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ladykailitha · 10 months

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Royal Pain Part 8

Hello! I don’t know if it’s that it’s summer or what, but I’ve seen a sharp decline on my stories, so I just wanted to check and make sure everyone was okay. Take care of yourselves.

The hunt for the new apprentices start, they make room, and Eddie and Steve talk the design for the tattoo.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

***

Steve got the biggest, most caffeinated drink on the menu and had downed half of it before he pulled up to Erica’s apartment complex. He put his in the cupholder and then grabbed the tray with Robin and Erica’s coffees plus breakfast.

He trotted up the stairs to Erica’s apartment and knocked on the door. Erica answered the door groggily. She spotted coffee first and grabbed it out his grasp.

Robin took her coffee gratefully from Erica as Steve pulled out their breakfast.

“Bacon, egg, and cheddar on an English muffin for Robin,” he said handing to her. “Fruit salad with whip cream for me and a sausage, egg, and Swiss on a croissant for Erica.”

Again Erica made grabby hands at Steve, who handed it to her.

Once they were fed and on their way, Erica asked, “So what’s all this about anyway?”

Steve looked at her through the rearview mirror. “I’m thinking of taking on a couple of apprentices at the shop so I can focus on doing a large back tattoo.”

“Suzie was telling the truth?” Erica gasped. “Holy shit. I thought she was making shit up. Because there was no way you are cool enough to do a back tattoo for Eddie Munson.”

Steve turned around and glared at her.

Robin smacked him. “Turn around and drive, dingus. I would rather not die today, thanks.”

Erica stuck her tongue at him and he tapped the breaks to get back at her.

“You should let me apprentice for you,” she said as they pulled up to Will’s apartment building. “I have the steadiest hands, from all those years painting tiny ass figures for D&D.”

Steve sighed. “I was hoping to find people who have already started working toward being a tattoo artist, but failing that, I guess I could teach you.”

He got out of the car and leaned back in. “I swear to god, if either of you touch my coffee, you’ll be walking home from here.”

He slammed the door.

“How serious do you think he was?” Erica asked, eyeing the caffeinated beverage with want.

“Don’t try it,” Robin warned her. “The last time someone messed with his coffee, he drove them to the complete other side of town and told them they could find their own way home.”

“Who was this?” Erica asked, rolling her eyes. “Mike?”

Robin twisted in her seat to look Erica in the eye. “Dustin.”

Erica looked at the coffee in the cup holder and then nodded. “Right. No touching the coffee.”

“Smart girl.”

Will and Steve came out moments later, so there wasn’t really time to mess with the coffee, anyway.

“Erica,” Steve said after opening the door again. “We’re going to divide and conquer. You’re going to go with Will to the colleges and shit. Robin and I are going to hit up the bars and clubs. We’ll meet at Nicki’s Diner for lunch in about three or so hours.”

Erica saluted and got out of the car to go with Will. “Roger, roger!”

Steve put his stack of fliers on the back seat and got into his car. He waved at Will and Erica and then drove off.

They had made a list Sunday night and started at one end of town and worked their way through asking if they could put up their flier. At some of the trendier bars and clubs they got turned down, but most of them let them put it up on their community boards.

They are both tired and hungry by the time they make it to Nicki’s to meet up with Will and Erica.

“We managed to put up every flier we had,” Erica said proudly.

“Yeah,” Will said, “I even had to print out ten more to hand out.”

Steve and Robin shared a glance.

“Wait, really?” Steve asked. “Robin and me barely got through our stack.”

Will nodded. “I’m so happy you’re doing this. I’ve been telling you for the last year to get more people in your shop.”

Steve sighed, pulling up the menu to look it over. “I know. I’m actually really excited about this. I probably won’t get more than a couple applicants but even if it’s just me training someone how to tattoo, they can at least do initial sessions of talking out ideas and shit for the clients that will take more than one session. Or even start offering henna that they could practice with in the mean time.”

“Me and my friends do henna all the time,” Erica said. “It’s fun trying to find colors that show up on darker skin tones.”

Steve straightened up. “Oh. Now that’s an idea. Jeff was telling me that it was hard to find a tattoo artist that could do dark skin, because a lot of artists forget that black on black doesn’t show up.” He looked at her and rubbed his lip thoughtfully.

“Would you be willing to do henna at my shop?” he asked. “I’d be able to pay you.”

Erica and Robin shared a glance.

“Does this mean you won’t teach me how to tattoo?” she asked, eyeing him sidelong.

Steve shook his head. “If you want to learn, I’ll teach you. I just don’t want this to be a fun summer thing for you and then when you go back to school in the fall, you never pick up a tattoo gun ever again.”

Erica paused. “Oh. I see what you mean.” She thought about it for a moment before she nodded. “For this summer at least, I’ll stick to the henna and if after this summer is over, I can pick whether to go back to school or stay with you and train to be tattoo artist.”

Steve stuck out his hand and she shook it.

He paid for all their lunch as thank you for helping him put up the fliers.

They spent the rest of the day clearing out the other rooms that would be used for the new artists. They got the chairs set up and them set up to take clients. Most of the stuff was already there, just waiting for Steve to make the decision to hire more people.

They took to cleaning and decorating the rooms to match the rest of the of shop.

They ended up ordering pizza and continued to work until late at night. Finally it was all done. This was the easy part. The hard part was waiting to see if anyone would answer the flier. Or their online messages.

Steve took the younger adults home and then practically crawled up the stairs to the apartment with Robin.

“You know this is entirely your fault,” she said, totally devoid of sympathy. “You didn’t have to spend all night talking to Eddie. You could have stopped at any time and actually got some sleep.”

Steve didn’t even bother rolling his eyes he was that tired. “Just let me die in peace, please.”

Robin pushed him in the direction of their bathroom. “Take a shower at least, dude. And then crash. You’ll thank me and yourself in the morning.”

Steve nodded, already swaying on his feet. He got into the shower and let the heat wash over of his tired, aching body and sighed in relief. He carefully washed his hair, but only did a perfunctory scrub down of his body.

He got out and smiled when he saw that Robin had placed his pajamas in there while he was showering. He pulled on the clothes she set out for him and padded back out to their apartment in bare feet.

“Feel better?” Robin asked from their sofa.

Steve sighed. “Yeah, yeah. It has long been established that you are smarter than me.”

“Hell, yeah,” she said with a grin. “Now go to bed before you pass out on the carpet.”

Steve nodded and went to do as he was told.

He slept deeply for the first time in a long time.

Steve tried not to let his anticipation get to him as he worked on other tattoos, waiting for Eddie to come in. He was pretty sure he failed judging from the smirk on Robin’s face when Eddie finally arrived.

“Hey, Eds!” he greeted cheerfully. “We’ll go over some ideas I had and I can start laying the ground work for those wings of yours.”

Eddie grinned. “I can’t wait to see what you have for me, big boy!”

Robin raised an eyebrow at the pet name, but wisely said nothing as Steve led Eddie back to Steve’s work station.

“I saw the other rooms were opened,” Eddie said as he took a seat. “You’re really serious about the getting more people in here to work for you, huh?”

Steve nodded. “Yeah, I’m a little nervous, but mostly? I’m hella excited.”

Eddie smiled fondly at him. “Certainly sounds like it. Show me what you got.” He made grabby hands at the drawing book Steve had picked up.

“You have any ideas of your own that you’d want to do or thoughts on what you think it should look like?” Steve asked flipping to the start of his ideas for Eddie’s tattoo.

He shook his head. “Not really, other than size. I want them all the way down my back.”

Steve nodded again. “I wasn’t sure, so there are a couple of wings that are just on the shoulder blades. You can ignore those.”

Eddie was looking at the different styles of wings and inward facing verses outward facing when a small piece of paper fluttered out of the book on the floor. He bent over to pick it and was opening it when Steve snatched it out his hand.

“Um...” Steve said. “That’s not really anything, just a stupid idea I had after listening to you talking to Dustin on Sunday.”

Eddie cocked his head to the side. “Come on, I want to see it. I promise not to laugh or poke fun.”

Steve held to his chest for a moment and then handed the paper back to Eddie, heart in hand.

Eddie opened the paper up and there was a close to accurate rendition of his back with a pair of leathery bat wings, just like a lot of the designs in the drawing book. But in the middle of the two wings along the spine was a sword. It was a one-handed sword with a wavy blade that started at the base of the spine with the hilt and went all the way up to the nape of the neck with the point. The cross guard was in the shape of a bat and it was black.

It was beautiful.

“Holy fuck, Stevie,” Eddie said, breathless. “What is this?”

Steve blushed. “It’s the sword of Kas.I was thinking on one side of the blade have it say bloody-handed crossed out and then other side have it say betrayer.”

“This.” Eddie tapped the paper. “I want this. All of this. Including what you just said about the words. I want it.”

Steve’s jaw dropped and then he gulped. “It’s going to cost an awful lot. Like more then you were probably planning on spending, though.”

Eddie threw back his head and laughed. “Sweetheart, I’ve been saving up for this tattoo for years. I have roughly four thousand saved up. I don’t think it’s going to be the problem you think it will.”

Steve gently took back the paper. “You really want to do this?”

“Yeah, I really, really do,” Eddie said, smiling up at him.

A slow, sweet smile blossomed on Steve’s face. “All right. Let me scan this so I can print out the stencils and we’ll get started.”

“I can’t hardly wait.”

***

Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Epilogue

Tag List: @spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @artiststarme @swimmingbirdrunningrock @gregre369 @pyrohonk @renaissan-vvitch @goodolefashionedloverboi @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @messrs-weasley @val-from-lawrence @plyerice27 @thedragonsaunt @chaoticlovingdreamer @sapphirecobalt-1 @a-little-unsteddie @i-must-potato @danili666 @carlyv @rozzieroos @wonderland-girl143-blog @itsall-taken @justforthedead89 @emly03 @bookworm0690 @aizawa-emma @redfreckledwolf @thesuninyaface @bookbinderbitch @yikes-a-bee @littlewildflowerkitten @scheodingers-muppet @archermightbegay @hallucinatedjosten @ellietheasexylibrarian @anne-bennett-cosplayer

#My writing #stranger things #steddie #tattoo artist steve #ladykailtiha writes #trying hard not to take it personally #that i've been seeing less and less #people interacting with my stories #anxiety is a bitch

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venerex · 1 year

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tiger-print

pairing: hoshi x f!reader

word count: 475

contains: uh....bad bra shopping experiences?

a/n: yes i am writing another thing today and yes this is also about the exact same topic.

“i’ve never seen that before”

you snap your head up to look at your boyfriend’s observant eyes, tracing his line of sight to your chest. he’s never seen your chest before? what –

oh right. the bra. in the rush to change into pajamas after a tiring day of classes, you had forgotten that soonyoung hadn’t seen your new purchases yet.

“yeah, i bought it on the weekend”, you fight the urge to fix the garment, not feeling entirely confident in the unfamiliar style, “my size increased. i told you, i think?”

“mm”, soonyoung nods, “it’s nice, like one of those short crop-tops. different, i like it”.

“i think it is supposed to be that”, you snort, pushing your arms in your shirt, “i couldn’t find my normal style, had to make do with something like this”.

“it’s cute”, soonyoung smiles, and you can’t help but lean forward to brush a kiss against his lips, “did you buy just one?”

“uh”, you sit and pull off a sock, “it’s a pack of three”, you pull off another sock, before getting up to pull out the other two bras from the almost-untouched shopping bag, “one is brown, and the other is –“

“is that tiger print?”

your hands pause, your mind barely making out soonyoung’s rushed-out question, his voice almost breathless from excitement. the fact that the relevance of the print didn’t register in your mind, is a testament to how tiring the shopping ordeal was for you.

“yeah, i think it is”, you chuckle at your boyfriend’s excitement, walking to the hamper to discard your socks, “i didn’t notice it – “

“can you wear it?”

“what, now?”, you rest your hand on your hip, “like, right now?”

“please?”, soonyoung pouts, “please, please, please –”

“soonie”, you laugh out loud, equal parts resigned and endeared, “i’ll wear it tomorrow, alright?”, you giggle at the puppy eyes he shoots your way, “and i haven’t adjusted the straps of this one –”

“i’ll do it”, he smiles eagerly, “i can fix it for you. please, baby. need to see you in it”.

you sigh, watching in half-resignation as he awaits your answer.

“fine”, you toss him the bra, moving to remove the shirt you had donned a few minutes ago, “reduce the straps to half their length”.

“yeah”, soonyoung gets to work immediately, nimble fingers trying their best to adjust the length of the straps.

it’ll take a couple of minutes, so you move to undo your jeans, wanting to shift into something comfortable.

“baby, wait”, you look up at his voice, again, “can you keep them on for a few more minutes? please?”

oh, why not. if you’re giving him the fantasy, might as well do it properly.

“want me to get the heels out too, soonie?”

you don’t think you’ve ever seen the twinkle in your boyfriend’s eyes shine so bright.

#seventeen smut #svt smut #hoshi smut #seventeen x reader #hoshi x reader #seventeen imagines #hoshi imagines

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catsonsynthesizersinspace · 6 months

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ERMAHGERD! It’s been over a year since we made the difficult decision to discontinue all full-colour design shirts due to soaring overheads brought on by the cost of living crisis. Since then I’ve been getting a ton of messages asking if/when they’ll be back in stock, and the only answer I’ve been able to offer is a frustrating “I’m not sure”… well today they ARE back. ALL OF THEM! Sizes S through to XXXL. Shipping worldwide!

Not wanting to do things in half measures we’re not only reissuing the classics, we’ve also got not one, not two, but THREE brand new tees never before set to print! Some of these might be my fave designs so far, but for now they’re small batch limited runs as they still cost a packet to make! They are all available to order right now in the COSIS store. Shipping out Nov 25th 😎

That there continues to be such high demand for these designs after several years is not something I ever could have predicted, and I’m extremely grateful for the ongoing support. It’s a privilege, especially considering how ridiculously talented and creative you all are. Thank you thank you thank you! Live long and pawspurr 🖖 Kx

https://www.catsonsynthesizersinspace.com/shop

#catsonsynthesizersinspace

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1rsoldiersince2012 · 2 months

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Bound by Law (Matt Murdock x Reader)

Words: 3176 (chapter 49)

a quick update to break yet another writer's block * sighs *

49. Another night in Hell's Kitchen

"Who's this fancy looking fella?" Foggy asks, taking in Matt's appearance when you two come to the office minutes before the work day begins.

"You like it?" Matt slowly spins around, showing off his new navy blue suit, paired with a dark red tie with small black dots.

"Did you sell your kidney or something to buy this? Jesus, you're making me look like a subway worker." Foggy laughs, coming to touch Matt's suit to feel the material.

"Nah, got a good deal." Matt smiles, adding, "all the glory should go to y/n, she managed to bargain a smaller price."

Your cheeks turn a light shade of pink, and you quickly turn around from Foggy and Karen to hang your coat. "The owner is a friend of my mom and well, your blindness really soothed his character."

"Wait, wait. I think I'm missing something." Foggy stands, one hand on his hips, and intently looks at the two of you. "I think I need an explanation."

"Y/n invited me for Thanksgiving dinner and we raided the shops later." Matt shrugs as if it wasn't a big deal to hang out with an employee... On a holiday. At her parent's house.

"I just couldn't let him be sullen the whole weekend while we're all away." Making way towards the kitchen for coffee, you also escape curious glances, and soon, clients start coming, pilling up in the lobby with Karen. You don't get a chance to talk with Matt until noon, as he spends most of the time with Foggy, talking to clients and running around the lobby to print documents. You, however, continue to work alone in the office until the lunch break, and just when you thought you were all going to grab a bite, and you could have a chance to smoke a cigarette or two, three loud bangs on your office door, ruin all of your plans.

***

"I'm sorry... But your son has been involved in..." you raise your eyebrows at the short-haired black woman and her 16-year-old son, "an armed robbery?"

"Yes, I've already mentioned it four times."

"Sorry, I'm a bit... Not well today. So, Paxton, could you please tell me what exactly happened? If you want to stay out of jail, I need to hear every single detail."

Paxton's mother crosses her arms, clearly unhappy with the treatment she was receiving, while Paxton was sitting on one of the armchairs, not particularly bothered by the whole situation. "Nothing. My mother is exaggerating." He shrugs, looking out through the window.

"I'm sorry, he's joking, right sweetheart?" His mother tries to gently touch his arm, but Paxton slides away as far as he can. "He told me everything last night. That's why I came here without an appointment. I noticed how many people are here, I am so glad you could take us in during your break."

"Mrs Harris..." You begin, tapping your pen on your notebook, "enough with the pleasantries. I need the details so I could tell you if I'm able to help you and Paxton. Now, please, talk."

"Remember that article a couple of weeks ago about how five men robbed a jewelry store?" She asks, casting her eyes to the ground; you give her a negative answer and wait for a more detailed explanation. "Well, Paxton was involved in it."

"What did you steal?"

"Rings, necklaces, earrings. I found a box of them in his room." She answers for Paxton.

You look at the boy, noticing a small smirk he just bit away. "What were you planning to do with them, Paxton?"

"Sell. It's all gold." He rolls his eyes.

"Why?"

"I need money." Paxton says in a hurtful tone, sending a glare towards you.

"What for?" Your question hangs in the air heavily. "Why is a teenage boy so in need of money that he must go rob a jewelry store? Tell me, do you work somewhere?"

"No, the money that I bring home is enough." Mrs Harris answers for her son once more, and you look at him in thought.

"Is it drugs, Paxton? You need more money for a dose, don't you?" He stares back at you, visibly irritated. "Is it cocaine? Or marijuana? Do you smoke with your criminal friends after school? Where'd you get the guns from?"

"Excuse me, but these are false accusations, Miss y/l/n, I-"

You hold your hand up, and continue to look right at the boy. "It is drugs. Bloodshot eyes, runny nose. You keep buying those eye drops in hopes of concealing it, but they don't work, do they?"

"Miss-"

"How do you know?" He finally asks after failing the staring contest.

"I had my fair share of experience with drug addicts. Now, if we cleared this one up, where'd you get the guns and who were your accomplices?"

"I can't tell you. I made a promise." He protests in vain.

"Addict's promise is nothing more than an empty talk. Did they threaten you?" You're met with silence and uneasiness from Mrs Harris. "Paxton, we're bound by an attorney-client privilege. Whatever you say, stays in this room. I can only advise what's best for you in court."

"No."

"I think you're lying to me."

"Yes, okay? I had to keep my mouth shut so they would give me my share." You rub your forehead in thought, when Paxton speaks up again, "we found some guns in an abandoned place, it was like a warehouse or something. We only came there to threaten the owner, but then Joey fired a shot and... We didn't want to hurt anyone."

"Did you hurt someone?"

"No, the bullet went through the display glass, but we got scared and ran away." Paxton was still restricted, but after you assured that it stays between you three, he opened up.

"Did anyone see you?"

"No, we wore masks."

"Can you tell other names? Besides Joey?"

He hesitates, cracking his fingers, afraid to meet his mother's eyes.

***

"He's agreed to help us, in exchange for a full immunity."

"Did he give any names?" Mahoney asks, flipping over the papers.

"All of them." You answer, looking over at Mrs Harris and her son, still in your office. Matt and the rest of the office returned from their lunch break, and Matt was awkwardly hanging around Karen's desk, listening to you and Mahoney talking on the phone from time to time. Karen was pushing him to get a grip and finally start taking money from the clients, rather than doing everything for free; yet he kept pushing back with the same old arguments.

"Well, I need you to come to the station, so we could take the statement, only then I can guarantee a full immunity."

"Alright, we'll see you soon, Sergeant."

***

You enter Josie's before seven, pushing through the thick crowd to the pool tables, old rock music is blaring through the speakers on full volume. Some guy almost spills his drink and starts apologizing profusely, so you quicken your step until you finally see familiar faces of Nelson and Murdock. "Apologies for the delay, Mahoney held us up." You sigh, stopping in front of the pool table to watch how Foggy misses a perfect shot.

"He likes to do that a lot." Foggy comments, trying to cover up his incredible failure.

"What happened? You were gone the whole afternoon." Matt fixes his glasses, directing his movements elsewhere, although he wanted to at least put a comforting hand on your shoulder... But not in public.

"Uh... Whiskey neat?" You ask him, snatching his drink without waiting for an answer, and when the alcohol burns your throat, finally reply, "so basically, the warehouse where the kids found guns belong to the irish, yes, yet another gang in Hell's Kitchen. And the police are on the lookout for them, but it seems that they went into hiding." You put an empty glass on the table next to you, and touch Matt's shoulder, "Next one's on me."

"Wait, so what happened to the kids?" Karen asks, sipping her own drink, which you notice to be the same brand of beer that Matt keeps buying for himself.

"We all talked, but of course, their parents weren't happy with the charges, so none of them confessed, but Paxton's on tape, and he still has the full immunity on the table."

"And the store owner?"

"He didn't recognize any of them, but he did recognize the stolen jewelry that Paxton brought with him. At least they were smart enough to wear masks, but if Mahoney pulls out a search warrant, it's over for them." You sigh, plopping on the chair nearby. "I'm dog tired and I can't believe I've walked all the way from the station here."

"Hey, it's time to relax now, we've got all gang here!" Foggy puts his hands on your shoulders and shakes, a bit too strong for your liking.

"Nelson and Murdock are finally back!" Karen lifts her bottle and cheers when Matt's shot goes right into the hole.

"That's a pretty damn good shot there, Murdock." You comment, and Matt's cheeks slightly blush. You quickly check him out, relaxed and laid back, his jacket ditched somewhere on the chair, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up and his strong arms exposed. If you could, you'd take him right here in the filthy bathroom of Josie's bar; but you can only bite your lip and wait for Josie to bring you a drink.

Matt laughs, "I only got lucky this time."

"He's been riding on that luck the whole evening, don't trust his words." Foggy comments and goes around the table to find the best position for himself again.

*** The evening goes by quickly, you've already lost the count on how many drinks you have consumed in those couple of hours, the bar is nowhere near empty, on the contrary, it only became fuller. Foggy has won two out of six rounds against Matt and has been glued to his beer ever since, apart from an occasional bathroom break, and now it was Karen v Matt in the 'grand pool battle', as Foggy called it.

Your phone vibrates and you pull it out of your purse, confused. 1 new message. You can't help but look around the bar, before opening the message from an unknown number. Maybe Todd has come back to haunt you again?

U/N: hey, just wanted to check in, how are you?

You: sorry, who's this?

You see three dots appear and disappear multiple times, and at last, the person texts back, you quickly sober up.

U/N: It's Poindexter.

U/N: don't mean to appear like a stalker, but got your number from the case documents.

You: Oh

Dex clenches his jaw tightly, and Ray turns to look at him, clutching his phone. "You alright?"

"Yeah, yeah." Dex answers, briefly looking around where they have parked their car. Dex and Ray were on a lookout mission tonight, and after a long afternoon of contemplating, he finally gathered enough courage to text you. And your response wasn't as warm as he expected it to be.

After two long minutes, which felt like an hour to Dex, you finally started typing something. Ray side-eyed his partner with rising interest, pretty much because he has never seen him staring at his phone like that. Dex's small smirk to your message added more suspicion to the already boiling pot.

You: does this count as a part of your job, agent?

Dex: not when I'm off duty.

You: are you off duty now?

Dex: well, I guess you caught me this time.

Matt listens to the sudden liveliness of your phone, slightly confused, but then Karen appears next to him and offers to teach how to play pool 'correctly', despite the obvious fact that he's been playing with Foggy the whole evening. You watch them from behind a half empty glass of whiskey, catching the way drunken Karen allowed herself to boldly touch Matt. You shouldn't be mad or jealous... Theoretically... Because you two weren't public or official. But theory aside, you were biting your cheek to refrain from a sarcastic remark. Matt couldn't help himself but smile awkwardly when he felt Karen's fingers sliding along his arm; her closeness was too much for his liking, especially in front of you; but your attention was somewhere else already.

You: didn't think feds worked overtime. You replied cheekily, but then added, I'm ok. Thanks for asking, Dex.

Dex's response was quick, you don't know a lot about us then. I guess everything that happened was very hard for you.

You get a fresh glass of whiskey, thinking over his message. It was strange, that when your life has finally settled, weeks after Teneke's murder, Dex decided to text you. Although there was some truth in his words, it was hard, the nightmares weren't the fun part of the whole thing too... But it was all in the past now; with Matt by your side, you allowed yourself to relax and not think of all the bad things that happened in your life since your return to Hell's Kitchen.

You: it was, yeah. If we're already on this subject, how are you?

Dex: I'm good, thanks.

And he was, especially when you texted back. His smile, even though a brief one, didn't go unnoticed by Ray. Dex wanted to text something else, keep the conversation going, but his mind was blank, especially when it came to making small talk; although he was now guarded by his phone and safe from any first-hand awkwardness, Dex still didn't know how to deal with the sudden stress. But his self-pitying session got interrupted by your message, so, what are you up to right now? So, you did care after all. Enough to not let this conversation die.

Dex: on a lookout for a bad guy, pretty boring. And you? Hopefully something more exciting.

You: in a bar, drinking my salary away with the bosses. How bad that bad guy is?

Dex: pretty bad in my opinion. Don't drink too much, you won't feel well tomorrow :)

You lock your phone and notice that Foggy and Karen were already dressed up.

"Look who's off her phone already, you missed all the fun." Foggy says, buttoning his coat up.

"You're leaving already?"

"Yeah, Karen's afraid to go home alone and I-"

"I am not!" Karen giggles, steadying herself against the pool table. Matt laughs, leaning on the pool cue and sips his beer.

"Huh, maybe I should head home as well... Just want a cigarette so bad, haven't had one the whole day." You sigh, and say your goodbyes to Foggy and Karen. The bar is still full, Josie's been running non-stop, and you think to yourself if it's always like this on a Monday night.

"That leaves just two us now, huh?" Matt says, striking the white ball into the red one.

"Isn't this just so romantic?" You laugh, walking closer to Matt, and whispering in his ear, "those shouting ones really know how to create an atmosphere...Full of sweaty bodies and that stink of cheap beer."

"I'd say this is perfect." He laughs, handing you the pool cue.

"No, I don't play."

"Come on, let me teach you."

"Really? And how will you do that?"

"With your help, of course." Matt laughs into your ear, and puts his hands around your shoulders, positioning the cue in your hands. "Now, turn where the white one is." You do that, noticing that there's a green ball right behind the white one. "And now, you strike that ball into another one, like that." He pushes the cue with quick, powerful movement, still holding your hand.

"It went in!"

"See, it's easy." He smiles, forgetting that he was gonna ask you who was texting you this late in the evening. You celebrate for a moment, but then grab Matt's hand, asking to go home. And who was Matt to refuse your ideas, when he knew how tired you were?

As you were waiting for a taxi outside, Matt was standing so close to you that you smelled his perfume mixed with all the smells of the bar even through your burning cigarette.

"Listen, I wanna ask you something, y/n." He begins, shuffling his feet on the sidewalk. "Do you... Would you like to go on a date tomorrow evening?"

"A date?" You ask again, averting your attention from the passing cars. "Matt, we've been together for like a month."

"I know, and I haven't asked you on a date once, that's on me." His warm hands found yours and squeezed affectionately, "let's go to some nice place, maybe not too expensive," you laugh and it's like music to his ears, "I would choose it myself, but unfortunately," Matt gestures to his glasses, "I'll put on my best suit, and you could put on that silk dress I helped you choose... What do you say?"

You wanted to kiss him right now and never let him out of your arms, "I have one place in mind... I just hope that it will be as romantic as Josie's."

He laughs, throwing his head back, "so, that's a yes?"

"Affirmate, Mr Murdock." You kiss him on the cheek, leaving the biggest smile on his face.

***

"Hey, I told you I'm sorry, I tried to reason with my mother to not go to that lawyer!" Paxton's voice rings in the dark alley, four dark figures hovering above him menacingly.

"So you had to tell our names to save your own ass, didn't you?" Joey asks, kicking Paxton's thigh with enough force to earn a loud cry.

"I was busted either way. She cracked me about the drugs, I can't be in jail for having drugs in my house, please!"

"You're just a pussy, Paxton. I always knew you were the weakest link." Toby says, pulling the hood off his head. "We could've sold that gold for good money and taken more guns from the warehouse, but it's all busted now. And whose fault is that?"

"Guys, please," Paxton shields his head from another kick, "I beg you, stop, I'll take everything back, I promise-"

"I don't take promises from a snitch. We should just kill you right now." Joey says, picking up a brick from the ground, and gets hit by one of Daredevil's billy clubs, which bounces off to knock out Toby. The rest of the gang look around in panic, until they notice a dark figure on one of the rooftops, and another billy club flies through the air and knocks them out as well.

"Please, please, don't kill me, Daredevil!" Paxton lies back down, keeping his hands in the air.

The devil of Hell's Kitchen lands on the ground switfly with little effort and picks up his billy clubs, agonizingly slowly stalking towards Paxton. "Call the police, call your lawyer first thing in the morning, leave no details, you understand? Drop the shady business or I won't be so nice the next time we meet." Matt rasps out, in case Paxton has heard him speaking in the office.

"Okay, okay, I'll do it, please don't hurt me anyone." Paxton cries out, holding his bruised side.

"Make the call right now, Paxton, I won't ask again."

The boy pulls out his phone, screen almost shattered from the kicks and dials the emergency number, fearfully looking at his knocked out friends and Daredevil himself, standing and looking right at him.

Another typical night in Hell's Kitchen.

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silent-raven13 · 1 month

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Flower Shop Across the Music Store

(AU: Miles works at a flower shop. Hobie owes his music Store.)

The sound of the machine printing out a long list of receipts had the young man ripped it off to had to the customer. "Here's your receipt. Remember no returns if it's open." The Punker said in a serious tone before going back to reorganizing some CDs.

The customer left with a nod before taking his leave with his skateboard in his other hand. The front door opens with its bell ringing, a group of three teenage boys wearing Y2K outfits; large baggy pants, and oversize shirts. Very old school style of New York, with Jordans, and timberlands.

Hobie glances over, "Manny, did you do your homework?" At a brown teenage boy wearing bright red oversize t-shirt, baggy pants and Jordans. The one called Manny had a buzz cut with one earring in his left ear, he sucked his teeth in with an eye roll.

"Man," Manny frowns at his adopted older brother, "I was."

"Oh yeh? Let me see it?" The owner of the shop asked.

"Come on, bro." Manny grunts.

"Don't give me that. Go to the back and do your homework. Those are the rules." Hobie crosses his arms. "Unless you wanna go back to yer mama?"

Manny groans, "No. But can I just go skate for a bit. I swear I'll be back at five and do my homework!"

"Alright. But I better see you here before those lights turned on." Hobie pointed at the lamp lights on the street. "I'm gonna make jerk chicken and rice and peas! So you better get home by dinner time."

"Ight, bro! I will." Manny walks out with his friends going to the park to skate and hang out.

The punker merely rolled his eyes, he felt more like a dad to this kid than a brother at times. He heard the boys calling all at once, then one of them said, "Aye, look over there! it's a gonna be a Flower shop."

"Nah, mane. Who goes buy flowers?" A friend of Manny said.

"Who knows but it's better than that wack ass junk store."

"Ya that place was cover in dust."

Hobie saw the boys walking away laughing, he peeks over the shop across his store to find a flower shop being set up. Huh, he never noticed that. The Grand Opening show it's today with a free rose.

Two older Latina women went inside the shop to buy some flowers, coming out with their own bouquets. The punker arched his eyebrows being interested in the shop, during his lunch break he decided to go check it out.

Of course, by the looks on the Flower Shop it look a bit to posh for the neighborhood of Brooklyn. So he wore his black leather jacket and went full Punk on his aesthetics to see if the owners would freak out. He's biggest worry if it's a rich white owner trying to take over a black and brown neighborhood.

"Not on my watch!" He thought to himself before going over to the flower shop.

The door bing with an automatic ringer whenever the door open. The flower shop is small, but had many beautiful flowers with decent prices. "Coming." Hearing a male voice.

Hobie checks around seeing a lot of roses, so many in different types from white to pink to yellow to the iconic red ones. Then, he heard footsteps behind him. He turns around as he heard, "Sorry about that. I was setting up the vases behind the counter."

The moment Hobie's eyes saw the young man, it felt like love at first sight. He never seen anyone so beautiful in his life. The young cashier had big hazel eyes with a cute wide nose and dimple wide smile with those plump lips. The young man have dark skin and coily tapered Afro, with earrings on both ears. He wore an apron over his sunny yellow collar shorts and overalls that have Sunflower embroidered and OG Jordans.

"Uhhh..." Hobie felt like he was styling a sun by the way this man's face glows so brightly.

"Hm?" The cashier tilted his head to the side with those big doe eyes.

The punker saw the cashier's name tag, "Miles. Um, are you the owner?"

"Me? Nah, this is my aunty's shop. I'm working here part time." He looked worried, "Oh do you need to speak to her? My aunty and Uncle will be here tomorrow!"

Hobie never thought he would see someone this cute. "No. No-no!" He raised his hand up, "It's all good. I just wanna say I own a music shop across the street."

"OH! I always wanted to go there! You're the owner! Wow, you dress so cool." Miles' big hazel eyes gleams with excitement.

"Heh, I guess so. It's pretty crappy."

"Oh, I don't think so." Miles giggles, "I think it gives a bit of personality."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhmm."

"Never thought it that way." Hobie crosses his arms then slowly asked, "So, what you got for sale?"

"We got twelve dollar bouquets roses." Miles pointed out, "They are small but enough to be romantic." He to hold a bequest of Sunflowers, "Sorry, I need to fix this." He wanted to have the Sunflower flowers their own attention.

"Huh, you look like a Sunflower." Hobie's hand reach out to touch Miles' cheek, "Sunflower." There eyes met.

The young man felt his body heated up by this handsome Punker. Seeing him so tall and having Heterochromia eyes made him look so damn cool and attractive. "Oh, no one ever called me that or any flower."

"I think Sunflower fits you perfectly. Anyway, I like to buy that Sunflower." He offer.

"Oh this one?" Miles is holding it with great care.

This is what Hobie wanted to hold Miles and the best way was that Sunflower. He casually chuckles, "I like that one."

'Okay, I'll ring it up for you." The cashier nodded heading to the front desk to charge the flower. The two stay quiet it until Hobie couldn't take it anymore.

"Here, luv. Maybe you need a discount from her." He slid his phone number on a piece .

"Ehh?" Miles felt his cheeks warm when seeing the phone number on a piece of paper. "Don't you think that's old school?" His hazel eyes onto the punker.

"So? I wanna make my point across." The Punker flirted.

"Okay... but I didn't catch your name." The cashier went to wrap the sunflower.

"Hobie. Hobie Brown." He grins at Miles. "Let me take you out for a cup of coffee."

"I do like coffee." Miles flirted with him, having this warm smile. He could stare at Hobie's one silver blue eyes and the other being brown.

"Yeah." Hobie flirted back, "Hopefully, you and I can go further like dinner or a movie."

"Hehehe," The cashier giggles, "I would like that if things go well."

"I think you and I both know, luv, that we're gonna get along super well with each other." He smirks at him.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

The two were staring into each other having big smiles on their faces. Miles couldn't help but be attractive to the punker. "What about tonight?"

"Cup of coffee?"

"Maybe or a movie, since you already said we fit goo together." Miles hums having to charge the Sunflower. "That'll be five thirty five."

"Heh, alright." Hobie grins having to pull out his wallet to pay in cash, "How about this? I take you to a nice Dominican restaurant down there, and see where it goes."

"OKay. I do like Dominican food." Miles' eyes on him, they were interested.

"Alright, when you get off?"

"Around five. My uncle comes by to help close the shop." Miles said, "I'll be ready by then."

"Okay, I'll come by. I normally close shop early too." Hobie grins at the cashier. "See you then, Sunflower."

"See you, Hobie." He smiles at him watching him leave the store.

Hobie could only fantasize about Miles and the smell of Sunflowers just reminds the punker of him. His heart race thinking about it, then he remembers about his adopted brother.

He quickly texted him.

Hobie: Yo, I got a date at five. You can hang out with your friends longer.

Manny: Sweet, can I stay over at Luis till ten?

Hobie: Sure. Do your homework!

Manny: Sure thing bro.

Hobie smirks with that. Now he gotta think what to wear for this date. God, he knows this is the one. His soul mate, he could feel it in his bones!

#miles morales #hobie brown #punkflower #spiderman #across the spider verse #spider verse #fanfic #flowerpunk

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phoen1xr0se · 8 months

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New Fic on AO3: Don't Fall Away From Me

Thought I would be brave and post my post S2 fanfic - it's set shortly after the TRAUMATIC events of Season 2 and throws Crowley and Muriel together into an adventure neither of them expected when Aziraphale goes AWOL. Lots of angst, very fluff, a few giggles. Feedback welcome.

Image credit: @mistysblueboxstuff (AMAZING ARTIST)

Don't Fall Away From Me - Chapter One MURIEL

Today is my fortieth day on Earth as a human bookseller. It seemed important to keep records of my time here on Earth - after all, record-keeping is what I do best - and I was inspired by Mr. Fell the traitor the Supreme Archangel's own personal records. I discovered a whole heap of them at the back of the shop on my second day, and although I am unsure who "Diary" is, or what the purpose is of describing how a demon's hair moves in the breeze, I do very much admire dedication to accurate record-keeping. I will be keeping a log of my activities and the things I have learned about humanity.

Here are some of the things I have learned so far:

1 - There isn't much book selling that goes along with the job. Or interacting with humans, really , which is a bit disappointing. Rather, I sit in the shop all day and wait for customers that never come, and read. I like the reading, and I'm used to being alone after millions of years as a scrivener, so it's not all bad.

2 - Books are brilliant! They hold so much information, and somehow make you feel as if you are another person for a little while. I am learning so much about humanity by reading all their funny little stories. I still haven't quite figured out why humans do it, create wild stories and put them in print, but it's jolly good fun.

3 - Maggie (a human) is very kind. She comes in every morning and asks me if I want anything from the coffee shop. I always say no, of course, but she comes by anyway. She is always helping me to understand things better.

4 - Nina (another human) seems less kind but is actually nice. There is a human saying that says "don't judge a book by its cover" and I discovered that it doesn't actually describe books, but people who behave differently than their appearance might suggest. Isn't that funny? But it is a good description of Nina. Nina doesn't speak to me much but did give a bag of clothes to Maggie to pass on to me, which was super kind of her. After all, my human police officer outfit was no longer suitable, and I was a little unsure about miracleing myself a new outfit in case I got it wrong. As it turned out, apparently putting on every item in the bag was also a mistake, but Maggie helped me to fix it.

5 - Every night at sundown, a large black car drives slowly past the bookshop. I always try and wave to Mr Crowley but he doesn't seem to see me, which is odd as I believe he used to spend a lot of time here. This behaviour seems suspicious, especially for a former demon, which is why I am noting it.

Muriel closed the leather-bound journal with a satisfying clap and looked around the bookshop. The sky was darkening outside, and as if by magic, the flickering low-level lighting around the bookshop sputtered into life, casting Muriel and the books into a warm yellow glow.

"Three, two, one..." whispered Muriel, and, just as expected, they heard the low growl of an engine approaching. A black Bentley pulled into view, going as slowly as a car could. As always, Muriel approached the window and waved cheerily. From behind the wheel, the driver gave no indiciation that he had seen Muriel's wave - his face was set like stone and kept on driving, out of sight.

Across the road, Muriel saw that Maggie and Nina had also been following the car's movements from the coffee shop. They were exchanging words. Maggie shook her head and Nina's eyes met Muriel's. She raised her hand in a wave. Muriel went to wave back when they realised that Nina was actually waving at them to come over.

Muriel froze, flustered. They hadn't actually left the bookshop since being appointed to be its protector - they took the responsibility of protecting the Supreme Archangel's personal property very seriously indeed. But why shouldn't they venture out and interact with these humans? After all, they had been so excited to get out of the office and onto Earth, why waste an opportunity? It would look more suspicious to avoid them, Muriel decided, so they left the shop and crossed the street, smiling brightly at the two women.

"Hello Muriel," said Maggie, smiling. "I like your outfit today. Very... bright."

Muriel looked down at their choices for today, green knee length socks, a yellow corduroy skirt, a sparkly purple belt and a rainbow poncho. "Thanks! I love how much colour you... we... humans have to choose from. Colours are the best."

Nina and Maggie exchanged a look. "Hey, come inside for a coffee," said Nina. "We need to talk."

Muriel's face flickered with panic at being offered a beverage, but Maggie gently touched their arm. "It's alright, Muriel, you don't need to drink anything if you don't want to. It's just what... we... humans say sometimes as an excuse to sit and chat."

Muriel beamed. "Oh, well, of course, I knew that."

Muriel followed Maggie and Nina into Give Me Coffee Or Give Me Death, and let their eyes wander over the brightly painted walls. Sometimes it felt like their eyes couldn't take it all in, all the colour, all the EVERYTHING, everywhere. It was so vastly different from the infinite, empty whiteness they had been accustomed to in Heaven.

"Right," said Nina, after making two coffees and sitting down at a table in the empty cafe, "we need to talk about our friend Mr Crowley."

Muriel flinched. "He is not MY friend, I barely even know him. I mean, I arrested him once, but not really... and he's a de- de-" Muriel faltered, trying to think of a cover for her mistake.

"A... demon?" suggested Maggie softly.

Muriel let out a very unconvincing laugh. "A... what? A... no, don't be so... I mean, what are you... we humans don't believe in... in..." Their eyes flicked between Maggie and Nina wildly.

"It's okay, you don't have to lie," said Nina with a wry smile. "We may be human but we're not stupid. We know about Heaven and Hell and all you... lot," she finished lamely. "I mean I can't even believe that these words are coming out of my mouth, but here we are. I'm having coffee with an angel! I mean, I'm assuming you are, anyway - you don't strike me as the demon type."

Maggie smiled at Nina whilst Muriel struggled to find a reply. On the one hand, they were meant to be inhabiting Earth discreetly and it was entirely possible that they could get into a lot of trouble for having their identity revealed. But on the other, it would be so nice not to have to lie anymore... and Maggie and Nina had been so very kind to them so far.

"You don't need to worry, Muriel, we're not trying to cause trouble for you. I rather think we may have done too much of that already," said Maggie, her blue eyes clouded with worry. "Do you know what happened between Mr Fell and Mr Crowley on that day?"

Maggie didn't need to remind anybody which day she meant. Muriel shook their head. "No. Crowley said that he wanted them to have some "us" time at the Ritz, whatever that is, and then Azira... uh, Mr Fell, came in to tell him about his big promotion."

"Promotion?"

"Yes!" Muriel beamed, remembering. "You see, he was talking to the Metatron - that's the voice of God, you know - and he was offered the job of Supreme Archangel! Since, you know, Gabriel decided to go off with..." Muriel trailed off. They found the whole thing rather puzzling still. "So that's why I am here now, looking after the bookshop, and Az... I mean, Mr Fell, is, you know..." they pointed upwards. "Up there."

Maggie and Nina exchanged dark looks. "So... he left, then. And... how did Mr Crowley take this news?" asked Maggie. "After all, it seemed as though they had known each other for quite some time. Was he... okay?"

Muriel shrugged their shoulders. "I don't know. Apparently Metatron had told Mr Fell that he could restore Crowley into an angel and return to Heaven... but I don't see how that could have worked, after everything he's done. I mean, he is a demon, after all. I don't really see how any of this works. Mr Fell isn't exactly the first person I should think of when I think of a Supreme Archangel. I mean, he spends time with demons and humans, and... ingesting things..." Their eyes rested on the half-drunk coffee cups on the table and wrinkled their nose.

All three of them were silent for a moment.

"Well we know Mr Crowley didn't take him up on that offer, and we know that he's been coming by here every night since," said Nina matter-of-factly. "I think we can probably assume the poor man is heartbroken." Maggie nodded sadly in agreement.

"What... what do you mean?" questioned Muriel, looking quizzically at Nina.

"You know, Mr Fell and that Crowley. They're in love. We were trying to help them work it out so they'd stop hopping around the issue, but I feel like we were probably too late."

Muriel's eyes were wide as saucers. "In... love?"

Muriel felt a strange feeling pass through their body. They had read lots about love already, and not the celestial peaceful kind of love but the human kind - complicated, confusing emotional love - to Muriel, it all seemed a bit far-fetched but humans seemed to be totally mad about it! They'd read dozens of stories where humans did all kinds of incredible, unthinkable and unexpected things, and all for this very abstract concept of love. With a sudden sinking feeling, they recalled how many passages of Aziraphale's journal were devoted to describing the demon Crowley in painstaking detail. The description of his flame-red hair being tousled by a sea breeze and how the light would catch his shining yellow eyes. They recalled seeing Crowley drape across an armchair with barely an inch between him and Aziraphale. The way Crowley had called Aziraphale "angel" without a hint of irony. The way Crowley now stayed so close to the bookshop once owned by Aziraphale but refused to look directly at it.

Blinking, they looked over at Maggie and Nina, who had fallen into bickering over whether or not they had helped or hindered the couple, blithely unaware of the revelation Muriel was experiencing.

"I... need to get back to the bookshop now," said Muriel, standing up abruptly. "Thank you for inviting me for the 'coffee and chat'."

"Oh, okay... I also wanted to let you know that it's the monthly Whickber Street Traders and Shopkeepers Association Meeting tomorrow evening, I've had my arm twisted into holding it here. You'll come?" said Nina.

"It'll be a nice opportunity to meet some of the other traders," said Maggie with a reassuring smile. "If you're going to be sticking around a while, it'll be good for you to get to know the neighbourhood properly. And we'll be there in case you..." she paused briefly, "I mean, to help you if you need it."

"Er, yes, if that's what a human bookseller does then I will be there," said Muriel, pasting on a smile that didn't quite reach their eyes. They thanked Nina and Maggie again and returned to the bookshop, locking the door behind them and making their way to the small bedroom, the soft yellow lights extinguishing themselves as they walked by.

Muriel had taken over the bedroom that had been formerly occupied by Gabriel the amnesiac Archangel, and a small miracle had seen the tiny room turn a vibrant shade of lavender, and pictures of random things that Muriel had drawn lined the walls above their bed. Muriel changed into an oversized Back To The Future T-Shirt and climbed into bed. They had no need to sleep, but they had begun to spend their nights lying in bed reading and feigning sleep to keep up appearances. Tonight, though, Muriel's mind was whirring with brand new information, and they weren't sure that they would be able to concentrate on the unfinished copy of Persuasion on their bedside table.

After a few minutes of staring blankly at the ceiling, Muriel got up from bed and crept back into the bookshop. From Aziraphale's desk, they picked up a book bound in green leather and padded quietly back to bed. They held the book carefully in their hands and, despite having already skimmed through some of it, somehow realised that reading it this time would be quite different. What Nina and Maggie had unintentionally revealed to them, they knew, deep down, somehow changed... everything.

Taking a deep breath, Muriel opened the first page and began to read, and for the first time, also understood.

#good omens #crowley #aziraphale #neil gaiman #aziracrow #david tennant #ao3 fanfic #ao3 writer #muriel #ineffable husbands #ineffable idiots #ineffable bureaucracy #writing to cope with trauma #seriously season 2 destroyed me #but i guess im a writer now #good omens fandom #crowly x aziraphale

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withasideofshakespeare · 3 months

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An AMENDED Rundown on the Absolute Chaos That is First Quarto Hamlet

O, gather round me, my dear Shakespeare friends And let me tell to ye a tale of woe. It was a dark and drizzly winter night, When I discovered my life was a lie... This tale is a tragedy, one of Shakespeare sources turned into gardening websites, "misdated" quartos, and failed internet archives. It is also a story of the quarto itself, an early printing of our beloved Danish Prince's play, including an implied Hamlet/Horatio coffee date, weird and extremely short soliloquies, and Gertrude with a hint of motivation and autonomy.

But let us start from the beginning. Long ago, in the year of our lord 2022, I pulled a Christmas Eve all-nighter to bring you this post: https://www.tumblr.com/withasideofshakespeare/704686395278622720/a-rundown-on-the-absolute-chaos-that-is-first?source=share

It was popularish in Shakespeare circles, which is why I am amending it now! I returned to it tonight, only to discover a few problems with my dates and, more importantly, a mystery in which one of my sources miraculously turned into a link to a gardening website...

Anyhow, let us begin with the quarto! TL;DR: Multiple versions of Hamlet were printed between 1603 and 1637 (yes, post-folio) with major character and plot differences between them. The first quarto (aka Q1) is best known for its particular brand of chaos with brief soliloquies, an extra-sad Hamlet, some mother-son bonding, weird early modern spelling, and deleted/adapted scenes with major influences on the plot of the play!

A long rundown is included below the cut, including new and improved sources, lore, direct quotes, and my own interpretations. Skip what bores you! And continue... if thou darest!

What is the First Quarto? Actually, what is a quarto?

Excellent questions, brave Hamlet fan! A quarto is a pamphlet created by printing something onto a large sheet of paper and then folding it to get a smaller pamphlet with more pages per big sheet (1). First Quarto Hamlet was published in 1603 and then promptly lost for an entire two centuries until it was rediscovered in 1823 in the library of Sir Henry Bunbury. Rather than printed from a manuscript of Shakespeare, Q1 seems like it may be a memorial reconstruction of the play by the actor who played Marcellus (imagine being in a movie, memorizing the script to the best of your ability, writing it down, and then selling "your" script off to the print shop), but scholars are still out on this (2).

Are you saying that Hamlet comes with the stageplay equivalent of a “deleted scenes and extra credits” movie disc?

Yep, pretty much! In fact, there are even more of these! Q2 was printed in 1604 and it seems to have made use of Shakespeare's own drafts, and rather than being pirated like Q1, it was probably printed more or less with permission. Three more subsequent quartos were published between 1611 and 1637, but they share much in common with Q2. The First Folio (F1) was published in 1623 and its copy of Hamlet was either based on another (possibly cleaner but likely farther removed from Shakespeare's own text) playhouse manuscript (2, 3). It was an early "collected works" of sorts--although missing a few plays that we now consider canon--and is the main source used today for many of the plays!

The versions of the play that we read usually include elements from both Q2 and F1.

So... Q1? How is it any different from the version we all know (and love, of course)? What do the differences mean for the plot?

We’ll start with minor differences and build up to the big ones.

Names and spellings

Most of the versions of Shakespeare's plays that we read today have updated spellings in modern English, but a true facsimile (a near-exact reprint of a text) maintains the early modern English spellings found in the original text.

For example, here is the second line of the play transcribed from F1:

Francisco: Nay answer me: stand and vnfold your selfe.

For the most part, however, the names of the characters in these later versions (ex: F1) are spelled more or less how we would spell them today. This is not so in Q1.

Laertes is “Leartes”, Ophelia is “Ofelia”, Gertrude is “Gertred” (or sometimes “Gerterd”), Rosencrantz is “Rossencraft”, Guildenstern is “Gilderstone”, and my favorite, Polonius gets a completely different name: Corambis.

(This goes on for minor characters, too. Sentinel Barnardo is “Bernardo”, Prince Fortinbras of Norway is “Fortenbrasse”, Voltemand and Cornelius--the Danish ambassadors to Norway--are “Voltemar” and “Cornelia” (genderbent Cornelius?), Osric doesn’t even get a name- he is called “the Bragart Gentleman”, the Gravediggers are called clowns, and Reynaldo (Polonius’s spy) gets a whole different name--“Montano”.)

2. Stage directions

Some of Q1's stage directions are more detailed and some are simply non-existent. For instance, when Ophelia enters singing, the direction is:

Enter Ofelia playing on a Lute, and her haire downe singing.

But when Horatio is called to assist Hamlet in spying on Claudius during the play, he has no direction to enter, instead opting to just appear magically on stage. Hamlet also doesn't even say his name, so apparently his Hamlet sense was tingling?

3. Act 3 scene reordering

Claudius and Polonius go through with the plan to have Ophelia break up with Hamlet immediately after they make it (typically, the plan is made in early II.ii and gone through with in III.i, with the players showing up and reciting Hecuba between the two events). In this version, the player scene (and Hamlet’s conversation with Polonius) happen after ‘to be or not to be’ and ‘get thee to a nunnery.’ I’m not sure if this makes more or less sense. Either way, it has a relatively minimal impact on the story.

4. Shortened lines and straightforwardness

Many lines, especially after Act 1, are significantly shortened, including some of the play's most famous speeches.

Laertes’ usually long-winded I.iii lecture on love to Ophelia is shortened to just ten lines (as opposed to the typical 40+). Polonius (er... Corambis) is still annoying and incapable of brevity, but less so than usual. His lecture on love is also cut significantly!

Hamlet’s usual assailing of Danish drinking customs (I.iv) is cut off by the ghost’s arrival. He’s still the most talkative character, but his lines are almost entirely different in some monologues, including ‘to be or not to be’! In other spots, however, (ex: get thee to a nunnery!) the lines are near-identical. There doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason to where things diverge linguistically, except that when Marcellus speaks, his lines are always correct. Hm...

5. The BIG differences: Gertrude’s promise to aid Hamlet in taking revenge

Act 3, scene 4 goes about the same as usual with one major difference: Hamlet finishes off not with his usual declaration that he’s to be sent for England but with an absolutely heart-wrenching callback to act 1, in which he echoes the ghost’s lines and pleads his mother to aid him in revenge. And she agrees. Here is that scene:

Note that "U"s are sometimes "V"s and there are lots of extra "E"s!

Queene Alas, it is the weakenesse of thy braine, Which makes thy tongue to blazon thy hearts griefe: But as I haue a soule, I sweare by heauen, I neuer knew of this most horride murder: But Hamlet, this is onely fantasie, And for my loue forget these idle fits. Ham. Idle, no mother, my pulse doth beate like yours, It is not madnesse that possesseth Hamlet. O mother, if euer you did my deare father loue, Forbeare the adulterous bed to night, And win your selfe by little as you may, In time it may be you wil lothe him quite: And mother, but assist mee in reuenge, And in his death your infamy shall die. Queene Hamlet, I vow by that maiesty, That knowes our thoughts, and lookes into our hearts, I will conceale, consent, and doe my best, What stratagem soe're thou shalt deuise. Ham. It is enough, mother good night: Come sir, I'le prouide for you a graue, Who was in life a foolish prating knaue. Exit Hamlet with [Corambis/Polonius'] dead body. (Internet Shakespeare, Source #4)

Despite having seemingly major consequences for the plot, this is never discussed again. Gertrude tells Claudius in the next scene that it was Hamlet who killed Polonius (Corambis, whatever!), seemingly betraying her promise.

However, Gertrude’s admission of Hamlet’s guilt (and thus, betrayal) could come down to the circumstance she finds herself in as the next scene begins. There is no stage direction denoting her exit, so the entrance of Claudius in scene 5 may be into her room, where he would find her beside a puddle of blood, evidence of the murder. There’s no talking your way out of that one…

6. The BIGGEST difference: The added scene

After Act 4, Scene 6, (but before 4.7) comes this scene, in which Horatio informs Gertrude that Hamlet was to be executed in England but escaped:

Enter Horatio and the Queene. Hor. Madame, your sonne is safe arriv'de in Denmarke, This letter I euen now receiv'd of him, Whereas he writes how he escap't the danger, And subtle treason that the king had plotted, Being crossed by the contention of the windes, He found the Packet sent to the king of England, Wherein he saw himselfe betray'd to death, As at his next conuersion with your grace, He will relate the circumstance at full. Queene Then I perceiue there's treason in his lookes That seem'd to sugar o're his villanie: But I will soothe and please him for a time, For murderous mindes are alwayes jealous, But know not you Horatio where he is? Hor. Yes Madame, and he hath appoynted me To meete him on the east side of the Cittie To morrow morning. Queene O faile not, good Horatio, and withall, commend me A mothers care to him, bid him a while Be wary of his presence, lest that he Faile in that he goes about. Hor. Madam, neuer make doubt of that: I thinke by this the news be come to court: He is arriv'de, obserue the king, and you shall Quickely finde, Hamlet being here, Things fell not to his minde. Queene But what became of Gilderstone and Rossencraft? Hor. He being set ashore, they went for England, And in the Packet there writ down that doome To be perform'd on them poynted for him: And by great chance he had his fathers Seale, So all was done without discouerie. Queene Thankes be to heauen for blessing of the prince, Horatio once againe I take my leaue, With thowsand mothers blessings to my sonne. Horat. Madam adue. (Internet Shakespeare, Source #4)

First of all, the implication of Hamlet and Horatio's little date in the city is adorable ("Yes Madame, and he hath appoynted me / To meete him on the east side of the Cittie / To morrow morning.") It reads like they're going out for coffee!

And perhaps more plot relevant: if Gertrude knows of Claudius’s treachery ("there's treason in his lookes"), her death at the end of the play does not look like much of an accident. She is aware that Claudius killed her husband and is actively trying to kill her son and she still drinks the wine meant for Hamlet!

Now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for! My thoughts! Yippee! On Gertrude: WOW! I’m convinced that she is done dirty by F1and Q2! She and Hamlet have a much better relationship (Gertrude genuinely worries about his well-being throughout the play.) She has an actual personality that is tied into her role in the story and as a mother. I love Q1 Gertrude even though in the end, there’s nothing she can do to save Hamlet from being found out in the murder of Polonius and eventually dying in the duel. Her drinking the poisoned wine seems like an act of desperation (or sacrifice? she never asks Hamlet to drink!) rather than an accident.

On the language: I think Q1′s biggest shortcoming is its comparatively simplistic language, especially in 'to be or not to be,' which is written like this in the quarto:

Ham. To be, or not to be, I there's the point, To Die, to sleepe, is that all? I all: No, to sleepe, to dreame, I mary there it goes, For in that dreame of death, when wee awake, And borne before an euerlasting Iudge [judge], From whence no passenger euer retur'nd, The vndiscouered country, at whose sight The happy smile, and the accursed damn'd. But for this, the ioyfull hope of this, Whol'd beare the scornes and flattery of the world, Scorned by the right rich, the rich curssed of the poore? The widow being oppressed, the orphan wrong'd, The taste of hunger, or a tirants raigne, And thousand more calamities besides, To grunt and sweate vnder this weary life, When that he may his full Quietus make, With a bare bodkin, who would this indure, But for a hope of something after death? Which pusles [puzzles] the braine, and doth confound the sence, Which makes vs rather beare those euilles we haue, Than flie to others that we know not of. I that, O this conscience makes cowardes of vs all, Lady in thy orizons, be all my sinnes remembred. (Internet Shakespeare, Source #4)

The verse is actually closer to perfect iambic pentameter (meaning more lines have exactly ten syllables and consist entirely of iambs--"da-DUM") than in the Folio, which includes many 11-syllable lines. The result of this, however, is that Hamlet comes across here as considerably less frantic (those too-long verse lines in F1 make it feel like he is shoving words into too short a time, which is so very on-theme for him) and more... sad. Somehow, Q1 Hamlet manages to deserve a hug even MORE than F1 Hamlet!

Nevertheless, this speech doesn't hit the way it does in later printings and I have to say I prefer the Folio here.

On the ending: The ending suffers from the same effect ‘to be or not to be’ does--it is simpler and (imo) lacks some of the emotion that F1 emphasizes. Hamlet’s final speech is significantly cut down and Horatio’s last lines aren’t quite so potent--although they’re still sweet!

Horatio. Content your selues, Ile shew to all, the ground, The first beginning of this Tragedy: Let there a scaffold be rearde vp in the market place, And let the State of the world be there: Where you shall heare such a sad story tolde, That neuer mortall man could more vnfolde. (Internet Shakespeare, Source #4)

Horatio generally is a more active character in Q1 Hamlet. This ending suits this characterization. He will tell Hamlet’s story, tragic as it may be. It reminds me a bit of We Raise Our Cups from Hadestown. I appreciate that this isn't a request but a command: put up a stage, I will tell this story. Closing notes: After over a year, it was due time this post received an update. My main revisions were in regard to source verification. Somehow, in the last year or so, one of my old sources went from linking to a PDF of Q1 to a garden website (???) and some citations were missing from the get-go as a result of this being an independently researched post that involved pulling an all-nighter on Christmas Eve (but no excuses, we need sources!)

I have also corrected some badly worded commentary implying that the Folio's verse is more iambic pentameter-y (it's not; in fact, Q1 tends to "normalize" its verse to make it fit a typical blank verse scheme better than the Folio's does--the lines actually flow better, typically have exactly ten syllables, and use more iambs than Q1's) as well as that the spelling in the Folio is any more modern than those in Q1 (they're both in early modern English; I was mistakenly reading a modernized Folio and assuming it to be a transcription--nice one, 17-year-old Dianthus!) Additionally, I corrected the line breaks in my verse transcriptions and returned the block quotations to their original early modern English, which feels more authentic to what was actually written. A few other details and notes were added here and there, but the majority of the substance is the same.

Overall, if you still haven't read Q1, you absolutely should! Once you struggle through the spelling for a while, you'll get used to it and it'll be just as easy as modern English! If you'd prefer to just start with the modern English, I have also linked a modern translation below (source 5). And finally, my sources! Not up to citation standards but very user-friendly I hope... 1. Oxford English Dictionary 2. Internet Shakespeare, Hamlet, "The Texts", David Bevington (https://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/doc/Ham_TextIntro/index.html) 3. The Riverside Shakespeare (pub. Houghton Mifflin Company; G.B. Evans, et al.) 4. Internet Shakespeare, First Quarto (facsimile--in early modern English) (https://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/doc/Ham_Q1/complete/index.html) 5. Internet Shakespeare, First Quarto (modern English) (https://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/doc/Ham_Q1M/index.html)

And here conclude we our scholarly tale, Of sources, citation, and Christmastime too, Go read the First Quarto! And here, I leave you.

#shakespeare #hamlet #first quarto #first quarto hamlet #classic literature #revisions #hey look at me #having some scholarly merit #i have so much left to learn #which is a darn good thing #how else would i spend my evenings?#the worst part about this #is that it all started because i thought a got a date wrong #but it turns out i didn't #so HA!#but then i realized i got everything else wrong so....#corrections it is!

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dingochef · 4 months

Text

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x You (OFC)

Warnings: Swearing, Smut (MDNI 18+ Only), Stalking, P in V, oral (female and male receiving), Semi-public sex, light spanking, light bondage, blindfolds, shitty parents, nightmares,

Summary: Rooster and Lydia tie the knot and other wedding related shenanigans.

Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Chapter 16

Word Count: 4.0k

Chapter 17 To Love

Jake and you spend a quiet New Year's Eve in, enjoying some very good champagne and each other's company. The first part of the year is filled with work, Jake getting a new batch of Top Gun students, and the days till Lydia and Rooster's wedding counting down.

Lydia and Rooster have decided to have a small wedding at a historic Catholic church in Old Town. Shortly after Rooster asked Jake to be his Best Man, Lydia asked you to be her Maid of Honor and Beth to be a bridesmaid. Maverick was asked to walk Lydia down the aisle. They've opted to keep things simple all around, Beth and you are told to wear something "nice" and the guys will wear suits.

I laughed when Jake said he didn't have a suit.

"You're in your thirties, how do you not have a suit?" you asked, mocking him a tiny bit.

"Well, El, if you haven't noticed one of the perks of the Navy is that you get most of your wardrobe provided to you including formal occasions."

So you went suit shopping, Jake striking a pose every time he came out of the dressing room at Brooks Brothers. He finally settled on a lighter gray three piece suit that fit him very well over the one that made him "look like James Bond" in his words. As you were checking out Jake spied a dark blue tie with a very light Hawaiian pattern on it in a lighter blue in the display next to the counter. You had to look closely to recognize it was actually cartoonishly drawn hibiscus flowers.

Jake quickly texts Rooster and Maverick asking what color suits they're wearing. He gets two quick and puzzled replies of "grayish" and "charcoal". You realize what Jake is up to as he picks up three of the ties and matching pocket squares.

"Matching ties for the groom's party?" you ask.

"Of course, plus, we can accommodate Rooster's love of Hawaiian prints into the wedding. I had come up with an idea, if he was having a bachelor party, to get the whole group matching ones, like the tackiest ones I could find on Amazon to hit the town," Jake is grinning gleefully, "This way Lydia won't kill me."

The actual plan for the day of the wedding is pretty basic, Rooster and Maverick are going to meet at your house to get ready. Beth and you will head over Lydia's to help her get ready. The wedding is scheduled for 3 pm with pictures to follow at the church and then at the beach before dinner. Lydia and Rooster have reserved a private room at a restaurant in La Jolla that overlooks the bay.

The day finally arrives and soon you're parking at Lydia's, walking up to the front door. You're balancing your dress and shoes in a garment bag, her bouquet in a box from the florist's that you picked up on the way over, and some Pad Thai takeout, because as Lydia said,

"I've got a mad craving for it right now, it's what the baby wants."

Beth answers the door and we walk back to Lydia and Rooster's room. Her dress that you helped pick out right after Christmas is hanging from the closet door ready to go.

"How does the bride feel today?" you ask as you enter the room. Lydia is sitting at a vanity table with a mirror considering her wet hair.

"The bride is feeling good, other than I can't tell if my stomach is nerves or morning sickness," she answers. She smells the Pad Thai in the bag, her face turning panicked as she bolts to the bathroom. Beth and you look at each other and grimace as you hear Lydia retching in the bathroom. Peeking your head into the bathroom, you ask, "I take it that's a no on the Pad Thai?"

Lydia just gives you a thumbs up as she continues to vomit. You wrap up the offending Pad Thai to place it in the fridge and find some crackers and a Gatorade for Lydia.

When you get back to the bedroom, Lydia is back at the vanity and gladly takes the crackers and Gatorade. Beth starts to dry her hair as Lydia munches on some of the crackers trying to calm her stomach. The rest of Lydia's wedding preparations go smoothly and with no more vomiting.

Lydia steps into her shoes as her last step to getting ready. She has chosen a lacy A-line knee length dress with an off the shoulder neckline and lace long sleeves. It is simple and timeless. Her hair is down and she is wearing a simple crown hair piece made of pearl beads that shine against her red hair. An elegant bouquet of white roses completes her look.

Beth and you coordinated, picking dresses of a similar color. You both are wearing lighter purple knee length dresses. Your dress has more of a 50s vintage feel to it with a high neckline and cap sleeves. Beth's is more flowy and is a v neck sleeveless silhouette.

"I think it's time," you announce looking at the clock.

Your trio carefully makes your way to the car, trying not to wrinkle your clothes as you buckle your seatbelts.

Lydia is sitting in the front seat.

"Any last thoughts as an unwed woman?" you joke with her.

Beth chimes in from the back seat leaning over the console,

"Since you've obviously stayed a virgin till now, need any advice on what to expect on the wedding night?"

Lydia laughs and just points to her belly,

"I think there's evidence to the contrary right here. And no, no last minute declarations, just want to get this show on the road."

You arrive at the church and find Maverick, Penny, and Amelia waiting on the church steps.

Maverick breaks out his signature smile.

"Lydia, you look stunning. Do you feel ready?" He says as he puts his hands on Lydia's upper arms.

"Hell yeah, I've been ready since he put the ring on my finger," Lydia replies, her excitement radiating off of her.

Maverick leads you to a vestibule where he and Lydia will wait till the start of the ceremony. You, Beth, Penny, Amelia, make your way to the sanctuary. Jake is standing up by Rooster at the altar and you know the moment he sees you, a large smile blooms across his face and he stops talking. Rooster looks over his shoulder to see you approaching. Penny and Amelia sit down in the first pew and you and Beth take your places across the altar.

The priest walks up the altar and says hello to Rooster as he takes his place. He introduces himself as Father Antoine. The organ music starts playing a classical tune you don't recognize but it is light and happy and fits the mood. The old church is made of adobe and is filled with sunlight that bounces off the whitewashed walls filling the space with a warm glow.

Lydia and Maverick walk through the doors at the end of the aisle, her arm tucked into his. He says something that makes Lydia laugh and the slightly pensive look on her face is replaced by an open and wide smile. She is only looking at Rooster standing at the altar as she walks down the aisle and he is looking at her. A jet could take off next to him and he wouldn't notice, he is that entranced by Lydia. They arrive at the altar and Maverick moves to stand next to Jake and Lydia hands over her bouquet to you. Rooster leans over to Lydia and whispers,

"You look absolutely gorgeous, babe."

Father Antoine starts the ceremony, words familiar to you having grown up Catholic and been to more than your fair share of weddings,

“Dearly beloved, you have come together into the house of the Church.”

You zone out for a second and look over to Jake who is staring at you. He drops his panty dropper smile and it makes you blush a little. The words of the ceremony fade out as you watch Jake across the altar. You can't help but think of what your and Jake's ceremony would be like. Would he want to wear his dress whites? Big or small? You tuck those thoughts away for another day and watch your best friend marry the man of her dreams. The love is apparent on both their faces as they recite the words of the ceremony.

You realize the ceremony is over when Father Antoine starts the Universal Prayer and organ music starts up again.

Rooster and Lydia lead the way down the aisle arm in arm, Maverick offers his arm to Beth, and you link up with Jake to follow them.

The photographer follows everyone out into the sunny day for more pictures. As you are being arranged Lydia finally notices the guys ties,

"Are those hibiscus flowers? Like a Hawaiian shirt?" she asks, leaning in to inspect Rooster's tie.

"Yup, Hangman found them. He thought it was a classy way to as he said, 'celebrate your god awful love of tacky Hawaiian shirts', Rooster answers.

Lydia looks at Jake and he is unsure what her reaction will be until she breaks into a smile,

"That was really sweet, Hangman. Who knew you had a sentimental side?" Lydia teases.

Your next stop is a beach in La Jolla where we take pictures as the sun starts to set out over the Pacific.

With the pictures complete, the group heads over the restaurant. You and Jake are the first to arrive and are shown to a private dining room with floor to ceiling windows that overlooks the lights of La Jolla and the Pacific Ocean. Standing at the window enjoying the view, Jake loops his arms around your waist and his chin hooks over your shoulder.

“You look very beautiful today, El,” he murmurs in your ear, “It wasn’t fair because I didn’t know what you were going to wear, but you knew what I was.”

You augh at the thought,

“Got to keep some mystery, sometime. So how much of the ceremony did you actually watch or did you just spend the whole time looking at me?”

“I was listening during the important parts, the rings showed up on time, but yeah, I was mostly looking at you and how breathtakingly beautiful you are and thinking about what our wedding will be like.”

“Our wedding, I like the sound of that. You have any specific requests?” you ask.

“Probably not in a Church, something outdoors, the beach.”

“Agreed, I am not the biggest fan of organ music, maybe a string quartet.”

"Classy."

"You know me, classy as fuck," you tease. Jake just laughs and gives you a kiss.

You're startled out of the moment by the arrival of the rest of the group.

Maverick loudly announces, “Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Bradshaw!

Everyone claps and gives whoops and wolf whistles as you all sit down. A server comes in with a few bottles of champagne and pours glasses for everyone except Lydia and Amelia. You laugh at the pout Amelia gets when she is handed sparkling grape juice.

Lydia announces that the meal will be served family style. Jake picks up on the fact it’s time to give a speech. He’d been nervous trying to figure out what to say.

“How do I translate, Rooster and I could barely be in the same room for the better part of the past a decade and now we’re good friends after one fucked up mission?” he whined as he wrote down notes for his speech.

“I’m sure you’ll find a way, you have a way with words,” you reassured him.

Jake stands up and clinks his glass with his knife to quiet us down.

“A toast to the bride and groom,” he says and the clinking of glasses echoes around the room.

He begins his speech,

“Bradley, it feels weird to not use your call sign,” everyone chuckles at that ,l “I didn't think I'd ever be here toasting you and your wife, as your best man. I suppose it helps that my girlfriend is BFFs with your wife. Wife, I like the sound of that, I should get on that,” he winks at you and the rest of the table makes woo sounds. Jake continues,

“We’ve known each other a lot of years and in a lot of different places. We definitely didn’t always get along, but I always respected you, even if I had a lousy way of showing it.” Rooster laughs hard at that line.

“I’m glad that we had an opportunity to become friends and I'm so happy to see you get all the happiness in life that you deserve. Love you, bro,” Rooster salutes Jake and says,

“Right back at ya,” then Jake continues,

“Lydia, you have made Bradley a better man even if you have terrible taste in facial hair.”

The group laughs uproariously. As the laughter dies down, Jake gets a serious tone and look on his face,

“To both of you, know that the people in this room are your family for life and will do everything to support and love you and the new baby chick.”

You look over to Rooster and he is wiping a small tear from his eye.

Jake ends the toast by raising his glass and saying loudly,

“To the Bradshaws, and to love!” There is more clinking of glasses and sipping of champagne.

You stand up and give Jake a kiss before he sits down,

“Lydia, it's hard to believe that all this epic friendship started because we sat next to each other as college freshmen, unsure kids who were ready to take on the world,” you let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding as you relax.

“I want to give you my thanks for unending love and support as we made our way in the world and particularly for offering me an extra room to rent in San Diego when my life had turned upside down. I think that worked out well,” you say as you look at Jake.

“I am so happy you have found your person who loves you even more than we all do,” there are a few “Here, Here’s” as you continue.

“And I wanted to share this quote,

'Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.' — Antoine de Saint-Exupery"

Congratulations to Lydia and Bradley as they look outward together to the life and family they are building. And to love!”

You finish holding up my glass for the salute.

Maverick stands next and says,

"I guess as the oldest person in the room, I'll give a few words of wisdom," he pauses for laughter,

"Bradley, the day you were born I was at the hospital and I was awed by the love your parents had for you, and the instant love I felt for you when I held you because the people I loved loved you."

Maverick gets a little choked up talking about Rooster's parents. Rooster ducks his head down to wipe the tears that are undoubtedly welling up. Lydia's arm is automatically around his shoulders. He takes a deep breath and comes back up as he and Maverick share an understanding look.

"I know our journey hasn't been easy or smooth, but I'm so happy that I'm here with you today and that you found someone who loves you back with all the love you have to give.

I can't wait to meet the little one, might I suggest Pete or Mitchell for a name?"

Rooster lets out a big laugh followed by a snort,

"Only if I'm interested in raising a hellion like you, Mav."

Maverick shrugs,

"Fair, congratulations Bradley and Lydia," he raises his glass and everyone follows, "To love."

The food is served and the happy mood continues as everyone eats. Lydia and Rooster spend most of the meal looking at each other, almost glowing with happiness and love. The dinner winds down and it is apparent that Lydia is starting to flag with exhaustion. Rooster recognizes how tired she is and goes around to say goodbye and thank you to everyone so they can get home. He gives both you and Jake big bear hugs and says,

"You guys are next," and looking at Jake, "You need to get on that."

He winks as he walks back to Lydia who is standing up waiting for him. The last we see of the newlyweds is them leaving the room Rooster's arm around Lydia's waist in a protective gesture.

Jake offers to drive home.

"That'd be nice," I reply yawning.

I watch the scenery go by and think out loud,

"How crazy is it that Lydia and Rooster are married and expecting a kid? If you had asked me how my life was going to change that night when I walked into the Hard Deck I never would have guessed any of this."

Jake laughs,

"True, I liked your quote, it kind of captures the feeling of our relationship, looking forward and building a life together."

You giggle, and Jake is momentarily confused.

"Thanks, I also panicked about a speech and Googled 'best quotes for wedding speeches' and I liked that one."

"Knowing Google helped you makes you seem less deep and intellectual. Here's a profound quote about love, just googled it," he teases.

"Hey, it worked. I've never claimed to be a poet or literary expert."

When you arrive home, Jake takes your hand and leads you to the bedroom. Standing in the middle of the room he pulls you to him and wraps you in his arms.

"You look really good in this suit, it's almost a shame I've to take it off you," you whisper as you kiss Jake's jaw.

He lets out a soft laugh,

"Thanks, this dress has been driving me crazy all day. I've been wanting to touch all the places I couldn't see."

His hand is on your leg just above your knee and he slowly slides it up under your dress. You feel the moment he expects to find the edge of your underwear on your hip, he passes by and then comes back down. The realization that you don't have underwear flashes across his face and you are rewarded with his signature smirk.

"El, you seem to have lost your underwear," he says to me, voice low and teasing.

"Oh, I didn't lose it, that was on purpose, felt a little hot and needed to cool off," you look up at Jake and bat your eyelashes trying to look innocent.

Laughing, Jake drops to his knees and sticks his head under your skirt wasting no time in tonguing your folds and clit. You gasp at the intense contact and try not to sway too far in your heels at the feeling of his tongue lapping at you. Gently, he slides one finger in you and continues his efforts on your clit. The room is filled with your soft moaning and whatever words you can form,

"Fuck, that feels so good."

Jake slips another finger in, pumping a little harder and faster, earning him more praise,

"Oh god, Yeah, that, more, more," falls from your lips in a stream of consciousness more than sentences. That familiar tightness starts to pool low in your stomach and your walls start to shudder against Jake's fingers. The wave of pleasure is starting to form just as he pulls away. You look down and Jake has reappeared from under your dress. He wipes his chin and stands up to kiss you.

"Yeah, definitely hot down there, I think you need to cool off," he smirks, enjoying your frustration. He turns you around and unzips your dress letting it slide down. You step out of the dress and lay it over the armchair in the corner of the room.

Turning your gaze to him, you say,

"You're looking a little hot under the collar yourself, Jake,"

He is loosening his tie and has already taken off the suit jacket, laying it on top of the dresser. He is standing there with just the dress shirt, vest, and pants, having shed his shoes and socks somewhere along the way. By the time you reach him he's unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt.

Starting with the vest, you make quick work of the few buttons and work on the shirt buttons below it, desperate to touch his skin. Jake finishes the last buttons and you slide the shirt and vest off. The sounds of Jake's belt clanking can be heard as he rushes to get it undone, in seconds he is naked and reaching for you. He pulls you into a searing kiss, the kind that makes your knees a little weak. His hands slide under your thighs and he lifts you up. You instinctively wrap your legs around his waist. Never breaking the kiss he walks over to the bed and lies down on his back so you are straddling him.

You pull back to catch your breath and start a slow circle of your hips, his hard cock sliding along your wet folds.

“Please, El,” Jake pleads, gripping your hips a bit harder. You reach down and lift your hips enough for him to slide into you in one long thrust.

"Oh, fuck, baby, so, so good," Jake pants out.

You start to rock your hips gently, just enough to slide part way on his cock. Jake's hands come up and cup your breasts. His thumbs sweep over your nipples, a moan escapes from your lips.

His hands slide down on your hips and urge you to go faster. Planting your hands on his chest you speed up, another string of curses and encouragement falling out of Jake's mouth.

"Fuck, oh God, you're so beautiful, fuck you feel so good, El," Jake manages to rasp out between moans. The pace gets faster as Jake is practically lifting you up each time. He tears one hand away from your hip to touch your clit. You can tell from the way his moans are becoming more strained and his jaw is clenching that he is close to coming. His fingers are insistent and rubbing tight circles around your clit, bringing the impending wave of pleasure closer and closer.

Jake is desperately thrusting his hips off the bed and pleading at you,

"Baby, so close, you ready to come on my cock?"

Your climax hits before you can answer and all that comes out is a strained moan and an "Oh fuck," at a really high pitch. Jake comes just an instant later, eyes closing involuntarily. You slow your pace but keep rolling your hips slowly to extend your mutual pleasure.

Jake reaches out a lazy hand to pull you down to kiss him. You take your time with long languid kisses and enjoying the feeling of being joined still.

"I love you," you manage to say in between kisses.

"I love you, too, El," Jake responds. You finally separate and you head to the bathroom for some cleanup. By the time you come back to the bedroom, Jake is already asleep on his back.

You crawl into bed next to him and lay your head on his chest. He stirs a little and rolls over to wrap his arms around you and you hear a muffled and sleep filled,

"Mm, going to make you my wife," before he falls back asleep.

Think Jake is planning on asking an important question in the next chapter. Hopefully a little quicker on the update next time.

Chapter 18

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@midnightmagpiemama

@mygyn

#top gun maverick #hangman #hangman fanfiction #jake seresin fanfiction #top gun fanfiction #hangman x you #jake hangman seresin x reader #jake hangman seresin x you #top gun smut #jake seresin x you #jake seresin smut #jake seresin

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trivialbob · 5 months

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Today we supported the local economy, even as one Amazon box arrived at the house.

Gift shops!

Some of the stuff is fun, but "gifts" means a wee bit overpriced. I found some drink mixers I would have bought for myself but... They were small Mason jars filled with dried fruits and spices. Add 8 to 12 ounces of your favorite distilled spirit, wait three days, enjoy.

Except they were $25 each.

Using Mason jars I already have I am going to try making my own mixer kits. I'll need to get a food dehydrator but think of the money I'll save by making, not buying, "gifts." You'll love my brief, handwritten notes I plan to put on Christmas cards cut from pieces of discarded office paper! Why waste the side that didn't have any printing on it?

We shopped around South Minneapolis. I love the old brick buildings. If I worked in one of these I'd want to know the history of all the businesses had been there. This one is 104 years old.

This is one where we ate breakfast. Sheila and I split a large chorizo burrito. Quite tasty, but expensive for counter service, I thought. The bakery had fresh baked green olive bread. It looked crusty and a card said it was "good served with chili."

That made me want chili with green olive bread. I didn't buy any of the fresh bread though because it would be too much for the two of us to finish before it got stale. Maybe when my son and his girlfriend are here later this month I'll buy some.

A genre of gifts I find tacky. They are like those comedians who can't craft a clever joke and prop up the gag with four letter words.

That Amazon box had my new Minnetonka Moccasins. They are fleece lined and very comfortable, but only appropriate for dry weather outside. They were discounted 60% for some reason. That makes them feel even more cozy to me! I might sleep in them tonight.

#gift shops

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venerex · 2 years

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nightgown

pairing: sangyeon x f!reader

word count: 2.3k

contains: fingering, intercourse (protected)

a/n: this is sickly sweet sex written in the middle of the night. blame @dontflailmenow for this. i'll proofread this later

“what are you doing?”

your lips curve at sangyeon’s question, the sound of your low chuckles muffled by his neck. the hints of a smile ghost on his face, but he keeps eyes trained on his phone.

after a few days (twelve, to be exact - but who’s counting) apart, your boyfriend had let himself in to your place last night while you were asleep, managing to wake you up only for a second while he pulled you in his arms. as enchanting as midnight sex-filled reunions seem, it’s hard to pull it off when both of you have full-time stressful jobs, so you have to contend with half-asleep snuggles. you wouldn’t change it for anything.

you had woken up a few minutes ago to sangyeon furiously texting someone on his phone, looking equal parts delicious and adorable with his concentrated face and shirtless body. giving into temptation, you scooted closer to him and trailed kisses up his arm to his neck, wondering how long it would take him to say anything. turns out, not long at all.

“i’m not doing anything”, you mutter against his skin.

“really, now?”, he slides you a mock-chiding look, “it seems like you’re trying to distract me”.

“no”, you draw out your answer but relent, moving slightly away from him to give him the space to do whatever he was doing. it seems important, after all.

“i didn’t say you should stop”, he puts his phone on your nightstand, reaching out an arm in invitation.

“you seemed busy”, you move closer and nuzzle your face against his neck, “didn’t want to distract you”.

“so sulky”, he murmurs fondly, “actually, i was checking if we have the full day off. we do”.

“so you’re mine for the day?”, you can’t contain the glee that seeps in your voice.

“actually, i’m always yours”, he tightens his arm around you, “but yes. just yours for today”.

you move to kiss him then, your lips slowly moving against his while your hands come up to rest on his chest. he sighs at your touches, moving his hands in turn to raise your nightgown slightly and squeeze your thighs.

“this is new”, two fingers reach up to pull the hem of the garment, “look so hot in it, baby”.

it is new, he’s right. you’ve never been one to wear nightgowns, but when you saw the knee-length light blue printed garment while shopping for a new pair of jeans, you just had to buy it. you didn’t think it was even close to hot, though. the thing is downright modest.

“how old are you, again?”, you snicker, wondering how your boyfriend can fluster you after three years of dating, “finding a girl in an innocent nightgown hot?”

“not just any girl”, he answers readily, fond eyes meeting yours, “my girl”.

“oh, god”, you groan, moving your leg so you can grind against his thigh, “so cheesy, ugh”.

“yeah, but you love it, right?”, he pushes his thigh up against your core, hands holding on to your hips, “all this cheese, just for you, babe”.

“please stop”, your words sound suspiciously like a whine, “you’re killing the mood”.

“am i?”, he moves to kiss you briefly, nipping at your lower lip before parting away and pushing his leg up suddenly, “i think there’s plenty of mood, baby. look, you’re getting off on my thigh”.

you say nothing, choosing to grind harder against him while your fingers curl against his chest, whimpers of “yeonnie” leaving your lips.

“i know, i know”, he coos, instantly responding to the nickname, “been so long, mm?”

one hand finally trails up to your cunt and cups you over your underwear, fingers pressing against the wet fabric while you moan at the contact.

“sangyeon”, you press down against his fingers, “yeonnie, please”.

“shh, okay”, he detangles his legs from yours slightly and pulls down your underwear, hitching one of your legs above his and sliding his hand to hover over your cunt. you whine at the loss of contact, and he chuckles at your desperation, not yet giving you what you want.

fine, two can play this game.

you slide your hands down to the the outline of his erection, reveling in his low groans when you palm him over his sweatpants before he pushes your hands away.

“baby, no”, he takes in your pout, one finger finally sliding up your cunt, “don’t give me that face, i’m so hard for you i’ll come if you try anything”.

“that’s so - “, his finger circles your clit and your moan interrupts your teasing, your eyes closing in relief at finally having your boyfriend touch you where you want him to.

“yeah?”, his fingers quicken, and you feel embarrassingly close to your orgasm already, “like that, yeah?”

“yeonnie”, you whimper, “close”.

“already, baby?”, he chuckles breathlessly, “it’s been a while, mm? it’s okay, you can come”.

“no - please”, you open your eyes to see his darkened ones staring at your quivering form, “fingers, yeonnie. feel so empty”.

“fuck - okay”, his fingers slide to your entrance, just rubbing your hole and leaving you painfully empty, “like this?”

“sangyeon”, you whine, trying to push down against his digits and failing, “no - fuck. inside me”.

he giggles, and you find it adorable and frustrating in equal measures.

“i know, baby”, his fingers move to rub your clit again, bringing you closer to the edge, “come for me then i’ll finger you, yeah?”

“but - yeonnie - “

“shh, just be a good girl and come for me”, he places a kiss on your cheek, “let it go, i’ve got you”.

his words and relentless fingers push you over the brink and your orgasm hits you before you can help it, your moans mixing in with his murmured praises while you clench around nothing. just as you’re coming down from your high, he slips two fingers in you, instantly curving them and moving them in quick come-hither motions. you groan loudly at the sensation, your nails digging into his skin while your cunt clenches around his digits, sensitive from your orgasm.

“fuck, baby, you’re so hot”, he whispers hotly against your lips, “think you can take another finger?”

“yeah”, you clench around his digits at the thought, “please”.

he slips out his fingers before pushing in three into your cunt, slowly fucking you with his digits while you let out pleas of his name.

he pulls out his fingers after a minute (or more, or less - honestly what is time anyway?), chuckling when you whine at the loss.

“i was hoping to fuck you, baby”, he murmurs against your lips, “but i can finger you again if you want”.

no one should look that lovable while being a tease.

“bold words from a man who”, you clear your throat, “was sure he’d come just from someone palming his dick”.

“not just someone, baby”, he nudges his nose with yours, “you”.

“dude”, you let out a flustered groan, “you gotta stop being so cheesy when we fuck”.

“can’t help it”, he moves to hover over you, taking off his pants and underwear in haphazard motions, “i’m too old to change now”.

“oh, great”, you grin despite your words, “maybe i should find someone younger, from the youths”.

“no”, he leans down to kiss you, lips moving against yours insistently. you almost lose your train of thought. “you’re stuck with me”.

you kiss him in response, the curve of your lips matching his.

stuck with him. yeah.

“can we fuck now?”, you whisper when you pull away, your hands reaching down to touch his cock. you barely get a few seconds of exquisite touching before he pushes your hands away.

“no, i want to come when we’re fucking”, he groans, “baby, you don’t get it - i’m pretty fucking turned on”.

“fine, fine”, you raise your hands in surrender before resting them above your head, the position making your chest rise up in a way that you know turns him on, “condoms are on the nightstand”.

sangyeon narrows his eyes but obeys, reaching down to pull a foil packet from the drawer, muttering something that sounds like “you’ll be the death of me”. he sits between your legs before bringing the packet to his mouth, pausing when his eyes meet yours.

then his lips stretch to a smile you’ve seen many times in your relationship - on late night impromptu dates, during stolen kisses when you’re at family events, when you ditch your friends to watch the stars, and when you’re at home, just the two of you basking in the familiarity you’ve built with each other.

it’s a lovesick smile, the kind that people call disgusting and cute - the kind that you can’t help but reciprocate.

it’s quite the image - your boyfriend tearing off the condom wrapper with his teeth, strands of hair falling down on his face, a lovesick grin on his lips. you forget to breathe for a second, your lips shut as you look at him intently.

“what is it?”, he leans in, slight worry in his eyes, “something wrong? wanna stop?”

“no”, you move a hand to cup his cheek, “nothing, just. love you”.

“oh, come on, babe”, he lifts your hand from his cheek and kisses your palm, “who’s the cheesy one now? love you too”, a kiss on your wrist, “so much”.

you want to say it back to him, over and over and over again. but one of you has to be goal-oriented, and from past experience you know sangyeon will wax poetic about you for hours if given the chance. even if it means delaying certain activities.

he’s a patient human. you are not.

“great”, you grin, “now that that’s out of the way, can we fuck?”

“so bossy”, he pecks you one last time before moving back, one hand quickly picking up the condom he had put to the side earlier, sliding it on with practiced motions. without further ado, he positions his cock at your entrance, lifting one of your legs up slightly, like he always does. the sudden motion causes you to yelp out, your muscles sore from the biking you had been doing recently.

“fuck, what happened?”, frantic hands massage your thighs, his eyes searching yours, “you okay?”

“yeah, just”, you sigh, “muscles are sore from biking. it’s fine now, it was just sudden. keep going”.

“you’re sure?”, the frustrating man asks again.

“yes, god”, you groan, “it’s fine! just a little sore, totally normal”.

your boyfriend says nothing, a frown ghosting his face as he contemplates his options.

“oh my god”, you let out, “can you please just fuck me?”

“yes, okay”, he snaps out of his concerned trance and squeezes your thighs, “just let me know if you wanna stop, okay?”

“i always know that, babe”, you say, hoping it’s enough to reassure him.

with one last look at your resolute eyes, sangyeon positions his cock again at your entrance, finally convinced that you are, infact, fine. he pushes in slowly, his loud groan mingling with your softer one. once bottomed out, one of his hands land beside your head to support his weight while the other holds your leg up, his head moving to rest beside yours. your turn your head and cup his cheek, kissing him softly while you get used to the stretch.

"move", you whisper against his lips after a minute, "i'm good".

he obliges you instantly, pulling out his cock and fucking you slowly. his groans against the corner of your mouth make you clench, low moans of his name slipping out from your lips.

"faster, yeonnie", you urge, "can take it".

he fucks into you faster, his fingers digging into your leg, while his moans get louder. soon enough, he stops his movements, his body tensing and his hand beside you curling. he's close, you can tell. he's trying to hold back to get you to come first.

"baby - ", his hand moves up from your leg.

"i know", you soothe, whimpering when his fingers find your clit, "fuck, yeonnie - sensitive".

"i know, i know", he groans when you clench around his length, "just one more, yeah? give me one more".

that won't be hard. with his cock throbbing inside you, his fingers working on your clit and the praises he moans against your cheek, you're already close to your second orgasm.

sangyeon starts fucking you again, quickly regaining his speed while his finger rubs your clit. the motion is enough to set off your orgasm, and you call out his name as you come, the spasming of your cunt around his cock pushing him off the edge.

"fuck", he lets out a long-drawn groan, "fuck".

his body goes rigid for a second before collapsing on top of you, and you wrap your arms him, peppering kisses on his face. for a minute, your pants are the only sounds in the room, mixed with the pecks you place on his skin.

he moves soon after, laying down beside you with a small grunt and pulling you closer. he lets out a small satisfactory hum when you press your body closer to his, hitching one leg on top of his.

"you okay?", content eyes look at you, "legs okay?"

"yeah", you press a kiss on his cheek, "you?"

"i'm okay", he kisses your lips slowly, his fingers tracing your jaw tenderly. you can't help but smile against his lips, and it's one he returns even as he pulls away.

"you know", he says conversationally after a few moments, his eyes raking over you meaningfully, "you look even hotter like this. in this pretty little thing, all sweaty and sexy".

you laugh, heart booming with fondness.

"that so?", you tease.

"uh huh", the arm around tightens slightly, pulling you even closer to him, "yeah. you look all mine".

#sangyeon smut #tbz smut #the boyz smut #sangyeon imagines #the boyz imagines #tbz imagines

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