#how did you format yours so NICE....anyway...the reveal...from right to left and top to bottom

[dearest-meat-mutt]

LETS GO I love these games! Thank you sm for the tag, Finnie! (Tho idk 10 people…I’m still very excited tho <3 Thank you <3)

Tagged by: Finniestoncrane I don't know even close to ten people </3 so I'd like to invite anyone I may have forgotten or just don't know yet who wants to join :]c In the meantime I suppose tag uh...um: @fontodue @fherylcrow @schrods-cat @rottenstraberries if y'all want 👉👈... btw... may I take this chance to just say I appreciate all of y'all very much, for just existing around my blog <3 Y'all are very cool in my eyes, okay bye-

rules: without naming them, post a gif from ten of your favourite films, then tag ten people to do the same!

tagged by @march-harrigan tagging @wingedqueenlynx @sleeplesswooper @gilverr @dearest-meat-mutt @twinlinds @littlemisscactus @we-are-all-just-a-bit-crazy @wolfsrahne28 @finzsideblog @glorified-monster @gethrax

[nekokoaa]

Wolves Among Us - Bakugo x Reader (XVI)

Wolves Among Us – Bakugo x Reader

Series Warning: Fantasy AU, Fluff, NSFW

(Chapter XVI/??) All chapters in AO3 and masterlist

Phew, glad I got this out! Enjoy!

Taglist:

@freedom-for-bum@reallyfuckingangrylatina@risarisarisaa@ashherssss@mels-heart@xa-dia@shanty-lol@amkxh@chims-kookies@fantasticapple@thalia-luna-hawthorn​@skzero-99@marvelobsessedteen@thenezuko@icythotsenpai

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XVI: Bonded

Your clothes dropped to the floor with a soft thump, rimming around your ankles as your eyes briefly looked over your nude body in front of the mirror. You could hardly see yourself since the fog around the edges of the surface crawled until it completely engulfed it. Even a brief wipe on the mirror did nothing to deter the fogginess. As long as you were near the hot springs, you figured it would be like this. You gathered your clothes, folded them, and left them on top of a table.

In your peripherals, you spotted Ochako approaching you, cautiously and light on her feet. Like she was hunting you or something, but she was really nervous to speak to you. She pulled you aside earlier today to talk to you about what you stumbled upon. You were with Katsuki at the time, so you told her later before the bathing ceremony. It was another one of the wolves’ traditions before the wedding day, which was tomorrow. You found it was similar to bachelor and bachelorette parties instead the bride and her friends and the groom and his friends would hang out in the hot springs the night before. Their last night before becoming bonded.

“Are you mad at me…?” Ochako’s wolf ears were pulled back and her tail hung low and limp behind her. Even her natural curls in her hair seemed dull. Although it could be the surrounding humidity being the cause.

“I’m not mad,” the image of Ochako on top of Izuku resurfaced in your head, “just surprised.”

“Izuku and I wanted to keep it a secret especially with what’s been going on in the pack. We just thought it would cause trouble.”

“It’s okay. It’s none of my business anyway.”

“Then why does your tone sound short with me?” A whimper left Ochako. She was biting her bottom lip.

“It was awkward seeing you guys like that, but I’m not mad, really, I’m not.” It was true. There wasn’t a hint of anger within you. You kind of just wanted to forget what you saw.

“Hmm,” another whimper, “okay then…”

Ochako then left you alone, turning around and disappearing in the heavy steam coming from the outside. You followed after her shortly, exiting the cave and walking through the steam. The deeper you went the less opaque your surroundings became until it revealed large pools of water with stones and large rock formations curbing the edge. The surrounding trees were slanted forward while it’s branches and leaves enclosed like a curtain sufficing the perfect privacy.

Mitsuki, Mina, Kyoka, Momo, and Tsuyu were already relaxing in one of the pools, deep in conversation. Ochako was climbing in, toes first, her worries melting from her expression, at least temporary. When the rest of the girls spotted you standing by the pool they beckoned for you to come and you listened. Mimicking Ochako, your toes touched the water first and already you felt its hotness that you yelped and pulled your feet out.

Mitsuki laughed.

“Just throw your whole body in! You’ll adjust!” Mina said with a grin.

You doubted her words but followed it anyway. You couldn’t hold back the painful groan that left you. Through gritted teeth, you submerged your legs in the water and walked through with until you sat between Mina and Mitsuki. It was only a couple of seconds until your body adjusted to the heat and you returned a smile towards Mina.

“This is nice…” you sighed, already feeling the heat penetrate your strained muscles.

“I knooooow. I needed this. Especially after dealing with all that set up for tomorrow,” Mitsuki moaned and sunk deeper into the water. Her skin was flushed pink from the heat. It was amazing how good her skin looked for her age, not a single wrinkle in it.

“I’m excited! It’s been a while since we had a wedding. Last one was…”

“Mine!” Mina interjected Momo, raising her hand in the air.

“Oh, that was a blast. Remember when Eijirou started crying as soon as he saw you?” Kyoka laughed.

“Oh, Eijirou cried his eyes out! But that was very sweet of him.”

“You were beautiful that day. I don’t blame him.” Momo smiled softly.

Mina giggled, “If I wasn’t pink already! Well, now it’s ____’s turn tomorrow. Nervous?” She turned to you, leaning until her shoulder briefly bumped yours. Tsuyu already pulled herself from the water and sat on the rocks with her legs still half in. She fanned her hot cheeks, thin tongue flat on her bottom lip as you could swear you heard a small “ribbit” from her.

“Um, is it obvious?” You chuckled to hide the nerves that resurfaced whenever you thought about the wedding.

“There’s nothing to be nervous about. You’re just marrying my loud-mouth son.”

“I understand why you would feel that way.” Momo also pulled herself from the water. “Being bonded is not easy. You can’t just think about yourself anymore.”

“Yeah and wait until children come in the picture,” Mina sighed.

“You and Katsuki were waiting until the wedding night, right?” You didn’t think your cheeks could get any warmer until you heard Ochako’s question.

“Ooooh yeah, are you ready?” Mitsuki nudged your shoulder with her elbow.

“I—yeah I am… Actually, I was wondering… do you guys have any advice for that night? I never had sex before—like I know what to expect but I don’t want to seem inexperience.”

“You shouldn’t worry about that. Just have fun,” Kyoka shrugged.

“Well, one advice I can think of is if you like it, don’t hesitate to give him a scratch or two,” Mitsuki smirked.

“Maybe even a bite! You won’t regret it,” said Mina.

“It’s a huge compliment. We love scratching and biting during sex. It’s how we show if we’re enjoying it or not,” Momo added.

“I’m sure Katsuki will take good care of you. Maybe be honest about how you’re feeling at the moment too.” Tsuyu dipped back into the water.

“If anything, the only thing you should worry about is becoming pregnant.” Pregnancy? It was something you didn’t consider a possibility. “Katsuki was conceived on our first night being bonded. I’ll never forget the look on Masaru’s face when I told him I was pregnant weeks after. He was so happy but so terrified at the same time.”

“On your first night?!”

“Yeah, now you and Katsuki will be living away from us for a few weeks so plenty of time for me to finally become a grandma!” Mitsuki looked genuinely excited but her words had worried you. It was a tradition after the ceremony for newlyweds to live away from the pack for a few weeks to enjoy their time alone—an equivalent to a honeymoon. You had no doubt you and Katsuki would be sexually active during those few weeks, but pregnancy and children was something you didn’t even think of. You weren’t even sure if Katsuki wanted children so soon.

“But it’s not like I’ll get pregnant during that time, right…?”

The women looked to one another, their expressions unreadable. It worried you to no end until Mina spoke up.

“Um—Well, things happen, you know? You don’t really know when it happens but the more you do it, the more chances you’ll have.”

Tsuyu nodded, “but it’s nothing to really worry about. You have Katsuki and us to help you if that happens.”

“Okay…” you gulped. Fuck. You really didn’t think that far, but now you seriously had to. It wasn’t just marrying Katsuki because you love him but creating a partnership that’ll help you grow as a person and possibly a family. You never thought of yourself as a mother and wasn’t sure if you could even handle it. It was a conversation worth talking about with Katsuki.

After the hot springs, you said your good nights to the girls and retreated to your cave. Katsuki wasn’t there so you assumed he was still at the springs with his friends. You decided to go to bed before him and crawl under the sheep wool covers.

But you couldn’t fall asleep. You were anxious, of course. Tomorrow, you were to become a bride, a wife to a wolf. But it wasn’t just any wolf but one who was a descendant from Fenrir and the future leader of the largest wolf pack on this side of the planet, and you would also be considered a future leader once you marry him. It was why some wolves were still against it. They didn’t want to take orders from a human. You understood that.

Most of the pack decided to tolerate it. They were more loyal to Katsuki and the Fenrir bloodline and if that’s what he decided, they would go along with it. Some even used the argument that Fenrir’s wife was human, so it was permissible for Katsuki to marry you. The few who were against the wedding were given permission to leave the pack until they were ready to return. Mitsuki would accept them with open arms.

“You awake?” You jumped slightly as you felt Katsuki climb into bed. He expected to find you asleep, but you were lying in bed with the covers over your body and you were staring at the burning candles on the table. You felt his heavy arm hook around your waist and turn you around to face him. You felt your cheeks warm up. Gosh, there was just something about seeing a shirtless Katsuki in dim lighting with the shadows hitting his face and muscles just right.

“Yeah I am. How was the spring?”

You soon felt his fingers in your hair and his face moved close, then you felt his lips touch yours, kissing you lightly but with a sort of aggression that only seem to fit Katsuki. He even let out a growl when he pulled away like he was reluctant to do so but had to. He didn’t move far but stayed close enough for you to feel his breath. You also felt his tail wagging as it would smack against your thigh sporadically—the only indication that he was happy right now.

“Good. Were you waiting up for me?” You realized Katsuki’s skin was still moist from the springs when you stroke the side of his arm.

“Not really, couldn’t sleep,” you started drawing circles in his skin with your finger.

“Thinking about tomorrow?”

Your eyes flickered up to find Katsuki’s glowing red ones with a hint of gold reflecting in them from the candle flames.

“Yeah… Can’t believe it. Kind of feels like it was yesterday when I met you.”

“Yeah…” his fingers lightly brushed your arm. He looked tired. “You’re scared?”

You laughed.

“More nervous actually—Don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you at the altar or something—I’m just a bit worried about becoming a wife and a leader. You know—me being human and all.”

“You’re worried about that shit again? I told you—”

“I know what you told me. But you know I can’t help but think about it. I’m not insensitive like you,” you sighed. You didn’t mean to sound so harsh. Although, Katsuki was unaffected by your tone.

“You don’t have to think about being a wife or leader. Everything will be the same only that we’re bonded forever. Don’t let all these duties and those old jerks cloud that.” The ‘old jerks’ that Katsuki mentioned were the Elders. The Elders were advisors to the pack leaders. They usually like to give their opinions on what goes on in the pack, but the leaders have the final say. You met them a couple of days after the party and it was a group that consisted of four men and four women, all elderly, hence the name ‘The Elders’, and you remembered that they didn’t stop pestering you about your studies about the wolves’ culture and surprisingly, baby plans. They even questioned whether or not you were pregnant now. The nerve of them!

“I can’t believe they asked if I was pregnant.”

“I don’t blame them. We don’t wait until marriage to mate. You probably would’ve been a mother already.”

You looked at Katsuki through wide eyes. He was just telling the truth but something about it unsettled you. You weren’t ready to be a mother and won’t be for a couple of years.

“I can’t imagine myself… pregnant,” you mumbled. “Do you even want children, Katsuki?”

You thought you should have this conversation with him since there was a good chance of you conceiving on the wedding night.

Katsuki shifted slightly to where his head was on the pillow and the arm around you started to squeeze your waist and his hand began to roam around your back. Whenever he did this, he was preparing to sleep.

“I wouldn’t mind having a few brats running around, you know…” he yawned, his large fangs on display for you.

“I don’t think I’ll be ready until—maybe, after a few years?”

“Take all the time you need… Don’t let those old jerks pressure you… I’ll wait…”

Before you knew it, he was snoring lightly, his eyes closed, and body limp. Katsuki was tired from everything he had to do today. Before he hung out with his friends in the springs, he helped the pack with the final preparations for tomorrow, setting up the stage, the sitting area, making sure everything was in order for you two to wed. So, it did not come as a surprise that Katsuki nearly knocked out the moment he climbed into bed.

You sighed softly, and you still couldn’t fall asleep.

You brought a hand to Katsuki’s cheek and softly caressed it. Your fingers touched his nose and parts of his lips. You then moved to buried them in his hair and as soon as you touched his wolf ears, they began to twitch. You smiled because you thought it was so cute. That wasn’t a word you normally used to describe Katsuki, but it definitely fit the situation.

You continued playing with Katsuki’s hair, waiting for sleep to claim you.

The echo sound of drums being beaten was what woke you out of your slumber. It was early in the morning, perhaps a few hours since the sun had risen. You heard your name being called and you opened your eyes and saw several wolf women surrounding you. You let out a gasp, bringing your covers over your chest when you noticed it had fallen when you sat up. You quickly looked to your right and noticed the space next to you was empty. Where was Katsuki?

“Sorry for scaring you,” one of them said, smiling lightly, wolf ears fluttering. “But you have to get ready for the ceremony.”

“Congratulations!” Each of them said immediately after, already pulling you up by your arms. Your covers dropped. You couldn’t shield yourself because they were still holding your arms. Even though they were women, you still felt self-conscious.

“Ah—wait, where’s Katsuki?”

“Future leader is already getting ready. You won’t see him until it’s time for the bond.”

The women then gathered some of your clean clothes, helping you dress before they pulled you towards the bathhouse. You were practically pushed into the baths, and they scrubbed and scrubbed on your arms and legs until you felt yourself turn raw.

“Humans have such soft skin,” one of them commented, seeing parts of your skin start to bruise before they dumped a large bucket of warm water on the top of your head. “Don’t worry, we have some cream that’ll make those go away.”

“You’re so lucky, miss, to be getting married to our future leader!” One of them gushed and the rest giggled.

“L-Lucky, really?” They brought you to your feet and helped you step out of the bath. They immediately began drying you with towels. You haven’t been this pampered since… never.

“Of course! Future leader is the descendant of Fenrir, the first wolf. There’s magic in his blood, you know.”

“And not only that, but he’s hot.”

“And I heard he’s good in bed.”

The women could not stop yammering about Katsuki even after they dressed you up in simple clothes and guided you back towards the mountain. Once they had you in a cave, they undressed you and moisturized your skin with that cream they spoke of and they sprayed an excessive amount of perfume all around your body including your inner thighs. They mentioned something about smelling delightful for the wedding night. You found yourself at their mercy as they sat you down in front of a mirror and began doing your makeup and hair. Slowly, you watched yourself transform. By the time they were done, you looked like a completely different person.

And then it was time for your dress that was custom fit to your size. The women mentioned that it was a dress designed specifically for Katsuki’s betrothed. As you looked in the mirror, you couldn’t believe the woman staring back was you. Not that you ever thought you were unattractive, but you have never seen yourself look this beautiful. Even the women who helped you dress were in awe of your beauty, soon telling you that it was Katsuki who was the lucky one.

The drums were louder outside. They echoed into the blue sky, absent with clouds as the sun shimmered brightly upon the mountain. There was no longer any snow except for the mountain tops and the temperature was the warmest it’s been since winter diminished.  It was a glorious day to marry. Many of the wolves believed it was Fenrir himself, giving them his blessings.

Crowds of wolves had already gathered in the courtyard. It was a mixture of different packs from nearby lands that traveled far to see the descendant of Fenrir marry. The energetic Kaminari Clan, the strong Toshinari Clan, the mellow Aizawa Clan, the caring Ashido Clan, and more well-known packs were all here. And even though there were wolves who disagreed with who Katsuki was marrying in attendance, they respected his family line enough to be cordial. A wolf marrying a human hasn’t happened recently in modern times. In fact, in some packs, the hatred of humans was so severe that if caught having a relationship with one would lead to exile, hence becoming a lone wolf.

Regardless of their opinions, Katsuki was relieved that all seats were full. He was sitting cross-legged on a cushion on the stage, arms folded at his chest, while he waited for you to come out. He could see everyone’s faces from this height. His mother was sitting in the front row along with all the pack leaders and the Elders. The second row was family and friends—those who were close to him and you. He had to hold back his snarls when he saw Izuku next to Ochako. He hated that he came but it was what you wanted, and he wasn’t going to deny what you wanted on your wedding day. Surprisingly, the pack wasn’t so against having him here so at least his presence didn’t cause any problems.

Katsuki’s traditional garments were his usual but he was lathered in jewelry from necklaces to bangles. Black lines of paint from his forehead, over his eyes, to his chin and under. His left shoulder was red and swollen from the tattoo he received before dawn, an intricate silhouette design of Fenrir’s head surrounded by a border with rounded edges—a symbol that he’s a bonded member of his bloodline. And on top of his shoulders was the fur top of his red cape that draped the stage behind him dramatically.

To everyone, Katsuki looked like a powerful, stoic leader ready to be wed. But internally, Katsuki was nervous as any man on his wedding day. It was the feeling of butterflies in his stomach which he wouldn’t have been able to describe until this day. Katsuki of the Bakugo Clan, descendant of Fenrir, next in line for pack leader, had never been nervous before and he never thought he would ever be bombarded with these feelings because of a woman. Katsuki used to walk this earth untamed—no strong bonds that tethered him. He always expected to wed a random woman, probably forced to by the Elders because he was getting older and he needed to birth an heir. He never would’ve predicted that he would marry for love, nor did he desire to at that time.

But ever since he first saw you, there was a force that pulled him to you and he hasn’t been able to shake it off—not that he wanted to, of course—but it was a tether that connected you two, an unbreakable bond that would never sever even after death.

Katsuki looked up the moment he heard the drums slow to a steady beat. It could only mean one thing. You were coming out.

As if on cue, all the wolves turned their heads to look down the aisle.

Katsuki was quick on his feet, steady red eyes glued on you when he saw you standing at the end of the aisle. Oh, his heart fluttered wildly at the sight of you, palms clammy like fire had come from his fingertips. You were the moon to him, beautiful with a glow that had him staring for ages. Apparent, even in the darkest of surroundings. Full, in the shape of your hips in your mostly white dress where the hue changed to a fiery orange-red at the bottom—like fire lilies, like his eyes, his cape. At that moment, he questioned if you were real because he couldn’t believe such a woman like you would be by his side willingly.

When you started to slowly walk towards the stage, Katsuki made his way down the stage, almost slipping on the first step, and recovering ungraciously that it had you giggling—A warm tune that made his ears twitch in joy, heart palpitating, hands shaking. He didn’t care how clumsy he looked walking down those stairs. He wanted you in his arms already. Katsuki’s strides were wide and covered more ground than you. He ignored the hissed words of his mother telling him to slow down.

And when he met with you at the center of the aisle, he grabbed your arms and saw through the veil covering your face that you were smiling—widely, giggles leaving you like you were mad.

“What are you laughing about?” He growled, a playful smirk on his face. He saw that you were decorated with jewelry similar to his own on your ears, arms and wrists but your neck laid bare for his golden necklace to be put on.

“Hehe… you tripped.”

Katsuki sucked his teeth, pulled you closer, and pressed his forehead against yours. He breathed in your scent deeply and you hummed at the feeling of his warmth.

He grabbed you by your hand and together, the two of you walked back to the stage. He helped you sit on your cushion and as soon as Katsuki sat on his, the drums creased and Mitsuki stood up, turning to face the guests.

“Thank you everyone for being here. Today, we witness another bonding ceremony for a member of the Fenrir family line. I’m sure those of you who were old enough to remember my ceremony could recall the looks on Masaru’s and I’s face when we walked out of here bonded and how much blessings and love we received from everyone. I ask that you show that same love and respect to my son and his beloved on this day. Regardless of how we feel about humans, we will treat her like she’s one of us and after this day, she will be.” Mitsuki spoke loud to where all the wolves in the vicinity heard her, some of them sneered at her words but stayed quiet, others nodded, agreeing with her.

It was a divided crowd, but it was the least of Katsuki’s worries.

“Now we will begin the ceremony, once again, thank you everyone for being here.” Mitsuki sat back down and another person rose up, this time an older wolf wearing long robes and holding a large book in his hands that he flipped open when he kneeled in front of the stage, facing you and Bakugo. Around his wrists and hands were tiny bells that jingled the moment he slapped his hands together and in a loud voice he said, “O’Fenrir! Let us call upon you to bless this joyous day!” And he began to recite what was on the pages. He was the head priest of the pack. First, he would pray to Fenrir to accept and bless the marriage and then he would read from the scriptures in an old language long forgotten in the pack—only those training to be priest learn to read them.

But Katsuki didn’t care about any of that. Since he sat down, he’s been glancing at you—sometimes even staring at you. He was so used to seeing you in your regular clothes, bare faced or sometimes with light make up that you honestly looked like a different person in that dress. It was a different from when he saw you at the party last week. He wanted you in his bed because of how sexy you looked but this time, you looked like a pure beauty, delicate but not fragile. You held your head high and although the veil covered your face, he saw those strong eyes behind them—steady like a leader overseeing her people.

And when you finally caught him staring, the brightest smile he ever saw from you hit him like a branch in the forest. The flutters in his stomach grew at an all-time high, his cheeks turned a red hue, and his tail began to wag furiously. He couldn’t believe it. A single smile had reduced him to a teenage wolf again.

You didn’t expect Katsuki to reach out and hold your hand on your lap. It was strange to see him so happy (by the sight of how fast his tail was moving) but you were enjoying it. Your smile grew larger and with your other hand, you clasped it over his and caressed his fingers. This only made him happier as there were moments when his tail would thump against the stage and the sound echoed throughout the courtyard with the priest’s voice. You glanced at Mitsuki. You could tell she already wanted to tell him to calm down.

“Now I call upon the carriers to bring the necklaces to the descendant of Fenrir.” The priest kept his head low as he called for Minato and Mie who were already walking down the aisle with their short legs and hands heavy with the necklaces on top of cushions. Mina and Eijirou were smiling proudly as they watched them climb the stairs and kneel down on one knee to present them.

“Thanks, brats.” Katsuki ruffled both of their heads before setting down the cushions in front of him.

“With the necklaces arrival, we may begin the bond.”

The moment the loud booms of the drums returned, the faster your heart seemed to beat. Katsuki turned to completely face you and you did the same. He slowly reached for your veil and flipped it over your head like he’s been waiting to do that since he saw you. You heard some wolves gasped when your face was revealed, and you felt your cheeks warmed because you knew it had to do with how beautiful you looked. You even felt the light touch of Katsuki’s knuckles brush against your cheek because he couldn’t help but marvel at how perfect you looked. He needed to touch you to confirm your existence.

“Please repeat after me, Future leader. I, Katsuki of the Bakugo clan, will take this human to be my wife. With Fenrir’s blessing, I will do my duties as a husband, protect my wife and my family from anyone who might threaten them. Honor this bond through sickness and health and care for my bond whenever she may need me.”

Katsuki looked straight into your eyes, grabbed your hands and repeated the vows. You felt tears welling in your eyes as you listened to him.

“Now please repeat after me, ____. I, ____ of the human race, will take this wolf to be my husband. With Fenrir’s blessings, I will do my duties as a wife, protect my husband and my family from anyone who might threaten them. Honor this bond through sickness and health and care for my bond whenever he may need me.”

It was hard to repeat the vows because you were trying to hold back your hiccups. A single tear rolled down your cheeks and was quickly captured by Katsuki’s thumb. He smiled so softly—it was a look you rarely saw; his eyes glossy and he couldn’t hide those flushed cheeks, nor could he blame it on the warm weather.

Katsuki then picked up your golden necklace from the cushion, he felt the weight of his ancestry in his hands as he dressed it around your neck. With a click, he secured it on your neck and looked you over like a completed masterpiece.

Next was your turn as you reached for the other necklace that looked similar to yours but less decorative—still, it held the meaning of someone who was bonded. You hooked it around his neck and it stood out among all the necklaces there. He looked so handsome, like you finally found a piece to complete a puzzle.

The priest had raised both his hands in the air, praising Fenrir once again, before he closed his fists and then the drums creased with a final boom. His body dropped into a prostrate, both his forehead and nose touched the ground as his cloak drape around his body. You thought it was dramatic how he was acting but you knew the priests practically worshipped the Fenrir bloodline. They weren’t upset at Katsuki marrying a human because Fenrir did the same thing and as long as Fenrir did it, it was permissible to them.

“With Fenrir’s blessing and vows exchanged, I announce the ceremonial bond complete.” He spoke into the ground and then the wolves immediately broke into howls, noses high in the air, lips pursed as they celebrated your joining. Even Mie and Minato joined the howling with their tiny voices and jumped in place excitedly. Izuku joined in by applause, clapping awkwardly as he was startled by the sudden howls.

You were grinning at Katsuki, sight blurry with endless tears springing from your eyes. It was happy tears nonetheless, and you gazed upon your now husband that returned your grin with one of his own. You could tell he wanted to kiss you, but it was tradition that the bride and groom must not engage in anything intimate until the wedding night. You and Katsuki let go of each other and turned to face the crowd, smiling brightly as the wolves howled and cheered for your bond.

If you had told yourself months ago that you would meet a wolf, fall in love with him, and marry him, you wouldn’t have believed it. Becoming a wife and the second leader of a wolf pack, abandoning your own people to live with the wolf you love. You wondered if you made your parents roll in their graves with the decisions you’ve made. But at this point, you didn’t care. You were living life the way you wanted.

Katsuki’s such a brash, arrogant, and cocky wolf, all qualities that’s unlikable at first but after getting to know him—all that hardness, that coldness, was his exterior. Inside, he cared, loved, and helped in his own way, a Katsuki’s way, that you wouldn’t truly understand if you didn’t bother getting to know his true self. Yes, he wasn’t perfect. And yes, there were times when he was unbearable, and he would get on your nerves with his snide comments, but you learned that your love for him had overwhelmed the negatives. You gave up your life for him just as he risked his life for yours. You wanted to be with him, start a family with him, and live out your days with him. Today was only just the beginning.

With sacrifices and all, finally, you and Katsuki were bonded forever.

The ceremony after was one you would never forget. The wolves partied for hours. When evening reached, lanterns around the courtyard lit up around you as well as the ones behind you on stage. The wolves were continuously handing you and Katsuki wedding gifts on the stage that you accepted with a smile. Most of it was meat and handmade trinkets or jewelry. Mina gave you these beautiful beads that you thought was supposed to go around your neck, but she told you with a laugh that it was for your waist. And with a whisper in your ear, she told you to wear it for tonight. The heat rose to your cheeks and you gave a glance at Katsuki who was distracted by what Eijirou was telling him. Mina left you a wink before dragging Eijirou away. Next came Ochako and Izuku who earned a snarl from Katsuki.

“Ignore him,” you simply said but Izuku couldn’t help but cower under his glare. Ochako smiled uneasily probably because she was still thinking about what happened at the hot springs yesterday. But you moved to hold her hand and that gentle smile on your face had relieved her. It was too joyous of a day to keep the awkwardness between you and her.

Ochako then gave you a bottle of perfume made from flowers while Izuku pulled out a bouquet with a letter attached to it. He told you the letter was from Inko who he informed about your situation. You were grateful he did because out of everyone, you at least wanted Inko to know that you were alive and happy.

Many other wolves came to give you gifts as well, many that you didn’t know yet. Some of them were important clan leaders that congratulated you and Katsuki, neither friendly or rude, just acted in curtesy. Denki and Kyoka gave their gifts with Denki mentioning he couldn’t believe Katsuki found someone willing to be around him. Katsuki, of course, didn’t take that lightly. He banged his fist on the stage and told him to stop talking, growling through gritted teeth.

In between everyone visiting the stage, you and Katsuki took the time to look at each other. Unfortunately, you couldn’t show any intimacy yet, but you can tell from the look in Katsuki’s eyes that he couldn’t wait to have you all to himself. You could even hear his low growls from his chest the longer he stared at you. Love embedded in those red eyes, and of course, you didn’t miss the lust in them—a look you recognized since he kissed you on that tree many months ago.

Soon, Mitsuki came after Denki and Kyoka, interrupting the silent moment between you. She gave you a hug and expressed how happy she was for you. She then gave Katsuki one and as reluctant as he was to wrap his arms around her, he still awkwardly held her with his frown deepening. Their relationship was still sour, but you knew Mitsuki was proud of her son and supported him in everything he wanted to do. She was the first one to trust you because she trusted her son. In her eyes, he was still the young wolf that she raised to be the man he is now—stronger than all in the pack. She only wished Masaru lived long enough to see it.

“Your father would’ve been proud…” She whispered when she released him, her shaky hands still on his shoulders. Katsuki didn’t expect to see Mitsuki’s glossy eyes, but not a single tear fell because he knew she was holding it in. He couldn’t deny that his mother was strong. It was where he got his strength from.

The gifting went on, even after food was brought to you and Katsuki. Honestly, it was a little annoying because you wanted some alone time with Katsuki already. You couldn’t get a word in without someone coming to interrupt you. Weddings in the wolves’ culture was definitely different than human weddings. Majority of the time, you and Katsuki were sitting on the stage overlooking everyone while they converse and ate with each other. There was no dance between the wedded couple nor a cake to cut and smash the piece in Katsuki’s face. No father and daughter dance nor a mother and son one. Although, there was a dance performance that impressed you with their rhythm and ended with fire being blown from their lips. You gasped and grabbed Katsuki’s arm when the flames blew into the air. All Katsuki did was laugh at you and watched on.

Next, Kyoka sang a song for you two. You never knew she had such a beautiful voice. Even Denki looked mesmerized by his wife. Katsuki told you that Kyoka often sings to Denki before bed (Denki loves to brag about it which is why Katsuki knew).

After Kyoka was the belly dancers which was something you weren’t fond of. The men started howling and licking their lips as soon as the dancers rock their hips to front of the stage in revealing, flashy clothes. Their eyes on no one else but Katsuki. Of course. You huffed and crossed your arms. You really wanted to tell them off and show them Katsuki was your man. The dancers shook their hips side to side, creating a perfect arch that had most men wagging their tails. Honestly, you couldn’t move that way even if you tried and it was quite obvious that these women were trying to make you jealous on your wedding day.

You were taken by surprise when Katsuki’s hand moved over yours. Your angry eyes broke away from the dancing women and softened once they met with Katsuki’s. He leaned towards your ear and whispered something about one of the girls on the left being off sync and laughing about it. He wasn’t enticed by the women at all. His eyes only saw you.

The celebration stretched through the evening and the party would continue on without the newlyweds.

As you and Katsuki get ready to end the night, you’ll have a party of your own—privately, away from everyone, whisked away by pleasure. At least you hoped. You didn’t exactly know what to expect. You knew what went on between humans but how exactly did wolves have sex? You had to admit you were a little startled when Mitsuki and Momo told you about biting and scratching being an important part when you’re feeling good. Surprisingly, you weren’t afraid at all—definitely nervous, but not afraid. You knew Katsuki would treat you well and would go at your pace. You looked forward to spending some time alone with him, talking and cuddling by the fire in bed. Maybe sharing a kiss or two and feeling his palms massage your thigh and other places.

You held your hot cheeks, wanting to slap them to calm yourself down from your heated imagination. Gosh, it was really going to happen.

As Katsuki helped you down the stage, most wolves gathered near you two to say farewell and to wish you luck on your night. Katsuki ended up telling you that the women who helped dressed you for the wedding would help you get ready for the night and as if they were summoned, they surrounded the two of you, bowing before their bright smiles shone on their faces.

“I’ll see you soon,” Katsuki gave your hand a squeeze before you were dragged off.

The women acted fast in preparing you. They dressed you in a bra and underwear and a sheer garment-like dress draped around your figure in layers. Through the sheer, Mina’s beads were loosely hugging your hips and bangles dangling on your wrists matched the golden necklace on your neck. Natural perfume was sprayed on your inner thighs again just in case the smell worn off and soon they started giving you some tips and advice. Not that you asked but they taught you things about what wolf men normally did and liked done to them. You didn’t think scratching and biting would be such a big deal to them, but the women advocated that it was the best thing to do.

Once they were finished, they threw a heavy fur cloak over your body. They helped you travel off the mountain and into the forest. They led you another way that made you reach another part of the mountain you haven’t been to. At the base, there was a fairly large cave cavity with a heavy cloth hanging over the opening. You could tell the cave was already brightly lit by the glow that emulated through the fabric. This was probably the cave that you and Katsuki would stay in for the next couple of weeks.

The women bid you farewell far from the entrance. They said it was to not have their scent linger in the area any longer. You didn’t have the chance to ask them why it was a problem before they scattered away and left you alone.

You eyed the cave before you approached it, light on your feet and cautious. Although you didn’t know why, but you felt your anxiety rising. It was possible that Katsuki already arrived and was waiting for you inside. You shifted your cloak by the lapels nervously, feeling the night chill run through your spine. You were basically in your underwear under there and that urged you even more to go inside, especially as you felt the heat sneaking through the small cracks of the cloth, beckoning you to slip inside.

And so, with a deep breath, you listened.

The cloth fell behind you gently, and immediately you were drawn to glowing crimsons across the room. The hue so prominent behind the orange flames of the candles that your heart rattled as it so often did when in front of them. The heat from the makeshift fireplace was not the only thing making you warm, but the presence of your now husband, standing by it topless. Without a doubt, the shadows had contoured his muscles making them seem more profound and elevated that you wanted to feel them under your fingertips. There it was—that curiosity that sprang from you the moment his tongue had touch your leg many months ago. Finally, you will be able to indulge it.

[hansolmates]

junhui; you must be magical, because i've fallen under your spell

summary; there was something about gryffindors that unsettled him greatly.

pairing; slytherin!junhui x gryffindor fem!reader 

genre/warnings: hp!au, yule ball!au, fluff!! jun’s a dumb boy

w/c; 2k

a/n; if it were possible to separate the masterpiece that is harry potter and jk rowling, we would. the only jk we stan in jeon jungkook but anyway!! this fic has been sitting in my drive for 3!! years!!! enjoy this belated bday present to our favorite golden bean. enjoy! please share if you like it 

more in the SVT!hogwarts au: vernon, mingyu, jihoon 

“No.”

“C’mon. Just be my partner, it’ll be totally wicked. We’re the best dancers on the team. We can even break heteronormativity if you wanna put it that way.” 

“That’s not the point.” Minghao grumbled, throwing his dirty practice gear over his shoulder. “We told you to find a partner before the next practice. All you’ve done is complain to me about how awful everyone else is. Is there really not one girl or boy in Slytherin that you can partner up with?” 

Junhui’s bark eyes glazed lazily over the pitch, as if there would be random students just lying around during early morning practice. The weather was definitively awful today, with depressingly muted grey clouds and no trace of the sun ever grazing its presence on campus. He rocked his bat back and forth, letting it bounce on his thigh as they exited the field and neared the viaduct. “There really isn’t,” he drolled, looking disinterested, “I hate all of them.” 

“Awh c’mon, you really don’t mean that.”

“Oh, I do. They’re awful.”

“But—”

“No. Please stop trying.” 

Minghao took an abrupt turn at the end of the cobblestoned viaduct, in the team room where most of the members were off to their own devices. Team Hogwarts was doing relatively well in terms of team relationships, so far there were no petty fights over house competition because their school pride against other schools was currently taking precedence. Junhui was being petty, he knew it. But his pride was his mantle, and if that couldn’t hold him together, he might as well crash and burn down the pitch. 

Minghao started to grumble unintelligibly under his breath, ripping off his blazer and shoving it to one side of his training bag. He looked visibly angry, and Junhui could understand that. Being on Team Hogwarts was stressful enough, and having a friend like him who was heatedly intolerable was just icing on the cake. 

“I know someone who can be your partner,” Minghao finally said, looking away, “She can pick up dances quickly. But you gotta promise me you’ll be nice to her.” 

“Me? Nice? I’m the nicest person you could possibly meet.” Junhui replied loftily, giving a lazy smirk as he relaxed against the bench. “I’ll treat her like a princess if she’s as good as a dancer as you claim she is.” 

“Even if she’s a Gryffindor?” 

“Even if she’s a—” his jaw dropped, and he sat straight, his aloof facade shattered just enough for him to sputter out of control. His beater’s bat slipped like butter from his grasp, causing it to echo throughout the room and multiple members to look at the pair strangely. He ignored all of them like a grain of sand. “Seriously? A Gryffindor?”

“I’m a Gryffindor. What are you trying to say?” 

“I’m saying. It’s fine if pretty boy Chwe wants to go prance around with his stuffy bookworm, that’s expected. But when was the last time you saw a Gryffindor and Slytherin kill it on the dancefloor?” 

“I’m taking a Gryffindor,” Jihoon said levelly, looking over them from the side of the bench. His posture was slumped, his hair windswept and his cheeks kissed with a strawberry red from the nippy weather. He was already in his school robes, tucking in the collar of his emerald knit so it would settle nicely. Running a hand through his sandy locks, he brushed up to them, taking no shame into walking into their conversation. 

Jihoon had a tendency to flit in and out whenever he pleased, and for whatever reason people still liked Jihoon, something that irked Junhui incessantly. But he never dared to ask, considering Jihoon’s own brand of confidence was something to be desired. “But I also like this person a lot, I don’t care that she’s a Gryffindor. So just swallow your pride and be lucky that someone is willing to help you out, especially last minute.”

“Well,” Minghao looked away sheepishly, trying to save face, “she hasn’t exactly said yes yet. I haven’t even asked her, but there’s no reason why she wouldn’t say no.” 

“Alright. Hopefully she says yes then.” Junhui finally said, giving Minghao a small smile. He wrapped an arm around his shoulders, giving a firm squeeze. “Thank you.” 

From the corner of his eye, he saw Jihoon give an inkling of a grin, before turning around and walking back. 

“Thank you for giving people a chance.” Minghao replied genuinely, squeezing Junhui’s shoulders once before changing into his own robes. 

Junhui was nervous. He was nervous and shy and worried that this was going to all be messed up and risk getting kicked off the team. Minghao told him once they entered the practice room, the Great Hall, that his partner would be a little late. It was understandable, it was a last minute thing and he could totally fault himself for that. 

He had to play it cool, he had to. He already brought himself thus far, making it onto the team, and playing it off like it was no big deal. But it was work, all of it. Even the little things like this, dancing some five minute routine for the entire campus to see. There was nothing else he could hold onto at this point, everyone else was partnered up in the room (except Mingyu Kim, but no one else seemed to notice since he was never around) and now he was just left to fidget until you showed up. 

“Where’s your partner, Junhui?” Soonyoung walked up to him, all up in his face, and Junhui fought the urge to push the co-captain back. Soonyoung was wearing Muggle athletic wear, the one with the strangely thin fabric and pants that were too loose at the top and fitted at the bottom. What did Soonyoung think they were, a Muggle boy band? “We’re about to start.” 

“Oh well, she's—”

“Here! Sorry I'm late!” your voice echoed throughout the Great Hall, padding down the linoleum like wildfire. You, a young lady in gold and red dropped her things on one of the dining tables, and surprise surprise, you were dressed exactly like Soonyoung. Your body was a blur as you ripped off your robes, revealing a complete and utter lack of clothing that had Junhui’s gaze burn scarlet. Tight black shorts that ribboned across your thighs, and a white athletic t-shirt that had the same silky material as the Gryffindor captain. 

Soonyoung’s face lit up like the morning sun, his face comparable to diamonds as you bounded  up next to him. He made a show of it, putting his thumb and forefinger together as if he were taking a photograph of the pair. “Wait, seriously?” he balked, and Junhui grew annoyed at how delighted the hyper kid was being. “Oh Junhui you have the best partner.” 

Junhui scrunched his nose, uncomfortable that Soonyoung wanted to be all chummy now that he was doing the right thing. Biting the inside of his lip, he turned to you, who offered him a small smile and an outstretch of a hand. 

He blinked. Oh, you’re gorgeous. 

And when he took her hand and gave a firm squeeze in reply, he could’ve sworn he felt you. That strange, red crackling fire that so many of them seemed to emanate like it was the newest trend, but it was all-encompassing and so definitively you, that he hated to admit he was aching for more. “I’m Junhui Wen.” he drawled, tilting his head to meet his cocoa eyes to yours. 

“I know who you are,” you replied immediately, the subtle jab in your tone pinning him to the floor like it was a glass stake. There was an energy in your gaze, the curious light that was making Junhui spellbound. “We have a bunch of classes together. Divination? Alchemy? Muggle Studies?” 

He could only stare at you, struck. His smirk from ten seconds ago descended in a downward spiral, realizing that wow, he had no comeback for that. It was downright a sin not to notice you all this time, and you were rightfully calling him out on it. Points to the Gryffindor, indeed. 

Gryffindor’s always intimidated him, a secret only a select few has picked up on. His parents were good people, always telling him that confidence is key and he should strive to be more like them. So, he tried. He’s cocky, for sure. A little shit? Definitely. But it’s different when righteousness slaps in the face, a reminder that there’s goodness in his heart and a strive to do better. 

Thankfully (the first and last time Junhui would ever be thankful to Soonyoung) practice had already started and you were late. He felt the grip of your small palm, and you smack his hand to your waist. Is it bad how much he thought how perfect it felt? How he wanted to hold you in his arms forever—

“At this rate,” you cut dryly, voice loud enough for only you two to hear, “we’ll be a centerpiece because you’re not moving a damn inch. Merlin, do you need me to lead?” 

“Oh,” it’s only then Junhui realized that his friends were dancing circles around them, and he’s messed up the formation, “sorry.” 

You two finally step into the piece, thankful that Junhui had quick reflexes. To his chagrin, you’re not too bad yourself. Despite the lightning on your tongue, you held yourself with grace, following him across the floor as if you were floating. Soonyoung was right, he did snatch up the best partner. He owes Minghao a barrel of butterbeer. 

“Hey,” you hummed, voice blending wonderfully between the enchanted piano. “Minghao told me a little about you.”

“All good things, I’m hoping.” 

You snorted, tilting your head so it brushed against his robes. “Maybe. Said that Gryffindors make you nervous.” 

He scoffed, “No, that’s not true.” 

“So, I don’t make you nervous?” 

Whether Junhui said yes or no, he knew that both answers would be wrong. He could tell how much you knew, how easy it was to rile him up. Sweat was clinging to his palms, probably hot and sticky against your thin muggle t-shirt that clings deliciously to your waist (he takes it back, he takes it back! Muggle clothing is wonderful.)

“Whatever you’re trying to do,” he murmured, leaning over your form as he lets your body relax in a dip, “it’s not gonna work.”

Instead of entertaining his sudden accusation, you grabbed his robes, pulling him even closer even though the music stopped and people are listening to Soonyoung’s instructions for next class. “Where will you be picking me up?” 

“What?” 

“For the Yule ball. Jihoon is picking his date in front of our common room. You should come too.” 

“Uh,” he completely forgot that having you as a dance partner coincided with the possibility of you being his date for the ball. He had the opportunity to be in your company for one whole night. Terror spiked in his form, because he realized that he couldn’t mess up this chance. “Yeah, I’ll be there.” he says, and you seem satisfied by his definitive answer. 

You’re still playing with the hem of his robes, tracing your fingers along the Slytherin emblem. There’s no snark, no playful banter like you were expecting when Minghao prepared you for this. You’ll have fun with him. 

“I’ll be wearing emerald, so you should think of matching my robes with yours,” and you smirk at him, tilting your head, “good thing I already know how handsome you look in green, Junnie.” 

The last of his resolve crumbled like a piss-poor treacle tart. 

Junhui’s besotted, attracted by your boldness and craving for more of your attention. The rest of your words were hazy, like he was swimming in the Gillyweed lagoon. Something about how he better not freeze up like he did before, otherwise he’d be hexed like the girl in The Red Shoes. Something about how you’re looking forward to seeing him. He’s drowned, unable to form a coherent reply when a friend comes from behind to snatch you up. They forced you to pack up so you’d get first dibs on tonight’s dinner.  

You send him a wink before you’re forced out the door, and all he could do was wave dumbly. 

“Knew you’d like her,” Minghao slid up to Junhui, punching him in the shoulder. The pain didn’t even register as Minghao continues to tease him, going so far as to pinch his golden skin. “Merlin, do you have a crush already?” he giggled, trying to shake the taller one back to reality. 

No, Junhui was bewitched.

[razorblade180]

Shackles pt7: Trap

“Finally, we’re here...” Blake said as she stood in front of Jacquelyn’s house. Nothing suspicious so far, but that could change quickly. Who knows what the clay carved house held inside. At least it beautiful

She was ready to proceed but looked back to see Yang and Jacquelyn on the opposite sides of the oasis. Yang was washing up her pale face while Jacquelyn drunk water from another. Both of them looked better than when they woke up but still not like their normal selves; especially Yang. The closer Blake walked to her the more she thought about the possibility that Yang just might be pregnant. ‘There’s no way she’s actually...well...it’ll explain some things. Still, why wouldn’t sh-’

Her train of thought was cut off suddenly by pressure building around her ankle. Blake looked down to see Yang looking at her with a concerned expression before pointing in front of them to the water. Blake had gotten so wrapped in her own mind that she didn’t realize how far she’d walk.

Yang:Uhhh going for a swim? Hehe I thought cats were supposed to hate water?

Blake:......

Yang:...I know that wasn’t exactly my best material but-

Blake:Are you pregnant?

Yang:*eyes widened* What? W...what would give you that ide-

Blake:Yang you’ve been pale, tired, sweaty, and irritable. This situation is stressful I know but you handle pressure like a diamond so this shouldn’t be getting to you so easily. Also you look like you wanna vomit since you woke up. Please don’t lie to me.

Yang:...Sigh, this isn’t how I expected you to find out.

Blake:Why didn’t you tell me sooner!?

Yang:I tried to but in case you haven’t noticed, shit keeps popping up! I wasn’t expecting to trek across the desert to investigate the disappearance of a supposed to be terr....terr...

Blake:Yang? Hey are you okay?

Yang:Nausea.....also... ugh, haven’t eaten. B-But....*covering mouth*

Blake bends down and holds her partner’s hair back. Yang bent over and felt bile slowly creep up her throat before managing to hold it down. She quickly reached for her bag and pulled out a pill bottle and took a capsule with some water. Her face scrunched up from the taste but it was an improvement from what she was about to experience seconds ago. She put the bottle back and pulled out packs of crackers and granola.

Blake:The duffle bag is for your pregnancy? I thought you had huntress gear in it or something.

Yang:There’s bullets and gear in it. Also everything I needed to have a comfortable trip that my doctor told me to bring....

Blake:How far are you along?

Yang:Almost three months. Believe it or not but I went an entire month not realizing I had a bun in the oven.

Blake:W-Wow you are not showing in the slightest.

Yang:Give it another month or so. Mom said I’ll blow up like a balloon. The point of this whole trip wasn’t only to reconnect but give you the big news. Figured it was the perfect excuse to reach out and all. Not having you in my life during this whole process didn’t feel right ya know?

Blake:That’s really sweet and all but you still should’ve told me this before I let you come along for this.

Yang:Then you would’ve tried to talk me out of tagging along. I tried to stop this adventure before it even started remember? I wasn’t about to guilt trip you with this though.

Blake:It’s not guilt tripping it’s allowing me to see everything that’s at stake; and of course I would try to talk you out of it. Taking a boat to Menagerie had risks in it of itself. I’m surprised Jaune or Ruby let you out of their sight.

Yang:Yeah....well....it might be because they don’t know....since I wanted to break the knews to my best friend first? *shrugs*

Blake says nothing to that. She only registers the statement then says it in her head. No, there’s no way Yang just said. There is no way that she’s currently in the desert with two secretly pregnant women. The hard part about this adventure was supposed to be finding Adam. Not this!

Yang continued to eat as she watched Blake’s facial expression constantly shift at this new information. It was a little hard to watch. Before she could speak more on the matter, Blake took her hand and started walking towards Jacquelyn who was still cleaning up.

The maiden only had the chance to raise her head before she too was pulled to her feet. Blake continued walking until they both were in front of the house.

Jacquelyn:Woah, what’s going on?

Blake:From here on out I’m officially taking point on this. I decide how we’ll proceed, be the first to engage in combat, and anything else serious; we clear.

Yang:That’s a bit extreme.

Jacquelyn:Yeah I can still-

Blake:Am I clear!?

......

The two women looked at each other then back at Blake with a nod. Not realizing both of them were agreeing to this formation for the exact same reason.

Blake:Good, you two can keep resting. I’m going inside the house.

Jacquelyn:I’m coming too. Last thing I need is to be accused of something because you got hurt inside

Yang:Yeah that doesn’t give me confidence. I’m definitely going in too.

Blake:What did I just-sigh, fine. Just stay behind me.

Irritated, Blake ignored the doorknob and simply kicked it open. A piece of her wanted something to be in here. Shooting a thing sounded nice right now. The interior was bigger than it looked outside. A decent sized living room welcomed them that had a hallway in the bag. The door on the left was creaked open while the one further down on the right was shut.

Yang:Not much for decorating huh?

Jacquelyn:It’s hard enough getting fresh produce out here. The market is far and being a maiden doesn’t automatically give you the greenest thumb.

Blake:What’s the two rooms back there?

Jacquelyn:Open door is Adam’s room. Closed door is mine.

Yang:You don’t sleep together?

That question didn’t receive an answer. Not verbally anyways. Just pouting and a red face that screamed “it’s complicated.” Jacquelyn walked over to a wall to the left, applying pressure to a spot near the middle. That section flipped around to reveal a chest with lien and other supplies.

Blake:Of course there’s hidden compartments.

Yang:You’re not selling me on believing this isn’t a trap.

Jacquelyn:This is why I think something is wrong. If Adam abandoned me then why not take all of this? It would have been easy. Yet he only took a third at best. It doesn’t make any sense.

Yang:Neither does he.

Blake:Yang, not helping.

Yang:Just saying. You sure you checked every inch of this place? There’s no hidden tunnel that leads to Atlas or anything crazy like that.

Jacquelyn:We wouldn’t be living in a desert if magic could do all that, and no, I’m not sure. I was....frantic last time I was here.

Blake:Then I guess we’re searching top to bottom. Maybe-

The sound of her scroll vibrating made her jump. Blake opened it up to see a banana icon bouncing up and down. It wasn’t uncommon for Sun to give her a good morning call, or to see if she actually went to bed. Something she wished she had for once. Maybe she should tell him about her current situation, but that might cause a few problems. It did with Yang in more ways then once. Nevertheless, Blake answered.

Blake:Hey Sun, morning. Listen I can’t really talk right n- what do you mean Ilia was almost abducted?

Jacquelyn whipped her around and looked at Yang before looking at Blake.

Yang:Ilia was almost what?

Jacquelyn:Speakerphone, now.

xxxx

Sun sat on a beanbag in his teams little gathering spot, filled with trinkets of various things. It was essentially a thieves den if they were being honest. Ilia sat across from him, lightly resting from her experience.

Sun:Five guys randomly crowded Ilia. Apparently they called her White Fang trash then tried to take her somewhere. These dudes were armed fairly well. Luckily me and Neptune caught them off gaurd. Sage and Scarlet got involved too. One escaped though, a guy named Trigger. The other four are tied up in our den but they aren’t being too chatty.

Blake:Where’s Ilia right now?

Sun:In front of me. Wanna talk to her?

Blake:Are you too the only people in the room right now? If not then I need you both to be.

Ilia:*stretching* We’re alone! I’m fine if that’s what your concern is. You sound more on edge than I do, and that’s saying something.

Blake:Guys...there’s something I need to tell you both. Something I should’ve done for some time now. Adam is....

xxxx

Blake told them everything. Adam, Jacquelyn, where they’ve been, their encounters; everything. That includes what she doing right now. The only thing she didn’t mention was her two partners in this adventure being pregnant. The group had switch from voice call to holographic video, the sight of Ilia leaning against the wall with her hands on top of her head made Blake uneasy. Sun held a neutral expression. Yang could tell he was working through all info he was just given. He seemed to be doing it well.

Sun:So, these things might be connected?

Blake:I’m not really sure.

Jacquelyn:They have to be, I’m sure.

Ilia:Even if they’re not, you should’ve told us, Blake. You should’ve told me!

Blake:Ilia I-

Ilia:Adam was apart of my life too. Longer then yours even. I gave that man a grave on Menagerie out of respect because no one else would. How could you let me do a thing like that when you knew he was alive.

Blake:I didn’t know how you would react.

Ilia:And that makes it okay!?

Her words made Blake flinch. Sun put his hand on Ilia’s shoulder to calm the girl. Ilia looked at him then looked at the guilty expression all over Blake’s frown. Ilia knew the her friend had reasons for not telling the people closest to her about such a secret. That didn’t ease the frustration, it just made Ilia sad and anxious. She knew how to remedy that. She went over to her weapon to take it into the next room.

Sun:What are you doing?

Ilia:If anything is connected then those four we have will know something about it. I’m gonna see if they do.

Blake:Ilia, you can’t just-

Ilia:For all we know we’re on borrowed time and I’m not about to feel sympathy for a bunch of thugs who attacked me. Trust me when I say I’m not gonna lose any over this.

Yang:So that’s it? Torture is okay now?

Ilia:Focus on the things you actually have control of over on your side of the screen.

Yang bit her lip before walking off. Blake knew that she wasn’t gonna fair any better in changing Ilia’s mind. She simply nodded while Jacquelyn looked at the chameleon faunus and gave a quiet thanks. Adam told Jacquelyn much about her, about the girl’s passion and ability to endure. Now she got a glimpse of it before walking away.

Sun:We’ll check in with you in a little bit. Be safe okay?

Blake:Ummm are we okay? You haven’t said much.

Sun:My love for you isn’t fragile. You had your reasons and I respect that.

Blake:Doesn’t mean I made a good choice.

Sun:True, but I’m not counting it as a wrong one. Right now we gotta keep our focus right?

Blake:*nods* Right, see you soon. Love you.

He gives her a dramatic kiss to the screen in an attempt to make her feel better. Yang can’t help but overhear them and wonder how he could be so calm. Sun hung up and gave Ilia a concerned look of displeasure as she stared at the door.

Sun:Need extra hands?

Ilia:I would never ask you or anyone to do what I’m about to do. Just make sure I’m not interrupted okay? I’ll be okay. Things like this, it’s essentially the same as riding a bike. All I gotta do is find my balance and coast.

Sun:Well I will be out here then. Don’t push yourself, and I’m here to talk if you wanna. This Adam news must be a lot to take in.

Ilia:Thanks Sun, I mean that.

With a deep breath, Ilia walked into the other room. The time for emotions had come to a halt. Right now she needed results. Ilia needed her old self.

xxxx

Jacquelyn:You have good friends.

Blake:I have the best friends. Everyone last one of them, including you.

Jacquelyn:Me? Do you not remember our conversation by the fire?

Blake:I do. Admittedly I am a little jealous of you too. Still, I can’t help but also feel a little...inspired by your results.

Jacquelyn:Oh, well, thank you. *red* I’m touched. Maybe I was a little-

“BOMB!!!!” Yang cried out, several feet inside Jacquelyn’s room. Her words barely registered to the others. All they can see was fiery flames of an expanding explosion coming at them in what had to be a fraction of the second. The humble house in the middle of the desert had faded way. Pure destruction, taking its place.

Part 6

[phantom-god-suki]

Sincerely, Yours

Warning!! This is really intense, so read with caution. If you are sensitive to stuff like this, please stop now!

“It is way too quiet” Levy thinks to himself as he observes the battlefield. There were signs of the enemy. He must be very close to the border, and should arrive here any moment now. Things seem to go smoothly but he can’t help feeling nervous. “It's like we're led here…”

“Master Levy...”  A soldier approaches Levy. 

“What do you want?” Levy asks without turning to see who was calling out to him.

“It appears Master Mefy did not arrived”

“What? Mefy should’ve been here by now… what the hell is he doing?!” He smacks his lips.

“I’m sorry master...they haven't arrived.” Levy shoos the soldier away and thinks to himself. He clearly remembers Mefy saying that he had a few more things to prepare, but that his absence would weaken the armies formation greatly. A soldier runs up in panic.

“Enemy Attack!” A soldier yells. 

“Where is Mefy? Shit...we’ll have to stall until he arrives. How many soldiers do they have?” Being on the battlefield was a lot more stressful than the books said. Every book he read led up to this moment, so he has no time to worry about the small things.  

“Erm…”  

“What?!”   

“...” 

“Why are you so quiet?? Answer me!!” Levy grits his teeth and turns to the soldier.

“The enemy soldiers are countless… they have surrounded our base from all sides!” Levy pushes past the soldier and walks outside to take in the scene. He bites his bottom lip and slumps his shoulders. Soldiers in white uniforms completely surround the base. ‘That’s impossible... how could they be this prepared for a surprise attack?’ Levy thinks to himself. ‘Could Mefy...ah, of course not...that's preposterous.” A strong gust of wind strikes Levy and he nearly falls over. Levy immediately looks to his left to see a powerful angel with an eye patch.

“Cute boy… let me enjoy this, alright?” The angel laughs as he gets closer to Levy to examine him.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Battle ended a lot quicker than expected. Levy was heavily wounded and around him were all those soldiers who gave up their lives for his sake. He holds the hair clip that he gave Y/N close to his heart. He knew he was going to die but his suffering was far from over.

“You…”Levy looks up to see the fearsome general, Ricardo standing over him.Ricardo sees the hairpin/clip

“Heh...too bad your loved one won’t see you again. Don't worry though, I'll keep her company~” Ricardo smirks and presses his boot on Levy’s wound.

“She's... gone back to her world. You'll never see her.” Levy groans as he coughs up blood. 

“Huh? That’s a pity. I'll just keep you for myself instead.” He lowers his boot to Levy’s groin. “You're a dead man anyways. I could just kill you and be done with it, buuut that would be too merciful of me wouldn't it?” He rubs his boots over Levy's groin.

“Y-You bastard..” Levy weakly tries to reach for his sword but Ricardo hits his head and he blacks out.

Wet, cold and dark. Those were the only words that could be used to describe his current whereabouts. The only source of light was the torch in the hallway of the dungeon. Levy woke up with a massive headache. He was sitting down on the cold floor completely naked with his hands chained together held above his head. He tried to focus on his surroundings but it took forever for his eyes to adjust to the darkness.

Footsteps could be heard from down the hall, slowly approaching the cell he was in. A silhouette stops in front of the cell door.

“You’re finally awake? What a surprise. I thought you would be out till at least morning.” The silhouette opens the door to reveal Ricardo. Levy tries to move but his whole body aches in pain. 

“What the fuck did you do to me?” Levy mutters weakly.

“Oh. You don’t remember anything? Did I hit your head that hard? I’m sorry sweetie~” He smiles sadistically. Memories of the battlefield flood back to Levy in a split second. He lost the battle. He was a failure. Worthless.

“I-I’m useless…”

“You got your whole army destroyed. You don’t even deserve to be called useless. It wasn't all you though. Mefy helped us out a lot. Without his information, my job would be a little more tedious.” 

“Bullshit!! He would never help you assholes out!” Levy yells in fury. His headache seems to get worse by the second.

Ricardo kicks his wound again, causing Levy to grimace in pain.

“Know your place, sweetheart. This is my domain,” Ricardo says coldly. “Believe what you want though. Not like I can change your mind. What I can do however is… teach you a lesson about respecting your superiors. So...I think it's about time I do something about that disgusting cock of yours.” Ricardo licks his lips as he kneels down in front of Levy and injects a liquid into his neck.

 “Ughh...what are you doing?” He groans in pain.

“It's just a little something to get you in the mood~” 

At that moment Levy puts two and two together. “NO NO NO YOU CAN'T--” Levy shouts as he starts kicking around and is rewarded with a punch in the face.

“Come now, I don't wanna scramble your brain more than necessary. There’s nothing you can do, so try to enjoy it while I'm feeling nice… Trust me you don’t wanna make me angry...” Ricardo snarls as he starts to remove his clothes. Dread gnawed at Levy’s insides but he also can't stop the excitement bubbling up. ‘Must be an aphrodisiac.’ He thought to himself.

Ricardo pulls out his cock and smacks Levy in the face with it. “You know what to do cutie.” He smirks. Levy feels a cold piece of metal against his forehead. “If I feel any teeth…” Ricardo cocks his gun and Levy soon realizes that he is in a life or death situation. He may survive to see another day and maybe even escape this hell hole if he cooperates. Without a moment's notice, Ricardo thrusts himself into Levy’s mouth. A muffled sound comes from Levy as Ricardo grabs him by the hair with his free hand, shoving his cock deeper down his throat. “Fuuck...your throat feels amazing…” He moans. Ricardo showed no mercy, caring little about Levy’s well being. Tears started to gather in front of Levy’s eyes and his lungs were burning from lack of oxygen. Levy gags as Ricardo's cock flattens his uvula against the top of his throat. Ricardo pulls out to let Levy gasp for air. 

“Y-You bastard... I'll make you pay for this.” Levy coughs and glares at Ricardo. His stern gaze is immediately offset by Ricardo's laughter.

 “You should be a comedian with how hilarious that was! How are you planning to make me pay?” Ricardo grins and places his hand on his hips. Levy averts his eyes. He doesn’t want to give more information to the enemy. Not after being betrayed by his brother. 

‘Then again I did the same to Lucia’ Levy dreads. 

Ricardo pulls Levy towards him and spreads his legs apart. “Now,” Ricardo stops to take in Levy’s weak naked body. “It's time for the main course.” Ricardo gave a wicked smile and removes his gloves. 

“W-wait, you can’t be-” Ricardo puts his fingers in front of Levy's mouth. 

“I suggest you get them nice and wet.. For your sake of course, it doesn't matter to me.” Levy reluctantly takes his fingers in his mouth, trying to distribute as much saliva as possible. What he did not expect was Ricardo grabbing his member and giving it a jerk. That's when he realized his little problem. He was awfully hard and couldn't stop moaning around Ricardo's fingers.

“Look at you, can’t help yourself from moaning like a common whore.” Ricardo hisses at Levy as he takes out his fingers, slips a finger into Levy’s ass, and moves it slowly, sending waves of pleasure throughout his body. Soon after, he inserts a second finger.

 “S-Stop it-- please i can’t--” Levy moans. Ricardo ignores him and inserts a third finger while continuing to jerk off Levy. He starts to tremble with pleasure as he tightens around Ricardo’s fingers. 

“How can I stop when you're inviting me like this? Your asshole is practically begging me for more. You should be grateful.” Ricardo muses. Levy attempts to hide his pleasure by biting down on his bottom lip till it bleeds. “Ohh?” Ricardo slightly curls his fingers and quickly pulls them out of Levy. The subtle ecstasy is immediately interrupted by a piercing pain.

 “FUCK!!” Levy cries in pain.

“You feel so good…” Ricardo growls as he licks his lips. Levy glares into his defiler’s eye. Words cannot describe the amount of hate and humiliation flowing through him. His eyes suddenly widen as sharp pain spikes through his asshole. Ricardo begins to thrust his hips into the helpless demon. As Ricardo kept on pounding into him, pain slowly dissolves into pleasure. He's not supposed to like this, and yet this sensation was so new to him that he couldn’t help himself. Levy tries to ignore the feeling and attempts to break free, only to be met by Ricardo grabbing him by the jaw roughly to make Levy look at him. 

“Keep struggling. It only fuels me more.” Ricardo smirks and starts touching all over his body. Levy couldn't stop the pleasure working its way through him like liquid fire. When Ricardo pinches his nipples, it was like a thunder strike over his body. He couldn't stop his hips rutting back to the sadistic angel.   

“Now you're getting into it,” Ricardo purrs. “It's adorable how sensitive you are.”

“S-Shut up-- You-- Argghh--” Levy cries out as Ricardo abruptly bites all over Levy's neck and makes him bleed. 

“Fuck...you’re such a masochistic slut aren’t you? I can feel you clench around me…” Levy shudders as he hears those words. His head was getting more and more empty with each thrust and bite. “Just admit it. You like it when I claim your tight little ass. You like it when I jerk that pathetic cock of yours. Say it. Say it!!” Ricardo roars. Levy could see the madness behind his eye, but Ricardo was right. He was enjoying his rough treatment more than he should have been. 

“F-fuck you...you monster...” Levy mutters pathetically. Ricardo stops thrusting for a moment and lifts Levy's legs up to his shoulders. His eyes widened when he felt Ricardo's cock brush his prostate. He lets out a loud moan as Ricardo laughs sadistically. Levy was approaching a gradual climax. Just a few more thrusts would be enough to send him over the edge. His eyes started rolling back but Ricardo pulled out his gun again and shoves it in Levy's mouth. 

“Don't you dare cum.. Unless you want to die. I wouldn't mind finishing inside your corpse.” Ricardo chuckles with his cheerful voice. 

“Mmffffff” Levy muffles in panic and fear. Ricardo stops his movements,removes the gun from Levy's mouth, gets closer to Levy's face and whispers. 

“Beg me,” Ricardo pulls the gun out of his mouth and kisses his lips softy . “Beg me and I’ll consider it.” For a moment, Levy thought that Ricardo was generous after putting him through all that pain. 

“Please...please allow me to cum.” Levy begs quietly, looking away from Ricardo blushing. 

“Hmmm let me think about it… After insulting me so many times even though I was so nice to you… Should I let you cum? I think the fuck not!” Ricardo laughs as he pumps his cock deeper into the demon. Levy digs his nails into his palms and bites his lower lip. He was getting hazy from all the sensations he was receiving. Pain, pleasure, fear, panic. Levy was a mess. Luckily for him, Ricardo was also on the edge. The rhythm of his thrusts was beginning to falter. 

“R-Ricardo…” Levy whimpered.

“Fuck...stop saying my name with your filthy mouth. Shit...I’m cumming.” Ricardo slows down and pulls out. He cums all over Levy’s weak body. The demon was a twitching mess after being denied for so long.

“Damn, that was the best sex I’ve ever had.” Ricardo exhales as he starts dressing himself and stands over Levy. Many footsteps approach the cell and stop in front. 

“Is it our turn yet sir?” A soldier asks while waiting for permission from Ricardo to unbuckle his belt. Levy looks up and Ricardo and into his eye.

“Ricardo..” Levy could barely whisper before giving in to the tiredness that had been eating him alive.

[samsterham]

The Fuckening, Entry # 1

Despite the novel covid-19 being around for a pretty hot minute now, I have only been self-quarantined about 6 days. There have been several confirmed cases in my county, and today the county had it’s first death.

If it’s not apparent by the title, I’ve decided to officially from here on out refer to this entire debacle as The Fuckening. I will swear. A lot. 

I figure it might be somehow lucrative to record my experiences throughout the pandemic, at least as it is pertinent to my country & area. Aside from broader, more public events, it might be interesting to someday look back on my day to day & how we dealt & felt & what we did. I should have been keeping a diary of my life anyway & had intended to despite never making it a priority. Now is as good a time as any.

Anyhow, I anticipate this being a rather disjointed project, variable in moods, topics, formats, etc. & rife with grammatical errors. I haven’t decided how revealing of my identity & location I would like to be, I suppose that’s something I’ll decide as I go. All I’ll reveal for the moment is I live in the U.S. in Pennsylvania.

Recapping what I can right now:

I’m in about day 6 of self-quarantine. All schools have cancelled regular classes and have gone exclusively online, as has happened pretty much everywhere else. My community college also followed suit along with probably every college & university at this point. I’ve had a little over a week off for faculty & staff to prepare for the shift. Class resumes this upcoming wednesday online for the rest of the semester. Curious to how they’re going to structure & grade our biology lab credits. 

Bars & restaurants have been state-mandated to shut down except for take-out. Now the liquor stores have shut down as well. Somehow the beer distributor down the street is still open however...

Me & K (boyfriend) haven’t gone nuts with preparations, but we did have 1 significant shopping trip before the state officially began recommending social distancing. We got enough non-perishables for several weeks. We’ve made a couple mini trips for things like milk & fresh veggies. 

I also have a few immunocompromised friends who I’ve gone shopping for. I expect to continue doing so as needed. One such friend has a bitch of a rare disease which is frankly on the verge of killing her if she sneezes or coughs too hard. There is so, so much more to it than that, than I dare go into here for privacy reasons but I have spent the last month as one of her actual medical advocates. She is partly the reason I would like to focus my education and eventual clinical research on rare diseases such as hers. Anyhow, despite it being flat out unsafe, she was discharged from the hospital yesterday as my city prepares to get slammed with covid-19 cases.

Both my cats got a stomach bug just 2 days into self-quarantine. It began with Crowley puking, then what looked like bloody emesis & trip to the emergency vet. Sent home with stomach meds & instructions for supportive care before jumping into more than basic testing. He was fine within 36 hours, just in time for Aziraphale to become a little vom-bomb. This lasted for 3 days, with many debates as to when we should finally get her poor little fuzz butt medical attention. She thankfully healed on her own, just as I was about to break down & take her to the vet.

Not to make light of the fact that they were sick, but Zira’s throw-up noise is THE FUNNIEST sound I’ve ever heard in my life. It begins with that usual choppy but also deep guttural *hork hork hork* followed by a very abrupt & very loud  scream “rrRAAHH!” as things made their way up & out. I couldn’t help but kinda lose my shit as I pet her & cleaned up the mess. I’m probably going to hell for this.

Me & K have enjoyed spending more time together during quarantine. We have only had 3 friends over since, all being of our regular weekly crew of Sarah, Greg, & Amanda, & all of who are otherwise self-quarantined. Sarah & Amanda came over last Saturday, Sarah made “Quarantinis,” a goddamn delicious cocktail of vodka, lemon, honey, & crystalized ginger. Us girls & K got quaran-trashed, ate dinner together, played Cards Against Humanity, & watched Waking Ned Devine.

We have been making the FUCK outta some food. This is easily the healthiest we’ve eaten in a long time. Thank God we both can cook.

The weather has been fairly forgiving & the two of us have made efforts to get outside as much as possible while it’s nice. K works from home with some good flexibility & I was fired about a month before corona shit hit the fan. We’re enjoying the local parklette & the humongous cemetery in walking distance from us. 

Yesterday was mostly blustery & rainy, save for a 2 hour break in the weather where it was sunny and around 70 degrees. We trekked through said cemetery. As we were on our way out, we rounded the bend of one of the long paths, along the side of a large grassy hill. From that initial perspective of the hill, there was a large pile of indiscernible objects about halfway up the hill. As we came around, we noticed the pile was next to a grave very freshly covered in dirt. Upon closer inspection it became apparent that the “pile” was actually a man wrapped in blankets, with one arm stretched over the dirt of the grave. On the road at the bottom of the hill was what I assumed to be his car. I don’t know who he was, I don’t know who he lost, but they’re burned into my memory forever. It was one of those sights that breaks your entire heart. I cried a little & held K’s hand a little tighter as we made our way toward the gate. K kissed the top of my head & gave me a loving squeeze.

 I didn’t get fired over anything serious; my chronic migraines plus a personal failure to obtain intermittent FMLA in a timely manner resulted in termination. My bosses didn’t want to let me go, but you can only fight HR of a corporate health system so much. Oh well. I wasn’t happy there anymore anyway. After 3 years I was bored, having trained up as much as possible without my degree. Some toxic personalities made their way onto our floor staff in the last year which made some shifts absolute hell despite my efforts to avoid them & remain utterly professional. Aside from running out of money, I’ve been incredibly relaxed since being let go. I’ve even lost 4 pounds in the last month. My hair is currently a weird ginger-pink, the result of a failed self bleach job, but it’s not entirely embarrassing so I’m going to let it recover before I try it again & go teal.

I never got around to watching Breaking Bad when it was popular, but last night I finally saw the first episode. K has seen it before, it’s one of his favorite tv shows & he’s ecstatic to watch it together. One episode legit got me hooked already. I know the premise of the show & I can’t wait to see how it pans out.

The political fuckery around this has been.... ugh. I wanted to say “staggeringly defunct” but what else is there to be expected from this current administration? I have designed most of my tumblr to be apolitical but that will change with these specific entries. I’m politically outspoken on Facebook & Twitter & I wanted one or two platforms that could just be fun and neutral. My current politics are very leftist, a head-spinning 180 degree turn from my upbringing & early voting habits. The last four years have sent me purposefully, intentionally & determinedly headlong into the progressive movement, feminism, and hunger for democratic socialism. The only conservative thing left about me is my stubborn remaining infatuation with firearms & gratitude for the 2A. Counterintuitively I’m very pro-sensible gun control, but having the discussion with either side of the issue mostly leaves me wanting to knock heads together. 

I digress, the administration’s response to the pandemic has been unsurprisingly subpar, yet somehow not as awful as I expected. Trump went from “not a big deal” & “liberal media hoax” to “oh shit, I actually better get my shit together for this” real quick. I don’t know if it’s because it’s an election year or if there’s actually a shred of competency that’s been hiding under the comb-over but I’ll take what we can get from him, including that $1000 check. Getting unemployment has been a bitch. None of this however, changes the fact that Republicans have known about the crisis since December & instead of preparing the public, decided insider trading was a better idea. This doesn’t change the fact that the DOJ is trying to invoke indefinite detention as a “crisis response” and the only thing standing in the way are House Democrats. And it doesn’t change the fact that our hospital system is overloaded & underfunded, and the Republican controlled government would still rather bail out large corporations as we plunge into an inevitable recession. 

I’ve spent too much energy fighting ignorant shit sticks on the internet over all this, including people I know in real life. I gotta keep remembering that all I can do is my best, that you can’t change the world but you can make a dent. On that note, I finally introduced K to Danny DeVito’s cinematic masterpiece Death To Smoochy.

Today I finished reading Darker Than Amber by John D. MacDonald. Quick, fun read, definitely a product of it's time.

That’s all I have in me for today. My neck hurts. Sleep sweet and WASH YOUR FILTHY PAWS. 

[longroadstonowhere]

okay y’all, is my birthday and i have to spend a majority of it at work, so i’m gonna drop this new chapter of wild child on y’all this morning

it’s a bit short, but as i’ve mentioned before, the rest of the story has been rough drafted, so i should be publishing it all within the next month or so (as evidenced by how there’s actually a set number of chapters for the fic now) - the only reason it might take a bit longer is cuz i like when numbers match up so i might spring for some kind of significant date, haha

(1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 ao3)

"This place is huuuge!" John said, his words distorted a little by the window he was currently smashing his face against. It was still early enough in the evening that he could see how the roads leading up to the airport's parking garages twisted around each other, making complicated loops that had to run around the whole complex. He could almost pretend they were on the edge of an epic car chase, one that would have his dad swerving between lanes, taking supersharp turns to throw off their pursuers until the only course left... was straight onto the tarmac!

Distracted by trying to compose the perfect high-octane music score, John didn't realize his dad was saying something to him until he was almost done talking. "... Thankfully we'll be able to park fairly close to our terminal, since getting from one end of the airport to the other can be quite the journey, It wouldn't do to miss our light due to such a silly thing as that."

"Uh, yeah, sure, that would probably be real bad... So hey! What kind of plane are we flying on, anyway? Is it one of those super cool double-decker ones? It'd be so awesome to climb a flight of stairs when you're actually flying waaaay above the clouds!"

His dad chuckled. "Sorry John, but I'm afraid those kinds of plans are usually reserved for international flights, not domestic ones."

"Oh." There went another possibility to reenact some cool movie moments. "Well, whatever kind of plane it is, it'll still be really cool to really be flying. Do the tops of clouds look different from the bottoms? I mean, they look kinda different in the movies, but movies make a lot of stuff look different."

"It depends on the kind of cloud," Jade piped up from the backseat. She and Bec were sprawled out together, soaking up every minute they could before they had to get on the plane separately - Bec was way too big for any airline to let him ride with the passengers, sadly. "I got to see a few different formations on our trip from the island, and the cumulus clouds looked pretty much the same from above and below, but the stratus clouds will look way different cuz the sun hits them in different ways."

John twisted around in his seat as he said, "That's right, I totally forgot you've been in a plane before, Jade! That's so cool!" Then he frowned. "Wait, that means you got the chance to fly before I did. That's lame."

Jade laughed and stuck her tongue out at him. She showed a little too much of her teeth when she did, so it looked kinda weird, but John was almost impressed she'd picked up such a classic childish expression, Of course, he had to shower her how the pros did it.

John's masterful expression provoked Jade into making another face back at him, and soon the two were embroiled in a contest to see who could make the most unhumanly ridiculous face possible. By the time Dad parked the car, no victor had been declared, but John was in physical pain from all the laughing.

Security lines were boring. And slow. No wonder movie heroes always skip them, John thought as he waited for his dad to finish collecting all the stuff he'd had to take out of his pockets. He'd let Jade and John go first, which was probably the gentlemanly thing to do, but it also meant they had to wait when all John wanted to do was run around and look at all the neat airport shops. He bounced in place until, finally, his dad had tied his shoelaces into the perfect knot. "Our gate is A5," he said, with a gesture of his hand, which clearly meant 'go ahead'.

John didn't ask twice - he was off like a shot, tearing past the other people in the hall on the way to their gate. He didn't get very far, though - as he turned a corner, he stopped short, in awe of the sight before him.

He'd entered what looked like the main hub for all the branches of the airport, a two-story open room with tables and chairs scattered around, a few of them taken up by travelers getting in a quick bite. The truly spectacular thing, however, was that the entire outer wall was made of glass, letting him see the airplanes as they trucked around between gates. The sun was almost done setting, but it still scattered a few golden beams across the sky. It was one of the most beautiful things John had ever seen in real life.

Staring out the window, John didn't notice his dad catching up to him until his hand came down on his shoulder. He looked up into his dad's face, who smiled and said, "Exciting, isn't it?" John just nodded, words failing him for once. "We'd best make our way to the gate, then. Wouldn't want to miss our flight, after all."

Paul leaned back in his seat and rolled his shoulders, taking a break from reading his novel. Checking his watch, it looked like they were about two thirds through their flight. He'd taken a small nap earlier, but he'd never been able to sleep well outside of a bed.

He glanced at John on his left, who was leaning against the wall of the plane, completely unconscious. It even looked like he was drooling a little. Paul grinned and took out his Blackberry to get a quick photo. These doohickies are certainly more convenient than carrying a proper camera around, even if the pictures aren't quite as good, he mused. It looked like John was taking his first flight well, though.

On his other side, Jade also seemed to be sleeping, though it was hard to tell if she was truly out or just keeping very still. She had adapted to life in this country extraordinarily well so far, but she still held many unconscious habits from her time living alone.

Paul sighed to himself. Uncle Harley, some of the decisions you made... I just can't understand them. His mother had never gone into much detail about why Uncle Harley never visited, she'd just said he needed a lot of space. He'd sent a couple letters filled with tales of his adventures, which his mother had used as bedtime stories, but they never had much in the way of personal sentiments, and he couldn't recall his mother sending any back. He'd never questioned that distance growing up - that's just how family was sometimes.

Now, though, he couldn't help but wonder how his mother had really felt about Uncle Harley's long absence from her life. Did he even know about me? Paul suddenly thought. He'd never met the man, after all, and he'd started his adventurous lifestyle long before Mother adopted him. As far as Uncle Harley knew, his sister had spent the rest of her life alone.

Paul shook his head, forcing the morose thoughts away. That's in the past now, for better or worse. He had to focus on taking care of Jade, not musing on what had led Uncle Harley to keep her isolated on that island. It was hard to think of the future, though, knowing what the most likely outcome of this trip was.

He looked at Jade's still face and took a deep breath. I have to do what's best for Jade. No matter what. With that resolve in his heart, he leaned back and closed his eyes, hoping for a little more rest before their trip together ended.

Jade stared out the car's window, watching the landscape race by. Bec was draped halfway across her body, making up for the time together they'd lost because of that airline's policies on traveling with dogs. The pilot on her flight off the island had been much more reasonable.

Then again, that had probably been considered "special circumstances". It still would've been nice to fly with him again.

Next to her, John was still chattering excitedly about their trip thus far. He'd been pretty groggy when they got off the plane, but all his usual energy had come back in a flash when he'd noticed the professional driver waiting for them with a sign that said "Egbert". Apparently he'd been sent by the woman they were here to visit, Doctor Lalonde. John had just been excited to have such a "celebrity moment" happen to him, as he'd repeated several times during the car ride thus far.

Mr. Egbert was listening to John from his position in the front seat, so Jade didn't feel too bad about keeping her attention on the world outside their car. It definitely seemed more... wild than the area around John's house. Not the same as her island, of course, but the only real sign of people was the road they were traveling on. Otherwise, it was all trees and rocks as far as she could tell. It would be nice to spend time here.

After some time, the car pulled around a curve and revealed a majestic, sprawling house nestled into a large clearing. Jade pressed against the window, trying to catch as many details as possible. "... Is that a river running through that place?" she asked, unable to trust her own eyes.

"Seriously??" John stretched toward her side of the car, trying to look out her window, but the car turned to drive toward the house before he could get a good view. "That sounds super awesome! Like a supervillain's lair! Hey, wait, she's not really a supervillain, right?" John turned towards his dad again. "Dad, we're not visiting a supervillain, right?"

Mr. Egbert chuckled. "Son, Dr. Lalonde is a kind and generous woman. She was the one who paid for our flight here, you know, and arranged for the excellent service of our chauffeur here." He nodded respectfully to the driver, who murmured "Thank you kindly" in response.

As the car pulled up to the house, John kept talking. "I dunno, supervillains can be really charming, and this could all be some kind of trap. Paying for the hero's transportation is a total villain move."

Now Mr. Egbert frowned. "John, your imagination is a powerful tool, but while we are Dr. Lalonde's guests, I trust that you'll treat her with respect. Understood?"

John slumped back in his seat. "Fiiiiiiiine." Quieter, he said, "That's way less cool, though."

When the car stopped, Jade let Bec out first so he could get some of the kinks out of his legs. He'd had to stay in that traveling container for a really long time. For her part, Jade got out and looked up at the house again. It was a pretty ridiculous house, really - it looked way bigger than any person really needed, and building your house on top of a river just seemed unnecessarily dangerous. There was something about the place that felt... weirdly familiar, though...

Jade's attempts at placing that feeling were interrupted by a loud voice from the house. "Oh! My! GOSH! You're here! You're all here!" A woman with short blonde hair wearing some kind of labcoat dress was rushing down the path towards them. "Please, please, let Noah take care of your luggage, you've had a long trip and I'm sure you're all completely exhausted!" She came closer showing all her teeth in a wide grin, and Jade had to suppress the urge to run up a tree. She'd gotten better with figuring out when people were just being friendly, but...

Fortunately the woman seemed to be focused on Mr. Egbert for now - they were talking about how the trip went, which seemed useless to her, but whatever kept the doctor's attention off her for now would work. She watched as Bec poked around the landscape, staying within a fairly close distance in case he was needed. It was good she was able to bring hi, She'd have to thank Dr. Lalonde for that, right? Mr. Egbert would probably expect that of her.

"Oh, what am I doing, blabbing your ears off out here! Come in, please, we'll all have plenty of time to get to know each other." She gestured toward the front door and they all slowly made their way into the house.

[hilariousrandompics-blog1]

Page Builder Review: Elementor

Elementor is the new kid on the block.

In this review we will go into full detail to see if it can compete, or even overtake, the established players.

Get Your Copy of Elementor

Effectiveness

Whether it’s recreating an existing page or working from your imagination, there’s very little Elementor can’t handle.

Price

The free version of the tool is virtually a complete product. PRO is available but I don’t think it’s necessary for everyone

Ease of use

It does take a bit of getting used to but there’s plenty of great information to guide you through the initial learning curve

Support

Despite a more hands off approach from Elementor, the community support groups and detailed documentation are top class

We Like

Core product is 100% free

Great user interface

Global widgets are awesome

Unique styling and hidden elements for responsive

Revision history works well

It’s open source

Active Facebook group

Detailed documentation

We Don't Like

Forced styling by default

Cannot edit elements directly

Global vs static templates can be confusing

Lacking some marketing-oriented features

No undo button (revision history isn’t always ideal)

You know, it’s funny. I remember when I first read a mention of Elementor. From the context, I couldn’t really tell what it was. And if I’m honest, all I could think of was the Dementors from Harry Potter.

After binging on all 8 movies that weekend, it wasn’t long before I noticed more people talking about it. Elementor this. Elementor that. Now I really had to find out what it was. And this time, I wasn’t going to let my imagination get the better of me. So I blasted opened a new tab, shimmied over to Google and punched in the word… “Elementor”. To my disappointment, I realized it was just ANOTHER page builder. It didn’t make sense. How could everyone be so excited about a page builder? I mean, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. Could it really be worth the hype?

Enter Elementor

Elementor is the new kid on the block, but don’t let that fool you. Despite heavy competition, it has quickly become one of the most popular visual page builders for WordPress, and it continues to grow at rapid pace. Since it’s release in mid-2016, Elementor has gained over 80,000 installs and an impressive 5 star rating on WordPress.org. The people clearly love it -- but is this just the latest fad, or is Elementor truly the ultimate page builder for WordPress?

The Good, Bad, And The Ugly

For this review, I fired up Elementor to see how well this page builder fares in comparison to popular alternatives. From here on out, I’ll share my experiences using this tool, as well as what I liked and didn’t like along the way. Let’s do this.

User Interface

As usual, we’ll start with the user interface. As with most page builders, the side panel makes up the majority of the tools interface. I think this format works well, especially for visual page builders because it doesn’t take up too much space on the screen - which is obviously important in this case.

A nice little touch is that you can also expand or contract the panel by dragging. I must admit, this is something I only realized after several hours using the builder... *blush*

Expanding the panel is useful when editing a text block, although I think there could be a better solution to this (more on that later). Contracting the panel gives you more space to work with and doesn’t sacrifice usability in any way. Really handy. I almost feel like they could have taken this further and have the element icons default to a list, allowing the panel to shrink even more. Anyhoo... Clicking the little arrow on the side panel slots it away completely, allowing you to preview the page. Of course, you can’t edit the page in preview.

(This is such a small thing, but the speed and simplicity of being able to preview like this was huge for me.)

Pro Tip : You can also press ‘Cmd + P’ on a Mac, or ‘Ctrl + P’ on a PC to quickly bring the side panel in and out of view.

Pretty much everything the tool has to offer is done through this panel, so let me run you through it. In the top left, you’ll find the page settings.

(Don’t worry, I’m going to pick this apart soon) At the bottom, you have several more options including an exit button, page preview, device preview, support options and templates.

And finally, the top right corner will take you back to the elements library…

As for adding different elements to your content, it’s just a case of dragging and dropping them from the library, straight onto the page. No complaints there. I must admit, it did take a little while to get used to where everything is, but that’s only expected when switching from another page builder like I have. Overall, the initial user interface is clean and super easy to use.

Layout Options & Columns

Being able to create specific layouts is what page builders are all about, so how does Elementor measure up? To begin creating a layout, you’ll first want to add a section from the content area.

(We’ll cover the template stuff later) Clicking the purple ‘add new section’ button brings up a little layout option.

At first, I didn’t think it made sense to have to go through this every time you add a new section, but simply dropping an element onto the page will default to a single column section anyway. (It’s being aware of these nuances that tend to speed things up with page builders) So let’s say I want a 2 column section...

Piece of cake. And adding more columns to a section is also fairly straightforward. Just click the column tab for any element and it’ll give you the option to add an extra column right beside it.

And because columns are contained within sections, you can easily stack them to create more complex layouts.

Another useful feature is being able to create extra columns by dragging and dropping elements into place. All you need to do is drag the element using the ‘column’ tab, and you can squeeze it in virtually anywhere.

So far so good, but what about adjusting the width? Again, pretty straightforward. Just hover over an element to reveal the border, then drag the side to increase/decrease width.

Finally, there’s is a ‘column’ element in the sidebar (which defaults to 2 columns) if you prefer to do it that way. Overall, I found the layout options worked well and I can’t see any obvious areas where it falls short.

Editing & Forced Styling

Now, let’s go a bit deeper and talk about the editing / styling experience. (Hint: this is where things took a slight turn.) Firstly, in order to edit my text I had to continuously go back to the panel on the left. Basically, I couldn’t make changes to the element itself. Might not seem like a big deal, but not only do you have to click twice, you also have to move your mouse across the screen EVERY time you need to edit some text.

Multiply that process thousands of times and you’ll see how a small problem like that can compound into quite a significant flaw. On top of that, things get a little tricky when you’re working with text elements within a single block. Expanding the panel is pretty much required (unless you wanna go insane), which also makes it difficult to actually see the changes reflected on the page.

Again, this problem would be solved if you could just edit the text directly. That aside, WHY are my headings blue? They shouldn’t be blue. Going into the page settings, it became apparent to me that Elementor had it’s own styling options, completely ignoring the styling of my theme.

I’m still not sure why Elementor would force a color scheme on you by default. Just seems like an unpopular way to handle it from my perspective. Same goes for fonts. I like my fonts. Don’t touch the fonts, okay? Again, it took me a while to figure out, but you can ‘discard’ the global settings for both colors and fonts.

And you can go one step further… From your WordPress dashboard, head over to the Elementor settings and disable ‘global colors’ and ‘global fonts’ under Style Settings.

And look. I don’t want to take anything away from Elementor here -- it’s GREAT that you can even set different colors/fonts for individual pages -- I’m just not overly keen on having this set as a default.

Elements / Widgets

So let’s talk about the actual elements (or widgets) within Elementor. These are the little building blocks you use to piece your content together, and Elementor offers a generous library to choose from.

You’ll notice some of these are exclusive to PRO members, but I still think you get a lot to work with as a free user. It was also nice to see that Elementor supports standard WordPress widgets, as well as any third-party widgets you may have installed.

Overall, it’s definitely not a bad selection but most would agree, it’s far from complete. Especially in comparison to some other page builders. Question is, what’s missing? Well, it can sometimes be hard to know until the moment you need to achieve a particular thing. For example, let’s say you’re putting a roundup review post together and you want to finish it off with a nice comparison table. Guess what? Elementor doesn’t have a table element.

For the moment, if you want a table you’ll have to install another plugin - like TablePress - and paste the shortcode into Elementor. Need a simple star rating? Sorry, you’re out of luck. You’ll have to use images, or -- you guessed it -- yet another plugin. How about an auto-generated table of contents for your freshly written ultimate guide? Think again. It’s back to the plugins repository.

Only since a very recent update have you been able to ‘nofollow’ a link, a HUGE reason most affiliate marketers steered clear of Elementor for so long. Better late than never, I suppose. And I’m not just talking about single elements or features. At times, it can be super useful to drop in a group of pre-styled elements. For example, in Thrive Architect, I can quickly drop in a pre-styled, call-to-action element like this:

Sure, the design itself is pretty basic but for most people it’s more than enough. And, most importantly, it only took a second to drop onto the page. To get the same result with Elementor, you’d have to build it from scratch which can take several minutes.

To me, this highlights one of the problems with Elementor. It has little focus. You can feel that it’s trying to cater for everyone. As marketers, we have a different set of requirements to the average site builder (as illustrated above), and it becomes a frankenstein job when you’re constantly having to fill in the blanks. That said, I do think Elementor covers the basics really well and if you don’t mind installing a handful of additional plugins, it does an excellent job at handling everything else.

Global Widgets

As you might expect from any page builder these days, Elementor allows you to create custom ‘templates’ from your content elements. (These are different from page templates, which we’ll cover soon.) So let’s say I’m using an ‘icon box’, and I’ve styled it exactly how I like.

If I wanted to use it again the future, I can save this (now custom) element to my library. All you have to do is click the element, and then the little save icon.

You’ll then be presented with this popup window...

As you can see, saving elements automatically renders them as ‘global widgets’. Pop in a name, hit save, and your custom element will be added to your library.

The element you saved will also have a yellow border to indicate that it’s a global widget. At this point, you can use the global widget on any page (or even again, on the same page) by going to the global widget tab.

Okay, so that’s how it works, but let’s get practical. What if you want to make changes to your global widget? Well, if you click the widget you’ll notice a few things in the left pane.

First of all, the global widget is locked. That means you can’t edit it or make styling changes as you would with a regular element. You can temporarily unlock the element by clicking the ‘edit’ button, which will apply your changes to this global widget across ALL your pages. So what if you want to make changes to the widget without applying those changes globally? That’s where ‘unlinking’ comes in.

Clicking this button will effectively turn your global widget into it’s normal, ‘elemental’ form. You’ll notice the yellow border turns back to blue, and you can make changes as you normally would within Elementor.

And what’s great about using global widgets with Elementor, is that they can be used virtually anywhere throughout your site. Just head over to your WordPress dashboard, click ‘Library’ in the Elementor flyout settings, and you’ll see this:

Elementor shortcodes work on pages, regardless of whether or not they’ve been built with Elementor. And there’s even a dedicated WordPress widget…

Using this, you can easily design call to actions within Elementor, and then have them display globally in your sidebar. Here’s an example from Copyblogger.

Overall, Elementor handles global widgets really well, and I can see myself especially considering some other page builders don’t offer this feature.

Section Templates

This kinda follows on from the ‘global widgets’ feature we just covered above, but ‘sections’ do work a little differently. So what exactly is a ‘section template?’ It’s basically a container, marrying individual elements in a given section to give you control over the group as a whole.

With that in mind, let’s a take a step back. Using the example from earlier, I can actually save my ‘call-to-action’ within Elementor so I don’t have to recreate it again.

In this case, we’re saving the entire section because my call-to-action is made up of several individual elements. So, I’ll just give it a name and hit save.

Now, that section is saved to my library and I can essentially add it to any page. But here’s where things got a little confusing because, unlike global widgets, section template don’tshow up under the ‘global’ tab.

So where is it? There are 2 ways you can import sections, and, as I found out, they both behave very differently.

One option is to use the ‘add template’ button within the page area, and this will bring up the templates window. Click the ‘my templates’ tab to get to your saved templates.

You’ll now be presented with all the templates you’ve ever saved within Elementor, including ‘section’ templates. Just click the ‘insert’ button to place it on the page.

And the section will appear on your page. Simple as that. The good thing about doing it this way, is that you can immediately make changes to your saved section.

It’s all pretty straightforward, with everything working as you might expect. And that brings me to the second option, which, strangely enough, doesn’t work the same way. This time, we’re going to insert the section template using the template widget from the side panel.

As with any other Elementor widget, you first need to drag n’ drop it onto the page. After that, it’ll ask you to select your saved template. In the case, we’ll be looking for our saved section template.

Pro Tip : You may have to refresh the page for your saved section to show up in the side panel.

At this point, the section template will load… but here’s where things get a little confusing. This time, the section templates are treated as a single block, so making changes requires clicking the ‘edit template’ button.

And once you click, it opens the section in a separate editor, where you have to make changes and resave the template section. (This opens in a new tab)

Not only that, but any templates imported using the ‘template element’ are automatically regarded as global. BUT -- and this is a big but -- unlike global widgets, these cannot be unlinked. Honestly, it took me a while to figure all this out because Elementor didn’t give me any indication that these would treated differently. Very confusing. So here’s the bottom line: If you want a static, unlinked section, you’ll need to use the ‘add template’ button. Otherwise, use the template widget.

Page Templates

What’s a page builder without some full-page templates, eh? Again, there are 2 ways to load a page page template with Elementor. You can do it from the side panel, or the page area.

Clicking either of these will bring up the templates library. Elementor does come pre-loaded with a bunch of professionally designed templates, which you can use right away.

From there, click to preview an individual template, and if you like what you see, you can deploy it on your page.

One thing I noticed when inserting a template was that if you have a ton of existing content on the page, it can take a while to load.

One thing I noticed when inserting a template was that if you have a ton of existing content on the page, it can take a while to load.

Now, once the template loads, you’ll probably find that it doesn’t look anything like the preview you saw.

This happens because Elementor is restricted to the boundaries of your theme. If your theme says “content goes here”, that’s where content goes.

So what next? In order to properly utilize a full page template, you first need to have a full-width (or blank) page template for Elementor to work with.

Did You Know : A full-width template retains the header and footer of your theme, while a blank template is exactly that, blank. There’s no right or wrong one to use, it just depends on what you’re trying to achieve.

Now, I’m gonna be straight with you. In the first draft of this review, I went on an epic rant about Elementor not having this functionality built-in, along with ways you can get around it. Shortly after, guess what happened?

That’s right, they went and added it in. And while it’s always fun deleting an entire section of your article, I was still pleased to see that we’re all on the same page. (No pun intended.) To get to it, navigate to the settings tab and click on ‘page settings’.

And under the ‘template’ options, you can now choose between ‘full-width’, ‘Elementor canvas’, and any other templates included with your theme. Note: The ‘Elementor canvas’ options is just a blank template. For some reason, they decided to get fancy with the name :P So let’s try it again with the canvas option selected…

BOOM. That’s more like it, Elementor. Now, with the technical stuff out the way, what about the actual templates? Honestly, I was quite impressed with the designs. They’re clean, professional and super easy to work with. That said, and this is going back to a previous point, the template library doesn’t really cater for us marketers. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty choose from. Only thing is, Elementor does cast a wide net on these.

Sure, there’s a handful of landing pages in there, but being so varied also makes it limited when you’re looking for a particular style of template. For that reason, I can definitely see the relatively small selection of ‘marketing’ templates being overused.

So, if you depend on pre-built landing pages or sales pages, don’t expect a whole lot from this plugin straight out of the box. At least not right now. But If -- like me -- you’re happy to build landing pages yourself, you can simply save your own page templates to reuse again and again.

On a final note, you can import other people’s templates as well. This site even aggregates community-made templates, so anyone can go in, download, and import them into their own copy of Elementor.

Responsiveness

Not unlike most page builders today, Elementor is responsive by default, so your design will automatically adapt to different screen sizes. One thing I was surprised to see in Elementor, is the ability to live preview different devices, right from the editor.

And what surprised me even more was that you can make independent changes for each device. To illustrate what I mean, I’ve got 2 headings here:

If I switch over to the preview for ‘Mobile’, my headings look more or less the same...

But for arguments sake, let’s say I’m not happy with the spacing between them on mobile. All I need to do - while in mobile view - is click the element I want to change and adjust the settings.

And here’s the magic. If I go back to my desktop preview, Elementor hasn’t applied the same changes to desktop.

Seriously, how can you not love that? If you’ve ever battled with responsive design and struggled to make your content look good on any device, this is a real game changer.

Pro Tip : You can also press ‘Cmd + Shift + M’ on a Mac, or ‘Ctrl + Shift + M’ on a PC to cycle through the device previews.

But guys… it get’s even better. Not only can you control styling for different devices, but you can also hide the element completely.

AND this isn’t limited to single elements, it also works with sections. I have to say, I’ve yet to a see a page builder that gives you this much control when it comes to responsiveness. If this was eBay, I’d be all like “A++++++”.

Undo & Revision History

Okay, this is one area I was eager to cover. We all make mistakes when designing layouts. Things get moved. Other things get deleted. It just happens. But what if you want to simply undo an action? Shouldn’t be too difficult, right? Wrong. Elementor doesn’t have an undo option. And if there’s one thing I despise about Elementor, it’s this.

(Yep, even Jackie is with me on this.)

AInstead, you have to go through the ‘revision history’ tab and preview your content from saved revisions.

Once you’ve found the revision you’re after, just click the green button to apply it.

It works great, fair enough. I can definitely see this being a real lifesaver in certain situations. But let’s be real here, it’s still doesn’t make up for the fact that we’re missing an undo option. For starters, it’s not as simple as clicking a button. It requires navigating through the menus and previewing different revisions before you even find the right one.

Secondly -- and this is the real kicker -- this feature is built on the WordPress revisions system, which means revisions only appear for each time you’ve hit the save button. Basically, if you haven’t saved your changes in a while and you really mess something up, it’s game over.

Pro Tip : Having month’s worth of revisions might seem like a good idea, but they can really hog resources and ultimately slow down your site. A solution is to occasionally use a WordPress database “cleaner” plugin, like this one. I haven’t tested the plugin myself, and I’d strongly advise making a backup before running it, but I’m told it does a solid job at cleaning up revision history (as well as other database fluff).

Though it’s not exactly a deal-breaker -- and I do really like the revisions history feature -- it still boggles my mind that such a well thought out page builder lacks such a basic function.

Open Source

Let’s lift the mood again :) Easily one of the biggest differentiators of Elementor over other page builders is the fact that it’s open source. That means… uhm… Google, what it does mean?

Did You Know : Open source: denoting software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified.

Since the code is freely available, it allows users to fix bugs, improve existing features and even introduce completely new additions to the software. In fact, you can see all the “action” on GitHub, right here.

As a result, things generally progress faster. And most people agree that open source is the way forward. It also opens the doors to useful third-party plugins. The effects of this are already evident when searching ‘Elementor’ in the WordPress plugin repository:

Those are all third-party plugins designed to enhance Elementor, and many of which are free. While some of them offer minor improvements, others virtually give Elementor super powers. A good example of this is Press Elements.

This thing adds new widgets to the Elementor library, allowing you to leverage dynamic WordPress components. These are things like the featured image, post title, post excerpt, and more.

(There are plenty of other examples, but that could be another post entirely.) Although it’s a bit of a hassle having to install plugins on top of plugins, I’ve always been a fan of this approach because it keeps the core product lean for those who don’t need the extras.

Support

I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much praise for support than what I’ve seen with Elementor. Where this would normally be due to some top-notch, live chat support… that’s actually not the case here. In fact, Elementor doesn’t even offer live chat support. Instead, it has something even better. An active, raving community of “Elementorists” at your beck and call.

I referred to this multiple times throughout the writing of this review, and no doubt I’ll continue do so for as long as I use Elementor. While it doesn’t have a crazy number of members (4,600+), it is extremely active and any questions you have about the plugin has probably been asked/answered before.

If a search comes up short, just ask in the group. It’s a collaborative community and you’ll generally get responses flooding in within an hour or so of posting. Aside from that, I found their YouTube channel super helpful.

Elementor has a lot of moving parts and it can be overwhelming when you first start using it - particularly if you’ve never used a page builder before. In my opinion, the videos are the perfect starting point since they cover all the core features of the tool. (They also have detailed documentation, if you prefer to go through it all in written format) IF for some reason you still need help, there is a more VIP option that’s only available to PRO members.

To be honest, I think that’s fair given the quality of free support options available to you. The premium support is basically a ticketing system. Of course, I made a request to test how reliable it was for this review…

As I expected, it was stellar. I asked them about the undo button, and I got a reply within a couple hours. (They told me it was already noted). Overall, you really can’t complain. And if you did, I’m sure they’d take care of you ;)

Are You PRO, Or No?

Throughout this review, I’ve only briefly touched on the paid version of Elementor - also known as PRO. And while Elementor is, for the most part, a free plugin… upgrading does give you a little more firepower.

So what are the benefits of going PRO? I won’t write a book on this, because you can get it straight from the horse’s mouth, right here. What I will do, however, is comment on the most notable differences between the free version, and the PRO version. So for starters, you’ll get access to a bunch of extra widgets...

While I’d class a few of these as slightly gimmicky, there are some useful additions. Even for us marketers. You’ll also be able to use global widgets that can be used throughout your content, as well as other areas of your site.

I covered global widgets earlier in the review, so you probably won’t be surprised that I’d recommend PRO for this reason alone. As for page templates... You’ll be pleased to hear that upgrading will unlock a slew of premium page templates for you to dabble with.

And the last one I’ll mention gives you an extra layer of design control with ‘live custom CSS’. So if you’re a stylesheet-ninja, I’m sure you’ll appreciate this one.

Personally, I feel like the idea of a page builder is to eliminate the need for CSS entirely. I almost see it as a safety net for when the tool can’t deliver. For that reason, I don’t think this should be a PRO feature.

Rebuilding Trello’s Homepage

For each page builder we review as part of this series, we decided it’d be a great idea to recreate an existing page using each tool. That way, it would give us (and you) a much clearer comparison of what each tool is capable of in practical terms. As for the page, we settled on Trello’s homepage because it’s an excellent example of a modern layout that makes good use of different elements. Check out the video to see how I got on with Elementor:

Where It Performed Well

Laying the foundation of the build was really straightforward. In this case, since I was trying to create a replica of Trello’s homepage, the global color and font options were actually useful.

And I really appreciated being able to set up my color pallette before getting started. I used this chrome extension to get the hex codes from Trello’s page and drop them into Elementor.

Adding sections and assigning a background color was a breeze - even including gradients. This was particularly important for this type of page as it’s made up of quite a few sections.

Initially, I thought I’d have trouble with background images and being able to align them properly within the section. Turns out, Elementor is kitted out with everything you need in that department.

Even the small details like rounded corners and box shadows were easy enough to implement.

Where It Fell Flat

Now onto the bad stuff and I’m really going to pick Elementor apart here because I think it’s important to understand the limitations. The first issue I encountered was aligning buttons side-by-side. I was eventually able to do it with columns, but they still didn’t sit properly in the corner.

Later on, I had a similar issue except I couldn’t even use columns to align the buttons. Turns out, you can’t create columns inside a column.

Overall, I didn’t like the ‘column’ approach when it comes to placing buttons next to each other. It just felt… wrong. Moving on. I also noticed Trello has an image that’s actually pulled off the screen. Almost like it’s cropped, but it isn’t.

I attempted to recreate this with a negative margin, but the more I negative margin I applied, the tallermy image became. After shooting the video, I did manage to get it very close by playing the margins some more, but it wasn’t as easy as I think it should be.

That said, I couldn’t replicate the bottom margin at all because there was no way to make the image slot in behind the section.

Another problem I faced (on multiple occasions) was with ‘section width’. While I could adjust the width of an entire section, I couldn’t adjust the width of individual elements within that section.

(Notice how the image below the text element is much wider) As a result, I was forced to use individual sections to house individual elements. Not ideal, but it was the only way to control width without resorting to custom CSS.

One thing I forgot to mention in the video (oops), was Trello’s sticky header. After recording, I had a stab at it and quickly realized it was a job for custom CSS. There are currently no options for fixed sections.

Finally, I had some issues with colors. I noticed my link colors were inherited by the theme, and I couldn’t find anywhere to change that in the options panel.

(You can, however, change this in the text editor on a case-by-case basis) And strangely, I noticed some background colors had shifted after revisiting the page a day later.

Animation & Content Cycling

You may have noticed that Trello’s homepage has some slightly more advanced stuff going on. Not only do some of the text and image elements fade in/out, but the content also cycles.

I didn’t include this in the main test because it’s more of a “bells and whistles” type-thing. That said, I thought it would still be a good idea to explore it. Let’s start with animation. Elementor does have some animation settings that can be applied to pretty much any Element.

In this case, the “fade down” animation would be perfect, and you can even dictate the speed. Perfect. As for content cycling, I couldn’t find a way to do it with text. At least not with the options available within Elementor. Surprisingly though, I was able to do it with images using the Elementor ‘slides’ widget. It did require a few tweaks, but it worked perfectly.

Overall, I was really impressed with what I could do here.

Is Elementor Right For You?

Now that I’ve covered all the different features and functions of Elementor, weighing up the pros and cons and giving my experience along the way -- let’s talk about YOU. As with any tool, Elementor isn’t going to be the right choice for everyone, so I want to get to the bottom of who exactly this page builder is suitable for.

Budget Bloggers

I’m just gonna come right out and say it. Elementor is a budget-bloggers wet dream. I mean, come on… it’s free.

Yes, there’s a PRO version. And yes, as I mentioned before, it does offer some useful additions. But this isn’t your usual “freemium” product. In most cases, freemium means getting access to a small slice of the pie. A slice that’s riddled with heavy, and often annoying restrictions. Elementor gives you access to MOST of the pie without taking anything significant away from the product. In my opinion, it’s 100% usable without going PRO. Does that mean you shouldn’t upgrade? Well, not quite. Like I said earlier, there are some definite advantages of the paid version, but these are things you can absolutely live without if… well...

(Sorry, I just had to throw that in there.)

Beginner Bloggers

Is Elementor suitable for beginners? Despite the slight learning curve I experienced, most likely due to being too familiar with how Thrive Content Builder works, I still think it’s a GREAT page builder for beginners. Of course, if you’ve never used a page builder before, it will take some getting used to, but I think the same can be said for any page builder with the same capabilities. There were some instances where things just didn’t make sense -- the global vs non-global templates being a good example -- but in most cases, a simple post in the Facebook group quickly cleared up my confusion. Overall, if you’re a beginner and you’re looking for a page builder that’ll give you the least amount of friction with the most amount of flexibility, Elementor is an excellent choice.

High-Level Marketers

I touched on this earlier in the review, but I’ll say it again. Elementor isn’t geared towards marketers, which means it’s inherently missing a few things that we - as marketers - might rely on from a page builder. A perfect example -- and I was saving this one to make a point here -- is the forms builder.

The builder itself works reasonably well with plenty of customization options. But it’s completely lacking integration with any of the major email marketing services. Of course, there ARE ways around it. Some people are using Zapier webhooks. Others have abandoned the forms builder altogether, in favor of third-party widgets and shortcodes. You can certainly do either of those. The question is, are you prepared to spend some time trying to plug all the holes? If not, Elementor might not be your all-in-one solution when it comes to page builders. Regardless, I still think Elementor deserves a place in your toolkit, even if it’s just for pages that are more content-driven, and less marketing oriented. If you fit into this bracket and you do decide to grab Elementor, I’d highly recommend going for PRO.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt that Elementor is one of the best , if not the best free page builder on the market. This feature-packed WordPress plugin even stands it’s ground against many premium, more established page builders, with development showing no signs of slowing. (You can see our comparison review of Elementor against other popular page builders right here.) Perhaps most interestingly, it’s the first open source page builder. And though it’s a little hard gauge it’s true potential is at this stage, I can’t help but be excited about the possibilities. As for Elementor PRO, it’s already an attractive upgrade despite being in it’s infancy, and I imagine most new features from this point forward will be exclusive to members, though only time will tell.