munofmanyminds

[munofmanyminds]

The nervous little laugh didn't sway him. Neither did the wide set of her eyes. He wanted her off balance; unsettled, intimidated. So his stare didn't waver. It remained fixed; a silent , deliberate weight pressing against her. Inexpressive. Cold. Aloof, even. The way a god might regard a mouse in his path - deciding idly whether to let it scurry along or smite it, simply because he could.

"No?" he mused, tone deceptively light considering the oppressive air in the room. Like the god was amused now, callously so, watching the mouse make a pitiful, futile attempt at escape. "Are you sure about that?" To be fair, the girl hadn't said or done anything that openly suggested she remembered him - but Logan was just arrogant enough to find the opposite scenario unlikely.

He watched with effortless patience as Elena seemed to startle awake, scrambling to do as prompted.

"Logan's fine," he interjected smoothly, voice as detached as his expression, when she stumbled over formalities. He didn't care much for antiquated customs. Everyone in the office called him Logan. Not because there was no hierarchy - there was, and it was steep - but because he didn't believe in enforcing it through honorifics. Titles were stiff, inefficient. A poor match for the lean organisation he'd built. He preferred control to come through competence and presence.

He stood as she finished speaking and rounded the desk.

"May I?" The question was perfunctory - rhetorical, really: he didn't wait for permission. Instead, he leaned down and relieved her of the stack of binders resting awkwardly in her lap, setting them neatly on the corner of his desk. Then, with the calm of someone moving a piece across a chessboard, he slid a single folder from its space beside his laptop into the open spot in front of her.

"You signed the standard NDA when you were hired," he began, glancing at her once more. "But that only covers what happens during your time here." He flipped the folder open with quiet precision, then placed a pen atop the document inside. Straightening to his full height beside her, he added, "This is an addendum, Elena. It extends the NDA's terms to include anything you may have come to know about the company, or, more specifically," a brief pause, sharp and intentional, "about me, prior to your employment."

He nodded toward the page. "You're here to sign it."

ELENA WAS STUNNED STILL , standing like a portrait of nerves draped in business casual . she hadn't been turned to stone by anything he had said or done , but from the way logan looked at her . was looking at her . his expression didn't show any sign of recognition , any inkling of remembrance , and elena swallowed hard and offered a laugh at his question . it wasn't a flirty or playful one — what he had said hadn't even been funny — instead it was anxious . like she were covering up some kind of secret and he was on the cusp of outing her . in a way , that was somewhat true .

" i'm , , , not sure what else it could be , " she confessed , though she was lying right through her teeth ; porcelain clamped tight to keep her tongue caged and stop her from crawling on her knees towards him . begging him — her fucking BOSS — to drive into her until she couldn't think straight . just like he had done at the airport .

she perked at the command , blinking herself out of the trance she had worked herself into , at the use of her name , and swiftly — well , not necessarily swiftly , still balancing the amass of documents in her arms — moved to one of the chairs . after sitting down and clearing her throat , adjusting mousey brown curls , elena took logan in from what she could see above the desk . god , he looked hot . she pressed her thighs together , crossing her feet at the ankles , offering an airy smile . the picturesque display of a girl with a secret .

after growing restless with her contribution to the silence ; " sir , mr. rourke , uh , , , boss — this isn't about my , , , performance , is it ?? " an earnest question that was coupled with the fluttering of her heart's wings , the buzzing of adrenaline in her sternum . elena adjusted the documents and binders in her lap , distracting her hands that wanted to reach across his desk and pull on his tie . pull him to her , near her , inside of her . get a grip , elena !!

" look — whatever you're going to say , , , please , i really need this job . you don't understand how bad i need it . "

[munofmanyminds]

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

It was the one word that kept echoing through his mind as Dakota spoke — because he fucking felt it. All of it. Every word landed, tearing through him. Clawing almost viciously at his gut, his chest - every inch of him sore, aching. Too much. He couldn't blame her - wouldn't even if he could. He knew, somewhere deep down, where he stored all the shit he refused to look at, that this was his fault. He could've been clearer. Should've kept those professional boundaries fully intact. But he hadn't.

He'd let her in. A little at a time. Every time she let down her guard, peeled away that bright, brittle mask of confidence, he'd caved a little more.

And now, here they were.

Victor's fingers curled tighter around the railing until it felt like the wood itself might groan beneath the strain. Like it could splinter under the weight of whatever the hell had taken hold of him. Or tear, at least, in solidarity - as he did. It didn't, of course. Never would. He was only human, after all. But fuck. He closed his eyes. Shook his head. Unable to speak - not as she dug in deeper.

What the hell was he supposed to say to any of this? She wasn't wrong. There was no defence. No neat fix. Or rather… there was. But only if he was willing to carry the weight of that choice. And he wasn't sure he was. Not yet. Not like this. For what felt like forever, Victor stood there - back still turned to her, body still and locked, the muscles of his shoulders and arms pulled tight like wire. Tight enough that it was a wonder he still looked remotely human.

Then finally, he drew a breath. Long and measured. Like dragging life into stone. He released the railing. Took a step back. And turned around. Slowly, deliberately, his eyes found her. Landed on the watery shimmer of hers. His features were mild; neutral, but not cold or guarded. Just bare. He settled his hips against the railing, dug his hands into his pockets.

"Honest?" His voice cut the quiet, echoing that one important word, the tone low, flat, but not without feeling. "You deserve more. Something a whole lot better than whatever the hell it is I can give you."

" RIGHT , " dakota replies , words filling the pregnant silence she had let bloom between them after he had defended his morals . his persona . she sets the cigarette down , then her torso leans in the opposite direction of the creek , dropping back until it landed on the worn wood with a gentle thud . honey blonde hair acts as a blanket beneath her head , a canopy of lavender clouds streaking the twilight sky , creek frogs chirping noisily nearby . she stares blankly upwards , noticing him in her peripheral , hating how her throat crawls up into her throat like a barn cat that had found a warm corner to nestle in . a place to escape the rain .

then , her mouth opens ; " you don't lie to me , , , but only by not telling me things . you want boundaries , personal space , and yet you follow me when i give it to you . you say you have a conscience , yet won't tell me why you're really here . " her voice is flat , observant , any emotion that would have otherwise made the words tremble having been exhausted already .

she frowns . " maybe i'm an idiot . maybe i was STUPID to think that you saw me differently than everyone else because , , , because maybe you don't and — and that's fine . it's fine if you don't , victor , i'm used to it . "

finally , dakota turns her head to look at him , salty gloss making hazels glitter like two , polished marbles . " but i just want you to be honest with me , because clearly i dont understand what you want and it's , , , it's exhausting . for someone hellbent on rejecting me , you seem incapable of telling me no . " she sits up, folding her legs to her chest , her eyes sewn to his . unwavering ; " so , which is it victor ?? and i want a real answer or , , , or i'm not going with you . "

[munofmanyminds]

am i turned on by pain or am i turned on by the fact that someone wants to hurt me

[munofmanyminds]

maia reficco like/reblog 🌟

[munofmanyminds]

[munofmanyminds]

[munofmanyminds]

@tenderflcsh

Guys I’m gonna absolutely fucking loose it when I see This movie - He’s so older bf coded

[munofmanyminds]

[munofmanyminds]

[munofmanyminds]

CHRIS HEMSWORTH attends the Met Gala (May 06, 2024)

[munofmanyminds]

He'd been trying - in his own way - to let her know he gave a damn about her. Even if he couldn't give her what she wanted. That's why he'd said it. Why he'd let that last sentence slip. A band-aid, maybe, on the wounds he'd inflicted. But her response, that bitter little thanks, made it crystal clear it wasn't enough. Not right now.

His brows pulled tighter, shifting into a frown. His thumb stilled on the edge of his index finger. Then, tipping his chin slightly, he turned his head and let his gaze drop to where she sat beside him. He couldn't see much from this angle - just her outline, the subtle sway of her legs where they hung off the edge of the bridge. "Alright," he said quietly, a calm concession. Letting her have this one. If she didn't want to go yet, he wouldn't push, wouldn't force the issue this time. He had time to spare for her.

But her question - and the quiet sting of what followed - gave him pause. Partly because of the tone of those words, partly because of their meaning. The implications. He straightened slowly, unfurling his body and pressing both palms flat to the railing. His gaze drifted back to the horizon. Fingers curled around worn oak - not tight, but firm; grounding. Was that how she saw him? As someone cold and callous? And if so, why the hell would she want him?

"I do have a conscience, Dakota," he said at last. The words came tight. Clipped. Locked around something heavier - something that wouldn't survive the light of day.

DAKOTA FELT HER BROWS DRAW TOGETHER , TONGUE FORKED AND READY TO STRIKE . something mean , something childlike , something defensive — she wanted to YELL at him . it wasn't his fault , but it was . he had been sending her mixed signals from the beginning — and now , he had gotten upset with her when she pushed boundaries , but chased her when she ran away . so ; she couldn't stay , but he wouldn't let her leave , , , dakota closed her eyes , drawing in a breath , frowning .

" thanks , " it was bitter , dry . ungrateful . was she supposed to swoon because he had decide to do something nice ?? because he felt guilty ?? she didn't even know if that was true .

" i'm not going back yet , " dakota said , spoken so quietly words were barely at a decibel one could hear . she pressed the cigarette into the wood of the bridge , the rotted oak hissing in greeting of its lit face , ashen smoke curling in a tighter spiral from where she crushed it down to the filter .

" do you feel bad or something ?? " she asked , eyes fixated on where cigarette met wood , words clipped , meant to be both a jab at him and an earnest question . " — can't say i ever found myself imagining you with a guilty conscience . "

[munofmanyminds]

He didn't look down at her when he spoke. Not even when she acknowledged his statement with quiet agreement. His eyes stayed fixed on the horizon - on some insignificant point that didn't fully register. The scent of smoke lingered sharp in the crisp evening air, curling from the cigarette between her fingers. He breathed in through his nose, dragging that tainted air into his lungs until his chest visibly expanded. Then exhaled, slow and measured, letting it slip from between slightly parted lips.

This was the kind of shit Victor had never learned to navigate. Not really. He'd never stuck around long enough for anything to get this complicated - or, more accurately, for him to have to feel the consequences when it did. She wasn't the first woman he'd driven to tears. Not by a long shot. But usually, he was already out the door, already shipping out, already cutting ties.

His jaw shifted slightly, brows pinched. He let the silence after her words drag out just a touch too long; long enough for doubt to settle into the space he'd left. He dragged his gaze up toward the moon, pale and distant in the darkening sky, as his thumb traced along the edge of his opposite index finger. A gesture to steady him, perhaps, or distract him from what kept clawing at him.

Then, with something gentler curling around the gruff edge of his voice; "I do." A brief pause as his gaze shifted to the trees beyond. "But I didn't have to come here myself for that."

VICTOR SHOWING UP DIDN'T SURPRISE HER . in fact , the only thing she truly questioned about his arrival was how long it had taken him . dakota's chin rested atop one of the rungs lining the bridge's railing , bare feet swinging as if they could graze the still water that sat like a sheet of reflecting glass beneath her . the light from the moon refracted off of it , making hazel eyes almost seem to glow despite the blanket of night that had finally settled . dakota had been counting the number of stars she could see in the water . now that he was here , she couldn't remember what number she was on .

dakota tapped her manicured pointer against the cigarette poised between itself and her middle finger , having yet to take a drag from it despite the fact the stick of tobacco ( stolen from one of her many guards ) was half burnt through . ash fluttered like petals from the lit end , caught by the gentle breeze that brushed past and made heated cheeks , sticky with salty residue , feel cool .

she doesn't shift hazels from where they were focused on the water — a pool of deep , black ink . she could see his reflection not far from her own , and her heart quivers with the remnants of betrayal ; a feeling that had yet to dampen . she wants to throw a rock at his reflection . watch his features ripple away . " yeah , " is all she can think to say , voice quiet . he was just doing his job . she turns her head so her cheek is rested on the railing , lashes fluttering as if she may fall asleep there . " — but that's not why you're here . you're here because you have to take me home . "

[munofmanyminds]

A CLOSED starter for @tenderflcsh ft. VICTOR NAVARRO & DAKOTA SANDERLIN

The man - Benn - who'd been following Dakota for the last few hours, ever since she'd crawled out of her bedroom window to get away from him, had kept his distance. Made sure not to let the girl see or feel him. Victor had given clear instructions on that front. The objective wasn't to corner her; it was to let her react. To let her feel what she needed to feel - without interference. She needed to believe she was actually alone for once. So he'd given her that, carefully, while keeping her safe.

It was getting darker when Victor made his way to the park. The sun had already begun its slow descent, casting long shadows across the grass.

He found her on the bridge by the creek, feet dangling over the edge, her eyes fixed on the water below. He didn't need to get close to see the damage he'd done; the redness, the puffiness. The unmistakable evidence of tears. Not surprising, given the way she'd run from him earlier. And yet - it tugged at something. Something he wouldn't - couldn't - name.

He didn't speak right away. Didn't call out to her or announce his presence. He approached in silence, each step deliberate, until he was beside her. Close enough for her to know he was there. He leaned forward a little, forearms resting on the railing, hands folded loosely before him. Bent slightly at the hip, eyes tracking the gentle curve of the creek as it snaked away from them.

"You're upset with me."

The words came low. A plain observation, almost flat in tone, but carried into existence on something softer.

[munofmanyminds]

He hadn't expected her to go still. Honestly, he hadn't. He'd expected her to keep trying until he eventually tired of it - until he sent her back to her room with the limited grace of his fraying patience. So he rewarded her, subconscious though it may have been, with the gentle, sweeping caress of his thumb along cotton-covered ribs.

God, she was so soft. Warm and pliant against him. It was almost too damned much.

But the galloping pace of her heart against his chest didn't escape his notice. In response, he willed his own to slow - just a little - as though his calm might seep into her if he held steady enough. He stayed fully conscious, though. Always paying attention. Eventually, though, she shifted. Victor's arm fell away without resistance and he let his eyes drift halfway open again, gaze finding her as she quietly gathered herself beside him. He didn't protest. Not because he didn't want her to stay - but because there was no point. Not really.

He blinked though - weathered lips parting just a little (pure instinct, of course), barely enough for most to notice - when she pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

He didn't speak, but turned his head just enough to follow her retreat. Watched her go, tracking her path back out of the room, until the door clicked softly shut behind her. Then, with arms folding behind his head, he drew in a long breath. Willing himself not to linger on the way emptiness settled where her warmth had been.

~ Le Fin

THE GENTLE CARESS OF HIS TOUCH WAS COMFORTING IN A WAY IT SHOULDN'T BE . victor was not only employed for her protection , but was her father's age . he had seen corner's of the world in which she had never had the freedom to explore , his voice grated by experience and stabilized by excessive training . he was muscle and steel ; iron bars and barbed wiring where she was ribbons and lace . a soft sigh , relenting her toying efforts , saying nothing more . fingers continue to gently brush olive skin , wondering what secrets he kept tucked beneath its surface , writing scripture atop his flesh . where would she have to cut to get the unspoken to bleed out of him ??

once he had spoken , dakota melted into his side , muscles ceasing any subconscious efforts alongside her momentarily quelled tongue . she made an effort to get comfortable , but the relentless pulse of her heart — the inability to find comfort in the calming presence of his proximity — the unsoothed ache in her chest , , , dakota waited a moment . a minute — or maybe ten minutes . a hundred — before she gently slid from his hold . the femme tucked her legs under her , adjusting the hem of her nightgown , and looked to victor as if observing him from the outer side of a glass box . then , she leaned down , pressing a gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth .

" goodnight , victor . "

words whispered like a prayer , an almost somber smile on her lips , before dakota was slipping off the edge of his bed , bare feet padding along the floor to carry her back towards the hallway , slipping into the shadows before gently pulling his door shut behind her .

[munofmanyminds]

He could practically feel her watching him. A gentle presence. A light prickle of something not quite tangible, and yet undeniable. A soft brush of satin against his skin, only slightly more weighted. Like it carried expectations he didn't know what to do with. So he just lay there. Eyes closed, breaths steady. Letting her return his reverent touch with the soft press of full lips against the smooth planes of his torso.

His fingers rested at the back of her neck for a moment, grazing the curve of her skull at its root. Still again, but present. Still touching her. Another breath exhaled through his nose - slower this time, and heavier, as her lips continued their exploration. Writing letters, it seemed, into his skin - like she was trying to whisper something into his soul. And he didn't know what the hell to do with that either. So he did nothing. Barely acknowledged it beyond that subtle shift in breath.

Victor dropped his hand to her shoulder when she spoke, that familiar, practiced playfulness back in her voice. Coy, in the way he never really indulged. She'd play her little game, he'd erect impenetrable walls, and she'd try to scale them with nothing but manicured claws and sheer, reckless stubbornness. A quiet grunt escaped the back of his throat; brusque, dry as the desert. "Of course you don't."

His fingers followed the line of her shoulder down her upper arm, drifting off her skin at the point of her elbow - before dropping back to his own abdomen, idle once more.

"Just go to sleep, doll."

… Before I change my mind.

DAKOTA HUMMED , AN ENAMORED SOUND THAT ROAD THE COATTAIL OF A WEIGHTED EXHALE , and nuzzled into his side . she didn't object his statement — he knew enough — even though she itched to respond . deny he knew anything . no , for once , she resisted . instead , dakota allowed herself to become distracted . she focused on how smooth victor's skin was , how the muscle beneath it was sturdy but rippled as he breathed , how his ribs expanded with every inhale he took , lifting her resting head with each one . dakota could faintly feel the rhythm of his heart beneath her palm , resilient and unwavering in its persistent rhythm . tha-thump . tha-thump . tha-thump . it acted as a kick drum , a bass line to the rabbit like pulse of her own .

dakota's eyes remain fixated on his face . she took notice of the way his lids fell shut , hazels taking advantage of the proximity to get a good look at him ; his features aged but like that of a rich wine , grey wisps tucked amongst ashen brown hair , the way his nostrils flared . his touch , unfollowed by his gaze , gently explored the contours of her own profile . calloused fingers further painted the portrait he had began crafting with his thumb just moments before , deepening the watercolor stain of scarlet on cream skin that now began to creep down her neck . she relaxed beneath his touch just as much as he did beneath hers , though each stroke of his fingers sent electricity zipping down the intricate webbing of her nerves , breaths trembling .

dakota's lips ghosted his chest as he spoke again , pressing a soft dote of affection atop warmed flesh where she felt the vibrations of his warning , , , opting not to heed to it . victor's voice is rough , but weighted with something that makes her stomach flutter , countering her own words which dripped like warm honey off her tongue . she clings a bit tighter , continuing to brush her mouth against his side once more until she presses another kiss to his skin .

" —— well , what else is there to do in a bed besides sleep ?? " she muses , a toying sarcasm lilting her speech . " i haven't the slightest idea what you're implying . "

[munofmanyminds]

That damned blush almost undid him. Despite the defensive tone that followed - the knee-jerk instinct to fight his assessment, to take offense because it didn't align with her perception - that pink rush of colour blooming in chubby cheeks caught his attention. His gaze lingered a moment longer than it should have, but by some divine miracle, he managed to return it to her eyes instead of letting it drop to the tempting curve of her pretty little pout.

His brows pinched subtly above dark, contemplative eyes. His jaw shifted. He almost said it, almost let the truth pass his lips; I'm not what anyone needs. But he didn't. Instead, he let a breath roll past his lips and, voice low and rough around the edges, simply said, "I know enough." Close enough to the core of his reasoning to ring with truth, yet vague enough to stay safe; to be entirely up for interpretation.

Victor waited in the silence that followed. His offer, however inadequate given what she'd come for, hung heavy between them. But he didn't press. She'd either take it or crawl back to her own bed. Then it came. Warmth, softness, smooth skin sliding up against him beneath the covers. Dakota draped over him like satin, intertwining their bodies and settling against him like she'd always belonged. Like she'd been made to nestle there. He didn't protest the contact this time; didn't flinch from the near-excessive intimacy of it. In fact, he lowered his arm, letting it rest along the curve of her waist, drawing her a little closer.

He took a slow, deliberate breath. Held it for a moment. Then let it go with a weight almost heavy enough to count as a sigh. His eyes slid closed, his heartbeat thudding steadily beneath her - the quiet, relentless rhythm of a body trained not to waver.

As her curious fingers wandered to his jaw, he released a bit of lingering tension - let it relax beneath her touch. A bit of give; wordless acceptance.

He didn't need to look at her through the darkness; his free hand lifted, and strong digits found her face almost on instinct. Tracing the gentle slope of her jaw, the soft skin behind her ear, the silken fall of hair down the back of her neck. "Let's just say," he murmured quietly, the deep timbre of his voice pulling on something a little heavier, "right now, it's whatever isn't sleep."

HE SAID HER NAME LIKE IT WERE MADE OF ICE , and if he spoke it with too much pressure — it'd crack . too much heat — it'd melt . her breath sharpened , a short and quick inhale drawn from her lips , held for a moment before being slowly expelled through her nostrils . dakota's jaw twitched , as if eager to open and allow more pathetic admissions to fall between them like she were in a confessional . her lips pursed , corners weighed down by the weight of a pout , as victor shut her down once more . shut her down , , , meanwhile , his thumb brushed her cheek as if it were bristles of a brush upon canvas , staining cherub apple's rouge as she blushed like a schoolgirl .

" how could you possibly know what i NEED ?? you barely know me ." she heard the words only after she had already spoken them , a defensive edge clipping them sharp as her pout deepened , brows pinching together . yet , there was an earnest curiosity behind the shield she had held up in response . she thought about how she had felt his fingers twitch when she had pressed her lips to them , and she wondered if his mouth would do the same .

regret began to burn in her throat , tempted to roll away and climb out her bedroom window . she had been desperate not to be turned away . again . it was that and sheer stubbornness that kept her right where she was .

eyeing his arm as he lifted it , dakota stilled , confusion tugging at each curved contour of her face . but , before he could retract the offer , dakota shifted her weight so she was pressed against his side . he was so warm , even more so as she curled into him , bending her left leg so it draped like soft satin over his thigh . dakota nuzzled her face into his chest , his scent so rich and masculine her abdomen knotted , bringing her left hand to drape atop his chest .

with a pleased smile painting her lips , dakota giggled . soft , playful — but not in the way it had been before . " what do you mean ' funny business ' ?? i've neeeeeveeeer done any such thing , , , " she peered up through her lashes , eyes glittering , fingers reaching up to gently brush her fingers against the scruff of his jaw .

" — what do you define as ' funny business ' , victor ?? "

[munofmanyminds]

An OPEN starter ft. CASSIUS BOUCHERRE | open to F | TW: Blood play, murder, death

"When you pull shit like this," the vampire drawled, stepping over the first of many bodies strewn across the bar floor, "I seriously question my decision to turn you."

His dark gaze swept the carnage with practiced indifference, though a smirk had begun to tug at the corner of his mouth. A low click of his tongue followed, sharp and amused. "Remind me, love... what was our little rule about body counts?"