#Mystery Woman of the Jungle

[chernobog13]

It really didn't pay to be a bad guy in Fletcher Hanks' comic book stories.

[bobauthorman]

I'm not sure what's wilder, that Muppets Tonight cast Kermit as a vicious dragon...

...Or that they did it twice.

[chronicowboy]

trying soooo fucking hard not to devolve into using up all my time to write an incredibly obscure buddie au that no one but me would enjoy because i am actually in uni and have real work to do but i am holding on by a fucking thread

[jimintomystery]

MST3K's most wanted

I've been organizing my Mystery Science Theater 3000 collection, so I've become preoccupied with the handful of episodes that are not easily available, and the reasons why. In case in anyone else is interested, I thought I'd share what I've learned.

For our purposes we'll be focusing on the ten seasons that aired on cable, from 1989 to 1999. With the post-2017 episodes, it's trivial to purchase them on home video or streaming. And the pre-cable stuff, from KTMA, is widely available as bootleg footage, which is probably about as good as you're ever going to get. But the episodes from the cable era have been notoriously difficult to re-release, and require special attention.

Of the 176 MST3K episodes that aired on cable, 166 have been released on home video, and 145 are available for streaming/download on the Gizmoplex. As someone who's been trying to collect the whole series since the 1990s, I think that's pretty impressive. But there are 40 episodes that have been particularly tricky. Let's take a look, won't you?

Currently available on the Gizmoplex, but never on home video (1):

913 - Quest of the Delta Knights

As I understand it, nobody was sure who owned the rights to this movie, or how to contact them, for years. The situation has only recently been cleared up, perhaps too late for a DVD release.

Currently available on the Gizmoplex, but out of print on home video (8):

203 - Jungle Goddess

317 - Viking Women and the Sea Serpent

319 - War of the Colossal Beast

510 - The Painted Hills

619 - Red Zone Cuba

806 - The Undead

808 - The She-Creature

912 - The Screaming Skull

It looks like all of these went out of print due to being on a set where a different episode's rights expired. Theoretically Shout Factory could re-release any of them in a "Lost and Found" set, but that may not be cost-effective as people move away from collecting physical media.

Currently available on home video and MST3K's official YouTube, but not on the Gizmoplex (1):

615 - Kitten with a Whip (Vol. 25 DVD, 2012)

Kitten is one of the Universal movies that could only be licensed for physical media. And yet, it's the only one I can find on the official YouTube channel. Beats me why that is.

Currently available on home video, but not on the Gizmoplex (16):

401 - Space Travelers (Vol. 32 DVD, 2015)

522 - Teen-Age Crime Wave (Vol. 33 DVD, 2015)

524 - 12 to the Moon (Vol. 35 DVD, 2016)

601 - Girls Town (Vol. 39 DVD, 2017)

605 - Colossus and the Headhunters (Vol. 38 DVD, 2017)

614 - San Francisco International (Vol. 32 DVD, 2015)

704 - The Incredible Melting Man (Vol. 36 DVD, 2016)

801 - Revenge of the Creature (Vol. 25 DVD, 2012)

802 - The Leech Woman (25th Anniversary Edition DVD, 2013)

803 - The Mole People (Vol. 26 DVD, 2013)

804 - The Deadly Mantis (Vol. 27 DVD, 2013)

805 - The Thing That Couldn't Die (Vol. 29 DVD, 2013)

814 - Riding With Death (Vol. 36 DVD, 2016)

815 - Agent for H.A.R.M (Vol. 33 DVD, 2015)

901 - The Projected Man (Vol. 30 DVD, 2014)

1013 - Diabolik (Vol. 39 DVD, 2017)

I was able to find the DVD sets listed above on Shout Factory's website. As far as I know, they'll remain in print for the foreseeable future, but there's no way to know how long that will last.

The general pattern with these episodes is that the movies are owned by major studios that would only license them for physical media. Columbia owns Teen-Age Crime Wave and 12 to the Moon. MGM owns Girls Town and The Incredible Melting Man. Paramount owns Diabolik. But the big player here is Universal, which controls the rights to Space Travelers, San Francisco International, Revenge of the Creature, Leech Woman, Mole People, Deadly Mantis, Thing That Couldn't Die, Riding With Death, Agent for H.A.R.M., and Projected Man.

The odd man out here is Colossus and the Headhunters; I can't find any info on who owns the rights to this film, which may be part of the problem.

The real hard cases, the stickiest of wickets, are below...

Released on home video, but now out of print (5):

212 - Godzilla vs. Megalon (Vol. 10 DVD, 2006)

309 - The Amazing Colossal Man (VHS, 1996)

910 - The Final Sacrifice (Vol. 17 DVD, 2010)

1001 - Soultaker (Vol. 14 DVD, 2009)

1012 - Squirm (Turkey Day Collection DVD, 2014)

Megalon and Colossal Man were both recalled when rights issues came up after they were released. Oops. These were produced by Rhino, back before Shout Factory took over.

The Final Sacrifice is particularly tough to find, even unofficially, because director Tjardus Greidanus is very aggressive about tracking down download links. I always figured someone was similarly possessive of Soultaker, since it's clearly a passion project, but that's purely my speculation.

The Turkey Day DVD set is still available on Amazon at a reasonable price, so Squirm is still relatively accessible for now.

Never released on home video or streaming (9):

201 - Rocketship X-M

213 - Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster

311 - It Conquered the World

416 - Fire Maidens of Outer Space

418 - Attack of the the Eye Creatures

807 - Terror from the Year 5000

809 - I was a Teenage Werewolf

905 - The Deadly Bees

906 - The Space Children

In 2017, Shout released its final (?) MST3K DVD collection, which included Satellite Dishes, a compilation of host segments from episodes that "may never get a legitimate release." This included the nine listed above, as well as The Amazing Colossal Man and Quest for the Delta Knights. Of course, Delta Knights eventually got a digital-only release, which is cause for a glimmer of hope. But the others are probably tougher nuts to crack.

Wade Williams owned the rights to Rocketship X-M and had a particular sentimental attachment to the film. His death in 2023 may make it easier to negotiate with his estate, but I wouldn't count on that being a swift process.

Godzilla vs. Megalon and Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster are part of a prestigious franchise, and it's remarkable MST3K got away with riffing on Godzilla movies in the first place. I get the impression that Japanese culture doesn't particularly appreciate the sort of mockery MST3K is known for, so the rights to these two movies may be a long, long shot. Then again I used to think there was no hope of for the Gamera episodes too.

Fire Maidens, Deadly Bees, and Space Children are owned by Olive Films, and currently licensed to Paramount. It's possible a deal can be made later on, but not until the current arrangement expires.

The major bugbear for MST3K fandom is Susan Hart, the widow of American International Pictures co-founder James Nicholson. One way or another the AIP catalog was split up and Hart laid claim to several of their films, including Amazing Colossal Man, It Conquered the World, Eye Creatures, Terror from the Year 5000, and Teenage Werewolf. Hart's price for licensing her movies is very high, and it seems Shout has given up negotiating with her. I suppose the situation could change when she passes away, but I'd feel rather silly hoping for an old woman to die just so I can pay 8 bucks to watch robots laugh at a werewolf movie.

In conclusion, I've already purchased all the movies available on the Gizmoplex (I got most of them in a Kickstarter reward package), and the 31 that aren't available there can be obtained by, ahem, other means. So it's a great time to be an MST3K fan, and I'm still amazed how easy it is to watch the show nowadays.

[changingplumbob]

📩 Simblr question of the day: Choose a sim of your own that you consider your/a fave, then choose one sim from three (or more!) different simblrs, now imagine what those sims would be like in a room together? Who's walking out first? Who's staying the longest? Who would get along? Who wouldn't get along at all? Elaborate as much or as little as you'd like :) (p.s please feel free to share this to others, anon or not, and feel free to use the hashtag " SQOTD "! I love seeing everyone's answers and reading them makes my day ~ 💛 ) (p.p.s I saw you ask for the best friend ask, be on the lookout for that sometime soon :))

Oh my gosh I have so many ideas I'll have to put them under a cut!

Brunch Date

First up we're going BIG! I'm talking time to ship up every single member of the York family to go and meet the Alegria family by @matchalovertrait! Wouldn't be too massive of a trip though since we're mostly all in Tartosa.

I suspect Devin and Dulce would get along. I think Aaron would probably be a bit too pompous for Erick to maintain a conversation with. I'm guessing Noemi would probably not mind talking to Calista since they're both family and career women. Angel would probably be the one helping Joey make sure Alfred and Rilian are having fun.

Supernatural Hang out

Sending my werewolf Samir, his boyfriend Reece, and the Knightstone's to try and make friends...

They would be meeting up with Caleb and Morgan by @marcishaun, as well as Lou and Lux by @ethicaltreatmentofcowplants.

As well as Priscilla, Tony and Moumou by @eljeebee and the Bohan family by @aliengirl.

First up Moumou (who's a cat if you didn't know) would be surrounded by all the younger sims. The youngest would probably just all be sitting there making imitation cat noises. I like to think Silas would be interested to meet Carina and Orion and have a million questions about how they manage to look both human and alien at the same time.

Blue would tell Adam how he carried a pregnancy and Adam would storm off in horror for several reasons. First off Adam doesn't want more kids. Plus he's hot headed. Then of course Adam hates UFO aliens getting humans pregnant and would probably feel like the tale hits to close to home, even though Rhea and Blue made their kids with love. Suzanna however would be fascinated to learn about the process.

Priscilla would likely try to cheer up Caleb about being a vampire while Tony would probably try to impart some wisdom about being a human in love with an immortal to Morgan.

Let's be real Samir would probably sit there brooding the entire time but Reece would undoubtedly be chatting at a million miles an hour with Lou and Lex to try and learn all he could about real werewolves.

EDIT: I forgot my main point which is I think most of them would enjoy talking about plants and gardening and nature.

Animal Get Together

Cluckton would be hanging out in a park with Matilda from @sharona-sims...

Le Chat by @akitasimblr, Nougat by @kissalopa and Daisy by @lauralovelysims

They would get up to mysterious animal things

Universes Collide

Amiyah and her siblings by @deardiaryts4 are invited to the Chopra Homestead!

I would invite the other Rahul but I think things could get awkward if Amiyah's parents show up considering her Cassandra is best friends with the woman who married and then divorced Rahul...

I think Amiyah would spend the time trying to teach Savannah and Mercedes how to dance and would probably give them several make overs. Cassandra would find it fascinating to meet these alternate universe Rahul offspring where as Rahul would probably be a bit creeped out.

Casual Drinks!

Sending Joey to meet the infamous Ben Ben by @slightly-ludic for a night on the town! You know Ben needs a drink after that Jungle Adventure!

Of course we're also inviting Astrid by @simmerbeans and Stan and Milena by @stargazer-sims.

A lot of the talk would revolve around travel and what different countries are like. I think Astrid would love talking to Ben and Stan, Joey would do his best to comment on the conversation but secretly be eyeing up whatever single ladies are in the bar. Of course Joey and Ben would say some dopey stuff earning them eyerolls from the other three. I think the younger ones would benefit from time with Stan and Milena though, get some life lessons.

[avaleigh16]

Once upon a time, deep within the dense jungles of an alien planet, lived a yautja warrior named Varok. He was hailed as one of the fiercest hunters of his clan, with his tall muscular frame and intricately designed armor. Varok possessed an insatiable desire for glory, seeking to conquer the deadliest creatures throughout the galaxy.

One day, while on a hunting expedition, Varok stumbled upon a small village of the native species known as the Yn. The Yn were a peaceful and intelligent race, with delicate features and luminous ethereal skin. Their enchanting beauty had captivated Varok, but he knew it was not his place to interfere with their tranquil existence. However, one particular Yn caught his attention like no other – a young Yn woman named Lyra.

Lyra possessed an adventurous spirit, constantly seeking to explore and learn about the mysterious world around her. Her mesmerizing eyes showcased a curiosity that awakened something within Varok. Unable to resist his growing attraction, Varok began to secretly observe Lyra as she ventured into the jungle, studying her every move with keen interest.

One fateful day, Lyra found herself in peril. Unbeknownst to her, she had stumbled upon one of the most dangerous predators on the planet. Sensing her vulnerability, Varok couldn't stand idly by. With unparalleled speed and precision, he interceded just in time to save her from being devoured.

Lyra's eyes widened in awe as she stared at the imposing figure of Varok, realizing that she had been saved by a yautja warrior. Though she was initially terrified, her fear was slowly replaced by gratitude as Varok's noble actions spoke louder than his intimidating appearance.

From that day forward, Varok and Lyra began spending more time together – each sharing their unique perspectives on their respective worlds. Through their interactions, they began to discover the similarities that bound them together. Despite their differences in physical appearance and cultural traditions, a deep connection formed between them, defying all odds.

As their bond grew stronger, Varok faced a dilemma. His yautja clan would never understand his affection for a Yn, let alone accept their union. The yautjas believed in the code of the hunt, and emotions were seen as weaknesses. Varok knew that choosing Lyra would mean facing excommunication from his tribe and their way of life.

However, Varok's love for Lyra outweighed any fear of consequence. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her. With his heart torn, he made the difficult decision to abandon his life as a hunter, his existence to be forever changed, for the sake of true love.

Together, Varok and Lyra embarked on a new journey, navigating through the expanse of the galaxy, discovering new worlds, and forging a path where none had walked before. Their love defied the boundaries of norm and showed an unconventional beauty that even the most ruthless hunters could admire and respect.

And so, the yautja warrior, Varok, and the Yn woman, Lyra, remained intertwined, bound by love and the strength to challenge societal limitations. Their story became the stuff of legends, inspiring not just their own species, but all beings across the universe, proving that love can thrive even in the darkest and most unexpected places.

[nerdieforpedro]

III - Back

Only Parts of you Mr. Morales

Frankie Morales x Belinda (plus size OFC)

Word Count: 734

Summary: Even Belinda's ex-fiance is aware of how broad Frankie Morales' back is.

Warnings: Confrontation, Infidelity mention, one threat, spoons, angst and a dash of possessiveness.

Notes: Frankie's back holds a lot of things. I would also like to whichever spoon he'd like. That is all. Special thanks to @mysterious-moonstruck-musings for helping me find a better picture of Frankie’s back. 😊

Main Masterlist/ Frankie "Catfish" Morales Masterlist/ Only Parts of You Mr. Morales Series

Frankie’s finishing up his final reports from his flights for today. He’s six months out from having his full license back. He just needs to continue to focus. He’s told by the secretary that a man is here to see him. Fish is expecting Pope, Will or Benny. 

Not him. He never expected to see him again.

Belinda’s ex-fiance is here at his job. She left him two months ago. Why would he come here?

“Are you proud of yourself Frankie? Fish? Whichever you go by.” He’s a whisp of a man, slender. Frankie didn’t get what Belinda saw in him other than he treated her well. Maybe that’s all she wanted. But if it was, why would she have agreed that night?

The slight man isn’t sure why he came here. He’d spoken to Belinda, always felt like he didn’t have all of her. It was the last few months when he finally noticed it, where her gaze always fell. 

Morales’ back.

He was broader than him, even if he hadn’t been some ex-military super secret whatever, he’d likely still be more solid than him. Whenever there was a gathering, he’d watch as Belinda would greet him one of two ways: a hug chest to chest with her hands massaging his shoulder blades or from behind, she’d either run her hands from his sides up across his back toward his shoulders, her thumbs pressing into the back of his neck. He’d asked Belinda why she touches Frankie like that, so intimate almost sensually in front of everyone. She told him that it’s what she’s accustomed to doing and that he’s never said anything about it before.

“I’m proud that I’m here doing my job. Which you’ve shown up at. Say your piece then leave.” Frankie hadn’t turned to look at the man who was trying to confront him. Leaving his back facing him. Most would consider that leaving himself open, but Fish knew that the lanky man was too timid to do anything. 

“Have you two always been sleeping together? Or did it only start when you started calling her biscotti?” 

Frankie laughed, finally turning around to face him. He kept his face neutral, though there was a flash of anger at both his implication and the butchering of his nickname for her. He didn’t deserve to know what it actually is.

“She stayed faithful to you. She’s an honest and good woman. The nickname is completely wrong though you don’t need to know what it actually is. It isn’t for you.” Two lies and a truth. Something Frankie was fine putting on his shoulders, this punk didn’t need to know the truth. “If that’s all you have, then leave. I’m not going to tell you again, if I need to stand up, it’s on you pendejo (asshole).”

The ex-fiance held his hands up and moved back, “You both deserve each other.” With that he left. Frankie watched him leave and shook his head. He debated if he should text Belinda or not but decided instead to bring her dinner that night. 

She greeted him with one of her hugs that Frankie held her in. Her hands roamed his back, nails pressing into the fabric of his shirt. Always so warm and inviting, never turning him away even when she tells him not to come back. They just slept in after dinner, both Frankie and Belinda were tired from the respective days. Fish was the little spoon tonight, his bizcochito’s (little cake) plushness wrapping around him, might keep him from his memories of the jungle and memories of his service. 

“It’s bizcochito and not biscotti. Dumbass.” Frankie muttered, Belinda chuckled.

“What are you talking about Frankie? You’re the only one who calls me that.”

“It’s nothing cariño (sweetheart). Buenos noches (good night).” He lifts her hand from the soft swell of his stomach and kisses it.

“Alright. Try and sleep mi osito (my bear).” He hears the fatigue in her voice and smiles, she understands more Spanish than she speaks but it’s always nice to hear her say the words from time to time. They heat his spine before fading away.

Belinda plans to not let him slip out of her life. She doesn’t care how Frankie stays in, even though it doesn’t appear to be good for either of them as things stand now. 

Who wants that when it isn’t Francisco Morales?

Lips and Tongue Nose, Hair, Hat

Frankie's choice of spoons 🥄: @yorksgirl @megamindsecretlair @guelyury @magpiepillsjunior @legendary-pink-dot @bitchwitch1981 @katw474 @rosecentury @rhoorl @mysterious-moonstruck-musings @trulybetty @maggiemayhemnj @schnarfer @rav3n-pascal22 @bishtrouille @alltheotps @pedroshotwifey @inept-the-magnificent

[scribblecake]

How I've Missed You

Warnings: NSWF, swearing.

@zeezeecave @shanas-baby @blkbinz @imjusthere2readbruv @mybonafidefeelings @xenaizogie

what even is proofreading at this point?

Pure smut. No plot. Just smut.

I have no excuse. Enjoy(?)

~***~

Rain showered down upon red dirt. Thunder rolled and crashed as cool water washed over thirsting greenery. Nanisca welcomed the calming droplets. They left chilled streaks across her heated flesh while she made her way through thick underbrush.

Hushed determination fueled rippling muscle to move silently over mossy stones, over fallen trunks, and then finally through a gurgling creek. Nanisca only stopped when she came to a small cottage covered in blooming vines. Elation tugged a smile to stoic lips and the general sauntered to its carved front door, giving it three rapid knocks.

Shuffling, then a loud bang followed by a harried “Get lost! We’re closed!” came from within.

Nanisca bit her lip to keep from chuckling. “Even for me?”

Another bang, the clinking glass bottles,  then frantic scrambling sounded from behind the door before it was hastily swung open. Peering up at her was a short, slender woman with shoulder-length braids. Bits of dried most and leaves clung to her braids. A variety of mystery concoctions smeared her clothes. Deep brown eyes peered up at Nanisca from thick lashes. Both women froze for a moment. Eyes locked and, for a moment,  it was as if the very Earth had stopped breathing…

Then there was an explosion of motion.

Lips crashed together, hands found purchase in muscled curves, bodies locked together like puzzle pieces. The two pulled apart. Breathless gasps steamed the air with a pleasant tension. Anticipation, longing, excitement. So many energies crackled like lightning in the storm between them.

Wordlessly, Nanisca was pulled inside and roughly pushed onto a plush pile of blankets. She couldn’t hold it this time. A chuckle escaped her lips at her lover’s urgency. However when rolling onto her back she was met with an unexpectedly angry glare.

“I haven’t heard a word from you in six months, you ass!”

Nanisca’s smile dropped. “I know…”

“I’ve fucking missed you!  I’ve been worried sick!” 

The general flinched at the raw pain in her lover’s voice. She hadn't meant to go so long without visiting. But battle, politics, and duty kept her away. The few times Nanisca had to herself, she had been far too exhausted and bruised to make the long trek into the jungle. Her hand reached out to pull her love down into her arms.

“Apologies my darling dove… the palace has been nothing but chaos as of late. Not to mention new trainees that demand the rest of my time, attention, and energy... but I’m here now~” As she spoke, Nanisca placed tender kisses to her love’s collar bones. An unamused hum greeted her in response.

But mere proximity to her love clouded her mind. Nanisca boldly let her strong hands grip at silken thighs. She prayed all that she couldn’t say would translate through her touch. Brown eyes gazed down at her full of warring emotions. Relief, anger, joy, and love, love, love.    

Velvety lips kissed at the corner of the warrior’s mouth. “I love you Nani, but for fucks sake!”

Nanisca chuckled lowly before fully entangling herself in her love’s warm body. 

“Oh dove. You know not of the pain I had to endure. I’ve had to go about my days aching for you, but unable to drown in you.”  Plump lips ghosted over the shell of an ear before the general nipped at its lobe. “I’d love to show you just how much I’ve missed you~”

~***~

“Mh, again~” Nanisca husked. Sweat dripped down her toned body as she panted and rested her chin on her love’s shoulder. Kisses littered every inch of skin available. A sly tongue even made an appearance. It dragged hotly over the soft expanse lain bare before it.

“A-again? Darling, I don’t think I can- mh!~ ... t-that was already m-my fourth…” 

Nanisca gave a gentle coo. Her hand came up to work tantalizing patterns on heaving and sensitive breasts. “And I can give you many more. Would you like that, dearest?”

Her lover squirmed in her lap. A lustful ‘yes’ escaped the flushed and sweaty woman. “Mmh, but a small rest first.”

Nanisca couldn’t help but smirk to herself. How lucky she was to have such a beauty desperately needy for her. Reluctant hands withdrew themselves as shuddering forms shifted to sit upright.

Outside, the rhythmic driving of pouring skies added a comfortable layer of static to fill the space. Rain combined with the heat of the day resulted in steamy heat in the small cottage. Sex saturated the air with its heady scent. Wanton desire and passion ignited to near sinful levels, leaving Nanisca wanting to make a mess of her woman all over again. 

Yet she forced herself to stay still. Instead the warrior shifted to grab a jug of water that was kept to the side of the bed and passed it to her love. Sensual calm spread over the duo as they caught their breath. Though throbbing heat persisted in Nanisca’s core. It begged for attention. Demanded it.

“Dove, I’d very much like to have you again.”

The other woman paused. A sparkle that the warrior knew all too well, shimmered in her eyes. Then a hand lifted, “Come and take me then, warrior.” she breathed with a crook of her finger.

Lust coiled and Nanisca sprung to action. She surged forward, all rippling muscles and impatience. The next few hours were spent with both women completely entangled in one another. True to her word, Nanisca showered her sweet dove with release after release while basking in touch herself. 

The warrior lost herself in the pleasure those gentle hands gave her. They clawed at her back, caressed sweetly at her jaw, twisted her budding nipples and made her feel the love she craved. Her hands slid down slender legs to grab them at their ankles. Kneeling on her knees she hooked the legs up and over her shoulders.

Her love now lay half suspended with her glistening cunt presented to the ceiling. Nanisca wasted no time in burying her face in the sopping folds. Fervent sucks and an agile tongue filled the room with sinful music. Each desperate lap was harmonized with wet slurping that drove them both wild.

Eyes rolled back. Breathy moans split the air. The general let the sticky sweet nectar coat her mouth. She fully submitted to it. How she missed this taste! Nanisca let the sapid juices soak her cheeks and chin before fixing her lips around a swollen clit. Her cheeks hollowed with suction, ripping a wail from her upside down lover. The woman in question held a blissed out expression on her face. Tears dotted the corners of her doe eyes.

However, the warrior’s own need made itself known again. Aching throbs jolted her core and made it weep with arousal. A growl rumbled deep in her chest as she arched forward to lay her love on the flat of her back. An arm hooked down to lift a leg. Nanisca burned with want as she hovered her dripping center over her beloved’s.

Lower lips kissed. Heat boiled against wet heat in an explosion of pure ecstacy. Sensation jolted pleasure up the warrior’s spine. Hips canted forward as sinful groans escaped them both. Sweat dotted her brow, dripping down her abdomen while it flexed with the steady pace she set. Nanisca threw her head back at the unbridled euphoria that coursed through her body.

Breathy whines sounded from beneath her. They grew in pitch and frequency with each thrust of the general’s hips. Silken hands climbed their way up her stomach to rub electrifying circles on her swollen nipples, drawing out deep groans. 

The warrior angled herself downward, “I’ve dreamed of seeing you like this. so. many. times.” she growled while pointing each word with a thrust. “The sheer amount of times I’ve had to sit in the council with your moans echoing in my mind, it's shameful really…”

A whine warbled from her lover’s throat. The other woman could only buck her hips weakly in response. Arousal tightened in Nanisca’s core. Hips snapped forward and began to command a mind numbing pace. She angled herself so that their dripping buds rubbed against each other constantly. Her core clenched as she hurtled towards her release.

The general was vaguely aware that the bed was shaking violently. Maybe even a little too much. The headboard banged out an obscene rhythm as it hit the wall. It was oddly satisfying for Nanisca’s ego. Though smug gratification quickly morphed to panic, then all consuming cockiness. 

C R A C K !

T H U D !

C R A S H !

Gravity and momentum threw Nanisca forward and down as the bed fell down from under her knees. Legs hooked around her waist and she threw caution to the wind. Without missing a beat the thrusts continued. 

“You broke my fucking bed!~”

“Yes.”

“You shedemon! Dont fucking stop!~”

And just like that they were tumbling over the edge into oblivion. Coils of arousal snapped, unleashing torrents of boiling wetness. Cores spasmed and clenched, breath stuttered and gasped, all while loud cries split through the hazy twilight. 

Nanisca’s chest heaved. She rolled onto her back, drawing her love’s languid frame into her arms. Breathless and satisfied post sex tranquility weighed their limbs.

Rain gently tapped a soothing melody on dense undergrowth. It lulled the pair into comfortable silence as they soaked in each other’s company. After a while, Nanisca felt a shift in her arms and she met flashing eyes with her own. Lips twisted into a mischievous smirk.

“I don’t think I’ve quite gotten your point… how much did you really miss me?”

~***~

[sirianasims]

TRUTH: What's something you had planned for your legacy but it turned out completely different?

Oooooh, you’ve opened a can of worms now! 🐛

The short answer is: The rest of the legacy.

Originally, I had 12 generations mapped out, but I got tired of rushing through each one, so I have now decided that we’re staying with Julia for a long time and then she will be the last heir. I wanted to take my time and really flesh out her story and try new things with my storytelling instead of sticking to my usual 10 short chapters per generation.

Here is an 🌟 exclusive 🌟 original look at what was supposed to happen. If you read my story back when it was on Wordpress, there was a bit more emphasis on the vampires, but I’ve since toned this down when I started reposting everything to Tumblr because none of this will be happening now.

Very long post under the cut:

🦙 Generation 5 is Julia, and she was supposed to have a single child, a son named Marcus. What actually happens in Julia’s life remains to be seen as I have completely rewritten her entire story.

🎤 Generation 6: Marcus wants to become a stand-up comedian but he’s not actually very good at it. He’s a bit of a hippie and finally decides to just move to the woods and start a commune. He has a daughter. He grows his own weed, but ends up infected by a weird, purple plant that starts growing in his fields. He becomes more and more strange until he is tragically killed by Lilith Vatore, who herself dies after biting him.

🦇 Generation 7: Marcus daughter, Nadia, grows up with her grandparents after witnessing her father’s death. She doesn’t remember how he died but is plagued by nightmares about vampires and becomes obsessed with them. As an adult, she becomes an author of steamy vampire romance novels, writing under a pseudonym. She ends up coming into contact with Vlad and her childhood trauma is triggered by meeting Caleb again. She later works with Caleb and Vlad in their attempt to solve the mystery of why Lilith died from biting her father and they discover the purple plants. She falls in love with Vlad and they have twins, Oliver and Paulina.

🍳 Generation 8: Oliver, born a vampire, dreams of becoming a chef and eat real food. Against his father’s will, he takes the vampire cure, but he struggles to deal with his new mortality and aging. He meets a younger woman but reject her in favour of his career, feeling that he doesn’t have enough time for both. She marries someone else and he becomes a celebrity chef, but realises that it’s all meaningless without love and goes to win her back. They have a son, Quinn, but Oliver is getting old and dies when Quinn is only 21.

🌴 Generation 9: Quinn is distraught after losing his father and wants to make sure he gets as much out of life as possible. He decides to travel the world and eventually ends up in Selvadorada where he meets the grumpy tour guide, Isadora, who hates his spoiled ass at first. They get lost in the jungle and discover a strange purple plant, but wisely keep their distance. They eventually find their way home but Quinn has fallen in love with Selvadorada (and Isadora) and decides to stay and work in her father’s museum. He and Isadora have 3 kids.

🚓 Generation 10: Their youngest son, Tulio, decides to become a cop. After making a big mistake, he gets reassigned to the sleepy and boring Henford as punishment. However, Henford has become a lot less boring lately, and Tulio and his partner investigate some strange things happening, finally discovering some underground ruins which contain a huge purple plant that seems to affect the minds of the locals. Tulio decides that this seems supernatural and calls in backup from his great-grandfather Vlad, and they get another piece of the puzzle of the purple plants.

⭐️ Generation 11: Tulio’s daughter, Vanessa, decides to become a famous actress but she secretly longs for eternal youth and beauty and is jealous of her vampiric ancestors. She tries to talk Vlad into letting her become a vampire, but he says no, so she instead tries to seduce and convince Caleb. Shenanigans ensue, including Vanessa murdering her husband, the father of her child, for being a bit of a dick.

🌺 Generation 12: Vanessa’s daughter Xena decides to find the truth behind the Duchelli family’s strange past. She ends up in Strangerville and finally solves the Mother Plant mystery, discovering a convoluted plot involving aliens that goes all the way back to her ancestor Eric’s brother, Daniel, the half-alien from Generation 2.

The End.

If you read this far, well done! I’m impressed. Have a cookie 🍪 and a picture of Vlad. He will make his way into another story instead, and so will many other ideas from my original draft.

[luminous-jellyfish]

A Writeblr Intro (English Version)

Link zur deutschen Version

Hi, I'm Marlin! I've been lurking on tumblr and in its writing community for years but was always too shy to engage. Now I've finally decided to start sharing my own stuff (mainly to organize myself) and become active!

⫸ About Me ⫷

I go by Marlin (she/her), or on some platforms by luminous-jellyfish

mid 20s, queer

I write (mostly) in German, but post (mostly) in English

my favorite genre is fantasy, and all the different direction fantasy can go in, but I like trying my hand at genre mixing

my main blog where I reblog general stuff and fandom things and so on is @secondrealitytotheright

⫸ Current WIPs ⫷

I'm currently most actively working on a few different stories that all take place in the same world (though at slightly different points in time) that I've dubbed "leviathan world" in my notes - after the gigantic sea creatures that live in its deep oceans (and sometimes the sky, who can resist sky whales, seriously). I would probably call it a fantasy world with steampunk elements.

All of those stories feature queerness in different forms, and most of them include at least slight elements of what might be called body horror.

All of these stories are still operating under working titles and are in various, wildly differing draft stages. As always I have far too much planned in this world but these four are the stories I'm actually actively writing right now:

Seeds beneath our skin

Genre: Magical Academy Fantasy, Coming-of-age story

Setting: a group of islands and archipelagos near the equator, where the leviathans are generally both revered and feared as holy and powerful creatures connected to the spirit world

Short Summary: A young girl who grew up as a sea nomad joins the temple that has controlled religious practices throughout the islands for a hundred years. Against her will she becomes a key figure in the struggle for power and religious freedom that is about to grip the temple. To survive spirit possession, human intrigue and ideological differences she is forced to reconsider her identity and world view and define herself on her own terms.

Honey cakes and bloody satin

Genre: Steampunk Fantasy, (Cozy?) Mystery, Romance

Setting: a harbor city on the northern continent, famous for their leviathan hunters, where a technological revolution is happening as the blood of leviathans is turned into a powerful fuel

Short Summary: A journalist working for a revolutionary underground newspaper and a seamstress involved in the golem's rights movement are thrown together when a man dies right in front of their eyes. They must work together and solve the crime while also hiding everything happening from the Watch, to protect both of their secrets.

Short WIP Intro

Half the lights

Genre: High Fantasy Adventure, Romance

Setting: A city on the back of a leviathan, as well as the open skies, oceans and harbors frequented by smugglers, messengers and pirates

Short Summary: A wealthy, bookish young woman who dreams of investigating weather phenomenons escapes having to forge a psychic bond with the leviathan carrying her home city on its back. She stows away on a messenger ship and finds herself among a shady crew of smugglers. Eventually she gets herself involved in pirate adventures, a political revolution and a growing attraction to a headstrong fighter with a rigid code of honor and high ideals.

And surrendered the flesh

Genre: Science Fantasy

Setting: a big city in a sub-tropical climate, surrounded by jungles and plains that have been gripped by a powerful virus that contorts nature and all living things

Short Summary: A young girl from the country travels to the city to find her missing sister and gets involved with an organisation that strives to perfect the human body. An ambitious scientist fights to be recognised for her genius and to keep her past mistakes secret. An old woman is forced to join a struggle she has been hiding from for years and rediscover forgotten powers to try and save her grandchild. All three of them will shape the face of the city.

[chernobog13]

Fantomah, a super-powered heroine who pre-dates Wonder Woman, regularly Hulked-out long before Bruce Banner even dreamed up the gamma bomb.

You do not ever - EVER - want to get on this woman's bad side!

[saphirafoxgirlspost1]

(Open Rp) Kp X Fantasy in "Tale of the Merman Island"

At night of the Prom in The Small town of Middleton, Saphira Looked at the Video's and Pictures of Ron..Kim, And Bonnie making love..and comments and spoke ill about Saphira and her 4 dead Unborn babies...Saphira was Pretty enrage, She turns to Ron and gives him a "Is this true?" look of her face...Ron was frigthen and he knew he was caught and he's going to be in the world of trouble if he Doesn't Speak to her right now..and then he  said,

Ron: "S-s-saph...this isn't what it Looks like!"

Saphira: "Is this true? are you Planning to Steal my money..and Mocked Your Own dead "Flesh and blood"...and Plan to make a "Whore house!?" What Kind Of Fool Do you think I am!? Is This Some Kind Of a Sick Joke!?"

Saphira was Enrage by His Horrible Actions, Then..She Planted a Huge Smack on the Right Side of the face and Spitting Harshful Words like venom onto his face telling him that He is nothing more than a Sorry excuse of a Man, Father, and a Boyfriend who Doesn't treat Women With a Serious Respect..When She and Him got home with her hand yanked onto his ears..while her tails got kims and Bonnies ears yanked as well...as their parents waiting in the Kitchen With their Furious look of their faces when they Found out about What Ron, kim and Bonnie had Done to saphira all this time..eve the Disappearance...and then Ron's Dad said,

Mr. Stoppable:"RONALD STOPPABLE! I can't believe what I've been hearing and Watching this video...How Could you Do this to a good Woman Like saphira!? What were you thinking!? Cheating on her with those two harlots!"

Mr. Possible:" I am ashamed that My Own Daughter who would Do such thing by Stealing a bestfriends boyfriend Like this! How Could you!? friends shouldn't Do this! Friends can share anything...but Not a Boyfriend Nor a Husband Period!"

Mr. Rockweller:"Me too man!, Bonnie! I can't believe you got involved with a Murder of saphira's children! I can't believe that You and those two are nothing but a baby killer! your not worthy to be a mother at all, Not what you have done to saph!"

Ron: "B-b-but dad i-"

Mr. Stoppable: "SHUT IT SON!! Your mother and I didn't raise you to be like Some Gold digging, baby killing manwhore in this family! and I don't know what went wrong on us! But this is far Enough! Son! after you graduate! Your going to Pay This Good Woman a Compensation! Along with your two Whores now, I don't fucking care how long are you going to get a job or so! I expect you to pay her 50,0000$ each from ya'll, and I don't want to hear it! you put saphira through for too damn long! and after that..I brought the apartment..so you can pay ya'lls rent for this, as Punishment..for your Sins!"

Ron was shocked..and he begged saphira Forgiveness..but she doesn't...She told him that it's over and didn't want anything to do with him unless he pays compensation by transfer to Saphira's Bank account...then after graduate..She kicked ron out of her home..and Move into Somewhere Far away from Middleton, trying To start Fresh with her life..Her Home is Near by the Ocean but from weeks turns to Months..Saphira was Fell into a despair until She began to Sailing it smoothly..she still sadden..When suddenly..the Storm came in as the Huge wave crashed onto her boat and She was washed away...but She landed on the shore of the strange island and then..One morning..She woke up with a Mystery Island..She gets up and began to exploring the Part of the jungle...until she saw the lagoon of Mermens and mermaids...she was suprised about...and she hides and watched and observe..until Something happens..when...

[bastardtrait]

Scooter Legacy 2020 - generations 1-9

ya know, I was gonna make individual posts about the old generations of this save, since they're coming here from their old home on dreamwidth, but I'm really lazy so we'll just go with the one. a primer post. why not.

for a bit of background, I started this save in the middle of the start of the pandemic, right after completing another legacy, and I blasted through this thing in like, 2 years? I had never felt so fuckin productive. let’s ignore the fact that stopped playing for 1.25 years after generation 8 though. okay.

to the shock of nobody, each colour-coded generation had some story that eventually just devolved into pure gameplay. listen when i tell you i'm a one trick fuckin pony, i mean it. here's what happened:

Generation 1: Percy Scooter and Sebastian Park. my founders. Percy was the sheltered only child of a rich old Chinese woman who hired Sebastian to be her butler and personal service worker. awkward enemies to lovers plot ensues. they had 2 kids: Ollie (who died as a child) and Josie.

fun fact: I was looking at my timeline and it makes perfect sense that Percy's mother, Francie Chen, would've been the younger sister of Chen Ruiyang (Lucky Legacy). they even had the same last name. so I made that canon. duh.

Generation 2: Josie Scooter and Matangi Silva. childhood friends. Mat left town to become a vet, and Josie tracked him down to continue their fledgling romance they had as teenagers. they also had a fuck ton of animals, one of which was the iconic Mayor Whiskers. they had 1 kid: Randy.

Generation 3: Randy Scooter and Collin Pix. Randy, Collin and Ripp Grunt from TS2 were roommates at a college that psychologically broke down students before selling them to aliens for Nefarious purposes. it was kind of a lot. they ran away to Sulani and had 3 kids: Willow, Xander and Landon.

Generation 4: Landon Scooter and Toro Katalunan. childhood friends that reunited as adults that tackled off the grid living together. their friendship and eventual romance persisted through awkward misunderstandings and island ghosts. they had two children: Kai and Sully.

Generation 5: Sully Scooter and Ori Delgado. Ori guided Sully through the jungle in the search of a cure for the genetic condition they were born with (I also brought this up during my flop reclaimed roots legacy). kissing ensued. they had three children: Luca, Brianna, and Damián.

side note: I also started a side story about the Strangerville mystery that coincides with this generation. this family went on to spawn Dakota Dinh, co-founder of the Lucky Legacy. it's all circular y'know?

Generation 6: Damián Scooter and Hari Rotan. I fucking hated this generation because it was Eco Lifestyle. I don't remember the story and I don't want to. they had two kids: Laila and Yasmin.

Generation 7: Laila Scooter and Kawahara Koichi. Laila, a giant fucking twat, goes to university and makes enemies with everyone except the anti-social weirdo that loves robotics. then they terrorised Evergreen Harbour together. they had one child: Xavier, who they sorta neglected ngl lmfao

Generation 8: Xavier Scooter and Fayrouz al-Dimashqi. my FAVOURITE! generation. Xavier, a traumatised individual, moves to San My and has his icy heart opened up by the warm and welcoming Fayrouz. unfortunately, he died before his time, leaving Fayrouz a widow. they had one child: Kaleb.

Generation 9: Kaleb Scooter and Natasha Deleon. Kaleb and his gf Jaesha, family vloggers, are pressured into a wedding for their viewers, which is being planned by Natasha, Kaleb's childhood friend. they run away together from Kaleb's livestreamed wedding. they had three kids: Aaron, Evan, and Naomi.

which leads us to where we are today, with Naomi and Taryn forming Generation 10, and Dexter about to launch Generation 11. let's see where this goes next!

[namisweatheria]

I'm sure people have talked about this before BUT I AM thinking about an au where Rouge had a terrifying Devil Fruit power and ridiculously strong Haki (like Boa but... you know. not like that at all thank you.) and managed to have HER OWN ISLAND that The Navy refuses to touch. (Like Boa! Without the Warlord part.)

What if Ace got his good navigational instincts from her, and the island was somewhere basically impossible to get to. (Unless you're a navigational genius.) Which immediately connects it in my mind to a Bell-mere lives au.

Things I'm imagining happening:

-Rouge raising Ace herself on that island

-Garp finding her as he promised he would, and seeing a good opportunity, promptly dropping Luffy off forever

-Sabo sneaking on Garp's ship to get away from his parents, and managing to make it there as it happens to be where Garp is heading next for another quick visit to try to indoctrinate Luffy (and Ace) into The Marines

-ASL brothers again<3

-kid Ace being fucking crazy in an entirely DIFFERENT way. He didn't suffer from living under Roger's shadow (Rouge never even mentions that deadbeat) but he and his mom are very much alone on this island so he goes Insane

-Luffy and Sabo are still the best things to happen to him and slowly make him calm down a lot

-Rouge DOES want to bring more people to the island because obviously she does not want her son to be deranged but it's difficult to trust people when The World Government wants her son dead so badly. Also a nearly-impossible-to-reach incredibly dangerous jungle island is a hard sell. lol

-She is going insane in her own way but she throws herself into raising them well and training them and herself to be as strong as possible, so they can protect each other if the government comes for them

-She definitely knows about Dragon being Luffy's dad, tricking that out of Garp was Not Hard. lmao

-Sabo opens up about his backstory to her eventually too. Someone protect these kids from the damn government!!!!!!!

-In this au, Bell-mere is strong enough to get Nami, Nojiko, and herself out of Coco Village when Arlong takes over, but not strong enough to defeat them and free the village

-She tries to get Navy assistance but is met with bald-faced corruption. Extreme disillusionment follows

-They travel for a few years, Bell-mere always trying to get stronger so they can return and save the village one day.

-Nami studies hard and has plenty of opportunities on the sea to polish her skills as a navigator.

-Nojiko remains deeply hurt and outraged by The Navy's betrayal. Since she was older she had been told many more stories from her mom's time with them, and thus had a much stronger attachment to the idea of them. Being left by The Marines, with her whole community, to suffer and die, shook her entire world. She seeks out people who don't look kindly on The World Government everywhere they go, collecting stories. She has hopes of joining The Revolutionary Army one day

-This is also a Sora lives au. (@ Oda Stop killing all the moms! Let them unionize!) One day on their travels they come across a sickly woman and her two kids, Reiju and Sanji, who are on the run from a mysterious (in the East Blue) Mercenary Army.

-It goes like this: the two groups are in the same diner. Soldiers of Germa 66 bust in and try to grab Sora and her kids. They scream and cry for help. Nearby Marines intervene. This obviously doesn't look good for the Germa soldiers, attempting to kidnap a sickly woman and two young kids in broad daylight. They try to pay off the highest ranking Marine there to look the other way, with an absolutely outrageous sum. It works.

-Nojiko charges. Bell-mere didn't expect her usually cool-headed daughter to do something so reckless, and doesn't realize she'd gotten up until she heard the crash of Nojiko kicking the top Marine in the head. Nami had been paying more attention, and is already primed to hit the same Marine in the back with a diner chair before he can retaliate on Nojiko.

-Despite their training, they're kids, and these are Marines. If Bell-mere wasn't there, it would've been a world of hurt. But Bell-mere of course is right there, and takes down all three Marines before they know what hit them. In the chaos, Reiju takes down both Germa Soldiers with her superior strength.

-Now they're a group, standing in a public place, with a pile of Marines (and Mercenaries) at their feet. Yikes.

-They run together.

-Reiju and Nojiko, both being oldest girls about the same age, recognize each other and bond instantly. They convince their mothers' they'll be stronger together.

-Bell-mere was easy to convince, suffering from survivor's guilt from the occupation of Coco Village, she's very quick to take on other's burdens. Sora, despite feeling an instinctual trust for and deep attraction to this tough butch who saved her life, is much more hesitant. Putting her life and resources in the hands of one very powerful person was what got her into this mess.

-But it's not easy to make Reiju happy, a girl who takes responsibility for both her mother and younger brother, who orchestrated their escape, who defends them physically, who has a childhood of training to repress herself to unlearn. Sora saw Reiju actually laugh with someone other than herself and Sanji, and she can't take this new comrade away from her. Not to mention having another protector in Bell-mere could ease Reiju's burdens. She has to say yes.

-And it's a good thing she does, because the top Marine they knocked out kicks up an absolutely ginormous fuss. Suddenly Bell-mere, Sora, and the kids are wanted criminals with posters strewn everywhere. It takes all their wits and strength combined to survive.

-They're on the run together for years before they make it to Rouge's Island.

-Nami is younger than Sanji, but at this age she's bigger than him, and he's a huge crybaby while she keeps a very brave face. She's utterly delighted to treat him like a little brother, much to his annoyance. "I'm not the youngest anymore!" "Yes you are! Stop it!" "You can't be bigger than me when you're such a baby." "I'm a baby?! I saw you get scared too!" "No you didn't! Shut up!" They get very competitive.

-Reiju and Nojiko have the kind of weird little girl best friendship that has the intensity and power to destroy worlds. They are on levels of telepathic connection previously unheard of. And they are so serious about it and so fucking goofy. The SCHEMES they get up to.... And of course constantly being made to drag their little siblings along for the ride

-Picture this. They've been docked at the same island for a couple weeks. They're having an easy time, they've just gotten comfortable with a good doctor for Sora and a nice place to stay for a bit. The kids see a Marine Ship out sailing nearby while they're playing on the beach. If they tell their moms, they're sure to pack up and leave immediately. Of course the answer is to scare off the Navy ship themselves with a fake sea monster.

-Yes it's the end of the world if this mission fails. They'll have failed their families, and the concepts of bravery and justice, and they'll all die and get killed and never join the resistance or anything ever. Yes this fake sea monster needs to have extra whiskers.

-So serious. SO GOOFY.

-Meanwhile their moms are having the most repressed intense butch-femme erotic slow-burn romance of all time in the background.

-Bell-mere, in her head: How much of this is coming from my fucked-up desire to save people? Am I fetishizing her weakness? What's wrong with me? If I have to see the glow of her soft skin, shiny with the sweat of illness, peeking out from beneath her long dress one more time I am going to faint and die.

-Sora, in her head: How much of this is coming from my fucked-up desire to be saved? Am I fetishizing her strength? Do I just want to give up responsibility so badly? Am I appreciating her as a person or do I just want what she can give me? If I hear her loud laugh of victory after buying food for what barely counts as a bargain one more time I'm simply going to explode with love and desire.

None of the kids notice this at all even a little bit.

-Of course with Nojiko's story-gathering and Nami's navigational genius, and the Marines still hot on their tail, and Sora and Bell-mere's desire to find a place to finally stop for the sake of their kids, they do eventually make their way to Rouge's island.

-Rouge, at this point deeply deranged with isolation, fear for her sons, and suspicion, does not greet them well.

-Bell-mere does not take no for an answer.

-Their fight leaves a giant crater in the side of the island. It lasts for days, and only ends because while they were distracted all their kids did an enemies-to-best friends speedrun.

-Lead of course by Luffy, who despite loyalty to Rouge and natural suspicion of her apparent enemies, has little willpower against the smell of Sanji's cooking. His completely earnest undignified begging by the campfire endears him to the others, as well as his heartfelt thanks, and their kind and patient treatment of him endears them to his older brothers.

-Also they're all lonely as hell so it truly does not take much. They're running around the jungle, being given a tour of the best spots on the island by the ASL brothers FOR LITERALLY HOURS before at the same exact moment Reiju, Nojiko, and Sabo all go Oh Shit We Should Probably Stop Our Moms From Killing Each Other.

-Lol.

-I have other ideas involving Robin, and I want to save Banchina (Usopp's mom) as well. I think what this au needs is a doctor character. Someone Rouge trusts to help her give birth, who is also an enemy of the world government, who can stay on the island with them. Who can treat Sora when they arrive. (Treat not heal, her being chronically ill and disabled is important to me.) But I can't think of anyone who isn't needed elsewhere.... I guess I have to make them up....

[heckcareoxytwit]

A preview of Moon Knight #22

MOON KNIGHT #22

The Were-Woman hunts! Tigra sets her sights on the Midnight Man, stalking her prey across the concrete jungle, while Moon Knight pursues new leads in a mystery that raises new questions with every answer!

LEGACY #222

Written by: Jed MacKay Art by: Alessandro Cappuccio, Rachelle Rosenberg Cover by: Stephen Segovia, Rachelle Rosenberg Page Count: 28 Pages Release Date: April 12, 2023

@majingojira

[herequeerexitentialfear]

i wanna die with you, wendy, on the streets tonight, in an everlasting kiss

Celia/Elena, and the moments around the moment that changed their whole lives. for ockiss<3 even if it takes over a thousand words to get there

In the aftermath of conflict, Celia and her friends, feeling down and hollow, collect their 'reward' for coming out on top- a meeting with Capo Polpo.

But that's for their new leader to worry about, Celia's thoughts are all wrapped up in Elena, as they escort their leader to the meeting, and afterwards the Capos strange gift leads to her getting her selfish wish and kissing Elena, but only because she doesn't know if they will survive the mysterious blow dealt to both of them.

Their friends Tesoro and Conficcare find both of them wrapped in a bloody embrace, just streets from their home, and as Celia wakes, she is reminded of the love and joy her life holds, despite the hollowness she feels.

posted on ao3 as well as its just over 2k words. warning for minor character death, graphic depictions of violence, and a near death experience.

-

Their refuge of peace was fraught with anxiety, exhaustion in every line of the bodies lying on various surfaces. 

Part of the anxiety was undeniably the fact that Sovrano was intruding on their space, laying claim to what had always been their place- but he was good at that, taking over what was theirs with an unspoken promise of violence.

Victory had never felt so bitter-sweet, aching bodies and eyes staring into the recent past, even the satisfaction of winning was hollow. 

Yet Sovrano was waiting for something, anticipating action- despite the bandages and stitches, and there had been so much blood, and someone else had managed to knife him, in that last desperate attempt, but missed killing him by a few centimetres.

Celia didn't know if she was glad it missed or not. She was already the de facto leader of their little sub-group, and despite the leers, she would be the one to step up when Sovrano was taken out of the game- Hell she had stepped up as he was taken care of in that clinic.

Mama, look at your darling daughter now, so bloody and violent, a leader of men. Do you weep, up in heaven, your spirit looking down at she who once was your darling child, hands now soaked in blood? 

By all rights, Elena should be the next in line, but this scholarship- well, she's been slowly retreating from them, preferring to study and linger in what passed for a studio in school, than hang out in parks and bars and wherever they chose to linger at night, drifting through the stone jungle they called home.

A dial tone interrupted her thoughts, distracting her from the dawning fear and hollow heart that were now so common when she thought about Elena, and their future.

Sovrano jumped to get it, fear in his eyes, trying to collect himself as he hobbled to the landline.

“Signor?”

Blue, green, brown and finally her own unsettling gold eyes all stared at him and the receiver he held to his ear. The lingering headache ringing in her head mangled the words he replied, as her mind slogged to try and think who it could be, who he would speak to with that level of respect.

Still, despite her struggle, his last words caused a burst of clarity to cut through the lingering pain. But in turn, that space was soon filled by fear.

“It would be my honour to meet with Capo Polpo”

The click of plastic on plastic felt like a gunshot echoing through the room, the roar inside Celia's head sounding eerily reminiscent of engines.

“Muro, Spina. You're with me, given how you both came out the best off.”

Everyone can hear the aborted statement about people hesitating to hit a woman, or some lewd joke about tits distracting the Capo. Sovrano may see himself as a man's man, but even he has to alter his language now the dust has settled and those ‘bitches’ are what got them standing above the rest.

The wall and the thorn. Celia was growing to fit her new name, and Elena was always sharp, but these past few weeks made her edge razor thin, and even deadlier. The masculine noun felt right on her, although it felt strange to be the wall, instead of being told she was stubbornly smashing her head against one. Elena loved telling her that, or mocking her name by calling her Cecità, blind. 

Elena has already got up, donning her leather jacket and checking the placement of her knives, all in the time Celia was musing on names. She stood up to do the same, patting down her trench coat and checking the internal sheaths were all easy to access. Both their new jackets having been recently repurposed and retrofitted to be walking armories, after their beloved previous ones took hit after hit until they were nothing but strips of leather and cloth. She mourned their well loved clothes, the new ones still being broken in and altered to suit them both.

Confident she wouldn't slice open her coat- or herself- unsheathing a knife, she ventured for the stairs, towards her steel toe capped boots, and the mysterious meeting with the capo.

-

The concrete walls of the gilded cage the Capo holds court from are cool to lean on, the two armed youths having not even entertained the possibility of being taken through, even with all the bribes that line the guards pockets. Celia doesn't mind, hating the unnecessarily complicated mind games of the older made men, preferring the clarity of necessity that colours the fights and battles of the street gangs. 

She doesn't mind letting the cold seep into her through her coat, Elena right next to her and gazing out at the city skyline, doesn't mind it at all.

And if her eyes linger on the person beside her, on the folds of leather, on the hands still splattered with paint, on her eyes and face and lips, then that's her secret. Elena too distracted to notice her lingering gaze, hands twitching like she wants to reach for a paint brush, as her eyes stare into the distance, mind whirring with composition and colour. 

She's an artist to the bone, got creation on her soul, and one day, Celia prays, Elena will have the time and money to put to canvas every painting she ever dreamed of making, even the ones she's daydreaming of now, when it's just half formed thoughts to distract herself while waiting.

-

Sovrano walked out- and they fell in behind him- cupping a lighter of all things. They walked in silence, meandering back towards their home streets, his face screwed up in concentration, having said nothing other than that he cannot let the lighter go out, and there are good things in store for them.

Almost home, they turned into a plaza, but Sovranos hands were getting lazy, and the wind whistling through an alleyway took them off guard, and as the flickering light died out, fear and panic rose on his face, as he looked around then scrambled to re-light it.

Celia shook her head at the strange ritual, turning away from checking in on him due to his sudden movements, when the smack of flesh on stone altered her to his fall-

Blood, again, bright red soaking flagstones instead of grass, but this time, there is no coming back for their leader. 

Bullet? But the blood- like a stab, not gunshot. No weapon in sight, no perpetrator- sniper?

Cold, a prick at her back, just between her shoulder blades, then white hot pain, her brain screaming, and all she can think about is Elena. Elena who has a chance at a future, who has a chance to get her and her family off of these bloodsoaked streets, and before she knows it, her muscles move, instinct propelling her, knocking Elena to the ground, hand cradling the back of her neck to lessen the fall, arm clutching hers, too tight, but the pain, bright and unyielding, blinds her.

Her nose hits something soft, a cheek and her lips are about to- and if shes at the angle she thinks shes at- our mother in heaven let her be selfish just this once- and both their lips are dry and cracked- and let her have this, let this be her last moments, kissing the person she loves as she cradles her, lying on blood splattered flagstones, warm underneath them both from the hot sun.

Let her be selfish again, and open her eyes, let her memorise Elena's face, again, let it be what she sees-

The warmth under them both is wet and the hole through her extends to her love, and she feels her body slipping out from under her, panic overrides the pain as she sees the hole placed just between Elena's collar bones- and no she didn't- no- not her. Something in her throat building up, a scream, but all that comes out is blood, as flickering darkness descends, and her body gives out from under her, and for a split second she swears she can see herself, blood streaming down her back, both their lips stained, just like the stone below, wrapped in a pathetic embrace.

-

She wakes up like that, sprawled on the stone, blood turned brown and flaking at the touch. Something brushes against her shoulder blades, A freckled hand reaches towards her, and there's a split second where she hunches over Elena further, before she connects the hand to Tesoro, and relaxes, turning her face towards him, eyes blinking in the dim evening light.

Another hand, slimmer and presumably the source of the touch that woke her, cups her head, and Tesoro pushes on her shoulder, rolls her over onto her back, leaving Elena unprotected. 

Cool fingers massage her temples, and coax her eyes into focusing on the blue ones staring into hers, above them, brows knitted in concentration. One hand reaches towards the cool skin on her chest, where the frayed and torn edges of the hole in her shirt brush against her skin, outlining the exposed flesh. A gasp she later realises is her own sounds out as fingertips brush against scar tissue, where only hours ago, there was a gaping wound.

Clumsy movements drag her arm towards Conficcares, pulling on it it like a petulant child, the pushing it towards Elena, trying to convey what her throat won't let her, to help Elena over her, help the one of them with a future, the one who shouldn't be lying wounded on these bloodsoaked streets. the one who has a chance to escape.

Tesoro breaks the silence, from where he is leaning over Elena, with confused murmuring to Conficcare, “It's the same, these scars are fresh, but-” he shakes his head in frustration- “they didn't have these when the went out-” his head turns to Conficcare, eyes weighing on him, silently asking the groups medic if these were past wounds, hidden from the rest of them.

He shakes his head solemnly in answer, “There should be no way for them to have healed in a few hours.”

Celia tries to open her mouth, but no words come out, the poor things getting stuck on the raw edges of her throat. She just gapes like an air-drowning fish, before squeezing her eyes shut at the effort.

Pity shines in green and blue eyes, and behind the shield of her eyelids, it weighs heavy on her chest. The silence weighs heavier, she can almost hear the exchange between the two, concern and questions flying over her head. She can almost hear Tesoro constructing the perfect comforting words, weaving them together, reassurances and certainty and love and-

-and Conficcare beats him to the bullet and breaks the silence.

“You really must be out of it, if you're aren't threatening comical acts of violence upon me for feeling up your chest,” 

It sounds forced, even to her, and Tesoro sighs, ready to reprimand their ill-tongued friend, when finally her throat lets something out, and her eyes open in shock as giggles bubble out of her mouth. 

Conficcare grins at her, and Tesoros head is in his hands as he gives into laughter too-

A voice next to her bites out, “Idiota” any malice blunted by the fondness that underlies every syllable.

And Celia turn her head towards her sun and grins too, wide and full of love, giggles turning to cackles, Tesoros shoulders shaking alongside his head, as he lowers his arms and reveals his own grin, and finally Elena cracks to, rolling her eyes as the twitch at the corner of her mouth turns into a smile, lovingly frustrated, but then her eyes glint maliciously and she opens her mouth again-

“Please, you kiss worse when you are trying to be romantic than Celia over here did when she was actively bleeding out.”

The smug look is wiped off Conficcares face as he processes what Elena just said, and Celia is certain what blood remains in her is all in her cheeks and she burns with embarrassment.

Conficcare finds his words quickly, turning his kicked dog eyes onto Tesoro and pleading “I'm a good kisser- aren't I, Tesoro?”

Tesoro joins her and Elena on the floor as he gasps for breath, Conficcare pouting at him, at them all, as if to protest against the mockery he was suffering.

Celia is warm now, laughter and love filling her back up, anchoring her again to this world, fondness for life soaking back into her bones. She loves these idiotas, every fucking one of them.

“Love you too, idiota, but watch who your calling stupid, my stubborn Muro”

Ignore that, Celia is crawling under the nearest rock and dying. 

…She's still grinning though.

And not even the pressing weight of consequences, not the cooling corpse of someone she's known since she was eleven, nor the mysteries of how exactly they were hurt and healed can douse the warmth in her heart.