#Natascha's Works

[multiheadcanons]

BAD BATTLE STRATEGIES

scout: scout’s sole job is to pick where the front lines are and to not die as he stalls the trio until reinforcements arrive. then his sole job is get the fuck out of there and undercut the blu team where he can. the team is essentially forming around the fact that he can both make it before the rest of the team and get out of a sticky situation with his body intact. this also gives the rest of the team vital visual information of the enemy team’s whereabouts as he ducks in and out of enemy sightlines, taking shots where he’s able and darting before they can detect their origin. on a good day, he can take out the medic so soldier can come in and take care of the other two. he is a large pain in the ass, and the top of the enemy sniper’s priorities.

soldier: once he gets to the front lines he will not budge unless he is dead. one of the few members of the team who is willing and able to win against the trio due to his massive area damage, and his deadly tendency to market garden. he targets the blu medic first, and can take out the pyro by rocket jumping away just as quickly. that heavy of theirs is a tougher challenge, but if scout can pepper in shots before he runs then it’s easy enough to take him out. this doesn’t work all the time, but when it does the red team can start with a major advantage.

pyro: pyro’s sole job is to spy check. if pyro isn’t spy checking then the spy better be dead and charred, and if the team can’t smell burnt flesh, then pyro should not be in sight. this, however, has pyro running around every map they’re on, making them a roamer of sorts, but they are never in the places they are truly needed in. pyro’s inability to be in the places they’re supposed to be, which seems to be everywhere but where they are, is actively crippling the team to their spy. they need eyes in the sky.

demo: right flank and front line backup. soldier and demo’s advanced movement techniques make them indispensable to the front lines, where the heat of battle is. if demo can hold down one path of entry, it can severely impact how much the blu team can do, as they’re forced to either take another route or risk stepping into a trap. demo has a bad habit of spamming bombs, and gets multiple accidental kills from neglected, then detonated bombs. this makes him a top priority to get him off of the field. especially when he decides he’s done playing with his bombs and opts for his sword. tavish playing knight will immediately shoot him to the top of the hit list; but he’s too fast. they just can’t get to him in time before his blade gets to them.

heavy: it has been… a task for heavy to accept being anywhere but on the front lines with his doctor. in his effort to do something “different”; his aim has become deadly, and his sights are not one the blu team even want to cross anymore. natascha has become his regular gun, and he will find a semi concealed area he can take cover in that directly faces a commonly used pathway and just obliterate the them; before moving elsewhere and catching the blu team off guard again, and moving again before they can register his new location. he has three different locations he can use this strategy on, and his damage output has never taken a hit from this change in strategy. his deaths have even decreased! it puts him in a good mood to have better stats. he knows that this is not a viable plan for long. has become very adept at stalking around corners and moving in silence. likes to clothesline the enemy scout. teleporters are reserved for him alone.

engineer: engie has become a de facto battle leader. this man has become increasingly aggressive on the field as the team has attempted to combat the blu team’s strategy shift. he made earpieces so the team can communicate with each other as the blu team keeps them spread thin. now, the texan can, has, and continues to keep his boot on the blu teams’ necks. every time an enemy dies he is pushing forward. and he’s territorial like a son of a bitch. to destroy his buildings you have to kill him first, and that becomes increasingly hard to do when it’s like he sees you coming from around corners, and moves his sentry to get you before you can get him. has become very adept at teleporter locations. the more movement heavy has the harder they can push.

medic: like pyro, the doctor does not stop moving the second the gates open. but he doesn’t stop moving because the second he does he is marked for death. and it doesn’t seem to take much anymore to kill him. he’s not appreciative of that. it’s made him even more aggressive on the field. the doctor has never been one to run from a fight, and mind you he does still heal… but his saw is gaining him most of his ubers. sporadic in his interactions with the team, and explosive the second he steps on the scene, the man will always take a high road and go toe to toe with the spy before he’ll put himself on the front lines to take on the heavy. he pops ubers like a pez dispenser on a good day, but usually he is the blu team’s next target when the scout has been dropped.

sniper: sniper is so fucking serious about his job now. on a good day, he’s singlehandedly keeping the entire blu team back. foot on the sniper’s neck. on the days he’s not so good, he grabs his huntsman and he and heavy go on what they call “a good hunt”. and if they’re lucky, they can intercept the doctor and move as a unit of their own, usually in silence. these are the days the team does their best. sniper is very easy to keep alive when heavy is a wall, and the doctor is such a high priority target that it’s almost like shooting fish in a barrel. it helps that the doctor is willing to take a few shots and waste their resources so they can take the opportunity as the enemy has to reload. this is especially good for ambushing mass pushes.

spy: when spy is not having to go toe to toe with the scout, who seems to be actively targeting him, he’s also one who is struggling to do his job. he can hardly get to the engineer to sap sentries. so all he can do from there is just kill the blu team. he is cloaked most of the time, and he finds it is usually quite easy to catch the enemy demo off guard, and once he gets one he just gets an itch. he just has to get another. and another. and then the scout is back. he gets increasingly frustrated the more he interacts with the enemy scout. he’s ready for that kid to not come back.

[hakka84]

Edit: found other versions. Last one is up for grabs on Ebay at an obscene price of 85€ from an Italian fan.

Edit 2: found the source of the first: spirited-lizard on Livejournal. They are the fortunate owner of the original.

--

As I'm working through my Merlin backup for @neptunesyellowsands, it occurred to me Tumblr perhaps has never seen this pic, since it was never made available in a digital format.

I think it was posted on Livejournal, and sadly I don't remember who shared it (likely a-shot-of-brad). I downloaded this ages ago so I don't remember the specifics, I might've found it myself surfing the web. Anyway. This is the only image we have of this specific pic of Arthur/Bradley.

Thank you, Natascha, whoever you are and wherever you are, for taking the time to scan/make a photo of this signed pic and share it online. 🥰 (but hey, if if happened you're still in the fandom and see this post... what about you make a gift to the fandom and scan/photo again, now that devices give a better resolution?)

[hollyethecurious]

Can you add me to your tag list? Part 1 is great, can't wait for Part 2!

Of course! Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed Part 1. I am diligently working on finishing Part 2, so I hope to have it ready for y'all soon.

I also want to congratulate you on being the first person added to my 2025 Curious Crew Tag List! Each year I start over with my tag list, allowing people who may have moved on from the fandom to gracefully exit the list.

So...

Look alive, ya filthy bilge rats! It's time, once again, to sign up for me crew!

It's a clean slate for the new year, so if you'd like to be tagged in my 2025 fics/updates, then please comment on this post, send me an Ask, or slide into my DMs.

I set a writing goal for myself of an average of 300 words per day, which will give me just over 100k words this year, and believe me... I have at least that many words of ideas in me!

Just a reminder, though. I do not do individual lists for each fic. I have one tag list for all updates and new works, so if you asked to be added you'll get notifications for everything. However, you can exit the list at anytime by just shooting me an Ask (I won't post it) or a DM. No worries at all.

Finally, I have made the decision to no longer post on FanFiction.net. I'm sorry for the inconvenience this may cause for some of you, but the site has become so burdensome. Going forward, you can find my fics here on Tumblr and on AO3. I am HollyeLeigh over there.

I look forward to sharing my works with y'all. If you're curious as to what I'll be working on this year, feel free to send me an Ask. I love talking about my ideas and having it out there will keep me accountable, lol!

Thank you to those who have been with me both this past year and the years prior. Your continued support and encouragement means the world to me!

Tagging the 2024 Curious Crew so they can decide weather to come aboard.

(add to tag list)

@kmomof4 @jrob64 @zaharadessert @laianely @booksteaandtoomuchtv

@the-darkdragonfly @undercaffinatednightmare @killianxswan @mie779 @motherkatereloyshipper

@jennjenn615 @jonesfandomfanatic @anmylica @superchocovian @caught-in-the-filter

@winterbaby89 @wyntereyez @stahlop @resident-of-storybrooke @gingerchangeling

@exhaustedpirate @cocohook38 @donteattheappleshook @lfh1226-linda @teamhook

@jackieorioncat @paradiselady19 @snowbellewells @earanemith @ultraluckycatnd

@pirateherokillian @calmjoonie @unworried-corsair @tiganasummertree @captainswan-kellie

@soniccat @kday426 @djlbg @fairytalepretzkle @maggiegreenvt

@natascha-ronin @ilovemesomekillianjones @iamstartraveller776 @deckerstarblanche @shadowsaur

@qualitycoffeethings @idristardis @phoenix-untamed @bluewildcatfanatic @bananachickens

[taschamonnii]

Enchanted

You x Wanda Maximoff (MCU WandaVision - Elizabeth Olsen) 

Angst/Smut

Summary: Enchanted strap because Wanda wants babies. There is still a plot and big sad energy because I have many issues. You get a back story so that things matter more and hit harder. Yes I am ridiculously adding feelings to some weird smut. 

TW: SMUT, 18+, Enchanted Strap, Impregnating, GP!

Here is the title song: Enchanted By Taylor Swift 

AN: I don’t want to talk about it. We are all going to hell and I am just dragging you all along with me lol I just have been seeing a lot of GP! With Wanda but most of the time it is Wanda with the GP! & I thought about how much she craves a family and got a weird idea. What can I say? My brain is a strange place. I really hope you all like it I surprised myself and really enjoyed writing it. I may want to write more of it but I just don't know if anyone else wants to see it.

Before you say anything just look at her and tell me you wouldn't do anything she asked!

Word Count: 2,632 

Imagine This:

You are married to Wanda Maximoff. You both escaped the hero and villain scene after a close call. Wanda refused to lose you like she had lost everyone else she loved. You live in a cabin in the woods that is at the edge of a small town. You live a normal life. Well as normal as you can be with a witch as a wife and your own powers of hypersensitivity and mind reading. You both were part of the Avengers for a while. You were there after she had already lost Pietro. But you witnessed first hand losing Vision. 

You were friends, all the avengers cared for each other that is what made you a team. However, you had a crush on Wanda the instant you saw her but you were always on different missions and Natasha told you her and Vision were a thing so you pushed your crush aside. You didn’t have time for it anyway Natasha was training you on basically everything and she consumed most of your time. Nevertheless, you became close friends with Wanda and Vision because Nat really cared for Wanda.

You may or may not have had a fling with Nat but it was supposed to be strictly physical even though half the time it ended up being cuddling. Things all changed when that ugly purple asshole came to earth and fucked everything. You had arrived with Nat to try and help even though your powers are practically useless in the battle scenarios. You end up trapped with Nat as Thanos surrounds you both by the earth with a stone. You watch helplessly as everyone tries to fight the Barney looking bastard. Until there is no one left except Wanda who is falling apart as she slowly destroys Vision's mind stone and in turn Vision. You can feel her pain even from where you are trapped. Her thoughts are so loud, it is as if her soul is screaming and crying and it shatters your heart. You watch on as she has to fight off Thanos as she continues to destroy the stone. The flash and force of her destroying the stone blinds you for a moment and when you look again she is on the ground and Thanos is touching her head. You have to watch as he turns back the time and throws her aside as he takes Visions stone. Wanda’s soul only screams louder to you. You watch as people start to turn to dust all around you and you grab Natasha’s hand squeezing it for dear life. You watch Wanda fade into dust into nothing and hear her soul's last strangled cry; it sounds like relief. 

Natascha squeezes your hand harder. You look at her and both fight to escape and manage to get free running right to where Wanda just was. Nat gasps and folds in on herself grabbing at her sister's vest. You catch her before she falls to the ground. You know her sister and all the lives just lost weigh heavy on her. Her soul cries and you hold her thankful you still have her. She is your best friend and honestly all you really have. Especially now. 

You work with Nat and the others that remain to figure out a plan to fix this, to bring everyone back. The plan was good. The plan worked but not without great sacrifice. You didn’t get to time travel, you had your own part to play. You hugged Natasha before she left and you wish you had never let her go, not that you could have stopped her. 

Your mission was to retrieve people who come back if it worked. You went and waited in Wakanda. You brought Wanda and the others back and you consoled her the best you could. You understood the grief you’d lost all your family long ago and this whole thing just brought all that pain back to the surface. Wanda’s grief was the most painful thing you’d ever felt. Well except for the pain and grief you both feel when you return and learn Natasha sacrificed herself.

 You both fell to the floor in a pile holding each other like your lives depended on it because well they did. You stayed practically hooked together barely ever letting go of some kind of physical contact. You share Nats bed and fall asleep crying wrapped up in each other. The team builds on the original plan to destroy Thanos for good. You and Wanda are on autopilot. You both have no one left. Sure there is Clint and the others who care about you both but no one else understands. The night before the epic end-all fight you confess your fears even though you know Wanda can hear them and you can hear hers and they are the same. You are afraid you will lose each other. You decide to voice your locked away feelings and kiss her. 

The kiss is everything, it is life altering and she feels it too. It slows down time. It makes you both gasp for air and cling to each other harder. Like finding the last piece of a puzzle everything suddenly fits and makes sense and you can see a future with her something you’ve both never had the chance to dream of let alone have. 

The battle is epic. Wanda almost kills Thanos all on her own. You think she would have if he hadn’t sabotaged his own soldiers to escape her wrath. You’ve never seen her so angry. You were stationed on a ship with others that didn’t have battle powers. Unfortunately the ship wasn’t a safer place and it got hit. Wanda barely got to you in time as it went down. When she did get to you she didn’t let you go. The way her soul spoke to you refusing to lose you. You locked your gaze on hers and had to fight tears getting lost in her tear filled emerald eyes. A silent promise was made between you. Your souls promise to never let go and never leave the other. 

The battle ended soon after. Tony’s self sacrifice overshadowed everyone else especially Natasha’s and it was the extra solidification for you and Wanda to finally leave this life to go live a peaceful one alone. 

That is how you ended up here in this little cozy cabin in the woods on the outskirts of a precious small town you call home. Happily married to Wanda. It’s been a few years and you both have never known peace like this. She is so happy and you are determined to keep her as happy as possible for the rest of your lives. So when she starts to talk about this aching feeling of missing something you try your hardest to understand. 

She wants a family, a real family with you. She wants babies. More specifically, she wants to be pregnant. Even more specifically she wants you to get her pregnant and that you thought was pretty impossible but you have learned not to underestimate her powers. She wants everything her comforting sitcoms have and she is determined to have it all with you. 

And that is how you have found yourself in this situation. 

You are laying on your shared bed naked and flat on your back. She is naked on her knees in-between your legs. Her gaze is focused and intense; her green eyes map out every inch of you. 

She nibbles on her bottom lip, a nervous habit. "I trust you, Wanda." 

She glances up and meets your gaze, you're confident in her and trust her with your life. She moves to lean over you and lowers her lips to yours, capturing them in a searing kiss. A promise shared to be cautious as you both proceed. She leans back and smiles down at you. "I love you, y/n."

"I love you too, Wanda." 

Her gaze falls between your legs and red illuminates the room as she begins to manipulate reality. You hold yourself up on your elbows to watch completely in awe as a penis forms between your legs. You never thought this would be something you'd want. You admit you'd thought about what it would be like to be a man but never pictured you'd ever be like this. 

Her magic fades and she slowly takes it in her soft hands and fuck her hands are softer than ever as she gently touches it. Touches you. You can feel everything. You can't help the soft sigh that leaves your lips and her gaze shoots up to your face. 

"y/n, are you okay, my sweet girl?" 

You nod "MMMM mmm hmm"

"Can you feel it?"

She runs her slender fingers up to the tip and slides her thumb softly over the slit there. 

"Yes fuck Wanda that feels way too good. I don't know if I will be able to handle being inside you like this. It's so sensitive." 

"I'll go slow." 

You can feel it twitch and move on its own in her hands and as her deep raspy voice surrounds you. God you love her! 

She leans down and you watch in awe as she just ghosts her lips against the tip. It feels like when she teases your clit with soft kisses only 100 times stronger! You can't help the whimper that leaves your lips. 

She smirks and you can hear her thoughts. "I can't wait to taste you!"

"Fuck Wanda!"

She softly licks the tip and you throw your head back with a moan. 

It feels so hard it's almost like it's pulsing like when your clit throbs begging for friction. She reads you and wraps her lips around the tip bringing it into her warm mouth. 

"Fuck Wanda I can't! I'm gonna ah!" 

She sucks gently and flicks her tongue and holds the rest of the shaft in her long slender fingers that you usually love inside of you. It's overwhelming, it's too much and you can't stop your hips from gently bucking. Your hands fist the sheets. 

She sucks harder and squeezes you in her hands and that's it you erupt tumbling over the edge. A sort of plus runs up the shaft as you feel yourself cum and it's intense and weird to feel it shoot out the tip. It's short squirts pulsating. She moans and the vibrations have you whimpering. She sucks the tip dry with a pop and licks her lips. "You taste the same. Absolutely delicious!" 

The way she talks and looks at you while she licks her lips has you twitching for more. You want her more than anything else. You run your hands through her hair and tug her up. You kiss her lips nipping softly at her lower lip. "Sit on my face. I need to taste you." 

She whimpers as she kisses you harder. She moves effortlessly to hover over you and you can see how wet she is. You hold her hips and guide her closer. You latch onto her sucking and flicking your tongue. She moans breathlessly and you can feel yourself getting hard again. You can't get enough of her. You suck harder and she pulls your hair as she rocks her hips. Her legs squeeze around your head and you moan into her, sending her over the edge and making her crumple forward. She pulls away far too quickly but you can see it in her gaze as she slides her wet core against your abs. She leaves a trail down your body and you feel yourself twitch hard. 

You groan as she lowers herself. She runs her slick heat against you and you twitch even more, getting harder she slicks your entire member and lifts herself up. Her gaze is locked on it so she can line herself up and your gaze is locked on her. 

She glances up to check in and you nod before you both glance back down to watch her slick wet heat surround you. She goes slowly. She squeezes you tightly as she lowers herself all the way. You both sigh with relief. 

She lifts back up halfway and slowly goes back down and you have to throw your head back as a moan escapes your throat. She's so wet and as she slowly moves she feels hotter. She bottoms out and just gyrates her hips for a bit and you can feel that you fit perfectly inside her fully. “You hit every spot baby. AH! You feel so good!” 

She leans over you slowly coming down to kiss your lips. The position has you only half inside her and your body reacts needing to be inside her more. You bend your legs and move your hips sliding all the way in. You both moan into the kiss being able to feel so much pleasure with her whole body on top of you breasts pressed together and lips locked is fucking phenomenal! The angle also allows her to match your hips and soon you both find a rhythm that feels far too good. “I can’t do this for long. Wanda your so tigh-FUCK! You feel so GOOD!”

She hums happily against your neck and bites down sucking hard to leave her mark on your neck and it’s too much to have her all over you to feel her blazing skin and sweet sweat and hard nipples. Her hot breath against your skin, her tongue on your pulse all while being inside her tight soaking wet heat. 

You buck your hips out of rhythm and she sits up putting her hands on your breasts as she looks down at you. She smirks and then you feel her tighten around you. You can’t stop the whimper that leaves your lips as she continues to purposely contract around you. You grab her hips hard. She sighs and moans and squeezes your boobs hard as she constricts you and slightly moves her hips up like she is trying to milk you and it works. You erupt even harder than before. Hot strings of your cum shoot inside her and have her coming hard pulsing and contracting around you even harder. She presses her hips down hard holding onto you making sure you fill her up as much as possible. It is a sight to see. Your hands grip her sides harder and she squeezes your breasts harder. Her own nipples are so hard you want them in your mouth desperately. 

Her gaze finally meets yours after you both catch your breath “fuck that was so good baby I feel so full.” 

She leans down and presses her lips to yours and moves her hands to tug your hair. Her hard nipples graze yours and you are so overwhelmingly sensitive that your body jolts and she bites your bottom lip. You whimper as she releases your lip from between her teeth. “Next time will be even better I want to fuck you so many different ways like this Wanda.”

“Mmm you have no idea baby girl I have so many ideas. I love coming with you!”

She sat up and bit her bottom lip before fidgeting with her fingers. You know she wants to ask something but she is blocking you from hearing her thoughts and she is hesitating. You sit up and suppress a groan at the feel of moving at all while still deep inside her. You  caress her cheek softly with concern written on your face. “What is it, love?”

Her gaze locks on to you and your gaze softens. Her emerald eyes are so full of love.

“Would you let me get you pregnant? We could be pregnant together. We could create our family faster.”

AN: Who wants to see Wanda get the reader pregnant in the same way? Should I continue this or was this a horrible idea? 

[prozac]

talk about gollum/smeagol im always interested to know other lotr fans opinions and thoughts on him

(Keep in mind I have not read the books aside from The Hobbit).

I love the way it shows that cruelty is not intrinsic to people, Smeagol was not a naturally cruel Hobbit, just as Frodo is not naturally cruel.

It does kind of show Tolkien's very simple & stereotypically religious views on cruelty/evil, with the Ring representing the cruelty that comes from desiring power&control. It also does show that he views power&control as just an awful piece of War, with War being meaningless & only for that power. Sauron, a warmonger, the Embodiment of Evil, the creator of The Ring wants it back in order to control Middle-Earth. Sauron is the creator of that power, and when the Ring chooses its new "Master", it is only trying to find its way back to its True Master - Evil. War. Corruption.

Gollum as a creature is a physical embodiment of cruelty and powerhungryness, selfishness. But Smeagol is still in there, as Tolkien did have an underlayer of hope in Humanity to his work. The War is awful, desire for power is awful, but it is not natural, and nobody is born cruel. The Ring corrupts. Desire for power corrupts.

There is an obvious parallel between Smeagol and Frodo, at least in the movies. With Smeagol being shown strangling Deagol to death for the Ring, and Frodo trying to strangle him as well to keep the Ring. And I do think its interesting that as Frodo goes on, the Ring becomes heavy. Becomes a burden. Resisting that promise of control from the Ring is heavy, resisting corruption and "evil" is heavy.

I think Smeagol is understandable if you analyze what is being said about War (by Tolkien specifically). War is perpetuated by Evil, and Evil tempts with Power. Smeagol was tempted, as all are, and it is difficult to resist that call. Of course all of this is dressed up in Tolkien's racism, orientalism, and fantasy worldbuilding. Obviously I dont think Tolkien was some sort of activist, I'm not stupid. It's just meta-analysis from my own perception. Not to get into that. I'm saying, on a meta level, I dont think Tolkien had a very good time in WWI.

(Again. Ive only read the Hobbit so forgive me LOL. And watched the LOTR movies a billion times. And Natascha has loredumped to me before)

[stargazer-sims]

Pavlenko Family Portrait

Here they are... four generations of the Pavlenko family all together for a big family photo!

Natalya (a.k.a. Natascha) is the older of the twins. She's a sports therapist, and is divorced with no children. She relishes her role as the weird aunt, loves to travel, and is fiercely loyal to her family.

Mikhail (better known around town as Mike) and Elena are the parents of twins Natascha and Nikolai. Mike is a master machinist, and Elena is a master tailor who owns and runs her own business. They've been together since they were fourteen. The twins were born a couple of weeks before Mike's eighteenth birthday.

Iryna (a.k.a. Ira) is the long-lost love of family patriarch Nikolai's life. Nikolai the elder (also known as Nika) and Iryna met when they were twelve. They were friends first and then lovers in their teens. They had Mikhail when they were sixteen, but they were forcibly separated by Iryna's father immediately after. Nika ended up raising Mikhail with the help of his own parents, and immigrated to Canada with both Mikhail and Elena about six months before the twins were born. They were only recently reunited after nearly sixty years, and they're doing their best to make up for lost time. Iryna is a very recently retired robotics engineer, and Nika is a retired biochemist. They have an android named Konstantin and a dog named Fish.

Mikhail Vasiliev, affectionately called Mishka by his family and close friends, is the spouse of the younger Nikolai (usually called Kolya by his family, to distinguish him from his grandfather). Mishka and Nikolai have a complicated relationship history, but since reuniting, they're determined that nothing will ever separate them again. Mishka is a retired professional hockey player. Currently, he's a stay-home dad to their son Alexander (a.k.a.Sasha), but has been working hard to improve his English to the point where he'll be able to take up the profession he'd been studying for prior to getting drafted into the NHL; broadcast journalism. Nikolai is a former competitive figure skater, and is currently a skating coach.

[thewildernesstoldmeto]

Who would you cast for an older Laura Lee, Jackie, Mari, Javi? I have include some pictures of who I think.

For older Laura Lee it's 100% Claire Danes for me. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Claire-Danes

For Jackie it's Natascha McElhone https://tellyvisions.org/article/natascha-mcelhone-star-italy-set-period-drama-hotel-portofino

Mari: Olivia Munn https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a37511445/olivia-munn-pregnant-john-mulaney/

For Javi: Wilmer Valderrama, Santiago Cabrera, Avan Jogia, and David Castañeda

I’m actually working on a post abt this right now! I love all of your ideas, helping a lot because I’m so stumped 😭🙏

Drop y’all’s ideas under this bc the extra jackets are giving me a run for my money

[david-duchovnybeliever]

Sometimes chemistry surfaces in a gaze, or even a glance. It’s true for the self-indulgent novelist Hank Moody and his longtime, long-suffering love/baby mama Karen van der Beek, the on-again, off-again nexus of Showtime’s sexy, LA-centric comedy Californication. And it’s true for the actors who play them, David Duchovny and Natascha McElhone. “Even just the looks they throw each other,” says the show’s creator, executive producer and sole writer Tom Kapinos. “It’s like you believe that this is a couple who have been in love for a long time and can’t quite shake each other.”

“Natascha and I have just been able to have a very easy working relationship, and I didn’t know that was going to be the case because I didn’t know Natascha and I didn’t know anything was going to work” says Duchovny, whose only insight as to why their particular back-and-forth frisson succeeds is because they make it work. “People talk about chemistry. I always think it’s your job to make it happen if it’s not there, to create it—that’s what an actor is supposed to do.”

[badinfleunce]

       the   sweetened   scent   of   summer   fridays   pink   sugar   kissed   on   your   skin   as   she   steals   your   attention,   the   inability   to   catch   up   despite   chasing   her   for   so   long,   never   forgetting   the   scent   of   her   perfume   long   after   she's   ghosted   you,   the   gentle   glide   of   manicured   fingers   against   soft   thighs   at   the   purr   of   a   sports   car's   engine,   designer   high   heels   clicking   under   her   feet   in   an   eye   catching   strut.

[ … ] ❀       you're   not   from   around   here,   are   you   ?   i   figured   because   you   totally   just   missed   natascha   adranuch   onruang   walking   by.   don't   tell   me   you   don't   know   who   she   is   ?   they   kind   of   look   like   miu   natsha   and   i   could   be   wrong,   but   i   think   they   might   be   twenty   four   years   old   right   now.   they've   been   living   in   palmview   for   the   last   ten   months.   i   don't   know   if   anyone   has   ever   told   them   this   before   but   they   kind   of   remind   me   of   georgina   sparks   from   gossip   girl.   if   you   stick   around   the   town   long   enough   you   might   catch   them   in   action   working   at   maizière   motors   as   a   receptionist.   you   see,   this   town   isn't   really   that   big   of   a   place,   some   folks   like   to   call   them   the   chessmaster   of   palmview   !   they   took   a   liking   to   the   name   too   after   a   while,   go   figure.   oh   crap,   they   must   have   heard   me   yapping.   they're   coming   this   way.   i   got   to   warn   you   though,   rumor   has   it   they   can    be   pretty   haughty   at   times.   i   wouldn't   take   it   too   seriously   though,   from   the   times   i've   spoken   to   them   they   seemed   pretty   bewitching   to   me.   we   see   each   other   all   the   time   since   they   live   in   that   two   bedroom   apartment   beside   me   over   in   seaglass   heights.   i   better   leave   you   to   it.   it   was   nice   meeting   you   !

      if   someone   were   to   ask   the   story   of   the   onruang   family,   it   would   take   much   more   times   than   what   may   be   given.   the   family's   history   is   rich,   traced   back   to   thailand   and   the   creation   of   kham   global,   which   led   the   family   becoming   one   of   the   wealthiest   in   all   of   thailand.   jirayut   onruang,   affectionately   nicknamed   bank,   is   the   second   son   of   the   family,   with   movie   star   quality   visuals   and   the   inability   to   be   tied   down.   in   the   early   years   of   the   1990s,   bank   and   his   elder   brother   were   the   talk   of   the   town—   who   would   be   lucky   enough   to   nab   one   of   the   most   eligible   bachelors   in   all   of   bangkok   ?   bank's   entire   world   manages   to   flip   on   its   axis   when   he   randomly   picks   up   the   wrong   drink   one   day   at   a   café,   and   comes   face   to   face   with   charanya   tirananth,   also   known   as   joy.

       it's   a   random   friday   morning,   with   joy   on   her   way   to   work   but   giving   herself   a   few   minutes   to   stop   for   her   favorite   drink.   unlike   bank,   joy   hadn't   grown   up   in   the   same   world—   her   family   is   the   definition   of   working   class,   with   her   parents   working   long   hours   to   be   able   to   afford   their   only   daughter's   college   tuition.   joy   and   bank   meeting   was   nothing   short   of   star   crossed   lovers   who   met   over   a   coffee   mix   up,   and   bank   found   joy   to   be   a   breath   of   fresh   air.   they   trade   numbers   and   joy   expects   him   to   be   just   another   guy   who   spits   game,   but   when   he   asks   her   out   on   a   date   not   even   twenty   four   hours   later,   the   rest   is   history.

       after   five   years   of   wedded   bliss,   after   getting   engaged   in   paris   and   marrying   in   lake   como,   they   return   to   thailand   when   bank   takes   on   the   director   of   development   role   at   his   family's   company.   they   decide   to   start   their   family   then,   and   it's   in   2001   that   the   couple   have   their   only   child,   a   daughter   that   they   name   adranuch.   they   raised   their   daughter   in   a   life   of   luxury,   with   her   days   consisting   of   music   and   dance   lessons,   and   whatever   else   she   wanted   to   do.   it   wasn't   unheard   of   for   bank   to   come   home   with   brand   new   matching   dior   purses   for   mother   and   daughter.   it's   shortly   after   adranuch's   third   birthday   that   the   family   moves   to   manhattan,   new   york   as   the   family   business   expands   its   market.   

       adranuch,   who   adopts   the   nickname   natascha,   is   as   academically   inclined   as   she   is   popular.   she   excels   at   the   trinity   school,   and   easily   makes   friends   with   those   around   her.   natascha   gains   a   bit   of   a   reputation   as   the   girl   who   would   never   lose,   always   resorting   to   manipulative   and   underhanded   tactics   in   order   to   get   what   she   wanted.   it's   why   she   becomes   class   president,   how   she   becomes   homecoming   princess   and   prom   queen.   her   social   media   is   perfectly   curated,   showing   off   her   lifestyle   as   an   heiress   in   new   york.   she   has   her   first   sip   of   alcohol   at   a   random   party   when   she's   not   twenty   one,   but   that   doesn't   stop   her   from   graduating   as   valedictorian. 

       during   her   college   years   at   columbia,   natascha   is   well   known   on   campus   but   finds   herself   lost.   she   pursues   a   degree   in   business   economics   because   it   makes   sense,   but   she   doesn't   really   know   if   it's   actually   what   she   wants.   she's   active   on   campus   and   spends   her   weekends   at   parties,   but   that   doesn't   mean   she   neglects   her   studies.   natascha   graduates   from   columbia   in   2023   and   for   a   little   while,   she   works   at   her   father's   company.   sometimes   it   pays   to   be   the   director's   daughter,   but   she   hates   everything   about   it.   she   feels   stifled   and   coddled,   feeling   as   though   she's   only   ever   lived   under   her   parents'   thumb   for   the   entirety   of   her   life.   

       one   day,   natascha   fills   two   large   suitcases   and   a   few   other   necessities   into   the   trunk   of   her   porsche,   randomly   announcing   to   her   parents   that   she's   leaving   new   york.   they   fuss,   confused   why   their   daughter   would   suddenly   leave   the   only   place   she's   ever   known.   she   doesn't   have   an   answer   for   them,   but   decides   to   land   wherever   the   wind   takes   her.   while   bank   and   joy   fear   what   their   daughter   may   run   into,   they   decide   to   ultimately   loosen   the   reigns   and   allow   her   to   explore   life   on   her   own—   with   a   multi   million   dollar   trust   fund   in   tow.

       natascha   lands   in   palmview,   having   found   her   place   at   seaglass   while   staying   at   a   hotel   in   south   carolina.   she   buys   all   of   her   furniture   on   the   same   day,   an   apartment   stocked   with   brand   new   things   as   she   begins   a   new   life   in   florida.   she   lands   her   job   at   maizière   motors   when   she   walks   into   the   front   door,   unwilling   to   leave   until   someone   let   her   talk   to   the   owner   himself.   natascha   doesn't   take   no   for   an   answer,   having   an   informal   interview   with   him   and   walking   out   with   a   job   in   less   than   two   hours.   natascha   has   been   living   in   palmview   for   ten   months   now,   having   made   a   home   in   a   place   where   she   never   thought   she'd   stay.

natascha   actually   hates   any   form   of   a    nickname.   she   prefers   to   be   called   natascha,   and   somewhat   tolerates    someone   calling   her   sascha.   anything   outside   of   that   makes   her   cringe   completely.

she's   the   worst   kind   of   roommate   to   have.   her   room's   a   mess,   mostly   just   piles   of   clothes   with   tags   all   over   the   floor   and   one   too   many   new   mugs   from   crate   +   barrel.   she   will   climb   into   your   bed   unannounced   and   begin   venting   about   her   day.   she'll   bring   ice   cream   and   margaritas.

her   label   ties   closely   into   her   counterpart.   natascha   is   known   as   the   chessmaster   as   she   has   an   ability   to   make   the   cards   fall   in   her   favor,   even   if   she   has   to   undermine   and   manipulate   in   order   for   it   to   happen.   she's   charismatic   and   always   has   a   response   to   whatever's   being   said—   she's   the   definition   of   having   the   last   word.

natascha   isn't   entirely   rough   around   the   edges,   despite   her   outward   portrayal   of   herself.   she's   someone   that   cuts   people   out   of   her   life   quickly,   often   appearing   as   if   she's   done   it   without   reason,   but   most   of   the   time   it's   because   she's   running   away   from   her   feelings.   

she   ghosts   relationships   that   get   past   the   point   of   just   hooking   up,   and   it's   evident   in   the   way   she   ran   from   new   york   that   natascha   is   a   runner.

she   listens   to   classical   music   when   she's   angry.   her   favorite   drink   is   a   negroni,   and   drives   a   crisp   white   porsche   911   carrera   cabriolet.   when   she   moved   to   palmview,   she   had   nothing   in   the   trunk   but   whatever   suitcases   and   memories   could   fit,   and   her   parents   funded   her   new   apartment   despite   their   daughter   leaving   home   so   abruptly.

[antoschauniverse]

If David tried blaming Gillian for a loss of fan interested because she posted too many BTS pictures and videos, it shows his stupidity and lack of marketing skills. The reason he has a career as it was is because he was Mulder and Gillian knows how to get fan interest. Without Gillian/Scully, it would be David who? At Cons, in interviews, etc. He probably hates to admit it and probably never will but for all intents and purposes, Gillian is his professional better half. How often do people bring up Karen/Natascha from Californication or any of his other characters? She continues to stir the interest pot and maintains some momentum which is good because she keeps her opportunities open. He, on the other hand, says very little to acknowledge some of the truths behind the real reason for his success (face it, had someone else played Scully, the show might have wanted opinion takeoff) and expects to be able to jump right back in the Mulder saddle for money. Would hisbacting skills have worked against a Pam Anderson or Jill Hennessy? Not even his real lfe girlfriends cast on some Xfiles episode resonated with him onscreen. I am in the opinion that fans would not want or accept a Mulder without Scully. He lacks chemistry and a connection with most costars. I know that some people think that he and Natascha had some chemistry in Califiornication but it wasn't chemistry per se, but actors who were able to play off one another like Will and Grace and not like Ricky and Lucy. He got incredibly lucky with the opportunity to be paired up with Anderson and one that he seems to shirk if he isn't on the payroll promoting the show. Most importantly, he is book smart but not work or life smart, so that is why someone like him really depends on luck, but that kind of luck can happen only once in a lifetime. People either destroy themselves or create their success. Unfortunately, he cannot recognize how he has destroyed himself and possibilities.

After the show closed, David said a lot of nonsense. Perhaps he was angry that he had lost big fees, because only the X-Files guaranteed David big fees in the future. David couldn't blame Chris, because Chris Carter had done everything David wanted to see in the "new" Mulder. Then David explained that the fans misunderstood him or that he meant something completely different. David can speak beautifully and can convince, so his crazy fans were pleased, and for most of them, Gillian is a talentless bitch, who owes everything to David.

I think in season 11, the chemistry between David and Gillian almost disappeared. It seemed to me that Gillian still tried to do something sometimes, but when I saw David, I felt that he had stopped being sincere and was just playing his role. But David is an average actor, and he wasn't very good at showing genuine interest in Scully. There were only glimpses of chemistry between Mulder and Scully, but there was no legendary tension. Perhaps David's thoughts were elsewhere and Gillian understood this, which affected the interaction between Mulder and Scully.

I'm afraid if David and Gillian are together at a future convention, it will be like the conversation they had for Fox☹.

I've only watched a few episodes of Californication and I haven't seen any chemistry between the characters. I saw Hank and Karen, and I didn't like them at all. In fact, they seemed boring and insipid to me, and I think many fans of this show watched it not because of the "smart" conversations ( as David likes to say.), but because of other things😉.

[ao3feed-tf2ships]

Balaclava & Bad Decisions

read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/67115644

by chocolate_chips24

Sniper wasn’t even sure how the entanglement had started- who kissed who first was as much of a mystery as the nature of the relationship itself. All he knew that they were fighting one moment, and fucking the next. Sniper had no issue with their current arrangement, or at least, that's what he told himself.

Words: 9118, Chapters: 3/3, Language: English

Fandoms: Team Fortress 2

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: M/M

Characters: Sniper (Team Fortress 2), RED Team (Team Fortress 2), RED Sniper (Team Fortress 2), BLU Spy (Team Fortress 2), RED Spy (Team Fortress 2), RED Scout (Team Fortress 2), RED Medic (Team Fortress 2), RED Demoman (Team Fortress 2), RED Pyro (Team Fortress 2), RED Soldier (Team Fortress 2), RED Engineer (Team Fortress 2), RED Heavy (Team Fortress 2)

Relationships: Sniper/Spy (Team Fortress 2), Great Barrier Thief, French Kisses Down Under, oh my god these ship names are so good, they're from the shipping fanlore wiki but i'm stealing them sorry, Knife Party - Relationship

Additional Tags: Everyone Is Gay, Minor Heavy/Medic (Team Fortress 2), Semi-established relationship, situationship - Freeform, They're Coworkers Fucking Idk What You Want From Me, Scout Being An Asshole (Team Fortress 2), Sniper Being an Asshole (Team Fortress 2), Spy Being an Asshole (Team Fortress 2), Sniper Needs A Hug (Team Fortress 2), Spy Needs a Hug (Team Fortress 2), Mentioned Soldier (Team Fortress 2), I Will Go Down With This Ship, Coworkers to Enemies to Lovers, Porn with Feelings, Slow Burn, like it's really slow, Sniper Greens Out, Natascha Mention, Sniper smokes weed, Yearning But They Hate Each Other, Spy and Sniper Deal With Their Feelings, Nonbinary Pyro (Team Fortress 2), Hate Sex, Kind Of, Jarate (Team Fortress 2), But It's Not a Piss Fic, AT LEAST NOT YET IDK, Bottom Sniper (Team Fortress 2), Top Spy (Team Fortress 2), Smut, Eventual Smut, Drinking, Eye contact is sexy, improper use of french, Improper Use of French People, Australia Shaped Ashtray, Rough Sex, fuck buddies, Old man yaoi, toxic old man yaoi, Work In Progress, My First Work in This Fandom, Bad Decisions, Sniper and Spy Need Couples Therapy, Respawn Mechanics (Team Fortress 2), How Do I Tag, Idk How Guns Work I Tried My Best, Attempted Kidnapping, actual kidnapping, RED Spy Kidnaps BLU Spy, Shameless Smut

read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/67115644

[nattyromalife]

fanfiktion

Hey, I'm looking for a multi-part fanfiction. It's about R finding Natascha in the elevator and Reader helping her. A few days later they meet again in the cafe where R works and then they pretend to be in a relationship in front of their family.I would be very grateful if you could help me🙏

[slaughterverse]

As promised. Upcoming Noxsylvaniaverse worldbuilding projects:

The Dreaming Mind (working title):

This one’s about two androids! SOVRNoVA and Grayscale. SOVRNoVA was created to end the imposing threat of nuclear and digital warfare, by giving all control of these systems to an AI designed to make sure no one could use the weapons mankind was too afraid, or too prideful, to get rid of.

It went about as well as you’d expect. Someone disabled her safety protocols and in doing so she decided the best course of action was to dismantle all of mankind’s leadership and implement herself as an android overlord.

A century after her rule of tyranny began, another android was created by human android relations activists to serve as an emissary, Grayscale! Eventually, through her efforts, mankind was able to break through SOVRNoVA’s defenses enough to finally destroy her. Grayscale, being designed to make peace with her, was devastated by this and eventually was left in disrepair.

Who knows how long after that, scrappers found the remains of Grayscale and got her up and running again, then learned the untold love story of two androids designed to save mankind.

Eye of the Panopticon:

I’ve yet to draw this trio so rn you only get their minis I made for the campaign spin-off of this one-shot comic.

Predictably this takes place in the Panopticon universe, same as LIZ and the Biohazards and The Central Mind, my other horror projects.

This one-shot will serve as the sister comic to The Central Mind, portraying another side of the story of how the S-Series Bioweapons were developed, namely, the people who tried to stop it.

This one follows the Savage Siblings, three monster hunters in a long family line of monster hunters. Addolorata, Natascha, and Basir Savage (above L->R), try to track down one of the key scientists behind America’s forces in the Bio War.

The siblings pick up the pieces of communities decimated by the war in search of the ever elusive Dr. Briarley. If it’s not obvious by “this is the same timeline as LatB” they don’t succeed in stopping her. Yayy another tragedy by Kellington :)

…..

Aaaand that’s what I’m planing on outlining next year. To clarify, Dreaming Mind is a For Fun project and EotP is going to be a Real Ass Comic EVENTUALLY. I have to have a bit of both or I go stir crazy. More to come. Follow @noxsylvania for all the deets.

[deckerstarblanche]

Welcome to Chapter 2 of “An Offer She Can’t Refuse” FINALLY!

Huge thanks to @ultraluckycatnd for being the best beta ever, to @undercaffinatednightmare for the cool artwork, and to @caught-in-the-filter for the inspiring gifs!

Warning: the smuttiest thing I’ve ever written ;)

TAG LIST: @kmomof4 @ultraluckycatnd @caught-in-the-filter @booksteaandtoomuchtv @jrob64 @djlbg @eddisfargo @stahlop @holdingoutforapiratehero @justanother-unluckysoul @teamhook @gingerchangeling @jonesfandomfanatic @grimmswan @captainfloorouat @cs-rylie @natascha-ronin @vasfasan @veryverynotgoodwrites @bugheadswanjones @everything-person @jackieorioncat

Killian was able to get a Safe House room booked during the drive back to school, much to Emma’s relief. He was such a caring, reliable friend — the perfect guy to be with during such a crazy time. The only thing she had doubts about was how they were supposed to go back to being “just friends” after this was over. Was that even possible? Maybe they could talk about it when her brain didn’t feel like mush.

“You know, I’ve never been to the Safe House building before. Do you think you can hear other people messing around in their rooms? I bet you can’t, because of privacy rules, and hormone stuff. It would get pretty confusing in there if the walls weren’t thick enough, so I’m sure they are…” Emma babbled, pressing her cheek against the cool passenger side window as her head lolled to the side.

“Why don’t you drink some of that water I gave you, love? You might be a bit dehydrated already, and you’ll need your strength,” he urged gently, squeezing her arm. She looked down at the bottle in her lap and glared at him for being right, but the cool water did soothe her parched throat and eased some of the tension in her muscles. By the time they got back to campus, though, Emma was literally limp from exhaustion.

Checking in was incredibly easy. Emma had guessed right; because of the school’s strictly enforced privacy rules, they didn’t have to interact with anyone but the staff member who showed them to their assigned room. A woman from housekeeping led them upstairs while Killian held onto Emma, who had burrowed into her blanket. It was a bit of a mess after their activities in the truck, but she needed it, and whatever Emma needed, she’d get.

Killian remembered learning about situations like this in high school health class: an Omega’s instincts and defensiveness intensified during a heat, so familiar and soothing things shouldn’t be taken away from her. Killian knew it was up to him to make sure Emma felt safe and secure. Once the extra bedding, towels, and cases of water were stored away, the housekeeper left, and they were alone together.

“Ugh, I need to shower,” Emma whined as he set her down, burrowing her face into his chest. He chuckled, kissing the top of her head.

“That can most certainly be arranged. Go and relax, love,” he said, handing her a fluffy blue towel from the stack of stuff they’d been given.

Once he heard the water running, Killian kicked his sneakers off and made himself comfortable on the bed, switching the television on. Mindlessly, he flicked through the channels, trying to calm his frayed nerves. He had never been with an Omega in heat before, and there were so many unknowns. How long would they be here? What if he couldn’t get the job done for some reason, and she rejected him? What would happen if he slipped up and told her his true feelings by mistake?

Maybe watching some baseball would help push the self-doubt away, and get him in the right mindset. By the time the bathroom door opened, Killian was so fully immersed in the Red Sox vs. Cardinals game that he had shifted to the edge of the mattress, laser focused on the screen. He had no idea that Emma snuck up behind him, covering his eyes.

“Hello Swan… I trust you found the shower refreshing?” he asked, drawing one of her wrists to his lips.

“Yeah, absolutely; good pressure, plenty of hot water… I’d give it three stars,” she said with a smile, removing her other hand from his eyes. She perched herself on the corner of the bed, knowingly blocking his view of the television. He didn’t mind in the slightest, as she was wearing nothing but a short terry cloth robe, using the bath towel to dry her hair.

“Why’d you take away a star? Surely a shower that nice would merit four,” Killian teased, before his eyes zoomed in on her robe as it crept up to the tops of her thighs.

“Eyes up here, buddy!” she barked, just convincingly enough to make his ears turn red. Laughing, Emma threw the towel on the floor, finger-combing her hair into loose waves before inching her way back toward the pillows. Once there, she relaxed against them with her legs stretched out, long and lean.

“There wasn’t any room in the shower for my favorite Alpha, and I got lonely,” she sighed, her lips pressing together in an exaggerated pout. “Isn’t that awful?”

Killian nodded, his eyes glazing over at the sight of her laid out before him like a present waiting to be unwrapped. “It’s truly despicable, Swan. We shall have to remedy that at once…” he purred, crawling up until he hovered right over her, caging her in with his arms.

“Yes,” she hissed, quickly undoing the belt so her robe lay open, displaying every square inch of her flushed skin.

“Fucking exquisite,” he rasped, dipping his head to kiss her hungrily, using a knee to nudge her thighs further apart. Emma arched her back and moaned as her head hit the pillow, making sure he got an eyeful of her chest.

“I need to feel your mouth on me, Alpha, and your hands…like what you did in your truck,” she told him hoarsely, reaching up to try and grab him by the collar. He dodged at the last moment, ripping the shirt off himself before diving back down to lick a stripe right between her breasts. She let out a soft moan, her nipples stiffening in response to his touch.

“I am going to worship you tonight, Omega,” he rasped into her shoulder, pausing to nip at the skin above her collarbone before trailing his lips up her graceful neck. “I already know how damn good you feel around me, and that your taste is just delectable, but there’s one more thing that I’m just desperate to learn about…” he told her with a grin, sliding his mouth back down to her chest. He bit down on one nipple while pinching its twin at the same time and she cried out, pressing her pelvis up almost involuntarily.

“Does that mean you’re gonna knot me this time, Alpha? Now that I’ve seen what you have to offer, I want yours even more,” she told him between jagged breaths, cupping his crotch before slipping smoothly out from underneath him to switch their positions.

“Ooh, so fiery…I like this side of you very much.” he smirked, watching her shrug her robe completely off, clawing at the button of his jeans before they popped open. In the time it took him to blink, Emma divested him of his remaining clothing, gasping when his quickly hardening cock sprang up.

She moved up to straddle his thighs, and he watched as she started touching herself, slipping two fingers into her wetness, pumping them lazily before adding a third. “Mmm…Seeing how hard you get, just from watching me touch myself? Alpha, it’s so fucking hot,” she whispered, pulling her fingers out so she could run her slick-covered hand over his length. He shivered and closed his eyes, gripping her hips tightly enough to leave marks as he bit out a few choice curse words.

“You nearly made me come, Omega. It’s a damn lucky thing that I have amazing control,” he said, raising himself up on his elbows. “But that’s enough teasing for now; get up on your knees,” he ordered, the words rising up from some feral place deep in his gut. His eyes were dark with lust, and his gaze roamed freely over her entire body.

Emma was in a similar state, licking her lips as she admired the lean muscular planes of his form. For as long as they were in this room, he was her Alpha, and she felt very possessive. She rose back up, never losing eye contact after she’d positioned herself to sink down onto his cock. Her movements were almost torturously slow, teasing him and squeezing her inner muscles to give him just a little extra stimulation.

“You like that, Alpha?”

He liked it; hell, he loved it. The instant they were fully joined, she ground her ass against his thighs and they both moaned loudly at the relief of it, savoring the feeling together. Emma leaned forward, placing both hands on this chest as she began rolling her hips. In response, Killian thrust upward, bending his knees for better leverage.

“I want you to tell me exactly how you like to be touched, Omega,” he urged, squeezing her ass as he watched her writhing above him. “I want to know so I can find all of the new places to touch, and the ways to make you scream and beg for more,” he revealed.

“My nipples are really sensitive right now,” she breathed, raking her fingers through his chest hair. “Bite them, squeeze them, whatever…I’m getting closer!”

“As you wish,” Killian growled, thrusting faster as he ran his rough hands over her breasts, twisting and rolling until she let out a shriek of pure pleasure, repeating his name as she tightened around him, shaking from the force of her release. As difficult as it was to hold himself off, Killian managed, only pulling out as her aftershocks tapered down. If he dared to look at his cock, fully engorged and dripping with her essence, he would have popped his knot, losing complete control of himself. He had to move quickly.

“If you want my knot, I need you to get on all fours and turn around… NOW,” he growled, mostly from the pain of literally holding off his orgasm. Wordlessly, she did just as he asked, still lightheaded from her own pleasure. She could feel fresh slick trickling down her thighs, as if her body knew what was coming. Listening to that inner voice, Emma tucked her arms under her forehead and lifted her ass a little higher in the air.

She felt his hands smoothing down her back and hips as he moved into position behind her. The heat from his body was almost overwhelming but still she shivered, craving more. Killian’s familiar scent calmed her down, as did the gentleness in his voice when he spoke.

“Before we take this step, Emma, I need to ask you one more time: are you sure this is what you want?”

“Oh, fuck yes,” she purred, and before she knew it, he covered her body with his, thrusting into her completely. Emma had never felt so full in all her life, and she knew instantly that she’d made the right choice in her partner. Adjusting her position a bit, she took several deep breaths, enjoying the pressure and stretch from his girth at the new angle.

“Everything ok, Iove?” he asked, sounding worried that she was in pain.

“I feel wonderful, Alpha,” she soothed, lifting her hips higher and arching her back so he could slide all the way in. Her ass wiggled against his balls, causing him to pant harshly, unsure how much longer he’d be able to hold on. Emma turned her head, looking up at him as best she could. “Why are you holding back, Killian? I’m ready, and I want you,” she told him, rocking her hips back as she arched her spine to further encourage him.

“I want you too, love— believe me,” he rasped, nuzzling into her neck as he squeezed her hip. “You feel so unbelievably perfect. Touch yourself, so we can do this together…It will feel so much more satisfying for you, I swear it,” he pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion.

Emma was so moved by his constant consideration that she just nodded, bringing her fingers back to circle her clit roughly. That seemed to satisfy him, so he finally started moving again, taking her with fast, deep strokes. “Oh yes, Alpha, that’s the spot…Fuck! You feel so good,” Emma cried as she hurtled toward another release.

“I knew you could get yourself there, Omega. So unbelievably sexy,” he groaned, voice low and seductive. “You feel like heaven around my cock…”

There were no more words after that, just the sounds of their ragged breathing and slick skin colliding, building up toward a frenzied climax. She fell first, the tension mounting until it finally broke into seemingly endless waves of pleasure. With a final snap of his hips, he pushed forward, and when her muscles stretched enough to capture his knot, he could finally let go.

Experiencing such intense intimacy with Emma was the most satisfying high Killian had ever felt. He came hard, and as her walls spasmed, their bodies locked together to ensure that his release remained exactly where it was supposed to be.

In that moment he knew, with an almost primal certainty, that he had found his mate.

By the time the aftershocks ceased, they were sweaty and exhausted, barely able to coordinate themselves to lie down comfortably. Emma yawned, stretching her limbs as carefully as she could to avoid jostling his knot, but Killian was already falling asleep, his arm slung loosely across her hips. Aside from where they were joined, he made sure to keep an inch or two of space between them, avoiding too much skin contact for her comfort. It was exactly that kind of care, even to the smallest gesture, that made Emma’s heart swell with affection. The wonderful guy behind her was so thoughtful that he knew, without having to ask, how much she valued her space.

Emma wanted to let go of all her worries, and just bask in the incredible endorphin rush until she fell asleep — but her brain wouldn’t stop spinning. She heard his mind-blowing words and thinly veiled feelings on a loop inside her head, and it scared her to death. She knew what would happen if she allowed him in too close; they’d get too serious, too fast. Then, like so many other people in her life — from the parents she’d never known, to all the foster homes filled with neglect and broken promises —- he’d get tired of or abandon her. Everything, including their friendship, would crumble into dust.

Long before Emma met Killian, she had decided that she wouldn’t let anything distract her from her work, and it was even more true now. She couldn’t afford the emotional and physical maelstrom that a real heat caused, so going back on her meds was the best way to achieve her goals, even if it meant forcing herself to walk away from the man whose embrace had begun to feel like home. As her eyes drifted shut, Emma resolved to make her feelings clear after her hormones had settled.

##########

Killian awoke peacefully, just as the morning sun’s first rays began to filter in through the window blinds.

He was disoriented for a moment, knowing that he wasn’t in his own bed, but the soft snores from the body next to him, hopelessly tangled in the sheets, gave him a quick reminder.

Emma.

Emma, who apparently snored in her sleep? She was dozing on her side, facing the wall, so he propped himself up on one elbow, content just to watch her over her shoulder.

They’d had quite an exhausting night, so he was glad that she was able to get some rest. A few of the old wives’ tales he’d heard over the years ran through his head: Omegas who couldn’t sleep for days straight during a heat because their bodies needed constant stimulation; guys who almost asphyxiated in their partner’s slick during oral sex; the couple who spent 12 hours in an intimate tie because every time they tried to separate, it triggered simultaneous orgasms. At least that couple was trying for a baby, so they got their happy — albeit, unconventional — ending.

He shifted to focus his attention on his bedmate, who looked so peaceful and far removed from the chaos her body was going through. She had a small smile on her face, like she was in the middle of a very pleasant dream, and it filled his heart with happiness.

Dammit, get yourself together, man! Killian thought, chastising himself for such un-Alphalike behavior. It brought back unpleasant memories of his domineering father, who always berated him for walking away from playground fights as a child. Brennan Jones never walked away from a brawl, a “value” he tried to instill in his sons every single day, until he up and abandoned them in the dead of night.

Killian and his brother had worked hard to rise above their father’s pettiness, and as a result, Liam found a wonderful wife and partner in Elsa. Emma had a similar quality about her, enabling Killian to be softer and more in touch with his emotions. He had never experienced that with anyone else, not even his brother.

The woman in question was fast asleep at the moment, so he could take the time to memorize every freckle and laugh line on her face. If she ever found out how deeply he truly felt about her, she’d get scared and put distance between them. In the literal heat of the moment, Killian decided to let all of their issues and hangups fall to the side for a while. He wanted to enjoy this experience, and for that to happen, he needed to be unburdened.

A few minutes later, he fell asleep, breathing in the light floral scent of her shampoo.

###########

When they awoke after a long snooze, Emma was wild-eyed and wanting once again, but at least he persuaded her to guzzle down two water bottles and a Lemon Luna Bar before they got back down to business.

Unfortunately, a series of loud knocks on the door popped their bubble of serenity.

“Killian, just be as quick as you can…I need you,” Emma whined, writhing against the rumpled sheets. He stole one more kiss before sliding off the bed, nearly biting through his lower lip when he saw her, lying there all naked and glowing, waiting for him.

“Don’t you worry, sweetheart. In a few minutes, I’m going to give you exactly what you need,” he assured her soothingly, pulling on his discarded jeans and a grey t-shirt before slipping out the door.

He was flummoxed to see a woman in crisp blue scrubs standing at the door, holding a clipboard. A cardboard box stood by her side.

“Good evening, Mr. Jones, my name is Tracy and I’m the on-call nurse tonight. It’s just about time for your 24 hour check-in, so I have to ask you a few quick questions, then I’ll be on my way. I’ve also got your laundered personal items,” she said cheerfully, gesturing for him to pick it up.

“Oh sure, thanks very much! Everything is just fine here, really…” Killian replied, bending to grab the box so she wouldn’t see his face and ears turn a ridiculous shade of pink.

She still had a list of questions for him, so Killian raked a hand through his hair, shoved a thumb into his front belt loops, and prayed that she wouldn’t ask about bodily fluids. “Ok, let’s see now: any fevers, dehydration, headaches, or dizziness to report?”

“None at all. I’ve been paying close attention to her hydration,” he answered, looking at the nurse’s immaculately white shoes in order to avoid her gaze.

“Good. No excessive bleeding, burning, chest pain, or hmm...panic attacks?” she asked, jotting a few check marks down in her notes.

“Definitely not, although she might start panicking if I don’t get back in there!” he joked with a tight smile, looking up just as the nurse raised her eyebrows, looking suspiciously like she didn’t mind his intense discomfort. He felt mortified. What other invasive questions was this woman going to ask?

“Well, if you don’t have any questions for me, I think that’ll do it for now. See, that wasn’t so bad, was it Mr. Jones?” she asked, her chipper tone causing Killian’s jaw to clench. “Remember, call us in case either of you have any dehydration symptoms or are in need of more supplies. We’ll see you again in about 12 hours. Bye now!”’

“Thanks very much, Tracy. Have a pleasant evening!” he called as the nurse walked down the hall, off to harass another hard-working “caregiver.”

Apparently, that was the official name in this place for people like him.

Relieved that the strange interlude was over, Killian went back into the darkened room. The bed was empty, and his protective hackles raised immediately, despite there being no realistic way that Emma could have gone far. Nevertheless, his pheromone-heightened senses caused him to worry, so he breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of the shower running. Heart hammering, Killian walked past the small kitchen to the bathroom door and knocked tentatively.

“Killian? You’re back, finally! I decided to take a quick shower, so I’ll be out in just a sec,” Emma’s voice floated over the spray. The thought of her, wet and naked and covered in soap suds, sent blood rushing south so fast that his head spun.

“Aye, love! Take as long as you need,” he called, cursing under his breath when his voice cracked like a gawky teenager. While she finished up in the shower, Killian occupied himself by changing the sheets and checking the room’s thermostat before stripping down to his boxers and settling back into the bed.

By that point in their time together, he was so attuned to her needs that even the faint sound of her humming happily to herself aroused him to full mast. It was almost ridiculous how badly he wanted her. The desire to offer his body and to be fully accepted into hers, combined with his new knowledge of her taste and scent nearly overwhelmed him, driving him closer to a heat-induced rut.

An Alpha’s version of heat, ruts occurred naturally about 3-4 times a year, but they only lasted 48 hours at most. In cases where an Omega’s heat induced a state of rut in her Alpha partner, it usually meant that the pair had the highest compatibility rate for producing healthy children. Some people even believed that it was proof that the couple were soulmates.

The thought of it happening to them gave Killian the oddest sense of pride, but he knew Emma would freak out if he dared ever mention that subject in her company.

“Heyyyy, looks like you’re having some interesting thoughts over there! What are you up to?” Emma asked, leaning against the wall wearing nothing but a towel and a smile. Her wet hair was combed back and her skin was glowing, making her look like a siren in terry cloth.

“Oh, nothing too exciting,” he answered playfully, wiggling his eyebrows in a way that always made her laugh. He pulled the sheets away from the tent in his boxers, patting the spot next to him on the bed with a teasing grin. “You know, I do have something for you over here, if you’re interested…”

Emma couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his cheesy line, even though she knew she’d be in his arms in less than a minute.

And gladly stay in his arms forever, her heat-addled brain admitted traitorously.

But Emma didn’t really care to think about everyday life problems, not while her brain was all fogged up. Especially not while there was a sinfully attractive man waiting for her, ready to fulfill her every need and desire. She stayed where she was for a few seconds longer, enjoying the way his beautiful blue eyes looked her up and down, gazing admiringly at her form. He made her feel like the sexiest, most treasured woman in the world.

“I might be interested…” Emma murmured, finally answering as she sauntered over to the bed, rounding the corner to stand right next to him.

Killian just smirked, and before she could do any more teasing, he grabbed her by the waist and dropped her gently onto the bed.

“What’d you do that for?” Emma sputtered, moving to sit up. Heat or no heat, she didn’t like surprises.

“I’m sorry for the lack of warning, Swan, but I really do need you to be on the bed for what I have planned,” he revealed, his voice pitched down to a low rumble as he encouraged her to back up against the pillows. When she was arranged as he desired, Killian brought his hand up to stroke her cheek gently, and she melted into his touch.

Emma took his face in her hands and drew him in, kissing him hungrily as he pulled the towel from her body. It fell to the floor with a soft swoosh, but she didn’t even notice because his hands were everywhere. They roamed over her curves as his lips traveled to her neck, where a few moments of playful nipping and kissing her there elicited a series of needy moans. When he grazed her scent gland with his teeth, she shivered with delight, his name on her lips.

“Hmm, you smell absolutely delicious,” he whispered against her neck, inhaling deeply right near the sensitive gland. Emma sighed with pleasure, dragging her nails through the hair on his chest as he purred contentedly at the attention. She inhaled sharply as his fingertips brushed over the wetness between her thighs, clicking his tongue in mock disapproval while his index finger swirled around her clit.

“Alpha…” she pleaded, sliding down the pillows as she opened her thighs wider, inviting him to settle in between.

“Why didn’t you tell me how wet you were already, Omega?” he teased, chuckling as he continued exploring her folds, fingers gliding in and out effortlessly while she writhed pleasurably under his touch.

“I didn’t realize how much I needed you. Just keep doing what you’re doing,” she ordered, eyes screwed shut as the familiar tension began to coil in her belly.

“More of my fingers, or will you let me pay homage to your beautiful body with my mouth?” he crooned, watching carefully as she opened her eyes, eager as he was for her consent. Emma reached up to kiss him while she thought it over, enjoying the smooth and confident way he curled and darted his tongue. When they pulled apart, she was gasping for breath, desperate for his touch.

“Mmm, I haven’t had any good experiences receiving oral before, but I think you’re about to change that, Alpha. Fuck me with that pretty mouth of yours.”

His face lit up, as if she’d just told him that he won the lottery. It was so adorable and unexpected that Emma couldn't help but grin back, blushing.

“Absolutely. I promise that you won’t regret it,” he told her, his cute smile turning into a leer as he zeroed in on her dripping center. “Lie back now, Omega, and lift your hips,” he instructed, quickly grabbing a larger pillow to position her pelvis where he wanted it.

Killian sat back on his heels to admire his handiwork. There she was, fully exposed to him; her golden hair looked wild and free against the sheets, and her beautiful face was flushed with arousal. Slowly, he slid his palms from her shoulders to her sternum, pausing to lavish attention on her breasts. All the while, he planted scorching kisses on her neck, across her collarbones, and down to her rib cage.

Not wanting to miss a detail, he skimmed his hands from her taut stomach to her slick-dampened thighs, as his tongue trailed down to her navel.

“Alpha…PLEASE!” Emma begged, so worked up that her entire body shook.

“Patience,” Killian chided gently, placing a kiss to each inner thigh, then one brush of his lips to her center. Just when she thought she would burst, he surged forward, finally burying his tongue inside of her. Expertly, he massaged her clit with his mouth while using his fingers to stroke her g-spot to a quick, toe-curling release.

Her scream was a sound he’d never forget: uninhibited, passionate, and strong, just like the woman herself. As Emma’s breathing slowed, Killian slowly unwound himself from her body. Sliding up to lie next to her, he propped himself on one elbow to face her.

“Mmm, that was wonderful. Thank you,” she nearly slurred, cracking her eyes open slowly.

“You’re most welcome. Would you like a drink?”

She nodded, so he reached over to the nightstand where he’d stored a few water bottles. They both drank silently as Emma collected herself, her hazy eyes clearing and sharpening to hone in on her partner’s clear need of her.

“Alpha,” she murmured, looking down at his clothed erection.“You look like you could use some serious TLC. Take those off and let me take care of-”

Killian put a finger to her lips, cutting her off with a grin. “I’ll show you serious; get up, love,” he said , raising his eyebrows in a way that piqued her interest. She moved to let him get off the bed and followed him over to the front edge. He stripped, then sat down and grabbed her hands, drawing her in close. She narrowed her eyes, wondering what the hell he was up to.

“What are you doing?”

“I have a new idea, but I need you to trust me. I’d never hurt you, Emma; I can promise you that,” he assured, bringing her hands to his lips so he could place a kiss atop both sets of knuckles. The gesture made her smile, and she nodded in agreement. “All you need to do is get up on the bed, knees bent. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Looking more than a bit skeptical, Emma climbed onto his lap and straddled his hips on her knees as requested, placing her hands on his shoulders for balance. Almost immediately, he kissed her roughly, sucking her lower lip into his mouth while squeezing her hips. It felt as if every nerve in her body lit up in excitement as slick dripped onto his shaft.

“Ohhh, Emma…fuck, I thought I could wait, but I need to be inside of you right now. Just lift up, love…” he panted, sounding absolutely wrecked with lust.

“Yes, Alpha, please…” She did as he asked and immediately felt his cock nudging her entrance, hot and rock hard. Killian groaned as he guided himself inside of her, and she angled her descent, sinking down onto him as he began to rock up. He wrapped an arm around her, kissing her neck while Emma clutched at the back of his head, combing her fingers through his hair.

The position was intense: he was so deep now that he was hitting new places inside of her, making her shiver even though they were both damp from exertion and slick. They kept rocking against each other, finding a rhythm as they picked up speed.

“Killian,” Emma said with a hoarse voice, swallowing thickly. He raised his head from where it was nestled against her shoulder.

“Yes, love?”

“The way we are now…you’re hitting the perfect spot. It’s good for me, but is it good for you?” She asked, moving a sweaty lock of hair off his forehead.

“Don’t worry about me, Omega. This part’s all about you,” he breathed, trying to concentrate his efforts on hitting the same spot over and over so she could come. His muscles were beginning to tire, and he was dying to knot her, then take a shower and fall asleep, but he loved the closeness they had in this position.

Emma could tell that he was exhausted, so she kissed him and moved faster, snaking her fingers down to rub circles against her clit.

“That’s it, Omega,” he whispered, breaking their kiss as he stared down at her fingers moving so close to where they were joined. “I can feel you getting even hotter inside, that’s how I know you’re close. Tell me to go faster if that’s what you need, Emma…”

“Yes, faster and harder, please!” she begged, her breathy moans getting more frantic and louder as she approached her peak. The moment she snapped, he felt an incredible spasm of muscles gripping almost his entire length. While Emma was in a state of total ecstasy, Killian realized that he was on the brink too, with no hope of staving it off.

He gazed at her longingly, feeling like his blood was racing like liquid fire through his veins. His mind was consumed with images of knotting her slicked up body against the wall, pumping her so full of his release that he wouldn’t need to mark her; every Alpha on campus would know that she was off-limits.

“Emma, I want to pick you up and knot you against the fucking wall. I’ve been picturing it since we got here,” he confessed, groaning almost painfully as he pulled out of her warmth. “Now is the perfect moment; you’ve come so many times that you’re more than ready to take my knot. Will you let me?”

“DO IT. I want it, Alpha, now!” Emma hissed, gripping his neck and wrapping her legs around his waist. Her command gave Killian a surge of strength, and he rose, slamming her up against the nearest wall as he gripped the backs of her thighs. Guided as if by instinct, she grabbed hold of him, frantically angled their bodies until they clicked right back into alignment, like two puzzle pieces.

The heat generated between them increased rapidly into an inferno, as sweat and slick rolled down their bodies. He pounded into her like a man possessed, bracing his forehead against her chest as each thrust brought them closer to the brink.

“Mmm, I wish it could always be like this, Omega. I’d be balls-deep inside you every fucking night,” he growled, the sound coming from deep inside his chest, vibrating against her own.

“Yes, Alpha,” she agreed breathlessly, nodding as she held him closer, the thought of it taking shape inside her head. “Always want your knot inside me!”

“Then you shall have it,” he muttered darkly, pulling back once more before he slammed his pulsing knot deep inside her, making Emma scream his title as her orgasm overwhelmed her. His own release was long and satisfying, as if their bodies were urging each other to give more and more until oversensitivity forced them to stop moving. Breathing hard, they nearly slumped against the wall, until Emma tapped her heel against the ticklish spot on the back of his right thigh.

“Wench,” Killian groaned, making her laugh as he managed to get them over to the bed and onto their sides. With a sigh, she tucked her head under his chin, and once their breathing normalized, a comfortable silence filled the room.

##########

It took longer than usual for his knot to deflate, leaving them both sticky and uncomfortable. After separating, they rolled away from each other for a while, both needing breathing space and time to process what had just happened between them.

Emma melted into her pillow as she lay on her stomach, flinging her right arm in his general direction. Killian reached for her fingers, interlacing them with his as he gazed up at the ceiling.

“Holy shit, Killian, I don’t even know what to say! That was amazing,” she marveled, turning to face him. “Does knotting just get better and better every time? I don’t know if that can be topped,” she chuckled, amused by her own double entendre.

He laughed too, but his mind was whirling with confusion. He had no idea whether or not he should tell her the truth, the one he kept hidden away. In the end, Killian decided to confess only halfway.

“I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me, it’s like any kind of sex: best practiced with someone you really care for.” he told her softly, hoping that hearing the seriousness in his voice and seeing the love he felt for her in his eyes would help him get through to her.

Her eyes widened, showing a mix of emotions: affection, sincerity, tentative happiness…but fear was lurking in the background, just waiting to push its way forward. Luckily, though, she softened, opening her arms as she turned to face him.

“Killian, will you just hold me for a little bit?”

Without answering, he reached for her and scooped her into his arms. She laid her cheek against his chest, nuzzling into his warmth as she draped one leg lazily over his.

“Of course I will, love. I always will; you know that right?” he murmured into her hair, kissing the top of her head before resting his own back on the cool pillow. To Killian’s surprise, Emma snaked one arm around his waist and curled against him, holding onto his bicep like she wanted to make sure he wouldn’t go anywhere.

As he listened to her breathing even out, he combed his fingers gently through her hair, wishing this perfect moment with an unguarded Emma could last forever.

##########

When Emma appeared in the doorway to her and Mary Margaret’s room two days later, eyes red-rimmed and baggy from exhaustion, her roommate knew something was deeply wrong.

“What happened, sweetie?” Mary Margaret asked gently, guiding her friend back inside, her familiar fleece blanket trailing sadly behind her.

“This morning, I woke up just as the sun was starting to rise, and even though I don’t usually have any problem getting back to sleep, I felt so dizzy that I couldn’t close my eyes! Drinking water helped, but I haven’t felt so bad in years — just nauseous, bloated, and really sore from the past three days,” Emma told her, dropping onto her desk chair with a thump. “All of those times when you said that a natural heat’s end feels like a hangover, I thought you were being dramatic. Now, I know better…” she groaned, turning around in her chair to lay her head on the desk.

“Hey, c’mere,” Mary Margaret urged, holding her arms out, and after a few moments of hesitation, Emma turned and accepted the supportive hug, grateful that she wasn’t being judged. “I don’t understand why you insisted on coming back here all by yourself. Where’s Killian?”

When Mary Margaret pulled back and clasped Emma’s shoulders, she knew that it was time for her to explain her actions.

“Emma, did you check out of the building without telling Killian? Does he know that you left? I’m not judging, just asking…”

Emma’s silence answered the question, and Mary Margaret’s heart shattered for both of her friends. She and David had high hopes that the pair of them would just realize once and for all how perfect they were for each other.

“I just had to get out of there! I was starting to get claustrophobic, and I didn’t want to deal with him worrying about me, so I left. He was sleeping so peacefully that I didn’t have the heart to wake him,” she tried to reason, but Emma knew how irresponsible her actions had been.

“How could you do that to him?” Mary Margaret gasped, trying to rein in her shock at Emma’s carelessness. Unfortunately, the tears running down Emma’s face showed that she had failed.

“Listen, I need a long shower and a good nap. I can’t deal with these feelings right now,” Emma said dully, shrugging her shoulders as she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. Mary Margaret’s expression softened.

“That sounds like a good plan, Emma. Do you want me to leave so you can have some private time?” She asked, but Emma shook her head vehemently, clearly wanting comfort from her friend.

“After I get back, why don’t we spend some time together? Let’s watch some brainless tv, and maybe make hot cocoa with cinnamon. It’d be nice to hang out,” Emma cajoled, grabbing her shower caddy and towel so she could use their floor’s shared bathroom.

“Of course!” Mary Margaret replied with a placid smile. Once Emma left the room, she picked up her cell phone, telling David to be on the lookout for his own roommate. Killian hadn’t returned yet.

“Killian’s cell phone is still going directly to voicemail, so the only thing we can do is wait for him to surface. I’m sure he’s just fine,” David reassured her, but Mary Margaret wasn’t placated.

“You’d be more concerned if you had seen the way Emma looked when she got back, David! She’s a wreck, and it looks like she spent a long time crying. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her cry before! Usually, Emma keeps everything inside and Killian’s the one who wears his heart on his sleeve. I’m worried about him…” she whisper-spoke into the phone, just in case Emma returned.

“I’ll let you know the minute I hear something. He’s probably just licking his wounds somewhere — what Emma did sounds pretty heartless to me, so I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s hurting,” David pointed out, and Mary Margaret sighed in agreement.

“Don’t judge her too harshly, David. Promise that you’ll call me when he gets back, in case he needs a hug, or even just a friendly shoulder to lean on?”

“I promise.”

[organizeworkers]

All It Takes Is One: How an Injury on the Job Spurred Organizing Efforts at FedEx

by Natascha Elena Uhlmann

FedEx workers had enough of impossible workloads and understaffing — so they organized.

Injured on the job

Jeremiah Davila, a retail employee (known internally as a store consultant) at FedEx Office, tried to reason with management about unreasonable workloads and understaffing. He saw co-workers transfer and quit and knew that the vacancies wouldn’t be filled unless pay and working conditions improved. Though some might imagine FedEx office as a laid-back work environment, the work is specialized and taxing: workers unload, package, and transport heavy parcels while balancing additional retail and production duties. For Jeremiah, the breaking point came when he was injured on the job — and management, he says, was nonchalant. Done with waiting on empty promises, he took to organizing. 

“I had been warning them for a while [about] these working conditions … [saying] we can’t keep working like this. If someone calls in sick, you can push yourself a little for a day, but you can’t keep going like that for a month,” he notes. “So I’d been warning them for a while, and they just were kind of like, ‘Yeah, yeah, we’ll take care of you,’ was the response, but nothing ever got done. Just a lot of empty promises … When I told them about the injury, they just seemed more skeptical than anything else.”

Unsustainable workloads

He wasn’t alone. Jeremiah’s co-worker, Genesis, had also seen the company promise to improve working conditions then fail to deliver. At their flagship store — one of the busiest in the district — workers juggled packing, shipping, printing, laminating, and retail duties, with critically low levels of staffing. Over time, their team of four dwindled to two, with no new hires in sight. Instead, management turned to a band-aid solution: 

“As far as I can tell, our entire district is short-staffed. They like to play this game where they bounce people round from store to store, to cover the short staffing. But the reality is they have a store that’s really understaffed and then they pull people from a marginally less understaffed store. What the reality is, whatever the magic number is for the district … no matter how much you’re bouncing them around they’re all doing the work of more than one person,” says Jeremiah. 

“We did a little digging to find out about the managerial compensation. I don’t know the exact numbers, but as far as the store manager on up, if there is a budgetary surplus, they do receive a bonus, a percentage of it. Not illegal, but obviously very unethical and a clear motivator, borderline conflict of interest,” he adds.

Learning the ropes

Jeremiah and Genesis had never participated in workplace actions, but they learned as they went. They went out on strike, demanding an end to understaffing, compensation for the specialized nature of their work, and safe workloads — so no one is injured again. “It’s been very bootstraps guerilla from the start, but that’s kind of our style,” says Jeremiah. After a supervisor allegedly made social media comments stating workers would be retaliated against for their organizing, they filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Management was quick to respond. 

“Once we filed those charges, there was a huge change in the communication with management — massive change. A lot more toned down, respectful, actually taking seriously what we were saying about our boundaries, about, ‘Hey, we’re trying to negotiate here, collective bargaining, yeah, we’re not a recognized union, but we still have protection to collectively bargain nonetheless,’” says Jeremiah.

When we fight, we win

Taking action with your co-workers can be nerve wracking, but Genesis and Jeremiah looked to other worker victories for resolve. “Genesis and I were on the fence were on striking. We were actually talking about the UPS strike, and I was like, if they did it, anyone can do it … If they hadn’t done that, I don’t think we would have followed through with what we’re doing,” he says. 

Fortunately, they’re not alone. Workers across the country have seen historic raises and improvements to working conditions at UPS, Ford, GM, and Stellantis — all of which were won by workers being prepared to fight for each other. If you’re curious about organizing your own workplace, Jeremiah has advice: “The NLRB is a great starting point, they have all the forms. But it’s really confusing, and I’m not gonna lie, I had to have a few tries to get my stuff right. So an organization like EWOC is what I would also recommend — where people have been through the process and they can help you if you have questions … people who have done it before are gonna be the best people who can help.”

Want to improve your workplace? Contact an EWOC organizer now!

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

[charbway]

im working on a video about why i hate natascha (minigun)