TBE SHEER GENDER EMANATING FROM THW STUPENDIUM'S NEW VIDEO,,, LOOK AT THIS. I'M GONNA HIT MY HEAD AGAINST A WALL SEVERAL TIMES /pos

on my mind :: two

:: suna rintarou x f!reader :: playlist :: masterlist ::

:: taglist: open :: wc: 1.5k ::

After a drunken one-night stand with your ex, you thought you could get him out of your life for good. Unfortunately, the two of you can’t seem to keep away from each other. Why can’t you leave each other alone? And more importantly, why is he still on your mind?

tw: mentions of alcohol, hangovers, profanity, talk of sex, one-night stands

After a lot of deliberation and even more wine with Yachi, you both came to the conclusion that ignoring Suna and the one-night stand would be the best course of action. You were also hesitant to give back the National Team jersey you had taken, fearing that it would draw attention to what had conspired between you two.

Instead, you adopted the expensive jersey into your wardrobe. 

So now you sat, head thrown back over the edge of your couch, fifth glass of wine in one hand and a slice of pizza in the other, bright red jersey with a large 12 and Suna’s name emblazoned on the back haphazardly thrown over your body. It was a comfortable jersey, plus, it was laundry day. You would wash it before (if) you ever gave it back. 

Yachi stole the wine glass out of your hand before you could drain the rest of it. 

“What the fuuuuck, ‘Toka? I was almost finished!” 

Yachi just looked at you with a blank expression. “Y/n, you need to go to bed before you show up to your first day of work hungover. You’ll thank me in the morning. C’mon,” she grabbed your hands to pull you up, dragging you along all the way to your bedroom. 

You cuddled into the sheets, trying to ignore the smell of Suna’s cologne on the jersey and failing miserably. Yachi brought you a glass of water and painkillers, then turned off the lights and bid you goodnight. 

At least you knew why Suna was in Tokyo now. It made sense that he would make the National Team, and it was a major oversight on your part for accepting a job as a trainer for said team. However, there was nothing you could do now. You would just have to wait and see how it all played out. 

You tossed and turned before finally surrendering to the comfort of the jersey’s scent. It was easier to fall asleep when you could pretend someone was next to you, anyway. When you ultimately dozed off, it was to memories of your ex-boyfriend’s calming hugs and bright smile.

---

When you arrived at the National Team Training Center the next morning, you were anxiously waiting for Suna to corner you about Saturday night’s events. Instead, you were able to walk all the way down to your new office across from the locker rooms without seeing anyone else. You set down your purse and backpack in your new office, smiling at the Assistant Athletic Trainer plaque outside your door. Popping back out into the hallway, you dropped a coffee off with your boss, Iwaizumi Hajime, whose office was adjacent to your own. 

Practice didn’t start for another hour, giving you plenty of time to calm your nerves about seeing Suna. You booted up your laptop and began preparing the players’ training regimens. After about thirty minutes, Atsumu strolled into your office. 

“Hey, y/n!”

“‘Tsumu!” He wrapped you in a big hug, lifting you off the ground and causing you to giggle.

“How’ve you been?” He set you back down and sat on the edge of your desk.

“Good! Lots of prepping for this new job, making sure all of your workouts are in order.” You gave Atsumu a light punch in the arm. You had missed joking around with him. Before you moved away from Hyogo, he was one of your best friends.

“Well, I hope it goes well. Hey, speaking of which, my shoulder has been kinda sore lately, think you could massage it for me?”

You just rolled your eyes and nodded. Of course, Atsumu would use your new position to his advantage. You could already tell that these next few weeks would be full of Atsumu begging for back massages when he didn’t really need them. On the bright side, at least if he was trying to scavenge a massage from you, Suna probably didn’t mention anything to him.

“Let’s go out to the court, practice is about to start. I’ll do it out there so that we aren’t late.”

Atsumu nodded, so you grabbed your backpack with your medical supplies and followed his lead to the court. You dropped your stuff at the bench and motioned for him to sit down. As you worked on his shoulder (his muscles were kind of tight after all), he talked about the temporary move to Tokyo and preparations for the upcoming Olympics. It was only April, but the competition would be here before anyone knew it. At least the team had the benefit of being at home for the duration of the Olympics. You couldn’t imagine having to adjust to a new timezone before competing at an international level. 

As you two talked, more players began to filter in. Iwaizumi came out to check on you, scolding Atsumu for taking advantage of your trainer status, to which you just laughed. 

“It’s fine, I promise. If I really minded, I would’ve told him to leave.”

“Alright, if you say so,” Iwaizumi looked at his watch, “Shit, I gotta go. It’ll probably be just you out here for most of the morning, y/n. I have a ton of meetings and work to catch up on, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay! I can handle it, don’t worry.” You smiled, trying to conceal the large amount of fear you still held for interacting with a certain middle blocker. Iwaizumi gave you a grin before turning and walking back towards his office. 

Atsumu smirked at you, “He totally thinks you’re hot.”

You punched Atsumu in the shoulder, hard. “Shut the fuck up! And he does not, he’s gay, and he’s fucking married!” 

“Hm, what a bummer. You’re too tense, you need to get laid.”

Your eyes widened as you slapped a hand over his mouth. “Atsumu!”

“Hey Atsumu, y/n, long time no see.”

Your heart dropped as you turned towards the unmistakable voice, one hand still on Atsumu’s mouth. 

“Sunarin! What’s up?” Atsumu shrugged your hand off as he stood and gave Suna a half-hug. You stood to the side, slowly inching towards your backpack as a means of escape. If Suna turned his attention to you, you could just busy yourself with whatever you had in there. 

“Fuck, y/n, it’s been forever since I last saw you.” You looked up at Suna, schooling your expression into something resembling calm, cool, and collected and ignoring the pounding of your heart. 

You gave a half-hearted laugh, “Yeah.” Suna flashed you one of his signature grins, and you nearly choked on air. Why was he so attractive?

“You’re still as beautiful as ever.” Fuck. “So this is what you’re up to nowadays?”

“Yep!” You allowed a little grin to slip through. “Living the dream as an assistant athletic trainer!”

“That’s awesome. I always knew you would do something great.” Oh my God. “Well, it looks like practice is about to start. We should go out sometime, catch up! It’s been years since we’ve talked.”

You nodded and watched as he jogged over to where some other players were stretching, then turned and buried your face in your hands. What the fuck. He didn’t remember Saturday. That was good. Now you just had to play it cool around him, and everything would be fine.

You felt an arm settle itself on your shoulder. “He totally thinks you’re hot.”

“Atsumu, I’m going to fucking kill you.”

The man in question quickly removed his arm from your shoulder, giving you a questioning look. “The fuck is your problem with him? I know you two still have whatever from high school that’s unresolved, but you look like you want to die on the spot right now.”

“If I tell you, you have to swear you won’t tell anyone. Not a soul.” You could already tell you were going to regret this.

Atsumu brought his hand up with a cheesy grin on his face. “I solemnly swear. Now tell me.”

You sighed and internally cringed. You couldn’t believe you were about to tell Atsumu this. “On Saturday night, I got drunk and woke up in Suna’s bed,” you watched as Atsumu’s jaw dropped, “And he doesn’t remember anything, thank God.”

“Holy fucking shit, y/n!”

“Keep your fucking voice down!”

“Wait, wait, wait, it gets better,” you winced as you prepared yourself for whatever bad news Atsumu was about to bring, “He called me Sunday morning, talking about a ripped skirt and a bra some chick left, and that she stole his National Team jersey. You’re telling me that was you?”

Grimacing, you nodded.

“Damn, y/n. You’re screwed.”

You nodded again.

---

After a morning of tough practice, you were finally enjoying some peace and quiet at your desk. You ate the bento Yachi packed for you (she was a literal angel) and tried to avoid thinking about how hot Suna looked while practicing today. You couldn’t stop staring at him; every time you looked away, you somehow found yourself looking in his direction again.

Your buzzing phone pulled you out of your thoughts.

Osamu’s laughing voice filled the tiny speaker. 

“Y/n! You slept with Sunarin! And he doesn’t even remember!”

You were going to murder Miya Atsumu. 

taglist: @sunasexual​ @call-me-lulu​ 

Carol Danvers x GN!Reader : Compensation

Summary: Money isn’t the only form of payment.

Genre: Smut. It’s filth truly, I’ve never written anything like this, feel free to scroll away! 

Warning: 18+ dom!carol\switch!reader, oral, unprotected sex, light choking, bit of a breeding kink, cockwarming

Word Count: 1,921

* * * * * *

An immediate sigh falls from your lips when you step into your apartment. Classic Rock blasts through the unit accompanied by the sounds of a video game. 

You were so ready to just relax after work, maybe read a book while listening to Lo-fi, eventually cook dinner. 

But it appears your houseguest is back tonight. 

“Carol.” You greet the woman with nod, dropping your bag on the ground by the entrance way.

She smiles over at you brightly,“ Y/N!” She shouts over the music as opposed to turning it down.“ Figured you’d be pretty late, there’s pizza in the oven.”

Narrowed eyes stare back at her as you cross the living room to the radio and deliberately turn the music down slowly.“ This is an apartment complex Carol, I’m gonna get a noise violation if you keep blasting music all night.”

“Oh screw them.”

“You say that until I lose this place and then where would you bring your trysts and live rent free.” You tease as you head into the kitchen.

Carol stands and walks to the island connecting the kitchen and living room. With a mocking pout she tilts her head at you and says,“ you know you love having me around.”

“Do I?” Your eyebrows raise, both of you chuckling softly.“ Look I don’t mind having you here and I’m happy to house you but it’s been months Care, my bill’s gone up cause I’m using twice as much elec and water. I was able to cover it before but-”

An eyebrow quirks,“ bold of you to assume I have the income to pay rent.” 

She definitely has the income. You’ve seen the paystubs she gets from the Avengers. She could pay your rent for the next eight months off one check and still have plenty left. 

The eyeroll you give her is in place of the comment on her funds.“ Well geez Carol, I can’t cover this on my own.” You mildly gesture to the place around you.

It’s quiet for a moment, before she stands, and rounds the corner into the kitchen. She takes careful yet precise steps forward. 

“Well I may not be able to pay your landlord, but I can most certainly repay you for letting me stay here.” Her tone drips suggestion and your eyes snap up to hers. 

Brown eyes stare back at you in a way you had never seen them before and it takes everything you have not to swallow nervously. 

You can’t lie and say your friend isn’t absolutely gorgeous. Her suggesting that she repay you this way has thoughts flicking through your mind that had previously been confined to dreams you kept to yourself. Heat rushes to your cheeks and you look like a deer in headlights.

“W- what’d you mean?” Mentally you curse yourself for stuttering.

Carol, who had been joking, takes pleasure in your flustered state. It gives away your thoughts and she’s now curious to see if you’d actually go through with this. 

Taking yet another few steps forward, she halts in front of you, her hand brushing your arm before she rests it on the counter at your side.“ You know exactly what I mean Y/nn,” the fingers of her other hand teasingly trail over your belt,“ you aren’t a little curious as to how I make all those girls scream.”

She watches as you swallow, your throat bobbing with the action, and she smirks. 

“Carol I, whatever your thinking probably isn’t a good idea.” 

“What I’m thinking? From the looks of it you can’t seem to take your mind off it either.” She pointedly glances down and you already know she’s eyeing your hardened member.

You’d felt it begin to strain against your compression shorts the instant her hand brushed your arm. 

When you don’t give any kind of denial, she hooks her finger into your pants, and walks you back toward your bedroom. 

Truthfully you’re far from opposed to having sex with Carol. But she’s your friend and quite frankly you never thought something like this would actually happen.

Her back hits your door and she uses her free hand to open it, pulling you in. Just as the door closes her lips crash onto yours. You both keep moving until the backs of your knees hit the bed and she’s more than happy to push you back. 

Your body bounces on impact and Carol’s smile turns dangerously seductive. If your heart hadn’t been pounding before it certainly is now.

“Take your clothes off for me baby.” There’s no room for arguing in her tone so you do as she asks. 

Keeping your eyes on her, you remove your clothes. Each article hits the floor with inaudibly and both of you wait with bated breath, Carol’s eyes taking in every inch of your body. 

Why had she not seen you like this before? You look as if you’d been sculpted by the gods. 

Quickly her hands reach out to stop yours,“ I’ll handle that part.” In a way that has you damn near drooling, she eases to her knees, and pulls your briefs down to the floor.

As you watch her, she watches the way your member springs free and stands at attention. Her jaw drops(probably the first time you’d ever seen her shocked), brown eyes staring at you. 

She doesn’t even own straps as big as you are, and that’s saying something. Your length and girth had her questioning if she’d be able to handle this, but she was nothing if not curious. 

The woman’s finger runs across your tip, the small action making you moan, mainly in anticipation.“ Carol please,” you sigh.

“For the record,” she swipes away the precum that spilled from you, allowing that to slick her hand as she started to pump you,“ I’m going to be taking control, understand?” 

Momentarily frozen in pleasure, you fail to reply, which makes her stop, her hand leaving you completely and the air much colder than her palm hand been. 

“Do you understand?” She asks again with a challenging raised brow.

It wasn’t often that you aren’t in control, in fact you’re usually the main one giving in your relationships and sexual escapades. You didn’t mind relinquishing control, at least this once.“ I understand.” 

That’s all she needs to hear. In an instant her lips are wrapped around you. When she adds her tongue into the ministrations of her sucking you completely understand what made her girls scream. 

How and why the appendage seems to be so long, you don’t understand, but it’s driving you mad. Your hand raise and you push a few fallen strands of hair back from her face, nearly falling apart at the sight of her mouth around you. 

“Fuck Carol, if you keep this up I’m not gonna last long.” You sigh as you fall back on the bed. 

“Can’t have that just yet now can we.” 

Your chest heaves as you breathe deeply. Carol’s eyes linger on your naked form hungrily. Mustering the little self-control she has left, she strips, taking pride in feeling your eyes on her.

She’s stunning in every way. God those curves, those legs. The second she’s within reach, crawling up your body, your hands are on her. Every inch of skin is smooth, angel soft being the best description. 

The blonde rests on your lap and you moan at the feeling over her wetness on your member. You hadn’t touched her yet and she’s this aroused?

Hesitantly, you move your hands to rest on her thighs, thumbs smoothing over the skin there.“ This okay?” 

Carol smirks at you, loving that you asked, like a proper bottom she thought.“ It is.” 

You grip her thighs in your hold as she rises and grabs you. Teasingly she rubs your tip through her folds and watches you as she sinks down. 

Inch by inch she feels herself conforming to your size. The stretch stinging in the slightest but majority pleasurable. 

It takes her a moment to adjust to you. Once she does, she rises and falls again. She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth and you watch yourself disappear inside of her over and over again. 

“Goddamn.” You throw your head back.

Carol clicks her tongue against her teeth when she feels you plant your foot into the bed. Both of you are well aware that you were about to thrust up into her.

Her hands trail up your body, squeezing your breasts, and then one moving up to your neck. Palm resting over your throat, she gently squeezes the sides of your neck, and you moan. 

“Who’s in control?” She leans down to whisper against the shell of your ear.

The choking puts you in a bit of a daze. It’s a sensation you didn’t realize you’d ever enjoy. There’s a possibility it feels so good because it’s Carol doing it but you can’t know for sure. 

“You.” It’s a breathy reply but it’s a reply and Carol takes it with pride. 

Sitting up, she keeps her hand around your throat, and speeds up the movement of her hips. Her walls flutter around you and the familiar tightening in your stomach is a warning. 

“Carol I- fuck, I’m close.” You grip the wrist of the hand around your neck.“ You gotta move or I’m gonna-”

Blonde hairs tick the side of your face as she leans down and kisses your neck where her hand had been,“ I want you to.” 

A flustered frown pulls at your brows,“ are you sure?” 

“Fill me up.” She smirks and her hips stutter as she lets go. 

Despite that she continues to ride you slowly bringing you over the edge right after her. And she moans at the feeling of your seed shooting into her.

Silence settles, minus your labored breaths, as you both come down. 

Tiredly you reach up to run your fingers through her slightly damp hair. Her body seemingly shines from the thin layer of sweat she’d produced with all her hard work. 

When she rises up a shiver runs over her body at the now cooling atmosphere and you sit up as well. It appears she has no intention of moving off of you, so you wrap your arms around her waist and stand.

A small laugh falls from her lips when your member twitches inside her and she wiggles just a little to feel it again. 

“Carol.” You groan, pulling the covers back.

“I’d say I’m sorry but I’m not.” She laughs again. 

Narrowing your eyes at her, you drop her on to the bed, leaving her empty once again and she glares at you instantly. Your cockiness however vanishes when she takes a hold of your sensitive member.

“Sorry, I’m sorry.” You breathe with raised eyebrows. Moving quickly, you lay down, letting her slide you back inside her. 

She sighs and cuddles back into you, surprisingly soft after her sexual dominance. Admittedly you’d never seen her like this, as her friend you could honestly say she’s a bit of a douche at times, so this is new to you. 

Before the quiet settles entirely and you fall asleep she asks,“ was that payment enough?” 

“I would say yes but your behind a few months.” It’s a risky statement on your part, especially knowing that Carol doesn’t sleep with the same person twice.

“Well I guess I better catch up on that.” She retorts, rotating her hips in a way that has your member awakening again. 

BnHA 6th Popularity Poll Reaction Post - Risky Spoiler-Dodging Edition

hey guys, so seeing as the results from the 6th popularity poll were leaked today, I figured I would do a separate reaction + analysis post this year, rather than piling it in as an extra on top of the chapter reaction post tomorrow. I figure this makes more sense anyway, since they’re really two completely different things. also this way I can write as much as I want lol.

also, just fyi, I am still completely unspoiled for chapter 293. and probably the smart thing to do to keep it that way would be to log off tumblr and hold off posting this until tomorrow, but I apparently have no impulse control today so oh well. anyway, so I’m hoping you guys will keep this spoiler-free if you don’t mind! as always, I would prefer to just jump right in completely unaware tomorrow like Troy returning to the study room with the pizza boxes lol.

okay so this first part is just going to be my predictions. fyi I am writing this part on Wednesday night, and then I’ll add on the results part on Thursday or Friday (ETA: Thursday, apparently, since I am impatient.)

okay so first of all, just as a refresher, this poll was open to Japanese voters from Aug 3 to Sep 30. meaning chapters 279 through 285. meanwhile last year’s poll took place around the tail end of the MVA arc. so between then and now we had Heroes Rising, the Endeavor Agency arc, and the War arc up to the part where the 1-A kids took on Gigantomachia in Gunga, and started battling Tomura in Jakku. so technically only a couple of arcs, but a LOT of stuff going down in them. oh and season 4 of the anime as well

so! firstly, I predict that my truculent africanized honeybee son will hold on to his crown at #1, coming off a year in which he did some internship-boosted soul searching, borrowed OFA in movie canon, and finished out the voting period as the my-body-moved-on-its-own character development MVP. like CALL ME CRAZY lol, but I’m pretty sure his title is safe. and then after him will be Deku and Shouto as usual

Aizawa should hopefully also have a strong showing because the dude had a banner fucking year. reunited with his old dead friend, took on Tomura with his hopelessly inept hero pals, and then chopped his fucking leg off. he had better be in the top 10. his fucking leg died for this, idk what else he has to do

Endeavor also stands a decent chance of doing well given the internship arc and the final episode of season 4. which I’m sure will go down just swimmingly if that does happen lmao. especially if he somehow manages to rank higher than...

Dabi, which I don’t think he will btw, but you never know. anyways though, but I’m thinking Dabi’s going to have a stronger showing than in past years (in the last poll he only got 367 votes and was ranked 19th). mostly because of his fight in the Gunga mansion, and his cheekily censored name reveal to...

Hawks, who is also going to rank pretty high here, I think. might be he loses some points for killing off Twice, but his back was basically to the wall there. and he has always been very popular, and I think season 4 will also give him a boost, along with his heavy involvement in the first half of the War arc

Tomura was already in 6th place last year and I think he cracks the top 5 this year. he’s gotten exponentially more popular since the MVA arc, and got a boost in the last poll even though his flashback had only just barely happened, and he hadn’t finished Awakening yet and all that stuff. anyway, so he’s only gotten cooler and more tragic since then so I think he makes a big play here

Kirishima, Momo, Tokoyami, and Mina should also hopefully do well, since the poll opened right in the middle of all that Gigantomachia action, and Toko had just got done being an absolute badass and protecting his birb dad. I don’t think he’ll quite make it to the top ten, but he should

and last but not least, I’m hoping that Mirko will come out and take the polls by storm, although I have no clue how popular she is in Japan lol. she’s clearly Horikoshi’s favorite though. she SHOULD be everyone’s favorite, but I mean, we’ll see how it goes

anyway that’s it as far as predictions! and so now, through the magic of writing stuff at different times, we will fast-forward to the part where we actually find out the results!

OH MY GOD YES, STEAMPUNK KHLKSLLKL. HERE FOR IT. JOLLY GOOD SHOW. 5 STARS

Kacchan looks SO COCKY and SO HAPPY and SO ADORABLE, YES I SAID IT. he is adorable as FUCK. I don’t quite know what it is about this particular Kacchan that just screams “LOOK HOW FUCKING CUTE MY STUPID, LOUD SON IS WITH HIS BIZARRE WINDOWPANE-LOOKING CONVERTIBLE SUNGLASS GOGGLES and his POORLY TIED CRAVAT”, but I think it’s because he looks like if a Digimon character and a FMA character had a baby

anyway, so it looks like most of the people present here are more or less who we expected to see. except that I can’t tell for sure if that’s Dabi or Shindou, and if it’s Shindou I’m going to punch somebody in the face so you will have to excuse me

Iida wearing a TRENCHCOAT and a TOP HAT with ENGINE EXHAUST GOGGLE ACCENTS is my new favorite Iida of all time. take note how there is no possible way he can wear those goggles with them sitting on top of his hat like that. plus he’s already got glasses on. these are just purely for aesthetic and IF THAT AIN’T JUST THE STEAMPUNK WAY

Deku out here speaking softly and carrying a lead pipe. Kacchan you best look out. seems like he’s done watching you take first place year after year while he languishes in the number two spot. your only hope is that he trips while attacking you because his boots are unbuckled

Shouto’s standing over there with the rest of the non-first-and-second-place characters, but what are the odds his results are actually within spitting distance of Deku’s same as always. anyway he doesn’t mind, though. also his outfit is by far the most sensible one here, but if you look closely he’s got some sort of fire extinguisher/jet pack thing strapped to his back that’s got a control switch on his belt. Shouto are you jetpacking or putting out fires

Kirishima out here all “I’m not sure what steampunk is so I’m just going to take off my shirt and pose”

AIZAWA WITH THE EYEPATCH SKLKSDLKFJLSKJLDFKJSLDFFJLDKSJFL:KS. SIR. SIR. also, lowkey furious that Horikoshi refuses to show us the automail leg that he is clearly sporting here but which we just can’t see, SHOUTO MOVE GODDAMMIT

Endeavor has TWO fire extinguisher-slash-jetpacks. THE BETTER TO... WHATEVER. look at you here in the top ten again. you really live for that controversy

HAWKS OUT HERE WITH HIS STEAMPUNK BEATS BY DRE AND HIS WEARING A RING ON EVERY FINGER. nice to see you’ve still got your wings there, kiddo. then again Deku still has both of his arms too so who even knows what is going on

BUT SERIOUSLY THOUGH, IS THIS DABI OR SHINDOU. as if I don’t know the truth deep down in my heart. y’all I am gonna flip lmao. it’s not that I dislike Shindou, strictly speaking. but just... I can’t explain what it is, but if you put him and AFO next to each other and told me “you can only punch one”, I would be having a serious crisis. just, THIS FUCKING GUY, idek. STOP SMILING

Tomura looks like he just wandered onto the set here by mistake and has no idea where he is or what is going on. it’s because you’re wearing a bigass severed hand that’s blocking your entire view, Tomura. just take the hand off your face my sweet murder dumpling

anyway! so I managed to also find a link to the full poll results while somehow managing to avoid spoilers, and then I wanted to compare the results to last year’s poll, and so I made... this

hopefully you can all see this. if you’re on desktop you might be screwed, but on mobile you should be able to click and enlarge it. I mean, assuming you actually give a fuck about boring poll analysis spreadsheets lmao

anyway, so there were actually 13k fewer votes cast this year which is a bit of a surprise. is the series not still growing in popularity? do people apparently have better things to do during their quarantine lol

anyways but despite this, and despite getting 8k fewer votes overall, Kacchan still managed almost twice as many as his closest competitor. well fought, Deku. please put down that pipe

I somehow always underestimate the power of ship popularity to influence these things. but for example, it looks like Present Mic got that Vigilantes Trio bump. ride that wave for all it’s worth my man! hell, you got me on board

Iida fucking Tenya somehow got some sort of POWER BOOST out of NOWHERE which I can’t explain at all lmao, but I’m here for it. NOT BAD FOR AN OLD MAN

Sero managed to get the exact same number of votes in both 2019 and 2020. clearly the most loyal fans in the business

Mirko being all the way down at #20 is, of course, a travesty, and I hereby nominate her to be the one to punch Shindou in the face

ngl though, the lack of a single female character in the top ten hurts just a bit. it’s not overly surprising, but still. the worst part of it is that even if you kicked Shindou to the curb and moved everyone else up one slot, it would still be all dudes since Mic beat out Momo by a margin of a little more than a hundred votes. hard to stay mad at Mic for too long, though. ah well

Tomura actually lost a bunch of votes which is a genuine surprise to me. I know the villain standom isn’t as dominant in Japan as it is in Western fandom, but still. you can go ahead and punch Shindou too I guess

Tokoyami lowkey doubled his vote count over the past year while hiding down there at #18. he is slowly becoming more powerful. biding his time

anyway so I think that’s it! I mean not really, but I’m getting kind of tired lol. so just, you know, insert the usual gripes at Overhaul’s ranking here, although we can be happy about Magne making her way onto the list (r.i.p.), and Mineta and AFO taking a very satisfying slide down (all the way out, in AFO’s case; good riddance you bum). Hadou also got a huge boost which is awesome. Mustard’s persistent ownership of the #36 spot will forever remain a mystery to me, but oh well

anyways, this was fun. and I really do feel like everyone is looking away on purpose so that when Deku brains Kacchan with that pipe in about two seconds from now, there will be no witnesses, oh my fucking god

Remember Me ~ Worick Arcangelo x Reader

Disclaimer: This is going to have mentions of past abuse and supposedly illegal behaviour, but considering it’s Gangsta we’re talking about, I don’t think anyone should be surprised by darker themes addresses.

Birthdays...Have always been tedious. A drag. More work than they are worth...So, I wonder...Why do I actually bother doing a party at my home?

I mean, it’s true, I get it, I’m 21, I’m of age...Legally an adult, legally allowed to drink, legally everything whatever...The same as it has been for the past 3 years...

And MAYBE it’s fun to sometimes gather around with your friends and do the same things everyone always does at parties, loud music, alcohol, cigarettes and gossips...

But there is always that annoying anxiety feeling surging through my veins whenever I have to be around more than 3 of my friends, considering this is a party organised by me, and everything has to be done perfectly, everyone must feel good, and at home, not to be left out...

I can already envision myself being the only outcast, anyway, but that’s besides the point.

It’s already evening, the alcohol is sitting on the table, the pizza boxes are stacked up in a mountain on the floor, plastic cups everywhere, ash trays placed strategically, dim lights, coloured light projectors to make the room look like a disco...

And then there’s me. Sitting anxiously on the couch in the living room, dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a long plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, along with some silver rings and a necklace. Casual, comfy, yet pretty elegant in its simplicity.

My friends arrived soon, very loudly congratulating me on aging one more year, fantastic...But they had a mischievous smirk on their faces...

And they brought in a tall, blond man who looked very macho, and I could only blink in confusion as everyone walked inside.

“Uhm...Who is he? One of yours boyfriend or something?” I asked, eyeing everyone attentively. “Nooo, silly! He’s our gift for you!” my best friend grabbed the man by his arm, shoving him towards me. “I’m...Not sure I follow.” I spoke with even more unease, not wanting to believe what I was hearing. “He’s Ergastulum’s most wanted Gigolo! And tonight, he’s all yours to do with as you please! C’mon, you deserve to let loose and have fun once in a while, y’know? Forget about all those jerks and enjoy pleasure like you’ve never felt before~!” my other best friend grabbed me by my shoulders from behind, putting her chin on top of one of her hands, slurring seductively. “...I see.” I muttered, looking away, trying to mask my displeasure at what I was hearing. “Anyway, let’s get you drunk! You won’t get to enjoy anything if you’re so cold and reserved with everyone, y’know? Maybe that’s why you’re always alone! Now c’mon, let’s have fun!” she dragged me to the drinks table, and we started playing drinking games like never have I ever...

Gotta say, Vodka and Bailey’s has always been a shot combination that I adore, and I’m grateful that it takes a long time to get me drunk, because these girls are wasted, while I’m not, so I can escape their grasp. Drunk dancing isn’t that fun, even to watch, and they were making fools of themselves, screeching, giggling...More or less sounding like pained donkeys.

Or maybe I’m just too judgemental and mean because I’ve been in a bad mood and spiraling since they got in my home. To be fair, I don’t even care what is the truth. These are my feelings and I’m not going to play them off as insignificant or non-existent.

Eyeing them carefully, I take a pack of cigarettes and make my way out of the house and sit on the stairs, taking a deep breath of the cold winter night air, I light up a cigarette, taking a drag and staring up at the sky, letting my endless train of toxic thoughts overwhelm me.

I was so long in my own mind that I didn’t notice the door opening until a shadow blocked my vision, and I noticed the platinum blond man sitting down on the stairs below me, resting his back on the wall on the side.

“Y’know...I haven’t been to many birthday parties before, but I’m pretty sure the birthday girl is supposed to be pampered and the center of attention, and yet, here you are, outside, alone and sad.” the man spoke seriously, with his usual light glint. “How much did they pay you?” I muttered, lighting another cigarette, realising that the other one burn without taking another drag of it. “Hmmm? What do you mean?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at me. “I’m tipsy, not stupid. You think I can’t think rationally after 8 shots? You’re dead wrong. Now, tell me, how much did they pay you and what exactly did they tell you to do?” I asked in a pressed tone, side-eyeing him. “You’re certainly perceptive, I give you that. T’was quite a lot of money to spend the night with you.” he tilted his head in a playful way. “Not only they have no faith in me to get someone to even remotely like me...They have to pay someone to do something that I dread with a burning passion. Do you even know my name? I don’t know yours.” I shrugged, hanging my head, gritting my teeth in annoyance. “I see your friends screwed up a bit. Name’s Worick, nice to meet you.” he extended his hand towards me. “...Y/N. Nice to meet you too...I think.” I sighed, staring reluctantly at his hand, before slowly shaking it. “Pretty name for a pretty girl. Wanna talk to a guy you’ll never see again? I heard that venting and letting out pent up emotions helps.” he offered, making me look at him with a weird face. “You know you’re not gonna get any action, so you try to do something for the money you earned, huh?” I snorted, raking my fingers through my hair. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. Contrary to my profession, I’m a pretty chill guy. What do you have to lose, talking to someone you’ll never see again? And besides, I have little room to judge you, so if that’s your worry, you can throw it away.” he lit up a cigarette, puffing up into the sky. “You’re...Not wrong here. Okay, fine, Pretty Boy. Imagine this. You’re not even of age, you get your first lover and you’re happy. You finally feel superior. Someone gives a fuck about you...That’s the definition of a lover, after all, I guess...But here’s the deal. Barely one month into the relationship, the person starts getting very pushy and pressures you, without you realising. Words and actions. It goes to the point that they force you to do things that you don’t want to and you’re not ready to, mentally or physically...And you can’t do anything except for denying, since they don’t listen and they overpower you. How is that, so far?” I spoke, taking a few breaks in between sentences to keep myself grounded and lucid. “Very suckish. Does any of your friends know that?” Worick asked in a gentle voice. “They do...My two best friends do. The ones who apparently paid you. I don’t know what’s in those tiny brains of theirs, but I don’t think a one night stand is going to somehow magically get me rid of all problems, traumas, self-issues and nightmares I’ve been having for the last years. Or maybe I’m just paranoid. I don’t know, and at this point, I can’t stay that I care.” I shrugged, leaning back on the stairs. “Maybe you have the wrongs friends. I heard words about you that I don’t think friends should speak like that about their so called best friend who trusted them enough with their bad experiences.” he pointed out nonchalantly, as I shifted my gaze towards him with a frown. “After today...I...Think the same. I...Just...Wasn’t expecting something like this. What more can I say. I am disappointed. And if that wasn’t enough, my second boyfriend, who was a virgin, saw my own virginity as a prize. And the third pity-dated me. Can it get any worse? Because, if yes, I honestly give up.” I sighed, ruffling my hair, obviously done with life. “Life sure sucks, huh? And most people don’t make it any better. All we can do is get stronger, carry on, and fight our nightmares.” he nodded in agreement, clearly sympathetic. “...I see you’re speaking from experience. I wonder what happened to your eye...It may sound insensitive, but after what I just told you, I don’t think there’s any more need for caution.” I smirked at him with a dark sort of self-deprecation that I could also sense in him. “Well, y’know...Sometimes parents aren’t the safe haven they ought to be.” he shrugged, extinguishing the finished cigarette on the stairs. “I see. Yeah, life sucks. I guess I can see why you become a Gigolo. An attractive guy selling his body for money...By what they said, you are the most popular. I can see why. I feel sorry for you.” I gave him a sympathetic smile that disappeared as fast as it came. “You have a pretty smile, y’know? I always thought that people who can smile despite all they’ve been through are the strongest.” he commented, smiling back. “Is that why you appear to be so cheerful? You’re strong, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally too? Wish I was the same. Maybe people won’t find me such an easy target to take advantage of.” I snorted sarcastically, making him chuckle. “It’s a pity people are shit to the few remaining ones who don’t give in to society’s awfulness. But what is a sweet girl like you doing in a shithole like Ergastulum? Doesn’t quite add up.” he asked, getting in a better sitting position. “Life happened. Dad left us, and mum is abroad working to get me enough money to go to university by the end of this year. This place, despite how scary and dangerous it is, was the cheapest place I could afford.” I bit my lip, trying not to worry too much about the future. “I’m sure you’re gonna nail it, so don’t worry too much. You seem like a smart girl, so just study hard and don’t forget to enjoy life. By your standards, not others’.” he smirked, tilting his head towards the door. “You’re funny, Worick. I wish we met under different circumstances.” my voice became lower, only to get interrupted by the door slamming open and the girls leaving the place. “Well, look at you two, lovebirds! You look so cuuuuuuuute! Hey, Gigolo, better take good care of her, got it?! The night is still young for you two! Awesome birthday party, as usual, Y/N, see ya next time!” the girls left, making me blush from embarassment, looking away. “You’ve got very sensible friends.” he muttered ironically, shaking his head. “I’ll...Go tidy the apartment. Maybe I’ll be able to focus on something else. Come one, I’ll warm up some pizza.” I shrugged, getting inside the house. “I didn’t think you’d want me around in your home.” Worick pointed out, leaning on a wall. “You got paid to spend the night with me, correct? Then you’ll do what you got paid for. Keeping me company. You have no idea how refreshing it is talking to someone with some fucking brain in their head.” I plopped down on the couch, putting my feet on the table, turning on the TV to a rock music program and patting the seat next to me for him to join. “It’s an honour to spend time with you.” he chuckled, taking a slice of pizza, leaning back on the couch and mimicking my position.

For the rest of the night, he was gracious enough to help me tidy up and clean everything, and when we were finally done, I went to change in my nightgown, taking a book and getting in bed, only to see the man leaning on the frame of the door awkwardly.

“Ah, yes, how could I forget. Let me find some larger clothes for you to change into.” I put the book down, going to the wardrobe and finding some oversized clothes in which I sometimes sleep. “Are these yours?” he chuckled in amusement. “Yep.Gotta be comfy when you sleep, right?” I shrugged, getting back in bed. “Yeah, you’re right. That’s why I sleep naked.” his grin grew wider, making me frown in confusion. “Sleeping naked is comfy for you?” I put the book on my lap, looking at him for an answer. “Did you try?” he asked smugly. “Yeah. I felt incredibly uncomfortable and anxious the for hours and couldn’t sleep. At 4 AM I couldn’t stand it any longer and I put a nightgown on.” I scratched my cheek, looking away. “That’s adorable. What were you reading?” he asked, getting closer to me. “Get changed and you can come over. I’m not letting you sleep on the couch. You got paid, you deserve better.” I waved my hand at him dismissively, only for him to leave the room, get changed, take the book from my hand, flip through all the pages, and return it. “Ah, Picture of Dorian Gray. I’ve been wanting to read it for a while, thanks for the opportunity, I have to say, I rather appreciate his monologues.” he gave me a shit-eating grin, plopping in bed next to me. “I...You...Huh?! You can’t tell me you just read THIS book, right now, for the first time in your life, by just flipping rapidly through the pages!” my expression was that of pure shock and disbelief, which clearly amused him. “That’s exactly what I’m saying, sweet cheeks.” he smirked, laying his head down on the pillow. “You...You have an extraordinary visual memory?!” I asked in a voice that I wasn’t sure was heard. “You’ve got that right, darling.” he chuckled with a satisfied smile. “...WHY THE HELL ARE YOU A PROSTITUTE?! YOU ARE A GENIUS! YOU COULD DO SO MUCH MORE WITH YOUR LIFE! EARN AN UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY! DO YOU HAVE NO AMBITION AND SAFE-LOVE?!” I grab him by the shoulders, shaking him, until he stopped me. “Calm doooown, Y/N, calm down. Thanks for looking out for me, but life is life. Don’t worry about me. I’ve got all I need here. You, however, have the whole life ahead of you, so don’t waste it like I did.” he advised in a soft voice, making me look at him for a few seconds, before sighing, getting up, and picking another book. “We won’t be seeing each other again, will we? Well, if that’s the case, take this. It’s a thanks for being nice to me today...But promise me you will take your time reading it, unlike now. Rest, relax, drink a hot cup of tea, and read each page carefully. Enjoy it, live it, feel it. Can you promise me that?” I asked, handing him the book. “The Hobbit, huh? Pretty cover, intriguing summary on the back...Fine, Y/N. I can’t 100% promise you, but I will try. Are you really willing to part with this one? It seems special for you.” he asked, more serious this time. “...Maybe sometimes the stupid ideas that your heart gives you are better than the rational ones from your brain. Now go sleep, I want to read.” I looked away from him, opening my book and pretending to read, away from him.

Five minutes passed, then ten, and fifteen, all of them in a deadly silence, almost awkward, until a chuckle split the atmosphere, making me turn around, looking at the man with a confused look.

“Usually, when people read, they turn the page after five minutes. What’s on your mind?” he asked, taking a strand of my hair and loosely twirling it with his finger. “..Well...You’re a stranger. And...We’ve only talked for a few hours. I know it makes no sense to ask this of you, but...I won’t be seeing you tomorrow anyway, so...Uhm...Do you think...I'm...Cold and mean...And unapproachable?” I mutter, looking away from him. “Not at all. I find you very endearing. The quiet ones are always the ones who have the best surprises once you get to know them. People deal with problems differently, it just takes the right person to want to understand you.” he kissed the strand of hair, making me bite my lip and turn off the lap light so my possibly pink cheeks won’t be noticeable. “Great. Thanks for the info. Now...How about you earn the money you got paid? You can do that by holding me and playing with my hair until I fall asleep.” I try to keep my voice from wavering. “You don’t have to put that pretext as a front, I would do that even if I wasn’t paid.” he chuckled lightly, holding me close to his chest, his fingers masterfully soothing my senses as he caressed by hair. “...Thanks.” I muttered, hiding my flustered face in his chest. “I have insomnia and general sleeping problems, including sleep paralysis and nightmares...And the only thing that used to be able to put me to sleep without waking up in the middle of the night would be mum holding me and playing with my hair until I fell asleep.” I confessed, my voice becoming softer and more emotional. “Thank you for trusting me with this precious memory, Y/N. It’s going to be okay. Now close your eyes...Sweet dreams, Y/N.” his peaceful, velvety voice was the last thing I heard before falling into a restful and calm sleep, for the first time in ages.

When morning came and I woke up, the bed was empty on the side that Worick was and I almost feared I imagined the whole thing...Until I noticed a piece of paper on the pillow where he slept.

“You’re a beautiful person, don’t let the darkness take over you. I hope to hear from you again, in the future, under better circumstances. ~ Worick”

To that, a phone number was written, and the first thing that came into my mind was to get that it tattooed on my body so I won’t lose it.  Of course, that will never happen, so I’ll settle for writing it everywhere I can.

For some reason, I wanted to make him proud, and I still had no idea why, so I only called him once a year, on my birthday, and on that day, we would chat on the phone all night, in memory of that night.  Finally leaving Ergastulum to go to University and get a better life for myself was something revolutionary for me, but after over 6 years, I managed to do just that. However, there was something that never left my brain, and that was the platinum haired man that completely changed the way I viewed life and how to approach it.

And I returned to Ergastulum after almost a decade.

I was dressed in a cute dress, and this time, unlike last time, a confident smile was on my face. Even though it’s fake, I adopted the “Fake it till you make it” motto, and nobody has to know about my problems.

I vibe.

Asking around for Worick, I find out he works as the Benriya with another man called Nicolas, who’s a tag, and even better, I got his address, so I knew just where to go.

As I entered the shabby apartment that was, for some reason, unlocked, I see a meek looking woman sitting on the couch, looking down.

“Did Worick get a girlfriend?” I leaned on the wall, a playful smirk on my face. “Wh-What?! G-Girlfriend?! W-Wait, who are you?!” she shot up to her feet, looking at me with big, blue doe eyes, frightened, might I say. “You’re adorable. What’s your name? And can I ask where Worick is? I’ve been told this is where he lives.” I played with a strand of my hair, trying not to intimidate the girl...Too much. “U-Uhm...He...He’s in his room...Who are you, miss?” she asked, trying to get some courage. “A friend, I’d like to think. From about ten years ago. Now, if you’ll excuse me...” I was ready to go look for him, only for a door to open, and the man in cause to appear, wearing only black boxers, and stretching...He obviously just woke up. “Ally? What’s all the noise?” he yawned loudly, rubbing his eyes. “Do you have a cute nickname for me too, Worick?” I smirked at him, as he widened his single eye, his jaw dropping in shock. “Y/N...?” he muttered my name, making me grin widely. “Glad you remember me. It has been quite a while since we’ve seen each other...And you age like fine wine, I’m telling you...You’re a sight for sore eyes.” he chuckled softly, only for him to come and pick me up, spinning a bit, before putting me down, cupping my face and kissing my forehead, leaving me a surprised and flustered mess. “And look at you! Can you get prettier than this? I told ya, you have a beautiful smile!” he grinned childishly, pinching my cheeks, making me yelp in pain and slap his hands away. “Jerk! That hurts! Ahem...Anyway, dear Gigolo, how are you? I heard some stuff about you working with someone named Nicolas...But I doubt her name is Nicolas.” I chuckled, pushing him softly away. “Oh, yes! Y/N, this is Alex, our new friend. You can say she’s kinda...Our secretary? I guess? Anyway, come over, we have a lot to catch up on!” he guided me to his bedroom that was, unsurprisingly, messy. “Wonderful and clean, just as expected. Have you ever thought of opening the window?” I teased him, plopping on his bed that was unexpectedly soft. “You, lazy little vixen...Here. I bought it years ago, after finishing the book you gave me, and I wanted to find out more. Now, I’m giving it to you. Are we even?” he smirked, handing me a copy of Fellowship of the Ring book. “We’d be even if I’d spend the night over as well. And if you gave me drinks and pizza. Basically a date. That will do.” I told him, looking dearly at the book I got gifted, although I already read it before. “My God, since when are you so bold?” he asked, getting on the bed, resting his chin on my knees, looking at me like a happy puppy. “Did you miss me, Worick? I hope you did, otherwise that little piece of paper you left would be incredibly disappointing and misleading.” I pointed out, booping his nose. “I’ve been thinking about you since then. By the looks of it, so did you. Are you sure you want a date with someone like me? You are beautiful, you are brilliant, your attitude in endearing as hell...And I’m still a Gigolo and my life is here, in Ergastulum. Don’t regret it later on.” he asked with a more serious tone, only for me to scoff and pull on his hair playfully. “I wouldn’t be here otherwise. Besides...Unlike you, I don’t need to be paid to spend quality time with you, doing nothing but chilling and chatting.” I teased him, making him laugh, as he plopped next to me, poking my cheek. “Great, problem solved! You’ve got yourself a parasite latching on you. Good luck getting rid of him now.” he grinned cheekily, only for me to cup his face and pull him into a kiss. “Why would I wanna get rid of a parasite this cute? Now shut up and hold me, it’s been ten years and I’m touch starved.” I grinned, nuzzling in the crook of his neck. “Damn, how I missed you.” he held me tightly to his chest, occasionally peppering my face with kisses.

It was definitely worth coming back to this God Forsaken place, even if it is for only one person. There’s place for everyone in this world, and in others’ hearts, and I found my place, in Worick’s warm arms, where I feel safest and most loved.

coach! jungkook and y/n!!! jk being extra extra clingy

mvp: clingy

pairing: jungkook x y/n

wordcount: 3k

notes: aHHHHH coach!koo remains as i think my most popular piece and this is actually the first actual drabble he gets!! :D

read most valuable, the piece that started it all!!!

so you see

this isn’t a brag or anything pinky promise

but uh jungkook.,..

jungkook rARELY feels insecure ok

those two words don’t belong in the same sentence!!

THEY AREN’T EVEN IN THE SAME PARAGRAPH!!!

but god is he lying when he says he doesn’t feel the tiniest bit insecure with this mINgYu fellow

not to be that boyfriend but uhhh why don’t you laugh with him like THAT

:(((

“kook do you have someone in mind for a guest coach??”

jimin asks for the third time this week, looking mAjorly frustrated as he plops himself in the swivel chair

the dish was that y’know what!! it happens!! THIS happens!!!!

jimin’s been the longest assistant coach (and generally a coach) your team has ever had

he was practically there from the start!!!

whether he admits it or not, jimin’s a binding piece for you and the girls no matter what

then jungkook became head coach right

now the things was....

burnouts happen!! it’s normal!!!

it’s normal to LOSE your drive and passion for your sport as an athlete <3

the last season ended on a good note for sure because after all, you won the championships!!

not to mention that you were hailed mvp hee-hee :D

but then some months have passed

and the new season was supposed to start three months ago but of course it just had to be rESCHEDULED

it’s not necessarily an entirely bad thing

the extra time gave you more time to heal after your injury and your conditioning back to your prime is at top-notch!!

but it just can’t be helped

you and the girls??? your momentum??? aBSOLUTELY PUT-OFF

the training for next season just started last week and jimin and kook rEALLY prepared for this ok

there’s another reason to why kook is almost practically living at yours and jimin’s place nowadays lmao

... it just doesn’t work

it feels like every trick in both their books have been thoroughly used and it’s just not a challenge for you anymore

not to fLEX or anything but

basically the drills and the workouts just feel like warm-ups nowadays :D

and the warm-ups feel like a brisk walk in the park :D

that is both an insult and a compliment to jimin and jungkook because wOW!!! omg we instilled discipline and mastery to them <3

but at the same time it’s like you should nOT be giggling while i make you practice your pancake dives repeatedly

the two of them just need to BOOST everyone’s morale!!!

“actually, i finally found someone!! just thought of it last night but i didn’t wanna knock on your door because jupiter was in the living room and he thought i was an intruder aGAIN”

lol

sometimes jimin can’t wrap his head around that he sees jungkook perhaps almost ALL the damn time

he wakes up disoriented and he sees you on the couch with a bowl of cereal and look!!! my best friend slash roomie already made me breakfast :D

then he plops to the couch and there is this bEEFY entity lying on it covered with a blanket and???? jungkook???? what are yOU doing here

then jimin’s taking a spoonful of his cereal while he’s thinking because uH are the two of you screwing???

“hyung that’s my cereal”

“i put yours in the refrigerator jiminie!! i know how you like it cold!!”

aH and then it hits him

oh right the two of you are a couple now and jungkook just likes crashing and sleeping over at his apartment with you

when his oWN place is not even thirty minutes away wtf

<3 anyways get out of my way jungkook that’s MY spot on MY couch <3

jimin perks up at that because god fuck finally!!! he needs to make calls immediately

“well? who is it??”

jungkook pauses for a dramatic effect before he claps his hands, also eager to start this mini workshop of sorts for a week to boost team spirit

“mingyu!!!! he was my teammate from my former team and well there’s no rival conflict or anything like that!! perfect score!!!!”

that’s-

hmmmmmm

“y’talking about kim mingyu? tall guy, slicked hair, jumps high??”

“you know him??”

jungkook squints to himself because after all that was a little bit of a sTOOPID question

their games were televised and jimin’s a coach how could he nOT expect that

“yeah, yeah. he was my junior in high school and we were kinda friends i guess...”

there’s something in jimin’s tone and jungkook tries to dig in to that because well he thOught his hyung would be a bit more excited

jimin knows that kook could hear the cringe in his voice and it makes him scratch at the back of his head

“ah, you should probably keep y/n away. mingyu... well he was pretty mUCH notorious for stealing everyone’s girlfriends and opportunities from people and such.,.,..”

he still has a bit of resentment for mingyu ok

he was a fucking vULTURE

whatever he did first or whatever he wanted, mingyu would do and pursue the exact same

and jimin was definitely irked because people were hailing mingyu as the cool guy or sth for the things that he was copying off of jIMIN!!!!

they weren’t just coincidences!!!

they say imitiation is the best form of flattery but fuck that jimin is NOT flattered

“aish c’mon, jimin. you uNDERESTIMATE me!!! y/n only has eyes for me, silly!! :D”

aha

aHA

jungkook may have been too confident this time

he knows you still LOVE him!!!! right??

pls say right

there’s this wrenching feeling in the pit of his stomach when he sees you and mingyu doing one-on-one drills as he goes through you all

it was just a simple rally!!! a back-and-forth of the volleyball!! nOTHING major right??

wrong

jungkook could only focus to how focused YOU look

and to how at one point mingyu gave you a tricky throw back and you still managed to give it back to him and how you gIGGLED!!!!

g i g g l e d

then you gave a tricky throw back to mingyu and passed it back and this time he laughed and you cACKLED!!!!

oh my god why is jungkook feeling this way

jimin’s standing beside him and he could hear these little growls from jungkook???

like it’s not exactly gROWLING but it sounds like it

it’s a hybrid between a light snore and a growl and with how jungkook has his eyebrows knitted he is definitely nOt sleepy that’s fo sure

ugh are the two of you fighting again???

does jimin need to give jungkook a wake-up call again or-

wait

hold on

OH

hE KNOWS WHAT’S HAPPENING

the jeon jungkook is inTIMIDATED by mingyu!!!!

wow

he’s never thought that a day like this would come in which jungkook isn’t knocked down a couple of pegs bUT HERE IT IS :D

in your opinion this is GREAT for the team morale!!! coach mingyu was just a breath of fresh air for a guest coach and u are enjoying it

he’s given the team new insights and it helped break the collective burn-out!!

kook just feels insecure ok

and threatened

which is why the moment jimin called for a ten-minute break, jungkook immediately sITS you down

“hi hi okay whAt are you doing???”

you’re endeared but you’re taken aback because jungkook’s immediately hovering above you, swiping and patting down the sweat from your forehead

“i’m taking care of you, silly!! :D”

that’s nice, maybe???

you don’t wanna think much of it hehe jungkook’s just being a caring boyfriend u guess

although he’s never done this before ur gonna admit and you’re stILL dumbfounded

he’s going all-out

even getting a cold towel to put around your nape to help you cool down fetched you a sports drink aLLLLL by himself

he’s even gonna lift up your shirt and wipe down your boob sweat himself and tHEN you stop him

“koo baby i can do that by myself y’know!!!”

although it looks like jungkook doesn’t get why you dON’T want him to take care of you????

doesn’t waver though :D

just lifts your shirt in the slightest bit and shoves a towel to your sports bra and there he goes

“want a snack?? ah, want me to order pizza?? nO?? okay fine i’ll order oNE extra box just for you and me and i gUESS jimin if you want!!!”

it’s a spitfire of questions and you can’t even answer because jungkook’s already hopping on his merry way!!!

not before he presses a fat kiss to your cheek and exaggerates the mWAH sound

aha maybe he’s just being extra loving today

... maybe

“what do you want for dinner??”

“oh i was just thinking what about if we just order-“

“baby wHY do we need to order when your boyfriend is perfectly capable in making you dinner!!!”

ok then

????

something may be wrong with jungkook

it’s just not in his nature to take care of you this attentively

he takes care of you of course but not to the point that you don’t even have to move a single inch because he wants to do eVERYTHING

“jimin??”

you immediately call out when jungkook’s out from the apartment because he said that he’d be out in a flash to get some things from the convenience store because he’s gonna make some dAMN cocktails in his own words

“yeah???”

jimin’s showering atm and that doesn’t stop you from conversing by pressing yourself to the door

“did we lose a sponsor for the team or something????”

“no....? i even received another offer just awhile ago!!! what are you on about??”

oh really?? that’s nICE!!

but that isn’t really your point and you quickly recover before you get sidetracked

“huh?? nothing, minnie!! jungkook just feels a little... off,.,..”

jimin stops lathering his body wash on his loofah then because oh my god he thought he was the only one!!!

you asking basically confirms that jungkook being weird has nOTHING to do with you and his previous theory is 100% correct

you aren’t that bothered with jungkook being affectionate with you!!!

in fact you like it because wow.,.. love.,.. love that for me :D

but uh

this degree tho

“jungkook you are very uHh attached to me, aren’t you??”

here’s a list to how he’s been extra extra cLINGY to you

you were watching 50 first dates because it was the first thing that popped up when you opened the tv then the scene of the waffle house came on and you cOOED

and jungkook immediately jumped into action

by action that meant him literally DIVING to the other end of the couch where you were lying down and cuddled you

“i’m making you that tomorrow for breakfast!!!!”

you were a little sappy after that and it ended late and you just wanted to wash up before bed because there was still training tomorrow

nonetheless you were gonna wake up the next day because your boyfriend IS the head coach and ur roommate IS the assistant coach so u don’t really have a choice

might as well wrap up the night early

you had to wriggle yourself out of jungkook’s death grip to go to the bathroom and when he finally got his bearings???

you’re brushing your teeth :D

then jungkook’s just sat at the closed toilet seat :D looking at you :D

“wow... look at you.... ur so cute brushing your teeth”

“shwshshshw thwank you??”

it didn’t stop there however

of course you cuddled!! jungkook even takes his shirt off for it because in the middle of the night he could randomly get hot and fussy

this time jungkook was the bIG spoon

it’s no surprise that he likes being babied at times hee-hee but wOw so this was the feeling of warmth!!! of being wrapped around by a furnace!!!! it’s nice!!!

the next days however.,.,.

it was getting a little overboard

every single time he had the opportunity to, he would nuzzle his head to your neck and cling onto you until you tAP out

doesn’t care if mingyu sees him chasing you around with a towel on one hand and ice water on the other :D

of course why would he care :D

after all he iS the boyfriend and mingyu isn’t :D

when you bring down one hand as you just let the other scroll down your phone??

hOLD !!! IN TER TWINE !!! I MUST HOLD

you scratch that part of your scalp that randomly gets itchy when you are incapable of itching it???

kook drops everything he’s doing to scratch at your hair and even presses kisses to your hairline!!

even in sleep he was aTTACHED!!!

kinda like how he’s a koala and u are the only branch left in the world for him to cling on

he has his leg trapping you down and his arm on your middle and you’re just about to maneuver yourself so it would be cOmfy

but then kook takes that as a signal that he was still too loose so he cuddles up even MORE

you’re just about to grunt but then you look over to jungkook and-

!!!!

HE’S AWAKE

you immediately squeak and jungkook shuts his eyes sO quick and so hard that it becomes even more obvious that he’s awake

his eyeballs are trembling underneath his eyelids lmao

even his lip is twitching and his breathing isn’t as relaxed if he were ACTUALLY sleeping

“wanna tell me about it??”

...

“... no i’m asleep”

“want me to talk until you fall asleep??”

“yes pls i’m asleep anyway”

jungkook is even cuter this way :((

when he is beyond oblivious that he’s adorable by just being like himself basically

“training was great today!! i don’t know if you saw, but mingyu and i had a contest awhile ago to see who jumps up higher!! so mingyu-...”

jungkook oPENS his eyes at that only for them to twitch

all he hears is mingyu mingyu mingyu and frankly it’s iRRITATING

he reacts exactly when you mention the guest coach’s name and it makes you halt

“hmmm so it iS about him, huh?? jimin was right,” you mumble underneath your breath but he hears you nonetheless and it makes him huff

jungkook completely detaches and turns away from you in an instant as if he’s throwing a tantrum that makes you reach out for him more

“is that why you’ve been clinging onto me??”

he can’t lie he’s extremely sOFT the moment you try and wrap your arms around his huffing figure

“figured that if i’m attached to you by the hip, then you’d only think of me and nOt him”

he’s kind of ashamed as he admits because he feels like he’s being childish with his feelings

he’s not so used to being vulnerable and it makes him uHhHh vulnerable????

he doesn’t like it

“i don’t like mingyu, koo.”

he feels you pressing a tender kiss to his cheek that makes them squish

he hAS to have a stronger resolve than this

“then stOp mentioning his name!!”

he was tHREATENED that’s for sure

he doesn’t need to say that aloud because god what for <3 he’s already suffering he doesn’t wanna speAk

“you do know that you’re my oNLY best boy, hmm??”

buttering up jungkook could be a little tricky

but you seem to hit the notch just pERFECTly this time because he’s basically putty

“yeah? i don’t really know about that”

he’s a wHORE for affection!!! that much he’s realized halfway through the week of being attached to you

you seem to be also forgetting that jungkook’s shirtless and he’s taking his comforter down, a cheeky smile gracing him that you snOrt as soon as it registers in your mind

:D

“remind me?”

How They Spend the Quarantine (Tadashi Hamada, Lucifer Morningstar, Dewey Finn, Wade Wilson, Harley Quinn, & Benoit Blanc)

Just a fun (?? is that even responsible to say?) little thing I’ve been thinking about while slogging through this neverending hellscape of an extended lockdown.

Tadashi Hamada

When San Fransokyo was ordered to go into a lockdown, there were mixed feelings.

At first, Tadashi had a hint of optimism that this would mean more time to work on his prospective projects . . . But then he quickly realized that his projects mostly required tools and space offered by the campus. He could technically make do at home, but it wouldn’t quite be the same considering the garage was considered Hiro’s space.

Somberly had to clean out his lab and take whatever he could home.

Cue the rest of the group (sans Fred and Hiro) griping that at least his style of science could travel well enough to be somewhat continued off of university grounds.

Helps do delivery for The Lucky Cat. It helps him get out the house, and it’s simply helpful altogether.

Uses Baymax frequently to make sure everyone down to Mochi is sanitized, and nobody’s running a fever.

Nearly as frequent a sanitizer as Aunt Cass.

He starts most days prepared to be productive, only to stop and poke fun at Hiro, who’s almost always got his eyes trained on a video game.

Tadashi realizes three hours later that he, too, has been playing the game as Player 2.

Learned how to make facial masks with Aunt Cass. He already knew how to sew a little but frankly, making the masks made him realize he could have a new hobby on his hands. He’s currently trying to figure out how to make Mochi a little vest . . .

Lucifer Morningstar

B o r e d. A s. F u c k.

At first, he thinks everyone being forced to go home would work in his favor -- surely some rule-breakers would sneak out and try to bunk up with the Devil, right?

Well . . . Kinda? Once Chloe found out and scolded him about it, the idea died real fast. Plus, he realized he wasn’t quite fond of the possibility of being around someone who could pop up with a disgusting human sickness at any point during their time with him. Smearing their snot all over, coughing into his Egyptian cotton sheets . . . Nope, never mind, he is perfectly content having the penthouse to himself, thank you very much!

Except he’s not.

The poor bastard is going crazy by himself -- he’s just not used to being without some kind of company!

“At least in Hell, you could tell there were people around you based on the screaming!” he’d whine at his phone during his hourly video chat with Chloe.

Oh yes: The video chats. He tries to make them hourly with anyone he can get a hold of (namely, his long-suffering detective) but this clearly never plays out as he would like for it to: If he had it his way, everyone would respond in an instant and let him bounce mainly one-sided conversations off of them -- basically, what he did before all this went down.

What usually winds up happening is he gets hung up on or nobody answers him at all out of sheer annoyance over his clinginess.

Ironically, he’s not exactly crazy about when Amenadiel initiates those “family calls”. He insists it’s healthy and normal for them to do this and even calls Luci out on the hypocrisy, but let’s face it: Lucifer finds it obnoxiously gushy and weird.

He works his way into Linda’s video appointment books to help him cope with his boredom and admitted need for interactions. She doesn’t mind offering him counsel, but once Lucifer starts attempting to butt in during others’ appointment calls, it becomes an issue.

Has, at some point, gotten buzzed down in Lux and streamed himself attempting to pole dance. It drew quite a bit of attention.

He’s managed to gain a bit of a following and some companionship by streaming himself playing piano and singing. It’s not the same thing as having an actual audience, in his opinion, but it will have to do for now.

He’s never been one to binge with regards to TV shows or movies, but after the first week, he decided to binge watch every work action star Wesley Cabot was ever in.

Makes sure his staff still gets paid well. After all, he’s pretty well-off; there’s no need to make an innocent bartender’s life a living hell just because some other rich bastard fucked up, yeah?

Going off this, should he need to order to-go or anything, we already know he tends to tip as handsomely as he looks.

Dewey Finn

Kids were being sent to Horace Green on tuitions worth more than what some people saw in half a year -- of course the school was going to continue classes online!

While technically an afterschool instructor, the program is popular enough for parents to expect it to continue, and for Dewey to be kept on payroll.

Initially, he was pretty smug: He’s one if, if not, the youngest teacher-figure at Horace Green, so surely that means he’s more tech savvy than his older, stiffer coworkers, right? For once, he’s ahead of the curve!

Wrong: Figuring out Zoom was a headache, and then there was the realization of just how dependent his classes were on actual physical presence.

Plus, let’s be real: Dewey’s Internet connection was decent on its own, but craptastic when compared to those of his wealthier students. The lag is strong with this one.

Has definitely accidentally messed up the background on his screen. Somehow wound up with the Beetlejuice background and got so frustrated, he wound up keeping it there for two whole sessions.

In spite of the slight issues regarding lag, they pull through and try to resume lessons as best they can.

Tries to keep optimism by pointing out how this is a new form of entertainment they could be pioneers in.

Some days, it’s just going so wack or everyone’s so bleh that Dewey just assigns for them to watch a music documentary or something.

“Okay, kids, Mr. Finn’s hungover and clearly Summer is the only one who went to bed before 3am. So what I’m gonna have you do is watch . . . Prrrbbbb . . . Amadeus.” “How is Amadeus rock-related?” “It had a rock single, shut up. Anyway, we meet back next class and talk about what we saw, m’kay? M’kay. Over and out.”

Next class, he’s filled with dread as Summer produces an in-depth analysis of the relationship or lack thereof between character and the presence of talent as evidenced by Mozart’s abilities juxtaposed with his immature presentation and -- Dewey just can’t keep up. Sure, Summer, why not?

When he’s not busy teaching, however, he’s using the lockdown to work on some new material. Or just screwing around.

Otherwise, let’s be real, Big Boy’s living the high life in a place of his own: Playing video games (Animal Crossing, recently got back into Team Fortress 2, is trying to finally finish Ocarina of Time); eating a not very great diet; staying up late, napping at weird times; all in the name of quarantine.

If he orders delivery or to-go, he tips the best he can.

Wade Wilson

On one hand, murking never goes on lockdown. But on the other . . . He’s already technically not well, why risk that even with his mutation?

Oh, fuck I just remembered he lives at the X Mansion, never mind turn back turn back oh god give us free --

The situation is tense to say the least. There’s Wade, who’s sensible enough to know why the quarantine is in place . . . and then there’s everyone else, who knows Wade’s full of shit.

And by everyone, I “coincidentally” mean Colossus, Nega Sonic, Yukio, Domino, Cable, and Russ because the already small world of the sequel just got smaller by the fact that everyone is bound to a large but nonetheless single estate whose size has probably decreased from that of the First Class timeline.

You know those videos of the usual Quarantine Characters? Wade is somehow yet still unsurprisingly all of them, save for the frequent sanitizer. He raids the pantry frequently, sleeps at all hours, considers scooting a swivel chair down the halls exercise for the thighs, blasts video games, and so on.

Going back to the sanitizer thing, it’s not that he’s just not exactly known for being tidy. Colossus occasionally does drag him out of bed at a decidedly decent time (read: any time before 11am) to try and get him excited about cleaning up around the mansion, but it rarely ends well. At this point, the safest option is to just remind Wade to wash his hands for 20 seconds as necessary.

Has acquired a Switch and visits everyone’s island, often to bonk them on the head with a net or gift them with weird crap they don’t necessarily want. For the “friends” from Sister Margaret’s, he has somehow acquired their Dodo Codes. Nobody knows how he did this. 

Facetimes Dopinder frequently.

“Precious, you’re the beacon of light in this cold, cruel world.” “I miss you, too, DP --” “Sshshsh! I’m having a moment . . .” *weeps*

On the many occasions he orders delivery, he tips by giving the delivery person something expensive from the mansion that they can sell. Prof. X is loaded, after all. Plus, he more or less isn’t even present in this universe, it’s not like he’s gonna miss anything he can’t see/probably doesn’t even know exists in his house. The problem is, Colossus does exist and does notice and does care when things go missing. Leading to many a delivery person getting caught up in shenanigans at that weird school in the boonies that they either don’t get paid enough to deal with or couldn’t pay to make up.

“Oh, pawn shops are closed?” asks the man who looks like a skinned avocado if avocados had human skin. “Don’t worry, lemme hook you up -- I know some guys --” “DEADPOOOOOLLL!!” roars a Russian accent from inside the house. “WHERE IS THE BRONZE BUST OF THE PROFESSOR!?” The poor delivery person’s eyes widen as they realize that the odd cargo they’ve been presented with apparently holds some value of some kind. But before they can flee, the avocado man blurts, “Shit! Leave the pizza in the bushes, look me up on my Youtube page, byyyeeee!!”

In his defense, Wade does hold up his end of the deal. Much like the Dodo Codes, nobody knows what strings he pulled. They just accept it and move on.

Harley Quinn

Surprisingly compliant.

She’s crazy, not stupid: Staying at home may suck, but what sucks more is making things harder on people who may not fair so well. Besides, she’s spent time in a maximum security prison -- she can handle staying cooped up in her own home. At least home has TV, books, and snacks.

When she hears people are still going out without masks or plotting to have a protest, she strongly considers firing up the old Fun Gun and popping the next sign-carrying Karen she sees with a tit full of cadmium yellow powder.

Seriously, stay the fuck home and fuck up your own hair; this is the perfect time to make mistakes with your looks, it ain’t like you got anywhere to be or anyone to impress.

“STAY THE FUCK HOME, BITCH!” P O W!!! “JUST GO GREY ALREADY, WE ALL KNOW YOUR HAIR AIN’T THAT COLOR ANYMORE, YOU’RE THREE YEARS FROM BEING IN THE GODDAMN AGE-BRACKET!!!” P O W!!!!

Only leaves her new apartment to grab groceries and to take Bruce on a walk. She actually refuses to steal or cause a scene during this shitshow because she may be a bad guy, but she sure ain’t evil.

So far, there haven’t been complaints about the fact that she’s walking a hyena down a public street. Maybe it’s because there’s hardly anyone out? Maybe it’s because Gothamites just can’t be bothered to be fazed by it . . . Or maybe it’s because she made him a little mask for his snout.

“In this house, we wash our hands for at least 20 seconds, kid.”

Lets the forest reclaim the earth, so to speak. She was never really shaving anything for anyone but herself before, but now it just seems especially pointless.

Spends almost every day in a kigurumi. To give her a semblance of routine, she has a pink bear one she calls her “Sunday Suit.” She doesn’t know it’s not Sunday because the days just blur but Cass just doesn’t have the heart to tell her; she seemed so proud of herself . . .

Like everyone else, she’s gotten Animal Crossing. She’s trying to create an all-preppy island with a few exceptions (Astrid = Aesthetic, m’kay?)

Tips nicely when ordering delivery.

Benoit Blanc

As young and spry in nature as the gentleman sleuth would like to think of himself, he would really rather not test the dangers of the situation and go about all foolhardy -- he’s staying home!

In theory, it’s only logical and therefore perfectly fine. But in practice . . . God, he wishes he’d invested more in things to occupy himself with when home.

It wasn’t that Benoit was never home, he just never felt too much of a need to invest in a fancy entertainment center -- the fanciest he ever got was an iHome.

The beginning of the quarantine served as the perfect time for him to read over case files, catch up on paperwork, even catch up on some reading he’d been putting on hold since God knows when due to cases popping up left and right. But that dried up quicker than he’d assumed, and that’s when he was faced with what a man of his mind dreads the most: Boredom.

Finally caved and decided to hook up Amazon Fire.

Expected to use the one-month free trial on Netflix and be just fine but once the lockdown in his area got extended and he realized he wasn’t going to be able to catch up with Crazy Ex-Girlfriend at this rate, he caves even further and buys a subscription.

Fully delights at the influx of platforms uploading Broadway recordings; when The Show Must Go On put on Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, followed by The Phantom of The Opera, it was a treat, I tell you!

Sanitizes often, despite hardly ever leaving his house besides to have a smoke or to go grab groceries. Honestly, it’s less about cleaning at this point so much as it is finding something to occupy his focus when he feels there’s nothing else to so.

Takes zinc after every meal to help lessen the intensity of any ailment that might hit him.

Definitely owns a facemask. There’s a good chance it’s from Marta or one of his relatives, and there’s another good chance the pattern is as flamboyant as his clothing. He’s delighted.

Benoit tries not to rely too much on delivery,  as he’d much rather just cook. On the rare occasion where tipping comes up, however, he gives as generously as he can.

Bonus: There’s a slight chance he might have acquired a companion to foster early on in the quarantine. Benoit hadn’t had a pet since childhood, a crime of which he was admittedly melancholic of his own involvement. However, his surprisingly busy lifestyle just wouldn’t suit a four-legged friend, now could it?

Well, now there’s time to. Besides, it would certainly ease the potential feeling of loneliness to have someone or something with whom he could interact with.

Admittedly, when shelters began encouraging people to invest time in taking home a companion, he’d been looking more for a comrade on the canine side of the spectrum -- but darn, if Duke wasn’t a handsome cat.

A lovely grey-and-white cat with eyes that matched his own, Duke has become the one Benoit monologues to (because in all honesty, the man is a performer at heart, in need of an audience to speak his mind to and portray a thought before). Plus, he doesn’t appear to mind it when Benoit finds himself belting out in tone-deaf notes to showtunes while washing the dishes: The mark of a true companion.

At this rate, he’s probably not going to keep fostering Duke when things calm down -- he’s probably going to just straight up adopt him.

Stay safe & healthy!

Nighttime Adventures

A collaboration by @mdelpin​ and @oryu404​

Fairy Friendship Week 2020 Prompt: Mischief Pairing(s): Gajeel & Rogue, Sting x Rogue

AO3 | FF.Net

Summary: On the first anniversary of his assault, Rogue gets a surprise visitor in the middle of the night, who has an even more surprising way of showing encouragement. 

November 27, 2014

When his phone started to buzz on his nightstand in the middle of the night, Rogue was more than annoyed. He'd been lying awake for a while already, and with a dreadful day ahead, the last thing he needed was a distraction from his attempts to sleep. Besides, who would be rude enough to text him at almost 1 AM?

Gajeel, apparently, Rogue found out when he unlocked his phone and saw his name pop up on the screen.

You awake?

For a moment, Rogue debated whether he should answer or just ignore the message and pretend he was asleep, but curiosity got the best of him.

Yeah, what's up?

He waited for a response, getting both nervous and confused when 5 minutes passed without a single message popping up on his screen. After another 5 minutes, he gave up. He put his phone away and snuggled up to Sting again, determined to give sleep another try. Whatever Gajeel’s deal was, he'd find out in the morning.

Sting groaned in his sleep, pulling him closer. His warm and secure embrace made Rogue feel more at ease, so he closed his eyes and tried to relax as best as he could. Just when he thought he might be able to fall asleep this time, his phone buzzed again.

Look outside your window.

Rogue carefully untangled himself from Sting's limbs and got out of bed, not knowing what to expect. It sure as hell wasn't Gajeel standing by his car, which was parked on the driveway, behind Rogue's.

"What are you doing?" Sting puzzled, gazing at Rogue sleepily.

"I have no idea, but it seems like Gajeel is here."

Sting jerked his head in confusion before turning over to check the time on his phone. "Now? In the middle of the night?"

Rogue's phone went off again.

Get dressed and meet me outside.

"He's asking me to come out," Rogue said as he went into the closet to grab a pair of socks, sweats, and a hoodie, "no idea what he wants."

Sting sat up and watched him get dressed, still in disbelief at the situation. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"Nah, I'll be fine, just go back to sleep. I'll be right back," Rogue walked over to the bed to kiss him and then left the bedroom, quickly putting on his boots and jacket before he went out the front door.

"What are you doing here at this hour?" he asked his friend once he was close enough to mind the neighbors and keep his voice down.

"I came to pick you up. Now, get in the car," Gajeel answered as if that was a perfectly reasonable and normal thing to say when showing up at someone's house at night, unannounced. He held the car door open, impatiently waiting for Rogue to get in.

"To do…what, exactly?"

"You'll see when we get there."

Rogue stared at him, wordlessly pleading for any clue about what he was up to. Much to his frustration, Gajeel wouldn't budge, so he sighed and just did as he was asked.

I'll be out for a bit, love you, he messaged Sting to let him know he wasn't coming back to bed as quickly as he'd thought. In the meantime, Gajeel had gotten in the car as well and started driving off.

Despite knowing his way around Magnolia, Rogue didn’t recognize the part of town they were passing through after about 15 minutes. He knew it was around the outskirts, an industrial area he never needed to visit before, and that only raised more questions for him.

"Relax, I'm not kidnapping you," Gajeel snorted as he took a turn that brought them to a junkyard. He stopped to park somewhere on the side, in a dark spot a ways away from the entrance.

"Considering what day it is, I thought you needed to blow off some steam."

Rogue was surprised that he'd remembered today marked the first anniversary of his assault by Totomaru, the whole reason why he'd been restless and on edge all night. Gajeel was right in thinking that he could use a distraction, but he still didn't know exactly what he meant.

"So how do you blow off steam in a junkyard in the dead of night?" he questioned as they got out of the car.

Gajeel walked around to the trunk, opening it and pulling out two baseball bats and two pairs of safety glasses. He handed over one of each to Rogue, putting the other pair of glasses on as he led them to a spot where the wire fence was cut open. As easy as that, they'd made it into the junk-filled terrain.

He twirled his bat once, and without warning, he slammed into the first car on his path- an 80's Ford Fiesta that had seen better days - with full force. The sound of the headlight shattering was almost deafening in the night's silence.

"Like that-" Gajeel turned around and grinned. "Your turn."

Rogue walked through the maze of decaying cars and piles of scrap, for the first time in his life impressed by the sight of garbage. There were cars of countless makes and models, most but not all of them predating his birth. Some were more battered up than others, either by prolonged exposure to the elements or as the result of a brutal accident, but that's what made them all the more interesting. Each one had its own story to tell.

Maybe his imagination was running a bit wild when he tried to imagine how some of these cars had ended up there or what secrets could lay buried between all the junk. He must've been daydreaming about it, because the next thing he knew, Gajeel was nudging him.

Rogue swung the bat at a nearby Corolla without much force, still managing to knock off the side-view mirror.

“Is that all ya got?” Gajeel asked, unimpressed. “Where’s all that anger you’ve got cooped up inside ya?” Now that Rogue thought about it, he’d gone through a slew of emotions in the past year, from fear and anxiety to guilt and self-loathing, but anger wasn’t something he’d dealt with a lot. It had bubbled to the surface when he’d lashed out in frustration, but he'd always repressed it or buried underneath the rest of his feelings. Too worried about its extent, he'd never fully unleashed it, but he realized that was precisely what Gajeel was trying to make him do now. “Aren’t you fucking pissed?” Like he'd done so many times before, Rogue dug up the memories, and knowing that the only receiver of his rage would be the already broken down Corolla, he gave it free rein.

He swung the bat again, slamming it hard into the windshield of the car. Tiny fragments of glass sprang from the spiderweb-shaped crack, glistening in the light of the construction lamps like powdery snow. He struck again, delivering blow after blow. For all the nightmares and sleepless nights... For the marks he’d worn on his body for days... For the relationships that had suffered, the tears he’d spilled, and all the pieces he was still trying to pick up. He hadn’t even realized he'd started screaming until he was out of breath. By the time he finally stopped himself, he had knocked out almost the entire windshield and all 4 side windows too.

"There's my anger," he panted as he found a spot clear of any debris where he could sit on the ground, leaned against the side of a minivan.

"I figured," Gajeel nodded with a mixture of approval and surprise. He joined Rogue on the ground, searching his pockets for his cigarettes, pulling two out of the packet. Once he lit his own, he passed the other and his lighter to Rogue.

They sat and smoked in silence for a while, listening to the crickets that were chirping in the bushes right behind the fence and gazing at the mauled carcass of the car. Now that the fury and adrenaline were starting to ebb away, Rogue felt an unexpected relief wash over him, like the restlessness had left his body.

"Thanks," he finally said. "I think I needed that."

"Yeah, no kidding," Gajeel commented as he put out his cigarette in the dirt. "Look, I know it won't fix anything, but I'm not good at that whole talking and comforting shit, so…"

"No, you're not," Rogue agreed with a snort. "Not at talking, at least. But you did show up with pizza, threatening to break down my door if I didn't answer, and you took me out for trespassing and property destruction in the dead of night, and I gotta say both were pretty comforting."

Gajeel responded with a wry chuckle, tapping the end of his bat in the sand and staring at the imprints it made.

"No, I'm dead serious," Rogue insisted. "Nothing anyone can do or say will 'fix anything,' but you showed up without being asked, and you're one of only a few people who refused to be pushed away. That's enough for me."

Their moment was interrupted by a voice in the distance, shouting “Who’s there?!” and they looked at each other, knowing they were about to be in trouble. “Shit, looks like we’ve got company, time to get out,” Gajeel hissed as he grabbed Rogue by the arm and pulled him up. They quickly hid behind the minivan and tried to peek around it to see where the voice had come from, but Rogue couldn’t bear the stress of sticking around too long and risking getting caught. He managed to locate the spot where the fence was cut open, which thankfully wasn’t too far away, and decided to take a different risk. Pressing his finger against his lips, he motioned for Gajeel to stay silent. Then, finding a large screw, he picked it up and threw it in the opposite direction, as far as he could. It produced a loud clang as it hit something, just as he’d hoped it would. “I know you’re out there, punks!” the voice snarled. Footsteps were quickening but moving away from them, and that was enough to spur Rogue into action. He beckoned Gajeel to follow him before sneaking out from behind the van. Slowly and carefully, trying not to make any noises that would give them away, they crouched across the terrain, sticking to the shadows for extra cover. As soon as they made it through the fence, the tension got the best of them. They made a run for the car and got in as fast as they could, not even fixing their seatbelts or turning the headlights on when Gajeel slammed his foot on the gas pedal. Rogue’s heart was pounding in his throat, his hands trembling as he finally reached for the seatbelt. “Okay,” he said with a shaky voice, “slow down, put on your seatbelt, and turn your lights on before we get pulled over and have to explain why we’re wearing safety glasses and have baseball bats with us.” Gajeel followed his instructions, calmly driving them back the rest of the way to Rogue’s house. When he finally pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine, they hesitantly looked at each other, and all their pent up tension suddenly burst out in a shared fit of laughter. “Never again,” Rogue swore, taking off the glasses and throwing them on the back seat, along with the baseball bat. “Yeah, gotta agree with you on that one-” Gajeel did the same and then lit them both another cigarette. “Not gonna lie, I could already see us spending the night at the precinct. That escape shit you pulled was fucking insane,” he grinned widely. “Can’t believe that worked,” Rogue breathed out in relief. “Ugh, I need a shower,” he winced, noticing his hands and clothes were stained with dirt and who knows what kind of grime. “And you know what? Fuck it, I’m throwing pizzas in the oven as well. I’m starving.” “Are you coming or what? You can stay over if you want.” He got out of the car, holding the door open while he waited for Gajeel’s response. "Not gonna say no to free pizza. But just so you know, I'll make you finish your plate this time, and then I'm kicking you back to bed." Gajeel nodded at the house, where lights could be seen shining from behind the curtains, which didn't surprise Rogue in the slightest, "I'll get loverboy to back me up too, if necessary."

Rogue smiled, thinking it wouldn't be. He no longer dreaded the day that lay ahead as much anymore. Sting would be there, and so would Gajeel, and knowing that was enough to convince him he'd have no trouble sleeping this time.

Chapter 11

“But she’s let you in.”

And she’d already shown hints of how possessive she could be about that connection. I accepted that because it was a flaw I shared, but still…

“You’re analyzing this to death, Camila,” Cary said. “You’re thinking the way she feels about you has to be a fluke or a mistake. Someone like her couldn’t really be into you for your big heart and sharp mind, right?”

“My self-esteem isn’t that bad,” I protested.

He took a sip of his champagne. “Isn’t it? So tell me something you think she likes about you that doesn’t have to do with sex or codependency.”

I thought about it and came up empty, which made me scowl.

“Right,” he went on with a nod. “And if Jauregui is anywhere near as messed up as we are, she’s thinking the same thing in reverse, wondering what a hot babe like you sees in a girl like her. You’ve got money, so what has she got going for her besides being a stud who keeps screwing up?”

Sitting back in my chair, I absorbed everything he’d said. “Cary, I love you madly.”

He grinned. “Back atcha, sweets. My advice, for what it’s worth? Couples therapy. It’s always been my plan to get into it when I find the one I want to settle down with. And try to have fun with her. You’ve got to have as many good times as bad or it all becomes too painful and too much work.”

I reached over and squeezed his hand. “Thank you.”

“For what?” He shrugged off my gratitude with an elegant wave of his hand. “It’s easy to pick apart someone else’s life. You know I couldn’t get through my rough spots without you.”

“Which you don’t have any of now,” I pointed out, shifting the focus to him. “You’re about to be splashed across a Times Square billboard. You won’t be my secret any longer. Should we upgrade dinner from pizza to something more worthy of the occasion? How about we haul out that case of Cristal Stanton gave us?”

“Now you’re talking.”

“Movies? Anything in particular you want to watch?”

“Whatever you want. I wouldn’t want to screw with your big-dumb-blow-’em-up movie genius.”

I grinned, feeling better as I’d known I would after an hour with Cary. “You’ll let me know if I’m too dense to figure out when you and Trey want to be alone.”

“Ha! Don’t worry about that. Your tempestuous love life is making me feel dull and boring. I could use a hot, sweaty bang with my own stud.”

“You just had a maintenance closet romp a couple days ago!”

He sighed. “I’d nearly forgotten. How sad is that?”

“It isn’t when your eyes are laughing.”

I’d just gotten back to my desk when I checked my smartphone and found a text from Lauren letting me know she had fifteen minutes to spare at quarter to three. I nursed a secret rush of anticipation for the next hour and a half, having decided to take Cary’s advice and have a little fun. Lauren’s and I would have to wade through the ugliness of my past soon enough, but for now, I could give us both something to smile about.

I texted her just before I left, letting her know I was on my way. Considering the time constraints, we couldn’t waste a minute. Lauren must have felt the same way, because I found Scott waiting for me at reception when I reached the Cross Industries waiting area. He walked me back after the receptionist buzzed me in.

“How’s your day been?” I asked him.

He smiled. “Great so far. Yours?”

I smiled back. “I’ve had worse.”

Lauren was on the phone when I entered her office. Her tone was clipped and impatient as she told the person on the other end of the line that they should be able to manage the job without her having to oversee it personally.

she held up one finger to me to tell me she’d be another minute. I responded by blowing a big bubble with the gum I was chewing and popping it loudly.

Her brows shot up, and she hit the buttons to close the doors and frost the glass wall.

Grinning, I sauntered over to her desk and hopped onto it, curling my fingers around the lip and swinging my legs. she popped the next bubble I blew with a quick jab of her finger. I pouted prettily.

“Deal with it,” she said with quiet authority to whoever was on the phone. “It’ll be next week before I can get out there and waiting will set us back further. Stop talking. I have something time-sensitive on my desk and you’re keeping me away from it. I guarantee that’s not improving my disposition. Fix what needs fixing and report back to me tomorrow.”

she returned the phone to its cradle with suppressed violence. “Camila—”

I held up one hand to cut her off and wrapped my gum in a Post-it I took from a dispenser on her desk. “Before you reprimand me, Miss. Jauregui, I want to say that when we reached an impasse in our merger discussions at the hotel yesterday I shouldn’t have walked out. It didn’t help to resolve the situation. And I know I didn’t react very well to the PR issue with the photo. But still…Even though I’ve been a naughty secretary, I think I should be given another chance to excel.”

Her gaze narrowed as she studied me, assessing and reevaluating the situation on the fly. “Did I ask for your opinion on the appropriate action to take, Miss Cabello?”

I shook my head and looked up at her from beneath my lashes. I could see the lingering frustration from her phone call falling away from her, replaced by her growing interest and arousal.

Hopping down from the desk, I sidled closer and smoothed her immaculate tie with both hands. “Can’t we work something out? I do possess a wide variety of useful skills.”

she caught me by the hips. “Which is one of the many reasons you’re the only woman I’ve ever considered for the position.”

Warmth flowed through me at her words. Boldly cupping her cock in my hand, I fondled her through her slacks. “Maybe I should reapply myself to my duties? I could demonstrate some of the ways I’m uniquely qualified to assist you.”

Lauren hardened with delectable swiftness. “Such initiative, Miss Cabello. But my next meeting is less than ten minutes away. Also, I’m not accustomed to exploring job enrichment opportunities in my office.”

I freed the button of her fly and lowered her zipper. With my lips to her jaw, I whispered, “If you think there’s anywhere I won’t make you come, you’ll have to revisit and revise.”

“Camila,” she breathed, her eyes hot and tender. she cupped my throat, her thumbs brushing over my jaw. “You’re unraveling me. Do you know that? Are you doing it on purpose?”

I reached inside her boxer briefs and wrapped my hands around her, offering up my lips for a kiss. she obliged me, taking my mouth with a fierceness that left me breathless.

“I want you,” she growled.

I sank to my knees on the carpeted floor, pulling her pants down enough to give me the access I needed.

she exhaled harshly. “Camila, what are you—”

My lips flowed over the wide crown. she reached back for the edge of her desk, her hands curling around the lip with white-knuckled force. I held her with both hands and mouthed the plush head, sucking gently. The softness of her skin and her uniquely appealing scent made me moan. I felt the vibration ripple through her entire body and heard a rough sound rumble in her chest.

Lauren touched my cheek. “Lick it.”

Aroused by the command, I fluttered my tongue across the underside and shivered with delight when she rewarded me with a hot burst of pre-cum. Fisting the root of her with one hand, I hollowed my cheeks and drew rhythmically, hoping for more.

I wished I had the time to make it last. Drive her crazy…

she made a sound filled with the sweetest agony. “God, Camila…your mouth. Keep sucking. Like that…hard and deep.”

I was so turned on by her pleasure I squirmed. Her hands pushed into my bound hair, pulling and tugging at the roots. I loved how she started out with tenderness, then grew rougher as the lust she felt for me overwhelmed her control.

The soft bite of pain made me hungrier, greedier. My head bobbed as I pleasured her, jacking her with one hand while I sucked and stroked the crest with my mouth. Heavy veins coursed the length of her cock, and I slid the flat of my tongue along them, tilting my head to find and caress each one.

she swelled, growing thicker and longer. My knees were uncomfortable, but I didn’t care; my gaze was riveted to Lauren as her head fell back and she fought for breath.

“Camila, you suck me so good.” she held my head still and took over. Thrusting her hips. Fucking my mouth. Stripped to a level of base need where only the race to orgasm mattered.

The thought made me crazed, the image in my mind of how we must look: Lauren in all her urbane sophistication, standing at the desk where she ruled an empire, stroking her big cock in and out of my greedy mouth.

I gripped her straining thighs in both hands, frantically working my lips and tongue, desperate for her climax. Her balls were heavy and big, an audacious display of her powerful virility. I cupped them, rolling them gently, feeling them tighten and draw up.

“Ah, Camila.” Her voice was a guttural rasp. Her grip tightened in my hair. “You’re making me come.”

The first spurt of semen was so thick, I struggled to swallow. Mindless in her pleasure, Lauren was thrusting against the back of my throat, her cock throbbing with every wrenching pulse into my mouth. My eyes watered and my lungs burned, but still I pumped my fists, milking her. Her entire body shuddered as I took everything she had. The sounds she made and the muttered, breathless praise were the most gratifying I’d ever heard.

I licked her clean, marveling at how she didn’t fully soften even after an explosive orgasm. she was still capable of fucking me senseless and more than willing to, I knew. But there was no time and I was happy about that. I wanted to do this for her. For us. For me, really, because I needed to know I could indulge in a selfless sexual act without feeling taken advantage of.

“I have to go,” I murmured, standing and pressing my lips to her. “I hope the rest of your day is awesome, and your business dinner tonight, too.”

I started to move away, but she caught my wrist, her gaze on the clock readout on her desk phone. I noticed my picture then, sitting in a place of prominence where she’d see it all day.

“Camila…Damn it. Wait.”

I frowned at her tone, which sounded anxious. Frustrated.

she quickly restored her appearance, tucking herself back into her boxer briefs and straightening the tail of her shirt so she could fasten her pants. There was something sweet in watching her pull himself back together, restoring the façade she wore for the world while I knew at least a little of the man beneath it.

Tugging me close, Lauren pressed her lips to my brow. Her hands moved through my hair to unclip my tortoise barrette. “I didn’t get you off.”

“No need.” I loved the feel of her hands on my scalp. “That rocked just the way it was.”

she was overly focused on fixing my hair, her cheeks flushed from her orgasm. “I know you need an even exchange,” she argued gruffly. “I can’t let you leave feeling like I used you.”

A bittersweet tenderness pierced me. she’d listened. she cared.

I cupped her face in my hands. “You did use me, with my permission, and it was seriously hot. I wanted to give you this, Lauren. Remember? I warned you. I wanted you to have this memory of me.”

Her eyes widened with alarm. “Why the fuck do I need memories when I have you? Camila, if this is about the photo—”

“Shut up and enjoy the high.” We didn’t have the time to get into the photo issue now and I didn’t want to. It was going to ruin everything. “If we’d had an hour, I still wouldn’t let you get me off. I’m not keeping score with you, ace. And honestly, you’re the first person I can say that to. Now, I have to go. You have to go.”

I started away again, but she caught me back.

Scott’s voice came through the speaker. “Excuse me, Miss. Jauregui. But your three o’clock is here.”

“It’s okay, Lauren,” I assured her. “You’re coming over tonight, right?”

“Nothing could keep me away.”

I shoved up onto my tiptoes and kissed her cheek. “We’ll talk then.”

____

After work, I took the stairs down to the ground floor to feel less guilty about skipping the gym and seriously regretted it by the time I reached the lobby. Lack of sleep from the night before had left me wiped out. I was contemplating taking the subway rather than walking when I saw Lauren’s Bentley at the curb. When the driver got out and greeted me by name, I halted abruptly, surprised.

“Miss. Jauregui asked that I take you home,” he said, looking smart in his black suit and chauffeur hat. He was an older gentleman with graying red hair, pale blue eyes, and the softest of cultured accents.

As much as my legs ached, I was grateful for the offer. “Thank you…? I’m sorry—what was your name?”

“Angus, Miss Cabello.”

How had I not remembered that? The name was so cool, it made me smile. “Thank you, Angus.”

He tipped his hat. “My pleasure.”

I slid through the back door he opened for me and as I settled into the seat, I caught a glimpse of the handgun he wore in a shoulder holster beneath his jacket. It appeared that Angus, like Clancy, was both bodyguard and driver.

We pulled away from the curb and I asked, “How long have you been working for Miss Jauregui, Angus?”

“Eight years now.”

“Quite a while.”

“I’ve known her longer than that,” he volunteered, catching my gaze in the rearview mirror. “I drove her to school when she was a young girl. she hired me away from Mr. Vidal when the time came.”

Once again, I tried to picture Lauren as a child. No doubt she’d been beautiful and charismatic even then.

Had she enjoyed “normal” sexual relationships when she was a teenager? I couldn’t imagine that women weren’t throwing themselves at her even then. And as innately sexual as she was, I imagined she’d been a horny teen.

Digging in my purse, I pulled out my keys and leaned forward to set them on the front passenger seat. “Can you see that Lauren gets those? she’s supposed to come over after whatever it is she’s doing tonight and depending on how late that is, I might not hear her knock.”

“Of course.”

Paul opened the door for me when we arrived at my apartment and he greeted Angus by name, reminding me that Lauren owned the building. I waved to both men, told the front desk Lauren would be coming over later, and then took myself upstairs. Cary’s raised brows when he opened the door to me made me laugh.

“Lauren’s coming over later,” I explained, “but I’m feeling so hammered right now I may not stay up long. So I gave her my keys to let herself in. Did you order already?”

“I did. And I tossed a few bottles of Cristal in the wine fridge.”

“You’re the best.” I shoved my bag at him.

I showered and called my mom from the phone in my room, wincing at her strident, “I have been trying to reach you for days!”

“Mom, if it’s about Lauren Jauregui—”

“Well, of course, it’s partly about her! For goodness’ sake, Camila. You’re being called the significant woman in her life. How could I not want to talk about that?”

“Mom—”

“But there’s also the appointment you asked me to make with Dr. Petersen.” The note of smug amusement in her voice made me smile. “We’re scheduled to meet with him Thursday at six o’clock in the evening. I hope that works for you. He doesn’t do many evening appointments.”

I plopped backward onto my bed with a sigh. I’d been so distracted by work and Lauren that the appointment had slipped my mind. “Thursday at six will be fine. Thank you.”

“Now, then. Tell me about jauregui…”

When I emerged from my bedroom dressed in jersey pants and a San Diego State University sweatshirt, I found Trey seated with Cary in the living room. Both men stood when I came in and Trey gifted me with an open, friendly smile.

“I’m sorry I look so ragged,” I said sheepishly, running my fingers through my damp ponytail. “Taking the stairs at work almost killed me today.”

“Elevator take the day off?” he asked.

“Nope. My brain did. What the hell was I thinking?” Spending the night with Lauren was enough of a workout.

The doorbell rang and Cary went to get it while I headed into the kitchen for the Cristal. I joined him at the breakfast bar as he signed the credit card receipt and the look in his eyes when he glanced at Trey had me hiding a smile.

There were a lot of those looks going back and forth between the two men as the evening progressed. And I had to agree with Cary that Trey was a hottie. Dressed in distressed jeans, matching vest, and a long-sleeved shirt, the aspiring veterinarian looked casual but well put together. He was very different personality-wise from the type of guy Cary usually dated. Trey seemed more grounded; not quite somber, but definitely not flighty. I thought he’d be a good influence on Cary, if they stayed together long enough.

The three of us made it through two bottles of Cristal and two pizzas between us, plus all of Demolition Man before I called it a night. I urged Trey to stay for Drivento round out the Stallone mini-marathon; then I went to my room and changed into a sexy black baby doll I’d been given as part of a bridesmaid gift bag—sans the matching panties.

Leaving a candle burning for Lauren, I crashed.

____

I woke to darkness and the scent of Lauren’s skin, the lights and sounds of the city shut out by soundproofed windows and blackout drapes.

Lauren slid over me, a moving shadow, her bare skin cool to the touch. Her mouth slanted over mine, kissing me slow and deeply, tasting of mint and her own unique flavor. My hands slid down her sleekly muscular back, my legs parting so she could settle comfortably between them. The weight of her against me made my heart sigh and my blood warm with desire.

“Well, hello to you, too,” I said breathlessly when she let me up for air.

“You’ll come with me next time,” she murmured in that sexy and decadent voice, nibbling at my throat.

“Will I?” I teased.

she reached down and cupped my butt in her hand, squeezing and lifting me into a deft roll of her hips. “Yes. I missed you, Camila.”

I ran my fingers through her hair, wishing I could see her. “You haven’t known me long enough to miss me.”

“Shows how much you know,” Lauren scoffed, sliding downward and nuzzling between my breasts.

I gasped as her mouth covered my nipple and sucked through the satin, deep pulls that echoed in the clenching of my core. she moved to my other breast, her hand pushing up the hem of my baby doll. I arched into her, lost to the magic of her mouth as it moved over my body, her tongue dipping into my navel, then sliding lower.

“And you missed me, too,” she purred with masculine satisfaction, the tip of her middle finger rimming my cleft. “You’re swollen and wet for me.”

she pulled my legs over her shoulders and licked between my folds, soft and provocative laps of hot velvet against my sensitive flesh. My hands fisted in the sheet, my chest heaving as she circled my clit with the tip of her tongue, then nudged the hypersensitive knot of nerves. I keened, my hips moving restlessly into the devious torment, my muscles tightening with the clawing need to come.

The light, teasing flutters were driving me insane, giving me just enough to make me writhe but not enough to get me off. “Lauren, please.”

“Not yet.”

she tortured me, coaxing my body to the brink of orgasm, and then letting me slide back down. Over and over. Until sweat misted my skin and my heart felt like it would burst. Her tongue was tireless and diabolical, cleverly focusing on my clit until a single stroke would set me off, then moving lower to thrust into me. The soft, shallow plunges were maddening, the flickering against the nerve-laden tissues making me desperate enough to beg shamelessly.

“Please, Lauren…let me come…I need to come, please.”

“Shh, angel…I’ll take care of you.”

she finished me with a tenderness that made the orgasm roll through me like a crashing wave, building and swelling and spreading through me in a warm rush of pleasure.

she threaded her fingers with mine when she came over me again, restraining my arms. The head of her cock aligned with the slick entrance of my body and she pushed inexorably into me. I moaned, shifting to accommodate the heavy surge of her penis.

Lauren’s breath gusted hard and humid against my throat, her big frame trembling as she slid carefully inside me. “You’re so soft and warm. Mine, Camila. You’re mine.”

I wrapped my legs around her hips, welcoming her deeper, feeling her buttocks flex and release against my calves as she demonstrated to my body that it would indeed take her thick length all the way to the root.

With our hands linked, she took my mouth and began to move, gliding in and out with languid skill, the tempo precise and relentless yet smooth and easy. I felt every rock-hard inch of her, felt the unmistakable reiteration that every inch of me was her to possess. she drove the message home repeatedly until I was gasping against her mouth, thrashing restlessly beneath her, my hands bloodless from the strength of my grip on her.

she spoke heated praise and encouragement, telling me how beautiful I was…how perfect I felt to her…how she’d never stop…couldn’t stop. I came with a sharp cry of relief, vibrating with the ecstasy of it, and she was right there with me. Her pace quickened for several slamming thrusts; then she climaxed with a hiss of my name, spilling into me.

I sank lax into the mattress, sweaty and boneless and replete.

“I’m not done,” she whispered darkly, adjusting her knees to increase the force of her thrusts. The pace remained expertly measured, each plunge staking a claim—your body exists to serve me.

Biting my lip, I fought back the sounds of helpless pleasure that might’ve broken the tranquility of the night…and betrayed the frightening depths of emotion I was beginning to feel for Lauren Jauregui.

Scene from chapter 327: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21852562/chapters/60989272  of my fic Off to the Races. Art drawn by: https://www.instagram.com/emok0kichi/

"Get the fuck away from me!" shouted Fukuda. He picked up a handful of sand, threw it in Shimazaki's face, and then tried to make his way down the…..beach? He figure it was a beach. He had no idea where he was. He had no idea where he was heading. He had no idea what he even hoped to achieve by that. He had no shoes on, the sand was full of rocks and shells, and he had no shoes on. It was pitch black out. He had no clue what anything even was…and he was grabbed….

But not teleported away.

Shimazaki was spitting sand. In what little light the moon provided he could see that Shimazaki's eyes were screwed shut. He was spitting….in Fukuda face….and he wondered if that had been intentional. It had probably been. Shimazaki was just that immature. He was the most immature human being that Fukuda had ever met in his life. This was not what grown men did, these were not the actions of an adult, kidnapping someone and trying to kill them…for Fukuda didn't even know. Who knew wit this guy?

He was unpredictable.

Like now. He was strong, stronger than Fukuda was, and while Fukuda could heal there must have been limits to what he could live through. He had regrown eyes for the Awakened before, they were accident prone overgrown children after all, and it was always exhausting….and he could probably regrow his own eyes…but the rest of his organs…he didn't know. He had no clue what he could live through but he knew that Shimazaki was strong enough to reach into his chest and pull out his beating heart like Sho had done to him time and time again back in his game….

Sho.

He would not take this well. Hopefully this would be the thing that made Sho quite him. Maybe this would be the wake up call he need to realize that Shimazaki was a terrible person. Sho….he had enough going on in his life. He did not need this. if he had been at home he would have played some of Sho's games, even the violent ones, or watched his gory movies and they could have had deconstructed pizza for dinner or just a box of poptarts…and it could have been a very good time. If he had been home. He was not home. He wasn't going to die, probably, because if Shimazaki had been planning on killing him then he would have done it already…..right?

"Yeah…no. As fun as it would be to let you die of exposure I do have to take you back at some point. Once you've learned your lesson, of course." Said Shimazaki as he spat sand in Fukuda's face. That bastard….well now he was going to go splat a couple more times for that. Sand sucked. It was coarse and it was grainy and it got everywhere…including his eyes…and now he would have to clean his eyes out again….God. This guy. He just fucked up everything, didn't he?

"And what lesson would that be?" asked Fukuda as he pulled himself free from Shimazaki's grasp. He tried to take a step back, a single step, but the only thing he earned himself was pain shooting through his foot as a shell went into his heel….great. There was nowhere to go so he just…didn't go anywhere. He stood on one foot and pulled the shell out. He make sure to get blood on Shimazaki. It was all he could do….since he was powerless here….mostly powerless….

He felt his foot heal.

"Always wear shoes to the beach." said Shimazaki with a shrug. He could see it, the cut on Fukuda's foot, and he could see the cut closing. He had to focus hard, of course, but it was worth it. That guy could heal fast….he wondered what the upper limits of his power were….and he wondered if they would be able to find those upper limits tonight. He deserved it. If anyone deserved it, the pain, it was Fukuda.

"What?" asked Fukuda with a blink. That was…he hadn't even sounded angry anymore. He just…that was…was he calm now? Was that it? Was he done with whatever it was that he had been up to? Was that it, all of it, and now they could get on with their miserable lives?

"You really should wear shoes to the beach. You know they make water shoes now? Yeah. I couldn't believe it either but then Toshi said-" said Shimazaki with a shrug. Water shoes were cool. Sho had stepped on a sharp rock once and he had, of course, taken the kid to Toshi…but the kid hadn't wanted Toshi to fix him up even though they were good at it…and then Toshi had been all 'invest in a pair of water shoes' and shit…and their aura had been so…Toshi. God. What was Toshi doing right now? Probably waiting out their ketchup packet times and shit. God, he hoped that they weren't going to be mad at him…and he hadn't done anything wrong….not really. There were worse things that he could have done. He could have actually killed the bastard. He could have killed the bastard and then gone home and then Suzuki could have killed him…and then Toshi would have been so sad…and mad…and not glad…and they would be so…well then he would not be killing Fukuda. Not that he'd had any intention of killing Fukuda….

Even though he deserved it.

The One Where Jackie Meets The Others

Summary: Chapter 4. Jackie enjoys a couple trips out with Marvin.

Warnings: death and blood mentions

@bupine @badlypostedeverything

Things don't smoothly transition back to the way they were following that morning. However, they both agreed it was clear Anti's intentions were to divide them. Therefore, it would be dumb to give him that satisfaction. When Marvin asks, out of pure curiosity, about the mullet, Jackie doesn't really have an answer. He'd simply liked the style. But maybe it was time to move on. The chances of him returning to the '80s were particularly slim. With the green having faded weeks ago, he has it cut so it now only reaches his ears. The style is nice but he does miss his old look. He supposes Marvin was pleased with this development. He definitely got a lot of joy from teasing Jackie about how much curlier his shorter hair became following showers. The only quip he has in response is that the hero's hair wasn't much better when wet either. The next thing on the agenda was the excursion to Pizza Hut. The four of them agree to meet on Thursday. In preparation, Marvin offers Jackie a copy of the restaurant's document on allergy information. Marvin faces falls when he learns just how many items he loved posed a certain risk to Jackie's health. Nope, no pepperoni for him. No garlic breadsticks or cheesy fries either. Fried items were a contamination risk too, apparently. He lies when his friend asks about stuffed crust. Jackie trying the crust option was one of the main reasons they'd agreed to visit the establishment. Besides, it wasn't guaranteed it would trigger a reaction. He could possibly get away with sampling a little of Marvin's crust if he didn't push his luck. It is comforting to learn Henrik, the friend who made educational videos for others, had coeliac's disease and therefore had to be wary when eating as well. Jameson was Marvin's cousin of sorts. Their grandmothers had been sisters. Then their mothers were friends, leading to their sons to develop a good relationship while growing up. Jameson was a performer who used his control over time and sound for entertainment purposes. He and Marvin frustratingly run late due to the hero misplacing his wallet. They are apologetic to Henrik and Jameson who have already found a table and ordered drinks for themselves. Jameson has neat brown hair that extends down his face to his jawline and closely surrounds his mouth. Henrik, on the other hand, has black hair which has been swept back as well as glasses. The two of them promise they don't mind the delay. They haven't been here for ages anyway. In time, four pizzas are delivered to the table. There is the pan BBQ americano, gluten free Hawaiian, cheesy bites pepperoni and stuffed crust BBQ beef and onion. Marvin suggests he and Jackie trade a slice. His friend makes a supposedly humourous comment about how he identifies as Jackie's pizza base but it's lost on the former drummer. How someone can deeply relate to dough that's been baked in a pan, Jackie has no clue. He allows Marvin to take a slice regardless. However, when it comes to him returning the gesture, Jackie insists he only wants a little bit of his friend's crust. Half a slice's worth of stuffed crust is placed on top of his own pizza. Jackie regrets it as soon as it enters his mouth. God damn it, it was actually really tasty. He could see why Marvin was so enthusiastic about it. His expression remains neutral as he chews, well aware he has an audience. He hates how disappointed Marvin looks when Jackie gives a bullshit review about the cheese within being too chewy. Allergies and cross-contamination risks fucking sucked. Screw his body for being an asshole who overreacted to a commonly used spice. "Oh well, more for me." Marvin winks as he recovers from the blow before stealing a piece of chicken from Jackie plate. Alright, maybe letting one small inconvenience ruin tonight in his mind was stupid. Marvin had said he'd act as translator. Which was a lovely gesture. Jackie was grateful he was prepared to sacrifice part of his evening to play the middleman so he and Jameson could communicate. Except Marvin got sidetracked at one point and had delved into a whole conversation with his cousin, spoke entirely in BSL. It looked like a funny one too. Jackie was glad the pair were enjoying their evening. He stuck to conversing with Henrik instead. It's a struggle as they don't seem to have much in common. That is until Jackie absentmindedly asked what sort of food Henrik enjoyed. This in turn triggered the German man sitting opposite him to enthuse about fried potato slices with pieces of bacon and onion. Jackie himself launches into a story about how his mother used to work with a woman who had family in West Germany. Then this German colleague would sometimes write down a recipe or two to give to them. In no uncertain terms, those foreign dishes beat jacket potatoes or beans on toast any day. The four men give their stomachs a chance to settle a little while they chat as a group. Then it was time to finish off the night with ice cream shakes. Two strawberries, an oreo and a chocoholic are brought to the table. Although there had been several mentions of what Jameson did for a living, it is only at this point that a proper conversation about is initiated. "Jameson's doing a show on the 4th. I think we should go. What do you say?" Jackie's response is delayed due to Marvin making the suggestion just as he takes a long sip of his strawberry shake. "Oh uh, yeah, sure. What exactly will be in the show? Time stuff, right?" Jameson taps the side of his nose with a wry smile. The younger of the cousins translates this as "I believe he's saying that's for him to know and for you to find out." The performer signs something. "Expect the unexpected." Marvin rolls his eyes with a smile remaining on his face. "Oh yeah, like when you get a younger member of the audience to volunteer for your sound tricks. I once heard Hacker T Dog from CBBC sing Thinking Out Loud, you know. That was an experience." Jameson makes a comment. "I haven't seen the weirdest combinations? Well yeah, I sure hope I haven't. Kids' minds can come up with bizarre things. Henrik, especially, should know that." Henrik nods to this with a sense that this was a profound understatement. The banter carries on and Jackie soon feels like less of an outsider. The ice creams shakes eventually get drained as the evening draws to a close. Once all the goodbyes and "It was nice to meet you"s are over, the tow of them hop into Marvin's car to head home. Bohemian Rhapsody happens to begin playing on the radio as they set off. Jackie doesn't even have to ask before he's turning the volume up for both their benefits. They haphazardly fall into a duet. Jackie's heard Marvin singing absentmindedly to himself before this. He therefore already knows he has a good voice. But it isn't until tonight that he's able to hear it out loud. "I need you to do me a favour. Do you mind headbanging like in Wayne's World?" "What?" "Wayne's World. Never seen the film myself but there's a pretty well known scene where a bunch of them are in the car while this song is playing. Then during the instrumental that's coming up, they really rock out. I've always wanted to do it while in a car but I always seem to be the driver when I get the chance. So do you mind rocking out in a minute on my behalf?" Jackie chuckles. "Sure. My pleasure." As Freddie finishes claiming Beelzebub has a devil put aside for him, Jackie springs into action. He moves his head back and forth in rapid succession to the music. The pair follow along with the next verse as loudly as possible. At least, they attempt to. It isn't long before they have both descended into raucous laughter. "Thanks!" Marvin manages in between breaths when it calms. "We should do that again. With us stationary next time so you can do it too." "Deal." Marvin bursts into laughter once more and Jackie thinks he's growing particularly fond of it. --- Another crime scene, another person fighting to remain alive while bleeding from the neck. Cat is only able to stand by while the paramedics do their job. He'd like to beg them to not take this guy to hospital, to not risk history repeating itself. But it's not like he can ask anyone to skip properly treating the victim. He's sure everyone here knows this situation is a catch 22. However, they can't do anything other than perform their jobs. It takes great deal of convincing but Cat is allowed to stay outside the patient's room for the night. He's been standing guard for a good while when midnight passes. A doctor comes along on her rounds. She speaks to Cat and the other member of security he's been spending the night with. While she's talking, Anti's latest victim begins coding. Any and all resuscitation efforts prove futile. The guy is gone. So is the doctor. If she even existed in the first place. And Cat suspects Anti himself is long gone too. The day afterwards, he catches some reporting of the murder while flicking through channels. The victim has an identity now. There's a name, age and grieving loved ones. The television is bitterly switched off as Marvin searches for his notebook instead. Joining the countless other entries is 27/4/19 - Nick Shaw, 34, wife + 2 little kids The next time he sees Anti, he's not fucking around. Enough was enough. Marvin was putting a stop to this once and for all, by whatever method was necessary. --- The first Saturday of May is a cloudy one. That doesn't stop a crowd from flocking to the Jolly Gentleman's show. Chase is still getting out of the car when Niamh races out, the name Oscar having barely left her mouth before doing so. It is with great relief that Chase witnesses his daughter collide with a familiar man. The pair of single fathers briefly kiss as a part of a greeting while the five year old girl is returned. Her twin sister and older brother hover around as the greetings continue. Eventually, Fletcher drifts into his own group with both of Oscar's boys. The seven of them make their way inside. "So where is this friend of yours?" Oscar asks as they take their seats. "Do you see him?" "Not yet. He should be bringing his new roommate with him." His scanning of the tent is halted. "Speak of the devil." Chase spots Marvin entering the area, along with another man whom his best assumptions identified as Jackie. They seat themselves in the same row as the fathers. The children sit directly in front of the adults. Marvin introduces him to Jackie as Dr Chase Brody, emphasising the title. "I'm just spending the day out with my kids, there's no need to be throwing my doctorate around. Chase." He offers his hand for Jackie to shake. "And this is Fletcher, Ciera and Niamh." Oscar carries on the round of greetings by introducing himself, Milo and Max. They spend a full minute going through the mundane pleasantries before Marvin and Jackie finally stay seated. As the performance begins, Chase relaxes. They'd filled the wait time with small talk and chatter amongst themselves, however, he had intended for today to be a chance to spend time with his partner. He gives Marvin the benefit of the doubt. The thing is, Jackie came across as a decent enough guy. He also understandably seemed a little overwhelmed by the amount of people in the group. If the chit chat served as a distraction, then fine by him. Besides, he only looked like he was in his late teens anyway. They did share a history of drumming when they were younger though which was a nice surprise. That certainly allowed for a whole avenue of conversation. As soon as Jameson emerged to start his performance, the auditory atmosphere changed. There were speakers around the place and at certain points of the show it almost felt as if the sound was travelling around the space as a physical thing. He also seemingly teleported to a different spot than moments before. A woman was completely flabbergasted when she discovered a small thank you card in her handbag that certainly hadn't been there when she arrived with no easy explanation for how it got there. Throughout the performance, one of his colleagues acted as his commentator. Among his other tricks, the Jolly Gentleman sets a row of plants on fire with an elongated lighter. One of his colleagues dramatically shows up with a bucket of water to extinguish it. The performer stops him with a raised hand. He then holds the lighter, still producing a flame, up for the audience. It trails across the plants, erasing any evidence that there had been any combustion taking places. Not a single scorch mark or hint of smoke in sight. A little girl is summoned from the audience. She's about the twins' age, maybe slightly younger. After being asked what her favourite character was (Daddy Pig, of all things) she was encouraged to sing a song she really liked (I'm a Little Teapot). Already familiar with work stories his friend had, he knew what to expect. The crowd was treated to Daddy Pig's rendition of I'm a Little Teapot, complete with actions. Or at least, they were partially treated to it as the volunteer kept giggling into the microphone throughout her performance. It is evident that Jackie is too enthralled by the show to notice the barely subtle yet fond glances in his direction from the one sitting next to him. Ah, so it was like that, huh? Good for them. Chase catches Marvin's arm as they head out, taking advantage of Jackie going to speak with Jameson. It would be more discreet if Marvin's friend wasn't in earshot. With a wink, he teases his friend. "And they were roommates." "Hey, shut up. It's not like that." "Sure. And Oscar is nothing more than my buddy." "Chase-" "Seriously, what have you got to lose? If he's straight then it might get a little awkward for a moment. But I feel like he would be reasonable and appreciate the honesty. Well, you know him better than I do. You tell me." "You sure?" "Listen, I was already married to a woman when I started being cool with liking dudes. But since the split I've been around the block a few times. It is going to be fine." Marvin moves towards his car as Jackie re-emerges from backstage. It's clear he's still very much skeptical about it all. "If you say so, Chase." ---- Joel makes the judgement that Jackie would probably be fine to travel through his portals a week later. His apartment is pleasant. The ledge of one of his windows has a cushion to improve comfort. Jackie notices remnants of blu tack on the wall where something had clear been removed, which was odd. He almost makes a joke about it but decides against it. "Well... fáilte!" Joel spreads his arms to gesture to the whole room. "Wait, you know some Irish?" "Yep. Had an Irish grandmother who got me conversational." "Really? Nice. In that case, go raibh maith agat." Jackie chuckles. "So... anyway, you going to tell me how you know I'm from '86 or not?" "Okay, so you already know about my portals." "Are you trying to tell me you portalled me through time?" "What?! No, of course not. Bold of you to assume I have any control over the 4th dimension. I meant, I have powers and therefore I inherited the ability to have them." "So how then?" "One of my dads has a time based power and I guess, that trickled down to me a little. Stuff like that happens sometimes. I think Jameson might have an unusually strong immune system because his mother has enhanced immunity. Either way, I just have a sixth sense for time stuff." "...Right." Joel huffs in annoyance. "Alright, believe me or don't. The point is I want to help you go back to your own time if that's what you want." Ah. That's where that elephant was hiding. He was slowly getting used to the future but there was an inexplicable longing to return to where he came from. He was never meant to be 20 in 2019. There was no denying that fact. And as much as he enjoyed hanging out with Marvin and the rest of his new friends, it felt wrong somehow. That said, he was particularly good at going with the flow where necessary. If he was stuck in this century for good, then he'd deal with that. But if there was a chance he could be returned to 1986, there was no way he wouldn't take it. "How?" A sly smile appears on Joel's face. "Ah, for that, we will need Jameson and Henrik's help. All we have to do is wait for the right moment to ask for it. And seeing as it's now May, I don't think we'll have to wait that long."

19 Amy x Hope? (you’re writing is great btw)

amy x hope + “I think I’m in love with you, and that scares the crap out of me”

word count: 1,906

//

Hope and Amy are not dating.

At least, that’s what Hope tells herself, even if she does get random, cryptic texts from Gigi asking how her favorite girlfriends are doing.

(Hope tells Gigi to fuck off - affectionately, of course.)

It’s not even like they’ve been in the same continent for the past year. After Hope’s backpacking trip, she packed her things from her childhood home and made her way to NYU for her freshman year all while Amy was in Botswana.

Though, Hope did visit her for three days. It was terribly awkward but probably the highlight of Hope’s trip all at the same time. They’re still new at this - whatever this is - and they aren’t sure what to do, almost like they’re hanging in limbo. But Amy is so god damn adorable, and the way she talks about her work as Hope all doe-eyed and soft.

(And yes, they get a re-do of that incident in Nick’s aunt’s bathroom.

It goes much more smoothly.)

But now Amy’s back in the states and starting her first year at Columbia. Columbia as in, the school that’s literally in the same city as Hope. It means many things, but most importantly it means that Amy will be here and not miles and miles away with the only thing keeping them together is texts and e-mails and social media.

And they’ve done a lot of that. Hope has never been one to be glued to her phone, but Amy has a funny way of bending Hope’s will without even knowing it.

“Are you going to see your girlfriend when she gets here?” Annabelle snickers when they grab lunch during her visit.

Hope glares at her. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

Annabelle gives her a shit-eating grin. “Keep lying to yourself, dude.”

“Asshole,” Hope scoffs.

“Seriously though,” Annabelle says. “Grow some balls and make her your girlfriend already. I have never seen you go soft for someone the way you do for Amy.”

“Fuck right off.”

“Remind me never to hang out with you again,” Annabelle says dryly, but the tease is evident in her eyes.

So Hope invites Amy to come over to her apartment she just moved into. It takes Hope a whole day and a half to actually text her - who is she anymore? - but Amy agrees almost immediately and they order Chinese takeout and listen to music and watch a couple of episodes of Parks and Rec - Amy’s choice, obviously (though Hope does like the show, secretly) - and it’s all good.

It’s on the third episode of Parks and Rec when Hope can feel Amy’s eyes on her and she turns.

“What?” she asks softly.

Amy blinks, realizing she’s been caught. She bites her lip in the most frustrating of ways to Hope because how does one action manage to be adorable and an absolute turn on at the same time?

“Nothing,” Amy stutters out, looking away for a moment before meeting Hope’s eyes again. “I just missed you.”

Hope’s emotions on the outside may be schooled, but for a moment she forgets how to breathe. She’s been falling over Amy for years, way before senior year, and here she is telling Hope that she missed her. She’s here, in Hope’s apartment, eating Chinese takeout and watching Netflix and there is no other place Hope would rather be.

It’s only natural that Hope gives her the smallest of smiles before she’s leaning in and capturing Amy’s lips against hers.

Later, when they are both naked and underneath the covers, Hope is stroking Amy’s hair as the smaller girl lets out a content sigh.

“Welcome to New York nerd,” Hope murmurs.

“What a welcome,” Amy smiles.

It makes Hope chuckles softly and she’s pulling Amy closer against her, arms wrapped around the other girl’s waist. Amy laughs softly, her forehead pressed against Hope’s shoulder.

As they fall asleep, one thing is clear: Hope is so completely, head over heels in love with Amy.

Which is why, after Hope drives her back to Columbia and kisses her goodbye the next morning, watching as Amy gives her that goofy smile and an awkward wave before walking away, she panics.

“Dude I don’t see what the problem is,” Annabelle says over the phone.

“What do I do?” Hope says in an irritated tone.

“Uh, I don’t know idiot, maybe tell her you’re in love with her?”

“Ugh.”

Annabelle proves useless so Hope hangs up without another word.

The thing is, Hope has never really been one for feeling things. She doesn’t do emotions, doesn’t really care for them.

Or other people.

So it’s clear why Amy is a whole situation she doesn’t think she can deal with.

Essentially, Hope goes ghost.

Amy’s texts go unanswered. The occasional phone call gets sent to voicemail. Hope gives into her schoolwork and film projects and only comes up for air when she’s in bed at night by herself and she still catches a whiff of Amy on her pillow.

It sucks, but Hope’s never been one to mope so she pushes forward and pretends she doesn’t give a shit.

It works for about a week, but then Hope is in the middle of putting a storyboard together when there’s a knock on her door.

Thinking it’s her pizza she ordered, she slides her headphones off and opens the door. It’s not her pizza; it’s Amy.

Even a week away from her has made her even more vivid and beautiful than Hope remembers. Amy stands on the other side of Hope’s door, looking like a mix of nervous and defiant. Hope recognizes it as the same way she looked in the bathroom at Nick’s aunt’s house, the night that started this whole turn of events.

“Amy,” she says, completely taken by surprise.

“You’ve been ignoring me,” Amy says, and her voice is even and not at all shaky and Hope has to admit it’s impressive.

“School,” Hope immediately replies. “I have so many film projects and-”

“Bullshit,” Amy cuts her off, a fire lit up in her eyes. “You went ghost for no reason, Hope.”

Hope looks at her a moment and then sighs. She knows better than to give a bullshit reason. She has always been an honest person, and she’s not going to let her feelings for Amy change that.

“Yeah fine,” she shrugs. “I stopped replying. So what?”

Amy scoffs, her emotions starting to surface as Hope recognizes the frustration and slight anger in her when she says, “You gave no reason! You invited me over, had sex with me, and dropped me off and said nothing. There was no warning!”

“Yeah well, that’s what going ghost means,” Hope tells her, and she can’t help the sarcastic draw in her tone, the way it sounds colder than she wants but it’s too late now.

Amy stares at her for a moment, and Hope knows her words stung. She wants to take it back, to apologize, but before she can even open her mouth to attempt to back track, Amy speaks again.

“So that was your plan then?” Amy asks, growing angrier with each sentence. “Was your plan? To -what, screw me one more time before you just never talked to me again?”

“Amy-” Hope tries, but it’s clear the smaller girl is not having it from her.

“I thought you were better than that, Hope,” she says, and the emotions are starting to boil over. Hope can tell because her voice starts to shake, but it’s clear Amy will not stop and let herself cry.

“The whole time I was in Botswana, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. All I wanted to do was talk to you all the time. And i thought, with how we were, you wanted the same. I wanted you, Hope. I want you. You don’t know how badly I wanted to see you. And then I get here, and we have literally one of the best nights of my life, and then you pull this shit?”

Amy scoffs.

“I thought you were a bitch in high school, but this is a knew low.”

The way Amy is looking at her makes Hope feel like an absolute piece of shit. It’s clear she is no longer the same meek, mild-tempered Amy she used to be. Hope had expected her to just let it go, to be too afraid to talk about it, too afraid to piss off Hope.

She’d gotten it all wrong.

Amy breathes heavily, her eyes never leaving Hope’s. There’s a palpable tension between them now, Hope can feel it. It’s making her anxious.

“You wanna know why I ghosted you?” she asks, voice level.

“Yes,” Amy replies immediately.

Hope braces herself; she’s never been good with emotions, but she’ll try for Amy.

Amy, who literally showed up at her apartment to yell at her and tell her off.

“I think I’m in love with you, and that scares the crap out of me.”

She says it in a quieter voice, much quieter than Amy and quieter than she’d just been. Her own voice breaks just a little, and though Hope knows she won’t cry, it’s a new level of vulnerability for her.

The confession stuns Amy, whose expression goes from angry to jaw slacked, blinking like an owl at Hope.

“W-what?” Amy asks, unsure if she’s heard right.

Hope shakes her head. “I’ve never been good at emotions, Amy - don’t know if I ever will be. So the fact I’m in love with you is absolutely terrifying. What am I - what am I supposed to do?”

“You could have talked to me,” Amy offers, voice softer now.

Hope scoffs, shaking her head. “You know how I am. And, we haven’t really been together. You were in Botswana for a whole year. I didn’t want to like, scare you off or something.”

A smile cracks on Amy’s face as she takes a step closer to Hope.

“You and your big, bad persona haven’t scared me yet,” Amy tells her.

Hope tries not to smile. She’s unsure what to do with herself now, having just put herself out there like that. She tries not to think about how Amy hasn’t said it back yet.

“Well that’s good to know,” Hope deadpans, giving an uncomfortable chuckle.

Amy is full out grinning now, eyes lit up in a way Hope doesn’t understand just yet. It makes Hope uncomfortable, the way Amy isn’t revealing all her cards.

“So,” Hope clears her throat. “Is there um, anything else you need or-”

“You ghosted me because you’re in love with me,” Amy repeats, that grin still on her face.

Hope tries not to cringe at the statement; she hates being the vulnerable one here.

“Yes we established that,” Hope confirms. “Can we really just not do-”

She doesn’t get to finish her sentence because Amy is tugging her down and meeting her lips for a soft kiss. It’s nothing spectacular, but Hope would be lying if she said she hasn’t been thinking about kissing Amy for the past week.

Amy pulls away after only a moment and says with a smile, “I think I’m in love with you too.”

Hope doesn’t stop the dumb smile on her face. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Good,” Hope hums before she’s tugging Amy into her apartment and shutting the door.

Amy laughs before she’s being kissed senseless by Hope.

Fork you, then (5/?)

Fleabag saves her friend Boo’s life and earns a spot in the Good Place, but is everything here really so perfect? And what’s up with the hot priest next door? 1201 words. Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4. Also on ao3.

At some point, I should probably go and talk to Eleanor about how the guinea pigs that are destroying the neighbourhood are probably some kind of physical manifestation of my psychic pain, but right now I'm sprawled out over the priest's sofa with a belly full of pancakes while we compare notes on our secondary school war stories. I do not want to move.

"I'm just saying," I insist, waving a hand at him listlessly from within my food coma. "Harmless lesbian experimentation with one's peers is supposed to be a mainstay of teenage girl sleepover experiences, but you wouldn't believe how much work I had to put into persuading all of them."

"A real labour of love, wow," says the priest from behind an enormous mug of tea, basking in the morning light like a large, muscular cat. "I'm not going to ask how you cracked it."

Strip Twister, but whatever.

At some point, I should probably go and talk to Eleanor about how the guinea pigs that are destroying the neighbourhood are probably some kind of physical manifestation of my psychic pain, but right now I'm sprawled out over the priest's sofa with a belly full of pancakes while we compare notes on our secondary school war stories. I do not want to move.

"I'm just saying," I insist, waving a hand at him listlessly from within my food coma. "Harmless lesbian experimentation with one's peers is supposed to be a mainstay of teenage girl sleepover experiences, but you wouldn't believe how much work I had to put into persuading all of them."

"A real labour of love, wow," says the priest from behind an enormous mug of tea, basking in the morning light like a large, muscular cat. "I'm not going to ask how you cracked it."

Strip Twister, but whatever.

"What do boys do at sleepovers? Pillow fights?"

"We mostly just played Street Fighter."

"Ah, so you spent the night hadoukening each other." I do my best to make this sound dirty. "Not that different, then."

He gives me a fond look and changes the subject. "Were you a girly girl?"

"Not really. I always quite liked it when people mistook me for a boy. You can get away with a lot more stuff."

"How about these days?"

"You mean, am I a woman-ey woman?"

"Yeah."

I wrinkle my nose for a second, thinking. "It doesn't matter so much any more. I mean, I have the genitals, but... it's great being an adult, I can wear dresses and still climb trees whenever I want and nobody can really stop me."

"That's one good thing about being a priest," he agrees, "you can wear dresses in a lot of situations where it would usually be considered inappropriate."

"They're very freeing, aren't they? As long as you don't mind people seeing your knickers." I never mind people seeing my knickers.

In fact, I rather encourage it.

"Your discourse on gender is very nuanced," he smirks. "Have you thought of writing a paper on it?"

"Fork you."

I actually like that he's both a man of God and a sarcastic bastard. Very well-rounded.

Once I've recovered from the pancakes, I reluctantly bid him goodbye to make my way up to Eleanor's office to come clean about the guinea pig debacle.

"If you want to talk more, I'll be here," he assures me as I walk out of his door, waving to me like a huge dork.

I'm so in there.

Eleanor is nowhere to be found when I arrive, but Michael is pacing the room in a bit of a tizzy.

"Come in, I'm so sorry about all this," he says, waving me through the door. "I don't know what's gone wrong in the neighbourhood!" he frets. "It's supposed to be a paradise, not some horrible swamp full of rodents of unusual size."

"R.O.U.S.'s? I doubt they exist," I say automatically.

"What?"

"Never mind. Look, this was definitely my fault."

"Oh, that's nice of you to say," he says faintly, dabbing at his forehead with a handkerchief, "but it must have been us."

"Michael, I'm not nice," I say intensely. "That's my point. I forked up every good thing in my life and now I'm forking up heaven. You need to reassess me."

He sits down at his desk with a heavy sigh. I can tell he doesn't believe me, but he wants to make me feel better. "Fine," he huffs. "I'll ask you some questions about your life on earth and then we can go through the main points-affecting actions you made and we'll see if we made a mistake, but I just don't think that's what the problem is."

He brings out a little cube, which glows white as he places it down on the desk between us.

"Right, I guess we should start with the basics." He consults a list in front of him, written in an incomprehensible language. "Have you ever 'liked' a tweet that was written by Piers Morgan?"

"Ugh, no." The little box honks and turns green.

"OK. Have you ever scanned an item at the self-service checkout at the supermarket as carrots, to avoid paying full price?"

I have to think about that one for a second - it sounds like the kind of thing I would do, but it had never really occurred to me. "No?" I say eventually. The box honks green again. Phew.

"Did you ever become emotionally invested in an episode of the Jeremy Kyle show?"

"No." I mean, I have watched it, but if you want me to get emotionally invested in a TV show you have to make the people more attractive.

He puts down his pen. "See, you've done very well on the preliminary questions, but I guess we can still check your file." He flips through the sheaf of papers in front of him. "OK, here's the main list of point-losing activities from your time on Earth. It all seems fairly standard, nothing that really stands- oh," he finishes, alighting on one entry.

This is it, this is where he finally finds out about Boo, and what I did, and-

"It says here that you once slut-shamed... a pizza?" he says incredulously, screwing up his face to squint at the page.

I'm stunned into silence for a second. He's not actually wrong, though. "I didn't do it out loud," I manage weakly.

"Yeah, well, it still counts," he says, scanning through the text. "OK, maybe this needs another looking over, but I really don't think you have anything to worry about. Why don't you go out and enjoy the sunshine?"

"That pizza was asking for it," I mumble as I walk out of the door.

"That cannot possibly be the case," Michael calls out after me.

Whenever I need to clear my head, I go for a run. There's a cleanup operation going on in the town square, but nobody asks me to help, so I don't have to. This place is full of nice little paths and big green fields to jog through, and I power through them as fast as I can, lungs burning. How fast do you have to run before you can outrun your problems?

I used to go jogging through the graveyard every day, pop in and say hi to mum and then get on my way. It wasn't a big deal, it was just a convenient place to run.

There's a huge tree on the outskirts of the neighbourhood, with a broad, sturdy nook in the centre that looks like it would be comfortable to sit in. Remembering my earlier conversation with the priest, I decide on a whim to climb it, shinning up the trunk and squeezing between the branches until I make it into the centre, where I can lie down along the wide bough and look out over the landscape. There are trees dotted everywhere, vivid blossoms, vast shimmering lakes, and perfect blades of grass as far as the eye can see.

It's a beautiful place. I'm going to fucking destroy it if someone doesn't stop me.

Dragon Ball Z 288

So between Episodes 287 and 289, you’ve got this ten year gap, spanning the wish to erase the world’s memories of Buu, to the first appearance of Uub, which marks the epilogue to Dragon Ball Z.     Over the years, there’s been a lot of material created to fill in that “ten year gap.”  The last ten minutes of Episode 287, this episode, Movies 13, 14, and 15, all 131 episodes of Dragon Ball Super and the Dragon Ball Super: Broly movie.  Uh, what else?   That Yo! Son Goku and his Friends Return special.   There was some crossover special with One-Piece and another anime I forget the name of.  Also, both of the Xenoverse games, while set in the future, feature Goku pulled from this general time period.

I can’t blame people for trying to fill in this period with new stories.  The question is whether there’s really a story worth telling at this point.  I like Movies 13 and 14. Movie 15 was okay, but hardly worth the trouble, and Dragon Ball Super didn’t get good until the Tournament of Power, which I wouldn’t call essential viewing.    The action was good, but the story doesn’t hold a candle to classic Dragon Ball and DBZ.

In a lot of ways, Episode 288 is sort of a prototype for a lot of what Dragon Ball Super ended up doing: these slice of life, quiet moments in between the big adventures.  This is mainly because Super had a really hard time cooking up an antagonist worthy of the franchise.   Beerus and Golden Frieza were borrowed from movies, Champa, Hit, and Jiren weren’t really bad guys, and Zamasu was absolutely fucking awful.  When I watched Super, it was honestly a relief to see that the next episode would be the gang screwing around at a basebal field or a movie set or whatever.   At the same time, it was always frustrating to me.   They went out of their way to bring these characters back, and they never seemed to have a plan for what they wanted to do with them.  I’ll watch the Tenchi Muyo! gang hang out in a mall or something, that sounds like a good time.   But Goku?   I expect a little more from him.

In this episode, everyone’s having a party at Bulma’s place, but Goku went off to watch some pterodactyl eggs hatch.   So it’s pretty similar to a number of one-shot DBS episodes, except DBZ hasn’t done this sort of thing very often, so it’s a lot more effective.  

Here’s the problem: One of the four eggs fell out of the nest and is stuck in this precarious-looking branch.    Goku wants to move it back, but the parents won’t let him, and I guess he’s not eager to force the issue with his powers.   He’s worried that the baby will fall once it hatches, so he sticks around to keep an eye on the situation.

Anyway, Chi-Chi got all dolled up for this pary, so she’s decided to just go without Goku’s broke-ass and leave him to his nature hike or whatever.    There needs to be more fan-art of Chi-Chi in this getup.  

If I’m not mistaken, Goten’s outfit in this episode is a callback to the clothes Goku wore in that one episode of the Fortuneteller Baba Saga.   Let me just pull that up...

Eh... close, but not quite.   Goten’s got the tie and the hat, but he’s wearing suspenders instead of a vest. 

Anyway, everyone arrives at Capsule Corp.   Yamcha’s got a new car Bulma had made for him at a discount, and Krillin’s thinking of asking for one of his own.    The Son family shows up and Chi-Chi gets miffed when anyone asks about Goku.   Chi-Chi says he’s waiting for his eggs to hatch.

Anyway, they’ve got a nice spread here.    This looks like the place where all of Dr. Brief’s animals run around, but that seems like a bad place to hold a party, so maybe they have more than one indoor park.  

Anyway, Tien and Krillin have some pizza, and Master Roshi laughs at a “photo album” (it’s porn).

Buu wants Vegeta’s hot dog, and he’s in a good mood so he gives it to him.   I always liked that.  It shows that they managed to get along at some point.     This is the sort of thing Dragon Ball Super should have done.   Buu never got a chance to interact with most of these guys in Z, and they killed him off in GT, so they could have gotten some mileage out of him in Super, but they didn’t.

Chiaotzu drinks exactly half of one soda and leaves.  

Piccolo’s just chillin’ out in a flower bed.    Character arc, complete.

Oh, you thought this was the smug Goku macro?   Tell me again how you didn’t know it was from this scene where Goku reminisces about his grandfather.

I guess the place where his space pod crashed wasn’t too far from this pterodactyl nest.   I’m surrprised the crater grew over so fast.    Also, this is like the third or fourth time they’ve shown this location in Z, and it never looks the same twice.

Anyway, Grandpa Gohan was strict but also very kind, and I always like how Goku remembers him here, as the series is drawing to a close.  

Then a DINOSAUR FIGHT happens, because this show rules! Not sure why the two-legged dinosaur has hippo ears, but okay.   It’s like Toei thought the rights holders for actual dinosaurs would sue them or something.   

This scene also features the Ginyu Force song from the early portion of DBZ.   You know the one.

Thirty-two seconds into this video.    They ran this song into the ground in the Namek Saga, and then slowly weaned themselves off of it in the Frieza Saga, until eventually it fell out of rotation.   I think it got used a couple of times in the Androids/Cell arc, and this might be the first time it’s been used since then.   And you know, it’s a great song when it’s used sparingly.   Once I got used to expecting it in every episode, it got really grating, but here, it works perfectly.    I found myself sort of missing it.   

Anyway, Goku totally in favor of cool dinosaur fights, but he doesn’t want them near this nest, so he carries these rowdy boys to another spot and tells them to fight there.  

But that sort of kills the whole mood, you know?

Never mind that, because it’s TIME TO DANCE.

In the Japanese version, the score uses the rock music Tank Clerk was jamming to in Fusion Reborn.   I guess this is the only rock music in all of Dragon Ball, sort of like how Cold Slither’s music is the only rock music in G.I. Joe or Transformers.

We’re tired of words!   We’ve heard it before!

We’re not gonna play the game no more!

We’re Cold Slither, heavy metal  machine!

Through the eyes of a lizard in you will dream!

When the venom stings, a new order brings our control!

Anyway Chi-Chi rules the disco floor until she throws out her back.   

Then Dende mentions Goku and it brings down the mood.   This is why no one invites you to these things, Dende.  Even Tien thinks you’re a buzzkill and he just spent the last half hour explaining the Haber-Bosch process.   

Bulma is worried about Goku, but Chi-Chi playfully suggests that Bulma is sweet on him, but that’s just too bad, because Chi-Chi’s too pretty for her to steal him away.    Is she drunk?   Maybe, but this is still less awkward than the dub version, where she suggested they trade husbands.   “No, I was only kidding about swinging, Bulma.... UNLESS...”

Back at where Goku is, all these other animals show up to watch the nest, because I guess animals do that in this show.  

Then it rains, and Goku shores up the nest with a bunch of logs.  Not sure how this improves the situation, but okay.

He tries to work on the branch the fourth egg is sitting in, but it falls into the river first.

Goku saves it, but then a fish tries to eat him.

But the egg is okay, so victory for Goku.

Kind of an ominous shot of Capsule Corp.   Looks like something out of Revenge of the Sith.

Everyone’s playing cards, and that looks like a lot of fun.    Well, not if I have to play with Roshi and Oolong.    Take me to the non-sex-offender table, please.

Krillin and his family prepare to head out, but they walk out the door just as Goku shows up.

This part here is great.

Chi-Chi gives him a hard time, but she can’t be too mad, because he does this sort of crap all the time.

So she takes Goku back to where the food is, and Goku gives Gohan the wink like “Yep, life of Riley.”

I almost wonder if they tried to do some sort of Last Supper thing with this, except they couldn’t fit everyone into the shot on a 4:3 TV.    Anyway, Goku explains how things turned out with the pterodactyls.

They all hatched.   Don’t really know what else to add to that.  Weird how some of these animals watching were causing trouble earlier.   That snake tried to eat the eggs until Goku tosses it away.

Goten asks if he was cuter than the pterodactyls when he was born, and Goku explains that he was dead when Goten was born, so he doesn’t know.   Awkward.

Then he invites Vegeta to come over and join them, because he’s sulking over by the window.   

i think Vegeta’s just enjoying this vaporwave sunset outside, but okay,

Then the narrator observes that everyone just has more fun when Goku’s around, which, true, but this is the sort of lionizing of Goku that made GT really irritating.  

Then the Looney Tunes thing happens to him and that’s all, folks.  

I know you're not shy about your weight loss so I was wondering if you can give any advice or tips on starting a weight loss journey. I work odd hours and going to a gym isn't feasible money wise. I know part of losing weight is eating right but idk how to, especially on nights I work late and grabbing a burger at McDonald's at 3am and passing out is easier than cooking.

OKAY, so this is a subject that I’m very passionate about so I’m about to info dump all over the place. Just a head’s up! 😂 

I just want to start by saying that your mindset about weight loss and getting healthy is very important. There’s this guy who is a fitness coach named Jordan Syatt, and he has this motto called “you can’t fuck up” (YCFU). Meaning, the only way you can fail is if you quit. It doesn’t matter if you get off track for a day, a month, a year, whatever…as long as you get back on, you didn’t fuck up. That’s such an important mentality to have about it because often people will go on vacation, have a good time eating whatever they want, get back home and weigh themselves, and then when they see that they’ve gained weight they feel like they failed and then say “well, I’ve already messed up this much, might as well just screw it and continue eating whatever I want” and then they make it worse, when in reality all they had to do was get back on track as soon as they got home. I just went on vacation for a week, and I ate things like pizza, donuts, chips, you name it! Of course I also had healthy foods because that’s what I was craving, but during the times when we wanted to eat out, we weren’t as restrictive with ourselves. And we had a good time. And now that I’m home, I’m back to eating my regular foods. In fact, I was even craving my grilled salmon and broccoli that I love having for dinner lol. Did I gain weight? Heck yeah! But I didn’t fuck up, because I got back on track. And that’s what matters. In the past, I would’ve freaked out seeing that number on the scale go up (which honestly most of it was water weight anyways from all the sodium) and I would’ve just said “Ah well screw it, what’s the point.” and gained more weight. But this time around with this mentality of YCFU, I felt more at ease and it actually made it easier to get back on track. And I’m still craving the healthy foods over the ones that’ll make me feel sluggish and bloated!

My advice on how to start: As Nike says, Just do it. I know that sounds so simple, but honestly, it is. Often people will wait for this burst of inspiration or motivation, but if you wait around for that to come along then you’ll just be wasting time you could’ve spent bettering your health. Start now. It’s going to suck at first, you’re not going to want to do it, but you know what? Life is full of doing things that we don’t want to do. But you’ll begin to see results, and then those results will give you the motivation you seek. So, action. results. and then motivation to reach your goals. It’s not going to suck forever; only in the beginning. Then you’ll get to a point where it just becomes habit and you start to do it because you want to, not because you feel like you have to. And that mindset of “wanting to” as opposed to “being forced to” is so incredibly important for success.

As for where to start: 100% start with your eating habits. You don’t have to change everything right away. In fact, you shouldn’t. Some people start by going from eating fast food every day to completely changing to a raw vegan diet and running at the gym for 5 hours every day. Going to the extreme right at the start like this will only set you up for failure, because you’ll get burnt out and want to give up. Instead, change little things at a time and give yourself room to progress. Do you drink a lot of calories? (i.e. sodas, juices, Starbucks fraps, etc.) If so, start with changing that. Try cutting that stuff out and drink water instead. Or at least switch to zero calorie drinks. They’re not the healthiest, but they’re better than regular sodas, and you’ll be cutting out so many calories you probably didn’t even realize you were consuming. Most people lose at least 5 lbs just from that! So maybe do that the first week, then maybe the next week you can start switching other parts of your diet. Maybe that even means getting McDonald’s twice a week instead of every day, and making your own meals the rest of the time. Or maybe it’s cutting out fast food completely, but making homemade burgers. Just don’t feel like you have to change everything right away, because weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint. Those who lose weight quickly are more likely to gain it back. Ever seen The Biggest Loser? Prime example of this. It’s a lifetime commitment, not “oh I’ll eat healthy now and then when I reach my goal weight I can go back to eating McDonald’s all the time”.

I don’t like “fad diets” like Atkins, Weight Watchers, keto, etc., simply because they’re not sustainable. They’re meant to jump start weight loss, not to be something you do for the rest of your life. Most people who do these kinds of diets get bored or tired of it and they stop, but they don’t have any knowledge about the foods they’re eating and revert back to old habits. I’m not saying these diets aren’t good, because they can actually be really good tools for starting. But they’re beneficial ONLY if you understand why these diets are helping you lose weight. Knowledge is the most important tool here. Everyone knows that cake isn’t that good for you, but do you know why it’s not that good for you? Read food labels, learn about your body and how many calories you burn throughout the day, find which foods make you feel better versus ones that make you feel sluggish, and understand why. Do you know how much a serving size is of the food you’re eating? Do you know which foods have high protein? Do you know which fruits have a higher water content (apples, oranges, etc.) and will make you feel fuller longer than starchy fruits (bananas)? You can learn this without these diets quite easily. Which by the way, I’ve never done any kind of diet like that. In the end, you want something that’s sustainable. If you’re eating foods that you hate, that’s not sustainable. If you’re eating low carb or no carb, that’s not sustainable. Fitness and health doesn’t end when you get to your goal weight, it’s a lifetime kind of deal. So you have to find foods that you truly enjoy eating in order to make it sustainable. But knowledge, and applying that knowledge, is extremely important.

MEAL PREP IS YOUR BEST FRIEND. Nobody wants to cook dinner after a long day of work. I sure as hell don’t. So take some time on the weekends or days off to prepare your foods for the week. Put them in to-go containers so that all you have to do is pop them in the microwave when you get home. Things like casseroles and stews you don’t have to put in containers, but are still pre-made and can be popped in the microwave. There are also foods that don’t need much cooking, like tuna sandwiches or frozen veggies. Snacks that are easily accessible like berries or greek yogurt are good too. But if you know you’re going to go for the bag of chips over fruits, then don’t have them in the house. My wife and I are both the type who will eat an entire bag of chips or box of cookies in one sitting. So we don’t buy them. And if we do want chips or cookies, like really craving it, then we’ll get one of those individual ones from the gas station. But we won’t buy full bags or boxes. If they’re not in the house, they’re not an option. If you live with a partner, then having them on board with this is very important. I would not be able to do this if my wife bought cookies and chips all the time. We’re both on the same page, and that’s necessary. When I moved back home with my parents after college they had all kinds of bad stuff, and I couldn’t stay away from it. So I bought my own foods and used the mini fridge we had and had my own shelf on the rack by the wall so that I never opened the fridge or the pantry to even see what they had bought because it was too tempting. This can help if you have a partner who is not on the same page as you.

McDonald’s sounds appealing not only because it’s fast and easy, but because it tastes so damn good. And anybody who says it doesn’t is a liar lol. Because if it didn’t taste good, then they wouldn’t be making millions of dollars. Foods like that (Oreos, cereals, crackers, anything processed) are made to taste so good that nothing from the ground can replicate that taste or be as good. And that’s a dangerous thing, because that’s how they hook you. If you eat an Oreo and then eat a strawberry, you better believe that the strawberry is not going to taste as sweet! But the good news is, you can change your tastebuds to crave healthy foods. I don’t eat oreos, and strawberries taste pretty amazing to me and I crave them often. When grocery shopping, stay away from the middle aisles! That’s where all of the tempting processed stuff will be. Stay on the outsides. Again, it’s going to suck at first, but I promise you’ll begin to crave those healthy foods over fast food. But you just have to start!

As far as fitness goes, you don’t need a gym membership to lose weight. If you want one, I highly recommend Planet Fitness because it’s only $10/month (with a $29 startup fee and $39 annual fee), but you don’t need a gym membership. I go to the gym, not to help me lose weight, but so that I’m active. I do it to get stronger and to help me from getting winded going up one flight of stairs. Or so that if something attacks me I can run away. Or to help my back problems. But I don’t factor my fitness into my losing weight, because most of your calories burned come from everything else. I don’t even count how many calories I burn at the gym, because I just really don’t care. Eating healthy helps you lose weight, and going to the gym only speeds up that process a little. If you want to be more active, you can start by walking. I walk 30 minutes around the neighborhood everyday, and I absolutely love it. It helps clear my head. Whatever fitness thing you do, make sure it’s something you enjoy. If you hate running, don’t run. If you hate cycling, don’t go cycling. If you hate weight lifting, then don’t do it. But if you like yoga, then do that. Life isn’t meant to be grueling, so find something you enjoy that will benefit your health, because there’s something out there for you!

And the last thing I want to say is, don’t let the scale be your only tool to measure your weight loss. In fact, I don’t even like to call it “weight loss” but rather “fat loss” or “getting healthy”. Sure, use the scale every once in a while to see overall progress, but your weight fluctuates all the time. And muscle weighs more than fat. I’ve had times where I actually gained a pound or two, but I looked slimmer. Use other ways to measure your progress, such as how your clothes fit or by taking pictures of yourself and comparing those. But if you only use the scale, you’ll be disappointed because it won’t be a consistent drop in numbers, no matter how clean you eat and how much you exercise. That’s just how the human body works; it fluctuates because of things like water retention, not getting enough sleep, being stressed, etc.. If the scale hasn’t moved but you’re feeling better and clothes are starting to fit better, then you’re on the right track!

Whew. I know that was an excessive amount of information, but I wanted to share the most important things with you because feeling good about yourself is so important. This is all based on what I believe, and the most important thing is finding what works best for you! If you have any other questions, feel free to send me a DM or another ask, and I’ll gladly answer them! You can do this! 💪

The Fae | Red

POV: Estelle

Just for the record, I am not as bad and I am NOT a BITCH like my friends might have told you. I just am myself and I know what I want it and when I want it and wh I want it from. Sure you could say that comes from being a part of a Royal family but you could also say that’s just who I am.

It’s not that I have a problem with people from earth, in fact, my cousin’s best friend was brought up on earth. It’s just I know that those girls have some bad mojo and also I may or may not have a little problem with them because they don’t belong here. Bloom at least was sent to earth for her protection by her sister, why were they there? We all know Roxy was the last earth fairy so what are they doing there? And I know the people who will have the answer: Mel, Emily and Daphne. They’re always whispering about them so why are they doing that?

So I decided to stay after one of my Advanced History Of Magix lectures to find something, anything out.

“Hey, Professor Daphne can I speak to you and the others for a moment?” I asked after knocking on her office door with my books in hand.

“Sure what did you want to talk about, Estelle?” Emily answered from her desk.

“I was wondering if you knew anything about Emma’s new roommate, I mean I know that Simone is Mel’s younger sister and that your family and culture has a tradition of only bringing up the eldest daughter as a fairy and sending any others to earth, but what about Tegan?”

“That’s a lot harder to explain and we don’t know how to explain it to her let alone one of her friends, for now just know she does have a right to be here she is a fairy and until such a time as we know how to explain it to her you’re just going to have to leave it there. I’m sorry Estelle,” Daphne explained.

“Fine. but can you answer this one question: Is she who she claims to be?”

“Yes and no. she believes she is who she claims to be and to an extent she’s right. She was brought up all over the world, she did begin high school in Boston age 13, she does have a sister, she does only know what she claims. But at the same time, she’s not from earth, she isn’t all that she thinks she is but she doesn’t know that and no one can OK we’re assessing the situation with Grizelda and Faragonda. OK?” Daphne responded while Emily looked as though she was about to throw up on her desk and Mel started to go pale.

“OK.”

You see the reason I’m doing all of this is because my world came shattering down the moment I laid eyes on that girl. Because in that moment I knew one thing and one thing only she killed my cousin. I could feel the same energy radiating off of her and now I have to live with the girl and that will never happen. If Faragonda thinks she can get away with this she has another thing coming. How DARE she think that she can just forget Stella and get away with letting her killer come into MY territory without getting a single piece of my mind she is wrong. Those girls don’t belong here and I am going to PROVE it. Now all I need is a plan.

Where do I start? The Annual Welcome Party with the boys from Red Fountain. Maybe I can get them involved or screw up their dresses. That’s it their dresses, it’s easy to mislead their little fashion moron brains. And I am their only hope. It’s perfect now what to wear to go shopping?

All of that happened a week ago and can I just say my mind hasn’t completely changed but I can say that they’re each not as bad as I thought. But I can and will still hold Tegan accountable for her actions to my family and she will rue the day she messed with the Royal Family Of Solaria and MY favourite relative.

Shopping one of my favourite things to do. Retail therapy is what I need right now, especially shopping for a party dress though the fact that Grizelda has to approve it ruins my first thirty choices. But in the end, I choose a beautiful lilac lace dress that went great with all of my shoes. And those two idiots were not going along with my plan they actually had decent style which makes this whole situation worse. But now I just have to snag my date, Tom my long-time off-again on-again boyfriend, well techniquely fiancee because our my uncle decided that arranging a marriage for his niece is better than doing that to his own daughter. But it’s OK because I love him and I think he loves me too. I just want to get him back.

“Do you guys think that I can get Thomas to go with me?” I asked as we were getting Tegan and Simone to try on some dresses and outfits for the ball.

“We have to have dates dude.” Emma blatantly stated, checking her phone while Tegan braided her hair, all of us waiting for Maya and Simone to choose their outfits.

“ I know but do you think I should ask him or are we going as a group? I just want to know. You know how badly things ended last time I don’t want them to end up the same way this time.”

“Ask you never know what he might say and if that doesn’t work you can come stag with me and Tegan. And I may have only known you for a day but I really wanna kill someone at this point in my life so, just whisper the words and I’m your girl,” Simone stated as she walked out from behind the curtain in the dressing room with a bundle of clothes, “Also I can’t fit into any of these so unless you have some magic spell to change their sizes we have to go somewhere else for me, and maybe Tegan.”

“I have what I wore to my cousin’s wedding that I’m wearing so I’m all good,” Tegan said tieing off Emma’s hair.

“What no get a dress or at least tell us what it is!” I yell back at her trying to make the best of the situation I am in with her.

“Firstly, It’s a black and red romper-y thing with a blue blazar. Second, my body is not the same shape as any of yours and therefore cannot, I can’t stress this enough, fit into those dresses, they’re made for people with a size 2 body and maybe a b cup at largest and I am a size 12-14 with bigger boobs than that and Simone is a size 16-18 with bigger boobs so I agree with her and it makes me uncomfortable to be put in a situation in the supposed ‘Utopia’ world where I can’t find something is a giant store made for someone with my figure or that will even cover my body in any way. So I will be wearing something from a world that knows it’s sizes are fucked up and I am comfortable in and already now I look at least average in. So I will repeat my message: not going to happen,” She states without looking up from the book she must have used a spell to conjure.

“OK I’m sorry and I might just take Simone up on that offer. Anyway, who do the rest of you have as dates? Last I checked none of you had anyone to go with,” I stated looking at the ground and thinking about my mistake.

“My girlfriend,” Emma said smugly still looking at her phone.

“And me and Maya are being set up by Harry,” Maketa said looking a little concerned about the situation she got herself into.

“So Emma’s going to be gushing over her girlfriend and you two are going to be murdered, maybe I should go with those two at least then there’s someone to tell your story at your funerals. Actually, I’m going to ask Tom.”

“Good for you, can we get food now. You guys may not feel the effects of low blood sugar here but we still do so I need food, preferably something sweet or something with a coke,” Tegan said looking at her watch for the time, “And maybe we can go somewhere that I can buy a watch that works here and Sim cards.”

“McDonald’s and Target,” Simone said gaining curious looks from all of us except Tegan who looked more disgusted than curios.

“I was thinking more of Greggs or Nandos but I don’t think they have either here Moni.”

“No sadly despite my best efforts there isn’t a Nandos here but we do have Pizza and I have a few cokes in my bag from the diner,” Maya said understanding whatever language they seemed to be talking.

“How about Pizza and we can tell you more about the dance because you guys are still new to this whole dimension and probably need to know more before classes start tomorrow, like what your Winx is. It’s the first day of practicles.”

“Brilliant plan Marketa.”

“So, what do you want to know about being a fairy?” Maya asks as she grabs a slice of her pizza.

“Whatever you can tell us. We just want to know whatever you guys know so that we’re prepared for the future, we’re already falling way behind and we have to attend school in Boston still until our parents can come up with a believable excuse for the whole school Populus to believe in Simone’s case and the teachers to believe in mine.”

“If she’s falling behind I never even started, she’s a freaking genius, sure a genius with almost every depressive and anxiety disorder under the sun but a genius and I haven’t handed in a single piece of homework yet so I’m screwed unless you tell us something useful,” Simone, rambled looking as though she may faint at any moment, kind of like her sister had when I asked about Tegan.

“OK. Let’s start from the beginning…” Maya started, prompting all of us to share our knowledge of the history of Magix and everything else they may need to know. I may or may not have wanted to screw this up but I want to destroy that girl on my own with no help from the teachers. She is my prey and I will go in for the kill just you wait and see.

After about an hour of explaining and more shopping, we headed back to Alfea so that we could all get ready for the ball and I could arrange my date. I just hope Tom won’t be you know Tom. Because being Tom usually means being an ass, as Simone had taught me earlier today.

This ball was going to be amazing.