#and now mille has done it too LOL

[spookyji]

gonna fuel the cowboy cosplay kai fever <3

leaving a halloween party, a bit tipsy as you stumble, only to be caught by boyfriend!kai, dressed in his… so call costume. a black cowboy hat and heeled boots… but guess he couldn’t find a flannel or denim for the occasion, a loose nba bowling shirt on over a white t shirt, the rainbow colors blurring in your tipsy gaze as kai holds your arm and waist, his quiet, you okay? right, designated driver. giggling, your drunken mind encouraging you on, the matching cowboy hat tilted on your head as your arm loops through his, clinging on as you smile up at him, ‘m okay! waving your friends bye as you leave the party… the steps further away from the noise and quieter walk through the road, kai by your side. and as you hum a soft song… you’re so oblivious, aren’t you? your boobs pressed to his arm, soft and plush through the low neckline top has his heart racing as he guides you to his car… is it wrong of him to feel this way when you’re drunk? maybe he’d be rushing it too much.

oh, but kai’s equally oblivious, the colder air curing your drunken mind a bit, clouded thoughts forming slightly more coherently… although not quite sober. but you don’t need to be sober to feel kai’s strong, muscular arm under your soft breasts, firm muscle you cling, the sharp jawline of his face as your gaze peeks up… and the way his shirt smooths over his broad chest, pecs just visible in the low night light. and maybe it’s a bit of the drinks talking in your mind, but clinging tighter to his arm, hoping you’ll make him needy… even a bit tipsy, you can’t forget how much kai is a pervert for tits.

need help? kai asks, reaching to open the door of his car, blinking you back to reality… and do you really want to let go? your handsome boyfriend illuminated by the soft moonlight, his silly cowboy hat still on somehow. and as he turns to you to help you into the seat, clinging to his neck as you pull yourself to his height, lips crashing into his in a heated kiss, arms immediately wrapping around your frame as he catches you from stumbling, returning the kiss in seconds as his lips press back to yours, hugging your body tightly to his, sweet kisses as your hat tips back, his tall frame leaning over yours as kai deepens the kiss. his car keys in his hand, coming up for air as he pants breathlessly, meeting your gaze in the hazy night light, words whispered from your lips soft against his; want you so bad, kai. your pretty thighs clenching together, rubbing the material of your denim shorts between your thighs, staring into his eyes with a haze of lust and love. r-right now? kai mumbles… he can’t say he doesn’t want it, a bulge stiffening in his pants as you look at him so needily… and the soft please? has him giving in.

leather upholstery under his shirt as he strips off the silly bowling shirt, the drivers seat pushed back slightly as you climb into his lap, lips hungrily finding kai’s, moaning so prettily his hand fumbles for the door, keeping you all to himself. hats bumping against the roof and each other, your pretty giggle as you tug off the cowboy hat so kai keeps his on, feeling the smooth muscles under his shirt as your fingers roam his broad chest, whimpering as the bulge beneath your shorts firmly presses to your clothed cunny, kai’s heavy pants of desire in your ear. s-so pretty, he mumbles, c-can’t—nnngh—! a restrained moan of pleasure rumbling from his chest as you rub your shorts against his bulge, whining so prettily as you unzip your shorts, bunching down at your ankles as you tug them down, moaning with need as you palm him, his big cock so hard against your hand… god, kai’s so big.

your needy boyfriend letting you do all the work, yanking down the zipper of his jeans as your pussy rubs against his cock, mewling in need as he bucks his hips up, a faint s-sorry escaping his lips just as yours crash against his, slight taste of alcohol remaining, your pretty pussy folds drenched in arousal. wait, h-haven’t um… prepped you y-yet, kai pants, and yet his body says otherwise, hard cock dripping precum, hissing at the painful stiffness… want you so bad, don’t wanna, you whine, and without hesitation, the tip of his cock plunges into your tight pussy. clinging to his shoulders as your face buries itself into the crook of his shoulder, gasping at the stretch… haven’t ever taken his cock without kai eating you out first… or fingering yourself. sh-shut, nnngh so tight! kai moans, big hands groping your ass as a high pitched whine escapes his throat, resisting all impulse to sheathe his cock into your tight, clenching pussy, groaning as your warmth slowly get surely tightly envelopes his cock, air heavy with moaning gasps and whimpers, fogging the windows as you slowly push yourself down on kai’s cock,,, the stretch near unbearably difficult, even the dripping arousal of your cunt helping only a little to fit your well endowed boyfriend… and your lips finding his in a messy kiss as your hips lay flush to his.

moaning into kisses, your tight cunt adjusting to his size… and nodding, a string of drool dripping from your lip as you slowly ride him for the first time, wincing and yet so overwhelmed by the pleasure, kai’s needy gasps breaking the silence as loud slaps of skin on skin fill the car, subtle rustle of denim and clothes. nnngh— so… tight–! g-gonna cum! kai moans, your tight clenching pussy too much pleasure to hold back, his hands gripping your ass as he helps you ride him… and clenching down as hot cum rushes into your pussy, warm folds clamping down as strings of whines and gasps fill the air, highs crashing down simultaneously.

felt so good, you mumble, nuzzling your cheek against kai’s broad chest, his heart rapid under his muscle, hands lacing together as kai rests his cheek on your head, the hat somehow still on… a blush on his cheeks as he quietly laughs, should’ve been you wearing the hat while… r-riding m-me.

this is the completely wrong season LOL it’s fine ahaha the things smut moablr is turned on by~~

[matchamiko]

lol neuvillette just sucking ur nipples or smth is enough to have u going a bit insane right??? RIGHT????

Giggling so hard rn

Warnings: breast worship/play, dry humping, mentions of masturbation, mentions of penetrative sex; previously established relationship.

If there’s one thing Neuvillette is, it’s thorough. You ask him about one of his trials after he returns from the Opera Eclipse, and he’s talking for hours about every piece of evidence in the case; you shyly ask him to brush your hair and he’s producing several combs and brushes and an oil to massage your scalp; he decides to take you on what humans call a date, and you’re trekking through the purple fields in the countryside to the most darling little picnic spot and dining on pastries until dusk, and then returning to the city to stroll about the fountains and gardens arm in arm with the promise of a mightily thorough kiss at the end.

And he’s no different when playing your body like a fiddle. He's got you folded into his lap, office door locked, blinds only half drawn but there's no danger of anyone looking in, not when he's so wrapped around you that it's hard to seen even a glimpse of your bare skin. It started as a visit for tea, the leaves you brought from your village in the Vale fresh and still warm from being dried over a fire, chatting idly in the way you two did that Neuvillette found so refreshing and simple. Then it led to you shyly asking for a kiss, having missed him so dearly and so wantonly, shown in the way you gripped his lapels and leaned further into him with a questioning sigh and an answered grunt. And now, you're half dressed spread over his thick thighs, his coat strewn next to the two of you and his gloves somewhere with it.

"Let me taste you," he murmurs against the column of your throat, hands running up the length of your back and down again, squeezing your hips into a dizzying grind. Your breasts press deliciously against the cotton of his shirt, nipples slipping and rubbing over his chest and every time you shudder with pleasure, Neuvillette basks in the way you arch harder into him like a cat. You feel wonderful, writhing over his groin and trying not to let your darkest desires overtake you like you so often did. The precious little tea farmer he'd befriended and then courted and then decidedly and silently pledged himself to; you're full of dirty secrets and filthy wants that has him spiralling into territories he'd never even thought about before. And your tits were one of them, to put it frankly.

He's fucked you before, numerous times, to your hearts content and more often than not, to your dictation and command. It wasn't surprising that your precious Iudex wasn't particularly well versed in human seduction, and you bravely stood up to the task you had completely made up, of showing him everything you desired and introducing him to everything he desired. But today, in the secrecy of his office, the knowledge that just outside the doors, people mill about and wait for an appointment with him; Neuvillette steps away from his duties and demands the feel of your supple skin against his teeth.

"I admit," a hand grasps the fat of your breast, squeezing roughly with the whoreish rhythm you have going on with your hips, "I've been thinking often about having you like this, desperate and desiring me all from the touch I give you here," fingers pluck at your nipple before he dips his head and takes it into his mouth. He's done this before, too many times to count, but with him being fully dressed and you an absolute mess in his lap; it feels different, raw and unfiltered in the wavering sanctity of his office. You can feel Neuvillette's tongue flattening over your nipple, swirling and curling like he does between your legs and it sends you arching into him, further into his reclined figure and deeper into his lap. A dizzying moan leaves you chest when you feel the hot, hard press of his cock through his trousers, confined in such a way that it's mind numbing when you grind against it. He pulls back for a second, looking up at you with hair strewn about his face, cheeks red and ears redder, panting hot and wet against your skin.

"Don't stop, please," he doesn't care for your politeness, doesn't care for your request, doing as he pleases with your body; one hand gripping your bottom and urging you to grind against him, and the other grasping meanly at your tit. Neuvillette seems positively ravenous this afternoon, though it should have been obvious in the way he allowed you to push him over to the settee and mount him without asking.

"I'm plagued with thoughts of you during matters that I should be attending to, important matters that garner my fullest attention and yet -," he suckles a bruise into the swell of your breast, held firm by his hands, squishing them together and nuzzling into the crevice between, breathing deeply enough to shudder, "All I can think about is you, what I want to do to you the next time we are alone, the next time you allow me to have you in such undignified ways," you're shaking when he regains his focus and takes your nipple into his mouth, tugging and nipping and gnawing like he does on his bottom lip when he's concentrating, suckling hard before letting go with a pop - allowing you to take a gasping breath and to look down at how positively enthralled he is at he taste of your doughy flesh,

"You don't need to be so formal while you're playing with my tits Neuvillette," you've always been more straight forward, more brash and crude, than him; having grown up in the countryside, in another nation, a whole other life to the one he leads. He leaves a wet trail from his tongue over your nipple, catching it between his sharp teeth and tugging enough to make you whine lowly, "I - can't stop thinking about you too, 'specially when I'm on my own," the implication is implicit but Neuvillette surges up into you, hips strong and knocking into yours with a grunt. He's filled suddenly with images of you writhing in your bed, hand stuffed between your thighs, fingers wet and slick in your cunt - the same he can feel pulsing and purring over his lap.

"Tonight, I've cleared my last appointment so I can spend it with you," he gasps, lips swollen from their assault on your breasts, eyes unfocused and pupils blown wide with want "After supper, after I spoil you like I have promised; you are showing me everything you do when you are alone and desperate for me,"

[izartn]

What's good about KnH is (besides its main char and bc of Maomao) the way it manages the power dynamics and what life was as a woman without falling into utter pessimism and powerlessness or full romanticism; which is a reason I usually avoid like the plague historical/pseudo-historical fiction with female leads.

Usually I'd be super skeeved out by the power Jinshi has over Maomao but the way the series presents both of them, their personalities and their agency (limited as it is for Maomao but it's there and it counts very much) it brings out all the best and interesting parts. I trust this series to get twisty with them bc it establishes so well Maomao own character and understanding of her situation and the ways Jinshi can and does or doesn't take advantage of his power over her.

Like. It's presented as a problematic element, but also unavoidable given their social situation and the world they live in, so I can trust given everything else this show has done when solving the mysteries and presenting us the situations of other women, that the romance will be treated with that same weight.

Honestly if you've read over what I like to read/watch in my tumblr you'll notice that twisty and even toxic/unhealthy dynamics are very much within my favorites, but it needs to be told in a certain way. And I'm much more difficult to satisfy when talking about het romance.

So to watch KnH, notice it's primarily about Maomao life and the various misteries/medicines/palace intrigue and the romance is playing second fiddle riffing on all the themes presented on the plot? And it's complex, and plays with messy power dynamics of gender and class, but never loses Maomao her personhood? Wow.

Also. Jinshi is so BL chara coded omg XD like, he's very clearly based on a kind of shojo ML prototype (hello tamaki suoh!) but it also pulls from BL in his case (nothing to do with their romances but I think of Yan Xiaohan re:his relationship with the imperial power, from Golden Terrace lol)

And yet his romance with Maomao wouldnt work near as well for what is trying to say if they weren't a man and woman (which I love in their case, is what has me fascinated). Yes~! Get into the meat of how fraught it is for a man and a woman to be together when the man has so much power over her. Get into it!!!!

He's so so messy and fun as a chara too. Sheltered and not at the same time, you really notice all the things he misses by way of his privilege of being a noble born man (and specifically royalty, last ep (19) left that very clear he was doing a ritual probably by proxy for the emperor and also bay exchanges people. Maomao noticed and buried that thought far far below her subconscious but we all now who he is lol). Like. The way he fumbles and ends up essentially harassing Maomao at the start sometimes, which is both played for comedic effect and also upsetting. Mmm.

Like I said, I like complexity.

Also that part when he buys Maomao contract and he goes to collect her and she's all dolled up, and the clear implication by everybody but our mains (who clearly prefer to live in willfully blind land although for Jinshi I think the subtext of what he's doing lands when he sees her) is that in any other case she'd be his concubine/side-wife. It's not their situation wight now, and she's put to work as a live-in maid and apothecary and put to study (he wants her to assist him in politics lol I love that, but also he's so so lonely) but it's very much what the palace rumor mill says.

LIKE. I love the messiness! It could go soooo badly, but it also could not and there's Maomao living at the edge bc despite herself and what she says, she wants more from life, but also as she says the rear palace isn't all that different from the high class brothels and ugh. That tension. She has to depend on the favor of a man as a women of low class but she also could lose her head! GAH. And then there's feels involved! Aaagh.

[ofallthingsnasty]

been thinkin about mouth inspections at the dentist (with our faves). Isn’t there a way to tell if you’ve given bjs before? Like there’s an indent in the roof of your mouth or something? Since you have experience in dentistry, i thought I might ask💀

Perhaps dentist fave pokes around in your mouth and finds that spot, asking all sorts of gross questions, who’ve you done it with? how many have you given? and then forces you on your knees, explaining the whole time what he’s doing to that spot in your mouth as he brutalizes your throat. Law or Doffy would be the worst for it. Doffy wouldn’t be able to control himself and Law would be so calm and collected, it would be scary

Yes, but only hard and recent blowjobs - there can be petechiae on your palate!! (Think tiny red spots) We don't care, though ajsjjksk and as always THIS IS FICTIONAL OFC I DON'T ENDORSE THIS AJSKKS

The mental image of 'big dick Doflamingo's everything but mostly expensive implants mill'-dental office is sending me. Baby 5 not-so-subtly chewing gum behind her mask while she makes you wait in the chair. Him coming in half an hour late (you've been nervous and sweating the whole damn time and the radio is blasting nothing but shitty early 2010s pop which doesn't help), clearly fresh from some break and not a difficult procedure, showing you just how much he doesn't care about you. He fucking reeks of cologne. Light pink scrubs that fit him so well it's not even funny. Has a weirdly delicate gold chain around his neck that really emphasizes the way his pecs puff up before connecting with his collarbone. It kind of makes you want to fall into his... well, his cleavage. (Because of course he chooses scrubs with a rather unorthodox neckline - who's going to tell him off? He's the boss. Sometimes he comes in wearing polo shirts in that same pink tone and they're always, always a little too tight.)

He throws himself into his little chair so hard it skids right up to you and he just smiles as a greeting, porcelain-white veneers blinding you for a moment, before he puts his mask up (also pink, it's a whole fucking theme here). It's all pretty standard, Baby 5's clearly fake nails clicker-clacker away at the keyboard while he lists off your dental status - until he gets to the soft tissue, especially your palate.

tw. crack treated seriously + noncon = the combo from hell, medical malpractice, Law is in here too, as a separate listing (same tags for him + hypnosis), minors dni, don't take this too seriously i had too much fun writing this it's so silly, dental hypno doesn't work like this don't worry lol

Well, that's certainly an eyebrow raiser. Looks like little old unassuming you has a bit of a wild side. He can tell you know your stuff by how big and angry-red the bruise on your mucosa is. You've been a patient of his for a long time now - and other that the fact that you pretty much look like you're about to faint every time your ass touches the chair, you've been rather forgettable (but cute, he has to admit). He can tell you don't like the way he fingers around your mouth one bit - and that you're waiting for his final evaluation, taut like a bowstring. You're probably pissing your pants at the thought of getting some major work done. He knows your type and nudges his fingers just a little farther down your throat, to your uvula, just to see how trained your gag reflex is (and to keep you anxious for just a few seconds longer, it's just too precious).

You don't even blink. Others would have coughed up their breakfast by now but you're sitting there, eyes teary and face worried. Would you look at that. It's good he's wearing his mask or else you'd be able to see that he's poking out his tongue because he's smiling so hard - you're suddenly in his top ten patients, right next to all the big bucks and two or three genuinely interesting cases. And oh, he's getting ideas with the way you fidget under his gaze. You wouldn't tattle. You wouldn't even fight back. My, you're perfect for a little lunch time fun.

Baby 5 is out of the room with a single gesture, closes the door behind her with a distinctive click. She won't bother him either, she'll just go hide in the break room and text her newest boyfriend until someone scrapes her out of there again. And you? You're already anxiously waiting for his diagnosis, fearing the worst. Oh, he'll give you the worst. It's delicious to see your face go from nervous to absolutely crestfallen as he spins some tall tale about how need to get big work done on two molars, how bad it already is and how you probably should opt for implants (his specialty, after all. And so expensive he just knows you'll do just about anything to save a little money.) Of course, you trust him. And of course, you agree for him to go with the 'best' (and coincidentally most expensive) option, even when you're clearly fighting back tears at the price. He tells you to lay back, brings the chair to the highest, horizontal position and overstretches the neck so that your mouth is in a perfect line with your throat. It's unpleasant how the blood from the rest of your body is cut off from your head in this position, how the whole room is suddenly overhead and that damn light is shining straight into your eyes. It's supposed to give him a better look at your upper teeth - but when you open your eyes to his fucking dick of all things and him telling you that you want that treatment cheap, don't you?, you learn that not everyone has your best interest in mind. (Sadly, you don't even get to answer because he just shoves himself into you and fucks the protest right out of your oesophagus.) When he's done with you, your whole face is full of spit and mucus and you probably lost consciousness at least once - turns out not enough perfusion for your brain coupled with extreme anxiety and someone gripping your throat to fuck it better isn't exactly the healthiest thing in the world.

Honestly, you'll try so hard not to go back after that experience, you really do. Problem is, you gave them your mobile number when you first signed over your data - and just two days later you'll get a barrage of texts in finest text speak anno 2004, with a million of 😜🤞😂🦩 emojis asking you about the state of your throat and if you still want that follow-up. Cheapest set of dental implants you'll ever get, honestly. You only have to sell him your dignity.

Law on the other hand... All prim and proper in starched white, medical professional through and through, yet so gentle - has a whole concept around dental phobic patients, with warm and welcoming treatment rooms, gentle music, offers laughing gas, hypnosis and even general anesthesia if the fear is especially bad. Always professional and never condescending or infanitilizing (like some can be when it comes to phobic patients). He's a dentist, a doctor, the authority in this place but he guides with a gentle hand - and people adore him.

You've been his patient for a while now - and he can't lie, he really likes you. You've been a dream to work with despite your anxiety; have endured every session bravely, you hang onto every word he says with big, wet eyes. He makes a suggestion - you take it. No matter the cost, the time, how outlandish the approach might be, you're always willing, nod your head yes and try to tough it out. You're somewhat soggy, almost whiny but that's okay. It's kind of cute, really. So when he sees those telltale red spots on your palate, he's a little surprised... You come across as so meek while on the chair, it's hard to picture you as anything else outside of it. But clearly, you're either an extremely attentive lover or you're wilder than he thought. Honestly, he's almost pouting over this revelation. Who are you fucking? Even if the sentiment is inappropriate, it should be him - at least that's what his little crush on you whispers to him deep, deep down. He mills over it a little too long, long enough for you to try to speak around his fingers in your mouth - there you go again, asking him (and so politely, too) if there is something, anything? And to his shame, all he can think about is if this is how your tongue feels like when you're using it. The way you slur against his hand, that warm and entirely too inviting mouth so close yet so far - it's giving him some shameful, shameful ideas. What harm is in a little test drive - especially when you've been proven to respond well to hypnosis. He has just enough time to rope you into a little session, as well. So he pulls a face behind the mask and explains that yes, actually, you have a little cavity - a teeny tiny thing that could be filled so easily right now, if you have the time for it. The way you immediately tense up underneath him isn't lost to him. God, you hate surprises, he knows that, and he's being so, so selfish - but it's too late to take back his words now.

He can practically watch the thoughts form in your brain, can see how you valiantly try to fight down the panic over a surprise dental procedure. But, as always, you swallow the lie hook, line and sinker. And when you ask him if he can use hypnosis on you again, he knows he's won this round. It's not ideal - you're already upset over this whole situation and to get you into that relaxed state is going to be a lot of work, but he knows you well enough by now. A sentence here, a soothing word there, gentle encouragement wrapped around it all like a bow - the moment you've let go, he can simply pull his pants down and force himself into your mouth, that's how far away you'll be. Of course, you aren't as active as he wants you to be, but the thrill and novelty of the situation is more than enough for him. The thought of marking you like this, to cum right down you throat without you or the ominous other person fucking you knowing, is more arousing than he'd like to admit. Maybe he has to stroke himself to completion (because your slack lips around him are far from enough) but his orgasm builds up quickly and hits him hard. He can already feel that pesky sense of guilt nagging away at him the moment he collects his breath - but he cleans you up and fixes your rumpled clothes and shoves all those bad feelings into some far away corner of his mind.

Your numb jaw is easily explained away, as is that horrible taste in your mouth - and he did give you a filling, after all, so hey, the lie isn't that bad, right?

(Law totally did his junior time at Doffy's terrible implant money grub mill and then vowed to himself that he'll never ever ever become like that. Well, that kinda sorta didn't work out, huh?)

[jeewrites]

Hold Fast | Ch. 2 SBD & Cinnamon Rolls

Series Master List

Rating: M for language, but this blog is 18+ MDNI

Summary: Frankie works out at Pope's Gym with his bff Pope

A/N: Happy Frankie Friday! Bit of backstory about reader, Frankie gets a glimpse into reader's powerlifting world, meet some OCs. And as always, thank you to my beta @bloviating-vy, although I messed with it later so all errors are my own, lol.

Word Count: 3.7k

Tags: no y/n, reader gets a nickname, swearing, yelling, discussion about food, reader is a powerlifting girlie in her late 30's described as short and she has hair long enough to put into a ponytail, Tom is alive unfortunately (we hate Tom), Tom owns a bar called Redfly's, Pope owns a gym, reader's mother is a menace, an OC is fatphobic, some Frankie POV

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One of the hobbies you picked up after you broke up with your fiancé — ex-fiancé — was baking. Chase always complained that everything you cooked or baked made him fat. You both shared a sweet tooth, but he was adamant about keeping the house sweets-free, fat-free, fun-free. Christ, he had gotten so militant about so many things. So fucking suffocating.

He didn't start out this way when you first met in college. He was sweet and driven, focused on getting into medical school, like you were. Your first real relationship. But somewhere between medical school, residency, and supporting him through his fellowship, he became increasingly neurotic and controlling. He started yelling, first about things, then at you. Why can't you do anything right? Why are you friends with her? Who is he? Why are you texting him? Why do you act like a child? You're going to wear that? That outfit makes you look like a whore. He started bragging about what a big bad surgeon he was going to be and how lucky you were to be with him. The larger his ego grew, the smaller you felt. It took you too long to realize the college boy you fell for no longer existed.

Now, every Friday night after a long day, you'd go home, throw on some tunes, and bake to decompress from the week. There is something calming and meditative about the process — measuring, mixing, and kneading — resulting in a desired outcome that pleases you, delights you. Sometimes you even liked to get experimental with the flavors from your childhood. You could watch whatever show you wanted while you baked: wholesome comedies to cringe-worthy reality tv, without a judgment to be heard. Peace. You finally had peace.

Despite the long days at the group practice, it was nothing compared to the 80-100 hours a week you'd pull working at the hospital. Did you miss teaching the next crop of residents? Sure, but you love the newfound free time you had to do things for yourself, things that interest you. You needed a break and a break from working in the same building as Chase. The hospital just wasn't big enough.

The hospital rumor mill had cranked into high gear when you caught him sneaking out of a call room with one of the OR nurses, scrubs rumpled, hair mussed. It's like you were living in a fucking episode of Grey's Anatomy. And he had the audacity to raise his voice at you in the middle of the hospital in front of what felt like everyone. You stopped wearing your engagement ring (thank fuck) and Chase started blatantly hooking up with any of the staff that were ready and willing. Of which there were a lot. You were done with the hierarchy of the hospital, placing surgeons at the very top, over-inflating their otherwise fragile egos. You were over the whispered judgements questioning Why would you leave a surgeon? What was wrong with you? Between the long hours and hushed whispers everywhere you went, you wanted — no, needed — a change.

You joined a group practice with some former residency friends across town and moved into a small one bedroom apartment until you could decide what your next steps were. It helped that Pope's Gym was halfway between home and work now, so you settled into a more sustainable routine of working, lifting, and exploring hobbies and interests long neglected since college. And Chase. And more recently, giving the whole online dating thing a spin after over a year of pouring back into yourself, rediscovering who you are now in your late 30's.

Sometimes it felt like going through a second adolescence, rebelling against the expectations Chase and your parents caged you with, to fit their very specific idea of who you should be as a wife first and physician second. Always serving a role, being a pretty object, but never a person. At the first opportunity, you sold the stupid black Audi that Chase had insisted you buy because all of the other physicians owned the same fucking one. He also insisted on an automatic because he couldn't drive stick. Now you zipped to work in that sporty blue WRX STI that you wanted in the first place, windows down, singing loudly and off key to the radio, free as can be.

It still hurt when you ended things, but it hurt a lot less than you thought it would. You realized the end really began when Chase left for his fellowship out of state and you noticed how much happier and free you felt when you were on your own. Why didn't you miss him more? Why didn't you miss him at all?

And yet, it didn't stop you from saying yes when he proposed. A big flashy proposal in front of both your families. You remember feeling frozen like a deer caught in the headlights of a car driven by your mother. Your mother's voice in your ear, You won't do better than a surgeon. Not with your looks. Not with those thighs you inherited from me. So you said yes and floated through the rest of the celebratory evening weighed down by the most obscene diamond ring, smiling and nodding like a robot while you drowned on the inside. Saying and doing exactly what you had been taught to do as the eldest daughter. Appease. Please. Live for everyone else. And don't rock the fucking boat.

Frankie couldn’t remember a Saturday when he had sweated so much. When is Pope going to get a proper A/C system for his gym? It'd been a week since Frankie met you at Redfly's and Pope had finally convinced him to come in for a workout despite his excuse that he had Gabi that weekend. I'm sure your mamá would love to spend some time with her nieta, Pope had pressed.

Which is how Frankie finds himself, curls dripping in sweat, looking up at Pope's crotch as Pope hands off the barbell for him to bench. Fuck, he’s out of shape. And getting old. Pretty sure he could hear both his shoulders creak under whatever weight Pope had shoved onto the bar. He grimaces at how he is going to feel tomorrow.

As he finishes his set and sits up, Frankie catches a blur of lavender and black greeting Benny and beelining to one of the lifting platforms near the entrance of the gym. It was you.

“You can quit starin', Fish, she’ll be here at least 2.5 hours. It’s her SBD Day,” Pope ribs. "You text her about dinner yet?"

"Um…" Frankie pauses before choosing deflection. "Uh, what's SBD?"

"Jesus, Fish, it's been over a week," Pope chides.

"I mean, we've texted a bit," Frankie mumbles, getting up from the bench and turning to face away from you, one hand cupping his neck.

"Squat, bench, deadlift," Pope responds.

"What?"

"That's what SBD stands for," Pope grunts, laying back on the bench to complete his set.

"She's going to do all three in one workout?!"

"She's planning to compete this year, so yeah," Pope unracks the barbell on his own as Frankie just stands there dumbfounded. He was beat just benching with Pope this morning.

He takes another glance in your direction as you wrestle your knee sleeves on and flop dramatically on the ground when you finish. As other members filter around your platform, you greet them like old friends with that warm, beaming smile of yours. Even the perpetually furrowed brow woman doing tire flips in one corner of the gym breaks out a smile when you arrive and wave at her. Frankie had noticed her shirt first, a deep red t-shirt with cut-off sleeves that read "STRONGER IS HARDER TO KILL" in aggressive black text.

He could watch you lift all day. The way you set up for your squat with mechanical precision. Your entire body language changes with a flick of a switch. You could be casually chatting with another person, but as soon as you walk up to the barbell and click your belt in place, you are methodical, intentional, focused. When your hands touch the barbell a streak of aggressive energy swirls around you as you swoop under the barbell and set your feet, left foot, then right. Two deep breaths and brace. A flick of your ponytail over the bar. Back tight against the bar with an assertive lift-off. Right foot back, then left. A brief pause. Then squat. Loading into your lower body with control. High knees. Weight midfoot. Driving up into each rep. Rep after rep. Pause. Re-rack. The switch flicks back when you lever off your belt and you're giggling again about something with someone until your next set. Rinse and repeat. It is fucking hot.

"C'mon Fish, top set," Pope prods, bringing Frankie back from his reverie with a groan. "If you get a move on, maybe we'll finish in time for you to offer your spotting services to her when she gets to her bench."

Frankie hustles.

As he spots Pope for his top set, he notices a toned, blonde man with a garish tan approach you as you stand to do another set. Instead of greeting him with your usual smile you gave everyone else, he sees your entire body tense at the man's approach. Frankie couldn't hear what Blondie is saying to you but you cross your arms, hands gripping your upper arms as you move to the edge of your platform, giving you as much distance as possible from the guy. You shake your head twice to whatever Blondie says.

This guy makes you uncomfortable, Frankie thinks to himself, paying rapt attention to the interaction. He loses himself in thought wondering what the story with Blondie is, if you had dated him before, or...?

Pope's grunt snaps his attention back to his friend as he helps Pope re-rack the bar.

"Who's the guy?" Frankie asks, tilting his head towards your direction. Pope glances over before he shrugs and responds, "His name is Michael? Mike? Kind of a bro."

Mike seems to have finally gotten the hint and stalked off. You stand there for a moment before glancing around the gym wondering if anyone else saw the interaction. Your eyes fell on him and Pope, lighting up before mouthing hi and giving Frankie the sweetest smile and small wave. Frankie felt his cheeks flush as he smiles back and looks down at the weights he had been removing from the bar.

"Fish, why are you taking all the weights off? We still have backdown sets!" Pope rolls his eyes. "Focus, cabrón."

As he and Pope work through the backdown sets that seem to take fucking forever, Frankie keeps a sharp eye out for Blondie in case the man decides to bother you again. Everything seems to have gone back to normal, as you finish your squats and adjust the rack for bench. Frankie notices a sudden shift in the gym's energy. Energy amping up as it seems like everyone is watching you more intently than he is. What the fuck is going on?

"Oh shit, it's time," Pope says, snapping to attention and moves towards you. "Let's go, don't wanna miss out on..."

"I thought we had one more set?" Frankie asks as he follows behind Pope.

"SNACK TIME!" bellows the woman in the aggressive Harder to Kill shirt who now stands next to you.

"Descend like locusts" drifts through your mind as you dig out two enormous Tupperwares of baked goods. Thank God for powerlifters and their appetites, otherwise your co-workers would complain about all the sweets you brought to the office. You didn't need that kind of negativity around such a delicious act of love.

Snack time became gym tradition on SBD Saturdays, usually between squat and bench. This week you made fluffy cinnamon rolls, a batch of regular flavored rolls with a light icing and an experimental batch of ube flavored rolls with delicate coconut icing, making them a delightful purple dressed in white swirls.

"Fuck, these are so good," Pope groans before taking another large chomp out of his purple cinnamon roll.

You see Frankie standing behind Pope, glancing around, bewildered at the crush of powerlifters crowding your platform to grab a treat. You manage to squeeze through the throng of biceps and quads to reach him.

"Saved you half of each," you smile up at him before proffering up your baked treats. He seemed surprised you thought to save him some.

"S'good, so good," he groans between bites. "S'not too sweet either. I really like that."

"That's why we call her Sweets," the furrow-browed woman says as she walks up to you and Frankie. When Frankie gives her a confused look, she explains, "It's the highest praise she gives for dessert, not too sweet."

"Ah yeah, no one really calls me by my name," you explain with a shrug. "Everyone just calls me Sweets, honestly." Frankie nods with comprehension, shoving the rest of the roll into his mouth as if to give himself an excuse to avoid talking.

"Frankie, this is Chloé. Chloé, Frankie," you introduce the two of them. Chloé gives you a meaningful look before grunting a nice to meet you at Frankie. When she gives him an extra firm handshake you inwardly roll your eyes.

The first time you met Chloé, she immediately sized you up, trying to not-so-subtly find out if you were interested in Benny. It made sense since you had just squatted him in front of the whole gym to get him to shut the hell up. It could have been interpreted as a sweet pick-up move (if you thought so yourself, although you hadn't tried it on someone you actually wanted to pick-up, pick-up yet). As soon as you snorted that yes, you thought Benny was hot, but no, absolutely not your type, Chloé released her arched brows and decided you were okay, or at least not mortal enemies. She even offered some valuable insight into the idiosyncrasies of Pope's Gym and its members.

You soon learned that her fierce demeanor and myriad of furrowed expressions ("Yeah, I'm aware. My mom reminds me all the fucking time my face is going to get stuck like this if it hasn't already.") protected her thoughtful, kind, and sweet interior. Her broad shoulders, taut muscles, long single braid down her back, and aggressively worded shirts struck an intimidating image. You won her over once you plied her with snacks you kept in your gym bag. Premium snacks, every powerlifter's dream.

"Why are you sharing the good stuff," she asked, a skeptical arched eyebrow appearing once again.

"Us girlies gotta stick together," you reason. "Plus, who else is going to listen to you gush about Benny's abs?"

You both bonded over training cycles (fuck volume week, you can't count higher than 5 in the gym), training on your cycle (uuuuugh, just gut me now), creative ways to consume enough carbs (you both loved to bake and began swapping recipes at an alarming frequency), Benny's abs, and Pope's ass (dares may have been made to try and bounce a quarter off it). Chloé definitely had an enormous crush on Benny, but adamantly put her foot down when it came to dating anyone from the gym. Not gonna shit where I eat or something like that.

You treasured your friendship Chloé, the way she understood the highs and lows of training, didn't care you were basically a pariah in your family, and didn't give a flying fuck about other people's expectations. When you eventually shared why you moved to this part of town, how you ended up at Pope's Gym, and why you broke off your engagement, she looked you dead in the eye and congratulated you, "Sounds like that was a close call."

It made sense why she is now giving Frankie the once over, although you suspect it would take a lot longer and more than a few choice snacks to get Chloé to view Frankie without reservation. You appreciate how protective she is of you now that you are two peas in a powerlifting gym. Despite her own reservations about dating someone at the gym, she mostly kept her opinions to herself when you had mentioned going to have drinks with Benny's friends, including Pope's best friend.

Of course she was the first one you told the next morning as you warmed up for your workout — how the evening went, how you finally tried literally picking up someone you wanted to pick-up, pick-up, and your surprise when it worked. At the end of the night, Frankie had insisted on walking you to your car where he asked for your number with heat creeping up his neck before getting promptly distracted by your car. Wow, I've always wanted to drive one of these! Did you know they make some of the best rally cars? Oooh and it’s a manual! You may have suggested if he was lucky, you’d take him for a ride one day as you slid into the driver's seat. Before you even got home, your phone pinged with a message from him asking if you'd let him know when you got home safe.

"Just... be careful okay?" Chloé pressed, concern creased across her brows this time. "If Frankie starts working out here because he is the owner's best friend, you're gonna have to deal with some awkward shit if it doesn't work out."

"Good thing I have you as back-up," you teased back, earning you a Chloé shove of annoyed affection.

Frankie knows he's really in trouble now.

Between the glare from the serious looking woman, Chloé, shooting you pointed looks after you introduced the two of them, and the fluffiest, softest, most delectable cinnamon roll he's ever eaten in his life, he's either going to die getting strangled by Chloé when he eventually fucks things up with you or he's going to die of diabetes. Because Christ, you can bake too? How did you get the roll so light and fluffy? And just the perfect level of sweetness? Is that coconut in the icing on the purple cinnamon roll? Frankie loves sweets, but hates things that were so sweet it made his literal teeth hurt. Somehow you had managed the perfect balance of sweet. A fitting nickname, Sweets.

He peers around for the tupperware you brought, hoping a cinnamon roll may have escaped the locust of lifters that had descended just a few moments before, but the box is picked clean. It's then Frankie sees Mike grousing as he picks up and slams the container onto the floor.

"You didn't save one for me, Sweets?" he says, indignant words laced with outrage.

Frankie watches you flinch and move, putting as much space as you can between yourself and Mike.

"Fuck off, Mike." Chloé bites back, stepping in front of you.

"Even the new guy got one?" Mike jerks his head towards Frankie.

Frankie steps forward in line with Chloé and furrows his brows, hands clenching and unclenching. Who the fuck did Mike think he is?

"Yeah, well, I like him more," you push back, voice unsteady, staying partially hidden behind him and Chloé.

"What the FUCK did you just say bi—" Mike snarls, stalking forward just as Pope and Benny come up behind him. Benny clamps both hands on Mike's shoulders, staring daggers into the back of his head.

"Time to take a walk, buddy," Pope instructs, as Benny steers Mike around and marches him in the opposite direction. It takes Frankie a moment to realize he'd also moved, putting himself between Mike and the two of you, ready to protect. He drops his arms before turning back towards you.

Eyes wide, you release a long, shakey exhale and roll your shoulders away from your ears. After a moment you move to slide an arm around him and Chloé. "Thanks for having my back," you say to the ground. He can still feel a slight tremor in your arm before you drop them.

"Mike's such a fucking douchebag," Chloé huffs, glaring in the direction Benny and Pope had gone with Mike to before looking at Frankie with a flicker of appreciation before resuming her usual scowl.

"Wasn't gonna let him touch either of you," Frankie hesitates, "Know you're both strong women that can handle shit, but he's got at least 30 pounds on either of you. Wouldn't be ok just sittin' back if I could do something 'bout it."

Your eyes shift around him, glancing to make sure Mike hadn't suddenly come running back, before looking up at him, eyes still wide, before thanking him again. "Yelling... freaks me out. I — I don't... handle it very well sometimes." Chloé eyes you like she knows a lot more behind what you're talking about.

Frankie's unsure of what to do next. He wants to pull you to him, hold you, promise you you are safe and he won’t ever let Mike or anyone touch a hair on you ever. He longs to soothe the terrified expression off your face, wants to know what else made you so afraid besides what happened today. He isn’t good at many things, but Frankie knows he is built to protect the people he cares about, always making sure all the guys came home to their loved ones, safe. He wants to be the one who cares about you, protects you from anything that could hurt you, even if you are capable of standing up for yourself.

You take a few more slow deep breaths, staring at the entrance of the gym, before tearing off your squat shoes and knee sleeves. A switch flips and you're back to lifting mode, focused and determined, setting up the rack for your bench.

Frankie thinks he catches Chloé rolling her eyes when you shyly ask if he'd stick around and spot you in a few sets. "Absolutely," he breathes, delighted at the excuse to stay near you.

"Look," you continue, all business. "My top set is going to get real grindy, the bar might even come to a total stop, but don't touch the fucking bar unless it goes back down, okay?" you look at him over your shoulder waiting for confirmation before you lie back on the bench.

"Yes, ma'am."

<<prev chapter next chapter >>

Notes: nieta = granddaughter; cabrón = asshole

🙏🏽 Thank you for continuing to read! Your comments and reblogs have been giving me lifeeeee! I'm still bad at tumblr and new to tags/warnings, so if I missed something please let me know. Planning to post every other week since I have a lot of travel coming up.

I am open to constructive feedback but please be gentle with this baby powerlifting writer, yeah? I might be able to squat you, but I'm a big ol' softie.

Taglist is open: @katareyoudrilling @christinamadsen @rebel-held @littlemisspascal @burntheedges

[iamnotoriginalphil]

Hello, I love your writing and it really makes my day honestly.

And I was wondering if you could do an x reader with either Larissa Regina Mills or Lesso. I'm kinda indecisive lol

I was listening to "like real people do" by Hozier And was hoping you could do a story based off of/around it mainly the line

"Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips, We should just kiss like real people do."

Turns out, I'm indecisive too, so you can have all three based on that lyric. I hope you like it!

Larissa

You only came to the weathervane for one reason, and it wasn’t the excellent hot chocolate. You’d noticed the same woman coming in week after week, and after asking around you’d come to find out where she was from. Nevermore. The one place you had been warned against.

You didn’t care.

You’d pursued her with an intensity you’d never done anything else. Larissa Weems was a goddess walking amongst mortals and you were determined to make her yours. She was all you wanted in Jericho.

Only she didn’t seem to understand it at all. No matter how many times you slid into the booth across from her, lavishing smiles and compliments on her, she remained as icy as always. You kept trying to melt her, wanting her to see how serious you were taking it. She’d yet to scare you off, and you were sure she never would. The only way you’d stop was if she told you to, and she hadn’t yet. There was still hope.

It was on a wintery afternoon that you found her, sitting, sipping her coffee. You slid in across from her, not even bothering to order a drink of your own. She was all you wanted in the shop.

“I don’t know how you do it, but every time I see you you’re more beautiful each time,” you said, “someone so beautiful shouldn’t have to buy their own coffee. Let me buy you the next one.”

“I have no interest in being the butt of your joke,” she said, “so you can leave me alone now.”

“Joke?’ You shook your head, “you think I’m joking about my feelings?”

“I know the reputation Nevermore has in Jericho,” she replied.

“So?”

“So I know what this means,” she replied, “I know how people in town feel about outcasts.”

“I think if anyone is listening to the stereotypes around town it isn’t me,” you replied.

She stared at you for a moment. You waited, giving her time to digest your accusation. You figured you weren’t the one with the hang up, that she was bringing her own prejudices to your interactions. All you wanted was for her to look past your differences.

“I’m not sure I know what you mean,” she said, keeping her voice even.

“If you’re willing to ignore whatever it is the town says about outcasts and normies, then I am too. We’re just people, not whatever they think we are,” you said, “I’d like the chance to show you exactly how serious my feelings for you are.”

“And how do you propose you do that?” she asked.

“One kiss, just one,” you suggested, “if after that you’re still not feeling the spark, I’ll leave you alone.”

“One kiss? That’s it?” She raised an eyebrow at you before looking around the relatively crowded Weathervane.

“If you’re okay with that,” you replied, shrugging. You had nothing to hide.

“Go on then.” You could tell she thought she was calling your bluff.

You stood, sliding into the seat beside her. Her eyes widened but she didn’t move. You’d never been that close to her and it was a little overwhelming. She was so beautiful and you found the floral scent that seemed to cling to her skin intoxicating.

You placed your hand on her shoulder, shifting closer until your thigh pressed against hers. Her eyes darted down to it, then back to you.

“You’re still sure?” you asked, to wanting to make her uncomfortable.

“Of course,” she replied.

You drew closer slowly, giving her time to change her mind. When she didn’t try to push you away or escape from you, you smiled to yourself.

The first brush of lips was like heaven. You pressed closer, doing your best to show her the way you would worship her for the rest of eternity. She gasped into your mouth and you let your tongue slip in, hoping she could feel the spark you’d been feeling since the first conversation.

And then she was kissing you back. One of her hands landed on your thigh, the other threading through the hair at the nape of your neck. She surprised a moan out of you, pulling you closer. If you weren’t in such a public place you would be climbing into her lap, making her feel the electricity that was running over your skin.

“I suppose one date wouldn’t be be a terrible idea,” she murmured against your lips.

Ignoring the whispering around you, you kissed her again, long and slow, taking your time now you knew it wasn’t your only chance. You had plenty of time to kiss her again and again and again. The rest of your life if she’d let you. Which it seemed she might.

Regina

You could stare at her forever. That was the simple fact of the matter. Regina was a work of art, one that was constantly changing and growing, and always so beautiful. You had no idea how you’d gotten so lucky to know her.

You’d ended up getting caught up when Anna was transported to Storybrooke, doing your best to help her save her sister. And you’d chosen to stay when they were sent back to Arendelle. Because of Regina. Because you’d fallen in love amongst all the fighting. Because you had hope.

All of which is to say, you were now absolutely screwed.

Being normal, one of the few people in Storybrooke without magic or a fairytale of your own, led to you feeling as if you were fading into the background. After helping Anna and Elsa as best you could, you hadn’t been called in to help since. Which you understood, but it did mean you didn’t get to see Regina that much.

Except for when she came into Granny’s. You’d gotten a job there, finding it not much different from back home. You’d worked in a tavern back there, and giving people warm food and drink was second nature to you. Seeing her in the diner was the best part of your day.

“Coffee, please,” she requested, slumping over the counter.

“Coming right up,” you said, offering her your brightest smile. She was so beautiful in the afternoon sunlight streaming in. She was always beautiful. It made your heart hurt.

Putting the cup down in front of her, you hoped she would take a moment to look down at the heart you’d drawn for her. You turned back, going for coy. You’d been flirting with her since you’d arrived, and you thought she’d been flirting back. It felt like flirting. It made your heart stutter in your chest like flirting did.

When you glanced back over your shoulder she was looking down into her mug, a slight smile on her face. You pressed your lips together to keep from grinning.

“Alright, out,” Granny said, shooing you away, “your shift is done and I’m not willing to pay you overtime.”

“It’s already that time?” You looked up at the clock, “time flies when you’re serving pie I guess.”

You tugged your apron off, handing it over to Granny. She offered you a fond smile, patting your hand as you walked out from around the counter.

“It certainly flies when you’re flirting with your favourite customer,” she said, chuckling when your cheeks warmed. You stuck your tongue out at her, turning back to look at Regina. She was gone, the coffee left untouched, bell jingling over the door.

You froze before bolting out the door. Head whipping one way and the other, you frantically searched for her in the street. Hurrying away from you, heels clacking on the pavement, her familiar figure was easy enough to spot. You ran after her.

“Did I make your coffee wrong?” you asked as you caught up to her.

“No, it was perfect,” she said, not quite looking at you.

“You didn’t even touch it.” You shot her a teasing smile. She didn’t return it, “okay, well, I’m sorry for the bad coffee.”

“The coffee was fine,” she snapped. You swallowed past the lump growing in your throat.

“Alright, well, something is wrong and I’m going to guess it’s because of me so I’m still sorry because I never want to hurt you or make you uncomfortable or anything,” you said, hearing yourself ramble but not able to stop.

“It wasn’t you,” she said, stopping.

You turned back to her, watching as she brushed her hair off her face. She wasn’t looking at you, looking at a point just over your shoulder. Your heart clenched.

“What happened?” you asked.

“I think, perhaps, it would be a good idea if we stopped seeing each other,” she said.

“Why?” You felt as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over you.

“We are not meant to be together,” she said, “I’m sorry, but this has to stop now before anyone else gets hurt.”

“Anyone else?” She wasn’t making any sense.

“Anyone else other than me,” she said.

“You think this won’t hurt me?” you asked. No, demanded.

“It doesn’t matter.” She turned away from you.

You grabbed her arm, forcing her to face you. She snarled, trying to pull out of your grip but you held on tighter, stepping closer to her.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Why do you think we aren’t meant to be together?” you asked, softening your voice, not wanting her to feel nervous or like you were attacking her.

“Just look at the fairytales in this realm,” she said, “we’re from completely different places.”

“Different places we can travel to,” you countered, “we’re not from different realms.”

“But we are from different stories,” she said.

“Do you think something that small is going to stop me from loving you?”

You said it a lot louder than you’d intended. Her mouth fell open and you saw her eyes flicking around, as if unable to look at you full in the face. You stepped closer to her, until you felt her body heat radiating towards you.

“Just forget how the fairytales go here. We make our own fairytale.”

She finally looked at you properly. She gave her head a small shake but there was something in her gaze that gave you hope. Something soft and yearning, like she was beginning to believe in you.

“We’ve been dancing around this for too long, so I need you to know I’m going to kiss you now,” you said.

She didn’t say anything which you took to mean she was okay with it. You let your lips brush against hers, soft, barely there, giving her time to push you away. She didn’t. Instead, she grasped the back of your neck, pulling you against her, kissing you hard. You sighed into her mouth, only half believing it was actually happening.

She nipped at your lower lip, tongue sweeping in, leaving you feeling thoroughly hot under the collar. All you could do was hold on, kissing her with all the unspoken feelings you’d been hiding from her.

Someone wolf-whistled further down the street. She broke away, staring over her shoulder at Hook, glaring at him. You ignored him, cupping her cheek and pulling her into another kiss. You weren’t about to stop now that you finally had her.

Lesso

Lesso watched from her tower window as your sword shone in the sunlight. You weren’t staying long, only teaching for a semester at both schools, one of the most renowned knights in their realm. Her lip curled, thinking about all the good you’d done, all the evil you’d vanquished.

You shook your hair out of your face, your smile wide. You were sparring with one of the students. You held your hand out, gesturing for them to come towards you. The prince ran at you and you laughed, properly laughed at him. His sword swung and you ducked, rolling out of the way. With a booted foot, you kicked him in the ass, sending him sprawling to the ground.

She turned away, but not before she saw your face turned up to the sky, your smile brighter than the sun.

It became part of her daily routine to watch you teach your class out in the sun. She hated it, the way she was drawn to her window, unable to stop watching you. Your reputation was well deserved and it made her blood boil.

She found herself lying in bed at night, your lessons playing through her mind. She could see the way you handled your sword, the way you moved, so graceful and so powerful. Your smile, the joy you took in the fights, was a sight that made her heart race but she couldn’t figure out why.

Then Dovey was standing at her doorway, smiling that so called charming smile, while you stood at her shoulder. She lent back in her throne like chair, watching you approach.

“I’ve heard you’ve yet to meet our resident knight,” Dovey said, “that’s rather rude given our students are enjoying the lessons so.”

“Yes, yes, I’m acting in a manner befitting evil,” she said.

“Hi, it’s lovely to meet you,” you said.

She finally looked at you properly, and you were so much more radiant than the distance had suggested. You were smiling, but not as brightly as you did in the ring, softer, more intimate. Your eyes were twinkling at her and you held out your hand to her.

She took your hand, surprised by how pleasant the callouses on your palm were against her skin. You were warm and when she looked back at your face, you were biting down on your bottom lip. She wasn’t expecting her breath to catch as she looked at you.

“You’re the reason for the dusty footprints on my students,” she said.

“Guilty as charged.” And the way you smiled made her wish she could ask to go toe to toe with you.

From there, she slowly began to creep closer and closer to your lessons, her interest only growing as she watched. You were surprisingly soft with your students, despite resoundingly beating them in every match. You weren’t afraid to adjust grips and stance, shouting encouragements into the ring. Although you did seem to love throwing them curve balls.

Her favourite was when you caught her eye just before vines began to sprout out of the ground, reaching for the ankles of your students. Her answering grin as one was dragged to ground lit your face up. Maybe you were more interesting than she first thought.

After one such lesson, the ground muddied from a wave of water that had drenched your students, she approached you. You were standing in the middle of the grounds, head tilted back to the sky, grin on your lips.

“I’m surprised Dovey keeps you around when you treat her students so abominably,” she said, trying for a conversational tone.

“She knows they could be attacked by anything,” you replied, “no such thing as a fair fight.”

The way you were looking at her wasn’t fair. It was like you were imagining pinning her down while also yearning to be underneath her. Like you were curious to see what would happen if you let her test out her magic on you. Like you wanted to do unspeakable things with her.

“Not when you’re fighting evil,” she replied.

“Is good always fair in a fight?” you asked, vaulting over the wooden fence, “I must have missed that lesson.”

The twinkle in your eye was the most enticing thing she’d ever seen.

“You’ve been watching my lessons,” you said.

Her heart stuttered but she tilted her chin up, looking down her nose at you. You swiped your hair out of your face again, looking up at her from under fluttering eyelashes. You looked so good, like a perfect little knight fighting for what was right.

“I bet you didn’t expect me to notice, but I did,” you continued, taking those steps towards her, “you’ve been watching me since I arrived.”

You stopped right in front of her, and there was so much mischief in your face it took her breath away.

“Luckily for you, I’ve been watching you too,” you whispered.

“In order to find my weaknesses?” she asked, lifting her eyes to meet yours.

“Because I think you’re the most enchanting creature in existence.”

She froze. You were looking at her, waiting, head tilted to the side. She wanted your eyes off her, didn’t want you to see the way she was struggling to compose herself. You were smiling. She wanted you to stop smiling. It was making her heart do funny things.

“You’re good,” she spat. Your lips pressed together but she could see the mirth on your face.

“And you’re evil,” you replied and she could hear the laughter in your voice.

“This is repulsive,” she said.

“If it’s so repulsive why have you been looking at me that way?” you asked.

“What way?” Her heart stopped.

“Like you’re imagining me naked.”

Her hand shot out, ready to grab you around the throat. You caught her around the wrist, tugging her forward. She wasn’t expecting it, falling against you. Your other arm came around her waist, holding her, and that familiar spark of anger spread through her veins.

“Let me go,” she demanded.

“Not until you admit you want me,” you said, “if it helps, I’ll admit that I want you.”

“You can’t. You’re good and I’m evil. It’s not natural,” she said.

“Forget that. Forget good and evil, and just do what you want.”

She took a moment, staring at you. Then she lunged forward, pulling you in. She kissed you hard, going for harsh, but then you were kissing her back so with so much enthusiasm it turned her breathless. So incredibly breathless.

No one good should be able to kiss that way. It was sinful.

When you drew back, your smile wide and lips kiss swollen, it was the only time she considered switching her allegiance, if only to keep kissing you. Maybe you were thinking of doing the same, switching sides, because you kissed her again before she could catch her breath. With each kiss it became easier to forget you were on opposing sides and it was wrong.

But maybe there was a thrill with it being wrong. She was evil after all.

[rems-writing]

Alternative Remedies

Pairing: fwb idol!San × witch gn!reader

Summary: One fuck up after another and the youngest Mills child is officially fed up. Good thing San is in town. And he has certain ways to make his lover relax

Warning(s): Cursing, yelling, a teeny bit of violence, mentions of stress, cockwarming, size kink, homeboy is playing with your ass a lot lol

Genre: Angst with a supposed fluffy ending and definitely smut

Nets: @mirohs-aurora-society

Thank you to @bunnliix for giving me the drabble title

Done.

That's what you were.

Just utterly fucking done.

You were just supposed to relax and help Mr. Gold and Belle take care of baby Gideon but nope! You had to go on a small quest with Snow White and David Charming. Emma and Hook were taking care of baby Neal and you couldn't use Henry as an excuse to opt out of this quest since the young boy was with Zelena. She wanted to bond with him a bit more and Regina volunteered to take care of baby Robin. So now here you were.

Sitting in the back of a cop car

With the Seven Dwarves

And they were yapping about such damn nonsense. You forgot your earbuds at home so you couldn't ignore their endless bickering about whatever the fuck they were on about. When it was time to catch the bad guy, you teleported out of the car and in between Emma's parents.

The quest was easy. You took out the bad guys with ease. So why were you so fed up? Simple.

Dopey swung his pickaxe and tried to hit the bad guy but they dodged at the last second and the tip of the axe slashed your arm. What was worse was that it was laced with magic.

Light magic.

And you dealt with dark magic for the main part.

When you screamed, or screeched in pain, random bursts of spells were expelled from your palms and everyone was blown backwards.

Which leads us to now.

You were yelling at Dopey for being stupid and not paying attention to where the axe was thrown and Grumpy stood up for him. Poorly may I add.

Snow and David swore they say smoke come out of your ears as you cussed out Grumpy. The angry dwarf remained stoic but the couple could tell he was afraid for his life.

"SCREW THIS! SCREW ALL OF YOU! FUCK THIS SHIT! I'M DONE!"

You threw Dopey's pickaxe to the side and teleported out of the forest in a puff of smoke. You were now in your apartment, sighing to yourself as you laid on the bed. Then, a notification appeared on your phone and you were about to tell whoever texted you to fuck off when a look of pleasant surprise appeared on your face.

San: Hey, baby

San: I'm in town

San: Well, technically I'm in New York lol anyways

San: My group finished the first concert for our American tour and I told them that I was gonna stay behind since they wanted to go out. Told them I wasn't feeling too well.

San: Wanna come over? We don't have to fuck. I just want you close to me.

You didn't think twice about responding back. Choi San was definitely someone that could help you with your stress. It's even better since he knows you're a witch so you didn't feel the need to cover up your words if you were going to rant to him plus you can poof in front of him anytime you'd like

You: Sure. I'll be there in a bit. Lemme get ready.

San: I'm in the same hotel as last time. I'll be waiting, kitten.

And that's how you ended up in his room, straddling him and kissing him fiercely. He matched your ferocity and grabbed your ass a lot. He squeezed your hips and played with both of your cheeks for a bit before pulling away.

"Bad day today?"

"Oh you don't know the half of it, Sannie."

As you ranted about your day, he mindlessly played with the hem of your jacket and listened to your words tentatively. He cradled your face and kissed your forehead softly.

"I know you put a spell on this jacket so your memory doesn't get fucked up since you're outside of Storybrooke. But may I remove it for now? I want to feel you." He asked gently. "I thought you didn't want to have sex." You were confused. "I don't but still. I need you with me. Do you catch my drift?" He clarified and it dawned on you. "Yeah you can remove it for now. I need you as well." He smiled at your confirmation before slowly shrugging off your jacket and setting it on the nightstand. You took off your leggings and San brought you into a deep kiss before licking his fingers and plunging them into your hole. While he was doing that, you took off your shirt and so did he.

You forgot how wide he was and you almost came on the spot.

As you were admiring his strong build, he sunk you down onto his equally thick cock and you moaned loudly. He chuckled smoothly and leaned in to nip, kiss, and lick at your neck. He missed marking you up. You tried your best not to squirm around since you were just cockwarming him, but with the way he was smacking and grabbing your ass, you couldn't help but wiggle in his strong hold. He pressed you against his semi naked form and just held you. He may have been shirtless, but his sweats and boxers were just pulled down to the middle of his thighs.

You mindlessly ran your hands over his broad shoulders and gawked at his firm chest, tiny waist, sculpted abs, pretty collarbone, muscular arms, and his face.

Oh his face was to die for.

Sharp jawline, sharper eyes, a pretty nose, pretty lips, high cheekbones, and

Was that an eyebrow slit?

"Nice brow slit." You commented randomly and he smiled. You found it endearing when his smile made his eyes crinkle and almost close up. "Thank you. I wanted to try something new." He explained. "Well you look nice."

For the rest of the time, you were just sitting on his cock, moving every now and then to keep him firm so he doesn't go limp and slip out. You definitely needed this. You felt all your stress wash away and you sighed in content as you looked down at the man that was holding you down onto his cock.

Choi San will be the death of you.

[joysmercer]

What would happen if Nina never came to Amun Boarding Academy?

i think patricia would have lost it with worry as she did in canon, but with no nina-took-her-place!! accusations, people (fabian and mara, mainly) would have been less dismissive, even if they didn't quite share her worry. the facetime with joy would have happened a lot quicker as a result since everyone would want answers. but i simply don't think sarah would have dumped the locket on them (one, because she has no kinship with them, and two, since it wouldn't work for them anyway), so they would not have any way to truly discover the ~mystery~, let alone solve it.

patricia's pre-sibuna plotlines (up until kidnapping rufus) would be mostly the same, though, maybe dragging fabian along with her (since he's not busy with nina)…but more likely that he refuses to participate but knows what she's up to, so he ends up being the one to bail her out lol. joy would have still sent her the messages/been there in the audience, and i'd like to think they still find her on prom night and know something is up, but it's not going to be as clean as an ending because they have no way of knowing what that something is.

so then joy would have come back super duper traumatized with no answers, and maybe she'll fill in patricia and fabian about what she knows, but certainly not amber – not that that thought would even occur to her, anyway, considering amber would not have founded sibuna if it weren't for nina. and then nothing would happen in s2 because there's no fabina date-turned-senkhara release (actually, there's no cup for senkhara to be stuck in in the first place). maybe they see the adults milling around and follow them, but it's more likely that the adults are unsuccessful since they can't spy on the kids and get the answers.

jerome's entire thing would still happen though, so he'd still get the gem and have to deal with rufus…not sure how that would shape up but I think this is when eddie's Osirian powers would awaken somehow (even with the actual chosen one miles away and unaware), and patricia (dragging joy and fabian with her) would follow him and that's how they all get involved?

but then s3 rolls around and no one knows anything because sweet's kept his mouth shut, and maybe alfie steals that bracelet but i doubt that, without 2 years of sibuna shit under their belts, the kids would even think of it being a mystery, let alone decide to follow the trail or whatever. not to mention the fact that amber wound not even be involved in sibuna anyway. actually, i feel like amber would have just bugged the school to give her a year-round place and stayed in the states after fashion camp without ever coming back lolol but for the sake of this, she does come back first

so amber has the bracelet and probably just gives it right back to victor. maybe jerome gets involved via alfie and is like idk if you should have done that but they don't listen because what is he even talking about.

so kt shows up with this key and it's her and eddie against the world, except eddie immediately confides in fabian about his visions, and since fabian doesn't have a (weak) excuse to be a dummy about it in this au, the three of them immediately start working together. and jabian stays besties throughout s2 and up to this point because at least that aspect of her psyche is a little less traumatized here, so joy's in, and brings patricia with her. but, like, no locket! and probably no bracelet! so they have no leads or ideas…and this is when jerome crashes the party like "yo victor's package was a mysterious bracelet and i think it's important?" and somehow they figure out denby's a fraud and the adults are Up To Something. and joy's like "i know their weaknesses let's get em" and they try to thwart the eclipse ceremony, but fail to do so, in basically the same way in canon (except that both jerome and joy also know what's going on). so now alfie's involved too because "wtf was that, guys," and the lead up to the rfs-is-alive reveal is all pretty much the same besides the extra sibuna members.

(also cheating arc still happens amidst all the ceremony drama lol) (and the fake date-turned-peddie getting back together) (and the dog-washing-turned-jeroy-arc)

so anyways! with nearly the whole house involved, and especially joy, there's a buddy system immediately implemented to make sure none of them get taken (miss mercer's directive, obvi). sinners are victor, sweet, and mara. patricia does get jealous here, but joy recognizes it and manages to calm her down (/not let her run off alone anywhere/throw her laptop in the toilet). so that's not a thing.

so the phonograph doesn't get destroyed, they manage to break out the three sinners before 2 more are taken, and all is fine in the world…

until he and patricia and kt go back to the states for university and the two of them meet kt's new roommate ("she was actually my bestie in preschool! small world!") and now that the chosirian are together again, well…

college!sibuna, anyone?

[teopatra]

💙 Happy Blue Moon🌕 💙

💙🌕💙🌕💙💙💙🌕🌕🌕🌕💙💙💙🌕💙🌕💙

Posts like these you don’t sea 👁️ often .. maybe once every blue moon 🧿👄🧿

🪩♓️🪩♓️🪩♓️🪩♓️🪩♓️🪩♓️🪩♓️🪩♓️🪩♓️

Todays pick a pile messages are songs since Pisces energy and full moons are likened to mermaids whom are know for being sirens 🚨 🧜🏽‍♀️ 🧜‍♂️

Message 1:

During the full moon transit you’ll feel like there is a stillness in their air. Kind of like when the ocean gets eerily calm before a storm. A peaceful terror. You could feel the urge to be by yourself more or hermit in your own energy; it will befit you to turn off your devices and just listen to the sounds around you and your mind. The best thing you can utilize your phone for right now is noting your synchronicities and your feelings. If you notice people being distant don’t take it personally, but pay attention to how that makes you feel and the conversations people have with you especially your tone. Others you know are facing introspection and are delving into the deepest parts of their psyche. The intensity of repressed emotions may be too much for most to handle. I noticed my social media page engagements are lower than normal today, it reminds me of a ghost town with nothing but tumble weeds lol that’s the energy of this Pisces full moon. Work with quartz crystals, protect your immune system and indulge in a warm bath, shower, or foot soak since Pisces rules the feet.

Message 2:

At this time you will experience MORE lucid dreams. Pay attention to the people in your dreams and what these particular people may say to you in your dreams. It’s one thing to be lucid in the dream state but it’s another to wake up with dream amnesia. Why is that? Bc something in your waking life is not aligned with your higher self meaning you could indulging in bad habits like not getting enough rest and over saturating your third eye with too much media. You’re prob a creative person or a water sign so you should be clearing your mind. Create something that is visually stimulating for you to aid in your create process and ease/unload the mind; mercury rx is cashing a lot of mental tension rn. A salt bath, a foot soak with pink Himalayan salt or you may need to gargle with salt water to unblock throat chakra blockages. Try sleeping next to grounding crystals and dream enhancing crystals like blue apatite. Also don’t sleep directly next to your phone, turn TV’s, mirrors, phones, tablets, and other types of black mirrors away from your bed if you can. If not try covering them with a towel or something light. Work on protecting your aura and strengthening your auric field

Message 3:

Worrying about an ex at this time is unhealthy for you. As much as you may think this person will change it’s not up to you to focus on them, pour into yourself wholeheartedly and you’ll see where your shadow work needs to be done and why you feel the need to give to someone who probably doesn’t have your best interest at this time. I see a lot of people from your past being nostalgic over you, but that is none of your concern anymore. Turn from the past and be open to all possibilities ( this is the mantra for piscerian energy). Your destiny is waiting for you, but you are holding on to your karmic energy. The moon has met up with Saturn as he’s been transiting Pisces since the beginning of the year, so challenge yourself to let go of the things that aren’t serving you and you know what they are. Also everyone seems to be on edge so it’s best to just be quiet stay out the way and mind your business until mercury retrograde blows over. If you’ve been overindulging in tarot stop, OR you may notice that tarot isn’t resonating with you lately like it used to. Try intuitive games to improve your own cartomancy or tarot skills if you’re into that

Message 4:

I see you have done a lot of shadow work over the years and it has caused you to feel a bit isolated at times and that’s because others have not done ENOUGH self development therefore you are not resonating with most people. You are supposed to soar and it may feel lonely at the top but know that you are an example of Christ consciousness to those around you. you are a beacon of light that illuminates a path behind you. You are not a flash light searching for dark spots. Reward yourself for how far you’ve come and don’t stop because this is how you will romanize your life turning fantasies into reality. The full moon wants you to relax and to plan ahead so you can have a more fulfilled day. Pisces is a mutable sign meaning ever changing , therefore this energy can be a bit sporadic. Which isn’t always bad, BUT I see time can easily evade you if your daily intentions aren’t set properly. You’ll see what I mean if you haven’t already. I see you thinking back on this post weeks later like ohhhh now I get it. 🤭 also eat some more vegetables, try making more home cooked meals bc it’ll be therapeutic .

Message 5:

Please be mindful that with most people in their late 20’s experiencing their Saturn returns with the moon currently in the same sign as Saturn may force you to observe people change for the better or for worse. It all depends on one’s karma and the work they’ve chosen to do or lack thereof. With the sun being n Virgo and Virgo being the sign of the hermit, the change of season will cause you and others to recluse and maybe even become lethargic. For example during this time of year most people go back to school, and as the older generation phases out and retires, the old “students” are the new teachers. I see a lot of millennials changing the dynamics of school systems compared to how we experienced it growing up. You are the future, help your inner child and inner teenager even if you’re an adult by connecting with those younger than you. If YOU are a teenager pay attention to those in their mid to late twenties. A lot of times we think our lives are going to go certain ways and end up something completely diff. Just know that if you’re aspiring to do something that may not need a traditional education don’t waste your money going to school for something you don’t even really wanna do or you’re doing it for just the money or to satisfy family. Find the moon tonight and do some moon gazing , stare at her and let your mind wonder off; your higher self will handle the rest.

Message 6:

People want to know what you’re up to 👀 I see you have a magnetic energy like the moon. People stare at you like they do the moon, for some reason I see you’re a walking personification of a mirrored portal. You are a conduit of the higher dimensions, you see a person but they see you as a hypnotic metronome. Just like the effect the full moon has on mythological creatures like mermaids and werewolves, I’m seeing you know you had some time of power of psychic gift but you’ll begin to resonate with being other worldly as your gifts play out in front of you. Pisces energy is about illusions and for some reason you create an optical illusion that doesn’t play tricks on peoples eyes but their minds 😵‍💫 THIS message will only resonate with a small few but please comment if you experience any weird nuisances. With great power comes great responsibilities, be careful not to put people in trances at the wrong time, don’t stare at people back if they stare at you but if it’s a lover stare and you’ll both take an astral trip. Please move in silence at this time and work on grounding. Going into hermit mode will benefit you and please don’t get distracted by lust bc I see that being the side effect of this heightened power rn like a hungry vampire. Also stop trying to be captain sage a h*e and realize how earthly you’ve been, lighten your aura in weight.

🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🌖🌗🌘🌜

🩻This is your time to illuminate the truth deep within you bc you already hold the answers you seek.. there’s no research to be done at this time because you have spent the time and effort. Now you are reaping the rewards

[beautifulhigh]

someone on twitter had said that the polo scene was not well done because of the bagpipes and how the scenes were shot, and thats when I realized I need to get off fan twitter lol- the bagpipes matches the thrill/intensity/energy/primal feelings, and it was just so fricking awesome..you know i think ppl dont talk about the polo scene because its just so perfect, what else can you add (so thank you for dissecting it). my fave part was they got the music to time with henry's butt bouncing on the horse (haaa!!!) and the movements in the tackroom... it was like done with sexiness in mind but also WELL DONE.

Oh the editing was definitely done to match the beat of the music - you can tell that some shots have been sped up to suit. And for me that's part of the scene's appeal. This isn't like Paris, this isn't like Alex's bedroom. This is fast and passionate and desperate and fuelled with want.

I said in the meta that the polo scene was February/March at the earliest but it's feasible that it's in April... whatever time it happened it has been weeks since these horny young men got their hands on each other and they only have a short period of time to, well, get their hands on each other. We saw it in the book - even though there it takes place in Connecticut:

“Hey, isn’t there, uh, a thing?” Alex says. “You needed to. Uh. Show me?” Henry looks at him, glances at the dozens of millionaires and socialites milling around, and back at him. “Now?” “It was a four-and-a-half-hour car ride up here, and I have to go back to DC in an hour, so I don’t know when else you’re expecting to show it to me.” Henry takes a beat, his eyes flickering to the cameras again before he switches on a stage smile and a laugh, cuffing Alex on the shoulder. “Ah, yes. Right. This way.”

Alex literally did a nine-hour round road trip in the book, and a trans-Atlantic flight in the movie to hook up with Henry and that is very valid of him on both counts.

So yeah. It's going to be fast and frantic and over way too soon for a variety of reasons. And the fact that they placed about with the playback speed to reflect that is just A+ editing. Nick Moore, you get a cookie for that.

[crime-wives]

your turn. tell me about your wips 👀

oh lord... where do we begin. let's start with me meddison/grey's anatomy wips.

so you were never a saint, and i loved in shades of wrong. this wip is currently in progress, two chapters on ao3 so far. basically my take on an angsty s2 meddison. they run into each other constantly at joe's bar and are very sad.

hollywood au. my meddison hollywood au in which meredith is unwillingly dragged into the spotlight after finding out her boyfriend is a. married, and b. famous. she gets a guest role on the same tv show as him and his wife. things spiral from there.

dead derek s4 au. basically what the title implies. a 'what if' scenario in which derek died in s4, and meredith and addison connect over shared grief.

tedstina fic. this wip is if after owen cheats on her, cristina shows up, drenched, at teddy's apartment all 'i didn't know where else to go.' there is lots of sad, gay, pining.

now... we move on to my swan queen wips. there are a lot, be prepared.

sad regina mills fic #1. a very angsty wip about regina's relationship with food, set during s1 of ouat. she's not dealing very well with henry hating her, and she turns to one of her coping mechanisms, which may or may not land her in the hospital.

sad regina mills fic #2. set after cora's death, little snippets of regina reflecting on her mother, and childhood. some hurt/comfort, also hurt/no comfort so.

say don't go song fic. regina reflecting on herself and emma in the middle of the night, with the dagger, after emma's sacrifice post s4 finale. (also regina really misses emma and doesn't know what to do with herself.

s6 regina is sad about emma getting married fic. has this been done before, yes. but i want to do it. anyway, buckle up, this one is very sad. our favorite lovable idiots fight, and make up, there are 'i miss you' texts, and lots of lesbian pining.

camelot hurt/comfort au. a little ficlet, (which could spiral into something bigger if i'm not careful,) in which emma seeks comfort from regina on a day when the voices are really loud. there's bed sharing and cuddles, and also hook is thrown into a tree.

the hanahaki au. um well... this is exactly as it sounds. set like 4b-ish. regina starts coughing up flowers one day, and it slowly gets worse until she's almost dead.

there's bed-sharing in this one. after a fight with her parents, emma shows up at regina's place. there are feelings, angst, and surprisingly maybe fluff.

the road-trip fic. uber driver x runaway bride. that's all i'll say.

neverland rewrite. except swanqueen, and mentions of torture. two hurt women heal together and find their son.

there are more... but i'll stop there.

here are some ideas i've had, but haven't written yet:

regina on henry's birthday during the missing year

my hc that regina taught herself how to draw/paint during the first 18 years, and the people she paints as vignettes.

supercorp: lena knows kara is supergirl au, but angsty

my meddison fic after meredith grey almost drowns

oh, my star wars fusion swan queen fic

anyway... i'll end this here before i get too carried away lol (this took forever to type.)

[hexfloog]

One menacing little meitantei I finished back in September for a contest at Nan Desu Kan 2022 :3c He both lights up (shoes and glasses) and has secret definitely not evil details which can only be revealed under black light. He placed second in the "figurine" category!!

Base kit is this Bandai Entry Grade Conan Edogawa that can be bought very cheaply and assembled without any hobby-specific tools. But I am a hobbyist and I do have a lot of tools on hand so I went a little nuts (below the break):

Base is scratch-built from black acrylic and real brick and mortar (these little slips are the kind made for cladding dollhouses). Since the brick material is real, it's heavier than it looks. Box was designed to have a removable door on the bottom in order to access the custom LED wiring and the on/off switches. It's just a door with a notch in it that you pry off with any tool that will fit, as it's only being held in place with double-sided tape.

There are two custom LED circuits wired into the figure. One circuit controls the LED in his glasses and runs all the way from a tiny spot just above his left eye (the LED is very small! just .6mm) down through his body, to his feet, and into the base. The other controls the ones in his shoes. The wires are not visible except behind the door in the base, they are routed through many a hand-drilled hole.

The wires are incredibly fragile since they're so tiny... pieces fatigued off when I was putting this together since I was handling them too much trying to figure them out. I definitely could have done a better job here but I've given myself a pass since it's my first foray into this kind of stuff. It also works, so I can't ask for more, really.

The blue color in his eyes is hand-painted. The kit provides a sticker sheet for the details (below) but instead I opted to paint them in with my smallest brush because I'm a masochist I guess

For what it's worth, I think it paid off lol. I did try to apply at least one of these and I thought it looked incredibly jarring, plus I didn't really trust the strength of the adhesive to stick well while I hauled him around.

Similarly, the sticker that is used for the homing glasses radar on the lens that lights up is custom-made. The kit does not come with this detail and I wanted something to justify the trouble of wiring up his glasses. A custom waterslide decal would have been ideal, but the issue with this one would've been finding a vendor that can print white (most run-of-the-mill custom services can't).

Under black light, Conan is knee-deep in UV-reactive paint splatter. I wanted to mimic the look of a luminol reaction on blood. Yeah this might've been an extremely self-indulgent decision because the shine in his eyes glow with this same paint too LOL but there was no way I wasn't completing the look by going for some evil eyes >:) Makes him look like an animal at night and I'm very here for it and also tagging this as Evil Conan now hehehe

With the exception of his glasses, and his eyes, the entire kit is finished with a matte topcoat. Without it, he's got a very plastic, glossy shine to him. The topcoat protects the black light paint, too.

Anyway I'm quite proud of this and I'm glad I finally took good pics ;0; It's very different from my usual gunpla-adjacent stuff (Zoids) and because the kit is so affordable I was more comfortable with experimenting. I'm delighted to have placed at all in the contest, and now I have unwavering confidence I can carry this experience to other kits I have on backlog >w<

[dangerpronebuddie]

A title for you…

Hanging by a Thread

I have a wip titled Hanging By A Moment, so this is really neat to see lol.

But for this, I would most definitely go angst. Almost complete angst. Maybe Eddie suffers a setback in his healing- he loses a patient that hits too close to home, he sees a family member of Anita Mills maybe, or even the canon mess with Kim right now- any way it happens, he's not having a good time.

He confesses to Buck that he's not doing okay. For the sake of things, this is now a canon compliant idea. (I might start a wip, damn)

Anyway

Chris is mad about Kim. Marisol breaks up with him.

Then he learns about Bobby and Athena, and stays strong to be there for Buck. Then his parents show up. All through the mess, he's just fine. But he's not great.

He's hanging by a thread. So close to completely breaking again. But he has to fix the damage done to himself and Chris. He has to comfort Buck. He has to handle his parents. He can't break. He can't even cry.

Then Buck gets hurt in his attempt to find the arsonist.

Send me a fic title and I'll tell you what I'd write for it 🩷

[bos-basement]

ahhhhhhh i finally finished reading the script (link here, also if you know of any other scripts from earlier or later in production plz send, i would like to read those too)

and here are some of my notes!

bo sustains a knee injury, as well as the headlight getting busted here, in a cut intro you can view some of here, this would also be the only time he is shown to kill someone

nick is two years younger then carly, so they arent twins

paige wanted to marry blake instead of her being pregnent (which still doesnt matter in the end, seriously why was this her character detail?)

script implies its vincent at the campsite due to his laboured breathing, but bts implies that lester broke the fanbelt (i think its vincent cuz why would he have daltons camera?)

the roadkill pit is 8 foot deep and 50 feet in diameter

town used to be called Athelston, also used to be a mining town instead of having a sugar mill

lester fully enjoys being sadistic to carly and wade lmao

movie theater says its playing body snatchers lol

script takes into account louisiana heat (as well as infrastructure) for the house of wax

both bo and lester have a cb radio, def how they communicate about victims, also fake detour signs to lure people into town

the line about how carly could win the beauty pageant gets way darker when you know the victim from the cut intro was made into that wax figure

bo says trudy wanted to make a town of wax in his spiel to wade and carly, is this also a lie? also adds more credence to the theory that trudy also killed

victor and trudy switch places in the story, victor dies by house fire (full on lie which shows the story is at least not all true) and trudy kills herself

bo wouldve asked wade to help him in the house if he didnt need to go piss, bo had zero thought into killing them lmao

continuing he prolly talked to vince about a plan while wade and carly waited for him at the gas station

wade puts up more of a fight, very glad the movie didnt, that bitch deserved to get got cuz of all his snooping

carly escapes into a house (lesters mayhaps 👀 prolly not tho lol) instead of the church, she also gets a hit on bos hand

also escapes into community pool where bo catches her

jonesy is prolly vincents, she sleeps in the basement while he works on wade

"Bo (mocking) : What happened to Wade?" hes so silly goofy 🥰🤪😚

dalton and nick dont have a conversion about how nick took the blame for him

script makes a typo and calls nick wade for a line

dalton is the one to check out the gas station and talk with bo, bo leads him to the house of wax

ok i have to talk about the fanbelt now cuz wtf is up with it? bo has a 15 inch in a drawer at the shop, but like no one can appreciate the dramatic irony except us and him?? what would he have done if wade had a 16 or 14 inch?? do they only go after cars with 15 inch fanbelts????

ALSO!!! would he have just let wade and carly go if they had found the 15 inch????? BO IS FUCKING STUPID AND I LOVE HIM

AND!!!! ALSO!!!! as @hollabackgrl pointed out in her alternate scenarios post, what would have happened if lester/vincent stole the fanbelt out of blakes truck?? seriously bo lucked into wade having a 15 inch 😒

bo uses he/him pronouns for jonesy 😔😔 sad day for us girl jonesy truthers 😔😔😔

also the script keeps calling her "The Mongrel" so mean to her 😔😔😔 (p.s. where did we get the name jonesy??? like did the fandom just agree on that name or is it in some extras in the dvd? /gen)

nick is abke to go into the snack store? grocery store? and finds a deer that wade hit at the start in the back, id like to believe that its because lester was going to cook it but its infested with rats, so why keep it and not throw it into the pit?

dalton finds wade in the basement instead of being displayed

vincent has steeled toed boots, nice :)

nicks still the one to free carly, there just no confrontatiom with bo

nick and carly go into the church still

script mentions shotgun wound in trudys head, so some of bos story is true,,, maybe?

paige does a strip tease but vince slices at her shoe? lmao

nick and carly run into a looney toons showing instead of "whatever happened to baby jane"

diversity win! the murderous twins that incase people in wax dont discriminate on who dies!

bo and vincent hadnt been seperated until 3-4 years old??

bos able to get both arrows out, movie bo needs to step up his game 😒😒 /j

i love how the script characterizes vincent as super pissed about everything

switch board has a label for chimney smoke??? how tf does that work???

bo and vincent never argue in the kitchen, in fact it seems as though theyre more in tune with eachother

we gotta cancel nick, he hits jonesy with a wax arm >:[

bos feelings towards trudy vexes me and i hate it

vincents scars are described differently, having actually been scarred over

carly aggitates bo by saying trudy hated him (which he hates?? seriously what tf goes on in his head) and saying he killed her instead of trying to get vincent on her side by saying bo manipulated him (which is bs anyway but i'll get to that in my analysis on the movie 😌😌)

And thats it! actual deep thoughts and analysis will come when i rewatch the movie and pause every frame /hj (will add link here when that happens) but thats everything i found interesting about the script and what all changed from it to the actual movie, im open to discussing in the comments or my dms ^^

[vee-beeee]

The Die-Hard episode

This is genuinely my first piece of writing anything sooo please forgive me lol

I watched die-hard and then Brooklyn 99 and Detroit become human and I wanted to mix those together, sorry if this has been done before but now I'm doing it baby.

Also It's my first time writing these characters so its a whole party

Conner and nines x (fem) reader

IM SORRY FOR SPELLING ERRORSS AND PLOT HOLES

Warnings: violence kinda, worry, die hard

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"Conner is this what I think it is"

"Please stay quiet y/n"

"That's impossible for her to do Conner. You've given her an impossible task"

"Thank you for your insight Nines"

"Anytime"

"I've scanned the area, the store is definitely being robbed"

(Record scratch, freeze frame on 3 faces who all look equally pissed.)

Yup. That's us. You're probably wondering how we got into this situation.

It started it off so innocent. I was a detective working at the Detroit police station, and my partner was a dog. Which made me public friend number #1 in Conner's eyes. When he first introduced himself to me it was after he deviated and things had settled down. I had seen him milling around before but never got a chance to say hi.

But then he came up with his cute little smile to say hi and ask about my dog.

So obviously we started dating.

And then Nines came in, and he was my new partner. He was grumpy and less smiley than Conner, but it was very endearing. Oh and very hot.

So then he and Conner had a chat.

So then I was dating him too.

Now were all caught up. Tomorrow is Hank's cop-aversary, and me and the boys wanted to buy him something super special. More specifically, me and Conner wanted to buy Hank something and Nines just came along "to provide proper protection". But a case had run long for me and Nines, and Conner and Hank ended up helping. Then Conner had to find an excuse to leave with me and Nines, and this excuse ended up being "We have to go help detective y/n with finding female sanitary napkins " and quickly left after seeing Hank's disgusted face. Works every time.

But that didn't matter to much, we were still late. And the store was currently being locked by an employee who looked absolutely dead inside.

Que 3 maniacs running down the street.

"Wait!" I shouted from down the street, absolutely out of breath and wheezing. The 2 androids ahead of me slowed to a stop and started bargaining with the guy locking up while I caught up with them. I put my hands on my knees and was on the verge of passing out. While Conner was using his puppy dog eyes on the employee, Nines turned around to look at me and smirked.

"Aren't you a police officer? That was nothing but a light jog."

I puffed out a breath and stood up, pointing at him very menacingly.

"Watch it mister. I can totally run faster than you."

He huffed out a laugh, his tone teasing as he challenged me to test that theory.

"Oh your so on" I laughed, regaining my breath. I was actually about to start getting into a silly racers pose but Conner turned around having successfully convinced the man to let us in by just waiting until me and Nines were both not looking and handing the guy closing up a 20 after he realized his negotiating was not working.

"I got us in, but we have to hurry." He held the door open for us as we shuffled in and I noted how nice and empty the store was. The lights were dimmed and soft music was playing through the store. I grabbed Conner's hand and intertwined our fingers, asking how he convinced the guy to let us in. He blushed blue, his LED turning a slight yellow and simply stated

"I'm programmed to be a top-notch negotiator y/n."

I was about to totally believe him when Nines interrupted by grabbing my other hand and gave Conner a signature Nines stare and teasingly said

"You bribed him with a 20 after puppy dog eyes didn't work , didn't you?"

Conner stuttered and I burst out laughing, while Nines shook with small laughter. Conner started to reprimand him for being mean but I noticed the store had some old-timey albums for sale and bolted in that direction. Nines and Conner noticed and took off after me. I stopped in front of the Metal section and Conner started pointing out Hanks favorite artists. We were looking through the selection when we heard a giant crash and yelling. Conner was instantly crowding my back and alert. Nines went quiet and leaned down, listening.

That catch's us up to the were we are now. Huddling on the floor while Conner and Nines communicate through their LEDs, leaving me slightly in the dark.

Conner had his hand on my back and was encouraging me to crouch while still crowding me, and Nines sat in front of me, shielding me with his massive frame. In the dim light, I could make out the light of Conner's LED flashing yellow in the reflection of the smooth floor. More yelling occurs and I hear Conner whisper to me

"They are securing and locking the exits."

And suddenly, my favorite movie I had recently shown Conner and Nines on our annual movie night pops into my head. Before I can stop myself I excitedly whisper

"Real. Life. Die Hard."

This caught Conner so off guard he took his hand off my back to lean forward and look at me, while Nines had even turned around to give me a confused look. I realize I had maybe sounded TOO excited and tried to correct it.

"I mean, oh no!! Crime!!"

Nines smirked and turned around and I could feel more than hear Conner's subdued laughter. I smiled to myself, but before I could do anything else another crash and shout are heard.

But closer this time.

Now I really try to stay quiet and I see Nines lean out of the isle we are huddling in to discreetly look both ways. His LED flashes red as he turns around to fully face me and Conner and motions for us to waddle backwards. Conner wraps a hand around my waist to direct me to crawl on my hands and knees behind him so he stays in front while Nines stays behind me. We stop at the end of the isle and Conner checks if the coast is clear. He nods his head to me and we cross. We manage to crawl to a corner of the store, the home section that contains bedsheets and blankets and towels. Feeling confident we wont get caught the second I open my mouth, I start asking questions.

"What's going on? Why are they robbing this regular store? And why are they taking so long?"

Conner kneels back on his heels too address me and Nines.

"In my scan I counted 13 men." He says quickly, as Nines pops in with a comment saying they have unusually dangerous fire arms and I shudder. Why would they be taking this long to rob a simple store? And with heavy duty weaponry? It must be something else entirely.

"They must be here for another reason" Conner, seemingly reading my thoughts, points out.

I see Nines close his eyes and his LED flash yellow and red and back to blue. He opens his eyes and they hold more worry than before.

"The building next to this one appears to be a bank. With how many men there are and the time this is taking, I believe this is far past a simple store robbery." He finishes, looking to Conner.

"What are we going to do? Are we going to try and stop them?" I ask, looking at both of them before fiddling with a bracelet on my wrist, full of anxious energy. I definitely didn't want to be dealing with this after the rough day today, and we are supposed to be getting something special for Hank's special day.

"We need to call the station, we need backup from the looks of their firearms. We need to be careful." Conner looks to me and notices my bracelet fiddling, and reaches out to hold my hand, giving it a firm squeeze.

Nines quietly says he's on it and I see him send the message for the station.

"You're kidding." He angry spits out, his brows furrowed as he looks to Conner.

"There was some riot about something stupid down town that has tied up most officers, and the station says the latest they can be here to provide back up is in 40 minutes." He looks absolutely pissed. We all stay quiet, trying to think of what to do when I have the most brilliant idea ever to be thought.

"Guys" I grab there attention and they both turn to me. "Lets die hard it."

They look at me like I'm and idiot (specifically Nines does and Conner just looks more confused. ) I decide to continue with my idea

"You know in Die Hard, John McClane takes out the evil bad guys one by one and then saves the day? Lets do that and take them out one by one while we wait for the back up to get here. We can set up traps and have cool weapons and stuff!"

I started to get excited but their combined faces make my mood go to bummer mode.

"I mean, it could work. Its an option" Conner starts, looking to Nines. They proceed to continue to have the conversation, but telepathically, by the looks of their hard stares and blinking LEDs.

"No. They are dangerous people and we are not letting her get herself hurt." Nines pipes up finally, LED still red.

"Well I mean, she can handle herself. Besides, it's a smart idea." Conner protests for you.

Nines is quiet while he processes before he gives Conner one more hard stare and turns to look at me. I see his gaze soften as he asks me what we need to do. I bounce on my heels and clap my hands quietly an whisper shout a yay while Nines rolls his eyes, and Conner give me an adoring look. We then start on a plan.

And it goes a little something like this.

(35 minutes until police back up)

Me and Conner go to the craft section to politely steal a pen for a very important part of the plan, writing the bad guys names down. He protests when I rip open the package of sharpies but I reason the manger will be thanking us later for stopping a robbery and being cool while we do it. He finally nods and smiles at me.

While me and Conner do this, Nines goes to investigate his theory that the real reason the criminals are here is because they are robbing a bank that's adjacent to this store. Me and Conner had made him promise and pinky swear he wouldn't actually be going in to try and beat all the guys up by himself.

As me and Conner started to make our traps for the guys, we heard one guy walk past with a walkie talkie. His name was "Mark" which was totally un-villan like to my dismay. But what he was saying was more interesting. They had apparently taken all store employees as hostages and locked them in the back. I raised my eyebrows in shock and looked to Conner, his LED blinking red and his expression getting darker every second. The man eventually walked away to deal with a mysterious shadow someone saw, and I took the opportunity to write Marks name down. Along with the person he was taking to, which I dubbed his name Hans. Conner quietly noted that its not really healthy to use marker on my skin but I just kissed his cheek and continued writing, watching him turn blue.

We moved on to equip ourselves with a little arsenal to deal with the robbers.

A now, and epic montage of Conner and his girlfriend knocking out 6 guys using:

-Christmas balls

-Fire pokers

-Lamps

-Legos

-Paint

-Conner's fist

(20 minutes until police back up)

You got done checking off the last name you had written on your arm when Nines snuck out of the dark to you guys. He looked pissed and worried.

"Its what I thought, they brought explosives to get into the bank. And they have hostages."

You and Conner looked at each other, and confirmed with Nines you had heard about the hostages. He stated he had located them and you all thought about your next move. Your epic awesome die hard plan was veering off the tracks when you said

"We should go help the hostages, they are just employees and are probably scared."

Conner nodded his head with you and Nines volunteered to lead to way.

Which ended in Nines and Conner getting caught, while they shoved you out of the way. You hid in a clothing rack and saw 8 guys pushing their guns and shoving your boys into the back rooms. Where you saw a glimpse of the hostages. You knew combined, Conner and Nines could take those guys, but you guessed they didn't want to cause any gunfire. You waited patiently and tried to breathe slowly as the doors shut on your android boys.

You slid down the metal pole in the center of the rack, trying to figure out what to do next. Now it was REALLY Die hard. Only you were left.

Suddenly, a really good idea hit you.

The vents.

Que you sliding through the stores barely-big-enough-for-you vents and mumbling die hard quotes to yourself as you managed to get to a grate that was directly above the hostages. You noted at least 15 hostages, some androids and some human. You also noticed Conner getting a gun pointed right to his temple.

You almost let out a gasp of shock but quieted yourself as you watched the head macho guy explain how he hates cops and androids, and tell Conner his android kill count. While he was monologuing you spotted Nines sitting a ways away trying not to make it obvious he was staring right at you, LED spinning yellow. You briefly forgot how on earth he could see you there, but remembered

android stuff.

And so you turned your body to see how many men were behind the macho man who was very quickly finishing up his speech, and decided screw it.

So you punched the grate as hard as you could and fell with the grate right on the monologuing guys head. You both groaned and you briefly saw Conner and Nines jump up to use your distraction to take out the 4 other guys in the room. The guy below you seemed to be knocked out so you lay there, eyes blinking shut, until you saw a pair of classy shoes in your vision come to your head. They creased as the owner leaned down (Nines) to gently ask you to untie him and ask if you were okay. His face was a mix of amusement and worry, and you felt another pair of gentle cuffed hands pull you up into a sitting position. You blinked and immediately started undoing Nines cuffs, and he shook his hands and tended to the hostages that were huddled in the corner. You then saw the hands that helped you up and a very worried Conner enter your vision. You smiled at him and started undoing his cuffs while you saw his LED blinking, and you realized he was probably scanning you. He blinked harshly a couple time and informed you that you should have a couple bruises and you might have a minor concussion. When you finished his cuffs, you kissed his cheeks

"I'm okay Conner, thank you"

He smiled and kissed your cheek back and proceeded to help Nines with the hostages. You sat for a minute, really now fulling feeling that minor concussion. After a couple minutes, you started to hear sirens getting louder and moving to your location.

You had successfully Die harded it.

(Skip to the next day)

The police did some digging and found out the guys had broken into the store to blow up the wall right next to the bank. But your boys and you had successfully stopped the crime from escalating.

And also got Hank his gift for free.

So after the whole fiasco, you were now sitting in Hanks home, getting warm under a blanket. Androids by your side, Sumo at your feet, watching Hank excitedly undo the wrapping on his present surprising quickly. He let out a whistle at the old album you guys had gotten him and thanked you all with a surprising amount of sincerity. He might have felt guilty that you all almost died trying to get him gift, but oh well.

All in a days work for Conner and Nines McClane and Y/N Gennaro.

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THANKS FOR READING

I literally wrote this on a whim so I hope its good and I might write more ideas out.

Sorry if the ending is rushed too :(

[minnesotadruids]

@deckdancer and I were conversing this evening, and he had this question about mass farming practices. My response ended up being a little lengthier than I anticipated, but I was also trying to be concise (which is hard for John the Verbose, lol)

I've been having a lot of thoughts about plants and mass farming practices tonight, and while I know horticulture isn't exactly your specialty, I wanted to hear your thoughts on the disconnect between the symbiosis of nature vs the mass farming practices we use today, and their effects on us today as a society?

One thing I've noticed over the last 10 years is how stressed the corn fields look when we've had year after year of drought conditions. The leaves curl along the edges and look like dessicated spears. Corn is a huge water hog, and an inefficient hog at that. Most of the water is ultimately lost to evapotranspiration meaning the water table doesn't even recharge at all from irrigation.

So much of that corn goes to ethanol plants and livestock feed, so it still has a high demand, but many of the crops just die or are stunted before they can be used. Before irrigation technology was widespread, places like Minnesota grew more wheat. Minneapolis was (and still is) where so many big flour mills are, but now the wheat grain comes in from the high plains. Wheat is what we should be growing for our climate already, but corn became popular because of irrigation. Wheat uses much less water, and some cultivars can be harvested twice a year.

Factory farming of corn has changed noticeably in my own lifetime. I remember the rows used to be a bit farther apart. You could run between the rows and pretend to be the "children of the corn." My dad said he could remember when he was younger there were much wider gaps in the rows of cornfields. We've bred them for higher yield and to be planted closer together that both of those factors mean they need much more water than they used to. Some farmers plant rows so close together you almost can't walk between them now.

A lack of diversification is also a problem as well. The past three years have been really bad for corn, but for many farmers, it's their cash crop. Soy beans have become a novelty... alfalfa a rarity... and I'm shocked if I ever see any wheat at all. Monoculture crops (even beyond grains) are begging for any one-off minor catastrophe to jeopardize the whole crop. If a plant disease or infestation pops up, it will spread much faster than if we had varied crops, and of course it would have a more detrimental effect if that one monoculture crop gets destroyed. Palm oil farming is another example of a fragile monoculture.

Diversification is easier said than done though. You can't use a single type of harvester machine for all crop types. The Cherokee would plant things together: Corn, pumpkins/squash, and vine beans. They understood for generations that those "Three Sisters" thrived better together than by themselves. The beanstalks would climb the corn, the beans would put nitrogen and nutrients back in the soil, and the squash/pumpkins would reduce evaporation from the soil. The large gourd leaves would reduce the amount of sunlight on the ground, inhibiting weed growth. All that today would still require harvesting by hand, and unfortunately it is considered too unprofitable. It would be suitable for people with gardens, self-sufficient homesteads, or small-scale farms (and we gotta WANT to get into that, too).

The big problem is (I think) that first we would need a large-scale, multifaceted cultural shift. Ethanol as biofuel is not as sustainable as the industry wants us to believe. As much as I love beef, we gotta reduce our consumption of large livestock. Cattle need a lot of corn and a lot of water. Other farm animals are more efficient in terms of resources required per pound of meat. That's a statement that sounds great for reducing corn and water usage, but other monoculture crops have their own unique pros and cons.