#With some past events thrown in for good measure

[fantastic-mr-corvid]

finally got an idea for an ongoing somewhat chill fic for Celia & Co, kinds to show there baseline/ how they act when I'm not putting them through hell/ just an idea of who they are, and then I had a great idea: framing device of after Celias death, and Cecio, Elena and Rametto are going through Celias thing some time after her death, and as they go through each album/song, they tell stories of events it reminded them of/ when Celia showed them that song/ Celias own stories she told about and in relation to the music she loves.

Basically a collection of linked short flashbacks/stories, framed around music and songs that Celia found significant/loved, and then little bits of Cecio Rametto and Elena all pooling their stories about Celia to try and understand her better

[fandomxo00]

Logan oneshot driving at night and they’re listening to music on the radio together and readers in their own world singing to themselves, etc and he has that ✨moment✨ of realisation that he’s just infatuated with her (maybe a little 🔥 spice thrown in too for good measure 😂)

One of your hands was sticking out the window, feeling the air through your fingers, your other hand sat over Logan's. His right hand was splayed across your expose knee.

The two of you went on late night drives when you couldn't sleep, the used to just have sex. The feeling of his hands finding your hips, pulling you into his chest. Logan's head tucking into your neck, his beard brushing against your shoulder, his lips pecking the back of your neck. His hands would wonder the curves and pudge of your stomach. Using your body as leverage as he slowly ground his growing cock into your round ass. You felt the thickness against your back, your thighs clenching together as Logan's hand came to wedge between them. Something you would never get bored of you but had to switch it up.

Other times you spend time talking to each other, talking about each other's past in detail. The two of your pasts were different in every manner but you were alike in ways that Logan could never quiet pinpoint. You just said off-handed things that he understood, and vise versa. Relating to two different events but having the same feelings, there was always something new to talk about. You always came to new conclusions about your mental health, he always heard you out, sometimes he gave feedback but other times he knew you just wanted him to listen.

But usually, you would be verily high, smoking a bowl before starting the air, Logan airing it out with the a/c and opening the windows. He didn't mind you smoking in his car, but he didn't need to get in trouble if he got pulled over. Logan always driving through somewhere to get you food, he liked taking care of you and making sure you comfortable. He knew how hard life has been on you and for some reason he just wanted to make you happy. He didn't really do the driving for himself, well that isn't technically true. You always took over the aux, something he disliked at first because you listened to a lot of different music. Alot of music he hadn't even heard of. But you would talk about what the songs means to you, and eventually you started singing in front of him.

You would get completely consumed by the music, going back to when you felt a certain way or felt a lot of pain. The emotion coming out of your voice as you belted or hit a certain note. You didn't just sing, you sang with your heart. He could listen to that all the time, he started driving you around just to hear your pretty little voice.

You'd even convince him that to sing with you. Logan didn't like singing around others, he knew he had a good voice, but he liked to keep it just to himself. Until he met you and the prospect that you could grow closer because of music made him want to sing with you and to you on occasion.

But since the day he met you, you'd completely consumed him. Though he only realized it bit by bit, when he'd feel his shoulders sag if he walked into a room you weren't in. That he always wanted to say something to see the bright smile on your face. Or when he wanted to tease you or embarrass you, making you glare over at him with a little glow in your eyes, then he'd wrap his arms around you, muffle an apology and kiss it better.

It wasn't that the two of you never started officially dating, you slowly bloomed like a flower in spring, growing together, growing more beautiful, growing more whole, the roots running deep and strong. You never pushed Logan to fill in the answers, but he did it in other ways. Logan didn't open up to you in a conventional way, but he was trying every day, as pushed himself to communicate his feelings for you. So even if he couldn't open up, you were patient for him, knowing how hard it can open up to another. All you wanted to do was make it easy for him, listening carefully, always saying the right thing or nothing at all, making sure to never show pity but acceptance.

It was evident to you that he would do anything for you, and to him he had definitely chosen the right girl. But as he looked over at you, your eyes closed, your hand on your stomach as your voice flowed with the soft melody, it was evident to him that he was in love with you.

ps. I love ending these with Logan just being in love us, loved this request so much, literally love driving around at night its so peaceful, wish i could do with him 😭

[anogete]

Hi. Update of random shit in case anyone cares.

The scary test I was stressed over in the fall when I was posting my last fic? It was the CFP (Certified Financial Planner) exam. Yes, I passed it. The designation requires a bachelor's degree, so I had to go back to school to finish my last 10 classes. Then I had to take 7 more classes that are pre-reqs for the exam. Then I spent probably 700 hours attempting to cram everything you could think of related to personal finance (my god, there is a metric shit ton) into my head. The designation also requires 5,000 hours of experience in the planning field (which I thankfully already had). By the time I passed the test, I was no longer proud of the accomplishment, just relieved to have it behind me.

Work was intensely busy in November and December. I got little reading and no writing done.

I have a WIP featuring the Darcy/Rumlow pairing that has been languishing on my computer since 2020. To be honest, I've mosty forgotten what the conflict driving the plot was going to be. I think I was trying to tie it into the events of Wandavision. Took place after the show and had Monica Rambeau and Darcy kinda sorta working together and trying to figure out what, if anything, crossing the barrier that Wanda had thrown up did to them. Of course, Rumlow is alive and scarred and back with the good guys. And also really annoyed that his recent gunshot wound stuck him on desk duty watching the nerds complete their physicals as part of employee onboarding. Darcy doesn't want to have gym class with Rumlow, and Rumlow doesn't want to be there either but he's also kinda into the sassy brunette who tried to sweet talk him into passing her without making her run a mile. In the chapter or two I did write, the banter between Darcy and Rumlow was so fun, so I'd love to go back to it and try to move it along.

I got sucked into reading Draco/Hermione fanfic recently. Blame those damn Snow edits from the latest Hunger Games movie. Guys, I have never read those books or seen the movies, but blonde Tom Blyth is looking like the fanfic Draco of my dreams. How dare. This rabbit hole led to me deciding I needed to write a Dramione piece. It's maybe 6 pages and has gone nowhere even though I have a vague idea of the plot. My muse is struggling.

I found my old folder of all the fic I wrote in the past 20 years. There are still a couple hockey fics I haven't posted to AO3. There are also Anita Blake fics (I was a hardcore Anita/Edward girlie) and Harry Potter fics (don't cancel me but I used to write Snape/Hermione; NO student/teacher stuff though). I think I have an old Doctor Who fic featuring Nine/Rose (yes, I'm a Nine girlie). And a very old Forgotten Realms fic that paired Catti-Brie up with Jarlaxle. Look, I don't know. It was ages ago. With the exception of the hockey fics, I do not think any of these are of the same quality I've posted on AO3, but I've been toying with the idea of trying to clean them up and posting them so more of my work is archived together instead of spread over various fan sites. Does anyone have any interest at all in reading this shit? Like, at all?

I decided 2024 is going to be my book binding era. I bound isthisselfcare's Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love a couple weeks ago. I did all the typesetting with the help of some macros. Printed it, folded the signatures (the booklets that comprise the book), sewed them together with waxed linen thread, glued the text block together with some mull, and used chip board and book cloth to make the case. It feels and looks like a book, y'all! I could do a better job with lining the signatures up when punching the holes for sewing and with the measurements on the case, but overall I am pretty proud of it. If anyone is interested, I can link a nice tutorial series on TT and/or post progress pictures I took during my book binding experiment. I have to say, it's exciting to have the ability to put my fav fanfics on my physical bookshelf.

[darcytaylor]

Here is my theory on Luke and why he is acting like this

Let’s face it: Luke is the lead this season, but the writing, especially that in part 2, makes him look like a secondary character. Nic is taking the spot light, and rightfully so; Luke gets some but will never measure up. He will come back to be a side character again, perhaps with as much as or a bit more screen time compared to other side characters. So far his Bridgerton identity seems to be either the brother of the leads in other seasons, or Pen/LW’s love interest. I wouldn’t be surprised if Luke wants something more.

It occurs to me the he might even want to depart from B’ton as soon as possible (once S4 is done) in order to land a different, more central role that matches his preferences of a darker character (he did mention this at least in one interview). If that is his choice, detaching from B’ton now is actually gonna help making his departure easier.

To be fair, Luke actually can do whatever he wants now. Many of you might disagree, but it seems Luke has evolved from more or less a theatre nerd to a sexy tv star who frequents fashion front rows and influencer events. Just his this sex appeal and the public recognition from S3 would be enough to land him fashion gigs and brand deals that keep him going until the filming of S4 when he will be busy for at least a few months. Being seen with A keeps people talking about him as they watch how he slowly launches her despite the outrage from B’ton and Polin fandom.

If everything fails (we predict so), Luke is still contracted to be in S4, and with Polin’s popularity he will have sufficient airtime and enough fan support to restore his relevance at least to a certain level. He can easily win fans over again by serving Lukola/Polin moments (because by that point whoever left in the restaurant would be starved), and who knows whether A will still be around then.

Of course this is just a theory and it might not be true, but to me it explains a lot of his choices at the moment.

This is honestly a pretty good take on what could be happening. While I don't agree with all of it, it all could be true.

Nicola is definitely taking the spot light, but I think that has to do with her going for everything that has been thrown at her and working her ass off, while also knowing what her fans want to see.

Luke could have had that, had he not made certain moves in the past year. I think that moving his social media to be more 'business' is a good choice (in the long run), especially if that's what he needed to do for his mental health.

But when he decided to do it, was at a weird time. Right before the promo tour? It was a choice that effected him negatively because he hasn't connected to the fans, he hasn't acted like a main character in the show that he is the main character for. He could have been the internets boyfriend, but his choices failed him in regards to that.

Productions, people in the industry, brands, see what the fan engagement is like. They know what people are talking about. They want someone that doesn't bring drama. Luke currently brings drama unfortunately. That will hinder what Luke is able to do. I don't believe that he has the option to do anything he wants at the moment, because if he did we would probably have heard something by now (I could be wrong in this). His PR moves hindered him from that.

Does he have the talent to do more than Bridgerton? Yes, I believe he does. And it's sad how the whole situation turned out in the end.

Could Luke want to leave Bridgerton after season 4? Maybe. But I also think that he will stick it out for as long as possible (especially at this point in his career) because as the saying goes "why bite off the hand that feeds you?"

[lopaak]

In Stars and Time, Aion, Mirages and Thoughts

Launching a game you were awaiting for long is always weird to live ; you're in a special time frame, an Eon you're aware you'll only live once.

In the case of In Stars and Time, it's also partly because once your finish the game, once your fixation will be over, you know you'll look back a few days or weeks before and realize your life changed in such little time.

Eon, or Aion as I will be referring to, one of the three divinity of Time in ancient Greece, represents the Time of eras, cycles, where Past and Future cohabit like lines on a globe, both parallel and meeting at every pole.

While there is Kronos the linear, unstoppable Time, and Kairos the Time of the moment and opportunity you'll get once, Aion is a Time that takes from both of its siblings.

Aion only happens once, as a specific time frame, a frame constructed by the events within it. Yet it is also a Time you live through during which Kronos' linearity makes you suffer, inexorably, makes you love and appreciate things nearby, makes you fear the end.

Yet it is also a Time in which countless opportunities are presented to you, as Kairos' influence washes over every ounce of Time thrown by the Universe.

Another specificity of Aion is that it is the only of these 3 divinities that has an existence within space, not just Time. It was originally used for astronomical time, to measure the cycle of astronomical objects, of Stars.

So here I was, playing a game about loops, unavoidable cycles of repeating events, while myself being in an Aion, aware of the ephemeral aspect of my emotional playthrough.

So, what about In Stars and Time?

It was a great game, standing in that huge rift between imperfect game and perfect piece. So great actually that this small essay is, unlike my digression about Aion might suggest, about this game!

A professional reviewer making an article on the game might be more interesting and especially, better written than a silly 18yo tumblr user though. Read at your own risk. Spoilers ahead btw!

But, since I'm making this, let's start with the basics, I imagine? The art direction is really, really good. The design of the characters is both cute and distinctive, and the (mostly!) black & white aspect of the game fits the characters and the story really well! Some still art of the characters during the hangouts and at the end of the game brought tears to my 4am-completely-dry eyes.

As an rpg, ISAT does the job well for me. The traditional medieval rpg endgame place, the castle, in this game the 'House of Change', is where most of your gameplay will take place, in 3 different floors. Which starts in the beginning as a map to go up the floors to encounter the King later evolves into a labyrinthine experience as in act 3 and 4 you have to go back in rooms hinted at you by an NPC, by your helper-companion Loop, or by deduction, to get some items, go back to another floor, go to the spawn village, over and over again.

That is where my only negative criticism of the game stands ; Acts 3 and 4 felt sometimes too confusing, hard or complicated, finding the items to advance in the story almost felt more as a burden than a fun detective exploration game. The moments of fun in these were talking with your friends about the discoveries and then going back to the village to talk with Loop. And all that was inevitably done so by Siffrin dying or being frozen in time, which wasn't making all that job any more fun.

BUT! Because most criticisms need a 'BUT', that was also experiencing, what Siffrin, our main silly hat character, was living, and thousands of times less strongly. In this specific case, the slight frustration or annoyance i got by looping to certain floors to get books and all that fuss was completely justified, as the ending would make less sense without it, and Siffrin's development as a character would be pretty meaningless, because they would have went through way less.

Act 5, where Siffrin "slightly" loses it because of everything he went through in the previous acts, is only meaningful because while what we as players might have found annoying, he as a character suffered his heart and mind through it. Every time you decided to step on a banana peel to loop up in the House, Siffrin had to die and fake their feelings to their friends once more. Every time you found slightly annoying that you had to fight a specific enemy (Sadness) again, Siffrin was living it.

About fighting! I felt the battles as really fun, satisfying and never really getting boring? Some criticisms I've seen say that fighting Sadnesses is boring, either too easy or too hard, that it's not fun... But personally i really enjoyed it!

First because, the art of the Sadnesses is like. reallyanotherlevelofdope. I found each Sadness' design amazingly cool. Many of them have this silliness to them, whether in their pose or in their expression, yet they are all crying, and, as their name implies, anything they experience is nothing but sadness. At a point where sometimes, despite hurting them in the process, you almost feel like you're freeing them when defeating them.

And well, the moving patterned background art during the battle is super duper cool as well! As someone who loves patterns of any kind, i found all of them really cool looking. Each Sadness has a background different tied to them!

Secondly on why i liked the battles, this won't be a long point but : simply, the combat system is fun! The rock-paper-scissor aspect, the different Crafts, the jackpot mechanic, all that was pretty fun.

And thirdly, the MUSIC!!! The music playing during the battles is really good and makes them more fun. And that brings me to another point on why I love ISAT : the OST. Which is my next paragraph, how fortunate.

THE OST!!!! Composed by Studio Thumpy Puppy, the soundtrack of the game is stunning! stunningly good! The genre of music i listen to the most surely is videogame ost (I'm even listening to that rn), and the soundtracks of games is something I always pay great attention to and an aspect that really hammers the nail (or nails the hammer?) when it comes to me loving a game. Every track of this ost from the King theme down to the rock-paper-scissor tutorial kid tune is of genuine amazing quality. I can only recommend giving it a listen if you're not interested in the game, and supporting the composer on Bandcamp if you can! The ost is a great fit to the event currently happening in the game, and sometimes really feels as if you were in the place of Siffrin, reflecting their mental state. For example, during Act 5, when everything about the music takes a drastic change and becomes darker, fitting the game and Siffrin's current state.

Oh, did I mention Siffrin's feelings? Makes me realize I haven't talked much about our main character yet. Oh well! Here I go. And that is where I'm gonna spoil!!

Siffrin, the silly hat wizard (wizards are not real, urgh, i mean traveler) is who you play as in ISAT. Every moment you experience is from Siffrin's perspective. He's a traveler (uses he/they!) from another country, unknown even by him at the beginning of the game. Eventually as the game progresses, they realize the land they came from was a land north of the country in which ISAT takes place, Vauguard. That land disappeared years ago, and everyone sort of forgot about it. The characters know there was an island north of Vauguard, but forgot everything about it. Trying to read its language or saying its name out loud gives a headache, if you can even remember the name. A big chunk of the game is about remembrance, Siffrin wanting and trying to remember that name, as he himself forgot. Siffrin is a deeply introvert person, scared when people touch them yet touch starved, have a hard time talking about their feelings, and much more (I'll go into it more when I'll talk about the story and do the essay part of this post). Most aspects of their personality, the topics of depression and trauma he went/is going through, as well as him being asexual makes me relate a lot to him.

However Siffrin is far from being the only multilayered and complex character in ISAT.

AND!!!! Here is when I took a break from ISAT.

A few weeks ago, I started writing this essay and eventually took a break, heh. It gave me time to think more about this silly sad game :)

I wondered whether I should rewrite everything or continue where I left off, and if you're reading this, well it means I decided to continue!!! SO here I am, continuing this essay, however moving the direction a little. I'm easing back on the review aspect and going full-on essay. Let's gooo~ wowee

When there's a topic tough to talk about because of its complexity, I ask myself : why do I want to talk about it? It eases the process to reflect on why I'm doing what I'm doing. But for some topics there's another level of complexity, thanks to, oh well, the emotional attachment there is to it ; and one of these topics is ISAT.

In what lens should I analyze ISAT? Under what light? What zoom level on the microscope? What aperture size? What focus? And perhaps the most important question ; should I use anti flare and damaging equipment? Should my picture of In Stars and Time be burnt, as looking as Stars entails. I think I'm going to look straight into the Stars and let my pupils burn, let this text get consumed, because if this text were to exist in the grand scheme of ISAT, I imagine it would get consumed either way.

Let's think. I'm closing my eyes now. No spider on my neck, no croissant in sight. Thoughts merge with C418's beautiful composition on his album "Excursions".

On the horizon, a plethora of games, shows, movies or artists that will impact my life in more ways than I can imagine at this moment. On the ground, in the sand, In Stars and Time lies, an artifact in the photographic sense, and an Artifact in the sense that it will stay with me, like many did in the past, still impacting what I'm writing right now. I pick up the cartridge..or the..steam key(?), slowly blow off the sand and rise my hand to look at it under the scorching sun. It won't be an easy task. But it wasn't for the past Artifacts either.

So ; In Stars and Time is an incredibly hard object of analysis, both because of its nature and because of my attachment to it. That's for certain. Now, it's far from impossible and nothing's impossible anyways when you have all the time in the world. A lens that I feel necessary to use when analyzing In Stars and Time is the lens of the dispossession of one's identity. Siffrin is forcefully separated from what made them who they are now, forcefully separated from the impending victory and freedom.

Cultural dispossession is something that I can't say I relate myself but is something that had a definite impact on my family, something that I could witness in the eyes of a loved one back a few years ago, someone who was reminiscing their earlier memories as a way to survive in a brain getting used and fatigued. Memories that I could not all write down, as Time was getting close. One day, a bit over three years ago, these eyes closed and with that ended a flow of mental souvenirs.

ISAT made me think about that person a lot. It feels that throughout In Stars and Time, at least to me, grief was treated in a way that I've never seen before. Grief is everywhere, but subtly? It is just a car you see driving next to you during a trip on a long highway. You can't really read its license plate but, do you need to? Do you need to know where that car is from, in what country, what state was it bought? Do you need to know where it is going? No you don't. But sometimes you wish you could know. (Note ; writing this makes me think about this song)

I left all my luggage in the last station. I lost them. Moving on.

Grief is also present as a fear of something that might have already happened, in the character of Bonnie. They did not lose their sister but what if? What if it was too late? 'Siffrin, what if they could never go back because of you? Because of me?'

Siffrin witnessing Bonnie being murdered was one of the most terrifying experience while playing the game. I don't know if Sif can ever recover after that in the future, but my headcanon says so. Thinking about that event makes me ...sick.

Bonnie is, despite their age, one hell of a strong character, for many reasons. Because their final hit can be an absolute bop. Because they make super duper good snacks. Because they're here. They crawled to escape the curse, walked with no gear nor water for days before meeting the crew. All this time, they stayed strong. They kept advancing, in the hope of finding something, anything to help.

And they did. I can see them right now, in this desert, looking at this cartridge. The scorching sun is freezing cold, so I'll keep moving to heat myself at least a bit. I have to continue.

Difference is constructed.

Mirabelle is, in a lot of ways, the other main character. She created the party, she saves everyone's life, she beats the King. It's tough to be more 'main character' than this. At least it is by most fictional adventure standards. She's very unique anyways, but is it a weakness to be unique? Obviously not; except in the house of Change? Tough to say, but needless to say, she has a very dyptical (i made that word up, let's say, "dual") relationship with the House and with her fellow housemaidens. She loves being where she is, she loves her place in the House, she loves her beliefs. But she's scared whether she is the right person, because the reality is that she wasn't "chosen" by the Change God, because there are expectations she cannot (or is repulsed to) fulfill due to being on the aroace spectrum.

That is also something I related a lot with! And the message about religion and more specifically belief is really healthy. To believe is not necessarily to make compromises, it is also to believe in yourself, as apart of whichever deity, able to change, able to be who you are.

I think her fears are very relatable, to many people. To an inattentive eye, it could make her a pretty consensual character when it comes to her personality. A character that everyone can like, she's the nice one, all that. But that'd be falling for the trap she's in herself.

Mirabelle is way more complex than what she may look like, a sweet housemaiden who is nice and caring, here for others, who fits her name really well (to be fair, Mirabelle does suit her alot, but not just bc of the sweetness and all that). She has a strength other characters don't necessarily have ; a strength that is in-game represented by her shield ability and the fact that she deals the final blow to the King. But it's a strength that deeply, is tough to explain and that other people will likely do better than me. A strength tied to her belief in Change, tied to her care towards the people of Vauguard, but also tied to her believing in herself. She seem unsure of herself and, arguably she is in many situations, but when the moment is important she knows what to do and she's sure of that.

In the end of the day ; Mirabelle is aware that she doubts her strength, and knows that she can fight those doubts.

And, as I see in the distance a faraway light illuminating the sky, making day look like night, I understand that a shield, far, far away, is resonating for countries around. In another land that is mere mirages for me, they're celebrating.

I don't want this essay to look review-y too much so I won't go around analyzing Isabeau and Odile like I did previously with the others ; plus, patterns get quickly boring. Nah.

There is a ton to say about Isabeau and Odile though. However I've been thinking about how to express my feelings and essaying on them, and I can't find the words. Which granted I'm no journalist, no professional reviewer, but I feel like any inability to write about the things I love is a form of weakness for me. Just for me though, if, that makes sense, oh, well, okay,. If people read this and are interested in my thoughts about them, I'll definitely try my best to go in depth in another essay, specifically about the whole roaster ; Bonnie, Isabeau, Mirabelle, Odile and Sif! (and another one!) They're in alphabetical order! (not the essay).

I will try for now tho, to at least express a bit my feelings on them two. Isabeau is a beautifully written character. I really see his personality as a glimmer in the party. He's brave and strong, but so romantic and kind-hearted. Like Mirabelle, he may seem like a pretty consensual character that is a bit stereotypical ; the buff guy with a heart of moss. But! Like her, he is much much more complex than what meets the eye of someone casually glancing at a ISAT 100% No Commentary video by "theFullGameplayGuy" or some other name (made them up). (No hate towards these channels. They're lifesavers sometimes. Thanks thefullgameplayguy or any no commentary gameplay channel.)

Got distracted but, like the script of a film being created on set, I decided to not delete my distractions. Makes the essay more me!

Odile. Odile is a character that I found so very intriguing since I played ISAT's "prototype", Start again: A prologue. She talks less compared to the others, she's much older, mysteriously scientific and scientifically mysterious. She's lesbi- oh sorry that's a headcanon. . . Um, so, she's very intriguing, especially until her hangout event where you learn much more about her, her past, her life, what brought her here. She has a personality that is quite hard to get at first, but a really cool and sweet one. When I played the game and had to choose the wish in the first minutes, I actually chose the one with Odile! And the reason is exactly this intriguing personality, her mysterious veil of Craft and Science, and my interest for Ka Bue (the country she came from).

All these characters will stuck with me for a long, long time. While playing, I saw myself in each of them at least a bit. Few games made me feel represented with an array of different characters, all shaped in the small world they're coded in, yet near infinitely complex.

Now I know what you may be thinking. I'm not forgetting Loop!!! I actually thought a lot whether I should include them here and decided that I will include them in that other essay I'll make if it interests people, because they are a WHOLE other level of layers and as much as I love writing this, it's a very big piece I can't really tackle in the middle of an overall essay about the game.

In Stars and Time is one of these games. One of these art pieces that will have a lasting on my life. In the continuity of games such as Undertale/Deltarune, fnaf (yeaa it's a franchise), The Stanley Parable, Stardew Valley, Bad End Theater, Life is Strange, If Found, or more recently q.u.q and Stories Untold, and much much more ; this game will change my perception and apprehension of things, and will continue to influence me over the time, over all my future creative projects. (id recommend to check all the games i mentioned that you haven't heard of!!) It will follow me, for the better, in my creative process. So thank you Armor Game Studio, thank you Studio Thumpy Puppy, and thank you the creator, Insertdisc5!

So ; as I'm nearing the end of this, I wonder what it is. I called it an essay for a lack of better words, but I honestly don't know if I'm qualified to write something and call it an essay. And it's definitely not a review either. But it started as one, a bit! Though i don't want to make a review. So I don't really know! But oh well.

Also, remember the three Time in ancient Greece? I think a lot about its ties to the game, but again, that would be too long and especially, too hard for me to explain with words..?. Everything interconnects, everything meets everywhere, everything, on all ends and all thoughts. And ISAT is now part of a cobweb bigger than worlds, words and concepts. I might, tho, try to write about it, one day.

Call me lazy for not expanding on some topics but it's tough to produce allthat for my tiny brain!! I really want to go further but you know. Eh

As for me, I continue walking in the sand. In the erased steps of someone of more importance, I go forward toward the unknown with a new piece in the forever expanding puzzle of a life ; a piece called In Stars and Time.

[frankensteinshimbo]

Nostalgia

A vampire tries being accountable for his historical exploits to the Childe he made during the 1860s. The recount teaches Frederick that even though he's also historical, he has never had any particular attachment to or any nostalgia for his own life.

The worst couple returns, but I have no particular warnings to throw on this.

"You used to talk at length about the French Revolutionaries during my adolescence. Do you remember?"

Stéphane glanced past the rim of his blocky sunglasses at Frederick. He had just floated back in, bringing the dry smell of California air with him. Unlike the small round sunglasses of the 1800s aristocracy, these glasses covered the Frenchman's eyes so thoroughly Frederick couldn't discern the nuance of Stéphane's expressions, but the slightest tweak of his lips suggested humor.

The blond threw himself into an armchair at an angle that half-spilled him out of it. He was still dressed from his outing in the deliciously low clothing of this young century. The button down shirt was more artistic than anything Frederick would've seen in Atlanta, (a Queen's Blue canvas strewn with pale lemons), but it was the brown denim cut off at Stéphane's thighs that had a hard time not leading his eyes down the limber muscles of the other man's legs.

Luckily for Frederick's modesty, Stéphane had been distracted by Frederick's question and was contemplating a wall, mouth in hand.

"Huh. Yeah, I do," he replied. "Robespierre, Billaud Varenne..."

"Collot d'Herbois," Frederick reminded him tidily.

"Collot d'Herbois! That is an old name!"

Stéphane pushed the sunglasses up into his hair.

"Couthon. So many men that have been added to the archives of history."

Frederick's pursed his lips primly at the admission. It hollowed his cheeks, casting his normally soft face in severe light. He slid forward on his seat to perch at the lip. From there, it was easy to catch Stéphane's flitting blue eyes and bore his dark ones into that chink.

"How old are you, Stéphane?"

Quick as a wolf, Stéphane quirked his lips at the rabbit's inquiry.

"How old are you, Junior?"

Some integral machine inside of Frederick stopped running, leaving only dead air inside of his mind.

Stéphane's grin widened as he took in the discord he'd sown.

"Or is your resurrected body exempt from a test mine has to be held to? Does Persephone care for Hades age? Does any other immortal? Age is a way of accounting for finite time. What's the point when your days are endless?"

"It matters because my hourglass had a measured amount of sand when I met you."

Stéphane gave Frederick an airy shrug.

"I guess it did," Stéphane sighed as he shook his waterfall of hair over his shoulders. "You're entitled to that curiosity as a fledgling in this life, but I'd like you to start looking past mortal constructs."

He flicked a last wisp of blond silk from his face.

"You know? Adjust."

This sounded so rational that Frederick resented it with the kind of frustration that knew no reason. The feeling burned through the bottom of his stomach so suddenly, that it was distinct from the days - weeks perhaps - of calm apathy. Even to his own dissatisfaction responding to it was distasteful, but he found himself insisting petulantly:

"But you were alive during the Revolution?"

Stéphane had good humor enough to laugh at the Childe.

"For a couple of them yes. I fought the French one. Is that clear enough?"

He spoke with the unrelenting patience Frederick had remembered. It stood in such stark contrast to the senseless angry death he'd been treated to at Stéphane's hands that ache introduced itself to the burn, leaving distress the concoction both adverse memories created.

"And then after that?"

Frederick forced himself to be understanding. The French Revolution was still fresh on the tongue during the Antebellum. An event of political upheaval that his mother had thrown around as a type of politics that was on the make. She had still dressed like "the Republican ladies in Paris," long into the depths of Southern Rebellion.

"I Goldrushed; you know that."

Frederick's brow wrinkled. He did remember catching edges of the story, hiding at the frays of smoking room conversations he hadn't been invited to to listen to the French dandy's strange wonderful adventures.

"In eighteen-fifty-nine," he said more than asked.

"Euh--"

Stéphane's eyes fluttered.

"Forty-nine, actually," he corrected. "But-- ah! That's right!" he exclaimed softly. "Most people knew me as twenty-five then, so I edited some of the details. I came to California a year after a friend did. An Englishman, actually. He was kindred to you and me."

Stéphane gestured to the gap between him and Frederick. Us, the small motion conveyed with devastating clarity. Us.

"He had ideas regarding the Mexican-American conflicts that cropped up with the settlers. He was something of a career revolutionary, and California was his next soapbox after the Republic had been settled."

Stéphane tilted his head to gauge how well Frederick was stomaching that particular truth.

Frederick was struggling. He had never been able to identify clear emotions since he'd been a teenager and realized that most people weren't being Romantic when they talked about being swayed by their passions. But he did have sensations that manipulated his nerves and made him prone to blunt outbursts. Oral-aggressive and anal-retentive the doctors had told his mother. That building concoction inside of his low stomach had foamed up into his throat, but there he sat, impressively stoic.

"And then?"

Stéphane adopted a crooked smile.

"I spent a couple years as a volunteer in the Mexican-American war and watching the Presidio grow into San Francisco. The railroads completed, connecting the desert washes to the plains and to lamppost cities. New York. Boston. New Orleans. People all came West, not for fortune or fight but to live life. And I thought what the fuck am I doing here?"

"And then?"

"And then the Civil War," Stéphane laughed and then scooted forward himself.

His eyes locked with Frederick's, knees almost touching.

"And then World War One after that. I became a student of Futurism and longed to go back to Paris, but I'd had you by then, so I stayed by your graveside, hoping for a kinder world to bring you back into. Then the Second World War, then the Cold War. Another revolution of technology, the Information Age. But Life isn't a series of 'and thens.' They're moments I cherish."

Stéphane extended his hand to the old Baptist preacher, offering a new millennium perched on Frederick's knee.

"And the present. Always the present. Today, then tomorrows I want you to see with me after that."

Frederick stared down at the open palm in silence.

"I was your disciple once," he began in a cold dead voice. "I entreated all of your beliefs, adopted them as my own, but then I found grievous flaw with them. I left you."

"And what did you find in your holy Sabbatical, Father?"

Frederick's lips swinged again.

"I'm not a Catholic," he said with purposeful pedantry through a tight frown.

But it was a (what he considered anyway) fundamental truth. Unlike most of the clergy, Frederick had considered his faith worldly over ascendant. He didn't often speak in scripture and, like most Protestant reformers, resented piety for piety's sake. His sermons were plain; his faith was measured by observable proofs when God remained, Himself, unobservable.

"In truth, it wasn' the world of dreams we used to talk about, but it helped me learn my own arrogance, an' I taught myself the humility of what it meant to be colored an' free, while my parishioners were enslaved. I have no special memories of that time; it was also a day after another, just prayin', but I was a real every day comfort for those folks in an unsure time."

Stéphane rolled his eyes, but he didn't withdraw.

"It always surprises me how many people are content to bury themselves in obscurity, but I couldn't let one of them be you, Junior. I don't believe for a second that religion was your calling; I think it was an excuse to bow out of the world."

His hand rolled over to grab Frederick's cuff and held on. It took every ounce of willpower for Frederick not to pull back

"You were too smart, too full of ideals, too many stars in my empty sky. There was no point in my eternity if you weren't here for it."

For the first time, the glowing vision in front of him sounded like he was pleading for something. He sunk from the armchair to kneel in front of Frederick. Frederick's eyes widened. Stéphane's grip on Frederick's arm, even through the thick wool of the coat, started to hurt.

"I'm sorry that the night of your Embrace was violent, but I accepted that you left once--"

Frederick could see himself reflected in Stéphane's light eyes, startled and just a little bit beautiful in his own surprise. More beautiful than he had ever been in many mirrors when he'd been alive.

"--I couldn't let you fade into obscurity again, knowing you'd go the way of every bright light I'd once called friend."

The pressure in his arm, the ardent desperation in Stéphane's eyes, the white European beauty he'd always envied laid at his feet. The world weighing his shoulders down lifted as he gazed at this perfect tragedy concocted for his ego. And... he couldn't fight it.

He wasn't exactly sure when his ex had gotten back into his arms, whose initiation it was, but his lips were joined all the same. He stilled, feeling it happen through different points of contact on his body, through his clothes, the shift of Stéphane's mouth on his own.

It seemed like a gothic heroine's decision to push away or to kiss back with resolve, but when that penultimate moment came, all he could think of was the place he'd grown up, his church, and the War that had never quite ended in his mind, the hidden burden of being an abolitionist in the South, and how helpless all of that conflict had made a body feel.

God, as ever, remained silent and unobservable.

[kirsdoesstuff]

TWST Headcanons for my Insert

TWST Headcanons for my Insert

🌹♣️♦️♥️♠️ & 🦁🍩🐺

-Note-

Now my headcanons are based on my personal insert and what I think both parties will do.

Beware Book 6 Mentions

Example, I totally would’ve thrown a chair at a robot in pure rage at both situation and the fact people I care about were in danger.

This accounts for feeling the build up of stress, like being tempted to slap a few people or tempted to punch someone or something. Not doing it, but damn tempting.

Personally I’d also probably fall for either Leona or Malleus, leaning towards Leona. I won’t put romantic stuff in this one, but I’ll make something separate later on.

I’m currently on the way to turning 20 in October so I’m putting that as what’s there. While my wit texting insert is 19 still.

Heartslabyul

Riddle

Gets plenty of hugs from Kirs due to his past with consent to hug of course. Takes a while for him to get use to it completely

Enjoys another being shorter than himself yet older

Gets them in on punishments for the duo when they start breaking a lot of rules that aren’t small

Kirs treats him like he’s 17 and reminds him not everything has to be perfect

Generally get along when he mellows out

He still finds Kirs breaking very specific rules a lot since they don’t know what they are and aren’t from the dorm

He enjoys being taller than them

Book 6 : Has only seen Kirs truly mad once, Idia surely was just the tipping point after everything that happened already, but he didn’t expect to see that amount of pure rage

Trey

They’re friends and talk casually

Bake together sometimes and when they’ve been invited to a unbirthday

Helped teach them the rules surrounding their parties so they’d remember those at the least

Sometimes treats them younger than due to appearance, but backs off if he’s reminded that they’re older than him

Has yet to see them mad, but Riddle had explained that no one should ever make them mad or they shall face wrath worse than his own

Cater

They hang out a lot and Kirs can take plenty of good pics for him

Enjoys listening to music from their world

Makes them come to some of the Music Clubs meets, so the others can hear the music you have saved

He feels rather comfortable around them, since they don’t really judge people

Hugs them casually or puts an arm around their shoulder (platonic)

Has heard a rant or two about their struggles in this new world

Doesn’t care all that much that they’re a bit different from everyone

Didn’t mention Idia for a few days after events, as one time the atmosphere changed dark immediately

Ace

Couldn’t help but tease them about their height

Managed to tic them off enough for an elbow in the gut

Learned not to constantly pester them and how to make puppy dog eyes for good measure

Asking them to go over the homework with him (& Deuce) a lot, just how do they make it look so easy

Wait what?! They’re older than their own seniors? No wonder they breezed through, but that doesn’t explain height

Biological difference? You know he sucks at science, so be specific

Oh…..so that’s why you don’t go to the changing rooms, I bet Deuce is gonna freak out a bit due to how comfortable they both were around them sometimes

Deuce

Was glad Kirs would explain things a bit slower for him when they started to study together

Can be calmed down by them if someone agitates him

Is surprised to see them throw a kick when talking doesn’t work

Looks up to them a bit for how smart they were and they were literally his senpai in age

Enjoys being tutored by them, since they explain it so differently than the teachers

He did somewhat freeze when he was told about their biological sex, and after apologizing for anything he did that might’ve made them uncomfortable or scared

Is thankful they’re understanding and forgiving, but reassuring him that he didn’t make them uncomfortable

He knows not to treat them any differently than before, they’re just them

Savanaclaw

Leona

Didn’t quite like Kirs at first, after all they were against him in the beginning

He knew something was up with them and learning they were the same age was a shock

It explained how they smelled so different, since he wasn’t an idiot and knew they were different

Though they never said anything specific about their gender identity

They were patient and would bug him to go up his grades, they too found the basic classes too easy but still put the effort to write it

He tolerates them annoying him

One of a few people who can wake him up without consequences often

Book 6: Seeing them filled with pure rage reminded him not to push them too far if they’re that stressed already

Knows his dorm won’t step out of line if they’re around

Ruggie

Broke buddies, though he understands it’s because of Headmage Crowley

Will often get them if they can’t find Leona to deal with dorm situations and in return teaches them how to use specific deals at Sam’s Shop

Knows they could beat up someone if they need to

Enjoys how they don’t treat him as lesser than

Oh you’re as old as Leona, could you try talking some sense into him?

He also doesn’t really care what sex they were born, it doesn’t affect him

Though he notices that some of the bunch who were at STYX, were much more cautious about pissing them off after the fact for a while

Jack

He enjoys how honest they are and how they don’t let things really bother them

He enjoys learning more about what they’ve experienced as someone who is older than himself

They do sometimes ask if he’d mind reaching for something if he’s around

He trusts them to brush him in wolf form, and he always gets ear scratches from them

Of course he notices that through time they got more stressed with all the Overblots and extra work piled on them. There wasn’t much he could do other than letting the main first years know and tell his Housewarden

[themovieblogonline]

Furiosa: Delivers Gas, Guts & Glory

Get ready for "Furiosa," the latest post-apocalyptic dust storm whipped up by George Miller, the mastermind behind Mad Max. This flick dives into the backstory of Imperator Furiosa, played by the ever-intense Anya Taylor-Joy. https://youtu.be/sGApSGZe_kQ We all dug Furiosa in "Fury Road," but here we see her young, getting snatched from her happy place and basically morphing into the ultimate wasteland warrior. We see the events that harden her resolve and turn her into the fearless leader we know. Imagine watching Wolverine learn to be a mechanic – that's the vibe. This deep dive into her past helps us understand why she's such a force to be reckoned with. Chris Hemsworth struts in as Dementus, a villain so over-the-top, he likely uses a thesaurus to order fast food. Picture Heath Ledger's Joker on a sugar rush, describing things as "piquant." Hilarious? Debatable. Scary? Absolutely. Hemsworth brings the crazy in a way that's both terrifying and oddly entertaining. The Great Fury of Furiosa Miller conjures a wasteland that's both gorgeous and brutal. Think "Burning Man" meets "Lord of the Rings," with a healthy dose of car chases thrown in for good measure. The sound design is fire too, totally sucking you into the action. It's a world that feels real and lived-in, even if it's completely nuts. Miller is a master of world-building, and "Furiosa" is a testament to his skills. Every frame is visually stunning, from the sweeping desert landscapes to the tricked-out vehicles that roar across the wasteland. Miller's a master at making car chases feel like ballets of destruction. Prepare to be visually wowed. The Bad: Pacing Hits the Brakes "Furiosa" is a thrill ride for most of the journey, but there are stretches that feel longer than Diddy's list of allegations. By the third act, you might be craving some caffeinated popcorn just to stay awake. The relentless action can be a bit exhausting at times, and the pacing occasionally sputters. It's a minor nitpick, but it's worth mentioning. A bigger issue is the love story subplot. Furiosa gets a love interest, but the whole thing feels kinda forced. Maybe it's because we already know where Furiosa's heart lies (hint: it ain't with some dude). The romance subplot feels like a detour that takes away from the main story. It's not terrible, but it doesn't quite land. The Verdict "Furiosa" is a visually stunning action flick that takes you deep into the wasteland and the origin story of a badass warrior queen. Chris Hemsworth brings the crazy, and the world-building is top-notch. However, the pacing drags a bit in spots, and the love story feels like a detour. So, is it a must-watch? If you're a Mad Max fanatic or just love epic action with a strong female lead, then gas up the chariot and go for it. Otherwise, you might want to rent it instead of springing for the full tank.   Read the full article

[seeklovenet]

Bumble Vs Eharmony 2023 Which One To Avoid?

Bumble Vs Eharmony 2023 Which One To Avoid?

The real distinction right here appears to be with the opposite classes mentioned that we’ll contact on more within the next section of which choice we like finest. My recommendations are based primarily by myself experiences within the online courting area as a woman, with some word-of-mouth impressions from friends thrown in for good measure. HER, an award-winning app made for queer women by queer women, is the proper place to go when you're tired of the one lesbian you understand being your ex-girlfriend. Even should you're brand new to online dating, you doubtless know that as you are served a sequence of photographs, you swipe proper if you like what you see and left if you do not. When you both point out curiosity in each other, you will get a notification that it is a match.

Despite the risks on locations like college campuses, there are nonetheless lots of people who desire a connection past frat events. Whether you are in search of love on campus or simply looking for the following hookup, make sure to approach it safely. Skip the constant inbox notifications with CMB's smaller user base and matches that the lady has already OK'd.

Historical Past Of Bumble And Eharmony

On the upside, the profiles are transient, which lets you make decisions shortly. The downside is that a short dating profile makes it harder to figure out what lots of people are looking for. Knowing very little about a person can even make initial messaging much more challenging. You'll need to wade via a sea of profiles, which makes it simple to pass over folks you may need given an opportunity underneath totally different circumstances. Whether you are on the lookout for an off-the-cuff hookup, potential date, friendship or an LTR ,Tinder has you coated. It's mainly the primary stop for these getting into the relationship world.

Wolfe calls this service a “feminist dating app”, by which she means that women are in charge. What reins they are given, might be mentioned in one of the sections under. She has been working in online romance and International relationship industry since 2012 and is enthusiastic about figuring out the romance rip-off and giving courting suggestions and hacks. Join Krystyna for the relationship service critiques and for finding methods to succeed with dating. My recommendation to you is to go with eHarmony if you are in search of the perfect relationship app.

Eharmony Vs Bumble Statistics

After you have filled within the extensive questionnaire, the system finds potential matches that are suitable with your results. You don’t must go through many profiles to find whom you could probably like. Actually, you haven't any method of seeing any profiles apart from the ones suggested to you. Before a match is established, you presumably can send a Reaction to a photo, bio, or a immediate on someone’s profile web page.

On the opposite hand, eharmony paid subscriptions begin at 6 months and prime out at two years. For individuals looking for serious relationships, eHarmony is the clear winner. If you’re looking for something casual, Bumble is the pick, though, there are another casual relationship options we'd recommend first. Relationship Goals – As we already alluded to, one of many greater points of the eHarmony vs. Bumble battle is the purpose of the connection. With eHarmony, it’s all about actual relationships, long-term, and more critical kind relationships. With Bumble, it’s going to be a blended bag of people in search of casual relationship, as properly as some in search of one thing extra serious.

Eharmony Vs Bumble: Which App Is Better?

However since eharmony focusses on severe and dedicated relationships, many Christians are drawn to it to find a devoted husband or spouse. Its enhanced matchmaking and compatibility options make it an excellent option to find a Christian companion. If you are looking for a critical relationship, then eharmony is the greatest option so lengthy as you're prepared to spend cash on online courting. Your experience on eharmony starts with a relationship personality quiz. This is an opportunity to reflect on your relationship targets and the type of person you need to be with. Unlike Bumble, eharmony doesn’t leave who you match with as much as luck.

However, if time within the connection is running out and you assume the woman could be the one for you, you possibly can prolong the connection for another 24 hours to give her extra time to textual content you. If you may be utilizing Facebook to signal up, you possibly can choose the images from Facebook and if not, you probably can select the photographs out of your gallery. You will then have to include a personal bio which ought to be 300 characters or much less. The name you give can be your official name but you might also decide a artistic and enjoyable name that may simply spark a conversation.

That doesn’t mean you can’t find the love of your life on Bumble. Anecdotal proof shows that many married couples have met on Bumble too. Both Bumble and eharmony add vital perks to their paid subscriptions. It’s just that Bumble is completely usable even for people eharmony 1 month trial with free accounts, eharmony requires you to pay to get basic functionality. While it’s clear that Bumble is cheaper than eharmony general, it’s price understanding what further options you get with each paid membership.

[alex-sweetoblivion]

A Guide To Hosting The Ultimate Singles Party

Parties can be a lot of fun, and they’re a great way to get acquainted with new people. However, throwing a party on your own can be quite daunting—especially if you don’t know what to do or where to start. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to hosting the ultimate singles parties in Sydney. From choosing the right venue to planning the menu, we’ve got you covered. So throw on your party pants and join the fun!

Planning The Party

When it comes to throwing the ultimate singles party, there is no one right way to do it. However, by following these tips, you can make sure that your party is a blast for everyone involved!

1. Decide What You Want To Accomplish

First and foremost, you need to decide what you want your party to accomplish. Are you looking to have a good time with your friends, find new partners, or just have some laughs? Once you know this, start thinking about what activities will help achieve these goals.

2. Choose The Location And Date

Once you know what you want your party to accomplish, it’s time to choose the location and date! Do some research online or speak with friends who have thrown similar parties in the past in order to get an idea of when is best for you. Also, keep in mind the weather conditions - if it's going to be cold outside plan accordingly!

3. Plan Your Menu And Activities

Now that you have chosen the date and location of your party, it’s time to start planning your menu! Think about things like games and contests that will be fun and challenging for everyone. And don’t forget the snacks! Throw in a few barbeques or pool parties for good measure too! Once everything is planned out, start contacting people who are already planning events in order to collaborate on ideas.

Setting The Scene

In order to pull off the ultimate singles party, you'll need to have some essentials in place. Here are a few tips to get started:

1. Decide What You're Trying To Accomplish

As with any party planning, knowing what your goal is will help you determine what needs to be done in order to achieve it. For example, if your goal is to make new friends, then you may not need as many formal arrangements as someone who wants to host a wedding celebration. Prioritize accordingly!

2. Make The Place Look And Feel Like A Party Scene

One of the most important things you can do when planning a singles party is to create an atmosphere that makes people want to come back again and again. This means spicing up the place with fun touches like brightly colored throw pillows and festive wall hangings and avoiding anything that might make people feel uncomfortable or unwelcome (ie.: big picture windows that let everyone see into your living room).

3. Have Lots Of Activities On Hand To Keep People amused

One of the best ways to make sure that everyone at your party has a good time is by having plenty of activities on hand for them to participate in - whether it's games or socializing opportunities. This way, no one will feel left out or isolated, and everyone will wind up enjoying themselves!

Hiring The DJ

When planning your next singles party, you'll want to hire a DJ to keep the dance floor full all night long. Here are some tips for finding the perfect DJ for your event:

1. Do your research. There are a lot of great DJs out there, so it's important to choose one who will fit the mood of your party and match the music style of your guests. You can find recommendations from friends, look through online reviews, or ask around at local clubs.

2. Ask about price quotes. It's important to find a DJ who is affordable and has reasonable rates. Negotiate if necessary!

3. Check their references. Ask your potential DJ how many parties they've done and who was on the guest list (this will give you an idea of what type of music they like to play). Also inquire about any audio/visual equipment they may have used at past events and whether those went well.

4. Get to know them as a person as well as a DJ. It's important to have a good rapport with your DJ so that they can create a fun atmosphere and help you stay on schedule without feeling rushed or stressed (not to mention, their skills as a DJ won't be nearly as effective if they don't get along with you!). Spend some time getting to know them outside of work too - they're people after all!

Planning a party? Here are some tips for hiring the perfect DJ!

Planning The Menu

There’s no need to worry if you don’t know what to serve at your next singles party. Planning the menu can be fun and easy with a little help from some basic tips.

Start by choosing the theme of your party. If you want to keep things light and fun, go for a themed party like a beach or summertime party. For a more serious and romantic evening, consider hosting a wine-themed event or a dinner party with truffles as an appetizer. Think about what type of foods would match your chosen theme, and then start digging into your recipes!

Be sure to include plenty of finger foods on your menu so that guests can snack on their way through the night. Some great picks include charcuterie boards, cheese plates, olives, pita bread and crackers, cookies and bars, fruit skewers, etc.

If you want guests to stay longer after dinner is over, consider serving cocktails or desserts that are light enough to enjoy right before bedtime. Some delicious options include fruity margaritas or piña coladas made with pineapple juice instead of rum or cream-filled chocolates that are perfect for sharing. Don’t forget about ice cream! Serve up several different flavors in different containers so everyone can get their own picky delight.

No matter what kind of party you choose to host, make sure there are plenty of games for guests to play! 

Dressing Up For The Party

Looking to amp up your party theme and give your guests a real blast? Here are some tips for dressing up for the ultimate singles party!

Step One: Decide on Your Theme

There’s no one right way to dress for a singles party, but some popular themes include “Rockabilly Rebel”, “Animal Kingdom Safari”, or “Pool Party Paradise”. Just make sure that your outfits reflect the theme of your party!

Step Two: Choose The Right Outfit For You

If you want to go all out with your look, choose an outfit that is both stylish and comfortable. For example, if you are going for a pool party theme, consider wearing a swimsuit or bathing suit underneath your clothing. If you want to be more dressed up, wear something like a formal gown or pantsuit. Either way, make sure that the outfit is easy to move in and comfortable enough to wear all night long. 

Step Three: Accessorize With Style!

Add some personality to your look by choosing accessories that match your chosen theme. For example, if you are going to Animal Kingdom Safarithemed parties, add animal print accessories like earrings or bracelets. Or if you are going for a rockabilly-themed party, try adding cowboy boots or bandanas to your ensemble!

Step Four: Makeup And Hair Accessories Are Essential!

Not only do makeup and hair accessories help to create a unique look, but they can also add some extra pizzazz to your outfit. For example, if you are dressing up as a rockabilly rebel, try adding black eyeliner and rosy cheeks to your makeup routine. Or if you want to go for a more natural look, choose something like light eye shadow and soft-colored lipstick.

Step Five: Have Fun With Your Outfit!

Finally, don’t forget to have fun with your outfit! If you are feeling daring, go for something outrageous or creative. Or, if you just want to stick to the basics, go for something that is comfortable and stylish. Either way, make sure that you enjoy wearing your outfit and have a lot of fun during your singles party!

Entertainment For Your Guests

Planning the ultimate singles party is not as hard as you might think. In fact, with a little bit of creativity and some helpful tips, you can have a great time hosting your friends and getting to know them better. Here are some ideas for entertainment that will keep your guests entertained during the party:

1. Singing Contest: Have everyone take turns singing a favorite tune or group song. This is a great way to get everyone involved and make sure that everyone has fun. If you have any good singers in your group, be sure to include them in the contest!

2. Karaoke Night: Nothing is more fun than belting out your favorite tunes in front of a room full of people. If you don't have any karaoke machines available, don't worry – there are plenty of other ways to get the party started. Play some music together and try to match the lyrics until someone cracks under pressure!

3. Party Quiz: One of the best ways to get to know each other is through trivia questions. Host a quiz night and see who can answer the most challenging questions in quick time frames. This is guaranteed to be lots of fun and will help reinforce relationships among guests while they're getting educated at the same time!

Conclusion

If you're looking to throw the ultimate singles party, this guide is for you! In it, we'll walk you through all of the essentials — from planning your menu and setting up your space to choosing the right music and guests. By following our tips, you'll be able to create an unforgettable experience that will make your single friends feel like rock stars (or at least welcome guests!). So whether you're trying to find new dates or just have a damn good time with old ones, read on for everything you need to know about throwing the best singles party of your life.

[krethes]

@wolfstarmicrofic Day Twenty-Three: accident

This is part 3 of the firefighter AU. Part 1 (Wildfire). Part 2 (Inhale).

c/w: mentions of car accident, past death of parent, general firefighter peril and emotions.

18+ nsfw

There's no off-season, no summer vacation, no federal or religious holidays. There are a lot of missed events, fun opportunities gone untaken, and fucked-up sleep schedules. Remus can't remember the last time he actually watched a movie in theaters or ate a meal at a restaurant that wasn't within walking distance of the station. Dry springs and drier summers are spent jumping out of planes into burning landscapes, and the rest of his year is...this.

He can feel the bite of the sleet even through his gear. The burning heat of the up-ended oil tanker set ablaze does little to warm him, but even if it did, the accident scene they've walked into is enough to chill his blood: an oil tanker on fire a few meters off, the cab crushed like a coke can. The ground beneath his boots is slick: black ice.

His team is already on the trailer of the tanker, dousing it with foam from three angles. Remus descends on the cab and steels his heart against the chaos he knows he'll see inside. He needs to focus on the mission and put his emotions aside. Emotions cause mistakes, and mistakes cause burns, injury, and death.

So he shuts his sympathies down as they wrench open the crumpled door. The driver is breathing (good) and conscious (poor fucker), but he has a face full of glass and his leg definitely shouldn't be bent that way. "Sir, can you hear me? I'm Lieutenant Lupin. I'm here to help."

The man's screams follow him home.

He tried to ignore Lily's pointed look once they'd loaded the driver into the ambulance, but she's somehow gotten craftier over the years. She's not allowed within explosion range of the tanker (James's rules, not hers, though Remus thinks she'd probably change her stance on that now that her jacket can't close over the swell of her belly) but she cuts Remus off at the scarlet Number 10 engine. She dismisses his protests that he's fine (because he is!) and sends him home. There is no arguing with Captain Potter.

At home, he's alone with his thoughts. Sirius will be back...some time, hopefully before the sun rises. They both moonlight as paramedics, because of course they do. They have to constantly keep moving. If they stop, they might have to deal with all the shit getting thrown at them. If they stop, they might never start again. Remus lights their fireplace (funny how he can't stay away from that, either) pours himself a measure of whiskey, and curls up on their sofa.

Sirius wakes him with a gentle touch, all that's needed after years responding to a hair-trigger alert. "You're the worst fireman ever," he teases, gesturing to the still-lit fireplace. "Leaving a hearth unattended. Wow, Remus."

He smells like the hospital, like antiseptic and the lurid green cleaner they use on the floors. His mouth, when Remus kisses him, tastes like stale hospital coffee and cigarettes, and his hair is a bit lank under his fingers and his blue shirt sweat-damp. Need overtakes Remus, pushing aside the shadowy feelings lurking just below his skin, and he quickly fiddles with the zip and buttons of Sirius's uniform shirt.

Sirius pulls back as Remus's wandering hands grow more urgent, a questioning look in his eyes. "Bad call?" he asks, though he must already know. "Saw that guy..." Sirius stills Remus's hands and pulls him upright to sit next to him. "Even looked a little like your dad, huh?" His words are soft, smoke-husky, but gentle as he presses Remus to his chest.

Remus's throat is tight. "Yeah..." His father was a long-haul trucker, and not as lucky as the one today when his tires met sudden ice over a bridge. Accidents like this are always hard on him. It's been seven years, but things like that don't just go away. Remus clears his throat and stands, tugging Sirius up with him. "C'mon."

The shower is a sanctuary. There is no fire here, just steam. No murky memories or painful thoughts, just the slick slide of their bodies together as the water sluices through their skin. It washes grey soot and sweat alike down the drain until the water runs clear. Sirius shampoos Remus's hair with careful, luxurious care, working out the knots in his neck and shoulders with deft fingers, and Remus thinks (not for the first time), that if he could live in their shower, he would.

When Remus returns the favor, Sirius decides to drop to his knees and take Remus in his mouth. When Remus's nails scrape across his scalp, lathering the soap into his long, black hair, Sirius moans and takes him deeper, deeper, deeper, down into the soft, wet heat of his throat. There's no rush to it, though, no urgency to reach a hasty end, and Sirius stands to let Remus rinse his hair.

They fall into each other on the bed, sheets freshened by their maid (the one "frivilous" thing Remus agreed to after they both made Lieutenant) and smelling of lavender. Five years ago, Sirius would have begged him to talk about it, to open up, to crack apart his protective walls and spill all of his squirmy, sobbing guts out onto the mattress before they did anything. But Sirius knows him now, knows that Remus will speak when he's ready. They don't need words, not for this.

His hips whinge in protest when Sirius pushes his legs back, but Sirius's first bottomed-out thrust into his body is worth the discomfort. They don't often have time for actual sex, but their schedules and the stars do occasionally line up. Sirius fucks into him slowly, measured movements focused entirely on Remus's pleasure without racing towards orgasm. With each push forward, it's 'I love you 'and every pull out 'you are enough.' The kisses that dot his neck, stubble-rough, are 'you are a good son,' and the hands that catch his wrists and hold them above his head are 'you are a good man.'

By the end, Remus is crying, even as his orgasm is finally wrung from his body by Sirius's tongue filling the space his spent cock left. It's cathartic, a release of the emotions he's had to lock up, of the agonizing heartbreak he feels because it is too much for one person, it is, but if they don't do it...if they're not the ones running into burning buildings, parachuting into burning forests, racing toward burning cars... who will? No one wants their job. The pay is shit. The benefits are shit (well, there is a pension so that's pretty nice). The hours are fucking shit.

But the looks on their faces, like the man he resuced today...that look of hope that dawns like the day, that spurs them to hang on to their breath, to hang on to life...is enough.

[fereldanwench]

Hi! You can call me Wench. 💙 Pronouns are she/her. I'm 35, married with two cats, and absolutely smitten with Goro Takemura and my V, Valerie Powell. (In theory, I have other interests, too, but in practice, they're pretty much on my mind 24/7.)

Virtual photography is my main creative outlet these days, but I do dabble in a little bit of everything. Here are some tags where you can find my things:

🎨 ART | ✒️ FIC & STORIES | 🖼️ EDITS & VP | ⚙️ MODS | 📁 TEMPLATES

I also wrote a comprehensive guide on how I create my Cyberpunk screenshots using the Appearance Menu Mod to spawn and pose characters. I'm more than happy to answer any questions about anything in the guide, but please do check the FAQ below for the quickest assistance on the most common issues.

Before You Follow

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🔞 Adult Content Warning This is not a family-friendly space, and I strongly discourage anyone under 18 from following me. If you choose to ignore this warning, please be aware that you will be exposed to adult content (within the constraints of Tumblr's rules regarding said content.)

📝 What I Post My original posts are mainly about Cyberpunk 2077, specifically Valerie and Goro, with the occasional life update, selfie, and shitpost thrown in for good measure. Virtual photography in CP77 has become my main creative outlet over the past year, but I also draw and write. Please do not repost or edit my original works anywhere without my permission.

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📅 How I Queue I maintain a queue that posts 5 times a day, and posts can be queued as far as four weeks out. I don't really have a consistent method for what gets reblogged immediately and what goes into the queue--It varies depending on my activity level, if my queue is running low, if I feel like a post is over-saturated in my feed, etc.

💕 Who I Follow I prioritize keeping my dash a manageable, comfy place, so I am somewhat picky about what blogs I follow, and I am just about at my limit for the number of blogs I find I can reasonably keep up with. In addition to having shared interests, I typically I consider these factors before following someone: - I don't follow minors, and I generally prefer to follow adults over 25. - I prefer to follow blogs with at least a basic tagging system. - While I respect the need to vent, I have a very strong aversion to guilt-trippy and/or instigating posts (e.g. histrionic pleas for users to reblog content, posts that drag one character to praise another, or excessive fanwank).

💌 Contact - Please be patient with me when it comes to responding to messages--I try to get back to folks within 48 hours, but there is a slew of things, from being bogged down at work to anxiety, that might keep me from a timely response. - My ask box is always open, but anon stays off. You can include a "PM" note in your ask if you want me to reply privately. - DMs are available to mutuals. - I love being tagged in Tumblr games/memes! That said, I'm often very slow at getting around to doing them. - I welcome any and all types of interactions on my creative works: reblogs with tags, reblogs without tags, likes, kudos, comments, spam liking, whatever. It's up to you to decide how you want to interact (or not interact) with what I share. 💙

I'm fereldanwench in most fandom-oriented spaces. These are my main accounts:

AO3

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You can also find me as fereldanwench in a few of the main Cyberpunk 2077 Discord servers: AMM Community, Lizzie's, Cyberpunk 2077 Modding, and Men of Night City.

This section will be updated as needed if I get more recurring questions. You can also browse my cp help tag to see if an issue you're having has come up previously.

Q: How do you make your Cyberpunk screenshots? A: The main tool I use is the Appearance Menu Mod, which is used to spawn NPCs, decor, and lighting. I wrote a very detailed guide on how to get started with AMM that you can check out here. I also use Reshade for the Cinematic DOF and Real Long Exposure shaders. All color editing is done in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.

Q: I read your AMM guide but I can't get the NPC poses to work for my NPC of choice. What am I doing wrong? A: First, double-check to make sure that you don't have any mod conflicts. The NPC pose .archive files can only be used one at a time per locomotion type, so if you have two or more in your mod folder, they won't work.

Most likely, though, the pose .archive file and the NPC you're working with have different locomotion types; e.g. Johnny uses the corpo locomotion, so only corpo locomotion files will work on him unless you also use an .archive file that converts his locomotion to another type. You can read more about it in this section of the guide.

Q: What mods do you use/recommend? A: I have a list that I update every few months that lists all the publicly available mods I use in my game as well as a more general mod tag for any mods that look interesting/useful. I've also dabbled in making pose mods, which are available for free at my Ko-fi shop. (Disclaimer: Please note that a mod recommendation is not necessarily an endorsement of the modder.)

[titlemewickedwonderland]

Blind by Love (Part 4)

Summary: A once condemned man now free of charge but living the life of someone who's been through hell Eddie Munson believed he is incapable of being loved after what happens in the Upside Down that nearly takes his life. What happens though when he meets an unexpected girl who is thrown into his life and teaches him that one doesn't need to ability to see what's right in front of you to know love is never out of reach?

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Blind!OC

Story Contains: Set after S4. Story mention of Past trauma, PTSD, and mention of gore/blood; if you are sensitive to any of these topics please refrain from reading for your own mental safety. I don't want to accidentally trigger you, darling! Stay safe!

Chapter Warning: PTSD/slight gore

<< Previous Chapter or Next Chapter >>

"First day of school sounds like it was exhausting!" Nancy's voice sounded from the bathroom as she got ready for bed and Nicole sat waiting for her cousin to finish up her nightly routine.

A small smile graced the blonde's features as she thought over the very eventful first day from the bullying, the new people she met, to maybe…maybe making a new friend in a certain broody teen. Biting her lip the younger female idly stroked her hand against the cool sheets as she replied in a thoughtful tone

"Very eventful yes I'd say so. But it wasn't bad per se. As much stress as I imagined my first day would be but you know Mikey, he was very attentive; so was Dusty. It helps that they were around. I met some new people too through them so that's good. What about you though? Mikey commented about you and Steve…What happened to Jonathan? I heard you guys were dating and suddenly it's you and Steve again?" a delicate brow raised even when she knew Nancy couldn't see it.

Her older cousin was quite a few moments before her voice sounded getting closer as she walked into the bedroom from the en-suite bathroom she was in. "It's…complicated. I mean. Steve and I aren't together. We broke up a long time ago…things between me and Jonathan are a little stressed due to the whole long distance thing so it's probably just nothing Mike talks about." she didn't believe her but Nicole didn't say so and instead tilted her head with an encouraging smile.

"I'm sure you'll figure something out. I know Mikey misses his girlfriend in Cali as much as you do Jonathan. I wish I could have met them both. I feel as if you guys are growing up too fast for me to keep up; I have so many people to meet that I have heard about that I feel like I already know them personally." she joked feeling Nancy's weight sink into the bed beside her.

Her hands were taken into her cousins and the gentle caress of her thumbs along Nicole's knuckles was soothing as they sat there a moment. When Nancy eventually did speak up her words were carefully measured as she traced the other girl's fingers absently.

"Nikki. Have…have you been doing okay? I mean, not because of today. I mean because of…what happened. It's different being back home in your conditions and I know…god trust me I know it's hard to move past something like losing one of your senses and losing parents at the same time…I-I guess what I'm trying to ask is how you're coping."

Nicole should have known that question would pop up eventually. Mike never dare to ask because he didn't know how to confront her. He was too soft to speak of such things and wasn't ever good with words but Nancy always seemed to push Nicole to her limits and force the answers from her because she simply cared for the younger girl much like an older sister that she was. The only problem was Nicole couldn't tell her what happened without sounding crazy. Little did Nicole know though, was Nancy had dealt with was far worse and then some. Even faced down the very thing that attacked her cousin when she was younger. The problem is the girls didn't know it because they were scared of telling the other what happened.

"I'm okay…" Nicole's lips twisted into a hard smile that was forced beyond belief. "I still struggle…but I'm doing better. It's only a matter of time and living in the real world can do me some good I think. All I ask is that you just…trust me." she swallowed when Nancy squeezed her hand reassuringly before letting go.

"Okay. I do trust you, Nikki. That's why I was asking. Come on then; let's get to bed. It's late and we have school in the morning." Nicole nodded and lowered herself to the mattress and closed her eyes as Nancy clicked her light off and came up behind her cousin beneath the covers to get some sleep.

~

She was back there. Back there standing in the middle of the road in the middle of nowhere. The sky was dim and the thunder rolled with flashes of lightning above her head. She could see her parent's old car tossed and on its roof up in flames to one side of her vision while the other was of that grey humanoid…thing was its face split open like a five-petaled flower; its rows of hundreds of tiny yellow teeth on each fleshy petal of its face was sunk into a lump of red mass on the ground vaguely in the shape of a human. She knew it could only be her father. The fucking dream repeated itself every night over and over again. She'd start far away, just barely able to see the destruction but every night she'd be an inch closer. Tonight was no different but now the sound of crunching and the tearing of bloody flesh made her want to go vomit. Her stomach churned and she felt the scorch of hot tears tracking down her cheeks as she could do nothing but stand there; she couldn't move even if she tried, or at least that's how it happened every other night. But tonight was different. Her limbs were able to move freely. She'd taken one step and that's all it took for that monster to spin around and screech at her. Sweat broke out on her skin as fear raced through her veins and she twisted on her heels to run. The darkness of the world around her was nothing but a black void around her now that the scene of the crash was no longer in her line of vision. She could feel the thundering steps behind her a quadruped beat clipped with sharp scrapes as nails sank into the concrete to gain momentum. That thing was chasing her and her lungs burned for air. It happened then, like something straight out of a horror movie as the tip of her shoe caught on something and she tripped; falling flat on her front. She rolled onto her back just to be met with the hideous vision of that gray monster looming over her. Its clawed hand rose in the air and swung down in an arch to pierce her side. Her mouth opened in a shriek.

Hands. Hands were grasping her shoulders and she flailed. Crying out into the night as she sat upright trying in vain to get those phantom hands off of her. But they weren't phantom and she wasn't been pinned down. Instead, there was a pair of gentle hands trying to keep her still while the feminine voice spoke over the sound of her cries.

"Nikki! Nikki! Hey, it's okay! Nicole, it's okay! You're safe! It's me, Nancy, wake up! You're okay."

Nancy's bedroom door barged open as Mike came barreling through in a panic at hearing her cries in her sleep. At seeing the blonde half curled into his older sister's shoulder trembling as if she'd just taken a dip into the lake in winter made the 15-year-old boy's blood run cold as he saw her in such a state. He quickly came over and crawled into bed with them; his hands gently stroking at her hair listening to her mumbles through the sobs.

"Don't leave me! Please don't leave me! I don't want to be alone, I can't do this again." her breath was ragged as she trembled like a leaf; her tears soaking into Nancy's sleep shirt.

Mike couldn't help the mist that gathered at his waterline as he looked over his cousin's frame to his sister who looked like she was ready to break down too as she held Nicole close; looking so lost on how to help the girl. The boy sidled up behind Nicole and wrapped his arms around both the girls in a group hug as he gave the girl a light kiss on her temple.

"It's okay Nikki. We got you. You're safe." he said trying to comfort her

"Please don't let it get me, Mikey. Please don't let it get me." those words spoke through broken sobs making the fear run through him as he met Nancy's eyes again. The unspoken question lingering between them 'don't let what get her?'

Clear to say when morning came the trio had all passed out due to exhaustion having stayed up most of the night trying to keep Nicole calm. She would not speak about what she dreamt about and they did not want to pressure her as those blue eyes were red-rimmed from hours of tears and her face showed the exhaustion she felt mentally and physically when sleep managed to finally take her again; this time without another nightmare. When they eventually did wake up they went about silently getting ready for school while glancing at her whenever she was nearby. Mike was full of tension by the time he and Nicole got to the school and the air around him seemed to vibrate with it. He was zoned out a lot more than Dustin was starting to get nervous whenever he'd glance between the cousins. Hell, even the Hellfire club members seemed to notice and their chattering was rather low and not so full of life as it normally was. Eddie noticed the change right away and he didn't like the look on the pretty girl's face.

Nicole was so withdrawn; a lot more than usual today and Eddie was going to get to the bottom of it. So when school ended he'd commented to Mikey about someone trying to snag his bike from outside which made the boy rush out. Of course, that was a lie but it was what managed to get Eddie and Nicole alone for a few moments.

"Hey hey. Hold on a second sweetheart." his hands grasped her shoulder turn her to him as they stood at her locker. "Talk to me, what's going on? You don't look like yourself," he commented peering at her face. She looked like hell.

"I'm fine Eddie…just didn't sleep well last night. No biggy." she brushed it off and turned to go but his next words stopped her in her tracks.

"I normally wouldn't consider it but I have something that could help with that…if you're interested."

She wavered a moment; she wasn't stupid. She knew what he meant. She didn't realize Eddie was someone who dealt stuff to students but yet again. If he was considered an outcast she shouldn't be surprised. Blinking her blue eyes she half turned towards where she'd heard his voice.

"It'll help me sleep?…without any dreams?" or nightmares she wanted to add.

"Sleep like a baby. Just don't tell Mike or he'll have my balls on a silver platter." Eddie's voice sounded joking as if he didn't want the air to be so thick with tension.

"Okay…d-do you have it on you now?" she asked hesitantly hoping her voice was soft enough that she didn't have eavesdroppers.

"Nah, not on me but I have it at my place…if you want I can take you there…Or I can bring it tomorrow-" the older boy began but she cut him off with a quick nod when she heard Mike's voice coming down the hall complaining to Dustin about something to do with his bike.

"Today. I need it before tonight."

That's all Eddie needed to know before his hand was closing her closer and an arm dropped over her shoulders. "Aye Wheeler. Your lovely cousin needs some help with a project we're doing together so I'll be taking her to my place for a few hours. I'll drop her off by tonight no worries!"

"But-" the younger male began to protest but Nicole flashed him a smile and waved in his direction.

"Don't sweat it, Mike. It's just studying. You know how hard projects can be for me without my eyes." she kept her voice light and teasing.

"But!" Mike protested again but Eddie was already walking away with the pretty girl under his arm.

[chanfictions]

Akatsuki reader, partners...mmmmm maybe Hidan and Kisame.

Again, fem! The reader gets hit by someone else's technique.

(Or she was stupidly thrown something that she didn't have time to dodge).

The reader gets aroused and suddenly wants to have sex, whines, rubs herself against Kisame and Hidan, and they decide to help her ;3

(Either arrive at the base and fuck there, or right where they got rid of the opponents)

Hey anon! Sooooo, I know this isn't exactly what you requested. I couldn't for the life of me fit Hidan and Kisame into the same box to make this work, so I just stuck with Kisame. It started with your ask. One thing led to another and this happened. I got carried away with plot. Again. Hope you still enjoy! 

Cupid

18+ Content! Minors DNI!

Kisame x Reader

Smut with a splash of plot. Unprotected sex-ish. Reader is assumed to be on birth control. Public sex-ish. Aphrodisiacs. Mentions of blood during combat.

You were sent on a mission together to retrieve a special relic that had some unexpected side effects.

3.4k

This mission was doomed from the start.

Pain had partnered you with Kisame on an infiltration and retrieval mission to acquire a powerful ninja tool being housed in a fortified military compound not far from the Hidden Sound. Stealth was your forte, so this sort of thing was right up your alley. While you had no hard-hitting combat skills to fall back on in the event that something went awry, you weren't particularly worried. As a phantom thief with a perfect record in your high profile heists, the thought of getting caught or needing to participate in a fight hardly crossed your mind. You insisted to Pain that you had never needed backup in the past and could easily do this yourself, but Pain disagreed. Kisame was assigned to you more or less as a bodyguard whether you liked it or not.

Kisame had been running solo since Itachi's death and had gotten a tad rusty when it came to fighting alongside another person. Your battle techniques got along about as well as oil and water. You favored covert sabotage and traps, and Kisame, well, Kisame was Kisame. Nothing that man did was small. He transformed every battlefield he encountered into a shark-infested lake before completely obliterating his opponents.

That's how everything went sideways. Kisame, bless his blue heart, was not subtle. You donned your camouflage jutsu and got ready to slink into the compound. "I'll pop a flare if I get into trouble. It's going to be much easier to sneak in and out without a 6'8" sword on legs following me. Just wait here."

Staring at the spot where he thought you were probably standing, Kisame's face twisted slightly. "This really isn't a good idea, Y/N." Unfortunately for Kisame, you were already long gone, and he was having a conversation with the wind. With a heavy sigh, he leaned back against a thick tree, focusing on the compound not far off in the distance where you would be poking around on your own. He didn't like the idea of you going in there alone. You were still relatively new to the Akatsuki, and your skills had yet to be formally tested. Kisame got along with you quite well and rather liked you, so allowing you to dive head first into danger without any real offensive jutsu in your arsenal left him on edge.

That overprotective nervousness regarding your safety was what sent everything spiraling out of control. An alarm sounding from within the walls of the compound left Kisame bristling and looking skyward for a flare. As the seconds ticked by into minutes with no cloud of smoke rising into the sky and the clear sound of soldiers mobilizing inside, Kisame made the executive decision to throw your plan out the window.

What he didn't know was that the alarm you set off was a decoy. Oh, shit. After plunging the base into chaos, it occurred to you that you had neglected to tell Kisame as much. At that moment, you realized that Kisame was probably about to charge in, sharkskin blazing. Shit, shit, shit! Every profanity you knew blared across your stream of consciousness like ticker tape as you hurriedly snatched the relic longbow you had been sent in to retrieve. A gooey sap coated the slick wood which left you quickly wiping your palms on your thighs to clean your hands before making a beeline for the exit. The growing cacophony of chaos outside announced Kisame's arrival.

As you expected, things outside had gotten a little out of hand. Kisame was in the heat of battle, taking on an army by himself and winning. Jutsu flew across the battlefield like exchanges of elemental cannon fire. Half of a battalion was encased in water prisons and the other was fleeing from shark filled orbs of water. Kisame was grinning ear to ear as he swatted off one after another like whiffle balls with Samehada.

You quickly scurried across the scene, sneaking up behind Kisame and whisper-screaming to get his attention. "Kisame, you big dummy! It was just a diversion! I'm fine!!"

Surprised, Kisame turned an eye to where he assumed you were while sending another enemy flying with a swing of his greatsword with an amused chuckle. "Next time, you might want to tell me what your plan is. Here I thought you were fighting off an army all by yourself."

"No, that's just you! Come on, I got the thing. Let's go!" You danced around him to avoid the swings of his sword, still wanting to keep yourself out of sight. Upon seeing his feet shift, you turned around just in time to see a flurry of arrows flying your way in such a wide spray that dodging them was going to be a feat.

Kisame blocked what he could with Samehada, but not knowing where exactly you were, wasn't sure he had protected you. A yelp answered his question. You shimmered back into sight just in front of him. He missed one, and it had plunged straight through your thigh. A stain of your blood quickly began mixing in with the sap you had wiped on your pants earlier. "Damnit!"

"I'm fine! Let's just go!" You shouted over the clatter of weapons and incoming pursuit, getting ready to run. With a snarl, Kisame reached down and snapped both ends off of the arrow before unceremoniously throwing you over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and retreating.

Fortunately, the soldiers had been so devastated by Kisame's onslaught that they hardly had the numbers to launch a fruitful pursuit. In the chaos, they had yet to notice that you stole the very item this outpost had been built to protect. Once he had put sufficient distance between you two and the base, he searched briefly for some cover to deal with your leg wound and leapt down from the towering branches to set you down with your back to a barky trunk.

You were beginning to feel flushed and hot as a shiver of heat rattled through your body and left an oddly pleasant knot in your belly. Blood roared in your ears as your heart began to race. When you looked up at Kisame, something felt… different.

Kisame knelt down to look at your leg. "You should have been standing behind me," he chided while setting one large palm on your thigh to brace it while he used the other to remove the broken arrow shaft. An ache built in your core as you caught your lip between your teeth. The warmth of his hand sent a tingling sensation rippling through your body. "Sorry, I didn't mean for that to hurt."

With massively dilated pupils, you stared at him hungrily. "It… didn't hurt," you breathed. With a deep inhale, you wondered how you never noticed how good he smelled.

Kisame stared back at you critically. "You're awfully sweaty for someone who wasn't running." Shock washed over his face after touching your forehead. You were positively boiling. "Y/N, are you feeling alright? Was there poison on that arrowhead? Your eyes..." Concern was beginning to bubble as he pulled the item in question from his pack, examining it, completely oblivious to the wild fantasies bubbling in your head.

He was so close. Your body hummed to life as that heat in your belly began growing in size. An ache throbbed through your core. Your heart was in your mouth. Every inch of your skin pricked with the need for contact. And Kisame… how had you never noticed just how hot he was? Sure, you had some occasional dirty, late night fantasies about him. But now? You couldn't tear your eyes away from him. The muscles rippling across his torso were hardly concealed by that black cloak. Even with those unusual features, his face was remarkably handsome, not to mention each time he spoke, shocks seemed to travel straight through your body and into your clit. Still with your lip caught between your teeth, you let out a sultry breath and ghosted your fingertips along his firm bicep. All that seemed to do was make your hunger worse.

Kisame, entirely oblivious to what was unfolding behind your eyes, just looked confused. The arrowhead didn't appear to have any substance left on it, and he couldn't think of another cause for your apparently unwell state. He unpacked some rudimentary first aid supplies from his pack and wrapped some gauze tightly around your thigh as a temporary measure to staunch the bleeding. Thinking that your stare focused at him was vacant, he snapped his fingers in front of your face to try to get your attention. "Hey, talk to me. What's going on with you?"

While his arm was extended, you latched onto it like a lifeline, nuzzling your face into his bicep and inhaling deeply. "Kisame..." You couldn't resist. You needed to touch him. Following that arm back to his torso, your hands traced every ripple of muscle while Kisame froze in shock.

You were his partner. While he undoubtedly found you attractive, this seemed like an odd time to suddenly declare your own desires. "What's gotten into you?" He wrapped his hands around your wrists, engulfing them entirely, as they traversed his muscular chest.

"Dunno… I just really… really need you." You used the grip he had to pull yourself in, burying your face against his neck and breathing deeply again. "You smell so good…"

A light heat rushed across Kisame's cheeks as you abruptly began coming on to him. Between your strange behavior and the thrill of the battle he had just been in, he was amped up. Your body being pressed so tightly against his was causing some complications to arise. His pulse quickened as you nuzzled and rubbed yourself against him. Feeling your breasts against his chest and your heated breath on his neck was distracting him from the issue at hand. "Y/N…" He let out your name in a low growl, intending it to be a warning, but it didn't quite come off with the bite he had intended. Hearing that word fall from his lips in such a tone just set you ablaze. A little moan escaped your lips, and you coiled yourself around him like a lusty little boa constrictor, trailing little bites and open mouth kisses on his neck, savoring every salty inch of his exposed skin. Another deep growl rumbled in Kisame's chest as he ran a strong palm up your spine to the back of your neck. "You're under the influence of some kind of jutsu," he breathed heavily, trying very hard to resist biting you back as his own desire built rapidly. There was no denying how steamy this situation was growing.

"Don't care," you whispered, nibbling at his ear as your hands wandered the chiseled landscape of his body.

"You're injured," he continued, now getting sucked into your lusty riptide, grazing your neck with pointed teeth.

"Don't care," you breathed again, beginning to unzip his cloak.

"We're in enemy territory," he murmured between bites on your throat that no doubt left marks before swallowing you in a crushing kiss. Those calloused hands ran up your sides, wanting to explore more but seeming hesitant.

"Don't care," you mewled, reaching for the waist of his pants, your fingertips grazing the impressive package Kisame was concealing, wiggling your hips for any kind of relief from the needy heat that was driving you to the brink of madness. Your panties were drenched. Your core ached. It was like you had been edged for two days straight without any kind of release. Every nerve in your body was hypersensitive to touch.

Another deep sound rattled in his throat. You ensnared him in this whirlwind, and there was no going back now. You undressed each other in a flurry of zippers and fabric, discarding one item after another in a heap upon the leaves scattered across the forest floor. You didn't care about the dirt. Nothing else existed to you right now outside of the deft hands moving across your body, making you arch your back and moan. His scent flooded your head. You were drowning in Kisame, yet felt like you were dying of thirst. You wanted him. Needed him. Your brain and body shared a singular focus. Neither the mission nor your bleeding leg mattered right now.

Kisame picked you up by the backs of your thighs, pressing your back against the rough trunk of the tree while leaving a trail of branding bites along your neck and collarbone, drawing a whine out of you. You wrapped your uninjured leg around his waist, grinding your soaked pussy against him and letting a lewd moan drift into the sky. That little bit of friction alone was nearly enough to send you over the edge. Your hands wandered, caressing every ridge and ripple of the muscle coiled like steel cables under his skin. This man was built. By now, you were well aware that he was hung like a horse as well. That impressive appendage was currently teasing the hell out of your hungering little hole. You could feel that broad head rubbing through your slick folds as you shifted. "Kisame, please," you whispered with a breathy lust, rolling your hips against him.

A low, raspy chuckle tickled your ear. "You're going to scream and give away our location," he teased.

"Then kiss me so I can't." Your desperation to have that massive girth inside of you dripped from every pore as you tangled your arms around his neck to pull him into a hungry kiss.

Unable to decline such a delicious request, Kisame shifted you to begin impaling you on his impressive cock painstakingly slowly, stretching your walls around him. He smothered your wails with his mouth. Your back scraped across the rough bark behind you, but you didn't care. This was divine. You tensed and whimpered, both aching to be filled and struggling to accommodate the sheer size of him. You clung to him for dear life, gasping and catching his lip between your teeth as he finally sheathed himself. Your core throbbed and pulsed. Nerves ached for input. You used your good leg to try to pull him in even deeper. Another little chuckle rolled through him at your enthusiasm and impatience. "Someone is eager," he teased again with a single thrust to punctuate his statement.

You mewled before biting his neck. "Kisammm-" He silenced you with a bruising kiss before any more complaints or moans could escape your lips as he began drilling you into that tree. Birds fled from the branches above from the force of his motions disturbing their roosts. You clawed his chest and back, screaming into his mouth as he repeatedly buried himself in your fluttering core. You were on fire. Each time your hypersensitive clit rubbed against his body, stars erupted behind your eyes. Sweat slicked your bodies as a steamy heat began to rise. The drag of your nipples against his skin sent rippling shocks of pleasure through your entire being.

"Fuck, Y/N," he growled in your ear, large palms tightly gripping your ass as he drove himself into you again and again. You buried your face against his shoulder to let out a muffled wail as he sent you right over the edge. Your walls clenched tightly around him, eliciting a primal snarl from his lips. He sank his teeth into your neck as his powerful motions set impressions of that tree bark pressing into your back. With your good leg, you pulled him even deeper, arching into him as you flew off into orbit. A palm slammed over your mouth as he railed you into that tree to stifle the litany of cries erupting from your throat. Your head hit the wood behind you. He kept you pinned firmly there while fucking you into oblivion.

Your world melted away into nothing but the input of pleasure ripping through your body. The surrounding forest faded away. All you could hear was your own muffled heavy breathing, Kisame's grunts, and the slick sounds your bodies made between rhythmic contact. Every inch of you pulsed and throbbed with heat. Orgasm after orgasm tore through you in a continuous wave that left you with numbed legs and a soaked core. Your head was adrift in the clouds, the situation seeming impossible. Your new partner railing you against a tree in enemy territory was not your plan for this mission, but hell, you weren't going to question it. Your body ached and hungered for more. You kissed him as though he were your only source of air and you were suffocating.

Kisame picked up the pace, digging his fingers more firmly into your ass while keeping a tight clamp over your mouth to muffle the inhuman sounds you were making. Your eyes rolled back in your head as you lost yourself in another powerful crash of an orgasm, strangling his impressive girth with the crushing grip of your walls. A low growl and a series of curses rumbled through his body into yours as the depth of the thrusts increased until the hold your pussy had on him sent him over the edge and milked him dry. He growled your name through his release, gripping you tightly against his firm body. The combined sound of your heavy panting was the only thing that could be heard over the breeze rustling through leaves overhead.

That fog in your head slowly began to lift as you caught your breath. Your muscles trembled with fatigue as you dropped your head against his shoulder. "Fuck," you whispered through heavy breaths, slowly running your palms up his chest to his shoulders. Still pinned against the tree with his length buried within you, it took a moment for you to remember where you were. A soft hiss escaped your lips as he shifted your weight, reminding you that there was still a bleeding hole in your thigh.

"You good?" A raspy chuckle rumbled under your head that you had resting against his chest. He maintained his grip on you for the moment, not sure if you were about to go weak in the knees and collapse into a heap if he let you down.

"Yeah, I'm good," you giggled, turning your heated cheek against him before grimacing again when you looked down and saw the rather unfortunate state your leg was in.

Kisame slowly slid his length from you before gently setting your feet back down into the crunchy leaves littering the forest floor. With an arm still around your back for the sake of your stability, he glanced down at what you were eyeing, spotting your wound and what looked like a stain of pink that wasn't blood still flushing the surrounding skin. He carefully brushed his fingers against it, picking up a swipe of the gooey substance that you had wiped on your pants earlier that had seeped through the fabric and into your wound when you were hit. "What's this?" He inquired curiously, giving it a sniff.

"Some sap or something that was oozing from that bow," you breathed, shifting your weight onto your good leg and breathing heavily still as you leaned into him.

Kisame let out a hearty laugh. "You didn't wear gloves when you handled it, did you?"

Your face paled. You had entirely forgotten Pain's instructions regarding the handling of that weapon in your haste to leave with it during Kisame's little rumble with the defending army. "Oh, god -- damnit." An embarrassed laugh started shaking your shoulders as you defeatedly let your forehead fall against his chest.

"That bow is made of cherub wood. While it makes excellent longbows, its sap is also the primary ingredient in aphrodisiacs," Kisame teased. The embarrassed giggling overtook you and melted into genuine, hysterical laughter.

"Woops."

[lepusrufus]

Wrong victim

Pure comedic self indulgence because we all need a funny break before shit starts to really go down in To bargain for immortality. Set quite a few years after the game events, around 2025, and is pure ridiculousness so enjoy.

////

Her response to being unceremoniously shoved in the back seat of a car that looked like it's seen far better days was merely an annoyed grunt. It turned into an eye roll when the man that climbed in after her pulled everything out of her pockets. 

"Wouldn't want you calling anyone," he said with a toothy grin while waving her phone in front of her. 

"Trust me, that won't be necessary," she replied in a deadpan voice. It's not like she would call the police, she wanted them involved even less than her kidnappers probably did. As for other people she could reach out to, a phone call would be redundant really. "Do be careful with it, I'd hate to lose the photos of Daniela sleeping upside down." 

After maybe ten minutes of driving down the barely illuminated outskirts of the city, and having her pockets emptied, dagger included, the burly man driving pulled up inside a parking lot. It was large and overgrown with weeds and vines reclaiming spaces that had been left without human activity for who knows how long. The lamp posts were nothing more than useless concrete pillars as they provided no illumination, resulting in her pitiful captors having to use flashlights as they made their way into the dilapidated factory. 

Nicole sneered at the sight of collapsed walls and rusty metal walkways, reminding her of the one particular Lord she couldn't stand the sight of. She decided a distraction was needed from unpleasant memories. 

"Abandoned factory?" She whistled. "How many cliche movies have you guys watched?" 

She let out a chuckle when the man that had previously taken her phone shoved her ahead. Hopefully they wouldn't tape her mouth shut, there was so much fun to be had by mockery alone. 

It didn't take long before all three of them entered a dimly lit room, numerous candles placed all around, either on desks or candle supports nailed to the walls. The three more people inside were wearing long black robes and white masks covering their faces. Nicole had to laugh. 

"Oh so you're that kinda crazy." 

"Shut the fuck up and stay put," the man holding her hands behind her back said while pushing her into a chair. 

He then moved to a table and Nicole couldn't help but scowl at how unceremoniously her beloved dagger had been thrown on the wooden surface. Afterwards, he put on a mask not unlike the others, except with red streaks going down from the eye holes, and started to prepare something in the middle of the room. The others joined in on the task, all but the one man that had been put in charge of making sure Nicole stayed put. Because of course she could easily escape five people much bigger than her at any given moment. 

She decided to take a look around, at the various dusty books opened on pages she couldn't quite make out from where she was sitting. A few pages were laying around, either with diagrams or with scribbled notes. Had she really stumbled upon a cult? She couldn't wait to have a laugh about it with her family. 

"So," she started, craning her neck a little so she could see her captor's face. "Who you gonna sacrifice me to huh? I wanna know before you slice up my throat or whatever you're planning on." 

A confused and suspicious look was thrown her way, surely due to the complete nonchalance she spoke with about what would surely be her untimely death. "The… the devil," was his unsure reply. 

Nicole let out a small laugh. "Oh trust me, you do not want to meet her. Though devil is not quite the word," she continued despite a few other pairs of eyes landing on her. "Maybe a pissy fungal overlord with an unhealthy obsession for crows. Yes that's more like it," she finished with another chuckle. 

The man with a slightly different mask, who seemed to be their self appointed leader, got up from where he was nailing something to the floor and walked up to her in a few long strides. His eyes were barely visible, but anger was clearly distinguishable. 

He pulled out a knife, old, rusty and with a black worn out handle so typical of a kitchen utensil, and so incredibly ugly compared to the beautifully ornate daggers that decorated her home. She had to laugh when the dull blade got pressed to her throat. 

"Will you shut up for one minute?!" He raised his voice slightly, as much as someone who was doing something they didn't wish to be caught doing would dare to. It didn't deter her though. 

"Oh sweetie this is just what foreplay looks to me," she started with a grin that made her wish she had fangs like the better part of her relatives. "But please do me a favor and stay quiet, there's no fun in hunting if my darling finds you within five seconds due to you screeching like a broken squeaky toy." 

The man blinked for a few seconds, taken aback both by the words and by the apparent passivity towards having a knife at her throat. He stayed like that until one person that was working with some ropes behind interjected. 

"Of all the people you could've taken, how did you find this unhinged bitch?!" 

"I'll take that as a compliment," Nicole said, bending slightly to the side so the person that had spoken up would have a clear view of her sickly sweet smile. 

After that exchange, her captors seemed happy to move things along quicker, working in silence and begrudgingly ignoring any remarks she would throw their way, including an observation on the downright dreadful quality of the rope they had. Quality that she regrettably got to experience when her wrist and ankles got tied to the nails in the floor, having her lay down in a starfish position. It kind of reminded her of sprawling on the bed she shared with Cassandra simply to annoy the brunette. 

After loudly reciting something in latin, the leader bent down, same rusty knife in hand, and tipped her chin upwards to expose the neck. She did let out a wince when the blade sunk deep in her flesh and got dragged downward, towards her chest, leaving behind a choking sensation and the taste of copper in her mouth. The knife however only made it to the base of her neck, before the sound of metal crashing caught everyone's attention. 

"What the fuck," the man whispered, thankfully pulling the blade out so her skin had the time to begin stitching itself back together. She still had to turn her head around and spit some blood that made its way into her mouth. 

Before anyone else had a chance to speak up, the door was kicked open, one of the rusty hinges breaking completely, to reveal a rather angry Cassandra with her sickle in hand, ready for bloodshed. 

There were a few seconds of stunned silence before the blade was unceremoniously thrown into the first person's skull, spinning through the air for only a few meters before getting embedded into the bone with a sloshing sound. Anyone else trying to escape through the one door was met with a similar fate. One person had their knees kicked inwards before a knife held at the same belt as the sickle came down to slash their throat. Another had their head smashed to bits against the nearest wall in the blink of an eye. And last, the burly man that had driven and kept an eye on Nicole, had his heart ripped through the bottom of his ribcage when Cassandra shoved him against one of the tables, scattering the books and papers that were by then stained crimson. 

The remaining man, the leader, got grabbed by the shoulders and forcefully shoved into the same chair she had been sitting in not too long ago. 

"Stay put and I'll let you live," Cassandra spoke, all the cruelty polished over decades upon decades of sporting the title of the family's most sadistic coming through those few words. 

He gulped and nodded, eyes glossed over by the pure human terror now so unfamiliar to both of them. 

She then turned around, expression softening like a switch had been turned behind golden eyes. "Nicole," she started, barely an edge of concern and irritation at the sight of her wife's bloody skin. 

"Hi babe." The self satisfied grin almost had the brunette chuckling while she retrieved her sickle and Nicole's things. 

The weapon was used to cut her free, a grimace pulling the corners of her black lips downward at the same quality observation her wife had priorly made, no doubt. A hand was offered to Nicole to pull herself up, while the other presented the familiar dagger that was gifted to her so many years ago. 

"Will you do the honors love," Cassandra asked, with that beautifully sadistic smile. 

"Of course," came Nicole's reply as her hand wrapped around the leather covered handle. 

With some of the wretched ropes gathered from the ground, Cassandra made quick work of the man's hands and legs, securely tied to the chair and voice frantic. 

"You said you would let me live!" 

Cassandra laughed, a low ominous sound, while grabbing the mask and throwing it on the floor. She did love to see the terror in her victims' faces after all. 

"Unfortunately my wife made no such promises," she finished with a forceful pull of hair that kept his head in one place as she moved to the back of the chair. 

Nicole approached with the dagger already out of its holster and tapped the blade's point against her lips in thought for a few moments. She could simply slice his throat and be done with it, or stab him and leave him to bleed out, choking on his own blood. A hum made its way past her lips. No, no that would not do. 

She grabbed a fistful of the man's shirt, pulling it up almost to the neck. After a few mental measurements and approximations were made, the tip of the blade finally found its way into muscle, drawing thin trails of blood and pained screams. It took a good five minutes to carve all the intricate details she wanted to, the swirling patterns cutting cleanly through skin, courtesy of her wife keeping the blade sharp and in top condition. 

After she was content with the level of detail, and screams subsided to pathetic sobs, she took a step back and, with a hum, looked at Cassandra for a reaction. 

"Oh dearest," the brunette said, looking over the man's shoulder and down at the bloody cuts on his abdomen and chest, forming a crude yet not unfitting replica of the Dimitrescu crest. 

At the adoration that made its way past the cruelty in her wife's eyes, Nicole smiled and gingerly took a hold of her unoccupied hand, bringing it close to her lips and leaving a small kiss and a barely visible blood imprint on each knuckle. 

"I take it that you approve of my… design choice," she asked with another glance down at the jagged lines that formed their family's symbol. 

"It's wonderful," Cassandra replied, fangs shimmering slightly in the low light, exposed from the proud smile that tugged at her lips. 

A gorgeous smile, really, that made something swell inside Nicole's chest no matter how many times she saw it. Truth be told, her rendition of the crest was quite lacking, never having had the artistic skills to quite capture the intricate details that formed it. Nevertheless, if it brought a smile to her wife's lips, she was more than content with it. How unfortunate that it had to be ruined. 

She let out a sigh, still holding Cassandra's hand. "Too bad those pigs at the BSAA would quite disapprove of us leaving such things behind. Oh well," she shrugged, bringing the hand she was holding over to the man's abdomen. "Better it be ruined at your hands." 

The next second, claws dug deep into flesh, slicing the muscle and everything underneath all the way up to the throat. It left five deep gashes over the fine cuts of her dagger, but the satisfaction did not dwindle. On the contrary, when the gurgling sounds finally stopped and the body went limp, her smile was still there, turning into light laughter when Cassandra licked her fingers only to visibly cringe. 

"Say what you will about the dungeons, but at least we feed our livestock well," she spat, taking out a napkin from a pocket and wiping her fingers clean. "But with that disgusting thing out of the way, let me help you with that," she continued, grimace morphing into a sly smile when her eyes landed on Nicole's still bloody neck. 

She gave her no time to disagree, not that she would, before she pushed her backwards slightly into the edge of a table. Nicole wasted no time in lifting herself up on the wooden surface, bringing their faces just a tad closer to being on the same level. 

Cassandra dipped her head down, lips leaving teasing feather-like kisses on her jaw before lowering even further so she could drag her tongue up the length of her neck. It made a shiver run down Nicole's spine, that turned into an impatient tug of her wife's hair when the motion was repeated again and again, until no traces of blood could be seen on her neck, save for the crimson stains that made their way to the hem of her shirt. 

Their lips met in a hungry kiss, full of fangs and smeared lipstick and the taste of copper so familiar to the both of them, albeit for different reasons. When Nicole's hands went to the first buttons of Cassandra's blouse, their kiss was broken with a sly smirk. 

"This is such a dreadful place for such things, don't you think," the brunette said, all too amused by her wife's exasperated sigh. 

"You started it," Nicole complained, but before the words were fully out of her mouth, she was tugged off the table and on the way out, ready to get back home and have a laugh about the irony of her capture. They would have to pick up where they left off at a later time. 

[deanwinchesterswitch]

Run To You ~ Chapter Five

Chapter Summary: Dean struggles to comprehend the kindness that Kasey extends to him but welcomes it all the same.

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Kasey Belmont (OFC)

Warnings: None really, some angst if you squint; Language; They’re both a little flirty now

Rating: Mature 18+ (due to later chapters) NSFW

Word Count: 2935

Beta: @princessmisery666

Movie Reference/Quote: Bridges of Madison County

Author’s Notes: This is an AU. While there are several SPN characters mentioned, basically no one has the same connections as they did in the show, and Dean and Sam are not related.

Series Master Post

Written for: @jay-and-dean -Jay’s 3K Celebration and @spnaubingo.

Jay’s Prompts: Third Character ~ Victor Henriksen; Someone is ~ pregnant; Quote with 3 ~ “I have nothing to offer, 3 dollars and a bad bottle of whiskey, nothing more.” It was also inspired by the movie Labor Day with a hint of The Fugitive thrown in for good measure.

SPNAUBingo Square Filled: Fugitive AU

**ETA - Updated title card and format 3/13/23**

Kasey’s eyes never leave him as he recounts the nightmare events of the past several months. He assumes that he’ll lose her once he gets into the details of the scene he’d found in the bedroom when he arrived home that night, but other than a slight hitch in her breath, her features had remained blank.

He has a fleeting thought that she must be excellent at poker before he has to briefly look away—the wave of emotion at retelling the story too much for him. He is quick to look back, though, not wanting her to think that he might be lying.

She interrupts him after he tells her about his conviction and just as he arrives at the point of his escape. He’s surprised to see the tears clinging precipitously to her lashes and wonders what part of his tale triggered that response. He remains silent as she paces around the room, repeating his story back to him, knowing that she is trying to wrap her head around it all.

He had done the same while incarcerated, staring at the blank walls of his cell day in and day out, trying to wrap his head around it... all of it. So he doesn’t blame Kasey for needing to relay the details again.

He wasn’t sure what to expect in the way of a response. There’s no road map to show how someone will react to hearing that the injured man who stumbled into their life is a convicted felon. Nevertheless, her abrupt departure freaks him out a little. She roughly grabs the near-empty pitcher and rushes out of the room, disappearing into what he assumes is the kitchen. He hears a thud and then soft cursing, followed by a few moments of silence, leaving him confused and concerned about what will happen next.

Several minutes later, he hears the scratch of a needle on vinyl, and then the melodic California rock chords of an Eagles’ song float through the room.

I was standing

All alone against the world outside

You were searching

For a place to hide

His pulse skips as he searches the room for the source of the music and his potential undoing. If the power is back on, then the phones are probably working too. Kasey may have been willing to hear him out, but the way she’d left the room didn’t bode well for her continued acceptance of his presence.

A toilet flushes somewhere in the house, and it’s like a signal to his bladder. He pulls against the cuffs to no avail and then looks around for anything that might help him extricate himself.

As he scans the room, he notices the minor updates and refurbishments that have been made to the old farmhouse. However, there appears to be a distinct lack of modern technology. At least there isn’t anything visible—no television, computer, or laptop, and no cords lying around to charge a tablet or cell phone.

“Fuck, sweetheart, how do you survive out here?”

Well, at least she has a record player somewhere. He scopes out the built-in wall unit stuffed with vinyl albums, taking note of the familiar album covers from Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Seger, Kansas, and others. She has good taste in music. Not so uncivilized, after all.

His curiosity is genuinely piqued, though. How the hell does she communicate with the outside world? What if something happened to her? What if an actual serial killer stumbled onto her doorstep? How would she get help? He immediately pushes those thoughts aside, not wanting to delve too deeply into his sudden concern about her well-being.

Continuing his search to find a means of escape, his eyes fall on the touch-tone phone hanging on the wall between the living room and what he is now sure is the kitchen, a long spiraled cord dangling from the receiver, nearly touching the floor.

He’d wondered how the storm could have taken out a cell tower, but the immediate relief of knowing that he wasn’t going to be hauled back to jail anytime soon had pushed it to the back of his mind. Now he knows that she meant the literal phone lines were down.

“Holy shit. It’s like The Bridges of Madison County around here.” Not that Dean would ever admit that he had watched that movie, but the bathtub scene was kind of hot, plus his man Clint is in the film.

The creak of a door opening and then the sound of water running bring his focus back to the matter at hand. He really needs to piss now and hopes she comes back soon before he embarrasses himself. He’s just about ready to call out to her when she walks out of the kitchen carrying the refilled pitcher.

When she pauses by the phone, it’s only a second or two, but Dean holds his breath, ready to break his thumb to slip the cuffs if she reaches for the receiver. If he hadn’t been watching so intently, he would have missed the determined nod of her head before she took a step forward, heading back into the living room.

A look of confusion creases her brow as she enters the room. “I thought I shut that off when the power went out.” Quietly singing along with the tune, “Now I've found you, there's no more emptiness inside. When we're hungry, love will keep us alive,” she makes her way over to a low cabinet mostly hidden from his view behind the couch.

Sliding the top open, she reaches in, and the tune ceases playing. It hits him that the piece of furniture is an old cabinet stereo, and he shakes his head in wonder. There’s a soft click, and then she slots the cover panel back in place, continuing to hum the refrain as she walks back to the chair she vacated earlier.

Kasey directs a cat that ate the canary smile at him, and goosebumps dot his skin despite the warmth of the air around them. Not sure what’s about to happen, he flattens his palms against the hardwood floor and bends both knees closer to his body, making sure the blankets aren’t caught beneath his boots.

It’s not that she looks at him with malice. Quite the contrary, under different circumstances, he would say that was excitement making her eyes sparkle. However, he’s still unsure of her stance regarding their conversation, and the weeks spent being on constant alert prevent him from fully letting his guard down. Though he would hate to have to hurt her, his fight-or-flight instincts are still foremost in his mind.

She reaches into her pocket and then dangles a small key between her fingers. “Figured you might need to use the bathroom.”

“Uh, yeah. I was going to ask-”

Kasey cuts him off, tossing the key at him, smile widening when he catches it without fumbling. “Take a shower while you’re in there. You reek, dude.”

Dean chuckles and bobs his head, body relaxing, feet sliding forward to release some of the rigidity in his legs. He knows that he does. It had been days since he’d had a proper shower, only able to quickly rinse off his exposed skin in an abandoned gas station bathroom two days ago. His trip through the cornfield had left him even more sticky and dirty.

Wait.

His head snaps up in shock to find the cutest smirk plastered on her face, and his mouth falls open in bewilderment. Before he can unscramble his brain enough to form words, she’s speaking again, that twinkle that is slowly bewitching his heart, back in her eyes.

“It’s at the end of the hall on the right. Towels and washcloths are in the linen closet just before the bathroom door.” She points in the general direction of where he needs to go. “You can leave what’s left of your clothes in the bathroom. There’ll be clean clothes for you in the bedroom across the hallway when you're done.”

“Why?” It’s the only word he can get out as he continues to try and make sense of what’s happening.

“Why what?”

“Why…” Rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, he takes a second to gather his thoughts. “Why are you doing this… the shower, the clothes, not turning me in?”

Kasey shakes her head, “I’ll explain when you come back out.” She starts to turn away, then looks back over her shoulder. “Oh, there’s a new toothbrush in the medicine cabinet, too.”

He wants to press for more information, but the pressure in his bladder is beginning to hurt. The cuffs rattle to the floor as the metal releases his wrist. Mumbling a thanks, he hurriedly stands and immediately braces a hand on the radiator to keep from slumping back to the floor, swallowing hard against the wave of nausea.

“Hey, you okay?”

He jerks away as she lifts a hand and shifts closer, survival instincts once again taking over. Kasey immediately drops her hand and backs away.

“I’m sorry. I-” Her voice fades off, not finishing the sentence

He can hear the uncertainty and compassion packed into those two little words and sighs. Keeping his eyes averted, he pinches the bridge of his nose. “No, I’m sorry. It’s just been so long since… never mind.” He stands to his full height and exhales loudly. “I’m okay.”

“You sure? You’re not going to pass out again? I don’t want to deal with trying to drag your naked ass out of the tub.”

Dean’s head snaps up to find her eyes wide and mouth agape, apparently as surprised as he is at her words. He digs his teeth into his bottom lip to prevent himself from verbalizing the completely inappropriate thoughts racing through his mind.

“Well, I… “ She agitatedly turns from side to side, avoiding eye contact. “I… uhm… I’m just gonna… yeah.” Pointing in the direction of the kitchen, she practically sprints toward the other room.

He wants to laugh at her comical exit but knows that would mean a very humiliating disaster on his behalf, so he heads toward relief in the opposite direction.

Apparently having regained some of her composure, she calls to him as she leans around the entrance to the kitchen. “Dean, take your time. You don’t need to run.” He arches a brow in question. “I believe you, and I think I can help.”

He swallows hard around the lump forming in his throat and just nods, unable to find words. She graces him with a soft smile and a nod in return.

So much has happened since he woke up about an hour ago. Hearing Kasey, a complete stranger, say that she believes him had opened the floodgates to everything he’d been keeping locked deep inside.

Hand pressed against the tiled wall, and head dropped low, tears of relief fall, mixing with the rancid filth swirling down the drain that the steady spray rinses from his body. He had resigned himself to a life hiding in the shadows—lies, stealing, fake IDs—a ghost of the man he used to be while he searched for the evidence he needed to clear his name. But now, there’s a glimmer of… something. He’s not sure he’d label it as hope just yet, because he has no idea how she can conceivably help him. So, if all she can give him are clean clothes, a comfortable bed to sleep in, and maybe a hot meal or two, he’ll gladly accept it and do whatever she asks of him in return.

There’s a considerable element of risk for her. It seems unlikely that a significant other is around to cause problems, considering she hasn’t mentioned anyone she would need to talk to about all this. Still, there’s always the possibility of someone she knows showing up at the house or the Feds tracking him down. Just by allowing him in her home, she is aiding and abetting a fugitive.

Exhaustion starts to set in, the heated water helping to ease the tension that’s kept his muscles strung tight since his escape. Despite being out cold for almost twenty-four hours, he’d like nothing more than to crash in a warm, soft bed and sleep for another twenty-four, but there are definitely a few things they need to discuss first. He doesn’t want to endanger her and would never forgive himself if something happened to her. She’s an innocent bystander that is now caught up in the fucked up mess of his life. He’d like to keep the impact of that to a minimum.

Pushing off the wall, he looks through the bottles sitting on the small shelf below the showerhead. Opening the shampoo bottle, he takes a quick sniff; it smells sweet and a little spicy. It’s warm and comforting, and he thinks it suits her.

After his shower, he takes a few moments to rinse the tub of residual dirt. He doesn’t want to be any more of a burden than he already has been or give her a reason to be angry with him. He also picks his clothes up off the floor and sets them on top of the closed laundry hamper, making them easier to reach. Probably best they get tossed in the trash anyway. It’s not like he will be sending them back to the surplus store he broke into and stole them from.

Giving the bathroom a final cursory glance to make sure there’s nothing else he should be concerned about, he secures a towel around his waist, picks up the boots he snagged from the same store, and makes his way into the bedroom across the hall.

The room is clean but sparsely decorated. A tall plain chest of drawers and a door to what he assumes to be the closet are on the left. Two nightstands frame a king-sized bed against the wall opposite the entrance. The pile of pillows and crisp dark gray bedding beg him to crawl in and get lost in dreams of sparkling amber eyes, rosy lips, and bronzed skin. His dick stirs at the thought of her long delicate fingers…

Jesus Christ!

It’s been too long since he’s had any kindness directed toward him, even before the shit show started. He misses, no, longs for the touch of another. Kasey has awakened an emotion in him that he hasn’t felt in a long time, hadn’t felt even in the last year or so of his marriage… but he recognizes it as desire.

Dean huffs out a breath and shakes his head to rid himself of the images playing out in his mind. Just because she’s being kind to him and has engaged in a bit of light flirting doesn’t mean that she wants to fuck him. Hell, he’s still having a hard time understanding why she’s being kind to him. Right now, she holds his life in her hands, and he certainly doesn’t want to piss her off by being a horny asshole. Dragging a hand down his face, he puffs out another breath and focuses on his surroundings once again.

Making his way to the end of the bed, he finds a pair of jeans and a dark-colored t-shirt, which still have tags attached to them. There is also an unopened package of underwear and one with socks. He leans over to place the boots on the floor, eyeing the clothes with suspicion.

“Feel better? Oh, shit, I’m sorry.”

Lost in thoughts of who the clothing was originally meant for, he’s startled by her voice and unexpected appearance in the open doorway. Bolting upright, he has to quickly grasp the towel to prevent it from falling to the floor as he turns to face her.

She’s staring at his hand where it holds the edges of the towel together but quickly drops her gaze when he catches her eye. He laughs to himself at her apparent scrutiny. Maybe she does want him. Mentally kicking himself, he breaks the somewhat awkward silence between them. “Yes, thank you.”

Kasey finally looks up, and he smiles when he spies the pink tinge in her cheeks. “I, uh, thought you might want to shave. This was my grandpa’s.” She walks over to the bed and places a leather shaving bag next to the clothes, keeping her eyes averted from him. “It’s a little old-fashioned, but it’s clean; there’s a pack of unused blades in there, beard grooming supplies too.”

Dean self-consciously runs his free hand over the scraggly hair on his chin and chuckles, “Yeah, that would be great. Thank you.”

Spinning, she waves her hand out. “I’m sorry the room is such a mess. As you can see, I’m in the middle of remodeling.”

Dean follows the direction of her hand to find several cans and various painting supplies on top of a tarp on the right side of the room. The large window is covered in plastic, and the trim around it is masked.

“No need to apologize. It’s not like you were expecting me,” he chuckles. She nods but doesn’t move from where she's standing, chewing on her bottom lip, eyes fixed on the veiled view outside the window. Another couple of moments pass, and Dean breaks the silence again. “I should, uh, probably get dressed.”

“Oh, yes, sorry.” Her cheeks are an even brighter shade of pink as she scurries out of the room.

As she closes the door behind her, Dean can’t help but wonder if the way his pulse races at how adorably flustered she looks is a good or bad thing.

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