#chapter 10 preview

[rainbowmoonstonestories]

Chapter 10 Preview

“Lucienne,” "Morpheus called his librarian's name as he walked along the shelves. “Did you want to see me?” The woman raised her face from the sizable volume she was contemplating, her glasses almost slipped down from her nose doing so. "Yes, my lord," she responded. "It appears that I omitted something in my previous research. About your human lady.” Morpheus' attention was immediately piqued. “Tell me more.” Lucienne directed her gaze at the Lord of Dreams, releasing a deep sigh. She turned the book around to grant him a view of its contents. "Perhaps you should see for yourself," she suggested. Morpheus hesitated, then took a step closer to examine the book, which lay spread open in front of him. His eyes scanned the words imprinted on the bound scrolls, and a frown formed on his countenance as he absorbed their revelation. He tilted his head upwards, once again meeting Lucienne's worried eyes. "Sir, are you going to tell her?" she asked. Morpheus allowed his fingertips to gently glide across the page, engaging in deep contemplation to determine what alternatives were available to him. "Uhm, if I can make a suggestion, I think she should probably know," Matthew intervened, flying over the table and landing next to Morpheus' hand. "You are not incorrect, Matthew,” he confirmed. “"Nonetheless, this needs to be approached with the utmost caution.” For a moment, the raven glanced at Lucienne before redirecting his dark, glassy eyes towards the Endless once more. “I suppose so. Still, this is something she might find interesting to learn about. I definitely would.” Being someone with extensive knowledge surpassing that of a typical mortal regarding his realm, his siblings and their place in the universe, Morpheus understood that the amount of information you had acquired up until this moment was already quite overwhelming for you to process alone. In light of this, the Endless wanted to give you the necessary time to adjust to the several truths you had discovered. He aimed to avoid making the already complex situation worse and refrain from adding fuel to the active fire. "Thank you, Lucienne," he said, closing the book. "I shall reflect on this matter.” Lucienne nodded, watching as Morpheus silently left with the tome tucked under his arm, his coat billowing behind him as he walked briskly.

#the sandman #dream of the endless x reader #chapter 10 preview

[ataleofcrowns]

A Tale of Crowns; CH10 preview, part I

#preview #a tale of crowns #atoc spoilers #chapter 10 spoilers

[sailingshellsgames]

Third mini-date is done, and chapter 10's first draft is officially complete! 🥳 (+ Writing Update)

I cannot believe I wrote this much this fast.

You know what this means, right? There's only two more chapters (plus like a third of chapter 9 I have to rewrite) until the game's full first draft is complete!! I'm so happy I could scream 🤩🤩🤩

Here's this week's preview, before I collapse into bed lol:

---

"Gods, I'm usually better at this."

"No, go on," I lean forward with a smile. "I'm hoping you'll blush soon."

#leas: city of the sun #writing update #chapter 10 #tiny preview

[thingsthatbleedfic]

Would youse guys mind posting a preview of the next chapter 👀? Totally ok if it’s a no

We are so glad you asked! :) Of course you can have a preview. Here's the beginning of chapter 8.

It’s been a long time since Danny was inside a house. One actually being lived in, by living people, at least. It’s nice enough. Quaint—that’s the first word that comes to Danny’s mind, floating in from some dusty part of his mind that hasn’t had to describe anything as quaint since Sam’s grandma showed off her collectible statuettes of cats in old-timey clothes.  The floors are well-worn, aged wood peeking out from beneath sprawling rugs. There’s a draft that brings chilly air in from the badly fitted single-pane windows. The temperature has plummeted over the course of the evening; Danny is enjoying the promise of snow in the air, and the fact that the sun has already dipped below the mountains on the horizon. What’s less enjoyable is the haunting. He’d suggested hiding a tree in a forest; he’d known what that would entail.  Houses like this aren’t allowed to be secretive. They aren’t allowed to sink down into themselves, with all their echoes writhing quietly inside like maggots. They’re open wounds that don’t heal.

This chapter is going to be a bit of a love letter to haunted houses. <3

#Chapter 8 is basically completely done :) but I do want us to at least wrap a rough draft of 9 before we post #fingers crossed tho we'll make some progress heh eheh #after 8 goes up tho we'll be holding onto 9 10 and probably 11 for awhile to make sure they're posted in a closer schedule #bc cliffhangers are fun but we dont wanna torture anyone and the cliffhangers coming up are gonna be brutal :) so #You have been warned #asks #anonymous #dp x ar x scp #danny phantom #ttb preview #kei

[allaganexarch]

scorched earth (4/?)

Note: This story is set in the world of my very long Maleficent/Aurora fanfiction The Prisoner (which you can read  here if you want), but focuses almost entirely on original characters.   There is no need to read The Prisoner to understand what is going on--this story stands on its own and will give you all the background info you need.  Please also note the general content warning; I will not give specific warnings by chapter.

--

The creature looms over her now, still furious, frightening, and distinctly inhuman.  In the intermittent flashes of lightning her skin looks green, and her eyes glow golden even in the near-darkness.  Her dark hair falls wildly around her shoulders, and comes to a dramatic point upon her forehead.  Ordinarily one would call that a heart-shaped face, but Senna considers that this seems curiously inaccurate.  This woman’s face is all lines and angles, nothing soft, nothing delicate, nothing that yields.

“A farmer,” she echoes.  Derisive.  Disbelieving.

Senna nods.

The woman’s eyes flicker, examining her.  “Then tell me this, mortal,” she says, her voice suddenly low, and dangerously quiet.  “Why,” she stalks forward, a wild beast that has cornered its prey, “does a fairy’s magic hang about you?”

“Oh,” Senna utters, and clutches at her necklace with trembling hands.  She should be honest—she feels this with a sudden and dizzying certainty.  This woman will not take kindly to hazy half-truths, and Senna, who knows nothing half so well as lying, is not nearly talented enough to deceive her.

Read More (AO3)

#fic:scorched earth #fic:prisoner #exciting tag for writing things #i had to open the prisoner to fact check myself on something #and oh my god i accidentally put the WHOLE CHAPTER into a new chapter draft for THE PRISONER LOL #can you imagine skjdnfnjfknjf #i hit preview and it was like 'chapter 19' LOLLLLLLLLLLL #the PANIC that shot through my body #my Vague Outline says 10-12 chapters now but we'll see how it shakes out #usually things are longer than i think they'll be but maybe i will surprise myself LOL

[dracoyoflam]

WML Chapter 10 Preview

She swallowed hard and licked her lips. “Why are you looking at me like that?” She asked in almost a whisper.

He smiled at her and pulled her a little closer.

“Like what? How am I supposed to look at you?” He asked playfully.

She grinned back and met his eyes with hers.

“I don’t know and I don’t know.” She said honestly with a small chuckle.

“but you’re looking at me differently.”

He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Shouldn’t I look at you differently?”

He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “Things are different now.. aren’t they?”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: I have offically finished chapter 10. I can't wait to share it with everyone. I am definitely a little rusty but excited to be back writing FINALLY. This chapter is about 14 pages!!! Crazy!

Planning to post it sometime in the next couple of days. I just want to make some finishing touches and of course, I have to make the banner and everything.

The chapter title is: Sleep Deprived

#preview #sneak peak #WML #chapter 10 #dramione

[sakura-samsara]

Shigehira Main Story: Preview

Please note that this preview has minor spoilers for Shigehira's main story!

Shigehira: What strength do you have in your slender arms? You’re just getting in our way by being here.

My caretaker in the shogunate was the “Peony Blossom Lord,” a young man from the Taira clan who was as beautiful as he was cold.

At first, I felt hurt by his frigid words, but then…

Shigehira: What’s going on here? This many grown men have ganged up just to harass a lone woman…

Shigehira: What a shameful sight.

When I had gotten into a predicament with some new soldiers, he, of all people, was the one to help me.

Shigehira: …You really are impossible to deal with.

Shigehira: You carelessly get yourself caught up in this and that, but every time you get pushed away you just come right back with your defenses down…

Shigehira: And you’re so resilient against harsh words that nothing I say can convince you that you should stay away from the battlefield—

Shigehira: You just don’t understand how reckless it is for a woman who can’t fight to go into combat!

Yoshino: …Shigehira-san, you’re just concerned about my safety, aren’t you?

Shigehira: ...

Though his demeanor was still chilly, he was also kind and honorable—our relationship began to change once I had noticed this.

Shigehira: You can stop using honorifics and polite language when you speak to me. It’s annoying and troublesome to bother with it.

Shigehira: You’re neither my retainer nor my servant, and you don’t look much younger than I am.

Shigehira: So you have no reason to speak to me so formally.

Yoshino: Is that really alright…?

Shigehira: Don’t make me say it again.

Yoshino: O-Okay! Got it. Umm… Shigehira-kun!

As our friendship continued to grow, Shigehira and I went to the capital together… where we had an encounter with someone unexpected.

Yoichi: You know what they say. Appearances can be deceiving.

Yoichi: But you let my dad and all his vassals get killed during the Genpei War… You’re just as cold-hearted for that as you look. 

The bloody history between Shigehira and Yoichi was revealed to me.

In addition, Yoichi burdened Shigehira with a cruel truth…

Yoichi: The rebel army plans to round up and recruit all the survivors of the Heike.

Yoichi: You’ll be bound to see some familiar faces on the battlefield soon.

Shigehira: Wh…

Yoichi: Bocchan… Shigehira. It’s ironic, don’t you think? You once fought for the Heike’s sake, but you have to fight and kill the members of the Heike now. 

He is so kind, but the world is not kind to him.

Yet, in spite of the wounds he suffers, Shigehira is unrelenting in his pursuit of strength.

Once I learned that about him… I found myself falling in love with him.

Shigehira: Why were you crying?

Shigehira: Did someone say something bad to you when I wasn’t there to hear it?

Yoshino: N-No, that’s not it.

(Why do I feel so weird…?)

(I can’t take my eyes off of Shigehira-kun, now more than ever.)

Yoshino: It’s really not a big deal or anything, so you don’t have to—

Shigehira: I hate it.

Yoshino: Hate what…?

Shigehira: I don’t know why.

Shigehira: …But I hate seeing you cry.

Then war began to rage while our relationship was still on unstable ground.

We were thrown into conflict over and over again.

Shigehira: I won’t let myself succumb again.

Shigehira: That’s why this will be the last time I shed a tear.

He was changed by his frustration and sorrow—like a caterpillar emerging from a chrysalis as a butterfly, or a small bud blossoming into a gorgeous flower.

I, too, changed alongside him…

Yoshino: Then I… I won’t shed another tear from now on, either. So that you won’t have to wipe them away anymore.

Shigehira: Yoshino-san…

Yoshino: I don’t want to just cry for you, Shigehira-kun. I want to be someone who can fight alongside you.

Yoshino: Will you let me be your… comrade-in-arms?

Shigehira: …Very well.

We turned a blind eye to our true feelings for each other.

But then, in the time of my greatest crisis—

Yoichi: Why would you go this far?

Shigehira: Because the thought of losing her made my soul scream in agony!

His cry pierced my heart.

Shigehira: Yoshino-san is the one who I love.

Shigehira: That’s why I won’t let anyone or anything take her away from me.

When, despite getting trampled underfoot and battered by freezing rain, the peony flowers bloomed in full glory,

Dawn broke on the long night of wartime…

Shigehira: I won’t ever give up on you. I’ll do anything it takes to get past our hardships, regardless of how disgraceful it might seem. 

Shigehira: So that no matter what, you won’t have to let go of our happiness together.

#would probably have been better to post the preview before 10 chapters of the main story but here we are anyway! #ikemen genjiden shigehira #shigehira main story #ikemen genjiden translations #i’ll definitely edit this as i work through the rest of the main story

[fluorescentvermin]

Chapter 10

Cona Security

Jasper

“Hello everyone! Welcome to Cona Security, and congratulations on becoming part of the team. You all did really well to get this far, here at Cona Security we take pride in providing the best service for online browsing security and you all stood out due to your skills and expertise”

My assistant, Emily, insisted that I join our onboarding for the new employees. But I was bored shitless. I could be doing anything else right now.

“As a part of your onboarding, we will show you around our company and give you a brief rundown of each department and their roles. Today will be a short day, but we expect you to be back here bright and early tomorrow to start your training” Emily spoke like she was reading a script. She’s always so formal, it’s eery.

“Let me introduce you to our owner and CEO, Jasper Connor! She has worked very hard to build this company from the ground up, so please give her your respect” just as I was about to fall asleep, Emily introduces me to these kids, forcing me to pay attention. Everyone’s eyes focused on me.

“Hello everyone. Cona Security has been in operation now for six years and it’s been an amazing journey. It’s amazing to see how far it’s come since then. Cona Security started out with just me as it’s only employee, and it has blossomed into the business you see today. I am forever thankful for the support of our clients, shareholders, and our operational staff. I look forward to watching you grow during your time at Cona Security” I was surprisingly good at being professional. A skill I had to learn quickly after starting this company when I was 17.

“Enough with the formalities! Let’s get to the tour, shall we?” Emily smiled politely.

We made our way through the office, showing the new hires the HR department where payroll and purchasing live, the staff room and the bathrooms. Then to the next floor for customer service, software and web development, the graphic design section and our second little staff room that was more of a recreational room. Every IT company needs to have some kind of room with ping pong tables and bean bag chairs for a relaxing energy. Then we moved on to the top floor with business intelligence, operations and security, as well as Emily’s office. My office is on this floor as well, but I didn’t want the newbies to be sniffing around in there, it’s my second home after all. “This is our last stop, this is where business intelligence, operations and security work. They’re the brain of the company, researching our competitors and trends to keep us ahead of the pack, as well as making sure our systems are always up to date. I don’t think I need to tell you what security is in charge of, I’m sure you can figure that one out” Emily smiled as she rattled on, letting the kids walk into the room filled with desks, computers and employees. There were a couple of laughs in the group as response to her joke.

“If you’re working in any of these roles, you’ll see me quite often. I tend to communicate with them frequently” I mention. I look to my employees sitting at their desks, a couple of them turned their heads to listen in.

“Make sure you guys look after the newbies, okay? We’ve all been new before and know how nerve wrecking it can be” I project, directing my voice to my seasoned employees.

“Yes, mummy” the resident shit stirrer, Arun called out, followed by giggles from the new hires and seasoned employees. Is this motherfucker kidding me? Disrespecting me in front of everyone is unacceptable.

“Emily, can you please show the new hires where their training will be held tomorrow? I need to have a chat with one of our employees” I instruct quietly. Emily nods and gathers the newbies, escorting them out of the office space.

“Arun, can you see me in my office” I call out. The office goes silent, as Arun gets up and solemnly makes his way to the front. I silently walk out of the office, crossing the threshold from their shared space to my private office.

“I-I’m sorry” Arun blubbered.

“Save it” I hissed.

I opened the door to my office, letting Arun walk in.

“Take a seat” I instruct. He does as I say and sits opposite my desk in the middle of the room.

“So, Arun, did you get that out of your system?” I snarl, walking to my desk. He doesn’t reply, only looks down at his hands that were fidgeting in his lap.

“Did you enjoy embarrassing me in front of our new staff? I have a reputation to uphold” I scold.

“Sorry” Arun mutters.

“Sorry isn’t going to cut it. I’ve been too lenient with you in the past, and this is the final straw” I growl.

“Come on, don’t be like that. It was funny” Arun defended.

“I’m afraid I do not share your sense of humour” I scowl.

“You walk around the office with your tits out every day. You think we’re not going to notice?” he argued.

“Excuse me?” I bark.

“How am I supposed to focus on my work when you’re flaunting your goodies all the time?” Arun pouted.

“This is disgusting behaviour. How dare you say that to me, I am your boss” I growl.

“I’m sorry, I’m just saying what everyone else is thinking” he scoffs.

“Your apology is not good enough. In what world did you think that was a reasonable explanation for your behaviour? Arun, you need to pack up your things, I’m going to have to let you go” I explain.

“What? You can’t do that! That’s unfair termination!” Arun shouted.

“Terminating your employment because of sexual harassment is not unfair termination, Arun” I scoff.

“Whatever! This company is shit anyway!” Arun pouts like a temperamental teenager.

“If you keep digging yourself into this hole, you won’t receive your paid leave” I warn.

“You’re an ego maniac!” Arun shouts before storming out of my office.

#fluorescent vermin #fluorescent vermin preview #fluorescent vermin chapter 10 #chapter 10 #Jasper Connor

[queen-ofsunflowers]

"You're Magic Now" WIP Preview: Chapters 6 - 10

Since these are still works-in-progress, it is likely that the following excerpts will change between now and the final draft! Please keep that in mind while reading.

Chapter 6: Mission to Torrenuvola

(A bit outside of Torrenuvola. The three members of the Fatui have gathered together to try and extract the power of the Holy Lyre to use for their own purpose but fail. An explosion erupts around the three of them, knocking them onto the floor.)

Scaramouche: Are you kidding me?!

Tartaglia: I think that last one sent something up my nose…

Scaramouche: That was the fourteenth spell we tried. Why is nothing working!?

Signora: Calm yourself.

Scaramouche: Are you telling me to calm down? You of all people…

Signora: The Holy Lyre is powerful, but it’s not strong enough to hold the lost power of the Lunar Drive.

Scaramouche: After all we went through to get this damn thing… I had to pretend to be that goody two shoes little princess! (He snatches the Lyre and throws it as hard and as far as he can into a lost part of Torrenuvola. There’s the faint shattering of glass.) FOR NOTHING!!

Tartaglia: Wow.

Signora: You better hope that no one saw that.

Scaramouche: …I am going back to Alfea and back to bed. This is pointless!

Signora: Our efforts will not be in waste. We will find the Lunar Drive. After that, we’ll be able to track down the Solar Drive’s location. The power of the Celestial Forces will be within our hands. Make no mistake about that.

Tartaglia: …are you sure that no one heard that explosion?

Signora: If they did, I’ll be shocked.

Tartaglia: What’s the plan for the Lyre? It might not be useful, but it’s still pretty powerful.

Signora: I’ll retrieve it and hand it over to Her Majesty. Return to Fonterossa before anyone notices you’re gone.

Tartaglia: I’m not a student. I’m not gonna get in that much trouble. (She glares at him.) Fine, fine. I’m going. Have fun on your Lyre hunt. (He disappears.)

(Signora needs new coworkers.)

Chapter 7: Friends in Need

(Lyney stands, slamming his hands on the table when he notices how uncomfortable Lynette has gotten.)

Lynette: Lyney—

Lyney: What is your problem?! (The witch who had just spoken turns to Lyney with a disinterested look on their face.) Fairies aren’t our enemies! That way of thinking is centuries out of date, and you know that!

Witch: And who dared to just talk back to me?

Lyney: All I’m saying is that even if you don’t like them, at least try to get along with them. (One of the witch’s friends starts laughing.)

“Of course, you want to be friends with fairies! Maybe be just like your daddy and get a little too friendly with them!” (Lynette can see her brother’s ire steadily starting to grow as their mocking laughter continues.) Next thing you know, you’ll be wanting to use fairy dust in your potions and a pair of wings to fly.” (The laughter continues, and a few of the teachers start to notice.)

“Why don’t you keep your mouth shut, half-and-half?” (The witch snaps his fingers, and a dark blob sticks itself over Lyney’s mouth to begin to suffocate him. Lynette rushes over to her brother’s aid, trying to get it off. The other table starts laughing harder and that’s enough. With a snap of Yae Miko’s fingers, the blob disappears and Lyney gasps for breath.)

Yae Miko: That’s enough. (The laughter stops when the headmistress stands.) While I enjoy a good prank as much as the next witch, it should never come at the cost of someone’s life. Am I clear?

“Y-Yes, ma’am.”

Yae Miko: Rosaria, be a dear and escort these three to my office, will you? I’d like to have a talk with them as soon as I’m finished with my meal. (Rosaria nods and heads over to the table where the three witches are sitting.)

Yae Miko: Are you okay, Lyney?

Lyney: Yeah… Thank you, Ma’am.

Yae Miko: Don’t worry about it. I don’t condone such behavior in my school. If it happens again, let me know. (Lyney nods.) The same goes for you, Lynette. (Lynette nods and the two twins take a breath as their headmistress leaves them. (It seemed like no matter where they went, they had trouble finding where they belonged. That’s how it felt for Lynette, at least. No matter how much she tried, fitting in at Torrenuvola seemed like a pipe dream. She felt more comfortable with the fairies at Alfea, something she was loath to admit.)

Chapter 8: The Rose Festival

(Lumine holds out her hand, and in a panic, casts a spell that hits the side of Xiao’s helmet. Xiao slows down, much to Lumine’s surprise and the pair of them collide. Lumine is sent flying back across the track into the crowd white Xiao loses control of his bike and crashes, skidding across the road. Lumine immediately gets back up and darts towards him to try and catch him. However, a water construct catches him before he can hit the ground. It seemed like while Lumine was chasing Xiao, everyone else was chasing her.)

(The rest of the riders arrive as Childe pushes himself onto the track, citing himself as Xiao’s guardian in order to get onto the track. Childe helps Xiao off the water construct before dissipating it entirely.)

Kazuha: What happened?!

Lumine: I-It was an accident! I didn’t mean to—! (Childe kneels next to Xiao as a few medics on standby tend to him.)

Xiao: I’m… I’m fine. (Childe sighs.)

Childe: You sure?

Xiao: Yes.

Childe: Xiao—

Lumine: Xiao! (Lumine flies up to the two.) Xiao, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to—!

Childe: Hey, hey! Calm down for a sec. (Kazuha and Barbara step in, pulling Lumine back.)

Lumine: I didn’t mean to hit you!

Xiao: Lair. I saw you behind me, and you said before that you wanted me to crash!

Lumine: I didn’t mean it, Xiao. I was just upset and— (The dark magic inside of him is flaring up again, leaving a faint aura around him that only Lumine seems to sense at all. Xiao stands, glaring at Lumine with rage in his eyes.)

Childe: Xiao— (He puts his hands on his shoulders, which doesn’t do anything to calm the boy down.)

Lumine: You have to believe me, it was an accident! I didn’t mean to do anything! (She flashes out of her fairy form to help prove it.) I was going to apologize to you after the race, but then I felt this weird dark thing and—

Xiao: If this is an excuse, it’s a bad one.

Childe: Xiao.

Lumine: It’s the truth! I swear!

Kazuha: Let’s all calm down for a minute and think. Maybe Lumine is right, and if she is, there has to be an explanation for—

Xiao: So you’re taking her side?!

Kazuha: I’m only trying to understand what happened. (The aura gets a bit worse.)

Xiao: I’ve had it with all of you. I’m—! (Childe covers his mouth.)

Childe: Alright, that’s enough. (Xiao is clearly fuming.) Let’s go. I’ll talk to you guys later. (He leads Xiao away from the group.)

Lumine: It was an accident, I didn’t mean to do anything! (Xiao glares at her from over his shoulder and any hope of apologizing or mending what little relationship they had is gone.)

Chapter 9: In Danger

Keqing: I didn’t mean anything by it. I thought that I was making an innocent remark, that’s all.

Ayaka: Redefine ‘innocent’. (Keqing groans, dropping down on the sofa.)

Keqing: Don’t start. All I meant was that because Lumine grew up on Earth, she is further behind than us in terms of development and mastery over her powers. She has been staying up late studying from it and with this on top of that, she’s going to burn out.

Ayaka: I think it would be best for us all to take a break.

Keqing: That isn’t possible. Autumn break isn’t until after our midterms. (Ayaka sighs, looking to Barbara for help. Keqing sighs.) Perhaps I should just apologize to Lumine and go back to studying myself-- (She reaches for a book but Barbara snatches it out of her reach.)

Barbara: You were just talking about Lumine burning herself out from doing too much and then you yourself were about to go back to studying.

Keqing: I’m not trying to deal with weird dreams on top of midterms. (Barbara sighs before handing Keqing’s book back to her.) Look, I’ll talk to Lumine when she gets back. She can’t stay mad at me forever. It’s physically impossible.

Ayaka: Keqing, are you okay?

Keqing: I’m fine, why do you ask? (Barbara and Ayaka exchange a look with each other. Keqing has one hand to her mouth, chewing on her nails.)

Ayaka: You know that you have a bad habit of chewing on your nails when stressed? (Keqing pauses, carefully pulling her hand away from her mouth.) I’m sorry, it’s just something that I’ve noticed you doing whenever you’re upset or on edge. (Keqing’s brow furrows. Does she do that? …oh crap, she does.)

Keqing: I don’t know if you two have noticed, but I am… bad at socializing with my peers. (Ayaka and Barbara exchange a look with each other. They already figured that out, but hearing Keqing say it out loud is another thing entirely.) I’m more used to talking with my grandfather.

Ayaka: We’ve noticed. (Keqing pouts, giving her a look.) Apologies…

Barbara: …I have an idea! I say that we all need a break, and the best thing I can think of to do is to take the rest of the day off from studying and go to Magix!

Keqing: …what?

Barbara: It’ll help you with your socializing issue, too. Oh! We can get our nails done. (taking out her phone and quickly tapping on its screen) There should be somewhere in Magix we could go. I think getting a manicure was a good way to help you relax… and stop biting your nails.

Keqing: It’s a bad habit, I know. I’m working on it.

Barbara: What do you say?

Ayaka: I don’t think I’ve ever done something like that before.

Barbara: It’s fun! My sister and I used to do each other’s all the time when we had little sleepovers. There’s something different about going to a salon, though. What do you say? I have an address for a pretty good place!

Ayaka: Alright. I’ll go with you. (Barbara grins, jumping on her toes with joy. It’s hard to believe that she’s a princess when she acts like this.)

Chapter 10: The Celestial Forces

(Fatui's meeting space. Tartaglia, Signora and Scaramouche are gathered around a crystal sphere that replays Lumine’s magical explosion during their fight with Xiao from Tartaglia’s perspective.)

Tartaglia: It’s like I told you. That fairy has incredible power that I’m not even sure she realizes she possesses.

Scaramouche: She’s definitely not normal, that’s for sure.

Signora: That power is far too strong for a typical first year fairy, much less one from Earth. If Tartaglia is right, then her power is equal to that of the Celestial Forces.

Scaramouche: Are you serious?

Signora: Why would I joke about this?

Tartaglia: I know that I’m right about her. I thought that she looked a little familiar at first, but I didn’t realize why until now. (He takes out a history book.)

Scaramouche: Sweet Celestia, he’s reading-- (Tartaglia glares at him before finding what he was looking for.)

Tartaglia: I pilfered this from one of the vaults in Fonterossa. It’s one of the surviving accounts of Khaenri’ah’s royal family. Including this. (He shows them what he was looking for. It’s a portrait of the last ruling family.) King Irmin, Queen Ourania, Prince Aether -- the last known fairy to possess the Solar Drive… and finally the princess, who likewise was the keeper of the Lunar Drive. Look familiar to you at all?

Scaramouche: …you have got to be kidding me.

Tartaglia: I’m not. Either she’s descended directly from that girl, or she is that girl.

Scaramouche: Khaenri’ah was destroyed five hundred years ago, idiot. How could she be the princess?

Tartaglia: Aside from the fact that the name’s the same? That she looks identical? There was a rumor that one of the guards possessed the ability to manipulate time and space itself. Imagine if she feld Khaenri’ah’s destruction with that guard. I don’t think it's a coincidence that the Lunar Drive couldn’t be found for five hundred years.

Signora: Because it wasn’t present at all.

Scaramouche: In five hundred years, no one’s figured that out?! (Her brow furrows as she thinks about this. If Tartaglia was right, then they needed to put his theory to the test.) Whatever. I still don’t understand why Her Majesty wants the Celestial Forces so badly.

Signora: You don’t think. You only do. Once we get our hands on the Lunar Drive, the Solar Drive won’t be far behind. Before that… we will bring them all to their knees and remind them what the Fatui are capable of.

#chapter 10 is a bit fucked up #which is why the next chapter is much more calmer #it'll make sense once everything is put together i promise #genshin impact #genshin au #genshin impact au #winx au #winx club au #sparkle teyvat au #preview #tartaglia #childe #la signora #scaramouche #the wanderer #lynette #lyney #yae miko #lumine #the traveler #xiao #kaedehara kazuha #kamisato ayaka #keqing #barbara pegg

[britishchick09]

the rewrite is now on kobo and it has a preview!

it only goes up to page 21 in the paperback, but if you want to read twice as much content, just hop on over to the excerpt on my jrose site! ;)

#the first 4 chapters are in the except! #the ending is a lot more suspenseful than this! ;D #poto rewritten #edit: it's release day and i changed the preview from 5% to 10%! #it ends right where the jrose preview does and it's so !!!! :D

[we-all-become-crabs]

Benny laughs. "Are you blushing?"

"No!" It doesn't help that he's holding boxers. Ethan shoves his underwear into the drawer and slams it shut. He still has a couple of items to unpack and the drawer was far from full, but he just opens the next drawer.

"You totally are." Benny sits up and scoots over until he can reach Ethan, manhandling his shoulder so they're facing each other.

"It's just the red sweater reflecting on my face," Ethan counters, but he can feel the heat in his cheeks. Benny's making it worse by pointing it out.

"Do you blush this much when you get fucked?" Benny teases. His soft lips in a wide mischievous smile, reveling in his friend's discomfort.

Benny fails to realize how charged sex is for allosexuals.

read more >

#chapter two preview #Solstice with the Weirs (fanfic) #mbav #bethan mbav #my babysitters a vampire #coming 11/10 #a03 fanfic #fanfic writing #fanfic #a03 link #mature

[going-to-ikea-for-the-fries]

It's a Match! || 141 x Reader

[ Chapter 10 ] || [ Chapter 12 ]

Pairing: 141 x gn!Reader Words: 1.1K~ Summary: While overcoming recent heartbreak, you decide to join Tinder in search of a rebound. Your friends advise to just Swipe Right indiscriminately... What happens when 4 soldiers from the same squad match with you? a/n: i'm in love with gaz

Chapter 11: Excuse me?

A DM suddenly shoots up to the top of the pile in Kyle’s Tinder DM list and his eyebrows raise when he sees your name.

It’s been a month and a half, maybe longer, since you two last matched and after the brief rejection and you having gotten with Price, his life moved on and he kind of forgot you existed.

But your sudden message whose preview starts with “hey sorry to be botheri-” intrigues him so he presses it.

you: hey sorry to be bothering u but i figured it was safe to dm u about this because between u and johnny u seemed to be the most mature one! is simon okay? he stopped replying to me like a week ago and im concerned

Kyle’s eyebrows shot up on his forehead upon reading the question.

Kyle: he’s been texting u? 🤨 you: HI! yeah he has Kyle: excuse me? 🤨🤨 Kyle: like texting texting u.  Kyle: as in you text him and he answers and u 2 chat? 😐 you: yes? 🙃 Kyle: tf kind of witchcraft did u pull on him? 🤨 Kyle: he doesnt text.  Kyle: not one of us can get more than a thumbs up reaction to our texts in the groupchat. 😑 you: he texts me! Kyle: 😫?? Kyle: jesus christ.  you: you didnt answer is he okay?? 😭😭

Kyle thought back on a reason why Ghost would suddenly, well, ghost you. But he can’t think of any… Ghost is a notoriously bad texter, it doesn’t surprise him that he went MIA…

And then it hits him.

It’s 8 A.M. in the rec room of their floor and Ghost was making tea just as Johnny was taking a seat in the couch.

Kyle oofed as Johnny hit him, throwing his legs over Kyle’s lap. “Watch it mate, fuck you’re bloody heavy!” He complained.

“AH, FUCKIN’ HELL!” Ghost cursed as he threw his hands up in the air the sound of water dripping on the floor catching his attention.

Kyle looked over to see Ghost had spilled his boiling hot water everywhere on the counter.

“You alright L.T.?” Soap asked a she lifted his head over the back of the couch to peer at Simon just like Gaz was.

“Great.” Ghost grunted as he picked up his phone from the counter, which was also dripping in water, while his other hand threw a rag onto the mess of water dripping down from the counter.

“Oh fuck… ‘s your phone dead?” Soap asked and Ghost grumbled under his breath, not quite answering the question, as he busied himself soaking up the spilled water.

Just then, Price showed up at the rec room door. “Simon, gear up. Got a briefing for a solo mission in 10.”

“Fuckin’ hell, yeah, yeah, I got it.” Ghost grunted as he cleaned the mess and then rushed out the door, leaving his mug of tea in the counter and clutching his now broken phone in his hands.

Kyle: hes fine. Kyle: he spilled water on his phone and killed it I think.  Kyle: and he got sent out before he could get it fixed. 🙃 you: oh okay good! you: thanks! you: sorry to have bothered you! 🙏 Kyle: now wait just a minute. 😤 Kyle: u need to explain how in the hell u and ghost talk.👀 you: ghost? Kyle: that’s his work name. 🤷‍♂️ you: fitting seeing as i thought he ghosted me Kyle: THAT’S THE JOKE I MADE JUST NOW TO MYSELF! 😭 you: were in sync it seems 😭 Kyle: answer the question tho. you: idk what u want me to answer with Kyle: wdym u dont know??? explain yourself. Kyle: how do you get ghost to text u???? you: idk? im funny ig Kyle: 😑 you: im sorry if thats not what u want to hear Kyle: wait Kyle: a couple weeks ago he was out all night Kyle: during morning training soap was talking about how he had a date Kyle: was he with u? 👀👀 you: soap? Kyle: johnny. Kyle: keep up cmon now. you: jeez don’t patronize me you: yes simon was with me Kyle: 👀👀👀 Kyle: i see. Kyle: tell me more. you: theres nothing to tell Kyle: thats a lie and u know it.  you: its not!!! Kyle: cmon. Kyle: u cant just meet with a bloke with a skull mask on and then say u dont have anything to tell. 😑😑 you: a skull mask?? Kyle: did he not wear a mask when he was with u? 🤨🤨 you: yes? you: a black one Kyle: with a skull print on it yeah? you: no??? 🙃 you: just black! Kyle: jesus christ. Kyle: and what? what happened? you: nothing?! Kyle: walk me thru it. you: we went out for a drink then came back to mine and watched a movie! Kyle: 🤨🤨 Kyle: and had a shag? you: NO???? Kyle: wdym no? thats what would normally happen with a bloke. you: and???? you: this is simon were talking about kyle you: nothing about him screams normal exactly 🙃 you: hes joked about being able to kill me with his bar ehands you: bare hands* Kyle: fair. Kyle: this raises more questions for me. you: what Kyle: like u would meet with a masked bloke that can kill u with his bare hands alone without protection? 🤨 you: i had protection Kyle: not a condom. you: oh 😅 you: well we met at a pub soooo  Kyle: what did u 2 do then Kyle: other than watch a ‘movie’ 🙄 you: played mario kart you: slept Kyle: as in Kyle: you SLEPT? like honk shoo honk mimimimi? you: yes🙄🙄 Kyle: im confused. you: ur confused? im fucking confused bro Kyle: wdym u SLEPT TOGETHER? 🙃 Kyle: WHAT KIND OF WITCHCRAFT IS THIS?  Kyle: wtf have u done to him Kyle: like ghost doesnt text, he sure as shit doesnt visit people, and he doesnt go on dates, he doesnt sleep next to people, im almost sure the man doesnt have feelings or emotions and only speaks in sarcasm  Kyle: how can u get that out of him?? 🤨🤨 Kyle: no one else can! you: well with that mentality you cant you: idk what to tell u you: we hit it off 🙄 Kyle: explain yourself. you: ive been explaining it!!!!! Kyle: no explain it better. Kyle: I think Im having a stroke.  you: idk how to make it clearer??? Kyle: thats it. Kyle: are you free rn?? Kyle: I need u to explain urself. 😑 you: Im at work? Kyle: whens ur lunch break? 👀 you: in 35 minutes. Kyle: do u like ramen? you: yes? Kyle: whats the closest japanese to ur job? you: Akira Kyle: meet me at Akira for lunch. Kyle: I’m buying. you: who said i want to meet up with u?? 🤨🤨 Kyle: man just get down there. Kyle: im offering to pay. you: fineeeee 🙄

Kyle quickly hopped up from his seat at his desk with a start and rushed back to his room to change out of his fatigues.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

taglist (CLOSED! not adding anyone else, sorry!): @daisychainsinknots , @bunnysdaydreams , @iite-cool , @lahniu , @pagesfalling , @tapioca-milktea1978 , @live-love-be-unique , @thelaisydazy , @littleghosthunter , @bossva , @emotion-no-hot-yes-hotel-trivago , @chamomiletealeaf , @ghosts-hoe , @kariiiel , @ltbarnes , @irregulardongyoung , @spacelia , @hayleybarnesx , @infpt-zylith , @xxshadowbabexx , @frescoisnotinthemilitary , @leeeenistop , @lucienbarkbark , @zombie-freak , @wittleespur

@severenswife , @enarien, @agoodmoviekiss , @l0lziez , @whos-fran , @greatstormcat , @openup-yourmind , @neoarchipelago , @sodavrr , @cutiecusp , @lilliumrorum , @c-nstantine , @kneelforloki , @comeonatmebruh , @codsunshine , @waiting-so-long , @captainquake42 , @gazspookiebear , @mynameismisty , @reap3erslov3 , @reaper-chan666 , @poohkie90 , @kitwithnokat , @stick-the-dumbass , @mothsdrabbles , @justanerd1 , @thesinsoflust , @thriving-n-jiving , @blckbrrybasket

#ikea writes 💚 #it's a match! fic #cod modern warfare #cod fanfic #captain john price #john soap mactavish #kyle gaz garrick #simon ghost riley #text story #cod x reader #call of duty x reader #kyle gaz garrick x reader #gaz x reader

[ataleofcrowns]

A Tale of Crowns; CH10 preview, part III (The Crown's Letters)

(part i) (part ii)

#preview #a tale of crowns #interactive fiction #chapter 10 spoilers #x and d mains don't worry #you are DEF still getting fed

[chiriwritesstuff]

The Girl in IT - 1. The Night Shift

A Boss! Joel Miller x IT Specialist F! Reader AU

Chapter Rating: E (18+, MDNI)

Chapter Preview: "Well, it was a virus, and as I looked into the problem, I had to explore every avenue to ensure I pinpointed the issue, you know, for my report to Tess. I went into your history to see if it might have been a site that caused you to have the virus. I may have casually peeked into a few files to ensure they weren’t corrupted…” you admit, “…and I might have stumbled upon-" your eyebrows raise in embarrassment, "Something personal." “Something personal?” He questions, his brows furrowed in confusion. “I don’t have anything personal… oh, shit.” His eyes widen as the realization dawns on him, hands covering his face as he groans in embarrassment. "Look, about my internet history... and the list-" You slowly nod and bite your lip, mostly to hide your own embarrassment. “… yeah. Um, it was quite... informative about your... sexual preferences.”

Chapter Warnings and Tags: No Outbreak! Joel Miller, Mentions of intended smut towards the reader, Boss x Employee Relationship, Virgin Reader, All of the yearning, Joel Miller is a silly flirt, A small-ish age gap, Joel is too forward for his own good, Tess is a boss (and should not be fucked with - or you get the horns).

Word Count: 5.6K

A/N: Well, hello there!

I honestly have no idea where this idea of a (somewhat crack) fic came from, but I had an idea and I ran with it! A lot of the character development came from my own anxieties of feeling behind in life, and if you feel that way too, I feel you! Don't worry, I promise it won't always feel like this. Time is just that- time, and it's never too late to follow your dreams! I believe in you!

To: [email protected]

Fr: [email protected]

Subject: I think I have a Virus?

12:50 AM (10 min ago)

Hey Sugar,

I know it's late, but my computer fritzed out an hour ago (a shit ton of pop-ups) and I have that presentation with The H Hotel tomorrow morning. Well, do you think you could do me a solid and help me... not have any more of those darn pop-ups? I called the number that popped up asking if I needed assistance with the virus and they asked for my credit card information but they haven't replied back.

Shit, was that a scam? Fuck. I should call Amex.  

Anyway, do you think you can help me get out of this bind, Sugar? I'll be forever and eternally grateful. If you don't, well... I'm sure Tess will rip me a new one, and I would like to not have a Servopoulos-level meltdown at 9 in the morning. Not after last time. Sorry about having to be a part of that, Sugar. At least Maria was able to pay for your dry cleaning and get you a new shirt? You should have let me check your chest for burns, I sure as hell wouldn't want scalding hot coffee being thrown in my direction either. Shit. Not check your chest as in checking out your... breasts, just the burn site. Yeah. That's what I meant. 

(Also, sorry for emailing you last minute. Shit. I'm desperate, baby.)

Thanks,

Joel Miller 

Owner and CEO, Miller Construction Group

[phone]

To:[email protected]

Fr: [email protected] 

Subject: RE: I think I have a Virus?

1 AM (0 seconds ago)

Good Evening Mr. Miller,

I got your request and will work on it shortly. I can't make any promises, but I will try to get you out of your "bind".  

Don't worry about that thing with Tess. She was rightfully upset, and I just so happened to be caught in the line of fire. If it had to be one of us, I am glad it was me being pelted with boiling hot coffee, and not you in front of your clients. You didn't have to have Maria buy me a blouse from Neiman Marcus, nothing a little tide-to-go can't fix, right? Also, I knew what you meant about my chest, and I didn't think you wanted to look at my... breasts. Let's not refer to any of my body parts moving forward.

Also, I am not completely comfortable with the terms of endearment that you continuously call me, Sir. Please refer to me by my actual name, these emails are monitored by Tess and I would not like to be scalded with hot coffee again for a little misunderstanding.  

Please let me know if you have any other pressing questions or concerns.

Goodnight!

IT Specialist 0926,

IT Department, Miller Construction Group

[phone]

"Ok Bubbles, let's see what mess Mr. Miller got himself into this time."

Settling by your coffee table, you access your remote portal and insert your portable SSD, initiating various programs to gain entry into your boss's laptop. Securing your hair in a messy top bun with a claw clip, you find yourself biting your bottom lip in concentration. Simultaneously, you switch on your TV, finding solace in the ambient noise that fills your dimly lit apartment—a space shared with Sir Bubbles, your British Shorthair companion since your college days. There's a marathon of Criminal Minds airing on TBS, Spencer Reid's adorable face on screen as he rattles off another theory for why the unsub was an abuse victim by his prostitute mother. You turn the volume down a bit, drowning out his voice.

It's near silent in the little shoebox you call home, the only decent place you were able to afford with your meager savings- after slaving away as a Geek Squad IT Specialist for the majority of your twenties at the Best Buy down the road from your parent's house. Despite graduating with your MIS at the University of Texas - Dallas, finding a decent job in your industry was brutal, and, honestly, quite embarrassing after receiving 30-plus rejection emails in a span of a year. Downtrodden and desperate for a job, you settled on working at Best Buy temporarily, but by the time you hit your mid-30s, it's been eight years working for barely minimum wage, and absolutely nothing to show for it. 

"Do you remember those sweet Miller boys who fixed our roof ten years ago?" your mother asks during a Sunday dinner six months ago, sliding a boat of gravy your way as you absentmindedly drizzle it over your mashed potatoes. "I ran into the older one... Joeseph? James? He owns his own company now with his brother, quite the feat, right? They're working on that hotel down the road... anyway, Josh-"

"Joel," you correct her, nudging the over-steamed carrots around your plate. "I think his name was Joel, Mama."

"Yes, Joel," your mother dismissively waves her hands. "Well, I told him about how you were on the job hunt, you know, with your master's and all. Oh, remember when you used to have that silly little crush on him? He's grown to be quite the looker, you know? Anyway, he told me that they were looking for someone to replace their old IT person—apparently, they retired—"

"Mom," you groan, "get to the point."

"Well," she grins conspiratorially, "he wants you to apply, baby. He remembers you and your little crush, and he said he could never forget someone as cute as you. If you're as good as I claimed you were, well... the job's practically yours!"

Your fork slips from your grasp, the metallic clang against porcelain causing Bubbles to leap in surprise, hissing at you in irritation. "Wait, what?" you blurt out, your eyes wide with a mix of shock and confusion.

Your mother beams at your reaction, seemingly pleased with the bombshell she just dropped. "I told him all about your IT skills and how you practically run the technology world from your bedroom. He seemed really interested, sweetie. And, well, it wouldn't hurt to at least consider it, right?"

You sit there, a swirl of thoughts and emotions whirling in your mind. The unexpected twist of Joel Miller, the older Miller boy you once had a crush on, remembering you and possibly offering you a job—it's surreal. Bubbles, having recovered from the earlier disturbance, casually resumes licking his paw, completely uninterested in the familial drama.

"I... I don't know, Mom," you stammer, trying to process this unexpected turn of events. "I mean, working for the Millers? It's a bit... complicated."

She leans in, her voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. "Sweetheart, this could be a fantastic opportunity. And who knows, maybe that little crush of yours could turn into something more... professional, of course." She cuts into her meatloaf, humming in contentment as she chews. "Oh, and Sweetie? Wear the red sweater with your pleated skirt, with something other than those sneakers. You're turning thirty-six in September; you can at least do yourself a favor and start dressing your age for once! I'm sure Joel would appreciate it!" she winks at you as your father grunts in displeasure, rolling his eyes, muttering "meddler" under his breath.

"Mom, it was just a crush from a decade ago. Besides, mixing work and personal feelings is never a good idea."

She chuckles, reaching across the table to pat your hand. "Well, think about it, okay? Joel seemed genuinely interested in having you on the team. It's worth exploring, don't you think?"

A wink, a handshake, and six months later, you find yourself on-call indefinitely, catering to Mr. Miller's every technological whim and folly. It's not a bad job, you reason — getting paid triple what you made at Best Buy, monitoring everyone's browsing history in the office, and fielding the incessant IT requests Mr. Miller sends your way- which was often.  Way too often.

[My laptop won't turn on.]  Did you charge it? Try doing that first.

[Why does the volume not work on my Zoom calls?]  Did you make sure that you're not on mute or that your computer volume is up? Check that first.

[Since when did we put a parental blocker on the internet?]  It was per Tess, who said that employees should be working instead of looking up anti-feminist manifestos on Reddit. I apologize for the inconvenience, Mr. Miller. [Oh, well shit. Do you think you could unblock it for me? I am... having a hard time accessing my... bank account.] I mean- I could, but I would have to run it by Tess first. [Do you think you could... for me? It'll be our little secret, Sugar. Don't worry about Tess, I'll handle her.]  Sure, Mr. Miller... Right. Our little secret.  [Sugar, for the last time, it's Joel. Besides, I thought we were past having a silly little crush on me, you've grown into a... rather nice young woman. Please, call me Joel.]  Uh, sure Mr. Miller.

You are broken from your silent reverie by the unmistakable ding, ding, ding of the pop-ups Joel- Mr. Miller - you correct yourself, mentioned in his email. You scoff, biting into a piece of beef jerky. Typing in a command, the pop-ups halt, the black screen granting you developer access popping up as you run diagnostic after diagnostic trying to catch the little sucker - a virus, as Mr. Miller claimed - in the act of corrupting your poor boss' laptop once again.  There you are, you little shit, you mutter under your breath as you furiously type in more commands, eradicating Mr. Miller's bane of existence for good (or so you hope).

After running what felt like the tenth diagnostic of the night and downing three cups of coffee for the last three hours, the dawn of a new day streaks through the sheer curtains against your window. With bated breath, you restart Joel's system once more, closing your eyes until the familiar chime of Windows 11 booting up reaches your ears.

Please, please, please for fucks sake... no more pop-ups...

Joel's home screen pops up in an instant, the photo of him and his two girls smiling back at you as you breathe in a sigh of relief. "Fuck yes! Finally!" you silently exclaim, a drawn-out yawn and a deep stretch escaping your body as you settle your laptop on your couch. "Okay, let's just run a few programs and check a few documents to make sure they're not corrupted and then I can finally hit the sack..." you squint at the digital clock of your microwave, "and sleep for an hour before I have to get ready for work," you groan, eyeing the jar of Cafe Bustelo in the distance. Yep. No sleep for me, you think bitterly.  Another night, another one of Mr. Miller's computer meltdowns... 

Your eyes scan his desktop, opening up the PowerPoint file he needs for his presentation. It opens up with a slight lag, something you can optimize later but you breathe out another sigh of relief anyway. You check his internet browsing history, his late-night extensive porn viewing not a surprise to you anymore as you snort at the ridiculousness of it all.  At least it's not as bad and kinky as Tommy's browsing history, you tell yourself, because you'll never quite get used to all of the roleplay porn he watches religiously, you think. Closing out of Google Chrome, You scan his desktop for a random Word doc for you to open, not checking its title as you double-click on the first one that you see, slightly hidden by the Recycle Bin icon to the bottom right.  Wants? What kind of a file name is that?

The Word doc pops open, and it seems to be a running list of random things. You blearily scan the line items, your eyes widening in shock as you read on.  

Fuck her against my office door as I cover her mouth to muffle her screams.

Spoil her with a shopping spree at Neiman's with my Amex black card.

Fulfill my breeding fantasy by convincing her to get off of her Birth Control (do you think she's on one?)

Fuck her from behind against Tess' desk (serves her right)

You quickly exit out of the document, pushing your laptop away as if it were cursed. You look at the document title once more.  

Wants.

What the fuck was this? Who is he talking about? you ponder, the guilt of your negligence weighing on you like a weight tied to your ankles as you sink into the depths of the Atlantic. You shut your laptop for good measure, covering it up with your quilt as you shake your head in disbelief.  

What the fuck did I just read?

“Mr. Miller? Do you have a moment?”

You knock on the office door once more for good measure, standing timidly as you try to occupy yourself by smoothing out your dress - sensible, a decent length, work appropriate, you think to yourself. You try to not occupy the idle time of waiting for your boss, Joel Miller, one half of Miller Construction- and the thing you found while remote logging onto his computer last night - I think I have a virus, his email stated - only to stumble upon something rather telling and personal - but he was your boss, and you were a professional, and you weren’t going to think about the list… 

Kiss her in the rain.

Make love in my truck as she rides me. 

Bend her over my desk and take her from behind.

Marathon sex

Eat her out as she works at her desk.

No, Joel was unequivocally your boss—older than you by at least a decade (and maybe a few more years, give or take), and the document titled "Wants" was clearly personal, likely intended for someone else, and certainly not meant to be seen by anyone, especially not an overly curious IT specialist like you. No, you reckon that this list was meant for someone else in the office - someone beautiful, sexy, and confident— someone decidedly who isn't you. Certainly not for someone who dresses like she’s still in college, who only recently began living on her own in a shoebox of an apartment (if you can call it that) after living with her parents for the majority of her adult life, and who barely has her life together. It’s pathetic, being a woman of a certain age and with nothing to show for it, still painfully single, nothing substantial to your name, only getting your life together now while everyone around you has done everything right.  I feel so behind in life, you think to yourself.  Who would want someone so pathetic as me?

It’s not like it’s a crime to have wants, you think to yourself. Everyone has them, including you, you reason. So what if you just so happen to stumble upon your boss's deepest (and somewhat depraved) desires? Doesn’t everyone have a bucket list of their desires written somewhere? So what if your older, attractive boss with his Gen X tendencies has it typed out on his work computer? It’s not like he meant for you to open up the Word doc, right?

You knew he was single. You also knew that he had kids, at least two—Sarah, his eldest, was the head of HR, and Ellie, his adoptive younger daughter, an apprentice working under Tommy, the other half of Miller Construction—a serial flirt who asked you about your dating life in your interview a few months back. No, you didn’t think about your boss and the sheer mass of man that he was, that he smelled like cedar and sandalwood, that he winks when he tells you good morning as you pass him in the parking lot while stumbling out of your less-than-impressive shitty Corolla. You also didn’t take note that he drinks his coffee black with a sprinkle of sugar—the one in the brown packet—or that he eats in his office instead of the employee lounge because he’s a messy eater. The deep red blush trailing down his neck as Tommy scolded him about his lack of table manners during a company-mandated team-building day wasn't proof enough of that.

There wasn’t a ring on that tell-tale finger, not even a tan line, no photographs of another woman on his desk—besides his daughters, of course. Not that you were looking. Tommy had his wife Maria come down to the office often enough; wouldn’t Joel be the same with his own?

Miller Construction prided itself on being a family-run company, with Joel and Tommy at the helm and their best friend Tess as VP—more the boss than the actual Miller brothers. While Joel and Tommy preferred the hands-on work on-site, Tess ruled over the office with an iron fist. No one dared to cross her.

"You've got one job, and one job only," she declared during your office tour. "Make sure no one spends the majority of their shift watching porn, and keep Joel from messing up his computer with his boomer-isms. We can't afford to keep replacing a laptop every six months."

"Isn't he in Gen X?" you ask. "... at 56 years old, he's still considered to be in that generation, right?"

"Technically, yes," Tess replies with an exasperated sigh. "But you know what I mean. Sometimes it feels like Joel is stuck in a time warp with his 'boomer-isms.' Just keep things running smoothly here, alright?"

As the days pass, you notice an unusual trend in Joel's computer issues. It seems that every time his laptop malfunctions, it coincides with a spike in suspicious internet activity. It doesn't take a genius to connect the dots, and you can't help but shake your head at the irony of it all.

After a particularly eventful morning filled with more than the usual technical hiccups, you decide it's time to address the elephant in the room. You knock on Joel's office door, half-expecting him to be engrossed in some spreadsheet or construction plans.

It's not like you have to tell him about your snooping - he would be none the wiser judging by the way he was so technologically inept - you weren't about to tell him that the reason for the virus on the computer was because he was looking at some rather specific porn - boss fucks unsuspecting secretary from behind- his internet history had listed, nor did he probably think that his computer is being monitored, including his internet browsing history- company policy, as stated on the employee handbook that every employee of Miller Construction signs on the day of their official hiring- nor does he think that it sends reports to her at the end of the day.

You don't think about how the sudden uptick of his secretary porn viewing increased since a week after your hiring.  It's just a coincidence, right?

“Mr. Miller?” You call out once more. “It’s about your IT request last night? I have an update?”

“Yeah? Sorry! Come on in!” you hear from behind the door, accompanied by the frantic shuffle of papers and a silent curse. You take a deep breath as your hand turns the doorknob. Silently, you shut the door behind you, offering a small smile as you smooth out the skirt of your dress once more.

You fidget in place in front of the door as Joel—Mr. Miller—in his green flannel and dark jeans slung just right—it really should be criminal, looking this ruggedly handsome for someone his age, you think—as he ungraciously flops onto his desk chair, motioning for you to take the seat in front of him as he clears his throat nervously. “Take a seat.”

You situate yourself in front of him, refusing to meet his eyes as you fiddle with your hands on your lap, wondering why he, out of all people, would be nervous. It's not like he stumbled upon something so... intimate. You are a professional, and you were only doing your job, you tell yourself like a mantra, trying to ground yourself. What's the worst that could happen? It's not like he would fire you over your accidental snooping, right? You nod to yourself. “So…”

“So…” he replies, Adam’s apple bobbing as he takes a drink of his coffee. “Thank you for taking a look at my computer last night.” He begins, smiling at you. “I know that it was late, and I’m willing to compensate your time by giving you time and a half…”

“Oh,” you nervously reply, shifting in your seat. “No, Mr. Miller—”

“Joel.”

“What?”

He shakes his head. “Please. We’re all family here. Call me Joel. Mr. Miller is my father for fuck's sake—”

“Right,” you chuckle. “Sure. Joel. Listen, you don’t need to compensate me for last night, let alone give me the overtime rate—”

“I emailed you at midnight; surely you were already busy, or I probably irritated your husband—”

“No.”

“No?” 

“No,” you mumble solemnly, “there’s no husband, just me and my cat-“

He barks at that, the laugh so loud it makes you jump in your seat. He gives you a look, almost as if he was relieved with that bit of information. “Well, disturbing your cat, then-“

"Oh," you reply casually, waving your hands in dismissal. "I'm sure Sir Bubbles didn't mind... and I don't sleep much, really—"

"Oh?" He straightens himself, his face serious. "Is it because of all of my requests? Shit. My girls give me such a hard time about not being with the times, I'm not really interested in technology— So no husband? Boyfriend, then?"

"Uh, no," you reply quickly, not eager to delve into the details of your lackluster love life. You clear your throat, adopting a professional demeanor. "Joel, as you're aware—or maybe not," you chuckle nervously, "I receive reports of all employee internet histories at the end of the day. Being the sole IT specialist on your payroll—perks of the job, outlined in my duties—I keep an eye out for any... irregularities."

"Irregularities?" he replies, his demeanor shifting into something resembling guilt. "What are you trying to get at?" he presses.

"Well, I monitor employee computer usage to make sure that they're not... distracted from their work," you reply. "Tess was explicit about not having any employees using company time for any unnecessary personal... dalliances."

Joel gives you a hard look. "Dalliances?"

"Yes, dalliances. Tess told me it was an issue before, with employees browsing social media and visiting questionable Reddit threads?"

"I don't follow," Joel replies. "You gotta spell it out for me, Sugar. What does that have to do with my request last night? I had a late night at the office, and after... checking my emails," he gulps, "I suddenly get bombarded with these pop-up things, so much that I just... unplugged my laptop... and, well-"

How is he so oblivious about this? You bite your cheek in frustration, not knowing how to get to the point without having to spell it out for him that you caught him browsing porn last night, secretary porn at that, and although it's highly inappropriate, you hardly think he was watching it because of Gladys, his actual secretary, who is old enough to be his mother.  Not unless he has some weird mommy kink...

Unable to endure the suspense any longer, you decide to rip the bandaid off as soon as possible. “I’m sorry!” You exclaim, “I didn't mean to look at your browsing history, I mean, I had to, but only because I had to find the reason why a virus got on your computer, but that is not the point! I had to open a file to make sure it wasn't corrupted, and I swear, I didn't mean to open it!"

“Open what, sweetheart?” he smiles at you, leaning forward towards you.  

"Well, it was a virus, and as I looked into the problem, I had to explore every avenue to ensure I pinpointed the issue, you know, for my report to Tess. I went into your history to see if it might have been a site that caused you to have the virus. I may have casually peeked into a few files to ensure they weren’t corrupted…” you admit, “…and I might have stumbled upon-" your eyebrows raise in embarrassment, "Something personal."

“Something personal?” He questions, his brows furrowed in confusion. “I don’t have anything personal… oh, shit.” His eyes widen as the realization dawns on him, hands covering his face as he groans in embarrassment. "Look, about my internet history... and the list-"

You slowly nod and bite your lip, mostly to hide your own embarrassment. “… yeah. Um, it was quite... informative about your... sexual preferences.”

Joel visibly pales at your confession. He adjusts his collar, unbuttoning the second button as if he were being strangled by your scrutiny. “I just want to let you know", he starts, looking you in the eye with an unreadable expression. "I respect you as a woman, and Tommy, fuck, he wouldn’t let it go, with all that teasing about you being exactly my type and all, and well, your mother did remind me about your little crush on me back then-“ he rubs his hands through his hair as he rambles on, “… and I know that this looks bad, with you being my employee and all-“

“Wait, what?” You cut him off, a confused look on your face. “What do you mean? I mean, they're your personal preferences, and the list, well, I'm sure whoever you're writing about must be some woman, not that it's any of my business-”

“Fuck. You didn’t read all of it?”

“No!” You exclaim, practically jumping out of your seat. “I quickly closed it once I realized the nature of the document…”

“Well.” He stands up suddenly, pacing behind his desk. “I wrote that drunkenly one night after the company dinner, you know, the one when you wore that dress… do you remember?”

“Yes,” you reply breathily, “… the night where-“

You vividly recall that night. It was a dinner at the recently completed new hotel project. After a few glasses of wine and an impulsive, rather expensive purchase at Nordstrom.com a week prior, you endured most of the evening in an uncomfortably tight and overly revealing dress—a poor choice for a company party, for fucks sake. You believed Joel approached you at the end of the night out of sheer pity, not because—

“Well… after seeing you in that dress, and how stunning you looked in it, sitting by yourself, biting your lip in a way that makes me-“ he stops himself, giving you a small smile. “I was drunk, and I was thinking… I was contemplating how, if I were to have you, if you, by some miracle of fate… were interested, that I would do things right, you know? That if I had a second chance at… I would do it right. Treat you right.”

“You do know I’m not a secretary, let alone your secretary,” you roll your eyes. “I’m in IT… the only person in IT actually, and you’re not the first person I caught looking at questionable porn…”

Joel bristles at that. “Shit. Let me guess… Tommy?”

That gets a small smile out of you. “I can neither confirm nor deny, but… he’s partial towards a certain porn actress, and let’s just say he is really in love with women who looks like his wife.”

He smiles. "Shit, I thought I was being obvious enough, being that Tommy has teased me about it enough... I thought you knew. I know you work with computers, Sugar. I’m not completely senile, and I know Tess has been on a warpath about people getting their rocks off at work, I figured you would look at all of my… perusing.”

You're left stunned, your mind racing to process what Joel just revealed. It's not the revelation about his desires that leaves you speechless, but the unexpected admission of his feelings toward you. Your mind flashes back to the list, the desires that seemed so out of reach for someone like you. You never thought Joel would be harboring any feelings for you, let alone express them so openly.

"I... I had no idea," you stammer, still grappling with the revelation. "I thought that list was for someone else, someone... not me."

Joel walks around the desk, his eyes never leaving yours. "You thought wrong, sweetheart. I've been trying to drop hints, but I guess I've been subtler than I thought."

A myriad of emotions wash over you — confusion, surprise, and a hint of something you can't quite place. The professional boundary between boss and employee seems to blur, and you find yourself in uncharted territory.

"But," he continues, "I get it. I'm your boss, and this is complicated. I didn't want to put you in an awkward position. I should've been more direct."

You take a deep breath, trying to steady yourself. "Joel, it's not about being direct or indirect. This is just... unexpected. I never thought someone like you would... feel that way about someone like me."

He reaches out, gently lifting your chin so you meet his gaze. "Someone like me? What does that even mean, darlin'? You're intelligent and beautiful, and I've seen the way you handle your work. I've noticed you, and I can't help how I feel."

A mixture of vulnerability and sincerity in his eyes makes it hard to doubt his words. You start to consider the possibility that maybe, just maybe, your insecurities have clouded your perception.

"I don't want to pressure you, and I understand if you're not comfortable with this. I just needed you to know. The last thing I want is for things to be awkward at work," he says, his thumb gently caressing your cheek.

You take a moment to absorb everything. Joel's revelation, your preconceptions, and the unexpected turn of events. The office, once a familiar space, now feels like uncharted territory.

"I need time to process this," you finally say. "It's a lot to take in, Joel. I never expected... any of this."

He nods understandingly, his hand dropping to his side. "Take all the time you need. I'll respect whatever decision you make. And hey, if you're not interested, we can go back to being boss and employee, like nothing happened."

You manage a small smile, appreciating his attempt to lighten the mood. "I'll... let you know. Just give me some time, okay?"

"Of course," he says, moving back toward his desk. "And, for what it's worth, I meant every word on that list. Whether it's a rain kiss or making love in my truck, I want it all with you."

You nod, silently acknowledging his sincerity. As you leave his office, you can't help but wonder how a routine IT request led to such a revelation. The office dynamics have shifted, and you find yourself navigating uncharted waters, unsure of where this unexpected revelation will lead.

As you walk away from Joel's office, a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts consumes your mind. The revelation about Joel's feelings for you is a shock, but it's not the only thing echoing in your head. The list of desires he had penned down only magnifies your own insecurities. The voice in your mind grows louder, whispering that you're not the woman he deserves—too much of a mess, too behind in life, and certainly not beautiful enough for someone like him. The echoes of your perceived inadequacies replay like a broken record, drowning out the possibility that someone could genuinely see something valuable in you. You glance at your reflection in the office window, critiquing every imperfection, every perceived flaw. The dress that seemed sensible before now feels like a sad attempt to disguise what you believe is a lack of style or grace. The weight of self-doubt becomes an invisible burden, and you can't shake the feeling that you're not enough, that you may never be enough for someone like Joel.

As you grapple with your internal struggles, a small spark of defiance begins to flicker within you. Perhaps it's time to challenge those self-limiting beliefs, to be bolder than your insecurities allow. Joel's admission has opened a door you never expected, and you find yourself at a crossroads. Despite the echoes of doubt, a newfound courage whispers that maybe, just maybe, you can be more than what you perceive.

Embracing this sudden surge of determination, you make a decision. Instead of letting fear dictate your actions, you choose to confront the uncertainties head-on. Swallowing the apprehension that threatens to hold you back, you turn on your heel and head back to Joel's office. The faint thud of your own heartbeat echoes in your ears as you push open the door.

"Joel," you say, your voice steadier than you anticipated. "I've been thinking about what you said, and I need you to clarify something for me."

He looks up from his desk, curiosity etched across his features. "Sure, what's on your mind?"

You take a deep breath, suppressing the self-doubt that still lingers. "Is that list something you genuinely desire with me, or was it just a drunken fantasy?"

Joel's eyes lock onto yours, a mix of surprise and sincerity in his gaze. "Every word of it is something I want with you. Why?"

A daring smile plays on your lips as you respond, "Then let's not leave it as a list, Joel. Let's see how many of those desires we can turn into reality."

The room seems to hold its breath for a moment as Joel's expression shifts from surprise to a slow, understanding smile. The air thickens with anticipation, leaving the next steps uncertain but filled with the promise of something new and exhilarating. As you stand on the precipice of this unexpected journey, the uncharted waters of possibilities lie ahead, and you find yourself ready to take the plunge.

Taglist: @gwendibleywrites, @joeldjarin, @brittmb115

For more updates on all of my fics, please follow @chiriwritesstuffnotifs

All dividers by @saradika-graphics

#pedro pascal #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller x you #joel miller #joel miller x reader #pedro pascal fanfiction #joel miller x female reader #joel the last of us #joel tlou #joel miller fanfic #joel miller smut #tlou hbo #tlou fic #tlou fanfiction #the last of us fic #the last of us #tlou #the last of us hbo #the last of us fanfic

[burntheedges]

Maintenance Request

main post & chapter list | 18+ (minors DNI) | ao3 word count: 80k+

Joel Miller x f!reader | new chapter every Friday

summary: Hot Construction Guy is the bane of your existence - he seems to only pop up at the worst possible moment for you, every time you see him. 

There’s no way there could be something more there.

Right?

full fic tags/warnings: academia AU, modern AU, one-sided enemies-to-lovers, no outbreak, live music, fluff, banter, everyone is alive, misunderstandings, ex boyfriend who was manipulative and a jerk (only mentioned), no use of y/n, pet names (darlin, gorgeous, honey, baby, sweetheart), later: smut, kissing, grinding, frottage, p in v sex, oral sex (f! and m!receiving), creampie, somnophilia, phone sex, semi-public sex; each chapter will have its own tags a/n: this fic is completely finished! It was my 2023 NaNo project. I’ll post a new chapter every Friday. There are 23 chapters and an epilogue. There is eventually quite a bit of smut, but it’s going to take us a little while to get there. Mind the tags (for the whole fic above and for each chapter). That “one-sided enemies-to-lovers” tag was the motivation for the whole fic — what if only one of you thinks you’re enemies? And here we are. Chapters with smut are marked with *. The dates in each chapter are from a fictional fall semester, 2024. Shoutout to @fanatictypist for reading this and encouraging me 💕 and to the PPCU server. note about reader: in this fic you’re a college professor, vaguely of English literature and poetry. You like live music, you like to read, and Ellie is your niece. You have a best friend named Beth, a sister who is having a rough time, and a difficult mother. I’ve avoided physical descriptions and most clothing descriptions, except when plot-relevant. You are vaguely shorter than Joel. No age is specified, but I imagined 36-year-old Joel here (and 14-year-old Sarah), and most English PhDs wouldn’t get to this type of position until they were 28 or 29 at the earliest, even if they went to grad school right out of undergrad. So you can imagine reader any age from there to mid-30s, or whatever you want, really. 

This fic is (almost) totally finished! A new chapter will be posted every Friday. Let me know if you want to be on the tag list! * = chapter contains smut

Chapter List

Chapter 1 | 2.4k Wednesday, September 4, second week of the semester

Chapter 2 | 2.4k | preview Friday, September 6, second week of the semester

Chapter 3 | 2.4k | preview Monday, September 16, fourth week of the semester, Friday, September 20, fourth week of the semester

Chapter 4 | 1.8k | preview Interlude

Chapter 5 | 3.4k | preview Friday, September 27, fifth week of the semester Saturday, September 28, fifth week of the semester Monday, September 30, sixth week of the semester

Chapter 6 | 2.1k | preview Wednesday, October 2, sixth week of the semester

Chapter 7 | 2.4k | preview Wednesday, October 9, seventh week of the semester

Chapter 8 | 2.7k | preview Monday, October 14, eighth week of the semester

Chapter 9 | 3.4k | preview Tuesday, October 15, eighth week of the semester Thursday, October 17, eighth week of the semester Friday, October 18, eighth week of the semester Saturday, October 19, eighth week of the semester

Chapter 10 | 5k | preview Monday, October 21, ninth week of the semester

Chapter 11 | 2.4k| preview Tuesday, October 22, ninth week of the semester Thursday, October 24, ninth week of the semester Friday, October 25, ninth week of the semester

Chapter 12 | 8.1k | preview * Friday, October 25, ninth week of the semester

Chapter 13 | 9.3k | preview * Friday, October 25 (still), ninth week of the semester

Chapter 14 | 3.9k | preview Friday, October 25 (still), ninth week of the semester Saturday, October 26, ninth week of the semester

Chapter 15 | 3.6k | preview Saturday, October 26, ninth week of the semester Sunday, October 27, ninth week of the semester

Chapter 16 | 5.8k | preview Tuesday, October 29, tenth week of the semester Friday, November 1, tenth week of the semester

Chapter 17 | 3.2k | preview * Saturday, November 2, tenth week of the semester Sunday, November 3, tenth week of the semester

Chapter 18 | 3.3k | preview * Monday, November 4, eleventh week of the semester

Chapter 19 | 7.6k | preview * Saturday, November 9, eleventh week of the semesterSunday, November 10, eleventh week of the semester

Chapter 20 | 3.3k | preview

Chapter 21 | coming 5/3

Chapter 22 | 5/10

Chapter 23 | 5/17

Epilogue | 5/24

…

Moodboards

@sawymredfox made this moodboard and it’s amazing 😩 please go look at it 💕

@djarins-cyare made this wonderful moodboard, I love it so much -- please go look at it! 🧡💚

#joel miller x reader #joel miller x f!reader #joel miller x you #joel miller fanfiction #tlou fic #my fic #maintenance request fic #x reader #joel miller smut

[whimsicalwritingsandmore]

Want You Back | ateez x reader

Pairing: werewolf!ot8!ateez x werewolf!reader

Genre: fluff mostly, romance, poly, a little angst?

warnings: mention of being depressed [will add more as story progresses.]

status: completed! // Epilogue posted!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Book 1

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Epilogue

--------------------------------------------------

Book 2

Summary Preview: A new timeline is created, and a new life awaits you. But your past ghosts haunt you deeply. Given the chance to visit Seoul, you seek answers for your weird dreams, but answers aren't the only thing that awaits you

#ateez x reader #poly!ateez #poly ateez x reader #ateez fanfic #ateez fluff #ateez series #ot8 ateez x reader