#What Have You Done to Solange?

[yvain]

Cats in Giallo Inferno (1980) • Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972) • What Have You Done to Solange? (1972) • Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) • Two Evil Eyes (1990)

[60sgroove]

What Have You Done to Solange? (1972) dir. Massimo Dallmano

[splatteronmywalls]

[seventhvictim]

riverdale + giallo

Death Walks on High Heels (1971) // A Lizard in a Woman's Skin (1971) // The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970 // What Have You Done to Solange? (1972) // All the Colors of the Dark (1972)

[mondoweirdojunkie]

A collection of DVDs from the past few hauls.

[abs0luteb4stard]

W A T C H I N G

[icyg4l]

PAC: May 2024 Predictions

Hello beautiful people! Later on this week, I will have a Five Dollar Friday Sale where any topic can be talked about. Please refer to my guidelines if you are interested in booking with me! Today, I will be giving you all some predictions about the upcoming month. I hope that those who resonate will continue to support me. For those of you who have been supporting me, I thank you. Without further ado, please select the quote that resonates with you.

Left-to-Right: (1-3)

Pile One: I am getting Taurus energy from this pile. I feel like you are going to be walking away from a situation that no longer serves you in May. It's going to hurt. But on the bright side, at least you are done with that chapter in your life. I feel like you are inviting new energy into your life though. It feels lively. I think that you need to be careful though if you go out to a hookah bar, or just go out into the nightlife in general. I am seeing that you will be going to a cookout. I am seeing the image of a thermometer's heat rising. I feel like you may have tension with someone that's super thick, lol. All in all, I feel that this month for you will determine the theme of this summer for you all. You got your wings, you've been promoted! It may be hard to focus on the positives because of your circumstances but you will survive. This month will feel weird because it’s like your on two ends of the spectrum. One part is good and the other is gone to shit, but all will work in your favor boo! See the good in life.

Cards Used: Page of Cups, Queen of Discs, Ace of Cups, 5 of Discs, The World, 10 of Swords, Justice.

extras: arrogance. cheap labor. pennyslvania. slabs. coney island. sweet! livelihood. perfume. body shapewear. antisocial club.

Pile Two: Idk why but your energy reminds me of Natalie Nunn lol. Not the messy parts but the part about her where she's unintentionally funny and fun to be around. Your energy feels very much party girl, I could easily get in this section if I wanted to type of vibe. Anyway, I think that you are going to be strengthening some platonic connections that you already have. But I also think that you're going to cut someone loose --- someone who has been around for a while. The name Harold comes to mind. Have you eaten Harold's Chicken as of recently, lol? I think that you're going to have sharper instincts as a result. You're going to see people for who they are. I am seeing the image of a butterfly flying on someone's nose. You will be growing up in the month of May. There is an emphasis on meditation. You're being called to devoting your time to staying in the present. You're being asked to go within and get more introspective. Also, cut back on the refined sugars. I think you'll be listening to Amaraae and Solange more often this month as well.

Cards Used: King of Cups, 3 of Cups, Strength, Death, King of Swords, The Hermit, Prince of Discs, 2 of Swords, The Lovers.

extras: big eyes. blonde hair. shapely. wiz khalifa. stunna shades. "i ain't going nowhere." "get comfy." gloomy. rainbow tips.

Pile Three: Someone in this pile is going to be reuniting with their family at a prom sendoff, at a graduation, a party. Either way, it will be a celebration. This pile will also be very grateful in the month of May. You are also going to have many opportunities to make quick money with the people that you love (not necessarily family but anyone that makes you feel safe). A love opportunity will be coming through for you as well. I don't see this as something you should take serious. I think you want to be independent right now, that person understands and they will give you your space for the time being. If you're trying to curate an event, don't worry too much about what people will think because it's going to be a big turnout regardless. I think some of you will be going to a wedding or will be getting married. So, congratulations to that! I also think that some of you will be meeting your future spouses in this pile (you won't know it yet though). Overall, I feel that this month is a great month for you to focus on community building.

Cards Used: The Emperor, The Hierophant, 9 of Swords, King of Wands, Justice, 3 of Discs, 8 of Wands, 4 of Wands, Ace of Cups.

extras: entrepreneurial spirit. aquamarine. blue butterflies. single father. "something cute, something for the summertime."

[thestalwartheart]

Having thoughts about James Bond and sex again (what's new - it's my favourite topic).

It occurred to me this evening that we don't often see Craig!Bond having sex, at least not to the extent his mythology suggests. He kisses quite a few women, flirts a lot, but more often than not, he leaves them hanging (see: Solange Dimitrios, Camille, the nameless woman at the beginning of Spectre). The women we do see him have sex with:

a) are of use to him in the field (they either help him with logistics or intelligence),

b) are people he turns to in crisis (hello woman in Turkey during Skyfall ily), or

c) are the women he loves.

And I started to wonder why that is. Maybe it's an issue of just not wanting to. Maybe he's short on time. Maybe it's a combination of factors, but I'd like to float one at you that I don't hear mentioned very often:

Sex is an exercise in vulnerability. And not just for Bond; for his partners, too.

Bond has long been pigeonholed as a 'love 'em and leave 'em' type, but I'd argue that isn't strictly true. Yes, a lot of his dalliances are one night stands or casual flings, but he doesn't up and leave right away. He lingers (see Fields and Lucia Sciarra for a couple of really good examples, Vesper too if you believe they slept together after the shower scene).

I think Bond recognises that sex is a vulnerable thing. You are quite literally opening up your body to another person. No matter how fun or lighthearted or short-lived you expect it to be, it is still a momentous thing. An intense thing. I've no doubt it's anything less than intense with Bond.

To add to that: Bond is generally kind to his allies. He's aware he asks a lot of them, and he's predisposed to protect the romantic and sexual partners he meets in the field (even when it doesn't work out). I think his nature leads him to stay a while after sex - to cuddle, to reassure, to revel in beauty pleasure and gratitude and - I'm just going to say it - aftercare.

And that's maybe why he doesn't invest in it as often as people expect him to. Because it isn't just sex. It's aftercare and closeness and riding out that post-sex wave of vulnerability and feeling.

If anyone understands the pain in baring your soft parts to another person, it's Bond. In the face of that, I think leaving right after the deed is done would go against all his instincts.

Better to let someone down after a kiss, after all, than to leave them shaking and gasping in a cold hotel bed.

[mins-fins]

junie.

&&. it's all platonic, it's all platonic between the two of you, you swear.

pairing: na jaemin x gn!reader

genre: fluff fluff

warnings: none!

word count: 1k

notes: i hope everyone knows which album the title of this little (1000 word) drabble comes from, i love solange sm her music HITS <33 anyway i am so mortifyingly in love with na jaemin like i have no idea why a MAN is doing this to me or where this little nana obsession of mine is coming from but i have so many drafts for him like AUSGSHS NA JAEMIN 😭😭💔💔 okay um enjoy this horrible piece of writing and dont throw up trying to read it

your feeling something beyond exhaustion.

light is permeating through the room, but it's unfortunately not relaxed. you feel like your eyelids got attacked the moment you tried to open them, and you quickly close them the moment the light entering in through the curtain tries to blind you. you have to wake up, the little voice in your brain coming up every few minutes to remind you that you have to sit up any minute now.

but your feeling too tired, you got chased around by a bunch of kids yesterday and your classes lasted much longer than they had to. you press your face into your pillow and groan, knowing that sleep won't be able to take you away again now that your up.

there are bundles of covers on top of you, a blanket wrapped around your waist along with the duvet coming apart. you shift around, hearing the sound of you moving against the bed as you do. you quickly throw the blanket off you, and though this would usually be the time you stretched your limbs, you have absolutely no remaining energy.

when you shift again, your elbow makes contact with something, well, someone. the contact warrants a reluctant peek of your head, face scrunched up in your lethargy as you identify the special someone your elbow had accidentally hit. jaemin, fast asleep, face half turned into a pillow as he snores silently, fingers lightly caressing the material he lays on. a few question marks appear in your head, you don't remember jaemin being here, when you went to sleep, jaemin wasn't even home.

you're guessing he was much too tired from his shift to walk all the way to his room, and just wandered into room to crash down onto your bed. even if you were awake, you wouldn't be able to deny jaemin begging for you two to share a bed, he's done that and succeeded more times than you can count.

"jaem" you call out, lightly poking his cheek with your finger, a small flick against his face, but it doesn't even make him stir.

this sight of him is enough to make you opt out of a second try. his hair is messy, probably from his nightly tosses and turns, some strands sticking to his face, whilst other strands look like they're about to jump off his scalp. he looks peaceful, with the light from the window shining of his face, the way he's sleeping makes him look serene. you'd feel bad for waking him up in this state.

your staring, it's hard not to. he's much quieter today, the usual loud snores you'd hear from jaemin now resorted to nothing but silent breaths in and out. when his eyes suddenly open, you almost jump back, surprised by him now being awake when you thought he was sleeping the whole time. did he know you were staring? your face already burns at the thought. he only gives you a short smile, turning over and stretching his limbs with a yawn.

"good morning" you whisper.

"morning" he rasps back.

you try to ignore the way your stomach flips at his voice, clearing your throat and sighing. "move over" you request, immediately rolling over onto your back upon jaemin's obedience. even with how you told jaemin to move over, he still scoots a little closer, finger reaching over to begin grazing over your shirt.

you lightly flinch at the touch, because your shirt is thin and his index finger is cold, but you don't push him away, just let him do what he's doing. he sighs lightly, moving closer and draping his arm around your waist, he immediately closes the space between you two, and you can feel his breath on your neck.

"what are you doing?" you somehow have enough voice to ask.

"getting extra sleep" he mutters, tucking his face into your neck as he takes in another deep breath. his arm on your waist, which had previously only been lying there, moves to wrap around and trap you in a suddenly strong hold.

"jaem i have to get up".

the words don't get anything but a small grunt out of jaemin, who leaves you trapped under his vice grip. you groan, tired of your stubborn roommate, and try your best to lift yourself up, you have to get out of bed now, but jaemin just drops you back down, eliciting a small yelp out of you.

"jaemin?"

"hm?" he cracks one eye open, loosening the tight grip he has on your waist as his fingers begin caressing the skin under your shirt, his fingers are still cold, and you try your best not jump from the way they seem to make goosebumps appear on your skin.

"i have to get up" you grumble, you look at him like he's some sort of crazy person. jaemin snickers, lightly pinching your waist, making you wince at the sheer freezing temperature of his fingers. "na jaemin seriously—"

"it's saturday, just a few more minutes" he states, a small chuckle added to his words. "you don't have anywhere to be, your shift starts at two".

"i at least have to go brush my teeth" you turn to him, giving him your best begging eyes. you don't even realize the lack of space between you two, your so close to jaemin that you can feel his breath on your face, you can see every pore, mole, and tiny scar up close, you could kiss jaemin right now if you got pushed.

wait— why are you thinking about kissing your roommate? you haven't even brushed your teeth yet, your breath is probably going to smell gross and it won't taste nice, but everything with jaemin seems nice. you wonder if those pretty pink lips live up to the rumors (and the fantasies, wait what?), you'd think it'd be nice to try.

jaemin gives you a deadpanned look, but he rolls over anyway, finally freeing you from his grasp. "fine then, go brush your teeth, weirdo".

that's all jaemin says before he slips out of your bed, blowing you a kiss and leaving your room.

you watch him leave, now filled with a bunch of confusing feelings.

are you in love with your roommate? no.. you can't be.

but then again, you wouldn't be surprised if you even fell for the charms of na jaemin.

[ellethespaceunicorn]

Something Old, Something New

Title: Something Old, Something New

Rating: Explicit, 18+, Minors - DNI

Pairing: Nick Fowler x Reader

Fandom: The 355

Word Count: 9.5K (whoopsie)

Summary: Your childhood best friend invites you to your old vacation spot for her wedding, and you have been catching up with your first crush: her recently divorced big brother Nick.

Warnings: infidelity, divorce, recreational drug use (marijuana), drinking, mutual pining, pet names (Gumdrop, baby), praise kink, cunnilingus, unprotected p-in-v sex, mention of bodily fluids (creampie), public sex, if I forgot anything please tell me

A/N1: My tiles for @thebasementspouses VOTM Nick Fowler BINGO were: divorced, best friend’s brother, writer’s choice(prompt #802 from @creativepromptsforwriting), drunken confession, public sex. BINGO card at end of story.

A/N2: I have been working on this story for weeks and I really hope I have done the Nick Fowler fandom justice. It's my first time, and hopefully not the last time, writing for Nick. I thoroughly enjoyed writing him. Unbeta’d, we die like people who tried their best. 

Dividers by: @firefly-graphics

Support/Reblog banner by me

Cover Art by me

My Masterlist

Three Months Ago

The cardstock was rigid in your hands, the envelope discarded seconds ago. The confetti in the envelope litters around your Chucks as you bring your attention to the words embossed upon the invitation. You had been waiting for this day ever since you received the Save the Date announcement.

You ran your finger over the pretty lettering, its raised borders were a nice tactile touch. The peaceful pink, whispered white, and mellow merlot of the flowers against a hint of golden accents was a beautiful choice. Not too feminine, nor too masculine.

Turning the invitation over, you found more information. 

‘Accommodations will be completely covered for your 8-night stay at The Ocracoke Harbor Inn by the family of the Bride. You will be staying in the fully-furnished Treasure Chest Cottage. Amenities include full-service linens, complimentary wireless Internet, and guest boat docking. Guests have access to a sound-side beach. Password for WI-FI given upon check-in. Nonsmoking, no pets.’

Leave it to the Fowlers to go nuts and rent out the entire inn for their only daughter’s wedding, you thought to yourself. You were not surprised at all, growing up as a rich girl’s best friend had its perks.

As if on cue, your phone started to play the opening notes of Losing You by Solange to signal an incoming call. Pulling your phone out, you smiled seeing Deanne’s name. You clicked Accept and raised the phone to your ear.

“Hello to the future Mrs. Alexander!” Your cheery demeanor not letting on how jealous you were of your friend’s impending nuptials.

Euphonious laughter rings through the earpiece and you can’t help but join in.

“Girl, can you believe it? I am about to tie the knot, be off the market, and settle down. I’m only 12% nervous about everything so I’m doing great,” she snorted, and suddenly you were a bit less jealous if this kind of anxiety is what she had to deal with, “Anyway, um, I was giving you a call because I wanted to ask if you got your invitation and I also wanted to see if I could save myself time in waiting for your R.S.V.P. and bug and pester you until you agree to let my parents pay for you to come spend a week with us and come to my wedding and–”

“Deanne! Stop with the run-on sentence, doll. Did you think I was gonna pass up this opportunity? God, I love that you chose Ocracoke as your wedding destination. So many vacations were spent getting into all kinds of trouble,” you recalled, images of splashing in the water as kids and lounging on the beach as teens replayed in your mind.

“Yeah. Hey, when we were little girls planning our dream weddings, I was serious when I said I wanted it on the beach on Ocracoke Island. But not in the summer because of bugs and heat, but in the winter so we get that beautiful off-season fresh air,” Deanne mused.

“Dee, it’s gonna be gorgeous. I cannot wait to see you in your stunning dress walking down that aisle. Just know that since I am your oldest friend, you pretty much owe me the bouquet,” you laughed, only half-joking.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s already yours,” she bantered, clearing her throat before speaking again, “So, I also called because I wanted to vent a little, if that’s okay?”

“It’s always okay. You doing alright?” you asked, now worried that your friend was in trouble.

“Yeah, no, I’m fine. I have an update on Nick and Tori, though,” she paused, allowing your mind to wander.

The mention of your first crush’s name sent a shiver down your back. Many a moment had been wasted thinking about his pretty smile and grayish-blue eyes. You’d liked Nick before you knew you even liked boys. He was the heartthrob that trumped every teen dream of every other girl in America’s heart. In your mind, he was the closest to perfect you could imagine. 

You responded, “Oh?”

“So, their divorce is finalized. My big brother is officially a divorcé. I would have thought that a man who was with someone for so long might be partying it up right now. But he says he’s focusing on work and, I don’t know. I just want him to be happy. And like, he’s getting divorced as I’m getting married and it feels so weird. It doesn’t seem fair,” she lamented.

“Dee, come on. You know Nicky wouldn’t want you to think like that. He loves you. You’re his favorite sibling,” you jested, trying to lighten the mood.

“Ha ha. I’m his only sibling. I better be his favorite,” Dee chuckled, happy to be distracted, “So that brings me to you, Miss Missy. Last I heard, you were dating some engineer guy? Do I get to meet him soon?”

You inwardly cringed, hopes dashed of being able to avoid the topic of your relationship status. Things with Curtis kind of fizzled out when you found his tongue down an intern’s throat. You had been bringing him dinner since he’d complained about the late nights at the office.

Turns out he was hungry for more than your baked ziti. 

You explained all this to Dee, remembering the look on Curtis’ face when you poured the prepared food into his lap. He was so shook, it was beautiful.

“I didn’t want to waste all that food but he looked wonderful with my pasta all over his shirt and pants. He honestly deserved it. It was his favorite shirt too. I hope those stains never come out,” you huffed, feeling like you were right back in that office again.

“I have never been so proud of you. I wish I could put hot sauce in his underwear for hurting my girl. I’m sure if I just had a few minutes, I could come up with something more diabolical than that. But it’s what I have at a moment’s notice,” she retorted.

One thing you could always count on Dee for? Getting angry for you and using her beautiful and educated mind to come up with some way to make the person who slighted you pay for their misdeeds. It was both adorable and super embarrassing to have her tiny frame looking up into some bully’s face pointing her finger at them.

“Well, I appreciate your offer, but he is so not worth the energy. You have much better things to think about, like your wedding day. This is your cue to stop worrying about me, Dee,” you advised, a stern tone coloring your words.

“Fine, I will stop worrying about you out loud. You got it, girl. Anyway, I won’t hold you. Talk soon, ok? I miss you,” she said, and you could envision her getting bleary-eyed.

“I miss you too, Dee. We’ll get together soon, I promise,” you sighed, feeling guilty for letting your friendship dwindle over the years.

“I’ll hold you to it. Bye, babe,” she hummed.

“Bye.” You hang up the phone and close your eyes. Visions of what Dee will look like in her wedding dress cloud your thoughts. Little snippets of grayish-blue eyes and dark brown hair seep in and you can almost hear his laugh again. You open your eyes, blinking away the mental images that brought you joy for a moment.

‘This is fine,’ you thought to yourself. Yeah, totally. You’re only going to see your best friend from childhood get married, effectively ending your childhood with a pretty bow on top. You also were only going to be with the biggest crush you ever had for like, an entire week. 

And he’s single. 

And probably needy. 

And...you had better get your jaw up off the floor if you were going to get anything done.

Three months is enough time to get your brain, your body, and your emotions in check before you make a fool out of yourself in front of your second family.

Right?

January 20th, 2024 – Day One

Standing on the deck of the Hatteras Ferry, you watch as Ocracoke Island comes into view. The sun is at its highest and you are thankful for your sunglasses shielding the the bright sunlight bouncing off the crystal clear waters. You can taste the salty air and you are instantly transported to memories of running around the decks of this ferry with Deanne and Nick while your mothers tried in vain to wrangle you all.

The island comes into view and you search the docks for a familiar face. Dee promised to meet you at the docks, but when you approach them she is nowhere to be found. You pull your luggage behind you as your shoulder bag decides to slide off.

Before it can hit the ground, it’s caught by the strap by a strong hand at the same time you reach out to grab it. You thank the kind stranger as you both stand to your full height and you are face-to-face with a grown-ass Nicholas Fowler. He says something and you don’t hear hide nor hair of what the hell he just said, you look at him and break into a smile and he chuckles and speaks again.

“I hope you don’t mind Dee got me to pick you up. She had some wedding stuff to do. I wasn’t listening,” he explains, adjusting his sunglasses and putting your bag on his shoulder. He gestures over to his black Lamborghini Urus. 

Once you walk over, he puts your shoulder bag in the back seat. You step closer to him to hand him your rolling luggage. You are mesmerized as his strong forearms flex when he puts everything in the SUV. 

You clear your throat and look around when he looks back at you, catching you watching him. He closes the back door and guides you to the passenger side, opening your door for you.

“Oh, you’re a full-service driver today, huh?” you joke, stepping past him. Your platform espadrilles clacking on the asphalt. Adjusting your strapless sundress, you climb in.

“Whatever service you require, Gumdrop,” he replies with a smile, making sure you are comfortable before closing your door.

That fucking nickname… He would call you gumdrop instead of your name more often than not. That’s all, he didn’t mean anything by it, right?

When you are both buckled in, you start the drive across the island. Comfortable conversation is easy between you two. It’s like you fall back into a safe space with him. You talk about old vacations, funny moments, and what you both are up to these days. Neither of you mentions either of your failed relationships and you can’t keep the smile off of your face.

“Hey, we still have an hour until check-in. You wanna grab a bite or go to the beach or something?” he suggests.

“Are you sure they’re not waiting for us?” you counter, wondering if it’s a good idea to have a little moment with Nick all to yourself.

“I’d rather ask for forgiveness than permission. No pressure, just a suggestion,” he presses, taking a second to look over at you and smile that smile that has had you in a chokehold most of your life.

After thinking about it for all of five seconds, you agree to have lunch at Plum Pointe Kitchen. You enjoy a generous helping of Drunken Chicken nachos while Nick gets the VooDoo Shrimp PO’Boy. You share half of your meal, and Nick refuses to let you pay for anything.

Making your way to the Ocracoke Harbor Inn after lunch, you finally meet up with everyone. Dee is in mid-conversation with someone when she sees you and Nick pull up into the parking lot. She walks over to you and pulls you into a very tight embrace. It’s like everything was chaos before you got here.

“Oh my goodness, I am so glad you are here. How was the trip? Did you eat? Did Nick bore you? I’m sorry that I couldn’t come and meet you, but we had a little mishap with the reservation for the hotel and then I thought I left my wedding dress at home, and then we–”

You cut off Dee before she can work herself into a frenzy again, “Dee! Breathe. You’re gonna be fine, I promise. And is that Matthew? Introduce me already, would you?” you encourage, trying to get your friend’s mind off of the previous debacle and onto the man walking over.

Dee introduces you to Matthew and he charms you with the way he dotes on Dee. He seems like the type to be able to handle her rambling and intense emotions. How he looks at her while she speaks makes you miss having someone look at you like that.

“Well, it’s just about 3 o’clock now. Let’s get checked in and settled, then we can get together later?” Matthew chimes in.

“Sounds good,” Nick agrees, turning to you, “Go ahead and leave your stuff in my car. I’ll take you to your cottage after we are all checked in.” You nod, trying to hide your excitement. 

Once you are done with the receptionist, you get your key and the wifi password to your cottage. While waiting for everyone else to get done, you fiddle on your phone until Nick’s shadow looms over you. Looking up, you are greeted with his eyes no longer shielded by his sunglasses in the dim lobby.

“You ready, Gumdrop? We still have some time before Mom and Dad show up. And I think I remember Dee saying she would call when she was ready to go out,” he concludes, putting his hands in his pockets and rocking on his heels.

If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he was nervous about something. But you don’t push.

“All set,” you say, smiling up at him feeling bold enough to wrap your arm around his while you walk out of the lobby.

Dee shouts after you to behave yourselves and tense up a bit while Nick chuckles, seemingly amused by his sister’s thinly veiled comment on two single adults being close. Damn them.

Nick opens the passenger side door for you again, closing it once you are safely inside. He drives to the Margaritaville Cottage where he will stay with his parents during the trip. He instructs you to stay in the car while he just drops his bags off and is back outside in a few minutes.

The next stop is your cottage, called the Treasure Chest. You snicker at the name, thinking it sounded more like a pirate-themed strip joint. When Nick asks what you’re laughing about, you tell him your thoughts on the name of where you are staying. The slow smile that spreads on his face makes you involuntarily clench your thighs, wondering what his days-old stubble would feel like between your legs.

He tilts his head just slightly at you, then turns back to the road, smile still intact. Luckily the drive is short as the cottages are fairly close to one another. Nick parks in the driveway and you both get out and stretch your legs. He comes around and grabs your shoulder bag and luggage, motioning for you to lead the way.

Walking up the steps to the door, you unlock it and are welcomed by the scent of fresh linen. The central air of the cottage is just this side of perfect and you drop your purse on the dining room table. Turning around, you see Nick walking into a room off of the living room.

“Holy shit, you got a King-sized bed,” he shouts from the bedroom.

Walking in, you sit at the foot of the bed next to Nick and start to untie your shoes. He follows suit and turns to you biting his lip, a question at the tip of his tongue.

Facing him, you ask, “What? Do I have something on my face?” 

“No. I, uh...I’m surprised you haven’t asked yet,” he notes. At your confusion, he holds up his left ring finger. A band of untanned skin around the base clues you in that he’s talking about his divorce.

“Nicky, I would never make you talk about it. It can’t be easy in that situation. I mean, I only broke up with Curtis a few months ago and we were only together for six months. I couldn’t imagine how a divorce feels after how long you and Tori were together,” you insist, placing a hand on his knee.

He covers your hand with his and nods. “Mom and Dad are pretty good about it. They don’t ask me how I’m doing with that sad look in their eyes anymore. But Dee? Jesus, when I told her about the incident, she was out for blood. I had to end up calming her down. All because someone broke her big bro’s heart. Love her, but she can get a little carried away,” he finishes.

“This is not to make you feel like you need to share, but you mentioned “the incident” and now I’m curious. Feel free to tell me to shut the fuck up. But I caught Curtis with his tongue down another woman’s throat. I don’t know for sure how long it had been going on or if they had done anything else together, but I knew at that moment that I was done. I am worth more than that. And so are you, Nicky,” you encourage, feeling a bit of weight lift off your shoulders after finally talking about your breakup.

“My situation was similar. Tori had been cheating on me for the last two years of our marriage with her boss. I had a feeling something was up, just didn’t want to believe it was something like this,” he reveals, continuing, “But I am moving on, so to speak. I’m not holding out anymore for her to come crawling back to me with a sad story and all that. Even though I hope that she falls in a sinkhole.”

You both laugh and continue talking, taking your minds off of your breakups. You reminisce about all of the times you’ve stayed on the island during vacations. You giggle over dumb stories of you all as teens in high school, hiding weed from your parents and drinking on the beach til it was time to sneak back into the hotel.

You get an idea and you tell Nick to give you a minute before you go back into the living room to retrieve your purse. Coming back into the bedroom, you pull out a vape pen and wiggle it in front of Nick’s face, a devilish smirk on your lips.

“We’ll just take one hit each and we will be fine. Just a bit more mellow,” you offer, pulling him to the balcony off of the living room. You each occupy a wicker chair and you hand over the device.

“Gumdrop, you little devil,” he takes the pen from you and inhales, closing his eyes and holding the smoke in his lungs before letting it out. The smoke dissipates quickly and you can see the weight lift off of his shoulders. Handing it back to you, he exhales loudly and leans back in his chair.

Putting the tip in your mouth, you hit the button and inhale. Warm vapor fills you and you release the button, holding in the smoke for a beat and then letting it out toward the sky. You put the pen down on the table between you and fold your legs under you, letting your dress cascade down.

Sitting in companionable silence with Nick feels great. Neither of you feels the need to talk while you listen to the sounds of nature around you. People walking around the cottages, cars driving by, and the distant waves from Pamlico Sound make you wish you had gone to the beach earlier.

“Fuck, that was only one hit and I feel like my bones are made of jelly,” you remark, swaying to a song that isn’t playing with your eyes closed.

Nick looks over to you and smiles, “Must be jelly ‘cause jam don’t shake like that.”

You open your eyes and turn to him, your mouth twitches before you break out into uncontrollable laughter. Nick soon follows and you both are taken over by the giggles. You settle down soon enough, still feeling the buzzing calmness of being high.

“The world needs more people like you,” you beam.

“Nah, I like being unique,” he replies, his phone chiming. Picking up a video call from Dee, “Hey Sis.”

“Hey, me and Matt were gonna go for dinner and drinks, you in?” she asks.

“Yeah, that sounds...good,” Nick answers for himself while looking at you to get your answer.

“Ok, well get ready and meet us at Oyster Company. And tell my best friend that she is coming, no ifs, ands, or buts. See you both soon!” With that, she ends the call.

“So...our decision has been made for us. Do you need to change or anything?” Nick wonders, gesturing to your traveling attire.

“If I take this dress off, I am not going out. Besides, I like this dress. I think I look positively adorable. But I will change my shoes to something more comfortable,” you finish before Nick can comment on how he also likes your dress. You pick up the vape pen, make your way back to your luggage, and pull out some flat sandals.

Once you are ready, you make your way back outside and are surprised to see Dee and Matt parked on the street outside of your cottage. “We decided to pick you up. Matt is DD tonight, so we can all get a little loosey-goosey. Plus, I can always tell when Nick is high, so get in losers!”

Nick snorts, and you are mortified to be found out, but you quickly get over it once you are in the backseat of Matt’s Audi Q4. The short ride to the restaurant was spent with Nick’s left leg brushing against your right leg. He was either manspreading or he wanted to touch you and wanted to keep it under the radar.

Either way, you were excited to feel his warmth next to you.

When you make it to the restaurant, you sit at a high table and it almost feels like a double date. Especially when your waitress congratulates Dee and Matt on their wedding while remarking that you and Nick make a cute couple as well. Your face warms up and you suddenly feel like every eye is on you. 

Nick comes to your rescue, answering the waitress with a smile, “My girl’s a bit shy, is all. Can we get a pitcher of beer for the table to start? And also two shots of Crown Royal Vanilla for me and the little lady. Thanks.”

If it was possible, you would have melted through the floor and evaporated, but instead, you just hide behind the menu until Nick pokes his head in.

“That wasn’t to embarrass you, I swear. But I got nervous that she was gonna try and flirt with me, so I dragged you under the proverbial bus with me,” he admits, his lopsided smile only making you want him more.

“Fine. You’ll just have to make it up to me,” you warn, a devious grin appearing on your face. 

You put down your menu just as the waitress comes back with the drinks. Taking both shots, you hand one to Nick. Staring in each other’s eyes, you clink your shot glasses and then tap them on the table before taking the shot. The sweet burn of the liquor warms you from within while Nick’s eyes on you melt whatever nerves you had previously.

A cleared throat breaks your trance, your focus changing from Nick to Dee.

“I talked to Mom and Dad and they won’t get here ‘til Friday afternoon with the rest of the guests. Dad said he had a few things to take care of and not to worry. Of course, I worry tenfold because he told me not to,” Dee interjects, busying herself with pouring beer into her frosted glass.

“Baby, they’ll be here as soon as they can. Don’t you worry your pretty little head about anything,” Matt insists, moving a strand of hair away from Dee’s face before kissing her.

“Promise to keep me occupied?” she requests, a sinful smile on her face.

“I do,” he jokes, clearly proud of himself for making his fiancée blush.

“First of all, how dare you? Secondly, that was almost too cute so watch yourself,” she laughs.

You roll your eyes at the happy couple and smile, going back to looking over the menu. The waitress comes back to the table and takes your orders. Over the meal, you get to know Matt a bit more and you can see how Dee fell in love with him. He’s intelligent, funny, and charismatic. The way he talks about and to her makes you so happy to know your friend found love.

When they turn to talk to each other, you and Nick spark up a conversation about work. He tells you what he can about working for the government, keeping the specific details to himself. You regale him with stories of your time as a freelance writer. You’ve written for dozens of publications, but you just want to get your original works out there for people to enjoy. 

After mentioning a few pieces you wrote for GQ, Nick expressed interest in reading your articles. You try and downplay your skills, but he presses you for the links. Taking out your phone, you realize that you don’t have his number. 

While you exchange digits with Nick, you are too busy to notice Dee casting a sidelong glance and smiling to herself. You ramble on as you send him link after link of some of your favorites. With your face in your phone, you don’t notice the way Nick looks at you with a mix of pride and hunger.

“Well, I am ready to call it a night,” Dee yawns, getting everyone’s attention, “But I could use a nightcap. Who’s up for a trip to the ABC Store? We can make it before they close.”

Everyone agrees and after the check is paid, you all pile into Matt’s SUV for the quick drive to the liquor store. You browse the aisles for a bit by yourself. Filling up your basket with a bottle of wine, some whiskey, and a six-pack of hard seltzers, you surmise that this will sustain you for the week ahead and go in search of the others.

You find Nick in front of the beer cooler, hard at work trying to decide between a 12-pack of Sam Adams’ Cold Snap and Harpoon’s Long Thaw. You suggest he get both and he agrees.

Meeting Dee and Matt up at the front of the store, you stand next to Nick in line and he laughs at the contents of your shopping basket. He puts his beer up for the cashier to scan and has you do the same, paying for your items. 

A little piece of you feels taken care of and you thank him while continuing to tell him he doesn’t have to. He just shushes you and says you can make it up to him later. Before your mind can think about what that might entail, the sale is rung and bagged. Nick picks up the beer and you grab the bag of your things.

Nick asks Matt to just drop him off at your cottage since he left his car there. His cottage is literally next door, but you’re not exactly gonna deny yourself the company. Dee and Matt drive away and you turn back to Nick. You both laugh nervously and you surprise yourself by speaking up.

“So, um. I was gonna have a weed and whiskey moment to myself, but I’d be willing to share if you’re interested,” you hint, watching as he weighs his options. 

“Lead the way, Gumdrop,” he replies.

He follows you in, closing the door behind him. He puts his beer into the fridge along with your hard seltzer. You put the wine on the counter and take out the whiskey while Nick finds two short glasses in the cabinet. Pouring a generous amount in each one, he offers you a drink and you take a sip of the amber liquid. 

Letting the whiskey sit in your mouth, you savor the hints of vanilla and spice. You reach in your purse for your vape pen and take a hit of it before offering it to Nick. Taking a long pull off of the pen, he exhales and you watch as his shoulders relax. You both take another sip of whiskey and revel in the dual flavors of the weed and whiskey.

You take your glass and the bottle, moving onto the patio off of the living room, and sit down in one of the wicker chairs while Nick takes the other. The conversation comes easily enough. Mostly high thoughts and random memories come to mind. After a while, you put on some music and when 6 Underground by Sneaker Pimps comes on, you can’t help but dance in your chair.

Nick stares while you close your eyes and move your hands to the trip-hop classic. You spend the entire song moving to the downtempo beat and enjoying your crossfade. The trance you were under slowly dissipates as the song ends and Pendulum by FKA Twigs starts.

When you open your eyes, Nick is pulling you to stand up. You’re lost as to what he is doing until his hands go to yours, pulling them to rest around his neck while he holds your hips. As the song continues, you follow his slow lead and sway to the intimate and mesmerizing indie hit.

🎶

You're younger than I am broken

I dance feelings like they're spoken

So my conversation's not enough

So lonely trying to be yours

Running through sliding doors

So lonely trying to be yours

When you're looking for so much more

🎶

By the time the song ends, the heat between you is unmistakable. Your hand tangles in his hair when he pulls you impossibly closer. Mere centimeters separate your lips. All you would need is to lean just one step closer and you’d finally get to taste his kiss.

Nick beats you to it and his hands pull your face to his, crashing your lips together. You can’t hold back the moan that escapes your lips and he swallows it adding in his own grunts and groans. Kiss after kiss, you radiate carnality and passion. 

Breaking the kiss, you watch as he licks his puffy bottom lip. You take in a breath of air and prepare to dive back in but Nick voices his thoughts.

“You are gonna be the death of me, Gumdrop,” he sighs, and at your brows furrowing he continues, “You’ve only been back in my life for a day and I’m already thinking of ways to keep you in it. Don’t hate me, but I think we should chill out, just for tonight. I swear, if you still want this by tomorrow night, I am all yours. But you better be all mine. Please, tell me you can wait for me?”

“Tomorrow night and you’re all mine?” you plead, and he nods.

“Less than 24 hours, baby. Show me that these feelings aren’t just from the substances in our system,” he insists, and you wanna fuck him even more now after he says that.

You nod and he speaks up, “Need to hear your words, baby, like a big girl.”

“Fuck...yes, I can wait. I can wait for you, Nicky,” you whimper and he rests his forehead against yours. 

“That’s my good girl,” he praises, lifting his head from yours, “Now, why don’t we call it a night before I go back on my word? You look so good in this dress and I really wanna be good.”

Agreeing with him, you clean up your empty glasses and move the bottle to the counter next to the wine. Nick pulls you into him one last time, snaking a hand down to your ass and grabbing a hefty portion of it before a hardy slap lands on your left cheek. He only snickers at your yelp and nibbles on your bottom lip. 

“Keep that same energy for me because tomorrow I’m not holding back,” he vows, and if you weren’t leaning into him, your legs would’ve surely buckled. If he notices the tremble go through your body, he makes no mention of it and for that you are grateful.

“Goodnight, Nicky,” you hum.

“Sleep tight, Gumdrop. And do me a favor?” he challenges, at your nod he continues, “Save it for me. I’m gonna take care of you tomorrow, so no need to touch that kitty tonight, right?”

You let out the breath you didn’t know you were holding, “Right.”

He leaves and once the door is closed, you lean back against it, your hand going to your neck where your pulse is playing a sick beat against your skin.

Less than 24 hours, you think. You got this.

That night, you dream of grayish-blue eyes and large hands roaming your body.

January 21st, 2024 – Day Two 

You wake just before 10:30 am and are greeted with a good morning text from Nick. He lets you know that he is taking you out, just the two of you. Since Dee and Matt are enjoying a couple’s spa package, he figures it would only be right to hit some of your favorite places on the island.

You are dressed and out the door by noon. Nick takes you to pick up lunch at Taqueria 504 Suazo’s and you drive out to rent a Jeep Gladiator at for a few hours to drive on the beach. One of the best things about this island is that everything is so close. After 5 minutes, you are at your destination. 

Nick drives out a ways past the other people enjoying the off-season and stops about a minute after the last two fishermen you see. Guess he wanted a secluded spot, you think to yourself. While you get the food, Nick grabs the beach chairs and umbrella that he rented. The ocean breeze is agreeable enough, but you are glad that you brought a thin sweater to keep the chill off.

Once you sit down, you hand over Nick’s food and he digs into his burrito while you munch on your fish tacos. When your meal is finished, Nick puts your leftovers in the Gladiator and lets down the truck bed. He beckons you over and helps you sit on the edge and he climbs up and sits next to you while you both look at the water.

“Ya know, the last time we came out here I was just finishing my third year at Virginia Tech. You and Dee were seniors. I remember hoping upon hope that you would apply to VT and I remember you telling me you were accepting a scholarship from Princeton. I just sucked it up and congratulated you. Even though I was hoping you would understand why I wanted you close, I was so proud of you for venturing off on your own. You were always one to go after what you wanted. I just couldn’t stop wanting to be what you wanted,” he confesses, looking off into the water.

“I wanted you, Nicky. Trust me, I did. But I was so afraid that I had a dumb little crush on someone who would never see me as someone other than his little sister’s best friend. The last time I saw you, I thought it was right to push away the idea of you ever having feelings for me. I also may have been afraid of what Dee would say. She’s kind of protective over both of us, ya know?” you finish.

“That girl can be a vicious little thing when she wants to,” he chuckles, shaking his head, “But don’t you think it’s kind of a sign that she had me pick you up from the ferry? And how suddenly today, we have a free schedule to do whatever we want together? I know my sister, and she’s done this before. She matched me up with my high school girlfriend, Beth.”

“Ugh, Beth with the braces and bangs. I used to call her Triple B behind your back. I hated her so much,” you mutter, trying to push the image of them kissing out of your mind.

“Yeah, well. I knew you hated her, but me being an idiot teenager didn’t exactly know that meant you liked me. I just thought you didn’t like her because she was kind of a bitch. She was plenty nice to me, but she could be...a little scary, at times,” he laughs, surprising himself.

“So...you think Dee would be ok with...this?” you say, gesturing between the two of you.

“I just think there is no way she would let us be alone together if she wasn’t halfway hoping it would work out,” he guesses, “Plus, honestly? We’re adults. We’re allowed to go after what makes us happy.”

A slow smile spreads across your face and you pull Nick in for a kiss. You don’t want to jinx it but he makes you happy too. The way he looks at you like you hung the moon, the way he listens to you and asks questions and the way he kisses you? 

It just has to be real.

Packing up your beach equipment, you head back to drop off everything. Getting back into his SUV, you head around the island and view some of the sights. You go shopping and pick up some new knick knacks to take home. Visiting the lighthouse, you take some photos and make sure to bring Dee and Matt here before you leave the island.

Since most of the island’s restaurants are closed on Sundays, you venture to Ocracoke Variety Store and opt for cooking dinner together. After you have all the ingredients you need for a simple fish fry, you head back to your cottage and you and Nick get your hands dirty.

You have him cutting up potatoes for steak fries while you are preparing the batter for the fish. When dinner is ready, you sit at the dining room table with soft music playing in the background. While Nick wanted to take you out for your first date, he could appreciate the quiet setting with just the two of you enjoying each other’s company.

Finishing your meal, Nick takes your hand and kisses your knuckles. You smile and warmth radiates in your cheeks. You hate to admit it, but you wish you had a little liquid courage right now. But the nerves you feel only cement that this is happening.

He pulls you up from your seat, the hunger in his eyes evident from his blown-wide pupils. Leading you into the bedroom, he stops just short of the end of the bed. Standing behind you as you face the bed, he runs his hands down your bare arms and whispers in your ear.

“I cannot wait to take you apart, Gumdrop. But,” he starts, turning you around to face him, “First, I just want to take my time and worship this beautiful body I know you’re hiding from me.”

If he wasn’t holding you up, you would have melted into the carpet. But he’s there with firm hands and a gentle grip. Helping you out of your dress, he lays it on the chair in the corner. Coming back, he admires the white lace bra and panty set that accentuates your body shape.

His lips come back to yours, tasting your desire and wantonness with every kiss. Wrapping an arm around you, he guides you to lay back on the bed while maintaining the liplock. He kisses down your neck and across your collarbone while his hand unclasps your bra and removes it from your body.

Laying a kiss between your breasts draws a quick inhale from you. You can tell he’s proud of himself when he looks up at you while he licks one pert nipple, the other between his thumb and forefinger. He sucks on it as if he could siphon gold from your tits. Switching to the other, he gives it the same attention. 

The noises that come from him as he plays with your breasts are enough to make you shiver. He whimpers when you moan and throw your head back. He groans when he kisses down your belly, stopping to look up at you before he plants a quick kiss upon your covered mound.

He pulls down your panties at such an agonizing speed. Nick has to squeeze his dick through his pants when a string of your wetness stretches from your pussy to your underwear. Spreading your legs apart, he feasts on the view of your lips opening like a flower before him.

He wanted to go slow, he really did. But once he flattens his tongue and licks up from your entrance to your swollen nub, he is mesmerized by the taste of you. He goes back and forth between sucking on your button and lapping up whatever nectar drips from you. You can feel yourself inching toward the finish line, and he is right there to talk you through it.

“Fuck...you taste like Heaven...that’s right, baby...let go and cum for me like a good girl,” he commands between licks and kisses.

You’re nothing if not a good listener and seconds later, your walls are clamping around his fingers. You’ve never cum like this before and it washes over you like a warm waterfall. He removes his fingers from your wet opening and sucks them clean before moving up the bed to kiss you.

Tasting yourself on his tongue, you are beyond turned on. You tug at the hem of his shirt and he sits up to pull it off. Running your hands over his chest, you pull at the button of his pants.

“Use your words,” he urges, his hands stopping yours from moving further.

“Need to feel you, Nick. Please fuck me,” you beg, all thoughts gone from your head.

“There’s my good girl,” he replies, standing up from the bed to undress fully. Climbing back on the bed, he kneels between your legs. He strokes himself slowly, eight inches of uncut cock staring you in the face. He squeezes the base and you can tell he is just as excited as you are.

You crook a finger at him and once again, he is on top of you. With nothing between you, you’re impossibly close and you only want to get closer. Your hand soon finds his erection and he hisses at the contact, groaning when you stroke him.

He leans on one forearm while his other hand guides his tip between your lips, gathering some of your slick before entering you. You both groan loudly once he is fully settled inside you. 

“You good, baby?” he asks, anxious to start moving his hips.

“God, yes. Fuck me, Nicky,” you plead, feeling so full when you arch your back.

Foregoing words, Nick retracts his hips and thrusts into you. The wet squelch as he fucks you is music to your ears, just like the way he tells you how beautiful you are in between kisses. He uses your breasts as handholds while he pummels your snatch.

The way he looks into your eyes while he plunges inside you excites you so much that you don’t even notice when a tear escapes your eye. He kisses it away, trailing his lips to your neck where he sucks at your pulse point. At this point, you couldn't care less about a hickey. You just want to be his.

Your next orgasm surprises you and you squeeze his cock from the inside, coating him in your cream. 

“Good girl, coming all over my fucking dick. Feels so fucking good when you tighten around me like that. You are taking me so well, Gumdrop. Yes. You. Are,” he grunts, punctuating the last three words with deep thrusts inside you.

Flipping you over so you are on top, Nick grabs your hips and you start to ride him. You bounce on his cock like it’s the last time you get to fuck. By the mewls coming from him, you are doing it just right.

You feel another climax on its way, slowly building up in your core. Nick swats your hand away when you go to rub your clit. He licks his thumb and massages your neglected pearl until you are unable to hold it in any longer. The dual stimulation is too much and you gush, soaking Nick’s abdomen and your thighs.

“Oh fuck, baby. Such a good fucking girl for me. You must want my cum inside you with the way you’re...riding my dick. Shit, baby, I’m gonna blow. Where do you want it, baby?” he asks, you reply by doubling down on your hip motions.

“Right there, Nicky. Cum inside me, please,” you implore breathlessly.

“Yes, baby. Gonna cum for you, gonna fill you up so good. Ugh, fuck, here it comes,” he whimpers, his hold on your hips so tight to keep you close to him. 

You feel every twitch of his cock, his muscles pulling taut across his arms and chest as he floods your canal. Your name on his lips as he comes down is a badge of honor. Yes, you did that shit.

He pulls you down to kiss him, shallow thrusts keeping him semi-hard before he pulls out. He lays you down next to him, cuddling you close and kissing your forehead. You start to fall asleep but you can feel Nick moving off the bed. Your hand shoots out to grab for him, but he shushes you.

He goes into the bathroom and you hear the faucet running before he comes out with a wet washcloth. Wiping down your sensitive folds, he takes care of you so well. Putting the washcloth back in the bathroom, he comes back and helps you get under the covers and he snuggles in with you.

With your arms and legs entangled in one another, you drift off peacefully.

January 22nd – January 26th 2024 

The days before the wedding are spent enjoying the island with Nick, Dee, and Matt before the other guests arrive. More than once, Dee has cornered both you and Nick, asking embarrassing questions. You both say nothing, feigning ignorance even though Nick has moved into your cottage over the week, abandoning the cottage that he was supposed to share with his parents.

That being said, once his parents do finally make it to the island, he doesn’t even try and act like he isn’t staying with you. The smile on his father’s face says it all, he approves. His mother is far too preoccupied with getting everyone together for the wedding rehearsal to notice anything. 

That is until she catches you and Nick making heart eyes at each other as you stand in for the Bride and Groom in rehearsal. Yes, it was a bit too soon to be playing Wedding Day with a man whose divorce is less than 100 days old.

But when you know, you know.

At dinner, you excuse yourself to go to the bathroom and you don’t notice Nick following after you. Before you can enter the ladies’ room, a hand on your arm pulls you into the nearby gender-neutral bathroom.

You turn around and are met with hungry eyes before he descends upon you. Turning you around to face the mirror, he puts your hands on the sink and sinks to his knees, his hands roaming under your dress and up your legs until he pulls down your panties. He pulls out his already hard dick and pumps himself a few times before sliding inside you.

“Don’t fucking move, baby. Keep looking at yourself in the mirror, and your hands stay right where they are. You thought you could get away with teasing me in this tight fucking dress,” he breathes, “I want you to watch yourself while I fuck you til you’re dripping for me like the good girl I know you can be.”

When he places his hands on your hips, he begins a steady pace. He watches you in the mirror as your orgasm takes you over without warning. You squeeze him, your walls fluttering and coaxing him to follow you when you cover him in your juices.

But he surprises you when he pulls out and pulls your panties back up. When you turn around to ask why, he only kisses you and whispers in your ear, “I’ll get mine later, don’t you worry.” That only fills you with a little dread, your legs still wobbly as Nick tucks himself away and straightens his outfit. “Can’t have them knowing I just got my dick wet, right baby? See you back out there.” 

He exits the bathroom and leaves you with slick running down your legs and your brain falling out of your ears. And he’s worried about you being the death of him?

You straighten yourself and use the bathroom for its intended purpose. Once back in the banquet hall, you pray to any god who will listen that you don’t look like you just got some dick. You see Nick and Matt in a conversation like he’d been here the whole time. When Dee asks why you look flustered, you lie and say you’re just a bit tired.

Nick overhears you talking to Dee and interjects himself into the conversation, “Why don’t we go get some fresh air? Don’t worry, Sis, I’ll take care of her.” Helping you out of your chair, you both say goodnight to those at dinner.

Nick takes you back to the cottage, pulling you behind him as he walks out onto the balcony. Crashing his lips to yours, his hands scrunch up the fabric of your dress until you feel the night air chill your skin. 

“Hands on the railing, baby,” he says, peeling your soaked panties from you.

Nick’s pushing inside you in the next breath and it’s like he belonged there all along. Holding onto your hips, he begins his onslaught. All you can do is hold yourself up and be happy that no one is walking down this road because fuck they would be able to see you getting absolutely railed without abandon.

Your grip on the railing is faltering as he slams into you and he takes pity on you. He uses the grip on your hips to pull you back so you sit on his lap while he sits in the wicker chair. He moves you up and down on his dick while saying the filthiest things to you.

Once your climax hits, his pace falters and he thrusts up into you. His tip hits your cervix as he pumps you full. He holds you against him and kisses up your neck as you lay back on his chest. For a few moments, all you both can do is breathe and caress each other.

His dick slips free of you and you feel his load dripping from your thoroughly used hole. 

“Come with me back to Virginia,” he whispers, surprising both of you, “Don’t say no just yet. Think about it. We don’t leave for a couple of days. I have not been this happy in a very long while and I think I make you happy too. Just think about it, Gumdrop.”

A million things go through your head at the thought of giving up your life in New Jersey. This was a big step after only a week of playing house. Your brain comes up with so many what-ifs and reasons to not leap. But then one thought sticks, and you smile.

When you know, you know.

January 27th, 2024 – Wedding Day

You were never a big crier, but you shed many tears watching your childhood best friend marry the love of her life. It fills you with hope that everything does happen for a reason. While listening to their vows, you wonder if you could ever make that type of commitment. At that moment, Nick squeezes your hand and you smile up at him. Like he could read your mind, he seems to always know what to do to give you comfort.

Then again, he has known you most of his life. And when you think about it, it has always been him. A distant memory replays in your head of him simply putting a band-aid on your skinned knee when you were nine and he was twelve. Even then, he was there for you with a smile and a friendly hug.

The wedding reception is an all-out party but you expect nothing less from the Fowlers. The music, the food, and the atmosphere are perfect. Dee enjoys herself and is just happy to be married to Matt. And you are so happy for her, to see her without a care in the world. 

Nick focuses on you the entire night, making sure you are comfortable and that you have everything you need. You sit in his lap, effectively confirming any rumors that may have spread about you two. His hand on your knee is warm and you want to sneak out of here and take him to the nearest closet. But he doesn’t let you move an inch once he has you in his clutches.

The wedding photographer snaps a pic of you squealing when Nick plants a sloppy kiss on your cheek. The guests around you simultaneously swoon and groan, depending on their relationship status. Not that you care, you had your man. That’s all that matters.

After the wedding, you and Nick sneak off to a secluded area of the beach to look up at the stars. Taking off your shoes, you don’t mind the sand between your toes. You spend most of the night on the beach, just enjoying each other’s company under the moon. 

You are lucky enough to see a few shooting stars, and you can’t stop yourself from making a wish or two. Wondering if Nick made a wish, you open your mouth to ask him but close it just as quickly. You know his wish already and only you could make it come true.

Coming back to the cottage is bittersweet. The last night of your vacation is spent lying naked with Nick. No sex, just intimate cuddling. You loved how safe you felt in his arms, and you couldn’t deny yourself this feeling.

January 28th, 2024

You’re nervous all morning and Nick tries his best to keep your mind off leaving the island. But all you want to do is spend all day in bed with him.

Saying goodbye to Dee that day is full of teary-eyed hand-holding, and you wouldn’t have it any other way. You hug her mother and father and thank them for inviting you. 

Nick drives you to the ferry, thinking for all the world that this is the last time he will see you. But like you continue to do, you surprise him when he’s helping you with your bags.

“So, I have some things to clear up in Jersey, but I was thinking Valentine’s Day is just a couple of weeks away. You can come to my place and we can spend some time together. I may not be ready to move 7 hours away just yet. But I know that I am not ready to be without you. I want you to know that I want this, whatever this is,” you admit, gesturing between the two of you.

“I can be amenable to that. On one condition,” he offers, taking your hands in his.

“And what is that one condition, Nicky?” you press, wondering what else he could want or if your terms weren’t enough.

“When we are with each other again, I get to call you my girl. That’s it. Be mine, and all that?” he laughs, watching as the frown lines on your forehead disappear and a smile grows on your face.

“You had me for a second, Nicky. But, why wait? I’m all yours already. Plus, I’ve already planted my flag in your back pocket,” you tease, snaking your hand around to goose him.

“So that would make me your man, then? And you’re my girl. Makes me wanna ask what made you decide to try this with me?” he hesitates, half wanting an answer and the other half just happy that you said yes.

“Hey, like I always say,” you start, wrapping your arms around his neck, “When you know, you know.”

END…?

A/N: All of the places in this story are real, this is not an advertisement for Ocracoke Island, NC btw. I just loved vacationing here so much, that I wanted to use it in a story lol.

**Tag List** (since I never wrote for Nick, I didn't know who else to tag)

@gummydummy19 @blackwood4stucky

Let me know if you wanna be added (or removed) 😁

My BINGO Card:

[thebendsbyradiohead]

on the eve of the thing that is absolutely NOT going to happen, i took the time to make a playlist for our beloved Claudia de Lioncourt/de Pointe du Lac and her journey through this season.

WE LOVE YOU ALIVE GIRL YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS!!!!! 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

you can listen to the playlist here on spotify, but i've also added the tracklist below if anyone wants to recreate it for themselves on youtube or any other platform

1. Wasted Life Blues - Bessie Smith 2. A Burning Hill - Mitski 3. Break Stuff - K. Flay 4. Free - Florence + The Machine 5. What Have They Done To My Song, Ma - Nina Simone 6. Mad - Solange (ft. Lil Wayne) 7. Fetch The Bolt Cutters - Fiona Apple 8. All Apologies - Sinead O’Connor 9. Breaking Down - Florence + The Machine 10. Doll Parts - Hole 11. Figure 8 - Paramore (Re: Bartees Strange) 12. Your Age - Rina Sawayama 13. Raw Raw - K.Flay 14. Devotion - Arlo Parks 15. LUNCH - Billie Eilish 16. I’m a Fool to Want You - Billie Holiday 17. Don’t Wish Me Well - Solange 18. Last Words of a Shooting Star - Mitski 19. Look What They’ve Done To My Song, Ma - Melanie Bonus: 20. Last Day on Earth - beabadoobee

i'm so happy i managed to create an all female artist playlist lol, granted there are two male features but i like to imagine lil wayne's part in mad as a convo with louis. also it's supposed to be listened to in order & it's more or less ordered chronologically so every 3 songs or so represent an episode

[yvain]

What Have You Done to Solange? 1972 | dir. Massimo Dallamano

[vargskelegore]

i want you around. || hbcu!shuri x black!reader

author’s note: big shoutout to @erensslut for this idea! i had a lot of fun writing this, between getting the perfect music to go with it and overall imagining myself as reader while i did this. truly a fun experience and i hope y’all enjoy this :)

requests: slightly slow on getting to them since i’m getting sent so many. apologies!

warnings: smoking.

word count: 1,185

you were doing one of your many nightly study sessions. your roommate was out for the night yet again, on a date with some dude that wasn’t even from your school. nonetheless, you had the dorm to yourself, and you used it to have a study and smoke session.

you had the place exactly how you wanted it. led’s on red, music playing as loud as you wanted, smoking a blunt you got from your roommate for the evening-- it was all so lovely. calm. you actually were getting your work done for the first time in a week, and you were glad.

there was so much going on this school year you couldn’t even focus. one of those things was shuri. since she arrived, your attention had only been on her. you didn’t even realize it until your roommate pointed it out.

you definitely thought about it while you studied. was it seriously that obvious? i mean, you definitely had a crush on her, but why would shuri ever like you back? she was the princess of wakanda, and seeing all the attention she got on campus definitely taught you that she could have anyone she wanted and not just some broke college student who probably won’t get a job with her major since that’s the way society was.

but you kept studying. you didn’t want to overthink on a good night where you could chill.

but then there was a knock. and this knock just contradicted everything from before, because once the person on the other side realized the door was unlocked, they let themselves in.

it was shuri. who else would it be? she walked in, looking down to see you on the floor.

“y/n? i tried texting you earlier and you didn’t respond.” a cough escaped her lips shortly after her sentence. realizing you were smoking, she hesitated a bit, not wanting to ruin anything for you.

“oh-- hey shuri, i didn’t realize you texted, i was.. studying.” you muttered, realizing you weren’t dressed properly. but it wasn’t new to shuri at this point. she thought you looked pretty regardless.

shuri smiled at you before she sat down, crossing her legs in apple sauce style. you’d be lying if you said she didn’t look good right now. sweatpants and a tank top. it was so basic but it showed off her physique. she wasn’t lying when she said she got a lot of exercise back in wakanda, even if she was more of a brains kind of person.

as you two sat there, it was pure silence. just the sound of music filling the room. the playlist would go from summer walker, to the internet, to solange, erykah badu, sza, and so on.

it was silence until shuri suddenly asked you, “..can i help you with your homework? i’m interested.”

you agreed since extra help was lovely. shuri was a big help while you felt yourself getting more and more zoned out.

it was all fun and games until shuri began just staring at you. you didn’t even notice how her glance was so lustful. so deeply full of emotion. her eyes went in a rotation from looking at your neck, to your jawline, and finally your lips.

your lips had her in a trance. the way you inhaled and exhaled what you were smoking. it was mesmerizing.

after twenty minutes, she suddenly spoke up. she was definitely gaining the courage to ask, because her palms began sweating and getting clammy.

“..can i try?” it was obvious what she was referring to. the blunt in your delicate fingers. it almost looked like you were too innocent to have something like that in your hands, and she adored it.

you turned to look at her. your gaze towards her was so obviously woozy. but you looked pretty to her regardless.

you stared at her for a while before smirking, an idea in your mind.

“mm.. you wanna try something with me? i’ve been wanting to do it for a while, but never had anybody to try it with.” you smiled, and watched as shuri smiled back, excited with a nod.

“of course.. what do you want me to do?” shuri was adorable, always ready to do whatever was requested of her. you could feel that loyalty trait that was just embedded into her.

“whenever i release this smoke, i want you to inhale it. can you do that?” you were so bold whenever you were high. shotgunning? you were always too shy to do that, even with your ex boyfriends from freshman year. what made shuri so different?

not like that question mattered enough to ask, because before you knew it, you were beginning to inhale.

she watched you like a hawk. the gaze she was giving you was more than a friendly glance. but when you finally exhaled, she almost immediately inhaled as soon as she saw one puff of that smoke. she exhaled through her nose, the sight being gorgeous because of the way she was staring at you.

the staring between you and her was getting to be so intense, and you two just continued this wordless but still talkative conversation through smoke.

the space between you two was closing faster than y’all realized, because before you knew it, you two got so close from this continuous smoking, that your bottom lips were touching.

this contact lasted for a while. there was a part in both of your minds that was sending sirens to back away because the other was straight-- that was far from the truth.

then it happened.

your top lip met with hers, and you two began to move in sync after that.

both of you had moisturized your lips before this-- whether it was just pure coincidence or a subconscious plan, it didn’t matter. you two were finally kissing after all this time and couldn’t even stop.

you could feel it getting heated, but she pulled away before you so she could take a breath.

you stared at her long and hard after that. it was awkward for a moment, before shuri spoke.

“..i take it you enjoyed it?” she was a bit nervous and you could tell, but you nodded and that gave her reassurance.

“i uh.. yeah. yeah i did. thank you for.. well, that.” you laughed a bit, and so did she.

the room was only filled with music again. you two stayed that way until she spoke up again.

“it’s getting late.. i’ll definitely see you after your class tomorrow, right?” the hope in her voice- how eager it was, was enough to get you excited.

“yeah! i mean.. um, yeah, of course. i’d never miss a day.” you calmed yourself down as you watched her get up and walk over do the door.

as she got to your door, leaning on the frame yet again (it was common for her at this point and never failed to make you weak), she smirked at you.

“let me know when you wanna do this again.”

and without another word, she was gone.

-

taglist (it’s very short right now, please comment if you want to be in my taglist for shuri imagines and headcanons!): @lovelyaliengirl​​

[onbearfeet]

WIP Wednesday: Bloodstone, LLC

In this excerpt from an upcoming WBN story, Elsa explains the facts of supernatural life to her new clients, Laurel and Solange. After she's made them sign NDAs, of course. (BTW, Laurel is Elsa's ex-gf and Solange is Laurel's wife.)

*

On to business, she decided, before she embarrassed herself. She held out the envelope to Laurel. “I’ll need the both of you to sign these before we begin.”

Laurel dropped Solange’s hand to take the package. “What’s this?”

“Non-disclosure agreements,” Elsa said, keeping her tone carefully level. “Just routine, you understand.”

“Routine for who?” Solange asked, arching a perfect eyebrow.

“Me,” Elsa replied. “My team’s safety is my responsibility. They’re good people, and they’ll do their best to help you, but let’s just say the world is not kind to … unusual people … and we prefer to fly under the radar.”

Laurel had slid the sheaf of papers out and was speed-reading them. “This says we’re not allowed to discuss any personal details of the employees of Bloodstone, LLC, other than you.”

“Well, someone has to take the blame on Yelp,” Elsa said. “And my name’s on the paperwork.”

Solange skimmed the page in Laurel’s hand, then gave Elsa a long, measuring look. “Mutants?” she asked.

“Is that a problem?” Elsa replied, a little too sweetly.

“Hell, no,” Solange said, and unclipped the pen from inside the envelope.

“Splendid,” Elsa drawled as they signed. Then, under her breath, she muttered, “Not a word, boys. I’ll explain later.”

“What was that?” Solange asked.

“Nothing,” Elsa said. “All done?”

“All done!” Laurel handed the stack of pages back to her, now adorned with two sets of signatures.

“Excellent. Thank you.” Elsa stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled sharply.

The back doors of the van swung open.

Barnes was the first one out, visibly scanning the house and the nearest treeline, and she could just imagine the furious whispered argument that had led to that, because he was striding across the driveway with his rolling infantryman’s walk before the front passenger door had so much as clicked open. Jack’s boots hit the ground next, and he trotted around the front of the van, his green twill jacket flapping in the breeze as he hurried to catch up to Barnes despite his slightly shorter legs.

Then Ted stepped out of the van, rising to his full red-eyed height against the golden sky as the van’s suspension creaked and settled back into its old configuration, and Laurel and Solange stopped breathing.

Elsa slid the NDAs back into the envelope with a snap, just as a reminder.

“Ladies,” Barnes said as he came to a military-precise stop a step behind Elsa. She didn’t have to look at him to know he had cracked his movie-star smile at them, and she stifled the urge to elbow him.

Jack arrived a heartbeat later with a cheerful, “Good afternoon!”, and whatever he was doing with his face made Laurel blush.

Elsa silently gave up all hope of retaining professional dignity. “Laurel Westfield, Solange Vinton, may I introduce my team. Jim here,” she bobbed her head toward Barnes as she used his chosen pseudonym (which was only a pseudonym for people who knew he disliked that version of his actual name, Jesus Christ, Barnes), “is our logistics and operations master. Jack,” she indicated the werewolf currently giving them a cheerful wave, “is our ritual expert,” she took a deep breath, “and Ted handles everything else.”

Ted gave an amiable rumble.

“Ted,” Solange repeated.

“Ted,” Elsa agreed, and lifted her packet of NDAs a little higher against her chest, holding them like she would a powerful grimoire.

Ted burbled.

“He says it’s lovely to meet you,” Jack translated.

“What do you do?” Solange asked, turning her face toward Elsa but flicking her eyes back toward Ted.

“Health and safety,” Elsa said blandly. “And marketing.”

She heard the little choking noise Jack made, but no one else seemed to react.

[fawntarot999]

What is your new 2023 aesthetic? 💁‍♀️👑💄

Close your eyes and take a deep breath, then pick a pile 🔮 don’t think too much 💋

Decks ~ Mystic Mondays Tarot, Fyodor Pavlov Tarot, The Herbiary Oracle, Rider-Waite Tarot, Rebel Deck Oracle, Tarot of the Cat People

Pictures are from Pinterest, I do not own them

Pile I ~ Jackie

King of Cups, 2 of Wands rx, 8 of Pentacles, 3 of Swords, 7 of Pentacles, Rose, Fool rx, Tower rx, Fucking Apologize, Blank

Hahahaha, okay Jackie you got hurt and now your coming back with a vengeance, huh? It’s real though. It’s not a fake bad bitch energy, it’s an actual prosperity energy. Let’s think Megan Fox aesthetic. 2023 is the year in which you should begin to pursue your creative desires more passionately and in more of a business sense. Stop planning and thinking so much and go get it because the energy is there to turn your emotions into art into money. You were deeply hurt last year. Heartbroken. Some of you were cheated on. This year is your restart. This is the year you’re done playing a fool and waiting for more bad events to happen. It’s the year you start over and learn how to crack open and be beautifully in sync with your emotions. Your challenge this year is forgiving yourself and practicing self care. Forgive yourself and apologize to everyone you’ve wronged. You’re literally being given a blank slate (your last card is blank) and all I hear in my head is “the rest is unwrittennnn”. Single, making money, being creative, bad bitch energy, reds, pinks, oranges, THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER THIS YEAR!

Spirit Shuffle ~ Both Sides of the Moon by Celeste, WYTYNM by Miles Monaco, Junie by Solange, 6000 degrees by $hyfromdatre, my strange addiction by Billie Eilish

Pile II ~ Skate

Queen of Swords, Lovers, Justice, Chickweed, Tulsi, Justice, Knight of Swords, Don’t Fucking Force It, Temperance, Page of Pentacles

Damn, Skate, ain’t shit slidin by you this year. You’re calling bitches out left, right, and center. This is that “don’t lie to me, I’ll know” energy. Some of you might be feeling emotionally detached as well. I’m seeing an alignment of many things here: being brutally honest and just with others, discovering your own self worth, and this cute little academia bookworm vibe that would be so cute on you this year. I keep seeing the cover of Khalid’s first album as like an aura or energy for you guys this year. I’m seeing a lot of you might be in school or even law school this year. Some of you might be getting a divorce. This is a good fresh energy for that and it feels very positive. This year feels like a “that girl” energy: focused on school or learning, truth, and reading of some kind, and really discovering what it means to have a self love relationship with yourself. The only thing is sometimes you have a tendency to force things or move too quickly. This year is about learning how to let life flow naturally, let things come to you, practice the law of attraction, and find abundance from a place of calm. I’m so excited for you, Skate. This year you will learn how sacred you are.

Spirit Shuffle ~ Sick Shit by Together Pangea, I’m That Type of N**** by The Pharcyde, Brain Soup by Nasty Cherry, Sugar Honey Iced Tea (S.H.I.T.) by Princess Nokia, THERAPY! by Lauren Sanderson

Pile III ~ Cig

Justice rx, 5 of Pentacles rx, Quaking Aspen, Daisy, 2 of Swords, You’re The Shit, Drop The Fucking Ego rx, Empress rx, Rejuvenation (Judgement)

This year you are coming into yourself, Cig. This is your “don’t fuck with me” year. You’re upsetting the scales this year, Cig, and you don’t care anymore who’s mad about it. You’ve been rejected and neglected and had love withheld from you. You’re over that shit. This is some powerful energy and it’s giving “I don’t care what you think about me anymore”. You are learning how to be yourself. You have been the peacekeeper for too long. You’ve been making compromises for others for too long. It’s always a choice between being who you really are and receiving love and resources. You are learning that you SHOULD have an ego because guess what, you’re the fucking shit, Cig. You are learning to integrate the masculine side of you. This could be finding your voice and speaking out, exploring gender and sexuality, or finally feeling enough autonomy to make choices for yourself. When you can employ this masculine side of you, you will feel truly expressed, fulfilled, and reborn. I thought this reading was gonna be light but I think this year is gonna be really transformative for you, Cig. And it will happen through your own choices and agency. You are already perfect 🪷

Spirit Shuffle ~ cat scratch by Dua Saleh, No Effort by Princess Nokia, Recipe! by Jean Deaux, Moody! by Jean Deaux, fxck it then by Yaya Bey

[uzumaki-rebellion]

"King Killmonger: The Golden Jaguar" Chapter 4

Need to catch up? Masterlist HERE.

"Fall in your ways so you can crumble

Fall in your ways so you can sleep at night

Fall in your ways so you can wake up and rise"

Solange—"Rise"

N'Jadaka stood close to Yani. She had backed herself against the library reading table that faced a window and he stayed rooted in front of her. The shimmer of tears in her eyes compelled him to cradle her cheek with comforting reassurance. His ire was not with her at all. She accepted his touch and her face became smooth like untroubled water. Her kimoyo beads displayed the blank avatar. They both watched Lady Ime's Image appear.

Peach pit hard brown eyes encased inside a charming oval face peered back at them.

"King N'Jadaka…"

Ime pried her eyes off of Yani's dour expression and lowered her head at him.

"Why were you trying to contact my fiancé so late?" he said with cold vigor.

"Forgive me Your Highness. I have been unable to reach Princess Yani through her team, so I asked a favor—"

"From whom?"

His tone rendered Ime speechless. She didn't lift her eyes to meet his at all. Her evasiveness oozed through the transmission.

"Was it your fiancé, Ramatla?" he asked.

Ime raised her head and tried to look pleasant. Her voice stayed steady.

"Yes. I took a chance at reaching out before tomorrow. I apologize for doing so at an inopportune time. I see that I have upset you and the princess."

"You have," he said.

"What did you need to speak with me about that couldn't wait until after the banquet?" Yani said.

She kept a clipped sound that brought out her accent any time she was annoyed with someone.

"My apologies to you, Princess Yani. I just wanted to know…I wanted to know what I have done to make you hate me…"

Ime burst into tears startling Yani and N'Jadaka.

"I have tried to be your friend…I know I am not as outgoing as Lady Zola and Lady Ilana, some may even think me cold because it takes me a long time to get comfortable with people, but I have always shown you respect and supported all your endeavors outside of Wakanda. When Ramatla gave me your gift I was devastated and so filled with sadness. What can I do to change your negative perception of us?"

Ime wept and wiped at her eyes. Clutched in her hand was the jewelry box Remy had brought to N'Jadaka's office. The waterworks continued and Yani sucked her teeth and glanced at him. He folded his arms and gave the crying woman no words of absolution. Yani struggled to find an appropriate response and he saved her from having to speak.

"We have a busy day starting early this morning. It is after midnight and we'd like to get some sleep. Do not call Queen Yani this way ever again. Use the proper channels in the future and wait for her to contact you as she chooses on her time. I will not speak to Ramatla about this because it's better to have it forgotten. Are we clear?" he said.

"Yes, King N'Jadaka."

Yani lifted her wrist higher.

"We will take the earrings back tomorrow since my taste and my jeweler's work upsets you," Yani said.

Ime's eyes switched between Yani's and his quickly and she tucked the jewelry box against her chest and shook her head.

"No, no, I will keep them. This was a mistaken assumption on my end. I see now that I jumped to conclusions. You gave this to us with thoughtful consideration…your personal jeweler…that is an honor Princess Yani."

"Goodnight, Lady Ime," he said.

She winked out first before Yani said another word to her.

"Did you see how that woman acted?" Yani huffed. "The fake crying? That was all for you. Had I been by myself her true colors would've spilled out of these beads."

"She did lay it on thick—"

"Thick like my ass," Yani snorted.

He nuzzled his chin on top of her head.

"Kinda wished it was Remy though," he said.

"You say you'll let it go…but I know you. Will you tense up every time my kimoyo beads vibrate or light up with a strange signature? I would never do anything to break the trust we've built. He loves me, there's nothing I can do about that. Will you really be okay working with him and not thinking he's plotting to sabotage us? Or what about events where we have to interact with all the nobles? I don't want to be responsible for your potential outbursts or feeling like I have to worry over every little thing that happens outside of my control."

"I trust you. I don't trust them."

She touched his chest with both hands and rubbed his pecs through his overshirt.

"If that's true, then you need to let me tell you things when I'm ready to tell them or if I think it matters to speak on it."

"I'll try, but sometimes it's hard. You know I can read energy and body language. If I feel and see you acting nervous or anxious I'm gonna think the worst."

"Then I will work on not overthinking things when they happen or agonize about you reading too much into stuff. I'm yours. No one else's."

"You mine?" he said

She held his face still and kissed him. Her soft warm tongue steadied him as it always did. His nature was to be territorial over his women, and Yani was his most prized gift from life itself. No matter how strong, powerful, cunning, confident, or persuasive he could be in any given situation, she had a way of untethering his moorings if she were under stress or afraid of him. He never wanted her to be afraid of saying anything to him no matter how unpleasant.

"I put too much pressure on you with my issues. I'll do better and follow your lead," he said.

"Thank you."

He smiled. She grinned back at him.

"You spoil me and I go nuts," he said.

"You spoiled me first, so I can only reciprocate in kind."

"You are just like Aunt Leona."

"She raised me well."

She housed her lower lip between her teeth and stopped rubbing his chest with the tips of her fingers.

"The closer we get to marrying each other, the more I feel like an ungrateful daughter," she said.

"Why do you say that?"

She lifted a leg and rested half of her rump on the desk. Tugging on her thin-chained necklace, Yani sighed.

"My parents are gone. I should feel sad about them missing this day, but to tell the truth…I'm relieved that they won't get to see me walk down the aisle. I had a dream about them the other day. Just some old memories of ducking from them when my mother was vex and lashed out at me. My father never stood up for me and I lived most of my life dreading their presence. Now…on the eve of my wedding…I don't feel any sadness about them never seeing our special day. Is that a horrible thing to think? They don't get to have this and I'm glad."

"Your relationship was not good. You're grown now. It's fine to feel that way."

"Even if they were still here, I'd feel ambivalent about them witnessing it. They turned me away at my lowest and would probably expect to be front and center at our nuptials as if all was forgiven."

"You don't have to forgive anyone. Not even your parents. And guess what? You're still a wonderful person that I love…the mother of my children. My life partner. My pushy friend…my everything…everything I never knew I could have when I left Oakland. Happiness has been a long time coming for us."

"Yes Lord!"

They laughed together.

"Tomorrow is for us and our babies, okay?" he said.

He hugged her and she slumped into his chest.

"I want to have fun today. Get through the morning activities, rehearsal, fittings, lunch…and then the banquet. By this same time tomorrow I want to be sleeping peacefully and nothing on my mind except getting into my wedding dress," she said.

He palmed her backside and they rubbed noses. Her scent lingered all over his body like a second skin. He pressed kisses along her temple and ran a heat-seeking trail down her neck. Yani leaned back giving him space to find his way back to her lips where they parted once more and she nestled into slow kissing him. Their tongues swept back and forth between their moist lips with familiar reassurance that nothing would come between them ever again.

Yani licked a curving arc across his lips and let her head fall back. She inhaled the cloying aromatic oils perfuming his locs and he watched her glassy eyes give up on focusing on anything else but him. He opened her coat and cupped a breast, squeezing it before holding the other.

"Titties so perfect…big…soft…heavy…"

He sucked on each nipple like candy drops, groaning along the suction of his lips moving around her areolas. She moaned at the fingering of her clit and the dipping of his two fingers inside of her wet opening. His semen stayed warm inside of her. He lifted her legs up and planted her feet on the edge of the desk.

"Wait, let me put my wig back on," she said reaching for it on the desk.

He pulled her hand away from it.

"No. I don't want Toya…I want my wife…Yani…"

He took off his layered shirts again and only lowered his pants enough to release his dick. Their kissing made his pipe stiffen and he plunged into a pussy coated with his cum and her slickness. He held her legs up and she used her arms to balance herself on the desk.

"I want to cum inside my wife…look at my dick inside you…fuck…shit is so hard, Yani…hard for you, baby…just you…fuck, this shit is so deep. I feel all that cum I put in you…pussy is so good on my dick…look how you doin' Daddy's dick! You like that? Huh? Lemme give you some husband dick for a minute…ah fuck, you feel that weight? Damn, I'm fucking the shit out this pussy…you in trouble when that honeymoon get here. I'ma fuck this pussy so much. Take you back to the island days, Yani…shit! I used to fuck you so much…this tight pussy was always riding this dick…"

Yani tried to keep her attention on his face, but her mouth had fallen open and her eyes kept watching his slick pipe go in and out. He started teasing her by pulling all the way out and tapping the girth against her labia and clit before plunging back in suddenly knocking the wind and sense out of her.

"Stretching it out, Ma…damn…look at those pussy lips squeezing me too…you feel that weight? Huh?"

He forced his dick to jump inside her pussy without moving his hands or wiggling his hips. The muscle control made her pussy throb all around his thickness. Her walls were beyond engorged. His semen rendered it twice as slippery and her pussy twice as noisy with all the splashing sounds they created with their intimate bond. He stirred his dick inside her like a big spoon mixing a pot of hot gumbo. Her whimpers and helpless pleas to keep fucking harder flew over his shoulder in hot breathy gusts. N'Jadaka was a useless king inside Yani's pussy. His balls contracted with the urge of release riding his body close to the edge.

"Look at this pussy! Taking all this dick!" he shouted. "I'ma start skipping work if you keeping giving it to me like this!"

Yani yelped and her walls contracted, making his dick throb rhythmically. He held her breasts and used slow methodical thrusts to please her even more. She twisted her lips and they stared at one another.

"First time I touched you…I wanted this…you made me want you…remember?"

Yani gasped with her eyes locked on his.

"This pussy showing out for Daddy…see? It likes this husband dick. Got me balls deep…make me cum, Yani!""

Yani's toes curled and her pussy squirted all over him at that moment.

"Fuck me…fuck me…" she moaned.

"Daddy is on it, baby. There you go….ooh, Yani look how you're squirting all over my dick…you want Daddy to cum now? I got a lot to put in you, baby."

"Fuck me…s'deep…so deep…my pussy is cumming again! I'm cumming…Killmonger!"

His dick exploded, and he helped push out his orgasm with a roar that stretched his vocal chords. Yani took his thrusts, squirted again, and accepted the cum flow his dick vanquished her with.

"I'm still cumming, Yani…fuck!"

He gripped his dick and pulled out, shooting semen all over her breasts. Shuddering and cursing, he stood back to watch cum spill out from her and drip all over his shirts. He played in her pussy, smearing creamy warmth all over her labia. He rubbed it all over her tits pleased with how she looked to him. Soaked and sated.

He stretched his back muscles and his dick bobbed. Unlike her, he needed to top off his night with one more sexual act. She already knew the drill and slid down from the desk onto her knees. He stroked his dick and studied her expression as she took off her coat and unwrapped her hair. This was ritual for them, something he suspected all Udaku men did. For him, cumming on Yani's face wasn't humiliation but his solemn duty to let her know she was his. It was ownership not of the bullying patriarchal kind, no, it was something deeper than that. Primal. Ferocious and raw. Petty even. Marking her with his semen gave him power over others who wanted her too. Knowing Remy hovered over his woman compelled N'Jadaka to paint Yani's delicate face as a reminder of who her man was. On her knees, his dick looked like a scepter blessing her. She kept her eyes open and sucked on his balls at the seam knowing it heightened his pleasure. Looking down at her he stroked and twisted his fingers under the ridge of his dick, trying not to blow his load haphazardly. He needed to control this release and show her his physical prowess. The load flowing through his dick ignited a passion in him that needed no words to express what she was to him.

He drenched her.

Hot heavy ropes purged from his balls, striking her dewy skin in long white stripes. Yani knelt before him pious and silent, accepting the cum falling like fat raindrops. The grinding of his teeth as he surpressed any shouting escaping his lips forced a pressure into his heaving chest. He beat on his dick and reveled in his good fortune at having her and it extended his carnal aching to cover her more.

"Fuckkk!"

He nearly choked on the word as his balls throbbed with its final outpouring. Panting and gasping, he stared at Yani. She gave him what he wanted. Absolute submission. His semen turned her into living art. He probably could've made love to her on the floor covered in his jizz, but his body grew tired from the adventure.

"You leave first," she said, touching his hand.

He couldn't get over how extraordinary she looked soaked in cum with a smile on her face. She gathered her things again and scurried to the restroom. He put on his shirts and left the library with swift feet.

A quick shower made him drowsy back in his grandfather's suite. He crawled back into bed with Riki and slept the rest of the early morning feeling exalted.

Yani couldn't believe how fast the day sped by.

She expected to be frazzled and exhausted by the time she dressed for the banquet, but instead, she felt invigorated and longed for a new morning to rise. The family breakfast was a rollicking good time. As she admired the coming together of the Udaku-Stevens clan and the fragments of her smaller family line at the closure of their betrothal march, Yani knew for sure that her place at the head of the throne required her to move with composed stealth when she faced the nation as queen. The Udaku elders accepted her as one of their own. There were a few cousins and in-laws in the royal family that remained cool toward her place at N'Jadaka's side because of her unconventional public behavior with him that they felt was unbecoming of a proper stoic queen, but they would back the family from outside skepticism about her representing the monarchy. Any internal strife among them would be squashed by Umama anyway. Yani liked being touchy-feely with N'Jadaka no matter where she was. If the public saw them kissing or N'Jadaka's hand fondling her butt or holding her tight against him, they would have to get accustomed to more of it in the future.

No matter what they thought about her throughout the royal bloodline, one thing was for certain: they adored N'Jadaka Udaku.

The king seemed to glow around his family. His close bond with Shuri had blossomed into a transition of sorts. He took on an elder brother role as opposed to a cousin, and Shuri was never far from his company. They whispered together secret jokes and spoke with great affection toward one another. The new sibling bond helped Ramonda not worry so much about her daughter. It had been revealed a few months back that she had suffered the loss of a boyfriend in the Infinity War that no one in the family knew about. She grieved for her brother openly, but her young lover had been mourned hidden away from them all.

After final fittings, lunch, and hair appointments for the children and herself, Yani sat in the dressing room with her two sisters and Ladies-in-Waiting as Twyla smoothed the last bit of hair oil on her newly clipped and dyed scalp.

"You look like you did when you met him," Twyla said.

"Stunning," Zola added. "The platinum color of your hair…the dark eyebrows."

Yani puckered her lips and stared at them in the mirror. Touching her face, she admired the darker hue of her skin from the afternoon sunbathing session. The rich bronze glow gave her a fetching quality that hinted at summer and sensuality. Her kimoyos lit up with N'Jadaka's signature.

"We're late! N'Jadaka wants us to meet him at the East Palace exit. The media are being allowed to photograph us leaving for the banquet," Yani yelped.

She jumped up and her Ladies fanned out the small scallop-shaped train on her indigo dress and helped her put on the matching indigo puffy cape with a deep gold lining. Yani felt like she wore a cloud around her shoulders and back. They followed her at a clipped pace, traveling across the palace bridge, and made quite a commotion with staff as they headed toward the ground floor where N'Jadaka waited for her. Twyla nudged her with a soft jab into her elbow.

"Notice anyone special?" Twyla teased.

Mpilo, Bibi, and N'Jadaka's close friends from America were present. Shawn and Walter were dressed in fashionable dark suits. M'Baku and Ayomide rounded out the bunch, and…

Yani blinked twice.

A man with tawny skin and thick glossy black hair stood next to N'Jadaka. Clean-shaven and dressed in a black velvet embroidered dishdasha and trousers, the corners of his lips turned up at the sight of her.

"Ah! There she is my goddess from long ago…"

"Tahir!"

Yani ran up to him and let protocols fall to the wayside. She hugged him tight and kissed his cheek. He pulled back from her and grinned.

"I see now that it was a good thing that you never listened to my advice about this guy," Tahir said.

He winked at her, and she clasped his hands in hers.

"I can't believe you're here…Twyla…you were able to keep this from me?"

Twyla laughed and pinched Yani's cheek.

N'Jadaka playfully slapped Tahir's hands away.

"Watch yourself man, I saw her first!" N'Jadaka said.

"How is this possible?" Yani asked.

N'Jadaka placed a hand on Tahir's shoulder.

"I recently made Tahir Wakanda's first Middle Eastern Ambassador. He'll be working closely with our people on the outside. I'm covering our bases, and that part of the world needs some prodding by us."

Tahir nodded and held out his hands using them to punctuate his thoughts like he used to do with her back in St. Thomas.

"I was as shocked like you are now when he found me. Yet…here I stand in this fabulous country of the future attending pre-wedding parties," Tahir said.

His eyes tracked the women behind him and his grin widened.

"Perhaps I will get lucky tonight and finally find my own goddess like you. I'm so glad to see you again. I often wondered how you turned out and alhamdulilah…look at you…about to become a queen!"

Umama and Ramonda kicked up a bit of fanfare with their arrival and the entire party was swarmed with Doras and kingsguards. Tahir was taken aback by the dazzling display of power both older women held as queen mothers. N'Jadaka introduced a nervous Tahir and Yani giggled to herself. A mercenary and friend of the infamous Killmonger acting flummoxed by Wakandan women. Umama put Tahir to work as her escort, peppering him with questions as they all moved outside. Flashes of lights and shouts met them as the media were permitted to film them from a distance.

N'Jadaka walked Yani down the stairs toward a line-up of transportation that would cross over the large moat and head them to their destination following the curve of the river.

"I can't believe you two are back together," Yani said.

She climbed into their transport and waited for her Ladies and relatives to join them in the first car. N'Jadaka held her hand while security made sure their entire party was secure in all the vehicles.

"Took some time to track him, but I started the moment I was released from cryostasis. There are some places our War Dogs can't infiltrate easily, and he'll help us with that."

"What about his family?"

"He's an orphan like me. There's a married half-sister who lives in London and no one else. Many others were taken in the blip. He's single. No children…that he knows of."

Yani rolled her eyes and N'Jadaka kissed her cheek.

"He has no allegiance to any country and he's always had my back. Even when I kept secrets about myself away from him, he stuck with me. He's a loyal dude, and honestly, baby…I missed him. Just like I missed Shawn and Walter. Men don't really stay connected the way women do, and I want to rectify that. Since T'Challa's been gone, I miss male companionship from my past."

"I'm glad he's here. I know Wakanda has tripped him out."

Okoye opened the passenger door and glanced at N'Jadaka.

"Your Highness, Mpilo has offered to give up his seat for your guest," Okoye said.

"I don't need any special treatment Killmonger," Tahir said.

"Get in," N'Jadaka said.

Tahir climbed into the empty seat next to Zola. He gave a bashful look at Yani and took his special place comfortably inside the front car. Okoye took her seat in the front passenger space and the driver ferried them through the heart of Birnin Zana.

Tahir looked out of his tinted window. He craned his neck observing the splendor of the golden city's skyline.

"Incredible. This place is so…magical," Tahir said.

Yani pointed out landmarks and the temple she would marry N'Jadaka in. The streets were already in prep-mode with decorations going up for the parade after he wedding. A few citizens stopped on the sidewalks and watched the royal procession of cars speed by.

"They tell me you had a child by him," Tahir said.

He spun his seat around to face them.

"We have a son, Riki," Yani said with pride dripping from her voice.

She tapped her kimoyo and Riki's static image floated before them. Her son was caught running toward N'Jadaka's arms for a hug. Tahir stared at the image and then looked at N'Jadaka.

"You didn't give this woman any chance of sharing her genes with this child?" Tahir said.

N'Jadaka chuckled and admired his son's picture. Tahir sank back in his seat. The other women chatted and ignored their conversation out of respect.

"I am happy that you have found your way back together," Tahir said.

He studied N'Jadaka's face for a moment. His lips quirked a bit as he gave Yani his full attention.

"I will be at your service, Yani. Your husband-to-be has given me a new life…one filled with possibility again. I was lost in a wilderness when he disappeared…no, Killmonger, let me finish, don't interrupt me in front of the goddess…"

N'Jadaka looked at Yani. She leaned forward to give Tahir her full attention.

"This man is special…listen to me, Yani. I never met a man like him in my life before. In my line of work, there are ruthless people…dangerous people. Sometimes you are blessed to see the makings of a legend in the midst of horrible circumstances. Killmonger moved in ways that told me he wasn't some ordinary person. His drive and focus was unmatched…now…it is clear why. I feel honored that I watched him fall in love with you."

N'Jadaka held up a hand to hush Tahir. The man ignored the gesture.

"I never saw him smile until he was around you. Allah has his hand on this union. I will make sure he lives up to your expectations."

"He's doing okay so far," Yani said.

She stroked N'Jadaka's shoulder. Tahir's intense eyes watched her.

"You have become the woman your Aunt dreamed you'd be," Tahir said.

"Really?"

"Oh yes. We used to talk…she and I. I'd eat her food and she would speak of a future that she imagined for you. We both pretended not to notice you and my friend falling for each other. She knew it. From the moment she witnessed you in the same room together. Miss Leona told me you were a salty girl to him, but underneath… it was the need to be near him. The bad man on the hill…ha, ha! That's what your people called him behind his back! You sang to him in that club…remember that little club, Killmonger? He couldn't take his eyes off of you all night. He barely spoke to me looking for you all over that room. My feelings were a little hurt, but how could I compete with this vision here?"

Yani sighed and rested her head on N'Jadaka's shoulder.

"That night started off perfect and ended so bad," she said.

"Bad for who? You? This guy? No. Allah moved the riff raff out of your way to clear a path for this time now."

Tahir turned his head and his eyes grew big watching the scenery go by.

"I am in awe of this place…."

The driver took them into a chic and densely populated section of Birnin Zana's finance district with towering buildings and slow-moving crowds enjoying a warm spring evening dining at night cafes and upscale private clubs. Heads turned and kimoyo beads were lifted to catch sight of their entourage arriving in front of a high-end venue. Their security flanked around them in a tight formation and ushered them inside a laughter filled lobby. They worked their way through the excited buzz of their entrance to a reception area where festive cocktails and savory hors d'oeuvres were served. A burnished bronze and gold color palette in the décor screamed money and affluence.

The royal arrival kicked up another stir of excitement and Yani clutched N'Jadaka's arm tight. All eyes drank them in and the royal party swept through to greet elders and high-ranking nobles who gave them the most support. Yani caught a glimpse of the lavishly decorated dining room where long rectangular banquet tables were set up in a herringbone style on opposite sides of the cavernous room, all facing a hollow square grouping of tables and chairs in the center. Servers and posh chef staff prepared for their entrance. Live traditional string music played over speakers and Yani relaxed into the lively ambiance.

N'Jadaka stood beside her like a shining beacon in the cocktail room and she reflected the light of their pairing. The Council of Elders each approached with their spouses and Yani made grand gestures toward them that delighted the heavily traditionalist crowd. The Court of Nobles in that space represented every upper class family that maneuvered for power and influence with the king.

Everyone present looked resplendent in tailored raiment. Their ubiquitous jewelry, flamboyant hairstyles and even placement around the room signified their clan status and their tribal affiliation. The odor around them reeked of rich, decadent, and calculated stunt queens bubbling with great pleasure mixing with their own kind. The women traipsed in spectacular dresses of every rainbow hue that made whooshing noises at every turn, but Yani's indigo dress was the grand dame couture of the night. Blue and gold had become her signature colors when she made public appearances ever since the King's Ball. She decided not to wear anything too modest. The deep plunging neckline left nothing to the imagination with the swelling of her breasts peeking out, even with the sheer piece of material that went down the center to keep any direct skin from being exposed. She kept the décolletage of semi-precious jewels on the back of the dress's train instead of the front to keep a sleek silhouette look that complimented N'Jadaka's flowing black robes that were an exact copy of his father's. She slid the cape down the long sleeves of the dress with the king's help and handed it to a coat check too nervous to look at her face. There were a few feral nods in a corner from her smiling detractors who admired the dress despite disliking her.

Her eyes ghosted over the hundreds of faces until Zola and Ilana nudged her arm after handing her a glass of honey wine.

Remy and Lady Ime stood across from them near the dining hall entrance.

Ilana whispered in her ear.

"Notice how she's wearing big twists tonight to cover her ears," Ilana said.

"I see."

Yani slid her hand from N'Jadaka's arm down to his hand. They intertwined fingers and spoke to a few admirers who asked about Yani's book tour and her plans after the wedding. Her social card became booked and she shook her head thinking of all the private teas and luncheons she was asked to attend within thirty minutes of schmoozing.

Hand in hand she and N'Jadaka mingled among the elite, sipping more wine and smiling so hard that her jaws began to ache. N'Jadaka introduced Shawn, Walter, and Tahir to important families. All three men acted right at home in the cocktail party despite having to use language translators. Luckily for them, most of the nobles understood and spoke English.

The pomp and circumstance became more exuberant and louder, drowning out most of the conversations swirling around. M'Baku and Ayomide meandered over to them, their Jabari-styled clothing bulky and extravagant. Several older couples carried on conversations with the mountain couple drawing out the commanding voice of Ayomide who had them enraptured with her lively eloquence and tall stature.

Yani gulped down her second glass of wine and reminded herself to watch how much she drank the rest of the evening. Her reputation held high social capital at the moment because of her book and all it would take was for one noble to clock her drink intake and tally it up for the gossip grapevine. N'Jadaka nursed a glass of purple fermented wine made from red grapes and the petals of a pink flower found in the Wakandan valley near Birnin Bashenga. He finished his drink as Yani kept a watchful eye on Remy and Ime.

"Better to talk them now before the children arrive for the dinner portion," N'Jadaka said.

"We can walk past as if we want to look at the dining area."

"People are already filtering in there to find their seats so it won't look confrontational."

He squeezed her hand.

"Ready?" he asked.

More people flowed into the reception cocktail hour and Yani didn't want to be bombarded with the same questions from the new influx of nobles.

"Ready," she said.

N'Jadaka took the first step forward and Yani matched his pace. They skipped past eager guests and strode toward the couple.

Remy and Ime nodded to them in a respectful fashion and Yani looked up at N'Jadaka's face to allow him to speak first and set the tone.

"Enjoying the party?" N'Jadaka asked.

He held out his hand to Remy and the younger nobleman clasped it with a firm shake.

"We are having a great time. You both look amazing," Remy said.

Yani looked at Ime who wore a beaming face as she listened to the men chat.

"Your hair is very pretty, Lady Ime," Yani said.

Ime gave a furtive smile and lifted two twists to show Yani and N'Jadaka the earrings they gave her. They looked stylish and quite flattering on her ear. Remy wore his too, and from a distance one could barely notice the design until they were close upon him. Yani gave the couple a broad smile that she was pleased.

"They look lovely on you," Yani said.

"We look forward to the wedding tomorrow," Ime said. "Thank you for the invitation. I know so many people want to be there and it is a great honor to actually witness your nuptials in person and not on the vid screen at home."

"Queen Mother Niyilolawa and Queen Mother Ramonda had a large hand in helping me choose the list of guests. King N'Jadaka has been impressed with Ramatla's work and as you know, he was once my nanny for a few months."

Ime's eyes darted over to Remy.

"I did not know that Remy worked for you before his current position," Ime said.

"Oh? You never told her? Our children loved him. They will be here for the dinner tonight," Yani said.

Remy wrenched his eyes away from Ime and gazed at Yani. Clearing his throat, he gave a disarming smile.

"I am excited to see them again. So much has changed since I cared for them," Remy said.

"We'll see you both inside," N'Jadaka said.

The king led Yani away, but Zola and Ilana, who stood a respectable distance behind them, cornered Ime and Remy by the entrance, chatting them up.

"They swooped in fast," N'Jadaka said.

"They are truly petty. I'm sure they're pretending to see the earrings for the first time. This is all so pretty…"

The dining room engaged all the senses and she admired the floral centerpieces and garlands decorating lit candles. The odor of fresh incense filled the room as a few servers removed brass burners that were no longer needed. Yani sniffed and the smells filling the air reminded her of the royal garden in summer when the fresh petals of new lavender and purple sage were cut to make potpourri for many of the palace common rooms.

"King N'Jadaka, Princess Yani, this way please."

A young woman in an elaborate venue attendant uniform led them to their seat at the center table. Ramonda and Umama sat on either side of them. M'Baku and Ayomide sat beside Umama and the rest of their entourage filled out reserved seats behind them. There were five open spaces left open for Dante, Leona, and their children. From her peripheral, Yani glimpsed Remy and Ime sitting at a table to their left with their esteemed family members dining together as part of their public betrothal march.

The rest of the Court of Nobles filed in and took their seats. The din of voices, clinking glasses, and the rustling of movement all around them gave her pause to refocus her attention on the other guests at their table. All six of the tribes, including the Jabari, were represented by the highest ranking members of their elite. So many eyes regarded Yani and N'Jadaka. It was a rare privilege to dine with the royals up close and bright curious eyes studied their every gesture and hung onto every word uttered from their mouths.

"Doing okay?" N'Jadaka whispered in her ear.

Yani stroked his beard and he patted her thigh under the table. He puckered his lips and she pressed hers against the fleshy softness. An older woman from the Merchant Tribe quickly looked away in embarrassment after catching the intimacy. Calm dining music swelled in the background as a master of ceremonies approached a dais and welcomed all the upper crust.

Dante and Leona entered the dining room with the children.

"Hi Mama," Sydette said, waving at them.

Once they were seated, the emcee introduced the non-binary priest Dinani who would perform their wedding ceremony. Dinani prayed over them with a solemn tone in their voice, and the host went over some housekeeping details as the first course was served.

Yani broke a piece of dinner roll and dipped it in the broth bowl she ate from and inhaled the delicious aroma of her food. N'Jadaka became the charming head of state, keeping their non-family dining companions chuckling with his stories about meeting the American President, and seeing Tony Starks again. A flurry of questions were presented to him concerning Stark Industries and his trip to the U.N. Their rapt attention to N'Jadaka made it easier for Yani to enjoy her meal peacefully and watch the children cared for by Dante and Leona. She paced her eating so her belly didn't fill up before the last course was brought out. She dared to sip on another glass of wine during the presentation of the dessert plates piled with all sorts of cake, pie, and fruit slices.

A room separator was pulled apart revealing a sizeable dance floor and bandstand. A young woman in a skintight black and red body stocking studded with spikes along the sides of her arms and legs shook a tangle of long locs. Half of her face was painted with red dots and the rest of her band were dressed the same. She stepped forward holding an electric guitar and addressed the nobles.

"Hello esteemed guests, and the royal family. My name is Pemmy Yengeni and this is my band. I was told by the Grand Queen Mother of the Nation that Prince Riki was unable to enjoy the festivities of the S'Yan Country Fair today, so she asked us to perform a set for everyone here to wish King N'Jadaka and Princess Yani a happy wedding day tomorrow. This first song I wrote for our brave king and our soldiers who fought to save us all. We are honored to be here and graciously thank Queen Mother Niyilolawa for the invitation."

Pemmy raised her arm and brought her hand down hard onto her guitar blazing into the hit song that electrified the youth of Wakanda. Riki leapt from his seat and raced to his great-grandmother, hugging her fast before dashing off to the dance floor among the other young people that danced and clapped, squealing at the sight of a singing star. Sydette and Joba joined their brother. Yani leaned over and gave Umama a hug, surprising her. Decorum be damned, the older woman brought Riki joy. She stood and clapped to the music, watching her children hop and dance. Umama tapped her hand in time to the music on her leg.

"This music is very catchy…not as obnoxious as I had feared," Umama said. "My great-grandbaby has good ears for music."

"He will remember this day forever."

Umama grinned and watched all three of her great-grandchildren dance.

N'Jadaka shocked everyone when he grabbed Yani's hand and pulled her onto the dance floor where they rage danced with their children bringing delighted shouts of encouragement from the young nobles bopping along next to them. Pemmy held out her mic for Riki and the little prince sang his heart out on the wild chorus making N'Jadaka and Yani laugh at the sincere attempt to sound like Pemmy. The singer helped Riki and Joba climb onto the stage to dance next to her as she roared out stirring lyrics and aimed them at N'Jadaka, M'Baku and all the other men and women in the room who fought in the Infinity War.

N'Jadaka lifted Yani off her feet and spun her around. She laughed and grabbed for his neck to keep from getting dizzy.

"Put me down," she said, patting his chest.

He lifted Sydette up so she could watch Pemmy and her siblings bounce around the stage. The first song ended on a loud crescendo of feedback from the bass. Riki clapped so hard and Joba stared at Pemmy with big, wide eyes. The nobles applauded, appreciating the lyrics despite the raucous nature of the Afropunk vibes. Pemmy bowed and held up a hand toward the older people in their seats.

"Don't worry my beautiful elders, I have music for you too," Penny said.

The band started playing a classic Wakandan courting song and the older people thundered their applause. Many stood and headed for the dance floor to join the youth in a line dance. Sydette sprinted to the front to watch Pemmy up close with Riki and Joba.

"Use your sound shield! Remind Riki and Joba, too," Yani called out.

Sydette nodded and tapped her kimoyo beads to release a protective barrier for her ears with the blaring speakers.

"Shall we continue dancing Queen Yani?" he asked.

"Why yes, King N'Jadaka."

They partnered up close and swayed to the music that reminded Yani of the clipped dub sounds of reggae. Pemmy's voice soared above them. She threw her arms around his neck and relished the closeness.

"In fifteen hours we will be Mr. and Mrs. Udaku," he breathed into her ear.

"Yes."

"Should we forget me staying with Grandpop tonight and spend the night together?"

"No. Stay with Grandpop. The next time you see me will be my walking down the aisle all glamorous."

He tilted his head back.

"Yani, you've always been my queen."

She stared in his eyes. His face looked so kind and loving.

"We made it," he said.

His eyes began to well up and he pressed his forehead onto hers.

"I love you so much…I can't run this world without you," he said.

"You will always be my heart," she said.

Yani hugged his waist and laid her head against his shoulder. They rocked in unison until the song segued into a faster beat that brought more couples to the floor. Pemmy and her band were a rollicking success and the nobles of all ages ate up the music. Yani glanced over her shoulder. Riki shook his hips and held the hands of his sisters participating in a ring dance that Wakandans did for special occasions.

Drifting back to their table, Yani noticed Ime having sharp words with Remy. Their heads were held close to keep their conversation private, but it was obvious Ime was upset. Remy listened to her with an annoyed expression, but his eyes raised when Yani walked past him. Ime followed the direction of his gaze and Yani smiled to them both, her hand secure inside N'Jadaka's powerful grip. Facing forward, she rested in the assurance of her bond with the man she loved…King N'Jadaka. The Golden Jaguar.

Chapter 5 HERE.

Tag List:

@readingaddict1290

@issimplyaamazinggg

@eyeknowmywrites

@kitesatforestp

@fd-writes

@soufcakmistress  

@cherrystainedlipsbaby

@tclaybon  

@thadelightfulone

@allhailqueennel

@bartierbakarimobisson

@cpwtwot

@shookmcgookqueen

@yoyolovesbucky

@raysunshine78

@the-illlestt

@terrablaze514  

@l-auteuse

@amirra88

@jimizwidow

@janelledarling

@chaneajoyyy  

@sweetestdream92  

@purple-apricots

@blackpinup22  

@hennessystevens-udaku

@scrumptiouslytenaciouscrusade

@bugngiz

@stariamrry  

@honeytoffee

@meilintheempressofdreams

@tyees

@eye-raq  

@writerbee-ffs  

@chocolatedream30  

@childishgambinaa  

@mygirlrenee

@thewaysheis—awkward

@tchallasbabymama

@lahuttor

@goodieyaya

@post-woke

@soufcakmistress

@yomiloo

@goddessofthundathighs

@nahimjustfeelingit-writes

@retroxvailles

@cydneyrenee4

@nizzle-mo

@cecereads209

@childishgambinaax

@gopaperless

@bombshellbre95

@tchallasbabymama

@musicisme333

@sister-winter73

@nccu-rnc

@sj206260358

@blmcd57110

@griot-of-wakanda

@xsweetdellzx

@nayaesworld

@carlakeks