#This is very relevant to my life lately

[tabernacleheart]

[In Philippians 4: 6-7, Saint Paul says:] "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Wedged into those verses is that small but powerful word, “thanksgiving” — a word that seems to be completely disconnected from anxiousness. In fact, being thankful in the face of fear seems odd, possibly phony. Is Paul recommending that we ‘fake it till we make it'? No. We see multiple references in Scripture to how much God hates pretense and posturing. But in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul again says to give thanks in all situations because that is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus. All situations? Is that even possible? Can we actually thank God as we wait in that sterile hospital room? Can we thank Him when we are plagued with worry about the future of a prodigal child? Can we thank Him through the storms of a difficult marriage? Isn’t that an unrealistic instruction? Would God actually ask us to do something so counter-intuitive to our anxious state of mind? Yes, He would, and, yes, He does because our Creator knows exactly how we are wired and what we need. In turning our eyes to Jesus in thanksgiving, we are able to take our white-knuckle grip off our problems. This is not about faking it, but acknowledging and remembering God in the midst of the hard. Thanksgiving turns our eyes from our situation to our Saviour, from our overwhelming problems to His overwhelming love. We don’t give thanks because the situation merits it. We give thanks because of Who He is in the midst of our situation. We give thanks for what He may be doing in and through us when those unbearable trials descend on us. We can hold both our anxiousness and thanksgiving together. His Word tells us to do just that. We often tell ourselves a solely negative story, and in doing so we forget God's hand of blessing in our lives. We tend to focus so exclusively on our problems that we overlook how God led us through storms in the past. Even as we speak to Him about our trials, we must also spend time in thanksgiving– because even in the wilderness and the weariness, Christ is with us. His grace is sufficient, and He has promised to work all things out for our good and His glory. 

Susan Narjala

[toastsnaffler]

weekend melancholy is starting to kick in >~<

[pasta-pardner]

Butch and Sundance have shared quite a ride together. They're going down-- guns blazing and side-by-side.

[sparky-is-spiders]

It's been a hectic couple of days but I FINALLY have this one done!! For JE week day 2, up too late/vampires, which is definitely today and not two days ago and I will not hear a word otherwise.

I'm a sucker for both pre-S1 Jonelias and Jonjonah so I couldn't resist adding them both.

This is intended to be semi-chronological (time travel nonwithstanding)? with pre-S1/S1 Jon on the left with S4-S5 Jon on the right, but you could read them as separate AUs. I enjoy Jonjonah with time-travel shenanigans where full Archivist Jon meets Jonah, who is waaaay too invested in flirting with eyeball monsters in Jon's personal opinion.

Can't decide if it would be better for the Beholding to improve Jon' better's vision or if it's still terrible but there is no conceivable glasses design that would not be massively annoying for them (just a constant mesh of glasses frames over their field of vision. I honestly think I'd go insane). Either way they glow slightly naturally but are glowing even more to help them see the document (and also because I think green light effects are cool; sue me).

Also went with the Scottish Wildcat for Jonah's fursona! Some artistic license was taken on the design, but most of it isn't very visible.

[morningmask27]

it is currently midnight, I have a somewhat busy day waiting for me technically today already. I can wake up a bit later, and that's my only saving grace, BUT I am on the edge of falling into a Deep rabbithole to work out exactly how the climate is going to work both on a grander scale in my world, but also in a few important cities in particular. I know I will regret doing a full, long night, but I Want To.

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

><><><

[b-blushes]

r.e. last reblog i think i am 'guy who walks really slowly outside and takes pictures/videos of everything' perhaps

[unproduciblesmackdown]

now my logical followup is rewatching rogue one for the first time since seeing it (multiple times) in theaters i believe? Will i cry a lot, which i am always prone to do w/media & things but all the more so lately, it seems

[vanillabat99]

I think I am slowly accepting that I will never be able to be "fully independent". Even though I am living with my family, I still require help and care that they aren't able to provide due to having work or school. There have been many times, especially recently, where I have been stuck in bed, alone, and hungry, with nobody able to help me. I am not able to leave the house on my own, I struggle to make phonecalls, I can't remember important medical information or insurance information, I am rarely able to make meals for myself. I can barely wash my own hair. I don't qualify for any kind of homecare, since I live with my family, and I don't have anyone who can visit me to help like that.

I don't think I will ever be as independent as I hoped I would be. I wanted to move out, have a job, go to university. As time goes on, I'm less and less sure I will be able to finish highschool. It is very difficult trying to figure out what I am able to do. I have had to give up on many plans and dreams, and I'm not sure what I have left to work with.

Disability is hard. I know it looks like I sleep all day and do nothing, but I am simply trying to survive in a world that was not built with me in mind. After lots of time and effort, I want to be alive and have a life that makes me happy, and I want to figure out how to have that. I want to know what "happy" can look like for me. I want to know what my options are, if I can have a place of my own, if I can get help when I need it.

I want to be alive. The world makes it hard, but I want to be alive.

[orcelito]

Curry chicken for BREAKFAST

[nanamiscocksleeve]

Natural Breeding Clinic - Prologue

warnings: MDNI, breeding kinks, general sex, mention of infertility and insemination methods

a/n: It's here. Finally.

Teaser - Prologue - Patient 1

You take a deep breath and sit down in front of the laptop, waiting for the other person to join the call. Never in your life had you heard about such a unique reproductive center but lately, you’d been feeling the pull to start your own family. You’d discussed this with relevant people in your life. Everyone had said if you really wanted a child, then you should go with the options you thought were right for you.

You’d done the research, looking into different doctors and fertility clinics, but this one just stood out. There were testimonials from several happy families, saying their methods, though unconventional, were effective, and the doctors showcased on the website were all incredibly striking, each one handsome in their own way. But it was the success rate that caught your eye. A 98% guaranteed rate that you would be pregnant, and that pregnancy would be healthy. The site didn’t go into too much detail on their method, but the wording caught your eye.

“A natural breeding clinic” they’d called themselves. You’d finally bitten the bullet and called, requesting an information session. The screen suddenly lightens and you focus your attention as an attractive woman with shoulder-length brown hair comes into view. She smiles in a welcoming way before speaking.

“Hello. Am I speaking with Mrs. L/n?” You nod and smile back, trying not to look awkward or uncomfortable. 

“Perfect! My name is Shoko Ieiri, I’m the main coordinating nurse here at Jujutsu Fertility. Thank you for scheduling an information session with us.”

“Yes, of course. I just needed more details before I booked an appointment.”

“Indeed.” Shoko claps her hands together before continuing. “Let me start by telling you a little bit about ourselves. We’ve been around for almost 6 years now. What sets us apart is that we focus more on women’s comfort than most other clinics. And we are sought out by people who are willing to use a sperm donor. We do not perform insemination services with sperm that are not from our own stock.”

“Your own stock? Are you associated with a sperm bank? And screen all the donors yourself?”

“Not a sperm bank in the conventional sense. We have 5 doctors who keep excellent health and their sperm is regularly screened to ensure quality. They are the only stock we allow for insemination.”

You blink to make sure you haven’t misheard. “The…doctors? Are you saying the fertility doctor I’d be meeting with will also be my sperm donor?”

“That is correct.” Shoko nods her head to confirm. “You will be meeting with the doctor of your choosing for at least 5 sessions. They will need to be at least once a week. Some women take the week off and come in 5 days straight.”

“5…sessions?” you ask, confused by the wording.

“Yes. It’s to ensure the insemination process has occurred an optimal number of times.”

“Wait…so…I’m going to be inseminated multiple times? How much downtime do I need in between each insemination?”

“Hardly any. Our method isn’t like a typical clinic. Most women leave feeling very normal and a lot more satisfied than when they came in.”

“Not like a typical clinic? So…you don’t use the catheter method?”

“We use minimal medical equipment in our inseminations.”

“Minimal…so what does the procedure entail?”

Shoko clears her throat and continues. “So it begins with you choosing one of our doctors. We highly recommend spending some time on this part. It’s essential that you feel attraction towards your doctor. Once you make a choice, they will reach out to discuss how your insemination experience can be optimized for you. You will receive a biodata on their sexual profile, their preferred methods of arousal, and other relevant details.”

“I’m sorry, but what?” You are at the edge of your seat wondering if you’ve entered an alternate dimension. Surely, this was all being made up? “Arousal, sexual profile- why would I need all these details? I thought sperm donors only gave information like height, weight, medical history and stuff like that.”

“Why wouldn’t they? You’re choosing to be bred by them. They would have to make sure their patient is satisfied with the experience.”

“Bred?” You bleat the word stupidly.

“Yes. We are a natural breeding clinic. We use the method nature has provided to us to ensure a pregnancy.”

The gears in your brain start turning and something finally clicks.

“Are-are you saying…I would be having sex with my doctor?”

“That is correct.” Shoko smiles gently at you, pleased that you have finally caught on.

“The human body doesn’t necessarily enjoy having medical equipment inserted into it. All that cold plastic, and the mechanical methods of insertion. It puts the body in a state of stress. Not good for implantation. So our doctors will inseminate you through the process of intercourse.”

 Her words fall like a fog around you. You can feel your heart racing, a flush creeping into your cheeks. It was…insane. The doctor of your choosing was essentially going to fuck a baby into you. As your mind starts pulling up the images of their doctors, each one impossibly handsome and striking, you feel a familiar throb starting between your legs. Wetting your lips, you try to talk to continue with the information session.

“I see. And…there are benefits to this?”

“Yes. Intercourse allows the body to relax, releasing happy hormones. In this stress-free state, in addition to the knowledge that your doctor is someone you’re attracted to and trust, the chance of an implantation doubles.”

You gape at Shoko, your mind reeling from all the information.

“And…when you say the insemination process will be optimized for my best experience…?”

“The doctor you choose will ask you extensive questions about your preferences. What turns you on, positions, dislikes, toys. It’s to determine if they will satisfy your breeding experience. If they feel they might not be a good fit, they’ll recommend another one of our doctors.”

You swallow, your mouth going dry. “I see. And…what else do I need to know?”

“We will start by collecting your medical history and run some blood work to make sure your body is ready for an insemination process. Women who have a domestic partner will need to get both a waiver and a consent form signed by their partner that they have been informed what happens for the insemination.”

“Of course. Makes sense.”

“You will be assigned an emotional support companion during this process. It will either be myself or Mr. Ijichi Kiyotaka. We are there to help ease your nerves and ensure you enjoy the process. And all patients must think of a unique safeword to use during the insemination process.”

“Safeword?” you parrot back, still processing.

“Yes. At any point during the process, should you feel uncomfortable, your safeword ensures all actions cease and your doctor will give you some space to breathe and reassess the situation.”

All you can do is nod along. Shoko gives you a look of reassurance. “I can guarantee that most women are pleased with the results. And our doctors are quite skilled in what they do. It’s natural to feel a little shy and embarrassed but at the end of the day, we all share a common goal- a healthy baby.”

Despite your initial shock, you feel some of your trepidation fade away. Shoko continues.

“If you are ok with all of this, I can send you the forms to get the process started. Once those are filled, you can take some time to decide on your doctor. Then we’ll set up a call with them.”

“Thank you.” You make a split-second decision. “Please go ahead and send the forms.”

“Excellent. I’ll send them to the email you put in your inquiry. Was there anything else?”

You shake your head no. “I think I have all I need.”

“Great! I look forward to assisting you again.” Shoko ends the call and you immediately go the the website again to look at the doctors, one of which will end up fathering your child. Such a hard decision. How will you ever make the choice?

@thesunxwentblack @kentocalls @actuallysaiyan

@belle-oftheball34 @jesssicapaniagua

@figmentforms

[tabernacleheart]

When we are passed over for promotion or lose a job, when we become chronically ill, when we lose people we love, what then? We face the question, “If God was blessing me during the good times, is he punishing me now?” This is a hugely important question. If God is punishing us, we need to change our ways so he will stop. But if our difficulties are not a punishment from God, then changing our ways would be foolish. It might even oppose what God wants us to do!

The Bible reveals that sometimes our suffering is not a result of our sin. Consider the example of Job. He suffered greatly, losing his substantial wealth and his family. His friends urged him to admit that it was divine punishment because of his sin, but Job resisted, insisting that he had not deserved his sorrow. In the end, the Lord rebuked Job’s friends, revealing that they had not spoken rightly about God when they said God had been punishing Job. In fact, it was Satan who had caused Job’s suffering all along! [Nevertheless,] we are not told why God allows Satan to torture Job. One harrowing day, nearly everything Job treasures is stolen. The people he loves—including all his children—are murdered or killed in violent storms. But Job neither assumes God is punishing him nor becomes bitter over God’s treatment. Instead he worships God.

Because Job has experienced prosperity as a blessing from God, he is prepared to suffer adversity without jumping to conclusions. He recognizes the limits of his own understanding. He doesn’t know why God sometimes blesses us with prosperity and sometimes allows us to suffer adversity. He just knows that God is faithful. [When we, too,] know that sometimes [our] suffering is caused by forces [we] don’t now understand, [we can prayerfully ask God to] help [us patiently] suffer adversity without jumping to the conclusion that it is a punishment. Instead, [our trust in God's faithfulness] will lead [us] to worship and trust [Him] always.

Theology Of Work Project

[klaus-littlestwolf]

The Chase-Alpha!Aemond

(This is an Omegaverse fic. I was asked several times to write something with Aemond and chasing/predator-prey as well as something with Alpha!Aemond and this is what came of it. Honestly Alpha!Aemond is probably my favorite Alpha that I write for. I hope everyone that asked for this enjoys it and in the future I’m always happy to receive Alpha!Aemond requests.)

Warning: Primal Kink (predator/prey/chase), A/B/O Dynamics, Knotting, heavy smut, Alpha!Aemond threatening everyone

Viserys decided to make a big deal out of it. Rhaenyra’s only daughter was coming of age (all children presenting on their 18th name-day). He loved his granddaughter to death and wanted it to be special, even though she hated parties and crowds of people with a passion.

Most of the time you could tell what someone was going to present as just from their personalities, Alphas always being stronger personalities, usually cocky and tough. Both Daemon and Aemond were known to be Alphas before presenting. (The only Targaryen Alphas currently in the world). Omegas were sweet and kind, usually very soft, however there had never been a Targaryen Omega before, at least since the Doom.

Y/n didn’t present until the afternoon just before the celebration started, everyone shocked to find out that the Princess was the first Targaryen Omega in over 1000 years. It was that much more to celebrate in the sickly Kings eyes and the party went on, Daemon spending most of the evening with his daughter to ensure the room of Alphas keeps their hands to themselves.

Y/n was annoyed. She was hot, and tired, and finished putting up with all of these Alphas trying to speak to her, all of the noble houses ready to put forth their Alpha sons for an alliance with House Targaryen the first day she presents like no one cares to let her acclimate to her new existence at all. They had all been prepared to put forth their Beta sons at the assumption she would present as such, however since she didn’t she had no choice. An Omega can only be mated by their Alpha, a law made by the Targaryens long ago when Alphas in the realm were assaulting Omegas any time they pleased, leading to babies that were sick and deformed (the only reason Aegon the Conqueror ordered their protection supposedly though most people believe it was because it how much he loved his Omega sister wife). Now all of the noble houses will be praying that she will be the mate of a member of their house, she will end up spending an entire day smelling a line of Alphas and odds are never find hers…it will be torture.

By late that evening she had decided to be finished with the party and go to bed. She made her way out the servants entrance and down the halls of the Red Keep, making her way to the library to find a book for the night. She wasn’t in there searching for 5 minutes when she smelled it, the heavy, woodsy scent that filled her nose was amazing. She knew instantly what it was, even if it hadn’t been for the jarringly loud growl that came along with the Alphas scent. Never in a million years would she have expected her Alpha to just so happen to be here and yet here she is. She hadn’t been an Omega for more than a few hours, she had no idea what to do, she hadn’t even spoken to her mother about Omega mating as there was no chance it would be relevant in her life but now in this moment, the only thing she could think to do was turn towards the door and run.

It was only at that moment as she was sprinting down the corridors that she remembered the horror stories told to her by her brothers as a child. The ones of Alphas hunting down their Omegas. An Omega running from them triggered their hunting instincts and they would give chase until they caught their mate, the Alpha had no control over it. If only she had been an Omega for more than just a few hours, maybe she would have remembered that.

Y/n turned down a corridor where she knew a servants hallway to be, no one just visiting the Keep would know anything about it and she quickly moved the tapestry that it resides behind, sprinting down the hallway and towards the exit. She stumbled, nearly falling off of her heels which she quickly kicked off as she ran, not willing to break an ankle, pausing as she came to the door to the gardens the servants used to serve lunches out there discreetly. She was panting heavily, trying to catch her breath when she heard shoes hitting the stone floor behind her and yanked open the door, continuing her run. All she had to do was get to her Dragon that slept on the beach, her ghostly mount not willing to reside in the pits or be around any other humans but his rider. If she could get to Ghost she would be safe in the sky, at least until she had to come back down but it would give her time to gather her thoughts…or flee to Dragonstone and never return…yes. She liked that option.

That is exactly what she did as she stumbled onto the beach and saw her Dragons head pop up. He bared his teeth, clearly realizing that his rider was in distress and he stretched, spreading his wings. He lowered his head and she hopped onto him as quickly as she could, never happier for his smaller stature than in that moment, standing about three quarters the size of Caraxes and very slender.

Her father had loved that his daughter had mounted the Grey Ghost, enjoying the idea that she could easily protect herself from other dragons (such as Vhagar) by going unseen in a cloud bank for as long as it took for others to leave. He also suggested that if it were ever necessary that she would be a good spy in the same way, able to see what others were doing and still hide so as not to be spotted. Rhaenyra was insistent that it would never be needed but Daemon trained her for it regardless.

‘Aderī Ghost! Sōves!’ She shouted, the dragon already prepared to take off and leaping into the air quickly, roaring out a loud warning to whatever his human had been running from as he flew away. Once over the water Y/n looked back, expecting to see an angry Alpha on the beach watching her fly away but there was no one. (Quickly Ghost! Fly!)

She did not slow Ghost all the way back to Dragonstone, happy to be home as soon as they landed in the courtyard. The staff was very small as no one was currently home and so she ordered Ghost to be fed before making her way into the castle and finding her bedroom where she requested a bath.

Y/n felt much better after a long soak in the scalding hot water to ease her sore muscles, running was something she already hated and her calves would hate her in the morning. The maid had been given the night off and so she dried off and dressed herself in her small clothes for bed, prepared to send a raven to her mother in Kings Landing to tell her what happened when she heard the loud roar of a dragon that definitely wasn’t hers. She considered it for a moment and came to the realization that only Daemon could have gotten here so fast, it would have taken time to realize Ghost was gone and then Caraxes is the only one who could fly almost as fast as her small lithe dragon could. The roar didn’t sound like Caraxes usually did though, it was much deeper.

As she made her way out of her chamber and through the halls to greet her father she stopped as she turned, seeing a much different person at the end of the hallway. ‘Aemond? W-What are you doing here, Uncle?’ She had been close with her Uncle in their childhood but the night that Luke maimed him had ended that sadly, whether either of them wanted it to or not, their mothers were adamant that they no longer speak.

It was at that moment that she was overcome by the smell again and her eyes widened as she realized what was happening. She hadn’t gotten away at all, just fled somewhere that no one would find them. ‘Hasn’t anyone ever told you not to run from your Alpha, Byka Zaldrīzes?’ He questioned, her old nickname sending a chill down her spine as his scent set her body on edge. (Little Dragon)

‘I’ve been an Omega for half a day…no one has said much of anything…please don’t do this, Aemond? Kostilus Kepus?’ She knew it would make no difference, he couldn’t stop now and she knew that as he had been stepping closer since the moment she opened her mouth. (Please Uncle?)

‘I will take care of you Omega…no need to worry.’ His voice was deeper than normal, almost distorted as he spoke, moving forward a bit faster now. He moved to run just as she turned around and sprinted back down the halls. She got into her chambers just as he caught up to her, catching the door before she could shut it and shoving it open, landing her sprawled out on the floor. Moving to crawl under the bed, he slammed the door and caught her ankle, sliding her back out and lifting her abruptly, dropping her back onto the nicely made bed. She whimpered, trying to push his hands away but he shushed her and now this close she could see that his pupils were dilated, nearly taking up his entire eye like that of a dragon. ‘Omega, sweet Omega, My Omega!’ He growled, nuzzling his face into her neck as he yanked his trousers off, shoving her shift up her body and ripping it off in pieces.

‘Aemond! Please, I’m scared, please just wait-‘

‘No! No fear, Alphas right here. Nothing will ever hurt my Omega.’ It was as if he really couldn’t rationalize that it was him she was afraid of as he lined his cock up with her dripping hole and shoved himself into her roughly. The pleasure that rushed through her body as he nuzzled against her scent gland at her neck, his scent fully encompassing her now, dulled the pain of his intrusion. ‘Wanted you so long Byka Zaldrīzes, so long…pretty little Omega.’ He rumbled deep in his chest, enjoying the feeling of being inside of his Omega before he moved.

‘I’ve only been an Omega for a day…’ she muttered as she tried to relax her body that was now desperate for him as well as his scent that was torturing her.

‘I’ve always loved you, Y/n…pretty Omega…’ he growled, thrusting up into her and licking his tongue up the side of her neck. She clutched the soft fabric of his shirt and pulled at it as he moved. ‘I love you so much Mandianna. All mine now, Alpha will protect you…’ (Niece)

‘Kepus! Oh Gods! D-Don’t stop!’ The tingly feeling that was now rushing through her was euphoric, knowing that it’s her Alpha that is rutting into her was more pleasurable than she ever could have imagined.

‘Never! Never going to stop Omega! Alpha will fuck you every day, knock you up so good! Be so pretty all full of my pups! Imagine these full for me, such a good Omega, so fucking perfect!’ He moaned, leaning down to bite along her breasts and leave marks before wrapping his lips around her nipple and suck which gave her more pleasure than she ever expected.

‘Fuck Aemond! Alpha! Want my Alpha in me forever!’

‘Yes Omega! Yours, Your Alpha! Gonna fill you up so good! Made me wait for you so long, almost killed me-‘

‘I’m sorry! So sorry Alpha, I was so-scared-‘

‘No! No more. My Omega will never be scared again, Alphas here. Alpha will protect you! My Omega! Mine-Mine-Fucking Mine!’ He roared, thrusting as deep into her cunt as he could and feeling his knot expand to lock him into her as he came, feeling his Omega cum around him, crying out and clinging to him like the needy Omega she is. ‘Good girl, my good girl.’ He mumbled before burying his fangs into her throat over her scent gland and tasting her sweet blood as he marked her as his mate, feeling her little fangs in his flesh as well.

Aemond held her close as they both fell asleep almost as soon as Aemond pulled the blanket over them, sleeping for the Gods only know how long before awakening to see it was clearly night time. They were both finally fully aware again and thinking clearly, Y/n blushing as she looked up at her Uncle to see him looking at her already.

‘I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to run, I just-‘

‘Shh…it’s alright Byka Zaldrīzes, I know. That party never should have happened, someone should have helped you. It’s not your fault my love.’ He brushed his fingers down her face and along her shoulder, enjoying touching her skin every chance he got seemingly. ‘I apologize for behaving like a brute, it will not happen again, I assure you. I will be gentle with my Omega.’

‘Oh…well I liked it…maybe you don’t always have to be gentle?’ Aemond smirked, leaning close to nuzzle his nose against hers.

‘I will make my mate happy, however you need to be fucked.’ He teased and she glared playfully. ‘You running wasn’t such a bad thing. If you hadn’t we would have been interrupted already.’

‘We’ll still be interrupted-‘

‘Yes but not until they notice in the morning that we’re both gone. Everyone will have assumed you would be exhausted and gone to bed, everyone else will be too drunk to check. When they realize that you’re missing and that both of our dragons are gone as well they will figure it out I’m sure…at least Otto and Daemon will, I’m not sure about anyone else. However by then you will most definitely be carrying my pups and we will be dragged back to Kings Landing.’ He joked but she knew he was right. ‘I love you Y/n…I’ve always loved you…Marry me.’ He said suddenly and she looked up at where he now was leaning over her and smiled.

‘I don’t think I have a choice.’ She laughed but he didn’t seem to like that.

‘I want you to be my wife because you love me as I love you. I loved you before I was ever an Alpha and-‘

‘Yes. I love you too Kepus. I always have…’ Y/n reached up to his face and took hold of the eye patch that he had slept in before removing it and tracing her thumb along his scarred cheek. ‘I never stopped loving you Aemond.’

‘My sweet Omega.’ He pulled her closer and nuzzled into her throat as he heard the soft purr that escaped her chest at just about the same time that his knot finally went down and he could move again.

Aemond fucked his Omega twice more before allowing her to rest, sleeping on his chest for the rest of the night.

He had been correct of course, not only Daemon but Rhaenyra and surprisingly Aegon arrived on Dragonstone early that morning just after the sun came up, barging into Y/n’s chambers and startling the newly mated couple awake.

‘Y/n! Are you alright, my Darling?!’ Her mother demanded, rushing to the side of the bed and taking her face into her hands as they both sat up.

‘I am fine mother. I promise, my Alpha has taken wonderful care of me.’ Rhaenyra eyed Aemond but Aemond was focused now on Daemon and Aegon, the ladder of which was staring straight at his Omegas exposed chest prompting him to growl loudly.

‘If you do not avert your eyes brother, you will cease to have use of them ever again.’ And for once, Aegon listened, knowing that in this case his brother was not exaggerating in any way. He would carve his eyes out of his skull if he continued to ogle his Omega, prompting Aegon to turn around quickly. ‘You as well, Uncle. Turn.’ He warned, Daemon glaring back at him.

‘I’m her father.’ He snarled.

‘Yes, you are. And an Alpha all the same, Turn!’ Daemon looked ready to reach for his sword just as Aemond stiffened, prepared to jump onto him when Rhaenyra spoke up.

‘You wanted a protective mate for her, now she has one. Give our daughter her privacy and turn Husband!’ She snapped and finally Daemon did as he was told. ‘What happened my Darling, why are you here instead of in your chambers or even Aemond’s. You had us so worried!’

‘I am sorry mother. I…I didn’t mean to but when I walked into the library and smelled Aemond I didn’t know who it was and…I ran…’ Rhaenyra’s eyes went wide and she looked at Aemond, instantly concerned. ‘He didn’t hurt me mother. He was a bit frantic at first but it was my fault-‘

‘That is not your fault Byka Zaldrīzes, no one told you anything and you were scared. That is never your fault, you are perfect.’ Aemond assured her, taking her hand into his and kissing it sweetly.

‘My brother is correct my Darling, I should have prepared you for the possibility. I just never considered that it could even be a possibility. I am sorry…so you ran from your Alpha and came here with Ghost?’ Y/n nodded her head.

‘When I realized what she was doing I stopped running after her, I knew I wouldn’t catch her and that her dragon may just set me ablaze if he felt how scared she was-‘

‘That was a good idea. Ghost was pretty angry the moment he awoke. He always knows how I feel and he has killed 6 separate guards for coming too close to us when we’re together…and one other one for being in my room and startling me.’ His Omega explained, pointing to the wall on the opposite side of the doors to her balcony. ‘He was very quick I admit, he landed on the railing and burned him. By the time my parents arrived he had shoved himself through the doors and was taking up most of the room with his head on my bed here. My dragon is extremely protective of me…though I doubt he could fit through the doors any longer, he barely could before. Squeezing him back out was a nightmare.’ She giggled, Aemond looking shocked but Y/n could also feel that he was happy as well.

‘Good. Dragons have always been more protective when they’re bonded to Omegas, rare as it is. They’re also more protective of their riders Omegas, which means you will have nothing to fear from Vhagar as well…anyway, instead of chasing her to the beach I grabbed a horse and went to Vhagar. She is large but she could never keep up with how fast Ghost is, I arrived an hour after her-‘

‘Hour and a half I would say. I had a bath before he arrived. I’m honestly thankful for it, I felt disgusting covered in all those Alphas scents from the party.’ All at once Y/n realized all of those Alphas that she hadn’t met yet were still waiting for exactly that. ‘Mother! Please tell me I don’t have to meet anymore of them, please? They smell horrendous and I-‘ Rhaenyra shushed her immediately while Aemond rumbled out a soft growl, pulling his Omega closer.

‘No my Darling, your father will make the announcement that you have found your Alpha and none of them will be willing to come near you. We do need to get back though, the party is still in effect and the King demands both of your presence. Get dressed, I will go and have the staff move your things to a larger room for the both of you here.’ Her mother kissed her head before leaving the room with Daemon, Aegon who had yet to move spoke up before closing the door.

‘I didn’t know you had it in you brother. I’m so proud.’ Aemond grumbled but Y/n held onto his arm to stop him from going after his retreating brother. ‘You’re welcome by the way, lovely Niece, without me your “Alpha” wouldn’t even have known where to put it. I’m so happy that I could be of service-‘ just as Aemond was about to lunge at his brother who was ready to close the door behind him he was struck in the face by a large book making the Prince yelp, slamming the door behind him.

‘Are you alright?’ Y/n asked and her Alpha nodded, pulling her close and roughly kissing her, loving her assault on his brother and her clear defense of him.

‘That was wonderful, nice shot.’ He grinned, kissing her again only to have his hands grabbed before he could take her hips.

‘We will have all the time in the world later but we have to get back, I promise you I am all yours all night.’

‘Good.’ Aemond growled. ‘Because you are not getting away like this from now on, your mornings are all mine.’ He teased, nipping her scent gland before allowing her to move and get dressed.

He didn’t allow her to “clean up”, insisting she smell like him for the rest of the party, God forbid one of those young, stupid Alphas decides to try his luck.

Aemond had tried to get his Omega to fly with him and while he was determined to make it happen, Ghost was not up for it today as he started screaming when his rider walked passed him with only a nose pet. In the end she kissed her Alpha and met Vhagar (who seemed to like her considering she’s the only one the 180 year old dragon hasn’t tried to burn for touching her) before climbing onto her own dragon who tolerated Aemond.

Viserys was thrilled to find that his son and granddaughter were mated, almost every single one of the Alphas would not even meet her gaze once Daemon announced the news, though a few of them still stared. One Alpha boy actually attempted asking her for a dance while her Alpha spoke to his mother, forcefully kissing her hand before having his face slammed into the table and allowing her to hear his bones crack. No male of any designation approached her after that. Apart from Peter of course, who was an Omega as well, Aemond having no problem with his presence at all. They became fast friends and Peter actually became her hand maid, since an Omega needs an Omega for such a task and most are already mated, Y/n was happy for him to have the job.

Everything considered, Y/n figured it could have been much worse had her Alpha been anyone else. She was happy with Aemond as her Alpha knowing that she was safe and though she would have to spend her days keeping her brothers out of trouble with her Alpha, it was worth it.

Aemond eventually dragged her from the party (though he didn’t have to try very hard), carrying her back to their shared chambers and spending the rest of the day and night locked inside-Peter being the only one allowed in to bring their meals.

No one was surprised when 2 months later they discovered that she was pregnant, Aemond determined to keep her that way for the rest of their lives on Dragonstone. He adapted to life there fairly quickly and became his Omegas “official” personal guard and that was where they remained until Viserys passed-Otto and Alicent not even daring to attempt to steal Rhaenyra’s throne without Aemond and Vhagar under their thumb. He took orders from a different Queen now, and it definitely wasn’t his sister.

Mandianna-I believe translates to (from what I can tell after way too much research trying to get it right) “Older Sisters son/daughter” (no gender)

Aemond T. Masterlist

[natalchartnurtures]

PAC: Energy Check~ for wherever you are right now

This was completely unplanned but frankly spirit doesn't give a fuck about my plans. So if this found you, here are some messages you probably need right now-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

pile 1: Ooh.. as I was preparing to start your reading, I saw 11:11 as the Chariot card showed up for you. This. Tells me that you are pretty strongly connected to your divine path right now, which simply means that you're doing something that's keeping you in alignment, sweet pile one! Good job! Keep going down this road because you WILL stumble upon amazing experiences and people! This message is coming through quite strongly. Now, isn't that lovely? Hehe.

Here's the thing, though.. Although you're actually IN alignment with your greatest timeline and life, you seem to be completely UNAWARE of the fact! You might be going through the necessary purging emotionally and/or mentally as a result of this alignment since the "old stuff" has no more room in your new vibration anymore. So, you've probably had to go through some intense endings and/or tower moments in life lately and THIS has left you feeling really, really sad. Maybe even depressed. For some of you, if that's the case, please seek help, sweet soul. It doesn't have to be therapy but even as simple as talking to a trusted loved one, you know? Or even journaling about it could help if you're into it. It seems like you could use a new perspective on the things you're going through right now. I'm sensing that you might be feeling emotionally numb right now too, but that's because you've been doing a lot of emotional processing lately AND IT'S ALL PAYING OFF. I just need you to know that. You just can't see it right now because you're slap dead in the middle of the storm, and I'm looking at it from a bird's eye view, you know?

While you're purging old stuff, I also see you making your way through an old core belief - "I gotta work hard to be deserving of anything because I inherently don't" Or something along those lines. You may have started purging this belief as a result of life showing you that it's simply not something worth keeping alive inside you. Maybe recently, you caught yourself overworking yourself to death only to receive very little in return (in any area of your life - relationships included) and this experience helped you wake up to this unhelpful belief of yours. You're unlearning this belief as we speak. It's not easy though, but I CAN assure you, you're acing it.

If you find yourself worrying too much about anything and everything or simply feeling a general fear, just know that it's a normal reaction to having things uprooted in your life. Life, right now, is asking you to do your best to focus on what's right in front of you because if you do this, the future is guaranteed to sort itself out. I promise.

I love you so much, pile 1. I see all your hard work and am rooting for you SO hard, bro. Love and light.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pile 2: Seems like to me that y'all have been STUCK in a particular pattern for a while now, maybe years? For some of you folks reading? Let me spell it out for you what this pattern looks like to me - an imbalance of the mind and heart. Too much mind and too little heart. Maybe none at all.

I can't seem to tap into the root of this imbalance, maybe because it's different for each of you reading, OR maybe it's not relevant to us right now because you can simply begin to address this imbalance as you see it in your day-to-day. But I sense that you're really good at addressing things, so once you're conscious of this pattern going on subtly in the background, running your life, you can really do something about this. This pattern may show up as you struggling with feeling fear, and this is blocking you off to one very important thing fear is here to show us, and that is how to support ourselves. If we are afraid of something we desire and have a healthy relationship with fear, we go for the desire while caretaking our fear. I read a quote the other day, it said "Do that thing you love but if you find that you're scared, then go do it scared." The point I'm trying to make is, fear isn't going to go away on its own, it's you who will simply expand your ability to hold space for it AND your desires equally. When you figure out how to do this, magic will happen in your life. You'll find that your unwillingness to caretake your fear only gave you more things to be afraid of (because, hello, Law Of Attraction *lol*), BUT you'll also find that when you radically start taking responsibility for your fear(s), you'll be able to act from a wiser space and be your full badass self. You'll find that there are so many things you CAN do and so much life you CAN live. Everything you've wanted to start doing in life will start to happen almost seamlessly. It WILL surprise you big time. You're currently making your way through an important part of your healing, and that is to hold yourself in all your glory. To hold all parts of yourself, even the ones that are scared shitless. Once you've integrated this segment of your healing, SO many doors will unlock for you. Sweet soul, you have no clue of JUST HOW MANY. And this… is probably because you manifest with your heart primarily (meaning you feel things deeply and so you unknowingly tap into the frequency of what you want easily) and your fear is keeping you stuck in your head, which means you're only 40% of the full You right now, PRIOR the healing of c. You might even feel it sometimes. You might feel like you're only a shell of a person (been there myself, you're not alone in this!). Listen to that feeling. Your truth lies in there. You're meant to be the 100% you, and I see that you're already halfway there!

I love you so much, pile 2, sending you so much light and love. Hope you find the resources you need to make it through to your new life where you live in more love than fear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pile 3: Man… y'all been fighting for your lives, huh? I see that you may be in the midst of a lot of divinely evoked darkness? Lol, I literally heard that - divinely evoked darkness. Maybe you're going through a dark night of the soul, perhaps? Whatever your're going through though, it seems like you've been hanging on for dear life.

Some good news for you- no matter the circumstances you're in right now (be it good, bad, or terrible), you've been doing all the work necessary to keep your head above water and have been diligently nurturing your own light, positivity, and essence. THAT'S incredible resilience, sweet pile 3, and I'm really proud of you! It's not easy to keep an open heart through bad times, and that's such a grand achievement in my eyes. UGH, BEAUTIFUL.

Your energy SCREAMS transition period vibes. You seem to be neither in your "old" timeline nor in the new one yet. You're sorta hanging in the middle right now. I see the Hanged Man in the third eye as I tell you this. Feels like you're in the void right now, and things just seem… bleh. Boring. Colorless. This is probably because you're already done with the ugly part of the process, "the divine shakeups", the loss, and the purge. Think… the bland but peaceful feeling you feel after having an intense ugly crying session, you know? Yeah, you're energetically there right now. You'll probably be here for a while longer because you've let go of MAJOR stuff, pile 3. Did you let go of people recently, maybe? Or that old bad habit, perhaps? That was the purge, so to speak. And now you're in the aftermath of it all, the uncomfortable but necessary calm.

-Side note: You might've struggled to embody your divine feminine earlier, but the timeline you're entering right now is the exact opposite of that. You might be attracted towards things that will help you nurture your own divine feminine right now. Give into it. Nurture patience, stillness, and compassion for self. It will HOPEFULLY speed up the void period if you consciously take part in it, you know?-

You're quite emotionally intelligent, and it has guided you throughout the whole process, and it also seems like it ain't your first rodeo in the process of proverbial death and rebirth. Good on you because you're doing a real good job keeping your calm through venturing into the unknown. You know what? You remind me of Elsa from Frozen, taking on the unknown like it belongs to her. You are such a queen, omg.

Yep, all that's left to do now is celebrate yourself, pile 3! Try your best to embrace this period, the void, and you'll be on your way to your next happy adventure! Love and light, sweet soul. Thanks for sharing your energy with me today.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[mask131]

So... Wicked is coming back in style. And as such I need to make a little informative post.

Because since as early as my arrival onto the Internet, in the distant years of the late 2000s, a lot of people have been treating Wicked as some sort of "official" part of the Oz series. As part of the Oz canon or as THE "original" work everything else derives from (literaly, some people, probably kids, but did believe the MGM movie was made BASED on Wicked...) And as an Oz fan, that bothers me.

[Damn, ever since I watched Coco Peru's videos her voice echoes in my brain each time I say this line.]

So here's a few FACTS for you facts lovers.

The Wicked movie that is coming out right now (I was sold this as a series, turns out it is a movie duology?) is a cinematic adaptation of the stage musical Wicked created by Schwartz and Holzman, the Broadway classic and success of the 2000s (it was created in 2003).

Now, the Wicked musical everybody knows is itself an adaptation - and this fact is not as notorios, somehow? The Wicked musical is the adaptation of a novel released in 1995 by Gregory Maguire, called Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. A very loose and condensed adaptation to say the least - as the Wicked musical is basically a lighter and simplified take on a much darker, brooding and mature tale. Basically fans of the novel have accused the musical of being some sort of honeyed, sugary-sweet, highschool-romance-fanfic-AU, while those who enjoyed the musical and went to see the novel are often shocked at discovering their favorite musical is based on what is basically a "dark and edgy - let's shock them all" take on the Oz lore. (Some do like both however, apparently? But I rarely met them.)

A side-fact which will be relevant later, is that this novel was but the first of a full series of novel Oz wrote about a dark-and-adult fantasy reimagining of the land of Oz - there's Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men, Out of Oz, and more.

However the real fact I want to point out is that Maguire's novel, from which the musical itself derives, is a "grimmification" (to take back TV Tropes terminology) of the 1939 MGM movie The Wizard of Oz. The movie everybody knows when it comes to Oz, but that everybody forgets is itself the adaptation of a book - the same way people forget the Wicked musical is adapted from a novel. The MGM movie is adapted from L. Frank Baum's famous 1900 classic for children The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - and a quite loose adaptation that reimagines a lot of elements and details.

Now, a lot of people present Maguire's novel as being based/inspired/a revisionist take on Baum's novel... And that's false. Maguire's Wicked novel is clearly dominated by and mainly influenced by the MGM movie, with only a few book elements and details sprinkled on top. Mind you, the sequels Maguire wrote do take more elements, characters and plot points from the various Oz books of Baum... But they stay mostly Maguire's personal fantasy world. Yes, Oz "books" in plural - because that's a fact people tend to not know either... L. Frank Baum didn't just write one book about the Land of Oz. He wrote FOURTEEN of them, an entire series, because it was his most popular sales, and his audience like his editor pressured him to produce more (in fact he got sick of Oz and tried to write other books, but since they failed he was forced to continue Oz novels to survive). Everybody forgot about the Oz series due to the massive success of the starter novel - but it has a lot of very famous sequels, such as The Marvelous Land of Oz or Ozma of Oz (the later was loosely adapted by Disney as the famous 80s nostalgic-cursed movie Return to Oz).

So... To return to my original point. The current Wicked movies are not directly linked in any way to Baum's novel. The Wicked musical was already as "canon" and as "linked" to the MGM movie as 2013's Oz The Great and Powerful by Disney was. As for Maguire's novel, due to its dark, mature, brooding and more complex worldbuilding nature, I can only compare it to the recent attempt at making a "Game of Thrones Oz" through the television series Emerald City.

The Wicked movies coming out are separated from Baum's novel at the fourth degree. Because they are the movie adaptation of a musical adaptation of a novel reinventing a movie adaptation of the original children book.

And I could go even FURTHER if you dare me to and claim the Wicked movies are at the 5TH DEGREE! Because a little-known-fact is that the MGM movie was not a direct adaptation of Baum's novel... But rather took a lot of cues and influence from the massively famous stage-extravaganza of 1902 The Wizard of Oz... A musical adaptation of Baum's novel, created and written by Baum himself, and that was actually more popular than the novel in the pre-World War II America. It was from this enormous Broadway success (my my, how the snake bites its tail - the 1902 Wizard of Oz was the musical Wicked of its time) that, for example, the movie took the idea of the Good Witch of the North killing the sleeping-poppies with snow.

[greenwitchfromthewoods]

Friday night. l Joel Miller

Summary:  you were friends who met on Friday night

Warnings:  +18, smut, swearing, oral sex (f receiving), fingering, sex with protection (good job!), mentioning masturbation

A/N: this has been on my mind for a few days now. it's not perfect, but i hope you like it. your feedback is very important to me and I thank you for all the reblogs, comments and likes. 🖤 sorry for all the mistakes

"So when? Tell me, tell me, tell me."

You looked at Joel sprawled on your couch, his long legs were lying on the coffee table. This Friday night was definitely not supposed to go like this.

After a hard week, you were craving some relaxation. A hot bath, lotion rubbed into your skin, takeout, and some stupid reality show on TV. 

And then he showed up.

Joel Miller showed up at your door, bringing you the food containers you had recently brought him and Sarah dinner in. He had no plans to stop by, in fact Tommy was waiting for him at a bar nearby, but he really didn't feel like going there.

So he stayed. You both ate your Chinese food, sipped cold beer, and watched a show about young and beautiful people trying to date each other. This was your Friday night.

"Y/N, I won't judge you, you know that." Joel continued, digging into the box of food with his chopsticks. "Tell me, when was the last time you had a really good date?"

"A long time ago." You replied, feeling the heat creeping up your neck and chest. "Like... Last year? I mean... I thought it was a good date, but he didn't call after that."

"Really?" Joel looked at you in surprise. "What a fucking idiot!"

"Don't say that, you were part of it." You took a sip of your beer. "I shouldn't have answered your call. You asked me to pick Sarah up from training and sit with her for a while, because you were coming home pretty late."

"Shit!" His brown eyes looked like a scolded puppy. "I'm sorry. But you didn't say anything about me fucking up your date."

You shrugged. "That was a year ago, it's not relevant anymore."

Joel's gaze lingered on you for a moment as he analyzed your words. He never thought that by calling or writing to you, he was intruding on your private life. Or that you had another private life apart from him and Sarah.

You had been friends for a few years. It started with you taking Sarah to her friend's house because he couldn't get away from work. And then everything flew like an avalanche. You always found time for his daughter, and he could always count on your help. Sometimes you brought them dinner, it saved their lives when the projects he was working on completely consumed him.

Joel, however, was not just a taker. Whenever you asked him for help, like when you bought a new dresser or when you had a flat tire in your car - he was the first one at your door.

The fact that you were friends also meant that you gave each other presents for birthdays and holidays. You were good together.

"And you?" your voice tore him away from his thoughts about your date for a moment "When was the last time you did that? Or even better!" a sly smile crept onto your face "When was the last time you slept with a lady?"

Joel cleared his throat. He should have expected that, right?

"Pffff... Ummm... That was a long time ago." he replied, pretending he didn't feel embarrassed at all "You know. I'm a single father, I work a lot..."

"So what?" you wondered "I never thought you were lacking anything. Even more! I think it's a treasure to have a guy who knows how to use a drill. It's quite sexy."

"You think so?" he smiled.

"Sure! If you found a girlfriend, I doubt she'd let me use you like that. Sexy handyman."

"Fuck! Don't make fun of me!"

"I'm not doing that!" you laughed as he threw a pillow at you "You should be at that bar than here with me. You're wasting your potential, Joel."

"I'm where I wanted to be." he replied, reaching for the bottle and taking a few sips. "And you?" you looked up from your fried rice. "When was the last time you slept with someone?"

He immediately noticed that you were embarrassed. It even gave him a little satisfaction.

"I'm sure you've noticed that my love life is a disaster." you replied, trying to smile and seem relaxed. "The only thing that seems to live inside me is my vibrator."

You burst out laughing when those words left your mouth, and Joel chuckled himself.

"Fuck, that's pathetic!" you covered your face with your hands. "What's wrong with us, Joel? We should be fucking some super hot people right now! Any place, in any position!"

"One really nice lady would be enough for me." he put the empty bottle on the table and stretched. "By the way. Last time I was here, I mean when I was fixing your bedroom closet door, I also replaced the batteries in your vibrator. The poor thing was barely breathing."

"Oh! Thank you, I guess..."

"The drawer in the nightstand was ajar." he explained seeing your embarrassment. "I hope you'll think of me when you use it. Fuck, that sounded awful."

"What made you think I'm not doing that yet?"

When his dark eyes landed on you, you tried your best not to burst out laughing. A mixture of emotions and strange thoughts was written all over his face. You were sure that in a little while you'd bite your lip trying to hold back your laughter.

"Shit! We're on some really fucking dangerous ground, babe." He mumbled, shaking his head. "I didn't know you from this side."

"Maybe if you saw me as a woman..." you started, but Joel quickly interrupted you.

"Who else am I supposed to see in you?" he snorted. "I'm afraid that soon you'll run out of things I could fix, and then you'll start taking care of... I don't know, fucking flowers... and I don't know anything about that. You bring dinner to my house, you help me with Sarah..."

"Joel, I think you're doing great with Sarah. She adores you!"

"You know what I mean..." he sighed, scratching his already disheveled hair. "She's a young girl, she needs someone like you around her. But when you finally meet a guy, he's not going to let you spend time with a single father and his teenage daughter, right?"

You put the almost empty box on the coffee table and pulled your legs up onto the couch. You understood what Joel meant. Your friendship was something that required incredibly understanding partners if you wanted it to continue. You probably didn't even think about getting involved with someone else because of this what you both had, because of Joel.

The thought of giving up seeing him, listening to his voice, talking to him or just spending time with him doing such completely ordinary and boring things - God, it was terrifying.

He must have been thinking the same thing, because he suddenly fell silent as if what he had said had taken him out of the conversation.

He hadn't planned on ever telling you what he thought about you, honestly, he was afraid it would make you run away. He couldn't give you much, and he thought that a woman like you deserved everything that was best in the world.

"You know, I don't want you to think that me spending time with you is some form of pity." you began uncertainly, trying to find the right words for what you wanted to say "I really love it. You always make me feel good and in the right place. There's not much more I can do for you."

"You're already doing way too much." Joel's hand stroked your leg in a friendly manner "I guess we both benefit from this, right?"

"I guess so." you replied, smiling "Jesus! This is so awkward!"

"Think about how I feel!" Joel put his arms behind his head and stared at the TV "You have your vibrator, and I have to do it manually!"

You started to giggle, "But you definitely don't think about me then!"

"I don't know what gave you the idea that I don't do it. Fuck, I must have fallen out of practice when it comes to flirting."

"A little." you were still laughing, "But it's sweet, you know. And I'm glad we feel comfortable enough with each other to say things like that."

Joel nodded and shifted uncomfortably on the couch. You both focused your gaze on the TV screen again for a moment, but it had been a while since you had watched this show. Every word Joel said was going through your head. You felt several emotions at once, but they were all really nice.

You thought about how good you felt with this guy who treated you really well, even though you weren't in a relationship. At least not a romantic one.

And then the question came that changed everything that evening.

"Have you ever thought that you and I..." his voice was calm, but you knew he was weighing his words before he let them out. "Have you ever thought about what it would be like if we tried?"

"Tried what?" you asked. You had an idea what he meant, but you wanted to know that you were both on the same page.

"Sleep together. I mean, sex." You nodded. "Really? Fuck! I thought there was something wrong with me."

"Why?! Joel, I've always thought you were a handsome guy. And if it makes you feel any better, I've thought about it more than once. I guess that's why you had to change those batteries."

Your laughter filled the room again. If you both felt any unpleasant pressure, then it had definitely dropped to zero. Joel opened his second bottle of beer and took a sip.

"Would you like to have sex with me?"

"Yeah, I would." you replied, completely unfazed.

"Now?"

"Sure."

You had been feeling it for a while now. Excitement was spreading slowly through your body. In your head, although you fought it, all those images of Joel that you had been trying to hide until now appeared. You imagined him in such sinful situations that you were surprised he didn't see it in your eyes.

"I guess you don't have any condoms?" you made a face and he smiled "Okay, I'll go to the store to buy some."

"But let me check something first. If you let me…”

You moved over to him before he could stand up. When your hand touched his cheek, you both smiled nervously. His stubble tickled your hand gently. He didn't lag behind, his hand found its way to your thigh, stroking it gently.

You were the one who kissed him first. It was wonderful to finally feel his lips on yours. You kissed gently, but when you parted your lips a little, Joel took the initiative and slipped his tongue into your mouth. That was it. A shiver ran down your spine. His tongue caressed you as he deepened each kiss, and his hands quickly and efficiently pulled you onto his lap.

You couldn't stop kissing him, and he returned each kiss with such enthusiasm, as if he had been waiting for it for a really long time. You slid your fingers into his hair and tugged lightly, and Joel groaned quietly. The bulge in his jeans was rubbing hard against your thigh.

"Condoms." he panted. "We need... Fuck..."

"Yeah, I know..." your lips collided again. "Go. Now."

With considerable difficulty, you got off his lap. Your heart was beating like crazy.

"Ten minutes." he said, quickly standing and unconsciously adjusting his jeans, which had become a bit tighter, you giggled. "Don't move from here."

"I won't do that."

He leaned in once more, kissing you hard, and quickly left the apartment.

He came back just as he promised. For a split second you saw uncertainty in his eyes, but when he saw you were waiting for him he immediately brightened up.

"No judging." You said, quickly taking off his shirt "I don't look like those sexy girls from tv shows."

"Shut up!" He silenced you with a kiss as his hands ripped off your shorts "You're a thousand times sexier. I'm afraid I'll come before I get inside you."

"I don't care. We have all night, Joel."

The first time you saw him naked, it was better than anything you had imagined. His strong and wide shoulders, narrow waist and soft belly. His manhood was already hard and ready.

"Jesus, have you seen yourself?" His voice tore you from your whirlwind of thoughts "You look like a million dollars."

His eyes, full of admiration, wandered over your body. You suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

"Oh, don't hide it from me." he groaned as you tried to cover your breasts. "It's you. You're fucking perfect."

His large, warm hands cupped your face as he kissed you slowly. You felt the bed behind you and soon you were lying with him on top of you. It was overwhelming, feeling his weight on you as his lips trailed down your neck, to your sternum, kissing your breasts, nibbling on them gently. You moaned as Joel's mouth captured your nipple, sucking and teasing it with his tongue. One of his hands slid between your thighs and soon you felt his fingers running over your already slick folds.

"Is this for me?" he asked, lifting his eyes and looking at you with appreciation.

Heat crept up to your neck and cheeks. His bedroom eyes made your pussy drool at the sight of him. Joel was clearly delighted by this though.

"Let me make you feel good." he purred, kissing your breast a few times, then moving lower. Fuck. You weren't ready for this. A few kisses on your thighs, the feeling of his stubble brushing against your delicate skin, and then a slow lick of your folds. You closed your eyes, feeling as if all your nerves had gone crazy.

His mouth found the bundle of nerves that made your head spin with every movement of his tongue. Two of his fingers slid inside you, stretching your walls pleasantly. It was incredible to feel him. It seemed as if Joel took incredible pleasure in exploring your body and was quickly learning what you liked. His fingers pushed back and forth as he licked and sucked, and you couldn't manage anything but moans.

"Jesus, you're so beautiful right now, baby." he whispered as your body arched as his fingers touched that spot. "I've imagined you like this so many times. Naked, thighs spread, waiting for me."

"Joel... please..."

"I know, I know, baby." he kissed your thigh tenderly "I can feel you're close. You squeeze my fingers so nicely, suck them into you."

His movements became faster and stronger. You clenched your hands on the sheets feeling like you were losing control over your body.

"Let go, Y/N. I'm here, let go."

And you did. You moaned loudly as you reached your peak, and your legs trembled. It was amazing. He was amazing.

Before you could catch your breath Joel was on top of you again, his beard glistening with your juices, but you didn't mind. You put your hand on his neck and pulled him in, kissing him hard. You felt your taste on his lips. Addictive.

"I want to be inside you." he whispered, pressing his forehead to yours "I want it so bad."

"I want it too. I want to feel you, Joel."

He stood up and reached for the foil package, which he opened with his teeth. You watched as he put on a condom and leaned over you again. His tip slid over your entrance a few times before he slid inside you.

The air escaped your lungs as he pushed his entire length into you, stretching your delicate walls. The stretch felt so good. When his cock was inside you all the way to the base, you both froze for a moment.

"Fuck..." Joel whispered, tearing his gaze away from where he disappeared inside you and looking at your face "You're so tight, baby. You wrap me around so well..."

"And you're so big, I was afraid you wouldn't fit." You giggled and soon all the stress drained from you "I don't think I'll last much longer. It's wonderful to feel you."

"Don't worry, sweetie." His lips kissed yours lightly "Like you said, we have all night. Ready?"

You nodded and Joel pushed, going even deeper. His cock would slide out of you, then return with much greater force. You pulled your legs up to give him easier access. Joel found your hands and held them above your head. It gave him full control, and you didn't mind.

"Fuck. I don't know why we waited so long with this..." he gasped as his hips slammed into yours, the dirty sounds filling your ears. "I've been thinking about you for so long."

"Really? I thought... OOHHHH! I thought you only saw me as a friend..."

"Remember when you came to Sarah's soccer game? In those tight shorts? Fuck! I already wanted to drag you to the truck and fuck you hard."

"Jesus!" you bit your lip, Joel hitting exactly where you wanted him to, "When you were helping me with the air conditioning."

"What about that?"

"It must have been a million degrees here. I was melting, and then I saw your shirt lift up, exposing part of your lower back. Damn, I was waiting for you to go away so I could reach for that fucking vibrator."

"Fuck!" Joel hid his face in your hair, "You're going to kill me. Tell me you're close, I can't hold out much longer."

You were already on the edge, his cock pushing in exactly where you needed it. He let go of your hand, gripping your hip tightly. His movements were becoming increasingly erratic and unpredictable.

"Joel, I'm so close... so close..." you moaned.

His mouth unexpectedly captured your nipple, sucking it hard. That was it. A strong shiver ran through your body as the walls of your pussy clenched in a sweet spasm of pleasure flooding your body. Joel was right behind you. He didn't need much. When he felt you tighten around him, he was done. He came with a loud groan, burying his face in your shoulder, digging his fingers into your soft hip.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck..." he breathed out "You're amazing. Just fucking amazing."

"You're not bad either." You laughed quietly, wrapping your arms around him.

He wanted to stay in your arms, but you both knew he had to clean up. Joel lifted himself up and slid out of you, holding the end of the condom carefully, then went to throw it in the trash can in the bathroom.

"You have a really nice butt." You murmured as he laid down next to you again.

"You think so?" He laughed, "I think yours is much better, but thanks."

You lay next to each other, breathing deeply, in a sweet state of total fulfillment and relaxation. It felt nice to have him next to you, within arm's reach, in a more intimate way.

Joel must have been thinking the same thing, because soon his hand found yours in the sheets, he brought it to his lips and kissed it.

"Did you like it?" he asked, turning his head to look at you.

"Very much. I would gladly repeat it a few more times." you replied smiling widely "And you? What do you think about it?"

"Same here." he replied "But I wouldn't want it to destroy what is between us."

"Joel, I don't expect any declarations from you." you turned around and leaned on your elbow looking at him closely "We feel good together, I like you a lot, I actually have a soft spot for you for a long time. Let's just let it flow, you know. We'll see where it takes us."

"That's probably a good idea." he mumbled, his fingers brushing away strands of your hair "You're beautiful, you know..."

"Those are declarations!" you lightly patted him on the shoulder.

"No. That's a fact, actually."

You smiled, and his heart beat faster for a moment. He already knew he was lost, but he didn't want to say it. Not now, when you said 'no' to all declarations.

"Maybe you'd like to have dinner with me tomorrow?" he finally suggested "Sarah's on a school trip. She won't be back until Monday. We could have a nice time. See where it takes us..."

"Yeah, that sounds good."

"You know... I'm glad we did it."

"Me too." You leaned in, kissing him lightly on the corner of his mouth "And you know what else I'm happy about?" and seeing his questioning look you added "We still have a few condoms, and the night is still young."

"You're going to kill me, you know that?" Joel burst out laughing.

But his arms were already gathering you to him and you were lying on his chest, you liked this position and you were going to use it well.

☆☆☆

Thank you for your time.