#looks like it is currently set for 2019

[lalunalando]

White Knuckles - LN4

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warnings: 18+! minors dni! smut, swearing, degradation if you squint, public, sex (p in v), fluff if you close one eye

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Another bad race weekend.

Another missed win because of shitty team strategy.

Lando was frustrated beyond belief after the Australian GP, sure he got another podium for the team so it’s not like it was the end of the world, but it was only 3rd place.

The top step belonged to his best friend and former teammate, Carlos Sainz, and he was more than happy to share the podium with him, in fact he preferred the comfort of having Carlos up there, but the issue was there were 3 spots up there on the podium.

Lando deserved the win, or even 2nd, but he was on the 3rd tier.

Behind the fucking red bull princess at her home race of all people.

Entering his regular gym back home in Monaco, all Lando wanted to do was work off the frustration.

He wanted to train until his brain turned to mush, his muscles hurt and he wasn’t thinking about HER anymore.

It’s not like he hated her, not really, but they’ve had a competitive rivalry since they competed as teammates in the lower formula series together.

Lando got his seat in F1 first, with McLaren picking him up in 2019 after seeing “immeasurable talent” in him, and he would never even dream of leaving the team that became a home for him.

But her? She might have started in F1 after him, but she was the Australian red bull golden girl from the moment she stepped foot into the paddock in 2021.

They called her “the viper” because on track she would strike fast at any gap she could take, and off track she was even quicker to bite back at media and gossip.

But to everyone who knew her outside of the media, to the fans she met and the people she worked with in the paddock, she was the sweetest person you’d ever meet.

And Lando hated how she had everyone wrapped around her finger, him secretly included.

Shoving his belongings into his locker and his headphones over his ears, he tries to push the thoughts of her out of his mind.

Her above him on the podium, her above him in bed, he couldn’t be thinking of his biggest rival on the grid like this.

His gym playlist blasting through the headphones, distracting him as he walks out of the locker room towards the weights, only stopping in his tracks when he sees her.

Running on the treadmill, zoned out listening to music, wearing a sports bra barely holding anything in and a pair of gym shorts small enough that they should be banned from being worn in public.

“So much for trying to stop thinking about her” he huffed quietly before making eye contact in the reflection of the giant gym mirror situated in front of the treadmill she was currently occupying.

Sweat glistening on her skin, an unimpressed look on her face with a hint of mischief behind her eyes as she made eye contact with him. Oh, he was so fucked.

“Norris, what a displeasure” She acknowledged his presence, slowly stopping the treadmill.

“Yeah well the feelings mutual” He responded with a roll of his eyes.

Seeing as it was a Tuesday, the gym was currently shared by only the two rivals.

All she did was smirk before putting her headphones back on and starting up the treadmill once again.

Huffing in annoyance, Lando turned towards the weights bench to start his workout. At least he could focus on that to distract himself from his biggest frustration sharing what he thought would be his safe space for a few hours.

Setting up for his first reps, he couldn’t help at peak at her through the mirrors reflection. Why did all these walls have to be giant mirrors, and why did she have to be here right now.

Lando got to work on his strength training, from bicep curls to weighted hip thrusts, he put all his energy into focusing on his workout. He had enough frustration from his disappointing race to fuel the fire within him, but what no one knew is that there was another type of frustration brewing inside the Brit.

Lando hadn’t been very active in the social scene lately, putting it down to “being too busy focusing on the upcoming races” to anyone who asked, but there was another factor at play.

A factor involving a few too many drinks after a successful double papaya podium, and the race winner who was currently inhabiting the gym with him, who denies remembering the night ever happened.

Finally breaking focus for a second, Lando decided to look in the mirrors reflection for a peak, what was the harm in a little look?

You were red in the face, almost looking like you would pass out at any moment as you pushed yourself harder and harder on the treadmill.

This concerned Lando immediately when he saw the state you were in, stopping his workout to go check on you.

“You know, it’s only us here, you don’t have to prove anything to anyone right now” he says as he approaches her side

Pausing her treadmill again and taking her headphones off to hear him, she takes a moment to catch her breath.

“Sorry Norris what was that? Some of us are trying to train here not just chat” she says with a huff

Lando doesn’t miss the way her chest rises and falls as she tries to bring back a normal breathing pattern, reminding him of how she looked that night after they-

“Hello earth to alien, did you need something or are you just being annoying?” She waved her hand infront of his face, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“I was just saying you should take a break, you have nothing to prove in here, no need to push yourself to near blackout” He responded with another roll of his eyes.

“Some of us have very strict training regimes we need to stick to actually, if you want to be the best you have to train the best. The team said I was a starting to look a bit out of shape so they upped my training, no big deal.” She states matter-of-factly as she wipes some sweat off her body with her gym towel.

Out of shape? What were red bull on about? She was more in shape than 98% of the grid, having appearance pressure already constantly placed on her, so where the fuck was this coming from.

“You realise how insane that sounds right?” He scoffs

All she can do is tilt her head in response, confused by what he could even mean by that.

“You can’t seriously think they’re right, i mean, you’re literally one of the smallest people on the grid, and I’m not just talking about you and Yuki’s height” he continues.

Wrong time for her to be taking a mouthful of water, because that mouthful ended up all over Lando.

“LANDO, YOU CAN’T VIOLATE YUKI LIKE THAT” she bursts out in laughter.

“Well you just violated me by spitting your water all over me” he retorts, joining in laughing.

“Oh my god I’m sorry, here take my towel”

”no don’t worry, i was sweating anyway” he waves her off before taking his shirt off to dab himself down.

If she hadn’t been flushed red before, she certainly was now as she watched the way his slight abs glistened from sweat and now water under the gym lighting.

Admittedly the red in her cheeks when he had walked over wasn’t entirely from her workout, she would never openly admit it but she had taken a peak at him working out and felt flustered after watching how much weight he was lifting during his hip thrusts, making her mind run wild at the thought of how easy he could throw her around.

She couldn’t tell him that though, she couldn’t tell anyone.

Being the first female on the grid was an honor, getting to pave the way for future females in the sport, she would do anything to prove her worth.

But it had major downsides too, mostly her appearance always being under the microscope and always judged, but also the way she interacted with the other drivers.

The worst being her own teammate, they were very fortunate to get along as well as they did and becoming fast friends when she joined the team to partner him, but it meant that every friendly interaction they had got psycho-analyzed by fans and suddenly the rumor mill ran wild with stories of her “only having a seat because she was sleeping with her teammate” or “Max Verstappen cheating on his girlfriend with overly seductive teammate.”

Lando had almost fought Max once, getting so jealous that he couldn’t stop himself after a few shots for confidence.

Lando didn’t miss the way her eyes glazed over as she tried to check him out ever so subtly, causing a smirk to erupt on his face.

“Whatcha thinking about viper? You look a little red”

“Don’t flatter yourself Norris, I’m still just overheated from running” you tried to brush it off while stepping off the treadmill, rolling your eyes at him in the process.

“If you keep rolling your eyes at me baby, I’ll make them roll for another reason”

That stopped her in her tracks.

“Oh come on pretty girl, surely you’ve got some smart ass response to that” he pushed, bringing his hand up to move the piece of hair that had fallen infront of her eyes before trailing the back of his hand across her cheek and down her neck, continuing his flirtatious torture.

“No i was just thinking how funny it was that you think you could ever make my eyes roll, missionary doesn’t do it for me” she smirked back finally

“Funny, because i remember you begging me to let you cu-“ before he could finish his sentence, she was shoving his hand over his mouth to shut him up.

“Lando be so fucking for real right now, this” she said with wide eyes while pointing between the two of them “never happened okay?”

“If you really don’t remember, maybe I should give you a reminder” he smirked, before grabbing her hand and dragging her to the locker room before she could respond.

As soon as she was through the door behind him, he had her pushed against it as he fumbled to find the little lock on the door, his lips immediately on her neck.

“Lando we can’t, what if someone walks in” she whimpers as his hands glide around her rib cage before sliding down to grasp at her ass.

“So what? They see how pretty you look with your lips wrapped around my cock? How no one can ever make you cum like i can? Such a shame” he teased

“No Lando wait I’m serious, i can’t risk another scandal go around, you won’t cop shit for it like i will.” She said, placing her hands on his chest to push him off lightly.

“Is that the only thing stopping you right now?” He asked, finally understanding her a little more, understanding why she always denied their night together.

“I’m not blind Lan, i can admit to finding you attractive amongst how much you annoy me, but i can’t risk it” she responded with a sad laugh.

Without a second thought he grabbed her hand again and pulled her further into the room, towards the shower cubicles before shoving her into one and locking the door behind them, brushing past her to turn the shower on.

“Lan what are you-“

”You can still say no if you want to, but no one will catch us in here. The shower will muffle the sound and we may as well wash up since clearly neither of us are going back to working out now” he said, squeezing her hand to reassure her.

”no one will catch us” she said with soft eyes

“I’ll keep you safe” he responded before smashing his lips to hers.

Very quickly, they were stripping out of their gym wear before Lando backed them into the running water, turning so her back was against the wall.

Hands roaming over her now naked body, he couldn’t believe he was getting the chance to do this again.

His lips attached to her neck, and she couldn’t help the soft moans that slipped past her lips at how good it felt.

Hearing the pretty noises already spilling out from just a few bites, Lando couldn’t wait to see what he could pull out of her while his cock was buried inside her.

Painfully slow, Lando trailed his hand between the two of them to her heat. Running a single finger through her folds, he couldn’t help the smirk that formed feeling how turned on she already was for him.

“Look at you pretty girl, already so ready. What got you this needy baby?” He asked as he circled her clit with the pad of his forefinger, making it hard for her to respond in a coherent sentence.

“Y-you Lan, was thinking about you” she whimpered out

“me? What thoughts was that filthy little mind thinking about me huh?” He bit into her neck again, making her whine.

“Watching you lift the weights with your hips, was thinking about how I’d look on your lap” she panted out, reaching down to wrap her tiny hand around his cock that was resting between the two of them before giving it a few slow pumps.

“You’d look so pretty on my lap angel, too bad we don’t have time for that today” he groaned as he slipped his fingers back through her folds, before slipping two digits in without warning and curling them in just the right way it instantly drove her insane as they stretched her out.

“FUCK LANDO” she screamed out before dropping her head to his shoulder and biting down to keep quiet.

As her hand tightened around his cock, he increased his pace bringing her closer to the edge, his own high building

“Princess, as much as I want to drag this out as long as possible i don’t think I’m going to last, I’ve been waiting too long for this to happen again” he groaned

“Please Lando, please fuck me” she begged, fuck she’d drop to her knees right now for him if he asked.

He couldn’t wait another second after hearing that, taking his fingers out of her and flipping her around so that her chest was pushed against the tiled wall, kicking her feet slightly further apart to give himself better access.

“You’re going to have to be quiet baby girl, don't want anyone to know how good you’re taking me in here” he growled before plunging his cock into her without further warning.

She had to bite down on her arm that was holding her up to stop herself screaming in pleasure, Lando stretching her out all over again while his cock relentlessly pounds into her.

His fingertips gripping her hips so tight that they’d surely leave a bruise tomorrow, not wanting to think about letting her go anytime soon.

“Fuck do you know how often I’ve thought about using this pussy again? It’s all I’ve thought about since that night but even my memory doesn’t do it justice, i swear you feel tighter, like your pussy was made to perfectly grip my cock and only mine” he groaned out between pumps, feeling her pussy pulling him back in every time

“All yours Lan, it’s all fucking yours” she squeaks, feeling her orgasm approaching hard and fast as Lando basically bruises her cervix.

“Gonna cum for me pretty girl? Can feel your pussy getting tighter, gonna make me cum soon” he pants, kissing her shoulders and neck from behind her.

Lowering one hand down to find her clit again, he circles it with the perfect mix of pressure and speed, making her see stars.

“Please lan, need to cum, please let me cum” she begs as her legs start shaking, barely able to keep her up anymore.

“Good girl begging for permission, cum on my cock baby, scream my name so everyone knows who you belong to” he speeds up his already brutal assault on her pussy.

With that, she’s screaming out as she clamps down on his cock, almost dropping to the floor in pleasure, only held up by Lando’s grip on her hips.

That’s all it took for Lando to come undone, hearing the pretty screams coming out of her mouth, he was pulling out and pumping his cum onto the swell of her ass.

After they both came down from their highs, Lando took great pride in making sure she was taken care of, helping gently wash her skin while peppering little kisses over her shoulders.

“So, your biggest worry is people starting rumors about you with other drivers?” He asks sincerely

“It gets tiring always being called a home wrecker and a whore just because you were seen interacting positively with another driver, the PR team assure me it’s fine but i feel like such a burden on them that they’re always having to deal with it” she sighs, leaning back against his chest

“What if you were just seen with one driver from now on? Would that be an issue?” He quietly presses

She turns around, quirking an eyebrow at him in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“I feel like i did this very backwards, but I’ve been wanting to ask you on a date since we met, even more so after that night back in Texas, so would that be okay?” He asked, all confidence suddenly leaving him as he waited for a response.

“I mean, I’d probably have to clear it with the Red Bull PR team, but I’d love nothing more” she responds with a bright smile.

#lando norris smut #lando norris #Lando Norris x you #Lando Norris x reader #Lando Norris x female driver #lando norris fic #Lando Norris fluff #lando norris oneshot #Lando Norris one shot #Lando Norris imagine #f1 fic #f1 fics #f1 smut #f1 fluff #f1 driver x you #f1 driver x reader #f1 driver x female driver #formula 1 fic #formula 1 fics #formula 1 smut #formula 1 imagine #formula 1 fluff #f1 oneshot #female driver oneshot #female driver fic #lalunalando #gym Lando

[valyrfia]

I have seen a lot of criticism on Charles’ mentality because he didnt fight the team’s order telling him to hold position. People are saying he lacks the edge to win WDC.

Do you think Charles should defy the team order from a technical point of view?

He needs to learn to push back against team orders more often, yes. But to say he lacks the edge to win a WDC is ridiculous. We all saw him in 2019 eat up Sebastian Vettel despite team orders. The difference with yesterday is that Max Verstappen in a Red Bull is currently a little unbeatable, and Ferrari is now P2 in the constructors only 4 points off of Red Bull due to Charles helping them to maximise points. Charles could have fought Carlos quite easily and probably overtaken him for P1, but they would have wasted precious tyre deg and Carlos could have been easily overtaken by Lando then, especially since Carlos's tyre deg was higher than Charles's in the final laps, thus losing Ferrari three points.

So Charles obeying team orders was probably the right thing to do for the team on this occasion. The only issue I have is everyone going "oh Carlos is the only one who can beat Max Verstappen! Charles is so washed! Ferrari fired the wrong driver!" without looking at the whole picture. Both times, Charles has graciously played the role of second driver when needed in order to secure the team a win (a role Carlos has not reciprocated, lest we forget Vegas). It's just unfortunate that the only times Carlos beats him in a quali head to head are the times that Max is out of commission and Ferrari has the chance of fighting for a win. But I believe Charles's time will come again, after all seven front row starts in a row isn't too shabby.

Someone (I forget who) said it best in that this season for Charles will likely parallel Max's 2020 season, which was quietly fantastic. Apart from retirements, Max didn't finish a race below P6, which he only did once and then rest of the time finished in the top 3, pulling in two wins along the way. In a lot of ways, it sets Charles's 2025 season up to also parallel Max's 2021 season, a new teammate, the year before new regs, and an ever-improving technical team at the factory.....well I'll leave it up to you to draw conclusions.

Additionally, Max didn't win a championship until his seventh year in Formula 1, up until then there were also washed allegations surrounding him, and look at him now. The 2024 season is Charles's seventh season. Charles is only approaching his prime. He's still the third youngest driver to ever win a grand prix, and has a pole count equal with some WDCs. Just because Charles followed team orders in order to help secure his team two wins in an era that has otherwise been absolutely dominated by Max Verstappen in a Red Bull does NOT mean he's not WDC material.

#asks #anon #charles leclerc

[pascallatte]

Angel?

Pairing: Pedro Pascal x Actress!reader

Summary: GQ Germany with PEDRO PASCAL aka him fawning over Y/n over a single this or that.

Date: September 2020

Warnings: none

A/N: I love love love this interview, his voice, his hair, the vibes, HIS SMILE!!! Everything, alsoooooooo probably the last one for 2020 for now next one may be a throwback or we’ll move on to ’21 (most probably). SO everyone, happy reading and tell me what you think!! Love lots x

“Hi, I’m Pedro Pascal I’m here at GQ Germany Cover shoot.” Pedro’s seen sitting in a chair in the set of GQ Germany for this month’s issue. The team decided to get him in to join a quick get-to-know-him-better game, an upgraded version of This or That.

Swimming trunks vs beach shorts

Sucking in a breath when the staff shows him two pictures, ”I would have to go with shorts, because of what I could pull off at my age. Despite the continuous disagreement from someone.”  He smiles.

Sweater vs hoodie

“Hmm I love a sweater though but I really love a hoodie.” Biting his lip, Pedro asks.

“Can any of these be ties?… Really?!” 

“Oh, it has to be absolute. Hmm, this is something me and my girlfriend often debate on, ‘cause she steals most of my tops which makes me buy more but then when I do buy hoodies she tells me to buy sweaters. But since this is my interview hmm…Well alright, hoodie it is. Either way, we take turns using it.” With a very satisfied tone, he explains his side looking at a camera with a small fond smile.

Oberyn Martell vs Din Djarin

Shocked by what he’s been shown, Pedro can only laugh as he responds, “Wow, that is a really hard decision to make.”

“Umm, the armour didn’t work so well for me at the end of Game of Thrones, but it looked amazing,” taking in a breath as the gears in his head takes in the pros and cons of each suit and character.

“That being said the armour in The Mandalorian looks very very good and I'm still alive. So I guess I would have to- you know I can’t I just can’t I cannot betray Oberyn and choose The Mandalorian. But umm let’s just leave it at that being an impossible decision.”

Smart vs traditional watch

“Traditional watch, people who use smart watches are people who can’t tell or read the time. And by people I mean…” Pedro turns to look at the camera and gives it or soon the viewers a knowing look, in hopes that they know what he meant by that.

Fedora vs baseball cap

“Those are my hats!…Oh wow”

“Well clearly since you have a picture of a fedora that belongs to me and a baseball hat that belongs to me… I favour both” he elaborates while raising his hands in a somewhat joking accusatory way to the staff who has asked him to pick one between his favourites. To him, it’s like asking him to pick between things or people he adores.

“I cannot and you cannot make me decide between a fedora and a baseball cap. I love them both equally”

Facial hair or clean shaven

“What? Are you making me choose between clean-shaven or facial hair?” 

“They’re currently showing me two pictures of myself.” He stops for a moment, making his sort of thinking face as he thinks back to 10 or so years ago.

“One that is maybe… 10 years ago, where clean-shaven may have worked.

"Umm, I'm gonna have to go with the very strange patchy facial hair that I am capable of growing on my face.”

Contacts vs glasses

Answering immediately, “Glasses.. what a ridiculous question.” He shakes his head as if telling them the obvious as well as the light tone of his voice.

“Glasses, sticking my own fingers into my eyes? I have yet to cross that threshold.”He continues to shake his head as he explains why he’d chosen it.

Y/n’s sheer 2018 met gala dress or her 2019 white oscars dress

Pedro’s entire face lit up as soon as the staff showed him the choices. “Ohh bot- this is a hard one…I love both of them, and it looks incredible on her,” he emphasizes, adorably staring at the pictures.

Sitting still while continuing to admire his love, “Ahhh would you look at that..."

"She’s beautiful don’t you agree?” Pedro straight away smiles as soon as the staff behind the camera agrees with him.

“The first one makes her look like this mermaid or angel- you know like a fallen angel, just for me, and the other is very- something she would dress herself in with how simple yet elegant it looks. So I would have to go with her Oscars look.”

A voice off cam tells him something that had caught his attention, making his expression turn into shock and amusement, “It’s a wedding dress?! Really?! She wore a wedding dress to the Oscars… hmm” slowly ruffling his hair he sits back after getting a closer look at the picture.

Leather or bomber jacket

“Wow, leather jacket. I have and I think I always will love a leather jacket.” Explaining this with a small smirk that had him explaining his thoughts right after.

“Y/n has bought us a matching pair of these incredible vintage leather jackets and-so basically it’s something that I will never ever lose my interest in.”

Coffee or tea

Nodding his head, he looks straight to the camera, “Coffee. Coffee all the way.” 

Raising his hands up similar to a surrendering position to defend himself, he chuckles before continuing, “It’s not that I don’t like tea but then again coffee is what keeps me up and going other than y/n… who is by the way is also a coffee addict.”

Clasping his hands together, he finalizes, “Coffee, 100%”

"Thank you for watching and click here to subscribe to GQ Germany!"

the dress for reference:

A/n: so I wrongly timed the post of this one, instead of it being posted yesterday at noon it was set to 12 am today haha, never gonna do that again. Anyways if you're reading this thank you and have a nice day ahead of you!!!

Taglist: @benonlinear @t-stark35 @heyitsme-2 @elleeeee21 @holmesstrange @tagakalat @flyestvenustrap @oldermenaremyreligion @cherryred444 @hobiismyhopeu @ilovehotdadsandshit @djarinsstuff @guacala @avengersheart @pukka-latte @lilvampirina @mmkkzz

#pedro pascal #pedro pascal imagine #pedro pascal fluff #pedro pascal fanfiction #pedro pascal x actress!reader #pedro pascal x female reader #pedro pascal x you #pedro pascal x reader #pedro pascal x y/n #pedro pascal fanfic #pedro pascal fic

[aflame4goinghome]

Head First

j.m.k. x f.reader

part one

a/n: i had an idea for a little josh blurb inspired by this lizzie mcalpine song and i’ve decided to make it into a short series! friends to lovers josh is always my favorite, i hope you guys like it!! the next part will be current day...

summary: You and Josh grew up next door to each other, spending almost your entire life together. He was your closest friend, and that’s how it had always been. One summer, the two of you attend a music festival with your group of friends and a switch seems to flip for him that day, hurling you head first into a weekend of surprises. It feels as though everything has finally fallen into place, but young love is not always meant to last...

word count: 7.9k

warnings: this story contains smut! minors DNI!!! swearing, drinking, flirting, yearning, nicknames, sexually implicit language, heavy petting, kissing; SMUT: oral sex (f. and m. receiving), fingering, unprotected p in v sex (WRAP IT BEFORE YOU TAP IT, Y'ALL), praise kink if you squint i guess, dirty talk, soft dom! josh, fluff at the end! aftercare always!

JULY 2019

“Guys, seriously, come on. We were supposed to leave over half an hour ago!” you yell from the bottom of the stairs. You get no response, so you scoff, storm up the steep stairs to the hallway, and look around for movement. You see the bathroom door cracked open and walk over to push it open, revealing Josh still fixing his curly hair in the mirror.

You roll your eyes and clear your throat to get his attention, causing him to look over at you. “Oh, hey honey,” he says, giving you a sheepish smile. “Josh, it’s almost 8:30! If we don’t leave now, then we won’t have any time to get ready before we have to go down to the festival! You can fix your hair more when we get to the hotel, please,” you plead, making a praying motion with your hands, and giving him the biggest puppy eyes you can manage.

“Yes yes, I know, I’m sorry. I’ll help you round up the rest of them, okay?” he says, taking one last look in the mirror before turning the light off and heading down to the other end of the hallway. Josh breaks off first to enter his room and find his equally tardy twin, who’s still asleep. You giggle as you hear him yell at his brother to wake up, followed by a loud startled scream from Jake.

You enter Sam’s room to find him lying on his bed scrolling through his phone while Daniel is playing the guitar lightly. “Hello? What are you two doing? Come on, get up, let’s go!” you scold them, making Sam jump out of his seat. Danny chuckles to himself as he gets up to put his guitar back in its case.

They gather their packed bags and file out of the room, heading down the stairs. As you return to the hallway, you see Josh and his seemingly exhausted twin exiting the room. Jake descends the stairs with a groan as Josh follows closely behind him, shooting you a wink before he disappears.

Finally, you all finish packing the car and can finally get on the road. The five of you were heading to the Cosmic Sound Festival down in Detroit, something you and Josh planned months ago. The drive was just under 2 hours, so you were still able to get to the hotel in time to change and get ready before you had to be at the grounds for the first set at 12, or so you hoped. You feel grateful that this break in their tour allowed for you all to go to the festival together, as the time you spent together these days was few and far between.

“I call shotgun!” you shout, hurrying to open the door before one of the others beats you to it. “Hey, that’s not fair, Smalls! You always get shotgun!” Sam yells from behind you.

You roll your eyes and turn around to face him. “Yeah, because why would I ever want to be crammed in the back with you idiots? No, thanks. I’m good up here with Josh,” you reply, sticking your nose up at him and smiling proudly before getting into the car and closing the door. Josh shrugs and laughs lightly before getting into the driver’s side, with the rest of the boys following suit and getting into their seats.

Josh turns the car on and rolls the windows down to feel the cool summer breeze. “Ready, Saph?” he says, turning his head to look at you with a wide, crooked smile. His nickname for you never fails to make you smile. He had that effect on you, as he did with a lot of people. He first gave you the nickname in the fourth grade, after you’d learned about different types of gemstones in science class.

The two of you were walking out of the classroom to go to lunch as you turned to look at Josh. “I think rose quartz might be my favorite. They’re so pretty. Which one was your favorite?” you asked. He thought about it for a moment and said, “Sapphire. They’re so blue, and they’re valuable. Pretty, too.” You nodded and smiled at him, then turned your attention back to walking to the lunchroom.

“You’re like a sapphire, you know,” he continued. You looked back up at him with a questioning look. He pointed and said, “Your eyes, they’re the bluest I’ve ever seen. And pretty. Like a sapphire.” You blushed and looked away, not really knowing what to say. “I think I’ll call you Sapphire,” he said. You looked back up at him and smiled timidly. “Okay.”

The nickname has stuck ever since, though it’s almost always shortened. But it’s just his, and that’s what makes it special. Josh was your best friend in the whole world, as well as your longest friend. The Kiszkas were your next-door neighbors your entire life, and you all became friends practically right away. Being the same age as the twins, your mother would bring you over to their house at a very young age, so the three of you grew up together.

Watching Sam grow up and meeting Danny was something you always felt very thankful for. You had the best group of friends that you could ever ask for, who loved and cared for you like you were their own flesh and blood. You also got to watch as the music they made in their garage late on school nights became something much more.

You spent endless nights lying on the battered old couch in the Kiszkas’ garage as the four of them played together. Jake had always played guitar for as long as you could remember and Josh always loved singing, performing in the school musicals with you every year.

But near the end of high school, you watched as Jake’s dream became their collective dream and they started playing gigs around town and in other close cities. Before you knew it, they would make music that would reach thousands of people and tour places all around the world.

Admittedly, you fear for the day that the band gets even bigger than it is now, knowing that they’ll have to leave you. Your whole life was here in Michigan, and you knew that one day their journey would take them much further than here. You help your father run his business in Frankenmuth now, an old music store, where you sell instruments and sometimes teach lessons when he’s busy. You were needed here, and you knew that the guys wouldn’t be able to stay here forever.

For now, their home was still in Michigan, despite their time being taken up by near-constant touring and writing new music. They were just gone for several months on tour and will be returning to touring at the beginning of fall, so now is the chance to spend time with them.

Josh knew how much you missed them when they were away, so he tried to fill up your time this summer with as many activities as possible. He was always thoughtful in the way he planned things, wanting to get the most out of any experience.

“Ready,” you reply with a smile, plugging your phone in to connect to the aux. You press shuffle on your road trip playlist and Got To Get You Into My Life by the Beatles comes on first. “Ah, perfect!” Josh says, smiling as he starts to sing along and drives out of their driveway, down a long winding road toward Detroit. The five of you spend the whole car ride singing along to your favorite songs, with Jake usually vocalizing every single guitar solo.

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Day One

You finally get to the hotel around 10:30, giving you all enough time to get ready before driving to the festival grounds. You got two rooms next to each other, putting Danny and Sam together in one and you and the twins in the other. The room had a pullout couch, which Jake promised he’d stay on since he “barely gets any sleep these days anyway,” and you know that he’ll be out much later than you and Josh will be. He always manages to go off on his own at these types of things.

You throw your things onto one of the beds and then turn to Josh. “Just let me have the bathroom for like twenty minutes and then it’s all yours, okay Diana Ross?” you say, referencing his long, poofy head of hair that goes almost down to his shoulders. He chuckles and flops down on his bed, putting his hands behind his head. “Okay, okay! Whatever, I’ll take some much-needed beauty rest in the meantime,” he says, shutting his eyes as you turn toward your bed, grab your makeup bag and outfit for the day, and then head into the bathroom.

Knowing how hot it was outside this weekend, you decide to wear a pair of short overalls with a burnt orange sports bra underneath to match your Converse of the same color. You pull your hair half up, putting that half-section of hair into a messy bun and pulling out some front pieces to frame your face.

With your hair done and out of your face, you just apply a base of makeup and use setting spray so that you don’t sweat it off. You place your aviator sunglasses on the top of your head and then exit the bathroom. “All yours,” you say, going to sit on the edge of your bed and plug your phone in to charge until it’s time to leave.

With your back turned, you can’t see the way that Josh is looking at you. As always, you were oblivious to it. He gets up from the bed and grabs his clothes, and as he walks over to the bathroom he turns around to look back at you.

You’re just sitting there, scrolling away on your phone, but he stands there for a moment to admire you; the way your eyelashes curl upward, the way your long hair lays down your back, the way the bare skin of your torso peaks through in your overalls. He sighs to himself quietly, then turns around and goes into the bathroom.

Jake didn’t need to use the bathroom, he was already dressed and ready to go in a short-sleeved button-down shirt (half-unbuttoned), jeans, and light brown Chelsea boots. You couldn’t imagine how that would be comfortable for a festival, but Jake’s fashion always eluded you.

Next thing you know, Josh emerges from the bathroom, hair all “fixed.” He’s wearing a plain white t-shirt with a burnt orange bandana, accidentally matching you, and some khaki shorts and white sneakers. You look up at him and smile, and he says, “Okay! Let’s rock and roll!”

The three of you go next door to collect Sam and Danny, who are thankfully ready to go. Sam pulled his long hair into a low bun and threw on a loose long-sleeve button-down with the sleeves rolled up paired with shorts, contrasting Danny in his band tee and skinny jeans, who has also pulled his hair back.

You all head down to the car and drive over to the festival, planning to try and get there early to watch Tame Impala’s set at 4 PM- Jake’s idea of course. The 1975 will go on at the same stage at 8 PM, which is what you’re looking forward to more. The main event, however, will be Hozier tomorrow night, which is something you’re all anticipating. You’ll also go to see Tyler Childers tomorrow afternoon before Hozier’s set, at Josh’s request.

Jake, Sam, and Danny want to be close to the front for Tame Impala’s set, so they rush to the front to save a spot while you and Josh go to find the alcohol. You walk ahead of Josh, trying to weave in and out of the crowd to find the booth, holding his hand tightly behind you to stay together. As always, with your back turned you can’t see the pink hue that has graced his cheeks at the feeling of your hand tight in his.

Finally, you approach the table and get in line. As Josh meets you at your side, he squeezes your hand tightly before dropping it and combing his fingers through his hair. Your face softens as you look at him for a moment before turning to look around you. The line isn’t too terribly long, luckily, since you both desired to be far more intoxicated.

“God, it’s hot, huh?” you say, reaching behind you to pull your hair off of your neck and wipe off the sweat. Josh nods and wipes some droplets of sweat off of his forehead. “Yeah, it’s not ideal, is it? We’ll make do though, I’m sure. We always do,” he says with a smile, always the optimist. You reach the front of the line shortly and order two Bud Lights, three black cherry White Claws, and five bottles of water, and then turn to head back to the main stage. They gave you bags, thank god, since you wouldn’t possibly be able to carry all of those drinks back by yourselves.

“Still feeling hot?” Josh asks with a smirk as he walks next to you with the bag of water bottles in his hand. You nod and before you can react, he giggles as he takes one of the bottles out of the bag and shoves it into your bare side, causing you to scream from the cold touch. You shove him away from you and yell, “Josh! What the hell is wrong with you? That was so cold!”

He’s cracking up as he comes back close to you and snakes his arm around you, pulling you into him. “Sorry, Saph. You said you were hot! A gentleman is meant to help a lady in need, is he not?” You roll your eyes and then lean into him. “You’re such an idiot,” you scoff. “Your idiot,” he replies with a smile.

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You finally make it back to the guys, who have found a spot a few rows back from the barricade. You hand everyone their drinks and point to Danny and Sam with a stern finger. “You’re both lucky I bought these for you. Behave yourselves, if you get caught I don’t want to go down with you,” you say as they both laugh and take a sip of their drinks.

You all hang out and listen to the set of one of the smaller artists who’s playing on the stage now, just vibing to the music. It didn’t matter if any of you knew who it was or what they were playing, it was just fun to be there together. You smiled and danced by yourself to the songs, in your own world. Josh is to your right, the two of you are standing just behind the others as you’d gotten there later. He looks over at you with a content smile as he watches you enjoy yourself, appreciating how lucky he feels to be there in that moment.

You feel his eyes on you this time, however. You turn your head to look at him and a smile grows across your face as you lock eyes with him. “What?” you ask, turning to face him. “Nothing, darling. Just you,” he answers, looking down at you. “Just me? What about me?”

He reaches down to brush some hair out of your face. “All of you. I just feel very grateful to be here with you, Saph.” Your cheeks flush as you look up at him with a shy smile. There’s some conflict in his eyes and you can tell that he wants to say more, but he doesn’t.

You reach up to wrap your arms around him and pull him in for a tight hug, breathing him in. You feel him sigh into your neck and put his arms around your waist as you squeeze him tightly and then pull away, his arms still around you. When you look up into his eyes at that moment, there’s a feeling there that you don’t recognize, a strong force pulling you toward him. You find yourself not wanting to let go, feeling this innate need to be close to him. It almost feels out of control. You’re not sure what triggered it or what you’re meant to do, but you plan to find out.

The set ends and people file out of the pit slowly. You have some time before the 1975’s set, and even though you don’t want to lose your spot, you need a break. Jake and Sam split off and say that they’re going to go to the Strokes set in an hour, so they head to another stage. Danny opts to stay for the 1975 set with you and Josh and says he’ll hold the spot if you and Josh take a break and go get food and water.

The two of you go to find a food truck to get something to eat, struggling to make your way through the crowd. As you approach the field where all the food trucks are, you look to your left and exclaim, “Oh my god, look! They have a big water sprinkler! C’mon Josh, let’s go let’s go!”

You grab his hand and pull him after you toward the sprinkler, where dozens of other people are cooling off in the cold water. You run under the water and turn around to face him, giggling and pulling him under with you. He smiles wide as the water hits his head, drenching his hair and causing it to lay long and flat on his shoulders. He shuts his eyes tight as it soaks him and his white shirt becomes completely damp, causing it to stick tight to his skin.

Your hair is wet and sticking to your cheeks and you know your overalls will be wet all night, considering jean materials never dry quickly, but you don’t care. The cool water feels so good on your skin after such a long day as you lean your head back and soak it all in.

You look over at Josh, smiling from ear to ear and you stop to admire how honestly beautiful he looks like this. He slicked his wet hair to lay down his back and you watch as little droplets of water drip onto his cheeks from his thick eyebrows. You can see hints of his abdominal muscles thanks to the tightness of his wet t-shirt and you’d be lying if you said that your eyes didn’t linger there.

You pull him into you, wrapping your arms around his waist. Your wet clothes are sticking tight to both of you- a slightly uncomfortable feeling but welcomed for the experience to cool down. “Your shirt is wet,” you state matter-of-factly, giggling as you pull back a bit to look at him. “Really? You’re kidding,” he laughs, reaching his hands down to swipe the wet hair off of your face.

You sigh and look up at him with a grin. “Hungry?” you ask. “Starved,” he says. He looks down at you for a moment, his eyes drift to your lips for a second and linger there before traveling up to meet your gaze, the look on his face much more serious than you were ever used to. You take a deep breath, the moment starting to feel a bit more intimate than you’d anticipated. “Let’s go get some walking tacos!” you say, leaving the sprinkler and heading toward the food trucks.

Josh sheds his shirt off as you walk, needed to squeeze the water out and let it dry in the sun for a bit. You’ve seen him shirtless your whole life, you should be used to it by now, but you have to admit that it felt different this time. You let yourself stare a bit too long at the way his wet chest shimmers in the light of the sun, realizing that you need to snap out of it and stop getting distracted.

You and Josh grab your walking tacos, saving one for Danny and grabbing a few more bottles of water, then start the trek back to the stage. You both decide to eat a bit as you walk, being so hungry that you can’t wait until you get back. As you walk, Josh drops a bit of ground beef onto his bare chest and you erupt into laughter.

“Here, let me get it,” you manage to get out through laughs. You both stop walking and you take a napkin out of the bag and then bring it to his chest. You wipe a bit from his chest and then notice a bit of sauce further down toward his belly button.

You reach down and wipe that as well, hearing his breath catch a bit at the feeling of your hand there. Your eyes shoot up to his face, which is now a light shade of pink. Your lips turn up slightly into a subtle smile and you say, “There. All better.” You take your hand away and watch him finally breathe out, then turn away and start walking again. Interesting.

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You reach Daniel back at your spot by the stage and hand him his food. “What happened to you guys? You’re soaking wet,” he asks. “We found a water sprinkler. Felt great,” you answer with a smile. He shrugs and starts eating his food and the three of you hang out until it’s time for the band to come on. Josh slips his shirt back on, which is now significantly less damp.

The 1975 comes on stage as the sun starts to go down, cooling the air down considerably. You’re having so much fun dancing around with your best friends and there’s truly nowhere else you’d rather be. You and Danny sing along to every song as Josh watches and dances along, not really knowing the songs but having fun, nonetheless.

The band closes out the set with your favorite song, Sex. You scream as the song starts and jump around with a wide smile on your face, taking Josh’s hand in yours. He jumps with you, watching you instead of the show as you jump around grinning ear to ear, singing along.

When they get to the third verse, however, Josh can’t take his eyes off of you. The way you’re dancing and singing to a song with these kinds of lyrics is doing something to him that he didn’t expect.

Now we're just outside of town,

And you're making your way down

And I'm not trying to stop you, love,

If we're gonna do anything, we might as well just fuck

You sing along to the song as you take his hands in yours and dance with him. His eyes are piercing through you as he studies you, but you don’t notice with all the excitement. As the chorus starts, he pulls you in and twirls you around, smiling down at you.

You sway with him as the chorus continues and the song ends, much closer than you’d expected to be with your chests touching. As the crowd erupts into applause, you find yourself getting lost in his eyes for a moment. He’s looking down at you, his breath a bit heavy from the dancing, trying to get a glimpse of what’s going on inside your mind.

Before you can say anything, Danny turns around to you guys and says “Well, time to go,” then starts heading toward the exit. You snap back into reality at that moment, releasing your hold on Josh and stepping back a bit, then following after Danny. Josh follows closely behind.

The three of you head back to the hotel after getting a text that Jake and Sam planned to go to a bar down the street from where you’re staying before returning. They say they’ll meet you at the hotel, so you leave without them. When you arrive, you split off from Daniel at his room and then you and Josh head into yours.

You go into the bathroom to put on a tank top and a pair of sweatshorts then wash your face and pull your hair back into a low ponytail. You open the bathroom door and see that Josh has already changed, having thrown on a pair of sweatpants and opting to go without a shirt. He’s sitting on the edge of his bed, reading something on his phone, and looks up as he hears you come out.

He watches you as you walk toward your bed and sit down there across from him. He seems a bit deep in thought, his face not as lit up as usual. “Tired?” you ask, bringing your legs up onto the bed and leaning to your left arm onto the pillow. “Yeah, something like that,” he says, giving you a half smile. He goes to lie down but still faces your direction, and you do the same, just looking at him for a moment before finally speaking again.

“Hey, Josh?” you say, looking at him across the chasm between your beds.

“Yeah, Saph?” he answers.

“I miss you a lot when you’re gone.”

“I know, darling. We miss you too, always.”

“I mean just you. Not that I don’t miss the others too, but… You make everything better, Josh. Everything feels so much easier when you’re here,” you confess, meeting his gaze with a soft smile.

“Everything is easier with you there, too. It’s like you add air to my lungs. You walk into a room and it’s like a breath of fresh air,” he answers, smiling back at you.

Your face drops a little bit and you want to say more, but before you get the chance, you hear the door as Jake waltzes in, drunk off his ass. “Oh. You’re still up,” he slurs out, then flops down onto the bed he’s made on the couch.

Josh leans up to turn the lamp off and looks over at you. “Goodnight, honey,” he says, turning the switch. “Goodnight.”

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Day Two

The hotel alarm clock goes off at 9 AM, bright and early. You rub your eyes and sit up in your bed as you hear groans from the other side of the room. “Oi! Turn that shit off!” Jake hollers from the couch. You chuckle as you turn off the alarm and get up to start getting ready.

Josh is still sleeping peacefully, having not heard the alarm at all. He snores lightly as you walk over to his bed and bring your hand down to his head, brushing his hair back out of his face and then shaking his shoulder softly.

“Come on, honey. Time to get up,” you say as his eyes flutter open and land on you, causing him to give you a sleepy, toothless grin. “Morning, Saph,” he mumbles, rubbing his eyes as he sits up in bed. “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. Long day ahead of us,” you reply, heading into the bathroom to get ready for the day.

You pull your hair back into a loose French braid down your back and then wash your face and apply some base makeup once again. You put on a small sky-blue cropped tank top and black biker shorts, then open the bathroom door and walk back into the room.

Considering you were spending the weekend with four men, you knew they wouldn’t be changing their outfits that much. Josh had subbed out his white t-shirt for a black one of the same kind, wearing similar-looking shorts. Jake wore a Guns n Roses t-shirt with the sleeves cut off and a darker pair of jeans.

You sit down on the edge of your bed across from Josh and tie on your Converse. “I quite like how you styled your hair,” Josh says, looking over at you. “Beautiful.” You take your attention away from your shoes to look at him, trying to make sure you heard him right. He’s looking at you in such adoration, it’s hard for you to understand.

You smile shyly and blush a bit as your eyes lock with his before turning your attention back to your shoes. “Thank you, Josh…” you mumble, not sure how to react, especially with Jake in the room. His presence becomes especially apart when you hear him chuckle to himself behind you at his brother’s attempt at flattery. Josh scoffs and then stands up and walks toward the door. “Shall we?” he says, opening the door. The three of you file out and meet up with Sam and Danny and then go to the car once again.

When you arrive at the grounds, you all get drinks together and have a round or two before Tyler Childers’ set at 3 PM. You didn’t know much of his music, but Josh really liked him and you were tipsy enough not to worry about it too much. The five of you had a spot closer to the barricade this time since you’d gotten there early enough, so you had a great view of the stage.

Josh enjoyed the set, smiling and grooving to the music. The songs were folky and country, which made it quite easy to dance along and enjoy it. You watched Josh as he blissfully watched the show, unaware of how truly content he looked and how it made you feel. You couldn’t help but smile as you studied him, admiring how much kindness and beauty exuded from his soul.

You looked at how his curls looked as the summer breeze blew lightly. You watched how his eyes squinted as he smiled wider and sang along. You observed how his lips looked- full, pink, and warm. You admired his hands as they were wrapped around his torso, almost like he was hugging himself. You couldn’t look away even if you tried. He was an enigma.

There was a particular song at the end of the set that really sparked something in him, All Your’n. When it started, Josh took his gaze away from the performance to look at you with a grin. He wrapped his arm around you, his hand gripping your right shoulder softly as he leaned his head to the side on top of yours and sang along to the song.

So I'll love ya 'til my lungs give out

I ain't lying

I'm all your'n and you're all mine

You smile as you dance with him to his favorite song. Seeing him happy was all you needed in the world, and you’d do anything to be the one contributing to it. Your face flushes as you feel him place a soft kiss on the top of your head and then nestle his head on your shoulder, swaying as the song comes to an end. At that moment, there was nowhere you’d rather be. You knew you’d do anything to experience this feeling every day, for the rest of your life.

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The five of you went to the other side of the grounds to eat a quick dinner before returning to your spot by the stage. As you ate, your mind was clouded with only thoughts of Josh and how different things felt. Of course, you’ve always felt a deep connection with him, a bond that could never be broken. You loved him, but the context of that love felt different now.

You’re unsure if it was the recent distance due to their tour or just that the two of you were growing up but after today, your love for him has seemed to turn into adoration. Being with him felt like a piece of you had been returned to you, as though you were only truly whole when he was by your side. His presence felt like breathing fresh air into your lungs after being submerged under water. You understand now what it means, and you think he does too.

Soon, it’s time to get back for Hozier’s set, what you’d all been waiting for. All of the guys were a fan of his, but none of them were nearly as big of a fan as you were. Every song felt like it reflected your soul and your heart in a way that no other music does.

The set begins and you know every song, of course. He plays all of his hits, one of your favorites being Jackie and Wilson. As he sings the song, you’re dancing around and pull Josh in to dance with you. You take his hands in yours and sway with him, jumping around with the largest grin imaginable spread across your face. He’s smiling back down at you and laughing as he lets you maneuver him in whatever way you want to. He even twirls you around a few times, making you giggle.

The mood switches as Hozier begins to play Work Song, which is one that has always resonated with you. You keep Josh’s hand in yours as you watch and sing along. You feel him give your hand a tight squeeze, causing you to look up at him. He gives you a closed-lip smile as he looks down at you, his eyes lingering on your lips for a moment.

There’s nothing sweeter than my baby

I’d never want from the cherry tree

‘Cause my baby’s sweet as can be

She give me toothaches just from kissin’ me

The other guys were standing in front of you and despite the crowd of people behind you, you suddenly felt alone there in that moment, eyes never straying from each other’s gaze. Your expression softens as you turn your body to face him and he wraps his arm around your waist and lowers his head to press his forehead to yours. You shut your eyes and take a deep breath as the song continues, swaying with him.

When my time comes around

Lay me gently in the cold dark earth

No grave can hold my body down

I’ll crawl home to her

You open your eyes and meet his, breathing heavily from the heat of the crowd as well as the tension. You start to overthink the entire situation but before you’re able to voice your thoughts, Josh finally brings his lips to yours. Your entire body relaxes in his arms as he pulls you closer to him. It feels as though he’s put the air back into your lungs, like you’ve been living your whole life without something that you know now that you could never live without.

You bring your hands up the back of his neck as you deepen the kiss. You grip his hair at the nape of his neck lightly, eliciting a quiet groan from Josh. He nips your bottom lip and you giggle as you finally pull away, his arms still holding you. It’s almost like the rest of the world disappeared in that moment, you heard the song playing on but you didn’t even notice.

The set ends and you quickly let go of each other before the others turn around to face you. Something you can’t hide, however, is the pink hue on both of your cheeks and swollen lips, which slightly gives you away.

“Ready to go? I could sleep for a day, it feels like,” Danny says, starting to head out toward the exit. You all start to walk out as Jake elbows his twin, chuckling and whispering, “Feeling okay there, brother? You’re looking a little… flushed.”

Josh rolls his eyes and walks a bit faster as he mutters, “Yes, Jake, I’m perfectly fine,” and takes your hand to drag you with him. You laugh as you follow closely behind him to the car and he drives the five of you back to the hotel for the night.

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You all arrive back at the hotel and as you get out of the car, Jake says, “You guys wanna go find somewhere to have a few pints?” Danny and Sam all answer in agreement, but Josh shakes his head. You look at him for a moment and meet his eyes. “Yeah, I think Josh and I might stay back, if that’s okay. It’s been a long couple of days,” you say, looking back at the guys with a shy smile.

Jake chuckles to himself. “Okay then, suit yourself. If you’re so tired, then I won’t come in late and wake you. I’ll stay with Sam and Daniel,” he answers with a wink to Josh. Damn these twins, you can’t get anything past them. Josh sighs and says okay before turning to head inside the hotel. You follow him up, beginning to feel a bit nervous.

Josh opens the door to your room and you both walk inside, closing the door behind you. When the door is finally shut, Josh turns around to face you. Before you can say anything, his lips find yours once again. You sigh into his mouth as he pushes you up against the door, his hands holding your waist tightly.

Your hands find their place around his neck as he deepens the kiss, his hands traveling from your waist to the swells of your ass. “Fuck,” you gasp under your breath, the feeling of his hands on you becoming almost too much to handle. That’s when he uses his grip to lift you and wrap your legs around his waist, bringing you over to your bed and laying you down.

He stands at the edge of the bed and removes his t-shirt, pulling it over his head in one swift movement. You take that moment to remove your own, sitting up on your elbows for a moment as you take it off and then pull your sports bra over your head.

Josh looks down to admire you for a moment before leaning over you, still standing but kneeling one leg slightly on the bed. He pulls you in for a kiss with one hand cupping your cheek as he reaches the other down to grasp your breast, kneading it softly with his fingers and groaning quietly into your mouth.

“Saph, you are so beautiful. Sculpted by God himself,” he says, leaning his forehead against yours. “Josh…” you start, rubbing your thumb along his cheek. “Shhh,” he whispers, bringing his finger to your lips. “We can discuss it later. Right now, I just need to feel you… gotta make sure that this isn’t some sort of dream.”

He leans back away from you to lower himself to the floor and then starts pulling down the waistband of your shorts. Leaning up on your elbows, you watch as he pulls your shorts down, agonizingly slow. He brings his hands down to pull them down over the curves of your ass when he notices that you’d opted to go without any underwear today. He kisses your inner thigh with a low moan and then looks up at you and says, “No panties? Dirty girl…”

He helps you out of your shorts the rest of the way then reaches up to grasp your ass cheeks, causing you to spread your legs for him. “So perfect,” he mutters, reaching one hand down to run his fingers through your folds. “Is this all for me, baby?” he asks, looking up at you with his eyes dark with lust.

“All for you, Josh. Only you,” you nod, sighing at the feeling of his fingers right where you’ve longed for them to be. “Lucky me…” he whispers before lowering his mouth down to your aching core. He licks into you like a man starved, lapping up the wetness at your folds before wrapping his lips tightly around your clit, making you whine and lean your head back.

He inserts one finger inside you, causing you to moan again, and then removes his mouth from you to speak. “Look at me, baby. Wanna see how angelic you look when I bring you over the edge.” You look down at him and he curls his finger inside of you before adding another one. He attaches his lips back onto you, sucking lightly as he curls his fingers inside of you, eliciting all kinds of lude noises from your mouth, which was exactly what he wanted.

“God, Josh. Fuck, I’m so close,” you whine, gripping the comforter of the bed tightly as you continue to look down at him. “Give it to me, angel. Want it so bad, do it,” he says against your clit with a groan, quickening his movements. You finally feel the band snap inside you and call out his name as he works you through it, taking his mouth off of you and slowing his fingers inside of you.

He kisses your inner thigh again before bringing his fingers up to his mouth, sucking your release off of them. “Mmm, fuck. You taste like heaven, my love. I fear I might get addicted,” he says, standing up to remove his shorts along with his boxers, stepping out of them, and then leaning back down to kiss you. He licks into your mouth and holds the back of your head steadily as you bring your hand down to stroke him lightly.

He groans against you and ruts his hips into your hand and you quicken your pace and then lean up to push him off of you. “My turn,” you say with a smirk, pushing him down onto the bed to lay with his head on the pillow. He looks up at you as the corners of his mouth turn into a smile and you crawl up toward him, taking his hardened length into your hand.

You bend down and swirl the tip with your tongue, then take it into your mouth. You work your mouth down onto it slowly until your nose touches the happy trail on his lower abdomen. You’re met with a long groan from Josh as he leans his head back onto the headboard with one of his hands gripping your hair lightly.

You continue to bob your head along his length, occasionally stopping to gag on it for a few moments at the hilt, causing him to sputter out various expletives. Before it gets too far, he goes to pull your head off of him with a groan. “Baby, if you keep going like that, I’m not gonna make it long enough to feel what this divine pussy feels like wrapped around me.” You blush at his direct language, something you’re still not used to hearing from him.

“You want me, Josh? Wanna feel me?” you tease, crawling up to straddle him, feeling his dick flush against your soaked folds. You reach down and put your hands around his neck, gripping his hair as you lean closer to him. “I need it, Saph. Haven’t been able to think about anything else all night besides how good it would feel to be inside you,” he whispers, holding your hips so tightly that you know it would leave a bruise.

You don’t need to hear anything else before you bring a hand down to grip his length and lift your hips to lower yourself down onto him. He grips your sides tighter as you make your way slowly to the hilt, adjusting to the size. He leans his head back with a groan as you finally lift your hips up and then back down.

He leans up to capture your lips with his and moans into your mouth as you grind repeatedly down onto him. “God, baby. Feels so good. So perfect for me,” he mutters, gripping you tightly as he starts to thrust up into you quickly, causing you to whine and try to steady yourself on the bed.

It feels unlike any other man you’ve ever been with. Not only do you feel safe and loved by someone you trust the most, but it feels like everything has finally fallen into place. The two of you were destined and your intimacy now only proves it further. You were meant to be his.

Josh flips you over onto your back and re-enters you, bringing his hand up to hold the back of your neck and kiss you passionately. His tongue slips past your lips as his other hand grips your hip and he thrusts into you, repeatedly hitting the same spot that drives you wild. “That’s it, honey, that’s it,” he whispers, bringing his hand from your hip to rub circles around your clit as he lowers his mouth to attach to one of your hardened nipples.

You moan at the overstimulating feeling of his mouth on you combined with his quick movements on your clit and throw your head back against the headboard. “Fuck, Josh, don’t stop I’m-” you mumble as he removes his mouth from you to interrupt you. “I know, baby, I’m right there with you. Let me have it.”

That’s all you need to hear before reaching your second orgasm, and Josh is not far behind you. He brings his mouth to yours as he finally releases inside of you, slowing his thrusts as he fucks it back into you until he stills his movements entirely. He brings his hand to caress your cheek and looks down at you with a wide smile, his cheeks flushed and rosy.

“Stay here, okay? I’ll be right back, baby,” he says, pulling out of you slowly and then padding off toward the bathroom. He returns with a wet washcloth and a small cup of water, setting it down on the side table and then sitting down at the edge of the bed next to you. He cleans you up delicately, almost pampering you, and then reaches up to move some of your hair from in front of your eyes.

“So beautiful. I’m still not sure how I got so lucky,” he says, smiling down at you. You sit up a bit and kiss his lips sweetly, then lean your forehead against his. “I love you, Josh.”

“I love you too, my Sapphire. More than words, and you know I’m not usually speechless… You’re everything to me, Y/N,” he answers, rubbing his thumb on your cheek.

You both slip on some comfier clothes to sleep in, just in case Jake decides to come back in the morning. He then turns the lamp off then climbs into your bed with you, laying on his side to face you. You turn to face him as well, looking into his eyes silently for a moment.

“I’m not sure what I’d do without you, Josh. You’re my world, more than you know,” you admit.

“I know, my love. You’ll never have to find out. I’ll always be yours. Always,” he answers, bringing his hand down to stroke your hair affectionately. The two of you drift off to sleep in each other’s arms, where you were always meant to be.

Or so you thought. One can never predict where the road may take you… What seems to be love at one point can turn into nothing within a moment’s notice. Nothing lasts forever, despite all efforts to fight it. But love doesn’t always fade away entirely, does it?

*:·.·:**:·.·:**:·.·:**:·.·:*༺˚ ⊹♫⊹ ˚༻*:·.·:**:·.·:**:·.·:**:·.·:*

part two

#gretavanfleet #josh kiszka x reader #josh kiszka #greta van fleet fic #greta van fic #greta van fleet fan fiction #greta van fluff #greta van smut #greta van fleet smut #greta van fleet #josh kiskza smut #josh kiszka fluff #joshgvf #josh gvf #joshkiszka #spotify

[alltoowelltom]

Who'd You Rather

tom holland x reader

summary: if there's one thing Ellen is known for, it's exposing secret relationships

a/n: this was written so quickly and not proof-read. also, i picked Ellen because if anyone would do this, it would be her lol

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:

July 2019

"So Y/N, are you currently dating anyone?" asks Ellen, taking a sip from her mug.

You shake your head.

"Not currently, no."

Ellen nods.

"Well, please don't worry anymore. We're going to help you find someone in a little game we like to call Who'd You Rather?"

"Oh God," you laugh, twisting slightly in your seat to glare at your manager for agreeing to this who laughed and poked her tongue out at you.

"So all you need to do is look at the photos I show you and pick between these two options, alright?"

"Okay, if you insist." you roll your eyes, facing the large screen.

"I do. So to start off, Timothee Chalamet or Dylan O'Brien?"

"Oh, wow," you laugh. "Starting off strong. Well, I was an absolute hoe for Maze Runner when it came out so I have to pick Dylan. Plus, I know Timothee better so it would be kinda awkward if I chose him."

The picture of Timothee fades away and is replaced by a new photo.

"Dylan O'Brien or Harry Styles?"

"Harry fucking Styles." you say without hesitation and the audience cheers. Ellen nods.

"Harry Styles or Florence Pugh?"

You bury your head in your hands.

"How could you ask me that, Ellen? That's like asking someone to pick between cookie dough and mint chip ice cream! Impossible."

Ellen mimes tapping at her watch and tuts at you.

"Time's ticking, Y/N. Make your choice."

You sigh.

"It's absolutely Florence then. Sorry, Harry."

"Florence pugh or Chris Evans?" Ellen asks.

"Flo."

Ellen's eyes gleam as she quickly reads the next pair of names, rubbing her hands together in a comically evil fashion.

"Florence Pugh or Tom Holland?"

You slide down on your chair, laughing and covering your face with your hands.

"Ellen!" you shriek. "I've just come off my second movie co-starring with Tom and he's literally my best friend. You can't ask me this!"

Ellen grins.

"Florence Pugh or Tom Holland?" she repeats.

You pout at the camera.

"Flo, I am so sorry. Please still be my friend. I pick Tom."

The crowd roars in approval and you wave a hand at them, laughing.

"Shhhh, guys."

"Tom Holland or Jake Gyllenhaal?" asks Ellen.

"Tom Holland."

"Tom Holland or Hailee Steinfeld?"

"Tom Holland."

"Tom Holland or Niall Horan?"

You hesitate, biting your lip as Tom's frozen grin stares down at you from the photo.

"I…fuck. Tom?" you say, almost as a question.

"So it's Tom?" Ellen grins. "Speak now or forever hold your peace."

You nod, sitting up straight and crossing your legs.

"It's Tom."

Ellen stares straight into the camera as an assistant signals an upcoming ad break. She rests one hand on your shoulder as she addresses the audience.

"Tom Holland, you'd better act quickly. Y/N is currently sitting by her phone, waiting for your call. Don't mess this up."

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:

April 2021

You relax into the plush cushion of the chair on Ellen's set once again. You are paying attention, sort of. You nod and laugh in all the right places, offering stories and jokes when needed but your mind is miles away. Ellen can pick up on this and she shifts in her seat.

"Y/N." she says, holding eye contact. "Can I have your phone please?"

Your eyes widen as you reach into the pocket of your oversized blazer, following her request and placing the unlocked device in Ellen's waiting hand.

"I wonder," she says out loud, "who we can get to answer your call?"

"Oh God," you laugh, covering your face. "If no one picks up I'll be so embarrassed."

"The Watermelon Man?" Ellen questions, reading off of the screen. "Shall we call the Watermelon Man, whoever that is?"

You cover your face, laughing.

"Jesus. If Harry Styles doesn't pick up I think I'll throw myself off a cliff."

The phone rings three times before a voice rings out from a noisy background.

"Y/N! How are you?" laughs Harry. "This is a surprise, I have to admit."

"Harry!" you call out, before he can say anything else. "Ellen's hijacked my phone and started ringing people, I'm so sorry."

"Oh, she has?" Harry asks mischievously. "I'll make sure not to mention anything about our upcoming collaboration then…" he trails off and you can practically hear him winking through the phone as he hangs up.

"That absolute fucker," you laugh, rolling your eyes at his spoiler as Ellen is already scrolling through your contacts list again.

"Oh!" she exclaims, eyes bright. "Y/N, I thought you told us you weren't dating anyone? May I ask who 'My Darling 💖' is?"

You freeze on the spot, mouth drying out as you blink at Ellen, desperately trying to jump start your brain into snatching the phone back. You glance over at your manager who is sat stock still, just as shocked as you are.

The phone rings five times and you breathe a sigh of relief. It's 3AM in London right now, he's not going to pick up.

Just as you've collected your heart off of the floor and smoothed your hair down, ready to make a self deprecating joke about this mystery person not picking up, there's a pause and the a collective gasp from the audience as the phone connects.

"Hello my love, is everything alright?" asks Tom in his groggy, raspy morning voice.

Ellen's jaw hits the floor so quickly you're shocked it doesn't fall off entirely.

tysm for reading! reblogs and comments are always appreciated <3

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:

part 2

#tom holland fanfic #tom holland x reader #tom holland fic #tom holland x y/n #tom holland fluff #tom holland angst #tom holland blurb #tom holland x famous!reader #tom holland smau #tom holland smut #tom holland imagine #tom holland x you #tom holland x gender neutral reader #tom holland x singer!reader #tom holland x pregnant!reader #dad!tom #tom holland one shot #tom holland fanfiction #nathan drake x reader #peter parker x y/n

[utilitycaster]

Regarding Editing and Innovating in the space, 2 people who get a Fraction of the credit they deserve are Ivan Van Norman & Marisha Ray. I mean, they created and developed one of the original mixed media cinematic interactive actual plays, Sagas of Sundry: Dread, and then Sagas of Sundry: Madness, and Marisha (later hiring Ivan as well) has continued that trajectory in some of the more intriguingly edited mixed format Actual plays at CR, like Call of Cthulhu, Undeadwood, and others, and being Instrumental in the developments at CR. Like, when you do watch the interviews you get a sense of just how Much of CR's current content designs, ttrpg intentions, and series are marisha's brainchilds, and it sucks that she doesnt get the credit others involved in similar projects, and even those projects, do.

This is a great point. I've mentioned this before w/r/t the fandom - Marisha, perhaps more than anyone, gets reduced even by many fans to "she's pretty and her characters are like what if a girlboss were a girlfailure" and her creative direction goes unheralded. It feels like this has gotten worse in recent years; I was baffled at how many people seemingly resented Calamity or Candela for taking up space they felt should go only to the main campaign when those were not only showcases for Marisha as a performer but also clearly something in which she had a strong hand in designing. Whenever people whine about there only being two main campaign episodes in a month because of Candela Obscura, I do think "You realize this was probably Marisha's call?"

I was focused in my response much more on Daggerheart, and so on the game design side (quick side note - reviews of A Familiar Problem, which Marisha worked on, were pretty positive; I wonder if something's happened in the past 2 years since that's when I've really felt this Damn Critical Role energy among actual play journalists), but I had been thinking about Sagas of Sundry and Undeadwood! I think I mentioned Sagas of Sundry in one of my posts about how Kollok isn't, in my mind, impressive. I loved Dread but never finished Madness before Alpha folded, but actually I was imagining something like Madness - fully on a set, people walking around like it's a play - for Kollok! When I saw everyone at a table with that rotating rock I was like "is this...it?" And, you know, Sagas: Madness wasn't entirely for me, but you can't fault the innovation. Similarly, when I think about the (baffling) criticism from one of the prominent actual play journalists I've had in mind while writing this, that Candela Obscura the show did not fully teach people Candela Obscura the game, I think about how Ivan Van Norman did straight up teach Savage Worlds during Undeadwood. Whenever people gush over the shadow puppets in Burrow's End I think it's deserved, but when they claim it's utterly new? Nah. Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Crystal Palace did it first. And Marisha had a guiding hand in the creative direction of all of these.

I think this is sort of elaboration on one of my points in my original post: I think a lot of the journalists are really out of their depth. I don't remember seeing their names when I first started watching CR in 2018, or when I got deeper into the fandom in 2019. My first actual play was TAZ, which I binged in late 2017. I really think a lot of the journalists flat-out don't know Sagas of Sundry or Undeadwood because they didn't show up until after Alpha folded. I've mentioned this elsewhere but so much of the claims of novelty and innovation are completely incorrect and not even terribly obscure. Look, I've seen/listened to most or all of 9 actual plays (this is counting D20 and CR each as one single unit, by the way - I've seen all but scattered one-offs from either), and seen or heard an episode or two of many more. I think that simply by doing that? I know more than a lot of these journalists.

Again: Worlds Beyond Number? The innovation is with the Witch class and the Wizard of the Citadel subclasses, and the allowance of extremely long downtime, but: longform podcast actual play with sound design? RQG did it starting in 2015. Griffin McElroy and Emily Axford have been composing their own music since 2017 or 2018 for their respective shows, both of which are also longform podcast actual plays. Again, Brennan pretty explicitly said "I don't think D20 is new, nor longform" in a quote and the article that quotes him argues that Fantasy High is new and longform...and that article also talks about how before D20 most AP video was livestreamed before talking about how boundary-breaking D20 was for having a livestreamed second season (you know, the thing that they just called old hat a paragraph earlier) that quickly pivoted to remote (even though remote livestreaming was actually quite common in smaller productions well before the pandemic, since you don't need anything but laptop cameras to produce it). I don't even keep up with much in the really indie AP scene, but those people I know who do are even less impressed by the state of Actual Play journalism than I, because D20 executes a lot of things extremely well, has a very talented roster of performers, and a budget most productions cannot hope to match, but a good deal of what it's credited for inventing (and which, again, it never claims to have invented. I want to be clear that the journalists decided to be like this for no clear reason) already existed. And, by placing this heavy emphasis on production, they are automatically making it hard for indie productions to impress them. For all they claim to be going after the 700 lb gorilla, they are simply cozying up to the 600 lb gorilla. It's real "um, why don't you try this little indie game called Pathfinder" hours.

I am fairly sure a lot of the people in prominent journalistic positions in the actual play sphere today came in only after the collapse of Geek and Sundry, is my point, and so I think they literally do not realize how much the medium owes to, for example, Marisha Ray and Ivan Van Norman, because they weren't watching in 2016 nor even skipping through the G&S archives, as I did as a new CR fan. I think they're absolutely out of their depth, and most of them don't even realize it.

#answered #Anonymous #long post #cr tag

[dilfhos]

PART ONE.

#!WHO; Sukuna the demon ft. GOJO.

#!CC: deadoves! no warning. MDNI. [read the tags on original knktbr fic. this is still dc.]

note: soo, ive been craddlin’ this baby since 2019, only recently deciding to add Sukuna and Gojo. very begrudgingly posting it here, however i will not be updating if this flops. ik how tumblr is with long fics/series—unfair. so if you’re interested lmk or else you can read on my ao3 !!

You arrive at the old Kaisen house, adoring the scene. The demon sets his sights on you.

WC. 3.8k+

[I.] [II] [III.] | KINKTOBER ‘23 | plz reblog if you enjoyed, id love to reach an audience!

“We’re here,” Your eyes fluttered open, the sun rays spilling into your vision as you stirred awake. Beside you was your best-friend, Gojo Satoru, sitting back, his hand tugging at the hem of his damp shirt. You looked over at him then forward through the front window, met with an old gate. Behind it was the house, large in stature and almost intimidating as it stood in front of the afternoon sun, casting long shadows along the lawn.

“Looks like the gate is—”

“I got it!” You interrupted eagerly, unbuckling your seatbelt and leaping out the car. You made your way towards the gate, unlatching the metal and pushing it open. You then stood, admiring the house further.

It was a beautiful old giant, its Victorian style exterior being the highlight of it all. You glanced around you, noticing how the rest of the street seemed almost separated from your patchy plot of land. As if the neighboring houses were trying to get away. Segregated from the quaint smaller houses filled with decored and neat lawns, was your new home.

You made a motion towards the car, prompting Satoru to reach and grab the bag that held your prized item. You took your camera and eagerly paced back and forth near the entrance until you found a good spot to take a photo.

Yeah, there would be plenty of pictures in the future. The house was even more beautiful through the lens as you snapped a couple. In front of the house to the left was a large tree, nearly scarce of green leaves as it added more touch of age to the scene.

“How long are you going to be out there?” Satoru called, an arm draped over the open window. You could hear a tinge impatience in his tone but you didn’t move yet.

“Sorry! I’m coming!”

He sighed, leaning his head back against the headrest, fingers strumming against the wheel. A thin coat of sweat beaded along his skin, slicking his white locks down against his forehead.

This house really gave him the creeps. He understood you wanted to get away from everything but he didn’t think it would go this way.

A couple months ago, he had visited you in the city and was surprised by the fact that you were wanting to move out. Not just out of the apartment but out of the entire area. You told him you wanted a change in pace, in scenery. To quit your current job for the time being and just be at peace. He honestly thought you were out of your mind but after coming to terms with how that life was treating you, he supported the decision. He was your best friend, he would always support your decisions, even the…bold ones.

His eyes scanned the surroundings.

This part of town was quietly tucked in the country and had plenty of beautiful places to photograph and “run through fields” as he put it. Given the little population and even fewer vacancies, there weren't any options to live except for the old manor a little bit on the edge of town.

Being protective, Satoru didn’t waste time in Shadowvale’s research and made privy to the stories but he didn’t believe them. It was just a silly ghost legend made up by the oldheads to spook outsiders and the younger generations. But it didn’t stop him from telling you about them.

Being much like your friend to find the story silly, you laughed it off, ecstatic that you would finally be moving. And he wasn’t that far of a drive from you so he supposed it was fine.

Satoru watched as you finally circled back to the passenger side, eyes down on the camera screen. You got in, sighing at the gust of cool air. The car began moving again as it crept forward past the gate and along the dirt path that led up to the large house.

“Get any good shots?”

“Yes! It’s more beautiful through the lens than in person. And the way the light was hitting it…” Satoru smiled as he listened to you excitedly fill him in as if he could understand a half of what you were talking about.

. . .

“What is in here? ” Satoro croaked, nearly collapsing on the porch. He had one of your boxes in his arms, stumbling toward the door. Following close behind him was you with another box. You rested a foot upon the first step of the porch, ignoring the stressed creak it brought.

“Just clothes?” You honestly didn’t know. It could have been anything really and as far as you knew, it wasn’t even heavy. He probably just wanted something to complain about.

“They feel like bowling balls,” He sat the box down in the foyer, swiping at sweat that began to bead down his temple. You rolled your eyes as you followed behind him placing the box on top.

The sky was beginning to darken, more clouds obscuring the afternoon sky. Shadows seemed to appear in the dimness, warping spindly shapes across the lawn. The thicker clouds that seemed to come out of nowhere loomed over the countryside with promises of rain in the night.

You shivered, arms pricking in goosebumps as you crossed the threshold, placing down another box. It seemed so cold all of a sudden, a stark contrast to how it was nearly an hour ago when your clothes were practically melting against your skin. You jumped when you felt a firm hand grip your shoulder.

“Woah, jumpy already?” Satoru grinned, pinching your cheek. “If you’re gonna chicken out, tell me now so I won’t have to load the rest.”

“You’re just trying to get out of work, Gojo,” You playfully shoved his arm and made your way back to the car. The only thing that remained was your television, propped up at an odd angle because of its large size. The trek to the house was awkward with the screen nearly bigger than you, but you made it, sitting the appliance against the wall of the foyer.

At least the chill was gone, after having broken another sweat. You watched from the doorway as Satoru closed all of the doors. Once more, your eyes ventured up towards the sky, another shiver running down your spine.

“You okay?” He questioned, making his way towards the door. You nodded, stepping back to allow him inside before closing the door.

Sukuna’s canines were made visible as his malicious grin widened, stretching inhumanly against his face. Raven spikes jutted out every which way, a part only tamed enough to fall before his striking crimson eyes as he looked over the railing of the staircase. He ran a clawed finger teasingly over the wood, always touching but never feeling.

The demon licked his lips slowly, his intense gaze catching you and the way you ran your hands along your arms in the foyer. His claws began to strum lightly against the wood as he continued to watch you with focus.

You walked further into the house, in awe at how spacious the interior was. To your right was a winding staircase, leading up to what looked to be a balcony. Unaware of the demonic presence, your eyes linger in the place he stood before moving on to your left.

The foyer spilled into a wide den, already furnished with a couch and a couple love chairs covered in plastic. The plastic crinkled under your touch as your fingertips ran along the surface of the couch, seeking out small holes and other old looking stains.

Everything had an antiquated touch to it and you wondered how long the house had been standing, abandoned by its previous owners.

Your eyes wandered to the fireplace on the far end of the living room. The entrance was gated with a rusting metal. You squatted down, fingers running along the rough bricks. Frowning at the dust that gathered on your skin, you straightened, rubbing your hands against your jeans.

From the balcony, the demon had the perfect view of you. So curious, eyes darting around only to pause and inspect something of little significance just for you to do it all again. He watched as you made a circle around the den, studying everything your greedy eyes took in as if the sight were new.

“Gojo?” You called, making your way back towards the boxes.

Was that what the other one was called? Frankly, he couldn’t bother to care as he’d already signed off on him. He’d make a decent meal though.

“Yeah!” Satoru responded from the kitchen. You peered in that direction for a few seconds waiting for him to emerge. Rolling your eyes, your attention returned to the box you were squatted in front of.

“Don’t go running off. You still have to help me,” You whined, hands rummaging through the cardboard. Empty handed, you flipped over the flaps to a nearby box, doing the same thing.

“This sink doesn’t work! It's like… stuck or something,”

“Just leave it before you break it more. I’ll call someone tomorrow.” You shouted, standing up. You sighed, stretching as your little fingers wiggled upwards. Sukuna watched unmoving as you stretched, eyeing a brief sight of your tummy.

Those were a lot of boxes. Not the occasional suitcase or makeshift plastic bags he usually saw with squatters.

So you were moving in. He chuckled darkly.

He actually couldn’t determine if you were stubborn or just plain stupid. You probably thought that nothing existed beyond your little mortal realm, that no outworldly dangers could harm you.

The small chuckle developed into a much throatier laugh, the noise disappearing into nothing. He was about to disappear before his attention snapped back towards you, his hands gripping the peeling wood of the banister almost painfully as he leant over the bar.

You had gasped, his ears picking up on the familiarity of sound, quickly identifying it as surprise. Fear? Sukuna watched in intrigue as your eyes darted around for the source, only briefly ghosting over the place he stood. He remained frozen, holding his breath as you looked right through him.

You could’ve sworn you heard laughter. The floorboards creaked beneath your feet as you walked around, trying to strain your ear for whatever you heard.

“Toru?” Maybe he was on the phone or something.

Unfortunately for you, that second was all it took for the demon to be immediately interested in you.

For decades, he remained rooted to this cursed plot after his grisly death with the inability to be seen, felt, and most definitely heard. He only controlled the physical realm which made for a lot of entertaining nights for whoever dared to trespass. Not to mention he was granted his demonic familiars. They had no intelligence but it kept him company, he supposed. Less lonely being evil if he’s surrounded by the very essence.

But something about that little gasp as if you heard something illogical... It made him lick his lips, something dark and enticing settling into the pit of his stomach. His mind was racing with new fun and exciting things he wanted to do with this information.

Satoru finally emerged from the kitchen, his shirt spotted in darkness, hair dripping in water. You took one look at his disgruntled form and bursted out laughing, immediately forgetting about the noise you heard.

“Its funny that your new sink is janked up?”

“Janked up?” His seriousness only made it funnier. He sucked his teeth and made his way towards the boxes, hastily searching for a towel.

“What were you...even doing...in there?” You said in between giggles. He only ignored you as you wiped away the wetness that gathered in your eyes.

“Are you done?” He deadpanned. You nodded with a smile. He only scoffed before he started to bring out contents from one of the boxes. You then took your place next to him, sorting through the items.

“Hey, what was funny earlier?” You cut through the silence.

“What do you mean?” He crinkled his forehead.

“You were laughing at something. Did Suguru send a dumb meme or something?” You giggled. Your face only fell at his response.

“I wasn’t laughing and I haven’t spoken to him since last Tuesday.”

Little words were exchanged as he helped you unpack. He was probably still upset. After a while, you grew bored and wanted to venture around. Even though you’d already seen the house on the tour, you were itching to do something. Standing up, you brushed off your hands, attention venturing to the staircase balcony.

“Hey, I’m gonna go check out the rooms upstairs,” A simple grunt was made as Satoru looked towards you.

“I’m not getting paid to do this!” He shouted as you began your trek. You smiled, calling back, “The unwavering devotion to the best friend in the entire world should be enough to start right?”

Upon going up, you felt a weird chill and found yourself turning towards the wall. You paused midway, eyeing the surface where you saw what was assumed to be a large painting or portrait.

You couldn’t really tell with the dingy cloth that covered it. Your fingers itched to tear away the cloth to reveal what was underneath but you didn’t. This was just one of the many things left behind by the last owners and you felt if you did, it'd somehow be disrespectful. You should call the realtor to inquire about possibly having some of the stuff taken out of the house.

“Hey, I’m going to step out for a bit, I need some air,” Satoru called from the doorway, suddenly feeling nauseous. You leaned over the wooden balcony, amazed at how high you were. After waving him off, he walked out, the door creaking shut behind him and you turned, facing the hallway.

The way you stood there was kind of enticing, especially with the way your eyes darted around with that same greedy look he noticed before. But something else was mixed with it, Sukuna noticed.

Unease.

He could sense it in the way you tensely rocked on the balls of your feet, looking between the few rooms that lined the dark hallway. Sukuna stood at the very end on the hall, leaning against the peeling door with arms crossed, watching for your next move. He really wanted you to walk his way so he could get a taste of that nerve-racked aura but much to his dissatisfaction, you chose the first room on the left.

It was fine, he could be patient. He only had the rest of his eternal death.

With a menacing grin, his form shivered, bending into the light until he was gone.

. . .

Even though you’d seen the rooms on the tour, viewing them again took your breath away once more in how spacious it was. Every part of the house exuded mystery and refinement. The bathrooms had surprised you the most; one being nearly as big as the bedroom, having room for a large claw-footed bathtub, a shower, plus two sinks. Giving one last look, you decided that it did pair nicely with the room attached. As expected, the large king-sized bed was still there, neatly made. Deciding to exit out the bedroom, you made your way toward the door.

“What the…” You tried the knob, jerking the brass but it was stuck. You tried once more, taking the handle between both hands and jiggling it as hard as you could.

You could see the wooden door moving against the frame but it wouldn’t open. This didn't happen on the tour. You stepped back, deciding to go through the other way but stopped in the middle of the bathroom, an eyebrow lifted in confusion.

Did you close the door behind you?

It was shut just like the other. No...you didn’t think you did. You moved towards the door turning the handle.

It was stuck too.

“Gojo?” You called, gripping the doorknob. Was he messing with you? You pulled and pushed with more force now, pacing to the other door to be met with the same result. Your stomach churned thickly as your skin began to prickle with heat.

“Gojo, open the door! This isn’t funny!” You called slapping your palm against the wood. You were beginning to grow frantic until finally, the door gave way.

Stumbling forward, you immediately gag at the sour odor that hit your nose. It smelled rotten and it caused you to cover your face with your arm.

But the odor was immediately forgotten when your eyes settled on the sight of the last room. You moved to the large rectangular window across the way, the sides framed by flowing curtains. It ran from the edge of the ceiling, stopping just above the hardwood floors.

The view outside was just as breathtaking as the first time, spreading over the fields of the rural side. You could see some houses peppering the golden hills of early autumn land.

“Wow,” You whispered, moving around the room. There was a queen-sized bed on one side, neatly made in a similar fashion as the one in the other room. Against the other wall was a desk.

You fell back onto the bed, breathing in deeply despite the rank smell. You loved it, everything from the antiquated vibes to even the apparently faulty doors.

You felt really at home, a feeling you haven’t had since your life in the city. You laid there, basking in the final fleeting heat rays of the setting sun until you suddenly tensed, eyes snapping open. Hairs stood up on your skin, making you shiver slightly.

That same chill.

Sitting up, your eyes scanned the empty bedroom. The shadows shifted in the corner, tricking your peripheral into moving your full attention in the area. Getting up, you moved over to the opposite side, running your fingertips along the smooth walls. It was just a simple corner, void of that special something. That something that you decided you were definitely going to set up as your photography corner. You smiled, trying to think of that instead of the foreboding unease that just wouldn’t leave you alone.

From behind you, Sukuna stood close, clawed hands reaching out to trace the outline of the nervous aura that you emitted despite your exterior calmness. When he brushed your neck, you jumped, whipping around, eyes wide.

Nothing.

But it was most definitely something, you rubbed the back of your neck, eyes darting around until you decided it was just a draft. Your walk toward the door was brisk though and if he'd known better, it almost seemed like you were in a hurry, as if you couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

The door creaked shut behind you.

. . .

“Have fun exploring?” Satoru asked as you bounded down the stairs, not even looking up from his phone. He decided not to tell you about the sudden sickness that overpowered him earlier instead deciding your bliss was something he didn’t want to ruin.

You nodded, expressing your excitement for the way you were going to set up your hobby station. You looked on the coffee table to see a box labeled Photography, in his sloppy scribble. Satoru looked up, catching your gaze.

“Before I go, I wanna get a picture of us,” When you raised a brow, he smiled before continuing.

“In your new pad. It’d be the first picture you take since the city and y’know, since I did most of the grunt work its the least I’m owed. Besides, by the time you get settled in, there’ll be photos scattered everywhere by next week,” You both laughed.

“Sure thing Toru,”

Another hour had passed after some coaxing to help you actually settle in. Satoru helped you place them where they belonged. Bags of cutlery, pots, pans and other kitchen ware were all sat upon the glass table in the dining room. You forgot how beautiful this area was, spacious and home-y for meal nights, which you were looking forward to. It was separated by an island, the other side made as a kitchen.

Your photography stuff and your clothing were taken upstairs to the room where it was placed on the desk.

“Isn’t this room amazing?” You beamed, arms spread wide as you stood in the center. Satoru stood in the doorway, looking everything but impressed. Something about the space bothered him, yet he couldn’t determine why. For you though, he smiled genuinely.

“Yeah, I think it it was made just for you,”

By the time you were done, exhaustion was heavy on you both. By now, the promised photo was long forgotten and you were on your porch, clinging onto your best friend in a tight embrace.

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay?” He smiled, shaking his head as he once more expressed how early he had to be up for work. It was lucky he was in only the next town over, but it didn’t ease the lonely pit in your stomach as you watched him get into his car.

As Satoru drove away, his eyes glanced in the rearview mirror, watching as you waved him off. His attention wasn’t on you though, but on the looming presence of the house seeming to swallow your body.

DILFOS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE OR REUPLOAD MY CONTENT CURRENT OR ARCHIVAL.

#sukuna x reader #sukuna ryoumen x reader #gojo satoru #jjk x reader #ryomen x reader #ryomen sukuna #sukuna ryomen #jujutsu kaisen #jjk #sukuna ryoumen smut #sukuna ryoumen x you #satoru gojo x reader #kinktober23 #multi fic #[ output—☆ ] #[ deadoves— ☆]

[kakuma-queer]

Hello world, reaching to everyone as one of the queer refugees from Kenya Kakuma refugees camp. Life has never been good since we came to the camp years ago in 2019 ,2020 and 2021. Although life is hard, LGBTIQA refugees have continuously joined us in the camp in the latest years leading to a larger number of lgbtiqa refugees in Kenya.

The camp has over 200,000 total number of refugees with just about 1300 lgbtiqa+ refugees. Its just a smaller ratio of lgbtiqa regugees facing persevution from the bigger number of other refugees.

Most of us have fled from Uganda where things turned out to be hard on queer people including death and imprisonment of lgbtiqa people. I call upon everyone tk help and support the the fellow queer people surbive through this trauma. You can’t imagine we have lost friends through death due to homophobia. One of us who was killed badly by setting fire on them did noy live for a month later. When we rushed them to hospital, doctors knew was trans and so devided to delay him and later died. We please need everyone to help. Even contacting UNHCR can help.

Look we have a youtube channel for more information and links like petitions and fundraiser are attached to our youtube channel

Our fundraising campaign, help and donate if you can, if you can't please share, we are currently looking forward to constructing an iron sheet fence as it will improve our safety.

As the leadership team for our group, we estimated it to take $1200. We also love to install a solar system that will cost us $700, will include solar panel, battery, inverter, lights and extensions. Where we shall be able to charge our phones from our premises and also have security lights to avoid attacks at night. and avoid unnecessary movements that also put us at risk of attacks. Please help and support us so that we can improve our safety. With the iron sheet fence we shall reduce on the risks of attacking us by homophobes especially when we are sleeping. I please call upon your support as we shall account for all the money donated to us. Thanks

It takes a good and kind heart to help, you will always stick on our hearts yiu people that make us feel we sre loved and cared about. Sustaining ourselves has failed us. We would prefer having jobs however no one can give a job to a demon like how the call us to be.

Hospital treatment in the government and UNHCR hospitals is hard because of homophobia and delays on LGBT people. For the love and support of one another, we love you.

#lgbt pride #asian lgbtq dramas #lgbtqa #lgbt #lgbt art #gaystagram #gay pride #queer community #queer #queer history #biseuxal #asexual #queer spaces #lesibian #mtf trans #transmasc #trans rights #transgender #lgbt rights

[abeautylives]

Maybe One More Day

a/n: This was a little Beach Josh scenario I had cooked up and it got wildly out of control. Oops.

This is set in the summer of 2019, refer to the picture (no seriously, refer to the picture)

pairing: Joshxfemale!reader

word count: just under 5k

summary: Josh has been your best friend for years, and a short beach vacation with the group is about to take a turn.

warnings: 18+ minors stay far away, language, some friendly fluff, allusions to sexual situations, graphic sexual content, unprotected penetrative sex, some pining? unrequited… ya know what, just read it

update: read part 2 here

You bury your toes into the sand as the late afternoon sun beats down on them, the only part of your body not currently shaded by the beach umbrella planted between your chair and Jita’s. Jake's girlfriend is stretched out beside you, curves on perfect display and Sam’s girlfriend is to her right, looking quite like the model that she is. You always find yourself here, rounding out the group to make it an even number, though you’re not anyone’s girlfriend.

Smiling to yourself, you watch as Sam and Jake pass a soccer ball back and forth over the dips and mounds that make up the shoreline, and laugh with the other girls when Jake rounds off a kick that has Sam diving, landing face first in the sand.

In front of you, laying stomach down across a beach towel that’s longer than he is tall, is Josh.

Josh. How would you describe Josh?

Small, quirky, adorable. Probably one of your best friends.

You’ve known the guys for what feels like forever now but it’s closer to almost four years, since you all were practically still kids. Shit, Sam and Danny were actually kids. Growing close with the twins had been easy, and watching them flourish into men and talented musicians has been a pleasure. You feel pretty fortunate that they’ve let you tag along on their journey, which has included meeting girlfriends, and subsequently never talking to them again when they became ex-girlfriends. The group you have now though feels solid, the girls are fun… but you’ll always kind of be one of the guys.

Toes wiggling, sand shifting around and between them, you look down to watch your pastel toenails peek through the surface. Periwinkle. You’d asked his opinion and Josh had chosen the color because he liked the word, then he’d insisted you let him paint them during “film night” the night before you all had left for the beach house.

Lifting your gaze to him, you find him propped up on his elbows, also watching the purpley-blue polish poke through the granules. Never one to miss an opportunity, you kick that same foot out, spraying sand over the top corner of his towel and jerking him violently out of his trance.

“What the hell Y/N!”

“Oops, sorrryyy Joshua!” You’re giggling at him as you pull your foot back and into the shade. “How are you not frying right now? You probably need more sunscreen, your face is red.”

A pink tint is spread over his cheeks and across the bridge of his nose, but he swears to you that he just put some on twenty minutes ago. “Can you do my back though?”

With a dramatic sigh and not without making a spectacle out of lifting yourself from your chair, you grab the sunscreen from your bag and walk to stand over him, your shadow stretching across his body. “You gonna stand up?”

“Just come down here, straddle my butt.”

“Absolutely not,” you feign offense.

“You’re absolutely no fun, my dear,” he jests as he pops up into a crouch then stands, lifting his arms to stretch out the stiffness from leaning on his elbows for too long. You avert your eyes from watching the way his skin moves over his torso as he brings his arms back down and turns his back to you. The sunscreen is rubbed into his warm skin as quickly as possible before you ask him to do yours in return.

When your back is facing him and your hair is gathered and pulled over your shoulder, he squirts it directly onto you from the tube.

“Shit it’s cold!” You jump but he keeps you close with his hands on your shoulders before he starts to rub the lotion in.

He only chuckles at your discomfort, “Sorry princess.” He knows you hate when they call you that. The twins both do it, to get on your nerves, because you’re the exact opposite of a princess. You’ve always held your own, especially with two teenage boys having become your closest friends years ago.

Josh knows that you hate it even more right now, with his hands rubbing firm circles into your skin, his fingers tucked under the straps of your bikini top in front of all of your friends, his family. He moves his hands lower, below the band of your top, to rub the remaining sunscreen into your lower back. The tips of his fingers dip under the top edge of your bikini bottoms and they linger there for just a beat too long before you’re scolding him quietly over your shoulder.

“Josh. That’s enough.”

He drops his hands from you completely and you turn your face back to assess the group’s reactions, but none of them are looking at you. Jake and Sam have laid out on their own towels, Jita is reading and Joy looks like she may have fallen asleep under her umbrella.

“Hey, I’m sorry… Do you wanna go walk down the beach? Would be a shame to waste this fresh sunscreen, let’s find some seashells.” He offers the olive branch with innocence in his voice as you turn back to face him. The look on his face is sheepish, you think to yourself that he looks so boyish, young and guiltless. His curls are grown out and a little wild from the salty breeze and seawater you’ve been living in for the last three days. His skin is glowing, tanned from the sun. How could I say no?

“Yeah, let’s do it. I need more sunscreen though.”

“Want some help?” His smile is full of mischief, his top row of teeth on full display with his bottom lip tucked beneath them, his eyebrows raised suggestively.

“Shut up dummy,” you're smiling with him, laughing at his quip, which is exactly what he wanted. After you feel sufficiently protected from the sun's rays, you call out to the rest of the group. “We’re going for a walk! Anyone wanna join?” You’re met with mumbles and murmurs, an overall “no, go ahead”.

Josh walks ahead of you toward the water and lets the break of the small but steady waves wash over his feet when he reaches it. You stand by his side and do the same when you reach him.

“It’s calm today.”

“It’s perfect. The waves kinda kicked my ass yesterday,” you both snicker a little, remembering Josh getting tossed by one particularly rogue wave that had scooped him off his feet. He hadn’t been able to touch the bottom when he resurfaced. “Let’s walk?”

Nodding your head in agreement, you head south down the beach. Stopping every once in a while to examine a shell, you deem the majority of them unworthy of keeping and move along, chatting easily with each other. You know one another well and conversation has always been comfortable. You pause suddenly, bending down to take a look at a shell that you think has potential and picking it up to show Josh. He disagrees, thinks that the perfect shell is still waiting for you further up the shore. As you agree with him and toss it into the break, you look past him to gauge how far you’ve walked. He glances back to evaluate the distance as well, then turns back to you with a grin. He moves to keep walking and as you fall in step with him, you brush his knuckles with your own. Before your arm can swing forward he grasps your hand, intertwines your fingers, and brings them up to his lips.

After placing a kiss to the back of your hand, he keeps it against his mouth and says, “Thanks for taking a walk with me babe.”

“Of course,” you turn and flash him a beaming smile as you keep strolling, linked together by your joined hands, you think that all of these strangers must assume you’re a couple.

“It’s been difficult to get you alone in that house. Someone is always around, next time we should go somewhere, just the two of us.”

It sounds nice, lovely even, but, “That would seem awfully suspicious, don’t you think?”

“I guess, but… Y/N why don’t we just tell them?”

You and Josh have been sleeping together for maybe six months, no, probably eight by now. It’s been extremely fun, and sneaky, and as far as you can tell it hasn’t changed your friendship at all. That’s all you are, good friends who sometimes see each other naked now.

When you don’t respond, he continues, “I don’t think they would care. And it’s been killing me, you’re walking around in that scrap of fabric you call a swimsuit and I’ve only gotten to take it off of you once, the whole time we’ve been here.” He tugs you closer by your hand and slips his from yours to wrap an arm around your waist. His skin against yours has you feeling hot and you know it’s not from the sun.

“Yeah, but that time was good,” you’re laughing as you think back to two nights ago. Everyone was exhausted from traveling here and hauling their stuff inside, then instantly heading to the beach and spending the whole day in the sun and water. You’d all had the time of your lives, then settled in on the back deck that night, lit only by the ambient light coming from inside the house. You, Joy, Jita and Sam had gotten comfortable in the hot tub while Jake had perched himself onto one of the huge Adirondack chairs, smoked a couple cigarettes and played his acoustic. Josh had joined him and sipped his drink, uncharacteristically quiet.

Two by two, the others had claimed overwhelming tiredness and slipped off to shower and claim their respective shared beds, leaving you and Josh alone in relative silence. The sound of the waves hitting the beach in the darkness had been your only background music. You’d left the hot tub when everyone else did and stood leaning over the railing of the deck, sipping your own drink and watching the moonlight ripple over the ocean.

When Josh had slid up behind you, caging you in with his arms on either side of your body and gripping the bannister beside your own hands, it hadn’t been a surprise. When he’d pressed himself into you with his face nuzzling into your hair until he could reach the bare skin of your shoulder, kissed you there, you hadn’t been shocked. When you could feel him, hard and needy and already rocking his hips against the swell of your ass, you had wanted him too.

He took you there just like that, outside in the moonlight, under the cover of dark and hush of secrecy after sliding the bottoms of your bikini down your legs and slipping himself between them.

“Hmm it was good, it’s better in your bed though. Or on your couch. Or in your shower. Or-“

“I get it!” You reach across yourself to swat a hand at his chest, which he grabs and holds there for just a moment before releasing it. He has you laughing as usual, as he always has even before you’d ventured into this new part of your friendship.

“I’m just saying, they probably wouldn’t care. And if they knew… I could fuck you in a bed later.” He’s dropped the volume of his voice as if anyone around could hear him over the sounds of the water, the atmospheric music from various spots on the beach, the kids playing and digging holes in the sand.

“I’m just not ready yet. I like that it’s just us, it’s just ours. I dunno…” You’re chewing your bottom lip in contemplation. “Let’s give it one more day maybe?”

“Sure, princess. Whatever you want.” He says it affectionately, no sign of disappointment in his tone. “Wanna go swimming? It’s so fucking hot out here.”

You agree easily, you’re sticky and sweating and figure you’ll be heading back to the house once you get back to the others.

Wading into the water, now hand in hand again, you walk out until the small waves are lapping against the bottom of your rib cage.

“C’mere, I need a kiss.” He’s already tugging you to him, lifting you effortlessly in the water and wrapping your legs around his waist. He drops you both down so you’re submerged up to your shoulders.

“Josh, there’s people all over the beach!” You resist but in truth, the beach is starting to clear as the sun begins its descent, your arms are draping themselves over his sun kissed shoulders.

Faces already so close to each other that you can see every freckle that the sun has coaxed from his usually near flawless skin, he says, “They don’t know us, they’re not even looking. Kiss me…”

And you oblige, hardly needing to move closer before your lips are slotted together. His skin is salty from sweat and his earlier dip in the sea and you can taste it on his lips, you open yours and slide just the tip of your tongue over the fullness of his bottom one. A quiet sound akin to a growl rumbles in his throat before his own tongue slips against yours and he deepens the kiss. With his bare chest moving against yours, barely covered by the scrap of fabric you call a swimsuit, floating in the ebbing water you forget for a moment that this is supposed to be a secret. It feels good to be kissing him in the open for once.

The lower halves of your bodies are pressed tight together and you can feel his dick getting hard in his swim trunks.

“Josh…” you break away but stay very close.

“Y/N…” he mimicks. “I could fuck you right here, in front of all these people and they wouldn’t even know. Still our secret.” He presses another quick kiss to the corner of your mouth.

“Absolutely not, water sex isn’t even that good anyway and I’m definitely not having ocean water shot up my-“

He cuts you off with his lips, giggling against them.

“You’re vulgar. Fine, but if I don’t get inside you at some point tonight, my vacation is ruined.” With that, he releases the grip he had on your ass, grabs your waist and pulls you below the surface with him.

You’re sputtering and spitting water when you come back up, but you watch as he emerges casually, eyes closed as he runs his hands back over his hair, pushing all of it away from his face. Maybe he’s onto something. He looks beautiful like this, totally in his element in every version of nature, and you’re not sure when exactly you started to see him that way.

He’d made the first move that pushed you toward the place you find yourself now. It had been a night of celebration, the guys had just found out their album had been nominated for a Grammy and regardless of their nonchalance about it, excitement had been high and drinks were being handed out and passed around their parents’ home. Out on the back porch, he’d watched Jake go back inside after the three of you had smoked, you and Josh having shared a cigarette. Once the door was closed, he’d offered you the last hit and then taken it when you declined. Very focused on where he was stubbing the butt out on the wooden railing, he asked you simply, “Hey Y/N… you ever hooked up with a rockstar?”

It was a joke, but it had taken little effort to transition it into a serious proposition. Your curiosity had gotten the best of you and combined with the affection you’d always felt for him, you’d let him kiss you there in the cold. Then you’d let him sneak you back inside, past the slightly inebriated members of his family, and up into his bedroom. It was there that he truly surprised you with talented fingers and a skilled tongue, and an honestly perfect cock. Beautiful, even. You should’ve known, based on the rest of him. I guess that was when I started to see him that way.

“Ready to head back?” He’s watching you watch him, you think he can probably read exactly where your thoughts have wandered off to.

Leaving the water, you ring as much of it out of your hair as you can and comb it out with your fingers as you walk before reaching down to hold Josh’s hand in yours again. You spend most of the journey back in comfortable silence, each thinking about the other in only slightly different ways. You’re trying to figure out how you can get him in your bed later; he’s wondering if you’ll give in and let him tell the others about your little situation, so he doesn’t have to sneak into your bed later.

You’ve almost reached the part of the beach where the rest of your group is camped out before you realize you’re still holding hands. Snatching yours out of his more abruptly than you intend to, you quickly meet his eyes. “Josh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-“

He cuts off your apology with a shake of his head, a gentle smile gracing his lips. “It’s fine, princess.” He’s not upset and you’re not embarrassed. You’re just not… ready.

You reach the others as they’ve started to pack up, the sun dipping farther to the west quickly.

“Jesus, I thought you guys got kidnapped, or eaten by a shark. I was hoping it was the shark,” Sam offers up his speculation on why you’ve been gone so long. “Help us grab this shit, I’m starving.”

Once you’ve made it back to the house you each take turns rinsing off in the outdoor shower, the couples hopping in as pairs to save time. When they’re done, Josh lets you go in before him as the others migrate indoors to start prepping dinner. From outside the wooden shower stall, Josh speaks so quietly you can barely hear him over the sound of the water hitting the concrete at your feet.

“Can I rinse off with you? No one’s out here. They probably wouldn’t even think it’s weird anyway…”

You pop your head out from behind the plastic curtain to find him leaned against the stall and he raises his head up immediately. The look on your face is one he appreciates, you look like you’re up to no good. A hand shoots out to grab the front of his swim trunks, fingers instantly tucking into the waist and pulling him past the curtain and into the stall, your mouth seeks his out as you pull your bodies under the stream of tepid water. He’s kissing you without question, never passing up an opportunity to have his lips, tongue or teeth on you.

Pulling away, breathless, your hands are already moving to untie his trunks.

“Whoa whoa, out here? They’re waiting on us ohh fuck.” He cuts his concerns short when your hand, now down the front of his shorts, grips his half-hard dick. You give it a few strokes, you need him all the way there.

“You better make it quick then, huh Josh?” You murmur into his ear.

It’s not his favorite way to do things, but you’re persuasive. “Ah, heh, yeah okay,” he stammers out as you continue to work him with firm strokes, now fully hard against your palm. “There’s- shit, we don’t have enough time for me to get you off.”

“Don’t care, later, fuck me or get out.” It’s the last thing you’d want, for him to leave now. You know he won’t. His hands are at your hips instantly, pushing you back against the wood and untying the strings that hold your bikini bottoms together, letting them fall to the ground; you’re pushing his shorts down his body just enough to allow his cock to spring free.

“Let me touch you first, make you feel good.”

“I’m ready, c’mon-“

“Shut up, Jesus okay.” Reaching down he cups you with his hand anyway, before sliding his first two fingers through your lips and finding that you’re correct. His eyes shoot up from watching his own hand, to your face.

Your eyebrow quirks up, a smirk on your face. “I told you. Let’s do this, hurry up.”

He slips his fingers through you one more time before rubbing the slickness of your arousal over the head of his now throbbing dick. “Okay come here,” he reaches down again, this time to grip the back of your thigh and lift your leg to wrap around his hip. His other hand has found the side of your neck where it slips back into your hair and holds tight. Forehead pressed against yours, you’re both looking down, watching as he steps forward just a bit and moves his hips in toward you. One of your hands is on his shoulder and you slide it up to tangle your fingers into his curls, the same way he’s done to yours. Your other hand moves down between your bodies to grip him again, guide the tip through your wetness once and line him up with you.

He pushes his hips into you again, his cock sliding easily past your entrance and bottoming out with a thrust and a quiet grunt let out through his nose. He wishes he could savor the moment like he usually does but you’ve already demanded urgency from him, so as you both continue to watch where your bodies are connected, he begins pumping into you rapidly.

“Just like that, don’t stop,” you’d been a little desperate to have him inside you since your moment in the ocean, the feeling is electric enough to hold you over until you can get him alone again. “It’s so good, fuuuck!”

He pulls his hand from your hair and slaps it across your mouth. Your praise has only encouraged him to go harder, faster, but you’re too loud. “Wish I could do better but you’re fucking rushing me,” he spits out but doesn’t break his rhythm. He’s already close, wishing he had the freedom to hear all the pretty sounds he’s used to drawing from you. “Tell me where you want me, where do you want me to cum? Quietly,” his tone has your eyes meeting his and you nod your head in understanding so he removes his hand from your face then shoves it back into your hair.

“Inside,” you whisper, out of breath.

“God you’re perfect,” he grunts out and thrusts hard, only a few more times before he’s spilling deep inside you, his hips pushed flush against yours and his head dropped to your shoulder.

“Mm I know I am,” you joke, slipping your hand down from his hair and running it down his spine, causing him to shiver under your touch. With a soft tap to his butt before dropping your leg from his hip you add, “you’re not so bad yourself.”

You're both laughing quietly, as always the tone is lighthearted, even when he’s easing himself from your cunt. It’s never that serious.

“Let’s get cleaned up handsome, I’m starving now too.”

“What the fuck is taking you guys so long to do anything today?” Jake is the first to call you out once you’re walking into the kitchen. Damn I really thought that was a quickie.

“My hair was disgusting from the saltwater, needed some extra tender loving care Jakey. You understand, I’m sure,” you’re brushing him off but you throw a wink Josh’s way. Otherwise occupied, Jake doesn’t see it.

“Sure princess, so what’s the annoying one’s excuse?”

You scoff in faux offense for your friend. “He is not annoying, he was being responsible enough to rinse the sand and saltwater off of all of your belongings!” Hoping that’s a decent enough cover, and also tiring of the discourse you leave it at that and ask the girls what you can help with after you change. Running up to your room for a clean t-shirt, you remove your bikini top and throw the shirt on, coming back to assist in just that and your bottoms. Everyone else’s state of dress or undress is pretty similar.

Dinner is casual, most of you eat sitting at the kitchen island while Sam opts to stand against the counter and eat from his plate while it’s still sitting in his hand. You all stay in position as the food disappears and the drinks begin flowing freely. You’re a few glasses into a bottle of red wine, various other bottles litter the island. More wine, clear liquors, dark liquors - everyone is sipping on their drink of choice. Conversation flows easily, usually multiple happening at once and currently you’re telling the girls a story about something or another from when you’d first met the guys. Having picked up on Josh’s dramatic flair over the years, your storytelling is animated and wild, earning genuine laughter from everyone.

Except Josh.

You hadn’t noticed that he didn’t return to his chair after slipping back into the room from a trip to the bathroom. Instead he’d moved through the kitchen and past the island altogether, taking a seat in a chair at the unused dining table. He’s turned the chair so he’s still within the sphere of the group but on the outskirts enough, behind you and slightly to your left, that he feels like an observer more so than an active participant. That’s what he wants, to observe you, watch you blend so flawlessly into his life - making his brothers laugh, making their partners feel included. He’s intrigued by your talent for storytelling, though some of the punchlines are at his expense. He’s in awe of your appearance - carefree and beautiful in his eyes, sun kissed skin and hair wavy from the salt and sea.

You hadn’t noticed him sitting back there, but someone had.

Jake is across the island from you, leaned against the kitchen counter an arm’s length or so from Sam. He’s been enthralled in your tale, though he’d lived the story in real time, but he notices Josh walk by and past the rest of you when he returns. He watches over your shoulder as his twin takes a seat at the table and doesn’t take his eyes off of your back. He catches it when you stand from your seat, reenacting something with your whole body, as Josh’s gaze lands on your still exposed legs and, Jake can only imagine, your ass cheeks peeking out from under your oversized shirt as you move.

Huh. Isn’t this an interesting development?

He’s missed what you said but everyone around the island laughs suddenly, so Jake uses this opening to excuse himself. “Hey Josh, join me for a smoke?”

Josh doesn’t respond, doesn’t even acknowledge that he’s heard his brother speak.

“Josh. Smoke?” Josh reacts this time, shaking out of his silent contemplation and standing to follow Jake out the door to the deck. You react too, Jake having raised his voice to get Josh’s attention. You watch them head outside and move down the deck, out of view before you pour yourself another glass and listen as Sam is now elaborating on something you’d said.

Outside, Jake offers his twin a cigarette and lights them both when he accepts, passing one to him. Josh is leaned back in an Adirondack while Jake posts up against the railing across from him, examining his face closely.

“What are you staring at?”

“Hm, I could’ve asked you the same, inside just now. What were you staring at?”

Josh’s face blanks, rid of any type of reaction, but it’s too late.

“What’s going on with you and Y/N?”

There’s panic rising to the surface, only because Josh knows you don’t want the rest of them to know about you guys. Yet. “What are you talking about Jake?”

“Don’t give me that shit, you’ve been staring at her like you want to eat her alive. It’s so obvious, I can’t believe I didn’t see it sooner. How long has this been-“

“Nothing is going on.”

“You’re fucking lying,” Jake’s not believing a word of it, he knows his brother better than he knows himself sometimes. “Are you fucking her, or do you just want to?”

“She’s my best friend-“

“Not what I asked. Also, irrelevant. So which is it?”

Josh looks away, past Jake, up at the moon. It’s not sitting in the same place in the sky as it had been when he’d been alone with you out here, too early in the night still.

“Well? Are you fucking her? How long?”

Josh drops his eyes back to his twin’s face, so similar to his own, and sighs. He’s not getting out of this, and he almost doesn’t want to. He can feel the relief within reach, at the tips of his fingers, the release that he’ll feel once the words leave his lips.

On a whisper almost so quiet that Jake doesn’t hear it, he lets it go.

“Eight months.”

“EIGHT MONTHS?” Jake whisper-yells, his eyes bulging out of his skull.

“Eight months, two weeks and three days.”

Oh. Ohhh.

They sit in silence for a few long moments.

“How long have you been in love with her?”

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. Idiot.

Josh leans forward in the chair, elbows on his knees and drops his head into his hands. He rubs them over his face a few times then back over his hair, curls flopping back over his forehead.

“A long fucking time, Jake.”

Part 2 🤍

#greta van fleet #gvf #josh kiskza #josh gvf #greta van fleet fic #greta van fleet fan fiction #greta van fleet smut #gvf fan fiction #gvf fanfiction #gvf smut #gvf fic #jake kiszka #jake gvf

[joesalw]

All of Taylor's albums were tailored to the most popular aesthetic at the time. She didn't make shit popular, she just adapted. Especially when she made the transition into pop music.

True. She's currently jumping fences with rep as well. Making it out to be a goth punk moment and using trendy words like 'female rage'. The album has the most romantic songs she's ever written. C'mon now. The whole record is electropop with some R&B elements thrown into the mix.

She portrays 'Lover' as her social justice warrior era. 'If I was a man, then I'd be the man'. Yeah, we've seen it Taylor. Miss 'me becoming a billionaire is good for the world because I'm a woman'. She makes herself out to be this 'feminist girl's girl' when in reality it couldn't be further from the truth. She's not a feminist and she doesn't want to be the woman that's advocating for women's rights and leads the path for the future generation of women. She wants to be the man at the top. Her motto is literally 'gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss, greenhouse gases'.

Another thing is her queer allyship. She's mentioned it when and only when it was profitable to her. During her tour she hadn't said a thing when the number of states signed anti-trans bills and the state of Tennessee where she says she lives *according to her own documentary* banned drag. I don't think she said anything about the anti-abortion legislation either. Her activist era started and ended in 2019.

Don't get me started on her position regarding the BLM movement. She only posted something because her own fans started calling her out and then declared that she's 'ferociously anti-racist'. She positioned herself as an advocate *by herself* and then immediately dipped when it stopped being as profitable. If you don't want to be dragged for your silence about social and political crises, don't proclaim yourself as an activist. Simple as that.

I've also seen the video on Youtube about TS being a narcissist (someone posted it on your blog earlier I think). And the guy in the video brought up her guitar teacher. So I looked him up and found an article where he talks about his experience with the Swifts which he got sued for later. According to the man, Taylor's mother was interested in him teaching her daughter how to play country music and was just a stage mom in general. And TS says that she'd been begging her parents to allow her learn how to play guitar and that she's self-taught. She wants her success story to be a rags to riches so bad I can't even.

She's a woman with an extremely fragile ego where millions of people could be praising her and a single negative comment would set her off. She can't handle any form of criticism, break ups or inconveniences like a grown woman simply because she doesn't have enough emotional intelligence to do so. Her being surrounded by yes men also doesn't help the situation. If i were her, I'd rather invest in a good therapist rather than 2 PJs. She drowns herself in work and relationships so she doesn't have time to go inwards and sit with her thoughts.

I kinda feel bad for her, honestly. She's been in the industry since she was 15 and her success was almost immediate. She doesn't know what the world's like because she's been sheltered her whole life and then had other people do things for her. I don't think she has many real friends as well. By real I mean people who aren't afraid to tell you the truth and are able to call you out in your face. Instead she has a bunch of people who appease her afraid of pissing her off and ending up on her bad side and as a result her vanity grows and she completely loses any sort of perspective whether in her friendships, romantic relationships or maybe even her own family.

I also wonder what she thinks about her fandom pirating her concert film instead of paying to rent it. I sort of hope that her fans are starting to wake up to her conning schemes. I mean, you've already made a shit ton of money from the theatre release, why charging 20$ more to RENT IT?Not even buy it. Or is it another narrative about how 'no one can own my work but me'?

This woman sells well but her cultural impact is almost nonexistent. She hadn't done any good for the world causes or inspired several generations of performers like Michael Jackson has with his philanthropic endeavors and incredible performing skills. The artists like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake (bleh) and The Weeknd were hugely influenced by MJ. These artist create their own unique legacy and impact on their communities. Especially the ladies. Gaga's been an avid LGBT+ advocate since the beginning of her career and created a foundation that focuses on issues like self-confidence, well-being, anti-bullying, mentoring and career development. She also participated in anti HIV and AIDS campaigns, spoke against immigration laws in the US, contributed to 2011's earthquake and tsunami relief campaign in Japan. Beyoncé's a huge advocate for the black community and black women especially which always finds its way in her work and visual art in particular. She's been platforming black culture and history for her whole career (2016 Superbowl and Coachella performance are the brightest examples of black american culture and releasing her Lion King album to showcase African artists' excellence). She also has a foundation where she provides black youth scholarships, clean water for communities abroad and housing to families in need in her home state.

What exactly makes Taylor Swift's cultural impact? Thousands of tons CO2 emissions? Music labels putting a clause in the contract so the artists can't re-record their material for 10 years now instead of 5? Making several versions of the same CD or vinyl so the sales are bigger? Mind you, that's all excessive plastic and paper. Some countries and US states are banning gas stoves. Her position regarding artists being paid during the early days of streaming (when the platforms were launching with a free period tial) was right but no one really benefited from it but her. She was shitting on Apple Music, then they offered her money, filmed an ad and released her 1989 Tour DVD exclusively on their platform. She shat on Spotify, then when LWYMMD came out, she was all over their biggest playlists all of a sudden and recorded Spotify Singles later on. Spotify's always promoted her every release like a motherfucker shoving her in every corner of the platform. Especially for the past 3 years. She doesn't have any memorable outfits or unique style to be called a fashion icon either. She's not a trailblazer she thinks she is. She is only popular because a lot of people *mostly ww* who peaked in high school see themselves in her. She's average in everything she does, her writing topes are also the same (only now she started using compound or uncommonly used words to mask it) but she's extremely commercially successful so that those people can see themselves in her. She doesn't have unique music style or chameleon-like discography like Gaga, Bey, MJ, Madonna, Shakira, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus or Nelly Furtado. She doesn't have a unique singing voice like Bjork, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, Janis Joplin, MJ or Bob Dylan. She's no instrument prodigy either. And swifties say that 'Michael couldn't play any instruments'. Well, he was an exceptional beatboxer. She can strum 4 guitar chords and play basic piano, that's it. She doesn't have an outstanding dancing and/or vocal skill.

What is she gonna be remembered for? Her numerous relationships with famous men? While that might be misogynistic or sexist to some degree, she's the one who makes her relationships the centre of her music and public persona and brings them up even 10 years after they ended. Her public feuds with men and women that she can't get over years after? This woman is certainly can hold a grudge and is extremely vindictive. The leader of a parasocial cult that blindly defends her bigotry? I believe so. I don't think I've ever seen a fandom as toxic and as hive-minded as swifties. And again, it's Taylor's own creation. She's the one that constantly says 'look closely for the easter eggs' in her content making her fans theorize on every aspect of her life, or 'if you're very loyal I might invite you to MY HOUSE and you can listen to the new album early, we'll take pics and I'll bake you some cookies'. Of course they'll follow your any order. I'm glad I escaped.

Oof, I'll stop here. That's a very long one already

sorry hehe

.

#anti taylor swift #anti swifties #swifties dni

[thatdogmagic]

Once upon a time, this was Sandra.

And thanks to having posted my way through her entire design process throughout 2020, I have pretty much all stages that lead from this, to her current incarnation.

...which is this:

I actually started drawing the first image around 2018-2019. This was at the height of my dry spell, art wise, wherein I was maybe churning out a sketch a month at most for several years.

As a result, my skills weren't quite up to the challenge I was making for myself: how to make a werewolf that is a) aesthetic, b) monstrous, c) still human without losing bestial qualities and, similarly, d) without just looking like Some Furry.

I kept trying, though, and in 2020, started work on an illustration that tracks an entire chunk of the design process.

I say 'started,' but in this case I mean 'continued.' The underlying sketch was one of the 'one a month' ones I mentioned before. It was also much more tuned to how I was picturing her in her WtA incarnation.

It took hours of struggling with her face and pose to even get it this far, and by the time I got to this point, I was well and truly frustrated. Worse, I still didn't like her design. I didn't hate it, mind, but I wasn't entirely sold on it, either.

Still, I could at least try and salvage the image itself.

The sketch, I ended up liking (and still do, tbh). I struggled with some attempts to color it quickly and, ultimately, set it aside again. Then I got my Huion, and started futzing with it at work.

That's when I tried something a lil different.

I always liked the kind of uncanny mix of human/wolf features on a face, and wanted to play with that a bit, but once again found myself running afoul of skills I hadn't built up yet. I needed to find a design that I could do consistently, that wouldn't frustrate me so much.

So, this more primate-like face eventually became something a little more wolfish.

I still wasn't happy with it. The monstrousness was starting to vanish into this 'basically a furry' look again. So I did a pass while looking at design elements from the Cabin in the Woods werewolf.

Better!

Except, again, missing out on elements of her human face, and I want her to be recognizable regardless of what form she's in.

Better than nothing, though, so I hash out a sketch I intended to use for a model sheet.

Then I got to thinking: I like the look of incomplete pelts on werewolves. What if I played around with that?

So-- I did.

This is the first real appearance of what she'd eventually become, and even then, subsequent sketches were still lacking elements that make up what her design is presently.

That was its own work in progress, which eventually became:

The rest of the finessing, I did over that year's October art challenge, and eventually landed on the design we have now, which, honestly?

I like a lot. I'm very happy with how she turned out, and I'm glad I accidentally documented the entire process from start to finish.

#werewolf #werewolves #character design #female werewolf #wolf #ch: Sandra #ch: Sandra-WtA #thatartmagic

[queer-africa]

Hello world, reaching to everyone is one of the members of the queer refugees community from Kenya Kakuma refugee camp. Life has never been good since we came to the camp years ago in 2019 and 2020. Although life is hard, lgbtiqa refugees have continuously joined us in the camp in the latest years leading to a bigger number of lgbt refugees in Kenya.

The camp has over 200,000 total number of refugees with just about 1300 lgbtiqa+ refugees. Its just a smaller ratio of lgbtiqa regugees facing persevution from the bigger number of other refugees.

Most of us have fled from Uganda where things turned out to be hard on queer people including death and imprisonment of lgbtiqa people. I call upon everyone tk help and support the the fellow queer people surbive through this trauma. You can’t imagine we have lost friends through death due to homophobia. One of us who was killed badly by setting fire on them did noy live for a month later. When we rushed them to hospital, doctors knew was trans and so devided to delay him and later died. We please need everyone to help. Even contacting UNHCR can help.

Look we have a youtube channel for more information and links like petitions and fundraiser are attached to our youtube channel

Our fundraiser below

It takes a good and kind heart to help, you will always stick on our hearts yiu people that make us feel we sre loved and cared about. Sustaining ourselves has failed us. We would prefer having jobs however no one can give a job to a demon like how the call us to be.

Hospital treatment in the government and UNHCR hospitals is hard because of homophobia and delays on LGBT people. For the love and support of one another, we love you

#lgbtq #gay #lgbt pride #lgbtqia #lgbtqplus #lgbt memes #asian lgbtq dramas #lgbt art #lgbt books #gay interest #gay love #design #queer #queer community #queer pride #lesbian #gay girls #gaylife #trans rights #transmasc #trans woman #transsexual #trsns #transgender #pink news #nyt reports cnn #aljazeera

[thatsparrow]

can’t imagine the watcher decision wasn’t informed by the success of dropout, a streaming service I and many other people happily pay for, but this news undeniably feels like a disappointment in comparison, and am trying to articulate why:

1. amount of content. I can’t speak to when dropout first launched (I think I started subscribing late 2019?), but I know that when I joined, it already felt like there was an enormous backlog of series to explore—not to mention the amount that was also uploaded to youtube, albeit on a delay (I know I watched at least the first half of fantasy high s1 on youtube, if not the whole thing, and by the time I signed up for dropout, there was also s1 of unsleeping city, bloodkeep, tiny heist on the horizon, and s2 of fantasy high currently live streaming. not to mention the number of full episodes they'd uploaded to youtube of um actually, game changer, breaking news, etc. and how much more was then available on dropout)

I don't know what conversations were happening behind the scenes at dropout, I don't know in real-time what was subscriber-only and what was getting uploaded to youtube, or what the breakdown was of series getting created and solely released on dropout in comparison to content they were releasing for free. all I know is that when I heard about d20 and wanted to check it out, I was able to watch a good chunk via youtube, enough to know that I wanted more, and also to know that dropout had a whole lot else to offer that I was also curious about.

so that's one of the things that feels immediately different about the watcher announcement. they're teasing new series that will be available, but for the moment, it seems like everything that will currently be on the new platform is already available for free on youtube (to clarify, because there's been a lot of confusion on this front, they are not deleting their old content off youtube. all those videos are staying there). there's also a question of release schedule — are they talking about weekly episode releases of one season airing at a time, as was their youtube model, with stretches in between? I guess I come back to, if you're trying to go subscriber-only going forward (with the caveat that the first ep of a season will also get released on youtube, and also with the caveat that obviously dropout had to reach a certain level of success before it was able to release content at the volume, consistency and quality it does now), are you creating enough to justify the sort of wholesale transition they seem to be implementing? i'm not sure the answer is yes

2. paying/supporting artists. no one's arguing that you shouldn't pay or support artists, and there are incredibly valid critiques of how youtube hamstrings creativity and the issues with being beholden to advertisers. more creative freedom is a good thing. more independent artists is a good thing.

that said, it feels like there's a disconnect between what supporters are looking for from where there money is going and how watcher wants to spend it. the video really emphasized wanting to make tv-quality productions, and that they feel like they've hit a ceiling with the youtube business model in terms of achieving that aim, but are watcher fans looking for tv-quality productions? of the new series they mentioned, travel seemed like a pretty big element, which is obviously expensive. I think of new shows released on dropout, and they've clearly got solid production value behind them, but they're also still all filmed on a set (it's 3am in a warehouse!!) — even ambitious and expensive episodes of game changer are still basically shot in the same set of rooms, with the stakes raised from there (the escape room ep, bingo, etc.)

look, I don't work in digital media, and so I don't have a sense of what it costs to put on a show, but I can't help but look at some of watcher's stated ambitions that clearly need to have a significant budget behind them vs something like too many spirits (something I have to imagine has to cost a lot less, but which is just as enjoyable to watch) and wonder if part of the backlash has to do with how it feels like their current revenue is being spent/prioritized

and maybe the problem is that there's just a fundamental disconnect between the kinds of shows watcher wants to make, and what their audience is looking for, but if that's the case, it doesn't feel like moving to a subscriber-only system is the solution

#watcher #now hyping this up as some big exciting announcement without understanding it Will price out some viewers is tone deaf. wild choice #also given the level of miscommunication around whether or not old videos would be deleted off YT i'm hesitant to assume the new service #won't be available to people outside the US and wonder if this isn't another miscommunication or technical issue that needs to be ironed ou #anyway. a mess all around #kayla posts

[dailycass-cain]

Now if statues are your thing Cassandra has had a few of those as well. Two from DC Direct, two from Eaglemoss, and Kotobukiya.

Here's the 2024 addition.

The first is this DC Direct statue designed by co-creator Damion Scott and sculpted by William Paquet.

She's the biggest of the statues offered. So yeah a good chunk of space is gonna be needed to display this one.

Sadly, this statue has jumped up in price since 2019. Currently, most searches on eBay are asking $200 for this statue.

The next offering DC Direct gave was from their Ame-Comi (DC characters given "shonen" redesigns) line. This was designed by Paitoon Ratan.

This particular one also has some of the most interesting stories behind it.

#1 Cass was one of the only characters not in the comic line (2012-2013. Take guesses on WHY*rolls eyes*)

Still, this was one of those rare "sneaks" folks at DC got in (the other being the JL Classified Batgirl Cass figure).

#2 is Ratan designed an alternate unmasked face sculpt for Cass. It was sadly cut due to cost-cutting purposes.

Here you go for a link to that.

Currently, as of 2024, it is the "rare" Batgirl of the Ame-con line (any of the Babs statues are quite cheap) and can go for $149 to $200 on eBay.

Though I did see a loose one for $69. HOWEVER, it is missing a few items (the two batarangs and bats accessories).

If you're looking for something smaller scale, then this is where Eaglemoss swings in. They're the only ones who have Cass not only as Batgirl but also as Black Bat!

As of 2024, they've still not given us an Orphan to finish this "trilogy".

Both statues were part of two different lines. The Batgirl is part of their "normal" release statues. This one can come with a book that fully details Cass's origins and appearances.

A nice little character bio as it were.

This Cass without the book is currently going for $19 loose (minus the book) or $24 in pack complete.

The Black Bat was from their Batman Chess line. She was just a pawn in the game. 😭 But hey that means she can evolve into a QUEEN.

Much like Batgirl her price is around the same range $19 to $24. She can be bought together in the entire set too, but that's $600. 😵‍💫

Our final Batgirl statue is the Batgirl One Coin from Kotobukiya. It was made in 2005 and is part of "season 2" of their line.

This one hasn't really gone up in price like the Eaglemoss and is easier to display than say the DC Direct statues.

As of 2024, $25 is the asking price for this statue.

#cassandra cain #dc comics #dc direct #eaglemoss #Kotobukiya

[vague-humanoid]

Just a few days before our interview, Jill’s (Ed: not her real name) immunologist sent her to the hospital to rule out pulmonary embolism, which happens when a blood clot gets stuck in an artery of the lung. In Jill’s case it would be a Long COVID symptom amongst many others she had been battling over the last year: including swelling around the tissue of her heart, memory deficits, sudden heart-rate surges, fatigue and abnormal kidney test results.

By that point, she’d had COVID four times, despite taking stringent precautions. She was born with a primary immune deficiency. And, without a fully functioning immune system she needs weekly injections of human immunoglobulins from plasma donations. A very small viral load can make her sick and she’s at a much higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID than most people.

“Every time I catch it, it adds new layers to my disabilities,” she says. “COVID is slowly killing me.” Her haematologist believes the past COVID infections have further damaged her immune system. She is looking at a possible lupus diagnosis.

Her voice is raspy and soft over the phone. She pauses when I ask how she is doing.

“Well, I got COVID,” she says. “Again.”

At the hospital appointment several nurses were not wearing their masks properly, and one kept pulling it down to talk with Jill, who had to remove hers to get her lungs checked. As someone who is very isolated with her family — everyone works and goes to school from home — Jill believes that the appointment led to her most recent infection.

She’s always been careful with her health but in the past, she worked in the school system. By 2020 she moved to a remote position and at that time still had many options for safely connecting with those around her and she could attend health-care appointments without concern. About a year ago, nearly all restrictions were lifted in Alberta and that’s when she got her first COVID infection.

Three years in, nearly everyone she knows has moved on including — most bafflingly to her — many of the medical professionals she sees. But, Jill says, moving on is not a privilege afforded to people like her.

Recently, PCR testing became inaccessible to health-care providers, who, in the past, were able to test regularly. And while Alberta Health Services (AHS) still requires masks, any health-care settings outside AHS can make their own rules. So, once masking was no longer mandated in public settings, many dropped requirements — this includes many of the specialists seeing immunocompromised people, including those Jill now sees due to Long COVID.

“The variants have been left to run rampant and I have really become more and more scared,” she says.

“Governments are saying: Oh we can re-open because we have all these tools. But they are not available to the immunocompromised population. So, the monoclonal antibodies are no longer effective against the current variants. Because the variants are so immune-based, the vaccines were never particularly effective for immunocompromised people because of the nature of our immune systems.”

As well, Jill says that there are many contraindicated drugs that cannot be taken with Paxlovid, the drug which is used to treat COVID patients in specific circumstances. According to Health Canada, Paxlovid “is used in adults to treat mild to moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients who have a positive result from a severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 viral test and who have a high risk of getting severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.”

She still takes the vaccines with hopes they will help, and while she believes Paxlovid is saving her life with this current infection, she says it is not a guarantee against more Long COVID symptoms. And, for the infection prior to the current one, the drug was not available due to a kidney infection caused by the virus.

“I have to access my medication, my health care. And by people not masking around me, I have no way to protect myself,” she says. “If you don’t want to wear masks as a society then you are going to leave the immunocompromised people behind.” And she says many high risk people are not able to work from home, or have their kids in online classes or maybe struggle to afford masks or air purifiers — many social and financial issues make individual protections far more challenging or impossible. She is currently in a court battle with her ex.

“He wants increased access, in-person school and group extracurricular activities. All things that put me at higher risk of infection,” says Jill.

Recently, she went to her cardiologist to find that no patients or staff were masking.

“I really realize now I have to be my own advocate,” she says.

She has to constantly think ahead. So, she now calls beforehand to see if the appointment can be done remotely or if the staff can mask. She’s also decided to start carrying around a laminated sheet that explains her medical condition as it is often something she needs to repeat at each appointment or in the emergency room. 

Like many others, she’s found ways to navigate her way around a harrowing array of risks. And yet, even with all these precautions, she can not control the actions of others which can directly affect her health.

Holly (Ed: not her real name), is retired and lives in a small community just outside Edmonton. She’s currently thinking about her next visit to her doctor, who hasn’t been taking precautions from the beginning.

“It’s exhausting always trying to get around how there is no protection for us anymore,” she says. “I’m thinking why am I made to feel crazy when my own doctor won’t wear a mask? Won’t acknowledge that it’s airborne?”

But the worst part, she claims, was that he minimized the effects of COVID, saying it was rarely an issue and only affects a certain demographic. Holly does not believe that is true, but regardless it is of little comfort when her husband, who’s in his 70s, has chronic health complications.

“I think patients are rightfully concerned, particularly when they go in for health care,” says physician Neeja Bakshi. “I think the medical community should be doing whatever we can to protect those who are coming in.”

It’s true, she says, that hospitals are no longer overwhelmed, and fewer people are dying; there is less of an acute emergency. But COVID is still circulating, people are still dying, and Long COVID (aka post COVID-19 condition) should be on everyone’s radar.

Recently, the World Health Organization announced an end to the global health emergency. But it also said earlier that “one in 10 infections result in post COVID-19 condition suggesting that hundreds of millions of people will need longer term care.”

COVID can cause organ damage — particularly affecting the heart, kidneys, skin. Plus, there’s risk of brain and immune damage, along with increased risks for cancer and autoimmune disease.

And, while no one knows yet how long that damage could persist, a study published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine says 59 per cent of Long COVID patients had organ damage a year later.

In 2022, Bakshi started a Long COVID clinic at her health facility Park Integrative Health, treating patients from across Canada. Every week she completes upwards of 20 disability forms for people who need to take time off work due to the debilitating effects of Long COVID.

While certain health complications make Long COVID more likely, anyone can be affected regardless of the severity of their infection or the state of their health. The indiscriminate nature of COVID is one of the things that’s been most shocking to Bakshi. She’s treated a number of elite athletes who went from performing at a professional level to struggling to have enough energy to brush their teeth.

Many patients struggle with stigma not just from medical professionals but from family, friends and employers. It’s an invisible illness, says Bakshi, so patients may look fine and are often misdiagnosed as something psychosomatic.

“I’m immersed in the world. But I don’t feel like you can deny it exists. And I think it’s a bit of ignorance on the medical community’s part if they say they don’t know anything about Long COVID. There are very specific disease patterns and symptoms,” says Bakshi.

There is also a lack of support. The most proven management strategy for Long COVID or even any COVID infection is recovery and rest, says Bakshi. But that’s not possible for many people. Initially, in 2020, there was forced rest through quarantine periods, but that time off has become shorter, as employers don’t have to pay for employees to be off at all.

“We are not a society that is built on support. We’ve already set ourselves up to fail from a recovery perspective,” says Bakshi.

Jill has found validation in Bakshi’s clinic as one of her patients. But that experience stands out amongst a sea of specialists who have given up on precautions.

“Instead of recommending upgraded masks, air cleaners and UV, or working from home, immunologists that manage my condition recommend wearing a mask if you want and enjoying your life—as short as that may be. I am not sure if this is complacency, or giving up… Either way, education and change need to happen or far too many valuable lives will be lost and disabled unnecessarily,” says Jill.

Savvy AF.  Blunt AF.  Edmonton AF.