#studying them pushes me WAY out of my comfort zone its an adventure | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

thenamesseven · 3 years

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Plot: Yeonjun was tired of not being able to do things normal couples could do with you so when he has the opportunity to sneak out and visit the Christmas market downtown, he doesn’t hesitate to do it and drag you with him.

Word count: 4.7k

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: None just fluff and a lot of cheesy stuff!

Pairing: Yeonjun x fem!reader

A/N: THIS IS FINALLY FINISHEEEED!! This oneshot was made for @key201303 for a Christmas game I did with the network @kafenetwork, thank you so much for letting me participate in this, I really had fun! ^^

Yeonjun couldn’t help but smile softly when he opened the door that guided into the hotel room he had been sharing with you since you arrived to the United States. Seeing you laying on the bed, hidden underneath a bunch of blankets and surrounded by all the pillows you had, the idol suddenly felt lucky, mentally asking himself how he had been able to conquist the heart of somebody as amazing as you were.

It wasn’t easy to date somebody like him for you. The amount of attention he was getting the more famous he got was way out of your comfort zone, he had been afraid to approach you at first because of your shy and timid nature but he lowkey loved the way you fidgeted and blushed whenever the two of you talked. Nobody really had much hope in your relationship though, everyone thought you were too different, your lives were complete opposites and whoever knew you, doubted you would be able to stand the pressure you would have to deal with if your relationship went public.

However, against all odds, Yeonjun succeeded in asking you out months later after your first encounter and since that day, he had been trying his hardest to make you feel like the most special yet happiest girl in the universe. It wasn’t easy, things didn’t come out as well as he wanted every single time, sometimes his schedule got in the way, sometimes your studies did and sometimes it was simply his fame that got between the two of you but he always found a way to make you smile, there was not one day your boyfriend failed to make your heart flutter.

More than once, Yeonjun found himself thinking about it and it ended up making him feel guilty, no matter how many times you’ve reassured him, stating that your relationship was perfect the way it was, the ugly truth of him not being able to give you the things a normal boyfriend could give his girlfriend still roamed the back of his mind. For example, now that Christmas was getting closer, Yeonjun knew he wouldn’t be able to walk around town with you, holding hands as you searched for presents and made good memories together. He wouldn’t be able to run down the streets when it started snowing, dodging people to not bump into somebody, he just wouldn’t be able to visit the mall and hold your hand as you dragged him into store after store without a bunch of securities guards around you, making sure he wouldn’t get hurt.

He wanted to give you that. Even if it was for one night.

You deserved it.

“Yeonjunie?” His heart almost melted when you poked your head out of your blanket fortress to see him standing on the door, leaning against its frame as he watched you. The smile that curved his lips simply made you fall for him all over again. “What are you doing there?” You sat up on the bed, keeping the blankets around your body, patting the empty space beside you so he would join you there “How did the interview go?”

This was your first time travelling with him, Yeonjun and you had been dating for almost two years and were already considering moving in together so it would be easier to spend more time with each other. You knew there would still be days when Yeonjun would have to stay till really late in the studio or you would have to spend most of the night up, locked in a room preparing for one of your exams but if living together meant you would be able to spend five more minutes with him every single day, then you wanted to do it.

Before his Christmas break, TXT had scheduled their early debut in America and Yeonjun, being the clingy boyfriend he was, had used every single bit of his time to convince you -and his boss- to fly with the band to the new continent. You hadn’t hesitated to accept the offer though, hearing the company was alright with it was incredibly surprising and you knew this was a chance you simply couldn’t miss. All your exams were done already and classes had ended, besides sharing a room for the first time would kind of simulate how living together would be.

“Not going to lie, it was kind of awkward” He admitted with a boyish smile, sitting besides you onto the bed and crossing his legs. His eyes lazily dragged to the television placed in front of you as his head landed on your shoulder, getting comfortable besides you “Soobin and Taehyun did most of the talking”

“Mhm? What about you?” You asked looking down at him curiously, bringing your hand up to poke his cheek, Yeonjun shrugged at your question, eyes still on the television where one of those cheesy christmas movies was being played. You had been watching these kind of movies for the entire evening but never got tired of it no matter how cliche or silly they were. You were a sucker for romance films.

“My mind was somewhere else” He confessed looking down at you, smiling when your eyes met. Your cheeks turned slightly pink at his sudden confession, not having expected that at all. “I was thinking of you all bundled up in this bed, watching these boring movies by yourself and how much you must have missed me” His smile turned into a smirk and even though he was kind of right, you would never give him that satisfaction. Rolling your eyes, you pushed him back, making him lay down and away from you, stealing some chuckles from his lips.

“Oh yeah, I missed you so much” You scoffed, fighting hard to keep the urge of laughing back as you felt him moving behind you. His long legs spread to position your body in between them and his arms easily surrounded your figure, allowing him to give you a back hug. Yeonjun’s blue hair tickled your cheek as he rested his chin on your shoulder “What’s gotten into you today?” You asked, turning your body to look back at him.

“Just missed being like this with you, I’ve been working non-stop since we got here” He said looking at you, a small pout forming on his lips "And I was hoping we would do something together, something we can't do back in Korea"

You frowned, not really following where your boyfriend was leading the conversation to. The things the two of you could do were very limited thanks to his fame, not that it bothered you, you knew what you were getting yourself into when you accepted going out with Yeonjun, so that’s why you didn’t understand what he was thinking of exactly.

“And what is that exactly?” You asked curiously, completely ignoring the television now to keep your eyes on his.

His boyish smile turned even brighter when you didn’t reject his advances, his excitement bubbling up “How about we go out?” He asked quietly, almost as if he was afraid that somebody would hear his intentions “I saw an arcade nearby on my way here, we could just go and play some games” He proposed, resting his cheek on your shoulder “But I also saw there is some kind of christmas market downtown, let’s go check it out, it will be fun”

You wanted to, there was no point in denying that his excitement was contagious and that you felt like checking the place out but you were also a bit worried about the consequences your sneaking out adventure could bring him. The company was surely not happy about your relationship with Yeonjun even though they hadn't made the two of you break up in order to protect themselves from a scandal, Yeonjun would surely be scolded if they ever find out about what you did and it would automatically involve Soobin for not paying enough attention to the group as the leader. The fact that he could get hurt was also there, holding you back from accepting his offer, despite Yeonjun not being as equally famous here as he was in Korea, there was no doubt fangirls would run after him if they were given the chance to. You had to recognize this little excursion had more bad outcomes than good ones.

Knowing what was going through your mind exactly, Yeonjun didn't even wait for you to answer his question before he stood up from the bed, looking around the hotel room before his eyes landed back down on you.

"Let's go" He suddenly said, reaching down to grab your arm and pulling you out of bed.

However his plan to suddenly run away backfired when you stepped on the blanket that had been covering you and tripped thanks to him, falling down onto the floor with a loud thud. Yeonjun flinched, looking down at you with an apologetic smile, ignoring the way you glared at him from the floor as he rushed to your suitcase.

“Get rid of that pijama and dress comfortably”

“Yeonjun” You warned, still sitting on the floor as you looked at him

“Listen to me, let’s just do this” He said, throwing your clothes everywhere as he searched for something, hitting you right on the face when he threw your jeans over his head along with one of your oversized jumpers.

“Yeonjunie” You tried, whining as you looked at his back.

“If we get out in five minutes, we’ll be able to sneak out in the security’s shift change” The amount of details he had taken into account to make this possible made you arch an eyebrow, incredibly surprised by him. This was not a sudden occurrence, Yeonjun had planned this.

“YEONJUN!” You screamed willing to stop his rant

“WHAT?” He screamed back, suddenly turning around to look at you with your shoes in his hand and your scarf around his neck “WHY ARE YOU STILL WEARING THAT? GET CHANGED!”

“Breathe” You said looking down at him, standing up with your clothes gathered in your arms so he could start feeling less anxious “Do you realize in how much trouble we’ll get if they find out we’re gone?”

“I don’t care” Yeonjun replied with an ecstatic smile on his lips “Get dressed”

The two of you couldn’t stop laughing as you ran down the almost deserted road and away from the hotel where you were staying. Yeonjun had been totally right about the shift change from the guards and the hall where the TXT’s rooms were situated hadn’t been watched for a good ten minutes. Nobody, not even the guys, knew you were out of your room and they hopefully wouldn’t notice until you came back later that night.

“I can’t believe we did it” You said chucking, slowing your pace down as you turned your head to look back at him. Yeonjun intertwined your fingers, stopping his running too as he suddenly pulled you closer to his body, smirking as soon as your faces were merely centimeters away. “You’re insane” You whispered, looking up into his eyes.

This was probably one of the few times you’ve seen Yeonjun being this happy, the glint in his eyes told you he was already having the time of his life.

"You're right" He agreed with a playful smirk on his face "I'm absolutely insane for you"

Your heart stopped beating at the sound of his words. Since the first day you started dating, Yeonjun has had the ability to make you feel as shy as you felt the first time the both of you met. Maybe it was because of his enchanting smile, or the way his eyes lit up when they met yours or how your heart skipped a beat when his nose scrunched up in pure happiness but your boyfriend simply made you fall in love with him all over again every single day you spent by his side.

"What? You're not going to say you love me too?" He asked teasingly, rubbing his nose against yours affectionately.

"I think we've been watching too many dramas together" You teased back, laughing when he groaned, not letting you move away from him.

"Come on, I just got out of the hotel knowing that if I get caught I'll get the scolding of my life for you" He said smirking, pressing small pecks on the corners of your lips "The least you can do is profess your eternal love for me"

"Oh Yeonjun-ah" You said dramatically, bowing your head "Thank you for sneaking out if the hotel to spend some time with a mere mortal like me" Even though those words weren't the ones he wanted to hear exactly, Yeonjun couldn't help but laugh, throwing his head back amused.

"Just kiss me already, idiot" He insisted with a small grin, looking down at you, straight into your eyes.

Rolling yours, you finally gave into his wants -which were also yours- and went to close the small distance between your faces, craving to feel the warmth of his lips against yours already. However, as soon as your lips were about to touch, a driver that was passing by, honk their claxon at the two of you, whistling and cheering with his friends at the small romantic scene Yeonjun and you were starring in the middle of the street.

The sudden public appreciation made the two of you shy and instead of kissing you, Yeonjun just rested his forehead against yours, letting out a quiet chuckle as he closed his eyes.

"Why doesn't the world want me to kiss you?" He asked quietly, still smiling through his words.

"Screw the world, I just care about you"

Surprising him, you grabbed the front of his hoodie and pulled him towards you, making your lips meet in a rushed kiss. Yeonjun couldn't help but smile and you giggled against his lips, shivering coldly when his hands reached up to cup one of your cheeks, caressing your soft skin gently.

After a few seconds of just kissing each other, refusing to be the one to break the moment, Yeonjun ended up pulling away "Are we moving or we're just going to make out in this shady street?" He asked playfully, refusing to move his lips away from yours, letting them brush against your lips with every single word he said. His eyes opened, watching your features curiously yet amusedly.

"Let's go, we've got an entire Christmas market to explore"

When you got to the place where the event was being held, there was no point in denying anxiety was starting to get to you, there were a lot of people around and there was no doubt that somebody from the crowd would surely recognize your famous boyfriend if the cap he was wearing fell down.

Yeonjun fixed his cap, lowering it a bit more so it would cover most of his blue hair and his eyes, his hand squeezing yours to reassure you that everything would be alright. He wasn't worried about himself but the fact that if fans started gathering around him, you would also be trapped in the middle of that nightmare with him and the last thing he wanted was for you to get hurt.

"Maybe it's better if we go back to the hotel?" He suddenly asked, the thought of you getting hurt being too much for him to handle.

You looked up at him confused yet surprised, after how far you’ve got he wanted to return to your room? "What?" You asked as if you hadn't heard him correctly, frowning softly, intertwining your fingers tighter "But you wanted to take a look, right?" You asked again, turning your body so you would be facing him.

"I don't want you to be trapped with me if someone recognizes me" He confessed, feeling a little fidgety yet shy at the sudden confession. Yeonjun shrugged when you kept watching him in pure awe, kind of fidgety under your unwavering gaze.

“It’s alright, nobody will recognize you” You muttered, pulling his hand as you stepped closer into the market, noticing he was feeling even more nervous.

“You sure?” He asked looking down at you, squeezing your hand even tighter.

“Let’s get some waffles!” You pulled his hand tightly, ignoring his last question and Yeonjun, unable to say no to you when you had that childish yet incredibly beautiful expression on your face ended up following you into the market, praying everything would turn out fine.

“I can’t believe we wasted so much money in a waffle” He muttered, walking away from the little stand as you bit down onto the nutella waffle he had just bought for you. It was true, it had been ridiculously expensive but seeing how happy you were eating it made it totally worth it.

“Shut up, you could buy the entire stand if you wanted to” You said amused, groaning satisfied when the warm sweet flavor overwhelmed your paladar. “This is so good, try it” You pushed the waffle in his direction and Yeonjun couldn’t help but laugh when he saw you had gotten some nutella onto your nose.

“Can you stop sticking your nose into our food?” He asked jokingly, using a tissue to get rid of the sticky chocolate stain on your skin before he leaned closer to take a bite from it.

“Our food?” You asked shocked, watching him take a huge bite from your waffle “Hey! You might as well eat the rest of it!” You scolded with a pout, trying hard not to smile when he just chuckled after swallowing your food “Not letting you take another bite”

“Oh come on, I want some more” Yeonjun whined, wrapping his arms around you from behind so he could keep you close to him and avoid you walking away. “Please babe?” He asked, using the petname, knowing that would make you feel weaker against his advances.

“Nope” You shook your head, firm on your decision.

“Please, please, please, my loooove” Yeonjun added in a cute voice, leaving a thousand kisses on your cheek until you started giggling in his arms once again, absolutely melting against him.

“Fine, whatever, take another bite” You said trying to sound angry but laughing in the end.

Yeonjun smiled satisfied with your answer, leaning his head over your shoulder so he could still take a bite from behind you without having to unwrap his arms from you. The side of his head rested comfortably against yours, his body slowly rocking to the beat of the christmas carols that played in the background. So far, nobody seemed to be paying attention to any of you and Yeonjun was glad the two of you could feel like a normal couple for once.

“We should buy another one on our way back to the hotel” He proposed, watching you eat the last bite with a smile on his face, his head leaning down instinctively to place a kiss on your cheek.

“Didn’t you say it was too expensive?” You asked tilting your head back so you could look at him

“I never said I was paying for it” He replied, smirking, making you roll your eyes and break free from the comfort of his arms.

“You’re….”

“Amazing, cute, adorable, absolutely handsome, sexy?” He asked lowly, his deep voice turning your cheeks slightly pink. Yeonjun smiled at your reaction and you shook your head.

“An idiot” You finished before walking away, amused when you heard him whining and complaining behind you.

The two of you started walking around, looking at all the different stalls and seeing the things they sold apart from buying more food for the two of you. The atmosphere was fantastic and being able to walk downtown with Yeonjun like you were doing right now felt incredibly domestic yet it somehow felt like one of the best dates the two of you ever had. Walking while holding hands, drinking hot chocolate and just joking with each other would be your ideal date from now on.

Unfortunately, the time to go back approached and even when the two of you wanted to spend more time out, stay there for a little longer, you knew you should go back to the hotel before someone ended up realizing Yeonjun and you had sneaked out without any security. You loved him and you would hate yourself if he got in trouble just to please you.

“Wait” Yeonjun suddenly stopped walking, stopping right in front of the gigantic Christmas tree that had been placed in the middle of the square. The sight of his face adorned with the colorful lights of the tree made you smile, he looked so cute, so handsome...It made you realize all over again that you were truly lucky to have such a boyfriend “I bought you a present”

Your brain took a few seconds to process what he had just said, you were surprised and shocked to say the least “You did?” You asked curiously, kind of feeling bad for not buying anything for him “You could have said something and I would have also got you one” You said pouting but he shook his head, pulling you a bit closer to him so you would hear him perfectly over the sounds of the music and people talking that surrounded you.

“I know dating someone like me isn’t easy” He started off, his smile fading a little when his eyes met yours “Like yeah, having a famous boyfriend must be cool and all of that” He joked, making you smile “But I know for sure that you sometimes wish we could do things we normally can’t do, like what we did today” Yeonjun squeezed your hand when you shook your head, wanting to reassured him but he kept talking “I’ve never really said this out loud but after this trip I realized it might be important for you to hear it because you are the most important person in my life” Your heart skipped a beat at the seriousness of his voice, his words making you tear up a little “Like, I can’t believe almost a year ago I was afraid to talk to you and now we’re travelling all around the world together”

“Thank God I approached you first” You interrupted jokingly, rolling your eyes, making him laugh

“I thank God for that every single day, trust me” Yeonjun said wrapping one of his arms around your torso, keeping your body against him, making the moment even more intimate between the two of you “I want to thank you for being there in my hardest days, for giving me support when I most needed it and for accompanying me even when I push you away when stress gets to me” You shook your head again, feeling a tear roll down your cheek “Things aren’t always easy for us but you’re such a strong person….We wouldn’t have gotten this far if it wasn’t for you...I wouldn’t have gotten this far if it wasn’t for you” He said resting his forehead against yours, smiling even though you were starting to cry even harder at his words “So yeah, thank you for staying by my side, for standing my annoying ass and for being my number one fan no matter what….Thank you for loving me”

You opened your mouth to say something but Yeonjun shut you up with a soft kiss, not letting you say anything yet since he wasn’t really done with his little speech “And that’s why I bought you this” Excitedly, he took out a Santa Claus’ hat, making you laugh when you saw the small present he had bought for you “I want you to have this through every Christmas we spend together as a memory of this moment” Yeonjun let go of your hand to reach out and put on the hat, smiling widely when he saw how cute you looked with it on your head “Of the night we sneaked out and finally had a normal date for once” He added chuckling, making you giggle “Of the night I said I want to spend the rest of my Christmas by your side”

Without saying anything else, Yeonjun leaned down to seal his words with the sweetest and most wonderful kiss the two of you ever shared in your lives.

Running down the hall, you couldn’t help but keep laughing when you should be dead silent so nobody would notice Yeonjun and you running down the hall. Right when you were almost in your room, Yeonjun spotted one of the security guards walking towards the direction you were and pulled you into the staircase, almost making you drop the waffles the two of you were still eating on your way back.

“Dude!” You whispered shouted, hitting his chest for almost ruining your favourite jumper with a Nutella bath.

“Ow!” Yeonjun complained, frowning as he looked at you “He’s coming this way, shut up, shut up!” He said panicking, pushing you harder against the wall as if the two of you could magically camouflage like chameleons did when they were scared.

“Yeah, everyone answered when I knocked on their door except Yeonjun, maybe he is asleep?” The bodyguard asked into the walkie talkie as he walked towards the elevator “I’ll check on Soobin and then come back to his room with a key”

Yeonjun’s and your eyes opened as wide as plates and your boyfriend started running down the hall at light speed as soon as the bodyguard headed down another hall. “Come on, come on, come on” He muttered, frantically patting his pockets when he arrived at your door. As soon as he found the key, Yeonjun opened it and gently pushed you inside, closing it as quietly yet as fast as he could.

“What do I do with the waffles?” You asked panicking, whispering as he ran around, already undoing the bed sheets to jump inside.

“Hide them!” Yeonjun said turning around to look at you from the bed

“No way, are you Sherlock Holmes?” You asked rolling your eyes “Where do I hide them Yeonjun? Under the freaking bed?”

“Just put them somewhere, they won’t check the bathroom!”

You ran inside the bathroom and left the waffles there before rushing back into the room seeing Yeonjun was already laying under the blankets. The two of you giggled when you slid besides him, instantly laying on your side, being the big spoon and letting Yeonjun be the small one this time. You barely had time to pull the bedsheets over you before a couple of bodyguards poked their heads inside, their eyes instantly laying on the two of you sleeping there.

“Is she wearing a hat?” One of them whispered, his voice sounding confused.

“She is” The other one replied chuckling, you felt Yeonjun burying his face into the pillow to not start laughing himself too when he realized you had forgotten to take it off “Hey, it’s their way to celebrate Christmas together, that’s cute”

“I guess it is” You heard them stepping out of the room communicating through the walkie talkie, Yeonjun was safe and sound inside his bed, sleeping like a baby besides his girlfriend.

The two of you started laughing quietly as soon as they walked away, placing your hands onto your stomach as tears of happiness rolled down your cheeks. The two of you were almost breathless when your laughter finally died down, turning your head to meet his eyes again.

“If you get the waffles from the bathroom I’ll love you forever” Yeonjun said happily, making you groan obviously disliking his words.

“No, you get them” You replied pushing him gently, successfully kicking Yeonjun out of the bed.

“I hate you” He said glaring at you as he walked to the bathroom

“You love me” You said giggling when he walked back out, holding the two waffles.

“I guess you’re right” He admitted sitting besides you, rolling his eyes, acting all confident as if he hadn’t poured his heart out for you a few seconds ago.

“YoU’rE tHe MoSt ImPoRtAnT pErSoN iN My LiFe” You mocked smirking, laughing when he pushed you away from him. “I love you too idiot” You replied, watching him going from pouty puppy to a huge bright smile

“I love you more Miss Claus” Yeonjun replied, making the two of you giggle, pecking your lips before he handed you your waffle “I love you more”

#kafeholiday20 #kafenetwork #txt #txt x reader #kdiarynet #yeonjun #yeonjun x reader #choi yeonjun #choi yeonjun x reader #txt yeonjun #txt oneshot #txt fluff #yeonjun fluff #tomorrow x together #yeonjun tomorrow x together

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something-fanfiction-ie · 4 years

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Dream Analysis

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Reader

Warnings: vomiting, detailed crime discussion, mentions of sexual assault (to victim, not reader)

A/N: THIS IS PART ONE TO A POSSIBLE THREE PART IMAGINE. It’s based on a request. I’ll answer the request after I post this. Uhm, as always, make sure to like, comment, share, and send me asks! I am but a humble writer in need of validation. Thank you for giving my last Spencer Reid post lots of love, it helped me to motivate myself enough to write this one. I hope you enjoy! (Also, this would be a season five Spencer. Like, just after he stops using his cane. (But also that cane, ugh. He such a little old man and I love it. Jesus this Man™.))

—

The dream started with a kiss.

One of those movie kisses where the rain is soaked in your clothes but you can’t feel the cold for the heat coming from the body pressed so close to you that you can feel his heart beat through your shirt.

His hands are splayed on either side of your face, and while everything about the kiss is rough and passionate, like he can’t get enough of kissing you, his hands are gentle. When he pulls away, it’s with great reluctance. You try to follow his mouth with your own, desperate for more, but you stop when he chuckles.

“I’ve played this over and over in my mind but I’ve never thought I would actually be here, kissing you.” You reach up to push a wet curl from his forehead only for the image to change.

You’re still just as close to the man in front of you, your hand is still raised to push back his hair, but there are tears in his eyes now. They’ve spilled over his cheeks and puddled into the floor. The tears come up to your ankles and fill the room wall to wall, the water is so clear that you can see each individual fleck of gray in the marble flooring. Tiny fish dance around your toes, thousands darting back and forth between you and the man.

“Spencer, why are you crying?” You step around the fish nibbling at your ankles, finally pushing back the lock of hair that curls on his forehead. But Spencer is gone, and in his place is a little boy with the same curls and big brown eyes.

“I broke my glasses, but I didn’t mean to.” He says, tears pouring from his eyes. The room continues to fill up, the water just as clear as before. You wipe the water from his cheeks, giving what you hope is a gentle smile. His glasses, broken just as he said, have sunk to the floor.

“That’s okay. Let’s just find your mommy and daddy, I’m sure they’re looking for you. Do you know where they are?” This isn’t something new for you, you deal with a lot more kids then you would like in your line of work. Usually missing from their parents or in extremely dangerous situations.

“They don’t know where I am.” You rub his tiny arms in your hands, looking around the otherwise empty room for anyone. It’s only you and the little boy, and then just a quickly it’s only you. You’re floating in the water now, but you aren’t afraid.

Maybe there is more to the dream, maybe there isn’t, but when you wake up that’s all you remember.

The sun doesn’t even filter through the window when you open your eyes for the day, the clock on your nightstand reading 5:40 in the morning. Behind you, your fiancé has wrapped you into his chest with an arm draped over your side. His breath fans across the back of your neck and his hair tickles your shoulder.

You could stay like this all day long, cacooned into the arms of the man you love, except the paranoia that hits you is like a truck and you physically can’t restrain yourself from going to check on your daughter.

As quietly as possible, you slip from his arms, being careful not to make a sound as you slip off the mattress and across the floor. The door creaks on its hinges and Spencer stirs, his hand opening and closing at the empty spot like he was trying to find you.

When you finally make it into the nursery, you relax at the complete normalcy of the surroundings. No smashed or open windows, no lights left on, no one hiding behind doors or under cribs. Just your five month old baby asleep in the corner of her crib, the small stuffed bunny Spencer bought from the hospital gift shop is tucked under one of her chubby arms.

When you reach out to smooth a tuft of her feathery soft hair back into place, she stirs just a little and you freeze. You love her more than life itself, but if she could just stay asleep for now that would be spectacular.

“We’re going to have a hard time getting rid of that stuffed animal when she gets older, aren’t we?” You heard him coming from the creak of your bedroom door, not even bothering to turn around as you directed the question over your shoulder. Spencer comes to stand beside you, his hands gripping the top of the crib as you both watch your daughter sleep.

“Yes, but on the plus side, studies show that children with comfort objects are less shy and more focused than children without them. Even more so, children with comfort objects are more adventurous and independent because it helps them to go outside of their comfort zones without their parents.” You lean your head on his shoulder, content to stay like this forever.

“We’re not weird for watching her sleep?” He places a kiss to your temple, a smile tugging at his lips as your daughter reaches up to rub at her tiny ear.

“It’s common practice among parents.” One of his hands slips behind you to rub circles into your lower back. You’re not sure how long you stay like that until you peak a glance at the clock on her dresser. You and Spencer have to be at work in about an hour.

Lifting your head, you playfully pat his butt before making your way to the bathroom in your bedroom.

“Meet me in the shower?” You keep your voice pitched low, looking over your shoulder and winking mischievously.

“Actually, most sex-related injuries take place during shower sex. Penile fractures, sprained ankles, there are even reports of broken ribs.” The door to the nursery clicks shut as you step through your bedroom door, not even bothering to grab an outfit before heading to the bathroom.

Spencer stands in the doorway, his shoulder leaned against the frame as you begin fiddling with the water faucet. You make sure to keep the temperature cooler than you normally would, Spencer doesn’t like the water too hot.

“So you’re telling me that you’re going to pass on our first chance to have sex since about two weeks ago because you’re afraid you might slip?” Turning to face him, you grab the hem of you nightshirt, a t-shirt he got from Caltech but never wears, and pull it up and over your head. The morning air in the bathroom nips at your skin and goosebumps form.

His eyes darken, his tongue sweeping across his lips before he steps into the bathroom. He pulls you to him by hooking his thumbs into the waistband of your underwear, burying his head into the crook of your neck. You didn’t bother with a bra at night.

“No, I’m just saying you’re worth the risk.” He practically growls into the soft skin connecting your neck and shoulder, his lips hot as they suck a hickey there. Hungrily, he makes quick work of his own clothes, stumbling with you into the water stream and pulling the shower curtain close behind him.

Suffice to say, you and Spencer were just a little late to work. What with your morning shower sex that, funnily enough, resulted in you slipping and hitting your head on the wall, and rushing your daughter to the nanny’s, coupled with early morning D.C. traffic, it wasn’t really a surprise.

“Sorry, sorry.” Your head throbs as you guiltily follow Spencer into the conference room, taking your seat between Garcia and Prentiss. Hotch watches you both with eyes narrowed in disapproval.

“I’m pretty sure I’ve said before that I only let tardiness slide once. I won’t say it again.” Spencer looks at you from across the table, and the man actually has the balls to wink at you in front of everyone on the team. Now they will all know that any excuse you try to come up with will all be a lie to cover up your sex life.

Sure, they already know you sleep together, for heaven’s sake you have a five month old baby together. But they didn’t need to know that you had shower sex in the morning before coming to work.

JJ clears her throat, a small smile on her face as she turns back to the screen and continues with the case briefing. Her smile fades with every passing second, each murder being splashed across the screen with every gory detail enhanced for your eyes to see.

“Every victim is a girl between the ages of sixteen and nineteen, with brown hair and blue eyes. Each bearing signs of a sexual assault, their hands cut off and a cross cut into their foreheads post mortem.” Your stomach rolls around uneasily, your chest constricting with every picture.

You make it through the entire brief without barfing. You waste no time in grabbing your go bag and calling the nanny to let her know to drop Graeson at your mother’s tonight.

The flight to small town Texas isn’t long, but the whole way your head pounds and your stomach does flips. You wave off Spencer’s worry, chalking it up to plane sickness.

“I just need a nap, I’ll be fine.” You squeeze his hand reassuringly, leaning back and closing your eyes against the nausea that rolls through you. Your fiancé shuffles a little in his seat, squeezing your hand back to get your attention.

“You hit your head this morning, pretty hard. I mean, it woke up Graeson. What if you have a concussion?” His voice is a whisper, his eyes searching for any other symptoms of a concussion. You shake your head, sure that a concussion is not your issue.

“I’m almost certain that I don’t have a concussion, Spence. It’s been hours, I remember everything, my pupils aren’t dialated, right?,” He nods, looking deep into your eyes like he could x-ray the inside of your head that way, “I don’t feel dizzy, and I’m not even tired. I just think a nap will help. I’m okay.”

“Well do you feel sick?” He lifts the back of his hand to your forehead, his knuckles cool against your skin.

It’s funny that, even just checking you for a fever, his touch is enough to heat your cheeks. You try to swallow the urge to jump his bones when you think about this morning. Pre-slipping and hitting your head.

Spencer’s lips twitch when he catches the look in your eyes, trying to focus on your fever and not the sudden blush on your cheeks coupled with the dialation of your pupils. He knows it isn’t a concussion that caused that based solely on the fact that you shift in your seat to press your thighs together.

“Somebody keep an eye on the bathroom, they might try and join the mile high club.” Morgan teases from the couch, a smirk pulling at his cheeks. You send a mischievous smirk of your own his way as Spencer pulls his hand back into his lap.

“We did that before I got pregnant, Morgan.” Prentiss laughs, JJ smiles in amusement, and Hotch is quick to enter the conversation and cease the inappropriate teasing. He assures Morgan that no one will have or has had ‘relations’ (as he so gracefully phrases it) on the jet.

You lean back into your seat again, hoping for the love of God that you don’t have a concussion and that you’ll make it to Texas without throwing up. Spencer sits beside you, pretending to read. You know he is only pretending because every time you open your eyes, he still has his finger under the same paragraph. He doesn’t even bother to flip the pages for effect.

By the time you make it to Texas, the plane jostling you around as it makes contact with the runway, bile is starting to build in your mouth.

Hotch goes over where everyone is going one more time, collecting his things as the ride smooths. You and Prentiss have been assigned to the morgue to see the latest victim, seventeen year old Hillary Gutsham. Although looking at a mutilated teenager does not sound like the best idea while you’re fighting nausea, you don’t protest.

Rossi and Morgan are sent to the house of the last victim, and Reid and JJ are dispatched to the police station to set up the evidence board and get a geographical profile started.

“My favorite.” Spencer mumbles sarcastically against your temple as he presses a kiss to your head, giving you another once over before you part ways. “Tell Prentiss if you feel sick at any time. Maybe even have the ME double check you for a concussion.”

“I’m not having the medical examiner see if I have a concussion, Spencer. I’m fine. I’ll see you later.” Not even ten minutes later, Prentiss is holding your hair as you spill your guts onto the side of the highway.

“Are you sure you aren’t sick?” She asks once you’re back on the road, glancing over at you at the same time that she takes a turn the GPS won’t stop screaming at her to take. It says you’re another five minutes away from the morgue.

The voice seems to grate against the very nerve that throbs in your head, and finally you’ve had enough of it. You shuffle around in your bag for some ibuprofen and practically moan with relief when you find it in the bottom corner. Two clear blue pills sitting side by side in plastic and tin foil packing.

“If it isn’t motion sickness then I probably just have a really bad migraine. I used to get them bad when I was a kid, don’t let Spencer get in your head. He worries too much.” You swallow the pill dry, unwilling to wait for a pit stop at a gas station or even the now three minute wait to the morgue before getting a drink to take it.

Emily doesn’t argue, trusting that you know your own body better than she does. She does, however, lean forward and turn the volume on the GPS down. You can’t help but think how much you love her for it.

At the morgue it’s quiet. The lack of car horns, massive truck engines, and overall clamor of the road is like music to your ears.

A older lady named Dr. Hardy, the ME, leads you back as she discusses her findings with Emily. You mostly just listen, going over scenarios and theories in your head as they speak. It isn’t until Dr. Hardy reveals a new bit of information that your ears perk up.

“I did find signs of sexual assault along with some semen, both of which didn’t come as a surprise after the last five victims I autopsied from your case, however, I did find out that she was fifteen weeks pregnant. I had a DNA test run on the embryo and the semenial fluid but they weren’t a match.” At the same time, Dr. Hardy lifts the white sheet from her body.

The girl underneath is young and pretty, the only thing marring her beauty would be the deeply cut cross centered on her forehead. You don’t look to the hands, knowing that they won’t be there, instead you turn the new information over and over in your head.

You gasp.

“What? What are you thinking?” Prentiss and Dr. Hardy both look at you with curious eyes, unaware that the revelation you have just made is not about the case at all. You clear your throat, shoving the thought as deep as you can so as to not let it affect your work.

“I, uhm, she’s just so young... to be a mom.” Prentiss furrows her brows because she knows you’re lying. You know she’s going to let you get away with it when they smooth back into place.

“There’s only a nine year difference between you and her, (Y/L/N).”

“Nine years is more than people like to admit.” You look away from the girl on the table, wanting to be finished already. Prentiss doesn’t start saying her goodbyes for another fourty-five minutes.

She pesters you the whole way to the police station, but gives up when you exit the car and make a beeline for Spencer. The nausea is back, your headache gone, and your nerves are so tightly wound that you feel like you can hear the rushing of your blood in your ears.

If you were right, it had been nearly two months since your last period. But surely you would have noticed long before now if you were two months pregnant? Right? You’ve been pregnant before, infact you had done it just five months ago.

The bile rises like a wave in your mouth and you swing toward the bathroom, hand flying to your mouth just in case you don’t make it to the toilet. What help would your hand be if you throw up?

Thankfully, you make it to the toilet before you have to find out, throwing up everything but your stomach during your time in the precincts lovely restroom. The tile is just the right amount of cold to help the reality set in as you lean back against the stall door.

“Please let me have a concussion, please let me have a concussion.”

#spencer reid x y/n #spencer reid x you #spencer reid fluff #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid imagine #spencer reid x oc #spencer reid smut #spencer reid fanfiction #dr spencer reid #spencer reid #spencer reid imagines #spencer reid angst #criminal mind imagine #criminal minds #matthew gray gubler

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neokad · 3 years

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Touhou VI: The Embodiment of Scarlet Devil - or my first journey into a bullet hell game

Touhou is that one pew pew game series with cute anime gals, right?

Source: https://pixiv.kurocore.com/illust/54033795

Just like what I think are many people, that’s pretty much all I knew about the franchise as a whole! And to be honest, for a long long time, I was AFRAID of going any closer to anything Touhou-related! Because of them being bullet hecks, they seemed like the most frustrating and unfun games I could possibly be playing! But then... time passed... Fast forward to somewhere in 2020: I was watching the biyearly Games Done Quick event, and one of the first runs showcased during it was none other than Touhou Luna Nights! But while the speedrun itself was very impressive, the thing that really captivated me was well... everything else! Even though this was only a Metroidvania fangame, IT LOOKED LIKE SO MUCH FUN! The graphics, the special effects, the mechanics... everything just seemed like a dream! In spite of that, I only picked the game up and played it about a year later, thanks to a Steam sale! And to keep things short, I ADORED it. It was a bit too short, but everything else was spot on, and even better than I thought it would be from what I saw at GDQ! But that’s sadly a review for another time :( Because I literally fell in love in this game, well... I thought “screw it, I’ve been morbidly curious for years now, let’s actually try a freakin’ Touhou game!”

And so, after some research I’ve learned that the sixth game - the first one released on Windows PCs! - was the one that served as inspiration for Luna Nights as a whole - its characters, music, stage aesthetics and more! It just seemed natural to settle with this one~

How did it go? What did I think about it? Well, that’s why we’re here: those are my thoughts about Touhou VI: the Embodiment of Scarlet Devil.

Now for a pointless history lesson: as I said earlier, Touhou 6 was the very first game published for Windows PCs, all the way back in 2002! The five previous games were actually exclusive to a Japan-only machine, the NEC PC-98, a line that prevailed strongly in Japan before Microsoft conquered the world. As such, it’s really the first game that’s still relatively accessible today, as PC-98 emulation is... not really a stable thing yet -_- So even though this wasn’t quite true, it’s as if I started my journey into Touhou with the original! And once I started playing, I was honestly surprised at one thing once I hit the title screen: this game actually has lots of options to make the experience easier or harder!

I know that being able to change your starting lives, starting bombs, choose your overall difficulty and such isn’t groundbreaking at all, but honestly? I didn’t expect things to be so customisable in a bullet heck game series - a genre that’s known for being merciless to players! I did decide to go on Normal to have the “intended” experience, but things aren’t as daunting as you may think!

This game also allows you to play as not only Reimu, the poster character of the franchise, but also Marisa! Both of these girls also boasts two different weapons each, with their own strengths, weaknesses and bomb attacks! Again, I genuinely did not expect so much breathing room even though looking back... I feel like I should have : P

Once I actually started playing the game itself, there’s yet another thing that surprised me: the difficulty curve... it’s... manageable??

Now granted, I’m a person that plays a *lot* of games, and on top of that, I play lots of action games as well, games that require quick reaction times, good pattern reading and so on so forth. So there’s a chance my judgement on the game’s difficulty might be wrong or biased... but to me? Embodiment of Scarlet Devil actually has a good difficulty curve! The first stage of the game has many enemies that can shoot many bullets, but they’re slow, predictable and relatively easy to avoid because you have lots of space to maneuver around! On that same train of thought, Rumia, the first stage’s boss, certainly doubles down on the number of bullets she can throw at you. But, their patterns are once again pretty slow and predictable, making things much more comfortable at the start of your adventure!

But hold on a minute here, how does this game actually plays? Well, this is where I need to let out a horrifying truth:

Touhou is actually really, REALLY fun.

At first it does seem like a pretty standard shooter: you shoot at things, dodge bullets, collect power ups to boost your weapon’s strength, and make sure you don’t die too much in order to reach the final boss in good shape. However, what I ended up loving about Touhou are its many, many mechanics that spice things up beautifully! The first one I wanna focus on is “Grazing” and it’s actually pretty simple: if you do your best to get close to a bullet or a laser without touching it with your (very small!) hitbox, you graze that bullet! Not only will a satisfying sound effect play out each time you graze something, you will also gain points each time you do this maneuver, making it essential for a high score, and especially, to gain extra lives faster! Secondly, there’s bombing! I am totally repeating myself here, but while each character has a different kind of bomb to their disposal, they each function in relatively the same way: you get to launch a strong attack against your opponents, get invincibility frames, and on top of that, get rid of any bullets that are currently on the screen! I love bombs in this game because they create a great balance: you can totally use them for offensive purposes, buuuut they also serve as a great defensive clutch if you just find things too difficult at the moment. Bombs even have two extra layers to them! When you will get hit and lose a life (and believe me, you will) your bombs will get refilled back to three, urging you to not hoard them too much even if you’d prefer to save them for a tougher part. Because if you die, you might just “waste” bombs in a way! However, here’s an advanced kicker: if you manage to hit the bomb button just as you are hit by a projectile (8 frames within death I think!) you not only are able to save yourself from losing a life, you also won’t lose a bomb at all, either! This is a very difficult trick, but a very cool and potentially important one if you plan things out in the heat of battle ^^

Then there’s a mechanic that, to my knowledge, got introduced in EOSD: the POC, as in Point Of Collection! Now, as you destroy the many enemies after Reimu or Marisa, they naturally drop many power ups and point icons, and because there’s many of these you’re bound to miss them. However, this is where the POC comes in: if you are at full weapon power, you will earn the ability to collect every icon on the screen! This makes sense and is actually very smart, because most players - myself included - tend to hug the bottom of the screen as bullets are more scarce and slower here. BUT reaching that POC close to the top of the screen is a great way to incentivise players to risk things in order to get a massive amount of points and gain extra lives way faster! And finally, as soon as you do reach that max power, the game will automatically wipe every single projectile off the screen, so it’s even possible to time when you’ll get your final power boost to make things easier on yourself!

All of those mechanics together make Touhou EOSD a pure joy to play! It’s simple on the surface but has such interesting mechanics and risk-reward elements that can push you out of your comfort zone, but never forces you to! And sure enough, I got addicted~

Even though I did say that the game had a good curve and started off not too difficult, it does not mean that your journey will be easy: even early game bosses such as Cirno and Meiling took me lots of practice to get consistent at, by studying their patterns and testing out which strategies worked the best for survival. And eventually, even Patchouli and Sayaka’s stages will test you out with lots of predictable-yet-deadly bullets to test out your screen reading skills and even reflexes.

Touhou may be more accessible than I thought, but do not be mistaken: on Normal, this game will still challenge you, and I absolutely love it for that <3

Another thing that helps this game out is - please pretend to be surprised - the music. Touhou has always been known for bringing some very good tunes all around, but besides Luna Nights’s incredible soundtrack, I actually never got to listen to any of them besides Bad Apple and one fanime opening my bestie sent me one year ago. And well... it’s true!

The game uses some very artificial, even out-of-tune instruments for its music, but strangely enough, it REALLY works! It gives the music a very nostalgic, warm feeling that’s hard to describe, but it works so well at making those songs catchy as all heck! It also helps that the compositions themselves are pretty strong and surprisingly complex for its genre, too! I would pick a favourite theme to show off, but the soundtrack’s just really consistent and good all around!

Sadly, I mostly cannot say the same for the game’s presentation. This game is a PC app from 2002 and it sadly somewhat shows. I’ll even bring a special mention to the in-game portraits, which are hilariously HORRIBLE! Thankfully dedicated fans have made a patch to improve the game’s visuals so that they’re more in line with later titles, but at base it’s really not the prettiest gem visually...

...except for the spell cards, the bosses’s strongest attacks, which are genuinely gorgeous multicolored motives that will struck you in awe before you are inevitably destroyed by them, it’s great! My favourite is the one you get from Meiling’s mid stage encounter, pictured above!

Before wrapping up this long, long post, I do wanna add this: the game will unfortunately only give you the good ending only by playing on Normal and above, and only if you beat the game without using any continues. This is called a 1CC, or 1 Credit Clear. Even if I don’t think the bad ending’s actually that unsatisfactory, I did want to get better at the game! So I practiced for many hours a day for a couple of weeks, memorized each boss’s patterns, learned where to graze, when to optimally reach the POC to get as many points as possible... this game pushed me to get better with an incentive, a reward waiting at the end, on top of the satisfaction of simply cheesing what used to be so difficult at some point and... well, I think this is the proof of a well-crafted game right there. After many failed attempts, I finally managed to 1CC this game (pictures below!!) and it was, genuinely, one of the most satisfying moments in my gaming life <3

So... yeah. I might be a Touhou fan now. Welp.

Touhou VI: The Embodiment of Scarlet Devil was such a pleasant surprise for me: I expected a game I’d find somewhat boring at best and frustrating at worst, but I ended up having a very, very good time, and honestly? It’s not as hard as you’d think it is! You can beat a Touhou game, so long as you are interested in practicing and getting better, and I promise it’ll feel rewarding in the best of ways <3

I just wanna say thank you to Luna Nights and Team Ladybug, because without them, I would have never been curious and then surprised by how cool this game is. Thank you <3

And many thanks to you, the reading, for staying until the end! Thank you for reading!

#long post #touhou #touhou eosd #eosd

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moons-and-stars-and-shit · 3 years

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Hi hiii! I would like to order a cake! >.<

First of all thank you for the matchup (for haikuu) I am a 5’3 girl with long light brown hair and green eyes. I am a pisces sun and rising and a leo moon. My personality type is isfj but I am an ambivirt. I’m mostly atttacted to guys but i’m happy with anyone. I am kind to everyone I meet and I am loyal to my friends. My friends describe be and bubbly and in the clouds lol but when I need to I can be hardworking and tend to be a perfectionist. I tend to be attracted to people who are funny/joke around and like adventures/push me out of my confort zone but I also like chill relaxed time. I’m dyslexic and have ADHD and deal with anxiety with a social aspect and because of that I get tics sometimes. I am super spiritual and have a major plant obsession and loveee crystals. I like all types of art and fashion and enjoy playing video games with my friends. I kin kenma with a little bit of owkawa and bokuto. I hope you have a lovely day >.<

🍰 for @akiranolegs

Romantic Matchup

Daichi Sawamura

How yall met

You were actually friends with noya and tanaka

And when some members of the team needed tutoring

They suggested that you helped tutor them all

So daichi approached you and asked if you could PLEASE help the team

And you agreed

Daichi always supervised your study group

Only because your group consisted of Tanaka,Noya,Hinata,and Kagayama…

So yeah...problematic

But he was shocked when you were not only able to control Tanaka and noya

But somehow got Hinata and Kagayama to stop fighting

And after all those tutoring sessions he continued to talk to you

Yall starting hanging out more and eventually started dating

What they love about you

He loves that you have a very carefree personality

But can get serious if you need too

He saw the perfect example of this when you were tutoring the team

He also loves how hardworking you can be

Like if you want something your gonna work hard to get it

And he respects that trait of yours

The last thing he loves about you is how you can seem to handle the teams craziness

He's started using you as a threat to the team

“If you guys dont stop i'll call y/n in here and have her deal with you”

The team: 👁👄👁💧

What you love about them

You love that he knows your limits

He knows you have social anxiety and takes the lead in most social situations

However if its a more easy going social interaction hell push you to get more involved

You love that he shows interest in all of your interests

Especially crystals!

You gave him a necklace with an obsidian stone in it

He wears it whenever he can

(btw obsidian is the stone for strength and protection)

Sometimes you joke about it because he wasn't wearing hit when him and Tanaka crashed into each other

Favorite things to do together

He really likes to go shopping for crystals with you

Like if you mention going hell always ask to come

He loves to do cheap thrills with you

His favorite one is getting into his car with a coin and flipping it

Heads means right and tails means right

And yall just drive around listening to music

You can't even count how many times you've gotten lost playing that game

Random Hc

His favorite crystals are obsidian, rose quartz, and amethyst

You gave him one of your baby plants to take care of and he's too afraid to tell you it died

RIP plant 🌱

You tools sugas role as ‘mom’ of the team

He is now the wine aunt of the team

He has a very large crystal collection and takes a random 5 to away games or training camps

Astrology

Pisces + Capricorn

Compatibility 76%

A relationship between Capricorn and Pisces tells a story about possibilities of inspiration.

If someone like Capricorn can be pulled into a crazy love story, exciting and unpredictable, this must be done by Pisces.

In return, Capricorn will offer their Pisces partner stability, peace and some rest from their usual emotional tornadoes.

There is a fine way in which Capricorn can help Pisces be more realistic and practical, while feeling more cheerful and optimistic themselves.

Still, there are challenges in their contact, mainly represented through their love of Jupiter.

It might be hard for them to reconcile their different approaches to religion, faith and their different belief systems.

To overcome this, it is best if they both ask themselves – does their belief system work? And does one of their partners also work?

If they understand answers to these questions, they might find enough respect to leave each other’s Jupiter intact.

Friendship Matchup

Sugawara Koushi

Bark bark woof bark woof

How yall met

You also met Suga while tutoring the team

He helped you calm down everyone in your group if they got to crazy

Ngl you picked up some mom tendencies from him

Why you became friends

Although you appreciated him helping you with your study group

There was one thing that made you really like him…

After you stopped tutoring the team he legit made you a whole ass thank you basket

It had all of your favorite snacks and drinks in it

And he had wrote you a really sweet thank you letter

After he gave you that you felt bad so you gave him a thank you basket for your thank you basket

He was like 🤨 “that's not how that works but thank you so much!”

You guys really just started talking after that and became really good friends

What yall love about each other

He loves how bubbly you are!

Like when you two are together it just creates such a positive vibe

And he loves how your always down for some chaos

I stand by the fact that suga is a chaotic boy

The only difference between him and tanaka and noya is that he doesn't get caught

So you two always do some crazy shit together

And then later feel bad because tanaka and noya always get blamed for it

You love how aggressively encouraging he is

Like if you step out of your comfort zone to do something

This man is right behind you like “GET IT BITCHHHHH”

And it just hypes you up to do more things that are outside your comfort zone

Random Hc

You guys have matching bff necklaces

This one specifically

The team is kinda scared of you two

Like they're more scared of you two than Daichi

And that's saying something

One time for gits and shiggles you got that picture with the vice principles wig on daichi and put it on shirts

Yeah he was not too happy to see you two wearing those

You guys tend to get into petty arguments but tend to solve them within the day

Astrology

Pisces + Gemini

Gemini and Pisces understand each other well, and form a strong friendship.

Pisces are imaginative and sensitive, and Gemini must be careful not to hurt their feelings.

However, any arguments they have are easily forgotten, and they rarely bear ill will towards each other.

The ruling planet of Gemini is Mercury, and the ruling planets for Pisces are Jupiter and Neptune.

Mercury represents communication, and Neptune represents spiritual strength. The two star signs are very compatible with each other.

Jupiter represents knowledge and empathy. Mercury also represents intelligence and innovation. Gemini could come up with new plans often, and Pisces could always support them.

Gemini is an air sign, and Pisces is a water sign. Both partners place a lot of importance on intellect and feelings.

The partnership is filled with action, and both friends preserve a good, compliant relationship.

However, on occasions, there could be misunderstandings, aggravation, and communicative barriers between them.

Both signs have lively imagination and that keeps them going.

Even though they argue often, they resolve their differences quickly. However, the fish could easily get dejected and put down, especially if it feels that the twins don’t understand them clearly.

#haikyuu!!#haikyu x reader #haikyuu fandom #haikyuu fluff #haikyuu x y/n #haikyuu hcs #haikyuu matchups #daichi x you #daichi x y/n #daichi sawamura #daichi hcs #daichi headcanon #sugawara hcs #sugawara headcanon #suga hcs #sugawara x y/n #sugawara x reader #sugawara koushi

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simple-heroics · 4 years

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Momo Yaoyorozu Fluff Alphabet | Part 1 | Letters A-L

Yes, yes, I know. My bias is showing. But Momo just radiates Distinguished Lesbian and my messy queer self gravitates to her for that. Please help me pull my life together, Yaomomo!

Also, props to @sparkncharge for inspiring me to go Plus Ultra on a fluff alphabet. If you’re a Hawks stan, please check out her Fluff Alphabet for him. It’s amazing; I still reread it. Also, while you’re at it, read the rest of Lily’s work. Her blog is partially what inspired me to start Simple Heroics.

credit to creator of the fluff alphabet prompt list here

Activities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

Momo is pretty sheltered due to her upbringing and there is so much of the commoner’s world for her to discover outside of the little bubble she grew up in. She gets so giddy when you take her out exploring. With this, though, there is a strong, unspoken level of trust as well because it can take her out of comfort zone and even be a little intimidating.

One of her favorite activities is thrift shopping! She loves going store to store, seeing all the random things being sold and wondering at the stories behind them. While she can create anything in the world, she can’t replicate the history behind a given object. Some of her favorite finds include: a pretty landscape painting by an unknown artist, secondhand novels with annotations inked in, even someone’s diploma from graduate school!

Just as you give her a taste of your world, Momo wants to share as much as hers as possible. So expect the occasional night out at an elegant restaurant, concert halls, tea ceremonies, you name it. Momo takes great delight in introducing you to new experiences.

Her ultimate favorite, though, is when both your worlds come together in the privacy of your shared home. Just you two and a pot of tea shared between you. And she can be herself. Not the class vice president, the Yaoyorozu heiress, or even the Everything Hero: Creati.

Just Momo - your Momo.

Beauty - What do they admire about their s/o? What do they think is beautiful about them?

More than anything, Momo would admire a s/o with a strong sense of self - someone who knows who they are, where they come from, and what they want in life. Someone who is secure in themselves. Someone who not only accepts themselves but loves themselves, mistakes and all.

It’s the sort of confidence that doesn’t come from skill or achievements or any outside sources. It’s a strong, inherent sense of self-worth that’s unshakable, and it leaves Momo starstruck.

Momo isn’t one to place much value on things like physical appearance but in your case, the deeper she fell, the more beauty she found. There’s this natural allure about you that keeps drawing her in.

You’re simply…you. Just you. And Momo can’t think of anything more beautiful.

Comfort - How would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?

For better or for worse, Momo is very much a problem solver. Like, “What do you need? Do you want some mint tea? A hug? Want me to hold your hand? How can I help? Please let me help you.”

Yeah, um, Mo? That works great for evacuation and rescue missions. Not so great when someone is having a panic attack. And sometimes, if they’re just feeling down, it’s less about what a person needs and more about just being there for them. It takes some talking for Momo to learn this but when she does, our girl adapts her approach accordingly.

That said, Momo figures out one surefire way to comfort you on particularly gloomy days: Blanket forts.

Yes, Momo is miss prim and proper and tends towards going for a more “practical” approach to most things. But blanket forts are fun. They’re also cozy and warm and make you feel safe. And it’s prime location for cuddling and sweet affection when you most need it.

Plus, she can make all the pillows you could ever want in there. Your blanket fort is magnificent, complete with only the softest of blankets and strung up fairy lights and Momo’s loving arms.

Dreams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?

For years, Momo’s greatest focus was her hero career – countless hours of study, training, and internships. Her brain was so crammed with the physical composition of everything to really think about a future.

Then you came along.

Momo doesn’t have any grand fantasies; her reality is already adventurous enough. Her dreams for your future together are simple, humble imaginings not much different from your current life together except for you’re both older. Some silver threading into her dark hair, crow’s feet around your eyes.

Momo wants to continue this life with you for as long as possible. Her dream is to grow old together. Given her profession, she knows all too well not to take any single day for granted.

Simple or no, just thinking about living her entire life with you makes her giddy enough to call in 30 minutes early so she can get home to you faster.

Equal - Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?

Neither. You’re partners, equals in this relationship.

She trusts your judgement implicitly. Part of the reason Momo is in a relationship with you is because she respects you and holds you in a high regard. Likewise (and especially knowing her history with second guessing herself), you always ask for Momo’s input on things.

H o w e v e r, that said, I do believe the roles can fluctuate in this relationship quite a bit. Momo can sometimes be strict with you in the sense that because she thinks so well of you, she knows you can do better and she pushes you. On other days, she herself can be rather passive. The key is communication.

The one thing Momo will never, ever waver on, though, is your safety. She isn’t overly protective by any means but is realistic and practical. And being the s/o of a high-ranking Pro-Hero comes with its own risks. Momo needs to where you’re at and that you’re safe. She personally ensures that you always, always have a way of getting in contact with her. If she herself cannot be reached, she makes sure you have pretty much all top 10 heroes on speed dial.

Seriously. Click any number on your cell. Any one of them is likely to be the personal phone number of Earphone Jack or Shoto or freaking Number One Hero Deku. (Creati is number 1, though. That’s your baby right there.)

Fight - Would they be easy to forgive their s/o? How are they fighting?

Thankfully, fights are rare. But when they happen, they’re serious. Extremely so. And honestly? I don’t want to see an angry Momo.

She doesn’t yell or angry cry or insult you. Her expression is hard, resolute, as she makes her points in the argument while simultaneously cutting through every one of yours.

Two things make arguments with Momo terrible: One, she’s too damn smart and makes some very good points that are hard to argue with. Two, because she’s smart and makes good points, it can feel like you’re being condescended to you like a child.

And that never ends well.

Thankfully, Momo has a good outlook when it comes to arguments. She has a “us vs. the problem” mindset rather than a “me vs you” which in itself helps a great deal. Additionally, if she’s in a relationship with you, she knows you very well and can understand where you’re coming from.

That said, Momo is a patient, mature person who prefers prioritizes resolving problems and is quick to put things behind her. She is also very good at apologizing when she’s in the wrong but would expect the same in turn.

Gratitude - How grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o is doing for them?

So, so grateful.

If anything, Momo is hyper aware of the things you do for her and this in turn motivates her to return the favor a hundred fold. This includes: extravagant dates at fancy restaurants, sending you to a spa when she herself can’t see you, making you tea almost every night, complimenting you when you’re just in sweats and a stained shirt, bringing you shopping for a new shirt and some Gucci sweatpants, taking you to see that movie you looked for to…at its actual screening event!

Momo is pulling out all the stops for you. Is she your girlfriend or your Sugar Mama? Perhaps both.

Every time you do anything for her, even something as small as grabbing something from a high shelf, she thanks you with a dazzling smile. You just make her feel so happy and so loved. Momo can’t thank you enough.

Honesty - Do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?

Momo doesn’t get into the habit of hiding anything from you. However, that doesn’t mean she shares everything. There are some things she prefers to keep to herself and others she has to due to confidentiality in certain cases.

She does, however, try to hide her insecurities from you. Momo wants you to see her as strong and capable, an intelligent leader who can be relied on. She’s learned to keep up a strong front, as any weakness a hero displays can easily be taken advantage of by a villain or torn apart by the press. The public needs a strong face.

But you aren’t the public. Neither are you a villain out to exploit her weaknesses nor journalist looking for more fodder for tabloids. You’re her significant other, her life partner.

You tell her as many times as she needs to hear this. It takes time and a lot of late night conversations and built up trust but eventually, you two get there.

Inspiration - Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?

Yes, absolutely yes. Momo learned that her self-worth shouldn’t be assigned to things like being the smartest student or the strongest hero or even as the best version of herself. She alone is more than adequate.

As was mentioned in Activities, you also split her world wide open and made her realize the bubble she grew up in. It’s made her acknowledge her own privilege in a lot of ways which in turn made her more understanding of society is set up, especially in regards to her hero work. Momo becomes a far more compassionate hero when it comes time to suppress villains, understanding how life circumstances push some to make unfortunate choices. This realization in turn made Momo start finding other ways to help people outside of hero work, such as donating money to rehabilitation programs and advocating for changes in laws that reinforce the status quo.

As for you, Momo taught you how to let yourself be more sensitive and perhaps gentler. You learn to see people beyond the front they put up, how to recognize their insecurities. Your relationship with her has made you more compassionate as well, so that when you see anyone struggling with what your love sometimes does, you’re quicker to offer a comforting word or validation.

Jealousy - Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?

Momo gets more insecure than jealous. Whenever she sees you spending a great deal of time with another person, she questions herself as a partner to you and consequently beats herself over it.

She remembers every canceled date, every missed phone call, every time she’s had to put you - the love of her life - second to her career. Then she berates herself for feeling guilty about prioritizing being a hero, someone who - you know - saves people. Why would she put a relationship before something so important?

But you weren’t just a mere “relationship”; you’re her world. But was she enough for you? How could she be when she was so busy all the time?

God forbid she starts comparing herself to the person you’re spending so much time with, especially if they’re funnier than her or more reliable or stronger or just more available than she is.

It’s an ongoing cycle and is honestly the saddest things in the world to watch, seeing this strong and capable woman destroy herself from the inside out. Unless she catches herself, Momo could potentially start self-sabotaging.

Please sit down with your girlfriend and talk to her. Please hold her hand as you reassure her that she is more than enough. Please have a long, serious talk about this before Momo breaks down.

After a series of conversations and perhaps some compromises in busy schedules, Momo doesn’t feel insecure very often. When she does, she learns to catch it and talk herself through it.

She reminds herself: You knew what being with a hero meant before you agreed to this relationship, and you’re proud of her. Your relationship is strong. You love her.

And she loves you, too. So much. :’)

Also…lowkey, when she gets jealous, Momo probs spoils the hell out of you. I’m talking date night at a rented out restaurant, private gardens, expensive wine, the works. The most important part being that she’s taken this time for you and only you.

Kiss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

Momo dreamed about your first kiss long before you two started dating, though she tries to deny it with a precious blush across her cheeks. She pictured it after a romantic evening, perhaps at her doorstep, with the moon and the stars and she would hold your hand before gently leaning closer and —

Yeah, no. Your first kiss was nothing like that.

It was after a long, hard day of training. Momo was sweaty and gross, covered in dirt, and her body was sore from the extensive use of her Quirk. She was so worn out that she barely even noticed you staring.

And boy, when she did, was she flustered. That is until at her you leaned closer to give her a soft peck on the lips.

“You worked hard out there. I’m really proud of you,” you told her simply.

Momo wouldn’t trade that first kiss for any fantasy in the world.

Your future kisses, however, are certainly more…ahem. Involved than the first. All this to say…YES, Momo Yaoyorozu is absolutely a good kisser. I refuse to accept anything less and frankly, neither would she. She was shy and demure about it at first but when Momo does something, she does it well.

Momo masters the art of sweet, lingering kisses that leave you breathless in their intensity. They usually start with a look, her eyes gently darkening as she takes you in. Her hands delicately touch the sides of your face, smoothing your hair behind your ears to allow her a better look. You can feel the flutter of her eyelashes as she leans in, her breath warm on her lips, before she meets them with her own.

Her kisses are soft and gentle but no less intense.

When she pulls back with a quiet hum, Momo rests her forehead against yours and smiles lovingly at your (understandably) dazed expression.

Love Confession - How would they confess to their s/o?

Momo is so cute when she confesses. I know I’ve gushed about her time and again, and I definitely won’t stop anytime soon.

Since her feelings for you first began, Momo held them close to her heart even when her mind is in a thousand other places with hero duties. It’s only later when she’s alone and quiet does she allow herself to focus on you – your smile, your sense of adventure, your honesty, the way your eyes light up, how you challenge her to go beyond plus ultra her comfort zone and grow as a person.

How could someone like you be interested in someone like her?

These feelings grew and grew, combating with Momo’s private insecurities. The more time she spends with you, though, the less they matter. You give her butterflies, yes, but you make her braver, too.

And brave is what she needs when she confesses.

Momo’s confession isn’t a spur of the moment thing. It’s planned - from the when to the how and even the where. She invites you somewhere private, somewhere she feels comfortable and is also meaningful to you both. Perhaps a garden or in the hidden corner of a tea shop you two frequent.

Momo has an entire speech planned. It’s formal and put together and she has it completely memorized but then –

She meets your eyes and suddenly, despite her ability to memorize the atomic structure of everything, that speech evaporates in her mind. She stutters, trying to grasp at the least beginning, and decides to - for once - let go of what’s “proper”.

And like Todoroki said…Momo’s speciality is thinking under pressure.

Momo tells you everything: her first impression of when she met you, the first time you made her laugh, the way her eyes teared up during your first argument, her gratitude for that one time you stood up for her against Mineta, all the ways you inspire her, the way your voice is her favorite sound, and how you make her feel.

You make her so happy and grateful and amused and dizzy and frustrated and emotional. You make her feel confident and so much braver than she actually is.

She takes your hands in hers, holding them like they are the most precious things in the world, and looks at you with shining grey eyes. In those eyes, you see someone so sure and certain of her feelings - her feelings for you.

“I love you, y/n. I love you dearly.”

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falseroar · 4 years

Note

Maybe 3 with JJ and Wilford? :D

((One “How hard can baking a cake be?” with JJ and Wilford coming up! I’ll admit, the idea of these two in a kitchen together made me smile. Sorry it took so long!))

“So do you have all the flavors?”

Jameson Jackson jumped and spun around, one hand to his heart, a speech slide appearing between him and the fluorescent pink and yellow man as if some kind of defense. “Jeepers! I didn’t hear your knock at the door!”

Wilford frowned and waved the slide away before breaking into a manic grin. “Come now, who needs doors to get anywhere?”

“…Most people, I would think.” Jameson hid his step back from the man by leaning against the kitchen counter. “Why are you here, Wilford?”

Wilford, in a rare moment of awareness, tilted his head past the slide to give the other man a suspicious stare. “You know, for some reason I’m getting the sense that you’re not super comfy with my being here. But that’s just ridiculous, of course!”

Jameson frowned and pointed a finger at him. “Ridiculous?! You’ve turned a gun on me before, not to mention my friends!”

Wilford shrugged. “Existential crisis, happens to everybody! Besides, I’ve turned a gun on everyone at least once, it’s kind of my thing.”

“The last time we were in a house together, you tried to hunt me down like some kind of animal!”

“Ah.” Wilford paused and said, “In my defense, you did have that Antiwhatsit hanging around in your head. Plus, I kind of hoped you would have forgotten about that.”

“…Fair enough.”

Wilford beamed at him and moved toward the counter, only to be stopped short by another speech slide.

“But that doesn’t answer my question.”

Wilford read the words and turned toward him. “Which was…?”

“Why are you here?”

“Why, to bake a cake of course! Didn’t you get my message?” Wilford peered around Jameson to look at the flour, eggs, and other materials carefully arranged on the counter beside several bowls and pans. “Or do you always have baking supplies out and ready to go? Because I thoroughly approve if so.”

Seeing Jameson’s baffled expression, Wilford sighed and placed his hands on the gentleman’s shoulders. “JJ. Jameson Jackson. Jamieboy. J. Jonah Jameson—”

“Not my name—”

“Shush!” Wilford slapped a finger over JJ’s mouth, making the speech slide that appeared cut off and flimsier than the others. “Have you, or have you not, noticed that these days the others are a bit down in the mouth? They’re not going out, keeping away from other people—”

“You mean because people are supposed to be staying home and not breaking quarantine?” Jameson gave Wilford and the door a meaningful look, for all the good it did.

“Yes, yes, that’s what Dr. Iplier keeps telling me. That is, when he isn’t working himself to the bone at the hospital. Your doc’s doing the same thing, isn’t he?”

Wilford’s eyes bored knowingly into JJ, who thought of how Dr. Schneeplestein had been coming home at odd hours just to disappear straight into his room or more often his study. It had been days since they’d spoken to each other despite living right down the hall from each other.

“And what about the others?” Wilford pressed. “How are they doing?”

“I admit, the mood has changed in the house,” Jameson said slowly. When Wilford waited for more, he sighed and added, “We’ve never gone this long without a visit from Master McLoughlin. Jackieboy has volunteered to run supplies for those in the neighborhood who need it, but staying inside so much is not his cup of jam. Poor Chase has lost all motivation to continue his video logs, while Marvin…”

He paused. Actually, outside of cancelling his shows for the foreseeable future, the magician hadn’t changed his habits that much. Not leaving his study for days at a time was perfectly normal behavior for him, although he was more willing to volunteer to go to the grocery store these days to save his brothers from having to do it.

Wilford nodded. “My boys are avoiding each other as well. The house hasn’t been this quiet in, well, ever, even Dark has noticed! Yan can’t go to school to see Senpai, Bim can’t find guests for his show, and you don’t know cabin fever until it affects the Ipliers.”

Jameson shuddered, not even wanting to imagine what that looked like. The Iplier house on a normal day was bad enough.

“Why, even Y/N has taken to self-isolating over at Mark and Amy’s place, and apparently taking them out for the occasional adventure in the middle of the night is ‘dangerous’ and ‘irresponsible’ all of a sudden.”

JJ considered pointing out it probably wasn’t “all of a sudden” but thought better of it.

“The point, my son of Jacks, is that they’re all too focused on the bad things, and don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of it to go around these days.” Wilford threw an arm around Jameson’s shoulder and spoke in a low, conspiratorial tone. “But you and me? We’ve been through this before, haven’t we? And we know the secret: this too will pass. We’ll get there, eventually. But until then, we need to get the others’ spirits up!”

“And to do that, we’re going to bake a cake?” Jameson’s slide failed to convey his doubt, but he had to admit the idea had a kind of simple charm to it.

“Now you get it!” Wilford said, thumping him hard on the back before turning to the arrayed ingredients. “This is going to be great!”

“Well, I do have some baking experience,” Jameson said as he picked up a simple recipe for a yellow cake he had laid to the side earlier. “And as long as we follow the recipe—Hey!”

Wilford snatched the recipe from JJ’s hand and tore it up with a snort. “We don’t need no recipe! How hard can baking a cake be?”

Jameson sighed, his palm pushing the brim of his bowler hat so far up it threatened to fall off of his head. This was going to be a long day.

After convincing Wilford that hands did not make for good measuring devices, an argument that went on for far too long, they managed to get as far as mixing together the sugar and butter before Jameson tapped his chin.

“Next is the eggs, I think. Was it two or three—Ah! Maybe I should be the one to—”

Too late. Wilford had already picked up an egg and, with one hand, cracked it over the bowl before tossing the eggshell over his shoulder and into the trash can without a single glance.

“…What?” Wilford asked.

Jameson opened his mouth and then shut it, unsure of what to say as Wilford continued to expertly crack open the next two eggs.

“Between you and me, I think your popup word thingy isn’t working properly,” Wilford said in a carrying whisper. “You might want to get that looked at.”

That surprise might have explained why JJ wasn’t prepared for when Wilford picked up the electric mixer, but the shout that followed suggested that Wilford wasn’t too prepared either. Several minutes of panicked mixing later, they were left with a large bowl of batter and a kitchen coated with a light dusting of flour and splattered half-mixed batter.

Jameson tossed the mixer in the sink where it could do no more harm and said, “Well, that happened. How about I grease the pans while you get the oven going?”

Wilford chuckled. “Oh, no no no, I’m not allowed to touch any major appliance after what happened with the dishwasher. And the washing machine. And the little mishap with the TV.”

Jameson considered asking but thought better of it, instead with some embarrassment admitting, “I, um, haven’t fully mastered this newfangled machine. I usually ask one of the others to help me, but…”

He looked around the kitchen, which he would much rather the others not see in its current state.

Wilford considered for a moment and then grinned. “Don’t worry, I know exactly what to do.”

“Oh, hey Jameson,” you said, unable to hide your surprise when you saw the dapper gentleman on the other side of your phone screen. You didn’t even know he knew what FaceTime was, not when texting was just barely within his comfort zone. “What’s up?”

The screen went black as a shaky speech slide appeared, the white letters reading, “This is a bit embarrassing to ask, but…”

The speech slide was pushed out of the way as Wilford leaned into view. “Do you think you could talk our lad here through using a modern oven?”

“I—Wilford? What are you doing there?” You frowned. “Don’t you know how to use an oven?”

“According to Chef Iplier, no. Not even a little bit,” Wilford answered with a smile, not even a bit ashamed. “Well, are you up to it?”

“I…I guess? JJ, can you turn the camera toward the oven so I can see it? No, that’s the floor, up a little more—”

It took a few minutes, but you managed to talk Jameson through preheating the oven and how to set a timer, finishing with, “And that should be it. Just don’t forget to turn it off when you’re done—"

“Got it, thanks Y/N, love you,” Wilford said, abruptly turning the phone off before you could finish or answer him. “Say, Jamieboy, what do we have in the way of food dye?”

You stared at the blank screen on your end and laughed to yourself before starting a text to Marvin, typing, “You might want to get some fire suppression spells ready.”

The response came back a few seconds later: “Already on it.”

—

Some time and an assist from Marvin’s magic later, you were standing with several of the other Septic egos in their dining room, looking at the pair of cakes arranged there.

“They’re very…colorful,” Chase managed, but like the others he didn’t seem eager to move any closer to it.

That it was. Pink and blue swirled icing heavily coated both cakes in messy globs, both colors so bright as to almost appear capable of glowing in the dark.

“Well, don’t just stand there! Try a piece!” Wilford picked up the knife and everyone in the room flinched. “What?”

“Maybe I should do that,” Jackieboy said, gingerly taking the knife from Wilford’s hand, who just shrugged and backed out of the way. The superhero cut into one of the cakes, revealing the same colors had been used to dye the inside as well, and carefully meted out slices onto waiting plates.

“Those slices aren’t very big,” Wilford said doubtfully.

“We want to save some for Hen, right guys?” Jackie said, looking to you, Marvin, and Chase for backup and getting nods in return. A lot easier to be polite when you only had to get through a small piece.

Very aware that JJ and Wilford were watching you, you dipped a fork into your slice and took a hesitant bite.

“This is really good!” you said, unable to keep the surprise out of your voice.

Wilford beamed as the others shared your surprise and dug in, but you looked at Jameson who shrugged and leaned in to whisper with a slide only you could see.

“I may have baked something similar before. That, and I was able to salvage a couple of pieces from the recipe when Wilford wasn’t looking.”

You nodded, having experienced some of Wilford’s cooking before he was permanently banned from the kitchen in the Iplier house, as well as Mark’s kitchen and Ethan’s kitchen. And judging by the shriek from the other room, he was about to add another to that growing list.

“Meine Küche!”

“Schneep’s home,” Marvin said without looking up from his plate.

“Wow, look at that, it’s time for us to go,” Wilford said, grabbing the Iplier’s cake and your arm. “See you around, Jamieboy!”

“Wait, you can’t just leave me to—” Jameson’s speech slide stopped abruptly as he stared at the empty place where you and Wilford had been standing just a second ago, before it turned into a garble of censored swears. He turned to face the doctor storming into the room, mask dangling from one ear to reveal his anger, and attempted a smile.

“…Would you like a piece of cake?”

#markiplier #jacksepticeye #fluffy fools #wilford warfstache #jameson jackson #y/n #cake #quarantine references #fanfiction

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altrcistics · 4 years

Text

❄️❄️ –––– have you seen [ ESME MACMILLAN ] since the storm? some say they look like [ DANIELLE CAMPBELL ] but they’re [ 21 ] & go by [ THE TACITURN ]. [ SHE ] lived in halloway for [ 11 YEARS ] & they are originally from [ LONDON ]. before the town vanished they were studying [ MEDICINE ] and lived at [ UNI BLVD ]. most people knew the [ CISFEMALE ] as [ ALTRUISTIC ] but i’ve heard they can also be [ RETICENT ]. for some reason, they feel [ UNEASY ] about the town’s disappearance. –––

–––––– well , well if it isn’t me , b , with a broken theme !! but i’m too eager to pay any mind to it right now , and i’ve got homework due at midnight that has to happen after i get this baby posted . hi friends !! very excited to be here . this is my soul baby esme who is just trying her gd best and is stressed out 99% of the time . needs a 12 hour nap and maybe a therapist . summed up in a word ? soft , probably . i hope you love her like i do anYWAY GONNA leave this here and get to plotting so you can also hit me up at b a y#9956 on discord!!

LONDON.

weston and anna macmillan never planned on having a child. they were young and in love, and both had struck the genetic lottery – weston with his brains, anna with her trust fund. while weston was up and coming in the world of corporate law, anna had spent her life in pointe shoes and was at the top of her game as a principle dancer for the royal ballet in london. they were picturesque… perfect, even. until anna found herself to be three weeks late and their dazzling little dream life reached its first hiccup.

that hiccup entered the world screaming a whole nine months later!! tiny blue eyed esme grace macmillan was a fuckin handful even before she was born. as anna went through prenatal checkups, she found that her heartbeat was irregular. further tests concluded that she had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (hcm) which is a genetic condition that affects the muscles in the heart and causes irregular blood flow. it’s not fatal, but it is hereditary and gets riskier with physical exertion. being a new mother, anna made the decision to shelve ballet and focus on this new chapter of her life.

which was probably a good thing! she loved being a mom, and it was safe to say that having a set of eyes on esme at all times was the right choice. she was restless and constantly full of energy. from a really young age, it became apparent that esme had inherited some of the best parts of her parents. she got her dad’s brains, catching onto things quickly and learning to walk and talk earlier than most. this turned into simple reading and messy writing shortly after. she wasn’t a very social kid though, didn’t talk much.

as soon as esme was old enough, she was put into tiny pink ballet slippers. she took a liking to dance, and this is when they realized she’d also inherited her mother’s natural grace. early on, it looked like she’d easily follow in her mother’s footsteps.

dance really really opened esme up. it was here that she started making friends and began tip toeing outside of her comfort zone and opening up a little bit, but her direction changed when she was six and discovered figure skating.

it was technical and lyrical like ballet, but it was far more challenging. even as a kid, esme loved a good challenge. so her parents bought her a pair of skates, and the rest is history. as she grew up, her weekends were occupied with practices, performances, and eventually competitions. she was a natural. and for the first time there was an air of confidence about her.

though she loved it more than anything in the world, her life soon came to revolve around school and skating. it caused her to miss out on a normal childhood, never really making friends close enough to be invited to sleepovers or birthday parties.

that made the move much easier for esme. when she was 10, her father’s firm went international and he was put in charge of the american branch. thus, the macmillans hopped across the atlantic and moved to halloway for a fresh start, a new adventure.

HALLOWAY.

she took a small break from competitive skating when they moved; it was her parents’ choice in hopes of her actually making friends in new hampshire. and it worked! for a while. esme was still quiet, still a little too book smart and a little less than street smart. even as a kid, she was awkward, but she was kind and clever and for the most part — people liked her.

and life was good for a long time! she got back into skating, and around the time she was thirteen she showed no signs of stopping. in fact, her sights were set on an olympic medal, and though her parents were wary of her inherited condition, they supported her in every possible way.

entering high school, life got a little bit harder. her schoolwork and training kept her pretty tied up, and it was often really hard for her to balance a social life along with that. she didn’t show up to every party. she didn’t really have any interest in going on dates. she kept up with her friends and made time for the important things, but she wasn’t exactly the most open person.

this backfired real quick!! as a freshman, at a bonfire, a senior boy kinda came onto her and when she said nope no thank you, he got pissed. instead of taking rejection Like A Man, he decided to spread a little rumor about them hooking up. this combined with her quiet nature kind of caused her to get a bit of a reputation of being aloof and a bit easy which is so far from the truth. but high school is high school!! and people were fuckin mean about it for a long time thereafter!

around this time was also when her parents sorta…. fell out of love. as in… her father got a little power hungry, a little bored of his life, and like the cliche he is started having an affair. the secrecy of it didn’t last… long and he ultimately left both anna and esme. she felt kind of.. abandoned. like they weren’t good enough almost but.. she and her mom got . even closer because of it tbh. the macmillan girls don’t need no man!!

so she threw herself into her studies and even more so into skating. she trained in the morning and on the weekends, year round. winning competitions made her feel good, and she kept doing so. when she was fifteen, she competed at the world figure skating championship. though she didn’t medal, her scores were impressive and she became an alternate for the us figure skating team at 16. being so close to those five rings was enough to push her further.

she left traditional high school and threw herself even further into figure skating. (this only fueled halloway rumors that she was a bit of a snob akjdfha) after graduating, she enrolled at halloway part time in order to slowly get through her gen eds while training for, yup, you guessed it, the 2018 olympics.

and ya know what? it paid off. at 20, she’d had two world’s silvers and a world’s gold under her belt as she competed in the winter games. her whole life had been leading up to that moment, and she brought home an olympic gold medal in women’s figure skating. that’s right, ya girl fucking peaked.

it was a high, for a while. and she rode it quietly and gracefully. idk she was PROUD ok she worked so hard…. but her incessant need to be perfect and to continuously better herself was nagging in the back of her mind. she wasn’t sure how you could really get better than gold at the olympics.

needless to say, she’s in the midst of a bit of an identity crisis. with her heart condition and ya know aging… she knows figure skating isn’t a forever-thing. so she went back to halloway, taking an interest in medicine and trying to understand her own weakness— a weak heart. she began studying medicine and to fell in love with that profession, but . she honestly can’t stay off of the ice. activate existential dread! she doesn’t actually know who she is!

and then the heckin storm happened smh

NEW HALLOWAY.

with a calm exterior and a notorious knack for being maternal . . . someone , somewhere along the line said hey let’s put esme in charge of the hospital to which she said in a john-mulaney-esque voice . . . huh ? what ? huh ? what ??? huh ???? and then did it anyway

if she’s not on call or working at the hospital , best believe she’s studying because she’ll be the first to tell you she has no business calling herself a doctor

it’s been months!! since!! they disappeared!! and she’s sort of adjusting to this new life which often makes her feel very, very guilty because she doesn’t know what’s happened to her mother at this point

when everything was frozen she still found time to escape and do some skating on the lake aksdjfhas

for the most part, she keeps herself busy ... someone like .... help her tho

PERSONALITY.

esme’s naturally introverted. she likes people, but she’s a textbook people pleaser and gets exhausted quickly when she’s socializing. she’s always been quiet, never the center of attention (unless on ice) and never the loudest voice in the room. when she does speak, though, it’s purposeful and articulate. the sort of ‘she doesn’t talk much but when she does it’s important’ kinda thing idk. she’s not meek ya know.. just reserved

she’s naturally… very kind. cares a lot about other people but struggles to express that which is why she gravitates towards the profession of medicine. she enjoys helping people ya know

ya girl keeps her shit close to her chest. doesn’t really want to bother anyone with her own shit and takes her anger out in physical activity, disassociates from her sadness by reading. a lot of people know her but not on a deep level. tbh does she even know herself? prob not

she’s not a stick in the mud, but she does need a little push every now and then. she lets loose when she’s around people that she’s comfortable with tbh. behind the prim and proper macmillan facade is.. a bit of a goofball. does not hesitate to participate in dramatically karaoke or midnight swims in a lake.

SOFT as fuck but she’s not one to be walked all over. she’s clever as all get out and when snapped at harshly enough won’t hesitate to snap back. she doesn’t get angry to the point of showing it easily, but when she does, she’s very purposeful with her words. don’t underestimate her she hATES being underestimated

competitive as heck. in academics, in sports, in board games. she’s a sweetheart but she will wreck you in spite and malice or sorry bc she just… has a competitive nature

really does give a shit about what people think of her. like… wants to be liked. not being liked by some people in high school really fucked w her bc she just….. can’t help caring about how other people perceive her and wants it to be positively. it’s in part because of how she was raised?? she grew up in a pretty monitored, strict environment between rigorous training and her parents’ world of the rich (will this change after the storm tho??? we’ll SEE)

values honesty like has absolutely 0 time to be lied to and 0 time for bullshit

SO curious, always ready to learn more

will make a fool of herself to see you laugh

a lil bit of amy santiago.. a lil bit of rory gilmore.. a lil bit of caroline forbes..

needs to relax; constantly Anxious

s t u b b o r n

literally never sleeps

doesn’t curse bc there are more clever ways to express anger

reputation: aloof and stuck up. reality: literally just shy lmao

is TRYING VERY HARD

WANTED PLOTS.

i have a few connection ideas here!! and a tag here!! but also…

friends from halloway that she’s just… straight up been pals with since she moved there

i’m… constantly thirsty for … girl gang shit. any of y’all watch the bold type? i eat that shit uP AND IT’S all i NeED TO BE . HAPPY OK

esme’s an only child and i would love to see a sibling-like bond for her

academic rivals pls and thank!! mayb in their major…. mayb back in high school…. paris vs rory anyone?

the maya to her riley oh man

a bad influence or even… the polar opposite . to her Mom Friend-ness

someone else who grew up in the realm of rich parents like galas suck but at least we got each other!!

neighbors!!

new friends! people who she’s met through halloway and quickly taken a liking to. super interesting dynamic bc… while she’s eager to know u she’s not so eager to …. open up lmao

previous roommates

y’all into angsty exes? i know this is the end of the world and all but that don’t mean wE CAN’T get SAD

someone she became friends w via… skating yikes akjdfha i swear that’s not her only personality trait

someone she agreed to tutor!! or study buddies!! ‘i’m going to cry literal tears on my flashcards please study with me!’

someone she was forced to be friend with post-storm. they step on each other’s toes but suck it up for the sake of everyone else

i .. love combining ideas and brainstorming too so!!! we can also do that!!

if you made it this far i’m literally going to cry bc i love you already for reading a rambling like this . aNYWAY !! that’s my esme. feel free to smash the like and i’ll come to you or message me on discord!!

#hallowayintro #OOOOOF #admin b is most certainly not killing it today #but pls just.... love me anyway

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xpersonality · 5 years

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Strengths of the INFJ Personality

1. A wonderful sense of observation

We INFJs notice little details about our surroundings, and we especiallynotice little details about people. For this reason, INFJs love to people watch. People-watching allows us to study human nature without actually having to interact with anyone.

I often notice small details like what someone is wearing or if the customer said “thank you” to the cashier. And for me, it’s always interesting observing two people talking without eavesdropping on the conversation but rather just looking at their body language. I’m sure most INFJs will agree that our people-watching isn’t meant to be creepy. Rather, it’s how we analyze human behavior and societal norms — which is fascinating for the inquisitive INFJ.

2. Natural empaths

INFJs are very good at empathizing with others, even when we’ve never directly experienced what the other person is going through. We can easily put ourselves in other people’s shoes and see things from their perspective.

For example, I recently worked as a team leader for the Youth Conservation Corps in Hawaii, where I was in charge of six young adults. I felt that one of my biggest accomplishments was getting to know each of my team members on a personal level but also holding true to my role as an authority figure and a mentor. One day, I had a deep conversation with one of these young adults who told me his life story and what was presently troubling him. I mostly just listened and soaked up all that he said — and also what he wasn’t saying. I picked up on his body language, change in tone of voice, and overall demeanor. I got into a zone where nothing else mattered; my sole purpose right then was to listen and try to understand what was going on in his life.

At the end of our conversation, this young man told me that he’d never shared so much with anyone else in his life. I’m not trying to boast, but I believe it was my natural INFJ empathy that helped him open up.

Ironically, we INFJs can feel like we’re made to understand others — yet others don’t understand us.

3. Extremely creative

Whether it’s art, literature, music — or even something like creating lesson plans for students — INFJs are never short on ideas. There are many writers, musicians, entertainers, and great thinkers who are thought to be INFJs, such as Alanis Morissette, Edgar Allan Poe, Shakespeare, J.K. Rowling, Billy Crystal, George R.R. Martin, Carrie Fisher, Carl Jung, Plato — and many more.

Personally, I enjoy sketching; as my creative juices start flowing, I get lost in my inner world, and my attention to detail takes over. Another example of INFJ creativity comes from when I worked as an environmental educator. I had to design interactive lessons for high school students. Once I was put to the task, I spent hours creating engaging lessons, and loved it.

4. Lifelong learners

Never content to remain stagnant, INFJs are always seeking new information, whether it’s picking up a book, people-watching, or occasionally stepping out of our comfort zone. INFJs, like other introverted intuitive types, wholeheartedly embrace what it means to be a “lifelong learner.” We use our Introverted Intuition to absorb new ideas, make connections, and combine disparate data points into unified theories — usually with a focus on human nature.

For me, bookstores are one of my favorite places in the world. Libraries and the internet are also havens for my INFJ mind, and I’ve spent hours exploring them.

But INFJs don’t spend all their time with their nose in a book. Paradoxically, I also have an adventurous side that pushes me to do things like camping in the wilderness — and even skydiving. Many INFJs are naturally curious, and pleasures such as novels and travel are the perfect antidotes.

5. In service of others

Unfortunately, many people still have the misconception that quiet, solitude-loving introverts are unapproachable or even selfish. Although INFJs are true introverts who need plenty of alone time, they’re also deeply interested in people. For this reason, they may even be confused for extroverts.

Yes, INFJs can be both reclusive hermits and also the life of the party (when we feel comfortable around the people we’re with).

Specifically, INFJs love helpingothers. In fact, I believe that a crucial ingredient to INFJ happinessis working to empower others. I’ve found that teaching, counseling, and coaching are perfect for this. To be an INFJ is to be an idealist who wants to make the world a better place — especially for those who are hurting or underserved.

Being an INFJ can have its bright moments and its dark periods. But ultimately, I wouldn’t have it any other way

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sarakuper · 4 years

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San Rafael; Work Away

Stop #3, December 21-January 7

Our time in San Rafael was very relaxing, thrilling, and interesting. Some days we spent doing little to nothing, which was nice for a few days but too boring for me at some points. Other days Sean and I did some awesome activities pushing us both way out of our comfort zones. Lastly, we experienced authentic Colombian culture first hand. Being there for holidays and festivals meant we were there for some of the most quiet and exciting days of the year.

When we arrived on Saturday we had no idea what to expect. This stop being our first WorkAway, we wondered…what work would we be doing? How many hours were expected of us? Are any meals included? For that first day we hung out and enjoyed the beautiful location at the hostel, which is located on a steep hill, completely open and overlooking the city. It’s totally lush and absolutely beautiful. The view alone is a reason to spend all day in the hostel relaxing.

There are 3 people who own the hostel, all Colombian, and all in their 20’s. Lili was there when we arrived, Manuel arrived the next day (Sunday), and Laura arrived after spending Christmas with her family in Medellin. Immediately after arriving Sean and I fell in love with their cat Canela, which is “cinnamon” in Spanish. We thought she was a kitten because she isn’t full sized, but it turns out she is an old lady! She lived on the property with the previous owner, who was thought to be not very kind to her. When Lili, Laura, and Manuel bought the place about a year ago, Canela was pregnant with a dead litter. They paid to have them surgically removed, and since then Canela has been their beloved pet. She is so cuddly and sweet. She jumps on your lap for pets or a nap, and she answer to your calls. She’s the kind of cat that acts like a dog. We immediately fell in love with her. It’s not like we are trying to fill a void or anything... :)

When Manuel arrived on Sunday we discussed the work we would be doing; we would redo the kitchen (and it really needed it) and lunch would be provided. We started making plans for this work Monday morning. I was going to repaint the kitchen and organize it differently while Sean would build some cabinet doors and shelves. Our work load was different each day. Sometimes we felt good with the work we were doing that we spent hours doing it. Other days we did little to nothing. Either way, Leidy and Karen came every morning to clean the hostel, and during our first week Leidy cooked us lunch too. And wow did she cook us the most delicious healthy food!!!

Leidy and Karen live in the same building as the hostel/language school in a separate apartment. Leidy is probably in her late 30’s or early 40’s, and Karen is her 10 year old daughter. Neither of them spoke a word of english, but they quickly became a big part of our trip in San Rafael. Since Karen was off from school she came to help her mom cook and clean every morning. One morning I was doing some henna on hands and legs when Karen told me “linda!” which means “cute” or “pretty” in Spanish. I asked her if she wanted one, and when she said yes I told her to ask her mom first. Next thing you know, I was giving henna tattoos to both Karen and Leidy; mandala type flowers on their legs and their names written on their wrists. I wish I took a photo of this, but I didn’t :(. I did however take a picture of my henna, and finally took a picture with Leidy and Karen on our last day.

From then on, Karen and I would hang out together almost every morning. She would help me study Spanish while also helping her mom work. I would pull up a new vocabulary word I wanted to learn from an app on my phone, and she and I would practice using that word in a sentence. She would then correct my awful grammar before moving on to the next new word. Some evenings after that I saw Karen and Leidy hanging out outside or walking into town. We always talked and all made efforts to communicate as much as possible. My broken Spanish was enough to connect with both of them, but what it really highlighted was that you don’t need to speak the same language to express love and kindness.

Over Christmas Eve we joined Lili’s boyfriend, Brandon, at his house where he was hosting a BBQ. And that’s exactly how Colombians celebrate Christmas; they BBQ on the street with beers and loud music. And they were kind enough to grill lots of veggies for me :)

During our time in San Rafael we experienced some epic thunder storms. It rained almost every night, and being in a hostel where the common area is wide open made the storms so fun. Normally when we went into town we did so in the evening and nights, only because the days were so hot, and so walking up and down the hills to the city center was a bit warm… but, every time we went out at night it was like a guessing game if we would get poured on. Every night was cloudy, so there was really no telling. It made it a little more fun :) I love rain in warm weather!

Another day, after working and panting in the morning, we went to the nearest watering hole for a quick swim. Lili’s mom was in town, so we went together plus Bendzhi, a Chinese girl staying at our hostel long term. The watering hole was amazing for people watching. So many locals go there to cool off and swim. Kids ands dogs run around everywhere while vendors sell snacks from fresh fruit to churros. I wish I had photos, but it was better to bring little to nothing since we were ditching our stuff to go swimming.

Steve was another guy at our hostel, probably in his mid 40’s, and from Canada. We spent a good amount of time with him, especially after hiking to a waterfall with him, and Manuel. The hike was pretty short but beautiful. We walked right by horses and cows/bulls before approaching the waterfall.

Just before NYE Lili left to spend time in San Carlos, another town about an hour west, for the next month or so. Laura and Manuel both went to meet Manuel’s family, and so Sean and I had the hostel to ourselves. We went out in town and hung out at a bar until midnight, when everyone got up to hug and kiss each other. Soon after Sean and I went home to hit the hay. Neither of us were feeling great (my throat was sore and he had an allergy attack), plus we don’t particularly care much for this holiday.

Something I loved about staying at this hostel was that on most days a group of small monkeys would come looking for food. Of course we bought bananas in preparation of this, and fed them quite often. They are so small and so cute!!! They would call at us until we fed them their beloved bananas.

The most exciting thing we did during our time in San Rafael was a canyoneering trip with Manuel, his sister Julianna, and her husband Freddy. We hiked to a spot along a river, got into wet suits and harnesses, and began our decent in the river. We slid down the rocks, jumped off cliffs, and repelled our way through the river. Sean’s fear of heights kicked in during the last part of the activity. But, there we were.. and there was no turning back! This trip was short, but seriously one of the coolest things we’ve done. We were so high on life from the awesome adventure it was!

Another day Manuel and Laura invited us on a fishing trip again with his sister and brother in law. We fished along a river, and although Sean and I both didn’t catch anything we still enjoyed the experience very much. Colorful birds where flying all around us, calling out to each other, and it was really beautiful to watch. Eventually we made our way to a waterfall where we “parked” our boats to go explore. We climbed to the top of the waterfall where we found a beautiful swimming hole to enjoy all to ourselves. We explored deeper, climbing up the next small waterfall. It was absolutely stunning, and easily the highlight of the fishing trip. We swam and jumped off the rocks (don’t worry- Manuel, a certified guide, checked to see that they were safe first) while enjoying all the beauty around us.

The next day we had the opportunity to visit a Panela farm, watching its production from start to finish. Panela is the natural sweetener widely used here in Colombia, and I think a lot of Latin America. It comes in thick blocks that are chipped at and use as sweeter for many of their drinks, specifically chocolate (the drink) and natural juice. We started by crushing the sugarcane using a machine, followed by a long cleaning process to purify the juice before it crystalizes into a sugar. The colombian family that owns the farm has been making Panela all their lives. The whole operation is run between 4 siblings; 3 brothers and 1 sister, all in their 70’s. The abuela welcomed us into her beautiful home and made us breakfast, and then lunch once it got late enough in the afternoon. I am so grateful to have been welcomed to this family’s farm and home with arms open wide. The love they put into this work, and the history behind it all makes it so special. For so many reasons this day was one I will never forget.

One of the last events that went on while we were gone (and yes, wow, a lot has really happened) was Festivo del Rio, festival of the river. We are not sure how the name is related to the celebrations, but what we do know is that this small town fills up with tons of Colombians from all over the country to come celebrate this festival at San Rafael. Restaurants were packed, the hostel we stayed at was fully booked, and the streets were crowded with happy people. On Friday night we watched part of the parade, where structures of mythical creatures ran the streets breathing fire and pure fun.

At the beginning of this post I wrote that times during this leg of the trip I was bored, yet I didn’t get to writing any of this post until the bus ride out of town. I didn’t realize how many special experiences we had until it was time to write about it. But thats exactly why I do this :)

And now that I am writing this while on the bus leaving San Rafael, it feels bitter sweet to leave. This town is so authentically Colombian. The only other English speakers we met were 3 others from our hostel, one Canadian, one American, and one Chinese who spoke English fluently. Saying goodbye was so sweet, as Laura told me that seeing my face is like getting a dose a diabetes. There’s a bit of a language barrier there.. but what she was saying is that I’m so sweet and she feels that every time she sees my face 😂. As for Leidy and Karen... well Leidy starting to cry. I told her “I miss you” in Spanish because I have no idea how to speak in future tense to say “I will miss you”. Karen, her 10 year old daughter who was my best friend on this leg of the trip, gave me hugs goodbye. I will miss practicing Spanish with her very much. She actually knows how to explain things to me better than the adults!

Anyway, I am so looking forward to Josh’s arrival! This is just the start of what I think will be a very fun month with friends (Sam and Victoria next week) and then my mom and cousin Maria in Cartagena!

Thanks for reading fam, love you all.

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stylessemantics · 6 years

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VII-3: Oh, Marcel AU (part III)

Also called: The Marcel Smut (Read part one here || read part two here )

Shout out to @legend-waitforit-harry and @harryysutequila for being absolute dolls when it comes to Marcel. And also thank you to the latter for beta reading :) te quiero.

ALSO THIS IS 6K WORDS LONG UHHH SORRY?

Prompt: Harry, pitifully called Marcel as a sour joke, is a nice, young, straight-A student, with a bully that hates him on a personal level and he now knows why, and what he thinks is an unattainable crush on his bully’s ex, who he’s started to tutor and befriend and get impossibly closer, specially after they both decide to get tattoos, igniting a new spark in her, and a slight confession of his lust.

In which Harry and Y/N get closer over chemistry, bruises, stories of her past with Jonathan, tattoos, and Harry’s slight pain kink.

When y/n met Jonathan, they were young – or at least younger – and they got along fairly well from the first moment. By the time Jonathan asked her out on a date they were somewhat friends and the looming fear that accompanied deciding what college to go to was over every senior’s head, but they gave it a shot nonetheless. It would be like a last refreshing adventure before the typical “spreading your wings and flying” that every adult assured them college would be. They made a cute couple, him in the football team and her being the student council president and overall nice girl, and contrary to anyone’s belief that they would split up before college, they got to stay together after realising they had chosen the same university. It was like a sign from heavens.

Until it wasn’t.

Y/N didn’t get to tell the story in full to Harry that night. She had started way back, and much to Harry’s heartache, Jonathan sounded like a very nice boyfriend from what y/n did get to say before Tommy, one of the monitors, came knocking announcing girls were no longer allowed in the boy’s quarters for the day. Tommy was the more strict monitor, the one that stayed until the girls left, so y/n was forced to pick up her things and leave with the promise that they’d get together to study in the library the following day, and she could tell him the rest of her story, but it was too late, Harry already had a peek and interest for what could y/n have possibly meant that it was her fault, and he couldn’t catch much sleep afterwards.

He wanted and hoped that he would get the rest of the story straight from her lips, and not from another shove by Jonathan, but life wasn’t fair to ‘Little Marcel’ these past few days, and so a shove is what he got. He came face to face with Jonathan in the middle of a somewhat empty parking lot in campus, terrible mistake for Harry to walk that zone alone, for Jonathan jumped like animal after its prey and caught him off guard. Harry’s fists tingled, he wasn’t back into the whole boxing thing enough just yet to square up a good punch back to Jonathan, but the latter was surprised when Harry seemed angry and grabbed his shirt collar the same way he had his in his hands, nostrils flaring. Harry was angry. Not a lot of sleep, the suspense of a story keeping him on edge, and overall being fed up with Jonathan’s antics had been the perfect formula for Harry’s sudden courage flare.

“Oh, want to fight back, don’t we?” Jonathan almost spat in his face, shoving him against a wall in his tight hold. Harry shuffled, trying to break loose from his grip and get the upper hand by pushing him away, but he struggled. His mind wasn’t into it. He was annoyed that all he knew of the story consisted in this… this beast being an actual decent boyfriend and he can’t even wrap his head around how that could have been a thing, ever. This man once treated the girl he likes really well, and it angered him that the prospect of him ever being anything but wonderful to her was going to be hidden somewhere in the ending of the tale he was going to get in a few hours. It just didn’t settle right and Harry wanted nothing more than to punch him, even if just for the doubts of whether or not he’d hurt y/n in any way. But all Harry could manage was to remember his breathing exercises from all those years he accompanied his sister to yoga, and strike right where he wanted the most. “Why, Jonathan?” The phrase caught the tall strong man off guard, allowing Harry to push back and get a better grip at him. “Why do you hate me?”

In all the time Harry’s unpleasantly known Jonathan, he’s not sure he’s seen him with the expression on his face the question triggered. A mixture between anger, regret, and something close to pity or sadness, he couldn’t tell. Specifically towards what, he’ll probably never know, but whatever it was didn’t stop Jonathan from taking in a short breath and change his look to only anger, as he thrusted Harry’s body back against the wall, scraping the backs of his shoulders with the rough material, surely leaving cuts and scratches. Harry waited for a punch in the middle of his weakened grip due to the burning sensation of his skin scratching open against a wall, but Jonathan let go, leaving him to squirm in pain, and walked away, not before spitting his way and murmuring through gritted teeth. “You took her from me”

In his dreams Harry had y/n’s hands over his body in more ways than one, and certainly after the last incident with Jonathan she had been very handsy when making sure his bruises didn’t get any worse. But this was a whole new level. Even with the hovering tension of a heavy story left unfinished, Harry was sat on y/n’s bed not long after she’d ran into him following his encounter with Jonathan, shirtless and hissing every time whatever she was using to clean his cuts touched his open skin, and trying to make his hormones calm down. Focus on something else, he kept thinking to himself. Focus on anything other than her hands touching your skin, the slight pleasure that spurts from the pinching pain, or how naked you feel in front of her. Focus on anything else. He’d mentioned how Jonathan reacted when he asked him… the thing and y/n’s eyes immediately welled up with angry tears. “Harry…” she started in a whisper, making goosebumps raise on Harry’s skin where her breath hit. She was kneeled behind him, cleaning off little rocks and blood from the cuts. He knew what her tone meant, she was about to say how sorry she was for Jonathan’s doings, once again. “Don’t… Let’s just… ignore that” he sighs, fixing his glasses on his nose and taking a sideways glimpse at her frown that somehow made her impossibly cuter. It was a wonder to see how her cheeks only got prettier every time he saw her. “No, let’s not…” she grabbed his arms making him turn slightly on her bed to face her fully, breath caught in his throat from how close she was. “This is my fault too” “Y/N-” “Listen to me” her stern tone surprised him. The story she had to finish telling him sat at the tip of her tongue and she decided to get it over with and rip it like a band-aid. Part of her was scared her theory was true and with it that Harry would also think it was her fault and hate her for something she didn’t know how to control anymore.

In short, the story was more of a theory, and Harry was glad when she started with that. She breezed through the details of how Jonathan was always more the type to solve issues with punches, but thankfully it never came to it much, since he had football to throw his problems in. As he played with his frames on his face, Harry found none of that hard to believe, from however long he’s known Jonathan there was no way all that anger came just because, and he figured it’d be a helpful thing for the sport to some level. Surprising even to himself, Harry found it in him to feel happy for the Jonathan y/n was talking about. He seemed aware and had some sort of coping mechanism that worked.

The whole ordeal wasn’t as bad but still his parents and y/n worried he would carry the anger from a game to outside the field, and she tried to stick around and help, even made sure his coach always talked to him as if they had small therapy sessions before any game, to keep him in check. Harry understood completely, settling more comfortably on her mattress in eagerness to hear the rest.

The same way they seemed to have a good relationship, until it wasn’t, Jonathan was coping great with his slight anger problem, until he wasn’t. College rolled around and his scores weren’t good, he scored a good deal that soon went away because of his and causing him to be ineligible for a sports team, and to top it all off, Jonathan closed off, saying he didn’t need anyone to talk to, he just wanted to play, but couldnt, and it wasn’t that y/n didn’t think he’d get any better or his grades could come up and he could try again, it was more so that Jonathan didn’t want to get any better or didn’t think there was anything wrong in the first place.

Before she knew it, it felt like they had both given up, like they were together because it was there, and not because they felt anything. Jonathan started doing things and acting certain ways that would only push her away. He’d never talk to her about his day, and he had started bullying random kids for random reasons whenever he was more irritable than the previous day, and no matter how hard y/n tried, Jonathan didn’t want anyone to battle this with, and that was obvious.

Harry was afraid to ask if he’d ever hurt y/n in any way, and she could see it in his eyes that he worried. “I was fine. It’s nothing like that” she whispered and Harry’s sigh of relief was plenty audible. “He just… It wasn’t Jonathan anymore…” Harry nodded, understanding that to her he’d become the exact opposite of what she once knew.

Y/n met Harry at around the same time her and Jonathan were at their worst. Harry was nice, he seemed smart and she could remember that Harry made her laugh the first day of chemistry class, saying it back to him, not knowing that Harry could never forget that the gorgeous girl that had randomly sat next to him was giving him her attention and he’d made her laugh the prettiest laugh he’d ever heard. He cleared his throat and nodded. “I remember” he added smoothly. “Yeah” she blushed slightly, clearing her throat as well. Harry didn’t know but y/n couldn’t forget that either, not because she thought anything of Harry in the same way he thought of her that first day, but because that one joke was the only good thing she experienced that day. Not long after, she found out that Harry was one of those random kids her boyfriend bullied, and something inside her bubbled over. It was the last straw. She liked Harry, and she could see them being friends, and so she confronted Jonathan about it.

It didn’t go well.

Harry confidently placed a hand on her hand, not knowing where the courage had poured in from, but riding it for as long as he could. Y/n look tired remembering every detail and playing it back like a movie for him to get a glance at. All he could do was remind her he was there, and that she could stop and take a second if she needed one. But alas, she pushed through, and there it came, her brilliant theory.

She had defended Harry, and every guy Jonathan bullied, but Harry specifically because it was a face she now knew. It was a face she wanted to see more of, and preferably not bruised. She was tired of her boyfriend’s antics, of him not wanting help or acting like nothing was out of place, and trying to justify all his horrible actions with excuses that were empty. She was exhausted, and that night she ended it. Jonathan was shocked, as if all the anger he carried didn’t let him see that he was doing something wrong. And as y/n walked away and he refused, all he could see was anger and a face. Harry’s. “I think that’s w-why…” “That’s why he said I ‘took you’ from him” “Yes and I feel so guilty. I feel like he’s doing this to you more than anyone else because of me”

Tears threatened to fall down y/n’s cheeks and Harry sighed, taking both her hands in his and facing her fully. He didn’t think this was her fault. In fact after knowing the full story he didn’t really care for someone to blame. Even if there was some truth to her theory, Harry could never blame her for anything that was happening. Jonathan needed an excuse, and it turned out to be Harry, but that only meant Jonathan needed the help he was refusing to get, he needed closure, and that was it. To Harry it didn’t mean y/n had done anything wrong. And so he told her.

Harry removed his glasses and focused on her, making her look him in the eye. Her cheeks were puffy and her eyes were sad, something Harry never wanted to see on her. He gave her a comforting smile. “None of this is your fault.” “But-” “Shh, it’s not. I know the whole story now and I don’t blame you for anything, okay?” he concluded, figuring she needed to hear those words come from him. She needed to hear she was innocent from his mouth, and maybe she could start to believe it. Her arms wrapped around Harry’s figure without a warning, and this time Harry hugged back after shrugging off the surprise. He rubbed comforting circles on her back and whispered “it’s okay” to her ear for as long as they kept each other close.

Harry didn’t know what he would do about Jonathan, but he didn’t care. He hoped that now that he knew he could find a way to slowly talk to him, or gently get him and y/n to speak, or whatever it took so that Jonathan could find the help he needed. He didn’t know what the next move was, but he decided that starting with y/n and their friendship came at number one for now. He decided there was no use in plotting some master plan or causing himself or y/n a headache with more of this talk that made her uncomfortable. He wanted everything to go back to its normal state, and with time, whenever the Jonathan bridge came, they’d cross it.

Pulling apart they smiled at each other. The electricity in the air hard for Harry to ignore, but he kept his distance, instead of following his tingling instinct and closing his mouth on hers, no matter how much he wanted to.

“So… chemistry?” he asked, finding the relation of how he felt chemistry with her in his head funny but dismissing it quickly, reaching over for his shirt and sliding it back on as y/n groaned. “Nooo please” she whined clutching a pillow to her chest “not yet.” “What do you mean not yet?” Harry chuckled at her childish behaviour. “I wanted to ask you something” Harry’s head tilted as he slid his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, urging her to continue “tell me about your tattoos” “My tattoos?” she nodded excitedly “what about them?” “Well… I’ve been kinda wanting one… for a while” the smile on her face was shy and adorable, and Harry couldn’t really see her with any tattoos on her body, but the more he looked at her pointedly and the more she smiled as she poked his tattooed arm, the more he could see exactly what style of tattoo would go with her personality, regardless of how little he actually knew of her. She continued to trace the words inked on his skin over and over, enthralled by the art.

“Do yeh, now…?” he arched an eyebrow sitting next to her once more. “What d’yeh want?” she shrugged. “Hmmm is that so. You wouldn’t happen to draw something a lot?” Harry placed his index finger on his chin, tapping it in fake thoughtfulness. “Ok fine, I sort of know…” y/n doodled a lot of things around her notebooks and Harry had noticed. Mostly hamsas, lotus flowers, suns and moons. Things of the sort. He laughed having caught her in her feeble lie. “I want a little moon on my forearm and a sun on the other, or maybe a lotus on my shoulder, I haven’t decided” “Well–” he stretched, pulling his arm out of her grip, stopping her from tracing anymore of his tattoos, the butterflies were getting too unbearable– “I’ve an appointment this weekend, yeh can come along if yeh want, see what it’s like” Y/n’s eyes lit up like a kid in christmas’s. “Really?!” Harry shrugged as if it was no biggie. “That’d be awesome! Thank you!” She gave him another hug and he chuckled. Before she could pull away he asked. “So. Chemistry?” And laughter exploded from his chest when her response was a deep long groan and a slap to his shoulder.

The weekend rolled around fast, and y/n was excited to see the tattoo parlor, but Harry was sure a lot of her commotion also came from having aced a chemistry lab practice the day before. She giggled with glee, as she tugged Harry’s arm when they turned the corner on their walk to the place, and she finally laid eyes on the parlor. His friend and ex roommate Nick Grimshaw was the artist he was going to see, and Harry knew that surely with a quick text he could arrange it so y/n watched the whole process and got to talk to an actual tattooist about what she envisioned without a previous date. Nick had agreed, not before teasing him if this was the same y/n Harry usually spoke very smitten about, and congratulating him for it with a cheeky grin Harry could read from the simple blue bubble of words in his text app.

“‘Arry!” Was the first thing Nick said when the man waltzed in with y/n close behind, eyes dancing around the place and the wonderful art plastered on the walls. Tattoos drawn on paper, waiting to be inked onto skin, and photos of happy clients posing with their latest work. She marveled at the idea of being on that wall, but she liked the simple thought of just having her own tattoo a lot more.

“Nicholas!” The two men hugged and swayed from side to side as two brothers that had gone long without seeing each other, even though Harry saw Nick pretty much monthly, whether at the parlor, the gym, or the bar he would rarely visit but Nick frequented. Nick proceeded to pinch his arm at the name. He hated being called Nicholas and Harry always did it, to push his buttons. Harry giggled, adjusting his glasses on his face, and y/n blushed. She didn’t know why she did, but she couldn’t help it after finding Harry’s little laugh cute. It was a strange feeling. Not necessarily bad, but strange nonetheless. She dismissed it. “Hi. ‘M Nick.” “Y/N” she said, shaking the skinny man’s hand and looking at the sprinkle of tattoos that laced his arms. “What will I be doing for yeh lads today then” Nick hopped – literally hopped– behind the counter, pulling out a folder with Harry’s name and handing it to him. She peaked when he opened it. It was full of designs, some she’s seen on his body, some new. Harry noticed her intrigued but confused look. “Nick compiles art he thinks I’ll like, fo’ when I come in without a clear idea” she nodded in silence, having decided to just watch and learn for the time being. “What can I say” Nick shrugged “I’m a good foocking friend” Harry rolled his eyes and sighed “Yeh wish.” He closed the folder and sighed, tapping his fingers on the folded paper. “Think it’s time fo’ the tiger” “Oooh” Nick clapped in excitement, leaving y/n completely lost. They obviously talked about this a lot, and Nick probably tattooed Harry all the time, so of course they had some sort of inside talk that y/n was not going to understand. Harry took a seat while Nick fished the design. It was a wonderful tiger, the details impeccable and of a decent size. Y/N was left to stare in shock, mouth agape, when she saw Harry rolling up the basketball shorts he’d donned for the day, immediately understanding why he wasn’t in his usual slacks or skinny jeans. He was clearly thinking about this tattoo for a while. Nick cleaned and prepared the area and after a short conversation about size, position and other details, the buzz of the tattoo gun and Harry’s faint, short hisses every once in a while, filled the silence of the empty parlor.

Somewhere around an hour and a half, Nick pulled back, examining his art. Harry’s eyes were red and his face showed a slight discomfort as y/n sat there, all she could do was stare. She had asked minor questions here and there, like if it was hurting Harry to which he said it wasn’t so bad, and things relating to herself getting a tattoo, like where should she start to avoid the most pain, how does the whole process work and so on. She even found herself staring at some of Nick’s tattoos, and when he noticed, he laughed. “If yeh’re looking at the ugly penguin there, ‘Arry did it, tha’s why it’s foocking gross” causing Harry to complain and smack Nick across the head, the parlor filling with their laughs “Watch it! Who’s got the gun ‘ere, huh?”

“Ok miss…” Nick started after taking a long sip from his water bottle and stretching from his hunched position. Harry let his shorts down, covering the wrapped thigh and moved from the chair. “Yer turn, I ‘spose?”

Harry fixed his glasses on his face, thinking maybe y/n might be scared of doing this today, on such short notice, and he was ready to give her his speech about how if she had even the smallest of, doubts she should leave it for another day, but was surprised when she pulled out her phone and turned to Nick, showing him what he could only assume was inspiration for what she wanted. “So that, but… maybe this style? And this size?” she murmured. Every time Harry tried to get a peak she’d move and Nick pushed him back jokingly. He got the drift. It was going to be a surprise for both of them, it seemed like. “Tha’s sick! Love the effect.” “Yeah? It’s so wonderful, right? Think you can do that?” Nick gasped, faking offense. “Harry why is she doubting me?–” He asked while giving y/n a playful glare and making them both laugh– “Lay on the chair doll, DaVinci will drop dead again when I’m done”

It was Harry’s turn to be shocked when y/n laid face down and removed her shirt. He tried his best to remain calm despite the obvious deep red shade his cheeks had taken. He swallowed back a grunt and gave Nick a death glare when the man, behind y/n’s back, insinuated at Harry with a look that screamed ‘hot damn, look at that’ to him.

This was a bad idea. Y/N was getting her back tattooed and Harry didn’t dare to look. Both because she obviously wanted to surprise herself and him with the final result, and also because he didn’t think he could stand there in the tingling pain from his own freshly inked tattoo, looking at her bare back – bra straps open and down her shoulder – for long without collapsing or needing a cold shower. It was all he could do to stifle in a moan or keep from imagining her, face down on his bed as he sank himself…

That was enough.

He turned around, fidgeting with his glasses on his face to keep his hands busy.

Harry always knew Nick was good. Great even. The work he did on y/n was amazing and she kept giggling over it as she arched her neck to try and get a better glimpse. “Oh my god” she kept repeating in whispers “I am in love with it” she hopped up and down in excitement making Nick smile proudly. It was some of his best work yet. The tattoo wasn’t in itself complicated, with much detail, or of a big enough size to take hours and hours of work, but it was the simple fading and style of it what made it so unique and hard to master. He took pride in his good work, mentally patting himself on the back. “Make sure t’take care of it. Harry can help yeh. ‘S a hard spot to reach” he murmured, slyly winking in Harry’s direction who just took to rolling his eyes at his friend.

Y/n and Harry were almost out the door after smiles and goodbyes, tips for tending a tattoo, and more praise over Nick’s work when y/n snapped out of her seemingly post tattoo haze, stopping dead in her tracks. “I have to pay! Oh my god” she exploded in a fit of laughter, turning around to Nick to ask how much she owed. “No no. No need” He assured her as Harry fidgeted behind her figure. “What? No way. Let me pay, you can’t give me this for free” “Oh, ‘s alright darling” he winked at her, pushing her out of the parlor, not before nodding his head in Harry’s direction and giving her a small wink, whispering “It’s all covered” before sending her off.

Y/n whined Harry’s ear off the whole way back, and even when he sneaked into her room past the allowed hours – not without getting flustered over it before – she continued to do so no matter how many times he’d promised her it was okay. “Let me pay you back” “No, it’s fine” he chuckled, sitting on her bed and letting out a sigh. The area of his tattoo was still covered and just slightly itchy. Y/N dismissed him, turning to look at her new tattoo in the mirror and silently plotting ways to pay him back some day when he least expected it. She wouldn’t let that nice gesture pass, and he was already doing entirely too much.

Harry decided to play a little game he’d played with her before and quiz her on her test she had the day prior and all the other knowledge he’d been helping her with, in a way to keep her memory fresh with the concepts. Y/N groaned at first, not wanting to study on a saturday at all but complied, and so the tossing of a random plastic toy she kept in her room began. Harry would ask, the throw getting more difficult as the questions got tougher, and they walked around her room to keep her on her toes and active. “And that is?” “Thermochemistry” “Who’s the father of it” “Uh, trick question?” “Hmmm, wrong y/n.” “Hess? Laplace? Both?” Harry shrugged “Come on!” “Fine, trick question. It had like 6 fathers. Now-” He motioned at her to toss him the little toy before she interrupted. “Fuck off, Harry” She exploded in a fit of laughter, which he joined in soon after, falling back on her small couch, throwing it back at a distracted Harry with a bit of force given her laid back position. “Ow!” Harry bit back when the somewhat sharp and hard edge of it smacked him in the side of the jaw. “Oh, fuck! Sorry!”

The hard toy had left a red spot on his jaw, right at the side from his chin, surely to cause a little bump in the future and its sharp edge drew the tiniest bit of blood that he caught on his fingertips when he touched the skin. Y/N immediately piped up, rushing to him, apology after apology slipping through her lips.

It seemed like lately y/n had turned into his at home doctor, as she had tended for his bruises and cuts more than anyone ever, in just the past week. Harry found himself sat on the edge of her bed, once more being taken care of by her delicate fingers, chin pulled up and jutted out, as her other hand kept his head in place. She continued to apologise even though he’d repeatedly said it was all okay, quickly falling silent after she assumed a knelt position right in front of him, practically straddling him as her legs perched on either side of his one recently tattooed thigh. “How’s it look?” he asked timidly. “Well…–“ she sighed dramatically– “You have a magnet for injuries, Harry, but-” he laughed at her statement, a deep, small laugh, brain too fuzzy over the fact that she was this close. Again y/n blushed when he did so. She had found it that she liked it when Harry smiled or laughed. It could be either cute and giggly which made her very giggly back, or it could be a very deep, very manly chuckle that had her feeling something she couldn’t quite place but had come to like, quite a lot. Whatever it was, she wanted more of it. Whatever it was she wanted more of Harry’s smiling face in her life.

In the time she’s known Harry she had to admit she wanted to poke his dimples whenever they came up, and now her hands were so close she couldn’t stop herself from reaching up and placing her finger on the small dip. Harry was surprised, back immediately tensing at her action. Their eyes met; him looking down from his upturned chin and her looking up to catch his curious eyes, giving him a smile Harry couldn’t return. Behind him, his arms extended towards the sheets, he took them by the fistfuls to try and keep some grasp of the real world. God, she didn’t know, he thought to himself, she didn’t know just how fast his heart was running, where the blood was rushing, where his mind was wandering.

Y/n was confused. She never wanted more of Harry than what he was already giving to her. Granted that was a lot, for he was always there and so helpful, but she thought it was what he allowed, and now she was tingling for just a little more. She was itching for the closeness, and she didn’t know why or when it started. Her fingers had gone from just poking his dimple to fully cradling his cheek, both their faces levelling to look at each other from a better angle, time slowly pulling back. Harry’s breath hitched. “It looks good” she whispered, careful that her nose didn’t crash against the tip of his, as his eyes glistened with something she couldn’t decipher. “I–” Harry swallowed. She was talking about his small injury but he’d be lucky if he remembered his own name at this point. He wanted to push just the slightest bit, to reach forward and end the weight that had taken over his chest. What was she doing? What was this? His brain ran a million thoughts at the same time and he couldn’t focus on a single one. And then she made them all stop in the most electrifying of ways.

Her knees started to give out as she relaxed into the feeling of being so close to Harry and whatever it had settled on the pit of her stomach. It wasn’t butterflies, but they tingled just the same. She was buzzing. It was close to that feeling when she was overheating with desire, but she refused to call it that. There was no way she felt that way for Harry. There was no way she felt any way for Harry. Right?

Harry was already having a hard time after his tattoo – the buzz that he always got from the slight pain doubling thanks to the fact she had also gotten a tattoo with him and she was now like this on him – and in his mind it wasn’t fair that she could make him feel like this so easily. It wasn’t fair that she had him at the palm of her hand. He was already about to give out, every emotion overflooding inside him. The courage he had for a lot of things was gone for this one, until he couldn’t hold anything anymore.

Her weight came down on him just the smallest of fractions. On his inked thigh, where he was most sensitive right now besides between his legs. His eyes closed shut as he swallowed back a hiss and his hands jolted. Y/n didn’t understand what was happening, she just stared at his face, contorting in something that resembled pain, but he hadn’t cried out for anything. She sank just the tiniest bit lower, putting more pressure on him, making his imagination run wild and he just couldn’t keep it to himself. Harry audibly gasped, the shadow of a moan caught in the back of his throat as his hands jumped to hold the sides of y/n’s waist. He pushed in, just holding her in place, as if trying to make her stop sinking onto him any longer, despite his deep urge to dip her down to ride his thigh. Stop Harry, stop, he kept trying to make himself recover his sanity, but y/n, sweet, gorgeous and forever torturing y/n, either was so lost her naiveness just sank her further, or she knew exactly what she was doing.

Harry figured it was a mix of both as she whispered his name and sat lower on his thigh and her fingers grabbed the back of his neck as he let out a longer moan, head rolling back lightly. “F-fuck” he whispered at the sensation of her moving slightly forward, sliding up his leg. His hips rolled forwards as well, making her bite her lip and shut her eyes closed. Harry felt his rational mind slowly slip away, the same way the whispery words slipped without permission out of his shaky mouth “G-god, please, just let me fuck yeh” his fingers digging into her skin, pulling her down onto him.

Y/N jolted at the feeling, as if suddenly awake, placing her hands on his shoulders and looking at him with widened eyes. Harry did the same, shock and embarrassment running through his features before they were painted over red. Y/n sat up on her knees once more, pulling away from his thigh and his hands let go of her frame, immediately slapping against his babbling mouth. “I- I’m-” “Harry…” she whispers. His hands drop back to her waist, only to pry her off his body and onto her mattress as Harry makes it his task to pick up all his things in a hurry. He has to leave, he has to run out of there and never come back, he’s ruined it all. “I shouldn’t h-have- I didn’t- F-fuck. I m-mean- I’m sorry- God- fuck” He’s cursing under his breath, ruffling his hair in nervousness, his glasses in his hands and he can’t stop wiping at them in embarrassment. “Harry, listen” she tries to get him to stop but he’s stuck like a broken record. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I am so terribly sorry” he continues to say, face red and chest heaving up and down, anxiety filled tears ready to run down his cheeks. It’s suddenly impossible for him to catch a breath.

Y/N is up on her feet, nervous and red as well – she can’t believe what just happened– but before she can reach forth and grab his arm to try and calm him down, he’s bolting out of her room and she’s ripped of the chance to explain herself.

She’s left alone in her room, confused and upset. Her door slowly shutting close as she lets her body flop on her bed, a hand touching her hot cheek, the other sprawled on her chest feeling her rushing heartbeat, soon making it’s way down her body where she can feel her arousal that was cut short, cupping her womanhood over her clothes in frustration.

She was ripped of the chance to tell him that the only thing that jolted her out of the trance wasn’t the tingly feeling his warm hands gave her over the fabric of her clothes, or the heat pooling between her legs, or her own hitched breath. What snapped her out of it were her own surprising thoughts that she wanted more and more and more.

And now she fears she’s not going to get it.

THAT’S THE TAT BUT ON HER BACK? LIKE UP LIKE CLOSE TO HER RIGHT SHOULDER BLADE?

Thanks for reading! FEEDBACK IS GREATLY APPRECIATED PLEASE!!! I want to know what you think of this AND ALSO INPUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT PART FOUR CAN BRING AFALKSJDFHASLJFHD

I can’t leave y’all with Harry never getting sex so there WILL be a part four whahaha. Anyways, do let me know what should happen next what you thought etc etc! please! I Beg!

Smooches Iv. XO.

Masterlist || My Ask

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alexskylar · 6 years

Text

From Housewife to Whore

An erotic cuckolding tale by Alex Skylar

Eric kept looking at the numbers on the computer screen, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make them work. There were too many bills, and not enough money coming in.

Eric’s wife Jillian was sitting next to him, but she had no idea how to help. She had lost her job last week when her company had to trim some excess, and that left them in a tough position financially. There weren't a lot of jobs out there in her field, and it would take some time to find another opening that would pay well enough to make up what they needed.

They had been together since they graduated high school, almost ten years ago at this point, and this was by far the worst things had ever been. The money was the biggest obstacle, but it had also started to bleed over into the rest of their marriage. The added stress meant more fights, and their sex life was almost non-existent.

Eric looked at Jillian. She was a beautiful woman, smart and driven. Her persona was very conservative and vanilla though, and she often held herself back out of fear, especially during tough times like these. He always tried to take that stress out of her life and handle it himself, but this time he just couldn't make it work.

Jill lifted her eyes and looked at him, clearly seeing the stress on his face as well.

“There is another way we could bring in some more money,” she said hesitantly, “but I don't think you’d like it.”

Eric looked at her curiously, and she blushed when she noticed his eyes on her.

“We don't have to do this,” she continued, “but I was talking to Eve and she said I should try doing the amateur night at the strip club across town.”

Eric stared blankly at her, flabbergasted. He would never have expected her, of all people to suggest something like that. She would never have suggested something like that on her own, but it made sense to know that Eve was involved.

Eve was Jill’s free-spirited friend who was always up for an adventure. Her wild lifestyle was a stark contrast to Jill’s more conservative demeanor. Sometimes Eric would get frustrated, especially when Eve would get Jill into one form of trouble or another, and sometimes he wondered how the two of them had never gotten arrested. For some reason, Jillian could never let loose around him like that, but maybe this would be the moment that she did.

Physically, Jillian would do well as a stripper. Her blonde hair and beautiful face made her desirable by most men’s standards, and her body was fit and toned. Her breasts were full and perky, slightly bigger than one would expect for a body like hers. She had also studied dance, so she would know exactly how to move her body.

The real reason that Eric was surprised was because Jillian had always been very modest. She hated going to the beach because she felt too exposed in a bikini. Now she was talking about getting up on stage in front of a bunch of men and removing all her clothes. She would be exposing the most private parts of her body to them.

“Of course Eve would suggest that,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m sure she's probably tried it a few times herself.”

“She has, actually,” Jill replied, laughing along with him. “She said she made a lot of money. They paid her five hundred dollars just for dancing on the stage, and she made another five hundred giving lap dances afterward. That's a grand just in one night!”

That would be enough money to take a lot of the pressure off them, but Eric was still hesitant about it. He didn't hate the idea, but he was worried if she would be able to go through with it. There was also something else about it that gave him a weird knot in his stomach, but he couldn't quite figure out what that was.

“Do you think you could actually do something like that, though?” he asked her.

“I don't know,” she said, blushing. “It would be out of my comfort zone, but it also sounds exciting. I would definitely need a few drinks first, but I think I could do it.”

Eric mulled the idea over in his head. There was still that certain something that was eating at him, but they needed the money. If she was willing, then he couldn't really argue with her.

“Let’s do it then. When’s the next one?” he asked.

“Tonight,” she answered, pursing her lips guiltily.

“Wow,” was all Eric could muster in response.

“I know, but that means less time for me to get nervous and back out. Right?”

Jillian looked at him anxiously, but when he nodded, she smiled and leaned in to give him a kiss.

They pulled up the website for the place that Eve had recommended and found out that the amateur performers started at eight that night. That gave Jillian a few hours to get ready, so she hurried into the bathroom to shower and shave. She wanted to look her best when she got up on stage, so she took a little extra time getting ready.

When Eric came into the bedroom an hour later, he found his wife going through her underwear drawer. She had already chosen a pair of black and red lace panties, and she was looking for the right top. He came up behind her and pulled out a black corset that she had pushed aside.

“This one,” he said. “It’s my favorite, and the guys will love it.”

Jillian looked at him with a devilish smile. It was almost as if she enjoyed having him pick out what she would wear on stage in front of all those other men.

That was when Eric finally realized what the knot in his stomach was. He didn't want to admit it to himself, but he loved the idea of his wife stripping naked in front of a room full of strangers. He loved the idea of them looking at her, lusting after her. He loved the idea of her giving a lap dance to a total stranger, turning him on before walking away with his money. There was just something about the idea of his wife letting out her inner slut that turned him on. He still wasn't convinced she would go through with it, so perhaps that was what was holding him back. There would be nothing worse than getting excited about the idea and having her back out at the last minute.

Eric watched as Jill slipped the corset around her body and zipped it up in the front. She stopped and threw him a seductive look, and he felt his cock stir. His wife looked stunning.

Jillian added a pleated schoolgirl skirt, then found a long coat to cover herself up on the way there. Once she was ready, they headed out the door. It took about twenty minutes to get to the club, a squat building with a nondescript sign bearing the name “The Club” in grey letters. Eric had driven through this area dozens of times and had never even noticed it was there.

They parked out front, and Eric looked at Jillian one more time. This was her last chance to back out without anybody else knowing, but there was something in her eyes that told him she wouldn't. She was nervous, but he could also tell she was excited as well.

“Are you sure about this?” Eric asked openly.

“Yeah,” she replied hesitantly. “I think so.”

“You don't have to go in if you don't want to. I won't make fun of you.”

“I know, but I think I want to,” she admitted, averting her eyes.

“Good,” he said, “because I want you to do it, too.”

Jillian looked up at him, realizing what he had just said. He wasn't letting her do it. He wanted her to do it. He was as excited as she was. That made her smile grow even wider. With a final nod, they got out of the car and went in.

The inside was one large room, with a small hallway off to the side leading to a private area for lap dances. There were small cubicles along one side of the hall, each with its own loveseat for the guys to sit on. Small dividers separated each one and gave the customer a little privacy.

In the middle of the main room was a large round stage with a low countertop stretching around it. There were chairs all along it, many of them filled with customers trying to get a closer view of the girls on the stage. There was a petite brunette dancing at that moment, and she had already stripped down to just a small G-string. She was attractive, with soft curves and large breasts that bounced and swayed with every movement.

There was a small table near the door where the bouncer was collecting the cover charge. Next to his cash box was a sheet of paper where the women had to sign up for amateur night. Jillian asked how it worked, and the bouncer explained that new girls get one song, and if the crowd response is good, they can come back for more songs. After signing a waiver, she would also have the option to give private dances, but it wasn't a requirement.

As Eric paid his cover charge, the music shifted to a new song and the DJ announced the next girl.

“Gentlemen, please welcome Sapphire to the stage!”

Eric laughed at the lack of subtlety on her choice of name, and when he turned around, his jaw dropped to the ground. Sapphire was clearly a stage name, but Eric knew her real name. The woman who had just sauntered onto the stage in just a bra and panties was Jillian’s friend, Eve.

Eve was beautiful. Although Eric had never seen her in less than a bikini, she always seemed to show a lot of skin when they went to the beach. He would never admit it to Jillian, but he had fantasized about her from time to time. She was a sexy brunette with the same tan and toned body as his wife. He had always found it odd that his wife had become friends with someone that was the polar opposite of her, but the two of them were often inseparable. It seemed that Eric would finally get the opportunity to see her naked.

Jill was completely unfazed when she saw Eve and clearly knew that she would be there dancing as well. Perhaps Jill had even suggested going tonight because she knew her friend would give her that extra push to get up on the stage. Eve could be very persuasive, especially when it came to bad behavior.

Jillian grabbed Eric’s hand and dragged him toward the bar to get a drink while Sapphire jumped on the pole in the center of the room and spun around it. He followed Jill, but continued to watch the stage in hopes of getting a good view of her friend’s naked body.

As the bartender poured their drinks, Eric watched Eve reach behind her back and unhook her bra, slowly letting it fall from her body. Just as he had imagined, her breasts were big and firm, and just as perky as his wife’s. When she made eye contact with him and winked, he felt his cock stir again.

Eric followed Jillian to one of the tables tucked in the back, far away from the stage. She untied her coat and let it drift open slightly, testing the waters. A few guys turned to try to get a glimpse of her body hiding beneath the coat, and that seemed to fuel her confidence. She smiled at Eric and bit her lip sexily.

While he had been entertained by his wife’s first steps toward being a slut, Eve had somehow stripped naked, finished her song, and exited the stage before Eric could catch a glimpse of what she had between her legs. He was kicking himself inside, but hopefully she would return to the stage again at some point to give him a second chance to see all her goods.

Eve emerged from the backstage room a short while later wearing a tiny little dress. The bottom half was a mini skirt that was so tight, he could see that she wasn't wearing panties under it. The top half was a loop of fabric that loosely covered her front and wrapped around her neck. Her boobs, clearly free of any restraint, swayed under the fabric with every step.

Eve gave Jillian a hug first, then stepped back and looked her up and down.

“What is with this coat?” she barked. “Take that off right now!”

Jillian blushed and tried to hide her face behind her hand, but there was no escape. Eve wasn't going to give up. She reluctantly stood up and slowly peeled the coat away from her body to show off her corset and skirt. A lot more guys were watching now as she exposed her sexy corset and schoolgirl skirt. It wouldn't be long before those same men were watching her naked.

Once she was satisfied with Jill’s look, Eve turned to Eric. He had always felt nervous around her, mostly because she was smoking hot and he didn't want Jillian to get jealous. Eve seemed to pick up in his shy interest though, and she often enjoyed making him even more nervous.

Tonight, she seemed to enjoy it even more.

Eve bypassed Eric’s outstretched hand and gave him a big hug. She pulled her body tightly against him, letting him feel her breasts pressing against his chest. He could feel his cheeks burning as she let go and threw him another wink.

Eve ordered a round of shots for the three of them, and then another. Once Jillian had some liquid courage in her, her friend grabbed her by the hand and pulled her toward the backroom. It was clear that Eve was eager to get her on the stage before her nerves got the best of her.

Eric sat alone and nursed his beer, feeling a good buzz already. A few of the girls would stop and try to chat him up for a lap dance, but he politely declined each time so that he wouldn't miss it when Jillian came out. His heart raced as he waited. Soon the music died down, and the DJ announced a new girl.

“Gentlemen, please welcome Starlight to the stage!”

The sound system started blasting a cheesy eighties rock song about hot girls, and that was when Eric saw his wife strut out on stage in almost nothing. The skirt was gone, leaving just the corset and her panties. She had a smile on her face that radiated confidence though, and all the guys cheered as she came out.

Jillian took a swing around the pole, handling herself well. Eric wondered for a moment if she had been practicing for this with Eve, before realizing that they had been planning this together for a while now. He could see the stage fright on her face, but a few wolf whistles from the crowd seemed to help her confidence.

She danced around the edge of the stage, making a quick loop first as she got her bearings. As she passed along the side closest to Eric's table, he got a great view of her. That's when it really sank in: Jillian was up on the stage of a strip club in just her panties and the corset that he had picked out for her. Every one of those men staring at her were now fantasizing about what it would be like to fuck his wife. This was really happening, and he loved it.

Jillian stopped at one spot where there were a few particularly loud guys. She dropped to her knees on the stage in front of them and began grinding downward as if she was riding an invisible man underneath her. Her head rolled back and her eyes closed lustfully as one of her hands travelled down the length of her body and slipped between her legs. Then she leaned forward and gave them a closeup view of her cleavage spilling out the top of the corset.

The guys loved the show, but she didn't have time to linger, so she moved on and kept repeating it for different men. Everywhere she stopped, the men would stack bills on the edge of the stage. Jill used her body to knock them down, always giving them a show while she did so.

The first song wound down and it was time for her second song. Most girls waited until the second song to take off the rest of their clothes, so this would be the moment of truth.

Jillian headed to the pole at the center of the stage and did one quick loop, then stopped and faced a few guys who had given her a good payout the first time. She watched them intently as her fingers pinched the zipper and slowly pulled it downward. When it hit the bottom, the corset fell away from her body and revealed her bare top half to everyone. Her breasts swayed slightly above her tight, flat stomach. There was another loud cheer from the audience, who seemed very pleased with what she had shown them.

Jillian moved to the end of the stage and started to make her way around again. At her first stop, she turned her back to a group of rowdy guys. She slipped her fingers under the waistband of her panties and slid them down, bending over as they moved down her legs. Eric got a clear view of her exposed pussy while she was bent over, and he knew that every other guy on his side of the stage had gotten the same glimpse of his wife’s tight pink slit.

Jillian stood up again and turned toward the guys, then squatted down and ran her hands along her inner thighs. Her pussy spread wide open for the strangers, and she smiled and blushed as they got extra loud in response.

Once again, she made her way around the stage and stopped to dance for a few other groups. With every stop, she became more brazen. By the time she got to the last group of guys, she was down on her knees with her ass pointed toward them and her legs spread wide, grinding sexily with the beat. Her shyness was gone now, and she wanted the audience to see every inch of her body.

The song finally came to an end, and Jillian hurried to gather her dollar bills. She left the stage with wads of cash in her hands and her lingerie tucked under her arm.

A few minutes later, Jillian and Eve emerged from the back room. Jill had put her corset back on, but had left her skirt off. She strolled confidently through the room in her panties.

“I just made two hundred bucks, and they said they want me to dance a few more times later!” she said giddily as she shimmied up close to her husband. “Eve wants me to go mingle and see if I can get some guys to buy lap dances. Are you okay with that?”

Her hand brushed across Eric’s crotch and she felt his erection straining against his jeans. After that, she didn't even wait for his answer.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” she said with a giggle. “I’ll be back.”

Jillian gave him a quick peck on the cheek, threw back one more shot, then turned to follow Eve. They headed straight for one of the busiest tables, a huge group of a dozen guys who looked like they were out for a bachelor party.

Eric watched from afar as Eve, the more extroverted one, introduced Jillian to the group. They both flirted openly with all the guys, and at one point Jillian ended up sitting in the future groom’s lap. Her ass had to be pressed up against his cock as she smiled and laughed at everything he said. His hand slithered up and he wrapped his arm around her waist, and she made no attempt to stop him.

It didn't take long before Jillian and Eve stood up, followed by two men. The groom had chosen Jill, which seemed somewhat ironic considering that she was the only married one between the two girls. Eve had different guy in tow. Both men were in their early twenties and clearly drunk. The four of them headed to the bouncer waiting outside the hallway, where they paid for their first dance before disappearing down the hallway.

For Eric, the next ten minutes were excruciating. His wife was in a secluded room with another man, where she would remove all her clothes before grinding her naked body against him. He felt jealous, but only because he couldn't watch the action. It really made no sense in his head that he would be turned on by his wife flirting so wantonly with other men, but somehow she seemed to enjoy it in the same way. In fact, she seemed to be teasing him with it.

As another girl danced on the stage, Eric paid close attention to the song blasting out of the speakers. Each lap dance was the length of a complete song, but customers would sometimes stay for a few songs at a time, paying for each one. The more songs a guy wanted, the more money Jillian would get.

The first full song came to an end, and Eric watched the doorway for the girls. Eve emerged moments later with her guy, waving goodbye and thanking him. She made her way across the room to the table where Eric was waiting, but Jillian was still nowhere to be seen.

“Hey, big boy,” Eve said suggestively as she approached him. “Are you having fun?”

Eric didn't know how to tell her that he was actually loving this whole thing. Admitting that might seem kind of weird, and he wanted to try to keep that between him and Jillian.

“I’m doing alright,” he said. “Where’s Jill?”

“I think her customer wanted to go for another song. He seems to really like her, so she might be in there for a while.”

Eric felt his stomach tighten and his cheeks burn, but he forced a smile for Eve. Her breasts swayed freely below her dress and he found it hard to maintain eye contact. Eve picked up on that and moved closer to him.

“You can look if you want to,” she said, placing her hand on his arm and stroking it softly. “You’ll have to buy a dance if you want to see them without the dress on, though.”

Eve looked at him with a sly grin that said she was only half joking. If Jillian wasn't here with him, he might have even been tempted to say yes.

“I think Jillian might be a little upset with me if I took you up on that offer,” he said.

“Why don't we ask her?” Eve said, and tilted her head toward the hallway.

Jillian had just emerged with the groom. His face was flushed and he looked like he had thoroughly enjoyed her show. She gave him a quick hug, and his arms slipped around her waist and held her a little longer than he should have. After that, she waved goodbye and came back to their table.

“I think your husband wants me to give him a lap dance,” Eve announced loudly as Jill got closer to them, “but he's worried you’ll be mad. Can I?”

“Well, I just got thoroughly fondled by that guy, so I guess he should be allowed to have some fun, too.”

Her words were like a punch to the gut, both arousing and frustrating. The customers weren't supposed to touch the girls, but he had also heard that some dancers were more relaxed with that rule. If Jillian didn't stop the guy and the bouncer couldn’t see them, then the customer could do pretty much whatever they wanted.

Eric drifted into his own mental space as he pictured Jillian grinding on the stranger, pressing her naked body against him as his hands cupped her breasts. A total stranger had just groped his wife, and he loved it.

Eve snapped him out of his daze by grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the back hallway. Jillian giggled and waved to her husband as he trailed off, then headed toward a table full of several well-dressed gentlemen in their forties. Eric wanted to see who her next customer would be, but Eve poked him in the ribcage and made him pull out a twenty to pay the bouncer. He passed the bill to the hulking doorman, then followed her into the dark hallway.

Eve pulled him past several empty rooms and took him all the way to the last room at the end. It was far from the bouncer, which allowed her to be a little more risqué. This was probably where Jillian had taken her first customer so that he could touch her while she danced for him.

Each room had a love seat with a divider wall on each side. At the end of the hallway, there was one extra room on the opposite side, and Eve chose the last seat right across from it. The extra room was empty right now, but another girl would probably be coming in soon to use it.

Eve pushed Eric down on the couch and took a seat next to him, draping her long, smooth legs across his lap. He was very familiar with her body, and he could see her toned and sculpted figure under the fabric of her skimpy dress.

“You aren't supposed to touch me while I do this,” Eve whispered in his ear, “but I’ll I've you a free pass. Just make sure Jake doesn't see it if he comes down this way.”

Before Eric could respond, the previous song finished and it was time for Eve to start her dance. She pulled her legs back and jumped up to straddle his lap so that she was looking right into her eyes. Eric maintained eye contact with her out of habit, but she quickly corrected him.

“I know you want to be a good husband, but this is a strip club,” she said as she lifted herself up slightly and moved closer to him. “You’re supposed to look at my body, not my eyes. I know you want to look at my tits, so do it.”

Eve’s breasts were right at eye level, and as soon as she directed him to do so, he looked down at them. The plunging neckline of her dress left her cleavage exposed, and he could see the soft curve of each globe through the thin fabric of her dress. She wasted no time in showing him what he wanted to see, as she lowered her head and slipped the halter portion of her dress off her neck. She whipped her hair back and ran her fingers through it, and as her arms went up over her head, she arched her back and her full breasts pressed outward inches from Eric’s face. Her nipples stiffened instantly in the cold air, and Eric fought back the temptation to wrap his tongue around one of them.

Eve gyrated her hips against him with the music, grinding her mound into his lap. Her breasts swayed even more without the dress, and Eric was mesmerized by them. Once she had completely turned him on, she slid off the couch and stood in front of him. Her hips swayed with the music as she slipped the rest of her dress off her body. For the first time, Eric got a view of the cleanly-shaven triangle where her thighs came together. Eve lifted one of her legs and placed her foot on the couch next to him, parting her thighs so he could see her beautiful pussy. She ran her fingers across her tight, pink slit and parted the labia for him.

Eve then turned and dropped into his lap, laying her body back against him and pressing her hips down against his throbbing cock. Her hands grabbed his and pulled them up to her breasts, where she pressed his palms against her bare globes. Eric squeezed them eagerly, experiencing his wife’s best friend in a way that he never thought he would. He had no idea when he woke up this morning that this was where he would end up tonight.

The sound of footsteps echoed down the hall, and Eve quickly pushed his hands off her body in case it was the bouncer. Seconds later, Jillian came around the corner with another customer behind her. She glanced at Eric and Eve, then led him to the couch opposite theirs.

The customer was an older gentleman with a few specks of grey in his jet-black hair. He was wearing a dress suit, but he had undone the top buttons and removed his tie. Jillian guided him to the couch and sat down in his lap, her arms slipping around his neck as she looked at him seductively.

Eric felt his breathing deepen. He wanted to watch his wife dance for the stranger, and it seemed the opportunity was about to present itself. Eve seemed to read his mind.

“Do you want to buy another song with me so you can watch them?” she whispered sexily in his ear.

“Yes,” he said breathlessly, and Eve giggled against him.

“I had a feeling you’d like this, you naughty boy,” she said.

The song ended and Jillian stood up in front of her client. As she prepared to dance for him, Eve laid back against Eric and leaned her head on his shoulder so she wouldn't block his view. His growing erection pressed against her bare ass, and she wiggled her hips slightly to tease him as they watched.

Jillian was facing the businessman, swaying gently with the music. Within the first few seconds of the song, she unzipped her corset and tossed it aside. With just her panties on, she dropped down onto the couch and straddled him. Her hips moved side to side over him, pressing down against his lap. She pulled closer to him and pressed her breasts into his face with no modesty or hesitation.

Eric couldn't see Jillian’s face. He could only see her ass, clad in those sexy black lace panties, as she rubbed herself seductively against the stranger’s body. After teasing him for a few seconds, she stood up and turned her back toward her client. Her eyes met Eric’s and she smiled knowingly as she bent over and slipped her panties off, giving the other man a perfect close-up of her tight little ass and the bare lips of her pussy. As she came back up, she sat down in his lap and stretched out her naked body against him. She watched her husband attentively, but continued to press her naked ass against the anonymous businessman.

Eve was watching excitedly too, and she decided to use the opportunity to tease her closest friend. She took Eric’s hands just like she had before and placed them on her breasts. He kneaded them gently, enjoying the feeling of another woman’s breasts in her hand.

Jillian glared at Eve, then responded by taking her client’s hands and placing them on her breasts as well. The stranger groped her, pawing clumsily at her beautiful chest. Eric’s mind raged with a sudden flash of jealousy, but his cock pressed even harder against Eve’s ass. He let go of her breasts and grabbed her hips, pressing up against her. Eve moaned quietly and wiggled her butt harder, while shooting Jillian a smug look.

Jillian spun around again and returned her attention to the customer, pressing her entire naked body against him as her lips drifted inches from his, just out of reach. Eric found himself wondering how far she would take it, and if she would really kiss a total stranger. Eve looked back over her shoulder at him and ran her hand down his leg.

“Doesn't she look so beautiful?” she purred softly as she teased him. “I bet he wants to fuck her.”

Before Eric could respond, the song ended and Eve jumped up. She slipped her dress back on, then grabbed Eric by the hand and dragged him away. Jillian was still in the stranger’s lap, probably gearing up for a second song, but Eve refused to let him stay.

“Come on, let’s give them some privacy,” she said, then pulled him back to the table.

Eve ordered a few more drinks and they sat and watched the girl on stage while they waited for Jillian to return. Three songs ticked by before she finally emerged with a giddy smile on her face. She hurried over to Eric and snuggled up close to him like she wanted something.

“How did I do?” she asked him, not even mentioning Eve’s teasing lap dance. “Did I look sexy?”

“Stunning,” Eric told her honestly. “I’m sure he agreed if he kept you back there for that long.”

Jillian laughed and blushed. There was something hovering behind her eyes, a question she was holding back.

“What's wrong?” he asked her, trying to get her to spit it out.

“That guy just paid me two hundred dollars!” she blurted out. “That's fifty bucks per song! Between my dances and being on stage, I’ve already made five hundred dollars!”

“That's great!” he replied. “So what's that look then?”

Jillian looked at him sheepishly, then finally answered.

“Well, if I stay here all night, I would probably make another five hundred dollars. That guy I was just dancing for offered me three grand if I go home with him. Three thousand dollars!”

Eric felt a sudden lump in his throat as he realized what she was asking.

“But you have to sleep with him, right?” he asked, his heart starting to race.

“Yeah,” she said, becoming quiet again.

“I don't know about that. I’m a little nervous about letting you go home alone with a complete stranger.”

“Well,” Jillian replied, “I wouldn't have to go alone. He said you can come with us and watch if you want.”

Eric looked at her with a stone-faced expression. He didn't know if she was serious or if this was some elaborate joke she had fabricated with Eve, but as she watched his reaction, it became clear that she was dead serious.

“I don't know what to say,” he said finally. “I mean, that's a lot of money. It's been really hot watching you dance for these guys, but that's a lot different.”

Jillian looked at him timidly, then moved closer to him. She ran her hand softly across his cheek, then leaned in close and whispered in his ear.

“You don't want to see another man fuck me? You don't want to watch me suck his cock, pleasure him, and make him cum just for me? Then you can fuck the shit out of me afterward and reclaim your wife. Please? It’ll be a lot of fun.”

The lump was still in his throat. Jillian had just painted an incredibly erotic picture for him, and it made his hormones surge. He could deny it all he wanted, but the truth was that he wanted to see his wife fuck another man. He would even be willing to let her do it if she didn't get paid, but he wasn't about to tell her that.

“Okay,” he said finally, taking a deep breath.

Jillian smiled at him and kissed him softly on the cheek.

“Good, baby,” she said. “I'm going to do one more dance on stage and then we can leave.”

With those words, Jillian turned and made her way backstage. Eric’s mind was so consumed with what was about to happen, he could barely even focus when she came out onstage again and started peeling her clothes off again. He had been aroused by the idea of stripping for a roomful of men when they first got to the club, but now that paled in comparison to what his shy, timid wife was about to do. He watched her naked body twisting and moving on stage, and all he could think about was her wrapping herself around a total stranger as he plunged his hard cock into her married pussy.

The song ended and Jillian made her way offstage with an armful of money. She came out a short time later with her corset and skirt on, then slipped her long coat over it. She turned to Eve first and gave her a quick hug and kiss, then took Eric’s hand and led him across the room to the table full of businessmen. He glanced back at Eve, who gave him a wink and blew a kiss in his direction.

The two of them made their way across the room to the table where the older gentleman with flecks of gray in his hair was waiting for her with his friends. He stood up when he saw Jillian approaching and shook hands with his friends at the table, then excused himself from their company. He began walking toward his date for the rest of the evening with a beaming grin on his face.

As the stranger approached, Eric could assess him a little better in the slightly brighter light of the main room. He had guessed that the guy was in his early forties, but he might have even been a little older than that. His body looked thin and toned though, and he had a strong chiseled jaw that would make most women go crazy.

He slipped an arm around Jillian, and she made no attempt to stop him. In fact, she let her body slide up against his “like they were longtime lovers and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Honey, this is James,” she said. “James, this is my husband Eric.”

James offered his hand, and Eric shook it firmly.

“Nice to meet you, sir,” he said. “Your wife is absolutely beautiful. I’m sure we are all going to have a lot of fun tonight.”

There was something about James that didn't sit well with Eric. Maybe it was his smug confidence at knowing that he could buy a night with another man’s wife. Maybe it was because he thought he could fuck her better. Either way, Jillian seemed to drink in his energy. Her smile was radiant when she was looking at him.

They made their way outside and went to James’s car, a sleek black Porsche that was probably worth more than what Eric made in an entire year. As soon as she saw his car, Jillian turned to her husband.

“I’m going to ride with him. Why don't you follow us in our car?”

Eric felt his blood boil with jealousy, but her suggestion made sense. James was a customer, and she wanted to give him the best experience for his money. She gave Eric a quick peck on the cheek, then slipped into the passenger seat of the sports car.

It took about fifteen minutes to get to James’s luxurious house, hidden in a small town nearby. Eric pulled his car into the driveway behind them and got out to join them. As Jillian climbed out of the car, her face was flushed.

“This is going to be a lot of fun,” she said, clearly still a little drunk. “His cock is huge!”

“How do you know that?” Eric asked naively, furrowing his brow.

“Because I was feeling it with my hand the entire drive,” she said.

Jillian had a very proud look on her face. She took her husband by the hand and he realized she was passing him something. He looked down and saw her panties. With a playful giggle, she turned and hurried to her potential lover’s side.

The inside of the house was just as luxurious as the outside, filled with ornate golden mirrors that looked like they belonged in a French king’s palace. The rooms were huge, and the furniture looked expensive. Three thousand dollars was probably chump change to this guy.

“Welcome to my home,” James said confidently. “Why don't you two have a seat in the living room and I’ll grab us a few glasses of wine. Let me take your coat, too.”

He helped Jillian out of her jacket, then disappeared into the other room. They made their way into the living room, where Eric sat down on one of the two couches. Jillian took a seat on the other and gave her husband a mischievous grin. She was sitting by herself to make herself available to James when he returned. Eric was left sitting by himself, just like he would be for the rest of the evening.

A few minutes later, their host returned with three glasses and handed one to each of them. He then took a seat next to Jillian and she slid up close to him. Eric felt his cock stir again as the stranger slipped his arm around Eric’s wife and placed his hand on the curve of her hip.

They made small talk for a few minutes, but Jillian was eager to get down to business. She leaned forward and placed her glass on the coffee table, then turned toward James. Her hand went to his cheek, and she leaned in and pressed her lips against his. This was really happening. Jillian was kissing another man.

James reached over with his other hand and put it on her bare thigh, letting it slide up under her skirt as they made out. Jillian pulled closer to him, getting even more into the kiss as his hands explored her body.

Jillian pulled back after a few minutes and looked at James as she slowly unzipped her corset for him. Once she had freed her breasts, she moved back into his arms and resumed their kiss. His lips began to wander, and he moved down her neck as she reclined on his couch. Her eyes fluttered closed, but when James reached her nipple and pulled it into his mouth, she gasped sharply and looked directly at her husband with her eyes wide open. Her body squirmed under her lover’s tongue, but her eyes stayed glued to her husband as she bit her lip excitedly.

James’s hand moved further up under her skirt, and when she closed her eyes again and sighed deeply, Eric knew that he had found her pussy. He could only imagine how wet she must be right now, especially since she seemed to be loving this entire experience.

James explored her body, sucking her nipple harder as his fingers probed her sex. Jillian began moaning softly and ran her fingers through his hair as his fingers slipped in and out of her pussy, moving faster with every stroke. Her cries grew more urgent, and soon she was clutching at him as her body began to shake uncontrollably.

Her climax subsided and she pulled him into a hungry kiss. James’s hands reached out to explore her body, but Jillian pushed him away and stood up. It was her turn. She crossed the room to Eric’s couch and stopped in front of him, then looked at him condescendingly.

“Undress me,” she commanded him.

Eric didn't object. He sat forward and slipped his fingers into the waistband of her dress and slowly slipped it over her hips and down her legs. Jillian stepped away from him naked and returned to her waiting lover, then dropped to her knees in front of him.

Jillian’s fingers carefully unbuckled his belt and worked it loose, then unzipped his dress slacks. James had already started unbuttoning his shirt, and as she slid his pants down, he peeled his shirt off and tossed it aside. He was left in a pair of snug boxer briefs that showed off the outline of his sizable member.

Jillian started to massage the sizeable bulge through his underwear. Her eyes were on James, contemplating what she was about to do. She hesitated, trying to hold back, to move slowly and seductively, but she couldn't fight her urges. It was no longer about the money. She wanted to fuck him, and she wanted her husband to watch it happen. She wanted to be a slut.

For more of this story, check out From Housewife to Whore by Alex Skylar, exclusively on Amazon!

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grammaticalmustaches · 3 years

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KETTLE KATCHERZ FEEL FREE TO READ

under a read more due to length oops

suddenly overcome with love for my players. its a constant emotion but im feeling it so big right now.

theyre just so invested in the world! and their characters! and theyre so kind!?! truly i think dnd brings out the best in people.

i gave them some kenku that are having trouble integrating with a community because of the language barrier and now my players are out of game diving into esl education to make a communication book to help them get basic ideas across.

it is an ongoing joke that they adopt every npc i give them and its not much of a joke bc no lie i think there are just as many npcs who travel with the party as there are actual pcs. actually i just counted there are exactly as many party npcs as there are pcs. three of those npcs are kind of just one npc who at one point shared a consciousness but are now separate(-ish) beings and one of those npcs is just a small horde of dust bunnies that occasionally either makes or cleans up messes so you could argue the numbers dont actually line up but it is still an absurd number of npcs to have adopted. i have to plan reasons npcs cant or dont want to go on adventures as one of the first character points i make otherwise their party would be triple its size. i am constantly forgetting how many npcs they have with them at all times but they Dont forget and make points to include them in conversations and decision making.

i just think dnd brings out the best in people!!!

also i lowkey hate making maps but maps are important for understanding the world so iv been doing research and shit and trying to get better at it but! my players literally help with that? not just in making it fun and rewarding but like literally help with the task of it?

as in we just came from a city that one of my players spent a few years at so he drew a map of the city and wrote me out a Huge world building document about the city and its culture and like, climate and neighborhoods and what was important to his character while living there and everything! and another player gave me a six page document that included maps about the territory their character grew up in like, almost at the very beginning of our campaign! i havn’t even had a chance to use any of that information yet because they come from a very far away place! they dont care they Had Fun making me this big old document! and now we’re visiting a player’s childhood home and They’ve offered to make the map for the area! that would be three whole maps all player made!!!

theyre just so invested and make things so easy on me!!! it is so easy to dm a group that is constantly focused on Working With the world and moving their characters forward!

and its a super homebrewed campaign partially bc i honestly think thats not only more fun but how dnd is Meant to be played, with some creativity and making shit up on the spot, but also my players are so good!!! about shit being homebrew!!! when something comes up we dont know the rules for or which rules dont exist for we work together to decide what happens!!! if someone knows a rule i dont they let me know and i can ask them what they think happens given the rules that do apply and we make decisions together on how it works with a focus on what makes the most compelling story!

its just so truly OUR game!!! my beloved comrades!!!

Also like, its been off and on and we’ve taken breaks but we’ve been playing since March 2019? and people have added and left and like i said we’ve had to take breaks but in the end this is not a campaign i can imagine not being in anymore. i cannot imagine this campaign ending just because, like, there’s just so many of them who are so invested!!! and Im so invested! to be honest this campaign is one of the most fun and rewarding things in my life and one of my favorite things about it is how confident i am that it is going to be a constant in my life for a long time. like im really able to just Revel in this campaign and sink hours of work into weird bullshit and plan out arcs and enemies and friends and plot hooks and aesthetic bullshit i dont expect our party to meet for Quite a while because i just! i have no fear that this is going to end!

One of my players got a symbol from our campaign tattooed onto their flesh body? art that i made for dungeons and dragons? it will be on their human body for the rest of their life? and another got a tattoo that (partially) represents what this campaign means to them? another has told me they would love to get a campaign related tattoo with me someday? there is a tattoo in game that binds (most of) the pcs to each other and there has been talk about us getting that tattoo together?

i cannot think about this for too long or i go insane. i made some shapes on canva and spent the whole time wishing i had ms paint because ms paint is my level of art and these are designs that are being added to bodies because we have collectively installed so much emotion and meaning into them.

i am losin gmy mind.

and like, iv already sunk lowkey a kind of unreasonable amount of time (esp for someone who just went back to school and has homework!) into making my kenku soundboard and mixtape but its been such a passion project already and the whole time iv been working on it iv had Zero fear of the reception because i Know and Trust that my players will think my first attempt at using garageband is sick as hell even if its kind of not because they are just crazy supportive and love our world like i cant even really call it my world its truly Our world and! we all love and contribute to it!!!???!!!

I just love my party so much!!!

i just!!! truly think!!! dnd brings out the best in people!!!

at the end of every session we do a rose/bud/thorn (thing we liked/thing we’re looking forward to/thing that could be improved or issue wed like to bring up) to check in with how the session went!!! we discuss things we didnt like and how wed change them!!!

they challenge me Constantly not just in pushing my capabilities as a growing dm but they also speak up and challenge my decisions when they disagree!

i jsut cannot get over how truly we are Working Together in all aspects to make this campaign what it is.

i have a tendency to move dnd at a crawling pace where every hour of every day is meticulously role played. and they told me they didnt like that and now we work together to make things move faster! and it doesnt always work and we still dont move that fast but weve brainstormed several options and tried a few new things to make it easier for me to go faster!

PROBLEM SOLVING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF GAME

dnd! brings out! the best in people!

and also also also theres like, Multiple players who really hate using technology and sometimes esp video chatting. and most sessions currently people’s thorns have been tech issues/being on video. but wer still all (mostly) show up every session! we still submit to the mortifying ordeal of being seen/heard on discord!

some of my players have an accented character voice and i love them So So So Much for this and it makes me feel confident and comfortable enough to try my best at (when i remember to) doing character voices for npcs but we are not critical role and we are certainly not voice actors so none of our voices are very good or consistent! and my players with accents get self conscious about this pretty often but like!!! they are TRYING!!! they are GIVING IT THEIR ALL!!!

what more could anyone possibly ask of them?

multiple players have come to me concerned and looking for advice/help because they dont think theyre very good at role play/staying in character. we’ve got people who so dedicated theyre stepping Way outside their comfort zone and then turning around and apologizing for how far a walk it was??? they are giving it Their All and their biggest concern is how to give MORE?

i had a moment last session where i realized that our current arc is literally exactly the kind of arc i Dreamed of dming when i was first starting out. like, not to toot my own horn but its legitimately open world and they have a mystery that they need to get to know a small community and find out what everyone knows and put all the pieces together to figure out what happened. i used to scroll through dm forums Endlessly looking for Any advice on how to plan a good mystery and i didnt think id ever be at the point where i could actually pull a mystery Or an open world arc off. but like, here i am. its going pretty great so far.

also this current arc is one of the First i ever thought up for this campaign. obviously it’s changed and evolved a lot since original concept but like. just a Bit emotional over, ya know. finally getting here and having it be even better than i imagined. how far we’ve all come, in and out of game. the fact that my players had so much fun talking to my prize npc kenku whom i have been developing for literal years now and adore beyond reason that they are learning about esl studies to help them integrate into the coven they are trying to join.

DND! BRINGS OUT! THE BEST IN PEOPLE!

COLLABORATIVE STORYTELLING. WORKING TOGETHER TO CRAFT MEANING. LOVING AND SUPPORTING EACH OTHERS CREATIVE DECISIONS. MAKING DICK JOKES.

THIS IS WHAT DND IS ALL ABOUT BABY.

#dnd #for anyone wondering what this super long post is: tl;dr i love my players and our campaign #kettle katcherz #thought i finished writing this very long post #then Went Off in the tags #to the point i got cut off #so i went back and added my tags to the actual post.#sorry not sorry that i just love my players beyond tag limit

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lindafrancois · 3 years

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3 HIIT Workouts for Beginners: Start Interval Training and Sprint Running!

This High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) guide is probably the best interval training guide in the galaxy.

My justification for such a bold claim?

We’re really good at this stuff, AND we have dinosaurs and Muppets.

Plus, lots of great gifs:

We build custom interval training programs just like the ones in this guide for our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Clients, including workouts for at home, the gym, or even while traveling.

Want a HIIT workout program you’ll actually enjoy? Learn more:

In this Ultimate Guide to Interval Training, we’ll cover:

What is interval training? What is HIIT?

What are the benefits of HIIT? Why should you do interval training?

What’s an example of interval training? How to do interval running.

How do HIIT workouts work?

What are the best HIIT exercises?

Is HIIT good for losing weight?

Getting started with interval training.

Mistakes to avoid when doing HIIT.

HIIT timer recommendations.

Our interval training workout recommendation.

If you’re interested in starting a HIIT practice (which you are, ’cause you’re here), you may want to try our new app! It contains a fun adventure that will take you from sitting on your couch to a full HIIT workout – with plenty of benchmarks in between for you to find your groove. No guesswork needed, just jump into the app and follow it’s next steps.

You can sign-up for a free trial right here:

What is Interval Training? What is HIIT?

In 2018, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) was ranked the number one fitness trend by American College of Sports Medicine.[1]

Essentially, HIIT is just following a specific regimen where you vary your speeds and intensity throughout a shorter run, swim, bike, or row.

Any exercise can be a form of HIIT, but here’s a common routine:

Jogging lightly for three minutes.

Pushing yourself harder for a minute (run or sprint).

Repeating this cycle 4 more times.

Because everybody is busy and overwhelmed, fast results in the least amount of time is why most people discover HIIT.

You may be asking, “Steve, just how short and intense are we talking about here? Also, your new haircut looks spiffy.”

Thank you, you’re very kind.

So let’s explore the pros and cons of intervals.

What are the Benefits of HIIT? Why Should You Do Interval Training?

The 1996 landmark Tabata study demonstrated the benefits of extreme HIIT.[2]

Dr. Izumi Tabata, from Japan’s National Institute of Fitness and Sports, was obsessed with interval training.

The doctor sought to see exactly what kind of gains were obtained from short, intense, periods of exercise. He conducted an experiment with Olympic athletes on stationary bikes and put them through intense bouts of exercise followed by short periods of rest.

The results were fascinating.

Compared to regular cardio, HIIT had a greater impact on improving BOTH:

Aerobic increases (endurance).

Anaerobic increases (power).

Even crazier? Tabata was able to demonstrate improvements in his athletes with just four minute bursts.

So what’s happening here?

Simple: your heart is a muscle.

If you keep your heart beating at a constant rate, never expanding it outside of its comfort zone, it will never grow stronger.

By introducing chaos and pushing your muscles outside of their comfort zone, they must adapt and grow more resilient in order to survive.

Intense interval training challenges your heart by constantly forcing it outside of its comfort zone.

In other words: progressive overload – the same concept behind building strength.

Since Tabata’s 1996 study, many other trials have shown the positive impact of interval training.

Here are some of the benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training:

#1) HIIT for Weight loss. A study in the Journal of Obesity found participants were able to lose more body fat following a HIIT program compared to regular cardio.[3]

This makes sense, because other studies suggest high-intensity interval training burns more calories than a “steady state” workout.[4]

Revving up your effort requires more out of you, including calories. If you’re interested in HIIT for weight loss, you might be on the right track.

Plus, interval training can take less time than steady-state cardio.

The average interval training workout is 20 minutes or less.

However, I should note that a meta-study (a review of multiple studies) found no real difference in fat loss between HIIT and steady-state cardio.[5] We’ll talk about this, and the impact of diet for weight loss later.

#2) HIIT for lowering blood sugar. Managing blood sugar is really important for health, not just for diabetics.

Those trying to lose fat should be aware of their blood sugar and corresponding insulin levels.

The good news for our current discussion? HIIT has been shown to help lower and manage blood sugar levels.[6]

#3) HIIT for heart health. Touching on the “antifragile” topic again, HIIT has been shown to help with overall cardiovascular health.

It does so in the same way traditional endurance training does, but at a fraction of the time (almost half).[7]

Now, before you accuse me of being a shill for Big HIIT, I will mention that many of the comments that “HIIT is the secret to fat loss” are overblown.[8]We’ll touch on more of that later.

For now, let’s chat about how to actually do some interval training.

What’s an example of Interval Training? How to do interval running

The key to HIIT is being able to go from “easy” to “difficult.” All sorts of different exercises can get you there:

Aerobic (cardio).

Bodyweight (strength training).

Resistance (weight training).

HIIT is generally associated with running (aerobic), so we’ll devote this section to just that.

The easiest way to experiment with HIIT would be to run.

Here’s how to start with a basic HIIT running workout. Go to a park in your neighborhood. Warm-up with some light jogging, high knees, and mobility – leg swings, arm swings, etc,

And then begin your workout!

Run/jog at a brisk pace for 30 seconds.

Jog/walk at a slower pace for 2 minutes.

After your rest, shoot for another 30-second run/jog.

Continue until you get tired or after about ten “push/rest” intervals.

And BAM! You just did HIIT.

Don’t get disheartened if you find yourself stopping a lot during your first week of HIIT training.

You’ll be surprised how quickly you get better at this!

Also, “running” or “jogging” is subjective. Whatever walking fast means to you is great. Do that for your periods of intensity.

It should be noted, that the entire “Couch to 5K” concept rests on interval training through running.

It’s all broken down into “walking,” “jogging” and “running.”

If you’re curious, check out our in-depth Couch to 5k review. If you want to start interval training, “Couch to 5K” could be a good way to do it.

More of an indoor person?

Consider a treadmill, where it actually sets intervals for you based on your desired difficulty.

Just be careful on it…

We’ll be talking about machines a lot more in the next section, but a treadmill is all you need to do a HIIT workout.

Experiment with the speed and incline to find a setting that you would consider “intense.” Many machines can be programmed to flip between this and an “easy” setting.

And you know what that means… boom! It’s built for HIIT.

When we designed NF Journey (our awesome new app), we used an “intense” and “easy” interval switch for most of the workouts.

If you want, you can sign-up for a free trial right here to see what I mean:

How do HIIT Workouts Work? (More HIIT cardio to choose from)

There are a lot of different aerobic exercises for HIIT cardio.

For example, you could jump on a bike, which is like HIIT running but with wheels (duh):

Every spin class is based on HIIT cycling (SoulCycle, Flywheel, or even your local gym now has spin classes).

They’re popular for a reason, and you can make a friend or two!

Here are some more examples of interval training:

Elliptical. If it has a dial for resistance, it can be used for interval training. For a couple of minutes, go on low resistance (0-2 level). Then crank up the resistance for one minute (up to 8-10). Repeat this process 12 times, which will give you a 20-minute workout.

Stair Climber. Much like the elliptical, alternate between periods of low intensity for two minutes, then one minute for high intensity. The difference with the climber is the dial will control the speed of the stairs. Be careful.

Rowing machine. Start with a two-minute warm-up. On minute three, row like you’re being chased by the Kraken for a full 60 seconds. Then catch your breath. The rowing machine might be hard to do for a full 20 minutes, since it’s a lot of upper body. Shoot for ten minutes at first.

Jumping rope. Jumping rope is a full-body exercise. Also, it’s fun. There’s no dial here, your own body controls the pace of the jump. Follow the same two minute easy, one minute intense as above. Jump rope can also be done with friends!

So far we’ve just been talking about aerobic exercises.

Let’s cover our other categories, of bodyweight and resistance.

What Are the Best HIIT Exercises? (Two Other Forms of Interval Training)

“Steve, this all sounds great. But I hate running!”

Confession: So do I.

So I get my cardio in other forms!

Here are some bodyweight exercises to get going on HIIT:

Burpees. Stand up, then squat down, kick your legs out, do a push-up, bring your legs back in, and explode up into a jump. Try to do 20 repetitions, then rest for two minutes. Repeat until you hate yourself:

youtube

Push-ups. For 20 seconds, do as many push-ups as possible. Rest. Then do it again. If you’re worried about proper form, check out our push-up guide and watch this:

youtube

Pull-ups. Same idea as above, do pull-ups for 20 seconds, then rest. If you can’t do a pull-up, we got you covered in our pull-up progression guide:

youtube

Let’s now chat about some Weight Training Examples for HIIT:

Kettlebell swing. For ten minutes, do 20 kettlebell swings on every minute.

This will be intense, and worthy of congratulations when you’re done. Check out our 20 Minute Beginner Kettlebell Workout for everything you’ve ever wanted to know about kettlebells.

Battle ropes. If your gym has battle ropes, they’ll be a great tool for HIIT. For intensity, the amount of slack in the rope determines the load. The more slack on the rope the tougher, and more intense, the workout. Also, don’t get stuck in just up and down movements. Some variation will help target different muscles.

Weight lifting. The critical piece will be moving from one exercise to another quickly enough. For example, hustling from the bench press to the lat bar: we call this circuit training!

Yes, you can also do circuit training as a form of HIIT.

Circuit training is going through a sequence of exercises, or stations, back to back.

Push-ups to pull-ups, back to push-ups, only resting briefly from one exercise to another.

Circuit training would be perfect to mix into a HIIT workout, since you can design your circuit to be very intense.

Check out our post for 15 Circuit Training Routines to choose from.

Plus, there’s a Batman workout hidden in there. You’re welcome.

We create custom HIIT programs for busy people like you that are ACTUALLY fun. If you’re looking for a supportive coach to guide you and tell you exactly what to do each day, we got you covered!

Exercise doesn’t have to suck. Learn more about our coaching program!

If you just want a beginner circuit to get started with, you can try out our Beginner Bodyweight Workout Routine. Plus you can download a free worksheet to track your progress with this circuit when you join the Rebellion below:

Grab Your Beginner Bodyweight Routine Worksheet. No Gym Required!

Complete this workout at home, no equipment required

Avoid the common mistakes everybody makes when doing bodyweight exercises

Learn how to finally get your first pull-up

Oh, what’s that? You want to have even MORE fun while getting the benefits of HIIT?

Sure. let’s think outside the box:

Basketball, tennis, soccer, and Ultimate (frisbee) are AMAZING styles of exercise that use interval training (it’s all start and stop!).

Run here, catch this, and wait for the next round to start.

That’s what we’re looking for in a HIIT workout.

So pick a form of FUN exercise that gets your heart racing faster and slower throughout the activity (yes, I suppose even THAT activity would count).

Is HIIT Good for Losing Weight? Is Interval Training Good for Losing Weight?

My guess is that you’re reading this article because you’re trying to get the most efficient “bang for your buck” when it comes to getting in shape.

And HIIT is a great form of exercise and COULD help with weight loss.

I will, however, lower some of these outlandish claims that exist in the media.

For example, Time magazine calls HIIT “miraculous” in one article.[9]

That’s a little much, even for me, who writes for a living on why you should work out and likes using hyperbole for effect.

Seriously, I’m better at it than ANYBODY ON THE PLANET.

Ahem.

Cardio, strength training, and HIIT all have many benefits.

HIIT deserves praise, but exercise, in general, deserves praise. As we discussed in our “Cardio vs HIIT vs Weights” post, all three forms of training have their place, and the best one for you is the one you actually do.

And strength training. Always strength training.

So to answer your question, is HIIT the secret and only weapon for weight loss?

Nah, it’s just great exercise.

And exercise is important.

But if you want to lose body fat, how you eat will be responsible for 80% of your success or failure.

This means that I don’t care how many intervals you do, it’s not gonna help you lose weight if you don’t also fix your nutrition.

You can read our Beginner’s Guide to Nutrition if you want more information.

And if you want to download our free 10-level Nutrition Guide to help you fix your diet starting today, you can do so by signing up in the box below:

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

Getting Started with Interval Training

When it’s time to advance your high-intensity interval training, think about the following:

Frequency. This would be the number of intervals in your workout.

Intensity. How hard are you going in each interval?

Time. How long are your intervals and rest periods?

Maybe you start out doing 3 intervals of intense running.

Once it becomes routine, bring it up to 4.

Maybe you crank the resistance on your stationary bike to “8” during your intense interval. When it becomes normal, bring it up to “10.”

Maybe you do pull-ups for 20 seconds. When you’ve got a good handle on that, aim for 30 seconds.

This mindset will keep you advancing in interval training.

Consistency is the name of the game here. Even just doing a HIIT workout once a week will help you progress in all three categories.

Want a program that adapts to your progress each month? Learn more:

Mistakes to Avoid When Doing High-Intensity Interval Training

There’s a lot to consider when embarking on a HIIT practice.

No matter which routine you end up starting with, make sure you follow these words of wisdom:

Ease into it. As the saying goes, “you must walk before you can run.” The importance is building a HIIT practice. If you need to go “less intense” before progressing to “intense,” that’s fine. It’ll help build your aerobic capabilities (endurance), which will be important when working on intensity. Start with walking.

Keep proper form. Doing your movements correctly will help prevent injury. Here’s how to run properly. This is even more critical in your later intervals, where you may be exhausted and tired. If you find yourself breaking form, go ahead and slow down. Intense isn’t worth an injury.

Get rest. Our bodies actually build muscle while we are resting. So take some “off days” from your HIIT practice. Want to stay active on these days? Do some fun exercise!

Take it easy, focus on your form, and make sure to prioritize rest.

HIIT Timer Recommendations

HIIT centers on doing intervals.

One moment it’s intense, the next you’re onto a short rest break.

A good way to know when it’s time to go from one sequence to the next is a timer. A loud “beep” can tell you when it’s okay to catch your breath or when you have to kick it in gear.

Here are 5 HIIT timers you can try out:

Runtastic. Don’t let the name fool you, this free app is for more than just running. You can customize for many different interval workouts, depending on what exercise you go with. And the interface looks slick.

Seconds. It’s free and customizable to any form of HIIT. It can also integrate with your music, which is pretty sweet.

Seven. If you’re new to HIIT, Seven would be a good app for you. It’s free, plus it has illustrations for exercises. You also get to customize your own virtual personal trainer, which may be the future of fitness. The bots are coming…

Sworkit. First off, it’s a clever name (taken from “Simply Work It.”) Second, it’s free. Third, it can display your workout, goals, and calories burned. I like it.

J&J Official Seven Minute Workout. This free app from Johnson & Johnson is actually really awesome. It has premade workouts you can choose form based on your fitness level, or tweak them to make it your own.

Also, we need to talk about interval timers. Most of the apps referenced are completely customizable.

For example, you can change the intense interval from 120 seconds to 90 seconds.

This is critical because it’s up to you to decide how long you can do intense vs. rest.

Generally, folks recommend one minute of intensity and then two for rest when doing HIIT.

However, this all depends on the individual, and exercises performed.

For example, burpees are tougher to do than jumping over a rope:

So feel free to make changes like 30 seconds of intensity and three minutes of rest. Make it your own.

Whatever way you chose to do HIIT, is fine, as long as you actually do it. The benefits of HIIT kick in when going HARD for you.

In other words, you don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to get the benefits of HIIT.[10]

A light jog totally works. Just don’t do it in a mascot costume.

As we discussed, if you’re consistent, you’ll improve.

So don’t stress about where you have to start.

For now, download an app and get going. Ours will help you train with HIIT too:

I hate multiple choice. Pick a HIIT workout for me!

Let’s power walk as our form of HIIT.

This is an example of a beginner HIIT workout we might prescribe for our Coaching Clients who are starting to train for their first 5K.

Let’s do seven intervals, two minutes each:

Warm-up. For three minutes, walk at an easy pace.

Intervals. For the first 60 seconds, power walk, like you’re trying to beat someone to the front of the line at Starbucks.

For the next 60 seconds, just walk.

Repeat six more times.

Cool down. You can do some more light walking, or a little bit of stretching here would be great.

Total time: 20 minutes.

I want to stress, that you can do just about any exercise in exchange for this routine. Just minus “power walk” and add “push-ups and bodyweight squats”

It’ll still be a great HIIT workout.

“But Steve, that’s still multiple choice!”

Right, right… sorry. Stick to power walking! Done!

How to Start Interval Training now

Do our power walking routine above. It’s a great place to start.

Remember, our goal at this stage is to “build the habit.”

We can work on “whoa, that was intense” later.

If you’re looking for EVEN MORE stuff to do, we have a few options for ya:

1) Check out our popular 1-on-1 coaching program. You’ll work with our certified NF instructors who will get to know you better than you know yourself and program your workouts and nutrition for you.

Our coaching program kicks ass. Let us help you reach your goals!

2) Exercising at home and need a plan to follow? Check out Nerd Fitness Journey!

Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Try your free trial right here:

3) Enlist in the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

Sign up in the box below to enlist and get our guide, Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. It’ll help you start incorporating interval training into your workouts.

Download our comprehensive guide STRENGTH TRAINING 101!

Everything you need to know about getting strong.

Workout routines for bodyweight AND weight training.

How to find the right gym and train properly in one.

There are a zillion ways to do HIIT, so don’t let the options paralyze you.

Pick one. Anyone. And get to it.

Interval training, in any form, is a solid fitness choice and a great practice to have in the workout arsenal.

Any questions?

Which HIIT workout style is your favorite?

Leave it in the comments below!

-Steve

PS: Make sure you check out the rest of our content on interval training:

The HIIT Workout for Home

How to Do Tabata Sprints

Should You Do Couch to 5K?

###

All photo credits can be found in this footnote.[11]

Footnotes ( returns to text)

Check out that article from ACSP here.

Read Tabata’s original study here.

Read that study from the Journal of Obesity here.

Read that study on HIIT and calories burned here.

Check out that meta-study right here.

Check out the one such study on HIIT and insulin resistance here. Another can be read right here.

Check out the comparison of HIIT and regular cardio on heart health here.

Read, “The Metabolic Costs of Reciprocal Supersets vs. Traditional Resistance Exercise in Young Recreationally Active Adults.” Source, PubMed.

Said article.

This study demonstrated the benefits of HIIT on ‘recreational active’ participates, showing that the Tabata principles work on regular folks too, not just Olympic athletes.

Photo: Biking on a Rail, Countryside Ride, Plundering in Koln, Marina Pissarova © 123RF.com, Brian Jackson © 123RF.com, Ivan Smuk © 123RF.com, Mermaid, Stranded, Troll, Stopwatch, Trooper, Jump

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