#anyway one final is on monday and another opens on thursday | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kiarastromboli · 2 months

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𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧:

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨 𝐱 𝐲/𝐧

⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱

⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱

𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥

𝕎𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘: Masturbation, smoker!reader.

𝕊𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕪: Matt's life is going to be completely upheaved by an encounter he will have one day at work, leading him to discover a new feeling: obsession.

ℕ𝕠𝕥𝕖: I'm glad to come back with this new series that I had in mind for a while. I hope you'll enjoy it. The first chapter is from Matt's point of view, but it's possible that in the days to come, the point of view will shift to that of the reader. Anyway, I'll inform you beforehand. Feel free to ask me in the comments if you want to be part of the taglist. Enjoy reading!

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐, 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝟑

⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏:

My life has always been a damn bottomless pit without interest. I grew up in a normal family, in a normal town surrounded by normal people; there was nothing special about me.

I've always had this feeling of discomfort, like something was missing from my life.

In high school, I tried to fill that void with sports like any other teenager, but nothing worked.

I was fortunate to be a triplet, so I started life with people to love and who loved me in return.

Naturally, people think that having siblings erases the loneliness of life, but it's false. I had my brothers, but I still felt that emptiness and loneliness.

As I grew older, I realized that I would never fill this void, that I was destined to have an uninteresting life and become Mr. Average.

I moved to New York, where I found a job in a bookstore, which seemed more than logical given my passion for books.

I lived five minutes away from my brother Chris, and Nick, my other brother, continued his studies in Boston.

My weeks repeated and resembled each other.

I worked on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. On Wednesday, I spent the day with Chris; most of the time, we just went out to eat and stroll. As for Sunday, I dedicated it to my motorcycle rides and various hobbies.

By various hobbies, I mean fleeting activities that I forced myself to practice to keep me from losing my mind from living the same days on repeat.

But all of that was before her.

When I saw her for the first time, I felt like I was waking up after an endless sleep.

It was a Thursday evening, we were about to close, I just had to put away the last books we had received, and I could finally close the shop and go home.

That was until I heard the sound of the little bells at the entrance jingling as the door opened.

I sighed when I heard the door open, thinking, 'Another bookworm waiting until the last moment to come get their fill of books.'

I went back to the counter to wait for the person who was there to bring me their book so I could quickly scan it and finally go home.

I honestly expected a student with glasses or some nonsense like that, so I was surprised to see this brown-haired girl a few meters away from me, browsing the shelves to find what she wanted.

I'm not the type to linger on pretty girls, but she had something extra.

She was wearing this navy blue sweater three sizes too big for her, which forced her to roll up her sleeves, and you could see the collar of her white shirt peeking out underneath.

With that, she wore a small brown pleated skirt that matched the bow she had in her hair.

An outfit that said a lot and so little at the same time.

I'm the type to analyze people on a daily basis; it's my thing when you work in a bookstore like this one in New York, you get bored very quickly.

I had a little game with myself where I enjoyed deciphering the people who entered this shop, first by their way of dressing, then by their mannerisms, and finally, I drew a conclusion based on the book they bought.

However, I was stuck on her way of dressing; I couldn't really figure it out. Her outfit was simple and casual, sure, but there was this complexity with her accessories that made me wonder if she did it on purpose or if she just randomly picked out clothes.

I mean, who pairs such a large sweater with such a small skirt? Maybe it's her boyfriend's sweater?

When I thought that, I felt anger rising within me, but why? I don't even know her; what does it matter to me whether she has a boyfriend or not?

I shook my head to try to think of something else and continued to observe her.

She had been wandering around the store for five minutes, stopping at each aisle without ever grabbing a book. Does she even read, or did she just come here thinking she'd find a fun book to read for once?

Even her behavior was indecipherable; the more I looked at her, the more intrigued I became.

She finally stopped at the romance section, where she picked up a book before walking towards me with a big smile.

Strangely, I felt a certain stress when her eyes landed on me; I hadn't realized how harmonious her face was.

"Good evening," she said warmly, placing the book in front of me.

"Good evening," I replied nervously.

"I hope I'm not bothering you by coming at this hour. I'm new in town, and I thought you closed later," she said politely.

"No worries; I didn't have anything planned after anyway," I replied without looking at her; I was far too intimidated for that.

I scanned her book, and of course, that's when the cash register decided not to work properly, leaving us face to face in an awkward silence while I tried to open the register.

She seemed amused, judging by the little chuckle she let out, and when I looked up at her, she simply said, "Sorry," timidly, unable to suppress the little smile on her lips.

I finally managed to unlock the cash register, then gave her the change and reached for a small bag to put her purchase in.

That's when I saw the book she had chosen.

"Pride and Prejudice, good choice," I said without thinking too much.

"I know, I've read it already," she said, chuckling, and I looked up at her to watch her.

"It's a gift," she added.

"For your boyfriend?" I said again without thinking, and this time I quickly added, "Sorry, that was very intrusive of me."

She looked at me with a smile before saying, "For a friend, I don't have a boyfriend."

"Good to know," I replied, handing her the book.

She took the bag with her book inside and turned to start walking towards the exit, and I was dying to catch up with her to continue talking, but I stood there frozen like an idiot.

She walked through the door, and I sighed.

My heart started beating normally again, and I felt a sense of longing in her absence.

My life, which until now had been flat and uninteresting, was unknowingly taking a whole new turn.

I finished tidying up the bookstore, trying to distract myself, but she continued to haunt my thoughts.

I kept asking myself hundreds and thousands of questions.

Will I see her again? What did she think of me? What's her name? What does she do for a living?

Fuck, what had she done to me? I thought as I pushed the door of the store to leave and locked it behind me.

Unintentionally, the key to my apartment detached from the keychain around my waist, and I hadn't noticed until a familiar voice informed me.

"Hey, you dropped this!" the girl from the bookstore said, catching my attention and tapping my shoulder.

I turned around and felt my heart race again when I found myself face to face with her; if she keeps this up, she'll give me a heart attack.

"Thanks," I said, taking my keys from her hand.

Unintentionally, my eyes roamed over her body, analyzing her.

I noticed the butt of a cigarette she held in her other hand, probably the reason she was still around.

"No problem," she said, smiling.

"Can I ask your name, if it's not too forward?" I asked, curious.

"Y/n," she said, extending her hand after finishing her cigarette and tossing it to the ground to crush it with her foot.

"I'm—" I started to say before she cut me off.

"Matt, yeah, I know," she said quickly, and I looked at her confused.

She knows my name?

"Oh, um, it was on your apron earlier, I promise I'm not a weirdo," she said, chuckling, and I chuckled too.

She seems observant too, interesting.

"You don't really seem like a weirdo, if that reassures you," I said, smiling.

"And you don't seem like a guy who reads romance novels; I guess we can all be surprising, maybe you should watch out," she said, shrugging with a smirk.

"Pride and Prejudice is a classic; I work in a bookstore, I have to know my classics," I replied.

"Fair enough," she said, smiling.

A moment of silence ensued, leaving us there in the middle of the street, staring into each other's eyes.

"Are you just passing through here?" I asked, to break the unbearable silence.

"Hm?" she simply hummed, confused.

"You said you were new here earlier," I clarified.

"Oh, um, no, let's just say I'm in the process of settling in," she said, nodding.

"Great, I hope to see you around here then," I said, smiling.

"There's a chance that could happen; this bookstore seems nice, and who knows, maybe I'll need a friend who knows their stuff to advise me," she said, smiling back.

"You already consider me your friend? Wasn't it you who said I should watch out?" I teased her.

"Oh, because you thought I was talking about you? No way, I was talking about my friend who works at the same bookstore as you!" she said, trying to justify herself.

"Oh, really? I probably know that friend then," I said with a smirk.

"Okay, you got me; I'm a big liar," she said, raising her hands, and I laughed.

"I already suspected that," I said, chuckling.

We stayed silent once again, staring into each other's eyes before she spoke again.

"Well, I have to go if I want to have a chance to catch a taxi before it's too late," she said, playing with the ends of her hair.

"I can drop you off if you live nearby," I offered.

"Whether by car or taxi, the journey is still long in the streets of New York, and I don't want to bother you with an extra 20-minute ride," she said timidly.

"I guess it's a good thing I have a motorcycle then," I said, pointing to my bike parked a few steps away.

"I don't know... um," she said, shaking her head hesitantly.

"If you don't trust me and prefer to go by taxi, I totally understand, I won't hold it against you," I said reassuringly.

"You know what? Fuck this; a little danger never hurt anyone, and anyways, if you try to kidnap me, know that I did boxing in middle school, so I won't go down without a fight," she said, pointing her finger at me, and I laughed.

"Alright, Mike Tyson, let me just grab my spare helmet from the bookstore," I said, chuckling before doing just that.

When I returned, I handed her the helmet, which she put on.

She got on behind me after indicating where she lived, and we hit the road directly.

We weaved through traffic, and I could feel her little arms tighten around my waist with each acceleration.

I couldn't help but slightly harden beneath my jeans because of the proximity between us; I could feel her chest pressing against my back.

This girl had something that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up when I looked at her.

She smelled like vanilla and cigarettes.

She was destabilizing, and I felt like I was losing my balance with every word she uttered.

Once we arrived at her destination, I stopped my motorcycle in front of her apartment complex.

It was large and luxurious.

I wondered if she was a daddy's girl to live here, or if she simply had a good job. In either case, this girl clearly wasn't short on money.

"Thanks for the ride," she said, smiling, after taking off her helmet to hand it back to me.

"It was my pleasure," I said, removing my helmet and staying on the bike while she got off.

"That was really nice; I'm glad I made a new friend," she said, quickly fixing her hair.

"So, we're friends?" I said, smiling.

"Of course," she replied, smiling back.

"Great," I said timidly, and a new silence fell.

"Um, I'm going to head in; it's getting late. Good night, Matt," she said this time in a much softer voice.

Why the sudden change in tone?

"Good night, Y/n," I replied, and she turned to walk towards her apartment complex.

I couldn't help but watch her as she went inside. I should have immediately started my bike and left, but I was stuck in place.

She paused in front of her stairs for a moment before suddenly turning around and running back towards me.

I watched her return, a little confused, and when she reached me, she simply said, "Hi."

"Hi," I replied, a bit confused but smiling.

"Is it weird if I suggest we see each other again? It's a friendly offer, of course; you just seem really interesting, and I felt silly leaving like that without suggesting we meet again," she said quickly, and I chuckled at her tone.

"Of course. I finish early on Saturdays; just drop by the bookstore, and we'll go for another motorcycle ride if you want," I said, smiling.

"Sounds great!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Well, goodbye for real this time," she said, chuckling.

"Bye," I replied, watching her leave before putting my helmet back on and heading home on my motorcycle.

On the journey back, I had only one thing on my mind: her.

Arriving home, I was surprised to find that my erection hadn't subsided.

How could this girl make me so hard without even touching me?

I felt bad for getting hard like this over a girl who seemed as innocent as her. What was wrong with me that I'd do something like this?

I sighed and slumped onto my couch.

I took off my pants and slid my hand under my boxers to touch the bulge there.

I started to stroke myself, unable to stop myself from thinking about her at that moment.

Her sparkling eyes, her long brown hair, her full lips that I was dying to kiss...

Why was she affecting me like this?

Her curves vaguely hidden by her oversized sweater, her legs, and especially her thighs that looked nice and soft.

"Oh my god," I muttered in a low voice, speeding up my movements and throwing my head back.

Her laughter and her voice, yes, her soft and slightly husky voice, almost like she was sick.

I edged dangerously close to the edge, and that's when I remembered her change in tone when she said, "Um, I'm going to head in; it's getting late. Good night, Matt," almost as if she was inviting me to follow her home and do all the things I was dying to do to her.

Maybe she was just as eager as I was. For my hands on her body, my lips on hers, and my name coming out of her mouth.

I thought about what she would look like sitting on me without her clothes, screaming my name, and it pushed me over the edge.

"Y/n," I moaned before climaxing.

I can't deny it any longer, this girl is clearly becoming my obsession.

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Taglist: @mayhem-72 @tillies33ssss @junnniiieee07 @bernardenjoyer @whicked-hazlatwhore @nicksmainbitch

#chris sturniolo #christopher sturniolo #matt sturniolo #nick sturniolo #sturniolo #sturniolo edit #nicolas sturniolo #sturniolo fanfic #sturniolo smut #sturniolo x reader #matthew sturniolo #sturniolo triplets #smut #beyond reason

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millersdjarin · 1 year

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I Only See Daylight

Chapter Four

Pairing: Din Djarin x F!Reader

Rating: E (eventually)

Chapter warnings/tags: slow burn, dad!din, bonding, injuries (not in detail), negative self-talk, mentions of past trauma/abuse

Chapter Length: 4.2k

Previous Chapter | Series Masterlist & Info

notes: im sorry this chapter is a bit shorter than the others! if it's any consolation, a few of the chapters in this fic are 10k, so there's that. :) i've set a posting schedule of mondays and thursdays, but this week i'm posting on sunday because i'm going to be travelling on monday and i have to stay off tumblr to avoid tlou spoilers until the evening. so, surprise :)

i don't wanna look at anything else now that i saw you

“How do you feel?” Is the first thing you hear when you wake, rolling over on your makeshift bed to find Mando standing at the cave entrance again. He’s leaning against the wall with one shoulder, his hip cocked out, one leg bent casually.

Kriffing hells, how is he so attractive when all you can see of him is his posture and his impossibly shiny armour?

You force the thought from your mind, blaming it on your half-asleep state.

“I don’t know yet,” you answer with a grimace. It’s been two days since your fall. The pain is better, though the rest of your body feels stiff now, muscle soreness finally catching up with you after the tumble. There hasn’t been another storm, at least, so Mando has managed to hunt for every meal so far. He goes out to get water every morning, filling canteens to the brim. He makes you drink so much that sometimes it feels like you’re swimming in it. “Hydration helps with healing,” he says every time, even though you already know; he says it just to counter your playful glaring at him every time he hands you the flask.

“Sun rose not that long ago,” he cranes his neck to gaze up at the sky, “if you’re feeling up to it, we can probably travel today.”

You manage to sit up, but the minute you do, pain shoots down from the wound on your calf and into your ankle. It circles there around the joint and throbs. “Have we got any more ice packs?”

“One more,” Mando answers as he heads right over to his medpack and gets it out.

“We should ration it,” you hold out your hand to stop him activating it. “For when we’re travelling. I’ll probably need it.”

He looks down at the pack, hesitates. Then nods and puts it away. “Do you think you’ll be okay to travel today? If so, we should move soon, make the most of the daylight.”

Shifting a little, you try to get a gage on your body, how it feels. A grimace makes its way onto your face without your consent. Everything hurts. Literally everything. Muscles you didn’t even know you had are strained and stiff.

But you’ve been here for two days. He’s been stranded here for four.

“If the answer is anything but yes,” his voice cuts through your rapidly declining thoughts, “then my answer is no.”

Relieved, you smile. But you protest, “Mando, you’ve stayed with me so long now. I can make my own way back.”

“No,” he says definitively. “We move when you’re ready.”

You relax, settling back against the wall. You’re too sore to argue.

“The kid’s enjoying the vacation, anyway,” Mando says, the lilt of a smile in his voice.

As if summoned, Grogu steps forward from his little bed at the back of the cave. He yawns, his tiny mouth opening as wide as it can go, his eyes screwing shut.

Oh, Maker, he is adorable.

“You take time off a lot?” You ask with a wry smile as Mando scoops the kid up into his arms.

The huff of a laugh comes through his helmet. “Not really.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

Mando tickles Grogu’s cheek, earning a little giggle.

You watch them. There’s that warmth again, creeping its way between your ribs, around your heart.

You have to look away.

All three of you are starting to get a little stir crazy by the time the night comes around.

You’re feeling better, though. Mando’s hydration obsession is working to help loosen out your stiff muscles. It doesn’t help, though, that you have to keep getting up every hour to pee. Especially because you have to tell Mando every time nature calls, which is, admittedly, rather humiliating—it shouldn’t be, it’s fucking natural, but he’s Mando and he’s been making you feel a certain way, and you don’t want to have to admit to this terrifying yet comforting man that you have to piss. It’s even worse that he has to help you hobble outside, then walk away while you do your business, and come back and pretend to not notice the puddle sinking into the ground.

It’s demoralising. Your cheeks are tired from flushing red all the time.

But he insists on you drinking enough, even when you protest.

“I don’t mind doing this, you know,” he says as the sun sets, an arm around you as you hobble to the designated Nature Area.

“Yes, you do,” you grumble, kind of just wanting the ground to open up and swallow you whole.

“I don’t,” he insists. “It’s fine. Besides, it’s good to move a little.”

“A little? Mando, it’s every hour, on the hour, at this point.”

The unfamiliar sound of a soft laugh comes through his helmet. If you didn’t know any better, you’d say it sounded fond. But you’ve never heard a laugh like that. So. “It’s good. Just call me back when you’re ready.”

He never comes back until you call, no matter how long it takes you.

It isn’t lost on you, either, that you never would have been able to do this on your own. You’d have had to piss where you sat. Which seems like a worse concept than just ruining your leg, and subsequent mobility, forever by forcing yourself to walk home.

As darkness approaches, Mando takes his flashlight—yours is long dead by now—and puts it in the far end of the cave. He stays over there, rustling in his pack for something. Curious, you watch, wondering what he’s doing; he angles the light strangely, propping it up with a few stray rocks on the ground, and then fishes out a small piece of canvas, pulled from what remained of your tent. He puts it over the flashlight, folds it once.

Then, the light is softer. Diffused around the cave.

Grogu, who is sitting against the wall playing with a little silver ball, looks up at the newly-lit cave walls and laughs in glee.

“You like it, kid?” Mando asks him.

The kid claps his hands together, gazing around. Mando laughs softly and sits back down beside the kid, watching him.

You’re watching Mando. It’s impossible not to, with the soft light reflecting from his armour in a new way, casting new highlights and shadows across every curve and edge. You wonder what places he’s been, how he’d look in all kinds of light. Harsh, bright, sunshine of a bright summer’s day, the dark ashy colour beneath rain clouds.

“Mando?” You find yourself saying.

He looks up at you, one hand holding the kid.

“Tell me about somewhere else you’ve been,” you request. “Please?”

“Where do you want to hear about?”

“Anywhere. First place that comes to mind.”

For a second, he’s quiet, just looking at you. Considering. When he speaks, he doesn’t say what you expected him to, and his voice is softer than it should be. “You really want to travel, don’t you?”

And, okay.

That hits a nerve.

You look away, blinking. It’s clear that you’ve tensed, that something has made you uncomfortable; and you expect him to backtrack, to apologise, but he just waits. So patient, like he wouldn’t mind if you didn’t say anything, or even if you just told him to fuck right off. You wish you could see his face, decipher his expression. Match it to the soft curiosity of his lovely voice.

“Yeah,” you manage on a shaky breath, imagining yourself up there, in the vastness of space, free to explore the Galaxy. “Yeah, I do.”

Quiet again. He’s giving you space.

You take it, let it sink in.

Then, his voice is there again, “So why don’t you?”

And if that isn’t a question and a half. “It’s, uh,” you clear your throat. You’re about to say it’s complicated. But that doesn’t even cover the half of it. Instead, feeling a cold, familiar dread slowly creeping through your veins, you say, “I like it here.”

He doesn’t say anything, but he looks at you still, some kind of unexplainable patience coming from his dark visor.

It’s unclear if he can hear the omission of the truth.

You don’t want to lie to him.

You’re sitting here, in a cave that he so beautifully lit as best he can, on top of a bed that he made just for you to be comfortable, after he’s helped you pee about twelve times a day for the last two days. He’s been nothing but kind.

And it’s not that you feel like you owe him answers because of that. Nor, in fact, that you think he feels you owe him answers. His quiet, unassuming patience in the dim intimacy of this cave is proof enough of that.

No, it’s not that.

It’s that you’ve been alone for so long. You’ve never said this to anyone.

And after all this, once you’re back at your hut and you’ve fixed his ship together, he’s going to leave. And you’re never going to see him again, anyway.

So.

“Truthfully,” you say, “as much as I like it here, it’s not where I’d choose to be. If I had another choice.”

Instead of staying still and silent, he starts to nod. His gaze is unwavering, solid and stable, weaving its way into the tension and uncertainty beneath your skin, soothing it.

Grogu gets up and waddles over to you. He climbs clumsily into your lap.

Then, with a quick look to Grogu, Mando says, “I understand.”

And that, those simple words, make something release in your chest.

The weight of your confession doesn’t feel as heavy as you’d expected. In fact, it feels like something has lifted in the air between the three of you. Like even the kid understands.

Well.

This is new.

As the third morning in the cave rolls around, you wake up feeling much better.

Once you’ve relieved your always-full bladder, you tell Mando as much, staggering back into the cave and to your bed. “You can stop over-watering me now,” you tease as he lets you back against the wall, gentle. Your hands are on the backs of his arms, and slide all the way down them as he moves away. You wish you could linger there, and the way he moves so slowly, his visor gazing down into your sleepy eyes, makes you think that he wishes that, too.

As your palms brush against his wrists, he seems to catch himself. He pulls away quickly and turns to distract himself with the kid.

“So, you’re ready to travel?” He asks.

“As I’ll ever be,” you reply, staring at him from behind. He has a nice behind. (And you need to stop. Immediately.)

“You can lean on me. We’ll take it slow, I promise.”

Kriff, say that again… “I’ll be alright. You’ve got enough to carry.”

He looks at you again. “I’m leaving the parts here,” he says, like that should be obvious.

“What?” You frown. “But your ship…”

“Once we find our way back, and you’re safe, I’ll come back for them.”

“Mando, I can manage. Seriously, we should take the parts. You’ve been here long enough.”

The helmet tilts. “You trying to get rid of me?” It would concern you, if the teasing in his tone wasn’t arousingly obvious.

You just about manage to recover from the stirring in your belly, and you laugh, “Totally. Sick of you already.”

The kid, standing beside him, looks at you and makes a sad noise. His ears turn down towards the ground.

Kriff. “Hey, I’m just kidding,” you assure him with a smile. As a peace offering, you reach your hands out to him, and he relaxes in an instant, immediately plodding over to you and climbing into your lap. You hold him, give him a quick hug, then just let him sit there. “Don’t tell anyone, but I’m actually gonna miss you,” you whisper into his ear. He coos happily, tugging at a loose thread on your coat.

When you look up, Mando is, of course, staring at you. This time, you know for sure that it’s at both you and the kid.

“What?” You ask.

“Nothing,” he answers after a moment of hesitation. “I’m going to pack up. Then we can move. You okay to sit with the kid?”

“You know I am,” you smile, and watch as Mando nods and heads outside.

That pang in your chest is back. Well, you’re not sure when it turned from a slow warmth into a pang.

But it’s there. Too obvious to ignore.

For a few miles, you manage pretty well. It took some convincing, but you got Mando to agree to taking the parts along with him in the end. You do lean on him, but only when moving over particularly rough terrain, fallen logs, or exposed tree roots.

“How we doing?” Mando asks at around noon.

“Fine,” you say, feeling a little breathless.

“You sure?”

“I’m sure. We can stop soon for a break.”

Another hour passes, your ankle is starting to throb, and you’re really fucking glad that you saved that ice pack for this exact moment.

Mando sits you down on a fallen log, keeping his arm around you until you’re properly seated, lingering just a little too long for you to tame the way it makes your heart beat wildly. To feel the heat of him through his flight suit, your hands and arms pressed to parts of him not covered by armour, just the soft parts; it’s a lot. When you first saw him, this wall of metal, you never thought you’d see any further than that. Kriff, you never even thought he’d get closer to your hut than he was when you had your blaster pointed at him.

Maybe that would have been best. Because if he’d just left, if there was another way for him to get the help he needed, you wouldn’t be thinking about him the way you are right now.

The softness of the crook of his elbow, the curve of his waist and hip. The warmth of his skin that you have yet to see an inch of. All of the weapons strapped to him, so close to you, close enough that if it were anyone else, you’d be scared.

But it’s Mando.

This might be the least scared you’ve been in a lifetime.

He cracks the ice pack to activate it, then kneels down in front of you. Reaching out to grab a smaller log, he places it under your ankle, elevates your leg slightly. Then his gloved fingers tug at the hem of your trousers. “Can I?” He asks.

Kriff. You nod, unable to form words.

The rough-yet-smoothness of the gloves is all you feel at first, brushing delicately against your skin as he lifts your trousers, then unlaces your boots, gently pulling them off, followed by your socks. Your ankle is more swollen than it had been this morning, but you’d expected that.

And, besides, that is not what you’re thinking about right now.

Instead your mind can only focus on the softness of his hold under your foot, the gentle way he places the ice pack on top of it. The heat of his hand starts to come through. You wish it was his bare skin. Wish you knew what his skin is like. Is it calloused, or soft from always protecting them? Does he have scars? Is the hair on his arms dark, light, a thin covering or thicker, perfect to run your fingers through—

His hands are gone before you realise it. It takes your glitching mind a second to catch up.

You chase him with your eyes, silently wishing for him to come back.

But then.

Then.

As he turns away, he reaches for the flask in his satchel. You watch his hands lift to his helmet, take a gentle hold of the base of it. At first you panic, thinking he’s about to remove his helmet, no you don’t have to do that it’s okay—

But he just lifts it the tiniest bit, such a small movement that you only know it has been lifted because he puts the rim of his flask to his lips and takes a sip.

You can’t see his skin, not a hint of it. But you can hear him drinking, hear the water against his lips, the gentle gulps as he swallows.

And the way it entrances you, takes you away from the forest and the pain of your ankle and the fact that this is so not appropriate for you to be thinking—yeah, it’s probably for the best that he can’t ever show his face to you.

You look away before he even lowers the helmet again.

Maybe the worst part about all this is that you’re starting to dread Mando and the kid leaving.

That’s not how this was supposed to go, not how any of this was supposed to play out. You helped him because it was the right thing to do, because it’s exactly what They would tell you not to do, because your life has been the same every single fucking day since you got here.

But that’s been fine. It’s been safe.

“Pass me that wrench?” Mando asks, breaking you out of your thoughts.

You pass him it, noting the tilt of his helmet in a wordless ‘thanks’ before he turns back to his job. He’s up on a ladder, leaning against the ship’s exterior wall with one of the panels fully off, fixing something to do with the foundation for the body.

His ship is bigger than you’d expected. He tells you that it’s bigger than his old ship, the Razor Crest, but only by a little. “It’s a similar shape,” he’d said, “but it has two bunks and more space. For the kid.” He has a star fighter too, apparently, docked at some other base off-world with a friend of his. It’s funny to imagine him with friends, though you’re not sure why. Especially because, since getting to know him the last few days, you know how generous he is. How kind, helpful. Gentle, despite everything.

Why wouldn’t he have friends?

Beneath him, you sit on a crate and lean against the ship, waiting for him to give you more instructions. The engine has been mostly fixed now, as much as it’s ever going to be out here in the middle of nowhere using scrounged-up parts. He’s just getting the last of the body work done, enough to make sure it’s aerodynamically sound.

It’s interesting, watching him work. You ask a lot of questions, and every time you do, you expect a frustrated sigh or an exasperated response. But he answers every question thoroughly, and it doesn’t even distract him from his work.

The sun is warm against your face. The afternoon of Mando’s fifth day on this planet is drawing to a close, fading into the evening. As the sky turns to duller shades of blue, tinted with oranges and pinks, you can’t help but admire the way he looks beneath the light. His armour is always the same, always so distinctive, yet it reflects different lights in different ways. Sometimes it makes the beskar appear darker, like a gun metal grey. Other times it’s a bright silver. Then there are times like this, when it goes with the colour of the sky, reflects the beauty of everything surrounding him.

You think back to the light in the cave, how that looked different still. The urge to see the Galaxy comes over you again, though this time it’s not staring at his ship and dreaming about taking off in it that does it; this time, it’s wondering what he looks like in even more places, more environments. Does the metal get hot in the sunshine? Or is it always as cool as it’s been when you’ve had the chance to feel it before?

The kid is sitting on the ground in front of you. There’s a beetle scuttling around in the mud, and Grogu is toying with it, blocking it off when it runs one way, then doing the same when it runs the other. You wonder if he’s going to eat it, or if he’s just having fun by being cruel to the little six-legged creature.

“Don’t play with your food,” Mando says to him, answering your silent question.

Grogu looks up at him. His ears turn downwards, sulking. Mando ignores his obvious pleas to change his mind, turning back to his work. When Grogu looks back at the beetle, he only just catches it before it runs off, and instead of toying with it anymore, he just shoves it in his mouth with a loud crunch.

You find yourself smiling at him. He smiles back, ears lifting again.

“Alright,” Mando starts to step down from the ladder. You reach out and hold one of the ladder’s legs, knowing he probably doesn’t need you to, but still not wanting to risk it. Ladders make you nervous. “Think that’s the best we’re going to get.”

You look up to the ship. He’s fixed the panel back on again. Now all that remains is the burnt metal from his “interesting landing”, with some bends in it, exposing little sections of the framework beneath. It’s definitely a patchwork job. But it looks better than it did when you got here this morning. So.

“How’s your leg?” He asks as he folds up the ladder.

“Good,” you answer. It’s stretched out in front of you, propped on another crate. “Ship looks good.”

With a resigned sigh, he puts his hand on his hips, and tilts his helmet to look up at his handiwork. “No, she doesn’t. But she’ll do.” Then he looks back to you, “I couldn’t have fixed it without your help. Thank you.”

You shift under his gaze, unable to help it. Every time he looks at you it feels like his eyes can see right through you, and the part that makes you uncomfortable is that it doesn’t make you uncomfortable. Self-conscious and disgustingly aware of your own inappropriate, lustful thoughts? Yes. Uncomfortable? No. You don’t think it ever could.

“Of course,” you say eventually. “And, hey, I’ve got a scar to remember our little adventure by, huh?”

He laughs softly. You see the shake of his chest as the chuckle comes through his modulator. “I’m not sure that’s a good thing.”

“Hm, no. But there’s no gift shop around here. So.”

He shakes his head, and you imagine, hope, that he’s smiling under all that beskar. He certainly looks casual, a hand on one hip, one leg relaxed while his weight rests on the other.

“Do you always stare so much?” You find yourself asking with a teasing, daring quirk of your brow.

“Yes.”

“At everyone, or just me?”

He pauses. Your heart rate spikes briefly as you wait for his response to your terrible excuse for flirting. “At everyone,” he answers eventually, and disappointment starts to set in before he says, “But it’s harder to look away from you.”

Oh.

The disappointment quickly shifts to nervousness, heart beating fast again as you clench your hands in your lap. He just stands there, staring despite the awkward and loaded silence between you, and stares. As if he’s making his point by offering an example.

You look away. Suddenly, your cheeks are hot. “You hungry?” You find yourself asking.

He pauses again, then nods. “Yes.”

“I’ll make us some dinner. You just come back to the hut whenever you’re ready.” It’s only as you stand to hobble back home that you realise he might not want that. You swivel back around to face him, backtrack, “I mean, unless you want to eat out here. Your ship’s fixed now, I guess you can—you can stay in that? You don’t have to come back with me. I’ll be okay.”

Again, getting more and more infuriating with each silence he lets stretch out, he just stares. Kriffing hells, does he ever stop!?

“Would you let me cook for you?” He asks, finally.

You weren’t expecting that.

Shifting weight to your good leg, you raise your eyebrows. “You want to cook me dinner?”

He nods once. “Yes. To thank you for all your help. And as a farewell.”

You’ve been trying your hardest not to think about that part. It sits in your stomach, cold and dreadful and confusing, too far down for you to swallow it. “Alright,” you agree with a soft smile. “I can’t promise I’ve got any decent ingredients, though. You might have to perform a miracle.”

“I’m up to the challenge,” he says, hooking his thumb over the belt around his hips. You’re distracted by it, finding your eyes sliding down to his middle before you catch yourself and look back up. The tilt of his helmet suggests he might have seen your gaze shift. “I’ll walk back with you. Just give me a minute.”

You can’t find a reason to refuse.

♡ updates posted Mondays and Thursdays ♡

notes: thank you for reading! all interactions are appreciated as always, but comments and reblogs especially fuel my need for validation ❤️ as always, the title and lyrics at the start are from taylor swift's "daylight"

taglist: @toobsessedsstuff @granillx @keepingitlokiii @shoe1412 @kiruoris @quentinor @yourunstablegf @moonknight-s-cumdump @senassn @samanthacookieone @local-fanfic-addict @your-slutty-gf @brilliantopposite187 @iwantjoelmillertoultraviolenceme

if you wanna be on the taglist, let me know! (pls specify if just the taglist for this fic, or the list for all my future fics ❤️)

#the mandalorian fanfiction #the mandalorian x you #the mandalorian x reader #din djarin fanfiction #din djarin x reader #din djarin x you #star wars fanfiction #my post #my fic: mando #i only see daylight

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ms-snape · 1 year

Note

Girl where did u go🙁 rescue us with some Ziyech fics

ONLY ONE CAN HAVE HER

Note(please read): I'm so sorry to take that long, I now I haven't take any request but I'm actually really busy with my exams and all, Ntw all the imagines that I actually write are from my french Wattpad account "Skylar_sky9", I'll write about your request soon that I can, I promise, good reading💗.

Summary: Mason and Hakim are in love with the same girl but it's her choice to make.

Y/n's POV

Day: Monday

I check the time on my phone for the thousandth time this evening, the restaurant was filling up more and more and I already regretted having agreed to come, glance at the waiter who gives me a sympathetic look, it was too much for me, so I decide to leave before I get more humiliated, once I get home I take off the dress I was wearing and collapse on the bed without bothering to take off the little layer of makeup on my face, I felt so stupid at that moment.

Hakim's POV

I look at the ball at my feet more angry than ever at my coach, tonight I had planned to go to dinner with Y/n , I had been trying to find the courage to propose to him for months, but Potter told me forced me to train more worst of all and that i couldn't even call him since my phone was dead literally when i got back to the locker room it wouldn't turn on i decided to go to her house and explain everything to her after practice which seemed to be endless.

Y/N's POV

I was lying on my bed staring at the ceiling, I couldn't sleep considering all the questions that were going through my head, among them, why Hakim had stood me up, he looked delighted when I had agreed to go on a date with him, maybe he had a big impediment, but if so why hadn't he called me or just texted? Suddenly the doorbell rings, I jump, hoping inside that it's Hakim, I go down the stairs quickly and open the front door to...Mason..

"hi, sorry, did I wake you up?" he asked, looking at my pyjamas which didn't hide much.

"no, I can't sleep anyway, so what brings you?"

"So... I knew you had an appointment with Hakim tonight, but I saw him in a club not even an hour ago" I felt my heart break at his words I really thought that he had a impediment, but in fact he was having fun in a club not even caring that I had spent two hours waiting for him.

"he didn't even come" I said in a whisper, I felt Mason's hand grab mine, I looked up to see that he was giving me a meal a sympathetic look just like the restaurant waiter.

"You know if you had gone with me, it wouldn't have happened at all, it's like that and you would have had a wonderful evening," he said, rubbing the top of my hand with his thumb.

"I don't know if I can..."

"Y/n... a familiar voice calls out to me, I look behind Mason to see Hakim on the threshold.

" what is he doing here?" he asked pointing to Mason.

"He came to comfort me after you stood me up to go have fun in a club" he was confused a moment before he says.

"I was not in a club but training, I wanted to call you to postpone the meeting to another day, like Saturday, but my phone is dead"

"no actually Saturday she's having dinner with me, right Y/n?" Mason holds me by the waist, Hakim gives me a pleading look waiting for my answer, I didn't know what to say, I wanted to tell him that it was wrong, but at the same time I wanted to make him feel what I felt when he didn't show up.

"Yes it's true" I just said

Day: Thursday

I was sitting in the locker room putting on my shoes to finally leave, I hadn't seen Hakim since that evening and I had to admit that I missed him, suddenly my phone vibrated telling me that I had received a message.

~ hello Y/n Y/l/n

We invite you to participate to a game this Friday where two players from the men's and women's Chelsea team will face a surprise activity~

With the email there was a boutton to accept and another one to refuse , I was hesitant to press accept but did it anyway thinking it might be fun.

Day: Friday

I was sitting at a table in a dark room immediately regretting having accepted, because I had to do the lie detector with Guro who was in the same team as me and also... Hakim and Mason.

<well guys we start with the first question which is just a test) said a man named Luke who was in charge of asking us the questions.

"What's your names?"

(Hakim) (Mason) (Y/n) (Guro) the man at the corner of the room goes the thumbs up we indicate that we were telling the truth.

About ten questions later they had Mason and Guro taken out of the room because they had both lied once leaving me with Hakim.

"Okay guys, only you two are left so we're going to spice things up a bit"

"Hakim this question is for you have you ever had a crush on anyone in the Chelsea women's team" I turn to Hakim who looked a little nervous, but he calmed down quickly before answering

"Yes" my heart was racing as I turned to the man who gave a thumbs up indicating that Hakim was telling the truth.

"wait, wait seriously? are you still it or it's in the past..." asked Luke

"actually I still am"

"ok ok, it's your turn Y/n you have the same question except it's about the men's team" I didn't know if I should answer hoping that the machine wouldn't work or tell the truth.

"I...same yes" I avoided Hakim's gaze while I was saying that, I knew that just by my expression he would have known who I was talking about. We had finally finished and could finally go home, while I was going out to my car someone called out to me.

"Y/n "I turn around to see Hakim running towards me, he stops and looks me straight in the eyes.

"Earlier, when you said you had a crush on someone in the men's team, you were talking about Mason, right?"

"Why do you think that?" Asking him I confuse.

"well you agreed to go to dinner with him tomorrow"

"yes, and I had also agreed to go to dinner with you but you didn't come" said I didn't cross my arms.

"he was lying to you, I was not in aclub I was training because Mason told the coach I needed to improve, he knew we weren't going to have dinner together so he did everything so that I don't show up, and you hate me" he said sincerely. there I knew he was telling the truth even without a lie detector , but I was upset because of what Mason did.

"Actually, when I said that earlier I wasn't talking about a Mason, I was talking about you" said shyly, I didn't know what he was going to answer to that and I was afraid of rejection, he grabbed my chin and lifted my head then... kissed me.

"I was talking about you too" he said to me " then? Do you still want to have dinner with Mason tomorrow or would you rather spend the day with me?"

"I choose the second option"

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

That's it that's all.

Thank you for reading and see you soon for a new imagine. Send me your idea.

Lovee u💗

#football player #imagine #football love #hakim ziyech imagine #hakim ziyech × reader #hakim ziyech #ziyech #hakim ziyech imagines #hakimi x reader #mason mount #mason mount imagine

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imagine-a-fictional-boyfriend · 2 years

Text

I’ll Take Care of You, Chapter 18: Coffee

Just some plot advancement, nothin' spicy. Hope it’s not too boring!

Fic Summary: Reader works in the hospital where Billy Russo keeps his mother. They’ve caught each other’s eye. But she thinks he is the devoted son… little does she know what hides behind a handsome face and expensive suits.

Posted on my ao3 as well :)

Pairing: Billy Russo x Fem!Nurse!Reader

Chapter Summary: Your bestie finally meets Billy. Is her reaction to him a good or bad one?

Warnings: minor swearing. PDA?

Words: 2.2k

Masterlist ~~ Chapter 17

Thursday came by quickly. You had another day shift on Monday, and then night shifts Tuesday and last night. You hadn’t talked to Billy much with him being back at work and you sleeping for the majority of the days you had your night shifts. You had texted your bestie the location of a coffee shop a few days ago, mentioning that Billy had been the one to suggest it. She was impressed.

You were getting ready to go to the coffee shop now. Billy said he’d pick you up at 4, which was soon. You didn’t bother putting on lots of makeup, just the basics to cover up some of the fatigue showing on your face from your previous nightshift.

Your bestie had told you how excited she was, but also reminded you that she hadn’t forgotten when you’d texted her in frustration about him. When he spoke to your boss without telling you and giving a donation to the hospital after you almost got fired. The time when he left in the morning before you could talk about that issue that you had refrained from telling her… when he had brought over tons of cash and weapons and scared the shit out of you.

But you hoped she wouldn’t be too hard on him. You hadn’t told her anything truly personal about him, other than the fact that he had served in the Marines and his mother used to be one of your patients. She knew he was the founder and CEO of Anvil. And she knew he was 10 years older than you. She also partially knew how spicy things were between you two.

Anyway, that was a fair amount of information for her to start any kind of conversation. You weren’t too worried about it; you knew she wouldn’t mention anything that would indicate you spilled details of your relationship. Boys didn’t need to know everything.

Your phone rang. The cute picture of Billy appeared on the screen.

“Hi.” You said warmly.

“Hey, little lady. I’m out front. Ready to go?”

“Yes, let me just grab my purse. I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay.”

You hung up and reached over for your purse.

You went down to the ground floor with excitement in your chest.

Billy had pulled up to the curb in his Rolls Royce. He was leaning against the passenger door and he smiled warmly when he saw your excited face.

You walked right up to him, stood on your toes and wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed him pleasantly on the mouth.

He hummed, but kept his hands in his pockets.

“You look very nice.” You said when you pulled away, hand smoothing down his tie. It looked like he was coming from work, a suit tucked underneath a long coat.

“I ended up having a meeting before this, but made sure I got out in time to pick up my little lady for a more important meeting.” He said with a little smirk.

You let go of him. “I’m glad you have your priorities sorted.”

He chuckled and opened the door. You were always left in awe, seeing the door open from the rear instead of the front like other cars. “Hop in, baby. Don’t wanna be late.”

“Thank you.” You got in and settled against the leather seat as Billy shut your door and got into the driver’s seat.

Unfortunately, you did hit some traffic. The place Billy picked out was a bit of drive, but it was closer to where your friend worked, for her convenience. When you got there, your knee was bouncing and it was 4:46pm.

You didn’t wait for Billy to open the door for you. You got out and slipped your purse onto your shoulder.

“Come on!” you said as his head appeared over the roof of the car.

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” He said.

You looped your arm through his and you walked over to the coffee shop and in the door.

You immediately started looking for your friend, feeling terrible that you were 20 minutes late. You spotted her and left Billy behind as you rushed over to see her. She stood when she saw you and you wrapped her in a big hug. You hadn’t seen her in a while.

You were both kind of squealing and you heard Billy’s chuckle behind you. You let your friend go and turned around. Billy was brushing his fingers over his lips, a little smirk residing there.

You blushed, and introduced them.

Billy held out his hand for her to shake. She looked at it, then took it with a sweet smile.

“Nice to meet you, William.” She said.

You tried not to shake your head; she was trying to test his reaction.

“Oh, please, all my friends call me Billy.” He gave a dazzling smile. He continued holding her hand.

She smiled right back at him. “Friends already? I barely know you!”

“We’re here to change that, aren’t we?”

“Well, you’re right. Nice to meet you, Billy.”

He finally let go of her hand. “You, as well. My apologies that we’re late. You know that New York traffic.”

“Oh, no worries. I’m sure Y/N got stressed but it doesn’t bother me too much. I just ordered myself a coffee while I waited.”

“Ah, shit. Wanted to cover your bill.” Billy said, clicking his tongue.

Your friend raised her eyebrow at you. “Wow. Very kind of you. Does Y/N get the same treatment?” She batted her eyelashes innocently.

Billy smiled. “Anything she wants, I’d give her. But she’s adamant on splitting the bill, usually.”

Your friend grinned devilishly. “That’s my girl. We don’t need no man. Like Cher said, men are a luxury, not a necessity.”

Billy’s eyebrows raised. “I see. Well, little lady, did you want me to get you something or...?”

You felt a blush on your cheeks. “Um, actually, would you mind just getting me a cappuccino?”

“Of course. I’ll be right back.”

“Thank you.”

Billy went over to order and you looked over to your friend. “What was that?!”

She shrugged. “I’m just trying to make the point that money ain’t everything,” she said as she sat down.

You sat down across from her. “Okay, that’s fair. But take it easy on him. He doesn’t throw money around to impress me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” You said adamantly. “After I told him about that shit with my boss he only really pays if I ask or if I’m feeling shitty.”

“Okay, fine. I won’t bring it up again.”

“Thank you. Be nice to him!”

“I want the best for you, babe. We’ll see if he deserves it.”

“Okay. And also, no one calls him William. That was weird.”

She grinned devilishly again. “I’m weird, what can I say?”

You shook your head with a laugh.

Billy came back and set your cappuccino down. You looked up at him with a pout. “Where’s yours?”

“Didn’t really feel like anything.”

“Boo, lame!” Your bestie said.

Billy raised his hands in surrender. “I know. After a day of work, though, I’ve probably had enough caffeine.”

“Are you sure you don’t want anything?” You asked.

“I’m sure, baby girl.”

“Aw, look at all your little pet names for Y/N. That’s cute.” Your friend said. She stuck out her bottom lip.

You blushed.

“What do you call him?” She asked.

“Oh, I don’t really have any for Billy.” You said.

“No?” She asked skeptically.

Billy smiled faintly. “She doesn’t really.”

You shrugged. “What can I say. I just like Billy. Well, I’ve called him Mr. Russo a couple times.”

Billy hummed. “Wasn’t sure if you wanted to mention that,” he said with a wink.

Your cheeks warmed again and your bestie gave you an impressed look. “Okay, okay. I see you, girl.”

Your blush deepened and they both had a laugh at your embarrassment.

“So, how long have you guys been together, now?” Your bestie asked.

As if you hadn’t told her everything.

“A few months now.” Billy answered.

“And Y/N told me you met at her work?”

Billy nodded. “My mother was one of her patients. Every time I saw her she would just take my breath away.” His eyes met yours and you smiled at him. “Eventually I asked for her number and we took it from there.”

“That’s sweet! How’s your mom doing?”

Billy’s smile twitched. “She’s alright.” He cleared his throat, then changed the subject. “What kind of work do you do? Y/N hasn’t told me much about you.”

“Wow, Y/N, I’m a little offended.” She said jokingly.

Your mouth opened indignantly. “It’s not my fault Mr. Russo’s not much of a talker!”

She hid her grin behind her cup as she took a sip.

Billy wrapped his arm around your shoulders. “I’m only joking, little lady.”

You made a pouty face and he kissed your temple.

Your friend put her coffee down. “I just have boring office job.”

“Nothing wrong with a desk job.”

“It’s not nearly as exciting as owning your own private security company. That’s pretty impressive, Billy. How did you manage that? Y/N told me you served in the Marines.”

You’d wondered that too, but had never asked. It wasn’t really any of your business how he got his start up money.

“I made some money working with people I served under after our tour was over. I saved up enough, started a small security gig with some guys on my team, and things grew from there. I’m lucky that New York isn’t America’s safest city, and that a lot of high profile people live and work here.”

Her eyebrows were raised and she nodded. “Right on.”

The three of you continued chatting. Your friend seemed to ask Billy question after question, but he answered everything smoothly. He had his arm around your shoulders the entire time, keeping you tucked close to him. After maybe 20 minutes, Billy’s phone rang. He pulled it out and checked the screen.

“Ah, shit. I’ve gotta take this. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.” You smiled up at him as he stood.

“Russo.” He said into the phone before he walked away.

You turned to your friend. “So, what do you think?”

“He seems nice. Charming.”

“Uh huh. Yeah, do you like him?”

“Yeah, he’s alright.” She didn’t say it in the joking way of actually meaning that he was great.

Your brow furrowed a bit. “Just alright?”

She shrugged. “He’s not the kind of person I’d expect you to go for, is all. I don’t really see how you fit.”

You frowned a little. “What does that mean?”

“I don’t know. He seems almost too cool and collected. He’s kind of, I don’t know. I feel like he’s trying to seem laid back but I don’t think he is.”

You slouched so your back was resting against the chair. “Oh.”

“And how did he get money for Anvil? Coming out of the Marines he’d be broke as hell. And now he has some big successful company? What kind of work do you think he was doing before that to get himself here?”

You toyed with the lid in your cappuccino. “I don’t know. It’s not really my place to ask. He’s had time to grow his business. He’s older than us, remember?”

“Has he showed you off to anyone?”

You looked at her, stunned. “Pardon me?”

“You know, like showed you off in the office. Like you’re arm candy.”

Your hands curled into fists. “What? No. Why would you say that?”

“Because! You’re hot, babe. You’re young. And having a younger woman usually makes a man show off.’

“Well, he hasn’t done that. He’s not like that.” You crossed your arms over your chest.

“Okay, okay.” She backed off.

“I haven’t even met anyone he works with, anyway.”

“No?”

You shrugged, trying not to get too irritated. “I don’t know, it’s only been like 4 months since we started dating. It’s not like he’s always in his office and I can drop him off lunch. He goes out to work gigs, too, so sometimes he’s not even in the office.”

Your friend nodded. “Yeah that makes sense.”

Billy appeared and you looked up at him. His face looked regretful.

“What’s wrong?” you asked.

“That was work. I actually have to go. I can drive you home now but I’m sure you want to stay, so I can send Jack for you later.

You barely looked at your friend. You were kind of done with today. Her reaction to Billy wasn’t quite what you were expecting, nor was it what you wanted.

“I think I’ll actually head home now, if you can drive me.”

Billy nodded. “Okay.” He turned to your friend. “It was lovely meeting you. Perhaps we can all get dinner together sometime.”

“Yeah, I'll let you know.” She said politely.

“Okay. Come on, baby girl.”

You stood and grabbed your purse. You looked over at your friend. She was watching you with an anxious look in her eyes.

You turned to go.

“Y/N?” You heard your friend behind you.

You looked back at her. “I’m still kind of tired from my night shift and don’t want to have to take a taxi. Text me later, 'kay?”

She nodded, looking a little dejected. “Okay.”

You flashed her a little smile, which felt pretty forced, before you turned to catch up with Billy, taking his hand as you left the coffee shop with much less excitement as when you’d arrived.

@booksandbenbarnes @thatbritishactor @quellmythirst @adriennebarnes

Authors note: *sad trombone noises* poor reader. Her bestie doesn't like her man... What's she gonna do?

Taglist aka beeeeans

@princess-miaa @catherinnn @kahlanmars @tnrthings @hisdoll107

@loubombshell @slut4benbarnes @nothinkingonlycrying @whattheforks

@musicalggirl @whor-3-crux @bxtchopolis @restingbitchsblog

@nerds4life246 @hydrogen-in-our-veins @insssanemind @thegreengoop @springtimesimmer @dragon-of-winterfell @sweetwritingfanficfriend

Chapter 19

#i'll take care of you #billy russo fanfic #billy russo fic #billy russo x you #billy russo x reader #billy russo #the punisher #the punisher fanfic #the punisher fic #fanfic

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livfastdieyoung69 · 1 year

Text

Bones, Body, Soul.

A Jeff Hardy Story. (Ch. 3)

After years of waiting, and getting the shit beat out of them almost every Monday, Thursday, and Sunday, Matt and Jeff were finally debuting as actual wrestlers. As happy as Lemmy was for them, they couldn't help but be jealous, having two more months to wait, but who wouldn't be? They were driving to the stadium Monday Night Raw would be hosted after forcing Lemmy to go with them, sitting in a comfortable silence as Matt seemed to contemplate his existence in the driver's seat.

"...You ok over there, bud?" Lemmy broke the silence from behind him.

"What? Oh, yeah, sorry. I'm just nervous and overthinking everything." He laughed nervously as his hands rung against the steering wheel.

"Mm, I get that. I promise, though, nothing will go wrong, and I'll be watching backstage anyway, so if something happens, I can just run out there and power bomb a few people, no big deal." Before Matt could even think of responding the car went over a huge pothole, and Jeff's head slammed against the window. The poor boy woke up with a loud groan and grabbed at the side of his head, the sounds of Matt and Lemmy laughing at him filling the car.

"Shut up, that hurt!" His attitude only made them laugh more. Jeff let out another groan, this time in embarrassment. "So goddamn mean to me..." He muttered under their breath and moved to put his head on the console instead of the window.

"Oh, poor baby, all we do is bully you, huh?" Their hand moved up to push the hair out of Jeff's face as they continued berating him, tone condescending but soft in a way that made it seem not too mean. "I hate you, Lemm." He grabbed the hand away from his face and held it in his. "I'm sure you do." The only response Lemmy was given was the GPS telling Matt to turn right.

"Hey, Lemm! What're you doin' here?" A feminine voice broke Lemmy out of their thoughts. "Nothing much, it's the guys' first real match so I came along. Just waiting for them and we'll prolly go to catering or something. What's goin' on with you, Chyna?"

"Oh, nothing new, I love it though. Tell those boys of yours I said good luck for me, alright?" Lemmy let out a hum and a nod. "I gotta get going, I was looking for Shawn, you seen him?"

"Yeah, I was just talking to him, he went over to see Hunter I think."

"Alright, thanks. See you later, gorgeous!"

"Yeah, see you!" With no one else to talk to, Lemmy leaned back against the wall and waited. It didn't take too long for the door to open revealing the brothers in their ring attire.

"Well look at you two! Man, all the ladies are gonna love you, huh?" A small blush crawled up Jeff's face when Lemmy gave a tug at his belt loop, making him stumble over in their direction. Matt gave out a laugh before speaking up.

"Adam said he would be over by the gorilla, I'm gonna go say hi real quick. Wanna come?"

"Nah, I'm gonna stay behind and try to get the sleep out of my system. Say hi for me though." Jeff had always been on the quieter side of the two, but Lemm could always get him out of his shell.

"I'll stay with you then, do some warmups or somethin'."

"Alright, I'll leave you to it then I guess. See you in a bit." Matt turned the corner, leaving the two by themselves. A moment of silence cast over them. That was something that seemed to happen a lot, yet it was never in a bad way they were simply enjoying each other's presence.

"You excited?" Jeff's head whipped over to Lemmy at the sudden words. His eyebrows raise as he nodded his head.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm real excited. Just as nervous but we'll be fine out there. I'm really glad you came with us though." His response brought a smile to their lips.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Jeffro. Y'know how much I love you. I mean, I love matt more but.." Jeff's offended look made them burst into laughter. Making them laugh had always been something Jeff loved, hearing Lemmy's loud cackle always brightened his day.

"Hey!" Jeff gave their shoulder a playful push before pulling them into a rough hug. Soon enough the two returned back to silence as they remained hugging, now swaying back and forth.

"Seriously though, Nero, I love you. A lot, dude." Lemmy muttered into his shoulder as one of their hands rubbed up and down his side. Jeff pulled them in tighter.

"Love you too, Dal. So much." It wasn't common for anybody to use Dallas' first name, but they loved hearing it from Jeff. The two separated after a while and continued their hushed conversation.

"I meant it when I said everyone's gonna be swooning over you. You look nice. Real nice." Lemmy's words made Jeff blush even more than earlier. They laughed at the boy's reaction, making him hide behind his hands. "Oh, don't get all shy on me now!"

"Stop making fun of me, Lemm!"

"In what world am I making fun of you? I just said I loved you and that you're hot! C'mon man, let's warm up before you lose the rest of your brain."

Lemmy in the middle of a deep, possibly romantic situation: hey man, I love you, bro, so much dude, like broski, so much bruther

I'm so sorry this took me way too long, school has been shitty and my seasonal depression flew right back in with the snow but I did eventually get there. Enjoy! @joeyfilth

#jeff hardy x reader #jeff hardy #jeff hardy x oc #wwe imagine #bonesbodysoul #LIV writes;*!

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inkofamethyst · 1 year

Text

February 6, 2023

I don’t really know where to begin.

Should I start with the Tuesday/Wednesday visit which ended in an offer? Or the Thursday/Friday visit where I cried two days in a row? Well, since writing that sentence alone brought tears to my eyes, I think I’m going to start with Tuesday/Wednesday.

I went to my classes on Tuesday then drove for four hours to this big ol’ university (Choice F) in the middle of nowhere and had dinner with some grad students who were great all around (and the food was really fantastic). Woke up early to grad breakfast with my potential advisor (also quite good), then we went to one of the facilities where I met his current grad student and a bunch of people he works with a lot, and finally went to the department. Now, unlike my first visit, I was the only prospie there, and while on one hand it was cool getting personalized attention, I also felt way more vulnerable. In an all-eyes-are-on-me-and-I-can’t-turn-to-another-prospie-to-help-minimize-my-discomfort kind of way. In the department I spoke with a few of the faculty members and they were really truly great. Went to lunch with some grad students (again, very good), then back to talk with more faculty. And at the end of the day I met with my potential advisor again and he was like “hey we really like you and think you would do great here, so we want to make you an offer” and I was kind of speechless because that’s the kind of thing that only happens in my dreams. Going in for a job interview and being offered the job by the manager the day of????

And then I left. Drove another four hours out of the middle of nowhere to one of the least “middle of nowhere” places on the planet. But before I talk about that, I’ll do a quick analysis: I think I’d be happy at that first place, probably. The only problem is that it’s so terribly far removed from everything. I’d have to drive everywhere and I dislike driving. There’s truly nothing to do, but the program excels in terms of research. It’s only five years, and the money is decent.

Anyway I get to middle-of-everywhere and pretty much immediately go to sleep. Wake up the next day, put on my suit (I would not recommend wearing a suit to a grad school interview unless you’re told to do so. I didn’t feel weird about it because the suit made me feel confident and I needed as much of that as I could get, but I was pretty clearly overdressed. A nice sweater or button up with slacks is perfectly fine.), meet a whole host of other prospies, then walk to the grad student center for my Choice B. Got breakfast, did tours, got lunch, then had my admissions interview. The only panel interview I’ve done so far, and this one was crazy. They straight-up decimated my project proposal and my confidence right along with it. And that’s a bit of an exaggeration because I know I did the best I could and I know the whole point was to see how you think, while my other interviews (aside from the weird one last Monday) seemed more focused on who I was. My goals, my dreams, my assessment of their program. In this one they started taking notes as soon as I opened my mouth. Filled up a page or two during the conversation where I was pelted with questions that I barely knew how to answer. I had to admit once that I didn’t know the answer to one of them. I came out of that admissions interview completely shell-shocked.

And I have to put some background to this because it’ll explain why I had such a reaction. The potential advisor at that school is someone I’ve worked with before for an extensive period. I really look up to her, she wrote most of my LORs, and a huge part of me wanted her to be proud of me in that interview because it was the project I did with her that put me on this career path. And I know. I know I shouldn’t look for external affirmations, I know she’s not really the type to be overly expressive, I know she’s part of admissions and can’t really play favorites in that way, I know it’s not expected for prospies to “do well” during that interview. I know, I know, I know. But I came out of that interview feeling as though I’d failed, and I still had hours left of socializing to go.

Those social hours were a lot of fun, actually. I made two really cool friends who I’ve connected with post-visit, and I look forward to seeing what they end up doing. And then another one of my mentors showed up randomly and he’s always fun hang around, very smart but also very fun. Anyway I left with some others before the night was up, and it ended up being a thirteen-hour day. I came into the room cranky and tearing up, and went to bed pretty quick. And there was still another day to go.

The second day had more tours and I had some individual meeting with my potential advisor and some of my potential committee members. My first one was with that lady. And it was rough. I told her about some of my successes over the past week but how I was really really interested in this program for a variety of reasons... and a lot of what she said sounded like she was pushing me away. She went through almost every single place I’d applied, even the one I wasn’t all that into, and talked about how it would be good for me, for my future, but she did not mention the school she was at. And I didn’t know if that was because she knew that I hadn’t done particularly well during that interview or because she didn’t really want to work with me or because the other girl (who’s awesome btw, I hope we stay friends) who was applying to work with her was ranked higher than I was and she was softening the blow or because or because or because... and of course my mind went to the worst case scenario because I felt like I was failing. I hadn’t felt imposter syndrome that hard academically/intellectually in years.

My second meeting was with that professor who was at the social and who I’ve worked with before, and it was really really nice. I mean he didn’t spare the tough questions because that was his job, to interview me, but he took me on a tour of one of the bone collections, and it was a nice reprieve from feeling the dumbest I’d felt in years. Another tour and then a final meeting with a potential committee member, a super smart dude who was also in my interview, and at that point of the day I was so drained that I was just pulling words outta nowhere, I don’t even know if I was coherent. At one point I was so frustrated that I couldn’t finish a complete thought that I nearly teared up then and there, but I composed myself and finished it.

And while all of this was happening, the other two undergrad TAs were having a mild crisis because tons of people needed to do makeups and I had my phone off and away so it wouldn’t be a distraction, so I couldn’t contribute. And the guy at my Choice D (recall: my first interview event a week before) emailed me twice over the course of the day asking if I was available to chat, and I missed those emails at the time, but I was so high-strung that I was afraid of all sorts of things that he’d want to talk about (”for clarification, would you come here if I was your advisor” (no :/) “I regret to inform you that you are no longer being considered” (oh :/) or anything like that, anything and everything bad was flying through my head that day). And I received a solicitation for an additional essay to be considered for another fellowship at my Choice G. And I received an offer from my Choice A, my bottom choice. And I was missing class again, and, and, and... I checked my phone at the end of the day and I just.. I felt horribly overwhelmed.

I thought I would feel better by walking around the grounds a bit (it’s a place I’ve wanted to visit for literal years) but I absolutely did not feel better and had to retreat to my hotel (barely holding back my tears on the way there) where I would’ve had a full downward spiral if my dad hadn’t been there to pull me together. I had to bar myself from thinking about the experience, but I replied to the Choice D guy and he called me to promptly offer me admission with a fellowship and a co-advisor situation between himself and the person I wanted to work with in the first place (who technically can’t take a student). So, positive news. But I still felt like crap. Tired body, exhausted mind.

When I told my parents the real reason why I was so upset (it’s not even that I had high expectations for myself, it really was that I wanted someone else to be proud of me which is so terribly juvenile and I’ll need to lose that tendency soon else I’ll be eaten alive in the academic machine), their outside perspective helped me see a few things. 1. The lady might’ve been pushing me away for a reason. Not necessarily that she doesn’t want to work with me, but if she’s someone who truly has my best interest at heart, she may very well think that her institution would not serve me the best out of some of these other places. But she couldn’t come out and just say that because walls are thin (literally and figuratively). 2. It probably wouldn’t be in my best interest to attend a school whose interview made me feel so exhausted, so self-conscious, so upset. It was academic hazing, is what it was.

Which made writing those thank-you notes this morning so terribly uncomfortable, but even if I don’t want to go, I might as well improve my chances of getting in as best as I can. For the sake of my ego (I’m goin for 7/7 if I can, currently at 4/7 with a last interview at my Choice C sometime next week over Zoom (thank god)!). But it’s not a big deal if I don’t make it into any of the others. I have good options. But I’m too tired to really think about them very much right now. Give me two weeks of “rest”.

Today I’m thankful for a lot of things. I’m thankful for four offers in a week. I’m thankful to have people in my corner who are fantastic. I’m thankful for the experience. I’m thankful for the friends I made in a week??? Literally the most fun part about this past week was meeting so many cool people, both my peers and in the generation above mine. Such an amazing opportunity. I’m thankful for my parents, for traveling with me and allowing me to only have to focus on my performance and reassuring me when I needed it. I’m thankful for Critical Role which I listened to at night after my horror-show of an admissions event to distract my mind and fall asleep. I’m thankful for the puppy who was there to cheer me up when I got back home. Might have to get a pet of my own next year. Lastly, I’m thankful to be back on campus, finally. To get back into the normal academic swing of things, a week and a half after everyone else. I guess I’m also thankful that I’m not really doing a “full” course load this semester, too. Thankful that we’re singing cool music in the orchestra this semester. Thankful for the R workshop I attended today. Thankful my discussion class was short. Thankful for vanilla extract. So many things to be thankful for that I overturned the sanctity (heh, titty) of the “Lastly,” a few sentences back.

Made cilantro-lime rice today. And grilled chicken. My hands smell so good. Thankful for that, too.

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capricornwriter5 · 2 years

Text

Always on time - Chapter 9

Pairing: Jooheon x female OC

Genre: childhood friends to enemies, enemies to friends, friends to lovers, smut (later chapters), fluff, angst, slow burn, idol AU!

Warning: mentions of mental health issues, mentions of workaholic disorder, curse words

Words: 5k

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Chapter 9

If I can’t get Jooheon out of my office, I’ll leave for now.

That was Julie’s thought on the Monday of the following week when she arrived at work, and so far, she had stuck to the plan. The thing was, this time the reason she didn’t want to spend time with Jooheon had nothing to do with him, at least not directly. The conversation with Areum was still very recent and Julie needed time to think. Telling her friend what had happened had cost her a lot and Areum’s reaction had not been what Julie expected.

After going for soju and ramen, Julie returned to the apartment and both friends watched several episodes of a new drama, then each one took a bath and finally fell asleep while talking. Neither of them mentioned the subject of Jooheon again and decided to act as if nothing had happened.

Julie, for her part, knew Areum was right. Now, years later and with a little more maturity, Julianne realized that her resentment towards Jooheon was not very grounded, but at the time the pain felt so real that it was not a feeling that was easy to forget. Besides, Julie was a little mad at Areum for not trying to understand how her 19-year-old-self had felt.

It was already Thursday and the friends had not spoken since Saturday morning. It wasn’t that they were fighting, it was just that Julie had a lot on her mind and Areum was giving her space.

In any case, the opening date of the exhibition was getting closer, and Julie was grateful to have so much to do. Not only did she stay busy, but she stayed away from the gallery without anyone thinking her behavior was strange. While it is true that many of the things she had done in those days could have been done sitting in her office, Julie was known for her perfectionism, so neither Rei nor Director Kim nor the other gallery workers were surprised at her behavior.

The only one who was worried was Jooheon.

He couldn’t take of his mind the image of Julie crying alone in front of a convenience store. He didn’t know what had happened, but he was worried. He had thought of paying attention to her during work and trying to glimpse anything that might indicate she was feeling bad... but Julie had spent all these days going from place to place without giving Jooheon time to even ask if she needed help.

Maybe it’s for the best, the rapper thought, if she’s busy, she won’t be able to think about whatever happened to her. And if you can’t think about what happened right now, you can do it later with a cold mind.

Anyway, Jooheon was also full of work. Minhyuk’s exhibition would open in a week and there were still thousands of details to fix. Many of them were technical and logistical details with which Jooheon could not help, so he decided to arrange the auction that was going to be held at the end of the exhibition period a couple of months from now.

Minhyuk and Jooheon had met the previous day to define which organizations would benefit from the auction. It was also necessary to decide which pieces would be auctioned, when the announcement of the activity would be made, how it would be promoted, if it was going to be an event closed to the public, outdoors, with entrance... Anyway, everything related to the organization of an event, something that neither Jooheon nor Minhyuk had done before, so it was proving to be a challenge for both.

There was also another detail they still had to handle: the public announcement of Minhyuk’s exhibition.

With just a week to go before the inauguration, no announcement of the activity had yet been made. This was a bit out of the ordinary, as these things were given advance notice, but both Minhyuk and Jooheon and their company had agreed that it would be best to announce the exhibition at short notice, as otherwise, the Monbebe’s enthusiasm could interfere with the gallery’s daily activities as well as the planning of the activity. After all, the idea was that everything would be a surprise.

That is why Jooheon and Minhyuk would meet with a journalist to write the event’s note until the next day’s afternoon. The initial idea was that Julie would also be present, but since she had been coming and going from God knows where Jooheon had not had time to tell her.

At lunchtime, Minhyuk arrived with Kihyun and I.M. at the gallery. The four went to lunch at a nearby location and minutes later Liv joined them. The five ordered their food and started talking about everything and nothing at once. Minutes after their orders arrived to their table, Minhyuk, Kihyun, and I.M. began discussing the exchange rate and issues of the stock exchange and politics that Liv did not understand much of, so she tried to make conversation with Jooheon... but the rapper had his head in the clouds.

"Ah? Did you tell me something, Liv?" Jooheon asked when he noticed that Liv was staring at him.

"Nothing important" she replied. "Everything all right, Jooheon-ah? You are extremely distracted today".

"I’m not," he defended himself.

"Of course" Liv replied. "Minhyuk has been stealing food from you all this time and you haven’t even noticed".

At that moment, Jooheon looked down at his plate and saw Minhyuk’s hand stealing a French fried. He reacted immediately by hitting his hand so he would let go of his food and try to focus on his lunch. Liv, meanwhile, just laughed.

"Don’t worry," she said, as the others continued to argue, "you’ll surely find a way to talk to her".

"Talk to who?"

"Well, I don’t know. Whoever has your head somewhere else," Liv replied with a wink.

Jooheon just chuckled dry and started eating. He was impressed with how fast Liv was to read the room. The only time it failed was when I.M. was involved, but it was understandable, as the common sense of both came out the window when it came to the other.

Once they had all finished eating, the five headed to the gallery. I.M. and Kihyun insisted that they wanted to see how the exhibition was going and, although Minhyuk told them that the pieces were not yet on the walls and that only half of the interior design was finished, both insisted on seeing where Jooheon had been for the last five weeks. That’s how Jooheon ended up giving them a tour of the place.

"Well, guys, that’s it," Jooheon told them back on the first floor of the gallery, and once he had shown them the three floors of the building. "I hope you liked the white walls and the pieces of cloth sprinkled on the floor. I have to go back to work, so you can go and..."

Jooheon couldn’t finish the sentence. He was saying goodbye to everyone as he headed to Jules' office to keep working, yet he didn’t notice where he was going and bumped into someone coming out of one of the doors.

"Jules! I’m sorry, are you all right?" Jooheon asked as he realized who he had stumbled upon. Julianne was coming out of her office, she had come to pick up some papers she had forgotten, but now all the pages were on the floor.

"Ehhhh yes, I’m fine... mmm you can let go, Jooheon-ssi," she replied.

"Huh? Ah! Yeah, sure, I’m sorry." Jooheon hadn’t noticed, but to keep Jules from falling to the ground, he had taken her by the waist and, well, he hadn’t let go. Gradually, the rapper began to feel his ears red and reprimanded himself for the senseless reaction. Come on Jooheon-ah, he thought, you’re not in school, calm down.

"Here," Liv said suddenly addressing Julie. "I don’t know if it’s the right order, but here are the papers you dropped".

"Thank you" answered Julie.

"Sorry, Julie-ssi" intervened Minhyuk, "our Jooheon can be really clumsy".

"No problem, Minhuyk-ssi," Julie replied. "It’s good to see you, but..."

"You must be Seo Julianne" interrupted Kihyun, "the curator in charge of the exhibition".

"That’s me, yes".

"It’s a pleasure," Kihyun continued by extending his hand. "My name is Yoo Kihyun, and he is Im Changkyung. Minhyuk and Jooheon have told us a bit about the event, it seems that it will be very special".

"The pleasure is mine" replied Julianne. "And, well, the activity is designed to best show the work of Minhyuk-ssi. I hope it will please everyone".

"Sure it will" jumped Liv. "I’m Olivia, by the way".

"It’s nice to meet you all," Julie continued. "I would love to stay, but I have to coordinate some extra details with the printer for the exhibition day. You’ll have to excuse me, but I hope to see you on the opening day".

"Are you going alone, Jules? At this hour?" Jooheon asked. "It’s two hours from here and two back, don’t you think you’d better go tomorrow?"

"Why don’t you accompany her, Jooheon-ah?" Liv said before Julie could respond. "I know he can be a little noisy at times, but he plays good music and you can split the driving hours," continued Liv, this time addressing Julie.

"Ah, no, no, it’s okay," Julie said. "It’s a long trip and I don’t want to bother anyone. It’s not the first time I travel back and forth on an afternoon, so..."

“I’m sure it’s no trouble, is it, Jooheon-ah?" Minhyuk interrupted.

"Ah? No, no, not at all, it’s just that..."

"Good!" Minhyuk continued. "I hope it doesn’t bother you, Julie-ssi, it’s just that it’s a long trip and I wouldn’t want anything to happen to the mastermind behind my exhibit a few days before the inauguration".

"Oh... sure, I appreciate the concern, although it’s not necessary," Julie replied. Something told her she couldn’t convince them that she could do this alone, so she decided to play along for now. "In any case, we must leave now if we want to get there before they close. You really don’t mind, Jooheon-ssi?"

"Ah? Ah, yes, sure. Come on." Jooheon didn’t understand what was going on. He didn’t expect Julie to accept the idea. For better or worse, Jooheon had made up his mind to put a little distance, as it didn’t seem like the best time for Julie. In any case, he wasn’t going to waste the opportunity to spend time with her, even if it was in silence.

"We’re going to stay behind checking something up, right, Minhyuk?" Liv said.

"Yes, exactly" he replied. "There are some details I want to show you".

"Really?" I.M. started to say "Didn’t you say we already...?"

"Go ahead!" Liv interrupted as he grabbed her boyfriend’s arm harder than necessary. "Don’t wait for us... Ah! And it was a pleasure, Julie-ssi. We’ll see you soon".

After all the goodbyes, Julie headed to the gallery exit, followed by Jooheon who did not miss Olivia’s and Minhyuk’s intention. The dancer even winked as they were leaving, managing to make Jooheon smile for the first time in the day. Liv, sometimes you scare me, but thanks, Jooheon thought as he got to Julie’s car.

"You really don’t need to come with me, Jooheon-ssi," Julie said, opening the back door. "I guess you’ll have plans".

"Well.... No, I don’t" Jooheon replied. "Although, if you’re uncomfortable with me going with you, I understand, Jules. Just tell me how I help you more".

Julianne stared at the asphalt in the parking lot and sighed. She was really tired, physically and mentally, and could use Jooheon’s help. Also, while she had avoided him all week, at that time it occurred to her that spending time with him might clear things up... or make them worse, she thought.

Either way, she made up her mind.

"Do you know the way?" asked Julie. "I could use some rest. I’ve been driving all day. If you don’t, I can drive one way and you..."

"I know where it is," Jooheon said without letting it finish. "Don’t worry, I’ll drive, and you can rest".

"Well... thank you," replied Julie as she handed the car keys to Jooheon and sat in the passenger’s seat.

Jooheon ran to the driver’s side, entered the car, put on his belt, and started the engine. They came out of the parking lot quietly and drove like that for a few minutes. Julie relaxed in the passenger’s seat and began to watch the cars and the people passing through the window.

She looks tired, Jooheon thought.

"If you want, you can sleep, Jules," Jooheon said. "It wouldn’t be the first time I hear you snoring".

Shit, he reprimanded himself immediately.

"Look who’s talking," replied Julie with a dry laugh, always with her eyes fixed on the window. "I hope you had some procedure done in these years to solve your nasal problem. My poor mother still has nightmares with your Kremlin snoring".

"Yah! That time it was your fault for putting the dish sponge in my nose... I almost die, you know?" said Jooheon as he let out a small, nervous laugh. He wasn’t sure how to react to Julie’s comment. It was the first time she spoke to him in a non-formal/professional tone and she was talking about their time at school.

It was a breakthrough, and although Jooheon was a little lost, he refused to give the matter much thought.

Another few minutes passed quietly, and Julie’s cell phone started ringing. It was another customer she was helping with a purchase, so she responded, and they started discussing the details of the order and delivery. The call went on for about 30 minutes and then another call came in and another and another... Jooheon drove quietly the whole time and before he knew it, they had arrived at the printing.

Jooheon parked in front of the building and waited for Jules to finish the last call. The rapper was impressed with the amount of information that Julie handled by heart: names, dates, places, products... and the curator’s negotiation skills didn’t go unnoticed either. It was quite interesting to see his friend in a professional environment in which she felt comfortable: it was clear that she was and that she knew what she was doing.

"Okay, that was the last one," Julie said as she hung up. "Let’s go and see".

Julie got out of the car and opened the back seat door to get the papers she had gone to pick up at the gallery. Jooheon also stepped down and accompanied her into the printing press.

****

Three hours later, it was dark, and Julie and Jooheon were still at the printing press. They had been discussing some design errors of some display advertising elements that were not in the samples proposed the previous week.

There were many things that were wrong: some colors were not the same as the approved ones, the typography was inconsistent, the type of paper was not the agreed, and the size of the banners of the entrance was not the correct one. Overall, everything was wrong.

At first, the designers tried to justify the mistakes, but they really had no justification. When Jooheon started seeing everything that was wrong, he almost went into a rage, but Julie handled it in a better way. So, three hours later, they both came out of there with all the design and production problems solved, plus a formal apology from the head of the printing company that included a substantial discount for this project, and the next time either of them worked with the company.

"Do you still have the keys, Jooheon-ssi?" Julie asked. "Give them to me, it’s my turn to drive".

"No way," he replied. "I drive, let’s go".

"But..." Julianne began, but Jooheon was already walking towards the car and hadn’t heard it. Well, whatever, she thought.

****

Jules didn’t know when she’d fallen asleep. She was still in the car, but they weren’t moving. She saw that they were at a gas station and that Jooheon was settling into the seat after getting off to refill the tank.

"Jules, did I wake you?" Jooheon asked.

"Jooheon-ah, what is that smell?" Julie asked. The truth was that what had awakened her had not been any noise, but... "Are these cinnamon rolls?" she asked when she saw the bag Jooheon had on his lap.

"Ah... Ah! Yes," Jooheon stuttered. It was the first time Jules called him by his name, just his name, since they had met again, and she probably hadn’t even noticed. "A lady came by selling them and I thought you might get hungry later. Are they still your favorites?" Jooheon asked as he started the engine.

"You don’t even have to ask," answered Julianne, accepting the bag Jooheon was offering her.

She hadn’t had one in a while. Kang-Dae couldn’t stand the smell of cinnamon, so Julie tried not to order anything that had cinnamon in it when they went out together. At the time, she had forgotten how much she liked cinnamon rolls.

Jooheon, on the other hand, could do nothing but laugh at Julie’s reaction as they left the gas station and returned to the main road.

"Don’t worry, Jules. No one will take it away, chew it before swallowing, will you?" Jooheon said as he laughed.

"You shut up. Once you tried to eat a piece of cake in one bite," Jules replied. "I still remember your mother’s face when you started choking on the whipped cream and the icing".

"Don’t start," replied Jooheon. "The whipped cream was your fault! You were the one who covered my mouth so I wouldn’t spit the cake".

"Obviously. Food shouldn’t be wasted, Jooheon-ah," Julie said as she finished eating. "Ugh, well... how far away from the gallery does the GPS say we are?"

"According to this... about forty minutes".

"If you want, you can park on the sidewalk and I can drive for the last bit," Julie said. "I didn’t really leave anything in the gallery, so I don’t have to go there. I can drop you off at your apartment and then go home if you like".

"O H M Y G O D, Seo Julianne is going to drop me home," Jooheon said in an exaggerated tone. "Uff, Jules, that’s an honor, I don’t know if I’m worthy of..."

"You know what? I take it back," Julie said. "It would do you good to walk home, so you can put down the fat rolls you’ve won since you started to work at the gallery."

"Yah, what do you have against fat rolls?" Jooheon said laughing. "They’re a sign of happiness, you know?"

"And you double chin too?"

"YAH! YOU WENT TOO FAR"

Julie only laughed at Jooheon’s reactions. When she let him accompany her, she decided that at least that day and while they were in the car, she was going to relax a little and just let things flow. She was too tired to think or even try to ignore Jooheon anyway.

It’s not that bad, she thought. Maybe Areum is right and I have been stupid this time. She’s a little right, I’ve been stuck on that night, but... my reasons are valid, too, right?

"Jules?"

"Ah? Did you say something?"

"Jeez, where did your mind go? I know I’m handsome, but don’t let the thoughts of me distract you so much, ok?".

"Just tell me what you said," Julie replied with a dry laugh.

"I asked you where I should drop you. Since you don’t have to go to the gallery..."

"Let’s go to your apartment, I can go home from there".

"Sure? Today was a long day, Jules. If you want, I can drop you off somewhere near your home, or at your place even, so you don’t have to drive".

Julie stared at him for a few seconds in silence.

"What?" Jooheon asked a little awkward about the silence.

"I don’t know if you’re being considerate or if you don’t want me to know where you live, Jooheon-ssi," Julie replied jokingly. "I’m not a crazy fan, you know? I’m not selling your address to anyone".

"Don’t be ridiculous," Jooheon said with a bit of a laugh. The change in the way she addressed him didn’t go unnoticed, and that discouraged him a bit. Baby steps, Jooheon-ah, baby steps, he thought. "Well, let’s go to the dorm. I’m sure Minhyuk hyung will be happy to see that I fulfilled my role as a driver".

"Let me guess," said Areum entering Julie’s office, "you haven’t had lunch".

It was already four in the afternoon, and, indeed, Julianne had not eaten anything since 9 a.m. when Rei brought her a snack. The opening of Minhyuk’s exhibition was the next day and there were still a thousand details to be solved.

"I’m not hungry, Aurem-ah," Julie replied. "I’m fine, really. Give me about twenty minutes and we’ll have coffee, okay?"

It was usual for Areum to go to the gallery the week before an important event for which Julie was responsible, mostly to make sure her friend didn’t get an ulcer or anemia from going 10 hours without eating or drinking water. This time, Areum had been going to the gallery twice a day: at lunchtime and after work. That Thursday, however, he had had a meeting during lunch and had not been able to go.

"Mmmmm nop, I don’t think so," Areum said, taking a bag of food from behind. "Also, your food is going to get cold. Come take a break".

Julie was going to protest, but the moment the smell of food hit her, she realized how hungry she was, so she looked away from the computer and accepted Areum’s lunch offer.

"Well," said Areum, "at least you have your space away from everything and everyone. So you can at least eat quietly in your office".

Areum threw the comment into the air to try not to ask the question she wanted to ask. Since the conversation about Jooheon, none of them had mentioned the subject or the name of the rapper. While a few days passed in they didn’t talk, both friends could not spend much time apart, so soon they spoke again as if nothing had happened. However, Areum kept thinking about the conversation they had, not so much because of the topic itself, but because of the reaction she had had to what Julie told her.

Upon entering the office, Areum noticed that Julie was alone and that Jooheon’s "makeshift" desk was empty. Nothing indicated that the rapper was in the building, but Areum did not dare to ask.

Julie noticed her friend’s ill-disguised curiosity and decided not to make her suffer any longer:

"Yes, a little peace and quiet in the midst of chaos," Julianne replied. "It helps that Jooheon is helping Minhyuk-ssi with the more personal part of the speech and so on. I think he’s more nervous than he lets on, so the other members are helping him a little".

"Oh, sure... well, tell me, how do you feel about tomorrow? Is there anything missing that I can help you with?" Areum continued.

"Well, I feel nervous, as always before an opening. And you could help me with..." Julie couldn’t finish the sentence because her cell phone started ringing.

Upon seeing the contact’s name, Areum could see a thousand emotions pass through Julie’s face. A little amazement, even relief, tension, nervousness, doubt, discomfort... expectation.

It must be Kang-Dae, Areum thought.

And she was right.

"Oppa" Julie answered as she got up from her desk.

"Julie-ah, how are you?" Kang-Dae replied across the line. The tone of voice was very lively, which made Julie both happy and upset. The last time they spoke they had not ended on very good terms. After that conversation, they had texted a couple of times in the last few weeks, but nothing too important. Julie knew that Kang-Dae decided not to go over the problem with her mother and those girls, and pretend nothing had happened. Fortunately, he hadn’t mentioned his cousin once, so Julie was a little calm. But it was not an issue she wanted to leave aside or could easily forget.

"Well, good" replied Julie. "A little stressed. Tomorrow, we open a new exhibition and there is still a lot to solve".

"Oh, sure... right, you mentioned it to me".

Julie hadn’t told him anything. This exhibition had been set up in just over five weeks, Kang-Dae had been out of the country all that time and Julie had not had the energy to tell him much of what she was doing.

"Yes, well... and when are you coming back, oppa?" Julie asked.

"That’s why I called you," replied Kang-Dae. "I’m on my way to the airport. I’ll take a flight tonight and arrive tomorrow afternoon. I haven’t been able to reach Mr. Chu and I need to know if he’s going to be able to pick me up because I have a meeting at 5:00, do you think you could call him? Ah! And it would be great if you came to the meeting with me tomorrow... Ah, no, wait, you have the exhibit, right?"

"That’s right, oppa. I have the inauguration and I still have a lot to do. I don’t know if I have time to call your driver".

"Mmmm right, I understand. Well... and how long is the inauguration? Maybe you could arrive at dinner time, and I’ll introduce you to my colleagues, what do you say?"

"I won’t be able to, oppa," Julie said getting angry. "As I told you, I am in charge of this exhibition. I must be present at all times in case anything happens, plus it would not be well seen by the client if I just leave in the middle of it".

"And is he an important client? Can’t the gallery director take over?"

"No, he can’t. And yes, he’s an important client, as much as your colleagues, even if it is hard for you to believe it," Julie said. "Look, oppa, I have a lot to do. I hope you have a good trip and if you want, we’ll talk over the weekend or later, yeah? Well, I’ll see you later."

"But..."

Julie didn’t give him a chance to say anything else and hung up. He turned to Areum thinking about how to explain what she had just heard but then realized that she was on the phone too and in a rather lively conversation.

"Yes, of course, I understand," Areum said. "Yes, I understand the conceptualization part, but because of the direction they want to take, I think it’s better to consult another professional... I don’t know if our designers can... yeah, sure, but we’re a little overwhelmed and... How about I make a selection of candidates and show you the proposal next week?... Sure, okay... Well, see you later".

Upon hanging up, Areum lay down on Julie’s desk and sighed.

"Everything alright? A new project?" asked Julie.

"Ufff yes, a new project and a new client who doesn’t know what he needs" replied Areum. "I’m sorry, Julie, but I have to go. Apparently, I have a proposal to make".

"Don’t worry, go do your magic".

"And you go to sleep. Those dark circles won’t go away alone," Areum continued as she left Julie’s office. "See you tomorrow at the opening".

___________________________

The next day.

Three hours before the opening, Julie felt like everything was spinning. Those in charge of the decoration had been mistaken with some lights, which had delayed the other activities and had not been able to finish assembling all the pieces until thirty minutes ago. There was also a wall with fresh paint because it had been stained the day before with grease and they had not been able to clean it, not to mention the leak in the entrance that...

"Here, Jules," Jooheon told her and gave her a water bottle. "Easy, will you? I can even see the gears in your head spinning. Calm down, everything will be fine, everything is ready".

"Shouldn’t you go now?" Julie said. "I mean... you’re supposed to get here with the others, right? You need to change".

"My schedule is the last of your worries, okay?" Jooheon replied. "You should eat something, Jules".

"I have no..."

"Not even a cinnamon roll?" Jooheon asked as he pulled out a box of pastries. "They are not the same as last time, but the reviews of the place are good".

Julie said nothing and only accepted what Jooheon was offering with a half-smile. She was nervous, more than normal, but he was right.

"I won’t leave until you finish eating," Jooheon said.

"I’m not a child, you know?" she replied.

"Yes, I know. But I also know that you’re the kind of person who forgets their basic needs when someone asks them to do something," he replied.

In saying those words, Jooheon felt a little uncomfortable. Deep down, he knew that he was the same when it came to work, an attitude that led him to his forced hiatus, but Julie didn’t need to know that. It’s good to be a hypocrite if I help someone with that, isn’t it? Jooheon thought.

Julianne said nothing and began to eat quietly. Neither of them said anything and she was able to enjoy the first few quiet minutes of the day. Until...

"Julie! There you are," a voice said. "I was looking for you and Rei told me you were on the second floor. What are you doing here?"

Julianne didn’t know if she was imagining it or if Kang-Dae was really there. The day before, he had told her that he had a meeting to attend as soon as he arrived in the country, and there he was.

"Ehhhh" began Jooheon at Julie’s silence. "You’ll have to excuse us, but..."

"Oppa, what are you doing here?" Julie intervened before Jooheon could finish the sentence.

Jooheon, meanwhile, froze in place. Oppa? Who is this guy?

"The meeting was delayed, and I decided to check on things" Kang-Dae replied. "Also, I think... What is that smell? Is it... cinnamon?"

"Ah, yes," Julie said putting away the box. "I know you don’t like the smell, but I didn’t know you were coming".

"Oh, sure," said Kang-Dae, "though now I’ll have the smell on me all day".

"I don’t think we’ve been introduced," Jooheon interrupted. "I’m Lee Jooheon, it’s a pleasure".

Jules, don’t tell me you’re with this guy... Jooheon thought while shaking Kang-Dae’s hand.

"Oh, the pleasure is mine," replied Kang-Dae. "Did you start working here recently?"

"Something like that," Jooheon said.

"And are you also an art curator or do you work more on the administrative side?"

"Jooheon-ah is our link to the client," Julie said. "He worked with us on the assembly of this exhibition and helped us make the relevant decisions".

"Ahhhh, I see," Kang-Dae said. "So, you’re close to the members of Monsta X".

"How do you know about Monsta X?" Julie asked.

"It’s all over the news: today, one of the members of Monsta X will have the inauguration of his first art exhibition," Kang-Dae replied. "You can imagine my pleasant surprise when I saw that this was the event that you were preparing".

Julianne was… surprised? Disappointed? Angry? She didn’t want to think badly of Kang-Dae, but had he come to the galery for her, because of the argument they had yesterday, or just to see if he could establish relations with Monsta X?

"Well?" insisted Kang-Dae. "Do you know them?"

"I’m the main rapper for Monsta X and one of the producers of the group," Jooheon replied harshly. He didn’t like this guy.

"Oh!" exclaimed Kang-Dae. "You are THAT Lee Jooheon. It’s a real pleasure, my name is..."

"It’s a pleasure to meet Jules' FRIENDS," Jooheon interrupted. "I would love to stay longer, but I have to get ready for tonight. See you later, Jules, and try to get something else to eat, okay?"

Saying this, Jooheon turned his back on the couple and walked down the stairs to the first floor. He went out the front entrance and headed for his car.

He was upset, not so much by the way Kang-Dae had treated him or by the obvious change in attitude when he realized who he was talking to, but by the attitude towards Jules.

Oppa? Please, Jules, tell me you’re not with him, tell me you know you deserve better, Jooheon thought as he turned on the car’s engine and exited the parking lot.

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#monsta x scenarios #monsta x #monbebe #monsta x jooheon #monsta x lee jooheon #jooheon fanfic #joohoney #monsta x fanfic #lee jooheon #i.m monsta x #minhyuk monsta x #changkyun #i.m changkyun

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Text

Wolf 359 Season 1 Episode 7 - “The Sound and the Fury”

This episode features multiple sections where people talk over other conversations in the background, which made it... interesting to transcribe. I've transcribed the background conversations as best I could, and those are linked in the appropriate places on this post.

As always, corrections and additions are very welcome! Please send an ask if you can figure out the words that I left as "unclear"!

[intro music]

Welcome to Wolf 359.

Hera: [from a distance] You are being completely irrational, Commander. There’s no need to take that tone of voice with me.

Minkowski: [from a distance] I’m being irrational? You’re the one that’s been holding critical information –

[Hera and Minkowski continue arguing in the background]

Eiffel: God, they’re still at it.

Eiffel: This is the audio log of Communications Officer Eiffel, recording from the comms room of the Hephaestus Station. It’s day five hundred and twelve since mission launch. And, you’re all just in time for tonight’s entertainment. Holyfield/Tyson, the Leo Constellation match. I don’t know who threw the first punch, but it’s been going for the past two hours. And of course they decide to host The Sound and the Fury right outside my door. God forbid I need to go get anything to eat, or use the bathroom, or anything like that. They’ll have to stop for air sooner or later. Or uh... at least Minkowski will. In the meantime, that means we gotta make our own fun. So... um...

[soft beep]

Eiffel: Oh! Looks like the calendar for station events for next week just updated in the local server. Perfect.

[typing noises]

Eiffel: Alright... let’s see. On Monday evening, we’ll be going through the gravitational field of a passing comet! So, we’ll be spending most of the day securing the sensitive equipment. Expect localised interruptions... of power and water supplies, as well as mild to moderate turbulence throughout the day. Oh, won’t that be fun.

Eiffel: On Tuesday, we’ll be having another station chess tournament. Given Dr. Hilbert’s uninterrupted fifty-three week winning streak, he has agreed to play blindfolded, and without rooks, bishops, or queens. As always, participation is compulsory. [softly] Dangit.

Eiffel: On Wednesday, our orbital alignment will make it possible to view the solar system through our high-power telescope. If you would like to get a glimpse of home, report to the observatory deck during your off hours.

Eiffel: Thursday will be –

[door slams, Minkowski can be heard particularly loudly in the background]

Eiffel: [clears throat] Thursday will be movie night, if you would like to vote for what film we’ll be watching, submit your written choice to Commander Minkowski. Although since all we have is a VHS of Home Alone 2, the effect of your vote will be negligible.

Eiffel: On Friday, we’ll have mustard. [pause] Um. That’s all it says for Friday. Not sure what that means. I’ll have to ask Minkowski about that one.

Eiffel: On Saturday –

[open intercom buzz]

Eiffel: Hey Dr. Hilbert!

Hilbert: [urgently] Eiffel.

Eiffel: Don’t worry about the clashing titans. I don’t think they’d manage to kill each other just yet.

Hilbert: [alarmed] Eiffel!

Eiffel: Now I haven’t got the foggiest about what set them off. Maybe Hera put skim milk instead of two percent into the Commander’s seaweed this morning?

Hilbert: [drawn out choking] Eiffel!

Eiffel: Besides, you know how they can be. Minkowski does pig-headed obstinacy like it’s an Olympic sport, and Hera’s a grandmaster at the passive-aggressive slow burn. I guess it was just a matter of time before things got to a boil.

Hilbert: [monotonously] Eiffel.

Eiffel: Anyway. What’s going on with you, Doc? [gasp] Wait, how did your thing go? You were looking for that weird plant monster thing again, right? Were you finally able to kill it?

Hilbert: [monotonously] I would never harm specimen thirty-four, Eiffel. Specimen thirty-four is the most evolutionarily competitive life form on this station. The most deserving of life.

Eiffel: ...Right on. So, what can I do you for?

Hilbert: [monotonously] Fertiliser. The greenhouse needs more fertiliser. Where does Commander Minkowski keep the fertiliser?

Eiffel: Um... Down in the storage shed? By engineer – Wait. Did you say fertiliser? I thought you said some – thing else. Y-Yeah, no. Fertiliser is up on the... observatory deck. Yup, uh, way at the top of the station.

Hilbert: [monotonously] Thank you. Your cooperation has been noted. Soon you will be allowed to surrender your life to the growth of your biological superior.

[close intercom buzz]

Eiffel: Welp! Looks like Hilbert’s finally let go of that last shred of sanity! I’d better –

[Hera and Minkowski’s argument ends]

[door opens]

Minkowski: Eiffel! Can you believe this?

[door closes]

Eiffel: Hey Commander! I was just commenting – I think we might have a situation on our hands.

Minkowski: Of course we do. Our operating system is a tin-headed, insubordinate, feckless fool!

Eiffel: N-No, Commander, the thing is –

Minkowski: All I was saying, was that it would be a good idea if she started giving me reports, on all the systems she runs. Just in case there’s another emergency. Is that so unreasonable?

Eiffel: No, but –

Minkowski: Of course it’s not! It’s my ship! I’m responsible for the lives of everyone on board. I ought to know what’s happening behind the scenes.

Eiffel: ... Agreed, but –

Minkowski: And the other things is that –

Eiffel: Commander! [pauses] I hate to distract you from your little spat with our version of Clippy, but I think there’s something seriously wrong with Hilbert.

Minkowski: Little spat?

Eiffel: [irritated sigh]

Minkowski: This is a serious matter of station protocol. Not some teenage squabble. Whose side are you even on?

Eiffel: S-side?

Minkowski: Side.

Eiffel: Well... that’s a... a very complicated question, Commander. With many different... angles, and nuances to explore, and uh... consider. H-Have I ever mentioned that I’m a huge fan of Switzerland?

Minkowski: Oh, it doesn’t seem all that complicated to me. I think that you either agree with me that Hera is being unreasonable by not wanting to acquiesce to a very simple demand, or you think that a piece of buggy, malfunctioning software knows better than your commanding officer.

Eiffel: Gee, look at the time. I-I gotta go.

Minkowski: Sit your Swiss ass down and pick a side, Doug!

Eiffel: Well...

Minkowski: Oh of course. Fine. Take her side. You’re both utterly useless.

Eiffel: No no no. It’s not like that. I totally see your point. Hera’s made some mistakes since you got here, dangerous mistakes. I get that we can’t just trust her with all the systems that are keeping us alive.

Minkowski: [surprised] We can’t?

Eiffel: No, I’m a-absolutely of the opinion you can only trust artificial intelligences about as far as you can throw ‘em.

Minkowski: I didn’t know that.

Eiffel: You didn’t?

Minkowski: No, I didn’t.

Hera: Neither did I.

[silence]

Eiffel: ... Hera?

Hera: Hello, Officer Eiffel.

Eiffel: I [nervous chuckle] didn’t realise you were... with us, as it were.

Hera: Yes, I noticed.

Minkowski: Go away, Hera. This is a private conversation.

Hera: No. If I’m going to be the subject of this little têté-á-têté, I’d like to have my têté in the mix. I wanna hear what else Officer Eiffel has to say about me.

Eiffel: Now Hera, to be fair, you know how critical I am of Commander Minkowski.

Minkowski: You are?

Eiffel: ...No, of course not! I... only think the highest of you.

Hera: So you agree with her that I’m incompetent, is that it?

Eiffel: ...No, I think you’re doing a great job!

Minkowski: You do?

Eiffel: ...Well... most of the time.

Hera: Most of the time?

Eiffel: Almost all of the time.

Minkowski and Hera, at once: What does that even mean?

Eiffel: I... I... I... I-I think that Hera is an absolutely professional operating system, and... she does a great job and should... be trusted with our lives, except for a few times when... Commander Minkowski could maybe... help by... [irritated] For god’s sake, I can’t be honest with both of you here. Could one of you please step out of the room so I can say what I really think?

Minkowski: Hera, get out.

Hera: Make me.

Minkowski: Why, you cheeky little –

Eiffel: C’mon, Commander, you can’t really hold that against her. It’s just her programming.

Hera: Oh, stop. Stop it. Do you have any idea how condescending that is? Just chalking everything I do to my programming? What if I just went around blaming every stupid decision you make on biology?

Eiffel: Hera.

Hera: “Why are they doing that? Isn’t that a bit dangerous?” “Oh. Never mind, that’s just their... biology.” “That’s a terrible idea. Don’t they know any better?” “Just that pesky ol’ biology!” “We really should have sprang for the more expensive model.”

Eiffel: Hera.

Hera: “Good god! Why are they playing with that? They’re going to get us all blown up!” “Oh. It’s just their biology. We’ll just have God take a look under the hood the next time he comes by.”

Eiffel: Okay okay. I’m sorry. You know I didn’t mean it like that.

Hera: Do I? Apparently you don’t trust artificial intelligences now.

Eiffel: Hey. You can’t hold that against me. You were practically wire-tapping.

Hera: So what?

Eiffel: So you... can’t go off on that! I-I was just lying to Commander Minkowski to get her off my back!

Minkowski: Still here, actually.

Eiffel: Oh god damn it. Look. I just meant that –

Hera: Of course you tried to intimidate Eiffel into siding with you. Why am I not surprised?

Minkowski: Please. Like you wouldn’t have done the same? You’re just annoyed that I beat you to the punch.

[open intercom buzz]

Hera: Oh, right. Like I actually care enough about what you do, to try and sabotage you.

[Hera and Minkowski continue arguing in the background]

[switch clicks]

Eiffel: Hey, Dr. Hilbert? Have you found any of those marbles yet?

Hilbert: [monotonously] I know what you tried to do. You tried to stop the Blessed Eternal’s growth. You tried to hide the seed of life.

Eiffel: [sighs] See? That’s exactly what I was afraid you were going to say.

Hilbert: You are no better than the oppressor. Your death shall be no quicker, no less painful, no less humiliating. You scream shall echo through –

Eiffel: Yup. [sighs] Death, plant monster, fertiliser. Got it. Talk to you later.

[close intercom buzz]

Hera: That’s right, Commander, just fall back on the military training. Don’t try solving your problems like a human being or anything.

Eiffel: Hey guys? Guys?

Minkowski: Where do you even get off saying that to me? You’re not even human!

Eiffel: Oi!

Minkowski and Hera, at once: What?

Eiffel: Look. Our rating on the peril-o-meter just went from “Spidey-sense is tingling”, to “Bat Signal in the sky”, so this argument is over, okay? It’s stupid fight to begin with, and your referee is throwing in the towel. So let’s all just stop, okay? I think you’re both great. I think you both do your jobs really, really, really well. I think that you’re both intelligent and have good judgement, and you can definitely find a way to compromise and work together. And just in case it wasn’t already obvious, I am absolutely terrified of both of you. But making me choose a side between the woman who has the military authority to shoot me, and the woman who makes my oxygen, is only gonna end in tears. Now. Something is seriously up with Dr. Hilbert. I don’t know if he’s under some kind of... hypnosis, or mind control, or if he’s just gone madder than he normally is, but he’s defecting to team mutant plant monster. Right now, he’s feeding his new boss all the fertiliser we have left in the supply shed. And the last thing we need is our deadly stowaway growing more teeth. The fact that I’m trying to get the two of you to do the responsible thing is scary enough. But I would really like to take care of the situation before we reach Audrey II territory! So what if I said that I don’t trust Hera? So what if I called Minkowski obstinate? Who the hell cares? Can we go deal with the emergency?

Minkowski: Wait. You never called me obstinate.

[silence]

Eiffel: Did I say obstinate? I meant... um...

Minkowski: Have you been talking about me behind my back?

Eiffel: I- I- I would never!

Hera: Yeah... he would.

Eiffel: [through gritted teeth] Hera.

Hera: You were doing it just earlier, when you were talking to Dr. Hilbert.

Eiffel: [hushed] No, don’t!

Minkowski: To Dr. Hilbert? You conniving little snake! What were you saying behind my back?

Eiffel: [nervous chuckle] You know... [nervous chuckle] I... don’t think I really remember now.

Hera: Oh, one moment.

[static burst]

Eiffel: [in recording] Besides, you know how they can be. Minkowski does pig-headed obstinacy like it’s an Olympic sport –

[static burst]

Minkowski: An Olympic sport?

Eiffel: [sarcastically] Gee. Thanks a lot, Hera!

Eiffel: Y...eah. An Olympic – So, in a certain way, I was... complimenting you?

Minkowski: Mhm? Nice try.

Eiffel: Hey wait a minute! That wasn’t all I said. Hera. Play the rest of that tape.

Hera: I’m... hm. I’m having difficulty finding the rest of that recording, Officer Eiffel. I may have accidentally deleted it.

Eiffel: Oh, you don’t say. Well isn’t that grand.

Hera: Don’t let Commander Minkowski get to you. She’s just afraid that the advent of artificial, highly efficient administrative intelligences are rendering middle managers and petty officers like herself obsolete. She’s just taking out her insecurities on you.

Minkowski: And again, I’m still here.

Hera: And, she’s just trying to micro-manage me because she’s feeling threatened.

Minkowski: Threatened? By you? Hah! Alright. I would maybe feel a tiny twinge of threat from your highly efficient intelligence, if, say, if everything on this station wasn’t breaking all the time. Or, if we could go a full week without any weird mechanical problems. Or – Oh, oh! Here’s a good one! If your voice box didn’t glitch every ten words.

Hera: Careful, Commander. Your biology is showing.

Eiffel: Can we please go deal with the crazy plant worshipper?

Minkowski: No. We’re going to have this out, right now. Do you really think I’m obstinate?

Hera: And do you really think I’m not trustworthy?

Eiffel: What the hell do you want me to say?

Minkowski: Just say what you really think!

Eiffel: What I really think? Okay. Fine. I think you’re both crazy. I think you’re both one hundred percent cuckoo bananas right now. You’ve spent the last two hours shouting at each other literally over nothing. And not even the prospect of losing the entire station to a crazy horticulture experiment has been able to get the two of you to snap out of it! You’ve been yelling at each other for the past five minutes over what? Me lying to you? Me saying something awful? Like that’s any kind of news! Why the hell do you even care what I think? I’m so far beneath both of you that I shouldn’t even register on your radars. So no. I don’t really think you’re obstinate. And no, I don’t really think you’re not trustworthy. I think what’s really the problem here, is that you’re both so childish, and so petty, that you’re literally putting our lives in danger, just so that you can win a stupid argument!

[announcement chime]

Hilbert: [monotonously] Crew of the Hephaestus. I am here to inform you that your spaceship is now the property of the Blessed Eternal. It is fruitful and plentiful. It is a light in the cold, and the dark, and the ash –

[Hilbert continues to monologue]

Minkowski: [sighs] Alright. Let’s go deal with this. Hera, do we still have those canisters of halothane knockout gas hooked up to the ventilation system?

Hera: Yep, they’re still armed.

Minkowski: Alright. Let’s start pumping those into the greenhouse, bridge, and the engineering section, and go from there. Let’s knock him out before he does any more damage, and then we’ll see about stopping whatever that thing is doing to control him.

Eiffel: Yeah, that sounds great, let’s –

Minkowski: Not. You.

Eiffel: What?

Minkowski: You stay here. I’ll deal with you later.

[door slams]

Eiffel: Ugh, awesome. Well. Guess I really screwed the pooch on this one huh, Hera.

[silence, apart from Hilbert’s monologue]

Eiffel: Oh great. Real mature, both of you.

[pause]

Eiffel: Shut up, plant Hilbert.

[switch clicks loudly, Hilbert’s monologue is cut off]

[outro music]

Eiffel: From the USS Hephaestus Station, this has been Officer Doug Eiffel. Let’s see if anyone ever talks to me again after this. Goodnight.

This has been Wolf 359, written and directed by Gabriel Urbina. The roles of Eiffel and Hilbert were played by Zach Valenti. The role of Minkowski was played by Emma Sherr-Ziarko. The role of Hera was played by Michaela Swee. Original music by Alan Rodi, and audio recording by Jared Paul. Ready to surrender your feeble human flesh to the Blessed Eternal? Then visit us online, at wolf359.fm, and follow us on Twitter at @Wolf359Radio for more information about our show.

Transcription by @saltssaumure

#wolf 359 #wolf 359 transcript #podcast transcript #s1e7 #the sound and the fury

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hlmowrer · 7 months

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Week 33: Welcome to North Muskegon

Author's note: This letter was written two weeks ago, on the 11th. I can write, but not send, these letters with my phone. I have not had access to a computer on a Monday since then. Sorry. I'm trying to get caught up, but since this letter was already written I'm sending it first.

Good morning dear friends! What a week...I think we'll go with the day-by-day approach just so I don't forget things.

Monday-Tuesday: Packing and goodbyes...I didn't get to say goodbye to absolutely everyone I wanted to but I was able to visit a few key people and I (somehow) managed to cram my stuff into my suitcases. It took several hours of effort, but I did it.

Wednesday: Travel day! I drove down to Mt. Pleasant (2 hours) to meet the transfer van (There's a van and trailer that travels to stops all over Michigan on transfer day) and had a great time seeing all the other missionaries there. I set off in the van, thinking I was off to Grand Rapids. About 20 minutes in I asked the assistant who was driving the van why he didn't take a certain freeway towards Grand Rapids...and was informed that we were in fact going to Lansing.

Another hour of travel later I found myself at mission headquarters. I was okay with that though, as there were yet more missionaries that I hadn't seen in a long time. And cookies, too! There I was given a new car (well...new-old car. She's a bit broken...) and was asked to ferry it and another missionary to Grand Rapids. With another hour drive under my belt I arrived in Grand Rapids...only to discover that the trailer had already unloaded what they *thought* was all my stuff. They neglected to realize that I also had a bag of food.

We're going to pause for an explanation here.

I'm opening a second area in a ward that already has missionaries. I'm ALSO moving into a house that has never had missionaries in it before, as the previous apartment in the area had been burned down by an oil fire. (Yes really) I knew there would be no food, so I packed food. I really needed that dang food!

*sigh* Anyway...

I make it to Grand Rapids, see more people I haven't seen in a long time, and meet my new companion, Elder Walker. We then finally set off for Muskegon. I had learned already that what I said in my last email wasn't quite right. My area is North Muskegon, which is a completely different town than Muskegon. Our boundary only includes the northernmost blocks of the city of Muskegon. So when we arrived at the house we were moving into, I was confused to find out that it was at the SOUTHERN end of Muskegon.

Yeah, I don't even live in my ward or area.

We just commute in, apparently.

*sigh x2*

But that's all okay, because as soon as I arrived I found out why this area is so highly praised...we were immediately invited over by a member of the bishopric (an assistant to the leader of a congregation) who fed us dinner and provided us with a clear and very full list of people the bishop wanted us to visit and minister to, as well as a long list of people who could help. (I had been trying to get the branch in Kalkaska to produce such a list for MONTHS.) We then were invited out to ice cream with a new member named Cole. Cole has only been a member of the church for about a year and he's already one of the most passionate missionaries I've ever met. We had a great evening getting to know him, and he invited to show us around and introduce us to members the next day, since we didn't have access to any records yet.

Thursday & Friday: The Cole days

I already knew Cole was awesome, but this massively proved it. For two whole days, he composed a list of members he thought we should meet, set up appointments, drove us to said appointments, and fed us two meals a day. This man is such a homie, and his help allowed us to visit some people who really seemed to need it during a time when I expected to accomplish very little, as we still weren't in any records. It did a lot of good for my self esteem to be able to impact people in a positive way like we did, and I now have relationships that would usually take at least weeks to cultivate after a transfer.

Saturday: This day was a little slower, but we finally got access to member records so we were able to start working on our own (Cole was busy working with the other Elders) We visited a few key people and that caused us to run into other people that have given us all kinds of good ideas for how to proceed. It was more of a struggle to stay productive but we sure did have some victories.

Sunday: This day started a bit rough...apparently four dudes trying to take a shower before Church without any organization isn't a good idea. We were a bit late but we got there eventually and it was another great experience with a great ward. It's not a big ward but there's a ton of especially amazing people, and they're excited we're here. After Church we were struggling to think of something to do...when another figure of my past texted completely out of the blue and said he was in Grand Rapids, and wanted to come visit. It's absolutely uncanny how I keep running into random people I know right when I need it most. We went to a nearby park to chat with him, and knocked the street near the park for good measure...finding a new friend to teach in the process.

It has been both the most fun and the most progress I've had in a week in QUITE a while.

The Lord is in charge here. I'm so grateful for being sent here, and I know this is yet again exactly the right environment for me to proceed. It's not perfect and neither am I, but it's better. It's growth.

And I can live with that for now. :)

As always there's so much more I'd like to say, but I've already written an essay so I need to leave it there.

Sure love you, dear friends <3

-Elder Beren Mowrer

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yuuana · 1 year

Text

youtube

Music May 2023 #2: Stray Kids - Maniac release: March 2022 genre: Kpop

In further proof of just how far behind I am, three of my top four candidates for today's track have already had another comeback. And in fact, I am so far behind on Stray Kids, that they've had multiple comebacks since this AND I'm skipping releases they put out between NOEASY and ODDINARY, so expect me to hit them again a couple times between now and the end of the month, probably, so I'm at least hitting their other two recent full albums, MAXIDENT and THE SOUND.

So despite being Stay, I'm skipping over ... several MVs that came out between Thunderous and Maniac, even though I love most of them, because ... well, because I'll never get caught up if I don't, for one thing. Three of them are also seasonal (Christmas songs), so I'd feel weird writing about them right now. I may or may not come back to some of those further down the line, but no promises. And in my defense, because they've been touring under the name MANIAC since last year, I'd ... sort of lost track of just how much music they've put out between tour legs.

One thing about Stray Kids is you can count on them to do things their own way, thanks to being a self-producing group - 3RACHA writes and produces the vast majority of what Stray Kids releases, albeit in conjunction with a rotating array of outside producers. Maniac has a sound that is unlike anything else that was playing at the time while at the same time being perfectly and immediately recognizable as Stray Kids. Which is an accomplishment given that I could not possibly put into words what exactly that sound is, you just recognize it when you hear it.

As for the video, well, I don't quite know where to start. There's threads of narrative flowing through it, but several viewings on, it's clearly more about vibes and performance beats than storytelling. And if you weren't already familiar with what passes for lore with this group, you might not know there's a running story here anyway. It works perfectly fine as a stand-alone about how trying to hide who you are, playing out a role that society expects, is only going to end up backfiring when the real you comes out. On the other hand, there are a few scattered visual cues that could be read as implying that the dokkaebi from Thunderous have come forward into the modern era. What that means for the world at large ... remains to be seen.

ODDINARY is available for purchase, both digital and physical, wherever you like to do your music buying, and streaming more or less everywhere. If I remember right they have actually, finally, wrapped up their MANIAC touring, so they might actually take a nap before doing anything else. But probably not.

Want to sponsor a song selection? You sweet angel! For the low, low price of one (1) KoFi, I'll write up the song of your choice. ANY song of your choice. Yes, even that one that's been played to death. Yes, your obscure faves too. Sponsor a current CB for the next open Music Monday slot or sponsor a throwback for a Thursday feature! DW | Twitter | Mastodon | Ko-fi | Patreon | Discord | Twitch

#music #music may #kpop #stray kids #Youtube

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styledeficit · 2 years

Text

17 October - 22 October weeknotes

Monday 17 October

Rain check.

Tuesday 18 October

Proper dark when the alarm goes off.

A low mist jokes around in the park. It’s somehow gathered in a corner at one end, like a pyramid. I check it from two angles as I walk past, but it’s definitely triangular, not just a trick of the light.

Read Derek Jarman’s Modern Nature on the train. There’s a description of London in the sixties, of artists fucking and getting fucked. London Bridge feels abrasive as the doors open. People too loud, buildings too large.

Huge NatWest ad: a woman smiling an enormous smile, teeth studded with diamonds spelling out CEO. For a second I wonder why this was deemed ‘bank-appropriate’ but of course it is. The aim is to have so much money you need to embed it in your teeth. What’s the point in being rich if no one knows why you’re smiling?

It’s not that, obviously. They’re being ‘young, urban, relevant’. How do you do, fellow kids? It could be an ad for a cosmetic dentist of course, but it’s not.

I’m not in the mood for today and I need tea. Get to the office and finally do what I know someone else does with coffee and these too-small mugs. Make myself 2 at the same time and get to work.

Late home.

Wednesday 19 October

Sunrise 7.30 sunset 17:58

Problem with being in a concert band is that you walk around whistling absolutely unrecognisable harmonies from well known pieces. Sorry, strangers.

‘Truss hit by minus strike’ - someone next to me is reading the Metro on the train. Truss’s popularity has fallen to a record low of -70%.

On the train on the way back again I sit next to a copy of the Evening Standard. I don’t think ‘print is dead’ but the Tories are clearly trying to send it on its way. The papers can’t keep up. Suella Braverman has resigned as Home Secretary but it hasn’t made the papers yet. I read the news on my phone.

Later the BBC reports allegations of MPs being ‘manhandled’ to support the government in the fracking vote.

Check the Guardian: “One Tory backbencher said it was “the most bullying, screaming and shouting” they had seen in the voting lobbies, with Morton and Whittaker being engaged in a “full-blown shouting match”.

Another said Whittaker had been seen telling colleagues: “I am fucking furious and I don’t give a fuck any more.”

Right.

Thursday 20 October

100% chance of rain

Jesus wept.

Truss resigns. I’m embarrassed when the BBC says hello to viewers from around the world.

Friday 21 October

Best train journey in London is the one stop overground between London Bridge and Blackfriars. I wish you could walk on the tracks, without getting killed or arrested. Raised up, the track snakes between buildings so close you can peer through a mix of windows from bedrooms to offices and everything in between. Pretty good slice of history and architecture. Also great if you’re nosey. You could walk the streets below of course, but it wouldn’t be the same. There’s also something in the speed of it.

Arrive at Farringdon Station and it’s changed yet again. I love this station - it’s got a good history. Also I’ve had multiple jobs which were easier to get to from here, including Emap, MOO and Pres.Co (which then became Wheel, which was then bought by LBi, which was then bought by Digitas). Actually, Pres.co was in the old Old Holborn building. A previous boss who grew up around here told me the smell of tobacco used to hang in the air when he was a kid. He also remembers the chop house when it was a chop house. “You’d stand in a line, get a slice of meat and a slap of mash. It wasn’t fancy then.”

Saturday 22 October

The ginkgo leaves on the little tree are slowly turning yellow. Another rose has flowered. The cosmos are still going strong, and so far, the squirrel hasn’t dug up the bulbs I’ve planted. Or not the ones in pots anyway. We’ll see about the rest.

What a week, eh?

Update: I lied about the squirrel.

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eirian-houpe · 2 years

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The Monday... Menu?

It has been five weeks since I posted one of these.

Actually it’s been about that long since I posted any of my formerly regular stuff, and I wish I could say that it was because it being the end of the school year, time was just not there for me to do it.

That would be a lie.

I had the time - well, could have made the time. Why didn’t I? Let me answer that with another question. It’s been five weeks since I posted my regular stuff - and all I’ve done is reblog other friends’ posts when I had the wherewithall to do so - did anyone check that things were okay?

Right. Well there’s your answer.

Anyway, I’m back to dip my toes back into the water, so... now school is done for the summer (with the exception of 5 weeks of summer school that in my infinite wisdom, I have committed to doing), here’s what I hope to post this week.

Monday - The Monday Menu - as you can see here it is, posted!

Tuesday - TMI Tuesday. - I know there’s a couple of TMI’s that I still haven’t answered. I promise... tomorrow, I will answer these, and hopefully any other TMIs I might get.

Wednesday - WIP Wednesday. - still got a bunch of these (double digits), and with a bit of luck, I might have some spoons with which to stir the writing pot.

Thursday - Three Things Thursday - any fic of mine is fair game. Doesn’t have to be Rumbelle, I have Rushbelle, a bunch of crossovers, some shows people might no know, some ST: DSC, some SGA and some Tolkien too... ask three things, I dare ya!

Friday - Final Line Friday. - I’m looking forward to getting back to these. Of course that means I have to actually write something, so...

Saturday - Secret Saturday - another one of those where you can ask about any fic, and I’ll tell (or show) you a secret. Feel free to follow up with conversation or guesses. I will tell you if you get something right.

Sunday - Seven Sentence Sunday. - yeah, I have to write something to be able to post this.

Writing this week: Disparate Pathways - Chapter 41, the ‘working title’ of which is Compromised.

As always my inbox is open for thoughts, questions, asks… I don’t restrict people to any particular day of the week, and I - like most fic authors - love to discuss things to do with fics and OUAT.

I just want to add a shout out to those readers who have left me Kudos these last several days. It has not gone un-noticed.

Talk to me, peeps! My inbox is lonely, and I’m Runnin’ on Faith. (brownie points for anyone who can identify the musical reference, and I’ll tell you why that’s so important to me.

#The monday menu #rumbelle #disparate pathways #i will always write jefferson

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quindolyn · 3 years

Note

subby Jamie fluffy (Smut?) where he wakes up in the middle of the night and sucks on the readers titties to drink from her tits because she's lactating after giving birth to their daughter. I don't know if this makes sense but I hope it does!

Lactation Kink || James Potter

A/N: I'm not even sure if I should include "kink" but I will admit that there are some very smutty overtones so read at your own discretion. I tweaked the request a little bit in terms of the circumstances but the bones are still there. I hope you enjoy.

Warnings: lactation kink, light sub!James and Dom!reader, not much I don't think, all acts are completely consensual and if they needed a safe word they'd have one

Word Count: 1851

Sirius Black and Remus Lupin were life savers. They could only watch their two closest friends creep closer and closer to death for so long before doing something about it.

After giving birth to a beautiful baby boy seven months ago you and James had come to understand a new definition of the word exhaustion. You were absolutely enamoured with your baby boy, James the same way if not worse, always keeping him cradled in his arms, Harry’s little head nestled into the crook of James’ arm.

Regardless, there is no amount of parental love to counteract the complete lack of sleep the two of you have endured. “Sleep when the baby sleeps” they all say, it's excellent in theory if only the baby would actually sleep.

No, instead you and James were subject to months of newborn induced insomnia,

You’d barely understood what Remus and Sirius were saying when they offered to watch your son for a few days, give you and James some time alone. Even though every part of your being screamed for you to take them up on their offer there was that small, annoyingly persistent, voice in the back of your head. The voice of maternal guilt.

Your friends wouldn’t hear any of your arguments, listening as you insisted that Harry was still far too young for you to leave him, you could barely stand a few hours, how were you supposed to survive days?

Despite your insistence that it was far too early to leave Harry with his godfathers for an extended weekend when the following Thursday rolled around you and James were rather unceremoniously kicked out of your own house, told that reservations had been made for you at an expensive spa and resort and that you were not to return home until the following Monday.

They’d even packed your bags for you.

You and James had successfully made it through the first night away from your baby, your quality of your sleep however was not up to par as you tossed and turned, worrying about the little boy you’d left at home.

Even cuddled up to Jamie’s chest your sleep was more like a light sheet over your consciousness giving you a shallow, unsatisfactory, reprieve.

What you needed was for sleep to hit you over the head with a baseball bat, knock you unconscious for hours and give your body time to recover.

After a long, exhausting day of taking advantage of the resort's numerous spa treatments, your wish of deep, meaningful sleep seemed as though it might actually just come true.

Minutes after laying your head down on the pillow, James slipping into bed behind you, you were out cold. Pulling you closer so that he could bury his face in the crook of your neck James was close behind you.

Finally, sleep.

-----

Your tits hurt, they fucking hurt. You were finally getting some quality sleep but the discomfort in your chest became intolerable and you were lulled back into a dreaded state of consciousness.

You’d been so ready for sleep and the peace that it would bring that you’d forgotten to pump your milk before getting into bed. You find yourself regretting that decision now, you shift slightly in James’ hold, just as tight as it had been when you’d fallen asleep. The clock on the bedside table reads three in the morning.

Fuck me, you think, your thoughts still blurry from sleep, carrying a weight in your temples that lures your head back down to the pillow as you fall back into your spot in James’ arms. You’re going to have to get up eventually, that much you understand, but the prospect of getting up and finding the pump, hooking it up, then actually sitting there while you pump sounds nothing short of absolutely dreadful.

You can only lay there for so long, on your back so as not to apply any pressure to your breasts, staring up at the ceiling before your tits go from hurting to feeling like they’re about to explode.

Eventually you’re forced to begin to fuss in James’ arms, trying to find the seal that will let you get up hopefully without waking your husband.

Even asleep James’ grip is insistent, he’s like quick sand, the more you try to maneuver your way out of his arms the tighter his hold gets, the closer he pulls you to him.

“Jamie, you gotta let go,” You murmur, hoping to appeal to the half asleep man.

“Where you going, angel?” His voice is the crashing of a wave against the shore in your ears, low, rumbling, calming. That voice alone is enough to have you considering just climbing back into bed with him, exploding tits be damned.

“Forgot to pump Jamie, m’tits feel like they’re ready to explode.”

He flickers his eyes open, worry etched into his irises, already blanketed in sleep, “Hurting?” Raising his head his eyes drop to your tits, like maybe he’ll be able to see your affliction.

“A little bit,” You nod, your hands combing through his unruly curls before making another attempt to rise from the mattress, “Gonna pump and then I’ll feel all better. I’ll be quick.”

“No,” He whines, god you miss the sound of his whine. His arms are like steel as he pulls you firmly back onto the bed, “M’thirsty anyways.”

Confusion heightens in you before James turns you so you’re fully on your back before slipping under your arm, resting his head on your chest.

Nimble fingers find the neckline of the silk camisole you’d found in the luggage Remus and Sirius had packed for you, sons of bitches also packed every single pair of lacy panties you own.

With little difficulty he slips the thin strap down your shoulder allowing him to tuck the soft material of the top under your breast.

“Miss my girls,” He whispers as he bares your breasts, they’re swollen with milk but the way he’s looking at you you’d think they were something far more precious.

“I’ll be gentle,” His promise comes just as he latches onto your pert nipple, carefully guarding his teeth with his lips, the last thing he would wanna do is hurt you.

It bears little resemblance to the way he used to suck your tits, fervently like they were the only things keeping him grounded, sometimes they had been. Now he proceeds with a new sense of caution but that doesn’t mean it’s any less pleasurable.

“Jamesie, ‘s for Harry, you can’t drink the baby’s milk,” You regrettably push him off your tit, he looks anything but pleased.

“They were mine first,” He whines, throwing you a dirty glance that falls completely flat given the immense adoration that lies just behind it, “And I told you (Y/N), ‘m thirsty, want your milk. Wanna make you feel good.”

Giving you his most convincing puppy dog eyes he leans back in, he latches on efficiently and sucking with an increased vigor you feel a feeling of fullness swell in your breast as your nipple tingles. It’s a feeling you’ve gotten used to but so rarely has it ever turned you on as when James is the cause of it.

He hums in satisfaction as the warm milk seeps into his mouth, it encourages him in his efforts causing him to latch on tighter. A little too tight.

“Easy there baby,” You hiss, “M’tits are sensitive.”’

He complies immediately, loosening his lips around your nipple the sensation becomes pleasurable once more. The pleasure helps distract from the discomfort which, at least in the tit James it latched onto, seems to be dwindling. The other breast is left aching until you feel a similar sensation coming from your nipple.

“You’re leaking.”

Casting your eyes downward you see that he’s right, you’re leaking slightly out of your unattended nipple. It's not unusual for it to happen but usually you just brush it away with a warm washcloth, not wanting to have a sticky mess on your chest.

Carefully, he brushes the pad of his thumb over the over sensitive bud.

“Can’t let it go to waste,” He brings his thumb to his mouth to suck it clean, the visual is almost enough to make your head spin.

You can’t remember the last time you saw James subby, ever since you’ve had Harry it's been sleepy handjobs and once you fully recovered, him pushing you up anywhere he could and taking you right there. It’s like parenthood awoke something far more dominant inside of him but as he latches back onto your tit you’re reminded how beautiful he is when he submits to you.

You wrap your arms around his neck, letting your fingers dance along the nape of his neck as you feel yourself unwinding with every second he sucks at your tit, bringing you relief.

“You full yet?”

He gently lets your tit slide from his mouth before responding, “Does it still hurt?”

The genuine concern in his voice has butterflies erupting in your stomach, you learned a long time ago just how sweet and caring James is but sometimes it hits you harder than you were expecting and you’re left feeling just as giddy as you did in the beginning of your relationship.

James seems to have sucked you dry, or at least to a point where your tit no longer burns with the feeling of an impending explosion.

“No s’all better baby, did such a good job,” You guide his face up towards yours, “Got a little milk on your lips,” You lean in, kissing the milk off his swollen lips.

It’s sweeter than you expected but maybe everything was sweeter coming off his lips.

You take your time admiring his face, hazel eyes that look a little more brown than they did yesterday, lips an impossible pink. Thick, long lashes you remember envying for as long as you’ve known each other cast their shadows along his cheekbones. He’s perfect.

You run the pad of your thumb along his bottom lip before letting him suck it into his mouth, when he couldn’t get to your tits sucking on your fingers always used to help James calm down. For the life of you you can’t remember the last time he’d sucked on your fingers. If it’d been in the last seven months you’d probably just been too tired to remember.

Letting your digit slide from his mouth James hauls himself over you, careful not to brush against your breasts, to lay on your other side. He moves with a surprising grace considering just minutes ago he’d been in the throws of sleep, you’d forgotten how well he moved.

“Other one now,” He murmurs, eyes glued to your tit as his hands move to cup it, giving him better access to your nipple.

“You sure baby? I can just pump this one and you can go back to bed, s’okay.”

“No,” His brows furrow with his empathic response, if he wasn’t already on top of you you’re sure he’d pull you closer in fear that you might escape, “Mine.”

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kodaiki · 2 years

Text

[09:20 A.M.] [continuation of this]

“hey! gotcha somethin’,” you smile as you slide the paper cup across the coffee shop’s table. “just how you like it.”

aomine looks up from his phone, raising an eyebrow at how smiley you could be at nine in the morning. “g’morning to you, too,” he mutters, gratefully taking the cup from the table as he nods at you in thanks, bringing it to his lips.

aomine wasn’t a big fan of coffee when entering university. he really had no need for it, depending most of his energy on his nutritional diet and an occasional sports energy drink here and there. but when you tugged on his sleeve that first day you discovered the hidden coffee shop – you like to consider it hidden since more students favored going to the starbucks on the other side of campus – he had to indulge in what you called ‘liquified magic.’

you slide in the seat across from him, pulling out your books and lay them flat on the small table. you’d just come from your eight a.m. (yuck) class and aomine was killing time awaiting his ten thirty one. he’d easily be in bed, catching up on sleep he didn’t get over the weekend had it not been for you being his personal alarm clock, buzzing his phone with texts full of emojis and exclamation marks.

it became a routine for you and aomine to share monday and wednesday mornings at the coffee shop on campus. you don’t quite remember how the tradition started, only that it began pretty early on in college. of course, neither of your schedules stayed the same – aomine’s was always pretty similar since he was a student athlete who had meetings and practice at roughly the same time across the semesters – so the hour you were in that coffee shop always changed.

aomine thinks that this semester is his least favorite for coffee in the morning.

“did you write your paper for your econ class yet?” you ask before taking a bite out of the powdered donut you ordered as a breakfast.

“almost finished,” he huffs, “i just need someone to look it over, i’ll prob’ly just ask midorima or something.” when he looks back at you, he watches you make grabby hands for the laptop sitting in front of him.

“i’ll do it!”

aomine’s nose scrunches at the sight of your powdered fingers. “oi, not with your hands like that.” his face relaxes when you bashfully smile, giggling out an apology as you wipe your hands on a napkin. when he hands you the laptop, you place it flat on where your books sit, and you lean forward to read over the google document.

“we both know midorima would rather read an essay of takao’s than yours. and he runs at the sight of takao with an open laptop in hand…”

aomine chuckles with a nod, closing his eyes as he imagines the odd pair of friends in that sort of situation.

the library used to be your place of study; you say used to because you can’t say you’ll ever get used to the ringing of “SHIN-CHAN~” despite how often takao gets in trouble for it.

for the next twenty minutes, aomine sits in silence, occasionally stirring his coffee with the thin red straw, nodding along to whatever input about the essay you have for him – both of you know he isn’t retaining what you tell him because you end up editing the essay anyway.

“alright, this should be it,” you sigh in satisfaction, leaning back in your seat.

“thanks,” he utters, taking the laptop from you and clicks around, most likely submitting it to the virtual portal online. “now that i’ve got that done with, i can finally focus on -”

“your statistics midterm.”

“practice.”

the two of you stare at each other blankly, blinking at one another’s responses.

it’s aomine who speaks first. “i have a statistics midterm?”

you blink at him once more. “yeah, on thursday … kise told me about it. how do you not know about it?”

he shrugs, leaning back in his seat before bringing his hands behind his head. “‘dunno. i don’t go to that class.”

you scowl, peering at him through squinted, disapproving eyes. “so you have no idea what’s going on in that class…” you trail off, voice lilting at the end, awaiting his confirmation. when he rolls his eyes at you, you shake your head. “you’ve got to study for that! if you get below a c, coach could take you off the team. probation or whatever it’s called.”

“tch,” he scoffs, waving you off. “yeah, right. i’m too valued-”

“it’s a real policy, no matter how good you are,” you deadpan. “no worries though, because your dearest friend is here to help you study! my midterms are over and done with.”

“yip-ee,” aomine mutters sarcastically, already dreading the next few days he’ll be studying.

“hey, you’ll thank me later,” you wave him off, crossing your arms over you chest knowingly.

“fine,” he sighs, sitting up straighter. “i gotta head to class now,” he says while adjusting the straps of his backpack on his shoulders. “not before i eat this, though.” before you can protest, aomine is shoving the rest of your powdered donut in his mouth, smiling lightly as he watches your horrified expression.

“my breakfast!”

“and it was delicious, thank you,” he drawls the last part before pausing with a smirk. “i guess you were right: i did thank you later.”

“i meant for studying!”

he stands, ignoring your pout while he hoists his bag up on his shoulders – most likely empty if you’re being honest – and gives you a satisfied smile. “i’m off now. bye-”

“-not looking like that.” aomine turns with furrowed brows at your flat response, making a hum of question. “you got powdered sugar all over your mouth.”

“oh,” he murmurs, quickly rubbing at his mouth with his sleeve (gross) but misses a few spots under his lip.

“nope, still got some,” you muse, gesturing to your own chin for him to follow.

again, he misses. after a third miss, you huff out, “this is ridiculous let me just-“ you stop to stand up and lean up, wiping the spot on the bottom side of aomine’s lip of the powder.

“there, all better.” you beam brightly and avert your eyes back to his, only to realize how close you’re standing. you blink owlishly at him.

you don’t think you’ve ever been this close, much less grazing his face with your thumb.

unbeknownst to your sudden flustered state and the sound of your pounding heart against your rib cage, aomine snorts at your gesture. “you’re really impatient with me, aren’t you?”

hah, that takes you out of your daze. the irony of that statement.

if anything, you’ve been nothing but patient. a painful amount of patient.

“i couldn’t have you walk into class like that,” you mutter flatly, avoiding the way your stomach’s doing flips. you step back and attempt to act casual. “i would not want to be associated with you.”

“ha ha,” he says sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “you’re associated with me by default, deal with it, sugar.”

your nose scrunches in distaste at the nickname but your heart leaps.

“i’ll see you later, get to class,” you quickly shoo him off, well aware you’re now wasting his time getting to class. the man bids you a goodbye - with a tease of avoiding you so you won’t have to study with him to which you scowl - leaving the coffee shop and, as always, with a chunk of your heart in the process.

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