#''we're saved!'' ''must have been a privilege to know him''

[i-am-but-a-beta-fish]

is this about the hok or myself? the answer is yes.

[nightswatchdisbandmentera]

Something rubbed against his leg beneath the table. Jon saw red eyes staring up at him. “Hungry again?” he asked. There was still half a honeyed chicken in the center of the table. Jon reached out to tear off a leg, then had a better idea. He knifed the bird whole and let the carcass slide to the floor between his legs. Ghost ripped into it in savage silence. His brothers and sisters had not been permitted to bring their wolves to the banquet, but there were more curs than Jon could count at this end of the hall, and no one had said a word about his pup. He told himself he was fortunate in that too. His eyes stung. Jon rubbed at them savagely, cursing the smoke. He swallowed another gulp of wine and watched his direwolf devour the chicken. Dogs moved between the tables, trailing after the serving girls. One of them, a black mongrel bitch with long yellow eyes, caught a scent of the chicken. She stopped and edged under the bench to get a share. Jon watched the confrontation. The bitch growled low in her throat and moved closer. Ghost looked up, silent, and fixed the dog with those hot red eyes. The bitch snapped an angry challenge. She was three times the size of the direwolf pup. Ghost did not move. He stood over his prize and opened his mouth, baring his fangs. The bitch tensed, barked again, then thought better of this fight. She turned and slunk away, with one last defiant snap to save her pride. Ghost went back to his meal. Jon grinned and reached under the table to ruffle the shaggy white fur. The direwolf looked up at him, nipped gently at his hand, then went back to eating.

Jon I, AGOT

It's interesting that GRRM would dedicate several paragraphs to a seemingly unimportant exchange between a boy, his wolf, and an unfriendly third party. But there's just something about this passage that has continued to nag at me for years since I first read it because, considering how heavy handed GRRM was with the foreshadowing in AGOT, this feels important.

Jon is sitting at table full of squires - aka would be knights. We don't really know who they are or what families they belong to, but it's safe to assume that they come from a certain level of privilege; this is considering the fact that it cannot be financially easy to be a squire. And these boys already have a slew of tales detailing all their previous knightly exploits regarding "battle and bedding and the hunt" which suggests that they have some capital. So you have boys who will soon be men. And they will, presumably, become men of some power.

These lads eat their fill of the chicken until only half remains, which Jon then gives to Ghost. The direwolf's name is not so important here but what he represents is. Throughout the series, we're told that Ghost is reminiscent of the weirwood trees (because of his red eyes and white fur). He's stated to be of and from the Old Gods and since he's a personification of the weirwoods, he might as well be one of them. It's almost as if Jon is presenting whatever is left on the table to the Old Gods (Ghost). He lets them devour his offerings while he silently watches. And the motif of watching is so interesting here because it's kind of like Jon takes on a stewardship role - to watch over land/people/etc. He oversees Ghost eating the chicken, so he's overseeing whatever has been given to the Old Gods. This is not new imagery to his arc. As a brother of the Night's Watch and eventually its leader, we have several instances where he leads people to adopting the Old Gods in some fashion. In ADWD, several recruits swear their vows to the Old Gods while he watches on as their Lord Commander. The Old Gods are also primarily of the North and we're told that Jon has more of the north in him than his brothers; interesting that this also includes Bran. So perhaps whatever is being offered to the Old Gods relates to the North.

We must also note that Jon initially thinks to give only a small portion, a leg, before pivoting and providing the entire thing. It feels to me a bit like the process of carving up a kingdom or something similar. The lords (represented by the squires) take what they want and leave aside what they don't; or perhaps they have eaten to their fill and can take no more. Then when his time comes, Jon first considers a small piece of land/group of people before eventually absorbing all of whatever is left behind. The concept of carving up a kingdom rings harder considering that we have several callbacks to the ideals of kingship in this chapter. Robert, Jaime, Tyrion, and even Mance though we don't know it yet, all play into this. And then there's the aspect of Jon letting the chicken slip between his legs which evokes birth/fatherhood, a very curious choice when GRRM could've just had Jon place the chicken on the floor. So land/people are carved up and Jon then uses whatever is left to birth his own type of kingdom. And this kingdom is one for the Old Gods.

This also touches on something that has been quite prevalent throughout Jon's arc. It's the concept of accepting the "others" or "those left over" who live apart from the accepted social norms. Arya (a tomboy), Sam (a gender non-confirming boy), the Night's Watch (criminals, extra sons, and men who have no future left or place to go), and even the wildlings are all examples of this. And Jon takes on a leadership/paternal role to every single one of them. He looks after them as a leader would/should. Sometimes, in the case of Arya and the wildlings, he's equated to a king. He's a steward/shepherd/king. There's messianic undertones to this:

Come unto me, all you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30).

If you're familiar with Judeo-Christian tradition, you'll know that Jesus is often personified as one who spent the majority his time among the outcasts. The idea is that he came to save them too and that anew kingdom (or new earth depending on your translation) would spring up after the end of the world where he would forever rule as king; which presents the idea of a final king after the earthly ones are done away with. Now GRRM isn't so heavy handed with Christian allusions as other authors out there, but he does have a Catholic background and Jon is so overtly a Jesus figure. And in Revelation, Jesus is king and god at the very end....

One last thing: the mention of the mongrel who challenges Jon has always been rather interesting but confusing to me. A mongrel doesn't really relate to one specific type of dog. But it's interesting that Jon notes several roaming about where he is. They follow the serving girls who carry the food to be offered. Mongrels are used to describe antagonist/villainous groups in ASOIAF. Sometimes, they're used to describe slavers in Essos. But what's interesting is that most of the time, they're used to describe Euron's Ironborn especially in Victorian's POV. So I don't think the mongrel who challenges Ghost is a supernatural threat of death (i.e., the Others) but rather a human one. They represent those who are called to the scene once the lords have finished playing their games. It almost feels like a feast for (carrion) crows....

But it doesn't really matter because this mongrel isn't much of a challenge for Ghost. Though the mongrel is much larger, the direwolf is able to fend her off very effortlessly. Given that "mongrel" is used to describe Ironborn raiders, could this exchange between Ghost and the mongrel point to reavers or sea raiders who rise and fail challenge Jon kingdom? There is a historical King Jon Stark who did this....

When sea raiders landed in the east, Jon drove them out and built a castle, the Wolf's Den, at the mouth of the White Knife, so as to be able to defend the mouth of the river.[1][2] His son, Rickard, followed him on the throne and annexed the Neck to the north.

ref.

So this might shed some light not only on Jon's already published arc, but also on what we can expect in the future. We have some foreshadowing through Jon's ADWD dream that he will not only rise with the dawn (thereby live through the Long Night), but will be in a position to lead people (wildings in that chapter) to a new peace after a hard fought war. Also remember that the wildlings, rather enthusiastically, swear oaths to him as if swearing oaths to their king. In this instance, the supernatural (a dream of the war for the dawn) is followed by the natural/human. So perhaps this particular passage (and Jon's dream) can be used to predict that Jon comes out on top, and quite effortlessly too, as a leader. And he becomes a leader who rules by association with the Old Gods; or rules a kingdom for them.

To end, I think it's of note that this passage immediately precedes Jon's conversation with Benjen where he voices his desire to go out on his own - the hero's call to action. This is the adventure that's going to kickstart his growth as a man, warrior and most importantly, a leader. So it looks like before we even began, GRRM telegraphed how it would all end in just three short paragraphs.

[i-love-your-shades-of-wrong]

you want complex characters? here's Gale.

I am fully convinced that people only hate Gale bc it's Liam Hemsworth and because they think he's annoying - and yeah, it's true, he IS annoying, but to like president snow more than him? (its pretty privilege)

Most people know by now that the love triangle in thg is for metaphorical purposes - the choice between peace and war. And it's not even a choice as a reader - there is quite literally no chemistry between gale and katniss (in my opinion). But that doesn't merit hatred for the character himself.

He grows up in the seam, poor and being the breadwinner for his siblings. (how sad) We're supposed to disagree with his motives by the end of it - he shouldn't want to get revenge because that makes him as bad as the capitol (yada yada yada). And Peeta is in the right because he wants to show mercy. (peace vs war)

But Peeta grows up as the bakers son. Has he ever gone hungry? No. Are we meant to feel bad for him because of his mum? idk. His name was in the bowl far, far less times. Does that make it any better? No, because he's picked (and this is meant to be about how the system is awful... you get it). But Peeta doesn't grow up hating the capitol because they don't hurt him... until the games.

Is this an attack on Peeta? No, of course not, but circumstances are important as the actions taken within them (situation ethics). Peeta goes into the games and you'd think his outlook on life changes, but it doesn't. Some people have stronger cores - a lifetime of security within yourself does that.

Peeta goes into the games again, Gale saves the citizens of 12 in the bombing. Peeta's kidnapped. And Gale says this:

"He might have been tortured. Or persuaded. My guess is he made some kind of deal to protect you. He'd put forth the idea of the cease- fire if Snow let him present you as a confused pregnant girl who had no idea what was going on when she was taken prisoner by the rebels. This way, if the districts lose, there's still a chance of leniency for you. If you play it right." I must still look perplexed because Gale delivers the next line very slowly. "Katniss…he's still trying to keep you alive."

So, he's annoying, but is he a liar? No. He's ever the strategist, thinking of things from the logical point of view. (really grasping for straws but I need a pro and less cons😭)

People really hated Gale for bombs - killing innocent people that just want to help the fallen? (ohno how sad). But are capitol citizens ever really innocent? Bystanders that simply allow children to be murdered year after year? The idea that they simply have no idea of the harm being caused is ludicrous. Do they not have critical thinking skills? No matter what happens in life, you KNOW murder is wrong. No matter what propaganda media shows you.

(also Beetee helped make those bombs too like gale was annoying but stop giving him full credit like if I was beetee I'd be pissed)

So, that comes to the idea that killing people as a whole is unethical, and it doesn't matter that they're awful people. Is that untrue? No. Is it far to those that have been oppressed their entire lives, being told that using force against their oppressors is wrong? Maybe. It's not an easy issue to resolve (kinda explains the metaphor, doesn't it?)

Neoliberalism probably wants you to blame the individuals. Coin, Gale, Snow. Coin and Snow were two sides of the same coin (ooh pun) - politicians, adults, playing for their own power. Is it wrong to enjoy power? No, of course not, just don't abuse it. Gale enjoyed power. But he was fighting for the freedom of the country, not himself. And he's only 19/20. You're a lot angrier when you're younger, as many adults forget.

The system is the real problem, clearly. Why should the capitol have all the power? Why are the districts being used? We don't know. But that's unimportant.

And then there's Katniss. She's the one making the decision - peace or war. On paper, its peace anyday. Katniss has seen both Peeta and Gale's hardships - Gale is a metaphor for who she could have been. Bitter, angry and hateful. It's not unjustified hatred but under Kantian ethics, murder is always wrong. Katniss does not want to retaliate because it's a vicious cycle of violence.

As far as we know, the capitol don't really pay for all they do. I know if I was a district citizen who suffered, I'd want capitol citizens to feel the same way. That is not to say that it is ethical, but it is not unjustified.

It would be more of a fair argument if Peeta and Gale suffered equally, but can you really quantify suffering. Their experiences shape them. Its easier for Peeta to want mercy for the capitol because he wasn't starved his whole life. And Peeta's stance is the right one.

But see, that's why we say complex character and not good person. Because the decisions aren't malicious in intent, just with clashing personal values to the norm. Like, bffr, half the people online hating on this guy would NOT have stood for mercy for the capitol.

(anyway have a nice day this was my ethics essay plan and I'd better get a 9 on it or else <333)

[nofomogirl]

Ineffable Beaurocracy vs. Ineffable Husbands

Season 2 ended with two things very few had expected:

Gabriel and Beelzebub are now a happy couple.

Aziraphale and Crowley aren't (neither happy nor a couple).

As we're all processing, it's inevitable that comparisons sprout left and right, and more and more often I hear voices pointing out how ridiculously quick and easy the romance between Gabriel and Beelzebub was, as well as questions why exactly Aziraphale and Crowley couldn't be the same. Especially Aziraphale, since the fandom likes to blame him in particular for not being in a happy established relationship with Crowley.

I understand the bitterness and frustration but do people honestly think that Gabriel had the same obstacles to overcome, the same sacrifices to make, the same risks to take?

I like Gabriel as a character and I'm happy he found love but please, let's not forget what kind of a person he is - selfish, self-important, entitled, privileged and inconsiderate. Falling in love doesn't remove these traits. It doesn't magically reform him. It might have been a start, a first step on a road to becoming a decent person but that growth will probably never happen if he just ran and locked himself in a happy bubble with Beelzebub.

Yes, he's happy now. Yes, he's out of the picture and not a threat anymore. Doesn't mean he's a nice guy all of a sudden.

Gabriel could choose Beelzebub because he never questions his actions. He believes that whatever he does is inherently right. It doesn't even matter if not long ago he condemned someone for doing the same thing.

Gabriel could choose Beelzebub because he never cared about the consequences of his actions. He never stopped to think about what kind of pain and misery he will cause others. We were shown it plenty of times.

Gabriel could choose Beelzebub not because he was ready to sacrifice so much for them but exactly because he's incapable of making sacrifices. Whatever makes him happy is his priority because he cannot see how anything could be possibly more important. He's an angel, therefore he is inherently good, therefore good things make him happy, therefore whatever makes him happy is inherently good, and the happier he is, the better it must be.

Gabriel could choose Beelzebub because he doesn't care about Earth, about Creation, about God's Plan, and about Heaven. You might try to argue that he did, especially the latter ones. But I think there's a reason why his persona was modeled after an obnoxious CEO rather than a fundamentalist of any kind. Because he is not a believer, he is a guy who was put in charge and has only the shallowest possible knowledge of what his company actually does, the barest of the bare minimums, and never actually tried its products himself. Gabriel had been always just going through the motions, putting in minimal effort, and covering it with a smile and pep. In a way, it's actually sad because he never knew anything else. He was put in a job and told to do it, so he kept doing it until he found something he actually cared about.

Gabriel could choose Beelzebub for the very same reasons he was ready to start Armageddon, and Aziraphale didn't choose Crowley for the very same reasons he stood against Heaven to save the Earth and humanity.

Aziraphale couldn't choose Crowley the same way Gabriel chose Beelzebub, because Azirapahle is the exact opposite of Gabriel.

So before you write that Crowley deserves someone who would love him like Gabriel, ask yourself seriously if you think Crowley could love a person like Gabriel. Because we know he doesn't. He hates Gabriel and loves Aziraphale and there's a good reason why.

[petruchio]

Bestie I think you’re so right about the movie altering Lucy and Coryo’s romance to better convey the themes within the limitations of the medium!

Like it’s actually a huge book! I knew they would have to cut a lot for the sake of run time so I was fully expecting them to sacrifice some of the details that do so much heavy lifting for the deeper themes.

But I was so pleasantly surprised, and I honestly think that preserving the themes must have been a central goal in the production! I was noticing small changes - but they all seemed to serve keeping the major themes in tact?

Like I saw it with my family (who all read thg but not tbosas) and I went in wondering. Like how are they going to make a meaningful, faithful, adaptation of such a large book?? Will my family understand The Themes? And they did!

I think it speaks to Suzanne’s writing ability (her themes are layered throughout every level, so a few cuts won’t gut them entirely) and smart/intentional alterations.

Like you mention with cutting the kiss, I think doing so highlights the transactionality of this moment. Coryo won’t kiss her OR give her the compact until she denounces Billy taupe! Like literally he won’t save her life (do the right thing, like Tigris says) if she’s in love with someone else! Interesting!

But like you say, if they do !finally! kiss (without that monologue) it’s easier to miss how manipulative he’s being in that moment and the importance of it!

I think they made a similar smart choice with being shipped off to 8 - I might be wrong here!! But I’m pretty sure he isn’t ordered to be a peace keeper? He CHOOSES that because he sees it as his only avenue left? (Which I thought was some military industrial complex commentary sprinkled in but now I’m afraid I imagined this whole thing LOL)

So assuming I’m not misremembering - I thought making highbottom force him to become a peace keeper also worked similarly. Like letting him choose that (without the internal monologue) makes his motivations seem genuine when they aren’t fully. So it’s just better for the movie medium perhaps?

Anyways, rambling done lol thanks for listening 🌟

ohhhh how i love all of this!! i love you for taking the time to send all this to me -- and thank you for validating my reading of the altered love story!!

and YES i was so pleasantly surprised by how well they managed to maintain a lot of the thematic content of the book, esp because we KNOW how much they gutted it in the original trilogy. i have a couple theories on why: the first is that the filmmakers are devoted readers of my tumblr blog and they understood the importance of preserving the political themes from the novels when adapting them to the screen (ok obviously i am joking.) my real theories are -- the cultural conversation has shifted a LOT since the original films got made, and i think they were more aware and more *able* to be more explicit with so many of those ideas. i also wonder if the act of adapting the story of someone from capitol was easier than adapting someone from district 12 -- there's been much ink spilled over how we, the privileged moviegoers who are watching the film in theaters, are much more like capitolites than we are like katniss herself. and i wonder if that made it easier to adapt -- because one of the big critiques of the thg films is that they really glam jlaw up even when she's in district 12, and it makes scenes like the "remake" scenes kind of lose their power and biting social commentary. whereas with snow, and the capitol, and the games themselves, we're meant to understand that they ARE a facade, and the movie can really lean into that. (side note, my least fav costume in the whole movie was lucy gray's swimsuit. pretty much for that exact reason -- it was too ~perfect~ for the setting.)

to your point about the change with snow deciding vs being ordered to become a peacekeeper -- i honestly couldn't remember either so i went to see if i could find the quote from the book and it's this:

[...] But as he approached the dean, a cold dread washed over him. There, arranged on the table like lab specimens, were three items: an Academy napkin stained with grape punch, his mother’s silver compact, and a dingy white handkerchief. The meeting could not have lasted more than five minutes. Afterward, as agreed, Coriolanus headed directly to the Recruitment Center, where he became Panem’s newest, if not shiniest, Peacekeeper.

honestly i wish i remembered what exactly is meant by "as agreed" but i do think you're right that in the book it's more implied that he doesn't have another choice -- because he didn't win the monetary prize, he has to enroll. so i think you're right that the point is that the idea that it's his choice at all is in question because it's societal pressure and his family's financial status that kind of forces him into the military industrial complex. but i think, because they made this scene so explicit in the film, that you're right that having him be ordered to do it instead of hearing him justify it in his head manages to accomplish what we need it to for the sake of the plot moving forward (if kind of weakening that angle of sc's commentary)

also, here's something to chew on -- i was thinking as i was watching the film if part of the reason some of the changes didn't irritate me so much was because i was more forgiving of the need to shift things around to account for the lack of internal monologue because the book is written in third person instead of first person. i mean, obviously i am overly attached to pretty much everything about katniss, and yes that comes down even to her internal monologue, but i did wonder if that made some of the changes feel more natural to me, because we still kind of get them explained to us in the book as an observer, instead of listening to someone explain themselves to us (i don't know if that makes any sense?) -- but i guess what i'm trying to say is that maybe reading tbosas is more like watching a film, vs reading thg which is more like you are experiencing something alongside katniss? and that's because of the pov choice?

WELL that was a ramble! i'm always amazed by how much we can say about these books and films!! they're just so layered and so fascinating -- i'm loving all the conversations i've been seeing about tbosas. i feel like a lot of it is really starting to gel for me the more i read people's thoughts and analyses. (i still think the third act is messy though. no matter how great suzanne's themes are, i do think the pacing is rough. lol!)

[cordeliaeli]

Happy Father's Day, darling @cagenewman

To say that you have become the knot that holds our family together is an understatement. You've weathered so many storms with us already in the last few years and have shown nothing but support, kindness, strength, protection, in the face of moments where we didn't always know what would happen when the roads were so shaky. You've held onto an unyielding belief when we stumbled back into that football game over two years ago that it was meant to be. That we were destined to find each other and be together, and part of me now believes more than ever, that is true. Things might not always be perfect, but they are imperfectly ours, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Knowing that you're my husband and that you have raised Colton into a kind, caring, gentle soul who shows compassion for everyone he encounters has been a true privilege and to know that you've stepped and and now are raising Rosalyn as your own without any qualms. No hesitation to correct anyone, family included, that you have two children, a son and daughter, whether biologically or not. They don't know how extraordinary of a father they've come to have and someday when they're much older, yes, even older than a teenage Colton who is starting to think he knows the world, understand. There's no one I rather celebrate in spoiling being an amazing father than you, and can't wait for several decades more years to do the same.

I went a bit crazy with the gifts because I found one last minute that I couldn't resist with building our new home. It felt very you, and today is about you after all, so no complaining on what it must have cost, and thankful you can't access my credit card statement! First of all, we're having a bit of an all out night dinner with Brazilian steak and chimichurri sauce and a bunch of sides that are your favorite to go around. The rest are a bit outdoorsy because I know it's where you love to be, so because you and Colton are going to be going away on that father son trip, I've gotten you this folding chair -- apparently it's wonderful, comfortable, good for old backs! Colton agreed it was definitely the chair for you after reading that. Talk to him, not me! A new travel bag that condenses, but also if it gets wet is water safe, repellant? I don't know the reviews were wonderful and with all the outdoorsy things you'll do it's best if the bag keeps your belongings dry. Best also if you drop it in a lake it'll float and not sink. Saves you on all fronts. I would say the pièce de résistance is the grill, it's a both a pellet grill, charcoal grill, so can be used in the traditional old fashion away without all the gas potentially being around, but it has some updated new technology for temperature checking meat, and all smart wifi capabilities. We'll have to read more on that because definitely thinking even I might be out grilling sometimes now, best yet, it's a smoker too which means you can make as much delicious barbecue as you want.

Now the last bit is the real winning prize for you, is knowing that the whole day I'll be wearing this under my sundress for you to remove later once the day is over and everyone is tucked into bed, and you get to be the lucky one to take off.

Happy Father's Day, babe.

C

[horce-divorce]

I don't know how to explain to you chucklefucks that for the most disenfranchised among us, NOTHING HAS FUCKING CHANGED since Trump left office. We know how bad it was, we were fucking here. And we are TELLING YOU, not speculating about the future, we are TELLING 👏YOU 👏NOW that nothing fucking got better for us and some of us ALREADY have nothing left to lose THANKS TO BIDEN AS WELL. NOT JUST TRUMP. WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SHIT ALL ALONG. Not JUST once Trump got to office!!! And NO IT HAS NOT BEEN FUCKING EASIER. WTF. Incoming tranmission from Planet Neoliberal Voter Privilege.

You stupid pricks don't even seem to realize that Trump leaving office DIDNT MEAN HIS APPOINTEES ALL WENT WITH HIM. THEYVE STILL BEEN THERE THE WHOLE TIME. Alive and WELL AT WORK helping to push some of the worst antiqueer legislation we've seen in DECADES while Biden, who barely has 2 brain cells left to rub together, decomposes before our very eyes.

If you think TRUMP was the thing that brought neo-nazi fascism to the mainstream, you are so comfortably privileged to have gotten to ignore it, to have never fucking heard it until then. And you are way too out of touch to be addressing the people you think you're talking to rn!

The "sign off on your glorious revolution" bit really gets me. Lmao. What a fundamental misunderstanding of the issue. What a hilarious way to misconstrue entire swaths of political ideology. You think Policial Jesus is going to come and save your ass, so we must think that too, huh?

Shits gonna hit the fan this year regardless of who "wins" the election, and it's not merely because of The Orange Man. It's also because of everyday lay people like this OP who have merely been privileged enough to ignore the suffering of your neighbors until now. Your privilege is running out, not because the revolution is coming, but because the hegemony that affords you that privilege cannot continue indefinitely. That machine runs on a profit-growth-extraction paradigm and we are running out of resources to extract from.

I don't know how to explain to these fucking people that you are the tone deaf motherfuckers we're talking to when we say you need to stop talking and learn. You have reblogged support of BLM and UBI and Palestine but at the end of the day you *don't fucking listen* to what we're saying in those posts. At the end of the day you are not hearing our cries of pain. And its pretty fucking ridiculous to turn around and point at people EVEN LESS PRIVILEGED THAN YOU and say "don't you realize that YOU'RE going to threaten MY safety and stability with your uncouth actions?" Well, bully for fucking you, because we already lost that! It's been gone! It never came back for some of us after Trump left!!!! You got to plug your ears and pretend the pandemic was over while millions of us became disabled and homeless for the first time as a result!!! While BIDEN admitted HE DOESNT THINK ABOUT IT ANYMORE!!!!! You got to go back to your life while protestors railing against our tax dollars being used for GENOCIDE are being injected with KETAMINE by the COPS!!!! If you thought TRUMP was that fucking scary! At least he outright said what he was doing!! Biden is continuing his work with ICE, continuing to increase surveillance and crack down on any kind of protestor, cop cities are expanding UNDER BIDEN, DEMOCRATS ARE ALSO VOTING FOR MASK BANS!!!!!!!

It is SOOOOO BLATSNTLY SELF CENTERED to think that you losing the privilege of a comfy life is the biggest threat to ""our democracy"" rn. YOU got to ignore how bad shit was until now. Some of us NEVER HAD THAT LUXURY. Our democracy fucking died decades ago and YOU got to keep playing Weekend at Bernies with it's corpse while the rest of us dug our own graves. And now you're scared because you stand to end up like us.

Lol. Lmao. Get fucked. This type of attitude is only furthering the class/social divides that already exist between voters and WILL. NOT. get anyone to vote harder for Biden. In fact, it just makes me wanna fist fight a Democrat even more than I already did.

First they came for the indigenous, and you didn't say anything bc you got yours. They came for the immigrants, and you didn't say anything bc you've always been a citizen. They came for the prisoners and their voting rights and you said if they didn't want to lose their rights they should follow the law, even while they made it illegal to mask, to protest, to be gay and trans in public- its so easy to just follow the rules! They came for the trans kids and you said, but we already have gay marriage, I thought it was safe to be queer now, and I dont have trans kids so I don't see how this affects me... they came for palestine and you said Oof. Well. That's the price of freedom for me, I guess!

And now they're coming for you and none of the other targets are left to feel worried for you, because we have already been living through your worst nightmare, UNDER BIDEN.

You look fucking stupid.

if you could EVER find a dem as outspoken and angry for the people as trump is for the white 1% then maybe we wouldnt be having this discussion.

[auxiliarydetective]

OC Pride Challenge: Day 10

You can find the challenge here

We're currently in LGBTQIA+ Tropes week and for today's prompt I decided to use...

Family of Choice for Kit Kelley

Yes, we're doing Kit again, because nothing beats the chaotic family that is the A-Team. But it gets bloody, so watch out for that.

Hannibal, B.A. and Kit snuck through the bushes, towards Sanchez’s hideout. Face and Murdock were in there somewhere and they needed help. Who knew what they could be going through right now. Hopefully they were still alive. All they had been meant to do was gather information but they had been caught and now… Well, now they were in trouble. But they’d be okay, because the rest of the team was here. Finally, they reached the facade of the hideout. Above them was their entrance: The ventilation shaft.

“You sure you can make it?” B.A. asked. “That’s pretty high up.”

“Sure, with enough momentum,” Kit declared. “Come on, open it up.”

So, B.A. placed his contraption on the ground. First, it extended its feet. Then, its arm extended upwards like a periscope, segment by segment. Meanwhile, Kit took off her boots and jacket and shoved them into B.A.’s arms. Finally, the contraption shoved its claws into the vent. With one sharp motion, it pulled the cover off. Someone must have heard that. From now on, they were on a time limit. Kit stretched, then took a deep breath. Hannibal pulled a round tin out of his jacket and opened it, holding the white powder inside out to Kit.

“Here’s your magnesia, kid.”

“Thanks, dad.”

She dug her fingers into the powder and rubbed it all over her hands and feet. It was just then that she noticed B.A. staring at her.

“What, never seen magnesia before. Really, by now-”

“No, you just called Hannibal ‘dad’,” B.A. remarked.

For a second, Kit froze. “I did?” She didn’t even look at Hannibal. “Yeah, I guess I did.”

“I thought you hated your dad.”

“Yeah, well, what better way to hate him than to take away his parent privileges and replace him? - C’mon, move aside, I’m gonna jump.”

She walked a good bit backwards, eyes fixated on the vent at the top of the wall. Did she really call him dad? Well, wasn’t he her dad? By all accounts except biological? He sure as hell acted like it, he was the one who had to deal with her shenanigans  - and he was her emergency contact at the hospital and that had to count for something. With another deep breath, she sprinted at the wall, jumped and kept running, scaling the wall until she could cling on to the bottom of the vent, dangling from it by her arms. Swiftly as if it were a trapeze, she pulled herself up and climbed inside. So much for having overly big vent shafts. Whoever designed this building hadn’t had her in mind.

“Good luck, kid!” she heard Hannibal calling from below.

He and B.A. would need to find a different way inside. Knowing them, they would. But for now, she was on her own. Swiftly and as quietly as possible, she started crawling through the vents, peeking down through every opening into the room below, hoping one of them could help her save Face and Murdock. But her mind went back to that conversation just now.

I thought you hated your dad. Yes, she did. She definitely did. To even call him that was a crime, honestly. She hated Lieutenant Kelley. A man obsessed with his career and raising the perfect family. He had wanted a sweet baby girl, a girl who would wear pink dresses and bows, bring home a trophy husband and devote herself fully to the kitchen and children. Well, at least the trophy husband part had worked. Except that Face was a criminal. And honestly pathetic. Also, it was him bringing her home. Lieutenant Kelley would never get to see him in his life.

Bringing her home really was the right phrase to be used here because, wherever the A-Team went, it was her home. They were her home. Her true family. Murdock was the crazy cousin, in the best way possible. He always knew how to cheer her up and he fully supported whatever gender she wanted to screw with that day. On top of that, he adored her for what she was at heart: An artist. He always had an excuse for her to showcase her acrobatics and he was the one who had gotten her her throwing knives. The two of them were fire and gasoline, bad luck for anyone up against them. B.A. was her brother, skin color be damned. He had taught her everything she knew about mechanics and tinkering and they lived together the most out of all the team members because they actually shared a flat, the flat over B.A.’s workshop. He even bestowed her with the greatest honour: Lending her his jewelry. On top of that, he was there to defend her when she couldn’t or was sick of it. People had better stop calling her young lady or he’d identity as their problem, fool. And Hannibal… Well, Hannibal was her dad. There was no other way to say it. He cared for her, calmed her down, gave her advice, accepted every quirky bit of her, no matter what others thought. Good job, kid. You got this, kid. I’m proud of you, kid. What wouldn’t she have given to hear those words from Lieutenant Kelley when she was young. But to hear them now from someone worthy to be called her dad… It was even better. After all, what did it matter how long you were lost as long as you got home, right? In fact, the longer you were lost, the better the feeling when you finally make it home.

Finally, Kit struck gold looking through a vent cover: Beneath her, Murdock and Face were sitting on a bench in a small room, staring into the emptiness. A smirk spread across her face. With a good push, the vent cover sprung off the shaft. Immediately, Murdock jumped up.

“I told you I heard something! I told you-”

“Shh”, Face cut in, “you’re gonna get the guards’-”

Before he was even done speaking, the door to the cell  flew open and a thug came in, gun raised. Quickly, Kit threw the vent cover at his head, then hurled herself out of the vent, at the thug. One punch to the gut, another to the jaw and he was out cold.

“Everyone okay?” she asked, turning around to Face and Murdock. They looked okay. Not good, but okay.

“A little roughed up, but okay,” Murdock said.

“Yeah, but you’re bleeding,” Face remarked.

“Oh, that”, Kit shrugged. “Vents aren’t meant to be crawled through, so they have some rough edges.”

Face picked up the gun from the ground, then they were on their way. They made an effort to be as quick and as quiet as possible. Kit led the way, because she had gotten at least some clue of the layout of the building through the vent shafts. Suddenly, a gun nozzle turned the corner ahead of her. She made an effort to run, but the bullet was faster. Within a millisecond, a sharp pain shot through her flesh. Still, she kept running until she was behind the next wall with Face and Murdock. There, she collapsed against the wall, breathing heavily. Scarlet blood poured down her side.

“Okay, don’t move,” Murdock told her, sounding stressed and calm at the same time. “You’re gonna be okay.”

“How bad is it?” Kit croaked, her breathing fast and shallow.

“You’re gonna be okay,” Murdock reiterated over the sound of Face firing to get his revenge. “Try to take deep breaths.”

But Kit wasn’t breathing deeply at all. It wasn’t long until her vision blurred. Then, everything went black.

Kit woke up with a blurred vision and feeling very groggy. It took her a few seconds to realize she was lying somewhere. That explained why everything directly in front of her was one white blur. She was looking at the ceiling. Her muscles were aching. But as her vision returned to normal, a sharper pain emerged in her side. That was when she remembered. But if she was in a hospital, that meant they must have gotten out, right? Sanchez and his men wouldn’t have taken her to the hospital. That was when she noticed a nurse next to her, taking notes on a clipboard.

“How do you feel, Miss Kelley?” she asked in a calm, yet kind manner.

“Dizzy,” Kit replied curtly. “My muscles are all sore. And there’s this pain in my side. Y’know, where I got shot.”

“That’s all normal for coming out of anesthesia, don’t worry. The dizziness and soreness should go away soon. I’ll give you some medication against the pain. Make sure you take no more than three pills per day and space them out.”

“Alright.”

“There’s someone here to see you.”

“Great, “ Kit sighed. To be honest, she felt like she had been run over by a car. But might as well let the person in, right? She could still ignore them or ask them to leave. “Fine by me.”

So, the nurse opened the door. Hannibal came in, smiling at Kit.

“How are you, kid?” he asked, pulling up a chair next to her.

“Rosy,” Kit remarked. “Being shot really isn’t an experience I wanted to have before turning thirty.”

“Your daughter is going to make a full recovery, Mister Smith,” the nurse said with a smile. “I’ll be right back with the medication.”

Kit’s eyes widened. She looked at Hannibal and cocked her head to the side slightly, but he just smirked. As soon as the nurse had closed the door behind her, Kit blurted out:

“Did she just say ‘your daughter’?”

“That’s what I told her. Why so shocked? I thought I was your dad. Or don’t you remember that?”

“Yes, I mean-” Kit stammered, “I remember everything. I just didn’t think… Y’know?”

Hannibal chuckled. “I figured someone’s gonna have to walk you down the aisle when you and Face get married and it might as well be me.”

Kit chuckled, too, but quickly stopped due to the shooting pain it caused. “I’d be honored, but it’d take Face actually getting his act together. Speaking of Face, how is he?”

“He’s fine. Everyone else got out safe and sound. We found you a few minutes after you passed out and got out of there as fast as possible.”

“Good, good.”

“Everyone was worried out of their minds. They’ll be glad to know you’re okay.”

“Yeah, I bet. Can’t go without their circus clown.”

[40sandfabulousaf]

大家好! I caught up with Dude, an old friend of 15 years at Burger & Lobster, located in 1 of our most iconic and poshest hotels besides Marina Bay Sands: Raffles Hotel. The restaurant name basically tells you what they specialise in. I'd wanted to try their lobster laksa but they didn't serve it, alas, so I ordered their lobster lollipops in 3 flavours - cayenne pepper, smoked and butter. They were nice but I probably would've enjoyed the lobster laksa more. Anyway, I made a video again, so, enjoy!

I try to have at least 1 simple meal each week out of compassion for Palestinians in Gaza. The risk of famine there remains very high. Even if more food has been allowed into the war-torn area, malnutrition remains rife. Whilst I may not always have 2 or more simple meals a week, my weekly breakfast is a must. This time, I chose kuai shu mian (instant noodles) after intensive exercise on Saturday morning. Because many Palestinian families survive off bread and little else, I didn't add protein nor vegetables. I'm very blessed since I'm able to eat nutritiously for other meals, whereas thousands of civilians in Gaza don't enjoy this privilege.

During our weekend catch up, Grace, Douglas and I watched horrifying videos depicting the anguish children in Gaza are experiencing. I'm sharing some in this post because we find them impossible to ignore. Kids with limbs blown off, undergoing surgery without anaesthesia, who may not walk again, some who remain in critical condition despite efforts to save them and some so malnourished, they either died or are skin and bone. This is only the physical pain. Our hearts went out to the child asking to be buried together with his dead younger brother. Watch the videos and see for yourself the kids' trauma. You can't make this up; who in their right mind wants to make this up anyway?

I've been feeling even more gratitude for our wonderful hawker fare in recent weeks. News about the starvation in Gaza as well as weekly simple breakfasts (and lunch or dinner if I can) reminded me of how blessed we are to have nutritious meals. It's easy to keep complaining about much higher prices of almost everything, lower living standards and having to watch our spending. But when I read about or watch the devastation in Gaza, I know that during these turbulent times, we're already very fortunate. What is there to complain when millions around the world are going through the same thing?

Ending this post on a bright note, negotiations between Hamas and Israel look optimistic at the mo. Most countries around the world (i.e. the real international community) overwhelmingly support a permanent ceasefire and two-state solution. What needs to be addressed next is police brutality against student protestors on university and college campuses. Why was this only targeted at those speaking out against the war in Gaza? It looks like oppression and this isn't supposed to happen in a country which claims to be democratic, right? 下次见!

[soyouthinkucanwrite]

July 2nd - Daniel Ricciardo

Based on New Year's Day by Taylor Swift and this request by @spikejonzed

Fluffly, mentions of sex, banter, nothing graphic.

BTW, I don't know how I've never paid attention to this song, it's so so beautiful and honest. I've thought about this concept before though: the "Sunday afternoon effect", when all the excitement of the weekend wears off and you're just hanging out with your friends, laughing about silly stuff, or cleaning up the house after the party. The thing is, the friends that stay till then are the ones you wanna hold on to, and the same goes for lovers. I feel kind of bad... well not BAD but you know, must be hard... when you're famous and rich, to recognize the good ones from the beginning before you give yourself too much away and it's too late.

To be honest with you guys, I think Daniel must feel a bit lonely sometimes. We all do, but to think that people are only interested in you for your fame and money must be tough... something you worked so hard, that you keep dedicating your life to, to think that that thing is the reason for your heartbreak, to your loneliness... It's a two-edged sword, isn't it? Anyway, I wrote this little something with Daniel in mind, hope you guys like it. Hope he finds someone to be like this someday. Hell, hope I find someone to be like this someday. I think everyone deserves that.

Daniel woke up in his bed, no shoes, but jeans and party shirt still on. The light coming through the windows, shining directly on his face, threatening to make his headache even worse. He let out a groan and turned to the side. There's someone on his bed with him. Shit. He just remembered. Last night was the first time he was introducing (y/n) to his friends. His birthday "small get together" (or at least that's what it was supposed to be) was the perfect opportunity for testing the waters and giving the "next step" without making too much fuss about it, after all, they've only been going out for a couple months and with his tight schedule it meant a lot of facetime calls and weekends, but almost no weekdays and routine stuff.

Yet, he was absolutely smitten with her, she was fun and easygoing, passionate about her own work and friends, but still caring and interested in him. They had amazing chemistry, mind-blowing even. But Daniel had lived enough to know that hanging out with someone on the weekends and knowing their best side was one thing, living through daily and mundane stuff was a completely different thing. Where this could go was still a mystery to him and he didn't want to raise too many expectations before he was sure. Still, she looked so beautiful sleeping, a true vision. He tried to remember if something had happened last night, but judging by his clothes still on, and hers as well, he guessed not. As if on cue, she smiled, with her eyes still closed.

"Stop being creepy" she said smiling. "I can feel you watching me sleep"

"You're not even asleep anymore" he smiled and she opened her eyes. He was taken back by her eyes staring directly into his.

"Still creepy though" she laughed, getting closer to him. He held her and they stayed like that for a while.

"Are you ok?" he asked her.

"What do you mean?

"Aren't you hungover, or sick?" he asked again and she laughed.

"Not at all. I have this really weird superpower, you know, I don't get hungover. Ever, actually" she laughed.

"I don't believe you. I have the headache"

"No, it's true. We did drink a lot yesterday, though" she commented.

"Yeah, well, welcome to having Australian friends. No such thing as light drinking with those guys" he laughed but grimaced at the pain in his brain.

"I'll get you something"

"Huh?"

"For the pain" she explained getting up from the bed.

After a while she returned with a pill and a glass of water, passing them to him.

"Thank you, baby" he took the glass, finishing it. "Come back to bed now"

"Your house... like, I'm not even sure if I should tell you to take a look or just pack your essentials and abandon it" she smiled.

"Uhh" he groaned. "I'll call someone later"

"Like a constructor with a wrecking ball?" she laughed.

"It can't be that bad"

"It's bad" she started. "But we can manage it" He looked at her intrigued. "After a shower" she pulled his hand. "Join me?"

"If I ever say no to that question, just put me in an asylum" he said. "I need a kiss though, as motivation" he smirked.

"Noo... I have morning breath"

"What? Me too" he said pulling her down and kissing her anyway. "Uh, no. You're right. Yours is worst" he said laughing while getting up and walking into the bathroom.

"Asshole!" she laughed following him.

They stripped and got into the shower, taking turns in letting the water run through their bodies.

"Come here" Daniel said, putting some body wash in his hands and spreading them over (y/n) body.

"Hum... this feels nice" she said.

"You're so beautiful" he said kissing her shoulder.

"You're so wasted" she laughed lightly.

"Hey! I'm sober. I'm just too tired. Give me a couple hours to recover, and I'll claim my birthday privileges"

"Birthday privileges? It's not even your birthday anymore" she laughed.

"Okay, but first, it's the weekend of, and second, I didn't get any time alone with you yesterday"

"Fair. And what will be your requests, may I ask?" she asked teasingly.

"Humm... you're so creative" he said kissing her. "I'm sure we'll think of something"

They finished the shower after a while, enjoying each other's company and the comfortable silence.

"Did anyone crashed here?" (y/n) asked when they were stepping out of the shower.

"I have no idea" Daniel answered. "I just remembered going to take a nap and waking up this morning. Shit, we didn't... did we?" (y/n) laughed out loud at that.

"Wow! Really, Dan?"

"We did not. I would've remembered"

"Good save. Such a gentleman" she laughed.

"I drank way too much. Sorry. Don't be mad"

"It's fine. I'm messing with you, I don't remember anything either. To be honest, I don't even remember joining you on your 'nap'" she said making air quotes.

"We're the worst hosts" he said getting out of the bathroom and going into the closet to get some clothes.

(y/n)'s heart swelled at the thought of hosting a party with Daniel. There was something so intimate about that statement, so homey.

"You want a shirt?" Daniel asked from the other room, waking her up from her daydream.

"Yeah, sure" she took the shirt, some underwear, and some sweats. Then brushed her wet hair and looked in the mirror. Not a trace of makeup left. She sighed thinking about how falling into a routine with Daniel meant letting the barriers down.

"Alright, snap out of it" she said to herself, getting out of the bathroom and walking outside, to the living room where Daniel was standing rubbing his neck and looking around.

"This is bad" he said when he saw her joining him. There were empty beer bottles and cups all around the living room and balcony, pizza boxes (with half-eaten slices left behind) in the coffee table, party decorations hanging from the ceiling, and the kitchen was even worse, with liquid spilled on the ground and bottles everywhere. There was glitter all over the floor and the couch - someone had brought some of those party poppers, which looked so much fun yesterday, but no so much now. But the best part was the polaroids, left all over the house with the craziest poses.

"Pack your stuff, we're deserting this goddam hellhole" he said and she knew he was joking, he said that about everywhere, but she still shook her head and rolled her eyes, picking a polaroid photo from the ground.

"Everyone had so much fun" she showed it to him. "I loved meeting your friends"

He took the photo from her hand, it was one where (y/n) was sitting on the couch with two of his buddies from Australia, making funny faces while holding cups. He remembered the moment because he was the one who took the photo.

"How's the headache?" she asked him.

"Almost gone"

"Good. So you don't have an excuse. Move your ass, where are the trash bags?" she laughed going into the kitchen.

"Hey! That was very sneak of you" he laughed but followed her anyway.

They spent the next hour collecting bottles, vacuuming glitter, and just cleaning the whole house. Daniel complained the whole time, but in truth, he was very glad to have her there. Sure, he could just ignore the whole mess and hire someone on Monday to clean everything (he probably would still do that anyway, for the heavy cleaning like bathrooms), but it was really nice of her to just stick around, seeming unbothered by the housework. When she finished tying the last trash bag and putting it on the entry hallway she flopped on the couch besides Daniel, who had called it a day some good 10 minutes ago.

"Done?" he asked her.

"I feel like punching you for asking me that" she answered playing annoyed. He lifted his hand in defense.

"What? I did my part!"

"Men" she shook her head. "I'm surprised you haven't complained about being hungry yet"

"Well, I'm starving! Was just waiting to suggest going out, or ordering in"

"Ordering in, please. I don't want to get off this couch any time soon"

Daniel got his phone out to order some food. It was almost noon, so he thought about something like pasta, some carbs would be nice right now. Then he felt (y/n)'s head drop on his shoulder, her hand caressing his arm. It was such a sweet gesture, so understated, he just stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

"What?" she looked at him.

"I'm really glad you're here. Thank you"

"It's nothing" she smiled.

"I don't mean the cleaning. Well, that too. But just, thank you for being you and wanting to hang out with me, you know, after the party"

"I'll always wanna hang out with you, partying or cleaning bottles" she said and leaned in to kiss him. "Happy birthday old man" this made him smile through the kiss.

"Thank you, young lady" he said still smiling. "Let's feed you now, yeah?"

"Please! Let's get some carbs on this house!" she smile.

"Hey, guys!" (y/n) and Daniel looked up to see Luke, one of Daniel's buddies walking out of the guest bedroom.

"Dude! I didn't know you were here" Daniel laughed.

"Yeah, just woke up. Definitely wasn't hiding in the bedroom waiting for the cleaning end to get out" he grinned making (y/n) and Daniel laugh.

"You know what? Just for that, you're going downstairs to pick up the food when it gets here, and taking out the trash!" (y/n) teased him, tossing a pillow from the couch at him.

Daniel just observed while his friend and his girlfriend joked and laughed. He thought about how right now he was enjoying a feeling of contempt that wasn't really natural or much appreciated by professional athletes, but this time felt right to indulge in it. He felt safe like someone's got him, finally. He took (y/n) hand on his and squeezed it three times, he knew this was already a good thing, something to last. She looked at him, she knew exactly what he meant.

[plaid-shirtsandvibranium-arms]

Hey !

Saw you were doing drabbles and can't stop dreaming of a soldier x Billy or medic x Billy during his time overseas with both angst and fluff ? Maybe a dash of smut ? 👀

Keep up the good work your so talented ❤️

I went with a Marine for our Reader and for the life of me I could not fit angst, fluff, and smut without turning this into a whole thing. So we're focusing on the smut (oh well). I hope you still like it!

Thank you for the request, love. I so appreciate it.

Pairing: Billy Russo x marine!Reader

Warnings: 18+ ONLY. public sex, unprotected sex, oral (f receiving), brief choking, I know fuck all about being a Marine, no editing was done

Word Count: 1.3k (i tried my best)

For a Marine on deployment, a day off was rare. A day off in a city where you would actually want to explore? Almost unheard of. Billy planned to make the most of it. His smile was cocky and his eyes were shining with promised debauchery.

Germany better watch out.

He walked into the local bar that night with a swagger that was unique to him. The locals were beautiful and this particular hangout was teeming with them and already a number of them were eyeing him with interest.

He had his pick.

As usual.

It had been months since he’s gotten his dick wet, but thrilled as he was to have the opportunity he wasn’t about to just pick up the first pretty girl he saw. He ordered a beer from the bar and leaned against it as he took a sip, his eyes meticulously scanning the room for who would get the privilege of bedding Billy Russo.

His eyes landed to the other end of the bar where he was drawn to bare skin revealed by a backless top. The curves on display were clearly feminine but the toned muscle from the shoulders down had a clear strength to them. Billy felt the attraction immediately stir in him when lower his gaze traveled to note how the short flowy skirt was clinging to hips and ass that had his hands itching to reach out.

He caught a glimpse of his target’s profile as she placed her empty glass on the bar before shooing away what would be the fourth man since he started observing her. Intriguing. From what little he saw of her face, she was beautiful and the way the men in the bar seemed to gravitate toward her confirmed that. She must be incredibly picky or genuinely not interested.

Challenge accepted.

Billy sidled up behind her, the scent from her skin greeted him and it was taking all his control not to reach out to touch. The cocky smirk on his face was on full display as he cleared his throat and spoke to her.

“At the risk of being added to your body count tonight,” he said, loud enough to be heard above the noise. “Can I buy you a drink?”

The sudden tension in her shoulders clued him in that he had been heard. The visible relaxing of those muscles as she turned caused his smirk to grow. He had her attention. When she fully faced him, he was met with an amused expression that he was all too familiar with.

“Now why would I do that to a fellow Marine?”

“Y/N?” he managed to say, his mouth hanging slightly open.

“Surprised, Russo?” you laughed. It was entertaining to you how he obviously didn’t realize it was you before hitting on you. “You promised me a drink?”

Billy shook his head and laughed, brushing aside the initial shock of realizing he had just flirted with one of his teammates. He gestured for the bartender to give you both another round before he turned to you and let out another chuckle, his body now fully relaxing at being around someone he knew.

“Well goddamn, Y/N,” he said, running a hungry gaze up and down your form. You barely suppressed the shiver that ran down your spine. He noticed it though. “Gotta say you look good.”

You rolled your eyes at him and downed your shot. “Save it for the poor unsuspecting German girls, Russo.”

Your eyebrow rose as you felt his hand snake around your waist, his thumb rubbing circles on your hip.

“Nah. I think I’m fine right here.”

You surprised him by stepping closer, your body flush against him and one hand trailing his broad shoulders.

“Is that so?” you said softly. “Tell me. What can Billy Russo offer me that my vibrator can’t do?”

His grip on your hip tightened. Neither of you saw each other this way before. You were always just trusted teammates to each other, mutual respect was a given. Right now though you weren’t teammates. You weren’t in uniform. You weren’t running drills. You were just a man and a woman with a sizzling attraction for each other in a foreign country with alcohol pushing you both to be more brazen.

He leaned in closer to whisper in your ear, biting lightly on your earlobe. “Well for one thing I can multitask.”

A few more shots and teasing remarks later, your back was against the brick wall of the back alley of the bar with one of your legs hitched up on his shoulder. If someone were to look hard enough at that darkened corner, they could probably see just how much you were writhing above Billy who was eating you out like he had something to prove.

“Just to be clear,” he said, popping his head out from beneath your skirt. The way his chin and beard were shining with your slick made your hips buck closer to his mouth. “This is a one time thing.”

You couldn’t help, but scoff. “So far there’s nothing I’d go back for seconds for.”

He chuckled as he traced his fingers through your folds, teasing your entrance as your hips began to wind. “Don’t go falling in love with me after I make you cum on my mouth.”

The snarky remark fell from your tongue as he dove back into you, fingers spearing you in a punishing pace as he sucked on your clit with purpose. You keened as the heat from your core spread like wildfire and you were soon shaking with your release.

“Fuck, you taste good.” He rose to his feet, crashing your mouths together as he palmed your breasts through your top. “Who fucking knew you were hiding all this under your uniform.”

His mouth moved to suck on your neck as he worked his cock free. You gasped as he lifted you easily, your mind still reeling from that first orgasm as you secured your legs around his hips. You felt him coat himself in your slick and you could tell just from that alone that he would be a stretch to fit. Your nerves were frayed with delicious anticipation.

“I still respect you as a Marine. This doesn’t change how you are as my teammate.”

“Just shut up and fuck me, Russo.”

He growled as he surged up into you, sheathing himself in your heat in one thrust. His mouth was on yours again in a battle of tongues and nipping teeth as he pounded you against the wall. He left you no time to get used to his size that was stretching you so perfectly.

“Shit! You’re sucking me in so tight,” he panted, angling his hips in a way that had your eyes squeezing shut as you moaned sharply. “Right there, huh? Did I find that sweet spot for you?”

You could only hold onto him tighter with your thighs, your whole body just focused on the tightening coil in your core. A hand snaked between you to rub on your swollen bud. The other came up to your neck, squeezing lightly and pinning you to the wall. The added pressure on your throat had you careening into an orgasm that had you almost blacking out.

“Fuck, yes. That’s right, pretty girl. Keep cumming on my cock.”

His thrusts grew erratic as he chased his own release, spurned on by your fluttering walls and the dazed fucked out look on your face. You whining his name from overstimulation was what finally pushed him over, spilling into you with a loud grunt.

He held you up by your thighs as you both tried to catch your breath. The breathy laugh from you prompted his own. He kissed you, just a bit more tenderly than he had all night.

“So,” he said, his dark eyes glinting with the promise of more. “You want seconds now?”

[bookofmirth]

Humans were literally oppressed in Crescent city I can’t believe it wasn’t talked about more in the book and that none of the characters really cared about that

It drives me NUTSSSSS

in hoeab it felt very off to me that Bryce would have a human mother, be part human, hear all of these slurs directed at her, face this discrimination, and then be like, "omg Briggs is such a horrible person how dare he try to gain rights for humans".

Um, WHAT? I know that they were mad at his methods, but there was ZERO discussion about how he might have been justified to fight for human rights on principle? Because he completely fucking is?

And then in hosab she was definitely in it more and seemed to have sort-of a better understanding, but the narrative was so, so fricking judgmental of humans who were trying to do something about it. Like Pippa took over the Briggs role as a way for Bryce to be like, "yeah people should rebel, but not like that!" It's the tone policing, for me.

If it was supposed to be a commentary on radicalization or something, it fell completely fucking flat. Instead, it came off very white feminist, very middle class armchair SJW. "Yeah people should be mad at racism but they should be nice in their anger!" Um, fuck that lolol

I can see that sjm was perhaps trying to play with Bryce's privilege via the thing with Juniper. And if it were just limited to Bryce having this very limited understanding of her own privilege and such, that would be one thing. But the whole damn story, the whole narrative was painting people like Pippa as just irredeemably bad people, with no nuanced consideration of what a lifetime of oppression must have felt like. And now we're supposed to accept that Bryce is fighting for Midgard rights because she sees how it affects fae, too?

Saving Emile felt very performative, too. Absolutely he matters whether or not he has powers. Bryce realizing that was profound, and what she did for him was kind. But maybe extend that compassion to ALL HUMANS, BRYCE, especially since you ARE HALF ONE AND YOUR MOTHER IS ONE AND THEY HAVE A LEGIT COMPLAINT.

This was actually the #1 thing I remember being annoyed with in hoeab, and hosab didn't make it better, for me.

[heaux-burrow]

Come Away To the Water. Book III

(book 1) (book 2) (book 4) & (book 5)

Come away little light, come away to the darkness To the ones appointed to see it through In the shade of the night we'll come looking for you Come away little lamb come away to the water Come away little lamb come away to the slaughter Give yourself so we might live anew fandom: midnight mass pairing: Father Paul x 2nd person OFC (Helena Belleforest) summary: "That's my job. To know the people in my community." “You mean the sheep in your flock.” “Especially the little black ones that like to wander off.” His voice is so tender. You wonder if Jesus spoke with this same tenderness. You think, if he did, you would've defied Rome for him too. a/n: I couldn't fully confirm if Bev is a Deacon but I grew up in church like, she seems like she's a Deacon so we're running with that. taglist: @shannon-posts

The first knock comes at 5pm.

And like clockwork, it’s the Virgin Mary herself.

“I’d imagine you have more important matters to attend to than me, Deacon.” You can’t even look Bev in the eyes, gaze scanning the path behind her, fearful of the entire congregation following after her to finally drive you out.

“Well, it was a busy afternoon.” She offers you a sickly sweet smile, full of poison. “Noticed you were kind enough to grace us with your presence in service today. My, you know… I think it’s been at least three, no four years since we last had the privilege. And here I thought your soul was just beyond saving. It’s truly a miracle what prayer can do, isn’t it?”

Blinking slowly, it takes all your strength not to close the door right in her face.

“It’s so kind of you to pray for my soul, Deacon. When there are so many others, far more deserving of your attention. I thank you.” Your tone is anything but thankful.

“Oh, of course. I always had so much respect for your family. Your grandfather in particular, God rest his soul. Well, you know that. You saw the way I cried at his funeral. I felt so silly. But he was such a good, God fearing man. Never missed service. And always helped us hand out sandbags in a storm. He deserved as much and more.”

“Well, I imagine he’s at peace now.”

“You are so right. I’m sure he’s smiling down on you, so proud that you finally made your way back to the flock…” Her eyes flicker with hunger, dying to know what it is that you must know. And finally, she breaks, unable to stand the mystery of it any longer. “Forgive me but...I must ask, given recent events, what it is that Father Paul suggested might happen at mass today that inspired your return? I mean, today of all days. Well, it just begs such curiosity. Surely, you understand.”

Ahh, there it is. The reason there isn’t a burning cross on your lawn right now.

Dragging in a deep breath, your fists ball for only a moment before you flex your fingers back outwards by force so you can’t punch her. Though it doesn’t stop a few silent hexes from whispering around in your mind.

“Father Paul had no idea I would be in attendance. In fact, I didn’t either.” She opens her mouth to contest your statement, but you raise a hand to stop her. “And I know you don’t believe me, but… I woke up this morning and… Gosh, you know, I guess Holy Spirit was just alive and moving inside me. Telling me to get up and go. So I listened. Guess I was meant to bear His witness, Deacon. Just as you were.”

You can tell from her stunned silence that she doesn’t appreciate this accusation. That God sees the two of you on any sort of equal footing. But that’s exactly why you said it and you can’t help savoring just how uncomfortable it’s made her.

Good, you think. It’s your turn to squirm, you self righteous bitch.

And you feel no guilt for these thoughts. You outgrew feeling guilty for your sins a long fucking time ago.

“Well, I do hope we’ll continue to see you at mass. I truly think it’s just what you need. God can forgive anyone you know. Even you.” There’s that Willy Wonka smile again.

Dragging in a breath, you can’t help leaning out of the doorway just slightly as she turns to go.

“Beverly?” The sun has dipped low enough to set the sunlight softer among the clouds. Like brush strokes of oil paint lovingly caressed across the sky. On the breeze, you can hear the horn of a ferry calling out its goodbye as it starts back towards the mainland. You hate to ask her anything. But you can’t help worrying. And crossing the island to check on Paul yourself seems like a stupid idea given the circumstances. If Beverly thought your timing was suspicious, surely she’s not the only one. “Is he alright?”

“I’ve attended to him.” She assures you with a small but proud smile, as if this answers your question. Animalistic jealousy flares in your veins as if she’s stolen a privilege from you. But if you’re honest with yourself, she can’t steal something from you that isn’t yours. “He’s resting now. In peace. And we should let him. He’s had a very long day. The last thing he needs is more trouble.”

Bobbing your head in understanding, you close the door.

Tonight, you double check the locks, before going upstairs to dig out your cleansing sage. You are not letting her sociopathic energy infect your house. Not even the front step.

~~~

The second knock comes just after 7pm.

Hope runs unbridled through your chest and you nearly jump off the floor.

You’d been sitting by the fire looking at star charts, trying to figure out if there’s something going on astrologically that could explain anything you saw today. Trying to ignore the bible your grandfather left on the table by his chair. Trying to ignore the impulse to march across the island and demand answers from Paul. To check on him. To cradle him and swaddle him and pet him until he falls asleep, with you guarding his doorstep. You’re sure half the town has been biting at his ankles today. You know now isn’t the time to ask more of him. But it doesn’t stop the wanting.

You fight hard not to let disappointment drain your features when you open the door to find Erin Greene on your step. You’re never sure if it’s the pregnancy or just her own natural beauty, but sometimes you catch yourself staring at her. The woman is like a damn Botticelli fresco. She’s also your only real female friend on the island and you cherish her company. You just know she doesn’t have the answers to any question clawing around inside of you. But maybe that’s the point. Maybe you both just need to talk it out. That’s what the women of the village do, right? Talk it out of themselves until that something is no longer clawing around on the inside.

“Don’t look so excited.” She chuckles, observant as ever despite your efforts.

“Sorry, just been a long day.” You offer her your best smile and step aside, ushering her past the threshold. “Everything okay?”

“Sort of.” She shrugs, wandering in. “I mean, yeah...Today was weird, right?”

Apparently, you’re not the only one struggling with how you’re supposed to feel. Of course, you’re happy for Leeza. Everyone is happy for Leeza but... what the fuck?

“They talk about misdiagnosis in pre-med a lot. Maybe...I dunno…” Your head feels fuzzy from lack of sleep. You’ve never been a morning person, barely functional before 10am and always awake past midnight. But you were up at a blistering 8am today and you haven’t been able to nap. It’s only then that you remember you haven’t eaten either.

“Mm,” She nods in agreement, moving to stand near the star maps laid out across your wooden floor. You can see her head tilt as she tries to make sense of them. “Riley mentioned something about that… but then…”

“But then how did Father Paul know?” Digging through your fridge, you pull out the leftover vegetable soup you’d thrown together last night. “I’m dying to ask him.”

“So...he didn’t tell you anything?” She catches your arched eyebrow from across the kitchen and throws her hands up in surrender. “I just know you two like to talk. He… seems like...he confides in you.”

“Trying to convert me, more like.” You scoff, ladling soup into two bowls. “There’s a decent amount of salt in this, is that okay for…”

Your eyes drop to her belly and she laughs.

“Salt is the least of my worries. Hell, I live on a little salt rock in the middle of a salt-water desert. I sure hope it’s alright. Did you know that? That the ocean is actually a desert.”

“I did not.”

“Yep. There’s no drinkable water and you can’t grow agriculture on the open ocean.”

“Hmm. That’s interesting.”

“I mean, it was. But then I watched a paralyzed girl get up and walk today so my range on interesting has shifted significantly.”

For the first time all day, a laugh bubbles up out of you and it’s only then that you realize how badly you needed it. Thank the goddesses for Erin Greene.

“Do you think our grandmothers were friends?” You muse her way, setting the bowls in the microwave with a paper towel over them. “Or maybe our great grandmothers?”

A bright smile tugs at her mouth and takes over her entire face. The thought clearly warms her as much as the fire she’s lingering by.

“I hope so. I hope they sat by the fire and gossiped about everyone in this town and laughed at how crazy this place is.”

“And helped each other clean up after storms.”

“And took turns watching each other’s children so they could bathe and eat and sit in quiet for a few minutes.”

“I hope they helped each other feel understood. You know? I feel like women never got to explore who they were beyond what they could do for their families back then. Jesus, sometimes even now.”

“I hope they were happy.” Her eyes are on the ocean now, staring out the big windows that face east. The moon is rising steadily over the water, creating ripples that reflect her light right back and make her seem even bigger than she is.

“Who couldn’t be happy here?” Your playful sarcasm tugs her out of her thoughts and the two of you share a soft laugh.

“You really don’t know, do you?” Her big sea green eyes search yours as the truth finally settles in that you hadn’t shown up today to watch a miracle happen. “Everyone thinks you know...so...if you didn’t show up for Leeza, then...”

The recognition that flickers across her face triggers an eyeroll from you, followed by a gentle laugh.

“That’s not it. It’s not.” You shake your head, knowing full well that you’re lying to her face. Before this morning, you might’ve told her the truth. That when Paul looks at you, speaks to you, you feel so much more than holy.

“I mean, if anyone could make a man break his vows of celibacy…” Her smirk is infectious and you shake your head, setting her soup on the round kitchen table by the east facing windows.

“That is not what is happening.” Heat creeps up your neck and you can feel a burn in your cheeks.

“Yet.” Sitting at the table, she plays her spoon around in the soup and eyes you playfully through the rising steam. With a heavy sigh you sit down beside her to eat your own soup. Under the table your foot gives her ankle a friendly kick and the two of you share a laugh. You wonder if your great-grandmothers’ friendship ever included teasing each other about the handsome men around town and kicking one other under the table for it. You sincerely hope it did.

~~~

The final knock comes at 1am.

You’ve just fallen asleep, curled up on your bed in the pale moonlight with star maps scattered across your blankets.

But you know this time. The second your eyes fly open, you can feel every cell in your body stand at attention. You know it’s him.

And you know this is a little stupid. He should be resting. You should be keeping your distance. Still, you pull on a robe and brush the maps over onto your desk and scurry to the door like a moth eager to let the flames consume her.

His forehead presses to yours as he steps over the threshold. His hand is big and warm as it rests on your waist, curling into the thin fabric of your robe in sync with the deep breath that expands his lungs.

“I can’t sleep.” It makes your knees tremble the way his voice rumbles in his chest. So low and private, his words meant for no one on this earth but you.

“I thought we couldn’t…”

“We can’t.” He swallows hard, clearly struggling with this fact and hoping that saying the words out loud will strengthen his resolve. “Believe me when I say it’s not because I don’t want…”

“I know.” The pads of your fingertips rest against his perfect mouth, hushing him. You fight hard not to show what the feeling of his lips on your skin is doing to you. Taking a step back, you force him to follow if he wants to keep any distance between your bodies closed. And he obliges. “No, I know. It’s fine. It’s okay. We can just… I don’t want to be away from you either. We’ll figure it out, hmm?”

Paul uses his foot to nudge the door closed and you reach around him to do up the lock. The action triggers a small chuckle in his chest and he pulls back to find your eyes in the pale moonlight.

“What are you so afraid of out here, hmm? Nothing is going to get you. I won’t let it.” On pure instinct, you lean into the brush of his knuckles across your cheek. Hum softly as his fingers comb up into your curls, just as his nose dips into the warmth of your neck. “You looked different today…”

“I straightened my hair. Dug out some make up.” You muse softly, stretching an arm out across his broad back. A moan slips out before you can stop it at the heat of his breath on your skin as he nuzzles into it. Drinking you in like your scent is a drug.

“For me?”

“No, for Jesus.” Your trademark sarcasm earns you a firm nip to the neck and you squeal breathlessly in surprise. Giggling softly, you shuffle backwards on your tiptoes towards the spiral staircase that leads to your bedroom. “Why? Are you jealous?”

“Painfully.”

“Well, it could be worse. I could’ve promised my whole body to him for life…oh wait.”

When you pull back to gauge his reaction, you find his eyes narrowed playfully up at you while you navigate the stairs. His grip on your waist tightens, keeping you fixed in place for a long, breathless moment.

“You looked beautiful…” He whispers across your lips, cradling your neck as he gently guides you down to meet him. His mouth catches yours and it’s like a thousand champagne bottles pop off inside you. Like the piercing heat of a shower spray streaming over your spine. Like warm honey dripping down your throat and through your core. But better.

Despite the tension, you can feel this kiss is anything but sexual. Nothing but attachment and neediness and pure intimacy. If you could, you’d rip open your chest and let him burrow inside your ribcage. But kissing him is a sufficient alternative. Particularly when you never thought you’d get the chance.

Without warning, his hands grip your waist as if that’s what they were made for, and lift. Your legs wrap around his middle and he carries you the rest of the distance.

“Why did you come today?” His voice is muffled, buried in your hair as you wrap your arms across his back. He’s stronger than he looks. And it’s only now, with his body pressed right to yours like this, that you’re able to appreciate how much bigger he is than you.

“I wanted to see you.”

“It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of thieves.” He sighs playfully, feigning Jesus' disappointment upon finding merchants in a temple.

“I didn’t steal anything!” You laugh in response.

“Didn’t you?” The smirk is evident in his voice and you giggle at the implication. Stole the priest’s attention from mass? Stole Beverly’s place at his right hand? Stole the man away from God himself? All of these accusations delight you if you’re completely honest. You revel in the unholiness of being his darkest temptation.

“So you want me to lie to you on top of it?”

“No,” Now standing in your room, he pulls back to caress the back of his knuckles along the underside of your jawline. With his arms still around you, Paul slowly lowers himself to sit on the edge of your bed. He keeps you in his lap, hands brushing down your spine and then back up. Somehow the electricity in every small touch is more erotic than anything else you’ve felt in your life. “I never want you to lie to me. Ever. Your honesty is…not just refreshing. It’s intoxicating. Brutal. Blistering, even. But… that’s why I trust it. Trust you. I trust you even more than I trust myself. That must sound childish, but…”

“It doesn’t.” Curling your fingers under his chin, you lift his head until his eyes find yours. Gently holding his jaw in place, you lean in to kiss him again. Soft but deep. Humming low in his chest, Paul caresses a hand up along one smooth thigh until his touch is edging under the fabric of your robe. It’s enough to make your toes curl and your spine arch a bit.

“If I stay here…”

“I’ll be on my best behavior, I promise.” You flash him the smile of a child who's been promised ice cream if she's very good, nuzzling the tip of your nose against his. The thought of keeping him all night thrills you like the unexpected sight of a shooting star blazing across the sky.

“Trust me when I tell you, I’m more worried about my behavior than yours.” He chuckles under his breath, before carefully shifting to stand and lay you in bed. Pushing yourself up on your elbows, you watch him tug his cardigan away. Then undo his shirt cuffs. “If I stay here… would it be too much to ask if I wanted to hold you? All night.”

“I’d be very cross if you didn’t.”

“Scoot over.” He nudges at you with a smile, toeing his boots off. Something about the sight of his priestly collar being stripped away and set on your bedside table makes your stomach tighten.

“What happens if I don’t?”

Arching an eyebrow, Paul rolls his sleeves up slowly. One knee dips the mattress beside your right thigh. Then the other, as he crawls over you like he’s sizing up prey.

“I thought I was promised your best behavior, little girl.” A shiver rolls down your spine at how low his voice can get when he means to weaponize it against you.

Eyes wide, you can’t quite think of anything smart to sass back at him when he’s straddling you and calling you ‘little’. Wetting your lips, you manage only a shaky nod. Following closely on its heels is a sigh of relief when he rolls off of you, a knowing smile on his lips. You scoot across the bed willingly this time, resting your head on his chest and stretching an arm across his ribs.

“Good girl.” He muses low, nuzzling into your hair as one arm wraps around your back, clearly cognizant of his effect on you. The other works to pull your thick comforter blanket up so you’re both swaddled in warmth against the wet, cold chill of March. “Sleep now, hmm?”

You try and fight it. For once, not to be stubborn, but to savor the feeling of his chest warm and solid and as close as you’ve ever had him. The feeling of his lungs rising and falling with each breath. The feeling of his hand covering your arm. Of his nose buried in your hair. Just for one moment more.

Then one more.

Then one more…

[amoristt]

Just a Dare | Nathan Prescott x Reader

@trueloveknifefight asked, Also can I request Nathan asking you out?

here u are! i love writing convos w nathan UGH i adore his character.

as always, replies and reblogs are greatly appreciated1 i check all tags and comments <3

wanna support me for just $3? here's my ko-fi!

The lights were bright, vivid. Almost blinding. They dance LED accents into the reflection of your drink- a dull plastic cup filled to the brim with one part whiskey, zero parts mixer. The taste could bring a tear to your eye but you would be damned to water down such fine alcohol, provided by none other than Nathan Prescott himself.

Music reverberated along the pool rooms walls, laughter and hollers distantly rising with the tempos. Your foot absently tapped to the beat- you were never one for dancing. Never one for parties, either, actually, favoring drinking in the solitude of a small friend group.

If not for Nathan you wouldn't be here at all. Some would say it's a privilege to slip past those heavy doors, entering the dully lit world of the Vortex Club. You mostly just felt like it was all for show. Somehow securing a place among Nathan's friend group, and a good friend at that, it was almost duty to show up. He insisted on it.

So, here you were. Leaning against a wall in a suffocatingly warm, cramped pool room surrounded by a sea of faces you hardly recognized.

That was, until you saw Nathan's face peer through the small break in shifting bodies. You knew him all too well.

Strikingly handsome, equally strikingly pompous. Funny, crude, an absent minded party goer just as much as he was a fireball with racing, incoherent thoughts. A drinker, a druggie. Takes the edge off, he says, but you think he does it to take away his thoughts completely. You felt like his entire life was all edges, never sacred ground.

The poor bastard.

He lures your attention in as he saunters over with squared shoulders, narrowly avoiding spilling his drink when a random student cuts it a little too close. Normally Nathan would make a bigger deal, give him what for, but this time he just shoots the poor kid a menacing glare and grumbles, 'fucking watch it'. He's walking with purpose and intent, you can see it on his face. You must have a target on your forehead as he darts straight over.

When he comes to your side, his own alcohol dripping down the sides of his cup onto his wiry fingers, you raise a brow.

"Something wrong?" You ask, as he takes a spot leaning against the hard wall right next to you.

"Just wondering why you're being so fucking lame over here," He shouts over the music, taking a sip of his drink, grimacing at the taste. "We're all having a good time over at the lounge and you're over here acting like all the other wallflower nobodies."

You roll your eyes with upturning lips. "Maybe I like being a wallflower. I like people watching. I see things no one else does."

"Yeah, okay, fucking weirdo."

"I mean it," You push off the wall and grin. "Look-" You point to a student obviously wasted, drink held high over head while he lets the music take him away. "That guy is clearly trashed- he's having the time of his life. He's gotta be seeing double."

Nathan whistles at his state, taking in the guys goofy smile, half lidded eyes. "I'll bet it's the triplets. I could breathe on him too hard and he'd fall over."

"You should go try it." You tease. He shakes his head and takes another drink.

"Nah, he'll get it himself. Guarantee we'll be dragging him out by his feet by the end of the night." He shrugs. "Or, at least someone will. I sure as fuck ain't staying that long."

You snicker. "What, got a hot date?" Nathan glares at you. "Oh don't tell me," you cup your hands to whisper, a secretive gesture, "homework?"

"Fuck no," He scoffs, and you can just barely see that he's a little more than tipsy now. His pale cheeks dusted with red, the tip of his nose ruby under the harsh lighting. It's also then that you realize he's a little more tense than usual, even despite the drinking. He's standing straight upright, his right hand gripping his cup like a crutch and his left now shoved hastily into his pocket.

He hasn't looked at you dead in the eyes yet.

"So what is it then?" You ask curiously. He shrugs and stares into his cup. You frown. "Bro, are you like, good right now? Do you wanna leave?"

For the first time since he'd wandered over, Nathan looks up at you. His eyes are unreadable, but his composure seems stressed. He shrugs again. Before you can even open your mouth to ask him about his state, he sighs and downs an entire mouthful of burning whiskey. It makes you cringe just watching him.

"Fuck it," He huffs. "Look I got some stupid ass dare to come over here and put the moves on you, okay." He sounds almost annoyed, like it's a hassle for him, or maybe embarrassing. You cross your arms. "I was dared to come over here and try to get you like, to fucking, you know, leave with me, but now that I'm over here I'm starting to think maybe that was a dumbass idea."

"Leave with you?" You say incredulously, a brow already lifting. "You were dared to come over here and try to sleep with me? By our friends?"

"No, no, fuck," Nathan seems agitated now, rushing. "Like a date sorta bullshit. Ask you out." He manages to get it out in almost the worst delivery possible, meanwhile you're just trying to pick out who would put him up to this. Hayden? Victoria?

A laugh forces its way out of you. "Aren't we a little too old for that game?"

Nathan shrugs. "That's what I said but they insisted. Fucking babies. At least make the dare a little more fun than just asking some bitch out. That's like elementary level shit."

Your eyes widen, you scoff. "Excuse me?"

Nathan sputters. "You're not some bitch, I didn't mean to-... Fucks sake, I'm clearly a little drunk right now okay, if you could cut me some fucking slack that'd be awesome."

"Hey man I didn't ask to be a victim of bullying," You tease, and he can't help but laugh. You soften. "Never expected it from you, though of all people. As ironic as that sounds."

"I'm not even bullying you, come on. Don't be a bitch. I even admitted it and everything."

You grin. "Yeah. Gotta say though, I'm a little disappointed."

"Oh what, you wanted to see my moves?" Nathan hums. "You wanted some Prescott action?"

"Shut the hell up." You shove his shoulder, an action that would be a mistake to so many others, but for you, it was welcomed. "I'm disappointed that it was just a dare. I'd probably have said yes if it wasn't. But, oh well."

Nathan doesn't answer for a long moment. First, he stares into his drink, processing. Almost like he hadn't heard that right, or like you were messing with him. It's rare to see Nathan Prescott stunned into a momentary silence. He's thinking, wondering what he should say next. Suspicious that you're just playing with him, hopeful that maybe you aren't.

And, you hadn't been. Truth be told if given the chance you would allow him to take you out for the evening. Show you fancy things, try out something a little more intimate than just laughter and poking fun at classmates together. You enjoyed his presence, looked forward to it at times.

A small part of you had hoped that he felt the same, maybe. Somehow. While grateful that he respected you enough to cut the crap before it even began, you couldn't help but feel a little... Disheartened at the prank. You'd saved your pride by denying him beforehand, but, if it had been genuine...

"So if it wasn't a dare," He began, quietly, barely audible over the booming music overhead. Eyes barely visible in the sea of vibrant lights crashing like waves. "You'd have said yes."

You shrug, trying to play it casual to save your own feelings, just in case. "Probably. I mean, we're already friends. We have fun so it couldn't have been that bad." He nods along to almost every word.

"Well what if we did it anyways." He blurts.

"Did what?"

"Go out tonight. Like, you know ditch this lame ass party and have some real fun."

"You love this lame ass party, and plus," You shake your head in feigned annoyance. "I'm not sleeping with you, Nathan."

He glares at you. "Fucking duh. I'm just saying we can go and hang out somewhere else. This party happens all the fucking time so it's not like we're missing anything."

"But, wouldn't that make me the butt of our friends joke?"

He shrugs. "Fuck em. It was a dumb dare anyways."

"Now it seems like you're trying extra hard to convince me to say yes." You state, and he's frazzled, running lines through his brain to try and save the absolute failure of asking you out. You decide to spare him, take a little leap of faith for yourself. "But, alright. I'm in."

Nathan gapes at you. "You're in?"

"Yeah, why not. I'm not busy right now and if you're not either than," You smile. "Why not. You better wow me though, Prescott. I'm talking a night to remember. Fireworks, dinner by candle light, a serenade. The whole package."

Nathan's eyes light up, but he tries to hide it, rolls those beautiful blues. "Well considering I've had like no fucking time to prepare how about we instead go to the roof and chill out."

You toss the idea around in your head for show. You already knew the answer the moment he asked if you were being serious.

"I mean I guess that would work," You say. "I was looking for fireworks but I suppose that will suffice. Feel free to go tell our buddies their joke may have backfired on them."

Nathan shakes his head. "Nah, don't even bother. They're all drunk and probably don't even remember daring me in the first place."

"Alright then," You push yourself off the wall, feeling your cheeks warm. A flutter takes wing in the base of your chest, your heart picking up just a little faster. You can't stop the smile that graces you as you say, "Lead the way, Prescott."

Nathan does lead the way. He takes your hand into his own, your fingers tracing over his boney knuckles as he drags you through the sea of bodies, out to the school hall and up winding stairs.

You giggle like a child when he struggles to find the correct key on the janitors ring he'd snatched weeks ago just in case, tease him when he almost spills his drink all over himself. Nathan's hands are almost shaking, but you chalk it up to the alcohol. You chalk everything up to the alcohol- his trembling fingers, his red face, a shy, albeit goofy smile resting upon his lovely, angular face.

The night was cool and crisp, a stark contrast to the smoldering heat of the Vortex Party.

He looks amazing out under the stars, and underneath the scope of the vast, black sky dotted with trillions of perfect, twinkling lights, you feel at peace.

Looking at him, you feel like this may be the start of something you'd denied yourself the chance of ever even imagining.

Out there, alone but together, hearing the echoes of music mixed with the livelihood of crickets in the darkness...

it truly was a night to remember.

-----------

Days later, you sit atop your desk, feet tapping rhythmically on your chair, typing away at your phone.

"Love the top," A familiar voice pipes, and you glace up to find Victoria standing before you, books pressed to her chest. She takes in your shirt, a nicely fitted long sleeve with a rather low cut v-neck. "Why haven't I see that one before?"

You shrug and set your phone down. "Never got around to wearing it I guess. Not a big fan of V-necks."

"It fits you," She sets her books down at the table beside you and brushes a hand through her hair, making sure every strand is in line. "I'll have to get one myself."

"You know what, you can have it after today," You say, and she perks up in disbelief. "As a thank you for what happened at the party."

That disbelief soon turned to confusion. "...Meaning?"

"Y'know, making Nathan ask me out. He made a whole huge deal about it- said you guys were drinking and playing Truth or Dare of all things. Gotta say, I was a little surprised."

Victoria's brows knit. "We hardly drank at that party, and I wouldn't be caught dead playing Truth or Dare. That game is for kids."

It almost knocks the wind out of you.

They hadn't even been playing in the first place.

As the teacher walks into the room, the first period bell blaring annoyingly over the speakers, you climb off your desk and prepare for the day, hardly able to contain yourself. It hadn't been a dare, after all.

And, you and Nathan's official second date was merely a day away.

[nerdythebard]

#8: Adrian 'Alucard' Tepes [Castlevania]

Surprise!

Told you I can do any fictional character. Feel free to send me your suggestions!

By the time I'm writing this, season 4 of Netflix's Castlevania shall hit our screens in two days. Because of that, I decided to do something special and build the main trio in D&D. We'll start with everybody's bundle of daddy issues - Adrian Fahrenheit Tepes aka Alucard. This half-vampire swordsman uses his charm and nimbleness to overpower his foes.

Next Time: Never tell this woman beer is better than sex with her, my man... see what happens.

Now, let's see what we need to bring Alucard into our D&D game.

Errr... besides that.

Half-Blood Prince: Alucard is a half-vampire son of Dracula. He's quite an accomplished scholar, orator, and all-around high-class fella. His strength, speed, and intelligence are obviously above that of any mortal, but I'm afraid this is D&D, not anime. We have to balance it out.

Floaty Sword: Alucard's weapon of choice is a longsword he controls telekinetically. We don't see him doing much in terms of magic and spellcasting (besides occasional quick stride akin to teleportation), so we shall focus on this one weapon.

Tough: I mean... my dude fights either shirtless or in a trenchcoat and he still can take more Punchables™ than Mama said. What I mean is, we need some good AC on him.

---

The issue of Alucard's race is pretty much non-existing; he's a half-vampire, there is a half-vampire option in D&D that is about to become official with the upcoming release of Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft.

Alucard is a Dhampir. We get to pick a +2 and +1 to two different stats of our choice, let's get +2 Dexterity and +1 Constitution. We get both walking AND climbing speed of 35 feet, 60 feet of Darkvision, and we get to speak Common and one other language of our choice. Most importantly, we get Vampiric Bite, which lets us use our teeth as natural weapons. We can add our Constitution modifier to both attack and damage rolls of our fangs, and the bite deals 1d4 piercing damage. If we're below 50% health, we have an advantage on the attack roll. We're not ourselves when we're hungry. If the creature we bite is not a construct or an undead, we can choose one of the following benefits:

regain Hit Points equal to the damage of our bite;

gain a bonus to the next ability check or attack roll we make (bonus equals the damage of our bite)

We can use those bite benefits the number of times equal to our proficiency bonus, and we regain all bites after finishing a long rest.

For Alucard's background, I feel like going with Noble is most fitting. We get proficiency with History and Persuasion, proficiency in one gaming set, we learn one language of our choice, and we gain the Position of Privilege feature; much like Shelter of the Faithful or Military Rank from previous builds, this one grants us ability to secure an audience with a noble, or use our status to gain entrance to more secured locations. Nobody tells the son of Dracula what he can or can't do!

ABILITY SCORES

If you ever seen Alucard, you know he's scoring 18 in every single thing right away. That makes him almost anime protagonist-level of awesome. However, once again, this is D&D. We must be fair and adhere to the rules:

We start with Constitution, as we're pretty difficult to hurt (our only weakness seems to be attractive Japanese hunters). Dexterity is next, it is our primary fighting ability, and we need it to be able to go shirtless into battle. We follow that up with Strength, we are nimble but we can still punch a full-on vampire in the face hard enough to make him feel it.

Intelligence is next, we've had Dracula's entire library to kill time, and we're pretty educated. Wisdom is a bit lower than we need it to be, but we did get outsmarted by two Belmont wannabes. We'll work on that. Unfortunately, we have to dump Charisma.

H-hey! For my defence, he's been described as a teenager in an adult's body! He is educated and eloquent, but apart from that, his charm comes from how inept and awkward he is... err... it doesn't work, eh?

YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!

CLASS

Level 1 - Fighter: No big surprise there, we're not a caster or a tank, this is a damage-dealer build. As a Fighter, we get a d10 for our Hit Dice, [10 + Constitution modifier] starting Hit Points, proficiency with light armour, medium armour, heavy armour, shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons. We don't need armour for this build (we've seen Alucard using a shield in S4 trailer), and I think his sword is long and thin enough to count as a rapier. Our saving throws are Strength and Constitution, and we get to pick two class skills: Athletics and Acrobatics seems stereotypical, but they're really useful in this build.

Fighters at 1st level get to pick their Fighting Style, and if you remember Alucard's fight with Trevor, you know we're going with Duelling. This gives us a +2 to damage rolls with our weapon, as long as it's the only one we have in our hands, so we're dropping the shield. We also get Second Wind, letting us heal [1d10 + our Fighter level] once per short or long rest.

Level 2 - Fighter: At this level we get Action Surge, which lets us take one additional Action once per short or long rest.

Level 3 - Fighter: This is the level where we get to pick our subclass, our Martial Archetype. Now, if this build was done earlier, I would've picked Eldritch Knight (as Weapon Bond is especially tempting feature), but thanks once again to Tasha's Cauldron of Everything we have something that fits Alucard much better.

Alucard is a Psi Warrior. He uses much less magic than Sypha, and his main tactic is to use his sword telekinetically. This subclass has everything we need. We start with Psionic Power, which gives us a [our proficiency bonus x2]d6 of Psionic Energy Dice, which can be used to perform special effects. We regain all Psionic Dice after finishing a long rest, but once per short or long rest we can also regain one dice as a bonus action, which is useful in a pinch. We begin with the following psychic effects:

Protective Field: when a creature within 30 feet of us takes damage, we can spend 1 Psionic Die as a reaction to reduce the damage by [the result + our Intelligence modifier].

Psionic Strike: Once on our turn, when we successfully deal damage to a target within 30 feet of us, we can spend 1 Psionic Die to add extra [the result + our Intelligence modifier] force damage.

Telekinetic Movement: As an action, we can select a loose object that is Large or smaller (or one willing creature other than ourselves), and move it up to 30 feet into an unoccupied space. Alternatively, we can summon a Tiny object directly to or from our hand. Our rapier is definitely not Tiny, but moving it as close as 1 foot and using a free action to pick it up is absolutely possible. Once we use this effect, we have to wait a short or long rest, or use a Psionic Die to use it again.

Level 4 - Fighter: It's time for our first Ability Score Improvement! Instead, however, we will pick a feat. Mobile feat along with a Dexterity-based character is truly a DM's bane. Our walking (and climbing) speed increases by 10 feet; when we use the Dash action, we are not affected by difficult terrain; when we make a melee attack against a creature, we do not provoke attacks of opportunity for the rest of the turn, regardless if we hit our target or not.

Level 5 - Fighter: At this level we get Extra Attack. During our turn, as we take our Action, we can now attack twice instead of once. Combining that with Action Surge lets us attack four times on our turn.

It is also here that our Psionic Dice increases from d6 into d8.

Level 6 - Fighter: We get another ASI. Let's raise our Wisdom by 2 points. We need it to multiclass later.

Level 7 - Fighter: Our subclass gets upgraded with Telekinetic Adept. We now get two additional effects to pick for our Psionic Dice:

Psi-Powered Leap: As a bonus action, we gain flying speed of [our walking speed x2] feet until the end of our current turn. Once we take this effect, we cannot do it again until we finish a short or long rest, or spend a Psionic Die to do it again.

Telekinetic Thrust: When we use our Psionic Strike, we can force a Strength saving throw on our target (DC: 8 + our proficiency bonus + our Intelligence modifier). On a failed save, we can either knock the target prone, or move them 10 feet in any horizontal direction.

Level 8 - Fighter: Time for another ASI. Once again, we need to raise our Wisdom, but this time only by a single point. We'll put the other point into Strength, and let's get ready to multiclass into...

Level 9 - Monk: We shall now address Alucard's questionable choice of body protection... and by that I mean lack thereof. As a 1st-level Monk, we get Unarmoured Defence; when we're not wearing any armour, our AC equals [10 + our Dexterity modifier + our Wisdom modifier].

We also get our hand-to-hand combat upgraded with Martial Arts, which is going to be useful if we're somehow separated from our sword. While we're unarmed (or wielding monk weapons) and unarmoured (and with no shield), we gain the following benefits:

We can use Dexterity instead of Strength for attack and damage rolls of our unarmed strikes and monk weapons;

We can now roll a d4 for attack and damage rolls of our unarmed strikes (instead of our Strength or Dexterity modifier) and monk weapons;

When we Attack using unarmed strikes or monk weapons, we can spend a bonus action to do additional unarmed strike.

Level 10 - Monk: Halfway through the build, and we're getting access to the Monk's most important resource, the Ki energy. We start with 2 Ki Points, which we can spend to fuel some extra Monk abilities. Right from the start, we know three of those:

Flurry of Blows: Immediately after we Attack, we can spend 1 Ki Point to deal two extra unarmed strikes.

Patient Defence: We can burn 1 Ki Point to take a Dodge action as a bonus action.

Step of the Wind: For 1 Ki Point, we can take a Dash or Disengage action as a bonus action. Our jump distance also doubles for the turn.

We also get extra speedy here with Unarmoured Movement. While not wearing armour or a shield, our walking speed increases by 10 feet.

Level 11 - Monk: At this level, we shall learn how to Deflect Missiles. Whenever we're hit by a ranged projectile, we can use our reaction to reduce the damage dealt by [1d10 + our Dexterity modifier + our Monk level]. If we manage to reduce the damage to 0, we can catch the projectile with a free hand and, using the same reaction, make a ranged attack (20/60) with the same projectile.

This is also the time to pick our second subclass, our Monastic Tradition. Now, originally I wanted to do Way of the Shadow to get some more of that vampiric sneak, but then I realize it's not exactly what Alucard does. Instead, we'll go Way of the Open Hand, to enhance our unarmed combat. With the Open Hand Technique feature, we gain a boost to our Flurry of Blows. Every time on of our Flurry strikes hits, we can apply one of the following effects:

Target must make a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone;

Target must make a Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 15 feet;

Target cannot take reactions until the end of our next turn.

We also get Wholeness of Body to double-down on our vampiric regeneration. Once per long rest, we can use an action to regain Hit Points equal to [our Monk level x3].

It is also at this level that our Psionic Dice get upgraded to a d10.

Level 12 - Fighter: We return to our Jedi Psi Warrior, just in time to get the Indomitable feature. Once per long rest, we can reroll a saving throw we fail, but we must use the new result.

Level 13 - Fighter: Our subclass gets upgraded with Guarded Mind. We are now resistant to psychic damage. Additionally, we can spend a Psionic Die to shake off the charmed or frightened effects if we start our turn under influence of those.

Level 14 - Fighter: Here, our Extra Attack gets improved; now, we can attack three times when taking the Attack action.

Level 15 - Fighter: We get another ASI. Let's raise our Charisma by 2 point, to get rid of the negative modifier.

Level 16 - Fighter: We now get an improvement to our Indomitable feature. We can use it twice per long rest.

Level 17 - Fighter: For another ASI, we shall raise our Dexterity by 2 points.

Level 18 - Fighter: We get the final upgrade for our subclass in this build. By using Bulwark of Force, we can protect ourselves and others. As a bonus action, we can choose a number of creatures within 30 feet that we can see (ourselves included), equal to our Intelligence modifier. The chosen creatures gain the benefit of half-cover for 1 minute, or until we're incapacitated. Once again, we can use it once per long rest, unless we spend a Psionic Die to use it again.

Level 19 - Fighter: For our final ASI we shall raise our Wisdom and Intelligence.

Level 20 - Fighter: Our capstone is Fighter 17. We get three uses of Indomitable per long rest, and two uses of Action Surge, which effectively gives us ability to perform nine attacks on a single target.

---

And that is my take on Alucard from Castlevania. Let's see how he presents himself:

First of all, we're a very speedy boi, with basic speed of 55 feet, with Step of the Wind giving us ability to double that movement. We also have a solid Hit Point base, 181 on average. We can make multiple attacks with Action Surge and Extra Attack, and even if we get disarmed, we can handle ourselves with bare hands.

On the other hand, our Charisma makes those particular saving throws a bit difficult. Same thing with our Intelligence, which modifier fuels some of our subclass abilities. We also have a relatively low AC (16 unarmoured), but we do have several skills attributing to avoiding getting hit (the Mobile feat, Patient Defence, etc.)

---

Anyhoo, that's it for Alucard. Next time, it's everybody's favourite tomboy wizard!

- Nerdy out!

[greenv]

We're the same PT.ll | Peter Parker x Stark!Fem!Reader

Summary: You are used to having Peter in your world all the time, he was in the base with you more than at his own home, it was time for you to spend time in his world.

Warnings: None? A small sexual reference or joke? Idk...

Word count: 3,5 k

Notes: (Y/R/L/N) \ Your real last name.

A/N: I just want to thank you guys for all the love "We're the same" received! For real! Thank you! Here's part two, I hope you guys like it as well!

[Part 1]

_______________________

You and Peter were getting back from one of your night patrols, it was something that the two of you always did and it was part of your routine now, you loved fighting crime beside him, and he loved being able to fight by your side as well, the both of you made such a perfect team that even your dad, Tony Stark was proud.

"So… I was thinking" Peter takes off his mask giving you a look, you look at him waiting for him to keep talking "You know, how I always spend time on the avengers place? I was thinking that maybe you would like to… I don't know… Spend some time at my place? Maybe?" Peter smiles awkwardly, you remove your marks looking at him with a smile.

"You got all shy all of a sudden" You put your arms around his neck, giving him a little kiss on the lips.

"Not with you, I mean, no, I just… Do you think that it's time to introduce you to my friends?" Peter sighs.

"Wow…" You look at him with surprise "You have friends?!" Peter looks at you offended, you start laughing and he can't help but laugh as well with you "I'd love to meet them, if that's what you want Pete… I'll do it" Peter looks at your face trying to memorize your features, but to be honest, he already knows your entire face and body by memory, he just loves admiring your beauty.

"That will mean a lot to me, thank you" Peter closes his eyes giving you a sweet kiss.

"Well… in that case, just tell me when and I'll be there" You smile.

"How about tomorrow? You can go to my school and you can spend a day in my world" Peter suggested, you frown, that wasn't what you had in mind when he told you he wanted you to meet his friends.

"At your school?!" You ask, surprised.

"Yeah, is that… a bad idea?".

"Well, why not after school? We can go eat something or maybe… Why?" You put your hands on your hips, you can't help but laugh. "Don't you nerds go out?".

"Ouch…" Peter smiles "Well, remember I told you I'm going to the academy decathlon? I need to start staying after school to study and between classes as well from time to time, and besides… I could really use your company" Peter grabs your hands swinging both your bodies, you only shake your head. 

"Alright fine, I'll go to school with you tomorrow, but I'm not taking the bus, I'll go swinging" You wink at him.

"Uh, no, you need to take the bus with me, so you can pass as one of the students" Peter winks back.

"Ugh! Is it really that necessary?!" Peter hugs you, hiding his face in the crack  of your neck.

"For me… pleeeeeease?" Peter whispers against your skin.

"Okay… See you tomorrow then" You put on your mask getting ready to go back to the chaotic place you call home.

"Love you!" Peter screams, smiling and feeling the luckiest man alive, once he lost the sight of you, he climbs the wall and opens his window to get into his room, tomorrow was the big day, he'd  been waiting for so long to introduce you to Ned and MJ, he was sure you were gonna love them.

[°°°]

"Wake up Parker!" You open his window, getting inside his room, Peter was getting changed after his usual morning shower, he looked back at you smiling.

"Good morning baby" He blows a kiss at you from afar, you sit on his bed taking a good look at his room, you've been there plenty of times, but today felt different, you felt a bit nervous and you didn't know why.

"When are we leaving?" You ask, impatiently.

"Well, you're a bit early baby girl, the bus will be here in thirty minutes" Peter puts on his shirt and sits beside you on his bed.

"You're not taking the suit?" You lift his shirt a bit, looking at his bare skin, Peter smiles and shakes his head.

"I want this to be a normal day for the both of us, just you, me, school, friends, a normal teenagers romance… No super heroes, no super powers, no fighting the bad guys, just for today" Peter grabs your hand.

"Pete… Baby… I am the daughter of Tony Stark, even before I got my powers, the words 'have a normal day weren’t part of my vocabulary" You fake a smile and Peter chuckles, biting his lip.

"Are you wearing your suit?".

"No, it's in my backpack, just in case you know…" Peter grabs your backpack, he opens it taking out the suit, throwing it into his closet. "Pete…" you look at your boyfriend with sadness "I'm already going to school with you let me take the suit, you never know!".

"Y/N, nothing will happen today, and I promise that after school we'll come back here and we'll go back to being Mr and Mrs Spider-Man" Peter jokes, you smile with sadness nodding, after all you promised him a normal day.

"Peter I seriously can't believe I'm the one who's asking to keep the suit and not the other way around".

"Honey we'll be okay!". "Fine… But if something does happen, I'm calling dad". "That won't be necessary". "We'll see". "We won't".

After a quick breakfast with Aunt May, you and Peter went down to the bus stop and waited for your ride to his school, you were used to Happy driving you to your private school where your dad had you at, you always wondered what it would be like to go on a bus like Peter did all the time, not wear a uniform, this could be a good day, maybe you can convince Tony to let you change school.

"So, we met at the Stark Internship… right?" You look at Peter trying to memorize the fake story on how you two met.

"Exactly, let's not mention that we both have super powers" Peter smiles.

"I thought your friend Ned knew?".

"Well, yeah, he's the only one, but the story is for the rest of them" Peter takes your hand.

"Okay… my last name is… (Y/R/L/N)?" You sigh "I'm ready!".

As the bus arrives, Peter manages to sneak you in without the bus driver noticing, but you didn't feel worried, it was an old man and he could barely see.

"There's Ned, my best friend" Peter points at a guy in the middle of the bus, you nod, just following Peter.

"Hey bro!" Ned smiles at Peter, you see them make a kind of secret handshake, you smile at the sight of such a cute act.

"Ned, this is Y/N… The Y/N" Peter says nervously, Ned looks at you and he opens his mouth with surprise.

"You're Peter's girlfriend?!" Ned asks.

"Yup… Nice to finally meet you, Peter talks a lot about you" You shake Ned's hand.

"He talks about me?! Ha! He talks about you a lot as well, you're like the main topic of our conversations" Ned chuckles, Peter hits Ned's arm giving him a warning.

"I'm flattered, I hope he only says good things" You look at Peter, taking a seat next to Ned.

"You're not sitting with me?" Peter chuckles.

"Nah, Ned's better company" You wink an eye at Peter, he takes a seat in front of the both of you.

"So… Are you really Tony Stark's daughter?" Ned asks.

"I don't know what you're talking about, we met at Stark industries… I have an internship as well" you smile.

"Baby, remember he knows" Peter chuckles.

"Oh… yeah, sorry" You smile shyly at Ned "So you know about Spidey?" You whisper at Ned.

"About Spidey one and two" Ned smiles and you smile at him.

"Well I'm glad I don't have to pretend in front of someone".

The bus makes another stop and a bunch of students get inside of the bus, you see Peter shake his hand in the air with a smile, you look over to see a pretty girl, messy hair and a 'kill me' kind of face, you knew that was MJ, Peter always says that she has a funeral face.

"Sup losers" MJ sits beside Peter. She looks at you and you give her a small smile.

"Hey" you say, MJ looks at Ned and then at you.

"Who is she?".

"She's my girlfriend" Peter spoke, MJ looks at Peter with an extremely surprised look, but her face goes back to her neutral expression right away.

"So, you're that Y/N?" MJ looks at you.

"Yes, you must be MJ" You offer her your hand to shake, but instead she gives an awkward high-five.

"Are you sure you're dating this ass? He's not paying you to fake a relationship?" MJ looks at you trying to study your expressions, you only chuckle shaking your head.

"Hey! I can get a girlfriend!" Peter says offended.

"Yeah boy… but not like her, she's waaaaay out of your league" MJ huff taking out her book, Peter looks at you and you give him a little wink.

Once the four of you arrived at school, no one was paying attention to you, which you liked, normally, at your other school you were treating with a bit of privilege just because of your last name, and here, it was all different, maybe because no one really knew your real last name, or maybe because you were with the nerds, but you liked it, being invisible for once.

"Let's go to class then" Peter grabs your hand.

"What class do we have first?" You smile.

"Wait… you're attending this school now!?" Ned exclaims.

"Yes, for today" You smile shyly.

"Cool… Are we going to say that she's an exchange student from another country or...?" Ned looks at Peter.

"No, she just transferred schools that's it" Peter smiles.

"I can make an accent" you look at both boys.

"I wanna hear" Ned smiles.

"Please no" Peter puts his hands over his ears, as you start speaking with a heavy (very bad) french accent, making Ned laugh, even MJ gave you a small chuckle.

"Can she please keep the accent?!" Ned looks at Peter.

"No! Please no!" Peter grabs your hand pulling you to class.

The teacher was already there so you had to go through the entire 'hi I'm blablablaba the new kid' kind of thing.

"Y/N, tell us a bit about you" the teacher looks at you. You felt everyone's eyes over you, you looked at Peter who was sitting in his place, saving a chair beside him for you.

"I'm dating Spider-Man" you said seriously, you could hear Peter choke in the back of the class, everyone was quiet, but then everyone started laughing and Peter felt his soul go back to his body.

"Yeah, I'm dating Spider-Man as well" another girl jokes.

"Okay Y/N go take a seat" the teacher smiles. You nod walking towards Peter, you look at the girl who made a joke as well, you lean close and whisper.

"You're not his type sweetie" You wink and eye to her and she rolls her eyes at you. 

You sit beside Peter taking out a notebook and a pen out of your backpack.

"Hey sweetie… Don't sit with Parker, come sit with us" you look up from your notebook to see a boy wearing a Polo shirt, you knew, by fact that he was Flash, the annoying son of a… Who made Peter's life a living hell in school.

"No thanks, I'm good here" You fake a smile.

"Come on, I don't bite, unless you want me to" Flash winks at you and his friends start laughing.

"Just ignore him," Peter whispers, taking your hand.

"Permission to break his jaw" you whisper with anger.

"As much as I'd love to see that, permission not granted… It's okay, he's like that, you'll get used to him" Peter chuckles.

"Okay, but if he says something offensive to you, I won't hesitate".

"I love when you get all overprotective of me" Peter whispers in your ear leaving a small kiss on your cheek.

"Well, you know that someone has your back Parker" You bite your lip, trying not to kiss him so you both don't get detention.

As class goes by, you actually pay a lot of attention to it, making a bet with Peter on who could answer more questions than the other, the loser will go patrolling alone, but the both of you know that's an impossible thing. 

You and Peter go to the next class, woodshop. 

As you and Peter arrive, Ned is already there, working on something, Peter grabs your hand and you look at him with a smile.

"Remember when you first got your powers? I made your web shooters here" Peter smiles, you could see how proud he was of his work.

"I can remember that day as if it was yesterday… And I can also remember your face when you showed me the web shooters for the first time" You caress his cheek with love, Peter feels electricity in his body, he shakes a bit and smiles, you really had an effect on him.

The two of you made your way to Ned, you see him working on some type of mechanic arm, he seemed to be having a bit of a problem there, you look at Peter wondering if he's going to help his friend, but no, Peter only sits beside him, working on his own project.

"Need a hand Ned?" You smile, sitting in front of him. Ned and Peter look at you.

"Uh… I don't really want to bother, I can't seem to make this work, I don't know why" Ned shows you the mechanic hand, you grab it taking a good look. 

Grabbing a bunch of tools on the table, you quickly manage to fix it and the mechanic like hand starts moving.

"Wow… where did you learn that?" Peter looks at you with a bright smile.

"Yeah, that took you like five seconds!" Ned grabs the hand admiring your work.

"Well, I'm Tony Stark's daughter, I know how to repair his suits as well" Your chest sticks out and you look at Peter feeling proud, you were glad that there was something Peter Parker didn't know about you.

"You keep surprising me babe" Peter smiles and winks at you.

"Not in front of me guys, please…" Ned rolls his eyes and goes back to working on his hand, you and Peter chuckle.

"So… You really are spending your day with the nerds huh?" Someone speaks behind you, you take your eyes off of Peter's project to look behind you. 

Flash was there, he was holding his phone typing something, he looked at you smiling.

"I knew I've seen that pretty face before…" Flash has a cocky smile in his face, he then turns his phone to you "Tony Stark donates one million dollars to charity, and beside him, the women that inspire him to do good day by day… His wife, Pepper Potts, and his daughter, Y/N Stark…" Flash finishes reading the news, you really started to hate that guy. 

Peter looks at Flash with anger, all he wanted to do was have a normal day with you in school, show you that you could be happy in a normal kind of way, but of course Flash was so obsessed with him that he had to ruin everything. 

Peter stands up from his chair ready to fight Flash, but your words stop him.

"So…? Should I give you a golden star?" You ask Flash, with the same cocky smile now "Should I clap for you? Let me do it…" You start clapping in his face "You're so intelligent, you found out who I am!".

Peter looks at you and then at Flash, feeling proud as hell, Flash looked intimidated by you, and Peter was enjoying the show.

"I-" Flash opens his mouth but you interrupt him.

"So what's your point… Flash, right?" You cross your arms.

"Just tell us all the truth! You're not dating Penis Parker! You're here to donate money to school or something!" Flash smiles back at you.

The smile on your face is replaced with pure anger, your eyes darkening as you look at Flash, you could hear him swallow saliva.

"You did not just  say that" Peter whispers with a smile, he goes back to his  seat he was tired of letting Flash get away with all the shit he does, and of course he couldn't punch him cause it was obvious who would win, he was trying to be fair. But today, today it was different, and he was glad his queen was here.

Flash looks at Peter and then back at you, knowing that he made a huge mistake on calling Peter that in front of you.

"What's your point?" You speak with anger.

"Just tell us you're not dating Parker, he has nothing to offer! Instead go out with me! I have money, cars… I can take you wherever you want" You put your arm around  Flash's shoulders squishing hard, he starts to feel pain but he holds it in, trying to look tough you made him face Peter, your boyfriend looking at the both of you delighted.

"You looking at that man right there?" You point at Peter "He gon' get it when we get home, he will keep me up all night… He is much more than you'll ever be!" You squish  Flash's shoulders even more, but not enough to leave  bruises the next day. "You say you have money? Cool, he has an immense heart, amazing jokes... you have a car? Cool… He has something better I prefer to ride" You wink at Peter and you see him blush, he was red at this point "Flash, you wish you could be like Peter Benjamin Parker, now, do me a favor and leave me and my boyfriend alone" you push Flash away from you, sitting back with Peter and Ned, you turn around one last time look at him "Leave your obsession with Peter behind, we all know you're not his type" You wink and eye to Flash.

Flash basically leaves running, when he does, Ned and Peter explode in laughter, you look at the both of them with a smile.

"Damn! That was amazing! About damn time someone said something to Flash" Ned cleans his fake tears.

"You didn't  have to  say anything to him Y/N" Peter smiles.

"You're right, we don't need to prove anything to that loser, but I got angry! He's an asshole and the thought of you having to deal with this dumbass all the time makes my blood boil!" You take a deep breath trying to calm down "Also, I wanted him to know how good you are at what you do" you wink and eye to Peter, your boyfriend opens his eyes wide and looks at Ned, who is pretending to mind his own business with his mechanic arm.

"Y/N… Don't speak like that" Peter whispers, he was a blushy mess, he looked adorable. 

"Oh Peter, you should feel proud of yourself…" You stand up looking around "I'm bored, I'm gonna build something" You smile and you start walking around the classroom looking for pieces for a project.

Back at the table, Ned turns his head to look at you and then he looks at Peter.

"Man… I don't know what you did to get a girl like her, but you're one lucky moth-" Peter covers his mouth, blushing.

"Okay Ned, she's too hot for me I get it…" Peter looks at you smiling "When she's with me all boys hate me". 

And he was right, and he just proved that with Flash trying to steal you from him, the way you talked to Flash, the way you defend Peter, it made him feel some kind of way, he wasn't used to having you do that, but he was proud of it.

[°°°]

The bell rings letting all the students know that the day is over, you stand up from your chair looking at Peter, waiting for instructions.

"Okay, let's go home" Peter smiles taking your hand.

"Home?" You look at him confused "don't you need to study with your decathlon team?".

"Yeah I do but…" He leans closer to you and whispers in your ear. "You said I was gonna get it when we get home so… Let's keep you up all night" He gives you a soft kiss on the lips.

"Peter Parker… I-" you try to make a joke but you just can't, he caught you off guard "Oh boy… Let's go! You have work to do!" You smile and clap happily making Peter laugh out loud, catching everyone's attention, but he didn't care. 

He was planning on having a nice evening with you and his friends, but that could wait, you can see his friends any other day.