#but we have been having a surprisingly good time
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Acts of Service
The voices are still whispering and @dustofthedailylife may or may not have implanted some brainrot as we both sat and mutually gushed about how blade is a misunderstood wet dog of a man.
Blade x Reader (gn, no actual gender mentioned)
SFW, fluff and Comfort ig...honestly I dont really knoww hat to tag this one as other than just...my own ramblings abt how blade isnt just a bloodthirsty killer just LOOK AT HIM PLEASE-
Not proofread, 1.2K words
When asked about Blade, most everyone would reply that he is cold, standoffish and intimidating. He looks like the kind of man who wouldn’t hesitate to end you if you accidentally put pickles on his burger.
The Stellaron Hunters would say otherwise; sure, he looks intimidating, but he’s actually a calm, thoughtful guy. The kind of man who, after several years of living with solely women, doesn’t even question when Silver Wolf, Kafka or Firefly ask him if he can go to the store, he already knows, hell- half the time, he’s already got what they need, and if he doesn't? He knows what they want before they even say it.
He’s more attentive than people give him credit for, like a cat, lingering in the corner, but keeping watch over his territory and those he has deemed ‘his’ people. A wallflower some might say…just...one that would occasionally lash out if he deemed someone’s presence unworthy or unwelcome.
He is far sweeter than people believe, the rumours about his bloodthirsty and violent nature, and the bounty to match only serving to cover up the man beneath, the man he keeps out of the public eye the most.
Because for you? For you, he’s never been anything but attentive and kind.
He would never say it, but everything he does for you screams the lengths he would go, he would move mountains for you, destroy planets, solar systems, entire galaxies if he had to.
It was in how he touched you; bandaged fingers always always careful, no matter how many times you assured him that you were not made of glass. It wasn't fear, you think, that kept him in this state, more like a reverence, like he was a child, and you were his most precious treasure, something he would not, or could not dare break, fold or crease.
It was the way he always leaned his head down whenever you spoke to him, not condescending, but acknowledging. Even if his eyes were elsewhere, he always makes a point to let you know he’s listening. He takes your suggestions to heart always, he listens to your woes, sometimes he will offer words of encouragement, and sometimes he will offer his sword, if that was what would rid you of your problem faster.
(you had yet to take him up on the offer of the sword)
It was the way he cooked, despite seldom eating himself. He claims that food is simply nutrients for his body, and when he eats for himself, it is almost always something plain and easy to procure…but if he had deemed it long enough that you, or the other’s had gone without, he would rise from the couch and cook a meal that was far more complex, he was a surprisingly good cook, Xianzhou cuisine etched into his muscle memory to the point you’re sure he could make some of these dishes with his eyes closed…and yet it was only ever for you, for the girls, for literally anyone he cared enough for but himself, that he would showcase this ability for.
You knew he struggled with memory, with himself, with his past and his present. He never verbally acknowledged it, and you think it’s because he doesn’t want you to worry; but you worry anyway, because it’s Blade, and with all the time and care he puts into you and the other Stellaron Hunters, you think he deserves that much.
He’s far fonder of physical touch than he lets on. He claims he cares little, but the fact he seemingly physically cannot fall asleep unless he’s holding something close to his chest states otherwise. In the privacy of his own quarters with you, it’s rare that you part. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, Blade wants to be a part of it, no matter how big or small. Reading? You find yourself pulled into his lap as he leans against the wall, working on something? There’s usually a hand on your thigh, or an arm wrapped around your waist.
He liked to bite on occasion too. Nothing wholly terrible…a love language with no words. The soft nibbling of teeth along your shoulder as he holds you, or the way he would timetimes lift your hand, just to bite down onto it- this could could mean a thousand different things that he couldn’t say;
’I missed you’.
’Don’t be gone so long, next time.’
’I love you.’
You don’t need to know the exact meaning, his presence, and the act in itself was enough.
Blade liked to claim his body was nothing but a weapon, he did not understand why you saw attraction in it, but he doesn’t stop you either as you carefully unbind the bandages to see him properly.
Nor does he realise that the scars littering his body are far more sensitive than he gave them credit for. Each scar was a story, but a story lost to the mara; his memory too foggy to discern most all of them.
All but one.
His chest, the large, jagged scar that took up near all the space of his right pectoral, long, long since healed over, but still visible. Slightly redder than the rest of his skin, pulled tight, especially just over his heart. You knew, of course, about Dan Feng, about why Blade hunted his reincarnation, but to see the scar made something twist in your gut.
Slowly, you reach out to brush your fingers along the centre, for a brief moment you feel Blade’s rabbiting heartbeat before the man lurches- his hand gripping your wrist like a vice, the pressure only growing stronger as he scowls, you gasp out as you feel your bones creak.
And just like that, the pressure lifts, the wild, frenzied look in his one visible eye fades and you see the rare flicker of concern as he hunches, his hand no longer squeezing, but cradling your wrist as his other arm comes to brace against your back. He looks horrified with himself, at what he’d done.
“I-” He chokes out after a long moment of just…staring. “I didn’t-”
You know, you know he didn’t mean it. You weren’t upset; perhaps a little spooked yes, but not upset. Scars held pain long thought healed, yet no matter how faded, they could still sting.
“It’s ok.” you whisper, lifting your other hand to brush some of his bangs out of the way, catching a rare glimpse of his usually covered eye. He looked like a kicked puppy, like he was expecting you to toss him out in the rain.
You could never.
You don’t need to say anything else, knowing too much reassurance would only lead to Blade second guessing things, so you content yourself with pressing your uninjured hand to his cheek and smiling. Watching as Blade leans down and quietly presses kiss after kiss along the wrist he’d nearly snapped.
It was in these acts of service that he showed he truly cared.
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Wedding Day: Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Harlow.
Series link!
The sound of your alarm violently chirping in your ear beside you let you know it was time to wake up and start getting ready for the day. You had gotten good sleep, with the help of some melatonin gummies and you were ecstatic to start the day.
You had slept at Maggie and Brian’s house, with Jack staying the night at his grandparents. The two of you had agreed at the rehearsal dinner the night prior that you’d be spending the night before the wedding apart. Some of your family and friends using your place as their own personal hotel, in the meantime.
After you showered you sat with Maggie and had a warm tea while she sipped on her coffee. It wasn’t long before hair and makeup would arrive but you wanted to make it a point to make her feel at ease about today. Jack was her eldest son and although he had the world in his hands, he was still her baby.
She sat down beside you, her energy making you feel welcome and at peace, something both she and Jack tended to have in common. She watched you with a smile, “how are you feeling today?” She reached out to touch you, her hand softly resting on top of yours.
“Good! Great, I’m ready!” You nervously giggled, stretching your legs out in front of you. “How are you feeling?” Your question was innocent but laced with worry.
“I’m excited to officially have another woman in this family” she chuckled as Brian entered the house from the garage.
“I’m going to take care of him. You both know that right?” Your eyes stung at the confession, if you were truly sure about anything in life it was how much you love Jack.
“Oh sweetheart, we don’t doubt that even for a second” Maggie wrapped her arms around you, squeezing you tight.
••••
When Jack woke up and started to get ready for the day his grandparents greeted him with big hugs, his grandma pulling his head down to her level to kiss him on the cheek.
“Do you need me to steam your tuxedo one last time baby? We don’t want it to be wrinkled!” Her southern accent was far thicker than Jack's, and it was the first thing you noticed when she spoke.
“Sure, Grandma. Thank you” Jack smiled, handing her the tuxedo from behind the bedroom door.
Jack's grandpa ushered him outside, having a seat on the back patio, taking in the wedding decor. You had picked the prettiest pale pink and white tulip and peony flower arrangements, and Jack was in awe at how beautiful everything looked when it had come together. You had a vision for things that he struggled with, which made for a good balance.
“Today is the day. Are you ready young man?” His grandpa smiled, having shared little moments and all he knew about marriage with Jack over the last couple of months.
“I’ve been ready since the night I met her.” Jack was beaming with joy, surprisingly at ease. There were zero reservations in his mind. He had anticipated that he’d be panicking at this point but the reality had already set in months ago.
The floral arrangements and chairs were set up for the outside ceremony yesterday and there wasn’t all that much to do this morning. Jack wanted to go over all of the details before you and everyone else arrived, he was worried something would go wrong and wanted to make sure things were perfect for you.
Maggie, Brian, and Urban arrived at the same time knowing Jack would need them there for moral support.
“How was she this morning?” Jack immediately ran over to his mom, earning a chuckle from both his parents.
“Well, hello to you too son” Brian laughed giving Jack a playful punch in the arm.
“Sorry! Hi!” Jack blushed, waving to his best friend too. Still waiting and anticipating his mom’s answer as his leg bounced up and down.
“She’s perfect” Maggie smiled, reassuring Jack before he exploded. “I just wanted to see how you were doing before I went back to the house to get ready.”
“Good! I’m good! But, where the hell is Clay?” Jack checked the time although he knew it was nowhere near crunch time.
“He’s nervous” Brian whispered earning a quiet shush from his wife.
“He’s about ten minutes away” Urban smiled softly, as he walked over to Jack. He had just gotten off the phone with Clay before showing up. “I’ll help him unload the cake when he gets here.”
“Please, be careful” Jack begged, his stomach was in knots thinking about anything happening to the three-tier wedding cake he had spent far too much money on.
Just as he said that he could hear the bass of Copelan’s car as he pulled into the driveway, with a few cars following behind him. All of Jack's groomsmen had arrived at the same time, Clay included with the cake.
Jack's phone began to ring, making him almost jump out of his skin. He had hoped to hear from you but knew that wasn’t likely based on the conversation you had at rehearsal dinner last night.
“Hey Neelam, what’s up?” Jack pretended to be laid back but everyone in his inner circle knew him better than that, Copelan and Urban exchanging glances.
“Hey, does Maggie still want me to pick her up from your grandma's before I head over to y/n? I couldn’t get a hold of her and I’m leaving here soon.”
“Mom, is your phone off?” Jack was starting to feel the anxiety creeping up, his neck was growing red and he suddenly felt like his T-shirt was too tight.
“No?” She looked at her phone and realized she had a ton of missed messages. “The sound was off! Sorry!”
“Yes Neelam- come get her” Jack playfully laughed it off moving her to speaker phone as he looked over the picture frames in the living room with your engagement photos.
“Oh, and your fiancé wanted me to let you know that you, your dad, and all your groomsmen have a deep tissue massage appointment in about 45 minutes. A group of masseuses are coming to your grandparent's house” Neelam was excited to tell him, that you had planned this as your gift to him from the start.
Jack was speechless for a brief moment. “Tell her I can’t wait to fucking marry her” he excitedly said through his teeth before hanging up.
Maggie couldn’t help but giggle, she had known about that secret. She had been keeping a secret from the both of you.
“Do you have that little gift box for y/n?” Jack nervously whispered to his mom, giving her wide eyes as she, your mom, and Brian were the only other people to know what his mystery gift to you was.
“Yes, I have it in my purse” She instinctively brushed his curls out of his face before showing him the small silver box she had hidden at the bottom of her purse.
“I’m going to give it to her in private after the ceremony” Jack sighed, taking the box from his mom and shaking it nervously so it made a sound.
••••
Both your mom and Maggie helped tie the corset backing of your wedding dress tighter as you examined your bridal hair and makeup in the mirror.
Layla stood behind you, trying her best not to cry as she took you in, the both of you facing the mirror. You had been best friends for the majority of your life, been through all the awkward phases, held hands through trying times, and now she got to stand beside you on the most important day of your life thus far.
“The limo will be here in about five minutes” Maggie looked at the time stamp she had received over text for a final time.
“Your fiancé is so extra” Neelam teased as she lightly elbowed you with a smile.
“He said we have to and I quote…” you held up your hands to do finger quotes “You can’t show up to your wedding in a regular car, everyone has to ride in style” you mimicked his deep voice making the room roar with laughter.
Layla, your mom, Neelam, Maggie, and a few of Jack’s cousins who quickly became close friends were holding their bouquets, you and Jack had agreed to have a small wedding party although they wouldn’t be standing at the altar beside you.
You started to feel the nerves settle in once you picked up your vow book, flipping through the pages upon pages of nervous scribbles, bending the corner of the small booklet a bit.
When the limousine was outside, you quickly sprayed yourself with perfume one final time before placing a small travel-size perfume bottle into one one of the many bags you were taking to Jack's grandparents. Your hair and makeup team would also be joining you for touch-ups for the big day.
Your mother and soon-to-be mother-in-law along with Layla held your dress so it wouldn’t get dirty and helped you get in and sit as comfortably as possible in the limo.
The drive to Jack's grandparents was only about ten minutes, fifteen with traffic. You were quiet, thinking about how the day would go when Layla grabbed hold of your hand and gave it a light squeeze bringing you back to reality.
You flashed her a timid smile, “I can’t believe I’m getting married today” A faint whisper came out of you earning a sympathetic smile from your best friend.
“You two are perfect for each other” Layla whispered in return leaning her head on your shoulder.
When everyone got out of the limo Maggie rushed inside to make sure Jack wouldn’t see you in your dress upon arrival. Urban quickly met you outside to greet you and take a few photos of everyone arriving.
“Hi, Urb! You look great!” you excitedly squealed before hugging him. He was in a suit, and his hair was up, leaving some messy pieces in the front.
“Hi y/n. You clean up pretty good yourself” he chuckled before stepping back to take some photos of you and the girls.
“Hi Layla” he spoke to her in a sing-songy tone.
“Hi Urb” she mumbled as she bit back a smile.
“How’s he doing?” You didn’t want to pry too much but you had to know what he was like today to settle your nerves.
“Surprisingly calm. Considering he was a-Wait, what did you guys call him?” He stopped to think of the nickname you had given him during the wedding planning process.
“Groom-Zilla” Layla chimed in making everyone giggle as you finally got the all-clear from Maggie to enter the house.
“Yeah, considering he was a groom-zilla the last couple of months, today is the happiest and calmest I’ve ever seen him” Urban was speaking to you but his eyes were set on Layla as everyone walked inside.
Layla pretended not to notice, she didn’t want to make this day about her. She turned toward you, “Are we still doing the pictures of you and Jack holding hands?”
“Oh yeah? I still want to do those pictures where he’s on one side of the door and I’m on the other, we don’t see each other but we hold hands and silently pray together” You explained to Urban.
“Yes! He reminded me about that this morning! Let me go get him in position and then I’ll come get you.” Urban rushed off, and Layla's eyes followed.
“You should talk to him today” you broke her focus.
Layla nervously giggled, “About what?”
“I think he misses you too” You had known for a fact that he did, having had numerous conversations with him over the last couple of months.
“We just started being friends again. I don’t want to make things weird” Layla sighed as Urban made his way toward you holding his hand out to guide you to the room as you quickly grabbed Layla for moral support.
Urban made sure you and Jack didn’t see one another, guiding you to your side of the door.
“Can we have the room for a minute?” Jack was quick to question as Layla and Urban agreed and waited outside of the room.
“Baby?” Jack held his hand out to reach for you and you intertwined your fingers immediately.
“Hi,” you let out a shaky breath feeling much more at ease in his company.
“I love you so much” Jack sighed. “I want to look at you so bad.”
“Same to both parts” you giggled nervously. “Let’s pray together before Urban starts taking pictures.”
Jack was more of a spiritual person, but he knew how much this meant to you so he bowed his head and held your hand tight, the both of you talking to a higher power in your head.
Both of you had your eyes closed and had no clue Urban was already taking pictures as he slowly entered the room. He found it more natural to take those shots candidly.
Layla stood beside him, careful not to make a sound as he changed the settings on his camera. She admired how much Urban loved his craft, knowing what it meant to be passionate about something.
When both of you opened your eyes and noticed them standing there you squeezed Jack's hand and he brushed yours with his thumb.
“Candids photograph better” Urban gave you both a gentle smile.
Clay had entered the room to let Jack know it was time to get into position. “Wedding starts in ten minutes, dad wants you out there to look everything over.”
“See you out there Mrs. Harlow!” Jack hollered excitedly making you giggle to yourself as both Clay and Urban made sure he didn’t peek at you as he made his way to his grandparent's backyard to stand at the alter.
Your family and friends rushed into the room, as Urban followed Jack and Clay outside. Your mom was the first person by your side.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to walk you down the aisle?” She was hopeful you’d change your mind but you were set on walking alone toward Jack.
“I’m sure! I just want this to be relaxing for everyone” You smiled, not wanting to give anyone designated jobs to do.
••••
Ten minutes flew by in a matter of what felt like seconds as you stood behind the hand-made flower wall in Jack's grandparents' backyard.
You held your bouquet close to your chest, taking a deep breath to yourself as you tried to remember Layla and Urban had both your vow books and rings.
You heard the opening notes to the piano version of “Here Comes the Sun” begin to play and the lump in your throat became more prominent. All of your guests stood to their feet as they waited as the two sides of the flower wall moved apart to reveal you walking toward Jack.
The chatter outside from your guests is immediately silenced, with all eyes on you. The only person you saw was Jack who was struggling to fight back tears already as you walked toward him.
Jack was left speechless, the way your dress hugged your curves, the way your hair laid on your shoulders. He noticed everything and every detail. You were wearing the light blue Van Cleef anklet he had bought you as your “something blue.” He had only seen it slightly peeking from under your dress, your wedding shoes making you slightly taller but not by much. He shifted his balance from one foot to the next, eager for you to finally be standing in front of him.
Your mom had a seat at the end of the walkway, standing up and “giving you away” to Jack as she kissed him on the cheek.
“I’ll take care of her, I promise” he whispered, as he unsuccessfully fought back tears. You wiped his cheek giving him a sympathetic smile as he helped you onto the alter to stand across from him. You didn’t expect him to cry, especially in front of everyone which took you by surprise, pulling on your heartstrings.
Jack's grandpa had gotten ordained online and was the person set to marry the both of you, he was waiting with Jack at the alter, as everyone else took their seats.
“We are gathered here on this beautiful day to join Jackman Harlow and Y/N Y/L/N as two hearts become one. This is a day of great celebration, as a married life - a shared life - is life’s biggest blessing.” His grandpa smiled at his grandma making you and Jack giggle to yourselves.
“Always remember these very important words. Love is patient and love is kind. Love is not jealous, love is not boastful or too proud. Love is understanding, nurturing and did I mention patient?” Jack's grandpa lightly nudged you earning a laugh from the crowd as Jack's face turned red with embarrassment.
“It is to my understanding that the two of you have chosen to read your own vows today?”
The both of you nodded, as Jack's grandpa handed him the microphone first.
Jack cleared his throat nervously, as he spoke into the mic. “You’d think I’d be used to holding this and it wouldn’t be intimidating but…” he made a face clenching his teeth with wide eyes to show he was nervous which made the room chuckle.
Urban attempted to hand Jack his vow book which he subtly declined.
“Before meeting you, I spent a lot of time searching for that specific feeling. That feeling that everyone describes, that can’t breathe without you, can’t sleep without you kind of feeling. I used to hear my friends and family describe love and I’d think to myself “That’s intense, how do you know when you feel it?” I never thought I’d get to experience a love story told so vividly. I knew I was wrong about that the moment I met you.” His voice started to shake as he bounced back and forth on his feet.
“I used to think that we met by accident, that maybe we just got lucky but as time went on I realized that the universe makes no mistakes. You have provided a safe space for me, a home within a person. I know that loving you is a privilege and will spend the rest of my life protecting, honoring, and giving you the love you deserve. I promise to be more mindful about keeping the toilet seat down, to remember to rinse the sink of my beard trimmings, and to put my dirty socks in the hamper.” Jack snorted knowing you’d love that part.
“On a more serious note, you have shown me what true love feels like and I will spend the rest of my life giving you all that you deserve in return.”
You blinked away tears, trying your best to keep it together knowing you had to speak next. The tears rolling down Jack's cheeks made it hard to focus, as you reached out to wipe his face with a swipe of your finger.
Jack gave you the microphone with a shaky hand. “Now you go! Before everyone notices how red my eyes are.” He said it loud enough for the microphone to catch making you and the crowd giggle.
“It’s just allergies” Clay whispered to the crowd making everyone erupt with laughter.
“Thanks, bro” Jack whispered back with a wink.
You were nervous to speak in front of your family and friends, earning a sympathetic smile from Jack who mouthed to you “Take your time.”
You opted to speak from the heart as well, remembering most of your vows anyway.
“I’m standing here in front of you today, confessing to you that I wholeheartedly know you are the best thing that has ever happened to me.” Your voice cracked immediately, and Jack reached for your free hand instinctively.
“I can recall the exact moment that I fell in love with you. It wasn’t a slow burn, it didn’t happen over a long period of time, it felt instantaneous. I remember being the first to tell you I love you and worrying at how you’d react not knowing you and I had been on the same wavelength the entire time.”
“Orlando” he whispered earning a huge smile from you as he remembered exactly where you had said it for the first time.
“Being so in love with a man who is so considerate, loving, intelligent, hard-working, compassionate, kind and caring makes me want to be a better person each and every day. You remind me every day to plant my feet where I’m standing, and take a moment throughout the madness to breathe.” You turned the mic off and handed it to Layla, grabbing both of his hands and speaking directly to him.
“It is a privilege to love you, to spend the rest of my days with you. To watch you grow as a person and grow with you, to start a family with you, to experience everyday life with you. I can’t wait for unlimited dance parties…” a giggle came from the both of you recalling all the times Jack forced you to dance with him.
“I can’t wait to grow old and gray with you, even if you’ve already started without me.” You pointed to the few gray hairs he had poking out of his curls making him blush.
“I promise with me you’ll always have a partner to go through life with. I vow to dream big with you, laugh with you, celebrate with you, protect and comfort you, and walk beside you through whatever life brings.”
“I love you” Jack mumbled as the both of you were trying your best to hold back tears.
You turned to Layla giving the microphone back to Jack's grandpa as he handed both you and Jack a tissue.
“You guys aren’t supposed to cry!” Jack's grandpa teased as you both laughed through it.
“Thank you for sharing your vows with all of us. The rings you are about to place on each other's fingers are symbols of the love you share. They will remind you of the vows you have just spoken, and of the eternal love that you have for one another."
Jack's hands trembled as he spoke “Y/N, I give you this ring as a sign of my love.” You held your left hand out as Jack slid the ring on your finger.
“Jackman, I give you this ring as a sign of my love” You slid his sterling silver wedding band on, opting for a small subtle round diamond embedded into it.
"By the power given to me by marriage ministries and by the state of Kentucky, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride!” Jack's grandpa spoke to Jack directly knowing he was waiting for the cue as everyone cheered.
Jack took your face into his hands carefully as the two of you had your first kiss as husband and wife. Music started to play but you two weren’t done, earning excited roars from your family and friends as you finally broke apart and started walking down the aisle hand in hand and back into Jack's grandparent's house.
Urban made sure to get a lot of pictures at the ceremony knowing that the two of you wanted to take a moment to yourselves as the event staff and your loved ones helped move chairs and tables around for the dinner and reception that followed.
You couldn’t keep your eyes or hands off one another, having kissed nonstop since you were alone.
“I’m never taking this off!” You excitedly wiggled your ring finger at him before he leaned in for another kiss.
“Your vows were so sweet” he hummed, admiring your hand with your ring and kissing it.
“Yours made me want to ugly cry” you joked making him scrunch his nose at you as he stifled a laugh, fidgeting with the small gift box in his pocket.
“Is it too soon to talk about baby names?” The smirk on his face let you know he was only joking but it still gave you butterflies to think about.
“I might say never mind to that whole timeline we discussed after seeing how good you look in this suit” You ran your fingers over his lapel.
His entire face got rosy pink, one of your favorite things about him. It didn’t matter how often you complimented him, he still felt his entire face warm up at all of the sweet things you’d say.
“Can you help me change into my other dress, husband?” You remembered you had a much shorter second dress to change into, thankful that Jack talked you into getting a second dress as it was already feeling humid today.
“You didn’t even have to ask. Let’s go wifey!” He wiggled his eyebrows at you as you both made your way into the bedroom to change dresses.
••••
When you and Jack made your arrival back outside everything looked completely different. Your loved ones and the event planners really outdid themselves, making your vision come to life.
There was a designated area for dancing, and dinner was being plated as music played. The two of you walked hand in hand as you greeted everyone before finally getting dinner and taking your designated seats.
“So, you know there’s no going back now, right? You’re stuck with me.” Jack leaned into you as he stole a braised carrot from off your plate.
“Oh no, I’m officially a Harlow now! It’s you who is stuck with me.” You smiled before you noticed Urban and Layla waiting in line to take pictures in the Photo Booth, Jack followed your gaze.
“I think we’ll be attending their wedding next” Jack seemed confident, making you wonder what made him so sure.
“You’re my husband so that means you can’t lie to me” You leaned against his shoulder, smiling as you gave him a guilt trip. “What do you know that you’re not telling me?”
Jack ran his tongue against his cheek, trying to buy time as he thought of a response.
“Jackman Thomas-“
“Woah, not the government” he sipped his drink before turning to you. “All I know is that Urban and Layla have been texting a lot lately and he was super excited that she was his partner for the pictures and everything today” he threw his hands up defensively.
“Layla seemed happy about it too” you admitted, still unsure about how things would work between them with Layla still living in Atlanta.
It wasn’t long before it was time for your first dance. You and Jack had gone back and forth over two songs finally deciding on John Mayers song XO.
It was surreal when it was announced as your first dance as a married couple, you felt completely enamored by love as Jack took your hand, he had finally shed his suit jacket and was wearing his white button-up and classic black tie.
“We should’ve taken some dance classes or something” you mumbled as you both awkwardly stumbled over one another.
“Everyone probably thinks we’re drunk, and that’s the lie we’ll tell” he winked as you nodded in response and you swayed back and forth with him.
When the second song started to play, the opening beat gave you a moment to invite everyone else to slow dance with you as well.
Savage Gardens “I Knew I Loved You”’ started to play.
“Maybe it’s intuition, somethings you just don’t question…” Jack started to sing the song playing to you as he brushed your hair out of your face.
“Like in your eyes, I see my future in an instant” you continued to sing as all of your guests joined in with you two.
Eventually, the music changed, speeding up to a higher tempo, Jack had been waiting to find the right moment to tell you about the box in his pocket but the night was flying by.
“Is it almost time to cut the cake?” Jack checked his watch, and you knew he was keeping track of time for a reason.
“What’s going on in there?” You poked his forehead, catching him off guard as he gave you an exaggerated look of disapproval.
“Nothing! I just want to make sure we do all the steps. We have fireworks at the end of the night too, remember?”
You looked at him with wide eyes, “I thought you said we couldn’t do that?”
“I may have pulled some strings” he shrugged as he looked at you with adoration as you excitedly jumped up and down, tugging at his white button-up shirt.
“You’re sneaky! ” You teased as you both walked over to the cake to start cutting it together.
Jack knew you’d be singing the same tune again later once he gave you the house key that was burning a metaphorical hole in his pocket. He had been spending the last few months wedding planning and simultaneously house hunting for the two of you.
You struggled to cut the cake with Jack quickly taking over, you were weary he would try to be “traditional” and smash cake in your face knowing his boyish goofy personality came through at times but he didn’t want to ruin your bridal makeup. He swiped some frosting off the piece he had just cut and opted to let you lick it off his finger instead.
You felt your face grow warm, making wide eyes at him at the suggestive gesture in front of everyone. He couldn’t help himself as he made eye contact with his friends, a loud boisterous chuckle escaping him as he hunched over with laughter.
Druski never failed to make Jack laugh like that and the second they made eye contact you knew what was up. “You two are childish!”
Druski couldn’t help himself as he walked back to the table with you and Jack. “You just going to suck my man's finger like that in front of his grandma? That's crazy!”
“Your man? He’s my man now” You held up Jack's left hand to show off his ring and Jack gave him a smug smile in return.
“Okay, I see you little miss Harlow” Druski laughed before letting the two of you know he had to leave to make it to his next show.
Layla, Urban, Clay, and Copelan joined you and Jack as you sat down to eat your wedding cake. Your other friends sat at their own table in the distance.
The night was coming to a close as some of the older guests started to leave.
Jack had a smile on his face as he watched you interact with your loved ones. You had a way of embracing everyone as if you had known them for years and he was always so in awe of you.
The fireworks started to illuminate the sky as you went over to your husband, wrapping your arm around his waist as you leaned into him.
“Do your feet hurt?” He noticed you still had your wedding shoes on.
“Kind of. I forgot to bring those other shoes.” You adjusted yourself again to leaning against him.
“Just take them off, we are in the grass anyway. Want me to help you?”
You nodded as he bent down to help you, a small box falling out of his pocket.
He hadn’t noticed until you pointed to it, “what’s that?”
Maggie and your mom had walked over to the two of you bringing you some sparklers as Urban was prepared to take pictures, your eyes still on Jack who looked relieved at the interruption. He put the box in his pocket and handed you two sparklers, Urban quickly lighting them both.
You decided not to push, knowing he’d explain when he was ready and not wanting to ruin the moment. The two of you giggled with one another as you used the sparklers to write your names with a heart.
“Today was perfect” You let out a sigh of relief as you both dropped your sparklers into a bucket of water left to the side for that very reason.
“Follow me?” Jack took your hand as the two of you went into a private area on the side of the house. You were looking up at the fireworks when Jack took the small box out of his pocket.
“I know you saw this fall out of my pocket earlier, and I planned to give it to you when the night was over but I think now is the perfect time” he handed you the box.
“Jack? What is this?” You looked up at him as the fireworks continued to fill the sky.
“Open it” he tried to hide his excited grin but failed as you untied the small silver ribbon that held the box together.
A small gold key was inside, and your breath hitched.
“What is this?”
“It’s where we are staying tonight!” Jack wasn’t sure if you understood what was going on just yet.
“Like an Airbnb?” You knew you’d be leaving for your honeymoon tomorrow and didn’t want to assume anything drastic.
Jack couldn’t help but laugh, knowing you hadn’t connected the dots until you looked up at him with teary eyes.
“Is this? Jack- is this?” You started to cry waiting for his confirmation.
“I bought us a house.” He was so proud, knowing that this was the first house both of you had ever owned. He puffed his chest out as he said it.
“You bought us a house? You bought us a house? A fucking house?” You were excitedly babbling as you held the key in your hand. An excited squeal erupted from your belly as you jumped on him, almost making him lose his balance before he wrapped his arms around you to hold you better.
“We get to stay there tonight before we leave for our honeymoon, and while we are gone the apartment will be packed up by our friends and family.”
“You planned all of this? I’m- I’m so speechless.” You had no words, only gratitude as the tears continued to fall from your eyes.
“Are you happy baby?” He already knew the answer, your reaction said it all as you peppered his face with kisses.
“Of course! I am beyond happy! I love you. I love you so much you beautiful, beautiful man” You squeezed his cheeks with your hands as you kissed him, the sky illuminating with the finale of the fireworks show behind you.
“I think he just told her about the house” Maggie whispered to your mom and Brian as the two of them sneakily watched in the distance.
“Finally! That was the hardest secret I’ve ever had to keep” your mom laughed as both Maggie and Brian agreed, clinking their glasses together before taking a good-luck sip.
••••••••••
A/N: If you’ve made it this far, thank you so much! This series is my biggest accomplishment on tumblr and I’m very proud of it. Thank you to everyone who has supported my work/ this series. It definitely doesn’t go unnoticed. ◡̈
#Jack Harlow#Jack Harlow series#Jack Harlow x reader#jack harlow concepts#jack harlow imagines#jack harlow blurb#Jack Harlow fanfic
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That Sunday, That Summer
Summary: Kelly's roommate Bianca talks her into participating in a celebrity charity scavenger hunt that Harry Styles surprisingly attends.
Warnings: None! This is pure fluff!
Word Count: 6.1k+
A/N: Inspired by the Nat King Cole song. Harry x OC, written in first person. Originally posted in 2020 (I was not writing reader fics then).
If I had to choose just one day...
I hadn't planned on going. Sundays were usually reserved for me time. And this particular week had been grueling; I needed the day to chill and unwind. Besides, the new novel I'd decided to pick up on my way home on Tuesday was calling my name.
But Bianca had insisted I join her.
"It's for a good cause," she whined that Saturday evening after dinner as I loaded the dishwasher. "You'd be helping people, and isn't that what you're all about?"
I chewed on the inner side of my cheek. My roommate knew my weaknesses and soft spots.
"I hear a few celebrities are even joining in," Bianca added, wiggling her eyebrows.
I chuckled. "Celebrities are interested in spending their Sunday going on a scavenger hunt?"
"If it's for charity, yeah. Besides, we have an odd number of people who've signed up. If the teams aren't even, it won't be fair!"
Turning to look at her, I put my hand on my hip. "And what if I show up and so does someone else, and it's still uneven?"
Bianca rolled her eyes and groaned. "Pleeease Kel! You'd be doing me a huge favor if you go!"
"Why's that exactly?" I questioned.
"Because...I sort of already signed you up."
So that Sunday morning in early June, I reluctantly got out of bed way before the time I normally would, and by nine a.m., I was standing in an empty parking lot next to Bianca as we waited for instructions. The sun was still behind a cluster of clouds, allowing for a mild morning, but I knew within a couple hours I would be sweating through my t-shirt.
"So...when do we get this show on the road?" I asked Bianca impatiently.
"I think we're still waiting...on some people..." she muttered, looking around at the group that had gathered before gesturing toward the tall woman wearing a headset and holding a tablet. "Then Marla will divide us into teams."
"Great," I sighed.
"C'mon girl, it's gonna be fun," Bianca smiled, looping her arm through mine.
Holding back a yawn, I watched as Marla turned suddenly, and a string of people exited the building behind her.
"Holy shit!" I exclaimed, recognizing the familiar faces.
"I told you!" Bianca giggled, squeezing my arm.
"Yeah but...I didn't think..."
It wasn't completely unheard of to come across a celebrity now and then. Not in Los Angeles. I'd seen a few since moving there. But they'd usually been out of reach, just a glimpse for a millisecond before I had time to digest who it was, and they were out of sight.
I caught the blush in Marla's cheeks as she turned toward the crowd again, and the line of famous faces took their places on either side of her.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for coming!" she announced into her microphone. "For this very special event, for a worthy cause, we've had the overwhelming pleasure of recruiting these six very kind, and very generous people to join us. Please give a warm welcome to..."
My mind was in a fog. I heard Marla announce the names, each celebrity nodding and waving, but it sounded far away, like at the end of a tunnel in some celestial world in a dream. This couldn't be real.
But yet, here they were. Right in front of me. Swallowing hard, I finally made my own connections in my brain as to whom they were: a mix of actors, musicians and other personalities. But it was the man who stood on the far right that I was most in awe over. Dimples displayed on his cheeks as he smiled, dark stubble adorning his handsome face, curls all a mess around his head resembling a disheveled halo, he looked like an angel.
"Can you believe Harry fucking Styles is here?" I suddenly heard Bianca squeal in my ear, like the pop of a balloon.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I exhaled through my teeth.
"I actually didn't know for sure. There were rumors, but I didn't wanna get my hopes up."
The two of us listened to Marla as she explained how the game was played, and what the ultimate goal was. Though it was a competition, we had to remember it was for charity, and to have fun.
"We will now divide into six teams," she said before addressing the celebrities again. "If the team captains wouldn't mind calling out the names on your lists."
The first actor took the mic, calling out his team. Neither Bianca nor I were called. I felt her arm slip from mine as she took my hand instead, threading our fingers. Three more celebrities created their teams, leaving just two, with Bianca and I yet to have made a team.
"I think I'm gonna be sick," I muttered, trying to take in a deep breath.
"I feel ya girl," whispered Bianca. "But hey, even if we don't get Harry, it's okay, right?"
"Of course," I chuckled, though it was a feeble attempt.
When the woman standing next to Harry read off her list of names, and Bianca and I were not on it, I felt like I could pass out.
"Please tell me you had something to do with this, B!"
"I swear, I didn't!" she promised with wide eyes. "I helped with the scheduling and all, but I didn't have anything to do with the teams or the celebrities. I'm not that lucky."
"I guess that means the rest of you lot are mine," I heard Harry say with a giggle.
Bianca and I eyed each other, letting out giggles of our own. Calling out the final names, I heard Harry say ours, his sweet accent making mine sound better than I'd ever heard it spoken before.
In a momentary daze, I'd forgotten what to do next until I felt Bianca jabbing me in the side to get me to move. Following the other members of our team, we gathered near Harry as he began to greet everyone individually. Mentally shaking off some nerves, I psyched myself into believing he was just another person, like anyone else.
"Hi, I'm Kelly," I said when it was my turn, holding out my hand.
"Hello Kelly, I'm Harry."
I shouldn't have looked at his face then, because his eyes were blinding. Like magnets, they seemed to pull me in until I felt as though I was melting down a precipice of oozing syrup and honey. Nope, definitely not like anyone else. Help.
Whether I'd muttered the word aloud or not, I'll never know, but Bianca came to my rescue as she introduced herself as my friend as well as a member of the charity organization. Releasing my hand, Harry smiled and shook hers, declaring he was happy to meet us all and have us on his team. After Marla made her final announcements, Harry turned to his group, cutting the tension by making a joke and causing us all to laugh.
"Let's have fun, alright?" he suggested, lifting the papers in his hand and handing them out. "Looks like there's some pretty easy things on this list, others not so much. But we'll do our best."
"I already have something on this list," announced another woman on our team, reaching into her purse. Producing a Dum Dum, she beamed. "Lollipop!"
"Good job, Trisha," grinned Harry. "Hold onto that, and we can check that off our list."
Trisha's face went red as she dropped the candy back into her bag and drew an X on her paper. I smiled to myself, knowing that not only was she proud of her finding, but that Harry had remembered her name so quickly.
"Now, shall we venture out?" Harry asked, turning for the sidewalk.
With unanimous nods, the five of us followed Harry, stopping at the corner.
"Are we supposed to stay as a group?" asked one of the men, whose name I'd learned was Donte.
"I don't think we have to," replied Bianca.
"No, that's up to you," Harry turned to face us. "We just don't wanna double up on anything. That would be a waste of time. So if you wanna split, we'd have to divide up the list."
"I think we should stay together," I piped up. "At least...for now."
"Me too," added Trisha.
"Alright," Harry grinned, our eyes locking again. "Let's see how it goes together for the first hour or so. Then if we need to split up, we will."
Nodding, I bit my lip. I could tell Donte was not happy with my decision, but we'd only just started. I didn't want to risk being separated from Harry already. This was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to me.
As we walked, we all chatted a bit, though it wasn't that easy with six people. The sixth man who made up our group I finally learned was Trisha's fiance, Brian. He was pretty quiet, and I assumed he'd only tagged along for Trisha's sake.
"So it looks like the only rules are that we can't purchase anything," I heard Harry say from the front of the line. "If we find anything we can't take with us, we can take a picture of it."
"Oh good, 'cause look!" I exclaimed, pointing to a chalkboard sign that stood outside of a restaurant. "Ice cream!"
Harry and the rest of the team looked at the sign, noticing the big multi-colored chalk drawing of an ice cream cone. Then turning his head back to me, his green eyes sparking, he smiled, making me melt once again.
"Good one," Harry nodded. "Very clever."
"Thanks!" I beamed, standing up straight with pride.
"Mind taking a picture of that, Kelly?" he asked me.
"Oh, sure," I fumbled with my crossbody bag, digging inside for my phone as the sound of my name from his pillowy lips made me weak in the knees. Finally, retrieving my cell, I snapped a couple of pics from different angles for good measure. As I zipped up my bag again, lifting my head, I saw Harry marking off his list, the rest of the team walking ahead. Looking up at me, his lips stretched into another winning smile.
"Hey guys," I suddenly heard Bianca call. "There's a boutique here. We could probably get one of the shopping bags."
"Oh yeah," I muttered, grabbing my list. We needed three different shopping bags.
"Come with me," she ordered, a slight smirk on her face.
Bianca quickly took me by the hand and led me inside the store, leaving Harry and the others outside.
"Go girl!" she cheered in a loud whisper.
"What?"
"He's into you!"
I rolled my eyes incredulously. "Oh, give me a break."
"I'm serious! After you found the chalkboard, he couldn't stop looking at you. He was still checking you out when I turned around just now."
"He was not checking me out," I scoffed.
"Whatever girl, be in denial." Traipsing off to the register, Bianca asked the cashier for a shopping bag. I pretended to be interested in a display of scarves until she reached the door and gestured for me.
When we stepped outside, however, the crowd seemed to have multiplied. Glancing around in confusion, I quickly learned why. Harry had been spotted. Watching the handful of people getting their photos taken with him, the rest of us waited by the curb.
"Is this gonna happen all day?" inquired Donte.
"He's famous, dude, what do you expect?" said Brian, surprising us all. "It was only a matter of time."
"Yeah, but our time is limited. And if we have to keep stopping..."
Harry strode up to us then, his tall frame casting a shadow on the sidewalk. "Sorry about that. I was trying to hurry it along. Sometimes they get a bit chatty."
"No worries," I smiled.
"I have an idea," Bianca offered. "I say we go ahead and try to mark off all the things on the list that we know we have to do as a group. Like all the group photos and stuff. We can probably get the other two shopping bags as well. Then we can split into pairs."
"Pairs?" I whispered, earning me a wink from her.
"Sounds good to me," Trisha shrugged.
"Me too," Donte echoed.
"I say we head across the street," Bianca pointed. "We can probably get the rest of the shopping bags, and maybe someone can take our picture with someone in uniform."
Waiting for the light to change, I saw the sun come out from behind the clouds for the first time that morning. I sighed, half wishing it would have stayed cool and overcast, but as we crossed the street, I caught Harry putting on his sunglasses, and I changed my mind.
We found the other shopping bags quickly, and as luck would have it, I spotted a woman in Army fatigues coming out of a coffee shop. She was taken aback when we asked her for a photo until we explained what we were doing. With a hesitant smile (and a hug from Harry), she agreed, so we all lined up on either side of her and asked a passerby to take our group picture (who also got one with Harry).
Within the rest of the hour, we were able to find a fast food menu, a napkin from a restaurant, a sale flyer, a photo of someone getting into an Uber, and a picture of a capital V.
"Um...how are we supposed to take a picture of everyone in one bathroom stall?" Trisha asked timidly.
Harry's laugh rang out like a songbird, and had I not been watching where I was going, I might've run into a parking meter. Removing his sunglasses, Harry's green eyes sparkled like diamonds in the sunshine, and the corners crinkled as he chuckled with glee.
"I actually have an idea for that," he began, pointing further down the block. "There's a restaurant down that way that makes amazing tacos. I happen to know the owner, and I also happen to know the men's toilet is very clean and has two stalls. I suggest we break for lunch - my treat, of course - and take our selfie while we're there."
I couldn't stop the smile from spreading on my face, not just from his generosity and cleverness, but the adorable way he pronounced "tacos".
"Aw man, I know that place," said Donte. "And you're right, they got some bad ass tacos."
"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Bianca. "I'm starved!"
Making a beeline for the crosswalk, Bianca and Donte led the group, followed by Trisha and Brian, leaving Harry and me to bring up the rear.
"Having fun so far, Kelly?" Harry inquired as we walked side by side. His close proximity sent electricity to my skin, and I found myself rubbing my right arm, though I was far from cold.
"Very much," I nodded, once again trying to psych myself out. So what if he'd smiled at me? He smiles at everybody. And he's...got a great smile...for heaven's sake! "This is very nice of you."
"Oh, it's my pleasure. I was beginning to think Donte didn't like me very much."
With a giggle, I looked up at him, noticing he'd placed his shades on his head, serving as a headband for his curls.
"I was thinking he wasn't too fond of any of us, to be honest," I commented. "But he seems to have mellowed in the last hour."
"Oh, so you didn't know him already?"
I shook my head. "No. Only Bianca. She's my roommate."
"I see," remarked Harry. "I was under the impression she was with him."
"Who, Donte?" I laughed. "No, they'd never met either."
Tilting his head, Harry seemed to study the pair far ahead of us, then looked back at me. "They seem to be getting along pretty well now."
Watching my friend, I noticed the way she was chatting with Donte, laughing at something he'd said before touching his bicep. If I knew Bianca - and I was sure I did - that was a signature flirting move.
"Yes, they certainly do," I agreed.
Just then, I heard the faint sounds of sneakers pounding on the concrete before I turned to see two young girls running toward us, their chests heaving.
"Oh my God, it's him, it's really him!" one of them screamed.
"Harry, look out!" I warned, afraid they were going to come right at him and knock him over.
"It's alright, love," I heard him say softly before he turned around, his hands out like he was ready to catch someone if need be. "Slow down, please."
"Oh my God, I'm sorry!" the first poor girl choked, already in tears.
"It's really you!" breathed the other one.
"It's me," Harry chuckled low, his kindness turned up a notch. "Hello. How are you?"
"Great, we love you so much!"
"So much! Your album is the best!"
"Thank you, I love you too. Please catch your breath," said Harry. "I don't want anyone to pass out."
"Sorry!" the first girl squeaked, still trying to get her bearings.
"Don't apologize. What's your name?"
"Alicia."
"Chloe," added girl number two.
"Alicia and Chloe, it's lovely to meet you both," Harry said sincerely. "Now, I have something important I'm working on, and I have to get going. Did you want a picture?"
"Please!"
"Yes, please. If you don't mind." Chloe clutched her sparkly phone case in her hand as I stepped up to her.
"I'll take it for you," I offered, holding out my hand. "So you can both be in it."
"Oh, thank you so much!"
With a nod, I took her phone as the three lined up for the photo, Harry putting his arms around each of the girls. Snapping several shots in a row so Chloe had a few to choose from, I then zoomed in a bit and took a few more.
"Here you go," I smiled, giving Chloe her phone back.
"That's so nice of you, thank you!" she said again.
"Of course, no problem," I declared just as I looked down and spotted the girl's shoes. "Harry, look!"
"Ah, you've done it, again!" cheered Harry, nudging my arm.
Alicia and Chloe both looked at us perplexed as I asked, "Mind if I take a picture of your shoes? I'm playing a game, and I need something with a zebra print."
"Um...sure?" Chloe replied hesitantly.
After snapping the photo, we thanked the girls who then thanked Harry again before waving goodbye. Resuming our trek up the sidewalk, Harry spoke.
"That was very nice of you, by the way."
"Oh, it was nothing. Those girls are just like me. I'm a fan too."
"Of mine?" Harry raised a brow.
"Oh heck no, Bradley Cooper!" I chaffed, side-eyeing him to see his reaction before letting out a snicker.
Despite the shake of his head, Harry's dimples were on full display as he laughed at my jab.
"You're funny," he remarked.
I threw my head back, calling out to the sky. "Oh thank God, someone thinks I'm funny! I'm the only person who laughs at my jokes."
With another chuckle, Harry placed his hand on the small of my back. "C'mon, Funny Girl, let's go. The rest of the team is probably already at the restaurant."
While I didn't consider myself a comedian, or even particularly funny, the fact that I'd gotten Harry Styles to laugh was the highlight of my day - perhaps of my life. And though his hand slipped from my waist as quickly as he'd touched it, the tiny gesture was tender and left a feeling of warmth on my skin, even through my t-shirt.
When we reached the restaurant, Harry held the door for me, and just as suspected, the group was already gathered at a table, munching on chips and salsa.
"Where were you slow pokes?" Bianca asked with an unspoken accusation.
Rolling my eyes, I explained about the fans just as Harry arrived at the table with a plump latino man in an apron.
"This is Frederico," he announced in a semi-believable Spanish accent, patting the man on the back. "He makes the best tacos in all of California. And he says we're welcome to as many as we like."
Frederico laughed and nodded in agreement, handing out menus to the table.
"A friend of Harry's is a friend of mine," he declared, making us all cheer.
Our team of six devoured more than two dozen tacos while we shared good conversation. Everyone was glad to hear any story Harry had to share, but he was good at shifting the topic to someone else, wanting to learn more about each of us. Just within that half hour or so, I decided I liked him. Not that I hadn't liked him before. I was a fan after all, despite my joke earlier. But now I was getting to know him a little bit personally, and the vibes he gave off were very pleasant and right up my alley.
"So after this, we break off into pairs, right?" asked Donte.
I took notice of the look he gave Bianca. I almost smirked until Harry's voice answered his query.
"Yeah, I think that's a good idea. That is...if Kelly doesn't mind being my partner."
My eyes wide, I bit my lip as I felt Bianca kick me under the table. Facing Harry, I thought I might melt down my chair like the queso we'd been eating. Though his expression looked nonchalant, not even a twitch of a smile on his lips as he rested his chin in his hand, his eyes seemed to dance with joviality underneath the fluorescent lights.
"Um...sure," I said casually, reaching for my soda. "I don't mind."
I caught a glimpse of his left dimple, pushed back by the tiniest of smirks just before he lifted his glass to his lips. I wondered to myself how long I could possibly continue to stare at him if no one else was at the table. But alas, we were not alone, and I could already feel the blood rushing to my neck as Brian reminded us we still needed to take that group selfie.
Rising from the table, I dropped my paper napkin onto my plate as I watched everyone else walk single file to the restrooms. Suddenly recalling my phobia of confined spaces, I worried I might not be able to include myself in the group photo. Wringing my hands, I grasped at the extra stack of napkins, already feeling myself sweating.
"You coming, Kelly?" I heard a voice ask.
I knew it was Harry's, but I didn't look up at him just yet. Instead, I merely nodded as I dropped the wad of napkins onto the table, slowly making my way around it. Inhaling slowly, I blinked and exhaled in the same fashion.
"Hey. You alright, love?"
"Huh?" This time I lifted my head, Harry's calm face coming into view as I tried to focus. His arm was reaching out for me as I hoped to God the tacos I'd just eaten weren't planning an unfortunate encore.
"Yeah, I'm...fine," I gulped. "I'm just...oh God, how embarrassing..."
"What's wrong, Kelly, are you sick?"
Shaking my head, I wiped at my brow. "No. Just...claustrophobic."
"Shit. We probably shouldn't do this then."
"No, I'll be fine," I argued. "I can do it. For the team."
Harry chuckled as he rubbed my arm. "It's just a game, love. It's one photo. We don't have to take it."
"Come on, guys!" Donte called from the men's room, holding the door open. "The stall is huge! We can definitely all fit in here."
Though Donte's affirmation was reassuring, it was Harry's hand that caressed my forearm from my elbow to my wrist that had the most calming effect. Taking another deep breath as I watched his ringed fingers travel up and down my skin, I nodded.
"Yes, we do have to do this," I told Harry. "I can't let down my team."
Beaming at me like a child at Christmas, Harry pulled me close, squeezing my body against his in a one-armed hug as he placed a sweet kiss on the top of my head.
"Such a trooper, you are," he murmured. "I've got you if anything happens. Stand in front of me, okay?"
Releasing myself from his hold, I gazed up at him and nodded with a smile. Then following Donte into the bathroom, I giggled when I saw the rest of the group already inside the stall. Taking a gander at its size, I felt dumb or ever being nervous. Still, I did as Harry had said, and stood in front of him, facing the stall door. Then because he was the tallest, only by an inch maybe, Brian was the one who lifted his phone and snapped the selfie, all of us looking up and giving our cheesiest grins.
Nobody needed to know, not even Bianca, though she was my friend, and it was probably undetectable in the photo anyway, but Harry had looped his arm around my waist right before Brian snapped the picture. He'd held it there as he'd lifted his other hand to make a peace sign, and continued to keep it there long after he'd dropped that other hand to push my hair from my neck to whisper in my ear, his breath tickling my flesh and sending my heart into orbit.
"You okay?" he asked, his lips practically kissing the back of my ear.
"Yeah," I whispered back.
Oh, yeah. I was more than okay.
"You mentioned you work at a law firm?" Harry inquired after we'd split into pairs and divided up the remainder of the list.
We were walking in a more residential area, and I was hopeful we might be able to find a few domestic items as well as plants or flowers.
"Yeah," I replied, "I'm a paralegal at a medical malpractice firm."
"And you enjoy it?"
I shrugged. "Can't complain. I never really set out to do it or anything, like it wasn't my life's goal. But I started as a receptionist and eventually took some courses and...it's a good job."
"How long have you been there?"
"Seven years." Stopping in my tracks, I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear as I gazed straight ahead. "Jeez, has it been that long?"
Harry chuckled, as I shrugged.
"Anyway," I continued, my feet taking me ahead as well, "like I said, it's a good job. I like the idea of helping people, so it's much better than say, working for a criminal lawyer or something. I'm not sure I could do it knowing the defendant is guilty of a crime."
"But if they weren't, you'd still be helping them," Harry commented.
"I suppose so," I tilted my head. "Some of these families though...they lost loved ones; they're grieving. We're able to give them just a little bit of peace...and that makes me happy."
"You're a good soul, Kelly."
Looking up at him, I smiled. "Thanks. So are you. That's why we're here, right? Or at least you are. I'll admit, Bianca dragged me here. But she knows my weakness."
"Scavenger hunts?" Harry snorted.
"No, silly," I cackled, unable to stop myself from lightly slapping his arm. He didn't seem to mind as his infectious smile remained on his gorgeous face. "Helping people."
"Ohhh, right," he giggled, lifting his finger to scratch his nose. That was when I noticed the adorable way the tip of his nose wiggled when he tried to talk through his laugh. I found myself itching with the desire to kiss it.
"And here I thought maybe you were here because of me," he remarked.
"You? I didn't even know you were coming," I confessed. "That was just...a pleasant surprise."
I caught a miniscule of a blush on his cheeks before he looked down and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Well, I mean...I'm no Bradley Cooper, but..."
Throwing my head back, I laughed heartily. "Oh my God, you're a dork!"
"Heyyyy."
Before I could rebuttal, something caught my eye to the left, so I wandered to a nearby gate where it looked as though the home owners had a garden. When I stepped closer, I saw them, my breath catching.
"Look, Harry!"
I felt his body standing behind mine as his hands wound around the iron bars of the gate. We stared in silence for a few moments, watching the bed of daffodils sway in the breeze.
"Wow, you're good," I finally heard him say.
"Thanks. They're my favorite..." I turned to face him, suddenly realizing how close he was, "...flower."
I could barely see the irises of his green eyes as he looked down at me, his focus on my mouth. I knew it was, because mine was on his. His body was pressed to the front of mine, my back against the gate. If I'd even dared to move, I wouldn't have been able to. His fists remained on either side of me, holding onto the gate as he seemed to lean closer, or perhaps it was wishful thinking. I wondered if he was going to kiss me. I wanted him to, and yet a voice seemed to sing inside my head, telling me to go on and kiss him. Suddenly, his eyelids blinked and his gaze traveled up my face to look me in the eye.
"Um..." he swallowed, "let's...take a picture...of the flowers, I mean."
Releasing his grip on the bars, he stepped back from me. I'd never felt such a cold chill as I cleared my throat and reached for my phone in my bag.
Harry and I continued on our quest after I took the photo, and though we still made small talk, it felt awkward. Or maybe it was just me.
After taking a photo of a lovely lavender wreath on someone's door, I decided to say something that had been on my mind since before the daffodils.
"Harry," I said, in front of the neighbor's hedgerow.
"Yes?" Turning to look at me, he noticed I had stopped. Then walking closer, his mouth turned down with a look of concern on his face. "Something wrong?"
"I just want you to know," I declared sincerely, "that I think you're way better than Bradley Cooper."
His beautiful eyes squinted a mere second before the gorgeous smile grew on his lips. His laugh was delicate, a mix of a chuckle and a giggle, more like a titter...a teehee? A sniggle? Is that even a word? Whatever it was, I adored it, and I was glad I'd caused it.
I dared to step closer to him just as he held a hand out and grabbed mine, pulling me to him.
"You're great, you know that?" he said to me, not really waiting for a response, though I gave one anyway.
"I am?"
With a nod, he brushed my cheek with the back of his hand before tucking my hair behind my ear.
"I'm really glad you came, Kelly," he conceded.
"Me too." And there went the melting all over again, the oozing of his words like maple syrup running down to my toes.
Harry held my hand for the rest of the afternoon, at least until we got back on a main road, where no doubt he could be spotted again. We'd managed to check off several more things from our list, leaving only a couple before calling it a day.
Meeting the rest of the team again at the restaurant, we headed back to the parking lot with our complete list. Donte and Bianca had had a lucky streak, finding all of their items. Brian and Trisha had only missed one.
Trudging as a team to our final destination, I felt fatigued, much like I did after leaving a concert at the end of the evening. I felt a bit melancholy for the ending, but still exhilarated from the experience. And my declaration to Harry hadn't been a lie. I was definitely glad I'd come. Just sad that it was over.
Even more sad that I might not ever see him again.
Turning our lists into Marla, she smiled and thanked us all for coming. Unfortunately, another team had won, managing to check off every single item and leaving an hour earlier. Though a bit of a disappointment, we knew what really mattered.
"Kelly," I heard in a raspy voice behind me as Bianca and I said goodbye to Trish and Brian, wishing them luck on their wedding.
Harry's eyes seemed to glow in the twilight as I turned to face him. Wordlessly, he took my hand, pulling me to the side and around a dimming streetlamp. I had a feeling he wanted to say our goodbyes in private.
"Harry, I had the best time with you today," I blurted first.
"I was gonna say that," he pouted.
"Sorry. I just..."
"Just what?" he asked, holding both of my hands.
"I just didn't wanna hear a but afterwards," I admitted.
"Who says there's a but?"
I stared at him, still waiting for the word, but it never came. I searched his eyes, as much as I could manage in the darkness. But all I saw was sincerity, like he was thinking the same thing I was. Lifting his right hand, he grazed my cheek just like he had before.
Go on, kiss him...go on and kiss him...
The seconds seemed to simultaneously freeze and speed up as I watched him lean closer, his other hand slipping under my jaw. His skin was warm against mine, the cool of his rings adding a tiny chill, enough to make me hum as I closed my eyes, just before our lips met.
Even though just moments ago various things had been going through my mind such as how my t-shirt and shorts were clinging to me and I needed a shower, or how I wondered how much money the charity had raised, or how I wondered if Bianca really was into Donte...none of that was remotely relevant as Harry's pillowy lips caressed mine, fitting with them like perfect puzzle pieces. Nothing else mattered as his hand slipped behind my neck and his fingers tangled in my hair while his mouth opened slightly to invite my tongue. And no other single notion in the world could have even compared to the way his chest rose and fell beneath my hand while my other one found the curls at the base of his neck as he groaned hungrily against my kiss.
"Mmm," I sounded when our mouths threatened to separate, still teasing the other.
"Kelly..." Harry breathed against my lips.
"Yes?"
Standing straight, he looked into my eyes. "Would you like to go out sometime?"
I blinked rapidly, knowing I'd heard him right, but still incredulous. "Like...a date?"
"Yeah," he nodded, his voice an octave lower. "I really like you and...I'd like to see you again. Spend more time with you, get to know you. Would you like that?"
"More than anything in the world."
The smile I knew to be his but that had come to be just for me that day tickled his lips.
"How's...Friday? Or wait, Saturday..." Harry reached into his pocket to pull out his phone. "I'm so sorry, love, this is so formal. But I have to check my schedule."
"No worries," I giggled.
"Ah, seems I have Friday and Saturday free. Which is better for you?"
"Friday," I answered hastily. "It's sooner."
His handsome face beamed at me as he clipped my chin with his finger and placed another quick kiss on my lips. "It is indeed."
We exchanged numbers, agreeing to text later to work out the details. I giggled when I noticed he put a taco emoji next to my name in his contacts.
"I look forward to it," he grinned before giving me one last kiss, this one soft, slow and sweet. "Goodnight, Kelly. I had a wonderful day."
"Me too. Goodnight, Harry."
I watched him walk toward the building where Marla still stood, stopping once to turn and wave. I blew him a kiss, perhaps a bit cheesy, but I didn't care. I figured he was into cheese. He gave me his dimpled smile before blowing one back, then disappeared inside the office building.
"Well, look at you, Miss I-Didn't-Wanna-Come!"
I scoffed playfully at my roommate as she walked towards me.
"It's amazing what one little Sunday can do, huh?" Bianca added.
Looping my arm through hers, I walked with her to her car.
"Thanks for signing me up, B," I said with a bounce in my step, despite my fatigue. "It wasn't so bad after all."
Darling, it would be when you smiled at me...that way...that Sunday, that summer...
Hope you enjoyed! Please like, comment, reblog or send me a msg!
MASTERLIST | KO-FI | FEEDBACK
#harry styles#harry styles fanfiction#harry styles fan fiction#harry styles fanfic#harry styles fan fic#harry styles fic#harry styles one shot#harry styles blurb#harry styles imagine#harry styles x oc#harry styles fluff#harry fanfiction#harry fan fiction#harry fanfic#harry fan fic#harry fic#harry one shot#harry blurb#harry imagine#harry x oc#harry fluff#real harry fic
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The Real Deal
The Penguins of Madagascar is a great show for many reasons, but I feel like one is very underrated. Despite being a comedy, it has good villains. I have seen series where the comedy becomes a bigger part, so villains are written as playful obstacles or too silly to really be taken seriously. That does not happen here.
Hans is a villain who not only acts as an antagonist for the show, but he also connects to Skipper's past, adding new layers to the already mysterious nature of the Denmark incident. Because of whatever happened, Hans is that type of villain who won't kill the heroes. He even mentions how he didn't want to fry Skipper in a real volcano. He just wants to make him miserable. These villains are so dangerous because death isn't their goal. In a sense, torture is.
Dr. Blowhole is on the other end of this. He makes it very clear that he wants Skipper dead. Between making him even "most importantly" forget how to swim (as he falls into the ocean, mind you), this dolphin has a penguin-seeking middle. He has plans to make the world suffer for his pain and will destroy anyone in his path.
Rat King is a surprisingly fun villain to me. He easily could have just been the dumb jock kind of enemy who's basically an older version of a high school bully. Despite that, he's pretty clever too, shown when he hustled the penguins out of their habitat. He's also way more ruthless than I gave him credit for being. He had a vat of acid somehow and was going to use it to kill them.
Kuchikukan was not a villain I ever expected to see in the series. Evil spirits weren't on my radar, but this is probably the only time I won't complain about their presence. He was so much fun! He mastered the combination of "light-hearted jokester who messes with the mere mortals" and "all-powerful being who can and will destroy the Earth." That's not an easy balance to strike. It's such a great time to watch him go from an almost laughable threat due to his host body, then show how much he can still do. By the time the episode is over, I know why he was able to destroy a world inside of a cheese loaf.
Blue Hen was a nice way to give the penguins a psychological threat. She knew how to come after them where it mattered most. Go after Kowalski's obsession with science and go after Skipper's position as leader. It's a shame that she only was in season 3 because it would have been fun to see what else she did with more time.
Last, but certainly not least, X. Just X because he's been an animal control officer, zookeeper, exterminator, fishmonger, storekeeper, and unemployed. Of them all, he is my favorite. I love this character so much. He's also got something going for him that I feel is unique to him. You can see the downward spiral of X throughout each episode he's in. Gradually, he becomes more and more unhinged. It makes sense that he's one of the only human villains because he's so competent that he doesn't even need to know what the penguins are saying in order to stop them from doing everything they want. He just was the pinnacle of competency to the point of even freaking Skipper out because he kept failing against him in the zookeeper episode. Through it all, we see X go from this super officer of animal control, then more and more, he loses it because of the penguins. He even gets a cameo in an episode where he's just throwing chopsticks of a poster with the penguins on it and is later shown to have bowling pins painted as penguins. I almost feel bad for him since he really did want to just do his job, but there comes a point when you have to relinquish your obsessions and he's an example of why.
The other villains were also fun to me, but these were my favorites. PoM didn't have to try hard with its villains, but they still did and I really appreciate that.
#penguins of madagascar#the penguins of madagascar#Pom#Tpom#pom skipper#pom private#pom kowalski#pom rico
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Late Night with the Radio Demon - Dance with Me
@hiemaldesirae *finds out you're sick and throws this at your face*
Alastor teaches Vincent how to dance. Vox remembers.
Dammit this is supposed to be a dark au and here I am churning out the RadioStatic fluff lol (with a little bit of angst for the fun of it)
Hope you enjoy :P
"If I'm the one supposed to be learning, shouldn't I be leading?"
"How do you ever expect to learn if you don't have a good example, darling?"
The Radio Demon had shown up in his apartment unannounced again and this time insisted on teaching the TV host how to dance properly.
"You want me to aid you in your career, yes?" the demon had said. "Well, every proper showman knows how to dance."
And that was how they had ended up in the middle of Vincent's living room with all the furniture pushed back against the walls and soft jazz playing curtesy of the demon's cane hovering around them.
Vincent swallowed hard. He'd never been this close to the demon before. Sure, they'd touched when they'd made their deal (and the deer had decided kissing his hand was entirely appropriate), but for the most part they made little contact. Now, he wasn't sure it was possible for them to get any closer. The Radio Demon’s hand rested nonchalantly on the TV host's waist, pulling him right up against him as he gripped his hand. Vincent's own free hand clutched awkwardly at the fabric covering the demon’s shoulder.
"My goodness, don't look so troubled, darling! It's just a dance! I'm sure you'll be fine!"
The steps were easy enough to follow. The Radio Demon really was a surprisingly good teacher, even if he did like to kick it up a notch every now and then just to show off. But by the end of the night, Vincent was following along easily enough, even daring to throw in his own little moves.
"Well done!" the demon laughed when Vincent read his next move and leaned into the dip. An applause played from the microphone and Vincent felt his face color. "See? I told you you would be fine!"
---
"Don't look so troubled, darling! It's just a dance! I'm sure you'll be fine!"
The words left his mouth before he could stop them, but the look on Vox's face told him everything he needed to know. Alastor kept his hand extended. "Is everything alright, Vox?"
The TV headed demon shook himself. "Uh, yeah, sorry. Just some weird ass Deja Vu." He swallowed and placed his hand in Alastor's, letting the deer pull him out onto the bar's dance floor. Vox didn't question him when he took the lead, following easily through each move. Still, he looked distant.
"You know, you're doing quite well for someone not paying attention. "
Vox fumbled his footing, earning a giggle from Alastor. "S-sorry. It's just been a while since I danced like this with someone, I guess. I'm feeling a little nostalgic."
Alastor really shouldn't. He shouldn't. He knows he shouldn't.
"And where did you get you fine skills?"
Vox faltered again. "I...there was...this guy..." Alastor's ears perked up. "This is gonna sound stupid, but I can't really...remember who he was or how we got from Point A to Point B, but he taught me how to dance in the middle of my living room. He definitely knew what he was doing. I probably looked like a fool." Vox tried to laugh off the awkwardness, squeaking when the other demon dipped him.
Alastor's smile was gentle. Stained but gentle.
"I'm sure you were magnificent, darling."
#late night with the radio demon au#hazbin hotel#hazbin vox#radiostatic#hazbin alastor#hazbin hotel vox#vox hazbin hotel#hazbin hotel au
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Solitaire
The long drive from the airport passed by with a dizzying blur and Joost found himself barely taking in the scenery of the snowy streets, preferring instead to be captivated by the man in the back of the limo with him.
Käärijä. The upstart his own ex-boss had been complaining about not even a year ago. This was his savior and temporary bodyguard. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
‘He’s so much different than I pictured…’ he thought to himself. The man couldn’t be older than his early thirties, he was expecting some grizzled Fin with hard eyes and an even harsher demeanor, not an eccentrically stylish man with eyeliner, silver piercings and a bowl cut…
But the man, for all his oddities, was surprisingly warm.
He patched Joost up without question, risked his life and the lives of his people just to get the Dutchman out of danger. Joost doesn’t get it, doesn’t understand even in the slightest. He barely has a chance to process anything from the last twenty-four hours.
“Um,” he softly clears his voice, “I was gonna ask, where is a good place for me to lie low for a while? I have some cash I can use to pay rent…”
Käärijä looks at him with a puzzled expression, Joost shrinks a little under the stare.
“Why you need to rent? You coming to my place of course.”
Joost’s eyebrows shoot up and he nearly drops his glass of brandy.
“Wha-ah wait, I couldn’t do that, I would be bringing danger directly to you if I’m found out!”
The other man snorts a laugh, his eyes glinting with amusement.
“You think I scared of old Dutch gangsters? They are afraid of me! Besides, you try and go into hiding and they probably find you anyway.” He shrugs nonchalantly, as if he hasn’t just declared war on the entire Western Mafia.
“They always gonna find you, but they are stupid to try and take you while I’m watching,” he grins, those sharp canines giving his expression a vicious edge.
“Not the first time they try and cross me, now their men underneath a frozen swamp in pieces.”
Joost swallows, he forgot for a moment this isn’t just an excitable newcomer with a deathwish, he’s the Nordic Crime Lord for a reason. You don’t get far in the Underworld if you can’t get your hands dirty and bare your teeth.
“Still…it’s an imposition. I can’t in good conscience accept more help from yo-“
“Shh! Enough.” He silences Joost with a sharp word. “I say you are coming with me, you are staying at my compound. It is safest place in Finland I promise.”
Käärijä leans forward and fixes his gaze on Joost, much softer than before.
“Tommy doesn’t vouch for a lot of people. I hear you take two million from your former boss. I don’t know why you did it, maybe you need the money, but I do know a clever money man when I meet one.”
He smiles, he looks almost too sweet and genuine to have just been talking about butchered people and tossing their remains in a swamp.
“It take a lot of guts to do what you did Mr. Klein. We need people like you in the Union, if not as members, than at least allies.”
Joost drops his gaze to the ground.
“I didn’t steal the money for myself,” he says under his breath, ‘Am I really going to admit this right now?’
“What you do with it?”
“I emptied sixteen accounts and forwarded it over to INTERPOL, the two million is what the investigation is willing to discuss publicly.”
He looks up into Käärijä’s eyes and almost bashfully admits it.
“The total sum is around two Billion.”
<><><>
The rest of the journey was spent in silence, Käärijä seemed to adopt a more thoughtful demeanor as he no doubt was processing the depth of Joost’s gambit. He doesn’t blame the man, it still sounds absolutely absurd when he says it out loud.
Absurd, dangerous, stupid…
But does he regret it?
The scenery changes and it’s a while before Joost realizes they aren’t in Helsinki proper anymore. His abysmal grasp of the Finnish language isn’t helping as they pass sign after sign, the only one slightly recognizable is a larger sign displaying the name ‘Vantaa’.
Käärijä must have caught his puzzled look, as the man is beaming with pride when Joost turns to face him again.
“My city, my rules.”
Joost manages a shy smile of his own.
“I’ve always wanted to see Finland…didn’t think it would be like this of course.”
The gangster chuckles, Joost is caught off guard by the casual openness of it all.
“No worries, you gonna have a good time, a lot of fun things around here!”
“Have a good time fearing for my life you mean?” He means it in a joking way, but the concern on Käärijä’s face is evident.
“Hey, I promise you I keep you safe okay? I don’t break promises, and if I do? You can steal my money, I give you 10 seconds head start.” He winks and Joost can’t help but smile at the man, for someone supposedly so dangerous, he jokes around a lot.
A little while later the vehicle descends deeper into the city, the sky had quickly fallen dark and the twinkling lights of the streets and buildings illuminate the snowy walkways. The people are scarce on the streets, the occasional gaggle of pub-goers making their way around town seem unaffected by the cold and icy night.
“Here,” Käärijä says, tapping the glass of the window and gesturing outside. “This my place.”
Joost looks out the window at an imposing high rise building, towering twelve stories at least above the snow covered streets; It’s bright blue lighting casts a cold glow over the block, it’s massive, illuminated and worst of all, highly visible.
This…this is the hideout?!
The Finnish gangster grins and before Joost has a moment to process his now increasingly troubling situation, he’s being ushered out of the back of the car and into the frigid wintery night, up the short flight of stairs to the entrance where another bald gentleman in a black suit is waiting to open the door and welcome them inside.
His eyes adjust to the bright lights of the…lobby? The floors are a white marble and the walls equally as stark. Aside from a couple of comfortable and trendy looking leather couches, the ground floor is empty of any decorative features. At the back of the large room is a double set of silver elevator doors and sat in front of them is a concierge-type of desk. Its matte black surface stands out against the stark white room as does the figure sitting behind the desk.
Another bald man…could they be triplets? No, on further inspection Joost realizes they all seem to resemble each other, but not perfectly, not identically.
Brothers?
Joost startles and lets out an undignified yelp as the bald man who let them through the door grabs his shoulders and begins patting him down without a word.
“Hey! What are-“
“You really should have done this before he got in the car, Jere…”
Another presence startles him further causing the bald man to squeeze his shoulder threateningly.
“Be still.” The man growls. Joost freezes.
His attention is drawn back to a tutting noise, a taller blond man casually strolls up to the three, his hands in the pockets of his navy blue suit pants. He’s wearing a relaxed style shirt in crisp white and sports an easy grin. Around his neck is an expensive looking black camera, the man’s face looks…similar to-
“Jakko, relax. I don’t think Jere would let a spree shooter in the building, no matter how much of an air head he is.”
“Fuck off Mikke,” Käärijä snarls beside him, petulantly crossing his arms. “I know what I am doing.”
“Don’t let him fool you,” the blonde man winks at Joost and holds out his hand expectantly. “It’s lovely to meet you Mr. Klein, I’m Mikke, the boss’s older brother, welcome to the Union headquarters.”
The man grasps his hand for a firm albeit friendly greeting just as the bald man, Jakko apparently, digs out the meager belongings Joost had somewhat hidden in his suit’s inner pocket.
“H-Hey! That’s-“
He’s doesn’t have time to react before his wallet, phone and little vial of pills are passed off to Käärijä.
“We get you set up with secure phone card yes?” He says matter-of-factly, checking the edges of the device for any obvious tampering or bugging. “You smart to not turn it on yet.”
“Thanks I guess, but-“
“Mr Klein,” the blond man interrupts. “Look over here.”
Joost does, and is for the moment blinded by a flash of white light, having had his photo taken by the man’s black camera completely unexpectedly.
“Hey, wha-“
“For your fake ID, we’ll have it ready for you by tomorrow, also we can get you anything else document-wise within the next three days so please let me or any of the staff know! Good to meet you!” And without another word, the blond man is gone out the door behind him.
What the fuck is happening?!
“Come, let’s get upstairs okay? We have a lot of things to do before the night is over.” Käärijä says to him, passing his phone back but holding onto the wallet and pills.
He doesn’t have a moment to breathe or process anything as they make their way over to the elevators, a quick nod from the bald man at the front desk relays some unspoken information to the mafia boss and the sound of the elevator dinging echos in the empty lobby.
Loading into the elevator, Joost takes in the panel of floor numbers . Thirteen floors in total, one labeled as a basement beneath the building, the top floor button has a number pad next to it, off limits to anyone without the code.
“Fifty Euros? That’s all you have?” Käärijä asks in a shocked tone, he’s digging through Joost’ wallet now. “You say you have money for rent? This not enough!”
Joost moves to yank the wallet out of the Fins hand but one look from Jakko behind his dark shades and his hand lowers. He still resolves to clear his throat and holds out his palm in a gesture of polite request.
“May I please have my wallet back? There isn’t anything dangerous in there I promise, I shredded my ID and bank cards. I was planning on fencing some information for additional funds.”
Käärijä cocks a disbelieving eyebrow at that as he pulls out the only other thing in Joost’s wallet, an old folded up Polaroid.
“Wait! Please don’t-“ he begs, the gangster takes one look at Joost’s face and his desperate tone must have struck something, because the man is carefully tucking the photo back in and returning his wallet and phone.
“Sorry, Mikke was right I should have checked sooner.” His tone is apologetic and Joost sighs, pocketing his phone and wallet again.
“It’s…it’s fine, really. I understand you can’t be too careful in this business. And I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.” He offers a shy smile, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. Käärijä pats him on the shoulder and the elevator dings to announce their arrival to the eleventh floor, the silver double doors parting to reveal new space.
The space is huge, penthouse sized with clean looking floors and expensive, elegant furnishings. The lighting is studio style with the sliders able to accommodate whatever level of visibility is needed, for now it’s a soft glow that doesn’t strain the eyes. The windows are large and have a breathtaking view of the cityscape below, there is a full sized kitchen, an alcove off to side where the bedroom and bathroom must reside, a comfortable looking leather couch, a desk, dinner table and chairs, a frankly ridiculously large flatscreen tv…
It’s…very nice.
“Here it is!” Käärijä claps his gloved hands together and practically drags Joost into the space, his excitement evident. “We getting you a new laptop and there is plenty of food if you are hungry, oh! Here is the bedroom, you have a great view of the river, we get your phone working tomorrow don’t worry-“
Joost can’t help but sputter in amusement a little at the man’s energetic enthusiasm, for a moment he forgets he’s being hunted by the most dangerous gangsters in all of Western Europe and instead lets himself be whisked away by the gangster. He forgets he’s in the company of the man upheaving one hundred years of underworld tradition, he forgets, as he looks out the window of his new bedroom at the glittering lights of the city below, dots of yellow and gold reflecting off the snowy cityscape. He nearly gasps at the beauty in the night.
“You want to hang onto these?” Käärijä asks from behind him, Joost turns and sees the man holding his little bottle of pills, a soft yet sad look on his face.
“Oh, I…I guess I should.” Joost stammers, staring down at the two little pills. He nearly forgot he had these. His just-in-case. Last resort.
“You know,” Käärijä says quietly, taking a second to choose his words wisely. “I hope you can be comfortable here. I am sorry this all happening.”
“But my place is right above, you can use call button by elevator if you need anything, okay?”
Joost feels almost guilty in this moment, it’s obvious Käärijä knows what is in the bottle but he won’t say it aloud. The man has risked his life for him, taken him in and is using all his collected resources to protect him. And here Joost is taking back the bottle.
Like he would thank the man with the gift of his corpse.
“Um,” Joost begins, taking it all in. “I really do want to thank you. I don’t have…many friends out there, at least not many who would go out of their way to help me like this…”
You don’t have any friends anymore, you robbed them blind and put a target on your head.
“So if there is anything I can do to repay you, please let me know. I don’t want to just take something without returning in kind.”
Käärijä looks into his eyes and a smile blossoms on his face though the sadness in his eyes stays. He squeezes Joost’s hand, the bottle of pills a barrier between them but the warmth in there radiating through the leather glove he wears. Joost can’t help but blush a little.
“The only thing you need to do is relax now, we gonna take care of this okay? Tomorrow I give you actual tour of the place, we get your phone secure and get you ID card.” He gives Joost’s hand one last squeeze and then he’s heading towards the door, Jakko standing vigilantly by the elevator waiting for him.
Joost watches him go, the bottle still clenched in his hand. The glass is warm as is his palm.
The man gives one last wave goodbye before the elevator doors close and it begins to descend, leaving Joost in the quiet of his new residence.
He takes a minute to let it all sink in. In twenty-four hours, his life has completely shattered and was simultaneously reconstructed in an instant. From the moment he ended the phone call with Tommy, his heart hasn’t stopped pounding and the eventual adrenaline drain finally begins to make his body tremble.
He needs to sit down.
He all but collapses on the bed, his bed, with the dark blue duvet cover and soft looking white pillows and stared at the ceiling, feeling the manic fight-or-flight instinct dissolving in his blood.
Minutes passed, maybe hours. Joost’s mind calms and he takes in his surroundings properly. There is a bedside table with a small reading lamp, next to it is an ashtray with a pack of unopened cigarettes and a lighter.
It’s his usual brand.
He should probably be more concerned about that, how could Käärijä know that? If Tommy is their only mutual contact, a man he has only ever communicated with long distance, who did Käärijä have in place to know this information?
He’s too tired to care as he reaches over and opens the pack, shrugging off his suit jacket and carelessly tossing it on the floor. Lighting up a cigarette, he stares at the bandage on his hand, the non-functioning phone on the bed, the little bottle of pills…
The photo is old and creased, the edges of the Polaroid turning yellow with age. There is a skinny boy with a head of bright blond hair and a huge smile on his face, his front left tooth missing, his second baby tooth to go that year. His glasses are busted on one side, held together with tape and willpower alone. He sports a striped polo shirt that has grass stains all over it, a result of his recent roughhousing in the field behind his home. Behind him is a man giving holding up two fingers behind the boy’s head, a mocking bunny ears gesture and a jovial expression on his face. He shares the same jawline as the kid, same smile and same joy.
Joost exhales a plume of smoke and looks out into the darkness of the night, the sea of lights below seemed miles away.
What have I gotten myself into now?
<><><>
Hey! I am now posting this story on ao3! Come check it out and leave a comment if you like!
#my art#kidvoodoo#my writing#käärijä#jere pöyhönen#joost klein#jeest#jeest infection#bojan cvjetićanin#bojere#tommy cash#käsh#mafia au#Jere has all the boyfriends but this will focus mostly on the budding relationship of him and Joost <3#thank you for all the kind messages and comments#it really helps motivate me
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Niman, the Way of the Rancor
Jango muttered a curse, closing his commlink.
You just couldn’t get the informants these days. Jango had bribed people in the Kaminoan facility to be informed if anyone showed up asking after him, but he hadn’t managed to get them to realize that the arrival of a starship not long after he’d returned from Coruscant might be important.
And now he’d only found out that a Jedi was present when they’d actually asked to see the template for the clones.
“Boba,” he said. “We might have an unexpected guest. And we might need to leave – soon.”
“Got it, dad,” his son replied. “Now?”
“No, the Jedi’s coming this way,” Jango replied. “I’ll try and trick them, then we leave as soon as they’re not here. Is all my armour hidden?”
The attendance chime went, and Jango rolled his head back and forth slightly as Boba went to answer it.
“Boba?” he heard Taun We ask. “Is your father here?”
“Don’t worry about little old me,” a calm voice added. “Just here to visit.”
“May we see him?” Taun We added.
“...sure,” Boba said, after several seconds of silence. “Uh. Dad! Taun We’s here!”
Jango moved around the corner of the apartment, to look at the visiting Jedi, and nearly swallowed his tongue.
There was a kriffing Rancor standing behind Taun We. A Rancor wearing a utility belt, attached to which were two lightsabers – one about the size of a small claw, the other big enough that Taun We could have used it as a neck splint.
“Welcome back, Jango,” Taun We said. “Was your trip productive?”
Jango blinked several times.
“...why is there a Rancor behind you?” he asked.
“Hello,” the Rancor said, in that same calm voice. “My name is Knight Tosh. Can I come in?”
Jango was still staring.
“Isn’t it ‘may’?” Boba asked, in the tones of a child who was trying to notice something he could process.
“I’m not sure how big the hallway is,” Tosh explained. “If there’s a problem with my fitting in, that’s fine, I can sit out here and we can talk.”
Putting actions to words, she sat down.
Jango wasn’t sure exactly how he’d decided that the Rancor was a ‘she’, but he supposed they probably did have genders.
“...you’re a Rancor?” he said, still trying to get past that essential point.
“Yes,” Tosh agreed. “A proud daughter of Dathomir. I’m told I’m named for my grandmother, who was the first of us to learn to read and write.”
She steepled the fingers on her enormous clawed hands.
“Aide We,” she said, a little more formally. “I must inform you that I’m here for a number of reasons, not just one. You see, I’ve been looking into a recent assassination attempt on that nice Senator Amidala.”
“Oh, goodness!” Taun We said. “That is most worrying.”
“It is,” Tosh agreed, with a surprisingly kindly smile given that it was a Rancor smiling, something that Jango’s brain kept circling around to. “The assassin is dead, which is fortunate, and I believe that Jango here did us the favour of eliminating her. So I wanted to thank him personally, and also ask if he had any idea why that might have happened… why he might have been hired to kill that particular shapeshifter, that is.”
Then she frowned. “Oh – but where are my manners? We should really start with how it is that you came to be the template for the clone army! It must be a fascinating story. I assume your young son there is involved, somehow?”
“Thank you,” Obi-Wan said, taking the mug from Cliegg Lars. “I think that’ll be enough for us for now.”
“Not a problem,” Cliegg replied. “You and the other Jedi are the one who rescued Anakin from his old life, that’d be enough to make you kin here, even before all you’ve done for us so far.”
“We do our best,” Obi-Wan smiled, taking a sip of the drink. “Very nice. Thank you again, Cliegg.”
“I don’t know what I expected,” Anakin admitted. “I never really imagined what it would be like to have my mom actually marry someone, but… I think he’s nice.”
“It’s not something the Jedi have much experience with,” Obi-Wan said. “I’m just as lost as you are, Anakin.”
“Are you sure this is a good place to hide out, Obi-Wan? Ani?” Padme asked.
She frowned, and waved her hand. “I don’t mean… that it’s a bad idea to be here. We’ve only been here two days and we’ve already rescued your mother, Ani. But if someone comes looking for us… we’re hiding with the only relatives Anakin has in the entire galaxy.”
“I’m quite sure that nobody will find us,” Obi-Wan replied.
“Yeah, I agree with Master Kenobi,” Anakin nodded. “If I was looking for where a Jedi was hiding, I’d never even think of looking for their family. Jedi just don’t think about family. It’s not something we do.”
“But the people who are trying to hunt me down… they do think about family, don’t they?” Padme said. “Or they might, anyway…”
“In which case, fortunately, we are in a very large desert,” Obi-Wan said. “Mos Espa would have been a suitable enough place to hide out, but now we’re off in the desert. A planet is a very big place to hide someone, Senator – and if there’s anyone in the galaxy who wouldn’t try to betray us, it’s Anakin’s close family. Even before we rescued his mother.”
Padme looked conflicted.
“I suppose you’re right,” she said. “I just worry that we’re too easy to find here. I don’t know how rational that is, but the extent of the resources available to our enemies…”
“Where would you have preferred?” Obi-Wan asked. “If this isn’t where you’d have thought to hide, where would you have hidden?”
“I’d have gone to Naboo,” Padme replied. “Relatives of my family have a house up in the lakes, in the mountains. It’s wonderful and calm and nobody ever goes there.”
“Actually, I like the sound of that, Master,” Anakin said. “Are you sure we can’t change plans and go there, now? There’s a lake there.”
“We brought a lake with us, Anakin,” Obi-Wan replied, tossing his head to indicate the beaten-up old freighter they’d used to get to Tatooine. “Or a large swimming pool, at least.”
Beru Lars chuckled.
“You three are terrible at this,” she said, from over in the corner. “We’re grateful for your arrival, but… none of you know the first thing about hiding.”
“We don’t?” Anakin asked. “What do you mean?”
“ Tatooine is a planet with slavery, which means a planet with crime,” Beru told them. “If you’re going into hiding, you want to get a good balance between the support network and being impossible to trace back to your owners.”
“Of course,” Padme murmured. “It’s a shame the Republic hasn’t been able to do anything about the slavery out here.”
“That’s your department, isn’t it” Beru asked. “With your being a senator, that is.”
“Padme’s brought it up in the Senate a few times,” Anakin said, defending her. “It’s never gone far, though.”
“Part of the problem is that the Republic doesn’t have the ability to do much about it,” Padme admitted. “We have a navy, but no real army – and bombarding Tatooine to help end slavery seems like a bad idea.”
Beru inclined her head.
“That’s fair,” she conceded. “It’s easy enough to forget that, out here. And I’d bet it seems hard to remember there are people in chains, when you’re on glittering Coruscant.”
“We could be doing more than we are,” Padme allowed. “Once this is over, I’ll see what I can do.”
Darth Tyrannus looked at Jango, his gaze calm. Calm, in the way that the ground was calm, under a descending meteor.
He was extremely unimpressed.
“You told her everything?” he asked, his fingers drumming on his belt next to the handle of his lightsaber.
“Not everything, but… more than I think I should have,” Jango replied, somewhat embarrassed. “You weren’t there. It was… I’d like to see you concentrate on what your story is when there’s a Rancor staring at you. Complimenting you. Offering you tips on how to make tea.”
He shook his head. “Saying that she could smell Coruscant on your clothes. And that’s before the fact that she’s a Jedi.”
Dooku sniffed.
“I think that if I were confronted with a Rancor, and it pulled out a lightsaber, I would be relieved,” he said.
There was a sort of soft thump behind him, and Jango glanced up before going pale and holding up his hands.
“Good afternoon,” a pleasant voice said. “Dooku, it’s nice to meet you at last. Should I call you Count? Or do you prefer the name Darth Tyrannus?”
Dooku knew what he was going to see behind him.
He knew it.
But he had to turn around and look anyway, and so he did.
“Tosh,” he said, and this time he did take his lightsaber off his belt – though he didn’t light it. “How did you get here?”
“A tracking beacon, of course,” Tosh replied. “Well, actually two, one of them was in the fidget spinner I gave young Boba, but I didn’t want him to feel embarrassed so I stuck one to Mr. Fett’s ship as well. I must say, I do like the climate here. Pleasantly dry.”
She smiled, in a way that was somehow disarming until you refocused and remembered what the smile was attached to. “You know, we’re actually somewhat related! In the Jedi sense, at least. I’m not sure how you’ve kept up with master-student relationships in the Temple since you left, but that nice dear Yoda trained me for a few years.”
Dooku did his very best to contain a nervous swallow.
“I have surpassed my old Master,” he said. “I doubt even he could defeat me now.”
“Oh, that’s quite possible,” Tosh agreed, nodding. “Yoda’s always been sentimental, you know. He finds it so hard to fight seriously. It’s not something I’d call a character flaw, but it is what it is.”
She shrugged. “I’d very much appreciate it if we didn’t have to fight today, you know. Since I know you’re a Sith, what about if you give me information on your Master? I know that betrayal is the kind of thing the Sith like to do, and that way we don’t have to fight.”
Dooku evaluated his options.
All it would take for his plans to hold together would be for him to be confident in his ability to defeat this Jedi Knight. This mere… Jedi Knight.
This mere… Rancor… Jedi Knight…
The other option was looking appealing. It was difficult to deny that.
“It’s hard to believe,” Mace Windu admitted, leaning back in his chair.
It was a common posture in the Jedi Council whenever this particular Knight was reporting to them, and Mace felt a most un-Jedi-like pang of jealousy for Yarael Poof. Long-necked and calm, the Quermian Master was the only one able to look Tosh in the eye without either leaning back or standing up.
“Hmm,” Yoda mused. “Mistaken you are not, I assume?”
“Being mistaken is always a possibility, Master,” Tosh answered. “But the plan that Dooku told me does seem to make a good deal of sense… it’s one of those plans where the Sith would win no matter which side of the war was triumphant.”
She spread her massive hands. “It could all be a lie… but it does explain a few things, which leads me to think it might be true. I’d recommend at least testing it.”
“A good approach,” Ki-Adi-Mundi said, to nods from Plo Koon and Sasee Tiin.
“It ties into what Master Gallia has been discovering recently as well,” the latter said. “The Trade Federation’s involvement in this is unsurprising, but the Techno Union, Intergalactic Bank Clan… again, investigation is needed.”
A ripple of agreement ran around the Council.
“And what of the clone army?” Yoda asked. “Commissioned by us, the Kaminoans were told.”
“Oh, I thought the best thing to do was to send them to make sure that nice Senator Amidala was safe,” Tosh replied, with a pleasant smile.
Windu frowned, then looked over at Yoda.
“When was the last time we got an update from Kenobi and Skywalker?” he asked.
“It’s been… a while,” Yarael Poof said, doing his neck exercises. “Last contact was shortly after they reached Tatooine. They were going to avoid broadcasting to make sure they weren’t tracked down.”
Mace Windu activated a holocommunicator.
“Old Folks Home to Guiding Light,” he said. “Knight Kenobi. What is your situation?”
“Guiding Light copies,” a hazy image of Obi-Wan Kenobi replied. “Master Windu, I think we just liberated Tatooine by accident.”
“By accident?” Ki-Adi-Mundi replied. “How exactly did you-”
He stopped, remembering the missions that Kenobi and his Padawan had been on.
“Never mind, carry on,” he requested. “What happened?”
“Someone sent us an army,” Obi-Wan said. “We didn’t actually order them to do anything, but Senator Amidala gave some speeches and I think things sort of escalated from there…”
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TEASING‼️‼️ Clenching & Flexing Firm Jiggly Bubble Ass College Ebony Milf In Cotton Cream Leggings.
SUPER MAJOR THROWBACK!!!!!! FOR MY CLENCHING AND BOOTY FLEXING LOVERS!!!! Has to literally be my favorite one caught from this Homecoming this year!!!! The title speaks exactly for itself!!! But like every video I post it's always a great story behind it lol. My first video from Homecoming participating in the festivities of their step show the day before the actual homecoming game, I saw this very plump and jiggly college ebony with some jiggly buns walking and getting in line for some drinks. I got up right behind her and started filming immediately and loved her firm round cheeks in those cotton leggings and even noticed the round muscle tone and firmness of her ass!!! She began to shake a little bit making it jiggle, and me just knowing about petite ebonies like her having my key Scriv sense that she can probably clench and flex her ass really good squeezing those booty muscles making them bounce up and down and would love it if she did so. And surprisingly............SHE DID JUST THAT!!!!! She started showing off teasing clenching and flexing for me in different segments while we were in line having my wood brick at attention and throbbing 😫😫😫😫😫. I had to go to the bathroom just to calm myself 😂😂😂. I've been wanting a good clenching vid for a long time, have to say this is the best one l've got within this year and hopefully I get another before the year is out!!! Runtime is 6:56 grab it for $8 Cashapp or PayPal . l've came so much and shot mad loads to this!!! (Not gonna lie) 😂😂 FOR MY CLENCHING AND FLEXING FANATIC FANS!!!!!!
#thicc af#thick babe#thick vibes only#ebony big ass#ebony twerk#ebonyass#thick ebony#candid ebony#ebony#ebonycurves#phat bubble#phat ass cheeks#thick hips#thicc girls#thickwomen#thickaf#thick and juicy
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CW: The relationship starts getting a little toxic. A lot of angst.
“Hey Steve, are you and Eddie going to see the Christmas lights this weekend?” One of his coworkers asked as they were running food for the drive thu.
“We haven’t really talked about it.” Steve answered.
They really hadn’t talked about much of anything. They mostly did exactly what they were doing before just with the “it’s actually a date this time.” Sure they’ve had dinner at a restaurant a few times, sure they’ve watched a movie once or twice, but they didn’t talk. It’s almost Christmas they had been together since June and Steve felt alone in this relationship. Matter of fact, Steve had never felt so alone. He knows that it’s his own fault that he feels alone. He had stopped hanging out with almost everyone except Eddie. Not because Eddie made him, no, he just thought that, maybe, if he spent more time with Eddie then he would love him just a little bit. At least enough to actually show Steve instead of sounding like it pained him to say it and making a face when he heard it from Steve.
“Jake is gonna take me Saturday night, you two should come, we can make it a double date!”
He knows Anna means well and is not trying to rub her perfect relationship in Steve’s face but he couldn’t stop feeling like she was. Maybe, maybe if it was a double date Eddie would say he loved Steve without sad expressions and forced tones.
“Yeah, I’ll ask Eddie if he wants to go and let you know later.”
Eddie agreed, begrudgingly. They were going to meet Anna and Jake at 5 Saturday evening and Steve was excited. What could be more romantic than Christmas lights. Maybe it would help Eddie see him the way Steve sees Eddie.
Steve was buzzing with excitement for all of Saturday. He went to work, had a surprisingly good day, and went home to get ready. He was in his favorite forest green sweater and his best jeans that make his ass pop and he settled in on the couch to wait. He waited, and waited, and waited. He waited long enough that his parents got home from work. He checked his phone. No messages. It was 8pm. He didn’t think it was possible. How? Why? He cried. Right there on the couch. He had never been stood up before. It took everything he had to get off of that couch and go in to work the next morning.
His shift that Sunday was with Robin.
“So, how was the double date last night?”
“It, uh, it didn’t happen.”
“It got called off?”
“Uh… something like that.”
“You were so excited!”
“Yeah, but, uh, we didn’t make it.”
“I would think you’re implying something, Steve, if you didn’t look like someone shot your dog.”
“I’m fine. Really, Robin, we just couldn’t make it.”
Steve wasn’t really sure why he couldn’t bring himself to tell Robin the truth. It was embarrassing, but Robin pretty much knew every embarrassing thing about his life, so that couldn’t be it. He settled on the fact that he really didn’t want Robin to be mad at Eddie. Eddie didn’t have a whole lot of friends and he knows that Robin would always take Steve’s side no matter what. The rest of the shift was spent mindlessly taking orders and bagging food as he thought about whether last night was Eddie’s way of ending their relationship or not. Robin kept giving him sad looks like she knew what he wasn’t telling her. Really, everyone on the crew was giving him sad looks. He should’ve known that it wouldn’t stay a secret. The people he works with are such gossips. He just wanted to go home and cry.
2023 realities How the relationship started.
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back to Dongmen
#i was showing around a friend who is staying with me#which i thought was a certain recipe for disaster given the size of my living space#but we have been having a surprisingly good time#taiwan#taipei#dongmen#東門#lily pads#architecture
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challenging myself by engaging in the ancient art known as "dynamic poses", but making it harder on myself by ignoring the noble practice of "using references"
featuring belvedere and florawell
#my art#oc#florawell#belvedere#goblin#dragon#i prefer the wips i posted to my sketch blog tbh they look better than the finished thing. but nevertheless.#i also accidentally gave belvedere furry hands this time instead of his usual bald goblin hands#i think it makes him look sleeker but i prefer his ratty hands. we live and learn#fun fact i have around 20 ongoing projects which i have been workin on simultaneously which has resulted in me not getting much done#but now they're all nearing completion at once so you'll see a bunch of art from me soon maybe#when i open comms (VERY SOON.....big things coming....) i'm considering tacking on an extra option for sketches like these#cause i can do them for relatively cheap without spending hours working for peanuts#anyway. i'm seeing a horror movie yet again tonight. immaculate was surprisingly good so let's see if this one is good
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the new reverse 1999 event story is SO good!! i'm still blown away by the storytelling in this game, it's rare for me to keep reading everything after the first few... days (lol) of picking up a gacha but from day one to now i've been reading all the things
i think while the stories aren't necessarily super special/original/revolutionary or anything like that, they're nice and comfortable executions of familiar tropes (especially well done in this event where it's clearly deliberately tropey) that i really enjoy
and imo the translation has improved again, especially in the early chapters of the story. the first i think... two chapters? were like nearly perfect and a pleasure to read
there were still typos and errors littered throughout, but i feel like they've grown much more scarce. so really kudos to the team for making improvements on that front, and hopefully they keep it up!
(eta: unfortunately the tooth fairy side story still seems quite bad in terms of translation... fingers crossed these don't get neglected in the future because they seem pretty important for character lore)
#crab plays#reverse 1999#won't get into spoilers here but glad to see the writing is as GAY AS EVER hell yea#i'm surprisingly... happy with? fond of? the way the event stories are like#unapologetically all over the place#they don't spend too much time telling us Exactly where/when we are#which is very practical since players doing the events might be at different points of the main story#but it also gives me an enjoyable like monster of the week episode feeling?#the stories have the potential to be so different in theme/mood/atmosphere etc#and so they stay feeling fresh imo#well it's only been two major events so far lol so we'll see if that keeps up but so far! really good!!
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😐🥲
#i...#i went back and read some of the comments on 'One More Tomorrow'#ya know the long multi chapter pokkopiku fic i wrote back in 2018/2019#and there's surprisingly a good amount of readers who... want me to continue it.. 🥲🫨🤕#i really want to continue it!!!!!#but its been sooooo long!!!! 😭#would there be enough readership for it now??#idk like I'm conflicted 😭😭😭#i mean... i guess if enough people really reallly reallyyy want me to finish it...#like if enough peeps rally behind me continuing it... 😭😭#then... i suppose i oughtta 🫨#I've finished multi chapter fics before... so i know i have it in me!!!#took me like 3 years to finish my valeveira fic lmao but the readers were supportive and patient 🥲#i just need time!! im SORRY!!!!#believe me i wanna give porco closure and give pieck all the orgasms lmaoooo 😭😭😭#well porco gives her the sex#ya know what i mean :/#should i make a poll? take a vote???#are we doing this old school like signing a petition??#idk sometimes i go back and forth with it lol#is OMT even any good??😭😭#idk i gotta lotta pkpk feels with snk ending soon#and my love for the ship and the characters and the fic has never wavered!!!!#its late lol too many thoughts abt this 🤕
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also lmao i havent received rejection emails in a while since i didnt apply to anything the entire last month, oh how fun that you have returned to me again disappointment in my ability to go for entry level positions /s
#i think theres a single place from my 10 january applications that hasnt responded yet. so im considering it as good as gone too#and we are now hitting the incredibly awful times for job searching since basically all summer jobs are gone so applying to anything is bad#the only good thing is that i have no deadlines or requirements as of right now. i havent been contacted by officials since my last ones#expired in january but i keep being able to file for unemployment benefits so. idk man. i dont wanna contact them cause then my four#applications a month requirement returns and its SO fucking stressful#like maybe thats why i was much better last month. i didnt have to do that. i would have sent out applications even without the requirement#if there was places but there were like. nothing. so i didnt. and i feel sooooo much better about it#like ofc i would like a job still. obviously. but at the same time when i didnt have to send useless applications that just made me feel#fuck awful and useless and all the other negative emotions? yeah i do feel better. ''surprisingly'' lmao#..im just rambling at this point wowie anything to procrastinate starting a fic i guess lmao#night is an absolute mess on main
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Melb trip hehe :-)
#lune’s kouign amann was sooooooo delicious & I’ve been dreaming about her ever since!!! waited in like for like 10 mins though which was 👍🏻#bc I hate queuing and I avoid it at all costs#the state library was a literal dream!!! it’s so so soooo beautiful and I could just stare at it all day#the la la land reminded me of the movie :’)#Lulu’s ckt was soooooo sooooo delicious and hearty but so heaty at the same time#my friend asked us to try the jam donuts and I’m not a big fan of jam but I liked it and t’was delicious#ACMI was also fun!!! and mork chocolate was heaven 😌#wished I could explore more and went outside of the city but I wanted to explore the city first since it was quite spaced out and all over#but it also means that I have a reason to come back :D#tram system made me realize how much I appreciate how simple our tram system are here lol#but weather was surprisingly really good too despite the numerous complaints abt how it’s unpredictable!#my friends and I were also saying how we were glad that we didn’t study here? as much as there are stuff to do but everything is so pricey#and I feel like we’d have a diff mindset#p#photo on bottom left taken on film!!!!!’
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my body and head hurty to the point of puking whenever i’m at like. the movies or a concert are best friends
#my best guess is maybe it’s like. too much going on#first time it ever happened was at my first ever movie + we had to leave on account of me throwing up into dad’s nice jacket#would have been maybe six? it was elmo in grouchland lol#the next notable time was at my year five disco#to be fair did fine with movies most of the way through high school + beyond#but it’s a given at concerts#saw paul mccartney with my thumbs in my ears + fingers covering my eyes because my brain was about to implode#then it happened at a smaller gig in the valley#only actually threw up that time and had to bail#was surprisingly good at harry styles but we had side#of stage seats so there were no lights being beamed at us#my theory is that it’s mostly a light issue because even pre headache i have never met a big light i liked#had to ask my friend if people actually enjoyed the big lights beaming into the crowd at gigs and she was like well#they’re fine? it’s not an issue?#it’s just not enjoyable i don’t get it#took sunglasses to the offspring which looked incredibly lame but did wonder for me every time they started up with the lights#probably going to pick up some earplugs for paramore + take preemptive advil just to be safe#anyways the point of this is that i just saw barbie which was fun but not all that great. overhyped in a major way imo#but spent the entire time hoping my headache would hold out#on me for not carrying advil at all times honestly#personal
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