#Luke and Oliver are MARRIED

[the-fengverse]

BREAKING NEWS! Second Chance Initiative actually implemented?!?!

By: Wendy Seiran {OC}

Publication date: 1/2/3067*

(SCI logo above, as presented on official pamphlets given out during yesterday's ceremony)

Yesterday, a ceremony was held to 'commemorate' the Second Chance Initiative (SCI) being officially implemented by the Guild to help both Tamer’s and civilians alike with 'Aid Nexomon'. The program, (Founded by Luke and Oliver Windsor) was initially and rightfully rejected by Guildmaster Amelie. Despite public backlash, Grandmaster Deena -with help from a group called the Alliance- spearheaded a movement to accept the initiative.

Here's what Grandmaster Deena had to say during yesterday's ceremony:

"Despite what everyone thinks, the Second Chance Initiative, is a necessity -not just for the Guild, but for all of Aurelia! Every day, Tamers and civilians alike are forced to give up their badges or step down from their jobs. And because of what? Because they were simply born with a disability or acquired one in an accident? The person who's blind? They need a partner who will see for them. The person who's deaf? They need a partner who will hear for them. The person who's mute? They need a partner who will speak for them. The person who suffers from anxiety? They need a partner who will help calm them down when they're overwhelmed. The person with depression? They need a partner who will make them smile, even during their darkest moments. The person with severe PTSD? They need a companion who will help them through difficult flashbacks. No one -child or adult- should be forced to give up their life's work because of a disability that is completely out of their control! It's about giving people a partner who can be their eyes, their ears, their voice, their comfort... their lifeline! Hence why the Second Chance Initiative was made to provide support and opportunities for people who are struggling with disabilities, and to ensure that everyone is given a fair chance, regardless of their abilities," ~Grandmaster Deena, SCI Guild Rep

According to Elizabeth Windsor (Alliance founder, Guild scientist, founding member of SCI), SCI's mission is to and I quote, ''Provide a second chance for people to continue their lives and work regardless of their limitations.''

Now, I know what you’re all thinking: Why would the Guild ever approve such a soft, unrealistic initiative? After all, the Guild is meant to represent strength, determination, and resilience—qualities that define the best of us! And yet, here we are, celebrating a program that, quite frankly, undermines everything the Guild stands for. Let’s not forget why Guildmaster Amelie rejected this initiative in the first place.

"When I first rejected the SCI proposal, my reasoning was simple: practicality and responsibility. The Guild's mission is to protect Aurelia from threats like the Tyrants, Renegades, bandits, and wild Nexomon. This requires individuals who are fully capable of responding swiftly and effectively to crises. While I sympathize with those who face disabilities, emotions alone cannot dictate Guild policy. Our decisions must be rooted in logic, efficiency, and above all, the safety of our people! We cannot afford to compromise the resources that would otherwise go to strengthening the Guild and ensuring the protection of our city. Every time we divert funds to silly programs like this, we risk weakening the core of the Guild itself. And if we’re being honest, the consequences of that will be felt throughout all of Aurelia. I’ve always held the firm belief that individuals who represent the Guild, whether as Tamers or civilians, must be able to operate at their fullest potential. To rely on 'Aid Nexomon' is to support cripples who dare not challenge themselves to rise above their limitations. It enables dependence on outside assistance rather than fostering true growth and strength! While I do understand the... 'noble' intent behind the initiative, there is a fundamental flaw in its logic. The Guild was built on a foundation of personal strength and self-sufficiency. Introducing 'Aid Nexomon' will make people feel like they are being helped when it’s not true empowerment. The Initiative, to put it simply, is a crutch -and the Guild cannot have a crutch. I will not allow our fair and righteous Guild to be a place where we lower our standards for the sake of 'inclusivity'. You do not see Tyrants stopping their attacks because someone cannot see, or because someone is too anxious to face them. This world is cruel and unforgiving and a nightmare -and it demands people to meet that unforgiving nightmare head-on. What Grandmaster Deena and the Alliance fail to understand is that real strength comes from pushing through adversity, not relying on others or on Nexomon to compensate for our shortcomings. These cripples, despite their circumstances, need to learn to stand on their own, not be propped up by artificial crutches. The Guild should not be a place for dependency -it should be a place for those who are capable and willing to fight for themselves and their communities. If we allow people to rely on 'Aid Nexomon' as a solution, where will it end? Will we continue to lower the bar for what is expected of a Tamer? At some point, we must ask ourselves: Are we empowering people, or are we giving them an excuse to stop trying? Our dying world is not for the weak or the dependent. It is for the strong, the resilient, and the capable!" ~Guildmaster Amelie

Tamers and civilians are expected to contribute to society as equals. Introducing 'Aid Nexomon' into the mix doesn't create fairness -it creates dependency. Are we really 'helping' people, or are we just coddling them? Grandmaster Deena claims that ‘Aid Nexomon’ will provide these individuals with a ‘fair chance.’ But I ask you, dear reader, is it fair to allow someone who cannot perform their duties independently to continue putting others at risk? A blind or mute Tamer cannot lead a battle effectively, even with a Nexomon 'aiding' them. These are not just personal struggles -they have real, tangible consequences for the safety of our teams and communities.

Critics of SCI have voiced concerns about the cost, both monetary and societal. Are we as a society truly prepared to pour resources into training Nexomon to accommodate individuals who are not worth our time? These resources could instead bolster the Guild's infrastructure or support real Tamers striving to protect Aurelia from the ever-present threat of the Tyrants!

It’s easy to get swept up in sob stories, but we must remain practical! The Guild's mission is to protect Aurelia, not to act as a charity. We should be investing in those who demonstrate strength, skill, and adaptability -not enabling useless cripples.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be closely monitoring the effects of this program, and I won’t shy away from exposing its inevitable demise. For now, I leave you with this, dear reader: Is the Second Chance Initiative truly about giving everyone a fair chance, or is it just a feel-good policy designed to appease a defective minority? Only time will tell.

{*15 Years before Extinction, in-Universe News Report -Ash Feng}

[princessbellecerise]

Husband Jacaerys

Summary ✩ Headcanons about married life with Jace

Warnings ✩ Mentions of pregnancy, smut

Masterlist

SFW

First of all, can we all just agree that Jace is absolutely obsessed with you?

You will never find another man in Westeros more loyal to you than your Lord husband, who practically kisses the ground you walk on

From the day you met to the day you said your vows, Jace is the most doting husband, always listening to you and showering you with affection

Especially with kisses, on your forehead specifically

One of his favorite night time routines is to pull you to his chest, placing a kiss to your forehead before you go to sleep

And speaking of sleep, Jace is SUCH a big cuddler

He loves being your big spoon, just holding you against his chest and keeping you warm. It makes him feel good knowing he’s there to protect you at any given moment

On the days that he has to attend meetings or engage in court, he misses you so much <3 He’s such a simp that literally everyone knows that he’s down bad for you

Daemon will often tease him every time he catches Jace blanking out in meetings, knowing he’s thinking of you

Luke will gag every time Jace kisses you in public, teasing his brother about being whipped for his wife

And every time Jace will go redder than Caraxes, but honestly he doesn’t mind. He’s never afraid to be seeing loving you

When you’re pregnant or when you have kids, he’s so protective over them and you

He loves kissing your belly, admiring how you’re swollen with his children

If needed, Jace will even rub your feet or your back if they’re hurting during your pregnancy. You always tell him that he doesn’t have to, but he insists on making you as comfortable as possible

If you need anything, your husband is quick to get it for you

Even if it’s the middle of the night and you’re craving something like goat cheese and olives then never fear, cause Jace will have it delivered before you can even finish the words

When your children are born, he’s in awe over how perfect they are and he’s literally the best Kepa ever

He’s adamant on teaching his children High Valaryion and how to become dragon riders. As soon as they’re old enough, he’ll take them on Vermax for their first flight and relish in the way they laugh as they cling to him

And of course, he loves riding with you as well

Even if you have your own dragon, Jace prefers going together, loving the way your face lights up as you soar though the clouds

Life as a prince/King can be extremely stressful, so Jace always looks forward to decompressing with you at the end of the day

Taking baths together and just sitting in the warm water talking to you is his favorite

He loves running his hands over your naked body, feeling every crevice as you sit on lap, back to his chest

With you, Jace never feels like he has to pretend and he’s always at his most relaxed

He’s also very vulnerable with you, and you are pretty much the only one that he’ll talk to about his worries and fears

Overall, he’s a very guarded person so the fact that he lets his walls down for you is a sign of just how much he loves you

No matter what, just know that you 100% lucked out and that with Jace, you will always have someone there to love and protect you

NSFW

Everyone in the Seven Kingdoms knew how much Prince Jacaerys loved his wife. The Prince was soft and loving towards you in public, and in the bedroom…

Well, just ask an unlucky handmaiden or the guard stationed outside of your room and they’ll tell you: Prince Jacaerys is almost never not making love to you

One of his favorite feelings in the world is to have you wrapped around his cock, underneath him as he fucks you slow and passionately

Deep, messy kisses full of tongue and desperatation are his absolute favorite while he’s rutting into you

Your husband 100% whimpers every time he cums, needing so desperately to fill you with his seed that it’s almost primal

Missionary or mating press are his favorite positions for this very reason, because he loves getting you pregnant

There’s just something about knowing that you’re carrying his heir, his seed and his legacy that lights a fire inside of him

He often times find himself getting lost in the desire to breed you, and afterwards he stays sheathed inside to the hilt so not a single drop can go to waste

But don’t get mistaken; Jace, like any other man, also loves taking you from behind

And more than that, he loves eating your cunt from behind, face messy with slick while he eagerly sucks on your clit

Jace firmly believes that if his wife hasn’t had her fill of pleasure then he doesn’t get to cum

For that very reason, you’re always overstimulated by the time he finally slips inside of you, the pretty little ring of cum that appears around his cock like a badge of honor for Jace <3

[kaydensb]

100% Legally Sourced Media (Google Drive)

Here is a link for a whole bunch of movies, tv shows and more -

Hopefully all the prior issues with getting things to open or show up have been fixed, but if not let me know specifically what isn't working and I will try to re-upload it.

below is a list of the things currently on my google drive, I may add more and keep updating this list periodically as things get put on the drive.

Audiobooks and Audio Dramas

Fiction

1984 By George Orwell

A Tale of Two Cities By Charles Dickens

Animal Farm By George Orwell

Bleak House By Charles Dickens

Bridgerton Series By Julia Quinn

Chemistry By Rachael Sommers

Daisy Jones and the Six By Taylor Jenkins Reid

David Copperfield By Charles Dickens

Do Not Disturb By Freida McFadden

Dracula By Bram Stoker

Eve of Man Series By Tom Fletcher & Giovanna Fletcher

Fellow Travelers By Thomas Mallon

Frankenstein By Mary Shelley

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe By Fanny Flagg

Friends of Dorothy By Sandi Toksvig

Gone Girl By Gillian Flynn

Gothic Tales By Arthur Conan Doyle

Great Expectations By Charles Dickens

H.G. Wells The Science Fiction Collection By H.G Wells

It By Stephen King

Jurassic Park By Michael Crichton

Les Misérables By Victor Hugo

Little Women By Louisa May Alcott

Mansfield Park By Jane Austen

Me Before You By Jojo Moyes

Neon Roses By Rachel Dawson

No One I knew By A. J. McDine

Oliver Twist By Charles Dickens

Pride and Prejudice By Jane Austen

Red, White & Royal Blue By Casey McQuiston

Sense and Sensibility By Jane Austen

Should Have Known Better By A J McDine

Stranger in the Woods By Anni Taylor

The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection By Arthur Conan Doyle

The Exorcist By William Peter Blatty

The Forgetting By Hannah Beckerman

The Girl on the Train By Paula Hawkins

The Glitch By Leeanne Slade

The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Honey Witch By Sydney J. Shields

The Invite By A. J. McDine

The Murder Game By Tom Hindle

The Picture of Dorian Gray By Oscar Wilde

The Promise You Made By A. J. McDine

The Woman in Black By Susan hill

The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop By Fannie Flagg

The Wrong Sister By Claire Douglas

Think Again By Jacqueline Wilson

Torchwood

We Play Games by Sarah A. Denzil

When You Least Expect It By Haley Cass

Non Fiction

A Billion Years My Escape from a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology By Mike Rinder

All I Know Now By Carrie Hope Fletcher

Apparently There Were Complaints By Sharon Gless

Bad Gays A Homosexual History By Huw Lemmey & Ben Miller

Barnum's Own Story By P T Barnum

Best Foot Forward By Adam Hills

Between the Stops By Sandi Toksvig

Beyond Belief By Jenna Miscavige

Black Mass By Gerrard O’Niell & Dick Lehr

Blown for Good - Behind the Iron Curtain of Scientology By Marc Headley

Boy From the Valleys By Luke Evans

Che Guevara By Jon Lee Anderson

Church of Lies By Flora Jessop & Paul T. Brown

Coming Up for Air By Tom Daley

Dare to Dream By Izzy Judd

David Bowie Made Me Gay - 100 Years of LGBT Music By Darryl W Bullock

Deaf Utopia By Nyle DiMarco

Escaping the Kingdom of God By J. Andrew Robinson

Fahrenheit-182 By Mark Hoppus

Fathomless Riches By Rev Richard Coles

Freddie Mercury The Definitive Biography By Lesley-Ann Jones

Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing By Matthew Perry

From Here to the Great Unknown A Memoir By Lisa Marie Presley & Riley Keough

Help I S*xted My Boss By William Hanson & Jordan North

Karma By Boy George

Letters on Motherhood by Giovanna Fletcher

Mama’s Boy By Dustin Lance Black

Notorious by Raphael Rowe

Once upon a Tyne By Ant & Dec

Our Story By Reg and Ron Kray

Over Our Dead Bodies By Todd Harra & Kenneth McKenzie

Rainbow History Class By Hanna McElhinney

Scientology: Abuse at the Top By Amy Scobee

Sh**ged. Married. Annoyed By Chris Ramsey & Rosie Ramsey

The Church of Fear by John Sweeney

The Doomsday Mother By John Glatt

The House of My Mother By Shari Franke

The Hundred Years' War on Palestine By Rashid Khalidi

The Mayor of Castro Street By Randy Shilts

The Peer and the Gangster By Daniel Smith

The Phantom Prince By Elizabeth Kendall

Under the Banner of Heaven By Jon Krakauer

Under the Bridge By Rebecca Godfrey

Documentaries and Docudramas

A Lion Called Christian

A Very British Sex Scandal

Abused By My Girlfriend

Accused - The Hampstead Paedophile Hoax

Aids - The Unheard Tapes

Alex Brooker: Disability and Me

Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing

Bad Influencer - The Great Insta Con

Bowie - The Man Who Changed The World

Boyzone: No Matter What

Children of the Underground

Dancing for the Devil - The 7M TikTok Cult

Daughters of the Cult

Desperately Seeking Soulmate - Escaping Twin Flames Universe

Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke

Dinosaurs - The Final Day with David Attenborough

Dirty Pop - The Boy Band Scam

Driven - The Billy Monger Story

Escaping Polygamy

Escaping Twin Flames

Freddie Mercury - The Great Pretender

Frozen Planet

Frozen Planet II

Good Grief with Reverend Richard Coles

Hatton Garden - The Inside Story

Hell Camp - Teen Nightmare

I Am Not A Rapist

I Cut Off His Penis - The Truth Behind The Headlines

Ireland's Mother and Baby Scandal

Killing Patient Zero

Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath

Lewis Capaldi - How I'm Feeling Now

Liar: The Fake Grooming Scandal

Living Every Second: The Kris Hallenga Story

Lord Montagu

Mama's Boy

Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction

Murdaugh Murders - A Southern Scandal

Murder Among the Mormons

My Wife My Abuser - Captured On Camera

Pennywise - The Story of It

Planet Earth

Planet Earth II

Queen - Days Of Our Lives

Sacred Soil - The Piney Woods School Story

Sarah Everard: The Search for Justice

Scientology: Going Clear - The Prison of Belief

Soham: The Murder of Holly & Jessica

Stolen Youth - Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence

Strike - An Uncivil War

Strike! The Women Who Fought Back

Striking with Pride: United at the Coalface

Surviving Amber Heard

Take Care of Maya

The Bambers : Murder at the Farm

The Boys - The Sherman Brothers' Story

The Exorcist Untold

The Family

The Krays - The Mafia Connection

The Menendez Brothers

The Millennium Dome Heist With Ross Kemp

The Movies That Made Us

The Pembrokeshire Murders - Catching the Gameshow Killer

The Program - Cons, Cults and Kidnapping

The Settlers

The Times of Harvey Milk

Tom Daley 1.6 Seconds

Uprising

Waco - American Apocalypse

Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil

Wonders of the World I Can't See

Films

A Haunting in Venice

About a Boy

All of Us Strangers

American Psycho

Armageddon

Bad Tidings

Basic Instinct

Beautiful Boy

Beautiful Thing

Beetlejuice

Boy Erased

Boys Don’t Cry

But I'm a Cheerleader

Chicago

Child's Play

Chocolat

City of Lies

Clue

Contagion

Cool Runnings

Corpse Bride

Dallas Buyers Club

Dawn of the Dead

Death on the Nile

Deck the Halls

Die Hard

Dirty Dancing

Donnie Brasco

Downton Abbey

Edward Scissorhands

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Four Weddings and a Funeral

Fried Green Tomatoes

From Hell

Gone Girl

Gremlins

Hairspray

Handsome Devil

Heathers

Heathers - The Musical

Home Alone

Hot Fuzz

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

IT

Jaws

Jingle All The Way

Jumanji

Jurassic Park

Kill Your Darlings

Kindergarten Cop

Kinky Boots

Labyrinth

Legally Blonde

Legend

Les Misérables

Les Misérables: The Staged Concert

Little Shop of Horrors

Little Women

Love Actually

Mean Girls

Midsommar

Milk

Minamata

Miracle on 34th Street

Moulin Rouge!

Murder on the Orient Express

Murdered for Being Different

Newsies

Oliver!

Philadelphia

Pirates of the Caribbean

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Prayers For Bobby

Pride

Pride and Prejudice

Red, White and Royal Blue

Rent

Scarface

Scream

Scrooged

Secret Window

Shaun of the Dead

Shelter

Sister Act

Sleepy Hollow

Star Wars

Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

The Addams Family

The Amityville Horror

The Blair Witch Project

The Conjuring

The Craft

The Crow

The Exorcist

The Full Monty

The Greatest Showman

The imitation Game

The Muppet Christmas Carol

The Nightmare Before Christmas

The Santa Clause

The Shawshank Redemption

The Sixth Sense

The Sound of Music

The Tourist

The Woman in Black

Three Men and a Baby

Three Men and a Little Lady

Titanic

Transcendence

Twister

Uncle Buck

Unicorns

West Side Story

What We Did on Our Holiday

White Christmas

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Zola

Stand Up Comedy

Adam Hills

Chris McCausland

Chris Ramsey

Daniel Howell

Daniel Sloss

Dara O'Briain

Ed Byrne

Fern Brady

Greg Davies

John Bishop

Rhod Gilbert

Sarah Millican

Sean Lock

TV Shows

90210

Agatha All Along

Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled

Apple Cider Vinager

Being Human

Big Night of Musicals

Bridgerton

Celebrity Race Across the World

Code of Silence

Criminal Minds

Cuckoo

Daisy Jones and the Six

Deadwater Fell

Desperate Housewives

Doctor Who

Downton Abbey

Dynasty

Eyewitness

Fellow Travelers

Fire Country

Friends

Good Girls

Good Omens

Good Trouble

Heartstopper

I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!

Interview with the Vampire

It's A Sin

Killing Eve

Looking

Mary & George

Mid-Century Modern

Midnight Mass

Missing You

My Family

My Wife and Kids

Nevermind the Buzzcocks

One Tree Hill

Parenthood

QI 

Queer as Folk

Shameless

Sky Med

Sleepy Hollow

Switched at Birth

Taskmaster

The Alienist

The Artful Dodger

The Clearing

The Couple Next Door

The Fosters

The Haunting of Bly Manor

The Haunting of Hill House

The Jetty

The Midnight Club

The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan

The Pembrokeshire Murders

The Perfect Couple

The Society

The Stranger

The Unofficial Science Of…

The Watcher

Torchwood

Toxic Town

Under the Banner of Heaven

Under the Bridge

Virgin River

WandaVision

White Collar

White House Farm

[kyoshithewriter]

Sweetest Temptation

Warnings: (smut 18+), cheating (not between fmc and Aurélien)

Wc: 9k

A/n: First Tchouameni fic as per request of a follower lol. Enjoy?

Luke [8:30 pm]: I’ll be home late again tonight, don’t wait up. Remember the gala tomorrow.

Nora rolls her eyes at the message, tossing her phone carelessly somewhere in the cherry red silk sheets of the king sized bed.

“Stupid, just stupid. Getting all dressed up for fucking-” she rips at the sultry red, lacy lingerie in frustration. Why does she even bother? Why even try anymore? Her mother insisted that she is always being dramatic, that marrying a man like Luke obviously means that he’ll be scarce.

“Honey, you married a wealthy, very important man. It doesn’t matter if he’s not home often, stop complaining with cartier diamonds around your neck.”

But she wouldn’t get it; she only cares about Luke showering her with gifts and fattening her own bank account. Her husband is very generous after all. Nora won’t deny the luxury is nice, but she is lonely; very lonely. Nora does not think it’s normal for months at a time to pass without sex in a marriage. Seven months, while under the same roof, without being touched. She has reached her limit. Is she really ready for a divorce though? For the disappointment and possible contempt she’ll face from her family and his? She won’t know for certain but something has got to give.

**************

Luke makes a point of stomping his way up the grand staircase. It’s his passive aggressive little dig to show his impatience. His footsteps echo about the mansion that’s entirely a lot too much for two people. Hell, she could argue one person since most his time is spent on the top floor of his skyscraper in the city.

“Nora, we’re already twenty minutes late.” He says through his clenched teeth, fingers pinching at the bridge of his nose. The 6ft caucasian man is dressed in a fitted armani dark blue suit that she thinks is a bit boring and clashes with the vibrant green of his eyes. His chestnut brown hair is slicked back to show off his angular face. Luke is definitely handsome. She was smitten by him in university and he was so charming; so charming that even now, knowing what she knows, if time was reversed she still wouldn’t be able to resist him. She’s still struggling to come to terms with the fact that he’s changed so much. Maybe he hasn’t changed, maybe he just doesn’t love you anymore. She physically shakes her head to get rid of the thought. Nora instead focuses on her reflection as she spritzes on her perfume. The rich, olive green dress complements her smooth brown skin so well. The top is halter- like with a plunging neckline that shows off her supple cleavage. The dress hugs her figure to the top of her knees before flowing off to the floor. The jet black sew in is neatly curled and parted to the side. She topped off her look with delicate gold jewelry and heels. Her makeup is on the softer side but a bit smokey around her eyes to make her molton brown irises pop.

“They’ll start just fine without us, we’re not the ones greeting the guests.” She responds with an eye roll.

“Doesn’t matter, do you know how it looks to potential business partners showing up this late? And that smug prick-”

“Okay okay. I’m ready.” Nora says exasperated. She grabs her clutch and storms off ahead of him. She can’t help but think, if this was two years ago he would’ve whispered how good she looked getting all dressed up and pulled her down on their bed for a quickie.

**************

The gala is in full swing by the time the couple arrive. Nora pretends she doesn’t feel Luke glaring through his peripheral as they enter the lobby of the five-star hotel.

“There he is!”

A stocky man that Nora recognizes as the CFO of Luke’s business strolls in their direction. The man appears to be toeing the line of tipsy yet he still carries a glass of dark brown liquor.

“Chuck, nice of you to already be in this state an hour in.” Luke says with faux cheer in his voice.

“Don’t worry about it-”

“But I am worried, Chuck. I organized this event for special reasons and you will not fuck it up like you did the last one you stupid fucking alcoholic. Put the whiskey down and sober up before you have to give your presentation. The only reason I haven’t fired you is because I promised my old man.” Luke says through clenched teeth with a smile stretching his face the entire time. Chuck turns red with shame.

“Uh, y-yes. I apologize. I’ll-” the man stutters then stumbles away.

Nora glares at Luke, hoping that if she wills it hard enough, he would spontaneously combust.

“You didn’t have to be so harsh. You know he’s been drinking to cope with his wife’s passing.” She hisses quietly at him but keeps her expression neutral.

“He can cope however the fuck he likes outside my presence, Nora.” Luke doesn’t look her way as he offers a smile to someone who beckons him over. He grabs at her hand to lead her over to some elderly man surrounded by a group of people clearly of similar importance. This might be the part Nora hates the most; but she has been integrated into this lifestyle for almost five years now and knows how to perform. So she plasters a smile on her face and accepts the empty cheek smooches and returns the fake pleasantries.

It’s been thirty minutes of standing in the same position discussing stocks and bonds and whatever the fuck else. Nora is nursing a glass of bubbly champagne and bored out of her mind. She needs an escape.

“Bathroom.” She whispers in Luke’s ear. The man just nods without looking in her direction. Downing the rest of the drink, she places the glass on the empty tray of one of the passing servers and heads towards the entrance. She hesitates in the foyer, deciding to take the left that leads to the gardens outside the hotel instead. She didn’t really need the bathroom anyway. The back garden is dimly lit but the fresh air and sound of the water fountain rather than pitched voices raving about what happened on Wall Street is enough to make her shoulders sag. Nora expels all the breath in her lungs in a long woosh.

“That can’t be good.”

The deep rumble of a masculine voice startles her so much that she lets out a sharp, shrill scream. The man steps from out of the shadows, stubbing a cigarette under his foot. He holds both hands up in a way to show he’s non-threatening.

“I didn’t mean to scare you.” He says with a small smile pulling at his lips.

“Maybe try not hiding out in the dark?!” Nora fires back, hand clutching at her chest.

“I wasn’t hiding. Maybe you need to be more aware of your surroundings.” He responds easily. He widens his stance, placing both hands in the pockets of his well-fitted slacks. She’s not sure who designed the all black suit he wears but they must be in love with him. It’s perfect for his tall frame. Very tall. She gulps. He stands at about 6’1, she thinks. His hair is in a high taper with a perfect fade. The man’s skin tone is dark and rich. His brown eyes are kind and his face cleanly shaven. Nora eyes the AP watch glistening on his wrist. Fucking hell. It’s been a while since she has seen a man look this good. Or maybe she had just been too blinded by love to notice any. But that would mean… no, she’s sure this man is just gorgeous.

“Maybe. I just needed some air.” She whispers, looking up at him from beneath her lashes.

“Hmm, I understand. Needed a break myself.” The man doesn’t take his eyes off her for a second.

“Are you staring at me because I seem familiar but you’re unable to place it?” She’s no stranger to those exact words from people. Luke is well known, especially in the business world and being his wife, expectedly, comes with some attention. She has even been captured by paparazzi a few times as well.

“No. I’m staring at you because you’re fucking gorgeous.” He says without missing a beat.

Her skin tightens and her breathing stutters.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” The man asks, cocking his head a little.

“Like what?” She manages to breathe out. She physically shivers as his eyelids seem to lower a bit at the tone of her voice. It’s all breathy but it wasn’t intentional at all. He’s really… doing things to her.

“Like you haven’t heard that from someone in a while?”

She looks away from him bashfully. If only he knew how right he was…

“What’s yo-”

Nora’s eyes catch Luke’s form heading in the direction of the bathroom further down the hallway. Fuck, she has probably been gone a while and he’s off to look for her.

“I- I’ve got to get back inside.” She cuts him off before dashing through the doors to re-enter the building.

***********

“Where have you been?” The clench of his jaw and furrow between his brow indicate pure annoyance.

“I got lost, then I was distracted by the water fountain out back.” She mutters nonchalantly, accepting his offered elbow to be escorted back inside. Nora wants to scream when she realizes they’re heading right back to the group she left to escape earlier. Luke falls seamlessly back in conversation with them while Nora busies herself with counting the deviled eggs and shrimp cocktails on table three. At some point, the same man that first beckoned Luke over gives a dramatic gasp.

“Aurelien! Join us.” His voice booms out with pure excitement. It’s a bit unnerving to see how a man his age lights up like a kid in an ice-cream shop. Luke stiffens by her side and that gets her attention. She subtly peeks at her husband in her peripheral to find his expression stony where he was pleasant seconds before. Nora looks up just in time to see the man nearing their group and it’s her turn to lock her body tight.

“Mr. Zelenski.” The man she now knows is Aurelien, greets smoothly as soon as he’s in earshot. He offers his hand to everyone in the circle who introduces themselves eagerly.

“Ah, Mr. Tchouameni, I’m Luke. Founder and owner of-”

“I know who you are, don’t tire yourself with an introduction Mr. Spence.” He says almost dismissively. He swings his eyes towards her and Nora holds her breath. She’s not sure why, they only had a small conversation but the air between them feels so charged.

“Oh! Yes, this is Nora, my wife.” Luke says flippantly.

Nora can’t even care to be offended right now. Not when Aurelien is looking at her like this; not when he reaches his hand in her direction for her to grasp, not when she notices how his big, warm hand dwarfs her own. Not when he gives the inside of her palm an intentional rub with his index finger that nobody else sees.

“Nice to meet you, Nora.” He says softly.

“Likewise, Mr. Aurelien.”

“You can call me Aurel, please. I know my name isn’t easy for non- french speakers.” He keeps his eyes locked on hers.

Luke clears his throat loudly and Nora pulls her hand away.

”Aurel, I’ve been dying to meet you. Your eye for investments is quite remarkable; especially as an athlete. Who knew you’d also be good in businesses? How are you… always right?” One of the middle aged men in the group asks, clearly awestruck. Nora doesn’t care enough about Luke’s world to be familiar with all the moguls but Aurel clearly is a big deal.

“Not always I’m afraid.”

“Don’t be modest, Aurel. You are good.” One man says in pure admiration.

“I guess I just know what I want and I go for it.” He responds but keeps his eyes firmly on Nora’s fidgeting form. She holds her breath, eyes dancing around the room to avoid his eyes.

“I mean, isn’t it just luck? Just being lucky enough to invest in the right things. Nothing like building a company from the ground up.” Luke says slyly.

“I mean, would it be ground up if your father conceptualized the idea and funded most of it?” Nora asks coyly. She looks over at Aurel in time to see him wiping at his mouth with thumb, clearly trying to hide his smirk. Silence descends on the group and Luke’s grip on her waist tightens briefly.

“Well what would you know about any of this Nora, sweetheart? You’ve been trying to get your little catering idea up and running for years now.” Luke says with a chuckle. A few men join him. Not Aurel though. He glares at Luke with a contemplative look on his face.

“Like, I’ll buy you all the diamonds your heart desires but I’m not wasting my money funding that silly little fantasy.” Rowdy laughter erupts from the group and Nora blinks her eyes rapidly trying to keep the tears at bay. Her face heats and her throat tightens. She’s never felt so small in her life.

“And why would you, as her husband, not fund her idea? You have the money I’m assuming.” Aurel’s authoritative voice cuts through the laughter. The group goes quiet again.

“Of course I have the money, it’s just not a smart idea.” Luke sputters.

“And since when is food not smart business?”

“I-I-”

Aurel turns his attention solely on her then. His eyes soften significantly.

“Have you ever provided catering for an event before?” He asks softly.

“I, um yes. I do all of Luke’s business events. Even this one. And they’re all my own recipes and I hand make all the pastries myself.” She responds shyly.

“I allow her this, it’s a great hobby and she’s a bloody good cook. It would be a shame not to take advantage of it but nobody is willing to invest-”

“I’ll do it.” Aurel responds easily with a shrug of his shoulders.

“You don’t have to be nice because you feel bad, she’s-”

“Nora, do you accept my offer?” The man completely ignores Luke. The group around them stands in tense silence.

“I-” Nora looks up at Luke to find him staring coldly at her. Fuck him.

“I accept.” She smiles at the man. He returns it, reaching into the breast pocket of his suit to hand her a sleek card.

“Let’s schedule a meeting at my office some time in the upcoming week. I have some free time now before preseason rolls around.”

Nora reaches for the card, smiling up at him bashfully.

“Thank you.”

“You’re just wasting money.” Luke says bitterly.

“And? I have more than I know to do with anyway.” He gives Nora a wink before turning to stride away from the group. And the way he carries himself, with his hands in pockets all the while, commanding attention without having to ask for it, it’s going to be engraved in Nora’s brain for a while.

************

“You embarrassed me, Nora!” Luke is absolutely raging as he flings their front door open. He doesn’t look back to make sure she enters after him, he just stomps his way across the sleek, white marble floor. He heads in the direction of the staircase, ripping the tie from around in his neck in pure frustration. Nora trails behind, looking over her shoulder to make sure the gate is closed before locking the front door.

“Embarrassed you? What would you call what you did to me? You humiliated me for some giggles from middle aged men! I am your wife!” She fires back at him.

“Only because you embarrassed me first. You thought you were slick with that comment about my father? You want me to feel guilty for coming from money because my parents are smart and responsible?”

“Excuse me?!” Nora knows that’s a dig at her background. Her parents aren’t the best educated and had five children. They struggled all throughout her childhood and Nora had to work twice as hard in school to get scholarships in addition to student loans to get into university to study culinary arts. Nora won’t deny that Luke has been their way out of it. He paid off all her loans, sent her younger siblings to university, bought her family a house and still sends them handsome monthly deposits. But he’s never tried to use it to shame her until now.

“You heard me, Nora. And you better not call that cunt too.”

****

Nora calls Aurel at 9:30 am the next morning. She had woken up, cleaned the house as best she could and made herself a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel with a cup of mint tea. She only contemplated for five minutes before dialing his number.

“Aurelien.” His voice finally comes through after the fourth ring. Nora’s posture automatically straightens; there’s just something about the deep rumble of his voice.

“Um, hi- good morning rather. It’s um, Nora, the- from last night- the gala.” Nora pinches her leg harshly in embarrassment.

“Nora, I’m glad you called. I was worried he would intimidate you into changing your mind.”

“I can’t say he didn’t try. Um” she clears her throat harshly; “When’s a good time for our meeting? I’m pretty much free all of this week.” Almost all the time since I’m nothing more than a trophy wife.

“Well, could you get here in three hours?”

Nora’s brain screeches to halt.

“Um, today?”

“Yes. If you’re free and I’m available right now. I wouldn’t want to put it off and something spontaneously comes up, you never know in my world. Plus I don’t spend a lot of time in the office.” He responds.

“Oh, well, yes I could make the trip down.”

“Good. I’m sure you have a business proposal- take it with you. Also, prepare two dishes, one sweet, one savory.”

“Oh? Today?” Nora asks in panic.

“Yes. I’m sure you’ll impress me. Won’t you, Nora?”

Nora’s lower belly clenches at the tone of his voice and his words.

“I’ll try my best.” She responds breathily.

“I know you will, see you soon.”

The line goes dead and Nora sucks in a much needed breath. She knows this is a bad idea. Entering any kind of arrangement with a man that has this kind of effect on her can’t be smart. Her phone dings with a notification. It’s from Aurel: the exact address of his office. Fuck, should I?

***********

“Watch it!” She hisses at the passerby who collides into her shoulder. She clutches the containers in her hands tighter.

“Move out of the damn way!” The man fires back.

And she can’t argue with that. She has been standing in the middle of the sidewalk, looking up at the tall, intimidating building for about five minutes now.

“Fuck it, just do it.” She whispers harshly to herself. Nora sucks in a deep breath, squares her shoulders and marches through the revolving doors of A.D.T Investments. The receptionist smiles warmly at her.

“Welcome, how may I help you?” The petite woman asks cheerily.

“Um, I’m here to see Mr. Tchouameni?” It comes out as a question rather than a statement.

“Oh! Do you have an appointment?”

“Um, I think so. My name is Nora, we spoke earlier.”

The woman checks something on the desktop before frowning.

“I’m sorry, I’m not seeing an appointment with Nora here.”

“Well, call him.” Nora pleads with her eyes. She’s not sure why he wouldn’t have informed her of their meeting. Is it that he forgot? Maybe he also thinks your idea is a joke and brought you here for a laugh?

The woman sighs but picks up the phone at her desk and enters a few digits.

“Hi Mr. Tchouameni, there’s a Nora here claiming tha- oh, I’ll send her up right away.” The woman places the phone down and smiles bashfully up at her.

“Apologies, he forgot to tell me because he has been in meetings all morning, you may go up. Last floor. He should inform his secretary so you should be fine just knocking on his door.”

“Thank you so much.” Nora takes another deep breath to try calming the wild rhythm of her heart as she enters the elevator. The doors close and she finds herself staring at her reflection in the shiny silver surface. Her hair is as it was last night; the business casual long sleeve cream cropped top paired with the brown pencil high waisted skirt and nude louboutin heels. Am I overdressed? Did I purposely try to look good because I want… no! She shakes the thought from her head, she’s a married woman. A married woman who’s going against her husband’s wishes. She doesn’t have time to spiral as the doors slide open and she’s greeted by an older ginger haired woman.

“Hello, Ms. Nora, right this way please.”

Nora returns her smile and follows the woman past her desk area to the huge oak door with the initials of his name on it. The lady gives four rhythmic knocks against the door before twisting the knob and stepping aside for Nora.

“Thank you.” She whispers to her as she steps into what feels like the lion’s den. Except you actually want to be eaten by this lion. The door closing behind her brings her out her head and she finally looks at the man behind his desk. Ugh. The desk is not small by any means but he still somehow manages to take up so much space. His office space is clean, spacious and there’s ceiling to floor glass windows that gives a perfect view of the bustling streets of New York.

“Hi.” Nora blinks at him shyly, fighting the urge to fidget.

The man stands and rounds his desk, beckoning her closer. She obediently walks closer to his desk, gently placing her containers on the dark mahogany furniture.

“Welcome, Nora. I’m glad you came. Have a seat.” He says smoothly with a smirk tilting the corner of his plump mouth. She sits in the chair he pulls out for her before walking back around to his side of the table.

“How are you, Nora?”

“Um, I'm a bit nervous.” She admits softly.

“Why? Don’t be.”

“It’s hard not to be after being ridiculed about this so often.” She responds dejectedly.

“Hey, it’s me, just me and you. I wouldn’t have called you here if I thought it was silly. Breathe for me and we’ll begin when you’re ready.” His eyes are so tender that she melts against the chair. Her body warms from head to feet.

“Okay, thank you. Um..” she rifles through her bag for the portfolio she had been secretly creating. Every single time she organized one of Luke’s events she would capture her work, still holding onto the belief that he would one day give her a chance. She does have some access to Luke’s money but he watches her every move, monitors her spending habits. Nora hands the folder over to him.

“There’s a mini proposal in there along with some of my work.” She shifts around in her seated position as he carefully rifles through the papers.

“Nora’s Nectar huh?” He questions with a smile.

She ducks her head shyly. “Um, yea. I specialize mainly in desserts so I thought it fitting. But I’m good at savory dishes too!”

“I must say, your food looks good, Nora. And these are large events. Do you prep and cook everything by yourself?”

“Um no, my three best friends help out but I pay them obviously. I guess you can think of them as my sous chefs. They take charge of some savory dishes following my recipes but I handle the pastries by myself.” She picks at the fabric of her skirt as he keeps looking through her work.

“I’m impressed by what I’m seeing so far, Nora. Did you bring me samples?”

Nora nods a little too quickly but she’s shaking. She had spent most of the time in her kitchen pacing. She then decided to make a quick lobster bisque with butter poached lobster tails and cupcakes. She at first worried that cupcakes would be too basic, but she’s glad she decided to do it. It provided her the opportunity to showcase her versatility with three different flavors in the dozen as well as boast her decorative skills.

“Um yes” Nora carefully unboxes the cupcakes first; “I did cupcakes, three different flavors. The ones on the left are a vanilla sponge with strawberry and mint frosting; the middle ones are a drunken chocolate and salted caramel and the ones on the right are my take on a tiramisu.”

“Fucking hell, Nora. Pardon my language but you made these with your hands? They look straight out of a 3D printer or something.”

Her cheeks warm and she mutters a shy ‘thank you’ as the man reaches for a chocolate one. He scarfs it down in two big bites and she can’t help but giggle.

“Wow, the flavour pairing is obviously smart but the part that I love the most is how rich the chocolate is without being overly sweet. I usually can’t stand desserts because of how sweet but-” he cuts himself off to reach for a vanilla one which he treats much like the first he tried.

“Your husband is a fucking idiot.” He says with a straight face.

Nora laughs softly with a shrug.

“I guess he is.”

“No, he is. I’m all in. I don’t even have to taste that bisque, I had some of the dishes at the gala so I know what you’re about. We have a lot to discuss of course but in the meantime.” He pauses to pull something up on the laptop on his desk. He turns the device in her direction for her to see his screen. It seems to be some invitation of some kind.

“I’m organizing a little party, about 80 people; apparently, it’s good for keeping good rapport or whatever since expanding my business in new territory. I’ll need someone to handle catering. This party will have a lot of important people who also like to host their own events. Are you in, Nora?” He pins her with his gaze.

Nora gasps. She knows what that means, the doors that can open for her even before she properly gets her business going.

“I would love to.” She breathes out.

“Good. It’s next Saturday. You have free reign over the menu- I trust you. How much?”

Her brain malfunctions and she’s sure it shows in the way she’s gaping like a fish out of water. She has never been paid for her services before. She’s not even the one who usually buys the ingredients, she would just make a list of the things she’d need and Luke had one of the many people he has hired get them so she can’t even give an estimate based on the cost of shopping.

“How about 50k?” Aurel suggests.

“That’s too much!” Nora is sure of it.

“Doesn’t matter. You deserve a big tip anyway.” His eyes roam every inch of her face; she ducks her head shyly.

“Okay, thank you.”

“We should have lunch… to celebrate of course.” The man hurriedly tacks on the last few words after the wide eyed expression on her face.

“Oh. Um, I could eat.”

Nora knows this is a bad idea. It’s bad enough she came here to meet with him, but accepting his lunch invitation is walking on a tightrope- she has to be careful.

*********************

Lunch went surprisingly well. Aurel took her for sushi at a small, modest Japanese restaurant. It was too intimate for her liking with the low lights and booth seating but he didn’t make it awkward at all. In fact, he made her laugh so hard at one point she spat green tea on the table. Nora was so embarrassed but he loved it. He teased her about it all throughout the remainder of their lunch and on their way back to the office in his car.

“Are you ready?” Aurelien widens his eyes comically at her with a smile on his mouth. Nora giggles at his antics.

“It’s just signing some papers, stop trying to make me nervous.” She whines.

“Maybe this is also a contract that binds your soul to me.” The man wiggles his eyebrows. He’s clearly teasing but it makes Nora pause a little. She obviously does not believe it will literally bind her soul but it makes her really think about the possibilities of doing business with him. They’ll be in contact often. She’ll see him often; it’s no secret that the man thinks she’s attractive and she’s not sure how strongly he feels but she knows what she’s feeling. Every second she spends in his presence causes her mind to wander, causes her heart to race, makes her tummy flutter, makes her…

“It was a joke, Nora.” Aurel’s voice cuts through her thoughts. She looks up to find the amusement gone from his face, replaced with concern.

“Oh no, I know- it’s just I…” she trails off, eyes darting around his office.

“What, Nora? If you need more time to think about it, take it. Take all the time you need, baby.”

Nora gasps, fixing her scandalous eyes on him. She expects to find some amount of regret but the man doesn’t look fazed at all.

“Did you- I-”

“Why are you still with him?” He suddenly asks with narrowed eyes.

“That’s- not, he’s my husband.” Nora finishes lamely. Aurel chuckles as he stands from his chair. He walks around his desk to stand over her seated form. Nora cranes her head to look up at him then down at his outstretched hand. She places her hand in his after a moment of hesitation. He gently hauls her to her feet.

“You look so beautiful.” He brings the pad of his thumb to rub at her cheek. “Did he tell you that today?”

“Aurel, don’t do this to me,” she whines pleadingly.

“Did he, Nora?” His thumb trails down to her neck to tenderly rub at her warm skin.

Nora closes her eyes but shakes her head.

“Idiot. I’d tell you every single morning. I would probably still be in the house showing you just how beautiful I think you are. I’d be late to the office or to training every single day but I wouldn’t care. Look how pretty you are, hm? And you smell just like that salted caramel you drizzled on those cakes.” Nora presses her body closer to his, the rich baritone of his voice just as hypnotizing as his words. She’s embarrassed by how quickly her nipples are tightening beneath her bra. He tilts her head up and leans down closer just to breathe in the air from her open, panting mouth. He gently presses his lips against hers, just touching, teasing. Her lip gloss smudges against his own mouth.

“Aurel, I shouldn’t. I’m married.” Nora sounds like she’s trying to convince herself.

“Let’s pretend you aren’t when you’re with me, hm?.” Then he captures her lips in a proper kiss.

Nora responds eagerly; pressing her chest into his body and whimpering into his hot, commanding mouth.

“Wait! W-wait” she manages to breathe out. Aurelien immediately pulls his mouth away but still occupies her personal space. He cups her face with both his big, warm hands that are a little calloused.

“I- are you…” Nora gulps looking away from the intensity of his gaze. “Are you only investing in my idea because you are attracted to me?” She whispers meekly.

“No. It’s clear you’re not familiar with our world enough but I… I have quite a reputation for taking on ventures no one else wants. I just- I like to give people chances because nobody did that for me. It just so happens that we’re all lucky enough for them to take off-”

Nora tunes out the rest of his rambling. She didn’t think it was possible but he actually managed to make her more attracted to him. Her body moves as if on autopilot until she finds herself on her knees. Aurel suddenly stops speaking; eyes trained on her. He sucks in a sharp breath when she leans her face directly into his crotch to take a deep inhale. She shivers, the musk of him so incredible it makes her mouth water.

“Nora?” He calls out gruffly.

“Wanna…want it. Please?” She looks up at him beneath her lashes, making her eyes as doe like as possible. He closes his eyes, clenching his jaw slightly.

“Putain… take what you need, baby.”

******************

Nora is upset. She’s surprised she even made it home in one piece driving with tears clouding her vision the entire time. Even now, hours later, as she lies curled in a ball on her bed, she can’t stop crying. Not because of guilt. Nora can’t remember the last time she was so… eager to be on her knees for a man. She can’t remember the last time a man had looked at her with so much reverence. He told her she was the most beautiful woman in the world, even with her mouth stretched to its limit with him between her lips, even with tears and drool making a mess of her makeup. He looked so so good when he came in her mouth and he kissed her all the same. When the haze had lifted, Nora had signed the papers as if they would disappear if she didn’t get it done in seconds, then she dashed out his office before he could even say goodbye. But the strange part, the part that’s making her so upset is that she doesn’t feel guilty at all. She just wants to do it again and again and again and again. And that terrifies her. It terrifies her so much because she has always imagined her life with Luke; she’s scared to even consider starting over. And then start over with who? For all she knows she’s nothing more than a thrill for Aurel. Sneaking around with an attractive married woman- especially the wife of Luke Spence- The entrepreneur.

“You went out today.” Luke suddenly appears in the doorway of their bedroom.

“Since when am I not allowed to go out?” She asks pretending to be engrossed in whatever is playing on the tv screen.

“Where did you go?”

She narrows her eyes at his tense form brooding in the doorway.

“Why do you care?” It’s been almost two years since Luke actually cared to ask her anything about… anything.

“You went to see him, didn’t you?” Luke's eyes are slits on his face.

“Yes.” She’s surprised she didn’t even hesitate with her response; but she feels that if she lied she would just twist herself into a circle until she bit her own tail.

“Nora I told yo-”

“I don’t care, Luke. I have a dream and one person wants to help me achieve it and you want me to miss the opportunity over what? Your petty dislike of him?”

“He’s everything wrong with the business world! He’s a fucking athlete! What does a footballer know about fucking business? The smug prick…Business is not charity! He just thinks he’s so much better than everyone, investing in college kids and people from inner city communities, building orphanages, he’s so pretentious! I know he’s not what he’s presenting to-”

“Are you jealous?” Nora can’t help the way her mouth twists in disgust. She’s seen Luke act like this before back in university when he thought her classmate had a crush on her.

“What?!”

“You’re jealous. As if you can’t just… do what he does too! You have the money for it.” She laughs incredulously. Nora is completely disgusted by the way he spoke about people who are less privileged. He has only recently started too and she can’t help but wonder how he now feels about her and her family.

“I’m not jealous of him! Everything about him is just so… sketchy. He won that business mogul of the year award last year when I deserved it fo-”

There’s a ringing that keeps growing in pitch in Nora’s ears as she tunes out his rant in pure anger. She wants so badly in the moment to be spiteful. To tell him how much more of a man Aurelien is than he ever will be, to tell him how she had his dick so far down her throat, stretching her plump lips to the point of-

“Are you even listening to me?!”

Nora’s vision refocuses on Luke’s face that’s patchy with red spots and his eyes are wide with anger.

“No. I’m going for a swim.”

She walks around his frozen form in the doorway to head in their backyard.

******************

“I sucked Aurelien’s dick.”

The metal mixing bowl clatters on the floor from Phoebe’s hands. The kitchen would be in complete silence if it weren’t for the blender going off with a frozen Marcelle in front of the appliance.

“Bitch?!” Sasha yells with glee dancing in her eyes.

Nora groans, dropping her head on the counter with a thud.

“Ugh, Nora. Now we’ll have to clean the counter again before we start working on the pastry dough.” Phoebe says with a pout on her full lips. Her petite, red headed friend stoops to pick up the mixing bowl she dropped earlier.

“Well?! Spill the tea, sis!” Marcelle urges after switching the blender off. He cocks his hip to the side with a smirk on his gorgeous face. Marcelle wears a full face of makeup no matter the occasion- even if they’re going to the pool in her backyard. His dark skin is always glowing just like his pearly set of perfect white teeth.

“Stop that!” She hisses at his smirking face.

“What? That man ain’t here and won’t be for another 6 hours and by then we’ll be long gone-” Marcelle cuts himself with a dramatic gasp. “You’re seeing him again later!”

Yes. Nora is seeing Aurelien again this evening. He had sent a text message well into the night after the incident in his office asking if she was okay but Nora didn’t reply. She had told her friends about the man but left out the explicit details. Her friends were eager to help her with the catering for his party later and were so excited about her finally getting the opportunity to start her business.

“I googled. Do you know how big of a deal he is? Both in football and the business world. This man plays for a Spanish juggernaut club. I knew you said you found him attractive but I didn’t think you meant ‘suck his dick on your second meeting’ fine.” Sasha teases with a sly smile on her lips. Sasha would be her twin if the woman was a few inches taller and slightly slimmer.

“Guys…” Nora whines

“What? Honestly, fuck Luke. It’s bad enough he became neglectful but those snide comments about your background and the less fortunate? I’m celebrating your divorce like I won the lottery.” Sasha mutters not looking up from the onions she dices.

“Mhmm.” Phoebe and Marcelle both hum in agreement. That’s a little inside habit they do in the friend group since they met in their culinary arts classes.

“Let’s just finish up. I’d hate to fall behind schedule.” Nora says with a sigh. She knows the chaos opening this can of worms will cause.

********************

It’s a house. A very, modern, luxury house painted in shades of dark grey and black and is made up of a lot of floor to ceiling glass. It’s straight out of any wealthy bachelor’s wet dreams. But Nora is confused because this is the address Aurelien sent her. She expected the party to be held at some hotel like she’s used to or something but never a house.

“Are you sure we have the right address?” Nora directs the question at Phoebe who’s behind the wheel.

“Yes, I put the exact address in my gps.” Her friend responds as she pulls into the driveway. The gate was left open and Nora is just hoping they haven’t driven onto some stranger’s property.

“Wow, I need me a rich man too.” Marcelle whispers in awe, taking in the expanse of the property. From the well kept lawn, the water fountain and the paved driveway, everything screams affluent. Phoebe parks the van directly in front of the mini steps that lead to the front door.

“Go on.” Sasha encourages.

Nora takes a deep breath before hopping out of the van to climb the steps with shaky legs. She’s about to reach for the doorbell when the door swings open. Aurel. He’s clearly in the process of getting dressed because he already has on a pair of dark green slacks and a white button down shirt that still has the first few buttons undone. Nora wants to scream at how good he looks, at how good he smells.

“Nora.” He greets politely though there’s a tick to his jaw. She looks to her sneaker clad feet bashfully knowing it has something to do with her ignoring his message.

“Hi.”

He opens the door wider, stepping to the side.

“Come set up in the backyard patio.”

Nora looks back at the van to find her friends outside, jaws literally hanging staring at the man who has been tormenting her every waking moment since they met. She can’t even chastise them; he’s even more breathtaking in person.

***

They manage to set up thirty minutes before the scheduled time. They’re all wearing shirts with “Nora’s Nectar” embroidered on them with jeans and she thought it was a good idea; it shows professionalism and it’s good promo for her business. But as the guests start pouring in with their suits and gowns she can’t help but fidget.

“Now bitch, you didn’t tell us he has charisma like this! Look at the smirk.” Sasha hisses quietly so that only their friend group can hear over the music.

“Wow, I get it. I would’ve swallowed him up too.”

Nora gasps at those words leaving Phoebe’s mouth. She’s usually more reserved so it’s definitely frightening.

“Mhmm, Nora girl tell me if you don’t want him beca-”

“Alright!” She cuts off Marcelle. “Let’s just focus on doing our jobs. He paid me very handsomely.”

“Mhmmm, very handsomely indeed.” Sasha mutters and they all snicker.

****

The night is going really well. They have received compliments from at least 20 guests and she has handed out 11 business cards so far. She can’t help but feel that this is the start of something huge for her and she can’t be more grateful to Aurélien. She immediately seeks him out with her eyes for the umpteenth time tonight. Sasha is right, he is charismatic. The way he moves, he commands attention, he makes people laugh, he’s so… Nora freezes. She tries not to stare too long but she can’t help it. The woman he’s with is striking, gorgeous; and the way he looks at her with his hands gently brushing at her waist to whisper against the shell of her ear is making Nora feel ill.

“I must say, I never expected something as simple as codfish and shrimp to be so good. How much for the recipe?” A middle aged woman steals her attention. Nora returns the chuckle and it must be muscle memory of some kind because her brain is short circuiting in her head.

“Are you prepared to pay millions?”

The woman throws her head back with a laugh at Nora’s teasing question and it gives her enough time to swing her eyes in his direction again. This time, he’s already staring at her but he’s still in the woman’s personal space.

“Do you have a business card my dear?” The woman asks between giggles. Nora forces a smile and hands the woman one from the pile in her pocket.

“I hope to hear from you.”

“You will.” The woman promises with a wink before turning to mingle with the others again.

“Hey Sasha, I need a bathroom break. Take over for a while.” Her friend nods, none the wiser to her inner turmoil and Nora heads inside the house towards the direction of the bathroom that Aurel gave them earlier. Nora spends at least 15 minutes in the bathroom just pacing and chastising herself before washing her hands and exiting. She’s heading down the hall to go back downstairs when she’s hauled into a room by the crook of her elbow. The door is slammed shut before she can blink and then she’s face to face with an annoyed looking Aurelien.

“What was that look all about?” He grumbles out the question.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Best get back to your lover before she starts searching for you.” Nora doesn’t mean to pout but she does.

The man scoffs incredulously.

“You’re jealous? You’ve been ignoring me and you have the nerve to be jealous?”

“What do you want me to do, Aurel?” She whines the question out because she genuinely wants answers. How do you deny yourself of something you crave so badly to uphold vows you swore? Tears prick at her eyes just seeing him there, glaring at her, looking so fucking good and all she can think about is how desperately she wants- no- how desperately she needs him.

“What do you want, Nora?” He asks calmly.

“Luke is all I know. He’s my first everything and I-”

“Nora, what do you want?” He interrupts her rambling with an edge to his voice. What do you want?

“I- you. So badly it physically aches. These past couple of days, no matter how many times I try to see Luke behind my closed eyes with my hands between my thighs it’s just… you, your hands on me, you inside me, your name on my lips as I-” Nora cuts herself off with a harsh bite to her bottom lip. Aurel’s nostrils flare, but that’s the only reaction he gives for a while. Then, he slowly brings his hands to the button of his suit jacket. Nora watches tensely as he removes it and tosses it carelessly to the floor. Then he moves to unbuckle his belt, pulling his tucked in shirt free when his belt is loose enough. Her breathing picks up harshly, understanding dawning on her. She turns her pleading eyes up at him; one final attempt at ‘please don’t make me do this’ even though she doesn’t say the words because she wants to. She watches his deft fingers work the buttons of his shirt easily, discarding it in the same manner he did his jacket. Nora stays locked in place as he kicks his shoes off and strips away every single article of clothing. He’s very obviously an athlete. His chest is broad, muscles visible on every inch of his upper body. From the visible biceps, his well defined six pack… her eyes drift between his legs and she swallows around the lump in her throat. He’s so well endowed it’s fucking ridiculous. How was she ever to stand a chance?

Nora looks up at him shyly and bodily shivers at the intensity of his gaze. Challenging.

She gulps but reaches for the hem of her shirt to lift over head. She shimmies out her tight jeans and hurries to get rid of her bra and panties before insecurity strikes. She shivers, hand automatically reaching up to cover her chest. Thank fuck I never skip wax appointments despite not getting laid.

The man slowly stalks in her direction, pausing when he’s a couple inches away to stoop a bit and lock his arms around the back of her knees. Aurel picks her up with ease and Nora’s breath stutters but she doesn’t break eye contact as he moves them towards his bed.

*****

Nora is shaking. Not only because he made her come so hard in his mouth moments ago, but because she’s so intimidated by his size as well as the fact that she’s about to have someone else apart from Luke inside her. Her eyes dart nervously between his as she straddles his lap, waiting for him to roll the condom on. Fuck. His hands rub up and down her back.

“Relax baby.” He mutters softly, mouth still glistening.

“I- okay.” She whispers softly.

“Look at me, sweetheart.”

She obeys; his eyes are so beautiful and they hold such tenderness her breath audibly stutters. The man eases her up a few inches from his lap, his hand reaching between them to line himself with where she’s warm and dripping. Inviting. Nora gives a high pitched whine feeling the way he stretches her so deliciously as she’s gingerly seated on his cock. Aurel grunts lowly in his chest, the vibration dancing beneath her palms.

“I knew you’d feel good Nora but never like this.” He manages to get through gritted teeth when he sheathes himself as far inside her as her body will allow.

“Aurel…” She moans his name helplessly.

He’s so big, she’s so full- the slight twinge she feels in her lower belly indicating he’s reaching depths that shouldn’t be allowed. But it’s so fucking good.

“You’re so gorgeous.” He starts pumping his hips, setting a lazy rhythm.

She digs her nails into the tightly coiled muscles of his shoulders. Nora closes her eyes, her mouth open and panting. She’s so wet but Aurel is so girthy that there’s still a little friction, it’s supposed to be uncomfortable but it just scratches an itch she didn’t even know she had; there’s something about the slight pinch of pain that heightens the pleasure so much that her toes curl. Nora gets so lost in the feeling that she begins moving her own hips. She matches his languid pace at first, but not for long when the pleasure begins to caress every inch of her skin; from the tips of her tingling toes to her burning face.

“Shit, Nora. Look at you.” Aurelien groans and stills his own hips. Watching the way she begins riding him in abandon. Her eyes are squeezed tightly shut, silent staccato moans pouring from her mouth.

“You needed this didn’t you? When was the last time he fucked you, baby?”

Nora is a mess as she nods then shakes her head in quick succession, trying to respond to both his questions at once as the orgasm bubbles under the surface of her skin.

“Answer me, Nora. When was the last time?” The man caresses her arms, then her breasts, fingers teasing her sensitive brown peaks.

“I- long! So long! I don’t know” she desperately sobs.

“Fucking idiot.”

The man plants his feet into the floor and drills his hips up with such intent.

“I’m going to come! Please Aurel, please, please, please.”

“Oh fuck. Next time I’m not using a condom baby. Look how wet you are, hm? I can hear it. Next time I want to feel all of you.”

It’s a promise. Next time. He makes his intentions very clear, this won’t be a one time thing.

His commanding voice sends her hurtling over the edge and Nora is grateful that the music downstairs is loud because she screams as if she’s being murdered. No wonder the French call orgasms what they do. Petite Mort(the little death). Nora knows she’s conscious, but the only thing she feels is mind-numbing pleasure. It robs her of her senses completely. When her senses return with a ringing in her ear, she finds him staring at her as if awestruck.

“Beautiful.” He captures her trembling lips in a kiss.

“I’m not done with you though, Nora.”

Shit.

*************

Aurelien finally comes with a guttural groan after putting her in every position invented. Nora can only moan weakly, clawing at his naked back to hug him close with her legs folded by her ears. She has never experienced anything like this; sure sex with Luke was good but he’s never managed to get multiple orgasms out of her. And the way he talks? Fuck, Nora didn’t even know she was into that but Aurel could get her off with just his words alone. Especially when he switches to French.

“We have to get back to the party.” Aurel whispers when their breathing gets more even.

“Don’t want to.” She whines.

Aurelien chuckles and pecks her lips.

“I know baby, but we have to.”

“When are you leaving him?” Aurel suddenly asks.

“I- I… I don’t know.”

“You’re not happy. Maybe it’s about financial security, but I know your business will take off. After tonight, you’ll be booked and busy. Leave him.” He urges, using a thumb to rub at the apple of her cheek.

“It’s not just about that. We’ve been together for so long and I don’t know what you really want. For all I know this could be some fantasy that yo-”

“You’re not just some fantasy, Nora. I want more.”

“And how do I know you’re being sincere?” She asks timidly.

“Get rid of your good for nothing husband and you’ll find out.”

He chuckles as she playfully slaps at his shoulder with a small smile.

She stares into his solemn brown eyes as she contemplates. Aurelien is right. The amount of cards she handed out downstairs, to clearly wealthy clientele means job security. She’s going to make a lot of money doing something she loves and the man before her made that a possibility. Not her husband, even though he has more than enough money to make it happen. Not her husband who’s starting to throw all he has done for her in her face.

Fuck Luke. Even if it doesn’t work out with Aurélien, she can’t stay with Luke anymore. And Aurélien is more than worth taking the leap for.

“Okay.”

[speaknow-sw]

𝓘𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓽 𝓐𝒇𝒇𝓪𝓲𝓻

HEADCANONS FORM! Summary : in which you move in your new house in front of a very hot, very dad and very married man. But Anakin Skywalker is a gentle and caring neighbor. Gardenias appear in your garden and you befriended his wife. Soon enough you fit in this neighborhood though a little crush linger…

Ｃｏｎｔｅｎｔ: mdni, dad! Anakin Skywalker, older married man, reader is 25 and Anakin’s 33, mentions of vaginal fingering, pining, cheating ?

AN : GUYS FIRST WORK !!! Okay actually very stressed to post this but I’m sure you’ll be indulgent. Please ? It’s just a part 1 tho idk when I’ll post part 2. Again I’m not fluent in English but please feel free to correct any error. The real stuff happens in part 2 cuz it’s just a plot installation. Hope y’all like my silly little idea.

You and Anakin met when you moved across the street. As a gentleman, he welcomed you and helped with all your boxes. One look and you both knew you were spiraling down an unforgivable path. 

« Excuse me Miss. Do you need help ? » Anakin asked gently. 

« Oh yes, thank you so much » you replied, blushing.

« Just moved in ? It’s a nice neighborhood. The name’s Anakin Skywalker. I live just across the street. » he pointed the white house with blue shutters in front of yours. 

« Well, yes I’m moving in. I hope we’ll become good neighbors. » you smiled  brightly. 

« Don’t doubt it. You seem a lot nicer than old Palps who lived here before you, » he laughed placing a boxes on your counter. « He died of cardiac arrest in his daughter’s house. But around here we say he died strangled in his bitterness. » he joked.

« Seems like a lovely man. » you chuckled.

When he finished helping you he invited you over at his house where you met his lovely…wife, Padmé. As you talked with them a pair of toddlers ran down the stairs. Anakin presented them as Luke and Leia his kids. Adorable, you thought. 

After that first day you crossed Anakin path a numerous time. Every morning you would leave for work around the same time giving each other a light « Hello » and a meaningful gaz, like electricity sparkling between you.

After some months like this, you strangely begun to see gardenias appearing in the back of your garden. 

Sundays barbecue were a common gathering for your neighborhood. Mr. Kenobi, the barbecue king for the five previous years hosting every one of them. Him and his wife Satine were the sweetest people you’ve ever met. Like a good neighbor you attented every barbecues and gained a little group of friends consisting of Padmé, Satine and Breha Organa, the mayor wife’s. 

You couldn’t help but stare at Anakin back as he was talking with the other dads. His broad shoulders draped in an olive t-shirt and his nice butt constricted in a cream pant. Ovulation cravings were getting out of hands. God…this man sense of fashion could kill you on the spot with how effortlessly handsome he was. A married man, older than you, with kids…but so sweet and manly… Only when you turned to help Breha you missed Anakin gazing at you from afar. 

Soon enough, Satine ran out of sodas for the kids. The Skywalker twins, Elledi and Fiari Organa, Cal Kenobi and many more kids were running in the gardens like crazy little gremlins. Tired of hearing their little voices complaining about having a glass of Fanta you took the matter in your hands and said you could go to the store. Suddenly a voice echoed.

« I got packs of Fanta in the closet at home. » proposed softly Anakin. 

« Wonderful, my dear why won’t you accompany Anakin in his house to retrieve the sodas instead of taking the car ? » said a cheerful Satine. 

« Oh…hm…yes, yes I can do that… » you stuttered a bit shy. 

« You’re coming ? » Anakin called, his keys tingling gently in his right hand.

Your gaze fixated on his veiny hands and his long fingers. Your mind went wild with how good his fingers would be buried inside your clenching pussy. Maybe they could even reach that little area deep into you where you see stars. Your arousal grew and soon you felt your cunt being wetter than ten minutes ago. Fantasizing about him as you walked behind him silently, you didn’t saw he stopped in front of you and crashed against his back. 

« Hey, hey, hey, I gotcha. » you heard before feeling strong arms wrapping against your stumbling form. You blinked at him shocked by the whole situation directly from a bad Christmas rom-com. 

« You okay, kid ? » asked Anakin his beautiful face ruined by a frown. 

« Uh…yeah, m’great thanks to you… » you muttered as you felt heat crawling on your cheeks. 

« Alright, here, the sodas are in this closet. » he pointed an open door under his stairs. You nodded looking right in his eyes as your breath hitched. Your gaze lowered at your joined chest as your breasts were pressed against his muscular pecs with how tight he was holding you. You felt his breath on your forehead and raised your head to look at him not without checking his lips. His hold on you tightened slightly and you flushed. 

You darted your eyes around the house unable to held the eye contact and as you wandered through the furniture of the closet your eyes widened.

On the shelf beside a toolbox was placed a white gardenia similar at the ones which appeared on your gardens…

To be continued….

[louisetaylor]

The Creak in the Attic liveblog

Here we go! New play!

Tom's character fixing clocks is a really likable job. He strikes me as a gentle fellow who keeps his feelings to himself but it's still so nice that he sympathizes with his son missing New York

"Don't be scared," he says to himself. I love it immediately. I have visions of marrying him and comforting him when he's scared by thunderstorms. "Ohhh fudge!...I fancy some fudge for dinner..."

my gosh Luke, don't kneel on his lap, your knees will hurt him. just sit down why don't you

Sam is yelling too loud as usual. Stop screaming Sam

I love John Hobson. Such a dark spooky backstory tempered by such a nice friendly personality

here comes the neighbor...Melson Nelson? All right AJ, maybe you'll be able to remember that name. "What a curious first name." "Hey now, some people are from Wisconsin." YAYYY WISCONSIN MENTIONED

Love how they offer Mr. Nelson a seat and he refuses. Chair-J doesn't trust chairs anymore. Update: he forgot his name. "Melson Welson." "Nope."

AYYYY WE GOT ANOTHER "Be Careful" (TM)

The clock John is fixing just started working by itself? Classic. And it keeps striking? To thirteen? PAST thirteen?

Sam's alone in the attic. Okay Sam what are you doing. Crying? Poor Sam. Let's hope you're not a villain.

"GHOSTS...CANNOT GO THROUGH WALLS," says God-J

Sam proceeds to flip God-J the double bird

John Jr is climbing into the attic. hoo boy I hope nothing catastrophic happens as illustrated on the thumbnail of the video

It's funny and cute how the ghost is so excited and happy to see someone else. How refreshing that Sam can't talk for once

"How did you die? Raindrops...A heat-seeking missile." Hahaha Sam is so frustrated. Well, I guess you could call lightning that. John Jr finally guesses. The ghost applauds him sarcastically and rolls his eyes.

Mr. Nelson is telling Jon (apparently short for Jonathan so that changes the spelling) about how Jim got struck by lightning. Tom's losing it and laughing but pretending to be crying. It's adorable when Tom can't help laughing :)

"Well, Mr...Memento, was it?" "Memento Mori." I think the lightning fried Melson's brain a little too. Then Tom gets it wrong again. "Pimento Mori. The memory of olives."

Oh, his wife Alice is in New York but she'll be coming around later.

Jon comes back with the milk, sees them gone, says "I left my son with a strange man" and immediately starts running. We love Tom playing a good dad

Marty Nankmeyer or whatever the hell has gone up to the attic and OH BOY JIM IS POSSESSING JUNIOR AND MAKING HIM YELL AT HIM "YOU FCKING KILLED ME!!!" "WHY WAS YOUR KITE SO IMPORTANT TO YOU? WHO ARE YOU, BENJAMIN FCKING FRANKLIN???" Luke seems to be having fun being possessed by an angry ghost.

Tom just showed up as a ghost. AJ: "What the fuck is going oooooooonnnnn....."

Oh it's his GRANDPA who died on the PLANE that's so sweet, he loves his grandson and he's proud of him

Aaaand now it's the grandma with her loud friendly Jersey (?) accent. They're putting little sparkle emojis around her words in the captions. "By the way, you can have mojitos when you're a ghost!" It wouldn't be a SFTH longform if we didn't have Tom playing a woman. I love her

Junior is back with his dad, they hug, and Junior is pretty much okay. That's a nice change from all the children in the plays being traumatized. (God bless you Alexa.) Jon finds the clock got fixed by itself. "Guess someone's watching over me."

Junior goes to bed. Sam runs past as a shooting star. I expected Junior to wish on it but I guess he doesn't have anything to wish for, which is even better. Tom walks onstage and gently says "And scene."

[itscherrylipsforme]

Masterlist

Characters I write for Track your request

♡ Fluff ✦ Angst ✵ Slightly spicy ❈ Smut ❦ Dark themes/Slightly dark

The missing piece: Oliver Quick x fem!reader Post Saltburn!Oliver goes back to Oxford and falls in love with a bookworm university student. Part 2 (Everything fits into place) Tw: age gap ♡❦

Not made to be loved: Luke Castellan x fem!reader Blurb He believes demigods are not the kind to fall in love, you show him otherwise ♡✦ (only a little bit)

Paper cuts and cheek kisses: Minho TMR x med jack!fem!reader MInho hates having his injuries healed by the professionals, thinks change when he gets himself a Med-jack girlfriend ♡

Misfits lovebirds: Sejanus Plinth x capitol!shy!fem!reader The other students from the Academy teased you by claiming that you and your friend Sejanus were birds of a feather. A dangerous situation just proves that they are right, which leads to hidden feelings being talked about ♡✦ (only a little bit)

When were you planning to tell us?: Theseus Scamander x fem!reader During their wedding your recently married friends can't stop asking questions about your "mysterious" husband. Little they know he is the same man who has been flirting with you during all the ceremony ♡

A love story yet to be written: Jason Todd x vigilante!bookworm!fem!reader Many literature puns after you met, the mysterious Red Hood has decided to meet you when you two are not protected by your secret identities ♡

Did not expect: Rodrick Heffley x fem!reader Blurb Since he met you Rodrick has discovered a lot of unexpected things about the two of you. This last one was among his favourites ✵♡

Little friend: Patrick Zweig x fem!reader Blurb Your boyfriend always acts as the tough manly guy he thought he was mean to be. When a little friend joins you on a date that facade crumbles ♡

River Cartwright as bf ♡✦ (only a lil bit)

Mama's boy: Benedict Bridgerton x wife!reader Blurb Your husband adores you and the small family you have together but if you keep acting like this he will be dead before the next one is born ♡

Every second matters: Donald Ressler x FBI!fem!reader your teammate’s and crush's disappearance makes you seek help from the FBI’s most wanted criminal. Surprisingly, Raymond Reddington is also an excellent matchmaker ✦ (only a bit)

Utter devotion: various characters (separated) x insecure!fem!reader Blurb He will teach you too see yourself with the same love and appreciation he does. Intended for: Robb Stark, Henry Winter, Elliott (Stardew Valley), Loki, Matt Murdock, Jason Todd, Jacaerys Velaryon, Aemond Targaryen, and Benedict Bridgerton ♡

His and hers: Haymitch Abernathy x covey!fem!reader / Haymitch Abernathy x Lenore Dove: Blurb. Haymitch suffers remembering how life used to be before the reaping, how it felt to believe someone was utterly yours. Can be read as a Lenore x Haymitch, or Haymitch x reader ✦

This account does not support J.K Rowling and her transphobic ideas. Trans women are women

[pkochetkov]

el's return to tumblr celly!!

told u i’d be back :)

rules for my blog are on my pinned post! read those before requesting anything!!

who:

— NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

* indicate my personal favorites

seth jarvis *

andrei svechnikov *

pyotr kochetkov *

sebastian aho

mat barzal

matt rempe *

luke hughes

jack hughes

quinn hughes

sidney crosby

joseph woll

auston matthews

jamie drysdale

trevor zegras

arber xhekaj *

cole caufield

jeremy swayman

juraj slafkovsky *

nico hischier

alex holtz

dawson mercer

conor garland

trent frederic

matt knies

luke evangelista

— FORMULA ONE

* indicate my personal favorites

lando norris

logan sargeant *

max verstappen *

sebastian vettel *

oscar piastri

lance stroll

fernando alonso

franco colapinto *

oliver bearman *

liam lawson

— NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

* indicates my personal favorites

joe burrow *

andrei iosivas *

josh allen *

joe andreeson

tua tagovailoa

trey hendrickson *

cj stroud

justin herbert *

ladd mcconkey

foster moreau

taysom hill

— TV SHOWS

* indicates my personal favorites

spencer reid *

aaron hotchner

! others can be requested from any category, but that doesn’t mean i’ll write for them !

prompts!

(smuts red, fluffs blue, could be both purple)

1. “make it fit”

2. “i’m too old for you”

3. “look out your window”

4. “too much”

5. “move your hand”

6. “be quiet or they’ll hear you”

7. “m’sorry, i just needed you”

8. “are you gonna touch me or do i need to get him to do it”

9. “give me a few more”

10. “you look so pretty with my name on you”

11. “only good boys/girls get to cum”

12. “i don’t bite… unless you want me to”

13. “wore them just for you” ”you aren’t wearing anything…” “yeah that’s the point”

14. “let’s make a movie”

15. “let them know who you belong to”

16. “your brothers gonna kill me”

17. “help me forget… please”

18. “you’re a virgin?!”

19. “celebrate with me mama”

20. “three's never a crowd when it's you”

21. “just need you”

22. “need to fill you up”

23. “gonna look so pretty with my babies”

24. “i’m more of a visual learner”

25. best friends brother trope, can’t think of a quote

26. “you taste so sweet”

27. “just like that”

28. “doing so good for me”

29. “you make me feel good”

30. “i only want you”

31. “you were made for me”

32. ”i love you”

33. “marry me”

34. “i’m pregnant”

35. “will you be mine?”

36. “you’re what’s best for me”

37. “i never stopped loving you”

38. “i’ll go anywhere, as long as i’m with you”

39. “kiss me”

40. “i’ve wanted you since the first day”

41. “dance with me”

[stellabk]

FVRY OF THE FIRE

Part VIII

Author’s note - Just wanted to say thank you to those of you that answered the poll :) I’m going to continue to write collections, but I already started on one individual about Lucius that I will post shortly after this. I’m pretty new to Tumblr since my main thing used to be Wattpad, but I think I like this better just bc of the lack of ads, so if you want dm me a request lets do it!

Summary - The married couple is warming up to each other slowly but surely. They, and the general, head out to seek out their vengeance against Deia’s father.

Warning(s) - slight nudity, sexual implications, violence; let me know if i missed anything as always

Deia stirred from the sound of her door opening. The room was too bright and her head throbbed. She pulled the pillow over her eyes and groaned.

”Good morning, my empress. I trust you slept well,” Aelia smirked, bringing over the usual breakfast of fruits and olives, bread and slices of meat.

”Ugh. I feel as if the Gods are punishing me.”

”Well you certainly had a busy evening last night.”

Deia uncovered her eyes slowly, looking at the smirk on Aelia’s face through squinted eyes, in an attempt to keep the harsh rays of light from making her feel worse. She looked around the room, noticing it wasn’t her own, then looked down at herself. She yanked the sheets quickly over her bare chest, Aelia stifling a giggle.

”I shall let you eat, then return with your clothing for the day. I suspect you need a long hour in the bathhouse this morning.”

Aelia made her way to the door, Deia still analyzing the unfamiliar surroundings. As she pulled the door open, Emperor Geta stepped in, smiling ear to ear.

“Good morning, darling,” he grinned impossibly wider. He took in her perplexed expression, an airy chuckle breezing past his pink lips. “I suppose you might be confused as to how you got here.”

Deia looked at all of the factors: the strange room, her headache, the feeling between her legs, the nakedness, and Luke mosaics lining the walls. Her brows furrowed as her frustration and mostly embarrassment rose. She eyed the pomegranates on her tray, picking one up as if to eat it, and chucked it at the emperor as hard as she could. He moved to the side, narrowly missing the flying fruit. He seemed very amused as he glanced at the squished pomegranate spattered across the floor.

“I must have done a poor job last night,” he quipped, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at his wife who still sat in bed, a furious expression gracing her still sleepy features. She grabbed the full butter knife from the tray, stepping efficiently and purposefully toward him. She forced him against the wall by the window with her forearm, holding the butter knife to his throat, and yet he still looked as if it were more entertaining than the Coliseum.

”Fucker. I’m going to kill you/“

“Father always said when a woman wants to kill you, you’re in business,” he smirked.

”I should rend your skin from you and rub your flesh with salt just for your commentary.”

”You speak to me so violently, yet I am still fully clothed.”

Deia looked down at herself, but only for a second. Her face had begun to burn with the realization she was still completely bare. She tried to physically shake the thought from her head, willing her guard to stay up as best she could muster.

Geta looked her in the eyes during this moment of weakness, the glinting from the cutlery reflecting the sunlight in his peripheral. He took his elbow, slamming it down on her wrist, the metal knife clinking against the floors as it fell.

”Sorry, darling, did that hurt?”

Deia’s eyes moved from the knife on the ground to his face, his expression concerned.

”Yes,” she spoke exasperatedly.

”I’m sorry, but your heart was not in it anyway; we do not wish to kill each other, and you do not wish to kill me.”

”At this moment, I fervently disagree,” she rubbed at her wrist, soothing the slight pain away. “How did I wind up in your bedchambers and not my own? Did you fill my food with dragon’s breath? Render me unconscious so guards could carry me in here so you could have your way?”

”No, Gods! I may be a tyrant, but I’m no monster, Deia. Do you really not remember a thing?”

Deia’s shoulders relaxed, looking at him as he ran a hand through the back of his hair.

”I apologize anyway. I didn’t really think you to be that drunk, I supposed you had a glass to steel your nerves and have something to blame the next morning. Clearly, my judgement was wrong,” he fell back on the bed, sitting over the edge and slumping to bring his forehead into his palm almost dumbfounded.

”You… you speak the truth?” Deia stripped a sheet from the bed to cover herself before standing in front of her husband, Geta looking up at her like he hadn’t slept all night and nodded.

“Did we… we didn’t. Did we?” She fiddled with the edge of the linen that she had lazily draped over herself.

”I assured you when you came here that I would not do anything that you did not beg for.”

The silence lingered as she stared at a loose string in the linen, twisting it around her finger. “Was it any good?”

Geta’s eyes shot to her once more, taking in the hue of her cheeks. He barked out a laugh, wiping over his face with his hand.

”It is not funny! Forget I said anything,” she huffed, making her way toward the door to leave with what little pride she had left. Geta grabbed her forearm, still sitting on the bed.

”What?” She looked at him with her cheeks puffed, irritated.

”It was heavenly. I’ve never heard such beautiful noises. I felt as if I drank the sweetest wine and ate Venus herself.”

Deia bit the inside of her cheek, praying that she would have control over her already heated cheeks, realizing her prayers were in vain by the smug look on Geta’s face.

“Well, thank you for the reprieve, emperor. If you’ll excuse me, I would like to leave while i still possess some dignity.”

Geta chuckled as the door slammed behind Deianira, shaking his head, unable to understand the woman he had wed.

General Marcus Acacius returned to Rome just as Geta and Caracalla had said, and was instructed on what to do as soon as he arrived back. Deia only knew since she had eavesdropped from behind the door, hearing the deal that if he were to do this, he could miss the games in the Coliseum and spend every night for the next month with his wife, so he agreed almost happily. The general rode on a black steed without blemish, two cloaked figures on matching white horses behind him, and a bushel of soldiers following. They slowed in the village, taking in the people running into their homes to avoid another incident like they had endured the first time the Roman militia had come to their quaint part of town.

”Sir, we are in search of Publius. Where would he be at this moment?” Acacius stopped a man from the market. The man was visibly shaken, but stood bravely despite it. His eyes stared unfazed at the general, one of them with a long scar from his brow down to his cheekbone. The burly man pointed a thick finger toward the building in the back of town where Deianira was never permitted to go. The disguised figure atop the white horse dropped a handful of coins to the merchant. “Take care of yourself, Atticus.”

The merchant’s eyes followed the hooded figure and the rest of the army, wondering why he felt so at ease and familiar with the stranger.

The small building the man had described was very unkempt, the bricks and cement holding it together chipping at the corners and making it look uninhabited. Giggles and strange noises could be heard from inside, a noise that struck an awareness for what the place was into most of the people led by Marcus. One of the disguised turned red as if smeared in pomegranate, not going unnoticed by the other cloaked person.

The general hopped from his horse gracefully, knocking on the door with a booming fist.

A woman with a sloppy stola emerged behind the door, her lips swollen and reddened, her kohl on her eyes smeared and a distinct, indescribable scent emerged from her.

“It’s not everyday that we receive Roman soldiers in our little slice of the Heavens. You and your men must have heard splendid things about us.

“We are in search of Publius. We know he is here.”

The woman perked up, almost scared stiff. “I will send him out momentarily.”

She retreated inside, scurrying and things rattling about could be heard inside before the door opened once again.

Publius emerged just as disheveled as the woman before. “Ah, general. I presume you have brought me the militia I was promised.”

”Something along those lines.”

Soldiers surrounded Deia’s father, grabbing him by the arms and binding his wrists.

“What is the meaning of this, Acacius?! This goes against the deal struck!”

”I beg to differ, Publius,” Geta removed his hood and jumped from the horse to swagger closer to his empress’s father, looking down on him. “I promised to protect your quaint little village and to send militia if need be for them. I am delivering on that promise at this moment.”

”You snake! If my daughters discover what you’ve done, if your wife discovers, she will cut your head from your body. She still believes in a grand revolt, and what better start than taking her father?”

”Tut tut, I thought you knew me smarter than that, dear Publius,” the second hooded figure pushed back her veil just enough to bring light to the shadows that shrouded her face.

“Deianira. Whatever poison this tyrant has whispered in your ear, you mustn’t believe it!”

“Actually, this was of your own undoing.” She tossed the letters at his feet in the dirt. “You will fight in the Coliseum against our gladiators tomorrow for your crime of wishing harm to your emperor.” She hopped from the horse and stood a few feet from her father.

”My own daughter, corrupted with power. If you were no bastard child, I would be impressed.”

”You dare insult one of your empresses of Rome? Do you wish for greater punishment?” Geta spat in his face.

”Once the city discovers her origins and how she was the one who slayed her mother, she will be empress no longer.”

“I’ve heard enough from this traitor. Take him, general.” Deianira turned her back against her father.

Publius fought against the soldier's hold, freeing himself, and pushing his daughter against the ground, dagger to her throat.

”You will die for this treachery, you daughter of a whore!”

She cried out, her brows furrowing and teeth gritting harshly in fury as she brought her knee to his groin and flipping him on his back in his vulnerability.

”Go ahead: kill me like you did to your mother, devil woman!” He yelled, spitting on her cheek.

”I won’t need to. You shall die in the Coliseum at the hands of my gladiators, and no one will remember or mourn your name.”

Soldiers grabbed him, more of them holding him now.

“For your attack on my wife’s life, however, I believe an eye for an eye shall suffice. You will never raise your hand to your empress ever again.” Geta stepped beside his wife, handing her his prized shortsword. Deianira turned the blade over in her hand, letting all her rage forge into it and make it stronger.

Soldiers raised his arms toward their empress, Publius pleading screams at his child. She raised the sword above her head, cutting his right hand off and watching it fall out the ground, the creams of agony not even heard to her ears from the adrenaline.

”Why not both hands, my life? Do you not wish to see him slaughtered in the arena?”

”Oh, dear husband, I do, I assure you. Taking his dominant hand and leaving him one to defend himself shall be my last mercy to him.”

”I do love your benevolence, dear wife,” Geta placed his hand on the small of his empress’s back, looking at her as if he could never be more in love. Guards led Publius toward Rome while Geta helped his wife back on her horse, as the militia left town as if they’d never been there.

The emperor and empress ate dinner together, the long banquet table keeping them what felt like a mile apart. Geta lifted his plate and cup, making his way to her end of the table, the unmistakable smile on his wife’s lips making his heart jump in his chest.

“Why do you wear that smirk? Am I not permitted to sit next to my lovely wife?”

Deia chuckled, “You are the emperor; you may do as you please.”

”Ah, but you forget you are the empress and can will me away. However,” he leaned his cheek against his fist as he gazed at her with a large grin, “I think you are beginning to enjoy my company.”

”I’ll never tell, Imperator.”

”There is no need for you to… your eyes tell it all.”

Deianira rolled her eyes, looking back to her plate of food, memories had been resurfacing from that one intoxicated night lately, and she could feel the heat in her body swell, as this was one of those moments. She always kept calm, trying not to show it, but even she knew it made her more docile and pleasant to have around…

She would never admit that though, especially to Geta.

”I hear no denial, empress,” he scooted his chair closer to her making her smile grow, a tint of pink entering her cheeks, but not the kind from embarrassment, but the blush that showed her happiness. It suited her, the emperor thought.

”I suppose… I do enjoy being around you in the slightest,” she mumbled, trying to hide her smile and failing as she took a bite of the dessert on her plate.

They sat in comfortable silence as they ate, unable to wipe the grins from their faces as they stole glances at each other.

”Your father… he wished to see us both after we’ve finished our meal.” Geta’s face had finally become somber, his wife’s soon matching his.

“We may as well go now. After all, hearing about him has spoiled my appetite.”

Deia and Geta stood at the top of the staircase that led down into the dungeons. Geta grabbed his wife’s hand, looping around his arm and placing his hand on top of hers. He gave her a reassuring smile before they both started their descent.

”So you did come to see me before I met my demise,” her father hung on the bars, looking exhausted and as if he had already been attacked.

”What do you want, father?”

”I wanted to let your husband know what you are,” he smirked, spitting on the ground at his daughters feet. “Her mother was a whore; your wife is no more my daughter than you are my son.”

”You dare speak about your empress that way? Do you crave an early death out of fear for what awaits you in the arena?” Geta boomed, immediately stopping at the touch of his wife’s hand against his chest.

”He speaks the truth, emperor.” Deia didn’t look at the emperor out of shame.

”her mother claimed that Mars descended from the Heavens. She was a beautiful creature, but not one enough to tempt the Gods.”

Geta listened with a furrowed brow, glancing his wife’s way, waiting for her to contradict her father, yet she never did, and she never looked back at him.

”Her mother died giving birth to the bastard child you married. I believe it to be the Gods’ way of dealing punishment for such hubris.”

Deia lunged at her father through the bars, grabbing him by the collar and pulling his head directly into the bars, rendering him unconscious. She stared at him, letting out a gruff exhale before walking away. Geta followed after her, trying to keep up with her quick pace.

”Deia, there is no way that all he spoke of was truth,” he grabbed her forearm, stopping her.

”It is, and he never let me forget it. I understand if you do not wish me to be your wife anymore, emperor.”

”Darling, no… to be honest, Caracalla and I did the same to our mother. I do not judge you for things you could not control, but why not tell me?”

”Why would I? I was ashamed of it, Geta I… I thought you would think me unworthy of the title of empress. Of the title of your wife,” she turned to him, brows knitted together in frustration.

“I think,” he grabbed her hand to pull her closer, “that any woman with Mars’s blood flowing through her veins is fit to be worshipped as more than an empress.”

Deia relaxed, shoulders losing their tension as she filled with relief.

”If I’d have known sooner you were daughter of Mars, you wouldn’t have been empress, though,” he said as they walked back up the stairs. Deia’s gaze shot to him, fear in her eyes.

”Really?”

”Of course not. You would have been head of all the wars in the name of the Roman Empire. We could use the God of War’s powers in this monarchy,” he smirked.

Deia shoved him with a smile, Geta pulling her into his side and planting a tender kiss to the top of her head.

[lover-of-mine]

Your Gilmore Girl here. I'm sorry but Olive is making me laugh. I'm not sure if you know but LP and LG didn't really like each other in RL. But never ever did it affect their on-screen chemistry. Even when they were with other people, you could tell the pull they had to each other. Like that scene when Lorelie tells Luke not to be jealous of the date, I don't have a lot of people, but you are a main. Its what made it painful watching her marry Christopher because she absolutely did not sell that at all.

Again SM wasn't a thing like now but they never shaded each other. Not even going into the reboot. They understood the assignment. I can not imagine LG like pro Christopher art.

I think some BT shippers are baby shippers and really do not get what Oliver is doing and that makes me laugh a little.

Hi darling! Honestly, yeah, you can not get along all that great with your costar and still sell the relationship. It happened with castle too, like, it happens. But you have to be able to sell the relationship on screen for this to be worth it and they are not selling it. After 805 I don't know why Tommy likes Buck or if Buck likes Tommy at all. It lacks that pull, and I feel like it's exacerbated by the fact that they don't seem to like each other all that much irl and Lou is not a great actor. But Oliver going around is kinda ridiculously funny. Even more after Ryan going around sharing buddie costumes.

[wlwcatalogue]

A few sapphic film recs!

Just a few recommendations for sapphic films under 2 hours which may or may not have flown under the radar:

Moonlit Winter / 윤희에게 (1hr 45m, 2019, dir. Lim Dae-hyung)

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (1hr 48m, 2017, dir. Angela Robinson)

Who's the Woman, Who's the Man / 金枝玉葉 2 (1hr 50m, 1996, dir. Peter Ho-Sun Chan)

Sisterhood / 骨妹 (1hr 37m, 2016, dir. Tracy Choi)

DEBS (1hr 31m, 2004, dir. Angela Robinson)

Farewell, My Queen / Les adieux à la reine (1hr 40m, 2012, dir. Benoît Jacquot)

Bonus - short film: Love Does Human / 사람 하는 사랑 (24 mins, 2019, dir. Oh Seon-ju)

Commentary under the cut!

1. Moonlit Winter / 윤희에게 (1hr 45m, 2019, dir. Lim Dae-hyung) - IMDB | MyDramaList

This movie is about a daughter (Kim So-hye) who finds out about her divorced mother’s (Kim Hee-ae) past with another woman (Katase Jun), and how in encouraging her mother to reconnect, the two finally open up to each other as well. Dry stuff on paper, but there’s more to it: the mother and her former lover didn’t just break up, they were split apart by their families as teenagers and the mother was forced to marry a man against her will. In short, it deals with the aftermath of the typical “bad ending” of older stories featuring WLW characters, wherein schoolgirls in love would be separated and married off to preserve the heteronormative status quo.

Although the queer relationship does not get much screentime at all – the two characters share a single scene, there are no flashbacks, and there’s not even a hug – queerness remains at the heart of the movie. It’s a rare depiction of how the repression of queerness leaves scars on people which affect how they engage with the world, but which also shows that as long as they are alive, there is still hope that those scars can be healed. Also, despite the heavy-sounding subject matter, it’s a very gentle experience: there are no direct depictions of homophobia and no sensationalism, just a little story of human connection unfolding in a snow-cloaked Hokkaido.

2. Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (1hr 48m, 2017, dir. Angela Robinson) - IMDB

The blurb on IMDB says that this movie is about “psychologist William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans), and his polyamorous relationship with his wife [Elizabeth] (Rebecca Hall) and their mistress [Olive] (Bella Heathcote) who would inspire his creation of the superheroine, Wonder Woman”. As someone who is not particularly drawn to biopics, male protagonists, polyamory, BDSM, or Wonder Woman, I assumed that this movie wouldn’t be my jam and so didn’t watch it until quite a while later – which is when I discovered just how wrong I was.

First, the two women take up just as much of the movie’s focus as Marston. Elizabeth, Marston’s wife and fellow psychologist, is highly intelligent but equally highly-strung; she does not know how to deal with her husband’s attraction to new research assistant Olive, nor Olive’s attraction to both her husband and Elizabeth herself, and this internal conflict (even after the three enter into a polyamorous relationship) features heavily in the story. Second, although it declares itself to be “based on a true story”, the movie is not especially interested in recreating or representing the past. Rather, the historical elements are used as a framework to explore certain ideas: Diana’s Lasso of Truth symbolises how progress and healing must be first founded upon honesty, for example. The polyamory and BDSM is also not at all sordid or sensationalised, but rather presented in a nuanced (though still sexy!) manner. More than anything, this is a movie with a big heart and big ideas, and should be judged on its own merits.

3. Who's the Woman, Who's the Man / 金枝玉葉 2 (1hr 50m, 1996, dir. Peter Ho-Sun Chan) - IMDB | MyDramaList

All you need to know going into this sequel of 1994 movie He's a Woman, She's a Man (金枝玉葉) is that main character Wing (Anita Yuen) is a woman who has found both fame and (heterosexual) love while disguising herself as a male idol, and that her relationship with record producer Sam (Leslie Cheung) is known to the general public— although it is perceived as being homosexual in nature due to her persona. At this point, you might be wondering why an M/F romantic comedy is on this list, but this movie is a bit odd in that instead of focusing only on problems such Sam’s internalised homophobia and misogyny (both of which are addressed in the story), one of the new obstacles facing the couple is the female lead meeting female pop star Fong Yim Mui (Anita Mui)… and both starting to fall for each other.

I was surprised at how sensitively Wing and Fong Yim Mui’s respective arcs are handled, especially for a mainstream movie from the 90’s starring two of Hong Kong’s most popular performers at the time. Instead of giving the two women a meet-cute and leaving it at that, a lot of care is put into showing them processing and coming to terms with their feelings in their own time. Romantic and sexual attraction is also highlighted separately, which is refreshing given how they are usually depicted as inextricably linked even now… Obviously Wing and Fong Yim Mui don’t end up together, but their feelings aren’t dismissed and – relative to the narrative constraints – the ending is a warm, optimistic one. Also, Anita Mui gives an absolutely award-worthy performance in one of the scenes with her character and Wing, so fans of her should definitely give this movie a try.

Important note: Although there’s much that’s good about it, Who's the Woman, Who's the Man is far from perfect. Early on, there’s a masquerade party where two of the characters are wearing masks which look like racist caricatures, and the masks are crop up in multiple scenes in the film. More serious is the subplot about a male character who keeps trying to win over a lesbian, culminating in her agreeing to sleep with him once while he’s dressed as a woman (CW: transphobia, homophobia) – though this storyline ends with the man accepting that she really is gay and parting on friendly terms. That said, these problems are already mild compared to the actively hateful transphobic and homophobic jokes present in so many of its contemporaries, so if you’ve watched a 90’s Hong Kong comedy before, chances are that your tolerance level is more than high enough.

4. Sisterhood / 骨妹 (1hr 37m, 2016, dir. Tracy Choi) IMDB | MyDramaList

Sisterhood opens with tragedy. Originally from Macau, main character Sei (Gigi Leung) is living quietly in Taiwan with her husband after the 1999 Handover when her life is overturned by a newspaper personal ad informing her that her long-estranged friend and colleague Ling has passed away. The movie is shot through with flashbacks to earlier times, tracking a young Sei (Fish Liew) as she starts doing sex work and is taken under the wing of the more experienced Ling (Jennifer Yu) and her friends. Memories of togetherness and community are juxtaposed against sequences of present-day Sei struggling to navigate her grief, the tensions of the now-fractured friend group, and a Macau that has changed just as much as she has. The acting and script can be clunky in places but the sentiment shines through, especially after the first third, at which point the movie starts honing in on Sei and Ling’s relationship. It’s not a happy story, but nor is it defined by sadness; instead, it posits that the past is not merely to be mourned, that it is instead something that can shape and provide a foundation for the future. I won't talk too much about how queerness figures into this story, due to spoilers, but rest assured that it is present and important!

5. D.E.B.S. (1hr 31m, 2004, dir. Angela Robinson) - IMDB

Okay, you've probably heard of this one before if not watched it already, but anyway! This was the first WLW movie I watched, and for a long time, the only one which I actually enjoyed. It’s about an elite spy (well, more like an honours student at spy school) (Sara Foster) and a criminal mastermind (Jordana Brewster) falling for each other, a premise which is just as fun and over-the-top as it sounds. The movie does a great job of mixing action, humor, and romance, and it doesn’t overstay its welcome – it’s got a nice compact runtime and a cracking pace. There’s still nothing quite like it in my opinion, though I’m very welcome to any recommendations in this line (my askbox is open if you have any!).

6. Farewell, My Queen / Les adieux à la reine (1hr 40m, 2012, dir. Benoît Jacquot) - IMDB

Loosely based on Chantal Thomas’ novel of the same name, Farewell, My Queen is a portrait of French nobility in decline, following maidservant Sidonie Labarde (Léa Seydoux) who is in the service of Marie Antoinette (Diane Kruger). It's a beautiful, lavish production which effectively conveys the perspective of a servant locked in the gilded cage that is Versailles during the French Revolution, and is a rare case of a historical figure as famous as Antoinette being presented as queer in a serious historical drama.

That being said, the queerness is mostly background, coming mainly in the form of Antoinette’s crush on? relationship with? duchess Gabrielle de Polignac (Virginie Ledoyen)— though a case can be made for Sidonie, whose outward opacity belies an unwavering, almost unsettling, devotion to her queen. Also, be warned that the movie has many a dodgy shot of cleavage, and two instances of unnecessary and voyeuristic nudity... but other than that, it really does have gorgeous cinematography.

Fun fact: there really were rumours about Antoinette having a scandalous relationship with the duchess, although these have nearly always been written off as baseless reputation-smearing.

Bonus - short film: Love Does Human / 사람 하는 사랑 (24 mins, 2019, dir. Oh Seon-ju) - MyDramaList

Some say that the best science fiction puts a spotlight on some part of the human condition, and this short film does just that. Main character Tae Eun's (Kim Min-ju) girlfriend Joo An (Jang Sam-yi) no longer has a human body: after carrying out a medical operation which transferred her consciousness to a computer system, she now has a web-camera for her eyes, a speaker for her mouth, and control over their home's devices for her hands. And although the change was by Joo An's choice and Tae Eun was supportive, the pair struggle to adjust to this new reality, and are confronted with the need to communicate and to consider each other's perspectives. Love Does Human has a bit of a slow start, and there were points where I didn't understand why the characters were reacting in a certain way, but it all comes together beautifully in the end. Through its sci-fi premise, viewers are encouraged to think about real-life problems using a different angle, and the movie never gets too heavy. Also, shoutout to some excellent voice work from the two actors - Joo An is performed nearly entirely through voice but she feels deeply human and present, and Tae Eun's actor also has a standout scene featuring some great voice acting. All in all, it's a short film that's well worth checking out (especially since the director has made it available for free, with English subtitles, on Youtube - embedded above)!

[holyplumbbob]

Hey guys! So I decided to collect my legacy together in a big old update, and here it is, without any further ado!

“Yooo hooo! Mr Pleasant! Got any dirty parts to clean?”

“Um….Mr Pleasant???”

“This isn’t happening…I didn’t just get roped into a legacy….nope.”

Oh but she did. Welcome to Kaylynn Langerak’s very own legacy challenge, Maid In Pleasantview. Hee hee hee.

Interestingly, Kaylynn’s lifetime want is to marry off 6 children, a Family Sim. Well this is gonna be interesting.

“Does your dad have anything to do with this Lillith?”

“Don’t look at me."

The highs and lows of lawn living have one perk: lots of chances to meet your neighbours. One night, Kaylynn meets Ryan Wheeler and really hits it off with him. Two bolts!!

There’s also lots of other passerbys to meet and..er…argue with, like LaShawn.

"No it isn't funny that the maid lives outdoors. I am not Snow White and do not have fairytale creatures to clean up. One more joke from you and you'll be seeing my duster where the sun don't shine."

A while later after focusing on her career in Law Enforcement for a while, Kaylynn invites Ryan over again.

She proposes and Ryan happily accepts! He moves in with 1,000 Simoleans..fantastic.

Their wedding is a very simple one in their beautiful 2 room shack.

For their glorious wedding dinner, Kaylynn prepares lobster, which the happy couple dine on in their underwear in one corner of their shack. Who needs a fancy wedding reception??????

Time passes, and Kaylynn and Ryan are expecting their first child! On a warm night they cuddle under the stars and discuss their hopes for their baby.

Eventually the new baby arrives, and it’s a girl! Her name is Scarlett.

Ryan is brilliant with the baby! It’s so cute how he tucks her into her cot.

The day of Scarlett’s birthday was a..interesting one. First, the nanny decided to stick around and randomly cook a turkey in our kitchen.

Then poor Kaylynn ended up getting chased by bees on a hike. I was frantically trying to cancel the interaction so she would go indoors.

Eventually Scarlett got her birthday though! She grew up into a cutie.

The family’s bad luck continued the next day however when Ryan got sprayed by a skunk. I tried to tell you not to!!

With Kaylynn expecting her second child, she decided to change her maid uniform for something a bit comfier and practical. Gotta keep the hat though.

It’s a boy this time! Welcome to the world, little Luke!

And it’s….another boy! Welcome to the world too, little Oliver!

Kaylynn now wants 10 kids. Not blooming likely! 6 kids graduated from college is going to be hard enough.

It’s time for little Scarlett’s birthday! She grew up into a cutie pie. Er, interesting outfit.

She doesn’t mind at all that for now she has to share a room with her two little brothers.

And especially not when it comes time for a bedtime story.

And with that, I'll leave you for now. Ta-ta and thanks for reading!

[kaydensb]

Here is a link for a whole bunch of movies, TV shows and more.

Apparently on my other post about the google drive there were some issues with not being able to get the link to work. So I am making another post in the hopes this one has no issues with the link not working.

Hopefully all the prior issues with getting things to open or show up have been fixed, but if not let me know specifically what isn't working and I will try to re-upload it.

Below is a list of the things currently on my google drive, I will add more and keep updating this list periodically as things get put on the drive.

Audiobooks and Audio Dramas

Fiction

1984 By George Orwell

A Tale of Two Cities By Charles Dickens

Animal Farm By George Orwell

Bleak House By Charles Dickens

Bridgerton Series By Julia Quinn

Chemistry By Rachael Sommers

Daisy Jones and the Six By Taylor Jenkins Reid

David Copperfield By Charles Dickens

Do Not Disturb By Freida McFadden

Dracula By Bram Stoker

Eve of Man Series By Tom Fletcher & Giovanna Fletcher

Fellow Travelers By Thomas Mallon

Frankenstein By Mary Shelley

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe By Fanny Flagg

Friends of Dorothy By Sandi Toksvig

Gone Girl By Gillian Flynn

Gothic Tales By Arthur Conan Doyle

Great Expectations By Charles Dickens

H.G. Wells The Science Fiction Collection By H.G Wells

It By Stephen King

Jurassic Park By Michael Crichton

Les Misérables By Victor Hugo

Little Women By Louisa May Alcott

Mansfield Park By Jane Austen

Me Before You By Jojo Moyes

Neon Roses By Rachel Dawson

No One I Knew By A. J. McDine

Oliver Twist By Charles Dickens

Pride and Prejudice By Jane Austen

Red, White & Royal Blue By Casey McQuiston

Sense and Sensibility By Jane Austen

Should Have Known Better By A J McDine

Stranger in the Woods By Anni Taylor

The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection By Arthur Conan Doyle

The Exorcist By William Peter Blatty

The Forgetting By Hannah Beckerman

The Girl on the Train By Paula Hawkins

The Glitch By Leeanne Slade

The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Honey Witch By Sydney J. Shields

The Invite By A. J. McDine

The Murder Game By Tom Hindle

The Picture of Dorian Gray By Oscar Wilde

The Promise You Made By A. J. McDine

The Woman in Black By Susan hill

The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop By Fannie Flagg

The Wrong Sister By Claire Douglas

Think Again By Jacqueline Wilson

Torchwood

We Play Games by Sarah A. Denzil

When You Least Expect It By Haley Cass

Non Fiction

A Billion Years My Escape from a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology By Mike Rinder

All I Know Now By Carrie Hope Fletcher

Apparently There Were Complaints By Sharon Gless

Bad Gays A Homosexual History By Huw Lemmey & Ben Miller

Barnum's Own Story By P T Barnum

Best Foot Forward By Adam Hills

Between the Stops By Sandi Toksvig

Beyond Belief By Jenna Miscavige

Black Mass By Gerrard O’Niell & Dick Lehr

Blown for Good - Behind the Iron Curtain of Scientology By Marc Headley

Boy From the Valleys By Luke Evans

Che Guevara By Jon Lee Anderson

Church of Lies By Flora Jessop & Paul T. Brown

Coming Up for Air By Tom Daley

Dare to Dream By Izzy Judd

David Bowie Made Me Gay - 100 Years of LGBT Music By Darryl W Bullock

Deaf Utopia By Nyle DiMarco

Escaping the Kingdom of God By J. Andrew Robinson

Fahrenheit-182 By Mark Hoppus

Fathomless Riches By Rev Richard Coles

Freddie Mercury The Definitive Biography By Lesley-Ann Jones

Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing By Matthew Perry

From Here to the Great Unknown A Memoir By Lisa Marie Presley & Riley Keough

Help I S*xted My Boss By William Hanson & Jordan North

Karma By Boy George

Letters on Love By Giovanna Fletcher

Mama’s Boy By Dustin Lance Black

Notorious by Raphael Rowe

Once upon a Tyne By Ant & Dec

Our Story By Reg and Ron Kray

Over Our Dead Bodies By Todd Harra & Kenneth McKenzie

Rainbow History Class By Hanna McElhinney

Scientology: Abuse at the Top By Amy Scobee

Sh**ged. Married. Annoyed By Chris Ramsey & Rosie Ramsey

The Church of Fear by John Sweeney

The Doomsday Mother By John Glatt

The House of My Mother By Shari Franke

The Hundred Years' War on Palestine By Rashid Khalidi

The Mayor of Castro Street By Randy Shilts

The Peer and the Gangster By Daniel Smith

The Phantom Prince By Elizabeth Kendall

Under the Banner of Heaven By Jon Krakauer

Under the Bridge By Rebecca Godfrey

Documentaries and Docudramas

A Lion Called Christian

A Very British Sex Scandal

Abused By My Girlfriend

Accused - The Hampstead Paedophile Hoax

Aids - The Unheard Tapes

Alex Brooker: Disability and Me

Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing

Bad Influencer - The Great Insta Con

Bowie - The Man Who Changed The World

Boyzone: No Matter What

Children of the Underground

Dancing for the Devil - The 7M TikTok Cult

Daughters of the Cult

Desperately Seeking Soulmate - Escaping Twin Flames Universe

Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke

Dinosaurs - The Final Day with David Attenborough

Dirty Pop - The Boy Band Scam

Driven - The Billy Monger Story

Escaping Polygamy

Escaping Twin Flames

Freddie Mercury - The Great Pretender

Frozen Planet

Frozen Planet II

Good Grief with Reverend Richard Coles

Hatton Garden - The Inside Story

Hell Camp - Teen Nightmare

I Am Not A Rapist

I Cut Off His Penis - The Truth Behind The Headlines

Ireland's Mother and Baby Scandal

Killing Patient Zero

Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath

Lewis Capaldi - How I'm Feeling Now

Liar: The Fake Grooming Scandal

Living Every Second: The Kris Hallenga Story

Lord Montagu

Mama's Boy

Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction

Murdaugh Murders - A Southern Scandal

Murder Among the Mormons

My Wife My Abuser - Captured On Camera

Pennywise - The Story of It

Planet Earth

Planet Earth II

Queen - Days Of Our Lives

Sacred Soil - The Piney Woods School Story

Sarah Everard: The Search for Justice

Scientology: Going Clear - The Prison of Belief

Soham: The Murder of Holly & Jessica

Stolen Youth - Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence

Strike - An Uncivil War

Strike! The Women Who Fought Back

Striking with Pride: United at the Coalface

Surviving Amber Heard

Take Care of Maya

The Bambers : Murder at the Farm

The Boys - The Sherman Brothers' Story

The Exorcist Untold

The Family

The Krays - The Mafia Connection

The Menendez Brothers

The Millennium Dome Heist With Ross Kemp

The Movies That Made Us

The Pembrokeshire Murders - Catching the Gameshow Killer

The Program - Cons, Cults and Kidnapping

The Settlers

The Times of Harvey Milk

Tom Daley 1.6 Seconds

Uprising

Waco - American Apocalypse

Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil

Wonders of the World I Can't See

Films

A Haunting in Venice

About a Boy

All of Us Strangers

American Psycho

Armageddon

Bad Tidings

Basic Instinct

Beautiful Boy

Beautiful Thing

Beetlejuice

Boy Erased

Boys Don’t Cry

But I'm a Cheerleader

Chicago

Child's Play

Chocolat

City of Lies

Clue

Contagion

Cool Runnings

Corpse Bride

Dallas Buyers Club

Dawn of the Dead

Death on the Nile

Deck the Halls

Die Hard

Dirty Dancing

Donnie Brasco

Downton Abbey

Edward Scissorhands

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Four Weddings and a Funeral

Fried Green Tomatoes

From Hell

Gone Girl

Gremlins

Hairspray

Handsome Devil

Heathers

Heathers - The Musical

Home Alone

Hot Fuzz

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

IT

Jaws

Jingle All The Way

Jumanji

Jurassic Park

Kill Your Darlings

Kindergarten Cop

Kinky Boots

Labyrinth

Legally Blonde

Legend

Les Misérables

Les Misérables: The Staged Concert

Little Shop of Horrors

Little Women

Love Actually

Mean Girls

Midsommar

Milk

Minamata

Miracle on 34th Street

Moulin Rouge!

Murder on the Orient Express

Murdered for Being Different

Newsies

Oliver!

Philadelphia

Pirates of the Caribbean

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Prayers For Bobby

Pride

Pride and Prejudice

Red, White and Royal Blue

Rent

Scarface

Scream

Scrooged

Secret Window

Shaun of the Dead

Shelter

Sister Act

Sleepy Hollow

Star Wars

Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

The Addams Family

The Amityville Horror

The Blair Witch Project

The Conjuring

The Craft

The Crow

The Exorcist

The Full Monty

The Greatest Showman

The imitation Game

The Muppet Christmas Carol

The Nightmare Before Christmas

The Santa Clause

The Shawshank Redemption

The Sixth Sense

The Sound of Music

The Tourist

The Woman in Black

Three Men and a Baby

Three Men and a Little Lady

Titanic

Transcendence

Twister

Uncle Buck

Unicorns

West Side Story

What We Did on Our Holiday

White Christmas

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Zola

Stand Up Comedy

Adam Hills

Chris McCausland

Chris Ramsey

Daniel Howell

Daniel Sloss

Dara O'Briain

Ed Byrne

Fern Brady

Greg Davies

John Bishop

Rhod Gilbert

Sarah Millican

Sean Lock

TV Shows

90210

Agatha All Along

Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled

Apple Cider Vinager

Being Human

Big Night of Musicals

Bridgerton

Celebrity Race Across the World

Code of Silence

Criminal Minds

Cuckoo

Daisy Jones and the Six

Deadwater Fell

Desperate Housewives

Doctor Who

Downton Abbey

Dynasty

Eyewitness

Fellow Travelers

Fire Country

Friends

Good Girls

Good Omens

Good Trouble

Heartstopper

I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!

Interview with the Vampire

It's A Sin

Killing Eve

Looking

Mary & George

Mid-Century Modern

Midnight Mass

Missing You

My Family

My Wife and Kids

Nevermind the Buzzcocks

One Tree Hill

Parenthood

QI 

Queer as Folk

Shameless

Sky Med

Sleepy Hollow

Switched at Birth

Taskmaster

The Alienist

The Artful Dodger

The Clearing

The Couple Next Door

The Fosters

The Haunting of Bly Manor

The Haunting of Hill House

The Jetty

The Midnight Club

The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan

The Pembrokeshire Murders

The Perfect Couple

The Society

The Stranger

The Unofficial Science Of…

The Watcher

Torchwood

Toxic Town

Under the Banner of Heaven

Under the Bridge

Virgin River

WandaVision

White Collar

White House Farm

[luke-hughes43]

rusty hughes | luke and stella

a cute little insta edit about Luke and Stella getting rusty.

Goes with this fic: Getting Rusty

stellazegras_ 

liked by lhughes_06, trevorzegras, and others

stellazegras_ meet rusty hughes!

Tagged: lhughes_06

Comments:

lhughes_06 he's so cute. and you looks so cute holding him.

stellazegras_ he literally plopped himself on your lap and you looked like a kid in a candy store.  lhughes_06 so? have you seen his cute little face? stellazegras_ you're a literal child.

trevorzegras he's so cute. can I come meet him?

stellazegras_ as long as he doesn't disappear from my apartment then yes.

mack.boldy you guys will be the best dog parents to the cutie. do you think he likes cats?

stellazegras_ looks like you'll just have to bring your cats to jersey to meet him🤨 mack.boldy buying tickets now🫡

bellamurphy so you move to New Jersey and all of a sudden you get this adorable little thing?

stellazegras_ yes exactly. bellamurphy I want one! edwards.73 can we get one? edwards.73 once I sign my elc and you graduate, we can get a dog. I promise. bellamurphy yay!

averyjohnson_ omg, i'm calling you right now to meet him. he's perfect.🥹

dylanduke25 he's adorable. you guys will be the best dog parents.

markestapa oh he's so cute! can I come visit and meet him?

stellazegras_ you're welcome anytime marky! mackie.samo what about me? stellazegras_ you too mack! I miss you guys!

jackhughes I am coming over to meet him right now. I'll be there in 5.

_quinnhughes he's so cute. I'm so happy for you guys.

_alexturcotte hughes and no zegras-hughes?

stellazegras_ do I really need to explain it to you? lhughes_06 everybody knows I'm marrying her so...

colecaufield he is the cutest thing in the whole world. maybe him and olive will be friends!

stellazegras_ maybe! he is pretty attached to Luke so idk if that will happen. he already barks at me for sitting next to Luke or hugging him so... colecaufield that's tough little zeegs

jamiedrysdale he's so cute. he looks like daisy, the ducks dog!

stellazegras_ they're the same breed.

masonmctavish23 very cute.

cassie.hughes6 omg omg omg

cassie.hughes6 he's so stinking cute

cassie.hughes6 can i meet him?

stellazegras_ you're welcome anytime. we need to catch up anyways. you have lots to tell me. cassie.hughes6 shhhh luke doesn't know yet. lhughes_06 what does luke not know? cassie.hughes6 nothing don't worry about it.

[ask-sentient-vehicles]

Which of the engines are married?

A lot :)

Thomas is married to Rosie

Gordon is married to Annie

Edward is married to Emily

Toby is married to Henrietta

Donald is married to Daisy

Duck is married to Flora

Skarloey is married to Millie

Duncan is married to Madge

Oliver is married to Isabel

Sir Handel is married to Elizabeth

James is married to Molly

Henry is married to Caitlin

Clarabel is married to Hank

Boco is married to Ashima

Lady is married to Dodge

Frieda is married to Ivan

Duke is married to Catherine

Stepney is married to Bluebell

Dennis is married to Pip (opposites attract)

if I have any more ship ideas, I'll add them here

Percy and Mavis are dating, but not married bc Percy's just a kid.

Philip has a one-sided crush on Marion. He's a simp. So, not married.

Rusty and Peter Sam are in a queerplatonic relationship. They are BFF. Luke and Rusty are dating, but not married for the same reason Percy's not married. (I just started shipping Rusty x Luke -- it's so cute (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)

Stanley is dating Jenny Wakeman from My Life as a Teenage Robot (i'm not kidding, i legit ship them)

^me shipping all these trains in a nutshell

[zephyr-bazaar]

Even tho I know some of your favorite ships based on the Exchange, would you like to share any fave HMSoS rarepairs/crackships? :3 (esp. STH/HoLV/MM related since I've been balls deep in StH the past 3 weeks.)

HM… I saw a Kurt/Gotz pic a while back and I REALLY liked that!!

It’s kind of hard to think of rare pairs specifically, but I also think Carl/Katie and Louis/Ann are cute!! Way cuter than their canon pairs (Sorry Joe and Lyla LMAO

When I was a teen and Desperate For Yaoi I liked Mikhail/Ivan as well, but that’s fallen by the wayside since I just straight up started self inserting as Oliver.

Wayne/Ludus is also cute!!

WAIT ALSO: Wayne/Frank I CANT BELIEVE I ALMOST FORGOT THAT ONE. Just a twink and his daddy making it through the world… I hate when people marry Wayne because they’re doing their uncle who let you into his home when nobody else would dirty.

Is Huang/Zack rare?? Because I always loved that and I think the same of people who marry Wayne but with Huang LMAO

Also Rod/Allen!! Or Rod/Neil actually probably Rod/Neil

WAAAAAAAAAAAY back in middle school I liked Julius/Luna but now I prefer Julius and his canon beautiful transgender wife.

OH idk if it’s a rarepair or not but a close friend just said Giorgio/Marian I LOVE GIORGIO/MARIAN SO MUCH ITS ONE OF MY FAVE BOKUMONO SHIPS PERIOD

Those are the biggest ones I can think of!! My big ships are usually more common ones like Luke/Gil (luv Luke/Gil) or Dia/Gina

(also wrt your username I love Kazuma/Sherlock in DGS)