#because it was so spurred on by the met gala

[afro-elf]

you can ignore this!

[pocket-thrawn]

Crossing the Stars

A pretty self-indulgent fic, warming up my Thrawn writing muscles.

Thrawn x f!reader

Music swirled around you, painting dazzling notes of clear flutes and heady cellos all merging into a beautiful symphony. You smelled the fine wines and the decadent foods being passed around on silver platters by carefully dressed servants.

Despite the rich atmosphere and numerous happily chatting guests, all that filled your mind was the injustice of such rich frivolity when there remained such desperate suffering in the Galaxy. Acts of atrocity spurred on and, in some cases, encouraged by the very Empire you had to pretend to support.

Naboo was your home world, and you had fought tooth and nail to keep your people as protected from the Empire’s influence as you could. Your fellow senators had become little more than puppets dancing luridly on the end of Palpatine’s strings after the fall of the Republic. It was with a heavy heart you took up the mantle of Naboo’s senator after the last Queen had so tragically passed away.

So many uniformed individuals, your heart twisted at the sight of the Stormtroopers and Imperial officers milling around. Your own traditional dress brushed velvet against your skin as you turned and walked unhurried to a part of the grand hall that was sufficiently unoccupied.

“Oh, I do apologize.” You said, brushing against another body as you maneuvered around a rather gaudy potted plant.

“It is quite alright.”

You turned your head to offer the gentleman a commiserating sort of look at the state of affairs here, yet the small smile froze upon your face. Your eyes widened slightly, knowing immediately the identity of the blue-skinned alien you’d carelessly knocked into.

“Grand Admiral.” You said, fluidly moving to an appropriate distance from the Chiss.

Thrawn looked down upon you, a small tensing of his lips the only indicator of his amusement. “It seems you already know who I am. I would be remiss not to ask for your identity miss…”

“Erys.” The false name you’d created rolled easily off your tongue as you politely extended your hand, unsure if he would take it. “Senator and representative of Naboo and her people.”

Thrawn did indeed take your hand and shook once before relinquishing it. You noticed immediately how unusually warm his skin was against yours. “Grand Admiral Thrawn, of the Imperial Navy. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, however abrupt in nature.”

“Yes…” You pulled your skirts fully off the offending plant and gave it an aggrieved glance. “Again, sorry about that.”

Thrawn simply gave a small smile. His glowing red eyes unnerving in the emotionless quality they lent.

“Enjoying the gala?” You ventured, feeling obligated to keep the conversation going. You were almost on auto-pilot at this point, going through the motions of a political representative.

“Not entirely.” Thrawn’s smooth voice was almost hypnotic, you found yourself leaning in to hear better as he cast a look around the crowded room. “I am of far better use on the command deck of the Chimaera.”

“Your Star Destroyer, of course.” Something in your voice must have betrayed your disdain for the Imperial vessels because Thrawn’s piercing gaze flicked back to your face.

“Indeed.”

“You had art specially commissioned for the body of your ship, correct?”

“I’m surprised you are aware of my personalization.” Thrawn seemed to be growing ever more interested in this banter.

You chuckled, making sure to not make excessive eye contact with him. You didn’t want gossiping whispers following you back to Naboo. “I’m not sure there’s anyone who doesn’t know of it.” You met his eyes again, he was making no such tactful attempts. “It’s quite the statement.”

“There’s little about me that isn’t.” Thrawn intoned, drawing a surprised chuckle from you. “May I ask after the nature of your clothing?” He continued, hands tightly clasped behind his back and yet his gaze almost felt corporeal on your person as he studied you.

You swallowed a little thickly through your nerves. The points of brighter red you guessed served as Thrawn’s pupils followed the movement of your throat as you spoke. “Yes, of course.”

Thrawn held up a quelling hand for a moment, smiling politely. “I do not wish to impose my presence if unwanted.” It seemed he wished to clarify his intentions. “The conversation you lend is proving to be the most tolerable of this evening.”

You gave him a dubious look. “I get the impression that’s not saying much.”

He chuckled, short and quiet, but yet an actual expression of mirth from a man rumored to be implacable and cold at all times. “No, you are quite correct.”

“Still…” You decided to capitalize on this congenial moment. “I thank you for the compliment. My dress, as you already suggested, is fashioned after the regal regalia of my home world.”

“Excellent play on words.” Thrawn turned his body fully to face you and despite yourself, you did the same. “Please, continue.”

You explained the meaning behind the colors and the artistry woven into the fabric of your dress and hair ornaments. Thrawn listened with rapt attention, seeming to genuinely be interested in your every word. You couldn’t tell if it was simply politeness on his part, in a desire to be distracted from the endless chatter of political machinations around you. Yet as you spoke and he prompted you from time to time, you felt the tension between you slowly ease and drop into an easy companionship.

“Your planet has quite a rich history.” Thrawn said, inclining his head politely when you’d finished speaking. “My condolences on the passing of your late senator.”

Your lips pursed, lingering melancholia tugging at your heart. “She was the best of us.”

Thrawn was silent for a moment, his mouth turning slightly downward in thought. “You strike me as an intelligent and capable individual, you will do well.”

“What of you?” You asked the question that’d been burning in the back of your mind since bumping into him. “Where are you from? What brought you to serve the Empire?”

“A story, perhaps, for another time.” Thrawn said, giving you a smile to indicate he wasn’t offended by your prying.

“It’s quite unusual to see someone non-human to rise within the ranks of the Empire, and so quickly too.” You mused. “Though I am sure you’ve heard such a sentiment quite a lot.”

Thrawn nodded slowly. “Indeed, I have.”

You wanted to ask so many questions but got the sense he was not open to answering them.

“You are not fond of the Empire.” Thrawn said, it wasn’t a question, and it caught you off guard.

“I…whatever gave you that impression?” It was near impossible to keep the irony out of your voice. You clasped your hands behind your back, mirroring his posture, suddenly careful. Amidst the ease of your light banter, you’d forgotten just what Thrawn was and who he served.

Thrawn studied you silently for several seconds. “It is quite evident. Whenever you speak mention the Empire or look at the Officers in this very hall, the distaste is clear upon your visage.”

“You’ve been scrutinizing my ‘visage’ hm?” You asked coyly, deflecting.

“Indeed. Am I correct?”

You hesitated, your shoulders tensing as you looked around the room for a ready excuse to exit this suddenly uncomfortable encounter. You got the sense that it was no use lying to this Chiss man. You gave a terse nod. “Yes.”

“May I ask why?” Thrawn was unlike any Imperial you’d heretofore encountered. He had proven to be polite and respectful, even though you were a senator; a position that drew disdain and condescension from the majority of Palpatine’s servants. You felt like you could open up to Thrawn, which might have been his game all along, there was no real way of knowing.

The fact he would ask your reasons for disliking the Empire surprised you into answering. “There are aspects that I do not agree with, the utter abolishment of democracy being one of them.”

“It has not been abolished as of yet.” Thrawn intoned, lowering his soft voice so you could not be overheard. “The Senate remains, you are proof of this.”

“We are little more than puppets, extensions of Palpatine’s will. And the Senate, as it remains, is slowly being dissolved.”

Thrawn listened to your words, he didn’t argue back. Again, surprising you.

He waited, so you continued. “I don’t condone slavery or the rape of worlds for their resources, displacing millions of people from their homes.” Your words lapsed as you became dangerously close to speaking treason.

“I will not say the Empire is perfect.” Thrawn’s voice remained gentle, no condemnation coloring his words. “However, it is stronger than the Republic, more capable of protecting the Galaxy.”

“I won’t argue that the Republic was perfect.” You rubbed anxiously at your neck before folding your hands politely in front of you. “However a totalitarian regime that relies on fear to govern isn’t the answer.”

“Yes, I had heard rumor the senator from Naboo was quite vocal in her political stance.” Thrawn murmured, his hand found the small of your back causing you to jolt slightly. “Come, peruse the gallery with me.”

Intrigued and not wishing to draw more eyes than had been already, you allowed the Grand Admiral to gently guide you out of the crowded gala hall and into a more secluded marble corridor. Your footsteps echoed as you walked together in silence, Thrawn’s hand no longer at your back.

“After you, please.” Thrawn opened the glass door and bowed slightly as you passed.

You instantly noticed the plush carpet beneath your thin shoes and sighed in relief at the ease it gave your aching feet.

“Yes, a much more comfortable setting. One I quite prefer to political decadence.” Thrawn said behind you, and you turned to see him calmly observing a vivid oil painting framed by the door.

“You did mention your fondness for art.” You joined him and looked at the splash of color that made little sense to you.

“I am equally fond of truth.” Thrawn glanced sideways, you could feel the burning of those red eyes upon you like a weight before he shifted his attention back to the painting again. “What do you see upon this canvas?”

“A…lot of color all thrown together.” You said, mildly peeved, you folded your arms across your chest. “It’s quite an abstract piece.”

“Indeed.” Thrawn turned to face you more fully, causing you to step back on instinct. “To me it describes chaos, anger perhaps, a purposeful lack of care to hide the true meaning beneath.”

“You know…” You remained poised and standing straight, your shoulders back as you inclined your chin to look up at him. “It is very impressive what you can sense from someone’s art, or what they’ve named as art. However, I will remind you that art is up to the viewer’s interpretation. You cannot draw concrete conclusions from art the way you can from the sciences.”

A small smile tugged the corner of Thrawn’s mouth, it gave a self-satisfied impression. As if you’d said exactly what he’d expected. “Very astute, senator Erys. And almost entirely correct. However, even with art, there are certain patterns that become predictable as one studies the nature of sentient beings, particularly humans.”

You arched a brow. “Such as what, may I ask?”

“Emotion.” Thrawn said, leveling his glowing gaze at you. “I would suggest art is always produced by the emotion of its creator. That is why, to understand an adversary or an ally one must study all aspects of their culture, including their art.”

“Which am I, adversary or ally?” You asked, unable to help yourself, even as your hands clenched briefly.

Thrawn smiled and shook his head slightly. “I do not yet know, senator.” His smile faded as he lent down more into your space. “There are many rumors surrounding you, however I know firsthand how such gossip can be entirely inaccurate. For this reason, I am giving you one opportunity to tell me the truth.”

“The truth?” Your heart dropped like a stone; your hands became clammy as you realized how you’d walked right into his trap. The tilt of his head indicated he’d read and recognized all your reactions as the dread coiled within you.

“About yourself, and the organizations you are affiliated with.” Thrawn said softly, his every muscle holding very still, like a spider in its web. “Now, shall we start from the beginning?”

[elvisabutler]

💻 could i request smut prompts 5 and 6 with dove and austin please? 🐶

a little switching never hurt nobody

fandom: austin butler | elvis ( 2022 ) rating: m pairing: austin butler x priscilla actress reader ( little dove verse ) word count: 1892 warnings: the normal warnings apply for this verse. daddy kink. dom/sub dynamics. austin is more of a sub in this, dove is a lil bit more dominant. talk of their past. talk about their character bleed re: elvis and priscilla. oral ( f receiving ). implied future sexual acts. brief moment of austin calling dove mama. author’s note: pubby anon! i know who you are! and want to thank you for this so much. i know i went a little weird with the prompt but i've missed them, didn't want to put this as set in the main timeline and figured nebulous future past the oscars i pretend went better for elvis than it did. this is for my 1k gala with the smut prompts of “i want to give you a hickey, so everyone can see how I feel about you.” and “oh, i love that sound you make.” kind of fudged the lines but basic bit is there to be honest. part of my little dove/dove series but can be read alone.

Austin- Austin is not used to this. Austin is not used to seeing you like this. Austin is not used to you being like this. Sure, you're a bit of a brat, sure you're one of the most dominant and domineering in general submissives he's ever met but seeing you like this is new. Is this what he had missed out on too wrapped up and damn near possessed by Elvis? Is this what he missed with his mind picturing you as his little doll, his little dove to mold how he wanted. Is this what you both had missed feeling so much like a man who was larger than life but a little boy at the same time and feeling like a girl- no a young woman who didn't know who she was?

Maybe. Maybe that's what you two had missed and Austin wants to kick himself for it, wants to curse himself for missing how his good little girl, his Dove was so much more than the girl he met and then lost to the movie. It's given you both Oscars and accolades that will propel both your careers in whatever direction you want to take them and after everything- after the therapy and you still being able to call him daddy and a wedding you two did so spur of the moment everyone thought you were drunk out of your mind- he meets this woman. He meets the mix of his Little Dove, his sweet Dove who's blossomed and is so charming you have your costars eating out of your hand and his sweet Dove who is still the woman who just wants him to call her a good girl.

He thinks this is the woman that his mama really did send to him. This is the woman Elvis sent to him. He's the man your dad sent to you. This is the woman he's going to build the best of lives with. This is the woman he is building the best of lives with and he can't help but bend to your will just a little.

"Dove? What are you-" He mumbles against your hair, knowing that the cameras on the red carpet are eating this up. He knows that there will be the slew of compliments and insults when these pictures hit the internet. You're wearing heels but he's wearing his own heeled boots so your height difference doesn't change much to your chagrin. Still, the good bonus to it is that you are just about at Austin's neck, and can use your perch to plant a kiss or several in between flashes of cameras. The two of you are professionals as you'll always remind Austin when he gets a little too handsy at events and as he'll always remind you when you get a little needy, playing with your ring as if your life depended on it. But this time- this one time you can't help but ignore that voice in your head that tells you to be professional because here's your husband in front of you. Here's your husband in front of you and he's all yours, he's going to always be yours until the day one of you dies because after everything- you're it for each other. The Joanne to his Paul, the Bacall to his Bogie, the Dove to his Austin.

"Giving my husband kisses." You answer as if it's the most obvious and normal thing for you to do. "Come to think of it. I want to give you a hickey, so everyone can see how I feel about you. Maybe more than one."

You stand a bit on your toes to reach up the exposed part of his neck and marvel at the way he shivers just slightly at your breath on him. It's heady, watching Austin react the way you normally do. A weight that had been on your lower back moves to your ass and squeezes a warning even as his voice inches toward a growl. "Dove."

"Hm?" A small little hum as you nip at the skin, determined to make this hickey making quick as possible lest you really do get in trouble for making a scene on the carpet. "Daddy?"

Normally that would make him snap out of how he's feeling, how you attempting to take charge is making him feel. This time it only serves to make him sneak a little lower in to giving you the reins just a little. "Aus, not- not daddy. Don't- don't start something you can't finish."

"Have I ever told you that I love it when you growl? I love that little sound you make doing it." Your smirk keeps growing as you look at Austin becoming slowly undone. It's subtle but you know better, you've seen him more intimately than any human being alive. Vanessa has one thing on you but other than that- oh, Austin's face, so open when he wants it to be- has shown you so many things. You know he wants to make a scene and do something on this carpet you'll both regret. A little eyelash flutter is all you do for a second before placing your hand on his chest. "Aus. Inside. Act normal and I think there's a present for you under my dress."

The way he straightens up and looks out at the camera is almost comical and has you biting your lip to try and not laugh even as you can feel your shoulders shaking. Once you've managed to school your face into something resembling normal you turn to face the camera, giving them smiles they're looking for all while sneaking glances at Austin's slightly dazed look. They can't tell but you can. They can't tell there's a bulge pressing up against his slacks that makes you both thankful for compression underwear. if you both cut things a little short on the red carpet- well, that's to be expected. You're professionals but sometimes you're known for doing this, known for playing up the angle of the young couple in so much love you can barely stand it.

It makes people forgive the two of you more. It makes them wonder when you'll have a little birdie to carry around, but it makes them forgive you more. There's a bathroom no one uses when you first walk into the building and you Austin pulling you in there with a speed that makes you almost double over laughing before you're in the bathroom, shutting the door with your foot and locking it behind you. Austin should wait, should take it easy on his knees- on the suit he's wearing but you hear the thump of his knees hitting the ground and feel the cold rush of air that comes with him lifting up the skirt of your dress in record time.

"Aus- slow down. Your Dove is-" Your words are cut off with a nip your thigh and a nuzzle of his nose against your clit. "Daddy."

His words are muffled, mumbled against your skin as his fingers slide in between your folds, playing with the arousal that's been there since the car. You hear a growl from him and a word or two. "Christ, Mama, so wet because of me. Always so needy. Always ready."

The words shouldn't have you clenching your thighs, shouldn't have you grinding against his face, wanting to cover his facial hair in your cum but you can't help it. In other situations you're at his beck and call, you're his sub, you hold the power but he controls the movement, he controls the orgasms- he controls. But here? In this moment? It's you who has the control, it's you who can tell him you want to come. It's you who can ride his face so much he can't breathe. It's you who get to have him taste like you and smell like you for the rest of the night. So you let yourself grind, you let yourself take this control.

Austin eats you out like he's never done it before. Like he's worried this will be the last time he ever can. His tongue glides across your clit, teasing it, making you whine above him, cursing him and calling him a mix of Daddy and Butler and Austin. You plead as his fingers curl next to a tongue that licks inside you, licks around your cunt that wants everything he can give you. His growls normally delight you and even more in this moment where the vibrations send little shockwaves to your clit. They send little shockwaves through your body- little tremors of delight and pleasure that have you gripping his fingers with your cunt. They have you grinding against that tongue and yelping as he uses a bit of teeth just a tiny nip but enough to have you sobbing.

"Aus- Daddy, please. I'm-" Words escape you as his onslaught intensifies and you find yourself biting your fist to try and keep from screaming out as your orgasm hits you. As you hear Austin's mouth making these slurping noises that should be discussing but have your clit pulsing even more. You try and catch your breath leaning against the door as Austin untangles himself from your dress and stands up. He looks like he's ran a marathon, his hair a mess and his face glistening with your juices. A thought crosses your mind to fuck him in this bathroom, especially as you look down and see his cock pressing even farther against its confines. You reach out to touch it before he shakes his head.

"Later. It'll- It'll go down. We gotta- Professionals, Dove." His voice is shaky and you know this is just Austin, maybe Aus, but not Daddy. He takes your hand and places it on his cheek. "Did good, yeah? You happy?"

"Always." You joke before nodding and stroking his cheek. "Best Daddy. Best Austin. My Satnin. My Cali Sunshine."

Something that had been in his shoulders loosens a tension you hadn't quite notices dissipates the more you praise him and you stare just for a moment before speaking. "Let me brush your hair? Make us look presentable again?"

Your only answer is a hum before he lets you run your fingers through his hair, trying to settle it into something manageable. His body feels relaxed and you feel your chest warm at the notion, at the knowledge. "That's enough, baby girl. We-"

"I know. Professionals." You roll your eyes at him using the line against you once again before you pull him into a gentle kiss. "Love you, Austin. Thank you for this."

For everything, for letting her be who she is, for letting her blossom, for letting her be her even if it's not what he signed up for back in 2020.

The look in his eyes tells you he knows what you mean but you see a glint in them that has you opening up your mouth before he places a finger on it to shush you. "My face smells like you, it's all the thanks I need. Now I get to taste you all night."

If you playfully hit him as your both exiting the bathroom, completely ruining whatever allure of professionalism you two had? Well. That's between you, him, and whoever claims they saw it.

[naradivision]

“Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare”

Timeline

Age 0:

Borns the only son to Shigure Fuyugami and Nadeshiko Fuyugami

His mother passed away not so long after giving birth to him.

For some untold reason, his father sent him to be in custody of his mother’s household “the Minazuki” in Kyoto. 

A crack subtly forms between the Fuyugami and Minazuki families.

Age 1:

Takes interest in the books (even can’t fully read them yet) and numerous things at his uncle’s house. 

Age 3:

Learns various things on his own by simply observing the adult, including writing and reading. Many said he learns quicker than other kids his age.

Age 5:

Discovers Karuta cards. Begins dueling with his uncle who eagerly teaches him how to play the competitive karuta. This game both sharpens his memory and reflexes to the new level.

Someone claiming to be sent by his biological father starts showing up at the Minazuki household. 

Soon becomes close to that person in due time, learning he is his father’s confidant named “Chishio”. 

Age 10:

Receives an invitation to return to the main house in Tokyo, but just returns there to find his father has already remarried to the first daughter of jewelry trading company.

Meets the three daughters of his new stepmother. Doesn’t get along with most of them

Age 12:

Is approached by many but ends up deciding to befriend none because he knows they are only after his family’s fame or just because their parents told them to do so.

Develops a skeptical attitude, isolating himself to the school’s library for most of the time.

Age 16:

Tries to be more open when assigned to group work but later loops back to his skeptical self again after his credit got stolen by those said ‘friends’. 

Declares he doesn’t need friends to enjoy school life.

Finds the middle one of his half-sisters, Shion, struggling with her studies. 

On the spur of moment, he spares his free time to tutor her whenever they meet. That’s how he notices her passion in technology and tells her to give it a shot aiming higher for the national competition.

Age 17:

Graduates high school with the highest honors. 

Hesitates between attending medical or engineering for university but then finds out the elders in his family have already enrolled him in economics without asking his opinion.

After fuming about that for a while, he decides to go along just because it’s something he has yet to master.

His relationships with those in his father’s family become even more strained.

Age 18:

Dedicating his time to studying the basics of trading, he soon strategizes to tackle the real thing with some advice from his father.

Age 21:

Works as his father’s assistant and sturdily gains repute from both of his keen acumen and vision.

Suisen, the oldest one of his half-sisters, acts more hostile toward him.

Age 24:

Comes to assist his father at social gatherings on occasions; there he has met various celebrities from the business world in person. 

Can’t help but fix up the financial loss of the branch company where Suisen works in.

Suisen uses the opportunity that he isn’t much of a party person attending the gala and soirée on his behalf to bad-mouth or even spread false rumors about him.

Calls off every attempt the family wants to pair him up with anyone via engagement. 

It’s not like he doesn’t know about what his half-sister did behind his back. He just has too many things to handle other than dealing with her nonsense.

Age 25:

His father promotes him to be his second in command, fanning more fire to Suisen’s jealousy.

Escapes his first assassination thanks to Chishio.

Age 28:

His father died from a crashed helicopter caused by a mechanical failure and heavy snowfall.

His father’s Will is probated.

Suisen accuses him for scheming their father’s death after learning most of his fortune is going to be inherited by him.

Hires and works with Hitoya Amaguni to prove his innocence.

Is against the idea to join hands in some “business” with the Party of Words, resulting in his serious argument with the majority of board directors. 

Suisen is nominated to be the new CEO instead of him.

Age 29:

Although he and Hitoya win the case, none of the board directors wants to change their minds.

Resigns himself from the company after Suisen’s promotion, refusing to work under her. 

He and Chishio then move into his late mother’s house (The Ajisai Residence) in Nara

Resumes trading as an individual.

Pays the visit at his uncle’s household in Kyoto more often.

Because of pure boredom and curiosity, he takes interest in the “Σummer sign” incident which occurred in his new house’s neighborhood one year ago.

Age 30:

Helps his uncle advise the collectors on evaluating the art pieces, eventually he gets a license and it becomes his other side job.

Age 31:

Present

Comes across the delivery boy named Yuuya who somehow manages to get the mysterious package safely sent to him. 

Finds out what’s contained inside with a letter demanding him to join the Division Rap Battles. 

Seems to pay no care at their threat at first but for some reason; he later decides to have his participation alongside Yuuya Kanata and Asahi Tomoharu as the 3rd member of Nara Division “Miraitabi”.

Schedule

12 a.m. - 8 a.m.: Asleep

8 a.m. - 9 a.m.: Tries to wake up Goes freshen himself and gets dressed properly

9 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.: Has breakfast prepared by Chishio

9:30 a.m. - 10 a.m.: Briefly schedules his day while organizing his office

10 a.m. - 12 a.m.: Appointments with customers / Paperwork

12 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Lunchtime (or sometimes just forgets about it)

1 a.m. - 5 p.m.: Appointments with customers / Paperwork

5 a.m. - 7 p.m.: Free time / Does his research

7 a.m. - 7:15 p.m.: Waits for his teammates

7:15 p.m. - 9 p.m.: Dinner and spends time with the rest of his team

9 p.m. - 12 a.m.: None of your business

Character Hashtags

Regular Hashtags

#Whatever

#Who cares

#Don’t waste time on reading my hashtag kids

Trauma Hashtags

#I Lived Bitches

#It’s not like I care anymore

#FINE I QUIT

Other Info

Hobbies: Reading, breathing, doing nothing(?)

Weakness: His tactlessness, Mild allergy to cats

Trauma: “Sentiments are nothing but a nuisance.”

Social Media: @FuyugamiSaigo

Drinks: Occasionally yes (he is clearly aware of his own limits)

Smokes: Used to (he quit after the two kids started crashing into his house)

Special Skill: “I consider myself an expert at getting any shit done; however, that brat has brought his little friends over here a bit too often as of late. Do they frickin think my house is the cram school or something?”

Intro Quote: “Underestimate me all you want. Trust me, that’ll be fun.”

Trauma Quote: “Hah. Just as I always thought, solitude suits me the best.”

Ending Quote: “By the time winter arrives, just why this world becomes such a plain sight to see?”

[thecurioustale]

Silence's Birthday

Today is Silence's birthday! Or at least it's the day I've picked for it on Earth, since it's also my Five-Twelfths Birthday and she is very much a creature of "more ahead of her than behind."

I realized, slowly over the years, that Silence's life in The Curious Tale is rarely a happy one. The world throws a lot at her. In fact, as recently as Christmas this week I wrote yet another devastating scene for her—one long in coming; it was no spur of the moment thing. Silence has a dark and violent past, and After The Hero begins with her in a terrible funk after perceiving the betrayal of the Gods, and since that's also her mood in Book I there hasn't been much chance for me to explore the happier times which she also has. And I have to sandwich those times in between all the indignities and disasters that befall her.

In the 2000s I never would have described Silence as unhappy, just as I wouldn't have described it of myself, because it wouldn't have been true. I too had an awful past, and the world "threw a lot at me" as an adult, not least a crippling poverty, but it never really mattered because for many years I was irrepressible and sincerely considered myself a happy person. That only changed with the Troubles, actually. I had fifteen good years of independent adult life as a happy person. For Silence, I could draw a rough analogue of this between her first arrival at Gala years before After The Hero begins and a catastrophic event that occurs about halfway through the story. But, as with me and even more so actually, these are not "happy" years per se. Or, perhaps another way of putting it is that Silence faces a lot of stress and strain, restriction and adversity, etc., during this time.

I don't recall when I first began to realize that, however she personally feels about it, Silence doesn't come across to others as a happy person. Even as far back as the original RPG, she is most commonly brooding and melancholy, and faces an endless onslaught of external hardships and woes. It wasn't until I met Empire on Ice Silence, in the Year of 32, that I had the chance to see another side of her, and that Silence, despite being the exact same person, comes across so utterly differently. She is fat and impish and playful and has a great sense of humor, and mainly spends her days shamelessly lying and cheating her way into getting irresponsible amounts of food. It would be impossible to look at that Silence and call her unhappy, and only a damnfool would even think to try.

By the same token it's not that After The Hero Silence is inherently an unhappy person; it's that she leads a profoundly unhappy life—mostly outside of her control. There are the trees that grow safe in the forest on firm footing, towering and tall, and there are the gnarled and terrible trees that face the sea and the gale alone on the cliffside in the stinging salt air...and they are the same thing after all, and their needs are the same. But they look so different from the trees of the forest, because they lead very different lives. And I suppose to complete the analogy, all the other trees, uncomfortable at the sight of the latter, would tell the tree on the cliff to get some therapy and maybe take a pill for depression. "The fault, dear tree, is not in our stars but in ourselves." Perhaps Shakespeare was wrong.

My challenge for Silence in recent years has been to continue to depict her as I used to be but no longer am, which is to say irrepressible and happy—even if it wouldn't necessarily seem so to others. I think what this really means, for people like her and me, is energy. Drive. Vivacity. Relish. Delight. Silence has some good years ahead of her in the first half of After The Hero (and some good years behind her to recollect). I hope I can write these times justly and fully; there deserves to be some record, somewhere in this Universe, of a Relancii Silence Terlais who can smile freely, without it being a rare and poignant thing.

If I had The Curious Tale to do all over again, from scratch...I think I would go a little easier on her.

But for today at least I can wish her a Happy Birthday!

[ragingbookdragon]

Finding Love In The Louvre

A Bruce Wayne x Reader One-Shot

Word Count: 2.2K Warnings: None

Author's Note: An old story I edited! Enjoy the fluff! -Thorne

The day started as it usually did, her standing by the elevator, waiting for the doors to open so she could hand him his coffee and explain his schedule. Sure enough, the doors opened at eight A.M. on the dot, and he stepped out, briefcase in one hand, phone in the other. He shoved his phone in his pocket, accepting the outstretched coffee she held. He moved quickly, but she kept pace.

“Good morning Mr. Wayne.” He hummed in return, taking a sip of the coffee; she paid no mind, continuing with, “So today you have a board meeting in room one-forty-two,” His mouth opened to complain, but she held up a hand, silencing him, “I can’t put it off any longer, I’ve already tried.” He grumbled in return, causing her to smile lightly as she kept speaking.

“That starts in an hour, and it should end at eleven. I recommend after that you go and check with Lucius about the gala coming up while I order lunch. I should have that ready by twelve-fifteen, then the rest of the day is paperwork and the occasional friendly visit with the office workers.”

By the time she was done, he was taking a seat at his desk, shifting papers around. She stood with her tablet in one hand, the other propped on her hip. “Anything you need me to do before I go sit down?”

He handed her a sheet while he looked at the monitor, waiting for the retina scanner to start. “Fax that to Gotham Academy, if you would.”

She took it, looking it over before asking, “This for Damian’s field trip to the Louvre?” He nodded, and she murmured, “I still can’t believe you managed to talk the headmaster into letting you fly his class to France for a couple days.” She eyed him over the top of the paper. “You know you’re going to have to go, right? You got the trip allowed. It’d look bad on your part if you didn’t go.”

He finally looked over at her, a curious sparkle in his eyes. “Have you ever been to France, (Y/N)?”

She tipped her head side to side. “If you count a plane ride over France while on the way to Holland, then yes. But have I been to France? No.”

Bruce leaned back in his seat, hands curling around the arm rests of his seat. “Do you want to go?”

(Y/N) raised an eyebrow. “And keep an eye on a group of rambunctious teenagers? Uh…no. I already have enough trouble keeping your group in check.” Bruce gave a laugh at her words, but she followed with, “But if you need me to go with Damian, I can work it into the schedule.” He nodded, and she tapped at her screen. “Alright, I’ll fax the paperwork with our information for travel.” She turned, making her way to her desk when his voice reached her.

“Wait! Our inform—I’m going too?”

She simply threw a thumbs up, sitting at her desk.

***

She settled into the cushioned seat, a sigh of relief slipping through her lips.

An amused voice sounded beside her, “Getting comfortable (Y/N)?”

She hummed, pushing the button to recline her seat. “Eight hours in first class? Are you kidding me? Of course, I’m getting comfortable.” Bruce grinned, settling into his seat the same as her. She watched him groan as he lifted his legs, stretching them out.

A knowing tone came up and she said, “I told you not to wear hard-bottomed shoes. You should’ve gone with sneakers.”

“Why do you enjoy torturing me, (Y/N)?”

She laughed at his words, looking over at him. “I tell you not to do things and you do them anyway. It’s not hard to find the chastising humor in it.” Bruce opened his mouth to reply, but it was cut off by a small huff, and they both looked over, seeing his youngest son collapsing into a seat beside them. (Y/N) reached over, gently caressing the top of his head. “Don’t want to hang around with the simpletons anymore, Damian?”

He nodded and closed his eyes, curling up in the seat. “I have never met a group of kids more idiotic than my class.” His eyes flew open, and he leaned across the arm rest, a sneer on his face. “Just last week, that troglodyte Trevor made a comment so ridiculous, even his reasoning was absurd.”

(Y/N) nodded and asked, “What’d he say?”

Damian scoffed and replied, “He said that he wanted to be like Achilles because he looked cool.” She waved a hand for him to continue. “So, I said, ‘Really, you want to be a man that throws a tantrum when he doesn’t get his way?’ And this fool had the audacity to look at me like I had just asked him-”

His rant was cut off by Bruce, who said, “Damian, enough.”

Damian rolled his eyes whispering, “I cannot stand how stupid they are.”

(Y/N) snorted, leaning close and telling him, “Give them a chance, Damian.” The look he gave her made her wish she’d had a camera, and she continued with, “You have to remember, these people haven’t been schooled like you have. You’re more advanced than the average thirteen-year-old. They’re still learning how to switch classes without a teacher escorting them.”

Damian leaned back, a look of thought on his face, then he retorted, “They are still stupid.”

(Y/N) reached over, handing him a book. “Here kiddo. Keep yourself occupied.”

He took the book, flipping it over. “What is this, ‘Hell Divers’ about?” (Y/N) popped a cracker in her mouth, pointing to the back. He read it silently, then made a motion to hand it back. “Doesn’t look interesting.”

(Y/N) swallowed and put another cracker in her mouth, shifting it to the side of her cheek with her tongue as she pushed the book back. “I brought the whole series.” She grinned at him, holding up the set. “I bet you can’t read the entire thing by the time we land.”

Damian scowled, snatching the books from her, and opening the first one. She gave a satisfied smile and turned back to the front when she felt eyes on her. (Y/N) looked over, seeing Bruce staring at her, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

She raised an eyebrow questioning, “What?”

He tipped his chin towards Damian. “How’d you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Get him to read something he didn’t find interesting?”

(Y/N) reached over and condescendingly patted his arm. “The same way I get you to buy new suits every gala.”

Bruce looked at her in confusion. “And that way is?”

(Y/N) reclined in her seat, pulling her blanket up to her chin and pulling the eye mask down her eyes. “I tell you that someone there might be able to out dress you, and that spurs you to make sure you look the best.”

She couldn’t see him, but she could picture his face and arms as he pouted, “So you manipulate me?”

“With all the care and affection you need Mr. Wayne.” And that was all she said before rolling over and curling up and drifting off.

***

“And stay with your guides at all times! Chaperones, if you get lost or separated from your guide, you have Mr. Wayne and my cellphone numbers, please call, do not stay lost!” (Y/N) looked at the chaperones and guides. “Does everyone understand?” Cheers and nods came from all sides, and she waved them off. “Then be free! Curfew is at nine P.M.! Be there before nine, please! And be careful!” Her words fell on deaf ears as the groups dispersed, and she groaned lightly, rubbing her temples.

A hand rested on her lower back and she looked up, seeing Bruce smiling at her. “Don’t worry so much, (Y/N). Everyone will be fine.” She nodded, trusting his words, then he tipped his head to the side. “Damian’s hailed a cab. Let’s go hit the Louvre, then we’ll go to lunch.” She followed him to where Damian was holding the car door and slid inside.

***

The drive didn’t take long, and soon they were walking around the museum. Damian had wandered off, waving his hand, and saying, “I can handle myself.”

She and Bruce simply nodded, watching him go before they set off themselves. They walked around, observing the pieces, until (Y/N) saw a particular one. Her feet sunk into the ground and she stopped, staring at it in admiration.

Bruce glanced between them. “Nike?”

She nodded, telling him, “I remember learning about her in Humanities back in community college, but I never actually imagined ever seeing her.” (Y/N) paused, a calm look coming across her face. “Pictures don’t do her justice. She’s more impressive than I thought. And bigger.”

Bruce listened to her, then asked quietly, “Do you like art, (Y/N)?”

She tipped her head side to side. “Here and there. I like pieces that catch my eye or look interesting.” She glanced at him. “I really enjoy history and science museums.” (Y/N) reached over, nudging him in the side. “Maybe for the next fieldtrip, you can fly us to D.C., and we can hit the Smithsonian.” (Y/N) stepped away and nodded to the next room. “C’mon, let’s go to the next exhibit.”

He fell into step beside her and as they observed the next piece he murmured, “Would you like to go to the Smithsonian, (Y/N)?”

She half focused on his words, absentmindedly replying, “Whenever the next field trip comes up, sure.”

A gentle grip took her hand and she looked over, seeing a serene look in his eyes, and he asked, “No…would you like to go to the Smithsonian…with me?”

(Y/N) blinked, then gestured clumsily between them. “Like…just us?” He nodded and she clarified, “Me and you…together?” He nodded again, a smile accompanying it, and she couldn’t help but ensure, “No one else? Just…us?”

Bruce huffed a laugh, gently squeezing her hand. “Just us.”

(Y/N) felt her cheeks warm, and she looked down, mumbling, “Oh…I…I don’t know if the schedule is clear…”

Another squeeze followed by, “As the boss, I can clear any and all plans made.”

Her heart fluttered at his words, but she pushed it aside, glancing back at him, her eyes firm. “Are you being serious with me right now? You’re not pulling joke?”

Bruce’s eyebrows furrowed and he admitted, “I don’t actually know if I should be offended that you think I’m playing a joke or not, but to answer your question, no, I’m not pulling a joke.” He let go of her hand, trailing his fingers up her forearm, the other arm curling around her. “I’m being one-hundred percent serious.”

He gave her a smile, blue eyes shining. “I would like it if you spent the weekend with me in D.C.” He paused, lips pulling downwards as he added, “Or just spent the weekend with me. We don’t have to go anywhere…if we’re together, that’s all that matters to me. I just really want you—”

(Y/N) cut him off, pressing her lips to his cheek. He grinned at her, watching as she murmured, “I would love to go to D.C. with you, Bruce.” She pulled away, slipping out of his grip, and wandering off towards the next room. He stared at her back, heart thumping in his chest when a voice sounded below him.

“Took you long enough.” His mood soured, and he looked down, seeing Damian standing there, arms crossed over his chest.

“When did you get here?” He asked.

Damian glanced up at him and muttered, “Since the start of your embarrassing courting.” Bruce reached over and ruffled his hair, laughing at how Damian slapped his hand, a glare in his eyes.

“It wasn’t embarrassing.”

“Not to you. But the others were considering throwing up.”

Bruce’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Others?”

Damian simply held up his phone, and Bruce looked into the eyes of his other sons who were returning his gaze, albeit smugly.

“So, (Y/N)’s finally gonna join the fray? Cool!”

A hand shoved Dick’s head aside, and Jason looked into the camera. “I’m seriously surprised it took you this long, old man. I mean, how long has she been your secretary? When Dick got there?”

A new voice picked up from the side, and Tim’s head squeezed into view. “Actually, (Y/N) was there before Dick got there. She was there when Bruce started working at W.E.”

Dick’s head shoved Jason’s aside, and his snarky grin appeared. “But the point is, nice going, Bruce! It’s only taken you like seventeen years to get her to go out with you! You must be one weird guy for it to take so long. Maybe it’s because—”

At this point, Bruce had grunted, turning on his heel and marching off after (Y/N). Dick sputtered through the camera, “Damian! Go after him! I haven’t finished explaining his problems!”

“There’s not enough time in the world to explain all the old man’s problems.”

“You’re one to talk, Jason.”

“I dare you to say that to my face replacement.”

Damian rolled his eyes, shutting off the phone and walking after his father, a smug smirk playing at his lips.

[flightlessangelwings]

I Love You, I Trust You

Marcus Moreno x afab!reader (smut with no pronoun use, no y/n)

Word count: 2.4k

Warnings: smut (18+ only), fingering, unprotected sex, soft smut, light bondage, Marcus is a sweetheart

Request from anon: Ok you got me going with Marcus wanting to tie the reader down. Please for the love of goodness write this (referencing my Marcus Moreno NSFW alphabet which can be found in my masterlist)

Notes: Thanks for the request, anon I hope you see this! I had a lot of fun writing this one! I incorporated a few other pieces from the NSFW alphabet here too ;) Moodboard made by me

~

“Well that was more eventful than I expected,” you commented as you followed Marcus into his home. The sound of both of your fancy shoes echoed on the tile before you removed them and made your way into his bedroom barefoot.

“Nothing is ever calm when it comes to the Heroics,” Marcus quipped back with a smile, “Even a gala.” The Heroics hosted their annual formal event that night, and Marcus of course had asked you to join him as his date. It was the first time you saw him dressed up all fancy like this, and it made your heart pound in your chest at how good he looked in a three piece suit and tie.

You trailed your eyes up and down your boyfriend’s body, “You do look nice in a suit,” you spoke in a sultry voice, “It was hard to keep my hands to myself all evening,” you reached out for Marcus and kissed him sweetly.

He moaned into your mouth as his hands landed on your hips. Marcus deepened the kiss as he gently led you back towards the bed, “Me too,” his voice was low when he broke away for air.

“Good thing Missy is with the rest of the kids at their sleepover tonight,” you winked as you shimmied yourself out of your formalwear. Luckily you chose something comfortable that was easy to step out of and before Marcus blinked, you stood before him in nothing but your underwear.

Marcus’ mouth dropped open as if it was the first time he saw you bare like this. To him, every time was like the first time, and you took his breath away every single time you let him see you naked. You giggled as you unbuttoned his waistcoat and dress shirt as he just stared at you dumbfounded. It took Marcus a moment to even register that you started to undress him as well.

You carefully slid the knot of his tie down to loosen it before you lifted it up over his head. Gently, you tossed it onto the bed before you pushed his shirt and vest of his shoulders together. Marcus’ hands roamed all over your bare skin as you closed the gap between your bodies for another kiss, this one more heated and desperate. The feeling of your flesh against his just added to the need you both felt and once you felt your legs hit the bed, you let yourself collapse onto your back.

Marcus stood before you in just his pants as he watched your breasts bounce when you landed on the soft mattress. “Wow, baby,” he whispered as he fumbled with his pants. However, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from you and it made it difficult to unbuckle them. You couldn’t help the laugh that you let out as he got frustrated with the belt, but you soon took pity on him and got to your knees to help.

His cock sprang free, hard already and you couldn’t help but lick your lips as your mouth watered at the sight. This time it was Marcus’ turn to giggle at you before he captured your lips with his once more and gently pushed you onto your back again. You wrapped your arms around his shoulders and he pushed your panties down your body so you were just as bare for him as he was for you.

As he slid your panties down, Marcus kissed his way down your body. Your hand buried itself in his hair as he licked and nibbled at all the spots he knew made you mewl. Marcus always loved to worship your body and kiss everywhere he could reach, and you had no complaints. He had this way of making you feel so wanted, so loved. He started by kissing down the side of your neck and gently bit down on the sensitive skin by your collarbone before he moved down to your breasts.

Marcus loved your breasts. He could spend hours just kneading and kissing every centimeter of skin there, and he especially loved when you arched your back into him while he licked and sucked at your nipple. And tonight was no different. Marcus buried his face in your mounds and nibbled at your soft skin as he gently squeezed your breasts. You moaned softly in response and wrapped your legs around his waist to keep him close.

He said your name in a prayer as he kissed his way across your chest to your other breast and swirled his tongue around your nipple. Marcus rocked his hips against yours, both desperate for any friction between your bodies. Dancing together at the gala was fun and beautiful, but dancing like this naked in his bed was another experience entirely. 

Satisfied that he gave your breasts sufficient attention, Marcus broke away with a pop and kissed his way down your stomach. While he did that, he slid your panties down your body entirely. He sat up to take in the sight before him: you hot and naked and spread out on his bed. As lovely as you looked dressed up all formally, you had never looked more beautiful and sexy than you did right now like this.

Marcus bit his lip as his thoughts ran away from him, and he found himself down a path that he had started to go down before. There was something he desperately wanted to try with you, but he was afraid to bring it up because he worried you would react badly. Normally, Marcus Moreno was not the most adventurous in bed, and he never had been into anything super kinky, but he found that with you he had this one fantasy that just wouldn’t escape his brain.

You propped yourself up onto your elbows and furrowed your brows when you noticed that he seemed lost in thought, “Marcus?” your soft voice broke the silence in the room. Marcus shook his head, and he didn’t even realize how long he had sat back, “Is everything ok?”

He smiled back at you as his face softened, “Fine, baby,” he reached out and cupped your face.

“Are you sure? You seem like you have something on your mind,” you leaned into his touch and your eyes fluttered closed. You always felt safe with Marcus, and you wanted nothing more than for him to feel safe with you as well.

“There’s just something I want to try but…” he let out a heavy sigh as his gaze fell down to the sheets.

You reached out for his face to get him to look you in the eyes again, “Tell me, Marcus,” your voice held no hesitation and was completely sincere.

“I,” he took a deep breath, “I want to tie you down,” when you were quiet for a beat Marcus felt the need to fill the air, “It’s ok if you don’t want to, and I don’t want to pressure you into it but…”

“That sounds hot, Marcus,” your voice cut off his rambling and Marcus looked at you wide-eyed, “Honestly, I’ve wanted to try that too,” you paused before you added, “I trust you, Marcus.”

Marcus felt all the air leave his body and he stared at you for a moment before he crashed his lips to yours in a desperate kiss. He held you close as if he couldn't get close enough to you and you moaned into his mouth in response. While you felt lost in his embrace, you blindly reached out to your side and felt around until you found what you seeked: his discarded tie. When you broke away, you grinned at him as you held the soft silk tie up between your faces.

“I think this would work for our first try at this,” your voice was playful as you winked at him.

His cock twitched in response, “Baby…”

You leaned in and kissed him again before you settled back into the bed and raised your arms above your head. Marcus stared at you in shock for a long moment. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have you, and how much you trusted him like this without hesitation. He leaned in and kissed you once more before he took his tie from your hand and carefully wrapped it around your wrists.

You watched with bated breath as Marcus was lost in concentration. He wanted to make sure it was tight enough to keep you in place, but not tight enough to cause you any pain. As much as you tried to keep still for him, you couldn’t help but buck your hips up in a desperate need for contact. When you couldn’t reach him due to the angle he sat at, you rubbed your thighs together in an attempt to create your own friction.

Once he was satisfied, Marcus’ eyes trailed down your body and he definitely noticed the way you writhed at the friction you created for yourself. Between that and the way you looked so delectable with your wrists bound over your head with his own tie, he knew neither of you would last long. He pushed your legs open so he could position himself between them and he felt his heart pound in his chest as you laid bound and helpless before him.

“You ok?” he asked.

“Yes,” your breathless reply came without hesitation, “Please Marcus, I need you.” 

“God, I love you,” emotion poured from his lips with his words as he kissed you again. 

The kiss left your breathless but you managed a soft, “Love you,” when he broke away for a moment. You involuntarily strained against the tie around your wrists, but the bounds only turned you on more.

They must have spurred him on as well, because Marcus let out a low groan as he hovered his hand over your pussy before he slowly pushed two fingers inside you. He was almost surprised at how wet you were, and he figured that you truly did want this as much as you said you did. Encouraged by your moaning, he pumped his fingers in and out of you a few times, and he swallowed hard as he fought to restrain himself long enough to get your ready for his cock. But the way your breasts swung as you rocked against his hand made him lose all self control, and Marcus pulled his fingers out almost too quickly.

You let out a whimper at the loss, but the lack of contact didn’t last long as you felt him line himself up at your entrance within the same breath. Marcus said your name and waited until you opened your eyes and met his own to push himself into you. Both of you let out loud moans as he slowly and tenderly filled you. He whispered your name again in that low voice that drove you crazy as he bottomed out inside you.

“Marcus…” you whined.

He didn’t need any more encouragement than that and immediately he started to thrust in and out of you. Marcus held onto your hips and watched you as your face contorted in pleasure while moans and cries spilled from your lips. His tie around your wrists only added to the intensity and he couldn’t help but rock into you harder and faster.

“Oh my God…” your voice only got louder and louder the more he pumped his cock into you, and you had never felt a pleasure like this ever before.

Marcus moved one hand from your hip to rub at your clit and his cock twitched when your voice went up at the action. You arched your body against his as much as you could. Your orgasm quickly built up, even without as much foreplay as Marcus usually liked to do with you. And he could tell too; he always knew when you were close by the way your moans changed and your mouth hung open.

“Come for me baby,” he groaned as he rubbed your clit faster and watched as you gripped wherever you could reach with the binds, “Please baby.”

That was all it took to push you over the edge and you came with a loud scream. The way you tightened around him triggered Marcus’ own orgasm and he came inside you with your name on his lips. Heat rose in the room as he rode out both of your climaxes before he collapsed down on top of you with a grunt.

The sudden weight made you gasp but you immediately burst into laughter. Marcus propped himself up to make sure he didn’t hurt you, and when he was met with your smiling face he knew you were alright. You bent your elbows and cupped his face with your bound hands and pulled him in for a chaste kiss.

“I love you,” Marcus whispered against your lips before he kissed you again, “Thank you for trusting me.”

You smiled against his lips, “I love you too,” you murmured between kisses.

Completely spent, Marcus collapsed down again and you shifted yourself so that his head lay nuzzled between your bound arms. His own arms held you tightly and his softening cock still stayed buried inside you. You always loved the calm, intimate moments like this after sex with Marcus. It was something you never had with anyone before him, and you were happy and lucky that he chose to be with you so you would never know life without that feeling again.

After he caught his breath, Marcus lifted himself and slowly pulled out of you. Your eyes fluttered shut as you whined but a soft kiss to your forehead was enough to satisfy you.

“I’d keep you like this if I could,” he chucked against your skin, “You’ve never looked sexier.”

Heat rose in your body; you had never heard him say anything so bold like that before. While you were lost in your flustered thoughts, Marcus grinned as he tugged the tie and released you. He was careful, and inspected your wrists to make sure you weren’t hurt. Satisfied that you weren’t, he flopped down next to you and pulled you in to rest on his chest. Strong arms wrapped around your body and held you close.

“Maybe next time you can let me tie you up,” you broke the silence with a light laughter.

Marcus kissed the top of your head, “I think you’d like that a lot,” he joined in your laughter, “But I’d like that too.” 

[petalsmooth]

Ok.

Let’s talk Lili.

First off we only know what stars put out about themselves or other people say about them. We are not friends with these people. We are not in their homes. We don’t usually hear what they say in unguarded conversation. What we know is what is out on social media with some highly distorted soundbites from chats or DM’s with her mother that were exposed.

We were initially presented a portrait pushed by her and her family no less of a middle class family with the standard girl next door hit it big narrative. Down to earth, relatable, somewhat quirky. Strong two parent supportive household. All that was missing were the apron and pearls.

This girl came out of the gates talking about a modernized Riverdale with two girls who would be actually close and not vying for the same redhead. Feel free to add/or correct along the way of course...especially early on when not following as closely.

We got very little in the way of insight into Cole and Lili because they were trying to keep it quiet even if there were hints together. Mostly during this period what fans were fed was that she was slightly awkward socially, maybe not the most intellectual but nice and harmless. She spoke of empowering women, independence, she constantly shut down the idea of Barchie and praised Bughead. Along through the year’s she would speak to social bullying or bullying in general. She would openly talk about struggles with mental health. She’d talk and show her cystic acne and share photos not all airbrushed in ode to body positivity. She’d talk about not having an hourglass figure, and cellulite and often go out in ratty shorts and a bun sans makeup. You see she’d talk about it then follow through by showing lived the walk or calling out photoshops done of her.

Again this is “relatable girl next door quirky Lili” we told was the REAL Lili.

She would frequently talk and post about her family and dogs at home and how much she loved and missed them...though oddly not so much her older sister.

At a certain point it became undeniable Cole and Lili were together to even the hardest deniers. Of course also the Met gala eventually made official for media.

We get have her liking posts such as Miley’s about how lucky she was to have a man who checked off all the boxes. But at times there were glimpses all wasn’t kosher. People have mentioned various cons where she’d be caught flirting somewhere else, or she’d be in a bad mood giving Cole a cold shoulder. We recently saw an old video of them walking and her basically demanding he drop the fans and attend her. We have the con were Camilla is sexually harassing Cole everywhere and Lili doesn’t shut it down until Camilla tries to grind on him. It was so bad even Mads intervened. We have the interview where she is talking over him or rolling her eyes and basically being the unprofessional brat her fans claim she is not. Even though it’s ON CAMERA. Snapping at your co worker/boyfriend and rolling your eyes during a professional interview is not deniable.

Flashforward to the trip to Italy because for me there was always something off about that. That trip was obviously planned far in advance. Clearly Lili was supposed to be there. Her fans quickly blamed Cole because Lili was working. Lili didn’t have to work. It wasn’t a career changing move to do that film. It did not do well. I’m not entirely sure what was happening around that time but I have the sense Cole was disappointed/a  little angry she prioritized it over him accepting very likely the offer AFTER the trip was planned.

Lili spirals during this time. Cole comes back to clean up mess. They are quiet on social media for a long time then slowly emerge again and eventually get the photo booth shots, the wedding and her mingling with NY friends for once. Turns out close to the end for them.

I don’t want to make this a Sprousehart post though although some relevance to bring part of it up. The point is Lili put her career over her relationship. It was a calculated decision. It was also the wrong decision. Her fans talk about her being this warm giving person but that was a cynical call and a pretty lousy thing to do to your boyfriend of several year’s. I’m all for supportive partners but there are time’s where you make sacrifices if you really care for someone and this was a special trip planned long in advance. She blew it off. If I’m the partner she does this too, I question why I’m putting in the effort if it doesn’t mean to them what it means to me. 

TBH I think the bad choices she made there is why tried to make it up by meeting with his friends, the wedding etc...

Something than clearly happened because by January they were done. Not sure we’ll ever know but it looked like they were trying to fix things given the happiness hadn’t seen on Cole’s faces in a long time in those booth pics and then...it was done. We didn’t know at the time, but this is timeline Cole gave. There was a brief attempt at reconciliation where she babysits him at a photo shoot and posts a photo of them in bed and then shortly after...Cole calls it off. 

He heads to LA, she follows him there but not without making sure to shove Casey’s face into her chest to post and rent a place close to where he is staying. She posts weepy messages about the world ending etc....and weird new photos mimicking old shoots with him so naturally people think this means whatever happened they worked through. Around same time she and hers manipulated her fans to try to cancel him earlier because she misunderstood a picture of Kaia....although flat out if he had been with Kaia he was SINGLE and it was no longer her business.

She tries to walk back the firestorm she unleashed on him by “defending” him from a lesser twitter trend after realizing misconstrued the Kaia picture, All summer she weirdly seems to be trying to avoid the topic if they are together or not despite saying once if they weren’t she’d tell people. She finally puts her foot in her mouth one two many times' and Cole confirms they broke up which she doesn’t acknowledge. Because she doesn’t want to be broken up.

As we know know it wasn’t all rainbows on the set even before all this happened as in the musical she’d launched an object at him hard enough to have the crew concerned. Lili fans keep saying Cole is abusive but the only evidence we have of abuse is her towards him. We also had her suddenly doing a 180 from past 4 year’s and excusing cheating with Archie and promoting everyone in her live recaps except Cole/Jughead.

Back to the events following Cole’s post....then we get a sudden string of interviews taking shots at Cole, doxxing him, implying he could have strayed (just to resurrect hate against him) but can’t say he actually did because she has no proof. We know this because in those chats admit it was just suspicion and paranoia and never did have any names.

We learn that Lili has been funneling news and gossip and photos to keep her mother’s hold on the fandom in check and her mother in turn has been bullying people who would stand on Cole’s side. They sought to ruin him. This is not debatable.

For year’s people had made fun and called Bree out for being an obsessive stalker unable to let a relationship go, then Lili starts doing the same. We know she has tried to copy Ari’s style, her mother made a snide comment about breast size, Lili tried to taunt Ari from on set and Ari shut her down. A girl who almost never was in the line of sight of paps suddenly is snapped everyday following break up even before the public new. That doesn’t just happen. She wanted the attention.

I’m not going to go into all of it, you all know it. Suffice to say revealing she has a bitter vindictive attitude she has submersed herself in ever since Cole made it clear no reunion. She won’t even broach the topic of Bughead/Jughead unless forced. You can spin all you like but the split screens was not an artistic choice by RD. It was spurred by need to keep them apart.

Lili last summer was doing precious little other than a post or two of Black Lives matter and then when Cole gets arrested suddenly she jumps on the me too and sets up impulsive lives. Maybe she meant well but a part of me thinks she did it to attract his attention. Notice once she got praise for it and the initial protests faded she more or less doesn’t bring it up anymore. Cole never intended to get attention, it just happened because he’s a star and got taken in to a jail cell. He never put himself on camera for notice. 

Lili also co-opts the murder of a girl to flaunt she thinks she looks good naked. Completely tone deaf. 

Lili very rarely is seen in fan photos, only usually when she’s getting flack for it online. She, a girl who talks about bullying, went on a  midnight tirade against a guy who dares to critique or poetry setting her fans on him. Then deleted it probably because publicist in her ear.

She first said poems not about Cole, than said you could read into what you wanted to sell them. Now she doesn’t want to talk poetry or sequels because it flopped and was critically panned.

There are constant rumors about Lili on sets of productions to point they even had someone on her newer movie try to downplay. Yet we see in a video the cast barely talking and looking tense on a boat. 

The girl who used to talk about body positivity now lets them airbrush abs onto her.

The girl who used to talk of therapy and mental illness now promotes OTC supplements for $ and cults.

If she mentions cellulite she uses other tik toks of people showing not her own. 

She said she would never be on tik tok, yet now has her own and post old videos that aren’t funny.

Lili once tired to attack Cole by talking about losing yourself in drugs or alcohol or sex yet we’ve seen her drug paraphernalia because she advertises. Her friends post and laugh over her being drunk. She was in an off and on relationship with Wallis that doesn’t seem to be about anything but sex.

We were told Coles friends are bad influences but Taylor is out there solicitating questionable clients and making videos slamming LILI’S COWORKER as a bad actor and his brother,

The majority of Lili’s posts no longer feature Sunny or her family/Addy. 

She insulted Vancouver, compared to a prison, and made it clear her creature comforts were of more importance than a pandemic. Not quite the attitude of an empath. Which she claims she is with intention to be a master which require sucking more gullible people into the cult.

She brags about being a “rich man” without understand the context. She went from artistic photos to modeling pinups to fuel her lack of self esteem.

She’s in her mid 20′s, claims she had grown and matured in the last year but there is no evidence of it. Still can’t work with her ex without buffers which still influences show direction though her fans deny.. Still lives off junk food and hangovers. Those glasses aren’t just for sun. Her timeline is mostly an ode to her vanity with pictures of herself and then her dog. She doesn’t seem to have any causes she’s deeply involved in on the side apart from her cult. She’s still stalking Cole as her impulsive makeup tutorial showed. She said she cut out of her life anyone who doesn’t service her. I highly doubt she is receiving quality therapy on the regular right now. She still does not seem to possess the ability to own her mistakes and apologize when warranted, rather deflects or erases when heat becomes too hot.

The content she puts out about herself post break up is very different than the bill of goods fans were sold before. She is a far cry from that quirky girl next door that stood FOR something more than vanity and shallow affirmation. So no, I don’t see what you see in her stans. Everything that once seemed to distinguish her from other spoilt princesses has long faded. 

[lnc2]

this time next year

Summary: Marinette is worried about the future. Adrien wants to know where he fits into it.

A/N: This piece was written for the @mlwriterzine and I’m so excited to finally share this with you!  I hope you enjoy it and also go check out the zine because there are so many amazing stories/art pieces collected there.

AO3

The party was well underway by the time Adrien knocked on Nino’s door. Alya was the one who answered, half of her face obscured by gold tin foil pinned to a green beret.

“Speak of the devil,” she grinned, leaning heavily on the door frame.

Adrien bussed her cheek and passed over the bottle of rosé he’d swiped from his father’s wine cellar. “Sorry, Alya. The show ran late. You know how those things go.”

She waved him in, whistling at the bottle in her hands, and shook her head. “Thankfully I don’t. Everyone’s in the living room.”

Adrien followed her into the kitchen instead, eyes straying over the tipsy, crowded apartment. Back against the wall, where Nino’s faded and cracked leather couch usually sat, was a long table covered in gold plastic sheeting. Green and gold hats of various styles were littered across, as well as glitter, rhinestones, netting, feathers, and any other number of crafting materials.

He smiled. “I see you’ve all started without me.”

“Naturally,” Alya said, putting his gift in the fridge to chill. “You’re several drinks behind us now, Agreste. Pick your poison.” She gestured to the half-empty bottles of liquor scattered across the bar.

“No tequila?”

She snorted. “You’ll have to track down Marinette for that one. She ran off with the bottle half an hour ago.”

Something warm filled his chest. “A cup of ice and a lime then.”

“Good luck with that,” Alya said, bumping his shoulder as she passed him the glass. Adrien laughed as he followed her into the living room, his smile widening as he spotted Kagami fussing with the green flowers on her gold newspaper hat.

“I’m not sure how I feel about this.”

Alya batted her hand away. “It’s tradition!”

She pressed her lips together. “It’s archaic.”

“Boo,” a familiar voice called from behind him. Adrien’s heart stuttered as a familiar pair of arms slipped around his waist. “It’s just for fun. No one takes it seriously.”

Adrien thought back to earlier in the evening and Gabriel’s annual Saint Catherine’s Day gala and couldn’t agree. There was a stark difference between the frivolousness and whimsy of Nino’s house party and the staid sobriety of his father’s fashion show.

As if reading his thoughts, Marinette’s eyes sparkled up at him beneath gold netting. “At least no one here.”

“Speak for yourself,” Alya said. She adjusted her hat and threw an accusatory look towards Nino. “Tick tock, babe.”

“You won’t let me propose until you’re out of grad school,” he whined.

Adrien hid his grin as the familiar argument ensued. Instead, he tipped his cup of ice towards the half-empty bottle in Marinette’s hand.

“You’re one of the few people I’d share with,” she said, filling his glass. Adrien leaned down to whisper his gratitude only to be pushed from the other side, causing them to knock heads.

Marinette laughed waving off his apologies with a squeeze to his waist even as their assaulter continued to elbow into the group.

“I’m never getting married,” Alix announced from her position on the back of one of Alya’s coworkers. There was a crown on her head but no decorations. She gestured wildly with her free hand. “Just call me Queen Catherinette.”

“All hail,” Alya said, clinking her wine glass against a reluctant Kagami’s. Her glassy eyes strayed towards Marinette. “What about you, girl? It’s been a while since I’ve heard about Emma, Louis, and Hugo.”

Adrien tried not to sound too interested when he asked, “Who?”

Marinette laughed, her flushed cheeks flushing further. “I’m afraid that future is on hold, Al. I need to find a boyfriend first.”

She removed her arm from around his waist then and Adrien had to restrain himself from pulling her back to his side. Instead, he took a healthy swallow of tequila and let the conversation drift into less turbulent waters.

Now was hardly the time to volunteer his name to the top of her list. 

Adrien could think of two, maybe three very important conversations they needed to have before he could even approach that topic. The most pressing of which weighed heavy on his right hand and sparkled like precious gems on his lady’s ears.

He watched over the rim of his glass as Marinette giggled with the other women in their silly hats. One of them—Alix’s roommate, he thought—burst out with a jubilant, “For pity’s sake, give us a husband!” only for the others to raise their glasses with various tipsy rounds of, “Hear, hear!”

He smiled as Marinette wrestled Kagami’s fidgeting hands away from her hat. It had only been a few weeks since their reveal but Adrien was struggling to see how he could have missed the woman he’d loved for a decade in his dear and wonderful friend.

“Some party, huh?”

Adrien coughed as Nino slapped him on the back just as he was swallowing. Nino laughed at his accusing glare. 

“Sorry man,” he said, grinning. “I thought you heard me coming but I guess you were distracted.”

Adrien ignored the teasing lilt in his friend’s voice.“It’s a good crowd,” he said instead. “I’m sorry I was so late.”

“No worries. Although if everything goes well hopefully this will be the last Saint Catherine’s party we’ll be hosting.”

Adrien laughed. “You think you’ll have worn Alya down by then?”

Nino shrugged. “Fingers crossed. I’ve had this ring burning a hole in my pocket for two months now.”

“Maybe you should be the one wearing the hat.” He grinned, only to receive a rough shove to his shoulder.

“You’re one to talk.”

Adrien pretended not to understand.

“Seriously, dude?” Nino shook his head. “You’re not that slick. If you like her you should just ask her out. I know for a fact she used to have a thing for you.”

And even though Adrien already knew that, even though Marinette told him so several years earlier when her crush was a thing of the past as she’d laughingly put it, hearing his heart’s desire put into words so matter-of-factly did things to him.

Things like make him want to punch a hole in the nearest wall or tear out his hair in frustration.

Because really, how was it fair that the one woman he’d spent years chasing had actually spent several years of her own chasing him right back?

It wasn’t.

Not when Adrien still found himself in the chase and she had apparently just … stopped.

“That was a long time ago, Nino.”

“I don’t know if I’d say that.”

“... Why?” Adrien stared, stomach clenching. “Did she say something? Did Alya say something?” 

His heart raced like hummingbirds wings in his throat as he tried to catch his friend’s gaze. 

Adrien grabbed his shoulder and shook. “Nino.”

“I can neither confirm nor deny anything.” He laughed, before hiding his smile behind his glass as they caught Alya’s attention across the room. Adrien met her suspicious frown with a wave even as his other hand tightened on Nino’s shoulder. 

“But …?”

“But … I wouldn’t count myself out just yet.”

Adrien’s hand fell to his side as all of his breath rushed out of him. “Oh.”

“Although, that may change if you don’t do something about it. Sooner rather than later if Kim’s roommate is anything to go by.”

Nino nodded towards the corner of the room where Marinette was chatting with a tall brunette. He was leaning towards her, his fingers playing at the edge of the netting on her hat as he whispered something in her ear that made her laugh. Adrien was already halfway across the room when Nino shouted, “Good luck!”

He wasn’t exactly sure what he was going to do to break up their little tete-a-tete but he needn’t have worried. As soon as he was in her line of sight Marinette’s smile lit up like the Eiffel tower and there was little left for him to do other than introduce himself before the interloper tried his luck elsewhere.

“Come outside with me,” she said, tugging his arm. “I haven’t seen you all week.”

“Your fault,” Adrien said, happy to follow her anywhere. “You canceled patrol.”

Marinette rolled her eyes. “You know I had to finish up those pieces for your father’s show.”

“At least you weren’t forced to go.”

She laughed and leaned back against the balcony railing. It was cooler than usual tonight as fall slowly gave way to winter and they had the little patio all to themselves. “Perks of being a lowly intern.”

“Please,” he said, bumping her shoulder. “You’ll be a junior designer by next year.”

She hummed, taking a swig of tequila from the bottle only to cough as it hit the back of her throat.

“You can mix that with something you know?”

His lady winced and took another sip, smaller this time. “Who has time for that?”

“You if you’d just slow down.”

It was only half a joke. Lately, even before their Big Reveal, Adrien noticed something changing in Marinette. She was a little less scattered, a little more single-minded. There was almost a frenzied focus about her, like some great fear was nipping at her heels, spurring her forward.

It wasn’t until her timer ran out during an akuma attack that he began to understand why.

“It was ten years this September,” she murmured, turning out to face the cobbled streets below.

Adrien hesitated before wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her into his side.

“We’ll get him, bug. I promise.”

“But when, Chat?” She started to lean her head against his shoulder only for her hat to get in the way. Frustrated, she ripped the little masterpiece off her head and crushed it in her hands.

“Stupid holidays aside, I do want a life, Adrien.” She ripped lightly at the netting. “You said I’ll make junior designer by next year? I don’t see how that’s possible when I’m running out of work every other day because someone couldn’t control their emotions.”

Her voice caught on the last word and he was horrified to realize she was crying. “I want to run my own business someday. I want –– I want to fall in love and get married and have babies.” She looked up, teary gaze meeting his. “How can I do anything when I always have one foot out the window waiting for the next catastrophe? Who could put up with that?”

“You’re not someone a person has to put up with, my lady.”

“Yeah.” She sighed. “Right. Tell that to my exes.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, because really that’s all he could do.

“Don’t be.” She sniffed, giving him a sad, sad smile. “You can’t do anything about it any more than I can.”

That wasn’t entirely true though.

Adrien turned his attention towards the scrunched up hat in her hands. Marinette followed his gaze and gave a watery laugh.

“I want it all, Adrien,” she whispered.

“I know,” he whispered.

“Do you?” she asked, eyes wide and blue and wet and angry. “Do you really?”

Adrien pulled her to him then, giving her the hug her fears deserved. Marinette clutched at his back, her arms sliding beneath his coat to wrap around his waist, giving as good as she got.

“I don’t want to wait anymore.” 

Tears stung his eyes and words, the right words, stuck in the back of his throat as she gave voice to desires he’d never been brave enough to even dream. Not when Ladybug said no and not when Marinette said not anymore and not when they merged and became everything he’d ever wanted but feared he’d never have.

She wanted it all. 

Adrien closed his eyes and breathed in his lady’s perfume. Freesia and jasmine and something he’d never been able to name. Marinette’s arms loosened around his waist when it seemed like he would pull away, but Adrien only held her tighter.

“I––” He stopped. “You said you don’t want to slow down?”

Marinette nodded.

“Well … how—how would you feel about a chaser?”

She pulled away so she could see his face. “A chaser?” she repeated, frowning.

Adrien bit his lip, feeling heat rushing up his neck and ears. “Ah, yeah,” he said, doing his best to hold her gaze. “Like—like a partner. To your tequila, I mean.”

Adrien watched as confusion gave way to understanding in the form of a perfect little open-mouthed oh. His heart was pounding hard enough he was starting to suspect she could hear it when her eyes glistened up at him beneath the dim porch lights.

God help him but he couldn’t trust himself. He couldn’t trust the gentleness in her gaze or the way her body went soft against his or the purse of her lips as she watched him with that pleased little half-smile as realization gave way to something and that something could only be called wonderful as she ducked her head beneath his chin, pressed her lips against the open collar skin of his neck and finally, finally whispered in that small, hopeful impatient way of hers,

“Are you volunteering?”

And even though he knew she knew and even though the question really didn’t require an answer, Adrien tightened his hold on her until they were swaying together chest to chest and repeated the only thing he’d ever wanted to give her.

Yes.

[hopelesshawks]

Physical Fatality Part 10- Salve

18+ Hawks x fem, pro hero!reader

Summary: You’re a rising star in All Might’s agency. Hawks is the darling of Endeavor’s. By virtue of your job descriptions, the two of you are supposed to hate each other, or at the very least be cautiously neutral. For a long time that’s exactly what the two of you did. You stayed out of each other’s way and formed little opinion of the other. One fateful night at an HPSC gala changes all that. Based on the album Hopeless Fountain Kingdom by Halsey.

If you don’t want to see Physical Fatality content blacklist #hopelesspf

This story will have multiple NSFW parts so it is 18+ ONLY minors dni

Warnings for brief mention of background character death and description of unprotected sex

Masterlist

“The first person I ever loved was named Kiyomi.”

It’s certainly not how you expected Hawks to start this conversation but it had taken nearly half an hour of him pacing for him to sit down next to you on the bed and spit out even that much so you decide to just let him talk.

“I was 18, fresh onto the hero scene and still in that post-debut hustle trying to prove myself. She was a college student. She told me that we’d make it till she graduates. I told her heroism would be worth the wait but she wanted me in an office with a 9-5. We didn’t last. The next girl I fell in love with was Yua. I thought it’d be better because she was a hero too so she’d understand, but before I could ask her out she died in a villain attack. Then there was this one girl with an attitude I met on a mission up north. We never told anyone we were together and in the end we both had way better things to do so we didn’t last long, but I always think about her when I’m in the area.”

“Hawks why are you telling me all this?” you finally ask, starting to get impatient for him to reach the point. You didn’t relish in hearing about his past lovers even if you figured he was telling you for a reason.

“I’m getting to the point I promise. The last one before you was Mirko. I loved her but I lost her because as great as things were going she wanted more time from me and I loved work more than I did her. But when I met you? Fuck (y/n) it was like every single person before you was suddenly meaningless. That night at the gala I was looking for Mirko but the moment I laid eyes on you I forgot all about her. You are genuinely the first person I’ve ever loved more than anything else and I’m sorry I hurt you baby, I am. It’s not that I don’t love you, I’m just bad at love,” he finally finishes.

“If you’re so bad at love then why are you here right now?” You ask. “Can you blame me for trying to be better? Look I could lie and say you’re the one that will finally fix me but the truth is I don’t know, ok? I just know that I want you to be. I want so badly for you to be. Can’t that be enough?” he asks, no pleads, of you and it breaks your heart. “It’s not my job to fix you Hawks. Especially when I’ve got my hands full keeping my career from going to shit,” you reply. “You’re right. Fuck, sorry, you’re right that’s not what I meant. I just...,” he sighs running frustrated fingers through his hair before turning back to you again with a desperate but determined look in his eyes. “For the first time I don’t want to be resigned to being bad at this. I’m asking for patience and a second chance,” he clarifies. “I’m scared,” you finally admit and immediately Hawks is kneeling in front of you, his hands gently cradling either side of your face as he forces you to make eye contact with him. “I know that you’re afraid I’m gonna walk away again but I won’t. I swear to you I won’t,” he promises and his eyes are so full of conviction that your resolve finally crumbles. There’s no denying how genuine he is in this moment and you are so, so tired of hurting him. So you let go of the anger and the hurt you’ve been clinging to for dear life since the moment you read that damned article. “I believe you Keigo,” you confess and it’s one less weight on your shoulders.

You’re shocked at the desperation with which Keigo surges up to press his mouth to yours, his once gentle grip tightening possessively. He pulls away just a bit, his forehead still pressed to yours. You’re both out of breath and panting already and you’re about to close the distance between the two of you again but Keigo pulls away. You whine your disagreement as your hands go to his shirt to try and pull him back into you but he insists. “Say it again,” he commands, his voice shaking. “What?” you ask dazed. “I need to hear you say it again. Please.” “I believe you Keigo.” “Again.” “I believe you Keigo.” “I love you. I’m so sorry.” “I love you too.”

Finally his hands move to your waist, slipping underneath your shirt to find bare skin, and it’s like cool salve on a burn. You hadn’t even realized how deeply you’d ached for him all this time until he was laying you down against the bed. His body baring down on you as he presses you into the mattress. Your lips connect again and all you can think is that you need more of him. You open your mouth in an invitation he gladly accepts to slide his tongue in and tangle it with yours. The kiss lacks finesse, it’s probably the sloppiest the two of you have exchanged, but now is not the time for gentle, tantalizing skill. Not when the two of you have been denying each other all this time. The two of you separate only for brief intervals in order to shed clothing and underwear until there’s nothing left keeping you apart. Finally, finally it’s just skin on skin, your hearts pounding in your chests as if trying to escape and finally be together. “Need you,” you murmur against his lips and he immediately nods, his yearning for you just as overwhelming as yours for him. He presses his throbbing erection into your tight, wet heat so slowly and carefully as if you might break. Or perhaps more accurately as if you might disappear. You realize that every kiss, every touch, every movement he’s made has carried an element of disbelief, as if he cannot fathom that he’s finally with you like this again. By the time he’s fully seated inside you Keigo is absolutely trembling. The two of you stay like that for awhile, just breathing each other in, appreciating the intimacy of being so connected. One of your hands caresses Keigo’s cheek. “Baby why are you shaking?” you ask, even though you’re afraid of the answer. “I just thought I’d never have this again,” he confesses. “I’m so sorry Kei,” you whisper but he shakes his head. “I deserved it.” “No you didn’t. Not all of it.” “I’m the reason everything’s fucked now.” “Faced with Endeavor and the evidence you had, I probably would’ve done the same thing if I were in your position. And the paparazzi stuff I played a part in too.” “But I hurt you.” “And then I hurt you right back.”

It’s quiet for a moment as the two of you let the words hang in the air. You expected the admission to feel heavy but you actually feel the lightest you have in weeks. “We really are a mess aren’t we?” you finally chuckle with a slight shake of your head. “I’d rather be a mess with you than perfect with anyone else,” he swears. “That’s a bit corny isn’t it?” you tease. “Oh absolutely. But I mean every word of it,” he replies easily before pressing a sweet kiss to your lips. It doesn’t take long for it to become heated again. “I’m gonna need you to start moving baby,” you whisper into his ear as one of your hands drifts to the base of his wings to spur him on. “Shit Love, well I guess if you need me that bad,” he smirks but a quick tug on his feathers has him hissing instead. He gives a quick roll of his hips in retaliation before starting to move in and out of you in earnest. God how you’ve missed this, missed him. For the first time since everything went to shit you’re not worrying about your career or All Might or the press or anything else. With each languid thrust, each muttered curse, each lust-filled moan, Keigo cleanses you of the worries and anxieties that have haunted your every waking moment. In him you find relief and bliss and ecstasy, such sweet ecstasy. When the two of you reach your climaxes your moans sound more like sobs as you cling tightly onto each other, scared to let go and risk discovering this was all a dream.

When you both come down from your highs Keigo doesn’t let go, just cuddles you close to him and let’s his feathers tuck you both into your bed. “Do you have any other plans for tonight?” he asks. You shake your head no as you bury yourself closer against him. “Good,” he responds before pressing a kiss to the top of your head. Hours pass the two of you by as you simply hold onto each other, barely speaking, just reveling in each other’s company. You don’t even notice yourself drifting off to sleep, it’s just one moment you’re listening to the quiet sounds of Keigo’s breathing and the next you’re slipping into the first restful sleep you’ve had in a long time.

You wake up to the sound of Keigo’s alarm. He shuts it off quickly but makes no move to extricate himself from your hold or otherwise get out of bed. “You gonna get up and go to work?” you ask. “Don’t really want to,” he sighs, “I’d rather stay in here with just us.” “We can’t stay in here forever,” you point out. “You sure about that? It sounds infinitely more appealing than dealing with Monoma this early in the morning,” he groans. “Believe me I wish we could too, but you have terrorists to catch and I’ve got people to save so,” you gently remind him. “Five more minutes?” “Fine, five more minutes.”

Five minutes passes by all too quickly and soon the two of you are forcing yourselves out of bed. It’s oddly reminiscent of that first night together. Both of you getting redressed without nearly the urgency you should. Both of you ignoring the dread building at the thought of stepping out of the little bubble you had created. Once you’re both dressed and ready you link hands again and step out of your room. Almost immediately you feel the weight of your responsibilities land heavily on your shoulders once again. The two of you move through the apartment to your front door and it feels like that crossroads moment in the hallway when both of you had run opposite directions without so much as getting a name. You hope he’ll understand why you’re going to once again choose to part ways. “You go on ahead Love, I think I’m going to wait to head to the office until closer to my shift,” you tell Hawks as you hesitate in the doorway. “Are you sure?” he asks. “I’m sure. You go ahead though, tell the others I say hi,” you insist. He gives you a worried look but agrees, pressing a quick kiss to your forehead before leaving. “Looks like you two are doing better,” a voice comments behind you. You turn around to find your new roommate standing watching you as he eats cereal out of a bowl nonchalantly. “I’m gonna be honest I have already forgotten your name again,” you confess. “Denki.” “Right, Denki. Thanks I guess.” “You’re welcome. Why didn’t you go with him to work?” “All of my coworkers except for the ones who will be busy working with him think I’m a traitorous slut.” “Yikes.” “Yea.” “Anyway I can help?” “You could make me breakfast to make up for picking the lock on my door.” “Fair enough.”

Author’s Note: This was difficult to write tbh because the content from the song it’s based on tapped out pretty quickly and I needed to figure out narratively where else it needed to go, especially considering what’s coming down the pipeline. I hope the result was satisfying and you guys enjoy it though

Taglist [open]: @akkaso @cathy8taffy @eeppff @iikillerkitteh @pixelwisp @pokesosa @lildockel @bread0nhead

[thedreamparadox]

Even if it's not like, a whole fic or anything, I would love to know about some other Visitors like Mary and Gala that really had an impact on NiGHTS. They've been around a while, so there certainly has to be a few?

None that I've built out, honestly. There's been plenty of them, sure. NiGHTS has picked up a good amount of knowledge and skills and languages from the Dreamers they've hung out with since they're old enough that they've met thousands of Dreamers over their life time, picking up everything from several forms of sign language to an approximate knowledge of probably several dozen trades, fields of science and mathematics, and instruments. They picked up violin from a number of Dreamers likely round about the classical era of music (don't quote me on that I don't want to do date research rn lol), for example, and improved their flute playing by interacting with both professional and amatrues. Really, NiGHTS just likes humans and hangs out with them as much as possible. Some humans really like to infodump/explain their professions and NiGHTS loves that. NiGHTS thinks humans are just neat.

The earlier ones definitely had the most impact on them, though, since NiGHTS really didn't have much of an understanding of what humans even were other than "those things we scare and steal Ideya from" early on. I honestly tried to avoid making too many named Dreamer characters in my fics to keep the focus on the canon characters, Mary and Gala were both kind of spur of the moment characters (I do like them, though, because the best way to show a non-human character's "otherness" is to put them up against a human, even though I didn't put much focus on them.)

[heartearn]

( harry styles. demiboy. publicly he/him, privately he/they. alaska & maggie rogers. ) have you seen ABEL FULTON strolling around central park at lunchtime? rumor has it they’re actually TWENTY SEVEN years old, but i’m pretty sure they’re only TWENTY SIX. they’re currently posing as a(n) CEO at FULTON INCORPORATED, but when dusk falls, you can usually find them heading home to MANHATTAN by PRIVATE CHAUFFEUR. apparently they DID attend the met gala this season! // @duskintro​

stats tba!

ABOUT / tw. car accident, parental loss

abel is the eldest child of the new york city fultons, recognized by name by most people in today’s business world. but don’t let the money and the status fool you; the fultons blend in easily as socialites but they’re new to the game, products of hard work and good timing as opposed to old money.

because of this, abel’s parents, sandra and alexander, care as much about giving back as they do gaining profit. they’re well known for their philanthropy and always talk about being good and real, not rich. and it was this same philosophy that they instilled in abel – so much so that as he grew older, he realized that what was real to him was writing and theatre. and much to the dismay of his parents’ associates who had hoped for a legacy to buoy the company, he turned down offers from schools with prestigious economics and business program to attend nyu tisch as a performance major.

his college years pass by uneventfully, each one offering more and more avenues to express himself. and when graduation comes, it’s with connections through internships up and down broadway that land him his first job.

though abel’s dream is to write his own plays, he’s content to start off supporting others, doing stage management, and eventually assistant director work, for a small off-broadway theatre. 

the hours can be long, and days busy, but it isn’t enough to stop him from being appreciative. and it certainly doesn’t keep him from staying close to his family. 

like his time in college, he pops in to see his parents at work or his sister at home on a regular basis, blessed that he’s able to be so close.

and in the end, it’s that closeness that would take two of them away from him just a few months ago.

he could have taken the subway, he told them -- the ride would be just as long as driving from headquarters to his hell’s kitchen apartment and more convenient too.

but his mother and father insisted, wanting just a little more time together before a business trip overseas.

he agreed in the end, not one to complain about the extra time together.

but in a flash, what started as a car ride full of warmth turned into a nightmare, spurred by a stranger’s split second decision to run a red light.

abel doesn’t recall much after impact, but when he comes to a few days later, disoriented and impossibly thirsty, his parents are dead and he’s become a vampire. 

the turning would have startled him, terrified him even, if he didn’t know  who did it. his friendship with minnie had been sudden, but genuine; and her decision to turn him and ultimately save his life has put it in a completely new light.

it’s rare now for him not to be sticking close.

especially now, as he, in his mourning, has made the heavy decision to give up on his dreams for playwriting and step up, instead, to take over his parents’ livelihood. 

anything to protect their legacy.

extra tidbits

abel has always been pretty open about his gender identity, but as he transitioned into the role of ceo, he had concerns about safety and being taken seriously. as such, he’s decided to go by he/him pronouns exclusively in business settings, cut his hair to be a more “work-appropriate” style, and has shifted his wardrobe some to be more formal.

abel has plans to move back into his childhood home at some point, but since his sister is still there and he’s still freshly turned and earning about being a vampire, he’s stayed in his solo apartment in hell’s kitchen.

WANTED CONNECTIONS

younger sister: i would love to get abel’s younger sister in the mix! they’ve been incredibly close all their lives, because of both their overall family dynamic and the fact that she isn’t too much younger than him (max is probably 5 years). the loss of their parents has been a strain, especially with abel not as present as he could be with the recent turning, so while they are okay overall, there is some distance that they aren’t used to.

business partners: these would be people abel’s parents worked with before the accident; it’s possible he knew them before taking over as a ceo. i’d specifically love for some of them to be supernatural beings since it could turn into a mentorship type deal for both the business and his new identity as a vampire. for context, abel’s parents run a manufacturing company, with a specific focus on technology and advances in it; think tesla vibes!

high school / college friends: abel has lived in new york all his life and stayed close with his friends from school, so anyone in his age range that’s also been in new york all that time could either know him from school or all the various activities he’s done in the city during that time.

childhood friend: this specifically is for a friend who has been in his life the longest; but, as time has gone on, they’ve talked less and less. after seeing each other at his parents’ funeral, though, the friend is hoping to reconnect - abel is interested, but isn’t always engaged with his fears being a new vampire. this connection would be with a human!

ex-hookups/exes: would definitely want some people abel used to see; in college and during his initial work years, he was very emotionally available, but struggled with finding time to really focus on dating. he definitely had at least one serious relationship that ended because of time commitments. now, he’s more or less exclusively focused on one night stands if they happen at all - he would have ended any kind of ongoing dating/hookup situations right after the accident, which is a good source of angst (maybe unrequited love with one of his old hookups????).

[oh-theatre]

any more popstar au things? :3

Patton slepy boy

Logan cooks dinner for him if he doesn’t have some fancy gala or dinner or shit

Patton helped Logan study cus during their high school years logan and Pat went to the same prep school so lo could keep an eye on Pat

Patton taught Logan how to ride a horse

Also Patton knows thirteen languages fluently and one of them is ASL and he taught Logan

Karaoke nights with the six of them is just not even fair

I mean it’s Patton’s literal job

But Logan still insists on having Patton sing because he adores hearing him singing

People theorized that Janus was the voice on one of Patton’s new songs (a love duet) but it’s actual Logan

Patton adores Dr Pepper and Logan always has one on hand for him

And vice versa Logan’s fave drink is cherry coke and Pat always gets it for him

Logan and Virgil cook together! Logan’s a pretty good cook and well Virgil’s a chef so

Roman and Remy will hang out on the floor when watching movies with the six whispering about their design

Remus and Patton are very physically close like lying on his lap letting the other play with his hair

This makes Lo and Janus very jealous

Virgil sits upside down because fuck why not

Lo adores listening to Patton ramble about space

Once Patton was fidgeting during an interview and he couldn’t find a steady rhythm and so without thinking Logan just took his hands and gave him a soft smile

This ofc spurred a lot of rumors so Pats publicist got really upset

But Patton was just very blushy

Logan helps Patton during bad ocd episodes

Virgil and Roman met at one of Patton’s little hangouts (the first one he hosted with all six plus remy)

They got along and found themselves talking the whole night

Please keep asking!!

[chilling-seavey]

Amoureux - Champagne Problems

Summary: The wedding is coming closer but after their spur-of-the-moment night spent together, Daniel and Louisa feel so much more drawn to each other, especially after a few glasses of champagne

Galas upon galas were not unlike tradition for the Royal Family and it was often that they found themselves with a ballroom full of company and pleasant music. Louisa worked hard to keep herself politely at Christian’s side and listened into conversations with other aristocracies from around the country but she was always keeping an eye out for Daniel.

After their late night rendezvous in her bedroom only a week or so prior, they were both still desperately trying to figure out where they stood with each other. They knew better than to be that reckless again but they silently craved each other more and their lingering hand touches under the breakfast table weren’t quite sufficing.

Louisa tried to focus on her relationship with Christian, she was to marry him after all, but her heart always searched for Daniel in whatever room she was in.

“It would be greatly thrilling to see your portrait on the coins.” the gentleman across from them stated as he took a sip of his champagne.

“Yes, although I must admit I am worried they will sketch me up an unflattering angle.” Christian joked lightly, earning the way too loud laughter form his few guests he spoke to.

Louisa sighed, her gloved hand still tucked in the crook of his arm and scanned the bustling room for any sign of salvation.

One of the butlers walked past and she swiped one of the crystal glasses of champagne and took a long sip.

“Woah there, slow down, darling.” Christian chuckled to her, gently lowering her glass from her mouth. The gentlemen chuckled.

Louisa hid her scowl behind a lick of her rouged lips.

When there was a pause in conversation, Louisa excused herself from the group and Christian let her walk off through the ballroom. She found herself at the dessert table again, picking up one of the truffles and ate it in one bite before washing it down with the rest of the small glass of champagne. She turned to watch the crowd, trying to ignore the strange craving her body felt or the ache in her heart when it came to simply the thought of Daniel.

She had never felt so strongly for a person before, never physically craved the touch of another person before, and it was awful because she knew she shouldn’t.

She grabbed another champagne glass as it floated by on a silver tray and tossed it back with her eyes locked on her fiancé talking nonsense across the room. The music filled the bustling ballroom loudly and the hundreds of candles that lined the chandeliers and candelabras dripped and melted as the night progressed and Louisa was getting impatient. They silently agreed to keep a bit of distance but she hadn’t seen him since dinner and that was nearly two hours ago which was far too long.

Louisa swore to herself under her breath in French, calling herself some unladylike terms before finishing the glass in her hand.

“Louisa Arielle,” a voice from just behind her spoke, “ladies dare not drink so much.”

She only bit back her grin at the familiar voice and warm presence and she turned around to be face to face with her late night love. Daniel was already smiling that sweet cheeky little smile with his cheeks dusted pink for his own few glasses of champagne and the warmth of the crowded ballroom. He stood so close to her she could feel the presence of his body against hers and she had to force herself to not reach out and caress his face amongst the room of strangers.

“Where were you?” she asked casually.

“Mother caught me up in a dreadful conversation with some old hag I dare not care to remember the name of.” Daniel tisked.

Louisa giggled at his blunt statement and watched him wave over one of the butlers. Daniel took Louisa’s empty glass and set it on the man’s silver tray before taking two more filled glasses and sent him away with a ‘thank you’. Daniel passed one of the glasses to Louisa before taking her hand and led her along the perimeter of the large ballroom.

She never questioned where he took her, she learned to just trust him, but this time, he didn’t take her out of the room like expected. Daniel led her to the front of the large ballroom so they could have a good view of the entire space and all the guests. Their hands lingered together for a moment longer, hidden behind them with how close they stood side by side, and Daniel held out his glass towards her with his other hand.

“What are you doing?” Louisa asked, clinking her crystal glass against his.

“We’re going to make up backstories for all of these stuck up snobs.” Daniel explained as he took his hand out of hers and downed a sip of his drink.

Louisa’s eyes lingered on his soft face and she smiled to herself, following his gaze across the crowded room full of dancing couples.

“I’ll start.” Daniel scanned the crowd, “Ah, got it.”

Louisa followed his finger as he pointed across the room to a larger man sitting at one of the tables alone.

“His wife died.”

Louisa gasped and looked at Daniel, “Did she? That is dreadful.”

“No.” Daniel assured her quickly. “That’s the game, you make up something. Now listen.”

He took another sip from his glass.

“His wife died and left him with such an empty heart that his only companion is alcohol and the rats that live in his walls.”

“Oh, that is terrible, Daniel.” Louisa gaped.

Daniel only giggled and finished his drink, “Your turn.”

Louisa finished her glass of champagne too before scanning the crowd for her unknown victim.

“Ah, voila.” she pointed across the room with an eager smile, locating a lady by the string quintet, nursing her own drink in hand. “She is London’s best heiress but is dreadfully lonely and she lusts over the violinist in the Royal band every time she is here, dreaming over the day she works up the courage to talk to him, knowing he will never love her behind her makeup.”

Daniel sniggered, “Brutal, Louisa.”

“Did I do well?” Louisa asked.

“Splendid.”

They went back and forth a few times, each snatching another glass of champagne when a butler would pass by until soon the two sixteen-year-olds were a giggling mess in the corner of the ballroom, barely able to keep a proper sentence between them.

“And her babies are just as h-hideous as her husband!” Daniel finished, the two of them nearly clinging onto each other in fits of laughter as quiet as they could.

But his eyes landed on his mother a few paces away and her stern glare had him straightening up quickly. Louisa took the hint and quieted herself too, holding her gloved hand daintily in front of her mouth as she set her empty glass on the nearby table. She hiccupped.

“Come.” Daniel grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the doors.

“D-Daniel.” Louisa stumbled over the end of her dress a little and she just giggled and pulled it up as she rushed to keep up with him, “Oh my goodness, Daniel, I’m dizzy.”

“Just as drunk as that one man and his dead wife.” Daniel joked loudly as they emerged into the main hallway outside the ballroom. The air was cooler out there and they stumbled into each other a little as he turned to look at her, catching each other through giggles and Louisa’s little hiccup again.

“Drunk.” Louisa gasped, clinging onto his arms as they blindly stumbled off down the hallway, “I’ve never been drunk.”

“Me neither.” Daniel laughed, doubling over like it was the funniest thing in the world.

Louisa’s eyes scrunched closed as a silent laugh fell from her grinning mouth and she leaned right over Daniel’s back as he held his hands on his knees. They heaved breaths of air together behind pink cheeks and wide eyes, the two sixteen-year-olds drunk enough to not even bother to stay quiet as they continued down the hallway.

“Oh my God.” Daniel swore loudly through his laughter, his voice echoing off the walls of the grand hallway they stumbled down, draped over each other, “I snuck the future queen out of the ball.”

“You absolute madman.” Louisa gasped.

Their eyes met and they burst into roars of laughter again, stumbling into the wall together as Louisa fell against his chest and he caught her around the waist. Their glee fell into silence as their eyes met, hands resting against familiar bodies over formalwear and seconds barely passed before Daniel was pushing his lips on hers right out in the open hallway.

Louisa moaned into his mouth, feeling that pulsing craving inside her only igniting more as their lips locked and her hands found their way around his body. He was warm to the touch, so addictingly warm and sweet and Louisa never wanted to let him go for one more second. But maybe that was the alcohol talking.

“I’m mad for you, Louisa.” Daniel breathed between their furious kisses, taking her face in his clammy palms to keep her perfectly close. Their noses brushed and breathing fell in sync as their eyes locked through the candlelit hallway. She swore she could hear his heartbeat.

“Daniel-” she whispered shakily, hands tightening on the back of his suit jacket just as he shoved his lips on hers again, preventing her from saying one more word.

They both gasped into it, clinging onto each other in a fit of drunken desperation and the intoxicating secrecy that their affair brought each and every time. But now this wasn’t in a back stairwell or locked in her room; this was right in the middle of a hallway in the open and the thrill was dizzying.

Hands grabbed at fabric and skin and lips clashed messily as tongues were meeting through moans and gasps. Feverous passion only fueled by expensive champagne. They felt perfectly alone in the world.

Well, until the sound of steady footsteps echoed down the far end of the hallway.

Daniel grabbed Louisa’s arm and broke their kiss with a heaving chest as he saw the shadows of two guards making their rounds. He didn’t speak as he pulled Louisa after him and into the closest room, closing and locking the door behind them to give them perfect privacy for him to lunge at her again.

She giggled into his kiss, biting softly at his bottom lip before he was opening up wider to push his tongue against hers, grabbing at her waist over the stiff material of her corset and backed her farther into the room until the fell onto a chaise lounge in the dark.

“Daniel.” Louisa breathed, clinging onto his shoulders as his lips moved down her neck in desperate wet kisses, “Merde, Daniel.”

“I need you, darling.” Daniel breathed against her skin.

The pet name sent shivers right through Louisa’s body and her fingers tugged tighter at his clothes until he was right over top of her and his lips were on hers again. Daniel fell onto her, pressing each and every inch of their bodies together and he ground up against her just to hear her moan. He could have had her. They could have had another night of blissful perfect clumsy love making right in the darkened parlour somewhere in the palace.

But then Louisa’s drunk mind flicked to visions of Christian and her duty to her family and to his and her body that was once filled with fiery craving filled with disgusting guilt instead.

“Stop.” she whispered, grabbing Daniel’s hand that had started to push up her large skirt.

He leaned back from her with a concerned expression, eyes dilated dark in the barely-lit room and his cheeks pink and lips swollen, “Why?”

“I just…” Louisa gently pushed him off her and he shifted to the side as she sat up. She wiped the edges of her lips with her thumb to make sure her lipstick wasn’t too smudged. She was stalling.

“Louisa.” Daniel set his hand on her thigh.

She stood to get him to stop touching her. If he touched her one more time she might have cried in frustration.

“We can’t do this. I want you but...” Louisa took a moment to gather her thoughts. “Not like…not like this.” she gestured to the lounge they had once been tucked up on.

Daniel swallowed thickly, “Alright.”

A tense silence settled between them. Daniel’s stare lingered on her and her obvious distress that she was in as she stood in front of him. He looked down to his lap and pressed a discreet hand over the front of his slacks shyly. Louisa didn’t notice his discomfort and only requested one last thing of him that night,

“Can you take me back to Christian please?”

[chaoticspacefam]

Duende for the pairing of your choice? c:

This was meant to be a drabble and instead it got a little long oops 😬 I had a lot of fun with this though so I hope you all like it! The basic premise of this comes from a headcanon I have that all Force sensitives have the potential to have a sort of “presence” that even Force-blind individuals can pick up on, if they’re powerful enough. This of course leads to both a magnetic sort of allure in some cases, as well as certain things to feel very different in a way that can’t be compared to someone else. Since Jedi don’t tend to get “attached” per the Jedi code, this is more often a problem with Sith, ergo the “don’t fuck Sith, they’ll ruin you [for everyone else]” sentiment being implied here. I imagine that’s a saying that gets passed around Imperial/Sith planets and populations, a lot. 😘

From [Send me a word and a character/pairing and I will write a drabble] prompt list.

Duende - Unusual power to attract or charm.

Pairing: Ni’kasi/Andronikos (F!Sith Inquisitor/Andronikos Revel)

Warnings: for language, mild-moderate implied gore, and mild to moderate suggestiveness, nothing explicit is described but it’s very heavily implied. Some spoilers for the Alderaan arc of the Sith Inquisitor storyline about a side-character you meet there. Alternative title: Andronikos realises he’s got it bad. 😂

They're on Alderaan now, getting ready to take off and leave the planet behind them. They've been travelling together for what the pirate would consider to be a semi-respectable amount of time. This wouldn't be the first woman he's travelled with that Andronikos had considered attractive, only this time...he's pretty sure he's in a fix, because the woman is a Sith. And not just any sort, either. Ni'kasi is a Red Sith, the kind that didn't get any more Sith-like if they tried, and that meant he was in deep shit, because he couldn't take his eyes off her. 

Don't ever fuck Sith, they said; they'll ruin you. they said.

Andronikos isn't entirely sure how true that warning is, but then again he's never fucked a Sith, or wanted to fuck one badly enough to find out. Until now. 

She hadn’t even kissed him yet - only almost - but he was finding thoughts of Ni'kasi would creep into his brain completely uninvited, and usually at the worst time. There was just...something about her, that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. But she was, in a word, enchanting. 

The Sith is a lot more slender than he’d thought she would be, not that he’s met too many Purebloods before, but he’s seen a few, and they’d all been a lot stockier. But then, they hadn’t had the past that she did, she doesn’t talk about it and he had no plans to force it out of her before she was ready to share it with him, but it’s obvious that Ni’kasi has seen some shit, and been through much worse. 

As slight as she was in comparison, he wouldn’t dare presume she was “weak”, far from it, he’s seen this woman fight and it’s quite terrifying, really. He’d watched her crack a man’s bones with a mere thought, and conjure enough lightning to power a tropical storm out of the palms of her hands, Ni’kasi was not the sort of person one wanted to mess with. But he wanted to kiss her so terribly, and if he was honest, that wasn’t where the thoughts stopped.  The mental image of her prancing off with that other Sith man made him indescribably jealous. Not that it mattered, he was dead now, which was a pity...he’d seemed nice, if a little timid. Kind of like a puppy dog. Not the sort he’d have expected a woman like her to go after, but he wondered, from the way she’d grinned at him as she returned to the ship, whether Ni’kasi knew that.

There was a very real possibility that she was toying with him. Logically, he knew that. Normally he was better at controlling his wayward thoughts while on the job, but there was something about this woman - whether it was the way she fought, or the way she spoke, the way she looked, or a combination of all three - that meant he just couldn’t. If he’d not had dealings with other Sith before he would have been amiss to blame it all on some sort of Sithy magic trick to keep him fixated, but the pirate knew better. He’d talked to other Force sensitives before, and while they’d had a clear presence in the room, it had never pulled him in like this. This wasn’t something she was consciously doing to him, he knew he had all the power to resist the allure if he wanted to. The problem was, he was pretty sure he didn’t want to. He wanted her. 

“Andronikos.” Ni’kasi’s voice cut through his daydreaming, but his brain didn’t quite register it. What would it take, he wondered, to get her to say his name in a more intimate context? Was that even something she wanted, maybe he was imagining the electricity he thought he’d felt between them during that gala when they’d been looking for that Rist woman... “Revel.” he heard the snap of her fingers, this time, breaking through his reverie, and yet he still couldn’t quite pull himself back to reality just yet. Apparently she’d noticed this, for next came:

“Pirate!” Uh oh. That was a bad sign. He was only ever “pirate” when she was starting to get annoyed. He wished he’d been paying more attention to the words coming out of her mouth, and less time thinking about what it would feel like against his, in the dark, and - Focus, Revel, dammit! “Uhh…” he stammered sheepishly, and Ni’kasi scoffed, clicking her tongue. Her expression is softer than he’d expected it to be when he finally snapped his gaze back to focus on her once more. “Ah. That one always works.” the corner of her lips turned upwards ever so faintly, and he’s sure it’s the start of a smile rather than an annoyed sneer. She’s a difficult woman to read, her tells are very subtle...but Andronikos reckoned he was starting to get the hang of it.

“Sorry,” the pirate coughed in apology, rubbing at the back of his neck and hoping that would shake some sense into himself, “you were saying?” “We’ll be off, soon.” the Pureblood continued, the spurs at her jawline flexing as she spoke, “I need to update the other Sith on what happened with Urtel, they’ll need to send another Lord down to protect Elana Thul now that he’s gone.”

“Oh yeah.” he grunted, feeling another surge of jealousy as his mind conjured up unhelpfully detailed images of what they must have been doing for the Pureblood to have been alone with Urtel for so long. That should have been me. “Him.”

This time, Ni’kasi really did smirk, and it nearly ended him then and there. She quirked a browstalk at him, her voice almost a purr as she asked. “Are you jealous?” “No!” the pirate protested, all too quickly. The Pureblood said nothing for now, but as she got up to head for the holocomm she flashed her fangs at him in a way that made it very clear she knew he was lying. “...Good. Then you can handle getting us en-route to Dromund Kaas while I speak to Zash, can’t you?”

He nodded in confirmation, turning to head back into the cockpit, but not without sparing one last glance at her over his shoulder before he rounded the corner.

Don't fuck Sith, they'll ruin you.  they said.

She could ruin him any time she liked, and he’d thank her for it.

[readerficsbyhyaku]

Specifics (DJSS x Reader) Part 1

summary

Getting physically closer to someone can lead you to discover things about them... or yourself.

(i don't want to spoil anything but this summary is bad, so it may be subject to changes. The title too can change uefiefizeif)

author’s note

Any feedback is welcome :D

Also thank you to Roseyful for being an inspiring fic companion c:

Art by me

You were one of the many people that came to Vinyl City, and never left. The atmosphere, saturated by sound and melody, was unlike anything you’d seen elsewhere. Alas, you were soon becoming accustomed to it as you worked for the charter of the Cast Tech District. You were a stage technician for the ridiculous amount of hazardous equipment there was in Club Planetarium, and it had been a year or so that you worked for DJ Subatomic Supernova. You didn’t think too much about him, always being one to focus on your work, especially since you had to do some acrobatics more often than not.

It was nearing New Year’s Eve, and NSR had organized a gala, for all their artists and their staff. Tatiana was going to give a speech and even though you didn’t particularly enjoy such formal festivities, you thought you might as well give it a try.

You had gotten out one of your prettier dresses, of a beautiful deep midnight blue color with discreet sparkles and a nice corset. The back wasn’t going down too low, and your décolletage wasn’t too deep either. It was poofy, but not so much you would have trouble fitting into doorways. You assorted it with high heels that you knew you would regret later on, and a few pieces of jewelry. You were all set for the gala.

However, when you arrived at the concert hall and realized you were the only one from Club Planetarium, your mood soured a bit. Feeling uneasy, you decided to grab a cup of champagne as a waiter slithered through the crowd, far too agile for someone holding so many brittle glasses on a platter.

As your gut started to warm from the alcohol, you began to greet the people around you. Making a bit of small talk, listening to someone chat about their work… It wasn’t much, but it was better than staying mute all night. And honestly, the people were pretty nice ! There was a graphic designer that did all the album covers for the NSR artists, who had many delicious stories about the leaders of every district, and without you noticing a big chunk of the evening was gone.

As you were easing your way through the denser crowd to grab on some more food, the lights dimmed suddenly and the music changed from DJ Subatomic Supernova’s theme to Yinu’s piano.

It was time to dance.

You did not have any partner (and didn’t intend to), but as you receded from the dancefloor area that was slowly clearing, you bumped into someone.

“Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t see you” you mumbled before even looking at who you had collided with.

But then, as you craned your neck to grasp the person’s identity, you were met with a smooth orb glistening with stars.

It was DJ Subatomic Supernova, your boss.

His garb was wildly different from what he was wearing at work, switching the sneakers and hoodie look for a refined shirt and waistcoat, straight pants and shiny leather shoes. His sleeves were rolled, revealing the glowing patterns on his forearms and reflecting into his tie pin. If you had to describe it in one word, it would be stunning.

He extended his hand towards you, asking in a low tone

“Would you like to dance ?”

The crowd was moving around you and the dancers were already taking their place in the middle of the room. All the other NSR artists were there, except for Yinu who was to play the piano. DJ Subatomic Supernova was the last one to go.

So you smiled and grabbed his hand – or should you say his finger – and said

“That would be my pleasure.”

And off you went as he guided you towards the dancefloor, the music picking up as all the couples were finally in position. He placed one hand around your waist and the other engulfed your own. It was impossible for you to put your hand on his shoulder so you settled for his waist too. You took one step at a time, trying to get used to having his body so close to you. Everything about him was huge, but it was jarring how big he was when you were this close. And you had high heels, for goodness’ sake !

As you and DJ Subatomic Supernova were falling into a gentle pace, he leaned towards you and said, under the intimate cover of the dance

“I am most grateful for your presence here at this reception. It would have been a very awkward moment if I had to invite someone else for this dance.”

You laughed, feeling a bit lightheaded. Maybe it was because you were spinning, maybe it was because of the champagne, or maybe because of DJ’s hold on your body that was growing increasingly hard to ignore.

“I’m glad I could be of some use to you. To be fair, I didn’t have that much company during the night either.”

DJ made you spin in his arms, your dress fluttering around your legs and catching the dim lights of the dancefloor. You almost fell, but his large hands caught you and you were dancing again, as if nothing had happened.

“That dress suits you well.”

You breathed in a little harder, chest heaving in your corset as your heart pumped from the rush of adrenalin. DJ Subatomic Supernova’s scent was something you never had noticed before, but now it was permeating all your senses. Something light and floral, maybe a little cold, with richer undertones akin to musk.

“You look like a different person in this waistcoat, it’s… really nice.”

His fingers were grazing your naked back, sending jolts down your spine. Your breathing had calmed down, but your heart was still beating in staccato, in rhythm with Yinu’s piano.

“Well, it is enjoyable to know that my appearance fits your tastes.” DJ rumbled as you both took another step and swirled around the dancefloor.

Your throat went a bit dry. How sweet his words were, barely disguised under his formal elocution, wafting in the darkness to reach your ears. How his tone kept you on your toes in expectation, a deep murmur unperceivable to anyone beside you two. How intimate it felt having him so close, exchanging pleasantries under the cover of dancing.

You looked at him, taking a step back to appreciate his height, only to get pulled flush with him once more.

You huffed.

“It’s hard to look at you when you’re so tall.”

“That may be because you are so small.” he replied with a cheeky tone, his hand pressing just a bit harder on yours.

Feeling braver for some unknown reason, you retorted

“I’m wearing heels, you know.”

He chuckled.

“I have taken notice of that, yes.”

His teasing demeanor was spurring you to answer his piques.

“There is such a thing as too big, DJ.”

You spun once more before he caught you again and bent over you, your back arching in his arms and his orb getting so close to your face.

“I beg to differ.”

And there was no way you were imagining how he purred that while his face was a breath away from yours, your skin hot and tingling. You were at his mercy, bent under him, and while you had this realization images flashed in front of your eyes. Him, towering ominously over you, without his waistcoat or his shirt. His hands roaming your body and leaving it ablaze. His deep voice whispering oh so sweet nothings in your ear as you gave in to him…

But your fantasy melted away as he straightened up and let you go, the atmosphere that had built up between the two of you fading as the lights shone strong once again. DJ Subatomic Supernova adjusted his tie, surprisingly nimble with those big fingers of his, and turned towards you again.

“It was very agreeable to dance with you tonight. I hope you will have a pleasant evening.”

You forced a smile out, hoping your cheeks weren’t too red or your bosom too flushed.

“It was indeed a delightful dance, and I hope you will enjoy the rest of your night.”

You then parted ways with him, and soon enough the gala was over; Tatiana declaimed her speech with her usual verve, and you went back to your home.

You weren’t sure if it was the alcohol taking its toll on you or what had transpired during your waltz with your boss, but as you tossed and turned in your bed your mind was replaying over and over again the words he had addressed your way. Your mind swirled, dizzying, and it almost felt like you were still in his embrace.