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lizisshortforlizard · 7 months

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Living Dangerously - Chapter 30

Jurassic Park’s animal handlers: none of them ever mentioned by name in Michael Crichton’s original novel. Who were they? What were their lives like on Isla Nublar? Did any of them survive the disaster?

A year in the life of those responsible for the care of the dinosaurs. Many people would kill to have their jobs.

But would they die for it?

Jurassic Park novel/Jurassic Park film (1993)

Viewpoint: 3rd person female oc

Warnings: some swears, harassment and misogyny in the workplace

Tagging: @heresthefanfiction @ocappreciation @wordspin-shares @howlingmadlady @arrthurpendragon @themaradwrites @starryeyes2000 @kmc1989 (please lmk if you would like informed of my sporadic updates)

Read on Ao3

Chapter 29 | Chapter 31

I Hate Myself for Loving You - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

It turned out be a different sort of sleepless night to what Lizzy had been hoping for.

The wrong kind.

She had lain awake for what few hours remained until morning, tossing, turning, occasionally weeping. Any sleep she managed to grasp was fitful, feeling like it only lasted a few seconds at a time.

She kept replaying what had happened in the clearing, each time a little more painful. Wondering how she could have behaved differently. How it could have turned out better than this unbearable limbo in which she didn't know where she stood anymore. Whether she'd just forever destroyed one of the best professional relationships she'd ever had.

It was all her fault, of course it was.

Why did she keep doing this? It felt eerily similar to the last time she’d engaged without thinking of the consequences. It had nearly ruined someone else’s life back then, as well as her own. History was repeating itself, and she only had herself to blame.

And now, once again, she had to live with the uncomfortable reality. She’d argue that it clearly wasn’t taking advantage from either side, in fact Lizzy would be bold enough to say they were both very much in agreement. But InGen’s legal department probably wouldn’t see it the same way.

Admit it, girl. You fucked up.

Dawn came, and she finally forced herself to get out of bed and pretend to be human. She should be looking forward to going out into the park again and seeing her animals, now that she wasn’t alone and it was relatively safe to do so, but she was dreading it. Unsure what she’d do when she inevitably bumped into Muldoon again.

Pretend it never happened or meet him head on?

I don’t think I have it in me this time.

She was in the canteen, laying low, listlessly poking at her scrambled eggs with a fork. Lizzy had cooked them herself, but they were far from her usual standard and didn't taste of anything other than disappointment.

She heard the familiar Jeep engine outside, and the shower of gravel as it ground to a halt. Lizzy shrunk down in her chair, staring at her plate in dread.

I’m better at breakfast.

Be the one to wake me up in the morning.

God, why did I do it?

At least the coffee was worth leaving her room for.

It was the first thing Muldoon noticed as soon as he walked in. She hadn’t brought one over for him, like she usually did. Message received, loud and clear.

The one small act she did for him almost every day, and he hadn’t even appreciated it properly until it had stopped. That was enough to get him to talk first. Armstrong did something when she made coffee. Invoked a higher power. Witchcraft. Somehow she always got it exactly right.

This wouldn’t do at all.

“Good morning.”

“It is?” She replied dully, glancing up with red-rimmed eyes. “Doesn’t feel like it.”

“You’re late for work.” He pointed out. “How are you doing?”

“Well, that’s a kick in the teeth.” She muttered. “But, if you’re genuinely asking? Annoyed. No, that’s not right. Vexed? Hm. Frustrated. Mostly at myself.”

“Armstrong-“ Muldoon awkwardly stood in front of her. “I probably owe you an explanation.”

“No need. I thought you made it pretty clear, actually.” She felt the sting of rejection anew. It was more painful than she’d reckoned to talk about it. “You don’t owe me squat.”

“I could have handled things better.” He pulled out a chair to sit opposite her. “It all happened rather quickly.”

“You were handling things just fine.” Lizzy gave up on her eggs, pushing her plate away before sitting back and folding her arms. “What changed?” What exactly had changed? It was hard to explain, but what it came down to was-

“Too fast."

She blinked, confused. ”Say again?”

Muldoon wished more than anything that Baker was around to keep him on the right track, guide him with what to say.

”…moving too fast.”

”Well, thanks for the clarification.” Lizzy replied dryly. “And that’s…bad?”

It was, it didn’t feel right, to be suddenly rushing matters in the dark. Outside…fair enough, but in the back of a bloody Jeep?!

Or maybe on the bonnet of his Jeep-

No, stop that.

He wasn’t sure quite what had happened, but he’d forgotten his responsibilities. Keep her safe. And risking her career for the sake of one night together did not fall into that bracket. No matter how strongly he felt. How he felt didn’t matter. Hadn’t mattered for a long time.

“Don’t want one and done.” He tried to explain, despite the relentless stare from the other side of the table. “Can’t do it.”

Not with her. Everything or nothing at all. Anything else would never be enough. He was trying to voice that sentiment out loud, but he didn’t have the words. He barely had the syllables.

“It’s not right, either. We already knew that.“ Muldoon gave up. She’d have to trust him, he was doing his best. If she could still trust him. ”Does that help, at all?”

“Yes…” Then her face crumpled.

He looked at her closely. ”Are you lying to me?”

”Yes!” It all came pouring out in a high-pitched hurry. “You’ve been mad at me before and I’ve understood why. But, after, and when we were driving back-…I couldn’t read you, at all!”

Lizzy put her head in her hands and mumbled something beyond his range of hearing.

She thought he was angry with her? That’s what she was most upset about?

Muldoon reached out and gently but firmly pulled her hand away from her mouth.

”Again, please.”

”…really thought I’d lost you.” She whispered.

“Well, you certainly have a flair for the dramatic, Lizzy.” He kept hold of her hand, she let him.

”Are you implying I’m overreacting?” She choked out. “Because women love that.”

”To be clear, I’m not mad at you. I’ve never once been mad at you.”

”Are you sure?”

“Positive. Annoyed, maybe. Vexed? Once or twice.” Lizzy groaned when she realised what he was doing. “Frustrated…you get the idea.”

”Oh, that’s not fair.” She muttered.

“But I’d find it very hard to live with, if you were dismissed because of something I did. Or might possibly do, if we were to, er-…” He looked uncomfortable. “-you know.”

"Suppose that’s a good point. Damn you for being so rational. I love my job.” She glanced up. “The people, eh...."

"Indeed, people are awful. Most people, at any rate." He quietly agreed. "This island would be bloody idyllic if we weren't going to be overrun by guests in a few short months.”

“So, where do we go from here?” Lizzy was already dreading the answer.

“I don’t think…we are going anywhere. You and I-" Muldoon looked resigned. "-have to carry on as before.”

“Like nothing ever happened?”

”I’m afraid so. Strictly professional.”

“But that’s not what I want.” May as well say it.

“Nor me.” Lizzy wondered if him tracing circles on the back of her hand was conscious or otherwise. “But it’s what we have to do.”

Sobriety would be a distant memory if he was responsible for ruining her career.

“Still the funniest story I’ve ever heard.” She muttered after a few moments, breaking the tension.

“Good.” Her laugh. That ridiculous laugh that he couldn’t stop thinking about. “That’ll keep me going for a while.”

Lizzy nodded and managed a wonky smile. She felt like crying again, it seemed horribly like saying a goodbye. "We'll be okay, right?"

"I don't even want to imagine the alternative."

This is the right choice. This is the right choice. This is the right choice.

Doesn't feel right. Feels bloody awful.

Lizzy tilted her head, pushing her body towards him, her candour returning. “Did you like it, though?”

”Excuse me?” He had to have misheard, but the mischief in her expression was telling him otherwise.

”You heard. Did you-“

A noise from the doorway startled them both. Muldoon dropped her hand quick as a flash, Lizzy tried not to let her face fall in dismay.

Kathy Baker was clattering into the canteen, struggling yet again with her bag, which looked even heavier than when she’d left before Christmas.

“Found you, finally!” Kathy called and waved. "Oh, hey, you came back early! What gives?"

“Nothing.” In a role reversal, Muldoon quickly answered for them both, while Lizzy was the one who baulked.

“O-kay…jeez, answer faster.” Kathy gave up on her bag and abandoned it at the door, clumping over to their table, still in her winter boots. “Girl, before you ask, yes, I got the goods. Here, you’re welcome.”

She passed Lizzy a box of liquorice which was met with a pleased but slightly frantic ‘ooh!’.

“Have you been crying?” Kathy asked her matter-of-factly.

“Just allergies.” Lizzy sniffed and wiped her eyes, looking at the floor.

“Uh-huh...” Kathy darted a quick glance at Muldoon, before drumming her recently manicured nails on the back of a chair, building up. "This is kinda perfect actually. I wanted to tell you two first out of everyone, obviously, but not over the phone. I, uh...I have some news."

The way she was avoiding eye contact with both of them, Lizzy could guess what it was. She quickly forced a smile. "You got the job?"

"Yeah, I got the job..." Kathy tried her best to look dismayed, before the grin burst through and she bounced on her tiptoes. "Guys, I got the job!"

Lizzy scrambled up to congratulate, quelling the geyser of rage, dread and panic that was bubbling up inside, feigning happiness for her friend. “What’d I tell you? You’re incredible!”

”I know, I’m kind of a big deal!” Kathy giggled, squeezing her tight. “First woman to ever hold the post in the history of the Smithsonian! I’m gonna have an office! I don’t have to work weekends anymore! I’m gonna have a life!”

“Alright for some.” Muldoon wasn’t so enthused.

Kathy broke away from Lizzy, hands on her hips. “Go on then, let me have it.”

"Well done. Knew you’d get it."

Lizzy shook her head. Damn man was proud as Hell, just doing his stubborn best not to show it.

“It’s not the end of the world, I’ll be here for a while, until you can find my replacement.” Kathy pointed down at the top of Lizzy’s head and stage whispered pick her.

“How long have I got?”

”Until August. “I can hang in there until August, right? What could go wrong before then?” Kathy laughed nervously then abruptly stopped at the alarmed look they both gave her.

“Plenty.” Muldoon huffed.

Lizzy agreed with him. ”Best not to answer that.”

***

Kathy wasn’t the only one who brought Lizzy dessert as a souvenir on their return.

Rico, the youngest but not least talented member the Carnivore Team was making his way towards her brandishing a Paupério tin that was far too dented and discoloured to be new. This looked promising unless, God forbid, it turned out to contain a sewing kit. Lizzy had been burned before.

“For you!” He was calling to her as he jogged along.

Her face lit up at the sight. “That looks homemade, boy. Tell me it’s homemade.”

Rico caught up, handing her the tin. “From my mama, for you.”

“You really didn’t have to…” Lizzy tried to remain polite though she was dying to rip the lid off and tuck in. Dinner time was still achingly far away.

“Yes I did. She made me swear I wouldn’t touch any.”

Have you been making friends, niño?

I have, at least one.

The strange Scottish lady was always nice to him, even if she was scarily forthright at times, and it had taken Rico a couple of weeks to figure out that she used certain rude words not as insults, but as terms of endearment.

“I’ve got good cigarros too if you want one, but don’t tell mama about those.” He tapped the side of his nose.

“Have you done something bad?” Lizzy asked warily. “I’m not being funny, but this is too much-“

“It’s just a thank you. You look out for me.” Rico said simply. “It was rough, at the start, but you wouldn’t let me stay in my room alone. I hated it at first, when you dragged me out all the time, but I know why you did it.”

His shoulders drooped. “When I can’t remember the word for something, you don’t make fun of me. The other guys still do, sometimes.”

Lizzy hadn’t really thought about it before. But he was around the same age as her brothers. And it was true, his English hadn’t been the best at the beginning. She knew all to well what it was like to be the outsider, not being confident to chip in when everyone else spoke a different language to you. She hadn’t wanted the youngest member of the team to feel left out or worthless. The boy was good. Not long left school and already working for InGen? He was going places.

Rico was somewhat of a phenomenon. He was quiet and thoughtful, introverted, but he had a way with the dinosaurs that Lizzy was envious of. Even the most timid of creatures could be coaxed forward by Rico. He was just good at it. Something about how he spoke to them, how he moved, he had a calming influence.

People had their favourite animals, and the reverse was equally true. The dinosaurs just liked him, most were comfortable being around him.

It had made other people jealous, some who weren’t as happy to just shut up and deal with it as Lizzy was. She had even considered asking Muldoon if Rico could become a handler for the infant raptor. He would be good for her, she was certain.

“It’s just banter.” She reassured. That was true enough, but one or two of the guys had a bad habit of pushing it into cruel territory. Words needed to be had. “Although Tom really is an arse. Don’t ever listen to him.”

She resisted the urge to ruffle Rico’s hair, like an unbearable aunt. He’s a grown man. He’s taller than you.

But he had such a baby face she couldn’t help but want to look after him. Maybe it was guilt. She missed her brothers by far the most out of all her siblings. It had been so long since she’d seen them.

“What would I do without you, kid?” She glanced down at the tin gratefully. “And your mother’s baking. Seriously, she could sell these.”

“You won’t ever find out.” He sidled closer, looking like he was getting ready to tell her a secret. “Listen, I want to see Africa. The Africa you and the boss talk about. See a wild elephant.”

“All these dinosaurs right here and you want to see an elephant?” She couldn’t help but smile.

He laughed. “A wild elephant. Just promise you’ll take me along, next time you go, yes?”

”Sure. I might know somebody who could give you the tour.” Unable to resist any longer, Lizzy started breaking open the tin and she nearly teared up at how delicious the contents smelled. “Oh my God. Can you bring your mum too?”

He seemed to seriously consider it before nodding. “I’ll ask her?”

***

“Hey!" Later that day Kathy sneaked up behind her and tapped Lizzy on the shoulder. “Got a bone to pick with you.”

The old reliable Baker intuition was yelling loudly in her head, yet again. Niggling in her thoughts for several days. She couldn’t ignore it any longer. Kathy pointed a finger in accusation at her friend and cried triumphantly:

”You got laid!”

“What?!” Lizzy's eyes darted back and forth. "Shhhh!"

"You did!" Kathy gasped. "Oh my God, you did!"

”I did not!” Lizzy made a grab for her friend, trying to clamp a hand over her mouth, something, anything to stop her. “What the Hell, Kathy?”

“You’re, I dunno-“ The Team Leader wriggled free and shrugged, unconvinced. “-different?”

“Yeah, well. You’re wrong. Nothing happened at New Year.” Lizzy insisted. “Ro-uh…Muldoon and I went out for a drive, that was all.”

The at least partly true white lie that both of them had discussed and agreed on together.

“Who said anything about New Year?” Kathy raised an eyebrow. “You…did?” Lizzy stalled helplessly.

“I didn’t mention Muldoon, either. That’s where your mind went though, huh?”

”Er-“ Lizzy started to panic.

”He came back early, to check you were okay, you were all alone here for a whole night and- oh, don’t give me that look! And ‘nothing happened’?” Kathy was still sceptical. “Yeah, right!”

She recalled the moment she had first suspected things may have changed between them. She peeked through the window just before she’d entered the canteen, nearly screamed in exhilaration and then saw how quickly Muldoon dropped Lizzy’s hand when he heard the door opening. Like a hot potato. Her heart had dropped just as quickly, and she caught the noise ready to burst forth from her throat in the nick of time.

Whatever had been going on, she clearly wasn’t meant to see. “Cross my heart.”

”Really? Nothing?” Kathy was still crestfallen. “You finally had the island to yourselves, and nothing at all?”

Lizzy considered how he had made her laugh harder than she had laughed in a long time, maybe even in her whole life. A moment that regardless of whatever happened between them now, she’d likely remember until the end of her days.

Kathy was looking at her expectantly, while Lizzy’s memory was a mile or so away, in her favourite place in the park, with the stars above and the Rex rumbling away like a purring cat as the fire crackled.

”Well, not exactly nothing at all.” Lizzy’s mouth finally curved into a smile. “But if I told you, you’d probably never believe me.”

***

”Regis, why is my Jeep boxed in?”

”Uh…sorry Muldoon, I’m losing you-crrrhhhsshshhh.” The group of animal handlers all saw Ed discretely switch his radio off with a loud click.

A couple of weeks into January, New Year a distant memory, but Lizzy’s stomach still flipped whenever she heard the park warden’s voice. Carrying on as normal was working, for the most part. But she couldn’t simply forget and move on. Feelings don’t just go away, you only adapt to get better at dealing with them over time. If you’re lucky.

Fortunately, a welcome distraction was in progress. Preparations were underway for an official event on the island. The front of the visitor centre was positively bustling.

"Thought they weren't opening the park until the autumn?" Lizzy critically eyed the deliveries that were turning up left, right and centre. The supply boat that morning had been sitting much lower in the water than usual.

"These are investors, idiot. They aren't guests. They need to see we’ve made good use of their money, so that they give us more!" Tom flicked her ear for emphasis, causing Lizzy to take a swipe at him, which he dodged easily. "Or we’re screwed. So Eddie’s gotta get his nose right in there."

"I don’t think they’ve ordered enough stuff.” When she turned back to look again, Lizzy could have sworn the number of boxes had somehow tripled.

”You’re doing a great job, buddy. Keep it up!” Tom yelled over to Regis, whose neck quickly turned red under his freckles. “Don’t call me buddy!”

“Would you stop?” Lizzy elbowed him. “One of these days, he will throw something at you.”

”Hope it’s not gonna be valuable, cos it won’t have my good self to cushion the blow. He’ll miss.” His self-assurance was still grating.

”Wanna bet?” Lizzy remembered Trenton Thunder. “Baseball nut over there.”

”So Daddy played catch with him, big whoop.” Tom replied, grinding out his cigarette with his boot heel.

“Can you guys make yourselves useful and keep an eye out for the ice sculpture arriving?” Regis trotted over to them. “I gotta go do a thing…”

”Yeah, sure. We basically get paid to stand around, anyway.” Kathy replied cheerfully.

“This event-“ Lizzy queried. “-are we invited?"

”Absolutely not.” Regis denied. “In fact, you in particular are barred, Armstrong, for obvious reasons.”

”Aw, Ed!” She feigned upset. “You know that just makes me want to go even more!”

“Ain’t gonna happen, Liz.” Regis carefully pulled a transparent plastic garment bag out of a box full of packing peanuts. It contained a very short, very red cocktail dress. “So quit asking.”

“That’s gonna clash with your hair.” Tom pointed out.

”It’s for María!” Regis snarled back at him.

“That’s not fair! Why does she get to go? You have catering staff flying over.” Lizzy was still on his case.

Ed gave her a lopsided grin. ”Eye candy.”

”Huh?” Lizzy and Kathy said in unison, shooting each other confused glances.

“Okay, I see what happens.” Tom stepped forward. “Let me paint a picture for you, girls. You’ve got a lot of rich, lonely, powerful men in a room together, far away from their wives and mistresses, trying to prove who’s got the biggest dick. You need a little entertainment. Something pretty to look at. Grease the wheels.”

Regis clicked his fingers. “Bingo.”

“Oh, that’s disgusting. That’s disgusting.” Kathy was horrified.

“Nobody touch anything.” Off Ed Regis went, garment bag slung over his shoulder. Presumably to find the unwilling future occupant of the dress.

"Team Meeting, now.” Lizzy announced.

The eight animal handlers huddled.

”I move that we do something. I want to find out where all their money's going. Because it sure as Hell isn't on the animals. Or us. Y’know, the people who actually do the work.” Lizzy's expression became stormy. "They're going to take advantage of her. And Ed's going to sit back, drink his lite beer, and watch it happen."

"In another win for human evolution, public relations manager achieves upright stance sans spinal column." Kathy muttered dryly. “That’s cold, Kit.” Tom sounded impressed. “Attagirl, you’ll be as cynical as Liz and I by the time you leave this place.”

“Well, she has a point!” The Team Leader gestured. “We can’t leave María there alone. They’ll eat her alive.”

"So you agree?" Lizzy jumped on her chance. “I’m commandeering the situation?”

"Girl..." Kathy shook her head. "Girl, he's gonna kill you...getting involved…”

"I can handle Ed." Lizzy said confidently.

"Ed's not the one I was talking about, sweetie.”

“We’re gonna see Liz in a dress? Looking like an actual woman?” Tom smirked at her expression full of disgust. "Hey, you gotta. It’s a formal. You’ll need something that doesn't scream 'I shovel crap for a living'."

”Oh sure, let me just go pick one of my many ballgowns out of the wardrobe.” Lizzy gestured from her flyaway head to her mud-caked boots. "Are you blind?"

”You and María are about the same height. You wouldn’t look terrible in red, if it’s low lighting-“

”Jeez, Tom! Stop encouraging her!” Kathy moaned. “This is a terrible idea.” “As much as I hate to admit she’s right, better Liz than María.” The Texan stuck to his guns. “And you know it, Kit.”

“That’s settled then. All in favour?” Lizzy called the vote.

Six ayes were heard from the men before they looked to the Carnivore Leader for her choice. But she still hesitated.

Come on, girl.

The seconds ticked by. Tom smirked confidentially at Lizzy before asking loudly: “Kit, you wanna go grab Ed that cappuccino, or what?”

“Oh, I’m so gonna regret this.” Kathy wearily nodded. “You win.”

***

God, I'm starving.

Lizzy had poured herself into the tiny cocktail dress meant for Maria, far more petite and less muscular than she was. The Haitian was more than happy to be relieved of her duties for the evening, kissing Lizzy on both cheeks before practically flinging the dress in the ethologist’s direction and gliding away down the corridor to do God-knew-what. Watering the plastic plants, probably.

The cheap fabric was working particularly hard underneath her arms and around the tops of her thighs. As well as doing hair and make-up, Kathy had reluctantly helped pile her into the nightmare dress and zip her up. She felt like an overstuffed sausage, and already had blisters forming from the high heels, rubbing her feet raw as she shuffled around with tiny steps.

But the place Lizzy felt most under-dressed was on her left hand.

She wished she’d had the foresight to put her engagement ring back on, which she still hadn’t found the willpower to shove in an envelope and send back to Simon. At least it would offer some protection for a few hours. Lizzy looked around the room. String quartet, ice sculpture, flowers everywhere…the opulence of it made her feel uneasy.

She had a flashback to her apartment in the States, something Simon had divulged while complaining about a flamboyantly rich but cantankerous client as they were unpacking groceries together. Very rich people didn’t show off how much money they had. They didn’t have to. They tended to be quietly generous and classy about it. People who acted like they were still trying to prove something, they might be well-off, but they weren’t rich rich.

Lizzy herself had fallen for it in the beginning, but as time went on, increasingly often she began to suspect that Hammond was the latter. Everything for show. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.

She caught sight of the man himself in the corner of her eye, amber-topped cane in hand, and remembered the reason she was enduring such torture in the first place. To secure better care, more money specifically for the dinosaurs. Lizzy tottered over, tugging the hem of her dress down as she approached.

“John?”

He turned and looked at her blankly. She knew what he was thinking. You weren’t on the guest list.

”It’s me, Lizzy.” She could forgive him a few moments hesitation, she’d probably never worn this much make-up in her life.

“Lizzy?”

She began to get annoyed. What happened to ‘my dear old granny was a Lizzy’? Anyway, she’d always considered herself fairly memorable.

This was not a good start.

“Doctor Armstrong? From Namibia?” She gestured helplessly, at a loss for what else she could say to jog his memory. “The ethologist.”

“It’s Mr Hammond, tonight, dear. If you don’t mind.”

“Alright-“

“I’m fairly busy, I’m afraid. Why don’t you go and mingle? We’ll catch up later.”

“Wait, no-“ Lizzy knew well enough that there most likely wouldn’t be a later.

“Please, Miss Armstrong. Another time.” And he gently took her arm and guided her away, leaving her all alone, facing the wall as he resumed his conversation.

Not quite sure how she had lost her hold on the situation, Lizzy vowed to try a different tactic. As she was busy scanning the rest of the venue for anyone who might be worth talking to, she didn’t notice one of the businessmen swanning over to her, until it was too late to get away.

“Where’s Hammond been hiding this one, then?” American. Mid-West. Sweating profusely. “Forget the ice sculpture, why didn’t they just put you up on the table?”

Lizzy recoiled. “I’m a scientist.”

“Ah, she’s funny too. Not dressed like that, you aren’t.”

Lizzy really wasn’t a fan of being referred to in the third person.

”Really, she’s a PhD.” She flushed in anger. “She studies animal behaviour.”

And you’re behaving like an animal.

”Wait-“ He pointed at her face, closely scrutinising. “-I know you from somewhere-“

Not again.

In yet another event from her past that occasionally came back to haunt her, Lizzy had undertaken a couple of modelling jobs as a first-year student at NYU.

Nothing big. One or two jobs for the campus magazine, then it had kind of snowballed. She didn’t even know what some of the photographs were ultimately used for. But her face, and the rest of her, was definitely in print for something other than behavioural research. It offered a few extra dollars here and there, until Simon had asked her to stop, telling her she didn't have to worry about money now she was with him. She'd obliged, but it had been kind of fun, at the time.

It happened more than once in New York, sometimes a stranger, usually an older man, most likely on the subway would give her a funny look. She’d know exactly why, and she’d huddle closer to Simon and try not to make eye contact before they reached their stop.

New York and a tiny Costa Rican island, it seemed. Just her luck.

”No, you don’t!” She insisted and turned to leave, but he grabbed her wrist and she had no choice but to turn to face him to keep herself from toppling over in her high heels.

”How much-“

His grip hurt. Lizzy looked around in panic, searching for Ed Regis in the crowd. She didn’t want to make a scene, but if there was no other choice…Ed would help her, right?

Right?!

“Hey, back off, pal. The only one who gets to talk down to her is me.”

From somewhere close behind her came the low Southern drawl she both looked forward to and dreaded equally. The voice she hated being on the wrong side of, the one that meant trouble, had antagonised her time and time again. And she’d never been so glad to hear it defending her.

Tom’s hulking frame cast a long shadow over both Lizzy and the strange man who was intent on getting to know her better.

“Look, here-“ The investor was bristling at the intrusion.

”Move along, now, buddy.” Tom gave him a firm pat on the shoulder, a little bit harder than was polite or necessary, but not enough to get him into trouble. “Trust me, you don’t wanna find out the price for this one. It’s measured in rounds, and I don’t mean at the bar.”

The stranger grunted unhappily and finally beat it, avoiding looking Lizzy in the eye.

She relaxed slightly, her hands trembling. The smell of old cigarette smoke and cheap aftershave had never been so reassuring.

“About damn time.” She tried to act breezy, but the words sounded forced. Lizzy was more shaken than she'd care to admit. She glanced down at her wrist, red finger marks already burned harshly into her skin. Shit.

”Ma’am.” Tom tipped the brim of his stetson towards her without the slightest trace of irony. He had gone all out for the occasion, wearing a bolo tie, white shirt, dress jeans with a big belt buckle and leather boots. A real-life cowboy.

Lizzy cleared her throat, trying to restore her bravado. “Didn’t know there was a fancy dress shop on the island. Where’s your tinfoil sheriff’s badge?”

“You get straight to Hell. This is my good stetson. I’ve not worn this baby since prom night.” He flicked the rim. “You realise how privileged you are, getting to see me in my good stetson, right?”

”You have more than one?” She stifled a giggle. “Didn’t know you moonlighted as a Village Person.” “You like a man in a hat.” He winked at her disarmingly, and her steel nerve buckled.

”Piss off.” She muttered weakly.

"There it is." Tom grinned in satisfaction. “On that note, what has your man got to say about you hitting the town, all dressed up?”

“Not my man, what are you on about…”

“Ah, I see. He still doesn’t know, huh?” He shook his head, tutting. “You are in so much shit.”

“I do what I like.” Lizzy scowled. “Although I don’t like this. Quite literally taking one for the team.”

“You scrub up pretty nice.” He gave her a sly look. “Trim your moustache, did ya?” “Ha!”

At the other end of the room, Lizzy spied Regis’ ginger head, still wearing his ever-present baseball cap (seriously, at a black tie?), jerk upright at the noise she’d just made. Lizzy quickly turned it into a cough.

“Insults aside, glad you’re here.” She meant it. "Dickhead.”

She meant that too.

”Save it.” Tom grumbled. “I just didn’t wanna miss the look on Ed’s face when he sees you of all people gatecrashed his fancy event.”

“Keep telling yourself that, mate.” She didn't mind anymore whether he hated her or cared for her. It was a blurry line at the best of times. But she mattered to him, in some way, that much she knew and was grateful for. If he hadn’t intervened when he did…

One way or another, it would have gotten messy.

“How’s An Audience With Hammond going?” He interrupted her thoughts.

”It’s not.” She told him about how she had failed miserably at her mission. “I am very low priority on his list of people to schmooze tonight.”

Tom was eyeing up a tray of glasses making it’s way past them. “In that case, when in Rome-“

She scoffed. “Beginning to see the real reason you’re here…”

“They don’t got bourbon?” Tom grumbled at the sparse choice of red or white. “I hate wine.”

“The single malt is for much, much later this evening-“ The waiter somehow managed to look down his nose at the taller man. “-sir.”

”You’ll get what you’re given.” Lizzy took a glass of each colour and handed him the white. “It’s free.”

”How about a toast?” Tom sardonically eyed the blue InGen banner hung over the door, company slogan in italics beneath the ever-present logo. “To…Making Our Future.”

”Spare no expense!”

They clinked their glasses.

“Hell with it. Let’s pound as much of this food as we can before they throw us out.”

”That-“ Lizzy waved over a tray of canapes. “-is the best idea you’ve had in weeks.”

***

“He was talking so fast, I couldn’t keep up, and he said Hammond personally asked him to make it happen!” Rico was hurriedly trying to explain as he stumbled into the control room after the park warden. “To show the investors.”

”That may be true.” Muldoon was barely keeping his anger in check. “But there’s a very good reason we stay away from that animal.”

”Not all of us.” Arnold added loudly as he blew smoke upwards, causing Muldoon to shoot him a venomous look.

“I sincerely apologise, boss.” Rico continued, visibly trembling in fear. “H-how can I make this right?”

”Just stay out of the bloody way. Something like that, you really should have checked.” He dismissed him with a wave of his hand before shouting “Where’s Baker?!”

“Here, I’m here!” Kathy popped up from behind a console. “Ray called me, we’re watching her now. They weren’t kidding, she’s fast.”

Rico went mute, eyes downcast, he took the opportunity to slip out of the control room like a shadow while everyone else was bustling around. Nobody noticed.

Muldoon moved around to look at the screen beside his colleagues. “Arnold, can you send out an alarm?”

”Manually.”

”That doesn't sound very efficient?"

“It ain't. As in, I’m going to have to go check the manual.” Arnold looked at him pointedly, cigarette dangling. “Or you can just grab a radio and alarm everyone all by yourself.”

”You’ve got to be joking.” Muldoon ground out. “There’s no system in place?”

“Looks that way.”

Meanwhile, Kathy was wringing her hands. All the procedures she’d gone over in her head. All her studying of emergency exits, muster points and evacuation routes. All her carefully constructed contingency plans and she still wasn’t ready for this.

“What are you going to do?” She hesitantly asked.

“What’s required.” Muldoon was looking for the key to the locker in his office. “Don’t interfere.”

Kathy solemnly nodded. “In that case, what do you need?”

“I need my best shot, for backup.” He grabbed his radio. ”Kennedy, come in.”

No response.

”If anyone can see Kennedy, pass him a radio, now.”

No answer.

What a mess. Muldoon conducted a quick head count. Only six animal handlers present. Baker-Esteves-Harris-O’Reilly-Palmer-Yamada-

Another was unaccounted for. “Baker, where’s Armstrong?”

”Er…”

Oh, balls.

Muldoon impatiently took her by the shoulders. “Is she indoors, yes or no?”

”Yes, definitely.” No way would Lizzy be seen in that dress anywhere outside the function room. “Unless-“

His eyes narrowed. “Baker, it’s important for your lifespan that you tell me exactly where she is.”

Arnold had momentarily stopped typing, holding his breath.

“She’s with Tom. If he smokes, she usually goes too.” Kathy confessed nervously. “I mean, they could be outside?”

***

”Nah, you’re doing it wrong. No chewing, you’ll be there forever. Down in one, like this-“ Tom was trying to show her how to handle an oyster.

Lizzy stared at the cold shell in her palm, the corners of her mouth downturned. ”Tom, it’s looking at me.”

She’d eaten far more questionable things in her lifetime. But this was turning out to be her Everest.

”Ah, forget it. These ones are just okay, need some tabasco.” He took the offending mollusc from her and swiftly dealt with it. “Better barbecued fresh, out on the water.”

“If you say so.” Lizzy wasn’t convinced. Sub-par oysters, she’d rather not take the chance. Yet more cracks were appearing in the InGen foundations.

A very familiar silhouette caught her eye, making his way through the crowd to their secret corner of the room with purpose. He’d clearly spotted Tom’s stetson from the doorway.

“Uh-oh, busted.” Lizzy whispered as Muldoon drew level with them both.

“Kennedy. With me, now.”

Lizzy tutted. He was clearly dismissing her as ‘just some girl’ Regis had flown in for the night that Tom had decided to try his luck with. It must have been the heels giving her an extra couple of inches that was throwing him off.

“Tom, I think you’ve pulled.” Lizzy nudged his arm. Muldoon did a double take at the familiar voice, only recognising who she was the second time around.

“Oh Christ, it’s you.” He frowned. “What’s happened to your face?”

“Rude.”

“Don’t like it.” He was looking her up and down in disbelief. ”And I can bloody well see what you had for dinner-“

“Stop staring at me.” Lizzy hissed through gritted teeth. “Surprise, I do in fact have a waist under the tattie cloths they pass off as uniforms.”

“Of course. Your waist is what’s drawing the eye.”

He wasn’t at all a fan of the look, but he still couldn’t drag his gaze away from her with everything…pushed up like that.

”Aw, Jesus.” Tom seemed genuinely upset. “Not cool, boss.”

”Why are you two in here, anyway, without your radios on?” Muldoon recalled the memo Regis had flashed around about keeping a certain animal handler away from the event at all costs. “No, never mind. I don’t actually care.”

“I would love to know-“ Lizzy remarked sweetly. “-where exactly I would be keeping a radio on my person, in this thing.”

”Talking out your ass, no doubt-” Tom muttered.

Another of the investors had broken off from the herd and started to sway his way over, bleary eyes fixated on Lizzy, and the parts of her body the dress wasn’t quite managing to cover. She could already see the words say, you look familiar forming in his head as she began to back away in fear.

But she wasn’t alone this time. Both Kennedy and Muldoon abruptly stopped what they were doing and gave the interloper a hard stare so intimidating that he about-turned and wobbled straight back the way he’d came without uttering a single word to anyone.

Muldoon shook his head, looking like his motor was rapidly winding down. “Christ alive, I need to get out of here. I hate this sort of thing.”

Lizzy cocked her head. He doesn’t do crowds.

“So if you’re both done wasting time-“ He continued.

She quickly sobered, not averse to making a quick getaway herself. “What’s wrong?”

There was a faint rumble of thunder from outside and the overhead lights dipped and came back on with a flicker. The drone of conversation around them lulled, then resumed.

The next thing the park warden said made Lizzy’s ears ring and edges of her vision darken as the adrenaline kicked in.

“Don’t react, either of you-“ Muldoon dropped his voice low enough that she had to crane her neck to hear him. “-but there’s an animal loose in the park.”

Son of a- Tom was already pushing past Lizzy, making his way to the exit doors, the sea of businessmen parting before him as he cleared a path.

“Don’t react. I said don’t react.” Muldoon quickly turned to follow him.

“Hang on-“ Lizzy caught up before he moved out of reach. “Which animal?”

Muldoon gave her a certain look while saying nothing, which told her everything.

Lizzy knew exactly which animal had broken out.

“Oh-“ She reached for the wall to steady herself as the lights flickered off again and thunder boomed over the island. “Oh, no.”

***

Thanks for reading!

If you worked out what this chapter is leading up to I will personally send you a gift basket or something.

#jurassic park oc #living dangerously #welcome to jurassic park #oc: dr lizzy armstrong #jurassic park female oc #jurassic park #jurassic park fanfiction #my writing #jurassic park 1993 #jurassic park fanfic #jurassic park novel #robert muldoon #ray arnold #john hammond #ed regis

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dawnjaco22 · 1 year

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Just binged pacific rim: the black and I got a few comments to get off my chest this fine morning.

*SPOILER WARNING *

I don't hate it but I definitely don't love it. My only favorite character is the sassy AI and somehow boy who literally has zero lines. I also like the little spider dude cause he's kind of adorable in his little hoodie. Other than that and the mystery of the plot to keep me entertained and the semi good animation is good.

BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS STRAIGHT SHIT. Like the main characters pissed me off the entire time. Except for mai because I shared her sympathy for being pissed at the kids dumbass decisions and caring for their idiots butts. But the two main honchos can literally kick rocks like they could die and I would probably enjoy the show more. Let me explain my annoyance tho in detail.

First Haley this girl from the jump made me want to drop kick her. Like this is suppose to represent actual siblings. I don't care how much I love my sister I'm gonna tell her when something is dumb and slap her when she losing her marbles. This girl MURDERED AN ENTIRE VILLAGE?! Cause she was fucking bored and nosy. Like did she completely forget the entire reason they are hiding in the first place?! I mean I'll give the writers a pass because someone gotta be stupid to get the plot to roll. BUT NOT THIS STUPID?! In more than one spot she has almost gotten her brother killed by being just dumb. From banging a glass tube while surrounded by monsters to literally putting everyone in jeopardy by growing attached to boy beyond reason. I can't blame her tho I would've saved the kid and gotten attached too but like she like Sakura from Naruto just in convincing everyone.

Like did he come in clutch later yes he did revealing some big secrets. My thing is tho majority of the situations were her fault Or her brothers by sharing one braincell at a time. For example, when the sisters came for them instead of doing a convoy stand off or thinking of strategies she whined... THE.ENTIRE.TIME! Like girl you are the main one that wants this dude so bad at least be convincing cause everyone around you has lost sympathy for your crocodile tears. There were some parts where she was cool but majority I wanted to smack her.

Now we on to her brother which is a whole other set of can of worms. He was likable in how focused he was on the priority. But this dude is a simp for his sisters to the point it messes up his character. She would cry and my dude would suffer agreeing even if he was right. He would be more likable if he disconnected from his sister. Not to the point that he like mean but he gotta put his foot down. He eventually did just not in a smart way.

#pacific rim #funny #animation #mystery inc #hades game #funny post #bl animation #made with tumblr #code black #netflix

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becauseimanicequeen · 4 days

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Pride Month Watch: The Warp Effect (ep 5-6)

My thoughts on episodes 1-4.

Starting the 5th episode with my favorite pair in this series.

A visually pleasing scene with that light in the middle of them, btw.

Yes, sir, you are indeed. Good for you. Good for Joe. Good for us.

Who is pissy that his best friend has a new best friend?

You tell him, Ew.

That moment when you run into your first sexual partner (even though you don't remember it) and your former fuck buddy and realize they're friends (and hate your guts)...

Golden!

I feel bad for Jean, though. She's clearly uncomfortable in this situation. What the hell did Alex do to her? Don't tell me she got pregnant and had to deal with that on her own. Or maybe she got slutshamed instead (which is more than possible since she's a girl and this world is fucked up)? Or both? I'm sure we'll find out sooner or later.

I'm sure Kat planned this somehow...

And I love how catty she is, doing it right in front of Alex.

Oh, lord, give me patience...

Dude, she didn't pick up the bat for PMS reasons, she did it to avoid your persistent advances. I'm not surprised she has to resort to threatening him with violence to get out of a situation that's verging towards sexual assault, though... It's sad that it's required, but not surprising.

I don't usually hate because there's enough hate in the world already. However...

Sometimes dinosaurs like this show up, and it takes a lot for me not to lose my shit. This isn't the last time we'll see him, is it?

Nope, he's spewing his shit again. He's so far up his own ass he doesn't even realize his opinions are (or should be) extinct.

Go out into the world, touch some grass, educate yourself. Please, Mr. Dinosaur. For everyone's sake.

Yes, Mollie!

I love them so much!

I approve!

This is the best thing Alex has done so far.

And this is the worst...

Just when I had started to like Alex a little bit...

Btw, did they use the condom he got from Ew? If not, pregnancy is possible (I'm not sure how available birth control is in Thailand and if it's easy to get your hands on the morning-after pill). But I'm also getting the feeling the repercussions might've been more emotional after that scene. It can be a mix of both as well...

Everything Mollie says is relatable...

Some people know what they like and stick with that to 100%. That's great for them. That's not me, though. I fall for vibes rather than a specific type (age, gender, nationality, whatever). Always have, and always will (most likely). And that's okay too.

Seriously...

What's with these boys and public spaces?

And here we have the reason Joe wasn't so happy to meet Army again...

No wonder Joe was pissed. Especially considering Army was the one who initiated this. You better make it up to Joe. For his sake. And for mine.

Damn...

It's leaning more toward unprotected sex.

OMG!

The way I fucking cackled! I love this grandfather.

The red text, though... And those drops (or is that supposed to be sperm?)... That's ominous...

Btw, when is Alex going to go find Jean and ask if she's okay after that night and the rumors that are spreading? He's climbing up the hierarchy, living his best life, while hers is going straight to hell...

The way Jean is keeping calm when she says this:

Shows how much EI she has compared to the teacher who wants to put all the blame on her. At the same time, it's heartbreaking to watch. Jean has every right to be fucking pissed, but she holds it in.

(I've already used up the image limit, so I'll just write for the rest of this ep.)

Oh, there's Alex. Finally.

I can't believe Jean was suspended!

I'm glad she lets the anger out. And I'm glad Alex hears it (even though it wasn't directly his fault that the rumors started, only because he wasn't smart enough to check if someone else was in the bathroom and could overhear him and Ew).

Now we have some (all?) of the backstory of how things went to hell (both in Alex and Jean's case as well as in Army and Joe's).

I'm switching over to a new post so I can add more pics. Let's go!

#the warp effect #queer series #thai ql #thai series #ice queen's Pride Month #Pride Month watch #my shit

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paleparearchive · 2 months

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Inside The Heart

Michelangelo's 2nd initial 3★ story (2/2) ( 1 - 2 )

Location: atelier (morning) | Characters: Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Raffaello

Michelangelo: …

(I'm feeling better today 'cause Da Vinci isn't here. Why does he always get in the way? Even the other day, he tried to stay in front of my room. I don't think I've done anythin'…)

Raffaello: Michelangelo-kun, you look energetic.

Michelangelo: Huh? Ah, Raffaello. What's up?

Raffaello: The director told me about your commission from the art dealer.

Michelangelo: … I see.

Raffaello: I heard you turned it down. The director was worried.

Michelangelo: 'Cause I'm not interested. Why doesn't she ask someone else?

Raffaello: No no, she is asking you this, you know? She cannot ask anyone else to do it. The art dealer wants a sculpture made by you.

Michelangelo: But I'm not gonna take it. The idea of someone tellin' me to make somethin'... I don't like it.

Raffaello: … Even Da Vinci-kun would feel sorry for that.

Michelangelo: … Da Vinci? Why?

Raffaello: Because he recognizes you, Michelangelo-kun. I think he wants the public to know your talent and wants you to improve your skills even more, am I right?

Michelangelo: Uh… No, I'm pretty sure that's not true.

Raffaello: Really? I think his words convey that kind of sentiment.

Michelangelo: Haah? I don't get it…

Da Vinci: As Michelangelo said, that is not what I mean.

Raffaello: Da Vinci-kun…!

Michelangelo: … Sigh, you came to disturb me again.

Da Vinci: It is desirable for the Palette Museum's sake to be appreciated by art dealers. So I just thought you should take the offer.

Michelangelo: What's that? It's none of your business. I don't need you to tell me what to do, I'll make sculptures that I think are good and improve my skills in my own way.

Da Vinci: So you are saying you will not do what the client wants?

Michelangelo: It's not that I don't drink everythin'. I just don't think he understood my sculptures when he made a request like that.

Da Vinci: Ah, I see. So you refused because you were asked to do a slender girl with a child…

Raffaello: Because Michelangelo-kun's sculptures are all very fit people…

Da Vinci: But even if you improve your skills, it is pointless if there are no buyers.

Michelangelo: It's not pointless. It's much more pointless to create somethin' that bends your beliefs. Besides, if there's no buyers, then that's all you're good for. I'll just keep carvin' until the art dealer recognizes my skill.

Da Vinci: …

… Then why do you not just get on with the production?

Michelangelo: You're the one who keeps getting in my way.

Da Vinci: If you think that this is a distraction, your concentration is no better than that of a child's.

Michelangelo: T-The hell… It's your fault I can't concentrate…

Da Vinci: Oh, I hope you do not blame me for this. Just do not react and keep producing, okay?

Raffaello: N-Now now, you two.

Da Vinci: Well, it is almost nap time, so please excuse me. Since the child does not seem to be able to concentrate when I am around.

Michelangelo: Really, what's with that guy… And nappin', that's more child-like…

Raffaello: Well then, I should go too. I was just out of art supplies.

Michelangelo-kun, I, too, look forward to seeing your work completed.

Michelangelo: … Hmpf.

#palette parade #palette parade tl #palepare #palepare tl #card tl #card translation #translation #michelangelo #michelangelo buonarroti #3★

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booksandwords · 7 months

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Medium, Sweet, Extra Shot of Geek by R. Cooper

Read time: 1 Day Rating: 3/5 Stars

The Quote: Tommy was using his intense voice, the one he used on the phone and when he felt the need to stress how frightening Daleks and weeping angels were. — Tavio

Warnings: From Cooper herself "Mention of DADT, Adjustment to life outside the military"

This is a bad review written a year after I read it initially with notes and highlights as a guide. It was used as a quick story to serve my commute at a time when I was reading a lot and not having time to review. Medium, Sweet, Extra Shot of Geek is a well-executed, simple getting-together plot.

I adore these two protagonists. Tommy and Tavio are a smart seemingly opposite atttracts pairing. I like former soldier Tavio as a representation of the stoic. He is highly intelligent but just not quite ready for our world yet. Tommy is all kinds of surgery madness. He feels like a child perpetually hyped up on sugar. Tommy has a daughter, 9-year-old Kaylee, her mother is Savannah. There is no cheating, Kaylee was an alcohol-driven high school accident between best friends who remain best friends as well as co-parents. Kaylee and Savannah are fantastic. Kaylee in particular is cute as hell. There is a soft queer storyline beyond the obvious sexualities if you want to see it. I was surprised and pleased to see DADT running through both Tommy and Tavio's lives.

Some quotes and a comment.

Looking at the years in play for Kaylee. Kaylee is 9, Medium, Sweet, Extra Shot of Geek was published in 2013, Firefly was released in 2002-3, 10 years earlier. It is almost a given that the super, super geeky Tommy named his beloved daughter after Kaylee, a character who represents so much of what you would want your daughter to be. Seemingly most of her nicknames are equally geeky and several of them are equally strong characters.

“Of course, I’m still going to see it. That’s what real fans do. Watch it and love it and tear it to pieces online—with lots of crying and mutual masturbation. First, you have to talk about the old versions to show how cool you are and how long you’ve been a fan. Then someone else gets to do it, so you can see whose nerd hard-on is bigger. Then, with the pleasantries out of the way, you can admit that you liked the new version even if it sucks. Geeks have rules about this sort of thing. Though some jerks never get to the fun part and just keep complaining and causing trouble. A lot of people are like that. I don’t get it. It’s more fun to enjoy things together than to jack off alone—metaphorically.” — This is so early in the novella but it made me laugh. It is a brilliant introduction to Tommy's geekiness and personality. At best guess given publishing dates, he's referring to Star Trek Into Darkness. As far as I can tell the novella isn't set in a previous time frame. (Tommy)

He never shut up and got excited about ordinary things like kids got excited for Christmas. Which was how he acted—like every day was Christmas—and how he looked at Tavio—like Tavio was something he wanted waiting for him under a tree. — I appreciate good descriptive passages. If you have met someone like this you know it. (Tavio)

“Thank you, Tavio. You are the best. The dark and broody highlight of my mornings. The bringer of caffeine and life-giving sugar.” — Am I the only one who has felt like actually saying this to the person you buy coffee from? This or something very similar. (Tommy)

“Kaylee Sugar Pop Pumpkin Pie River Song O’Shaughnessy Harper, do not talk like that—around your grandma, at least. She always blames me. Like when you wanted to be Jayne from Firefly for Halloween. Somehow that was my fault. It was a plastic knife.” — What Kaylee says is "They don't completely suck.". But I can only imagine a little girl like her dressed as Jayne. Oh and a horrified grandparent when they see what their beloved granddaughter is dressed as. (Tommy)

Okay, so I want to share a passage that I found really interesting. I'm not actually sure what R. Cooper meant by this, it isn't really explored. "“No.” It had been all Tavio had been able to say. If people had known about him—and he assumed they had, because no one could remember to switch pronouns all the time, even someone who barely spoke—they had never reported him. But they could have, anyone could have, true or not, and he would have been out. Disgraced and dishonored, without anything to show for his service except the knowledge that his family—his mother—would find out in the worst way possible the thing he had never intended for them to know." (Tavio). This is Tavio's response to “Like getting booted for having the wrong lifestyle for the Army. That’s no fun.”. Does this read as Tavio being trans to anyone else? It's never mentioned. It just feels like an odd thing to include and not do anything with. I don't know it just feels off to me.

3⭐ only because while I appreciate how the ending fits the tone of the book and the story they tell... I wish it was just a little longer. I wish we got to see them on a proper date. I wish we got to see more of Kaylee and Tavio. I wish we got more of Suzannah and Tavio (or Tommy and Suzannah) because they are great together.

#medium sweet extra shot of geek #r. cooper #book review #ktreviews #read 2022 #novella #booklr

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votestaynight2 · 11 months

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8th Day - De:light (Scene 2)

"Let's go to the Ryudou Temple again. …I noticed that Caster was acting strange. I think there's something there."

"…Yes. That mountain is filled with an ominous presence. The land there is the spiritual focus of this town. It is worth investigating, regardless of whether the shadow is there."

"Then it's decided. Let's go." We walk to the gate. We can reach the temple in an hour, if we hurry. We don't have any time to lose, but――――

"Saber?" Saber is looking at the outbuilding. She is looking at Sakura's room, where Sakura should now be sleeping.

"…Shirou. I have something to discuss with you. It follows this morning's conversation." "…? You mean about Sakura?"

"Yes. Sakura's guilty conscience is too strong. She has a tendency of trying to atone for her sins in the present rather than the future."

…She must be talking about the quarrel they had yesterday. Saber said Sakura was right, so Sakura had no reason to worry about it.

But Sakura said she was still at fault, went and apologized to Saber, and had Saber apologize to her instead. Sakura and Saber. Saber must be worried about the difference in their thought process.

"…What do you mean?" "…Sakura places too much blame upon herself. She punishes herself for her errors instead of correcting them. She brands herself with her dishonor, rather than working to recover her honor. She burdens herself in a good way and a bad way."

…She talks with disgust. It sounds like she's talking about herself more than about Sakura.

"…It was clear to me last night. She is special when she is with you, but I believe she behaves differently in other circumstances. Sakura is liberated from her guilty conscience only when she is with you."

That is the source of her concern. Sakura should be able to live with pride without needing to rely on another.

"…I see. Sakura certainly is too shy. I'll be careful." Now that Saber mentions it, it's not healthy for a girl Sakura's age to always be busy helping around the house. She says it's fun to be here, but she should at least go outside to hang out once in a while.

"…Thanks for looking out for Sakura, Saber. I'm really happy that you're worried about her when she has nothing to do with the Holy Grail War."

"…No. I also have a guilty conscience, so it did not seem like someone else's business."

"Oh―――hold on, Saber. Let's go together." We head to the gate together. We head outside within the silence, trying not to wake Sakura up.

We climb over the "no trespassing" fence into the temple. The Ryudou Temple is now treated as important material evidence in the coma incident, and no one is allowed to enter.

"……" The night air is not any different. It's warm, and it smells like ripe fruit.

"…Let's go in, Saber." "Yes. …Please be careful, Shirou." "I know. Tell me right away if you feel anything dangerous."

…We go through the compound and climb up to the entryway. The wooden hallway is dark, and the floor creaks with each step.

"…Nothing seems strange. How about you, Saber?" "…It is the same for me. But I am sure this area is abnormal. We are surrounded by a different common sense ever since we came on this mountain. …It is abnormal because this mountain is filled with magical energy and we do not find it abnormal."

"…You're right. Okay, let's investigate a bit more. This temple has a lake behind it. There are more buildings over there."

…It is said that a dragon lives in that lake. There may be a clue at the place people consider holy.

We go out into the hallway and head behind the temple. At that instant… "Shirou!"

"Saber…!?" I'm shoved back into the temple by Saber. I realize Saber has pushed me, try to go back out into the hallway, and…

The exit is shut firmly by Saber.

"Saber!? Hey, what are you doing, you idiot…!" I bang on the door. I don't know what kind of magic it is, but the door is as hard as steel.

"Hey, what are you doing!? Open the door, Saber…!" The door refuses to budge, even when I throw my weight against it.

And from the other side of the steel-like door… "Please protect yourself there, Shirou…! This opponent will only target you…!"

"What――――!? Who's the enemy!? Is it that shadow!?" "No! But this Servant is a natural enemy of Masters! I am sorry, but I cannot protect you if you are at the battleground. I have to fight Assassin one-on-one, or he will kill you first…!"

"Assassin…!?" I didn't even sense him. Even though the air is strange here, a Servant's presence is a different matter. The magical energy should be apparent if a Servant takes form near us. Even if he hid his presence, I should be able to tell, let alone Saber――――!

"I will finish the battle in one blow. Please do not move until then――――!" Saber's presence fades. Her footsteps are loud. She must have repelled Assassin's attacks as she charged within range.

"Damn――――" I look around. I pick up a stick that's about the size of a wooden sword and "strengthen" it immediately.

"――――Hurry…" I have to make this into a sword and break open this door. An ominous feeling, a mysterious uneasiness, fills my mind. ―――This place. It feels like a fatal mistake to leave Saber by herself on this mountain, so I have to hurry and――――

"――――!?" The lights go out. No, there was no light to begin with. The moonlight has been blocked off by clouds.

"――――!" …I smell something. A smell of rotten meat and sounds of bugs flying around.

"――――Matou Zouken." I glare into the darkness. "―――Hah. Talk about walking into a trap, young lad." A snicker. It's that old magus. He's hiding somewhere.

"……Saber." I ready the strengthened weapon. I have no fear, even with a centuries-old monster in front of me. The only thoughts in my mind are of concern for Saber.

Interlude 8-2

She runs across the hallway to corner the skull mask. The fifteen meters between them have been reduced to five. Saber should be able to close in with one step and slash her enemy along with the skull mask.

But the enemy knows that as well. He uses projectile weapons because he knows he will be no match at close range, and he retreats because he does not want her coming near him.

Although not as fast as Saber, the skull still retreats with the speed of a running beast. He slithers across the floor, not slowing down even at the corners. Does he have eyes on the back of his head, or is the mask on the back of his head? Assassin steadily retreats from his opponent, maintaining the distance between them.

―――A spray of sparks. Three daggers are released without any motion, but have no effect against Saber.

Like Lancer, Saber has protection against projectile weapons. Lancer reads the course of the projectile attack using the sound of cutting air and the enemy's murderous intent. Saber uses the sound of cutting air and her own instincts. "Imperceivable attacks" are not much of a threat against heroic spirits. It is those attacks that cannot be blocked, even when detected and understood, that are the fatal ones.

In that regard, Lancer's lance is appropriate to be called a Noble Phantasm. A weapon that always strikes the heart cannot be blocked merely by knowing about it. If one is to oppose that demonic lance, one must… Prepare a shield overwhelming the magical energy of the lance, have great enough luck to change the fate determined by the lance, or prevent him from using the lance in the first place.

Compared to that, Assassin's daggers are easy to manage. They can be fatal if they strike any vital points, but they are no different from throwing stones.

"Ha――――" Over forty Darks have been thrown. Having used up his supply of daggers, Assassin finally stops.

"Mm――――" Saber stops as well, hesitating. …The enemy that did not want her to come close has stopped.

There is something for sure, and an ominous feeling surrounds Assassin. This is no situation where she can step in without care.

"―――Have you given up, Assassin?" Saber knows it is best to kill Assassin now, but she takes a step back in spite of that. She should not advance. The instincts she has sharpened over the years that have kept her alive for a long time. Those instincts are screaming. Do not advance. Stay away from the deep darkness.

"…Yes, I have given up, Saber. I am out of ammunition. I was ready to be killed in one blow, so why are you not coming any closer?"

"――――――――" Saber does not answer and raises her sword a bit. She points her sword at her enemy. There are seven meters between them. It will take two steps to get close enough to strike. As a swordsman, she must close in on her opponent. But she has a secret technique that can be used at all ranges, though it can be used only once――――

Assassin's black cloak flutters. He has no idea where the wind is coming from.

"Hah, so you do not want to talk to me? Well, talk is voluntary. Let me talk as I wish." Assassin's voice is strong and clear, in contrast to his appearance. Saber narrows her eyes, thinking that his voice is similar to that of Lancer's.

"But how did you repel them? I threw my daggers so that you would not be able to see them. Were you able to perceive them?" "I could not, but I could read their course. I would not be using this sword if I were afraid of what I cannot see."

The skull laughs in agreement. What can he do, throwing black daggers at an opponent armed with an invisible sword? Assassin keeps on laughing, being displayed with the great difference in the strength of their Noble Phantasms and their levels as heroic spirits.

"I see. So I was never a match against you. I am an Assassin, after all. I cannot be expected to match other Servants. We are beings that lurk in the shadow. There are no heroic spirits appropriate for this role." "――――――――What?"

"Therefore, our role is to assassinate. We are failures that are only specialized in killing the Masters and not the Servants. ―――Well. In that regard, there is only one target for me. Do you understand, Saber? My actions were all to kill your master."

"――――Shirou." "Exactly. My master is welcoming your master. Even though you have separated me from him, he will soon feed Zouken's worms if you do not hurry." "……!" Light emanates from Saber's sword. Or rather, the golden sword is revealing its true shape.

"――――Oh! So you were hiding your sword with the curse of the wind. I see, you can attack me with mere air pressure from where you are standing. There is no need for you to step into the land of death." The black cloak sinks. The prey he was supposed to lure in turns out to have a projectile attack. There is no place for schemes now. If Saber intends to kill Assassin without coming close, then he must close the distance himself to kill her first.

"Our positions are reversed now. Will you step into Invisible Air?" "What a terrible woman, telling me to jump into a swarm of locusts. Yet a dragon's fury will soon be unleashed… well, this is a dilemma."

The skull mask crawls on the ground. It looks like a spider on a wall. The compressed wind becomes a swirl of vacuum, about to be released at Assassin. He must be insane. Does he think he can survive the fatal whirlwind simply by lying on the ground?

"Well. This should be the end no matter what. Let me talk before that. ―――You said you can beat me one-on-one, correct?" Saber raises her sword. He cannot withdraw even when he is talking. Saber is staring at Assassin. Even if Assassin were to teleport, she would kill him before it even took place.

"That is why you drew me away from your Master. You were correct to protect him from me." Her sword is raised above her head. With the attack poised to strike, Assassin crawls even lower.

"But did that decision include protecting yourself?" An inquiring voice. To that… "―――I am in a hurry. Farewell, Assassin." …Saber replies with a single attack.

The match is decided. The windstorm is like a heavenly dragon, its serpentine body winding about to devour its prey.

There is no chance of defense or evasion. This is like Lancer's lance. This is a blow that cannot be blocked unless one has more magical energy than Invisible Air. Assassin's magical energy is far short of Saber's. The only way for him to survive the attack was to prevent Saber from releasing it.

But that is too late, and the whirlwind has been released. His black cloak will be torn to shreds a mere second after the blade descends. The dislocation of death closes in with a swirl. With that in front of him… "[wacky len=12]!" …Assassin charges at the wave of vacuum with a yell of delight.

"――――Guh……!" An attack aimed for the neck. Saber repels it at once, and the black figure vaults overhead to land behind her.

"You――――!" In a flash, she turns and slashes behind her. But Assassin has already jumped out of range.

At the same time, "――――――――What?" The "ominous presence" she has been feeling has covered the ground beneath her.

"―――Well. You were unfortunate in two ways, Saber." The shadow expands. The mud-like pollution invades on her silver.

"One is affinity. A curse to ward off storms is a necessity for travelers in the desert. The only magic I know is the warding of wind. And――――" Darkness swallows the pathway. A shadow that does not even reveal itself in spite of the white moonlight. And―――― She sees it dimly, through the haze of her fading consciousness.

"Assassin――――you――――" "That's right, Saber. The other is that you chose this place as the battlefield. You should have known something ominous inhabited this place."

"――――, ――――Ah." She cannot even hear Assassin's words. She would disappear in a matter of seconds. This shadow swallows Servants. Her body detests it before her fading mind.

"Ha――――ah, ahhhhhhh――――!" She does not care how. She has to escape, even if she has to use all her magical energy. ―――Only her feet have been engulfed. If she fights with all her power, she can still break free. Even if she may lose most of her magical energy and both her feet, escaping this shadow is the top priority now.

But.

"―――No. You will disappear here, Saber." The shadow is not her only enemy. The skull, watching Saber get swallowed, is Death that finishes her off.

"So――――from the start…" "You said you could beat me one-on-one. Yes, that was your mistake. You are alone, but there are two on my side. I merely had to distract you." The shadow keeps invading.

"……! Ah―――guh, ah――――" Her existence rots from her feet. She cannot feel her toes or her feet. Her legs are already something that does not exist in this world.

"Servants cannot oppose al-layl, the true night. All the more if you are a proper heroic spirit. Even I, one who is close to it, get my magical energy drained if I touch it. A genuine like you should lose consciousness just by touching it. …But that would be a shameful waste. My goal cannot be accomplished if I let you disappear. I shall take your heart."

"What――――you will?" "Is it strange? I have run out of daggers, and I cannot go near the shadow. Do you think it's impossible for me to kill you?"

Murderous intent lights up in the skull. Faint traces of magical energy gather in his right arm.

…Assassin's right arm is a stick. A deformed arm without a hand cannot be used as an arm. It cannot hold a dagger, nor can it be used to strike someone. But now, that arm bends. With the snap of breaking bones, it flaps like a tattered wing.

It is an abomination. What a long arm. The clubbed stump at its end was actually the elbow. The arm was folded back at the elbow, with the hand stitched to Assassin's shoulder.

"――――――――" Saber's mind freezes. It will reach. That arm can reach her. It will reach her and rip out her heart. His arm flaps, sending a shudder through her body, and――――

The cursed arm is thrust like a lance. A sound of cutting meat and gushing blood. Her blood drips onto the floor, staining the shadow in crimson.

"――――――――Ki." Madness leaks out from the skull mask. The outstretched arm is stained red. After finishing its job, the arm folds back to Assassin…

"Ki, kikikikikikiki――――!!!!" …And is severed at the elbow.

"Y-You, how dare you do that with that dying body of yours――――!" "Haa――――Haa――――" …Her upraised sword falls to the ground. Assassin's cursed arm did not reach Saber. Saber's sword has cut the cursed arm before it could gouge out the reflected image of her heart.

No matter how cornered she may be, Assassin's Noble Phantasm is not enough to kill Saber. No. As she has blocked Lancer's lance, which reverses cause and effect, she cannot allow herself to be defeated by this cursed arm.

"Ah――――guh." But that is her last act of resistance. She has put the power to escape into the attack.

She has no power to escape now, and even if she did, it is too late. The ominous presence now emanates from within herself. The shadow has invaded her legs and is now up to her waist. She is becoming a part of this darkness, which swallows up even the moonlight. Then――――everything is too late.

…The shadow creeps up. As her vision fades, the silver swordsman… "Forgive me――――Shirou." …Manages one last, apologetic gasp before sinking into the deep mud.

End of Interlude

…Matou Zouken is standing there, his figure just like before. His body, which Archer sliced in two before my eyes, is whole once more. The old magus that could only wait for death is laughing, as if that event was an illusion.

I don't know how he did it, but if he really did recover from that state, it's more on a level of restoration than recovery. It's not just healing a wound. It takes great magic to restore a piece of one's body that has been lost. Then―――isn't this called immortality?

"Well. What do you intend with a single piece of wood, child?" "――――――――" I stand there while pointing the strengthened stick at Zouken.

I can't charge at Zouken, nor can I retreat to follow Saber. …If Zouken is immortal, a scrap of wood will never be able to match him――――

"Will you try to kill me, or will you go after your Servant? Either way, nothing starts until you move." Something is squirming around the old magus as he speaks. No, it's not just his surroundings. The darkness itself is moving, blocking the moonlight.

"――――Worms." I can tell, even though I can't see them. The darkness is probably swarms of worms. The walls of this temple are covered in something darker than darkness itself. This space is filled with the sound of creeping worms and the smell of rotten meat.

"Why do you hesitate? Your little alliance cut me in half only yesterday. Did you not cooperate with Tohsaka specifically to kill me?"

…It's obvious that he is enjoying this. I can't fight off thousands of worms with just this stick. I'll be swallowed in those worms once Zouken gives the order.

―――Or maybe… I might be able to escape if I sprint for the exit. They are just worms, even if it is a horde of them. It should take them more than a few seconds to kill a human being.

"All right, I shall wait as long as you want. You can believe in Saber's return and wait here, try to kill me with that weapon of yours, or shake off my worms and try to escape outside. You can choose how you want to die."

…Humph. It seems he has no intention of letting me go. The worms increase in number as we stand here glaring at one another. Then――――

#votestaynight

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oatmealenthusiastlife · 1 year

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Thoughts on Lifestyle Influencers

Everyday when I wake up, the first thing I do is check my phone. I know for a fact that many other people do this as well. It's a bad habit and every morning I tell myself that I'm not going to do it, but I end up checking it anyway. This doesn't do that much harm to me, especially ever since I stopped following unrealistic people and deleted toxic apps. But I still use a lot of platforms like instagram and tiktok, where I follow people who inspire me. I've been watching lifestyle influencers from the start of a very young age. I found YouTube around the age of seven and watched popular influencers like Alisha Marie, Natalie's Outlet, and MyLifeAsEva. And I still watch them to this day. But something that I've noticed, especially as I got older, I started comparing myself heavily to people online. At first I was just watching funny videos and scrolling for hours. So I decided to start following lifestyle and motivating platforms. I just follow tiktokers that come up on my for you page that I like. While this is much more positive than what I used to be mentally consuming, it has caused me to compare my life to other people. I've had body image issues my entire life, which I know a lot of people relate to. Not only would I compare my body to other girls, but I started to compare my intellect, relationships, and productivity to them. It was very stressful for me - feeling like I needed to do everything perfect everyday. But this is extremely unrealistic. Nobody is perfect, but the internet has a reputation for being able to warp and distort things to your liking. People can easily make their lives seem perfect, especially in a seven second video. But what they don't show are the things that everyone goes through on a daily basis that aren't so glamorous and pretty. My thoughts on social media and influencers is that they shouldn't be disbanded. It's not their fault for making everything look so perfect, and of course I don't blame them. Nobody wants to show their vulnerability to the entire world. Why wouldn't you want to show the good parts and the things that make you happy? That is why I am not at all against social media and influencers; but I am for a healthy mindset and mindful viewing. I had to learn over time that it doesn't work when I completely delete the app (although this might work for some people; we're not comparing here). Instead of deleting the app completely, I decided to keep the apps, with the exception of a few, and better my mindset instead. Now, when I wake up and look at my phone and other people's lives, I don't compare what they're doing to my life or my day, I take inspiration from them. If I see that they went on a walk with their dog, or followed a nice recipe, I might decided to incorporate that into my day. I used to put so much pressure on myself to do a million things in one day solely because I saw someone else do it. People and their dynamics are different. I've learned to recognize and decipher what I am capable of doing in a day, and what I can physically and mentally handle. Trying to workout twice a day doesn't work for me - although it may work for someone else, it just doesn't work for me. I have control over my mind, and I can choose how I interpret things. This is why I encourage social media and internet use. Technology is a part of our world now, and I think it's an awesome tool. I love being able to connect with other people and get inspiration from them. But things get dangerous when you start comparing. So I encourage you to think about what you're going to do with your day before you get on your phone. Set up things that you know you're going to want to do. And after you get on your phone and scroll (for who knows how long), decide what you can add to your day, that you know you're still going to be able to do - on top of your original list. Stop the comparing! Start the inspiration!

#self healing #self care #self growth #gratitude #lifestyle #wellness #health #aesthetic #mindfulness #journal #booklr #pilates #vanilla girl #health and wellness

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sanosimp · 3 years

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One Night Together

Ahhhh I'm so sorry its late! Completely slipped my mind that it was midterm week and I wanted this to be good enough to post. I hope its as good as I intended it to be. Hope you enjoy :)

(all characters are 18+. NSFW themes, read with caution)

summary: Wakasa knows he shouldn’t, after all, you are his best friend's girl. But he just can't help it when he picks up the phone and it's you moaning his name while your boyfriend eats you out over the phone all breathless and beautiful.

Or, you have a threesome with your pretty boyfriend and his handsome best friend and you all win.

Shinichiro noticed every time Waka would sneak little glances at you or how he would act differently when you were around. To be fair he couldn't blame him, after all, you were his girl, how could anyone not think you were the most beautiful thing they've ever seen. But for some reason when he caught Wakasa sneaking glances at his girlfriend, he wasn’t filled with a sense of jealousy or protectiveness, it was strange.

He wasn't sure how he felt about this recent sense of awareness he had gained, especially after waking up one night from a wet dream involving all three of you. These recent thoughts had him in a spin and he honestly didn't know if he could even go to you about them. Would you think he was being weird or would you wanna leave? It was starting to mess with him real bad up to the point where he couldn't look at his best friend the same anymore whether it was during gang meetings. But one night he slipped, and honestly, it wasn't even his fault, after all, it was when he was sleeping.

You awakened to the cold, noticing that Shinichiro's constant shuffling and tossing had stolen the blankets from you. But what made you shiver was him mumbling the name of his best friend. No, not your name, Imaushi. You sat up, fully awake now, and clenched your thighs together, sitting and waiting to hear any more from him to confirm you weren't hallucinating. As if on cue, he began whimpering again, this time mentioning your name followed by Wakasas again. Your eyes widened and you weren't sure what to do.

Do you go back to bed and pretend you were sleeping in your peacefully oblivious state? It was strange, this had never happened before and he had never mentioned anything to you before about anything of the topic. What added to the irony of the situation was the name he moaned along with yours wasn't some random female, but rather his best friend whom you knew had a thing for you after overhearing a conversation between Wakasa and Akashi. You had kept this overheard conversation to yourself, considering Wakasa knew you were a taken female, stating that "she's in love with someone else anyway, I could never do that to them."

So when did Shinichiro get involved with this predicament? Did he know as well about Wakasas little crush? Were they scheming about something? You didn't put much thought into it since you were drawn from your thoughts with Shinichiro shifting again, this time turning towards you and rubbing his eyes.

"You okay my love? Why are you awake?"

You rubbed your eyes and lightly smiled at him. "I’m okay, I just wanted to go use the bathroom." He lets out a mumble of acknowledgment before plopping his head back into the pillows and going back to sleep. You had decided to keep this incident confidential as well until you decided what you were gonna do about this new piece of information you had accidentally acquired.

It was the next morning when you decided to confront him about it, the ‘incident’ gnawing at your mind all night almost.

He was always so much clingier and cuter in the morning, hair all floppy, skin smooth, quiet and soft-spoken, and just handsome. You had turned to face him still covered in the comfy white comforter pulled up to your chin. He was slightly smiling, the sun peaking in and adding a light glow in the room. You pulled the comforter higher and groaned, stretching your sore limbs out as much as you could.

He took a deep breath in and came closer to you wrapping his arms around your waist. "I’m cold, let me steal your body warmth." You laugh at his silly morning antics and allow him to invade your personal space. "So maybe wear a shirt when you sleep." He groans and smothers his face in your neck, rubbing his nose below your ear. "Mhmm, I have a better idea." He leaves a kiss on the skin under your ear and continues south on your neck.

And there it is. Not a moment's peace and you're reminded of his nighttime activities and his best friend. You wiggle under his touch and he climbs over you, giving himself access to more of you as he continues his assault on your neck. "Hey ‘chiro?" He mumbles a sign of affirmation before resuming his pathway on your skin, using teeth and tongue, causing you to hiss when he moves from one to another, causing the wet skin to be exposed to the chilly morning air.

"What do you dream about?"

At this, he freezes his ministrations and sits up to look at you, face going pale as if he’s seen a ghost. You giggle and push him off of you, rolling over to sit on top of him, hands resting on the bare skin of his chest to steady. "Oh? So you know where I’m going with this?" He throws an arm over his eyes and groans out in distress. "Baby it’s not a big deal." This makes him look at you finally, clearly seeing the panic in his eyes, stormy thoughts and clouds plaguing his mind in the thoughts of your reaction to his dirty little secret.

He sucks his teeth and pouts at you like a child, turning his head to the side and focusing on something else in the room. "It’s so weird though." You fully lay down on top of him now, face nuzzling his neck like he was earlier, your right hand settling on the other side of his neck to keep him in place. "Wanna share with me the content of these dreams of yours? They seem pretty intense to me, gets you all squirmy and shit." At this, his cheeks and the tips of his ears inflame. A cute quirk of his you noticed and fell in love with is when he seems to be lying or flustered his ears and cheeks turn this cute shade of red that makes you wanna tease him for hours.

You can tell he is embarrassed to be sharing such steamy details with you, regardless of the many times he had gone down on you before or for the fact that you too share quite the impressive sex drive. It was the honeymoon phase for you both always minus the ring and the wedding. He mumbles out a response to your question and this makes you laugh. "What did you say, babe? You gotta speak up, pretty boy." He huffs again and restates his sentence again, volume louder now for you to hear but still quiet. "I said I had a dream of you in-between me and Imaushi."

At his confession, you bite his skin and he lets out a moan as he begins to squirm under you. "That's hot babes, I don't know why you're bashful all of a sudden like some virgin pre-teen." He grabs your hips and tosses you off of him and to the side and begins to tickle you till you beg for mercy. He suddenly grabs your chin in his grip and makes you look at him, tears running down your face from the laughter while he falls to a much more serious look. "I bet you know all about his little crush on you and everything. I see him all the time checking you out and shit and you let him get close to you. How do you feel about it, hmm?"

At this, your face becomes serious too, contemplating the situation yourself. He has this glint in his eyes and the slight smile on his face has this almost child-like 'innocence' to it that makes you wanna run. "What are you considering a threesome?" When you ask this question to him, his face doesn't break, and it hits you that he wasn't joking about the situation whatsoever. You shove him off you and scrambled off the bed embarrassed yourself now at the proposed arrangement. He lays flat on the bed and splays out to take up the entire bed in a dramatic fashion. "Babbeeeee."

You don’t listen to him as you go into the bathroom connected to the bedroom and begin to get ready for the day. He comes into the room with you and gets on his knees, wrapping an arm around your exposed lower thighs to rub his cheek on the smooth skin of your thigh. He looks up at you with puppy eyes and you look down at him, currently using the toothbrush to get done as you glare at him while scrubbing. "Pleaseeee. Come on, you can’t tell me that doesn’t do something to you." You spit into the sink and scoff in disgust and attempt to peel the childish man below you off. "Shinnnn let go I have to get to class."

He pouts like a child and refuses to let go, tightening his hold on you as he reaches his other arm to bunch the sweater you had on up higher, exposing the panties you had on. He kisses your thighs and up pushing the fabric to the side and fully exposing yourself to him. You grab his hair and bunch it tightly into your fingers as you attempt to pull him away but he’s much stronger, much more persistent, more hungrier than willing. He kisses you once before sucking you entirely into his mouth. Your lips part in a silent moan and you fully lean your hip against the sink. He moans as he sinks his tongue onto your sensitive part as you sharply inhale in response. The noises he makes below you are explicit and you’re short on time, waking up in the morning with just the right amount of time to get there without distractions. This was definitely a distraction.

He makes a move to wrap his hand around your ankle in an attempt to throw your leg over his shoulder but you resist. He pulls away and licks his lips and grins at you, rising to your height and pinning you against the sink. You’re undeniably turned on but the mood is killed when you remind yourself you have a lecture in less than 30 minutes and if you don’t leave soon you’ll be in for it. "Chiro you’re gonna make me late please let it go." You push against him but he’s relentless when he’s in a mood like this. "No. Not until you say yes. I don’t care I’ll keep you here all day, your professor is irrelevant to me." You groan and roll your eyes at his ultimatum but if it gets you going you let him have his way. "Okay yes. Yes, whatever. One day we can all get together and I’ll let you have your way with me. Now let me go, I'm gonna get in trouble." He smirks and gives you a quick kiss on the lips and proceeds to get ready for work like nothing happened. You shake your head at him in amusement and continue the routine, dropping the matter for the moment.

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

You had assumed he had let it go for the day but you were mistaken.

After a long day of class, you walked into the bike shop, kissed your boyfriend, and snuck up the stairs to your shared apartment, just as you always had. Shinichiro closed the shop at 10 meaning you had 3 hours to shower and cram in as much material as you could with the alone time you had.

You were buried in your work on your laptop, you hadn't even heard him come up the stairs later on. Silently he made his way towards you and moved the laptop from your lap, laying on top of you. “Hi, baby. How was work?" He gave no response as he playfully but swiftly pulled down your sweats and underwear in one shot, causing you to laugh and ruffle up his hair. He spreads your legs apart with his hands on your knees, the cold rising goosebumps up your skin. "I thought about you all day. I wanna taste you so bad." He rises using his hands to come to greet you with a kiss. He kisses with aggression, mind set on what he wants and what he wants is to release his pent-up sexual appetite. You won’t deny him this time like you had in the morning, assignments are not due and you had no more responsibility for the rest of the night that was urgent so you willingly let him do what he wanted. It was one of those rare nights you could tell, he was running the night whether you liked it or not. He grabs a hold of your chin and directly spits in your mouth, thighs attempting to shut and eyes widened in response. He smiles at your obedience and goes to take his top off and throws the phone that was in his back pocket onto the side of the bed before resuming what he was doing.

He comes face to face with your arousal and wastes no time with you, already pushing two fingers into you, lips sucking onto your clit. The feeling sends a shock up your entire body causing you to grab the sheets into your fingers and hips rising to meet his face. This displeases him, hands grabbing and pinning you to the mattress before smacking your lower region causing a spark of pain to your already aroused core. "Be good tonight. I need you to be good tonight. Just do what I want you to." He sinks his two fingers back in and eyes you from his position, messily eating you out with everything he has. He’s going fast and aggressive too, making it obvious that he wants to get you there and fast, pushing you closer to your orgasm with every thrust and suck.

Your eyes are shut and your head rests among the pillows, in a blissful trance, so close. That is until the ring of an outgoing phone call on speaker takes your attention away from your impending orgasm. You sit up, resting on your elbows, and stare at him who has now placed the phone back on the bed, the phone still waiting for the person to pick up. "Shin, who are you calling?" He doesn’t answer you, spitting before his face finds its place back against you. His fingers curl into your sweet spot and he moans at your taste which causes your arms to falter one hand finding placement into his hair and pulling causing him to groan again. You’re so close to the edge that you don’t even realize the person on the phone has picked up.

"Hello?"

His voice sounds so confused, innocent and unaware of the indecency that is you and Shinichiro as you use the back of your hand to contain the gasp that leaves your mouth in response. Shinichiro increases his speed, pulling his face back up to watch your reaction as he smacks your pussy again. "Shinichiro you there dude?"

At this, his eyes glimmer, knowing your orgasm is about to hit any second. "Say his name baby girl." He whispered at you and feels you clench around his fingers at this, his thumb now rubbing circles on your clit in an attempt to push you closer and closer. "Scream it. Let him know what’s happening." You have no control over yourself anymore, both hands now yanking at his hair tightly and toes curling as you find your release. "Imaushi! Fuck!" The person you know to be Wakasa Imaushi on the other end sucks in a harsh deep breath in response and your boyfriend laughs at his reaction, continuing his actions despite you having already completely folded into him. "Hey Waka, you heard that? She just creamed all over my fingers knowing you were listening." At this, the boy over the phone freezes and stumbles over the phone, switching hands in disbelief. "I- um.." The overstimulation has turned you into a moaning mess, babbling anything and everything, squirming under your boyfriends' relentlessness, already pushing you towards another orgasm. "Oh come on now, I know how you feel about my girlfriend. I’m allowing you to come to do something about it. You on the way or not?" Your boyfriend is teasing and torturous, having you wrapped around his fingers (both literally and figuratively) and placing the other in a position he can’t refuse. "Sano, what the fuck are you doing?”

Your boyfriend moves the phone from the sheets and onto your stomach, still fingering you despite the tears that roll down your face and the whines that push past your lips. He is so satisfied with the way you look, all breathless and pretty below him and gone. "I’m your best friend Wakasa. I’m offering you a chance to come fuck my girlfriend right now. She already said yes this morning and I’ve been thinking about it for a while. Now, my pretty baby is waiting to cum, are you gonna do something about it or am I hangin up?” The other curses under his breath and you hear slamming over the phone paired with the jingle of keys. "Fuck you Sano I’m on the way." At this Shinichiro laughs and the phone disconnects on behalf of the other rushing out the door and on his way towards you. He tosses the phone to the other side of the bed again and looks at you, squirming at his touch. He knows the other won’t take long to arrive but decides he wants one more out of you before he pulls his fingers from you and turns you over.

You’re pressed on all fours now, barely holding your top half up but allowing the switch to happen. "Shinichiro please." You half-heartedly moan his name as he presses his hand onto your spine causing your arch to deepen and allowing him more access to you. He smooths his hand over one side of your ass and uses his other to turn your head so it’s not buried in the pillows to allow him to hear you. His hand raises and meets the skin of your right cheek before rubbing it to soothe the pain. You hiss at the contact and push back into him, feeling his erection through his jeans from work. He gives you one last smack before getting off the bed and removing his last articles of clothing. "Shinnn, pleaseee. I want you." You’re all whiny and adorable to him, the tear tracks still visible on your face as you pout and look up to where he is. He takes his place behind you on the bed again and runs the tip of his cock in your folds, teasing you back into a moaning mess.

He sinks the head in and you both let out matching moans as you fold your arms underneath your head waiting for him to press further. He pushes all your hair to one shoulder and leaves a line of wet kisses up your spine all the way up leading to the back of your neck causing you to shiver and let out a sigh of contempt. He gently bites the lobe of your ear and gets real close to you, running his arms up your body until his hands are around your wrists. “Wanna get you nice and ready for our guest right pretty baby?” You arch up into him and wiggle your hips as encouragement for him to sink all the way in. He leaves one more kiss behind your ear before bringing both your arms behind you while bringing you with him, allowing you to take him all the way in one shot. You moan in response and your head hangs since your body is being held up in his grip. He fucks into you with one thrust before dragging you off again, leaving just the tip in your warmth. You’re much wetter than usual thanks to his efforts from before which makes the glide much easier. He fucks back into you and back out, gaining speed and picking up a pattern.

You're back to that mumbling mess you were saying how good it is and thanking him. You are oblivious to the sound that makes your boyfriend's ears perk, attention zeroing in on the engine he's worked on himself. With the information of knowing the other male is getting closer, he picks up speed again and fucks you harder, at this point you're moaning, voice way beyond coherent vocabulary. It's then you notice the bedroom door opens and shuts, panting hard from the frame as the blush on your face deepens, he's here. “You left the door unlocked on purpose didn't you, fucking bastard.” To this Shinichiro lets out a laugh and you squeal and try to get him to let go of you with the presence of a third voice in the room. You hear the shuffling of clothes and attempt to sneak a peak but your boyfriend draws your attention when he pulls your body straight up against you still fucking into you, arms coming up until one hand is holding your jaw as the other wraps around your throat. Your hand goes to claw at his which encourages him to tighten his grip, moaning at the new position since it allows him to go deeper than before.

“I was actually just warming her up for you. I hope you don't mind.” The other scoffs and finds a place to sit at the desk in the room, choosing to sit against the wood of the desk rather than the designated chair. You take notice of him finally being able to just catch a glimpse through your lashes. His face is flushed and eyes on you both, his top is missing along with everything else. In terms of length, he and Shinichiro were just about the same, perhaps the latter was longer, but he made up for it in width. He's dragging his hand up and down his shaft in slow and languid movements, thumb playing with the head every so often. Your eyes rolled back as your boyfriend's hand moved from your chin to your clit, dragging you closer to your orgasm. “I don't know what’s gotten into you tonight, but I better not hear anything about this from you. You invited me here.” It drove you wild how they could be carrying out such casual conversation with the position you were in. Shinichiro hissed as you clenched around him, dragging him with you to cum. “Hey Wakasa, wanna know what's the best part about this?”

The other hums in response to the question. You're thrown over the edge of your orgasm at the next part, a high-pitched moan falling from your lips as you begin to tremble in his hold. “We get to fill her up real good, she's on birth control. Right baby?” If he didn't have a hold on you by the throat you would've crumbled into the bed as he thrust into you a few more times before stilling and, as promised, cumming right inside you. Paired with the overstimulation you were already feeling, this was too much. Your boyfriend had just creamed into you while his best friend stood in the room and watched, waiting patiently for his turn. He tightened his fingers, digging his nails in teasingly, for a quick squeeze around your throat before moving it to allow his lips to leave delicate kisses. You were out of breath and panting, struggling to keep the air in your lungs as he praised you for the orgasm you gave him.

Shinichiro nodded his head in your direction and the other recognized this as a signal to get closer. He let go of your body and you flattened out forward into the bed now that your support had let go. Shinichiro had pulled out of you and moved to the side of the bed next to you as he tenderly stroked your hair and wiped a tear that had rolled down your face without you knowing. “I know baby, I took a lot from you but you can do one more right sweetheart?” He softly smiled at you as you peered up at him through sleepy eyes and you smiled back and nodded in confirmation. Wakasa gently helped you turn over and it was the first time in the night you had fully come to the terms that he was here.

You had finally physically felt him and seen him up close with your own two eyes as he helped you lay on your back and looked up at him. He was looking at your entire form underneath him and eyes met with yours. “Hi there.” You giggled at his formality as if he wasn’t prepping to fuck you almost half to sleep. He ran his hands from your hips to your knees where he pressed you in half and into the mattress, making it easier for him to access. “You okay with this pretty girl?” You nodded and looked at the other, who was still tenderly looking at you, while the other was aligning himself with your entrance. You reached up towards your boyfriend and made grabby hands for him to lean down and place a kiss on your lips.

Wakasa was now running the head of his cock up and down your folds, realizing that there was a steady line of white cream spilling from your entrance, most likely from Shinichiros previous altercation with you. He moaned as he guided it up and back into your entrance, pushing his best friend's seed back into you as he filled you up himself. The new sudden presence in you had you bite into Shinichiros bottom lip, both males groaning from you. “Holy shit it’s so good. She’s fluttering around me, fuck.” He lowers his body to almost cover you and your boyfriend pulls away from the kiss to lean back and get comfortable, humming in response to his statement. Waka tests the waters with you and drags himself all the way out before pushing back in which had you moaning and arching into his body.

You reach up and wrap your arms around him, nails finding placement into his shoulders, pulling him impossibly closer down to you. His lips meet yours in a hungrier kiss in contrast to the one you had shared with Shinichiro but it was welcomed as your tongues swapped. He began slow and steady, hoping to get you comfortable and dragging you from the fatigue that for sure was causing the glossy mist in your eyes. You sink your nails deeper into the sensitive skin when he bucks his hips entirely against yours, head falling back into the pillows and hissing, walls stretching out to grow accustomed to him. “You can fuck her harder Waka, she’s been through worse.” His eyes widen in response, looking at you below him as you feign innocent eyes in his direction.

He groans in response to this revelation and fucks into you, slow but gaining speed. You take the opportunity to place your lips onto his neck in an attempt to heighten his senses, biting with teeth and licking the broken skin to drag the most sensual moans out of him. He decides to fuck you harder, going faster than Shinichiro had which drives you crazy. He presses your body hard into the mattress and you tilt your head to the side to catch your boyfriend who's pumping his own length into his fist at the same rate Wakasa fucks into you, watching where you two are connected. “Mmm, Shin, its so fucking good.” He looks at you and grins at your fucked out state, lips swollen from kissing and skin flushed with a light layer of sweat. He bites his lip, “why don't you tell him yourself pretty girl?”

You lock eyes with the blonde again who looks just about ready to combust. His fair skin is tinted and flushed as well, strands of hair sticking to his forehead, light dainty purple marks littering his neck. Shinichiros hand sneaks down to rub at your clit, keeping his other around himself in attempt to get you all there at the same time. You moan at the new added stimulation and lick your lips as the man above you moans. “Fuck Imaushi, I’m coming, holy shit.” At this Wakasa grunts and picks up force, your nails running down his spine which elicits a sharp hiss from him. You come around him with a scream, as he lowers himself to your ear, grunting as he comes inside you, Shinichiro right there with you both as he comes as well into his fist. He fucks into you even after rather than just pulling out right away as it drags you closer to sleep after you come down from your third orgasm of the night.

Shinichiro gets up and makes his way to the bathroom, coming back after washing his hands and grabbing a small towel to bring back with him. He plants a kiss on the crown of your head and Wakasa places a kiss on your lips one more time before pulling out and settling in beside you, allowing your boyfriend to clean you up. “You okay there Waka?” Your boyfriend taunts from the other side of the room where the clothes bin is before coming back to the bed. You sigh and curl up into Wakasa on the edge of slumber if it weren't for the cold keeping you still aware. The question makes him laugh and nod his head, affectionately looking at where your head now rests on his chest, legs thrown in between his as Shinichiro gathers the blankets to throw over the three of you. “She gets clingy and sleepy after sex so youll be stuck there til morning.” He snuggles up behind you and hits the last light in the room, the dark making it easier for you to succumb to sleep. “Holy shit dude that was-” Wakasa takes a deep breath, speaking in a quieter tone, as Shinichiro hums in agreement.

“Hey guys? Can you shut the fuck up I’m trying to sleep here.”

They both laugh at your response and settle into the bed, you wedged in between the both of them and sharing body heat. The next morning you would wake up snuggled up, with the both of them still there as the sun rose into the bedroom.

#sano shinichiro x reader #wakasa imaushi x reader #wakasa imaushi #sano shinichiro #tokyo revengers #shinichiro sano smut #wakasa imaushi smut #shinichiro x reader x wakasa #tokyo revengers x reader

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softie-rain · 2 years

Note

Hi 👋🏾 it's me again lmao so this is my request I was hoping if you could do a JD x black female reader one and like they were together and he cheated on her with Veronica [bad JD🥲] and can you include these numbers from the angst prompt 3,5,6,8 and 10 sorry if this is a lot I hope you can do my request and I hope you have a great day 😊 💜

Only love can hurt like this

pairings: jason dean x black!fem!reader

warnings: mention of racism, cheating and strong language

summary: you knew something was off with jd... you just would never thought it was for that.

a/n: i really hope i did it good and since it was my first time writing with black reader, please tell me if i have wrote anything that can be considered offensive or that you don't like, and i'll make sure to fix it.

also you didn't specify the ending so i hope it's ok how i choose it 😭

is this out of character? probably. do i care? no.

prompt used:

3) "You're a mess." "I'm not a mess." "I can tell you've been crying."

5)"You're here." "I'm here. Just like I promised."

6)"You're in my head, even when you're not supposed to be. It's shouldn't be so hard to let you go."

8)"Every time I see you I just feel more alone."

10)"I can never do anything right, can I ?!"

Any spam likers will be blocked. If you like what you read, REBLOG.

You always compared loving JD to a ride on a rollercoaster.

You loved him, you really did. But he was a very… difficult person to love. But you didn't blame him. He had a tough life since the day he was born (according to you at least), damned to live with his father.

In a way, your mother has always told you the same thing about yourself -for different reasons- on those days when you'd come back home crying because of insults from older kids, that you couldn't understand yet.

But JD didn't care. He never did. He loved you, "more than anything or anyone I've ever loved." And that was enough for you.

But it wasn't for him apparently.

A whole week had passed since you found out he had cheated on you with no one else but Mrs. Veronica Sawyer herself.

You had nothing against her, hell you still didn't. You thought she was a nice girl -she had pulled that prank on Martha, but she was definitely nicer than the other Heathers- and you couldn't bring yourself to blame her.

For some reason, it was all JD's fault. And technically it was.

"I knew it wasn't going to last long." Chandler's voice was meaner than usual the morning you found out. And to be meaner than usual, it meant a lot since it was her.

You turned to look at her confused. "What?" Heather let a short laugh escape her mouth, smirking. "You and Jesse James. I mean, I knew it was gonna end soon because it's you, and it's obvious he was going to look for someone better, so really, you can be that surprised."

You kept staring at her. It wasn't the first time Heather Chandler picked up on you for your and JD relationship. She despised him, but if there was someone he despised more than him, that was you.

Besides, you weren't surprised. Just completely oblivious to what she was talking about. "Heather, me and JD are still dating." Duke started giggling, but was immediately interrupted by Heather's deathly stare. "I wouldn't be so sure of that." She added, turning back to you again.

"Not for long, at least." And with that, the three of them left, leaving you standing confused in the school hallways.

You didn't think much about it, thinking she had been messing with you. Still, on the way home, you heard your name being called. "Y/n?" Veronica called you from behind.

"Hey Veronica. Need something?" She was acting weird. She was nervous, fidgeting with her fingers, not meeting your eyes. "I'm- I'm sorry, I really am. We weren't thinking, and I just- I was pissed, and he didn't say no I'm- It's all my fault, I'm so sorry." She mumbled.

You raised an eyebrow. "Veronica, what are you talking about?" She almost looked like she was about to cry.

"Uhm, me and JD, we, we had sex." Oh. "Oh."

Veronica nodded, not knowing what to do. "I had a small fight with Heather, and I don't know why I went to JD. He comforted me, one thing led to the other and we ended up naked in his bed. I'm so sorry y/n I really am, I should have never done that, I know." You could tell she felt miserable about it.

You didn't know what to say, so you just told her not to worry and that you were glad she told you. And then just left, running home and closing yourself in your room.

Where you obviously started crying. Why? I mean, you knew why. But why?

He told you so many times he loved you, that he would have denied himself even to Aphrodite herself.

Guess Veronica Sawyer didn't count though.

You lied in bed, exhausted. You loved JD, worshipped him almost. And you knew for sure that he worshipped you -not sure anymore.

You got up and went to look at yourself in the mirror. Crying didn't suit you for sure, you were pretty much a mess.

You went back to bed when you heard your window opening. No. You thought. Not now. "Hey." He said softly, making his way into your room and laying in bed next to you, cuddling you. "Weren't we supposed to meet at Snappy Snack Shack after school?" Right.

"I forgot. Sorry." Couldn't he just leave you alone in your sadness and loneliness?

"You're a mess." You heard him say suddenly.

"I'm not a mess." You answered, denying your previous thought. "I can tell you've been crying." He mumbled in your hair, kissing your hair.

"What's wrong?" He asked. You shook your head. "Nothing."

"You're a terrible liar, darling."

"Yeah well, it seems you are a great one" You didn't mean to say that. But you did.

"Hm?" He murmured confused. "What are you talking about?" You turned to face him. It was now or never.

"Veronica stopped to talk to me after school." You began, and you could see his eyes widened. "She told me everything. But I'd like to hear it from you too."

Lie. You didn't want to. You knew it was going to hurt like hell, hearing him say those words. But you asked him anyway, because a part of you didn't want to believe it.

He hid his face in his hands, avoiding your look. "I'm sorry y/n I'm- I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what JD?"

He looked at you. "Please don't make me say it."

Slowly, the sadness was starting to be replaced by anger. An anger you believed you had all the right to feel.

"So you can do it but you can't say it?" You asked him. He took your hand to kiss it, leaning in to move the kisses all up your arm. "Please. I'm sorry." He said in between each kiss.

You took away your arm from his lips. "Say it, Jason."

He closed his eyes, and looked down once again. "I'm sorry I cheated on you." He whispered. You held back the tears that wanted to fall down once again. "Get out."

You said simply. He looked at you but didn't move. "I said. Get out." He shook his head. "No."

"JD." You said, trying to stay calm. "Get the fuck out. I don't wanna do this now."

He laughed. "You don't wanna do this now? Then when, y/n? When? You and I both know you'll never want to talk about this, so we may as well do this now."

You got up and went to the window he came in by. "I don't care. You screwed up badly, and I don't want to talk about it now."

He laughed again. "Screwed up badly? Because I fucked Veronica Sawyer once?"

And there, you just lost it.

"Yes JD, because you fucked her! I don't care if it was one time, or two, or whether you want, you had sex with her, you cheated on me, and that won't change!"

"It was a mistake, I made a mistake, that's true, but you can't just give up on us for this!"

"I sure as hell can! And I'm not giving up on you, I just need time!"

He was now standing too, taking deep breaths. You were starting to get slightly scared. You knew how he could get when he lost control over his anger, but he never took it out on you.

You were always the one to calm him down.

"I can never do anything right, can I ?!" He yelled. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

He runs a hand through his hair, getting closer to you. "This is just the perfect excuse to leave me, isn't it? God, I knew you were going to soon or later. This was just the last straw of patience you had left for me uh? You can't stand me anymore, just say it."

You reached him so that you were now standing a few inches from each other. You could feel his heavy breath on your face.

"Listen." You said. "It's not like that." You put your hand on his chest, almost to stop him from saying anything else. "I love you Jason Dean. And I have all the patience of the world -as you say it- with you. And this is not an excuse to leave you."

You gently pushed him away. "So please try to understand that between you and me, right now, I'm the victim more than you are." Was he even the victim at all?

He didn't say anything. Just looked at you, tears evident in his eyes, and left from the window. He stopped in your backyard and looked up, but you were already back on your bed, hugging your knees.

And so there you were, one week later, at your locker. When you opened it, a note fell from it. Another one.

You didn't bother opening it, knowing who it was from and what it said. Some heartbreaking apology probably, by Jason. You refused to talk to him the last few days, even if he tried. So he just kept leaving notes in your locker hoping you'd open them.

You didn't.

Once your last period was over you, as usual, walked home. Actually, usually JD took you home with his bike. You hated that you missed him, because oh, you did.

But you hated him for it. And you hated yourself. And the stupid feeling of sadness that wasn't leaving you, ever.

It wasn't just that you missed him. You missed the way he made you feel. Loved, special, like you belonged to each other. And for a while, you believed the bullshit he told you.

Who knows, maybe he actually believed him too. But his actions spoke very differently from his words. Yet you would have lied to yourself if you said you didn't think about forgiving him.

Having him back, being back in his arms. All you always wanted and craved, back to you. And as summoned, you heard his voice calling for you. He was on his bike, riding slowly so that he could keep up with you.

"Y/n? Can we talk please?" You didn't answer and just kept walking. "Darling c'mon. I just want to talk. Nothing more." He insisted. You stopped in track and so did he, jumping off his bike and going to you. "Meet me at that small park behind my house, ok? In, uh, three hours. Hm?"

You took your time to give him an answer. He was right, in some way. You had to talk about it, soon or later. And besides, the worst that could happen is that you'll be back as things already were: you ignoring him and him desperately trying to get you back.

You nodded. "Promise me. Please." He was begging, again. It was something he did a lot lately.

"I promise I'll be there." You said. More like your lips moved before you could stop them, but you did anyway. "Thank you." He said, betraying a smile he was trying to hold.

Three hours later you were looking for him at said park, already regretting your choice. He was sitting on a bench, waiting for you.

"You're here." He said once he saw you. "I'm here. Just like I promised." You replied, less cold than you intended.

He moved so you could sit with him. "Look. I know I fucked up. I had no right in saying those things I told you that day, and I understand if you're mad at me. I mean, of course you are.

"I don't know why I did what I did. Maybe a part of me like Veronica- But not more than I love you. I thought that I could have done it without you. Damn pride, I really thought I could.

"But I can't. I was alone before, you brought a light in my life, and now every time I see you I just feel more alone."

He took your hands in his, he wasn't even trying to hide his tears anymore. "I love you, y/n. And I understand if you don't want to forgive me, but at least consider it?"

You bit your lip nervously. Was he lying? No. JD may have been a good liar, but he never cried. He was telling the truth.

Your mind wanted to explode. You didn't know what to do. If you forgave him, you could come back on being the couple you were before. Weird for sure. But happy, as you've never been. Still, you'd have the constant doubt if he would cheat on you again.

On the other hand, if you didn't forgive him, he would go back to being alone, as he stated, and you'd come back to not feeling loved. But at least you knew you couldn't get more heart-broken.

You gently rubbed your finger on his hand, and he immediately looked up at you. You kept staring at your intertwined hands.

"You're in my head, even when you're not supposed to be. It shouldn't be so hard to let you go."

You said. You slowly raised your head meeting his eyes, a hint of hope in them.

"But you have to understand that what you did really hurt me, JD. More than you think."

He nodded, kissing your cheek. "I know. I know it did."

You caressed his cheek. "I can't forgive you JD." You told him simply, and you could see the light in his eyes slowly fading out.

Still, he nodded again, accepting your answer. "Ok, I understand. I respect your decision and-" He choked on his words, keeping a sob from coming out. "-and I just wish you the best darling."

You chuckled. "You didn't let me finish, dumbass." He raised an eyebrow confused. "I can't forgive you. But we can try again, and we can learn to trust each other again." You explained to him.

He smiled at you. Without even giving you the time of reacting he kissed your lips, hugging tight and close to him. You could feel his tears wetting your own cheeks and lips, but you didn't care. You were finally back in his arms.

"Thank you." He breathed out, leaning his forehead on yours. "Thank you. I promise I'll do everything to gain your trust back." He whispered.

You smiled and gave him another quick kiss. "Yeah that's the least." You mumbled. In response he just chuckled, and shut you with another kiss.

requested by @njcrazy19 :)

#jason dean #jason dean x you #jason dean x y/n #jason dean x reader #jason dean imagine #jd x reader

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luveline · 3 years

Text

in the morning, afternoon and night [Fred Weasley x Reader]

tags: reader-insert, hurt/comfort, self esteem issues, low self esteem, reader has acne, sad reader, insecure reader

pairing: Fred Weasley x Reader

word count: 1.8k

You glared at your reflection.

You'd think with such amazing magical medicine available, some witch or wizard would've invented a cure for acne, or at least a spell that covered it up.

You'd struggled with it since your third year. The muggle doctor you'd seen with your mother had suggested it was hormonal, and would calm down as you got older.

That was years ago.

It shouldn't have been a big deal. It wasn't, really. It wasn't usually very painful, though it was itchy as a stinging nettle and twice as unsightly. A large part of you knew it wasn't your fault, that acne was something that simply affected people at different times in their lives. You'd tried topicals and changing your diet, you'd tried losing weight and exercising and dermaplaning and everything they suggested in your mams fashion magazines.

Nothing worked.

Tears welled in your eyes and you sniffed them back, blinking rapidly.

It might've been silly, but it honestly made you want to hide away. You'd skipped dinner without really thinking, finding your way into the girls bathroom you inhabited now. You straightened your tie and robes, dusting down the sides. You leaned forward again, dabbing under your eyes with your sleeve.

The last thing you wanted was for anyone to know you'd been crying, because then someone might ask why. You didn't want to talk about it, ever.

If Fred saw you like this...

You and Fred Weasley had been almost dating for a few weeks now. Almost, because you hadn't talked about the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing yet.

It had been years of thinking he was the fittest boy in Gryffindor (besides George) and months of meeting his gaze in the corridors and catching his eye over dinner. Gradually it had become something more; he started carrying your books between classes and opening doors, touching your arms and your hair and your face.

You cringed at the memory. He had been so caring, moving to wipe an eyelash from the skin under your eye. You'd violently flinched from his hand, afraid he might feel the bumpy texture of your skin, feel the acne beneath your makeup. He'd been apologetic and a little confused, filling you with guilt. You hadn't been able to find a way to tell him it wasn't him, it was you. Of course you wanted him to touch you, the thought of him cradling your face had been the subject of many dizzy daydreams, but you just couldn't tell him this one thing.

It was your deepest insecurity.

The stress had only made it worse. Redness was easy to cover with muggle make up and even some wizarding tricks you'd learned over the years, but there wasn't a way to smooth your skin, and the acne was textured.

It was depressing. You didn't want to use that word, it felt ungrateful to compare your skin issues to something so severe, but it made you miserable.

You but down on your quivering lip, pushing away from the mirror unhappily and opening the bathroom door, a frown on your face.

"Y/N!" a familiar voice said.

You jumped, startled but unsurprised. Fred had a talent of always knowing where you were. You'd find it creepy if he wasn't so endearing.

"Fred," you said, plastering a smile over your frown. "I was just coming to find you."

"What a coincidence, ma chérie, I was doing the same."

"Well," you began, easily sidling into his space, "you found me."

"Yes, I did," Fred hummed, wrapping his arms behind your neck, grinning.

He took a long look at your face, his forehead creased. "What's wrong?"

"Nothings wrong, Fred."

He moved his hands to your shoulders, looking down into your face searchingly. "Have you been crying?" he asked.

You shook your head, lying without thinking. "Something in my eye,"

"Both of them?"

You stepped backwards. He let go of your shoulders accordingly.

"Y/N?"

"It's really nothing," you said through a forced laugh.

He frowned at you for a few seconds more and his face cleared. "Alright," he said slowly, rolling the words in his mouth, "if you say so, doll."

You opened like a blooming flower at the pet name, your whole face softening. You smiled, hoping he understood that the smile meant, oh I just so adore you, Fred Weasley.

He threaded his fingers through yours, dragging you down the corridor beside him and waxing poetic about their newest lot of Peruvian darkness powder as you went.

It got so bad you couldn't go to class.

Okay, so you definitely could've gone to class, but the thought of leaving your curtained bed was enough to make you sick with anxiety, so worried that everyone would see you - see your face.

NEWTs were coming fast and hard. Everyone who wanted to be anyone was working hard studying their asses of, on top of Professor Umbridge's million new rules you had to abide by, including her newest life-ruining rule: Boys and girl are not to be within 5 inches of each other.

What a joke. You struggled through classes, wrote essays so long your hand burned at night and now you weren't allowed to sit next to your almost boyfriend at lunch? It was miserable. It was making you miserable, and now you may as well have sharpied on your forehead how equipped your body was to deal with it.

Fucking badly.

You groaned to yourself, rolling on your side to face the wall. You were at your wits end. It felt endlessly unfair that the thing that was stressing you out most was getting worse from stress.

Your stomach growled hungrily.

You threw your arm over your eyes in defeat, eyes finally filling with tears. You felt so hopeless. There was nothing to be done except keep up your routine until the flare up was over, or until your mothers next 'miracle cure' popped into existence.

The tears felt too hot against your sore skin. You couldn't help but sob quietly to yourself in self-pity.

A knock sounded at the door. You gasped, wiping the tears away in panic.

"Y/N?" It was Alicia. "Are you alright? Can I come in?"

"Yes," you managed. "Yes, of course. It's your room too, after all."

The door clicked open. Alicia appeared, tanned skin completely clear and glowing, though each perfect feature was marred with empathy. "Fred's been begging every girl in the common room to come fetch you, but I told him to leave you be."

"Thank you," you said.

You cleared your throat. Alicia moved her weight from foot to foot, twisting her hands.

"I- Y/N. I won't pretend to know how it feels, but I promise you, Fred won't care. He's beside himself worrying that you're bedridden and dying or-" she laughed to herself, "or that you're still mad at him for the itching powder. What I mean is... he's a good guy, and you're upset. Maybe you should tell him what's wrong. He won't care."

You sniffed. "I know," you admitted, feeling the weight of her shifting the bed. "I know he's a great guy. I just wouldn't blame him if he, if he didn't like me anymore. If he found it ugly. I would understand it, and I think that makes it worse," you choked on your words, heat building behind your eyes.

"Oh, Y/N," Alicia said, placing a tentative but comforting hand on your shoulder.

You lay in quiet, listening to your own ragged breathing.

"I'll go talk to him," Alicia said.

"No! I mean, no. Thank you, but no. I... I'll speak to him myself."

Alicia nodded, rubbing your arm kindly.

The sound of the door clicking shut behind her finally spurred you into sitting up. You dressed in a hurry, chucking a wool jumper over last nights pyjamas.

He wouldn't care, would he? You cringed. Yes, he definitely would. Whatever was between you would stop. He'd have the grace to let you down slowly, drawing away his affections. He was a polite guy, he'd probably even say the whole spiel of "it's not you, it's me". But he would, eventually.

Well, you figured. Let it be quick. Like ripping off a bandaid.

You tread lightly down the steps, hoping to see him before he saw you.

Of course, when the slightest groan on the bottom step sounded, his lovely face whipped to meet yours. He smiled in relief, but it was mixed with something else. Disgust, your brain supplied nastily. He was disgusted. He rose to his feet, smiling smiling smiling. But something in his eyes was different, now.

"Y/N," he said.

"Hi," you said.

"Hi yourself, beautiful. Where've you been all day?"

"I'm... sick. Bad cold," you settled on.

He raised an eyebrow. "You sound okay," he said, not unkindly.

"I..." you looked down at your hands.

A siren was sounding in your head. You didn't think Fred had seen you without make up for the last 3 years. Fight or flight was leaning heavily towards flight.

"Well, are you hungry?"

You shook your head.

"Are you sure? You haven't eaten all day. You need something in your system if you're gonna fight this cold."

"I'm not actually sick, Fred," you admitted under your breath.

"I know."

You looked up. He was still smiling kindly. It was infuriating.

"Look," you said finally, rushed and all at once, "if you don't want to- if you're grossed out. Then it's fine, I'll understand if you don't want to see me anymore."

Fred was stricken.

"I know it's - ugly."

"Ugly? Nothing about you is ugly."

"Fred, my face-"

"No, listen to me, Y/N. It's not ugly. It's not gross. You're not any of those things, are you kidding?" he said, grabbing your hands. "You're beautiful. All the time, in the morning, afternoon and night. You're beautiful in charms and transfiguration and care of magical creatures. You were beautiful yesterday and you're beautiful today and you'll be even more so tomorrow." He stopped suddenly, looking down at your joined hands. His cheeks had turned bright red.

"Smooth, Freddie," came George's voice, from the sofa behind them.

"Shove OFF," exclaimed Fred, growing more red by the second. Heat filled your own cheeks.

"It's skin, Y/N. That's all it is."

"Okay," you said tightly, trying not to cry.

Fred breathed out, his hair shifting in response. His corded arms pulled you tight to his chest. You breathed him in. He smelled sweet and rough, like burning caramel.

He thought you were beautiful.

You smiled into his shirt.

<3<3<3

tag list: @msmimimerton

if you’d like to be added to a tag list, please ask ! for in general or for specific characters, i don’t mind

#fred wealsey fic #fred weasly x reader #fred weasley #harry potter imagine #fred Weasley imagine #fred Weasley x reader #reader insert #reader has acne #reader is an unreliable narrator #reader x fred Weasley #fred Weasley fanfic #fred Weasley fluff #hurt/comfort #Fred weasley x reader

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treasure-hwa · 2 years

Text

track 6. MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

feat: san x reader

release date: february 12th 2022

genre: strangers to lovers; fluff, suggestive

word count: 2000

warnings: mentions of drunkenness

author's note: I am quite proud of this one!!! I liked how it came out, although I didn't incorporate all the feelings the song had, the story is more focused on the fluffy side! Enjoy <3

All About Luv Day Masterlist

Your friend nagging and getting you drunk the whole night made you do this. In your opinion, you are not to blame for downloading the hottest dating app of the moment and drunkenly matching with a random guy when you arrived at home from the pub you had gone to.

Of course, you were only able to remember that clearly because, in the morning, you woke up with an annoying sound blaring on your ear and making your head spin. Barely opening one eye, you recognized said friend’s pic on the screen, so you tried your best to lift your heavy arm to accept the call, however you were not fast enough. Instead, you were facing the unread notifications on your lockscreen and, when, through the sleepiness covering your eyes, you recognized the app icon and a message, it's safe to say you almost fell off the bed.

"Are you drunk or are you truly bad at writing? XD"

You scoffed reading the message, but, after going through the small conversation you had with the guy on the previous day, he had a point. About his face- wow, you get a lot of points, unknown boy! You thought to yourself while swiping on the available photos: he goes to the gym, his fashion sense is okay, his hair and skin looks flawless, oh, cat pics! The description sounded nice too and made you laugh a little.

"Choi San ⛰ 22 yo, dancer, life enthusiast. An introvert excited guy looking for someone with whom I can laugh and live nice moments with (but my little girl Byeol will always be more important!!) I may sound boring, but you could try talking to me to confirm it (I'm not good at writing these)."

Half an hour and a breakfast full of thinking later, you decided you could try meeting this guy, who looked like a pretty normal one, and he had liked you too, right? Even if your profile was badly made and there weren't many photos, drunk you knew what was your best photo and uploaded that as the main one. The most that could happen was you two not really matching, right? Not thinking twice this time, you started another conversation.

Y/N: Hey, sorry for yesterday. I was indeed a little drunk. I hope I didn't sound too dumb XD

SAN: It was a bit funny, I can't deny, but I understand

SAN: So, Y/N, right?

Y/N: Yes. San?

SAN: That's my name

SAN: Were you celebrating anything special yesterday?

Y/N: No, nothing in particular. Just the end of a good week, I guess

SAN: A valid reason. It's important to celebrate these little moments

Y/N: Ah, so that's your "life enthusiast" side?

SAN: Yeah, I can't help myself ^^

Y/N: I like it ^^

Surprising yourself, you and San kept talking for the next two weeks. Your "relationships" had never lasted long enough neither interested you enough, after a few tries, you decided you were okay with having no partners, even if deep down a whispering dark voice inside you said it was your fault for never having a decent relationship.

Knowing that, your friend kept her nagging by telling you to try more, to meet someone new, outside your social circle, to "breathe a different air". You knew she was just worried about you, after all she knew you better than anyone else. You thought having a date with a guy you met online just two weeks before was quite different already, however your friend would hear none of that until you were sure something good could come out of it.

You and San would meet in the park, a crowded place, perfect and safe enough for a first date. When you spotted a man that looked like San sitting on the bench and looking up to the trees, you thought you were delirious and having a fever dream, since there was no way someone could look that good in real life. Your expectations were high, but damn, he exceeded all of them.

— Y/N? Hi! — his excited wave made you wake up and walk towards him, hands firmly gripping your small purse. — Hi, I’m San!

— Nice to meet you in person, San!

— My pleasure — he got up and smiled, unaware of the effects his presence had on you. He had dimples!

San wasn’t too tall, but his wide shoulders and body proportions in general could fool anyone. He was wearing a long-sleeved white t-shirt tucked inside light jeans, a navy blue jacket and sneakers and his black hair was styled like a comma, his fringe falling on his forehead just like those k-drama’s actors’ you loved so much. Quite perfectly simple for a first date, you thought to yourself, but you were sure he would be able to pull off even a flowery shirt.

— You look beautiful, by the way — he complimented you, scratching his nape. — More beautiful than in your photos.

— Thank you. You look really good too, I liked your hair style.

— Thanks, I styled it like this because you said you liked it on actors and such.

His shy giggle prompted yours and conversation flowed from there.

Two weeks of dates now and then, a kiss here and there later, you two weren’t in an official relationship, but it felt like it, specially when he would send you messages to talk about the most trivial things, like the color of the sky, the moon, an episode of a k-drama you recommended to him etc. But the moment you most felt like his girlfriend was when you went to his house, that he shared with his best friend, and both the friend and San’s cat/daughter, Byeol, approved of you.

— She didn’t even warm up to me that easily, you know — Wooyoung, the friend, told you, pointing to the fur ball on your lap.

— She’s adorable — you said with a smile on your face. — I love cats.

— That must be why you like San so much.

— Oh, I-

Before you could finish your sentence, the man in question entered the living room and threw himself on top of his friend.

— Wooyoung, weren’t you going out? Leave us alone~

The younger rolled his eyes and pushed San to the floor.

— I am. Have fun, love birds, but not too much.

Not too long after that day, you were sleeping safe and sound, wrapped in your favorite blanket and dreaming of a certain someone, when your phone rang. The ID caller showed it was the man of your dreams, quite literally.

— San? It's — you looked at the clock on your nightstand, — four in the morning. Why are you calling me?

His voice was excited when he told you he was in front of your house, but didn't want to knock because it could scare you. You didn't really know what you were thinking of when you grabbed your sleeping robe and went to meet him in front of your house, but you did it and you were happy with your sleepy choices, because San looked weirdly good with his messy hair and gray sweater, leaning against his black car.

— You came here, in the middle of the night, to see me in your pajamas? — you joked, voice still a little raspy from sleep, raising an eyebrow. — Lovely.

He chuckled and grabbed your hand, pulling you against his front.

— I had to. I know we have a date later today, but I couldn’t wait for the morning to rise, so here I am, in all my pajamas glory, to give you love.

— Give me love? — He smirked and opened the car door for you. — What a gentleman. Where are we going, by the way?

— Would you like ice cream? — he answered, starting the car.

— Sounds nice.

You smiled and he gave you his hand, palm facing upwards, so you intertwined your fingers and let his hand rest on your thigh.

— It's all happening so fast, San — you breathed out into the passionate kiss he was giving you.

— Sorry, I just can't stay away from you.

— Don't apologize, I never said it was bad — your hands held his face for an instant, so you saw his smirk before he proceeded to kiss down your neck, an action that made you giggle because it kind of tickled.

For those who want to know, you did have ice cream, however things might have scaled a little when, in the middle of your cups, San asked to take a sip of yours. You didn’t have a problem with sharing so you let him taste it, but when he said he liked and wanted more, you were not expecting him to cup your face with one hand and to kiss you. A surprise, but a delicious surprise, you had to say.

So that’s why his seat was currently away from the steering wheel and you were on his lap, his hands placed on your warm waist under the robe and yours, on his shoulders, that you adored. What happened in that car, parked on an empty parking lot near your neighborhood, that night, however, should remain a secret.

The sun was already up in the sky when you decided it was time to come back, so San drove to your home while you played with his fingers. Both of you had a smile lighting up your faces, wishing that morning could last forever.

— We should do that again.

He took his eyes out of the road to look at you for a second and asked with a smirk evident on his voice:

— Hm, should we? I am not opposed.

— I’m talking about watching the sunrise, you pervert.

— Me too. What were you thinking about, uh? Pervert.

Another thing you liked about Choi San: he made you laugh about the silliest things, so much your cheeks were always hurting after a date with him. You would keep laughing and smiling had you not noticed the street you were entering.

— San, don’t go this way!

— Uh, why?

— My friend lives here! And at this hour, she’s probably having her morning walk.

Silently, the man obeyed you and made a turn, taking another way to your house, which wasn’t far. When you arrived, he got out of the car and opened the door for you, even offering his hand for help, however, his face wasn’t one of happiness anymore.

— San… did I say something wrong?

He pouted and held your hands together and asked without looking in your eyes:

— Why don’t you want your friend to see us?

Your eyes widened and you shook your head, freeing your hands to cup his face.

— It’s not like that. I will tell her about you, I just wanted to be sure this would last.

The seconds in silence killed you a little, since you interpreted them in a bad way. You wanted San to tell you you two were going to be together, that you were something, that you could boast to your friend about the awesome relationship you had. You wanted something, anything.

— Y/N… I came to your house in the middle of the night because I couldn’t get my mind off of you, because I hate sleeping alone and I wanted to hear your voice and wanted to hold you until the sun was up. And you did all of this with me. I’m sorry for not saying this before, but if you want me to stay for the rest of my life, you got me.

You were taking the risk of your noisy neighbor seeing you two in front of your house, in pajamas, but you simply didn’t care and pulled him to a passionate, relieved kiss.

— I got you.

taglist: @laconic-abditory @ellelabelle

#ateez imagines #ateez fluff #ateez suggestive #ateez smut #choi san #san imagines #san fluff #san smut #san fanfic #ateez scenarios #ateez x reader #san x reader #ateezlovenet

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