#hes like two grade levels ahead of normal

[rainbowsunshinegeesus]

carl is actually really overpowered if you think about it

#phineas and ferb #carl the intern #carl karl #pnf #hes like two grade levels ahead of normal #and can drive an ice cream truck and a jet #all by himself #and can build a bunch of robots that look like people and animals i forgot what they’re called #and he can build them in a really short time #he can fix pipes too #and can play music on his one beard hair lolololol #somehow also prevented any attacks from ever getting to owca since he started interning for them #and btw in case u dont remember he started that when he was like 13 #and he knows how to use a memory erasing and restoring machine #is technically also a director #that carl the intern song is pretty much just listing most of the things he can do #and he can somehow put a screen into uhhh #that thing what was it a card #yeah u know what i mean #and he can leave a vent for a long time then get back in it like nothing happened #and can clean up huge oil spills or whatever they’re called #and has very sophisticated persuading skills #and helped defeat lovemuffin with perry and monty after they made it winter #uhhh i cant think of anything else he can do #but u get it

[bunny584]

OBSESSED: SHOKO feat THE BOYS (FINALE)

A/N: Well, well, well. Oh how the tables have turned, dear reader. It’s not so easy — juggling two special grades and their personal physician…is it?

S/N: This is it. The pièce de résistance. I was…this is…NO ONE LOOK AT ME AFTER YOU READ THIS. No idea the word count. Long af, though.

C/W:….the trio is their own content warning lol. Mature. 18+, MDNI.

Part I, Part II.

Is this…a dream? 

This must be what it feels like to hear Domain Expansion, Infinite Void.

White static coats Shoko’s brain. She’s breathing underwater. Thinking in molasses. 

It’s a miracle her legs are working — they’re currently trailing behind you and the boys, back to her apartment. 

Her eyes are working, too — they’re attached to the dress rippling and bouncing off your ass. Your hips are a hypnotic pendulum. Swinging back and forth. 

Back and forth. 

The tailwind from your strut is a bad actor. 

Every so often teasing your cotton panties that won the lottery. Kissing up against your pretty petals. Riding along the plump curve of your mounds. Accentuating the intoxicating swell of your hips.

It’s paralyzing. 

You are paralyzing. 

Satoru’s hand is curled around the back of your neck. His azure glow is so pristine, so bright it refracts off your gorgeous cheekbones. Dampening his Limitless and intensifying his Six Eyes. 

Because the first to taste a meal is usually one’s eyes…right?

Shoko can nearly hear the depravity ringing between Satoru’s ears. 

Then there’s Suguru.

An arm is draped around your waist, capturing and releasing the hem of your dress every few seconds. Mindless movements. His sniper-like gaze focused on the apartment door at the end of the hall. 

Cool. Calm. Collected. 

One would think, if you don’t know Suguru well enough. 

His normally, perfectly repressed cursed energy surrounds him. Flickering into the air like campfire embers just waiting for the next gust of wind to erupt. Amethyst and graphite swarm around her best friend — the only indicator of his disintegrating self-control. 

20 steps left until she is expected to produce door keys. The only thing standing between everyone and you. 

This is it.

This is the moment. The one chance you get at ‘doing it right this time.’ 

15 steps. 

There are no more wishes granted. No more genies stuffed into bottles, or whatever. This is it. 

10 steps.

Get your shit together, Ieiri.

7.

Do not squander this on the sidelines.

3.

Shoko wires around the three of you. Stepping ahead to slot the frivolous piece of aluminum standing between her and her wet dream. 

1.

The apartment door flies open. Satoru’s hand moves on autopilot — deepening his grip around your neck. 

His conscious brain recedes. Triple distilled, unadulterated need moves in like a tropical storm. 

Silky strands of your hair plaited in his fingers. 

Wide, warm eyes locked into his. 

Tiny slit in those pouty, siren lips of yours. 

He will dismantle you. Piece by fucking piece. 

Until you’re a babbling, sobbing brook beneath his fingers. Apologizing for being such a cocktease. 

“Satoru…?” 

There’s a change in your voice. 

Fear? Nerves? 

Prey finally realizing who is next on the menu?

Satoru is staring. Fully aware of how disarming his eyes can be. Born with godlike vision and somehow the only thing he can see in the room is you. 

His greed is a threat to National Security. DEFCON Level 1.

His mouth ghosts yours. Barely registering Suguru encasing you from behind. Trailing his palms along your thighs. 

“Safe word, princess.” Satoru maps every ridge, every teeth indent on that gorgeous bottom lip.

“For when you need to tap out.” Suguru augments Satoru’s command. Gentle nip at the tip of your ear and you moan. Bitten back and clipped. 

“Such pretty sounds,” Shoko’s voice is distant. Breathy. Coated in Cabernet. 

“I..don’t—” 

Satoru slices your protest in half. Rolling your bottom lip under his teeth. Biting and licking his way across your pout. At the same time Suguru drops his mouth to your pulse point. 

“Don’t what, sweetheart?” Suguru murmurs into your neck. A filthy fucking whine escapes your lips and Satoru’s fingers go to your nipple. 

Hard. Pert and neglected. Desperate for attention.

Just like you. 

The way you’re panting into Satoru’s mouth. Listless and loose, bending into Suguru’s presence behind you. 

“He gave you an order, baby.” Suguru’s smile is so tender. Almost torturous against your oversensitive skin. 

“Don’t…ah..don’t need a safe word.”

 A weak declaration against Satoru’s kiss. Earning yourself a sharp twist of your sensitive buds. And gifting him a kitten squeal that makes his cock twitch. 

“Ohhhh Suguru, Shoko.  We have a brat on our hands.” He muses, hovering his lips over yours. Satoru pets the steel rod between his legs. Already dewy with his arousal. 

You are so beautiful, trying to resist their coordinated touch. The sound of Suguru’s large hand palming your ass reverberates throughout the room. 

“I’ll teach her some manners.” 

Suguru’s voice trails down your spine. Slow and sickly sweet. Like maple sap dripping down tree bark mid spring. He caresses the hot sting from his spanking. 

“I—I have manners.” Voice as small as your frame engulfed between the 6’3 counterparts. 

“I won’t ask again, princess.” Satoru tilts your chin up to meet his gaze. And Suguru continues sucking kisses into your neck, marking his territory. 

“Uh..mmm..god, S—“ Your eyes flutter closed. An earnest attempt to stay present. And not settle into the fuzzy, warm submission they are baiting you into. 

“Safe word, now.” 

“B—um. Blue? Blue.” Your resolve is about as rigid as cotton. 

“Blue?”

“Well that’s not fair.” 

Shoko and Suguru’s incredulous reactions intertwine with Satoru’s smug chuckle. A dusty rose high on your cheeks. 

You know why you chose Blue. Everyone else does, too. 

“Blue, huh?” Satoru presses a soft kiss on your lips. 

“To match me? Noted, baby.” 

Shoko melts into her couch. Her heartbeat rattles around her skull. With short, ineffective breaths that taste like full bodied red wine. Wet heat surges around her lace thong. 

The way you’re writhing between her best friends’ hands is sinful. 

Gazing up at Satoru like he is Vincent Van Gogh and the Starry Night above you is the product of his paintbrush. 

Incoherent as if Suguru’s fingers put the Sun to bed. Whimpering his name like a prayer. 

Adorable, girl.

God isn’t going to save you here. 

The pads of Shoko’s cool fingers nearly sizzle against her puffy pleasure point. Slick coating her with just one, two, three long stripes against her sticky folds. 

“God...fuck..bring her to me.” The grit in Shoko’s tone scrapes along her voice box. Matching the aggressive pace of her fingers against her needy cunt. 

The boys lock gazes with their third. Cavalier smile tugging against Satoru’s lips. Suguru’s brow touches his hairline. 

Ladies, first. 

“You heard her.” Satoru snakes your arms around his neck and hoists you around his waist in one fluid motion. 

“S—sato—“ He bullies his tongue back into your mouth. No more protesting, gorgeous. 

Slow steps towards Shoko, so he can drink from your well. A sweet, delectable spell dripping from your lips. And if Satoru doesn’t wake up tomorrow morning after eating your forbidden fruit, then so be it. 

Suguru lets himself watch you from a short distance.

His hand can’t stop rubbing his cock. Shamelessly tugging his heavy rod. Burning your little expressions into his mind’s safe. The way your eyebrows come together at the center whenever Satoru bites your bottom lip. Your desperate grabs for air against his relentless kiss. 

“Hi, pretty.” Shoko drawls the moment Satoru settles you down on her lap. Her thigh digs into your soaked, gummy core. Glazing her skin with your drool. 

“Hi, Sho.” Still panting from Satoru’s embrace. So fragile. A harsh breeze could shatter you to stardust. And Shoko pulsates around nothing.

One hand is firm on your hip. The other tracing mindless shapes on your chest. Leaving a poetic cascade of goosebumps in her wake. 

Reflexively, you go to caress Shoko’s shoulders only to be caught by Satoru’s enormous grip. Whipping both of your wrists behind your back. While his other hand toys with the erection straining against his pants.

“She didn’t give you permission to touch, did she princess?” He drops his tone into the shell of your ear.  

“Oh, I—“

“Manners, gorgeous.” A gentle reminder in between smearing kisses along your neck. Shoko hooks her index finger along your neckline. One tug and your mouth-watering tits come into full view. 

“Fucking, hell.”

“God, baby.”

“Perfect…fucking perfect.” 

Satoru, Suguru and Shoko’s praises crash into one another. God took his time with you. Sculpting a fucking masterpiece. 

To be praised. 

To be worshipped. 

To be taken. 

Used. 

Filled. 

“Shoko. I want to hear her.” 

Suguru’s command is guttural. Fist snug around the base of his cock. Shameless about the tears of precum falling down his shaft. 

Shoko’s fingers work their way down to your pulsing clit. You preen into her touch. Pretty, tiny gasps against her cheek. 

“Let it out, baby.” Shoko coos into your ear. Thumbing little circles around your clit. 

You bury your face into her neck. Delicious ache swelling between your legs. Grinding along her slender thigh. Honey seeping around your clothed cunt. 

“S—sho, mmnngh..fuck..” Desperation fans Shoko’s neck. Bucking your hips with your hands restrained. 

“There she is.” 

Suguru’s fist slams to his hilt. Now close enough to cup your perky mound. Rippling and bouncing with every jolt. Feathering his finger over your pebbled bud. 

The sudden touch and velvet voice above you drags your gaze upward. 

And Suguru nearly cums in his hand right then and there. 

Misty eyes, drool covered lips. Breathy pants. Angelic features rewritten by lust. 

“Suguru?” 

“Such a good girl. Keep fucking her thigh like that, baby.” 

Throaty praise in return. Suguru rips his hand away from his angry length. Staving off his finish. 

Not yet. 

They’re not remotely close to being done with you yet.

“She’s so responsive.” Satoru chimes in. Releasing his grip on your wrists. 

Your hands fly to Shoko’s face. Melding your mouth with hers. Leaking precious sounds, from your lips and your sopping wet core. His hand kneads your neglected breast, pinching your nipple every so often. 

Satoru and Suguru palming at your tits. Shoko fucking your mouth with her tongue. You humping Shoko’s leg like a dog in heat.

It’s too much. 

Wave after wave of pleasure crashes into your groin. You nestle into the crook of her neck. Grasping at her thick, brunette locks. 

“S-sho, I’m close, I’m—mmgh..”

“It’s okay pretty,” Shoko husks. Her thumb at a perfect rhythm and pressure.

“You can cum, baby.” Suguru rasps, tugging at your nipple at the same time Satoru smacks the supple flesh he was petting.

“Oh fuck oh fuck—“

The delicious sting from their touches sends you over the edge. And the wire seated deep in your stomach snaps. Hips stuttering to an abrupt stop. 

The room stills. Satoru, Suguru and Shoko studying your micro movements through your peak. So quiet that the walls have to lean in to hear you and your lovers breathing. 

Six eyes laser into your body. Everyone’s appetite for you simultaneously tripling. 

Satoru swipes the back of his hand across his mouth. Subconsciously aware of the pool of saliva forming. His manhood mirroring the trail of drool running down his mouth. 

He’s always been a fan of dessert. 

“I need to taste you.” 

“And I need a front row seat.” Shoko nibbles at your cheek.

Satoru lifts and spins you around on Shoko’s lap in a matter of seconds. You, still gummy and compliant from your orgasm spread your legs weakly over Shoko. Earning you a chorus of praise from your lust-drunk lovers. 

He drops to his knees. His blushing, weeping tip in hand. Pushing your sodden panties to the side. While Shoko cradles your thigh in her hand, holding you open for her best friend. 

Your rose blooms in front of him. Dewy with your slick. Candied scent holding all of Satoru’s senses hostage. 

“Look at how pretty, she is.” He breezes against your swollen pearl. Your petals quiver, and his dick leaks. 

“S—Satoru..please.” 

Satoru’s head is spinning. Entirely drunk off of the sight of you like this. Choking back his own pathetic groans.

His tongue licks a long stripe up your ripe folds. And your taste pollenates his mind for an eternity. An addict with his chosen vice. 

Your hands magnet to his snowy halo. The melody you sing from his kisses and licks could sink any ship. Echoing in Satoru’s and Shoko’s groin. 

Shoko is in a complete haze. Molesting herself numb at the way you undulate against Satoru’s eager tongue. Pitiful little mewls that are worthy of a platinum record.

“Feeling good, gorgeous?” Shoko eggs you on. Quickly sinking into her own threatened orgasm. 

“Y—yes..mmgh so..god..” Paper thin squeals from your lips. 

Crystals line your eyes in response to Satoru’s tongue fucking in and out of your pussy. Suckling your clit. Figures of 8, and 8 and 8 again until your mind is mush. 

Except Suguru refuses to let you get lost at Satoru’s sea. He grips a handful of your hair, whipping your head in his direction.

Both you and Shoko tilt up to see Suguru’s driveling manhood at your eye level. Veiny, heavy. So clearly abused by his hand. Volcanic eruption in his hooded gaze. 

“Hands on my cock, baby.” 

Barely above a whisper, but somehow your body recognizes his authority. 

And you seem genuinely shocked by your visceral obedience. Immediate acquiescence to Surguru’s will. 

An approving grin teases Suguru’s lips. Your hands are comically small wrapped around his length. 

God, he could split you in half. 

Heavy eyelids from Satoru’s agonizing touch, you’re mystical. Gazing into Suguru’s eyes like his soul is nothing but an appetizer. Yours to swallow, digest, play with. 

“Ask nicely.” Suguru grunts, as your eyes rake over his leaky cockhead. Longing for a taste. 

Satoru and Shoko come to a hush. Her fingers slow. Satoru forces himself off of your folds. Somehow knowing the next words to roll off your tongue will shift their brain chemistry, permanently. 

Palatial lashes fan your utterly fucked-out gaze. Swollen lips millimeters away from Suguru’s blunt tip. 

“May I suck your cock, please?” 

Filthy-nasty-dirty-fucking-vulgar noises fill the room, while you swirl Suguru’s cum covered head around your tongue.

“Fuck. Your lips baby.” He hisses, his hips piston into your pretty, accepting mouth. 

“So messy, princess.” Satoru murmurs into your swollen cunt, slipping his fingers past your tight ringlet.

Beautiful gurgles around Suguru’s shaft. Crystalline streams of spit glazing your puffy tits. 

You buck into Satoru at a similar, haphazard pace that he strokes his thick rod. Shoko sinks her teeth into your shoulder. 

“G-gonna c..gonna—“ high pitched, broken warnings spill from your lips. Just as a blinding wave of electricity surges down Shoko’s legs — curling her pedicure inward. 

“Come on, pretty girl. Cum for me.” 

Suguru’s decadent baritone sends both you and Shoko over the hot edge. A cacophony of huffs and whines, coating the walls in your shared ecstasy. Spraying your essence all over Satoru’s face. 

He’s slow to stand. Savoring remnants of your peak. He and Suguru exchange sordid glances. Sharing the same thought.

Pretty little doll. 

Loose limbed and spent in Shoko’s lap. Hair mused. So deeply entrenched into sub space you’ll need to sleep it off of to come to your senses. 

A work of art, you are. 

But not quite broken, yet. 

“It’s our turn now, little one.” Deep and measured. Thick with want. Suguru lifts you by your arms off of Shoko’s lap. 

His back lays flush against the couch. You straddle his muscular lap. Satoru stands directly behind you. 

Suguru’s manhood is rigid. You’d have to impale yourself on him to get any closer. Similarly, Satoru’s length makes itself very present along the curve of your spine. 

“Look at me.” Satoru’s throaty demand comes from above your head. 

Obedience is the only language you can currently speak, so you tilt back. Soaking in the celestial boy behind you. Closer to God than Man, from this vantage point. 

“You want to taste yourself, baby?” 

A rhetorical question from Satoru, but you still bobble your head in an eager yes. 

“Such a desperate little puppy, aren’t you?” Suguru mocks you, taking one of your puffy nipples into his mouth. 

“She is.” 

Satoru affirms in between spearing your mouth with his warm muscle. Kissing the breath directly from your lungs until you’re air hungry and clawing at his neck. Leaving red streaks on his pale skin. 

Shoko has since poured herself another glass of red wine. Settling herself on the long arm of her couch. 

‘Far enough to drown into her own spiral. Close enough to register everything they do to you in the the most permanent part of her mind.’

Dèjá Vu.

But this lifetime? This reiteration of events? It’s fucking sublime. 

Shoko’s lips curl into a cheshire smile against the rim of her glass. Hedonistic on every single level known to man and she wouldn’t have it any another way. 

Her eyes flicker down to where Suguru’s hands are eclipsing your hips. And Satoru’s hands are cradled into the small of your waist. Hovering you over Suguru’s cock. The weapon of mass destruction that it is. 

“Suguru…Suguru it won’t…” Beautiful little panic ascending in pitch. 

“It won’t, what baby?” He teases. Eyes fixed on you like the apex predator he is. 

Crimson erupts from the tip of your nose to the tips of your ears. Fluttering away from his quicksand gaze. 

“What’s the matter, pretty? Don’t tell me you think you can’t handle—“

“I can handle it—I can…handle it.” You cut Satoru’s taunt down, convincing absolutely no one in the room— including yourself. 

But the shred of pride you have left comes forward. Bracing your hands on Suguru’s flexed shoulders. Digging little crescent moons into his olive skin. 

He can barely bite back the groan in his throat when your wet heat drags along his cockhead. 

Twitching around your opening. 

Feigning for entry. 

“Go ahead, little one.” 

“You can do it, baby.” 

“Oh FUCK..GOD.” Your volume is nothing in comparison to the fire incinerating your plush walls. Stretching your womanhood in a way that’s ungodly. 

Suguru is blinding. 

Flashing lights. Black spots in the visual field. Floaters everywhere kind of blinding. The prior encouragement from your lovers did nothing to soften his blow. 

Knowing this would be the result of you trying to work his inhuman length inside yourself, Suguru buries himself in one side of your neck. Satoru mirrors his action on the other side. 

Gentle adoration. Tender kisses. Light caresses to dull the pain. 

“Such a good girl.”

“I knew you could take it, princess.”

“You’re doing so well for me, pretty girl.”

Suguru rocks his hips in a slow, dreamy pace. Back and forth. Encouraging your body to reset around him. And the pressure. The delicious fucking fullness from his cock is mind numbing. 

“R—ready.” 

Barely loud enough to register. But Suguru could hear your red blood cells colliding with one another in your veins if you keep him next to you long enough. 

“Eyes on me when I’m inside you, sweetheart.” 

“Yes sir.”

The smile on his lips is no where near as tantalizing as the smile in his crushed velvet eyes. 

And for a moment that is going to be on cinematic repeat in everyone’s mind — Suguru thrusts into you like a man trying to repopulate earth. Never once letting you break his eye-contact. 

Melodic sounds of bodies smacking together ring throughout the room. Beautiful ripples of flesh, like soft waves during low tide. Your wet sex colliding with his. Him locking you into place because nothing else exists at this moment. 

Both Satoru and Shoko’s jaws are slack. Satoru can’t even bring himself to stroke his length thrashing wildly in his hands. 

This is hypnotizing. 

A motion picture worthy of an Oscar. 

You can feel Suguru recreating the shape of your soul. With each thrust. Deliberate. Deep. Ensuring that he will be a part of you, permanently. 

“God, ngh Su—fuck..purple..” unintelligible words, incoherent sounds.  You’re grasping at rescue from this pleasure. 

“Hah..” Suguru’s serrated breaths kiss your lips. “Try again.”

“Suguru, please. I’m cu—I’m pink..pink.”  

“Wrong color, princess.” Satoru’s husks above you. Tears of his thick cum streaming steady down his shaft. 

Suguru’s bucks into you relentlessly now. Chasing the high you both are riding. Shredding what consciousness you have left. Not that you wanted it, not that you needed it. 

“Fuck.” 

Suguru’s hips come to a screeching halt. Floating over Shoko’s cushion. Painting your warm walls with his seed. With you filling his lap with your dew. Delirious, choppy intakes of air between your lips and his. 

Momentarily forgetting your audience, you instinctively fall into his chest. Every single muscle in your body, suddenly without tone. 

Satoru’s mouth is ajar. 

Still not completely comprehending the fact that he just came — hands free — watching his best friend rail the conscious mind out of you. 

“Blanket, Satoru.” Shoko quietly nudges from her position on the couch. 

She can’t blame him for being stunned in place. Her mind is still reeling at the dessert her eyes just feasted on. 

“Come here, baby.” Suguru murmurs. Working himself out of you, while Satoru drapes you in Shoko’s throw. 

“Thank you.” A tiny chuckle escapes your lips. Cozying into Suguru’s arms. They should be proud of your manners. 

And as if you said your cheeky thought out loud, your three lovers break into soft laughter. 

“Wait here.” Satoru presses a chaste kiss to your damp forehead. Disappearing into Shoko’s bathroom a moment after. 

A small sigh of relief tumbles out of her when she hears the familiar sound of bath water running. 

Satoru must’ve done this before. Once or twice.

Suguru, too. 

Judging by the way he’s whispering sweet affirmations in your ear. Lulling you to sleep. In his warm, safe embrace. 

She’s never seen her friend like this. 

“Girls! Bath time!” Satoru beckons from the bathroom. 

His voice rustles you out of your post coital daze. Nestling deeper into the crook of Suguru’s neck. Shoko watches the way his eyes rest on your flushed face; stroking his hand along your arm. Intermittently pressing kisses along your hairline. 

An enchanting, glass doll they were so eager to shatter just a moment ago. 

“Ready, baby?” 

Suguru murmurs into your ear. And Shoko just knows he’s hoping for a no. Silently praying for more time with you, pliant in his arms like this.

“Mmhm.” Your puffy lips curl up into a sleepy smile. Glossy-eyed, when you finally pull your heavy lids open. 

Suguru’s breath catches in his throat. 

Shoko’s heart rattles around its bony cage.

How do you do this?  

How do you make it so easy to trip and fall so hopelessly in love with you with a bat of an eyelash? 

“…I get it guys, but the water will get cold. And that would be a shame. Because this bath is, perfect.”  

Satoru teases from the bedroom doorway. Startling Shoko and Suguru out of the trance you unintentionally put them in. 

“You don’t have to carry me!” A half-protest bubbles from your lips when Suguru stands with you wrapped up in Shoko’s favorite blanket.

“Shhh, let me do this sweet girl.” He coos, for your ears only. Navigating around Satoru’s lean stature. 

Shoko follows closely behind him, itching for her alone time with you. 

“You’re going to let her feet touch the ground, Suguru?!” 

Her sarcasm is followed by light-hearted laughter settling around your bodies. 

The four of you in tandem like a world class orchestra. Shoko is already lamenting waking up from this dream. 

“Not if I can help it.” Suguru sets you down on the kitchen sink. Nudging enough space for his muscular hips between your legs. 

He cradles your chin in his hand. Taking as many butterfly kisses as you’ll allow.

“Mmm, goodnight, Suguru.”

His name rolls sweet and soft off of your tongue. Like a dark chocolate truffle, and suddenly Shoko wishes her name was Suguru. 

Satoru does too. Judging by the way he yanks his counterpart away from you. His eyes caress your face before his hand does.

“How are you feeling, princess?” 

Hushed and saccharine. Doting. As if a decibel too loud is akin to Hollow Purple. Circling his fingers around your thighs. 

How foreign. 

Shoko can almost taste Satoru’s concern. Attentive in a way that’s inconceivable. 

From her vantage point, she watches you ensnare Satoru in those big, helpless doe eyes. Tempting him to fuck the living daylight out of you (again) but also handle you like a butterfly with a broken wing. 

“Just a bit worn out, pretty boy.” Said with a dreamy little laugh. And Satoru would chase your voice into the clouds if he could. 

He drapes your arms around his neck and you’re putty in his hands. 

“Don’t look at me like that, baby.” He grazes the corner of your lips with his. A dull, insistent ache welling between Shoko’s legs. 

You’re irresistible like this. 

“Unless you want us to wear you out, again.” 

“Satoru!” Your tiny, ineffectual fists slam against Satoru’s pecs. Making the trio even more fond of you. 

Their muse.

“Alright boys, I can take it from here.” 

Unhurried but finite, Shoko shoos her best friends out of the bathroom. Not before Satoru can steal one last kiss from your swollen lips.  

In a matter of minutes Shoko is settled in a sea of warm, eucalyptus bubbles. The light sheen of essential oil grazing her skin, still glimmering with remnants of love-making. 

Her eyes ride the dips and swells of your alluring lines. 

Balmy skin decorated with lust-drunk imprints from Satoru, Suguru and herself. Hand prints. Tiny crescent moons from fingernails. Ellipses of bite marks. A kaleidoscope of red, blue, deep purple. Living, breathing residue of the desperation — the need — you so easily draw from them. 

“Such a pretty girl.” 

You flush under Shoko’s praise. Newly stroked desire bubbling in the back of her throat. You’re so full of averted gazes and warmed cheeks. Twiddling your thumbs. Tentatively shifting a few paces away from the bathtub. 

So shy, now. It’s adorable. 

“Come here, baby.” Shoko curls her fingers inward.

“Okay.” Your response high and thin. Feet moving without resistance. 

Obedient little doll. 

Shoko’s wet dreams couldn’t even come up with a vision this decadent. You’re an oil painting. Soft on the hands, even softer on the eyes. 

You nestle in the warm waters between Shokos legs. Her nipples pebble against your supple flesh. Resting the back of your head on her chest. A lock-in-key fit. 

Comfortable, serene quiet sheaths the room around you. And Shoko is soaring. 

“I like you like this.” She presses a small kiss against your temple. 

“Like what?” You whisper.

Shoko’s hands travel up your navel, cupping your sensitive tits. You arch into her touch. Kitten mewls escape you. So responsive. 

“Soft.” Your nipples stiffen between her thumb and index finger. 

“Vulnerable…a little broken.” Shoko continues. Catching your needy gaze. Pupils blown to full moons. She hovers her lips over yours. Already parted, hanging open. Ready to receive. 

“Shoko.” 

Such a beautiful, pitiful little whine. Tilting your chin up, chasing Shoko’s lips. But she maintains the minimal distance. Instead, kneading your mounds. Drawing a gorgeous melody of whimpers; squirming beneath her ministrations. 

“I like being the one to put your pieces back together,” Shoko teases, dropping her tone. And you draw her in like a moth to flame. 

Shoko’s lips slot into yours with ease. Puzzle pieces meant to fit. She swipes her tongue over yours. Nibbles along your puffy bottom lip.

You’re delicious. 

And panting, when Shoko finally pulls away. Aurora borealis in your eyes. Sparkling. Expansive. 

And even though you are putty in her hands right now. Docile and pliant, hanging on every brush of a finger, every kiss. Shoko is falling.

Free falling.

Without a safety stop in sight. 

#jjk fanfic #sashisu #sashisu x reader #shoko x you #shoko ieri x reader #shoko smut #shoko fluff #poly satosugu #gojo x reader x geto #suguru geto smut #gojo smut #gojo fluff #geto smut #geto fluff #geto x reader #satoru gojo smut #gojo x reader #jjk smut #jjk shoko #jjk satoru #jjk gojo #jjk suguru #suguru smut #gojo satoru x reader #shoko ieiri #satoru gojo x reader #suguru geto x reader #suguru geto x you #suguru geto #shoko x reader

[dumbkiri]

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕚𝕗𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝔾𝕠𝕛𝕠 𝕊𝕒𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕦 『4』

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜰᴏᴜʀ, ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏɴᴇ: ɪɴ ʜᴇʀ ᴇʏᴇꜱ

WARNING: BLOOD, STABBING, HARM, ETC

When she first received Nami's Miracle, [Name] was learning how to use her blessed energy. Then she was assigned a particular job that could have ended her life. Sometimes people hate the answer, no.

Again this is part one of this very long chapter. Part two will be uploaded shortly. Let me know if you want to be a part of a tag-list!!

“She’s going on a mission by herself?”

Shoko turned around in her seat and watched a very out of character Satoru talk to their teacher, Masamichi. He wasn’t one for caring for others and [Name] was no exception.

They all trusted in her technique to exorcize curses and believed she could do anything with it. Her power level was just as strong as Gojo Satoru’s. 

“Your caring side is showing, Satoru,” Suguru teased and the white haired male turned around with his finger pointing at Suguru accusingly. 

“You were the first one to speak about her solo mission! I was only speaking up for yourself since you won’t do it. Anyways,” Satoru turned his attention back to Masamichi, “this mission is too tough on a first year like her, don’t you think? I can handle it within a minute.”

“Here he goes again with his ego,” Shoko snickered and tossed the lollipop in her mouth around with a cheeky smile on her round face. 

Knock knock 

“Excuse me.” [Name]’s gentle voice was heard on the other side, “It’s [L.Name] [Name], I’m here for my mission.” 

Satoru disappeared instantly from Masamichi’s view and reappeared at his desk acting laidback. His long legs were crossed on top of his desk and his hands were in his pockets, his chair leaning back with his weight. 

“Talk about desperation,” Suguru teased. 

“And he said it was unfair to choose a favorite first year student.” Shoko added more flames to the fire. 

“Would you two shut it?” Satoru harshly whispered then the door slid open with [Name] walking in all her cute glory. She was as tall as Utahime, but was nothing like her fierce nature. [Name] was calm and sweet just like her blessed energy. 

“Welcome, [Name], I want you to know that your mission comes straight from the higher ups and they requested for you specifically.” 

“The higher ups? You mean like The Elders?” 

The three second year students could tell she was very confused by the whole thing. They said nothing though because they wanted to hear the specifics of the mission. It was an odd request for a first year like her to be requested by the council of old men. 

Masamichi nodded his head and explained some more, “They have concerns of cursed wombs being born. As such, people with cursed energy or any type of cursed technique cannot fight them else they’ll be born and become a special grade.”

“Oh,” [Name] said with a tilted head and blank face, “you said wombs?” She went back to her normal expression of confusion and began to ramble on in fear, “Please don’t tell me there is more than one. If there is more than one, why is this a solo mission? I’m only a first year and sure, my blessed technique is one of a kind, but I just received Nami’s Miracle. And now I’m really not sure this mission is suited for me. I’m not invincible and I can seriously face some fatal injuries, you do know that right? The Elders know that I can-”

She stopped herself from speaking any more because now it all made sense. She could die on this mission. The Elders surely know this and it scared her. The words of Naobito Zen’in ringing in her ears. 

“Many are afraid of a little girl like you using such an unknown energy that they cannot comprehend. But if you accept the proposal I gave you, you don’t have to be afraid of death.”

[Name] took a deep breath in and reassured herself that she could handle this. She is the potential vessel of a goddess. If the human side of herself could not handle these demons then she is not worthy of Nami’s power. “I apologize for my rambling. I may have gotten ahead of myself and I show no disrespect to the higher ups. Is there anything else I should know?”

The second years were observant to the quick flip of the switch she had. Their teacher spoke up with the clearing of his throat. Masamichi knew [Name] was a hard-working student, but her freedom was far from her reach. 

“When you finish this mission, you are going to become a special grade sorcerer. The higher ups will also grant your clan immunity from prosecution.”

“Immunity from prosecution?” [Name] questioned nonchalantly. She had to keep this front up because The Elders were really pissing her off with this mission, with their ideologies, with their insensitive thinking. They already got rid of her family and the only reason she was still alive was because she inherited the amazing blessed technique. 

“There’s nothing left in my clan besides me. Immunity means nothing to me. In the end, they’ll still have control over me. All they ever care about is me, me, me. How do they get rid of me? How can they control more of me?”

She bowed her head and apologized to the tall man, “Again, I’m rambling. I shall be going now. This mission is very important for a first year like me. I won’t disappoint the others.” [Name] swiftly turned around and began her journey to her death. No, she couldn’t think like that. This could be her new beginning in Jujustu. She could prove to every doubter that she was strong and that she will remain. 

“Hey, pretty girl.” 

[Name] stopped at the door and in surprise looked over her shoulder to see her upperclassman, Geto, give her a kind smile. He was definitely not calling her a pretty girl. 

“Don’t die on us or Satoru would be very sad.”

Geto snickered along with Shoko, not bothering to hide the fact that they love teasing him. Then Satoru stood up from his seat and declared very loudly, “I don’t care if she dies! Don’t say stupid-” Satoru closed his mouth upon hearing what he said and panicked a bit. 

He looked at [Name] and could decipher that sad smile she gave him easily. Her words crushed his very soul as she shrugged, appearing not bothered by his insensitive words. “You’re not the only one, Gojo-senpai. It’s why this mission is assigned to me, duh!” She stuck her tongue out playfully before walking away with a hum. 

Satoru’s shoulders slumped in defeat and he sat back in his chair with a pout. He covered his head with his arms and grumbled underneath his breath. Geto leaned over and asked, “What was that?”

“Right,” Masamichi interrupted, he didn’t want to hear his boastful student complaining, “onto your mission. Mei Mei and Utahime haven’t returned from their mission yet. It’s been two days and you three are being sent there to help them.” 

“They need help, but my small, little earth-worm doesn’t?” Satoru picked his head up and followed Geto and Shoko to their mission. 

“Before I forget,” Masamichi fixed the papers on the podium into a neat stack, “[Name]’s location shouldn’t be far from where Mei Mei and Utahime are. She may be on the verge of becoming a special grade sorcerer, but she still is a first year. Show her that she doesn’t have to bear the loss of her clan alone.” 

Satoru’s eyes widened, he sometimes thought about his clan being killed off. Although to him it seemed a blur with memories converging in on themselves. He wasn’t worried about his safety because he had the limitless and the six eyes. Satoru was basically untouchable. 

[Name], on the other hand, was bound to the Elders for a reason he didn’t know why. She never talked about her family or how she got this new blessed energy. Everything was very vague when it came to her. She was sweet and sometimes she spoke out of line, but she was obedient and apologized. 

“You can count on us!” Satoru exclaimed and began running off to the designation of his first mission.

……

[Name] opened up the car door and stepped out of the black vehicle with nerves wracking her body. Just ten minutes away, it was all sunny and the birds were singing. Here where she stood was dark and gloomy. The dark clouds loomed over her surroundings and there was a harsh breeze that came in once in a while. She really didn’t like the atmosphere of this place. 

“Miss [L.Name], I will put the veil down now. It’s best if you go in there.” 

[Name] turned around and saw a man giving her a cold stare. She never worked with this assistant before. “What was your name again, sir?” 

“It is Aoimine Senji, miss.” He said without skipping a beat. 

“Remind me of what my mission is Aoimine,” [Name] walked over to the edge of the cliff, her eyes casting down at the pool of water below her. She had an inkling of where the cursed wombs were at and how to get them out without any trouble. 

“You are to get rid of the two cursed wombs at the bottom of this lake before they become a special grade curse. There are other curses around here, so I suggest you proceed with caution.” Aoimine directed and began chanting for the veil to come down. 

[Name] watched the man disappear behind the black veil and she took a deep breath in. “Nami, please watch over me. I have a feeling they plan to kill me here and pass it off as a failed mission.” 

The two bells attached to her waist chimed in response and [Name] jumped off the cliff with her arms in the air. Before the bottom of her soles touched the surface of the water, a lily pad appeared. With each step, a luscious green lilypad grew as her pathway to the center of the murky lake. 

She kneeled down on the lily pads, the cold water soaking her clothes and shoes. She closed her eyes and began searching for the cursed wombs under the water. There was a familiar energy lurking underwater and [Name] captured its location. 

Quickly, the small-like fetus was lifted above the surface with a lily pad. It popped up and [Name] touched it then bubbled it. She stared at it with awe as the bells on her hip chimed with the same reaction she had. The energy with the cursed womb wasn’t cursed energy. Well it had a small amount of it, but she couldn’t believe it. 

“It has blessed energy,” [Name] whispered as she looked down at the bells and took them off her belt. She put the golden bells next to the bubble and they rang erratically with excitement. “Nami, this is…your actual child? That doesn’t make sense though. I was told you hated Sukuna…that you were a maiden tortured by him.”

“Gimme…back my…sibling…” 

[Name] used her teleportation to dodge the massive swing of a beast. She hid herself among the trees as she examined the curse from far away. The bubble was safely in her arms and she had to think of a safe place for it to be in. Her dorm was a no-go, Nanami would kill her if he found a cursed womb in her closet. 

Haibara! He wouldn’t mind as long as she explains it to him. He’d be understanding. [Name] closed her eyes and pictured Haibara’s secret floorboard entrance where they stash all kinds of snacks and drinks away from their party pooper, Nanami. 

“I’ll come back for you,” She promised the fetus and the bubble popped in her hands. Her eyes opened up with a fiery passion to end this battle as quickly as possible. This was going to be her first fight with a special grade. This was going to be the moment to declare herself as Nami’s Vessel. 

The curse was standing at a stance of 7 feet. It had four arms and a single horn protruding from its forehead. “Eat my..sibling..need to…kill it,” It growled again and [Name] appeared from the tree line with her eyes right on the special grade curse. 

“Blessed Technique: Fallen Petals,” [Name] casted out an air attack and petals of roses began falling from the sky. The quiet and smaller curses that lingered in the darkness of the forest cried out as the petals touched them. It burned their skin and the pain was excruciating. 

Fallen Petals will keep them away from her as she fights head on with the special grade. 

[Name] tossed her bells in the air and casted out another attack, “Blessed Technique: Venus’ Melody.” The bells chimed once and loud, the note echoing in the forest and sending large ripples in the lake. Then a blessed weapon dropped in her hands, the bells tied around the hilt of the golden sword. 

“Nami, this being before me, is also your child. Yet you continue to reject it unlike the other one because it pours out an extreme amount of cursed energy out. You had twins with Sukuna, didn’t you?” [Name] dodged the angry child of the Cursed King and sliced its arm off. 

It cried out in pain and shouted at her, “Why me! I didn’t…ask to…be!” 

[Name] was astounded by the speech, this special grade was strong. It understands language and could formulate a sentence. It had to end here. She needed to kill it here and now before it grows more in power.

Suddenly, [Name] was kicked into the sky. The twin’s shin connected with her abdomen with a huge amount of cursed energy. Her stomach felt like it was on fire and her grip on Venus’ Melody was almost lost. She coughed out a heap of blood and sucked in a deep breath, healing her internal wounds within an instant. 

When she reached the peak of the ascent, she wiped her mouth and glared at the twin. Venus’ Melody vibrated in her hands and [Name] was out of the air, teleporting right behind the curse. She cut off another arm and jumped back dodging the strong legs of the monster. 

“This twin has no blessed energy, if it did…as time went on the blessed energy would have devoured the cursed energy. It could completely wipe out the evil,” [Name] watched as the special grade looked at her with interest. 

“You are sister. You are my sister.” It smiled at her as it pointed between the two of them with a childlike excitement. “Little sister, where did you take big brother? I can be…I can be nicer if I eat big brother.” 

[Name] furrowed her eyebrows and lowered her fighting stance. She had to be on guard even if this cursed being was not. She didn’t know what to say to it. Technically, maybe? She was it’s little sister because her mom was Nami’s reincarnation, but- 

“You’re hurting my head with this,” [Name] mumbled in confusion and shook her head. “Big brother will be safe with me. You’re too far gone to be saved. Nami- No wait, our mother cannot…she…” 

I cannot save him as he is.

Nami’s gentle voice echoed in [Name]’s head with clarification. Even still, [Name] couldn’t say that to this creature. Nami instructed to end it and kill the cursed womb. She felt Venus’ Melody changing shape in her hand and she looked down to see that the sword in her hand had turned into a dagger. 

“Do you know what a hug feels like, Haru?” [Name] asked, his name flowing out of her mouth with ease. Haru and Haku, the twins born of Sukuna and Nami’s relationship. Both were sealed away from Sukuna so they could die in peace and not in anger. Nami sealed them away because she knew one day she would save them. 

But Haru was far from saving, the cursed energy overtaking his body. [Name] approached her supposed sibling and said, “A hug is something family members do to show their affection for one another. It reminds one another that ‘I am here for you and that I’ll never leave you’. Do you want to know how it feels?”

She was now standing face to face with the cursed being and Haru nodded his head saying, “A hug from little sister, please.” 

His arms opened up and she jumped into them with her arms going under. She flipped the tip of the blade and felt him holding her tightly. “Sorry for cutting your arms off, Haru,” She apologized and the cursed being laughed, her body shaking with his. 

“Haru forgives little sister for being mean.” 

[Name] scoffed with a small smile on her face and she dug the blessed weapon into his back. “Blessed Technique: Holy Presence.” 

She closed her eyes from the blinding light that grew in Haru’s soul. Her knees crashed into the floor and she felt the dagger in her hand break into a million pieces. 

In order to save my son.

Nami whispered and [Name] opened her eyes to see a magnificent sight. She watched with tears in her eyes seeing Haru’s small body run around her in circles. His boyish laugh was filled with joy and a woman that looked exactly like her mother joined his side. 

[Name] understood now. Nami got rid of a piece of her soul to save Haru which in turn destroyed the technique; Venus’ Melody. She didn’t want to lose Haru because he was a curse. Nami wanted her little boy back to join her in peace and happiness. 

[Name] looked around and scurried to her feet. She ran over to a small seedling of a bush and dug it out. It was still growing, but it fit in the palm of her hand. “Nami, his soul can be transferred here,” [Name] ran back to the spirits and Nami looked down at her with wide eyes. 

“It’s a mock orange shrub and really the only thing I can find is a seedling. Haru, do you want to-”

[Name]’s question was silently answered by the little boy jumping up in excitement. His arms were thrown into the air and he started shouting. She couldn’t hear him in the spirit world, but Nami told her what he said. 

“She’s the best sister ever!” is what he just yelled right now.

[Name] smiled and shrugged her shoulders, “I wouldn’t know, but I promise I’ll watch over Haku as well. I can transfer his soul once I’m at the garden.”

No, Haku can become your guardian when it's time. You have many trials to face, little one. But you won’t be alone. 

[Name] tilted her head and whispered, “Yeah, I know that now. I have older brothers watching over me.” A smile made its way to her face and she hugged the woman and child yelling out, “Group hug!” 

She felt Haru’s arms around her waist and Nami’s arms around her shoulders. 

I’ll be waiting for your return to the garden, little ones. 

[Name] felt their presence leave with Nami disappearing and Haru’s soul resting in the seedling. She clenched the seed in her hand and teleported to the top of the cliff. The veil began falling and she saw the car parked where it was left. 

“Aoimine, the mission is finished,” She opened the back seat door and peeked inside. He wasn’t in the driver’s seat. She straightened out her back and turned around, her eyes looking down at the weapon in a man’s hands. 

SQUELCH![Name] took a deep breath in as she felt a blade dig into her side. 

SQUELCH!

She cried out when the knife stabbed her again in the same spot. 

“Damn it was easier said than done. Their theory was right, you can only sense danger from someone who has cursed energy. Too bad for you, my killer instincts aren't from that.” The unknown man  chuckled with a sinister smirk. He let her body fall onto the tar street and she cried out some more. 

“I’m going to be paid a lot for your assassination, girly,” He laughed in mockery as he kicked her to the side. “That assistant of yours was really weak too. He made sure the veil was still up saying something along the lines of you doing an important job.” 

The man crouched down and his green eyes stared into her soul, “Did you do it? Get rid of the special grade and the cursed womb?” 

[Name] blinked her tears away and scooted away from him the best she could. Her silence bothered the man and he jabbed his thumb into her wound eliciting a painful scream for her. His grip was tight around her abdomen as he dug deeper in, wiggling his thumb around. 

“I asked you a question, now answer it.”

He demanded cruelly and [Name] screamed and cried some more. Her hand clenched tightly onto the seedling. All that was on her mind was that she needed to bring Haru back home. “Yes!” She cried out and left her body at the mercy of his hands, “I got rid of the cursed womb and special grade! Please, stop this!” 

The man laughed and straddled her waist, flipping her onto her stomach. He was so heavy and her blessed technique to heal her body wasn’t working. He grabbed her by the hair and slammed her face down into the street. Her nose had crunched under the force of it. 

“You must be wondering why your wound isn’t healing.” The man breathed heavily as he brought her hands to her back and tied them with rope.  “It’s most likely because your blessed technique is focusing on the poison coursing through your body. I heard that your healing technique can only work on one injury first.”

[Name] blinked her tears away, the salty tears mixing with her fresh blood. This wasn’t how her mission was supposed to end. She saved her brothers, she lost two techniques, despite that she completed her mission. 

“Hmm what’s this in your hand?” 

Her eyes shot open in alarm and she wriggled under the weight of the man. He opened her hand easily and picked the seedling up examining it closely. 

“It’s just a stupid seed.” 

She glared at him from the side and his eyes drifted down to her. His confused face morphing into a conniving expression. “Oh, this thing must be important to you. Eh, don’t care!” He laughed and tossed it to the side, the seedling rolling to a stop by the cliff’s edge. 

“Alright, my girl, I’m almost done with you. Just have to ensure the kill now.”

She felt his blade dig into her back and her head shot up with a scream of utter pain. His cruel laugh was mixing with her yells of fear. He had stabbed her in the back five times and in total of seven; his lucky number. 

Her blood had splattered on his face and he smeared it with his sleeve. [Name] laid silent after the third stab, her blood flowing from the exits of her wounds. Her body was completely still and the man picked her head up by her hair. 

He examined her face and taunted her to see if she would awake, “I’m going to crush that seed of yours, girl. Wake up and it’ll be fine.” [Name] didn’t open her eyes or flinch. The man hummed with dissatisfaction and pinched her broken nose. He received no reaction again and he dropped her face back into the puddle. 

“Sir, we have to go now. Naoya Zen’in is requesting proof of her death.” 

The man lifted himself off of [Name]’s body and he wiped his knife off with a hum, “She’s very beautiful. A shame she needed to be killed all because she rejected a man-child.” 

“Sir, you can’t-”

The assassin rolled his shoulders and began exerting out cursed energy, “It’s time to go, Aoimine. You should also change out of your bloodied clothes.” The two disappeared in the evening light with Aoimine’s shadow technique. 

The sunset’s light had settled on [Name]’s bloodied body. After a few minutes of waiting, her eyes opened up weakly. 

“Haru…” She whispered and with much trouble lifted her hand out towards the seed. Sleep was calling her name gently and she had no more energy in her wounded body. Her hand fell down and her eyes closed with a tear escaping from disappointing Nami. Her body felt cold and empty, she was nothing without her new family. 

Nami. Haru and Haku. Nanami and Haibara. Suguru and Shoko.

Electrifying blue eyes and white hair flashed in her head. His laughter and grin clenched her heart in sadness. She wasn’t going to see him again. 

Satoru…

#x reader #anime imagine #manga imagine #x female reader #gojo satoru x reader #jjk gojo #jjk x reader #gojo satoru imagine #gojo x reader #the wife of gojo satoru

[sublimecatgalaxy]

Can we get something longer about Steve Harrington x reader but the reader is the “middle child” in the Wheeler family. Like she’s a year younger or so than Steve and Nancy but older than mike.

Some angst and shit.

Yes. Didn't realize I needed this. I also didn't realize I needed flirty!best-friend!Eddie but I do. I'm really proud of this, lowkey.

Normal, general warnings; swearing, mentions of sex, flirty banter; reader is 18 and a senior in high school.

"He doesn't even look at me, Eds." I huff, flopping down onto Eddie's bed with an over-exaggerated sigh, a playful pout on my lips as he plucks at the strings of his guitar. He just shakes his head with a laugh, bangs falling in his eyes as he slips the pick from between his lips before pointing it at me.

"Then he's blind. Have you seen your rack?" He scoffs, rolling his eyes and laughing at my offended gasp, my hands grabbing the nearest pillow, tossing it in his direction but missing him completely. "Stellar, dude, ten out of ten." His tongue clicks as I sigh, resting my hands on my stomach as I stare up at the cracks lining the ceiling.

"I don't look like Nancy, I don't act like Nancy but I'm nothing like Mike so what would there even be for Steve to like about me?" I ask genuinely, feeling the joking attitude leaving the room as he sighs, abandoning his guitar to crawl his way onto the bed, laying facing me.

"You gotta stop thinkin' like that sweetheart." He whispers, watching me with furrowed brows as I sigh, my stomach twisting in painful knots.

He's the only one who knows about my feelings for Steve, the only one I'd ever trust with such fragile information. I couldn't tell Nancy, even though she's one of my best friends and my older sister, mainly because she's Steve's ex and first love. It would ruin our relationship to learn that I have had feelings for him longer than they've even known each other, just sitting back in the shadows and watching, crying.

Eddie had been there for me through everything, watching me watch him, a supportive hand on my back for me to fall into, letting him engulf me in hugs and marijuana. He knows more than anyone what it's like to have feelings for someone you just shouldn't but in my case it's different with the fact that he dated my sister, practically babysits my younger brother, and the most important detail, that I'm a year and a half younger than him.

He's graduated from high school, free and happy in his first year without needing to show up and be someone he's not. Him and Robin have their gig at Family Video and he has time to be himself outside of the cattiness and cliques that high school comes with.

But me?

Dating a soon-to-be high school senior just wasn't on the list of things that older guys found attractive. I'm not a cheerleader, I don't have any secret talents and I'm not intellectually at Eddie's or any of the Hellfire clubs level. I'm just plain and average, with (apparently) a good rack.

Nowhere in the realm of Steve 'the hair' Harrington's type.

Maybe it's because he's known me almost my whole life. He watched me grow up from two grades ahead of me, he saw me through braces and the awkwardly shaped glasses I had for years. He saw me through every phase, every cycle, every crush before him; he saw me. But he never saw me in the way that present me wishes he had.

Instead he saw Nance. And who could blame him.

"You wanna go to the video store? Make him jealous?" Eddie teases, pulling a smile out of me as I roll onto my side to face him and his wide, bright puppy dog eyes. "I mean, I could take you straight back to the porn section and tell him it's movie night." A cringed smile appears on my lips as he rolls around laughing, smacking my thigh as he sits up. "C'mon, I'm not going to let you sit around here and mope." He claps his hands and stands between my thighs, giving me a testing, motivational look as I whine.

"But Eddie-"

"No bitching! Chop, chop, woman!" He pulls me off of the bed without warning, tugging me through his trailer as I fight to put my shoes on.

By the time he's pulling up to the video store, it's safe to say that neither of us have any sort of plan in mind. We couldn't just walk in there with no intent, right? Him and Steve are friends, I guess, since the things that happened with Vecna but there would be no reason for me to be there. Steve wasn't even aware Eddie and I were that close to begin with.

"I can literally see the smoke coming out of your ears. The gears are turnin' a bit too hard." My head thumbs against the headrest as he laughs, turning off the car as he reaches over to un-click my seatbelt. "Let's go." I push open the door with a sigh, my feet suddenly feeling weighed down with every anxious step I take towards the front doors. Eddie gives me a reassuring nod as his hand lands on my back, his arm reaching over my head to hold the door open for me.

"Oh, it's two-wheeler!" Robin cheers, clapping her hands as I roll my eyes at the nickname. She was adamant on calling me that and has since finding out that I'm the second oldest Wheeler child, her face lighting up the minute she came up with it and it rolled off her tongue in the upside-down. Eddie sends the girl a wave as she tips her imaginative hat, resting her arms against the counter as she grins. "What can I get you fine folk?" Eddie looks to me hesitantly, biting at his lip as I try my best to come up with an explanation on the spot.

"Hey, Robin, I-" My head tilts to see Steve approaching us, his brows furrowing as he stops in his place. He looks genuinely confused, his finger lifting to point between the two of us. "This is a weird pair." He blinks, looking past me at Robin.

"I was just asking what they needed help with. Don't worry, I can do my job." I snicker under my breath at the tired look Steve throws her way, but I'm quickly reminded of my job at hand when Steve walks by me, the smell of hairspray and cologne rushing past me.

"Since when are you two friends?" Steve asks, lifting himself up onto the counter as his legs swing, hands clasped in his lap as I look to Eddie once more.

"Since when are you her keeper?" Eddie's sarcasm drips from his tongue as I bump him with my hip and he wraps an arm around my shoulder, my eyes rolling at the proximity. Eddie knows better than anyone that he's the only person I'd let speak for me, knowing full well his comebacks are ten times better than mine ever could be.

The amount of times he's won fights for me, on my behalf, is astounding.

"Are you two, like, dating?" Robin asks curiously and I snort, reaching up to cover my face as Eddie ruffles my hair.

"Nah, she's like a groupie, ya know? Follows me around and shit, it's kinda weir- hey!" My fingers immediately pinch at his side as he cowers away from me, his finger immediately pointing at me as I giggle at his angry expression. "What did I say about the pinching? So not cool." He straightens his jacket as I throw my arms up in surrender. "Anywho, Robin, care to help me look for a movie that shortshit and I can watch tonight?" He asks, the freckled girl's brows raising as she tosses a hesitant look back to Steve. Steve just crosses his arms over his shoulders, looking away from her as she turns back around.

"Uh, sure. Come with me." Eddie mutters a quick 'stay here' under his breath as he brushes past me, sending me a wink as he follows Robin down one of the aisles. I gulp as Steve hops down from the counter, making his way over to the counter that separates us, his arms sliding towards me as he leans over the glass.

"Why're you hanging out with him? What could you possibly have in common- he's like two years older than you." Steve scoffs, looking up at me through his lashes as I shrug, wrapping my arms around myself protectively as I shift my weight between feet.

"And you're like three years older than Max yet she's always with you when you hang out with Dustin." I retort, his face falling and eyes rolling and he straightens up, his palms flattening against the glass with a sigh.

"That's different, Eddie literally flirts with you, kid."

"Don't call me that." The words come out before he can even finish his sentence. His brows skyrocket in confusion and shock at the sternness of my tone, but there's angry tears waiting to spill from my eyes as I blink them away the best I can.

"Y/n, seriously-"

"I mean it, I'm not a kid. You gotta stop treating me like one." I clear my throat, reaching up to brush a hand through my hair as his lips part as I continue. "I am less than a year younger than Nancy, Steve. So what's this huge divide between treating her like an adult and treating me like the rest of the fucking kids you babysit?" My voice raises in octaves and volume as he shushes me, his finger pressed to his lips as his face falls. His eyes nervously flicker over my expression and he leans towards me again.

"Woah, are you really upset about this?" He whispers curiously, my heart aching in my chest as my eyes flicker down to my shoes. "C'mere." He offers, catching my attention as he nods towards the break room. Giving the store a look, my eyes catch Eddie's as he nods slowly, mouthing a slow 'you're okay' and a soft smile spreads over my lips. My feet carry me behind the counter and into the break room, my heart pounding in my chest as Steve closes the door behind us. I try to bite at my lip to keep it from wobbling sadly but Steve notices quickly, taking a step towards me. "Hey, alright. Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was making you feel that way." His hand reaches up to rest on my upper arm, thumb brushing over my skin soothingly.

"You don't realize a lot, Harrington." My words come out more bitter and spiteful than I intended, Steve's body tensing as if I smacked him across the face.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Do you know how many times I held Nancy while she cried about how big of an asshole you were, even though I just wanted to scream in her face that she was the asshole?" I quiz, eyes squinting up at him as his lips part in a silent answer but I don't give him time to respond before going on. "Nancy was practically cheating on you and she couldn't even tell you she loved you, Steve. You shouldn't have to beg people to tell you that they love you, but you did. And in the process, you ignored the people who actually give a shit about you." I laugh bitterly, running my hands down my face as I lean against the table behind me.

But here I am, wanting nothing more than to beg him to love me.

"Who did I ignore?" He asks, his face twisted up in confusion as his sweaty hands soothe over the front of his jeans. I know he hates disappointing people, upsetting them, especially when he didn't intend it. So, this is possibly the biggest bomb that could've ever been dropped on him today.

"I sat and I watched. For fucking years." I huff, eyes fluttering shut to avoid his gaze that makes me want to melt into the floor here and now. He's so gently curious and worried, my ears tuning in on the sound of him coming closer to me. "I gave Nancy advice for a year, I was the one who revised your English papers and college applications, not Nancy. She'd give them to me, thank me, and go about her day." I admit, my eyes opening again just in time to see his betrayed expression, his head tilting a bit as his eyes lock on the ceiling. He thinks for a moment with a small pout on his lips before sighing, his eyes flickering back and forth between mine sadly.

"You think I ignored you?" His voice is laced with sadness and disappointment but I can't tell if it's directed at me or himself. His shoulders deflate at my small nod, my heart slowly chipping and cracking in my chest at his dismal smile.

"You still do."

"Bullshit." He laughs, shaking his head as my brows lift, waiting for him to go on. "Do you realize I can't even call and leave messages on your phone because Nancy might hear them. So I call, like an idiot, hoping that you'd be the one to pick up so I don't have to ask if you're home but you're never home." My breathing catches a bit in my throat as my brain processes the thought of Steve standing at the phone, anxious to call me. "Is it cuz you're at Eddie's?"

"He's the only one who doesn't treat me like I'm Nancy's younger sister or Mike's older sister or that one girl who helped solve that Russian code that one time." I explain but he doesn't seem pleased with it. His head dips forward as he mutters a quiet 'oh my god' under his breath, hands reaching up to slick back his hair in frustration. "Am I not allowed to have friends?"

"I'm your friend!" His fingers point to himself as he laughs bitterly.

"No you're not." I whisper, heart pounding violently against my ribs as he huffs out a whine, confused as to why I'm being so mean. "I don't want you to be my friend, Steve- fuck!"

"Then what do you want from me?" He asks frantically, his hands reaching forward to take mine in his. My sad smile returns at the contact, loving the way his thumb is brushing mine in reassurance as his eyes so desperately try to meet my gaze.

"Everything." I huff but it's not much of an explanation. I can tell I'm not helping his confusion, his head only shaking gently, urging me to go on, to explain what's going on in my head. "I'm not Nancy, I'm nothing like her." I gulp, looking up at him as he gives me a deadpanned look, almost saying 'well duh'. "I'm the black sheep of my family and maybe that's why I get along with Eddie so much. But him and I could never date because all I talk about is you and you're all I've talked about for years." I bite at my lip the moment I'm done with my confession to keep myself from saying more, watching as Steve's expression practically goes through the fave stages of grief in only a few moments.

"Wha-" He cuts himself off as anxious tears continue to fill my eyes, frustrated and waiting for the inevitable of 'I don't feel that way about you'. "Fuck, really?" He asks in a hushed voice, dropping my hands from his as he takes a step back, breaking my heart even more.

"Don't say it like that." I whimper, quickly reaching up to bat the tears away from my cheeks as he curses, holding his hand out.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that." He laughs nervously, resting his hands on his hips as his eyes flicker over my trembling frame. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Why didn't I- Steve you were fucking my sister in the next room over and I would lay there and sob. Sorry I couldn't profess my love." His frown deepens, hands reaching back towards me as he pulls me into a hug.

"S-Should've told me." He mutters against my hairline, nuzzling his nose against me as my eyes flutter shut.

"You made me feel like I was just a kid to you- like a kid sister." My fingers toy with the edge of his shirt, folding it between my fingers as he cringes.

"Gross, no." He laughs, leaning back to look down at me, hands sliding to rest on my lower back. "It was never my intention to treat you like that. Maybe I was overcompensating the platonic part a bit to cover up the other stuff." He laughs to himself as my brows pull together.

"Other stuff?"

"Stuff like when Nancy was watching Jonathan, I was watching you put makeup on in that mirror by the front door in your house." He admits, eyes skirting lower than mine as his cheeks warm in embarrassment. "O-or, uh, I'd come over to eat dinner with your folks and I would watch you do dishes from the other room, trying to chalk up the nerve to go and offer to help you." A sincere smile slips onto my lips at his bashfulness, my hands moving to rest on his waist as I peer up at him through my lashes. "Whenever you weren't looking, I was."

"Could've been doing more than looking." I tease, watching as his brows skyrocket, his lips parting in a shocked laugh.

"Should've been." He whispers with a grin, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm here now." My head bobs in a simple nod, tucking my lip between my teeth as I coyly look up at him as silence looms around us. He just smiles, neck craning as his nose brushes against mine. My stomach swirls at his proximity, my head spinning as his lips tentatively skim against mine.

Taking charge, I close the gap between us, my hands gripping his t-shirt in my fists as he kisses me softly. It's better than I ever could've imagined, his lips way softer and careful but maybe it's because it's me. I'm not just another girl he hooks up with messily, no, this is different.

His hand reaches up, fingers skimming along my jaw as he angles my chin, deepening the kiss as I gasp, lips parting instinctively as he laughs, forehead resting against mine as we catch our breath.

Suddenly the door opens behind us, Steve immediately taking a hefty step back from me as Robin and Eddie appear in the doorway. Eddie looks proud and smug, his head nodding and he claps his hands at the two of us. Robin just sighs, clasping her hands in front of her.

"Fucking finally."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o- Taglist: @bubblebuttwade @rafelover2405 @leslienjazzy @sorceresss @grxnde-dwt @alex–awesome–22 @bunnietoof @niyamar1e @serialghost @plantlungs @geniusohn @akaliltimmytim @lilaalouuxx @xshariex @elliotsbeigeguitar @elle4404 @lelieja @srhxpci @joselyn001 @taysirene @spinkspanther @thedivineuphoria @peter-maximoffs @tsukishimawhore @poohkie90 @szlaco @distantsighs @nstyles4299 @wolflover384 @givemefoodandlovesstuff @vane28282 @yeswhatever33 @amirrahfranson @vvaalleennttiinna @f-mu @yaspillz @jeyramarie @skylievin@abbybarnes17 @jointherebellion215 @visiondaddy @steezysimfinds @its-ya-gay-boi-luigi @crunchytoenailsyum@glizzymcguirex @beth123lg @melovesmut @rafecameronswhore @ariianelle @write-from-the-heart @vampviolets@haylee-e@popehaywardssecretgf @honee-chai-tea @lokiandbuckywife @smoke-and-fire @officiallyunofficialperson@heyaitsklaudia@rosepetalsparks @bluetreecloud20 @scenesofobx @double-shot-of-tequila @1dluver13xx @colbysbrocks @iamasimpingh0e @smoke-and-fire386 @loveshineslikethesky @id-3-kbro @diorsitgirl @errorfound101-allideasburnedout @neverwillknowme18 @ellyskey @taylors-folk @loversjoy

#steve #steve harrington #steve x reader #steve harrington x reader #stranger things #stranger things fic

[graciegoeskrazy]

making an aesthetic out of not doing well

ross macdonald + teen!daughter!reader

warnings: uh okay, language???? i think, public school, mentions of bullies, mentions of absent momma, my brain isn’t working lmk what else i missed, angst (but ofc i mean it’s me), fluff ending

a/n: this one is for @ccsandman and @ccsandman only🙏🏽 (that was a joke plz enjoy)

It could be because you started in the middle of the year or your academic achievements, or simply because they hated you, but you were the bullseye on everyone's target for some reason. It had been three months since you started back in public, in-person school. You loved online schooling. You could still have your friends, you were ahead nearly 2 whole grade levels, and you had your father through it during the whole thing. Granted, tagging along on a world tour with your dad and his best friends as a 14-year-old was unconventional on paper, it was fun. You two made it work, and you loved the little life the two of you had created. Your father was always overprotective. You were his heart and soul, his only child, how could he not be? He was always ready to hurt whoever broke your heart and knew you better than the back of his hand. He raised you alone, his only child, starting at the ripe age of 20. A young love turned sour. They were madly in love and were determined to make it work, but as the years went on, your mother had enough and left. He had his support systems (none of which being your mother) and was set on creating the best life possible for you.

You came through the back door like you normally do. You never said a word. No “Hey, I’m home.” or “Hello!” today. Instead, you went straight to the kitchen and found your dad in his usual spot on the counter. He was prepping dinner like normal, making a point to sit and have meals with you now that he was on a break from touring. You didn't say anything. You just dropped your bag at your feet and ran into your dad from the side. You rocked him a little bit which made him smile, not expecting the embrace.

“Hey, how was school?” He asked, putting the utensils down and wrapping his arms around you. You stayed quiet for a second, letting a few tears slip out and silently hoping your dad wouldn’t notice. He raised you your entire life. You both practically spent almost every second of every waking day together. Sometimes it felt as if he knew you better than you knew yourself. You could try and play your emotions off as much as you wanted to, but he could see right through you.

“It was fine.” You mumbled into his chest. He paused for a second. After a moment you quickly moved out of his embrace and walked away, afraid that he was going to catch your tears. It was too late though. “Woah, woah woah. It doesn’t sound fine. What happened?”

You shrugged and grabbed your backpack. “Nothing. I’m fine. I just needed a hug.”

“Y/n Macdonald.” You stopped. He grabbed your shoulders and turned you towards him. “Stop lying.”

“I’m not lying!” You yelled defensively.

He did his iconic dad pose, hand on the hips with a tilted head and all. “You’re being 100% truthful with me?”

You broke, you couldn't take it anymore. Plus it was no use fighting him when you knew he was right. You buried your face in your hands and your dad slowly melted off his stoic pose and pulled you into a tight hug. “Breathe,” he whispered. You did as he said. He guided you through each breath “Again.” Eventually, your sparatic breathing slowed and you pulled away. You sat up straight, trying to look ‘normal’, still ready to convince him that nothing was indeed wrong. He wasn't about to have it though.

“Now, I’m going to ask you again, and I would like for you to answer me honestly. Okay?” You nodded. He took a breath before continuing. “Hi, darling. How was school today?”

You finally met his eyes. “It was so shit, Dad.”

He sighed and you started, “I hate that school, everyone there is stupid pricks who think that everything is about them and everything revolves around them. And my teachers don’t give a shit about their behavior and let them do whatever the hell they want and I’m left to deal with the repercussions. And I have so much fucking homework and I’m so overwhelmed.” He pulled you into a hug, tighter than before, and kissed your forehead. He led you to the couch and you immediately fell into him. He chuckled a bit at how you got so comfortable so easily. “And I don’t know why but I’m starting to not sleep again and it’s pissing me off I got 2 hours of sleep last night combined and everything just sucks. And you're about to leave in a couple of weeks and I don’t want you to leave.”

You sobbed into him. He just did his best to comfort you, not entirely sure if he should speak yet. “I’m sorry.” You said.

He suddenly grew confused. “For what?”

You shrugged, not entirely sure how to make your point. “For you having to…deal with me?”

“I'm your father, it’s kind of my thing.” You laughed and fell into him again. He continued. “I’m sorry I thought you would like real school, making new friends, instead of being stuck to a computer screen all day.”

“I’m doing that anyway, but this time it’s just inside a bland, brick building. And I do have friends, it’s just that none of them go to my school.”

Ross thought for a moment. On one hand, he wanted you to be ‘normal’, but most of all he just wanted you to be happy. “You know I have my doubts-”

“I know…”

“But if it’s what’ll make you happy then let’s do it.”

You shot up. “Does that mean I can come with you!?”

He gave you a look.“...I’ll think about it.”

“EEP! Im texting George to let him know!” You said, getting up to head to your room, and pulling out your phone is the process.

“I didn’t say yes yet!”

You looked back at him. “But I know you will.”

And you were right. You always had him wrapped around your little finger. Ross let out a sigh. “Yeah, I will.”

#x daughter!reader #the 1975 #ross macdonald #ross macdonald x daughter!reader

[thenon-fictiondays]

Hirano to Kagiura light novel translation 4-3

Chapter 4: Fall.

Part 3

Prev || Next

The cultural festival is 10 days away.

The deadline for ordering materials and ingredients has passed, and they have finally reached the peak of making sign boards and interior decorations.

At this time of year alone, many students come to school on the weekends. They should hope to finish preparing by today or tomorrow after school, but they can’t take time away from club activities.

Cultural clubs also have opportunities to present their club activities, and athletic clubs have long practices throughout the year. Making the most of one’s time in the midst of all this is in line with the school’s culture of valuing independence—or so one might think, but this tight schedule is the reason why each and every one of the executive committee members’ grades are allegedly dropping.

Midterm exams themself are next month, but they’re going to cover a lot of material. The contrast with the first semester, which had two rounds of exams in a short cycle, has even Hirano letting out a sigh.

At any rate, high school is much more challenging as a whole compared to middle school. Their teachers tell them to go visit their dream schools’ open campus days and school fairs, and in the same breath warn them that their comprehension level here will reflect in their scores on the national practice exam.

Autumn tends to be a hectic time, for second years and first years alike.

“Hirano-san, apparently there’s gonna be another typhoon in our area the day after tomorrow.”

His kouhai had come home looking restless; lately his mood has been going from sunny to rainy and back again in perfect tandem with the weather report.

Even Kagiura, who has been in a rush of busyness come second semester, has taken on a certain air of dignity in Hirano’s eyes, but right now it’s like he’s a child again. It’s as if every day is just before a field trip.

“That figures, at this time of year.”

“I wonder if next weekend will be okay…” His sigh is punctuated with a dry cough, and he fishes a lozenge out of his pocket. Maybe his throat is bothering him.

“Who knows? Well, there’s a backup day in case the festival day gets rained out.”

“Was last year okay?”

A clacking sound comes from Kagiura’s mouth, as if the lozenge knocked against his teeth.

“Hmm, how was it…I don’t remember, so prob’ly nothing happened.”

“The teacher did say it’ll only be canceled in case of heavy rain, so it seems like we’ll use the space below the gym or something, but I feel like we all might not fit…”

“Oh, right. So that’s what the courtyard booths are gonna do, huh? Sorry, I dunno.”

“I gotcha. Thanks anyway!”

“Speaking of which, have you guys worked out the schedule for your shifts yet? If I’m gonna go, I might as well go when you’re gonna be there.”

“We have, but…if we’re gonna coordinate, then I want to go around the festival with you.”

“Me?”

“I know this is last-minute, so if you already have someone else to go with, I’m cool with it.”

Yeah, that’s definitely the face of someone who’d be cool with it.

His kouhai’s expression has immediately gotten pouty, and Hirano isn’t sure if he’s going to give up quickly or dig his heels in.

“Maybe in the morning, then. All the stalls that have food are gonna be pretty crowded around noon, so I wanna get something to tide me over before then. Scout out where you wanna go ahead of time. I’ll keep an eye out, too.”

“Sure!”

Hirano opens a question packet so he doesn’t disturb Kagiura, who’d sat at his desk after declaring then I’m gonna do homework until dinnertime! The pauses between the sounds of the mechanical pencil scratching haltingly over the paper are punctuated with the occasional cough.

Like raindrops dripping on a rainy day, the slow moment stretches on, until he’s almost in a trance.

When Hirano, who’s gotten a bit worried, strains to listen, it seems like Kagiura’s drinking a lot more water than normal.

That’s understandable, he thinks.

The summer heat is still going strong; this kind of weather makes you want to jump in a pool during the daytime, while the days that turn into chilly nights are growing more frequent. 

Kagiura may be physically fit, but this can’t be an easy time for him, what with him bustling around for the festival executive committee and working up a sweat at morning and evening practices.

At the moment, it might just be a sore throat, but he’s the type that doesn’t know his own limits, so he needs to take care of himself before it turns into a full-on cold.

He’s probably stupidly resilient, though.

*****

Prev || Next

As always, huge thank you to reading list members @jeizet, @jujupanic, @massyworld, @umbreonwolfy, @acidsuzanne-blog, @neoday, @lary-the-lizard, @tsmginc 💖 you guys rock also sorry for tagging you in a post I immediately deleted lmao

#also i recently discovered that tunglr has been hiding notes from me and that i've apparently been missing some reading list members #so if you've left a tip and haven't been getting tagged in updates please send me a message to lmk! #hirano to kagiura #hirano and kagiura #hirano to kagiura ln #hirano to kagiura translation #kagihira #sasaki to miyano #harusono shou #kagiura akira #hirano taiga

[kangamommynow]

April in School

April 1 and I'm in my house freezing. Took the dog for a walk this morning and my fingers were numb. Look, Wisconsin weather, this is bullshit. Basically no winter this year, but we're holding onto the illusion of it too long.

My students wanted to play a prank on their other teacher today. We looked up some ideas at recess and the only one that didn't require a lot of planning ahead was that everyone should switch seats and act like normal. So when we came in from lunch, we all sat at random desks, including me. Julia looked around confused and finally was like, "ok then, what's up?" All the kids laughed. Not a big prank, but enough to thrill a bunch of 11 year olds.

There's two and a half months of school left this year. That's nothing. I feel the pressure, and I'm sure many of the students feel middle school looming ahead. Considering how far behind most of them are (from a general 5th grade standards level), I'm not surprised.

I hate the concept of "being behind". You are where you are. You need what you need. You know what you know. There's just an awful lot they don't know yet. Things they are expected to know for next year and they just... don't. Yet. But unless they actually want to learn it, no amount of dancing around and teaching it is going to help. We try to point out why they should learn it - how it will help them achieve their goals. We try to make it interesting, because it is. We try to teach it in new ways. and they just. don't care. Which sucks because I know they actually will need it later and I really do want them to be invested in growing on their path. Not to be stuck on the only paths left to them.

Example from today: So-and-so has $20. He buys something for x, y, and z. How much does he have left? They figured out that they needed to add x, y, and z. And then they tried to subtract that from $20. Here's the problem. They suck at borrowing, and $20.00 requires borrowing three times. It's confusing. So I encouraged them to think of a different way. Add up from the amount spent to $20, which is how you would deal with it at a cash register anyway. They looked at me like I was insane.

Another example: So-and-so has $22 and spends all of it, the same amount each day, for lunch for the next 5 days. How much does he spend every day? The first response is that you can't divide 22 by 5. Yes you can, when you consider decimals. Then they tried 3, 4, and 5. Once they figured out, with help, that $4 and some cents were required, they got stuck. $4 a day for 5 days makes $20. There's $2 left over. How can you split $2.00 into 5? That stumped them. sigh. Most of them got there by trial and error, but the concept that 200/5 is something they can do in their heads eluded them.

They'll be fine. I hope. They are a good bunch of kids. They're just 11.

[whumpr]

My Blood, My Holy Wine: Part Two

“Are you going to sing to me?” Mariano asked...

Part One Here

Contains: Kitchen Injury, Healing Magic, Dismemberment, Captivity, Background character death, Blades, Gore Mariano was hard at work in the kitchen. Normally that would be a death sentence: a guarantee of a burned grilled cheese and a kitchen full of smoke. But this time he was only chopping onions. Izan would be home soon, and he’d asked someone to have ingredients prepped for him to cook.

Soft music filled the sunlit living room along with the steady, rhythmic sound of Mariano’s knife against the cutting board. Laredo was playing some colorful video game on the television–on mute, thankfully, Miguel recognized this one as particularly obnoxious. But with Mariano’s music as the soundtrack, it was pleasant. He almost felt like letting himself drift off on the couch.

But a sharp gasp sounded through the otherwise peaceful room, snapping Laredo and Miguel both to attention as Mariano whispered quiet curses to himself from the kitchen.

Miguel was up first. Laredo didn’t follow, but he set his controller down to listen.

Mariano was standing in front of the counter, elbows resting on the marble and his head dropped forward between his forearms. He had his left hand clutched in his right, a handful of paper towels held firmly over it.

“Let me see.” Miguel demanded. Stepping forward to take Mariano away from the counter.

“It’s fine.” Mariano insisted, shaking his head. Miguel guided him to face him anyway. He brought Mariano’s hand down to his level and carefully took the towel away.

Miguel winced at the sight of the cut. It was deeper than he could have expected, with blood welling to the surface the moment the pressure was removed.

“Oh, that’s going to need stitches.” Mariano said with a calm disappointment in his voice. Blood dripped to the floor in the time it took Miguel to process the sight of it. He pressed the paper towels back down with more pressure.

“Shit,” Laredo interjected from the living room. “Okay. I’ll get my keys and the first aid kit.”

Miguel shook his head, guiding Mariano to hold his hands over the sink. He took the bloodied paper towels away and placed them into the garbage. He cupped his hands around Mariano’s. “No, it’s fine.”

“Are you going to sing to me?” Mariano asked, a subtle smirk playing on his lips.

“Do you want stitches?”

Mariano laughed, warm and deep. “No, no. I’m sorry. Go ahead.” __

Dimitri was–and Miguel assured others there was no exaggeration–a giant fucking baby when he was sick.

He was whiney, and demanding, and ridiculously sensitive any time there was anything slightly wrong with him. A low grade fever, a bout of nausea, anything that lasted more than a few minutes was grounds for him to hold the entire house hostage.

In this case it was a migraine, and Miguel was the only one at home to torment. Dimitri laid on his side, with his head in Miguel’s lap and his face pressed into his stomach.

Miguel had offered to get him a glass of water and a handful of ibuprofen; Dimitri had told him not to even think about moving from his spot. So Miguel sat there, scrolling on his silenced phone as Dimitri pressed himself closer every couple of minutes.

“Close the blinds.” Dimitri mumbled into Miguel’s stomach.

Miguel looked to the living room window; the blinds were wide open and brilliant sunlight danced in from the sunset outside.

He nodded, starting to untangle Dimitri’s arms from his waist. Dimitri held him tighter, groaning in protest. Miguel fought a laugh.

“I have to get up to close the blinds.” He whispered.

“Magic.” Dimitri answered.

“What?” Miguel asked.

Dimitri reached up with one hand, taking Miguel’s wrist and aiming his hand forcefully at the window.

“Fucking. Magic.” Dimitri mumbled forcefully into Miguel’s stomach.

Miguel looked at the blinds. They were the kind without the pull cord, so that would be a little easier. But still a bit too precise at this range.

“Dimitri that is… way too minute of a movement. I could pull the blinds down, I might as well just get up and-”

Dimitri cut him off with a long, dramatic groan. Strong, lanky arms pulled him closer with a firm insistence.

Miguel stopped protesting, raising one arm to the blinds and slowly, carefully, summoning a hand to pull them closed. He flipped the lightswitch on the wall before he dismissed his magic.

The living room was dark. Miguel felt Dimitri relax against him.

“The spell.” Dimitri demanded.

“You want the Holy Wine spell?” Miguel threaded his fingers into Dimitri’s hair.

“No, I want to watch you breathe fire.” He answered. “Yes. Holy Wine. Please.”

Miguel laughed, placing his fingers on Dimitri’s temple. “Okay, okay.” He whispered.

“Sing this time.” Dimitri added.

“God, no.”

“Sing this time or I’ll open the blinds and make myself worse.”

”Okay, okay. God.”

His voice was low and quiet, unsupported notes indicative of someone who’d only rarely sang aloud for another person. But with a voice only meant for Dimitri, Miguel ran his fingers into that long blonde hair, leaned back, and sang for him. __

The room smelled like mold and blood. Unnatural darkness shrouded everything in sight. Massive, shadowed hands twisted wildly in grotesque, uncanny shapes–they stuttered and twitched like frightened animals, clutching at the walls and the bars of the cell.

Miguel kept himself curled in the corner; two massive hands were cupped around him like a shield, protecting him as he curled against the damp brick wall. He kept his eyes screwed shut, refusing to risk looking at the mangled corpse of the coven guard across his cell. He kept his shirt pulled over his nose, though by now it too smelled like the gore that filled the room.

Why hadn’t they taken the body away? How long had it been laying there? Was this torture in and of itself?

“My- my blood, my holy wine. My blood. My blood, my holy wine, you taste so bitter and so sweet…” Miguel stammered through the verse, his tattoo wouldn’t respond to his stuttering. He kept trying.

The last time he looked at the dead cultist, their whip had still been in their hand. It was metal and segmented, covered in jagged blades that stuck out like teeth. Miguel’s hands moved up to his neck, where evenly spaced lacerations still bled onto his ragged shirt.

“You’re my blood, my holy wine, you–you taste so bitter and so sweet.”

He didn’t know what happened. He had felt the whip wrap around his neck, and his magic took over. He could have handled the lashes, but they took one look at the runes on his back and made other plans.

“You’re my blood, you’re my holy wine. You taste so bitter and so sweet. I could drink… a case of you, darling…”

Panic had been the only thing he could process. It wasn’t until the adrenaline faded and his vision cleared that he saw the cultist dead on the floor, torn in two at the waist.

“…And I would still be on my feet… Still be on my feet.”

The scar on his arm glowed softly. He couldn’t feel the healing process, but he could feel the blood stop soaking into his clothes.

He had to wait. The war mages would be there soon. They’d save him soon.

“You’re my blood, you’re my holy wine.” He started again. He’d cast the spell as many times as he needed to, he’d wait as long as it took.

“You taste so bitter and so sweet…”

As long as it took.

They’d save him soon.

#whump #my writing #gore #dimitri #miguel #oc writing #whump writing

[kageafterdark]

Invitation (A NSFW Shockop Fic)

Senator Shockwave invites Orion Pax to their apartment for a night to remember after having become a couple for a couple weeks.

Warnings: N/A Word Count: 1517

Orion wasn’t exactly expecting an invite to Shockwave’s apartment. But he had been curious in the past to see how the senator’s living conditions were. 

If their paint was so lavish and colourful at times, then perhaps their apartment was the same. As he stood in the elevator, heading up to the top floor, he couldn’t help but think that they had a penthouse. They must have accessed it by flying to their balcony most of the time. He reaches the top and exits, leading into a hall. There’s only 4 penthouse suites on this floor.

They told him they were on the far left when they comm. linked him earlier. He knocked on the door and the door slid open to reveal a Senator Shockwave with their plating recently polished and a new paint scheme. The colours they chose this time was white with rouge and teal highlights. They had a smile on their face, golden optics bright. 

“Orion! I’m glad you could make it,” they said. “I apologise for asking you to come visit me at such a private place but… the thing I have to propose was a rather private matter.” Orion was let into the apartment and the lighting in it was dimmed, soft lighting illuminating the tiled floor. The penthouse was immaculate though and definitely showed the home of someone in the higher levels. It was fit for a senator. But they both knew there were senators with mansions that were unnecessary and only a way to flaunt wealth. This was Shockwave’s way of being humble, but well off. Orion wondered whether or not they spent more time at their academy or their penthouse. With how little belongings were in the penthouse, he could only assume they practically lived in their lab. Despite it all, the skyline and the city below them was gorgeous to look at. 

There was a bottle of high grade out as well as two empty cups. He didn’t expect Shockwave to go all out on such a romantic endeavour, but it fit them. Orion walked to the living area and sat down on the couch, Shockwave joining him at one of the matching chairs. 

“You could have asked me normally to go on a date,” Orion then chuckled as he sat down, taking his mask off and setting it onto the table. 

“Well, this occasion is special and I wanted to go all out for it,” Shockwave hummed as they poured the high grade into the glasses. 

“That special occasion being…?” Orion asked. Shockwave paused for a moment before setting the half full glass down in front of Orion. They gathered the courage to say what they wanted. 

“I want to interface with you,” they then said point blank. Oops. Bit too much confidence. Orion’s optics widened for a moment in surprise as he sipped his high grade. He set the glass gently down onto the table and cleared his throat.

“I don’t think I’ve… ever had someone just say that so point blankly to me before,” he then said. Shockwave’s face flushed. 

“Normally I would be much more subtle or just… suave about it,” they said. “Around you, though, it’s… different, ” they said, their voice going quiet. “We’ve started this relationship… only a couple weeks ago and I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around a way to just approach this.” They leaned forward this time, placing a servo on Orion’s knee. “But I do know I can give you an amazing time,” they said, a smile growing on their face this time. Orion hummed, a smirk growing on his face. 

“Is that so?” he said. His engine rumbled softly and Shockwave’s optics brightened just a little bit as they saw him getting into it. 

“Would you like to finish this high grade and take this to my berthroom?” they asked, softer this time. Their wings flicked in anticipation and Orion went ahead and downed his high grade before getting up and taking Shockwave’s servo into his. Shockwave’s nacelles turned on in surprise, excited with how eager Orion was to interface with them. He led them down the hall before stopping at their quarters, pressing Shockwave against the wall. There was a quiet hum between the two as the sound of their engines mixed in the air, the two of them sizing each other up as Orion’s optics looked up and down their frame. Their nasal ridges nuzzled against each other, EM fields brushing against each other filled with desire, lust and anticipation. 

Orion kissed them, closing the distance between the two and they grabbed at each other. Shockwave’s arm slipped out and blindly reached for the hatch to let them into their habsuite, fumbling for a moment as Orion stuck his glossa down their throat. They moaned into it before finally grabbing the hatch and releasing the doors with a hiss of air, the two stumbling into the room and onto the berth.

Of course the berth was plush and soft, full of pillows for Shockwave to lay atop of with their wings. They sighed into Orion’s touch as he fell atop of them. Orion’s digits began to roam their body, trying to get at the inner seams of their joints. Shockwave loosened their plating, giving more room for his digits. They could feel charge beginning to build up throughout their frame as Orion continued to kiss them, Shockwave kissing back with the same enthusiasm as their servos began to pet at his plating, eventually trailing down to his hip seams and then to his array panelling. 

“Open up,” Shockwave whispered. Orion obeyed and his spike panel opened, his spike pressurising into their servos. They licked at their dermas as they began to stroke at it slowly. Orion hissed into their touch. “Do you want me to tell you what I plan to do?” they asked. 

“Yes,” Orion breathed. 

“Before you spike me I’m going to make you overload from sucking your spike,” they murmured into his audial. Orion shuddered beneath their grasp, digits petting at his slit as transfluid began to bead at the tip, spreading it. “I want you to frag me while your transfluid is painted on my face,” they continued. 

“I never expected you to be so… dirty, Senator,” Orion ground out. 

“You know we’re doing something way too intimate to call me Senator, Orion,” they chided, servo slipping away from his spike. Orion whined at the loss of touch and Shockwave couldn’t help but hum in amusement. Their fans were on way too high and revealed how aroused they were. They managed to get disentangled from Orion’s grasp and grasped his servo to pull him up from the berth and have him sitting at the edge. They slipped off the berth and got onto their knees, optic level with Orion’s weeping spike. Orion gripped at the berth, watching them like a hawk as they then leaned forward and took the tip of his spike into their mouth. 

They sucked at it gently, keeping optic contact with Orion as they flattened their glossa and laved at his spike from the bottom to the top. He groaned softly at the feeling as Shockwave then swallowed his spike down to the hilt, the wet heat of their throat constricting around his spike. They grabbed at one of his servos and took it to place it atop of their helm. Orion looked at them with confusion for a moment before they winked at him, optics bright and twinkling with mischief. He sucked in a sharp breath and began to fuck into their mouth with short thrusts, Shockwave’s servos dropping to dip two digits into their already soaking wet valve, panel having opened however long ago, they couldn’t remember. 

They pulled away for just a moment and he whined at the loss of contact before they plunged back the spike back into their intake. Orion growled, optics never leaving theirs, his engine revving as his servo pressed their helm down all the way as Shockwave gave a particularly hard suck, staring right back at him. Transfluid spilled into their throat, jerking hard as it rubbed against their tubing. They couldn’t help but fuck their digits into their valve at the feeling, optics rolling back and shuddering as overload overtook them.

Orion’s servo fell to the side and Shockwave pulled away just at the right moment for his spike to release one last spurt of transfluid, painting their face. They shuttered their optics at it reflexively, mouth hanging open and panting. They onlined their optics again, looking up towards Orion who was still sitting there, recovering from the aftermath. He panted, trying to expel the heat he had accumulated, fans running on high. His smokestacks were expelling steam as a result and had made the room foggy. Shockwave couldn’t help but smile at how cute he looked and got up from their knees. They kissed him, ignoring the transfluid on their face and bit at their dermas as a bit of it got onto Orion when they pulled away. 

“So…” they mused. “Ready for round two?”

#valveplug #sticky #kageplugged.writing #shockwave #orion pax #they suck his spike p1/2 #idk i just wanted to write shockwave sucking dick LMAO

[patchesproblem]

do you have any spare hcs abt karl or joyce 😭 im starved

YES I DO ACTUALLY!!! I think about those two sm like you don't even understand. I really need to talk about them more, tbh.

I have A Lot to say, so sorry in advance for my nonsensical ramblings.

Actual answer under the cut

OKAY SO!! Starting with our favorite pathetic bean sprout.

I'll separate the au hc's and actual main universe hcs just to keep everything semi understandable. It'll have HC's for relationships with Karl, Planck, Einslas, etc. Also including Elysia and Joffrey because siblings can't be separated <3

AU headcanons:

Joyce is smarter than he gives himself credit for. I'm being serious when I say this. It doesn't express itself as obviously as the Einslas, but that's only because his strengths are in other areas. While the Einslas are extremely smart when it comes to STEM, I feel as if Joyce's strong suit is more in creativity. It's hard to exaplain, but think writing / reading and all that. He enjoys learning new information about things he likes (examples include astrology, writing, etc.) and he will often be able to remember details that others normally wouldn't.

He probably spent a lot of his childhood reading stories, and was probably ahead of his grades reading level. He didn't really have many friends because he has social issues, despite the fact a lot of people did actually like him. He just knew a lot of people, but he wasn't really able to form any close friendships until his insane scientist bestie came along. Though that was partially because he just was awkward and didn't know how to talk to others. Was worried he'd come off as weird or get bullied for his interests.

Tesla probably comes to him sometimes to ask for help with her own writing, actually. Although he doesn't write much himself, he's somehow one of the best people to ask for advice LMAO. They probably bonded over their shared passions, even if they are technically different. (Different in the sense of she's into writing, and he's into reading. They go together hand in hand. Idk I just feel like it's a cute little thing. Besties and siblings <33) He also probably proof reads her stuff occasionally when Einsteins too busy to, though he might've had a few objects thrown at him at some points. He also gives her advice / ideas.

Has a fear of people leaving him bc his parents just kinda. Disappeared leaving him with Karl and Emma as his care takers, and Elyisa eventually left soon after because she got married to Eden and all that. Then when Einstein left with Planck it just kinda destroyed him. He's not upset with them, he's actually really happy for them. Though it gets lonely and he's afraid that he'll get replaced (haha Joachim haha. Sorry.)

Probably really close with Joffrey tbh. Does anything in his power to make sure his little brother has a good childhood. He reads to him A Lot, and actively engages in his ideas. For example: if he has an idea to make something Joyce will help him make it. He also encourages him to pursue his own interests even if it's a one off thing. He'll often draw / write with him too. He's very proud of him

Karl is basically his dad at this point. He doesn't treat him as his nephew, but instead he treats him as if he was his own son in a sense. He's extremely proud of him and that someday he'll make a positive impact on the world. Joyce looks up to him heavily, and wants to follow in his foot steps once he gets older.

When Ein originally came he was terrified of her LMAO. She was an absolute menace as a child and lived up to Karl calling her a brat. He was relentlessly teased and messed with by this tiny goblin who could turn on the water works at any second if she felt like it. She still actually is the reason he's called Welt. Though it's because he's the clumsiest mf in the world, so dual meaning there.

She's actually one of his first actual friends, and partially responsible for his love of space. How they became friends is blurry just because it's more of a "she won't be leaving I need to learn to survive" but despite being eccentric, he eventually came to see her as his bestie / sister. Though he's still absolutely terrified of her. He still has zero clue what goes on in her head and that's terrifying to him.

He's absolutely terrified of Tesla too. Both his besties scare him half to death and he's convinced one of these days they're going to be the reason he gets killed, but that won't happen surely. They're at each others throats constantly, and would probably be those two people threatening to kill the other in a waffle house at two in the morning. They want to throw each other through a wall, but also trust each other with their lives. The only man Tesla remotely tolerates along with Karl. They have sibling energy and you can pry it out of my cold dead hands.

Him and Elysia also probably used to be really close. She cares about him deeply, and would drop anything at a moments notice to help him if he needed it. Though she also does tease him often, as a big sister should. Eden acts as a parental figure towards him as well. They both met when he was young, and he grew up with her around a lot so he just started looking up to her tbh.

He originally goes to Lab 42 to become Einslas assistant while he went to university there, and would help them with stuff similar to how he helped out in canon. Though Tesla basically said "Fuck you, we're your superiors now so you'll refer to us as Dr. Tesla and Dr. Einstein now!" and that's how he started calling Einstein Ein lmao. Tes wasn't amused.

They also drag his ass to Alaska. He never wanted to go on work related trips with them after that.

He's terrified of Planck. That's all. He's terrified. Her constant midlife crisis scares him.

Okay so for non AU headcannons:

Tes and Ein 100% got together in private and planned how to torment him. Just Trust Me on this. They were feeling a little bit silly and goofy and just coordinated together on how to torment him next.

Him and Tes' relationship is a little bit different in the main universe, for obvious reasons. Though they stay besties and have sibling energy. Neither of them trusted each other at first. Tes didn't trust Joyce because 1. He's a man 2. He's a man 3. He's a man and 4. She was scared he'd hurt Ein (was also just jealous and scared she'd pay less attention to her but yanno), and Joyce didn't trust Tesla because she's an angry redhead who would probably kill a man if given the chance. Didn't help that she threatened his life and threatened to castrate him within the first minute of meeting him, but yanno it be like that sometimes.

Over time Tes begrudgingly accepted that he wasn't going anywhere for awhile and that she should probably get used to it. While Eins was out they probably were forced to bond, and eventually Tesla realized that maybe he wasn't as bad as she originally thought and slowly began to trust him. Honestly they were best friends by the time he just decided to die like a pathetic person on them. He'd stay up to make sure she got home okay and alive, and he eventually just became her rambling buddy. AKA Einstein was asleep and she just went on long nonsensical ramblings to Joyce while he just went "uh huh.. interesting.. they did what now?"

Probably admitted some embarrassing things to him in all honesty. Though he'd never be able to tell anyone that considering she herself didn't even remember telling him half the stuff she did, and even if she did she'd actually kill him if he said anything about it. Not like he really wanted to, anyways. Was just happy she was willing to talk to him and didn't completely hate him tbh. Was also happy that he could be there for her considering his whole depression thing and knowing how horrible it was to not have someone there for you.

Though she also always cared and worried about him. Her and Ein had read his 'profile' beforehand, and Tesla immediately was scared and concerned when she realized he quite literally was diagnosed with severe depression. Though she'd never admit that and would prefer to pretend she just found him annoying and pathetic LMAO. At least before his death, after his death is a different story. (AKA she finally admitted years later she cared about him to Einstein and still missed having his dumbass around and constantly had to be held back from nuking Otto off the face of the earth.)

Another note I forgot to add that I'm adding after the fact: He was actually amazed by Tesla's knowledge. Like he knew she was smart, but the extent of it surprised him tbh. Especially after hearing how she didn't even have her degree.

With Ein it's pretty much the same, though she's legitimately just an absolute menace to everyone around her. She intentionally dialed it to ten just to make sure that he was terrified of her and never knew what she was going to do next. She did it just for the funsies tbh. Things were going slow in the lab and as much fun as it is to tease Tesla, it was funny to be able to just bully some random man who had no clue what was happening at any given second. Plus added bonus points for being able to still tease Tesla but making it 100% worse because someone else is around and Tes just gets embarrassed and loses it.

VN is basically two lesbians harass and bully some poor traumatized man for an entire month.

That aside, I feel like him and Joachim got along really well. I like to believe that he took him out sometimes to watch him while Einslas were working, and that Joachim constantly asked the Finn to go see the three. While the Einslas taught him to gaslight gatekeep and girlboss, Joyce taught him actual life lessons and tried to negate the 'damage' the Einslas had done. AKA try to make him stop being even worse than them.

He cared A Lot about Joachim, and probably saw him as his little brother honestly. I feel like they spent a lot of time together, even if it often resulted in Joyce being bullied constantly by three people instead of just two. The explosions also didn't amuse him because he's lame and a coward.

He's terrified of Planck. That's all. He's Terrified.

After his death he intentionally hid from Tesla Einstein and Joachim. He didn't want them to find him, and try to bring him back. He felt like he'd disappointed them all and he felt guilty over what happened, and he was scared they hated him and despised him over what happened. He only shows up for Bronya because he knew that she'd be his successor, and even at that he refused to talk because he didn't want to disappoint her too. Didn't want her getting too attached to him, mainly because he's too scared to hurt yet another person.

Had to end it off depressingly, sorry </3 I'm sure you understand.

Was going to do non AU and AU versions for Karl too but like... He wasn't alive near long enough to even have hcs for the main universe. I've just hit him with the dad beam honestly.

Anyways AU Karl hcs <33

He's a dad. Literally just a dad. Will adopt any insane scientist within a 1000 mile radius.

He met Ein similarly to how he does in canon, and managed to convince her parents to let him and Planck allow her to continue her studies at a college level. Ever since then he's basically become her dad, and that's how she views him. Has accidentally called him dad before.

For a majority of the time he was one of Eins main mentors, though as time went on and he became more busy, Planck began to become her teacher.

He's awkward, and is kinda oblivious. Very Oblivious. He tends to not over think peoples words, and doesn't even think that there's a second meaning in most circumstances.

For the most part he's extremely dedicated to his work, and has issues with accidentally over working himself. All he wants to do is help others, even if it causes himself issues. He's often extremely busy and running about.

Though he also is extremely dedicated to his family and cares about them more than anything. If ANY of them needed anything, including Tesla, he'd drop whatever he was doing to make sure that his family is okay. He loves them all.

I'll have to add more later, but a lot of my thoughts have simply disappeared. I'll dm you on discord when I put more for Karl LMAO.

#nikola responds to asks #magicalmyu #honkai impact 3rd #welt joyce #karl gustav #I have a lot more but like #brains dead #sorry it took so long to respond to this LMAO #nikolas posts

[henrysmith778]

Henry Smith: Navigating the Investment Landscape in 2024

Global Investment Market Opportunities in 2024

Dr. Henry Smith, Head of Australian Affairs at Lonton, has released the latest investment outlook. While 2023 get rid of COVID-19, which marked a transition from the COVID-19 pandemic to a post-pandemic era, persistent monetary tightening and geopolitical risks continue to cause volatility in financial markets. Looking ahead to 2024, Dr. Smith suggests that major markets may experience slower growth but are likely to remain in a positive growth phase. In this "new normal" investment environment, Schroders is bullish on US stocks, Asian stocks, emerging stocks, and also recommends investing in investment-grade bonds, US high yield bonds, and emphasizes the importance of not overlooking gold and clean energy.

Dr. Smith points out that the high inflation environment and central bank tightening policies in 2022 and 2023 led to asset repricing, resulting in heightened uncertainty and risks. As the global economy moves towards positive growth in 2024, governments' efforts to combat inflation remain paramount, leading to continued volatility and disparities between regions and asset classes, favoring active investment strategies.

He illustrates how governments have been grappling with the dilemma of managing tightening policies in a high inflation environment while addressing concerns about economic slowdown due to rate hikes over the past two years. Although inflation has moderated, achieving the Fed's target of 2% is still challenging. Labor market pressures, which contributed to inflationary pressures in the past, have eased as more people return to the workforce post-pandemic, but wage pressures on the corporate side have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. Additionally, the decline in consumers' excess savings rates from pandemic levels is gradually decreasing, but the potential for elevated consumption expenditure to create another wave of inflation remains a concern.

In terms of the stock market, Dr. Smith believes that the performance of US and Asian stocks in 2024 is promising given the overall positive global economic environment. For US stocks, he sees particular potential in the technology innovation sector driven by AI demand. While this year has mostly focused on the leading tech giants, other companies emerging from this sector are likely to rise in tandem with the economic growth environment next year.

Furthermore, with stable PMI trends in China and India and improving data in South Korea and Taiwan, compared to the Eurozone where PMI remains weak, Dr. Smith expects better performance from Asian and emerging markets stocks compared to European markets next year.

Dr. Smith also anticipates a reversal in currency performance in 2024, expecting Asian currencies and the Japanese yen to strengthen. Asian currencies, including China, Taiwan, and South Korea, are expected to benefit from the global goods cycle recovery, leading to improved export data. Meanwhile, the yen is expected to strengthen against the euro, particularly as Japan's recent inflationary pressures and resilient manufacturing and services PMI contrast with the rapid deterioration of PMI values in Europe, especially in Germany.

In the bond market, with divergent performance in the global bond market in 2023, with corporate bonds outperforming government bonds, and European bonds outperforming US bonds, Dr. Keiko Kondo remains bullish on corporate bonds in 2024. She believes it's prudent to invest in both investment-grade and high-yield corporate bonds, and also finds emerging market local currency bonds attractive, advocating for a diversified bond strategy.

She explains that US investment-grade bonds are supported by next year's economic fundamentals, with current yield levels reaching 5%, while European investment-grade bonds also offer 4.6%, making global investment-grade bonds attractive to investors in terms of both price and yield.

On the other hand, compared to the Russell 2000 index, US high-yield bonds are expected to outperform. The current credit spread in the US high-yield bond market implies a high default rate, indicating potential for future price increases, making high-yield bonds more valuable than small-cap stocks.

As for emerging market local currency bonds, with expectations of a weakening US interest rate environment in 2024, they are expected to benefit from higher yields, making them more favorable in the future market.

Furthermore, Dr. Smith recommends diversifying portfolios to include gold, clean energy, and cryptocurrency assets. Gold prices surged last year and Dr. Kondo remains optimistic for next year; starting from the Russia-Ukraine war, gold has served as a hedge against risk, offering diversified returns, and central banks have been net buyers of gold since 2022, a trend expected to continue in 2024, making gold an indispensable part of investment portfolios.

Regarding last year's emphasis on clean energy and alternative assets, Schroders' views remain unchanged this year. Dr. Smith adds that the Russia-Ukraine war has accelerated many countries' processes of energy diversification and energy transition. Although valuations of energy transition-related companies have declined with rising interest rates, the imbalance between supply and demand and attractive prices have created investment opportunities. As for alternative assets, considering their differences and even negative correlations with other major asset classes, Dr. Smith recommends incorporating alternative assets through diversified asset allocation. Finally, the increasingly prominent private debt in the private equity field, where larger companies are increasingly able to lend and the average lending size is growing, presents investment opportunities that should not be overlooked.

Additionally, Dr. Smith has also released his top ten predictions for 2024: First, he is bullish on US stocks (S&P 500 Index); Second, he is optimistic about investment-grade credit bonds; Third, he favors US non-investment-grade bonds (relative to the Russell 2000 Index); Fourth, he sees potential in local currency bonds in emerging markets; Fifth, he is bullish on gold; Sixth, he has a positive outlook on Asian stocks/emerging market stocks (relative to European stocks); Seventh, he is bullish on Asian currencies (relative to the US dollar); Eighth, he sees potential in the Japanese yen (relative to the euro); Ninth, he is optimistic about clean energy; Tenth, he sees promise in private equity assets.

Dr. Henry Smith, born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1979, moved to the United States with his parents during high school. He earned a bachelor's degree in finance from Columbia University and master's and doctoral degrees in applied mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Certifications:

He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and US Certified Public Accountant (USCPA) certifications. He has previously worked at Goldman Sachs and BlackRock, primarily responsible for investment operations in Hong Kong, and is currently responsible for Australian affairs at Lonton Wealth Management Center LTD.

#Henry Smith

[henrysmith00]

Henry Smith Forecasts Global Investment Market Opportunities in 2024

Dr. Henry Smith, Head of Australian Affairs at Lonton, has released the latest investment outlook. While 2023 get rid of COVID-19, which marked a transition from the COVID-19 pandemic to a post-pandemic era, persistent monetary tightening and geopolitical risks continue to cause volatility in financial markets. Looking ahead to 2024, Dr. Smith suggests that major markets may experience slower growth but are likely to remain in a positive growth phase. In this “new normal” investment environment, Schroders is bullish on US stocks, Asian stocks, emerging stocks, and also recommends investing in investment-grade bonds, US high yield bonds, and emphasizes the importance of not overlooking gold and clean energy.

Dr. Smith points out that the high inflation environment and central bank tightening policies in 2022 and 2023 led to asset repricing, resulting in heightened uncertainty and risks. As the global economy moves towards positive growth in 2024, governments’ efforts to combat inflation remain paramount, leading to continued volatility and disparities between regions and asset classes, favoring active investment strategies.

He illustrates how governments have been grappling with the dilemma of managing tightening policies in a high inflation environment while addressing concerns about economic slowdown due to rate hikes over the past two years. Although inflation has moderated, achieving the Fed’s target of 2% is still challenging. Labor market pressures, which contributed to inflationary pressures in the past, have eased as more people return to the workforce post-pandemic, but wage pressures on the corporate side have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. Additionally, the decline in consumers’ excess savings rates from pandemic levels is gradually decreasing, but the potential for elevated consumption expenditure to create another wave of inflation remains a concern.

In terms of the stock market, Dr. Smith believes that the performance of US and Asian stocks in 2024 is promising given the overall positive global economic environment. For US stocks, he sees particular potential in the technology innovation sector driven by AI demand. While this year has mostly focused on the leading tech giants, other companies emerging from this sector are likely to rise in tandem with the economic growth environment next year.

Furthermore, with stable PMI trends in China and India and improving data in South Korea and Taiwan, compared to the Eurozone where PMI remains weak, Dr. Smith expects better performance from Asian and emerging markets stocks compared to European markets next year.

Dr. Smith also anticipates a reversal in currency performance in 2024, expecting Asian currencies and the Japanese yen to strengthen. Asian currencies, including China, Taiwan, and South Korea, are expected to benefit from the global goods cycle recovery, leading to improved export data. Meanwhile, the yen is expected to strengthen against the euro, particularly as Japan’s recent inflationary pressures and resilient manufacturing and services PMI contrast with the rapid deterioration of PMI values in Europe, especially in Germany.

In the bond market, with divergent performance in the global bond market in 2023, with corporate bonds outperforming government bonds, and European bonds outperforming US bonds, Dr. Keiko Kondo remains bullish on corporate bonds in 2024. She believes it’s prudent to invest in both investment-grade and high-yield corporate bonds, and also finds emerging market local currency bonds attractive, advocating for a diversified bond strategy.

She explains that US investment-grade bonds are supported by next year’s economic fundamentals, with current yield levels reaching 5%, while European investment-grade bonds also offer 4.6%, making global investment-grade bonds attractive to investors in terms of both price and yield.

On the other hand, compared to the Russell 2000 index, US high-yield bonds are expected to outperform. The current credit spread in the US high-yield bond market implies a high default rate, indicating potential for future price increases, making high-yield bonds more valuable than small-cap stocks.

As for emerging market local currency bonds, with expectations of a weakening US interest rate environment in 2024, they are expected to benefit from higher yields, making them more favorable in the future market.

Furthermore, Dr. Smith recommends diversifying portfolios to include gold, clean energy, and cryptocurrency assets. Gold prices surged last year and Dr. Kondo remains optimistic for next year; starting from the Russia-Ukraine war, gold has served as a hedge against risk, offering diversified returns, and central banks have been net buyers of gold since 2022, a trend expected to continue in 2024, making gold an indispensable part of investment portfolios.

Regarding last year’s emphasis on clean energy and alternative assets, Schroders’ views remain unchanged this year. Dr. Smith adds that the Russia-Ukraine war has accelerated many countries’ processes of energy diversification and energy transition. Although valuations of energy transition-related companies have declined with rising interest rates, the imbalance between supply and demand and attractive prices have created investment opportunities. As for alternative assets, considering their differences and even negative correlations with other major asset classes, Dr. Smith recommends incorporating alternative assets through diversified asset allocation. Finally, the increasingly prominent private debt in the private equity field, where larger companies are increasingly able to lend and the average lending size is growing, presents investment opportunities that should not be overlooked.

Additionally, Dr. Smith has also released his top ten predictions for 2024: First, he is bullish on US stocks (S&P 500 Index); Second, he is optimistic about investment-grade credit bonds; Third, he favors US non-investment-grade bonds (relative to the Russell 2000 Index); Fourth, he sees potential in local currency bonds in emerging markets; Fifth, he is bullish on gold; Sixth, he has a positive outlook on Asian stocks/emerging market stocks (relative to European stocks); Seventh, he is bullish on Asian currencies (relative to the US dollar); Eighth, he sees potential in the Japanese yen (relative to the euro); Ninth, he is optimistic about clean energy; Tenth, he sees promise in private equity assets.

Dr. Henry Smith, born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1979, moved to the United States with his parents during high school. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Columbia University and master’s and doctoral degrees in applied mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Certifications:

He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and US Certified Public Accountant (USCPA) certifications. He has previously worked at Goldman Sachs and BlackRock, primarily responsible for investment operations in Hong Kong, and is currently responsible for Australian affairs at Lonton Wealth Management Center LTD.

#Henry Smith

[anqelically]

LOVING YOU | YUTA OKKOTSU X FEM!READER

005. UNEXPECTED GUEST

CHAPTER SUMMARY: You and Yuta are assigned to work together for another mission. This time, you were instructed to exorcise the cursed spirit that had taken the lives of 7 girls about your age

CHAPTER WARNINGS: Violence and injuries

WORD COUNT: 2.5K

INTRODUCTION | CH4 | CH6

To the normal eye in Japan, a missing person's case was not all that uncommon. It was a common occurrence due to cursed spirits.

The barriers around the country maintained by Master Tengen didn't allow many sorcerers or cursed spirits to appear out in the rest of the world. Hence, of all the countries in the world, Japan would easily be considered the country with the largest number of missing person reports.

When someone is related to the missing person, life becomes complicated. Stress responses settle in and most people can only think of praying for this person's return.

There are cases where the missing person returns home. Although they may have been in a different physical or mental state, they weren't dead.

Deaths that cannot be explained often happen to jujutsu sorcerers. Breaking the news to their non-sorcerer families about false information was the best they could do.

You and Okkotsu were assigned to investigate a singular chain of missing people. It was assumed to be done by a cursed spirit, but not one of an over-bearing level for you.

Okkotsu needed the experience, especially since he was a special grade sorcerer. His actual physical capabilities didn't even match up to a grade two sorcerer's. There was clearly room for improvement and this was a chance for that.

"Don't die," Maki looked back at the two as they were about to leave.

You waved, "Not planning on it, you know. See you later."

You both went to a car and were accompanied by Ijichi. You read the information on a tablet provided by the school out loud.

"At least 7 girls happened to be killed by the cursed spirit predicted to be a grade one within the past two months," your eyes widened, "and all were in their teen years. The youngest was only 14 years old..."

Okkotsu glanced at her before back at the tablet, his skin crawling, "Disturbing..."

"That's what's, unfortunately, ahead as a sorcerer." Ijichi took a quick look back at you two from the rearview mirror, "Only those who can handle it can continue."

The noiret fiddled with his fingers. He remembered the twisted and deformed bodies of his bullies from November of last year. It was the case that caught the Jujutsu Higher-Ups' attention.

"Beware, Yuta-kun, people will die in gruesome ways."

Okkotsu remembered Gojo's words and thought of the endless possibilities. People probably ended up like his old classmates or, even worse, dead. The real question was if he could handle seeing it often or not. It might've been a familiar sight, but the eyes of a child such as him will always be horrified.

"How do you handle it, Y/N-san?" Okkotsu decided to ask.

You were surprisingly quick to respond, "Part of me is always disturbed, so I'm not sure if I would consider it being handled. I know I'm a sorcerer for my loved ones. I can't save everyone or change everything, but I can certainly try and learn from those experiences. No one will be tormented by curses I defeat, and I can become stronger. After all, strength only comes from experience and courage. So, it doesn't matter if I dislike the things I witness as a sorcerer. This is my job, and I'll do my best to help who I can."

"That's very noble of you."

"So that's how you see it," you leaned your head back. "Nobility would be able to help everyone."

Okkotsu was surprised at your words that contained subtext. He believed you to be a principled and strong girl for someone so young. It was admirable to him, so why did you make it seem like you weren't good enough?

Though, he had no place to speak on a subject like that. There was more to Okkotsu than he could see. He would soon realize that fact, even at a price.

Okkotsu glanced out the car's window for most of the ride. He seemed to be the only one bothered by the silence, and you could tell by the way he kept peaking at you when his eyes were not on the window.

You wanted to ask what was bothering him but refrained from doing so because of the unexplained shyness you were suddenly experiencing. You chewed the inside of your cheek when you could feel his gaze.

You never felt the need to be shy around him, so you could only ponder as to why you were reacting that way. The car ride was over before you could even figure out a solution.

"This is where they went missing?" Okkotsu observed the business complex you arrived at.

It was two large four-floored buildings connected by a small one in the middle where the main entrance was. However, a large, worn-out tarp covered a majority of the 2nd building.

Ijichi answered, "It is. Your objective is to find the cursed spirit in here and exorcise it. Gojo-san also instructed me to tell you to not bring out Rika Orimoto."

The special grade sorcerer nodded and gripped his sheathed sword tighter. He would now have to rely on his small amount of capabilities and you, who shouldn't have to be worried about him.

"It's only a grade one so I think we can do it," you strapped your weapon to your belt. "There's two of us, and one, so far, of it."

The ravenet froze, "S-so far?"

"Always expect the unexpected," Ijichi told him before chanting the words necessary to create a curtain.

As the barrier draped down over the area, you and Okkotsu took the chance to enter the building. Side by side, you walked down the dirty halls.

"The outside looked much nicer and even then, it wasn't that cleaned up," you took note.

Okkotsu told you, "It was under construction but they suddenly stopped it because of some sort of scandal."

You pushed your bottom lip out and raised your eyebrows in surprise. You weren’t expecting him to know that information, especially when neither of you did research beforehand.

"I didn't think you'd know that," you commented.

"Well there's this," he held a paper next to his head.

"Oh," you became beady-eyed, "I thought you knew it from the top of your head."

Okkotsu's eyes mirrored yours, "Ahah no, I don't keep up with stuff like this."

You returned to normal and glanced at the date on the newspaper. You read out loud that construction of the building had started 7 years ago but was stopped almost a year later due to the company that owned the building. They were exposed for severely underpaying their workers.

The building hasn't been worked on ever since that day, and you were shocked that it wasn't taken down already. There was also a high school nearby, which would explain the random trash and how it wasn't completely dusty. Teenagers must come to the building to hang out or ditch school.

"Do you want to split up from each other?"

"S-split up?" Okkotsu nervously repeated.

You nodded, "You have Rika to protect you, and I should be able to hold off the cursed spirit, if I encounter it, until you reach me. We've been training so you can do the same without Rika, so she'll be a last-resort option. We'll give each other a call if we notice anything. Does that sound okay to you?"

Hesitantly, Okkotsu agreed to split off from you. The boy kept his phone in his free hand so that he'd be able to reach you faster. On the other hand, you had drawn you sword before you headed into the left building.

You managed to clear the first three floors without any sign of the cursed spirit. You didn't think that Okkotsu had encountered it because you neither received any message or felt a massive increase in cursed energy.

"So it's either on this floor or with him..." you opened up a door that led to a long empty room. It seems like it would've been used for faculty meetings.

You turned around and jumped in your spot at the sight of a face in front of yours. Emerald green eyes intensely stared back at you, who was utterly shocked.

"Hm? They finally sent a sorcerer. Geto-sama said not to do anything yet, but that's too bad."

"Wha-"

The girl immediately took 2 kunai into her hands and cut both of your arms. You acted on reflex by swinging your sword. However, the girl only flipped herself away from your range.

You looked at the fellow teenager in front of you. She was probably two inches taller than you, had emerald green irises, long blonde hair tied in two ponytails, and was in an outfit that was awfully... revealing.

The mid-waisted jean shorts and tight cropped tank top left nothing to the imagination. You would've said that the girl in front of her was pretty, but it was certainly not the right place nor time to. Not to mention that you were injured because of this blonde girl.

"Who are you?" you interrogated.

"Oh, you look just like her," she noticed your eyebrows furrow. "Mmmm, yeah. I'm looking at ya and you're a bit too similar. Oh, right~ I might as well give you my full name since you're not gonna leave here. Iseri Sayua is the name."

Iseri speedily threw the four kunai at Amaya, and you felt like Maki was the one throwing them because of how you had almost no time to react. You used your sword to deflect the blades, but it left you open to a kick by Iseri.

You coughed as you rolled on the dusty floor, "W-why? I thought that..."

"Yeah, you thought there'd be a cursed spirit here, right? That's the thing, Geto-sama would've taken the cursed spirit in if there was one."

"Geto-sama?"

"No one you need to think about for now. Now, come and fight for your life."

You saw the sickening smile on the green-eyed girl's face. Never did she think that you would be fighting a curse user, especially on a mission like this.

As the two of you fought, you were stuck defending yourself from Iseri's hand combat. By the way the older girl swiftly moved, it was clear that she was efficiently trained.

"Too slow," Iseri whispered right in your ear before kicking you right through a wall with her cursed energy-infused leg.

You used your own cursed energy to strengthen your back. After your body finally landed, you cast your Sea Dragon's Nest. The barrier made of condensed water protected you from more of Iseri's kunai.

"So, you have a water-based cursed technique," Iseri laughed, amused. "How sick of the higher-ups for sending someone like you here."

"Why do this?" you asked as you slowly stood up. Pain rippled throughout your body.

"Back with the questions? Huh... simply because I'm a piece of shit, isn't that right? Is that what you're gonna say?"

"You may be, but I don't personally know you," Iseri was caught off-guard when you suddenly dropped the barrier. "I don't know what your whole deal is, but what I do know is that I won't be kicked around for nothing!"

A pool of water swarmed in front of you, and what was a head of concentrated water popped out. The condensed water took the form of a dragon and attacked Iseri.

You didn't get to see Iseri's condition until getting closer, going through the hole in the wall that broke from her being attacked by Sea Dragon's Roar.

Iseri was on all fours and soaking wet when she looked up at you. She laughed before she went into a coughing fit, "Y-you're in perfect position, you fool."

You were taken aback by the chains that suddenly held you down, causing you to let your sword slip through your fingers. Both your wrists and ankles were shackled so that you couldn't even touch the see-through walls that appeared suddenly in all directions.

Even though it was slightly foggy inside, you could easily tell that Iseri was on the other side. The older girl placed her hand on the wall between you with a taunting grin.

"Ironic, isn't it? The girl who has a water-based cursed technique will drown. Quite funny in my opinion," Iseri's words surprised you.

"Drown? What do you mean drown?"

“Drowning means drowning, duh.”

You tried shaking herself out of the chains but you couldn't. You attempted to drag her sword closer with your foot, but ended up pushing it just out of her reach. Grabbing your phone was also not possible because your hands couldn't reach low enough.

The blonde turned around and began walking away, "Tell me, why do you think my victims had those abrasions all over their bodies?"

You jumped when you felt your back become wet. You turned around to see the tank-like contraption having a pipe at the top that was beginning to pour out water. You didn't even know where the water was coming from but didn't currently care. Whatever you were trapped in didn't allow you to manifest your cursed energy.

"No don't-! Damn it! How am I gonna get out!?" you continued trying to break yourself free even though the effort was fruitless. The water had already reached the level of her ankles when you began yelling again. "OKKOTSU! OKKOTSU, CAN YOU HEAR ME!? I NEED YOUR HELP!"

Yelling, stomping her foot, shaking the chains— all of your efforts didn't seem to work. You could only watch as the water had risen past your knees and closer to the top of your legs.

'Am I gonna die this way?'

Tears formed at your waterline as the situation was setting in. The water was rising fast and you couldn't do anything. There was no space to use your technique if you could use your cursed energy, and you couldn't even grab your weapon.

All you could do was plead for Okkotsu to hear your desperate cries. You didn't want to place any blame on him, so you ended up feeling regretful.

"I shouldn't have split us up, huh?" you bit your lip when the water level was up to your waist.

Another pipe appeared and also began pouring water at the same rate. The water was increasing now at double the speed it was before. You knew it would reach above your head soon.

But the boy who would be considered your knight in shining armor appeared. Okkotsu looked at the sight in front of him in fear. He froze up seeing that you were in a helpless state.

"Y/N-san!" he ran up and placed his hand on the clear wall.

"Your sword!" you yelled as you raised your head. The blood-tainted water was now almost at your shoulders. "Use your sword!"

Okkotsu immediately unsheathed his weapon and tried breaking down the incredibly hard glass. He didn't notice that he didn't even scratch it when continuing to hit it with his katana. Although it was glass, the fact that it was Iseri’s cursed technique made it difficult to break.

“I-I’ll get you- I’ll-!”

You felt the water at the back of your tilted head, Okkotsu's words drowned out. The water was rising fast, so you continued taking in as much air as she could. However, it wasn't long until you were completely submerged, your tears washed into the water around you.

WRITTEN: 03/09/2022

#୨୧ [ loving you ] #jjk x reader #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jjk x you #yuuta x reader #yuuta okkotsu x reader #okkotsu yuuta x reader #yuta x reader #okkotsu x reader #jjk #jujutsu kaisen

[vxnillite]

some untitled oc backstory

POV: It's 2148 and you're a high school teacher on Earth checking in on your students

not the most riveting concept, but i thought i'd play around with a 2nd-person POV narration style for a little Noah and Kevin backstory in preparation for a bigger, angstier backstory fic :D Also Noah is referred to here as 'Maxine', which is their first name and what they would've gone by during their days on Earth

Constructive criticism would be super appreciated :D

Characters: Kevin and Noah Siazon © me!

Word Count: 4832

The sound of metal grinding on concrete made your temples throb in pain for a few seconds, but you took the accompanying noise of students chit-chatting as they left the room as a sort of compensation. Yet another long day of teaching back-to-back lectures was finally over. It was a Saturday, too. All the more reason to celebrate as you had one full day ahead of you where you didn't have to face such disinterested and disrespectful students at this C-level institution.

However, you didn't leave your spot at the front of the class just yet. As the last of the students were filing out of the room, you cleared your throat. Of the 7 kids that were yet to leave, only one of them stopped in their tracks, visibly wincing at your voice. In the back of your mind, you took note of how the other students now shuffled out of the room quicker, whispering and snickering amongst each other.

"Maxine," you said. "Come over for a bit."

The kid quietly turned on their heel and approached you, their eyes glued to their feet as they moved. Their shoulders were as tight as the hands that gripped the sling of their messenger bag that seemed too big for the small and only 12-year-old in your 12th grade class.

Maxine Noah Siazon. They were, by far, the youngest 12th grader in the whole school—butting academic heads with a bunch of 18-year-olds that were almost twice their size. It was that, and the fact that they were actually smarter than most of those 18-year-olds, which gave you enough reason to give them more considerate treatment than average.

But you had to draw the line at some point.

“I assume you know why I kept you back,” you said in a tone that was both parts soft and professional.

They nodded, eyes still cast downward. You’ve grown accustomed to this, thanks to their brother’s friendly note about Maxine’s behavior.

So you continued, “You and Kevin have incurred several absences this semester, Maxine, and as your advisor, I’ve notified you time and time again to rectify this.”

The hand on their bag sling tightened, but Maxine showed no hostile reaction.

“3 more absences for each of you, and you and your brother won’t be able to graduate.”

Unexpectedly, there was a tiny, nervous shift in their shoulders. Then, they actually spoke.

“We’re aware of this, Mx,” they answered flatly, “We’ll try not to skip classes anymore.”

Something about that answer felt… off. The tone was quite expected of them, actually. But, somehow, your instincts were ringing some alarms in your head. Out of concern, you decided to prod just a bit.

“May I know why the two of you have been skipping classes lately?”

The answer came much quicker than you thought it would—almost as if it was on cue. “Kevin works on the side, Mx,” they said in one breath.

“He gave me his word that his job only starts after school hours.”

“Perhaps it would be best if you talked to him about his work directly?”

“Of course. And, what about you?”

“Fever and coughing fits,” they said. Again, a bit too fast than normal. “I’ve submitted medical certificates to the system for verification.”

You sighed, but it wasn’t out of annoyance. A star pupil like Maxine was one in a million these days, especially considering the school you were at. Out of good conscience, you were not turning a blind eye any longer.

“You know policy states that there are no excused absences, Maxine. The certificates only allow you to take tests that you’ve missed. And, yes, I know you’ve taken all the tests you missed, and so has your brother.” You sighed heavily as your gut bothered you again to press them further. “Look, I’ll give you this one chance, so tell me the truth, alright?”

You paused just a bit to look out for a response, but the kid was holding on to your breath, it seemed.

“You’ve been absent a lot because you were sick. There is 0% chance that it is not because of any other reason?”

“Yes.”

You took a mental note, then nodded. “Alright. You may go now.”

Maxine walked out as quietly as a feather, their stride longer than usual. You took another mental note as you noticed them hurriedly looking at the heavy watch on their wrist as they left.

You fixed your bag as quickly as you could. Then, on your phone, you pulled up the younger Siazon’s student profile and copied their address to your notes app. Wellness checks weren’t a common thing among your colleagues. Usually, you always just thought you weren’t paid enough to go to such lengths when all this school was to you was a stepping stone for the career of a fresh education graduate who was quick to learn that none of the better-paying schools were interested in short CVs. But this time, you thought, you’d start doing your job the right way. The only way you should’ve been working this whole time.

The area the siblings lived in wasn’t one you were familiar with. So you looked it up on your mobile map.

“Huh, I thought Kevin said they usually walked to school,” you thought out loud as you exited the campus, “This borough is 30 minutes away on foot.”

Your concern began to grow at a disturbing rate. You booked a subway ticket and walked as fast as you could to get to the station. The PA lady was making final calls for your trip just as you arrived. The cars looked full, given it was rush hour, but you managed to squeeze into one of the cars in the nick of time.

20 minutes later, you alighted at the third stop. Immediately, the air around you smelled different, and as you breathed it in, it was like you were breathing right in front of a heavy smoker. That’s when you noticed all the people around you wearing face masks. Worse, breather packs. In the capital, you could usually go about on a stroll without needing the pack. But right now, it was like every breath was siphoned straight from a smoke-belching van’s exhaust pipe right to your face. You figured the face masks you had wouldn’t do much to help. Luckily, you found a store right there at the station. For your sake, you chose to ignore the insane markup they had on the standard breather pack.

While walking, you plugged your earbuds in and turned on audio directions so you could keep your phone in your bag as you walked the dimly lit and very dangerous-looking sidewalk. Your new surroundings were a far cry from the loud and bright metropolis you were walking through just minutes ago. It was almost too hard to believe that you were still in the same city. Most of the street lamps were broken. The WIFI towers were offline—you had to turn on your data which, thankfully, still had load from last month. The streetside buildings were about half as tall as the skyscrapers at the capital, but just a single turn into an alley had put you right at the mouth of a network of winding streets with smaller, dilapidated residential buildings and even fewer streetlights. Instead, there were lines of paper lanterns illuminating pop-up vendor stalls and hole-in-the-wall stores and diners. Somehow, between all the warm light and bustling night crowd, these cramped backstreets seemed a lot more… human.

It had been 5 minutes of just walking and weaving through the cacophony of the night market, and your AI had just informed you that you were still quite a ways from your destination.

You took a left, a right, then another left. Another left was due, but there was no Anchilletas St. where it should’ve been, according to your phone. What stood there was, instead, a busy little mom-and-pop diner whose entrance was lit up with retro neon signs—the kind you only saw in old movies. The windows had printed tarpaulins of product ads draped over decommissioned display TVs. But through the gaps, you could clearly see into the place, and you spotted a familiar face.

There was an empty spot farther into the diner, and you were comfortable enough to wait for a server to come by, especially because it was safe enough to take the breather pack off now. You have not had to wear one in a long while ever since the capital installed giant filters in their streets. 

Four servers were working the very busy floor right now. For a diner this size, you’d think they would hire more. Lucky for you, the exact server you needed came right to your table after noticing you.

Kevin instantly recognized you and skipped the scripted customer service greeting. “Teach, what a surprise,” he beamed, “I have never seen you in this part of the city! But I ain’t judging ‘cause you picked the perfect spot to grab a bite! What can I get you?”

He doesn’t look like a student at all, you thought. He looked quite different in his oil-stained, blue-and-white, striped server uniform than when he had a crisp and plain white school polo shirt. His hair was quite tousled. It made you wonder how long he’d been running around the shop that day. All of that made Kevin, one of your liveliest students, look much older now and wearier. But you thought it would be rude to comment like that.

“I’d like a chocolate shake,” you said, smiling, “And a conversation from teacher to student.”

Unlike his younger sibling, Kevin was a lot more sociable and charismatic. You assumed he was aware that you weren’t just here for a spontaneous dinner at some obscure diner, but it appeared he wasn’t at all fazed by the sudden teacher’s visit. Instead, he flashed a charming, friendly smile as he punched in your order on the tab.

“A choc-shake and a check-in,” he grinned. “Anything else?”

“Top it with sprinkles.”

“Gotcha. Comin’ right up~”

Kevin disappeared into the kitchen, then came out mere seconds later with two trays of food on each arm, none of which had your orders. So you waited, watching as your student would go in and out of the kitchen, and each time he would be bringing no less than two trays at a time. Still, you noticed the way his smile never faltered or twitched. Not once.

When he came back on the floor for the 4th time, Kevin did not have the server apron on. Still, he professionally brought over your chocolate shake with the same smile on his face. In the light of the room, beads of sweat shone like little diamonds on his forehead before he wiped them away with a towel, which he slung over his shoulder.

“The boss gave me 5 minutes,” Kevin said urgently as he sat across from you, “With all due respect, Mx, I’d like to not have her deduct a cent from my pay tonight.”

It would’ve sounded crude had it not come from a teenager who was obviously just strapped for cash. Lucky for him, you had a thing a lot of your colleagues didn’t have much of for him. Empathy.

“And, Max texted me already,” he quickly added. “I understand the whole absence policy.”

“Yet, you’re down to three permitted absences, Kevin.”

His shoulder slumped as he laughed sheepishly, an odd gesture considering what he said next. “Family emergency, teach. I’ve been taking more shifts and odd jobs to get through it, honestly. But Max has been making sure I’ve made up for as much of the schoolwork that I’ve missed.”

A twinge of guilt settled in your chest at that point. But you were yet to realize that it would not leave anytime soon.

“I’ll do my best to talk to your other teachers about giving you consideration, Kevin,” you said.

The boy’s face lit up in what seemed to be genuine relief. “Aw, seriously, Mx? Thank you, really!”

“Mhm. But, I must ask about Maxine.”

The relief disappeared like water into a vacuum drain. “Did something happen today at school?”

“They’re doing fine at school, as usual. I am actually more curious about what happens at your home.” You paused to check his reaction—nothing raised alarms, so far. So, you asked, “How is Maxine’s health faring?”

Oddly, Kevin looked more confused than concerned at the question. “Max’s lungs are a concern, but it’s nothing a breather pack can’t make up for. I don’t remember them getting sick in the last 6 months.”

Well, that’s definitely intriguing.

When you spoke, the firmness in your voice disappeared, which wasn’t originally intended. Maybe it was instinctive.

“Maxine has 3 absences left in the semester, same as you, Kevin,” you said, trying as delicately as possible to not alarm him. But it wasn’t working. The confident facade had completely disappeared from Kevin’s face, now lit up by the ghostly blue screen of his phone. He punched only two buttons. Speed dial.

While he held his phone to his ear, waiting for the other person to pick up, you continued, “They told me it was because they’ve been getting sick a lot, and the medical certificates seem to back that up.”

“They’re not picking up,” he grunted.

“Try calling home,” you suggested.

Kevin speed-dialled again. His fingers nervously tapped on the table as he waited for the person to pick up. You saw him muttering the words ‘come on’ over and over until, finally, the receiver answered. Kevin’s voice sounded unlike any way you’ve ever heard it before. Even if he was talking in a foreign language, you could clearly sense the grave urgency in his tone. Honestly, he sounded more like a father than a brother. 

“‘La, nasa’n si Max?” [Lola, where’s Max?]

The receiver responded, and Kevin replied, “‘Di pa ba siya umuuwi?” [Did they not come home yet?]

It sucked, but all you could do was helplessly watch from the other side of the table, unable to understand anything but the growing concern on his face.

Kevin exchanged a few more words with the other person until he ended the call and shoved the phone into his pocket.

“Max isn’t home,” he said, getting up, “I’ll go find them.”

“What about your shift?”

“I can work overtime tomorrow.”

“I’ll come with you.” This was a no-brainer for you, really.

A soft smile brought back the youth to Kevin’s features. “Thanks, Teach.”

One thought ran through your mind at that reply and as you silently watched Kevin disappear into the kitchen for the last time that night. 

These kids are going through so much. 

When he came out, Kevin had his backpack slung over his shoulder, a worn-out letterman jacket, and a determined look on his face. Also, he had a paper bag that he handed over to you.

“It’s a good thing we serve our drinks ready to go, huh,” he said, cracking a wider smile.

You hummed affirmatively as you took the bag. As soon as you had your drink all packed up, the two of you left the diner. As you stepped out of the door, you popped on your breather pack. To your surprise, Kevin remained bare-faced. He didn’t even have a mask on.

“Kevin, don’t you need a mask,” you asked. “Or a pack, perhaps?”

He raised his brows, wrinkling his forehead a bit. “Oh,” he mused, “Well, the air right now ain’t as bad as it usually is, so I’m all good.”

You noted how hazier his face looked now that you were outside. Then, you dug into your bag and grabbed two spare masks. It was all you could offer him.

“Teach, it’s fine, re—”

“I can practically feel the smoke pricking my skin, Kevin,” you interjected, “Kindly take the masks.”

The teacher tone worked. 5 seconds later, Kevin was standing next to you with half his face covered up. The two of you were looking out into the street, which seemed to have gotten even more crowded, though you thought it couldn’t have been possible. Kevin towered over it, his neck craning every which way for what you chalked up to be some preliminary search of sorts. It looked to be futile, however, as his shoulders drooped with a sigh.

“They usually just hang around outside while I work,” he said. Then, he checked his phone. “No reply yet.”

“We could split up,” you suggested.

He hummed, mulling it over. “I don’t think you’d be able to find your way around here, teach. No offense.”

“None taken.” You pulled out your own phone and opened the maps app. “And, I can just use this to navigate.”

“Oh, teach, uh, the app doesn’t really have an accurate read of the roads here, not since two years ago.” Kevin sounded apologetic, as if he were the lazy developers behind the app. “But maybe you could stay here and search the main market street? I’ll go around the back and check out the neighborhood.”

You hadn’t seen Kevin exercise this much agency in class. You were surprised but quite impressed. Of course, you nodded to his idea.

“Let’s meet up back here when you’ve found Maxine,” you said, pocketing your phone again. “And I’ll call you when I find them.”

“Damn, teach, you’re doing all this for us, huh?”

It was said like a joke, but you threw back at him a genuine smile, which—though you wouldn’t admit it—actually made you feel bad about all the times you didn’t go to such lengths for a student.

“It’s my job,” you asserted.

His eyes softly smiled at you before he went off, jogging away into the crowd. He was tall enough that you could still spot him all the way until he turned a corner. You felt positive he’d be alright. This was his home turf, after all, which then brought your mind back to your mission in all this. It was your first time in one of the smaller boroughs of the city, and it wasn’t at all what you had expected. Rather than some quaint, homely residential streets, you’ve been met with a buzz that was louder than most shopping centers you’ve been to at the capital.

But that was enough dilly-dallying. You started trekking the sidewalk, keeping your head to the side as you looked through the shop windows while trying your best to avoid potholes and other people. But, every now and then, you’d stop to scan the crowd to your other side—as much as you could see of it anyway. Sadly, the diners, clothing stores, general merchandise, and other shops you passed by all had one thing in common: No Maxine. Meanwhile, Kevin was yet to report back, so you assumed he had no progress either.

You stopped to sit on a bench to catch your breath. The breather pack was still beyond uncomfortable now that you’ve had it on for a while. The air you were inhaling smelled even more synthetic than what you were used to in the capital. Normally, the instinct was to take the breather pack off to try and smell the more organic air around you, but when you saw the hazy scene before you, it didn’t seem to be much of a choice.

Your mind drifted off once more to the siblings. In class, you’ve come to know them as this iconic duo. After all, it wasn’t every school year you got to meet an 18-year-old who was classmates with his 12-year-old sibling. Anecdotes from their past advisor had nothing but good things to say about them, except for Kevin’s proclivity to often be missing from class and Maxine’s vulnerability to social exclusion. For the latter, you assumed it was because of the age gap. When you met your class at the start of the school year though, you noticed how Maxine never really strayed from their brother. But even with all that timidness, you saw how bright they were in class discussions. Their endless curiosity would let you find them spending vacant hours just sitting at their desk with their nose buried in a textbook, usually about zoology which was their strongest subject. Meanwhile, their older brother, a towering bundle of life and laughter, would be sitting right next to them, either chatting with his friends or reviewing for a test. When it was the latter, you’d spot him occasionally tapping Maxine on the shoulder, and the two looked as if the younger kid was tutoring the older one.

The two gave off a very warm energy together, and it always felt like you were looking at an incomplete puzzle when you saw one without the other. Unfortunately, this did happen a lot. You were aware Kevin was a working student, so you were giving him considerations and even talking some of the stricter teachers into letting the kid have breathing room, too. It only worked sometimes, though. Still, you saw how Kevin was just as determined as everyone else to graduate. Even a high school diploma would get any 18-year-old a better-paying job than part-time shifts at a local restaurant, so you thought that was the motivation.

You were aware of the situation the Siazons were in, in terms of how much they actually told you, and you never sensed that they were lying when they said they were getting by well enough. But seeing how dog-tired Kevin looked at the diner earlier, you were more than disappointed in yourself for just taking that claim at face value.

“When the kids say they’re fine, there’s no need to look into it further. It’s a waste of time and money,” the top brass had told you during your orientation. If that’s what they tell every teacher they hire, then no wonder the school was so mediocre.

“Alright, (Y/N), you’ve rested enough,” you said as you stood up, “Let’s get back to it.”

You readjusted the breather pack and turned back to the sidewalk. Then, two stores over, you were standing in front of a butcher’s shop. Its sign was flipped to show that it was closed, but, through its still-open windows, you saw the manager talking to an employee who looked way too young to be working there. They were both looking at their phones, the manager tapping away until he held the device up for Maxine to look at the screen. They stared quizzically.

“What? You expectin’ more, huh,” the beefy-looking manager barked, “Well, you emptied trash cans and scrubbed blood off the floor. Ain’t nothing to break a sweat over, plus you ain’t a real employee, so quit complaining and beat it, kid.”

You watched as Maxine stood there for a second longer. You thought they would’ve argued back. Instead, they made their way to the back of the shop. They were probably heading out to leave. So you quickly shot Kevin a text, telling him the name of the store. Then, you walked over to the other end of the storefront. It seemed the backdoor opened into an alley lined with dumpsters that were either filled to the brim or overflowing. You almost stepped out to call Maxine, but your gut told you to keep observing just a little bit longer.

They were now standing next to a utility bike that seemed too tall for them, and they were still in their school uniform. But, on top of their black slacks and white school polo shirt, Maxine wore an apron sullied with grime and dried blood. Their jet-black hair, which they usually wore in braided twin-tails, was tied up in a messy bun. Like Kevin and a lot of other people in the area, they weren’t wearing a breather pack or a mask. Most striking, though, was the stress on their face that made them look almost 10 years older than they were.

It took a while for the realization to hit you. Maxine is only 12 years old. The city’s minimum working age is 16, with no exceptions.

You should’ve stopped them right there and then, but you had to watch, out of curiosity, when Noah took their dirty apron off and stuffed it in the bike basket from which they pulled out a green delivery courier cap.

“Maxine,” you called out as you stepped into the alley.

The kid jumped and almost stumbled as they turned around towards you. “Mx. (Y/SN)? What are you doing here?”

“I was really worried about you, Maxine,” you said as you approached. “When you said you were only absent because you keep getting sick, well, I just couldn’t bring myself to believe that point-blank—gut feelings, y’know.”

You saw them bite their lip. “But I was, Mx.”

“I talked to Kevin about it, and he said you’ve never been sick at all recently.” At that, Maxine’s eyes widened, then their gaze fell to the side guiltily. You softened your voice. “I’m not mad, Maxine. But now I’m even more concerned to know the real reason you’ve been absent.”

They sighed and began to answer, only to be cut off by heavy footsteps coming in fast from the other end of the alley. There were no lights apart from the one over the two of you, and all you could briefly make out at the dark end was a hulking figure running towards you. So, instinctively, you stepped in front of Maxine and pushed them behind you protectively.

Turns out, it was just Kevin, panting heavily through his mask before he ripped it off, sweat dripping down his face. He must’ve been running the entire way here from wherever he was in the borough. Still, as exhausted as he looked, his face erupted into a relieved smile as he saw Maxine.

The kid stepped out from behind you. “Kuya, I—”

They were interrupted again as their brother pulled them in for a tight hug. You stepped away to give them space and listened quietly.

“Jusko, Maxine,” Kevin exasperated, “Alalang-ala kami ni Lola! What are you even doing here, ha?”

Maxine said, sounding both defeated and stubborn, “I overheard you and Lola talking about the bills two weeks ago.”

Kevin sighed. “You’ve been skipping class to work, haven’t you?”

Maxine didn’t answer.

“I told you, ako nang bahala, Max,” their brother continued, “You don’t have to—”

“But I just wanted to help!”

“And, what about school, ha? Teach here said we’re in the same boat now,” Kevin fumed. “You can’t not graduate, Max. What would Lola say?”

“Ikaw rin naman,” Maxine contested, “If the two of us were both working, you wouldn’t have to keep skipping classes!”

“Max—”

The younger Siazon kept on reasoning. You’ve never seen them so stubborn before.

“Sasabihan na nga kita sana mamaya, eh. I just wanted to make enough money to buy Lola’s meds this month.” They turned their phone on and opened what you assumed was a payment service app. Then, Maxine shoved their phone into Kevin’s hand. “And I did. So, you don’t have to work during weekdays next week.”

Kevin stared at the screen for a moment, handed back Maxine’s phone, then peeled his jacket off to drape it over his sibling. It looked like a blanket on the latter.

“You should’ve told me,” Kevin said. There was no trace of anger in his voice.

“I was going to. Tonight,” Maxine asserted, “Sabi nga ni Lola, ‘di ba? Tulungan tayo.”

At that moment, you were reminded of a similar argument you once had with your dad back in your college days. What you thought was a responsible decision, your dad thought should not have even been considered in the first place. He told you to keep focusing on your studies and to let him worry about the money. As a parent, it was his responsibility to provide for you, no matter what it took.

That’s how Kevin sounded, and what he’d been acting like the entire night. A parent.

But it was clear that Maxine wanted a brother.

Kevin let out what sounded like half a chuckle and half a sigh as he draped his arm around Maxine’s shoulder. He turned them around so they were both facing you.

“Sorry about that, Teach,” he said. “And, sorry you had to go out all this way.”

Beside him, Maxine nodded. “And, I’m sorry for lying about the absences.”

You’d almost forgotten about that, to be honest. So you said, “The medical certificates were validated, so there’s no disciplinary issues to incur here.”

While Maxine looked rather confused, Kevin was grateful. “Thank you, Mx. (Y/SN),” he smiled, “We’ve got it from here.”

“Oh, not so fast, Siazons.”

Concern flashed over their faces. The resemblance had never been stronger. Then, you felt bad for worrying them.

“What would you recommend around here,” you asked. “We’ll grab dinner, and you can take some home for your grandmother, too.”

#avatar #oc #avatar the way of water #avatar james cameron #avatar oc #oc lore #backstory #character info #reader-insert

[medranojonnell]

LIFE, IS LIKE A CHESS

Chess is a game that has been played for centuries. It is a game of strategy and foresight. Played by two players, and each of their moves has the potential to make or break their enemy’s position or play that they have on their minds. Just like our life, but you can say that “We don’t deal with just one person or problems in our life we have a lot of problems and people to deal with every day how can you say that it’s like chess?” Well, you are right, but I realized while playing chess that the game can serve as a useful metaphor for a life of a person, especially, teenagers.

                When we play chess, we must always think ahead and anticipate our opponent’s move. It requires a certain level of patience and discipline. As a teenager, we encounter a lot of choices and decisions that have the potential to shape our lives. Whether it’s choosing your passion over your career or which extracurricular activities you are going to take, we must always think that all of our decision or choices that we made has long-term consequences that will affect our lives in the process of growing.

                In chess, it’s normal to lose a game or make a mistake that can cost you a piece. However, the best players can bounce back every blunder that they made while playing and continue with confidence. The same goes for us, as teenagers, we will face a lot of failures and losses along the road. Whether it’s a bad grade, rejection from your crush, a college entrance exam, or a job and the worst one is losing someone you love. We must learn from those and use them as motivation to keep moving forward.

                Another lesson that chess can teach us is the value of learning from others. Chess players tend to study the strategies and techniques of their opponents to be able to beat them and also to improve their own game. As teenagers, we can also learn from other people's experiences around us that can shape our lives. Whether it’s a good or bad experience we can learn a lot from them and use them as a tool or guide that can lead us to a better future.

                In a game of chess, the board is always changing, and players must be able to adjust their strategy when things don’t go as they planned. As teenagers we have a small world and this small world that we have is constantly changing too we must be able to adapt and learn to navigate our small world, whether it’s adapting to new people that we met on the road and also the most important is the challenges and changes that we can experience.

                Lastly, my favorite realization about chess is the importance of patience and preparation. This is the most important trait that a chess player must have, patience. The game can last more than an hour, and mostly the person who has good patience and focus that can last a long time of the game has more percentage of winning the game. And to do that, the person must be well prepared for the match-up to execute the preparations that he or she planned. The same goes for us, as we go forward to our growth we will face obstacles and we must be patient with ourselves dealing with those. And we must prepare and give time and effort to developing our skills to pursue our passions.

                Our life can be challenging and filled with ups and downs. But, if we approach it like a game of chess, we can navigate and bounce back and regain our confidence. By practicing thinking ahead, learning from others' experiences, adaptability, patience, and preparation we can win all downs of our lives as we go towards our future as a teenager.

[emmybooknook]

The Rule of Three by Eric Walters, a novel.

This book is different from others that I’ve read in that it is a more action-style survival book. Most survival books I’ve read have that natural air of mystery around them. Like in the “No Easy Way Out” trilogy by Dayna Lorentz, the apocalypse setting was caused by a virus that leads to panic in the mall. While in this book the apocalypse scenario is caused by a “computer/electricity outage.” I put it in quotes because the use of generators has been used to supply energy and cars that don’t rely on computers are still active. I can see why the author took this approach to tell his story because other high-action events occur that don’t necessarily surround total apocalypse scenarios.

One thing I want to touch on that made me kind of dislike the book was the lack of commas. Don’t get me wrong I am not the perfect writer. I am just some 20-something writing these little book reports in my spare time. I am by no means a professional. So, take my criticism with a grain of salt.

I am a big fan of an oxford comma and I like having a comma to note a natural breathing point or pause in the sentence. Some of the author’s sentences lack these and require a stop and reread of the sentence to get the desired meaning. It’s not a huge hassle but can break the natural flow of the book.

Anyway, into the meat of the book.  MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD

This book is definitely interesting in its own right just maybe not for me. I prefer books with a more total apocalypse vibe and ones that play on the mystery surrounding such a situation. But that doesn’t mean this book doesn’t have its own fuel of mystery fire. Herb, one of the main set of characters in the book, is ex-military and has a lot of training in de-escalating situations and negotiations. Some of which I find kind of convenient to the story, but not too convenient. There are still some surprises to be had.

Something that was kind of unintentionally nostalgic for me was the realism of the power outage. Back in middle school, my grade did a S.T.E.M project about this exact scenario for some reason. I don’t remember what caused them to make us do this because I don’t think the other grades had to do it. Anyway, we were separated into different groups to tackle different aspects of the new day-to-day life. I did like how the book touched on some of these, from dealing with sewage to lack of refrigeration. 

I love the start of the book. Weirdly, something I enjoy about apocalypse books is the sudden halt to normal life. It’s such a weird vibe. I like how Adam is a regular high school kid that is then thrown into this mess. I also like how close he is to the reality of the situation sometimes. It lets us see the opposing forces of “striving to be an adult” versus “I would like to keep my innocence and youth.” It’s something that every teenager must go through at some point, just usually not to this extent. It’s a fine balance that the author does well to achieve.

SIGNIFICANT SPOILERS

These events don’t necessarily “change the course of history” for the book but are significant plot points. Continue at your own risk.

Herb can be kind of badass

There are two high-action events where Herb comes in real handy. The first is towards the beginning of the book when they are trying to buy chlorine tablets for the eventual water crisis due to lack of electricity. Adam, our main character, is one of the few people with an old enough car that can still run, this is a positive and a negative. It’s a negative because it draws the attention of people desperate enough to start fights with others in order to get home. Herb handles this nicely. He shows his pistol to get the men to back off but also de-escalates the situation by leveling with them.

The second is towards the middle of the book when they are trying to move farm supplies from a friend’s farm to the neighborhood where they can be better protected. Their convoy of supplies is interrupted by some people trying to protect their own neighborhood. A discussion of “cow tax” quickly escalates into life and death negotiations. Herb manages to stand up for himself and persuades the men to let them go. (Actually, he lies and says that he’s part of a raid party that is stealing the cows and he is willing to kill the men if they don’t step off.) It’s funny he pulls the ‘call an ambulance but not for me’ meme.

My favorite Herb quote “We have to be like a duck … calm on the surface but paddling like crazy where nobody can see it”

Brett is an oddball

Brett is a rookie cop and is a part of the neighborhood. There is a scene where they are collecting abandoned cars from the highway for parts and fuel storage and Brett takes this time to have some fun and smash some car windows and headlights. Adam is put off by this. It’s understandable because of how Brett talks about it, like he almost doesn’t respect authority. This point is brought up in later conversations between Herb and Adam. It makes me wonder if there is betrayal further into the story.

There is still more to this story. The book ends with this battle against a “rival compound”, but there are still unanswered questions. What made all the power go out? Will Herb ever disclose his government work? Will the power come back on? What issues will continue to arise as life tries to go on without power? I’d like to know where this story goes so, I might be getting the second book.

Recommend for people who like an action-style book. 8/10

#bookblr #book review blog #review blog #book review #book blog #booklr #The Rule of 3 #Eric Walters