#I need to have my brain cleaned and changed for a better one this isn't kt

[frostbite-the-bat]

i hgoupe I'm The roller guy to yall

[crystallinestars]

Taking Care of Them

Short scenarios about Argenti, Aventurine, and Jing Yuan receiving much-needed care and comfort from you. Pure fluff, a little hurt/comfort for Aventurine's part.

I took some creative liberties with Aventurine's character since we still don't know everything about him yet, so this is simply my interpretation of him.

This isn't proofread because my brain is fried from writing.

--------------------

🌹 Argenti:

As a Knight of Beauty, Argenti is a highly skilled fighter who puts his very life on the line to vanquish his foes. Usually, he defeats his enemies with grace and style, but even the refined Argenti sometimes sustains injuries.

In his most recent battle, Argenti made it out practically unscathed, save for a few scrapes and bruises that marred his handsome face. That was how he found himself obediently sitting on your bed while you treated his wounds.

“I apologize that you have to see me in this state,” he murmurs, guilt darkening his expression. “I did not want to cause you worry.”

“No need to apologize,” you brush off his concerns with a smile. “Now turn this way. I’ll clean the scratch on your cheek,” you said as you gently turn Argenti’s face to one side to reveal the shallow, red gash on his cheek.

Argenti complies without hesitance and sits perfectly still as you dab at the scratch with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol. It stings, but the Knight of Beauty unflinchingly tolerates the burn with a small smile on his face.

He can tell through the delicate and careful way you clean and dress his wounds that you care a great deal about him. Your touches were gentle so as to not cause him unnecessary pain, yet no less thorough. It felt nice to be touched so tenderly, to be cared for in such a loving manner.

Your heart is beautiful, he thinks. To possess such a caring and loving heart, you must rival the beauty of his beloved Aeon Idrila. Argenti truly believes that you are a wonderful and beautiful person, both inside and out.

As you finish patching up the last wound and pack away your first aid kit, Argenti turns to you and gives you a radiant, sincere smile from the heart.

“Thank you…” he softly says as gently takes one of your hands and kisses the back of it, “You have a dazzling heart—so pure and gentle. I feel like the luckiest man in the universe to have the privilege of receiving your care and affection.”

His words may sound over-the-top and perhaps even fake, but he truly means them. Every single one. Even if you don’t entirely believe him, the amused smile that his flamboyant phrases elicit out of you is all the reason he needs to keep them up.

“You’re welcome. Just try to be more careful next time. I’ll love you no matter how you look, but I hate seeing you hurt,” you murmur in reply and lean in to kiss the band-aid on his cheek.

“There. A kiss to make it all better,” you giggle as you pull away.

The little gesture catches Argenti by surprise, but he can’t say he didn’t like it. In fact, he enjoyed it more than he ever thought he would.

With a small chuckle, he pulls you close to kiss you fully on the lips. If you don’t take his word for it that he feels incredibly lucky to have your love, then perhaps his actions will convey the sincerity of his feelings for you.

🃏 Aventurine:

All his life, Aventurine has faced hate. Hate for being Sigonian, hate for being a dog of the IPC, hate for acting exactly the way that’s expected of his kind. He played into people’s perceptions of him. Why waste time trying to correct their views when they won’t change? It’s easier to just act according to their expectations and hide who he really is behind this playful and sly mask.

Only with you does he let his carefully crafted façade crumble to reveal his vulnerable self.

Aventurine is very good at acting like everything is fine when the world is against him. Perhaps to an extent, he truly believes that life is all about fighting battles on his lonesome. He can use others and get used as a tool in return, but the only one he can trust is himself. It’s the only life he’s ever known.

However, you’ve known him long enough to tell that the hate and isolation get to him, no matter how much he pretends that they don’t. When he comes home one night after a particularly awful day, it doesn’t take long for you to figure out that he feels down.

Aventurine smiled and teased you like usual, but he spoke less and clung to you more than usual. He hugged you from behind and kept an arm around you no matter what you were trying to do, almost as if he was seeking comfort from your physical presence.

Turning to face him, you glance into his tired eyes.

“What is it, darling? See something you like?” he teased, the corner of his mouth tugging into a smirk.

“Hmm, no,” you hummed. Extending your arms forward, you wrapped them around Aventurine and slowly pulled him into a hug. “I don’t see something I like.”

Aventurine is momentarily stunned by your unprompted action, but he quickly recovers.

“Oh? How come? Am I not appealing enough for you?” he quipped, resting his chin on your shoulder and returning your hug. Unlike your tight hug, his arms wrapped around you in a loose hold, as if he was uncertain how to go about it.

“Quite the opposite,” you softly chuckle, “I don’t see something I like, but I do see someone I love,” you whisper and turn your head to look directly at Aventurine’s face.

A beat of silence passes as Aventurine processes your words, before bursting out laughing.

“That was painfully corny, even for you!” he chuckled.

You scoff but don’t say anything in response, simply continuing to hug him tightly. Slowly, carefully, you card your fingers through his blond hair before moving lower to stroke your palm along his spine in soothing circles.

Aventurine’s laughter dies down, his initial mirth now replaced with something fragile and vulnerable as he falls quiet. He won’t ever share what burdens him, but you don’t need to know the details to provide him comfort. If he doesn’t want to tell you, then you won’t pry. At the very least, you’ll do all you can to support him and remind him that he’s not alone.

Being wrapped up in your warm embrace, feeling your gentle caresses—it all felt unfamiliar to Aventurine. It’s been so long since he felt the tender and loving affection of another person. It took a while, but eventually he relaxed and allowed himself to lean into your body, burying his nose into the crook of your neck.

Silence lingered in the air, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. There was something soothing in not having to talk. It was freeing to not worry about pretending to be okay or be pressured to talk about the things that trouble him.

That hug—that simple act of human affection—made him feel safe and protected in your arms. When you leaned back slightly to plant a tender kiss on Aventurine’s forehead, something inside him snapped and he had to hold back tears. Burying his face deeper into the crook of your neck, he clung tightly to you while you continued to rub slow circles along his back.

“It’s okay. It’ll all be okay, I’m here. You’re not alone…” you whisper, hugging him tighter.

Being wrapped up in your warm hug, feeling your affectionate kisses and gentle words is something Aventurine never knew he needed until now. Just for this moment, he lets his walls come down and bares his wounded self to you with the hope that you can soothe his pain if only a little.

And you do. With whispered reassurances and loving caresses, you ease his hurt, even if just temporarily. He is safe, you promise. He will always be safe in your arms.

🦁 Jing Yuan:

Jing Yuan is notorious for disliking the abundance of paperwork and other leadership tasks he has to take care of on a day-to-day basis as a General of the Xianzhou Luofu. Despite his woeful sighs about how tedious it is, and how the work never seems to end, Jing Yuan still accomplishes all his duties in a timely and precise fashion.

Jing Yuan is a hard worker, you are well aware of that. Which is why when he snuck out of the Seat of Divine Foresight to come spend some free time with you, you offered him to rest on your lap. And who was he to turn down such a tempting opportunity?

Sitting outside on the veranda with Jing Yuan’s head resting on your lap, you softly ran your fingers through his fluffy, white hair, marveling at how silky it was. It was as soft as it looked.

“I could get used to this,” Jing Yuan said with a sigh, relaxing into our touch. His golden eyes were closed as he enjoyed the sensations of your fingers combing through his hair, gently massaging his scalp and soothing any tension he felt.

Chuckling, you looked down at him, mirth dancing in your eyes.

“Really? I wouldn’t mind having you as my lap cat like this more often. Why not come see me every day and get pets?” you tease him as you lightly poke his cheek.

Jing Yuan cracks open one eye to give you an amused look.

“Being your lap cat sounds like a wonderful idea,” he sighs, “Laying on your lap and getting pampered sounds like my ideal life.”

Both of you burst out laughing at the ridiculous notion of Jing Yuan being a lap cat, your spirits lifting as the mood brightened even more.

“Ah, but if you ever want to take a break and relax, you’re always welcome to see me,” you say in a softer voice this time, resuming running your fingers through his tresses.

“I’ll keep your invitation in mind,” he replied, his voice dropping an octave as he relaxed into your touch once more.

The minutes pass in a comfortable and serene atmosphere, with you pampering Jing Yuan with affectionate caresses, meanwhile, the man listens to you talk about your day. You both knew that after this he would have to go back and complete the mountain of work waiting for him, but for now, you were content to spend this little bit of time with your beloved.

Under the warm sun and gentle breeze, with his head resting comfortably on your lap, Jing Yuan felt himself growing drowsy. His eyelids became heavier, and his body didn’t want to move from his position on your lap.

Noticing the General grow sleepy, you fought the urge to tease him. If you pointed out his sleepiness, he would most likely apologize and put a stop to this tranquil moment by getting up and heading back to work. He already saw you less than either of you wanted, simply because work kept him busy. Moments like these were a luxury.

Keeping quiet, you gently massage his scalp until his breaths even out and become deeper, seeming to have fallen asleep. His expression looked so serene and vulnerable, something that very few people have had the chance to witness. As his lover, you were privy to this sight more than most. You watch over him with a small smile on your face, gently tucking away a stray strand of his hair.

Thinking he was asleep, you lean down to press a lingering kiss to his forehead, but as you straighten, you notice Jing Yuan peering up at you with an amused glint in his eyes.

Growing flustered, you quickly look away, feeling your cheeks heat up with a blush.

Jing Yuan only laughs in response, but his laughter quickly turns into a contented purr as you shut him up with another head massage. Whatever teasing remark he had prepared, immediately died on his tongue as relaxation washed over him and he felt sleep take hold of his mind again.

“It’s ok, take a nap. I’ll wake you up in a few minutes,” you murmur, willing Jing Yuan to finally get some rest. You could tell he wanted to protest, but with a light brush of your thumbs over his temples, he released a sigh of defeat and conceded.

“You certainly know how to take advantage of my weaknesses,” he chuckled, voice a little hoarse from drowsiness.

Despite his initial reluctance, Jing Yuan fell asleep fairly quickly. The continuous days of endless work had left him exhausted, but your tender pampering and sweet company were just the respite he needed.

“Sleep tight,” you whisper, gracing him with another sweet kiss on his forehead.

[unforth]

I had a day off yesterday.

And I can already practically hear the assumptions that such a statement is prompting the reader to make. Those assumptions are wrong. I don't mean I didn't work. I did, for about 8 hours. That's not at all what I mean.

I mean my wife took the kids out at 9:30, spent the night with her mom, isn't back yet the next morning.

There are things I NEED people on this website to understand about parenting. And I've talked about it before, and I'll talk about it again, because honestly the way that Tumblr as a cohort talks about parents makes me sick. Multiple polls have shown that only about 2% of people on here are parents. We're a huge minority, and we're constantly talked over, ignored, or accused of being bad parents (like, personally, I have had people reply to my comments or come on to my posts and tell me I shouldn't have my kids). In my case, being a parent means I'm almost 41, I'm married to @ramblingandpie, and our children are inching up on being 8 and 6 years old.

My entire day, and therefore my entire life, revolves around them. I'm up most mornings at 5 AM, because that's the earliest they're "allowed" to wake up, and so my brain just defaults to being awake around then - better to wake up before them, at least then I get a few minutes in the morning. Between 5 and 7, I sit with them, do my social media, work on side blogs, study Chinese. Then it's helping them get ready for school, then my wife or I or both get them on the bus, and then I work until the last possible minute, which is either when I need to go pick them up for an after school activity or when I need to go down and meet them off the bus. My afternoons are after school activities, chores such as washing the dishes and cleaning up toys, talking with them, working with them, playing with them. Their bedtime starts at 7:40, and my son gets scared if I leave before he falls asleep so I sit with him until about 8:15. As soon as he's asleep, I go fall on my face, sleep as best I can, then wake up and do it again. Overnight, it's hard to sleep deeply, because about once a week someone will wake up in the middle of the night and need help. That could be as minimal as a hug or as complex as having to completely change the bedding on a bunk bed at 2 AM while also comforting a child who is afraid they'll be in trouble, or afraid they're sick, or afraid of their nightmare, or, or, or. Further, if a child is awake, there is always noise. I usually study Chinese with two or more competing sources of noise. I read the same way. My life is loud, and active, and consists of constant interruptions.

I adore my family, and I love my children, but this is terrible for me.

I do all of this as an neurodivergent introvert. My clinical depression is at least medicated, mostly because post-partum depression after I gave birth the first time nearly drove me to suicidal in under a week (we were expecting this and were prepared, fortunately, getting help was as simple as a phone call). The constant noise and interruptions and forced socialibility are about the worst combination of home-life I could be subjected to. I spend far too many early mornings just breathing deeply and gearing myself up to be subjected to the wall of Loud, Boisterous, Needing-My-Attention that is every minute when anyone else in the house is awake.

So what did my day off look like?

I helped get the kids ready to go and did some morning chores. I'd been up at 4:30 AM so I also had already social media'd and studied. Then, while my wife finished the preparations, I started work, and I worked from about 8 am to about 4 pm, straight. I didn't get hungry so didn't bother stopping for lunch. No one interrupted me, no one asked me to look at anything they'd built, no one broke my concentration, no sounds could be heard except those I'd chosen myself.

I'd been out the day before at a local shopping street and listened closely to the things the kids said they wanted, so at 4 I grabbed a couple orders I needed to ship for work and drove to our local downtown, dropped the orders in a post box, then went back to the shops and did some Christmas shopping in the 45 minutes or so before everything closed. I think I'm basically done with what we'll get them - other bigger things will be left to grand parents - so that's a load off, I literally had a stress dream earlier this week about it being 12/24 and having forgotten to do the shopping and having to go to (oh horrors) the mall on the day before Christmas. (Reminder: I'm a Jewish atheist. It's just virtually impossible not to Holiday in the Culturally Christian Hellscape that is the US. Also, my wife is Christian. So.) Found something cute for my wife, too, even tho I already know the main thing I'm getting her. Then, I realized - one of my favorite restaurants is on that block. So. I went there. I sat by myself at a table, only the indistinct restaurant hubbub around me. I read four or five chapters of my book, and ate a savory crepe, and drank lovely fruit tea, and got a scone to-go that I'll eat for lunch today. It was more than I probably should have spent on myself - about $25, including tip - but fuck it. I only get maybe a handful of days off all year, and I'm allowed to indulge a little.

Then I came home. There were no lights on. There was no noise. I had considered doing some more merch work while watching TV on the actual television (my kids are too young for subtitled shows, so usually if I want to watch My Shows I either have to do it on my computer when they're not around, or put them on and read all the subtitles aloud while trying to keep up and process the actual meaning of what I'm reading). But when I got back, the quiet and dark was so goddamn NICE that instead I curled up on the couch and read more of my book. I did that until bedtime - still about 8:15, because I'm exhausted. Then...I went to bed. And I slept long and deep, knowing that there was no chance I'd be interrupted and woken up, I didn't have to be, even in sleep, alert to every noise and possibility that I'd be needed.

I'm still exhausted and burned out, but even one night to myself felt really, really nice.

Saying "Tumblr does X" as a universal statement is doomed to failure, but generally speaking, the parenting posts I see on Tumblr, the ones with tens or hundreds of thousands of notes, speak what's apparently widely seen as a truism on here: that unless someone wants to spend 24/7 with their kids, to be 100% emotionally available at all times, is always kind and patient and perfect, they are a bad parent, maybe even abusive. I remember when covid started, there were multiple posts actively mocking the "oh god, my kids are now home all the time, how am I supposed to do this?" attitude that a lot of parents posted in despair. WhY dId YoU hAvE kIdS iF yOu DoN't WaNt To SpEnD tImE wItH tHeM?

Look at what my usual day looks like.

Look at what my day off looked like.

Do you really think I don't want to spend time with my kids? Do you really think I don't love my kids?

But I'm not a fucking MACHINE. I'm a PERSON. That's what people on Tumblr seem to forget. PARENTS ARE PEOPLE. The same tumblrinas who post ~uwu be kind to yourself rest if you need to, you should forgive yourself for that mistake you made~ will turn around, with zero sense of irony, and post "you're a bad parent if you ever raise your voice around a child."

Expecting parents to be perfect means expecting parents to be inhuman. It also means that a parent can't be poor (can't spend all your time being the perfect parent if you have to work multiple jobs or weird hours!), can't be introverted (can't be a perfect parent if you're not completely emotional available, god forbid socializing is exhausting for you), can't be on the ADHD or autism spectrum (what do you mean you forgot to get your kid to a doctor's appointment once? what do you mean over-stimulation can make you angry? how dare you get angry at a kid!), can't be depressed (gotta get out of bed every single day, gotta always be upbeat, patient, happy, or else that's Evil), can't be (like my wife) physically disabled (what do you mean your hands hurt too much to hold a child's hand? are you denying them touch?? CRUEL). And when the only answer you can offer to that is, "if you can't be that perfect you shouldn't be a parent," then you're saying people who aren't middle class to wealthy, people who aren't neurotypical, people who aren't physically able, shouldn't have children.

And honestly...what the fuck is your problem?

I'm not perfect. I tell my kids to just leave me alone sometimes. I raise my voice, especially when one of my kids starts punching the other, but also sometimes just cause I'm exhausted and Can't Anymore. I've forgotten an appointment by accident and felt like a total fucking idiot, and I've skipped an after school activity because I just wasn't up for taking them. I've served them more unbalanced, unhealthy meals than I can count. I've made many, many mistakes, but I've also done my best, and I love my kids, and I hope that when they grow up, they'll still love me even as they recognize that I wasn't perfect, just as I've come to accept my own parents' short-comings while still loving them very much. They're people, too, and the older I get, the more I understand where they were coming from.

When I fuck up, I apologize.

When they tell me they're unhappy with something I've done, I apologize, and I try to do better. Sometimes I even succeed.

This shit is hard, yo. And it's getting harder every year.

I'm BEGGING Tumblr: you need to start seeing parents as people. The way y'all talk about parenting on here is toxic, and genuinely harmful, and frankly exhausting. You have no idea what the reality of raising kids is like, and you need to shut the entire fuck up.

I had a day off yesterday.

I might get one more before the end of 2023.

I already can't wait. I am so, so, so tired. sigh

(if you actually read this whole rant and even a single word of it resonated for you, please reblog it. I'm tired of never seeing positive posts about parenting while I see negative ones with a bajillion notes.)

[sillygoosealert]

🫡 I will send in a request for some Bi-Han angst. Let’s do one where reader and Bi Han are in an argument (as couples do) and reader says something that’s very true (like idk he’s too quick to anger) And this causes a reaction out of him. And of course, being a stinky sexy angry man, he ends up lashing out in anger. And OOP- ice shards come flying towards reader, (the cold never bothered me anyway) cutting her cheek and slashing her forearm, along with a few other scrapes. Bi Han realizes she’s actually fucking RIGHT and showers reader with love, praise, and begins helping with her wounds. (Fluffy? Apology sex maybe 🤔)

WAIT WAIT THINK THINK BRAIN BLAST THIS IS REALLY AMAZING

Enough Anna..I SAID ENOUGH o(≧口≦)o

Bi-Han angst to fluff to sex 🤯 afab

‘Do you even for once want to think about how I feel about this? Because if you took a second to even talk to me half of your problems wouldn’t exist.’

His back is turned from you as he washes the blood out of one of his uniforms

‘Why won’t you look at me, I want to talk to you but you make it so, so hard. Can you even look at me, can you handle looking at me?’

‘Wouldn’t you like that? For me to just look at you and change everything about me. This is who I am, and you can either acknowledge that or continue to live in ignorance.’

‘But this isn't who you are. You are making rash and unusual decisions. I'm worried you are going to do something you'll regret immensely. You're quick to rage and you know that.’

He whips around, ice coming from his arm going towards you

‘What would you know about being Grandmaster? I am helping my clan- my people. They are thriving and are respected because of me.’

You don't hear what he says as your arms go up to protect your face and stomach from the ice shards.

They slice through your skin with ease, going through your forearm and shoulder. One even skims your cheek

It was only after his speech that Bi-Han noticed what he had done, a rash, and unusual decision that he immediately regretted.

But he doesn't make a move to go toward you, he just stands there in shock

However, you move, you move away from him quite quickly

‘Come back here. I meant no harm in my actions.’

You do not come back. You run off to the nurses

When the sky turns dark and inflicts its symptoms of the night- drowsiness, and the need for another to be by your side as you rest; you are no where to be seen

He knows it would be better to find you himself

So he wonders around until he finds you, bandaged up and sitting on a bench

‘I have been looking for you’

You look in his direction

‘Why didn't you come back’

‘You know why’

‘Please come back’

He's frowning, more than usual

‘Please?’

‘Please’

You get up, slowly walking to him

‘What do you need me to do to get you to come back?’

‘I don't know Bi-Han, everything hurts and I'm injured. I don't know if I want to come back.’

‘I’ll carry you back if you would like’

‘You’ll carry me back?’

You sound amused but he looks serious

He picks you up bridal style and starts to walk back to his room

‘You can’t just change for a day and expect me to forgive you. I don't think you'll keep up with this.’

‘With what?’

‘Being nice to me.’

He doesn't say anything to that.

After he returns to his room, he sits you on the bed

‘You are dirty’

‘Yes, I am.’

‘How do I help you clean, with your bandages?’

‘I need to take them off first, then put on new ones after’

‘So it's fine if you clean your wounds in the bath?’

‘Yes’

‘Okay..’

He takes you to his bathroom, carefully undressing you

‘Ow-’

‘Did I hurt you, What did I do?’

‘My shirt, you took it off too fast. My shoulder isn't looking good, I can just take off my own clothes..’

He shakes his head, pulling you onto his lap

‘I will be more gentle. Where else do I need to be wary of?’

‘It's just my upper body, everything else is mostly fine’

After removing your clothes, he turns on the water

Keeping you on his lap, he strokes your hair with one hand, and the other is wrapped around your waist

‘Feel the water, is that temperature okay with you?’

‘That's fine’

He slips you in, holding onto your chest rather than your arms

‘I am regretful of my earlier treatment of you. Will you let me show you I am sorry?’

‘Depends, how do you plan on showing me you didn't mean to harm me?’

‘You will see’

After bathing you, he sits you on his bed

‘Where do I need to wrap you?’

‘Shoulder and arm, anything else is fine being left alone’

He's slow and cautious when treating you, knowing you are vulnerable

You sit there naked and shivering as a man, much gruff, holds you

‘Does that feel secure?’  

‘Yes, thank you’

‘I am..sorry’

‘I know’

He frowns, squeezing your cheeks with one of his hands

You return this act, cupping his face with one of your hands

When you think he's leaning in to kiss you, he just presses his forehead against yours

‘I want to make you feel good’

‘How do you plan to do that?’

He's in between your thighs, slowly laying down so his head is on your cunt

Oh

With a little kitten lick, he starts to work on your clit

His hands are gripping your thighs as you have a hold of his hair

Slipping in two fingers, he starts to pump them in and out of your warm pussy

One of his hands wonders onto your chest and plays with your nipple

Then he starts to thrust his tongue into your vagina, his fingers now playing with your clit

The pace is fast and hard, and he's grinding into the bed

His nose is stimulating you along with his fingers, its too much

You don't ask him to stop though, that doesn't even cross your mind

With another suck to your clit your hips stutter and you squirt into his mouth

He licks it up, even lapping at your pussy to try to get more

Sighing into the bed, he rides out your orgasm

When he doesn't stop though, your thighs clench around his head on instinct

Pulling away, he wipes his lips

‘Did you feel good?’

‘Yes Bi-Han, thank you’

‘Do you still hold what happened earlier against my character?’

‘I won't just forget what happened, but I don't hate you for it’

You run your fingers through his hair as he lays his head on your chest

‘Okay..’

‘I love you, I hope you know that’

‘Thank you..’

You kiss his head and you both doze off, what happened earlier doesn't matter right now

Nothing matters right now, it's okay

🎀

[miasmaghoul]

Okay @herbal-quintessence.

A quick little something to satisfy your curiosity.

(Follow up to this fic)

"Daddy?" Aeon murmurs, tired but still incredulous. "Really?"

Aether chuckles in his ear, accompanied by the sound of rushing water. The other ghoul must be cleaning himself up.

"Really," he rumbles, fading into a yawn Aether doesn't even try to stifle.

It hasn't been too long since Dew conked out, still a sweaty, sticky mess after taking the shade of Aether's knot. Aeon hadn't expected that part; Dew's always been active participant in aftercare, needy for contact, but tonight the little ghoul had been out like a light before Aeon had even pulled out.

Aether had laughed gently at Aeon's immediate panic, but was quick to reassure him. To tell Aeon that Dew should have warned him about how his body handles the aftermath of quintessence. He'll be out for about an hour, according to Aether, and when he wakes up he'll need a bunch of water and a kiss between the horns before anything else.

Aether had also said that nothing short of armageddon itself could rouse Dew in this state, but Aeon took him off speakerphone just in case. Speaking in hushed tones himself. Wouldn't want to risk rousing the little guy, who is currently drooling onto the duvet while Aeon and Aether have a little post-nut chat.

"Didn't peg him for the type," Aeon says, reaching over to run his fingers through Dew's hair. Working out tangled ends. "Figured he'd be more of a sir guy."

Dew sniffs, smacks his lips. Snores. Aeon smiles, crosses his legs. Aether makes an amused sound then, and Aeon tips his head as though the other ghoul can see him.

"Who said it was for him?"

It takes a moment for Aeon to process the words, the gears in his head chugging along at half speed after all his hard work. His brain feels like it's been poached, fuzzy with electric heat. When he figures out what Aether means, and he can say is,

"Oh."

"Oh," Aether teases, breathy and feminine.

Aeon has to chuckle - he's sure that's probably what he just sounded like. He couldn't help it, really. Aether wanting to be called daddy? Surely that discovery is enough to warrant an embarrassing noise or two.

"And for the record," he continues, accompanied by a shuffling sound. A shirt being changed, maybe. "He isn't a sir guy either."

Well that's interesting.

"Oh yeah?" Aeon takes his hand back from Dew's hair to rest it over his suddenly tingly cock. No way he's getting anything else out of it tonight, but the pressure feels nice regardless. "What kinda guy is he, then?"

"That's for you to figure out, pet," Aether tells him, a playful tilt to the words. "I'm not one to spoil things."

Aeon snorts, but doesn't press. There's no fun in being told these things anyway. Better to learn by doing.

"Fiiiiiine," he sighs anyway, sounding woefully put out. "Ruin my fun."

"Any time," Aether replies, and he next laugh is one they share.

Aeon yawns then, tired to his bones. He slides down the bed, does a half roll so he lands on his side, scooches himself across the mattress until he's at Dew's side. Close enough to reach out and rest a hand on his back, tacky with their combined drying sweat.

"Think I'm gonna doze while I can," he mumbles, nosing at Dew's temple. "Will he wake me up if he has to?"

"You can count on it," Aether assures him. There's a pause then, a break in mood, and then Aether huffs. "Give him an extra kiss from me, would you?"

Aeon may still be new here, but he knows pining when he hears it.

"'Course," he says, pressing his lips to the shell of Dew's ear. "Anything you want me to tell him while I'm at it?"

Aether chuffs.

"You don't have to worry about that part. He knows everything I want to say."

Aeon's sure that's true.

"Consider it done," he slurs, body heavy and eyes heavier. "Nap time now."

Aether laughs, and Aeon feels fuzzy all over.

"Sleep well," he coos, kind. "And thank you. For tonight."

"Any time," he yawns, and despite that pervasive heaviness he manages to smirk when he adds, "daddy."

A clatter answers him, Aether swears in the distance, and Aeon hopes his phone didn't hit the floor screen-first.

[wordy-little-witch]

Okay CoraBug hours where we look at canon, go HAH No, and carry on bc I Do Not See It

Buggy and Cora being absolutely the schmooziest, goofiest couple ever.

Cora and Buggy experimenting with makeup looks together.

They each have an Egg Each, but they have each other's eggs, or they both make two each so one can have the second egg on hand for long distance stints.

Long denden calls and writing letters to each other.

Sengoku having several attacks of just as many varieties because his son is dating a pirate and it's THAT pirate as well and he's So Fucking Angry bc Buggy isn't even all that bad, he HATES it-

Uncle Garp. The shenanigans there. Need I say more?

Shanks telling Buggy about Luffy and it goes "my brother adopted the grandson of my boyfriend's honorary uncle" and you can see the smoke coming from his ears.

Cora and Buggy were childhood sweethearts, and Shanks ABSOLUTELY gave Cora a shovel talk. Roger also gave Cora a shovel talk. Rayleigh played psychological warfare as a test (Cora passed).

They do shows together and their favorites are acrobatics and aerials.

Buggy has forbade Cora from fire stunts, so Cora simply watches Buggy do them and drools respectfully. (In his defense, Buggy is VERY skilled with batons and dragon staffs.)

Devil Fruits have something they need to Feed or things that Feed the fruits. For some, it's foods, some it can be abated with tobacco. Cora uses his cigarettes and Buggy runs on sugar.

Cora is actually a very clean person and prefers unscented soaps, he just has a skill for always looking freshly mugged in an alleyway. Buggy meanwhile is a neat freak who changes up his soaps frequently, but always within a certain brand/maker rotation bc he has sensitive skin.

Drawbacks Of Devil Fruits My Beloved - they're both more lethargic in highly humid weather, or in the rain. Cora's sleepier overall when stuff gets to that point, but Buggy runs a higher risk of getting sick as a result.

Buggy sometimes has Bad Brain Days, be it an episode or he's overstimulated. Regardless, when he needs Space, he'll shimmy under Cora's feathered coat and Cora will cast a bubble for them with just enough muted input to calm Buggy down but not trigger his intrusive thoughts.

Likewise, when Cora is in Cover And Perform Mode, Buggy will gently lead him away and pull the other down to his chest, ear over his heart, and will just... talk. Random, unimportant things like "Oh I heard dinner will be this tonight" or "I've been thinking of getting x, y, z tools for the ring". Just stuff to ground him, she he isn't alone, that things are okay and fine and safe.

They have prank wars. Ritchie always wins. Nobody knows how.

Cora will straight up scruff Buggy like a cat when he gets angry and stabby.

Buggy will climb Cora like a tree when he feels playful.

<><><><> Bonus Incorrect Quotes <><><><>

Buggy: They call it committing murder because it's a commitment. It's stronger than marriage.

Cora:

Buggy:

Cora: babe, no-

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Cora: I could kill you if I wanted.

Buggy: Yeah? So could any other human being. So could a dog. So could a dedicated duck. You aren't special

Cora:

Buggy:

Cora: I love you-

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Buggy: *banging a pen on the table out of frustration*

Cora: Stop that. How would YOU feel if I banged you on the table?

Buggy: I—

Buggy: I don’t know the correct answer to that question.

Cabaji, who just wanted to eat his lunch in peace:

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Buggy: BE A BETTER PERSON!

Cora: WHY?!

Buggy: BECAUSE SOMEONE NEEDS TO HAVE MORALS IN THIS RELATIONSHIP, AND IT SURE AS FUCK AIN'T GONNA BE ME, SWEETHEART!

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Cora: *sighs*

Buggy: You bored?

Cora: Yeah.

Buggy: Wanna start drama for no reason?

Cora: I thought you’d never ask.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Cora: I truly go into housewife mode when I'm someone's soulmate- like, I'll make you pancakes and bacon every morning.

Buggy: This is a lie.

Buggy: I'm literally dating them. This is a lie.

Buggy: THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO COOK A PANCAKE, WHAT IS THIS.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Buggy: What’s your favorite color?

Cora: Stop asking stupid questions. Ask me something logical and mature.

Buggy: How many moles of sodium bicarbonate are needed to neutralize 0.8ml of sulfuric acid at STP?

Cora: My favorite color is pink.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Context: Roger and Garp having a play date, Shanks and Mihawk are sitting to the side while Buggy is doing smth mundane across the beach when Cora descends on the swordmen

Cora: Wait, what's going on? Are we all talking about how hot Buggy is? Because Buggy is a straight up sexual fox riding a red-hot nuclear bombshell right toward the yowza plaza in the heart of Babe City, Assachusetts, U S A. The last A just stands for more ass.

Mihawk:

Shanks:

Cora:

Mihawk: wh-

Shanks: YEAH!

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Buggy: I'm very scary.

Cora: You're about as scary as a wet kitten.

Buggy: Wet kittens are cute, at least I've got that going for me.

Cora: And small.

Buggy:

Buggy: ...Yeah, yeah. I guess.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Buggy: Live fast, die young, leave behind a pretty corpse! That’s what I always say!

Cora: You should say something else.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Cora: What’s your body count?

Buggy: Do you mean sex or murder?

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Cora, carrying a box: What would you say if- if I, hypothetically, came home with several kids one day?

Buggy: …

Buggy: What’s in the box?

Cora: What woul-

Buggy: Cora, what’s in the box?

Cora: I think you know.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Buggy: Hey, wanna take a shower with me?

Cora: I have a gun in that nightstand beside the bed. If I ever say no to that question, I want you to take it out and shot me because I’ve obviously gone crazy.

[galedekarios]

that interview is driving me insane i've been thinking about it for the past hour and i still can't wrap my head around it. i think what really gets under my skin is it just... contradicts with the text of the game. the most positive possible reading of the ending where gale blows himself up is that it was an unavoidable tragedy dictated by fate but even that's a stretch. to say it's a good ending?? or a satisfying conclusion to his arc?? i call bull. it's more infuriating because there is such a clear good ending for gale's character arc and it's the professor ending! his arc was about learning to accept himself as he was, to value who he is as he is flaws and all, and he's done that in the professor ending! and the god of ambition ending is a bad end for him but still ties into his overall arc in a satisfying if sad way (imo). the ending where he dies just... doesn't. which is fine as a tragedy but to imply it isn't exactly that, a tragedy, is wild to me. and it being so blatantly contradictory to the actual events of the game makes me think that whole thing was just catering to people who hate gale which like... why? people who don't like him don't care about his story so why pander to them like this?

uhg. i am sorry for blowing up your inbox like this i just feel like i'm gonna rip my hair out and need to express that to a fellow gale appreciator. i love gale's epilogue SO MUCH it made me feel for a bit like maybe the writers had actually changed how they felt about him but. nope! silly of me to hope for that. wish i could memory wipe that whole interview from my brain dark urge style.

don't be sorry at all! 🖤 i feel the same way in a lot of ways. altho i feel the need to mention that gale's writer, jan van dosselaer, was not involved in this interview.

i started to make a meta post about this yesterday, but reading things like this from gale:

act ii [after elminster] Player: An old man with a craving for cheese. Hardly the great wizard of legend. Gale: A wizard doesn't reach Elminster's age without enjoying their home comforts. Those who seek danger over cheese don't tend to live as long. Gale: For Mystra to have sent him... The severity of her bidding could not be clearer. Or weigh more heavily on me. devnote: reflecting on mystra sending elminster, of all people - a powerful individual, becoming reflective. Gale: Time seems so infinite when you are young... a month is an age, a year is a lifetime... it is a strange feeling, to realise how little of it one might have left. Player: You're seriously considering doing what Elminster said?   Gale: Of course - he offered the clearest solution to our problem. All I have to do is find the right place and time, close my eyes, and let go... devnote: Trying to sound upbeat, not fully engaging with what he's saying (that he's going to kill himself). Gale: Then the slate will be clean, wrongs will be righted, the Absolute will be gone... devnote: Trying to sound upbeat, not fully engaging with what he's saying (that he's going to kill himself). Gale: ...and I along with it. devnote: Still trying to sound upbeat, though this time the reality that this means he will die weighs a bit heavier

and:

act ii [act ii romance scene] Gale: I am terrified - I will not claim otherwise. My face could scarcely conceal it even if my words sought to deny it. nodecontext: Hushed, vulnerable Gale: There is no point in running from the inevitable. Better to meet it, on my own terms. nodecontext: Resigned

as well as this:

act ii [act ii friendship version] Gale: Yes... but there is so much to live for, and so few moments in which to house it all. Gale: Damn you. Damn you for giving me so much to care about. Our friends, our adventures... this would have been so much easier if it was just me. But it isn't. Gale: If there is a way - any way - to save all that's grown dear to me, I want to seize it. I just cannot fathom what that might be, other than to fail Mystra and condemn the world. Gale: Stay with me, will you? I don't want to think of it any more, but I don't want to be alone either.

act iii [before the netherbrain] Player: Gale... I think we should consider using the orb as Mystra intended. To blow up the Netherbrain. Gale: I'm getting rather tired of how often those I care about seem to reach the same conclusion.

when you have this:

and i just... couldn't finish the meta.

it's absolutely beyond comprehension for me how anyone could try to frame this as an ending that is the right one in "many ways", as the "guy who starts off annoying everyone", eating your "most priced possessions", having to "give back to the world".

for the founder of the company to say he wasn't "ready" the "first time", but he's finally "ready" now.

gale's death isn't only unnecessary, an instruction given to him by his former mentor on the behalf of a goddess, who would've sacrificed not only him but thousands of others to achieve her own goals, he doesn't want to die. he's terrified. he wants to live. he is offering this because he believes that his time has run out. because he wants his death to have purpose if it must happen. because he feels he made a mistake far bigger than he can ever make up for. because he doesn't want others to waste their chance at life like he feels he has. the will he leaves behind in the epilogue if he sacrifices himself isn't finished because he thought there would be more time. i could go on and on.

and again, the question is too... for what exactly does he need to "give back to the world"?

being perceived as annoying after coming out of what is presented as isolation and depression? asking for help with a now chronic impairment that feeds on his very soul and wreaks havoc on his body? for making a mistake? by that logic every companion deserves the same fate.

which brings me to the contrast to how most of the other companions are framed in this interview: k*rlach, "the labrador of the party". l*e'zel, "she's so young". ast*rion, "much of what he does it out of fear". sh*dowheart, "the jason bourne" and "victim of religous trauma". w*ll, "the true baldur's gate hero".

the difference is staggering. there's empathy here. there's at least a surface level understanding and/or appreciation of the characters there.

...and then you have gale.

it's alienating and disappointing to see devs have so little respect and care for their own character, as well as for the parts of their fandom who have grown attached to the character exactly for the strengths and flaws he has, for the struggles he faces and for the healing journey he can have if he is helped and lives.

[over-particular]

a very personal evening checklist

ʀᴇᴍɪɴᴅᴇʀ → It takes an average of 66 days to create or change a habit. Don’t give up now!

☐ Take off your shoes when you get home. According to several studies, the sole of a shoe can carry hundreds of thousands of bacteria. In a biblical passage, God is said to have spoken to Moses in these words: “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Isn't that what the safety and comfort of a home means to us? A sanctuary for the soul? Taking off one's shoes is just the smallest sign of reverence. For this very reason, I try to keep my environment as clean as possible.

☐ Fulfill your commitments. Study, finish your work or respond to the last emails of the day. I don't get changed until I'm done. This is an important part as it allows me to ease my mind about the duties I know I am handling. It's hard for me to relax knowing I have a something to do.

☐ Disconnect, break away from screens as early as possible. Try to get away from the constant attention and energy demanded by our electronic gadgets. Blue light causes your brain to believe that it's still daytime, resulting in a reduction of the production of melatonin. In other words, your brain starts working to keep you awake. For those of you who are curious, I don't watch television, as I don't have one.

☐ If possible, be physically active. Walk for 20 minutes, do some yoga, use the exercise bike or go to the gym. Remember that cleaning is a double-duty activity. It's a great way to get you to move. Try to establish a physical routine: depending on your needs, try to stick to a program of one, two, three… or six sessions a week. If you really don't have time, focus on walking to get to and/or come back from work.

☐ Wash yourself. Again, everyone has a different approach to it, depending on their resources and organization. Science recommends taking a shower in the evening, because during the day we accumulate many bacteria, viruses and parasites that affect the regeneration of our skin. During the night, our skin has plenty of time to regenerate. (It is important to remember that taking two showers a day is not recommended: first, because it destabilizes your skin, which has not fully regenerated, second, because it is aggressive for sensitive skins and third, because it is not very nice to Mother Nature.)

☐ Get comfortable. Except for events or evenings when I'm not home alone, I prepare my dinner and enjoy it in my sleepwear.

☐ Prepare a light dinner. Avoid all forms of stimulants such as caffeine, sugar, energy drinks. Try to have an early dinner. I know this is cultural (coming from a family where dinner is served around 8 or 9pm), but a light, early dinner will help you sleep better, have better digestion, boost your metabolism and reduce your blood pressure.

☐ I also use this time to enjoy the presence of my loved ones or to think about calling them, or sending them a message… because they represent a real emotional support for me. Studies have shown that spending time with friends and family contributes greatly to happiness. Among other things, it reduces anxiety, increases productivity and improves mental health.

☐ If you have time, take care of yourself. Follow your skincare routine, even if it's as simple as applying a moisturizer and using deodorant, as it is for me. Remember to brush your teeth. Use slippers at home. Slippers are great for protecting your feet from the cold and keeping your blood flow from slowing down.

☐ Like with my morning routine, I exercise my mind, my faith and/or my creativity for a few minutes. I think it is as important to lighten your mind as it is to exercise it. Here again, I pray for a few minutes. I also write a few notes about my day in my journal. I have developed a sort of obsession with diaries from past centuries and the desire to record intimate details of our lives… and it is true that I harbor the hope that someday I will look back at my writings, much later in life, and find a sort of comforting nostalgy in them. Reading is also one of my favorite hobby. I often fall asleep while reading.

☐ Plan the next day as best you can. I know that some people find it very helpful to prepare their lunch, outfit and/or bag for the next day. This is the time to do what feels right for you. As for me, I just set my alarm clock (If possible, get an alarm clock that is not your phone.)

☐ Determine a time to go to bed and stick to it. If it takes a while to fall asleep (this obviously does not apply to people with sleep disorders...), I invite you to hang out in bed with a book or some relaxing music. I guess I'm pretty harsh, because when this happens, I prefer to condemn myself to boredom, in the dark and in silence. I think it works for me.

I'm so glad that my morning routine inspired many people. I just wanted to come back to something that I feel is very important: Life is made up of countless unexpected events. The world is not all black and white, but is composed of a multitude of shades. This means that none of your days will ever resemble the other. Be flexible and forgive yourself: lists are only there to help us organize this immense chaos that is life. Sometimes, self-care also means allowing the unplanned: a rest, or a change of plans. Again, this list is intended to be personal. Feel free to rewrite it!

[lyrenminth]

time apart

Warning: explicit descriptions, piv, oral (fem receiving), Justin being corny.

Sorry for the format, it is weird but I hope you can read it.

You always received Justin with a kiss and a hug as soon as he entered the door, it was a tradition you decided to adopt when you got together. You knew he liked it since he always leaned on to kiss you and touch your ass. "How was your day, baby?" you asked. "Good" he said, smiling. When the days were "not so good" you would hugged him tighter, he would hide his face on your neck and lift you a little bit from the floor. "It's better now" But this was the first time you're going to be apart in a long period of time, since your sister gave birth recently and you decided to help her for the first two weeks, since it was a difficult childbirth for her. At the beginning Justin was hesitating. "No one else can help her?" he asked not hiding his worry. You were having pasta with shrimp for that dinner night. "No, my mom isn't in condition for traveling" "She can hire someone. I'll pay for it if necessary."

You sighed. It was the first time Justin behaved like this, but he was nervous. Since you came into his life to change everything, he couldn't keep worrying about you. He wasn't overprotective, but you were the most important person in his life right now. It wasn't the end of the world. True, but he almost never saw you in person. "It will be a couple of weeks baby" you said, kissing his forehead. "My sister needs a familiar face to talk to. And I'm dreading to see my niece" "Okay" he relented. "You'll be working anyway. I'll call you during dinner each day. Don't worry" "Will you watch my games?" "Always, honey" When both finished eating, Justin put the dishes in the dishwasher while you cleaned the table. When a pair of strong arms hugged you from behind, you gasped. Justin kissed your neck. "Can I show you how much I'm gonna miss you?" he asked, biting your earlobe. Words weren't necessary. Justin, indeed, missed you. When he opened the door and no one was there to receive him he felt bad, lonely. Dinners without you felt boring and the food never tasted the same for some reason. The house was quiet, without your laughter or your weird playlists or you dancing around and arguing with yourself. You had a spot in his life now, your absence was notorious. And he never felt like this before. It was scary for him sometimes to like you this much. To care this much about you.

The only moment he looked forward to was when you called him during bedtime. The pictures and text were fine, but seeing your face and expression was better. You talked about each others days, how was your sister, your niece who was the most chunky and smiley baby he has ever seen. "You would be a great mother" he said in the call when you send him pictures of you holding the baby. "Do you think so?" you asked, wiggling your eyebrows. He grinned. "One-hundred percent" "Our babies would be athletic thanks to you" you said. "And would have her mother's brain" he added. "Oh, come on you're smart too" "Not like you" "Yeah, sure" you deflected the compliment. He rolled his eyes, you always did that when he says something good about you. Sadly, you weren't good taking compliments. "I'm waiting for your comeback" he confessed three days before you arrived to LA. "Aw, are you missing me?" "Yeah, kinda" You snorted. "Kinda? I'm going to stay longer then" "No, I mean... it's your sister but yeah, the house doesn't feel the same if you aren't here" And I don't like to sleep alone. He didn't looked at you when he said this. You knew how hard was to him express his emotions. Again, it scared him how much he cared about you. Finally, after spending time with your sister. Watching Justin win two games and meeting your lovely niece, you were home. He was in practice, so you took your time to take a shower, unpack your stuff and make a snack. You told him you'll be arriving late to surprise him, and as soon as you hear the car in the garage you wait for him at the door, excited to see him.

When Justin opened the door you jumped on him, he looked surprised but held you tight as you wrapped your legs around his waist, kissing him in the process. "Welcome home, baby" you said cheerfully. He stared at your face, in disbelief. "You told me..." he stopped middle sentence to kiss you, hard. His lips devoured yours, his big hands squeezing your ass. He started walking towards the stairs. "Justin be careful" you said giggling. When you arrived to your room he dropped you on the bed, and crawled over you. "I missed you" he whispered, licking your neck. His hands were everywhere, you enjoyed his desperation. "You smell so good" he said, digging his nose in the valley of your breasts. You sat down to take off your shirt, you weren't wearing bra so he quickly focused on your boobs, kissing one nipple while massaging the other breast. It felt so good to be in his arms again. You felt safe and protected, Justin always gave you calmness and security, things you needed. You started rocking your hips against his, trying to find a good spot to stimulate your clit or to relieve the pain and necessity in your core. You grabbed his hair, playing with it, moaning soft words if affirmation that you knew he liked to hear. The trails of kisses went south, Justin stopped in the waistband of your shorts. "Raise your hips" your obeyed, he took them off along with your panties. As the good man he was, Justin trace your folds with his thumb, then opened your lips to show your clit and glistening pussy. "Mmmm" you moaned moving your hips, dying for a touch. "How much I've miss this" he stated, eyes full of lust stared at you. "Show me then" you prompted. He leaned on, his tongue licking all over. It felt so good that you cried a little bit. Because you've miss him too. He proceeded to swirl his tongue over your clit, soft strokes that made your legs and belly tingle. "Baby, yes" you moaned, touching your own breasts, rocking your hips lost in the pleasure. He groaned, seeing you like this made him so hard it was unbearable, but he wanted to hear the moans coming up from those pretty lips. He put a finger inside your pussy, trying to stimulate your g-spot, when you started struggling to get away he knew you were close, he pinned your hips down with the other arm. "Justin..." you cried as the orgasm crashed inside you like a wave. You went limp for a few seconds, trying to recover your breath. "Oh my good" you said, he kissed your one last time before standing on to take off his clothes. Until then, you didn't realize he was fully clothed. You enjoyed the view as he took his underwear, and stood naked in all his glory. Justin was built like a demi-god, tall, slim but well-defined muscles everywhere. His erection stood proud, the pink tip glistening with precum, you started getting horny again. Without shame, you opened your legs so he could have a better view. "Fuck" he growled, in one movement he was on top of you, kissing you fiercely. You needed more. You reach down between your pelvis only to grab his penis and gave him a few pumps before guiding him to your entrance. "Fuck me, Justin, please" he bite your bottom lip and you let out a hiss. Finally, he slipped inside you, inch by inch. Making you feel full again, you clenched your walls around his shaft. You put your arms around his neck. "Baby..." he whispered, stopping once he was inside you. "I'm sorry if I can't give you what you want" he was clenching his jaw. "God, it feels so good" he thrusted one time, and shifted the angle and started moving once again. Those deep thrusts were building heat in your core. He hid his face in the curve of your neck, as he always did. "Yes, oh, Justin" you were running your hands through his back, feeling the muscles tense and relax in each thrust. He whimpered close to you ear somehow making you wetter. The sound each thrust was obscene. "Come for me baby" you said, straddling his hips with your legs.

"Fuck" he groaned. "Cum inside me" you begged, clenching around his shaft, one of his hands squeezed your waist to stop you. Justin got tense, groaned and you felt him throbbing inside you. He rolled over and sighed. One strong arm searched for you, to keep your closer. "You really miss me" you said, playfully. "Mmmm" you drew on his chest with your finger. He was getting sleepy. "Yes" "I miss you too" you declared, he opened one eye, and smiled. "I realized many things when you were out" he confessed, that sparked your curiosity. "Like what?" That I want to marry you, I want to have you around and talk to you every chance I get. That no matter what happens, I want to be by your side, hold you like this each day and night. Justin was never good with deep words, but his actions spoke volumes when he was with you. You understood he wasn't going to tell you love words, but he would search for you in a crowd. "I like you more than I'm able to tell" he stated under his breath, you almost didn't hear it. He flushed, and you giggled at his reaction. "Good to know" you hugged him tight.

All the love you didn't expect was lying next to you.

[notmorbid]

the angel of indian lake, pt. 1.

dialogue prompts from the angel of indian lake by stephen graham jones.

you're going to secondhand kill me.

this place is dead. someone just needs to bury it.

this is your brain on drugs.

i hope you really do get out of here someday.

maybe we could skinny dip while we're here.

we always find each other again, don't we?

if only i could take you with me when i leave.

you're going to have the world wrapped around your finger.

once the clock strikes midnight, anything can happen.

home is where the heart is, isn't it?

it doesn't have to be this way.

you just like the way i was before.

things do not happen. things are made to happen.

there's more. just wait. just hold on.

i made it through, and now i'm back.

it's not like history changes, right?

you don't walk into my house and tell me what's what.

pictures can do all the work of words.

you were a kid the last time i saw you.

you don't measure moms in height. you measure them in ferocity.

the shit kind of just accumulates.

it's not my responsibility anymore.

i wanted to be the one to tell you.

you're still a weirdo. you know that, don't you?

i don't even vouch for myself.

any trust you give will be used against you.

you think i voted for you?

no body, no crime.

you never stop, do you?

talking about it all just keeps it alive. happening.

this is great, talking to you. we should do it all the time.

still a man, so still 99% an idiot.

i'll walk away from anything for ___. you know that.

can you draw any redder of an x on me?

don't. even saying it is bad luck.

a lot can burn down overnight.

if i don't say it, i can't make it real.

what does it feel like to be loved like that?

i think i just wanted someone to listen to me.

in my head, at least, i'm honest. it's when i open my mouth that things get complicated.

you shouldn't let yourself think about that kind of shit.

in your head, in your secret heart, it's easy to be tough.

i'm pissed at the world, not just you.

you shouldn't be surprised about a little graverobbing.

'evil' and 'christian' are interchangeable to indians.

i think i liked you better when you didn't think like a cop.

when does your pretty wife get back?

nobody has ever said anything that nice to me before.

that would be a pretty good song, 'if i die in a canoe'.

i've always wondered how religions get started.

just because you were locked up doesn't mean the world stopped turning.

i didn't want anyone to see you like this.

captain goes down with the ship.

i just slept the night through, didn't i?

inside every compliment is a burrowing insult.

can i tell you a secret? i actually kind of like the price is right.

you just live here. same as the rest of us.

playing by the rules is supposed to be the key to survival.

you think i'm a biker?

you shouldn't be here alone.

who even are you, really?

that's probably not jelly, is it?

you're older than your years.

in small towns, you wear a lot of hats.

it's not exactly my first rodeo.

where does a name like that come from?

when you have long hair, birds make you nervous.

my mom would kick my ass if i wasn't a gentleman.

capitalism doesn't exactly keep your hands clean.

understanding and approving are two different things.

you don't turn the other cheek much, do you?

have you been getting my mental texts?

solve the mysteries you can solve.

if you don't like it, don't look.

i don't want you to be uncomfortable.

[startingfires]

i lived with my parents for the first 18 years of my life and then i moved to another country by myself to study and here are some general life tips i've learned along the way. i hope these can be helpful to someone else :)

disclaimer: everyone's situation/needs/limitations are different but these are the things that have helped me specifically, so not everything will apply to everyone

everything is googleable. from how to cook rice to how to change a tire to what to do when you get locked out to how to make a doctor's appointment. if you're unsure about something and have no one to ask, google it. there is a step by step online for even the smallest and most mundane things and someone has asked that same question before

have one or two simple meals you know how to cook with ingredients you will almost always have at home. especially if you're going through a period where you don't have enough time to cook. bonus points if they include versatile ingredients. i find eggs are really good for that.

don't just eat ready-made meals. although it is easier, less time consuming and can come in handy a lot of the time, you will feel better after eating something freshly cooked whether you make it yourself, someone else cooks for you or you go to a restaurant.

always have olive oil, salt, garlic and onions at home. you can use them to season anything and it will taste good. throw them with some veggies in a pan and you have yourself a meal.

wash your sheets and towels regularly. do it. please. also have at least two of everything so you can use them while the other set is in the wash.

you have to leave the house. staying inside all day everyday will mess with your mental health. try to leave the house at least every few days. go for a walk even if it's just going up and down your street.

you need social interaction. this is something i still have to come to terms with myself but it is extremely important. you don't have to go to a party or talk to a bunch of people everyday but greeting the cashier at the supermarket, calling your mom, talking to someone online or just being somewhere where there are other people will improve your mental state.

write down your expenses and make a monthly budget. this is especially helpful if you're moving somewhere where you don't know how much things cost. write down every single expense you have each month so you can see how much you're spending so you can plan ahead.

have a creative outlet. that can be drawing, dancing, crocheting, knitting, writing, playing an instrument, making origami or whatever you want. just have a hobby that stimulates your brain and isn't just sitting in front of a screen.

move your body. you don't need to do hardcore cardio everyday but simply going for a walk or dancing around in your room will do wonders for your mental and physical health. even better if you can incorporate it into your day to day life like walking or biking to work/uni/school/wherever.

sometimes you will have to force yourself to do things. that's just life and being an adult, i'm sorry.

don't forget to water your plants. also different plants have different needs. as do people ;)

don't forget to clean your glasses. just do it, i know you haven't done it in a while.

your best will be different every day. some days your best will be completing your to-do list and other days your best will be getting out of bed and taking a shower. don't put yourself down for not meeting some imaginary expectation you created for yourself. you're doing great, you got this <3

get fidget toys. or just have something you can fidget with if you need. they can be very helpful.

if you're in a situation that is damaging to you, leave. this can apply to toxic relationships or friendships, if you feel uncomfortable around your roommates or whatever it is. if it's being harmful to you and your mental health, get out.

have emergency contacts. if you live with other people, make sure they know who to call if something were to happen to you. put a note in your wallet or in your bag with a phone number people should call in case of an emergency. along with that, have emergency numbers such as the fire department, the police and ambulance numbers saved to your phone.

decorate your room. get a plant, print out some pictures and put them on the walls, buy fairy lights etc. make the space yours and fill it with things that will bring you joy.

don't buy the cheapest toilet paper. this also goes for razors. spending those few extra cents do make a difference.

never go to the grocery store without a plan. this will either result in you buying too much stuff/stuff you don't need or in you forgetting to buy something. make a grocery list.

you can wear anything around the house. if you're not yet comfortable in wearing that cool outfit you got anywhere else, wear it around the house/in your room. you will then slowly get more used to it and hopefully feel comfortable enough to wear it some place else.

you will make mistakes. that is inevitable. learn from them as best you can and apologise when you're at fault. nobody is immune to doing something wrong. and making mistakes does not make you a failure.

everyone is on their own individual journey. while you're at school, it seems like everyone is more or less on the same playing field but once you get out everyone will follow a different path. there will be people who are married with a kid at 20 while others live with their parents. some will get a degree while others will get a job. some will go out of school with a fully formed life plan while others will have no idea of what they want to do. all of these outcomes are okay and one is not better than the other. do what's best for you and try to not compare yourself to others.

please feel free to add anything else :)

[narancias-headband]

A big announcement...

Hi everyone! Very long time, no see.

I've gone through and cleaned things up around here a good bit, deleting old posts and fixing up my masterlist again. You might have seen some posts as I fix things up around here.

But the short and sweet version of this post is...

I'm coming back to this blog!!

It's going to be a decent bit different than before, but I do want to write and share my thoughts with you all again. :)

An important note! I will no longer taking 'requests', but I'd love some inspiration from everyone! I'm not going to hold myself to write anything that doesn't seem right for me. Feel free to send in requests/ideas for inspiration, and please do not be offended if I never get to them! I promise, I'm not judging! Some brief rules on what to ask for are here in my pinned post (they're mostly the same as before haha).

A very LONG rambling update under the cut for anyone wondering what in the world I've been up to.

So... A lot has changed in the past few years here... It's been like a year since y'all have heard from me... Mainly, my hyperfixation on JoJo's went away for a while. So that's my brain's fault haha. I've done this a few times with a few blogs, so I guess I was expecting to drop it sooner or later. What I didn't expect was how much I miss this blog (believe me, I have no regrets on my old blog deaths).

I've been watching JoJo's with a dear friend of mine lately, and the need to write has been stirring again. And then we hit Part 5... My brain was shifted back into fanfic mode instantly. I saw Formaggio and remembered my dear husband. I went and read through so much of my old stuff and remembered how much fun I used to have writing. I'm already working on a few new things, and a few old things, but I'm in no rush.

Which relates to some of the changes I'm hoping to make here. In all honesty, I did a lot here for the attention of people and the approval of the fandom. And that is not sustainable! No wonder I had writing burnout so much... I'm not planning to take as many requests anymore, and I will be much more focused on creating things that make me happy than anything else. Hopefully others enjoy it anyway :)

So... What have I been up to? My life has been taking lots of unexpected twists and turns. My, not entirely intentional, unemployment has opened up some free time to get back to things I enjoy. And I will never let a job take over my life like that again. Good news is, I'm working on my mental health and I finally feel creative again! I want to write and draw and think and I actually have the energy for it!

I've been very lost in the awful job market lately, and being at home alone all day isn't the most thrilling, but even just the minor things I've been doing behind the scenes on this blog have made me feel great. It's a bit more fulfilling than just playing Fortnite all day 😅

And me? I've grown up a lot lately. Working through mental issues, focusing on myself and my happiness, making changes for the better. Which is the main reason I really want to come back! This blog made me so happy and that's my main goal lately. I'm back into JJBA hardcore, I've become a Fortnite kid, and my love of Pokémon has come back in full force. And I have a new pretty gaming PC to sit and write at and the more I use it the more it's worth the $1500 I spent on it.

Oh, and one last thing... For better or worse, I've pretty much ended up a functional stoner. 😅 Probably expect more headcanons about getting high with diff characters that will be way better than the goofy ones I wrote way back when.

[palettesofrenaissance]

A few short ideas I have so far for the Fleur De Louve November 2023 event. With each of these, I welcome input, ideas, collaboration, and anything. My mind has started to come down from the stress and busyness of work and I've been spending time with family

Also, I welcome anyone sending these as prompts for me to fill, especially the ones I have nothing for, but please add more info. My brain is reviving but it's still mostly dead 🥲

Halloween Candy - Everyone is alternating between watching a movie night in the living room and answering the door for trick or treaters when the doorbell rings. Sarah is in costume, Bucky isn't. AJ and Cass are preparing to go out but the trick or treating seems to have started early. One time when he answers the door, the mother who's standing behind her child subtly grips him tight and pulls him back. She politely declines their candy and rushes her son off, ignoring his complaining. Others in line ignore her and happily take the candy from the bucket Bucky holds, but he can't help but notice that the mother begins talking to other parents down the street. After this, Bucky starts making excuses to no longer answer the door and Sarah and the boys notice. The boys pipe up saying that Bucky isn't scary, but edge it on saying that if he wanted to be, he should wear "that mask Cass got you." It's a scary, bloody, rubber mask with missing teeth bought from a party store. Bucky is unsure about it, but he tries it on anyway, thinking that it might be better if no one sees his face. Liking gruesome things, Cass loves it. Sarah thinks that he should wear the half mask and outfit that's left in the family's trunk of costumes; it's a Phantom of the Opera outfit.

I don't know where to go after this, but I imagine it being a happy ending

-

Sweet Potato Pie / Pumpkin - [Explicit] It's late at night and the boys are at a sleepover and Sam is away, Sarah and Bucky are savoring a plate of leftover desserts without the overhanging thought that the last of it could be gobbled up at any moment. Sarah is still working on her first plate, a slice of sweet potatoe pie with vanilla whipped cream. Bucky gets up for his second and returns with a slice of pumpkin pie, to Sarah's silent judgment, which was purchased at a grocery store. She teases him about it, he defends that both pies taste equally good, but Sarah digress. He cuts off a piece and offers it to her to taste since she's refused all this night. Her decision doesn't change. They begin to playfully bicker until Bucky says that he has a way to convince her that both taste fine. His idea: to kiss Sarah deeply and long. She "still needs some convincing." So he reaches for the whipped cream that's sitting nearby and sprays a dollop on her chest. Of course he proceeds to clean her up with his mouth, and continues to move down her body, undoing her buttons one at a time...

Most likely a fade-to-black fic

-

Chai tea - Bucky has never tried chai. During a solo trip back to New York because he was invited to speak on a historical event, Sarah watches him mingle with a few historians afterwards, balancing a cardboard cup holder in one hand and periodically sipping her own. When he's done, he returns to her, greets her and asks what drinks she bought. Before she can even answer, he smoothly takes her cup from her hand to take a sip. He's stunned by the many spices and it takes a minute to process whether he likes it or not. Meanwhile, Sarah is holding in her laughter watching his face go from confusion to contemplating to surprise. In the end, he finds out he likes chai tea

-

Soup - Sarah is sick. AJ is sick. Cass is sick. Bucky and Sam, by chance, haven't gotten sick. But Sam has ran away to stay at Joaquìn's so Bucky has been appointed the unofficial nurse. He masks up, wears gloves, and serves out medicine every 3 hours, refills cups of Gatorade, reapplied Vics rub, and keeps the nebulizer full. Unfortunately, they've run out of soup so he has to hurry over to the nearest store to by some. There, he runs into a friend he's made in town who's surprised to see him wearing a mask. Baffled, the friend asks if Bucky even could get sick (because of the serum and not having 21st century vaccines). He doesn't know but doesn't want to find out. When he returns home, he jokingly says that if he gets sick, then it's everyone else's turn to take care of him. The AJ in particular takes interest in this proposal and shoots off ideas of how in the world one could help a man from the 30s feel better when he's so goddamn picky about everything

(Suggestions especially welcome for this)

-

"There's no place like home." - a short dialogue (maybe) about AJ practicing for his part in a school play. This year it's The Wizard of Oz after doing The Wiz for five years straight. Most of the children haven't seen The Wizard of Oz at all. The lead little girl who plays Dorothy has forgotten her lines, so AJ loudly calls to Bucky to help her with her lines. Bucky doesn't know why AJ thinks he'd know the lines like that by heart. Like the little kid he is, so he has limited filter, AJ honestly answers something along the lines of, "because you're old. It came out during your time, didn't it?" Bucky sputters, shocked at AJ's bluntness and that it's the truth. The little girl repeats what she knows. Bucky reminds her that it's the line "there's no place like home."

-

"I think it looks nice."

"Tell me a story." "I don't know any stories."

"You've got leaves in your hair."

"I love you, but you have the worse poker face I've ever seen."

"Do that again."

"Would you like to dance?"

Celebrity/Bodyguard AU

Coffee Shop/Bakery AU

College Professors AU

Space AU

Tattoo Parlor/Flower Shop AU

Med School/Doctors AU

Mermaid/Pirates AU

Falling leaves

Chilly mornings

Apple picking

Football game

Gratitude

Sweaters

Family dinner

They were roommates

Friends-to-lovers

Bed sharing

Found family

[bhaalbaaby]

Title: Melting into Silver Stars (5284 words) Part II from Kiss of Treachery Pairing: the dark urge/gortash/tav Warnings: cuck!durge, takes place pre-bg3, A/N: more penelope/kaine/gortash; mentions of extreme violence (flogging, dismemberment); coercion/spiked food; slight non-con/dubious consent; thank you @tragedybunny for the beta!! Taglist: @spacebarbarianweird @astarionsbeloved @razroguee @celestialomlette @rentheannihilator @rinmoon7

Read on AO3!

Penelope folds her clothes, letting her mind wander. The screams of the servants haunt her mind as they struggle, trying to pull their hands away from the masked people, the woman with an old, dulled knife. She remembers Gortash's hand on her thigh, his dark eyes intense as he watches the gore unfold. She trembled under his touch, clenching her jaw as she looked past the scene. Her heart surged, and her stomach turned. How can anyone stomach this? She took a shaky breath as she tightened her lips. She couldn't get sick in front of these people. They'd call her bluff. 

Gortash leaned over, his warm breath tickling her neck, making her shiver. "They won't bother you anymore," he whispered, his hand resting on her cheek. Words wouldn't form past the lump in her throat, and her eyes were suddenly glassy. Their screams increased in volume as the squelching and grinding of separation of bone filled the room. She exhaled deeply, turning away from him. 

Penelope rubs the base of her horn as she thinks. She can't do that again. Yes, her robes are clean now, and they won't mess with her things like Gortash says, but... 

She sits on the bed, biting the inside of her cheek. Violence doesn't need to be the answer. She hears footsteps outside of her door and slips the now clean robe over her shoulders, starting to tie it close when Gortash enters her chambers. 

"Ah, now you look presentable," He states. His state of attire is still dark and dramatic, but his shirt isn't tucked in, his hair covering his forehead. She can't smell sex on him like she has before, but something else. 

Blood. 

She wonders if he took those poor people's fingers and kept them as souvenirs. She stays seated as he stands in front of her. She hopes he isn't planning on giving them to her. 

"It's almost dinner time, Penelope. We will have our esteemed guest, but I must assure you that what happened in the office today will not happen again." He tilts her head up to him as she grimaces. 

"It was an accident." She replies, rounding her eyes. His thumb prods her mouth open, and she sucks. His thumb has no traces of blood. Then where is it coming from? His other hand slips between her thighs, rubbing her folds. Her brows knit on her forehead. 

"No more accidents then. You belong to me, Penny. Do not forget that." She pulls her mouth away, swallowing hard. 

"Yes sir," sShe says quickly, changing the subject as he pushes her legs apart. "You smell like blood." 

Gortash laughs, kissing her quickly. "Observant... After punishing our haughty staff, I had to administer another one. Too many people needed to be reminded of their place." He says, standing. 

"Who?" Penelope asks, crossing her legs and wrapping the robe around her torso. 

Gortash chuckles, rolling his eyes. "Do you need a reminder, too, little rabbit?" He asks, tucking his shirt into his pants and dodging the question. 

She racks her brain on who else gave the lordling issues besides her and Kaine. Kaine? Surely not. She saunters over to him, closing the space between them as she fixes the ties on his shirt. She hums to herself as his hands rest on her hips, slowly going up to the base of her tail. Her pink eyes cut to Gortash's face. "You should learn how to tie your shirt better. Not fitting for a king," Penelope whispers, returning to her work. 

He smiles warmly as he continues to stroke her tail, watching as her fingers slightly tremble. "Why learn when I have your skilled fingers? I can't say the same about my staff until they heal with three fingers." He laughs, tugging her tail harder. Her brow quirks together as she finishes, resting her fingers on his chest. 

"How is Kaine?" She asks, unable to step away from his grip.

"Compliant. Won't cause any issues during our dinner. Isn't that wonderful, my love?" His thumb runs along the ridges at the base as he continues to stroke her, her panties dampening. Oh, how she hates how sensitive her tail could be and how he knows it. "You're going to be obedient too. You're the main course." 

She spreads her fingers on his silk shirt, shaking her head. "I don't understand." 

Gortash kisses her softly, his other hand massaging her plump ass. "You will. Don't worry, my sweet, sweet girl." He pulls away, finally letting go of her tail. "Now. Get yourself cleaned up. I will send for you once dinner is ready." Penelope watches as he leaves, her tail swaying from side to side. She hates it when he edges her.

Gortash sends a Banite when it's time to eat. She remembers when regular people were his housekeepers. She needn't worry about which God they worshiped as much as these fanatics. She pities them, knowing whatever power Bane promised them came with ultimate sacrifices, especially if it meant escorting the Chosen's mistress around. 

Penelope tucks a hair behind her ear, standing tall as she walks down the halls. The clothes he requested this time are the stark opposite of what he's usually asked for—no longer black and gold or red. The dress is similar to the other outfits he gets for her: an ornate bralette with shiny gold accents into a sheer dress she must wear panties under and matching sheer sleeves. The dress itself is white. She tries not to think of the implications as the escort opens the door, the smell of dinner savory and inviting. 

Her stomach rumbles, reminding her that she barely ate at all today. She must do better; she mentally chastises herself as she sees Gortash at the head of his grand table. 

The table is full of finger foods and light things to hold her over until his display of power allows for the main course to be served. A practiced smile comes to Penelope's lips as they lock eyes. Gortash stands, quickly walking to her. "You are... Exquisite," Gortash says, his hands resting on her hips as he looks her over.

"I'm always exquisite, Enver," She replies sing-songy. 

He kisses her quickly before pulling away. "That you are." He leads her to the end of the table near the grand entrance. 

"What's for dinner?" She asks as he sits in the ornate wooden chair. His hand runs along the space on the table in front of him. She inhales sharply, her stomach rolling in disappointment. Won't have much time for eating... 

She follows his subtle direction, sitting on the table. Gortash smirks, wrapping his hands around her hips. Her tail sways in the air on alert. "You, of course," Gortash states before kissing the top of her breast. She closes her eyes as she rests her hands on his shoulders.

"No wonder you don't have a jester when you are so funny," Penelope says with an eye roll. 

Gortash peppers kisses up to her neck, sucking on the taut skin. She forces herself to moan, hoping they won't play too much. His invention still has her exhausted. She would not be able to repeat her earlier antics. At least not tonight. "Is Kaine going to join us?" She asks while Gortash massages her chest, beginning to tug her bralette down. 

Gortash stops in his tracks, pulling away. "I sent for him already. He should join us soon. Why do you worry about him?" Gortash asks, his hand going to her neck, massaging the sides. She swallows hard, her mind racing for what to say. Though nothing in his tone indicates his anger at the question, his grip is rather tight. 

"He said he would join, milord," Penelope says, resting her hand on his wrist. 

"He did say that, didn't he?" His other hand slips between her thighs, brushing against her panties. She tries not to react, but her hips lift slightly, needing him. She exhales through her mouth, letting her lips part. Gortash's eyes glue to her lips before bringing her closer to peck them quickly. He still doesn't let go, guiding her to lie on the table.

Gortash splays her on the table, her legs spread towards the doors. Penelope rests on her elbows, unsurprised that he intended to fuck her here. But there is no sign of Kaine. She paints on a smirk to hide her growing anxiety. He trails his fingers down her flexing stomach, waiting. As, hHe gently taps a pattern on her hip, their eyes meeting. 

"Enver..." 

He inhales deeply as he sits down, still between her thighs. "Yes, beloved?" 

"When will I be able to eat?" She asks, feeling her stomach growl. 

He kisses her inner thigh, his laugh tickling her skin. "Ah, my poor little bunny needs nourishment." He stands up, grabbing a cluster of grapes. 

She rolls her eyes as she thinks how stereotypical as he holds them just above her mouth. "You're going to feed me?" She sits up on her elbows trying to read his body language.

"Of course. To feed you, and then fuck you... The ultimate act of care." He kisses her quiet before plucking one of the grapes from the vine, bringing it to her lips. She can smell the food from the kitchen wafting into the dining room. She's never been a fan of the long drawn out courses Gortash has for dinner. It takes so much time and energy. She opens her mouth letting him put the purplish red fruit in her mouth. 

"Eat up, my love. You're going to need the energy." He returns with the cluster, holding them out in front of her. They taste sweeter and juicier than the ones she usually gets in the market—almost intoxicating. She wonders if they were meant for wines instead of being eaten raw. Maybe she's starving, but she craves more. 

Gortash's other hand rests on her crotch, bunching up her lacy black panties. Penelope scrunches up her face as she whimpers, trying not to choke on the grape. "There are three rules you must abide by tonight," Gortash states as he feeds her another. "One, you must not engage Kaine. Ignore him. I can refer to him, but you may not. Two," he pulls her panties tighter around her slit, "Your limits are ignored. I am not going to stop until your mind is too fucked to function. Three, you can only come when you say, 'Please let me come, ph dajy yzyrlid .'" 

Her heart fumbles, hearing her mother tongue fall from this human's mouth. "I-I-I don't know," She says after she swallows the fruit. "I don't speak Infernal that well..." She lies, not wanting to call him that. Her eternal lover. She remembers her mother calling her father a variant of that, but Gortash? She's more likely to say it to Kaine than him. Infernal has weight, soul binding almost. She didn't want to be tied to him. It makes sense why he chose this dress. He intends this to be their ceremony in the eyes of the Hells. 

"Then I suppose you do not wish to come," Gortash says, bringing the sweet fruit back to her lips. "It will be challenging for you." He lets go of her panties, resting the cluster on her chest as he sits back down. She picks up the fruit, lying back on the cool table. "Why Infernal? I could say it in Common," Penelope asks, staring at the shiny, damp grapes as she holds them above her head. Gortash rests his hand on her lower stomach, kissing her inner thigh. 

"Why not Infernal? It is your mother tongue. It is also a grand language of contracts." Penelope grimaces, her eyes cutting down to him as he continues. 

"Our contract hasn't been looked over in years, little love. It's been almost a decade of our love, yet we have nothing to show for it." She cringes. Their contract is nothing like the ones people make with Devils. It's more of a list of guidelines to keep her safe. 

"What do you want?" She asks, putting the grapes back on the tray and grabbing a small shortbread cookie with a sweet jam. His teeth graze her thigh before he sucks on the sensitive skin. She bites her lip, watching as he trails his kisses up to her panties. 

"I want you," Gortash growls as he hooks his hands around her thighs, dragging her hips towards him. 

"You already have me," Penelope laughs, feeling him push the fabric to the side. 

"But what if I want all of you? No more of us being apart, getting you from Sharess' Caress..." This conversation again. Penelope hides her disappointment as she nibbles on the cookie. Though her bite is small, the cookie bursts in flavor, the biscuit melting on her tongue with the slight sweetness she recognizes from the grapes. Must have used it for the jelly, she assumes, her heart skipping beats. 

"I don't want to be a wife, Enver. You can have any person you want. I'm just a mere prostitute. I can not provide you with what you need. And you'll get bored of me, that's for certain." 

Gortash scoffs before standing up, kissing her neck. "Do not sell yourself short, Penelope. You are so much more, ph dajy yzyrlid ." Her hand rests on the back of his neck as he sits up, their eyes meeting. His hips are flushed with hers, his erection pressing against his culottes. She's suddenly slick in her panties, the simple action bringing her close to the edge. 

He rocks his hips, resting his hands on either side of her shoulders. She lets out a shaky breath as he rubs himself against her folds. Their lips meet as he gently comes down, their tongues rolling around each other. Her hand slides up to his hair, gripping the strands as his breathing quickens. Gods, she needs him. He pulls away briefly, looking over his shoulder for no one. 

He suddenly seems annoyed as he gets off the table and sits back down. "We will discuss more later. I am getting hungry." He says after a moment. 

Penelope huffs, hoping the rush of heat between her thighs would go away. Her tail relaxes as she starts to get down from the table, figuring now she could continue to eat something more than these little snacks when his hands bar her. 

"Where are you going?" He frowns as he swats her thigh. The action sends a surging wave of pleasure through her body. She whimpers as she resumes position, her tail wrapping around his offending forearm. 

"I thought it was time to eat." She says, oblivious to his true meaning. He chuckles as he wraps his hands around her thighs, peppering kisses on her lower stomach. "You are the main course, my love," Gortash whispers before bringing his lips down to her slit. 

His mouth is warm as he gently sucks on folds, using his tongue prodding her lips apart. Penelope drags her fingers through his hair, watching as he flicks his tongue proudly at her entrance. His tongue runs along her entrance, up to her clit, the horizontal quick licks making her squirm. He pulls back, adjusting his seat, his other hand disappearing to his lap. 

A fleeting thought goes through her mind as she wishes she could watch as he strokes himself. She attempts to push the thought away as more thoughts about how thick he is, fitting her so perfectly take over. She knits her brows together as he returns his mouth, lapping at her with more of a vengeance, his tongue lashing at her clit. Warmth travels from her head to her toes as she licks her lips. 

What is this? He's barely touched her, and she needs him. She balls her fists up as he pushes her legs apart, using his tongue as a tool as he thrusts in and out of her hole. She grips the tablecloth, her stomach tightening. She needs him inside of her now. She closes her eyes tight as he resumes his suckling of her clit, massaging her thighs. 

She can't say it. She cannot call him her love... But... 

She pants, sitting up as her fingers grip his hair. "Enver, please." His dark eyes meet hers momentarily before he closes them again, keeping his mouth still. She curses as she tries to drag his head away, but he keeps still. She can see his hand work his tip as he sucks on her clit again, this time his tongue flicking the swelling button at the same time. She wraps her leg around his head as she rocks her hips, unable to hold back. "Enver, oh please! Ph dajy yzyrlid! Please!" 

The doors open as she pleads, her toes curling as heat bubbles over. His chuckle turns into a growl as he nods. "Good girl, Penelope. Come for me." Gortash whispers before tongue fucking her again, watching as she shakes above him, her body electric. 

Kaine stands in the doorway stunned to hear her words aimed at Gortash, his red eye glowing as he watches Penelope come undone. Surely he heard her incorrectly.

Penelope closes her eyes tighter as she sits up; Gortash shows no signs of stopping. She pants, her hips trying to rock away from his mouth as another orgasm builds. She massages her breast, pinching her nipples as she tosses her head back, her tail running along Gortash's arm. "You taste amazing, my love. I know you want to come for me again," Gortash purrs before suckling her clit. 

Penelope's mouth drops open as she once again tries to push his head away, the pleasure getting overwhelming. Kaine clears his throat, leaning on one of Gortash's cane. Gortash finally pulls away as Penelope collapses back on the table, unsure what is going on, her body ablaze. 

"Ah, the infamous Kaine finally coming to join us," Gortash says, his thumb firm on her clit, massaging the button. Penelope's thighs wrap around his wrist as she sobs. 

"I hope I'm not interrupting," Kaine says when Penelope stops for a breath, her mind hazy with lust. 

Gortash chuckles, removing his hand. "No, not at all. I was just prepping dear Penelope for the main course." Kaine cautiously enters her mind. She can feel his presence as she glances at him. 

" Are you alright? " He asks as he slowly goes to his seat, obviously in pain. Gortash guides her face back to him as he hungrily kisses her. 

" I'm so horny ," Penelope whimpers back as she moans against Gortash's mouth. 

Kaine smirks as he sits, letting out a soft groan. " I can see that... " Kaine replies, watching as Gortash's unjeweled fingers start to pump Penelope. She stares into his dark eyes as her legs tremble. He adjusts, putting her leg over his shoulder as he continues to finger her. 

"How are you healing?" Gortash asks Kaine before slipping her big toe into his mouth. Penelope gushes around his fingers as the new sensation drives her wild, her tail tight around his forearm. Gortash cuts his eyes back to Penelope. 

"You know what to say, little rabbit." He says quickly, curling his fingers. "You will obey." A shiver goes down her spine as she whispers the cursed saying. 

Kaine's eyes narrow, his thumb running along the golden top of the cane. "I have had worse. Your man is strong. With how sadistic he was, he could have been trained by Loviatar." Kaine spits as Penelope comes undone again, her back arching. 

Gortash smirks, glancing over at Kaine before bringing his attention back to Penelope. "Good, good girl. She's being so obedient tonight, my heart." Gortash says to the man, sucking on her toe again, making her sobs increase in volume. 

Penelope mentally reaches for Kaine. " I want you, I want you, I want you! " She cries as heat waves travel her body, her cunt dripping with each pump of Gortash's fingers. Kaine doesn't reply, adjusting in his seat. He grimaces, pain flickering behind his expression. 

"I only choose the best punishment for you, Kaine. You should know this," Gortash says, removing his fingers again. Penelope tries to relax, her heart pumping too fast. "Taste," He says, bringing his fingers to her mouth. 

She obeys, her tongue running along his middle and ring fingers. He lets her leg fall to the table, looking towards Kaine. "We have healing potions, you know, if the pain is too much," Gortash suggests. 

Penelope wishes he would join them, memories of his thick cock filling her, almost sending her over again. Kaine waves away Gortash's concern. "I will survive, Enver. Where is dinner? I am starving." Kaine changes the subject. He reaches for the treats sprinkled on the table when Gortash clears his throat. 

"No, those are for sweet Penelope." He says as he kisses her shoulder. 

"I'm sure she can share," Kaine replies, inspecting the jam-filled cookie.

"I had them made specifically for her. Besides, after today, you deserve all the roasted meats the world can offer," Gortash says before gesturing to the waiting staff.

They rush to the kitchen to bring out the food. Penelope rolls to her side, gladly taking this break. Why is everything turning her on? The slightest touch makes her so close to orgasm again. Gortash brings her hips back to the edge of the table, this time positioning his cock to enter. She tries to roll to her back, but he plants his hand on the top of her soft thigh, keeping her legs together. 

She curses under her breath. She does love this position. Her tail rests on his hip as he slowly sheathes himself inside her. She rests back on the table, her eyes closing as he fills her to the brim. She curses under her breath as he stretches her with his girth. Even though she's extremely wet, he still struggles to fit in. 

He doesn't build up his speed, immediately slamming himself inside as he sets his rough pace. Penelope grips the table for balance as her moans fill the room again. The food smells fantastic as they bring out plates and plates of the most delicious and ornate food she's seen. She wishes she could dine as they set the plates closer to Kaine and away from the potential thrashing of Penelope. 

"Eat up, Kaine. You deserve a delectable meal." Gortash says, unphased by his actions. Penelope's hands grip his wrists for dear life as she shakes, her body reaching its limit again, ready to burst. She whines, tapping his hands as he thrusts hard, pressing against her cervix. The painful thrust starts her inconsolable sobs, her mouth dry from her loud moans. 

"Pl-pl-please!" Her brows knit together. "Please, what?" Gortash replies, grinding his hips against her entrance. She shakes her head. 

"Enver, I can't!" She says, pressure building in her ears. "I need your cock, deeper, harder. Oh Gods!" She cries, clawing at his fingers. Though the position can hit the spot she needs, the need for him is more profound and hungrier.

Gortash chuckles, his gaze focusing on Kaine. "She's so adorable when she begs, isn't she, Kaine?" He spreads her legs, following her orders, his fingers digging to the soft flesh of her thighs. Penelope's mind reaches for Kaine again, " Please, please, please. Kaine! " 

Kaine pauses before he starts to fill his plate. "She needs to be fucked harder if you want her to really come undone, Enver," Kaine states, ignoring her pleas again. Penelope's heart sinks, her cheeks reddening as the words feel more like a punishment than teasing or praise. Gortash rolls his eyes, "Like you can do better." 

Penelope desperately wants to reply that he can, but she cannot form words, let alone another sentence. 

Penelope pushes her hands against Gortash's lower stomach, her sweet moans filling the room and the rattling of the glass and silverware. His hand wraps around her wrists, forcing them over her head as his harsh thrusts force her thighs to stay open. Her brows knit together as she looks up at him, whimpers leaving her lips. 

"No, my little bunny. You must let me have all of you." Gortash growls. He glances over at Kaine, who watches defeated. "Look at how close she is, Kaine, my sweet rose." 

Penelope's nostrils flare, struggling against his grip as his thick cock makes her walls shudder, her body so close to release. He leans down, kissing her hard, rolling his hips against hers. The sound of their hips clattering with each thrust adds the much-needed percussive undertones to the song of the evening. Penelope leans up against her restraints, breathing hard as she rests her forehead against him. 

"How beautiful is your singing," Gortash whispers, pecking her lips. He lets go of her hands, his fingers quickening, her legs towards her chest. She tosses her head back, glancing back at Kaine as she trembles. 

Her mind reaches for him once more, her brows knitting together. " I feel like I'm on fire! " 

Kaine pauses again, and his brow dips in concern. He slowly brings the meat to his lips, his mind still silent, no answers for her. 

Penelope's irritation is fleeting, the heat traveling across her skin intoxicating, another wave threatening to take over. Gortash's hand slips from her thigh to underneath her breast, kneading the soft skin. "The way she clenches around my cock is so glorious. She's such a good girl. I know she wants to come. Kaine, does she have permission?" Gortash asks, slapping her breast before massaging it again. The strike sends electric shocks to her brain, tickling the very top. She gasps, turning her head away, quickly wiping her face from the sweat that drenches her body. 

Kaine pushes at the food on his plate, his brow still furrowed. "I do not care, Lordling," He says, the fork scraping along the porcelain. The noise is grating, pushing against the harmonious symphony they create. Penelope's hands return to Gortash's grip as she whimpers the magic words, her body reaching her limit. 

Gortash smirks as his hand snakes up to behind her neck, his grip tight as he forces her to stare at him. "It's never fun when you're unable to join, is it?" Gortash snipes between his teeth. 

Kaine's utensils clatter on the table as he flares his nostrils in defiance. His jaw clenches out of frustration and pain. "You are such a brat, Enver. It is unbecoming." Kaine states, ignoring how Penelope's back arches, her eyes shut tight as Gortash fills her once more. 

"This is my true nature, my Prince," Gortash replies before claiming Penelope's lips, his tongue rolling in her mouth as he muffles her cries. He pulls away, his hand holding Penelope still as she writhes. "You're just jealous you're not having a turn. I was the fool earlier for trusting you. But now..." 

He pulls out, swiftly turning Penelope over so she can face Kaine, her body and mind barely able to follow his directions. Gortash is faster as he reenters her dripping cunt, his hand coming around to her neck, holding her face underneath her chin to force her dazed eyes to be transfixed on Kaine. 

His cock sheaths in her, his tip making her shudder as she grips the table. This position is too much, and the pressure comes too fast. 

"Watch how she can't get enough of my cock. Begging me to fill her," He growls, punctuating his spaces with sharp, deep thrusts. Penelope's hips raise as she pushes at the wooden table, the wares on top clattering as she tries to run away. Chills run up her spine as she tries to turn her head. 

Gortash's grip on her cheeks tightens, forcing her to keep straight and look at her shamed lover. 

"Enver, please... I..." She fights against his grip, his nails scratching her delicate, flushed cheeks as she breaks eye contact. She shakily turns to face him. His smirk darkens his face as he raises his eyebrow.

 "Say it, my sweet. Say you belong to me in a language we all understand," Gortash states as he thrusts in again. She can tell in her dazed stupor that he is close. She can taste it with his tip pressed within her walls. The already alive nerves are electric as she flares her nostrils, pricked with rushing blood flow. 

She whines, biting her bottom lip. "Kiss me," She whimpers, Gortash’s thrusts pushing her into the heavy wooden table. 

He kisses her damp shoulder as he ruts before his teeth dig into her soft skin. She cries out, gripping the table hard before whispering those cursed words. 

Gortash has a wicked smile as he hears those words once again. "Good Penelope. I knew you could do it." He whispers before fucking her harder. She cries out, barely able to handle it. His hand slips between her thighs, rubbing her swollen clit. Her voice is hoarse as she screams out louder, her legs wrapping around his wrist. 

"And now for the beautiful finale," Gortash purrs, his tip pressing against her cervix. She squirms at how deep he is, her overstimulated hole not able to take more. He closes his eyes as he finally joins her in moans, his grip hard on her hips, nails digging into her skin. 

He spills out, his warm emissions coating her walls. She rests her head on the slightly slick table, his cum sending goosebumps and chills down her spine as she pants. She needs more of this, she thinks, her mind repeating the thought as she can feel Gortash slowing down. 

He pulls out, and kneels, pushing her soft ass together. He chuckles, watching as she drips with his semen and her own wetness. "What a sight..." He stands, spanking her ass hard. She closes her eyes, too tired to moan. 

"Are you finished?" Kaine asks as Gortash finally sits, pushing his hair back. 

"For now... There's always tonight." He winks as he guides Penelope to his lap. 

She rests her head on his shoulder. Her want slightly eases in his arms as he pulls them closer to the table. Her lips press against his damp neck, his sweet, salty taste on her lips. She drags her tongue on his warm skin, feeling his clawed hand dig into her hip once more. 

"Time to behave." He purrs, grabbing her hair to pull her back. She whines as she looks over to Kaine. He busies himself with eating once more. Gortash turns to the staff waiting on the sides. "Please escort Lady Penelope to her room so she can be cleaned up." 

Penelope frowns as she adjusts in his lap. "I want to stay," She whines, touching his cheek. He kisses her quickly before reaching for a glass of wine. 

"My sweet, I shall be in your chambers once dinner ends to give you more pleasure." He laughs, bringing the chalice to her lips. "This will sober you up," He explains as he helps her drink. 

She flares her nostrils, not wanting to, but drinks anyway. He smiles as he puts the drink down, turning to the approaching Banite. 

"Don't worry about the food. We'll bring you a plate as well, my dear." Gortash says as he hands her over. Penelope stands shakily as she takes their hand, the masked person showing no emotion. She can feel their judgment, however, before they lead her away. She casts one last look over her shoulder towards Gortash and Kaine before the grand doors close. 

[aesir-alchemist]

Hi, I'm The Problem, It's Me (it's the Avengers throw a party one) (Loki x Reader)

Summary: A continuation of the series where I write my take on my favorite fanfic clichés.

It's New Years Eve, and the holidays have you feeling nostalgic and well… you forgot to check the guest list for the Sanctum's killer party. Isn't it always the way? That your exes creep back into your life just as you've begun to forget about them? Well Loki's no different- just more handsome. Hooking up with Loki after he ditched you without a word is a terrible idea... Maybe it's the alcohol, maybe it's the way Avengers parties always seem to get so messy, or maybe it's the unresolved feelings that you're trying to ignore, but you find yourself in the mood to make some bad decisions before the year is done.

Author's notes: These one-shots are meant to celebrate frequently used story tropes. Please feel free to comment with your favorite fanfic clichés, and I'll add them to the list.

Pairing: Loki (Marvel) x Female Reader

Content Warning: 18+ smut ahead (Reader is of age). Not a condom in sight.

Word Count: 3,288

---------------------------------------

"'I wouldn’t blame you,' he said, catching your gaze and holding it. Soft curls fell over his forehead and down his cheek, framing his intense expression, 'People I’ve hurt have done worse for less.'"

“Hi,” was all he said. 

You hated that all it took was that one stupid, short word from his satisfied, smirking lips for you to forget all of your better instincts. 

Of course Loki was here. It had been years of careful avoidance and you’d finally managed to all but forget the taste of him. And isn’t that always how it went? Without fail exes always came crawling back as soon as you found a moment of peace. And your idiotically blissed out brain hadn’t even thought to wonder if he’d been extended an invite. But of course. If Thor was there, he was there. They were a bit of a package deal these days.

Loki leaned against the bar, his white dress shirt unbuttoned to almost his navel. His black velvet suit jacket was still on, but open. If you knew him, he’d be losing it soon enough. He never left a party with the same outfit he’d arrived with. His clean-shaven chest was draped in 3 slim chains that you were sure he just couldn’t help himself from wearing. 

You glanced around, looking for backup. A way out. An excuse to leave. Maria, Wanda, Steven -all right there moments ago but now… miraculously elsewhere. So you took a deep breath and sighed, resigned,

“Hi,” was all you said

His emerald eyes caught in the disco ball gleam of the tinsel streamers hanging from every corner of the room. Everything shimmered green and gold for a moment and it made your breath catch. 

“You’re not surprised to see me are you?”

“I guess I shouldn’t be,” he was never where you needed him to be. That had been the main problem. Only showing up when it convenienced him. You gestured at his rather peacockish appearance, “Seems like you haven’t changed at all Loki.”

“It’s only been several years,” he conceded.

“Many several,” you retorted.

He had just disappeared one day, to Asgard presumably, then turned up back on Earth with a shipload of refugees and nothing even resembling so much as a phone call. You’d taken it personally at first. Deeply personally. After all, you’d thought he was dead, until one day he was nt. One day he was just there, and apparently he hadn’t even thought of you at all. 

And then you talked to Thor. And apparently that was his brother’s M.O. A pattern of behavior that you’d wanted to ignore. A series of red flags that had been covered up by all of the green that blinded you. And when that truth hit you. That he would rather die than make a tough exit. That you were just some play thing in a series of playthings, and well… you killed him again. You killed him in your heart and in your head and you vowed to never look back. He was in New Asgard and you were in New York. And Paris. And Sydney, and Tokyo and Seoul… you made sure that you were anywhere but Norway. And you left a wake of broken hearts in your path as well. Just to get the tase of him out of your mouth. It had worked too. You were a new person. More confident, self assured and successful. More self-aware. More evolved. 

“Scotch on the rocks and a mezcal negroni,” he said to the bartender, placing a generous tip in the collection, “That is… if it’s still your drink of choice?”

Maybe you hadn’t changed that much. 

“You’ve got me,” you replied, glancing casually to the low-cut neck of your dress, making sure everything was in its proper place. 

“You look ravishing in this,” Loki brushed the tips of his fingers down swell of your hips, ostensibly feeling the soft satin weave. Forward as always.

You rolled your eyes at him, but your lips couldn’t help but curling. Why was his flattery so goddamn effective? You’d infiltrated countless organizations and done more to keep international peace than the UN but something about this would-be king made you abandon all good reason.

You clenched your fists around your purse, composed yourself, and managed a stern glare, not your best, but it was something, “Flattery will get you nowhere a phone call couldn’t.”

The bartender placed two drinks on the counter. Instead of reaching for his scotch, Loki instead took your jewel-red cocktail in his long fingers (covered in thin bands of gold, of course. Garish but appealing) and took a sip.

The look you gave him was one of amusement and half-shock. 

“I had almost forgotten the taste,” he purred, “Still bitter, I see.”

“And why shouldn’t I be bitter?”

He handed you your glass and picked up his own, but you grabbed his scotch before it could reach his lips, taking a swig and making a show of twisting your face. 

“Still stringently unpleasant and leaves a sour taste in your mouth,” pettiness overtaking you completely. 

You turned away from him, ready to down your drink. Then three others. Then, ideally, to take home some fresh young sorcerer before the ball even dropped. Someone blonde or dark skinned or round. Someone the exact opposite of the long, raven haired prince. Someone to to help you put Loki firmly behind you once and for all. 

But he had other plans, and his hands were once again on your waist, catching on the fabric of your dress and pulling you back towards him.

“One dance? For old time’s sake? One dance before we put this year to bed?” His lips were at your ear and the heat of his breath sent a pleasant shiver down your spine. A more naive you would have thought that the power he had over you was magic. But the self aware version of you knew that he was just your weakness. Loki of Asgard was just your type - tall, lean, dark haired and intelligent - but he was as if your type were turned up to a million. He was as if he were the prototype that all other similar men had been based on but could never quite measure up to. 

“One dance,” you acquiesced, your body relaxing ever so slightly. You knew that this one slip in your defenses could snowball into letting Loki snake his way back into your life. It was inadvisable in every way, but the shape of his body felt so familiar, and New Years Eve had a way of making you feel nostalgic.

“I promise it’ll be fun,” he said, and he spun you around, twirling your hand in his, making the hem of your dress rise dangerously high. You didn’t doubt that it would be fun. Fun had never been the issue with him. The issue had been his ability to make you fall apart completely and never show remorse. The issue at hand was that out of the myriad ways you knew you could be destroyed, letting Loki break your heart once more sounded like the most delicious. 

But the drink was settling in you now, making you feel loose, and pliant, and it wouldn’t be long until the champagne came out. Your preservation instincts were quickly being overcome by your body’s need for pleasure. So you spun, and you swayed and you moved with the music, Loki’s hands on your hips, and then your arms, and then entwined on your fingers. 

The colors in the room blurred in rhythm to the music and you found that you could still taste the last time your limbs had been entangled with his. It tasted like the pine of his cologne on clean skin. It tasted like worn sheets clenched between your teeth. It tasted like you, still sticky on his lips. 

The DJ that Wong had hired was good. Songs seamlessly blended together, hit after hit, and soon enough, what would have passed for one dance turned into two, turned into three, and then you were handed a bottle of Veuve and then time didn’t matter. It was just your hips following his until you were dizzy and breathless. 

Loki spun you into a corner. Thank god these old New York buildings came well appointed with nooks and crannies. There were eyes on you, you were sure. Thor must have had thoughts, as did everyone else with a shoulder you’d cried on. A large portion of the party’s attendees you figured. You didn’t relish the thought of them knowing how little it took to get you back into those lean, muscular arms. 

Loki grabbed the bottle, exposed chest heaving from exertion. He’d lost his jacket at some point, as you’d predicted, and he’d undone another shirt button or two. You followed the line of exposed skin from the waist of his slim cut pants, over his navel and the peaks of his abs and to the bobbing apple of his gold-draped neck. His chin was up, exposing all that tender, vulnerable flesh. In your pettier moments you’d dreamed of taking a knife to that perfect, pale skin just to relish him bleeding out. Instead you put your hands around his neck, enjoying the heat of his pulse beneath your fingers, and the ridges of his throat against your thumbs. 

Part of you itched to squeeze. Give him a taste of his own medicine. Show him how hard it was to breathe in the weeks, months, years after he left without a word. 

He stepped closer, cornering you completely against some mystical curio cabinet. He wrapped his arms around your body and rested the chilled bottle of champagne against the base of your spine. It sent a shiver of pleasure through your over-heated nerves. 

“I wouldn’t blame you,” he said, catching your gaze and holding it. Soft curls fell over his forehead and down his cheek, framing his intense expression, “People I’ve hurt have done worse for less.”

It wasn’t an apology, but it was an admission of guilt. It was something.

A conscience. That was new. 

You did squeeze, slightly, and you pulled too. You pulled him towards you, his lips to yours and you kissed him, gently, questioningly, asking yourself for permission to enjoy, consequences be damned. 

The consequences were immediate. He kissed you back hard, pressing his still heaving chest against yours, pushing your sticky skin into the glass of the cabinet and the bottle into your back. 

Loki’s kiss didn’t ask questions. Loki’s kiss was hungry. Loki’s kiss devoured. Loki’s kiss told the story of a man who’s appetite had not be satiated. It was a kiss that wanted more, and it was the kind of kiss that you could not get enough of. 

When he finally pulled away, your mouth was still parted and all good sense had left through the eager opening. 

“You lips are just as lovely as I remembered,” you could feel the sinews of his throat stretch and flex under your grip, still sticky and hot around his throat, “Please tell me that your cunt tastes just as sweet?”

And that was when you fell apart - your resolve evaporated completely and every lesson you’d learned about this man’s effect on your well being fell by the wayside. You were completely at his mercy once again.

“I know a place,” Loki said, and he led you away from the party. You kept your eyes on the width of his back, not daring to glance at the rest of the party. Shame and excitement churned in your belly and rose to your cheeks, adding to the champagne glow. 

Loki’s long fingers pressed on an ancient door, it’s creaking muffled by the churning bass of the music, and you found yourself in a long, dark corridor full of portraits of sorcerers illuminated by the moon filtering through old multi-paned windows. He locked the door behind you and pressed you up against it, his skin catching the lunar glow and making him look more godlike than ever. 

He kissed across your clavicle as he ran his fingers tenderly over your breasts and down your body. His delicate touch glided over the soft silk of your dress and you whimpered slightly as his thumbs passed over your nipples and the heat of his breath warmed your throat. 

Your throat that was once covered in marks he’d made.

Your throat that once caught on sobs of pain when he was gone.

His hands passed your hem, his fingertips still light of touch, but they pressed firmly into your skin as they moved back up your body, underneath your dress this time, caressing your thighs and hips as he reached around and grabbed the soft ample cheeks of your ass.

Loki growled a deep laugh into your breasts.

“You never were one for underwear,” he dug his fingers into flesh, hungry, “Fuuuuuck,” he growled, “I missed these games.”

You did too. You missed removing your underwear clandestinely in mission debriefings. You missed slipping pieces of lace and cotton into his pocket when passing in the halls. You missed waiting for him to come sniff you out and take his prize. Sometimes it took hours, and you missed the anticipation. You missed growing wet with wanting. You missed being soaked to dripping by the time he found you.

You were almost as wet now. Loki slipped two long fingers between your thighs to feel it, groaning with delight when he was not disappointed.

He pushed up the skirt of your dress, your slick on his fingers folding into the satin creases. He wasted no time kneeling before you. He took one leg and put it over his shoulder, resting your thigh against his neck and the hungry hollow of his cheek. 

Loki looked up at you one last time. His eyes were wide with adoration. His lips were parted with thirst. Your leg lifted slightly with his every bated breath. It was a look of pure hopeless longing. It was a look that had the power to destroy civilizations. It was a look that probably had. 

And then he dove into you.

His tongue licked between your folds, lapping up your nectar and moaning with hungry satisfaction into hollow of your body. You bit back whimpers, not trusting the throng of the music on the other side of the door to hide the evidence of your poor decisions.

You remembered every filthy word he’d whispered into you between your legs. Every time that he’d promised, heavy lidded and laden with lust “I will ruin you with pleasure. I will ruin you and your perfect, aching cunt.”

You tried not to think about how those words made themselves very nearly true. 

He sucked on your clit while he flicked the tip of his tongue across the ever growing sensitivity. He built pressure there, circling your need harder, building it up and up and up and up…

Until he broke, gasping for air and making you squeal a desperate moan.

Loki bit at your swollen labia before dipping his tongue deep in your wanting void, burring his face in you, letting himself get messy with you he lapped you up.

It was too much. It was not enough. You wanted to push him away. You wanted to pull him closer.

He replaced his tongue with two reaching fingers that pulled at you, bringing your whining, insatiable lust toward him until it broke. Until you broke. Until you broke into a million pieces and every cell burst with elation like champagne pouring into your core and filling you up with sparkling, delightful undoing. 

He’d learned so much about your body, and in the meantime he hadn’t forgotten it. He’d put it to good use. 

Your hands were desperately grasping at the doorframe, your nails digging into ancient wood when your knees gave out and your legs failed you. Loki caught you before you slid, wrapping your legs around his waist. His tight pants bulged with yearning. It pressed against your exposed cunt. 

“Set me free, love,” he begged, his hands around your waist, and his breath, still hot with your scent. And you wished, wished so hard that he loved you, like you, after all this time still undeniably loved him. But love was a matter for another day. All that mattered now was his need, and what he needed was you you. By the ragged sound of his voice, he needed you desperately. And that was enough for now. 

You loosened his black leather belt and unbuttoned his pants, grasping hungrily at the pull of his zipper until his hardened cock twitched free. You stifled an exasperated laugh when his glossy tip became readily exposed, “Slut,” you joked. He too had foregone underwear. 

“I learned from the best,” Loki slid into you easily, pressing you up against the door causing it to rattle. 

You prayed that the hinges of the Sanctum were made of stronger stuff than your resolve to stay away from Loki Laufeyson. 

He pushed, and pressed, and thrust into you, exploring you with the length of his cock with every shaking exertion. You could taste yourself on his lips and he was right, you did still taste sweet. You hoped that he understood how sweet you really were. You squeezed yourself around him every time he pulled out of you, and you relaxed, welcoming him in every time he encroached. 

“TEN!” You heard the crowd from the other side of the door.

“NINE!” The moans he let loose every time you tightened around him should be bottled and sold like a drug.

“EIGHT!” His fingers gripped at you, drawing greedy lines of red along your sides and back. 

“SEVEN!” His mouth was on your neck now, biting and sucking and making marks you knew you’d see in the morning.

“SIX!” Marks you could not erase by any method but time. Marks that would serve as a reminder of this dalliance.

“FIVE!” Marks that made you his. Over and over again, he claimed your body with each one. 

“FOUR!” Your hands were in his hair, fistfuls of black ink.

“THREE!” Your toes tensed and your abs flexed, bracing against every impact, so certain of the impending fall.

“TWO!” Your thighs gripped him, pulling him in even closer, his breath catching on every ragged inhale.

“ONE!” Fireworks erupted. Fireworks in your veins, Fireworks on his skin. Fireworks outside the window showering you in a green and gold and red and blue glow.

He let loose, growling into your moaning mouth. Your euphoric muscles clenching his length, coaxing it into spilling everything he had into you.

Your breath was still in synch. There were horns and party whistles and the melancholy chords of “Auld Lang Syne” on the other side of the door, but all you could register was the beating thrum of your heartbeat slowly calming to a reasonable tempo.

Loki kissed you again, this time with a lingering sweetness. This was the kind of kiss you missed the most. The truly intimate kisses. It made your heart ache anew, your nerves now satisfied of its overwhelming lust, leaving room for agony once more.

He wiped your hair away from your sticky forehead and he pressed his temple against yours. 

“Happy New Year,” and he whispered your name into your ear causing you to grasp at his shirt in yearning and frustration. There was a time when all you wanted was your taste and your name on his lips. You’d thought that time had passed.

You were wrong.

“I missed you,” he said, his eyelashes brushing your still sensitive skin. 

“I know,” you said. And you checked on your body, noting every place that felt sore, and every place that felt raw, and every place that felt renewed and you realized that he meant it. 

If you liked this, please find me on AO3 here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/44328766

[fantasyfantasygames]

Narcissist

Narcissist, Aetherco, 2004?

One of my favorite brain-bending games is Continuum (sometimes written C°ntinuum, but the degree sign is not great for accessibility). It's a game of "authentic" time travel where the past cannot be changed, but that doesn't excuse you from going back and doing what needs to be done, because you've already done it, so go do it. It's heavy on terminology, demands a fair amount of records-keeping, and is absolutely fascinating.

Continuum was intended to be the first of three games, with the other two being Narcissist and Dreamer. Dreamer hasn't come out yet. Narcissists are the bad guys of the first game (good guys in their own minds, of course) who skip across dimensions in addition to going through time. I have a 0.7 pre-release from a convention many years ago, and things have changed quite a bit since that draft.

While Continuum is all about protecting the "one true timeline" from damage, Narcissists have noped out of a world that was never kind to them in the first place. They don't believe the Inheritors' obviously self-motivated claims about the sanctity of the timeline. They generate paradoxes to squeeze themselves out of our world like a pumpkin seed and crash into another.

The system in Narcissist is mostly similar to Continuum, but cleans up some of the early-game issues so the whiff factor isn't as high. The late game still goes up into the elder-god levels of psychic and physical power, dovetailing into the Antedesertium supplement (which I'll cover in another review). The tweaks to the system definitely help it scale better at both ends. The art is ok but kind of surreal in an unhelpful way.

The setting for Narc (what an ironic nickname for the game...) starts off in our world, which they call Swarm Prime. As a starting character ("Drifter") you're mostly focused on fixing what went wrong in your life, but the world you end up in is never exactly what you wanted. In the midgame you leave Swarm Prime behind and join the greater society of Drifters, seeking meaning through belonging even if you can't admit it. Some people help other Drifters break free of Swarm Prime or nearby worlds; others twist timelines to find weapons to use against the Continuum or seek to understand the strange, ghostly time loops left behind by failed Drifters. The endgame pits you against the Inheritors, time-traveling transhumans who are the endpoint of the Swarm Prime timeline. Your eventual goal is to fracture that world into an infinite array of solipsistic worlds where everyone gets their own heaven exactly the way they want it. What that means for everyone in those timelines who isn't that particular Narcissist is hinted at darkly in several places.

Narc's paperwork is not in time-and-place tracking, but world-tracking. Every time you spawn a parallel world it starts drifting away from Swarm Prime. The farther it drifts, the safer it is from Continuum influence, but the faster time moves there. You can use up years of your life in very distant worlds and come back to find that almost no time has passed. Every change you make has knock-on effects for every world you've already visited. Every change may spawn another Narcissist who's out to get you for ruining their life.

One terrifying truth about Narcissist is that you never actually visit the same world twice unless it's Swarm Prime. That's the only one where the timeline is sufficiently protected. You never meet the same person twice unless you're there. Every world-hop generates a paradox that forks a timeline. Your Drifter allies are just echoes who look and talk like them. The enemies following you are just shadows of the ones you made. They only find you because there are an almost uncountable multitude of them. Where Continuum requires... well, a continuity of the events in the world, Narc explicitly denies one. The GM has an obligation to drift NPCs personalities as you meet different versions of them across time and dimension.

There's a lot more to it; these are deep games with a lot going on. You can probably tell that I'm a fan. I love time travel and dimension travel in general, and a lot of games use them purely for changes of scenery. Time and Temp is one of the few other games that really does time travel well. Narcissist sets a standard for a completely different kind of dimension-hopping game, and I hope it doesn't go overlooked.

Narcissist is a little harder to find than Continuum, not that getting a physical copy of Continuum is that easy. In fact, the physical copies of Narcissist and Antedesertium that showed up on my doorstep are the only final versions I've ever seen. I'd gladly pick up another if anyone has a source.