#but it's been so disappointing and i'm glad it's pretty well over as far as her doing press and campaigning is concerned

[appocalipse]

see for yourself ⋆ sirius black

summary: after a party, you tell sirius how you ended things with the guy you've been seeing because he was a bit jealous of your friendship with him. sirius shows you that maybe he was right to be.

"You're in a good mood."

Sirius looks at you from his place on the floor and grins, wild and boyish. It makes your stomach do flips that you'd rather not think about too much, lest it leads to things you really shouldn't be thinking about.

"Must be your charming company," he says before looking back up at the ceiling, fingers laced behind his head.

He's laying spreadeagle on the hardwood floor, staring up at the slowly rotating fan and taking occasional swigs from an open bottle of Firewhisky beside him. Everyone but Remus, with whom Sirius shares the flat, had already gone home hours ago, leaving only you and Sirius behind in the living room.

You roll your eyes even though he can't see you doing it, setting your empty cup on the coffee table. You lean back against the sofa and fold one leg up under the other so you can turn to face him fully. "Remind me again why you're not sitting on furniture like a normal person?"

"It's more fun down here." He turns his head enough for you to catch his wolfish grin. "Care to join me?"

"Oh no," you laugh, shaking your head. "I should be getting home anyway. It's late."

Sirius frowns and pushes himself up into a sitting position. The look in his gray eyes is equal parts amusement and disappointment. "On a Friday night? Come on, love, we're barely tipsy. Besides, you still haven't told me what happened between you and that wanker you were seeing."

"There's nothing to tell," you shrug.

He scoffs as he crawls across the floor towards you. You bite the inside of your cheek when Sirius hoists himself onto the sofa beside you and pulls one leg up to his chest. There's a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth that doesn't seem quite as innocent as you'd like it to be.

"He looked pretty pissed off when he left," he says, twirling a long strand of your hair around his index finger. "What'd you say to him?"

"I didn't say anything. And we were together for barely three weeks. I was just...he wasn't the right guy, okay? Now shush."

You make a halfhearted attempt to turn away from him, but Sirius laughs softly and rests his head on your shoulder. "You don't say."

"Sirius."

"What? I'm glad you didn't waste any more time on that tosser. He would never have made you happy."

"How would you know?"

Sirius lifts his head and leans back far enough to look at you. His expression is one of smug self-confidence as he says, "Because I know everything."

"Everything, huh?"

"Everything."

You quirk an eyebrow. "Well then, what am I thinking right now?"

His eyes flick down to your lips for a brief moment before they find yours again, but it's enough for heat to rise in your cheeks. You could swear he starts to move closer before he blinks and turns away with a dry laugh, but by then you're not so sure anymore. "That you're bored of talking about this dolt."

The ache of disappointment in your chest must be almost palpable, because Sirius furrows his brow and asks, "Is everything alright?"

"Yup."

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not."

Sirius gives you a knowing look and shifts on the sofa to face you more fully. His knee knocks against yours. "Don't tell me you're hung up over that berk."

"Not in the slightest."

"Liar."

"I'm not," you insist. "Really."

"Did he break your heart or something? I'll break his arm."

You laugh, though you doubt Sirius is actually joking. "Nothing happened. He was just jealous. That's all."

He frowns, then narrows his eyes at you. "Jealous of who?"

"Oh, you know, the usual suspects," you say lightly, waving a hand as if to dismiss the topic completely. But when Sirius remains silent, you let out a slow breath and (as you usually do when it comes to him) give in. "You, mostly. He said some stuff, and I didn't take too kindly to it."

A wry smile spreads across Sirius' face. He looks delighted. "What'd he say about me?"

"Seriously?"

"Absolutely."

With a dramatic roll of your eyes, you rest your head back against the cushion behind you and say, "He thinks you, uh...you know, fancy me or something. That we spend too much time together. But I told him that he's crazy, obviously."

"Obviously."

The following silence bothers you.

You turn your head enough to see Sirius' face. He's staring back at you, an unreadable expression on his face. Then, after several moments of more tense silence, he whispers, "What if I do fancy you?"

"Sure you do," you mutter, rolling your eyes again.

Sirius places his palm on top of the hand resting between the two of you and brushes his thumb over your knuckles. "I could show you."

It takes a moment for you to register the offer.

"Did you drink more than I realized?"

"Just enough for the liquid courage to work."

Your tongue feels like sandpaper. "Sirius."

"Mmhm."

"Stop being ridiculous."

"Who says I'm being ridiculous?" he asks, bringing your hand to his lips and pressing a light kiss to your skin. "Maybe I'm madly in love with you. Have you considered that?"

You swallow, trying to ignore the way your stomach is doing somersaults. "This isn't funny, Padfoot."

"It's not supposed to be funny."

"But—"

He cuts you off by cupping your cheek and leaning in close enough for you to feel his warm breath on your lips. It smells of Firewhisky and mint. "Kiss me and see for yourself."

"You must be drunk."

"Only tipsy," he reminds you. "Or maybe a little drunk on you."

"You know, you're not half as funny as—mmph!"

He's kissing you. Sirius is kissing you, and dear sweet Merlin, you could swear that the world's tilting beneath you as his hands pull you closer. He hums contentedly when he feels you reciprocating, cradling your face between his palms as if to make sure that you won't go anywhere.

Not that you intend to.

It's the kind of kiss that steals your breath away. The kind of kiss you can lose yourself in without even realizing it, especially when one of his hands slides into your hair, and you moan involuntarily into his mouth.

Sirius laughs breathlessly against your lips as he eases you down onto your back. His fingers dance along your jawline before he curls them under your chin, tilting your head back and kissing his way down your throat.

"I think this went better than expected," he murmurs, pausing long enough to gently bite down on the sensitive spot where your neck meets your shoulder. You gasp.

Sirius sits up suddenly. His hair hangs in front of his face like a dark curtain and his eyes glitter with amusement when he pushes it back. Your pulse jumps when you see the slight redness of his lips and the hint of mischief on his face. "Don't tell me you're getting shy now."

"Shut up."

He leans down and kisses you again, groaning low in his throat as your hands slide up the broad expanse of his back. "I'm starting to think you fancy me, too," he whispers, words ghosting over your mouth.

"Yeah," you admit sheepishly, sliding your hands up and over his shoulders. "I may have been lying earlier. It's not that crazy."

"May have?"

"Fine, I did lie."

"I knew it."

He looks far too smug. Just this once, you don't really mind.

#sirius black x reader #sirius black imagine #sirius black x fem!reader #sirius x you #sirius x reader #marauders fanfic #marauders imagine #sirius black scenario #sirius black oneshot #sirius black one-shot #sirius black one shot #sirius black headcanon #sirius black headcanons #sirius black hcs #sirius black hc #sirius black fanfiction #sirius black fanfic #sirius black fic #sirius black blurb #sirius black drabble #sirius black dialogue #sirius black fluff

[crusty-chronicles]

Just Friends

An: Dropping this one before I watch the first episode of the live action today!!!!! Hope y'all enjoy.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" You chastised the red headed demon as you plucked another vine from his arm. Making sure to go over the injury with alcohol before wrapping it.

"Is that so?"

You met his amused expression with a glare. How this man could be so unfazed by a literal plant growing out of him, you'd never know. How he still found the energy to be cheeky was a mystery as well.

Although you knew it wasn't entirely his fault he was this injured. That damn tournament committee was partial to blame. Sabotaging Urameshi and his friends for no other reason than them being human. Betting money was another factor. Still, if Kurama hadn't been so cocky with the first demon, he wouldn't have been through hell after.

"Absolutely. You should've never fought twice in a row. Now look at you." You gestured towards the many open wounds on his chest.

"You're covered in blood. You're so damn lucky I'm studying to be a doctor." You dabbed more alcohol than you should've on a cotton ball before cleaning the scratches on his face.

A feeling of smugness when he let out a slight hiss.

"It hurts? Good. Maybe next time you'll learn to be more careful."

It was quite the sight to see. Kurama sitting obediently while you tended to his wounds. Letting you scold him without much complaint or push back. Kurama, a demon who'd lived hundreds of years with unfathomable knowledge, allowed you to call him stupid.

The most independent and arguably the most reserved, getting chewed out by a mere human.

It was funny, too. How he seemed to subtly lean into your touch. Closing his eyes while you wiped his face and releasing a content sigh when you finished. As if he were being pampered.

"You know I got injured pretty badly too. Maybe you should come clean my injuries." Yusuke called out. Though it was mostly meant to tease the fox demon.

You turned to face him at the same time Kurama's gaze hardened. A warning look directed at the spirit detective. But he could tell it wasn't really needed as you dismissed his offer.

"What am I the team doctor? I can't do all that 'magic power' stuff to heal what you've got going on." You gestured to the various brusing littered across Yusuke's body.

"You're best bet is Yukina."

"But you've got a delicate touch."

At his flirty tone you shot up from the bed and proceeded to chase him.

"I'll show you delicate!"

Kurama watched you go with a disappointed look. Missing your warmth besides him. Although he wasn't too happy with you being here, he couldn't deny being glad to have your familiar presence near him.

He had wanted to keep you far away from this. From his past that unfortunately intertwined with his present. Trying his best not to expose you to what he really was. A small part of him was still angry at Botan for bringing you here. But then again, she'd brought a prominent figure in each of his friends' lives as well. So he wasn't the only one dealing with this. He'd rather it be you than his mother wondering where he was.

Still, you were human. And a troublesome one at that. It was surprising you hadn't gotten in a brawl with a demon yet. Especially ones that were openly cheering for his demise.

You'd always been a bit protective of him. Having met as children when you defended him from being bullied for his fiery hair and oddly green eyes. Yelling and biting at the other kids until they left. Only to turn around and tell him he was gonna be your best friend from now on.

Something he thought was odd at the time. A human telling him what to do? Then again, he wasn't all that different from you in his new body. And he needed to be able to keep up appearances until he fully regained his powers. So he accepted and let you drag him where you pleased. He let you ramble about everything and nothing at the same time. He let you comfort him when his mother fell ill.

He grew to love having you in his life. Your lectures about how he shouldn't let others taunt him, even if he was fully capable of protecting himself. Though of course you didn't know that. He admired your ambition to enter the medical field so you could help the people who needed it. He looked forward to seeing your soft side that you'd only show to him after a long day.

You'd made him feel human.

Which is why he tried so hard to hide everything about his previous life from you. If you found out you'd most likely be scared or put in even more danger.

And he just couldn't risk losing you either way.

He tried cutting ties with you once, but you were a stubborn one. After what happened with Maya, he thought it was best you kept out of his life. Going as far as avoiding you. To which you responded by confronting him.

"If you don't want to be friends anymore, just tell me. Give me a straight answer instead of acting like a coward."

He was close to telling you he didn't want you around anymore, but the way you looked at him, with so much hurt and betrayal...He just couldn't find it in himself to let you go. Instead he asked you why. Why you didn't find him strange like the rest of your classmates. Why you spent so much time with him. Why it bothered you so much that he was ignoring you.

"Is that really what's bothering you? The answer should be obvious to a brainiac like you. You're important to me, Shuichi."

He realized then that you were important to him, too.

So he allowed himself to keep you around. He deserved that much for everything he's been through. Just so long as you were a part of his human life and not his demon one.

But fate had a funny way of playing things out. He should've known he couldn't keep this part of his life a secret from you forever. He just didn't expect it so suddenly.

Hearing your voice above the others shouting at him from the stands. He thought he might've been imagining it at first, but then he caught a glimpse of you from over the other demon's shoulder. The one that had threatened his mother's life with a push of a button.

He could see that you were nervous. Frustrated would have been a better word. As if you were mad he was letting himself get hurt.

You'd called him an idiot then too, after he won. Jumping down from the stadium and rushing over. Unfazed by the bloodthirsty creatures around you.

"You're such a dumbass. Making a big show out of nothing and letting that guy cut up your face. Let me see how bad it is." You scolded as you grabbed his chin and moved his head around. Inspecting the fresh slashes on his cheek.

"You're here?" He asked, still processing the fact that you were right in front of him. That somehow you managed to find your way back to him.

"Yes??? I don't think he hit you hard enough to have a concussion."

Kurama had to step away from you. All of a sudden overwhelmed because there was no way you were inspecting his injury right now. There was no way you were still treating him like nothing happened. Like he didn't just kill someone right in front of you.

"Why?" It was the only thing he could think to ask. Rendered speechless for the first time in forever.

"Why what?"

"Why are you here? How much do you know?"

How much did that troublesome reaper tell you?

"I'm here because my stupid best friend decided to get himself into trouble without telling me. Did you really think I wouldn't worry about you being gone for weeks? That I wouldn't get suspicious?" You used the sleeve of your shirt to wipe the blood off his face.

"I didn't want you involved." Came his answer. He still didn't know how much you knew. If now was the time to be completely transparent.

"Then you shouldn't have agreed to be my friend. To be honest, I'm a little hurt you didn't even bother to tell me. Let me guess, you thought I would freak out if you told me you were a demon?"

Ah, so you knew everything. Which meant so did the rest of the girls with you. He wanted to be upset at Botan's lack of ability to keep secrets, but he couldn't have been any more relieved.

"You know me almost as good as myself. Though it's surprising you're taking this so well." He allowed himself to relax in your presence. To let you continue inspecting his minor injuries.

"You really think I would care after all we've been through? For someone who's supposedly hundreds of years old, you sure are an idiot Shuichi."

"Shuichi..." He didn't know why his name sounded so foreign coming from you. Maybe a part of him expected you to call him 'Kurama' now that you knew the truth. Or perhaps he just wasn't used to hearing it when he wasn't trying to keep up appearances.

"Yeah? Do you want me to use your tough guy demon name instead? Don't wanna be embarrassed in front of your friends?" Your tone was teasing. And while he would have loved to hear his true name come from your lips, he couldn't deny liking the idea of only you having the privilege to call him Shuichi.

"No. I like it when you use my human name instead. Whatever feels natural for you."

"Alright, but you better promise not to keep any more secrets from me."

He was still cautious with you around, but it was more for your safety than anything. Though he should've been more careful with himself, too. It'd only be more stressful to you the worse he got injured. Still he couldn't promise you that he'd come out completely unscathed.

"You let that human walk all over you like the detective with his woman."

The sound of Hiei's voice brought him back to the present. Hearing the amusement that came with it at Kurama's show of obedience with you. The way he let you get after him for being careless.

"True they have a rather loud mouth, but it comes from a good place. I don't mind all that much, not when they've gone out of their way to mend my injuries. Or would you rather I go to Yukina instead?" A small jest that was made to get the three eyed demon off his back.

But Hiei knew what he was doing and wouldn't be taking the bait this time. Not when he knew he had the upper hand in this conversation.

"You'd give me the opportunity to steal your precious mate while you were distracted?" And judging by Kurama's small glare, he was right.

"... We're just friends." It sounded like he was trying to convince himself. And in a sense he was. He'd never really thought of you in that light. At least, not until recently.

"Hmm." A unimpressed noise before you stumbled in.

Smiling triumphantly after having just tousled with Yusuke and an unfortunate Kuwabara who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The grin wiped off your face seeing Kurama up and about.

"Hey! Did I say you could get up and walk?!? You've lost way too much blood to be moving around! Get your ass back to bed right now!"

"I heal at a much faster rate, remember. I should be just fine." He tried to diffuse, but you weren't having it.

"You're not getting out of this one fox boy. Go lie down or so help me Shuichi, I'll knock you out myself!"

Again you'd used his human name. Who you knew him as. And despite your crude words, he could feel his heart skip a few beats.

Friends made each other's hearts beat a little faster, right?

They sometimes shared kisses with each other during a moment of celebration.

And sometimes, maybe sometimes they thought about what life would be like to wake up next to the other every morning.

"Stay with me and I won't move a muscle."

#yu yu hakusho x reader #yu yu hakusho #x reader #x y/n #kurama x reader #yoko kurama #shuichi minamino

[icannot3]

I would 100% be interested in a part 2 of the sock rule!

I truly did not think you guys would like this so much, but I'm so glad you did! Your wish is my command teehee. (HOPEFULLY it's not too late to finally post this lmao.) Ngl I'm kinda nervous about this one because I've never written this explicitly before. Anyways, enjoy!

The Sock Rule (pt.2)

Part 1!

Word count:1.5k

Warning: NSFW below the cut. (P in v penetration), oral (f receiving), riding, slight overstimulation.

...................

"Eh, I don't think my roommate will care."

He chuckled, nodding his head. "I agree. He's actually pretty stoked." His hands were cradling your waist, thumbs tracing soft circles into the plush skin. Slowly, they crept down to the hem of your pants, tugging there. You stopped him, "I think you're wearing a little too much to get to that just yet." It was true, you were half naked, and he still had layers of clothing underneath his jacket. The realization dawned upon him. Instantly, he was ripping off his top with fervor. The fabric slid off of his body, and you were far from disappointed at the sight. Surely you'd seen him shirtless before, but you'd never been able to shamelessly look for longer than just a glance. The times you had seen him, it was only for the purpose of cleaning some sort of injury he'd withstood and needed help tending. But your eyes were far from discreet now. He was lean with a nicely muscular torso. Your fingers traced down his chest, feeling the scars you'd recognized from treating them in the past.

His hands were on you immediately, mouth latching onto yours with desperation that surprised even himself. His fingers trail down your neck, grazing against the sensitive areas near your collar. His kisses are soft but still eager as his tongue prods past your lips. You gasp, arms flying around his back. The embarrassment you feel instinctively makes you laugh ever so slightly, as you were slowly becoming more self-conscious by your practically nude state pressing tightly against him. Peter glaces up at you, his look of utter confusion putting you into hysterics. To sooth his worries, your hands cradle his head. You lean in, kissing him sweetly opposed to the passionate and desperate kisses you'd shared before. "Sorry, I'm a little nervous that this is really happening. I never thought you liked me like that." He breaks away, small pecks now trialing down your jaw.

"I've been in love with you for years." He was rubbing your arms, laying on top of you. "I want us to be more than just roommates who-" He pauses, "do it." His dopey grin makes your heart flutter. "You just totally rock my world, babe. I wouldn't want anyone else." You were yet again for what felt like the millionth time today, flabbergasted. Collecting yourself, a smile graces your lips. "I agree. I kinda love you back, Peter." He bends down to your waist, hands wrapped around your thighs. He was on cloud nine, mentally jumping for joy. "Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to continue." Enthusiastically, he slides down your pants, leaving you completely bare beneath him. Before you can even stop him, your undergarments are being thrown across the room.

His hand teasingly played with your folds, trailing lightly over the skin. Peter took his time when eyeing you up, relishing in the perfection of the moment. You nudged his head with your knee, trying to urge him to continue as the anticipation felt fatal. His breath was hot against your core. The sensation of excitement set fire to your stomach, pleasure butterflying in waves. The pad of his thumb deliciously rubs your clit in circles, sending a rush of extacy through you. Your head leans back, as you are far too flustered already to bring yourself to watch his ministrations. Peter, despite his occupied state, had not once stopped smiling. As his tongue begins to lick your center, you can feel it against you. Back arching, the mattress creaked beneath you. The worry over whether or not the walls were soundproof lingered, fearing the neighbors may hear your illicit sounds. This fear is quickly disregarded when his thumb begins to vibrate against you while he practically devours your weeping cunt.

You gasped, "I didn't know you could do that!" Your hand flies over your mouth, trying to muffle the uncontrollable moans escaping from your parted lips. He chuckled pridefully, "Hopefully, I can suprise you with more than this." He himself was growing painfully erect, hard-on snuggly trying to escape the confines of his pants. Your head jerks back yet again when he sticks a vibrating digit inside, curling it and trying to find your sweet spot. Quickly, he becomes successful, applying just enough pressure to the soft area. His thumb remained on your clit, the unceasing pleasure making you almost whine from overstimulation. It brought tears to your eyes that were close to brimming out the corners.

Your first orgasm hit you like a tital wave. Your hand had entangled itself within his silver locs, thighs encasing his head tightly in its spot. You were gasping and calling his name like it was your mantra. Sweat gleamed across your forehead. You'd lost all train of thought after being finger-fucked to stupidity. Peter flattens his tongue, lapping up your juices and coaxing you out of your natural high as you come down. "That was so fucking hot." Your slick was shamelessly coated across his lips and chin. He sat up, hands shaking as he struggled to unbutton his jeans as quickly as he desired. The fabric slipped from his grasp repeatedly.

You moved to help him, unbuttoning his jeans and completing the tedious task for him. He was nervous, despite knocking you senseless only moments before, and you could tell. His pants and underwear were discarded with your own onto the floor. His cock sprang to life once released. A ferocious blush heated your entire face, and you found yourself unable to look away. You clear your throat, coughing to get his attention. "So, the carpets do match the drapes!" His eyes flash widely at you, and his body flops onto the bed at your side. "I'm never getting my dick out in front of you again." He dramatically covers his face with regret. You run your hand up his chest, straddling yourself on top of him. "I highly doubt that's true." You pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "I think it's cute."

His dick rubs against your entrance, the friction as it slides across your sensitive bud, making you desperate for more. Your hips grind on top of him and Peter gasps. He thrusts up, craving your touch. His hands grab you by the ass as he aligns himself with your pussy. "Is this still alright?" His voice is raspy. You nod, sinking down onto him. Slowly, you bottom out, allowing yourself to sit there to adjust. His eyes screw shut as he lets out a shaky breath, along with a string of unintelligible cursing. You leaned into him, rocking your hips slowly up and down his shaft. Your toes curled, head burying against his shoulder. His labored breathing was hot against your ear as you continued, his soft moans sending your mind into a state of bliss. He cradled your back while leaning up so you could sit on his lap. His strong arms helped you move faster up and down, his mouth latching onto your breast to suck the soft skin. His tongue flicked across your nipple, the feeling heightening your sensitivity. You were growing weak, thighs on the brink of collapsing. Without a word he subconsciously knew, flipping you underneath of him.

His thrusts were long and deep, his pace slowly quickening over time. The tip of his cock was ramming you sweetly, enough to make your eyes roll to the back of your head. His hips were beginning to move more erratically as his moans were becoming more like desperate whines. He was praising you with every breath he took, completely enamored by the sensation. Peter's hand once again reached down, vibrating against your clit as he was desperate to get your second orgasm of the day out before his first. A tight knot was building inside of you, threatening to come undone. He rolls once more deeply inside of you, white-hot heat pushing you over the edge. It was far stronger than before, your voice hitching as you cry out for him. Peter was quick to pull out, cumming on your stomach. The ropes of heat coat your skin prominently. You close your eyes, collecting yourself as the last waves of extacy fade away. He lays flat beside you, arm lazily wrapping around the back of your neck for a hug. His lips place a kiss on your temple before he leans his head onto your neck.

You hum fulfillingly, "Not bad, Quicksilver." Your hand lays against his chest, feeling his heart pound against it. He softened his gaze, his hand playing with a piece of your hair. "Thanks, m'lady." You looked down his figure, admiring his beauty. Your eyes stop at his foot and your brow furrows. "I completely forgot about your injury. Is it okay?"

Peter lifts his leg in acknowledgment, "Oh yeah, it's great now. Feels good as new." He bends his ankle. "It's as if you gave me some magic medicine. Maybe this is what we should have been doing to fix me up all along!" His hand taps your arm matter-of-factly, his tone cheery. You giggle, shaking your head. "Then I suppose we can try it out some more."

Peter concluded that he would gladly walk towards the face of danger from that day on.

Taglist: @taintandviolent (if you would like to be added, tell me in the comments!)

#evan peters #fluff #peter maximoff #x men #peter maximof x reader #smut #peter maximoff x reader #peter maximoff smut

[the-guilty-writer]

Mother Enough

Request from anon: okay so I'm not sure if requests for this kinda thing is open or if this is where we go to request stuff 😭 but I was wondering if you could please do a Prentiss x daughter reader where she gets in trouble at school for like the first time and Emily isn't really sure how she should deal with it? (Reader can be like 11-13 maybe?) Thank you regardless :)

Emily Prentiss x daughter!reader

Summary: Emily doesn't know how to handle a troubled child... but you aren't trouble.

A/N: I had to adjust the request to the guidelines and this is what came out of it. It's mostly Emily doubting her abilities as a mother which I think was what the request was really asking for.

CW: mentions the doyle arc, reader had a panic attack

---

Emily shouldn’t have been as surprised as she was when she got a call saying that you’d been caught skipping class by hiding in the bathroom. Not because you were a bad kid, but because she had been. Most of that could have been blamed on the fact that she’d been moved around so much or the fact that both of her parents were pretty absent from her life other than when she got in trouble, but if it boiled down to that then you had no excuse to be behaving the way you were.

Or did you? The BAU had been quite busy lately and there were two extra cases last month…

“I’m very disappointed in you,” was all she could manage to say. You were sitting in the passenger seat of the car, your arms crossed over your chest. You didn’t look at her as she spoke. For that, your mother was quite glad. You couldn’t read the bluff in her voice, but you sure could on her face. At first she thought it was because you were a profiler’s daughter. Now she was just convinced that it was how you were.

The next few minutes were spent in silence, but Emily’s head was full of chatter. She’d helped take down international terror threats before, surely she should know what to say to her own eleven year old daughter. But she didn’t. Raising a child was far harder than anything she’d ever done. You’d always been quiet and reserved, which was okay. You never liked school- she used to have to drag you to kindergarten against your will. Everyone just told her it was a phase- minor separation anxiety that would go away and it did… eventually.

Emily also promised herself that she would never profile her own child. As tempting as it was, she never did it. JJ and Hotch didn’t have a problem not profiling their kids, so why did she constantly want to profile you? Shouldn’t she just love you how you were? Not that she didn’t love you, it was just that profiling was a habit that was built into her. She used it to get to know people better. And that was okay… right?

She pulled up to her parking spot at Quantico and turned off the car, looking over at you for the first time since she picked you up from school. And she couldn’t help but profile you just a little bit. Your arms were crossed over your chest and your looked away from her, edged as far away from her as you could get, but most concerning was the tightness of your muscles and the collapse of your chest.

It wasn’t body language of defiance, like you were a child who had gotten in trouble; It was the body language of someone who was scared. Everything you did was to make yourself smaller and get yourself farther away and shield yourself from something. What that thing was, Emily didn’t know. She sure hoped it wasn’t her.

“(Y/N),” she said gently. “Can you talk to me?”

Tears began to form in your eyes. Even as a baby you hadn’t cried much. Now Emily was really lost.

“Please, tell me what happened,” she tried. “I’m not mad. I just want to know.” You looked down and picked at your cuticles- it was something Emily did as well, but only during periods of stress or anxiety.

“I-” your breathing was uneven, but not yet rapid. “There was a man and he was bald and he looked like-” a sob cut you off. “I couldn’t breathe-”

You’d seen someone at school who looked like Doyle. And you had panicked. Your body had told you to run and hide.

Emily leaned over to hug you gently and you leaned into her embrace. She ran a gentle hand down your hair, letting the locks slip through her fingers. You’d already been yelled at by a teacher, sent to the principal’s office, and then she told you she was disappointed in you- all because of something you couldn’t predict or control. All for something that wasn’t your fault. 

She pulled a tissue out of the glove box and dried your eyes.

“I’m sorry,” you whispered.

“No,” Emily said gently. “You have nothing to be sorry about. How long has this been happening?”

You shrugged helplessly. “Since we came home from Paris. I can’t be scared of random people my whole life just because they look like some dead asshat.”

Hearing those words there was no doubt in Emily’s mind that you were her daughter.

“I know,” she said. “That’s why we’re going to work this out- just like when we had to pretend I was dead and you were the only person I was allowed to let know I was alive. It’s you and me, okay?”

You nodded. “Okay.”

Emily wrapped you in another hug. She'd promised you would work this out, but she wasn't sure how. Sure, she could take down an unsub double her size and interrogate suspects until they broke under nothing more than her stare; but Emily wondered if she was enough for this- enough for you.

Was she mother enough?

#criminal minds fanfiction #emily prentiss fanfiction #emily prentiss x reader #emily prentiss x daughter!reader #emily prentiss x child!reader #emily prentiss x y/n #criminal minds x reader #criminal minds x y/n #criminal minds x teen!reader #criminal minds x daughter!reader #criminal minds x child!reader

[genericpuff]

Hey, found you on reddit long long ago and have since been a follower. I wanted to say thanks for all of your essays, for your advice about comics and creative work in general, and especially for the coherent thoughts on webtoon as a company... seeing you do LR and just BE outspoken about the experience of working on webcomics and being a professional artist, it gives lots of people hoping to go into the industry or do that sort of work (myself included) the courage to stand on our feet. I saw in real time that reddit post you analyzed in your last post, and I've made the (honestly pretty scary) decision to stop publishing my own comic on WT completely and abandon ship for a third party site. Still trying to decide which would be best. It sucks feeling like you're abandoning an entire audience, but the knowledge that your work will remain your own and on your own conditions... that's far more valuable at the end of the day. So thanks for the (accidental) help with that decision, and I'll do my part in spreading the word. I really enjoy lore rekindled, thank you for all your efforts and hope you're having a great day :>

Aw hey! It's always humbling to hear that people find strength in my crazy wordy essays LOL I don't particularly like saying 'you're welcome' with this sorta thing so I guess I'll say, no prob, glad I could help? 😆

I understand all too well that fear of 'abandonment'. I'm currently in the process of moving all of my work off WT as well, notifying my readers, all that fun stuff. I've considered using it just as a mirror site for the sake of trying to get audience members, but honestly, I've been using it as my primary site for nearly a decade with no luck so keeping it on the platform even just as a mirror just feels... I dunno, like I'd just be getting the same results regardless. Especially now with the site going in the direction that it is, and the fact that they're clearly moving towards AI, at best I don't want my work to be bringing in the site any more traffic (even if it's just a drop in the bucket) and at worst I don't want my work to get scraped by AI or some shit down the road LOL I often wonder why I've bothered putting up with Webtoons for so long, when I left Tapas over far less. I think it's just the fear of being a disappointment. But really the only person I should be most concerned of disappointing is myself - and I don't want to continue to disappoint myself by sticking it out with a platform that's getting worse by the day.

Something that's helped me reframe my perspective on the "loss" of Webtoons as a platform is just viewing it less as 'abandoning' and more like 'upgrading'- upgrading the environment in which I host my work, so that it can be in a place that works for my goals and stories rather than against them. It's like the golden rule of dealing with employers, if you're not getting adequate raises or proper treatment, then you leverage your skills and experience into a better position. Nothing is forever, including webcomic platforms. But change doesn't have to be a bad thing, so long as you can use it to your advantage somehow.

Take what you can of your audience with you. Encourage them to try new spaces. Turn the transition into a party, get people so excited for it that they'll feel like they're missing out if they don't hop on! Have confidence, even if you don't have everything figured out yet. The readers that truly love your work and want to read it will follow.

And worst case... send me a link to your comic sometime and I'll do what I can ;) I'll see you on the other side of wherever our work ends up (•̀ᴗ•́)و

#ask me anything #ama #anon ama #anon ask me anything #webtoon critical

[trigunsbbygirl]

More Reverse Isekai Hcs with the Twins

another one with more focus on Vash, but Nai is there too. V relationship with reader so absolutely nothing going on with the twins.

also mention a not sfw song at the very end

•Vash loves window shopping. there's so many interesting things on Earth! Vash drags you around to each store and always ooo's and ahh's at everything. obsessed with stickers and animal shaped things (especially when it comes to cooking.)

•he bought animal cookie cutters and immediately tried them out and was both slightly disappointed and dying of laughter when the cookies came out way rounder than when they went in. Vash frosts them very seriously either way, holding in laughter at how they look. he can't hold it any longer when you catch his attention, holding up what was meant to be a bear, decorated with nothing but a small 'c:' on its face. you're wavering straight face and almost serious voice saying "he chonky" has him losing it.

•every once in a while when Vash is putting something in the oven, he'll quote that copypasta "Why do they call it oven when you of in the cold food of out hot eat the food?" Nai wants to smack him everytime he says it.

•speaking of, Vash quite likes internet language. he's not excessive with using them, but sometimes Vash'll be like 'look at the doggo/pupper!' he also starts saying lol and pog. he doesn't say them in public much though. he's still trying to learn about the difference in online culture and offline culture.

•unlike Nai, Vash finds merchandise fascinating. he loves looking at plushies, figurines and charms, he thinks it's all so cool! Vash buys you all matching phone charms. it makes him so happy whenever he spots it dangling from yours and Nai's phones.

•but speaking of, Vash finds out about the figurines of himself and if he can, he's absolutely buying them. he's looking at them and is all like damn I look so cool! and rubs it in Nai's face that he has not only more, but cooler figurines.

•Vash recreates the poses of them too, aiming his finger gun at you, before yelling out a bang, lifting his arm up in fake recoil. you gasp, griping at your torso, dramatically falling to the floor. "help me Nai, I've been shot!"

Nai rolls his eyes at the two of yours antics, making his way towards you and picking you up. As he makes his way towards your bedroom he says, "I have to give her medical attention, don't bother us."

Vash's eyes widen as he gets up to follow Nai. "Now wait a second!"

•the dorks actually do know how to share you. it was a little rough at the beginning but they've learned and figured things out pretty well! they don't fight for your attention, but they do get a little jealous, and pouty if you give too much attention to the other often. they're both pretty touch starved so good luck lol. however they do read eachother well and know when not to try and get your attention from the other.

•Vash would've loved the time when mustaches and the peace symbol were insanely popular.

•speaking of mustaches, Vash once came home wearing one of those fake glasses with mustache and nose disguises. when you turned to welcome him home he responded with a serious face, "who is Vash?" you fake a gasp asking who he is and what he's doing there. before Vash can respond, Nai is getting up with a grin on his face. "well since we don't know him, we can kick him out and make sure he can never get back in."

Vash nervously laughs, waving his hands, "we don't need to go that far haha.."

Nai laughs back mockingly,"why not? you are breaking into our house, stranger."

Vash immediately yanks the glasses off, "look! its me! Vash!" you gasp and run up to him, hugging his side. "Vash! there was a tall scary stranger in here! I'm glad you're here to help Nai protect me!"

Nai watches as Vash coddles you. he'd be lying to himself if he said he hated the antics you two do. he watches you give Vash a kiss on the cheek before walking over and pulling you away from Vash. "I'm the one that protected you, why are you praising him?" he asks, staring at you with narrowed eyes. Nai may look angry but really, he just wants kisses too.

•Vash loves bees! he'll go out to the little garden he's been working on and watch as bees and butterflies come by. it's one of his favorite pastimes.

•Vash is very involved with the community. he always offers the neighbors any extra food he's made and seeing if anyone needs help. he's happy to mow someone's lawn or weed a garden and do any small chores someone may be unable to do. Vash also goes around and tries to volunteer a lot since he can't really work. as much as he likes exploring hobbies, he gets a little restless being at home so much.

•Vash wants to try eating everything and that doesn't just include meals. somehow Vash learned that dandelions are edible and the next time you two take a walk, before you truly realize it, you're watching Vash shove the yellow part of a dandelion flower into his mouth.

•but seriously he really does want to try eating different plants. Vash does a lot of research and is always giving Nai suggestions of foods to incorporate into meals.

•if Vash could, I could absolutely see him working in the medical department as a pediatrician. he loves kids a lot and he's great at playing with kids, comforting them and making sure they feel as happy as they possibly can be at the hospital. he always jokes around with them, gets to know each kid he works with and always tries to be there for them when they're sad or scared.

•likewise, I know I said Nai would work at a book store, but I like to imagine Nai could become a surgeon. he's not lost to the irony in it, that he's saving lives, but it's just something he's taken an interest in. he wants to learn about human anatomy. (idk how to explain it really but it just makes sense to me. he'd be good at it too, never gets tired, steady hands, keen eyes, very precise)

•prank Vash a little bit when it comes to the modern era. tell him that when the plane lands everybody claps and applauds the pilots. Vash almost did that the first time he went flying, he lifted his hands up, but he was confused when no one started clapping. he catches on quickly that it was a prank.

•Vash combusts if you ever sing E.T by Katy Perry. stare at him as you sing it and he'll get so red in the face. he's covering his face with his hands and curling into himself and whining out to stop.(he doesn't want you to though)

•same with if you prank him and show him that The Bad Touch by Bloodhound Gang. go up to him and tell him you have a cool popular song to show and he lights up, Vash likes pretty much all of the songs you show him. when the song starts, he's bopping his head to the beat and tells you, smiling, it's cool so far. then the lyrics start and Vash's smile immediately falls and he blushes so hard. he can't even look at you and you're laughing your ass off at his reaction.

•Nai, the boring fucker, would just raise an eyebrow at you. he either doesn't fall for your pranks or just has no reaction. shame.

#trigun x reader #trigun headcanons #vash the stampede x reader #millions knives x reader #vash x reader #knives x reader #reverse isekai

[sugamii]

⤷ voicemail

⭒ gn!reader x tsukishima kei

⭒ summary: tsukishima has been avoiding you for months now and you don't think you can keep trying with him | wc. 1.4k

⭒ warnings: angsty? | notes: mostly between yamaguchi and tsukishima as tsukki's ignoring you,, a little ooc but it's not too bad-

Tsukishima's known you for quite some time and you would say that he's adjusted pretty well. You had already been friends with Yamaguchi when you met Tsukki at Karasuno - you’re almost 100% sure he paved the way for you. Though, you can't give Tadashi all the credit. You clawed your way to the top with that man and no one can take that from you. Becoming friends with him was like climbing a mountain with no gear. Difficult, infuriating, terrifying - but definitely possible if you stuck to it!

Despite his attitude and the rough ride to friendship, you're glad you spent so much time chasing him. It was easy to see the kindness through all of his sarcasm, he never went too far with his insults and he made sure no one was actually hurt. You got used to it, and he slowly adjusted to your needs too. He had even started using new insults on you to avoid calling you stupid - he saw how discouraged you got when he would say those things and he really did want you to like him. He's taken to pointing out how short you are in comparison to him, but it's objectively much better than being called stupid.

The point is, he had accepted that you were part of his life. Or you thought he had anyways.

You had been trying to reach Tsukishima for a while now, hoping he would eventually break and admit that he missed you. Clearly you weren't getting anywhere, but you couldn't just give up.

You put the phone on the table next to you as you called him again, you couldn't stand having the phone against your ear anymore, listening to the same message over and over again had started to wear on you. You wished he would answer so you could hear him say something else. Even a goodbye would be okay.

The ringing stopped and you held your breath, waiting to hear his voice. Only to be disappointed as you listened to his voicemail again, his voice repeating the same lines they had an hour ago. You don't usually mind hearing Tsukishima’s voice, but hearing him repeat the fact that he was busy made you sick. You knew he wasn't.

Unable to reach him, you decided that the next best thing would be calling Tadashi. Surely he wouldn't ignore his best friend. Fortunately, Tadashi picked up the phone after a few rings. At least one of them had manners.

“Hello?”

“Hey Tadashi, have you-”

“Is this who I think it is? I haven't heard from you in months.” You laughed softly at his sulky tone, although you couldn't really make fun of him. When Kei had started avoiding you, you thought he just needed space. And with him and Yamaguchi being connected at the hip, it was hard to make time for your other friend. The space didn't work as he had barely noticed your absence and you couldn't really get that time back.

“Listen, about that,” you started, pausing to collect your thoughts. You didn't need to see Tadashi to know that he was anxious about whatever you were about to say. On the other side of the call, he could hear your heavy sigh, “Does he hate me, ‘dashi?”

“Who?”

“Tsukki! He hasn't been answering my calls. I haven’t talked to him in months.” Your voice cracked as your throat started to burn, tears building in your eyes. The worst part was you didn't really know if you were being dramatic or not. He was your best friend and he was refusing to speak to you. “I'm starting to think he doesn't want me around anymore.”

“Hate is a strong word. It's Tsukki. He doesn't communicate well.”

You took a deep breath in hopes of soothing your throat, “I know.”

“Have you gone to see him? You know how he throws himself into work, maybe he’s been busy.” You thought about what Yamaguchi was saying, what would happen if you went to his apartment. The last time you had visited Tsukishima he had completely shut you out. He really would hate you if you kept trying so hard.

“Or maybe I could go. He needs more Tadashi time anyways.” Tadashi suggested, pulling you out of your thoughts. You agreed, thanking him. You have no idea what you would do without him sometimes.

After the two of you had finished talking, Yamaguchi made his way to the apartment. He knocked once or twice to let Tsukki know he was there before walking into his friend's home. The blonde looked up from his phone in surprise only to give his guest a sour look when he realized who it was.

“Sure, make yourself at home,” he muttered under his breath.

“Kei,” Yamaguchi kept his voice monotone as he stared at the other. Tsukishima rolled his eyes and adjusted his position on the couch. “Remember that one person we used to hang out with? You know, the one we’ve been friends with since Karasuno. The one you're ignoring right now.”

Tsukishima knew why Yamaguchi was upset. He knew that he was hurting you by pushing you away, but he didn't really see what the big deal was. You would get over this eventually. No one understood that Tsukishima was the one in pain, that he was cutting contact so both of you could be happier. This was the best way to protect himself, it was quick and clean. In theory. It had seemed like such a good idea a few weeks ago.

It broke his heart to watch your name pop up on his screen, he had to remove your picture a while ago to avoid feeling too much guilt. Honestly, he was surprised he had made it so long. But Tadashi knew, or he had to at least be somewhat aware. “You know why I'm doing this. I can't have any distractions, we’re adults now. I can't throw my life away for someone from high school.”

“You know damn well that they're not just ‘someone from high school.’ And who asked you to throw your life away for them? You're friends with me and it doesn't ruin your life. Why are they any different?” If this had been under different circumstances, Tadashi might've giggled about that. He knew the difference, but he needed Tsukishima to realize what he was throwing away.

Closing his eyes and removing his glasses, Tsukishima sighed in exhaustion, “You're not seeing my side of this. You're acting like I'm doing this because I'm a dick, but I have my reasons.”

“Most people think you're a dick, Kei. This has nothing to do with my opinion of you,” Tadashi offered, making his best friend glare at him. He shrugged it off. It's not like he was lying. Tsukishima wasn't answering any of his questions, and he had always been a bit of a dick.

“There's no point. They hate me, that’s what I wanted.” He felt less guilty pretending you thought he was being an asshole for no reason. At least you wouldn't have to cling to the what ifs.

“That’s just sad, man. You're not gonna try?” Tadashi was shocked by his friend's resignation, it didn't seem like Tsukki at all. “You're worse than I thought. After all this time, I still don't know you.”

Tsukishima could feel the regret building in his stomach as he spoke, “I can't go back now! I can't apologize, it won't change anything. This is the best possible outcome.”

“You didn't even try,” Tadashi’s voice was soft, even from across the room. He had never seen his best friend so defeated, looking down at his phone and seeing it light up with another call from you.

“At least think about what I'm saying, about what they've been saying.” With that, he walked back through the door. This time Kei really did need space. He needed to think about what he was doing. Now that he was alone, he reached down to look at the most recent missed call, deciding he needed to listen to you this time.

“Hey Tsukki, or um, Tsukishima. Tadashi said he was gonna come talk to you today. I know you're busy and you don't wanna hear from me, I just needed to make sure you were okay before I said goodbye. I don't know what went wrong with us, but I want you to know that I'll always care for you. I'll stop calling, I won't come around, no more texts or indirect check-ins. I'm done.” Kei froze as he heard your voice coming through the phone, he had never heard you sound so drained. He finally understood just how wrong he had been. How could he have let you go through all of this alone? “I love you, Tsukishima Kei. Take care of yourself.”

#tsukishima kei #kei tsukishima #tsukishima kei x reader #haikyuu x reader #tsukishima x reader #tsukishima oneshot #tsukishima fanfic #haikyuu tsukishima #hq tsukishima #tsukishima angst #tsukishima drabbles #haikyuu oneshot #haikyuu fanfic #haikyu angst #hq angst #haikyuu angst #haikyu x reader #hq x reader #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu drabbles

[mediocrevideopodcast]

First I need you to know I absolutely love the way you write rocky! He feels so in character!

Second I saw requests are open so speaking of rocky: imagine if reader was a wealthy client who helps fund the speakeasy but they're only really there for rocky

like everyone else thinks it's pretty obvious they're into him but I imagine rocky would be clueless lol

(can be neutral or fem pronouns, whichever you prefer :) )

A/N: Thank you so much! I'm always worried that I'm a little too heavy-handed with his speech patterns, so I'm glad that it comes off right! And wow, I loved this idea so much! I got a little bit carried away with this it, actually -- never let it be said that I don't love this silly cat. Buckle in friends, it's gonna be a long one -- 3.4k, to be exact. Thank you all for all of the lovely asks and reblogs thus far -- because as much as I love writing, it's all of you that keep that fire burning when times get rough. Enjoy!

Content Warnings: None! Gender neutral reader, no pronouns or presentation indicators used.

Deafening raindrops turn into quiet pitter patters as you descend the long, spiraling staircase into the speakeasy. Comforting and familiar walls lift your spirits from the dreary outside world, caked in gloomy clouds and ever-growing smog. You wipe your boots on the doormat as you reach the bottom of the stairs, frowning a little when you notice just how far the mud splashed up the leather. 

        What a shame -- you'll have to clean them off when you get home tonight. Lord knows how your coworkers love to gossip, and with how calm things have been lately, they're just itching for something to discuss. Like how the head doctor has mud on their evening boots… after a heavy rain. How scandalous. 

        You're pulled from your thoughts by the gentle voice of the doorman, peering over at you with a hint of concern -- Horatio, you think his name was? Sweet boy. 

        "Is everything alright, Doctor?"

        You tear your eyes away from your shoes, smiling kindly. 

        "Of course," you chirp, "Just a bit of mud. Do be careful when you head out tonight. That suit looks nice on you, I'm sure you wouldn't want it getting dirty." 

        He straightens his posture at the compliment, adjusting his cufflinks with an endearing -- if not a little overenthusiastic -- nod. Content, you smooth out your outfit and move forward once again. You stride through the door, flashing your pin for formality's sake, and slink into the main room with a neatly contained excitement of your own. 

        Red satin curtains line the wall, contrasting beautifully with the natural grey stone -- the Lackadaisy speakeasy has a unique atmosphere, and despite having seen it no less than a hundred times, it never ceases to light a twinge of admiration within you. You weave between the towering stone pillars, letting your eyes rake across the room as you pad towards the bar. But… something is missing. Or, more aptly, someone. 

        The barstool squeaks in protest when you plop down at the bar, brows furrowed. Although before you're allowed to stew in your disappointment, a drink is placed in front of you. You look up, meeting eyes with the tall cat in front of you. Victor Vasko, resident bartender, for lack of a better word. He glowers down at you, although you know him well enough by now -- it's hard to be intimidated when you know his scowl is all but carved into his face. 

        You're also acutely aware that you're one of the last benefactors of St. Louis' finest speakeasy. 

        You slide a ten across the bar -- more than enough to cover drinks for the night, if not everyone else's too -- before swirling the drink in your glass. The amber liquid dances just shy of the rim before settling back down against the ice -- it's liquid gold in these parts, and they call it that for more reasons than one. You don't miss the subtle widening of Victor's eyes as he pockets the money and moves to the other end of the bar, presumably to clean -- or more aptly, shatter -- a handful of glasses. 

        Sweetness cascades over your tongue when you raise the glass to your lips -- it's a far cry from the common coffin varnish. That is to say, it's a luxury reserved only for new patrons… and those with deep pockets. You smile to yourself, savoring the taste. It's not the greatest drink in the world. Even a priest could tell you that. It's bitter, and burns in a way that tells you that its creator would really prefer to put the "fire" in firewater over anything else… and yet you couldn't fathom going anywhere else. It's not like you're aiming to get drunk here, anyways. 

        "So," Zib drawls, lumbering onto the bar stool next to you, "What's a man gotta do to get a drink around here?" 

        You huff a laugh into the glass, rolling your eyes. "Sorry, I only buy drinks for pretty boys."  

        He leans forward onto the bartop, leaning his head on his arms and gazing at you. His eyes are half-lidded, pupils lazily tracking your glass as you raise it to your lips. It's hard to tell if he's just tired, or if he's already gotten a headstart on drinking tonight. You'd put money on the "all of the above" option, if you could. 

        "I can bat my eyelashes if you want," he says.         "Jesus Christ, shut up," you laugh, swatting at him but waving down Victor nonetheless. He stomps over, rolling his one visible eye, but acquiesces and pours him a drink at your soft smile. It's clearly a cheaper alcohol, but Zib doesn't seem to mind. He seems to prefer it, if anything. He takes a strong drink, sighing at the burn. He pulls himself up from his crossed arms, leaning back with a groan.

        "Thank God, I don't know enough violin to pull anything else off. Or Shakespeare."

        "Hey!" You sputter, kicking his leg beneath the countertop, "What's that supposed to mean?" 

        "Nothing, nothing." He hums, pausing. Sips. Tilts the glass. "Just that you seem to have a favorite here, no shame in that. Other than the fact that you've chosen the strangest man in all of St. Louis to set your sights on." 

        "Excuse me, for one, I don't play favorites. And two, he is-- he isn't…" Swirling the liquid around in your own glass, you furrow your brow. When nothing comes to mind you take a sip of your own, thinking. 

        You know well enough that your protests are just for show at this point. It's become a near-daily point of banter between the two of you, considering how obvious you are in your affections. Many moons have come and gone since Wick showed you the Lackadaisy, but unlike the astral body, your interest in Rocky Rickaby has never waned. 

        It's hard to remember what kickstarted your affections for him -- maybe it was his natural lyricism, or perhaps his flair for theatrics. Maybe it was his unwavering spirit, or his penchant for getting into trouble. If you asked Wick, you're sure he'd tell you that you were simply attracted to the danger he brings with him, but he's never seen the way his eyes sparkle when he's excited. He's never seen the way he glows when he's truly happy -- not like you do, anyways. Maybe it was a combination of all of those things and more. What you do know is that…

        "He's got his own charm. He's different, yes, but I like different. But again," you say, looking at him over the rim of your glass, "I don't play favorites."  

        Zib chuckles, shaking his head, but says nothing. You wait one breath, then two. 

        Silence. 

        You scoff, muttering to yourself. "Set my sights on… You make it sound like I'm picking out a dog at the pound." 

        He grins, and you sense that you've fallen directly into his trap. Damn it. 

        "He'd bark if you asked him to."

        "Oh, you reprobate," you exclaim, laugh tinging the edges of your words. You swat at him once again, this time making contact. You'd like to say he choked on his drink, or sputtered at your attack, but this has become such a song and dance that really, you'd be more surprised if he didn't expect it. "You're incorrigible, you know." 

        "Just being honest," he says. 

        You shake your head, sipping lazily at your glass before slipping back into easy conversation. It's nice to simply chat the hours away with him -- despite his dour outward demeanor, he's quite good at keeping a conversation going. His taste in literature doesn't hurt much, either, nor does your own affability towards his own theatrics. For as much shit as he gives Rocky, he isn't all too much better in the drama department. 

        You weren't always treated so casually -- the memory of Mitzi all but batting Zib and Rocky away from you still brings a smile to your face. Hell, you're sure if Mitzi heard the dreary remarks falling from Zib now, she'd pick up the broomstick again… if only for her own sanity. But once it became clear that you'd sunk your claws into their best -- and up until recently, only -- rumrunner, the air changed. 

        You don't have to guess why -- everyone's been plenty clear about it.

        'If Rocky hasn't driven you away yet, there's not much anyone else can do to scare you off.'

        You cast a look over your shoulder every now and again, glancing at the door, aflutter with anticipation. It's impossible to hear the rain this far down into the cave system, although it's unlikely that the rain has let up at all considering the torrential downpour you weathered just a few short hours ago. You nervously bite at your lips, forcing your head back into the conversation. 

        'It's just the storm holding him up,' you tell yourself. 

        You vaguely realize that somewhere along the way your simple affection and interest has bloomed into something more all-consuming, and you can only hope that Zib doesn't catch your sudden fluster. Best to file that thought away for later. 

-----

        It's half past midnight when Rocky waltzes through those towering wooden doors, caked damn-near head to toe in mud. His suit seems to have taken the brunt of it, although the drying flakes embedded in his fur and the single symmetrical pair of clean streaks along his lapel tell a story all on their own. He clasps two bottles in his hands, mysteriously absent of any dirt or grime. 

        Calvin is hot on his heels too, pupils pinpointed with what you assume are the remnants of adrenaline. He too comes through the door with bottles of what you presume is liquor, although he certainly has an… abundance compared to Rocky. Because for Rocky's two, Calvin anxiously clutches no less than eight bottles to his chest. He practically waddles through the door, more out of fear than exertion. He, however, is almost entirely clean of grime… save for his pant legs, which are all but drenched. 

        Once Calvin is past the doorway Ivy comes skipping through too, hands wrapped around her own pair of bottles. Her wardrobe seems to be in slightly worse condition than Calvin's. Mud dapples her sweater, and the twigs tangled in her fur so abundant that you could probably call her a fire risk. But she seems joyful nonetheless as prances past Calvin and falls in line right behind Rocky in his march towards the bar. You realize in the back of your mind that she's chatting happily with Calvin behind her, although the words turn to water in your mind as you gaze at Rocky. If he's noticed you yet, he gives no indication. His tail, slicked thin with muck, flicks happily behind him. Small drops of mud hit the stone floor, causing Calvin to flinch back and clutch the bottles tighter to his chest. There must be a story there, you think to yourself. 

        You huff out a laugh -- partially out of amusement, and partially out of relief. You'll have to ask for the story of tonight's escapade later on. 

        "Praise be to the rain, protector of your ever faithful moonlight servants," Rocky finally reaches the other end of the bar, placing the bottles down with a thunk. He spins, his back towards you as he casts a hand in the air with a flourish. The smile that stretches across your face is painfully lovesick, if the way Zib nudges you gives you any indication, but you pay him no mind as you lean forward to watch the show. 

        "For such modern ventures, we need no stream to wrench forth our gold from the Earth, dearest raindrops. Rather, it is you, oh dearest clouds who bring us such prosperity, such joy. It is--"  he spins back towards you, locking eyes. He stiffens, blinking owlishly. A moment passes before his eyes sparkle in that perfect way you've come to adore, fangs peeking beneath his lips as his expression changes into a grin, and then a beam. 

        "You," he moves across the floor towards you, stretching his arms out for a moment before realizing his state of dress and letting his arms fall back at his sides. His tongue darts between his lips, practically buzzing with excitement as he pads towards you. 

        (You briefly catch the shocked looks of his, quite literal, partners in crime. Eyes wide, the two look at each other inquisitively, then at him, then back at one another. Clearly they're shocked at his willingness to drop his monologue, and the feeling is mutual. It makes the smile stretch further across your face, and you realize that if he hadn't silently retracted the offer, you would have accepted the hug, velvet be damned.)

        You spin your stool to face him, pushing your drink to the side with a wave in his direction. And it should be illegal for anyone to be so damn cute, because the way he lights up -- at your acknowledgement? At your excitement to see him? -- sends a hot flush through your cheeks that has you melting from the inside out. Up close you realize that despite (somewhat) clearing himself of mud, he wasn't able to keep entirely dry from the rain. Water drips down his nose, and you fight back the obnoxiously domestic thought of drying his fur for him. Tender looks and loving touches, of hands carding through fur… It's soon replaced by the vision of him toweling off himself, and Christ, something so mundane shouldn't be so damn attractive. That too, you tuck away for later. 

        He stops at your feet, eyes crinkled with mirth. 

        "I didn't think you'd still be here," he says, leaning against the bar countertop. Although he quickly notices the muddy stain he's left, and while he does pull back to attempt to clean it… it's not like there's much clean real-estate left on his suit to wipe with. You giggle -- honest to god, giggle -- at his antics, and just like that his attention is pulled back to you. He leans back against the countertop, resting his face against his hand. It squishes his cheek with a boyish charm, ears flicking towards your voice. It's cute. He's cute. 

        "Well, I wouldn't want to miss my favorite…"  Heat rises to your face at your own use of the word 'favorite.' Zib will never let you live this one down. 

        "...Musician." 

        Said cat snickers behind you, and oh yeah, you really aren't living this one down. It takes a lot of willpower not to shove him off the barstool then and there. But Rocky simply waves his free hand at him before turning it upwards, fingers splayed. It's clear that he's attempting to be casual in his body language, but the energy in his voice and barely hidden beam ousts his joy at your praise. 

        "Pay him no heed, dearest muse. Now, what form of entertainment would you desire tonight? Pick a key, any key! Through spoken word or melodic strings--"

        Any other night you'd be enraptured with his rambling, but tonight you seem to get lost in his words. Your eyes rake across his face, taking in the little details that make him, him. You're only a little ashamed at the way your eyes keep darting to his lips while he speaks -- truthfully, you're more embarrassed at the longing it sparks within you. Maybe you should have taken the time to unpack this earlier, but alas. You force your eyes upwards, taking in how his own bright blue ones shine with excitement, before letting them fall once again.

        And Rocky is nothing if not unique. The bridge of his nose tells stories beyond your imagination -- no matter how many times he tries to tell you their stories. They all just seem too wild to be true -- littered with little dots and lines that you could connect like constellations, they convey decades worth of life. A knife trick accident here, a wire snap there… allegedly, a horde of bees created many of the smaller dots. An experiment from youth gone wrong, he said, but you can't imagine he'd do anything different if presented with the opportunity again. Your lips upturn at the thought, and let your eyes roam to his cheeks: his fur bounces with every word he speaks, but even still, you can see little uneven patches. A thin line here and there, not quite reaching skin; a patch that's just a fraction shorter than the rest; all from recent incidents that simply came a little too close. But on his left cheek there's something new, something that you've never seen before.

        There's one last streak of mud on his face that, clearly, he had missed. You're so focused on the mark that you hardly even feel yourself move to grab your handkerchief. 

        "--But in an art such as this, moderation is for the weak. If you'll give me just five minutes I'll have--" 

        He stills at your gentle touch, halting his speech for the second time tonight. His fur is softer than you expected, despite its dampness from the rain outside. You tilt his head upwards by just a fraction, your thumb and index gently holding his chin in place. Stricken with a sudden wave of adoration, you drag your thumb experimentally across what you can reach. The movement is so painfully fond and oh, so close -- just millimeters away from his lips. It's a gentle action that lasts no more than a second -- hell, maybe you didn't even realize you were doing it -- but it feels like a lifetime to him. He thought he'd get used to the lightheadedness that you always seem to inflict upon him, but he couldn't be more wrong. And before he has any time to recover, you're dabbing at his cheek with a silken cloth. 

        And for all your observations tonight, you end up missing the way his breath catches in his throat. You miss the way he leans into you by just a fraction, how his eyes widen at your softness; how they take to memorizing every contour of your face in awe; how he melts in your hold, like he's never been held with such kindness before. He doesn't think he has. 

        And that's nothing to say of all the things you can't see -- how his heart leaps into his chest, pounding so hard he's half sure you can see it through his shirt; how he prays for the world to stop just as it is now, so that he could enjoy this for just a few more seconds. How he's so sure that he's dreaming, but far too joyful to even consider pinching himself awake. 

        He's so enraptured with your touch that he hardly even processes your movements. It's only once you lean in -- close, so damn close, so easy to close the gap -- to get a better look at the spot that he finds his voice again. 

        "Oh, you don't have to, it's--" he curses himself for stumbling, for being so breathless in your presence, considering your previous praise for his eloquence. He doesn't know why you keep coming back here, why you keep entertaining him as you do, but he's not going to complain. He swallows, counting to five before starting again with renewed, albeit artificial, confidence. "I'm sure that lovely, lovely silk piece cost you quite the pretty penny." 

        And this time, it's your turn to blink owlishly. You look at the cloth, then back at him, before laughing softly. And just like that you're leaning back in, once again coaxing the mire from his face. It's silent between the two of you for just a moment, so quiet that you damn near forget where you are. And in a moment of courage, you up his face in full. You feel his jaw clench beneath your hand, emboldening you to push just a bit further. You catch his eye, smiling softly. 

        "You know money doesn't mean a thing to me, Rocky," you murmur, just loud enough for the two of you to hear. 

        A million words are left silently humming in the gap between you, a million words you hope he can pick up on in your silence. 'Not when it's you,' you think to yourself. 'I'd give up every penny for just another second with you.' 

        There's a glimmer in your eyes that can only be described as fond, and he basks in it before you turn back to your task. This time, he doesn't stop you. 

#lackadaisy x reader #rocky rickaby x reader #lackadaisy rocky x reader #lackadaisy imagines #roark rickaby x reader #divider by @cafekitsune #you know with how often i write about rainy days you'd think its raining a lot here. it isn't. i just have a rainy jazz playlist.

[sidsthekid]

sid was on this episode of 32 thoughts as part of the player media tour! his interview starts at 33:55.

here's a script under the 'keep reading' if you want to check it out! sorry beforehand for any typos, i used premiere pro to transcribe this and tried to do my best at proofreading.

my personal favorite tidbit from sid:

"...So it's, you know, it's just constantly learning. So I've always had that mentality, and I think that's an important one. And, you know, when you have the passion for it, when you love it, that comes pretty easy."

Jeff Marek: Sidney Crosby. It was the summer of the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was the summer of Kyle Dubas. It was a summer of Erik Karlsson and all eyes are on your team to kick off the season. How do you feel about that?

Sidney Crosby: I'm okay. It's for a different reason than maybe other years. I mean, you know, there's been a lot of turnover, like you said, and coming off the last year where we just let it slip there late. It was disappointing, but we should be a motivated group because of that and then because of all the changes like you mentioned.

Elliott Friedman: So I'm curious the the night you flew in, I guess, to meet with Dubas, is that- is that is that not true then?

Sidney Crosby: No. So what happened was, is he was coming to visit and I had just got back from vacation and it just happened that I was coming back into town for a day or two that said that he was, you know, going to the practice rink. So I just happened to be there at the same time and had the opportunity to meet him. But it wasn't like some- it was really last minute.

Elliott Friedman: You've rolled your eyes a lot at me over the years. That was a good one.

Sidney Crosby: Yeah, I didn't- I didn't fly in like it was actually the way it worked out. It was perfect. I was literally home for, like, an hour. He had me go to the practice rink, so it worked out well. I could go, you know, meet him and say hi. And at that point, nothing was for sure. I think he was just trying to check things out, get a lay of the land and take a look.

So it wasn't- it was far from, you know, being permanent and it just worked out well. It was nice to get a chance to talk to him. And, you know, I didn't know at that point, but I was glad I had the opportunity to meet him.

Elliott Friedman: What was the most interesting thing he either asked you or said to you?

Sidney Crosby: It's hard to pick one. I think he was just trying to see where I was at, just as what I thought, you know, with the season, you know, it was pretty fresh at that point. And I think, you know, as people in hockey, everyone has their own opinions and you're not there, you're not in it. But I think he just wanted to see how I felt and where I thought, you know, the team was at.

And I think coming off the season that we did, obviously it was- it was so disappointing. And I still felt like we were pretty competitive. And for the most part, we pretty good. We struggled in our division against, you know, the Islanders and Carolina. I think we lost every game against those two teams. But you take those games away and, you know, we were right there and once you get anything can happen.

You saw Florida. So as tough as it was, I was still pretty optimistic about our group and thought we weren't far off. So I don't know how he took that, but he seemed pretty encouraged, too, and seemed to see see the same same way.

Jeff Marek: How do you see Kyle Dubas as your general manager? You've had a number of general managers. When you started there Craig Patrick, who was the general manager Ray Shero, Jim Rutherford, etc., how would you compare Dubas to all the other managers you've had?

Sidney Crosby: I'd say he's probably like the most new age when you when you think of a GM and just with all the analytics and all the development stuff that goes into organization. You know, obviously being a part of the Leafs, there's lots of opportunity to add to staff. And you know, you look at there, you know, every staff really and training staff and medical and development, everyone that's there it's a huge organization and they really had every opportunity to kind of build that.

And he was a big part of that. So it's just cool. Like for me, I've seen hockey evolve. You know, you go from one strength coach 2 to 3 and, you know, all the sports science and all the development roles and player development and everything that goes into that. So I think he's somebody who is constantly trying to add to that and be ahead of the curve.

And I think he's brought that approach, not that the other guys didn't, but I think that's been something that's really been his specialty from, you know, from coming from there.

Jeff Marek: We always focus so much on what's different, what's different. This is change is to change. This is- this is different. The one I broke in. But from your point of view, like what is the one constant in your hockey life, whether it's training, whether it's whatever it is. Is there one thing that, you know, going back to my first game in Rimouski to you know, last year at the end of the season, this is non-negotiable. I always do this. This is the same.

Sidney Crosby: Yeah, I think you just got to learn. I mean, you got to learn, you got to evolve. So that's that's how I look at it. I mean, there's things that, you know, I believe in that helped me when I was younger player that I feel like I still need to do and and then there's other things where, you know, you have to find a way to evolve and and learn from, you know. Whether it's things you've done well in previous years or not done so well.

And as you age, managing, you know, your energy a little bit and, you know, trying to find that balance. So it's, you know, it's just constantly learning. So I've always had that mentality, and I think that's an important one. And, you know, when you have the passion for it, when you love it, that comes pretty easy.

Elliott Friedman: I reached out to just some of your teammates that are going to be talking today, and one of them said, I don't know if I've ever seen him as pissed off as he was at the end of last season. What pissed off Sidney Crosby last year?

Sidney Crosby: How it was just such a struggle for us to find consistency. You know, at one point I think we won seven in a row, then we lost seven in a row. As a guy that's been in different situations to get into the playoffs, I mean, I've been the situation where you're first all year and you just ride that into the playoffs and then, you know, the year that we won in 16, it was like we were out of the playoffs and then went on a great run and had momentum going in and just caught fire.

This was a new a new situation for us. We were kind of chasing it right from early on, but we had put ourselves in a spot to get it, you know, like it wasn't like, you know, it was a miracle. We needed- I mean, we needed to win our last two games and, you know, to get to go through all that, all the ups and downs and to be in a position to, you know, to get in and not be able to find a way.

That's something we had done in years past. And we didn't do it this time. So that was frustrating. And there's nothing better than playing the playoffs. I mean, at this point that's the most exciting thing. I mean, you get up for the matchups throughout the regular season and you have that motivation. But playoff hockey is just that's why you play.

You just crave that, you crave that atmosphere, that environment and the opportunity to win the Stanley Cup.

Elliott Friedman: Last one for me. There's someone who said to me that they really think that what the NHL needs is you and Connor McDavid on the same team playing for Team Canada. That's what this sport badly needs. I want to ask you what you thought about that.

Sidney Crosby: Yeah, I mean, any opportunity we can get to play for Canada and you know, he's mentioned a ton of times the best on best seeing, you know, seeing that, seeing all the other countries. You know, you look at their their lineups. I mean, it's pretty tight. I mean, there's no real favored team. I mean, it's easy to say Canada because we've had success, the Olympics and and that sort of thing.

But I mean, the hockey is incredible. And from my experience, it doesn't really get any better than that. When you're looking at the lineups and you're looking the players that are assembled and, you know, any opportunity I can get and it's too bad it hasn't worked out for a while here, but it's looking like that could change. So, you know, that'd be awesome.

Elliott Friedman: Who moves to the wing?

Sidney Crosby: I'll go there, haha.

Elliott Friedman: No, you're supposed to say he goes there! No, he goes there, you're supposed to say he goes there!

Sidney Crosby: Haha. Listen, I’ve skated with him. And I've played both. I think I'm good either way with playing center wing. Whatever he wants to do, he can carry the mail. I'll just. I'll find the find the open- the open spots.

Jeff Marek: That's right. Let me wrap this up by asking a question about a big picture question here. One of the great things about hockey is it can be kind of vague. It's not really black and white. I am curious now that you've been in the game for so long, have an expanded vision about it. What confuses players is what confuses you about the game, What confuses your teammates about the game?

Sidney Crosby: I would say maybe just suspensions. I think that, you know, maybe, you know, penalties are always going to be like that. We're always going to question, you know, what we saw. It's so easy with replay. We can, you know, dissect it. But I would say, you know, it's it's still something where you see a highlight, you see a clip and you don't know the range of a suspension.

You don't know whether it's going to be a suspension or not. That's that's how I feel. I know it's not an easy job for anybody, but yeah, I still feel like there's a bit of a gray area there. And, you know, I don't think anyone's ever going to agree on length or, you know, that sort of thing or what the intentions were on a play.

That's always going to be debatable. But I'd like to think that we can get a little bit closer to what it is exactly. And and maybe what the what the punishment is.

Jeff Marek: Great player, a great thinker of the game. Sidney, thanks as always for stopping by.

Sidney Crosby: All right. Thanks for having me.

#great stuff #i bet a video will come out soon #sidney crosby #just a kid #pittsburgh penguins #hockey

[thegreymoon]

The Story of Minglan

Bitch, you just tried to strangle your daughter. What maternal instinct?

And the only reason you took your son when you abandoned her was because you thought you could get more money for him.

***

OH MY GOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDD 🤬🤬

THIS REPULSIVE PETTY PIECE OF SHIT WASTE OF AIR!!

Seriously, I despise him more than Manniang!

My guy, quit while you're ahead! You lost the girl because you were spineless. Get over it and stop embarrassing yourself! 🤬🤬

***

LMAO, what else is he supposed to do?

Let's say it's been four or five years since Manniang ran off. This child was two at most at the time. He would be six or seven now. What are you talking about? That is still a whole baby!

I love (and by love, I mean hate) how disposable children are in this society unless they are sons anchoring their mother's position in their respective households.

***

Oh, shut the fuck up, you bitter, pathetic loser.

***

Drag him, Tingye!

I am so sick and tired of his bullshit.

***

NOOOO, BUT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND, HE IS THE MAIN CHARACTER OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE!

OF COURSE, MINGLAN WAS SUPPOSED TO WAIT UNTIL RETIREMENT FOR HIM TO GET HIS SHIT TOGETHER AND SUFFER ALL KINDS OF INDIGNITIES IN THE MEANTIME!

HOW DARE SHE NOT BUILD A SHRINE TO HIS ESTEEMED PERSON AND PUT HER ENTIRE LIFE ON HOLD SO THAT HE CAN FEEL IMPORTANT?

With all that said, this actor is beyond fantastic, I can see why people are obsessed with him. I hope to watch him in a more sympathetic role next time.

***

LMAO, look at the pot calling the kettle black 🤣🤣

I cannot with this loser of a man.

***

If he had not been born rich, he would have been the founding father of the incel movement, blaming every man with even a semblance of a spine on his inability to fuck.

***

Oh, sure, it was for the government 🙄🙄

Your jealousy is palpable. You can't even convince yourself.

***

LMAO, what the fuck.

This is a dead child you're talking about! Your child! And you are mad you cannot get money and status because of him?

***

She's right, though, she did make the biggest fool out of him.

***

Good for you for slapping her, Minglan!

I've been waiting for someone to do it for ages now.

In fact, so many people in this drama deserve slapping. It's about time you got started on that.

***

Aww, he found his dead baby 😢

***

Wait, that's all?

THAT'S ALL??

WE DO NOT EVEN GET A BEHEADING 😭😭

Not only does her sorry ass not get punished in any way, he will continue to provide for her for the rest of her life. Sure, she will not be living in a manor in luxury as his wife, but she will have a roof over he head and food to eat, plus he will have to employ people in the middle of nowhere to make sure she doesn't go causing trouble again.

She should be in prison instead. Or in some hard labour colony, which I'm sure there are plenty of in Song Dynasty China. OR BEHEADED!!

And what about his maternal Bai relatives? Do they at least get arrested/exiled/beheaded? They have been REPEATEDLY trying to kill him for YEARS!

I am very disappointed with this resolution.

***

Well, I am glad this is over.

Honestly, as far as I am concerned, this whole Manniang subplot has been a huge blight on this otherwise excellent show and a black stain on Gu Tingye as a character. Big thanks to @ruizhi for filling me in on the details from the novel so that I can understand the writing decisions here better. Obviously, I realise that I am in the minority for disliking these decisions (and Gu Tingye as a character) because from what I have seen, he is a firm favourite among the people who watched this drama and everyone is on board with this sanitised version of his character arc.

I have to be honest, if they had kept his harem from the novel, I probably would not have touched this with a ten-foot pole, because I freely admit that I watch c-dramas for the pretty people and idealised romance. I also know that this would have made Gu Tingye more realistic and thus harder to project on, which is ironic because my complaints here are the lack of realism and easy ways out since they decided to include his other women in the drama too. Harem stories depress and infuriate me and I do not watch them unless there are very compelling reasons for me to pick them up, so out of a couple of hundred dramas on my to-watch list, this one would probably not have made it to the top if it had been closer to the source material.

Even as it is, all this is precisely why I put off watching Minglan for the longest time. I knew it had polygamy at its core and this made me disinclined to start it, even though it was warmly recommended by many people in whose good taste I trust. I eventually only started watching because a c-drama friend of mine told me that there is no harem here and that Minglan and Tingye were monogamous and ride-or-die for each other, so Manniang showing up early on was an extremely nasty surprise.

With that said, now that I am here already and very invested in this story, I've long since come to terms with the fact that romance is not the main focus of this show and adjusted my expectations. I am really enjoying it for what it is, which is a family drama focused on women's struggle and suffering in this hell system that they must learn to navigate or die destitute, which is why I am especially irked by this cheap trickery they are employing to make Gu Tingye's and Minglan's relationship more "clean" than it actually is. You cannot have it both ways. Either these characters are realistic people of their time or they are not. Either you are sticking to the book version of them in the adaptation or you are not. But these cake-eating writers (as in wanting their cake and eating it too) definitely tried to get away with both and ended up with huge inconsistencies in their story that irritated me enough to sit down and write this entire screed.

Like I said in my comments on my previous Minglan post, this is the exact thing that made TTEOTM unwatchable for me and landed it on the list of the worst dramas I ever subjected myself to, despite my unceasing obsession with Luo Yunxi. Obviously, I am feeling this on a lesser level with Gu Tingye, because overall, the writing of Minglan committed fewer crimes than TTEOM and remains solid on all other fronts, so I am still invested in the story overall, him as a character and him and Minglan as a couple, but the writers here are just as much cake eaters as the writers on TTEOTM. They looked at this bad boy who worked for a story in another medium precisely because he was morally compromised in some way, wanted that for themselves, but then could not or would not follow through, either because they feared they would alienate a big portion of their audience, or because the Chinese censorship board wouldn't let them get away with it. Then they did this ridiculous thing where they tried going, "Yeah, he's bad, but he's not really! He was set up! It was a misunderstanding!" And ended up blowing a giant hole in their whole story.

If they didn't want to explore Gu Tingye as a man of his time making the same selfish decisions as other men of that time, then they should not have had him acting like one. They should have had a logical and consistent reason why he didn't keep mistresses and concubines (such as, idk, seeing his mother suffer or something) and not introduce Manniang in the first place. What was the point of her in the plotline if we were not going to see him and Minglan make the hard decisions, either to treat his illegitimate offspring as lower-class citizens so that her biological kids could be afforded all the privileges of their rank (which would obviously not sit right with the modern audience), or go with the modern moral code that the show wants them to have and deny Minglan's bio kids by treating all the children equally (which could have been done legally if Minglan was to adopt them, but of course, she was never going to do that)? If you never intended to go there, then why bring in Manniang and her kids in the first place?

In my opinion, if they wanted Gu Tingye untarnished in this way and his love with Minglan unburdened with the baggage of other women and stepkids, they should never have kept Manniang in the adaptation. Once they brought her in, there was no stuffing that genie back into the bottle. The shadow of book!Tingye has been around since the adult actors took over and it is not even the non-monogamy that is an issue for me now, but the character inconsistency and the extremely cheap sleight of hand that they pulled in an attempt to smooth it over.

Here is the thing. Every time I start on a story, be it a book, movie, drama, or whatever, there is a certain premise that it promises to fulfil, which comes with the expectations and limitations of the genre. I adjust my standards accordingly, so if I sit down to watch a fluffy romcom with a young, naive intern falling in love with the son of CEO, then I will judge it on how funny it is and whether the main couple is hot enough and has enough chemistry to keep me invested till the end. I am not going to be particularly worried about the power imbalance and the IRL implications of such a setup, my main concern will be if the main couple look like they are having good enough sex and if I can shoehorn my own escapist fantasy into that dynamic. However, if I start a show that deals with misogyny, patriarchy and sexual harassment of women in the workplace, then you cannot dump the privileged son of the CEO into a relationship with the main heroine and expect me to root for it, unless he is right there beside her, taking his father to court for abuse of power and dismantling the system from within. This is, IMO, what this drama failed to do with Gu Tingye. You cannot promise me a Xiao Qi and deliver a Sheng Hong with the serial numbers filed off.

Based on what I've heard and read about the original novel, book!Tingye is not that much better than Sheng Hong. He had multiple women and illegitimate children that he was playing favourites with based on their birth and rank. He sabotaged his older son and indirectly caused his death so that Minglan's children would not have competition. His daughter by Manniang was just as traumatised as Minglan. He had concubines, who were also technically wives with no way out of a hell marriage, whom he then discarded when it was convenient for him. The only reason this marriage was a victory for Minglan is that she was now the favoured wife with the highest rank, thus her circumstances in life dramatically improved. I understand why they didn't want to portray this to a wider audience, and that doing so would have seriously dented Feng Shaofeng's reputation as a heartthrob in the c-ent industry, but then they shouldn't have opened that can of worms to begin with.

I feel like they should have cut the Manniang storyline completely if they weren't going to do it properly, or, idk, had her go off the deep end much earlier and kill her kids off before he got with Minglan. That could have been used as a catalyst for his change, having him go, "That's it! No more mistresses and concubines for me!" Then we could have seen the rest of it play out as it did (minus Manniang) with a REASON, with his family pressuring him to take in a wife and concubines, him saying no, then falling in love with Minglan and moving on from there naturally and giving us a clean, idealised romance that is not typical for their time.

However, once they brought in Manniang but did not bring in all the nasty stuff implied with him having a kept woman and illegitimate children, they shot themselves in the foot because now Gu Tingye's character was in conflict with the story's internal logic. We have seen how this world functions, we have seen how concubines and the children of concubines are treated. Naturally, once they introduced Manniang and her kids (but especially her son), we were expecting to see exactly what happened in the novel, because this is the premise of the story and the laws by which the world it is set in is governed. The fact that this didn't happen did not make me sigh in relief and think of Gu Tingye as a good guy, it made me question why the story never went there. The cowardly shortcuts out of this predicament and the cheap trickery the writers used to avoid it made me feel like the story was "lying" to me, which is maybe a ridiculous word to use because this whole thing is fiction and therefore a lie. But I could no longer suspend my disbelief, immerse myself in the narrative and root for these characters. Suddenly, they felt fake.

Also, I feel downright insulted by these writing choices.

"Yeah, Gu Tingye had another woman but that's OK because she was actually evil so she doesn't count and he was right to abandon her and have his true romance with Minglan! 😀"

"Yeah, he had a son that he would have had to have been grossly unfair to or not have Minglan's kids get the full extent of their privilege of rank, but that's OK, because the kid just conveniently died! 😀"

"Yeah, his daughter should be traumatised in a hundred different ways from having such a biological mother and dealing with the inferiority complex from growing up right next to Minglan's legitimate children and knowing that in the eyes of society and her own father, she is lesser than them, but don't worry, that's OK, because we are making her suuuuuuuper well adjusted! 😀"

"Yeah, if Chang'er had lived, the audience would have been forced to confront the fact that Gu Tingye was very much a man of his time and that Minglan was also no benevolent saint and that they would have treated children that are not biologically hers as second-class citizens, just like Sheng Hong and Wang Ruofu did in the Sheng household! But that's OK, we'll just kill his illegitimate firstborn son so that you don't have to think about that! 😀"

As a character, Gu Tingye feels so disingenuous because of these shortcuts the writers took to scapegoat Manniang and absolve him of the consequences of being just like the other men in this drama. Would he have been an idealised c-drama hero that girls could pin their fantasies on if they had kept his novel characterisation? Absolutely not. They made him more attractive and palatable to a wider, modern, likely younger-leaning audience at the cost of the story's internal logic, plot coherency and character consistency, and that, for me, is a much bigger writing crime than him having a harem and treating his illegitimate children as lesser-than.

Again, this is an adaptation and nobody put a gun to their heads and forced them to include Manniang. If they had wanted Gu Tingye untarnished and idealised, they should have handled her differently. They cannot have it both ways.

With that said, I realise that I am in the minority here because most viewers were obviously very happy to let this slide (just like they were with TTEOTM). Again, most viewers will not agree with me on Gu Tingye because he is obviously a favourite ML for many, but for me personally, the overall drama loses lots of points on him, especially because of Manniang.

In any case, there are still more than twenty episodes left here for me, so onwards and forward to better plot points and character arcs! 😅

#the story of minglan #tsoml spoilers #tsoml ep51

[sweetperversiongirl]

Thank you Rayray @rayrayor for encouraging me to participate in the Drabble Challenge ♥ Thanks to Mandi @bawlbrayker for helping me edit this ♥

Here's my drabble on request number 15: “I’d kill for a coffee...literally.”

Morning crept inexorably into Ian and Mickey's bedroom, along with the sun's insidious rays. They should have gotten new blinds to replace the old ones Ian had taken from Lip and Tami's house in Milwaukee. In fact, Ian wasn't the least bit bothered by the fact that he had to wake up literally at the crack of dawn. He had long since gotten used to the strict regimen. The same could not be said for his husband, who had become particularly restless lately. Besides, Mickey had always hated the beginning of the work week.

Not that Ian thought there was any reason for Mickey's restlessness. But apparently Mickey himself thought otherwise.

The agitated tossing under the covers signaled to Ian that his husband was awake, and not in the best of spirits. It didn't come as a surprise to him either.

"Fucking shit!" Mickey jumped up from the bed so abruptly that the phone Ian was holding fell onto his chest.

Raising an eyebrow, Ian decided he wasn't going to release any comments just yet. Instead, he preferred to focus on enjoying the magnificent sight of his grumpy and completely naked husband. He couldn't hold back a disappointed sigh as Mickey quickly picked up the first boxers he could find from the floor and put them on, thus depriving Ian of an important part of his aesthetic pleasure.

Standing in front of the window, Mickey grabbed the blinds, crumpling them at the edges. He then jerked his arms violently, pulling the blinds off the window, allowing sunlight to fill their bedroom.

"Might as well not have this shit in here," Mickey yelled, throwing the now permanently broken blinds to the floor. Glancing over his shoulder, he threw Ian an angry look. "You should give this shit back…” he kicked the blinds with his foot,"to your fucking brother. I'll be fucking glad to know that asshole has as fucked up a morning start as we do."

"Well, there's nothing wrong with my morning," Ian couldn't resist commenting, for which he was immediately rewarded with two blue knives pointed right between his eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I completely forgot that you are Mr. 'Nothing Can Take Away My Zen'. In that case, Master Shifu, could you stop thinking only about your own ass for a second and take care of your fucking neighbor? Isn't that what fucking kung fu teaches?"

"Actually, kung fu teaches you to be more tolerant of your neighbor first and foremost," Ian snapped back. "I'm sure I've been pretty good at it so far, Mickey."

With those words, he threw back the covers and slipped out of bed. His morning boner stared proudly at the ceiling as Ian stalked naked into the bathroom. He didn't like the fact that his husband had managed to get him off balance so quickly, but Mickey's lustful sigh behind Ian's back made up for that brief discomfort.

Ian's peace of mind was fully restored after Mickey caught up with him in the bathroom doorway. Ian received his rightful morning blowjob, which he immediately returned to Mickey with all the enthusiasm of which he was capable.

Brushing his teeth, Mickey mentioned in passing that Kit, their new West Side client, had turned out to be a sneaky bastard who'd tried his best to drive the price of shit down. Ian simply reminded Mickey that credit should be given to Kit, since it was Mickey who had arbitrarily jacked up the price of shit. The incident was over.

Until it turned out that there was no coffee in their apartment.

________________________________________________________

As they approached Starbucks, they found a line a mile long, which in itself was not surprising for a Monday morning. The next coffee shop was much less crowded, much to Ian's sincere joy. All his hopes of getting the morning going again were dashed immediately after the waiter mixed up their order and brought them iced coffee.

"If I liked drinking this shit, I'd have stayed in fucking Mexico!" shouted Mickey desperately as Ian dragged him outside, wrapping his arms around his stomach.

Eventually, after all the morning's misadventures, they found themselves in a tiny, unremarkable coffee shop. By West Side standards, it was just a hole in the wall, mostly ignored by the civilized locals. Ian figured: why not? After all, he and Mickey were still ghetto dudes, right? His temporary excitement quickly faded when he and Mickey walked up to the counter and found there.... the laziest barista in fucking Chicago.

Ian read the man's name on the nametag.

"Good morning, uh... Squidward?" he greeted the barista with the most idiotic name he'd ever seen. After the guy didn't even bother to look up from his phone at him, Ian decided to order anyway. "Double Americano and an Americano with cream, please."

Again, no response. Throwing a glance at his husband, who was leaning his butt on one of the tables, Ian realized Mickey was approaching boiling point. He returned his attention to the barista, already seriously contemplating that a plate of stale oatmeal cookies would look good on this guy's head.

"Hey, Mr. Tentacles," Ian muttered through clenched teeth.

Meanwhile, Mickey had gotten his ass off the table and walked over to the counter, resting his palms on it. A sly smile played on Ian's lips as he reached across the counter and slapped Squidward hard on the shoulder. The man didn't even flinch at this unceremonious invasion of his personal space. Instead, he slowly raised his head and stared at Ian, blinking his sleepy fish eyes stupidly, as if he didn't know there was anyone here but him.

Ian arched an eyebrow and nodded at Mickey's tattooed fingers, which his husband defiantly spread, knuckles pressing against the counter.

"I suspect you can read. Can you see what it says here?"

This time it apparently reached Squidward what an unpleasant situation he had gotten himself into. He swallowed awkwardly, and then, like an idiot, began to read aloud the writing on Mickey's knuckles. This made Ian growl impatiently and Mickey snort smugly.

"Bite him, Hercules!"

"Jesus Christ," Ian rolled his eyes, ignoring his shithead husband's retort. "Are the people in this place even capable of reading between the lines?" The barista blinked dumbly again. "Look," Ian noisily let the air out of his lungs. He points at Mickey’s tattooed fingers and spells it out, "It says, 'I'd kill for a coffee.' And that's not a euphemism, Mr. Tentacles. We understand each other now, right?"

With a hasty nod, Squidward jumped up from his seat.

A few minutes later, Ian and Mickey were enjoying a fairly decent coffee, seated at a table in the deserted coffee shop. They'd even allowed themselves to get a little fucked in the bathroom because Mickey was so damn horny. Ian thought he guessed the reason for that.

"Bye, Sponge fucking Bob. See you later," Mickey called out cheerfully, waving goodbye to Squidward as they left the café.

Once outside, Ian put his arm around his husband's waist and pulled him to him for a brief but deep kiss.

"Do you think he'll be happy to see us here again?"

"I don't care if he'll be glad or not," Mickey snorted. He looked relaxed now, which Ian couldn't help but be pleased about. "We'll definitely come back here again. Dude's a dickhead, sure, but his coffee's pretty damn good."

A wolfish smile blossomed on Ian's lips.

"Are you sure it's not because I turn you on so much when I'm angry?"

"Oh for fuck's sake, Peter fucking Pan," Mickey rolled his eyes. "You know you look like a golden retriever most of the time, right?"

Twisting out of Ian's embrace, Mickey headed toward their parked car. Ian rushed after Mickey, resenting being demoted so abruptly.

"Hey, what happened to fucking Hercules?"

#gallavich fanfic #gallavich fic #drabble challenge #prompt 15

[thisgirlnamedblusy]

it's possible for fem reader and Marilyn to be in love and dating and y/n somehow finds out that Marilyn is actually Laurel, but instead of being mad at her, she hugs Laurel :)

Yess, here it is!! I hope you like it!! Sorry about the language mistakes!!

I don't care who you are

Pairing: Marilyn Thornhill/Laurel Gates x Fem teacher! Reader

Warnings: Angst, fluff

Word count: 1,785

Summary: You are in a relationship with Marilyn, but you are going to find out that she's keeping a big secret.

N/A: Requests are still open to all of you!! Sorry about the language mistakes.

Classes had finished and you, like every afternoon, had an date with her. You had been dating this woman, your co-worker, Marilyn Thornhill, for a few months. It didn't take long for you to fall in love with her, and apparently it didn't take long for her to fall in love with you either. You were younger, yes, but it wasn’t a problem, after all, 24 years old was enough age to have things clear.

You always went to the conservatory to see her when classes were over. It was her favorite place, a small haven of peace between all that Nevermore and it’s students implied.

“Hello there, pretty girl,” you said suggestively leaning on the door. Marilyn was at her desk, handling one of her plants. When she saw you, she smiled at you.

“Hello (Y/N), how has your day been?” She asked you.

You walked briskly towards her and grabbed her around her waist, resting your head on her shoulder.

“As always, thank goodness it's Friday,” you sighed, looking at the plant that so much captured your girlfriend's attention. “What are you doing?” You asked curiously.

“I'm taking care of this plant, it has grown some small shoots that must be removed, if not, it can go sick,” she explained to you with that soft voice that you liked so much.

“Do plants get sick?”  You asked amused. The truth is that you did not have much idea about botany. You have no idea to be exact.

“Of course, that's why it's not enough just to water them, you have to take care of them,” she said, smiling tenderly.

You nodded and moved a little, brushing her hair away to place small kisses on her neck. Marilyn laughed nervously, but she made no effort to pull away from her.

“What are you doing? Someone can see us…” She sighed. You smirked and stopped, standing next to the redhead.

“Everyone knows, so what’s the problem?”  You asked, looking at how she delicately worked on the small plant.

“I know, but I think that's not a reason to making out in every corner as if we were some more students,” she told you, leaving the plant aside and taking off her gloves.

“Oh, what a pity…” You said, feigning disappointment. She smiled at you again, used to those kinds of comments from you. “But I'm glad you bring up the subject, because I have a surprise for you.” you said, clapping your hands.

“What kind of surprise?” She asked, leaning next to you, her eyes excited.

“Well, I have booked two nights in a rural house far away from here. There is nothing around. Just you, and me. Out of here for a change. Do you feel like it?” You asked nervously.

“Mm.” Marilyn pretended to be thinking about it, looking up.

“It has a fireplace…” you crooned, giving her a little nudge.

“Okay, you've convinced me,” she said happily, giving you a little kiss on your lips. “When do we go?”

“Right now, if you want,” you said, moving away from the table.

“Great, but I have to pack my suitcase and change my clothes,” she told you, pouring some water on that "sick" plant.

“You don't have to take many things with you either, because I'm not going to let you get out of bed…” You whispered in her ear, biting her earlobe.

“I supposed that,” she told you, kissing you again.

Marilyn took her bag and you were about to leave the greenhouse. Inadvertently, the handle of the bag caught on a corner of the table and fell to the floor, scattering its contents all over the place.

“I'm sorry, I'm very clumsy…” Marilyn said, embarrassed. Seeing her duck, you stopped her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Please, miss, don't bend over, I don't want you to get hurt,” you said in a too politely way. Marilyn crossed her arms, as if she had taken offense at something.

“Are you saying that I’m too old to bend over?” she asked indignantly. You knew her, sure she was joking.

“Nope, I just want you to be fresh for this weekend,” you said, moving your eyebrows up and down.

You bent down and began to pick up everything that had fallen, putting it back in her bag. You took her wallet, and when you went to put it back in her place, something came off of it. It looked like an old photograph. You picked it up and looked at it briefly. Your brain told you to look at it again. It looked like a family, but it wasn't just any family. You had been in Jericho all your life, and you knew the infamous history of the Gates family. You had to look at the photo from various angles, just in case you were wrong in your suspicions.

Marilyn was elsewhere, picking up other dropped items, when she saw you looking at that photo. She suddenly she ran towards you and tried to snatch it from your hand. You had a lot of reflexes, and you turned around, avoiding that she could catch it.

“Give me that, it's…” She said very nervous.

You looked up and moved a little away from her. Her eyes expressed pure terror and you noticed how her hands began to shake.

“Hey, Marilyn, what are you doing with a photo of the Gates family in your bag?” You asked without taking your eyes off that family.

“I… I…” She didn't seem able to speak or move.

You shook your head and frowned, focusing at the little girl in the photo. Incredulous, you looked at Marilyn and then at the photo again. You did it several times.

“Hey… you look a bit like…” You said whispering. Without you noticing her, Marilyn reached out, snatching the picture from you. She quickly put it in her pocket and made an attempt to get out of the greenhouse, an attempt that you stopped by grabbing her arm.

“I have to go, (Y/N),” she said trembling, with tears in her eyes.

“Wait, wait,” you said, your mind racing. “Do you want to explain to me why you have a photo of the Gates? And why do you look suspiciously like the little daughter?” You asked with the calmest voice you could find. “What was her name...” you murmured to yourself. “Lauren... Lorraine...”

“Laurel,” she said, unable to meet your eyes.

“That’s it!” You said when you remembered. “Wait, so you...”

“Yes,” she said with a small voice. “I'm Laurel Gates.”

You blinked several times. You had heard it perfectly, but you couldn't believe it. According to what you had been told, Laurel died, thus sealing the end of the Gates family and their legacy of hate against the outcasts.

“But, but that's not possible... She died and... Shit, I need to sit down for a moment,” you stammered, sitting down at one of the tables normally occupied by the students.

Marilyn wasn't looking at you. Her eyes were riveted to the ground. Her entire body trembled, but she did not try to leave again.

“How can that be possible?”  You asked, you didn't know if it was for yourself.

“I faked my death. I thought that this way people would forget about the Gates forever, and I wouldn't have to carry my family's past on my shoulders,��� she said with a broken voice.

You shook your head and started to react, getting up suddenly.

“So you hate the outcasts, like your family…” You said with some rancor in your voice.

Marilyn, or rather, Laurel, shook her head. A tear slowly trickled down her cheek. She was still unable to meet your eyes.

“But why haven't you told me about this, Mar…? Excuse me, Laurel?” I trust you and you should do the same,” you said, angry.

“I…I was scared,” she said, letting more tears slide down her face. “I didn't want anyone at Nevermore to find out who I really am. They never would have hired me if they had known, and I never would have met you, (Y/N).”

You nodded, still hallucinating from that sudden and unexpected revelation.

“I understand that you no longer want to be with me. This was going to happen at any moment.”

You kept digesting that new information and it took you a while to become aware of her words.

“Leave me alone, please,” she asked you, between sobs.

You ran a hand over the back of your neck and walked slowly towards the exit. She sat at her desk, burying her head in her hands, crying like you've never seen her.

You stopped just as you were about to get out of her and looked at her. An unpleasant feeling seized your insides. She might have another name, but she was the same woman you loved madly. You couldn't let something like that end with your relationship. You bit your lip, looking for some words that you couldn't find in your head and you approached her, timidly.

“I told you to leave me alone, (Y/N). I already know the damage I've done to you, that I've lied to you, I don't need you to tell me.”

You nodded, but you didn't stop walking towards her. Cautiously, you placed a hand on her back, rubbing it gently.

“Hey, Laurel, I don't think anything of that,” you whispered.

“What?” She asked, looking up.

“It's true that you shouldn't have lied to me. But I don't care who you are, as long as it's you,” you said, wiping away her tears.

“Do you care that I'm part of the family that almost killed you all?” she asked, incredulous.

“Are you going to kill us all?”

“Of course I’m not. I am not my family…” She said firmly.

“Then there is no problem,” you said, smiling.

“Are you serious?” She asked you, pulling herself together.

“Yes I say it seriously. I love you, whoever you are. But you have to promise me that from now on you will trust me more…” You said, taking her hands.

“I love you too, (Y/N).”

Making a small face of tenderness, you pulled her into a hug. You closed your eyes and swayed gently next to her. You were like that for a long time, just hugging each other, keeping your bodies together.

“Do you feel better now?” You whispered in her ear, caressing her hair. Laurel pulled away from you and nodded, kissing you softly.

You smiled against hers lips and kissed her back, continuing to caress her.

“Okay, shall we go, Laurel?” You asked, trying to pretend that this hadn't happened.

“(Y/N)”

“Hmm?”

“You are wonderful,” she said smiling at you.

#marilyn thornhill #laurel gates #marilyn thornhill x reader #wednesday #ms thornhill #oneshot #fluff

[eerna]

ok so its been a couple weeks how do u feel about totk zelink now

(context: here is part 1 of the ask, and also SPOILERS AHEAD!)

For reference, I am currently done with the dragon tears and sages questlines, but still haven't finished the Kogha one. Whatever happens after this point, I have no idea, I'm chilling and doing side quests and leveling up.

There is a difficult line to draw between "this is what the game is saying" and "this is what I am projecting onto it", but to me, this game is about how well Link knows Zelda. BotW was about trying to remember her and why she mattered, and TotK is about trying to figure out her plans and what she was trying to tell you, as she is no longer able to guide you the way she did in BotW. It's listening to what people are saying about her and deciding if it sounds like Zelda or not. It is beautiful, and shows how close the two of them are now! BUT. It would have worked even better if we saw traces of their relationship in the plot. This is a three-pronged feature: 1) In the main quest everyone calls Link "Zelda's swordsman" or "Zelda's chosen protector" and are surprised when they see him without her, but the NPCs STILL don't mention him. The way I almost screamed when I stumbled upon that Lurelin NPC who is like "oh yeah the princess would disguise herself and go on vacation and hike up to the Lover's Pond at sunset!" and I was READY to hear about the person accompanying her. But there was no one. Zelda was alone as far as this guy was concerned. Like pls. 2) Link should have revealed his thoughts on the mystery of Zelda's identity for this theme to work, at least by being the one to figure out the Zelda prancing around Hyrule is an impostor. In fact, the way they didn't try to incorporate the tears quest into the main storyline is pretty disappointing - sorry but Link would NOT just ignore knowing where Zelda is. They should have hidden the last few memories until you're done with the fifth temple to make sure he doesn't look like an idiot. 3) We are STILL in the "Link doesn't react properly to Zelda" era. I'm not even talking about animation, I would have settled for a "Don't look so concerned, we will figure it out!" or a "I know you wish to bring her back right away, but leave the research to me and focus on beating Ganon first!" from Impa at the end of the tears quest. Sure, I choose to interpret his mad dash through Hyrule Castle to get to the sanctum Ganon fight as him completely forgetting any caution or reason in his desperation to get to her, but is that really it? EVERYONE ELSE cares so so much about Zelda as a person instead of a princess, they are constantly talking about her, so Link could have gotten some moments of that too. I'm glad the game stated that Link's duty ended with the Calamity and he CHOSE to stay with Zelda, so it's not that he only cares because he has to, but I wish it was shown outside that one line in a secret diary.

In conclusion, I still stand by my previous claim: Skyward Sword did this same dynamic better, so if I hadn't played that game I might have been elated over this one, but alas. I am still hoping for an earth-shattering emotional moment towards the end of the game that is gonna render all my complaints wrong, I haven't lost hope, but wow my imagination is working overtime to keep me happy

#eernask #eernanon #eernask talk loz #totk spoilers

[thenaturalfriends]

Random s17 e01 thoughts

K so I did not wait until tomorrow like a good boy after all. Spoilers.

What an excellent opening, with Greg calling himself a sassy queen and then a perfectly silly prize task. Joanne was robbed. I died laughing at John's.

The house is GORGEOUS and I want to catalogue ALL THE THINGS in it.

First impressions:

Joanne: immediately adore her and her big, big energy that always seems on the verge of spilling over into chaos.

John: I've been bingeing John content in preparation and got exactly what I expected from him. Early favourite from me to win the series and also to be People's Champion of my Heart.

Nick: what a hilarious little hobbit of a man. So quick and sweet and with great timing.

Sophie: a mess and a fun mess. Immediately and clearly out of the running.

Steve: I hate him (affectionate?). He's too polished and overdoes everything. I am a super cheerful fan and I love everyone always. I have only actively disliked one (1) contestant in 17 series (Bridget Christie). Steve might be the second. We'll see if he grows on me and if I get less annoyed by the relentless smug dad jokes.

The egg task had me literally gasping in suspense at Nick's attempt. Steve losing at the last minute made me warm up to him just slightly.

The painting task was bizarre and fun. I'm disappointed the teams seem so happy together... so far. I wish we had been told the answers to the questions: shortest wiki, most followers, etc. Like that Alex managed to work his good buddy John's biggest career accomplishment into a task.

The gorilla task was fun, what a shame three of them were just actually good at it. Whichever Andy is the director clearly had piles of fun flexing with artsy shots from the location tasks. What a pretty episode.

The live task! YES! Is this the first one they've stolen from Taskmaster Australia? I know they poach from NZ. Loved this on TM AU, loved it again here. Loved John deliberately not committing to a body shape off the bat--him being immediately strategic about it bodes well for him in the series, I think. Also when Alex yelled at them to put their markers down John shot him A LOOK that was so funny.

I'm glad to have seen this today so tomorrow I can just obsess about the Lucy & Sam pod.

#taskmaster #taskmaster series 17 #taskmaster spoilers #taskmaster series 17 spoilers

[rynwritesstuff]

hi! i'm the anon that asked for the body image hurt/comfort, and i'm really happy that my request meant something to you! i can really relate to struggling with body acceptance too. thank you so much for fulfilling it, it was very well-written and exactly what i had hoped for. <3 (i was *also* wondering if, you'd make a smut continuation with reader body worshipping eddie? otherwise, i just want to say thank you again!)

I'm so glad I was able to capture your idea in a satisfying way!! I absolutely adored your idea, like I said, stuff like that means the world to me :)

Eddie Munson x Reader

Warnings: NSFW, praising/worshipping Eddie, oral (Eddie receiving), slight sub!Eddie, cum swallowing

After Eddie expresses how much he hates his changing body, you show him how dearly you love it - Oneshot

(Read part one here)

It's been a few days since you walked into Eddie's room and learned how much he dislikes his appearance. He's got a bit of chub, now, but like you told him the other day, it's a good thing. Means that he's eating and resting and taking time for himself after what happened in the Upside Down.

Eddie seems a bit happier, now, more . . . content with himself. Not fully pleased, but he was never fully pleased with his appearance. He’s still riding the high that is your kindness.  He hasn’t even smoked today, and he feels alright.

“C’mereeee,” Eddie whines as he snuggles under the covers, wearing a thin t-shirt and his boxers. “You’re too far away. I miss you.”

You laugh. 

“I’m six feet away from you, loverboy.”

“Mm mm. Too far.”

You get into bed, and since Eddie is lying on his back, you shove back the covers and settle on his thighs. He’s got scars all over his body, including his legs and chest, and you keep this in mind as you run your hands beneath his shirt. You feel him tense. You pause. 

“Too much?” you whisper. Eddie shakes his head. 

“No. No, I just . . .”

He’s feeling insecure again. He’d been doing so well, and he’s scared to disappoint you. 

“Hey, talk to me,” you say softly, pulling your hands out from beneath his shirt. Eddie nearly whines at the loss of contact. He wants you so badly, but he feels so shitty . . .

“I want you,” he says. “I really, really do, it just feels weird.”

“Okay . . .” you say slowly, nodding. “What should we do, then, baby?” 

Eddie pushes his hips up so that you can feel his half-hard dick pressing against you. 

“Just . . . Make me forget like you did the other day. Please?”

And just like that, you know what you have to do. You nod, reaching down to tug at the hem of his t-shirt. 

“Gonna take this off you, okay?” you say. Eddie nods. He trusts you. You pull his t-shirt up, up, up over his head, and you toss it to the side. The scarring is . . . a bit shocking, to say the least. You’ve seen it before, but it’s been a month or so since you’ve seen him without a shirt on, and this . . . 

You gently, carefully run your fingers over the massive scar at his side. 

“You’re so brave, Eds,” you tell him softly. “My brave boy. I could never do what you did.”

Eddie smiles even though you aren’t looking at his face. 

“You saved the world. My Eddie saved the world.”

“I’m yours,” Eddie says, his hands on your thighs as your hand travels up. You touch the side of his face where there’s a much smaller scar. 

“Mine,” you agree, nodding. You lean down and press your lips firmly against his, and then your mouth travels over to his facial scar. There’s a bit of stubble around his chin from not shaving recently, but you don’t mind. You don’t mind one bit.

You begin to suck at his jawline, and Eddie inhales sharply, his grip on your thighs tightening. 

“Moan for me, pretty boy,” you say, one hand resting on his shoulder and the other pressed against his throat. 

Eddie lets out a soft, almost shy moan. Your Eddie. Shy. Ha!

“Mm. Good boy.”

You move down his body a bit, kissing down his broad chest and sucking marks as you go. 

“You’re fucking amazing,” you say. “I’m wet just from looking at you, Eddie. My pussy’s soaked.”

Eddie hums. 

“Yeah? Just from looking at me?”

“Just from looking at you, loverboy.”

Knowing that he��s turned you on this much has Eddie’s cock completely erect in his checkered boxers. You smile as you begin to transition from kissing his chest, to his sternum, to his stomach. You feel him tense beneath you once more. 

“You’re allowed to say ‘no’, Eds. You’re aware of that?”

“If you stop, I think I’ll cry,” he jokes, and you smile softly. 

“Relax, then, sweet boy. You’re okay. It’s just me.”

Eddie relaxes slowly, muscles untensing, and you press delicate kisses to his stomach as you run your hands over his hips. 

“Mm. My handsome boy. All mine. All for me.”

You’re getting close to where he needs you, and Eddie pushes his hips up again with a soft moan. 

“Sweetheart, you’re killin’ me . . .” 

You laugh softly, then move down further, avoiding his dick entirely. You nudge your nose against the well-kept thatch of hair above his cock, and you breathe in his masculine, musky, clean scent.  “Mm. Do you want my mouth . . .” you lightly touch the tip of his dick, “here?”

“Oh god, yes, please,” Eddie sighs. 

You look up at him. His cheeks are rosy, and his eyes are big, and he’s got a big smile on his face. His bangs are falling into his face, but he doesn’t seem to mind all that much. 

His hand travels down and gently -- so, so gently -- take ahold of your hair. 

“Mm. I love your dick, Eds. Love the way it feels in my mouth . . .”

You lick a solid stripe up his member, then abruptly take him into your mouth. Eddie gasps as you sink down on him, sucking as you go. 

“Fuuuuuuuck, oh, sweetheart . . . So good . . .”

You begin to bob your head, wasting no time. Your man deserves an orgasm. It’s the least you can do for him right now. 

“Oh, shit. Oh, fuck. Mm, mm, mm!” Eddie moans each time you bob your head. He’s close already and you’ve only been sucking him for a minute or two, and his grip on your hair tightens as you swirl your tongue around his cockhead. 

“Can I cum!?” Eddie moans. “Oh, shit, baby, I can’t hold it . . .”

“Mhm! Mhm!” you hum quickly as you squeeze his thigh, silently letting him know that it’s okay for him to cum in your mouth. 

Eddie lets go seconds later, and ropes of his hot seed shoot into your mouth. You groan around him, looking up at him with innocent, playful eyes as you suck him through it and swallow down his cum.

You pull off of him once he becomes obviously overstimulated, and you gently crawl up his body. 

“C’mere,” Eddie breathes, pulling you flush against his chest so that he can hold you. “Mm. Thank you. Thank you. I love you.”

You kiss him again. He’s still catching his breath. 

“I love you, too, sweet boy. Always. No matter what.”

#rynwritesstuff #eddie munson #eddie stranger things #eddie munson fandom #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x reader smut #eddie munson x reader fluff #eddie munson headcanons #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson imagines #stranger things fanfic #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things #stranger things fandom

[miyuhpapayuh]

3. New beginnings

In the last three days, so much has happened.

For starters, she got the job, which she's so thankful for. Claire is the ultimate sweetheart and her coworkers are nice, but she still misses Joe.

Tyler ended up being pregnant and getting an abortion, and has just been losing her damn mind lately.

She's getting really tired of her downward spiral; cause she's causing her own problems. She won't listen to Stevie or let her even try to help, but you can't help someone who doesn't see a problem in what they're doing.

They're both still going to their classes, or so she hopes, since she's been MIA as of lately.

But on the bright side, her and Roderick are getting closer. Their first official date is actually tonight.

She feels like they've been waiting for this day for the longest time.

Currently on her break, she's sitting in the McDonald's parking lot with Rod. It's pretty warm today, so they're perched on the hood of his car.

She stuffs a handful of salty fries into her mouth, listening to him tell her about his day.

He takes a swig of his Hi-ci orange and laughs at her stuffing her face.

"Listen, I haven't eaten since this morning. Leave me alone."

"Ain't nobody judgin' you, girl.”

"Lies. That's exactly what you're doing.”

He throws his hands up in defense, still laughing.

"Okay, you got it. So, how's the job goin'? Everybody still being friendly and shit?"

"Yeah, I like the place a lot," she sips on her Sprite, "everybody just stays in their space and that makes me happy cause at Joes', that wasn't the case."

"What do you mean? Y'all ain't have no personal space?"

"Well, that and some people just acted like they had to be up in your face, anyway. I'm glad it's different and spread out now."  She rolls her eyes, thinking about John.

"Hm, somebody was like that with you?" He asks.

"Yeah... he left, before he got fired for it. I have a restraining order against him, so I'm good." Joe ended up taking care of that for her, knowing that she had a lot on her plate.

"Aight, just know that if something jumps off, I got you." He says.

She nods, staring back at her fries.

The serious tone in his voice makes her stomach swarm with butterflies. Real foreign.

"You ready to head back?" He asks.

She nods, sliding off the hood and adjusts her black collar work shirt, placing her trash in the empty bag.

He leans up from the hood and tosses his trash in the same bag, heading towards the nearest trash can to throw it away.

He heads back over to her side, opening the door for her. She thanks him and slides into the seat, allowing him to close the door for her.

He rounds the car and gets in, starts the car up and pulls out of the parking lot. It's a fairly quick drive, considering the fact that McDonald's is right around the corner from her job.

"Listen, I don't wanna scare you off or anything. I just wanna let you know that, I'm diggin' you and I think you're dope. We been kickin' it for a minute and I'm startin' to like you." He admits.

She bites her lip to hide the smile on her face.

"I'm starting to like you, too. You aight when you wanna be." She jokes, causing him to smack his lips. Again, she hates that sound.

"Seriously, I'm glad that I get to take you out tonight. You'll have fun, I promise."

"Well, it's been fun so far. I don't think I'll be disappointed." 

He pulls into the parking spot next to her car. She sighs and unbuckles her seatbelt, placing her hand on the door handle.

"Thanks for hanging out with me, on my break." She smiles, and he returns it.

"It was my pleasure, babygirl."

She feels the heat rise to her cheeks.

"So, I'll see you around six thirty?"

"Yes ma'am. I'll be on time, so you better be ready." Sje scoffs.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Y'all take forever to get ready, that's what I mean." He starts laughing.

"Boy, whatever. I'll make you wait if I want to." She says, before opening the door and looking back at him.

"Right. You'll get left." He laughs, stepping out to make sure she gets in safe.

"Wow, so no hug?" He asks.

"Not after you threaten to leave me," she laughs and heads inside, blowing him a kiss. He waves her off and hops back in his car.

She laughs, waving to Claire and walking past the counter, into the back to put her bag away.

"Hey sunshine! How was your break?" She places her pen behind her ear, sending a smirk her way, once she's back in her view.

"It was good. I finally got my fix of fast food I've been craving all day." She turns her around, tying the strings of her apron.

"Mhm, and?"

"And... I'm back?" She laughs and turns back around.

"Stevie, we saw that fine piece of chocolate!" Alana comes out of nowhere and states. Stevie rolls her eyes.

"Okay, congratulations... you guys have eyeballs that work!" She shoots them a 'thumbs-up' and walks away.

"Ugh, people can be so nosy." She mumbles to herself, grabbing a rag and a spray bottle and starts cleaning her station. The chimes on the door sound, indicating that a customer just walked in.

"Welcome to Claire's coffee, I'll be right with you!" She says in the cheeriest voice she could muster up.

"Take your time, girl." She looks up and sees Tyler.

I haven't seen this bitch in two days!

She goes back to what she's doing.

"What are you doing here?" She scoffs.

"You thought, you could get another job and not tell me? What's that about?" She looks at her, completely amused at how she thinks this has anything to do with her.

"You're serious? You think I hid this from you? It's not like you'd listen to me even if I was to run it by you. And, since you wanna come in chastising people, where have you been?"

Tyler just stares at her, egg on her face.

"This really ain't the place to talk about any of this. I'll just see you when you get home." She backtracks and heads for the door.

"What do you mean? It's been a whole forty-eight hours! You didn't call me. You didn't come by the house to let me know you were okay. You didn't leave a note or anything. Yet, you wanna come in here and break bad on me. Wassup with you?" She quizzes.

"We'll talk later." She leaves back out.

She sighs and prepare for the rush of customers that are about to come through. This is nothing like Joe's.

༺═───────────────────────────────────────═༻

She sits her keys on the counter and walks into the living room.

Tyler's sitting on the couch, watching a rerun of Pinky and The Brain. 

She clears her throat, and Tyler mutes the tv and looks at her, patting the cushion beside her. She sighs and sits down.

"So, before you say anything, I just wanna say that I'm sorry. I've been acting like an ass and it has nothing to do with you. I was just making terrible decisions and I didn't wanna hear what you had to say, cause you were right and I knew that. But, I see if was for my own good and I appreciate you still being here for me."

"Well, where else would I be? We live together, and more importantly, you're my best friend! I'm always gonna tell you what you need to hear, cause I don't care about sugarcoating anything and you know that. I just don't want you doing anything stupid. I need you to be good. Do it for yourself. Not cause, you think I'll yell at you or whatever, cause that's a given, but cause you're the only person that can live your life."

She nods before pulling her into a hug. Stevie rubs her back in a motherly manner and stands back up.

"So, what's going on with you?" Tyler asks.

"I'm gonna get ready for my date, tonight." Stevie turns on her heels and heads upstairs. She follows behind.

"Ooh, what are you wearing?" She shrugs and opens her closet, searching through the many different patterns and prints, finding absolutely nothing suitable.

"I have an hour to get ready and there's nothing here! What the hell am I gonna do?" She looks over at her.

She places a hand on her shoulder. "Okay first of all, breathe."

She rummages through and pulls out a black tank top and a neon green skirt. She squints, not remembering buying either.

"See, you have too many clothes! Pair this with your black heels and slick your hair back. Now, get in the shower!" She places her clothes on the bed and smacks her butt, kicking her out of her own room.

If I wasn't in such a rush, I'd give her a piece of my mind.. again.

She showers quickly, making sure to keep her hair dry. She hops out and wraps a towel around herself, before doing her hygiene routine, making sure to use her strawberry scented lotion.

Sliding into her outfit, she grabs her rat tail comb and parts her hair, instead of slicking it back. Tucking the sides behind her ear, she grabs her black sandals from her closet, sliding her feet inside them.

She grabs the Gucci shades that Tyler bought her for Christmas last year and slides them into her hair.

She looks at the clock by her tv, seeing that it reads 6:27 p.m. She smirks, more than amused that she's ready before my "set time".

As if on cue, her phone rings. She grabs it off her nightstand and answers it.

Rods' deep voice cuts through the second of silence. "Beautiful, are you ready?"

"I surely am, dear. Aren't you proud?" She says in a sarcastic tone. He laughs.

"Very. I'll be there in two minutes."

They hang up and she heads downstairs. Tyler pops up out of nowhere, scaring her half to death.

"Well, don't you look fucking hot!"

She smacks her arm, placing her hand over her chest. Tyler snorts.

"Thank you, crazy. I owe this look to you, minus the hair." She twirls the end of a strand, shrugging.

"It's so cute, girl. I bet big head's gonna love it!"

A knock sounds at the door, sending her low-key rushing towards it.

"Girl, calm down!" Tyler teases.

Stevie rolls her eyes and open the door.

Rod stands before her in a black and gold striped, short sleeved button up, paired with light wash jeans and Air Force ones. The durag that he wore earlier is gone, and his waves are on full display.

"So... y'all just gon' stand there and drool over each other?" Tyler asks, from her seat, making her snap out of her trance.

He pulls her hand up to his lips, pecking her skin.

"It goes without saying, but you look beautiful." He says.

She blushes, sending a thank you his way.

"You look good, too."

Tyler slides her clutch into the fold of her arm. She turns around to face her.

"Oh, thank you. I would've forgotten it. But um, I'll be home later, okay?"

"Have fun, boo."

She nods and places her hand back in Rod's, heading down the steps and towards his car. He opens her door for her, helping her in.

"Thank you."

He winks and rushes towards the drivers side. The car comes to life and they're headed out of the neighborhood.

"So, where are we headed?" She asks.

Stopping at their first red light, he looks over at her.

"You like to dance?" He asks. She nods, giggling a bit.

"Well, there's this nightclub called Limelight. I thought I'd do something fun and out of the ordinary for a first date. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good to me."

The light changes and he continues towards their destination.

Rod turns the radio on, cutting the comfortable silence. Pretty Brown Eyes plays through the speakers.

"They made this song for you, you know?" He flirts.

She laughs, folding one leg over the other.

"I could say the same thing about you," she flirts back.

He raises an eyebrow at her, while pulling into the semi-packed parking lot.

"Word?"

"Mmhm."

He chuckles before cutting the car off. Getting out, he rounds the car and helps her out, closing the door.

She smiles, flipping her hair to one side. His large hand grasps her smaller one, leading her towards the short line that eventually turned lengthy.

"Maybe... maybe not." She looks down at their hands and back up to his face. Confidence all in his smile.

She begins looking around, taking in her surroundings. She stares straight ahead, finally noticing the clubs appearance.

The entire building is railed with a neon light, same shade as her skirt. Black brick is the foundation, and the name is written in white calligraphy.

How cute.

"This club is usually, twenty-one and up," his lips being so close to her ear startles her, "but, on Fridays they lower it to eighteen, so you're good."

"How do you figure I'm not twenty-one?" She looks up at him, again.

"Wild guess. Plus, you have a baby face."

She shrugs. He's got a point.

"I could be, though."

He stares at her.

"Are you?"

"Nah," I play with the hem of my skirt, "a couple months and we'll be the same age."

"When?"

"June."

They move towards the bouncer, showing our IDs. Pulling the green rope back, they head inside and boy, is it loud.

She sighs, feeling a slight pang of anxiety kick in.

Rod lets her hand go and wraps a protective arm around her waist. They head towards the bar.

"Are you alright?"

He helps her into the stool, as she pushes her glasses back into her hair.

It'd be rude if they covered my eyes all night.

"Yeah, I'm just not used to loud environments. Other than my job, of course." She laughs, "screaming out coffee orders should prepare me for places like this."

He laughs along with me.

"I totally understand. I just wanna make sure you're having a good time, cause we can always go somewhere else—"

"No, no we don't have to leave. I love that you came up with this idea, it's so different and I appreciate it. I promise."

His hand rubs her knee.

"Did you wanna dance or you wanna chill here?" She looks towards the many alcoholic choices and smirks.

"Doesn't sound like they're playing anything worth dancing to at the moment, so we can stay here."

He grins.

"What do you want to drink?"

"Whiskey sour, please."

He orders our drinks.

She looks around for her clutch, realizing she left it in the car. She hops down and pulls at her skirt, which has rose slightly past her thighs.

"I'm gonna head towards the ladies room. I'll be right back."

"Alright." He nods.

She heads past him and turns the corner, pushing the teal door open and the scent of lilac hits her nose.

Girls litter the tiny space, either in the mirrors or standing around conversing.

She squeezes through and grabs a paper towel, wet it and blots her dry mouth.

I was gonna ask to either have him go get my clutch or hand me the keys and let me grab it, but I didn't wanna be extra.

"Hey," she looks towards her left and finds a blonde haired beauty; she's about five foot seven, slender with dark red stained lips.

"Yeah?" Stevie asks, tosses her wrinkled paper towel in the trash, giving her, her attention.

The girls' lips curl into a smirk. "You're here with that cute black guy, right?"

It takes everything in her to keep her eyes from rolling back. She nods, pursing her lips together.

"Are y'all dating? Cause, my friend thought he was really cute and she wanted to talk to him."

She scoffs at the audacity.

"Yeah, we are. Tell your friend to stay away from what's not hers."

She slides past her and makes her way back towards the bar.

She turns the corner and finds some girl near Rod. That must be the friend.

She walks over to him and sits on the other side, making her presence known.

He goes from staring straight ahead to looking at her, smiling. He slides her drink towards her, turning his body to face hers.

"There you are."

"I heard somebody was tryna snatch you up, while I was gone." She laughs, looking behind him, glaring at whoever she thought she was.

She huffs and storms off.

He starts laughing, watching her sip on her sour drink.

"You're something else. Let me find out there's a jealousy streak in you."

She downs the rest of it, smirking at him.

"Well, I wouldn't call it jealousy. These bitches don't hold a candle to me, and I hope you wouldn't go for a white girl, anyway! They're trouble."

He nods, hopefully taking in her words.

"You're right."

"I know!" She says matter-of-factly. He laughs.

"You like laughing at me. I know for a fact, that I'm not that damn funny."

"Oh, you're definitely that damn funny."

She waves him off, holding back a laugh of her own.

Lady by D'Angelo starts playing.

Without a word, Rod stands up and for a split second, she forgot how much taller he was than her.

He holds his hand out for her to take. "Will you dance with me?"

She nods, feeling those butterflies come back. He helps her down and leads her towards the floor.

They squeeze through, until the perfect spot is found.

Facing him and place her arms around his neck, while his hands rest on her waist. Her hips sway to the beat.

You're my little baby, my darling baby

I swear you're the talk of the town

And everybody wants to know what's going down

Babe, I know they've seen us before

He lip syncs, looking down at her. She chuckles, feeling like this song is perfect for what just took place.

His hands hang dangerously low on her hips, while his chin finds its way into the crook of her neck. She wraps her hands around his buff arms.

The drink she had earlier is starting to kick in, making her body feel incredibly warm, and him being so close and smelling so good makes her hotter.

"You feelin' alright?" He asks, sending a chill through her.

"Yeah," she gets out.

The song continues to play, but it sounds like background noise at this point. All she hears is thumping from the bass and her hormones are going crazy.

Pulling his face away from her neck, he stares down at her lips, knowing the thought is on both of their minds.

Throwing her nerves to the wind, she closes the small space between them, swearing she felt a spark as their lips touched.

She wasn't alone, either.

Pulling away, she stares at him, kinda unsure of what to say.

"Your lips taste good." He blurts out, making her smile.

༺═───────────────────────────────────────═༻

Walking her to her front door, she opens her clutch and pulls her keys out and turn towards him.

He smiles, pulling a strand of hair away from her face.

"I had fun, tonight."

"I did, too." She mirror his expression, unable to stop the little giggles that follow.

"Does this guarantee me a second date?"

"Maybe... maybe not." She tucks her lip between her teeth as he takes a step toward her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

She leans in and kisses him, again.

The door opens behind her. She pulls away from Rod and look behind her, finding Tyler with her arms folded over her chest with a smirk on her face.

"So," he says, as she turns back towards him, "I'll call you, tomorrow?"

He nods, still smiling as he pulls away and heads down the steps, back to his car.

She turns back to face Tyler. She steps aside and Stevie walks in, closing the door behind them, sitting her keys and clutch on the counter.

"Well, I definitely don't have to ask how your date went." Tyler says with a laugh.

"You kinda ruined the moment, though." She rolls her eyes and drags herself upstairs, her friend in tow.

"Aw, come on. That had to at least be a second kiss. You looked too comfortable."

She chuckles and pulls her heels off, sitting them back in her closet.

"You should be a detective or something, Jesus."

She plops down on her bed and swings her feet back and forth.

"You like him?" Tyler asks, making her look up at her and raise an eyebrow.

"I mean, I'd hope so. I don't just kiss random guys on my doorstep. That's your job." She winks, while she pretends to be hurt.

"Ew, they're never random, bitch. Don't try these lips!"

Stevie waves her off.

"Anyway, y'all are kinda cute. I adore the way he looks at you."

"There's a way he looks at me?"

She nods, beginning to laugh.

"Girl! That man looks like he's in total heaven when he's around you. How do you not see that?"

She shrugs. "I don't know... I guess I've never paid it any attention. I don't know what any of this stuff means!"

"It's okay, you'll figure it out. I can see y'all being official, real soon."

"That'd be... something. We'd have to go on more dates and shit, but I don't see a problem with that."

Tyler grins like the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland.

"Girl, go away! I'm sleepy as hell," she tosses one of her pillows at her, smacking her right in the face.

She sticks her middle finger up at her, before leaving out, with her pillow still on the floor.

She eventually stands back up to grab it and pull her clothes off.

Tossing them in her hamper, grabbing an oversized T-shirt and pull it over her head. She grabs a hair tie from her dresser and pulls her hair into a messy bun.

She pulls the covers back and slides into bed, turning her lamp off and tv on. The background noise helps her fall asleep, which is eventually what she ends up doing.

@soufcakmistress @504queen @ghostfacekill-monger @hearteyes-for-killmonger @uzumaki-rebellion @blowmymbackout @supersizemeplz @chaneajoyyy @captainsaveasmut @cocoa-puffs @nahimjustfeelingit-writes @daddy-killmonger @twistedcharismaaa @prettyisasprettydoes1306 @headcannonxgalore @quietstorm-thundathighs @sheabuttahwrites @thegifstories @blackerthings @becauseimswagman1 @cecereads209 @nayaxwrites @xsweetdellzx @blackburnbook @darqchilddaydreamz @killmongerdispussy @trippyscotch @emjayewrites @unfriendlyblkhotti3 @blackpinup22

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