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certifiedwhore4slashers · 7 months

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Manipulative

pairing: coriolanus snow x f!reader, past oc x f!reader.

summary: he’s fallen way too deep, and he knows that.

a/n: i am in no way romanticizing nor defending his actions, he sucks as a person, this is for funsies, keep that in mind. remember he’s literally responsible for mass murders of children. also this idea is cliche ik ik. but, if you want more I will do more with original ideas.

reader has somewhat long hair, BUT no other descriptions of the reader. and I don’t usually do that. just for this post:)

warnings: yandere themes, toxicity, manipulative behavior(manipulation) obsession, possessiveness, no fluff, implied/referenced murder, slight blood, narcissistic tendencies, delusion, unhealed trauma, implied stalking, mild violence.

The meadow was where you’d often go. Ever since the games, it was a stress reliever, humming some songs or even just listening to the birds chirp.

After Coriolanus was sent to be a peacekeeper, You were sent home. District 12 was your home. You sat down on the cold rock. You were more of an creative artist than musician. Sometimes you wrote songs, and sometimes you wrote poems or just stories.

But you didn’t feel like doing anything today, just admiring the breeze in front of you. You were fairly zoned out when you hear a twig snap, and turn around.

You sigh of relief.”Sorry. Still have those instincts from the games.” You rushed over, not doing much. Still in disbelief he really was there.

You didn’t expect him to be here. But here he was. “It leaves quite the impression, He chuckled. It was a long embrace, and you say,”You found me. Quite surprised.”

“You figured I would, He teased. “Not this fast, and really it was hope, You tease right back, lips on his, it was passionate and sweet, ideal for a reunion.

“The sun’s hot, come in the shade, You offer. He had some ice, now melted and offered it.”Here. For you.” “Thank you, You reply.

You were very thirsty. The moment the water hit your tongue you were in heaven. “This must be the only cold thing in November, he joked.

You laugh in response.”So, Coriolanus Snow, What are you doing in the Meadow?” You were half joking. You never were fully serious. At least until it came to your feelings for him.

“Spending some time with my girl, He replies. The word My, a possessive tone, You notice. But brush it off.

“It’s unbelievable, You admit.”Truly. But I was surprised they brought me back. I swore It was all me.” “But it wasn’t, he points out. You look at him.”Clearly they didn’t believe me.”

His lips were on yours again, long and passionate. You two hadn’t seen each other since the games ended.

“Well, It was hard to believe for me too, He admits.”Tell me what happened after.” It was difficult to recall everything. The games were a nightmare. Especially the Arena. And Mayfair.

As the two of you share the water, You couldn’t help but wonder as he told stories, exchanging them, if something was wrong.

“Poor Jessup, You say sympathetically.”He didn’t deserve that. It was you, though, wasn’t it? The one who killed Bobbin?”

“I had to, Coriolanus replied.”He tried to kill me.” “I’m not saying what you did was wrong, but I suppose killing is for survival in the Arena, You reply. Snow only nodded.

“I heard the others brag, You say.”So I know. I thought the worst happened. You know, that you were dead.”

Heading back up beside him, You still couldn’t believe he was here. Whatever relationship you had, seemed to grow.

“What have you been up to? He asks, curiously.”It’s been a while.” “It has, you laugh.”And truly, not much. A few performances here and then. At the Hob, Maude Ivory’s an amazing singer like Lucy Gray.”

For a mere moment, You were in complete bliss. And that night was a normal evening for the Covey. Your parents were killed, well, your adoptive parents. They took you in, then Maude Ivory came along, your younger sister.

You became a part of the Covey. Until of course, their murders. But you had her, at least. “You want one? A peacekeeper asks, referring to liquor.”You might need it for your performance.”

“Sure, You grin, taking a swig, not making a reaction to the bitterness of it.”You’re right. I might need it.” Lucy Gray was a beautiful singer, but tonight, let you perform.

“Are you sure? I’m not the songbird, You tease. “I’m sure, and Maude Ivory wanted you to, She sweetly says. Your cousin was always the songbird.

“Besides, I think he’d like to hear you sing, Lucy Gray smirked. You knew who she was referring to. Truly the one who knew of your relationship, but by accident.

You wore a yellow dress, not too short but not too long either, and sunflowers in your hair. You wanted to have a good impression.

You tease her,”I think he’d like to hear you.” But you went up there, guitar in hand. A talent that you and Lucy Gray both had. It was the genes, you swore.

But you amazed the crowd as you sang. You were no Songbird. But you had some talent. And the whole time your eyes were on him.

It made him feel more special, in a way. Like the only person could make you feel this happy was him. Him. You were his, at least in his eyes.

But you did a wonderful performance. You mostly did instruments and stood in the background. You didn’t sing much.

Even though you were aware he was there, you went on, even with butterflies in your stomach. It was later that evening that things went downhill.

You said goodbye, even to Coriolanus, saying,”I shouldn’t be out so late anyway. But I promise, straight tomorrow. I’m sure you have peacekeeper things to do, anyway.”

He smiles.”It’s alright. You must be tired from that performance.” You laugh, then nod, quickly kissing him, then moving along.

You didn’t notice that he followed you. He was quite literally, obsessed. Especially after hearing your sweet voice. Since finding your home in the Seam, it wasn’t hard to follow you, and pretend he was there for something else.

Sometimes, he’d meet you there. Other times, didn’t even know he was there watching. He’d call it protectiveness. But it was really a sense of possessiveness over you.

That’s what it really was.

He heard your voice in your room, you sang to yourself. You sang a love song. That wasn’t hard to understand.

He had a sense of jealousy. It was clear the lyrics wasn’t about him. A past one, maybe. It wasn’t Billy Taupe. He had Lucy Gray. So who could you mentioned?

He was bloodthirsty. Or at least, had a taste for violence. He’d never say it or admit it. It was like he was a rebel. And he hated rebels.

But that didn’t stop him from feeling this way. As you danced and sang a little. Coriolanus defended his behavior, he was being protective of you. That nobody would hurt you.

He had fallen way too deep. And he was aware. You might feel the same about him, just as equally obsessed as he was. But that night, he wasn’t looking for trouble. Not much, anyway.

Someone stood beside him, admiring your singing. “Peacekeeper, huh? The male laughed. Coriolanus turns.”Yeah. Punishment. Not a choice.”

“She’s always been a singer, the male explained.”didn’t have much faith.” He wanted to know how the male knew that.

“How do you know? Coriolanus asked, curiously. “She wrote that song about me, the male bragged and seemed proud.”One of these days she’ll get back together with me.”

You never mentioned your ex lover much. Only that he hurt you, and that he was still infatuated. You were right about that.

“She isn’t interested, Coriolanus says, coldly. His fists clenched, along with his jaw, both from the rage he was feeling.

Maybe it was his narcissistic tendencies that were showing. A feeling of shame. A feeling that, he was superior than the male standing in front of him. He’d do so much better.

And with that, he swung. He could’ve shot him. But it was the easy way. And he didn’t deserve the easy way. His blood thirst took over a little, and like Bobbin, didn’t know how far his strength would go.

He stands back, his knuckles bleeding and blood on his uniform he’d have to explain later. Maybe it was a mistake coming to visit you. Your singing had stopped.

He pants. What had he done? Standing over the body, Coriolanus realized what he truly had done. And what could he do? He didn’t want a career as a peacekeeper; but his future would be damaged even further. He had to do something.

The Lake.

It brought him good memories. Swimming alongside you and the covey. But he’d have to hide the body somewhere.

It took a lot of his strength; but didn’t wear him out to drag him to the lake. It wouldn’t be too hard hiding evidence. His body would eventually disappear and Coriolanus doubted anybody cared about him. You didn’t anymore.

And he just watched. After the blood washed off, He walked away. He left the Seam. He'd come back. But You'd be aware of it.

Morning came, and peacekeepers came knocking at your door. The whole morning was a mess. When you did eventually meet up with Coriolanus, you decided on telling him about it.

“Did you know? She asked.”I’m assuming every peacekeeper knew. The guy I used to go out with was murdered. Found in the lake.”

“We were informed today, but I wasn’t the one who found it, He lies. He did not like lying, but he had to. He held a tight grip on you.

And he wasn’t letting you go.

#coriolanus snow #coriolanus snow x reader #fem!reader #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #reader insert #tw obsession #tw yandere #yandere coriolanus snow

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byechristopher · 4 months

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Quiet [0.2].

-MATT STURNIOLO SMUT.

PART ONE.

Author's note: Y'ALL, I have been gone for more than a month, oof.. anyways, I still love y'all. I like to believe that I am back now.. but we'll see. I am a very spontaneous bitch, you see. Enough with the rambling. Matt smut. Part two. Let's go. Do not copy/steal my work. :)

Warnings: long, filthy smut, car sex in the middle of nowhere, matt is a dom, etc. Minors dni! Also, didn't proofread.

I hated how much I wanted more, straight away. I can still feel his fingers inside me and still, that isn't enough. Once the movie ended, he retained his embrace, a gesture I welcomed. The cool touch of his silver chain on the back of my neck and the gentle pressure from the rings on his fingers created a sensation, not quite reaching the point of discomfort.

"Tell them you gotta leave." Matt whispers in my ear and I realise that he wasn't lying earlier – we're going to his car. Good God.

I don't have to respond, not even nod, I just get up (after making sure I'm wearing my pants correctly, of course) and head to the kitchen, where my other friends are.

"Y'all, I'd love to stay for another movie but I have to leave. My roommate has locked herself out."

Lies, lies, lies. But I didn't care enough to feel bad, not when I was about to get eaten by Matthew.

Speaking of the devil, "I can take you home. I have to leave too anyway."

And with that, we were out of the apartment. Not wasting any time, we almost run towards the car and Matt starts driving almost right away. Despite still looking appealing, his hair appears noticeably more disheveled than earlier in the day, and he seems slightly flustered.

My hand lands on his clothed thigh gently, rubbing it up and down, and he gives me a warning glare, "I'm driving."

"I know." is the only thing I say before my hand travels up to his crotch.

He casts me a disapproving glance, yet he refrains from stopping me; he's curious about the extent of my boldness. What he doesn't know is that, in his presence, I disregard all limits. With that determination, I unzip his pants, gradually lowering both his pants and boxers to expose him. The image of Matt glancing between me, the road, and his attempts to drive with his dick hard against his tummy, is one that I doubt will ever fade from my mind.

I spit in my hand and wrap my fingers around his cock, earning a soft moan of relief from him. I start moving my hand up and down, rotating my wrist while looking at him.

"Be careful, Matty." I whisper, leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek and I know he would probably fuck the shit out of me now if he could.

"Fuck.." he grunts, knuckles turning white on the steering wheel, his hips bucking.

I lean down to wrap my lips around the tip and he almost loses control; I give it a sloppy kiss and then pull away, returning back to my seat as if nothing happened.

Matt shoots me one of his infamous death glares before abruptly pulling over. His actions unfold too quickly for me to fully grasp; he hastily adjusts his pants and signals for me to shift to the backseat, a command I promptly follow.

Without uttering a word, I observe him as he exits the car and then moving to the backseat as well, internally appreciating the fact that he owns a large, spacious car. I am sitting on the middle seat, he hooks his fingers under my panties and pants, pulling them down and then completely taking them off.

"You think teasing me is funny?" he hums, he spreads my legs wide open, placing my feet on each seat, fully exposing me to him. His hands move underneath my butt, his fingers digging into the soft skin as he pushes my hips upwards – my pussy a breath away from his hungry mouth.

"You know, I kept thinking.." he whispers, his hands caressing my thighs, "..when you came on my fingers.." he continues, his fingers dangerously close to my core, "..how much I wanted your juices in my mouth instead." he looks at me, giving me a small smile.

"Matty, please.." I sigh, I can feel my wetness dripping down already.

"And you know, I get anything I want." he nods, his index finger pressing my clit, earning a loud moan from me. He starts rubbing small circles on it, placing soft kisses on the lips.

Now teasing my most sensitive part with his thumb, he leans in, sticking his warm tongue out to lick my wet entrance, moaning. With his fingers on each side of my pussy, he spreads it delicately as he presses his tongue flat against my clit, rubbing it while letting the tip of it poke my entrance.

"Matt.. fuck.. please!" you can hear a mixture of frustration, anticipation and pleasure in my voice, but it most certainly doesn't make Matt move faster.

"You're dripping, sweetheart." he chuckles, amused. His tongue reaches all the way down, and then up to my clit, eventually wrapping his lips around it and sucking it.

I let my head fall backwards, pulling my shirt up to reveal my breasts – I quickly grab both of them, pinching the nipples while Matt is licking hungrily down there, as if he hadn't eaten for days. He pushes his tongue inside of me and I almost cum right then and there; he notices that, so he takes his tongue out slowly and then shoves it back in. He keeps doing that while teasing my clit with his thumb.

"Yes, yes, yes.. please.." I plead and whimper, I don't exactly know what I'm pleading for.

I let go of one breast to grab a fistful of Matt's hair instead, tugging at it and pushing his head towards my core even more (not that it was even possible, Matt was practically buried in my pussy, tongue inside of me, his nose pressed against my clit). I can feel him moving his tongue, still fucking me with it as he rubs and pinches my clit with his fingers – his free hand moves to my other breast, squeezing it and smacking it.

"Matty.. Matty, I – I'm.. fuck!" I cry out but he never stops, "I'm cumming.. I'm – yes.." and with that last word, I shake and tremble underneath his touch, finally letting go on his tongue, which he embraces with love, making sure not a single drop of my wetness goes to waste.

"That's my baby.." he praises and if I wasn't so lost in pleasure, I would've blushed.

He carefully grabs my legs, placing them on his shoulders as he presses kisses all over my thighs, making sure I calm down before we do anything else.

"Matt.." I moan gently, looking at him.

"Don't look at me like that. Your voice already makes it hard for me." he hums, squeezing my legs every now and then.

"Can you sit down instead? I wanna taste you." my hands squeeze my breasts.

"Can I ever deny you when you're looking at me like that, hm?" it is a rhetorical question but it still makes me laugh.

I move to the other seat while he takes my place, quickly taking his pants and boxers off, leaving his with his hoodie on. Before i start anything, he cups my cheeks and pulls me closer, kissing my nose and then my lips. I get down on my knees, in the same place he was earlier, almost drooling at the sight of his cock. It looks big and hard, and wet, and red. Hell.

"Come on, baby." he encourages, smiling while his hand grabs my chin, bringing me closer.

I nod, smiling, leaning in to grab the base with my hand, bringing his cock closer to my mouth and then eventually wrapping my lips around it. I move my mouth up and down the tip, just to tease him a little, looking up at him as I push my head further down. The more of him I take into my mouth, the more it stretches around him, making me drool all over his dick.

"Mmm, princess, that's it. You can take it." I'm not sure if it's a statement or a disguised warning but I take it either way.

He cups my cheeks and pushes me down on him, my watering eyes struggling to maintain eye contact. He looks at me with pride, almost, as he keeps my head in place while moving his hips, pushing his cock in and out of my mouth. I choke and gag around him but thay doesn't stop me, nor him.

"I'm close.. fuck." he groans, biting down on his bottom lip as he lets go of my head, moving one arm behind the seat and grabbing my hand gently with his free hand.

I move my mouth up and down, sucking his cock hungrily while looking at him, almost feeling it throb in my mouth – my free hand squeezes his thigh and my other hand, squeezes his.

"That's it.. that's it.." he moans, "..open your mouth, stick your tongue out.." he orders and I obey, jerking him off instead, "I wanna see your pretty mouth filling with my cum." he says and I moan just at the thought.

I move my hand up and down his cock, mouth open and tongue sticking out just like he ordered, looking at him the whole time. With a loud moan and groan from him, I can feel his warm cum landing on my tongue, slowly but steadily filling my mouth.

"Fuck.. baby.." he moans, caressing my hair, not daring to look anywhere else but me, "..open your mouth, let me see." he says and I know he wants to see a clean mouth. So that's exactly what I show him; he grins, "mm, such a good girl, aren't you?" yet another rhetorical question but again, it makes me smile either way.

He leans in to grab me and pull me into his lap, hugging me close to him as he lets me bury my face into his neck, breathing in his delicious scent, "you good, darling?" he whispers.

"More than good." I mumble against his skin and I can feel him chuckle, his hands rubbing up and down my back, his lips placing kisses on my head.

"You taste amazing." he whispers to tease me and it works; I can feel the blush creeping up my cheeks and I'm glad he's not able to see me.

"So do you." he pulls away just a bit to give me a kiss on the lips.

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tonowarii · 1 year

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A Soulmate Who Wasnt Meant to Be

COMFORT(?) DRABBLE FOR "A LIFE FOR A LIFE" (could also be read alone, but much better if you've read this one!)

Pairing: Lo'ak te Suli Tsyeyk'itan x Fem! Omaticaya! Reader

WC: 1.5k

Warning/s: mentions of death, okay.. still a little bit of more angst and hurt but some comfort in the end! :D maybe im not so evil anymore..?

GIF is mine!

After he had saved his sisters, mother, and father from Quaritch and finally having Spider back, he knew he had to face you again, to face your lifeless body again.

However, the other heart-breaking thing was when Kiri and Tuktirey saw you once they had landed upon the rocky shore.

“We’re safe!” Tuktirey says “Where’s (Y/N)?!” She says but as she looked in front of her, she stopped. Smile dropping, the same as with Kiri.

“(Y/N)?” Tuk asked, approaching you, she grabs your hand as Kiri was on your other side, knowing what happened. Kiri’s tears fell as she grasped your hand.

“Why- why isn’t she moving? (Y/N), can you hear me? We’re finally safe!” Tuk expressed, her bright eyes filling with concern as Neteyam carefully knelt beside her small frame, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Tuk, (Y/N) is with the Great Mother now…”

Tuk felt a wave of tears forming in her eyes. “What? Why..why..?”

Every step Lo’ak took felt like stones in his heart as he moved towards you, Kiri moving so he could kneel by your side. He gulped. Looking across from him he sees Tuk crying, holding your arm as Neteyam looked at Lo’ak, offering a sympathetic look as he rubbed Tuk’s shoulder.

It was already sunrise when Jake stepped up towards them. “We got to get her back to the village, son.” He spoke with a heavy heart. Neytiri stands beside Jake, before moving behind Lo’ak, placing her hands on his shoulders. “It is time, son.”

Lo’ak could only afford to watch as your body was carried away by Jake and Neteyam, as well as other Metkayina that his father has called over.

On the way home, he stared blankly, not responding to anyone that talked to him, the only exception being his brother, Neteyam.

As they prepared for your funeral, Lo’ak stayed silent as they made their way over to the cove of ancestors after eclipse, finding the other Metkayina there, joining in offering their condolences and joining in their sadness, a loss of a loved one, a daughter.

Lo’ak could feel his grip tighten on the leaf that carried your once lively body as flowers danced around your form. Every push he made felt another stab to his heart, further setting in the realization that he was never going to see you nor hear you, or ever talk to you again in this life. He swallows, taking a look at your face, your eyes were closed and it looked like you were just sleeping, curled up against yourself.

Jake and Neytiri were now tasked with carrying your body down to the sea anemone, finally putting you to rest. As they took your body, Lo’ak could feel his tears sprung from his eyes. Jake and Neytiri held your body, regrets overflowing within their heart and guilt. Guilt that they had failed your parents, guilt that they hadn’t protected you when they promised they would. They had treated you like their own daughter, now putting you to rest had affected them more than they had expected.

Lo’ak touches your face, this would be the last time he was able to do it. He swallows, moving closer to you as he turns your head towards him, pressing one final kiss to your forehead, tears fully streaming down his face.

Jake and Neytiri looked at each other, as Lo’ak had finally let go of you, they slowly dived down. Lo’ak watches as your body slowly pushed and sunk down towards the sea anemone, claiming you as his arm absentmindedly reached out to you, wanting to pull you away from its embrace so he could hold you for as long as he can. Now he couldn’t.

He was stuck staring at the ground from where you were, as it completely enveloped you, no longer seeing you. He doesn’t remember that he needed to come up for air, only realizing that when Neteyam had carefully placed a hand on his shoulder, pointing upwards.

Lo’ak emerges from the surface, breathing heavily. A solemn look on his face as Neteyam looked at him. In an attempt to comfort his brother, he pulls him in a tight hug. Lo’ak broke down again as he had clung onto his brother.

Neteyam had also treated you like a sister he never had, he watched you get along with Lo’ak, he watched you be there for him when he couldn’t. Most importantly, he watched his brother fall in love with you as he had asked him to help in making some of the countless gifts he had given you when he was still courting you. He watched your love flourish. Seeing your death felt unreal to him, maybe it just hadn’t sinked in yet.

“Come on brother, we’ve got to go.” He whispers, rubbing his back. Lo’ak doesn’t respond, he only lets Neteyam drag him towards his ilu.

A few days had passed, and Lo’ak hadn’t slept, his family was beginning to get concerned for him. Neteyam was the only one Lo’ak let in. One night, Lo’ak had found himself staring off into the ocean, holding your anklet given by him.

Neteyam watched his brother, shaking his head with a sigh as he approached him. “Hey, baby bro.” He spoke. Lo’ak just nods, acknowledging his presence. Neteyam looks around before he nudges Lo’ak.

“Do you want to see her?”

Lo’ak did, he did want to see you, to hold you, to kiss you again, to tell you how much he was sorry and how much he loved you. He looks over at Neteyam. “(Y/N) was special to all of us, I know she was, especially to you, baby bro. I’m giving you a chance to go and see her, I’ll come with you, I don’t care if we get in trouble again, I’d do it if it helps you.”

Lo’ak swallowed, before he found himself nodding.

Neteyam carefully called over their ilus, watching if anyone was still awake. Then they both had rode out into the night.

The trip took a few good minutes. As they arrived, Neteyam and Lo’ak were still on the surface when Neteyam places a hand on his shoulder. “I’m going down with you, I don’t want to see you drowning now.” He softly smiles at Lo’ak, Lo’ak finally cracks a small smile before they dive down.

Lo’ak stops in front of one of the Spirit Tree’s leaves. Neteyam just behind him to watch him. Lo’ak looks back at him to see his brother.

‘I’m right here, don’t worry’ Neteyam signed towards him. Lo’ak nods, facing in front again, holding out his queue. Then he slowly attaches it, feeling the overwhelming feeling of lightness, absolute peace.

Thus, he closes his eyes.

Opening his eyes, Lo’ak was transported back to the forest, he looks around, reminiscing his old home. He smiles, feeling truly at peace when that wasn’t all that he noticed. It was night, the bioluminescence of the Pandora forest glowed around him.

Then he heard it. Laughter. Your laugh. He turns around, heart spiking at just how beautiful and… alive you looked. You played with a kenten, laughing. A smile immediately appears on his face. Then your attention finally turns to him. Your eyes held love, adoration, and it was bright. He could see you blush.

“Hi.” You greeted. Lo’ak was caught up in the moment, only responding when you tilt your head at him. “Hey…” He spoke, his voice was much calmer than he expected it to be. Then he hears your laugh again, much closer this time as you approached him, holding his hands and pulling him to sit down across from you.

Then that’s when it hit him. This. This part of the forest was your spot. This was also the spot where he had confessed his love for you, and it was also the night you reciprocated his feelings.

“Talk to me, you’re being silent again, what’s troubling you?” You smiled at him, tilting your head as you were stroking his hands. He opens his mouth, but nothing comes out, he was too busy looking at you. Like as if you were still truly here with him. “I-“ He started but he breathed out.

You frowned, hand reaching up to cup his cheek. “Are you sure you’re okay? Why are you crying, ma tìyawn?”

Lo’ak didn’t even notice the warm tears rolling down his face as you wiped them away with your thumb.

He frowns for a moment, then he looks up at the sky, wishing the Great Mother to give your spirit peace, hoping that you’ll finally get to rest with the Great Mother, and that you were guiding him from above.

He looks back down at you, and he smiles.

You smile back at him, confused at his sudden change of expression while you wipe away at his tears, cupping his cheeks.

“I guess… I’m just happy to see you.” He said honestly. You laugh, rolling your eyes as you looked at him.

“You see me every day, skxawng! But sure, I’m happy to see you too!” You played along and he could feel himself smile widely, more genuine this time.

However, only guilt and regret knocked on the back of his mind as he wished he could witness you say it this time in person, which reality struck him as this was something he’ll never get to have again.

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mooncello · 3 months

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Hey friends. Holy wow my big sad brain took me out this past week. I couldn't touch anything creative until the last couple days. (The warm sunshine is helping.) I'm on my fourth rewrite of chapter two for lost boys. (Fourth!) I think this is the version y'all are gonna see because I cannot keep doing this to myself. At some point, things just need to be good enough, yeah?

Eternal gratitude for @thewholelemon who has read every version, every axed sentence and dead end, and continues to offer sage wisdom, feedback and encouragement. Jenny, you're also reminding me to have fun, and, well, I honestly think I would have given up on this thing by now without you. Alllll the love, my friend. 🩵

For today, I'm sharing part of a scene that ended up on the cutting room floor. Enjoy this dead darling as it's headed to the compost pile. In the spirit and practice of having fun and not overthinking things, it is unedited.

It's also long so I've placed it under the cut.

A delighted laugh spills out of my mouth, and I hold out my arms in a raw embrace of the elements, tilting my face into the warm rain and feeling the water collect in the dips of my eye sockets. Eventually I blink open my eyes to find Simon racing between thick, tall flower stems with Pockets. Simon stops for a breath and looks over his shoulder at me, his smile bright and open and wide. It only takes a couple minutes before we are completely soaked through. “Tink didn’t tell me it would rain,” Simon says once he’s finished running around and joins me by an enormous tower of purple orchids. “I don’t mind it,” I reply. I don’t, really. Not when it feels like the most luxurious hot shower, surrounded by giant flowers. Not when Simon is standing in front of me, his soaked t-shirt clinging to his form like a second skin. (That’s happening more – me noticing things like that. Specifically about Simon.) (He’s a dream. It’s fine. I wish he were real, but it’s fine.) “Let’s go dry off,” Simon laughs. We part ways with the others and return to the flat rocks overlooking the sea. The rain ends at the meadow’s edge, so it’s nothing but big blue sky and gentle sunshine as we stretch out on the rocks. A slow, balmy wind sweeps over us from the ocean. It smells of salt and lime and driftwood. The sun-warmed sandstone bleeds its warmth into my back, and I release a contented sigh. “Fuck…” I draw the word out so long it turns into a groan. “The sun feels good.” Simon gives a lazy laugh and rolls onto his stomach, resting his head across his arms. Our bodies make a near-perfect 90 degree angle. “I feel like a cat,” I mumble. “I don’t want to move. Ever.” There’s no response. Simon is silent, which is unusual for him. I squint open an eye against the bright sunlight and glance over at him, only to find him staring at me. His curls fall over his forehead and his eyelashes are still clumped together, thick with meadow rain. My stomach swoops. I feel exposed under his gaze. “What?” The faintest pink sweeps down his neck, and his eyes flick away. “Nothing.” He sniffs. “I mean, do you ever – I dunno…Would you…” He trails off, and I’m too sun-drunk to fully pursue. “They’re called words, Simon,” I drawl. Simon scrunches his nose and tucks his chin over his arms, tilting his head at me. “What d’you wanna do after drying off?” That isn’t what he had wanted to say, but I’m loose-limbed from the sun and distracted by the way his forearms are folded over one another. I tear my eyes away from his arms and say with a deep sigh, “Told you. I’m never moving from this rock. I’m a cat. A lizard. I’ve entered my reptilian era.” Simon laughs again, and the sound finds every crack inside my body and fills it with a warmth that surpasses the sun.

thank you for the tag @thewholelemon

no-pressure tags and hellos:

@best--dress, @shrekgogurt, @bookish-bogwitch, @cutestkilla, @artsyunderstudy, @nightimedreamersworld, @facewithoutheart, @whatevertheweather, @you-remind-me-of-the-babe, @ileadacharmedlife, @stitchyqueer, @valeffelees, @orange-peony, @larkral & @iamamythologicalcreature (ty for the art chat 🎨🧡)

#lost boys #my writing #simon snow #baz pitch #six sentence sunday #snowbaz fic

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ssuperficialspacecadett · 11 months

Text

Star For The Night

Chapter Eleven of the Through the Scope series | Chapter Twelve

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 5.3K

Chapter Overview: Estrella finally gets her chance in the ring

TW: typical boxing violence, men being creepy/weird, knife play (don't look at me like that), p in v penetration

Notes: hey everyone !! guess who's back from the dead LMAOOOO ,, okay so yes i took a break because 1) life was beating the ever living fuck out of me and 2) i'm still working out the kinks of where i want this story to go/ how i want it to end. i always forget that i'm going to need to wrap these things up with a pretty little bow at the end because i just get so excited that i jump in. no worries though because i still fully intend to finish this story. thank you to the people who were patient with me in my break, to the people the sent encouraging messages, and to the people that kept reading the story !! it truly means the word to me ((: still brain storming for chapter 12 so in the mean time please send me fun asks for the TF boys and Estrella !! lmk if you want to be added to the tag list/ if i left you off !! happy reading <3

*no use of y/n & female presenting reader*

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

“I know you’re doing it to be respectful and all, but you don’t have to hide in a stall. You’ve seen me naked, Frankie.”

“Yes ma’am.” He comes fumbling out of the cramped space.

You laugh quietly to yourself as you finish tying your shirt. “What do you think?” You turn in a circle so he has a chance to see the full outfit.

His eyes darken as he walks the short distance to you.

“I think we should ditch this place and go to my house before Benny notices we’re gone.” He places two firm hands on your waist and pulls you into him.

“I don’t think we would be able to sneak past the guards.” You motion with your head to the door. “I have it on good authority that they have a military background.”

“Will and Pope definitely owe me a favor for something in the past. I could use that as leverage.” He kisses his way down your neck. “And I bet if you ask really nicely it could work.” Your head drifts to the side and he hungrily licks and bites at your skin.

“Hey! Break it up you two! There will be plenty of time for that later.” Benny walks into the locker room. “I know she’s your girl Fish, but tonight she’s my ring girl.”

“She is my girl.” Frankie wraps his arm around your shoulder and you lean into him. “Officially.”

Benny turns his head towards you seeking extra conformation and the giddy look splayed across your face is exactly what he needs.

“Oh shit!” He claps his hands together in front of him. “Congratulations guys!”

Benny bounds up to the both of you and pulls y’all in for a hug. You embrace him with the same energy. There were countless moments before in Benny and your friendship where you knew that he cared for you, but this one takes the cake. He clutches onto you and you can truly feel the happiness he’s exuding.

“It took you long enough.” He says to Frankie as he releases y’all. “I would just like to say for the record that I definitely helped move this relationship along.”

You grin while the man next to you lets out an exaggerated groan.

“What? I was totally playin’ a double agent. Operation catch-a-fish is complete!”

“Operation catch-a-fish?” You and Frankie question in unison.

He hurriedly brushes the query off. “We can discuss that on a later date. Right now I need to give her a quick rundown of her role.” Benny shifts his attention solely on you now. “It’s super simple, I promise. I’ll go out there and do the intro for the whole night and then I’ll introduce you and wave you into the ring. After that you just need to call out the names of each fighter and then start the match. Just remember to say ‘fight’ once you have made your way outside the ring because it gets ugly in there fast.”

“Simple my ass.” You say, crossing your arms over your chest. “How will I know the fighters names? I’ve never seen a teleprompter for the ring girl to read off of and I don’t think I can manage to remember all of those damn names.”

“I’ll tell you the names beforehand. We will have brief chances to talk during the boxin’ rounds since we will be standing next to each other on the side lines. It’s gonna be perfect.”

“You’ll be next to me the whole time?”

“Absolutely.”

You look up when you feel Frankie squeeze your shoulder. “The guys and I will be there too. We won’t let anything happen to you, Estrella. You’re going to do amazing.”

“Thanks. I really hope so.”

It makes you feel good to know that they believe in you so fully.

“You’re going to look amazin’ too! People won’t be able to take their eyes off of you long enough to watch the matches!”

“God, don’t remind me.” You feel his hand tug tighter on you at Benny’s words. You aren’t the biggest fan of overly macho or hyper-masculine men, but this is just the right touch. It felt nice to not have to be the sole person protecting yourself. It felt nice that someone else is more than willing to take up the mantle.

“It’s almost 10 o’clock, Benny!” Will shouts into the locker room. “Let’s get a move on!”

“That’s my cue!” Benny hums. “The names of the guys you will be announcin’ first are Rodriguez and Montoya! See ya’ out there!”

You and Frankie follow Benny out the doors and watch with Will and Pope as he kicks off the night's events.

“Hello, everybody! Who’s excited to see what we have planned?!” The crowd erupts all around him. It’s deafening and quite the stark contrast to how the gym is during a regular week day. People encircle the boxing ring and hoist their beer bottles in the air. They look like a turbulent ocean. “That’s what I like to hear!” He shouts. “Now, I have an extra special treat for y’all tonight! Our usual ring girl is out so a good friend of mine stepped up to the plate and will be fillin’ in for her! You all know and love her! It’s … !”

When Benny says your name the crowd cheers again. You didn’t think that they could manage to get even louder than they were the first time. In front of you, Will and Pope part the sea of people in order to make an obstruction free path for you to walk. You take a deep breath and hold on tightly to Frankie’s hand.

“I’m right here.” He whispers in your ear. “I’m always going to be right here, Estrella.”

You look up at him with tears threatening to show themselves as he guides you through the pathway. His quiet words of support manage to silence the roaring people surrounding you. It feels like it’s just you and him in the room together. He squeezes your hand one last time before letting it go so you can climb through the ropes that encase the ring. Benny holds up the top rope so you can shimmy your way through and join him at the center.

“Ain’t she a peach?!” He asks the throng of people.

Of all the thoughts careening around in your head at this moment, something Benny said to you the first time you met sticks out.

“Bein’ in there is electric, man. Gotta be one of the best feelins’ in the world hands down.”

God, is he right. You feel like you’re on the top of the world when in reality you are maybe a few feet higher than everyone else. The energy in the room fills you with a sense of confidence and excitement you didn’t know you could possess. Faces, some familiar and some new, stare back at you with glee.

“Happy to be here with y’all tonight!” You exclaim.

Empowered by the reaction that you receive, you take a lap around your new stage and wave to everyone. When you circle back around to Benny, you don’t think you have ever seen him look so proud.

“I’m going to get my ugly mug outta here so our main girl can kick this thing off! Take it away!”

He jumps down to where Frankie, Will, and Pope are all standing and cheering for you.

“She’s a damn natural up there.” Pope marvels.

“I knew she could do it!” Benny wraps his arm around his brother.

“She’s going to be the star of the ring tonight, that’s for sure.” Will states.

“That’s my girl!” Frankie shouts up to you. In reality, he would have been proud of you regardless. You tripped getting into the ring? You still got in there when no one else did. Your voice cracked when you started to talk? You were still brave enough to take on this entire room single handedly. You may be their star tonight, but you were his estrella every single day.

“The first fighters of the night are…” You pause for effect. “Rodriguez and Montoya!”

The boxers come racing out of the men’s locker room and make a beeline for the ring. The guests stepped to the side and allowed them through, cheering and hollering the whole time. After they breach the ring, they mirror you by doing a lap. They seem to be feeding off the audience the same way you are. You call them over to you so Friday Fight Night can officially get started. Following your instructions they meet you in the middle of the ring, but each one of them plants a quick kiss on your cheek and asks you to wish them luck. They each get into their fighting stance and wait for your signal.

“Round one!” You yell, slipping under the ropes to the safety of your friends. Benny thrusts a wireless mic into your hands when you get positioned next to him. “Fight!”

Benny uses that same mic to narrate what’s happening during the rounds and then to announce the winner of each match. After Rodriguez goes down hard in the third round, you slip back inside to hold up Montoya’s hand in victory. If you’re being honest, the majority of the night after that is an adrenaline filled blur.

“Dawson and Overton!”

“Dawson wins!”

“Clark and Edwards”

“Edwards wins!”

“Wood and Harrison!”

“Wood wins!”

In between screaming your lungs out announcing boxers for the crowd, Frankie has you wrapped in his arms. It feels so good to be able to lay your tired body against his chest as he places kisses on the top of your head. You can feel his steady heartbeat on your back and it helps you calm your own down. It’s so strong and grounding and yours. It occurs to you that having to get ready to help host the fights tonight stole the time that should have been dedicated to freaking out about Frankie finally asking you to be his girlfriend. You were finally his and he was finally yours. The earlier events of the night clearly showed his past was tumultuous to say the least. He willingly opened up to you about Rochelle, not that she gave him much of a choice, and about his drug addiction. Things that you know couldn’t have been easy to do. You saw it in his eyes that he was struggling to explain it all. Yet, the determination on his end to come completely clean for you was humbling and empowering. It made you want to show him your scars. After all, he wasn’t the only one with skeletons in his closet.

“Okay, are you ready for the last round of fighters?” Benny has to talk loudly next to your ear in order to make sure you can hear him over the noise.

You give him a thumbs up and are secretly happy the night has almost concluded. As fun as this has been, you’re exhausted.

“It’s going to be Jacobs and,” He pauses. “Brunson.” You must have made a face unconsciously because he quickly speaks again. “I know. I know. It’s going to be over soon. We’ll all be right here waiting for you.”

You nod at Benny and tap lightly on the arms that are currently encircling your waist. You look up at him and can tell that he doesn’t want to let you go, but smiles nonetheless as he untangles himself from you.

“Just one more fight.” You whisper encouragingly to Frankie before climbing back into the ring.

“Last fight of the evening, folks! Let’s hope it's a good one!” You announce to the thoroughly drunk crowd. “Your final fighters are going to be Jacobs and Brunson!”

You try to hide your repugnance when Brunson is the first one to slip through the ropes and jog around hyping up the viewers. His dark black hair is meticulously combed back as usual. You muster up the last bit of your strength and call out to the two men. They trot over to you and stand by your side, Jacobs to the left and Brunson to the right. Jacobs leans down and places a small kiss on your cheek. It had become somewhat of a lucky thing to do this evening and caught on quickly with the rest of the boxers. They were always respectful and never tried anything else other than a small peck. You genuinely wish Jacobs well in his match. When Brunson goes in for his kiss, you instinctively swivel out of the way.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you have one more kiss left for me?” He speaks so only you can hear.

“Unfortunately, I’m all out.” You shrug innocently.

Backing away from the freshly scorned man, you tell them to get into their fighting stances before hopping out of the ring to use the mic.

“Round one! Fight!”

You pass off the mic to Benny so he can do his thing and retreat to the safety of Frankie. He obviously saw what happened up there and noticed how you were huddling as deep into his body as you could get.

“What was that?” He asks curiously.

“Some prick who doesn’t understand when a woman clearly isn’t interested in him.” You scowl, trying to manifest Jacobs landing a punch to Brunson's jaw.

“Has he been bothering you?” His tone has shifted from one of curiosity to one of worry.

“He tries to hit on me when he comes into work out sometimes.” You feel his arms squeeze slightly tighter on you as you talk. “I shut him down hard every time and Benny is always close by. It’s not a big deal, but I should have told you about him. I don’t want to keep you in the dark.”

“I would have liked to have known if someone was giving you a hard time at work, but I’m not upset at you. I don’t really have any room to be.” You can feel his belly rise and fall as he laughs lightly behind you. “It took me a while to explain what was going on with me. I’m just glad that Benny was there to watch out for you. I am upset at him though.” He rests the underside of his chin on the top of your head.

You hum in agreement. “I also already have a pretty great boyfriend. Why would I even think of entertaining some random guy? He could never satisfy me the way you do.”

Frankie breathes out heavily from his nose and you can feel your hair move. He leans down and places a kiss on your shoulder. “I’ll make sure you’re more than satisfied when we get back to my house.”

A shiver of excitement creeps its way down your back as his words settle in your ears. You know it's cruel and you know you’re in public, but you can’t help but rub your ass against him. The room is full of a bunch of drunk people watching a boxing match so who cares. His hands tighten around you to hold you into place. You’re unable to move your hips.

“You’re playing a dangerous game right now, Estrella.”

“I guess I’m getting tired of watching other people do dangerous things and I wanted to try it out for myself.”

“I’m hanging on by a thread as it is watching you prance around up there in that tiny little outfit. Seeing you dance around for everyone? Get kissed on the cheek by random men? I’m losing my mind down here.”

Both you and Frankie are snapped back to a lustless reality when the crowd lets out a wild cry. Brunson has his arms up in a defensive position while Jacobs wails on him with his glove-covered fists. Overcome by the glorious scene in front you, you start yelling like every other observer.

“Fucking hit him! Take him down, Jacobs!”

Frankie is still holding you while you flail your arms every which way. He looks over at Pope and Will who are transfixed by your sudden outburst. They raise their eyebrows at him and he mouths ‘tell you later’. There is no way they would have been able to hear him over your manic yelling anyway.

“Break his fucking jaw!” You holler.

“Ella es luchadora esta noche!” Pope calls to Frankie over the commotion.

“Esa es mi chica!” He answers.

Jacobs continues to hammer down on Brunson. In a last ditch attempt to get out of the predicament he is in, Brunson takes swings at Jacobs. Unfortunately for him, that left an open space for Jacobs’ fist to make direct contact with the side of Brunson’s head. He lands hard on the matt and, with his last bit of strength, taps his hand on the floor. Pompous fucker didn’t even make it past the first round.

You leap out of Frankie’s grip and charge the ring along with Benny. Both of you scramble to get inside to make the final calls of the night.

“Jacobs wins!” You cry holding up the very hand that took down Brunson.

Benny wraps his arm around your shoulder and speaks into the mic.

“That’s a wrap on this week's Friday Fight Night, everyone! Thank you for coming out and showing support for Brass Knuckles! Remember to come visit us again next week and to drive home carefully!”

Jacobs thanks you for being a great co-host before he heads off to the locker room to shower, change, and head out. Everyone else begins to slowly file out of the building as well. Your strength being rejuvenated after seeing Brunson get what was coming to him, has you giggling and leaning against the ropes facing your friends.

“You really held your own out there, hon. I wouldn’t want to mess with you.” Will teases.

You stick your tongue out and laugh along with him as the gym gets quieter.

“I told you she’d be a good ring girl, Benny.” Pope speaks over your shoulder. “I’d never steer you wrong.”

“I knew you wouldn’t, man.” Benny confirms with a grin. “Come on, Brunson, get up. It’s time to clear out. Better luck next time, hmm?” He looks down at the man sitting in the corner of the ring massaging the left side of his face.

“Yeah, I’m going, Miller.” He grumbles. “Can’t a guy leave the ring with some dignity?”

“I don’t think you had any dignity walking into the ring to begin with.” He chortles.

You haven’t been paying either man any mind because Frankie has walked up to the side of the ring you are leaning against. He pinches the collar of your shirt between his thumb and forefinger and gently pulls your giggling self towards him. He captures your lips in a kiss and you can taste faint hints of the beer he was nursing during the show.

“That's the reason?” A grating voice calls out from behind you. “That’s the reason you won’t go out with me?”

You break away from Frankie and turn to see Brunson looking at you still holding the side of his face; Benny is already staring at him with an open mouth.

“Excuse me?” You question, daring him to repeat what he just said.

“Brunson, the fuck are you talking about, man?” Benny looks exhausted. You aren’t sure if that's from tonight or Brunson specifically.

“You keep shooting me down because you’re fucking one of Miller’s military friends?” He says it like this is the only possible reason for your rejection of him.

“Oh shit.” Pope whispers somewhere behind you.

“Brunson.” Benny warns.

“Did it ever occur to you in your myopic little mind that I just don’t fucking like you?” You hiss.

“You’re such a bitch.” He laughs as if he just said something incredibly profound.

“That’s it!” Frankie growls behind you. “Come here, you fucking asshole!”

You whip around to see Will and Pope rushing forward to grab each of his arms so he can’t climb into the ring.

“Alto, hermano!”

“Don’t, Catfish! You know you can’t have assaultin’ someone on your record! It’s going to hurt your chances of getting it back!”

You don’t know what Will is referring to when he said ‘it’, but whatever it was is enough to cause Frankie to falter for half a second.

“Who’s gonna tell?!” He’s still trying to pull out of their grip. “I know y’all won’t and this fucker won’t be alive to report me!”

“Get the fuck outta the ring now.” Benny’s voice is ice cold when he speaks to Brunson. “You aren’t welcome back here after this either.”

“What? All because I said she was banging your friend?” The battered man climbs to his feet and starts walking to exit the ring. “My bad, maybe she’s banging all four of yall.”

It happens so quickly that you don’t even have time to be scared. Benny’s fist flies through the air and connects with Brunson’s jaw with a deliciously satisfying crack. His body crumbles to the ground and unlike in his first fight, he doesn’t get back up. You don’t hear Frankie trying to get inside the ring now, Will and Pope are both silent behind you as well, and Benny looks as calm as ever.

“I have been wantin’ to do that for a while now.” He beams. “God, that felt so fuckin’ good.”

“You just punched him.” You say airily.

Benny just flashes you his boyish grin and shrugs. “He had it comin’.” He looks over your shoulder at his friends. “I know you would have done it, Fish. I was just a little closer. I hope you don’t mind.”

“It was probably better that you did it for a number of reasons.” Frankie admits. “The biggest one being I don’t think I could have stopped at just one punch.”

“Well…what do we do now?” You laugh. “We can’t just leave him here. Although, I’m sure I could be convinced to.”

“You and Fish are goin’ to leave him here.” Benny answers nonchalantly. “Y’all have dealt with too much bullshit for one night. The boys and I can stay here to clean up and wait until this loser wakes up.”

“Seriously?” Frankie sounds stunned.

“Seriously?” You echo.

“Seriously?” Pope whines.

“Yeah! Y’all go get the rest you need. Bosses orders.”

“This ain’t nothin’ we can’t handle.” Will assures you.

“I still don’t want to do it.” Pope says, yet he seems to change his tune after Will smacks him upside the head. “But I would be more than happy too!”

You individually hug all three of them for allowing you and Frankie to leave. Benny was right, both of y’all did need rest. Too bad there were other plans in place already.

***

You have barely closed the front door before Frankie picks you up and throws you over his shoulder. He had to watch you frolic around all night in that tiny little outfit and he was struggling to keep it together the entire time. Your breasts were calling his name, that short skirt was teasing him, those fishnets begged to be ripped off, and that smile. Oh, your fucking smile. That was probably the sexiest thing that you wore tonight. He definitely wasn’t complaining about your outfit, but your smile made him weak. The fact that it seemed the biggest when you were looking at him brought him to his knees.

You hear him kick the door the rest of the way open and then he’s tossing you down on the bed. His normally soft brown eyes appear almost black as he stares down at you. You can’t help but clench your legs together and his eyes sweep over your body.

“God, you’re perfect.” His voice is raspy from yelling all evening. “I wish you could see yourself from my point of view.”

A wetness in between your legs starts to make itself known to you. You watch as he tosses his cap off, pulls his shirt off in one swift motion, and starts to remove his jeans. The thigh high boots are all you manage to get off before he places a heavy hand on your leg.

“I want to try something a little different.” He states. “Will you let me?”

There is a command in his question, but also an air of hesitation. He seems like he wants you to be just as on board as he is.

“I’ll let you do anything you want.” You say truthfully.

A grin appears on his face after he hears your stamp of approval. Frankie turns around to the desk behind him and slides something metal off of it. He’s obstructing your view with his hands.

“I told you before that Benny isn’t going to have an outfit to get back from you because I’m going to tear it off.”

You nod, swallowing the growing lump in your throat.

“I decided that I didn’t want to do that anymore. I’m going to cut it off.”

He brings out the object that he took off his dresser and unfolds it in front of you. It’s a pocket knife. However, it’s bigger than any pocket knife you have ever seen. The blade is thin, long, and a blinding silver. Your wetness soaks its way through your panties the longer you take in the image of Frankie holding the knife in front of you. Where he was usually a soft and sweet looking man, now he looked dark and lustful. It’s making you and your body go crazy. You bite down hard on your lower lip hoping that the pain will distract from the throbbing of your clit. It’s unbearable. He balances himself over you by resting one knee on the bed. The next time he talks, his face is inches from yours and his voice is barely above a whisper.

“Don’t you dare move.” He speaks. “I don’t want to cut this beautiful skin of yours. Are you going to be a good girl and stay still for me?” He lets the knife hover over the knot you tied in your shirt earlier that evening.

“Yes.” You breathe out excitedly.

Frankie carefully slips the blade beneath the knot and pulls upward. The cheap material is sliced through and falls delicately to each side of your body. He looks at your black bra like it’s offending him and repeats the same action with the knife. When your breasts are fully exposed in front of him, he lets out a deep sigh. You can see how hard he has gotten from watching your clothes get cut from your body. With his free hand he rolls one of your nipples in between his thumb and index finger. The feeling causes your back to arch slightly as you whine out to him.

“What did I say, Estrella?” Frankie lays the knife flat in the valley of your breasts. The cool metal feels like it's pulling the warmth from your body. “I thought I told you not to move?” He picks it back up again, and with the tip ghosting over your skin, he drags it down to your navel.

“I can’t help it.” You smile. “My body just reacts to you.”

There is a flash of sweetness in his eyes at your words before they cloud back over with lust. “I know the feeling.” He groans, palming your breasts.

Frankie sits back on his leg and lets his blade slip under the waistband of your skirt. You giggle quietly as it melts off your body just as easy as the other two articles of clothing. There is nothing left on your body, but fishnets and underwear. Your breath hitches as the icy metal slides its tongue down your leg. Watching Frankie’s eyes light up with your every reaction is pushing you further and further towards your climax. How could it be possible for him to make you come without his hands ever gracing your skin? You keep your own eyes trained on him as he starts slicing through the material of the fishnets. When he finally finishes, you’re the one who tears off your panties. As beautifully torturous as that was, there is no way you can wait for him anymore.

“I’ve been aching for you all day.” You whimper, butterflying your legs open for his viewing pleasure. “Are you going to come satisfy me like you promised?”

Frankie’s so enamored by your display in front of him that he loses his grip on his knife and it falls softly on the bedroom floor. He walks up the foot of the bed and grasps your hips firmly. Without you having to say another word, he sinks deep inside you and fills you to the hilt. Both of you gasp out in pleasure and gratefulness that this moment is finally here after this strenuous day.

“Fuck. Every time I slip inside you it feels so right.” He utters out as he starts thrusting at a languid pace.

You’re too lost in the sensation of feeling every inch of him stretch you out to respond, but he keeps speaking.

“Every time you twirled around and every time I saw your lips pressed right up against the microphone, I wanted you.” His pace is speeding up now. “Every time I saw you perform for the crowd and every time I saw those men get the blessed opportunity to kiss you, I wanted everyone to know I wanted you. You’re my girl. You’re my Estrella.”

“Yes, Frankie.” Your eyes are locked on him while he pounds into you.

“I want you to say it. I want you to say that you’re mine.”

“I’m yours. I’m all yours.” You gasp.

“Louder.” His voice is a mix of demanding and begging. “I don’t care if the neighbors hear.”

“I’m yours Frankie! No one else's!”

“That’s fucking right.”

He leans down to suck on your breasts while he continues pumping inside your cunt. Your hands find their home in his hair to pull on his curls. Hearing his deep grunts is causing you to feel drunk. His coarse hair is methodically rubbing your clit as he nips at your sensitive skin. You know your high is coming, you can feel it rising quickly to the surface. Wanting to be as connected to him as possible, you slide your hands down to his face and bring him up to your lips. There is a hunger between the two of you that is palpable in the kiss. Each of you is desperate to have more of the other. There is an unspoken knowing that no matter how much is taken, neither one will be full. He silences your screams as you come with his full lips as you release onto him. You feel yourself coating him completely. Frankie never breaks the kiss during or after your climax. You smile as you feel his lips quiver against yours as he finishes deep inside you. His hips quiver with each release.

“That’s it.” You whisper. “Let me have it. I want all of you.”

“You already have all of me, Estrella.”

He didn’t pull out of you immediately, but when he did, you stopped him from going to clean you up. The two of you laid there on the bed, facing each other, as you traced the features of his face. There was something so lovely about the after. The quietness and contentment that encapsulated the both of you was like something out of a dream. If it were up to you, you would have stayed there until the sun rose. Frankie, unfortunately, was to be the voice of reason. He reminded you that you both had work early in the morning and that sleep was something you definitely needed after the day's events. He’s gentle when he washes himself off of your skin. As he puts the cloth away, you pull back the covers and wait patiently for him to hold your tired body. Before sleep can take you from this moment, you muster up the strength to ask one last thing.

“Are you mine, Frankie?”

“I’m yours until all the stars in the sky go dark.”

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

{tag list: @cutesyscreenname @rsquared31 @smol-beb @bitchwitch1981 @avastrasposts @hoeslingz @saltybutteredtoast @javicstories @c-justhere @pimosworld @modernperplexity @beboldbebravethings @mxtokko @moonliqhtszn @tanzthompson @megcads @myloveistoolittle @casa-boiardi @jitterbugs927 @partyofone3413 @pedrit0-pascalit0 @golden-library @pati-et-vivere @mashomasho @lilmizmoz @angstylittlepascal @sofiparallel @selflcontrol @adriennemichelle98 @painitemoondust @pedritosgirl2000 @tpwkmera @romanarose @missbabyjay }

#francisco morales #frankie morales #catfish #frankie morales fanfiction #frankie morales x you #frankie morales x reader #triple frontier #triple frontier fic #benny miller #will miller #ironhead #santiago garcia #pope #through the scope #read on ao3

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rotomartsblog · 2 months

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Stories I want to base Ever After High OCs off (an ever growing list)

Hans My Hedgehog (One of my favourite ‘obscure’ fairytales. Already decided her name would be Hannah M. Hedgehog. To fit the design aesthetic of eah she wouldn’t literally have the upper body of a hedgehog and the lower body of a human, she’d be more of a hybrid. She’s a rebel because she rejects her destiny of becoming fully human at the end of the story and embraces her hedgehog side.)

Boy Who Cried Wolf (See my last reblog. Lies a lot but because of their destiny no one tends to believe them anyways. Also accidentally right a lot. Not lying maliciously just doing it for shits and giggles)

The Frog Princess (Because I think it’d be funny for there to be two royals who turn into frogs but are completely unrelated to each other. Also there’s so many variants of this story from region to region that it’d be fun to write this girl)

Speaking of, The Frog Prince (Specifically the daughter of the princess from the tale and the son of the prince’s gayass servant. Princess Girl does not want to be Hopper’s princess but is slightly willing to enact the version where she gets to throw Frog Hopper at a wall instead of kissing him. Dislikes frogs a bit but plays it up as a seething hatred to scare Hopper. Kind of a bitch if you couldn’t tell. Sporty girl. The servant boy is 100% in love with Hopper, like father-like son, and has the iron bands around his heart. Maybe he could be Hopper’s real true love :x)

Pinocchio (Daughters of The Coachman and Mangiafuoco, and niece of Lampwick. The Coachman’s daughter has a pet donkey that everyone thinks is a turned boy, but nope it’s just a regular donkey. She’s a rebel because she doesn’t want to go down the route of her father. Mangiafuoco’s daughter is scary and off-putting, but actually a genuinely nice girl. Would love to perform onstage but she has stage fright and is just so shy in general, so she resorts to puppet theatre instead. Always uses a hand puppet to talk through. Lampwick’s niece is a rebel because she’d rather not turn into a donkey thank you very much. Low-key resented Cedar up until Legacy Day because she believed if Cedar didn’t exist she wouldn’t need to turn into a donkey. Now they’re on better terms since Cedar decided she’d become human in her own way)

The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats (Youngest son of the youngest goat. Really I just like people with goat features. He’d feel tense around Ramona, even though he’s pretty sure she’s probably not the wolf from his story)

Puss In Boats (Daughter of Puss In Boots. Would probably be able to transform between an animal and human form like Bunny Blanc. Doesn’t really align herself with Royal or Rebel, but has slipped into thoughts like ‘if I can make someone else royalty, why can’t I make myself royalty?’)

The Prince and The Pauper (It’s not a fairytale but the books included King Lear’s daughter so I feel like I’m free to do this. I just think designing two boys that look identical would be fun)

Mwindo (One of my favourite tales because of how entertainingly OP Mwindo is. I imagine that his son would be equally as OP and like half of the student population is scared of him. But that fear often gets subsided because he’s not that keen on using his powers like his dad was)

Commedia dell’arte (Not a story but kids based on the stock characters could be fun. They probably wouldn’t attend Ever After High since they wouldn’t have actual destinies, they’d attend another high school. I had the idea of Cedar doubling as the Burattino stock character, and it developed into all the stock characters being based on different dolls/toys, ie Pierrot being a rag doll, Pulcinella being a wind-up toy, etc. Really I just want Cedar to have people who could understand her whole ‘Am I even real’ situation better, is that too much to ask?!)

Two miscellaneous additions that don’t actually align to specific stories; a Warrior Princess and a Forest Witch. (The Warrior Princess is, obviously, the daughter of a warrior king. My idea for her story is that it’s an ancient epic that is so old it has lost its exact name, having been repeated so many times. Also, her reason for following her destiny is less ‘we have to or we all disappear’ and more ‘I have to so I can prove myself worthy’. Her warrior kingdom’s society is very different from Ever After’s society, which she learnt the hard way. She feels awkward hanging out with the other princesses because of cultural differences, and she doesn’t like hanging out with boys because they tend to underestimate her. She was only supposed to attend for Legacy year so that she could sign the Book of Legends because Milton Grimm would not stop bugging her father about it, but she decided to stay after the shit show that happened on Legacy day. I didn’t base the Forest Witch of a specific fairy tale because goddamn it there are too many witches living in the forests in these tales for me to choose just one. In universe she probably has a specific destiny, or a few, I just haven’t chosen it yet. Very closed off from others. Actually lives in the Enchanted Forest with her mother. She also likes archery but how much of her skill is genuine and is magic is up to debate)

The Devil (He appears in a lot of fairytales. The OC is a girl who is clearly the daughter of the devil, but it’s never said so no one actually knows it. Every time someone asks about her destiny she’s like ‘it’s nothing important don’t worry about it :)’)

#hello eah fandom I like fairy tales and folk stories #rotomtalks #ever after high #ever after high oc #hans my hedgehog #the boy who cried wolf #the frog princess #the frog prince #iron henry #pinocchio #mangiafuoco #lampwick #the wolf and the seven young goats #puss in boots #the prince and the pauper #mwindo epic #commedia dell'arte

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47crows · 4 months

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Hello!!!! I've been loving your art and Eli content recently and your most recent piece of the 'Returned 'Embrace' was gorgeous! Question, what's the story behind it??? Who is the other person with them, I'm so curious hehehehe

Asking about my oc???? Thank you so much 🥺

The short answer, that is Eli’s sire!! The vampire who turned him.

Eli diablerized her (drank so deeply that he consumed her soul) some years after his embrace.

A longer more rambling answer and extra art!! Under the cut

With this piece I really wanted to emphasize the the mixture of horror and intimacy of the moment. Eli was deeply obsessed with her, to the point where all he wanted was to be a part of her and for her to be a part of him.

At first glance, it’s almost a lovers embrace, but then you see how forceful he’s being, yanking her head back and holding her hand so tightly that his fingers break the skin. Eli doesn’t know actual selfless love, everything that he is and does, much like vampirism itself, is ultimately selfish. He thinks he loves her and loves him equally, but in the end he has to force her to be still.

I like to include a lot of quiet symbolism for myself, like the background is a stark white void. Someone tagged this piece as eyestrain and i wanted to say good!! It should be hard to look at. It’s a murder after all. But it’s also a private moment, nothing else matters to either of them. They are completely focused on each other. Her final death, and his first diablerie. The loss of his humanity and her unlife.

Even in they way they’re sitting, i wanted to scream intimacy. He crowds her, but not entirely. She sits in his lap while he sits on his heels, it’s not an easy position to get up from. She went into this position willingly, having kept him under her and subservient for years through use of a blood bond. The blood bond doesn’t just force loyalty, but intense feelings as well. He was really into her already before the bond, but the trauma inflicted by his aggressive turning seen here (trigger warning for old art and gore) was what really broke his mind, especially when afterwards she used the bond to convince him that she tore out his throat because she loved him. All of it twisted what love was in his mind, he was lil obsessive before but now he was WAY WORSE.

She built it up more and more until she created a monster who would do anything to be with her, relying upon the inherent safety of the bond and unaware it was the bond itself that would push him into wanting to consume her. It wasn’t hurting her or even against her wishes in his mind, because she had convinced him fully of how much she loved him and how violence was the way to show it so why wouldnt she want this?

Obviously it was a lie, but he continues to center his delusions around it to this day. He wants SO BADLY to be loved but its an impossible wish because Eli doesnt know what it means to actually love someone.

I actually drew a follow up to this piece, but didnt post it because i felt like it was too on the nose and didnt quite imply the feeling i wanted from it. Its called Shes gone and now you have to face her lies alone.

#i hope this satisfies!!#crow caws #oc art #original character #concept art #vtm #vtm tzimisce #vampire eli #vampire

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acourtofladydeath · 7 months

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3 Jewels in the Hewn City: Epilogue

In this chapter, the boys have brunch the next day and discuss the prior evening. Which really means they badger Azriel about how the fuck long *THAT* has been going on. Eris joins the sisters for quite an interesting brunch of their own.

And with this, my first Hewn City smut fest comes to an end. Thank you to everyone who has joined me on this journey! I sincerely hope you stick along for more.

Read the entire chapter here on AO3, and catch an excerpt under the cut!

Cassian’s arms curled reflexively around his mate as she stirred in his embrace. He nuzzled into the waves of her hair cascading between them and inhaled deeply, memorizing her scent before it hopefully changed. Nesta turned to face him, fitting herself tighter against his body as she wrapped her arms beneath his wings. For a few blissful minutes, they continued to hold each other, basking in their shared warmth in a pile of limbs and long hair that never ceased to find a way to tangle.

Before the morning could continue in the way they were wont to do, especially with their new frenzy-like state, Cassian felt a slightly annoyed talon down his mental shield. Letting him in, Cassian spoke before Rhysand could get in a word. “I haven’t forgotten about breakfast…just give me 5 more minutes dad .”

Looking up, Nesta noticed the glazed look in Cassian’s eyes as he spoke to his brother. “Do you have to go?” she asked, curling tighter against him, despite knowing the answer before he spoke.

“It’s time for the post mortem brunch,” Cassian said with slight exasperation, although he couldn't deny his curiosity about Azriel’s situation.

She groaned and rolled out of his hold and started to prepare for her own day.

“How much are you going to tell them this time?” Nesta stood at the edge of the bed, legs still slightly unsteady after how many rounds they’d gone throughout the night. Cassian rolled onto his side, resting his smug face on his hand with his elbow propped on the bed. “Well Nes, you’ve gotta tell me your boundaries there, because I’m ready to tell them everything, which you know very well by now.”

Nesta sighed, pulling on her favorite gray dress for the day. As she moved, Cassian watched. He was constantly amazed at her body, the strength and poise she carried herself with. It was even more remarkable to watch with the knowledge he’d bent her in half more than once the night before, pounding into her relentlessly well into the night.

Nesta felt her sister approach her mind, and opened a small antechamber for them to talk. They’d started doing this more frequently, growing closer as they continued to open up to each other. I’m not sure what Cassian has told you, but Rhysand and I are already here. He’s so worked up about talking to Azriel this morning he barely let me sleep past dawn.

Nesta allowed a small smirk to cross her lips as she responded to her sister. Did you get any sleep then, sister?

I still probably got more than you two. It absolutely reeks in here.

With that comment, Nesta laughed out loud as she made her way over to the mirror, unknotting her tangled hair from the night before as she talked to her sister.

That’s what you get for coming over to the House at the crack of dawn the morning after we all planned a sex marathon. You knew what we were going to do just as much as I know what you were up to.

Any luck yet? Feyre’s voice in her mind was hopeful, eager to check on their previous plans Nesta turned and looked over her shoulder at her mate, who was laying on the bed watching her dress with his head resting on his palm propped up on an elbow. A concerned, imploring look played across his face as he took in Nesta’s sudden change from joviality to caution. He propped himself up completely on his arms, but not fully sitting. He paused as if he wanted to move toward her in protection, but kept himself back.

I don’t think so. Cassian keeps smelling me. He thinks he’s subtle about it, but you and I both know the poor male doesn’t have a subtle bone in his body. He didn’t react this morning, but it may still be too early to tell.

Nesta could feel her sister’s wordless support in her mind, thoughts of hope and trepidation lingering after she shared that last thought. This journey had brought them both closer together, and she was eternally grateful that with all they’d lived through, they would get the chance to share this process. She reached out to her sister once more, any luck on your end?

Nothing yet, Rhys is already restless. It took us longer than this for Nyx. I never realized how impatient he could be! Feyre sent that last comment to Nesta jokingly, almost as if that last bit of their conversation had been shared with the High Lord as well. As if on cue, Rhysand knocked on Nesta’s already open mental shield asking for permission to join the females.

Afraid of missing out on something important, love? Feyre asked Rhys from the antechamber of Nesta’s mind, and the two began to playfully snipe at each other while she listened.

As they joked, Nesta’s shoulders relaxed and she let out a small chuckle. Cassian finally sat up fully in the bed, grabbing at Nesta’s waist as she walked by to go join her sister and brother-in-law. With a raised eyebrow, Cassian squeezed her waist and looked up, face a tailored expression of faux sadness. “Mind letting me in on the conversation you three are having without me, or am I just going to be kept in the dark?”

Nesta looked down at her mate, taking in his teasing smile as she grasped his face between her hands, rubbing her thumb across the stubble that perpetually peppered his firm jaw. Thankfully their sheet still lay draped over his toned thighs, and her favorite bit between them, or Nesta may have been further waylaid. Instead, she felt a smirk spread across her face as she responded to her very distracting mate.

“Maybe you could join the conversation yourself if you were actually ready for breakfast. Rhys and Feyre are already here waiting. Apparently he’s quite anxious to talk to Az this morning.”

Cassian’s posture straightened at the reminder of the revelations brought to light during last night's game about his brother and his brother’s red haired High Lord of a mate. In a blink, he’d released Nesta’s waist, leaving her slightly off balance, and began to rush around to get dressed for the day. “Tell them I'm on my way,” he said as he wrestled his way into a pair of pants.

Nesta did so, but instead of words, she allowed Rhysand and Feyre to watch Cassian through her eyes as he hopped around on one foot, trying to put on his shoe and nearly falling over in the process. They didn’t need the mind connection to hear Feyre’s laughter echoing down the corridor. Moments later, Nesta and Cassian joined Rhys and Feyre where they waited on the balcony by the main dining area.

Feyre already had a cup of tea in her hands, while Rhys paced, agitation evident in every move of his body. His wings twitched as Cassian approached. “Good morning, Nesta,” Rhysand said, inclining his head toward her as she walked in before turning abruptly to his brother. “Cassian, you ass. I’ve been waiting for you.” His snide, yet affectionate comment barely hid the unease Rhys had in anticipation of the brunch conversations that would occur with Azriel.

“Rhys, breakfast doesn’t start for another hour. Why are you here so early?” Cassian spoke with slight exasperation laced with genuine confusion.

Rhysand rolled his eyes, running down a mental list of all the things he thought were obvious that had gone right over Cassian’s head. “We need to talk before Azriel arrives. He’s mated to another High Lord. What does that mean Cassian? I mean, what am I supposed to DO?”

Feyre met Nesta’s eyes behind her mate’s back, raising her eyebrows pointedly as if to say, ‘you see what I have to deal with?’ before she spoke into her sister's mind. He’s been like this all morning. Mother save Azriel from this breakfast…

**continued here on AO3

#LDwrites #3Jewels in the hewn city #azris #nessian #feysand #archeron sisters #azriel #eris vanserra #pro eris vanserra #feyre archeron #nesta archeron #cassian #rhysand #acotar #acowar #acosf #acotar fanfiction #acotar fanfic #ao3 fanfic

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prettyoddfever · 1 year

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about Northern Downpour...

there are a few misunderstandings related to this song in the modern fandom, so I’m going to try to hit a bunch of different points all in one post.

THIS SONG WAS EXTREMELY MEANINGFUL TO RYAN

Ryan continually said that Northern Downpour was the most important song to him, his favorite lyrics were on that song, and the most meaningful line was “I know the world’s a broken bone, but melt your headaches, call it home.” He said this song summed up his experiences of the last few years (and he’d definitely processed a lot of huge life changes).

The band often described Northern Downpour as the most meaningful song on the album and Mad as Rabbits as the most defining song. Sometimes that got switched around, but the point is that those two songs were very important. And honestly, ”I know the world’s a broken bone, but melt your headaches, call it home” has a lot in common with “we must reinvent love.” Both of those songs reject bitterness and show an intentional turn towards embracing love (we see your influence, JWalk). Those songs saw Ryan making a powerful statement on how he viewed the world and life now.

The whole band talked about how they wanted to do something positive, uplifting, and meaningful with the second album. Ryan mentioned several times that Jon’s positive outlook on life had influenced him, and told NME that “Life isn’t all bad – it’s not all good obviously – but there’s a lot of good to be found in it. And there was no good on the last record – it was all negative.” Ryan told Mean Street Magazine that “I think Jon coming into the band was a big deal, a big thing for us because he’s such a positive person. Me and him spent a lot of time together over the summer and we wrote a bunch of new songs together.” Jon said in a 2008 interview that “I think that was a lot of people’s motives back then was to try to write music to inspire people and make the world better.”

Ryan told Kerrang in 2008 that “But at some point things got so big and so out of our hands that we had to do something important because we have so many people paying attention to what we do. And this album is us doing something important.” Even in early 2006 Ryan was talking about how he didn’t think AFYCSO was that good... but the way that he talked about Pretty. Odd. in 2008 was so different. It was clear that the second album meant something very significant to Ryan on a personal level. In an interview in late May 2008 Ryan complained that a crowd wasn’t fully listening to Northern Downpour. Basically, he was super invested in this song that meant so much to him. He wanted it to be delivered correctly with the right emotion and for fans to properly appreciate it.

RYAN WAS PARTICULAR ABOUT HOW BRENDON DELIVERED HIS LYRICS

The band talked a lot during the Fever era about how much Ryan & Brendon had fought in the early years as they struggled to figure out how to successfully work together. Both guys explained in many different interviews that Ryan had a very specific idea of exactly how he wanted his lyrics performed, but he wasn’t able to sing well enough yet to communicate what he wanted… and Brendon couldn’t read his mind. They definitely still had their struggles in 2006, but by the end of the Fever era Brendon seemed proud that he’d learned how to read Ryan and work with him better. However, Ryan was still talking about how parts of his lyrics would get lost in translation when he handed them over to Brendon.

The early tension only grew in 2007 after the Fever era ended. Ryan had become WAY more confident and worked so hard on his singing that he was like a completely different person onstage than he had been in 2005. Plus, the band was changing so much that they no longer needed a dramatic frontman to step into a flamboyant narrator character and dance energetically around onstage singing the risque lyrics. Ryan could have easily delivered the eventual Pretty. Odd. songs too (but that wasn’t the case for the Fever era). So if you understand the positions they were in while entering the Pretty. Odd. era, you can see how Ryan would probably be extra picky about Brendon’s performance if Brendon was still going to be delivering the majority of the songs.

Ryan REALLY wanted his favorite line (”I know the world’s a broken bone, but melt your headaches, call it home”) to be delivered with the right emotion. That had absolutely nothing to do with Ryden...

THIS IS NOT A RYDEN SONG.

Here’s a Rolling Stone interview clipping where Ryan talked about Northern Downpour:

I’ve seen some people claim that the clipping above is a Ryden moment because Ryan was telling Brendon to notice a hidden message to him or something?? lol no. This is like a movie director saying that they told an actor to pay special attention to a line… it’s because that’s a key moment they want to make sure is delivered precisely how it’s meant to be.

When you suggest that this song is a Ryden thing, you completely erase Ryan Ross and all of the pain & loss & really profound growth he went through in 2006-2007 as he processed his life and seemed to make peace with a lot of things. This is absolutely not a love song to Brendon, and the whole associated Seattle Ryden story never even happened. Like I’ve said in other posts, I’m not necessarily against Ryden if everyone’s on the same page that it’s just for fun. I’m against erasing all of reality in order to pass off Ryden theories as real. It’s not fair to new fans, and it’s certainly not fair for Brendon or Ryan to endure a fandom’s escalating warped perceptions over time.

Side tangent: it was very common for Brendon to tell the crowd that he loved them during this song:

youtube

At the time I figured he was trying to get into the right “I love you” mindset to deliver the song with the correct emotion, but now as an adult I’m like eh whatever it’s probably not that deep. Moving on.

BRENDON MESSING UP THE MOST IMPORTANT PART

I think it might be easiest to first say that there’s this popular video from May 6th where Brendon messed up Northern Downpour, and it’s evident in the comment section that the current fandom has a very loose understanding of spring 2008. That mistake was not unique to that one night, the way that Ryan sang the line and “helped” Brendon isn’t special either, May 6th is absolutely not the specific reason why Brendon cried while singing this song in 2011, and there’s clearly just a LOT of context people are missing.

Brendon seemed to feel the extra pressure while delivering ”I know the world’s a broken bone, but melt your headaches, call it home” because he messed up that part way more than anything else in their set list. His first serious mistake was at Bamboozle 2008 when the band was headlining. For whatever reason, this festival was deemed the first festival that Panic at the Disco ever headlined. It was definitely turned into a decently big deal and carried more weight than their regular shows each night, so Brendon could have understandably been more anxious about getting the line right. 52:56 in this video shows the band backstage at Bamboozle (Shane is behind the camera) and Zach touches on a topic that the band talked about a lot in 2008: they focused more on playing the festival circuit that year in the hopes that they could reach a “new” audience and expand the type of people who listened to their band. Most of the big festivals were that summer in Europe & Asia, so Bamboozle was an early one.

Bamboozle was on May 4th. The band didn’t play Northern Downpour during the European tour in early spring 2008 before Pretty. Odd. was released, so the first tour with that song was the Honda Civic Tour that started on April 10th. They'd only been playing Northern Downpour live for a few weeks by the time Bamboozle happened.

Brendon messed up Northern Downpour at Bamboozle by skipping ahead to *the important line* a bit too early... it felt like he was overly focused on it. Ryan called out Brendon’s mistake to the audience, and then took control when it came time for the correct part (and also brought attention back to the fact that Brendon had messed up). So it’s understandable that Brendon would have been even more anxious about that part at the very next show... which was May 6th. See how May 6th was not “the one time that Brendon forgot the lyrics” to Northern Downpour like some people want to make it seem? Brendon was literally just repeating the previous show’s mistake where he jumped ahead to the line too early, BUT then he actually caught himself on May 6th and that’s why you see him singing nonsense sounds until he can switch tracks. It’s not because he suddenly forgot the lyrics. So then at the next show on May 7th when Brendon screwed up yet again (but in a different way) we were like omg please help him break out of this anxiety loop lol. And obviously he did!! But the context of those 3 shows in a row helps illustrate why he might have been extra anxious. You can’t isolate one show and act like Brendon was lazy for not knowing the lyrics. (btw I put the details of these 3 shows in the video below... Brendon’s reaction after finally getting it right on May 8th is adorable haha).

I think the most noteworthy mistake in any Northern Downpour performance was actually the Johannesburg show in South Africa in April 2009. Brendon legit blanked on the song towards the start and froze. A couple fans closer to the stage said that Brendon looked scared and/or like it was anxiety that caused him to space out... like I remember several people mentioning his panicked look. Ryan told Brendon the lines and restarted the song. Brendon still couldn’t get the lyrics, though. He ended up on the floor laughing and said something to the crowd about how his parents have always said he was a f*ck-up and they were right. I think Ryan even had the crowd sing the words to help remind Brendon. It was a hot mess. May 6th was absolutely not “the one time” Brendon messed up Northern Downpour and it shouldn’t be given any weird special significance.

RYAN SHARED THE DELIVERY OF HIS FAVORITE LINE

Brendon sang *the line* on his own at the first 2 shows of the Honda Civic Tour, but then Ryan became very much involved. Occasionally Brendon stepped back and just let Ryan sing it, but most often they sang it together. Sometimes Brendon sang the first half and then Ryan took the second half, but usually Ryan either sang the whole line alongside Brendon or else joined in for “but melt your headaches call it home.” Here are some examples of how that part went throughout 2008:

youtube

Ryan didn’t sing at the show in Malaysia (he was sick), so Jon sang Ryan’s parts there. I thought it was interesting how Jon didn’t step in for *the line* on Northern Downpour, though... like that made it feel even more like Ryan’s line.

Brendon & Ryan delivered that line together throughout the Pretty. Odd. era. That’s why it was such an emotional & stark contrast to see Brendon singing that part ALONE in 2011 (I’m not speaking for Brendon here, this was just my own feeling when I saw the videos). Ryan’s voice was almost always there for that line, so the absence just drives home exactly how gone the old band was. It’s the most painful, sharp illustration possible of how much things had permanently changed. That line just feels empty & wrong with only Brendon’s voice.

OTHER RANDOM RELATED THINGS

Ryan didn’t do too much with P!ATD’s book club after starting it, but one of the girls who ended up taking over the book club reached out to him to get a recommendation at the end of the Fever era. Ryan recommended Jack Kerouac’s On The Road, which had the line:

“But then they danced down the streets like dingledodies, and I shambled after as I’ve been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles…”

Northern Downpour’s not my favorite song on the album, but it’s absolutely the most meaningful song that defined the Pretty. Odd. era for me (and not just because the band said it was meaningful or named their new fan club Northern Downpour lol). It completely represents 2008 and a whole era that’s just… gone. Forever. This particular sound is sad to me these days because I get hit with such a strong wave of nostalgia, but the song in general is absolutely NOT a sad song! I’m genuinely curious why today’s teens seem to view Northern Downpour as an inherently sad song to cry to (especially since they weren’t around in 2008 to have any sort of nostalgia connected with it). The song’s underlying contentment & honest happiness felt like a love letter to everyone who had come into the band members’ lives… it was really meaningful to both the band & fans in a positive way.

Here are some of the main moments of the band talking about Northern Downpour:

youtube

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spearxwind · 2 years

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what would it be like to be hunted by hades? (prompt)

Terrifying, honestly. Full thing is under a readmore (again) because I went overboard (again)

---------

It’s nighttime. Has been for a while. The only light around you is the light from the moon, reflecting off of the ocean somewhere nearby. But even that is swallowed up by the presence of the buildings towering around you, and you can barely see as you run through the cramped streets, desperately trying to lose him. You can’t see him now, but you can hear him. The violent clicking of armored claws on stone, you can tell by sound alone some of the impacts are leaving dents in the buildings, the impacts causing sparks. Their glow illuminates the corners of your vision for a few moments before they fade. You’re sure if you were turned around you’d be able to see the sparks reflecting off of this lunatic’s eyes... Just the thought alone makes you want to run faster.

And then… the alleyway lights up completely, without a warning. The flames -flames?!- dance past you, sticking to the walls and the ground as you leave them behind, their unnatural hue betraying their origin. Pink and blue. Your pursuer’s eyes glow with those same colors. Fuck.

You are burning now. The fire sticks to your back like hot tar, sinking into the fabric of your clothes. The heat is almost as unbearable as the pain itself, but the sheer amount of adrenaline in your system is preventing you from fully registering it all. You keep running.

You wonder how you didn’t notice, earlier. The vague feeling of uneasiness on the docks, you shrugged it off. It’s just a night like any other, right? You didn’t notice the streets closing in, that uneasiness making you wander away from the lights, and away from the people, until you found yourself in the most secluded part of the settlement. Not by chance. You’d been herded. Carefully separated, led somewhere to be trapped. To be hunted.

This guy wasn’t just aiming for a murder, he wanted a chase. A cat and mouse game. Why else would he carefully seclude someone into the perfect position, and then make himself visible? You think of the way the light reflected off his hide, pale as the moon itself. Your mind is racing. The streets seem endless, your breath is running out, and you are burning. And yet, you persevere. You let yourself be guided through the labyrinth by the sound of the waves, so close and yet so far, but you’ll make it. You’ll survive this.

And as if on cue, the streets open up to the night air, the murmur of the waves grows louder. The dock! Thank god, you think. So close now. Your own claws click on the wooden boards of the pier as you race towards the end and leap off of it.

You dive into the water, ready to feel it's cold embrace, and the relief of the fire going out as you swim away but… The fire is still burning. Even underwater, it’s incandescent grip is still tearing through your back, your fins, eating away at you. There is no release.

Out of panic, you make the mistake of trying to pat the fire out in the water. The mer chasing relentlessly after you catches up, diving into the water mere seconds after you brandishing a harpoon. A weapon meant for monsters. And it strikes true, right through your heart, before you can even yelp in response. Well. This will take your mind off of the fire, you think. The blackout sets in a lot faster than you thought it would, but the exhaustion probably has something to do with that.

Your vision is starting to blur. Blood in the water. Your mind is still racing. Your blood. The eyes of your pursuer. Pink and blue. The red is still pouring out. Six more eyes, in a radius around him, like a halo. Pink and blue. And the moon. The moon. The moon.

You barely register the other mer speak. “Good chase.” He says. “Better luck next time.”

The light is shining through the waves, still.

#alex writes #i need a new tag for it honestly. this one doesnt show up proper in the search #HOPE THIS IS GOOD THOUGH unhinged eel man momence #it got so long again god. sometimes i just need to make visuals you know how it is #challenger deep #hades #yeah ok alright ok alright #ask

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missdeepend · 2 months

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Shiki Granbell and Growing Up

I need to first begin by saying that this will have spoilers for the Edens Zero Manga. If you are an anime only you may want to turn away right now. The manga is sooo amazing so I recommend you read it.

Alright, first Edens Zero post I'll ever do so lets start out with the main character- Shiki Granbell.

At the point of Chapter 285, we know almost everything with it now finally tying up loose ends. I feel like this is a good time to finally delve into the series and discuss some of my favorite and least favorite aspects of the series.

Shiki Granbell may not be my favorite character of the series, but I can't help but to appreciate and love his character every time I see his big stupid grin. After re-reading the series from Chapter 1 all the way to about Oasis, I've noticed so much change in Shiki's character with it still being Shiki.

The greatest part about Shiki's character is watching him go from a kid completely naive about the world to a young man who has grown serious to each situation he is presented. It fits his role as a captain to his crew. We of course know that Shiki can't stay as naive as he was when he met Rebecca forever, but it does feel like a drastic change when you see him throw his bandage he received from Ziggy away and later embrace his role as part of the Oracion Seis Galactica.

When Shiki first meets Rebecca on Granbell, he knows just his role as a mechanic among a sea of bots on a long abandoned planet. He recognizes he is the only human but doesn't seem bothered by this. Due to him being raised by the Demon King Ziggy, Shiki has long ago accepted androids as a lifeform, something that isn't a continued thought in other places. The robots openly accept him too most likely due to a mixture of both kind hearts and Ziggy's wishes.

Shiki continues this open approach to life when he meets Rebecca and immediately wants to be her friend, never seeing another human before. He is young and so that childish personality is obviously going to come through but later on it becomes more noticeable that he never had to go through anything like this. He has never seen an evil human being or an evil robot, not until he was leaving Granbell which he believed was a glitch in the system. His open outlook on people was just a thought process because he has never met a cruel person, especially since Rebecca was also kind to him and saved him from the androids.

Shiki's biggest change comes with the introduction to Drakken Joe. Before this, Shiki has faced foes that he could keep up with even if they did want him dead. He could either go on the same level with them, they were beneath him, or he had someone to help. Drakken Joe has faced probably hundreds of people like Shiki. those that were never going to bow to his will and so he he had to take care of them. To him Shiki was just another person he had to dispose of to complete his goal. This goal was of course No. 29 or Rebecca Bluegarden.

Unable to defeat him, Shiki dies with the determination to still become his friend and hears about it when Rebecca reverses time. This time Shiki is prepared, but not fully. He doesn't know the full capabilities of Drakken but knows he can't abandon those that his friends consider friends, in this case Labilia. We know how it ends with Shiki and Weisz taking out Drakken with the help of everyone else taking out Drakken's main system of living.

Drakken was Shiki's first real obstacle. His first real outlook on just how destroyed and evil people can be no matter their background. Although Drakken had a sympathetic backstory, Shiki had to come with terms with the fact that not everyone can be saved. Not everyone can become his friend. There are some people that oppose his ideals.

It is smooth waters after this until we officially meet Shura. Someone who does completely oppose Shiki's morals and tests him. While Drakken was an obstacle because of his sheer strength and power over people around him, Shura has that and at least a similar experience in terms of Ether Power that Shiki has. Unlike Drakken, however, Shura will not hesitate to kill someone. There is no shot that Rebecca can turn back time in a situation like that again.

Although I have my qualms with Shura, I should note that his character presented so much to the table for Shiki. It got Shiki to think. Could he be friends with someone like Shura? Could he bring himself to kill someone like Shura? Most of us would kill Shura due to hindsight being 20/20 and we have grown up knowing evil people, but Shiki is only a couple months into his journey. It most likely didn't help that Shiki knew Shura was trained by Ziggy.

Nevertheless, Shiki never has to make this decision, but has to make an even bigger one. Attempt to save everyone from the bombs or flee and not save planets around them. He knows it isn't guaranteed but you can see that hesitation. We all know what happens if he chooses to stay. Ziggy happens. But in our case he leaves and continues on his journey after losing Witch. He finds out all his actions have full accidents that effect his crewmates and their livelihoods. This is the moment that changes Shiki.

He grows a tougher exterior but still has his moments such as the water park. However, at this moment we see a new Shiki. A Shiki that is finally taking full position of a captain and leading his crew to Mother and defeating Ziggy, his new biggest enemy.

The Shiki from the start and Shiki from 3 years in the future are such a drastic change its almost sad to see. It is always sad when you see a child realize that the world isn't what he expects it to be. When they realize that the world outside of home is cruel and unforgiving at even the best times. Then again, watching a boy grow into a young man is so refreshing to see and should be explored more in discussions I feel. There are many more cases I could bring up for analysis but I felt like I rambled on long enough.

But what do you all think of Shiki Granbell as a character? What do you think about his change of character through the many chapters of Edens Zero? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Anywaysss, I'll see you all later in the Deep End

As you all can see, I finally did an Edens Zero post. I hope you all enjoyed it. I honestly had a Shura post ready to go but I feel I should start off on a lighter note then all the ranting I could do for that character.

Also I decided to add pictures just to make it more interesting. All these are just from the Edens Zero manga.

#anime discussion #anime #fictional characters #manga discussion #shiki granbell #male character #main character #granbell #rebecca bluegarden #edens zero #edens zero manga #edens zero anime #character analysis #character development

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saellefanwork · 5 months

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𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕋𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕋𝕚𝕞𝕖

Reminder: This Demon Slayer fic is rated Mature (adults only) for canon-typical violence and eventual suggestive or explicit sexual content

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Chapter 27: Home

Returning from home, Tanjiro pays a visit to the former Hashira. During his visit to the Rengokus, he is greeted with wonderful news.

Author Note: Hey dear readers <3 Apologies for the delay in publishing this chapter. I got sick repeatedly and my brain felt like it had turned into mush (it still does, to be honest). Most of my time has been spent recovering, working or doing brainless activities.

But here it is! This officially marks the end of the story, although there will be an Epilogue chapter. (I've adjusted the total number of chapters accordingly.)

What a journey it has been! I hope you enjoyed the ride. Have fun with this chapter, I hope it makes up for all the angst I've put you through <3 Thank you for sticking with this story until its conclusion! Warning: NSFW/kinky scene in the middle ;)

As summer began, the official dissolution of the Demon Slayer Corps took place. Surviving members were bestowed with a generous retirement allowance, securing their financial well-being for the rest of their lives. The wisteria estates remained open to them, providing a sanctuary to heal and rejuvenate their battle-scarred bodies. Now, most of these veterans were trying to rediscover a semblance of normalcy and seek a new purpose in their lives. However, what was normalcy for individuals whose existence had been defined by the relentless pursuit of demons. The answer proved easier to find for some than others.

Eight months after Muzan's defeat, Tanjiro, who had returned to his native mountains with his sister and two best friends, decided to visit his former comrades. His first stop was the Butterfly Estate, transformed into a hospital catering to civilians and veterans alike. Additionally, it now operated as a medical training center specifically for women. There, he reunited with Shinobu, Aoi, Kanao, and the other young butterfly girls he had befriended during his year of service in the Corps. Despite the prospect of a less demanding era, their responsibilities persisted beyond the demise of the demon lord, and they all exuded a sense of fulfilment in their respective roles. Tanjiro genuinely shared their joy.

"Is Giyuu around?" he inquired curiously after completing his check-up. The former Water Hashira's periodically visited the manor's owner, despite their complex and undefined relationship.

"Tomioka-san is often traveling," Kanao responded, having conducted the examination. "He comes back monthly to assess the condition of his arm prosthesis, and I noticed he seems happier and more expressive than before. He and my mistress still quarrel a lot, but you know what they say: 'Misery loves company.'"

"Neither of them appears miserable, though," Tanjiro replied with a smile. "It's probably just their way of caring for each other."

The following morning, Tanjiro bid farewell to his sister and friends at the break of dawn and set on towards the Rengoku Estate. He reached his destination after a relatively tranquil half-day walk. No longer having to rush as he did during his time as a Slayer brought him satisfaction; he could now fully appreciate the beauty of the surrounding landscape. He hoped he could explore the area in the future.

As he entered the estate's gate, Tanjiro's gaze was immediately drawn to Senjuro. The teenager was tending to plants that hadn't been there during the visitor's previous trip. At first glance, Tanjiro could discern that the court appeared more vibrant and flourishing than before.

"Senjuro! It's wonderful to see you again!" the charcoal burner warmly exclaimed.

"Oh... Tanjiro-san! It's been a while!" Senjuro responded with a gleeful smile, setting down his gardening tools to embrace his friend. "How have you been?"

"Good! And you? How's your family?"

"Father is doing well; he's in the backyard chopping wood for the fire. Aneue and Aniue are still at the dojo; they'll be back for lunch. I'll brew some tea; please follow me."

"At the dojo? You have to tell me all about it!" Tanjiro responded with a smile, trailing his friend inside the estate.

The younger Rengoku prepared a fragrant green tea, serving it alongside exquisite-looking pastries to his guest. As Tanjiro savored the treats, he was taken aback by their unique and delightful flavor.

"It's delicious! What is it?"

"These are Kanoko's yokan; she uses sweet potatoes instead of red bean paste. They are Kyojuro's favorite treats."

"I can see why! How are they doing? You mentioned they have a dojo now?"

"Yes! After the final confrontation, my older brother was relieved that there were no remaining demons. However, having dedicated his life to their eradication, he found himself lost on how to fill his days. Boredom and a sense of emptiness weighed heavily on him. That's when Kanoko suggested the idea of establishing a dojo to teach swordsmanship to the citizens. They regularly bring in former Slayers to instruct the students. They've repurposed the old Nagase family house, which Kanoko managed to buy back, as the dojo. This way, the training facility is closer to town, and it avoids having strangers inside our home, which Father wouldn't appreciate. It's been three months now, and their dojo is thriving."

"That’s great! It suits them, they both have the knack for being wonderful sensei."

"Yes! Besides that, Aneue helps me improve my baking skills. I'd like to open a tea house one day."

"That's awesome, Senjuro! Would you consider opening it near my location? We really lack a place to enjoy good tea among friends! It would be a success! Nezuko would be delighted to see you more often."

"I... I'll think about it," the young Rengoku replied, blushing. He secretly harbored feelings for the Kamado girl. "And you, Tanjiro, how are you doing now? Have you managed to regain a normal life?"

"Quite so! We retired back to our old house with Nezuko, along with Inosuke and Zenitsu. The villagers had kept it well for us. Nezuko is going to school and is also working as an herbalist, and I've resumed my charcoal-making activity. Inosuke aids us both with our tasks. Zenitsu, well … he has difficulty walking, so he doesn’t help much. But he has taken up music, and he plays concerts in nearby towns! He’s happy because it makes him popular with girls, without requiring him much effort since he's talented. Former Slayers visit us regularly; you should come too!"

"Oh... That's great! I won't fail to pass on the message to the others; they'll surely like the idea!"

They continued chatting for an extended period, savoring each sip of their brew. Just before they emptied the teapot, Shinjuro joined them. Tanjiro was impressed by the changes that had occurred in the past drunkard; although he still radiated an intimidating and deterrent aura, his emitted a much calmer and serene smell than before. Brief updates were exchanged between him and Tanjiro; the patriarch still wasn't very inclined towards small talk. Suddenly, a familiar voice boomed in the garden:

"We're back home!!"

"Not so loud, Kyojuro!" a feminine voice reprimanded, likely yours.

The couple soon entered the room where the others were gathered. The last Flame Pillar walked with pride and ease; if not for the distinct clattering accompanying his steps, one would never suspect the wooden and metal prosthesis under his knee. Upon noticing his former Tsuguko's presence, Kyojuro's smile widened.

In a burst of joy, Tanjiro threw himself into the arms of his senpai, who caught him and affectionately patted the back of the sniffling boy's head with a hearty laugh.

"Always so emotional, Tanjiro! Glad to see you're doing well!"

"I've missed you all so much!" exclaimed the young charcoal maker, smiling tearfully as he embraced you in return. "Nezuko is at the Butterfly Estate; she'll come too tomorrow if that's okay!" He refrained from mentioning that Zenitsu and Inosuke were also present but had declined his proposal to tag along under various excuses, probably too intimidated by the former Hashira to visit without a good reason.

Senjuro blushed at the news of his crush's upcoming arrival. You noticed and smiled mischievously.

"Well, of course, we'd love to see her too, right, Senjuro? We have work awaiting us, we should prepare the best dishes and pastries for our friends tomorrow."

"I can help you!" Kyojuro offered enthusiastically.

"Your cooking is horrible, son," Shinjuro retorted in a dry tone. "Help me with the roof repairs instead. We need to make sure everything is ready before your baby arrives."

"Your baby?" repeated Tanjiro with sparkling eyes, looking at both of you.

"Nothing is certain," you corrected with a half-hearted glare toward the man and his eldest. "I haven't had my period yet this month, and they're making a big deal out of it. It could be for many other reasons."

"Not with the determination you both put into it every night," Shinjuro mumbled.

You tucked your head into your shoulders and walked away, trying to feign you hadn't heard to escape further embarrassment. Senjuro followed you closely, twisting his hands and avoiding eye contact with flushed cheeks. In contrast, Kyojuro didn't flinch in the face of the accusation, and only nodded vigorously in approval. The burgundy-haired boy showed no reaction to the comment, blinking innocently, his head tilted to the side. As the eldest in a relatively large family living in the middle of the woods, he was not ignorant of how babies were made. His parents had explained it to him, and he had witnessed many animals mating in spring, but he didn't understand why the subject was embarrassing. (The reason was that his parents had been much more discreet in the conception of their kids, preserving their intimate moments far outside of their home, which only had one common room.)

Tanjiro lingered for the meal and part of the afternoon, visiting the dojo and assisting everyone in their household activities, before heading back to the Butterfly Estate. Despite your and Kyojuro's efforts to convince him to stay overnight by arguing that it wasn't very safe to travel alone late, the young man declined.

"It'll be fine; I should arrive before it gets too dark, and the moon is almost full anyway. Not to mention, nights are much less dangerous than before," he reminded reassuringly.

You nodded reluctantly, scratching the back of your head. It was sometimes challenging to remember yourselves that the world had changed and that darkness was no longer the demons' territory.

"True, but there's still the risk of aggressive animals and marauders," you argued nonetheless. You were concerned that the boy's disabled eye and arm would make it difficult for him to orientate or defend himself.

"I'm unlikely to encounter any, but I’d handle it even if that's the case," he replied with confidence as if he had read your thoughts. "I promised Nezuko I'd be back tonight, I wouldn't want her to worry. See you tomorrow!"

After bidding you farewell enthusiastically, the young man trotted away at a good pace, demonstrating that he had lost almost nothing of the speed and endurance acquired over the past few years.

The next day, you closed the dojo after the morning session, giving you and Senjuro time to prepare various dishes, both sweet and savory. When the Kamado siblings arrived in the late afternoon, the little Rengoku was extremely nervous, fidgeting around and busying himself with trivial tasks. This flustered side of him was clearly in contrast with the spectacular confidence and spontaneity his older brother exuded, but it made him endearing. With a small smile, you thought that he and Nezuko would make a nice couple. Both had sweet and altruistic personalities, and you knew they would grow into fine and reliable adults.

You found a reason to attend to something in the dojo despite the fact that the place was closed, providing the two youngest an opportunity to spend time together, and you forcefully brought Tanjiro along. The redhead resisted a bit, his protective side unsure about leaving his little sister alone with another boy. However, he yielded easily to Kyojuro's enthusiasm to train with him, the fiery man unwittingly assisting you since he had yet to realize his baby brother's feelings for Nezuko.

When you all regrouped later for dinner, the atmosphere was cheerful, with everyone displaying a relaxed expression. Conversations flowed, relating the events of the day and sharing updates on various people you knew. Taking advantage of the moment, Tanjiro sought more details about his friends' situations.

"So, you're married then," Tanjiro presumed, given it was the norm for couples living under the same roof and trying to start a family. "Since when? Should I call you Rengoku-san now, Nagase-san?"

"I'm still a Nagase, but feel free to call me Kanoko, Tanjiro-san," you replied with a smile. "We completed the civil registry form upon our return to Komazawa, so, in the eyes of the country, we're already wedded. However, my ancestor Nagase Oai secured a special agreement for saving one of the Emperor's relative from a demon during the Sengoku era. As a result, the husband of a Nagase and their children are supposed to adopt her name. While very few Japanese men would accept this, Nichirin swordsmiths were willing to forsake their identity to shield their clan from demons, which is why the Nagase women have always betrothed men from the Swordsmith village. Since Kyojuro is the eldest son of an esteemed warrior family with origins older than mine, enforcing this rule posed stronger social challenges than before. It was eventually agreed that our first son would be a Rengoku, and the subsequent children Nagase."

Tanjiro appeared impressed by the explanation. With a dreamy and curious look, he asked, "Since you had a love marriage [A/N: "renai kekkon," opposed to the most common option at this time, the "omiai kekkon," arranged marriage], how did Kyojuro-san propose to you, Kanoko-san?"

You choked on your tea, accidentally spitting it in the young man's face. Struggling with a violent fit of coughing, you managed to offer a handkerchief to your new victim, who was frozen in surprise with closed eyes.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't expect that question. I mean ... uh..."

"It's a fun story!" Kyojuro interjected with his loud voice. "I asked her while we were – ..."

"DON'T TELL HIM!" you shouted, slapping a hand over his mouth. He didn't even blink despite the force of the impact.

"Perhaps it's better to keep that information private!" he corrected himself, his enthusiastic expression unfazed when you released him after a few seconds of caution.

Nezuko and Senjuro laughed at your interaction, while Shinjuro rolled his eyes, a smirk playing on his lips. Only Tanjiro seemed lost: "Um ... okay, I guess? I don't see what's so funny ... but as long as you're happy."

"You're too innocent, big brother," teased Nezuko with a smile.

"Eeeeh?! I'm not sure I want to hear that from you, Nezuko," Tanjiro retorted with a worried look.

"You're perfect as you are, Tanjiro," you reassured him firmly, still feeling embarrassed. At that moment, you were immensely grateful for his innocence.

"Ha! That reminds me, Tanjiro! The Shinto ceremony and the wedding banquet will take place in early autumn; you should come!"

"You didn't send him the invitation?" you asked with an aghast expression, briefly forgetting the previous topic.

"Hmm! It's quite plausible that it slipped my mind!" Kyojuro replied with a carefree smile.

You massaged the bridge of your nose with a sigh, looking exasperated, and everyone around chuckled. You couldn't help but grin at your turn; it was impossible to stay angry for long against your husband, with his radiant and warm personality despite his (endearing) oddities. The evening concluded shortly after that, and the Kamado siblings slept in this time before heading home, carrying with them the promise to return in a few months with their friends to celebrate your union.

In the tranquil dawning, a gentle fragrance, a blend of berries and blooming flowers wafted through the lush garden, accompanied the pleasant and hazy dreams that often ended your nights of rest since peace had returned for the demon slayers. Lazily turning around, you were delicately drawn from the depths of slumber by someone caressing in your hair. You smiled weakly, knowing whose hand was playing with your morning-messy locks.

"Hey..." you greeted slightly hoarsely, fluttering your heavy lids open.

"Rise and shine, little flame. Today is the day you become my wife," announced Kyojuro's voice cheerfully as he rubbed the tip of his nose against your temple.

"I'm already your wife, honey," you reminded him in an amused tone.

"In my heart and in the eyes of the Emperor, but not yet before the gods."

You chuckled softly at his lyrical outburst, much to his delight. He enjoyed seeing you so relaxed and happy. He tenderly placed his lips on yours, savoring your laughter at its source.

You closed your eyes, relishing in the sensation of his lips meeting yours as one of the first feelings to greet you each morning. Parting your lips, you welcomed the gentle exploration of his tongue. The warm hands of your beloved cupped your chest, fondling your bosoms adoringly over the light night yukata, causing your nipples to peak through the fabric. It was hard to track any changes while he had the pleasure of touching your breasts almost every day, but Kyojuro couldn't help to believe that they had grown and become more sensitive lately. He wondered if it a potential sign of pregnancy. The thought of witnessing your body transform to welcome a future baby into the world excited him even more than he already was.

The deepening kiss, coupled with these affectionate caresses, quickly stirred a familiar warmth within you, altering the rhythm of your breathing. Deliberately, Kyojuro loosened your collar, sliding his hand underneath to explore your soft contours before delicately rolling one of your nipples between his rough fingers. Your moan was muffled against his tongue, and you felt him press his hips against you in response, a notable bulge forming under his yukata.

"Aren't we going to be late if we keep going?" you managed to murmur, though you weren't sure to possess enough willpower to halt your intimate activities.

"Mhh... Maybe, but does it matter? The party can't start without us anyway."

An amused snort evaded you. With a smile, Kyojuro's fervent lips descended towards your chest, tearing aside the other piece of fabric to reveal your bosom, and closed his mouth around your neglected nipple. A slight gasp escaped you at the temperature contrast between the cool morning air and the searing warmth of his tongue playing with your sensitive tit. Uncertain whether to give in and pull him closer or be reasonable and push him away, you found yourself tightly gripping his mane. He groaned and pressed his groin harder against you in reaction, lightly biting your delicate skin.

"Ha ..., it's difficult to believe I'm dealing with the strict and punctual Flame Pillar."

"Good thing I'm retired, then. But you know, I used to be occasionally late because of important missions. And now, there's a crucial one that requires all my attention."

"Which one?" you asked, matching his tone, a small smirk playing on your face.

His lips left your panting chest to whisper in your ear, lightly nibbling its contour. The hand that was teasing one of your nipples slid under your slightly loosened belt, slowly tracing your slick folds with the tips of his fingers.

"Making sure to make you the mother of my children."

Despite anticipating a response of this nature, you couldn't help but blush at his directness, sucking in some air sharply. He subtly shifted over you while kissing your neck with burning passion, rubbing his clothened hardness between your tights. You were more than willing to support him in his mission. Panting slightly, you also loosened his obi, freeing his imposing manhood that slammed against your partially exposed lower belly. You stroked the silky and flushed skin of his engorged member, hearing your partner take a deep breath as your cool fingers locked around his grith, stimulating him in a back-and-forth motion while conspicuously guiding him towards your warm and welcoming opening.

Kyojuro slipped his hand under one of your knees, bringing your leg close to your bust and spreading it to grant him full access to your intimacy and allow for the promised penetration and release to be as deep as possible. His tongue found yours again in a feverish dance, his free hand grazing your jaw before closing around your throat as his firm tip kissed your lower lips, teasing you with shallow thrusts.

Even though you were well acquainted with Kyojuro's seductively provocative side and understood that the slow buildup and restraints were meant to prepare for a more intense pleasure later on, impatience gripped you. You wanted him to pin you harshly to the futon mat and make love to you wildly now; besides, you had no time to waste with the day ahead. Annoyed, you delivered a sharp slap to Kyojuro's buttocks, drawing his shocked gaze towards you. However, you didn't miss the peculiar gleam in his blazing, widened pupil, suggesting something more than mere surprise. You also felt how his hand tightened around your neck and how his manhood subconsciously hit deeper against your inner walls when the slap resonated.

"Don't tease me, Kyo."

"Do that again," he requested lowly, his tone both mischievous and interested.

You raised a brow, pleasantly intrigued. "Did you like..."

Someone cleared their throat behind the bedroom door, disturbing you:

"Kyojuro, Kanoko ... interrupt what you're doing ... whatever you're doing ... we need to prepare shortly," mumbled Shinjuro's deep and noticeably uncomfortable voice. "Your friends have arrived to help you get dressed for the ceremony ... try to look presentable before receiving them."

In an instant of stunned silence, you and your husband exchanged wide-eyed glances, jaws slightly ajar, pondering when the patriarch had approached and how much he had overheard – probably more than you could dare to imagine. You hid your flushed face in your hands, feeling dreadful for having subjected yet again the inhabitants of the house to the consequences of your passionate love. Even Kyojuro looked somewhat uncomfortable for once.

"I guess the mission we wanted to accomplish will have to wait for the approval of the gods," he sighed after a moment.

The almost dramatic conclusion broke the sexual and nervous tension, and you burst into laughter. Kyojuro smiled and kissed you one last time before releasing you to get dressed more properly.

The preparations took several hours, at least for you. Tengen barged into your room unannounced, seemingly disappointed not to find you in a compromising situation (you silently thanked Shinjuro for his earlier intervention). Declaring that you were going to be late, the shinobi had thrown his best friend over his shoulder and rushed away, followed by a fidgety Senjuro, alarmed to see his big brother transported like a mere bag of rice. Meanwhile, you received the much more courteous visit from Mitsuri and Nezuko, both excited to help you with your makeup and dress. For the occasion, you had planned to wear a shiromoku, a magnificent white wedding kimono. Its fabric was adorned with discreet kanoko motifs sewn in a different, silky thread. The outfit was paired with a long red uchikake coat embroidered with gold, reminiscent of the colors of the house you were joining, but featuring the Nagase family emblem on your back instead of your husband's. Another departure from strictly conventional attire was the absence of a headdress, as you disliked its symbolism of submission. Convincing Shinjuro had been challenging, as he was a man of tradition, however Kyojuro had argued extensively in your favor and ultimately obtained the approval of his father and the Shinto priest. Consequently, the girls settled for styling your hair into a taka bun, adorned with flowers and mother-of-pearl pins.

"Your hair is beautiful, Kanoko-san!" Nezuko exclaimed. "Its snow-white shade with hints of metallic blue is amazing."

"Thank you. Actually, that's not how they used to look like. The same goes for my irises ... they depigmented when I became a demon, and since then, they've never regained their natural aspect."

"Oh, I didn't know. I'm sorry. They suit you well, though ... what color were they before?"

You friendly answered their questions, and the conversation seamlessly transitioned into discussions about each other's unusual genetic or acquired traits. You learned the origin of Tanjiro's scar and Mitsuri’s cute but curious features – apparently, she had eaten such a huge quantity of sakura mochis that her hair and eyes changed color overnight. You smiled as you listened to her story, thinking it was a tale Kyojuro could have come up with.

By the hour they finished with your refined makeup, the rest of the household had already departed. Taking a taxi to the shrine that had accepted your unconventional marriage, you experienced the speed and comfort of a motorized vehicle for the first time. Despite the noise and smell, the modernity of the conveyance left a lasting impression on you. The world was undoubtedly changing while you were busy battling demons, and you found yourself wondering about the additional technologies that would be introduced in the upcoming years. Arriving at the shrine, you noticed that only Shinjuro was waiting at the bottom of the stairs leading to the sacred place, arms crossed.

"The others are already in the sanctuary," he explained while you descended from the vehicle. "Uzui insisted that you and Kyojuro keep the surprise of your outfits until the very last occasion. I stayed behind to welcome you. We can join them now."

Mitsuri and Nezuko eagerly ascended the steps, impatient to catch a glimpse of the groom, leaving you alone with the older man. Shinjuro scrutinized you for a moment, and his expression softened.

"I was skeptical about your choices, but you make a beautiful and very dignified wife, Kanoko. I'm sure Ruka would have been delighted to have you as a daughter too."

The unexpected compliment warmed your heart. You met Shinjuro's gaze and sincerely smiled.

"Thank you, Father."

Shinjuro appeared moved by the term of address, although he swiftly concealed his emotions with a cough and a furrowed brow, suddenly bothered by an invisible speck of dust on his haori sleeve. While it was customary for married women to address their in-laws this way, you had never adhered to it, and he hadn't held it against you given your shared history. Regaining composure, he extended his arm to escort you, as a parent would if they had been present. Smiling, you slipped your hand into the crook of his elbow, ready to follow him when someone called out to you from behind.

"Kanoko."

You turned your head in surprise.

"Giyuu! You came," you exclaimed, beaming. "You hadn't responded to the invitation, so I thought I wouldn't see you."

Shinjuro squinted at the man. He was wearing western clothes and had shorter hair, now, but he had recognized him; they had crossed paths a few time before the official end of his Flame Pillar career. He instinctively felt that there was a special connection between you two. Did his son already have a rival? Perhaps he should have insisted more on the wedding headdress, after all.

"I'm not staying. I just wanted to congratulate you," your raven-haired friend replied with a sweet smile.

Despite the changes he underwent following the triumph over Kibutsuji Muzan, the last Water Hashira was still not at his best in crowded or noisy environments, such as the upcoming banquet. He was also hesitant to draw attention to himself by attending the religious union of a woman he had courted. Kyojuro wouldn't mind his presence because he deeply respected his former comrade and could only empathize with the feelings he had developed for you (he had approved the invitation, after all). The groom wasn't the type to seek to humiliate people out of insecurity either, and you were sure he would treat Giyuu with as much care as any guest, making every effort to ensure his comfort. However, you couldn't ignore the possibility that the other retired Pillars might tease the late visitor, knowing his repressed love for you. The last thing you wanted was for your friend to feel uneasy in such a joyous occasion.

"I'm grateful," you stated genuinely. "That means a lot to me. How about we share some salmon with daikon radish when you're back in the area?" You were aware it was his favorite dish.

"Deal," he responded, his eyes creasing slightly as his smile widened. "Be happy, Kanoko. You deserve it.”

“So do you.”

Never had you seen such a bright and expressive smile on him before; the warmth it brought to you was palpable. Regardless of your memories together and the uncertainties of the future, Giyuu would always hold a significant place in your heart, and you knew the sentiment was mutual. Seeing him content only added to your happiness. You reached out, and he accepted your hand without hesitation, intertwining your fingers before lifting them to his lips for a gentle kiss. Without lingering, he released you swiftly, his expression still serene, before bowing his head to you and Shinjuro, vanishing as quickly as he had appeared.

The Rengoku patriarch clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

"Good riddance. I don't like him. Back in the Corps, he always acted like he was mute but had a sharp tongue when he opened his mouth, and this nasty habit of doing as he pleases. Who behaves like that with a taken woman, anyway?"

"Not to offend you, Shinjuro-san, but you don't seem to like many people," you retorted playfully. The grumpy patriarch grumbled, eliciting a giggle from you. "Don't worry. Giyuu is a precious friend and an honorable man, despite what you think. He would never interfere. And, most importantly, I'm deeply in love Kyojuro, whom I am marrying today, remember? How about you escort me to his side now... Dad?"

The mature man blushed, caught off guard by your sudden familiarity, and quickly reminded you to address him as "chichiue", not "oto-san," though there was no heat in his reprimands. You chuckled at his strictness and followed him up the stairs leading to the shrine, still holding onto his arm.

In the sanctuary courtyard, Kyojuro, the Kamado siblings, Mitsuri, Tengen and his wives awaited your arrival. Seeing your husband meticulously dressed in his wedding attire made your heart skip a beat. He donned a black montsuki over a dark hakama, the flaming emblem of his family adorning his haori's back and the crest of your family placed on the chest. Tengen had evidently spent time styling his friend's unruly mane into a refined bun, leaving his spiky fringe and two shorter strands along his jaw to frame his sunny face. The artistic touch of the exuberant "god of festivities" was apparent in the eyepatch decorated with incandescent gemstones covering Kyojuro's usually bare scar, along with discreet jewelry around his wrists, neck, and belt. After admiring you with a gleam in his eye, your husband approached you and excitedly took your hand. Shinjuro sighed as he adjusted to your not-quite-traditional outfits and your constant public displays of affection, holding back his gruff comments.

"I knew you would look beautiful in wedding attire, Kanoko, but you're even more stunning than anything I could dream of."

"Thank you, sunshine, but don't get too used to it. I still prefer wearing hakama, and the makeup and hairstyle took way too long for me to tolerate it on a regular basis. You are very handsome, too..."

"Don't get too used to it either. I thought Uzui was plotting to pull my hair out trying to comb it. I had to stop him from putting lipstick on me and painting my nails, and you should have seen the haori covered with rubies that he had initially prepared. The thing was sparking so brightly it would have blinded our guests, and it was the heaviest mantle I had ever worn," he confided in a hushed tone that was still too loud to go unnoticed, especially by the former Sound Hashira.

"Hey, you ungrateful bastard," protested the interested party. "It's not my fault if you have no taste. Monogamous couples like you only get married once, at least most of the time, so why not make it memorable with a flashier style? I don't get lame people."

Laughter filled the air until the priest and maikos urged everyone to calm down, marking the beginning of the ceremony.

The banquet that unfolded after the Shinto ritual took place directly at the Rengoku Estate. Such occasions were known for hosting a broader social circle than the shrine's exclusive guest list. Many former Demon Slayers attended, alongside associates from your independent demon-hunting career and the residents of Komazawa. The buffet, offering a variety of dishes and desserts, featured highlights such as hayashi beef rice and salt-grilled bream with roasted sweet potatoes – both yours and Kyojuro's favorites. While a few families retired after the sumptuous meal, the ensuing party remained vibrant. To the delight and amusement of the guests, Tengen and Zenitsu entered a live musical contest.

Stepping away from the exuberant show, you sought a moment of calm in the night air. Before long, your husband joined you, wrapping you in his embrace.

"Is everything okay, my love? Would you like me to ask the guests to leave?"

"No, it's not often we get to have this much fun with our friends; let's savor it a bit longer." As you held your beloved in your arms, a faint scent caught your attention. "Did you have a drink, Kyojuro?"

"Um ... just a little. Can you smell the alcohol?" he inquired with concern, the idea conjuring unpleasant memories related to his father.

"Barely, it's not overpowering, just unusual."

"Uzui is a bad influence, I'm afraid," he chuckled somewhat sardonically. "Kocho and Shinazugawa too. They convinced me that since I already had sake at the temple, I could break my habits for today and return to being the 'boringly sober Rengoku' after the party."

You offered a small empathetic smile. His comrades were likely just enthusiastic about fully letting loose with the groom for this exceptional celebration. While you didn't find it proper to encourage excessive drinking, you knew they were all good people, making it difficult to harbor any resentment towards them. Moreover, Kyojuro wasn't one to yield without being confident in his decisions, even under pressure. Unlike his father's experiences with sake, he was in a positive mental state, allowing him to appreciate alcohol in moderation.

"Hey! Rengoku! You'll have the rest of the night with your wife; for now, you're supposed to entertain us. Give us a speech," Tengen interrupted loudly from a distance, and everyone around him erupted in cheers.

Releasing you and proudly crossing his arms over his chest, Kyojuro turned to his friends and exclaimed with a big smile, his voice resonating throughout the estate:

"Of course! Allow me to regale you with the epic legends of my ancestors! Like the time when Rengoku Genjuro faced the giant river shrimp that terrorized the nearby villagers...!"

"Whaaaat? That's not the kind of speech I was asking for!" protested Uzui amid the guffaw of the audience, but it was already too late; Kyojuro was on a roll.

The story turned out to be truly engrossing, and you laughed until tears poured down your cheeks as Kyojuro explained how Genjuro, after defeating the titanic creature with a secret Flame Breathing technique, requested as a reward that the villagers make tempura out of its flesh. He consumed so much of the resulting mountain of tempura that his hair took on a shrimp color, and since then, it became a characteristic of the Rengoku family.

"I thought it was because your ancestor Imojuro had eaten too many sweet potatoes?" Tanjiro asked very seriously when the laughter calmed down. He had heard that version during his time here as a Tsuguko. Shinjuro let out a brief snort at the mention of this nonexistent ancestor whose first particle, "imo," already meant "sweet potato."

"No, it's said it’s because of the Kankagari ceremony performed by Rengokus' wives, who gaze at a flame for two hours a day during their pregnancy," Senjuro intervened with a sympathetic smile for his brother’s former student's gullibility.

"Exactly, it's for all these reasons!" Kyojuro exclaimed enthusiastically.

Wiping away your tears, you observed your husband's return after a few more minutes of mingling with the guests. Your friends and family engaged in animated discussions about the possible reasons behind the hereditary traits of the Rengokus and why they seemed to only produce male offspring. A smile adorned your face as you relished the lively debates and the comforting presence of your beloved beside you on the engawa.

"I wish this happiness could last forever," you unintentionally let slip.

Your voice faltered as you realized you had openly shared your thoughts. Averting your gaze, you quietly cursed yourself. You were normally better at silencing your reflections, especially when it came to subjects that could involve contemplation of your potentially shortened lifespans. Maybe the carefree atmosphere of the night had made you more vulnerable and unguarded with your emotions.

Kyojuro turned his gleaming ember eye towards you with a gentle smile as he took your hand in his.

"That will be the case, my love. This happiness will still burn bright, even long after our departure; our dear ones possess the willpower to sustain its flame. As for us, let's not fret about whether or not we will survive beyond the predictions. I intend to savor every moment I have with you, whether it spans a few years or decades. And whatever the outcome, I am confident that we will continue our story in our next life. One lifetime has never been enough to show you how much I love you, anyway."

Widening your eyes, you scrutinized Kyojuro attentively, only to find that he was gazing back at you with a knowing grin, as if you both shared a secret. Had he learned about Genjuro and Oai feelings for each other too? Did he suspect, like you, that they were your past incarnations?

Reflecting his expression, you smiled back at your husband. You chose not to inquire about whether he also retained memories of the Sengoku era. The tale of your ancestors was already etched in history, more tragic than joyful, while the path to a brighter future lay ahead. It was sufficient to believe that your soulmate would keep his promise, accompanying you for as long as possible, in this life and the next.

Author Note: I need a meme of Shinjuro contemplating his life choices while Kanoko and Kyojuro wreak havoc on the house with their loud sex life lmao. The poor man just can't catch a break.

This chapter was a very different than what I usually write, focusing mostly on fluff, humor, and happy scenes, with just a hint of angst at the end – hopefully, the right amount, concluding on a sweet note. Similar to Gotouge's approach in the official manga, I've left it open to your imagination whether the Marked (and Kanoko) had their lives cut short or not. I'm sure they were happy until the end in both cases.

As always, if I made a cultural mistake, please feel free to point them out. I conducted as much research as possible, but in the end, I'm neither Japanese nor a specialist in the topics covered here, lol.

There were some details I wanted to add, but they didn't fit the story's pace. Perhaps they'll find a place in a Bonus section along with other cut or dumped scenes. I did manage to say some stuff about Kanoko appearance here, which I kind of forgot to include earlier despite the fact that it was planned a long time ago. Let's see how it will go with the edited version I'd like to do later on.

Do you have any questions? Is there an AU of this fic that you would wish to see? (like an alternative ending, an different path, hidden or extra scenes, spin-offs with the same characters, etc.) Say it in the comment section or reach out to me directly! I might write some bonus chapters if inspiration strikes, so share your dreams! lol. I also want to highlight that if you want to write or make some art about this story yourselves then, you're welcome to do so, please link it to me <3.

Also, let me express again how happy I was receiving your likes, noticing your reblogs and reading/replying to your comments <;3 Your support fueled my motivation and set my own heart ablaze!

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