waiter. 
Before Jisung had even returned from his thoughts, three glasses of water and the expertly poured wine glasses, all set delicately without a single drop spilled, were identically placed in front of each of them. Graceful may have been an understatement. 
“Have you decided what you would like to have tonight, gentlemen?” Their waiter Minho said, all with a gentle expression on his face. 
No, the answer was no, but before Jisung could respond, Changbin had already ordered the pricey steak to go with his wine. Soon after, Chan ordered the surf and turf dish that had a stupidly complicated name that Jisung couldn’t pronounce. Jisung hadn’t even remembered them even looking at the menu, or maybe it was just him who had yet to even glanced at it. Details. 
“Uhhhhh…” Jisung searched hopelessly over the menu and then at his friends, who stared blankly back at him, then back to the menu again. This was a regular occurrence when the three decided to go out and eat, when they weren’t holding themselves in their apartment for weeks at a time. Still, Jisung always ended up hopelessly unprepared to successfully order without awkward pauses and at least three consecutive strings of ‘hmm’s and ‘uhhh’s. And so,
“Hmmmmm…. I think.. Uhh…. maybe…” nothing was popping out at him, and Jisung was pretty sure at this point that he had forgotten how to read. “Ya know what, surprise me,” he decided this was the best response he could come up with.  
“Surprise you?” Minho looked just as confused as Jisung felt.
“Yeah, is that an option? If not, I'm this close to just closing my eyes and pointing.” He says while dramatically closing his eyes and waving his finger over the menu. Once again Jisung was hopeless.
He hears a soft chuckle and opens his eyes just in time to catch their waiter’s lips curl in a sweet smile that makes his eyes turn into crescents. It lasts barely a second, before his face returns to his neutral customer service expression. But Jisung decides he really likes that smile, and a part of him is sad to see it retreat so soon. 
“Well in that case, I can do the blind pointing for you, but I personally recommend the seasonally prepared local beef served on house baked brioche, that comes with garlic and parsley potato wedges. Does that sound alright?” Jisung felt he had said it faster and with more details just to confuse him. 
Jisung stares at him blankly in response, and he's pretty sure four whole seconds pass in silence before the Pretty Waiter ™ follows up, an ever so slight smirk on his lips, “it's pretty much a really good local burger with homemade fries, I think it would be something you would enjoy.” 
Jisung grins at that, “Oh! Yeah that does sound good...Thank you! I will have that.” For some reason he really likes the idea that their waiter chose something off the menu that was specially meant for him. Not that he wouldn't like all the nicer and fancier dishes they serve here with small plates with dry ice fog, but a part of him was more content in getting a dinner that didn't require him to question whether or not something on his plate was even edible. And the happy curiosity definitely had nothing to do with the way their waiter’s eyes sparkled when he talked or the barely-there smirk that Jisung just caught sight of. 
“Alright then, I’ll put in these orders. Oh! And then I'll be right back with your speciality fruit drink,” He says that last part with a slightly more upbeat tone, resulting in another smirk to appear on Changbin’s face and a groan from a slightly embarrassed Jisung.
---
Minho surprised himself. 
On any given day of work at Menu 98, he deathly avoids having to do anything more than the regular polite small talk. But for some reason, tonight he couldn’t stop himself from playing along with the antics of the cute boy at his table. The three boys were entertaining, and maybe he could blame the exhaustion and the numb pain in his heels, but the comical distraction was welcomed by Minho. He didn't even realize just how much he had been looking for a distraction from the long shift until it was staring right at him with big shiny eyes and a cute round face. Minho hurried back to enter in their orders, including his suggestion for the squirrel looking boy.
Minho wasn’t going to deny that the flustered boy at the table was cute, he was pretty aware how attractive all three the boys were when he took their orders. He had thought they were idols originally, so in Minho’s mind it made sense. Still, the waiter still felt something about the three was too unique to be categorized as just idols or trainees. As much as it may have piqued his curiosity though, Minho still got paid for his service not for his interests in customers, so he brushed it off almost as soon as it appeared. 
The rest of the evening, Minho tended to all four of his assigned tables with his usual perfect server act and minimal small talk. When it came to the three somewhat boisterous customers in the corner table, Minho may or may not have allowed himself to subtly laugh at their arguments and antics. The dynamic of the three boys was slowly becoming the highlight of his late night shift. Each of their personalities greatly contrasted and amplified the other, making way for animated and comical exchanges and arguments between them. 
When Minho had returned with a Strawberry daiquiri for the boy in pink, a chorus of giggles could be heard from the other two boys, while the other happily accepted the drink in substitute for the untouched glass of wine in front of him. Upon drinking it, the cute boy's eyes somehow widened further and shined more than Minho thought was possible. He flashed his heart-shaped smile as he thanked Minho for the drink. 
Minho nodded in return, and internally decided that Heart-shaped smiles were his new favorite. 
---
Jisung had been hyper since the show, and the energy was now focused on a new mission to see the pretty smile of their waiter again. Granted, he didn't have to try that much harder to gain the attention of the pretty waiter, being the loud and excitable person naturally he was. Every small grin that Jisung was able to pull out from under the other boy’s infuriatingly polite facade, was a major win in his book. 
Chan, Changbin, and Jisung celebrated further by enjoying the food, which was all phenomenal, and discussing their next gig the coming week. The best way to celebrate one performance is to look towards the next, or someother random bullshit Changbin had said after a couple more glasses of wine.
Overall the night was a celebration of all of the dedication and hours they had put into their music, as well as their grind to perform and grow a somewhat sizable following. They were all high on the potential of finally getting to realize their dreams and reach their goals as a group, something none of them actually thought they would get to do together. The overwhelming happiness of the night easily made it one of Jisung's new favorite memories. 
As the boys were finishing off their third--or forth--drink (Jisung definitely had another one of the strawberry drinks Minho had brought him), after dinner and figuring out their checks, Jisung felt a surge of boldness. Mostly due to having a few drinks in his system, and the slight infatuation he had with the pretty waiter's smile, Jisung decided ‘whats the worst thing that could happen? Rejection? lmao’ and wrote down his name and number on his receipt in hopes that Minho would actually read it, or maybe even contact him. Maybe. 
It was a shot in the dark, but Jisung had been feeling a little high on life, and felt like he couldn’t leave without at least shooting his shot. Jisung and the other members of 3racha got up to leave, and Jisung searched out the waiter. He  wasn’t able to see him in the mostly empty dining room now, but a hopeful part of him felt that he would see him again, leaving the restaurant with his arms around his members already bickering about who would get to shower first after their long night. 
“I'm just saying, Chan-hyung I know for a fact that you’re not even going to make it to the front door before passing out, so I call dibs. And Jisung, I’m older than you so I get veto power over your rights and decisions as your hyung.” 
Jisung was about to grumble in response but something about how Changbin’s smile was so carefree left him feeling like he deserved this victory. Changbin was definitely a little tipsy, but seeing his hyung so happy after such a rough week made Jisung glad to do anything to keep that smile there.
“Fine, fine hyung but you have to help me carry Chan-hyung up stairs when he inevitable falls asleep on me in the cab” 
“I don't know what youre talking about,” Chan replies, already yawning, while climbing into the cab.
---
Minho was picking up the receipts from his tables when one of them caught his eye.
Hey, I’m Han Jisung ^~^ (the cute one in the pink hoodie!)
Thanks for your suggestions, best waiter ever!!!
I think your smile is beautiful, Maybe I’ll get to see it again sometime?
555-XXX-XXXX
Minho couldn't help but smile to himself. He’d been hit on occasionally by customers and has been given countless numbers, which usually don't make it much farther than the trash, but something about the innocence of the note and cuteness of the boy made him actually consider keeping it.
He scoffed to himself after a second of considering it. As cute as the boy was, and as sweet as the note was, Minho didn’t have time or energy to have another added person in his life. No matter romantically or platonically, new relationships were on his ‘things to stay away from if you ever wanna make it into the dance academy’ list. He already barely ever saw his roommates, and if they weren't all in the same dance troupe, they probably wouldn't talk much. All of their time was spent working and practicing, and he and his roommates only had enough energy and free time to spend a meal or two together on the weekends. There just wasn’t any more time for anything extra, no matter how nice the idea may sound. 
He was about to give the little message the same treatment as the others as he cleaned up for the night, but a part of him couldn't bring himself to throw it away, and discreetly pocketed it instead out of instinct. Out of sight and out of mind as far as Minho was concerned.
-----
thank you if you read this far <3
one ~ two ~ three ~ four ~ five ~ six ~ seven ~ eight ~ nine
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thebibliomancer · 4 years
Text
Essential Avengers: Avengers #222: A Gathering of Evil!
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August, 1982
You know, I haven’t really thought about how long its been since the Avengers have dealt with the Masters of Evil.
The Masters are the Avengers’ evil opposite team. The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants to their X-Men. The Legion of Doom to their Justice League. The Revengers to their Avengers.
But the Avengers haven’t had to deal with the Masters of Evil since Avengers #83. And in that appearance, they took a backseat to the real master of evil. FEMINISM.
At least according to Roy Thomas.
But yeah. Its been a while without the Masters of Evil. And, uh, any team with Whirlwind has a long way to climb for credibility. Yeah, I said it. He doesn’t wear a shirt.
Also, they put She-Hulk in her at-the-time Iconic She-Hulk Outfit. This is another case of the cover lying. The reality is, somehow, even more embarrassing for her.
Last time: the Avengers had a membership drive because you can only be a kooky quartet for so long. She-Hulk and Hawkeye were recruited and took an instant dislike to each other.
Because She-Hulk cut off Hawkeye in traffic and Hawkeye proportionately responded by breaking her car.
Fun!
So lets get to it.
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We start with She-Hulk trying to fix her car.
Annnnd she’s throwing random pieces out of the hood. I don’t think she knows much about auto-repair.
When the electrical system zaps her, she gets so angry that she smashes the car flat like she’s a Street Fighter. Then she jams the wreckage into a public trashcan - also flattening that.
Alas, She-Hulk’s pink Cadillac. You graced our lives for far too short a time. And were taken from us by that heinous bowman Hawkeye. This is the sin which I will always hold against him.
Wasp rolls into the scene, tsking about She-Hulk’s behavior being bad for the Avengers’ image. And hey, yeah! I do like that She-Hulk trying to fix a car in front of the mansion before getting fed-up and breaking it is a good indication that she’s not going to be your typical Avenger.
But despite the tsk she’s not too serious about the admonishment. She even congratulates She-Hulk on getting rid of the car, as it clashed with her skin color.
Reasonably enough, She-Hulk asks who made Wasp the expert.
Except, Wasp did. Wasp made Wasp an expert. She’s literally a professional fashion designer. But relatedly, she’s designed a whole new wardrobe for She-Hulk and can’t wait to dress her up.
I kind of wonder if Wasp views new female teammates as potential canvasses.
Later on, in the Busiek run, she’ll design a new outfit for Firestar pretty much without any input from Firestar herself. And it had an incredibly plunging neckline that Firestar was very uncomfortable with.
If Wasp offers to fashion design for you, feel flattered and a little bit afraid.
Anyway, She-Hulk decides well might be nice to try on a bunch of new clothes.
Y’know, She-Hulk is a bit of a fashion person herself. In her original solo book she started the ‘oops I flexed and my sleeves fell off’ fashion.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Tony Stark at Stark International.
Big boss himself came down to the Long Island office because one of his programmers has asked for time off.
Brenner’s son is sick and he needs to pick him up from school. BUT: he’s in the middle of a complicated computer project!
Like the idealized fictional caring billionaire that he is, Tony is completely understanding.
Tony Stark, what a guy: “Well, your son is more important than any computer program, take the rest of the day off -- with pay.”
If you end up stuck in the Marvel universe somehow, see about swinging a job with Tony Stark. Tony Stark makes you feel/he’s the cool exec with the heart of steel.
Tony decides he’ll get Ordinary Electrical Engineer Scott Lang to finish the programming work.
Ordinary Electrical Engineer Scott Lang is happy to pick up the project but since Tony Stark is in the room anyway, Scott asks if Iron Man has mentioned any news of Hank Pym.
For you see, although you might think that this Scott Lang is an Ordinary Electrical Engineer, he is actually the new Ant-Man so he feels indebted to Hank Pym.
Tony responds that there hasn’t been any news since Hank Pym went to jail so Scott asks why the Avengers haven’t done anything for him. Tony claims that there’s not a lot that the Avengers can do for him until his case comes to trial.
You could hire him a good lawyer? Or pay for that therapy that you thought he needed?
I guess I don’t know that Tony isn’t doing these things off-screen, to be fair.
Tony further claims that Hank will do fiiiine in jail, because he’s tough. Scott remains dubious since he’s actually been to jail and knows what its like. But there’s only so much you can contradict the boss, even if he’s idealized fictional caring billionaire Tony Stark.
And anyway, Tony has other things on his mind. He’s more worried about Jan than he is about Hank. She’s way too well-adjusted for having gotten divorced after her marriage turned miserable. According to Tony Stark anyway.
Of course, his major misunderstanding is that he thinks “she had [Hank] to lean on for so many years” when it was more the other way around. The Jan he thought he knew was actually playing the role of the Hank Pym Hype Squad.
Meanwhile, we check in on Steve Rogers.
One thing I appreciate about this run of Avengers is that we have more of a sense of what the Avengers are doing when not Avengersing. The Avengers book feels a lot more keyed into the rest of the related Marvel universe.
For example, Steve actually got some art jobs! It looks like comics book actually! And he does art for advertisements too!
And he’s living that glamorous artist life of staying up all night to finish pages and then going ‘oh shit my day job’ when his alarm rings for the Avengers meeting.
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Although he’s actually looking forward to getting the costume on and getting away from dealing with ad executives and art editors for a while.A good ol’ several hours in the Avengers gym will help work out the art desk bad posture knots out of his shoulders.
And elsewhere in Chicago, Illinois, where Ordinary Doctor Donald Blake has moved to attempt to make a life for himself separate from Thor. He’s doubtful whether he actually can.
I sorta wonder what the status quo in the Thor books is like because usually when Dr. Donald Blake shows up in the Avengers book, he’s been like a wandering expert doctor, just passing through. Showing up to do the tough medical jobs. He’s settling down in Chicago now.
But at least the thousand mile commute to the weekly Avengers meeting is no problem for THOR!
Now that Hawkeye is on the Avengers again, he’s part of the round of checking in. He’s clocking out of the security chief job at Cross Technological Enterprises. His colleagues all envying how he gets to set his own hours.
He takes a train from Yonkers to his new Central Park West apartment. I don’t know if you remember his living conditions before he got the job at Cross Technological but it was a bit suck. He’s definitely put his steady paycheck to use improving his digs.
Old (from issue #189):
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New (from issue #this issue):
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Although maybe too much. Because when he gets home he realizes that he has almost no food in his apartment and also no money until payday.
Hawkeye: “Where the heck does $1200 a week go, anyway? I don’t play Pac-Man that much! There was more change in my pocket in the old carny days!”
Psst, Hawkeye. Definitely sign up for the stipend check from Stark.
Another thousand a week will go a long way to keeping you living the can afford food standard of living you’re accustomed to.
He manages to find a bag of potato chips to snack on but decides he’ll have to see if he can find an actual square meal at Avengers Mansion.
Likely. Jarvis seems the sort to keep the fridge well-stocked and heck he’d probably make something if asked.
Anyway, Hawkeye being Hawkeye, he’s not going to take the elevator or stairs. He’s definitely going to fire a cable arrow so he can swing down from his balcony. Because, of course he is. He’s Hawkeye.
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And he lands right in front of a taxi, the driver of which calls him a nut
Hawkeye: “You want a star in your cab or not?”
Turns out? No. Hawkeye has to walk to Avengers Mansion and arrives late because the cabbie won’t give him a free ride.
Meanwhile at Avengers Mansion (which fails to elicit the same kneejerk emotional response as ‘meanwhile at the HALL of JUSTICE’ from me), the She-Hulk clothing montage has occurred off-screen.
For shaaaame, James Shooter. And also Steven Grant.
She-Hulk isn’t so sure about the outfit Wasp put together for her.
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Wasp: “I call it Arabian Night -- a blend of suppleness, strength and sensitivity to highlight your true nature!”
She-Hulk: “Don’t you think it’s a little... unusual?”
Wasp: “You’re an unusual woman, Jennifer! Your clothes should say that! We want a complete image that’ll drive me wild at the sight of you!”
She-Hulk: “Got anything that’ll drive that jerk Hawkeye one way to oblivion?”
I don’t know if fashion can do that but if anyone could design that, Wasp could. Her or Giger.
Wasp tries to defend Hawkeye but can only manage “he’s okay, just a little... um, well, you know!” but suggests that She-Hulk just be nice to Hawkeye to throw him off.
Which. Sounds like a funny idea.
Anyway, I like the outfit. The colors work for her. And maybe it’s because there are a couple Dragon Ball outfits like this but it feels appropriate for her. Because of the punching.
Iron Man comes in and goes ga-ga multiple punctuation over She-Hulk’s new look, which I guess proves that Wasp hit where she was aiming.
Wasp: “Oh, more flattery! More! I love it! And this is just the beginning. Wait until you see the fighting togs I’m designing for her!”
So I guess that this is just an outfit to look good in and Wasp is still working on the superhero outfit. Can’t wait to see it.
Captain America and Thor come in and Thor too praises She-Hulk’s new look.
Thor: “By Odin’s beard! What emerald beauty stands before us?”
They date later. Its one of those ‘wow expected this to happen way sooner than 2018 honestly’ things.
And then Hawkeye comes in.
He also loses his shit over She-Hulk’s new look. But in more of a Hawkeye way.
Hawkeye: “Waitaminit! Is it Cheryl Tiegs? Loni Anderson? No! It’s the new fashion plate -- the Savage She-Hulk! Talk about trying to get silk purses from sow’s ears!”
You’re a rude, Hawkeye.
She-Hulk storms towards him, offended, and just lifts him bodily.
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And kisses him.
Then drops his ass on the ground.
I guessss remembering and putting her own spin on Wasp’s suggestion?
People need to stop kissing each other for spite and revenge reasons, honestly.
I do get a laugh at Hawkwye demanding a rematch. Can’t imagine what form that’d take. But its funny.
I kind of have a problem with the scene, beyond the people kissing each other for spite and revenge thing. Prior to joining the Avengers, the issue where She-Hulk got her pink Cadillac was Marvel Two-In-One #88 where she spent nearly the entire issue hitting on the Thing to his discomfort. And the joke was Ha Ha Sexually Assertive Women.
I really hope that we do not have that again.
Anyway, the other Avengers get some yuks over She-Hulk’s method of shutting up Hawkeye.
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Iron Man even suggests that Hawkeye and She-Hulk have just had their first date to Hawkeye’s dismay.
Seriously, someone write an Avengers code of conduct and then create an HR department.
MEANWHILE, CHANGING THE TOPIC AND THE SCENE
In Egghead’s secret Manhattan laboratory.
Egghead: “No, it’s not fair! All I ever wanted was to rule the world -- is that so much to ask? I’m 52. That doesn’t give me many years left -- that idiot Henry Pym blew what may have been my last chance!”
Hah at Egghead having a baby tantrum over being thwarted. And I guess good to know that Hank screwing up the plan by calling the Avengers did screw over more than Hank Pym.
Hank may have saved the world, actually. Good job, Hank.
Egghead laments that he wishes he had another good plan but kind of put all the eggs, hah, in the unstoppable adamantium robots basket.
And then his sexy maid Anna chimes in with a suggestion.
Wait, why does Egghead of all villains have a sexy maid? Who seems to have a crush on him? Why is this a thing? Who in or out of universe looks at Egghead and thinks ‘yes this man is a sexual dynamo’?
Eh, whatever.
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Anna: “Vhy don’t choo just buy the vorld, darlkink?”
Egghead: “Anna! Vhat... er, what did you say?”
Anna: “You should make a lot ov money und buy the vorld!”
Egghead: “Work?! Disgusting!”
This is probably the only time I will ever be able to say this but I agree with Egghead.
Anna: “No, no, no! Just invent somethink that everyvun vants -- a cure for baldness, mebbe... or eternal youth!”
Egghead: “That’s silly, Anna! Or is it?”
IT IN FACT WASN’T!
Egghead suddenly stands up, dumping sexy maid Anna to the floor, as he realizes that she’s right! If Egghead could invent cell rejuvenation to give people eternal youth, the world would be his oyster! People would give anything for it!
Granted, he has no idea how to invent cell rejuvenation but that’s tomorrow’s problem. Today’s problem is the logistics. He’ll need research, money, equipment and most importantly of all lackeys to steal all that stuff for him so he won’t have to Effort!
So moments later, Egghead signals a robot spy capsule that he has monitoring Atlantis at all times just because.
Egghead’s spy capsule launches a guided missile at an Atlantean prison, busting out someone mysterious unless you happened to glance at the cover.
And we go from one prison to another prison to pop in on Hank Pym at Ryker’s Island.
Ryker’s is apparently the go-to supervillain prison.
And whoops Hank Pym is one now, at least according to the law. What with being caught with all that stolen adamantium and the mind control prosthetic arm.
Hank Pym: “It just doesn’t make sense! All I tried to do was redeem myself, but things just got out of control! Egghead’s responsible for this! He committed the crime I’m accused of -- and made sure I can’t prove it! Why doesn’t anyone believe me?”
Probably because you did do the crime and were caught in the act and you wouldn’t explain yourself fully afterward. Just saying.
Hank Pym: “Jan! That’s where it all went wrong! If I could get her back, everything would work out! I know it!”
Hank Hank Hank... You’re suddenly a romantic.
A guard yells at Hank that its food time and then further yells that his son had looked up to Hank, which causes Hank to reflect whoops he let down more than just Jan and the Avengers.
When Hank sits down to eat prison chow, he’s accosted by Dave Cannon aka WHIRLWIND aka I guess Hank’s backup archnemesis?
Hank isn’t really spoiled for choice with good archnemeses so he either has Egghead or spin around real fast man.
At least Dave Cannon aka Whirlwind is trying to go for the personal lowblow. That’s a decent, if gross, archnemesis move.
He insinuates that hey if Jan divorced Hank that means Dave has a chance with her and he’s going to visit her as soon as he jailbreaks out of here today.
I’m sure he does have a chance. Like a snowball’s in hell, maybe.
Hank tells Dave to shut up because shut up, Dave.
But Dave ups the ante by suggesting that after Hank Pym gets out of jail in maybe ten or twenty years, he and Jan will hire Hank to be their chauffeur.
So Hank smashes a tray of food in Dave’s face because shut up, Dave.
He also starts punching him because in for a penny.
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And because Hank totally started that ‘fight’ the guards haul Hank off for a month in solitary.
You wouldn’t think Hank’s life could get worse in every issue he appears in but you would be wrong.
And wouldn’t you know it? As soon as Hank is out of the room, the jailbreak starts without him.
He doesn’t even get to participate in activities now! Geez, Dave Cannon! You’re ruining prison for Hank.
Anyway, the mysterious figure from the Atlantis jailbreak scene is now jailbreaking Ryker’s and iiiiiits TIGER SHARK!
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A guy I know almost nothing about!
-google- Ah, Namor foe. That explains him being a shark man.
He used to be an Olympic swimmer who injured his spinal cord when he rescued a drowning man. So a pretty good guy, starting off. Then to heal his spine he participated in an experimental procedure where Namor and tiger shark DNA was blended with his own and he became a shark man and an asshole.
I think that’s the Namor DNA personally. It makes people into jerks. And Namor is 100% Namor DNA so you can imagine what a jerk he is.
I’ve gotten lost in the weeds.
Tiger Shark busts in through a supposedly impregnable prison wall. The guards try to shoot him with ‘special weapons’ but Tiger Shark thwarts them with a special weapon of his own.
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A TABLE!
Which he uses to block the shots and then hit them with.
They were fools to put their faith in high-falutin’ technology when they could have been investing in low-falutin’ carpentry.
That’s right, they should have gotten wooden guns.
With the guards tabled for now, Tiger Shark collects Scorpion and Whirlwind.
That’s two supervillains on his shopping list but there’s one more to get.
So the three detour over down to the women’s wing while the jailbreak of everyone else keeps the guards very busy.
And they find Dr. Karla Sofen, Ordinary Criminal Psychologist who got superpower from a space rock. Y’know, a Moonstone.
She has a few follow-up questions before she throws in with these goons but Tiger Shark isn’t a good conversationalist.
Tiger Shark: “You wanna get snuffed right here, lady?! Move! Negotiations are closed!”
She grudgingly accepts these terms. The caption box says so.
The four supervillains take a remote controlled escape boat and escape on a boat.
Later, in a safehouse on Long Island Sound, the four supervillains are all costumed up and already feeling cooped up with each other. It is a small house and they are all big personalities.
Tiger Shark and Whirlwind even get into a fight when Tiger Shark complains about waiting and about suburbia and Whirlwind tells him to shut up. And by fight I mean Tiger Shark smacks Whirlwind in the head. Because its Whirlwind.
Ant-Man’s backup archnemesis. And Tiger Shark fights Namor. Its a mismatch.
But its enough of a ‘fight’ to cause a stir.
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Egghead: “Stop your silly squabbling! Fighting among yourselves won’t further my plans!”
Moonstone: “Wha -- ?! Egghead?!”
Tiger Shark: “What’s an Egghead?”
Hah.
I don’t know why this exchange amuses me so much.
Egghead is perfectly happy to introduce himself slash ramble on and on with words words words. He is PERHAPS the world’s greatest genius (hahahahah noooo) but says he may find a cure to Tiger Shark’s “repugnant amphibious condition.”
Egghead: “If you all follow me without question, you’ll share in my forthcoming power and wealth! In addition to being bodyguards, you’ll perform various tasks for me -- beginning tonight, when you loot a certain Manhattan medical research center to obtain data and supplies! Cross me -- and no one will ever hear from you again!”
I’ll make fun of Egghead any day of the week but I’ll give him this. He evidently delivers this speech with such conviction that ‘shark man who fights Namor’ just nods and apparently thinks yes this sounds legit.
And lets be honest, between Whirlwind, Scorpion, Moonstone, and Tiger Shark none of them look at this eggheaded guy threatening them and think about trying something.
Egghead appoints Moonstone his deputy and team leader. Because, he says, she’s such a well-trained follower.
Okay, okay, okay. Okay.
So, Dr. Karla Sofen first appeared as a henchwoman to Dr. Faustus.
But then she tricked the original Moonstone into giving the moonstone to her and became the new Moonstone. And here I didn’t even know there was an original Moonstone.
My point being, yes, early on you might look at Moonstone’s history and think ‘yes she’s definitely a subordinate person who won’t give me trouble’ but from a modern perspective?
I know Modern Moonstone for basically being the Starscream of whatever team she’s on. Starting from Thunderbolts at least, she’s never the boss, she’s happy being the deputy but she’s always scheming and manipulating and undermining her boss.
I really want this to be a hilariously bad judge of character Egghead has made. I really do.
Meanwhile, Whirlwind thinks that he’ll play along with Egghead’s plans. Until he gets bored.
And then I guess he gets bored like five seconds later because he decides that since the job Egghead wants them to do isn’t until evening, he can go visit Wasp.
And yeah. We scene transition to Avengers Mansion and Whirlwind is just lurking in the bushes spying on Wasp’s limo.
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Inside the mansion, with the Avengers’ meeting over, the Avengers all get ready to go about the rest of their business.
Hawkeye saying he has to get home gets She-Hulk to start musing on how she hasn’t had a real home since she left Los Angeles.
Which she did for... reasons? She seemed like she was going to stay in LA at the end of her original Savage She-Hulk book. She probably did it so she could do crossovers. That makes sense.
Wasp tells She-Hulk that since Tony doesn’t charge rent, She-Hulk can just stay at Avengers Mansion for a while. And in a couple days, she’ll take She-Hulk apartment hunting.
Wasp is a good friend.
She heads out to her limo and tells Mr. Carrothers to take her to her Manhattan apartment.
BUT WHOOPS iiiiiiiiiits Whirlwind!
He knocked out Mr. Carrothers over the head and stashed him in the bushes. Wow, being Wasp’s chauffeur is very eventful.
Whirlwind: “Forget him. I’m the man in your life now! I figure with your ex in the slammer, you’re gonna need an understanding shoulder to lean on -- .”
And then Wasp shrinks down and shoots Whirlwind in the face.
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Wasp: “That’s awfully considerate of you. But next time send flowers first, okay? By the way, have you ever met me bio-electric sting?”
Get rekt, Whirlwind.
This has been a really good span of issues for Wasp. I’m boggling a little. My standards weren’t super high to be honest but this has been good.
I mean, aside from her wearing her Avengers #194-196 costume again. The one with only one pant leg. Of all your costumes to wear under normal clothes, why this one, Jan?
Outside the limo, Hawkeye is trying to sneak back into the mansion to raid the pantry and hoping everyone else has gone.
Because he doesn’t want them to know that two-jobs Hawkeye is having money trouble, I guess? But dude, just confide in Jarvis. He’s a good guy.
Anyway, point being, because of Hawkeye’s hungry little tummy, he sneaks back to the mansion in time to see flashes of energy from inside Jan’s limo.
Hawkeye runs to Jan’s rescue and instantly gets blasted by Moonstone who has just arrived to yell at Whirlwind for taking off without her permission.
Whirlwind says he doesn’t have to answer to Moonstone and a presumably very frustrated Moonstone answers yes he does, that is the very thing he has agreed to when he joined the new Masters of Evil!
I feel maybe announcing loudly that you are the new Masters of Evil right in front of the Avengers is kind of jumping the gun.
Not to mention having the whole time show up to pose like a team just to pull Whirlwind’s butt out of the fire but like I said, this isn’t a very impressive seeming iteration of the Masters.
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They do have this much, at least. Hawkeye recognizes each one of these bozos (muffled foghorns from Titan Up the Defense way) and recognizes that he and Wasp are outpowered in addition to being outnumbered.
Reinforced by Tiger Shark just smacking Wasp out of the air.
I think her one legged outfit is slowing her down.
So Hawkeye fires a flare arrow to try to summon help.
Remember when the Avengers had radio rings? That’d probably be a less obvious way to signal for help. Because Moonstone sees Hawkeye shoot a flare arrow that LIGHTS UP THE AREA and shoots him for sending up a signal.
And then she turns to the others and goes “Why didn’t you blunderers stop him?”
Its a good point. Tiger Shark points out though that she didn’t stop him either.
Again: not a very impressive iteration of the team.
Whirlwind, trying to put on the pragmatic hat way too late, says that they should kill Hawkeye and skedaddle because fighting in front of Avengers Mansion makes him nervous.
But he’s still Whirlwind so he’s still gross so he thinks to himself that he wants to grab Wasp before they go.
And what, dude? You gonna keep her under your bed? WHATS YOUR CREEPY ENDGAME?
On second thought, I don’t want to know. Geez, this is awful but I’m glad that Wasp died in Ultimate comics before an exceptionally creepy Ultimate Whirlwind could show up and keep her in a well or something.
Hey, maybe if we tell Whirlwind that Living Laser is also obsessed with Wasp, the two will fight to the death and I won’t have to deal with either one!
Anyway. Off-track. Anyway.
With a sound of thunder, a Perfectly Ordinary Uru Hammer THOOMs by smacking every villain before returning to Thor’s hand.
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Yeah, fighting in front of Avengers Mansion? Really dumb!
Thor: “Stand back, perfidious mortals, or face the wrath of Thor!”
Wasp: “Huh? Thor! I always thought you were handsome -- but you never looked better than you do now!”
Thor: “Fair Wasp, thou art safe in my hands!”
Wasp: (Mmmm! Don’t I wish!)
Well, you’re free to play the field now, Wasp. Go for it.
Meanwhile, over in Avengers Mansion, She-Hulk hears the racket and gets up from her nap to see a supervillain battle taking place on the street in front of the Mansion and just kind of sighs about New York being like this.
Again again: fighting in front of Avengers Mansion? REALLY DUMB!
Moonstone even realizes it.
Moonstone: “This is insane -- wasting our energy battling the Avengers for nothing!  We’ve got to end this fight and escape!”
She tells Scorpion to take Thor which either shows a high esteem of him or a very low regard. Either way, Scorpion is happy to try, tail-whipping Thor through the air.
Inside the mansion, She-Hulk decides that the only way to get some peace and quiet is to throw hands. Side benefit: she’ll also get to prove herself to the Avengers.
But I like that the primary reason is that she just wants to have a dang nap and this nonsense is preventing it.
So she OH YEAHs through the window because heck Tony Stark will pay to fix it and runs towards the battle.
Haha look at that tiny alarmed Jarvis in the window. I love that kind of background detail. Amazing.
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Wasp takes a break from, I dunno fantasizing about Thor, to fly over in a panic.
Wasp: “Oh, no! That outfit is an original! Tear it -- and I’ll never speak to you again!”
She sure has her priorities. I think maybe she doesn’t think these new Masters of Evil are all that threatening.
Maybe she shouldn’t be so worried though. She-Hulk just jumped through a glass window and the outfit looks untouched.
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She-Hulk: “You can’t be serious?! You are. Ohhh... fudge! This is ridiculous!”
She definitely had to stop herself from saying an f-bomb.
So She-Hulk stops running to help Thor and sits down to start pulling the Van Dyne Original outfit off so Wasp won’t friend break up with her.
I’m sure Thor is doing fine though.
Ha ha, just kidding.
Moondragon is keeping him pinned down with her laser blasts and Tiger Shark hits him with something almost as powerful as TABLE.
A CAR.
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Tiger Shark: “That Avenger creep thinks he’s the strongest there is. Me, I can withstand the pressures of the ocean’s floor without breathing hard. So when you’re talking strength -- you’re talking Tiger Shark!”
Hey, cool! Its the same thing writers use to argue Aquaman Strong Actually. I wonder if this actually predates that. It’d be funny if Tiger Shark preempted Aquaman in anything.
Wasp (while blasting Scorpion in his Scorpion neck) asks Thor if he’s okay but I think Thor is more annoyed than endangered by being ganged up on by the villains.
Thor: “Aye, the villain’s cowardly attack availed him naught against the might of Thor! I would see this battle ended!”
Tiger Shark basically says ‘nuh uh’ or “Together we can turn him into hamburger!” but then someone punches Tiger Shark from behind and knocks him out.
Scorpion: “Who in -- ? Some chick from Frederick’s of Hollywood?”
She-Hulk: “Don’t tell me you don’t know who I am! I don’t want to hear it!”
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So, yeah, She-Hulk has arrived. In her underwear. So she doesn’t offend Wasp.
I guess after the Moondragon arc, Wasp is paying forward the wardrobe embarrassments.
Very rude, Jan.
Hawkeye is also up and raring to arrow. And he nails Whirlwind with said shock arrow annnd knocks him out.
Yup, this is the part of the book where we’re running out of pages so the villains start going down really easy.
Next, Wasp shoots Moonstone and She-Hulk multi-tasks by punching Moonstone into Scorpion and knocking both of them out.
Which means that She-Hulk is MVP of this fight. She arrives the latest but knocks out the most people. Good job, She-Hulk. Even Hawkeye admits that she did pretty good (qualified with “for a beginner!” which She-Hulk just laughs off.)
Meanwhile, in his hidden laboratory, Egghead is thinking that you can’t get good help these days.
Egghead: “Fools! We would have destroyed the Avengers eventually! There was no need to upset my timetable!”
But its only a minor setback and he considers that this stomp may leave them more willing to see that his ideas are best ideas.
I really hope that everyone pins the blame on Whirlwind when Egghead inevitably has to break them out of prison again to assemble his Masters of Evil again.
Hm, and I didn’t wonder this before but why Masters of Evil as a team name? He has no connection with any of the previous iterations, I don’t think. Weird.
Back at the mansion, the Avengers stand around being pretty pleased with themselves for beating up a bunch of people who attacked them for no reason and sucked at it.
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The only sour note is that Wasp lost yet another limo (to Tiger Shark’s deadly CAR attack) but even then she says she was ready to trade it in on a DeLorean anyway.
Wait, aren’t DeLoreans known for having disappointing performance for a car and adequate performance as a time machine? Wasp, why are you getting a DeLorean, you kook!
She-Hulk, who sold her dignity to keep Jan’s friendship, suggests that the two of them go looking for new cars together.
OH RIGHT. Issue started with She-Hulk’s poor lamented pink Cadillac being junked. That’s bookends, it is. They’re the Sisterhood of the Broken Cars now.
So a very decent story!
Stuff is being setup with Egghead, the Hank Pym plot thread is still going, and we’ve got a new Avengers roster to settle into.
Although. Between the Moondragon arc and this, I’m wondering if clothing mishaps is going to be a running joke going forward and I hope not. Or at least let the guys in on it. Let Thor get locked out of the house in his underwear. It is only fair.
To the readers, if not the characters.
Although, I guess that is kind of what happened in the Molecule Man story. Tony Stark stuck in only his underwear and had to wear Ordinary Doctor Donald Blake’s jacket around his waist.
Not much more to say about this. Its a solid issue.
Follow @essential-avengers​. Because: reasons. Also like and reblog. Because: similar but different reasons. Selling myself is hard.
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suzukiblu · 4 years
Note
oh which fic do I ask about though??? We haven't heard about Handmaiden Anakin in a while? Maybe something with Anake getting his first actual paycheck but anything would be great?
As ever, handmaiden!Anakin means a read-more from me, hah. 
“What’s this?” Anaké asks in confusion from the doorway of Padmé’s rooms. She looks up from her paperwork. 
“What’s what, Anaké?” she asks, and he holds up . . . ah. 
“Money,” she says. “They’re Naboo credits.” 
“Oh.” Anaké looks bemused, looking down at the credits in his hands. “I don’t know what they’re for.” 
“Well, where did you find them?” she asks. 
“R2 brought them to me,” he says. “There’s a lot.” 
“It’s the end of the tenday, my lady,” Eirtaé says. She and Yané are the only other handmaidens in the room, at least for the moment. 
“Oh,” Padmé realizes. “I expect that’s your pay, Anaké. I suppose someone gave it to R2 to deliver because we haven’t gotten you a bank account yet.” 
“A what?” Anaké looks mystified. 
“It’s a place to keep your money,” Padmé explains. She sets down her paperwork and pushes it aside. Another little oversight, but there’ve been so many things to get for Anaké that she doesn’t really feel bad about this one, especially since it’s so easily corrected. 
He’s wearing proper handmaiden’s robes today and finally matches the others, which is far more important, Padmé can’t help but think. He looks Naboo. 
“Oh,” Anaké says. “Um . . . what do I do with them, then?” 
“Ooo, I know!” Yané says cheerfully, stepping forward. “Let’s go to the market!” 
“Do we need something?” Anaké asks in confusion. 
“Yes,” Yané says, grinning at him slyly. “An excuse to go to the market.” 
“Don’t encourage Anaké to waste his money like you do,” Eirtaé says dubiously. Yané claps a hand to her chest, mock-offended. 
“I would never!” she exclaims. “Anaké, what are your feelings on decorating your room?” 
“. . . decorating?” Anaké asks, looking bemused. “What for?” 
“You should definitely go to the market,” Padmé says, wishing she were free to go with them. Yané, once again, has had a very clever idea. “All of us have decorated our rooms, Anaké, you should too.” 
“But . . .” Anaké gives the credits a worried look. “Shouldn’t I save them?” 
“You can save some and still decorate a bit,” Yané says. “And you’ll get paid again next tenday, and then you can decorate a little more!” 
“I mean . . .” Anaké looks embarrassed. “What if my mom needs them?” 
“Don’t worry about that,” Padmé says. “Your mother will be taken care of.” 
“But . . .” Anaké trails off worriedly, and Padmé gets to her feet and heads over to put a hand on his shoulder, smiling at him as kindly as she can. 
“You should decorate,” she says firmly. “I’m sure your mother would like to see it. I know I would.” 
“Um . . . okay,” Anaké says, turning red. 
“Good,” Padmé says, smiling wider. “If you’re worried about saving money, we’ll open a bank account for you for the future. How about you go shopping this afternoon, and tomorrow morning we’ll open your account?” 
“Alright,” Anaké says uncertainly, biting his lip. Padmé has the sudden urge to embrace him, but holds back from it. If she weren’t wearing Amidala, perhaps, but . . . 
Well. Never mind. 
“Sounds like we’re good to go, then!” Yané says gleefully, holding a hand out for Anaké to take. Padmé almost feels jealous, but honestly, she’s more pleased that someone can hold his hand. Anaké takes Yané’s hand, sparing Padmé a brief, shy smile, and then lets Yané lead him out of the room. Padmé watches them go, wishing again that she could go with them. Unfortunately, someone has to do all this paperwork, and it’s not right to shirk her responsibilities. 
Maybe next time, she thinks. She can plan ahead for their next payday, put aside a little time to take Anaké to the market. That would be nice, she thinks. All he asked was to be able to stay with them, so going to the effort to spend time with him is the least she can do. Besides, she’d like to spend time with him, so it’s hardly an imposition. 
“You know she’s going to talk him into over-decorating,” Eirtaé says dubiously, and Padmé smiles wryly at her. 
“I think that’s alright, since just about the only thing he has in there right now is tools and clothes,” she says, returning to her desk to retake her seat. “Anaké deserves a little extra, doesn’t he?” 
“That’s true, I suppose,” Eirtaé allows. “She’s still going to spoil him.” 
“I have to confess, spoiling him is my intention,” Padmé admits. Anaké deserves it, and she wants to, so she really can’t talk herself out of it. 
“We should’ve given them money for lunch, then,” Eirtaé says, flicking her eyes towards the door, and Padmé smiles again. She’s not the only one invested in spoiling Anaké, it’s nice to know. 
“Next time,” she says.
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maryellencarter · 4 years
Text
So for about ten days now I've been playing around with the budgeting app Mint (along with a Google Sheets yearly budget template and a lot of manual work with a calculator, a calendar, and a succession of blank Google Docs because that's just the kind of person I am), and so obviously I have some Thoughts.
* I picked Mint because it's the budgeting app all the financial reviewers talk about, because it's run by Intuit who also own TurboTax so I knew their security and interface would be good, and because it does not come with built-in shaming over any of your ~unnecessary~ purchases.
* Mint is a free app which makes its money by offering you sponsored ads for financial products it thinks you might like, and getting paid by the advertisers when you accept one of the ads. The most intrusive location for these ads is on your dashboard, feed, whatever you want to call it, where the ad tile is required to be the third tile down and cannot be shuffled to the bottom or turned off.
* (There is also a desktop browser version, Mint.com. I have poked it very slightly but couldn't get it to do anything useful. More on that later. I don't remember noticing how the ads are arranged there.)
* The app's general design is very sleek and intuitive, what I'd expect from the parent company of QuickBooks and TurboTax. Other than the intrusive ad tile, it lets you rearrange everything however you want.
* Mint is designed around importing transactions from your bank account for you to do budgetary stuff at, so obviously security is really important, which gives Intuit an edge up on the competition because I'm already used to trusting them with my tax returns. It only seems to sync new transactions during banking hours, which for someone like me who does most of their shopping on Sunday is kind of frustrating. It also won't let you edit or recategorize a transaction till it's finished "processing" a day or two down the line. I don't know if these pitfalls are common to all budget apps but it would probably make sense if they are.
* One thing Mint does that's incredibly handy for me is it lets you put all your recurring bills in one place and even sync them with your phone calendar. I actually had to turn off the phone calendar sync because it was alerting me constantly on the day before payday when I couldn't do anything about the bill that was due on payday, but if you can find the setting to change the alert frequency it might be useful. And having a nice chronological list of what the fuck is due when, is extremely helpful to my brain, because previously I was trying to remember everything in my head and I kept losing bills.
* Going down my tiles as I have them sorted in the app, I don't have much to say about that list of transactions itself, except that you can recategorize them and split them into different categories -- which is handy if the rent included $105 late fees which you don't want befuckening your future averages, or if you bought groceries and also a barbecue lighter at Walmart, to take two recent examples.
* You cannot, unfortunately, rename or edit categories. On desktop only, you can supposedly add categories, but you cannot then use those categories in any of Mint's other functions, which really defeats the purpose. And their ideas of what categories you might need are pretty... idiosyncratic, not to say WASPy, so e.g. I'm currently categorizing Patreon income under "Reimbursement" because the other options were things like "Investment Income" and "Returned Purchase". And transfers to my savings account can either be "Credit Card Payment" or "Transfer for Cash Spending".
* (I suppose I could put my savings under "Investment: Deposit" or something similarly grandiose, but that seems like... a lot for the 31 cents rounded up from getting a pizza at Little Caesars.)
* Anyways. So then, after the obligatory ad tile, comes a nice colorful pie chart of my spending for the month, which I can open up and tab through to look at all the categories. I saw one finance blogger saying you should use the Miscellaneous category for some things rather than getting too granular, but I like seeing the little individual entries for my haircut and my cloth mask and my pharmacy copay. (That last one's going to be a more substantial pie slice now that I can actually afford to start taking most of my meds again. Turns out my prescription for diabetic test strips expired, though, so I have to get ahold of my doctor and get a new one sent over, and I'm looking skeptically at the copays. :P I've been ignoring my diabetes since January, it can wait a little longer till I'm financially caught up from COVID.)
* I can see list-style breakdowns by category and merchant, too. This is one of the few places in the mobile app that my income shows up, other than the actual paycheck transactions. The desktop version has some more places to budget projected income, but the handling is clunky as hell.
* Next up is the tile where I've been spending a lot of my time, Budgets. This is your basic "envelope method" where you create, say, a budget for haircuts and another one for groceries. Each budget has to be for one of Mint's pre-created categories, and when you have a spending transaction in that category, it puts the expense against that Budget. The desktop version has you also creating a line item for expected income in Budgets, and then becoming stroppy when you attempt to adjust parts in the wrong order, so I prefer the app which simply tells you e.g. that you have spent $900 of an allocated $1000 with an airy unconcern for whether the $1000 has arrived in your bank account yet.
* My single biggest frustration with Mint is that you cannot create Budgets based on user-created categories, nor can you delete, rename, or even collapse categories in the list. So if I go to create a new Budget for, say, "Housewares" to account for the $1 barbecue lighter I finally bought (I have large hands and a tall jar candle that has burned down farther than I can reach, okay, it was a necessity), then I'm stuck scrolling all the way up and down past "Investment: Capital Gains" and "Kids: Child Support" before finally settling on "Home Supplies" because it doesn't really seem like a "Home Furnishings".
* After Budgets comes Accounts, which just shows me my current net worth across all my accounts. I actually unlinked my savings account because it was confusing the hell out of me to see a 31-cent transfer out of checking paired with the same 31-cent transfer into savings, so this doesn't show me anything I can't get through my bank app, but if I had current credit card debt or non-retirement investment accounts it might be more useful.
* (I have not linked my 401(k) to Mint. I haven't even figured out how to get into my 401(k), either before or after it transferred to a different handler a couple months back. I feel like those are problems for a later time than "okay how much groceries can I buy and still pay the rent".)
* On the desktop version of Mint, you can also put things like your car in under your net worth as Property. I tried that, found that I both did not believe their Kelly Blue Book valuation at all (it didn't have any option to take into account "was totaled two years ago and looks it but still mostly runs") and that I find it extremely stressful to have non-liquid property listed as part of my net worth. Interesting to know. You learn all sorts of shit about yourself when you try to manage money.
* Next there's a tile that attempts to break down my "cash flow" by month. It doesn't seem to have noticed the Paypal transfers on which I was largely subsisting for the three months it was able to pull from my bank account, even though they show up fine in Transactions, so it's deeply confused about whether my cash flow is Healthy or Unhealthy. For now, with my acquisition of a second paycheck for August, it seems to have settled on Healthy. I might turn that tile off though. It doesn't really... offer much, I guess?
* I have turned off the tile that shows me my free credit score. That's a problem for a much later me. Right now I have more urgent problems, like catching up on my deferred car insurance and my deferred cell phone bill and my deferred healthcare deductions.
* You also can't turn off the tile for the Mint "Life Blog" or the one asking you to rate the app, but at least they sit at the bottom of the app as you scroll down.
* The desktop version also has an entire segment not found in the app, for "Goals", where you can supposedly put in your outstanding debts and figure out payment schedules for them. It sounds really good in principle, but I found that section of the site unworkably glitchy, on both laptop and iPad; I couldn't even get past the screen where you try to first enter one of your debts, as it required me to choose answers from two dropdowns neither of which would actually do anything. I was able to get an estimate from the "saving for a rainy day" goal, anyway, by putting in the amount of a debt and telling it I'd like to save up that much money in a year, but that's nothing I couldn't have done with a calculator and a bit of mental effort.
* Jumping back up to the top of the app, one other thing that does intermittently drive me bananas about the app is, when you put in a bill you get a dropdown where you select how often it should recur, but then it... doesn't recur. You have to manually put in the next occurrence. It's still a handy list of upcoming bills, but I actually had to resort to my phone calendar (which properly handles recurring events) to get a good visual on future months' bills.
* And because there is nowhere to put in your projected income and get a nice projection of "On X date you will have $XX in your bank account", or even better a daily graph of your expected cash flow so that you can see "yeah don't put that $300 in savings you'll need it for rent in two weeks", I've been reduced to, as mentioned above, manual daily projections through the end of the year using my phone calculator, phone calendar, Google Docs, and eventually my damn iPad drawing app (came with a Bluetooth stylus I never got working) because I couldn't find any physical graph paper.
* So. Um. Summary. I guess it's a good app? It's very sleek, it has nice charts and graphs and a good interface. But it thinks you can do a lot more with it than you can actually do. Its main uses for me are probably going to boil down to "stop forgetting bills" (the rolling list format works a lot better for my brain than the phone calendar format, even if I do have to re-enter data every time I mark a bill paid) and "finally figure out how much I spend on food really".
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shoptimized · 4 years
Text
I make too much money to still be broke.
The first step to recovery is realizing you have a problem in the first place.
I make a US$66,000 salary, which is pretty decent for where I live. I saved $7,000 to move to a new state, rent a one-bedroom apartment and live alone for the first time. (I’ve always relied on living with other people to help pay the rent, but during this “anything goes” COVID situation in the US I realized it’d be better for my mental health to finally move out on my own.) 
When I moved into this apartment in May, I told myself that minimalism would help me stay on-budget. With that in mind, I splurged on the essential things that I knew would make me feel more at home and establish new routines — nice new cookware, a Fellow digital kettle, a Thuma bed frame that Instagram convinced me I needed...and because I was coming from San Francisco, where the cost of living is completely insane and nothing is reasonably priced, suddenly I could afford anything I wanted with no problem! I adopted a rescue cat, installed bookshelves, bought my first “smart home” thing (an Alexa Dot speaker) and some Philips Hue smart lights I could control with my voice. Fancy! Oh, wait...wasn’t I supposed to be “minimalist?”
Please note, my dear, probably nonexistent reader, that it doesn’t end there. As I began to fill out my apartment, every new addition inspired another. I have a smart home assistant now, so shouldn’t I have more than one Smart Thing to connect it to? I bought a smart TV. But my apartment is a bit small, so I should hang the TV on the wall to save space! I bought a TV mount. Oh, and my Redbubble side business will be easier to launch if I have a scanner...but here’s a scanner-printer combo that’s also Alexa-capable! Obviously that’s the more optimized choice. But now I need a place to put it...time to install more shelves! While I’m at it, I’m working full-time and going back to school next month, so I should put some effort into getting organized...time to hit up Container Store? All the while, I continued to voraciously consume the local pillow market. Bed pillows, throw pillows, floor pillows, body pillows...so many pillows! So much comfort!
This is my problem. That $7,000 ran out months ago. The phrase “I should look at my budget” only enters my brain the day before payday, and no other day. I paid for the essential furniture with my debit card using money I already had, but by the time I got to the “throw pillow” circle of hell, I was using “buy now pay later” services like Klarna and Affirm. On pillows. Pillows! I realized my TV was purchased through a lease-to-own business for twice its value over a week after it had been delivered to my home. 
For the amount of money that I earn, I shouldn’t even need to think about these sorts of services. Back when I was actually struggling I used my upbringing as an excuse for why I’m living paycheck to paycheck; my mom wasn’t great with money either, and she didn’t like her “little girl” going outside on her own, so I wasn’t allowed to get a job in my teens. She died when I was still in high school, and I was wholly unprepared to fend for myself or participate in the economy. I wallowed in a painful period of underemployment, couchsurfing, and struggling to put myself through college, but I “picked myself up by my bootstraps” as well as I could, eventually dropping out of college to take an internship that turned into a lucrative job. As soon as I was getting paid enough to furnish the comforts I never had as a child, I dove right into late-stage capitalism and never looked back.
At 30 years old, that look back is way overdue. I’m going back to school — which costs money. I have a (cat) son now and would love to adopt a dog soon, both of whom will costs lots of money to keep healthy and happy. I have a therapist, who is worth every penny, but good god does she cost money. I don’t buy things I don’t value, or keep things I don’t use; I can look around my apartment and tell you what everything cost me and why I have it. I spent so much of my energy in COVID making this place as perfect, as functional, as OpTiMiZeD as possible, and I regret nothing! 
That’s the problem. All of this stuff is necessary, sure, but the timing wasn’t. I needed a printer a month from now, so why did I overdraft my debit card to get it last week? Why did I agree to adopt the cat without at least some savings to back me up in case of an emergency? I mean, shit...what about my own health? I am lucky enough to have a health savings account...with nothing in it, because I keep withdrawing money. Why do I feel such an urgent need every payday to drive my account balance back to zero in the name of “optimization?” Spending all of my money on Friday makes it impossible for me to be in my friends’ lives the next Wednesday. What’s more, I need to save money for a computer this year, and I want to buy a car next year. If I logically understand why I should save my money, why can’t I do it? What is keeping me in this ongoing loop of “optimizing” my space when saving would help me optimize my life and overall happiness?
I started this blog to chronicle my journey through compulsive shopping, retail therapy, and overspending in hopes that I can find other people who have started from the bottom of financial literacy, like me, and lived to tell the tale. Has anyone else been caught in this vicious cycle, or currently going through it? Say hey, if you have. Or feel free to lurk and watch my journey to financial stability from afar. Thanks for dropping by, either way. :)
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dlamp-dictator · 4 years
Text
Quick Ramblings (Video Game Edition)
Thank god tomorrow’s payday folks, because Allen X is more flat broke than the Great Plains of the Midwest. A man shouldn’t be sighing with relief when he still has quarters in his bank account... I hate to say it, but I gotta’ leave my current job for a better one. As much as I like my boss and coworkers I like having money a little bit more. 
But you didn’t come here to hear me complain about the woes of working the service industry. Like the title said, I don’t have much to talk about at length in the form of a proper Rambling this week, or at least nothing finished. I have a few smaller things to get off my chest though, as well as few small notes of what’s going on in the X Household. But before that, let’s talk about a happy topic, like video games. 
So... here’s a quick update/mini Rambling session of all the (relevant) video games I’ve been playing for most of last month.
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I’ve played about 15-ish hours of Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r] and once again Allen X realizes he sucks at video games... 
It seems when I said I maintained a 10% win-rate in most fighting games I forgot that meant I lose 9 out of 10 matches. And boy does it suck. I tried playing my old main, Byakuya, but... I just can’t make him work. I’ve seen some god-like plays from actual good Byakuya players, but I’m not copying that any time soon. This game doesn’t tell you a lot about Byakuya’s mechanics. I just learned he can feint his 623[X] by holding the button, and it took months to realize he could set a trap down on the flow after his 214[X] follow-up. Just... the more I learn about that character the angrier I get for not know about it sooner. So I went with Phonon for UNclr this time around. 
Honestly? I like her playstyle. 
She’s not so much a zoner as she is a ranger, someone that constantly keeps you at mid-screen and adds pressure to keep you from moving forward. Though unlike Hilda and Vatista, she can actually do a lot at close range if she’s caught. Only issue I have with her kit that there’s no real anti-air. Her DP is surprisingly slow and has a wonky hitbox. And the only anti-air I know she has is her force function, and while it’s not slow it’s definitely not fast either. I might switch over to Hyde later since he has everything you want in a character plus the most godly anti-air since Ragna’s 6A. 
I honestly got Londrekia for his theme music and nothing else. I really can’t be bothered to play him. He looks cool, his moveset and animations look great, but... nothing really attracts me to play him save for his music.
Arknights
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Next up is Arknights, a tower defense phone game that I’m playing on my laptop and yet it still makes the damn thing shriek and howl. What’s with phone games needing my high-end PC to run properly? Anyway, I’ve been playing this for about a month, and while I do have something drafted on it, I’ll simply say it’s a very fun tower defense game with quite the steep learning curve. I like the characters, I like the story, and I’m a little too obsessed with grinding for my own good. 
The only critique I have is that it could be a little less stingy with originium drops. For a game like this, I think being able to reliably 10-pull twice a month as a free-to-play would be nice. Not needed, but nice.
And for those for those curious about my favorites:
Vanguard: Courier
Caster: Amiya
Medic: Shining
Guard: Beehunter
Defender: Curoa
Supporter: Deepcolor
Specialist: Rope
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And last, Black Survival got a new character, Nicky, AKA Tiny Punch Girl. Sadly, I don’t have the crystals or the gold to buy her yet, so... might start dipping into that wallet and get the monthly pass again for the next paycheck. Thankfully it’s only five bucks. I haven’t gotten into this game in awhile, and I might do another Rambling on it soon, but no promises. Honestly? A lot of what I said before still stands. This game is really RNG based. You can have routes, contingencies, strategies, but you’ll still find that one punk that got 4th-tier armor and weapons in the first minute of the game for some reason. I’ve gotten lucky and had 4th-tier healing items in the first 2 minutes, but that meant jack when an Aya one-shot me...
Anyway, second Rambling on Black Survival might come after I finish the draft of the Gacha Rambling first.
But anyway, that’s really it for now, at least in terms of video games. I might do an anime focused Quick Rambling tomorrow, but for now I’m gonna’ go back to grinding on Black Survival to get Tiny Punch Girl.
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crimsonquillsims · 4 years
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Olivia had put Miranda to bed for her nap and was waiting for him in their bedroom. When he walked in the room she came straight over to him, anger and disbelief swimming in her eyes. Of course, she would be sympathetic to the old man, Aiden thought to himself. That was just how she was built. But this time, she was wrong. And her trust was completely misplaced.
“Just what did you think you were doing?!” Aiden said furiously. “He could have hurt you! You can’t just let strangers in the house, Olivia.”
“He’s an old man. What could he have done to me?”
“Old men with guns can still hurt people. You can’t let anyone in here when I’m not home. It’s dangerous. What the fuck were you thinking?!”
“I didn’t think that....” Olivia trailed off. “It was stupid. I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Aiden’s anger softened at Olivia’s remorse. “You were thinking a sweet old man came to see me. I get it. But you know you’re a target, Liv. Just being with me puts you in danger. Both of you. And I...well....okay....look, I’m sorry I lost my temper. I just....I can’t lose you. I have to know that you’re safe.”
Olivia’s eyes filled with tears and she learned into Aiden’s open arms. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I won’t do it again.”
“It’s okay,” Aiden replied, pulling her closer. “I’m sorry I yelled. I was upset and worried and he caught me off guard. Seeing him talking so pleasantly with you while Miranda was nearby pissed me off.”
“I understand. You have a history.”
“Yes, we do.”
Olivia pulled back and looked up at him solemnly. “Don’t you want to know why he came here? After all these years?”
“I know why.”
“Are you sure about that? It might not be why you think.”
“He’s a loser, Olivia. He’s the guy that gambled away our rent money while my mom was busy shooting up with whatever was left of his paycheck. He’s only here for one reason. He wants money. And it will be a cold day in hell before I give him a penny.”
“Are you sure that’s all he wants? He could have come to you years ago if he wanted. Why now?”
“Because now, I actually have money. And he knows it. Everyone in this town knows I run it. And that I’m out of jail. He had to have heard about it and thought he would get a nice payday from me.”
“Maybe you should ask him before you assume things.”
“I don’t need to.”
“But he’s your family,” Olivia replied softly. 
“No, he’s not. You and Miranda are my family. He’s just the guy that knocked my junkie mom up. That’s not family. And I don’t want anything to do with him.”
“Okay. I understand. I won’t push you, it’s your decision. But if you change your mind, I’ll go with you to see him.”
“I won’t. But thank you. And I’m sorry again for getting so upset. I love you and I didn’t mean to be such a dick.”
“It’s okay. And I love you, too.”
Beginning ◘ Black as Pitch ◘ Most Recent  
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delicatefury · 5 years
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:P
So, I don’t actually know what my pay schedule looks like for the new job. I know I’m salaried, but I don’t know if it’s weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Either way, my last paycheck for two weeks arrived today. And thanks to having to get new car insurance (so I can get my car re-registered in my new-old state before my tags expire. And get a nice reimbursement from work), that paycheck is already spent.
But I’ve got at least 14 days and two bills between today and the earliest possible payday...
I hate dipping into my savings. I was finally starting to build it up since the move but... this is a good starting salary that’s nearly 50% more than what I’m currently making, plus benefits. I should be able to put it all back within the month.
But still. I was determined to not have to dip into my savings again. Even though it’s a massive step forward it still feels a bit like a personal step back.
But it’s not. I get benefits, so starting next month I don’t have to pay health or vision insurance. I get reimbursed on car insurance. The decreased drive means less gas. If I budget well I’ll be able to buy one of those beautiful houses I’ve been looking at by summer.
This kind of tight moment is exactly what the savings account is for. I’m not touching the house fund. I’m not diggin myself into a credit hole.
And yet...¯\_(ツ)_/¯ life.
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ultimatestudyabroad · 3 years
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Returning to the U.S. Work Culture
I’m 3.5 months into my new job, so it’s about time I reflect on what it feels like to be back in the American work culture and, moreover, back in the administrative work culture. First, the positive: payday. Every time I open my banking app and see that the paycheck has been deposited, I feel this immense wave of relief that makes me realize how truly tense I have been for the last year and a half. It also feels really good to not have to shell out almost $600/month for health insurance! And the peace of mind that comes with stability cannot be overrated. I feel for all my adjuncting friends who don’t know what next semester’s workload will look like.
On the flip side, yup, this is just like I remember it. Nothing about the America work culture has changed since it drove me to move to the other side of the planet five years ago (I didn’t think that it had, but still, it’s a bit of a shock to be back in it.) In fact, it’s even worse now, because of covid. Before I moved to Australia, I observed that everyone was pretty miserable/stressed out/burned out, but most people didn’t acknowledge it because either they didn’t realize how miserable/stressed out/burned out they were since that state of being is the status quo – it’s just the way life is – or because they were desperately trying not to acknowledge how miserable/stressed out/burned out they were since there wasn’t much they could do about because this is just the way life is. Now, however, due to covid, everyone is fried to a crisp and they know it. The ridiculous amounts of work you were expected to do before have only been multiplied and moved on Zoom.
In I come, not burned out from work, but still reeling personally from a highly traumatic period of transition. And as I’ve discussed in this blog, I’ve been very concerned about losing “Aussie Mel” now that I’m back in the U.S. Re-entering the America work culture will be the ultimate test. So far, it is not going well. It’s hard to describe to my Aussie friends just what it’s like. The easy example is to point out just how little vacation time we Americans take/actually have. But, it’s so much more than that. It’s the day-to-day grind. It’s the fact that every single person is expected to complete way more work than one person can be expected to do. For example, while I was very excited by the job description for my new position from the first time I saw, once I started, I learned that the “and” in my title – Assistant Dean for Advising and Experiential Learning – is actually indicating two jobs. There was a person who did advising before. I get to do his job and this extra piece of “experiential learning.” Typical American workplace move. Kinda like that time I was promoted, but expected to keep doing all of my old job, plus the new duties of the higher level.
The way this unrealistic workload expectation plays out on a daily basis is chronic stress. I felt this before I moved to Australia, which was a huge part of why I wanted to leave. In my former role, I’d usually have the first hour of the day to answer email and prepare for my students before the student appointments began. I would work as fast as I could while watching the hour tick away. A voice in my head would say “Move faster, Mel, you’re running out of time. No, you don’t have time to look that up before the meeting. Shit, you’re out of time. When are you going to be able to get this done?” My chest would tighten and I would feel like I was constantly failing. When you feel like that, you don’t have the capacity to be patient with your co-workers, who are all also feeling the same way. When everyone is so overworked, they unintentionally make your job harder by, for example, not reading the email carefully which then creates three more follow up emails to clear up the confusion. Or, they only answer one of the two questions you asked in the first email. Or, they don’t take the time to look something up or find an old email in their inbox and instead just ask you again. All of this slows me down and I can’t slow down, because I have too much to do!!!! This new job is no different. That’s not a slam on the new job; it’s just the way life is here in America. I have a never-ending deluge of email that I can not get ahead of. It is what it is. I block off time to work on other projects for an hour or so and then I return to my inbox to realize that, if I had been doing email that entire hour, I may have kept up with the inflow, but maybe not. One thing I am very grateful for at my new institution is that I get very few emails on the weekends. That’s nice. I’m desperately trying to develop a healthy work pattern. One very helpful thing I did was silence the tone that sounds every time a new email comes in. But, the struggle is real and it’s largely out of my control. The voice in my head is back: “Move faster, Mel. When are you going to be able to get this done?” American Mel is back and I’m not happy about it.
I’m a bit surprised by how much I miss the academic life. I knew when I was in it that I loved it. My PhD supervisor used to check in on my mental health (because she was an amazing supervisor) and I’d say, “You don’t have to worry about my mental health. I’m great! I’m not at work!” I was working very hard, of course, but it was completely self-directed and about 90% was tasks I enjoyed (the exceptions would be marking/grading essays and taking notes on the stuff I had read). When I wasn’t teaching, I got almost no email! I also did a lot of my reading on the beach or outside in a hammock, which doesn’t hurt 😊 One of my new colleagues articulated the difference between academic and administrative work very well. She said that, though academics are obviously working very hard and also feel overworked, a significant chunk of the work they are doing is their work, their research, their classes. On contrast, as an administrator, your day-to-day tasks are determined for you. You might be able to carve out a little time to work on a project, but that project is something that relates to making the bulk of your job better, say by improving a process or redoing a website. There’s almost no time to pursue intellectual interests or anything that requires deep thinking. That framing really crystallized the difference for me.
Still, I’m surprised by how much I miss academic life, especially given that I knew all along I would be going back into administrative work, because, as we all know, there are no jobs in academia. I’m trying to stay connected to that world; finishing up my book manuscript definitely helped there! And, I was recently lucky to be able to participate in a weekly seminar focused on the works of Sara Ahmed hosted through Flinders University (the time difference just randomly worked). It was so energizing to read difficult works and then discuss them with brilliant people from around the world. When it ended, I found myself sitting down and going back through all of my notes on the books and the seminars, as if I were studying for an exam or something! That’s when I realized how much I was truly craving the academic work again. I’m continuing to work on my research as I can and I’m very much looking forward to next academic year when I’ll have the opportunity to teach (though I’m not sure how I’ll manage to fit that in). I’ve achieved my big hope of getting a position that allows room to combine my administrative and academic identities. It’ll be interesting to see how/if I’m able to strike a balance.
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4everinsane · 6 years
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Niall Horan - “Love is Money”
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You shudder a bit as you glance at the price tag of the dress you were looking at, quickly pushing it back onto the rack and moving on, trying to find something a little more in your price range. Right now you would settle for something under $500. 
You had to find a dress for the event Niall was bringing you to in two days. He had surprised you with the shoes, fancy high stilettos that shimmered and twinkled in the light. You had to get a dress just as magnificent to match but the problem was that a dress to match those, or really anything from this store at all, would cost your entire paycheck. 
You soon gave up on this shop and left, heading out on the crowded street, blending into the crowd as they bustled along. You try to take a few deep breaths as you find a bench to sit on, resting your hands on your face, your elbows on your knees. 
Your relationship with Niall was the absolute best. He adored you, cherished you, showed you how much he loved you every single day. The two of you always had fun, were open with each other, traveled and went on adventures - that was exactly the problem. Niall was able to afford trips and getaways; you couldn’t. 
Sure, he paid for your things a lot but he didn’t know how tight on money you really were because you never let him know. You didn’t want him to know that his own girlfriend couldn’t keep up with the lifestyle he lived, he would surely leave you to find someone who could. 
You ended up in a little boutique and actually found a nice looking dress that matched the shoes and the event perfectly, and better yet it was in your budget. 
Then though, once the event was over there was always something else. Niall wanted you to go to LA with him for a week while he worked on his album a bit but when you looked at your bank account and thought about all of the time that you would miss work, it filled you with a sense of dread and you’d had to say no.
“Somethin’ botherin’ you, love?” Niall asks you one night on the drive to his house from having dinner with some friends. Niall, you, and your group of friends always took to taking turns on who paid the check when you all went out. Tonight was your turn to pay. You knew it was coming so you had saved up but everyone decided to go with the expensive drinks and extra desserts. Your bank account was basically cleared out and you weren’t sure how much longer you could do this. “Love?” Niall reaches one hand off the wheel and takes your hand, tangling his fingers within yours, squeezing a bit. He glances over at you quickly, frowning. 
“Niall,” You whisper, your head resting against the cool glass of the window beside you. You lift your head, looking straight ahead out the windshield and focus on the strong warmth his hand was bringing you.You squeeze it tighter, trying to get as much strength from his touch as you could before you lost it forever. “I can’t keep doing this.” Your voice was so quiet, you weren’t sure he even heard it over the hum of the car. 
“Doin’ what?” There was a slight waver to his voice as he caught on to your emotions, afraid of what was coming next. He glances over at you again but your face was hidden in the dark, only being able to be seen with the occasional flash of light from a street lamp as you passed it. 
“I can’t live this kind of lifestyle, your kind of lifestyle.” You sit up a little straighter in your seat, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a sigh. “I’m not like you, Niall.” 
“Like me?” Niall repeats, pure confusion laced in his voice. “Wha’ does tha’ mean?” Niall so badly wanted to pull over the car so he could talk about this face to face and not in the darkness of a vehicle but he was almost back to his house so he didn’t stop. 
“I’m not meant to do the things that you can. Buy expensive clothes, go out for $300 dinners every night, go to whatever country feels right at the moment.” You explain, releasing his hand to run both of your hands through your hair, trying to keep the tears away. 
“I.. I don’...” Niall was clearly confused as he pulled into his driveway, turning off the car once it was parked. He turns to face you and neither of you make a move to get out of the car. 
“Do you know how much money is left in my bank account after paying for dinner tonight, Niall?” He was silent, blinking at you a few times as you look over at him. “$2.84. That’s it. To last me until next week’s payday.” A tear falls down your cheek then but you hastily wipe it away, looking away from his frowning face, not wanting to see that look of sadness and confusion flashing across his features. 
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Niall whispers, resting an elbow against the door and scratching his fingers along his jawline, looking out the front window. Niall felt terrible. He had no idea you were having such money problems. If he had any idea he wouldn’t have let you pay for all of this, he would have helped, done something. 
“I don’t want to be some charity case, Niall.” You answer him, wiping at your still wet cheeks. “I wanted to believe I could fit in, that I could be a part of your life, but I just can’t.” Before you could truly start crying you reach for the door handle and pull it open, sliding out of Niall’s car and heading for your own beside his, ready to go back to your own small little house and close yourself off for a bit.��
“Okay, look,” Niall had gotten out of the car as well and rushed over to you, grabbing for your arm to pull you to a stop. “Love, I don’t care about how much money you have.” 
“Well I do, Niall, I want to do all of these things with you but I just can’t. And I won’t let you pay for all of these things.” You look up into his striking blue eyes, seeing how concerned and upset he was. You bring a hand up to rest on his cheek, feeling the rough stubble against your fingertips. You give him a watery smile. “You can find someone who fits that lifestyle, someone who can afford to do all of the things that I can’t.” He shakes his head, giving an exasperated sigh. 
“I would be jus’ as okay to sit here at home, watching TV all day in our pajamas and eating take out every nigh’ than go out to expensive dinners, or to events, or on trips. As long as ‘m with you,” His voice lowers as he speaks, “I don’t care what we do.” Before you could say anything he has a hand on each side of your face and is kissing you. “You think I care about your money? Me lifestyle is whatever we are doing as long as we’re together. I’ll help you, love.” You started to protest but he cuts you off with two fingers over your lips, looking down at you. “Not as a charity or a hand out, but because you deserve it.” 
“Niall...” You sigh, still unsure. You didn’t feel right making him pay for you all of the time. “I’ll pay sometimes still..” You offer and he smiles. 
“Are we finished talking about this now?” He questions with a grin and you finally return it, reaching up to wipe at your tears and give a nod. 
“I guess.” He grins, that cute adorable grin that you were absolutely in love with before resting his hands on your hips and kissing you deeply, his lips so soft and gentle against yours. 
“Now, le’ me take ya inside and show ya somethin’ we can do that doesn’ require any expensive clothes, or food, or really any money at all.” He smirks, giving you that sultry look that you knew you could never resist. 
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janeykath318 · 6 years
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The Leather Look: Kirk x Reader
Prompt: “I audition to model in your music video and we end up hitting it off.” “Alright, Y/N. They’re ready for you. Good luck.” The manager gave you a thumbs up and you nervously nodded. You took several deep breaths and tried to fight against the flip-flopping of your stomach as you approached the set where the audition was being held. You were here to try to do some modeling work in the music video for pop star Jim Kirk’s new single. It would be a nice little payday and allow you to get a few toes in the door, so to speak: that is, if you didn’t freak out and ruin everything. Jim Kirk was, well, stunningly good looking to say the least and the prospect of being in the same room as he was was causing your inner fangirl to pop up at the worst possible time. You really needed to act natural. The last thing he’d want is just another groupie. 
You’d been given instructions to slowly stride onto the set, lock eyes with Kirk, who was standing in the middle, and brush past him with a smirk, which was Easier said than done, wearing three inch heels, but you were used to walking around in such crazy heights, so as soon as you got your cue to approach Kirk, you pinned your eyes on him and walked in his direction. He slowly turned around to face you like he was supposed to and your eyes met for a long moment, before you flashed him a sultry smile and walked past. Holy crap, he was hot! The fake blonde was gone and he’d grown a bit of a beard, which was immensely flattering. The eyes were definitely just as pretty in person, and they looked right back at you with curiosity, that swiftly turned to interest. Were those leather pants? You thought as you moved past him, not daring to turn back around. “Cut!” Called the guy filming the clip. “That was fantastic. Can we get one more take at a slower speed?” “Sure,” you responded. “Same path as before?” “Yeah, only this time kind of brush against him as you go past,” the director suggested. Gulp. You looked at Kirk. He nodded approvingly, showing that famous smile that had fangirls everywhere gushing over it. So, back you walked toward him, this time coming much closer. Heart pounding, you tried to look cool as you edged closer, letting your fingers brush up against his as you passed. Again, you felt the full force of his blue gaze on you, and it sent tingles up your spine. Kirk really was unfairly attractive. He made it incredible difficult to concentrate and not break character. Somehow, you managed to keep your cool and parade across the rest of the set like you were on the red carpet. “Very nice!” The director, a ruddy, roundish headed man with some kind of lilting accent exclaimed. “What d’ya say, Jim?” He asked the singer. “She’s perfect,” Kirk said. You couldn’t help but blush as you were beckoned over. “Wow, That was great, Miss Y/L/N. I think we have a winner. You’re a natural.” “Why thank you. It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Kirk,” You said nervously, shaking his hand. He really did make the black leather and white T shirt an incredibly sexy look, but he seemed like a friendly guy, so you tried to relax. “Call me Jim,” He declared. “I can’t tell you how excited I am to finally find the right person for the job. We’ve had to turn down quite a few eager fangirls who had obviously never done anything like this before. You look like you’ve had experience.” “I have,” you confirmed, proud that he’d been able to tell that. “Mostly just for young up and comers and such as I try to break into the scene, but this is a whole new level and a good challenge. Not that I think you’re a challenging guy to work with,” you hastily added, trying not to let your eyes wander. (Those pants left nothing to the imagination.) “Oh, I can be VERY challenging,” Jim demurred, eyes twinkling at the director, whom he appeared to be good friends with. “Can’t I, Scotty?” “Aye, You can, lad. But you’re not a diva, so it makes things so much better. I’ve worked with some people who let their ego swell to the point they couldn’t take a lick of advice. I’ll make sure the lass has fair warning of your quirks before filming.” He winked and you Decided you liked him. “Want to hang out while my people talk to your people?“ Jim asked. “Okay.“ You replied, mouth speaking before your brain could catch up. You just agreed to hang out with Jim Kirk? Like you were casual acquaintances? Were you crazy?” As it turned out, Jim Kirk was as gifted a charmer and conversationalist as he was at singing. He didn’t even try to hit on you, only gave the occasional mildy flirty compliment. He asked you about your career and where you worked and what your goals were and you asked him how he got where he was and how he coped with the pressure and spotlight of fame. “I didn’t handle it well at first,” he admitted. “Which is why the playboy reputation stuck. Luckily, I have good friends and family to keep me grounded and kick my butt when I need it.” “Like Scotty?” You hinted. “Yes,” Jim confirmed. “And Chris Pike and Leonard McCoy and Spock.” The names he dropped were all big ones in the industry and you were pretty impressed. “Wow. Friends in high places.” “They’re great people though. Stuck by me through thick and thin. I hope you have the same. I hear modeling can be a tough gig.” “It can be, especially when you don’t fit the body type Standard,” you told him, still a bit hypnotized by how blue his eyes were up close. “I want to be the person to an open peoples minds and show them that anybody can do it, whether or not you  can see their hipbones.” Jim laughed. “That’s awesome and I like you even more. I hope you live your dreams and change the industry. A lot of companies don’t seem to know the difference between fit and emaciated.” You talked a little more before the hiring was completed and you went over the schedule with your agent. They even took measurements for the outfits you were going to wear. “So, I come back here in two weeks for the filming?” “Yes, ma’am,” Jim’s assistant told you. “Thank you so much for agreeing to this. If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to call me.” “See you in two weeks, then,” you told Jim, shaking his hand. He smirked a bit. “I’ll be looking forward to it.” On the specified day and time, you made your way back to the set and donned your first outfit, which was a sassy black mini, aqua t-shirt and awesome heels that you actually cooed over when putting on. There was a stint in the hair and makeup chair and you were pronounced ready. Jim was sitting in a folding chair, strumming his guitar and singing softly. You listened for a few moments, admiring his gorgeous voice before he looked up and noticed you. “Damn.” He said admiringly. “Looking good, Y/N. Just so you know, I did not pick the outfit, but it’s fantastic on you.” “Thanks, I think,” you replied. “Please tell me you’re wearing the leather pants.” “I’m wearing the leather pants,” he confirmed proudly, standing up to prove it. The filming took several hours and involved multiple clothes changes, ending up with you in a breezy yellow dress and Jim in khakis and a blue button down. The song was pretty cute and you heard it quite a bit by the time filming was finished,  going over to compliment Jim and wish him success. At the moment, the bad boy singer looked more like the kind of guy you’d bring home to meet your mother: wholesome, kind, and very handsome. “It was great working with you,” He said. “I almost hate that it’s over. You think there’s any chance we might run into each other again?” Trying to be casual you shrugged and answered lightly, “Don’t know. You’ll probably forget all about me pretty quickly. I’m just another girl.” “Aww, that’s just not true, though,” he protested. “I genuinely enjoyed working with you and talking with you. I’m not just trying to get in your pants.” “Speaking Of getting into pants,” you deflected, “How in the heck did you get those leather things on? They look like they were a second skin.” “It’s not easy,” Jim agreed. “It’s a lot of slow inching and pinching. You liked them?” “Maybe,” You hedged coyly. “Another possible reason to see me again,” he suggested. “Good point. Tell you what, if you’re still thinking about me in three months, call me. Your assistant has my number. If I’m just a pretty face to you, you’ll forget, life will move on.” Jim thought about this for a minute, expressive face going through a myriad emotions. “You drive a hard bargain,” he said at last, “but it’s a deal. Going to mark the date in my phone calendar right now.” He pulled out his device and started tapping away swiftly. “There! All entered. I’ll talk to you in three months,” he said confidently. “We’ll see.” Your tone was cautious, But you smiled at him hopefully. You left the studio with a nice paycheck, possible future opportunities, and a tiny possibility of a date with a star. Three months later, Jim made good on his promise and called you, which led to a date and then a second one, and a third, and you found yourself falling hard for Jim T. Kirk—even without the leather pants. 
@yourtropegirl @kirkaholic123
@kingarthurscat @taylorjacksonandtheolympians 
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robertbassweb · 4 years
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How to Manifest Money Fast with the Abundance Alchemy
https://ift.tt/2RuckKx
Manifest Money Fast with the Abundance Alchemy
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Manifest Money Fast with the Abundance Alchemy
Did you know you can manifest money fast with the abundance alchemy?  What is that?  Let me show you.
Manifesting Money
Manifesting money is all regarding the energy that you give the experience.
I’ve Seen that Movie Too …
Yes, I’ve been damaged before. As well as I’m not talking about the “can’t manage to get a film ticket” or “purchase a Xmas present” kind of damaged..
Step 1: Set Your Intention
Require time to get really clear on the amount you are asking for deep space as well as likewise the time it will consider you to receive it..
Step 2: Imprint Your Subconscious Mind + Imprint “the Field” Of Power
This powerful practice will aid obtain you into the sensation room to welcome in prosperity, border on your own in the power of wealth and eventually– feel worthy of it..
Step 3: Feel As If Your Money Has Already Manifested
You need to see yourself as if the abundance has already been manifested. You must give thanks for your prosperity despite the physical truth of what you are being presented with. This is the ultimate key to opening your needs from the etheric realm..
Step 4:  Send Out Loving Power To The Flow Of Cash In And Out
Paychecks make you pleased, while costs make you put on your irritable trousers with nuisance and anxiousness..
Step 5: Show Reverence + Respect For The Money You Have Currently
Make certain you show your money how much you enjoy it by caring for it..
Step 6: Take One Day Each Time
This was one of the most powerful as well as caring piece of recommendations that my mother provided me when I was on the edge of going bankrupt in 2009..
The Abundance Alchemy
All of us desire a wonderful procedure to make our lives better. The only factor people normally prefer to show up success is due to the fact that it will certainly provide a something somethin’ called LIBERTY.
Learn more here
How do I ask the universe for money?
Here are the steps on how to ask the universe for money: Be crystal clear and specific on what you want. The exact amount. ... Visualize and feel how you feel when having your desire already, beforehand. ... Let go of how and when your desire will manifest. ... Take inspired action towards your desire!
Did you know you can manifest money fast with the abundance alchemy?  What is that?  Let me show you.
I was reading an interesting Sarah Prout post and suddenly I recalled a Paulo Coelho book, The Alchemist,  that had a great impact in me years ago.
Hundreds of ideas came to my mind as if a river of turbulent water was breaking through my head.
But at the end silence and stillness took place and ideas were arranged forming clear concepts.  Alchemy is the art of transforming and the power to manifest anything is ours.
So we can turn our desires into reality applying the Law of Attraction.  Piece of cake …
  Manifesting Money
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Manifesting money is all regarding the energy that you give the experience.
The even more playful and open you can be with deep space, the more likely it is that your vibration is buzzing at an exceptional regularity to welcome in the cash.
Nevertheless, when you manifest cash from a frequency of lack or desperation, it can backfire and also block the flow of abundance faster than purging a block down the toilet.
However what happens if you want to show up money promptly?.
Just how do you choose to feel passionate over sensation afraid?.
Just how do you rise above desperation when you’re lacking moolah?
The energy we bring to cash can be a sore spot for lots of people, which is why it’s so crucial to be SPIRITED with the process.
  I’ve Seen that Movie Too …
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Yes, I’ve been damaged before. As well as I’m not talking about the “can’t manage to get a film ticket” or “purchase a Xmas present” kind of damaged..
I’m talking about having just 70 cents (yes, cents) in my bag to feed my kids for a couple of days..
It was my lowest point. I bear in mind walking the supermarket asking yourself how the hell I would certainly make it to the next well-being payday. I bought a no-name bag of plain pasta and also the youngsters might eat it for supper and lunch with some remaining tomato sauce I had in the cupboard..
The pain of being broke was so awkward that I struck a handle deep space that I would never allow myself to go back there once more … However I did go there again. Several times in truth..
Nevertheless, with each time it ended up being much less difficult and also extra manageable, since the experience aided me construct my toughness, my durability, and also my capability to deal with uncertainty..
I now reflect on these times because of this a stunning blessing since I am fully aware of where I grew from– that location of being desperately damaged and terrified of the future– to being monetarily totally free and also trusting of the process..
It has assisted me to fully appreciate value the abundance– in all forms– that I have created in my very own life today.
So keeping that in mind, I would certainly love to share this steps to Manifest Money Fast with the Abundance Alchemy.
  6 Steps to Manifest Money… Fast.
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Step 1: Set Your Intention
Require time to get really clear on the amount you are asking for deep space as well as likewise the time it will consider you to receive it..
Deep Space LOVES specificity. If you’re not clear on what you intend to attract then you will certainly appear by default and all type of unpleasant surprises can show up when you do not take notice of conscious recognition..
This boils down to the power of intent. When you put your energy behind having a clear vision of what you desire in your life, you purposefully develop a flow of abundance.
Step 2: Imprint Your Subconscious Mind + Imprint “the Field” Of Power
This powerful practice will aid obtain you into the sensation room to welcome in prosperity, border on your own in the power of wealth and eventually– feel worthy of it..
There are several manner ins which you can do this. Below are a couple of ideas that have personally helped me:.
Sprucing up in your best clothes.
Having a day-to-day gratitude technique to be glad for what you do have now.
Duplicating concepts and also affirmations that aid to re-wire your feelings about money.
Step 3: Feel As If Your Money Has Already Manifested
You need to see yourself as if the abundance has already been manifested. You must give thanks for your prosperity despite the physical truth of what you are being presented with. This is the ultimate key to opening your needs from the etheric realm..
A fantastic means to do this is to practice imaginative visualization or a manifesting reflection that can assist you stimulate the sensation of having — not craving– wide range..
Click here for a FREE manifestation video that can aid you launch any blocks holding you back from manifesting your wishes.
Step 4:  Send Out Loving Power To The Flow Of Cash In And Out
Paychecks make you pleased, while costs make you put on your irritable trousers with nuisance and anxiousness..
You require to re-shape this mindset to get out of your own method..
Each time you feel pissed off when a bill obtains sent to you then you proactively pick to obstruct the flow of abundance and you’re welcoming MORE EXPENSES and also even more expenditures.
Absolutely nothing is as expensive as a mindset that obstructs the flow of prosperity. Discover to LOVE your money. Besides, it’s just energy..
Step 5: Show Reverence + Respect For The Money You Have Currently
Make certain you show your money how much you enjoy it by caring for it..
What does your purse or handbag presently look like? Exist invoices stuffed in there? What do you assume your purse/wallet states concerning your wealth mindset?
The best method to reveal extensive gratefulness and respect for the energy of your present wealth is to make certain that it’s resting all nicely in your bag or budget. Create a shelter for it to feel risk-free as well as liked.
Step 6: Take One Day Each Time
This was one of the most powerful as well as caring piece of recommendations that my mother provided me when I was on the edge of going bankrupt in 2009..
She told me to simply be gentle on myself and also take eventually at once..
This aided greatly to maintain me concentrated on my power in the present minute and not sabotage my resonance with overwhelm by considering the unpredictability of my financial future.
This is a necessary factor to power administration throughout the materializing process.
This steps actually work and will make a big change in your life.  But you want to turn the stone into gold and live a life of plenty from now on.  Keep on reading.
So lets go deep into Manifest Money Fast with the Abundance Alchemy
  The Abundance Alchemy
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All of us desire a wonderful procedure to make our lives better. The only factor people normally prefer to show up success is due to the fact that it will certainly provide a something somethin’ called LIBERTY.
The method though is so super basic and closes the void of separatism that always keeps you in a state comparable to the donkey chasing after the carrot. What you need to do is FEELING GOOD NOW– now– where you’re currently at in your life.
No matter how unpleasant and also gloriously complicated it might appear– you have the power to grab the moment as well as manifest success currently. It isn’t brain surgery, or head-based “gibberish” it’s an easy choice. And that choice is this …
Choose the vibration you are offering the Universe in every single present moment. And also if you can not pick then count on as well as give up to the power of deep space that constantly has your back.
Right here is the way to manifest money using the abundance alchemy.
  Abundance Alcheny Receipt
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1. Think past what you can see
Just because you can’t see what you want showing up prior to your very eyes in this minute, does not mean that it’s not percolating in the ether and conspiring with the Universe to land into your truth soon.
2. Failure usually comes prior to success
Constantly remember this really effective quote from Florence Scovel Shinn which is …
” Every magnum opus, every big accomplishment, has actually been brought into symptom through holding to the vision, as well as usually right before the big achievement, comes apparent failing as well as frustration.”
3. Declutter your environment
One of the fastest means to start showing up abundance into your life is to attempt a procedure called “decluttering”.
This implies doing away with every little thing in your life that no longer serves you. Contribute old clothing to charity, iron out your closest, cabinets and also cabinets. This will clear the old as well as develop space for the brand-new to materialize into your life.
4. Get certain on your desired quantity and also just how it will show up
When you write down your intentions, try and also be as particular as feasible. Deep space enjoys and prospers on specific requests. Study the information of the important things, people, areas as well as experiences you are wanting to manifest.
NOTE: If you love the concept of creating a routine for your purpose setting procedure after that you will certainly ADORE this FREE downloadable worksheet I have lovingly put together for you.
5. Give thanks to deep space as if it has currently manifested
Here’s the actual “secret” …
Everything happens in the non-physical or etheric world first before it filters through the physical world. Whatever we are and everything we experience is a plain echo of the vibrational essence that has actually been supplied before this present moment.
The trick is to say thanks to the Universe for the things you want prior to they actually show up. This not only gets rid of any type of resistance, but it makes it simpler for your things of wish to move right into your current truth with ease and elegance.
This is one of the most important secrets to Manifest Money Fast with the Abundance Alchemy
6. Rise above limiting beliefs
Take some time to focus on healing the things in your life that you can determine as “blocks” in your flow of abundance. These are normally impeding your progress in the form of beliefs that you’ve probably kept in your heart because childhood years.
Check out my program called MANIFEST if you actually wish to study some deep healing that will assist take your life to the following level.
7. Find out to like your money and commemorate prosperity
If you see a small coin on the ground in the parking area I desire you to pick it up as well as light beam with appreciation. You require to say thanks to the Universe for the prosperity. Following time you obtain a paycheck I want you to do a little dance of joy.
Just bear in mind: When you commemorate prosperity it multiplies. Deep space adores it when individuals celebration up a tornado when money rolls in. It suggests visibility, willingness, and of being an energetic participant in the development of your consciousness.
8. Determine and also obtain imaginative with the way you want to draw in wealth
You can’t sit on top of a hill practicing meditation and also anticipate a billions bucks to come under your lap. You should take inspired action. What are manner ins which you could joyously create extra income? Could you make art and also offer it on Etsy? Could you do some babysitting job? Could you make as well as sell jam at a regional market?
Simply remember: You need to provide on your own approval to open the area in your life to receive the energetic exchange of wealth.
9. Fake it until you make it
One of the most entertaining ways to immerse yourself in the energy of wealth is by “pretending” that you’re living life the method you would certainly wish to be living. My hubby and I like to go as well as see multi-million buck homes or go as well as have a look at the specs on luxury automobiles. The whole idea is to immerse yourself in the power of success, since it sticks to your aura and magnifies the more you play the game.
10. Surround on your own with motivation
When you produce room and time in your life to border yourself with ideas then you actively start to take part in the vibration of that point. If you read books on success, you begin to use a different regularity out to the Universe that will certainly recover to you.
Ideas can come in several forms. There are numerous quantities of books in the collection and also numerous uplifting videos of YouTube. And the best component is that inspiration is quite often TOTALLY FREE and bordering you almost everywhere you look.
11. Develop a vision board
Vision boards obtained substantial popularity after being mentioned in the hit film ‘The Secret’ back in 2006. Throughout the years I have actually had incredible success utilizing this very powerful strategy to bring my needs to life. It’s really fun as well as can be really reliable.
Once in awhile I like to establish new intents by making a brand-new vision board. I recommend you do this at the very least two times per year.
I enter into the imaginative process of manifesting by scanning publications and also removing images that trigger motivation in my heart. I activate some delighted songs, put myself a glass of a glass of wine and also truly allow myself innovative space to fantasize big.
12. Keep track of what you spend and also what you ‘d like to invest
Try this enjoyable exercise of maintaining 2 listings. One is for points that you need to invest cash on each day and the various other listing is your “wealth checklist”. This is the things that you’re mosting likely to “mentally” acquisition daily with consciousness as your cash money. As you do this, your success state of mind will increase.
13. Cultivate deep appreciation for whatever
Appreciation is a transformative power. When you seek points to appreciate (such as what you already have) after that deep space will certainly award you by offering you a lot more points to be thankful for. Make it your daily technique, it will actually transform whatever.
14. Utilize the power of affirmations to imprint your subconscious mind
The human mind is a wonderful and elaborate computer. It can be programed with anything you desire.
When you proactively and also awareness pick to attest certain expressions and beliefs after that you start to rewire your thinking as well as produce a far better life for yourself. Check out my affirmations web page for more inspiration to release those pesky wealth blocks.
Manifest Money Fast with the Abundance Alchemy using the power of affirmations.
15. Feel deserving
The underlying source of self-sabotage in a person’s life is unquestionably not feeling worthwhile sufficient. We often tend to develop unnecessary drama or obstacles that avoid us from developing right into our full capacity.
We may establish New Year’s resolutions that die soon after they have actually been established and afterwards want to start the diet once more on Monday or save money starting next month etc.
All it requires to rise above this epidemic of absence of merit is to pick a far better path in each momment we exist with. Pick to love yourself a little much deeper, select to support you heart and a little more difficult and watch the magic occur and unfold.
  If you enjoy the concept of playing an enjoyable game with deep space and you’re ready to invite more success and wealth into your life then I would certainly like for you to try my Old Materializing Routine that has been used by over 5,000 of my showing up trainees.
Have a look at a few of the success tales here. They will offer you the exhilaration you need to open the circulation of prosperity.  So Manifest Money Fast with the Abundance Alchemy.
  Money Manifestation FAQ
How can I instantly manifest money?
Before you break the bank, try these ways to manifest emergency money. Count Money. Imagine you hold in your hands all the money you need. ... Believe you can manifest money quickly. Like all things with the Law of Attraction, it begins with your thoughts. ... It's raining money. ... Be childlike. ... Be positive.
How do I ask the universe for money?
Here are the steps on how to ask the universe for money: Be crystal clear and specific on what you want. The exact amount. ... Visualize and feel how you feel when having your desire already, beforehand. ... Let go of how and when your desire will manifest. ... Take inspired action towards your desire!
Can you really manifest money?
So, in sum: for most people who want to manifest money, the reason why success doesn't immediately arrive is simple. The concept of money comes with a lot of baggage, and that baggage can block your positive intentions! In contrast, people who believe they can attract money will do so.
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