#I can't wait to have a break from uni I will be so powerful

[antennabot]

Doodle dump of things I drew last year but never posted </3 oops all gijinkas anyways II SEASON 1 REMASTER TOMMOROW WHAT WHAT WHAT AHHHHHHHHHHHH The floor gijinka is lowkey just a rip of how @hiraethminds draws the floor btw so look LOOK AT IT ITS SO GOOD!!!! I literally can't imagine him any other way

heres the full thing of one of the doodle pages btw yippee yippee yipee

[dolicekiss]

Hiiiii I love ur writing!!! If it's too much of a bother, I totally wouldn't mind if you don't write this😭😭 I understand that you might be busy with other things, butttt could you write about Martin from Another Round?? Him as reader's teacher (in like uni or something one where reader is legal) and like a punishment sort of thing that's happens to the reader while he's trying to teach them something after school bc they've been falling behind in their grades, and he eventually makes a deal that if they were to do a little "favor" they'd get an A?? Idk I just really like Martin😭😭 If possible, could you make the reader fem?? If not, gender neutral would be greatly appreciated, thank you!!!

- 🫧anon

♡: sorry this was so late, i just finished it and requests r piling up :[ hope u like it anon!

Good Grades

PAIRING: Martin X fem!Reader

CONTENT WARNING: SMUT (18+, mdni), age gap (obviously), unprotected sex, perverted martin, oral (male receiving), degrading, humiliation, hair pulling, biting, filthy martin, power play.

SYNOPSIS: You've always struggled with your history subject, more so when it came down to remembering which historic event took in what year — the numbers screwing you up. It wasn't a surprise when you were called in by your teacher to scold you about your downgrading grades but you didn't know there was a much easier to fix them right up.

You were in a state of panic.

When your teacher had asked you to stay behind, you knew damn well what it was for.

History wasn't one of your strongest suits, especially remembering the numbers. You tried your best to embed your mind with it but you failed at the end.

Your nails scratched the skin around them in anticipation, stomach twisting in nervousness and anxiety knocking at the doors of your brain to allow it in.

You only had to wait for the bell to ring and once it rang, all the students left. Rushing to catch their breaks and some letting out sighs of relief to finally be freed of this soul sucking boring subject.

You were alone with him.

Martin’s gaze captured you as he picked up the papers he'd graded, setting them aside after picking out one.

It had to be yours.

He walked over to you, dragging a chair and sitting down on it in front of you. You could feel your pulse throbbing in your neck, heart hammering rapidly in your ribcage. Your forehead had perspired and you let out a breath.

“What is this, miss?” He asked, holding your paper out for you.

Immediately when you saw the grade of it, you felt like passing out. Martin eyed you as you averted your gaze from him and the piece of paper, looking around.

You had no courage to face your failure.

“I'm asking you something.”

You licked your lips. “A paper.”

Martin leaned back into the chair, thighs spreading open. He sighed. “I know it's a paper and it is your paper, which you almost failed.”

You flinched at his tedious tone, not enjoying how he spoke to you. Truth was, Martin had kept an eye on you for so long. Unbeknownst to you, he always tried to focus more on you and make you learn.

But you didn't want to.

Head anywhere but here, in his class.

“This isn't the first time. If you keep falling, I'll have to kick you out of the class.” It was a threat and your eyes widened immediately, shaking your head.

You leaned forward, the unbuttoned shirt revealing your chest which Martin captured a glance of. His cock stirring in his pants at how your tits pressed together — forming the perfect view for him. “Please, no. You can't do that. Just give me a chance, I'll do anything to fix my grades.”

Martin raised a brow.

Anything you said.

“I'm sorry but there is nothing I can do. I've had enough of this. You never pay attention and you're always chatting with other students.”

You shook your head. “Sir please, I will focus more. I will pay attention.”

Martin eyed you.

You seemed so desperate. He could see the raw desperation in your gaze and something inside him snapped, seeing how your pupils had blown out. He swallowed tightly and after debating with his own mind, he finally came to a conclusion.

He had power over you.

Why not abuse it?

“Get up and lock the door.”

You blinked at his abrupt command but nodded nonetheless, rising up from your seat to lock the door. Once you had snapped the little lock in place, you turned around to look at your teacher.

“Come here." And you obliged again.

Sauntering towards him, your pale skirt flowing by your side when you moved towards him. Nervousness had crawled all the way up to your throat and you licked your lips, in an attempt to wet the chapped skin.

You stood in front of him.

“There's something we can do to fix your grades.” He spoke, voice now a few octaves lower. Your fingers engulfed the material of your skirt as you raised a brow.

Martin reached for your hand, taking it into his. His brown eyes drowning in yours and his lips holding a sweet smile as if he wasn't about to make an immoral offer. “How about you be a good girl for your teacher and suck his cock?”

Your eyes widened in horror.

Pulling your hand out of his grasp, you retreated and stared at him. You'd never thought about your teacher in that sense. Yes, he was very attractive and you had a thing for older men but this was completely unethical and unprofessional.

You inhaled sharply.

Confusion clouded your judgment. You didn't know what to do. The proposal wasn't as bad as your mind was making it appear. Just give him head, get your grades up and work harder next time.

That easy, yeah?

Your knees dipped in front of Martin’s spread thighs and his smile widened. A tent already visible in his crotch. He was so excited, as he would always wonder how your glossy pink lips would feel wrapped around his cock — your tight little throat fighting to make space for his length.

You blinked, profusely as you reached for the zipper of his pants. He noticed the tremor in your hands and smiled softly, loving how innocent you appeared. Your hand managed to unzip his pants and pull out his cock but the moment your fingers caressed his hardened length, Martin hissed.

Your mere touch felt like embers on his skin.

Your eyes widened upon witnessing his gaze, the sheer length and girth of it leaving you completely bemused. How was that even supposed to fit in your mouth? You wondered if you could grow used to his size.

“What you waiting for, pretty girl?”

You looked at him with your pretty eyes as you leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to his tip. It leaked with precum and the salty taste glossed your lips. You ran your tongue over his pink cockhead and then wrapped your lips around him while your hand began to stroke him from his base — upto his length.

Martin slumped into his chair leisurely as his palm opened and rested over your head, forcing you to take him further. His lips fell open as he shuddered, enjoying the warmth your mouth produced around him.

The more you took him into your mouth, the harder it became for you to breathe properly.

You tried to inhale oxygen through your nose, your hands both resting on his parted knees. Martin’s hand pushed you further down on his cock and you fluttered your eyes shut, feeling his cock glide over your tongue and make way into your throat.

“Fuck, such a tight little mouth you've got, baby.” Martin groaned and as you peeled open your lids, you saw a sight before you which made your cunt throb.

A few straight strands had fallen over Martin’s forehead, his lips parted as his chest heaved up and down. Chiseled cheek bones reflexing everytime he let a gasp slip.

You took him deeper, feeling his cock head slip into your throat and you whined, sending vibrations and tremors down his cock into his groin. His cock throbbed and twitched like crazy and you could feel every little movement inside your tight cavern.

Your windpipe felt like it was being crushed and you pulled back from his cock, to take him deeper again.

“You're pretty good at this.” Martin groaned, staring down at you with hazy eyes. “How many cocks have you sucked, hm?”

You shook your head, telling him that this was your first time. Martin thrusted his hips upwards, driving his cock deeper into your throat. He managed to catch a glimpse of his dick print in your throat and lost his restraint.

Callous hands grabbing your head, holding it in place as he began to fuck his cock into your throat. Thrusts harsh and vigorous, your heart galloped in your ribcage. Your eyes fell shut and Martin’s fingers engulfed your hair.

“Look at me. Show me those pretty eyes, baby.” You obliged, fluttering them open. Your lashes coated the apple of your cheeks and tears emerged from your tear glands — droplets sliding down. Martin discarded the chair as he stood up, using his full strength to chase his orgasm.

You sniffled, gagging over his cock. A white ring of spit accumulating around his length from all the choking. Your mouth was covered in drool as well as chin, streams of precum mixed with saliva going down.

Martin’s balls throbbed and his pace fastened, fucking your throat like it was a cunt. You felt a stinging sensation spread in your knees from how long you'd been kneeling on the floor. His stomach was taut and his thrusts grew slightly slow — hinting at his upcoming arousal.

Loud groans and gagging sounds filled the whole of classroom. “Fucking whore. On her knees just to g-get good grades. How desperate can you be.”

Martin was a mess. His forehead was sweaty and then after a harsh thrust in your tight throat, he finally released inside your cum. Though that didn't last long as he pulled out halfway, shooting ropes of cum all over your face. You closed your eyes as the warm liquid stained your face wet.

You breathed like you'd ran a fucking marathon. Shallow breaths being inhaled while Martin stared at you, admiring how his climax covered your cheek. You reached to swipe it off your face, sticking your fingers into your mouth to suck them clean.

“You look fucking pretty like this.” He praised, running his hand over your messy hair.

Your cheeks warmed up. “I-Is that enough? Will you fix my grades now, sir?”

He tilted his head, contemplating you. Lost in complete dilemma before he came to a conclusion. Martin didn't waste time lifting you up from the floor and you yelped — bemused by this abrupt action. He set you over the desk and smiled, causing his smile lines to appear.

“I can't let you go this easily, pretty girl. I need more now.” You blinked and stared at him, knowing what he was hinting at. You'd sucked him dry, there was no way he could regain his strength this quickly but when your gaze lowered and you caught onto his cock hardening, you realised his age did not work as restraints to his desires.

Martin took a step back. “Open your legs, show me that pretty cunt of yours.”

“Sir but you—”

“You want to fail?” He asked, brow raised. Deep voice hiding a threat underneath and you shuddered at the unexpected change of tone.

You nodded your head, face flushed and hair sticking to your skin. Parting open your thighs, you revealed your sticky panties and Martin’s chest rumbled with a primal growl at the sight. Your panties had a wet spot and that only worked to heighten his arousal for you.

His large hands held you open, staring at how your cunt produced more and more essence of desire. Your thighs shuddered when his knuckles caressed them, his hands tugging off your panties and slipping them inside his pocket.

“But..” You complained at the perverted action of your teacher.

Martin grinned at you. “Sh, I might need them for later when my cock becomes hard at the memory of being inside your little pussy.”

Martin didn't even care to prep you. He only held his cock in his hand and rubbed his tip up and down your moist puffy cunt. Then he entered you and the stretch of your pussy made you arch your back. Your palms gripped on the edge of the table as you whimpered.

You were all over the place.

Embarrassment crept up your body like vines when you registered the situation you were in.

Willing to sleep with your older teacher only to achieve good grades. If your parents were to find out, they would look down upon you and you'd probably be expelled from your university but none of that mattered.

You needed good grades and this was the only way.

“Fuck— you've got such a tight little cunt, baby.” Martin moaned, entering you till he's pelvis had pressed up yours. Soft little whimpers escaped you when you were filled to the brim. “I'm gonna fuck you, gonna dumb you down on my cock.”

You sniffled, a lone tear sliding down.

Martin leaned in and captured your lips in a kissing, licking and sucking at yours. A hungry kiss it was but it made your cunt throb around his hard cock.

He started to pull out, only to thrust back inside you with vigor. His hips snapped repeatedly, finally losing all sense of control.

Martin’s hands held your hips, digging into them as he drove himself into the warmth of your sweet cunt. He was fucking hysterical, each thrust delivered with passion and driven by need.

Crying out from pleasure and ecstasy, your body jerked upon feeling his cock nestle into your sweet spot. You reached for his sweaty nape, wrapping both arms around it for support. The desk underneath you quaked whenever Martin would snap his cock into you.

“S-Sir, oh my god. Sir please, someone might h-hear.” You sobbed uncontrollably from the unbridled lust.

Martin brought his hand upto your face and shoved his fingers into your mouth, pressing along your wet tongue. You choked a little but allowed him to shove his fingers down your throat, tips brushing against the palate of your mouth.

“Keep quiet, yeah? Don't want anyone to know you're getting fucked by your teacher for some high grades.” Martin shushed you, staring at you with pure lust swimming in his gaze.

You kept your thighs apart, abdomen shivering from your upcoming climax and your fingernails dug into Martin’s nape, scratching at the skin. He hissed and the pain only increased his strength, thrusting harshly inside you.

You squeezed your eyes shut, your release pounding at your taut stomach and with a loud cry you came all over Martin’s cock. He didn't give you any time to calm down, instead seeing how beautiful you looked when you made a mess on his cock only made him fuck you harder.

He grabbed your leg and pulled it up to his shoulder, leaning down and pressing his body firmly against yours. Martin dug himself deeper inside your tight cunt, as it clamped down on him and the man felt like you would snap him in half.

“You'll fucking cut my dick in half, baby. Relax a little, yeah? I'm close, so fucking close.” He reassured you, pressing onto your stomach to feel his cock push up against your cervix. His length grazing your walls.

He buried his face in your neck, digging his teeth into your skin. Tainting the unmarked canvas of a skin with red and blue.

Martin’s hips stuttered as he felt himself near, soon spilling inside you. His load heavy and filling you up to the brim. Thankfully you were on birth control so it didn't really matter but the feeling of his cum inside you made you twitch.

He pumped into you, emptying himself inside you for the second time but in your puffy cunt. You'd buried your head in his chest and Martin let you, finally getting what he needed from you.

He pulled out from you after you both had calmed down and caught a breath and you whimpered at the loss of contact. The blonde watched your gaping hole release his seed in drops, trailing down and making a mess on his wooden desk.

“Such a pretty, swollen cunt.” He whispered, shoving his cum back inside with his long fingers.

Your walls had grown extremely sensitive and you let out a whine when he did that. His tan skin glistened with sweat, making it appear gold like to the gaze. Hair a mess, similar to yours and his flannel shirt crinkled up. Martin fixed your skirt, pulling it down over your thighs and you realized he had fucked you in your skirt, which made this rendezvous even more hotter.

Your face flushed and sweaty, lips swollen and eyes watery.

Martin wanted to take a picture of how fucked out you looked. But he didn't — it would only cause problems if he was ever caught. Especially by his wife.

“W-Will you fix my grades now?” You asked, once you'd ran a hand through your hair and slid off the table. Lower body barely having any strength to support the upper one.

When you looked up at Martin, your eyes still held remnants of your innocence and he nearly swooned.

He nodded, pressing a lingering kiss to your lips. “With how well you took my cock, I'll fucking give you the highest grade.”

You smiled, pleased with the result. This was all you ever wanted. To pass and not be a failure and knowing your teacher’s weakness made it a whole lot easier for you.

[colorfulrook]

Vessel of the Plague

A/N: So! After almost drowing in uni work I finally coughed up some words for this ongoing story! Thank you all for your patience and happy reading... or not...

The room was quiet safe from the occasional hums of the shadows that guarded your home, Jinwoo didn't even comanded then, they just took position and casted a safe aura around their queen.

The event of the past week were starting to settle in your body and mind. You laid awoke, beads of sweat forming on your forehead as you woke up from yet another nightmare, the smells of the dungeon's rot still fightnened you.

But you were safe, that was the most important thing. Jinwoo managed to find you and take you to the White Tiger guild where they treated your injuries, or at least tried to. Physically, you were healing, though the shadows of the Plague Monarch’s magic still lingered beneath your skin. The symbols carved into your body, once vivid and burning with dark power, were now little more than faint, ghostly marks — but the feeling of something inside you, waiting, never left.

The poison they made you drink not only aftected your body in the beginning but your mind as well. Everytime you would close your eyes you could feel her, whispering seductively in the back of your brain — it's not over yet, my darling hunter, we are just getting started.

Quehresha's influence was small for the moment, but still there nonetheless. Sometimes you felt an unexplainable desire to be close to Jinwoo, to drain him, to see him weakened — Just a little, the honeyed voice would whisper.

Maintaining control was getting harder by the day, sometimes you even began to wonder when your own thought ended and hers began, dread licked your back when those moments happened.

You wanted to tell Jinwoo, to warn about her, but how could you? How could you tell about the one infesting your mind, trying to steal your body and your thoughts, when you could feel the her cold fingers closing on your mind whenever you tried to speak? How much more could you maintain control? Of that you weren't sure.

Even now, as you laid awake between the comfort of Jinwoo's arms you could sense her, stirring in the darkness. You shivered at the feeling, fingers gripping the blanket as you tried to focus on the presence of your lover, on how his slow breaths grounded you.

"You can't stop me dear vessel, not forever" Quehresha whispered in your mind, silk voice caressed your skin "I can feel you cracking under me"

"Get out of my head"

Cold enveloped your body, you tried to move closer to Jinwoo, to finally break and call out for him, but your body felt... sluggish, you voice muted. Scared eyes moved to his sleeping form.

"Let me have your body vessel, let me get my revenge"

The idea was enough to make your stomach twist. You couldn’t let her have him. You couldn’t. But how much longer could you resist? The panic must have set off your powers, which mingled and coiled around Jinwoo's own, effectively waking him up.

“(Y/N)...” His voice was soft, almost hesitant. “Are you alright?” he blinked in the dark, vision adjusting to better look at you. A hand was placed tenderly on your cheek, thumb brushing softly your skin.

You didn’t move at first. Didn’t respond. His concerned gaze flickered over your face, searching for any sign of you, the real you. And then it hit you: He can't see it, he can't feel it, the change, her presence.

You could sense his confusion and some part of your treatorous brain relished at that, Querehsha's delight evident "He knows something is wrong but he can't understant it, oh you little monarch, the fun is only beginning"

You looked up at him then, meeting his gaze, a strange smile twisting your lips. It wasn’t yours — it was hers.

And then, you felt it. The shudder of awareness in your chest as her influence made its move.

“Jinwoo…” Your voice was hoarse, distant from your conciousness. “I’m just... tired. I need rest.”

The words felt strange, foreign even, the accent slighly off. The heavy sensation of her control pushed against you harder, cold, venomous fingers caressed your thoughts. But still, you held on, willing your lips not to form a smile, Jinwoo had to notice.

Your lover frowned, sitting up to look at you.

“You’ve been through too much… But I’m here now. I won’t let you go through this alone.”

You swallowed, fighting back the urge to let go and let her take over. The longer you resisted, the harder it got. His eyes searched yours, his face filled with such love and devotion that it almost broke your heart.

“I’m not leaving,” he whispered softly. “I love you.”

The words broke through the fog of control, and for a moment, you felt yourself — the real you — fighting to break free just enough to desperately brush your lips against him.

"Jinwoo I'm-" Querehsha’s claws on you tightened once again and this time for good.

You pulled away from his touch, shaking your head slightly. “I… I’m fine,” you parroted, the words strained, and something cold—inhuman—shone in your eyes.

Jinwoo’s brow furrowed, the concern evident in his voice. “Are you sure?”

"Of course" you assured him, mischief glinted in your eyes as your body pushed into his lap "I have just been so stressed by everything, my dearest"

Jinwoo’s hand hovered uncertainly above your shoulder, his usual confidence wavering as his eyes locked with yours, trying to read what lay behind them, to see her. The tension in the room weighted down on you.

His fingers twitched, his instincts telling him something was wrong, violet eyes shining, pining you down with his cold stare.

Strong hands flipped you over as Jinwoo analyzed you, who were you? A shapeshifter? A double?.

"Who are you? And where is (Y/n)?"

Your heart thundered in your chest. You wanted to scream, to shout that you were still in here, that you weren’t lost, but the words caught in your throat, strangled by the suffocating grip of Querehsha. A twisted smile spread across your face.

"Smart little monarch that you are" you heard yourself chuckle as you wrapped your legs around Jinwoo's arm to distract him as you conjured a dagger that was slottled in the hunter's side, effectively surprising him "But not smart enough".

His hand instinctively reached for your wrist, not to hurt you—but to steady you. To bring you back.

"My love stop, what is happening to you"

Querehsha whispered through your mouth, her grin stretching your features in ways they never should. "All that power, and still… so human where it counts, how you were chosen is beyond me"

In your mind you began to slam your fist agaisnt the invisible cage of the other woman's conciousness, you had to stop.

“Jinwoo…” Your voice, soft and strangled, broke through. “I didn’t mean… I didn’t want to…” tears welled in your eyes as you felt small, barely holding up to the monarch's wave of power

“I know,” he said instantly, gripping the hand that held the weapon. His blood seeped between your fingers, warm and grounding. “I’ve got you.”

But Querehsha wasn’t satisfied yet, he was going to watch her destroy everything he loved, starting by your body and mind.

Your body jerked violently as she surged again, this time with more force.

“You think love can save her?” she spat through your lips, twisting them into a cruel smirk. “You think you can undo what’s already begun? I am already inside her, breaking her until she will give me this body"

Jinwoo watched as her fingers gripped his body before letting yourself fall into a portal that opened under you, taking him as well.

He quickly jumped away from you, daggers already in hands, his reflexes kicking in, only he couldn't hurt you. How could he? He stood still, torn as he though of it.

She—you—stepped back, the flicker of her power corrupting the very air around you. Plague seeped from your skin, the marks in your body glowing dangerously.

“Get out of her,” he growled, voice shaking with restraint.

The smirk deepened. “No.”

She came at him then—you came at him, fast, faster than you'd ever moved before. A dark blade formed from corrupted mana in your hand, and he only had a second to react, parrying it with one of his own. The clash rang through the room, echoing like thunder. The force sent both of you back, but you landed with ease, twisting unnaturally as your body obeyed her instead of you.

Jinwoo hesitated. Just a half-second. But it was all she needed to lunge again, blade slashing toward his ribs, the strike meant to injure, to provoke, to make him angry enough to fight back.

He blocked it. Again. Again. Again.

The blows came faster, her movement erratic and terrifying, a whirlwind of precision and madness wrapped in your form. And Jinwoo—he blocked every one, eyes burning not with rage but with pain.

“Fight me, Jinwoo,” she mocked, your voice curling around him like smoke. “You’re afraid. Because hurting me means hurting her. And you just can’t, can you?” a kick in his site followed this question, sending him to the other side of the room "You humanity sickens me, all this power and you can't fight me"

She dashed in his direction again, Quehresha's fighting style mixed with your own, making you feel as if you were the one hurting Jinwoo all along.

“You’re strong,” he murmured under his breath. “But you don’t know her like I do.”

Another strike—parried.

“She’s not gone,” he said louder, sweat and blood glistening on his skin. “I won’t lose her again.”

“Oh, but you already have.”

The next hit sent him flying back, slamming into the wall hard enough to crack stone. He coughed, vision swimming, but still pushed himself up. Her—your—form stalked toward him with deadly grace. Your face morphed into something more human, scared as she looked at him, "Jinwoo please, please help me find me" she choked out mocking him.

The shadows erupted behind him, screaming in rage towards the mockery. They surged forward, but he screamed ordering them back.

"She was strong at first, I'll give her that, resisting to that much torture is commendable, I get it why you chose her" She chuckled before letting out whines of hurt, mimicking the ones you let out during the last days of your imprisonment.

“I will give her everything,” Querehsha purred. “Power. Freedom. Strength. And when she finally breaks—when she will begs for it—I will make you watch as I remove every trace of her whole being and take her bo-"

And then—your body twitched.

Just slightly.

It was so fast, so small, that Querehsha didn’t catch it.

But Jinwoo did.

And the flicker in your eyes— the colour of your real eyes

It wasn’t her.

Your hands moved again, holding the dagger you had conjured — the one still faintly glowing with your aura. It was held low, too low, and Jinwoo’s sharp gaze noticed. Your stance had shifted. Not for an attack.

“No—” he breathed, stepping forward a second too late.

Your arm moved with unnatural fast, disorienting Querehsha's control.

But not toward him.

The blade was turning — inward.

Straight toward your own stomach.

"Better me than you," you whispered in a trembling voice that was finally yours again, tears spilling down your cheeks. “I'm sorry Jinwoo"

And you drove the blade into yourself.

——————

A/N: Boy do I love a good cliffhanger on a story! Stay tuned for the next part, what will happen next? Finally some happyness? Despair? Our dear Jinwoo will save her? Only time will now!

Special thanks to @minh907 that with her support I am able to push forward!

[alicentlander]

loving me is all you need

summary: You’ve been extremely stressed the past few weeks.

Homelander figures the two of you could use a vacation.

(18+, dubcon, kidnapping, obsessive behavior, love bombing, implied drugging, age gap, fem reader)

wc: 1.3k

author’s note: lol i wrote this near the beginning of last semester because uni had me stressed and rich powerful evil deranged man in love with me and kidnapping me to take care of me is peak comfort fantasy to me 🥰

Homelander sat on the bed next to you, stroking your hair as he grinned down at your sleeping form. With how much you drank last night, you should be out for a few more minutes.

He was so excited for you to wake up and see where you were! You had been complaining about being overworked (his poor sweetheart, you didn’t deserve to be stressed ever) the past few weeks and how you just desperately wished for a break. To have some peace and quiet.

Homelander (being the amazing and loving boyfriend that he was) had offered to take you away to anywhere you wanted. The beach or the mountains, Italy or Greece, or any other place on Earth that you wanted. All you had to do was say the word. But you being you just smiled and shook your head, telling him you were fine. He could see right through you, though. No matter how much you might seem dedicated to your silly, time-consuming tasks away from him, he knew you didn’t actually want to live your life that way. Why would anyone want to - especially when they had him?

So, logically, he took your rejections of his ideas to get away as you just being shy. You had no reason to be so shy around him, but he supposed it made sense since you were quite younger than him. He found it so cute and endearing.

A problem he had also realized was that all the places he had suggested would be surrounded by other people. No wonder you didn’t want to go. So, he had Vought secure a cabin for the two of you, away from the rest of the world. That’s much better. The people at Vought were at least smart enough to understand him when he said he didn’t want the two of you to be disturbed. The obviously fake smile as his eyes flashed red leaving no question to what would happen if someone tried to bother him and his beloved on their little getaway.

No other people. No distractions. Just you and him. Perfect.

His attention was fully on you when you shifted and he heard you groan. His eyes lit up then softened as you slowly blinked your own open.

“Mmm… John?” you asked, rubbing your aching head before trying to sit up.

You took a moment to gather yourself, trying to remember the previous night. All you could remember was having a bit of alcohol, but surely it wasn’t enough to cause you to be as hung over as you currently felt? You looked around the room, it being cozy, but unfamiliar. Not Homelander’s penthouse or your shaggy little place. The bed was beyond comfortable and when you looked down you saw the sheets and covers were a shade of your favorite color.

“Umm…babe? Where are we…?” you asked, grabbing Homelander’s wrist to stop his hand trailing along your sides.

“Surprise!” he grinned like a kid getting exactly what he wanted on Christmas, placing a quick kiss on your cheek, and then resting his chin on your shoulder as he hugged you close and tightly, “I know that you’ve been stressed with your work or studies or whatever the fuck else lately, soooo I wanted to give you a break from it all.”

His smile stayed on his lips as stared at you, waiting for you to show some sort of excitement about being trapped out here alone with him.

“Come on, sweetheart,” he practically pouted when you weren’t giving him the reaction he wanted, pulling you even closer to him, “you’ve been saying for weeks that you just want a break for it all! I’m just giving you what you want.”

“John,” you sighed and shook your head, “wanting and actually doing something are two different things. I can't just walk away and take a vacation whenever I want without warning!”

You instinctively reach for your phone where it would usually be on the nightstand, already trying to come up with a list of people you would have to message, only to find it’s not there. You frown.

“…John, where’s my phone?”

“Not here,” he replied vaguely as you tried to squirm out of his arms to no avail, “you don’t need it. We’re here to relax, remember? No outside world.”

“You expect me to relax when I don't have my phone in reach?”

While half meant as a joke, it was starting to freak you out that there was seemingly no way to contact anyone else.

He chuckled, dragging you along with him as he laid down, forcing your head to rest against his chest. “Darling, you have me and I have you. That’s all we really need, hmm?” He rubbed circles onto your back.

He frowned a little when your heart beat started to pick up. Not from excitement, but… fear? Oh no, that wouldn’t do.

“Calm down,” he said, his voice coming out slightly more demanding than he had intended. “You don’t have to worry about anything again, alright? I’ll take good care of you, I promise.”

“What… what do you mean by that?” You ask, fearing the answer.

“I mean,” he tilted your chin up to get you to look him in the eyes, “you don’t have to worry about anything outside this cabin. It’s just you and me. Think of it as like… an indefinite vacation, yeah?”

He gave you a charming smile that under any other circumstance would have you melting underneath him.

“J-john… sweetheart. As … wonderful… as that sounds I can’t… we can’t just abandon everything else like this!” you argued, though you sounded desperate, “I have a life! Friends and family! You… you’re literally the leader of the Seven! We-“

“Oh, come on. It’s not like the world is going to burn without us,” he scoffed, then softened up, looking at you with nothing but pure adoration in his blue eyes, “besides, even if it did, who gives a fuck? As long as we have each other, we’ll be fine. Right, sweetheart?”

You stared at him in disbelief, lips slightly parted. He couldn’t be serious about this. While it sounded nice in theory, surely running away from all your responsibilities and the rest of the world was not this easy doable thing he was making it out to be. For God’s sake, he was The Homelander! Vought wouldn’t let him just leave to have some extended vacation time with his girlfriend for too long.

Homelander sighed as you didn’t show any signs of calming down soon. It’s alright, you’re just confused, he reasoned with himself. You just needed a little time. He could be patient.

But… a little incentive wouldn’t hurt.

In one swift motion, he flipped the two of you so that you were laying on your back and he was hovering over you. He licked his lips as he took in your body beneath him. So beautiful… and all his.

“John-“

He silenced you with a kiss to your lips, one hand resting next to your head and the other one running gently along your side.

He pulled back only to allow you to take a breath. He went on to kiss your cheeks, jaw, and along your neck, ignoring any protests you might have made. He lovingly murmured your name as he nuzzled into the crook of your neck, inhaling your scent.

“My sweet girl…”

His hand that had been on your side slowly pulled up the nightgown he had dressed you in the night before, his knuckles brushing against your clit teasingly. You gasped, grabbing onto his shoulders. You opened your mouth to say something, but he shushed you gently, placing his other hand on your throat. He didn’t squeeze, but its presence was enough to make you listen to him.

“Shh… just let me take care of you. Alright?”

You nodded, eyes wide.

“There’s my good girl,” he cooed, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

He moved down your body, pushing your nightgown up past your hips as he properly settled himself between your legs. Your breathing picked up a bit as you watched him, eyes never leaving him.

He lowered himself down, pressing a few open-mouthed kisses to both your thighs before going to where he really wanted to.

A whimper escaped your lips as his tongue ran along your wet folds, the act almost seeming reverent. He grasped your hips with both his hands to keep you from moving too much as he moved up to your clit, flicking his tongue on it. His hands shook from just how gentle he was being. He wanted to let himself lose control, to devour you, but he restrained himself for your sake. He was too scared (much as he loathed the word) of hurting you. Just the tiniest bit of putting too much pressure on your hips could fracture them.

“F-fuck, John…” you whined and closed your eyes, one of your hands reaching to tangle itself in his hair which got a moan out of him. “Oh, God…”

While he knew that you weren’t actually calling him God, his ego could let him pretend that you were. It was an arousing image; him, a God, pampering you, his favorite and most devoted little worshipper. Just the two of you, here in this little paradise he had made to away all the troubles of the world. Nothing else mattered. Only you and him.

He growled lowly, his tongue lapping faster at your clit. Your back arches slightly off the bed, so desperate for him. His fingers twitched against your hips.

He teased you for a few minutes, wanting to hear the sweet, little sounds you made, while also making sure you felt good. Showing you how good being out here with him would be. He could bring you nothing but ecstasy and bliss everyday for the rest of your lives.

“John-!” you cried needily, “please…”

“‘Please’ what, sweetheart?” he pulled back to ask, chuckling a little when you whined at the absence of his mouth on you.

“Please let me come…” you relented shakily, tugging on his hair.

“Good girl,” he praised, immediately going back to running his tongue along your clit. “Come on, sweetheart. Come for me…”

That was all the prompting you needed. You came on his tongue and he eagerly licked it all up like a man starved, not wasting a single drop.

“You taste absolutely divine, darling,” he murmured as he licked his lips, as he moved back up onto his knees. You were panting beneath him and fuck was it one of the most gorgeous sights he had ever seen.

After taking another moment to admire you, he moved to lay back down next to you, wrapping his arm around your waist and pulling you close. He gave your lips a quick kiss, then pressed his forehead against yours, looking at you with a mixture of adoration and obsession.

“Fuck, I love you so much,” he mumbled, kissing you again, “you feel good, don’t you?”

You nodded, looking up at him with those pretty eyes of yours. He smiled.

“Good… good,” he brought his hand up to your face, stroking it gently, “that’s all I want. For you to feel good. With me. Nobody else could ever make you feel this way. You get why I brought you here now, right? So that I can take care of you.”

He searched your face intensely, looking for any hint of understanding.

“Y-yeah,” you swallowed and cleared your throat, “yes, John. I-I get it… thank you.”

His mind didn’t register how anxious or forced your words sounded. Either that or he just willingly ignored it. He just smiled lovingly at you and hugged you close.

“That’s my girl,” he praised, nuzzling against you, “my good girl.” He kissed your forehead, “just get some more rest, okay, sweetheart? Take all the time you need. It’s not like you have anything you have to do anytime soon.”

He laughed a little and while he probably meant those words more romantically, it just made you feel even more trapped in his loving, but suffocating embrace. You nodded, resting against his chest. He hummed happily and played with your hair.

You closed your eyes as he murmured sweet words to you. Maybe after a week or two in your secluded new home, he’d realize how ridiculous it was thinking the two of you could just hide away from the rest of the world for the rest of your lives without any cares or worries. But for now…

Maybe you could let yourself enjoy it.

[irelandking]

mob au fic recs

bucky barnes x reader

main bucky fic rec masterlist

❤️ = fluff 😔 = angst 🔥 = smut

multiparts:

family matters - @world-of-aus

You should have heeded your father’s warnings to stay away, now HIS demons have come to collect, and they come in the form of the Notorious mob boss James Buchanan Barnes, but is there more than meets the eye? - 73k words ❤️🔥😔

mafia masterlist - @angrythingstarlight

interconnected one shots ❤️🔥

ruin - @sinner-as-saint

You work at a café owned by your family, close to your uni. And most of your days are pretty laid back and calm, but that is until you catch the eye of the mob boss. Your cute skirts and soft sweaters make him weak. Your innocence captivates him. And he wants you, badly. He wants you in his bed, wants his hand under those cute little skirts… he wants to ruin you.  🔥

one shots:

anon ask - @angrythingstarlight

but rlly… r telling ppl who cross her that “upsetting me upsets my husband, and trust me you don’t wanna do that” ❤️🔥

i will not give you up - @world-of-aus

My love can I request prompt 14 with Mob Bucky, please? You’ve started dating and his family don’t approve. You can’t take the snarky comments from his family anymore so you try to break up with him and he pushes you to finally break down and tell him the real reason why. ❤️😔

home again - @navybrat817

your husband opens up about his past as you fall more in love 🔥

harmonious - @navybrat817

part 2 & 3: husband and wife & honeymoon suite you may think you're a pawn in bucky's life, but you are his queen 🔥

thigh riding - @bucky-barnes-diaries

mob!bucky x wife reader 🔥

nights & mornings with mob!bucky - @bucky-barnes-diaries

How you and Bucky go to sleep and how you and Bucky wake up. 🔥

all that glitters is gold - @printedpeterparker

The one where Y/N takes a chance on the mobster. ❤️

night hours - @sinner-as-saint

Bucky wakes you up in the middle of the night because he can’t sleep, and he knows you can help with that. ❤️🔥

twilight moments with you - @sinner-as-saint

You were just an innocent girl who works in her family’s patisserie. You had an absolutely normal life, until the day you got tangled in the mess between ex-mob James Buchanan Barnes and one of his enemies who is still out to get him. Things changed after that. But not all changes are terrible… ❤️🔥

practice - @buckyalpine

Dark-ish Mob bucky barnes x virgin maid reader 🔥

make it last - @jobean12-blog

When the most powerful man in the city wants you, it's hard to say no. Obviously he's hard to resist but considering his significance in the city you can't help but wonder if you're just another piece of arm candy, so if he wants you, he'll just have to wait 🔥

[sol-consort]

Wait, cause I think I'm cooking up a really hot scenario for Joker and Shepard. Hear me out, it's the middle of the night all the crew is asleep and the only person left on the main deck in Joker in his pilot chair and your restless and burdened with stress so you can't sleep and you really need to destress in the biblical sense (by the the biblical sense I mean getting your brains fuck out) and you and Joker have this flirty thing going on but so far he hasn't made a move so shep decides to abandon all shame (which wasn't much in the first place tbh) and heads down naked to the cockpit to basically offer her body up to Joker and they fuck in the pilots chair!! What do you think?

Finally some Joker x Shepard content! God I've been starved.

Listen to me, if Shepard was with him during those uni training days? Oh...oh oh oh! They would've fucked, be it friends with benfits or a relationship, both of them would've been so obnoxiously into each other. Constantly getting into trouble on campus because a janitor caught them doing it in an empty lecture hall or something, but because of their golden record, they got away with a simple slap on the wrist.

The first thought on Joker's mind when he looks up at you is how it shouldn't be possible for someone to still look so intimidating while fully nude.

Joker questioning how femshep mamages to appear even more powerful with your tits fully out? Making his brain go blank as the sight of your nipples perking against the chilly air.

While with maleshep, his eyes I'm travel downwards. You could possibly be well-endured down there as well-oh... of course you are. How does it feel like being the universe's favourite, huh?

He tries to think of a joke to downplay his nervousness, a lame pun, a play on words, anything to help him regain levrge in this situation and not just sit and gawk openly like someone's first time flipping through a porno magazine.

But he cannot, the sight of the commander Shepard bare in the flesh would make anyone go speechless. How are you so toned? Like a living breathing greek statue in front of him, muscled impossibly defined and condensed rather than stupidly big.

And your thighs have the audacity to look so...round and plush despite it all? To remind him that you're still a hot breedable thing, with squeezable hips and—would it be lame of him to ask you to turn around so he could check the other assets as well? For science, humanity, freedom, the alliance's honour, or whatever excuse you want him to give.

Once he manages to pick his jaw from the floor, or you get impatient watching his drool over you and make a move, Joker has never been more happier that the frame of his pilot chair was made from reinforced titanium and steel.

You balance yourself on the armchairs, resting one thigh on each one as you spread your legs open on top of him. Careful of his legs, never letting your weight rest on them.

The most perfect joke finally loaded into his brain after a major delay. "Jeez, Commander, couldn't think less subtle ways to remind me of your upcoming birthday? No need to break out the suit this early."

He's grateful for your mouth shutting him up before he could fire off another joke and potentially ruin your mood. You must be gentle with him, even when trying to act rough. Remain disciplined and in control of your muscles, remembering to not put pressure on any part of him.

Which resulted in the kiss being soft. Tenderness wasn't something army soldiers were known for, least of all a ship Commander. He's seen you actually break skulls with your thighs alone, the same thighs hovering above his lap.

Joker never expected Shepard to be capable of this tenderness, to kiss him ever so sweetly. Run your fingers through his hair, trace down his neck and collarbone, feel up his sides before resting your fingers against the buckle of his pants.

The realisation that you actually planned to go all the way rather than simply tease him, make out, then leave him all pent up, made blood shoot down Joker's body.

Now he's imagining how you must have prepared yourself before coming here, fingering yourself atop your bed as you squeeze more lubricant into your palm before shoving your fingers back inside. Stretching out your hole and doing all the necessary work just so you'd come here and take his cock.

In the pilot's seat, at the deck of the Normandy.

Have you been reading his mind? How did you figure out this has been his ultimate fantasy ever since he got assigned into your ship.

Hell, even back on Anderson's Normandy he still couldn't keep his mind from wondering about taking you in the cockpit. The cute navigator officer who sat by his side during the long flight hours to keep him company, you were the second in command! You belong back in those cushy seats with the gaint round table for the oh-ever-so-important people.

But you chose to be by his side. Never interfering with his work or doubting his skills like he thought you were there to do at first. "Oh a disabled pilot he must not be capable and only got his degree out of pity, I need to supervise him at all times so he doesn't kill us all" Is what Joker would sarcasticly mouth behind your back in those first few days, attempting to imitate your voice.

Yet you made him eat those words, proved your sincere intentions. That you too, just like him, hated being near those cushy high status people and prefered a more casual and relaxed air.

The way you actually laughed at his jokes, rolling your eyes at his puns, snickering whenever he'd make a dig at the Captian or others instead of snitching on him.

How close the two of you have grown as the years went by, the strife you've endured together. Still finding each other after every horrific incident, clinging to one another, desperate to keep your lifes and fates intertwined. There was no commander Shepard without Joker, likewise he wouldn't have felt half as comfortable serving under any other Captian.

And now his dear captain is here, hovering over his lap, thighs spread. Guiding the head of his cock towards your dripping wet hole, engulfing it in your warmth as he sank into you.

[rose-morose]

I finished Harley Quinn, and I've got to rant about Kite Man for a second

(Harley Quinn spoilers and very very long and bitter hatred under the cut)

it fucking boggles my mind that Poison Ivy would go out with this rich, incompetent, ignorant, heteronormative, entitled, arrogant, borderline, if not outright, misogynistic trust fund child who is a massive cunt, and seemingly the antithesis of everything that she stands for

most of the time she seems to find his clumsy and ignorant conduct to be endearing, which is actually understandable, but beyond that and a positive review of the sex (I think I can't remember) it kind of seemed like she wasn't fully invested in their relationship

this isn't even a "she's out of his league" thing either, he is just genuinely a terrible terrible person, and I think many people give him far more credit than he deserves

putting aside his goofy kite motif, his naive demeanour, and his clumsy antics he just has a dull shitty personality

when they first met, Kite Man spent an entire evening making unwelcome advances on Ivy despite her clear and succinct rejections of every effort he made, stole from her, and then he took Ivy asking him for an emergency ride back to her apartment to literally save the lives of children that HE poisoned for no reason as not only validation of his relentless advances, but the beginning of what he believed to be a "date" in his deluded rotting brain

upon arriving at her apartment, unprompted, he disrobed and waited for her in her bedroom to have sex, and when Ivy asked him why, his response was along the lines of 'that's usually what happens after a great date when you go back to the girl's place'

Ivy was understandably upset by this, so what happened? what changed? in what mad world is this given any amount of consideration to even be tolerable, let alone acceptable behaviour?

"I'll do all the heavy lifting so you don't have to break a nail." fuck this twat he sucks, and this is only episode 2, the first fucking episode that he is in

"I'll protect us babe!" dude fuck right off she is literally the most powerful person in the room

"If my girlfriend sees me hanging out with you hot young coeds she is going to be green with envy." people still call women attending uni "coeds" that's fucking insane, someone just put me out of my fucking misery

HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HER FUCKING NAME! "Poison Gertrude Ivy" 0/3 fucker not even remotely close, and he doesn't learn her name until after the third fucking time he asks her to marry him

so what if it's played as a joke, it's still true

what am I missing here? why is this guy getting a pass, not just from Ivy, but from the fandom at large? why is there such widespread admiration of this asshole?

I tried watching the Kite Man spinoff show to figure out what people see in him, but it honestly just made him look even worse if that's possible, and while the entire show has not yet been released, it is set after the conclusion of Kite Man and Ivy's relationship so it's not even that relevant

if anyone from the Harley Quinn show deserves a spinoff it isn't this cunt

this shitty excuse of a human being maps out their entire future without consulting Ivy, self admittedly stalked her, constantly does things that she explicitly asks him not to do (admittedly Harley is also guilty of this), mansplains simple bullshit to her constantly, and takes not even the slightest bit of interest in anything remotely associated with Poison Ivy, he doesn't even really seem to know that much about her

on paper I can't see why the hell she even seems to like him at all seeing as she repeatedly rebuffed his initial unwelcome attempts to hit on her, was embarrassed to be seen in public with him, did not tell anybody she was dating him, constantly comments on how fucking stupid he is, rejected him every time he tried to take the next step in their relationship, and before they got together the nicest thing she had ever said to him was along the lines of, 'you're almost tolerable when you are completely silent' and yet in practice Ivy seems to be very loving and affectionate towards him, she even attributes her recent bout of happiness to him

yet Kite Man himself admits that he had to repeat every step of their relationship over and over and over again because she constantly rejected him at every turn

and she was the only one putting any effort into their relationship, always doing things to make him more comfortable or happy and in return occasionally getting a ride and that's it, he just breaks down and starts crying when anything doesn't go his way

Poison Ivy deserves so much better than this cunt who weaselled his way into her life, not the other way around

I saw something from a showrunner about how this iteration of Poison Ivy has self esteem issues that may have lead her to date someone who isn't worthy of her just because he was nice to her, but I don't see how he was nice to her

he's usually polite, sure, but he is super misogynistic, he asks her to drop her name to get things that he wants, he is super arrogant and full of himself, and he seems to objectify her every time he tries to give her a compliment

and that hardly explains why so many fans are all for this terrible relationship, normally supporting unhealthy relationships in media because you want to see them improve and evolve is fun, but this guy does not change, he doesn't even think that he needs to change

and I think most of the show's fans are for Harlivy, which is a relationship that isn't super healthy but is compelling and improving and is fun to root for, but why do I see so many people saying that the writers should have kept going with Kite Man and Ivy?

I don't think it's outright homophobia, or at least the majority isn't homophobia, but I just don't get it

now did Kite Man deserve to be cheated on? I don't think so, that's just a pretty shitty thing to do to someone, but why the fuck was he even here in the first place?

I guess the heart wants what the heart wants or she didn't think she deserved better or whatever, but fuck why does anyone tolerate this asshole? is incompetence really that charming?

maybe I just don't get it because I'm aroace, but regardless of what you think of the relationship or the character, Kite Man is undoubtably a shit person and a complete asshole, that doesn't make him a bad character, just a bad person, and I wish more people that liked him as a character would recognise that, it's fine to like characters that are bad people, but don't outright deny it

just my final thoughts, I would love to take this opportunity to assure all 0 readers that have made it this far that I am not genuinely upset and do not take issue with people that like a fictional character that I don't like ok thanks bye

rant over

[dreamerofvalyria]

Beyond the Loch | Monster CoD AU | Chapter 4.

Summary: “With monsters now being used the world over to wage war, the military is desperate to encourage non-human citizens to join their ranks. A young kelpie, John ‘Soap’ MacTavish, is invited to join the infamous Task Force 141, the first task force in history to be headed up by a monster. Soon after joining, he encounters a black dog, an omen of death known only as Ghost. Determined to prove that not all black dogs are harbingers of disaster and misfortune, he decides to become Ghost’s field partner, becoming close to the spirit while everyone else flees from him terror. Only time can tell if he’ll come to regret it or not.”

Notes: Sorry for the delay with posting, but I had to rewrite this chapter several times since I wasn't getting the right vibes from how it was going. Half way through exams at the moment, but there's only another week until my mid-semester break from uni so hopefully I'll be able to get some more written then.

Pairing(s): Future Ghost/Soap. Other to be added.

Warnings: Unedited because I'm tired and can't stand looking at this chapter any longer ;w;

Series Masterlist

Previous: Chapter 3.

Next: WIP

The morning air is frigid at the break of dawn, the grassy fields coated in a fine layer of fresh dew. The sunshine isn’t powerful enough to warm Ghost’s skin through his many layers of clothing, but it’s a pleasant enough view as he waits for the pilots to run through their final checks before take-off. The tip of the cigarette between his lips lights up with each gust of wind, blowing away the potent scent of smoke clinging to his clothes.  

Across the field, he can see his new sergeant quickly approaching, already geared up and carrying a large bag over his shoulder. When Soap realises he’s being watched, he offers a single wave, face lighting up with a broad grin. Ghost doesn’t return it, but he offers an acknowledging nod.  

When Soap reaches him, Ghost drops the remainder of his cigarette, stomping it out underfoot. “Prepped, sergeant?” he asks lazily, ears slowly swivelling around as he listens to the sounds of the base waking up for the day.  

“Aye, sir,” Soap nods, gripping at the straps of his vest, “ready to get ourselves a win, yeah?” 

He simply nods, watching as the pilots exit the plane and start waving them over. “Let’s get moving then.”  

Of course, Soap chooses to settle himself in the seat directly across from him. It isn’t too bothersome, even as the man starts excitedly rambling on about whatever seems to come into his head. Coming from someone else it would have quickly played on his nerves, but the friendly way the kelpie chatters to him is almost soothing.  

He wonders if it’s something to do with the ‘alluring’ attributes MacTavish’s kind are known to possess or if he’s genuinely interested in listening to the other monster talk. He doubted the later option, given his entire evening the previous night was spent researching kelpie mythology.  

There were numerous contradictory sources making it difficult to divorce fact from fiction. However, it seems as though most recorded legends and biological references he could access agreed that kelpies were similar in nature to sirens, being water spirits with an affinity for attracting men and women alike. It wouldn’t be beyond the realm of possibility for Soap to be (unknowingly or otherwise) drawing the canine’s attention.  

He had pointedly scrolled past the sections mentioning how physically attractive kelpies were.  

Soap doesn’t seem to notice his reluctance to engage in conversation, happy to hold up both ends of the conversation while Ghost simply sits quietly and listens. It helps to comfortably pass the time until they reach the drop point.  

The landing is rough thanks to some heavy snow, but they make it without too many issues.  

The scouting team that had been sent to the area before them had arrived back at the exfil point several hours ago, confirming that there appeared to be very little activity near the abandoned town their targets were holed up in. They were part of a yet unknown faction, wearing no obvious symbols to trace their allegiance back to.  

All that their intelligence officers and the scouting party had been able to determine was that they were guarding something. They moved in and out of the crumbling remains of an old building with perfect timing and efficiency, like a colony of ants. Clearly, they had an important purpose being here in the middle of the icy wilderness, but what it was remained to be seen.  

As they walk through the woods, Ghost is hyperaware of their every step, ears twitching with each broken branch, each flutter of leaves in the breeze and each animal, oblivious to the two predators moving through the trees. The snow was thick and difficult to wade through, but they were making good progress and would no doubt reach the enemy camp before dusk.  

He and Soap remained in their human forms – their true forms too large and attention grabbing to risk using – it made it easier to carry their supplies and weapons. They moved in silence for the most part, neither willing to risk their mission being compromised so early.  

When they finally arrive at their destination, they settle themselves in some shrubs just on the edge of the tree line to begin observing their opponents. It’s cold being pressed into the snowy ground, and Ghost briefly wishes he could be in his canine form, the thick fur perfect for such cold conditions. But he ignored his discomfort, setting up the scope on his rifle to start monitoring the movements of the other soldiers.  

Soap is laying a few feet from him, pressed against a large boulder and under the low hanging branches of a thick bush. He’s using his own pair of binoculars, slowly sweeping his gaze from one side of the town to the other.  

A small creek runs alongside the village, the perfect depth for his kelpie companion to utilise should things escalate, and there are numerous piles of rubble and ruined houses for them to use as cover. The men on guard duty continue their patrol route like clockwork, but clearly, they’re starting to get complacent, not paying as much attention to their surrounds as they should.  

Ghost continues to observe a further two rotations, ensuring there are no deviations, before he motions for Soap to move with him. There is a brief break between the previous rotation and the next one, so they need to move quickly if they hope to have the advantage of surprise on their side. “I clear the guards on the left, you take the right, sergeant,” he grunts, already beginning to slink off toward a nearby house.  

He pauses at the dilapidated building just long enough to watch as Soap takes a step into the small creek on the village’s right side. The man sinks into the water as though he’s made from the stuff, vanishing under the water without so much as a ripple across its surface. 

Eerie.  

Shaking off the shiver that runs down his spine, Ghost is quick to get to work, circling around the back of the house he’s using for cover. He spots the two men due to clear the area approaching and presses himself into a corner to wait. He slides a single blade from his vest, taking it into his hand with a light grip.  

The moment the men round the corner he pounces. He grabs the first one with one hand, his other phasing straight through fabric, skin, muscle and bone until he reaches the man’s heart. A single, firm yank and the organ is pulled cleanly from the human’s chest. The other man gasps, but before the thought to lift their weapon even passes through their mind, a knife is embedded deep into their trachea.  

Wrapping their hands around the wound does nothing to stop the blood rapidly spurting from their throat, and a moment later they hit the ground alongside their comrade. Ghost tosses the still-warm heart aside, already focused on finding a new position to attack from after retrieving his weapon.  

He silently steps through the walls of one of the houses, trekking through the many rooms until he’s positioned by the wall directly opposite where the next duo should be passing through. And just as he expected, it only takes a few minutes for him to spot the other soldiers through a frosted window. The darkness of the house keeps his form concealed from the men, right up until he leaps through the wall’s very matter and slams his large body into the enemy.  

The soldiers both flail, one of them losing their footing and dropping into the dirt. The blood slicked knife in Ghost’s hand easily slices through the tendons of the standing soldier’s neck as though it’s nothing more than butter.  

He shoves the man aside, ignoring the way they choke on their own life blood and approaches the other. They make a valiant attempt at scrambling back to their feet, twisting around with their weapon, only to be met with one of Ghost’s other blades, pulled from its holster and stabbed through their eye before they have the chance to so much as blink.  

Four down. Another two more on his side before it should be clear. With any luck, Soap will not be far behind they they’ll be able to rendezvous at the entrance to the main building. The base will be expecting the men on patrol to return soon, so their cover won’t last for long either way.  

Ghost moves back through the wall once more, returning his blades to their rightful position. He takes a moment to observe the area, ensuring there are no enemies unaccounted for, then starts heading for the next house. He has the time to cross through two more buildings before he spots the last two men he’s after.  

Listening intently, he’s able to pick up the soft crackling of one of the soldier’s radios. They’re trying to find the missing members of their patrol group. Time’s run out.  

He waits until the two men confirm their position and release their radios before attacking. These two are more alert, wary of the potential of a surprise attack, so his appearance doesn’t startle them. They move to lift their guns, but Ghost looses a knife, forcing one of them to try and dive to the side before they can discharge any bullets.  

The man still standing grapples with Ghost over the gun for a moment but makes the mistake of attempting to hold onto their rife and is inevitably unable to protect their vital organs from the blade driven into their stomach. As they hunch over with a pained wheeze, the monster grabs either side of their head, violently twisting until there’s a sickening crunch and the body in his grasp turns limp.  

The final opponent levels their weapon with Ghost’s skull, but something, an instinct perhaps, stops him from moving to defend himself. He sees something shift in his peripheral and understands.  

The man seems to think he’s going to win, about to pull the trigger- only for a pair of massive jaws to clamp down on his throat. A single twist of the head and the muscles are torn from where they should be connected to the man’s spine. He doesn’t splutter or gasp, the chasm where his windpipe should be far too large.  

“I had that, sergeant,” he says, watching as the soldier’s body drops unceremoniously to the ground.  

The grin Ghost is subjected to from his subordinate is downright horrific. Sharp teeth hanging out of an unnaturally elongated face. It looks like a sort of half-shifted state, unnatural but by no means any less dangerous. Just enough of a shift for the younger man to tear through a person without changing the rest of his physiology too far.  

A blink and he’s looking at a normal human again, save for the crimson staining the lower half of his face and clothes.  

“Ye were taking a while, thought ah’d give yeh a hand,” the kelpie shrugs, shouldering his own weapon. His hair is still dripping little drops of water from the tips of his mohawk, and his clothes are completely saturated, leaving a pool in the Scot's wake.  

Ghost rolls his eyes, “just don’t leave water everywhere, I’m not about to be sent to medical ‘cause I slipped in a damn puddle.” 

Soap snickers at that comment, moving to follow when Ghost starts toward the main base. “Aye, sir, wouldn’t want to ruin yer reputation like that,” he smirks, trotting along behind Ghost as they move to start observing their target.  

“Two men patrolling the top level,” Ghost breathes, staring down the line of his scope, “we’ll head around the back, the scouts reported another entrance. It’ll be guarded, but easier to access.” He lowers his weapon again, waiting for an affirmative from Soap to start moving around the building they’re using for cover.  

Their progress is quick as they snake through the long grass, unable to risk losing any more time. The enemy likely already knows something is afoot and will be searching for their missing members any moment.  

Taking out the small group of men is laughably easy with the two monsters working in tandem. The bodies lying on the ground are left where they fall, neither bother to hide the bodies, not when stealth will likely be unimportant in a few minutes anyway once they’ve breached the building. An odd low-level buzzing sound can be heard from inside and Ghost can’t help frowning with an annoyed growl under his breath.  

It’s entirely possible that these people are guarding a new type of weapon, which will make breaking inside unnecessarily dangerous if both he and Soap enter together. “Wait here until I’ve cleared the room,” he finally states, “I’ll phase in and radio you once I’m sure they’re not hiding anything.”  

Soap nods, tightening his grip on his weapon, “I’ll be ready and waiting to back you up.”  

With that, Ghost reaches out to the wall of the base, about to step through the wall. Only... his hand meets the cold stone and doesn’t pass through. He tries to push a little harder, but he can’t phase, even putting his entire strength into it. It shouldn’t take any effort what-so-ever to move through something as simple as a wall.  

Something is very, very wrong here.  

[jeonghan-wonwoo]

found an old kagehina angst from 2020. enjoy!

-----

note: this doesn't follow the haikyuu!! timeline/ universe where hinata went to brazil after highschool.

**1st year babies are juniors in uni, 2nd year babies are seniors in uni, 3rd year senpais already graduated.

---

"Kageyama!"

"Oh? Sugawara-san!"

He ran up to Kageyama and gave him a tight hug. "I haven't seen you in a year!"

"..."

"Kageyama?"

"C-can't b-breathe-"

"Oh! Sorry!" Sugawara released Kageyama from the hug. "It's been a while since I've seen you so I missed you."

Kageyama smiled, for the first time in a while. "I miss you too, Sugawara-san."

"Are you free right now?"

"I was about to go to the superma--"

"Perfect. You can join me for lunch." Sugawara dragged him towards a small restaurant across the street.

"So, how are you?" Sugawara asked, leaning towards his highschool kouhai.

"I'm fine, Sugawara-san. Just really busy with university." He tried to smile. "How about you?" He knew where this was going and he would not succumb to his senpai.

"I'm okay. I'm currently waiting for the results of an application I submitted at a school near Karasuno." Sugawara sighs. "I've never seen or heard from you, Kageyama."

"I'm just really busy with school."

"I know you're bad at studying and need to work extra hard but you can always spare time to send a message to me or to any of us!"

"I just wanna improve myself, Sugawara-san." He says so quietly and Sugawara's hurt. This is not the Kageyama Tobio he met in Karasuno. This is not even the Kageyama Tobio that was called King of the Court in Kitagawa Daiichi. This is not his Kageyama Tobio.

"But we miss you and we're worried about you. Everyone's asking for you."

"Maybe next--"

"Hinata's worried about you."

Kageyama's rendered speechless. He has been doing his best to forget-- forget his loud voice, his small but powerful hands, stupid expressions, orange- scented shampoo, warm kisses-- forget he existed. The wall Kageyama built for months came crumbling down with just one name.

"We're so worried about you, especially Hinata. But you're ignoring all of us!" Sugawara exclaims before taking a bite of his food.

"I--" Kageyama sighs in defeat, "I can't see him yet, Sugawara-san."

"It's been a year, Kageyama."

"I know." Kageyama chuckles. "I bet eveyone thinks I’m stupid." He pushes his food away.

"You are not." Sugawara misses his Kageyama Tobio. The one whose eyes burn with the passion for volleyball, the one whose eyes has never shown fear or doubt. "Come back to us, Kageyama. We're your teammates-- friends, even."

The younger looks up and sees a small, quiet smile on his senpai-- the one that he trusted the most and that's all the assurance he needs; he nods.

"You'll try, right?"

He nods again.

"Oh, thank you!" Sugawara flops beside Kageyama and gives him a tight squeeze. Kageyama missed this-- the warmth of another person and a friend. He missed having another living being beside him.

Kageyama receives a text from Tanaka. "I'm outside your building. Where are you?"

He smiles before sending a reply. "I just finished my classes, Senpai. But I'm already on my way."

“Hurry up!”

It's been two weeks since he had lunch with Sugawara and it's been a week since everybody's slowly creeping into his life again. It started with Tanaka, Nishinoya, and Ennoshita cooking and eating dinner at his place, lunch with Yachi, Yamaguchi and Tsukishima, and the celebration of Sugawara scoring the teaching job he was waiting for.

By the fourth week, Kageyama was ready to combust and break down again. Being with them reminded him of too many memories that he has been working so hard to forget. "You don't have to force yourself. I told Suga you'll need time, and everyone's just so excited to see you. I'll tell them to slow it down." He didn't know their former captain saw through him. He has been doing his best to hide his anxiousness whenever he was with them.

He's slowly getting used to having people around him again. He's also looking forward to eating dinner with the senpais tonight.

There was suddenly a loud banging on his door, thinking it was Yachi and Yamaguchi. He was about to scream their heads off but when he opened the door, he was surprised to see someone else.

"Tobio-chan~" Oikawa says in a singy-songy voice that would usually irritate Kageyama. "Open up for your dear Senpai?"

And he does while gaping at Oikawa.

"Oh, Iwa-chan's coming too, okay?" His Senpai says, flopping down before the table.

"W-Why are you--"

"To check on my favorite kouhai, of course." He smiles. "We're cooking dinner so take this instant noodles somewhere else." He takes the unopened noodles and tosses it to Kageyama.

"Oikawa-san?" Kageyama calls out as he stashes the cup noodles away.

"Hmm?" His Senpai answers while mindlessly flipping through Kageyama's books on the table.

"Why are you here?"

Oikawa looks up at him. "Because I have not heard anything about you in a year after that incident. Then, Sugawara-san messaged me that he has finally seen and talked to you." He eyes Kageyama before continuing. "I know we have some issues between us, but I am your Senpai and I am worried about you. Everyone's worried about you. Imagine my shock when Sugawara-san called me up asking if I had seen you or heard anything from you when I was halfway across the world. The two of us haven't had any contact since you started university and yet, he still called me up frantically looking for you."

Kageyama's eyes and nose are stinging and Oikawa stands up to walk towards him. "Tobio, you are allowed to be weak. You are allowed to make mistakes. You are allowed to be hurt. You are allowed to be human." Oikawa pries Kageyama's hands away from his face. "Tobio-chan, there are things in life that you have to hold on and let go of. You have found amazing friends who will always be there for you in and out of the court; they're what you hold close. But you have to let go of the things that are hurting you."

Kageyama's tears fall and Oikawa puts his arms around him. Kageyama returns the hug before sobbing in Oikawa's arms. He has completely forgotten about his friends and yet, they were always there for him-- waiting, supporting, watching, loving from afar.

Kageyama thinks he can finally take a step forward.

It's all festive already when Kageyama arrives at Daichi's place. They were celebrating Daichi's birthday and engagement to Michimiya. Daichi, Azumane, and Tanaka are already grilling the meat outside. He walks inside and sees his senpais talking and laughing like before. He feels his chest tighten at the memories his mind conjures, but he shakes his head and smiles.

Kageyama is tastefully buzzed. He, Tanaka and Nishinoya have trying to get Sugawara drunk but all the senpai does is to walk straight and smile at them even though he might have drunk more than they have.

"Oi!" He hears a familiar voice scream. He didn't know getting drunk will let him hear a voice he has been wanting to hear.

"Shoyo!" Nishinoya screams and points somewhere outside. Kageyama follows his senpai's finger to see orange hair. He inhales and smells his shampoo meters away. His eyesight clears and his breath is caught up in his throat.

It was a mess. Nishinoya and Tanaka was tackling and screaming at Hinata. Yamaguchi and Yachi were singing old songs. Daichi, Sugawara, and Kiyoko were already preparing more food for Hinata and everyone. Kageyama crawled to the corner of the room, hiding beside Ennoshita who was watching everyone with amusement.

"You okay?" Ennoshita asks Kageyama.

Kageyama hummed before opening another can of beer and drinking.

He sees a grinning Hinata pull an unfamiliar guy beside him. "Everyone, this is Miya Atsumu, my boyfrie--"

Hinata is cut off by Kageyama running towards the direction of the bathroom.

Ennoshita walks towards Miya and Hinata, "I think he had too much to drink." He reaches a hand out to Miya. "I'm Ennoshita, nice to meet you."

"He's been there for an hour." Yachi nudges Yamaguchi.

"You know how he can be, Yachi-san." Yamaguchi whispers and Hinata hears them. He knew Kageyama could hold his alcohol pretty well.

"I'll check up on him." Sugawara walks to the bathroom. "Open up."

"I'm kind of busy, Sugawara-san."

"Kageyama Tobio."

The younger opens up the door because Sugawara never calls him like that. Sugawara sees the mess Kageyama became-- his eyes were puffy and he was sniffling non-stop.

Sugawara wraps an arm around him. "Pull yourself together. He's Hinata Shoyo, your former team mate."

"He's Hinata Shoyo, my ex."

Sugawara sighs. "Yes, he's also your ex. But I think that focusing on him being your ex isn't going to help you let go of the pain you have been holding on to so tightly."

Kageyama burries his head into Sugawara's shoulder.

"He wants you two to be normal."

"We can never be normal."

"You can try."

"I don't want to."

"If it makes you feel better, Atsumu and I dated for a while back."

"What?" He looked up to quickly and his head started spinning.

"He was the guy I dated after learning Daichi and Michimiya started dating. We hit it right off. I thought he was the one, but as you know, shit happens." Sugawara smiles.

"Hey." Hinata calls out. He found Kageyama sitting on the porch, drinking the tea Sugawara brewed for him.

"Oh, hey." Kageyama finally smiles. He breathes in the cold night air and gets a whiff of his orange-scented shampoo.

"How are you?"

"Headache. I think I drank too much."

"No, no. How are you? We haven't seen you in so long."

"I'm fine." He says so quietly. "University's taking up too much of my time. You?" He says the latter too thoughtful. He wants to throw up at the fakeness of his question.

"I'm fine. I'm starting to hate university too."

"How's Miya?"

"He's older than us, Kageyama." Hinata laughs a little.

"Miya Senpai, then. How is he?"

"He's nice. Responsible and talented. He's just really nice."

Kageyama is quiet, overthinking the information Hinata had given him. "I was invited to the US for training."

"Congratulations! We have to cele--"

"I'm doing my best to change, Hinata. I’m doing my best to learn and improve myself." Kageyama holds the cup a little too tight. "I'm doing this for you. So, I have enough reason to convince you to come back because I love you too much to let you go just like that. I love you, Hinata. I still love you."

Minutes pass and Kageyama regrets saying it.

"I'm- I'm sor-"

"Yeah," Kageyama’s eyes are glassy but he smiles. "You love him."

"We can still be friends, right?"

"Yeah." All their shared memories run through his head so quickly, he hears his heart being torn into a million pieces over and over and his lungs run out of air. "Of course, we can."

Hinata smiles again. That smile that Kageyama fell head over heels for and it doesn't make the pain bearable.

He realizes that moving forward means losing and gaining something: losing a part of him to the past and gaining new smiles from Hinata. Right now, he's content at this moment where Hinata is smiling that smile at him and it feels like he is his again.

[tea-sweets-n-study]

Day 3/4 Back to/End of Uni challenge

Original post

I missed yesterday, as again I worked many hours, and I had a rough day. I still managed to get one unit and one prac exam done, though. Today I went to class and spent a little time in the city, I'm about to get into study after this post, as I spent some time after I got home caring for plants and reading.

Day 3 - How is your study space organised?

So technically I don't have a desk - I actually study on a display cabinet, or something of the sort. It often hurts my back, and I want to buy a proper desk before next uni year. Despite this, I'm proud of the way I've organized things, and I've spent a lot of time and money this year making things more manageable. All my notes are taken on loose A5 pieces of paper, taken from a notepad, which are later arranged into an order I prefer, and paperclipped together. I've got a drawer for each class, and additionally 4 other drawers for stationary, art, non-school related notes and a spare. My notepad is stored in a zippered leather folder, which also stores my Uni ID, some sticky notes and organizational/time management charts, this way, my study space is quite portable, despite being on paper.

Day 4 - What is your best study tip or strategy?

When I initially tried the pomorado method, I didn't quite get it, but I've since learned the tips and tricks of how it works, and the sort of "rules" to making it work for you. I use pomorado moreso for assignments and writing activities, whereas taking notes from online lectures or readings I tend to work based on how much I want to progress through the content. I've also learnt to recognize when my productivity is dropping and I need a break, and when I can power through.

I think at some point in being an academic, your mindset shifts from "ugh, I don't want to study, I want to do [insert, eg. playing games]" to "I can't wait to [insert] once I finish studying/semester". I'm going to Japan later this year - in the same way I want to go to Japan, and I look forward to it, I cannot just teleport there now, I must wait, and work first. Same thing applies to study. I want to play games, or rest or read, etc, but I simply can't, not until I finish study.

I think the best strategy is the mindset itself, and I think studyblr helped me achieve that.

[taegularities]

DAY 44

IT'S BEEN LIKE DECADE

I hate being human like why I'm not duck cat OR even better (namjoons skin like THAT WAY I would have been so mucyintelligent EXPECT ARMPIT AREA I GUESS 🤔) like anything BUT DAMNED student this 😷 life sucks like I'm constantly so busy and fucked up all the time held up against my will nonsense non stop internals I barely get to be here it's been hell for me like omg I MISS reading ffs late night I miss webcomics jezzz this universe is sometimes so biased when it's come to natural life privilege YK

I hate how Iwill be busy again 😭😭😭 linde up this July and August month and THEN INTERNALS AGAIN in October like this meds field seem like death lock (besides the foreseeable future 💵 💰which is pretty foggy beside Idk why I'm even doing this)

Wbu you rid 👀🫧 what's your major and how are you even handling all this like kudos to you 🙌🏻 how you doing this side blogs with therapeutic ffs 👩🏻‍🍳💋 how do you manage this all and still able to live in IRL???

BUT FOR TIME I CAN'T WAIT TO READ MY REMAINING last few chapters 😔😔 sad how I ghost them all in the middle like some nasty fkboy 🤧 bad behaviour from my side

And 🥸 most important are we getting any foreclosure chapters or some some 🍅🪓

- 🦴🔫 anon

HIIII IT DOESSSS FEEL LIKE A DECADE!! i feel you, babe 😭 uni has been thoroughly wrecking my shit lately, like idk if i've ever yearned for a break like this before :') i'm so sorry things have been hell for you, and i really hope it gets easier once you get a pause or finish your exams!! meds tho? you're so fucking cool for that. power through, love. you got this 💪 me and my stories, whenever you find the time and energy for us, are here for you, but no stress at all.

ohhh, i don't really talk about my major here, but y'all are free to guess? what vibes do i give off :D i'm handling it with a twitching eye lol 😭 omg i've actually also been writing again (been months!!) and hope to come thru this time and not slack off with fics anymore. but it's been hard with work and uni and working out and life and yeah 🤧 i appreciate you so much, though :') nothing better than to know my stuff's therapeutic for somebody out there. enjoy the chapters you've got left!!!!

i'm not sure what 🍅🪓 chapters are but 😁 definitely working on stuff and not giving anything up yet. provide me with all your strength hahaha. sending love to you!!! 🤍

[padfootdaredmetoo]

hello I'm so happy that your requests are open because I followed you a long time ago mainly for peaky fics and now I see you write for tangerine as well and I am fixated with tangerine as well so!!! perfect combo. anyway, I would like to request a very angsty fic where tangerine breaks up with reader. like they love each other but can't be with each other type of thing or they have communication issues idk.. I just love angst and you can decide if it has an happy ending or not and the other details 😌 I'm aware mine isn't a very detailed request so of course if you don't feel like it feel free not to do it!! thanks 💝💝💝

Hey Anon,

I am awful at sad endings. Not the best with angst either but I hope this is what you are looking for. I feel like I may have made it too fluffy because I'm having a rough time. Anyway, thank you for waiting a million years!

Warnings: Fighting, rough childhood, angst, fluff, lots of banter, Ready is having a hard time, mentions of abusive ex-boyfriend abusing power and being evil.

____________________________________________________

Watching her sleep he tried to stop himself from slipping away. His walls were starting to come up after the mission they had on the weekend. Having Lemon to worry about was enough of a headache, but now it was public knowledge in his world that you were his. 

Better to break things off while it could still be considered a rumor. Who believed anything Ladybug had to say anyway? Stupid git. 

You let out a heavy breath as if somehow you were in agreement with his silent conversation. The normally colorful room was dark and he knew it would be his last night in your floral sheets and ridiculously comfortable bed. He just had to let you know that it was his last night. 

He considered ghosting you, but naturally, you were too loyal for that. You’d assume the worst and try to save him, risking your job and potentially your life. He groaned lightly as you shifted your warm body against him. 

Stupid fucking job. Where were you 15 years ago when this mess started? If he knew this was in the cards he would have held out, and avoided the industry all together. Maybe he would have gone to uni… maybe gone the government route like you did. 

This was also the worst possible time to do it. You’d been having issues with your sister, the pressure from your job was crushing you, and to top it all off it was not the best time of the month. 

You woke up eventually, long eyelashes fluttering and he soaked up the look of adoration on your face before he broke everything between you and him. 

“Sleep well?” You murmured pressing a kiss to his chest. 

___________________________________________________________

Reader POV 

Tan’s gaze was distant, he’d been strange since he got home. Lemon didn’t come over for takeout after the job was finished, breaking their tradition. There was something heavy on his shoulders and you wanted to take it from him more than anything. 

“Tan-” Your voice fell away before you could ask. The look on his face and awkward posture answered your question. Everyone would stay and as soon as you got sad or ran out of things to do for them they left. God forbid you had a disagreement with them, memories of your mother screaming at you to get out flashed in your mind. 

“Look, a rumor about us kicked up-” he looked defeated with the slightest bit of frustration etched into his features. 

“I understand it’s fine.” You gritted your teeth. All the feelings of safety you normally felt laying next to him turned into acidic disgust. This wasn't something you thought you could do right now. Too much was going on and losing him was enough to make you break down. You just wanted him to leave, you didn't care about whatever story he was going to spin you. It wasn't his fault you ran in opposing circles, and that this relationship was dangerous. It wasn't his fault but anger and grief consumed you. 

“Look, I care about you - But I’m worried-” his voice was earnest and it made you angrier that he was trying to baby you. 

“About your reputation I get it. I understand. Get out.” You pointed to the door hoping he would get changed and fuck off. You were barely holding yourself together. He told you from the start what type of guy he was. This was your fault and you should be handling it better. Given the jobs you both did this wasn't supposed to be anything more than a fling. 

He just got further than anyone else had. That’s what was making this so difficult. 

“Oi! Got us some breakfast,” Lemon called from your kitchen and Tan cringed. 

“Just get your things and take him with you.” You turned over onto your side. 

“This isn't what I want.” He said taking you off guard. 

“I’m not what anyone wants. This was a mistake, I get it. Okay, I understand, just leave.” Your voice was straining and you got up and ran to the bathroom, unfortunately for you he caught the door before it could shut. 

You turned around and he moved into your space. 

“This isn't something you can just throw away.” He was angry now, something so much easier to deal with. 

“I wasn’t throwing anyone away! You are throwing me away.” You started shouting. 

“I don't want to throw you away. It’s just not safe right now.” He grabbed your shoulders. 

“Right now? As in you found someone better for now!” 

“That’s bull shit. I can't have you getting killed because of me.” 

“You’re bullshit. You said you’d keep me safe. You said you wanted this. To give it a proper go. Now you miss being single and fucking every chick that looks at you because you - ” Your chest was heaving. How many times had you been through this? 

“Shut up!” He snapped, cutting you off. 

“You shut up. You stupid man.” 

“You having a domestic? Food’s getting cold.”

“Fuck off Lemon.” You both said in unison. His eyes glared at you and you stared him down. 

“Just leave me. Okay. it’s fine. I’m not - and that’s fine.” You said finally in defeat. 

____________________________________________

Tangerine’s POV

All the things he knew about you flew through his mind. He probably should have thought about the guys who’d hurt you. How your mother had thrown you out. What your dad was like. 

All of those hurts were so evident in your eyes it killed him. 

But what was worse? What you would do to yourself or what would happen if someone were to use you against him? 

“What you are going to feel is much better than what will happen if people confirm we are together. I don’t know how it got out. But I can't let you get hurt.”

The tears started to spill and your body sagged enough to finally pull you into his arms. He held you tightly hating the fact that it might be the last time. Scratch that it would be the last time. 

Her chest was heaving and her body shaking. He was so angry at the situation, so mad that some other mother fucker would get to move in. Have every part of her. 

Would he keep her safe? He hated the feeling growing in him. 

“Look it’s really important that you know there isn't anything wrong with you.” This only made her cry more. Eventually he and Lemon left. 

“She looked half dead already Tan.” Lemon said as he drove them far away from her flat. 

“Can’t let her end up in this.” 

“Maybe we could leave? Take her with us.”

These were not the words he was expecting. His duty above everything was to his brother. He was willing to leave you, to keep you safe, and to do right by his brother. 

“You would want that?” Tangerine said, his voice getting cold again. 

“Would want that a hell of a lot more than dealing with your fucking moping. Plus she was doing better with us around. That’s a pretty rare find.” 

He thought about where he found you, how the whole stupid thing started. Called in to have your stalker ex-boyfriend - who was also your boss- killed. Did it free of charge, and couldn't leave you alone after that. Even Lemon preferred your flat. 

Stupid woman. If you weren't so high up in government intelligence - maybe he could see a way. But that job also made you just as crooked as he and Lemon were. 

“You ready for retirement?” He asked softly. 

“Yeah, I think you deserve your Bond lady. I’m tired of running into Ladybug on every fu-ck-ing job.” 

“This will be the last go.” Lemon gave him a nod. The job took about three months. 

Three months and yet no Ladybug. Every job they’d had since the Train he’d shown up at some point. Lemon was obsessed with predicting on when he would pop up and fuck them over, but the mission was completed bug-free. This seemed to irritate Lemon even more. 

“Nah Tan I’m telling you that bloody fucker is going to show up.” Lemon was pacing across their room. He fought the urge to blow up at him. Why does it matter if he shows up now, mans been killed, money transfered, story is over. Seeing that Lemon wouldn't let it go he tried to think of a solution. 

“Just search it in the requests and see if he’s booked” He finally suggested pouring himself a large drink.

“Oh ho that’s an idea.” Lemon started to ramble as he hacked into their company directory. All Tangerine could think of was you. They had more than enough money to retire, but would you come back? Did you want to give up your job? Would you even be able to look at him long enough to let him explain? This might be the hardest job he’d had yet. 

Lemon interrupted his thoughts by saying your name. He hummed in agreement, still not paying attention to whatever Lemon was saying. 

“Tan there’s a hit, Ladybug took the job.” 

“That’s what we do eh?” Can't blame a man for working.” He took another long sip of whiskey.

“On her - TAN THE HIT WAS PLACED ON HER” Lemon’s voice had an authentic tone of panic and the glass shot out of his hand colliding violently with the wall. 

No words needed to be said as they grabbed their shit and ran to the door. 

____________________________________________

Reader POV 

You were beyond tired. Between stalking Tan and Lemon and the amount of work that was landing on your desk you started to wonder if it was time for a break. In 10 years of service never once did you take a vacation. Not when your boss/boyfriend started abusing you, not when your family left. You just kept on pushing through. But with no loud distractions, there was a thick emptiness growing all around you. 

When you thought about feeling relaxed you thought about him. They were always around bickering and fighting, while at the same time looking after you.

You were tired. You were broken. You thought about calling your sister, but she’d gone back to her ex again, meaning that you were no longer speaking. You slammed your fist against the cool stone countertop in your kitchen. You tried to push everything out of your mind but it felt like the world was sending you one giant glaring message. The world really didn't need you. 

Trying to keep your mind away from dangerous thoughts you changed into something comfy and turned on a comfort crime drama. Pouring a mug of tea you heard a knock at the door. You grabbed the gun you kept in the top drawer of the island and moved toward the entryway. 

Looking through the peephole you hated how badly you wanted to see Tan and Lemon. Sadly it was a man with blonde hair. After a quick moment you recognized him as the guy Lemon always shouted about. 

What if he was here to deliver a message? 

You clicked the safety off the gun and opened the door. 

“Hel-OH” The man put his hands up and gave a charming smile. “I just erm- moved in down the hall and -” The man stumbled through his story with a flirty air despite having a gun pressed to his forehead. His eyes rested on your chest and you fought the urge to spit on him. 

“Necklace - it’s nice. Special friend give it to you?” He referenced Tan’s gold chain you still refused to take off.

“Something like that. Ladybug?” You said despite already knowing that was his name.

“Well shit - You with the two psycho fruits then?” You smiled slightly at the nickname. “Thought you looked familiar.” 

“Perhaps.” 

“No point in formalities then. I got a job to steal some files from your computer.” He smiled brightly. “No guns - see” he opened his jacket and proved to you that he was unarmed. You stepped aside to let him in. 

“What files and for who? Tea?” You gestured to the kettle.

______________________________________________________________

Tangerines POV

“The hit was placed days ago. DAYS” He pinched the bridge of his nose. Why did he think breaking up with you was a smart idea. How many comic books had he read telling him that was a stupid idea? 

 “Why do you keep letting me make stupid fucking choices eh?” He shouted at Lemon who was driving like a madman going well over the limit. 

“Tried telling you not to get involved. She slept with her boss and then had him killed.” 

“She liked him well enough - Look, her dad really messed her up, can’t blame her for missing the red flags. The important thing is when she found out he was trafficking those girls she dealt with it.” 

He rambled worse than Lemon when he got nervous. Memories of the first night you had met ran through his mind making the pain in his chest triple. His hands were shaking and his head felt like it was splitting in half. 

How could he let this happen? Lemon slowed down, but before he could park Tan had already jumped out of the car leaving the door open.  

He tried the button on the elevator but it refused to light up so he ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. A bell rang out once at the top and Lemon walked out of the elevator. 

“Why’d you waste time on the stairs?” He asked as they hurried down the hallway towards your apartment. Once he caught sight of your door he lunged and kicked it clean off its hinges. He heard you scream out and it was like the world had finally stopped spinning. Screaming meant breathing and breathing meant living. 

He ran into your living room to find you standing there with your gun up, and Ladybug sipping a mug of tea giving a friendly wave. 

“Tan - What the fuck-” You started but he didn’t care this had to end now. He grabbed the mug of tea from the man's hand and threw it at him, starting the brawl. 

__________________________

Readers POV 

“Are you going to break them up!” You asked as the two men struggled against each other. 

“Nah” Lemon came to stand close to you. “He’s had an ass-kicking waiting for him for ages.” 

You watched as Tan spilled his blood all over your plush carpet. 

“Ladybug started the rumor that you and Tan were a thing. Probably harmless, just trying to get under our skin. But you should have seen him when we found out he accepted a job on you.” 

“Well, he didn’t know the job was on me till he got here.”

“Look, he was pulling his hair out all day, even cried on the plane. Just let him have his moment eh?” 

After a moment it became evident to you that if someone didn't stop him your second favorite mug wouldn't be the only casualty. 

“Tan - Tan” You called his name and grabbed hold of the arm he was using to batter Ladybug’s face with. “TAN - stop.” You struggled against his strength but he looked up at you. Something in your face was enough to get him to stop. 

“He was gonna fucking kill you.” He said in an exasperated tone, chest heaving. “Fuck off and let me handle it.” 

“He wasn't here to kill me. Just wanted some files. He didn’t know I live here.” His eyes narrowed on you as if he had superpowers and could tell if you were lying.  “Promise, he wasn't going to hurt me.” 

“Thank you.” Ladybug coughed. 

“Shut up.” Tan barked. “Don't look at her either.” 

“Lemon, can you deal with him?” You asked firmly as you pulled Tangerine into the bathroom. 

“What the fuck was that?” You shut the bathroom door and turned the cold water on, placing his hands under it. You started shouting at him as you washed his hands. 

“You fucking left you have no right to break down my fucking door you mother fucker” You continued on as you grabbed a washcloth from the cupboard and started washing the blood from his face. Then you put some ointment on his knuckles before wrapping them. 

“It’s embarrassing you run off to some stupid island for three fucking months.” 

“You kept tabs on us?” Tan finally spoke. 

“Shut up!” You pulled the wrap tight and knotted it. “The point is you don’t love me and I don't want you here.” 

You finally looked into his eyes and wanted more than anything to understand what you had to say to get him to figure it out. Talking was never something you guys were good at, especially when the topic was painful. 

He looked at you very carefully for a moment and you knew his temper was raging, you were expecting a proper fight this time. 

“Oi we are going to run to the hardware store. Grab a new door and that. Fancy some takeout?” Lemon shouted from down the hall.

“You know I have a real craving for some pad thai” Ladybug called out.

“That’s a good call.” Lemon agreed. You could feel the heat radiating off of him but couldn't help but push him a little bit farther. 

“Pad Thai, extra spicy, no peanuts.” You called out before his lips crashed into yours. He picked you up and slammed you against the bathroom door. His hands were all over you and you thought about stopping him, but this was so much easier than talking. 

_______________________________________________

After making a proper mess in your bathroom he carried your bed. He pulled the covers over you and kissed the top of your head. He held you tightly till the sound of laughter floated into your apartment.

“Stay.” He ordered before leaving.  You were so tired you didn't care enough to argue. 

You curled up and could just barely hear what they were saying. 

“Can you guys handle this?” Tan asked keeping his voice low. 

“Yeah, foods on the counter,” Lemon responded. “She alright?” 

“She’s tough, just needs to rest, that's all.” He said a few other things that you couldn't hear. “You both can fight over the guest room.” 

“Piss off,” Lemon grumbled. 

Tan came back with food and after getting your chopsticks he settled his arm around you. 

“We should probably talk about everything.” You said in between bites. 

“We have officially retired. Quit your job and come with us.” He whispered his mustache tickling your ear. 

You should really deal with everything. Talk about your initial reaction to him trying to break up with you. Figure out where the relationship was going. Understand each other's goals. But talking wasn't ever your thing. 

“Sure.” You said around a mouth full of noodles. 

_________________________________________________________

[theglockwizard]

No comment this week because I AM SWAMPED with uni work but something I want to say about Lois' subplot because I see a lot of discussion around:

Honestly, I don't think Ally wanted to prove that Lois was from, like, a legal standpoint, biased. Hear me out for a bit:

If Lucy/Ally's claim held any ground, why wait all this years? Just dispute the claim right as it happens, ride the media wave of Lois Lane drama and achieve an higher membership rate by having people look into you.

It's because their claim has no actual ground to stand on. Which is why Lucy, in the podcast, just leaves it as a generic "It's not what I told her, she tailored it to suit her needs, she has a bias." instead of actual stating what was wrong(Her supposed vision missing.) Because what their trying to do is from a public standpoint: They just want to make people believe Lois is not the integral journalist the world believes her to be, and use it to paint their cult as a victim and elevate themselves. So Lois is not actually wrong, but they want every kind of people to think she is. That's why the nature of Lois' "editing" is shown only to cult members: The "Public eye" would scoff at that, say "Ok you're crazy, bye" and don't care. But cult preys? Oh they'd eat that up! It's all true, see? Otherwise why would they censor us?

Why now? Because Lois Lane is not with the Daily Planet anymore. If they tried before, when she had the backings of a multimedia company? Daily Planet could probably hit Ally with a thousand cease an desists, cover her with legal fees and handwave everything as defamation in probably half a day, with time for coffee breaks. The Smallville Gazett doesn't really have that kind of legal power, though. Even worse, Lois' position is somewhat shaky already on its own, by her leaving the Daily Planet, the whole thing about Morgan Edge that proved her ultimately right but in the mean time made her sound like a lunatic or something. A perfect chance for a masterful manipulation.

Why is Chrissy so mad then? Listen. We know why Lois has been like that, but walking in Chrissy's shoes... Isn't Lois kind of an asshole, at least to us? Like, great, she came to work for me! But she's constantly withholding stuff from me, like she didn't trust me, always spitting a thousand different excuses, then promises to do better and yet doesn't. Now, I think Chrissy is going to investigate on her own (Like she did in S1), because the betrayal she felt is motivating her to prove to Lois, Ally and whoever else that she isn't a pushover, but I can't really talk about that until we learn some more

[caffinateef-studyblr]

28th August 2021

6:00 p. m.

🌆 Today's tasks

practice maths questions (algebra)

revise architecture

practice mental aptitude questions

solve a question paper

water the plants

🎧: Just Kidding - Waterparks

27th August - What’s happening once this summer is over? Returning to school or uni? Starting something new?

I'm gonna be a college student! A new phase of life!!! Also my college is gonna be away from home and in a new place and it will basically be the first time i would ever be away from home so its gonna be slightly scary in the beginning but also very exciting!!!!!

28th August - Have you managed to complete your main task and goal for the summer?

Yeah! Like the main goal for the summer vacation was to get through all the exams and get an admission in a good architecture college and I have gotten a provisional admission in a really good one but the exam I'm gonna have next week, is gonna be the key to a better set of colleges which would also be cheaper because they wouldn't be private colleges and the internship offers there would be better. Also so that's the only thing left for now but that'll be done too, soon!!

WHoooOO okay! I took a little break yesterday and now i have to buckle up again for the next days! I got this!! Gotta power through a little bit more but this time I actually like the syllabus so not that big of a deal!! Gosh I can't wait to be an actual architecture student lmao sdlfjaldfs

Summer Studying Challenge - 2021

[dtrhwithalex]

BOOK | Grisha Trilogy (Leigh Bardugo)

Shadow and Bone (2012), Siege and Storm (2013), Ruin and Rising (2014)

I came to this world through the Netflix adaptation SHADOW AND BONE which came out earlier this year, and after, to my huge surprise, falling in love with these stories, I decided I would have to give these books a go as well. I've been aware of the Grishaverse for quite some time now but probably especially since SIX OF CROWS came out in 2016 and tumblr went completely batshit for one (1) Kaz Brekker. I am always kind of wary when it comes to entertainment that tumblr goes nuts for, especially when it is YA fiction, because I do not quite trust the general consensus (I was sorely disappointed by Donna Tartt's THE SECRET HISTORY which I found tremendously boring). So actually, I've been actively avoiding reading this book series until now. But then the Netflix adaptation happened and well—you can blame (or thank) Ben Barnes, because he is pretty much at fault for this alone. Anyway, enough preamble.

I've just recently finished reading the last book of the trilogy and I have to say, I have to my surprise really enjoyed these books! I've also read the short stories THE WITCH OF DUVA after the first book, and THE TAILOR and THE TOO-CLEVER FOX after the second, and will be reading LITTLE KNIFE and THE DEMON IN THE WOOD before I move on to the Crows duology. I am reading the short stories according to publication year and not specific date, so they might not be completely in release order.

Reading SHADOW AND BONE I was very much always thinking back and comparing to the plot of the show since that was my original basis for the story. I am not too fond of first person narratives as I prefer things to be written in third person, but I've found that it did not bother me all that much in these books. What I realised though, was that I liked the show a bit more than the book, because it goes beyond Alina's story and the information a reader gets through her focalisation. We get to see Mal's story instead of only hearing of some of it when he and Alina are finally reunited once she leaves the Little Palace, which to me also made the character a whole lot more likable and interesting than in the books. I've also found that I really enjoyed the integration of the Crows in the show because it made the time leading up to and including the Winter Fete that much more interesting. Generally, I really liked most of the changes they made to the story for the adaptation—Alina scheming to get on the skiff, the Darkling's claw ring instead of the knife, that Alina seems to ride the entire way to Os Alta with the Darkling, the explicit consent given at the Winter Fete, erasing the scar, the fact that Alina and Mal don't kiss during the search of the stag. I would have loved to see some of the early scenes like in the book though, especially Alina and Mal on the way to Kribirsk and nearly getting run over by the Grisha carriages. I am also not entirely sure what I want to think about the change of Morozova's collar. I thought it was super dope that it was actually mended into her collarbone, but I am uncertain about her being able to completely melt it into her body and have it disappear like that. But generally, I really liked this first book. I think it does a pretty good job of establishing the world through Alina's eyes and gearing up the plot of the three novels.

SIEGE AND STORM then, of course, gave me my first look into the Grishaverse that was not completely informed by the adaptation. I was super surprised how quick it became clear to them that the Darkling had survived the events in the Fold and for him to catch up with them. I loved the sequences on the Volkvolny with Sturmhond though. And although I was aware that there was a character called Nikolai in this universe, it took me forever to catch on that he was Sturmhond, and when that reveal came I was very much happily blown away. I am super excited to see that character translated to screen (when, not if, the show finally gets renewed for a second season). I really enjoyed the hunt for Rusalye, the introduction of Tamar and Tolya, and for the role Genya gets to play in that sequence. Also, when first getting into this universe, my immediate first thought was, why don't they just fly over the Fold. Do airborne crafts not exist in this world (yet)? No balloons or something like it? And then of course Sturmhond delivered which definitely helped solidify how much I like his character. I am an incredibly visual person, so I think my favourite bits of this book are all somehow related to how much I would like to see them brought to screen (it's either that, or just how much I want to see Ben and Jessie be brilliant in scenes together). The bond between Alina and the Darkling I really enjoyed a lot and also absolutely the scene in the chapel at the end with him believing that she has finally chosen his side, only for her to then try and kill him with their combined powers and merzost. An absolutely extraordinary scene and if Netflix does not renew this show and I never get to see Ben and Jessie fucking nail this scene, I might just riot.

I had to take a bit of a break in-between books two and three because of uni responsibilities, but I finally got around to reading RUIN AND RISING and finished it two days ago. I am very unsure if I liked the ending or not, but more on that later. I was very glad when they finally got out of the White Cathedral and back to the world above ground, because as cool as this undergound world is, the Apparat creeps me out and so does religious culty stuff. I loved the plotting and scheming though and the fact that Alina can control shadows to some extent. Very cool. Prince Nikolai to the rescue once more was also fantastic and the existence of the Spinning Wheel fascinates me to no end. That I definitely want to see translated on screen. Make me a beautiful observatory to fall in love with, Netflix, make me one! Loved the return of Baghra as well, and generally all of her moments at the Spinning Wheel. The Darkling's attack too was right up my alley, and nichevo'ya!Nikolai? Fucking dope, I love it. This novel especially makes for some great visuals that I can't wait to see on the show. Just gimme, all of it. I liked that the Firebird was not the third amplifier, and I find the idea of Mal being the amplifier instead quite intriguing. What I am not so sure about is the actual ending. I once again really loved the bond scenes between Alina and the Darkling, and I now absolutely see why some fans are upset about him giving up his real name so quickly in the show. I do wonder how that is going to play out eventually. I did like the Darkling's ending—his desperation at Alina losing her power, his plea to her that there will be no grave, and him asking for her to speak his name one last time. And I loved that, as horrible of a person he was, as much gruesome things he did, Alina still understood what drove him and still felt a certain kinship to that, and ultimately did also mourn him in a way. There is this echoing of that line from the show—"we could have had this, all of it"—if only he'd asked, and I absolutely love that. Their dynamic is just incredibly intriguing. The thing I am not sure about is Alina losing her power. Mal coming back to life, yeah okay maybe. The power of the Sun Summoner splitting and finding root in every otkazat'sya in the vicinity, that was amazing. But Alina completely losing her power? I don't know. I am not sure what I want to think about that. I see where it comes from but I don't think I like it.

Overall, I have to say, I really enjoyed this trilogy. I don't think I've read a YA series since the HP one which I grew up with. I am honestly very positively surprised by this fact. I am very excited to read on, especially since summer break has now officially started for me and I actually have the time to read. I know I mentioned some of the short stories in the beginning, but I think I will talk about those separately once I've read them all.

For now all that I can say is, damn you, Ben Barnes, for being this attractive as a bad guy, you alone are to blame that I am falling down this particular rabbit hole. Thanks so much.

[a-girl-made-of-stardust]

academic break (which ended pretty soon to my utter disappointment)

for almost 5 days, i had a break which my uni "generously" announced since it was a holiday. anyways, i did what i always do: stay in and binge watch and read as much as i can

this is just basically a diary post or some shit sorry

-> "The moment his lips met mine, the connection between us opened and I felt his power flood through me. I could feel how much he wanted me—but behind that desire, I could feel something else, something that felt like anger." - Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

i finally watched shadow and bone. i had such low expectations for the show (sue me) but damn, the show was GREAT. the effects, the actors, EVERYTHING. i like the way they portray the powers though. Kaz's entrance was just *chef's kiss* and of course, i've never ship alina with mal even when i read the books because DARKLINA SUPREMACY reigns over us all (ben barnes is just fine wine omg)

-> "The funnies call it the syndicate. The goons and hustlers call it the Outfit. You call it the organization. I hope you people have fun with your words. But I don't care if you call yourselves the Red Cross, you owe me forty-five thousand dollars and you'll pay me back whether you like it or not." - The Hunter by Richard Stark

Parker: a man of few words. this book is just so violent and just so direct. (and it has 23 more books? wtf)

-> "Fate may deal its hand, try encouraging our path or intervene, but we are ultimately free to choose our own destiny. Never doubt that." - Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco

this book just made a complete 360 from YA to new adult. it didn't disappoint because the smut is explicit and I AM ALL FOR IT BECAUSE WRATH IS JUST (my mind just blown over how fucking hot he is) but emilia is still the same, she kinda pisses me off but also at the same time cheering for her to just find the clues already because this book is like 90% romance and 10% lore. it's grating on my nerves because she constantly has this monologue of her hating wrath and all that "my enemy" bullshit but she is also constantly horny for him? (i mean i get it but i want some plot, girl) 3/5 because i am curious enough to read the next book even though this one is just meh for me

-> just also watched the Ep 7 of Helluva Boss and mygahd A FUCKING EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER and i understand Blitzo. Stolas is just so awkward but just goes to show he has feelings for blitz. Moxxie and Millie is just ADORABLE & RELATIONSHIP GOALS. i need more Loona screen time though. i want more appearances of the seven demon rulers of hell though, esp after that very great performance of asmodeus. i can't wait for the last episode for this season (just grateful for vivziepop for telling the story of these characters)

-> i am currently reading Steelstriker by Marie Lu because i need to complete that 2021 reading challenge so badly (i am pressuring myself lol)

so there, i watched SAB and read 2 books but i can't wait for christmas break so i can finally relax with all this school shit and life and basically adulting. long post.