#buckle bangle

[boylerpf]

Antique Victorian Silver Buckle Bangle Bracelet

Source - Boylerpf.com

[sonic-adventure-3]

drawing sonic characters has forced me to get better abt estimating shaded and lit colours instead of relying on effects layers and such. the amount of yellow/gold on characters is unreal. why the fuck is yellow dull red-grey in certain lighting. that’s fake as hell. colour is fake as hell

[wroteclassicaly]

Summary: During your shift you overhear a conversation that kind of sends you spiraling.

Warnings: Language, angst, self-esteem issues, hurt with MAJOR comfort, and protective Steve.

Pairings: Steve Harrington x Female Reader

Wordcount: 1,924

A/N: Just a little something, cause’ I’m on my period and feeling it…

You aren’t acting like your usual self - zero pep in your step, no smiles from anything or for anyone. Steve doesn’t expect that from you all of the time, but he can sense something is majorly wrong. You simply give him a whispered hey as you climb into the beemer’s passenger, buckling your seatbelt and lowering your gaze to the small wallet you’d brought with you today. It’s when he leans across the console, leather creaking under his movements, to kiss you - that he is for surely locked in on something being up with you. You’re pulling yourself away from his lips before they can even touch your cheek.

At the start of your relationship, Steve was always doing checklists, to see if you were unnerved about, even the smallest of things (which never had anything to do with him, half the time, as he found out). He tried to go over what he could’ve done wrong, how he needed to fix that. But as the trust with the new stage of your relationship grew, the romance had cemented itself - Steve felt like he had to do this less and less with you. You were a team - secure and honest.

You, however, are caught into the expanse of your head, strangled by those vines that are always undoing themselves from their silence to torment you. Copious, self-negative, berating thoughts that are meant to tear you apart. You manage to see Steve frown in your peripheral, which makes your lips part in an attempt to start your explanation. He’s more than ready to receive.

“Hey, Harrington. You have a few minutes?”

That same sugary, sickly sweet voice from minutes prior. You and your boyfriend both look in time to see her blond hair lean into the window, arms propped, pink lined lips speaking, bangles accentuated on her thin wrists, and the overpowering scent of her fruity perfume. Your chest burns with the nerve of her, throat watering with unshed tears — your body feeling as if it’s slipped a flight of stairs for everyone to witness, see your smoldering humiliation as it crackles across your chest. Old Steve might be cocky, might even be rude. But your best-friend turned boyfriend - he is no longer that way.

“What’s up? Everything okay?” He’s a little hesitant, his focus coming back onto you. His knee juts from his foot bouncing on the floor, eager to leave her over bearing interjection into your conversation. He’s pissed at her and her friend standing idly nearby, as you begin to shut down what you were about to open up to him about.

Her friend giggles from beside her and you audibly swallow, using your pinky to play with the newest charm Steve had added to your bracelet (a little baseball glove, because you’re always ‘catching his heart’). It’s your tell-tale nervous sign, he’s aware. The girl in the window starts talking again before he can say anything. She shows off neon pink talons for nails, pearly whites grinning at Steve. “I just got these done about a half an hour ago. And something is wrong with my car, so I obviously need to pop the hood, but I don’t want to ruin them. Like, you know what I mean?”

The eye roll that leaves you, all emotions aside, Steve is amused by. He reaches for your hand, and you let him squeeze. “Do you mind, baby? I’ll just pop the hood and they can call someone if it needs something else done.”

This makes you feel a little better, the girl having to hide her displeasure underneath her smile, which turns into a smirk as Steve exits the car and follows them to her convertible. She makes a show in her tight tube top and jean shorts, not getting to the hood immediately. You only imagine what they’re saying to Steve. But you do remember what they’ve just said about you.

“I mean, he picks her up daily and I don’t even think she offers him gas money.”

You’d stopped organizing the front candy counter to lean around and listen in. Steve picks you up everyday, never asking for anything return - even if you always offer. They have to mean you, right? Your breath had started quickening, focus wavering. The rush of burgundy is within your sights as he pulls up storefront, shades on, head tilted back, arm out the window with a cigarette in hand.

“He’s dating her though, so why would she?”

“Please. He needs to be asked if he is. I don’t buy it, at all. I mean, Nancy Wheeler was a goody two shoes, but at least she was pretty. Buckley is a fucking motor mouth, but she’s also okay.”

Former insecurities when you got together. Even as a friend as you crushed on him, these thoughts had plagued you. You were heated, body light.

“He never dated Buckley.”

A deep sigh. “Obviously, but he clung to her like a puppy. He’s downgraded with this one. She’s been hanging on him for years and I don’t know if he warrants it or just tolerates it.”

Don’t make any noise, don’t say a word. You should stop listening, say something. All things that you didn’t do, just kept listening to them dump on you.

“She’s the real reason Harrington struck out all the time. WHO the fuck wants to date someone that allows a loser like that to be attached to their hip non-stop? I mean, is it a kind, charitable thing to do? Sure. But he needs to draw a line between the good and the bad, babe.”

Your dress had felt to tight on your body - one you wore to surprise Steve today. Excited to be with him for the weekend, casting aside conflicting schedules. Your face became dull, heartbeat slowing, eyes glossing over. You swore you could taste the acidic bile of breakfast on your tongue.

“She’s been that ugly two for one special, kills all of his chances by hanging around him. The real reason he struck out so much.”

You turn your back to the conversation, despite still having been able to hear it. No use in trying to block it out, for it had found you in surround sound.

“Didn’t he ask you on a date, Chelsea? And you turned him down?”

She scoffed. “My point exactly. She makes him less appealing. He’s just with her because he thinks that he should be, and because she’s the one that’s around him too much. He peaked in high school, but she’s certainly holding that fine ass of his back. Can you imagine the sex he’s wasting on that?”

You’re so caught up in your momentary memories, that you don’t even see Steve as he piles back into the car, his entire body lax, but his shoulders tense. His face holds a reserved softness for you. His voice, though, that takes on an entirely different undertone of mixed meanings - somewhere between a raging anger and a featherlight craving to provide solace. He’s saying something that takes you a few seconds to catch up with, your blurred vision noticeable. It confirms his suspicions that he’d accumulated by being hit on at the girl’s car.

“They came from your store, didn’t they? What did they say to you?” He sighs, trying to let that show, so that you don’t mistake it for annoyance.

“It’s… nothing. I’m okay.“

“Baby…” The way it’s practically pled, it makes you look at him. You meet concerned, slightly widened, mossy eyes, sun reflected in the enriching pools. His grown out caramel hair is a mess, shades pushed back to sit atop, his sun kissed skin visible through his white Kenny G shirt, along with overgrown chest hair, his chain length bracelet and neck chain (a gift from you for his latest birthday), and his ripped jeans he’d cut to make capri shorts.

He definitely shouldn’t be yours.

You reach to fiddle with the chain, that nervous habit back again. And Steve settles into your touch as it drums across his jugular. He tilts his head to kiss to the side of your fingers when they brush by. You pause to retreat, but he’s swift to take your hand in his, playing with your bracelet this time. How massive he looks in comparison.

You feel a calloused finger brush beneath your chin, bringing it up. His eyes are darting back and forth across your face. “Tell me what they said to you. I know that’s why you’re upset.”

“Were they talking about me?” Immediate humiliation settles in.

He’s quick to correct. “No, no. I just mean that when they started in with the flirting after I opened the hood, I was uncomfortable and I know you were. And I also remember that they did come from the video store, too.”

Your voice breaks and he slides his spare hand to your neck’s nape, bringing your forehead to his as you begin to tell him everything that was said. Safe to say, he’s NOT happy by the time that you’re finished, and he does a double take to look for their car. It’s already gone and he curses. “Shit. That’s fucking bullshit!”

He can’t fathom the process that he went through as you told him each and every single word heard. His tongue is tied, he wants to plead with you to know that it’s not true, that all of those things have NEVER been like that. There’s only one truth. And so, he tries with all his heart to explain it to you.

“God, honey, you have to know that when I’m with you, I don’t see anything else, can’t see anyone else. For years, it’s always just been you. I don’t care about who I was before. The man I am now, he wants his life to be with yours. He’s pretty gone on you, like in a stupid, I’ll almost die for you again, even when you tell me not to - kind of way, and probably more.”

Your heart rate has started speeding up again, caught beneath your breastbone, trying to find your throat, but can’t get through its tightness. You’re openly crying now, to which Steve solves by thumbing away, the bridge of his nose nudging yours, mouth laying his next statement in to cross. “Words, they’re not my strong point, you know that. But I want you to know that I’d learn a fucking dictionary in every single language if it meant I could tell you in better terms, how much you mean to me, how perfect you are, how beautiful, funny, and smart, how sexy, how tough, how loyal, how honest, how creative, how strong, and so much fuckin’ more... How what they said was the farthest thing from the truth, that they’re just jealous, airheaded bimbos.”

You let your palms find his face, the ache in your body causing a prickling in your toes. You’re pliant against his chest as he unbuckles your belt and his, pinching your waist and using his forearm to halfway hoist you middle way over the console to meet his mouth, all the while he’s whispering between every kiss, “I love you. I love you. So fucking much. I love you, honey.”

You don’t have to stop kissing to tell him that you love him back. Steve can feel it in the way that you hold onto him, tears changing, rolling from your cheeks and dripping onto his lips. I love you.

[scealaiscoite]

.☽༊˚ a hundred assorted prompts

¹⁾ raspberry lip gloss

²⁾ pajama bottoms

³⁾ a silver lighter

⁴⁾ fresh honey

⁵⁾ flushed cheeks

⁶⁾ a fogged-up mirror

⁷⁾ the imprint of a belt buckle on skin

⁸⁾ helium balloons

⁹⁾ a broken cocktail glass

¹⁰⁾ old playing cards

¹¹⁾ chipped green nail polish

¹²⁾ a brown leather wallet

¹³⁾ bullet holes in a wooden wall

¹⁴⁾ seashells lined up along the curve of a spine

¹⁵⁾ beaded curtains

¹⁶⁾ pomegranate seeds

¹⁷⁾ a carabiner heavy with keys

¹⁸⁾ fresh-cut orchids in a pottery vase

¹⁹⁾ vending machine cigarettes

²⁰⁾ an out of date map

²¹⁾ a creaky wooden gate

²²⁾ a minifridge stocked with budweiser and paracetamol

²³⁾ snapdragons growing between pavement slabs

²⁴⁾ smudged yellow eyeshadow

²⁵⁾ slept-in braids

²⁶⁾ library books that’ll never be returned

²⁷⁾ a pink-tiled shower

²⁸⁾ a honeybee on a linen shirtsleeve

²⁹⁾ burnt popcorn

³⁰⁾ watching an eclipse from bed

³¹⁾ a black lace bralette

³²⁾ a tattered patchwork quilt

³³⁾ blue raspberry bubblegum

³⁴⁾ a rusted fishing rod and a dried-up lake

³⁶⁾ the taste of whiskey on someone else’s lips

³⁷⁾ rose-scented candles burned down to the wick

³⁸⁾ crescent-shaped coffee stains on a wooden tabletop 

³⁹⁾ odd socks 

⁴⁰⁾ a loose thread on a jumper sleeve

⁴¹⁾ warm sheets on cold skin

⁴²⁾ amber-tinged perfume

⁴³⁾ gold jewelry 

⁴⁴⁾  a calloused palm against a soft cheek 

⁴⁵⁾ a busted headlight

⁴⁶⁾ sunrise from a jail cell

⁴⁷⁾ hand tattoos that weave around fingers

⁴⁸⁾ coconut shampoo

⁴⁹⁾ a doorbell sounding in the middle of the night

⁵⁰⁾ ladybugs crawling across a headstone

⁵¹⁾ grass stains on blue jeans

⁵²⁾ a loaded saddlebag

⁵³⁾ a dusty wine cellar

⁵⁴⁾ a bikini top draped over a bedpost

⁵⁵⁾ snow in july

⁵⁶⁾ dirt-red mountaintops

⁵⁷⁾ goosebumps in a heatwave

⁵⁸⁾ an empty dinnertable

⁵⁹⁾ a fresh manicure and bruised knuckles

⁶⁰⁾ zombie movies

⁶¹⁾ bitten lips

⁶²⁾ dark eyes full of tears

⁶³⁾ a soft cast in summertime

⁶⁴⁾ stale coffee in paper cups

⁶⁵⁾ frozen peaches on a black eye

⁶⁶⁾ acrid smoke

⁶⁷⁾ bound hands

⁶⁸⁾ animal tracks

⁶⁹⁾ unwound vhs tapes

⁷⁰⁾ cartoon plasters

⁷¹⁾ lipstick marks on shirt collars

⁷²⁾ silver bangles

⁷³⁾ sharing a coat in a downpour

⁷⁴⁾ fields with grass at waist-height

⁷⁵⁾ daisy chains up to your forearm

⁷⁶⁾ rolled-up shirtsleeves

⁷⁷⁾ the smell of bleach in a dark room

⁷⁸⁾ a shared sleeping bag

⁷⁹⁾ a new haircut

⁸⁰⁾ swimsuit tanlines

⁸¹⁾ perfume clinging to a pillow

⁸²⁾ lollipops dangling between lips

⁸³⁾ a badly-timed grin

⁸⁴⁾ old books

⁸⁵⁾ tongues stained from slushies

⁸⁶⁾ waking up in a hailstorm

⁸⁷⁾ dying sunflowers

⁸⁸⁾ colourful sunglasses

⁸⁹⁾ the last pew

⁹⁰⁾ tall, rattling windows in a storm

⁹¹⁾ six missed calls

⁹²⁾ sticks of incense burned down to the last

⁹³⁾ bunk beds

⁹⁴⁾ matching sets

⁹⁵⁾ ruined mascara

⁹⁶⁾ a boxing ring

⁹⁷⁾ stained glass windows

⁹⁸⁾ fairy forts

⁹⁹⁾ a cluttered bedside table

¹⁰⁰⁾ a hangover in the evening

[taylorswiftstyle]

MTV Video Music Awards | September 11, 2024

Monse Fall/Winter 2024 custom

For Future Reference Vintage 'Omega Chain' - no longer available

Rainbow K Jewelry ‘Diamond Horn Earring’ - € 7215.00 Ali Weiss Jewelry ‘Baby Pave Hoop With 2 Diamond Drop’ - $375.00 Grown Brilliance ‘Emerald and Heart Lab Grown Diamond Two Stone Stud Earrings’ - $1,895.00

Lizzie Mandler Jewelry ‘Pave Knife Edge Bracelet’ - $13,665.00 Mateo New York ‘Carabiner Bracelet’ - $300.00 Mateo New York ‘Lock Link Bracelet’ - $350.00 Rainbow K Jewelry ‘Diamond Horn Bangle’ - €18,575.00

Ali Weiss Jewelry ‘Thin Gold Band With 5 Diamonds’ - $650.00 Jade Ruzzo ‘Tennessee Drop Ring in Demantoid Garnet’ - $5,600.00 Retrouvai ‘Platinum Magna Ring’ - price upon request Grown Brilliance‘Marquise Lab Grown Diamond Eternity Band’ - $2,190.00

A brief moment of pride for me because I happened to predict a different look from this exact same collection for the MTV VMAs. I'll take the win! Taylor changed partway through the show, shedding her tartan Dior look for a party look that was easier for her to dance in but still retained a high shine award show appeal. While Taylor's look is obviously custom, the tapestry alien print and buckle detail are clear riffs from the Monse FW2024 runway. This was a fun and flirty mid-show change that reminded me of her strategy at the 2022 MTV EMAs. Though for that award show, there was a clearer throughline between both her looks as they were by the same designer - David Koma. Here, there isn't as obvious a connect between the two aesthetics. Although perhaps it's the notion of translating older notions of art into surreal, modern takes. With Dior, an ode to the secret messages Mary Queen of Scots embroidered in her clothes and with this Monse look, reimagining the antique tapestry to feature futuristic visions of alien invasion. Which feels very "Down Bad" in imagery.

For her second look of the evening, Taylor swapped out her singular pair of Lorraine Schwartz earrings (a go-to jeweler for her red carpet looks) and tapped into one of her style pillars: indie designers.

The mix of metals feels very Taylor - she often swaps between gold and silver and looks equally great in both, lucky her. Though I did most appreciate the silver tying in to the buckle detail on her Monse dress.

Of all her jewels, the piece that most caught my eye is Jade Ruzzo's ‘Tennessee’ ring. I spoke to the designer and she described the Tennessee as her “signature” collection, inspired by her late father who was a drummer. “I designed the Tennessee ring, the first piece from the collection, while in Tennessee,” she told me. “Tennessee has a heart and soul that I felt I could literally hear a beat to - it felt like it moved.” Jade translated the kinetic energy she felt in the city into a hand bezel ring with hanging gemstones that create a subtle movement - “as if [the stones] are dancing on each piece.” She added, “I wanted the movement to be subtle enough that it felt Iike soft steady music throughout the day.“ What an appropriate thing for Taylor, who calls Tennessee her home, to wear.

Photo by John Shearer via Getty Images

[priestessame]

The Emperor's most Favoured

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ (--) ♥ (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ (--) ♥ (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ (--) ♥

Emperor Zhongli x Bride reader

°·.¸.·°¯°·.¸.·°¯°·.¸.-> 🎀 ! AFAB Virgin reader! °·.¸.·°¯°·.¸.·°¯°·.¸.-> 🎀

Warnings: Oral (receiving), zhongli has a corruption kink, themes of purity, hybrid Zhongli (he has horns), fingering, unprotected sex, slight voyeurism, dirty talk, overstymulation, power play. Minors DNI !

Summary: The emperor of Leiyue really dots on his new bride ଲ(ⓛ ω ⓛ)ଲ (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ (--) ♥ (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ (--) ♥ (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥

It was cold.

Colder than your red wedding robes had prepared you for. Even under the layers and layers of silk, a cold you couldn't shake away clung to your skin. You stretch your hands out, holding them up. The noticeable tremor told you that maybe it wasn't the cold. You pressed the anxiety down, maybe it was fear.

You drew your hands inwards, trying to get some body heat to sustain yourself. You turn, the read beaded veil jingling as you looked around the chambers.

As the last princess, although you had always been favored by your people, it wasnt the case with your own family. Your mother had been a simple musician who played the zither for the court, with no royal title of her own, the consorts looked at you like a pest to be squashed out. Your king father probably didn't even remember your name, more than happy to sell you off to the stranger tyrant. Your title had never been worth much, but the moment the proposal had come from Leuiye, you had been hailed like you were some noble born.

You wondered if this wedding would make your dead mother happy. "Your sisters will marry for honor and status." she would tell you, "But you, my dove, must marry for love and courage."

love and courage. She always used these two words together.

The truth was that they had offered you up as some sacrifice. All to save their own tails.

'They say the man is half a monster'. your sisters told you, as they dressed you up. Pretty voices dripping with malice. 'Horns growing out his head, scales on his arms.'

They said molten gold flowed through his veins.

Cold, dead, metal. Nothing human. Nothing warm.

You tightly pulled the silks around your body, remembering the ceremony. They had draped you up like one of your old dolls. Gold headdress, so heavy it was pulling at your hair. "As the last princess, this is how you serve the kingdom."

The jade ornaments were too tight around your throat, "it is high honor." voices explained, The maids ignored how badly your hands shook as they placed the bangles, "This is your duty."

You had considered running away, but even the ones who run have a home. Where would you run to?

Your legs had buckled as they walked you down to the ceremony, eyes peering past the red veil. You caught glimpses of the room. The huge high- rise celling decorated with gold and ornate blemishes. The traditional leiuyan paintings spread across every wall. Everyone of them had a flow, different scenes from an unknown myth connected to each other.

All the motifs finally met at the last wall. Stretching above you like a giant waiting to swallow you whole. The dragon on the wall was nothing short of terrifying. Slitted venomous eyes, jaw hanging open, still holding a severed body between its teeth. But you couldn't help but admire its beauty. How could man not worship a creature this majestic. Your heart stopped as you noticed the figure sitting against the painting. Your lord husband sat in his gold wedding robes. The picture of a dragon coiled like a halo behind him. His bare arms rippled gold, stag-like horns curling on either side of his head. A veil separating his own face from your sight. But your stomach dropped, the real fear of the situation crashing down into you. You didn't want this, you wanted to turn around and start sprinting.

You didn't realise you had stopped walking until the handmaiden gave you a push. You almost stumbled over the hem of your dress as they pulled you beside him, hands on your shoulders manovering you to sit down. Your knees gave out as you hit the cushion. The room spun, as the priest stood up atonce, starting the ceremony.

His long hands spreading out as he welcomed the guests. But with the panic rising you couldn't make sense of the time. In a few minutes he turned towards the two of you, he gestured towards you.

"Face him." One of the handmaiden's hissed under her breath. You turned a little too quickly.

Your heart hammered as he lifted your veil slowly. His face was devastatingly beautiful. You were realising he wasn't really human at all, the lines of his face, the gold fleckled iris settling on you, the way his mouth hitched in a faint smile as he drank you in. For those seconds you felt his power wash over you. You could almost see its color, golden and yellow, smelling of fresh earth. It encompassed you entirely, moving past your body flooding through the entire room.

You blinked in the yellow light as his fingers curled around your chin as he brought the wine to your lips. His touch seemed to burn into your skin.

You knew about this part of the ceremony, the man always drank first, a rendition of how a wife always puts her husband first, how she must be the first to sacrifice, But the dragon emperor reached for you instead. Your heart hammered as he lifted your veil slowly, keeping it pulled away from your face from one hand. The second brought the wine cup to your lips. A hushed silence fell among the guests.

It was such a curious gesture, tentative, wondering if you would take the step at all. Or refuse the change of tradition like a good bride. For a second you coud't tell if he meant it or if it was a jest. A funny prank for the guests to laugh at.

You reach forward, taking a small sip of the bitter liquid. He lets his thumb linger on your cheek before letting the veil separate you again. You were still dazed from his beauty as he placed the same cup to his mouth.

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ (--) ♥ (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ (--) ♥ (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ (--) ♥

You sighed, sinking down into the soft mattress under you. It was heavy with the sap-sweet smell of flower petals. Idly you picked one of the silk flower petals and crushed it in your hands. The chilly wind carried a strong fragrance around the room. A little too strong, you sneezed so hard that your headrest jingled and you cussed aloud.

There was a deep chuckle.

You jumped a little, not realizing he had already entered. Indeed, the emperor himself. Traditionally he should have been in red silks to match yours, but the Lord of Geo was draped in all the shades of the earth.

Now the veil pulled from his face, he looked far too beautiful. His eyes nestled on your smiling.

Long earth-brown hair tumbled over his shoulders. A delicate golden belt went around his waist suspending tendrils of beads down to his feet.

His amber eyes went around the room, "are you not cold beloved?" You felt heat rise to your cheeks, "a- little."

This was the first time he had spoken to you. As he neared, your heart skipped a beat, walking to a dying lamp and lighting it again. There was a low chuckle, "I'm sure your family would be upset if I let my bride gets a cold on her first night here."

You laughed sarcastically at his comment, "They do not care." You said before you could catch yourself. You practically bit your tongue, "I-I didn't mean that your grace I shouldn't have-"

Zhongli's gait changed, "Were they not kind to you?"

You tightened your jaw making sure you don't show the quiver as you spoke. "They won't care if you send me back in a carriage or in a bag." The room darkened, the cold festering around you. A mocking smile slipped on your face as You shook your head, " I'm the last princess, the leftover."

His eyes softened, "Is that what you felt there?"

His voice echoed out, and his fingers touched your face delicately. Urging you to look at him.

The emotion in his eyes shocked you. "is that what they told you when you were sent here?" His voice hummed with an ancient power. "That you were sent here as a scapegoat? Against your will? To be ridiculed and slaughtered?"

Your lip wobbled as you tried a brave face, "yes."

Zhongli sat down beside you, his fingers brushing away the beads from your face. "I… do not wish to keep you here against your wish."

Your eyes wavered, unable to meet his, "Although I didn't have much say on being sent here, I won't be trouble I promise. There isn't a home for me there anymore, whether I wish it to be or not."

You shook your head, "I'm realizing there never really was."

"You're not some last princess here." He said, "You're the empress of Leiuye." He said, pressing down the anger that threatened to smite anyone that would have regarded you that way.

You blinked at him, eyes fluttering as he slipped his obsidian fingers through yours. His large palm encased yours. The warmth of his touch shocked you. In a strange way, you still expect him to be cold. But touching him felt like grazing fire.

"I don't aspire to make you someone that lives in my shadow, I want someone who can take the weight of this crown." he said, "And I knew I saw that fire the first time I saw you. I do not know these people or understand their minds. But if their actions have caused you to harden your heart, to pull up a fortress, then I am not so small as to force you to take me. If they haven't been able to break you, I don't doubt anything will. And it is for that courage I see in you, that I shall strive for your acceptance, as long as you demand it."

"Will you allow me that my queen?" He asked.

Your heart hammered, And your heart spoke, "Yes."

Something in his gaze shifted and he scooped you up, one arm under your knees and the other supporting your back. Its like you had lost the sense of your body when he kissed you. You felt his hands slide around your waist, pulling you into his lap without breaking the kiss.

He tasted your skin with his lips and teeth, tugging and pulling the skin on your neck, his hands wandering in your hair, angling your head as he continued to spoil you. Everything about him was hot, his touch searing into you. Zhongli dragged his hands along your body, hands running up your torso to grope your breasts, grabbing at your love handles.

"Y-Your grac-" you words are cut short as his fingers slid past your lips, gliding inside your mouth. He chuckled watching you gag, trying to take his fingers. You really were so pure. Your tongue tried to keep up with his fingers exploring your mouth, obediently sliding over his long digits.

"You have such a pretty mouth, love." he said, fingers reaching the back of your throat, "Why don't you call me morax? hm? I am your husband after all."

You gulped as he slid his fingers out, coated in your saliva, "M-morax" you mimed.

Something feral flashed in his amber eyes, and the thrill went straight to your core. "Very good."

His mouth latched onto yours with a hunger that wasn't there before. Whatever patience he held before seemed to crumble. His tongue forced itself into your mouth, you moaned into his mouth. It felt like the ocean was in his mouth, his warm taste consuming you. He growled softly as he kissed you, his hand holding your jaw in place. You found yourself practically clawing for him, fingers digging into his robes as you twirled your tongue in his mouth.

The perversion clouded your mind as he continued, you rolled your tongue over his fingers. Suddenly feeling very bold, you liked his fingers exploring your mouth you wanted to taste him more and more.

He pulled the headrest from your head, pressing soft kisses on your face. A kiss for every gold thread braided into your hair.

Your fingers no longer trembled as you worked on the knots that tied his robes. Although you blushed as you undid his robes dutifully. You were such a sweet little thing, so pliant so pure. He relished the small gasp that left your lips as he latched his mouth on your neck. Zhongli didn't just want to fuck you, he wanted to devour you whole.

He hugged you from the back, dragging his palms against your breasts, fingers grabbing at your skin greedily. He latched his mouth to yours again, as if he couldn't get enough of your taste. Wetness pooled between your legs. You rubbed your thighs sadly as you realised you wanted him to touch you there. So fucking badly.

His hand lazily caressed your inner thigh, the featherlight touch sending goosebumps across your body. You jumped as his fingers brushed higher. He chuckled, the sound resonating in his chest. You let your head roll back on his shoulder as his other hand reached for your breast, thumb rolling over your nipple. You couldn't help but squirm as Zhongli toyed with you. The arousal grew, flooding your body with a strange heat you had never felt before. His fingers on your thigh inched closer to your core, "have you touched yourself before, beloved?"

You shook your head, mind still reeling from his tantalizing touch, "N-no Your grace." You managed.

"hm?" he mused, burying his face in the crook of your neck, "That's a shame," he breathed, "Guess I'll have to figure out how to pleasure you on my own."

His fingers reached deep inside your core, rubbing along your walls. You yelped out his name as his fingers curved sliding wickedly inside you. His mouth still working at your neck, sneaking up to draw out languid, hot kisses. With every moment your desire for him grew. He laughed in your mouth as you sucked on his tongue, practically growling at how wet you were for him.

He continued to praise you to take away the burn of his fingers thrusting inside you. "Such a sweet, lovely thing~" he mused as he continued his lazy torturous rhythm.

He held you in his arms, your back against his chest. The inner of your thighs were slick from the hours of teasing. His fingers sunk to the knuckles, it was embarrassing just how riled up he got you from his fingers. You felt his cock harden, pressing against the small of your back needy-ly.

You groaned practically arching your back to feel more of him. But Zhongli just held you in place. His cock was painfully hair, pressing against the flimsy fabric of his pants, weeping at the tip. He drank in the whine as he pulled his fingers from your cunt, so fucking warm, his cock twitched again begging for attention. He traced his fingers down your torso, the swell of your breasts to the dip of your stomach, well his cock will just have to fucking wait. He had to taste you first.

He placed you down on your back, watching as you sink into the fabric. His eyes drank in your body, you were completely bare for him, thighs pushed apart. His wedding robes hung loosely around his shoulders, his bare chest heaving. His golden hands dug into your thighs, spreading them further.

You couldn't help but yelp as the cold air hit your folds, the humiliation of the position was too much to handle. Morax kissed your knee, "Now, now, little one." He hummed against your skin, "Don't be shy, you're so beautiful like this," his thumb brushed over your folds, featherlight. Your hips buckled under his touch, heart hammering with anticipation. His fingers dug into your plush thighs as his mouth lowered, trailing hot kisses down your thigh. You could see the lust pool into his eyes like molten gold, just the intensity of his gaze making your legs tremble.

careful not to hurt you with his horns, as he nestled between your legs. You felt his breath against your core. Your breath hitched as you realized what he was going to do.

His tongue felt warm and very arousing against you. He pressed soft kisses on your clit "so sweet" he growled out.

Just the sight of him nestled between your legs, dragging his tongue along your deepest parts threatened to push you over the edge. You felt a strange pressure build in you, blazing pleasure rising in your body. Your knitting into his hair and you grinded yourself against his face, demanding more friction.

As the coil in your stomach snapped, the pleasure made your eyes fly open. Zhongli's grip around your hips held you in place as you spasmed around his tongue. Your grip on his hair loosened as you panted out, too overwhelmed from your first orgasm. Zhongli growled out against your core, flicking his tongue over clit making you squeal out from over-sensitivity. He chuckled kissing up your thigh, dragging his teeth over the supple flesh.

The high from the orgasm dulled and whatever fear you had about this moment flew out the window. You wanted him to completely own you, take your body in every way, to completely ruin you-

He squeezed your face lovingly, pulling you in a kiss where you could taste yourself on his lips.

His hands brushed the hair off your face, his thumb brushing against your cheek. Adoring your face.

You actually felt loved. Your heart felt so full as he reached forward claiming your mouth again. His hand moved down to your thigh, hooking his palm under your knee, raising your knee to your chest. You mewled as you felt his tip brush against your folds. "Morax~ ungh, please."

"Patience, my love." He murmured against you, dragging his cock along your folds, the tip digging into your soft core just enough to have you begging for him.

"Can't have you getting hurt now love."

You squirmed as he continued to tease you, gathering the slick from your core as he enjoyed how fucking warm you were.

His tip finally pressed against your entrance and your hips practically buckled with excitement. Zhongli cupped your face, making you look at him, "If it's too much, you must tell me immediately, understood?" You nodded feverishly, finding him torturously endearing now. The smirk told you he read your mind.

Your eyes rolled back as he finally, fucking finally eased his cock into you. You felt the pinching drag as he pushed each inch in. He was big for you, your walls struggling to accommodate his girth. But the pain of the intrusion only lasted for a second before you were completely consumed in the pleasure of just feeling so full. Your walls fluttered around him, you couldn't wrap your head around the fact that he was actually inside. You felt the warm tickle of blood down your leg as he bottomed into you. Morax continued to handle you like glass, rubbing your sides, singing you sweet things asking if it hurt too bad and if he should stop. But all you could think of was how badly you wanted him to move. To have some sort of friction.

Your fingers fisted in his silky hair and you pulled him closer, teeth knocking as you pulled him in a messy kiss.

"Show me you're mine emperor."

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ (--) ♥ (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ (--) ♥ (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ (--) ♥

With every passing moment, his patience grew thinner, head overcome with lust. He couldn't take his eyes off how his cock slid into your gushy hole, like you were made for him.

He loved seeing you under him, eyes glassy from the pleasure, a stupid smile on your face as he pounded into you. He had finally broken you, stripped away the shyness. He wanted you to use him to find all the crevices of love, to explore what pleasured you the most.

To take from him everything you were denied before. It had been hours of him fucking into you, he had already pushed you over the limit, but he could tell how you didn't want to stop yet. How his bride was just as insatiably obsessed with him as he was with her.

Your legs trembled as he pulled you on top, jerking his hips upwards, his blunt tip fucking deeper into your cunt. His pace grew more and more ruthless, your mind blanked, the world around you blending into the pure pleasure of his cock slamming into your sweet spot. Your glazed eyes pinned on his, hands pressed weakly against his chest. His fingers grazed your sides as you rode him out, hips meeting his thrusts halfway.

The curl of desire was so strong, your nails dug into his chest, drawing blood. He growled, the sound going straight to your core. For the first time in your life, you had a person to call your own.

Your eyes pinned on his fucked out face, the red flush running down his neck, eyes slightly glazed as he surrendered to you more and more with every thrust. An expression you would get to keep to yourself. You arched your back, quickening the pace. The way his cock glided inside you was just so fucking good. You could feel him twitch inside you just aching for release. For the last princess who was born with nothing, you were just owning the greatest emperor in the land.

The knot in your stomach finally snapped, your eyes rolled back, body going limp from one of the most intense orgasms of your life. Your walls spasmed uncontrollably against his girth, the feeling of your warm walls squeezing against him, sent the emperor over the edge. With a grunt he gripped your waist, the tip of the cock pressed deliciously against your cervix as he came. You watch his glorious face contort into pure pleasure as he filled you up with ropes of his thick cum. His grip on your waist eased and you collapsed onto his chest, panting hard.

You felt his cock soften inside you before slipping out, eliciting a whine from you. You panted against his warm chest, his arms wrapped around your body. His fingers ran through your sweat-soaked hair, murmuring praises, his deep voice rumbling in his chest, "So well, you did so well, beloved-"

His sex-heavy voice sent warmth flooding through your veins, from the roots of your hair to your fingertips. You buried your face in his chest as he hugged you closer. His voice purred out more praises, but you couldn't hear them anymore. The chamber felt blazing hot, eyes getting heavy as the exhaustion finally hit you. If this is why people in Leuyie kept their chambers always cold, maybe you could get used to it.

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ (--) ♥ (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ (--) ♥ (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ (--) ♥

AHHHHHHHHH I have wanted to write this one for so long have fun✌🐜

[pigeonsplease]

I probably missed it by being late to the 2.1 party but i haven’t seen any art etc. about how Aventurine’s current outfit very much still reflects his slavery?

He’s running around with a thick leather neck buckle and a small chain to clasp his flashy shirt. he also has extremely thick metal bangles on both his wrists, and in combat they’re a focal point due to how he gestures for his attacks and their contrasting blue glow in his ult.

the slave flashbacks are him in a collar with chains and we learn he used his shackles as a weapon to kill to save himself, which is still haunting him

What’s the prescription for ‘using my millions of credits to upgrade my look and ending up wearing a flashier version of slave’? Horse tranquillisers?

[chaos-and-sparkles]

Presenting:

Prowler Pavitr <3<3

Here's Pavitr's design in my Prowler Pavitr au akjdskjdskjkskdsk! It's my au where Pavitr is a fallen hero who used to be Spider-Man and becomes the Prowler, fueled by rage against a world and a system that forced him to pretend at perfection and then only hurt him and the people he loves.

I love him so much,, I have so much stuff in progress about him rn (working on the fics too). Gonna have chaipunk front and center, and like four separate plot arcs, I'm so insane about this au actually -

Anyway here's some infodump about his design inspirations and symbolism I put in it, I loveeeee talking abt him:

Hair -

Okay so this is after some time, like a couple months since Pav became the Prowler, and he's grown his hair out a bit now. It's kind of a mix of rejection of the "masculine" standard of short cropped hair by flaunting his longer curls that he's always been proud of and even had to grow to love He also dyes his hair purple! Bc he didn't wanna cut his hair but he wanted to do something to set himself apart from his old identity and also he's literally an impulsive 17-18 year old and wanted to do something that felt like owning his own self and asserting autonomy over his body etc etc

Something Borrowed -

The tie that he's using to tie back his hair is his original blue headband!! It doesn't go with his outfit at all but It's the original blue headband that Maya Aunty got for him all those years ago that he's been wearing forever and it snapped and broke in the battle that preceded what happened to her, and he still keeps it and ties his hair back with it instead The nosering (nath) used to be Gayatri's, they used to try out her jewelry on him and he loved that one so much she gifted it to him, and since he's basically left his old life and gone no contact with her it's all he has left of Gaya too

Main Outfit -

His jacket is loosely based on Krrish's leather jacket from the Bollywood movie series that's about a superhero named Krrish. I just think it has the dramatique and vibe Pav would like He binds his chest bc he still hadn't had top surgery but he's way more open about it, with the binding showing through the neck of the jacket now where he would have never dared to hint at it before,,, another thing about how he doesn't care about people's opinions and perceptions and standards anymore, he wants to say fuck you as much to everything in the system as he can and also piss people off while he's at it and a trans antihero/villain is a surefire way to do that. His dhoti is basically a dhoti pant, modified a bit bc i liked it

He has payals on his feet that make a faint chhan chhan noise when he approaches which has creepiness and cuteness potential imo I basically turned the prowler logo into his dhoti belt buckle askjdsjk

It's also slightly modified to mimic a trishul or even a diya shape, up for interpretation either way, bc trishuls are a symbol of Shiva, god of destruction, and diyas are a symbol of light in the darkness and the need to find it Also the chain around the dhoti at his hips is both a reference to decorative dhoti chain accessories and the lil things on it are his modified grenades that he uses for arson, bc Prowler Pav is big on arson and murder ajajsjsj

Prowler Claws -

His bangles/claws were hands down my favourite part to design!!

So his claws are of course his original spiderman bangles modified into the prowler claws But i based them on three weapons, each of which means something interesting for Pavitr

The first is bagh nakh. Literally translates to "tiger claws", famously used in a legend of Shivaji Maharaj They usually curl into the palm instead of going between the fingers like they do for Pav, but they're basically metal claws wound secretly around your hand for a sneak attack It's associated with bravery and righteous rage bc of Shivaji Maharaj but it's also really associated with stealth and an attack from unexpected quarters, being stabbed from a side no one saw coming. Which. Pavitr. The perfect hero, becoming the Prowler. Come on

Second is the trishul, aka trident That's the reason there are three prongs to his claw Trishul is the symbol of the god Shiva, and as i mentioned he's the god of destruction, as in he's part of the main triumvirate of gods who focus on creation preservation and destruction He also is really really associated with rage, especially destructive rage; he has a whole dance called the tandava for his rage which is a Huge Deal I can't stress this enough And because Prowler Pav is a being fuelled by rage against a system that has hurt so many including him that he wants to destroy and see burned, it is perfect for him The trishul is also seen as a symbol of goddess Kali, who's similar in the destruction goddess aspect and also is literally an embodiment of rage and violence that cannot be controlled which is more the theme I started out with, but whichever you notice first, it works either way. There's a whole myth in fact where Shiva had to lie beneath her feet to stop her destructive rampage before it ended the world.

And lastly, the urumi, aka the whip sword from Kerala Basically each of Prowler Pav's claws extend into whip swords when he does the swing/slash/whip motion This is really interesting at least to me, bc it means 2 things: 1) Pav still remembers and is actively using some of his skillset from swinging around as Spiderman. He does use the urumis to curl around distant objects and swing too, and they are very lethal weapons when used right, and that use requires a lot of skill, huge parts of which he built up by his experience 2) This is a weapon which requires an unimaginable amount of control, precision and strength And Pav is doing all that So all of his actions, every movement, is very deliberate and thought out. He's not doing any of this - turning away from heroism, becoming the Prowler, using these lethal weapons - on a whim. They are all very very deliberate.

Also one more thing - the blades of his claws are all retractable ofc But they are not protected or anything They slice up his palms and the in-betweens of his fingers whenever he uses them,, especially when he uses them as urumis And it would be so easy to fix the design or make gloves or smth so they don't do that But he doesn't ever do it He could make it so his hands don't bleed on using his claws But he doesn't want to

He is an angsty boyo...

Mask -

The eyes are ofc like the prowler mask design except I made them more curved and curled at the end bc that's a kind of shape often seen in traditional art of the headdress of Kali, goddess of uncontrollable violence as I've said before Then the part between them is meant to be based off a third eye, which is something both Shiva and Kali have. It opens at the height of their rage, it's meant to symbolise destructive fury for them both Although it's also used in an all seeing context otherwise but a lot of whitewashed bullshit is also there that dilutes sources to find connotations His theyyam-based tusks from his Spider-Man mask, I wanted to keep

The shape below the eyes is based off the noses in masks in various regional Indian tribal and traditional masks,,, a lot of them tend to have a very distinctive curly nose shape that I wanted to keep, a lot of these masks also depict rage or are intimidating and are very emotive And then ofc you have the bottom of the mask, I made the curved-ish cut based on the peacock-feather-y shape i was using but it's also based on the general shape of Kali's lips in traditional art where she has her tongue out, it's a big symbol of her rage and rampage I tried to put the tongue too but it looked awkward and honestly i thought it would be cooler to jsut leave the bottom half of the mask open and you can see Pav's mouth and his expressions through it a bit instead, in the spirit of that And also it's based a little bit off Krrish's mask, you can never escape the Krrish design Also there's the lil teeth. Those are often used in art for demons and animals,, and Prowler Pav is very cat coded in his behaviour in general tbh. He's like if an orange cat's fur got burned to black.

Anyway, so yeah, that's him!

[ace-writer-lani]

Violence: The Question (WIP)

Or, a series centering around Reyna pre-canon/pre-TLH

(This is only a snippet of Ch.1)

-

Was it morally okay to want to stab your sister in the jugular? Probably not but Reyna thought Hylla deserved it, considering it also wasn’t morally okay to literally throw your younger sibling to the wolves because they "needed to become stronger".

However, before Reyna could even move, her dagger was swiped from her hand in a flash.

“No weapons allowed, hermanita.”

“Excuse me?” Reyna glared, crossing her arms to hide her shaking fists. Maybe she should try to strangle Hylla instead.

Hylla shrugged. “One of the rules. You have to earn it or something through tests. So, I’ll be keeping this for now.”

That’s when Reyna lunged. She kicked the back of Hylla’s knee, causing it to buckle as she reached for her dagger because there was a good chance that Hylla was lying just so she could make things harder for Reyna because she was the worst. Unfortunately though, Hylla barely even flinched, and in a few seconds, she had Reyna in a headlock.

“I…hate…you,” Reyna wheezed, trying to break free.

“You’ll thank me in the future.”

“I…will not.”

She could feel Hylla roll her eyes. “This is for your own good.” Then she released her.

Reyna inhaled sharply, finally able to fully breathe. “Seriously?” she scoffed. “What makes you think you know anything about what’s ‘good for me’? Just because you’re older doesn’t mean—”

“This is what our mother wished.”

“…what?” Since when did Hylla talk to their mother?

“Yes,” Hylla placed a hand on her shoulder. There was the instinctive urge to brush it off, but Reyna held back from doing so after examining her sister’s expression. There was a weight of seriousness that laced her brows. “She informed me that your role is meant to be here, not with the Amazons.”

“She told you, but not me?”

A bitter feeling coiled in her gut as she fidgeted with the silver ring around her finger. Yes, Reyna knew Hylla was strong. She was a warrior. A leader. She had gained the fear and respect of their pirate captors with her skills. She had earned her title as the Queen of Amazons. She was practically everything their mother represented, and while it was the reason Reyna admired her greatly, she also couldn’t help but feel stuck in her shadow, forgotten. Their mother talking to Hylla only made that feeling grow.

Bellona, goddess of war, was known for her elusivity. She only acknowledged those she thought were worthy, which apparently, was something Reyna wasn’t.

Although she had learned to craft her poker face well, there was still a chance that some bitterness bled onto her face. If there was, Hylla didn’t comment on it. Instead, she reached into the pocket of her leather jumpsuit and pulled out a slip of paper and a pair of metal bangles. One was silver and one was gold with two studded rubies embedded in each. She held them out to Reyna.

“Here. Take these.”

Obviously, Reyna did not take them. “Why? Did our mother tell you to give them to me too?”

Hylla pursed her lips. “The letter? Yes. The bracelets? No. I stole them from Blackbeard’s crew.” She smirked. “For pirates, they were surprisingly easy to rob.”

Reyna only grabbed the paper, tucking it into her jeans. With the bangles, she simply glared at them. “I don’t need accessories,” she hissed. “I need an actual weapon.”

“Trust me, these are more than weapons. You’ll see.”

It didn’t seem like Hylla was going to back down so grudgingly, Reyna snatched them from her and slid them on. They were large, and would probably fall right off, but before she could point out their terrible functionality, they started to shrink. They became smaller and smaller until they were snug around Reyna’s wrists, not too tight, but not too loose.

Reyna opened her mouth to ask Hylla to clarify what exactly they were, because she could sense that it was blessed with some type of magic, except, she was interrupted by a howl that suddenly echoed through the air. Whipping around, Reyna spotted the red and gray structure behind them, where a large, nonhumanoid silhouette was stepping out from. It had shinning red fur, glowing silver eyes, and radiated an aura so strong that Reyna instantly dropped to a kneel.

“Lupa.”

The wolf goddess gave a single nod. “Reyna Ramírez-Arellano. I’ve been expecting you.” She tilted her muzzle. “Follow me.”

Reyna hesitated. This wouldn’t be the last time she saw Hylla, right? Despite her current resentment towards her, she was still her sister and she had been the one to look after Reyna for basically her whole life. Making up her mind, Reyna sighed and turned to say goodbye.

Except, Hylla had already left.

Dios mío. Hylla may be her sister, but she was still a fucking bitch.

-

(Full chapter will probably be posted on my ao3 like,,,sometime in August)

( @glitchymaciofficial @chriscrosswallflower-blog @lavenderfairiez @nerdthatsiriuslylovesteaxx @poppitron360 @keefessketchbook )

[thesugarclubs-blog]

What a Feeling - AU Bucky Barnes x OC

warnings: fantasy au, knight bucky barnes, princess oc, one-bed, grumpy/sunshine, smut, 18+

word count: 12.2k

WP: https://www.wattpad.com/1327974550-what-a-feeling-merari

Masterlist

“I would rather chew off my own fingernails than go back to that place,” Merari flicked her hair over her back, the gold bangles around her tiny wrist banging together in the hot summer air as Bucky moved around her giant white horse. 

He tugged roughly on the saddle buckles, making sure the leather straps weren’t going anywhere as he listened to her complaints with a disapproving expression on his cranky face. His large scarred hand ran down over the mare's neck, giving the Princess’ horse a few extra scratches behind the ears.

 “Your father only wants-” he started. 

“My father would sooner have me hog-tied and sold to the highest bidder than deal with me in the palace for a single summer.” She poked her head around the mare, her long red hair cascading down around her face. 

“The Convent is exactly where you should be,” Bucky grumbled. 

The heat was causing the dark green dress she wore to stick to the base of her spine and sweat to drip between her breasts. She wiggled her shoulder blades in a meek attempt to loosen the itchy fabric from her skin but nothing worked. She watched his dark blue eyes, enjoying the way he watched her back. His dark hair was clean for once and pulled into a half knot at the back of his head, highlighting the sharp curves of his scruffy jaw. 

“Well then perhaps you should join the nuns this summer if you believe them so special.” She rolled her eyes at him and she could have sworn his lip turned upward but when she studied his face she found only his mean scowl staring back at her. “Maybe they can teach you how to smile.” She shrugged and lifted her skirts to hoist herself atop the mare. 

“I know how to smile, your highness.” 

Merari glanced down at him from her perch on the horse, eyes narrowed as she studied him. He was concentrating, tongue peeking between the straight line of his lips as he double checked everything, ensuring their supplies for the trip into the capital were secure. 

“I’d never believe it,” she sighs, “and how many times must I tell you to call me by my name?” 

“I’ve lost count, but I can assure you that if I had a penny for every time, I’d be sitting on your father’s throne and not carting you across the land… your highness.”

She narrowed her eyes down at him again, a light smile tugging at her lips.

“Huh, that’s a view of a kind.”

He only responded with a raised brow, but she swore she could see a glint of amusement flash across his face before he turned to his black stallion. He hoisted himself up gracefully, in some may always more than the last time, and nodded for her to join beside him.

Merari let her eyes wander down to look at his butt that was gently swaying along with the stallion's movement. Then she gave her mare a tender kick with her heels and let her walk next to his. 

Their knees were only inches apart as the two rode next to each other on the narrow cobblestone path. 

"So, Bucky..." she started after five minutes. Only hearing the sound of the horse's hooves on the stone path was driving her nuts.

He turned his head towards her and she could see two strands falling out of his half knot, framing his face beautifully. 

"Why are you always the one accompanying me? My father has dozens of men, but every time I end up with you."

She watched him attentively, her lips twitching upwards as his jaw ticked almost in slow motion. The glow of the unrelenting morning sun slipping through the trees around them highlighted his features perfectly. Bucky turned to face forward and shook his head. 

"Oh come on Sir Barnes, you always do this," he whipped his head back to her quickly and Merari raised a brow. "Act all tough, silent and broody. We can't possibly spend this whole godforsaken ride without speaking." 

"I'm here to do a job, my lady. To protect you. If you must know why I'm always the one assigned to you, you should ask the King. You may ask for a new guard if you are not pleased with me." he gruffed.

"No need to get your braies in a twist, Bucky." 

Merari tried to suppress a laugh as she saw the stoic man's expression twist and his lips pursed as he let out a frustrated huff. She would never get over the satisfaction she got out of riling him up. It was just too good. A little part of her wondered how long it would take to watch him break.

“Just keep your eye on the path, Princess. You know how easy it is to lose track before we get to the main road.” 

Merari rolled her eyes but straightened up on her horse. She loved leisurely rides around the castle grounds but the trek into the capital was always tiring and monotonous — just the clip-clop of their horse's hooves and her own voice as she tried to make conversation. 

“Fine,” she huffed, catching him spare her a glance, his eyebrow raised. “Or should I say ‘yes, sir’? Isn’t that how the likes of Rogers and Wilson address you?” 

“They are under my command, my lady. You, are not.”

“Much to your chagrin, I’m sure.”  Merari huffed, spurring her horse ahead by half a length, putting Sir Barnes and his deep frown out of view.

As much as he was a treat to look at in his leather armour, unmarked by her father’s crest and always a lot cleaner than the man himself, he was an insufferable grump who always spoiled her fun.  Always so stoic, so in control, Sir Barnes was a stalwart knight of the realm; what more fun could be had on this trip than to tease him?

The pleasant dappling of sunlight through the leaves in the wood had begun to falter.  Through gaps in the canopy, she could see clouds passing over the face of the sun, causing momentary waves of gloom.  A chill passed with shadows and, had she not been so engrossed in thinking about Sir Barnes, she may have noticed the way her mare knickered and shivered at the withers.

Merari glanced over her shoulder, taking in the path. The trees seemed to bow and sway in the wind, touching and tangling together to create a darkened dead end behind them. 

“My Lady?” His voice came through the sound of raindrops littering the leaves above them. 

Her heart pounded heavily in her chest as another shiver crept through her tense posture. 

“It’s just rain, calm yourself before you spook your horse.” His voice was stern and laced with growing frustration.

"I am calm," she snapped, her voice laced with worry as her view of him began to eclipse under the darkening sky. 

Her mare moved quickly to the side as the tree branches swayed into their path. Merari leaned down atop her and tried to soothe them both by digging her fingers into her mane and scratching lightly. 

"We're alright, Luar. It's an ok sweet girl," her voice was gentle as she tried not to let her fear show.

The rain poured heavily from the dark sky, drenching her gown in rainwater. But before she could worry about the state her garments would be in a thunderous rumble sounded through the air. Luar lifted her forelimbs, making Merari tumble off her saddle onto the now muddy ground. Somehow, Bucky got a hold of Luar's reigns before she could run off too far.

"Whoa, easy girl," the knight murmured softly, blue eyes flooded with concern as he looked at the Princess. "Are you alright?" 

Merari winced, sitting up as Luar whinnied above her, trotting impatiently in Bucky's well-trained grasp. The ground was soaked from the night before's rains and now mud and rainwater caked the skirt of her fine damask dress. 

A stinging sensation started in her hand and Merari spotted a small stream of crimson on her palm. There was the sensation of blood running down one of her knees as well, but she shook it off.

"Just a few stones embedded into my skin, no worries," Merari laughed shakily.

“We’ll find shelter in the first town, we can’t stop here. Not with this rain and Luar so distressed,” he stated — gruff and sure in his words as he held out a hand. 

“Bucky…” Merari spoke his name softly in protest, the way she had only ever done when the times didn’t call for formality. She’d be stronger about it if the gritty stones in her palm weren’t stinging something horrid. 

“Here, hop up. I’ll walk her the rest of the way.” 

He wouldn’t take no for an answer, stubborn as always, and he hauled her up onto his stallion. His warm hands steadied her as she settled in front of him, shifting until her back was pressed to his front.

“Comfortable?”

Merari’s hand was still throbbing but she nodded softly in response to give him the okay to keep going. Luar protested for a moment causing the horse they were on to stall but with a few coaxing words of praise Bucky got her moving. 

“You are good with her,” Merari groaned, flexing her fingers to distract how uncomfortable their current situation was. “She hates all the stable boys,” she laughed wearily. 

“She doesn’t know the stable boys. They rotate too often, she just needs a familiar face,” his voice low and calm against the side of her head, barely loud enough for her to hear him over the downpour. 

“Is that why my father sends you?” She dared to ask. “Strictly speaking of horses.” 

“Yes Merari,” he used her first name and sent shivers running over her skin. “That is why he sends me.”

The princess nodded silently, her cheeks warm despite the humid chill. 

“Strictly speaking of horses, that is,” Bucky repeated in what sounded like a pained whisper.

His calloused palms were still wrapped around the reins, yet she swore she could feel the warmth of his touch linger on her waist.

His touch was an unfamiliar thing, one that had the damp hair on the back of her neck rising to attention. Even now, with his arms loosely around her and his chest occasionally bumping the very top of her shoulders in what couldn’t be more than a graze, her skin felt as though it could barely contain her.

Merari supposed she could blame that on the hot blood rushing to her wounds.

The storm let up slowly as they rode in silence to the sound of their horses galloping until they reached the main road. The air was chillier around them despite the lack of trees that surrounded them on their way now and Merari could feel her wet clothes sticking to her skin. She tried not to squirm much as she tried to find comfort again until Bucky’s large warm hand on her waist stilled her movements. 

“We’re almost there,” he whispered, his breath tickling her ear.

It was not the stiff wind breezing through her wet clothing attached to her body that made her shiver. It was the way it reacted to his touch, a warmth spread in her lower stomach and goosebumps pricked her skin.

She shouldn't be reacting to him like this. 

Through a break in the trees, Merari spotted the town sign — the carved wood stained dark by the rain. 

“We’ll find the inn,” Bucky murmured, “somewhere to warm up so I can take a look at your hand.” 

“I just need to clean it—“ 

“I have supplies, from the castle infirmary. Let me take a look at your hand, Merari.” 

His own hand fell from the reign of his stallion as he slowed the horses, guiding them up the smaller path into the town. The rough skin of his palm covered her knuckles and he turned her hand in his so he could see the graze before he brought it up to his lips and blew softly on the wound, Bucky’s tenderness surprising her.

Merari gasped at the sensation as the coolness of his breath soothed the stinging in her palm.  She turned her head to look at her knight and warmth blossomed in her chest at the expression on his face, the small crease between his brows evidence of his concentration as he inspected her hand.  

Strands of her long hair, darkened to auburn by the rain, clung to the scruff of his beard and Merari reached out with her other hand and brushed them away.  Bucky’s eyes met hers then and she saw his throat bob as he swallowed.

“It, umm, it doesn’t look too bad,” he rasped. “Just keep it covered until we can wash it.”

From somewhere inside his leather surcoat he produced a surprisingly clean kerchief.  His eyes never strayed from hers as he wrapped the fabric around her hand and gently curled her fingers closed around it.

She could feel a smile spreading across her face and tried to hold it back. Her heart pounded and the sudden closeness between them was making her shiver. Or was that the cold air? All she could focus on was how gentle his touch was, his calloused hands cradling hers tenderly as he finished wrapping her hand.

"Am I hurting you?" He asked.

"What?"

She was so lost in her spinning thoughts that she barely heard his question.

"Your hand," he clarified. His eyes were shining as he spoke, his voice slightly shaken and soft. There was that warmth again in her belly. She tried to ignore it. "Am I hurting you?"

She shook her head, keeping her breathing steady. She expected him to make a joke at her expense, but it never came. Instead, he glanced over his shoulder. 

"We should get you warm. Your father will have my head if I let you freeze to death out here."

It was only a few more minutes before he led their horses to a small inn, stopping under the cover of the stable. What seemed like a quaint tavern connected to the side of the inn and despite its size, Merari could hear the noise of the patrons outside.

"Sounds lively in there."

"Don't get any ideas, Princess," He said, sliding off the back of the horse. He reached up, offering his assistance to help her down.

She thought she had a proper grip on his forearms as she slid out of the saddle, but at the last second, she pushed her weight on her hurt hand wrong. The stabbing pain made her flinch, and she slipped.

Bucky caught her before she could fall to the ground, his arm firmly around her waist, "I got you."

Her eyes flickered up to his, shining bright blue in the glow of the tavern lights, "thank you." Merari whispered as he helped her to her feet. Strong hands steadying her as she planted her feet into the mud. She glanced around them, hoping no one had seen her tumble, taking in her surroundings, cautious of the foreign city.  

"I'm serious," he rasped as the warmth of his hands disappeared from her, "We're here to get you warm and clean that hand before it gets infected. We aren't here to make friends with the locals." 

Merari's lips quirked upwards at his demands. He knew how she tended to speak to anyone and everyone, friendly or not. "Whatever you desire, Sir Barnes." She teased cupping her hand to her chest. 

Bucky's eyes narrowed at her and she watched as his tongue flicked over his bottom lip in the way it did when he was frustrated with her. She would never admit that sometimes she'd frustrate him with purpose only to see the movement. 

His hand wrapped around her bicep again, leading her to the door. "Let's go."

Bucky released her as they climbed the two steps to the inn. Using both his hands he pushed on the doors with a loud grunt. Swinging them open to expose everyone inside to the rain and wind. 

The Inn was bustling with an assortment of patrons. Bucky watched Merari carefully, clearly gauging her reaction to the people around her. She had never seen so much diversity and it made her heart flutter with excitement despite the discomfort in her palm. 

“Stay close,” he looked back at her, his eyes scanning the packed pub floor of the Inn. “We’re looking for the owner,” he said gruffly to a drunk-looking man hanging off one of the long wooden banisters just inside the massive doors.

“Yer lookin’ at ‘im” the man belched, laughing loudly as Bucky grimaced, waving him off as he searched the room. Merari looked away from Bucky, tapping him on his arm when she found a man behind the bar, watching everyone. 

“Pretty sure it’s him,” she said and took off across the room, hearing Bucky curse and stomp after her. 

Merari reached the bar and sat down before Bucky could stop her, planting herself firmly on the stool and grinning at him when he pulled up short next to her. He glowered and turned his dark expression to the man they thought was the owner.

"Excuse me-" he said gruffly, his voice low to avoid attention before a sudden, musical voice cut him off. 

"Good evening!" Merari chirped, a bright grin on her rain-soaked face. "Are you the owner of this lovely establishment?" 

Bucky looked up at the ceiling, his eyes rolling back. He swiped his gloved hand across his face in frustration. This failed to keep Merari from leaning forward across the bar at the giant fellow cleaning glasses before them. 

"Yes, actually, I am," he replied in a more playful voice than she expected as Bucky pinched the bridge of his nose.  "Friends call me Korg. Which you can call me too. If you want to be friends. No big deal." 

"Of course! This is Bucky and I'm-"

"Look," Bucky interjected, stopping Merari before any else could fall from her pouty lips. "Could we just get something to eat, please?" 

Her brows kissed in confusion as Korg shuffled off towards a set of wooden cabinets above a small fireplace. Bucky whipped around to the princess, eyes blazing in annoyance. 

"Do you want to announce to everyone here who you are? Maybe stand up on the table and shout it out?" he growled, the low rumble of his voice making Merari's face heat up with anger and something else impossible to think about. 

"That actually sounds like a fantastic idea, Sir Barnes." 

Merari went to stand from the stool, her drenched cloak falling down from her shoulders. A broad hand shot out and gripped the fabric at one hip. 

"Princess," Bucky whispered menacingly, fully demonstrating the reason why he was the most feared and respected knight in their kingdom. "If you get up from this stool, you will not like what happens next."

“Spoilsport,” Merari huffed, pouting. She was behaving petulantly, she knew that. But she was finding great joy in seeing just how many of his buttons she could press before he would pretend to hide the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn’t looking. 

“I mean it, Merari. One foot on the floor and—“

“And you’ll what, Sir Barnes?” 

Behind them, Korg cleared his throat. 

“Hello. Sorry. I thought you’d like to know what’s on offer today?” 

“Please,” Bucky sighed, exasperated. 

“It’s stew.”

Bucky nodded dismissively, “great, we’ll have—“

“Made it myself, there’s a special ingredient.” 

“Sounds delightful, Korg!” Merari beamed, “we’ll have two bowls please.”

Merari glanced back at Bucky, a sly grin spreading over her face as she slowly and very deliberately lifted her foot and touched the tip of her toe to the wooden floor.  Bucky’s jaw ticked and he drew in a breath.

“Princess…” he began, but a bellowing shriek echoed through the inn, cutting short his warning.

In less than a second Merari found herself pressed against the wooden bar as her knight moved in front of her with a dagger in his hand that seemed to have appeared from nowhere.  He scanned the room, searching for any threat to his Princess, determined to protect her at all costs.

A strange whistling noise sounded and the screaming stopped as abruptly as it started.

“Hey mister, sorry about that,” Korg shrugged and whistled again.  “It’s the goats.  They get a bit cranky at dinner time.”

He was too close. His body pressed against hers, the way his muscles seemed to twitch and tense even beneath thick leather and cloth. Merari felt like she was going to explode. She had to do something, and it didn’t help that rest of the patrons were staring at them. Merari gave Bucky a shove. 

“Get off of me!” She snapped. Bucky stumbled slightly and turned around, his eyes narrowed as Merari grabbed his dagger and threw it onto the ground. “And point that thing somewhere else! You said you wanted to be discreet. This isn’t being discreet!” 

“I'm doing my job, Princess. And if you want to talk about discreet, trying to jump on barstools and behaving like a...”

As he trailed off, his jaw ticked. She could see his adam’s apple bobbing up and down in his throat as his chest heaved. She liked to rile him up. Merari’s breath remained quick, eyes darting around the Inn as people slowly went back to their drinks and conversations. 

“A what?” Merari challenged, taking a step toward him. 

“Nothing.” He spat the words out like poison. 

“No. Finish your sentence, Sir Barnes.” She glared at him, cocking her head to the side. “Tell me what you really think.”

She could see him straining, holding back anger as lightning flashed in his eyes. In her periphery, she could see two bowls of stew resting on the bar counter for them. 

“I think the only thing you’ve done since we got here is make my job difficult. Now do as you’re told for once and eat your dinner. Quietly.” 

Rage bubbled in her chest. He sounded like her father. Merari turned, snatched the bowl of stew off of the counter and began to shovel it into her face, making sure to be as messy as possible.

“Oh for the love of..." He trailed off with a huff and focused on his own food. For a few moments, his attention was directed somewhere other than at her. A moment of peace. She faintly wished they could have more of those too-close-for-comfort moments from earlier, instead of always getting on each other's nerves like this, but of course, it could never lead to anything.

She hated being a Princess sometimes.

Merari slurped her stew, glancing over her shoulder as a trio of musicians started playing music by the large fireplace.

With Bucky preoccupied with his food, an idea formed in her head and a mischievous smile crossed her face.

She deserved some fun if she was to be locked up in that awful nunnery for the next few months, right?

She waited until his head dipped into his spoon, bringing the stew between his lips completely oblivious to the mischievous plan forming in her mind. The music made her heart flutter with excitement, it had been so long since she was able to just move her body. She ached for a dance that didn't involve a thousand precise steps with a man that didn't smell of stale beef and dust. 

"I must relieve myself," she blurted, slipping from the table before he could wrap his grumpy hands around her wrist and hold her in place. She heard him call out to her but the crowd closed around her and she found herself one step closer to the freedom she chased. She leaned over the section of the bar that was free to her and called to Korg. "May I have a pint?" She asked and he nodded. 

"This should cover our stay and food," she pulled two of her solid gold bangles from her wrist and the man's eyes widened. 

"That's too much," he said sliding one back alongside a tall mug of ale. 

"The second one is for the trouble," she smiled, holding the large mug between her hands and gulping it down so fast it spilled from her lips into the front of her dress. 

"The trouble?" Korg questioned but she was already backing away with her pint, moving her hips to the sound of the sweet guitar and shrill, fast paced violin.

Merari lost herself in the beats, feeling the energy of the inn travel throughout her veins, adrenaline surging until she was laughing, spinning in circles to the music. 

She could feel eyes on her everywhere, only one pair standing out but she ignored them, smiling and winking at everyone who met her gaze.

Coppery strands of her hair whirled around her face, obscuring Merari's vision as she felt the unmistakable boost of letting herself go for just a moment. No one to stop her and no one to judge, no one who would tell her father or her parents. No one except the darkly brooding knight leaned against the bar, jaw clenched tightly as he took a long drink from his mug and turned away. With a giggle, Merari spun gleefully once more before someone stopped her. She looked up into the greasy face of another bar patron, a burly man whose smell reminded Merari of the river near her home. Her nose wrinkled up in disgust as he leaned in close, his fist clutching her skirt in the same place Bucky's had been previously. 

"A pretty thing like you shouldn't be dancin' alone," the man breathed into her face as she pressed her hands to his chest, trying to push him back. His weight nearly had her pinned against a nearby table, close to the wall. 

"That's funny because I was doing...just...fine," Merari grunted and shoved with each word, turning her head from the unwelcome intrusion. A little bit of panic bubbled up in her chest and she took a deep breath, not knowing if she was going to scream profanities or call out for someone to help. For Bucky to help. 

A dagger flew through the air, whizzing by Merari's soft waves and slicing the cheek of the man towering above her. He howled blood gushing from just under his eye before turning to face an enraged Bucky, a second dagger clutched in his grasp. 

"The first one was because my lady is present," Bucky growled, fury blackening his ocean tinted eyes. "The second one won't miss." 

Merari’s eyes widened, but not at the sight of him flinging the knife or the almost perfect execution. She smirked, leaning against a beam in the centre of the pub as if there wasn’t a man with a bleeding face or Bucky gearing up to strike again. 

“Your lady as in, you serve me or your lady as in—“ 

“Not the time, Merari.” Bucky grunts out, “get to safety.” 

Merari raised an eyebrow. 

“Please, for the love of all things holy,” he sighed, just as another drunken idiot dared to swing a fist.

Bucky caught the guy’s hand before he could make contact and wrenched his arm around. A sickening crack sounded and his attacker let out a strangled cry and cradled his now broken wrist. Bucky shoved him away and turned to Merari, thrusting the hilt of one of his small daggers into her hand before pointing angrily over to the corner of the bar where it met the wall.

“Get. Over. There,” he gritted, shoving his elbow back into the face of another assailant, flattening his nose in a spray of blood. “And if anyone comes near you…”

“I know, I know, stick ‘em with the pointy end,” Merari grinned.

As she ran for a set of doors near the back of the bar, Merari heard a deafening roar coming from one of the incredibly drunk patrons. When she glanced back, she caught Bucky blocking a hit from a large knife. He ducked and weaved out of the way as the drunken man tried swinging at him again. Merari pressed herself against the door, her own knife clutched in her hand as she watched Bucky handle the man with ease. 

He thrust his dagger into the shoulder of his assailant before he leaned back one leg and kicked him in the chest, knocking him backward. The man let out another scream as he collapsed to the ground and Bucky strutted toward him, bending down to remove the blade. As he wiped it off on his tunic, another man charged at him from across the bar. 

“BUCKY!” Merari screamed.

Without missing a beat, Bucky turned to his left and hurled the blade and Merari watched as it made a sick squelching sound when it hit the man’s eyeball. He let out a bloodcurdling scream, falling to the floor as a river of crimson poured down his face.

“I told you I don’t miss,” Bucky snarled. He held out both arms as he turned to face the patrons who were cowered in the corner. “Does anyone else have something they’d like to say to me?!”

There were splintered chairs, spilled drinks, and sticky ale all over the floor from the fight. Merari rolled her eyes as Bucky smirked when nobody answered him.

“Yeah!” The Barkeep shouted. “You’re paying for that!”

Merari slid the last of her gold bangles off, and slid it across the bar, "Uh, sorry. I didn't think there would be quite so much blood."

When no one else approached, Bucky turned his attention back to Merari, storming across the bar toward her.

"Can we get our room key?" She squeaked at Korg. As Bucky grabbed her, the barkeeper shoved the key into her hands.

Bucky heaved Merari over his shoulder, "You. Are in so much trouble," he hissed, marching them up the stairs.

He balanced her tightly against him, his strong grip digging into her thighs even through her thick, damp dress. 

"You can put me down now you giant oaf," she squirmed against him but it only made him hold her tighter. "You're only fun when your violent," she griped, propping her face up on her hand with her elbow against his back. She waved politely to a drunk patron at the top of the stairs, his face between the maid's breasts and his hand up her skirt. 

"Stop," Bucky shifted her weight. "Every time you open your mouth a man finds five new reasons to shut it for you." 

"You haven't yet," she quipped as he snaked his hand around his back, his blood-soaked hand was palm up. 

"The key," he growled, and she dropped it for him. "And trust me, I've thought about it. Do not run." He said before finally setting her down and spinning her in the direction of the door to their room which he had propped open with his heavy boot. 

"No," she said, whirling around to look at him, her long red hair whipping him across the chest. "There's only one bed."

Bucky stood in the door, looking down at her, his expression the same as a stone. She only ever saw him like that once, years ago when she invited some locals over to their castle’s library to teach them how to read. Bucky wasn’t amused in the slightest. Still, after days, he wasn’t talking to her, only if necessary. 

“I’ll take the floor, your highness.” his stoic expression was back. 

“I can’t let you sleep on the floor, Bucky.” She shook her head. “And I told you, it’s Merari.”

The floorboards creaked as he took a step towards her and the princess stood her ground, tilting her head back slightly. Merari tried to emulate her mother, ruling coldly from a distance, but the knight before her was making her resolve melt quickly. 

"So," he asked with a slight smirk on his handsome face. "You are going to share a bed with me, princess?" 

The pull to take the next step and close the distance between them was strong, almost tangible in the smoky room. 

"You aren't the first knight that I've...lain with," Merari clipped back, stumbling slightly over her choice of words as Bucky's nose flared and his jaw twitched. Something like jealousy flickered in his eyes before he stepped around her, removing his belt. 

"What are you doing?!" Merari shrieked as Bucky unclasped his cloak and tossed it on a nearby chair. 

"We've been riding for hours, I'm not sleeping in this, my lady," he replied with snark, removing the leather and chain mail he wore over his woollen tunic.

Merari’s gaze tracked over him, with each layer lost a new form of definition revealed itself. From the sleeves of his tunic taut across his arms to the way it rose slightly at his hips as he lifted the chainmail up and over his head. 

She was so lost in her admiration of him that she completely missed him speaking to her until he appeared blurred before her, fingers wrapping around the wrist of her injured hand. 

“Merari,” he rumbled, dipping his head so she would meet his eye. “I still need to clean this, take a seat while I fetch a jug of water.” 

For once Merari did as she was told, lowering herself down until she perched on the edge of the bed.  The hint of a smile twitched at the corners of his mouth as, with a hum of approval, Bucky turned and made his way across to the other side of the room, rolling up the sleeves of his linen shirt until they reached his elbows.

Merari couldn’t help but watch as he busied himself at the dresser, pouring water from a large jug into the accompanying wash basin.  His shirt was of a fine enough weave that she could see the muscles of his back moving fluidly as he lifted the heavy jug and found herself becoming completely lost in the way the leather of his trousers hugged the curves of his ass and thighs.

He rooted around in the dresser drawer, grumbling under his breath. Normally, she would have teased him about it, but her mind was.. elsewhere. 

“Take the wrap off,” he told her, glancing over his shoulder. Probably to make sure she was actually sitting down. Merari just stared at him, her jaw slightly slack, eyes still wandering up and down his strong legs. “Merari, are you listening to me?” 

His tone was slightly sharp, pulling her back down to reality. 

“What? Oh, um… of course.” She shook her head and unwrapped her hand as Bucky stepped toward her with a damp white cloth clutched in his fist. 

He knelt down in front of her, his massive body making a thunk sound as he hit the floor. He grasped her wrist gently with one hand and began to clean her wound. She felt heat gathering beneath her dress and swallowed hard. His gaze was focused, brows knitting together as he worked. But Merari could see a blush gathering along his jawline, betraying him as it crept up into his ears.

“You don’t have to kneel in front of me,” she whispered.

“You’re a Princess, my lady.” He looked up at her, his eyes shimmering and a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “It’s my duty to kneel for you.”

Merari was at a loss, her tongue dragging over her suddenly parched lips.

Bucky held her gaze, "Just as it's my duty to protect you."

The intensity of his gaze suddenly shifted, and he smirked, "Which is why I'm the one who stands guard at your door. Every. Single. Night."

He finished cleaning her hand and raised himself up, leaning in so close she could feel his breath on her face when he spoke again, "Would you tell me, Princess, when you had the chance to lay with any other knights? Because I would have gutted anyone who came to you will ill intent." 

Merari could feel the goosebumps as they appeared over the skin on her arms, if she tilted her chin up her nose could brush against the soft scruff of his tense and angry jaw. She could feel his breath and with it the hungry desire to show her just how badly she had been caught in her lie. 

"You think you know your princess because you stand guard?" She quipped, and even then as the burning rush of fear coursed through her she steeled herself, she had never lost an argument against him, and she wasn't about to let him get the best of her that easily. "Then you already know all the sweet sounds I can make without the help of a man."

His blue eyes grew dark with challenges as they flickered over her face, hesitating only for a moment on the pout of her bottom lip before he spoke again, "I have every single soft, sweet whine that has ever left those lips," he inched closer, trapping her on the bed between his strong arms and pressed his lips to her ear, "memorized."

Merari felt her body melt as one of those whines started to slip through her teeth. She stopped it halfway, breathing heavily through her nose as she felt Bucky’s lips press into a grin against the skin of her earlobe. 

She swallowed hard and lifted her chin an inch, her nose brushing deeper into his long, soft curls. He smelled of rain, sweat and the iron tang of blood. 

“Merari…” Bucky whispered, turning his face slowly, lips trailing along her skin,  brushing against her jaw until he was at the corner of her mouth. 

She parted her lips slightly, taking a breath, feeling her lower lip touch his upper one.

“Tell me,” he whispered against her lips, “what is it that makes your mouth leave those pretty noises at night when you think nobody is listening?” his mouth was just inches away from hers.

“Tell me,” he demanded in a soft tone which made her lower parts fill with more heat. 

His hand slowly caressed her arm up and down, his hot breath still just inches away from hers. When he slowly brushed the fabric of her dress to the side, his bare hand on her sensitive skin, she couldn’t resist a small whimper.

“Exactly like that, princess,” he grinned in satisfaction, getting that kind of reaction out of her.

"Don't," Merari whispered and Bucky's hand moved away from her like he was burned by the flushed skin across her collarbones. 

"No," she breathed with a soft laugh. "I mean...don't call me princess. There's no one else here, for the gods' sake." 

Her exasperated tone made his eyebrow quirk up, but he said nothing. The palm of his hand caressed her cheek as he leaned closer, the other hand coming around her back to keep her close. Close to him is where she belonged at all times if she had her way. 

"As you wish," Bucky smiled softly, his tongue darting out over his lips before rubbing his nose against hers.

She bit her lip and found every fleck of grey in his blue eyes as he watched her face for any sign she was scared. 

"Tell me what you want...Merari."

“I want…” she started, senses heightened with the warmth of his breath and delicate brush of his nose. 

“It’s just us,” Bucky reminded her, voice soft and low and only for her in the quiet lodgings.

“Kiss me?” 

Not as bold as she’d have liked with her request, her eyelids fluttered closed as Bucky dragged the tip of his nose lower, lips ghosting hers. 

“Things might change if we do this.” 

“I don’t care, kiss me. Touch me, Bucky. Show me how you would unearth the sounds you overhear.”

She could feel the muscles of his arm tremble under the delicate touch of her hand as if he were at war with himself.

“Bucky,” she whispered against his mouth, “please.”

A low groan left his chest and the last thin thread of his restraint snapped.  His hand slid from her cheek to cradle the back of her head as he closed the final hair’s breadth between them and captured her lips with his.

She whimpered against his mouth, her own so unsure and timid in response. She’d never been kissed like this before. The way his stubble scratched her skin, surely leaving marks behind, the desperation in the way he held her, it was enough to make her head spin. 

But the lie that she had told him about laying with other knights sat like a knot in the pit of her stomach. He was going to know by the way she kissed, or the way she was beginning to tremble beneath him. He was gentle and tender, pulling moan after moan out of her as he took complete control. One of his hands rested on her waist, warm and inviting despite her soaked dress, fingers playing at the soft leather cords that kept it fastened to her body. 

He pulled back, his pupils nearly black and his throat bobbing up and down in his throat nervously as he studied every inch of her face. She felt warm beneath his gaze and his lips formed a sly and wicked smile.

“You’ve never lain with a Knight, have you?” He asked.

“I told you I have.”

His smirk grew wider.

“You and I both know that’s not true, my dove.” He leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear. “I'm outside your bed chamber every single night. If you want this, I need to hear you say it.”

“I want this,” she practically whimpered.

The words tumbled from her lips and Bucky pulled back, nodding his head. 

“Can I undress you?” 

Her eyes widened and her chest got tighter and tighter with each breath she took. She was just trying to keep herself upright.

“Yes.” 

He turned her around to face the bed and she could feel her legs struggling to hold her up. Suddenly, the leather strings that kept her dress fastened began to loosen and one of Bucky’s calloused hands drifted up toward his shoulder to push the fabric down. He left soft kisses and a trail of goosebumps in his wake.

“I’ll be gentle,” he assured her, warmth stitched into his voice. “I promise.”

Her dress fell loose, the cool air licking at her hot skin as his other hand snaked around her waist, pulling her back against his chest tightly. Her skin connected with the damp fabric of his tunic and she scowled, needing to feel his skin. 

"There are too many layers between us Knight," she whined. She nearly melted as his chest rustled against her in a quiet laugh. He carefully moved her hair over her shoulder, nuzzling his nose into the base of her neck as he tried to hide his amusement. "Are you laughing at me?" She asked, trying to pull away. 

"Perhaps," he mumbled, gripping her tighter. He nibbled at her ear lobe, running his sharp teeth against her sensitive skin as his fingers drummed gently against her hip above her skirts. "Be patient Merari, the storm rages still outside and I plan to take my time with you before we are shoved back to the world that awaits us when the clouds break."

Despite his words, his hands moved to unlace the layers she had on underneath, pushing her skirts past her hips, hands following the path of the fabric until they fell away above her knee, falling to the floor, leaving her only in her chemise. 

Bucky’s hands slowly slid back up the fronts of her thighs, one hand sliding around to the side, sliding on the fabric and just barely cupping her ass. His other hand trailed lightly across her front, crossing over her covered mound, with the slightest hesitation, continuing on up her stomach to the bottoms of her heaving breasts. 

“Tell me, Merari,” Bucky whispered, hovering just behind her, not letting the cold fabric of his tunic touch her warm skin. “Would you have me undress first, or shall I finish what I started?”

"It wouldn't be very chivalrous of you to leave a lady wanting," Merari breathed with a lust filled grin, leaning back as his thumb and index finger wrapped around the base of her neck gently. "But I would like to see you first." 

Turning in his arms, Merari met Bucky's gaze and realized just how far gone he was. There was a longing in his eyes that pierced her chest and made her heart swell. 

With slow movements, Merari unlaced the strings at his throat, exposing soft planes of muscle and dark curls of hair that made her mouth go dry. Bucky merely watched her trembling hands as they lifted his tunic over his shoulders and she laid eyes on him for the first time. 

The familiar golden skin was littered with scars, sword slashes and small jabs covering his chest and abdomen. The hard muscles spoke of a life spent in service, built for battle and bringing death. She stood on her tiptoes, kissing him once more gently, the soft swirl of his tongue so different than she would have ever imagined. Each kiss was like something different and now that her hands were on his bare skin, she craved more.

Merari had often stared at Bucky with longing - while he trained, when he guarded her, and when he was at ease with some of the other knights he called friends – daydreaming about what lay under his armour and his tunic.  Now, pressed against the heat of his bare chest that was littered with the scars of his devotion to her safety, Merari realised that her imagination had failed her spectacularly in her envisioning of his beauty.

He stilled as her delicate hands explored the geography of his musculature, allowing her a chance to discover for herself all of his wonders.  Each cleft and ridge of taut muscle, goose-fleshed skin, and a light shiver that followed the ghosting of her fingertips over his nipple.  Her doe eyes met his, hooded and dark with fettered lust, but still, he held for her.

In a moment of bravery, Merari laid a gentle kiss upon his chest, over a particularly nasty-looking scar.  One she recalled he had gotten saving her from a boar on a picnic several years ago.  Bucky’s eyes fluttered closed and he sighed heavily through his nose.  All the ladies in waiting liked to talk about how the men would moan if a lady placed her lips just so.

Merari continued, kiss after tender kiss until, when almost kneeling, her fingertips lingered on the ties of his britches, and he flinched.  Bucky’s hands snatched hers away swiftly but gently.

“Hear me well, my Lady,” he said, his voice heavy with emotion.  “I can’t deny that I want this, and have for some time.  But I won’t have you prostrate yourself before me when it is my place to kneel at your feet.”

Merari’s breath hitched in her throat as Bucky walked her backwards until she felt the bed bump softly against the back of her legs.  She sat automatically, lost in the reverent depths of his eyes as this giant of a man sank to his knees before her for the second time that night.  His hand found her cheek, cupping it gently as his thumb stroked across her cheekbone and then down over her mouth, dragging her bottom lip a little on the calloused pad.

A rush of heat flowed through her just from the intensity of his stare as his eyes flickered over the planes of her face before coming to rest on her mouth.  She felt his fingers flex on her cheek just a little before he pulled her towards him and kissed her with a fervour even greater than before.

He pulled her top lip between his, his other hand reaching up to cage her face, and Merari sank into his embrace.  Draping her arms around his neck she couldn’t help but open her legs wider, aching to feel him closer.  A desperate moan left her throat as his hand, once on her face, now slid over her knees and made its gentle but determined progress over the soft skin of her thigh.

She shivered against the metaphorical flames that licked her skin as Bucky’s tongue pushed and swirled against hers. His fingers danced along her skin, moving at an almost agonizing pace and she lifted her hips a little, aching for more. More of him, more of his mouth, anything. A small whimper filled the room that made Bucky chuckle against her mouth. He pulled back, his hand moving higher and higher until he was tracing letters along her inner thigh and she realized he was spelling his name. Leaving an invisible mark. Tears brimmed in her eyes and she clenched her teeth so hard she thought they would crumble in the back of her mouth.

Bucky’s lips curled into the warmest smile she had ever seen. Her eyes raked over the scars and soft freckles on his chest. She began to trace them with one fingertip, going lower and lower until Bucky grasped her wrist.

“Undress me,” she commanded, trying to put some authority back into her voice. 

Bucky merely chuckled and his fingers found a spot between her thighs that made her eyes widen the second he began to circle it. There was a beautiful pulsing sensation that made her rock her hips, and her head fell back as she let out another ragged groan. 

“You might have authority out there,” his voice gruff as he dragged the tip of his nose up and down her throat. “But not in here, little dove. Do you feel where my fingers are?”

“Yes,” she rasped, choking on another moan.

“Good. I’m going to put my mouth here, okay?”

“Your mouth? Wh—"

“Yes or no, Merari. That’s all I need to hear.”

Her head swam with lust and she nodded her head, letting a soft, “yes” nestle between them. Suddenly, the warm breath on her face vanished and Bucky’s face was nestled between her thighs, his head concealed by her chemise. She felt his lips gliding along her skin, and the roughness of his beard made her whimper. And then his tongue found that spot and she covered her mouth with one hand before opting to bite down hard on her knuckles as she let out a strangled cry.

Bucky stopped suddenly, silencing her protest with a kiss on her inner thigh, and using his fingers again where his mouth had been a moment ago.

"My lady, I want to hear you scream," He rasped, pushing away the hem of her chemise so he could see her better. His stubble was dripping with the dampness that had formed between her legs, "Don't you dare swallow those beautiful noises."

Merari nodded, "Yes, yes! Just don't stop!"

He chuckled, diving back in with a long, slow, torturous lick up her folds before sucking on that sensitive spot again.

"Oh, oh! Bucky!"

His hands spread her thighs further apart, his fingers coaxing her folds apart, getting coated in thick wetness.  As he sucked on that one spot, above where his hand was, he gently pushed a finger inside her. 

“God! Bucky, oh my god, how- it’s so-” Merari couldn’t finish her sentence, overwhelmed and feeling strangely full yet empty at the same time. 

“If it’s too much, I’ll stop,” Bucky said, a head popped out from her skirt, stilling his hand with his finger mostly inside her. 

“No! I want this, I want more. Please Bucky?” Merari asked, propping herself up on her elbows to look at him.

It was strange, the taste of herself on his tongue, but feeling the rumble of a groan against her lips had her throbbing again. She moved impatiently against him and Bucky gripped her thighs, gently holding her in place.

"Patience," he chastised, a stern look on his handsome face. "You deserve someone who will take their time." 

Bucky kissed the apple of her cheek and she giggled softly, feeling his hands slide the fabric of her chemise up until she was exposed to the warm firelight. 

"Someone who will give you everything you need," he murmured once more. 

This time, his mouth sucked at the unblemished skin of her neck, making Merari keen and gasp in his arms. It was like a bite, but it sent shockwaves straight to her cunt. His tongue soothed the mark before Bucky raised his head. 

Dropping down to his knees once more, his hands kneaded the soft flesh of her thighs and Merari groaned as her eyes fluttered closed.

"Someone," Bucky breathed as her legs splayed open in his grasp. "Who will bow to you and enjoy every second of it." 

It was as if he knew exactly want she wanted, all those years of watching and waiting leading to this. He probably knew her better than she knew herself and he took it out on her body with skilled precision. 

As his tongue delved deep inside her, Merari gripped the thick locks of dark hair that brushed her thighs. 

"Oh my," she gasped with a breathless laugh, shocked at the sudden sensation. "Gods, Bucky."

Looking down beyond the scrunched-up fabric of her chemise, the exposed plane of her tummy and the soft curls of her mound, she met Bucky’s eyes as he devoured her eagerly.  The thrill and stifled embarrassment she felt joined seamlessly with the intense pleasure building with each kiss, each lick, and each wicked suckling his mouth made.  She threw her head back and moaned, gasping as if her breath had been stolen, and all Bucky did was smirk, his twinkling eyes full of mischief.

It was all too much, and yet not enough.  The sharpness of her pleasure, exquisite in its ferocity, was too much to take.  She bore down, clenching around the absence of Bucky’s finger, the feeling almost enough.  Almost.

“Please…”

Her begs were like sobs, wracked with desperation until she felt him at her entrance once more.  He circled teasingly as he consumed her, his finger dipping inside deeper with each intrusion.  The slight sting caused her to gasp but he shushed her and soothed her with kisses to her inner thighs, gently stroking deep inside her.  His deft finger added more pleasure once he returned his lips to their sworn task.

The bedsheets twisted into a knot within her clenched fist as Merari tried to ground herself against the intensity of the feelings that coursed through her.  It was as if a spring were being wound inside her, tighter and tighter with every movement of Bucky’s finger, every lave of his tongue.

Her other hand found its way into his hair, twining themselves through his locks and urging him ever on.  Her hips began to buck against his face, small movements at first that grew as pleasure began to overtake her.

“Gods, more Bucky, please!” She begged through gritted teeth, almost screaming as he slid a second finger inside her along with the first.

“That’s it Merari, let me hear you.”

Her screams threatened to crumble the walls, but she didn’t care. Bucky’s fingers seemed to be hitting a spot inside of her that lit up every nerve ending— that combined with the pressure and pace of his tongue… She felt like weeping, and she didn’t know why. 

Merari felt like an elastic band stretched so tightly that when he crooked his fingers, she cried out again, a tidal wave of pleasure drowning her as her muscles began to tremble. Bucky continued to lap at that spot and move his fingers at a deliciously slow pace while wave after wave of pure bliss consumed her and forced strangled cries from her throat. 

She was coated in sweat and when it was all too much, she squeezed his head between her thighs and whimpered. Every muscle contracted and relaxed as Bucky withdrew his fingers, climbing on top of her while she sucked in the cool air.

“I told you I committed every single one of those sounds you made for me to memory,” he said softly, one hand gliding up her waist and cupping her breast. She felt sparks as he dragged his thumb across her nipple. “But I don’t think I’ve heard them all just yet.”

She swallowed the invisible wad of cotton lodged in the back of her throat.

“I-- I was bluffing,” she choked out, humiliation washing over her in the aftermath.

Bucky chuckled, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

“I know.” Another kiss. "It's alright. I'll guide you. I belong to you tonight, Merari."

As the tremors eased away, Bucky nuzzled Merari's neck, kissing and nipping at her skin.

"You ready for more, my dove?" He asked, pausing in his affections to check on her.

"More?" She asked, amazed that there could be anything better than what she had just experienced.

"Of course," He whispered, "That was just the beginning."

Bucky pressed more kisses to Merari’s neck, trailing down her chest until he was sucking her nipple into his mouth, fabric and all. She gasped at the sensation, cool silky fabric getting wet with his warm saliva and breath. 

Merari held his head to her chest, her fingers buried in his long locks, pressing up into his mouth as his hand cupped her other breast, fingers rolling and gently pinching her nipple. 

“Bucky, please, I need-“ Merari stopped herself. 

“Tell me, my dove, what do you need?” Bucky asked as he pulled back, her chemise soaked, the air cool and making her nipple harden further. 

“I need, whatever more is,” she murmured, leaning down and pressing a kiss to his jaw, losing herself and pressing more kisses up to his neck to his ear. “Please good sir, I need- I need you.”

Bucky turned to catch her lips with his own as he lifted her up, her thighs clenching around his stomach as they slid further up the bed. She let out an involuntary gasp at the sudden motion and Bucky let out a gentle laugh. 

Settling down between her thighs, his hips dug into her skin as he rocked against her, the leather pants rough but slick against her cunt. 

"Bucky," Merari whined as she laughed. "Stop teasing." 

"After all the time I've waited," Bucky drawled above her, her nails digging into his shoulders as he dragged his hips against her slowly. "I think I've earned a little bit of teasing...Merari." 

At the sound of her name on his lips once more she whimpered and kissed him hard, panting with need. Her hips rolled against him, in slow, steady waves as Bucky reached down to unlace his breeches.

“We go slow,” he rumbled, that raspy voice making more heat flare in her chest. “You tell me if it’s too much.” 

He grasped one of her wrists and brought her hand up to wrap around his cock. She gasped softly at the size of it and Bucky let out a groan, guiding her hand to stroke him slowly. He was already falling apart and quickly, Merari began to get the hang of it, even gliding her thumb over the tip. It seemed to make him shiver. She liked that.

“Just like that, sweetheart.” His head rolled back, along with his eyes until she saw the whites of them. “Fuck.”

She continued to stroke him, but every second he wasn’t inside of her was pure agony. She felt a deep ache, almost like a hunger inside of her and wound her legs around his waist. It was then that she realized how much she had wanted this, all of the back and forth between them, the barbs they traded, the insults… none of it mattered. She let it all fall away.

“Please,” she begged.

He chuckled.

“I could get used to hearing that word from you.”

“And I could get used to you kneeling,” she quipped. 

Bucky smirked as Merari guided his cock toward her slick cunt, pushing the tip against her entrance; testing herself. He let out a whine and dipped his head, kissing her softly.

“Anything for you.”

Slowly, he began to push inside of her. It stung, and he was careful to go as slow as he could. Bucky kissed away the tears that stained her lashes and all Merari could feel was warmth in her chest, spreading slowly to every part of her body as he filled her up. Pain began to turn to pleasure as her body relaxed and she took him deeper and deeper. Bucky kissed the tip of her nose when he noticed her breath getting shallow.

“It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

Her breath hitched in her chest and she nodded a little desperately, her hands sliding up from where they had migrated to his hips, up his back and to his shoulders. She clung to him, broad and filling up all her senses, the tang of sweat and blood still in the air as they moved, joining with the scent of sex, creating a heady atmosphere that Merari let herself fall deeper into. 

Her back arched as Bucky’s cock brushed against a spot inside her, making sparks light up the blood in her veins. A moan left her lips and Bucky smirked, a groan leaving his own lips as Merari tightened on him, responding to the pleasure she felt.

He kept his promise, rocking his hips slowly while peppering her face with sweet kisses. Merari was already beginning to fall apart. She raked her fingernails down his back, feeling a topography of scars along his skin, tracing the elevation of each and wondering where he got it and how. She wondered if he cried, or took each wound with his teeth gritted. There was no doubt in her mind that Bucky was strong. She could see it, but part of her always thought there was a softness to him. It was difficult to find through his arrogance and icy exterior.

Merari’s moans grew louder and louder as her body moved with his, the bed creaking beneath them and they became lost in each other. 

“I’ve needed you for so long,” he confessed through moans.

She reached up and cupped his cheek, gliding her thumb across his stubble.

"How long?" She asked.

"My whole life."

Merari felt the familiar sting at the corners of her eyes return once more, only this time it was because the man she lived to aggravate, torment with her silly notions and acts of rebellion had turned into someone she would need for more than just tonight. 

"Bucky," she whimpered feeling him settle completely within her. She wiggled and writhed beneath him forcing herself to become accustomed to his size and only driving her pleasure as her body moved. 

He dipped his head, leaving a trail of kisses along her jawline, down the column of her neck and in between the swell of her breasts. "Say my name again, Merari." Bucky requested, the tone in his voice was needy but with enough rasp that caused her skin to gooseflesh. 

"Bucky," she moaned feeling his hips pull away from her almost completely before slowly driving himself within her again. His name was long and drawn out with the movement only to be accompanied by the sweet sound of his own pleasure escaping from his lips against her sweltering skin.

Merari wrapped her arms around his back, pulling him close to her, forcing him deep inside her, his hips grinding and making short little thrusts. 

Every movement of his hips had his cock pressing against that spot from earlier, the one that made her feel alight. 

The feeling kept building, and Merari couldn’t hold it back, this fire raging throughout her as she screamed her pleasure, shouting out her knight’s name.

She was overcome with bliss, and Bucky began to fuck her with wild abandon, hitting that spot over and over again until she was quivering beneath him.

“I’m gonna—“

“Please,” she begged. “Please, Bucky?”

Every muscle coiled beneath her touch and Bucky’s hips stilled as he spilled into her, his broken cry forcing her back to arch as he pulled one more climax out of her. Finally, he collapsed, mouth gliding against hers as they breathed heavily. She wanted to say something but there was nothing to say, and her mind was half gone anyway. Merari wasn’t even sure if she would be able to write her own name after that.

He pulled back and smiled at her.

“Are you okay?”

She laughed and her fingertips brushed his cheek, but his eyes were desperately searching hers, checking in, making sure he hadn’t hurt her.

“I’m wonderful, Bucky.”

She kissed him again to reassure him.

Merari felt him melt into her kiss. She wanted to kiss him like this every day, every hour for the next eternity of their lives. It seemed to be hasty but as he pulled away from her and the blue in his eyes had returned where the usual stoned anger sat, was now something softer and littered with warmth. 

Bucky slowly rolled from her and off of the bed. Merari watched as he tucked himself back into his trousers as he moved towards the dresser and the bowl of water. 

"What are you after?" She asked, propping herself up onto her elbows. Her voice was quiet with disappointment that his warmth was taken from her. 

He glanced over his shoulder, working one of the clean rags in the water and gently wringing it out. "A rag," Bucky started as he turned to her and made his way back to the bed. He sat beside her, "let me clean you up?" He asked gently, holding the rag carefully in his hand as he waited for permission to touch her. 

She wasn't sure as to what he meant but she trusted him. Merari laid back with a soft nod only wincing slightly at the chill from the water hitting the inside of her thigh as Bucky worked smoothly to wipe up the remnants of their need for one another. 

"You don't have to do this," she said softly, watching the way the muscles in his biceps moved with him. 

Again those blue eyes met her with the most beautiful smile she'd ever seen, "I do because it is my duty to take care of you, with or without the armor."

Merari’s heart swelled, a smile and blush overtaking her face, making her turn and bury her face in the pillow. 

Bucky returned to the dresser, wringing out the rag and setting it to dry, hesitating only a moment before turning around. 

Merari lifted her head, gazing at Bucky beyond the edge of the bed. “You’re not going leave me cold here, are you?” she asked, sitting up, propping herself up on her non injured hand, reaching down and pulling at the bed covers.

Bucky grinned.

“It would be foolish of me to ignore a beautiful woman in my bed.”

She arched a brow.

“Your bed? I paid for this room.”

He climbed onto the mattress and she felt it dip beneath his weight as he pressed a kiss to her lips. She giggled against his mouth, but Bucky seemed to savour the sound like he was afraid of losing something. His hands cupped her face and he broke the kiss, staring at her.

“Every day I thank the gods that I get to wake up and look at you.”

She bit her lip.

“Even when I frustrate you?”

“Especially when you frustrate me,” Bucky laughs, grasping her injured hand tenderly and pressing kisses to her knuckles. Bright blue eyes caught hers and her heart felt like it was cracking. Bucky lifted his head. “Merari, I—"

He exhaled softly and tried to speak again but all he could do was shake his head. Merari pressed her finger to his lips. She knew what he was trying to say, the words that were caught in his chest as he took a breath. Her mouth covered his again and she pulled him down on top of her, her legs winding around his. If she asked him to run away with her right now, the desperation in his kisses told her he might say yes. 

Merari broke the kiss and Bucky smiled. 

“We should sleep,” he murmured.

"Will tomorrow be different?" She blurted, the sudden fear of her life and the idea of this night ending swarming her. 

Bucky's tongue ran over his bottom lip as he considered his answer. Though a part of her knew she wouldn't want to hear it. 

"Tomorrow will be just like any other day," he started as he righted her chemise and rolled next to her tugging the quilts up and over their bodies, "you will frustrate me to no end and I will wish to the stars that we will not part," he wrapped his arm around her waist, tugging her to his chest, "but," his voice dropped gently, "you are a Princess though you disdain the word with every fiber of your being, there are duties you have to uphold as do I." 

"So your answer is yes," she said hiding the crack in her voice through a whisper as she tucked her head into his neck. 

"I wish that it was not." 

Merari sniffled softly hoping he wouldn't hear her but his hold on her grew a little tighter reassuring her that at least for this night, he was not going anywhere. 

Soon, she fell asleep listening to the quiet thundering of his heart raising her white flag to a night she wouldn't forget. 

Morning crept in slowly and as rays of sunshine filtered through the dusted windows Merari's eyes opened slowly. It was quiet in the inn below. The boisterous noise from the night before had settled leaving the soft creaking of the wood settling and the gentle rhythm of her breathing. She rolled over, finding the bed to be empty next to her. She splayed her hand across where Bucky had laid his head for the night, the sheets still warm from him. 

It was only then she heard the faint sound of voices just outside the door. She tried to listen for a moment and could hear the unmistakable sound of Bucky's morning voice getting closer to the wooden door before it slowly pushed open. 

He was still in the leather trousers he wore from the night before and the tunic had returned to cover the mapped-out scars she had committed to memory. His hair was a little curlier from sleep and the stubble that peppered his jaw had darkened a tad bit with the new morn. 

"Good morning," she said catching his attention. 

His body tensed at the sound of her voice. He clutched an envelope in his hand and balanced two bowls of porridge in the other, "Good Morning Princess." 

Merari's heart cracked at the use of her title. No longer was she just Merari, no the formalities of their relationship had returned. "What is that you have?" 

She raised a long painted finger to the letter. 

"A letter from the kingdom." He answered, setting the bowls onto the dresser before holding out the letter to her, "It's addressed to you." 

Her brows furrowed gently as she took the envelope, opening it and scanning over the words. She felt her eyes widen and covered her mouth with her hand to hold back the gasp lodged in her throat. 

"He's dead." Was all she could muster. 

Bucky sat down next to her on the bed, taking the letter from her and reading the words confirming that the King had been murdered during transport back to the Castle. She ached to feel almost nothing for her father's death only horror at how the letter described it. "This means that--" 

"You're Queen." He finished for her. Their eyes met as silence fell between them. 

"Queen," Merari tested out the new title that felt more foreign than Princess. 

He leaned forward, his hands cupping her cheeks as he discarded the letter, "My lady, this means you return Home, not to the nunnery and-" The words became stuck in his throat like molasses. 

"I don't leave you nor you leave I," this time it was her that finished for him. 

He shook his head, a sad smile spread across his lips as he leaned into her, pressing his forehead to hers, "Today is different my dove but it is the start of something much greater." 

"You are under my command?" She asked, knowing the answer. 

She felt him smile as his lips brushed hers, "I was always under your command, Merari."

[lemonlyman-dotcom]

In light of this week’s Rewatch theme it seemed an appropriate time to bring this fic back. Follow Marjan’s journey of finding and building a new life and found family after moving to Austin, Texas. Canon compliant, this fic follows Marjan’s life from Season 1 through a year after Season 4 with flashbacks to her childhood, her time in the Fire Academy and her relationship with Salim. We also explore Marjan’s friendships with TK, Carlos & Paul and the similarities & parallels between them and the ways they’ve come to support and lean on each other as chosen family. 🥰

love in a series of bursts & inches

beautiful fan art by @whatsintheboxmh

It’s a new tradition they started this year, volunteering as a way of giving back to the community on their shared days off during Ramadan. So far they’d volunteered at a health clinic and at a food bank handing out groceries. Tonight they chose to help out at the homeless shelter where Iris worked. TK helped administer medication and treat minor wounds while Marjan changed bedding and restocked toiletries.

“Early Eid Mubarak,” he said sheepishly, pulling a box out of his backpack as they sat in her car in the shelter’s parking lot after their shift.

“I know you lost your favorite scarf that day.” He said, letting the uncomfortable reality remain unsaid, that she’d almost lost her life that day as well. That she’d been shot on the side of a highway in the middle of nowhere, hunted down like an animal by a monster named Grant Harlan. That she’d been forced to kill the man, shooting him in the neck with a flare gun to avoid a similar fate for herself.

A year of therapy had done little to assuage her guilt. It was the antithesis of her life’s work; instead of risking her life to save another, she’d taken one to save her own.

Her eyes misted when she opened the box, the scarf was wrapped neatly in soft pink tissue paper. It smelled faintly of vanilla and cardamom, the scent instantly transporting her back ten years; to Saturday afternoons shopping with Sahar, trying on outfit after outfit, layering on bangles and dancing in the showroom to see what they sounded like when they clinked together.

She held the scarf up to her face to get a deeper whiff of its fragrance. “It’s beautiful, TK, where did you get it?”

He ducked his head and rubbed a hand across the back of his neck before looking bashfully at her from under his lashes. “I called Sahar? She told me about the boutique y’all used to shop at when you were kids. I ordered it from there.”

She dove across the center console to hug him, and they both broke into a fit of giggles when the seatbelt she’d forgotten she already buckled hamstrung her and pulled her back in her seat.

[aurantia-ignis]

Designed Ruby for the Specord Gala this year! Thank you for having me!

Ruby's journey across the years took him on adventures with many Pokemon. Through it all, he grew alongside his team, and learned to appreciate and showcase them to the best of their beauty.

This outfit is inspired by the Contest Spectacular costume he made during the ORAS arc, with many visual nods to the Pokemon on his team. The pink crown (and gradient dyed tips of his hair) comes from Milotic, with a trailing veil of pink and blue iridescence. The neck piece, earring and zip pull are from Delcatty. The 'fur' over his shoulder is made of wooloo wool, dyed black and grey for Mightyena. The triple bangles represent the different forms of Castform. The belt, buckle, pleated fins and sheer waterfall attached are inspired by Swampert. The long asymmetrical white skirt, with a green toned lining, comes from Gardevoir.

Strings of necklaces adorn his chest, with a golden charm in the shape of a Contest Ribbon illustrating his chosen role as a Coordinator. The staff embodies the legendaries that he met during the most catastrophic times; the Hoenn trio, as well as Celebi, who helped him through. Blue embroidery in the shape of leaves (or the ends of a bow) adorn the outfit, representing Sapphire, who has been a key influence in his life.

[jhkfan123]

enchanted- tom blyth | ch. 3

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✦iii.

A/N: this chapter is actually so rushed but chapter four is *chef's kiss* so i'm allowing myself to publish this. 

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today was the day. no, not the day of rachels party. the day of your actors on actors interview. you were doing it alongside jenna ortega, who, while a bit younger than you, seemed to have a similar career. you were so excited. you had never met her before.  you picked out your outfit, with the help of your stylist. you decided on a pair of black slacks, and a white sleeveless, corset top. a black belt with a gold buckle. bangles on your arms, and a gorgeous necklace stack. your hair was done nicely. 

when you arrived on set, you were taken to meet all the behind-the-scenes crew. in front of you was a blank room, with two dark emerald chairs, and a table slightly off to the side. jenna hadn't seemed to arrived yet. you weren't really sure where to go. after meeting everyone, you were told that you had to go sit down in your chair. you were specifically directed to sit in the chair on the right side. when you sat down, you sunk into the chair. you adjusted your posture slightly. for a while, you just sat there until you finally caught sight of jenna ortega. she wore a white flowy long sleeve that was slightly transparent, as you could see her black top underneath. on the bottom, she wore plaid pants and high heels. you stood up to give her a handshake. 

"hi, its nice to meet you. i'm jenna". she took your hand and shook it. 

"hi! im y/n. lovely to meet you." you responded. she took her seat in the open seat across from you.  

"alright guys so i'll tell you what's going to happen. so first you guys are just going to have your conversation, and then we will do some photos around the set, ok?" you looked around for where the voice was coming from, and eventually located it to a producer behind a camera. you both nodded. "alright, feel free to start." you guys looked at each other and the conversation just began to flow. the two of you seemed to really get each other. you had similar upbringings, and a scarily similar career. 

after bonding for a while, you brought up filming locations. after your hit show, which filmed in london. 

"i love london." she said. you agreed with her. london had always been one of your favorite places ever since you first visited as a child.

"so do i girl.  I feel like if i didn't live in la, i would for sure live in london." you said. you saw her nod and agree with you. 

"you know a lot of british people were working on the set of "wednesday" and they told me i have the humor of a fifty-something taxi driver in london." you laughed at her joke. this whole experience was very eye-opening. throughout the course of the conversation, you felt yourself making a new friend. the two of you were so similar, and you really bonded over things like this. you couldn't wait to learn more about her. next, you started talking about recognition. that was something you had struggled with. you weren't really sure how to act with complete strangers who approached you on the streets.

"you know, the thing about recognition, is that, these are total strangers. total strangers who are coming up to you and asking you for a photo, or a hug, or they want to give you something. and when they offer to give you something you are trained not to take it because you have no idea if its laced or if its dangerous. and its heartbreaking to see people's faces when you deny a gift because chances are it was perfectly fine and you just have to let them go. and while i'm happy to take a few photos, i still have this habit of feeling so horrible when i'm not able to take a picture with every single person who wants one. it makes me feel so bad. and not to mention the dm's i get on instagram." jenna continually nodded. "i mean, i get love confessions from people i've never even seen in real life. i get these messages from people, telling me that i saved their life!" you began to tear up. "and i just don't know how to react. do i respond? if i respond i feel like i have to respond to every dm i get. and it's much harder to deal with than anyone told you. it's almost a feeling of, not being real. people just kind of tell you things that you don't know how to respond. they tell you things they can't tell anyone else and its not fair that you have to deal with these things. you know, they trauma dump and they tell you about their parents who are hard on them and you don't know what to do. and everyone i talk to about this just tells you to 'be grateful that you even have these people doing this' to you and, i am but i can't be grateful all the time when i have people telling me i am their only escape from their abusive parents, for example."  jenna listened the entire time. you wiped the tears in your eyes. 

"i totally agree. like i just took down my instagram because it gets really hard. and i'm so grateful that i can be with my family who knows me for who i am and i don't have to worry about social media. but, um, yeah media training is someone no one really talks about," you agreed. "and it really should be talked about more because it's a huge part of maintaining your image." she said. you found her very articulate. she had the vocabulary of no one else you knew that was her age.  

"ok well that took a dark turn. lets have a more peppy conversation shall we?" you suggested.  she laughed and nodded.

...

when the two of you had finished your interview, you gave her a hug. you had really connected with her and really opened up. now, you had to take a few photos. the two of you posed like there was no tomorrow. she was naturally photogenic, in your opinion, and the photos turned out great. 

you left the set and drove away. today, you had made a spare of the moment decision to go meet rachel for lunch. you decided on south beverly grill, in beverly hills. 

when you arrived, rachel was already sitting. you sat down and placed you bag down next to you. 

"ok, tell me everything about the actors on actors." she asked. so, you spilled. you told her everything. how you got emotional, how you bonded, how you joked. it really made the whole experience seem surreal. 

"don't you have yours in a few weeks?" you asked. you remember her briefly mentioning how she had been asked to do one alongside the little mermaid star, halle bailey. 

"i do, i can't believe you remember that! i'm very excited for that, especially after your five star review of yours." she laughed. you joined her. 

after the two of you ordered your meal, she brought up the party tomorrow night. "ok, so the party. it's going to be amazing. I have, like, a ton of new recipes i'm going to try. we are going to have drinks and music and a nice appetizer type thing."  you thought of the party. and then you thought of tom. he was going to be there.

"yes, i really am looking forward to tomorrow." you were also looking forward to seeing tom. "i know how much you love to cook, so i know there will be absolutely no problem with the food. but i do have request." she looked up at you.

"yeah for sure, go for it." she encouraged. 

"for the music, play jazz. i promise it will make the entire party much more classier." you suggested. 

"i got it." 

[arkipelagic]

The “Reuniting the Surigao Treasures” exhibit is the first time those treasures are all gathered together in one place in the Philippines. It is much larger than the joint exhibit in 2015 in New York City’s Asia Society Museum co-curated by Drs. Adriana Proser and Florina Capistrano-Baker. The latter is the curator for the Ayala Museum’s exhibit.

… The exhibit features a four-kilogram chain (Ayala Museum) reuniting with its pronged finial (BSP), woven waistbands with seven belts (BSP) meeting partial and complete sashes and buckles (Ayala Museum), and a balance scale (Ayala Museum) paired with a scale pan (BSP).

Other items the BSP is loaning to the museum include a 4.5-meter kamagi chain consisting of 12 connected necklaces, bangles with semi-precious stones, necklaces with suso beads, and more finials.

The exhibit, which will run until 2027, coincidentally begins with the 50th or golden anniversary of the Ayala Museum.

From left to right, top to bottom: (1) a 4-kilogram gold chain regalia; (2) a 91.5-cm long neck ornament weighing 812 grams; (3) a goblet weighing 41.9 grams with a height of 3.1 cm and a diameter of 7.8 cm. All MindaNews photo by Roel N. Catoto.

[msweebyness]

DuPont School for Monstrous Youths- Petra Markov

🎶She’s got the ma-gic in her~!🎶 Here’s Petra! @artzychic27 @imsparky2002

Species: Unicorn

Appearance/Attire: Multicolored, iridescent horn jutting from forehead, Neck-length blue-black hair with glittering streaks in all the colors of the rainbow, wide, bright, kaleidoscopic eyes with constantly changing colors, pale skin with white fur around wrists and ankles, skin around eyes glitters gold, blue-black horse tail with glittering rainbow streaks, hooves in place of feet, short, curvy build. Rainbow butterfly clips in bangs, pink ribbons threaded through hair, large, round glittery purple glasses, layered chunky amethyst necklace, white t-shirt with glittery rainbow graphic, pink cardigan with purple and blue flowers, gold belt with white gold horseshoe buckle, chunky multicolored bangles, rainbow-colored layered ruffle skirt, black leggings with white gold piping, glittery blue legwarmers, pink platform hightops with rainbow decals.

Bio: One of the most colorful students in the whole school, it’s only fitting that Petra is also one of the most creative! Always working on some new art project, you can usually find them in the art room, making artistic magic with their horn. Something of a perfectionist, Petra won’t show anyone her work until everything about it is perfect in their eyes. They share this struggle with Nathaniel, and the two often collab on projects and hang out sketching on the rooftops. Ayesha’s bestie in unbeatable optimism, Petra believes that the world is a beautiful place if you open your eyes to all the colors. She can be more than a little quirky, and at times seem lost in their own world of their work, but she brings a unique, almost magical perspective to all of their friends that’s worth the occasional confusion.

Quotes:

“You guys want to see my new project? It’s finally done!”

“Is it just me, or would Rossi look a LOT better if she was purple?”

“Guys, GUYS! I just figured out how to make a double rainbow with my horn, watch!”

“I don’t care if it’s loud or over-the-top, it’s my style and I love it!”

“You guys know I never see anything in black and white!”

“(Whinnies Excitedly) This is so cool! Where’s my sketchbook, I need to draw this!”

Their true colors are shining through! Leave your thoughts in the comments and belongs!

[haemocyaninz]

..Idk. But hes cute right :)

[Image ID: 3 digital images of Shadow the Hedgehog from the Sonic franchise. The drawing differs from the original in that he has brown skin around his mouth and lighter palms.

Image 1: A digital drawing of 3 Shadows wearing Hello Kitty themed clothes. The leftmost Shadow is wearing a pink dress with her on it. Additionally, he wears gold and silver earrings, a spiked choker, a heart necklace, white fingerless gloves with broken hearts on them, jewel like bangles, a green and magenta belt with a heart buckle, gold green and magenta boots, and bandages on his forearms and calves. His left eye is green and the other is magenta. His quills are afro textured and are colored green and magenta where it would typically be red. He wears smeared lipstick on his bottom lip. The middle Shadow wears a black kitty t shirt with the words “MICKEY MOUSE” written on it. He chews on the collar. The rightmost Shadow wears the same shirt and looks to the side as he scratches his head. The image is labeled “SHADOW X HELLO KITTY”. All 3 figures stand in front of a purple rectangle in front if a white background.

Image 2-3: The reference image of Shadow wearing a Hello Kitty Shirt. ./End ID.]