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mostlysignssomeportents · 10 months ago

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Cars bricked by bankrupt EV company will stay bricked

On OCTOBER 23 at 7PM, I'll be in DECATUR, presenting my novel THE BEZZLE at EAGLE EYE BOOKS.

There are few phrases in the modern lexicon more accursed than "software-based car," and yet, this is how the failed EV maker Fisker billed its products, which retailed for $40-70k in the few short years before the company collapsed, shut down its servers, and degraded all those "software-based cars":

https://insideevs.com/news/723669/fisker-inc-bankruptcy-chapter-11-official/

Fisker billed itself as a "capital light" manufacturer, meaning that it didn't particularly make anything – rather, it "designed" cars that other companies built, allowing Fisker to focus on "experience," which is where the "software-based car" comes in. Virtually every subsystem in a Fisker car needs (or rather, needed) to periodically connect with its servers, either for regular operations or diagnostics and repair, creating frequent problems with brakes, airbags, shifting, battery management, locking and unlocking the doors:

https://www.businessinsider.com/fisker-owners-worry-about-vehicles-working-bankruptcy-2024-4

Since Fisker's bankruptcy, people with even minor problems with their Fisker EVs have found themselves owning expensive, inert lumps of conflict minerals and auto-loan debt; as one Fisker owner described it, "It's literally a lawn ornament right now":

https://www.businessinsider.com/fisker-owners-describe-chaos-to-keep-cars-running-after-bankruptcy-2024-7

This is, in many ways, typical Internet-of-Shit nonsense, but it's compounded by Fisker's capital light, all-outsource model, which led to extremely unreliable vehicles that have been plagued by recalls. The bankrupt company has proposed that vehicle owners should have to pay cash for these recalls, in order to reserve the company's capital for its creditors – a plan that is clearly illegal:

https://www.veritaglobal.net/fisker/document/2411390241007000000000005

This isn't even the first time Fisker has done this! Ten years ago, founder Henrik Fisker started another EV company called Fisker Automotive, which went bankrupt in 2014, leaving the company's "Karma" (no, really) long-range EVs (which were unreliable and prone to bursting into flames) in limbo:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisker_Karma

Which raises the question: why did investors reward Fisker's initial incompetence by piling in for a second attempt? I think the answer lies in the very factor that has made Fisker's failure so hard on its customers: the "software-based car." Investors love the sound of a "software-based car" because they understand that a gadget that is connected to the cloud is ripe for rent-extraction, because with software comes a bundle of "IP rights" that let the company control its customers, critics and competitors:

https://locusmag.com/2020/09/cory-doctorow-ip/

A "software-based car" gets to mobilize the state to enforce its "IP," which allows it to force its customers to use authorized mechanics (who can, in turn, be price-gouged for licensing and diagnostic tools). "IP" can be used to shut down manufacturers of third party parts. "IP" allows manufacturers to revoke features that came with your car and charge you a monthly subscription fee for them. All sorts of features can be sold as downloadable content, and clawed back when title to the car changes hands, so that the new owners have to buy them again. "Software based cars" are easier to repo, making them perfect for the subprime auto-lending industry. And of course, "software-based cars" can gather much more surveillance data on drivers, which can be sold to sleazy, unregulated data-brokers:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-demon

Unsurprisingly, there's a large number of Fisker cars that never sold, which the bankruptcy estate is seeking a buyer for. For a minute there, it looked like they'd found one: American Lease, which was looking to acquire the deadstock Fiskers for use as leased fleet cars. But now that deal seems dead, because no one can figure out how to restart Fisker's servers, and these vehicles are bricks without server access:

https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/08/fisker-bankruptcy-hits-major-speed-bump-as-fleet-sale-is-now-in-question/

It's hard to say why the company's servers are so intransigent, but there's a clue in the chaotic way that the company wound down its affairs. The company's final days sound like a scene from the last days of the German Democratic Republic, with apparats from the failing state charging about in chaos, without any plans for keeping things running:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/03/07/east-germany-stasi-surveillance-documents/

As it imploded, Fisker cycled through a string of Chief Financial officers, losing track of millions of dollars at a time:

https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/31/fisker-collapse-investigation-ev-ocean-suv-henrik-geeta/

When Fisker's landlord regained possession of its HQ, they found "complete disarray," including improperly stored drums of toxic waste:

https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/05/fiskers-hq-abandoned-in-complete-disarray-with-apparent-hazardous-waste-clay-models-left-behind/

And while Fisker's implosion is particularly messy, the fact that it landed in bankruptcy is entirely unexceptional. Most businesses fail (eventually) and most startups fail (quickly). Despite this, businesses – even those in heavily regulated sectors like automotive regulation – are allowed to design products and undertake operations that are not designed to outlast the (likely short-lived) company.

After the 2008 crisis and the collapse of financial institutions like Lehman Brothers, finance regulators acquired a renewed interest in succession planning. Lehman consisted of over 6,000 separate corporate entities, each one representing a bid to evade regulation and/or taxation. Unwinding that complex hairball took years, during which the entities that entrusted Lehman with their funds – pensions, charitable institutions, etc – were unable to access their money.

To avoid repeats of this catastrophe, regulators began to insist that banks produce "living wills" – plans for unwinding their affairs in the event of catastrophe. They had to undertake "stress tests" that simulated a wind-down as planned, both to make sure the plan worked and to estimate how long it would take to execute. Then banks were required to set aside sufficient capital to keep the lights on while the plan ran on.

This regulation has been indifferently enforced. Banks spent the intervening years insisting that they are capable of prudently self-regulating without all this interference, something they continue to insist upon even after the Silicon Valley Bank collapse:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/15/mon-dieu-les-guillotines/#ceci-nes-pas-une-bailout

The fact that the rules haven't been enforced tells us nothing about whether the rules would work if they were enforced. A string of high-profile bankruptcies of companies who had no succession plans and whose collapse stands to materially harm large numbers of people tells us that something has to be done about this.

Take 23andme, the creepy genomics company that enticed millions of people into sending them their genetic material (even if you aren't a 23andme customer, they probably have most of your genome, thanks to relatives who sent in cheek-swabs). 23andme is now bankrupt, and its bankruptcy estate is shopping for a buyer who'd like to commercially exploit all that juicy genetic data, even if that is to the detriment of the people it came from. What's more, the bankruptcy estate is refusing to destroy samples from people who want to opt out of this future sale:

https://bourniquelaw.com/2024/10/09/data-23-and-me/

On a smaller scale, there's Juicebox, a company that makes EV chargers, who are exiting the North American market and shutting down their servers, killing the advanced functionality that customers paid extra for when they chose a Juicebox product:

https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/2/24260316/juicebox-ev-chargers-enel-x-way-closing-discontinued-app

I actually owned a Juicebox, which ultimately caught fire and melted down, either due to a manufacturing defect or to the criminal ineptitude of Treeium, the worst solar installers in Southern California (or both):

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/27/here-comes-the-sun-king/#sign-here

Projects like Juice Rescue are trying to reverse-engineer the Juicebox server infrastructure and build an alternative:

https://juice-rescue.org/

This would be much simpler if Juicebox's manufacturer, Enel X Way, had been required to file a living will that explained how its customers would go on enjoying their property when and if the company discontinued support, exited the market, or went bankrupt.

That might be a big lift for every little tech startup (though it would be superior than trying to get justice after the company fails). But in regulated sectors like automotive manufacture or genomic analysis, a regulation that says, "Either design your products and services to fail safely, or escrow enough cash to keep the lights on for the duration of an orderly wind-down in the event that you shut down" would be perfectly reasonable. Companies could make "software based cars" but the more "software based" the car was, the more funds they'd have to escrow to transition their servers when they shut down (and the lest capital they'd have to build the car).

Such a rule should be in addition to more muscular rules simply banning the most abusive practices, like the Oregon state Right to Repair bill, which bans the "parts pairing" that makes repairing a Fisker car so onerous:

https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/27/24097042/right-to-repair-law-oregon-sb1596-parts-pairing-tina-kotek-signed

Or the Illinois state biometric privacy law, which strictly limits the use of the kind of genomic data that 23andme collected:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=3004

Failing to take action on these abusive practices is dangerous – and not just to the people who get burned by them. Every time a genomics research project turns into a privacy nightmare, that salts the earth for future medical research, making it much harder to conduct population-scale research, which can be carried out in privacy-preserving ways, and which pays huge scientific dividends that we all benefit from:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/01/the-palantir-will-see-you-now/#public-private-partnership

Just as Fisker's outrageous ripoff will make life harder for good cleantech companies:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/26/unplanned-obsolescence/#better-micetraps

If people are convinced that new, climate-friendly tech is a cesspool of grift and extraction, it will punish those firms that are making routine, breathtaking, exciting (and extremely vital) breakthroughs:

https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/10/08/norways-national-football-stadium-has-the-worlds-largest-vertical-solar-roof-how-does-it-w

Tor Books as just published two new, free LITTLE BROTHER stories: VIGILANT, about creepy surveillance in distance education; and SPILL, about oil pipelines and indigenous landback.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/10/software-based-car/#based

#pluralistic #enshittification #evs #automotive #bricked #fisker #ocean #cleantech #iot #internet of shit #autoenshittification

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yunoclips · 2 years ago

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interruptions

Nerd!Haechan x reader

happy new year ;)

nsfw included

He remembers the first time he saw you. The sun was shining way too brightly and the heat was sweltering. It was a normal day on campus for Haechan. Following his normal routine of eating , studying and then getting to class. Leaving his dorm as quietly as possible trying his best to leave his roommate, Jaehyun undisturbed. Jaehyun was someone that valued his hours of “beauty sleep”.

He remembers the last time he accidentally disrupted Jaehyun’s sleep. It wasn’t a pleasant experience. But none the less he manages to exit successfully. Everything goes as planned. He gets to class without any interruptions. Interruptions are actually something that he rarely ever encounters considering he doesn’t have the most active social life.

Haechan has no friends—Not counting the ones he has online waiting for him in his overwatch server.

But he has no actual friends. The ones that you can go out with. The ones that let you crash at their place just because. The ones that keep you company when you’re lonely.

And while that might sound sad to any other person , it actually doesn’t effect him. Well at least that’s what he believes. He has good grades , a decent place to stay , food filling his belly and a computer than can handle everything else. Who needs friends when you already have the essentials.

Besides friends can drag you down. If he had friends he wouldn’t be able to get to class on time and sit in his favorite spot like he’s doing now.

Some people would consider him a Nerd, and he doesn’t blame them. He gets to class on time every day , always participates , never hands in an assignment late , gets perfect scores and to top it all of he wears these thick rimmed black glasses. Being called a Nerd is expected and he doesn’t mind it at all.

As usual class goes by quickly, with no interruptions of course. Haechan steps out into the sweltering heat once again. Using his hand to shield the sun that blinds his eyes , he starts walking to his next class. Everything goes smoothly with no interruptions. Until he feels something fall out of his back pocket. He turns around quickly and bends down to grab it but when he looks up he stares at the first interruption he’s had in a while.

There you were standing in the middle of the campus looking absolutely dumb founded. The light of the sun reflecting off of your skin perfectly. Your hair was beautiful , bringing out all the profound features of your face. Your body was mesmerizing. He knows he shouldn’t be looking at you like this but he can’t help it when he finds himself staring at your tits. Eyes wandering to your thighs. Every thought that he shouldn’t be having suddenly bombards his mind.

He tries his hardest to look away but something about you is so captivating. Maybe it’s the way you looked so confused. Holding the campus directory out , switching between looking down at it and then looking up to try and pin point your location. If he was a normal person he would’ve walked up to you and offered help. But he isn’t normal.

So he turns around and walks to class quicker than he normally would. That day he was 10 minutes early to class.

The next week was full of interruptions. If it wasn’t bad enough that he couldn’t get the image of you out of his mind. You just so happened to be in the same statistics class as him.

“Great”

Even more distractions for him. Today was the day he finally decided to stop allowing you to cloud his mind. He was just gonna keep his head down and do his work like always. You didn’t even know he existed. How could he be so obsessed with someone that doesn’t even know he exists.

His plans were actually starting to work. He managed to actually get some useful notes down on his paper without pausing mid sentence to daydream about how you would look ontop of him. But as the saying goes — all good things must come to an end. His bubble is popped instantly the moment you walk up to him.

“Hi, my name is y/n” You had this disgustingly bright smile on your face. It wasn’t disgusting because it was a bad smile , it was disgusting because it was so precious that it should be locked away in a safe and hidden from the world. Not just exposed like this in front of so many filthy people.

“ I know this is probably a rude way of introducing myself. But I’m actually quite new to campus.”

How pathetic he must look right now, he thinks to himself. His mouth is hung open and his eyes are drilling holes into yours. Instead of responding he just stares. Not thinking much of it , you continue

“Your name is Haechan right? It’s nice to meet you !”

Taking his limp hand off the desk you intertwine it with yours and shake it before softly placing it back down.

When you touch him he feels something inside of him jump. He doesn’t know if was his heart or his cock. Or both.

Still not receiving any response other than a mindless stare, you keep going.

“I actually came to you for a reason.”

There it goes. What a fool he would be to think you would actually come up to him just because you wanted to be friends. Of course you needed something.

“I was talking to our professor just a minutes ago. I had to explain to him that I was considering dropping this course. Math isn’t one of my strengths and I just can’t deal with the added stress right now. He interrupted me though and told me that there was actually someone in this class that could help me out a bit. Nd now here I am.”

You pause taking a moment to try and read his face. Trying to pick out any kind of reaction but you weren’t receiving any.

“You know , it’s totally fine if you say no. I know this is again , kind of rude and abrupt. If you can’t help I won’t be mad or anythi-“

“No!” He says a little too loud. So loud that a few of the students that were close to him turned their heads quickly just to check if something was wrong.

“Shit, this is why you don’t have any friends. What kind of response was that?” Internally scolding himself.

“I-i mean no, it’s totally fine. I would be honored to help you. I-i mean not honored but glad. Honored sounds kind of creepy. A-am I making this weird , fuck you probably think I’m crazy. I promise I’m not it’s jus-“

Cutting him off , you put your hand on his shoulder and give him a comforting look.

“It’s okay. It’s actually kinda cute.”

Cute. You just called him cute. Something inside of him jumped again , this time it was definitely his cock.

“So how about this Saturday at 1 ? We can meet in the park a few blocks down. It’s supposed to be really nice out. I can bring snacks and a blanket. It’s the least I can do considering you’ll be helping me out with something so short notice.” You finish with a smile painted across your face.

All he can do is nod. Still stuck in a trance , he forces his self to answer. “Y-yea , Saturday is good. I can do Saturday”

“Great ! See you Saturday Haechan”

And just like that you disappear. The rest of Haechan’s day was absolutely unproductive.

When he got home that night, he sprawled across his bed staring at the ceiling in darkness. That same night he jerked himself off with the hand you shook.

Removing his trousers with haste. The little glob of spit wasn’t enough to prevent friction. His hand was moving fast, faster than any other time. He was working so hard that his arm caught a cramp.

His stomach was burning , knots of pure pleasure —and humiliation— forming. Coaxing himself through orgasm after orgasm. His head started to fog , he could hear his own heartbeat ripping through his ears. Mouth hung open in a silent scream. Thighs twitching , toes curled.

Only when his cock started to burn from the friction, did he finally stop. He fell asleep with his cock still in his hand. The only thing he could see in his dreams was you.

The rest of the days leading up to Saturday went by like a blur. When the day finally came Haechan found himself sinking in desperation. For some reason the time leading up to your 1’o clock meet up was incredibly slow. He had made sure to take a nice shower with his good body wash that he spent way too much money on. He did his skin care routine , making sure to add an extra step. He even ironed his clothes , something he never does.

He got to the park 10 minutes early. Although he’s always an early person for no real reason , this time he needed those 10 minutes to prepare himself.

How was he gonna greet you? Was he gonna stumble over his words like an idiot or speak in confidence? How did he look , was his shirt crisp enough? Did he smell fine?

Just as he started to question himself more you walked towards him. That beautiful smile planted on your face , carrying a few bags and blankets. He was in a trance , and just like that everything he spent 10 minutes thinking about instantly disappeared from his mind.

You finally reached him and plopped everything down. Leaning in to give him a hug you noticed how stiff he got. Maybe you should’ve asked first , you say to yourself. But little did you know , that small gesture alone sent blood rushing straight to his cock.

“Fucking hell, get it together.” He says to himself.

“Hi! I’m sorry for having you wait like this. The bus was taking longer than usual” genuine sorriness lacing your voice.

“N-no , it’s fine. I wasn’t here that long”. And just like that a loud wave of silence washes over. He’s just staring at you like you have a spider on your forehead.

“Maybe the hug was actually way to much…” You say to yourself.

“Well… How about we take a seat. I’ll open the blanket.” Breaking the silence. You bend down to start setting up. Shortly after you start, you see the other side of the blanket being spread open. Looking up , you see Haechan bent down to help you. How nice.

The rest of the studying session goes smoothly. You come to learn that Haechan was indeed , very smart. You understood everything he was saying , with the exception of some hardcore things. But you weren’t worried , there was always room for another session with him.

After two long hours goes by , you sit up and pop a few grapes in your mouth. He seems to get the message and turns on his back, leaving the textbook forgotten.

“Let’s take a break.” You propose.

“Okay” Lifting himself up to face you , he continues. “I like breaks , breaks are cool.”

He was so cute , you chuckle silently to yourself.

“How about we tell each other one thing about ourselves. It can be anything.”

“O-okay” hesitance evident in his voice.

“I’ll start… I have this obsession with Kiwis. I know you’re probably thinking that I’m being over dramatic but no. I genuinely cannot go a single day without having one. It could be the middle of the night and I would literally wake myself up just to grab a kiwi , then go back to bed. It’s really weird I know… Actually you’re the first person that I’ve told. I guess today is your lucky day” Finishing off with a giggle.

He feels like a pervert when the sound of your giggling goes through his ears and runs straight down to his cock.

Clearing his throat , trying to calm himself down. He starts to speak.

“My name isn’t Haechan. I mean it is Haechan but my actual name isn’t. It’s Donghyuck , but only my mom calls me that.”

Donghyuck. What a nice name. It rings in your ears like the sound of wind chimes.

“Donghyuck.. I like it , I like it a lot actually. Would it be fine if I called you that ?”

At that moment he became even more obsessed with you than before. If that was even possible.

“Yea. I’d like that actually.” For the first time in a while , his heart is filled with warmth.

“Well...Donghyuck. This was really nice. I should get going though , it’s getting dark out here and I don’t wanna get caught at the bus stop. How bout we do this again next week? Same place, same time ?”

“Yes.” Answering almost too quickly.

“I mean , yes that’s fine with me. Same place, same time.”

Giving him a nod with a smile accompanying it , you get up. He follows after you, helping you pack up the snacks and the blanket. After you finish you give him one final hug. Leaning up to whisper in his ear. “Thank you again , Donghyuck.”

And before he gets the chance to react you walk off. Leaving him there in shock with a painfully erect cock in his pants. It takes him 2 minutes to finally move and pick up his backpack from the floor. When he starts walking he almost trips over something. He looks down and it was your perfume. The same perfume that you use in class everyday. The perfume that smells like flower petals with hints of sweet fruit and a pinch of spice. The same perfume that he smelt when you whispered in his ear.

He leans down to pick it up. Staring at it for a few seconds he decides to just put it in his bag. Any normal person would’ve just quickly given it to you considering the bus stop was literally down the street. But Donghyuck is not a normal person.

That night when he gets home , he does something so perverted. Something he’d never tell a soul about. He pulls out your perfume and sprays it all over his stuffed bear that he won at a raffle. Not even taking the time to get naked , he humps the toy with sloppy, inexperienced thrusts. His glasses fog up from the warmth of the room. His face is sweaty and sticky. He had drool seeping out the corners of his mouth. Mind gone completely blank.

He came so hard, that he blacked out.

When he regained consciousness two things were coursing through his mind. One of those things was him praying that his roommate didn’t hear him fucking himself silly. The other thing being that he was in trouble and it was all your fault.

For the next couple of weeks , the two of you had these study sessions. They had went well and you were actually starting to understand the class. You and Donghyuck got closer too.

Ending every session with a fun fact about yourselves turned into full conversations about anything that crossed your mind. You would talk and he would listen. Thoughts of Donghyuck started clouding your head , even when you two weren’t together.

Maybe it was because he never judged you for any weird thing you’ve said. Or maybe it was because he would let you talk your heart out — something nobody has ever done , and he would just listen happily. It could’ve also been the way he looks completely heart broken every time you leave him , like he’s worried you will never comeback.

He’s also pretty attractive as well, soft black hair, beautiful skin, beauty moles that were spread so perfectly across his face and those thick rimmed black glasses.

When you walked up to his seat in class that day , he assumed that it would just be for another study session.

“Hi , we’re still on for saturda-“

“Do you wanna go out with me?” Cutting him off quickly.

“Like on a date.” You continue. You wait for a response but it takes a while. Maybe he didn’t understand you ?

But Donghyuck definitely understood. He understood so well that he thinks he’s dreaming actually. When the words “go out with me” flowed out of your mouth , his ears started ringing. He forgot how to breathe for a quick second. And for some odd reason he feels tears well up in his eyes. But before you think he’s trying to deny you , he forces himself to respond.

“Are you asking me out ?”

“Yea I am actually”

This can’t be right. The girl of his dreams asking him out , this has to be some sick joke.

“Are you sure you weren’t talking to the person behind me , cause that would make sen-“

“No. I’m asking you, Donghyuck Lee, out on a date with me.”

The tears were starting to fall now. Not of sadness but instead of Joy and utter happiness.

“Y-yea. I would be honored to go out with you, Like on a date of course.” Bringing his hand up to quickly wipe his cheek before you notice how pathetic he is.

“Great ! I was thinking Friday , 5’ o clock ? There’s this really good looking burger joint around here.” There goes that beautiful smile again , so bright and big.

“Friday sounds good. I like Friday's …”

“Good,” Pausing to take a good look at his face, you noticed his eyes were a bit watery. How cute. “I’ll see you friday then , Donghyuck.” And just like that you disappear once again.

When Donghyuck gets home that night , he cries in his pillow. He cries because he finally understands what it feels like to not be lonely— something that he’s been for so long. He cries and then humps his stuffed toy once again , until the only thought running through his mind is you.

Friday came quickly. You two had met up a small little diner in the corner of town as promised. Everything was going perfect. The evening filled with jokes and you laughing at Donghyuck as he was having a mini panic attack after spilling ketchup all over his shirt.

The conversations were flowing so smoothly , it was like you two had known each other your entire lives.

And yet again as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.

It was time to head back home but instead of taking the bus like you usually would you and Donghyuck decided to just walk.The entire walk was filled with you two telling each other things that nobody else knew. You felt this weird sense of comfort when you spoke to him. Almost like he was the only person who understood who you really were.

When you approached the front of your building you felt a wave of sadness wash over you. This was truly an amazing night.

“I usually don’t do this after the first date but… there’s just something about you Donghyuck.” For the first time since you met him , you felt nervous.

You were staring at the ground beneath you. You took a few seconds to recollect yourself. What was the worse that could happen? This is Donghyuck. Your sweet , understanding , shy , silly Donghyuck.

“Donghyuck.. do you maybe wanna go out with me? As like… my boyfriend?”

Boyfriend. The word boyfriend rang in Donghyuck’s ears. His breathing started getting shallow and his knees buckled a bit. A rush of euphoria washed over him , his mind was racing and his heart was beating out of his chest. The tears welled up in his eyes and started to roll down his pretty face like a waterfall.

“Y-yea , I’d love that actually” Pausing to sniffle and wipe his face with the sleeve of his shirt.

“I’d love to be your boyfriend.”

“Are you okay hyuck ? You’re crying…” There was genuine concern in your voice.

“N-no I’m fine. Just really really happy.”

What a dork. He was so infatuated with you that he started to cry when you asked him out. You found it endearing that he enjoyed you so much. A smile painted your face. There was an intense silence that enveloped the two of you in a box. It was as if you and Donghyuck were the only people on earth. Basking in each others glory.

Staring into his captivating eyes you start to inch in closer to his face. Finally planting a soft kiss on his lips. He had completely stopped breathing. When you pulled away he looked absolutely stunned. Cute.

You give him a final look before turning away , walking to the entrance of your building. His eyes following you in silence.

Before you opened the door you turned around to say one last thing.

“Goodnight , Donghyuck.” And just like that, you disappear.

After you left him , he stood still in front of your building for 10 minutes. The world was revolving but Donghyuck was absolutely stuck. He needed time to comprehend what just happened , he had to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

That night when Donghyuck got home , he cried for a bit. Then he got on Overwatch to tell his buddies that he’d be gone for a while. Finally he sprawled himself out on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Occasionally bringing his hand up to rub over his lips, as if rubbing them would take him back to the moment you placed your soft lips on his. As the night got darker , his eyes got heavy. When he finally fell asleep he had a smile on his face and dreamed of you.

Everything was perfect.

#nct smut #sub!nct #sub!idol #sub!kpop #lee haechan smut #haechan x y/n #haechan smut #nct dream smut #nct 127 smut #sub!haechan

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haoboutyou · 1 year ago

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hello!!! I really enjoy your fics and was wondering if you could do wonwoo, cheol & mingyu where they're crushing on you? separate ones!!

when they have a crush on you | hhu

fluff | 1278 words (300-ish per member) | no warnings

an: hihi! hope this is what you're looking for! it took me a while ngl I have new-found respect for headcanon writers T-T + added vernon because 🤷🏽‍♀️

divider credit

1. Choi Seungcheol

He carries your bags for you.

You’re not sure when it started, but you’ve noticed that Seungcheol would always carry your bags for you, even despite your insistence. It’s like he’s made it his own personal mission to carry your stuff for you, even when you’re out with others. of course, this came hand in hand with the other guys teasing you two whenever you hung out. It doesn’t help that Jeonghan often jokes that Seungcheol’s crush on you is an open secret, but the boy in question wouldn’t even dispel his best friend’s words, flushing bright red every time.

“Seungcheol, give me that!”

Seungcheol stops in his tracks, causing you to bump into his back. The equipment in the box clinks against each other as he turns around, facing you. Wordlessly, he dumps the box into your waiting arms, smirking when you almost topple over at the unexpected weight.

“I told you, sweetheart; leave the heavy lifting to me.”

You glance up at him, a slight blush from the unexpected nickname. When did he start calling you that? A bead of sweat glistens on your brow as you brush that thought away, your expression a mix of defiance and sheepishness.

"I can manage," you mumble, trying your hardest to conceal the struggle in your tone.

He can’t shake off the apprehension swirling within him. He had warned you, hadn't he? Yet, you continue to persist, your determination outmatching your physical strength. Concern floods Seungcheol as he watches the way your arms tremble at the weight of the box.

He approaches you, gently but firmly emphasising again. "I told you, y/n.” With a resigned sigh, he reached out, his hands enveloping the box, effortlessly lifting it from your grasp. "Stubborn as ever," his voice's a certain fondness, tugging at your heart for no apparent reason.

You watch him, a mixture of gratitude and embarrassment colouring your features as he continues walking away with the box. Eh, what harm is an extra hand?

2. Jeon Wonwoo

He lets you win in games.

Wonwoo’s proud of his in-game skills; he’s not afraid to say his reflexes sharp and his strategies are flawless. He’s rather good too– having high rankings in the server makes him cocky, Seungcheol likes to say. But as he glanced at his crush beside him, he notices the slight furrow of your brow, a hint of frustration clouding your features as you struggle to keep up.

A pang of empathy tugs at his heart. Wonwoo did ask you to join him at the internet cafe; he only wishes that you would learn to enjoy the game as much as he did. And so, in a split-second decision, he dials back his intensity, purposely taking on more hits to level the playing field.

Your eyes widened in surprise as you suddenly found your character gaining ground, rallying against the opposing team with newfound vigor. Unbeknownst to you, Wonwoo was subtly adjusting his tactics– allowing you to seize the advantage, all the while maintaining the illusion of competition.

Your team wins. Across you, Jihoon whoops in joy. “That’s foul!” Chan baulks opposite Wonwoo, clicking away furiously on his keyboard. Wonwoo smirks as he leans back in his chair, the loser banner blinking brightly on his screen. Arms stretching up, he leans over his monitor to peek your screen.

Your eyes seemed to shine brighter than the screen in front of you. Contrary to the boy next to you, your monitor flashes an animated victory banner.

“I did it! We–I did it!” you clap your hands together, grinning ear to ear. You lean towards Wonwoo to bump shoulders with him.

He chuckles, arms crossing behind his head as he leans back in his seat. “Yes, you did!”

3. Chwe Vernon

He gets you medicine.

“Here.” A box drops in front of you, breaking the concentration you had on your laptop in front of you.

You look up from your screen in confusion. “What’s this?”

Vernon nudges the box of painkillers in front of you. He settles down on the chair opposite yours, acknowledging Seungkwan seated beside you.

“You said you had a headache.” He acts nonchalant as he dives into conversation with his best friend, but the heavy blush creeping up his neck suggests otherwise. Yes, you had texted him earlier asking if he had painkillers on him, but you recalled him replying a plain ‘no’. Either he was lying (you doubt it– why would Vernon lie to you?) or he had stopped by a pharmacy just to pick up some for you.

You’re slightly flushing now, and not because of the dull throbbing in your head. Sure, Seungkwan had fed into your delusion earlier, suggesting that Vernon might have a crush on you– but there’s no way that’s, right?

You sneak a glance at your two best friends in front of you, now engaging in a deep argument about potatoes. Vernon’s brows furrow even deeper but soften when he realises you’re looking his way. The shy smile he sends your way causes cartwheels in your stomach before replacing it with an exaggerated gasp directed to Seungkwan’s way.

You bury your head back into your laptop, mumbling a quick thanks before trying to focus on your work. Still, you can’t shake off what Seungkwan said about your best friend.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think Vernon has a crush on you.”

“That’s ridiculous, Kwan. He sees me as a friend, just like you.”

Seungkwan wiggles his eyebrows, choosing to scroll on his phone instead half-heartedly. “Sure, Jan,” he scoffs.

You slink back deeper in your seat. That can’t be true, right?

4. Kim Mingyu

He gets jealous of others.

Mingyu watches from across the cafe as you laugh at something Seokmin said, your smile radiant, eyes sparkling with amusement. He feels a knot tighten in his stomach– a familiar pang of jealousy gnawing at his insides. Aren’t you standing a little bit too close for comfort? Your easy camaraderie is triggering a surge of insecurity within him.

Seokmin is charming, there is no denying it. He has a way with words, a magnetic-like personality that drew people in effortlessly. And you seem rather captivated, hanging on to his every word. Usually, your laughter rings out like music to Mingyu’s ears. Today, though, it was all a cacophony of discord. A reminder of what he could be missing out on.

He clenches his fists, trying to push down the rising tide of jealousy threatening to consume him. Mingyu knows he had no right to feel this way; you aren’t his to claim, and Seokmin had every right to befriend you. But logic did very little to quell the sudden surge of possessiveness coursing through his veins.

So he sits, pouting on his own until you notice him from the corner of your eye. He stares you down with his big puppy eyes until you sigh and walk over to your best friend. Your hand can’t help but run through his soft dark hair.

“What’s wrong, Gyu?”

“Hmm?” he leans into your touch, nuzzling against the palm of your hand. “Nothing, Y/n.”

You shoot him a condescending look. “Yeah? You shooting Seokmin daggers with your eyes for nothing?” Your eyes flutter shut as you sigh, shaking your heard in disbelief. Then, ruffling his hair, “If you say so, Gyu.”

“Anyways,” Mingyu clears his throat, looking up at the cafe’s menu board. “Have you decided what to get? My treat today!”

“Really?!” Your eyes sparkle, glad you won’t have to open your wallet today. “Help me finish the then cakes, okay? Promise!”

#seventeen #seventeen fluff #svt drabbles #choi seungcheol #jeon wonwoo #kim mingyu #chwe vernon #svt hhu #svt #svt fluff #scoups fluff #seungcheol fluff #mingyu fluff #vernon fluff #wonwoo fluff #seventeen scenarios #˙✧˖° aiyu writes ༘ ⋆｡˚#✩₊˚. mailbox! ⋆☾⋆⁺#seventeen headcanons

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nina-ya · 9 months ago

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Dancing In The Rain

A/N: I actually started writing this one when the first hurricane hit a few weeks ago so yeah the shitty weather inspired me for this one! Pairing: Law x Reader CW: None • masterlist • ko-fi • discord server •

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

The storm rolled in quickly, dark clouds and harsh winds swallowing the sky and casting an eerie darkness for miles out. Nature has seemingly unleashed its fury and it shows in the way that the rain falls in thick sheets drumming against the deck, the lightning that lit up the sky in its terrifying beauty, and the winds that bellowed and threatened to tear through anything in its path. The crew had scrambled with preparations to submerge the ship and retreat to the warmth of the submarine, but not you. You stood by the bow of the ship, enchanted by the beauty of what nature had to offer.

You closed your eyes, feeling the cold droplets pelt your skin, each one a small invitation to revel in the chaos. You knew it was reckless; the winds could whip and lash a projectile into you at any moment, but all you could feel was the urge to embrace the storm.

Law’s voice broke you out of your trance as he sharply yelled your name. You turned to find him standing at the edge of the doorway, a frown etched onto his face. “Get inside before you get yourself hurt!”

His words only fueled your spirit. You laughed, the sound bright against the storm's darkness, and tossed your arms out as if the rain was the very extension of your joy. “It’s just a bit of rain, Law!” You laugh, turning your face up to the sky, eyes closed as the droplets roll down your cheeks. “Come on, live a little!”

“This is more than just a little rain,” he grumbles, more to himself than anything, stepping out just enough for the water to splash against his boots. His brow furrows, his annoyance with your recklessness clear as day, but he didn’t force you inside for some reason. You can tell just by looking at him that he’s quite tempted to just ‘shambles’ you back inside, but the way you spin, twirling around without a care in the world, halts any efforts of doing so.

You run over to him, your feet splashing up water with each step, and grab his hands with a grin. “Dance with me!”

“I’m not dancing with you in a storm,” he replies flatly, but you tug anyway. He knows he could resist, he’s far stronger than you and has powers that can allow him to escape at a moment's notice, but he doesn't. His feet suddenly feel lighter as you drag him out into the rain. The storm hasn’t calmed-- if anything the winds have picked up, causing the trees to sway dangerously, but you just don't seem to care. You’ve let go of his hands and are already laughing again, spinning in circles and jumping into puddles.

The sounds of the aggressive rain and winds fade and are replaced by your laughter and the joy in your eyes as you hop into another puddle, water spraying everywhere. Law’s shoulders relax slightly, and though he doesn’t spin around or jump into puddles like you do, he stands there, letting the rain fall over him, content with watching you have fun.

He reaches out and grabs one of your hands, a smile tugging at his lips as he mutters “You’re ridiculous.” He raises your hand above your head, spinning you around and watching as the water sprays off your soaked clothes onto him.

“You love it,” you tease when you face him again. The rain has made a mess of your hair and you look absolutely disheveled, but to Law, this is a sight that he wishes he could take a picture of to capture forever.

He pulls you closer and his thumb brushes over your knuckles as he looks at you, his facial features somewhat dry thanks to his hat. His arm slips around your waist as he holds you tight against him. “You’re going to get yourself killed one day, you know that?” Law says over the rain. You can tell he’s trying to sound serious but there’s a softness to his tone.

You smile up at him, a little breathless from all the twirling in the rain. “But you’ll be there to save me, won't you?”

For a moment, he doesn’t answer. The storm pelts water droplets onto both of you, but standing there with you, pressed close to his chest, he can’t help but smile and sway with you in a songless dance. “Yeah,” he murmurs, voice barely carrying over the storm. “I will.”

#nina writes~✦#trafalgar law x reader #law x reader #trafalgar law #one piece x reader #x reader

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keyforrestuk · 12 days ago

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Revolutionize Your Business with SQL Server 2022's Cloud Connectivity

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Businesses seeking to optimize their data infrastructure should consider the cost-effective advantages of licensing options like the sql server 2022 standard license price. Investing in SQL Server 2022 enables organizations not only to future-proof their operations but also to capitalize on the cloud’s agility and intelligence.

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#sql server 2022 features #cloud-connected database #SQL Server security enhancements #seamless data integration #enterprise data management #Azure-enabled SQL Server

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clevermanka · 24 days ago

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As The Verge reports, the Mark Zuckerberg-owned company refuses to rule out the possibility that it will use your phone's camera roll to train its AI models, and could only provide the assurance that it's not "currently" doing so. If the situation changes in the future, it would be a striking testament to the AI industry's desperation for clean, AI-pollution-free sources of training data. For context, last week Facebook began showing users a prompt asking them to opt into "cloud processing," TechCrunch reported. Should you consent, this allows Facebook to grab stuff from your camera roll and upload it to Facebook's servers "on a regular basis" so it can generate recaps and "AI restylings" of your photos. The important detail is that by opting in, Meta is asking you to agree to its AI terms, which state that, "once shared, you agree that Meta will analyze those images, including facial features, using AI." Meta would also gain the right to "retain and use" the information shared with its AI systems.

#privacy #fucking yikes

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sweetmidnights · 9 months ago

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(are you taking me to) The End of Desire -- Agatha Harkness x Rio Vidal

Summary: After half of the universe suddenly disappeared and even more souls died because of it, Death was exhausted and, for the first time, grieving because of how many she could not guide home.

Agatha, ever the villain, was trying to siphon more magic when her latest victim turned to dust under her grasp. She couldn't comprehend what she was seeing. But when her long lost wife, Rio, tugged down their blood bond in unimaginable pain, Agatha couldn't help but let her in.

This is Agatha's way to comfort Rio after the most catastrophic event in her entire existence.

Tags/Warnings: 18+, hurt/comfort, fingering, cunnilingus, top agatha, bottom rio

Words: 4.3k

AO3

Note: Hi everyone! This is my first Agathario fic and my first step back into writing for wlw ships since my first Messy Lesbian Breakup (tm), so I'm glad to be here!! Agatha and Rio may seem out of character here but this is how I interpreted their reactions to The Blip so pls be nice to me.

Huge thanks to the 18+ Agatha All Along server for chatting me through this idea!!

Something was wrong. Something was terribly, horribly wrong. Agatha could feel it in the air around her, crackling like an electric wire let loose in a still puddle of water. Whatever it was, it was big, and it was something unlike anything Agatha had ever experienced before.

As a siphon, Agatha could feel the magic of those around her with ease, even in the most cagey and protective of witches. So, to say she felt overwhelmed and overstimulated by the thrum of magic washing over the planes of planet Earth would be an understatement. She looked down to the tips of her blackened fingers, dusty from hundreds of years dipping in and out of the Darkhold. There were still hints of purple magic every time she snapped or flicked her wrist, meaning that whatever was happening out there was happening to everyone else but not to her.

A gargled shout echoed below her where she had a young witch pinned underfoot, mud and tears streaking her face. Oh, yes, she had forgotten where she was for a moment. The girl sputtered and gasped for air, orange magic buzzing and crackling at her fingertips. This was it, this was exactly what she wanted, what she had been impatiently waiting the better part of 20 minutes for the stubborn witch to do. Any second now, she would break and blast Agatha with her magic. Fierce determination spread across her features and just as she lifted her arm and started to scream, her hand slowly turned to dust.

Agatha blinked slowly and frowned. Under her boot, she watched as her latest conquest faded into wisps of dark clouds and was carried off into the wind until she was nothing.

With the sheer amount of power Agatha harnessed and centuries of beating Death at her own game, there wasn’t much that scared her anymore. But, as clouds of fragmented person dust started to billow from the small village ahead of her, a certain terror iced Agatha’s veins and sent her running back to her empty covenstead, surrounded by the wards that protected her.

For the first time in a very long time, Agatha spent several days puttering around her own domain instead of out and about, seeking witches to steal magic from and otherwise further her schemes. She had a few cottages around the country but it was this suburban home-turned-lair that she called home. And with all of this extra time, Agatha couldn’t help but feel her.

It was a dull pulsing at the back of her head at first, something she normally ignored with ease, blending into the background of her daily life. With a little charm here and some careless spellwork there, most of the time it faded away completely as if it had never been there to begin with. But now that she had spent a few days reading all of the books of magic that she owned to try and make sense of why so many people just vanished, to see if it was a power that she could conquer, the sensation grew from a mild thumping to a dull throb, to an overwhelming heartbeat that had always matched her own.

If she didn’t know any better, Agatha would have just called it a migraine– a horribly unfortunate pain that ebbed and flowed with the passage of time. But she did know better, even despite her best attempts to forget. She knew that at the other end of the pounding rhythm was a woman, the woman, who plagued her dreams even decades after her absence and she was in pain.

Rio Vidal had stepped into Agatha’s life nearly as soon as she had begun. Still in shock at the dead bodies of her coven scattered on the ground around the pyre where they had tried to kill her, it was the sound of footsteps and bemused chuckling that brought her back to herself. “Well, that’s something I haven’t seen in a long time,” the woman had said and Agatha could have never even imagined that those few words would evolve into perhaps her greatest loss and greatest love of all time.

If it were up to Agatha, she would spend every day for the rest of eternity ignoring the pulsing at the base of her head, the thudding at the hollow of her throat where Rio had bitten her promise into Agatha’s skin. She would never see Rio again and spend the rest of her days angry at the only woman she ever loved and grieving the loss of her sweet, sweet baby boy. But the noise, it was incessant, unwavering and unfaltering as her estranged wife was filled with an agony that transcended space and time. It was almost like she was calling down the bond for Agatha, trying to find her, reaching for her, screaming for her.

“Fuck, fine, alright,” Agatha growled into the air around her, unable to take it for one more second. With a flick of her wrist and a circle of purple magic unlocking one, specific spell around her, Agatha finally let Rio see her.

It only took minutes for a knock to resound from the sturdy wooden door, quieter than Agatha would have imagined from the formidable woman she was expecting. She was anticipating fire, anger, sheer and utter violence at the hands of the woman she had been running from for years. She was expecting Rio to stand tall, sneering at her or even threatening her with tortures that would make her wish for death. But what she was met with was so entirely the opposite that it took the breath right from Agatha’s lungs.

Rio Vidal, for all of her magnificence, had been reduced to a sunken, devastated version of herself that Agatha had only seen once before. There was no makeup lining her eyes, no cloaks and daggers costuming her as the perfect grim reaper. Her lips were bitten raw and her eyes rimmed red and puffy as if she had been crying. Rio looked awful.

“Aggie,” was all that she said, voice pitiful and small, cracking into the shattered pieces of Agatha’s heart and sparking embers of warmth. Her chest clenched as she stared at Rio, taking her in. She wasn’t sure if it was the watery eyes or the furrowed brow or the way her soft voice called her the name she refused to let anyone speak, but Agatha melted and pulled Rio inside, enveloping her in a hug.

“Baby,” Agatha whispered against Rio’s hair, gripping her tightly and holding her body firmly against her own. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

Then, a quiet sob muffled itself against Agatha’s shoulder, and hot tears soaked through the fabric of her shirt.

Agatha couldn’t count how many minutes they spent tangled together, Rio crying against Agatha’s throat and pressing soft kisses to her pulse point. Agatha tangled her fingers in Rio’s hair and rubbed her back soothingly as she waited for the woman to calm. She couldn’t help but think about all of the years of this they could have had if she hadn’t… if they hadn’t… It was only when Rio started to mumble that Agatha was shaken from her reverie.

“What’s that, baby? I can’t hear you,” she said quietly, too quietly for the woman she was, the witch she was. There was nothing soft about her, nothing except maybe the way she had once felt about the woman holding her.

“I co-couldn’t get to them all in time,” Rio hiccuped, fighting to form words around the thickness in her throat. “They all died and I couldn’t, I couldn’t take them. They just disappeared, Agatha. I couldn’t protect them. I couldn’t take them home.”

For the last few days, Agatha had been watching the news, trying to figure out what the fuck had happened that day in the woods. According to the most reliable sources, some intergalactic alien tyrant had collected all of the infinity stones and completely erased half of all mortal life from the entire universe. And from there, the fatality count was devastating as planes crashed into buildings, doctors vanished mid-surgery, caretakers abandoned their children, their elders who couldn’t care for themselves and ultimately found themselves unable to survive. It was murder on a magnitude that even Agatha couldn’t stomach, not really. The Darkhold may have had a grip on her soul, but underneath it all was still a shred of humanity.

Rio’s body was trembling against Agatha’s, almost as if her weary muscles were about to collapse. Without hesitation, Agatha pulled her to the couch, guiding her to sit on her lap. It didn’t take long for Rio to melt into Agatha, resting her cheek on her shoulder and letting puffs of air hit Agatha’s warm skin.

“I didn’t know if… if you had been Snapped, too. I needed to see you. I needed to know that you’re okay,” Rio said, sitting up straighter and fixing her gaze on Agatha.

Agatha closed her eyes and leaned into Rio’s touch as she felt warm hands cup her face, thumbs smoothing along her cheekbones. Fingers touched her hair, her nose, her eyelashes, every inch of Agatha’s face. Rio traced the curve of her lips and she couldn’t help but part them for her, opening just enough to suck in a breath of air as she leaned in closer.

“I’m right here,” Agatha said, the words falling from her lips in sacred prayer. Something about being this close to Rio was intoxicating. She splayed her hands along Rio’s back, holding her in place, feeling her warmth. All hesitation and thoughts of betrayal were flung to wayside now that she could see Rio again, now that she was in her very presence. Agatha wanted to hold her at arm’s length, wanted to keep her firmly on the other side of the wall, but with every breath they shared, she started to crumble.

“Please, Agatha, help me forget,” Rio pleaded, leaning down to press their foreheads together. “Just for a little while.”

Who was Agatha to deny Rio this when she looked so soft, so broken? She nodded once and tilted her chin, which was all the invitation Rio needed to press their lips together. They sat there unmoving for several long seconds and it was Agatha who broke first, moving hesitantly against Rio in the way they had perfected all those years ago.

It was like a spark had been lit in Rio, then. She came to life under Agatha’s attention, slotting their lips together and shifting her hips against Agatha’s ever so slightly. She wanted to get impossibly closer to the woman and tonight, Agatha would let her.

Rio’s skin was soft under Agatha’s hands, pliant as the pads of her thumbs dug into her waist, her fingers slipping further and further under the loose t-shirt she arrived in. Agatha trailed her lips up of the column of Rio’s throat, getting lost in the dark locks spilling around her shoulders. Rio tilted her head back, giving access to the place behind her ear that made her breath hitch every time she felt Agatha’s lips graze it.

“You always smell so good,” Agatha whispered as she nosed back down to Rio’s collarbone, nipping and sucking a purple mark there. “What is that, almonds?”

Rio hummed, letting her hands tangle in Agatha’s hair, pulling firmly at the root, drawing a gasp from her lips. It may have been decades since they had done this last but they would never, could never forget all the ways to touch, to feel, to play with each others’ bodies.

“Something like that,” Rio replied, voice wavering as one of Agatha’s hands found its way to her chest, palming at her breast.

“No bra?” Agatha asked, smirking as she rolled a nipple between her thumb and forefinger. She was rewarded with a gentle keening, Rio pressing further into her touch.

“Please, Agatha, I need more,” she pleaded, her warm breath tangling with Agatha’s, their lips hovering just inches apart.

Agatha raised an eyebrow and bit her lip. “Is that so?”

“Mmm,” Rio agreed, humming instead of finding the words to beg Agatha for her mouth.

Almost reading Rio’s mind, Agatha grabbed the hem of Rio’s shirt and slowly pulled it up and over, completely baring Rio to the cool air around them. Agatha’s breath caught in her throat, the lightest dusting of pink rising on her cheeks at the sight. Rio was so beautiful.

Without hesitation, Agatha leaned in and started kissing the swell of her breast, dragging her teeth ever so lightly, leaving a trail of goosebumps in her wake. She kissed Rio’s nipple first, barely touching it, then pressing her lips a little looser and a little looser until she pulled the bud into her mouth, swirling her tongue around it, teasing it to attention.

For the first time, a quiet moan slipped from Rio’s lips at Agatha’s touch. She leaned impossibly closer and cupped the back of Agatha’s head, threading her soft hair between her fingers, unlike how she had just pulled it moments earlier. It was gentler, encouraging Agatha to keep going. She was rewarded by Agatha pulling her nipple between her teeth, touching and teasing in the exact way that drove her wild.

Agatha spent a long time here, worshipping Rio’s breasts, playing with her nipples, and sucking dark bruises anywhere she could reach. One hand would roll a dark bud while her mouth worked over the other and then she would pull back to admire the work of art left in her wake, cupping Rio with both hands before kissing her sternum. With every new touch, Rio moved ever so slightly– a rock of her hips into Agatha’s, a hand tracing her neck and holding her close, a bite of her lip and sigh when Agatha touched her just right. It was bliss and Rio could already feel herself melting into Agatha’s touch.

When Agatha finally trailed one hand down Rio’s stomach and into the waistband of her leggings, slipping under another thin layer of lace to drag a finger through Rio’s wetness, Rio keened before biting herself back, trying not to sound as desperate as she felt. It was a thin line between the sighs she couldn’t hold back at Agatha’s touch for the first time in so long, and the whimpers dying on her lips as she fell apart. Rio was always the strong one, the unaffected one, while Agatha was all fire and spite with a selfish need to take, take, take.

“I love those noises. Don’t hold them back,” Agatha said, interrupting Rio’s internal monologue right in its tracks. After all this time, after all their shared love, there were no secrets between them. And if Agatha could, just for tonight, she would let Rio pull from her every ounce of touch and desire she needed to feel whole again.

But just for tonight.

Agatha dragged her fingers through Rio’s lips again, feeling no resistance as she gently teased her entrance and then traversed upward to find her clit already swollen and begging for her touch. Rio gripped Agatha’s shoulders, nearly piercing through the fabric of her top as she clung to her for balance. She ground down against Agatha’s hand, tilting her head back, Agatha’s name falling from her lips like a prayer.

“Yes, Agatha, just like that, please,” she said, moving with each flick of Agatha’s wrist, building a rhythm as she drew closer and closer to the edge.

Using her free hand to steady Rio at the base of her spine, Agatha leaned forward to capture a nipple in her mouth once more, harsh with her teeth and unforgiving with her tongue– the exact way Rio loved it. She kept her ministrations steady, not giving into Rio’s attempts to get her to move faster or press harder or slip inside of her. Not today, she was in charge today and she was going to drag every ounce of pleasure from Rio until she was boneless.

“More, I need more,” Rio said, panting as she worked herself on Agatha’s lap, leaning down to kiss Agatha firmly, tugging at her bottom lip with her teeth.

She gave in only momentarily before she pulled back, staring at Rio with stern eyes and stopping any movement altogether.

Rio whined and gave a pitiful, “Please.”

“No, you’re going to take it just like this until I’m done with you. And then maybe you can have what you want,” Agatha said, firm and unmoving. A fierce look flashed in Rio’s eyes for the first time since she showed up on Agatha’s doorstep. “There she is.”

Rio found purchase in Agatha’s hair again as the slow, small movements began once more, sending licks of pleasure up her spine and down to her fingertips in flashes of purple and green. It was always like this between them, electric as their energies melded together into one.

Feeling herself return more to who she really was, if only incrementally, Rio reached down to start unbuttoning Agatha’s shirt, slowly, as to not spook her into stopping again. Agatha quirked an eyebrow at her, fully aware of what she was doing and letting her do it anyway. Cold hands slipped down against Agatha’s sternum before spreading out, cupping her full breasts with a shocking chill. She shuddered under Rio’s touch, eyes fluttering shut and hands stuttering under the unexpected sensation. Rio’s hands had always been cold but it had been so long since Agatha had felt them like this.

Rio tweaked one of Agatha’s nipples sharply and she growled, “Fuck this,” before standing, hands hooked under Rio’s thighs and carrying her to the back bedroom and pressing her into the dark sheets. With one swift movement, she pulled off the rest of Rio’s clothes, uncovering her completely to Agatha’s whims. Agatha could feel her mouth watering at the sight, at the soft curves and gentle dustings of dark hair in all the right places. Her center glistened in the low lamp light, her thighs already parting and ready for Agatha, pupils blown wide with desire.

Agatha took her time, however, unbuttoning her shirt and tossing her bra across the room, slipping out of her jeans, and leaving herself clad in only a pair of black panties that curved around her ass deliciously. She could tell by Rio’s dropped jaw and quick breaths that she felt the same way– floored by how stunning the other was after all these years. Rio lifted one hand slowly, beckoning Agatha closer with one twist of her wrist and she could do nothing but follow.

She crawled up Rio’s body, settling herself on one of her thighs and leaning down to capture her lips in a hard, messy kiss. Rio’s hands slid up from where they rested at her sides, up Agatha’s smooth skin and resting against her hips. She pulled Agatha down against her tense thigh, pushing the fabric of her panties against her clit to rub deliciously against her aching core.

Agatha broke the kiss first grinding down against Rio for a second before kissing down her body and lifting herself away. She tutted at her and shook her head without saying a word.

“What?” Rio huffed, furrowing her brow, unhappy with Agatha refusing to play her game.

Agatha only smirked and settled herself between Rio’s thighs. “This is what you’re here for, baby,” she said, completely evading Rio’s question and the onslaught of feelings that door would open if she answered her.

She couldn’t let Rio touch her, couldn’t let herself feel or even breathe in the same way she once did under Death’s attentions. Rio didn’t come back for her, she came back for her comfort, for her familiarity, for the one person who could never truly turn her away. At least, that’s what Agatha believed.

Before Rio could protest, Agatha pressed hot, open-mouthed kisses up her thighs, biting sharply and leaving the indents of her teeth firmly in the flesh there, wanting Rio to remember her long after she had gone. The feeling of being this close to Rio again was heady, the smell of her arousal flooding her senses and sending a rush through her. She leaned in close and pressed a small kiss there, feeling how sticky and shiny her mouth already was at the simple touch. Through dark lashes, Agatha looked up at Rio and licked her lips, closing her eyes and humming at the taste.

“Do I still smell like almonds, sweetheart?” Rio asked, cupping Agatha’s cheek, wiping away a stray drop that was smeared onto her chin.

“No,” Agatha said, wicked smile on her lips. “Better.”

With that, she flattened her tongue and dragged it through Rio’s folds, moaning when she immediately felt Rio grip her hair tightly in her fist. Agatha teased her like this for a few long minutes, only lapping at her and not giving her any directed or purposeful touch. Rio’s hips had started to move underneath her and Agatha wrapped her arms around her thighs, holding them tight and guiding Rio to rest her legs on Agatha’s shoulders.

There weren’t many things Agatha loved more than going down on a woman. The sounds, the taste, the smell, the everything was so perfect, and even more so with Rio. Before Rio could begin to whine and protest, Agatha found her clit with her tongue and lavished it with attention. First, she circled it slowly, matching the way her hips were still fighting against Agatha’s hold. With each pass, Agatha spent a little longer playing. She gave a little more and a little more until she could feel more than hear the way that Rio’s breath was coming quicker, her moans growing louder.

Agatha dipped her head then, stiffening her tongue and teasing Rio’s entrance with it, circling it before letting herself be tugged inside. She thrust in and out as best she could with Rio’s thighs in a vice lock around her head. She curled her tongue upward, lapping at her walls until she felt Rio’s fist tighten in her hair and pull her back sharply.

“Fingers, please, for the love of Goddess, your fingers,” Rio begged, her cheeks flushed red and lips kiss swollen with teeth marks from where she had been biting so hard she had almost drawn blood.

Who was Agatha to refuse when she asked so nicely?

“Anything for you, pretty girl,” Agatha said, her words giving more away than she would have wanted but she could tell by the arch of Rio’s back that they didn’t register.

Releasing her grip on Rio’s thighs, Agatha slid her right hand under herself and propped herself on her left elbow. She teased Rio but only for a minute or two before sinking one then two fingers into her waiting center and wrapping her lips around her clit.

“Fuck, Agatha, fuck,” Rio called out, screwing her eyes shut and unable to stop herself from moving back against Agatha’s hand with every thrust. She kept one hand tangled in Agatha’s dark hair and used the other to press against the headboard.

Agatha moaned against her, sending vibrations against Rio as she lapped at her clit, firmly and quickly just as she knew she liked. Rio’s walls were clenching around her fingers tightly and she could tell that she was close.

Without stopping or changing a thing, Agatha curled her fingers against the spot that she knew would make Rio see stars, and with one, two, three thrusts, Rio was falling apart around her, wetness smearing and nearly dripping off Agatha’s chin.

“Agatha!” she cried, the only word she knew as pleasure rocked through her body, making all of her muscles tighten and then relax with a blissful warmth.

Slowing to a stop, Agatha pulled back from the mess she had made between Rio’s legs and grinned, resting her head on a thigh and looking up at Rio, whose chest was heaving as she came down.

“Sweetheart,” Rio sighed, releasing her death grip on Agatha’s hair and petting the side of her head affectionately, instead. “Thank you.”

Agatha couldn’t help but smile softly at the woman above her, something loosening in her chest but not quite letting go. “Feeling better?”

Rio smirked and tugged at Agatha, pulling her up to lie on top of her fully and kiss her still-messy lips. Without needing to be asked, she immediately deepened the kiss and let Rio taste herself, the mess on her cheeks now shared between them.

“Yes, much,” Rio answered as she broke off the kiss. Agatha could see the exhaustion sweeping over her now, her eyes fluttering and struggling to stay open.

She slid off Rio and gathered her in her arms, cuddling her to her chest and pressing a kiss to Rio’s forehead as Rio turned herself, wrapping her limbs around Agatha’s middle and resting her cheek on Agatha’s shoulder.

“It was so awful, Aggie,” Rio admitted, soft and pliant and overwhelmed with her emotions.

If it was anyone else, if it was any other circumstance, Agatha would have someone’s head for calling her that. But with Rio, soft, emotional, needy Rio, it would always be okay.

“I’ve got you,” Agatha promised, tightening her grip on Rio’s middle. “You can rest now.”

Rio’s eyes finally shut but she didn’t relax until she had pressed a kiss to the underside of Agatha’s jaw in thanks. And, with that, she drifted off into a sleep long overdue after days and days of cleaning up the mess that Thanos had made.

Agatha lay awake for a long while, playing with Rio’s hair and singing soft lullabies under her breath, soaking up every moment that she could because she knew that as soon as she, too, succumbed to slumber, when she woke, Rio would be gone.

When the sunrise streamed through the gauzy curtains the next morning, Agatha was left with nothing but a dark red mark right over her heart and whispers of, “Te veo,” in the wind. It was as if nothing had changed at all, but for Agatha, it changed everything.

#sweetmidnights writes #agathario #agatha harkness x rio vidal #agatha harkness #rio vidal #marvel #agatha all along

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