#((I'm giving this one a mature label because it's pretty dark.))

[arc-77]

Shut it down! I SAID SHUT IT DOWN! DON'T GIVE ME BACK TALK!

SHUT IT THE FUCK DOWN! ALL DOWN!

I want the entire operation memory holed! Cut it off at the mains and shoot everyone involved in the operation!

This NEVER happened!

An SE-14r is drawn lazily from its attachment point on the Dark Trooper's thigh plating. Terrified realization dawns on the officer, his feeble protests turning to death rattles as two blaster bolts rob him of the air in his lungs. Stepping over his corpse, the Dark Trooper stoops to retrieve the man's code cylinders, tucking one of them neatly into a breast-pouch next to his own.

Utilizing the other cylinder to gain access, he sets to work on the commander's console. Bulkheads begin to slide shut over transparisteel viewports across the facility, hallways lit a pulsing red by emergency lights. He watches through the viewscreens as diligent imperial workers, scientists, and stormtroopers alike scuttle about none the wiser, heeding the pre-recorded announcements echoing out over the intercoms:

"Security directive Rho-14 is now in effect. All personnel, return to your duty stations and until further notice."

Soon, the halls are quiet and empty, the last stragglers packed inside their killboxes. With a few more keystrokes, the last of the access codes are reset, locking the doors. Activating his personal commlink, the Dark Trooper contacts his subordinates.

"Security override complete. Check your HUDs and stand by for door codes."

He pulls up a full holographic map of the facility, with rooms color-coded to indicate the presence of security personnel that may offer resistance. Several of the rooms in the research wing are highlighted in green, demanding stricter rules of engagement. The photo-IDs of select scientists hover around them.

"Be advised: high-value targets are present in green zones. Stun all occupants and identify individuals for live-capture. All other personnel are to be eliminated. Red, orange, and yellow zones are free-fire." There's several seconds of pause as he initiates the final preparations. "Door codes sent. All teams, begin facility sweep."

DT-ARC-77 steps back as the security feeds cycle, clasping his hands behind his back. Squads of Death Troopers stride through the empty halls, stacking up outside each door with weapons at the ready. "And remember—"

Dozens die in the first seconds as blaster-fire pours through the opening doors.

"—I'll be watching."

[ivesambrose]

2023 𝓜𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓪𝓰𝓮𝓼 🫧

1. 2.

3. 4.

HAPPY NEW YEAR and my new year gift to you all. You thought I'd forget huh? 😉

Choose the gif / gifs you feel intuitively pulled towards the most ✨

To book a personal reading with me DM or email me at jovescorpioreadings@gmail.com with your name and query 🌙

Services offered

Winter & new years readings

Feedback

Thank you for the tip 🌹

Gif 1

Themes :

Expansion, learning and exploration.

Messages :

You'll be feeling a lot more youthful and playful compared to the previous months. Like you've been serious and taking things to heart for so long and feeling like Eustace Bagge from Courage the cowardly dog most of the time but now you feel more like Bugs Bunny. This is the best analogy I can give.

Its your turn to inspire the people around you or those who get to meet you this year.

Some of you might pick up cooking as a hobby or profession or would want to start experimenting with recipes at home or better eating in general instead of eating out.

You'll be showered with compliments a lot this year so if anyone tries to dull your shine you know it's irrelevant.

You'll have some decisions to make in terms of career / study opportunities and you will feel indecisive at first as to which is the better option but trust in yourself to choose the best one.

You'll be getting out more or would simply be on your way to something that leads to a lot of financial bliss.

Things will take off soon and suddenly maybe even sudden travel plans and receiving everything at once that might seem overwhelming and you might get anticipation anxiety, certain jitters or just worrying about what's ahead or even improper sleep. But things will be alright. Keep your focus on the bigger picture.

Make that vision board for the love of God.

Romantically you'll have really high standards. Yet I see you nitpicking yourself. Stop that! (pretty please) I do see you being offered love by someone head over heels for you but you'll take your time opening up and be fixated on yourself and your goals for the most part so perhaps a slow burn in that department or you'll just relish in finding a sense of yourself and the career you've always wanted this year.

Gif 2

Themes :

Dreams, imagination, subconscious, spirituality.

Messages :

You'll be focused on the positive and positive only. Seeing things in your favour. Feeling more optimistic, manifesting friends with the same mindset and in turn finding more clarity. I see that some of you have literally put your foot down and decided that, "nope. Show me how good it can get."

You've matured so much and are at this point rather unfazed by the ups and downs life throws at you. You've always made or will be making peace with yourself. That you don't need to plaster a label on your personality and niche yourself down to be more palatable. You're a mix and match of several things and that's perfectly okay.

You may inherent some wealth. Some of you might move to a new house or redecorate your house in a way you've always wanted. You'll feel like you've achieved something tangible this year that you're really proud of.

There may be a moment where you look back at the past and judge yourself harshly. Please refrain from dwelling in this.

You'll be educating yourself on a certain topic you feel drawn to. Possible topics I'm seeing : how your subconscious works, neuroscience, mythology, language, music, skin (dermatology or cosmetology)

I see you letting go of your sorrows because you have faith that what's yours won't pass you by.

A lot of vivid dreams and possible precognitions. Learning to lucid dream as well.

Romantically I'm sensing there's someone that matches your energy. They will end up being your muse or you'll end up being theirs. You'll grow closer when you least expect it even though you'll intuitively see it coming.

Gif 3

Themes :

Overcoming a dark night of the soul, curiosity, collaborations and connections.

Messages :

Oh you're walking away. Literally. People, places, situations, mindsets, mostly manipulation. It's like you finally decided to pack up and leave and the right opportunity showed up for you to do it. I see relief after grief.

You may be managing two jobs/income sources/multiple daily life things. At first it might be difficult but you'll soon get the hang of it and also find time for yourself.

I see some of you getting into skincare and wellness. Even fragrances? Things that make you feel calm and are therapeutic. You have neglected yourself for a long time so now that you've finally decided to make yourself priority little things like this feel like therapy almost. As if you're pretending to be in a vouge beauty secrets video just for yourself.

I would like to remind you, if no one has. I'm very proud of you.

There will be a lot of boundaries you'll establish this year. Be mindful not to end up being too sharp tounged to people who really do mean well. Not everyone is out to get you.

Things are changing this year and even if this change feels uncomfortable due to its newness. Its something you've been wanting. Also, improved finances. Sudden windfall even. Making the right connections that lead you to your own growth be it personal growth or growth in business or otherwise. By the end of the year you'll feel like you have more than enough. That you don't need to feel on the edge all the time. Like the bright sunny morning has finally come after a long stormy night.

Gif 4

Themes :

Self expression, travel, foreign cultures and strength.

Messages :

I can hear Freddie Mercury sing, "I want to break free." loud and clear near my ears.

I see you rebranding and reconstructing yourself. It reminds me of Maxine looking at the mirror and saying, "I will not accept a life I do not deserve."

I actually see that something that has been challenging for you suddenly just being swept away. Like you really don't have to physically exhert yourself so much. Drop the baggage my loves. Not yours to carry this year.

Its okay to manifest or seek the easiest ways. Simplify things for yourself.

I see a lot of you just realizing your worth and falling in love with yourself. Looking the way you want, dressing the way you want, courting yourself and taking yourself out on dates to the point your standard is you yourself. Honestly? Truly? Love that for you.

You'll be very determined. Like nothing stands in between you and your desires. You know what is yours. Period.

You'll realize how a simple perspective shift and not forcing yourself to do something or reacting is the key to getting what you want.

Some of you will love to document moments for yourself a lot. Maybe invest in a Polaroid camera or digital or point and shoot camera for yourself.

There's so much creative spark around you, I just see you going at with no desire for perfection. Simply fun.

You'll reap your rewards especially monetary. And have several projects to look forward to. One symbol that might follow you are spiders or spider webs or little stars when something good is about to happen.

Romantically? Oh you will be pursued alright but why am I getting y'all just don't pick up on hints? I'm literally hearing the song Loco by Itzy for y'all. So you'll be having an impact on maybe many people but you'll be oblivious to it. I think you're choosing peace and harmony so you'll rather want to be around who feels the same and go with the flow.

If you're already taken I just see more harmony and cooperation in your existing relationship.

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

Hi! Happy Friday! On the Blake Lively thing...

I´ve been a romance reader (smut, dark, fantasy, mafia, regency..you name it, I´ve read it.) for much longer than many of those influencers on booktook. I´m not saying this as a flex, just for context. I´ve been reading them since 14 and I´ll be 40 this Halloween. Many of this "promoters" have their following and are directly responsible for the promoting of lots of mediocre books on SM (Ig and TT, mostly). Now, just because they recommend these books and create a hype that only SM can give you, it doesn´t mean they are good.

Coleen Hoover is a great example. I´ve DNFed every one of her books I´ve tried to read. Not only the writing is bad, she has a great deal of confussion about what she actually writes. It´s not romance, and it´s not dark romance: it trash. She does romanticize ugly situations, toxic men and women and horrible traumatic experiences. Just because she is "talking about difficult topics" does not make it good.

Now, she has a following, and we see the evidence on the fact that she sold 8M copies. Sure, but how many of those 8M people can give an honest mature positive review of it? How many actually like the book? The characters? They developed the book into a movie just because numbers were good. They took a mediocre book with mediocre characters with every toxic trait you can imagine and tried to make it into something Hollywodesque. Maybe Justin´s heart is in the right place and his effort to actually make a real movie on the DV topic was on the right track. As for Blake, I think she just got on the "romance train" and did what Colleen Hoover herself does with her characters: missed the point.

That said, I´m sure the movie has their audiences and will perform well. The message? The story sucks, the main actress is a mean girl and the only person you can take from this is a man. A man! Doing the job of creating awareness on DV!!! While the lead actress just wears pretty dresses and hangs on her hubby´s arm.

(Also, booktook is messy. There is everything under that label and is the home of very questionable not only readers bust authors.)

Oh, absolutely. I checked BookTok out when I first got on TikTok and noped out of it two weeks later. The books they were recommending, the people they were talking about, they hype they were creating - sometimes it really did feel like "did you people not read the book? It's TRASH. Literal t-r-a-s-h." Like there was no editing, the plots were going everywhere and nowhere, it was chockful of grammar and misspellings, the characters were stereotyped tropes.

I've learned to tune out the hype when it comes to BookTok because basically at this point, BookTok is just one giant ad and social media campaign for authors who could never make it past quality control of the neighborhood bookstore.

It's just not for me and I'm glad to see that more and more people are waking up to how problematic BookTok is - and how pervasive its marketing to female audiences has become. It almost kind of feels like because BookTok (a significantly female audience) tends to champion female-driven storytelling, a lot of new/current marketing strategies for female audiences is to promote female-driven storytelling, especially when it comes to romance (a significantly female-based genre). So it feels like Blake and Colleen took over the marketing and media tour for It Ends With Us to play into that trend. If they make It Ends With Us look like female-driven storytelling - female cast, female author, no men except the stereotypical tall dark handsome hunk our leading lady is in love with - then they'll get the female audience to franchise this thing and cement their status as leading storytellers of female empowerment.

(Which now that I'm thinking about it in the way, it does almost kind of feel like Blake may have wanted to use It Ends With Us as a vehicle to shortcut her way towards having her own production company for female-driven storytelling - because that's also the conversation happening in Hollywood these days.)

[taminoarticles]

— Tamino for Fucking Young!, #21 EVOLUTION / December 2022 (x)

The evolution of the music industry is always in perpetual motion and social platforms are having more impact in addition to streaming. In 2021, one of the world's bestselling singers, Adele revealed the real reason for refusing to make music for TikTok. She explained that if labels are pushing artists to make music for 14-year-olds, who will do the music for her peers? The way we consume music now is based on algorithms and trends but yes, what about being more organic and independent from social applications and platforms? This is a topic we shared and discussed with Belgian-Egyptian musician Tamino in this piece.

THE NEXT DIMENSION OF TAMINO

BY IVICA MAMEDY

Production   Fashion and Art Moroccan Association (F.A.M.A.) Photographer   Moz ERO

TAMINO-AMIR MOHARAM FOUAD known mononymously as TAMINO is the grandson of Egyptian singer and movie star MUHARRAM FOUAD and rose to fame in 2018 with his debut album “AMIR”. If at the beginning the press and fans were comparing him to JEFF BUCKLEY, quickly he pulled away these comparisons as the way he defended his music was unique. On stage, Tamino is hypnotizing and has the power to transport you to another dimension.

After a two-year social media hiatus, TAMINO came back in April 2022 with some new music and released his second record "SAHAR" this September. Once again, this album is a masterpiece and hauntingly beautiful. Before defending it on stage, we met him in Paris where we talked about how his process of making music changed during the worldwide lockdown in 2020 and his approach to using social platforms with parsimony.

THIS ISSUE IS ABOUT EVOLUTION AND HOW DID YOUR FIRST RECORD "AMIR" CHANGE YOU HUMANLY AND AS AN ARTIST DURING THIS WORLDWIDE LOCKDOWN IN 2020?

I feel like my life changed drastically in a short amount of time. I've been on tour for a very long time and I was just focused on that. Seems I gain maturity quickly. When I got back home during the pandemic, I realized how I neglected many things in my daily life and how I was more isolated on tour than during the lockdown. I took the time to see my friends and meet new people. I was evolving as a human being, not as an artist. This made me feel more comfortable writing new songs and creating was an easy and quick process.

IF THE PROCESS WAS QUICK WITH THIS SECOND ALBUM, HAS THE WAY YOU MAKE MUSIC CHANGED?

The process was still pretty similar but being alone with an instrument to find out how to create new sounds was important to me. It's about taking the proper time to create the most authentic and melodic sound.

DID THIS LOCKDOWN HELP YOU TO BE MORE OPEN AND EXPLORE MUSIC WITH NEW PEOPLE AND COLLABORATORS?

I worked with the same bunch of producers, and I also created myself as a producer on this album because I learned a lot about recording and the process to develop demos for example. I was actively part of the production which created some big inspirations in the studio. I have known the double bass player for a long time as he was living behind my counter. We were hanging out together but it was the first time we teamed up to make music. We developed the concept of a dark room for music. We were going into a room and trying to figure out which instruments we'll use to create something organic. It was a great time for exploration.

THE MAIN CONVERSION SINCE YOUR FIRST RECORD IN 2018 IS THAT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY DEPENDS A LOT MORE ON SOCIAL PLATFORMS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I KNOW YOU ARE VERY DISCREET ON THESE PLATFORMS BUT DID YOUR LABEL RECOMMEND YOU TO BE MORE PRESENT ON TIKTOK FOR EXAMPLE?

For sure they suggested that to me as they do with other artists. I have a TikTok account but my fans know that the only account I'm taking care of is Instagram. My management helps me to update all the other social platforms so it gives me more time to enjoy Instagram in a good way. Two years ago, I deleted Instagram from my phone to avoid being distracted because enjoying pure moments is important to me. Take time to be bored and sometimes it's when you're bored that creativity comes. Now I'm back on Instagram to promote my new project and at the same time, I'm happy to discover beautiful inspirations and imagery on this app.

IT IS PART OF THE JOB OF A MUSICIAN I GUESS NOW?

Yes, but it has to be genuine….if I can give advice to younger artists who struggle on social platforms is the genuine way you communicate with your community.

THIS TWO-YEAR SOCIAL MEDIA HIATUS HELPS YOU TO CREATE THIS BEAUTIFUL NEW ALBUM. IT'S YOUR WAY TO UNVEIL YOUR INTIMATE SIDE?

It was a beautiful moment making this album. It's about maturity and those moments in the studio making these songs was a hundred percent pure. It can't explain how it was such a meaningful moment when we gave birth to "Sahar".

ANY SONG ON THIS ALBUM THAT YOU CHERISH THE MOST?

Oh man, it is so complicated to choose as they are all my babies. It depends, as my favorite song now will not be the same tomorrow. I need to start playing them to compare. The main difference with the first album was that I was already playing them live before they got released.

HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOUR ALBUM IS NOT EVEN OUT AND YOUR SHOWS ARE ALREADY SOLD OUT? ARE YOU MORE CONFIDENT KNOWING YOUR FANS ARE STILL HERE FOR YOU?

It’s amazing and I’m so grateful for this to happen. I mean, there are no words to express how it is a pure recognition for an artist. We have to look at laying bigger venues so people have more change to come. I like playing in small theaters as well as in a stadium. Both can feel intimate as well as people sharing the same energy.

YOUR MUSIC VIDEOS LOOK VERY CINEMATOGRAPHIC. THERE’S ANY MOVIE WHOSE AESTHETIC REPRESENTS YOU THE MOST?

I’m a movie freak and my brother is very into aesthetic images. If I need to name a movie, I will say one of my favorite movies, The Lord of the Rings.

[coolfire333]

Genuinely really loving the rap/music discourse going around...let's all expand our perspectives a little but for the love of god some of you (not anyone I follow) are literally so stupid

Disclaimer: I am a little worried since it's easy to throw stones at "boring white girl music" which makes me wonder if this is just going to end up dunking on women in a veiled-sexist manner in general a la the "pumpkin spice white girls" trend that was popular a while back that basically was just making fun of women for having harmless fun under the guise that they were "basic white girls"

HOWEVER everyone in the notes of posts that are even slightly rude or poking fun at popular white musicians getting all up and arms because some (likely black) blogger poked fun at their (likely white) precious punk music or girlypop diva are really showing their ass on this one

As someone with a background in music and music history I can confidently say that nearly every popular genre in mainstream music would not exist without the innovations of black (usually American) musicians. And I think that's super neat! Ragtime, jazz, gospel, soul, r&b, blues, rock, pop, hip-hop, rap, all uniquely American genres that came largely, if not entirely, from the ideas of black Americans.

I'm undoubtedly missing some genres (I'm a bit old-school at heart so I don't know what's trendy now or where exactly it came from) but if you're American and on this website, doesn't that give you a form of national pride? That all those years ago people from your country were able to create new musical styles that have, for the most part, persisted and spread around the world? Honestly it brings a tear to my eye sometimes listening to old music and realizing how impactful it was on modern music genres.

Instead of going "ewww I don't like xyz" why not ask a fan of that kind of music why they like it and maybe what recommendations they have for someone who doesn't listen to that genre. And if you really don't gel with a genre for whatever reason, at least treat it respectfully and recognize its impact on the genres of music you do listen to.

"Ohhh but rap is just sex, drugs, and violence," I hear some of you saying. Well, keep in mind that that same critique has been used for pop, rock, jazz, ragtime, and pretty much every other "new" (keyword "black-influenced") art form so you really want to be careful labelling an entire genre as that. Controversy sells, so think about why exactly "mindless" rap might be the rap you're exposed to or most familiar with from the radio instead of more serious or contemplative rap songs.

Also realize that the songs you like probably also discuss drugs, sex, and violence, but perhaps less directly or in a way that's somehow more tolerable for you. Explore why! Why is it ok for (insert genre you like here) to talk about mature or "dark" themes but when rap does it it's suddenly offensive to you.

It's ok to have biases and be working on them! Also, if someone is trying to criticize a group you're part of for being biased, and they're trying to do it respectfully and seriously, don't joke around like "oh LOL that's so me" and don't get overly defensive either. Be serious and respectful back and genuinely listen to what they're saying.

Literally just don't be a jerk to music and art of marginalized communities! Is it really that hard to have respect for other people even if you don't 100% understand the culture from your perspective?

[millenari]

Munkustrap for the ask game? 🥺

1. Canon I outright reject

I CANNOT find the post but there's this one Jack Rebaldi interview where he mentions something about how 'no one likes Munkustrap because he's the leader and nobody really likes the guy always giving you orders' and as much as I love Jack Rebaldi's Munk I just don't agree with that interpretation. Everybody loves Munk. To Me.

2. A canon or headcanon hill I will die on

On the flip side of Munk actor interviews, Michael Gruber saying

'[Munk is] entrusted with giving the information to the other, maybe younger cats who have not been to the Jellicle Ball before. He gets up and says exactly what they're here to do. He's also caretaker of the kittens. He wants to make sure everybody's safe; in all the Macavity scares, he's there to protect the tribe. So he is the protector'

about Munk is really fundamental for me and how I see Munk, Munk's role in the tribe, and Munk's role in the story.

3. Obscure headcanon

His owner is an old unmarried lady who lives in an apartment by herself; she calls him Felix and he feels responsible for her bc she 'has no colony'.

4. Favorite line

Michael Gruber's American-ass delivery of 'or hairier' in Pekes is my favorite comedy moment in any and all versions of Cats I've seen, it gets me every time.

5. Best personality trait

He cares, deeply and personally, about pretty much everyone, and never hesitates to put himself out there to assist if someone needs it. He's a natural leader and a quick decision maker even under pressure, but he's still patient and compassionate with everyone he meets-- even when he's stressed or angry, he still makes efforts to be kind.

6. Worst personality trait

Munk physically cannot remove himself from a situation if he thinks he's needed, even if he's actively making it worse. He also is one of those people who refuses to let people just vent at him and tries to solve everyone's problems even if they don't want a solution to their problem.

7. Age/height/weight headcanon

Munk is shorter than Tugger but significantly stronger than him, so he can just scoop Tugger up in a fireman's carry and remove him from a situation if he's being annoying.

8. Unpopular opinion about them

Honestly I think I'm even more normie about Munk than about Tugger. I don't think I have any truly unpopular hot takes about him.

9. Scene that first made me love (or hate) the character

I do love his part of Jenny's song-- the way he's singing directly to the kittens on the ground, and his section of the song has this lullaby feeling to it that's just so calming and tender. I really love how for that song it's a duet (sort of) between a young dude and an older lady, but the older lady gets the snappy upbeat part and the younger dude gets the slow & sweet part. It really just establishes Munk as this soft and nurturing figure from the beginning.

10. Best moment on screen (or in the book)

Bway revival Macavity fight imo. It's just so damn good.

11. Faceclaim for the role

Michael Gruber is rlly my Munk, even the unique shape of his wig in 98 sticks out to me as a Fundamental Munk Thing™.

In human aus he's kind of this lighter-skinned 'racially ambiguous' kind of guy with dark hair, smile lines, a little bit of stubble, and a frequently worn sweater vest.

12. Crack headcanon

I feel like his human version would be a Beyonce fan, but like in the cringiest middle-aged-dad way possible.

13. Dumbest thing they’ve ever done

Munk's always been a pretty level-headed and mature guy, even when he was young, so there isn't much that he's done that I can label as 'stupid' except perhaps jumping into dangerous situations to protect someone without considering his own safety first. My hc for how Plato joined the Junkyard starts with Munk running straight into traffic on a busy street bc he saw baby Plato abandoned between two lanes and petrified from fear.

Random ass kitten Munk had never seen before in his life, and he charged right into mortal danger without a second's thought about it. Brave, but also stupid.

14. Most heroic moment

Munk's doing heroic shit all the time. My previous answer is actually a good example, plus, you know, he's tangled with Macavity more than once.

15. Worst thing they’ve ever done

Munkustrap Has Never Done Anything Wrong, Ever, In His Entire Life.

16. Deepest darkest secret they won’t even admit to themselves

I don't know if this is 'never admit to himself' levels but Munk wonders a lot if he shares some blame for how Macavity ended up. He and Mac grew up together, and while he always knew his older brother had a temper, he really and truly thought Mac was just rough around the edges, and that he really did care about Munk and the rest of the tribe deep down. But when Macavity betrayed the tribe and started doing Evil Deeds, Munk was left wondering if Macavity had always been rotten deep down, and hid it from all of them for all those years, or if he'd just.... snapped somehow, from the pressure of being Deuteronomy's heir, or something, and maybe there was something Munk could have done to help him before things got too bad.

As is, Munk may never know.

17. Quotes, songs, poems, etc. that I associate with them

“There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”

18. What they’d go to see a therapist about

Stress & setting too-high standards for himself, probably.

19. Vices/bad habits

Never resting, for one. He basically never gets enough sleep. It's funny, in my human aus both Tugger and Mac suffer from insomnia, but Munk is oftentimes just as sleep deprived as those two despite being the only Deut bro without insomnia, just because he's always doing things. That man is responding to his work emails at 1:24AM for no goddamn reason.

20. Scars

He's got plenty of scars, most of them not huge, but he's been in all sorts of fights and even if asked he wouldn't even be able to identify how or when he got them.

21. Drink of choice (not just alcoholic)

I think he drinks wine in one scene in my human/celeb/soulmate fic, otherwise he's a real coffee man.

22. Best physical feature

I don't know what other cats would consider his best feature! By cat standards Munk is a handsome dude, but kind of in a normal, average way. Just, you know, a handsome guy you'd see on the street. Honestly I think his general vibes are his most attractive trait, though that's not physical. But nobody in all the world can look at a large muscular man being sweet and cute and patient with little kids and go 'nah 3/10 for me'.

23. If they were a scented candle, what would they smell like?

I'm thinking like... forest or campfire or something like that.

24. Most annoying habit

Asking someone to complete a task for him and then changing his mind and completing it himself before they can get to it.

25. 3 things they’d want to take with them if they were dropped off in the middle of nowhere

Again I need more details for this question but a book for sure regardless.

26. What they would do if stuck in an elevator with [insert character of your choice from the same fandom]

Munk I think is a pretty boring character as far as getting-stuck-in-an-elevator shenanigans go. Except for Macavity, that would probably be interesting. Anyone else would probably just be the two trying to escape together and then rock paper scissors for the next six hours.

27. Their guilty pleasure

Human Munk probably has a variety of snackies he considers guilty pleasures, like special chocolates or whatever. Cat Munk would probably say it's 'oh sometimes I go off somewhere in the Junkyard by myself and just sit for a while and enjoy the silence' and the person he's talking to is like THATS NOT A GUILTY PLEASURE THATS JUST KEEPING YOURSELF SANE

28. How they feel about [insert character of your choice from the same fandom]

I headcanon Jemima as being Bomba and Macavity's daughter, though this is a fact Bomba very much keeps to herself-- she's only admitted it to two people and Munk is not one of them. However Munk.... has eyes & he's perfectly aware of who Jemima's father is, though he's never gotten Bomba to actually admit it. This kind of creates a. .. . not 'weird' relationship, but a kind-of sad one, because Munkustrap knows he's this delightful little girl's uncle but she doesn't know it in return, and her finding out will probably be more devastating than anything, because it would come with the knowledge of who her father is.

So Munk just kind of has to treat Jemima just like he does the rest of the kittens and keep the knowledge of their relationship to himself, though he's always wanted a big family.

29. Eating habits

Munk is a Deuteronomy, so in both cat and human aus he can eat for fucking forever. Human Munk likes to cook and bake as well, and he and Demeter make their dinner together every afternoon, and very rarely order takeout.

30. Sleeping habits

Whoops, I already talked about this. He doesn't sleep as much as he should, but he sleeps soundly whenever he does get around to putting his head down.

31. If the had a tumblr what would it look like?

Probably politics. Plus some pictures or art or such that he finds interesting.

32. Something guaranteed to make them smile/laugh

Kittens being cute will very easily get a smile out of him, though he doesn't laugh-laugh terribly often. One thing people don't know about him is that Tugger suffering something that he 1000% brought upon himself absolutely will get an evil grin or two out of Munk.

33. Something guaranteed to make them cry

Just like Tugger's answer, Deuteronomy's death. Munk's not a big crier I don't think, but when he does cry he's usually pretty quiet.

34. How they react when they are feeling X emotion (sad, angry, excited, scared, etc.—can specify as many as you like)

Most of these I think would result in Munk throwing himself into his work with vigor to get his mind off of the Bad Feelings. Munk's not quick to anger but he is quick to calm down after an outburst, and his excitement is usually going to be expressed through singing or dancing.

35. Their idea of a perfect day

This man will honestly be like 'yeah the perfect day would be a bunch of relaxation with my tribemates watching the kittens play and so on and so forth' and then refuse to stop working for ten minutes to make it happen.

36. Their favorite season

Late winter/early spring, the time of the Jellicle Ball and the incoming of the warm season.

37. What they really think about themselves

Munk struggles a lot wondering if he makes the right decisions as a leader and measures himself up to Deuteronomy all the time. He really wishes he could do more even though he's already always busy, and worries a lot whether the trust that the tribe places in him is justified.

38. Favorite holiday

Christmas bitch. Probably also a thanksgiving bitch as well.

39. Favorite game

He probably likes Monopoly. Like an insane person.

40. Favorite book

I imagine he likes reading but I'm not sure what I would say is his favorite book! He probably likes books about history and such a lot, and the occasional historical fiction.

41. If they could have lunch with anyone in the world (living or dead, from any fictional universe or the real world), who would it be?

Probably his mother, whom he doesn't remember well.

42. 3 comfort items

UHH for human aus: he loves the old scrapbooks from when he and his brothers were kids, his favorite flannel jacket, and uh........ does his wife count as a comfort item,,,,

43. 3 favorite foods and 3 they despise

You KNOW Munk has got to be a steak guy. Unlike Tugger he can probably enjoy a good salad, and box mac and cheese is probably one of those things he whips up every once in a while for childhood nostalgia reasons. There probably aren't a ton of foods Munk even dislikes, much less despises.

44. Their happiest memory

Like I mentioned before, this question is hard for me. I hc that he and Demeter have triplets at some point after the events of the musical, so maybe when they were born.

45. Their favorite celebrity

He seems like the type of guy to like Elvis, idk why.

46. The person they most admire

Deuteronomy. I feel like that one is easy lmao

47. Their dream job

I don't think he really had big career aspirations, more of a family man.

48. Scariest moment of their life

Probably when Macavity betrayed the tribe.

49. Favorite toy as a child

He seems like a stuffed elephant kind of guy. Or maybe his collection of the little green plastic army men.

50. A memory they’ve blocked out

I don't think he really has any memories he's consciously or subconsciously blocked out. There are things he tries not to think about or remember, but not on the level of fully blocking anything from his head.

[danielxricciardo]

Where do we go from here

Daniel Ricciardo x Reader

Chapters: 1/?

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 3,015

Playlist for the series

It was your fault when you agreed to go to Monaco. After what happened the last time, you swore you would never go back there. Because it fucked with your mind and soul. You were crushed and your best friend had to scrap you off the floor for weeks, he had to remind you to shower and to eat. Knowing he will be so pissed you chose to go back to him, you didn't tell him you were leaving for a week until you were on the plane. His reaction was everything you were expecting, he called you a bitch and he advised you not to get back to him with a broken heart to cry on his shoulder then he hung up on you. Sure, you both knew you will cry on his shoulder after this week.

The entire flight you were questioning your life choices. How did you get there? You wanted - you needed to know how you allowed yourself to become dependent on a piece of affection from Daniel. You were trying to figure out when you became a sucker for him but you couldn't, maybe because you always were.

You'd always been good friends, ever since he moved from Australia to Europe. You were his first non-Australian friend and he was always been grateful for you and your friendship. You were with him even when he didn't ask you to and even when he told you he wanted to be left alone. That was your first choice. You went with him to almost all the junior competitions, until he reached Formula 1, you cried with him when he had a bad race and you partied with him on a podium or a win. Fuck it, 9 years later, you were still with him. Red Bull Racing was the team that helped him discover himself as a driver and gave him confidence that he could get far. After only one year in the team, he finished third in the drivers' championship with 238 points and secured the first fastest lap of his Formula One career at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

But all this has consequences. The fact that he was so good and became so well known attracted many girls who wanted to meet him and be affiliated with him for increased media attention. The worst part was that he liked all the female attention. Who wouldn't like it? He could have a new girl every day and they would still not end. But Daniel was not the type to take such advantage of his name and his position in society, you thought at the time. But that was exactly what he did. At the end of the 2014 season, days would pass without hearing from him because he was too busy to enjoy the female attendance that crossed his threshold.

After a few months, you already had a pattern. For 5 days you would not hear from him and on Saturday morning he would call you with a guttural voice, asking you to come to his place. And you went there with some headache pills and for a few hours, you would listen to everything that had happened during the week with different girls. At first, it hurt a lot. To hear how your best friend and the person for whom you develop some romantic feelings, has fun, and fucks with different girls is not very ok, but over time the whole situation had become repetitive and you became immune.

But you didn't realize you became a regular girl in his bed too. The only difference between you and the tens, maybe the hundreds of girls before you, was that you warmed his bed on Saturday and Sunday. It was just you, all weekend, every weekend. You felt special. He gives you his full attention all weekend and you hope he doesn't need anyone but you, except that Monday was coming and you could see that to his right was another model looking for fame. But have you ever told him what bothers you? No. Because you'd rather share him with so many girls than not have him in your life at all.

So what happened when you ended up crying for weeks without eating or taking a shower? Daniel told you that he is done with all the girls and he wants to focus on his career. This is after in 2015 he finished the season in 9th place with only 92 points, without a victory, and only twice on the podium. Of course you were happy! Daniel was going to have only you in his life. But he told you that what was between you before, sex and everything else, must end as well. I mean, you had to go back to being just friends. But how do you go back to being just friends with the person you've shared the bed with so many times? Friends don't know the way you taste. Your luck was that you had to go for a visit to your parents for 2 weeks and you didn't have to see him. You had 2 weeks to lick your wounds and return to him without a broken heart. Troy, your best friend, was with you and he tried to put your heart back together. Just when he succeeded, you had to go back to Daniel as if nothing had happened. Broken heart? Who?

Making your own decisions makes you responsible for what comes out of that decision whether it was a positive move or not. Making your own decisions also allows you to make your own mistakes and learn from them. It was your decision to go back to Daniel, to your friend. It was hard to look at him and not want to kiss those fleshy lips but you could manage it.

"There she is!" you heard Daniel say as soon as the Nice Côte d'Azur airport gates opened. He was wearing his merch purple hoodie that you wore so many times before and a pair of black jeans. He had a pair of sunglasses on to keep him away from the press. You smiled. It's been 2 weeks since you've seen him and it's as if your heart has tightened in your chest. You really missed him. You ignored his calls because you didn't want to hear his voice and start crying on the phone and all the messages he sent you were deleted by Troy. You don't even know what he wrote to you.

"Hey, Daniel!" you said and hugged him. You were enveloped by the smell of his perfume and you smiled. He was your safe place. "Missed you."

He hugged you back and the force he put in that hug was enough to crush your bones. But it didn't hurt you. You wanted to be one with him, to be absorbed by him. Everything platonic, of course.

"Missed you too, Y/N."

The road to your house was not a long one but at that moment everyone seemed to be on the road at the same time as you so what needed to be a 45-minutes road trip was now more than an hour, and you were still in the car. The small talk already finished about your parents, your brother and your best friend, Troy, and about all the new things from your home town and at the moment in the car was an uncomfortable silence which none of you knew how to break.

"I tried to talk to you these 2 weeks, you know?" Daniel said and you swallowed loudly. You knew that at some point he would ask about why you didn't talk to him for two weeks, but you hoped it would take some time until then - you hoped you had more time to think about a pretty good reason.

"Yeah, sorry, I just wanted to focus on my people there, you know?" you bit the inside of your cheek until you felt the metallic taste of blood. You hoped it would be a pretty convincing reason but you knew after so many years of friendship that Daniel is not the type to press you if you don't want to say something.

"Yeah, I get it, I'm the same when I'm down under, y'know?" you both laughed, and for the first time in a long time you felt good around him. You felt yourself, no labels and no shoes to fill.

In front of your apartment block, after Daniel took all your luggage out of the car trunk, he leaned against the car, his hands folded, and looked at you.

"Aren't you going to help me get them up to my apartment?"

"Yes, in a minute," he says, still looking at you. "Would you like to do something tonight?"

You shrugged. You weren't tired after the flight, so you could have done something but you had so many questions. Just the two of you? Was anyone else coming? Any friends of his? Some girl? But you couldn't ask him, even if you were friends, you didn't want to give him the feeling that you were jealous. Were you jealous? You didn't have a reason just yet but you could become one.

"Sure. Do you have something in mind?"

"Remember Jay? He just opened a nightclub. Actually, tonight is the opening, he asked me to swing by for a few hours, want to go?"

"Yeah, sure, sounds like fun."

Daniel took two suitcases and passed you to enter the block, but he walked with the wheels over your toes.

"Hey, idiot, watch where you're going!" you yelled at him and immediately laughed. Daniel turned to you, laughing too. You didn't realize when you said it, but that was the exact phrase you told him when you first met.

You got out of the cab in front of the restaurant and slammed the door shut, despite the pleading of the driver to be gentle with his darling car.

You arranged your dress on your body and put your hair behind your ear. You were ready for this blind date that Ellie, your co-worker, planned for you. Of course, there were better things for you to do on a Friday night, such as drinking a bottle of red wine watching a few episodes of your favorite show. But you were there, prepared for a shitshow. You took a few steps towards the big glass door until someone hit you hard and made you unbalance and break a heel.

"Hey, idiot, watch where you're going!" you yelled at the boy that hit you. A tall, dark guy that made you lose the little balance you still had. A small amount of his curly dark-haired was peaking out under the white hoodie he was wearing and his brown big eyes were looking at you like you were a statuette that broke.

"So sorry," he said and the thick accent made your legs soft. Whatever accent that was, you knew you wanted to hear him talk non-stop. "Was looking for an address, I'm fucking lost."

"That's fine, maybe I can help you," you smiled at the boy and you took off your heels. One was already broken so there was no point in wearing them at this point.

"Oh, no, it's fine, you look so elegant, you must be dining with your boyfriend or something," he laughed and then saw the broken heel. "Bloody, I just broke your shoes, I'm so sorry!"

You laughed even harder at the panicked boy in front of you.

"No boyfriend, just a blind date I didn't even want to go in the first place so you saved me, I'm the one that should say thank you. Where do you need to go to?"

He came closer to you with a map in his hand. He showed you where he had to go and you explained to him that he was in the wrong part of the city but you were more than happy to show him the right way. But after you stopped at a boutique to buy a 5 euro pair of sandals.

"This city is not so big that you get lost in it," you told the boy, whose name is Daniel Ricciardo, he told you so. "How long have you been here?"

"Ugh, just a day, and I thought it was a good idea to go out and see the city, I even took this stupid map, but I still got lost."

"Okay, but why did you go out by yourself in the evening and not in the morning or, at least, when is sunny, y'know?" you ask him and point to his left, where you had to go.

"I woke up two hours ago. I slept for eleven hours with the whole time zone, jet lag, and shit and when I woke up I was hungry. I went to get some food and to visit the surroundings because why not," he shrugged.

"But where did you come from?"

"Perth, Australia, baby!" he smiled and leaned back, pulling his chest forward. Anyone could see how proud he was of his hometown.

"This is you!" you announced when you arrived in front of the apartment building, his final destination. He smiled so wide and hugged you.

"Thank you so much, you saved me!"

"No biggie," you smiled at him and then waved. "Bye, Daniel Ricciardo."

"Hey, hey, let's meet tomorrow for a brekky!" he casually announced.

"For a what?"

"Oh, sorry!" he laughed. "Forgot for a second you're not Australian. For breakfast."

"Sure, I'll come here at 9 so you won't get lost again. Bye, Daniel Ricciardo!"

"Bye, Y/N Y/L/N!"

"I'll come and pick you up at about 10 o'clock, ok?" Daniel announced just as he was about to leave your apartment after he got up all your luggage. "Sounds good?"

"Yep. All good."

"And wear something sexy!" he yelled as he was closing the front door. Something sexy? Why would he request a sexy outfit for a night out from you? His best friend. Sometimes Daniel made your head spin, that was one of those occasions, you didn't pay much attention to it, you just went to grab a shower.

The night had come too fast. Sure, you had enough time to put on makeup and do your hair, but you had no idea what to wear. You were sitting in front of the bed in your underwear, with three dresses lying on the bed when the clock struck 10 o'clock. You heard the front door open and close but you did not hurry to put something on yourself so that Daniel would not see you in your underwear; he saw you even worse than that.

"Hey, are you ready? Whoah!" he says and turns his back on you, with his hand covering his eyes. "You should have told me you were naked!"

You scoffed at him.

"Cut the crap and come help me pick a dress for tonight, Ricciardo."

Daniel removed his hand from the eyes and looked at you and swallowed hard. The underwear you were wearing was almost a silky one, black, that hugged your curves just right. He couldn't take his eyes off you and you loved all the attention.

"Stop drooling and come help me. Do you want to go to this club or not?"

Daniel came near you, his eyes were now on the push-up bra that lifted your breasts, making them fuller and bigger than they really were, and at that moment Daniel wanted nothing more than to touch them and play with them. But he remembered who was in front of him. He told his best friend that the sex games were now over because he was focusing on his Formula 1 career. That was not a lie at the time, but he just wanted to throw her in bed and make her forget the words he said that evening. He coughed a few times to regain his voice and then looked at the three dresses lying on the bed.

"That one," says the brunette and points to the short black dress that fits perfectly on your body. You would have chosen that one too.

"Ok, I'll be ready in a few minutes," you said and went to the bathroom to put the dress on. You adjusted your make-up and grabbed the bag and you were ready for a night out with Daniel. Or so you thought.

No one can see the dance floor, it's wall-to-wall people dancing to the club music. There's no room for any more but somehow Daniel was pulling my hand to where he knew Jay was sitting. The music vibrated in your ears and you were tempted to move to its rhythm, but you had to follow Daniel. After going through the whole room you reached your friend, the owner of the club. He told you that the drink for you was on the house and wished you a good time. Daniel announces that he is going to have a drink for both of you and leaves you alone among hundreds of strangers, driven by the same inner desire to get rid of inhibitions for a few hours that night.

The DJ moves everybody in ways no one has ever done before. Mixing the loud music on the turntables to the beat you desire to hear, the DJ watches the half-naked bodies of young men and women dancing around as if something has possessed their bodies. Men are wearing an undershirt, or no shirt at all, and pants. They eye the women who strut around in tank tops and tight dance pants or skirts, and who are smiling, and letting all their worries go away. A smile appeared on your face and look at the line at the bar for Daniel and you were pleasantly surprised to see that he was already looking at you. When you saw his smile you realized that the night will not end with you two still being just friends.

————————————————————————————

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[bubbletimestories]

Dancing with the wolves (Bucky x Circe)

Summary : Even a holdover from the past like Bucky deserves a love story and the young woman he falls in love with fills him with happiness, revealing his tenderest but also wildest sides.

Rating : Mature (sexual mention)

Themes : animal transformation, love, manipulation, passion

A/N. I wrote that in an hour, just like that cause why not

English on A03 here

Français sur A03 ici

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

The former assassin would never have believed that happiness would one day be within his reach. Dr. Raynor's words of encouragement seemed meaningless to him since, deep down, he was convinced that he did not deserve affection or tenderness. His hands were too dirty, his past too murky and dark to be able to mingle with ordinary people and hope for a new and serene life. However, he had managed to detach himself from his old demons, to deliver Zemo to the Dora Milaje, to support Sam in his missions as Captain America and even in the renovation of the old boat. Sitting on a plastic chair, beer in hand watching the children run, James had felt a kind of peace wash over him, less painful than in Wakanda, he had felt free. Yet despite his best efforts to appreciate this new chance, the old man was aware that something was missing. He couldn't find his family or even his best friend, he had no one to hold tight to his heart when he lacked sleep. Then she had arrived, clumsy and generous, like a delicate flame in the dark.

It had taken a bit of time for Bucky to let his guard down, agree to consider having a drink with her, chatting over a meal but once he had gained confidence, he found himself eagerly awaiting their next appointment. The fact that the young woman is not fond of long SMS exchanges made each interview more pleasant, they never ran out of things to say to each other. Slowly, with angelic patience, Cornelia had managed to discover a little more about the mysterious young man with tired eyes and an artificial arm. She'd never asked an indiscreet question, she'd just waited until James was ready to talk about it on his own. During their long walks in the park, they sometimes remained silent, simply enjoying the moment and each other's company. A bubble of oxygen, that's what the lady was and even Sam had noticed how his friend was changed, more smiling and relaxed even though he became even more silent.

"Now that the missions are rarer, we will be able to spend more time together, my darling"

Cornelia whispers tenderly as she brushes the photo of James she developed after their last picnic. Under a still shy sun, the soldier is asleep against a tree, his face ten years younger when he stops frowning. She loves this photo, as well as all the ones on the walls, cutout newspaper articles, blurry surveillance footage, old photos from WWII. All of James and the Winter Soldier's life is stored here, in pretty frames or notebooks neatly arranged and labeled "White Wolf." The young lady has watched her lover from afar for a long time, from her cocoon of eternity, she had seen him join the army, train, fight bravely. She had witnessed his accident and can no longer count the times she wanted to come to his aid, to free him from the clutches of Hydra and protect him. Now she can finally be by his side, no one is watching over her and her dear Bucky is free from any harmful influence. Just thinking of him, the heart of the goddess swells with joy and love. Since they moved in together, things are perfect and besides, he should be back soon.

The door soon slams shut and James kicks off his shoes, shaking himself energetically to chase away the raindrops stuck to his hair. He briefly thinks of shouting "doll, I'm home" and that mere thought is enough to make him smile, he never thought he could have a domestic life. Time to sneak out of her secret room (because every witch must have a lair), Cornelia adjusts her outfit and then runs into the soldier's arms, giving him a kiss to which he responds with passion. Teasing and still excited after last night, he lets his tongue come and visit the beloved mouth before releasing her slightly, a bright smile on his lips. How is it that he finds a new detail to love about her every day? Today, it's the golden shards in the green eyes that drive him crazy and he lifts the young woman to carry her to the couch.

- Bucky, stop it, you're soaked! Cornelia remarks with a laugh, trying to push the big, wet idiot away.

- Glad to see you, that's all, the young man exclaimed, kissing her languidly before kneeling down in front of her, his head on her lap.

It doesn’t need anything more to feel at home, that simple embrace in a place that is all theirs. The young woman reaches out to grab a towel and dry the brown strands before the soldier catches a cold. It's not uncommon for James to fall asleep at times like this, tired after a long mission. This time around, he just stays silent, enjoying the caress in his hair, a simple but gentle gesture that warms him up. Suddenly, a movement outside makes him lift his head, his whole body rising in alert. But that's okay, the new neighbors moving furniture down the hall, nothing to worry about. Now that he is sleeping better, he seems to be paying more attention to certain noises and smells, but he can't quite get rid of some vigilance. No doubt he will never be able to get rid of it, not completely. Cornelia frowns and puts a hand on his neck to bring it back to reality.

- Are you OK ? she asks, full of concern for this man who has lived through so many horrors.

- Yes ... yes, everything is fine. Sorry, I was on my mind.

- It's okay, darling. The weather is too bad to go out for a walk but you can go take a bath, it will relax you.

Usually Bucky would chase away the ghosts of the past by running for long hours in the woods, but relaxing in the warm water is an equally good idea. The hero nods, kisses his lover's hand before getting up. He begins to undress with a smirk, not at all shy about leaving his things on the floor and slowly walking to the bathroom. Cornelia casts an appreciative glance at the super soldier's nudity, he turns out to be more and more playful over time. Since he's in a good mood… The young lady gets up and goes to join James in the tub, the sound of their laughter and kisses mingling with the lapping of the water.

Late at night, Cornelia wakes up feeling oddly cold, something is wrong. It only takes a movement to realize that the bed is empty, the man she loves is no longer by her side. Worried, the young woman gets up, walking slowly in the corridor. He can't be gone on a mission, he just came back. Noises attract her attention, coming from the kitchen where a weak light pierces. Sitting on the tiled floor, Bucky is leaning back against the open fridge and carefully licking his fingers between two handfuls of minced meat. The cold light brings out the blue in his eyes, the eager movement of his lips over the raw meat he happily eats. His super soldier metabolism requires him to eat a lot, but this sort of thing is fairly new. However, his girlfriend just rolls her eyes and closed the fridge door before she sits down.

"You're going to kill polar bears if you leave it open like this. Wait, you have a little blood on your cheek… ”

Cornelia wipes the greedy face with a smile, he looks guilty as a little boy caught his hand in the jam jar. It's crazy how such an old man, having murdered so many people, can look young and innocent right now. James takes the opportunity to rest his head on the young woman's shoulder, inhaling her scent at the top of his lungs as she brushed the red marks on his chin and chest. A yawn shakes the graceful body of the sorceress who stands up slightly.

"Come to sleep quickly when you have finished eating, the bed is too empty without you." "

Cornelia sends her lover a kiss before returning to the bedroom, crawling under the sheets waiting for him to finish his midnight snack and come join her. Lying on the pillow, she thinks of how lucky she is, a thought that is confirmed when the soldier strokes her hip with the tips of his metallic fingers, covering the skin of her neck with kisses.

****

The little bubble of the lovers tightens on them, the colored walls becoming thicker over the days, weeks. Soon Bucky realizes that he longs to stay at home with his partner for a bit. Of course, he enjoys the company of his friends, his precious comrades for whom he would give his life, but nothing beats the simple joy he feels every time he hugs the young lady. He has made up his mind and will swear eternal loyalty to her when the right time comes, he has already prepared the ring. All this obviously seems a little too cheesy to him, but he wants to try to be a little romantic, a little cliché. She has become the center of his life, his ray of sunshine, she deserves a little lovey dovey stuff. Sam will surely be very happy to attend the wedding, when he stops repeating how much his friend has changed, that he no longer recognizes him. He will eventually get used to it and understand, he can only be happy for his colleague.

Lying on the sofa, Cornelia lets her mind wander as she gazes at the ceiling, the tiny little paint dots, the cobwebs dancing in the wind. These thin strings remind her of a nephew cruelly murdered in the labyrinth and his sister with a glorious fate. Then a strange sensation comes to pull her from her thoughts and she laughs as she turns her head to Bucky who continues to lick her fingers tenderly. His tongue sweeps back and forth lovingly over the thin skin, sometimes moving up the back of the hand and wrist like primal kisses. The young woman lets him do, contemplates him with jade eyes full of sincere love.

"I love you, darling, and I love you forever. Will you be mine forever? Will you belong to me body and soul for eternity ? "

A question she already knows the answer to and to which Bucky nods with a small growl as he continues his marks of devotion with his breath burning with desire. He only wants to show her his affection and she can feel it in her bones. So the beautiful sorceress slips her hands under the superfluous clothes, helps her lover get rid of them as the latter begins to devour her mouth with passion. A snow fur appears under the delicate hand which digs its fingers into it, feeling the powerful body pressed against her, waiting for a more intimate embrace. He is only waiting for an order, a word from his fascinating goddess to howl his love, him her white wolf.

[katedrakeohd]

Cordonia 1885

[Masterlist]

An AU TRR Fanfiction in the vein of the supernatural in time for Halloween. Yes I used 'vein' for a reason.

(Rated Mature: This chapter is pretty tame, but future ones won't be)

Word Count: 1500

________

Prologue

The disheveled young man sitting in the back of the tavern struck a forgettable figure. In his worn and patched wool coat and mismatched dirty vest and trousers he garnered hardly a second glance on the street either, which suited him fine. He’d been labeled a Tramp and lowly street rat in his younger days, and he’d worn the mantle honestly.

His mother had been a prostitute and he’d been born in the dirty back bedroom of a brothel. As a toddler he had been abandoned when his Mother died, and brought to the local church orphanage. One of the nuns responsible for his care had given him the name Drake after the “hotel” he’d been found in. Later when funding for the orphanage dried up and it was closed, he had ended up on the streets. He wasn't especially proud of how he'd spent his formative years into adulthood, but he'd survived without landing in prison or getting killed so at least he had that going for him.

The dimly lit interior of the tavern was furnished in dark wood, the wallpaper stained by the oil that leaked from its guttering wall lamps. The patrons varied from thirsty foreign travelers, weary dock workers, the occasional well heeled nobleman with money to squander, and the dregs of society who just sought out cheap alcohol and the company of others of their kind. No matter the type, Drake had seen, rubbed shoulders, slept with, and pilfered from them all. In his loathsome situation he couldn't afford to discriminate.

Shifting back in his chair to keep out of the greasy glow afforded by the lamp, he surveyed the patrons as they came and went. His favorite were the wealthy foreign travellers whom he could dupe out of coins in a card game, or the attractive young nobles, male or female who had more money than sense and hungered for anonymous company. Tonight of all nights he was feeling especially low, and more than anything just felt grateful to temporarily have a roof over his head.

The chipped tumbler of whiskey sitting in front of him had so far been his only company, allowing him to borrow this dark corner for as long as the proprietor saw fit to endure his presence. He wasn't particularly thirsty but at least the burn of the alcohol kept him warm. He'd only had enough coins in his pocket for the one drink and was trying to make it last as late into the evening as possible.

As the front door opened, the lamps flickered at the influx of fresh air, causing the few assembled at tables and bar to turn and look. For Drake it was the smell of her perfume wafting on the cool evening breeze that captured his attention. She smelled of freshly washed, posh high society, and the drape and rustle of her dress spoke Noble quality. The tall man dressed in black that accompanied her looked just as dignified and out of place as he pushed the door shut behind them. Everyone stared for a few seconds more, before turning back to look down at their drinks or resume their quiet conversations.

The tall man pulled off his top hat, and then leaned in close to the young woman to whisper something in her ear. She stiffened slightly as he placed his hand on her arm, making sure she understood the seriousness of his tone. “One drink only M'lady, and then we're leaving.”

With a look of defiance, she shook her arm free of his grasp. “We'll see, now let me go Bastien.”

Stepping back and straightening up again, he nods. “Try to stay out of trouble, I'll be watching.”

Turning away with a swish of golden curls, satin skirts and a raise of her chin, she walked over to the bar to order a drink. Drake hadn't realized he was still staring, until the tall man in black turned his head to pierce him with his steely grey warning glance.

Drake quickly averted his gaze back down to his whiskey, but kept the mystery man and his charge in his periphery vision. They were difficult to ignore. The Lady's giggling banter with the bartender was the most musical sound in the room.

Picking up his whiskey to take a sip, he hazards another glance toward the man in black and wondered what his relationship was with the woman. He had moved off to the side to lean against the wall and was quietly observing the room.

Leaning into the bar, the blonde turned her head to look back toward Bastien as she cupped the goblet of red wine in her fingers. He wasn't the only one watching her though, as she noticed Drake for the first time. With a smile she tilts her head in Drake's direction before returning her attention back to her drink. Bastien turns to look at Drake again, having seen her not so subtle attempt to point him out.

Drake eyed them both warily, wondering what he had done wrong. The hair prickled on the back of his neck and he shifted his gaze back down to the table. A moment later he heard the approaching shuffle of feet and a low gravelly voice. “Excuse me Sir, may I sit with you at your table?”

Drake would have laughed out loud if the fear at the pit of his stomach hadn't at the same time threatened to empty it. Nobody had ever called him Sir before.

When the man placed a firm hand on his shoulder to get his attention, Drake nearly leapt from his seat, his head snapping up to meet his cold grey eyes again. Nodding mutely he kicked out the chair across from him. The man placed his hat down next to Drake's whiskey glass, and then moved to sit in the chair offered him.

Drake's eyes darted quickly to the exit, trying to estimate his chances of escape while the other man's attention was diverted. But the dark man had moved too fast, and Drake found himself pinned again to his seat by the intensity of his gaze. Reaching out for his whiskey glass, he takes a sip and swallows with difficulty. Bolstered by the burn of the whiskey in his belly, Drake faked an air of bravado in an attempt to turn the situation back in his favour.

“Who are you, and what do you want from me? I'll give you until I finish my drink, and then I'm gone.”

Bastien’s smile was just as unsettling as his gaze, and it did little to soften his expression. Drake got the impression the man didn't smile often because it quickly disappeared as he spoke. “My name is Lykel, Bastien Lykel. She is Lady Elizabeth Beaumont. And we have a proposition for you.”

Drake takes a larger swallow of whiskey than he had intended, causing him to cough. “B..Beaumont?”

Bastien sat back in his seat, watching the man in front of him wipe his mouth and bearded chin with an unsteady hand, waiting for him to compose himself before speaking again.

“I assume by your reaction that you're aware of who the Duke and his family are.”

Drake coughs again to clear his throat, taking a deep breath to steady himself before nodding, “Of course. Their name is on pretty much everything in this town. But before now I'd never seen any of them in person.”

Leaning slightly to his right, Drake takes another appraising look at the Lady Elizabeth standing by the bar. He assumed the Duke's wife was a much older woman, and wondered if Elizabeth was his daughter. Bastien cleared his throat to regain his attention.

“Duke Bertrand and his two eldest sons are away on business, leaving his new wife Elizabeth alone at the Estate with his daughter Lorena and her grandson. Unfortunately Elizabeth and Lorena don't get along well, and Her Grace insisted I take her out to the Opera for the evening.”

Drake barks out a laugh, tossing back the last of his whiskey, and shoving his chair back from the table, “If she's looking for a date to the Opera you're sitting at the wrong table my friend.”

Bastien signals to a passing barmaid when Drake starts to get up, “Wait. We're not done talking. Miss? Bring this man another whiskey.”

Drake looks between Elizabeth and Bastien and then stands up from the table. “Fine I'll take another whiskey, but over at the bar. I want to meet Mrs. Beaumont.”

Bastien nods gravely, getting up from the table himself and grabbing for his hat. “As you wish, Mister?”

“Drake, just Drake.” He says, making a futile attempt to straighten his jacket and collar and make himself look presentable.

Watching Bastien do the same thing, with his perfectly combed hair and expensive clothes made Drake feel greatly inferior. Opera date or not, he was still mystified at what the mysterious gentleman and the Duchess wanted from him.

Continue on to Chapter One

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