#confused mingler

[mahomadjicks]

Cogs when they order slop (oil) for the fifth time

#toontown #ttcc #corporate clash #cog oc #confused mingler #serving up some more girlfail for yall

[afr0-thunder]

Having a fat ass must be the biggest inconvenience of all time. Not sympathizing because…why?

Having one and being dumb or insecure…way worse. I would die at the thought of all the social interactions that may occur due to this. Still funny though. Could you imagine non-stop confusion with topics AND trying to maintain a social life as a single mingler with absolutely no confidence?

Life in absolute ruins. Could not imagine such a circumstance.

#personal #sex appeal #body #women #chicago #2023 #LilMark #PUNKAssMark #afr0-thunder

[ri-ahhh]

what about drunk y/n bluntly saying all the things he wants to do to gray and he’s shocked bc she’s usually really shy. ( inspired by the first lines of pu$$y fairy by jhene) “ i like to suck when i’m drunk” “i like to fuck when i’m drunk”

Loud music thuds in every corner of the West Hollywood house you and Grayson walk into for a random party he had been invited to earlier that day. Ethan had chosen to stay at home, but you and Gray both needed to get out of the house, and while parties weren’t really his scene, socializing felt like a better alternative to Netflix tonight. 

Grayson daps up his friend that’s throwing the party and introduces you to him. He seems nice enough, but you barely catch his name before he’s excusing himself to greet some other people that have just walked in.

You catch Grayson’s eye and lean close to shout in his ear so he can hear you over the YG song blasting through the speakers nearby. He smells even better this up close than he had in the car, clean and masculine with that woody undertone that’s just a permanent part of him now. “Do you see anyone else you know?” 

He shakes his head, switching places with you so his mouth brushes your ear now. You’re sure he can feel the shiver his warm breath and too-close proximity elicits, but you’re glad it’s potentially dark enough for him not to see the goosebumps flaring across the skin left exposed by your simple bandeau top. 

“Not yet!” he says, and his huge hand places itself on the small of your back as he lifts his head to inspect your surroundings. His long fingers radiate warmth and calm your nerves a bit as you also take in the features of the house you’re in. It’s big, but not a ridiculous mansion or anything, which makes you feel a little more comfortable about being somewhere that you know literally nobody else. 

Until Grayson speaks again, that is. “Are you good by yourself long enough for me to go piss? I’ve been holding it since I got in the car.”

‘No!’ screams the petrified introvert inside you.

“Of course,” smiles the rational grown woman you pretend to be most of the time.

He grins back at you gratefully. “I’ll be like, five minutes tops,” he assures, moving his hand from your back to your hand and giving it a squeeze. 

You cling to his fingers until they’re forced to drop away with the distance between you, and watch his broad body thread through a crowd of fellow partygoers as he follows the handwritten sign with an arrow labelled ‘bathroom -- you puke, you clean.’ It’s pathetic how much you miss his presence already, but it’s not like this is the first party you’ve ever been to; if there’s any safe place at a house party for the single person to go, it’s the kitchen.

You’ve only made it a handful of yards away from where Grayson left you when suddenly a large someone stumbles into you, his drink sloshing precariously in his solo cup.

“Woah!” he says, holding his drink up and away as he glances down at you, clearly tipsy. To your dismay, some of whatever is in his cup has spilled onto your jeans, but you try to just chalk it up as a party foul without getting too annoyed. “Sorry about that.”

“You’re good,” you offer with a polite smile, brushing off some of the droplets that cling to the denim stubbornly. At least now you have another excuse to get to the kitchen and preoccupy yourself with something until Grayson returns. 

The guy blinks and looks you up and down unashamedly, and you fight not to roll your eyes. He can only be described as a Chad, looking every bit the frat daddy with his Supreme t-shirt, snapback backwards over his too-long hair, and alcohol-induced predatory gaze. 

He offers you his hand, and out of instinct you take it, but instantly cringe at how clammy it is. Being too nice to douchebags is definitely one of your character flaws. “I’m Brad.”

You can’t help but laugh at the irony, because of course he is, but he must take it as a flirtatious giggle or something, because he smiles back at you. “What’s your name? I’ve never seen you at these things before.”

You tell him against your better judgement, and Brad does that thing where he pretends not to hear. He pulls you by the hand still clasped in his and brings you closer to him, as if to hear you better. This time, you can’t stop your annoyed eye-roll, telling him again with finality and pulling away quickly. If Grayson’s closeness that way made you shudder with desire, this guy makes you do it with disgust.

Really, you just want Grayson again. You need him.

You finally rip your hand out of his grasp and give him a tight smile. He starts to speak again, but you cut him off. “Well, it was nice to meet you. I’m gonna go find something to clean myself up with.”

Whether he’s just an idiot asshole or because of the alcohol flowing through him, Brad doesn’t take the hint. “Aw, beautiful, I said I’m sorry! Let me come with, and I’ll make you a drink to make up for it.”

“Dude, I literally just told you my name,” you say, unable to help yourself as this guy’s douche-meter hits record highs with that. “Thank you, but I’m good. Please leave me alone.”

You turn on the spot, but you can feel him following close behind. Luckily, the kitchen is only one room over, and even more in your favor, Grayson is already there, shining like the beautiful angel he is under the recessed lights.

He meets your eyes when you walk in, and you give him the bug-eyed ‘save me’ look that you hope translates to boy as well as it does to girl. He cocks an amused brow, but then his eyes fall behind you and see Brad trailing you like a lost, horny dog, and he frowns immediately. 

“Hey,” he greets, opening his arms to you at once as soon as you wiggle through the other minglers between you. You fall into them and sigh in relief, so happy to see him that you stand on your tiptoes and plant a warm kiss to his stubbled cheek.

“Hey,” you return, pulling back and looking up at him with a smile. His eyes are still locked on Brad, who has stopped in his tracks but not walked away. “Brad here spilled some of his drink on me by accident but doesn’t seem to think I’m capable of cleaning up myself.”

“Nah, I was just gonna make you a drink, babe, remember?” he slurs, narrowing his beady blue eyes at Grayson, like there’s even an ounce of intimidation behind them.

Grayson scoffs, and shifts so he’s squared up with Brad. He keeps his arm slung over your shoulder to hold you against him protectively, and you hold onto the hand of that arm with one of yours while you wrap your other arm around his back. Both of you glare at him. “Okay Brad, first of all, don't fucking call her that. Second, what decade are you living in? What girl nowadays is gonna take a drink from a random, sketchy guy she doesn’t know? Walk away and leave us alone, please.”

“What, is she your girlfriend, bro?”

“Yeah, she is,” he retorts without hesitation. Your heart drops, and you look up at him with surprise. His jaw is set tight and it makes his profile even sexier than usual. “Go be creepy with your own friends now. And leave the other poor girls at this party alone.”

Grayson looks down at you and cups your cheek. This whole lie has caught you completely off-gaurd, but you’re catching on to what he’s doing. You nod nearly imperceptibly in consent, and Grayson dips down to capture your lips in his for the first time ever. They're warm, soft, pliant, and perfectly insistent against yours. If Grayson is capable of anything chaste, this is it, but there’s still a heat behind it you’re all-too familiar with. This isn’t a ploy kiss; there’s something there, and neither of you are able to stop now that you’ve started. 

You trace the seam of his lips with your tongue to beg entry, and he opens willingly. His hand slips from your cheek to the back of your head, clutching a handful of your hair and tipping your head back to allow himself better access to your mouth as his tongue takes dominance, just how you imagined it would so many times late at night. 

“Uh, Grayson?”

Both of you are startled apart, and jerk your heads to the female voice just a couple feet away that had interrupted you. Brad is gone, but a beautiful dark-skin girl with piercing eyes the color of cinnamon stands there with her arms crossed and a perfectly done brow arched high on her forehead. Clearly, you had interrupted them first.

“Nadia!” he exclaims in surprise, clearly having forgotten she was even there before he kissed you. His chest heaves as he fights to catch his breath and you blush when he swipes his thumb across a patch of your saliva clinging to his lower lip. “Sorry. I, uh --”

“You didn’t tell me you have a girlfriend.”

It hurts your heart to do it, but you look at Grayson and step away. Who knows how long he’s been talking to this girl before tonight; who are you to come between that right now? 

“I’m sorry, I’m not his girlfriend. He was just helping me get rid of that gorilla that followed me in here. You know how some guys are. They respect a man’s ‘territory’ more than the girl just telling them no.”

Nadia’s pretty features soften some, and she sighs. “Yeah, tell me about it.” She looks at Grayson, standing there still somewhat sheepishly. “I have to go. Call me when you get...this sorted out.”

“I --”

“It’s okay, Gray. Trust me.” Her eyes linger back and forth over the two of you. “Figure it out, and call me.”

She leaves the two of you with a small but friendly smile that confuses you some. You heave out a sigh. The night has definitely taken a turn for the dramatic, that’s for sure.

You long for a stiff vodka soda to settle your mind, but there are too many external factors that make that a bad idea right now. You’re suddenly aware that there’s still many people in the kitchen, but they're all impervious to two random people making out next to them. 

You snatch a couple cans of ginger ale off the huge collection of mixers on one of the countertops, and hand one to Grayson. He pops it open gratefully and chugs a huge swallow of it, burping into his hand. You can’t help but giggle, and take a more dainty sip of your own can. You still wish it had alcohol in it, but it’ll do.

It’s like he can read your mind, stuffing his free hand in his pocket. “You know, you can have a drink. I really don’t mind.”

You lean back against the counter and look up at him. He’s blushing, from embarrassment or arousal, you’re not sure. You know your heartbeat is still thumping in your panties at the lingering feel of his lips on yours and his hands trailing over your body. Something has inevitably shifted between the two of you, and Nadia was right: you need to figure it out. 

You’re not the most outspoken person all the time, but if there’s one thing you hate more than putting yourself out there, it’s leaving heavy things up in the air. You take a deep breath and scoot a little closer to him. 

“I know. I just...don’t trust myself to be even remotely tipsy around you right now.”

He looks at you, confused. “You don’t trust me?”

You suddenly remember his complete lack of experience with how alcohol can affect more than your motor movements and decision making. It’s endearing.

“I said I don’t trust myself,” you correct with a smile, reaching up to brush his flop of hair out of his eyes. “I liked that kiss. It made me want more.”

Grayson swallows. “Yeah?” he finally says, a little dumbly.

You giggle. “Yeah. Like, a lot more.”

A smirk tugs at the corner of his lips, and he shuffles even closer so you’re pretty much trapped against the counter and his thick, muscular body. Despite the fact that you’d have a harder time escaping this than you did back in the living room with Brad, you feel more free and confident than ever. 

“Like what?” he asks, setting his can down behind you, planting his hand on the edge of the counter next to your hip.

You smile and allow your hand to rest on one defined pec through his thin shirt. You can feel his heart beating strong and fast, matching your own. It gives you the courage to put it all out there.

“Like... take you to the car and suck your dick; like, have you fuck me once we get home.” You look up at him through your lashes, pleased to see him sufficiently flushed and flustered by your words. “Like, go on a date?”

Your fingers have trailed over the hard ridges of his abs and settled on the edge of his belt, tugging on it playfully. Grayson gasps and looks at you with wide eyes and a disbelieving smile as he snatches it away in his own, bringing your fingers to his lips. “Easy. Wow, I can’t decide which of those I want to do most.” He looks back a little and narrows his eyes. “Are you sure you’re not drunk.”

You laugh and shake your head, taking your hand out of his and wrapping it around the back of his neck. “Nope, that’s all you baby. But who says we can’t do all of those, tonight?”

Grayson smiles brightly, and interlaces your fingers. Your ginger ales get abandoned on the counter as he starts to drag you through the throngs of people. “Let’s fucking go.”

#not exactly the ask but this is what came out of it lol #grayson dolan #grayson dolan fic #ethan dolan #dolan twins #blurb #g blurb

[anika-ann]

Nothing but the Truth - Pt.1

The Photo Evidence

Pairing: Steve Rogers x reader        Word count: 2480

Summary: A fake dating AU. Be sure that when you have one lunch outside the Tower, you will be found and accused of dating Steve Rogers, aka Captain America. Yep, that’s just your luck.

Warnings: swearing, fluff...?

Story Masterlist

“So…” Tony crossed his arms on his chest, raising a challenging eyebrow, making you sink into your seat. He stood next to the hologram, staring you and Steve down with a glare so intense you thought he might have got possessed by a demon or something, because since when was Tony Stark able to look like a disappointed parent? That was Steve’s domain as far as you had been informed! “Either of you have anything to say for yourself?”

You gulped, averting your practically-boss’ gaze and pressed your lips into a thin line as your fingers fumbled with the hem of your blouse.

“So? Just so you know, the press is loving this. They have a freaking field day,” Natasha added, crossing her arms as well and you truly felt like you were five and were being hauled over the coals, your father and now your mum giving you a hard time over a broken vase or something.

You eyed Steve, who shifted in his seat, his eyes fixed on the photograph. He didn’t utter a word and you bit your lower lip, wondering what was on his mind.  

You would love to say that you had no idea how this happened.  

Except you had every idea.

Meeting Steve in the lobby just outside the cafeteria, you couldn’t help but smile up at him and he returned the favour, a crinkle of green in his blue eyes.

There had been a time you had been intimidated by him – it had taken you several encounters to lose the stiffness in your shoulders, the barely audible tremble in your voice (that was when you actually found the courage to speak) – but now, seeing him almost every day, welcoming him with the corners of your lips upright felt like a second nature.

After all, he was one charming bastard. And what worse, he was a gentlemanly, honest and witty bastard, who was one of Sam’s closest friends, if not the best one; replacing you, which... okay, you could be Sam’s best female friend, you were alright with that.

You and Sam went a way back; you had been the first person to welcome him at the VA centre and as he was yet another charming bastard, even at that time, you instantly hit it off, mostly because of him; it was near to impossible not to seek his company, he was like… like some sort of a life-charger.

If you were being honest, there was a time when you thought you might even become more than friends, because who were you kidding, that man was ridiculously attractive, but when you met… he was still healing from losing his wingman and a relationship was the last thing on his mind. And later… you were too deep into your friendship, friend-zoned for eternity and too comfortable with each other, you guessed. You were alright with that and you wouldn’t trade his friendship for the world.

And then the world turned crazy, Sam had a literal run-in with Captain America, became at first a part-time and then a full-time Avenger and practically dragged you to the Avengers Tower to apply for a job in administrative. You had been hired on spot despite still being employed at the VA. But seeing as it was the only way of keeping Sam and your lunches together and as you weren’t too opposed to a change of scenery…

Sam introduced you to Steve way too early and against your will. Well, not that you didn’t want to meet the Captain, alright, but he was the kind of man that was not running in the same social circles – until recently – as you and Sam just brought him to one of your friendly lunch dates in the Tower cafeteria and nearly shook your hands for you. Which was… odd. You were rendered speechless and you didn’t say a word during the whole lunch.

However, Sam apparently had a vision in his head, needing his two besties going along perfectly and lunches in three became a regular thing so you would crawl out of your shell. And funnily enough, it worked and you and Steve fell into a rather easy friendship, most of that happening when Sam had been called away and you were forced to have lunch without him. You might have started to enjoy those even more than when he tagged along.

Which brought you back to today.

“Hey, Steve. No Sam today?”

He shook his head and you swore there might have been a tiny eyeroll to go with that gesture.

“Tony needed him, because of the Falcon wings. Urgently,” he emphasized, making you chuckle at the billionaire’s insistence. It didn’t surprise you, you heard of that infamous feature of his enough times.

You most definitely did not run in the same circles as the Avengers, unless they were Steve or Sam; sure, you had met them, because Sam was a mingler who mingled and adored you enough to insist on introducing you – bless his soul – but just because you worked at the Tower, it didn’t mean that you were in everyday contact with the Earth’s mightiest heroes. You were nothing but an office rat, one of way too many at the Tower, one wheel in the huge machine that was needed to run Stark Industries, which founded most of the Avengers’ work.

You just happened to be Sam’s – and if you dared to say it, Steve’s – friend.

“Where are you today?”

You blinked as he held the glass door opened for you, smiling at him in thanks and snapped back to reality.

“Huh?”

“You keep zoning out on me. Anything… troubling you?” he asked gently as he fell to the line with you, ignoring the menu boards in favour of scanning your face for signs of distress. He was sweet like that.

You just shook your head, deciding on partly admitting the truth; partly, because you knew he wouldn’t be happy to hear you say anything resembling him being out of your league (of any kind of social interaction) and you wondering how the hell that happened.

“Eh, just remembering when we started getting lunch here,” you shrugged, eyeing the menu absently. “You know, all three of us?”

He hummed in affirmation, following your suit. “You wouldn’t talk to me.”

“Can you blame me?” A gorgeous man and a hero, biceps size of a bowling ball? With a smile that might as well serve as a powerstation with its brightness? “I was a bit stark-stuck, cut me some slack.”

“You wouldn’t talk to me until the third lunch.” Your heart stopped. He remembered the number of lunches? Worse, he remembered that at all? You felt your face get hot. Not in a pleasant way. “Sam was trying so hard to get us to talk and laugh, but it wasn’t working until-“

“Don’t,” you basically growled over your shoulder, only to see his signature shit-eating grin. Why had you ever thought he was a virtuous man?

You placed a soup on your tray and moved over to the salads.

“-until you attempted to stab a tomato-“

On a second thought, you weren’t in the mood for a salad today-

“-and it landed in my plate.”

“I hate you,” you mumbled, turning around with your tray, only to feel a bump from your side, causing you to sway the tray hazardously.

You would have been able to balance it and save it, but the soup was fucking hot as it splashed from the bowel to your abdomen and your hand and with a yelp, you let go of the tray in order to pull the burning-hot material of your blouse from your skin, your afflicted hand shaking wildly in attempt to cool itself at least a bit.

Before you could fully comprehend what was happening, you heard a shattering noise as the tray hit the ground, a ‘shit’ and a ‘sorry’ and you were being cooled down from a bottle of water which Steve charmed out of fucking nowhere, the cool liquid like a balm on your burned skin.

Yeah, you were soaking and you’d feel like dying of embarrassment because of people probably watching you later, but at the moment, you adored Steve for his quick reactions.

He was asking for another bottle of water, but you stopped him with a simple raise of your hand, eyes closed as you breathed through the pain; less sharp, but still present.

Whoever you had collided with was long gone, the staff eyeing you with concern and already rushing to you with cleaning supplies. Steve’s gentle hand led you away from the mess, brows furrowed as his eyes kept flickering from your face to spy in how much pain you were, to your slowly reddening burns.

“Let’s get you to the bathroom and then get you some dry clothes, okay?” he whispered over the buzz of cafeteria and nodded at the staff as they dismissed you both with a wave of a hand. You felt a different kind of burn in your face as many, way too many people stared at you.

You were sure some of them were cackling, you noticed even when you tried your best to keep your gaze glued to the ground; when you looked up and saw their gaze travel up a bit, whatever mean smile they had froze on their lips and they swiftly minded their business again. You only guessed that they had met Captain America’s disappointed glare; you had seen it, never been at the receiving end, luckily, but you didn’t blame them one bit and you were immensely grateful to Steve for not letting you do your walk of shame – in which you were an utterly innocent participant – alone.

He waited in front of the ladies’ room until you cooled your burns again, walked you to your office where you stored an extra set of clothes just in case of whatever and offered you an apologetic smile and soft ‘I’m sorry’ on his lips.

“…what are you sorry for?” you asked him, utterly confused and it distracted you for a minute from the embarrassment that had come knocking at the door of your mind. Christ, how many people saw your little scene? Did anyone snap a picture?

“If I haven’t been teasing you about the-“

“Oh my god, Steve,” you groaned when you caught up, your hand landing on his bicep on autopilot, a gesture to get him shut up, which was something you were used to from when you wanted to silence Sam whenever he was being stupid.

You quickly snatched your hand away when you realized that the sensation was slightly different, the bicep under your palm felt just a bit thicker and firmer than usual and you had in fact very much groped Steve.

Great, now both of your hands felt like on fire.

You gulped, hoping foolishly that he hadn’t noticed your slip. You had noticed, okay. You would have very interesting dreams tonight…

“Don’t be ridiculous,” you added.

He frowned, dissatisfied, but then his face lightened up. “Come on. Let’s grab a lunch-“ you froze at the horror image of you coming back to the hellhole of cafeteria only about a half an hour after you giving them the super-awkward show. “-somewhere. I’m paying. What are you in the mood for?”

And he asked with such cute inviting smile, his eyes shining, that stupid green spark dancing in blue sea and you didn’t even have the heart to point out that you hadn’t crashed into anyone, but had in fact been crashed into, let alone to tell him no.

It ended in a lovely lunch date and it… kinda felt like a lunch date, his long fingers gingerly checking on your burned hand at one point which wasn’t hurting at all anymore because he was your hero and… yeah, you might have been crashed into, but it was getting harder and harder to ignore that you had a freaking crush on Steve Rogers.

Thinking about it, the photo did make it look like a date as well. So, you didn’t really blame that the tabloids plastered it over the front pages with Steve being who he was and him usually keeping his private life secured as Fort Knox. This was huge and would have been even huger if it wasn’t one big misunderstanding caused by a ridiculous game of chance.

“It was, eh, a coincidence, honestly. One thing led to another, we had a little incident in the cafeteria-“ Steve finally started to explain and you felt just the tinniest bit of the burden that had seated itself on your chest when you had been called into the small conference room disappear.

You had utterly and truly freaked out at the idea of explaining to Tony Stark and his PR why did every tabloid and some newspaper too now – only a day after, less than 24 hours in fact – thought that you were Steve’s girlfriend. One of the reasons being that you were not running in the same circles as the Iron Man, not really knowing him, another one that at some point you would have to admit how stupid it all was, because hello? You were no one special. How had they even drawn a conclusion like that?

Eyeing the photo, you were reminded exactly how.

Steve could apparently be very tender when he wanted to, which was by some miracle visible in the photo and in return, you might have been looking at him like he was the eighth wonder of the world. In addition, he had a teeny-tiny soft smile on his lips and the way his brows knitted in concern was not helping the whole situation.

Speaking of Steve’s tender fingers, they were connected to a large hand, to an impressive forearm and a massive bicep you had possibly dreamt about last night-

“Well, normally I’d say don’t tell me, tell the PR,” Tony smirked shortly and sighed. “But…”

Uh-oh. You did not like the ‘but’. What did the ‘but’ mean?

“…but this in fact might be a blessing,” Natasha finished, resigning to her posture of a disappointed mum and relaxing.

Huh?

You were confused to no end by their cryptic talk. Shooting Steve a look, you were slightly relieved to see that he seemed to share the sentiment.

He was also apparently at loss of words.

So were you, but you managed to stutter out two: “…what? How?”

Tony grimaced and with a motion of his hand, ten different faces, five different men and five women, each in an individual frame, paired up as the line of men was on top (rude) and the women below them, appeared in the hologram, replacing the infamous photo evidence of your supposed relationship with Steve.

You still didn’t understand. And what Tony Stark said next didn’t help either.

“Because we need your help.”

Part 2

‘I solemnly swear I’ll work on that fic I’ve been promising to finish for ages.’

Eh, failed again.

For some reason, Smallville popped up in my mind recently (I blame Tom Welling’s cameo in the mega DC crossover). This fic is inspired by episode 8x05 ‘Committed’, if it means anything to anyone :D

Also, fake dating was on my non-existent to-do writing list.

Enjoy and leave feedback if you’re willing :-P

Tags:

@mermaidxatxheart​

If anyone wishes to be added or removed from the tags, let me know, it’s no trouble.

#marvel #mcu #avengers #captain america #steve rogers #steve rogers x reader #steve rogers imagine #fake dating au #fake dating #steve rogers fanfiction #steve rogers fanfic #fluff #fanfiction #nothing but the truth #anika ann

[grapesodatozier]

I Knew You’d Haunt All of My What-Ifs

madwheeler pining!! max is drunk and calls mike to drive her home. title from cardigan by taylor swift (yes it came out 17 hours ago and i have already named a fic after it lmao)

rating: teen and up

tags: underage drinking, almost confessions, high school, modern au, pining

words: 2,247

read on ao3 or below!!

The room only spun a little as Max washed her hands. Mostly it was a pleasant, fluid, buzzing feeling. It was warm and she grinned to herself as she swayed a bit. Parties were fun, but there was something about being drunk in a stranger’s bathroom that made her giggle. It was just fun, and it was the point when she realized how truly far gone she was.

Once out, she quickly found her friends in the throng of people in the crowded house. They were friends she’d made in class and known for a few years, and they were getting a few parties in before they went their separate ways for college. Max really liked them, but she had her doubts about how well the relationships would hold up after college. The only people she was really sure she’d always be friends with were the other party members. Still, she liked these girls, they were nice and funny and went to parties that her closest friends were too shy to go to, so she wanted to make sure she got some time in with them now. 

“Max,” one of them, Katie, said, “I think we’re gonna head out now, do you have a way to get home?”

Shit. No, that had slipped Max’s mind. She knew if she asked that the other girls would walk her home, but they all lived on the complete other side of town, and she didn’t want to triple their walk. “Yeah, my friend’s picking me up,” she lied. “I’ll see you soon?” And then they were all hugging her goodbye and disappearing.

Max sighed and waited a bit before heading outside. She may have been better than the rest of the party at socializing, but she would never be a mingler, and most of the people at this party she hoped to never see again. So she walked to the curb and sat at the edge of the property, grateful for the fresh air that filled her lungs and cooled her heated cheeks. She pulled out her phone; it was nearly one in the morning. She knew that in the grand scheme of things, any of her friends would be happy to help her out—a party member requires assistance, yada yada, sweet nerd sentiments. Still, she felt bad calling so late. So she wasn’t quite sure why she was calling the person who would express that annoyance most freely, but the phone was already ringing.

“Max?” Mike’s confused voice came through on the second or third ring. He sounded so cute. As much as sober Max would never admit it, she really did love Mike’s voice. Even when he was whining he sounded kind of adorable, especially when it was over something small.

“Heyyy,” Max drawled, giggling a bit. Okay, so maybe she was a little drunker than she had thought. 

“Oh my god, are you drunk?” Mike asked, exasperated.

“Maybe a little.”

She could hear Mike sigh. “And you’re drunk calling me why?”

Max’s heart was racing now. She shouldn’t be asking this, but it was too late, and the thought of seeing Mike, of being alone with him this late at night had too strong a pull for her drunk self to resist. “I kind of need a ride home. If you’re up, that is, if you’re in bed it’s fine, don’t worry about it.” As her cheeks heated up, she began to ramble: “Honestly, actually, I should just walk, it’s not that far—”

“Where are you?” Mike cut her off. Max leaned over and found the green street sign, reading off the name. “Max, that’s like a forty minute walk from your house, you’re not doing that by yourself at night while drunk. I’ll be there in like five or ten minutes, okay? Just stay there.” 

“Okay,” Max said. She figured she wasn’t in any position to tell him not to tell her what to do, and she found that she didn’t want to. 

She lay back when she heard him hang up, staring up at the stars to pass time. It made her smile to remember what Mike had said, that he wasn’t willing to let her walk home by herself. She knew that he cared about her, but hearing him make it so explicitly clear had her blushing and grinning up at the stars like a middle schooler. 

The time became liquid as she thought about Mike while absently tearing at the grass beneath her. She began to worry that he would be mad at her. But when his car rolled to a stop beside her, he was climbing out of it immediately, calling her name as he rushed to her side. “Max? Max, oh my god, are you okay?”

Max giggled as she smiled up at him, still lying in the grass. “I’m super,” she grinned. The world spun as she sat up, and she had to lean into Mike to not fall over again. His t-shirt was thin and soft under her fingers, and she could feel how warm his skin was under the fabric. It made her head swim, the thought of touching his chest, running her fingers over his skin, feeling his heartbeat under her palm. Her eyes focused on his neck as she caught her bearings again, then looked up into his eyes. The deep brown seemed to glow gold under the streetlight.

“You almost gave me a fucking heart attack!” Though his voice was chiding, he was incredibly gentle with her as he helped her up. Max smiled when she noticed the blue plaid pajama pants he had on. God, he was cute. “Don’t fucking lie on your back when you’re drunk, you could choke on your own vomit! I thought you were dead or passed out or something!”

“Aw, were you worried about me?” Max sing songed as she walked around to the passenger side. She tried to make it teasing, but the vodka softened it, revealing how touched she was by it. Blushing, she hastily climbed into the passenger seat to escape the look Mike was giving her.

“Of course I was worried about you,” he said as he got into the car beside her. His voice was exasperated, but much softer than it had been. Max busied herself with putting on her seatbelt so she wouldn’t have to look at him.

“Thank you for coming to get me,” she whispered as Mike started the car. “I’m sorry I made you come out.”

She shouldn’t have been, but she was surprised to hear Mike say, “Don’t be. I’m glad you called me.” 

“Yeah?”

“Of course! I don’t know what kind of friends you hang out with that would leave you at a party, but I’m glad you know I’m there for you even if they’re not.” 

“It was my fault,” Max explained, “I didn’t wanna make them walk me home and then walk all the way back, so I told them I had a ride.”

“They should’ve stayed with you. What if some creep had found you alone? What if you were drunker than they realized and went running off somewhere and got in trouble?”

Max was taken aback by the venom in Mike’s voice. Sure, she knew how protective he was—hell, it was pretty much his biggest defining trait—but he’d never directed it so fiercely at her. He chided her for taking turns too sharply, or being careless on her skateboard, but it was never with more than a shake of his head. But now she could see his fingers gripping the steering wheel just a little harder than he needed to. Now other people had been careless with Max, and apparently that made a world of difference for Mike. The realization made Max glow.

She looked at his face. He was watching the road. It was dark in the car, but she could make out his profile, illuminated by the street lamps and moonlight and the glows that came from the houses around them. His hair looked fluffier than usual, a little messy, and the fuzzy, liquid warmth that encompassed Max drove her to run her fingers through it. 

“Max!” Mike swatted at her, but he was laughing. “Stop it, I’m driving!”

“But it’s so soft!” Max giggled, resting her hand on Mike’s shoulder. God, Mike was cute. Why was he so cute? Why did he have to have such soft hair and such a nice voice? “So is your shirt,” she added, playing with the material between her fingers. She shivered as her knuckles brushed against the warm, soft skin of Mike’s neck. 

“Wow, you are drunk,” Mike grinned. There was a light blush in his cheeks that made Max want to kiss them. Luckily, she still had some self restraint. 

She didn’t want this moment to end. She so rarely got moments alone with Mike; she never knew how to ask for them. And now here they were, alone in a car on the deserted streets of their suburban town, college looming over them. She’d be in California soon, and while the warmth and the waves were a welcome future, she couldn’t help but mourn all of the memories she had here, all of the moves she’d never made. All of the maybes she’d never chased.

“Mike?” she said softly, her hand still on his shoulder.

He must’ve sensed the shift in the mood, as he was just as quiet as he gave a small, “Yeah?”

“You know I love you, right?” The words came spilling out. Not a confession, not the whole one, but nothing sober Max could ever find the words or the courage or the moment to say. “Like, I know I give you a hard time, but I love you. You’re a really good friend.”

Mike smiled the bashful smile that made Max’s heart flutter; he smiled like he’d never gotten a compliment before, like he couldn’t believe it. “You’re a good friend, too.” He didn’t say it back. It made Max sad for a moment, but she understood. Neither of them were good at explicit iloveyous, and he was sober. He was telling her he loved her by driving her home. Max understood the way he worked by now, so she was more than happy with what she got, really. But the melancholy, the time ticking down, it still weighed on her. 

“Will you still be my friend after college?” Max didn’t mean for her voice to be so watery, she really didn’t, and she wasn’t crying, but maybe her lower lip was shaking a little. 

For the first time since he’d started the car, Mike turned to look at her. He had the sweet little furrow between his brows, a calculating look in his eyes. Concern. He was looking at her and he cared, and Max wanted to melt into that feeling and stay there for as long as she could. “Of course we’ll still be friends,” he said. Max loved that passion that was in his voice, she loved hearing Mike talk about stuff he cared about, stuff he really meant. He had such a fire that stoked Max’s, and she liked to think she knew how to get him riled up as well. But that wasn’t what she wanted right now. What she wanted—well, what she wanted the vodka gave her. She leaned over the center console to rest her head on Mike’s shoulder. “Max, I’m driving,” he said, but it was half hearted this time, his voice soft, and he didn’t make her move. He took his turns gently, let her rest. Max closed her eyes and let it sink in: the way he smelled like laundry detergent; how warm and soft he was; the car vibrating softly around them. She tried not to kick herself for not seeking this out sooner.

Far too soon for her liking, they rolled up to her house. She sat up with a sigh, but she didn’t pull away. She didn’t look at Mike either. She just. Stayed for a moment before shifting back a bit to look at Mike. He looked so beautiful, even if it was dark in his car. She could see his eyes roaming over her face. The air was still, the houses all dark, no one on the street. It was like they were the only two people in the world. 

“Thanks for driving me home.” Her voice sounded all too loud as it broke the silence between them.

“Of course.” Mike surprised her by running his thumb lightly over her hand. God, Max wanted to know what his fingers would feel like laced between her own. “Text me in the morning to let me know you’re alive, okay?” he asked with a smile. Max rolled her eyes but grinned back at him. 

“As long as I’m not dead.” 

They stayed still another moment, Mike’s hand still just barely on hers. Leaning into the warm liquid courage, Max leaned forward and kissed Mike’s cheek, quick and panicked. Then she was saying goodnight and climbing out of his car, rushing inside. From her living room, she watched his car linger for a moment before pulling away. And as she brushed her teeth, and changed into her pajamas, and fell into bed, and lay awake, the whole time she felt the downy soft feeling of Mike’s skin tingling on her lips, the warmth of his blush spreading through her chest.

#madwheeler #alcohol mention #tw alcohol

[ihavenotfallenyet]

So you care enough to reblog people’s begging posts but you’re fine reblogging something that degrades and belittles a trans woman for getting death threats for merely being associated with someone who’s been declared persona non grata and excommunicated from the community? She’s “pathetic” for being upset by this? Are your personal standards really on the same level as some shit mingler on 4chan? Be better.

Care to tell me what this is about? I'm incredibly confused here.

[ace-angel-judas]

another part of nihoon werewolf au please

“Come on, Paris!” Nicks gripped the door of the bathroom stall, “I said I was sick! I have a fever!” 

“You’re a werewolf, Nicks!” The witch rolled her eyes, “You always have a fever!” 

Groaning, Nicks kept her strong grip on the door. Paris stepped back, murmuring something in Latin and Nicks soon slid off the door with ease. She gave her witchy friend a glare. 

“That’s not fair,” Nicks pointed out. 

“You need to go to this class,” Paris sighed, “I have to go to the house with Chiwon to make sure Jisub doesn’t die, you need to stay here and be surveillance,” 

“Please, Paris, I would rather deal with Jisub then go to this class,” Nicks begged on her knees. 

Paris pointed to the door, making the young wolf groan and stand up. They both walked out of the bathroom, Nicks shuffling her feet on the floor, trying to drag out the walk to the history classroom. 

The smell of mint overwhelmed her senses again, her wolf was screaming at her to go inside. Nicks looked at Paris who gave her a thumbs up, the witch walking off. This was just the worst possible situation in the world. 

She took a deep breath, regretting it as the mint smell hit her nose, pushing open the door and keeping her head down. There were a few minglers in the class, Nicks glanced at the board as she walked up to the seat in the back row. 

Jihoon was writing something on the board, he froze for a moment and turned, eyes scanning over the students. Nicks sunk down in her seat, she had to be in this class as it was basically a life or death situation for her weird, ragtag pack.

“You, in the back,” 

Nicks mentally groaned and rolled her eyes. 

“Yes, Professor?” She asked reluctantly. 

“I want to see you in my office after class,” Jihoon explained. 

Her heart began to speed up, not in a good way either. This was a new wolf in their territory, Nicks could be kidnapped or killed. She managed to send a quick text to the group chat. 

Class dragged on for way too long, it was too agonizing to be in the same god damn room for this long. Jihoon seemed perfectly fine, going through the class as if his mate wasn’t sitting right in front of him. Maybe Nicks was wrong, perhaps he wasn’t a wolf? 

As soon as the bell rang, so did Nicks senses. Swallowing thickly, she whispered a silent prayer before slowly getting up. Perhaps she could get away without him noticing if he wasn’t a wolf after all? 

“You, tall one,” Jihoon called her out, making her stop, “My office,” 

He was holding the door to his office open, Nicks’ shoulders slumped as she trudged reluctantly to the office. Jihoon said his goodbyes to the rest of the students, the door to the office shutting, making Nicks jump slightly. 

“Finally,” Jihoon murmured under his breath, sitting in the chair next to her, “That was so painful to sit through,” 

“Um, Professor?” Nicks had made up her mind, she could totally bullshit to him, “Shouldn’t you be sitting at your desk?” 

“Really?” He chuckled and Nicks almost melted, “Look at me,” 

She looked at him, keeping her fist clenched. Her claws were digging into her hand, keeping her regained in this situation. Jihoon gave her a large smile. 

“Yes?” She asked. 

“You know what were are,” Jihoon explained, “Come on-” 

“Professor,” Nicks gave him an awkward smile, “I’m not that type of student,” 

Jihoon’s brows furrowed together and he leaned back, looking at her. She smelt like a wolf, everything about her screamed wolf. He was so confused, maybe his mate wasn’t a wolf? The smell of vanilla and cinnamon were overpowering him, it had been the whole class. 

“Sorry,” He smiled, “I have the wrong person, you can go,” 

Nicks nodded and walked out, as soon as the office door was shut, she ran out of the classroom. As far away from Jihoon as she could, taking the first breath of fresh air she could manage. 

[marleythornes]

Not Your Average Frat Boy

@indie-dcrper

Marley felt like the air had left her chest. She was flushed, and it was making her hot. Blaine being sweet like this was not helping. Marley bit her lip as he kissed her cheek and she hummed happily. "The worst." She murmured her eyes slipping shut as she moved to kiss his lips gently. She wanted to stay like this with him forever. 

Blaine: Blaine always enjoyed a good party, was a great way to mingle with others and get to know new people. Also the alcohol helped. His friends told him to come by and he wasn't going to tonight as he needed to study but why not let loose a little and have some fun? He could study tomorrow anyways. So he found himself with a red solo cup in his hand, drinking whatever they poured into it and just enjoyed dancing around casually between the groups, he was a mingler and it showed. But soon enough he had finished his drink so he walked over to where there was more before he replaced his empty with a full cup, but as soon as he turned around he was bumped into and the contents tipped all over a girls shirt. Blaine's mouth dropped for a second before he put his cup down "Oh shit...I'm so sorry" he rushed out as he was going to turn to grab a towel or something but looking at her properly, she was a stunner and more of a natural beauty which he liked. He didn't have that thought for long before they were bumped into again and they were pushed together, Blaine wrapped his arm around her waist to stop her from falling "Hi yourself, you okay?" he leaned down to her ear so she could hear him as the music was loud. Marley: Marley swallowed thickly a blush tinting her cheeks. "I'm fine. The shirt will dry anyways." She replied shivering as he stayed close to speak in her ear. "I'm Marley by the way." She replied with a soft giggle. Blaine: Blaine tilted his head before he shrugged off his jacket he had on, putting it over her shoulders to at least keep her warm as the liquid dried up "I'm Blaine, I think I have seen you around and I wish I stopped you to chat" he smirked as he looked around them, it was getting busier by the second "C'mere" he said into her ear, he grabbed two more drinks for them before leading her to the back of the house, he knew it well enough and people didn't go down this way as it was just the spare bedrooms, bathroom and lounge which was usually blocked off. Marley: Marley smiled as she followed after him and hummed softly. "Do you know the host or something?" She teased. "You seem to know the house intimately." Blaine: Blaine looked over his shoulder as she spoke "I go to parties fairly often so I know this house pretty well, I also am friends with a few people who live here so I know this end of the house isn't used when parties are on" he replied before he opened one of the bedroom doors so they could actually talk "I'm still sorry for spilling my drink on you" he commented as he sat down on the bed, holding out the other drink for her. Marley: Marley smiled as she nodded and took the drink glancing at the contents before downing the whole cup. "Um, thanks for the jacket. I think I might actually wear it so my shirt can sit out to dry." She said and smiled slipping off the jacket. Blaine: Blaine nodded in agreement s she downed her drink, raising his cup before he followed suit and downed it. Arching his brow before chuckling "Well..." he lead off as he stood to join her "You are just gorgeous" he mumbled as he trailed his fingers down her side lightly. Marley: Marley smiled her eyes finding his again as she went onto her toes and kissed his lips experimentally. Blaine: When their eyes met, Blaine could tell what was happening and when her lips met his lightly, he looked at her for a second before pressing his lips to hers a little more firmly whilst his arms wrapped around her waist to pull her against his chest. Marley: Marley kissed him deeper as she hummed and moaned softly. "You are a good kisser." She murmured softly kissing him again. Blaine: Blaine smirked as he kissed her deeply, biting her lip gently "It's not the only thing I'm good at" he whispered before their lips met again, this time Blaine backed them onto the bed, his body covering hers as they kissed deeply. Marley: Marley moaned deeply as she let her arms wrap around him as she fell back with a squeal and giggle. She let her hands slide down his chest to toy with the hem of his shirt. Blaine: Blaine moulded his body to Marley's, rolling his hips a little before he moaned himself as her hands slid down his chest, sending tingles through his body before he lift up a little bit so he could start unbuttoning his shirt and also so he could look down at her. Marley: Marley smiled as she unbuttoned his shirt and looked up at him smirking. Blaine: Blaine watched as she unbuttoned his shirt for him, smiling down at her before shrugging out of it to reveal his bare chest before he worked on her shirt as she was going to take it off anyways. He leaned down and kissed her neck before pulling her shirt off and kissing her collarbone. Marley: Marley let out another soft moan. "Mm, Blaine. Fuck!" She gasped arching her back softly. Blaine: Grinning as he got the reaction he wanted, he grazed his teeth along her collarbone before licking then kissing it before moving to the other side. All the while he was unbuttoning her jeans. Marley: Marley felt herself start to pant gently. Her head fell back as she reached up to tease his nipples. Blaine: Blaine moaned when she teased him, he pulled her jeans down quickly before pressing his lips back to hers, needing her desperately by this point. Marley: Marley moaned as she kissed him deeply needing him inside of her. "Blaine, please, I want you so bad." She whimpered softly. Blaine: Blaine moaned in agreement before he unbuttoned and pulled his own pants down, "I need you too" he panted before grabbing a condom from his pants, quickly rolling it on and pressing inside her. Marley: Marley cried out as he entered her and she clenched down on him tightly as if her body were trying to pull him in deeper. Blaine: Blaine moaned loudly as she clenched around him, he gripped her hips tight as he began thrusting into her, going slow but getting faster. Marley: Marley was moaning loudly as she arched her back Blaine: Blaine thrusted harder into her, pressing his lips to hers as he moaned her name and many swear words. Marley: Marley whined as she felt the tension that had been building in her snap as she came. Blaine: Blaine let out a yell as she came around him, ripping his own orgasm out of him as he continued to thrust into her before he collapsed but trying not to put all his weight on her before catching his breath. Marley: Marley smiled pulling him down to hold him close after her orgasm. "B-Blaine, that felt so nice." She murmured.

Blaine: Blaine chuckled before kissing her neck gently "Mmm I bet, you're shaking" he mumbled against her skin

Marley: Marley smiled as she caught her breath. "It feels so nice though." She smiled. "I also feel very drunk." She giggled. "Are you drunk too?"

Blaine: Blaine nodded "It truly fucking does" he looked to her and chuckled "Maybe just a little bit" he kissed her softly before slowly pulling out and collapsing beside her.

Marley: Marley giggled softly gasping as he pulled out of her. She hummed moving to kiss him. "So, tell me about yourself." She murmured.

Blaine: Blaine kissed her gently, wrapping an arm around her before pulling back, sighing in content "What do you want to know exactly?"

Marley: Marley shrugged gently. "Something you dont tell people that often." She smiled looking into his eyes.

Blaine: Blaine hummed a little before he spoke "I can sing, which no one really knows"

Marley: "No way! I slept with future Justin Timberlake?!" She teased. "I would love to hear you sing sometime." She murmured genuinely. "That is an interesting face though, I give you that."

Blaine: Blaine laughed gently before shaking his head "I'm not that good, come now" he looked at her before shrugging a little "Alright your turn"

Marley: "Ooh! Turning the tables!" She giggled before biting her lip and humming in thought. "Hmm, ooh! Alright, up until the spring I thought I was going to have to do porn to be able to afford university. I found out last minute the student ahead of me for a full ride dropped out. But it was close." She said and shrugged. "Tag, you're it."

Blaine: Blaine raised his brow curiously as he leaned on his elbow to look down at her with a smirk "Porn huh? I bet that was an interesting thought for you" he joked before chuckling a little "Hmm...I started a fight club in high school because of my middle school experience'

Marley: Marley giggled. "Yeah, porn. Not my greatest achievement." She said and blushed brightly. "A fight club?!" She giggled excitedly. "That is amazing! And honestly, the though of you beating a punching bag is insanely sexy." She giggled.

Blaine: Blaine grinned "I mean it is college, it's all about finding yourself or whatever" he chuckled before nodding, biting his lip a little "You should come by my dorm room, I have a punching bag as I don't have to share a room"

Marley: Marley smiled brightly at him. "Is that an invitation for a second date? A first date?" She asked becoming confused.

Marley: as the alcohol fully set in.*

Blaine: Blaine laughed as he pulled her ontop of him "Is that what you want? A date" he teased

Marley: Marley bit her lip as she was on top of him and she hummed. "That sounds nice." She hummed. "Not that this wasn't nice!" She rushed to say.

Blaine: Blaine ran his hand along her spine lightly before laughing a little at her quick reassurance "Don't worry, I kind of got the idea you enjoyed yourself" Blaine teased before speaking "I've not been on a lot of dates"

Marley: Marley shivered at the gentleness of his touch. "I-I y-yeah..." she blushed. "Neither have I." She murmured.

Blaine: Blaine raised his brow before rolling ontop of her quickly "So is this another first them"

Marley: Marley blushed brightly as he rolled them over to be on top. Her cheeks burned as she bit her lip and hummed. "I have been out once. But I dont even think it was a date." She murmured.

Blaine: Blaine arched his brow curiously, the alcohol running through his system was still very much there, "Why do you think it wasn't?"

Marley: "Well, for one, he was an asshole. He tried to feel me up at the dinner table. We both paid, and he wouldn't give me his number aft wer r." She murmured and shrugged.

Blaine: Blaine nodded "Understandable, sounds like an asshole and acted like one too" he mumbled before watching her for a moment before kissing her cheek gently.

[warriorsredux]

ThunderClan: Blood and Outsiders

ThunderClan has a bit of a reputation when it comes to the "dilution” of their bloodlines. It’s not exactly rare for a Clan cat to have some loner in their genetics - this practice is what saves the Clans from generations of incest and possible birth defects - but ThunderClan in particular is notorious for their fraternization with outsiders. 

It is both strange and oddly expected for them to have such a reputation. After all, they are closest to the Houses, which have a great deal of unaltered kittypets and loners wandering around looking for a good time. Despite this, ThunderClan believes wholeheartedly in their superiority to their neighbors and often speak of them with a sneer. It’s suspected that this attitude is a vain attempt to shield themselves from being known as the minglers with the lower castes of felines. They still breed with them, of course, just (supposedly) in secret.

However, many historians find this bit of their culture a little confusing. ShadowClan regularly visits the town, and yet they are more likely to bring in a loner to their Clan than breed with them. WindClan, despite having a very lax attitude when it comes to other animals, don’t receive outsiders very warmly. Even RiverClan, as friendly and suspiciously youthful in the face as they are, has less to do with kittypets than ThunderClan. Why, then, are the Spartans of the Clans so willing to breed with the softest and least organized groups of cats around? 

This doesn’t correlate with their history, either. Joining the First Age ThunderClan was strictly for the toughest and strongest of the communities. RiverClan was scorned for being “weak” and “soft”, despite being perhaps the boldest of the Clans for their ingenuity when it came to the water. 

Sometime in the late First Age, when kittypets started showing up, something changed. Perhaps the Clan gene pool was growing unstable with the focus on purity, and a few queens decided to take matters into their own paws. At one point or another, it became ThunderClan’s best and worst kept secret that all of the mollies were in on. The toms, then and now, simply looked the other way and kept their mouths shut. 

Curiously, this does not affect the physical appearance of ThunderClan’s youth, except perhaps in color. All apprentices grow to have the hardened, lion-like faces of their Clanmates, and almost all of them have the long, fluffy fur that sticks year-round. It’s hard to prove that a queen has an outsider for the father of her litter, simply because something is preventing her babies from looking like their dad. Some suspect StarClan is at work here, but no seer has gotten a straight answer on that. 

#thunderclan #bloodlines #outsiders #warrior cats #warriors amended #wa #amendment

[mahomadjicks]

aaaaaaa random sketches (drawing?) of an oc idea; ‘confused minger’

#toontown #ttcc #i guess? idk imma use the tag anyway #toontown mingler #toontown number cruncher #Idk I saw the confused mint supervisor and ran with the concept #she’s just existing in an existential way

[tamersmile888]

Not So Berry Challenge Candie Edition: Rose Play 2

Cheri wakes up highly annoyed. It's hot, she's bored, and she just wants to get out of the house. She calls up Enele asking where they're going today because she's sweating off her face mask in this heat—and then she's cut off by his “voice message” informing her to leave her complaints in the complaint box at the sound of the beat. Enele starts blasting music and asks if she has any plans in mind. Cheri smirks and says that's why she called him.

In the background, she hears Enele's laptop narrator announce that the Romance Festival is today. Enele asks if she feels like falling in love today. Elisha might be there. He knows how she likes older guys.

Cheri cringes and assures him that her little kiddie crush is over. But she wouldn't object to his much younger sibling if he has one. Romance Fest sounds cool. Besides, she's starving and street food sounds so good right now. They make plans to meet up for a trip into the city.

And....it's raining. Cheri points out that it does help with the heat and commends Enele on his choice. Enele says it's probably not a good sign for the lovers out here though.

Looking at the turnout, Cheir assumes there's not going to be much romance happening anyway. The place is pretty much a lonely island. Enele says that's great. Less awkward encounters with strangers throwing petals in their faces. Cheri's like, for real. She heard that sometimes people even put their phone numbers on them.

Searching the hopeful faces of single minglers, she spots a familiar one...

Roci...What's she doing here? Cheri tells Enele that Roci goes to her school. She's part of the Dare Me club who think they own the school. Enele's confused. Wasn't her mom in that club? Cheri says yeah, but back then it was innocent, for the most part. It was about having fun and meeting new people. This new gen takes it way too far. She hooks her arm with his and leads him over to the vendors for some food away from the mischief maker.

#notsoberry #not so berry challenge #rose #thesims4 #ts4 #tamersmile #simsstories #simblr #love #romance #change

[deviantordivine]

part 2

Blake

Blake sat on the steps of the agora, his back to the entrance. He was near one of the white marble columns, thicker than tree trunks and almost as tall as the old firs that blanketed the hills near his winter estate. He sat still enough that he could have been mistaken for one of the statues that lined the perimeter of the grand temple. Even if he’d positioned himself in the middle where a growing crowd of Vessels had gathered and now mingled, he knew his presence wasn’t exactly welcome. He wasn’t exactly a mingler, either.

He could just imagine the unease rolling off the other Vessels as they regarded him, trying to figure out what he would do.

I’m not like that-- like him, he argued to his imaginary scenario.

He sat, his head resting on his clasped hands portraying a look of false serenity. He almost looked like he was praying and not nursing a wicked hangover. He had mastered this stillness from years of toeing the line between outcast and loner. He figured it was easier for everyone if the young Vessel of Hades wasn’t that visible. He learned to absorb noise and release nothing, even in the last couple of months when his circle of friends started to grow.

He always felt like boulder in a room of earthquakes. A room of noise and excitement that echoed and multiplied until it was unbearable-- until he cracked.

Kat understood this a little bit--and drinking ambrosia always helped ease that destructive teetering he felt in big groups.

Today there wasn’t any ambrosia so he took what precautions he could. Isolation and a dark pair of sunglasses would get him through today’s Induction.

He was always losing his footing. Not anymore, he promised himself.

Blake could hear Danny’s fluttering feet before he sat down. Danny wasn’t exactly what he would call subtle, his long limbs and curly russet hair making him stick out. That and the fact that he utilized his ability to fly whenever he could. Where Blake wasn’t generous with his movement, Danny was teetering with energy; his gawky body almost vibrating with the need to stay in motion.

“Hey!” Danny said grinning. Danny was easy to smile, in almost all situations, unlike Blake. “Have you heard who they think is coming? I saw that Ares kid with the shaved head taking bets. I didn’t, obviously, but my money’s on another Zeus-- if the crowd is anything to go by. They don’t announce open attendance for just anybody.”

Danny had a way of steamrolling through a conversation without actually noticing he was doing it. It suited Blake fine because that meant that he didn’t really have to contribute that often. His head and jaw ached and talking was an effort.

“I have no idea.” And I don’t really care.

But he had to admit that Danny was right. Usually only the mayor and the most powerful Vessels get to witness an Induction and welcome a new arrival, which unfortunately for Blake, meant him. As the Vessel of Hades, god of death, he had a standing invitation to basically every important ritual in New Olympus-- whether he or anyone else wanted him to attend.

And since he had been to every Induction since he was Inducted himself when he was eight, he knew what Vessels were represented. Almost everyone if he remembered correctly. Blake’s stomach did a queasy flip flop. Almost.  He tried not to push that thought out of his mind.

“You’re probably right,” Blake said. “Not that we need another Zeus running around. Martin and Harvey are more than enough.”

“True. I just hope the Gift is a good one.” Danny continued, “Elliot’s was the worst, remember? I smelled like fish for a week.”

Poseidon had to have a twisted sense of humor to flood the agora with seawater and seaweed. Blake could almost smell the fishy reek it left in his clothes through multiple washes. He had to throw out his favorite hoodie.

“That was pretty bad.” Blake said, lifting his head. He finally swept his gaze across the temple, taking in the crowd.

He could spot Harvey mingling with a crowd in the middle like he was already mayor, all smiles firm handshakes. The sleet colored suit he wore was fitted to his tall frame, making him seem older than seventeen, and his silver lightning bolt cufflinks flashed with his hands. There weren’t really elections-- no one really cared to go against a Vessel of Zeus for mayor-- but he had a sharp smile on his face like he was campaigning anyway.

Even though he was in the thick of crowd, talking to a some older Vessels Blake didn’t know, Harvey’s friends weren’t too far away. Blake spotted Bianca’s periwinkle curls easily. She was near the middle as she laughed at something Minnie said. Minnie tilted her head up to Bianca and if anyone didn’t know her they would think she was angry, her mouth set and her eyebrows furrowed. But her best friend Bianca had to cover her face with her hand in order to control her laughter. She even clapped a hand onto Mason’s shoulder, his golden glow rising off his skin as he too laughed at whatever Minnie said to them.

They turned their heads with smiles on their faces as Elliot called to them. He pushed his way through the crowd, dark spots forming on his sweater where his dark, wet hair curled onto it. Years of being stuck in class with this group gave Blake an odd feeling when he watched them. He wasn’t their friend, but he knew them pretty well. He guessed it was like watching a group of friends of a television show grow up. He doubted they knew anything about him-- and he didn’t plan on telling them anything. 

Blake peeked at Danny from the corner of his eye and saw how he tried to look like he was scanning the room too, but his eyes kept catching on Bianca. Blake looked away to hide his smirk.

I guess childhood crushes don’t die down so easily.

Blake skipped over Alicia in the corner smoking by a pillar, a blush blooming up his cheeks. He didn’t know much about women’s clothes, but he guessed that the gauzy pink and ostrich feather gown think she was wearing wasn’t exactly day wear. He absentmindedly wondered where her Hephaestus was, or her Ares for that matter.

Farther away was the actual mayor Martin, watching over like a general surveyed a battleground. He looked at Blake for a second, then looked away. Blake could have sworn the sides of Martin’s mouth quirked up just a hair. What was that prick up to?

No wonder Kat and the rest of them never showed up to things like this.

It reminded Blake of the part he had to play, the ever present shadow they lived in. Not as much the shadow of the gods they served, but the myth of the gods themselves. Being in such a large gathering of Vessels felt like echoes of all of the past Vessels were there as well, taking up the precious air in the agora and leaving Blake to choke.

In other words, his hangover had not gone away.

“It’s nearly sunset.” Danny said without looking at the sun behind him. He was hyper aware of time, sometimes to the second, even though he didn’t wear a watch. Blake could see the burnt orange tint of the light cast through the gaps in the columns. The new Vessel should be here any moment. 

Danny drummed his hands on his thighs. He coughed. “So, do you think that there’s going to be something at Bianca’s later?  You know we could just check it out, for like five seconds, it's probably not our scene anyway but--”

Danny’s voice died down or rather Blake stopped being able to hear him as his entire being was focused on the crowd parting. The crowd silenced and parted for the figure walking to the middle of marble space. Blake could only see the back of her head-- could barely register the thick dark curls crowned in sugar-white flowers-- because he felt like he was sinking underwater, everything felt cold and numb and alive all at the same time. 

Every hair in his body was raised and he knew a god’s presence had joined the Vessels. The Induction was beginning. The crowd felt it as well, looking around as the air became heavier. Blake didn’t bother looking around-- gods didn’t take corporeal forms at Inductions. If Blake was the praying type he would have asked that his guess was wrong, that it was another god who had come to give their god.

Any other god. Please.

Time slowed down, or maybe everything was normal and it was his heart that was jackhammering so fast time couldn’t keep up. He was surprised the foundation didn’t shake as he tried to get a grip on himself.

Everyone was kneeling, their arms outstretched to her. She had turned around, confusion written on her face. A distant part of Blake’s brain wondered how she could become a Vessel at her age. She looked like she was in her late teens, like Blake.

His mouth was dry and his breath uneven. He felt like he was unraveling.

Get a grip! He clenched his hands into fists until he was sure he broke skin. He could barely feel Danny’s hand clasping his shoulder and whispering to him, asking what was wrong. Blake couldn’t answer-- he didn’t trust his words. No one but Danny noticed Blake’s distress.

Martin was almost done with the ceremonial greeting, his voice booming out. “-and in our fortune we have found a new Vessel. One who will uphold the wills of the gods, and grant them the power they deserve. Your fate has been carved into Mount Olympus itself.”  

He smiled and Blake gritted his teeth like he was preparing for impact. This was it. This could be the moment that changed everything. Blake clenched his jaw, willing himself not to lose his footing, like he promised.

“Leila, you are to receive your gift as the new Vessel of Persephone. Let fate smile upon you.” Gasps echoed through the atrium like a flock of birds taking flight and then cries of shock as a rumbling sound erupted through the agora. 

The ground and the columns shook and the marble tiles cracked around them as vines broke from the floor and snaked their way up the columns. The vines were as thick as ropes and as they snaked their way up, flowers grew and bloomed. Flowers in shades of blues, purples, yellows, and pinks opened their petals. Blake didn’t know what any of them were but he wasn’t sure that they're supposed to grow the size of his head.

The rumbling continued and the crown formed a ring around the mountain of dirt that burst through the floor. A sapling broke through the dirt and quickly grew up into a full sized tree. The Vessels stared up at the tree as it grew larger and larger and Blake saw Demeter’s Vessel Camille pull the girl out of the way as the tree took up more space. It was like watching a time lapse of the life of a tree. The vines had stopped growing and the scent of flowers hung in the air. 

Leaves sprouted from the reaching branches and then a sea of red flowers bloomed its way through the tree. Then just as quickly, the flowers swelled and darkened into fruit. The tree shuddered and stopped and the scent of flowers was replaced by the sweet and tart scent of pomegranates.

Pomegranates. Of fucking course.

The crowd fell silent once again and Blake swore he could hear his laughter all the way from the Underworld. The last of the sunset was fading and a orange panel of light fell on the girl. Her eyes were wide and the light made her brown eyes practically molten. She was the only person still standing in the entire space. The Gift was given, but the crowd knew what the pomegranate tree meant; the reminder that the myth was never too far away. Blake could feel the crowd holding their breath. Her arm extended up to the lowest branch, her fingers reaching for one of the ripe fruits.

Blake couldn’t take it. The smell of the fruit turned his stomach. He stood up suddenly and made his way out of the agora, down the steps that led to the winding road down the mountain. He knew he won’t be missed and he refused to let the other Vessels see his face, make their assumptions about how he reacted. He pounded down the steps and heard the applause and cheering from behind him.

He didn’t want to be there, he didn’t want to see how it ended, how the floor was crumbling underneath him despite his best efforts. He felt that itch again, the teetering feeling like he was walking on a tightrope with no safety net. Gripping the keys to Chiron tightly, he leaned into that feeling, ducking his head as the last of the sunlight winked out behind the trees.

He headed into the night. I don’t have to keep finding my footing if I’m in freefall.

#persephone #hades #greek mythology #writing #deviant or divine #pt2

[becomeawendybird]

33! ❤️

“Are you sure that’s the decision you want to make?”

Louis stared his sister down, watching her mouth form thewords in slow motion.

“Of course, I’m sure, Charlotte.” They were nose to noseover two shot glasses while a few of their siblings and friends looked back andforth between the two of them.

“I don’t like this, Lou,” Liam warned, “she’s got the devilin her eyes.”

It took a lot for Louis not to break his staring contestwith his sister and roll his eyes at Liam like he wanted to.

“Hush, Liam,” Lottie waved him away, elation plasteredacross her face.

“Do. Your. Worst.” Louis responded.

“Truth, Dare, and Drink. Louis Tomlinson,” he finally didroll his eyes at her formality, “you have chosen ‘Dare or Drink,’ and I, yourbeloved sister, dare you to kiss Harry Styles for five minutes, with tongue.”

Shit. He knew, he just knew, he never should have told hissister what his type was. But, one night, with their feet propped up on thewall behind her bed like they used to do when they were young, in the earlyhours of the morning, confessions came easy. She had told him about her newboyfriend, he told her about what he was looking for.

“That kind of sounds like Harry, you know, Mom’s friendAnne’s son?” She had made the connection he absolutely had not wanted her tomake.

“Does it?” His voice had gotten higher, giving him away.

Now, at her graduation party with all of their family andfriends - including one Harry Styles who was downstairs cutting up fruit salad- she raised her perfectly sculpted eyebrow as a challenge. He never shouldhave taught her how to do that.

He broke their eye contact and looked down at the shot infront of him. The easy way out was to drink, that was how the game worked. Ifhe did that, he would never live it down. Ever.

Standing up and pushing away from the table emphatically, heturned his back to the whoops and cheers. “Niall. Witness!” She yelled afterhim. Louis didn’t stop.

The stairs were slippery under his trainers as he boundeddown them towards the kitchen. He burst through the crowd of minglers until hewas standing three feet away from Harry. Louis gulped.

The thing was, Harry was gorgeous. He had cut his hairshorter recently to donate to charity - as if Louis needed another reason to bemadly infatuated with him - and it fluffed up in an accidental quiff, little curls not reallyknowing which way to land. His hips bounced back and forth as he bopped alongto whatever was on the radio while he chopped up a pineapple. Everything waswhite noise to Louis as he stood there thinking about what he was going to do.

This could get awkward. They spoke at functions like this,but had gone to separate schools, so had never really gotten to know each otheron a deeper level. No matter how badly Louis had wanted that.

Well, here goes nothing. He walked up to Harry and silently(and carefully) took the knife out of his hand and placed it on the counternext to the cutting board. Without meeting Harry’s eyes, he took his hand anddragged him out of the very public kitchen and living room.

Niall followed them down the hall to the secluded laundryroom, standing watch outside the open door.

“Louis?” Harry asked him warily, clearly confused.

“We’re playing 'Truth, Dare, and Drink’ upstairs,” Louisexplained, trying to not concentrate too hard on the shiny pineapple juice onHarry’s full pink lips.

“Oh,” Harry replied.

“Is this okay?" Harry nodded quickly. Louis was going tolose his nerve if he didn’t do this thing. Right now.

Leaning forward, he brushed his lips across Harry’s anddecided he never wanted to do anything else ever again that wasn’t kiss HarryStyles.

"Wow,” Harry breathed out.

“Yeah, wow.” Louis agreed, before chasing Harry’s mouthagain.

Harry gasped, parting his lips slightly and Louis stole themoment to lick across Harry’s bottom lip, requesting access. When Harry openedhis mouth and fully let Louis in, the rest of the world fell away.

A few seconds later, Niall interrupted. “Um, Lou? It’s beenfive minutes.”

“No,” Louis murmured against his new home. His new home wassmiling and giggling and not cooperating.

“Yes, Lou. Lottie is probably waiting.”

“Tell her to stuff it, I don’t want to play any more.” Niallchuckled, and pulled the door closed behind him. Good lad, that Niall.

#drabble #mine #my fics #this was attempt number 2 #sorry nonnie!!!!

[seoyulhrs]

RESTLESS.

@hrsgyeowool

something about her shines. a warm shimmer, something full and golden, like the light of the afternoon sun, like the weight of it as it sets slow, turns the sky to a honey glow. gyeowool is softness in her visage, hurt in her heart, and for years seoyul has sought, one way or another, to patch her up. 

seoyul feels more like the moon, borrowing the light of others, refracting it back weakly. the plaintive call of the full moon - love me, love me, love me. and waning, too, fading into the still dark of a new moon - see me, see me, see me. 

maybe gyeowool does. 

maybe she tries, anyway. 

seoyul isn’t a fool. she’s known gyeowool for so long now, known her loves and losses, the latter weighing heavy. she knows - or can guess - at deeper secrets too, truths that gyeowool has never been able to verbalize,  things that seoyul’s own lackadasical madness make easier to accept, or at least admit. 

love has come to seoyul in fleeting and confused moments. misplaced affections, unable to parse out if she loves the hope of it or the reality of someone, if she loves in truth or if she is desperate to be needed, to be wanted, to be accepted. 

it’s often the latter. 

she remembers, with such a stark horror, the way she had placed affection on shinwoo just for the fact he’d bothered to give her the time of day even after the fiasco, the way he’d been there before and after. she thinks to herself sometimes, what a stupid little girl she’d been in high school, to invest so much of her heart in someone so invested in himself, someone who still wound her up like a toy for his amusement, sat to listen to a story before he returned to his real life, real interests, real friends. thinks to herself how lucky she is,  that she’s let such a thing go with little fanfare or fuss.

but has she really changed? 

is there any more to what she wants from gyeowool? what she takes from her? which is to say, whatever she’s willing to give. which is to say, everything, everything, everything. 

she tells herself it’s different. that of all the people in this godforsaken town, gyeowool sees her. knows her. is patient with her, looks past the knee jerk tales that spill out of her mouth unbidden, doesn’t treat her as some strange side show creature, some funny little oddity to examine, but as a girl with a heart and a mind and a soul. 

she tells herself it’s different. that she is different. that they both are. 

“woo~lie~” she coos affectionately as she approaches her in the firelight, the night air crisp at the edges. the nickname is an echo of her own final syllable. she’s asked loren before, to draw them a comic. the name even rhymes, she’d said, woolie and yoolie, it would be so cute. ren had rolled her eyes but seoyul holds out hope. 

seoyul reaches up, tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “you look pretty tonight,” her gaze cuts to the side, drifting over the assorted minglers. “prettiest girl here.” 

#/ rosefinch #/restless #/ thread

[jacksonstreet-creativeindustries]

Roles!

Something we have really noticed while experiencing the other markets was people in groups not having a set role and just sort of standing around with nothing to do.. To prevent this from happening we have come up with 4 facilitation roles.

1. The game guider- Harry (sporty spice). He will be on watch of the game to make sure it all runs smoothly, people aren't hogging and explaining how the game works.

2. Greeter- . Taylor/me (baby spice) Someone will be at the entrance welcoming people in a friendly manner and explaining the king of nostalgia voting system of exchange then handing them the piece of duplo over. 

3. King of nostalgia/ security guard- .Esther(ginger spice) This person will be keeping an eye on the system of exchange making sure people are participating as well as explaining what to do if anyone is confused especially when it comes to the grab and move stage of the voting system. This person will also be keeping an eye on the valuable items as we don't want them to be touched

4. Mingler. Security-Millar (posh spice). We will have someone mingling with the participants making sure they are having a good time, asking questions about their childhood and even presenting them with facts about certain items. This person will also be on security duty making sure nothing goes missing (although I'm sure it wont :)

#taylor