#I haven’t tested it myself… but you should be able to

[ssweetiebop]

*looks left and right*

Pssstt…

I made a Kim bot on Poe ai.. didn’t test him too much.

(But he seems to know who Harry is and his own lore.)

Go wild!!!

[bellasweetwriting]

get to know you { clark kent x f. reader }

masterlist

part one. part two

plot: your intentions of remaining invisible keep getting interrupted by famous quarterback Clark Kent, yet maybe you don’t want him to look away

tags: (sequel to show and tell) / quarterback!clark x artsy!reader / soft clark / fluff / clark has a BIG crush / just big on the cuteness / more experienced reader / over eighteen characters

a/n: someone asked me to do a part two of show and tell and, I have to say, what a great idea. i love a strong female character and pinning boy character. oh, and excuse my mistakes, i wrote this at 4 am

Meet me at the talon, tonight — C.K.

What an odd thing to request considering you haven’t talked to Clark Kent ever since that conversation in his loft, and that was a week ago. Maybe the nervous tingles ahead of his big game had altered the chemistry in his brain and was acting all kinds of strange. Or maybe, just maybe, he wanted to talk. Which was all kinds of strange considering you didn’t want to talk to him. And you had made that abundantly clear in you guys’ previous interactions.

Clark Kent was nothing more than another football headed good-looking hunk trying to get in his coach’s good side. Just like the rest.

You looked back down at the note he had left you on top of your palette as you painted in the art room. Maybe you were completely misjudging the guy, and he just wanted to talk. Probably be friends? Probably get in your pants. Focus. Focus. Focus. What would something like Clark Kent want from you?

You made your way inside the Talon, your eyes looking around before landing on Clark’s face. He was studying, his face buried deep into the books as he stared at the pages. That’s why he had asked you to come over? To study? You looked down at the outfit you had picked out, the one that had taken you more than usual to select, before your eyes wondered to the tiny small little purse you carried, only able to fit your phone, one key, lipgloss and a pen. Clearly, farm boy had taken you by surprise.

“Didn’t know we would be studying,” you finally said as you sat by his side, showing the note you held in between your fingers. He looked up, a smile appearing on his face as he saw you. “What are we studying?”

“I have a test tomorrow morning. I have to keep my grades up if I want to stay on the team,” he explained. “I thought you were going to ignore my note, actually. That’s why I brought the books. I didn’t want to look as if I had been stood up, so I kept myself busy.”

“That little faith you have on me, farm boy?”

“Not as little as the faith you have on me, Metropolis,” he joked back. “Can I buy you a coffee?”

“Why?”

“No reason why. Just want to. Besides, you were expecting me to do so.”

“How so?”

“You didn’t bring any money nor cards,” he pointed out, as if it was obvious, calling the waitress over.

“How’d you know?”

“I just… guessed.” Clark smiled before turning to look at the waitress, asking for two large coffees with milk, and one chocolate chip cookie. “So… how’s the small life here in the town?” He asked you as the waitress walked away, his eyes keeping his attention on you. “Metropolis seems too big compared to dear old Smallville.”

“I’m glad I can walk anywhere, though,” you said. “Metropolis is just a pain, really. Being able to use yourself as your own medium of transportation has its perks. I’d still like a car, though. Otherwise I’m stuck having to wait for my brother to finish at school for me to get home.”

“I can drive you home on no-practice days,” he offered, surprising you. “It’s not a big deal, really. It’s an old truck, though, hope you don’t mind. Guess it beats up staying at school later than you should.”

“Why are you being nice to me?” You asked, softly. “You buy me coffee, which I love and appreciate, really, because I love coffee. You talk to me, you offer me rides home… why? Is there some kind of ulterior motive? I’d really like to know before I get used to the nice behavior from farm boy Clark Kent.”

“I don’t do that,” he said. “I don’t do things hoping to get something in return. I see someone with a problem, someone who wants help, and I do my best in order to help them.”

“So you see someone in need. A damsel in distress. And you help them. No other reason other than love for the art.”

“If you help others just to gain something in exchange, you aren’t leaning a hand, you’re giving them a price for your services. You aren’t helping, you’re charging.”

You smiled. “Who’d think that you have that mentality, Clark Kent?”

“It’s surprising how little you know about me, city girl,” he mocked you as your coffees arrived. He took a sip from the warm cup, turning to look at you. “What do you think of helping people?”

“I think it’s a noble cause until they start expecting it rather than thanking it. When people get used to someone saving them, they take less care of themselves.”

“That’s another way of seeing things.”

“There’s two sides of each coin, farm boy. Which side you prefer to be on? The one in the head… or the tail.”

“Do you always have a glass half-empty approach to life?”

“I could turn around that question and ask you the same.”

He put his cup down, turning his whole body in your direction. “I believe in the good in people. I think exterior circumstances are the causes of clouding of judgement.”

“I believe people make other people reveal their true selves. Someone who knows who they are don’t change, and the people that don’t, the encounter with different beings and situations are all to help you figure out who you are inside. Not all people inside are good. There are people that are, like you… others just try to be, and are awaiting the moment for our true self to come out.”

“I think you know exactly who you are,” Clark argued, smiling widely.

“Is that so?”

“It is so. I think you know you are incredibly strong when the rest needs you to be, when you think you can’t show any weakness, but deep down, you’re like the rest of us. Someone that’s just waiting for the right person so they can put down the barriers. That’s the y/n that I want to meet. The one you already know so well.”

You stared at him. Unbelievable. The way he was smiling at you, practically mocking your seriousness. He was holding that cookie he ordered, handing it to you, practically telling you he knew it was your favorite. And that there was no way he was going to let you leave this coffee shop without you knowing how much he wanted to get to know the person you hid behind your powerful shield.

“Stop,” you finally said, breaking the demanding eye contact Clark had established between you two.

“Stop what?”

“Whatever you’re trying to accomplish. You already know what brought me here, Clark. And you already know why I want to just… finish high school, get my diploma, and move on.”

“Maybe rejecting your past and everything that involves it is what’s keeping you from moving forward. Don’t you think if you accept it and decide to learn from it, maybe moving on… wouldn’t be so hard?”

You stared at his eyes before grabbing the cookie he was holding, your fingers softly gracing his as you did. The way you breathing stopped as you touched Clark and felt his warmth was embarrassing to say the least, and you could swear he noticed how your breathing pattern abruptly changed, as it was pretty noticeable.

You looked up, his eyes meeting yours. Could you keep denying it? It’s not like every time he walks past you in the hallways, you don’t turn around to look at him. It’s not like you’ve found yourself drawing his face in the back of your sketchbook, involuntarily, without noticing it was him you were drawing. It’s not as if the whole idea of someone so well mannered, so good-hearted, didn’t call for your attention. And let’s not mention those icy blue eyes, a color you have only seen mixed in your palette when you paint snow.

You look away, taking a bite from the cookie.

• • •

You look at yourself in the mirror. You run your fingers through the fabric of your shirt, one far more revealing and attention seeker than the ones you’ve been wearing for the past weeks in Smallville High. One you always wore in Metropolis. You stare into your eyes in that small locker mirror. You left the glasses at home, you dusted off the makeup bag, you felt more like yourself than ever before. You were finally staring at the face of the girl you’ve been staring at for the past few years, the one you’ve been so eager to try and high. The one that committed the mistakes you regret, yet the one that pulled through… and was given a second chance.

You closed the locker, the face of your brother startling you. He was smiling at you, making you want to hide your face again under your hair.

“That’s the y/n I remember,” your brother said, mocking you. “What brought you back?”

“Chocolate chip cookies,” you said, keeping the rest to yourself. “So are you supposed to win today or are you going to lose like always?”

“I love how little faith you have in me. Keeps me grounded.”

You chuckled, walking side by side with your brother through the hallway. The attention you’ve been trying to avoid was coming up, people staring at you as you walked past. You suddenly feel as if you had changed skins, and you regret it. But you kept walking, pushing through.

“Everything okay?”

That’s when you see him. Clark Kent, taking books from his lockers. That farm boy taller than normal, handsome as a magazine guy, strong and firm, acting as if he wasn’t the best looking person in the entire school.

“Yeah, I’ll catch you later,” you finally said to your brother, approaching Clark, but your brother stopped you, making you turn around. “What?”

“The quarterback? Again?” He asked, scoffing. “I thought you had learned your lesson. Is that why the change of look?”

“It’s not what you think.”

“It’s never what I think, is it? Then false drug tests appear on my desk.” He pointed at you with his finger. “Watch out.” And he walked away, leaving you with a very clear warning.

One, of course, for the first time, you weren’t going to listen.

You approached Clark with a smile. The guy looked up from the locker, his eyes opening widely once he saw you.

“Hey, woah… is this who you’ve been hiding? I barely recognized you.”

“Let’s just say, growing back into your own skin can be challenging.” You smiled, widely, for the first time in a while. “You said you want to get to know me.”

He closed his locker, closing in the distance between you two. “I did say that.”

“I’m showing my work in an art gallery opening in Metropolis tonight. It’s silly. My old art teacher it’s organizing it. Would you like to come with me? There’s great food and bad music. It’s fun.”

“Tonight? I have… I can’t.” Your smile slowly faded. “I have the game, I can’t miss the game.”

“Oh right, of course. You’re… well, you’re right. Good luck!” This was so awkward, you wanted to hide. “Uhm, I hope you guys win? Break a leg? Or not! Do not break a leg, of course, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to…” You smack your lips shut, giving him a tiny smile. “I better go. Good luck on your game.”

And without letting him say another word, you walked away quickly, not looking back. Your cheeks flushing red as you tried to be as small as you could.

• • •

The paintings that hung on the walls showed your past, the one you’ve been trying to avoid the past few weeks. The mistakes, the regrets.

But they also showed the good behind all of them. What motivated you, what kept you painting until three in the morning under the light of the street lights that enter through your bedroom window, in that so small apartment you and your brother shared not so long ago.

Your eyes wandered around your work. People come and congratulate you, they smile, they pat you on the back. They read the small description your professor made of your work, since you didn’t submit one. They say the future that awaits you couldn’t be brighter.

You chuckled, you smiled, even if it was a smile with no real meaning. But everyone could see it in your eyes.

Your sad eyes.

The people began to leave, the waitresses began to collect the food that was left, the dishes and glasses they had to clean. The music was turned off.

You were still standing there. Your burgundy dress hitting the floor as you had removed your silver heels that you held in your fingers. Your purse hanging from your hand, your hair let loose from the bun you had imprisoned it all night. You were staring at your painting, the last one you made in that apartment, your saddest work yet.

The picture portrayed a tired girl on her messy bed, staring at the ceiling. What you felt, what made you go into hiding, what changed your life, plastered on the canvas for everyone to see. And you couldn’t look away. Everyone had left, but you couldn’t move.

“You’re very talented.”

You turned to the sound of his voice.

There, in the doorframe of the gallery, wearing a cheap suit jacket, a badly buttoned white shirt, and black pants, was Clark Kent.

You smiled.

“Did you win?” He nodded. “How did you get here so fast?”

“I ran?” He joked, making you laugh. “Sorry I’m late.”

“Don’t be,” you said, smiling. “I’m glad you came.”

[kortsitron]

My good boy

✮ PARING Bucky Barnes × FTM! Reader

✮ WARNINGS/TAGS porn without plot, smut, oral (r! receiving), sub! reader, soft dom! bucky, penetration, fingering, gentle sex, pet names, praises, light choking, sexual tension, hand kink, size kink, metal arm kink, size difference, post top surgery reader, reader is on hrt, temperature play (if you squint), unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it!), cream pie, worship, consent, clit referred to dick, aftercare

✮ SUMMARY Your interest in Bucky's metal arm didn't go unnoticed and Bucky invites you to explore your fantasies in a safe environment of his apartment

✮ A/N I have accidentally reminded myself that I really liked Bucky's metal arm and had to write something about it. Also I started writing this on docs, but after finding out docs uses your work to feed their disgusting ai, I decided to look for alternative. So here I am, writing the rest of this on Notion. For now I am testing this out and I am really enjoying it. Imo, this app is much more eye pleasing that docs was. This app also uses ai (unfortunately), but this time you have a choice whenever you want to feed their ai which I think is a very good choice and all apps like this should have it. Idk for how long i am going to use notion, for now i am quite satisfied with it, even thought i am still learning about it's features and how to work with it. Also I haven’t wrote smut (also in general) in a while so feedback is very welcome! <3

ao3 masterlist requests

Ever since you became part of the team and started going on missions, there was a specific kind of tension between you and Bucky. You couldn't help yourself from staring at him, getting distracted by him, while it seemed like he wasn't trying to get your attention at all. At least at first.

He noticed, obviously. Your curious glances, the little shivers when he brushed against you while walking past you. He noticed all of it, especially the glances towards his metal arm. You were so fascinated by it, it was impossible not to notice, especially with the way your eyes wandered over it or by how you sometimes couldn't help yourself and bite your lip. It would be a lie to say that you haven’t lost count of how many times you imagined Bucky's hands wandering over your body, worshiping you as if you were a work of art, a masterpiece to be explored and admired.

At first Bucky decided to not react, but he quickly started liking the attention. The brushes went from accidental to intentional, his hand gently touching your lower back as he walked past you. Or he would watch you back, not trying to hide his interest in you.

The tension was palpable between the two of you to the point the team members had noticed it too, however they decided it was best not to speak. Until there were no complications during the missions, they could live with it, at least for now.

You genuinely thought it all would end on shared glances, and your dirty thoughts about him and that metal arm of his, but it seemed Bucky had a different plan for you.

You were standing against the wall after a mission when he approached you. Although his boots were heavy, he barely made a sound as he cautiously walked closer to you.

He gave you enough time to move away if you didn’t wish for him to come so close, but you didn't, you were standing still. You weren't sure what was going on in his head, but you were sure he wasn't going to hurt you. You knew him well enough to be aware of the fact that he wouldn't hurt you, unless it was absolutely necessary.

And there you were, your bodies almost touching as he put his metal hand on the wall, right next to your head and observed as your eyes went to it immediately. The same as always. He watched as you seemed in trace, being able to see it so close and actually have a moment to admire it.

“So I was right.” Bucky finally spoke, taking you back to reality and making you look up at him. His voice was husky and quiet, since he didn’t want anyone else but you to hear him. The team was aware of the tension, but they didn't need to know anything more besides that.

His hand slowly moved from the wall, gently brushing against your neck as he continued to watch you. His eyes widened at your little shudder and the way your breath hitched.

He gently cupped your chin and let his thumb barely brush against your bottom lip. It was so delicate, you barely felt the cold sensation that came from the metal. At that very moment, you swore you could feel your knees getting weak.

Bucky licked his bottom lip, his eyes fixated on your lips before his eyes bore once again into yours. “If you would like to… you can come over at 8 to my place. We can do something about your… interest in my arm.” He whispered, leaning a little closer to you, leaning down just a little bit to be closer to your height.“I would like that a lot if you came over. Is that okay with you?”

“Yes, sir.” You didn't even get the chance to think your answer through, the words just left your mouth. If Bucky's didn't have his hand so close to your mouth, you would have instinctively clasped your own hands over your mouth. You didn't expect yourself to be so shameless, but there you were, losing your mind in front of the man you were so attracted to.

You thought Bucky might pull away, comment on the way you answered him, but a smirk appeared on his plump lips.

“I'll see you at my place then, doll. Don't be late, I'm not fond of latecomers.” He warned lightly, before he let go of you and walked away as silently as he came. He took a glance at you through his shoulder as if he needed to see your dumbfounded expression before he finally left you all alone with your thoughts.

It felt like a dream, a fantasy. You had to pinch your arm to check if you weren't dreaming, and to your surprise, you weren't.

It was a little bit before 8 when you were in front of Bucky's apartment door. You took your time to get ready before coming to Bucky's. You took a shower, made sure your hair looked presentable, used a light mist to smell nice. You weren't sure what to wear so you decided to go for something comfortable, after all, you knew your clothes won’t be on your body for too long.

Knocking on the door, you heard the familiar voice yell ‘coming!’ from behind the door. You didn't even hear the steps as he came to the door, only the sounds of him opening the locks before the door finally opened.

Bucky's expression softened the moment he saw you. “You actually came. Please, come in.” He moved out of a way to let you in. He seemed a little surprised, but genuinely happy to see you.

“Why wouldn't I come?” You asked as you walked inside, then leaned down to take your shoes off.

“I don't know. You might have changed your mind or something.” He said with a shrug before closing the door.

As you straightened up, Bucky was close to you again, his expression more serious, but it still had the softness from before.

“You know you don't have to do this if you don't feel comfortable.” His eyes wandered over you before his eyes met yours. “Just because I invited you over with clear intentions doesn't mean I'm gonna make you do something you don't want to. Or that we can't stop anytime. We're here to have fun, but be safe and comfortable, yeah?”

You could feel yourself melt at his words. Bucky being so considerate of your feelings made you want him even more.

“O-of course.” You tried to keep your voice steady, not wanting to outright show how excited for whatever was going to happen soon. “I know what I came here for. If I wasn't interested, I would have said so right away.” You couldn't help, but glance at the metal arm. You were sure he noticed.

“Let's go to the bedroom, shall we, hmm?” He held his flesh hand out for you, letting you take it like a gentleman. It was bigger than yours, obviously, more calloused too but not exactly unpleasant.

With your hand in his, he led you to the bedroom. He let go of your hand and sat down, bed softly creaking under his weight. Then, with a soft smile he patted his lap, inviting you to sit on it. As you took a seat and wrapped your arms around his neck, his hands moved straight to your waist, divining under your hoodie to caress the soft skin.

You hesitated, biting down on your lip before answering. “Gentle, sir.”

“You look lovely.” He whispered, his eyes wandering over your face as he was carefully watching your reaction. He noticed a slight flinch when his cold metal touched your warm flesh. “Tell me doll, how do you want it?”

Bucky was surprised by your answer, but not disappointed. He let out a soft chuckle, his smile widening. He wasn't expecting such an answer, but he didn't mind. That request seemed so sweet he just couldn't say no. “Gentle? I can be gentle, sweetheart.”

“Say ‘red’ when you want me to stop.” Bucky whispered as pulled you a little closer. He tilted his head, his eyes flickering to your lips before coming back to look at yours. He could see the desperation in them, the way you were just waiting for him to kiss you.

Bucky couldn't help himself from smirking, the way you were looking at him was just so cute. With that, he kissed you.

As his soft, plump lips moved against yours, his hands roamed over warm skin of your back, wanting to feel your up, pull you even closer as if it was possible and find some sweet spots that could ignite you. He swallowed every little whimper that slipped from your lips right into his, feeling no shame about teasing you like that. He just kept drinking your sweet little sounds as if they were his favorite wine.

With that, Bucky wanted more of your lips. His flesh hand tangled into your hair, deepening the kiss, getting as desperate for you as you were for him, if not more. He enjoyed every second of it until he pulled away and watched how your expression turning into a one of pure disappointment. He chuckled quietly at that.

“Alright, I'm sorry.” He admitted. “I wanted to see your reaction.” He could see how unashamed you were and not wanting to disappoint you further, he grabbed at the bottom of your hoodie.

“How about we start by taking this off, yeah?” He gently tugged at the bottom, but not pulling it off just yet. He knew a thing or two about having insecurities about one's body, so he wanted to know if you were okay with having your chest displayed, even if it was just in front of him.

“Sure.” You said simply, although you were wondering how Bucky was going to react to your scars.

With swift movement, your hoodie and the shirt that beneath it were off your body, as you were exposed to Bucky's gaze.

He let out an appreciative hum, before his hand found a way to your chest as he gently pushed you to lay down on the bed. You could smell a faint of something floral as you laid down. A fresh laundry, you noted. You got comfortable on the soft sheets beneath you, while Bucky did not waste his time to get on top of you.

“That must have took a lot of courage, I imagine.” His flesh hand gently traced one of the scars with his fingertips, a soft smile on his lips.

“You look good like this…” Bucky whispered sounding a little husky, his eyes appreciating you with a soft look.

“You mean laying under you?”

Bucky wasn't able to hold back at snort at your cheeky answer.

“No, I meant with being comfortable in your own skin, it fits you well.” He explained, leaning down to give your scar soft kisses to truly emphasize his words.

Your heart did a little leap as you felt his lips against your skin, not only out of desire but the way he wanted to show you how happy he was for you. As his lips pampered your other scar, you almost melted into into the bed.

Bucky soft kisses continued, his lips going lower and lower, from your chest to your stomach before those pretty blue eyes looked up at you, asking for permission as his metal finger hooked onto your pants.

With a nod from you, he pulled them off. Next was your underwear, which he couldn't help himself from being teased and started pulling them down in such a slow, torturous way.

“Bucky, come on.” You groaned, already impatient.

“Don't be like that, doll. I know you can wait a little longer for me, can't you?” Bucky teased with a small smirk on his face.

You sighed before answering, a light blush covering your cheeks. “Yes, I can, sir.”

“That's my good boy.” He praised, not hesitating even one bit to say those words out loud. He gave your thigh a light squeeze before finally taking your underwear off and taking his own shirt off, baring his chest to your gaze.

He could feel it, the way your eyes wandered around his body, appreciating his muscular chest and stomach. “You're staring.”

“You look good, sir.”

“So do you, handsome.”

His hands grabbed your thighs, one warm and one cold, leaving goosebumps on your skin. He noticed, and let his metal hand brush against the inner side of your thighs, watching more goosebumps rise.

“I didn't expect you to be so… sensitive.” Bucky hummed, spreading your legs and taking in the view. “You're so pretty. Gonna treat you well, doll.”

With that, you watched him as he laid down on his stomach, the bed creaking once more. He pushed his hair away from his face before leaving a trail of soft kisses on the skin of your inner thigh. He was inching closer to where you needed him most. And he knew, he could see how desperate and impatient you were becoming. He was going to cooperate, sure, but that didn't stop him from teasing you more.

He couldn't just have you have it all too easy, could he?

He gave you a kiss right above your dick, earning a groan from you in the process. “James, come on—” Before you could complain more, his tongue was on you, drawing out a gasp out of you.

The feeling of his tongue against your folds was wonderful. He started lapping at you and you could already start feeling dizzy from it all. Turned out Barnes was a man of many talents.

And you were eager to experience all of them.

A shaky moan escaped your lips, along with a shudder that went through your body the moment you felt his tongue against your cock.

His eyes focused on the blissful expression on your face, watching as you were getting drunk from all the pleasure he was giving you.

“N-need more…” Was all you could say as your hand found its way to his unruly hair, grasping it gently between your fingers and pushed him a little more between your legs in hope of more stimulation from him.

Bucky let out a hum against you at that, which made more whimpers come out of your mouth. His nose brushed against the hair on your mound as you sought more pleasure from his lips.

Not wanting to disappoint you, he started gently sucking you off, the metal fingers rubbing circles on your thigh before they disappeared. Missing the feeling, you let a noise of dissatisfaction between the moans.

It was then when you felt it. Cold finger slipped past your wet folds. You couldn't bite down a small noise when you were reminded that his fingers were obviously not the warmest. Bucky noticed your reaction, letting out something of a chuckle with still taking care of your clit with his tongue.

The feeling of his tongue flicking against your clit and his single finger that was quickly joined by the second, both curling and brushing against that sweet spot inside was heavenly. You could feel your body twitch slightly, as your orgasm was approaching.

Your heart was pounding so fast and you felt breathless, you were so focused on the chasing after your own climax, you almost didn't notice the subtle creaking of the bed.

While continuing to pleasure you, Bucky humped the bed. All those sweet noises from you made him rock hard and for now, he couldn't do much more than this - rubbing his cock off against the mattress, while still focusing on you.

“Bucky…? Sir, please…” Another moan from lips as you felt it approaching. Your breathing was even heavier, mixed with moans until finally, your orgasm hit you like a truck and you reached your peak with his name on your lips, squeezing him between your thighs.

You finally let go of Bucky's head and just laid there, letting yourself to have a little moment to have breather.

As you opened your eyes, you were greeted by the sight of Bucky catching his breath with your slick dripping down his chin.

“Felt good, huh?” Bucky asked as his eyes wandered over you, taking in how good you looked as you basked in post orgasm bliss. He wiped your slick off his chin with his flesh fingers, feeling no shame about licking your juices off. Right after he wiped his hand off into a tissue before letting his hand wander over your stomach.

“Ready to continue, doll?” He murmured, titling his head as he watched you. “Or perhaps you need a little break?”

“I'm good, sir. Thanks for asking. We can continue.” You confirmed with a small nod.

“You shouldn't be thanking for respect. But I appreciate the politeness.”

With that, Bucky started taking his sweatpants off, your mouth went nearly dry when you noticed the bulge in his boxers. Bucky only smirked at your reaction.

His boxers were quickly off of him, and your eyes widened at how was thick and hard he was. Bucky chuckled at that. “Don't worry,” He squeezed your thigh with his metal hand. “I promised to be gentle and I will.”

Spreading your legs once more, he got between them before grabbing lube. “Just warning you, it might be a little cold.” You nodded in response.

He grabbed the lube that was already waiting on the bedside table. He squirted a little bit on his fingers and then gently pushed inside you, working them in. You shivered and he cooed you. “I know, just a little more for me, okay?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good boy.” He praised before pulling his fingers out of you, squirting more lube and spreading it over his cock.

After wiping his hand with a tissue, he grabbed your his and gave them a small squeeze. “Ready, handsome?” You nodded. “I wanna hear you.”

“Yes, sir.”

Bucky smiled, happy with your answer. “There we go, sweetheart.”

Without waiting any longer, he slowly pushed in. Inch by inch, he was burying himself deeper inside your welcoming warmth. In response, your breath hitched as you felt him stretch you out.

“Doing good, doll?” Bucky asked as his eyes flickered from your pussy to your face, watching your reaction. “Need me to stop?”

“I'm doing fine, sir. Please don't stop.”

Bucky chuckled. “Eager, aren't we?” He teased as he continued until he was nestled inside of you, his hips meeting yours.

The feeling of him inside of you, stretching you and filling you was delicious, a low moan leaving your lips.

“Wait.” You suddenly said catching Bucky off guard before he had a chance to move.

He immediately became more cautious. “What? Something wrong?”

With a little bit hesitation, your slightly shaky hand reached for his metal one. Bucky didn't resist, letting you take it as he was awaiting for what you were going to do with curiosity in his eyes.

His eyes widened when you wrapped his metal hand around neck. “That's what you want?” Bucky grinned, adjusting his grip on your neck, making sure it wasn't too tight, but just enough to make you feel a little dizzy.

He watched you nod and he chuckled softly. “Then that's what you're going to get, doll.”

With that, he finally started moving.

His hips met yours, and everytime they did, his mound brushed against your still-sensitive cock. It felt both overwhelming and not enough.

Although keeping it gentle, Bucky picked up a pace a little bit, his trust harder just a bit more. He was getting desperate, not even thinking about hiding how good you felt around him as he groaned and grunted.

“That's my good boy.” He groaned, his nose scrunching a little bit before he threw his head back to get hair out of his face. “Taking me so well. You feel…” He was cut off by his own breath hitching at the feeling of you. “Incredible. Simply incredible, sweetheart.”

You barely recognized what he was saying, as you were high on pleasure. The light pressure he put on you with his metal arm was making you feel light-headed, but in the best way.

You haven't so damn good in a while.

You felt the fire in your abdomen and with that, you wanted to chase after more pleasure. You hand clumsily searching for your cock, and just as clumsily you tried to get yourself off while your mind was fuzzy.

A shaky chuckle escaped his lips as he noticed your little desperate attempt. “Let me…”Bucky switched his angle just enough to keep rubbing himself against your clit while thrusting into you.

“Isn't that better, sweetheart? I got you, you just relax and let me do the work.”

Your only answer to that was an incoherent mumble that Bucky took as a confirmation that it indeed felt better.

As he continued, his breath became more heavy, a sign of his orgasm approching, just in time as you were about to meet yours soon too.

“Wanna cum inside you, pretty boy. You want that?” He murmured, sweat trickling down his body, making him all glisten.

“Y-yes. Yes please, sir.”

He picked a pace just a tiny bit, his groans and breath louder than before.

“B-Bucky..” You mumbled out.

“Yeah, I know. I'm close too, doll.” His voice a little strained, as he focused on making sure both of you reached your high.

With every thrust the feeling in your abdomen was become more and more overwhelming, threatening to finally explode. Your moans loud and shameless, Bucky's name one again was on your lips.

Amd with that, you came. A long moan spilled from your lips, and you felt as if fireworks explored in you, your mind completely blank as you took in the feeling.

Bucky came right after, mumbling out a curse as he did so. His hand tightened around your neck a little bit before he let go, to carefully pull out of you.

The feeling of his cum leaking out of you was a little weird but not unpleasant.

“Water?” Bucky simply asked as he was ready to get of the bed. Nod was your only response as yous lowly came down from your high.

Bucky got off the bed and left the room, but he was quickly back with a glass of cold water in his hand and damp cloth in the other. He helped you sit up, and gave you the water before wiping off the remnants in you gentle with a cloth he brought. His touch was gentle, not wanting to overwhelm you while he knew you were still pretty sensitive. And after that, he cleaned up himself.

“Thank you.” You said before putting the empty glass on the bedside table and getting more comfortable on his bed.

“So, ready for round two?” Bucky asked with a grin on his face.

“Already? But we just finished. Aren't you tired?”

“Sweatheart, I don't get tired.”

[idrellegames]

Hello everyone! 

Welcome to Wayfarer Q3. A lot has happened since the last roadmap, and I am very pleased to announce that the Episode 3 finale has been fully drafted. There is still a lot of work that needs to get done before I can start coding it—edits, polishing—but the bulk of the difficult work is done. The Episode 3 finale in total is approximately 278,154 words across all possible variations and routes, and includes three unique endings depending on player choice. 

This content is currently not available to play in Wayfarer’s alpha build. I have made the decision that I am going to continue to write and use Q3 to finish up the remaining Episode 3 openers. This covers events that follow any of the Episode 2 endings that involve Melchior or his theatre company, as well as miscellaneous endings like the one where the MC gets drunk. Once these sections are done, I will be finished writing Episode 3 and will be able to move onto coding the remaining content. It’s still too soon to give an accurate estimate, but I am aiming for an Episode 3 alpha release sometime in Q4. 

I am putting Patreon short story content on pause for the month of July while I sort out the next steps. I am uncertain if the pause will continue for August and September as well, as I would very much like to get Episode 3’s writing out of the way before I do anything else. If you’re interested in the bonus content, please keep an eye on my socials for updates regarding those. 

✦ Q3 Overview — July to September 2025

Q3 is the last push to get Episode 3 finished. I will be using July to return to a section I haven’t touched in about two years; I will need to re-orient myself to remember what is going on and all the threads that need to be untangled as Episode 3’s opening is very different from its finale. August will be about drafting the miscellaneous openings and funneling them down the correct bottlenecks, while September will be about finishing off the last of the connective tissue between the opening and the middle sections of the episode. 

As much of this writing will be using existing content (there are some conversations that need to occur on every route) and editing it for continuity depending on which characters are present, there is a small chance that it may go a little faster than projected. Depending on how Q3 goes and if I do finish all of the writing I need to get done, I will be opening new playtester applications in October to test Episode 3 once it is fully coded.  

Wayfarer’s roadmap is an estimated timeline and is subject to change.

✦ The State of Episode 3 — July 2025

Right click to enlarge for better viewing

This flowchart is a summary of the paths, variations, and routes involved. Teal sections have been added to the alpha build; blue sections have been written, but not coded. Orange sections are WIPs. Red sections have not been drafted yet. There are only a few red sections left now! 

Episode 3’s current total word count and breakdown is:

Green is content that is playable in the alpha build, Blue is content that has been written but not coded, Yellow is content that has been started but not finished, Red is content that has not been drafted yet.

I do not have an estimate for the Episode 3 alpha’s release date yet. The public build will not receive any content updates until the Episode 4 alpha is complete.

✦ Alpha Build Stats — July 2025

Average Word Count Per Playthrough: 193,900 words (approximate)

Average Playtime: 11 hours

Total Cumulative Word Count: 1,414,800 words (approximate) 

The build was last updated in July 2024. It is playable on my Patreon. If you are interested in the alpha, please note that you do not need to restart the game from the beginning. The alpha and public builds share meta data, so any public build saves can be loaded directly into the alpha and they should work.      

✦ Socials

Tumblr — @idrellegames

Instagram — @idrellegames

Bluesky — @idrellegames.bsky.social

Patreon — patreon.com/idrellegames

Thank you so much for your continued support! ❤️

~ Anna Idrelle Games

[paluding]

The Sims 2: 20th anniversary - Gigantic Baby Costume Updated

This thing is cursed, you say? How dare you.

Since I learned how to add face morphs to meshes, I thought to myself “what better way to celebrate this anniversary than updating this classic, this piece of Sims 2 history, this iconic masterpiece by bootsbrisket?” Of course all credits go to them!

Download here: SFS / GD

Please read all the details under the cut if you want to download this!

Here’s all the changes for my version of this costume, which basically makes it so it’s actually, in fact, a real giant baby, not a costume anymore lol:

-I split this into two pieces: the body, found in fullbody outfits, and the head, found in the custom hairs section. This makes it so you’ll see the baby head on the pie menu, instead of the Sim’s head that’s wearing it underneath.

-Both pieces are available for all categories, unisex and ages range from young adult to elder.

-Added all face morphs using the original toddler face as a reference.

-Replaced the bones assignments on the body, this time using the toddler diaper outfit as a reference. Now they’ll look smoother.

-The body outfit replaces the original cc by bootsbrisket, so delete the original one if you have it. The head is a new piece of cc hair. You’ll probably find the head at the top of your custom unnatural hairs catalog, and the body buried (no pun intended) all the way at the bottom of the outfits catalog, right before the maxis clothing, due to how old the original one is.

If you want to see this thing in motion, here’s this video capture I took of them rapping while testing 🔥

Known issues:

-Due to how the Blender plugin works for the Sims 2, I haven’t been able to avoid making the head look bright in CAS. This is a sorta common issue that’s easily fixable using Milkshape3D, but again, I could only use Blender for the head mesh. Luckily, there’s Lazyduchess Overly Bright CAS fix, which I totally recommend you use to avoid this minor annoyance.

-While the eyes are fully animated and open and close as they should, the direction they look at won’t be animated. Haven’t figured out a way to implement that into a custom mesh yet.

-When the baby head opens their mouth, the nose’s Sim underneath might clip a little bit inside the mouth. Not very noticeable, but if you want to avoid this, you can make the Sim with an invisible skin like this one by MDP.

-This is something the original mesh had too: due to the size of the giant baby, there might be some clipping with itself in certain animations. Nothing too bad though I think.

And last but not least, some small tips to set up this Giant Baby character:

When the Sim wearing this goes to the shower, they’ll change into their naked adult bodies, which might look pretty creepy. Fortunately, there’s a way to make this outfit showerproof: the Never Nude trait and mod by Hexagonal Bypiramid! Change all the Sim’s outfits to the baby body, most importantly their swimwear, and place the Never Nude trait on their inventory.

Same goes for job outfits. If you want this Giant Baby to follow their dreams and pursue their professional career, they might change into something else when they go to work. For this I recommend the Job Outfit Stopinator by episims. Same as the other one, install the mod and place the object in the Sim’s inventory to prevent them from changing into job outfits.

And voila! You now have a fully functional Giant Baby Sim!

Want more screenshots of this majestic baby? Here ya go:

… Why am I taking this weird thing so seriously, you ask? Well, why wouldn’t I? I may be a little too perfectionist, even for stuff like this 🤓

Anyway, happy birthday Sims 2! 20 years and still going like a champ 🎉

God I love this game.

If you find any issues, please let me know! I have absolute Splatoon brainrot right now playing the Grand Festival 😬

[eviemonroeer]

The Monroe Effect: Chapter 15

Set during Season 5, Episode 21 of ER. Spoilers if you haven't seen the show.

Warnings: blood, vomiting, mentions of abortion, fear of miscarriage, probable medical inaccuracies, angst

WC: 4.3 k (wow, I think this is the longest one yet and it's mainly original material!)

ER story belongs to original creators, just adding on my own original charter.

Taglist: @pleasecallmeunhinged, @rainmg, @arigoldsblog, @queenslandlover-93, @hagarsays, and @antisocialfiore

Main Story: prev | next

Snapshots: prev | next

The best way to figure out if I was indeed pregnant, was via a blood test. It would be the most accurate. But how the hell was I supposed to put my blood into the system at work without it being suspicious? I couldn’t go through the clinic like I had with Carol; there was no prenatal clinic to hide the test. I guess I could go to another ER, but that meant I couldn’t put a rush on it. And I really needed to know if this was happening for sure, even if every nerve in my body was telling me it was. I did my best to stay clear of Carter, worried I would spill my guts if I was around him to long.  

The afternoon/night shift was busy as normal. First it was the stripper and her weird “FBI” bodyguards and now, later in the evening, we were dealing with three teens in an accident on the way to prom. Major burns, possible paralysis, and another missing teen. It was a mess. And with this nausea, I was having a hard time focusing. Usually in traumas, my stomach was pretty calm, but I was fighting for my life to stay out of the bathroom. Thankfully I lasted until Carter tubed the poor burn victim before I took off. 

I fell to my knees in the stall just as the vomit made its appearance. It felt like it went on forever; the minute I felt like I was done, it started again. Eventually all that was left was bile, and I was able to get my arms propped on the toilet bowl so I could lay my head down. This was the worst it had been in the last couple of days, and I had a feeling it wouldn’t be lightening up soon.

Prying my eyes open, I used the stall to slowly stand up. I thought there was going to be a recurrence when a dizzy spell hit me, but thankfully the feeling past. I left the stall to clean up when I was met with the knowing stare of Carol Hathaway. 

“Sorry Carol.” I said, moving past her to the sink. “I’m on my way back out there.” 

“How far along are you?” 

I stopped washing my hands and looked up at her in the mirror. There was no point in lying to her; Carol Hathaway knew me better then I knew myself sometimes. I bit my lip and turned off the sink, turning to her. I crossed my arms in front of my stomach and sighed. “I don’t know. I haven’t even taken a test yet.” 

“But you think you are?” 

“I would say so with the sickness, the sensitivity to smell, and the fact that I already need to get a bigger bra.” 

“That’s sounds about right.” Carol said and offered me a comforting smile. “How are you feeling?” 

“Honestly, I don’t know. This whole situation is so unbelievably complicated.” 

“Tell me about it.” Carol chuckled, trying to lighten the situation. “Am I allowed to ask who’s responsible?” 

“I think it’s kind of obvious.” 

 “Carter?” I nodded. “Well, honestly, I’m surprised it took you guys this long. We all thought you would have hooked up years ago.” 

“I’m guessing you all made bets too.” 

“Of course. I think Malik might finally win.” I scoffed and shook my head. “Does he know yet?” 

“No. I thought I should at least take a test and have concrete proof before I ruin the poor boy’s life.” 

“You’re not going to ruin his life. Maybe scare him a little. That is if......do you want to keep the baby?”

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “I... I don’t know. I stayed up most of last night thinking about it. I have a job, a place to live. I’ve always wanted to have a family. I’ve had this maternal instinct for a while. But am I actually ready for this? Am I ready to be in charge of a whole other human being’s life? Someone who is going to rely on me for everything. That is a lot of work. And I don’t have a big support system. Just my aunt. But she lives states away and we only see each other or talk every so often. 

“And I mean, Carter is.... Carter. And up until a few weeks ago, I didn’t think he looked at me like that; I thought we were just friends. I mean we’ve flirted back and forth for years, but it was always in good fun. Then Lucy had to go and kick him and mess everything up. If he didn’t want to have this kid, I don’t know if I could work here anymore. He’s stuck here until he finishes residency, and I don’t know if I could see him every day if I decided to keep this baby and he didn’t want it.” I started to feel the tears well up in my eyes. Carol walked forward and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me in. “I just feel really confused and alone right now.”

“You’re not alone in this, no matter what you choose.” Carol paused for a moment. “Especially because I’m pregnant too.” 

“What?” I exclaimed and pushed back, looking at her. “H-how far along?”

“Almost fifteen weeks.”

“Why haven’t you told anyone?”

“I’ve kind of wanted to keep it to myself. Not have any judgement.”

“Carol, if anyone’s going to be judged, it’s me. At least you and Ross were engaged. I conceived this baby in the...... Never mind.” I shook my head. “You know, I think we might be about eight weeks apart.”

“We should probably tell the other nurses that they shouldn’t be drinking the water here.” 

I laughed, a weak laugh, but a laugh, nonetheless. “Would you mind taking my blood? Just so I know for sure.” 

“I can. Why don’t we go to the suture room?” 

A few minutes later, we were set up for the blood draw. She was gentle when she stuck the needle in. It only took a moment, but I knew this test would confirm what I already knew and change my whole life. Well not only my life, but Carter’s life. I began walking back to admit for a new patient to try and focus myself on something else until I got the results, when Carter walked into the hall, tossing something in the trash.  

“Hey Evie, can I talk to you for a minute?” 

“Not right now Carter. I’m busy.” I turned and went back down the other way. 

“It’ll just take a minute.” I just ignored him, trying to find another doctor or patient to help. “Genevieve, stop!” 

The sound of my full name was the thing that pumped the brakes. I turned back quickly to look at Carter. “What do you want, John?” 

Carter scoffed and grabbed my hand, pulling me into the nearby exam room. “What is wrong with you? You’ve barely talked to me lately. I thought we were back in a good place after we talked.” He paused. “Or have you been avoiding me because you don’t want to turn me down?” 

I sighed. “Carter now isn’t the time to talk about this.” I tried going for the door again, but he grabbed me. 

“Yes, it is. You won’t talk to me unless I corner you or it has to do with a patient. Evie, I thought I was at least your friend. Why won’t you tell me what’s wrong?” 

“Carter, I can’t. Not here.” 

“Evie, please.” 

“Carter I—uh!” 

A sharp pain radiated through my lower belly and into my pelvis. I hissed and grabbed my stomach, doubling over. “You okay, Evie?” Carter asked, trying steady me.    

“Uh.... I don’t know.” I moaned, still reeling from the pain. 

“Evie, you’re bleeding.” 

That snapped me out of it. “What?!” I looked down and sure enough there was a blood stain on my scrubs. I looked up and met Carter’s eyes, tears already beginning to pool in my eyes.

“Okay, let’s get you on the gurney.” He instructed and helped me over to the bed, before sticking his head out the door. “I need some help here!” At the sound of his call for help, Carol came running, her eyes widening as she saw me. 

“Randi, page Mark.” She called out over her shoulder and came over to me. I was crying by this point, holding my stomach, and praying that I wasn’t losing the baby. 

“Evie, baby, it’s going to be okay.” Carter said as he and Carol got me up on the bed. At the word baby, my crying only got worse. God, he was gonna hate me forever. The door to the exam room burst open seconds later as Mark walked in, already putting on gloves. 

“What’s going on?” he asked Carter.

“Sudden onset pain followed by vaginal bleeding.” Carter explained. “I don’t know what happened. One minute we were talking and the next, she doubled over.” 

“I’m so sorry.” I cried, looking at Carter. 

“Evie—”

“Please don’t hate me.” Carter looked down at me, confused. I swallowed and turned to Mark. “I’m pregnant. Seven weeks, give or take. I haven’t seen a doctor yet.” 

The whole room stopped. Carol closed her eyes and sighed, knowing how I felt now that the secret was out. Mark was speechless. And Carter...... God, Carter had to be pissed by the way his face started to redden. 

 “Okay, let’s page OB and get an ultrasound machine.” Mark told Carol before turning back to me. “Gen, have you had bleeding or cramping before?” 

“No. This is the first time.” I knew by the look on Mark’s face, he could tell I was scared. 

“Okay, don’t worry. We’ve got you. And you’ve been having morning sickness?” 

“Yes, pretty consistently.” 

“Carter, start an IV.” But the young doctor stayed in place, just staring at my belly. I could tell by the look on his face that he was doing the math in his head. I really wanted to shout at him, ‘Yes Carter we made this baby in the films room, now move your ass!” But I didn’t have too. 

“Carter!” Mark shouted, snapping him out of it. “Start an IV. She probably dehydrated and that won’t help the cramping.” 

Carter nodded and went into autopilot mode, getting an IV started in my arm. I turned and faced him as he hung a banana bag. “I’m sorry.” I sobbed, my voice cracking. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” 

Despite the slight anger that simmered in Carter, he couldn’t help his heart breaking for her. She looked so vulnerable lying there on the gurney, obviously fearing the worst, already mourning the life inside her. Carter shook his head and pet her head, resting his hand at the top. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “It’s okay. We’ll talk about this later. I’m here now.” Another sob left her body. He squeezed her hand and brought it up to his mouth to kiss as well. 

Carol finally came back and rolled the ultrasound machine into the room. Mark sat down, setting up to run it. “Okay Gen, we’re going to do an abdominal ultrasound to see what’s going on.” Mark slowly rolled up my scrub top and put a line of gel along my lower abdomen, placing the probe on my stomach. He pressed down a little as the machine came to life. The black and white screen was fuzzy, but as he moved the probe a little, a clear picture of the inside of my uterus came into focus. And thankfully the black circle looked to still have something inside of it. 

“Okay, there’s the baby.” Mark explained, pointing to the little bean shape. “And there’s......” He clicked on the machine and suddenly a fast-whooshing sound filled the room. “There’s the heartbeat.” Everyone collectively breathed a sigh of relief and my sobs turned to ones of thanks. “Okay, let’s see if we can find out what’s going on.” 

Mark continued the examination the best he could, probably pulling everything from his OB rotation to the best of his memory. “It looks to me that the bleeding is coming from a small spot right here.” He pointed at the screen, to another smaller black circle next to the gestational sac. “I don’t want to risk moving you right now. We’re gonna get OB down here to take a look and confirm. Once they do that, they will advise on what to do next.” He paused and looked at Carter. “Are you guys going to be okay without me?”  

Carter ran a hand over his face before nodding. “Yeah....yeah. We’re good.” Mark nodded and left the room, Carol right behind him. 

I let out the breath I was holding as Carter walked away, leaning up against the wall with his arms crossed. “How long have you known?” Carter asked, his hand grabbing at the back of his neck. 

Way to get straight to the point. 

“I started having symptoms a week or so ago. Just discounted them as stress at first, or my period. But then recently, I started having nausea and that kind of tipped me off. I don’t really ever get that kind of sick. I put in for a blood test to confirm, but I hadn’t gotten the results back before this happened. I wanted to wait till I was sure I had something to tell you before I did.” 

I saw him hesitate a moment. “Are you wanting to keep the baby?” 

“I thought that would be something we talk about together.” 

Carter went to open his mouth but before he could, the door to the exam room opened and Dr. Coburn walked in followed by Dr. Greene. “Good evening, Ms. Monroe. Dr. Carter. Why don’t we take a look at what’s going on?” I nodded and rolled my shirt back up as Carter returned to my side. Dr. Coburn pulled the ultrasound machine over again and started her scan. I felt Carter grab my hand as she looked.

She was quiet for some time, tapping on the keyboard and moving the probe back and forth. I couldn’t even see the monitor this time. It worried me. “Dr. Greene, I think your diagnosis is correct.” She finally moved the ultrasound monitor so Carter and I could see it. “There is a subchorionic hematoma, right here.” She pointed at the screen. “It’s a buildup of blood between the chorionic membrane around the baby and the uterine wall. Thankfully it’s pretty small, caught it before it got worse.” She pressed another group of buttons and the baby’s heartbeat filled the room again. “Heartbeat is good. 105 BPM, perfect for this stage of development. Measurements are at seven weeks, three days. Does that seem about right?” 

“Yes.” I replied. Dr. Coburn nodded and turned off the machine. 

“We’ll get you some ultrasound pictures and set you up with a follow up appointment in a few days in my office. There are no real treatments for this kind of hematoma. You really just have to sit and wait for it to heal on its own. I’m gonna start you with bed rest for two weeks, maybe more depending on your follow up. If you’re cleared to come back to work, you’ll need to be on desk duty until you’re out of the first trimester. Do you think you can do that?” 

“We can work it out.” Mark said, stepping in. 

Coburn nodded. “That means you’re done for the day. Do you have someone who can take you home? Help you get comfortable?” 

“N—” 

“Dr. Carter’s shift is done.” Mark interrupted again. “We can cover it. I’ll talk to Kerry.” 

“Perfect.” Coburn said, looking between us all. “Bed rest, Ms. Monroe. I mean it. Someone from my office will be in touch about your follow up tomorrow. Don’t hesitate to call if something happens, or you know where the ER is.” Coburn patted the bed and stood, walking out of the exam room. 

“Carter, why don’t you go finish up with the patients you have now and pass them off while Gen finishes her banana bag. I’ll have Carol come in with your stuff, a change of clothes, and we’ll get you set to go home.”

“I have an intubated patient waiting to go up to the burn unit.” Carter explained. 

“You can sign him over to me. Go get started.” Carter nodded and then looked at me. I nodded too, letting him know it was okay to leave before he turned and walked out. 

“I take it you don’t want anyone else to know why you’re in here, right?” Mark asked, now that we were alone. “We can keep it private.” 

“They’re gonna know anyway. You can’t force anyone out. But any privacy would be nice.” 

Mark nodded. “I’m assuming he didn’t know until now.” I bit my lip as tears pricked in my eyes again. All I could do was nod. “It’ll be okay.” Mark put a hand on mine and squeezed it, before exiting the room, leaving me truly alone for the first time. 

The tears flowed freely as I sobbed at the mess my life had just turned into. 

Thankfully for once, everyone minded their business as Carol wheeled me out of the exam room and out to the ambulance bay. We waited a couple of minutes before Carter pulled his car in and they got me in the passenger’s seat. Before she shut the door, Carol handed me my purse and the strip of ultrasound photos, a hopeful smile on her face, despite her own red eyes. 

We pulled out of the ambulance bay and started the route to my apartment. “Here.” Carter said, pulling something out of his shirt pocket. “I found these in the lounge. Thought they might help.” 

It was a small package of crackers, most likely from someone’s salad. “Thanks.” I opened them and lightly nibbled on them, trying to keep my stomach from getting upset. 

“You feeling okay?”

“I’m alright. The banana bag helped. I haven’t been able to keep much down lately. Even water.” 

He nodded and his hands tightened around the steering wheel. He fidgeted in his seat, obviously unsure of what to say next. “Do you have any food in your apartment? You’re going to have to eat some time.” 

“I have some basic things. I’ve kind of been living off the B.R.A.T. diet for the last couple of weeks.” 

“I thought you looked skinnier.” He mumbled. “Do you want me to stop and get anything?” 

“I really just want to go home, take a shower, and go to bed if that’s okay.” 

The rest of the car ride was quiet. He thankfully found a spot in front of my building and parked, shutting the door and running over to my side before I could even get my door open. He helped me from the car and took my things, including the ultrasounds as he placed his right arm around my back and his left hand grabbed mine. We were slow walking up the few steps to the front door. Thankfully my building had an elevator or Carter probably would have had a conniption. 

He took my keys and unlocked the door for me. “Where to now?” 

“I’m going to the bathroom to take a shower.” I unhooked myself from him. “Alone.” 

I walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind me. I turned and laid my forehead against it, taking a deep breath before turning the lock. Once I got the shower started, I stripped and proceeded to thoroughly scrub my body, wanting to get any feel or smell of being in that hospital bed off me. Even when the water ran cold, I did another pass before I felt totally clean. I wrapped up my hair and then dried my body with my fluffiest towel. As I began drying off, I realized I hadn’t grabbed any clothes on my way into the bathroom, so I would have to walk to my bedroom to get them. I took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door. I looked down the hall towards my room and then down towards the living room. 

“Jesus Christ!” I yelled and put my hand over my heart. 

“Are you okay?” Carter asked, jumping up from his chair to grab me. 

“You scared the crap out of me!” I pushed his chest. “Why were you sitting outside of the bathroom door?” 

“In case something happened, and you needed me.” 

“The only thing I need is a defibrillator after that heart attack you just gave me.” I started walking towards my bedroom to change, but Carter was on my tail. 

“You have some soup. I could make you that if you want.” 

“How about some toast?” I went to close the door behind me when his hand caught it. “Can I help you?” 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” He asked. I rolled my eyes, thinking he was just being overbearing. 

But then I actually looked at him. 

He was scared. Terrified even. 

I suddenly felt like such an ass. At least I had some time to process the possibility of a baby. He learned it was happening while we feared I was losing it. And Carter could be so deeply empathetic. Sometimes I forgot that about him, especially in high intensity moments. It always surprised me since he came from a family that lived like they were childless, people who didn’t show love. But I guess that’s what made it make sense. 

I sighed and wrapped my arms around him and held him tightly. “I’m okay.” I felt him squeeze me back, and I breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m going to get dressed. I would appreciate it if you would make me a couple pieces of plain toast and then we can talk.” 

“I can do that.” 

“Thank you.” He kissed my forehead and then turned to head back to the front of the apartment as I turned back to my bedroom and shut the door.  

“Try this.” Carter handed me a plate with two pieces of toast on it. “Eat slow.” I was now seated on my couch in my comfiest pair of sweats. I took a small bite and my stomach stayed calm, so maybe I was getting a break. 

“Thanks.” 

We both were quiet at I finished the first piece, which was probably the most of anything I had in the last few hours, if not day. I decided not to mess it up and put the plate with the other piece on the table. “You alright?” Carter asked. 

“Yeah. Just trying not to overdo it.” I watched him ring his hands together. Might as well get this over with. “I promise I was going to tell you. I just didn’t want to tell you before I had proof that there was a baby. Before everything happened, Carol had taken my blood and sent off for a test.” I scoffed. “I imagine the results are ready now.” I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. 

“I think we should have this baby.”

I looked up and my eyes went wide. “What?” I asked, not sure I had heard him right. 

“I want to have this baby with you. We might not be a couple, but you are my best friend. I honestly trust and care about you more than anyone else in my life. I can’t think of anyone else better to have a baby with then you.” He paused. “But only if that’s what you want. If you don’t want to, I’m not going to be mad. I’ll even hold your hand through the procedure.” He took a deep breath. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m scared.” I choked laugh coming out of me. “Petrified even. Even though I see babies and kids every day, I feel like I don’t know the first thing about raising one. But when I started bleeding, I was more scared of losing it.” I paused and took a deep breath. “I want to have this baby too.” And probably due to the adrenaline leaving my body, I began to sob. 

Carter put his arms around me and held me tightly, kissing the top of my head as I sobbed into his chest. I even ended up crawling into his lap at some point and he just held me. And the whole entire time he just kept whispering, ‘I got you’ over and over again.

She had passed out at some point due to the crying. Evie was still in his lap, breathing steadily with her head resting on his shoulder. Carter decided it would be best to move her to her bed so she could be comfy, even if it risked waking her up. He held her in his arms like she was made of glass as he walked down the hall, before laying her in her bed. He covered her and went to leave the room. 

“Please stay.” 

He turned back around and saw Evie, her eyes open and looking at him. He nodded and turned off the lights before joining her in the bed. She crawled over to him and snuggled up beside him. “I don’t think we should tell anyone until I get the all clear.” She said in a small voice. 

“I agree.” He said and wrapped his arms around her, bringing her closer. “It’s going to be okay.” 

She nodded. “We have a lot we need to talk about.”

“And we will, but you need to rest tonight.”

And the two laid in each other’s arms until they fell asleep. 

[msschemmenti]

girl next door 🏠 - 10

a/n: so sorry this took forever to wrap up. as i've mentioned before i was accidentally high for two days, work was dramatic as hell (actually had an awful day today), and on top of that i had gig i was practicing for. but happy i could publish something at all.

The morning after both Emily and JJ woke to only each other in a blissful haze. Something about being cocooned in their neighbor’s warmth and scent really eased them into a rather peaceful slumber. When they were able to form a coherent thought, they both let their eyes roam the bedroom in the daylight for any sign of Y/n. She hadn’t mentioned anything about needing to get up early the previous night, but it wasn’t like they’d done much talking once they arrived. Emily spots their clothes, folded and stacked, on an ottoman bench at the foot of the bed which had previously been on the floor in a pile. So obviously the younger woman was up and somewhere in the house. JJ clocked the digital alarm clock rolling past 9 am and mentally thanked (some) God that it was the weekend and they weren’t heading to work again until Monday. 

Emily, very suddenly, collapsed back against the bed with a yawn and met JJ’s amused eyes. “We should ask Y/n where she got this mattress, I haven’t slept that well in months.” 

“I highly doubt the mattress is what’s responsible for your restful slumber but I’ll let it slide considering I too am feeling rather restful.” JJ winked lazily as she slid into a large morning stretch. Both women settled into the quiet of the morning and the peace of Y/n’s space. Time seemed to slow, the birds chirped louder, and their chests felt lighter. An undeniable calm had settled over them since they’d stepped foot in the younger woman’s house and in their lives they’d learned to dwell in as much peace as possible. But that apparently didn’t stop them from almost yearning to be near y/n.

sliding back into their clothes from the night before, they both wandered to the main floor of the house in search of the woman. with the kitchen and living room clear, Emily nodded toward the sliding barn door at the end of the hallway. sliding it open bathed them in light and piano instantly and y/n sat on the bench running her hands over the keys effortlessly. they paused at the door and watched. surely they’d gathered that y/n had a rather pleasurable amount of talent stored in her fingers, but they’d never seen her use them in the capacity. in what could only be described as her element. as if she were a siren, they unconsciously drew closer as she continued the song. finding places to perch quietly as not to disturb her. And as quiet as they thought they’d been as soon as y/n played the finale note, she whirled around on the piano bench and met their eyes. 

“Well good morning, did I wake y’all? I soundproofed this room myself but I never really tested it with other people in the house.” y/n asked, darting her eyes between the women. 

“No, we didn’t hear you at all.” Emily replied with a shrug. 

“I didn’t realize you were so handy,” JJ chimed in examining the foam paneling around the room. 

y/n shook her head with a laugh, “I’m not! I think I just got lucky with this one. i once spent a whole semester belting during my office neighbor’s weekly webinars because I hadn’t soundproofed my office completely. let’s just say— I wasn’t her favorite.” y/n rose from the piano bench and met Emily and JJ where they’d decided to lean in the room. “how’d we sleep last night? feeling okay?” 

Emily and JJ all but melted at the concern clear on the younger woman’s face as her hands cradled their faces. her eyes flicked over both women as if searching for any sign of discomfort or trouble. Luckily for her, she wouldn’t find any. (unlucky for them, because there was no casual way to explain how they’d slept better wrapped around her than they have in months.) JJ was the first to answer and she leaned into the younger woman’s caress, “Feeling great, Em was just saying how comfortable your mattress is.” 

y/n smiled, almost knowingly, and patted both their cheeks affectionately. “well I’m glad. I’m sorry you woke up alone— I’ve got a couple panicked former students calling for some advice on audition pieces.” 

“Oh, we’ll get out of your hair then. we wouldn’t want to keep you from your work.” Emily was quick to reply. 

“you’re not keeping me from anything. They’ll only be a couple hours, max. if y’all don’t have any plans for the day, feel free to hang out for a bit.” y/n suggested with a shrug. 

JJ looked as if she were considering it for a minute but she caught the apprehension in Emily’s eyes and answered for them both, “Thanks, but we don’t wanna disrupt your routine any more than we already have.” 

y/n sighed and nodded her understanding. “oh alright. since I can’t convince y’all otherwise, let me at least walk you out.” y/n grabbed both women’s hands and pulled them back through the house easily. As they stood near the door putting their shoes on— she spoke up again. “just so you know, for future reference, y’all could never wear out your welcome over here, okay? if either of you need me, I’m just a call and two doors down. always. and that can be for anything.” she finished with a suggestive wink. 

Emily cheeks heated uncharacteristically and jj giggled with a nod and salute. “Roger that.”

“good.” y/n nodded, ushering the women out the door reluctantly. as they started down the porch she started, “Oh! I forgot to mention it, but we’re having a faculty showcase over at the school. y’all probably won’t be in town, but if you are I’d love it if you came.” the professor seemed to grow a little shy with the request but with a shrug, she continued on. “Grayson is coming up from Kentucky for it and i figured i’d extend the invitation. no pressure. but the invitation stands.” 

Emily and JJ watched as y/n shyly rambled. her pink slipper poking at the welcome mat beneath her feet as she spoke. and just the sight had both women mentally willing all serial killers to stand down for whenever this showcase was. watching the professor spin out a bit pushed Emily to finally speak, “We’d love to come.” at her words, y/n’s eyes lit up hopefully and a warmth bloomed in Emily’s chest. “send us the information and we’ll be there. bar any serial killers running a muck.” 

JJ nodded in agreement, “Absolutely. and if I’ve got anything to say about it, they won’t be.” 

y/n bit her lip to fight the grin fighting to cover her face, “Okay. and again, no pressure if they do start running muck. but I hope they don’t.” with a nod and a sweet wave, y/n sent JJ and Emily home feeling well rested and a lot more smitten than they’d ever expected. 

-

“Please.”

“No.”

“Please.”

“No.”

“Please.”

“No. And I swear to God, if you say please one more time— I’ll make you think the ground flew up and hit you.” y/n sighed from the kitchen. glaring at Grayson, sprawled across the couch upside down. “and sit up before you look as red as your sweater.” Grayson had been in DC for two hours and she’d been bugging Y/n since she landed to meet JJ and Emily. 

“Can’t we just go knock on their door? I’m just bursting at the seams.” Grayson whined, righting herself to pout at Y/n. 

“Grayson I told you in the car, I think they’re on a case. They left sometime Tuesday evening and they’ve not been home since. You’re here for a week though, I’m sure  they’ll be back eventually.” 

“Eventually? Why would you say it like that? It’s as if you don’t want me to meet the best sexy partners of your life or something…” Grayson mused rubbing her chin. 

“I’ve never called them the best sexy partners of my life? where did you even come up with that?” Y/n deflected.

“You didn’t have to say it, I can just tell these things.” 

“and that’s why I’m not too eager for you to meet them. knowing you— you’ll call them that to their faces. or worse, proposition them on my behalf.” 

“Well sue me for thinking of your happiness.” Grayson groaned dramatically causing Y/n to roll her eyes. As eager as a friend could be, she was always happy to have her around. The girl can’t hold water, but she’s got a heart of gold.

-

Emily shifted her eyes up to the clock on the wall. They’d unfortunately been called out on a case in Michigan and as dedicated as she was to her job— she had other things on her mind. She and JJ were sitting in a conference room in the local police department scanning class rosters for connections between victims and anyone in their classes. It was their only lead so far and as they brought their third day to a close, things weren’t moving bf as quickly as she’d hoped. 

JJ, catching her attention shift to the clock again, sighed disappointedly. “Anything yet?” When Emily only shook her head and looked back at her stack of papers, JJ slumped back in her chair. “If we don’t find something soon, we might be here through the weekend.” 

“I know, I know. Which is not going to work for us. We need to be back in Virginia no later than 4 tomorrow, if we’re gonna make the showcase.” 

Y/n said no pressure, but this felt like a test of sorts. Or at least a self-imposed test for them to see whether this was extremely unrealistic or was something they could handle. It definitely wasn’t a matter of not wanting to make it work, this job just always made dating outside of the Bureau seem impossible. Over the week, both women had subconsciously conflated this one event to be the test of a true relationship with Y/n and right now it looked like they were going to fail miserably. They’d agreed on getting flowers for Y/n and arriving with enough time to comfortably introduce themselves to Grayson, but this case was proving to be their biggest obstacle and maybe a sign that the casual relationship they had was all they were meant to have. And yes, the younger woman seems comfortable with everything going on, but both JJ and Emily had definitely wondered how long they could keep it up. (Especially since their feelings seemed to be developing much faster than either of them anticipated.)

The phone in the center of the conference table rang obnoxiously, startling both women from their internal musings. JJ reached to answer the call, “Garcia, please tell us you’ve found something.” JJ asked hopefully. 

“That depends on your definition of something. If you mean for the case then no. If you mean my outfit for tomorrow night? Then yes.” The tech analyst’s voice floated through the phone. At her giddy response, JJ and Emily groaned in displeasure. 

“No need to rub it in. We’ll be lucky if we even land before it’s over.” Emily sighed, rubbing her eyes. 

“Listen, I’m sure she’ll understand if you can’t make it. Didn’t you tell her that you’d be there as long as the job didn’t take you away?” Garcia tried to placate. 

“Well yeah, we said that. But she looked so hopeful when we said we’d be there. And if we can’t make this one event as her fuck buddies, how would we make anything else work?” Emily wondered aloud. JJ nodded in agreement and crossed her arms over her chest. But it seemed as if they hadn’t discussed this with Garcia at all based on the squeal that echoed between the walls of the conference room. 

“Anything else? As in dates? As in a relationship with that beautiful, shining ray of southern sunshine? I’m sorry when did you gals come to your senses about this one?” 

“We’ve been thinking about it for a bit, but this showcase felt like the perfect opportunity to act on those thoughts. Plus after she got Emily to snuggle up after a hard case– I was pretty smitten. But like Em said, if we can’t even make this work what can we afford with this job?” 

The delight was clear in Garcia's voice when she replied, “This is great! Oh, I’m so happy for you both– scratch that. I’m happy for all three of you. I think Y/n is such a great compliment to the both of you. One that you need.” 

“Pen it seems you’re forgetting the part where we’re going to be trapped here for the rest of the weekend if we don’t wrap this case up soon. What kind of girlfriends would we be if we already let the job monopolize our time?” JJ explained.

“I think you’re conflating the importance of typical relationship norms and not acknowledging the sort of relationship that Y/n may be willing to be in. I don’t even need to ask if you’ve talked to her about this because I know you haven’t. Missing one show isn’t an omen or a death sentence. If anything the way you’re acting about missing this one show is truly reason enough to pursue something more serious. This might be some sort of self-imposed test that you’ve both decided on but I think you should give yourselves a bit more credit. When’s the last time either of you were concerned about getting home for someone other than each other?” Penelope monologued, fingers clicking on the computer as she went. When she was met with silence from the other end of the phone, she knew she was right. “Exactly. Digest my words and act accordingly. And to spur you both on, I’ve found something that might get you out of there in time. One of you should have the Accounting 240 class rosters, now I know not all the vics are in the class but I’ve been doing some digging and found a study group that they’re all a part of. Only two members of the group are unaccounted for.” 

Emily quickly pulled the rosters to the front of her pile and split them between her and JJ. “Oh, I could kiss you, Penelope Garcia. We’re on it. If we work fast, we could wrap this up tonight.” 

“You finally asking Y/n out for real, will be thanks enough. Hit me back with what you find. PG out.” 

“Maybe she is all-knowing,” JJ mumbled around the cap of her highlighter.

-

Y/n stood in the wing of the auditorium as Dr. Kelley thanked one of her colleagues for their performance. They’d enlisted some teaching assistants to help shift the stage to accommodate for each faculty member’s performance. And as she watched the students roll the piano forward toward the vocal microphone– she knew she was next. She peaked around the auditorium seats one last time and tried not to let the disappointment bleed through her performance mindset. Sure she was hopeful JJ and Emily would make it in time, but she also knew they must’ve still been hung up with their case if they weren’t there. Grayson would be disappointed, but hopefully meeting the brightly dressed Tech Analyst would make up for it. 

“Now that we’ve got everything in place, allow me to introduce you to our newest hire. Professor Y/Ln. She’s been with us since the start of the summer and we’re so thrilled to have her in our department. A mezzo-soprano hailing from Georgia, she’s seen stages and classrooms all over the US. She is our University’s first Jazz and Musical Theatre focussed vocal performance instructor and our students have had nothing but positive things to say about her thus far. So without further ado, please give it up for our next performer, Professor Y/ln.” 

The house lights dimmed and Y/n took her place at the stage with an easy smile. She couldn’t see out into the room but she could recognize both Grayson’s and Penelope’s cheers almost instantly, which caused her smile to grow fractionally. She stepped up to the mic and easily called the room to attention, “Good evening everybody. Thank you so much for joining us over here in the music department. As Dr. Kelley said– I’m the newbie in the department and tonight has been such an enjoyable showcase of the talented folks we’ve got here. I’ll be doing three songs tonight, you might know em and you might not. Either way, I hope y’all enjoy.” At the audience's affirming response, she turned toward the accompanist with a nod. “Let’s start with I Could Write A Book, John.” Y/n took a moment to center herself, eyes closed and head low, before looking out into the room cueing her accompanist.

-

“Emily, come on. I can literally hear her being announced. It’s this way.” JJ groaned reaching to pull Emily down the sidewalk toward the auditorium. They’d broken far more traffic laws than either of them would be admitting any time soon. But they’d made it and if Garcia’s text was anything to go by– they’d made it just in time. 

“Well we might’ve been here sooner had you not been so hellbent on picking the perfect bouquet.” Emily groaned as JJ rushed and pushed her into the building. 

“Okay, let’s just ignore the way you changed your shirt three times from the jet.” JJ poked as she the theater door came in view. She pulled them to a stop in front of the usher and smiled as the young woman handed them both programs. 

“If you hurry, you can make squeeze in before Professor Y/Ln starts her set,” At the confirmation, both JJ and Emily sighed in relief and slid into the back of the auditorium. Emily settled the flowers between her knees as both women finally relaxed for the first time in days. If this was a test, they might’ve succeeded. 

-

“ Did you make her whole set? I was looking for you both before the lights went down and I wasn’t sure how close was ‘close’.” Garcia rambled as she stood in the lobby of the auditorium with Emily and JJ. The showcase had just ended and the head of the department directed everyone out in the lobby to mingle with the talent. Most of the younger people who were in attendance had either crowded around the stage door or dispersed back to the residence halls, leaving the lobby for friends of family of the professors. As Garcia rambled on, both JJ and Emily’s eyes were locked on the stage door. Garcia’s words were going in one ear and out the other. All they could think about was Y/n. Emily, a jazz enthusiast, was already excited for the performance but found herself at the edge of her seat captivated by the silken voice of her neighbor. JJ had decided as soon Y/n opened her mouth, that she’d listen to anything the younger woman was singing. She’d even found herself daydreaming about her singing grocery lists and things to her. She was a siren and Emily and JJ were answering her call. After some time, they caught sight of the Professor exiting the stage door with a shorter woman at her side. Sensing the shift of attention, Garcia turned and watched the women maneuver their way through students and audience members politely. Garcia started waving her hands eagerly to get their attention and winked over her shoulder to Emily and JJ. 

Y/n spotted her almost instantly and pulled Grayson over to the brightly colored woman with a smile. “I knew I heard your voice out there. Thank you so much for coming!” Y/n grinned as she pulled Penelope into a hug. She pulled away ready to introduce Grayson when her eyes fell to Emily and JJ. “Hi!” Y/n grinned moving around Garcia as she rocked up to Emily and JJ– leaning against a wall (trying and failing to look cool). “Y’all made it.” JJ’s eyes softened and a matching grin settled on her cheeks as she reached to link her fingers with Y/n’s. 

“Of course we did. No serial killer could keep us from this.” 

 Emily was clutching the flowers in her hands and nodded dumbly at JJ’s response. Y/n giggled sweetly and reached for Emily’s hand as well. “And you brought me flowers? Well, aren’t y’all sweeter than an apple pie!”

Emily’s cheeks heated almost instantly at the praise. “I love jazz,” Emily mumbled extending the flowers toward the professor sheepishly. She wanted to facepalm, and Garcia’s snickering wasn’t helping at all. She looked over at JJ who was holding back what looked like a cackle and Emily almost shrunk in embarrassment. But then she looked back to Y/n and saw the affection radiating off her. So much affection, she could drown in it. 

“I know, did I live up to the hype?” 

“Exceeded the hype,” Emily answered honestly.

“Good,” Y/n smiled and turned to JJ. “And what did you think?”

“Amazing. And I don’t even like Jazz.” JJ shrugged with a teasing grin. 

“Well I guess that’s pretty high praise then, huh?” Y/n rolled her eyes but the smile remained in place. “Thank you both for coming. I know it must of been difficult with your case and everything. But I’m feeling pretty special right now, thanks to y’all.” She pulled the flowers to her chest with a smitten smile and took a step into Emily and JJ’s space. As she swayed to her toes to plant a kiss on Emily’s cheek, a cluster of coughs and noises sounded behind them rather obnoxiously and Y/n sighed softly. She sat back on her heels and rolled her eyes as she turned to face not only Grayson but an extremely smug Penelope. “Hi I’m Grayson! It’s so nice to meet you all. Despite this one completely disregarding everyone and everything but those two.”

“Oh, I like you. we must discuss. All of that.” Garcia grinned linking arms with Grayson to pull her toward the exit.

Y/n watched as they left and sighed lightly, “I’ve got a feeling they’re gonna be a problem together.” She laughed a bit and turned back to Emily and JJ expectantly but paused at the seriousness that had taken over their faces. “Hm, now what’s ailing y’all?” 

Extremely tempted to tease the southern belle, JJ bit her lip trying to remain serious. “Uh, we’ve just been thinking and wanted to run something by you.” When Y/n motioned for them to continue on Emily picked up the ask. “Would you be open to changing our relationship a bit?”

“You didn’t come to my show to dump me did you? That’d suck.” Y/n joked, chuckling nervously.

“Quite the opposite actually. We were kind of hoping you’d be interested in dating us. Seriously. Exclusively. Officially.” JJ corrected. 

“Only if you’re comfortable with that shift,” Emily added matter-of-factly. “No pressure, just something we’ve been thinking about.”

Y/n felt the nervous energy dissipate and become quickly replaced by an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. It’s nice when you get what you want. “Well, it’s about time. I was starting to think you’d never ask me and we’d be doing this Neighbors with Benefits things for a while.” When the older women’s faces contorted in confusion, Y/n only laughed and pulled them closer. “Listen, y’all might be the profilers but I know a jealous woman when I see one.” 

“Jealous? Who was jealous?” Both women denied it almost instantly. Y/n leveled them with an unimpressed glare and they shrank a bit under the truth. “Well is that a yes or a no?” Emily prompted, needing the explicit consent to allow herself to pursue this new kind of relationship fully. She and JJ waited with baited breath for Y/n’s reply and when she rolled her eyes with an easy ‘yes’ it took everything in the women not to drag her into a heated kiss. 

As if reading their eyes, Y/n smiled and kissed their cheeks. “If you get me home, I’m sure we can explore whatever it is that’s got both your eyes three shades darker in the middle of my place of work.” 

JJ, ever eager to satisfy, grinned and turned for the door. “That can definitely be arranged. And quickly too.” With matching grins and linked arms, the women made their way outside to find their friends and hopefully navigate their new reality. Together .

[samiistrashy]

Based on Xavier’s five-star card, “No Restraint.”

Warnings and Tags: 18+, fluff, smut, teasing our star boy, possibly bad writing and grammar. Blue words is Xavier, bold words is MC.

“That Protocore’s Protocurves can… dull a person’s senses.” His voice comes out softly as he sits on the edge of the bed holding a tub of lotion in one of his hands. He takes some of the lotion and puts it on my leg, rubbing it up and down. I sigh softly at his touch, “Then maybe you’ve been affected by it.”

“Yeah.”

He grabs my ankle pulling me closer to him as he continues to speak, “It’s possible… I won’t be able to feel you anymore from now on.” He rests his chin on my knee while I reach forward and grab a bit of the lotion putting it on his nose. “What’s this fragrance? Can you smell it?”

“Strawberry,” he says immediately. “Or maybe… that scent is cherry… Was I right?” His eyes meet mine when he asks that, but I don’t care enough to answer testing him was way more fun. “Here’s another test.” I lean forward and touch his ear caressing it softly. “What do you think my hand is doing right now?” I move my hand down to his face cupping it enjoying the small sounds he lets out.

“You need to do it harder,” Xavier states looking at me through his lashes. I let out a soft hum and dragged my hand slowly down his neck and to his chest. “Too gentle-” He cuts himself off breathing heavily as I rake my nails down his chest stopping purposefully at the knot of his robe. “What about now?” I tease palming him softly through the fabric of the robe. “If you still don’t feel it-” I let out a soft gasp as he grabbed my wrist kissing my palm gently.

“If I still haven’t felt it… does this mean I’m a lost cause?” He breathes out, struggling to keep his composure. I bite down on my lip seeing the tips of his ears turn red. I let out a small giggle and used my free hand to pull him closer to me. “What should we do then?” My lips brush up against his ear as I whisper in it, “Xavier~” I pull back to see his face my smile dropping a little seeing the glint in his blue eyes go dark.

He drops my hand and pushes me back again the bed hovering over me. “Since that’s the case, tonight will be the last time… But your sensory test isn’t over yet.” I knit my eyebrows in confusion, but before I can say anything he leans down and kisses my neck. “Mmm… What’s going through your head?” I let out a gasp as he bites down on my collarbone.

“Something… indecent.” He mumbles out as his fingers trail up my thigh. My breathing grows heavy as he spreads my legs apart with a smirk. “It’s a shame I can’t feel how wet you are… maybe I should touch you some more.” I let out a soft moan feeling his fingers circling my clit. “Xavier,” I breathed out as he slipped a finger inside me.

"I haven't even done much, Honey," he whispers into my ear, slipping in another finger. I moan louder as he curls them, hitting my G-spot. He smirks and increases his pace, his thumb circling my clit, “Come on, let me feel those sweet juices cover my fingers.” He growled, his voice low and deep. I moaned, my hips grinding against his hand as I felt myself getting closer and closer to the edge. I could feel his cock hard against my leg, and I knew he wanted me just as badly as I wanted him.

"Fuck, Xavier," I breathed out, my nails digging into his back as I came hard around his fingers. He pulled his fingers out of me, bringing them to his mouth and sucking them clean. I watched, my breath coming in short gasps as he licked my juices off his fingers. “I see you haven’t lost your sense of taste,” I said letting out a breathy laugh, but Xavier didn’t say anything. Instead, he pushed me back onto the bed, climbing on top of me. His cock pressed against my entrance, and I moaned as he slid inside me.

“Fuck, you’re tight…” He groaned, his hips kissing mine with each thrust. I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him deeper inside me. "You like that, don't you?" He growls, his lips finding mine pulling me into a rough kiss. I moan into his mouth, my nails clawing down his back as I meet him thrust for thrust. Moans, grunts, the sound of the bed creaking, and the sound of skin slapping filled the air as Xavier pounded into me faster.

“I’m close he grunted out.” His fingers found my clit once again, making me unable to hold back. I felt myself spiraling higher and higher until I finally crashed over the edge, my orgasm ripping through me like a tidal wave. “Fuck.” He groaned, his hips stuttering as he followed me over the edge. I could feel his cock pulsing inside me, filling me with his hot, sticky seed. He collapsed on top of me, his breathing ragged and uneven. I ran my fingers through his hair, my heart still racing from the earth-shattering orgasm he had just given me.

“Holy shit.” I pant out catching my breath. Xavier looks up at me with an innocent smile bringing a smile on my face. We stay like this together, both of us too lazy to move, eventually falling asleep.

[cowboylikeyouu]

i finally watched the making of deadpool & wolverine and wrote down every thought that popped up into my mind while watching, have fun lol

god hugh jackman is gorgeous

they’re talking about all the different ideas they had for this movie and honestly??? i would eat up every single one of them they should still do it lol

god hugh jackman is GORGEOUS

man i missed them sm i haven’t watched dp&w in TWO MONTHS?????

i will never shut up about the deadpool suit in this movie it’s SO AWESOME it’s a blessing for my eyes every time it’s on screen

"that’s what we were striving for with rdj in endgame, is to give this iconic fictional character an amazing ending." yeah well only that endgame‘s ending SUCKED and i will never forgive anyone for it <3

ugh hugh jackman is gorgeous

i could watch him speak forever

i‘m SO glad ryan made that "i should use his body as a weapon" pitch bc GODDAMN that opening scene will never get old

ahhhhhh i love that we‘re getting some insight in the stunt/fight stuff, SO interesting !! the shitty iphone test videos are hilarious

they should’ve made a "he ACTUALLY broke his toe when he kicked that helmet!!!!" reference when ryan kicked logan‘s skull lmao

the marry puppins SNOGGING ryan bts clips will never get old lmao funniest shit ever

THE SUIT LOOKS SO GOOD UGHHHH am i having a gender or a sexuality crisis over it???? guess we’ll never know

EMMA CORRIN ILYSM

shout out to british people gotta be one of my fav genders fr

all the different lines ryan screamed out of the honda????😭😭 honestly they should’ve just kept all of these idc about logic

EMMA CORRIN

"and i knew the fans would love it" ohhh hugh i think we all love it a bit too much

"and yet, i wouldn’t say wolverine is a straight man" awesome, thanks, case fucking CLOSED.

"which i don’t recommend, sending a 10 minute voice memo to anyone"

*me looking at the five 10-20 minute voicemails i send my friends every single day*

THE SUITS LOOK SO GOOD TOGETHER (their asses do as well)

GOD hugh jackman is gorgeous

"what we refer to as the van fight" no babe that’s the honda odyssey sex marathon actually!!

"violence is our love language" ITS CONFIRMED (everyone knew. BUT STILL)

choreographing this scene (all the deadpool vs wolverine fight scenes really) must’ve been SO FUN like UGH just coming up with all this violence knowing that it won’t affect your characters in the long haul and you can add of many of it as you want????? THE DREAM

THEM HUGGING IN THE HONDA???😭😭 brb gotta cry

I LOVE YOU EMMA CORRIN

CHRIS EVANS LOML

it’s unfair how attractive he is i‘m gonna throw up

reminder to myself to finally learn johnny‘s monologue i wanna be able to randomly hit people with it

OHHHH i actually did NOT realize that was hulk‘s bed from ragnarok??? which is weird bc i used to watch that movie religiously. but hey that’s so cool!!

channing tatum talking about gambit is so heartwarming man so happy for him😭

jennifer garner is so pretty i‘m so gay lord help

me

dafne keen‘s voice sounds SO different when she’s not playing laura, CRAZY

EMMA CORRIN MY LOVE

just once just ONCE i wanna walk through a street filme set like this UGH it looks so cool & surreal

"this is our baby yoda" i have to be this annoying person i‘m sorry but HIS NAME IS GROGU

i don’t know shit about music but i could listen to people talk about movie scores for hours on end (how did you know sideways is my fav youtube video essayist???)

good fucking god hugh jackman is gorgeous

lmao they should’ve kept the "zoooombies wake uuuppp" again, idc about logic

EMMA CORRIN ‼️‼️‼️

ohh hugh jackman is gorgeous (put your greasy tits away you preening slut)

ugh i‘m getting emotional help

well that was awesome, gonna cry myself to sleep now byeee

(have i mentioned how gorgeous hugh jackman is?)

[isak-dot-gov]

I'm gon' make you feel it

A/n: Uh hey. This is the first time I'm posting on here so I hope you like it. Kinda nervous btw. Also not proofread.

Word count: 2226

Summary: Months after you and Rhea break up, your best friends decide to take you out for a night in the city after not seeing you for a while. while there, you run into Rhea and the rest of the Judgement Day.

Warnings: Suggestive(nothing actually done tho)

My masterlist :)

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

“Y/n, come on. We haven’t gone out in so long,” I heard Jasmine say.

“She’s right, y/n/n, you’ve been MIA for so long now. Please come out with us,” Eve says.

Jasmine and Eve have been my best friends since the three of us were in the first grade. We were placed at the same table in the classroom’s seating chart on the first day and we’ve been friends ever since. They have been with me through all my highs, lows, and everything in between. From celebrating birthdays and acing tests to comforting each other through heartbreaks and family troubles, our bond has only grown stronger. We've shared countless sleepovers, road trips, and late-night talks that have made us inseparable.

Tonight they were trying to get me to join them on one of our ‘late night adventures’. Basically what would happen is that we would get ready to go out and hit the city with zero plans or expectations on what we would be doing or what the outcome of the night would be. Sometimes it would be going from one club to the other and sleeping over at one of our houses. Other times it would end with us getting matching tattoos. The most recent one of these nights was about six months ago, a month after I broke up with Rhea. We got tipsy, went to a trampoline park and I ended up getting a brand new set of nipple piercings. To say these nights were some of the most fun I’ve ever had would definitely be an understatement.

“Girls, I don’t think I’m up to it tonight. I’ve been so busy with work lately,” I said with a tired sigh. Ever since Rhea and I broke up, I’ve thrown myself into my work as a way of avoiding the feelings I not only had for our situation but for her as well. Rhea and I broke up seven months ago after a huge argument. She felt that I shouldn’t be having so many female friends and that I could potentially be cheating on her with one of them, which was completely untrue. The reason I had so many female friends was because I was in an all-girls school for my whole primary and highschool, because of this women have always taken up the majority of my social life. Unfortunately for me, Rhea had always been the jealous type and no amount of reassurance that I gave her ever seemed to calm the green monster that tended to take over whenever I hung out with people she didn’t like. Getting to the point where I was willing to let her go was hard, but I was able to do it after Jasmine and Eve showed me exactly how unhealthy we were together.

I was a wreck for a few weeks after the breakup. Rhea would constantly call, so much so that I had to turn my phone off and only have it on during the hours that she spent working because I knew she tended to stay far away from her phone during those hours. I never wanted to leave the house and I barely got any sleep in. Thankfully, my best friends got sick of it quite quickly and made me start coming out of my shell again.

“Girl, that’s exactly why we should be going out tonight,” Eve says.

“Let loose a little. Give us 30 minutes of your time. We promise if you really feel uncomfortable after that time we’ll go to my place and watch a movie or something,” Jasmine says.

“Promise?” 

“Promise,” my best friends say in unison. 

“Ok ok, I’ll do it,” I say with a smile.

“Yes!”

“Fuck yeah!”

___________________

Two hours later and I’m sitting on a bar stool with my friends on either side of me and my third drink of the night in my hand. We reminisce on our primary and highschool years when four people enter the bar and completely shift the atmosphere in the room. I notice the bartender slightly shift her posture and briefly check herself in the reflective wall that stood behind her, facing those sitting in the bar. After she does so I hear a familiar voice next to me say and my high spirit for the night is immediately crushed.

“Uh can I get two whiskeys on the rocks, a gin and tonic, and a martini?” Damian, Rhea’s friend and fellow Judgement Day member, says next to me. I freeze and shut my eyes tightly, while doing so, I hear Jasmine and Eve fall silent and keep their eyes on me. Once I open my eyes, I notice their eyes on me as they carry sympathy for my current state.

“Oh hey, y/n. I haven’t seen you since…” he trails off and I can hear the cautious tone in his voice as he stops himself from saying anything that would make me uncomfortable. I always preferred Damian over the rest of Rhea’s friends, he always felt the need to make sure I was ok and in moments like these, I really appreciated him for it.

“Hey, Dami. How have you been? What brings you out here?” I saw with a strained smile. I have no idea why I feel this way or why I’m acting this way towards him. He never did anything to me, in fact, all he’s ever done was look out for me.

“I’ve been doing alright. Judgement Day’s going to Wrestlemania, so we decided to go out for drinks as a way of celebrating,” he says with a soft smile. Soon after, the bartender brings the drinks he ordered for him and his friends with a flirty smile and a wink. Uh, ok I guess.

“Anyways, I’ll hopefully see you around. I’ll tell the rest you say hi,” he says.

“Oh you don’t need to…” I start but he walks away before I get to the end of my sentence.

“Well that went better than I thought it would,” Jasmine says obliviously. Eve and I shoot her side-eyes as she gives the two of us a genuine smile, the Essence blush she’s wearing showing on her cheeks a little more due to the lighting in the bar.

“Do you want to leave, y/n. We don’t mind if you do,” Eve says compassionately.

“No no. We were having fun. I don’t want to leave yet,” I say and genuinely mean. I haven’t felt this free in so long and I would be damned if I let Rhea’s presence in this bar ruin that freedom for me.

My friends both give me light nods and we continue with our conversation. As the night continues, one of our favourite songs from our highschool years, ‘No Hands’ by Waka Flocka Flame, starts playing. The three of us immediately get hyped and start making our way to the dance floor to dance. The start of that song marks a streak of throwback songs from the DJ and we continue dancing for a while. As we do so I feel multiple pairs of eyes on me, when I look up I notice Rhea and the rest of her friends watching me. I make eye contact with each of them one by one before my eyes focus on the girl whose whole being makes my heart dizzy. She has an attentive look with a hint of longing in her eyes as she undresses me with them. With the new found confidence in my system brought by the many drinks I've had tonight, I find it in me to wink and decide to give her a show.

‘Feel It’ by Jacquees starts blaring through the speakers and my friends and I huddle up onto each other by our fronts and backs. I’m in front with Jasmine right behind me, her left hand on my left hip and her right hand on Eve’s right hip and Eve’s hands on both of Jasmine’s hips. We start swaying together to the beat of the song and sing along. At the position I’m standing at, I have a clear view of Rhea’s booth on the upper level of the bar. She’s sitting forward with her elbows on her knees and a drink in her hand as she watches me intensely. The chorus of the song starts and I start swaying my hips in circles as Jasmine and Eve take it as a sign to follow my lead. The three of us move in sync as the song continues. I get a little too into the song as a few minutes later I feel Jasmine’s hand remove itself from my hips and two, much larger, hands replace hers on either side of my hands.

“You two wouldn’t mind if I borrowed your friend for the night, would you?” 

My girls take a moment to look at me for reassurance in the response they’re going to give and I nod lightly as a sign of telling them I’ll be ok with her.

“Oh sure, Rhea. Take her home in the morning and don’t do any weird shit,” Jasmine says as she turns her attention to Eve.

“Call us if she starts acting up,” Eve says, sending a glare with her blue eyes to Rhea. I nod and feel Rhea pull me by my waist to the exit of the bar. We walk to her car slowly and in silence as the heels I chose to wear tonight start proving to be harder to walk in. Rhea quickly got impatient with my instability and swiftly lifted me up bridal style before making the rest of the walk to her car. She opens the door to her passenger seat and softly places me in the seat before closing the door and climbing in at the driver’s side.

“You’ve never done that before,” I say as she pulls out of her parking spot and makes her way to her house.

She looks at me briefly with confusion and says, “What do you mean, y/n?”

“You’ve never opened the car door for me. That’s a first.”

“Huh. I guess it is,” she says.

As I look around in her car I notice a bright pink hair tie on her wrist. Without thinking I point at it and say, “Where’d you get that? I like it. Might just get one.”

“Sweetness, this is yours. You left it at mine after you know what happened,” she says.

“Oh.”

“Yeah. Oh,” a moment of silence passes before she says, “How have you been, sweetness. We haven’t spoken in a while.”

Fuck. There’s that Australian accent that I’ve never had the self-control to resist.

“Uh, um, I’ve been good. I mean, as good as a person can be after a break up. You know, I don’t think you should be calling me that,” I say.

“Calling you what, sweetness?” she asks.

“Sweetness. It does things to me.”

She chuckles lightly before she says, “It does things to you? Whatever could you be talking about, my love?”

I tilt my head back into the headrest of the car as I exhale deeply. “Don’t play dumb with me, Rhea. We both know you’re way smarter than that. Don’t act like you have no idea all the things you do to my body by simply being this close to me. This isn’t a good idea and  we know it isn’t.”

“But I’ve missed you,” was her only response.

“I know, Rhea. And I’ve missed you too. You know that,” I say.

As she parks in her driveway she turns to me and asks, “Then why did you leave me?”

I turn towards her and respond, “We weren’t good for each other. You know that. I know that. We were only pulling each other down by being together.”

She gives me a tight lipped smile before saying, “What do I need to do? I can be better, I promise I can. I know I wasn’t a good girlfriend in the past. I was a dick. We both know that, and even when you tried to make me feel secure in our relationship I still pushed you away and blamed you for all my insecurities. I just need the chance to prove that to you. I don’t think I can hand any more time away from you, baby. Take me back. Please?”

This is a side of Rhea I’ve never seen before, and I chose to proceed cautiously because of that. She has always had the ability to use her words to get what she wants from people. However, something in the way she was looking at me made me feel like she was being sincere and my heart couldn’t help but fall for her all over again.

“Fuck I missed you,” I say as I capture her lips with mine. The kiss started out softly but turned hard and passionate really quickly. Rhea held onto me extremely tightly as if she was afraid I’d vanish at any moment. Her hands travelled to my waist and squeezed tightly, earning a breathy whimper from my lips.

“Rhea,” I said in a moan as her lips found their way on my neck.

“Mhm, baby? Tell me what you need,” she said.

“Please take me your house and fuck me.”

“That I can definitely do for you, sweetness.”

[unfinishedslurs]

a lying problem? that can't be right. i don't have a problem with lying at all.

“Oh, I don’t swear,” was out of Tim’s mouth before he consciously thought about it. 

Jason snorted. “Seriously?”

No, but if Jason believes it he might as well commit. It’s just one lie, what’s the worst that could happen? “I prefer to express myself in other ways.”

“Yeah, sure. Gonna tell me ‘ain’t ain’t a word,’ too?”

“Actually ain’t is a word, according to linguistics and some dictionaries. Teachers at Gotham Academy just have no respect for the rich history of slang and English dialects—“

“Christ, would you shut up? I get it, you’re a good boy who’s never cussed in his life. Can we get this over with?”

“How has he not heard you cuss?” Steph asks later, taking a bite of her mug cake. “Did he not hear you that one time you stubbed your toe in the cave showers? I’m pretty sure Cass could hear you shout the f-word from Hong Kong. You scared the bats off. I didn't even know it was possible to scare them off at this point.”

“‘The f-word,’” he mocks. “What are we, nine?”

“Well according to you, swearing offends your delicate sensibilities.”

“It’s not like I’m lying about anything important.” He rolls his eyes. “Besides, Jason already thinks I’m a goody-two-shoes. Why not have fun with it?”

“Uh, because this could end with you getting shot? Guy’s always been on a hair trigger when it comes to you.”

“He’s not going to shoot me for telling him I don’t swear.” 

“What if he finds out on a bad day?”

“I’ll dodge.”

She throws her spoon at him. “Ugh, whatever. Sorry for caring.”

He catches the spoon easily, and steals a bite out of her mug. “I’ll be fine,” he mumbles through her protests and a mouthful of chocolatey dessert. “Seriously, he’s not going to shoot me for this. Besides, how would he even find out with you backing me?” 

“Oh, I’ll back you alright,” she says, yanking the spoon out of his hand as he goes in for another bite. “I want to be able to say ‘I told you so,’ when this backfires spectacularly.”

“It’s not going to backfire. It’s one lie, and it’s not like I make a habit of it.”

“Did you just say that to me? I know you didn’t just say that to me.”

“I meant swearing.”

She bops him on the nose with her spoon, and he retaliates by sticking his fingers in her mug to scoop out some cake and shove it in his mouth. 

He nearly gets thrown out the window of his own apartment. Worth it. 

“I’m saving myself for marriage.”

“Aren’t you an atheist?”

“I believe in STD’s.” Granted, vigilantism is a bigger risk of transmission than sex will ever be, but there are strict protocols in place when it comes to blood and other bodily fluids. Contact should be minimized, gloves should be on at all times, and if exposure can’t be avoided completely, clean the area thoroughly and return to the cave as soon as possible for risk minimization and testing. Wayne Enterprises is also one of the leading companies working on a cure for HIV and AIDs. 

Between all of this Jason really shouldn’t believe a damn word that comes out of his mouth, but Jason has also always had a lot of preconceived notions on who Tim is as a person. If that leaves a huge, gaping blind spot where his lie detector should be, who is Tim to complain?

“How am I supposed to know? I’ve never embezzled anything.”

“No, I’ve never drank. I’m nineteen.”

“I haven’t tried weed either, Hood.”

“I’m not the biggest fan of wearing dresses.”

“I can’t lie to Batman.”

“I’ll have you know all my space missions were Bat-approved.”

“I actually kind of love press conferences.”

“I graduated high school with a 4.1 GPA.”

“I’m not a stalker.”

Okay, he might have a problem. 

Part of Tim despaired that it was so easy. Someone raised by Batman and trained by the League of Assassins should not be this easy to lie to. Then again, Tim has lied to both Batman and Ra’s al Ghul with varying degrees of success, so maybe it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. Still, those lies had effort put into them. He was almost insulted by how easily Jason had accepted everything he’d said so far, even if certain preconceived notions were doing the heavy lifting for him. 

The other, bigger part of Tim was having a blast. 

When he turns around Cass is watching him, clearly repressing a smile. “Having fun?”

“So much fun,” he tells her, returning the hug she gives him enthusiastically. “Steph tell you what I was doing?”

“She thinks you’re going to get shot.”

“What do you think?”

“She’s probably right.”

“Worth it.” He stretches, letting his spine crack. “Feel like helping me out?”

She laughs in his face. “No. Call me when you need first aid.”

“He’s not actually going to shoot me.”

“You’re not nearly as confident about that as you say you are.”

“At least it would be funny.”

“I don’t think you getting shot is funny.”

“Not even about this?”

“Maybe a little funny, if you dodge,” she admits, and then tugs on his hair until he leans down enough for her to smack a kiss on his forehead. “Maybe this will teach you a lesson.”

“I can’t believe the guy you picked after me is such a goddamn square,” Jason complains. “He’s never even embezzled anything? Seriously? That’s like, vigilante 101. He doesn’t steal, he doesn’t swear, he graduated with a fucking 4.1 because if he takes that stick out of his ass for one second-“

Jason’s well and fully into his tangent now, barely even talking to Bruce anymore as he paces back and forth. Bruce frowns and opens his mouth, before shutting it as he catches Tim frantically waving his arms behind Jason. He raises an eyebrow, and Tim points to the phone in his hand. Bruce takes his out and checks it. 

Go with it.

Bruce levels him with an unimpressed look. 

Remember my 16th bday?

He sighs heavily. “Sorry, Lucius is having trouble with some of the latest bat tech designs,” he tells Jason, who has realized that Bruce is ignoring him and is looking twitchier every moment his complaints go unacknowledged. “As for Tim, I don’t know what to tell you, chum. He has…very strong convictions.”

It’s basic psychology, really. 

Boiling frog theory. Put a frog in boiling water, and it jumps right out. But if you raise the temperature slowly enough, the frog won’t notice and will let itself boil alive. Real frogs will still jump out of the pot, because unlike Tim they have self preservation instincts, but human minds aren’t quite so quick to pick up on it. 

Tim vaguely wonders who the frog in this scenario is. Jason, who seemingly hadn’t noticed when the line crossed from “dubiously plausible,” to “absolutely unbelievable for anyone who has spent more than five minutes at a time with him,” or Tim, who has slowly escalated his lies in a way that is definitely going to get him shot at some point when Jason finds out. 

And it is when Jason finds out. Tim needs a three page spreadsheet to keep track of all the shit he’s sold him. He might be able to keep it up, if he tells everyone he’s ever met what he’s doing, convinces them to stay on his side of it, and erases all past, present, and future footage of himself, but that’s a little too much effort for a gig that’s starting to get old. 

“You got B in on it too?”

“I told him if he backed me up I wouldn’t bill him for the extensive therapy bills I’m wracking up because of him.”

“You go to therapy?”

It’s out of his mouth before he even thinks about it. “Yeah, every second Wednesday.”

Jason blinks at him, and then squeezes the bridge of his nose. “Was that a lie?”

“…maybe,” Tim says sheepishly. 

“Are you fucking kidding me? What else have you been lying about?”

“It might be easier to just send you the spreadsheet.”

“The— Replacement.” Jason’s voice has gone flat, and he’s glaring at him, fury so powerful his hand is almost shaking where he’s holding Tim up by the collar. 

“Yeah?” Tim asks nonchalantly, as if he’s not dangling from said collar to the point where the toes of his sneakers barely brush the floor. 

“You’ve got five seconds to run before I shoot you.”

He’s ready for it, and when Jason drops him he’s already pushing away, dropping and rolling when two bullets whiz past him right on the five second mark. Both wide, because as much as he hates to admit it Jason’s gone soft. 

“Go to hell, Pretender!” Jason hollers behind him. 

Tim cackles, pausing just one moment to raise both middle fingers and shout, “Fuck you too!” before disappearing into the rafters.

[oldbutchdanielcraig]

ever since i had my eyes opened to the possibility that marker/allerton could have very well had the additional reason to accompany lee on his quest for yage of doing covert research for the CIA i haven’t been able to get a scenario out of my head wherein after their trip to the jungle he reports back to his superiors like “yeah so this yage is extremely powerful stuff but i can’t see how it could be used for thought control because control is entirely removed from the equation. i took some myself to test the effects of this drug and i found myself a completely different person in ways that were deeply unpleasant and untrue. we should abandon this effort at once 0/10 do not recommend” and meanwhile he’s the only person who feels that way of other CIA operatives because he took the ayahuasca that makes you gay

[1nkwe4ver]

So in my theory, severance is kinda a literal and metaphorical method of compartmentalizing the things you have the hardest time dealing with. im seeing that in Dylan George now

Cause like. Okay. A large part of the fandom, myself included, thinks Dylan has untreated ADHD. That makes it difficult for him to hold a job so he turns to Lumon and severance. Some people judge him for this , via the shows literal sci-fi interpretations of Dylan having created an Innie to do the work for him rather than dealing with his problems.

For one, I still don’t buy into that working. I consider innies and outies one person. So even if the intentions Outies go into it with aren’t the best, like with rich people, I don’t think they truly make another person and escape the torture. They are tortured, they just don’t remember it at home and I don’t believe that’s the same thing. I believe Marks reintegration is really gonna bring that point back up.

But how can severance be looked at as compartmentalization of Dylan’s problems? After all, his Outie’s problems seem to have stayed with his Outie.

Personally, it reminds me a lot of why I wasn’t diagnosed till 26, and why I think Dylan is undiagnosed/untreated himself.

One of the major things that gets you identified and tested when you are young is how well you do/how well you cope with school. It’s also a part of what youre questioned about an adult. Because there’s this expectation that, with ADHD being a lifelong condition, a child having it would surely struggle with school.

Personally, I did well in school. I got myself up on time to catch the bus 99 percent of the time. A few of the times I missed it, I actually think it came early without warning. I didn’t get a B until university. I didn’t start struggling/getting poor grades and struggling to meet responsibilities till senior year.

This definitely isn’t to brag. In a way, looking back, I wish I hadn’t been able to pull this off. Why? Because it took every fucking bit of self management I had. I was a “gifted” kid. I was expected to “go places.” Get an impressive job. I was “too smart” to make bad decisions and struggle like my parents did.

Except- this was all based on my having straight As and never/extremely rarely getting into trouble.

But, if someone talked about how awful/excruciating these things were, I’d agree in a heartbeat. They’d act like I was talking down to them, because obviously, I couldn’t know what they were talking about. I was successfully functioning! I was waking up on time and getting myself to school! I was getting the schoolwork done on time and making As!

The thing was, I had, in my little kid brain, been raised somehow to the conclusion that the future all wrapped around school/work. Therefore, school was my first priority. The non-negotiable.

I didn’t realize it, but before I knew anything about the spoon theory, this is where all my spoons went. All of my energy. At base, I thought I was fine, because school was getting done and done well, and that seemed true because it pleased my parents.

But then- my parents didn’t enforce chores on me. There was a period of time where I gave them to myself, giving myself a few tasks to do when I got home to try to help out, but I couldn’t keep that up forever. I had some bigger projects that lit up my brain for so long I kept up with them on top of school or during summer for a while- writing, or when I first lost weight before school. But I gained the weight back and more. I was given a “reality check” that I couldn’t aim to become a writer, and I haven’t been able to build a consistent practice since.

Otherwise- no chores. Occasionally guilted or gotten on to at length for not intuitively realizing I should clean the house or at least my room, but no matter how many times I asked for it, no solid chore list.

I also began to realize my understanding of hygiene was lacking. I still don’t know if I’ve made up the difference there.

I brushed my hair every day, or after a while combed it. It only seemed to get matted. My parents didn’t understand my hair type, so they didn’t teach me the processes it would have taken to take care of my hair at a young age, cause they didn’t get it themselves. They would accuse me of not brushing or combing when it got bad, and then finally accepted they just didn’t understand my hair and would take me to get it relaxed every few months. In that way, a lot of spoons that would have gone to proper hair care never got accounted for.

I had no allowance and rarely got any money as a kid so when I got some, I wasn’t judged for getting myself something fun with it.

I switched my major halfway through university, and couldn’t have handled the internship it would have taken to actually get a job in that field. I’m not sure I would have faired in either job.

At first, when I got some money from student loan disbursements in college, I was strict. My use of money deteriorated over time, as food became a comfort of choice, occasionally drinking. My parents encouraged a getting myself something I wanted, once or twice. A year later, I was buried in impulse purchases and having to go find a bathroom on campus that had toilet paper cause I couldn’t buy my own.

So, shit at cleaning and rarely do it, shit at impulses related to food, alcohol, and money. Below average hygiene. I hate the energy it takes to do my hair with a passion and never keep up with it long term, so it becomes a matted mess that I’m ashamed to bring to a hair stylist. I’m not afraid of it being cut short- in fact, I want it short. I’m just afraid of being told how shitty I am and being accused of not even combing it- which I do, and I feel stupid that I somehow must do even that wrong. I keep track of things but I procrastinate. Awful time management, executive function. The whole shebang. Come my final year of college, i was deteriorating, I could hardly listen to a lecture, and had to reread single pages of my textbooks several times to understand anything.

So why on earth would nobody suspect something was up? I was doing my best. I would share my strategies to get better in all of these areas, and try to articulate what was so hard. It frustrated me to no end that I would drag myself to clean the bathroom when I’d promised to and then my roommate would do it after me, claiming I hadn’t done it. Not even angry or passive aggressive, she was never mean, and that made me feel worse. I don’t know if she understood, she occasionally brought it to me to try to get my help, and I tried to explain that I tried. I did my best, tried to see if the tub looked clean, and to me it did, and apparently it did not. “If your hair is matted like this, you must never comb it/brush it.” No, I do every day. I do it every day. Is there a certain way I’m supposed to do it? How am I so stupid I’m doing it wrong?

“I need to teach you how to clean.”

A phrase that haunts me. As an adult, I learned it’s just a pissy way to tell me to clean. As a teen I was like “when? When will you? Please tell me what I am missing.”

And then past that- I have so little energy to do anything I’m passionate about, pursue dreams, have fun. I get stuck down a rabbit hole of something that catches my attention, spend too much money, and pivot away to the next thing that seems like it could make my life actually work while I try to take care of the people I live with and revisit the ways I know I’m failing in basic functions like cleaning and self care.

So that was a long tangent: to bring all this back to severance and Dylan George.

Dylan George feels like me in a lot of ways. I mean, superficially he’s different, but in how I think we deal with ADHD. Because if we agree Dylan George seems to have untreated ADHD, then he’s doing essentially what I do- he puts all his spoons together to drag himself out of bed, to make it to work on time, and to get himself through his 9-5. He uses all of his energy he has to force himself in one place, into a structure, to put himself through work to provide for his family because that’s crucial. When he’s fired, he’s immediately out looking for any kind of work, no matter how boring, because having work is crucial. Contributing is crucial. First.

But when you do that- when you go home there’s nothing left. You’re running on fumes. I don’t have kids, but I have adult family I’m caretakers for, and it’s rough. I often feel like things I should be doing for them are falling through the cracks. Even medicated, I’m not suddenly doing great at balancing everything. They get annoyed you’ve forgotten to do something for the 10th evening in a row. You feel like shit when the next thing you’re excited about just gets a dead stare from your family.

And you’re miserable. You’re still failing at basic functions because you just have no energy.

I don’t think Dylan wanted to make an innie to put his misery on. I think Dylan just was signing up for any job he could get, like when we saw him trying to become a worker at the door company. And I think even not remembering being Innie Dylan, being Innie Dylan, functioning so well and excelling at his work in that structure, keeping that focus all day- that drains the hell out of him. He doesn’t remember what he did all day, but that doesn’t change the fact that he used all his spoons getting to work and then basically let Innie Dylan use them. The he goes home and takes his turn caring for the kids, basically while running on fumes.

[oizysian]

X. PUMPKIN

All Eyes on Me masterlist

Word count: 2.1k

AN: I’m so sorry I haven’t updated this on here lately. I’m gonna catch up with everything soon!

•

"I can't believe I just spent a whole day with Lizzie and Robbie."

"Robbie? That's her husband isn't it?" Claire questioned.

"Mhm."

"How were you able to keep your cool around Lizzie with Robbie there?"

"I just kinda ... zoned out a lot. He's really nice and he made an effort to get to know me, but I can't help but feel guilty when I'm around him."

"Why?"

"Because I'm in love with his wife!" I threw my hands up in frustration, my headset almost falling off my head with the sudden action.

"Y/N, listen," I held my breath as I waited for her to continue speaking. "Don't feel guilty. You can't help it if she likes you."

"Which she doesn't. Not like that."

"Says you. What did Brie say?"

I groaned, the memory of our kisses hitting me like a ton of bricks.

"She thinks she likes me." I mumbled. "But, she likes me too."

"She? She as in Brie?"

"Uh huh. We ... kinda ... kissed."

"You what?!"

"We were drunk and high and she was busting my balls about liking Lizzie so I kissed her to prove I wasn't in love with her."

"And did that work?"

"No."

She sighed and I began to feel even more guilty. Between Robbie and Brie, I was never gonna get any sleep at night.

"What a surprise." Sarcasm dripped from her words. "Why can't you just be honest with yourself - and your friends."

"I'm not being honest with Lizzie. She can't know I have feelings for her. It would make things weird."

"Don't you think she's smart enough to figure it out eventually?"

"I mean, yeah, probably, but by then I'm hoping I'll be over it."

"Doubtful, but good luck with that."

"Thanks so much. You're no damn help."

"Yes I am. You just don't like my advice."

"Okay. What's your advice?"

"Keep hanging out with Lizzie and try to see if she's interested - married or not." She stopped me before I could interject. "If she is, see where it goes. If not, then at least she's your friend."

"I was just gonna skip the first part and just stay friends with her."

"Go ahead and do that, then. But, you're gonna suffer not knowing if there could've been anything between you if you don't test the waters."

I was quiet for a moment, taking in her words and thinking hard about them. She was right, of course she was. But, the risk of losing Lizzie as a friend just to see if we could be more than that, which was nearly an impossibility anyway, outweighed any feelings I had for her. I didn't want to lose her in any capacity. I just had to stop liking her like that.

"I'll think about it. I just ... I really like her. As a friend, even. I don't want to lose her 'cos of some schoolgirl crush."

"You're definitely not crushing. The way you talk about her." She let out a dry chuckle. "You're absolutely in love."

"She doesn't even know me. She'd think I was insane if I told her I had feelings for her. We've only hung out three times."

"Once for like three days though."

"Two days."

"Okay, two days. So, that's a weekend. Plus all the constant texting."

I sighed, rubbing my eyes tiredly. This was the worst situation I had ever been in and it was all my own fault.

"Look," I started. "I know you mean well, but I'm just gonna stay friendly with her. If something happens, that's great! But, I won't be making the first move. Or any moves."

"Whatever you feel you should do, I'll support your decision."

"Thanks, bestie. I really appreciate you listening to all my griping."

"That's what I'm here for. Now get your head in the game. I'm tired of reviving you."

"Sorry." I laughed. "I just have a lot on my mind lately."

"I know."

She was interrupted by my phone going off, indicating that I got a text.

"Is it Lizzie?" She asked excitedly and I shrugged to myself.

"Not sure. I'm playing the game, not looking at my phone. Like you told me to."

"Oh my god, just look at your phone. I'm dying from the suspense."

I hid myself in a bush while I checked my phone. It was Lizzie.

"Well?" Claire asked with excitement in her voice.

"Lizzie wants to hang out before she heads back to LA for some business."

"And? Are you gonna see her?"

"Of course I am." I stared at the message for another moment before I felt my controller vibrate, signaling I was being shot at. "Shit."

I put my phone down and got myself back into the game. The intensity of the game provided silence, which gave me ample time to think.

"You didn't see how she looked at him, though." I said quietly. "She looked at him with stars in her eyes."

"And what about you? How do you look at her?"

I was silent. I knew how I looked at her, it had been pointed out to me few times already. But, what did that matter? She only had eyes for him.

"I look at her like she's the only beautiful thing in the world."

"Exactly, you mush."

"But, she doesn't look at me like that."

"Maybe she does and you haven't noticed."

"Maybe." I whispered to myself, my eyes flickering to my phone as it went off again.

I'm outside.

"Shit, I gotta go, Claire."

"But, there's only two teams left! We gotta finish this game!"

I hesitated for a moment before relenting.

"Damn, okay, let's kill them quickly, then."

We continued to play, my mind on the blonde outside my apartment rather than the game I was in. She was waiting for me and I was playing some stupid game.

I rushed into the battlefield, shooting indiscriminately to try and end the game quickly. I killed absolutely no one and got myself downed, which left Claire alone to win the game.

I picked up my phone and started texting Lizzie, telling her I was being held up and I'd be out in a moment.

Claire was able to clutch the game and we won, but I still was in another world.

"Go get your girl. You're not here with me anyway." She laughed and I sighed apologetically.

"Sorry, I'm going. I'll talk to you later."

I shut my game and tossed my headphones on the bed before rushing to the door, slipping my shoes on and practically running out to meet her. Brie was right, I was down bad.

As I approached her car, she smiled and I couldn't help but smile back. Her smile was damn infectious and I was happy to catch it.

I opened the passenger door and got in, closing it swiftly and buckling up.

"So what was so important that you kept me waiting fifteen minutes?" She asked playfully, a mock angry look on her face.

I laughed and raised my hands in surrender.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was in a game when you messaged me. I had to finish what I started."

"Mhm." She grumbled, a small smile still lingering on her face as she started to drive.

I leaned back in the seat as we fell into a comfortable silence, the soft music coming from the radio all but ignored as we took in each other's presence. 

"Where are we going?" I asked after a few moments, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"I was wondering when you were gonna ask." She giggled, her eyes shifting from the road to me and then back again. "We're going someplace yummy."

"McDonald's?" I asked excitedly.

"Yummier." She laughed, shaking her head.

"What could be yummier than McDonald's?"

"Absolutely anything. Wendy's for example."

"Oof. She's got superior burgers, but McDonald's fries all the way."

"Fair enough. But no, we're not getting fast food."

"Bummer."

"Hush." She said as she lightly smacked my thigh with her right hand. "You'll love it."

"Oh," I whimpered pathetically, holding my leg. "The pain."

"Aw, poor baby." She teased. "Here," she kissed her hand and placed it on my leg, and my heart fluttered. "All better."

"All better." I repeated, dazed from her actions, and currently riding a high from her touch.

She left her hand there for a moment longer than she probably should have before giving me a pat and returning her hand to the steering wheel.

"Do I get a hint?"

"You already got a hint!" She laughed.

"Yummier than McDonald's is not a hint."

"Well, that's all you're getting."

I huffed playfully and sunk into the seat, noting how damn comfortable it was.

"I could fall asleep in this seat." I told her, closing my eyes briefly before opening them again and looking at her.

She had been staring at me as we were stopped at a red light. A faint blush crossed her cheeks and she had a small smile on her lips. How long was she looking at me?

"It's green." I whispered and she snapped out of her stupor, returning her focus and attention to the road.

I smiled to myself, thinking that maybe, just maybe, she could be looking at me the way she looked at Robbie. Maybe I could be someone special to her.

We drove for a while longer before she pulled up in front of a small ice cream shop somewhere in the city.

"Ice cream!" I cheered as I unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of the car. I looked at the signs on the windows, my face dropping when I saw the seasonal flavors. "Oh no, pumpkin."

"Oh yes, pumpkin." She smirked as she stood next to me. "You're gonna love it."

"Can I get a different flavor and taste yours?"

She thought for a second before nodding, playfully nudging me.

"Of course, silly. What flavor would you like?" She asked as we entered.

"Chocolate." I hummed softly. "Chocolate sounds so good right now."

"Pumpkin sounds even better."

"Absolutely not." I laughed.

We walked up to the counter and she ordered for us, which I was grateful for, and as I was about to pull out my wallet, she beat me to it and paid with her card.

"My treat."

"Lizzie." I whined and she smiled at me. "You can't keep spoiling me like this."

"Says you."

We got our cones and sat down in a booth hidden away in a corner. She sat facing away from the door and I sat across from her.

"This is so good." I spoke as I ate, chocolate undoubtedly getting all over the place.

"I see that." She laughed softly, offering me her cone. "Just try it. One lick."

I looked from her to the cone, wincing as I remembered I promised to try it.

"Stick out your tongue ..." she said as she raised it up to my lips.

Without a second thought, I did what I was told, taking a generous amount of ice cream onto my tongue.

"Good girl."

I would've choked if I hadn't already swallowed the mildly repulsive treat. She smiled widely as my face went from disgust to indifference, taking that as a win.

"I've tasted worse things."

"I told you."

"No. You told me it was good. I didn't say it was good."

"Oh, c'mon." She laughed and I laughed with her.

"It's okay. Chocolate is definitely better."

"Lemme taste yours."

I took another lick of my ice cream to get the pumpkin off my tongue before holding the cone out to her, watching as she kept eye contact with me as she licked delicately at my ice cream.

Jesus shit fuck -

"Y/N? Earth to Y/N?" I snapped out of my daze and returned my attention to her, an amused smile on her face. "You okay?"

"I'm great." I smiled back, realizing that if she wanted to play that game, even just in a friendly way, we could play that game.

I reached across the table and ran my thumb along her lower lip, wiping the remains of my ice cream off of her mouth.

She sat, dazed, mouth slightly agape as I wiped off my finger with a napkin, holding back every urge in my body to stick it in my mouth and suck it clean.

When she snapped out of her daze, she picked up a napkin, leaned across the table, and started wiping my entire face.

"Hey!" I cried, laughing at her actions. "I'm not that dirty!"

"That's what you think." She giggled, finally bringing the napkin to my mouth and wiping it clean. "There. Now you're all clean."

"Thank you, mom." I started eating my ice cream again, careful to keep myself spotless.

She hummed as she ate her ice cream, and we sat in, yet another, comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company. Maybe Claire was right. Maybe there could be something between us. Or this was just harmless, friendly flirting. There was only one way to find out, whether I liked it or not.

•

@oh-thats-cute @marvelwomen-simp @dorabledewdroop @scarlie-johalsen-blog @annie-ahmelia

[mariaofdoranelle]

Stay a Little Longer - part 4

Fic masterlist

Written for @tomtenadia for our Rowaelin secret Santa

Guys… I can’t believe I’m saying this but… I don’t think I’ll be able to update this fic (or any other) until next year 😔

Heheheheh Happy New Year y’all!! 🥳✨

Warnings: idiots in love

Words: 3,2k

TWO MONTHS LATER

Aelin received her last letter from her mother yesterday.

In a week, she’d be getting on a boat with Aedion and the few guards and servants that followed along by her parents’ demand.

Weirdly enough, as much as she loved her home, Aelin didn’t anticipate this moment as she thought she would—it felt like an eternity when she settled on a three-month trip, and now it felt like not enough time.

It hurt to think of the reason why.

Aelin sighed, willing her body to melt on the bath water she heated herself. The taut support she rested on was as comfortable as ever, though Rowan’s body wasn’t exactly pillow-like.

He he drew her closer with one arm around her waist, water sloshing around the bathtub. Aelin leaned the back of her head against his shoulder and sighed.

“You’re worried,” he said. Not a question.

“I think we should join the others soon,” she lied.

There was no such thing as hiding a lover among the Fae. They’d never acted on their affections in public—he’d been flying in and out of her window to avoid the sentries outside her door—but every creature with Fae blood in this castle could scent Rowan in Aelin and vice-versa.

“And you haven’t thought about what I said last night?”

Looks like Rowan had his mind on the same things.

He continued, “You should stay another season. What’s there to do when Orynth gets buried under snow, anyway?”

She chuckled. “I’m a crown princess. I can’t disappear for half a year to gorgeous-Fae-prince-land.”

Rowan grunted and wrapped his arms tighter around her waist, his chin on top of her head.

Aelin pointed at their breakfast tray. “Would you…?”

He absentmindedly levitated a croissant from their breakfast tray nearby, and Aelin heated her hand until it was dry to catch it.

She pouted. “This wasn’t the one I wanted.”

He chuckled, already knowing what she meant. Aelin heated the croissant for him and dried his fingers when he extended his hand.

Rowan wasn’t a pastry devotee like Aelin, but he always appreciated the food she handed him.

Once the simplest of croissants had a proper owner, Aelin demanded the croissant she was meant to have—one of the few stuffed with chocolate hazelnut ones.

“Any plans for the day?” she asked.

“Fenrys requested my company today.”

“Oh?” Aelin twisted her body to face him as much as she could. “What are you two up to?”

The stillness of her heartbeat was as far as she’d let her apprehension go. Aelin liked Fenrys, but he was a known rake and a wild card. Rowan had never came back with someone else’s scent, and they haven’t discussed the nature of their relationship, but—

“But” nothing. They haven’t discussed it, and they wouldn’t now, one week before she parted.

Two months ago, having any claim on Rowan was the last thing she wanted.

But two months is quite some time, isn’t it?

“I didn’t ask,” Rowan replied. “He’d convince me to go either way, and I don’t wanna torture myself with the knowledge beforehand.”

Aelin nodded. She leaned her body on his further and toyed with his fingers. Slid her thumb along the palm of her hand.

Would she ever feel ready to test if they were carranam? Because they were certainly something, and Aelin’s mind was endlessly wavering, torn between both options.

It certainly wasn’t both. The likelihood of having one of these bonds was incredibly low—both, between the same creatures, with one of them being demi-Fae was downright impossible. No sane Fae would consider such a thing.

Rowan kissed the crown of her head. “I’ve lost you to your thoughts again.”

“Do you still think we’re mated?”

Rowan tensed. He placed his hands on Aelin’s shoulders, both in a soothing motion, and said in a too-quiet voice, “I think we’re whatever we want to be.”

A far cry from the prince who walked into that library demanding to get to know better his “mate”.

His reply was no answer at all, yet all the answer she needed.

˜˜

“Do you think it’s too much?” Aelin asked, biting her nail.

“I absolutely think it’s too much,” Aedion replied.

Aelin sighed. “You weren’t supposed to be this honest.”

At her antechamber, the two cousins stared at the table that laid all the gifts she bought for the cook: a knife made of ungodly expensive steel that’s allegedly unbreakable and always sharp, a chest of rare ingredients and herbs, and spidersilk gloves so she never injures her hands at work. Along with a note thanking her for the cooking.

And a request for a couple of his recipes, such as the hazelnut tarts she’d eaten every day.

Aedion shook his head. “You should’ve known better after Eyllwe.”

That cook from Eyllwe’s castle. The only one Aelin could never get a recipe from, no matter how many lavish gifts she showered him with. He said he wouldn’t give the fruit loaf recipe so Aelin would visit more often, but she knew it was because he’s stingy—his tactic worked either way.

“What else do we need to sort out before we leave?” Aelin asked mostly out of curiosity for Aedion’s plans. With one exception, everything she needed was at least half-ready.

“I need to visit my mother’s grave one last time, and I’m still wondering if I should bring Rhoe a bottle of that Fae scotch.”

“Oh, gods.” Aelin shook her head. What a terrible idea. “Dad can’t handle scotch for humans. Mom will kill you—you know she will.”

Aedion’s smirk was fiendish before he let it go and said, “What about you?”

“I’ve got everything sorted out. Except maybe for the cook’s gift, and I’m still wondering if I should see the healer before departing.”

He frowned. “Are you unwell?”

“How much do you want to hear about the malfunction on my lady parts?”

His face twisted into the most tortured grimace. “None, please. I’ll get the healer before you delay it further.”

Forever the mother hen, her cousin left to send for the healer before she could protest and say it wasn’t that much of a big deal.

Aelin’s monthly cycle was supposed to come days ago. It had gotten irregular in the past out of stress or overexertion—it wouldn’t be a surprise if it happened again, but it was better to have it checked now that she was spending the next few weeks on a boat.

“The steward is summoning her,” Aedion said as he re-entered her antechamber and closed the door. “Now tell me, what are you doing about Prince Rowan?”

“What about him?” Aelin frowned. As close as they were, they never meddled in each other’s affairs like this.

“I don’t know. You smell different.”

“Different?”

“Stop doing that.”

“Stop what?”

“Stop repeating my questions with a question.”

“I’m doing that because I’m confused! Rowan and I are companions in merriment, not matrimony—my departure won’t hurt his feelings.” Though Aelin couldn’t say the same about herself. “And how can someone smell different?”

“I don’t know. You smell different, and I don’t know what that is—I’ve never smelled it before, but it’s similar to how Rowan smells.”

“He asked me to stay here another season.”

Aedion’s brows shot up.

“I know,” she said. “I thought of inviting him to Terrasen since he has a whole season to spare, but can you imagine the scandal? Me coming back with a Doranellian lover—gods.” Aelin threw herself on the divan. “And I’d do it, but for what end? I’d buy this endless fight with my parents and the council for a match that won’t even last.”

Aedion sat on the armchair before her, seemingly thinking hard on the subject. “Didn’t he practically demand to marry you or something? Doranelle could be a powerful ally if Queen Sellene and your dad are willing to mend that bridge and find some common ground.”

“Rowan wants the stars to align into an arrow shape and point at someone for him to love, not a regular wife.”

Besides, did she want to marry Rowan? Aelin hadn’t even considered it could get that far.

“He wants a mate, you mean?”

“Exactly. That was his premise when he suggested we would eventually marry, and if he hasn’t married in the last three hundred or so years, I doubt he’ll want a wife now.”

If Sellene was anything like Maeve, she’d hand Rowan on a silver platter for a chance to get closer to Aelin. But as someone who’s dreaded a political marriage her entire life, Aelin didn’t want it like this. Not for Rowan.

“Well, cousin.” Aedion reached for a cigar and wiggled it between his fingers so Aelin could light it for him. “After a through assessment, it’s safe to say that you’re fucked.”

Aelin had as long as a deep breath to take in the amount of shit she was in before the healer knocked on her door.

“Don’t leave,” she told Aedion on her way to the door. “If I had to sit through this, you have to tell me about Fenrys as well.”

“It’s an uncommitted affair with sporadic encounters,” her cousin said, pink tinging his cheeks.

Aelin chuckled and opened her door to greet the healer holding a small case, and gestured for the female to follow her into a more private room—one Aedion wouldn’t listen even if he wanted to.

When they were settled and Aelin explained her what happened, she showed the healer the little calendar she tracked her monthly cycles in and the questions started.

Yes, she’s had irregular cycles before, though it was unusual.

Yes, she’s feeling stressed out.

No, she hadn’t gained or lost weight recently.

Yes, she was sexually active.

The healer pointed to the bed and said, “If Your Highness doesn’t mind.”

After Aelin laid down for a proper examination, the female’s hands hovered over Aelin’s body to assess it, and touched it a moment or two. When it landed on her lower stomach, the healer said, “I think I know what’s going on.” Her face remained impassive throughout the rest of her examination. Soon enough, she told Aelin to sit back at her armchair.

“Your Highness, you’re with child.”

The entire world spun.

Aelin’s with what?

“You mean…” Aelin trailed and pointed at her belly. “Little heir?”

“Exactly.” The female sent her a warm smile. “Only healing magic can detect it so far, but the baby will develop its scent and blend into yours soon enough.”

“How soon?”

“Any time now.”

Aelin nodded, her mind blank.

“Your body seems to be healthy enough for childbearing, but you should…”

The healer went on with a million recommendations about her expecting, plus lists of foods, herbs and tonics to use so the baby grows properly. Good thing she was writing it down, because Aelin was barely listening.

She was having a baby.

One that might have turquoise or green eyes and fire or wind magic and a human or hawk animal form.

One that will either reunite two opposing kingdoms or initiate a war between them.

Holy rutting Mala. She was so screwed.

The healer cleared her throat, and that’s when Aelin realized she was gawking at a blank point rather than pretending to be attention.

“Your Highness, if you don’t mind me saying…”

“Please, go ahead.”

The healer set aside the list of recommendations to say, “Fae children are rare, even more so when one or both of the parents is full-blooded. In my hundreds of years working as a healer, I’ve never seen the Fae reject their offspring the same way humans do—babies are often cherished despite the circunstancies in which they were born.”

The healer was engaged with castle gossip, then.

“You see…” Aelin leaned forward, eyes intent on the healer’s. “It is of our best interest that your knowledge of my condition stays confidential. I’m sure I can compensate you for the good work—and discretion.”

˜˜

Aedion was still on her antechamber when Aelin walked the healer out.

“How was it?”

Aelin blinked. Gods, how was it? “I’m…” Aelin trailed, struggling to find her words in this dazzling state. “Baby.”

Aedion’s full body stiffened. “You’re loud like one, yes. Now be serious.”

“You know…” Aelin frowned at her stomach. “She said I’m with child.”

He was in front of her as quick as his Fae speed could muster, sniffing her harder than a dog does to a new acquaintance.

“You don’t smell like it.”

“It’s too soon to scent it. I wouldn’t have known without a magical healer.”

Aedion paced. And paced. And paced. So much he would’ve cut a hole into the floor were his shoes sharp.

“Did you bribe her?” he asked.

“Yes. It’s concerning how that was my first instinct once she gave me the news.”

Castle gossip—Aelin had mastered the art of controlling what was said about her as much as possible.

“We must leave—immediately.”

“I agree.” She needed the family’s trusted healer to oversee this bearing and, all of a sudden, Aelin’s chest ached for her mother. “Rowan and Fenrys must be arriving back at the castle soon. As soon as I tell him—“

“No!” Aedion interrupted. He placed both arms on Aelin’s shoulders so she could sit on an armchair, then kneeled before her and said, “I admire you so much for wanting to do the right thing, but that’s too dangerous. You’re carrying a Whitethorn. Doranelle finally has a claim on you.”

Aelin nodded. He was right. This was the fulfillment of Queen Maeve’s dreams, and they didn’t know Queen Sellene enough to risk it.

“Aelin, we’re alone in a foreign land that neighbors Doranelle. We’re closer to their army than ours. You’re in a vulnerable position.” He held her face with both hands, maintaining strong eye contact as he said, “We need to go home. We’ll need an entire team to come up with a proper agreement between kingdoms, and…” Aedion swallowed. “We may or may not need an army.”

˜˜

It was the second time Aelin tried to get on a damned ship.

The salt air reeked of fish, and that alone was enough to make her queasy.

When Aelin first got on the ship yesterday, she retched her guts out before it even departed—which she was glad for, because they got to leave before being trapped in that vomit-inducing monstrosity for weeks.

After that, they stayed in an inn overnight and Aedion bought a month’s worth of everything anti-nausea that healer—Mala bless her—wrote down, and a few things more.

Now, Aelin was safely tucked into her room in the ship, near the stern where the motion of the sea is less noticeable. Even with the thick wood between her and the harbor, she could still make out the sound of the gulls’ cries, slap of water against the shore and people calling to one another all added to the mayhem that was Varese’s harbor. She’d be watching it, but her window faced the sea, and Aelin wasn’t in a lively mood today.

She missed Rowan.

It was true that carrying a child left mothers-to-be moody, but it’d be unfair to blame it for the full extent of her feelings—she blamed Rowan as well.

Rowan and his dry humor and hard muscles that felt soft when cuddling—every time her chest ached with longing for him, it was absolutely his fault.

The only thing Aelin didn’t blame him for entirely was for his seed taking root inside of her. After her mother spent her entire fertile life trying to conceive and ended up with only one child, Aelin vowed to never take a contraceptive tonic—facing the judgement of bearing a child out of marriage was better than leaving Terrasen without an heir.

And that reminder only made her more eager to go home. The lords will be livid that a decision about Aelin’s own body escaped their control, but that might be overshadowed by the fact that they’ll be dealing with Doranelle soon.

It would be chaos in every scenario Aelin tried to predict, and she just wanted it to be over with.

Aelin got up and met the sentries outside her door—one of her father’s requirements for her trip.

Gods, her dad will be so proud when he gets to see what she can do with her flames now.

The thought made her think of Rowan again. She was doomed.

The sentries jumped, wide-eyed when she opened her door.

“Why is it taking us so long to leave?”

One of the males glanced at the narrow hallway before he said, “There’s an issue with a stowaway. Word is that he’s been raising hell in other ships too.”

Aelin frowned. “So he’s a bandit?”

He shrugged. “That’s all I know. We’re under strict orders that no one other than Prince Aedion should get in or out of your room for now.”

She closed the door, laid back on the bed and grabbed a book. There were plenty of people outside dealing with the bandit, and Aelin couldn’t put Terrasen’s heir at risk by engaging in fights she could avoid.

She didn’t think Aedion would find a ship with a room this nice at the last minute, but Aelin was grateful for it—if she was going to be miserable, she might as well be doing it in a comfortable, spacious room.

For a moment, Aelin heard shouting outside. She straightened herself into a seating position at the bed and willed her flames to stay ready to attack. It was gone soon.

They must’ve caught him—Aelin’s side of the ship was filled with guards.

She focused back on her book and throughly judged the fictional princess’ choices. Gods, who wrote this thing?

A loud crack stole her attention as the glass from her window shattered under the wind’s strength.

That wind she knew too well.

Aelin’s entire body tensed. As she got up, a hawk flew past her broken window and into her room.

He shifted into his Fae form at the same time the guards burst into her room.

“Your Highness, are you—THE BANDIT!”

Aelin grew a wall of flame between them and the guards before another fight could ensue.

“That’s not a bandit,” she shouted, “that’s Prince Rowan of Doranelle!”

To be fair, he didn’t look princely at all. With clothes torn at the seams and a frazzled expression of somber eyes and disheveled hair, Rowan looked like a tramp or a drunk rather than a prince.

Aelin shooed away the guards before she could fully focus on him, but Rowan had barely noticed them, holding her closer without caring about their privacy.

“How dare you,” he murmured against her head. “How dare you leave town with just a goodbye letter thanking me for the orgasms.”

In that moment, all Aelin knew was the swell of warmth she felt on her chest when he was near—if she had any problems before this moment, it was lost to her.

She chuckled and nipped his chin. “You knew I’d be leaving either way.”

“And you should grant a male his time to fix that.” Rowan kissed her cheek, jaw, nipped her neck. “How are you—“

Rowan sniffed along her neck and froze. All warmth was gone when he took a step back from her.

Nothing could’ve prepared her for the betrayed look in her lover’s eyes.

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[caitchercatlady]

Sleeping over at Ramshackle w/Lilia

Lilia has shared sleeping quarters back in his general prime, but he’s never experienced a gathering of friends to share a room for one night or two all for the purpose of fun. Seeing Silver, Sebek, and even Malleus (finally) getting invited to these parties with the new friends they’ve been able to make, it admittedly makes the old man jealous. He’s gotten his hands on physical trends the kids are into, but he needs to know what they do on these nights. What makes these sleepover parties so special that high school students plan their weekends around them?

This is what he explains (or rather rants) to you about when he visits you at Ramshackle as you are sweeping the dust out of the dorm. Now that you think about it…you haven’t really thought about how Lilia feels when the other members of Diasomnia are out doing typical high school activities. You know that Lilia is in the pop music club, and he loves doing that, but other than that and studying (most likely), what else does Lilia do? You can’t help but feel bad when Lilia relays this information about not being a part of a proper sleepover. Even if he is fae and lives in a different life cycle, you can’t rob him of enjoying high school experiences that he’s never seen or heard before.

Who’s better of a person to test this experiment on than the Prefect? You offer Lilia a chance to stay over if he was interested. He’s more than interested. He’s thankful.

Friday evening arrives, and Lilia delightedly reaches the Ramshackle front door with more bags than you expect him to carry to your front porch. You offer assistance to carry them inside, but Lilia has carried more weight than that before, so it’s nothing. What he means by no weight is snapping his fingers and the bags teleporting up to the second floor. You suppose you can change into your pajamas later. Lilia must be a mind reader because with one more snap, the both of you have switched out of your school uniforms and into your cozy nightwear.

“Wow, Lilia. Your PJs are…quite modern.”

He giggles and conducts a flowery turn, modeling in a way that makes it seem he’s been taking lessons from Vil. “Do you like them? I picked them out myself. Gotta keep up with the boys after all.” You know full heartedly that Lilia has snatched them from the children’s section of some clothing shop in Foothill Town.

You also aren’t the one in a position to speak the contrary. “Like you’re in high school, Lilia,” you say to the old fae.

He widely grins. “Thank you.” Lilia stretches out his arms one more time, as if preparing for gym class. “So, sleepover buddy, what are we doing first? Video games? Movies? I got every one of those streaming app things thanks to Cater. Oh! I have a better idea. Let’s make cookies!”

Your stomach churns up a cramp. “Actually, Lilia, I had ingredients that were gonna go bad, so I already made snacks.” You guide Lilia to the kitchen and present the buffet of your pre-made collection. His magenta eyes twinkle with glee, and Lilia wastes no time in taste-testing the smorgasbord. It’s so funny; it’s like watching a kid experience a toy store for the first time. You suppose that joy exists at all ages.

“Prefect, this is delectable! You should come bake and cook for Diasomnia some time. The others will be delighted.”

You are very sure of that.

With your stomachs full and the moon high in the sky, you think it’s about time to get some studying? At a sleepover? Where’s the fun in that?” exclaims Lilia.

“Whoa! I wasn’t expecting that response from you, Lilia.”

“It can wait. There’s fun to be had. You go shower and let me do the work.”

It’s your dorm, but you can’t argue with the elder fae. You quickly wash yourself in the bathroom. By the time you're done, you’re praying that Lilia hasn’t touched your kitchen or busted your electricity. You turn into your room only to find it decked out with two mattresses and pillows for walls and sheets for a roof.

“Lilia, what is this?” you shout.

Lilia pokes his head from between the mattresses. “Have you never seen a pillow fortress? Come in, Prefect. The fluffy walls are sound…just as long as you don’t push the pillows.”

Seems reasonable enough. Out of all the childish things for Lilia to do, at least this first is harmless. Getting on your hands and knees to crawl inside is a tad cumbersome, but you manage to join the fae under the bedroom equipment creation just fine. A ball of light sits on the floor, adding the ability to see in the artificial darkness.

“Cozy enough?” he asks.

“Not sure. I haven’t done this in a while,” you respond.

“You’ve been missing out for a while. Thank the Seven for night, allowing me to fix that. What shall we do now? Ghost stories? I have plenty of those under my belt.”

“Why don’t you tell me why you wanted a sleepover in the first place?”

“What do you mean?” Lilia’s cheeks fill with color, and it’s more obvious with him as he has the most pale complexion.

“I don’t know,” you reply. “I didn’t think you’d be into this sort of thing.”

Lilia sighs.

You adjust yourself for his explanation.

For the longest time, it has been only him, Malleus, and Silver. Being involved in the raising of children often means that you give children opportunities that he will miss out on. He’s built Malleus, Silver, and of course, Sebek, up to experience high school the way they deserve, but as Lilia guides them and watches it all go down, instead of living high school through them, he experiences high school by listening to the kids’ stories. All of this brings envy to the poor fae as his youth experience has been far different (considering how long he’s been living). Now that he’s spending the night with you, he can finally see what the others see through his own eyes.

“Lilia, you are the most selfless person I’ve ever met.”

He scoffs. “My speech was nothing but selfish, Prefect. I roped you into it, and I should be the one apologizing to you.”

“There’s no need for that. You’re allowed to want things, Lilia. No one should go on living without getting the things they want in life. That wouldn’t be fair whatsoever. I’m honored to have you at Ramshackle today.”

“Prefect…”

You two go on talking of Lilia’s wants and how you two will go about them. You let time pass you by so much that not only do you two not know which hour it is, you fail to care of it as you lull yourselves to sleep at your own pace whilst under the fort of pillows and blankets.