#kurt overnight/reader

[squidorcuddlefish]

maybe kurt overnight doing some bodily praise to a chubby reader?

a/n: KURT KURT KURT KURT KURT!!!!!!!!! ily kurt the overnight 2015

“Yes! Perfect, right there!”

You attempt not to squint at the bright flash from Kurt’s camera. The click rings through your ears.

Despite the camera between the two of you, you could see Kurt grinning ear to ear.

“Okay, turn to the left a bit.” He swipes his hand to the right. Which way did he want you…? You decide to just follow his hand, which seems to be the right choice, proved by an enthusiastic “Great.”

You swallow nervously. You had never posed for a photoshoot before, let alone one like this. You were just shy of being entirely stripped, covered only by some weird, white sheet that Kurt had you posing with. This wasn’t the first time you had been bare with him, but never had you been doing so for one of his art projects. It all just felt embarassing.

He seemed to notice your discomfort, moving away from the camera.

“You alright?” He asks, sincerity in his voice.

“I don’t know, Kurt,” You look down at the floor, closing the white fabric fully around your body. “I don’t think I like this.”

He steps towards you, finding a spot behind your barely clothed figure.

He hums. “You’ve got nothing to dislike, hun.”

He wraps his arms around your torso as he leans his chin against your shoulder. You let out a soft sigh.

His hands find their way from your torso, just above your hips, squeezing them gently.

“You’re gorgeous.”

His words were simple, but you know he meant every syllable. A soft kiss was placed on your cheek, his lips lingering for a moment.

“We can stop at any time. But I don’t want it to be because you’re not confident. You should be. I mean, God, look at you.”

His hands gently graze up and down from your hips to your upper thighs. Only the thin cloth was keeping him from having his hands all over your bare skin. You shudder at the thought.

“So pretty. Jesus, maybe I should just keep these photos all for myself.” He says through a soft laugh. His words so close to your ear makes your hair stand up.

The intimacy ends sooner than you secretly had hoped as he steps away from you, patting the side of your thigh lightly before he’s back behind the camera.

“Let’s finish up here, and then we’ll do something a little more fun, yeah?” He gives a smug smile and a wink. You roll your eyes, but let the fabric out of your tight grip, allowing it to drape over your shoulders and onto the floor.

a/n: aaugh!!! i hope this is okay!!! i wrote it kind of fast lmao. kurt has a character that’s a lot different than other jschwartz characters (confident but not super cocky), so i hope i did him justice! kurt will always hold a soft spot in my heart

[imaginedisish]

Poker Face (Logan Howlett x Fem!Reader)

A/N: OKAY! Here is the strip poker fic! This is not a request, but there are a few requests I really like, so I'm most likely going to write one of those next! Could not waste the opportunity to use Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" as the inspiration here. I hope you guys enjoy!

Summary: You and Logan are alone in the mansion for the evening, and after a few drinks, your game of Blackjack turns into strip poker...

Warnings: 18+ Sexually Explicit Content MINORS DNI!!! Oral (f!receiving), Fingering, Unprotected PIV, multiple orgasms, softdom!Logan(?), cocky!Logan, alcohol consumption (neither reader nor Logan get drunk), feelings, friends to lovers, strip poker!, f!reader/afab reader, cursing, def some grammatical errors (proofread this one between weird times), I think that's it!

Word Count: 4,025 how did I do that???

The house is empty. Quiet. It’s so strange, almost eerie, but honestly welcome. You can’t remember the last time you were ever so alone. Not lonely—alone. Comfortably and peacefully alone. 

Scott, Jean, and Storm took most of the children off on an overnight camping trip, while Hank, Kurt, and Charles were on a mission with some of the older mutants. Rogue and Gambit were out somewhere, leaving you and Logan in the mansion alone. 

You’re sitting at the kitchen table, back to the window, looking out at the empty room. Everything is untouched—neatly put away. You know things will be back to normal by tomorrow afternoon—dishes in the sink, shoes all over the floor, kids shouting down the halls. But for now, there’s nothing. No disruptions. No—

“Oh, hey,” Logan mumbles, stepping through the doorway and into the kitchen. “Didn’t know you were in here.”

You smile, trying your best not to let your eyes flit up and down his body. He’s wearing one of his tight beaters and a pair of jeans. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t want him—if you said that being alone in the mansion with him wasn’t somewhat overwhelming. You’ve wanted Logan since the day you joined the X-Men, just a few months ago. And while you’ve become close friends, you know it’ll never progress further than that. 

“Wanna join me?” You ask, tilting your head to the chair across from you. 

Logan smirks and nods. He walks to the fridge, swings open the French doors, and reaches inside. “Got something for us, actually,” he says, glasses clinking as he rummages through the fridge. He pulls out whatever he’s looking for, turning around, and revealing a 6-pack of beer. 

“No way!” You shout excitedly. “Logan Howlett, breaking the rules as always.”

He sits down across from you, placing the beers in the center of the table. “You know you love it,” he husks, grinning widely. 

You can feel the heat rising to your chest. He’s right. “I do,” you whisper, hoping he doesn’t catch on to the implications of your words. If he does, he doesn’t show it. He grabs a beer by its neck, pops off the cap with ease, and holds the bottle out towards you. Your fingers brush his as you take the beer from him, his hands warm and surprisingly soft. The contact is fleeting, effervescent. You wish he could touch you again. 

You bring the bottle to your lips, the cold beer a distraction from your all-too-hot thoughts. You watch as Logan pulls a bottle for himself, his muscles flexing as he removes the cap. He brings the bottle to his mouth and knocks it back, his throat bobbing as he swallows. 

“So…” You trail off, doing your all to ignore the way his tongue swipes across his upper lip as he places the beer back down on the table. You take another swig of your beer, ready to down the entire thing just to give yourself the confidence to say something. “D-did you wanna do anything?” You take another big gulp. 

Logan smiles. “Not sure,” he says, taking a sip. “You got anything in mind, princess?”

Your heart flutters at the familiar nickname. You rub a finger up and down the beer bottle, streaking the condensation. “We could play a game,” you offer, your eyes finding his. “Cards?”

Logan hums in affirmation as he knocks his beer bottle back again. He’s already practically finished. “You wanna play Blackjack?” He asks, taking a final sip before standing up and walking over to the kitchen island. He rifles through a couple of drawers before finding a pack of cards. He sits back down across from you, grabbing another beer and cracking it open. 

“Sure,” you answer, watching as Logan slips the cards from their box and expertly shuffles them. He thumbs the cards, dexterously letting them slide through his long fingers. He deals you the first card, face up, and then does the same for himself. You have a king of hearts, and Logan has a five of diamonds. He deals again, and you’re given a nine of clubs. It’s a good hand. Better than Logan’s, so far. He deals himself another card, looking at it briefly before putting it face down on the table. 

He smirks up at you. “Hit, or stay?” He asks.

You roll your eyes. “Stay, obviously.” He shakes his head, smiling as he deals himself another card. 

“Well, princess,” he says, showing you all three of his cards now. Five of diamonds, queen of hearts, and six of spades. “Looks like I won.” He’s smug as he grabs your cards and shuffles them back into the deck. 

You scoff and let him deal you in again.

You’ve only had two drinks, but there’s something about being with Logan that makes you feel like you’re drunk. You’ve been playing Blackjack for almost forty-five minutes now, round after round. Despite this being a game of chance, it seems like Logan wins far more often than you do. 

And yet, something gives you the sudden confidence to up the ante. 

“Lo?” You ask, taking a swig of your third beer, now. He looks up at you and hums, dealing the next round. You lean across the table. “What if we…” you trail off. “Made this more exciting?” 

Logan looks across the table under hooded eyes. You can sense the sudden shift in his expression, and you know he can sense the suggestiveness in your voice. The corner of his mouth turns up—a sly, half smile. “Exciting how, princess?”

You’re nervous now—all talk and no action. “Maybe we could bet somehow?” You offer, but Logan knows that’s not truly what you mean. He cocks his head, eyes narrowing.

And then he says exactly what you’re thinking—as if he can read your mind. “What about strip poker?” 

Your eyes widen and you swallow harshly. Logan is focused on you, still folding the cards into each other. You finally nod your head. “Sure, sounds fun.” 

Logan quickly deals the first cards. You have an ace, and Logan has a ten of diamonds. He places another card down for you—seven of clubs—and another face down for himself. 

“Hit or stay?” He asks, his eyes set on yours. He’s leaning closer to you than he was before. 

You take a deep breath. “Stay,” you answer, your voice trembling ever so slightly now. 

Logan shakes his head. “Wouldn’t have mattered anyway,” he says, flipping over his second card. It’s an ace of hearts. He collects your cards without another word, but his eyes are still glued to you. 

You bite your lip nervously and decide to tug away your sweatshirt. You’re wearing a thin tank top underneath, much to your relief. Logan’s eyes flit up and down your body, drinking you in. 

You drape the sweatshirt across the back of your chair, your eyes narrowing in Logan’s direction. “You have to be cheating,” you accuse sarcastically.

Logan grins ear to ear as he deals again, looking down at the table. “Just lucky,” he says, the words stopping your heart. “Very lucky.” He looks back up at you. Your breath catches in your throat. 

There’s a four of hearts in front of you this time. You roll your eyes at the low card. Logan—naturally—has a jack of diamonds. He places another card in front of you, a nine of clubs, and another face down for himself.

“Hit,” you mutter before he can ask the question. He places a seven of diamonds in front of you and shakes his head. He reveals his other card: an eight of spades. You smile widely, self-satisfied as you grab your beer by the neck and take a long swig. You lean back in your chair, watching as Logan pulls his beater up and over his head. 

He’s perfect, you think to yourself. Sure, he’s all chiseled abs and muscles, but he truly is beautiful. And you hope he knows it. “Happy now?” He asks, dealing the next hand. 

Heat spreads across your chest and down to your stomach. Your clothes feel tight, itchy. You try your best to ignore the way Logan makes you feel��to ignore the way you long to press your thighs together for some sort of friction. You—very obviously—are failing horrifically. 

“Hit, or stay?” Logan asks. You’re so distracted by him that you completely missed the deal. You look down to see an eight of hearts and a six of diamonds. Logan has a king of spades face up, and his other card face down. 

You raise your eyebrows, mulling it over in your mind. “Hit,” you finally spit out, and Logan deals you a ten of clubs. 

Oh. 

“Well shit,” you mumble. Logan chuckles as you stand up, struggling to decide what to take off. You look down at your athletic shorts and decide those are the next to go. You slip them down your legs and place them on the back of the chair with your sweatshirt. 

Logan’s throat bobs as his eyes trail up and down your legs. He isn’t laughing anymore; there’s something serious in his eyes, something dark. He works his jaw as you sit back down across from him. He looks pained as he deals the next hand. 

You cock your head to the side as he places a queen of hearts in front of you. “Are you okay?” You ask.

“’M’fine,” he answers curtly, drawing an ace of diamonds for himself. He quickly places another card down for you—a five of spades—and another face down for him. 

But you can tell there’s something wrong. It’s the way he moves, the way he fidgets in his seat. You reach out tentatively across the table, your fingers brushing against his. “Logan,” you soothe. “We don’t have to play if you don’t want to.” 

His eyes find yours, and he smiles softly, looking at your cards and then flipping his over. He got it. Twenty-one. Blackjack. “I think this game is almost over,” he says, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. 

You roll your eyes and grab the hem of your tank top, slowly pulling it up your body and over your head. Now all that’s left is your sports bra and your panties. You look across the table, and there’s Logan, eyes locked on you. “One more round?” You ask. 

But he ignores you, pushing out his chair, standing up, and walking over to you. “No,” he murmurs. “I think we’re done with the game.” He pulls your chair out from the table and leans down over you, placing his hands on either armrest, caging you in. 

His eyes are dark and filled with lust, his lips just centimeters from yours. Your noses brush, his breath fanning across your cheeks. You can smell him—the pine and musk and tobacco, his shampoo, a hint of mint. 

“L-Lo,” you stutter, your heart beating out of your chest as he leans in closer. There’s something animalistic, something primal about the look in his eyes. 

“I know you want me, pretty girl,” he husks. “Could smell that pussy crying for me before you even took those little shorts off.” 

“I-I,” you stutter, unable to form a coherent thought, no less a sentence. Your thighs rub together involuntarily at Logan’s words, searching for friction, for relief. 

Logan chuckles darkly. “Yeah,” he hums, one hand dropping from the armrest and slipping in between your thighs. “That’s what I thought, princess.” 

He pushes your legs open, his fingertips trailing along your inner thigh, slowly climbing higher. He finally reaches your heat and two of his fingers drag teasingly through your clothed folds, up to your clit. “Haven’t even touched you yet and you’re already soaked,” Logan growls, stroking you through your panties. “Making a mess of the chair, hm?”

“Logan,” you whine, his fingers circling your clit and then pulling away. Before you can protest the loss of contact, he’s hoisting you up and out of the chair, his hands squeezing your ass, holding you tightly in his arms. You wrap your legs around his waist and bring your hands to the nape of his neck.

He carries you through the kitchen and into the hallway. He stops in his tracks and pushes your back against the wall, his lips finally finding yours. The kiss is rushed and frantic, like he just has to have you now, like he’s so hungry he’d die if he waited another second. He grinds his hips into yours, his erection straining through his jeans. 

“Need you, darlin’,” Logan mumbles against your lips, his chest heaving in time with yours. “Needed you this whole time.” He finally steps away from the wall and heads towards the stairs. You thread your fingers through Logan’s hair as he bites your lower lip, your pulse point, kissing you anywhere he can as he walks up the stairs and into his bedroom. 

He closes the door with a kick, and strides over to the bed in the center of the room, placing you down in the middle and crawling over you. His lips find yours again, his tongue darting out and sliding over your bottom lip, silently asking to be let inside. How could you ever say no? How could you ever not give him whatever it is he wants?

Logan balances on his forearm as his free hand trails up your body, warm and soft and soothing. He finds the hem of your bra and pulls the fabric over your tits. You arch your back, helping him slip it off the rest of the way. He finds your breasts, massaging gently before teasingly rolling your nipple under his thumb. 

“So fucking beautiful,” he huffs, moving to your other breast, pawing at the flesh, rolling over your nipple again, pinching lightly. His knee is settled between your legs, keeping you spread open for him. Your hips involuntarily rock against him, your needy core sliding up and down his thigh, searching for relief. 

Logan smiles against your lips and swallows your moans with a kiss before his touch suddenly disappears. His knee is no longer between your legs—the delicious friction gone. Your eyes flutter open and closed as he crawls down your body, kissing his way to the hem of your panties. 

“Lo,” you whimper as he places a chaste kiss to your clothed clit. “Please,” you beg, squirming underneath him. 

His arm latches around your waist, holding you down to the mattress while his other hand hooks inside the waistband of your panties. He tugs teasingly, taking his time as he slides your panties down your legs and tosses them off to the side. Logan settles himself between your thighs, his breath fanning against your cunt.

His arm is still firmly pushing you down into the mattress as he brings his face closer to where you need him most. “Wanna taste this pretty pussy, darlin’,” Logan grunts, and his tongue swipes through your folds, dragging across your slit and up to your clit. 

You curse under your breath as Logan licks another long stripe, his tongue finishing with a flick to your clit. “So fucking sweet,” Logan murmurs against you, the bass and vibration of his voice sending a burst of pleasure up your spine. “Knew you’d taste so good, pretty girl.” 

Logan pulls you closer to him, burying his face into your cunt like a man starved. He takes your clit between his lips, sucking roughly. His fingertips slide up your inner thigh, drawing higher and higher until he finds your folds. 

“Such a fucking tease,” Logan mutters, spreading your slick, prodding your entrance. “Using cards as an excuse to take your clothes off for me.” He shoves two fingers deep inside you as his tongue circles your clit. “Wanted me that bad, huh?” You can feel him smiling against you, all smug as he pulls his fingers from your slit and plunges back in. 

“Y-yes,” you stutter. His grip is like iron across your hips, keeping you in place, stopping you from squirming. “Wanted y-you so fucking bad.” 

He pumps his fingers in and out, down to the knuckles as he laps at you. He sucks at your clit again, harder this time. “I know, sweetheart,” Logan soothes, his thumb rubbing against your hip as his thrusts become faster, deeper. You’re already shaking underneath him—a trembling mess. “I’ve got you, pretty girl,” he coos. 

His tongue flicks your clit, swirling around the bud, adding more pressure with every stroke. Your walls flutter around his fingers, taking him in deeper. “Logan,” you whine, growing closer with every pump. “I-I—”

You’re cut off as he adds a third finger. “That what you needed, princess?” Logan asks, all cocky and self-assured. Your back arches off the mattress and Logan tightens his grip on your hips, holding you down as he devours you. “You’re not going anywhere until I’m finished with you.”

Your muscles clench around him at the words. His teeth graze lightly against your clit as he pulls the bud into his mouth, sucking roughly. “Lo…” You trail off, unable to use any semblance of language to communicate the way he’s making you feel. 

“Taking me so good, darlin’,” Logan praises, his fingers fucking into you unrelentingly. “Such a good fucking girl.” 

You’re so close, almost at that edge, pleasure burning through your every nerve ending. “’L-Lo I’m so—” you choke out.

“So fucked out that all you can say is my name,” Logan teases, sucking on your clit between sentences. “Wanna feel you come around my fingers.” He pushes himself in deeper. “Wanna taste it.”

“F-fuck,” you stutter, contracting around him uncontrollably. The tension building in your stomach finally snaps, the fire set free to burn through your body. “Logan!” You cry out, chanting his name like it’s a sacred prayer. And maybe it is.  

“I’ve got you,” Logan soothes, his tongue still lapping at you, his fingers still thrusting in and out. “I’m right here, let go for me.” He works you through your orgasm, his pumps slowing down as you ride out your high.

He pulls his fingers from your cunt, but his face doesn’t move. He’s still lapping at you, his tongue swiping through your folds, your slit, up to your clit. He’s drinking you in, savoring the taste of you. 

“Lo,” you whimper, running your hands through his hair, trying to guide him up your body. But he doesn’t budge. He grunts against your core, his tongue dragging through your heat. “Please,” you beg. “Need you, Lo.”

He licks one more long stripe through your folds before finally lifting his head to look up at you. Your release is painted across his lips, glistening in the moonlight. His tongue darts out, licking away the proof of your orgasm. 

“Need me, sweetheart?” He asks, sitting up, unbuckling his belt and letting it fall to the floor with a clink. He unbuttons his jeans and pulls his zipper down. “Need me to fuck you?” You nod, settling into the pillows at his headboard as he tugs his jeans and boxers down his legs. 

His cock springs free, bouncing against his stomach. You swallow nervously at the size of him. He settles on top of you, balancing on his forearm as he guides his cock to your entrance. 

Logan presses a chaste kiss to your lips as his tip nudges through your folds. “Thought about this for a long time,” he murmurs, the head of his cock bumping against your clit before sliding back down towards your entrance. His lips meet yours again, more hurried and hungry this time. “Always thinking about you.” And then he buries himself deep inside you, down to the hilt. He stalls, unmoving, giving you a moment to adjust to the size of him. He’s stretching you out, working you open. You grab his biceps, searching for purchase. Nothing could have prepared you for this, for the way he fills you up and makes you feel whole. 

“Feels so fucking good,” Logan whispers, pulling out and pushing all the way back in. “So tight, so perfect,” he praises, slowly setting a rhythmic pace, pumping in and out. 

His hand leaves the base of his cock and slips between your bodies, finding your clit—still sensitive from your first orgasm. His thumb strokes soft circles into the bud, drawing a moan from your lips. 

“Y-yes,” you pant as Logan plunges into you, faster and deeper with each thrust. You can feel him throbbing inside you, his cock dragging against your walls. It’s already too much—already more than you can handle. “F-feels so good, Lo.”

His hips snap against yours. “I know it does, pretty girl,” Logan coos, rutting into you. “Gonna take care of you. Gonna make you feel good.” His words go straight to your core, your muscles contracting around him. He curses under his breath at the feeling, your pussy taking him deeper as he sinks inside you. “Squeezing me already, sweetheart.”

He’s fucking into you, his pace growing reckless and punishing. He adds more pressure to your clit, rubbing harder, faster. You don’t know how much longer you’ll last, not with his lips at the shell of your ear whispering praises. 

“So fucking beautiful,” he husks, his hips rocking against yours. “Taking me so good, doing so well for me.” He’s hitting that sweet spot inside you with every thrust. He swallows your moans with starving, desperate, needy kisses—biting your lips, bruising them. He’s consuming you, taking everything you have to give him. 

He presses his forehead to yours, pounding into you, somehow finding a way to sink deeper inside. Your walls flutter around him, and you know you’re almost there. “Logan,” you croak, pushing your hips into his. 

“F-fuck,” he stammers, his cock twitching inside you, massaging your inner walls. “I know princess, know you’re close.” You can feel his thrusts faltering, growing sloppier. “Wanna feel you come on my cock, pretty girl.” You moan his name, wrapping your legs around his waist, keeping him close as he pumps in and out. “Come for me, darlin’.”

Logan pinches your clit and buries himself deep inside, sending you over the edge. Your orgasm crashes into you, your walls clenching around him, squeezing him tighter. “Stay,” you whisper, and he knows what you mean—knows exactly what you’re asking for.

He curses under his breath and his head falls to your shoulder as he comes undone, too, filling you up, spilling inside you. Everything is liquid heat. Your muscles contract and relax, your shoulders melting into the mattress. Everything feels hazy as Logan gently strokes your clit, thrusting in and out of you slowly, riding out your orgasms. 

He finally pulls out, wrapping his arms around your back and rolling you over so that you lay on top of his chest. He holds you close, his fingers trailing up and down your back. He kisses the crown of your head. “You okay?” He whispers into the silence of the room. 

“Yeah,” you answer, burying your face into his chest. “’M’perfect.”

He presses another kiss to the top of your head. “Wanted you for so long, princess,” he husks, his voice deep and raspy. 

“Wanted you, too, Lo,” you say, pressing a kiss to his chest. 

You can hear his heart beating; can hear every breath he takes. You can even hear the smile in his voice. “You have a terrible poker face, you know.”

You laugh softly, lifting your head from his chest. “I think it’s just fine, thank you very much.” He’s smiling down at you, his hair a mess, sweat still on his brow. He’s perfect. So fucking perfect. “And besides, you’re the one who suggested strip poker.”

He shakes his head, tugging you back down to his chest. “Should’ve played it sooner.” You can feel his chuckle reverberate through his lungs. “We can play again if you want…”“…but this time we skip the poker part.”

tags: @ilysmdovie12 @prettyseaveins @spiderset @figsnpassionfruits @silversprings-mp3 @movhoney @wittyjasontodd @theasiaabattoir @fanfic-writing-barbie @manipulatour @pedrohoe04 @derbygracie @honeyfewr

[baka-bakeneko]

The Hunt

Feral Alpha!Logan Howlett x Mutant Fem!Reader

tags: NSFW, MDNI, mutant fem reader [a doppleganger mutancy], professor xavier/ ororo/ scott/ kurt/ rogue involved, strangers to lovers, logan in rut, feral alpha logan attempts to tame himself, animal/bait mentality, scents/smells, flirty sparring, dry humping, voyeurism, panty stealing, shower masturbation, mind reading [Xavier you dirty dog], oral sex [reader receiving], fingering, size difference, too big for you, slight praise kink, clothed sex, cowgirl, multiple orgasms, mating press missionary, knotting, discussion of knotting/ rut

wc: 8.8k

Logan was awake for hours before the house was. He heard the mansion settle around him in soft creaks, the sun slowly peeking through the curtains at the break of dawn.

He committed himself to stay in bed until he was forced out, feeling that today would be disastrous. Logan felt it deep in his core, his nose flaring with a growl rumbling through his mouth.

He was sliding into the pit of rut.

He regretted opening his eyes. Logan was short on normal days, but for the week of rut, he was an irate short-fuse.

He was aware of it, knew how the others reacted to him. Logan groaned, turning onto his side with a groan to himself.

Looking at his door, he noticed it was unlocked. Even though his bed drew him in, Logan knew he'd be better off just locking himself inside for the day.

Maybe he'd slip a note to someone passing by for them to bring him lunch. Logan pulled himself upright, swinging his legs over the edge, ready to commit himself to his room.

But his nose twitched at a intriguing scent moving outside of his door. He heard the soft creak of the floorboards, the tender cracks of feet as they shuffled.

He mapped the layout of the house, trying to recognize who it was outside his door. Logan was at the door as soon as he knew it was you.

He pried his door open a crack, peeking his nose out to sniff after you. Your scent to him was spiced, sweet tangerine with a bite of ginger.

It ate into his belly, only fueling the slippery descent into his rut.

You were actually trying to stay quiet on this early morning. You hadn't been able to stay asleep for long, replaying Professor Xavier's lecture overnight.

He'd called you into his office to talk about your powers. He mentioned that you were holding back too much, that doing so would only stunt your growth further.

It was still in your head as you shuffled past Logan's room, too enveloped in how you should've responded. If you were stuck on it too long, you'd split into two and become the literal angel and devil.

It was more of a parlor trick than a power. What use was it in tactical prowess and missions?

Logan only watched you shuffle by, his mouth parting in a soft pant. He caught himself, clamping his hand over his mouth as his eyes dragged down your body.

Logan chastised himself for the thought of your clothes being easily accessible. Your oversized heather gray X shirt showed a peek of shoulder. Your shorts, also branded with the X academy logo, were tempting at too short.

The white hem of them cut right at the cusp of your ass, leaving your legs to look so long. The legwarmer-slipper combo didn't really help either, Logan imagined that they'd be easier to grip over your head.

He bristled at the encroaching dark thoughts, retreating back into his room. You paused halfway down the hall, looking behind you as you heard the door creak.

Logan's door slowly shut as you stared at it, tilting your head before making your way to the kitchen. You hadn't had the pleasure to meet Logan in entirety. It was only rumors and stories you heard about him, seeing flashes of him in the hallway.

A part of you, always the diabillo, always felt him near. She bristled inside you, like you were a glass jar she'd turn in his direction and the heat would accumulate there. You ignored her, continuing your shuffling.

Logan barricaded against his door, clutching his chest to regain his conscience. His stomach growled, unsated, though not in the way of hunger.

He smacked his nose, hoping to rid your scent from his senses. Logan tried his best to avoid you, but his carnal curiosity got the better of him.

He knew that to sate that part of him, he'd have to leave the room. He knew he would, just to squash the feral slice of his mind needing to hunt you down.

Logan managed to make his own internal agreement with himself. He'd join at breakfast only, one bowl of cereal, across the table from you and hold minimal conversation or eye contact. The bare minimum was all he'd be able to manage before returning his room. Otherwise he wasn't sure how he'd behave.

Logan was the last in the kitchen, grabbing a bowl carefully and walking to the dining room. His eyes scanned cautiously around the table, noticing that the table was packed around. Except for the single seat next to you.

Of course, he thought, readying himself to retreat to his room in defeat.

"Logan, how nice of you to join us," Storm said with a nod of acknowledgement. "We saved you a seat."

You glanced up from your bowl of cereal to see Logan in the kitchen doorway, wearing a grey X branded jacket. His hair was noticeably bed-styled, his demeanor nothing of friendly.

Logan bit down a snarl, his hackles raising at the sudden audience turned to him. He nodded to Xavier and Kurt, then circled the table to sit by you.

He slid into the table, his hands grabbing under the seat to straighten up. Logan's knuckles brushed against your thigh, feeling your soft skin and sparing a peek to your shorts again.

He shut his eyes a moment to regain himself, your shorts ridden up while seated. Logan reached blindly for the box of cereal, guiding it to the lip of his bowl and pouring it in.

He'd failed at part of his agreement already, wanting to cut his losses and stow away in his room. The touch of your skin would do wonders to his imagination now: squeezing your thighs so tightly that he bruises your skin while forcing your knees to your chest.

His eyes shot open, setting the cereal box upright before reaching for the milk. You peeked from the corner of your eye at the stranger next to you, the infamous Logan you'd heard about.

His knuckles grazing you was the first touch you'd had in a while, it caught your breath.

"Xavier, do we have plans for the new recruits?" Storm, Ororo, asked to the head of the table.

Undoubtedly, she was talking about you. Her elbow nudged at yours, smiling at you when she did so.

"Have you seen the training room yet? It's so big," she whispered over to you.

"I was thinking," Xavier began, looking over to Logan who was hurriedly shoveling cereal into his mouth. "Maybe Logan could spar with our new recruit. Get to know each other."

Logan paused, spoon in his mouth as he grunted in Xavier's direction. Hunched over his bowl like the animal within him, Logan looked to the head of the table at Xavier.

The man remained unfazed, unamused, by Logan's actions at the dining table. Logan narrowed his eyes at the professor, wondering why he was volunteered for such a thing especially during his worst time.

Xavier raised his brows at Logan, his eyes barely shifting to you talking to Ororo. Logan cocked his jaw, wanting to evade any proximity to you if he could help it.

"Want do you think, my dear?" Xavier pitched to you, directing your attention back to Logan, then the professor.

"I-I don't think that'd be too bad," you spoke up, glancing to Logan next to you and at Xavier again. "If Logan doesn't mind."

Logan shut his eyes in the direction of Xavier, taking a deep breath in as he settled down from you saying his name. He'd failed two parts of his agreement now.

He struggled to not peel back his top lip, wanting to project distaste though his beast was awaiting the opportunity. He'd hunt you after all, descend on you like a depraved wolf and ingest you with a ferocity that would leave you begging.

Logan's eye twitched, shutting his eyes to reel back to reality. He straightened forward in his seat, dropping his hand to his side.

But his knuckles brushed back down your thigh, making all the way to your shorts. You flinched softly, retreating your leg from his touch though your heart skipped.

"Fine, but only for ten minutes." He grit out, fighting against the ebbing flare in his throat.

He shouldn't have agreed at all, even as he flashed a glare back at Xavier. The professor was practically setting you up as bait and Logan wasn't above taking it.

You smiled over at Logan, hoping that your sentiment would reflect on him. He seemed a foreboding presence, hunched forward shoulders as the hair on his neck bristled like an agitated animal.

His eyes flicked over to you for a second, shocking your smile away, before returning to hoard his cereal into his mouth.

Logan stood before the open doors of the sunroom. The floor was padded with mats, the wooden walls patched up in a similar fashion.

He didn't bother to break to his room, knowing that changing would only delay the inevitable. He'd still need a shower afterwards anyway.

Peering into the room, he watched you card your fingers together then bend forward to touch the floor. You'd opted out of your short shorts, much to Logan's relief and dismay, and into the uniform lyrca spandex given.

They were better and worse on him at the same time; Logan's heart was settled at the lack of skin, but the tightness of them left less to the imagination than before.

He grit his teeth, ready to peel his eyes from you in a moment's notice, but he stared at the apple of your ass guided to the sky. Logan's nose twitched, ready to take in the scent of your clothed pussy presented like this to him.

He swatted at his nose again, shut his eyes and tried to make another agreement to himself. He would not linger. Logan had to stay quick on his feet for the ten minutes because if he paused for a moment too long around you, he'd descend into his hunger.

You held your palms to the mat, doing your best to lengthen your back before sighing at the relief of doing so. Logan's cock twitched at the sound that escaped you, having to turn around in the doorway to regain himself.

Standing upright, you turned at the waist to loosen up then caught sight of the foreboding Logan in the doorway.

"Hey, you ready?" You asked in his direction, turning around fully to face him.

Logan stiffened, readily counting down the minutes left of his social contract. As soon as he returned to his room, he'd board it shut for the week and let his mind run rampant. Anything to soothe the heated knots in his core and the damper on his shoulders.

"Yeah," Logan barked, turning around again and entering the room.

You rolled your shoulders as Logan walked onto the mat, shrugging off his jacket to reveal his built torso.

You paused, taking in Logan's chest adorned with the manly growth of hair. He looked more animal the more you took him in, his hair no longer looking undone but sprouted in short peaks resembling wolf-like ears.

Logan's nose twitched, catching onto your scent anew before him. But this time, a touch dampened.

He raised his brows at you, raising his hands ready to react to your first move. "Let's not waste time."

You gulped, mirroring his hands out. When Xavier suggested sparring, you thought it was more to show off your power of splitting.

Instead you were before this foreboding man, the beast more so, his stature drawing an icy chill from you.

Logan stared at you, awaiting your next move. He expected you to playfully tap his wrist to dissuade the tension, but you were frozen in the spot.

Your feet spread to a fighter's stance, only following Logan's lead in the stringent dance.

Logan bit back a smirk, his neck stretching as the feral gnaw within him egged him to lurch. He took a quick step into your space, causing your heart to jerk in response.

His ears perked at the sound, catching onto the strained vein in your neck from surprise. Logan acted again, earning a short gasp from you.

You tried to stabilize yourself, feeling the double at your back rear up with ferocity. It was an immediate split, the negative feelings from you condensing into a separate entity.

Logan watched as you slowly divided from yourself, an almost exact clone of you stood behind you. All different from them was the reddened tint in their eyes.

"Cute trick," he huffed in the direction of double. "What can it do?"

You squared your shoulders, your actions concentrated to one and not the other. When you regained yourself, you rushed at Logan to occupy your hands.

Each slap at his hands, he caught back with his own reaction. Your forearms met together, causing you to hide a wince at his heavy frame.

Logan spared an amused huff at your efforts, finally able to focus on anything but his throbbing cock. He squeezed his fist, producing his adamantium claws with a soft warble from their appearance l.

"Does she feel pain?" He asked, raising a brow at you.

Logan broke from staring in your eyes, losing his inner will to not advance. He glanced to where your double was previously, then was surprised when you shoved him off.

"Do you?" You asked, watching as your double took a high step off of the back wall to throw a punch at Logan's jaw.

You winced, both at the impact that turned Logan's face with his teeth bared and your knuckles throbbing in react to his hard jaw.

Logan took a second to regain himself, the punch only disorienting him momentarily. You and your double took the chance: they clamped onto his back as you grabbed onto his extended arm and climbed onto it.

In an instant, you hyper-extended your body on his arm, wrapping your legs around the back of his neck to squeeze him into quick submission.

Your double harassed his sides with their short nails, playing dirty as only they could. Logan grunted, attempting to stand tall while the two of you held on tight.

His mind instantly rushed with the thought of your trick doing wonders to him, riding his face and his cock to tide him over. Logan glared heavily at the ceiling, willing himself to not get hard in your presence.

He was trying to regain his track of time, even as your thighs squeezed tighter at his arm to his neck. Logan took a knee to the mat, reaching with his free arm to pry your double off of his back.

You grabbed onto his hand, pulling it up to your shoulder but holding his fingers away from your neck. Logan was reaching his limit of playfully sparring and edging towards possessively ending things.

He took his other knee, leaning over your body to not give way to using his claws to win. You huffed, your hands gripping his wrist as your double finally fended off with you taking the lead.

The strength came back to you when they returned to you, adding a rush of adrenaline to your heart while staring at this man squeezed between your legs.

Logan's nose flicked, taking in more of your scent, the newer dampened kind. It was sweet, cloying to the back of his throat and making him swallow.

His eyes fluttered at the sensation, knowing that you were sating a minuscule flame by scent alone. He reached to tap out, touching your thigh when he did so.

You blinked at the feeling of his touch, a rush going through you with a catch of your breath. Releasing him, you dropped your arms to the mat and looked down at Logan.

He paused, realizing that his obligation to sparring with you was officially over. And yet, he made no moves to scurry away.

Your legs, with him squaring before you, were draped at his shoulders. The sight did a number on your stomach, making your head go light at the fantastical thought of him descending on you.

Logan mapped your face, noting the flush on your cheeks as his mouth went dry. His internal hunger was piqued further by the looks of you.

You were spent, knowing that one ten minute session wouldn't make you a fighter, but Logan was entertained by his bait making a play.

He rested his fists outside of your hips, leaning forward to brush his stiff bulge against the seat of your spandex.

You raised your chin to stifle a low moan, meeting Logan's dark pupils taking over. You pitched again as Logan pressed a bit further, carefully rutting his sheathed cock against your clothed pussy.

"Logan," you stammered, your knees folding further to spur the feral man on.

He huffed, beast descending, and rutted harder against you. Your scent renewed again, which delighted Logan's nose as he flattened his hips to the backs of your thighs.

"Say...say my name again," Logan grit, wanting your pitiful voice to tease at his rut.

You arched your hips, meeting his bulge to your clothed clit. Your lips parted with a pant of Logan's name again and he snarled, barely taming himself to recede.

"How's the training going?" Ororo's voice carried before entering the doorway, allowing Logan the moment to back off.

He fought with himself, clamping his hand over his mouth and nose before standing on his feet. You dropped your legs as you turned your head, watching Logan breeze past Ororo showing up in the doorway then up the stairs.

You breathed out, staring after Logan before meeting Ororo's questioning gaze. "You okay? Was he too rough?"

You shut your eyes, turning your head to the ceiling in disbelief.

Logan shut himself in his room, biting into the crevice of his hand and mutedly groaning out his frustration. He had gone too far, past himself and fed into the roaring wildfire within him.

His cock rutted against the door, seething at the memory of your soft thighs against his hips, the tempting heat of your pussy.

If he'd been given a second more, he'd have torn your pants off. Logan wasn't sure whether it would be fully him if given the chance.

Ororo held her hand out to pull you upright, allowing you to straighten out your clothes before giving you a once over.

"What'd you do to him?" She asked with a sly smile. "And can you teach me for when he's a pain?"

You laughed nervously, the sweat on your forehead chilling a degree as you reached for the back of your neck. "I dunno."

Ororo shared your laugh, more amused than you were. "Why don't you get changed, we're hanging out in the yard. You gotta see Kurt and Scott play tennis. Scott is such a cheater."

You grinned with Ororo resting her arm on your shoulders. "Okay, sure. Let me shower first."

Logan broke away from the door, rushing to his bed. He grabbed at one of his pillows, fluffed it up in the center of his bed then tore into it with his claws.

In a quiet frenzy of feathers, he panted as he stared at the makeshift remedy. It was nothing substantial, and uninviting with the burrow riddled with feather quills. Logan snarled, shrugging at the waistband of his sweats to chase the quick relief.

His animal balked, making him growl at himself. He smacked the thought, and pillow, away. Logan held his face in his hands, sheathing his claws at an attempt to regain his control.

After a beat of silence, Logan grabbed a change of clothes and opened his door to scope out the floor. Seeing he was alone, he dashed down the hallway to the communal showers, shutting the door.

He paused at the sound of the stream going, wondering who he'd have to encounter for a semblance of peace. Logan walked carefully around the block wall to see the shower room filling with steam.

He set his clothes on the counter, stopping to look at a similar pile of clothes on the corner. Leaning over to look, he noticed a pair of cotton underwear folded between a shirt and tennis skirt.

Logan raised a brow, glancing over to the stall being used for the shower and noticed a burn mark starting from your tail bone, lining up next to your spine before ending in a spade like flare just beneath your shoulder blade.

His breath caught, his nostrils flaring at the sloshes of water that ran down your skin. Your hair tangled up with shampoo, Logan's eyes raked along your shoulders, then down your legs before landing at your ass.

He leaned against the counter for a moment, soaking up the sight of you for future use. He bit at his inside lip, drawing blood as his cock strained with immeasurable pain. Glancing back at your clothes, Logan swiped your underwear from the stack and stuffed them into his sweatpants pocket.

Inside, he chastised himself for doing so but figured it'd be better, and softer, than fucking his pillow. Stripping down, he stepped into the furthest stall from you and turned the water on hot.

You circled in the stall, glancing out to the previously empty shower room. You saw your clothes on the counter, then another set of clothes on the far end of the counter.

In the dewy fog of the mirror there was a figure in the furthest stall from you. You tilted your head back to rinse your hair, shutting your eyes to revel in the echoing silence of the tiled room.

Logan's ears perked over the echoing silence of the tiled room to hear the low sighs from you. His eyes twinged at his pupils dilating, his mind holding onto your sounds as he reached for his cock.

Without soap, Logan stroked his vein-strained cock barely containing the groan from doing so. He attempted to keep his noises to a minimum, letting a few soft whimpers and moans escape him as he tried to cum quickly.

It was an itching chase towards an ounce of relief. He leaned forward, bracing his forearm against the shower wall while the hot water battered down his back. The steam accumulated, catching in his throat and driving him to pant outwardly.

Tilting his head back, Logan tried to catch a dry breath of air, letting slip a pleased groan.

You froze in the shower stall, feeling the warm water on your back chill to ice instantly. You pulled your head from the stream to listen in on Logan.

Staring at his reflection in the mirror, you watched his back flex, hunched in the stream of his own shower.

Your chest felt compacted in the steam, your breath catching higher the more his noises seeped through.

You slid a hand over your thigh, gripping your own flesh before drawing yourself out. Rinsing off in a short huff, you shut off your water then walked out of the stall.

Logan paused, holding his cock in his hand as he listened in on you leaving. He tilted his ear in your direction, waiting for you to dress while his heart clutched.

The flashing thought of your skirt swishing freely with no panties to hide his newly found grail. He reminisced on the scent of your pussy, stroked mildly at rutting against you.

You quickly changed into your clothes, wringing out your hair before pulling on your shirt. Reaching under your skirt, you expected to find your panties next to your socks. However, you were met with the granite of the counter.

Glaring into the mirror, you expected to be met with Logan's teasing smirk but he was unmoving in his stall. With a narrowing of your eyes, you grit your teeth and pulled on your skirt then grabbed the rest of your soiled clothes from the floor and left.

You dropped your clothes off in your laundry basket, rushing to grab another pair of underwear. When you opened the drawer, you remembered that they were your last clean pair before having to do the laundry again.

With a gulp, you straightened your skirt out, measuring the length of them before giving up and going out to the yard. You made no sudden springy movements, going to sit at the patio table with Ororo and Xavier while they spectated Scott and Kurt's tennis game.

Logan snapped his head up from focusing on his cock when the door slammed after you. He smirked lowly, flashing the knob to cold then off before going to his pile of clothes and dressing.

You sat back in your patio seat, taking in the sun and scent of manicured grass and bushes surrounding the mansion yard. Your legs were crossed tightly over one another, straightening your skirt out underneath to keep yourself decent for however long you sat around.

"How was sparring?" Xavier asked, following the neon yellow ball back and forth between the two mens' rackets.

You flashed your head up to meet Xavier's squinted glare; your mind scrambled with what to say to explain anything that happened.

"It was eventful," you said, looking over to Ororo and back.

You met Xavier's eyes again, the silence growing before the Professor's eyebrows raised. "I see."

You nervously smiled, straightening up a bit. "I mean, it was only ten minutes. He called my power 'cute'."

Xavier's mouth straightened in a line, nodded once before turning to see Logan walking into the backyard. "I'd never known him to use that word. Logan?"

You glared at Logan, your eyes shadowed by the sunlight. He was dressed in a plaid shirt unbuttoned, a beater and another pair of sweatpants. Your breath caught again, your legs becoming heavy with the threat of uncross.

"What's up?" He asked, standing next to Xavier, resting his hand on the back of the Professor's chair.

"How was training?" Xavier asked, still looking at you.

You straightened up in your seat, now looking to Logan. He tried to maintain a chaste view of you, even with your panties stuffed into his pocket.

It was short-lived, his eyes raking down to your skirt; the way it fell against your thighs and the crease of your legs clamped together.

With a gulp, Logan turned his attention to Xavier: "It was fine."

Xavier's straight mouth returned, offering the man a soft shake of his head.

"Oh, what did you two do?" Ororo asked, pulling her teacup to her lips to hide her smirk.

"Nothing," you, and Logan, added quickly. You turned to Logan then back to Ororo.

"Nothing happened," you repeated to her, sitting upright to rest your arms on the dark wood table.

"You pinned him, I wouldn't say that's nothing," Xavier mentioned, pulling his own teacup up to take a sip.

"You pinned him?" Ororo repeated, turning to Logan as she set down her cup. "She pinned you?"

Logan grit, his mouth forming its own tense line before looking at Xavier. You did the same.

"I-I didn't say anything," you said, trying to explain yourself to Logan.

Logan's shoulders relaxed in a heavy sigh just as Ororo giggled in delight: "You didn't have to."

Raising a brow at Logan, he shook his head and nodded to Xavier. "He reads minds."

You stiffened, your eyes slowly migrating over to Professor Xavier. He smiled, tipping his cup to you.

"Secret's safe with me, my dear."

You deflated, trying your best to hold Xavier's gaze though you wanted to see what Logan was making of it. Opening your mouth to make some sort of explanation, you were interrupted by Rogue calling out to the yard that she was making lunch if anyone wanted a sandwich.

You were unmoved, though Kurt and Scott were quick to leave the tennis court. Ororo stood up, grabbing the teapot in the center table and offered to brew a second pot.

"I'll help you, my dear." Xavier opted, gearing his wheelchair across the patio and through the glass doors before they shut after him.

You were left alone with Logan once again. He was unmoving from across the table, staring over at you while you shut your eyes to keep your breath.

"I bet he saw what we did," Logan said, circling around the table and leaning against it before you. "That's why he left, made Ororo go too."

You opened your eyes to meet Logan's eyes, dark and warm, though his pupils appeared to be pulsing.

"We-I--" you tried to respond though your stomach was knotting nervously.

The heat of the day, combined with the quick recall of Logan rubbing against you, made you clench your legs tighter. It was a fruitless endeavor, Logan could smell your wet as it caught onto your skirt.

He wasn't sure how much further he could be around you without relief. He was throwing caution to the wind, thinking he could withstand another soft breeze in your presence without breaking down to convince you to...

You undid your legs, parting your legs after the strain of keeping chaste. "You like panties, Logan?"

You rested your arms on the chair, righting yourself to allow the breeze to blow teasingly upskirt. Logan turned on his hip to face you, dipping his hand into his pocket to loop a finger around the cotton.

He peeled them out, flashing them over to you. "I call it a consolation prize, for tapping out earlier."

You tempted your tongue between your lips, shifting in your seat to bring back the friction Logan gave you earlier.

"I thought the humping would be enough of a consolation," you said, crossing your ankles together.

Logan showed his grit teeth, his eyes slipping to take in your outfit. "I'd call that an appetizer." He dangled the soft cotton panties from his middle finger, folding it into his hand to rub his thumb against the lining of them.

"I like it fresh," he teased, his brow barely taunting from its resting spot.

You straightened your neck, rolling your shoulders back to push your chest forward. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Logan smiled boyishly, something that you wanted from this specific man since you got here. Your heart fumbled, which Logan heard and it made his mouth water.

"Your pussy, darlin'. My main course."

With the words leaving his mouth, you expected him to burst into laughter. But his maw was left open, adjusting his jaw as you bit back your eager want for him to eat you.

Logan stepped closer, nudging a knee between yours to separate them. "It's been on my mind all morning."

You tried to steady yourself, meeting Logan's eyes again as he loomed over you. There was nothing you felt that you could say to make it better. Your stomach was now melted to nothing, spreading your legs further than Logan silently willed.

Logan mapped out your face, giving no leeway to your want or disgust. You glanced over to the glass doors behind Logan, noticing the curtain furl.

You stood, coming close to Logan to take his musk. Naturally woodsy, his sweat undertoned by a metallic heat that came off of him. Your breath was lost again, glancing to his naked collarbone then his neck and finally him.

"All morning?" You asked in a soft voice.

Logan heard your question clear as day in his ears, focusing all of his starved attention on you. The bait was acting alone now, luring him to a salvation he'd forgotten about.

He lost his words, his nostrils flaring as he gruffed at you. You folded your lips together, staring down at the terracotta patio beneath both of your feet.

You glanced over your shoulder to the corners of the shrub garden then back to him. "Out of sight?"

Logan's face quirked in amusement at your question, his brow tempting to curl. "I'll eat you out on the dining table if you prefer."

Your heart sank down your body just as the invigorating shock shot up your spine. Logan peeked down to see your nipples peaking through your heather blue X shirt, making him wet his bottom lip patiently.

You grabbed onto his shirt, pulling him after you onto the grass then into the flower garden. You were intoxicated in his proximity, lowering down onto the ground for him to make up the distance.

Logan did so, leaning in to fervently kiss your lips. He'd never dreamt of a kiss so hungry, licking into your mouth to scour your taste before pulling away to grip your jaw.

You ground your ass into the tilled dirt, becking after Logan's mouth to chase the instant high rushing through you.

Logan went for broke, touching at your legs and admiring them under his fingertips. He hissed at your neck, his nose wiggling to inhale all you gave off. The supple sweetness of your skin: your lotion barely washed off, your shampoo still fragrant in the nape of your neck, your pussy wet just a cherry on top to the intricate bouquet of you.

He nipped at your skin, licked down and up your neck before finding your kiss again. You panted into his mouth, chasing for more just as he balked and dragged his nose down your chest.

Logan gripped at your breast through your shirt, breathing over the soft peak of your nipple before closing his mouth over it. You bucked, your heels grinding into the dirt while you stifled yourself.

Logan parted from your nipple, turning to swirl his nose around the other before continuing down your body. He licked his lips fully at your skirt, taking the hem of it and slowly peeling it back to reveal your pussy.

For once his imagination matched up, your naked pussy a wet mess. You parted your thighs further to allow Logan a better view and he appreciated it. His cock appreciated it, the inner animal appreciated it.

He stretched his body out in the dirt after you, circling his hands at your hips in admiration. Logan dragged his lips at your thigh, taking grip of it to kiss heartily at your skin.

His lips sectioned on your flesh, nibbling carefully between kisses before turning to your other leg and doing the same. Your legs were already shaking in anticipation, your heels raising out of the dirt.

Logan leveled you back down with a crestfallen glare up your body. He placed a hand at your stomach, giving you the instance to connect.

"Let me..." he began, panting and licking at the inside of your thigh. "At my own pace. Don't rush."

You gripped at his hand, steeling your resolve and nodding carefully at him. Logan smirked, taking his lips to kiss your clit.

You flinched, but didn't buck after him when he retreated. You bit at your bottom lip, staring this man down as he kept your eyes and licked a soft stripe against your pussy.

Your brows knitted together, opening your mouth to groan. Your squeezing hand on his tensed, unsure if you wouldn't last as long as he intended for you.

"Keep it here, beautiful," Logan purred, circling his tongue against your clit. "Focus here."

Your chest felt an internal skip, keeping Logan's eyes as he finally gave in to his want and began work his tongue on and around your pussy before inching a finger into you.

Your eyes crossed, trying to hold on while his thick digit pumped into your walls. You broke, tilting your head away from his gaze to cry out.

"I love that noise," Logan muttered, breaking from your pussy to caress your thigh again.

His finger never stopped, pumping a bit faster to follow the pulsing of your walls. When he pulled it out slightly, he opted a second finger in and watched you break further.

Your walls welcomed him eagerly, writhing softly in the dirt at the feeling. Logan returned to your clit, aiding you and his fingers as they curled and stroked.

"Is that good?" He growled, losing all humanity in his voice as red began to taint his vision.

The vignette circled his eyes, leaving you the sole focus in his mind. You crooned, nodding carelessly as your hand squeezed a bit tighter at his.

Logan continued, grinding his rigid cock into the dirt beneath him. The thought piqued in the back of his mind, straightening a third finger to match his others and working it into you.

You panted out, seating your hips a bit harder in the dirt as Logan pumped three fingers into you with intent.

He smacked his lips, dragging them against your thigh before biting at your skin. You moaned, your thigh twitching in response.

"I gotta work you open," Logan offered, his voice piggybacking on a growl stuck in his throat. "My cock won't in your tight pussy just yet."

Your eyes watered, watching the beast come undone from the man. You nodded in agreement, holding out for Logan to do as told.

Your pussy was throbbing from the attention, your clit hitting the cool air and beckoning you overboard.

"It feel good, sweetheart?" Logan asked, not expecting an answer as he returned to your clit. "You wanna cum on my fingers? The wetter you get, the easier I'll be."

You were breaking now, your hand guiding Logan's up under your shirt to take handful of your breast. He smiled against your pussy, sucking on your clit harder as he worked at your nipple.

You raised your hips slightly, the work of Logan's knuckles sliding through you hard to ignore. Logan slurped, sating the rumble in his stomach with your taste.

"Come on, beautiful, come on. In my mouth, on my fingers," Logan slurred against you, his words vibrating into you.

You tightened your stomach, sitting up to meet his eyes again. Logan stared along the lengthened topography of your body, taking a tender squeeze at your breast just as your other hand went to his hair.

He smirked, raising his nose before nudging down. "I want to watch you cum."

His fingers sped up, his lips suctioned at your clit to drive you to see stars in your vision. You couldn't hold back your noises, moaning lowly down your body as Logan squeezed at your nipple.

"Logan," you gasped, coiling on his actions at once and tightening your fingers in his hair as you came.

Riding into his mouth and fingers, you whimpered at the rolling lush within you, making you floaty while your heart raced.

When you felt you were finished, Logan continued. He drew out a few twitches in your knees, your stomach tightening as you pussy pulsed around Logan's fingers.

Logan licked you clean, making long stripes at your pussy as he slid his fingers out. The long string of your wet followed, his digits coated in your essence.

You whined at his retreat, your body collapsing after the synapses stopped firing. You caught your breath, lolling your head back between your shoulders.

Logan licked heartily at his wet fingers, savoring your mild taste before sitting up on his knees to slide his hand down his pants. He stroked his cock with the remnant of your wet on his hand, only working his rampant urge further.

Pulling his hand out, he glanced over to the glass doors then back down at you. "Let's go upstairs, sweetheart."

You sat up, sighing at the wisps of pleasure that slipped through you. Meeting Logan's eyes, you nodded, your stomach tickled at chasing another high.

Logan refrained from showing surprise on his face, his brows laxing from his eyes before grabbing your wrist and leg, hoisting you over his shoulders.

You squeaked, feeling his arm curl around your leg as you rested on his built shoulders. The dirt on your skirt shed down his body as Logan stood up, making his way across the backyard onto the patio.

He puffed his chest in silent triumph, readily showing his trophy as he opened the back door. When he stepped inside, he noticed Xavier and Ororo sharing tea in the doorway of the dining room.

Logan raised a brow at the two of them, moreso Ororo who'd pulled up a chair next to Xavier's wheelchair.

"Really?" Logan grit as you ducked your head in slight embarrassment.

Xavier was unmoved as Ororo nervously stood and attempted to hide her smile with her teacup.

"I'd predicted this," Xavier said, taking another sip before moving his chair into the dining room. "Ororo, you owe me dinner."

"Professor," Ororo stressed, following Xavier into the room, leaving Logan to glance at you turning bright in embarrassment.

He jostled you tenderly, shaking his head before carrying you upstairs. Logan glanced around the floor then rushed into his room. He carefully tossed you onto his bed, watching you bounce among the stray feathers from his desecrated pillow.

His brows flexed, watching your skirt flow at the same, allowing him another glance at your naked pussy. You settled yourself in the center of the bed, holding your hands out to brace yourself.

Logan stood at the edge of his bed, eyes raking up and down your body, rewarding himself with the presence of you in his bed. Now that you were here, he was unsure where to have you first, if you'd recoil after the first time.

Logan clambered onto his bed over you, his hand haltingly touched up your thigh before pulling your leg to his hip. You touched his cheek, earning his soft snarl before relinquishing. Your fingers slipped further before reaching his hair, combing through it with his short locks curling around your digits.

Logan leaned into your neck, inhaling your scent as his hands kneaded at your bare thighs and up to your ass. He turned you both over, finding his back to the bed.

You adjusted over Logan, resting your knees on the bed to brace his waist and his unyielding, actively throbbing cock. You gasped, looking down at where you sat then to Logan.

He smirked knowingly, barely raising his brows as his eyes did the teasing. "I told you."

Your brows knitted in concern, raising on your knees as Logan curled an arm arounf your waist. With his free hand, he shrugged at a hip of his sweats, his cock barely snaking from its confines before grabbing it alone.

You looked down at his grip on his cock, his fist barely taking half of his length. He was strained with veins, a member stringent and alert with his cockhead red and leaking with precum.

"Oh, oh my god," you breathed, your chest tightening as your pussy pulsed in response.

You braced a hand to Logan's chest, shifting over Logan's cock before raising higher on your knees to point his cockhead to your entrance.

The two of you met eyes, Logan's irises blown to obsidian while he panted. You pouted softly, sinking onto Logan's length. His cockhead popped into you, instantly making you tempt a sated smile.

Logan restrained himself, shutting his eyes to ease out a breath. He'd allow you the lead at first, but was itching to take over.

He'd need to sink his cock deep into you after all, for his own relief. Logan knew that he'd make his knot fit in you, but that was getting ahead of himself.

Your hand gripped at his beater, whimpering as you wiggled your hips to slide Logan further in.

"You're taking me so well," Logan praised, reaching under your skirt to caress your hip.

You felt his thumb on your skin, coaxing you further until you couldn't anymore. Your eyes lulled, fluttering, at reaching an internal pause.

You rolled your hips again, squeaking when you did before attempting to reverse on Logan's length. Logan huffed at the white-hot core of you, enraptured with the roll of your hips at an attempt to go further.

Logan propped himself up on his elbow, his hand on your hip stilling you with a hiss. You moaned, leaning back an inch to lift off of him.

His nostrils flared at your retreat, your pulsing walls slicking his length. You paused halfway, returning your way down on Logan's length again.

His brows shot, his hand tensing to clench your hip but groaned out instead.

"T-too much, I can't," you mewled, bowing forward against his chest.

Logan huffed mirthlessly, slowly righting you on him. "C'mon beautiful, just a little longer like this. Then I'll take over."

Your pout protruded, staring at Logan for him to take over that instant. He stretched his hand over to your mound, finding your clit and stroking it gently.

You hiccuped, losing sight as your eyes fluttered. Your knees tempted to squeeze at his sides, but Logan's other hand held your kneecap.

"Relax, relax," he ordered lowly, his hand snaking up your thigh coaxingly. "Just let...go."

You squeezed your eyes shut, trying to do as Logan said but feeling your neck twinge in strain. Logan tilted his head, unable to help himself from taking you in.

"Come here," Logan said, pushing himself further forward for you to meet his lips.

He kissed you, earning a heightened moan from you. Logan's thumb kept stroking your clit, making you slowly melt around his length.

You hummed, twitching at each touch he gave you. His fingers spread against your waist, taking in more of your miniscule movements. Each soft buck your hips did earned his hums of encouragement into your mouth.

When he parted from your lips, you rested your forehead against his. You panted lowly against his lips, your hand going for the back of Logan's neck.

"Are you gonna be a good girl and cum again?" He asked, nudging his nose against yours.

Logan was biding his time, luring you further in before he took hold. His hand at your thigh continued up your side, shrugging your shirt up to reveal your breasts.

You nodded against his forehead, slowly raising up on your knees then back down in a slow rhythm. He sneered, his top lip peeling back to reveal a sharp white canine.

"I'm gonna ruin you," he growled, letting you ride him as he breathed against you and stroked your carnal fire.

Logan's hand cupped under your breast, bucking into you when you sank down on his length. You gasped before Logan's mouth, nodding against his forehead in agreement.

"Yes, ruin me," you hissed, arching into Logan's touch as his thumb stroked your clit and flicked at your nipple in tandem.

And you moaned outwardly, your mouth gaping open as you nudged his nose for his kiss again. You were edging on the precipice of pleasure, clenching around Logan's girth.

Logan seethed, hummed and bided his time. "You're such a beautiful mess right now. Can I get you to cry?"

Your face scrunched, holding out though your eyes threatened. "Fuck, Logan. D-don't."

Logan grinned against your lips, taking your lips in another kiss. At the same time, he pinched tenderly at your nipple, bringing you to arch into him and orgasm on his cock.

"That's...my girl," he purred, circling his hand from your clit to grab your ass. Logan guided you to rock your hips on him, slowly taking more of his length in.

You gasped away from his mouth, feeling his cock push further into you. Logan hummed, running his nose down the length of your throat as he muttered his praises.

He lifted a hip, turning your over in his bed to lie down. Logan lifted your leg, thrusting further into you.

You threw your head back, squeezing your eyes shut to not draw tears. "Logan," you squealed, reaching to grip at Logan's only good pillow.

Logan lowered over you, righting his hips against your before pulling out. He took hold of your shirt, peeling it up over your face before tangling it in your arms.

He went for your skirt, tugging it down your legs as he sat on his haunches. You writhed on Logan's sheets, relishing the remaining euphoria buzzing over your skin.

Logan shrugged off his shirt, peeling up his beater to guide his cock against your swelling lips. You whined as Logan grabbed the back of your thigh and pushed it up to your chest.

"Almost there, sweetheart," Logan soothed, running his hand back down your thigh before resting his hand to your stomach.

Your pout returned, meeting Logan's eyes as he quickly thrust into you. Your hand drifted before Logan's face, allowing it to fall before you desperately grabbed at his beater.

"F-fuck Logan, I-I can't," you broke down, turning your face away from him to bite away your tears.

Logan lowered himself further onto you, your knee bracing further up his torso. "I know you can. You can last a minute longer, I'll make it worth it."

You shook your head against the bed, not meeting his sultry gaze. Logan nosed at your ear, his rolling breaths tempting down your skin.

"Darling," Logan mumbled down at you.

He reached a hand up to your throat, gripping softly at your jaw to turn you to him. Logan rubbed his thumb under your bottom lip before leaning in to kiss you again.

This feeling shot to your toes, your body livening to touch all you could of Logan's. When he broke, he nudged your nose and rocked his hips softly.

"You're still so wet for me," he praised in a whisper before your lips.

Your face scrunched again, not needing of his praise as he paved into you, echoing remnants of pleasure. "D-don't stop."

Logan's eyes rolled in relief, starting a softer pace to sate his feral urge to rut. The animal was sated, driving further into you and pausing for longer as he caressed your cervix.

You writhed underneath him, your knee twitching the longer his thrusts went on. You broke, raising to hide your face in Logan's neck with a few pitiful moans.

Logan was relieved at the wild throbbing of your pussy, the ghost of yet another orgasm ripping through you. He picked up for a moment, grabbing your other leg to draw it up to your chest before thrusting into you with finality.

You winced, feeling all of Logan's length housed inside of you. Your breath skipped as Logan's face scrunched in pleasure, his lips skirting before yours. He groaned out, showing his undoing as his knot slowly swelled just inside of you.

You hummed in slight discomfort, the thought of Logan filling you a distraction from the reality. Logan collapsed over you, dropping your legs and curling his arms around you.

"That's..." he gasped, kissing at your chest then up to your neck, "my girl."

You hid a roll of your eyes, realizing that earlier this same day you two were unknowing of one another. You braced a hand to your damp forehead, combing your hair away as you caught your breath.

"I'm gonna keep you," Logan teased, nudging his nose along your collarbone. "to get you through my days."

You glanced down at him, noting a boyish lightness about him. Your hand went for the back of his neck, curling through his hair again.

You felt the pulse of Logan's cock inside of you, twitching though he was nestled sturdily inside you. With a quirk of a brow, you slipped a hand between the two of you, reaching down to assess the situation.

You gasped at the odd feeling of him plugged inside you. His cock was still a part of him, his balls nestled carefully just against your inside hip. This was definitely new.

"Hey, hey, beautiful I can explain," Logan said, lifting onto his arm to look down at you.

Your bewildered eyes met his and laughed in slight disbelief. He smirked somewhat nervously, taking in your silence with grace.

"I am part animal..." Logan began, though that was all he had as explanation.

Your brows knitted in concern. "What is it?"

Logan shrugged, though he knew what it was. He knew its purpose. He still wanted to introduce you to it.

"It's...a knot. Just a little oddity," he continued, kissing at your cheek to coax you down. "Only shows up when I'm in rut."

You were sure your face was expressing more than you wanted to. Logan wanted to laugh with you, but was waiting until you were actually amused.

"Rut?"

"Just a few days where I have the animal urge to fuck," he muttered, dropping his head to your shoulder at the realization that this was not going how he'd wanted.

Still, you were not as put off as you once thought you'd be. With a soft gulp, your hand in his hair resumed coyly.

"Just a few days?" you asked, ducking your chin to look at Logan.

Logan's smile returned half-watt, sitting up to kiss your lips. "Maybe a few more with you."

You hummed after his kiss, your eyes rolling at the feeling of him and his cock. Logan broke away first, moaning at the loss of your kiss.

"And that little trick of yours, but I'm not picky."

You scoffed, giggling at Logan as you playfully shoved at his shoulder.

[honey-minded-hivemind]

I like the idea of being called wasp anon thank you for giving me a name :)

And more silly ideas for X-Men au's

I've dubbed one "what's one more" because silly names are fun

Reader is a homeless teen who sees the mansion and breaks in one night planning to steal some food and stuff that a rich person wouldn't notice missing, when raiding the fridge one of the X-Men I'm thinking someone with a mutation that effects their looks (Kurt, Morph, anyone else) comes down stairs because of the noise they just think reader is another student they haven't met yet getting a snack reader realized "these people are like me!" And goes along with it in hopes of not getting in trouble.

They offer to walk reader back to their room letting them lead the way, reader who imagine having a mutation that lets them know where people are (enhanced smell or hearing as a part of their mutation) picks an empty room and says that they definitely live there and choses to stay the night and leave in the morning but they don't they meet all these nice people who think there new and they just play along somehow always narrowly missing the telepaths that could learn the truth, leaving the kitchen seconds before Xavier enters, checking out a library book and leaving moments before Jean enters looking for the exact book reader checked out.

Reader plays along because food, a warm bed, clean clothes, and no one judges them because of their mutation.

They take it as far as coming up with a fake schedule for classes and going to study sessions, heck reader didn't even know what and "X-Men" was until they managed to get their hands on one of the schools pamphlets.

Teachers, storm, Logan ect, just think that the email about reader joining their class got lost in the junk folder full of emails from parents screeching about grades or hateful emails from anti-mutent groups that got their emails.

They think they just forgot to mark reader as living in their dorm.

Reader lies about why they don't go in the danger room they just have a horrible medical condition that they conveniently forgot the name of

Reader makes sure to stay out of trouble to avoid having interaction with teachers that could figure them out.

The teens are now really obsessed with their new friend that just seemed to show up overnight their nice and kind and helped Kurt pick his lock after he left his key in his room! (Reader made them promise to never ask where they learned that skill) And they never go to parent teacher night saying their parents are just way too busy and live in another state.

Then there's the adults, reader is this child who showed up one day and started going to their classes and sat alone until they were invited for lunch by the teens they worry about reader they always seem on edge and only had three pairs of clothes until Jubilee invited them to go shopping they offer after school help but reader never shows up even if their failing they once saw reader pickpocket a kid who stole kitty's hair clip and get it back plus the kids wallet (they chose to ignore the theft) they wonder where reader learned these skills but feel it's rude to ask.

Until reader gets hurt one day when playing tag with the teens and they go to email readers parents about the incident they realize reader isn't in the school system infact reader never met Professor Xavier and it all comes to a head with reader sitting in the medical bay in a cast confused as to why every adult is shoving adoption papers in their face.

All in all it's just a bunch of chaotic lies and tactical bullshitting on readers part that they hope people believe.

It can be for literally any X-Men series.

Anyways thank you for listening to me ramble -the newly dubbed wasp anon!

F*ck yes, Wasp Anon! (I apologize for the long wait!)

This seems like maybe it'd fit in my reboot au of X-Men Evolution, X-Men Revolution, or The Animated Evolution, if you combined Evolution with TAS/97...

Reader, a homeless teen who was kicked out, snuck into this loaded house that full of more things than they've ever owned, it doesn't have mold or roaches, and theres food, LOTS of it. They're raiding the fridge, they're on high alert, they're gobbling whatever is closest and easiest to open, and then completely get lost in the fact they're eating for the first time in days and the food is good.

They're so lost in it, they don't notice Morph walk in, hoping to grab a glass of water, only to stumble on... a new kid? Huh. Must be recent. Well, mihht as well introduce themself and make sure they get back to bed, it's a school night! They ask to take a snack to bed, and well, why not? So off they go to find their room... and huh, the one this kid, Reader, they said their name was, lives in is a bit dull... Hmmm... this means a shopping trip is in order! They can do that this weekend! They bud the new kid good night, tell them where the bathroom and shower is, and leave an extra blanket by the door in case they need it.

Reader can't believe their luck. One, they'd didn't get caught; two, they now live here; three, they have FOOD. This. Is. Gold. They better keep this up though! If they get kicked out, they really will be sh*t out of luck, again... Except maybe since that person was weird, maybe this is a place for weird people? Huh...They can work with this-

Kurt is excited to have a new classmate, and they know how to pick locks and climb walls and how to hide snacks! They're so cool! And their mutation is useful, helping them sense where things are and different pheromones and how crowded a room is! It's like a dolphin, or a bat, or an owl, or something! Very rad!

Scott is trying to figure out when he missed the new kid coming in, but he figures they arrived late and just went to sleep. Of course they also know how to jerry rig first aid and are a master at capture the flag and hide and seek training. He wonders if they had to hide from someone before... Hmmm... He thinks their parents shouldn't visit. Or ever be near them again, if they're this jumpy about getting caught with food or hiding their protein bars. He'll try to keep an eye out for them...

Jubilee likes this new kid! They know have to how fun, they can do all kinds of tricks, and they are so good at color matching! They're perfect for shopping trips and picking out clothes to wear and new music to try! She's a bit concerned when they hide, or want to be alone, because that's not healthy signs, according to Xavier and Logan... She knows! She'll be their new friend, and help them break out of their shell! Then they won't be so scared, and she'll have a new friend, and everyone can have fun!

Logan is surprised to see a new kid in his classes, but assumes Xavier added a new student at the last minute. He's a little more suspicious when they happen to struggle with some of the homework. A few tutoring sessions in, and he finds they're a smart kid, they were just missing a few of thr basics. Who taught this kid? They're great when they understand what they're doing, but who forgot to teach them basics like subtraction and how to properly use adjectives in sentences? Sweet Nature, he has some words for their last teacher...

When the new kid ends up hurt during a training session, the Professor tries to find their paperwork so he can contact their parents or guardian or family... and discovers none. A bit more digging reveals they are not in fact a signed in student, but a runaway. And he feels sympathy for them. He looks up what he can about their real name amd background, and is horrified horrified find they ran away from home due to developing their gift, and being rejected... Well. That won't do at all. He decides to launch an investigation, and offers to have Reader placed under his or his friends' care...

What do you mean you don't need to be adopted? Yes you do, poppet, now please pick who you want as your legal guardian so we can start helping you get better. No, no arguing. You will rest, and we will talk about it later. Good. Now get some rest, and sweet dreams... We'll wake you up later to talk after a nap...

[cera-writes]

Hello darling!

I recently just lost my cat I've had since kindergarten. She was 24 and very very precious to me.

Could you possibly write a little thing with Kurt comforting a gender neutral reader during a loss? I think he'd be the sweetest at comforting someone though grief.

If its too much of a touchy subject I understand.

Thank you dear!

🤍

A/N: Oh, I'm so sorry Anon! Sending all the good vibes your way. I hope this fic helps ease the ache a little <3 Tags: hurt/comfort, loss, grief

Rain lashed against the windowpane, a relentless rhythm mimicking the dull ache in your chest. Huddled on the threadbare couch, knees pulled tight, you were swallowed by a suffocating silence. A gentle knock on the door startled you, a jolt that sent a fresh wave of tears pricking your eyes.

The door creaked open, revealing Kurt. He donned a plain white shirt with a red jacket and jeans, a stark contrast to his usual uniform. His hair, damp from the rain, was pushed back from his face, softening his demeanor. His golden eyes held a gentle concern that tugged at your heartstrings.

"Hey there, Freund," he said softly, his voice a low rumble that soothed the storm brewing inside you. "Can I come in?"

You mustered a weak nod, and he moved into the room, his boots thudding softly on the floorboards. He didn't sit right away, instead hovering near you, a beacon of quiet strength in the storm of your emotions.

His presence filled the space, not with the usual rough-and-tumble Kurt energy, but with a surprising tenderness. It was as if he understood, without a single word being spoken, the depth of your grief.

"Here," he murmured, his voice so gentle it made your breath hitch. He held out a welcoming hand, the warmth of it beckoning. You reached out hesitantly, and your fingers brushed against his. It was a simple touch, yet it spoke volumes.

With a gentle pull, Kurt drew you close, his arm wrapping around your shoulders. He pulled you not into a rough embrace, but into a comforting hug, his strength offering a sense of security. The scent of woodsmoke, fresh rain, and a hint of brimstone drifted from him, grounding you in the present moment.

You buried your face in the crook of his neck, the comforting scent of him a welcome change from the sterile scent of grief. His heartbeat, a steady drum against your ear, echoed a rhythm of strength and solace.

For a time, there were no words, just the gentle rise and fall of his chest and the comforting press of his arm. He let you cry, his silence a balm to your raw emotions. There were no empty platitudes, no forced cheer. He simply held you, a silent anchor in the storm.

Finally, when the sobs subsided into sniffles, he spoke, his voice a low rumble against your ear.

"This isn't fair," he said, his voice laced with a quiet understanding. "It's okay to feel this way." His words were simple, but they held a profound weight. He wasn't trying to fix things; he was simply acknowledging the pain.

He paused, a hand finding yours, his fingers lacing with yours. His touch was surprisingly comforting, a gesture of deep empathy. "You know, Schatz," he continued, his voice dropping to a tender whisper, "we'll get through this together, one step at a time."

Tears welled up again, but this time, they were tinged with a spark of hope. You leaned further into him, the warmth of his embrace and the quiet strength in his voice a soothing balm. In the face of the storm, Kurt's unwavering support was a lifeline. You weren't alone. With him holding you close, the storm inside you began to subside, replaced by a dull ache and a sliver of peace. You knew the grief wouldn't vanish overnight, but for now, Kurt's presence and his gentle words were all you needed.

[anagentinwriting]

Lifeline - Part 10

Summary: (First Responders!AU) Moving to Los Angeles and living with your brother, Thor, was never part of your plan nor was being a 9-1-1 dispatcher, but plans change when you are faced with your own emergencies. In your case, it was leaving behind a relationship that wasn’t as perfect as it seemed. Will this be the fresh start you were hoping for or will your past find a way to catch up with you?

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Odinson!Sister Reader

Word Count: 3800+

Warnings: Angst, fluff, language

Lifeline Masterlist / Main Masterlist

Thor walked up to the gate to your condo to find a couple of guys installing a camera and a gate lock mechanism. “Hello, gentlemen. Who are you, and what are you doing to my sister’s gate?” Thor asked, crossing his arms across his chest. 

“Whoa, big guy.” The guy on the ladder held up his hands. “I’m Dave, and he’s Kurt. We’re from X-Con Security Consultants--” he pointed to his shirt with the name stitched on it “--and we’re installing a new security system update for Ms. Hill.”

“The lady asked for an installation, and we do it,” Kurt mentioned with a Russian accent.

“Huh, okay then, as you were, gentlemen.” He nodded, continuing through the gate and going to your front door. 

You were making a batch of your mom’s cookies when you heard an unexpected knock at the door. Setting down your cookie scoop, you wiped your hands clean to answer it. “Hey, Thor. Whatcha doing here? Thought you had a shift today.”

“I do, an overnight shift,” He pointed over his shoulder. “Why are their strange men at your front gate?”

“You’re one to talk, ladies man,” you scoffed, rolling your eyes. You turned away from the door, allowing him to come in as you returned to the kitchen. “If memory serves me right, you had plenty of strange women over at strange hours of the day.”

“Come on, they were my friends,” Thor reasoned, following you to your kitchen. “I love women, but you know, not in a creepy way.” 

“Fine, if you must know, I mentioned to Maria about updating the front gate’s security system with a code and buzzer mechanism, and she thought it was a good investment for the property. The other tenants thought it was a great idea, too, so we're all going to pitch in and help pay for the upgrades. Plus, it will help me sleep better at night.”

“Oh, so it’s an investment. It’s not because you almost hit Steve with the bat the other day.” You averted your eyes to the cookie dough bowl, chewing on your bottom lip.  “This is what I didn’t want to happen, YN. I knew you would move out, and you wouldn’t feel safe and…”

“I know, Thor,” you interrupted him, your eyes connecting with his. “But, it’s going to take time for me to adjust and feel safe. This new gate code system will just help me sleep better at night because I will know who is here before I let them in.”

Thor nodded, keeping a watchful eye on you. “I understand, but why didn’t you tell me Billy contacted you?”

“I can’t rely on you every time,” You sighed, shrugging your shoulders. “I have to learn how to fight my own battles again, and you have to be able to trust me.”

“I DO!” He raised his voice, making you flinch, then he immediately dropped his voice. “It’s Billy I don’t trust, and if he thinks he can hurt you, again, he’s got another thing coming.”

“I know, I know.” You shake your head, pinching the bridge of your nose. 

“I just want you to know you're not alone here. You have me, Nat, Carol, and everyone else at the station.” He reached out, giving your shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “You have improved so much since you arrived, and I don't want to see you revert back to your old ways. You have no idea how proud of you I am, and I trust you with whatever you decide to do. I want you to know I’m here for you.” You nodded with a small smile. “On another note, I’m glad you finally talked to someone about Billy.”

“You mean Steve.” You eyed him over, not missing the side grin appearing on his face. “Why did he tell you about what happened?” 

“He was worried about you and thought I should be aware of what occurred,” Thor replied, scratching his head. “When we work these long shifts together, we learn many things about each other; Stories are told, secrets are shared, and we learn to trust one another. Although he never did say why he stopped by that night?”

“He gave me a housewarming present.”

“Is that what they call it these days?” He winked with a carefree smile on his face. 

“Oh my god, STOP.” You felt your cheeks grow warm, throwing a ball of cookie dough at him. He caught it, chuckling and popped it in his mouth.

“You should see your face right now. All flushed and agitated.” He motioned to his face as you covered yours in your hands. “Your hands aren’t stopping that blush color coming through on your face. If I didn’t know any better, I would think you got a sun-burn, but let’s get to the real reason, you have a crush on Steve.”

You removed your hands from your face, staring him down. “Okay, sure…maybe I do. He’s a great guy with a caring personality but…but I’m not ready for a serious relationship.”

“Neither is he, that’s why you two are perfect for one another,” he grinned, making you shake your head. 

_____

Steve startled awake from something crashing to the floor in the communal kitchen. He sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes, and let out a long yawn. The last twelve hours have been a blur from the restaurant fire to a car accident to an ax-throwing competition. It felt like call after call came in with little to no recovery time in between. Steve glanced at his watch as he sat up and pulled on his boots. He sighed, realizing he only got about four hours of sleep, but lack of sleep comes with the territory. He ran his hands through his hair, walking into the kitchen, taking a seat at one of the stools by the island. 

“You’re up early,” Carol commented, sweeping up a broken dish.

“A crashing sound startled me awake,” he smirked, forcing her to roll her eyes.

Carol dumped the remnants of the ceramic dish in the garbage before grabbing two coffee mugs from the cabinet. She poured coffee into each of them and handed one to Steve. Steve nodded to her as a thank you and blew the steam off the top of the hot liquid. “Did you want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or oatmeal with some peanut butter to go with your coffee?”

“Excuse me?”

“Oh please, don’t act all innocent. I know you’re the one who’s been eating Sam’s peanut butter, not Bucky.” Carol narrowed her eyes at him, and he raised his hands in surrender.

“Guilty,” he smirked. “It’s so good, though, especially in oatmeal. I’m still surprised they haven’t figured it out yet.”

“Those two share a deep tolerable dislike for each other that even I can’t explain how it works. They get along but don’t get along, but somehow work really well together. It shouldn’t work, but it works. I don’t know; it still baffles me. I’m sure if you confessed, Sam would think you were only covering for Bucky anyways.” She shook her head, and Steve nodded his head in agreement. 

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from those two,” Steve chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee. 

“YN told you, didn’t she?”

“Told me what?”

“I might have overheard you and Thor talking about it, but she told you about Billy the douche?”

“Oh...um...yeah.” He shrugged. “I went to her house after she got a call from said douche, and she almost hit me with a bat.”

“Good,” Carol chirped as Steve snapped his head to her. “Well, not good she almost hit you, but good that he doesn’t have that control over her anymore.”

“I agree.” He stared down at the contents in his mug. “Billy sounds like a real piece of work.”

She hummed in agreement. “I know you’re a good guy, but I want you to know if you hurt her, I’ll kick your ass.”

“Oh, trust me, I would never hurt her like that, but I’m not ready for a relationship.” 

Carol smirked at his response, remembering you saying this whenever she tried to find you a new man. “What? Don't you like her?”

“No, no, it’s not like that at all. She’s…she’s great. It’s just…” Steve fumbled over his words.

“Oh, he hesitated,” Sam added, taking the stool next to Steve. Steve glanced at him, seeing a huge, gap-tooth smile on his face. “He’s into her.”

“It’s not that I’m not, it’s just that I have been through some things, and I know she has been through some things, very recently. I don’t want to push her if she’s not ready.”

“Well, you’re getting pushed into the friend zone, Steve,” Bucky added, taking the other stool next to him.

“Come on, don't say that...it's just...it's…”

“Called the friend zone,” Sam finished for Steve.

“Okay, fine, then why am I planning on hanging out with her later.”  

“Keyword is hangout as in not a date so…” Bucky dragged on.

“Friend zoned,” Sam and Bucky said in unison.

Steve shakes his head, letting out a big sigh. “You two are unbelievable, but at least you two finally agree on something.” Sam and Bucky both looked at each other with a slight shrug and nod. 

“Who are we speaking about,” Thor asked, patting Steve on the back.

“YN,” Carol smiled, forcing Steve’s eyes to meet hers.

“It’s not what you think. We were…”

“Steve wants to ask her out on a date,” Sam added, getting off the stool and walking over to the cabinet where his peanut butter was.

“Is that right? You--” he gestured to Steve with a slight smirk on his lips “--you want to date my sister.” Thor shook his head, letting out a soft chuckle, grabbing a mug from the cabinet and filling it up. “I like you, Steve, I do, and out of all these morons, I find you are the most suitable to date her. I think Loki may even approve of you, too, but he may be skeptical of you. He might even mock you upon meeting you, but he means well.”

“Thanks, but I wasn’t asking for your permission to do anything.”

“OOOOH, Thor, are you going to let him talk to you like that,” Sam hollered, pulling his peanut butter from the cabinet and unscrewing the lid.

“I didn’t mean it to come out like that.”

“Sure you didn’t,” Thor joked with a carefree smile. “Sure you didn’t,” he stated more seriously this time, eyeing Steve over, taking a sip of his coffee.

“GODDAMMIT, BUCKY! Why do you always eat my peanut butter? It wasn’t this empty the last time I opened it,” Sam shouted, giving Bucky a stern look as Carol shot Steve an all-knowing smirk.

_____

You stepped into Jabari Tribe Training Center, hearing the whirls of the jump ropes hitting the mats and the punches hitting the heavy bags. Everything in this gym was nerve-racking to you at first, but now it excited you. This gym was a little more run-down than most and could be unpleasant to some, but you found the dedicated atmosphere inspiring. 

You went to the locker room to get ready for your session, feeling your stomach tingling with nerves. Val had a last-minute schedule change at the station, so she wouldn’t be training you today; instead, she scheduled you with M’Baku, who in the ring was known as the Great Gorilla. You’ve watched him coach a few athletes, and he was intimidating. He stood tall and broad, and he’d always do his signature gorilla bark to get himself or his trainees fired up. He was a scary dude! Val knew your movements and boundaries, but this guy wouldn’t, and you weren’t sure how this session was going to go. 

You grabbed your boxing gloves and walked out to find M’Baku by the ring talking to one of his athletes. “Hey, M’Baku, I’m YN. Val mentioned you would be helping me with my session today.”

He looked at you with a stern glare and nodded to his trainee that they were finished. He looked back at you with a snarl on his lip before a smile broke out across his face. “Yes, you were told right. She told me about where you are, and I will say it’s impressive since you only started a few weeks ago.”

“Oh...um, thanks,” you smiled, feeling a warmth rush to your cheeks.

“Ready?” You nodded. “Okay, we will do some warm-up exercises, hit the heavy bag, ring work, stretch it out, and call it a day. Does that work for you?”

“Sounds great.”

“And if there is something you are not comfortable doing, or you don’t know what something is just ask. I won’t bite...hard.” He let out a deep chuckle, making you crack a smile.

“I will.”

“Let’s get started.”

It was a quick warm-up with some basic stretches, squats, jump ropes, and rowing. There were a few stretches you didn’t know what they were, and M’Baku showed you what to do and explained what muscles it was stretching. He couldn’t stress enough how stretching and warming up helped reduce injury and how it would improve your recovery time. M’Baku was knowledgeable, and you could tell he loved what he did.

Every time you worked on the heavy bag, it intimidated you because it was a constant mind game with yourself. You had to think about every punch you threw, making sure to hit it with your knuckles; otherwise, you could sprain your wrist, or worse, break it. You had to move around the bag with quick feet while throwing jabs, hooks, and uppercut punches. It wasn’t a natural feeling you had with the bag like many others did; this is why you preferred sparring in the ring.

You could feel his eyes watching you as you hit the bag with your straight and hook punches. The bag moved slightly as you switched positions and hit the bag from a different angle. 

“Okay, stop,” M’Baku called out, and you dropped your hands to your side. “I am not getting anything from you. You’re too quiet, stiff. Loosen up, girl, let out a grunt, roar, or better yet, bark. Do the…do the gorilla bark.” He raises his eyebrows at you, and you shake your head. 

“I’m not doing the gorilla bark,” you whizzed with your hands on your hips, taking deep breaths. He stared at you, narrowing his eyes before he started barking. “Still not doing it.” He stepped closer to you, barking louder as he walked circles around you. You rolled your eyes, taking a deep breath, and finally let out a bark.

His face broke into a smile, and he nodded. “Thata girl. Now get into it, have fun with it, don’t be so tense, loosen up, and jump around. I’ll demonstrate.” 

He takes his position at the bag, tapping it with his glove before doing a set of punches. It was almost like watching a dance. As it swayed, he would be quick and move and then attack with a series of different shots. He looked so relaxed that it didn’t even seem like he had to think about it. It was like second nature to him. 

“Alright, your turn,” He breathed, looking back at you.

You shake your head. “I got tired just watching you. You make it look so natural and easy.”

“It comes with practice, and it doesn’t help you're scared of the bag.” You nodded, giving him a half shrug. “Don’t be scared. Being scared only makes you feel weaker, so you won’t give it your all. Think of it like--” he paused, thinking “--taking a call at dispatch. If you’re afraid, you’ll overthink the situation and make a mistake. If you’re confident and think fast on your feet, it will lead to a better outcome. The more confident you are with yourself, the stronger you will become. Understand?”

“Yes,” you replied with a nod. “Thank you, I needed to hear that.”

Sparring in the ring was your favorite. It was the chance to learn how your opponent moved and how to throw a hard punch. With Val, you knew how she moved in the ring and could time when to throw a punch. With M’Baku, you didn’t know what to expect.

“We are not going to spare,” M’Baku stated as you both got into the ring. He had punching mitts on, and you had your boxing gloves on. “You’re not ready for this,” he chuckled, motioning to himself as you smirked in his direction. “We will do combo drills with your punching technique, watch your stance, and I'll give you a few pointers. I might even show you a few moves, so when you spare with Val again, she’ll wonder where you learned them.”

“I’m ready.”

You throw a few punches at his mitts. “You’re doing something wrong. Do you know what it is?”

 “Am I lifting my feet?” You heaved, wiping the sweat off your forehead. 

“So you do know,” he smirked, dropping his hands. 

“Val is always on me about that.”

“Do you know why she wants you to keep your feet planted?”

“It keeps me more grounded and gives me better balance. It also helps me hit my opponent harder. If I don’t plant my feet, I will be off-balance making me more vulnerable to my opponent's punches.”

“Good, yes. I’m glad my coaches are teaching their trainees.” He let out a deep chuckle. “Also, remember to breathe as you throw your punches. The worst thing you can do is forget to breathe.” You nodded.

After a few more rounds of drills and a lot of great advice from M’Baku, he ended the session.  You went to the side of the ring to get a drink of water. 

“YN, is there a reason you wanted to learn to box or did you wake up one morning and go, ‘I want to fight.’” He asked with curiosity in his eyes. 

You chuckled. “No, not really. I wanted to try something new for once instead of doing the same boring workouts. A friend of mine mentioned Val’s self-defense class, so I tried it out, and it was fun. Then, I asked her about boxing, I was sort of curious about it, and she offered to train me. Plus, it’s a good workout.”

“It is a great workout,” he chuckled. “Val is a wonderful coach and does a great job teaching that class. I’m glad you gave boxing a chance, and you like it so far.”

“It’s been fun,” you smiled with a nod. “And thanks for coaching me today.”

“Anytime,” he said, waving it off. 

M’Baku's other client showed up, so he told you what stretches to do to cool down and to drink plenty of water. Good hydration leads to better recovery. It was really different working out with M’Baku, but it was a good different. He came off as intimidating and cold, but he was the complete opposite. He was knowledgeable and helpful, and you couldn’t wait for your next session with Val to show her the moves he taught you. 

______

“Anyone have any exciting plans for the evening?” Thor asked, unloading the duffle bags from one of the hatches of the truck.

“Have a drink or two, and fall asleep on the couch,” Val stated, patting him on the back and walking over to restock the ambulance.

“Going to dinner with my girl,” Bucky winked with a smile on his face. 

“When are we finally going to get to meet this woman? I would like to have a conversation with her about what she sees in you.” Sam joked from the ambulance, earning an eye roll from Bucky.

“Why don’t you ask her yourself.” Bucky pointed to the door, forcing Sam to get out of the back of the ambulance and see Nat at the door.

“Good one, Bucky, but I’m being serious. When do we get to meet her,” Sam questioned, looking back at him. Bucky shook his head as Nat went over to Bucky and kissed him on the lips.

“Does that clear everything up, boys and girls? Bucky and I are dating.”

Steve smiled at them and got back to work reorganizing the hatches while Thor nodded, giving them a thumbs up.

“How...wait...when did this happen?” Sam narrowed his eyes at them.

“We have been dating for a couple of months now,” Bucky smiled down at Nat beside him.

“Way to go, Buck. Didn’t know you had it in you to handle her,” Val saluted him from the back of the ambulance.

“Nat, what the heck? I thought we shared a common enemy.”

“Sorry, Sam.” She shrugged with a tight smile. 

“And here I thought you two were going to keep it a secret,” Steve hinted. 

“Wait, you knew?”

“Yeah. It’s kind of old news these two.”

“Congratulations, but can everyone get back to work, so we can head home,” Carol redirected everyone, earning mumbled replies. 

______

You laid on the couch, turning a page in your book, when there was a buzzing sound at your front door, signaling someone was at the front gate for you. You got off the couch and looked at the new little monitor installed by the door to see Steve waving at the camera. You smiled, buzzing him in. You quickly glanced down at your worn-out t-shirt that had a few holes in it and decided to run up the stairs to find a sweater to cover it up. You were a hot mess, but you didn’t want to look like a hot mess. He knocked on the door as you came down the stairs to answer it.

“Hey, Steve! What's up?”

“I was in the neighborhood, and Thor told me about the security upgrade, so thought I'd check it out.”

“I didn't know you were into security systems,” you smirked, crossing your arms across your chest, leaning against the door frame.

“Oh yeah,” he huffed out, nodding his head. “I am very tech-savvy; whenever I don’t know something, I just Ask Jeeves.”

“Wait, Ask Jeeves?” You narrowed your eyes and burst out laughing. “That search engine with the Butler?” He nodded with a slight shrug, putting his hands in his front pockets. “That’s still around? Isn’t it ancient!”

“Is it?” He chuckled, his signature smirk tugging at his lips. “I’ve used it since high school, but I think the butler retired because it's called Ask now.”

You shook your head, laughing at his subtleness. You glanced over your shoulder at the blank tv screen and back at Steve, biting your lip. “I was actually gonna watch a movie if you wanted to join me.”

“Ahh--” he shifted back and forth on his heels “--yeah, sounds fun.” You nodded, opening the door and inviting him in.

____

Thanks for reading part 10! Looks like her and Steve are finally having a little date/hangout night?! Do you think Steve is getting friend zoned like Bucky and Sam suspect, or do you think he will finally make a move? Or will it be her? I thought it would be funny to throw in that old search engine, Ask Jeeves, some may remember it, some might not have any idea what it is. But I thought it would be a funny throwback and a joke about Steve's age! It's like using map quest and printing out directions instead of using the GPS these days! 😂😂 And what about Thor showing up and being the supportive brother after finding out what happened. He is definitely trying to be better, and he still has no problem teasing her a little bit! Haha! We also found out who the real peanut butter thief was, thanks to Carol for being the observant one! Haha! And isn’t M’Baku the best!! Anyways, comments, likes, and reblogs always welcome. Thanks again! 

[supernovanim]

Mutual Abduction Part 1

Right, I’m still unemployed and am therefore trying to do inexpensive things (libraries are great!). But I’ve finished my quarantine so can now go outside.

Many apologies to Kurt Vonnegut on this one, as the concept is totally stolen from something that happens in Slaughterhouse Five. If you haven’t read it, I’d highly recommend.

Anyway, I was rereading it recently and then had a weird dream which led to this. It’s a bit unusual so let me know what you think in the comments. There are references to famous AI computers, because I’m such a nerd.

Summary: you get abducted by aliens

Pairing: Female Reader x Dylan O’Brien

Warnings: Totally justified brief panic attack, swearing, abduction and imprisonment (non-violent). There is no smut in this part but you can see where it’s heading.

Word count: 1,443

Taglist: @hernameisnoellex3​

One minute you were lying on your bed, looking up at a crack in the ceiling and wondering if it was new or you were just now noticing it, and the next you were standing in an unfamiliar room.

Your whole body tingled, like it was charged with static. You suppressed a shudder. What the hell?

Looking down, you saw you were still wearing the same clothes as a minute ago (comfy jeans and a tank top), but a band had appeared on your wrist with some writing on it:

HUMAN FEMALE: EARTH INHABITANT

What the fuck?! This was really odd. You shook your head to try and clear it, and closed your eyes taking a deep breath. When you opened them the wristband was still there, and you still weren’t in your own house. You were beginning to doubt if you were still on your own planet. You took another breath, trying desperately not to completely panic.

The room you were in was sterile and white, with soft light that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. There was a black leather sofa facing what looked like a large built-in flatscreen. There was a giant and very soft-looking bed with pale green sheets, a table with a couple of chairs and a sideboard that looked very like one your grandmother had. It looked out of place here. To be honest, all the furniture did, like a landlord had furnished it with the bare minimum someone might need and no more. None of it matched the futuristic feel of the rest of the room.

The white floor was slightly warm under your bare feet, and was soft – it felt a bit like silicone. Looking up you noticed the ceiling…or lack of ceiling. It was completely clear like glass. Through it you could see darkness with vaguely moving shapes in it, and…were those stars? Your heart started thudding loudly in your chest, and breathing felt difficult. Right, now you were going to panic.

Just as you felt the panic attack start to take over, a robotic voice sounded into the room

Human female Y/N Do not panic Please count to 10 with me 1…2…3…4

Despite your surprise, you found yourself starting to count and your breathing slowed. Realising you’d ended up sitting on the floor, you stood and looked around for the source of the voice. It seemed to be coming from a blinking red light on the wall, set into a black aperture.

Human female Y/N You have been selected for study Do not be afraid

“Right, well it’s pretty hard to not be fucking afraid when you fucking abduct me” you spat out.

We do not like the word abduction We prefer…selection

“Ok, well why have you selected me? And what do you want? And are you going to send me back home at some point? Preferably right now”

You have attributes we would like to study You have been selected for us to monitor the mating habits of humans Once you have mated you will be transported back to Earth

“Wait a minute – MATED?! This is some weird human breeding program? Am I in a zoo? Are you going to get me pregnant and study my children? Because I’m totally not down with that. Or the mating. I might not have had sex in 6 months but I’m not that desperate”

We are only studying mating habits, not reproduction You would get to choose your mate

“I still don’t get it. You seem really technologically advanced to have transported me to wherever the hell this is. Why not just observe humans mating on Earth? We do it a lot. I could recommend some bars to monitor. You probably wouldn’t even need to wear a disguise in most of them.”

There are too many variables on Earth It is confusing We require subjects in a neutral environment to study and question

“Still not sure I want to be your test subject here. Sounds suspicious. And what did you mean by getting to choose my mate?”

You could choose from any man or woman on Earth This way we know you will be…compatible

“What if they’re not attracted to me, hey? I mean there’s definitely some reason I haven’t had sex in 6 months”

We have chosen you for your universal attractiveness Before your mate is transported we will scan them, to make sure of compatibility

“Scan? Not some kind of weird probe thing? I’ve heard you aliens are into that”

A brain scan They won’t sense anything If you are not compatible we will ask you to select someone different

“Right, and once I mate with them you’d send us both back to Earth?”

Yes

“I’m still not sure about this. Give me a bit of time to think about it”

If you do not choose a mate you will remain here indefinitely

Well that was certainly an incentive. And being able to choose from anyone on Earth was…tempting. It had been 6 months ok? You’d almost resorted to visiting one of those dodgy bars.

“While I think about it, are you going to feed me in this place? I haven’t had anything since lunch and I’m starving” you sighed, resigned to having to stay here a while.

Certainly Here is some Earth food

On the small table materialised a plate with what smelt like your favourite meal. It was fascinating – one minute there was nothing there and then next small blue lights appeared and then boom – food. Cheeseburger, fries, side salad in a vague attempt to be healthy. And was that a milkshake? Yum.

Not even stopping to think about whether it could be laced with some kind of mind-control drug, you sat down gobbled it up ravenously. This whole alien abduction thing had made you very hungry, and it certainly tasted like a normal burger.

“Hey HAL”

Yes, human female Y/N

“Is there a bathroom somewhere? I mean you must know how humans work, right? Food goes in one end and…”

A human bathroom has been provided Through the door

There was a door?! How had you not noticed that? But there it was, sitting innocuously in the far wall that you swear had been a blank expanse of white a minute ago.

Through it you found what seemed like a totally normal bathroom. Toilet, sink, even a shower and separate bath. It was nicer than your one back on Earth. You noticed that the ceiling here wasn’t clear like the main room – did that mean they weren’t observing you? Nice to have a bit of privacy somewhere.

You washed up and decided to have a bath – you didn’t have one at home and couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Besides, maybe a relaxing soak would make you feel more normal.

“Hey GLaDOS, any chance of some bath oil?”

You may ask for anything you wish, human female Y/N

And some bath oil appeared beside you. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all you thought, as you lowered yourself into the hot water.

You were so tired after your meal and soak, you barely registered the lights go off as you passed out in the middle of the bed. It was just as soft as it looked.

___

You had no way of telling the time as it was still dark above the ceiling, but you thought it must be morning when the lights in the room slowly returned to brightness

Good morning human female Y/N

“Morning Deep Thought” you yawned “any chance of a coffee and a muffin?”

Certainly

And just like that they materialised on the table. You could definitely get used to the instant room service here.

Once you’d eaten you checked the room for any more doors, just in case a miraculous escape hatch had materialised overnight. No joy.

Human female Y/N Have you decided on a mate?

“It can be anyone, right?” you questioned slowly

Yes As long as they are compatible

“Ok in that case I’d like Dylan O’Brien” you rushed out, before you changed your mind

Dylan O’Brien the actor or Dylan O’Brien the long-distance truck driver?

“Jesus, the actor you idiot”

Ok Scanning for compatibility… Compatibility confirmed Transporting

“Wait, shit – really?” you spurted out in disbelief

But before you had a chance to change your mind the blue lights started to appear in the middle of the room, taking the shape of a man.

And just like that a very confused looking Dylan O’Brien was standing in front of you, wearing grey sweatpants and a blue t-shirt. He looked at you.

“What. The. Fuck”

[lady-divine-writes]

Kurtbastian one-shot - “Revenge on a Car Napper” (Rated M)

Summary: After Kurt breaks an important promise to his boyfriend, Sebastian plans an appropriate revenge. (1390 words)

Notes: Assumes Kurt and Sebastian met at Dalton. Rating is for mention of a sexual act.

Read on AO3.

Sebastian tries to be nice about it. 

“Kurt?”

He tries to be gentle. 

"Hey, Kurt?"

He tries to wake Kurt slowly, the way a loving boyfriend should.

"Ku-urt? Wakey-wakey... "

But when Sebastian shakes his shoulder for the fifth time and Kurt doesn’t even blink, Sebastian loses his cool. He shoves him over, hard enough to jostle his head.

“Kurt!”

Kurt snorts indelicately, sitting bolt up in his seat like he heard a gunshot.

“(Shn-ick) Wh-what!? What happened? What’s going on? Did someone hit us? DID YOU REAR END SOMEONE WITH MY BABY!?”

Sebastian rolls his eyes, pulling Kurt's Navigator to the side of the road.

“No,” he says, voice tight with a desperate need to sleep. “Your baby is fine. We were supposed to switch off more than two hours ago!”

Kurt's eyes dart around the interior of the SUV, falling on the radio clock and blinking to bring the numbers into focus. He nods, arriving at some sort of silent understanding. “Right! Right, right, right… ” His eyelids flutter closed, head bouncing forward as he drifts back to sleep. Sebastian watches him nodding off and (seeing no other cars on the road, not that he'd really care if there were) slams his hand down on the horn.

Kurt’s eyes snap open, and he scrambles upright again. “I’m awake! I'm awake!”

“Come on, Kurt!”

“I’m sorry!”

“We had a deal! You knew you were supposed to take a shift! Why did you take that Goddamned Ambien to begin with?” Sebastian whines, quickly coming to terms with the fact that Kurt is probably in no condition to drive regardless of whether or not Sebastian is in danger of dying in his seat.

Which he is.

“You know I get sick on long car rides," Kurt says through only half his mouth and with one eye open. "It was either I sleep or I vomit. Which would you have preferred?”

“At this point,” Sebastian growls, teeth clenched, “I wouldn't care if we were swimming in your partially-digested dinner as long as I could put my head down for an hour!”

Kurt glares at Sebastian with disgust. “Ewww! That's an image,” he says, head dropping onto the headrest behind him, eyelid falling shut.

“Kurt?” Sebastian waves a hand in front of Kurt's face, trying to assess the consciousness of his drugged boyfriend. “Kurt?” 

Kurt’s lips part and Sebastian hears him snore softly.

“Kurt!? Fuuuucccccckkkkkk!” Sebastian jumps up and down in the driver’s seat, smacking the steering wheel until his palms vibrate with pain. His tantrum pauses momentarily when he surrenders to a yawn, realizing with dismay that he’s wasting the little energy he has left while on a road with no turnouts for him to pull over and take an emergency snooze.

Sebastian sighs, defeated. He puts the Navigator back into drive and resigns to keep going for as long as he can.

He'll find a way to get back at his boyfriend later.

An hour down the dark and lonely road, Sebastian’s mind swirls with ways he can exact revenge on Kurt. It might not be the nicest subject to dwell on, but for now, focusing on vengeance is the only thing keeping him awake. His eyes shift from time to time to peek at his selfish boyfriend resting comfortably in the passenger seat.

Bitterly, Sebastian pokes Kurt in the arm.

Nothing.

He smacks Kurt on the shoulder.

Still nothing.

He licks a finger and sticks it in Kurt’s ear.

Kurt shifts positions, mumbles nonsense. For a second, Sebastian is relieved, certain that a wet willy did the trick where all else has failed. But after a few unattractive grunts, Kurt settles down and starts to snore again. Sebastian changes lanes sharply. Kurt rolls toward the door, then flops back to his original position.

Not a stir.

“Un-fucking-believable.” Sebastian's eyes flick to Kurt, whose mouth has opened further, almost inhumanly, like a python unhinging its jaw to devour a rabbit.

“At least he’s not drooling. And thank Heavens no one important is here to see this,” he declares loudly, still trying in vain to wake Kurt up. “God forbid your friends from Vogue saw you with your mouth hanging open and your hair messed up.” He gasps dramatically. “What would Isabelle say?”

Sebastian's eyelids grow heavy, fighting to close, so he aims his face towards the cold air rushing in through the cracked window. With the frigid wind prying his lids open and its howling whoosh drowning out the wet rattle of Kurt’s snoring, he can think much more clearly.

And because he can think, he gets a nasty idea.

He pulls his iPhone out of its dock on the dashboard.

“I know you get angry when I use my phone while I drive,” Sebastian mocks an unconscious Kurt while activating his camera app, “but what you don’t know won’t bother you… yet.”

***

They reach their hotel a little after three in the morning. It’s too late for a dip in the hot tub to ease Sebastian’s stiff muscles, so he zeros in on the shower instead, determined to let the hot spray beat the ache out of him.

“I am so so so sorry,” Kurt repeats for the tenth time. “I totally… ”

“Forget it.” Sebastian reaches for his luggage, but a chipper and fully-energized Kurt swoops in and grabs it before Sebastian can pick it up.

“No, I was an ass. And I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“How about you drive the rest of the way to San Francisco,” Sebastian suggests. “This way I can spend seven hours sleeping this time.”

“Done,” Kurt agrees, kissing Sebastian’s cheek before leading the way to their room. “But in the meantime, why don’t you get the shower started… ” Kurt runs the keycard through the reader and unlocks the door, holding it open so a barely conscious Sebastian can stumble inside “... and I’ll join you in a bit to help polish your doorknob… ”

Sebastian chuckles. Polish your doorknob is their ridiculous secret code for an in-shower blowjob. It was a phrase they had come up with in high school so that they could talk about sex under their teachers’ noses and it kind of stuck.

Sebastian’s face lights up.

“You promise?” he asks, pulling Kurt into the room and wrapping his arms around his waist.

“I promise."

Sebastian smiles wider. “Swear on your entire collection of McQueen scarves that no matter what, you’ll come into the shower with me and… uh… polish my doorknob.”

Kurt’s eyebrows shoot up, surprised that Sebastian would feel the need to have him make such a promise. But seeing how badly he broke the last promise he made, he supposes it's only fair.

“Of course,” Kurt reassures him. “You know how much I love it. And after what you've been through tonight, you deserve to have your doorknob gleam like the top of the Chrysler Building.”

“Great.” Sebastian kisses Kurt on the forehead. “I’ll get the water started.”

“I’ll be with you in a second. I want to check Facebook." Kurt slides out of his coat. He fishes his cell phone out of his pocket and unlocks the screen. “Our East Coast friends should be awake by now. I want to update my status. Make them all pea green with envy.”

“You do that.” Sebastian grabs his toiletries and walks into the bathroom, maniacal grin on his face. He shuts the bathroom door and stands quietly behind it, listening to Kurt mutter as he checks his home page.

“Wow!” he calls out so Sebastian can hear. “I have thirty-two new notifications! We’ve only been gone for a day… what!?”

Sebastian throws a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter.

“What the… ?” Kurt's voice grows more and more agitated as he flips through recent posts.

When he sees photos he was tagged in overnight.

There’s an unnerving beat of quiet, and then: “SEBASTIAN!”

“Hurry up, babe,” Sebastian manages through guffaws. “You promised to come in and polish my doorknob.”

The bathroom door shakes violently with the force of the shoe Kurt throws at it. Sebastian jumps away from the door before something heavier follows. He undresses quickly, steps into the shower, and turns on the spray. 

So maybe he won’t get his blowjob. But for now, revenge feels much, much better.

[greatworldwar2]

• Alan Turing

Alan Mathison Turing was an English mathematician, and computer scientist. Turing was highly influential in the development of theoretical computer science, providing a formalisation of the concepts of algorithm and computation with the Turing machine, which can be considered a model of a general-purpose computer.

Turing was born on June 23rd, 1912 in Maida Vale, London, while his father, Julius Mathison Turing, was on leave from his position with the Indian Civil Service (ICS) at Chatrapur, then in the Madras Presidency and presently in Odisha state, in India. Turing's mother, Julius' wife, was Ethel Sara Turing. Julius' work with the ICS brought the family to British India, where his grandfather had been a general in the Bengal Army. However, both Julius and Ethel wanted their children to be brought up in Britain, so they moved to Maida Vale, London, as recorded by a blue plaque on the outside of the house of his birth. Turing had an elder brother, John. Turing's father's civil service commission was still active and during Turing's childhood years Turing's parents travelled between Hastings in the United Kingdom and India, leaving their two sons to stay with a retired Army couple. Very early in life, Turing showed signs of the genius that he was later to display prominently.

Turing's parents enrolled him at St Michael's, a day school at 20 Charles Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, at the age of six. The headmistress recognised his talent early on, as did many of his subsequent teachers. Between January 1922 and 1926, Turing was educated at Hazelhurst Preparatory School, an independent school in the village of Frant in Sussex (now East Sussex). In 1926, at the age of 13, he went on to Sherborne School, a boarding independent school in the market town of Sherborne in Dorset. The first day of term coincided with the 1926 General Strike, in Britain, but Turing was so determined to attend, that he rode his bicycle unaccompanied 60 miles (97 km) from Southampton to Sherborne, stopping overnight at an inn. Turing's natural inclination towards mathematics and science did not earn him respect from some of the teachers at Sherborne, whose definition of education placed more emphasis on the classics. Despite this, Turing continued to show remarkable ability in the studies he loved, solving advanced problems in 1927 without having studied even elementary calculus. In 1928, aged 16, Turing encountered Albert Einstein's work; not only did he grasp it, but it is possible that he managed to deduce Einstein's questioning of Newton's laws of motion from a text in which this was never made explicit.

After Sherborne, Turing studied as an undergraduate from 1931 to 1934 at King's College, Cambridge, where he was awarded first-class honours in mathematics. In 1935, at the age of 22, he was elected a Fellow of King's College. In 1936, Turing published his paper "On Computable Numbers, with an Application to the Entscheidungsproblem". In this paper, Turing reformulated Kurt Gödel's 1931 results on the limits of proof and computation, replacing Gödel's universal arithmetic-based formal language with the formal and simple hypothetical devices that became known as Turing machines. From September 1936 to July 1938, Turing spent most of his time studying under Church at Princeton University, in the second year as a Jane Eliza Procter Visiting Fellow. In addition to his purely mathematical work, he studied cryptology and also built three of four stages of an electro-mechanical binary multiplier. In June 1938, he obtained his PhD from the Department of Mathematics at Princeton. When Turing returned to Cambridge, he attended lectures given in 1939 by Ludwig Wittgenstein about the foundations of mathematics. Turing and Wittgenstein argued and disagreed, with Turing defending formalism and Wittgenstein propounding his view that mathematics does not discover any absolute truths, but rather invents them.

During the Second World War, Turing was a leading participant in the breaking of German ciphers at Bletchley Park. From September 1938, Turing worked part-time with the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS), the British codebreaking organisation. He concentrated on cryptanalysis of the Enigma cipher machine used by Nazi Germany, together with Dilly Knox, a senior GC&CS codebreaker. Soon after the July 1939 meeting near Warsaw at which the Polish Cipher Bureau gave the British and French details of the wiring of Enigma machine's rotors and their method of decrypting Enigma machine's messages, Turing and Knox developed a broader solution. Turing's approach was rather general, using crib-based decryption for which he produced the functional specification of the bombe. On September 4th, 1939, the day after the UK declared war on Germany, Turing reported to Bletchley Park, the wartime station of GC&CS. Specifying the bombe was the first of five major cryptanalytical advances that Turing made during the war. By using statistical techniques to optimise the trial of different possibilities in the code breaking process, Turing made an innovative contribution to the subject. Turing had a reputation for eccentricity at Bletchley Park. He was known to his colleagues as "Prof" and his treatise on Enigma was known as the "Prof's Book". While working at Bletchley, Turing, who was a talented long-distance runner, occasionally ran the 40 miles (64 km) to London when he was needed for meetings, and he was capable of world-class marathon standards.

Within weeks of arriving at Bletchley Park, Turing had specified an electromechanical machine called the bombe, which could break Enigma more effectively than the Polish bomba kryptologiczna, from which its name was derived. The bombe, with an enhancement suggested by mathematician Gordon Welchman, became one of the primary tools, and the major automated one, used to attack Enigma. The bombe searched for possible correct settings used for an Enigma message (i.e., rotor order, rotor settings and plugboard settings) using a suitable crib: a fragment of probable plaintext. By late 1941, Turing and his fellow cryptanalysts Gordon Welchman, Hugh Alexander and Stuart Milner-Barry were frustrated. Building on the work of the Poles, they had set up a good working system for decrypting Enigma signals, but their limited staff and bombes meant they could not translate all the signals. In the summer, they had considerable success, and shipping losses had fallen to under 100,000 tons a month; however, they badly needed more resources to keep abreast of German adjustments. At the park, he further developed his knowledge of electronics with the assistance of engineer Donald Bayley. Together they undertook the design and construction of a portable secure voice communications machine codenamed Delilah. Though the system worked fully, with Turing demonstrating it to officials by encrypting and decrypting a recording of a Winston Churchill speech, Delilah was not adopted for use. Turing also consulted with Bell Labs on the development of SIGSALY, a secure voice system that was used in the later years of the war.

Between 1945 and 1947, Turing lived in Hampton, London, while he worked on the design of the ACE (Automatic Computing Engine) at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). Although ACE was a feasible design, the secrecy surrounding the wartime work at Bletchley Park led to delays in starting the project and he became disillusioned. In late 1947 he returned to Cambridge for a sabbatical year during which he produced a seminal work on Intelligent Machinery that was not published in his lifetime. In 1948, Turing was appointed reader in the Mathematics Department at the Victoria University of Manchester. A year later, he became Deputy Director of the Computing Machine Laboratory, where he worked on software for one of the earliest stored-program computers—the Manchester Mark 1. When Turing was 39 years old in 1951, he turned to mathematical biology, finally publishing his masterpiece "The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis" in January 1952.

In 1941, Turing proposed marriage to colleague Joan Clarke, a fellow mathematician and cryptanalyst, but their engagement was short-lived. After admitting his homosexuality to his fiancée, who was reportedly "unfazed" by the revelation, Turing decided that he could not go through with the marriage. In January 1952, Turing was 39 when he started a relationship with Arnold Murray, a 19-year-old unemployed man. On 23 January, Turing's house was burgled. Murray told Turing that he and the burglar were acquainted, and Turing reported the crime to the police. During the investigation, he acknowledged a sexual relationship with Murray. Homosexual acts were criminal offences in the United Kingdom at that time, and both men were charged with "gross indecency". Trials were held on 27 February during which Turing's solicitor "reserved his defence", i.e., did not argue or provide evidence against the allegations. Turing was later convinced by the advice of his brother and his own solicitor, and he entered a plea of guilty.

Turing was convicted and given a choice between imprisonment and probation. His probation would be conditional on his agreement to undergo hormonal physical changes designed to reduce libido. He accepted the option of injections of what was then called stilboestrol. a synthetic oestrogen; this feminization of his body was continued for the course of one year. The treatment rendered Turing impotent and caused breast tissue to form, fulfilling in the literal sense Turing's prediction that "no doubt I shall emerge from it all a different man, but quite who I've not found out". Turing's conviction led to the removal of his security clearance and barred him from continuing with his cryptographic consultancy for the Government Communications Headquarters. On June 8th, 1954, Turing's housekeeper found him dead at the age of 41; he had died the previous day. Cyanide poisoning was established as the cause of death. An inquest determined that he had committed suicide. Turing's remains were cremated at Woking Crematorium on June 12th, 1954, and his ashes were scattered in the gardens of the crematorium.

In August 2009, British programmer John Graham-Cumming started a petition urging the British government to apologise for Turing's prosecution as a homosexual. The petition received more than 30,000 signatures. The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, acknowledged the petition, releasing a statement on 10 September 2009 apologising and describing the treatment of Turing as "appalling".

[redfoxwritesstuff]

Coffee and a Wedding (Chapter 12- The End)

Here we are Loves, we've reached the end. I'd like to just take a moment to say Thank You to everyone. Thank You to the long time readers who have jumped with be between characters. Thank You to the new readers who I've watched discover my older works while waiting on updates. Thank You to the new readers whom I may never see again.

This series has been a adventure and I want to thank everyone for going on it with me. It was a adventure in playing with a new writing style, playing with a new type of story. And to think, it all started with the idea of a trope filled on shot for two friends’ birthdays.

There is always something bitter sweet to me about a series ending and with the end of the year near, I find myself looking back at how far I've come. I've finished Silent Song this year. I started and finished Clover and Lace. I finished The Things You Find (In The Rain). And now, I've finished Coffee and a Wedding as well.

I want to thank everyone who donated to the Kofi or cheered me on while I raised funds to go to NYC for my birthday. I want to thank @winterisakiller and @tnystrk-exe who supplied so very many tropes to this tropefest.

Here it is- a special Monday night treat. Chapter 12, about nine hours early. 

Masterlist

Chapter 12:

Morning came with a pounding headache and too bright sun. I couldn’t think and I wanted to drink the whole of the ocean, salt be damned. But that would mean moving and moving was something I didn’t want to do. Moving was going to hurt in so many different ways. I swear to God, I am never going to drink again. Not a drop. But that’s what everyone says when confronted with a hangover, right?

Speaking of hurting, everything ached. I fought to right my brain through the fog of the hangover and sleep. I was beyond comfortable, at least I had that much going for me. I was naked, I realized, and pressed against Clint. He was also naked.  

His arms were draped around me. My head rested on his chest and shifted slightly with every deep breath he took. The room smelled of stale air and sex. I could feel the dried evidence of the night before on my thighs but my mind couldn’t wrap around what that meant at the moment. Though I knew it was something.

My leg was hooked over his, bent and riding up his thigh. I could feel him resting against it. My hand rested on his chest and even though I was still foggy at best, I couldn’t resist the urge to run my hand over the muscles. One of Clint’s hands rested low on my hip and the other wrapped around my rib cage. His thumb rested under the swell of my breast.  

I didn’t want to move. I wanted to stay here forever and never face reality again. But that wasn’t an option. The game was coming to a close. Once we got on the plane today, it was all over. He would go back to only being my boss. I would go back to only being an employee. And I’d be okay with that, somehow. I had to be okay with that, somehow.  

This shouldn’t have happened. I shouldn’t have let this happen. It was a mistake. I untangled myself from the sheets and Clint’s arms. He groaned and shifted, throwing his arm over his eyes.  

“It’s not morning yet.” He whined. “Come back.”  

“Need to shower.” I grumbled, “Go back to sleep.”

I looked passively around the room after slipping on Clint’s shirt. Something to cover myself was better than nothing. The bottle of wine was never even opened. The dress Clint had spent so much money on was in a crumpled heap on the floor along with his suit. His blazer was wet, having soaked up the ice from the bucket as it melted overnight.

After grabbing a change of clothes, I slipped into the bathroom. I’d not seen anything in the trashcan in the lobby and the trashcan in here was empty too. It dawned on me how stupid we were. That’s what I felt dried on my thighs.  

Did we talk about it? I couldn’t remember but that didn’t mean we didn’t. It also didn’t mean that we did. Would it be rude to ask now? Was it too late? I mean, let’s be real- Clint’s too responsible to have anything?

I cranked the shower on and used the hot water to wash away as much of my worries as I could. I wasn’t worried about a pregnancy- I had gotten a IUD a few years prior but still. By the time I was out of the shower, I had decided not to worry about things. I felt pretty sure that Clint wouldn’t have given me anything, he was generally responsible, right? I mean, sure this was his mistake as much as mine but still.  

By the time I finished washing and dried, Clint had pulled himself out of the bed. He was making coffee in nothing but a pair of shorts when I came out. I had all my things from the bathroom balanced on a towel.  

“Coffee’s hot.”  

“Thanks. Shower’s free.” I said as if it wasn’t obvious.  

“Thanks, Babe.” I ignored him and shoved my few toiletries into the clear travel bag. Of course, Clint noticed and asked, “You okay?”

“Fine. Just tired. Not looking forward to the flight.” I lied.  

“Yeah- I could sleep for a year.” Clint nodded only to groan and rub his head. “Here.” He handed me a cup of coffee, doctored to my liking and smiled at me with warmth in his eyes. “I’ll jump in the shower. Check out is in almost two hours.”

“Right. I’ll get packing.”  

~~~~~<3

With a hangover between us, there was a blessed silence while we rode in the taxi. He listened as I talked, worked my way through idea after idea as to how I would tell my family that our fake relationship ended.  

“I could just tell them that everyone put too much pressure on us.” I decided. “Too much judgment. Too many snide comments. Questions.” I decided. Sometimes simple was better and honestly, if we had a real relationship during this trip it would be a fair reason for it to end. It was hard to ignore all the wonderful things Clint had said when he defended me.

“Okay.” He said.  

After a few minutes of silently chewing at my lip, I gave up. “Thank you.” I said. “For putting up with it. For all the drama, trouble. For Matt. You’re almost off the hook and I promise I won’t put you in this position again.”

“I could,” He softly spoke. “put up with it. I mean, for longer.”

“But you don’t have to.” I laughed though I wanted to cry. “Lucky you.”

“And if I wanted too?” I wasn’t sure if I heard him right. I mean, what did that even mean?

“We need to go.” I said instead when the taxi came to a stop. I could see mom getting out of the taxi a few cars in front of us. I didn’t want to talk to her. I didn’t want to see her. I didn’t want to pretend anymore. I wanted to get home and cry.  

There was a crack of thunder as Clint opened the taxi door. As I put my foot on the asphalt, the sky opened up. Torrential rains fell from the sky. Yep, that was how my day was going to go.

Clint wrestled the bags out of the trunk and made quick work of checking them in at the curbside baggage drop. I hardly made it out of the cab before he was offering me his hand with a bright smile. In the distance behind him, I could see more and Kurt making their way inside the airport. They looked as tired as I felt. I didn’t think they were paying us any attention.  

Still, Clint wasn’t one to take a chance. He pulled me to him and we danced, spinning in the rain. My clothes and hair were quickly soaking up the water, as was his but he didn’t seem to care.  

It took a bit for me to give in. But after a few dips, twists and turns he had be smiling at him. I couldn’t help laughing as people watched him pull me into a kiss.  

“Get a room.” Someone shouted and I realized it was Kurt.  

I had no idea when he and Mom made their way back outside the airport but at some point they did. I rolled my eyes and stepped away from Clint. He didn’t let go of my hand though. I guess the act was back on.  

“I’ll call when we get back to the city.” I promised though I knew already that I was more likely going to text them and call it good enough.

“You better.” Mom demanded.

~~~~~<3

I was beyond glad to get off the airplane. The moment we took off, I focused on trying to sleep. Clint seemed to do the same and both of us dozed most of the long flight. Now that we had our bags and my legs were moving, I felt much better. My head was clearer and my heart heavier.

“About last night.” Clint blurted out as we walked by a Starbucks in the airport. I didn’t want to talk about this. I didn’t want to acknowledge this. I didn’t want to give voice to the demon for fear I’d make it real. But he had to go and bring it up.  

“It’s fine.” I said, putting on the bravest face I had. “I’m going to go grab a taxi and get home. I’ll see you Monday?”  

“Wait a second?” Clint looked between the cafe and me. I smiled and shook my head. “We should talk about it- I mean we-”

“No, it’s fine. We were drunk. It’s whatever. And… I think I want to be alone for a little bit. I haven’t been since we left for the trip, you know?” I didn’t wait for him to answer. “I’ll see you Monday.” I smiled as bright as I could and walked away with a wave.  

When Clint didn’t follow me, I breathed a heavy breath. It took everything I had to hold myself together. I could close my eyes and still see the weight of everything as it settled on his shoulders. He didn’t deserve that. He didn’t deserve to carry with him knowing that he got drunk and had sex with his college age employee. He deserved better than that. He was a good man and a good boss.  

“Wait!” Clint’s voice had the amazing ability to carry over distances.  

I hadn’t thought anything of the sound of running feet- people run in airports. His voice was what made me turn and look. He skidded to a stop in front of me, no coffee in his hands.  

“What, Clint?”

“I like you.” He blurted out. “Maybe could even love you.”  

“Stop.” It was hard to keep from yelling. His mouth snapped shut. “I am tired. You’re tired. We just spent a whole trip pretending to be in love. We got drunk and had sex. It’s fine. Yeah, I’m young but I’m a big girl. I can handle it. Don’t worry. Just- go home and rest before you feel pressured into making promises or say things you don’t mean.”

“What?” He looked deflated. I told myself it was just that he was tired. He was wound up, thinking he had to do something- to be something for me because the night before.  

I said, “I’ll see you Monday.” and turned.  

The heels of my boots echoed against the tiles. It felt like the airport was empty and that I was alone yet people moved all around us as I walked away. I didn’t dare to look back, not directly. Instead I used a window as I walked by. It was just reflective enough to see Clint standing where I left him, rooted in place and my heart broke. That was the instant I decided that I wouldn’t see him on Monday. I couldn’t do this. I thought I could but I cant.  

~~~~~<3

Somehow, I managed to make it home before breaking down. Even as tears dripped from my chin, I texted mom that we made it home just fine. I told her we had a blast on the trip. She told me of how Sarah had made a scene at the wedding not long after we left. She was wine drunk and screamed at the groomsmen. Matt had to take her back to the hotel room early.  

It turned out, Sarah had changed her flight and left not long after we were in the air. She was on a single ticket, leaving Matt behind on the island. What that meant for them or their future was anyone’s guess. While Mom held onto hope that they would work things out. She had hope that Sarah could still accomplish her dreams of going back to school with financial security, I had other ideas. I hoped that it meant that Sarah would file for an annulment and move far away from Matt.  

I spent the weekend unpacking. The dress Clint purchased was hung with care in my closet, still needing a trip to the dry cleaners. I hardly left the apartment except for running to the corner store for more wine, more chips and most importantly- ice cream. By the time classes resumed, I planned to not even fit into the cursed dress from the wedding. It wasn’t exactly a healthy coping method but it tasted good at least.

Monday morning came with much dread. I hadn’t heard from Clint all weekend but I hadn’t expected to… But I wanted to. I wanted him to blow up my phone. I wanted him to prove to me he cared. I wanted him to show me I was wrong. I wanted my fairy tale.  

But I’m not a child anymore. I don’t get fairy tales. I don’t get fairy tale endings. I get to get wine drunk before four in the afternoon. I get to ignore my phone all morning. I get to block the cafe’s number. I get to block the other supervisors.

By Wednesday morning and my third missed shift, Mr. Barton started calling. Then he texts, wanting to know if everything was alright. Did he do anything wrong? Was I sick? Did I need anything? Finally, he asked for me to just talk to him. I had to answer, somehow. I had to tell him something.  

“Mr. Barton, I quit.”  

I sent the text with my breath held. I watched with baited breath as the read receipt changed from ‘unread’ to ‘read’. The screen changed to reflect an incoming call from the last person I wanted to talk to. After rejecting the call, I made quick work of blocking the last connecting to Arrowhead cafe.

~~~~~<3

Somehow, I managed to survive until Saturday. I busied myself during my last free week before classes with looking for a new job. Nothing seemed right but I applied with as many positions as I could. I needed something.  

Outside, rain poured down in sheets and thunder cracked. Wind whistled down the street and between the buildings. Part of me wondered if power would hold out for the rest of the night. It wouldn’t be the first time this shitty apartment lost power due to a storm and it wouldn’t be the last.  

When the pounding started at my door, I almost jumped out of my skin. At first, I wasn’t going to answer. I was riding a nice buzz from the wine and had worked myself a nice sized crater into the tub of Chocolate ice cream I had been nibbling. When the pounding didn’t stop, I had no choice but to slip off the windowsill I had curled up in.  

I didn’t think about it what I was wearing as I walked to the door but god, I wish I did. All I knew was the pounding wasn’t stopping and it was almost one in the morning. I didn’t want to open the door without looking through the peep hole but then the last voice I ever wanted to hear came bellowing through the door.  

“Alexis!” No. No, not home. Go away. Maybe if I pretended to be asleep? “I just want to talk. To make sure you’re alright.”  

“I’m fine, Mr. Barton.” I tried so hard to sound fine too.  

“So I’m ‘Mr. Barton’ now?” He sounded tired and I wondered if it was my fault. Maybe he was having to work extra to pick up my slack. Maybe no one could pick up my shifts. It didn’t matter, though. “Let me in. Let’s talk.”

“Go home. There’s nothing to talk about.” I yelled through the door.

“I’ll stay out here all damn night then! Yelling. You’re neighbors are sure to notice. Maybe someone will call the cops. Want to see what happens?” Oh man, that was a low move. I scrunched my eyes closed and swallowed the urge to scream.  

Instead I yanked open the door and reached out, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him inside. The door slammed shut behind him. “That’s not fucking fair.”

“Do you ever wear pants at home?” Clint asked, looking at me than running his hand through his hair and looking away. Right. Boyshorts and a large tee. Why can’t I just be allowed to die. “Doesn’t matter.” He decided as I crossed my arms over my chest.  

“What do you want?” I snapped.  

“To know why you just up and quit!” He snapped back. “Everything was great and then we got back and you’re just-” He flung his hands out when he couldn’t find the word he wanted.  

“Fuck you.” I snarled.

“You did. Or rather. I fucked you and you just-”

“Yes. You fucked me! How could I go back to the cafe after that? Pretending like none of this happened?!”

“I asked if you were sure!” He snapped back before taking a calming breath and running his hands down his too pale face. “Look. We were drunk. I was drunk. But if you didn’t want to- you could have said ‘no’ and I would have stopped in a heartbeat. I’m not- I don’t want to be that kind of man. I never wanted to take advantage of you.”

“You didn’t. I wanted it.” I grumbled the words. This wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have but dammit I couldn’t let him think even for a moment that I hadn’t been on board with what was happening that night.  

“Then what’s the problem?!” Clint’s voice was climbing again.

“I didn’t plan on you going to the wedding. I didn’t plan on spending so much time with you. I didn’t plan to fall in love with you. I didn’t plan any of this, so leave. Just go so I can get over you in peace. Alright? I don’t need-”

“Look- I know you’re pissed off at me right now. I know I showed up unannounced and made a scene. But I think you just said ‘I didn’t plan to fall in love with you’ and I really need you to rewind.”

“I… wait- what?” I didn’t say that. I couldn’t have. Did I? Fucking wine and ice cream.

“Alexis- are you in love with me?” Clint stepped closer.  

“What? No. Why would I-?” I couldn’t find the words to properly dig myself out of this. “Look- I just didn’t want to make things hard for you, to put your reputation at risk or anything. It’s bad enough what you had to go through last week.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” At least he wasn’t yelling anymore.

“Because I didn’t- You don’t feel the same way, you couldn’t- I’m me and you’re you. So why get hurt?”

“I don’t feel the same way?” Clint’s face was blank and I nodded. “Jesus Christ- I told you, I tried to tell you- what do I have to do to make you see?!” He snapped. So much for the yelling being done.  

“See what?!” I stomped my foot. How very adult of me.  

Clint reached out and snagged a hand around my waist. There was nothing I could do to stop myself from crashing into him. A hand tangled in my hair as he pushed his lips against mine. I was tense at first, unsure of what was happening.  

Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was the fact that this is what I’ve been wanting from the moment I got home but I eventually relaxed. The kiss turned soft and sweet as I ran my hands along his arms, up his chest and rested a hand against the side of his neck. Stubble scratched at my face and his breath fanned over me.  

“I love you too.” He whispered.

~~~~~<3

It’s been a few years now, and I still work at Arrowhead Coffee for a few hours on the weekends. The mornings where we opened the cafe together were some of my favorite times, even if he still occasionally flirted with the espresso machine. A girl can’t win every fight.  

The sun wasn’t even up yet but in an hour, it would start coloring the sky a little at a time. I still wasn’t really a morning person but this- this was worth it. I was surprised to see the cafe windows still dark. Clint normally at least had some lights on by now.  

As I got closer, I realized it wasn’t as dark as I thought. Inside the windows I could see little candles perched on each table. Firelight flickered and danced. Flowers were everywhere.  

When I slipped inside, I called for Clint. Soft music played over the speakers. I couldn’t help but laugh when he stepped out of the back. He was far overdressed with his smart suit for working in a cafe.  

“May I have this dance?” He asked as he drew closer.  

I realized, as I let myself be pulled along the flower petal covered floor that he was wearing the same suit he had worn that night, so long ago. I also realized that the flower petals were getting crushed, squished into the wood floor and that it wasn’t going to be fun to clean this up. Romantic gestures tended to be messy- they don’t show you that in the Lifetime Romcoms.  

The song came to an end and for a moment, Clint held me. There wasn’t anywhere else I’d rather be. I couldn’t imagine being in the arms of anyone else. This was paradise. This was heaven.  

Clint stepped back and smiled, it was that soft smile that hinted at his lips but danced in his eyes- that smile he so rarely used for anyone or anything but me. I could imagine someday, Clint giving a baby that same smile as he rocked a tiny bundle in his arms.  

He sank down to one knee, completely ignoring how flower petals would be worked into his slacks. Reaching into his blazer pocket, he pulled out a box. It wasn’t black but it was velvet- a deep royal purple that matched the colors of the cafe. My breath stuck in my throat as I covered my mouth with my hand. It was a gesture I had made fun of countless times in movies and yet here I was, standing in the candle light doing that exact thing.  

“Alexis.” His voice was thick and heavy. It reminded me of how he sounded when he woke in the morning. “I can’t begin to say how much you mean to me. I thought it fitting, since everything started here that this should hopefully start here too. I first saw you here and I was captivated by your smile. This is where our fake relationship started. This is where I fell in love with you- far before you knew it. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t think. I could only nod, before he even got the box open. I was nodding so much that I probably looked like a bobble head. It didn’t matter because I launched myself in his arms, knocking us both to the ground and the box sliding along the floor.  

I didn’t care about rings. He could marry me with a string. “Yes.” I finally choked out, “I’ll marry you.”

~~~~~<3

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[jazziehart]

Character Dissection [Rachel Berry]: Episode by Episode - Season 3B

Hello and welcome the finale of my Rachel Berry Character Dissection. Wow it’s been a long time coming and I seriously have enjoyed going over the first three seasons. I know there are more seasons to go over but I wasn’t as invested in the later seasons so I don’t really remember everything. I’m excited to end this series and start again with another character. If you guys have any input of who it should be please let me know. I probably won’t do Quinn since I’ve already made a lot of post dissecting her actions but if there’s another subject you’d like me to cover about her, I’m open to it. Anyway, we will be dissecting Rachel in the second half of Season 3 which is from Yes/No to Goodbye. Once again these are my opinions. I’m not the biggest Rachel fan so reader be warned if you are.

Let’s start off with the midseason premiere of Yes/No. In this episode the Glee Club is looking for the perfect song for Will to propose to Emma with. Rachel is seen thinking about Finn when the girls perform their number of ‘First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’. She also is unhappy during the episode because the finalists for NYADA have already been called back and she and Kurt have yet to have heard anything. She, Kurt, and Finn are comserating when Finn feels like he has nothing good going on in his life after finding out what really happened to his father. This is when Rachel sings ‘Without You’ to Finn reminding him of how much they love each other. The end of the episode is left off at cliffhanger of Finn proposing to Rachel, something no one expected, which is a storyline that pretty much drives this half of the season.

In the next episode of Michael, Finn’s upset because Rachel hasn’t given him an answer and she tells him she’s still thinking about it, especially since she hasn’t heard back from NYADA. She then confides in Quinn who tries to discourage her from getting engaged. Quinn believes it’s the wrong choice for Rachel who’s career is only just beginning and also believes Finn and Rachel are too young to make the commitment. I know many people speculate Quinn does this because she’s still in love with Rachel but honestly, I don’t think so. Quinn’s reasons are fairly rational and are something a FRIEND would advise another FRIEND on. Anyway after Quinn performs a puzzling song choice when she’s telling Rachel to let go and sings ‘Never Can Say Goodbye’ which is mostly about not wanting to let someone go. Her speech is amazing and she directs it towards Rachel once again telling her to let go and start her future. Kurt soon gets his NYADA letter and Rachel breaks down since not receiving hers feeling like she has no idea what her future holds. After performing with Finn she accepts his proposal, thinking Finn is her only future but everything changes when she gets her NYADA letter and quickly regrets her decision.

 Up next is The Spanish Teacher which is quite possibly the worst episode of Season 3. Once again this episode doesn’t focus much on the students which is why it’s my least favorite. Rachel’s major storyline is how she reveals to Kurt and Mercedes the fact that she and Finn are engaged, something both of them are very against but Rachel is insistent that this is the right call.

Moving on to Heart which is the Valentine’s Day episode. Love is in the air as Rachel and Finn reveal their engagement to the Glee Club which is not met with as much love as they would’ve hoped. Quinn and Kurt both are against the wedding think they’re too young with Kurt being the one to tell their parents. Rachel’s dad has previously met them at the school to pretend to give them their blessing. Finn gives Rachel a singing telegram from the God Squad which Santana uses to voice her support that ANYONE should be able to be happy in their relationship and asks the God Squad to sing a song to Brittany. Meanwhile Rachel and Finn have dinner with both of their parents which seems to be going well until Finn is to stay overnight. Things start off okay but Finn wants to use Rachel’s bathroom which she’s disguisted by and the two have a huge fight with Rachel not really caring about Finn’s future. They soon make up and head to the party at Breadstix but decide to move up their wedding so they could get used to one another.

Up next is probably one of my least favorite episodes of Season 3, even though it’s written well, On My Way. It’s my least favorite for obvious reasons but let’s just talk about it regarding Rachel. The episode starts with Rachel being threatened by Sebastian not to perform at Regionals saying if she does he’d release a photoshopped racy photo of Finn. Rachel, not wanting to let threats get in the way of their performances at Regionals, refuses to sit out again. This leads Finn to get pissed off at her. But soon all is forgiven when Karofsky attempts to commit suicide. It leads Finn and Rachel to have a real talk about how neither of them would ever do that. It also gives them the message that life is too short and they decide to move up their wedding to after Regionals. Quinn, who was resistant to coming at first later asks Rachel if she can come if it’s not too late. Rachel tells her it’s not and the two hug. As it’s time for the wedding Rachel wants to delay it until Quinn gets there wanting the New Directions family to be complete. Sadly, Quinn wouldn’t get there in time but instead got into a horrible accident, hence why I don’t like this episode. 

Another thing I want to speak on is how many shippers take the Quinn and Rachel scene from this episode as well as the deleted Bridesmaids shop scene as a sign that Quinn was in love with Rachel. Honestly, I can see where they get it from especially the way Quinn looks as she hugs Rachel but from what I could tell that was not the way it was intended to be. I feel like the writers unfortunately were trying to queerbait Faberry and ride them out for as long as possible to keep the fans hopes up. I think it’s not right to do that to crack shippers (crack shippers isn’t a bad term so don’t come for me. It’s a term meaning a non canon ship that people want together) and I sincerely dislike the show for doing that.

Moving onto Big Brother, Rachel in this episode is constantly feeling guilty about Quinn’s accident, blaming herself that it happened. The one thing that kind of annoyed me about this is how Rachel made it constantly about herself rather then obeying Quinn’s wishes for them not to make a big deal about the accident. Anyway besides that she like everyone else seemed to fawn over Blaine’s brother being in town and was taking his advice seriously since he made it (somewhat) as an actor. The other major storyline about Rachel is that Finn gets fed up with her about only talking about her future and not caring about his which leaves them in a bad spot in their relationship.

Up next is Saturday Night Glee-ver. Rachel doesn’t have too big of a storyline in this episode other than making up with Finn. They get conseuled by Emma which works and leads Finn to agree to go to New York leaving Rachel incredibly happy that she got her way.

Moving on to Dance With Somebody. Rachel’s biggest storyline in this episode is when she finds out Kurt was texting another guy and she got very upset about it saying it was like cheating on Blaine. Rachel later performs with Santana, something no one saw coming and the girls talk to Quinn after noticing how she and Joe were together after performing their duet. Quinn thinks she doesn’t have much of a chance due to her current situation of being in a wheelchair. Rachel soon goes to talk to Santana and tells her that they did well on the duet together and how much she wishes they wouldn’t have been enemies for so long and wants to make the last 42 days together count. She soon gives Santana a photo of her to put in her locker which Santana does.

Up next is Choke, which is one of Rachel’s most promient episodes since the title comes from what happens at her NYADA audition. Rachel has been preparing incredibly hard all week for the audition and wanted to ace her performance. However, she becomes concerned when Kurt decides to change his song last minute and offers to be his Christine onstage. Kurt however, goes against Rachel’s advice and gives his best performance to date. When it’s Rachel’s turn to audition, however, things go ary. She performs her go to song ‘Don’t Rain on my Parade’ and flubs on the lyrics. When she asks for a second chance Miss Tibedeaux, the NYADA faculty member seeing the auditions lets her but when Rachel flubs again and tries to start over, she won’t let her. Rachel tears up onstage begging for another chance knowing that she truly blew her audition. Rachel is still upset and tramatized a few days later knowing her chances of getting in based on her limited performance are slim. She felt like she lost everything and performs a ballad expressing her feelings, clearly emotional. 

Moving on to Prom-asaurus, yet another episode that fully frustrates me and it’s thanks to Rachel that it’s like this. I do feel sorry for her with what happened at NYADA but she acts like a spoiled brat who didn’t get her way in this episode. She gets irrationally mad at Finn for running for Prom Court with Quinn claiming he will ruin her senior prom by doing so, saying it would be just like when high school began for her. This is what leads Rachel to do one of my least favorite storylines, the anti-prom. Santana rightfully calls her out on what the anti-prom is really about. It’s Rachel throwing herself a pity party because one thing didn’t go the way she wanted it to. The anti-prom storyline is anti-climatic with Rachel walking out in her prom dress as Finn gets there and they end up going to the actual prom anyway. Rachel does end up apologizing to Quinn for being irriationally angry at her and said that becoming Quinn’s friend meant a lot to her and that she voted for her for prom queen. When Santana goes to get Quinn to count the votes she makes a comment for the Faberry shippers telling Quinn to stop making out with Rachel because they needed to crown her prom Queen.

Now for the second part I truly hate about this episode. Santana and Quinn just giving Rachel Prom Queen. It was Quinn’s idea to give it to her but my main problem is that Quinn has wanted that so badly for so long and quite frankly, she had a lot worse of a year than Rachel. But would the writers ever give Quinn the happy ending she deserved? Nope. Everything had to be handed to Rachel. Also the lines the writers made Quinn say about how she and Santana had “the ideal high school careers” literally in what way did Quinn have the ideal high school career? She got pregnant from rape, her family disowned her until her mom came around, she lost 2 boyfriends she cared about due to her mistakes, and not to mention she was currently still recovering from the accident only from a few episodes ago. It always made me blood boil when they would give lines like that to Quinn, especially since she went through quite possibly the most stuff out of all of the characters (I can also make an argument for Kurt). So seriously? Taking something away from her that this character deserved for a happy ending pissed me off. This is in no way Rachel’s fault but I have my suspisicions that Lea may have had an influence on this and honestly I hate nothing good ever happening for anyone other than Rachel. 

Anyway, moving onto Props. This episode Rachel is once again being a selfish bitch appreacating nothing from ‘winning’ Prom Queen. She acts like Tina’s meltdown over being underappreaciated is unjust and that she works so hard for everything she does. While Rachel does work hard all she does is minimize how Tina feels. Tina soon has a fantasy and again the writers annoy me by trying to make it seem like Tina was wrong and Rachel deserves everything. Tina then goes to help Rachel convince Carmen to see them at Nationals. The episode ends with Tina and Rachel singing a duet together and getting onboard the bus to head to Nationals.

Up next was Nationals. In this episode Rachel runs into Jesse who is the coach of Vocal Adrenaline. Jesse tries to taunt her about looking for Carmen but Rachel knows Jesse himself is feeling insecure about Vocal Adrenaline’s fate which he admits to. As Rachel performs her solo Carmen gets there which gives Rachel the confidence to perform well. Jesse later talks to Carmen himself saying that Rachel would be a great addition to NYADA thus showing he still cares and is part of why I still love him and Rachel together. The New Directions win at Nationals and everything ends perfectly for them. The New Directions also honor Will at the Teacher of the Year event with Finn and Rachel speaking on his behalf.

Finally, we end with Goodbye. In this episode, the Senior New Directions prepare to say goodbye to high school. Rachel looks back on her time at McKinley thoughtfully and is actually looking forward to marrying Finn. She also finds out that she’s the only one accepted to her school, another thing that pissed me off, why the hell didn’t the writers let Kurt get in after his killer audition? They let him get in mid season 4 since they needed him in New York but come on! Anyway she decides to deffer her acceptance a year and stay behind with Finn. Finn, however has other plans and pretends to be driving Rachel to the church to get married when in reality he’s sending her to New York to fill her dreams, breaking up with her. He didn’t want to hold her back. Rachel relucktantly goes on the train to New York, wondering what her future will hold.

Let’s talk overview. Rachel in this half honestly was horrible. Was it the worst she’s ever been? No. But honestly she’s still way too selfish. She originally only accepted Finn’s proposal thinking she had no future and started to regret it once she did. What kind of person does that? Also she constantly put down how others were feeling if it got in her way like what she did with Tina and even not caring about Finn’s future. Honestly, I know Finn and Rachel were a popular ship but I think this half proved that they weren’t right for each other. I felt like they were the most toxic they’ve ever been in this half of the season and it was a relief when they broke up in the finale. Honestly the later seasons I liked Rachel so much more. She grew up a lot when she left Lima and also had people and events that put her in her place. I don’t hate her character but there are so many things about her that rub me the wrong way especially in the last two seasons I discussed. I hope you enjoyed this character analysis. Let me know if there’s someone else you would want me to discuss or other topics for me to cover.  Be Kind, Jazzie

[happyslittlegirl]

My Happy Place

A/N: I do not own the picture, the characters mentioned, or Kurt Sutter’s creations. I own the OC Allison, OC Colt and the plot.

SMUT - READER DISCRETION ADVISED (18+ ages please) If you wish to skip, it is sectioned off. 

Trigger warning(s): cursing, character death, breaking the law(?), angst, smut(sex, unprotected sex, oral sex)

Allison’s thoughts will be italicized

Happy’s thoughts will be bold and italicized

Word Count: 2454 (Woohoo! Longest Chapter so far!)

Proofread but, if you find any mistakes, please don’t hesitate to message me.

Chapter 7

About 5 months went by and everything was perfect in my life. Happy had been everything I could have ever wanted in a man and more. He was patient, attentive, kind, loving and a great partner. He was an even better father figure. He treated Colt as his own flesh and blood. Colt even calls him, “dada.” When Colt first called Happy, “dada,” I could’ve sworn he had tears in his eyes. Happy treated Colt and I so well that my parents have met and approve of him. Although my father gave Happy grief, he ultimately approved. Happy’s ma also approved of me as well. She treated me as if I was already her daughter-in-law. As for Colt, she spoils that little boy to pieces. She loves him as if he’s her own grandson.

I had settled in nicely with the SAMCRO family. Everyone treated me as if I were an Old Lady, even though I wasn’t officially. Happy and I have only been dating for 5 months, but if Happy asked me to marry him today, I would say yes. Confidently, yes.

Colt and I were at home today, as the shop was closed due to club business. Happy had called me earlier letting me know that he’d stop by later than normal. “He doesn’t live here but he should be considering all of the items he leaves here,” I thought to myself while smiling. I was folding one of Happy’s shirts in my “room,” if you could call it that. All I owned was studio apartment because that’s all I needed. In my opinion, it’s perfect.  As I finished folding Happy’s shirts, my cell phone rang. I put the laundry basket on the foot of my bed, reached for the phone and answered it.

“Hello?” I asked without looking at the caller ID.

“Little girl?” I heard Happy reply.

“Why do you sound so sad, Hap? Is everything OK?” I questioned him worriedly. I glanced at the clock on the wall and it said 1:45am.

“I need you,” Happy sniffled into the receiver. “I can’t do this without you.” Happy cried.

I was in shock to say the least. In the past months that I’ve known Hap, I had never heard him so vulnerable. I shook myself from my thoughts and asked, “Where are you? Are you at the clubhouse? I can come to you, baby.”

I waited a good five whole minutes before I got a response. “I’m at the clubhouse. I need you,” Happy said.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can, sweetheart. I’m going to pack up Colt and we’ll be there.” I replied. Already on my way out the door with Colt in her arms and an overnight bag. “I love you, Happy.”

“I love you too, Allison. I’ll see you soon.” Happy responded with a hint of a smile on his face.

I probably broke one too many traffic laws on my way to the clubhouse. I didn’t care though, I had a man who sounded desperate for me. A man that I had to get to as soon as possible, no matter what. I pulled into a spot in TM’s lot, picked up a sleeping Colt from his car seat and made our way inside.

Once I stepped inside, I could tell something terrible had happened today. All the Charming Sons were scattered around the clubhouse, looking at each other solemnly. They had heard Colt and I enter the room and just stared at them. I scanned the room, looking for my boyfriend, only for Chibs to point towards the dorms. I followed his lead and walked towards Happy’s dorm in the clubhouse. I paused and then slowly passed Tig the sleeping boy in my arms, not so sure that he would take Colt. Tig as happily as he could, took Colt in his arms and went to go sit on the leather couch in the corner of the room. I thank Tig quietly and he nods in response, “Hap needs you now more than anything, Al.”

I nod my head in return and then continued my trek down the hallway, making my way towards Happy’s dorm. I had only ever once been to his dorm a couple of times, and that was when we needed desperate sex. Other than that, I had never spent the night, let alone go to his dorm. I then came face to face with his door and knocked softly. Who answered the door was not the Happy I had been with for 5 months. This, this was a very broken Happy. One I had not met before and I wasn’t so sure if I liked him being so broken. He’s always so strong.

Happy dragged me into his dorm, then shut and locked his door. He led me to his bed and sat us both down. “How am I supposed to tell the love of my life what happened?” Happy thought.

I waited for him to speak as I didn’t want to overstep my bearings. That’s what Happy loved about me, at least that’s what he told me. I didn’t want to know his business with the club, even if Happy told her anyways. I knew what he did for the club, but I accepted his flaws and still stood by him. I could have left at any point, but I didn’t and I won’t. I was here to stay and I hoped Happy knew that.

Happy finally cleared his throat and turned towards me. He took my hands in his and took a deep breathe, “Jax is dead.”

My breath caught in my throat as Happy revealed this news to me. I had no idea what to say except for, “Pardon me?”

“Jax, Juice, Bobby. All dead. Juice got killed on the inside, Bobby was killed by an ally and Jax,” Happy cried out, couldn’t find his bearings as he clung to me with everything he had.

I wrapped my arms around his body and rubbed one of my hands over his head knowing that always calmed him down. I began to console him, knowing he needed me to be strong for him. I had grown close to Bobby, Jax, and Juice, but Happy just lost his brothers. I can’t imagine how he must be feeling.

Happy pulled his head back to look me in the eyes. “She is so fucking pure, so innocent. I don’t fucking deserve her but, now that I have her, I’m not letting her go,” he thought to himself. “Call me fucking selfish, but I need this woman now more than ever.”

“Whatever you need to say Hap, tell me. I’m here for you,” I consoled him.

As I was wiping his tears from his wet cheeks, he spoke, the first thing that came to his mind, “Be my Old Lady.”

My eyebrows shot up to what felt like my hairline as I processed what Happy just said.

“Hap, what’s making you ask me this? I’m happy you asked, really. But I’m just confused,” I questioned.

“I want you to be by my side throughout this life. I know I may seem selfish, but I need you by my side as my Old Lady. You take care of me and my momma approves of you. C’mon be my Old Lady. I want to protect you for the rest of my being. I love you,” Happy exclaimed as he finished his thoughts.

I didn’t even need to think about my answer as I told him, “Yes, Happy. A thousand times YES. I love you.”

Happy pushed his lips against mine and the entire mood in the room shifted. I climbed onto Happy’s lap and straddled his thighs all while keeping our lips connected. Happy ran his hands over my ass and I started to grind my pelvis into his. I moaned into the kiss from the sensation that Happy’s groin against mine was giving me. He took that as the opportunity to slip his tongue into my mouth, and now it was a battle for dominance. Of course, Happy won. Not like I was really trying, I loved being submissive to him, and he damn well knew it. Happy pushed me onto the bed and crawled on top of me.

I pushed my hips up into Hap’s as he groaned out at me, “You think you’re a big girl now, little girl?”

I giggled and nodded my head. I replied like a smartass, “I know you like when I fight back a little, baby.”

Happy chuckled in agreement and went to leave hickies up and down my neck. He knew that no matter how embarrassed I got when one of the other members pointed them out, I wore them with pride. He lifted my shirt above my head and threw it into the depths of his room. He continued his attack in leaving love bites all along my neck to the swells of my tits.

I moaned as Happy enclosed his mouth over my bra covered nipple and I arched my back to get closer to his mouth. I shrugged Hap’s cut off slowly, so I wouldn’t toss it absent mindedly, I laid it on the bed beside us. He leaned back onto his calves and ripped off his shirt and unhooked my bra, then tossed both, my bra and his cut, on the other side of the room.

Hap stood up, shrugged down his jeans and boxers, standing in front of the bed. I stared at him as if he were a piece of meat. My piece of meat. I slid from the bed and dropped down to my knees in front of Happy. I looked up at him and smiled innocently as I reached forward and slowly began to stroke his ever-growing cock.

Happy groaned, “Baby, you know I hate it when you tease me with your soft hands.”

I giggled, “Sorry, Happy. You know I can’t help myself.”

I then turned serious and wrapped my lips on the head of Hap’s cock. He tossed back his head and let out a deep groan. I inwardly cheered knowing that I can make this God of a man weak in the knees.

Happy tapped my cheeks, my signal to relax her jaw and throat, so that’s exactly what I did. My jaw went slack, Happy grabbed my cheeks and began to fuck my mouth. He knew no matter what, my mouth would always be his favorite part of me. From the words I spoke from my mouth, to being able to fuck it, he loves it. Happy felt me moan around his cock as he hit the back of my throat. He looked down at me and noticed that I was playing with myself. Happy loved to watch me touch myself, but not tonight, he needed me now, just like I needed him.

Happy lifted me up from my knees, pulled my leggings off and picked me up to lay me back on the bed. I slid up to lay my head onto the pillow and waited for my Old Man to fuck me ruthlessly.

Happy crawled in between my spread legs and looked at my soaking wet lips. He ran his cock in between my lips as his hands ran over my curves.

“C’mon baby,” I begged. “I can’t wait anymore. I need you inside of me. I need my Old Man to fuck me senselessly.”

Happy smiled down at me and grabbed his cock, lining up at my slick entrance. As he slipped inside of me, the smile was wiped from his face as the both of us let out loud groans. This is what we both needed, more importantly what Happy needed. To be truly connected to the woman he loves with everything in him.

The sounds I make as he continuously pushes into my tight pussy are something that he’ll never get tired of. He could listen to them on a pre-recording while he’s out on a run for the club. They are music to his ears and he loves that he’s the one contributing to help the soft moans that leave my lips.

Happy isn’t one to be very vocal during sex, but with me, he can’t help himself. He wants me to know that I’m loved and deserves to thoroughly be fucked.

“You like that, little girl?” Happy questioned.

“God! YES Hap, fuck YES!” I exclaimed. “You always feel so good when you’re so deep inside of me.”

Happy let out a slew of profanities as he heard me praise his cock. A little ego boost never hurt anyone. Happy continued to pound into me, his Old Lady, as I wrapped my legs around his waist and ran my hands over his head. I let out a particularly high-pitched moan and Happy could tell that I was getting close. My pussy clenched around Happy’s cock and he reached down to rub my clit in vigorous circles.

“Let go, little girl,” Happy encouraged. “Cum all over my cock. You know you want to.” As he continued to rub my clit and pound into my pussy.

“Fuck, Hap,” I moaned. “I’m cumming! Dear god Happy, fuck me!”

Happy ground his hips into me as if he were riding out my high. He adored the sight of me coming undone beneath him. “She sure is a sight for sore eyes.” Happy thought to himself. Me coming down from my high triggered Happy’s release. He gripped onto my hips so tight that I’ll for sure have bruises tomorrow. He dumped his release deep inside of my warm pussy and let out a loud groan. He leaned down to kiss my lips softly as he continued to thrust into me so slow.

Once we both came down from our highs, I sighed happily as I felt Happy go soft inside of me. I loved the feeling of him fall flaccid inside of me. Hap went to slowly pull out of me and let out a loud groan as he watched our cum, mixed together, slowly slip out of my thoroughly fucked pussy.

Happy laid beside me and covered us both with the comforter. Happy thought to himself, “With my Old Lady by my side, I could overcome anything. All I needed was her and their Colt in his life and he’d be set for life. He loved them more than life itself.”

I curled into Happy’s side and softly kissed his peck. I whispered, “I love you so much, Happy.”

Happy smiled, “I love you so much more, baby girl.” Life honestly couldn’t get much better than it was right now for us. He asked, “So……where do you want my crow tattooed?”

[jamiekturner]

Awesome quotes to inspire you to do great things

Isn’t it great when you have awesome quotes at hand to inspire you? Even though they don’t seem like much, an awesome quote can brighten your day and inspire you to do great things.

Wishes and aspirations are there to remind us that not everything is lost, and to help us go through the tough moments in our life. A good method to overcome difficult times is also to read motivational quotes; which, as trivial as it sounds; may touch some of us and remind us that life goes on.

Luckily, we are surrounded by optimistic and positive quotes. We can see them plastered at office halls, schools, and more and more often in private homes.

Popular websites and online forums have adopted the ‘quote of the day’ strategy to welcome users, a practice that is currently introduced to print materials such as calendars and journals.

Good quotes won’t only inject optimism, but also wisdom. What they aim is to boost the reader’s confidence, and provide him/her with some winning attitude for the day.

Relax. The day may be bad, but life isn’t. This is a great quote to keep in mind whenever you feel miserable. And while many of the days to come will probably be more difficult, quotes like this one help we approach them with a stronger spirit and a firmer attitude.

The quote helps us realize that feelings are temporary (especially negative ones), and that pain is not invincible. We’re still ‘a good thought away’ from achieving what we want!

Many experts focused their research on the impact of motivational quotes. Psychologists, for starter, believe that positive quotes have a lot to do with a positive outlook in life, and that such help people overcome common and day-to-day difficulties.

Positive thoughts are a person’s main weapon for controlling negative emotions, and an irreplaceable source of strength in difficult quote.

Even when you feel good and nothing seems to go wrong, a motivational quote can help you gather inspiration. As an example, we’ve collected several quotes that can brighten up the day.

How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone. -Gabrielle Coco Chanel

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. -Dr. Seuss

Imitation is suicide. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Do your own thing on your own terms and get what you came here for. -Oliver James

Flatter yourself critically. -Willis Goth Regier

Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you’ll be criticized anyway. -Eleanor Roosevelt

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. -Mark Twain

I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet. -Mahatma Gandhi

Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self. -Cyril Connolly

We must not allow other people’s limited perceptions to define us. -Virginia Satir

Don’t look for society to give you permission to be yourself. -Steve Maraboli

If things go wrong, don’t go with them. -Roger Babson

Wanting to be someone else is a waste of who you are. -Kurt Cobain

Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are. -Chinese Proverb

Where’s your will to be weird? -Jim Morrison

Some people say you are going the wrong way, when it’s simply a way of your own. -Angelina Jolie

Remember to always be yourself. Unless you suck. -Joss Whedon

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. -Theodore Roosevelt

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. -Oscar Wilde

I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart. I am. I am. I am. -Sylvia Plath

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. -Anaïs Nin

To find yourself, think for yourself. -Socrates

If you seek authenticity for authenticity’s sake you are no longer authentic. -Jean Paul Sartre

If you cannot be a poet, be the poem. -David Carradine

When one is pretending the entire body revolts. -Anaïs Nin

Be there for others, but never leave yourself behind. -Dodinsky

Do what you must, And your friends will adjust. -Robert Brault

Just let awareness have its way with you completely. -Scott Morrison

We must be our own before we can be another’s. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

This above all: to thine own self be true. -William Shakespeare

Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts. -Winston S. Churchill

It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. -Herman Melville

The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same. -Colin R. Davis

Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it. -Henry David Thoreau

Opportunities don’t happen. You create them. -Chris Grosser

Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great. -John D. Rockefeller

I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have. -Thomas Jefferson

There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed. -Ray Goforth

Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better. -Jim Rohn

Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value. -Albert Einstein

Never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. -Winston Churchill

Stop chasing the money and start chasing the passion. -Tony Hsieh

Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. -Winston Churchill

I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact opposite-K. Chesterton

Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really: Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, so go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that’s where you will find success. -Thomas J. Watson

If you are not willing to risk the usual, you will have to settle for the ordinary. -Jim Rohn

The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones that do. -Stive Jobs

Do one thing every day that scares you. -Anonymous

All progress takes place outside the comfort zone. -Michael John Bobak

People who succeed have momentum. The more they succeed, the more they want to succeed, and the more they find a way to succeed. Similarly, when someone is failing, the tendency is to get on a downward spiral that can even become a self-fulfilling prophecy. -Tony Robbins

Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning. -Robert Kiyosaki

If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time. -Steve Jobs

The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won’t. It’s whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere. -Barack Obama

The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. -Franklin D. Roosevelt

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. -Helen Keller

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. -Walt Disney

The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus. -Bruce Lee

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. -Colin Powell

Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit. -Conrad Hilton

If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse. -Jim Rohn

I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure–It is: Try to please everybody. -Herbert Bayard Swope

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. -Albert Schweitzer

Success isn’t just about what you accomplish in your life; it’s about what you inspire others to do. -Unknown

Fall seven times and stand up eight. -Japanese Proverb

Some people dream of success while others wake up and work. -Unknown

If you can dream it, you can do it. -Walt Disney

The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do. -Unknown

A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that other throw at him. -David Brinkley

In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure. -Bill Cosby

In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can. -Nikos Kazantzakis

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. -Thomas Edison

Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember–the only taste of success some people get is to take a bite out of you. -Zig Ziglar

The secret of success is to do the common thing uncommonly well. -John D. Rockefeller Jr.

You know you are on the road to success if you would do your job, and not be paid for it. -Oprah Winfrey

There is a powerful driving force inside every human being that, once unleashed, can make any vision, dream, or desire a reality. -Anthony Robbins

The secret to success is to know something nobody else knows. -Aristotle Onassis

I failed my way to success. -Thomas Edison

I never dreamed about success, I worked for it. -Estee Lauder

I never did anything worth doing by accident, nor did any of my inventions come indirectly through accident, except the phonograph. No, when I have fully decided that a result is worth getting, I go about it, and make trial after trial, until it comes. -Thomas Edison

The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. -Vidal Sassoon

Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down. -Charles F. Kettering

Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy. – Norman Schwarzkopf

A meeting is an event at which the minutes are kept and the hours are lost. – Unknown

You are not your resume, you are your work. – Seth Godin

Beware of any enterprise requiring new clothes. – Henry Thoreau

One finds limits by pushing them. – Herbert Simon

If you see a bandwagon, it’s too late. – James Goldsmith

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. – Mahatma Gandhi

You only have to do a very few things right in your life so long as you don’t do too many things wrong. – Warren Buffett

The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same. – Carlos Castaneda

There’s no shortage of remarkable ideas, what’s missing is the will to execute them. – Seth Godin

The great accomplishments of man have resulted from the transmission of ideas of enthusiasm. – Thomas J. Watson

Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. – Theodore Roosevelt

Change is not a threat, it’s an opportunity. Survival is not the goal, transformative success is. – Seth Godin

Even if you are on the right track, You’ll get run over if you just sit there. – Will Rogers

You must either modify your dreams or magnify your skills. – Jim Rohn

Look well to this day. Yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision. But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to this day. – Francis Gray

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it. – Dwight Eisenhower

Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. – Napoleon Bonaparte

To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business, and your business in your heart. – Sr. Thomas Watson

Every accomplishment starts with a decision to try. – Unknown

The first one gets the oyster the second gets the shell. – Andrew Carnegie

A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts. – Richard Branson

We generate fears while we sit. We over come them by action. Fear is natures way of warning us to get busy. – Dr. Henry Link

People rarely buy what they need. They buy what they want. – Seth Godin

Live daringly, boldly, fearlessly. Taste the relish to be found in competition – in having put forth the best within you. – Henry J. Kaiser

A man should never neglect his family for business. – Walt Disney

Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly and get on with improving your other innovations. – Steve Jobs

The successful man is the one who finds out what is the matter with his business before his competitors do. – Roy L. Smith

The winners in life think constantly in terms of I can, I will, and I am. Losers, on the other hand, concentrate their waking thoughts on what they should have or would have done, or what they can’t do. – Dennis Waitley

Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. – Cyril Northcote Parkinson/Parkinson’s Law.

I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity. – Oprah Winfrey

Ideas in secret die. They need light and air or they starve to death. – Seth Godin

The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer. – Unknown

My son is now an ‘entrepreneur’. That’s what you’re called when you don’t have a job. – Ted Turner

The man who will use his skill and constructive imagination to see how much he can give for a dollar, instead of how little he can give for a dollar, is bound to succeed. – Henry Ford

For all of its faults, it gives most hardworking people a chance to improve themselves economically, even as the deck is stacked in favor of the privileged few. Here are the choices most of us face in such a system: Get bitter or get busy. – Bill O’ Reilly

Please think about your legacy, because you’re writing it every day. – Gary Vaynerchuck

Victory goes to the player who makes the next–to–last mistake. – Savielly Grigorievitch Tartakower

I like thinking big. If you’re going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big. – Donald Trump

Surviving a failure gives you more self–confidence. Failures are great learning tools… but they must be kept to a minimum. – Jeffrey Immelt

To think is easy. To act is difficult. To act as one thinks is the most difficult. – Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth

Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games. – Babe Ruth

The only way around is through. – Robert Frost

The new source of power is not money in the hands of a few, but information in the hands of many. – John Naisbitt

The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer. – Nolan Bushnell

You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take – Wayne Gretzky

Successful people are the ones who are breaking the rules. – Seth Godin

To the degree we’re not living our dreams; our comfort zone has more control of us than we have over ourselves. – Peter McWilliams

Saying no to loud people gives you the resources to say yes to important opportunities. – Seth Godin

To think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted. – George Kneller

Business in a combination of War and sport. – Andre Maurois

To succeed… You need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you. – Tony Dorsett

Always forgive your enemies. Nothing annoys them more. – Oscar Wilde

All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind. – Aristotle

Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all time thing. You don’t win once in a while, you don’t do things right once in a while, you do them right all the time. Winning is habit. Unfortunately, so is losing. – Vince Lombardi

There is no security on the earth, there is only opportunity. – General Douglas MacArthur

Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid altogether. – Unknown

Hire character. Train skill. – Peter Schutz

For maximum attention, nothing beats a good mistake. – Unknown

Early to bed and early to rise probably indicates unskilled labor. – John Ciardi

Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you’ll have to ram them down people’s throats. – Howard Aiken

It takes more than capital to swing business. You’ve got to have the A. I. D. degree to get by — Advertising, Initiative, and Dynamics. – Ren Mulford Jr.

A calm sea does not make a skilled sailor. – Unknown

The worst part of success is to try to find someone who is happy for you. – Bette Midler

Your time is precious, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. – Steve Jobs

Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked. – Warren Buffett

Your income is directly related to your philosophy, NOT the economy. – Jim Rohn

The NBA is never just a business. It’s always business. It’s always personal. All good businesses are personal. The best businesses are very personal. – Mark Cuban

Fire the committee. No great website in history has been conceived of by more than three people. Not one. This is a deal breaker. – Seth Godin

Once you free yourself from the need for perfect acceptance, it’s a lot easier to launch work that matters. – Seth Godin

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself, any direction you choose. – Dr. Seuss

It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. – Charles Darwin

The golden rule for every business man is this: Put yourself in your customer’s place. – Orison Swett Marden

To win without risk is to triumph without glory. – Pierre Corneille

People don’t believe what you tell them. They rarely believe what you show them. They often believe what their friends tell them. They always believe what they tell themselves. – Seth Godin

A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him. – David Brinkley

Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, you ought to set up a life you don’t need to escape from. – Seth Godin

I had to make my own living and my own opportunity! But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them! – C.J. Walker

People are best convinced by things they themselves discover. – Ben Franklin

I don’t pay good wages because I have a lot of money; I have a lot of money because I pay good wages. – Robert Bosch

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. – Thomas Edison

Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid – Einstein

Do or do not. There is no try. – Yoda

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. – Bill Gates

Leadership is doing what is right when no one is watching. – George Van Valkenburg

In the business world, everyone is paid in two coins: cash and experience. Take the experience first; the cash will come later. – Harold Geneen

Those who say it can not be done, should not interrupt those doing it. – Chinese Proverb

Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Thoughts are things! And powerful things at that, when mixed with definiteness of purpose, and burning desire, can be translated into riches. – Napoleon Hill

To succeed in business, to reach the top, an individual must know all it is possible to know about that business. – J. Paul Getty

A consultant is someone who takes the watch off your wrist and tells you the time. – Unknown

The absolute fundamental aim is to make money out of satisfying customers. – John Egan

If you would like to know the value of money, try to borrow some. – Benjamin Franklin

If it really was a no–brainer to make it on your own in business there’d be millions of no–brained, harebrained, and otherwise dubiously brained individuals quitting their day jobs and hanging out their own shingles. Nobody would be left to round out the workforce and execute the business plan. – Bill Rancic

Get busy living or get busy dying. – from the The Shawshank Redemption

Winners take time to relish their work, knowing that scaling the mountain is what makes the view from the top so exhilarating. – Denis Waitley

Statistics suggest that when customers complain, business owners and managers ought to get excited about it. The complaining customer represents a huge opportunity for more business. – Zig Ziglar

The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. – Vidal Sassoon

Speak the truth, but leave immediately after. – Unknown

The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it. – Debbi Fields

Are you a serial idea–starting person? The goal is to be an idea–shipping person. – Seth Godin

The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat. – Lilly Tomlin

Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work. But if you’re not frightened by these things, the opportunities are just as great today as they ever were. – David Rockefeller

If you work just for money, you’ll never make it, but if you love what you’re doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours. – Ray Kroc

Long–range planning works best in the short term. – Doug Evelyn

Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety–nine percent perspiration. – Thomas A. Edison

Life is about making an impact, not making an income. –Kevin Kruse

Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. –Napoleon Hill

Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value. –Albert Einstein

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.  –Robert Frost

I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse. –Florence Nightingale

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. –Wayne Gretzky

I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. –Michael Jordan

The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. –Amelia Earhart

Every strike brings me closer to the next home run. –Babe Ruth

Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement. –W. Clement Stone

Life isn’t about getting and having, it’s about giving and being. –Kevin Kruse

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. –John Lennon

We become what we think about. –Earl Nightingale

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore, Dream, Discover. –Mark Twain

Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. –Charles Swindoll

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. –Alice Walker

The mind is everything. What you think you become.  –Buddha

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now. –Chinese Proverb

An unexamined life is not worth living. –Socrates

Eighty percent of success is showing up. –Woody Allen

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. –Steve Jobs

Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is. –Vince Lombardi

I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions. –Stephen Covey

Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. –Pablo Picasso

You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. –Christopher Columbus

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. –Maya Angelou

Either you run the day, or the day runs you. –Jim Rohn

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right. –Henry Ford

The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. –Mark Twain

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.  Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. –Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The best revenge is massive success. –Frank Sinatra

People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing.  That’s why we recommend it daily. –Zig Ziglar

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage. –Anais Nin

If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced. –Vincent Van Gogh

There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing. –Aristotle

Ask and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. –Jesus

The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.  Live the life you have imagined. –Henry David Thoreau

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me. –Erma Bombeck

Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him.  –Booker T. Washington

Certain things catch your eye, but pursue only those that capture the heart. – Ancient Indian Proverb

Believe you can and you’re halfway there. –Theodore Roosevelt

Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear. –George Addair

We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. –Plato

Teach thy tongue to say, I do not know, and thous shalt progress. –Maimonides

Start where you are. Use what you have.  Do what you can. –Arthur Ashe

When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life.  When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up.  I wrote down ‘happy’.  They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. –John Lennon

Fall seven times and stand up eight. –Japanese Proverb

When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us. –Helen Keller

Everything has beauty, but not everyone can see. –Confucius

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. –Anne Frank

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. –Lao Tzu

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. –Maya Angelou

Happiness is not something readymade.  It comes from your own actions. –Dalai Lama

If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat! Just get on. –Sheryl Sandberg

First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends; wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end. –Aristotle

If the wind will not serve, take to the oars. –Latin Proverb

You can’t fall if you don’t climb.  But there’s no joy in living your whole life on the ground. –Unknown

We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained. –Marie Curie

Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears. –Les Brown

Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. –Joshua J. Marine

If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else. –Booker T. Washington

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do. –Leonardo da Vinci

Limitations live only in our minds.  But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless. –Jamie Paolinetti

You take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing, no one to blame. –Erica Jong

What’s money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do. –Bob Dylan

I didn’t fail the test. I just found 100 ways to do it wrong. –Benjamin Franklin

In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure. –Bill Cosby

A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. – Albert Einstein

The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it. –Chinese Proverb

There are no traffic jams along the extra mile. –Roger Staubach

It is never too late to be what you might have been. –George Eliot

You become what you believe. –Oprah Winfrey

I would rather die of passion than of boredom. –Vincent van Gogh

A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty. –Unknown

It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves, that will make them successful human beings.  –Ann Landers

If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them, and half as much money. –Abigail Van Buren

Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs. –Farrah Gray

The battles that count aren’t the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself–the invisible battles inside all of us–that’s where it’s at. –Jesse Owens

Education costs money.  But then so does ignorance. –Sir Claus Moser

I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear. –Rosa Parks

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. –Confucius

If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough. –Oprah Winfrey

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. –Dalai Lama

You can’t use up creativity.  The more you use, the more you have. –Maya Angelou

Dream big and dare to fail. –Norman Vaughan

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. –Martin Luther King Jr.

Do what you can, where you are, with what you have. –Teddy Roosevelt

If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten. –Tony Robbins

Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. –Gloria Steinem

It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live. –Mae Jemison

You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try. –Beverly Sills

Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent. –Eleanor Roosevelt

Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be. –Grandma Moses

The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me. –Ayn Rand

When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. –Henry Ford

It’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. –Abraham Lincoln

Change your thoughts and you change your world. –Norman Vincent Peale

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. –Benjamin Franklin

Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, I’m possible! –Audrey Hepburn

The only way to do great work is to love what you do. –Steve Jobs

If you can dream it, you can achieve it. –Zig Ziglar

Creativity is intelligence having fun. – Albert Einstein

To think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted. – George Kneller

Creativity about life, in all aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people. – Leo Burnett

The best way to predict the future is to create it. – Peter Drucker

An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail. – Edwin Land

Whether B2B or B2C, I believe passionately that good marketing essentials are the same. We all are emotional beings looking for relevance, context and connection. – Beth Comstock

Good marketers see consumers as complete human beings with all the dimensions real people have. – Jonah Sachs

Our jobs as marketers are to understand how the customer wants to buy and help them do so. – Bryan Eisenberg

Don’t be afraid to get creative and experiment with your marketing. – Mike Volpe

If you’re a good marketing person, you have to be a little crazy. – Jim Metcalf

The consumer is not a moron; she is your wife. – David Ogilvy

Good marketing makes the company look smart. Great marketing makes the customer feel smart. – Joe Chernov

Our job is to connect to people, to interact with them in a way that leaves them better than we found them, more able to get where they’d like to go. – Seth Godin

Make your marketing so useful people would pay you for it. – Jay Baer

People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. – Simon Sinek

Today it’s important to be present, be relevant and add value. – Nick Besbeas

Great Execution is the Ultimate Differentiator. – Margaret Molloy

The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing.  – Tom Fishburne

Know thyself. Know the customer. Innovate. – Beth Comstock

Instead of using technology to automate processes, think about using technology to enhance human interaction. – Tony Zambito

If you are an artist, learn science. If you are a scientist, cultivate art. – Karin Timpone

We’re all learning here; the best listeners will end up the smartest. – Josh Bernoff

If your stories are all about your products and services, that’s not storytelling. It’s a brochure. Give yourself permission to make the story bigger. – Jay Baer

Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell. – Seth Godin

The stories that spread today empower us and give us belief in our own heroic potential. – Jonah Sachs

You can’t sell anything if you can’t tell anything. – Beth Comstock

Speak to your audience in their language about what’s in their heart. – Jonathan Lister

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. – Maya Angelou

Build it, and they will come only works in the movies. Social Media is a build it, nurture it, engage them and they may come and stay. – Seth Godin

Social media are tools. Real time is a mindset. – David Meerman Scott

Social media is a contact sport. – Margaret Molloy

Successful companies in social media function more like entertainment companies, publishers, or party planners than as traditional advertisers. – Erik Qualman

If you get bored with social media, it’s because you are trying to get more value than you create. – Fast Company

Social media is about the people. Not about your business. Provide for the people and the people will provide for you. – Matt Goulart

Good content isn’t about good storytelling. It’s about telling a true story well. – Ann Handley

Content builds relationships. Relationships are built on trust. Trust drives revenue. – Andrew Davis

If your content isn’t driving conversation, you’re doing it wrong. – Dan Roth

Content is anything that adds value to the reader’s life. – Avinash Kaushik

Content should ask people to do something and reward them for it. – Lee Odden

My goal is to spark something within the reader and allow it to initiate an idea they then can grow. – Warren Whitlock

Don’t settle: Don’t finish crappy books. If you don’t like the menu, leave the restaurant. If you’re not on the right path, get off it. – Chris Brogan

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing about. – Benjamin Franklin

A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is — it is what consumers tell each other it is. – Scott Cook

Your brand is a story unfolding across all customer touch points. – Jonah Sachs

Making promises and keeping them is a great way to build a brand. – Seth Godin

If you can’t explain it to a 6-year old, you don’t know it yourself. – Albert Einstein

Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance. ― Coco Chanel

Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple. – Dr. Seuss

Never doubt a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead

In the long history of humankind those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed. – Charles Darwin

Marketing’s job is never done. It’s about perpetual motion. We must continue to innovate every day. – Beth Comstock

New ideas are sometimes found in the most granular details of a problem where few others bother to look. – Nate Silver

I’d rather apologize than to be so timid as to never try to do anything smart or brave. – Lee Clow

If you’re not failing now and again, it’s a sign you’re not doing anything innovative. – Woody Allen

If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten. – Tony Robbins

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently. – Henry Ford

If you don’t have room to fail, you don’t have room to grow. – Jonathan Mildenhall

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new. – Socrates

If you’re looking for the next big thing, and you’re looking where everyone else is, you’re looking in the wrong place. – Mark Cuban

Be where the world is going. – Beth Comstock

Think big and don’t listen to people who tell you it can’t be done. Life’s too short to think small. – Tim Ferriss

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you’re a leader. – John Quincy Adams

Inspiration doesn’t respond to meeting requests. You can’t schedule greatness. – Jay Baer

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time. – Zig Ziglar

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. –Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough. – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right. – Henry Ford

Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent. –Eleanor Roosevelt

You have brilliance in you, your contribution is valuable, and the art you create is precious. Only you can do, and you must. – Seth Godin

Bring the best of your authentic self to every opportunity. – John Jantsch

Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. – Oscar Wilde

Do one thing every day that scares you.― Eleanor Roosevelt

People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily. –Zig Ziglar

How can you squander even one more day not taking advantage of the greatest shifts of our generation? How dare you settle for less when the world has made it so easy for you to be remarkable? – Seth Godin

A year from now, you’ll wish you had started today. – Karen Lamb

Do or do not; there is no try. – Yoda

The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me. – Ayn Rand

Don’t bunt. Aim out of the park. Aim for the company of immortals. – David Ogilvy

It’s quite fun to do the impossible. – Walt Disney

You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty. —Mahatma Gandhi

Success is most often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable. —Coco Chanel

Courage is grace under pressure. —Ernest Hemingway

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning. —Albert Einstein

Sometimes you can’t see yourself clearly until you see yourself through the eyes of others. —Ellen DeGeneres

It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop. —Confucius

Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago. —Warren Buffett

Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened. —Dr. Seuss

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. —Mae West

Once you choose hope, anything’s possible. —Christopher Reeve

There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires. —Nelson Mandela

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched — they must be felt with the heart. —Helen Keller

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. —Mahatma Gandhi

The difference between winning and losing is most often not quitting. —Walt Disney

When you cease to dream you cease to live. —Malcolm Forbes

May you live every day of your life. —Jonathan Swift

Failure is another steppingstone to greatness. —Oprah Winfrey

If you’re not stubborn, you’ll give up on experiments too soon. And if you’re not flexible, you’ll pound your head against the wall and you won’t see a different solution to a problem you’re trying to solve. —Jeff Bezos

In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different. —Coco Chanel

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. —Wayne Gretzky

The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain. —Dolly Parton

The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes. —Frank Lloyd Wright

You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them. —Michael Jordan

You can’t please everyone, and you can’t make everyone like you. —Katie Couric

I believe every human has a finite number of heartbeats. I don’t intend to waste any of mine. —Neil Armstrong

Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve. —Mary Kay Ash

If you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything. —Malcolm X

The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. —Mark Twain

It often requires more courage to dare to do right than to fear to do wrong. —Abraham Lincoln

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again. —William Edward Hickson

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others. —Audrey Hepburn

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. —John Quincy Adams

If you are going through hell, keep going. —Winston Churchill

The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate. —Oprah Winfrey

A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. —Colin Powell

The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks. —Mark Zuckerberg

Do one thing every day that scares you. —Eleanor Roosevelt

The purpose of our lives is to be happy. —Dalai Lama

Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great. —John D. Rockefeller

Don’t worry about failure; you only have to be right once. —Drew Houston

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. —Ralph Waldo Emerson

Keep your face to the sunshine and you can never see the shadow. —Helen Keller

One of the greatest diseases is to be nobody to anybody. —Mother Teresa

Identity is a prison you can never escape, but the way to redeem your past is not to run from it, but to try to understand it, and use it as a foundation to grow. —Jay-Z

If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased. —Katharine Hepburn

All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them. —Walt Disney

I avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward. —Charlotte Bronte

Don’t count the days, make the days count. —Muhammad Ali

Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen. —Michael Jordan

Life is short, and it is here to be lived. —Kate Winslet

Everything you can imagine is real. —Pablo Picasso

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. —Barack Obama

It is never too late to be what you might have been. —George Eliot

If you love what you do and are willing to do what it takes, it’s within your reach. And it’ll be worth every minute you spend alone at night, thinking and thinking about what it is you want to design or build. —Steve Wozniak

Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. —Maya Angelou

In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you. —Deepak Chopra

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. —Thomas A. Edison

We should remember that just as a positive outlook on life can promote good health, so can everyday acts of kindness. —Hillary Clinton

As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others. —Bill Gates

There are no mistakes, only opportunities. —Tina Fey (from her book, Bossypants)

We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone. —Ronald Reagan

Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. —Oscar Wilde

In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity. —Albert Einstein

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. —Nelson Mandela

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. —Steve Jobs

But you have to do what you dream of doing even while you’re afraid. —Arianna Huffington

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. —Jimi Hendrix

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. —Maya Angelou

If you can do what you do best and be happy, you’re further along in life than most people. —Leonardo DiCaprio

Success isn’t about how much money you make. It’s about the difference you make in people’s lives. —Michelle Obama

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently. —Warren Buffett

Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. —George Bernard Shaw

The best way of learning about anything is by doing. —Richard Branson

Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction. —John F. Kennedy

Don’t let the fear of striking out hold you back. —Babe Ruth

Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. —Harriet Tubman

What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. —Napoleon Hill

A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning. —Billie Jean King

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. —Benjamin Franklin

If you live long enough, you’ll make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you’ll be a better person. —Bill Clinton

We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. —Martin Luther King, Jr.

As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent. —Arnold Schwarzenegger

Find out who you are and be that person. That’s what your soul was put on this Earth to be. Find that truth, live that truth and everything else will come. —Ellen DeGeneres

Your voice can change the world. —Barack Obama

The more you dream, the farther you get. —Michael Phelps

You must do the things you think you cannot do. —Eleanor Roosevelt

Every moment is a fresh beginning. —T.S. Eliot

A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom. —Bob Dylan

If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes. —Andrew Carnegie

If there is no struggle, there is no progress. —Frederick Douglass

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference. —Robert Frost (from his poem The Road Not Taken)

It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. —J. K Rowling (from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets)

If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward. —Martin Luther King, Jr.

The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope. —Barack Obama

If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it. —Elon Musk

Be fearless. Have the courage to take risks. Go where there are no guarantees. Get out of your comfort zone even if it means being uncomfortable. The road less traveled is sometimes fraught with barricades, bumps, and uncharted terrain. But it is on that road where your character is truly tested. Have the courage to accept that you’re not perfect, nothing is and no one is — and that’s OK. —Katie Couric

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right. —Henry Ford

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. —e. e. cummings

Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. —Stephen Hawking

Nothing truly valuable arises from ambition or from a mere sense of duty; it stems rather from love and devotion towards men and towards objective things. —Albert Einstein

In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on. —Robert Frost

If you enjoyed reading this article about awesome quotes, you should read these as well:

115 Best Motivational Wallpaper Examples with Inspiring Quotes

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The post Awesome quotes to inspire you to do great things appeared first on Design your way.

from Web Development & Designing https://www.designyourway.net/blog/inspiration/awesome-quotes/

[comicsbeat]

  It’s been a little minute since we saw the launch of a while new comics company but it looks like the tea leaves are saying go. Ahoy Comics is a new venture fronted by four people: Publisher Hart Seely, an award-winning reporter whose humor and satire has appeared in The New York Times and on National Public Radio; two founding editors of DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint, Tom Peyer and Stuart Moore; and Chief Creative Officer Frank Cammuso.

The line is debuting with four titles, all mini series, and a format they are calling “comic book magazines” – now before you jump up with alarm, this refers not to size – the trim is comics sized – but the contents, which will feature lead stories and back matter, all at a cover price of $3.99 for 40 pages.

So those of you saying we need more bang for you buck, look no further. Ahoy there, satisfying chunk.

“It’s time to expect more from comics,” said AHOY Comics Editor-in-Chief Peyer. “AHOY Comics offers a wide breadth of contributors from the worlds of mainstream and indie comics and humor magazines. We’re publishing comic book magazines with full length stories, backup stories, one-off gags by a bestselling New Yorker cartoonist, political poetry by a regular Poltico contributor, and prose stories by Grant Morrison, Cienna Madrid and a sundry of talent. And I don’t want it to sound too serious, because these comic book magazines are both fun and funny. It really is a unique reading experience.”

“There is no house style at AHOY Comics, but one of the things we aim to do is to bring a sense of humor to the comics,” said AHOY Comics “Dark Ops” Manager and Captain Ginger co-creator Stuart Moore. “We’re publishing stories with a strong personal vision that provoke an occasional laugh. You know, like Preacher. Or, more recently, comics written by Mark Russell, whose sensibilities are a great match for ours. It’s a dark humor, we admit.”

“AHOY Comics offers an abundance of originality and offbeat humor,” said Hart Seely. “Some might say that launching a publishing initiative in this moment is folly. We disagree! We’re publishing comic magazines with high standards. Each issue features beautiful designs, vibrant art, exceptional colors, experienced editors and dynamic stories. We aren’t planning on being an overnight success. We’re not here to exploit IP or make movies. We’re here to publish stories for people who love comics and who love to read.”

Talent involved in the first titles includes Peyer (Hourman) and Moore (Deadpool the Duck), Jamal Igle (Black), Mark Russell (Flintstones),  and Ann Nocenti (The Seeds) and  extra material, including prose fiction by writer Grant Morrison (Happy!), cartoons by Shannon Wheeler (God is Disappointed In You), poems by Hart Seely (Bard of the Deal: The Poetry of Donald Trump), and traditional comic book back up stories.

Upcoming AHOY Comics will feature stories by Gary Erskine, Ryan Kelly, Mariah McCourt, Linda Medley, Peter Milligan, Dean Motter, Ann Nocenti, Rachel Pollack, Roger Stern and others.

The line debuts in September and here’s the deets. Spoiler: Captain Ginger.

THE WRONG EARTH 6 Issue mini-series by Tom Peyer and Jamal Igle

AHOY Comics launches with a biting superhero satire written by Tom Peyer (Captain Kid, Hourman), penciled by Jamal Igle (Black, Supergirl), inked by Juan Castro (Transformers),and colored by Andy Troy. On one world, Dragonflyman and his sidekick Stinger enjoy a life of adventure. On another Earth, the Dragonfly hunts criminal parasites like a lethal exterminator. But what happens when these two heroes change places?

 “I just want you to know that I’ve loved Tom Peyer’s genius brain for thirty years and THE WRONG EARTH is just pure, undiluted Tom Peyer as it exists in its most natural form. If you love superheroes, you NEED this. If you HATE superheroes, this will change your mind.”―Mark Millar

“I knew this was going to be good when I saw Peyer and Igle on the credits, but now I really want to see how it all plays out.”―Jeff Parker

“THE WRONG EARTH is far more than a one-note gag–Tom and Jamal have made a surprisingly deep exploration and commentary on where this medium has been, how it got to where it is, and where it can go.”―Mark Waid

 On sale on September 12, 2018, THE WRONG EARTH debut issue is a full color, 40 page comic book magazine retailing for $3.99, with extras including:

A  prose story by comics legend Grant Morrison: ‘HUD’ HORNET’S HOLIDAY IN HELL, illustrated by best-selling artist Rob Steen

A mock “Golden Age” Stinger solo story, by Paul Constant and Frank Cammuso

A cartoon by Shannon Wheeler

Chronic malcontent David Weathers dies and goes to Heaven—where everything is terrible, and everybody hates a complainer. HIGH HEAVEN is a savage satire by writer Tom Peyer (Hourman, Batman ’66) with art by Greg Scott (Black Hood, X-Files), colored by Andy Troy.

 “Delivered with that Tom Peyer panache and his sneaky habit of undercutting reader expectations at every turn. And gorgeous art by Greg Scott, giving it all personality and (seedy) visuals. I’m hooked.”―Kurt Busiek

 “HIGH HEAVEN has a great premise. I loved it and can’t wait to see where it goes next. Also: the Hashtag: Danger back-up was a riot. Chris Giarrusso is just the best!”―John Layman

 “As gorgeous as it is absurd.”―Alisa Kwitney

 On sale, September 26, 2018, HIGH HEAVEN’s debut issue is a full color, 40 page comic book magazine retailing for $3.99, with a cover by Mad Magazine’s Richard Williams and extras including:

A HASHTAG: DANGER backup story by Peyer, with art by Chris Giarrusso (G-Man, Mini-Marvels)

A cartoon by Shannon Wheeler

An all-new prose story by comics legend Grant Morrison: FESTIVE FUNTIMES AT THE NEW WORLD’S FAIR, illustrated by acclaimed artist Rick Geary

  In October, AHOY Comics will launch a creator owned title:

CAPTAIN GINGER 4 issue mini series by Stuart Moore and June Brigman

When the human race died out, the cats inherited the Earth! Or at least one starship. Now the intrepid Captain Ginger struggles to keep his fellow felines united against a hostile universe. Thirty-five pages of comic adventure—with a bite—by writer Stuart Moore (Deadpool the Duck, Batman: Noir Alley) artist June Brigman (Power Pack), inker Roy Richardson and colorist Veronica Gandini.

 “The best books usually transport me into a world with which I am largely unfamiliar and reveal its mysteries to me, whether it’s the mean streets of a great urban metroplex, a small village lying somewhere on a distant steppe in central Asia, or a starship full of individualist cats trying to keep it together long enough to survive…these may very well be the characters that June was born to draw and Stuart was born to write!” ― Walter Simonson

 “This is a great start to a great book by Stuart and June. The Captain and his misbegotten cat crew can count me along for the long haul!” ― Peter Gross

 “This comic book is INSANE, in the best possible way when one describes something as “insane”! I can’t say I got too excited when I first heard the concept, “Cats in Space”, but Stuart Moore and June Brigman have got it goin’ on! CAPTAIN GINGER rocks!  It’s solid sci-fi adventure, beautifully illustrated and electric with wonderful diverse characters, who are CATS (?!)! This “puppy” smells like a sleeper hit (but that could just be the space kitty litter)!” ― Mike Allred

On sale, October 17, 2018, CAPTAIN GINGER’s debut issue is a full color, 48 page comic book magazine retailing for $3.99, with extras including:

An all-new text story by comics legend Grant Morrison: THE ELECTRIC SKY BEAR THAT INSPIRED BEN FRANKLIN, illustrated by Phil Hester

A cartoon by Shannon Wheeler

October will also see the debut of an all star anthology series:

EDGAR ALLAN POE’S SNIFTER OF TERROR 6 issue Mature Readers mini series

EDGAR ALLAN POE mangles classic tales and brand new stories in this cross between Drunk History and Tales from the Crypt! First, meet AHOY’s own alcohol-damaged version of Poe in The Facts in The Case of M. Valdemar, adapted by Tom Peyer (Batman ‘66) and drawn by Fred Harper. Then: Sugary cereal meets vampirism in Dark Chocolate, by writer Mark Russell (The Flintstones) and artist Peter Snejbjerg (Starman).

On sale, October 31, 2018, EDGAR ALLAN POE’S SNIFTER OF TERROR’s debut issue is a full color, 40 page comic book magazine retailing for $3.99, with extras including:

Hunt Emerson’s take on The Black Cat

Unsettling verse by Cienna Madrid illustrated by Carly Wright

   For more updates on AHOY Comics follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

  AHOY Comics: a new publisher is coming with bigger issues, poetry and Grant Morrison – all for $3.99 It's been a little minute since we saw the launch of a while new comics company but it looks like the tea leaves are saying go.

[everettwilkinson]

ANOTHER ATTACK in Spain — BANNON UNLEASHED: 4th interview in 3 days — W.H. aides stay put, but McMaster and Powell aren’t happy — B’DAY: Austan Goolsbee

BREAKING OVERNIGHT — ANOTHER ATTACK IN SPAIN — AP/BARCELONA: “Police on Friday shot and killed five people wearing fake bomb belts who staged a car attack in a seaside resort in Spain’s Catalonia region hours after a van plowed into pedestrians on a busy Barcelona promenade, killing at least 13 people and injuring over 100 others. Authorities said the back-to-back vehicle attacks — as well as an explosion earlier this week elsewhere in Catalonia— were connected and the work of a large terrorist group. Three people were arrested, but the driver of the van used in the Barcelona attack remained at large and the manhunt intensified for the perpetrators of the latest European rampage claimed by the Islamic State group. …

“Authorities were still reeling from Thursday’s Barcelona attack when police in the popular seaside town of Cambrils, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) to the south, fatally shot five people near the town’s boardwalk who had plowed into a group of tourists and locals with their blue Audi 3. Six people, including a police officer, were injured, though it wasn’t clear how badly. Catalonia’s interior minister, Joaquim Forn, told Onda Cero radio that the five suspects killed in a subsequent shootout with police were wearing fake bomb belts.” http://bit.ly/2wWlkfI

Story Continued Below

Good Friday morning. It is day 210 of Donald J. Trump’s presidency. He has another 1,251 days in his first term. There are 445 days until Election Day 2018.

PLAYBOOK ON THE ROAD — Matt Haller reading Playbook in Sea Island, Georgia at the Cloister http://politi.co/2vIWqkU … Chris Wilson of WPA Intelligence at the Sydney Westin http://politi.co/2vOWlKX … John Michael Gonzalez in Santa Fe, New Mexico http://politi.co/2vOlDck … Kurt Bardella in Napa http://politi.co/2fR2W3y … Winston Lord at the Jean Talon farmers market in little Italy in Montreal for a ‘baby moon’ he and his wife are on: http://politi.co/2wg7Myo

— OTHER READERS sent in pictures of themselves reading Playbook in Yangon, Myanmar, Legoland, California, Siem Reap, Cambodia, Shenzhen, China, Shanghai, Homer Spit, the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, the northern edge of Alaska, Alderney in the Channel Islands, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Maho Bay in St. John’s in U.S.V.I, the Yale Club in NYC and Cipriani Dolci at Grand Central Terminal. Send photos to Daniel daniel@politico.com, or Tweet photos with #PlaybookLoyal for a chance to be featured next week and be entered into a contest to win a signed Matt Wuerker cartoon. See the whole gallery of entries this week http://politi.co/2vIWqkU

**SUBSCRIBE to Playbook: http://politi.co/2lQswbh

STORY OF THE DAY — JOHN BRESNAHAN and RACHAEL BADE — “The agonizing, 8-page memo on how to chauffeur a congressman”: “Empty his trash. Always have hand sanitizer and gum at the ready. And don’t bother with ‘unnecessary conversation’ — the congressman doesn’t have time for your chit-chat. Demanding, high-maintenance bosses are notorious on Capitol Hill. The late Sen. Ted Kennedy’s staff had to walk his dog, poop pick-up and all. Former Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison made her male aides carry her purse. The latest addition to the list: Rep. Todd Rokita, an Indiana Republican running in one of next year’s most competitive Senate races.

“Who knew it could take eight pages of instructions on how to properly escort a member of Congress around his district? Yet there it is, laid out in mind-blowing detail, in a memo obtained by POLITICO that’s sure to make any young, eager-beaver political aide shudder. Tasks listed in the document, entitled ‘Instructions on Staffing and Driving — District Version,’ include handing Rokita a cup of black coffee upon picking him up at his home, acting as a physical barrier between him and trackers looking to capture embarrassing footage of the congressman, and ‘avoid[ing] sudden acceleration or braking’ while driving. ‘The goal is to provide as smooth a ride as possible,’ reads the instruction manual, co-authored by a former chief of staff to the congressman and Tim Edson, Rokita’s ex-communications director turned campaign spokesman.

“Drivers are expected to transport not only Rokita’s toothbrush and toothpaste but also stock and tote around the district a nearly 20-item supply box that Rokita’s staffers call ‘the football.’ The contents include gum, hand sanitizer, business cards, bottled water, napkins and Kleenex, Lozenges-brand cough drops, a stapler and stapler remover, Post-it notes and Shout wipes, among other items. …

“Asked about the memo, Rokita’s campaign spokesman Tim Edson wrote in an email that ‘there is nothing embarrassing about always being prepared.’ Edson blamed the leaked memo on his boss’ longtime nemesis, Rep. Luke Messer (R-Ind.), who’s running against Rokita for the GOP nomination to challenge Democratic incumbent Sen. Joe Donnelly.” http://politi.co/2v7xjEK … The memo http://bit.ly/2w8aR37

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — CHARLOTTESVILLE, STANDING UP TO TRUMP SEEPS INTO 2018 — MARK PUTNAM, the top-flight Democratic ad maker, has cut another ad for Amy McGrath, the Marine veteran running against Rep. Andy Barr in Kentucky. The spot — set at the end of a runway — talks about her fighter pilot service after 9/11. But she eventually says “There are times when politicians might have to make a difficult choice: do you stand with the president, or do you stand with the country? Right now is one of those times. Every Republican congressman and senator has to make a choice. Standing up to the president may not be what they signed up for, but when the president is in solidarity with white supremacists and Nazis, those members of Congress have to stand up and tell him he’s wrong.” … “That’s why I’m running for Congress against Andy Barr in Kentucky. He has yet to condemn the president on anything.” http://bit.ly/2wg0bjh

— THIS LINE OF ATTACK could be fruitful for Democrats who are looking to tie Trump to Republican lawmakers. So far, GOP operatives believe that Trump is his own brand apart from the Republican Party. If that changes, it could be a major drag on GOP incumbents in the 2018 midterms.

OVER TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT — SEN. JEFF FLAKE (R-Ariz.) in the NYT: “We Need Immigrants With Skills. But Working Hard Is a Skill”: “Someone recently said, ‘When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best.’ The man who said that never met Manuel Chaidez.” http://nyti.ms/2x9UUWZ

— IF YOU HADN’T GUESSED BY NOW, that someone Flake is referring to is President Donald Trump.

— @Team_Mitch: “Jeff Flake is an excellent Senator and a tireless advocate for Arizona and our nation. He has my full support. –MM”.

4TH ON-RECORD BANNON COMMENT IN 3 DAYS — “Trump embraces culture war with call to preserve Confederate statues,” by WaPo’s Bob Costa and David Nakamura: “Bannon — a hard-line nationalist whose position has been threatened in recent days by his clashes with moderate colleagues and his blunt remarks to a liberal magazine — has fiercely defended Trump in internal staff discussions, according to White House officials. In an email to The Washington Post on Thursday, Bannon said Democrats do not understand Trump and underestimate his appeal. ‘This past election, the Democrats used every personal attack, including charges of racism, against President Trump. He then won a landslide victory on a straightforward platform of economic nationalism,’ Bannon wrote. ‘As long as the Democrats fail to understand this, they will continue to lose. But leftist elites do not value history, so why would they learn from history?’” http://wapo.st/2w7RRSj

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): If you know only one fact about rising drug costs, know this one: drug makers set prices for prescription drugs. To help manage nearly double-digit price increases, employers, unions and government programs use PBMs to negotiate lower net prices to help curb costs for employers and patients. Learn more at affordableprescriptiondrugs.org ******

READ THIS ONE — “White House aides squirm at Trump’s rhetoric but stay put: Officials said they don’t expect anyone in the West Wing to resign, despite distaste for Trump’s Charlottesville comments,” by Annie Karni and Ben White: “National security adviser H.R. McMaster and his deputy, Dina Powell, have been unhappy with Trump’s rhetoric on race over the past week, according to a White House official. But neither of them is considering resigning — they have told people it is too serious and dangerous a moment in the world for them to simply walk away.” http://politi.co/2xah8rY

WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD — “The men and women who have joined the Trump Administration aren’t doing so because it enhances their reputations. They have no illusions about Mr. Trump’s character flaws, or if they did, they don’t any more. They are trying to serve their country. They know nearly 63 million Americans voted for Donald Trump, and that it does the country no good to root for a Presidency’s disintegration.

“They see a rare moment of united Republican government to move in a better direction on domestic policy. Or they want to correct the erosion of American power and influence that accelerated during the Obama years. But that task gets harder with every reckless Trumpian flight from normal presidential behavior. Every person has to decide how long he or she can serve in good conscience. But we hope the best stay as long as they can for the good of the country.” http://on.wsj.com/2vIYn0O

— “Gary Cohn stays put — for now — following Trump’s comments on Charlottesville,” by WaPo’s Damian Paletta and Renae Merle: “The White House on Thursday took the unusual step of saying that National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn would not resign, trying to contain the fallout from President Trump’s controversial comments about the deadly riot in Charlottesville over the weekend and his assertion that ‘very fine people’ were protesting alongside neo-Nazis. Cohn, who funded the Cohn Jewish Student Center at Kent State University in 2009, was mortified by Trump’s comments, three people close to him said, and he has been bombarded with calls from friends asking him if he will leave.

“Instead, the White House said that Cohn plans to stay put and focus on advancing Trump’s economic agenda. It was unclear, though, how long Cohn would remain in the job or if he is still a leading candidate to be nominated as the next chairman of the Federal Reserve.” http://wapo.st/2vOqYQC

— LUNCH WITH THE FT — STANLEY FISCHER on COHN: “Fischer declares that the current incumbent would be an ‘excellent choice’, pointing out that she has made the potentially market-unsettling process of unwinding Fed stimulus ‘sedate. She has done it very well.’ That said, Fischer says he likes Cohn, whom he used to sit next to at dinners thrown by Goldman Sachs during the IMF’s annual meetings. And he isn’t worried that Cohn is not an economist. ‘The chairman of an institution such as the Fed, one of the primary things he needs is the ability to judge the advice he is getting,’ he says.” http://on.ft.com/2fQVJRh

MORE CHARLOTTESVILLE REPUBLICAN REACTION …

— SEN. BOB CORKER (R-Tenn.) on POTUS, via Nooga.com: “The President has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful … He also recently has not demonstrated that he understand the character of this nation. He has not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today, and he’s got to demonstrate the characteristics of a president who understands that.” http://bit.ly/2xam3ck

— “Sen. [Tim] Scott says Trump’s ‘moral authority is compromised,’” by Vice’s Shawna Thomas: “‘I’m not going to defend the indefensible … [Trump’s] comments on Monday were strong. His comments on Tuesday started erasing the comments that were strong. What we want to see from our president is clarity and moral authority. And that moral authority is compromised when Tuesday happened. There’s no question about that.’ Scott added that the president hasn’t reached out to him to discuss Charlottesville.” http://bit.ly/2v73JPT

— ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER to ATTN: “I have a message to the Neo-Nazis, to the White Nationalists, and to the Neo-Confederates … Your heroes are losers. You are supporting a lost cause. And believe me, I knew the original Nazis, because you see, I was born in Austria in 1947, shortly after the Second World War. And growing up, I was surrounded by broken men, men who came home from a war filled with shrapnels and guilt, men who were misled into a losing ideology. And I can tell you: that these ghosts you idolize spent the rest of their lives living in shame and right now, they’re resting in hell.” http://bit.ly/2wgjVTT

TRUMP’S FRIDAY — THE PRESIDENT is heading to Camp David around 11 a.m. and arrives there at 12:15 p.m. He has a working lunch, then meets with the National Security Council. Trump heads back to his country club in Bedminster around 4:15 p.m.

TRUMP INC. — “Three fundraising giants cancel plans for galas at Mar-a-Lago,” by WaPo’s Drew Harwell and David Fahrenthold: “The American Cancer Society, a high-dollar client at the club since at least 2009, cited its ‘values and commitment to diversity’ in a statement on its decision to move an upcoming fundraising gala. Another longtime Mar-a-Lago customer, the Cleveland Clinic, abruptly changed course on its winter event only days after saying it planned to continue doing business at Mar-a-Lago, a leading venue for charitable events in the posh resort town. The American Friends of Magen David Adom, which raises money for Israel’s equivalent of the Red Cross, also said it would not hold its 2018 gala at the club ‘after considerable deliberation,’ though it did not give a reason. The charity had one of Mar-a-Lago’s biggest events last season, with about 600 people in attendance.” http://wapo.st/2vIY85I

HACKED — “Online activist group Anonymous posts what it says are private contact details for 22 GOP members of Congress,” by WaPo’s Todd Frankel and Craig Timberg: “A group affiliated with the online activist group known as Anonymous Thursday posted what it says are the private cellphone numbers and email addresses for 22 Republican members of Congress in a bid to push for President Trump’s impeachment, reigniting the use of hacked information in U.S. political battles.” http://wapo.st/2wVwQrH

HOUSE CHIEF DEPUTY WHIP PATRICK MCHENRY: SCALISE HAS TO RELEARN TO WALK — Gaston Gazette: “McHenry: This has been a challenging year for us as Americans. Let’s just be honest about it. Two months ago, I saw somebody who so hated the president of the United States that he shot my friends that were out playing baseball at 7 o’clock one morning. And my friend Steve Scalise got shot that morning. I saw him Monday night, he’s recovering well. He’s got to re-learn to walk as a result of it, two months later. He has a long road ahead. But he is good, sound mentally, emotionally, spiritually, encouraging. But I saw my friend get shot because somebody so hated the president that he wanted to take it out on Republicans.” http://bit.ly/2vIU71t

FOR YOUR RADAR — “Mattis says a decision is closer on strategy for Afghanistan,” by AP’s Robert Burns: “After months of sometimes heated internal debate, the Trump administration has almost reached a decision on a new approach for fighting the 16-year-old war in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Thursday. He gave no hint of what the strategy would look like. In remarks at the State Department, Mattis told reporters President Donald Trump will confer with his national security team Friday at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, and said the talks ‘will move this toward a decision.’ ‘We are coming very close to a decision, and I anticipate it in the very near future,’ he added.” http://bit.ly/2vOfufU

HMM — “Pentagon Forces Out Popular Press Spokesman,” by Foreign Policy’s Dan De Luce and Paul McLeary: “The Defense Department has parted ways with a senior media adviser who had years of experience working with reporters, a move that is sure to aggravate the administration’s already difficult relations with the press corps. The abrupt departure of Steve Warren, an Army colonel who established a rapport with Pentagon correspondents over the course of his career, coincides with broader complaints raised by journalists about how the department is providing information and handling media access to Defense Secretary James Mattis. …

“Dana White, the assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, played a key role in Warren’s departure, current and former officials told Foreign Policy. In an emailed statement, White said Warren became ineligible for the position due to White House objections. … Several reporters who had committed to travel with Mattis to the Middle East were informed late Monday — just four days before they were to leave — that they had been disinvited from the trip. This follows a pattern that has become increasingly common under Mattis, where reporters who have completed their visa paperwork and made plans to take multi-day international travel were told they were no longer welcome, with little explanation.” http://atfp.co/2vIPIeQ

— REUTERS: “Top U.S. general reaffirms commitment to Japan amid North Korea tensions,” by Tim Kelly in Tokyo: Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joe Dunford “restated Washington’s ‘ironclad commitment’ to the security of its close Asian ally, Japan, on Friday amid regional tensions over North Korea, telling his counterpart in Tokyo that ‘an attack on one is an attack on both of us.’” http://reut.rs/2uVV3g9

THE JUICE …

— STEVEN MNUCHIN is facing new calls to step down from the administration. More than 250 of Mnuchin’s fellow Yale class of 1985 alumni have written an open letter pushing him to resign. “We call upon you, as our friend, our classmate, and as a fellow American, to resign in protest of President Trump’s support of Nazism and white supremacy. We know you are better than this, and we are counting on you to do the right thing.” The letter http://bit.ly/2vIIreR

— NYT’s MAGGIE HABERMAN: “James Murdoch, Rebuking Trump, Pledges $1 Million to Anti-Defamation League”: “In an email on Thursday, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times and confirmed as authentic by a spokesman for Mr. Murdoch’s company, the Fox scion gave an extraordinarily candid statement against the white supremacist sentiment that swept through Virginia last weekend. It was also the most outspoken that a member of the Murdoch family has been in response to the week’s events. …

“‘I’m writing to you in a personal capacity, as a concerned citizen and a father. It has not been my habit to widely offer running commentary on current affairs, nor to presume to weigh in on the events of a given day save those that might be of particular or specific concern to 21CF and my colleagues,’ he wrote. ‘But what we watched this last week in Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the President of the United States concern all of us as Americans and free people.’

“He added: ‘These events remind us all why vigilance against hate and bigotry is an eternal obligation — a necessary discipline for the preservation of our way of life and our ideals. The presence of hate in our society was appallingly laid bare as we watched swastikas brandished on the streets of Charlottesville and acts of brutal terrorism and violence perpetrated by a racist mob. I can’t even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists. Democrats, Republicans, and others must all agree on this, and it compromises nothing for them to do so.’” http://nyti.ms/2wVwgtK … The email http://nyti.ms/2vIVNYG

CLICKER — TINA FEY, a University of Virginia graduate, gives her thoughts on Charlottesville in a special NBC SNL “Weekend Update” http://bit.ly/2ibG9Aq

TV TONIGHT – Bob Costa’s guests on PBS’ “Washington Week”: Geoff Bennett of NPR, Shawna Thomas of VICE News, Michael Scherer of TIME Magazine and Molly Ball of The Atlantic.

MARK LERNER RECOVERING FROM CANCER — “Read the letter from Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner to The Post regarding his bout with cancer” http://wapo.st/2w8hpyB

PHOTO DU JOUR: Workers use a crane to lift a monument dedicated to former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney after it was was removed from outside Maryland State House, in Annapolis, Md. on Aug. 18. | Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo

TALKER — NEW YORKER COVER — “Blowhard,” by David Plunkert, who rarely does work on politics, shows Trump alone in a sailboat, with the sail looking like a KKK hood. “President Trump’s weak pushback to hate groups — as if he was trying not to alienate them as voters — compelled me to take up my pen,” he said. http://bit.ly/2uWmxlJ

FIRST PERSON — “I Voted for Trump. And I Sorely Regret It,” by Julius Krein in the NYT: “I supported the Republican in dozens of articles, radio and TV appearances, even as conservative friends and colleagues said I had to be kidding. As early as September 2015, I wrote that Mr. Trump was ‘the most serious candidate in the race.’ … I saw the decline in this country — its weak economy and frayed social fabric — and I thought Mr. Trump’s willingness to move past partisan stalemates could begin a process of renewal. It is now clear that my optimism was unfounded. I can’t stand by this disgraceful administration any longer, and I would urge anyone who once supported him as I did to stop defending the 45th president. Far from making America great again, Mr. Trump has betrayed the foundations of our common citizenship. And his actions are jeopardizing any prospect of enacting an agenda that might restore the promise of American life.” http://nyti.ms/2uVWDyn

RAHM EMANUEL appeared on “The Axe Files” with David Axelrod, talking about Trump, Charlottesville, Sessions, immigration, 2018 midterms, and more. Podcast: http://cnn.it/2vOnHRn … CNN story: http://cnn.it/2v73wMt

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): Pharmacy benefit managers negotiate the lowest net price for prescriptions on behalf of employers and other health care purchasers; however, the list price – the important starting point for those negotiations — continues to rise, at a rate of nearly ten percent in 2016 alone. Increased competition, faster reviews of generics and biosimilars and ending anti-competitive practices can also bring down the cost of medications for patients. Learn more at affordableprescriptiondrugs.org ******

BUSINESS BURST — “AT&T-Time Warner Deal, an Early Trump Target, Reaches Advanced Stage,” by WSJ’s Drew FitzGerald and Joe Flint: “The government review of AT&T Inc.’s $85 billion takeover of Time Warner Inc. has reached an advanced stage, people close to the situation said, a significant milestone in a deal that was closely watched for signs of how the Trump administration would view large mergers. The deal’s regulatory review has hit a late-stage point where AT&T lawyers are discussing merger conditions with the Justice Department, the people said. The review process has reached that point despite a vacant seat atop the department’s antitrust division. An approval could underscore the administration’s pro-business credentials at a time when President Donald Trump’s ties with America’s CEOs are under severe stress.” http://on.wsj.com/2wgazYa

CAPITOL FILE GETS POLITICAL — Politics meets pop-culture in Capitol File’s fall issue. Under guest editor Marissa Mitrovich’s leadership, the D.C. magazine looks at political fashion via global fashion authority Ken Downing and showcases a snapshot of lawmakers with social media savvy. Former Obama speechwriter David Litt talks about his new memoir and operatives Jimmy Williams and Doug Heye pen a bipartisan piece on Congress post-August recess. The magazine http://bit.ly/2i8VMIN

THE PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW: DAVID SKORTON, SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN

David Skorton, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, warms up on his flute before joining a rehearsal with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra at Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in 2015. | Andrew Harnik/AP Photo

Smithsonian Secretary David Skorton initially thought a search firm had the wrong mail merge when he was contacted about the position more than two years ago. “To this day it is possible they did have the wrong mail merge,” he joked in an interview with Playbook in his office in the Smithsonian Castle last week. “I guess they couldn’t get their first 26 candidates.” The cardiologist and former president of Cornell and University of Iowa just passed the two-year mark at his newest job, where he is charged with overseeing the institute’s museums, national zoo and partnerships with over 200 affiliate museums across the country.

Skorton, who helped celebrate the Smithsonian’s 171st anniversary last week, said that while the scientific and historical aspects are perhaps the most known, the arts are just as crucial a part of the institution’s mission: “I didn’t want to use a stethoscope to make a living, I wanted to use this,” he said, pointing to a flute he keeps in his office next to his desk. “That’s my advocation. I spend a lot of time on music. I feel like I come partly from the arts in my heart.”

More highlights…

ON PUBLIC SKEPTICISM OF SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS: “Concern by the scientific community that the public does not either grasp or believe the results of science is nothing new. … As unpopular as this may be with my fellow scientists, I think it is largely our responsibility, the scientists’ responsibility, because we don’t emphasize dissemination of scientific information to the public in a form it can be digested by non-specialists … [and we don’t explain] how the method works. The scientific method is a self-correcting endeavor, and scientists are professional skeptics. … We really need to spend more time … being an interface between the sometimes very obscure areas of work that we do … and the general public, even the broadly educated public who just don’t happen to come from a science background. … I think both science and the media have in a sense failed the American public by not making that stuff more digestible.”

ON FOSTERING PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS: “One of the things that the Smithsonian has done, in a way that wasn’t organized across the institution, is to convene conversations for and among the public on issues that are troubling. We’re not policymakers, we’re not regulators. We’re in an industry that’s still trusted in America. Americans trust libraries, archives, museums. I think [we’re] bringing together that trust that the public has in us and our capabilities of bringing people together. … We started a website called Smithsonian Second Opinion, and I’ll convene panel discussions and try hard to get the panelists across the spectrum of opinion. … We’re going to do this every three or so months. We’re about to record the second one on immigration, the third one which will be just a few months from now, which will be entitled something like ‘does art matter?’ That’s another way in which we’re going to parly what I hope is continuing trust that the American public has in the Smithsonian.” The first Second Opinion on climate change http://bit.ly/2uW8b3U

–Read more from Skorton on the Smithsonian’s work with the D.C. community and his favorite artifacts http://politi.co/2fRMcZW

SPOTTED: #NeverTrump-ers Katie Pavlich, Guy Benson and Michelle Fields arriving at the Aruba airport yesterday and heading toward the Ritz-Carlton.

SPOTTED IN SAN FRANCISCO at a TechNet young professional happy hour last night for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) at Microsoft on Market Street: Gideon Lett, Tucker Bounds, Davis White, Katie Biber, Blain Rethmeier, Carolyn Glanville, Jackie Rooney, Duf Sundheim, Vikrum Aiyer, Kate O’Sullivan, Amelia McLear, Jamie Corley.

SUNDAY SO FAR – CBS’ “Face the Nation”: Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) … Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). … president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund Sherrilyn Ifill, co-founder of Life After Hate Christian Picciolini and Vice’s Elle Reeve. Political panel: Jamelle Bouie, Jeffrey Goldberg, Julie Pace, and Reihan Salam

— “Fox News Sunday”: Charlie Hurt, Bob Woodward, Gillian Turner, Juan Williams

— CNN’s “State of the Union”: Bakari Sellers, Rick Santorum, Nina Turner, Rep. Scott Taylor (R-Va.)

— CNN’s “Inside Politics,” guest-hosted by Nia-Malika Henderson: Julie Pace, Mike Bender, Michael Warren, Jackie Calmes

WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Amanda Brown Lierman, political and organizing director at the DNC and Kyle Lierman, founder and CEO of Civic Advisors, email friends and family: “Amanda and I are excited to introduce you to Belle Brown Lierman!! We are still at GW Hospital where the staff have been incredible. Amanda was a hero during the birth and her and Belle are both in good health and resting peacefully. Thanks to all of you for your prayers, support and guidance along this journey. We’ll be heading back to Maryland tomorrow, and we can’t wait to introduce her to the whole village soon!” Pic http://bit.ly/2wfNpkV

— Hastie Afkhami, SVP and head of digital at the Podesta Group, and Dr. Amir Afkhami, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and associate professor of global health at GW and a former Robert Wood Johnson health policy fellow for Sen. Stabenow, post on Facebook: “Leela Eleanor Afkhami joined our family on August 15th at 4:30 a.m. Named after one of her mother’s favorite flowers, Leela is the Farsi name for the lilac flower. Leela’s middle name pays homage to her father and mother’s love of history and the many strong and wise Eleanors who have transformed the world for the better. Aryana can’t wait to introduce all of our friends and family to her little sister!” Pic http://politi.co/2uOGvCZ … Big sister Aryana meeting Leela http://politi.co/2v755tP

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Austan Goolsbee, professor of economics at UChicago and former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, is 48. How he’s celebrating: “I’m on vacation in Oregon with my wife and our 3 kids. We are closing out with the solar eclipse on Monday. The family got me a present of a three hour SUP downwinder through the Columbia River Gorge which should be #amazeballs.* *h/t the kids”. Read his Playbook Plus Q&A: http://politi.co/2fQdiAS

BIRTHDAYS: Jason Furman, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and former chairman of the WH Council of Economic Advisers, is 47 … Tim Geithner, president of Warburg Pincus, is 56 … Rosalynn Carter is 9-0 … Bob Woodruff is 56 … Obama alum Jon Lovett, co-host of “Pod Save America,” host of “Lovett or Leave It” and founder of Crooked Media … Dr. Darryl Walker … Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) is 64 … Cara Mason (hat tip: Sean Spicer) … Paris Dennard, CNN commentator … Holly Kuzmich, executive director of the George W. Bush Institute and SVP at the George W. Bush Presidential Center … Mark Edwards, chocolatier at Edward Marc Chocolatier, is 36 … former Providence mayor Angel Taveras is 47 … Louisa Terrell … Lee Kamlet … Scott Haber … Meera Kallupura … Lincoln Foran, VP at J.P. Morgan … Gerry Wallace is 77 … Politico alums Bill Tomson and Ethan Melnick … Megan Scully …

… Felipe Calderon, the former president of Mexico, is 55 (h/t Jorge Guajardo) … Simone Pathe, senior politics reporter at Roll Call … Jeffrey Hiday, director of media relations at RAND Corporation … David Fishman, managing director and partner at Global Gateway Advisors in New York (h/t Arlette Saenz) … Elizabeth “Lizzy” Letter, oversight counsel for the ranking member at Senate HELP committee (h/t Osaremen Fortune Okolo) … WSJ and NJ alum Martin Vaughn … Kristi Slafka Brannan … Connie Hair … Betsy Stark … Gab Forsyth … J.P. Duffy … Matt Chandler … Elizabeth Metraux … Haley Graves … Luke Mitchem … Lou Ventre … Jordan Baugh … Shaun Sahloff … Elizabeth Hart … Emily D’Antonio … William McCormick … Dan Sullivan, founder and managing director of Montrose Advisors … Chris Black … Lauren Smith … Kim Haddow, the queen of New Orleans … Beth Grupp, spending her day making the world a better place for everyone … Pat Heinz-Pribyl … Pam Houston … Jua Johnson … Margaret Planner … Bob Dvorsky (h/ts Teresa Vilmain)

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): The high prices that drug makers set for prescription drugs can put financial strain on patients, employers, unions and others who provide health care coverage to more than 50 percent of Americans. Pharmacy benefit managers negotiate the lowest net price for prescriptions on behalf of employers, unions and government programs. But, as list prices – the starting point for those negotiations — continue their nearly double-digit increases, the effects ripple throughout the system. The key to ensuring greater access and affordability lies in fostering greater competition. Facilitating faster reviews of generics and biosimilars, identifying off-patent drugs with little or no generic competition, and ending anti-competitive practices that keep safe, effective alternatives out of the market are also key to abating rising drug costs for patients. Learn more at affordableprescriptiondrugs.org ******

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CORRECTION: An earlier item said Ben Domenech was spotted at the Aruba airport on his way to the Ritz-Carlton. He was not part of the group that is there.

Original Source link

from CapitalistHQ.com https://capitalisthq.com/another-attack-in-spain-bannon-unleashed-4th-interview-in-3-days-w-h-aides-stay-put-but-mcmaster-and-powell-arent-happy-bday-austan-goolsbee/

[apsbicepstraining]

For Republican Press, The Post-Trump Reckoning Can’t Come Soon Enough

During the 1990 s , no one had a guide quite like The American Spectator. The conservative magazine’s clout flourished after a series of crucial investigations into Bill and Hillary Clinton on topics like Troopergate and Paula Jones. Circulation jumped from approximately 150,000 in late 1993 to roughly 300,000 a few months later. Its high-profile reporter, David Brock, became a veritable wizard.

In cahoots with wealthy Republicans, the editors saw of a channel to capitalize on the magazine’s success. They dubbed it the “Arkansas Project” referred after the territory which Clinton had governed. But as quickly as affluence passed, it has started to scatter. As be noted in a lengthy piece for The Atlantic by Byron York, the publication embarked dipping in conspiracies. It was accused of paying off a key witness to the Whitewater investigation. Credibility began to vanish, dissemination passed and the magazine’s financial stability became less certain.

Decades afterwards, the Spectator remains alive. But its influence is felt more as a cautionary fable than a mover of information and mind. On the day it was announced that the CEO of another envelope-pushing, conspiracy-peddling conservative outlet Breitbart News was heading over to run Donald Trump’s presidential expedition, the similarities were inescapable.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve ensure something happen when a republican media shop destroyed greater credibility, ” Mark Hemingway, a senior scribe for The Weekly Standard, replied of Breitbart.

Even Brock , now a prominent Hillary Clinton supporter, couldn’t escape the similarities. Breitbart “is the tip of the bayonet for lunatic anti-Clinton pseudo-scandals and scheme thoughts,[ and] has perfected the form of writing publicity under the semblance of’ reporting’ like an electronic Arkansas Project, ” he pronounced. But whereas his old recur respected some traditional boundaries, he couldn’t say the same of the present incarnation.

“Imagine the Spectator taking over a GOP presidential safarus ?!!? ” he wrote.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Now a Clinton supporter, Brock stirred his refer in conservative press. He determines some similarities with what’s happening today in the media.

The success of Donald Trump’s presidential expedition, be complemented by a civil battle within republican media over his candidacy, was bound to produce a post-election computation. Breitbart’s Steve Bannon’s ascension from anti-establishment bomb-thrower to head of the Republican presidential campaign essentially the establishment has only accelerated the process.

“There are a lot of people who will forever be tarred by their support for Donald Trump, and surely Breitbart News is going to be part of that campaign, ” told Amanda Carpenter, a former meridian staffer to Sen. Ted Cruz( R-Texas) and a CNN commentator. “In one mode, I hope that these alt right websites all jump on board the Trump campaign so we can have a clear referendum on who has real credibility and who doesn’t.”

Added Hemingway: “There are elements of the recreation offstage of the Republican Party that need to be dealt with. The Sean Hannitys of “the worlds” would not be missed if they had a less huge pulpit than they do now.”

Few could convey sincere sicken over the Bannon news. The locate has long been a Trump cheerleader( although it was founder felt a little bit differently ). And Trump has rewarded it in kind with divulges, interviews and a mimicking of its self-described “populist, nationalist” style. The pertain, instead, lies in the legitimization that Breitbart and others like it receive by being granted the thought seat at the proverbial counter.

“There are a lot more racist and naive parties in America that are now on the Internet, ” added Kurt Bardella, a Republican agent who served two years as a Breitbart spokesman before quitting over the site’s devotion to Trump. “I’m not remarking all people from any particular ideology are racist or naive. What I’m saying is that if you’re racist or ignorant you are probably a Breitbart reader.”

Robin Marchant via Getty Images

Steve Bannon has started from loping Breitbartto pate the Trump campaign.

The alt-right media movement, embraced on Breitbart, surely has dipped in conspiracy theories and racist tropes. And that hasn’t become unnoticed by conservative novelists who fuss about a broader stigmatization of their craft. But what concerns them too is that the alt-right has created what is in essence an un-reality in which their nominee of selection is simply hampered by squishy Republicans and not his own frailties.

“Steve Bannon certainly, absolutely seems to believe this idea that we’re on this cusp of this transformative political awake. There’s this nascent national populist gesture out there that is going to supplant traditional limited authority conservatism and be the next kind of enormous rouse, the next great political change, ” did National Review senior editor Jonah Goldberg.

“He believes it, or at least I take him at his term he believes that substance, ” he prolonged. “Trump surely has a lot of adherents who believe that stuff. I think it is all bullshit. Which is not to say some of the things that motivate Trump supporters are illegitimate or not worth attaches great importance to. But this idea that there is a majority defendant in its own country that is going to be patriot of the sort of Le Pen variety, I just think is nonsense.”

This idea that there is a majority party in this country that is going to be nationalist of the sort of Le Pen variety, I just think is nonsense. National Review’s Jonah Goldberg

But if traditional conservative media is hoping for a imagine, there is concern that the conditions might not be ripe. Unlike when William F. Buckley exercised the National Review to oust the Republican Party of members of the John Birch Society half a century ago, there is no expert chassis to bring about the cleansing this time around. If anything, TV and radio multitudes with some of the largest audiences in the conservative media universe are largely Trump allies. And unlike when the Spectator experienced its audience refuse, the modern media landscape with its easy places of access and low-toned prohibits for enter makes it harder today to punish seen bad actors.

“There is nobody who has either the statutory authority or the moral authority to police the right, ” supposed Matt Lewis, who examined the republican media echo assembly and where the Republican Party had strayed from the Reagan era in his most recent volume, Too Dumb To Fail . “And so that’s not going to happen overnight. It’s not going to be abruptly the adults show up and take over and take the bad actors and pressure them to sit in the reces. That party doesn’t exist, and if he did exist , nobody would listen.”

The motivations “are all perverse, ” Lewis added. There may be a plaza for the “last honest humanity on earth” to call out the alt-right, but the number of jobs is “not incredibly profitable.”

Not everyone is pessimistic about what the future has in store for the conservative press. Even with the ascendance of Breitbart, there remain highly capable shops and respected reporters within that universe. And if awareness-raising campaigns ends in a fashion that most expect with a loss of massive amounts for the Republican nominee the biggest Trump cheerleaders will be called to project. Some, like Hannity immediately after the 2012 election, may explain how their views progressed. But even then, those intended to purge the members of the movement of the people they belief have coopted it will have a bit of ammunition.

“I look forward to that pushed after the election, ” answered Goldberg. “I think it’s going to take place in hundreds of thousands of different places. It’s going to take places in periodicals, and in talk radio, and on college campuses and all the residual. And that’s a fight. And if you’re conservative and you’re not willing to have that contend, you might as well hang up your cleats and going to go. That’s sort of why we’re here.”

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