#i'm not actually sure how the charm works if that's been established or not ^^;

[grandline-fics]

OHHHH I GOT AN AMAZING IDEA WHAT IF READER DOESN'T GIVE ONE PIECE MEN A KISS BACK AFTER THEY KISSED READER?

DESCRIPTION: When you don’t kiss them back

WARNINGS: None. This isn’t an angst fic I promise, established relationships in everyone’s but Law’s

CHARACTERS: Shanks, Doflamingo, Law, Ace. (Doflamingo's section can be interpreted as being part of the Immune To Your Charms universe but doesn't necessarily have to be)

WORDS: 2,561

A/N: I'm back after being sick so my writing is still a bit on the rusty side! Thank you for this request and I hope you like it. I kept everything light hearted and more on the playful side with this request which works out well since today's April Fools Day. Enjoy 💕

*REQUESTS ARE OPEN*

DIRECTORY | PROMPT LIST | KO-FI

———————

SHANKS

Sometimes on the Grand Line there are moments of monotony, even for a crew as adventurous and boisterous as the Red Hair pirates. With the previous island long gone and no new island in sight for fun and entertainment in sight, you all had to find your own ways to pass the time. Lounging in one of the hammocks strung up on the deck for these long stretches of nothing you cast your sights around the Red Force, searching for inspiration. For a while nothing came to mind. Then when your gaze found your Captain and lover at the other side of the deck, you slowly smiled as an idea began to form. Shifting in the hammock, you made yourself comfortable and slowly let your eyes slide closed while you waited for your moment.  

Shanks missed you. Your watch had been the last one of the night and early hours so when he woke, your side of the bed was cold. Despite the general lack of activity as they sailed calmly he still had his duties to oversee first before completely relaxing. Finally when he ensured nothing else needed to be done, he made his way directly to where you were lounging. It was cute how peaceful you looked but there was too much space on the hammock for his liking. With a grin he slid his arm under you and effortlessly had you lifted just enough to lie down before settling you to rest against him. 

You were more than used to moments like these so you merely let Shanks adjust you both with your eyes closed and body relaxed. Shanks softly spoke your name to gently coax your mind to sharpen to focus on him. Holding back the urge to laugh you instead let out a soft hum of acknowledgement, letting him know you heard him but still you didn’t open your eyes. You didn’t need to to know the half pout beginning to pull at his lips. “Didn’t get my good morning kiss today.”

At that you finally opened you eyes and Shanks grinned broadly at you, of course that would get your attention. He leant in to get the kiss he was dying for all morning but when his lips met yours he frowned because at the very last second you’d pressed your lips into a tight line. This was not the kiss he’d been so eager for. You didn’t kiss him back. Shanks lightly narrowed his eyes to see the playful glimmer dance in yours. Immediately he knew you were only doing this to be a menace and not because he’d actually done something to deserve being denied your affection. 

Shanks chuckled softly, this was any easily remedied situation. With a confident smile firmly in place he leant in again. You eyed Shanks carefully, all too aware of what you were getting in for when you made the decision to mess with him. You remained as relaxed as possible beside Shanks as he pressed his lips against the crown of your head, then your temple. Slowly he moved precisely, placing tender kisses against your skin. He made sure to kiss your cheek, the tip of your nose, the corner of your mouth, and your jaw. But never your lips. Finally he placed a kiss against your jaw before moving his head to rest in the crook of your neck, his lips strategically near the spot you both knew was a weakness of yours. Then without warning he took a breath and blew a raspberry against your skin causing you to laugh and struggle away from the persistent ticklish feeling. “Okay, okay you win!” You grinned, pushing at his head. “You win!” 

Finally relenting, Shanks pulled back to grin at you broadly, his arm around you tightening to keep you close against him again. Closing the last amount of distance you granted Shanks his prize and kissed him deeply, smiling into it when he happily returned it. 

DOFLAMINGO

How you came to find yourself in Dressrosa’s Palace was still unexpected to you at times. Even more shocking were the circumstances that led you and Doflamingo to get together in a functioning and actually loving relationship. Something that also threw Dressrosa’s King off too on many occasions, not that he’d openly admit it. Were everyone saw the fearsome, bloodthirsty pirate, you…well you saw the bloodthirsty pirate aspect of that too. However you never feared the man, it was physically impossible to feel it. You could most certainly feel frustration with him and annoyance, you were the only one to never back down and confront him on anything he did that you didn’t agree with. More than anything though, you felt safe with him and reassured that you were literally the only person for him.

Today though you felt playfully curious, wondering just how much Doflamingo would put up with your mischief and random testing of his limits in patience. You strode casually into his office and smiled sweetly, watching Doflamingo pause in his work to sit back slightly in his seat to observe your approach. Even with his glasses hiding his eyes from view, you could read his body well enough to know he was already anticipating some sort of nonsense from you. Since it was you though, it was nonsense he welcomed and he grinned. “Now what’s brewing in that mind of yours today?”

“Can’t I grace you with my presence?” You asked with a smirk as you sat on the edge of the desk and lightly tapped your lips, a wordless request for a kiss. Knowing that wasn't all you were up to Doflamingo still grinned wider and leant forward, his lips pressed against yours. The second he noticed you didn’t reciprocate it he pulled back to regard you carefully. Innocently you blinked at him and tapped your lips again. With a dramatic sigh, Doflamingo brought his lips to yours and just like before you didn’t return the action. He pulled back to frown down at you.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you want to kiss me?” You asked, your expression still a perfect mask of false concern.

“You going to keep sitting there like a statue?” He asked with a small teasing grin. “Don’t you want me to kiss you?”

“I do but the thing is I was working out the numbers and you owe me a lot of kisses before I can kiss you back.” You explained sweetly and shrugging lightly. “Until it’s even, I can’t kiss you.”

“And how did I amass such a debt, exactly?” Doflamingo chuckled, finding this far more entertaining that reading overzealous reports from middle rank pirates under his command looking to impress him. “Since I’m King, can’t I pardon myself?”

“Won’t work with me Doffy.” You shook your head, swiftly dodging this time when he tried to claim your lips while you were speaking. Quickly you pinched his chin and stared at him with playful severity. “I need ample payment. If kisses are too simple, you can get creative to get rid of the debt.”

“Creative, huh?” Doflamingo grinned pressing a kiss against your unmoving lips. “A kiss is one. How many does a back rub take off my bill?”

“Oh a really good one is five.” You told him, you should have expected he’d find a way to enjoy this instead of get impatient or agitated. Doflamingo laughed and leaned in a confident grin shaping his lips that made you suspicious. 

“If I send Trebol on a mission?” Your eyes glinted immediately but you still didn’t take the initial offering. This was a negotiation after all. “Oh and he can’t return for at least two weeks.”

Immediately you broke out into a grin and tapped your lips once more. This time when his lips met yours, you returned it eagerly. If it meant you weren’t bothered by Trebol for a while, he could have as many as he wanted.

LAW

“Is it true that when people kiss their brains release a hormone that’s the same as when they use drugs?” You asked curiously from your spot on the sofa, looking over to watch Law pause in reading his medical notes to meet your gaze. It wasn’t rare for you to ask random questions like is. A lot of the times it was because you were genuinely curious but other times you were asking because you either wanted to fluster or toy with him in some way. Today’s question seemed to one of those days. His eyes narrowed slightly, trying to not give an outward reaction.

Subtly clearing his throat Law returned to his medical notes, focusing on the words on the paper and not on your question echoing in his mind. “Something like that.”

“So you could get addicted if you kissed someone enough times?”

“Not exactly…” Law began, tapping his foot lightly on the floor. He was about to go into the complicated biology and chemistry of it all but then you asked another question.

“Is that why you haven’t kissed me yet?” You grinned as Law all but choked on nothing. “Scared you’ll get addicted?” His widened eyes looked to you again and he was thankful no-one else was around to have heard it otherwise it would have made things more embarrassing; for them to see him begin to blush so childishly. 

Instead it was just the two of you, staying behind to watch the Polar Tang while they explored. It had been peaceful and calm, just what he wanted up until you threw your bomb of a question into the usually content atmosphere that occurred when you were together. Now he had to try and force his mind to restart, to form an actual response instead of just the blank, openmouthed floundering he was currently doing. It only made things worse to see you so thoroughly pleased with yourself, your lips curved into the proudest smile. As your Captain, he should have reprimanded you but he could only imagine finally kissing you, doing what the two of you had been dancing around for a while now; finally give in. “Wouldn’t get addicted if I kissed you.”

You shifted in your seat and pulled yourself closer to Law, eyes firmly on his face. Gently you took the forgotten medical notes from his hand and set them behind you before leaning in. “I’m willing to test the theory if you are.”

There was no backing out of the challenge now, not after he’d boldly stated he’d be fine if he kissed you. Besides he didn’t want to back down, not when he could see a hopeful shine in your eyes under the playfulness. Carefully he set his hand on your side and leant in, pressing his lips to yours only to glower when you smiled but made no further response. He pulled back to scowl at you. “The hell you call that?”

“What? We were testing if you’d get addicted if you kissed me, not the other way around.” You protested with a grin. “So did it work?”

“Idiot! Do it right this time.” Law snapped but without his usual sharpness in his tone.

“You want to kiss me again already? Sounds like you are addicted after-” Your playful taunt was cut off when Law’s lips claimed yours. It had taken all of your restraint the first time to hold back in kissing Law and there was no way you were ever going to stop yourself again. Despite all your teasing, maybe you were the one that was going to prove the theory right and be the addicted one. 

ACE

The feast was in full swing, plentiful food and drink seemingly never-ending and that was perfectly fine for you and the rest of the Whitebeard crew. You would have thought that you all would have grown tired of the partying by now but because of the close relationship of the crew it never lost its impact. Hundreds of parties and feasts in your memory and all of them feeling like it was the very first one. Tonight you and the others made yourselves comfortable in the festive environment amongst the civilians of the island town you were staying at. Letting the infectious joy heighten in you, you looked around with a smile and soon set your sights on Ace who as always was the life of an already lively party. 

Ace was surrounded by civilians and crew alike, talking animatedly and warmly. For the residents of the town you could see they felt as if they’d known the pirate for a lot longer than a mere evening but that was your boyfriend all over, able to put anyone at ease and give everyone the right amount of attention. It was something you always admired about him. In the middle of whatever he was talking about you froze when Ace suddenly met your gaze and pointed you out with a broad grin. The civilians looked to you excitedly while the rest of the crew in earshot rolled their eyes in amusement; most likely having heard this story for many times before. You offered them a smile and small wave before getting pulled into your own conversation again.

It wasn’t long before you heard hurried footsteps sound from behind you. You turned and were pulled immediately into a kiss by Ace. You reacted against your initial instinct and kept your mouth firmly closed. It hadn’t been your intention to not kiss Ace back and when he pulled back with a pout you swiftly grabbed his hand. Quickly you swallowed the mouthful of food you’d been eating before your boyfriend appeared. “Sorry, that was just really bad timing.”

“It’s never bad timing though if I get to kiss you though.”

“That’s sweet but it is bad timing if I’ve got a mouth full of food, Ace.” You argued with a laugh only to roll your eyes when Ace grinned and shook his head.

“Still not seeing a downside to the scenario. Two of my favourite things right there; food and you.”

“You’re so weird.” You laughed while Ace grinned down at you, wrapping his arms around your waist and hugging you tightly.

“And you love me for it.”

“Sadly that’s true. I’m madly in love with every part of you, including your food obsession.” You smiled and leaned further into the comforting embrace you were in. At this time of the evening, when he’d had his fill of food and drink Ace became more affectionate and clingier than usual. As long as he was in touching range of you by this time he was happy to continue the feasts and parties for another handful of hours. Reaching up you adjusted Ace’s hat so you could see more of his face and pulled him closer, pressing a kiss to his lips in silent apology for your unintentional rejection. Then you brought him into a second, deeper kiss, only pulling back when your attentions were grabbed by some of the civilians calling for Ace to tell them another story. You sighed slightly and pulled back, remaining securely in his arms. As fun as the feasts and parties were, you couldn’t wait to get back onto the ship and set sail again since it meant less people would be vying for Ace’s attention and you’d get him all to yourself again.

——————————————-

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[cryptfile]

⋆౨ৎ˚ ࣪ over the moon [ benedict bridgerton x wife!reader ]

summary — based on a request but went slightly off with it aka when your husband starts to stay up painting till late you start plotting a good plan to make him go to bed with you and actually rest instead.

warnings — pure fluff, since the rumors of sophie being latina sparked, personally went crazy with the information so it’s implied that reader is latina also, mentions of sex (nothing explicit,,, implied as part of a establish relationship).

side notes — English is not my first language, so if you find any mistakes i’m sorry in advance. this is for my latin girlies out here reading in tumblr, working extra hard to translate your works to bring new content to the page, tkm <3 reblogs, comments and likes are much appreciated,,,as brittany broski once said: i'm a benedict bridgerton believer, i'm a benedict bridgerton ally.

You really didn’t know what you were getting into when you accepted Benedict’s marriage proposal.

Nobody told you that loving an artist is a tricky thing, cause while you’re always giving Ben’s new ideas, you hate him at the same time when he’s at the art studio until late, painting as if the absence of light it’s not enough to separate him from the canvas.

God, it just drives you crazy. He lacks of a schedule so he’s able to keep on painting till the rays of light start to appear again in the window he leaves opened all night long, and you’re afraid he’s going to catch a cold if he continues with his bad habits.

It suddenly hits him, that inspiration he ends up being the victim of, kissing you quickly as he escapes so fast you aren’t able to say anything when he disappears leaving you alone, you tolerate it at first, but the second? The third? He's just testing your patience at this point.

Your marriage has never been a troubled one, your husband does not make you mad most of the time and you enjoy being in love, those little things that made your heart skip a beat. You enjoy talking to him at night, spend your day in his art room as he encourages you to keep on writing that mystery book you're so into lately, bickering about how unfair life is for women your age — Hell, woman of all ages.

You love the sound of his laugh when he's careless about everything else, when he admits he doesn't want to go that night's party cause he just wants to stay home and fuck you senseless, his way of seeing art and explain it to you as something totally opposite as what you really think it is.

Thing is, you choose to marry Benedict Bridgerton cause you're indeed, head over heels with him. You've fall for the charming smile and sassy attitude that made you finally settle after years of being called a spinster. He finds the way to intrude the walls of the maze that was your heart and managed to plant a flag in the middle of it when you're confident enough to talk to him, let alone be seen in public after all the rumors you've heard that he was looking for a wife that season.

Even when you try to avoid him, he makes you fall in no time, following you around like a lost puppy, going to your house to spend time with your family, convincing everyone he's desperate to try the food your nana makes, cause you've talked about how good it taste all the time.

It's almost like he tricked you into make you love him, to have you between the brushes dipped in a funny smell water. He has you hooked by the first months and soon after? God, he has no education when he makes you love him, how he obliges you to stain yourself with all the things he was his daily life mixed with yours functioning so well.

It's a thorn nailed in the palm of your hand, those moments of privacy when the moon evolves you and your lover completely that are now being taken away. It's selfish, surely it's something childish so you don't want to say anything to your friends, or even Daphne Basset when she visits you to have an afternoon of tea free from her kids, asking you about how everything's going days before you came up with this great idea.

You can take the matter by your hands, that's why the next time Benedict's painting at midnight your mind works like a machine.

After all the time together you happen to know him more than you know yourself, the things he enjoys what he dislikes the most — So it's not very hard to plot against your husband.

Benedict doesn't seem to hear you when you silently glide through the half-open door, unaware as the light of the candle lights is not enough to illuminate the whole room, the fire he kept close to the canvas he was currently working on. He looks handsome all concentrated. His brows furrowed as he takes the pigments with his bare hands and mix them in his wood palette to get that exact color he was looking for. A shade of pink for a piece he hasn't shown you officially yet.

"What are you doing up so late?" you ask coyly when you are close to him, hearing how his breath hitched for a second before noticing it's you, your hands coming from behind just to intrude in his space close to the easel. He's taller than you, but it doesn't stop you from standing in your tiptoes, pressing your cheek against the crook of his neck as you hugged him.

You cannot hide that you're tired. You lost the track of time when you got out of bed, so when you have your husband close and finally smell that nice and subtle aroma he carries with him, you relax in his back, the sound of his heartbeat loud against your ear.

"You scared me for a second," he says with a grin, muscles relaxing under your touch. "Didn't hear you coming in."

He has dry paint on his neck, so while you're cleaning his skin with one hand, he leans into you, back pressed against your chest seeking for your warmth, that contact he always seems to enjoy, your attention in all the ways he can get it.

“Bed’s cold without you” you say, fingers on his recently trimmed hair. "Done waiting for'you."

He has the nerve to laugh at your words, slowly at first, the sound of it making your skin shiver. He's going to defend his choices, you know it, and you hate how much you enjoy it, the way he always seems to find an excuse making you totally offended as you retort something equally ridiculous.

"Just thirty more minutes I promise," he says pressing a kiss in the palm of your hand he so gently grabs. "If you stay with me like this, can do the work in twenty."

"You can fool anyone else with that Ben, not buying it" to be honest, you're just trying to contradict everything he says, far from what you thought doing first when you plotted against him. "You said the same last week, amor. Not falling for any more lies."

"Not falling huh?" he asks, lowering the wood palette to look at you, his eyes meeting yours when you're so comfortable pressing your chin on his shoulder, looking at the painting he was doing — "You've learned the lesson then?"

"Twenty more minutes mean an hour in Benedict's language," he's the one that's now offended when his mouth opens in disbelief "Turns out I know my husband, and we both know that’s way more than twenty minutes.”

He loves it. It’s almost a secret, but he loves how you demand his company, the way you don’t fold against anything and you stand for what you believe. He loves how you claim to know him, your lavender smell filling every single space available in the room as he smiles happily in response. He was so unsure of marrying you at first, but now he doesn’t know what his life would look like without you in the picture.

“Ah, I’m guilty as charge” he says, his own hand going to his chest like it saddens him to hear you talk like that. “Thought you wanted me to paint more.”

You've been encouraging him to show his art to more people, a small gallery that displayed his talent, but that’s using your words for his advantage.

“You little bastard, that’s unfair coming from you.”

“Woah woah, you kiss your mother with that mouth?”

“Kiss you even” you stick your tongue out, and he’s suddenly turning you around to place a kiss in your forehead, making you move in front of him instead — “You wouldn’t even imagine.”

Benedict’s a romantic. A poet at heart, so he doesn’t let any opportunity slip to show his affection, his infinite devotion to you. His heart flutters in his chest and suddenly he’s kissing you, staining your white nightgown with the fresh paint of his hands and not caring about it at the slightest. Kisses you like he missed you, like he didn’t see you the whole day when in reality you’ve spent all day in the same house, baking cookies cause you’ve suffered from a burst of love to the kitchen.

“You’re not convincing me” you say between kisses, hands pressing you closer to him. “I’m not leaving this room without you.”

He chuckles at your words — “Not even ten minutes?”

He’s devastatingly handsome in a way that makes you stare at him, wonder what you did to make him so interested in you, so attracted to the point he has to marry you.

"No Bridgerton. Ni diez minutos." To be honest, the accent just makes him go weak at the spot. It's pathetic, but he cannot help it, his brain melts at the sound of your voice, even if he doesn't understand much of what you're saying. "Let's go to bed."

You know it's a weapon, your lips are on his face, and he forgets about everything else: How he's supposed to continue on working when your lips are kissing every inch of his face? Seems like an impossible task now that his hands are on your waist and all he can notice are your pink lips, how you're looking at him through half-lidded eyes cause you're sleepy, an smile that eclipses the rest.

Benedict's no longer worried of his painting. Hell, he cannot seem to remember what shade of pink he was so invested in finding before, but he don't care at all when he's the one now leaning in, kissing you with fervent love as he traces the outline of your lips, almost asking for permission to invade you before deepening the contact, tangling his fingers in the strands of your hair cause he simply cannot get enough from you.

"Take me to bed then, my beautiful wife."

He does not protest next. He loves every second of it, the slight force, your gentle touch when your guiding him through the cottage you two share in Wiltshire, the goosebumps in his own skin when you managed to get what you want.

You win. It's a war that Benedict never intended to win, a disaster he knew it would end up with the result of him leaving his work half done cause he cannot resist to the idea of being tangled with you in such an intimate way. He sleeps so well with you on his arms, burying his head on your hair as he relaxes beneath the sheets, the contact of your skin enough to make him have the best night sleep.

Can he resist it? He's neck deep. Talked about it with his brothers before, drinking too much as the words slurred together and he admits how you got him wrapped around your finger, so in love he would do anything to please you, let alone have your full attention — They surely made fun of him, but is it his fault? Being so in love with his wife?

"Can't say no to you," he says defeated "You know it."

In the privacy of the room you two share, you're washing his hands with a wet cloth, preventing him from getting the sheets dirty before pulling his linen shirt to the floor. It's so quickly, he don't seem to realize what you're doing until he's already in bed, covered with the thick duvet as he searches for you.

He realizes now he should have listened to you before, cause his back is surely happy now that he's able to rest, the weariness of being standing so many hours now falling over him as his eyes began to close by themselves.

"When are you going to stop working so late?" You ask, pressing your cheek against his chest as you hugged him, getting closer to him even when you stole more than half of the bed in the process. The second son of the Bridgerton family does not say anything about it, but instead, enjoys how needy you are of his touch, how you want him around.

"Inspiration always come late, angel" he tries to defend himself as you rolled your eyes. “Maybe it’s a curse.”

"Then i’m afraid i’ll have to drag you to bed every night," you protest. "Cause i'm not letting you stay all night in that studio, crazy man."

"Miss me too much in bed?"

"Hm, what if I do?"

"Cannot blame you," Benedict admits later, using the only traces of force he has left to caress your hair, fingertips against your scalp in a gentle massage. "I'm always missing you when you're not around."

Your heart skips a beat: How could you not be head over heels with this man? He always find the right words, what to say exactly.

Gently, your face come up to press a soft kiss against his lips, a quick one that’s not enough for Benedict when he makes you stay in the same position as he steals a much longer one.

Life is simple with him by your side, you know it cause you might as well be over the moon when you’re alone with Benedict Bridgerton.

Every. single. day.

my masterlist.

[undressrehearsal]

a bite of luxury

part 1

summary: you decide to look for a sugar mommy and stumble across this strange girl that seems to have more to hide

tags: sugarmommy!ellie, rich!ellie, vampire!ellie (yep, we got it all) alcohol, reader is poor lmao, reader uses she/her and is referred to as a girl once or twice, no smut in this one sorry gotta establish the world first

word count: ~8k

a/n: it's been so long since i posted a fic lol working full time and trying to finish my book is killing my schedule BUT i hope y'all like this this was my fiancee's idea and i'm running with it i got a LOT of plans for this one - plans i think y'all are gonna love

also the drawing in the cover is made by @nramv seriously go check out their work they're so talented!!

if you wanna be added to my tag list just lmk!

part 2

You hadn’t been searching for a sugar mommy. 

Truthfully, when your best friend had sent you the link, you had dismissed it immediately. She had been joking about it for months, talking about how much easier it would be if you just found a nice older woman to take care of you. You hadn’t even opened the link - you only rolled your eyes, replied with a middle finger emoji, and left it at that. 

And yet things kept piling up. The stack of bills on your kitchen counter was growing to a concerning height, a mountain of unanswered responsibilities that was getting harder to ignore. Your landlord kept calling you - you no longer answered, just watched the phone ring until it finally stopped and ignored the increasingly angrier voicemails. Your apartment was an absolute disaster; you could never be bothered to clean it, because by the time you got home from working both of your jobs, you only had enough energy to eat a bowl of leftovers and promptly pass out in bed. 

The link kept popping up in your mind, each bill in your mailbox a gentle reminder. You found yourself scrolling all the way up the text chain to find it again during sleepless nights. So many times you would only stare at it, your thumb hovering over the blue letters, before you closed the chat and threw your phone down. 

It was stupid, of course. But as time went on, the idea of letting yourself get buried alive under a mountain of debt - of getting evicted from your apartment and having to crash on your friend’s couch - seemed all the more stupid. 

So, late on a Thursday night, after you had had another anxiety attack staring down at your bank account, you went back up the text chain, and you clicked the link. 

www.seeking.com

It didn't take long for the messages to start coming in. You should have been flattered, honestly - you had at least a handful of people in your messages practically begging you for the honor of paying your fucking rent - but you really just felt like you were playing a part that you hadn't even read the script for. You had curated your profile with all the things that made you appear more cultured than you actually were: going to museums and pondering over Baroque art and reading poetry over a pretentious cup of coffee. Sure, these were all things you had done - you had photo proof, after all - but somehow you didn't recognize yourself. It felt like you were looking at pictures of a stranger living a life you wanted but couldn't reach. 

Most people were fine - charming, even. You got maybe one or two that felt like they would lure you into their sex dungeon to murder you, but that was expected with any dating site. You even went on a few dates, scrounging up the nicest dress you owned and getting pampered at a five-star restaurant or going for a ride on an older woman’s personal yacht. One person even took you for a helicopter ride, which was fun but she was a little too handsy on the first date to warrant a second. 

One name kept popping up though, a name that was becoming far too familiar in your notifications. 

ellie: meet me at 8 <3 

When she first messaged you, you had thought she was like you: somebody searching for a partner to pay their bills. Her pictures didn't exactly scream sugar mommy material. Her first picture was just a normal selfie taken outside; she wore a worn out leather jacket, her short hair tangled from the wind and green eyes squinting in the sunlight. She had stupid pictures of mushrooms and candid shots of her browsing a science museum, looking far too excited in front of a t-rex skeleton. Hell, in most of her pictures she looked like she was wearing clothes she had found at a thrift store.

You had thought she was like you, until she sent you a picture inside her fucking Rolls-Royce. 

“Fuck,” you audibly cursed into the quiet of your room. You had been talking for a few days, and she had begun to do that - sending you small selfies throughout the day. In the last one, she had taken a picture in front of the mirror at the gym, flicking off the camera, her lean muscles glistening with sweat. Before that, it had been a blurry picture of her dog, Riley - a huge German Shephard - splayed on her back at a park, leaves stuck in her fur. 

So, yeah, when you found out Ellie was not only rich, but rich enough to casually have a Royce, you were more than a little surprised. 

The selfie was cute, you couldn’t deny that. Her hair was wind-swept, catching in those long ass eyelashes. Ellie’s nose was scrunched up, freckles popping against her cheeks, holding up a peace sign. 

She was fucking adorable and you already knew it. But seeing her worn out leather jacket and messy hair against black and white leather seats that looked like they, alone, cost more than your entire apartment complex combined - it was a little jarring. 

And when she asked you out on a date soon after - after finding out she wasn’t Iike you but rather searching for someone like you - how could you say no? 

Ellie offered to pick you up - like a gentleman, she had said - but frankly, you weren’t quite convinced yet that she wasn’t some blood-thirsty pervert trying to lure you into her dungeon, so you politely declined. Instead, in your nicest dress and heels you hardly wore because they pinched your toes, you called an Uber. 

You had never been to this side of town. You had plugged in the address Ellie gave you - had double and triple checked it while your awkwardly chatty Uber driver tried asking you about what you do for a living - but the streets here were so unfamiliar you may as well have been in another city. You looked at the foreign buildings rising up around you, large windows giving you a glimpse of the life inside them. People were sitting outside in the chilly air, laughing over wine and dinner. Looking at them - with perfectly sculpted hair and clothes you would have to spend several entire paychecks on - you felt like a cheap impersonator dressed up in a costume. 

The Uber pulled up in front of a hotel, and your heart stopped. Surely, this wasn’t where Ellie had sent you - leading you to some fucking hotel room when you hadn’t even met yet? 

You turned to the driver, your home address at the edge of your tongue, when the car door opened. 

You had practically been leaning against the door to peer out the window, and nearly lost your balance when it was suddenly gone without warning. You looked up, ready to yell at whatever pretentious prick in Prada was trying to fuck with you - but your voice died in your throat. 

Ellie was shorter than you thought she'd be, honestly. In all her pictures, she had this commanding energy, like she would tower over you in person. 

Which, to be fair, she was. She had her arm propped on the doorframe above your head, leaning over so she could meet your eyes. Her hair was pushed back from her face, a few stray strands falling over her forehead, and she was looking at you with an intensity that hadn't quite translated through her pictures.

Ellie smiled - that adorably crooked smile you had seen in all her selfies - and said, “Hi.” 

And the only word you were able to get your mouth to form was, “Fuck.” 

Ellie blinked at you for a moment - long enough that you could feel the flush creeping up your neck and were ready to walk home if you had to - before she finally laughed. That wasn’t like what you had expected either; she had this deep, rough laugh, almost like she was trying to hold it in. 

She looked up at you through her lashes - you tried to ignore the way your heart inexplicably skipped - and said, “I’ll take that as a compliment?” Her voice tilted up at the end like it was a question. Ellie ducked her head down further, looking past you to meet the driver’s eyes, and pulled cash from her back pocket. With her most charming smile, she handed it to the driver and said, “Thanks for getting her here safe.” 

You didn’t see how much money she gave him, but after she took your hand and guided you out of the car, you turned back just in time to see his grin before he sped off. 

“Thanks for coming out.” You looked back at Ellie and found yourself speechless once again. (You, thankfully, were able to hold in the expletive this time.) The worn out jacket that had featured in just about all of her pictures was missing, replaced instead by a pristine, white satin shirt, the top few buttons undone to expose a sliver of collarbone and a gold chain beneath. Despite the chill in the air, she had a classy black jacket hanging from her arm as though it were an accessory. Ellie smiled and looked down, licking her lips before saying, “You’re quite the sight for sore eyes.”

You tried to smile at her but found that your eyes kept flitting behind her, looking at the looming monstrosity of the hotel. It was a nice hotel - the kind that had a huge fountain right in front of it and a chandelier in the lobby that sparkled through the window - but it was a hotel nonetheless. Despite the set in your jaw, traitorous tears stung the corners of your eyes; you wanted to kick yourself for actually thinking that Ellie might be different. 

Ellie followed your gaze over her shoulder, her smile dropping, before she quickly turned back to you with panic in her eyes. She stumbled over her words as though her tongue weren’t cooperating: “Shit, I’m sorry, this looks really bad doesn't it?” She grimaced and squeezed your hand she was still holding, scratching awkwardly at the back of her head with the other. “Fuck, this isn’t the first impression I wanted. I could promise it's not what it looks like, but maybe it'd be better if I just showed you?”

You honestly did think about telling her to fuck off. She was a complete fucking stranger that you only really knew from a dating app, and she was trying to lure you into a hotel in a part of town you were unfamiliar with - really, only an idiot would follow her. 

But she was looking at you with wide green eyes, the lights around you shining back like stars. While searching for the constellations, you found yourself saying, “Okay.” You blinked, pulled from a trance, and added, “But you should know, I do have a taser in my bag.” 

That pulled a shocked laugh from Ellie’s lips. She gently tugged on your hand, pulling you towards the door, and said, “Smart girl.” 

You knew that the hotel was outside of your price range because a perfectly groomed doorman opened the door for you, waving you inside with a gloved hand. You didn’t take much time to process the interior - the chandelier was just as grand as it had seemed from outside and elaborate columns rose to the ceiling - because Elllie was pulling you towards the elevators. It was like she wanted to ignore the fact that she had brought you to a hotel at all. You couldn’t decide if that was reassuring. 

In the empty elevator, you gently drew your hand back and leaned against the wall opposite her. You tried to ignore looking at the way her pinstripe slacks hugged the curves of her thighs, the fabric straining when she propped one booted foot on the wall behind her. 

“So,” you started in a desperate attempt to fill the awkward silence, “if you’re not leading me into a seedy hotel room on the first date, then what are we doing?” 

“Okay, one,” Ellie said, chuckling, “this is anything but a seedy hotel. And two, what kind of a date would it be if I ruined the surprise?” 

“And what if I don’t like surprises?” you countered. 

Ellie grinned. “I think you’ll like this one.” 

When the elevator doors opened, Ellie held her hand out to you as though it were a question. You hesitated for only a moment before placing your hand back in hers and letting her lead you out into open air. 

You nearly choked on a gasp. 

The bar itself was beautiful - fairy lights stretched above your head, twinkling like stars and casting the rooftop in a warm glow. Wooden tables and plush couches were spread artfully around the space, far enough apart to provide the patrons scattered about with some privacy. 

The bar was beautiful - but the view was fucking breathtaking. 

The city stretched out beyond the railings, open in a way you had never seen before. The skyline rose around you, each building shining like its own little galaxy amidst a sea of stars. The city lights blocked out the actual stars - a fact that never failed to piss you off - but you could see the crescent of the moon rising over the city, casting a quiet glow like a veil. 

You looked back at Ellie, and whatever your face held made her grin. She leaned in just enough so that her murmur was for your ears only: “So, was I right?” 

You blinked, momentarily distracted by her proximity - she smelled intoxicating, spicy and warm with a hint of tobacco beneath - before you finally said, “What?” 

Ellie snorted, breaking whatever spell she had put you under. “The surprise,” she said, leaning away enough for your head to clear. “Was I right?” 

You bit the inside of your cheek, pursing your lips as though you had to think about it. You couldn’t take your eyes away from the skyline stretched before you. 

You finally said, “That depends on how good the drinks are.” 

When Ellie laughed, her eyes crinkled in the corners, her nose scrunching. It was a full, rich sound, hanging in the air above your head like helium. It made something in your chest tighten, and you wanted nothing more than to hear it again. 

She squeezed your hand, a twinkle in her eye, and said, “The old-fashioned's to die for.” 

You pursed your lips again to hide your smile.

Ellie didn’t bother checking in with the host, simply shot her a smile and a wave as you walked by - you tried to bite back a giggle when you saw the host’s face turn red, her eyes tracking Ellie as she led you to a table right along the edge of the railing. She pulled the chair out for you - “Such a gentleman,” you laughed - before taking the seat opposite you.

As she waved over a waiter, you took a moment to lean your head over the railing. It was made entirely of glass, giving you a clear view of the city below. You could hear the distant sound of traffic, cars racing below you like shiny beetles, but it was like it was coming from a different world altogether. Everything seemed impossibly, wonderfully small from up here. 

You looked up at the sound of your name to find a groomed waiter wearing a fucking waistcoat standing before you. Ellie was looking at you with laughter in her eyes, her lips twitching. 

“Shit, sorry,” you said, immediately flinching at your own curse. You suddenly couldn’t remember the proper etiquette in a fancy bar, feeling out of place and underdressed even in your nicest outfit. You looked between Ellie and the waiter, wracking your brain for any kind of drink that wasn’t a trashy cocktail you’d find at a dive bar. 

Seeing you floundering, Ellie gave you a reassuring smile and said, “Do you like wine?” 

Relief washed over you as you nodded. Turning back to the waiter, Ellie ordered something that you couldn’t even hope to pronounce, charm lifting the corner of her mouth. She spoke to the waiter with the steady ease of familiarity, laughing at some inside joke; you briefly wondered just how often Ellie came to this bar. Surely, a nice place like this - at the very precipice of the world, looking down at the stars - wouldn’t be a regular stop on anyone’s schedule, but Ellie and the staff spoke like old friends. 

When the waiter left, tussling Ellie’s hair playfully, she turned back to you and the awkwardness of a first date finally set in. Sure, you had been texting Ellie every day for a week now, but you still hardly knew the girl. You knew she liked mushrooms and hiking. You knew that most of her clothes were from the thrift store even though she could afford any designer brand she wanted. You knew her favorite video game was Dishonored. But nothing you knew was enough for a relationship. 

But you weren't exactly looking for love, were you? 

After a moment of silence, Ellie cleared her throat, looking out over the city. “It's nice out here.” 

You snorted before you could stop yourself, covering your mouth; it didn't cover the laughter in your eyes. You said, “You're really talking to me about the weather?”

Ellie opened her mouth, an indignant sparkle to her eye, before shutting it again. It was like she was malfunctioning, opening and closing her mouth yet no sound came out. She furrowed her brows, looking at you as though you were something new and interesting, before finally chuckling, looking away. “Yeah, I-I guess I am.” When she looked back up at you, her eyes were surprisingly sheepish. “Not making a great first impression, am I?”

You couldn't stop the smile that crept up to your eyes. You leaned closer, propping your chin in your hand, and said, “I think you're doing okay so far.” 

Ellie laughed that wondrous laugh again, her nose scrunching up, and the cord in your shoulders loosened. 

“Okay,” she sighed, her eyes still alight with residual laughter. “Okay, damn. Tell me about yourself.” 

“Well now this just sounds like a job interview.” 

Ellie threw her hands up in mock frustration, trying to stifle her own grin. “Okay, fuck, knock me down again! You're obviously an expert, so show me how it's done.” 

She leaned back and crossed her arms, looking at you expectantly, and it was the perfect moment for your drinks to arrive. Ellie did, in fact, order an old-fashioned. The waiter set two wine glasses on the table, producing a bottle seemingly from thin air. He held it out, explaining to you in rehearsed prose the year, acidity, and complexity in words that passed straight through you. You nodded along even as you didn't process a single word he said. 

When he left, you turned back to Ellie and said, “How did you find this place?” 

Ellie took a sip of her drink. The lights of the city danced in the amber glass. “Just an old haunt of mine, I guess.” 

You took a sip of the wine, taking the distraction. It was warm on your tongue, tasting of wood and fruit and something spicy just underneath. The wine you usually drank was the stuff you could find in your nearest grocery store, often tasting concerningly like bug spray and bought with whatever tips you had managed to scrape together from work. It was usually shared with a friend on your kitchen floor, the walls and thoughts spinning over your head. 

You much preferred wine like this: The taste of warmth and fire on your tongue, the cool air brushing your shoulders at the edge of the sky, and a beautiful person sitting across from you.

When Ellie lowered her glass, you could see amber droplets of whiskey clinging to her lips before her tongue darted out to catch them. You tore your eyes away, but her smile said that she had caught you staring. A chill ran up your spine that you were sure was just from the cold. 

Seeing you shiver, Ellie wordless reached behind her where she had tossed her jacket over the back of her chair. Standing, she rounded the table only for a moment, only long enough to place the coat over your shoulders. Her hands lingered there for a second too long before she retreated, sliding back into her seat as though she had never moved. 

“So, why are you here?” she finally said. 

You pulled the jacket around your shoulders, distracted by the smell of it. The same smell that must be her perfume clung to it, spiced and warm like an open fire, but something else clung to the fabric too. It was strangely metallic, sharp and intoxicating, and you couldn’t quite put your finger on it. It was shockingly warm against your skin. 

“I’m here,” you said, raising a brow and ignoring her real question, “because you sent me this address and told me to meet you here at eight wearing my nicest dress.” 

The corner of Ellie’s lips quirked, a grin she was trying to hide. She clasped her hands, leaning across the table so you could smell the whiskey on her breath. “And you agreed to meet a stranger at a seedy hotel,” she murmured, mocking your remark from earlier. Her grin revealed itself when your cheeks flushed. “But why are you here - what are you seeking?” 

You huffed out a laugh, shaking your head. “That’s kind of a dumb question, don’t you think? It’s pretty obvious why I’m on the app.” You cocked your head, leaning across the table, feeling a strange thrill when her eyes flashed. Your heart fluttered at the proximity, and you couldn’t remember when you had become so easily starstruck. “The real question, Ellie, is why are you?“ 

Ellie’s eyes darkened, and you weren’t sure if you just imagined her eyes flicking down to your lips. She looked back up at you through her lashes, her voice rough when she said, “That’s a third date kind of question.” 

Your eyebrows shot up. “What makes you so sure you’ll get a third date?” 

Ellie tilted her head, a slow smile pulling at her lips, and said, “Call it a hunch.” 

The waiter came to check on you, appearing at your shoulder like a ghost. You hastily retreated, leaning back in your chair as though the electricity in the air had shocked you, and took a sip of wine that was more than a little overzealous. You tried to choke it down as Ellie waved the waiter away with that heartstopping crooked smile. What happened to you? Since when were you so easily charmed by freckles, green eyes, and smart-ass comments? You couldn't remember the last time you had been so infatuated during a normal date, let alone one with these kinds of strings attached. 

“So you don't want to be in an interview,” Ellie said once the waiter was out of earshot. “I guess all my typical getting to know you conversations are out of the question.” 

“I didn't say that,” you countered, your throat still burning from your accidental wine waterboarding. “But come on - what girl are you going to impress by asking her questions like ‘Tell me about yourself,’ or ‘Why are you here?’ or ‘Why are you more qualified for this position?’”

“Okay, okay, goddamn,” she said, laughing. Grabbing the wine bottle, she looked at you for permission before pouring you another glass.

You brought the glass up to your lips, taking a sip to hide your smile. The flush in your cheeks was surely from the wine and nothing else. “What about you?” 

“What about me?” 

“I hardly know you.” On one hand, that felt entirely untrue - but especially after this recent discovery, you really knew nothing about this girl. “Tell me about you.” 

Ellie laughed that same rough laugh and your heart jumped. “Oh, so you're allowed to be the interviewer.” 

You nodded, twirling the glass between your fingers and looking at her expectantly. 

After a moment, Ellie rolled her eyes and ran a hand through her hair, but you could see the humor in her eyes. She downed the last of her old-fashioned and, like a good sport, said, “What do you want to know?”

Turns out, there was a lot to know - more than a simple dating app would tell you. Ellie had an older sister, Sarah, who lived in Dallas. Her dog was named after her childhood best friend. Her jacket wasn't thrifted after all, but had been her dad's. Speaking of which, she used to go hunting with him every season (“I haven't been in years, though,” she said, her eyes distant). On the weekends, she'd go to antique stores to look for art and trinkets to fill her house - her favorite antiques were from the 17th century. She hated horror movies and was a sucker for a good romance. 

In return, you caved and answered her pressing questions. You told her about your best friend - Ellie laughed when you told her that your friend had sent you the link to the app in the first place. You told her about your favorite show that you binge-watched whenever you felt like you were spiraling. You did not tell her about your apartment that was probably the size of her closet or the fact that you'd have to watch your budget after taking the Uber tonight, not to mention the extra $30 Uber to get home later. You did tell her about your family, and a strange, unexplained sadness crept into the creases around her mouth. You did tell her about your job, but didn't mention the second one you worked to afford groceries. You told her you were hoping for a real, human connection, yet didn't mention that you couldn’t imagine finding it in a fucking sugar mommy. 

All too soon, the wine bottle was empty and your chest was comfortingly warm. The lights strung across the bar danced above your head like fuzzy stars, and Ellie's smile was the brightest amongst them. Her glass was still empty, her wine glass dry, and yet her eyes told you she was intoxicated by something far stronger. 

“Sorry,” you said, giggling despite yourself. “I didn't mean to drink it all.” 

“Don't worry about it, darling,” she said, her voice silky smooth, reminding you of melted chocolate sliding down your throat. She tilted her glass, letting the remnants of melting ice clink against the side. “I wanted to make sure I could drive home okay.” 

The waiter arrived then, pulling the bill from his pocket and handing it to Ellie. You couldn't read the number upside down, not through the haze of the wine, but the number of digits made your stomach clench. Ellie dropped a black card into the folder and handed it back to the waiter. 

“How much do you want me to Venmo you?” you asked when she turned back to you. You clenched your hands in the hem of your dress, already calculating the extra shift you'd have to pick up to afford it. 

Ellie tilted her head, her brows furrowed. “Nothing,” she said, as though it were obvious. 

“That wasn't exactly a cheap bottle, Ellie,” you laughed. “Let me give you something.” 

Ellie hummed, propping her chin in her hand and looking at you with those same intense eyes; it sent a dangerous shiver down your spine. “I like when you say my name.”

You blinked at her. “Excuse me.” 

“I want to hear it again. That's how you can repay me.”

You rolled your eyes. “Ellie, I-” 

“Okay, now we're even,” she interrupted, smiling that crooked grin that you had started to crave. The waiter returned with her card and Ellie produced cash from her pocket, handing it to the waiter directly. He thanked her profusely before making his exit, grinning. When Ellie looked at you again, you were still watching her expectantly, dumbfounded. She finally rolled her eyes. “Seriously, what kind of date would I be if I made you pay?”

“You're not making me, I'm offering.” 

“And I'm saying no.” Ellie stood, straightening her shirt; when she tugged at it, the collar fell a bit, exposing sharp collarbones beneath. 

Rounding the table, she offered a hand to you, pulling you gently to your feet. You pulled her jacket tighter around yourself, knowing you needed to give it back yet unwilling to part with it just yet. 

Taking your arm, Ellie leaned in close enough that your breath caught in your throat and said, “I know why I found you on Seeking, okay? So, if it's alright with you, let me spoil you. Even if that just means one bottle of wine.” 

You laughed, but it sounded breathy even to your own ringing ears. “One very expensive bottle of wine.”

Ellie shrugged, a sparkle in her eye. “It's a small price to pay for your company.”

You were silent in the elevator, but you held on to her arm as though afraid to let go. You couldn't figure out why, but something in you urgently wanted nothing more than to be close to her. You couldn't remember the last time you had felt such a pull from somebody. 

Back on the street, the lights of the city seemed so much brighter than they had before. Ellie released your arm, turning to face you, and there was a strange pinch between her brows that you couldn't translate. 

“Do you want me to call you an Uber, or do you want me to take you home?” she asked, and your brain short-circuited. When you could do nothing but stammer, tripping over your own tongue, Ellie laughed. There was no mockery behind it, only quiet, bright amusement. “I meant I can drive you to your apartment so you don't have to drunkenly sit in an awkward Uber that smells sickeningly sweet and the driver tries to make mind-numbing small talk.” 

Your sigh of relief came out more like a laugh. 

Ellie tilted her head and stepped closer to you, her hand reaching out to graze your fingers, and that sigh was sucked right back into your lungs. Being so close to her made your head spin. Her breath fanned against your cheeks, smelling of warm whiskey, when she said, “Unless you want to come to my place?”

It had the uncertain tilt of a question, and Ellie wouldn't quite meet your eyes. 

“We don't have to do anything,” she continued in a rush. She scratched anxiously at the back of her head, a nervous laugh slipping between her lips. “We can just sit and talk more. Or watch a movie - my dad had this huge collection. I'm not gonna - You know, I'm not going to do anything you don't want.” She finally interrupted herself with a groan, rubbing a hand over her eyes. “Fuck, sorry, I wanted it to sound more suave than this.” 

And you would be a fucking idiot to go home with this impossible stranger. You had been taught better - never get into a stranger's car, and for the love of God, never let them take you to a second location. You could let her take you back to your apartment at least - you were admittedly incredibly tipsy and didn't particularly want to endure another ride with an annoyingly talkative Uber driver. You could go home, back to your claustrophobic, quiet apartment, and maybe - maybe - text  Ellie about setting up a second date. 

You were not stupid enough to go home with somebody on the first date. 

Except clearly you were, because you took the hand that was still grazing your fingers and looked up at Ellie - the contours of her face were shockingly etched with insecurity. And your dumb mouth said, of its own volition, “Okay.”

You had expected something flashy, like what a wealthy person would own in a movie - like a penthouse overlooking the city with too-white walls and electric guitars hanging, unused, on the walls. Maybe she had walls completely made of windows so it felt like you were on a pedestal overlooking the world. 

You hadn't expected a house that was older than your great-grandparents. 

When Ellie pulled into the driveway, you were sure she was just pulling in someplace to turn around, that she had missed her turn somewhere. But she put her stupidly-expensive car into park and killed the engine, shooting you an awkward glance. 

“Sorry,” she said, chuckling. “I know it’s not much.” 

You could only look at her incredulously, speechless, before looking back up at the house before you. You couldn’t even call it a house really - estate would be more fitting. Maybe mansion. Fuck, her house was the size of your apartment complex. It towered over you, three stories of intricate woodwork, warm brown beams wrapping around the structure like an elaborate skeleton. With beautiful eaves winding around the roof and an entire turret reaching for the moon, it looked like something that had stepped right out of some 1800s southern gothic novel. 

Ellie cleared her throat, startling you from a trance. You looked back at her and, for some reason, couldn’t stop yourself from laughing.

”Shit, sorry,” you said, covering your mouth with your hand. “I just - I’ve just never seen anything like it.” When Ellie’s eyes clouded over with uncertainty, you added softly, “It’s beautiful. Besides, Ellie,” you added, laughing again, “‘not much’ doesn’t really suit you.” 

Ellie opened and closed her mouth and yet no words came out. She was looking at you again as though you were something interesting - something new and exciting. Nobody had ever looked at you that way before, and the way your heart clenched at the sight was more than a little dangerous. 

Ellie finally smiled, huffing out a laugh - your heart was pretty satisfied with how often you were able to make her laugh - and said, “Do you still want to come inside?” 

And, surprisingly, you said, “Yeah, I do.” 

As Ellie got out, rounding the car to open your door for you, you discreetly checked that the taser was still in your bag. Sure, you had agreed to go home with a practical stranger, but you couldn't be too careful. 

The porch steps creaked as she led you to the door - double doors (of course), with stained glass and twisting vines carved into the wood. When Ellie opened them, it felt like you were transported to a different time on an entirely different world. 

The grand staircase caught your eye first - how could it not? Warm wooden steps covered in a blood red runner, a white banister winding up, those same vines that seemed to be the house’s signature carved into it. You could see a large, stained-glass window at the landing before it curved to disappear to the second floor. Moonlight splintered through the window in broken relief. 

As though in a trance, you wandered further into the house, walking to the fireplace situated right beneath the stairs. The wood stacked neatly inside was cold, untouched by a flame. There was a large mirror set atop the mantle, its gold frame a work of art alone. In the reflection, you could see the flush to your cheeks, and tried to convince yourself it was only from the cold. You still wore Ellie’s jacket, and you pulled it tight around your shoulders, as though it were a shield. 

You watched Ellie’s reflection as she walked slowly towards you, a small smile gracing her lips. She came close enough to touch - close enough that you could feel her cool breath against the back of your neck - and yet she didn’t put a hand on you. 

“There’s a lot more to see than the foyer,” she murmured, the words brushing your skin. “If you still want.” 

And you couldn’t stop your own smile as you turned back to her, your heart skipping at her proximity. “Show me.” 

She took your hand, her fingers shockingly cold, and led you into what must have been her living room - sitting room? Despite the fact that the house felt more like a museum - like you would get scolded for touching anything - the room was surprisingly cozy. A large, plush sectional was situated in front of another fireplace- this one also unblemished. Blankets and quilts were thrown over the couch and the accompanying chairs, leaving this time capsule looking strangely welcoming. 

“Okay, I have to ask,” you said, turning back to Ellie. She was watching you carefully, gauging your reaction with soft eyes, and you lost your train of thought. You opened your mouth but no sound came out; you weren’t sure if that was more or less embarrassing than the several curses you had said earlier in the night. 

Ellie hummed, raising her hand as though she wanted to touch you. She stopped only inches away from your cheek and dropped her hand, saying, “I’m an open book.” 

You had to turn away to collect your thoughts, wandering across the room if just to catch your breath. The opposite wall was lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. You ran your fingers along the spines of vintage classics, an array of science books, and comics, enjoying the irony of seeing Savage Starlight in the middle of all this history. You picked up a copy to keep your hands busy. 

“How, um,” you started, stumbling over your words, “how did you end up here?” 

Ellie hummed again, and you heard her footsteps following you. “Here as in this town, this country, this world? You gotta be a little more specific.” 

You sighed, giving in and turning to look at her. She kept a careful distance, standing a few feet away from you with her hands in her pockets. “You know what I mean, smartass.”

Ellie chuckled, but her eyes had grown distant, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. She took a few more steps closer to you, looking at the comic book in your hands. On the app, she hadn’t struck you as the type to get easily bashful, and yet she had proven you wrong a few times already. 

“My family lived here,” she finally said, quiet as a secret. You watched her carefully, jumping at the opportunity to stare at her without those intense eyes looking back at you. Her brow furrowed and she pressed her lips together as though she was in pain, her green eyes shining. “It was just… passed down, I guess? It’s kind of always been here ever since I can remember. I’m not entirely sure when it became mine.” 

You tucked the comic book back into its spot between The Iliad and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. You said absently, “How old is this place anyway?”

”It was built in 1816,” she said automatically, as though it were memorized. 

“It’s an awfully big house for just one person.” You looked up at her through your lashes as she stepped closer - close enough that you could smell that same metallic warmth that seemed to cling to her. 

“It is,” Ellie murmured, smiling. She reached out again, and this time she allowed herself to touch you. Her cold fingers brushed against your cheek before she gently cupped your jaw, tilting your head so you’d look at her properly. Her green eyes were downright intimidating. “But I keep good company.” 

You rolled your eyes, yet you couldn’t convince yourself to look away. “Is that what you say to all the girls?” 

Ellie hummed, bracing her other hand on the bookshelf behind your head, and murmured, “No, I don’t.” She pressed in closer, her gaze dropping to your mouth, and you felt like your heart was going to leap from your throat. Ellie huffed out a laugh as though she could hear it pounding against your chest. When her thumb brushed your bottom lip, your lips parted on instinct. She didn’t look away, transfixed on the point where her skin touched your mouth, and you almost didn’t hear her when she said, “Can I?” 

And you had never been the kind of person to kiss on the first date, but she was looking at you with eyes hooded with want, her breath fanning against your cheeks. When she licked her lips, you couldn’t stop your eyes from following the motion. Her lips glistened, parted and plump, looking so impossibly soft. Somehow, past your haze, you heard yourself say, “Yes.” 

Ellie took her time in kissing you. She pressed you back gently, your shoulders pressing into the bookshelf behind you, and touched her nose to yours. She took a deep breath, breathing you in. Her hand was soft against your cheek, tilting your jaw up, and you hardly had to move to finally kiss her. 

Ellie tasted just like she smelled - spicy and metallic, the old-fashioned still hanging on her tongue. Despite the cold of her hand on your cheek, her mouth was impossibly warm, her breath slipping between your lips; it was intoxicating in a way that the wine couldn’t compare to. Her mouth moved against yours, soft and slow as a dance. 

Your hands reached out as though of their own accord, circling her waist and gripping at the slippery silk of her shirt. She pressed in close, crowding you against the bookshelf; you could feel her chest pressing against you, her hips on yours, the line of her body against yours making your head spin. And when Ellie’s tongue pressed against your lips, a gentle request for access, you felt like you’d faint altogether. 

Her tongue slipped between your teeth and you couldn’t stop the breathy sound it pulled from your throat. You could feel that infuriating smile against your lips and suddenly wanted nothing more than to wipe it away. You balled her ridiculously expensive shirt in your hands and pulled her impossibly closer, nipping at her bottom lip, and you wanted to swallow her gasp. 

Ellie pulled away, chuckling, but she didn’t go far. She pressed a kiss to your cheek, her lips trailing down to your jaw, and she could probably feel your pulse jump beneath her tongue. You could hear the smile in her voice when she said, “Do you do this often?” 

Her teeth grazed the sensitive spot below your ear, and it took you a few moments before you could respond. “Do what?” Despite yourself - despite the way your fingers gripped her shirt, your head swimming and an unexplainable want burning in your veins - you couldn’t help but laugh. “Go on a date with somebody I met on an app for sugar babies and go back to their ridiculously old mansion on the first date and-“ 

You cut yourself off. You weren’t sure exactly what was happening, and you were afraid that voicing it would break whatever spell you were under - whatever spell made this impossible woman’s touch feel like lightning. 

But Ellie only laughed, biting at the spot where your neck met your shoulder. “Yeah, that.” 

You shivered against her touch. “No, I’ve never really done this.” 

“Guess I’m just lucky.” 

Ellie kissed you again, only briefly, before she finally pulled away. She was grinning, her eyes sparkling with those same constellations; her face wasn’t even flushed, making you feel embarrassed about your burning cheeks. You were panting, intoxicated from the night and wine and Ellie. Her absence felt like an ache, your body craving the feeling of her lips, her teeth, her hands. You were close to tugging her back in, your hands still gripping her shirt, but she gently untangled herself from you with a laugh. 

“I want to keep going.” She paused, and then emphasized, “I really want to keep going. But you drank an entire bottle of wine, and I’d be kind of a shitty host if I didn’t offer you something to drink at least. Or are you hungry?” 

You were hungry, but it was the kind of hunger that food wouldn’t satiate. Still, you let your hands drop back to your sides, feeling your senses return to you now that they weren’t so tuned into Ellie - how she smelled, tasted, felt. When you laughed, it sounded breathy even to your own ears. “Some water would be nice.” 

“I can do that,” she said with a smile. “Stay here.” She kissed you again, lingering for a few moments longer than needed, before she turned and disappeared down the hall, leaving you alone in this ridiculously old mansion. 

With nothing else to keep yourself entertained, you did a slow lap around the room, eyeing the ironic blend of elegant antiques and silly trinkets that were so obviously Ellie. A cracked ivory trinket box sat on a shelf, intricate flowers engraved into the lid, set right next to a small figurine of an astronaut. Beautiful paintings lined the walls, signatures dating back to 1830 in elaborate script at the bottom, but there were also a few posters littered here and there - bands and video games. 

You walked over to the mantle, your fingers grazing over the marble top. The logs inside were untouched, and you briefly wondered if she’d light a fire soon to chase out the chill of autumn. A small jar filled with guitar picks sat at the corner, and you wondered if she really did have an electric guitar collection hidden around here somewhere. Your foot kicked an empty dog bowl, and yet Riley was nowhere to be found. Maybe Ellie took her to daycare when she knew she’d bring a girl home. You nearly laughed at the idea. 

Atop the mantle, hidden behind pictures of what must have been friends or family - hiking or traveling or laughing in somebody’s backyard - there was another picture frame. It must have fallen, face down so that the picture inside was covered. You reached out, careful to not disturb any of the other frames, and picked it up. You were just going to fix it, set it up next to the others, but something in the image caught your eye. You plucked it from its home, bringing it closer, holding it up to the light to get a better look. For a long time, you couldn’t figure out what you were looking at. Your heart hammered against your chest, your ears ringing, as though your body had figured it out before your brain did. 

It was an old photograph, grainy and sepia, faded and frayed around the edges with age. It was the house, looking just like it did today - the huge windows shining in the sunlight, the intricate eaves and wrap-around porch perfectly polished and new. A family stood on the lawn in front of the house, looking awkward and stiff. Back then, cameras took several minutes to actually capture a photo, so people tended to look a little awkward from trying to hold the same expression for so long. But that’s not what had caught your eye. 

It was a small family - a weary looking dad and his two daughters, looking just a few years younger than you. 

She looked a little different. Her hair was longer, falling in waves around her shoulders. She was definitely a few years younger, and she wore a sweet, full-length gown instead of a worn leather jacket. 

You checked the date in the bottom corner at least five times, but there was no mistaking it. The person in the photo was undeniably Ellie, standing in front of this house in 1816. 

tag list: @macaroni676 @ellstronaut @elliewilliamsmiller0 @elliescoolerwife @letsreadsomesins-shallwe @peejayurple @liliflowers-blog @filtered-sunlight @hobbybound

[shysuccubusstuff]

yandere! Sylus

Content: Established relationship, yandere behaviour, stalking, love bombing (sort of?).

Note: I just had to do it... Take into account that this was written BEFORE we know much about him, so I'm basing everything on his vibe. Non-proof reader, sorry if it's kinda messy :(.

Sylus and you met during one of your expeditions, suddenly appearing behind your back and killing that awful wanderer that was about to hit you.

Of course, that was your first meeting, well, your first meeting in which you actually saw him.

He had been stalking you with his litte crows around, sometimes looking while you were hunting, others when you were casually walking around town, you looked so pretty like that! Your hair flowing, while you were looking so happy to that man. In fact, there were four different men in your life, the doctor, the artist, your co-worker and your childhood friend.

Sylus was seeing red with all those men surrounding you, but he kept calm, as he was sure he would be able to get you to love him just (almost) as much as you loved him.

Now, the opportunity had finally arised, suddenly appearing just as you were about to be hurt, the adrenaline pumping through your whole body, as he knew that it would help you see him in a much better light.

After this little meeting, he kept on appearing around your normal life, sometimes he appeared at your work, helping them by fixing the different electronical devices. Other times, he was just at the same coffee shop as you, always sitting in an almost hidden table, yet he still was able to clearly tell when you entered the place.

This short meetings kept happening during several months, slowly allowing you to let your walls down as he kept providing little details about his personal life, just enough for him to gain your trust, not enough to let you know who he actually was.

It took more than a year to finally get to becoming your charming boyfriend, the type to make small pokes to you, his foxy smile appearing while he poked you, showing just how close you were to him in contrast with the previous men he had kept an eye on.

Always sending you little treats during work, always taking you home after each of your laboral days, he became the person most close to you in less than a year and a half.

While he acted as the lovely boyfriend you knew, he also took care of making sure none of your close friends suspecting him, doing whatever it was needed (buying them stuff, having hangouts with them despite he didn't particularly liked them...).

Now for the times when you were both alone...

Content: Marking, breeding kink, overstimulation, praise kink,

He had been going for over one hour, playing with your pretty nipples while his other hand kept caressing your clit, his fingertips kept playing with your folds, entering your insides while his lips kissed your neck, whispering soft praises against your ear:

"You're doing so good baby, keep bucking your hips, let me know how good you feel, don't hide your moans, let me hear them, I love to hear your pretty voice when I make you feel good." Even despite his soft voice, his hands were rough, making you cum on his fingers despite how much you tried to close your legs and begged him to stop playing with your poor pussy. Kissing your cheeks while one of his hands caressed your flushed cheeks.

By the time he finally decided it was time for him to end his little games, you had already came over four times, so when he finally pulled his cock out, veins bulging while a small precum bead fell down his shaft. You were only able to bite your lip as he slowly entered you, pushing your weight gradually until he bottomed out, his tip getting far too close to your cervix. He stopped himself for a few minuts, allowing you to get yourself accustomed to his size.

When he finally moved, your eyes rolled to your back, his tip hitting just the correct place, causing you to mewl as kept hitting your g-spot. One of his hands moved towards your clit, crying out loud as he kept playing with your already overwhelmed cunt.

"Baby, you're squeezing me to death, let me make you feel even better yeah?" His hands were once again gripping your hips as he moved you as he wanted, allowing yourself to simply fall limp against his chest as he moved you like a pretty little doll. The tip of his dick kept hitting against your cervix, making your eyes roll as he tried to make you cum for god knows which time all over his cock.

Once he finally came, you were already a babbling mess, trying your hardest to not pass out as he kept bucking his hips, his voice whispering against your ear:

"Come on baby, hold on for me, yeah? Cum once more all over your boyfriend's cock, show me how good you are baby, come on..." You were only able to nod, cumming all over him while he kissed your puffy lips, a string of saliva connecting your mouths.

After that, Sylus took care of cleaning up the mess you had made, changing the sheets to a new pair and taking you to the bathroom, meticulously cleaning your pretty body and letting you sleep under the soft sheets. Then, it was finally time for him to enter the shower, rapidly cleaning himself as he was eager to sleep with his pretty girlfriend (wife) by his side.

[allgoodnamesrgoneee]

Heyyyyyyy. I love your imagines. I was wondering in honor of Kylian joining Real Madrid today, Can you make an fluff imagine where you go with him to his Real Madrid presentation with his family and friends to support him and it’s cute behind the scenes moments leading up to his presentation ? An already established relationship .

Thank Youuu ❤️

I'm so excited about Kylian joining Real Madrid. So proud of him. I wish him success in his future, and may he accomplish all his goals💛

Sorry if this one is a little wonky, wrote it on my lunch break.

Presentation Day

Masterlist

𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚 — You support Kylian on his presentation day.

𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 — Kylian Mbappé x you

𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕 — 3.2k

Warnings! FLUFF, supportive reader, Kylian is playing for Madrid y'all!!!

Today is the day.

The day that Kylian had been waiting for his whole life. The day that would mark a significant milestone in his career. The day that he would be presented as a Real Madrid player.

You're so proud of him. You can't even put it into words. You've seen him work so hard for this. How much he's sacrificed to get here. It's a day that he deserves to celebrate and you can't wait to do just that. By his side.

You still can't believe that you're here for this. You can't believe that he picked you to be here with him for this special day. You can't believe that you've been able to be a part of his life these past three years.

You remember the day you met him. You had just started working at a popular news company and your first assignment was to attend a Paris-Saint Germain game that he was playing at. You were doing some interviews with some of his new teammates and he walked by and you couldn't help but stare at him. He had this air about him, this confidence, this spark in his eyes that made you just want to know him.

When he walked into the room where you were doing the interviews, you almost dropped the microphone in your hands. He was so handsome up close, so charming. You introduced yourself to him and you couldn't help but stare at him. You were nervous as hell but he made you feel at ease. He made you feel so comfortable in his presence and you found yourself laughing and joking with him.

After the interview, Kylian offered to show you around the stadium. You couldn't believe it. Here you were, walking beside one of the most talented footballers in the world, chatting like old friends. He was easy to talk to and genuinely interested in your work. Though the conversation was very surface level you were surprised at how down-to-earth he was.

By the end of the tour, he asked for your number. To your delight, you exchanged numbers, not entirely sure if he would actually reach out. But he did, later that evening, and from that day on, you started texting each other regularly.

It wasn't long after that he asked you to be his girlfriend. You said yes and you two became inseparable. The chemistry was undeniable between you two. You couldn't get enough of each other.

You went to his games, you were there for him when he needed you and you were his rock. He was your everything.

You never could have imagined that three years later, you would be standing in the bathroom of your new home, getting ready for his presentation at the Santiago Bernabéu.

You're wearing a black jumpsuit with a gold belt that accentuates your waist. You've curled your hair and did your makeup. You're even wearing the gold necklace that he bought for you last week. You want to make sure that you look good for him. You want to make sure that he knows that he deserves this day. That he deserves everything that he's worked for.

You're slipping your shoes on when you feel a tap on your ass. Without even looking up you know who it is. You roll your eyes at his antics but can't help the smile that creeps onto your face.

Even after all these years together, you still get butterflies in your stomach when he touches you.

"Kylian," you scold, but the playfulness in your tone tells him you're not really mad, "do you have to do that every time?"

He grins, his touch lingering a moment longer before he steps back, hands in his pockets. "Sorry, couldn't resist," he replies, his tone light but his eyes betraying a hint of nerves. You know he's trying to keep it together, trying to stay calm for what lies ahead.

"Tu es magnifique," he says, his voice softening as he steps closer, his hands finding your waist. His French accent is as sexy as ever. Sending child down your spine as his hands continue to hold you close. His eyes raking your figure in the mirror.

You look perfect.

You blush, your eyes meeting his. "Thank you."

"I mean it," he whispers, his gaze sincere, his grip on your waist tightening. "You look so beautiful." He meets your eyes in the mirror again. "I'm so lucky to have you." He pulls you flush against his chest. "Tu es la femme de mes rêve." His lips brush against your ear. "I couldn't imagine being here without you." He finishes his words with a gentle kiss to your neck.

Your heart melts. Your heart beats faster. You've heard him say these words before. You've heard them more than once but each time still gives you butterflies. Each time makes you love him even more.

You lean back into him, wrapping your arms around his around your waist, savoring this intimate moment with him before you have to share him with the world.

"You ready?" he asks softly, breaking the peaceful silence.

You turn to face him, his hands still holding you close, your arms finding their way around his neck. You bury your face in his chest. You take a deep breath and breathe him in. You smell the cologne he's wearing.

"I should be asking you that" you whisper, your hands resting lightly on his chest. You can feel his heartbeat under your palms, steady but perhaps a beat faster than usual.

"I'm a little nervous," he admits with a small frown, his fingers tracing absent-minded patterns on your waist.

You know how much he's worked for this. You know how much pressure he's under. You know how much he wants this. But you also know that he's going to do great. You know that he's ready for this.

You reach up to cup his cheeks in your hands, your eyes soft and encouraging. "It's okay to be nervous," you assure him with a reassuring smile. "But you're going to do amazing. You're Kylian Mbappé You're going to rock this. I know you will. You've worked so hard for this." You tell him, your hands finding their way to his neck, your thumbs rubbing gentle circles against the skin there.

He's silent for a moment before he pulls you into a tight hug, his head burying in your neck. You wrap your arms around him, holding him close, letting him take comfort in you. You let him hold you like this for a few seconds, feeling him breathe you in.

"I love you, thank you for doing this with me. For being here." he mumbles into your skin, his voice so soft and so sweet.

You smile. Your heart racing at his words.

"I love you too," you whisper back.

He pulls back, his eyes meeting yours. "Seriously bébé," he says, his voice soft but full of conviction. "I couldn't have done this without you. Thank you for being with me every step of the way. You've sacrificed so much to move here with me. I will never be able to thank you enough for all the things you do for me. I promise to always be there for you, to support you, to make you happy. To be the best boyfriend I can be. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me." His hand rests gently on your cheek, his thumb brushing against your jaw.

Tears prick at the corners of your eyes as you look at him. You're so in love with him. You can't believe that this man is all yours, that he wants to be with you, that he loves you just as much as you love him. You can't believe that you found each other.

You want to say so much, want to reply to his little speech but you can't find the words to express how much you love him. So you kiss him instead.

A soft kiss, one full of love, one full of affection. One full of hope. Your lips linger on his for a few seconds before he pulls back. You're both smiling at each other.

"We should head downstairs," he whispers softly, breaking the silence again. "We don't want to be late"

You nod and you step back. He lets go of you, letting you walk out of the bathroom first.

When you walk into the living room downstairs, his family is there waiting for you two, chatting animatedly. They look up as you both enter, smiles lighting up their faces. His little niece and nephew are sitting on the couch with their mom when they see you come in. Without waiting a moment they stand up from their spot on the couch and run up to Kylian.

"Uncle Kylian! Y/N!" They squeal in unison.

He bends down and picks them up. One on each arm. He swings them around and they giggle in glee. You watch as his face lights up with a bright smile. His eyes meet yours over his niece and nephew's heads and he grins at you.

"I missed you guys so much," he whispers in their ears.

They're still laughing when they land back on their feet. He sets them down and gives each of them a kiss on the head before they turn to you. "Y/N!" They greet you with equal enthusiasm.

"My babies," you coo, bending down to pick them up. "I missed you two so much too!" You give each of them a hug. You give them each a kiss on the head before you set them back down. The second you set them back down they're on Kylian again, completely enamoured with their uncle.

"Be good for your mom and dad today," he tells them softly. "I want to see you after the presentation." His eyes light up with excitement.

"We will," they reply in unison, giggling.

He pulls away from them, giving each one another kiss on the head before he turns towards everyone else. Kylian's mother approaches you with open arms, pulling you both into a hug. You were in the shower earlier when they arrived so she hadn't seen you yet.

"Mes bébés," she said, tears shining in her eyes. “I'm so proud of you, Kylian. And you, my darling,” she adds, embracing you in turn, ”thank you for being here with us today." she coos, kissing both your cheeks.

Kylian's father pulls him into a tight hug next. He pats him on the back. "Fier de toi, mon garçon," he says, his eyes shining with pride. "

The other family members join you, each expressing their admiration and support for Kylian. His father squeezes your shoulder affectionately, his siblings exchange jokes with him to lighten the mood.

Silently without anyone noticing you sneak a picture of Kylian and his family gathered together in the living room. It's candid, raw, real. Capturing the support and love surrounding him on this monumental day. Kylian's smile is wide in the picture, the kind that radiates insumontable joy. You feel tears prick your eyes as you look down at it, happy to have frozen this moment for him.

As the final hugs are exchanged, Kylian’s agent steps forward, checking the time on his watch. "It's almost time," he announces, his voice calm but firm. "We should get going."

You all head outside, where a convoy of sleek black cars waits.

You would be riding with Kylian. Because today was also the day you would come out to the world as his girlfriend.

Even though everyone knew by now that Mbappé was off the market it was still a hush on who he was dating. At first, you guys had done it for the sake of your job. But now that you would be staying in Madrid with him, the both of you decided not to keep your identity a secret anymore. So this was technically your first appearance together. All the more reason to be nervous.

The plan was to arrive together at the stadium, walk in with him, then get separated to go to where his family would be sitting while he gave his speech.

You two slip into the car together. He pulls you into his side, his hands holding yours. You both sit there quietly for a second, the only sound being the driver's voice talking through the intercom.

He's fidgety, his eyes darting out the window to the passing buildings. You squeeze his hand gently, reminding him of your presence. He looks at you, his eyes meeting yours for the first time since the car started moving.

"Are you sure you're okay?" You ask him softly, his hand squeezing yours in reassurance.

"I'm good, trésor," he assures you. "Just excited and a little nervous."

You nod, your hand rubbing circles into his wrist. "I'm so proud of you," you tell him sincerely, your free hand reaching up to cup his cheek. He closes his eyes briefly at your touch, breathing in deeply before turning to face you fully. His lips meet yours for a brief kiss. He smiles against your lips, his hands finding their way to your waist as he pulls you into a tight hug.

The rest of the car ride is silent.

You're pulled out of your comfortable bubble when the car stops.

The stadium.

You're here.

You both sit in stunned silence for a moment, your eyes wide as you take in the sight. The stadium is already packed with thousands of screaming fans, each holding a white Real Madrid jersey with his name on the back.

Kylian is silent beside you, his eyes wide, his hands resting on his thighs. He takes a deep breath. He looks at you, his eyes locking with yours.

"Ready?" he asks softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

You nod, a smile on your face.

You two slip out of the car together, Kylian holding your hand tightly in his. They don't notice you at first since you're hidden behind him, out of sight, but he pulls you beside him and wraps an arm around your waist. The cheers from the crowd grow louder as the realization of who you are girlfriend sinks in.

You smile shyly, trying to hide your face in his shoulder.

He laughs, pulling you closer to him.

You both walk towards the entrance of the stadium, the screams of the fans reaching an all-time high. Kylian smiles brightly at the cameras flashing in your faces, his free hand waving at the crowd.

You both stop walking for a second, posing for pictures together. You're conscious of the cameras flashing around you, of the fans screaming his name. The whole situation is a little overwhelming but nothing you can't handle with him beside you, holding your hand.

You both pose for a few pictures, then you walk inside, the crowd quieting as you leave them behind.

You're led to a room backstage, where you'll wait with Kylian until it's time for him to go on stage. The room is buzzing with activity – staff members are rushing around, checking last-minute details, and ensuring everything is perfect.

You find a quieter corner of the room where he can take a moment to collect himself. He sits down on a plush leather chair, his eyes scanning the room but his grip on your hand never loosening. You can tell the nerves are killing him.

“Do you want some water?” you ask softly, your thumb rubbing soothing circles on his skin.

He nods, and you quickly fetch a bottle from a nearby table. When you hand it to him, he takes a long sip, then leans back, exhaling slowly. “Merci,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper.

You sit beside him, placing your hand on his knee. “Remember, they’re all here for you. They believe in you, just like I do.”

He turns to look at you, his eyes softening. “I know. It’s just… a lot.”

You nod, understanding completely. “It’s okay to be overwhelmed. Just take it one step at a time.”

He nods, his eyes locking onto yours, drawing strength from your calm presence. The door opens, and one of the staff members steps in, clipboard in hand. “It's time miss Y/N,” he announces, waiting for you at the door.

That's your cue.

You stand up, offering Kylian your hand. He takes it, rising from the chair, his grip firm and warm. He pulls you into a tight hug, his arms wrapping around you with a strength that speaks volumes about the emotions coursing through him.

“I’ll be right there in the audience,” you whisper against his ear gently stroking his back “I’ll be cheering the loudest.”

He pulls back just enough to look at you, his eyes searching yours. “Je t'aime fort,” The tone of which he says it is the most endearing you've ever heard from him. It makes your heart swell. You wish you could go with him.

“I love you too,” you reply, placing one last peck on his lips.

With a final squeeze of your hand, he releases you and you follow the man to the section reserved for his family.

As you enter the stadium, the roar of the crowd is deafening. The energy is electric, every person present filled with anticipation. You find your seat next to Kylian’s mother, who greets you with a warm smile and a comforting squeeze of your hand.

The lights dim, and the stadium falls silent. The anticipation is palpable. The lights dim slightly, and the murmurs in the stadium grow louder. The large screens display a montage of Kylian’s best moments, a tribute to his journey and accomplishments.

Then, the announcer’s voice booms through the speakers, introducing Kylian. The crowd erupts into cheers, the noise almost overwhelming.

You're crying as you watch him walk to the stage, grateful that you get to witness this moment with him, a moment he's been waiting for a long time.

Kylian steps onto the stage, his presence commanding yet humble. He looks out at the sea of faces, his gaze searching until it finds yours. You smile at him through your tears, giving him a small nod of encouragement. He smiles back, gesturing at your crying.

The jumbotron pans to your face as you laugh at his antics and everyone in the stadium realizes who you are immediately. They start cheering even louder.

The warmth of the moment envelops you as you watch Kylian take center stage. His speech is emotional thanking his fans, his teammates, and the club for believing in him. He speaks with passion and sincerity, his words resonating with everyone in the stadium. When he finishes with his "Hala Madrid", the applause is thunderous, echoing through the massive arena.

You and Fayza hold on to each other as you cry your eyes out, Kylian's words of thanks to you echoing in your ears. You both hug each other tight, both of you overwhelmed with emotion.

It's such a powerful moment one that sends shivers down your spine. The beginning of a new era. The start of your new life together with him.

-Bianca🌻

[randomly--accessed--memories]

@storm-ismyusername

Okay, so, the "Vox's kids die as children AU." I came up with the image of Vox keeping his kids in a fish tank first, but upon further reflection, I've realized that it doesn't really line up with the timeline I've established.

Vox's children were 7 and 10 when he died (1957)

Vox worked under an overlord for 3 years after his death until he broke free, started his own business, and met Alastor (1960)

He and Alastor were friends for 6 years until they fell out (1966)

Vox gained official overlord status 2 years later (1968). By the time Vox had the resources for the fish tank plan, his kids would've been 18 and 21.

The only window of time where Thomas and Sarah can die and still be children is 1957-1961, so it would have to happen when Vox was still in the employ of his overlord. I actually think the idea of struggling single dad Vox is really charming, so let's go with that.

With that background, I'm not sure if Vox would feel the need to do the fish tank thing since they went a decade without anything going wrong. Maybe it exists, but Sarah and Thomas aren't confined to it 24/7. Everyone already knows they exist, so they're allowed to move around the tower as they please (they are absolutely not allowed to go outside, though).

Okay, with that out of the way, onto the responses. Gonna answer this in parts: this one is the pre-canon stuff, the next will be the canon stuff, and the third will be RAM stuff.

Ondine & Fineas where they die as kids: How does child Sarah and Thomas react to: 1-Dying 2-Going to Hell 3-Reuniting with your dead Dad (who now has a TV for a head) Would any of their Sinner features be different? Is it weird I can see Vox being more fatherly to Sarah and Thomas than he was in his human life? So when Sarah & Thomas die as kids does Vox find them before or after his big fight with Alastor? If before, what would Alastor make of the situation?  How long does Sarah and Thomas fend for themselves in Hell? A few days, a few weeks, a month, a year?  Did someone find the first? Did Vox only learn his kids were in Hell when someone was using them as blackmail against him? Did Sarah and Thomas watch as their father brutally murder their kidnapper in front of them?  Maybe another Overlord (like Carmilla, Zestial, or Rosie) found them and gave them to Vox because they felt threatening children was beneath them and drew the line at hurting kids. Wait what if Alastor found them first? What would he do with them if he did?

Okay, so Sarah and Thomas die somewhere between 1958 and 1959. They still drowned, maintaining their aquatic theming, but I'm not sure how exactly– could've been from their mother driving under the influence and crashing the car through a bridge's guardrails, could've been just regular drowning at the beach or something. Their mother survives, so they land in Hell alone (I have no idea what an 8~9 and 11~12-year-old could've done to get sent to Hell, but let's just move on).

Not sure how Vox finds them. In the main AU, they found him by recognizing his voice in an advertisement and seeking him out, but at this point, Vox is just some random nobody. Let's just assume he got extremely lucky and happened to come across them 1-30 days after they first arrived but before anyone else thought to scoop them up. Vox is horrified that they're dead and in Hell and privately swears to permakill his wife for letting this happen if he ever sees her again. He brings them back to his shitty little apartment and starts trying to figure out how the fuck he's supposed to care for children in Hell.

Despite the circumstances, Vox is actually a better father in Hell than he was on Earth. He has nothing to his name other than a shitty errand boy job, a tiny apartment, and his two small children who he thought he'd never see again. While the stress of having to provide for them is a beast, losing everything sort of forced him to get his priorities in order in regards to them. They become far more tight-knit than when they were alive as Vox is forced to spend more time with them and get creative when it comes to meeting their needs.

It's all quite the adjustment for Thomas and Sarah. Dying and trying to survive on the streets was as traumatizing as you'd expect. Reuniting with your dead dad and having to adjust to living in poverty is also a lot to take in. Every day, they're stuck in a one-room apartment with gunshots constantly going off outside and explicit instructions from their father to be as quiet as possible and not open the door for anyone– very different from the upper-middle-class suburbanite life they were used to. Eventually, their dad will come home with cheap food, they'll spend some time together, and then all curl up in their one bed and try to sleep. Wash, rinse, repeat. It's not a comfortable life, but it's definitely more intimate than how things used to be. Thomas starts letting go of some of his resentment of Vox since he can tell he's actually trying now, and Sarah's view of him as A Good Dad, Actually solidifies.

Eventually, Vox secretly kills his overlord, starts his first business, and is taken under Alastor's wing. Things become more comfortable for the three of them, and Alastor becomes something akin to a weird but fun uncle to the kids. Things are looking up for the family as Vox starts to build power and wealth. It's horrifying for the kids when Vox comes home one night without a head and swears vengeance on Alastor, but that incident only adds to Vox's upward momentum. After ten years of struggling in Hell, Thomas and Sarah (or rather, Fineas and Ondine) find themselves back in the lap of luxury as their father claims the title of the Overlord of Television.

[theroyalyandere]

i love your writing soooo much!! if it's not too much trouble, may i get some headcanons of the yandere emperor & a commoner/fallen noble darling?

I'm answering this request because this just made me feel things 🫢

Warning: this work contains dark content. Mentions of alcohol abuse, mentions of harassment, and gambling addiction, yandere, mentions of death, some graphic description of dead bodies, mentions of trauma, kidnapping, physical assault, torture, mentions of blackmailing, assassination

Kindly scroll away if you do not wish to interact with this post or my blog. Remember this is only a work of fiction and shall not be taken seriously!

authors note: This is actually pretty tame because I want darling to fall in love with yan!emperor. I also made this gender neutral for those who have been looking for content like this. I wanna improve in writing smut.

yandere!emperor x commoner/fallen noble!darling 18+ smut

A little bit of background, your family used to be an established noble house but due to some conflict the previous emperor and the court had taken away your family's title.

The noble family you belonged in was a prestigious name throughout the land, the fall of your house surely caused a lot of catastrophe in your life.

One day you're living lavishly being pampered by your servants and family then the next you're stripped of your title as a noble with hundreds of people as witnesses.

Your father was so devastated he drowned himself in agony alcohol. Your mother had begun to partake in gambling. Your siblings had either become criminals or worked at brothels, truly a fall from grace.

Seeing the destruction and misery that had fallen upon your family, you still tried to do your best to live as an upright citizen of the land.

Despite the numerous whispers you hear, the taunts, and sometimes the harassment from those with two eyes following your every move.

A few years later, the previous emperor had passed his crown to his only heir, the Crown Prince Alastair. A man beloved by many with his aid, the empire had flourished through his genius mind.

You on the other hand, had moved away from the capital, away from the judging stares and malicious mouths you encounter. You managed to live your life and survive through hardship further solidifying your will.

You accepted the fate bestowed upon you and live your life in peace.

One day while washing your laundry at the riverbed, Emperor Alastair has stumbled upon you while he was out on a hunting trip with some nobles accompanying him.

You were minding your own business until an arrow was shot on your way ultimately landing on the poor hare in front of you.

You look up and see a dashing man grinning down at you, an amused glint in his eye as he introduces himself.

He thinks he had seen you before but could not pinpoint when and where but for him, Alastair could not believe he had coincidentally found a beautiful person such as you.

He believes that this is destiny, you are the one he will love and worship in his lifetime.

You are equally charmed by his gentlemanly gestures, quickly ensnaring your heart as you were captivated the same way as you did with him.

You converse for a little while until a group of nobles that accompanied him had appeared where one of them had recognized you.

The noble sneered as he started to mention who you were and started to degrade how desperate you are which effectively makes you cower a little.

The noble had mentioned that Alastair is the emperor startling you that you did not know he was the new emperor making you feel even more ashamed.

Little did you know, Alastair had a dark look in his eyes. Disgust and rage running through him as the noble continued to talk down on you.

You were going to be his beloved, the one who will rule by his side until you're all frail and gray.

Alastair stepped between and stares down at the noble, subtly insulting the noble's own lineage making him regret his mistakes.

Alastair then turns to you, his change of demeanor surprised you as he suggests to accompany you. You admit you were charmed by him and agreed.

He stayed at the village you live in, spending most of his time getting to know you completely winning your trust and affections.

At the last day of his hunting trip he had asked you to go back to him to the capital.

Even though you were reluctant and something has been nagging you to not go with him but due to his charms and you believe you were in love you followed him back to the capital.

As the carriage carries you away, you remembered the noble who insulted you on the first meeting with Alastair.

You curiously asked him and Alastair only smiled and replied that the noble had already gone back to the capital a few days early.

He tells you to not worry and only pulls you closer to him.

What you did not know the man who insulted you was already a decomposing body in the woods.

After a few days, you arrived back at the capital making you anxious due to the trauma.

Alastair felt you tensed up and tried to soothe you with his words and strokes on your skin, distracting you from time to time.

Hiding behind him from the stares was proven to be futile, as he is the emperor, it is natural all attention would be on him.

As you two were walking inside the palace, the servants and nobles lingering and passing by kept their eyes on you and they all began to glare and whisper again.

As you enter the throne room, you and Alastair were greeted by the former empress and emperor who immediately locked eyes with you.

Both of you bowed before the dowager empress and the former emperor, their eyes staring holes right through you.

Alastair rises with grace and a smile on his face. Your face falls as he introduces you as his lover. Everyone in the court gasped and the former emperor's face curled into anger.

His booming voice echoed throughout the entire room making you shake in fear.

He suggests that you should go back to where you came from or else you would tarnish the imperial family's great image.

Alastair chose to fight his love for you even though you haven't confessed to each other yet, you believe that you two had a connection.

Tears began to swell in your eyes but you would not want to let anyone see them fall so you ran away from everyone not knowing where your feet will take you.

You find a secluded place where you sit down to process what happened, questioning yourself whether you truly made the right choice to follow the man you love.

A few minutes later, Alastair finds you and embraces you tight against him.

He apologizes for startling you and declares that he truly loves you. From the bottom of his heart Alastair, is deeply in-love with you.

His father may call him obsessed but no one ever knows what he really feels. Anyone who thinks about separating you from him shall be eliminated.

He tells you not to care about what others say and before you say anything he cuts you off with a deep kiss which leads to you being brought to his chambers.

You strip each other out of your clothes feverishly, grabbing each other's flesh.

Alastair devours your lips in a breathless kiss, a string of saliva connecting you two as he parts away.

He looks down at you with lust and devotion evident in his eyes. He tells you that you're beautiful.

His hardened cock twitches against you, making you feel more aroused. The sight of his large cock makes you drool.

The precum oozing at the tip and the veins decorating the sides makes you want to worship him.

So you asked him to lay back and worship him. At first, he refuses to do so but when you start to stroke his cock he relents allowing you to go down on him.

As you start to worship his cock with kisses and licks, Alastair thinks he's going to go insane with how much pleasure he feels from being teased by you.

Eventually you take his tip into your mouth, curiously swirling your tongue around him before taking him inch by inch until you can't.

Your hands wrap around what you can't reach and you do your best to pleasure him. He starts to lose his composure at the sensation of your warm mouth wrapped around his cock.

He will surely lose his damn mind seeing you make eye contact with him. He couldn't help but hold onto your head as he nears his peak.

He loves the gagging sounds you produced and although it was sudden, you can't deny you loved how he took control.

Alastair brutally thrusts his hips into your warm mouth until he pulls out to paint your face with cum.

You gasp for air when he releases you, feeling your arousal intensify at the feeling of his cum dripping down your face.

He became hard again and this time he got on top of you. Alastair groans as he tells you how much he has waited to touch you and feel you.

He pushes inside you making you arch in pleasure. He fucks you mercilessly for the whole night surely making the whole empire hear your screams and moans.

The next day a servant came in and was shocked to discover the mess that your little endeavor with him caused.

Since then people knew that both you and the emperor often slept with each other causing chaos and solidifying your title as his lover.

There had been a time where he was supposed to meet another noble to become his empress. You were caught being fucked by him at the garden where the meeting place was supposed to be.

The poor woman had to see you being wrecked by the emperor.

You then earned a reputation as the Emperor's whore, a rather derogatory term which bothered you a little.

Alastair became more insatiable sometimes going at it for several hours at risky places.

He also went against his father and continued to cause ruckus.

The former emperor could not separate you from Alastair, he needed to take drastic measures to make you disappear.

Days later, the palace held a huge ball where you were invited at. You enjoyed your time sticking to Alastair, not giving a fuck about anyone and anything for as long as you're with him, you're alright.

Later, Alastair was called urgently making him grumble for being separated from you.

As you were walking towards a secluded balcony, you were suddenly hit in the head making you black out.

You blink your eyes until your vision clears and in front of you were soldiers looking down at you.

They began to beat you until you coughed blood and your body bloomed with bruises.

You were tortured until the sun rises, with your soul feeling hollow. They kept you in captivity where they would mistreat you badly you could not lift a finger.

A day later, you woke up with screams ringing in your ears. A loud bang came from the exit of the cell you were held in. There stood Alastair wearing an armor covered in blood.

He sees you and feels his heart being crushed into pieces at the state you're in.

Everything becomes a blur when he gently cradles you in his arms and guides you away from the cell.

He takes you back to the palace where he commands everyone to take care of you.

Alastair confronted his father who was behind your assassination.

Without a word, he slays his father where the empress dowager screamed in horror at the gruesome sight. Alastair then slays the older woman.

That day blood bathes the whole palace with the amount of bodies that experienced his wrath.

Everyone who he deems to take you away from him is eliminated.

Terror began to spread while at the same time he loomed over you watching your condition.

You slowly healed but every little mistake made by the servants and healers resulted in death.

One time a servant made a loud noise, which triggered you. The servant was immediately beheaded by Alastair himself.

After a while, he introduces you before the people as his official consort by marrying you, ending any marriage proposal sent to him.

Your family found out you were crowned consort and tried to pester you about it. Alastair deems them unworthy and blackmails them to keep them away from you.

In the end, he got you despite still being a little broken. He vows to nurse you back to your old self to the best of his abilities.

For now, he will hold you in his arms and love you till the day he dies.

[redladydeath]

Gonna pull a Proto Vox post and put all my "Vox's kids die as children and reunite with him in Hell" stuff here so the reblog chain doesn't get too long. All the prompts included are from @storm-ismyusername.

Okay, so, the "Vox's kids die as children AU." I came up with the image of Vox keeping his kids in a fish tank first, but upon further reflection, I've realized that it doesn't really line up with the timeline I've established.

Vox's children were 7 and 10 when he died (1957)

Vox worked under an overlord for 3 years after his death until he broke free, started his own business, and met Alastor (1960)

He and Alastor were friends for 6 years until they fell out (1966)

Vox gained official overlord status 2 years later (1968). By the time Vox had the resources for the fish tank plan, his kids would've been 18 and 21.

The only window of time where Thomas and Sarah can die and still be children is 1957-1961, so it would have to happen when Vox was still in the employ of his overlord. I actually think the idea of struggling single dad Vox is really charming, so let's go with that.

With that background, I'm not sure if Vox would feel the need to do the fish tank thing since they went a decade without anything going wrong. Maybe it exists, but Sarah and Thomas aren't confined to it 24/7. Everyone already knows they exist, so they're allowed to move around the tower as they please (they are absolutely not allowed to go outside, though).

Ondine & Fineas where they die as kids: How does child Sarah and Thomas react to: 1-Dying 2-Going to Hell 3-Reuniting with your dead Dad (who now has a TV for a head) Would any of their Sinner features be different? Is it weird I can see Vox being more fatherly to Sarah and Thomas than he was in his human life? So when Sarah & Thomas die as kids does Vox find them before or after his big fight with Alastor? If before, what would Alastor make of the situation?  How long does Sarah and Thomas fend for themselves in Hell? A few days, a few weeks, a month, a year?  Did someone find the first? Did Vox only learn his kids were in Hell when someone was using them as blackmail against him? Did Sarah and Thomas watch as their father brutally murder their kidnapper in front of them?  Maybe another Overlord (like Carmilla, Zestial, or Rosie) found them and gave them to Vox because they felt threatening children was beneath them and drew the line at hurting kids. Wait what if Alastor found them first? What would he do with them if he did?

Okay, so Sarah and Thomas die somewhere between 1958 and 1959. They still drowned, maintaining their aquatic theming, but I'm not sure how exactly– could've been from their mother driving under the influence and crashing the car through a bridge's guardrails, could've been just regular drowning at the beach or something. Their mother survives, so they land in Hell alone (I have no idea what an 8~9 and 11~12-year-old could've done to get sent to Hell, but let's just move on).

Not sure how Vox finds them. In the main AU, they found him by recognizing his voice in an advertisement and seeking him out, but at this point, Vox is just some random nobody. Let's just assume he got extremely lucky and happened to come across them 1-30 days after they first arrived, but before anyone else thought to scoop them up. Vox is horrified that they're dead and in Hell and privately swears to permakill his wife for letting this happen if he ever sees her again. He brings them back to his shitty little apartment and starts trying to figure out how the fuck he's supposed to take care of children in Hell.

Despite the circumstances, Vox is actually a better father in Hell than he was on Earth. He has nothing to his name other than a shitty errand boy job, a tiny apartment, and his two small children who he thought he'd never see again. While the stress of having to provide for them is a beast, losing everything sort of forced him to get his priorities in order regarding them. They become far more tight-knit than when they were alive as Vox is forced to spend more time with them and get creative when it comes to meeting their needs.

It's all quite the adjustment for Thomas and Sarah. Dying and trying to survive on the streets was as traumatizing as you'd expect. Reuniting with your dead dad and having to adjust to living in poverty is also a lot to take in. Every day, they're stuck in a one-room apartment with gunshots constantly going off outside and explicit instructions from their father to be as quiet as possible and not open the door for anyone– very different from the upper-middle-class suburbanite lifestyle they were used to. Eventually, their dad will come home with cheap food, they'll spend some time together, and then all curl up in their shared bed and try to sleep. Wash, rinse, repeat. It's not a comfortable life, but it's definitely more intimate than how things used to be. Thomas starts letting go of some of his resentment of Vox since he can tell he's actually trying now, and Sarah's view of him as A Good Dad, Actually solidifies.

Eventually, Vox secretly kills his overlord, starts his first business, and is taken under Alastor's wing. Things become more comfortable for the three of them, with Alastor being something akin to a weird but fun uncle to the kids. Things are looking up for the family as Vox starts to build power and wealth. It's horrifying for the kids when Vox comes home one night without a head and swears vengeance on Alastor, but that incident only adds to Vox's upward momentum. After ten years of struggling in Hell, Thomas and Sarah (or rather, Fineas and Ondine) find themselves back in the lap of luxury as their father claims his title as the Overlord of Television.

—

Lowkey enamored with the idea of struggling single dad Vox. Have some miscellaneous ideas:

Vox doesn't have a functional mouth yet, so the kids are the only ones who have to eat. He tries to figure out if he can use his electricity to cook/heat up food.

He's at work all day, so Thomas and Sarah are stuck alone in the apartment with very little to do. Thomas teaches Sarah to read up to a 5th-grade level. They might have a radio to keep them entertained. Whenever Alastor's doing his "screams of dying overlords" broadcasts, they're supposed to shut it off.

Vox has to rediscover some long-forgotten sewing knowledge since the kids need clothes that aren't falling apart.

When he's around, he'll play things on his screen for them as a form of entertainment. It's sort of like making up a story on the spot since Hell doesn't have any television broadcasts for him to tap into yet.

It's always a treat when they're able to go out as a family, usually for dinner. Vox feels bad that he can't provide them with anything nicer than fast food, but the kids are just thrilled to be out of the apartment, eating something "good," and spending time with him.

Due to cabin fever, the kids are much more rambunctious than they were when they were alive.

Vox is trying to decide whether he should let them acclimatize to Hell or continue treating them like human children.

Once Alastor enters their life, Sarah adores him (that is, after she gets over his initial creepiness).

Sometimes the kids will ask Vox why he pours all his time and money into building a television from scratch (and why it has to take up so much of their precious floor space). He tells them florid stories about how, once it's finished, it'll make them the richest sinners in Hell. Thomas helps him with it sometimes.

The kids' chosen sinner names change every other day.

Vox has a whole system worked out to make sure the kids have the building's communal bathroom all to themselves in the mornings (i.e., just play lookout and hypnotize anyone who tries to enter into walking away).

Tom and Sarah have devised some sort of cockroach/bug-killing game during their days stuck in the apartment.

Vox struggles to come to terms with the fact that his kids are never going to grow up. They're going to be 11 and 8 forever, the same way he'll eternally be just a week away from his 38th birthday. 

He's pissed at God/Lucifer/whoever for letting this happen. What could children possibly have done to deserve Hell?

Exterminations are difficult. Vox used to be able to just hide in the electrical grid and wait it out, but now he's got two small children who can't dematerialize like he can.

Sarah has nightmares about losing her dad again, for good this time. The trauma of losing a parent isn't undone by getting said parent back.

Both kids actually feel like they know their father now. He's no longer this distant figure in their lives who only emerges to give them expensive gifts, show them off at parties, tell Tommy he's not doing [whatever] right, and get in screaming matches with their mom. Vox isn't a great dad, but at least he's trying now, and that goes a long way in Thomas and Sarah's eyes.

—

Made Vox's apartment in the Sims

—

Nice touch that the toys are made of paper, something Sarah & Thomas probably made themselves (with a little help from Vox) since I can't imagine there's a huge (children's) toy industry in Hell. A bat on the wall in case of break ins. Various stains. AC. The TV Vox is working on. The bed looks bigger than I imagined, but I guess Sims did have too many options. A bucket of toiletries in the corner to take with them on their trips to the communal restroom. A box full of (all of their) clothes. Two pairs of shoes (presumably Sarah & Thomas'). Oh it looks like Vox managed to find a stuffed rabbit plus for Sarah! Where did he find that? Did he make it himself? An ironing board (makes sense). A small closet with a mirror. A calendar. And a power box (considering Vox's abilities it makes sense to have one near)!

They either got the bunny from a store catering to Hellborn children or made it themselves (Vox is rapidly relearning how to sew, and Sarah has a bit of sewing knowledge from her home ec classes). Vox's income usually goes towards only two things– keeping the three of them alive and building the TV– but occasionally, the shame of barely being able to provide his kids with anything gets the better of him and he'll "splurge" on small gifts. Sarah was delighted with it; she'll take any comfort she can get in this place.

Regarding the bed, yeah, the Sims only has double, single, and toddler beds. It would need to be a decent size in order to fit all of them though. Sarah and Tom are child-sized, but Vox is seven feet tall and has a CRT for a head. If he didn't already have one, he would've needed to get his hands on a bigger bed unless he wanted to sleep on the floor.

It's funny, the Sims only has two options for calendars: a dog one that's a bit too cutesy to really fit the vibes of this place, and a "Sims in uniform" one. Before the kids showed up, Vox's calendar having a bunch of succubi in sexy costumes wasn't an issue, but now that they are here, that thing's going in the trash... until Vox realizes how hard it is to find non-risque calendars in Hell.

—

I can totally see Sarah (& maybe Thomas) calling Alastor “Uncle Alastor”. Would they call Rosie “Auntie Rosie”?

Vox has them call him "Mister Alastor." Regardless of how emotionally invested Vox is in their relationship, he's very afraid of coming across as overly attached and scaring Al off. Having his kids refer to Alastor as family feels wrong, so having them keep things respectful, yet formal seems like the better option. Rosie would definitely tell them to call her "Auntie" if she ever met them, though.

I wonder what nice things Alastor would do for the kids? Do you think they sometimes appear on Alastor’s radio show? Oh now I’m picturing Alastor and Sarah singing “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile”! Soooo Cute!!! Maybe that’s how they find out about Sarah’s Siren abilities?

Depends on if Alastor does shows that aren't just live audio of overlords being murdered. If he does, then I can see Vox offering to lend him a hand with it and Alastor, in return, telling him he can bring his kids along. From there, yeah, it'd be absolutely adorable if Alastor put Sarah on a stool to reach the mic and sang a song with her ("Never Fully Dressed" wasn't written until 1976 but shhhh).

Would Vox ever give the details of his and Alastor’s falling out? (Though I think Sarah & Thomas would eventually connect the dots.) It would be funny if Alastor was still super nice to the kids even though he and Vox are rivals.

No, I don't think Vox would ever elaborate. Explaining it to the kids would require him to reflect on why it went wrong to begin with, so he just... never does. Alastor remains respectful and friendly if he ever runs into the kids again, but those occasions would be few and VERY far between, given how possessive/protective Vox is of them.

Vox being a good dad to his kids is so sweet!! Nothing brings people together like shared misery!! I can see a cute bonding moment where Vox teaches Sarah how to tap dance (since his leg is fine now).

Oh, no, Vox is never teaching either of his kids how to dance. Singing, piano, stage presence, maybe, but never tap dance.

—

Ondine & Fineas where they die as kids: How does child Sarah and Thomas react to: 4-Your Dad scooping you up and locking you into a fish tank for decades. 5-Valentino

It's... weird when Valentino enters Vox's life. They hit it off immediately, and as time goes on, Vox wants to incorporate Val into more aspects of his life. The kids throw a spanner in the works, though. Messing with children is the one line Valentino won't cross, but he's still not exactly the type of person you want around your kids. Vox can only listen to his better angels for so long, though. The two of them make a deal where Val agrees never to do anything to harm Vox's kids in exchange for [something], and Vox introduces them (he's lowkey planning on moving in with Val eventually, so they might as well get it out of the way instead of springing it on them).

Val's charming and fun when he first meets Fineas and Ondine, but it doesn't take long for them to realize that he's not a good guy. Those misgivings solidify once the tower is built and they all move in together. Vox works hard to keep his kids as sheltered as possible, but it's hard to keep certain things on the down low once you're all living together. It's a lot to come to terms with– realizing that not only is your dad in a relationship with another man, but said man is a violent, sexually exploitative monster who's constantly breaking up and then getting back together with him. Val's generally decent with the kids, but he's still this uncomfortable, looming presence in their afterlives. They wish Vox could've just stayed friends with Alastor instead; he was kinda scary, too, but they'd definitely prefer him as a "step-dad" over Valentino.

Would they stay mentally children or be mentally adults in children’s bodies? I honestly don’t know which is worse. (I do think the former’s more interesting though.)

Sort of an in between. They're eternally stuck as children maturity-wise, but they have decades of new experiences continuously being layered over that stunted baseline. Sinner children generally come across as kind of unsettling in a vague, undefinable way. They're clearly still kids, but there's something about them that's just... off.

What do they think of Vark? The metal image of child Sarah and Thomas riding Vark like a horse will not leave me.

Ondine loves Vark (and all of Vox's other sharks). Fineas is scared of him but tries to act tough about it. This is why Ondine is the favorite /j

If Sarah still discovers her Siren powers would Vox still try to find a way to capitalize it?  Now I’m thinking of Vox forcing Thomas, Velvette, Valentino, and maybe his employees to watch Sarah sing and to clap every time. 

Depends on how skittish Vox is about putting his kids in the public eye in this scenario. He wants his family to become sinner aristocracy, but literally broadcasting your weak point to all your rivals isn't exactly a good idea. If he decides to throw caution to the winds (and can compartmentalize his own childhood trauma), I can see him putting them in his shows. Sinner children are fairly rare, so if a piece of media needs kid characters, their only options are Hellborn kids or sinners who look like children for one reason or another. If Vox decides to keep them cloistered, then yeah, mandatory "watch the CEO's daughter sing" meeting at 3:00. Everyone's docile and spaced out afterwards, but that's a bonus! (at least, Vox says it is)

I can see a scenario where Valentino is screaming at the kids and Vox attacking Val to protect his kids, or in general calling out Val & Vel anytime he sees them treat his kids poorly.

Val and Vel know better than to do anything to threaten Vox's kids, although, yeah, there are probably some times when they snap at them and then get into arguments with Vox. Not a good time for Ondine, give how conflict adverse she is. Hearing her dad raise his voice at all always evokes a fear response in her. Bad memories.

How often would Sarah and Thomas be allowed to be kids? To be silly and goofy and have fun? (I’m assuming not often.)

They're not really able to do anything but be kids once Vox has the means for them to live comfortably. They're never going to grow up, both physically and mentally, and Vox doesn't really push them to act like adults. It's not quite a "Claudia from IWTV" situation, since any frustration would stem from being stuck doing the same thing for decades rather than not being able to age, but there's elements of that.

How much would Vox try to hide the more inappropriate stuff from his kids? How long until you think he gives up?

Vox tried to keep them pretty thoroughly sheltered during the first decade or two, but yeah, eventually he resigns himself to the fact that this is just how Hell is. He doesn't let Val flaunt his sex stuff in front of them, but if someone swears in their presence, he's not going to reprimand them (unless they're an employee and he's feeling petty).

Do you think Vox would import cartoons, books, and toys from Earth for them?

He can't import physical objects from Earth, but he can replicate them as best he can based on the Earthly broadcasts and descriptions from newly arrived sinners. There's probably at least one VoxTek employee locked up in a sweatshop somewhere who's stuck building toys for their contract-holder's children.

Would Vox bother with giving them a proper education?

To the best of his ability. Vox was actually "homeschooled" back when he was touring with his parents, although in reality, his education was put on the back burner, and once he finally started attending real school at age ten, he was reading at about a first grade level. During that first decade in Hell, he'd try to teach Sarah and Thomas things here and there, but he didn't really have the time to commit to it. Thomas ended up teaching Sarah a lot of stuff during those days stuck in the apartment, but given how he died at age 11, they only got so far. Once Vox hit it big though, yeah, he was definitely hiring tutors to finish their education. In 2024, Ondine and Fineas are better educated than most adults, despite being eternally stuck at ages 8 and 11. Sort of adds to their uncanny vibes, despite how cute they appear.

Once Vox becomes an Overlord do you think he buys/customizes a robofizz to act as the kids nanny/bodyguard? What would the kids name them?

Oh yeah, totally. The kids have non-synthetic tutors/nannies/bodyguards, but it gives Vox some peace of mind to have one who he knows he can "trust"/control completely. The kids might name it "Sparky," after their dog, but "Claudia" would also be fun, just for the reference. 

...or fucking renesmee. ondine would be behind that.

Possible reasons Sarah & Thomas are in Hell: 1-They’re mother (& father) told them to keep silent to certain illegal things she(/he) does, so they’re technically accomplices. 2-Partially responsible for the death of someone, which could count as manslaughter. 3-Accidentally ate human flesh, cannibalism. 4-Killed a puppy by accident, puppy killing’s pretty evil.

Sdfghgfdfg. I can see Thomas accidentally shooting an animal with a BB gun (or doing it on a dare from his friends). Right now, I'm leaning towards Hell working on The Good Place rules, where your destiny depends on the net impact you had on the world. Poor Tommy and Sarah got sent to Hell just for being rich, privileged, White children from the 1950s with bad parents.

Man, Exterminations must have been terrifying. I can imagine them huddled in the corner together, hearing the screams of Sinners and hoping they aren’t next. Does Vox try to explain the Exterminations to them? How would Sarah & Thomas react to finding out Angels come down to murder everyone each year? Such a contrast to what they were taught Angels were like.

Definitely. It was so much worse back before Vox had the resources to build an Extermination bunker. Vox can go incorporeal, but the kids can't, so he had to find hiding places for the three of them that weren't already taken up by other sinners. Thomas and Sarah probably watched their dad get at least one person permakilled by hypnotizing them into giving up their spot and walking out into the onslaught. Once Vox becomes an overlord, it's less stressful, but it never stops being scary. Sarah especially struggled with the idea that angels can be cruel; the Oxrights were your typical church-going 1950s family, and Sarah used to draw a lot of comfort from religion, particularly after Vox died.

—

Now I need an in depth view on Sarah’s newly broken view on Angels. If she had a chance to talk to an Angel, what would she say to them? I want to see Sarah interact with all the Angels in the now (Sera, Emily, Lucifer, Vaggie, Lute, Adam, etc.). I need to lock Ondine & Sera in a room together so Ondine can ask Sera how she can slaughter thousands yearly? What would Sera’s reaction be? How would Sarah react to Adam, the first man, is the leader of the Exorcists and is all around a terrible piece of garbage? How would Sarah react to realizing Lucifer, The Devil, is actually kinda nice (or at least a more pleasant person to be around than Adam)?

By the time Ondine and Fineas would have an opportunity to meet most of those characters, they've been in Hell for 65 years, so the idea that demons can be kind and angels can be cruel has had plenty of time to settle. Sera probably wouldn't handle having a sinner child questioning her morals very well. She'd most likely react in a similar way as she did when Emily discovered the truth, insisting that she was only doing what she had to. The fact that Sera and Sarah have nearly the same name is making things even more uncomfortable.

For some reason child Sarah and Thomas meeting Lucifer sound hilarious, how do you think that would go down? Would they even believe he’s The Devil? It would be extra funny if Lucifer’s great with kids and they get along swimmingly. “He's pissed at God/Lucifer/whoever for letting this happen. What could children have possibly done to deserve Hell?” When Lucifer visits the Hotel would Vox scream at him why his 9 & 12 year old kids were sent to Hell? (If he recognizes him as Lucifer) How would Lucifer react? (Or would Vox do that to Charlie when he realizes she’s The Princess of Hell? Charlie would probably be in tears afterwards)

If Lucifer and Charlie were ever confronted with the "Why are children able to be sent to Hell?" question, they wouldn't take it well. Lucifer tries to defer responsibility, saying that it's not within his control: he doesn't decide who does and doesn't get into Hell... but it is still his kingdom, and he's chosen to stick his head in the sand instead of doing anything to help his most vulnerable "subjects." Charlie, yeah, she'd be devastated realizing kids can be sent to Hell for no clear reason and no one has tried to do anything about it.

–

Mental image that refuses to leave me: Vox walking in on Fineas about to shoot an apple off his terrified assistant’s head as Ondine watches apprehensively. He takes the bow and arrow from Fineas, scolding him… and then hands him a crossbow instead. Way more fun that way.

–

The kids are kind of afraid of Valentino, but they think Velvette is the coolest person in Hell. Ondine likes to follow her around like a shadow whenever she's working on her fashion lines, and Fineas maybe sorta kinda has a tiny little crush on her. Velvette hates children, but she can't tell them to fuck off unless she wants to get into an unnecessary fight with Vox, so she has to tolerate them when they try to interact with her.

–

How much has Sarah and Thomas' morals decayed? How much empathy can they show to a regular Sinner? Do they still see regular Sinners as people and not toys or pets?

It's weird. Vox has been encouraging them to dehumanize those under contract with him+the other Vees for decades; they signed up to work for them, so of course the kids should be allowed to do whatever they want to them. Since they died so young, Fineas and Ondine's morals are malleable, plus they both want their dad's approval, so they just... do as he says.

Ondine doesn't enjoy hurting people, but she can still be a bit of a handful in this verse. If she wants to play dress up with random tower employees that day, well, they have no choice but to drop everything and be her dolls until she moves onto something else. She'll also occasionally use her siren powers to make people do silly things (Vox loves it when she does this; he's been teaching her to hone her hypnotic abilities for years and is always so proud when she manages to successfully bend someone to her will). It comes from a place of genuine playfulness rather than malice, but that's cold comfort to the people she's messing with.

Fineas has much lower empathy than his sister and is far less squeamish. If he wants to play a game that could end in someone getting seriously injured, he does it; if he's in the room when one of the Vees is mauling an employee, it doesn't faze him. The fact that these are people, not toys, doesn't really register to him because, well, his dad said it was okay for him to do this, so what's the big deal?

If Charlie could get them away from Vox, she could probably teach them that just because you can treat people like rag dolls doesn't mean that you should, and that a person's feelings aren't automatically less important just because they sold their soul. They're not bad kids at heart; they're just children who've been taught to be careless with people because their dad gets a kick out of it.

"The kids are kind of afraid of Valentino, but they both think that Velvette is the coolest person in Hell." This is so cute!! Does Sarah get into fashion design?

As much as she can. She's only 8, so she doesn't really have the attention span/ability to fully commit to it, but she thinks it's fun. Velvette might actually end up spending some time with her because Ondine came up to her with a notebook full of drawings and Vel decides that picking apart this third grader's doodles was a good use of her time. She's not nice about it, but eventually it turns into more of a genuine critique than simple roasting since Ondine won't leave until she's looked at all of them.

–

When video games arrive in Hell, Fineas— as you would expect from an eleven-year-old boy— is enamored. If you play online games in Hell, there’s probably been at least one time when you’ve heard a pre-pubescent boy’s voice in VC, spouting the most obscene series of curse words you’ve ever heard in both English and Spanish. He has all the rarest gear in the game and will threaten to have his dad send snipers to your location if you grief him.

-

After a few decades, Vox starts lying to his kids that he somehow checked with Heaven and knows for a fact that's where their mother is. It's easier to let them think that than have them start asking about them finding her in Hell, and it gives him an easy cover story if he ever manages to find her and follow through on his plans to permakill her.

-

Vox uses his status as a “family man” to further bolster his public image. It’s a narrow tightrope to walk, trying to project humanity to the customer base and invulnerability to his colleagues/enemies, but if you ask him, he’d say he does it well. It helps that it’s not entirely a lie: Vox is a vicious, cutthroat overlord, but he also has two small children who he’s ironically much closer with in Hell than he was on Earth.

-

Imagining Vox teaching Ondine how to hypnotize people is just the cutest thing to me. He's trying to explain these abstract mental concepts to an eight-year-old. She doesn't fully understand that what they're doing is wrong; she just likes spending time with her dad. Vox is literally glowing with pride whenever she manages to do it right. They might sing together since that's how Ondine's powers work. Adorable evil daddy-daughter bonding is killing me.

[kakarotcake]

Had a giant early morning realization on why I enjoy Gochi as much as I do. (I wrote a lot in this; there's a TLDR at the end but please read through my hopefully-coherent rambling to get full context.)

It's specifically because of how non-conventional they are. They didn't date / go through a courting phase before they got married. They barely knew each other at all in fact. Yet, Goku felt unbothered enough to honor a promise he made as a child, and agreed to go forward with the marriage anyway. Chi Chi stayed committed to Goku's promise, despite how she didn't know him, and literally got his consent as an adult first before they went on.

And they made it work.

I so wish we got to see the 5 years of Goku and Chi Chi living together + the early years of Gohan's youth, but specifically because I would like to see just how they each adapted to their new living situation. But regardless, the fact remains that they STAYED together. Chi Chi for sure would've left Goku if she was that unhappy with how Goku just isn't a conventional guy when it comes to relationships. Going home to her dad and resuming being Fire / Frypan Mountain's Princess was always right there as an option. Hell Chi Chi's been identified as an attractive lady in-universe, so she could probably meet someone new before long! But she didn't take it. IIRC, she never has.

I also feel like Goku would also get up and leave if he was unhappy. He's never had to force himself to sacrifice his own happiness for someone else as he lived on Paozu by himself for years, then spent the rest of his teenhood traveling around & training, so if presented with that kind of scenario he wouldn't think twice before being like "ok whatever, see ya" and just peacing out. He wouldn't see the point in staying, since why would he make himself stay somewhere he isn't welcomed or doesn't feel welcome? Grandpa Gohan's old home was always there for him.

My personal biggest gripes with their relationship have honestly never been because of how they had little chemistry before they got together. For me it's always been about how Chi Chi is just treated like a joke by the writer(s); she follows an angry housewife stereotype. Sure, it's supposed to be a joke and she's supposed to come off as comedic, but it only ends up doing damage because it encourages you as a viewer to not take Chi Chi or her relationship with Goku seriously. (I'm ignoring Goku here, but his writing in DBS *anime wise at least* is atrocious and further fed into this btw.)

Yet, from what I've seen over the years in the western fanbase, people's biggest issues with Gochi (aside from general Chi Chi hatred) is because it isn't a conventional relationship. It had hardly any chemistry going into it. I understand that logic, don't get me wrong, but I only understand it when I factor in society's amatonormative & allonormative lens. And I hate both of those things. Gochi not complying with them is what I find charming about the ship.

They didn't date or establish a super deep bond or whatever, yet they lived together in peace for 5 years. They continued to bounce off of one another throughout Z. Chi Chi NEVER remarried or even dated someone while Goku was dead for 7 years. She was crying happy tears when he finally returned at the end of the Buu saga. Goku was more than happy to go home with her and their kids (and tbh I'm 99.99% sure he wouldn't have minded if Chi Chi chose to get with someone else - he chose to stay dead after all). OBVIOUSLY they care for one another a lot, despite how they married each other as strangers. They themselves are narrative (if that's the right word) proof that conventional love & romance & whatever don't guarantee successful marriages. I adore that.

And it's funny because Vegebul is a pairing that also had little to no chemistry going into it, but unlike with Gochi, the no chemistry actually does hurt it for a couple of reasons (all of them revolving around how Vegeta was/is a terrible person) that I won't get into here because it'll derail this post and it's long enough already. I just wanted to point that out in text myself first, before other people came at me trying to argue it.

Anyway. TLDR Gochi as a ship defies amatonormative & allonormative concepts regarding intimate relationships. "You have to date / court someone first, fall in love with them, then marry them because marriage will make sense & be healthy then." They didn't do the first two parts, but after getting married, they're happy together. They spat in the face of societal norms & expectations.

[luna-rainbow]

Thunderbolts isn't great in its depiction of Bucky, but one thing I did kind of appreciate is that nobody keeps rubbing his face in his past and he actually gets to acknowledge he didn't have choice.

Also they treat him like a "normal" person not a ticking time bomb. Well as normal as you can get among a team of misfits.

Even when Val's assistant made that remark about tracking her phone it didn't come off as mean- maybe just her being cautious because she's ratting on her boss basically.

What do you think though? Am I being overly optimistic?

Thanks for the ask!

I am in the same boat of being in mixed feelings about it. There are lots I did like about it (especially stuff that had nothing to do with Bucky), there are parts to do with Bucky that I enjoyed, and then there are parts I'm not so sold on. But by far it was much more "appreciative" of Bucky, if that is even the word. It didn't have the unfortunate message of making Bucky (or Yelena and Ava) atone for someone else's evils. They still had to come to grips with things they had a choice in, e.g. the continual call-out of Walker lashing out at others and the consequences he would have to live with. I am...not happy with the way they make Alexei out to be this helpful doofus when he's got a lot to answer for, but that's been an issue since Black Widow.

Like @hipsterdiva mentioned in another post, I loved the early scenes of Bucky being a Congressman. The problem is, once again, I can't tell if it's good because it's written well, or because Sebastian made it good. I saw that some people say he phoned it in for the movie and it's like, have you looked at those scenes?? Sure, Bucky didn't have a big ugly cry sequence this time around, but Sebastian's specialty with Bucky has always been subtlety, and those few scenes were so beautifully depicted. (Going to keep the rest under a cut because of spoilers)

In the impeachment scene, Bucky had the gravitas of a soldier on a mission as he watched Val's whole act like a hawk. He then gets ambushed by reporters asking him specifically about human experimentation after deriding his junior status as a politician. I thought his fumbling response was in character, given the nature of the question, his own trauma with Hydra's experimentation, and his mind clearly being somewhere else.

When he went to the charity event (or whatever it was), Sebastian did a perfect rendition of Bucky knowing he's got the charm and trying to work it with Mel, but also being quite uncomfortable with it. Compare this "flirting" scene with him "flirting" with Peggy, or with any scene of Tony flirting with women and it's such a huge difference. He doesn't get in her personal space or try to dominate her (as Tony does). It doesn't have the antagonistic tinge his interaction with Peggy felt. This feels like he's trying to establish trust with Mel. When she confronts him with "I know what you're doing", he looks relieved to be dropping the facade because he prefers being sincere. And he gets that line in about Mel being able to pick her bosses when he couldn't, which you won't believe how happy it made me given THAT'S ALL I WANTED FROM TFATWS.

The detail about him avoiding cameras might have been intended to be a joke but again, the way Sebastian plays it makes it hard to laugh at Bucky and you actually feel more sympathetic that he's the one taking all the correct precautions while the older politicians are dismissive simply because they don't have the experience he does. Especially when the plot immediately cuts to Val ruthlessly ordering Yelena to "get rid of the evidence" (i.e. setting up Walker, Ava, Yelena and Taskmaster four-way fight), it frames Bucky as correct in his precautions.

I can't remember which exchange it was with Mel that he offers to protect her, and she asks him if he's speaking as the Congressman or the Winter Soldier. And somehow, it didn't feel like a dig at all, just a neutral statement that he's got two public personas he's trying to keep separate and one is more capable but less politically correct, while the other one is still extremely junior in his career and can't ensure her safety. Compare that to TFATWS, which managed to make 99% of mentions of the Winter Soldier a sideways dig at Bucky.

Her generally positive opinion of Bucky is supported by her later asking him to "track my phone", i.e. her making a direct request to the Winter Soldier, as shown by him immediately replying "I don't do that anymore". If my memory serves me correctly, she asks him to do that when Val decides to get rid of the Thunderbolts team, and Mel didn't have time to tell him the location (so she asked him to track her phone in order to see where they were going). In other words...she not only knew she was appealing directly to "the Winter Soldier" side of Bucky, she also knew he was not only capable but willing to help. Even if it's one person, it's clear that Bucky is being treated as hero-coded...which, again, is more approval than we got from TFATWS.

I am not overly sold on the whole Bucky dripping pizza while grumbling over "the package", which (I'm a bit vague on this) has something to do with Val's impeachment. I've seen people say that means Bucky doesn't care about his job -- which I don't think is true, given someone earlier said Bucky had tried to put forward multiple bills but they all bounced, which means he does care, he just isn't very good at it which...everyone starts somewhere. But it does beg the question of why Bucky didn't know to read the reports. Like, if he just simply couldn't make it through the damn thing - fair. Remember that stimulus bill that was nearly 5,600 pages long??? Even a super soldier would struggle. But he somehow didn't even think to at least give it a go just.......sigh. Not great writing.

Then, when Bucky finally meets the Thunderbolts...it's such a different interaction to how Bucky met people in TFATWS? i.e. Selby, Sharon and Karli (not to mention Walker and Zemo) who were all various degrees of condescending. He literally appears with fanfare and cheering, even a high-pitched "Buckyyyyy~~~~" squeal from Walker (which cracked me up, I'd pay another $20 to watch that XD)

And Ava, Yelena and Walker, who've been at each other's throats since the vault, are just...so meek in front of Bucky? Even though he knocked them all out and tied them up? They don't mock or belittle him at all? And they are so pleased with themselves when he finally believes them?? They are like naughty schoolkids who are finally happy detention is over and their teacher's taking them on an excursion??? I'm sorry I know that scene was probably dumb to a lot of people but I loved it.

Bucky's role is far less important in the rest of the movie, and there are bits that annoy me. Like...which brain cell were you using Bucky that you thought stripping off your jacket was going to help you win against a superpowered entity? =_______= Come on man. You've fought aliens and you've worked on the same side as Wanda, you know when you're in too deep.

I am NOT impressed with his arm getting removed AGAIN. I was just thinking yesterday that in all of the fights that disables Bucky at the end, Steve was the only one that went for his human arm. Everyone else goes for his prosthesis and at this point it's just such a cheap out. There's probably a meta in that but I'll need to brew on it.

What I did love about that scene was how quickly and with such...unspoken unity the Thunderbolts just rallied around him? As soon as he went down, Ava rushed to grab the arm while Walker and Alexei swooped in to fireman carry him to safety. It was just...such a moment of instinctive care and team work and like, acknowledging even super soldiers can get weak and need help -- we just haven't seen anything like this for Bucky since Civil War and it brings a tear to my eye *sniff*

Okay this got super long already so I'll finish up with the ending, which I did not love. I think it's such a shame that we went through the rooms without even a hint of Bucky's past, if only because Ava, Yelena and Walker had a friendship with Bob. Alexei has a strong attachment to Yelena, so for all of them they have motivation to save Bob: i.e. not just to get rid of Void, but truly save Bob from himself. Bucky never had the opportunity to bond with Bob because of the lack of flashbacks, so it didn't feel as poignant for him to be there.

The post-credit scene which the director (or writer?) said was shot later and added on by the studio: it's typical MCU meddling of moving game pieces from one arena to the next while breaking the emotional journey. I am not fond of the artificial Sam-Bucky conflict, but we don't know how the Thunderbolts have been functioning after the end of the movie. That said...we know MCU's track record with complex political situations, so I don't see this being adequately explained in the future...and I am already not looking forward to the shitstorm that's going to hit fandom if there really is a prolonged conflict between Thunderbolts and Sam's team of Avengers.

[ladydiaries]

hihi! i dunno if requests are open rn but if they are, can i request nsfw or sfw hcs of vox x (preferably AMAB! reader, but gn's fine too!) a socially awkward reader?? tysm!! take care of yourself and take your time! :3

Sparks ✧˚ ༘ ⊹ .ᐟ .ᐟ

CW; minors do not interact, 18+ content, praise, vox electrocutes you like twice, AMAB, biting , edging , breeding, oral (giving). Rambles + hcs under the cut!

SUMMARY; general SFW &&. NSFW hcs of vox x socially awkward AMAB! Reader

HCS + RAMBLES

AUTHORS NOTE; TYSMMM for requesting!! I'm excited to write an AMAB reader. There is a serious drought of them, Going to use he/him pronouns for this one.

Of course, if this relationship is established I believe he would treat you like you're the only man in the world. His bitchy exterior is totally a front and inside he's a bit more lax, corny, and to your surprise, charming. Taking you on dates, presenting you with flowers.

Even better if he had intentions of manipulating you first, spiralling into the embarrassing realisation that he's in love with you. Ranting to Valentino and Velvet about his dilemma. Sure to tease him about it whenever you're around. Fast forward into the actual relationship, at the beginning he would have trouble not seeing you as some sort of possession.

Something to hide and keep, which due to your introverted nature, you didn't particularly mind not going out often, overtime he would loosen up, taking you on dates, more focused on showing you off then gatekeeping you, confused as to why you were so much more shy in the public then in private.

hogs the bed, face (screen) down, limbs everywhere.

An AWFUL cook. Could imagine a baking date and if you are good, wonderful. You can teach him, and if you too are also awful, you can feed your shit cookies to Valentino.

Insists on doing small things for you to boost his ego, will speak for you at restaurants and public settings

Will make you learn how to repair and upgrade his systems. Thinks it's romantic

If you work for him, he will purposely give you jobs that don't require public speaking, will never admit to it though.

NSFW.

This man FUCKS. You are a lucky boy because he has stamina. Will fuck you for hours on end, clawed hands running loosely against your cock as he pistoned into you from behind. Barely touching you enough to make you cum, you've been here for hours. Bringing you so, so, close to your sweet release before daggered fingers plunge into your soft skin.

He's the type of man to use praises while you suck him off. Unyielding grip on your hair. Hips rutting up slowly into your mouth. The intrusion making you struggle to swallow your gag reflex.

Whiny. He's the epitome of whiny men. Screen scrolling in between different levels of brightness, furrowed brows as you place open mouthed kisses against his body. Fingers mingling around the back panel of his screen.

very experimental, will try pretty much everything

If he overheats, he will pass out. Had to install a better cooling system due to shutting down too much.

Cock is ridged. A steel navy blue colour, leading towards a blue tip. Detachable, can change sizes, widths or not have one at all.

Cums a lot, a thick substance. Likes to watch it drip out of you, tastes like pennies.

Thrives to see your embarrassment while teasing you in public. Hand wandering too far down your waist or foot pressing against your groin while sitting across from him during a meeting.

Depending on his schedule, he can either be the best or the worst at aftercare. On a busy day he could probably care less but on day's off or weekends he's all for it. Bathing you, gathering treats, snuggling neatly in bed to watch whatever show peaks your interest in the moment.

[joeliz99]

A Taste of Italy- Joe Keery

Description: In a serendipitous turn of events, (Y/N) celebrates her birthday alone in Positano, only to find unexpected companionship and romance as she shares a day of cooking and exploring Positano's beauty with the charming Joe.

Warnings: None, Pure Fluff, Non-established relationship, RPF Fic

Word count: 2378

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

The small, intimate kitchen was filled with laughter as (Y/N) stood uncomfortably in front of her designated table. Usually, she considered herself a social butterfly, but today, it felt like her social skills had been drained. She was still trying to get over the fact that her friend had missed their flight to Positano, Italy, after planning this whole day for so long. Instead, she found herself alone in a cooking class she had refused to cancel at the last minute.

The instructor, with a thick Italian accent, provided an overview of the class. Almost every ingredient was laid out in front of her, and a glass of wine stood invitingly on the table. She stared at it for a moment before taking a sip, savoring the various flavor notes on her tongue. As she was about to go for a second try, someone stood next to her, removing his sunglasses and fixing his messy hair while muttering an out-of-breath hello.

"I'm sorry. Do you mind if I station here?" the guy asked, noticing her glance.

"Oh, not at all. Make yourself comfortable," she replied with a smile as he put on his apron.

"Thank you. I almost didn’t make it, you know? The streets are so confusing around here. I’m still sweating," he said. (Y/N) genuinely laughed. He was a bit of a mess, but he didn’t seem to mind at all.

"You'll get used to it. Give it a day or two and you'll have them all memorized."

"Are you sure? I’ve been here for a week now. I think I'm past that point," he replied with a grin, his sunburned cheeks now making complete sense.

(Y/N) was about to respond when the instructor’s voice filled the space once again. It was time to learn about Italian cuisine. Soon, the small kitchen was filled with low lounge music and the aroma of homemade sauces mingled with aromatic herbs and light chatter. Joe and (Y/N) worked on their pasta, each having a different experience. While (Y/N) had a natural gift for cooking, Joe struggled to knead the flour and ingredients into a smooth ball. (Y/N) glanced over frequently, almost wanting to help, seeing him with flour on his face, his hair messier than before, and a funny frown of concentration.

"Um... Mind if I help?" she asked after a moment. He looked up, noticing she was about to cut her dough, and nodded sheepishly. "It’s easier if you use your knuckles and press down. I don't know the logistics, but it works." She moved closer and demonstrated. "See?"

"Uhh... Yeah. Let me try," he said, taking over the job again. "How do I keep it from being clumpy?"

"Just keep kneading. It’ll come together soon."

They continued working with concentration, engaging in constant chatter while flattening the pasta, cutting it, and spiraling it into balls to cook in the boiling water.

"I'm going to need another glass of wine at this rate," Joe exclaimed, placing his hands on his hips dramatically. (Y/N) laughed, shaking her head as she took both empty glasses and walked over to the counter to refill them. He smiled excitedly and thanked her as she handed him a glass, and she took a sip from hers.

"I'm Joe, by the way. Nice to meet you." He extended his hand for a formal greeting, regretting it almost immediately when he noticed his hand was covered in flour. However, (Y/N) smiled and shook his hand without hesitation, her own hand looking nearly as floury.

"(Y/N), pleasure to meet you."

Joe took a sip of his wine and leaned against the counter, glancing at the bubbling pot. "So, if I don’t mess this up, maybe I’ll actually be able to cook this at home. Though, I’ll probably end up with takeout pizza instead."

(Y/N) smiled, swirling her own glass. "Pasta’s easier than it looks. If you can navigate a new country solo, this should be a walk in the park."

"Who said I was traveling alone, though?" Joe's teasing made (Y/N) blink in surprise, feeling her face flush with embarrassment as his laugh and friendly tap on her arm made the situation worse. "I’m just joking. You’re right, though. But you’re giving me too much credit. I almost burned my kitchen down trying to make toast once."

"Toast? That’s impressive," she teased, trying to regain her composure. "I think you might be in the wrong class."

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey, everyone has their talents. That’s exactly why I’m here. My life motto is: When in Italy, be a new man."

"Oh my God," (Y/N) muttered, rolling her eyes with a smile as they noticed it was time to finish and assemble their first plate of pasta.

Everyone had the chance to plate their pasta, adding homemade sauces, grating some cheese, and sitting down to enjoy their creations while listening to local music and comedic stories from the chef.

Joe and (Y/N) sat together, savoring every bite of their simple yet satisfying meal. It felt like an explosion of flavors, enhanced by good company and an amazing ambiance. After such a delightful meal came (Y/N)’s most awaited part: Tiramisu.

Joe noticed the happiness on her face as she helped the chef assemble the dessert, having been pushed to volunteer. Tiramisu was her favorite dessert. After a fantastic demonstration, they all tasted the chef’s recipe, and Joe smiled widely seeing (Y/N) enjoy every bite with her eyes closed and muttering praises.

"Amazing, right?" he asked.

"Every time I come to Italy, I need to eat like a thousand of these. No questions asked," she replied with a satisfied grin.

"So, you're a regular traveler of these parts? Lucky girl."

"Not really," she said with a shrug. "I wish. But who has the money to come here often?" She laughed softly, unaware of Joe’s thoughtful expression. "It’s my second time, actually. Last time I spent two weeks traveling around Italy. One of the best experiences ever. This time is kind of different."

He leaned in slightly, intrigued. "Special occasion, or just a much-needed getaway?"

(Y/N) hesitated for a moment, then sighed with a sheepish smile. "Well… It’s actually my birthday today."

Joe’s eyes widened. "Wait, what? Your birthday?" His voice was full of surprise and warmth. "And you’re spending it here, in a cooking class?"

"Yeah, well… I actually love cooking," she chuckled. "My friend was supposed to be here, but she missed her flight. So, I’m making the most of it on my own."

"Well, happy birthday!" Joe said, lifting his wine glass in an impromptu toast. "You should’ve told me earlier! We could’ve made this a full-on celebration!"

(Y/N) laughed softly, clinking her glass against his. "It’s no big deal. Honestly, the day has been fun enough. And the food makes it worth it."

Joe looked at her with a lingering smile, as if something clicked in his mind. After the class finished, the two stood outside the small, rustic kitchen, the sun starting to dip behind the cliffs of Positano, casting golden hues across the town.

"Well, this was fun," (Y/N) said, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Thanks for being such good company, Joe. I hope you have the best time for the rest of your stay."

"Yeah, same to you. Take care, (Y/N)..." he replied, but as she turned to leave, something tugged at him. He hesitated, watching her walk a few steps away, before suddenly calling out, "Hey, wait!"

She turned, eyebrows raised. "Yeah?"

Joe took a deep breath, stepping closer to her. "I was just thinking… You shouldn’t have to spend your birthday alone. I mean, not if you don’t want to."

(Y/N) tilted her head, intrigued. "What are you suggesting?"

He smiled, a little shyly at first but then with more confidence. "Why don’t we spend the rest of the day together? I know a few places around here that will make this a day you won’t forget. We can grab drinks, maybe hit the beach, whatever you want." He paused, looking sincere. "I promise you won’t regret it."

(Y/N) blinked, taken aback by his offer but touched by his spontaneity. She felt her hesitation melt away as she smiled and nodded. "Okay, so... lead the way."

They began their afternoon by renting bikes to explore the charming streets of Positano. As they pedaled through the winding roads, the vibrant, stacked houses and stunning water views unfolded around them. The town’s narrow streets were a delightful maze, with antique cars parked along the curbs and locals strolling leisurely.

(Y/N) found herself wobbling a bit on the bike, struggling with the numerous curves and inclines. She tried to hide her clumsiness, but Joe noticed her occasional near-falls. “Having a bit of trouble there?” he teased with a grin.

“Not at all,” (Y/N) replied, though her tight grip on the handlebars gave away her struggle. “I’m having the best time of my life.”

Joe chuckled, adjusting his pace to stay beside her. “You’re doing great!”

Their banter continued as they cycled past picturesque scenes and lively street vendors. The vibrant energy of Positano made their exploration both exhilarating and memorable.

After a while, they parked their bikes and walked along the beach, where she eagerly began collecting seashells. Joe watched her with an amused smile, noting her focused effort. “Is this something you always do?” he asked.

(Y/N) looked up, a handful of colorful shells in her hands. “Only sometimes. I’m kind of amazed by everything that comes from the ocean. So... yeah. Something special to have with me.”

Joe nodded. “Let me help you then.”

They finally arrived at a beachside café, the sun beginning to dip, casting a warm, golden light over the scene. Joe and (Y/N) found a quaint spot where local musicians played lively tunes. They settled at a table with refreshing drinks, taking in the ambiance and the stunning view. As the music gradually picked up its tempo, Joe couldn’t resist doing what was on his mind.

With a playful grin, he extended his hand to (Y/N). “Care to join me?”

At first, (Y/N) hesitated, but his infectious enthusiasm and the cheerful music coaxed her into the small open space in front of the café. As they danced, the rhythm carried them into a joyful, carefree moment. Joe attempted to teach (Y/N) a few dance steps, and she couldn’t help but tease him about his “unique” moves. Their laughter and playful banter filled the air.

As the music slowed, they found themselves in a quieter, more intimate moment. They exchanged stares filled with unspoken understanding, their connection deepening in the soft glow of the setting sun. It was a silent acknowledgment of the bond they were forming.

After their dance, Joe suggested they head to a secluded restaurant he knew about. Tucked away from the bustling tourist spots, it offered a cozy atmosphere with a stunning view of Positano’s twinkling lights. They enjoyed a delectable meal, and their conversation flowed effortlessly. Their genuine interest and attentiveness created a deeper connection as they discussed favorite foods, travel experiences, and personal aspirations.

“So, what kind of cake would you like for your birthday?” he asked, his eyes sparkling.

(Y/N) laughed softly, shaking her head. “Actually, I’m not much of a cake person. Gelato’s more my style.”

Joe’s face lit up with a bright grin. “Perfect! Then we’ll do gelato.”

Following dinner, he led (Y/N) to a charming gelato shop renowned for its rich and colorful flavors. As they entered, they both ordered their own cones with an assortment of flavors. With a playful flair, Joe thanked the cashier and turned to begin singing “Happy Birthday” in an endearingly off-key voice. Patrons in the shop glanced over with amused smiles as (Y/N) looked on, touched by the effort and attention.

With their gelato cones still in hand, they took a final, peaceful stroll along the same streets they had explored earlier. When they arrived at (Y/N)’s BnB, the moonlight bathed the entrance in a soft glow. They stood there, the tranquil night around them creating a serene backdrop. Joe took a deep breath, his gaze lingering on (Y/N) as he hesitated.

After a moment, he leaned in slightly, his eyes searching hers. The warmth of their shared day seemed to wrap around them like a blanket. Joe's hand gently grazed (Y/N)’s cheek, his fingers tracing the delicate curve of her face. His touch was soft and tentative, savoring every second of their close proximity.

“I’ve really enjoyed today,” he said, his voice low and sincere. “I know this will sound somewhat crazy, but... I was wondering...” He hesitated again, his hand moving to rest on her waist, pulling her just a fraction closer.

(Y/N) could feel her heart racing as she looked up at him. The intensity in his eyes matched the tenderness of his touch. “Wondering about what?” she managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper.

Joe took another deep breath, his gaze roaming over her features—her eyes, her lips, the way the moonlight made her skin glow. “If maybe... we could do this again again sometime. Go out, explore more together.”

There was a charged silence as they both felt the weight of his words. Joe’s fingers lingered at her waist, his thumb gently brushing her hip. (Y/N) could see the hope and earnestness in his eyes, and she found herself drawn closer to him.

Finally, (Y/N) smiled, her eyes softening. “I’d like that very much.”

Joe’s smile widened, and he leaned in, closing the remaining distance between them. His hand gently cupped her face, his thumb brushing across her delicate jawline and placing finally his hand on her neck. Their kiss was soft and tender, an intimate connection heightened by the serene surroundings. The world seemed to fall away as they shared that perfect moment, each touch and caress magnified by the gentle moonlight.

As they pulled back, Joe looked at (Y/N) with a hopeful smile. “So, tomorrow sounds good?”

(Y/N) laughed softly, her heart full. “Yes, definitely.”

They parted with a warm, lingering hug, both feeling that this birthday had become a day to remember, filled with new beginnings and the promise of more to come.

[pumpkinowl13]

My opinion (& honest critique) of Poppy Playtime Chapter 4

Okay hi. First things first, I have been a fan of Poppy Playtime since Chapter 1 came out. I was hooked from Chapter 1, thought Chapter 2 was just fantastic, and was absolutely blown away by how good Chapter 3 was.

And then ... Chapter 4 happened.

I'm not gonna act like it was completely irredeemable, because it had parts that I really really liked- I thought Doey was awesome & the puzzles were by far the most innovative yet. I think the issue for me is that it just didn't feel like a Poppy Playtime game, for multiple different reasons.

My overall summary if you CBA to read everything is that I wish they had just committed to one plot line, one antagonist, one setting and one plot twist: Quality over Quantity. Because of this, it just didn't feel like a proper chapter, and instead like a mishmash of concepts.

Read on for my criticism, & if you have any opinions on it or corrections I'd be happy to read them :))

The first big thing for me

is that it didn't feel like it had an antagonist.

Or rather, it felt like it had three potential antagonists (Doey, The Doctor and Yarnaby) that they couldn't decide between and just shoved all three together, at the expense of the quality of each character.

The first three games it felt clear who the antagonist was- giving each chapter it's own unique story. However, the inclusion of the prototype also added to a larger, cohesive plot which each chapter followed, giving each of them a purpose. However, in Chapter 4... who was the antagonist?

Let's talk potential antagonists for Chapter 4 (& why none of them worked...)

I know what you're gonna say. Doey. And Doey was certainly the main character of this chapter, but if he's the antagonist, then he falls flat.

Part of the charm of the games was the feeling of not knowing what was going on. The isolation in the huge factory, knowing that there was someone after us, but not knowing where they were or what they were doing - like when Huggy dissapears in Ch1, or the occasional limb from Mommy or Catnap's tail snaking down from the ceiling. This makes our imagination run wild - being left alone with the knowledge that we are not alone is such a divine way of building tension.

But if Doey was meant to be the antagonist, then like ... none of this beautiful tension building can happen at all. He's pretty consistently by our side after we meet him, and we immediately learn his entire backstory from the tapes. This feels like the establishment of a new friend, rather than an antag. So then like ... why did they make him start attacking us and have him be the big boss fight? Why didn't he just stay a friend for the rest of the series, or save that boss fight for later games? Instead he randomly turns on us, which just felt so forced. Why did he need to be the big disney villain plot twist? I feel like Doey should have stayed a friend to us, along with Kissy & Poppy. While his Boss fight was cool for lore I guess, we also could have just seen the transformation in another context (like fighting an actual antagonist with us) or just hearing it on a VHS tape (like we did when he met his parents). And then to make matters worse, they just kill him off.

So then, maybe the Doctor is the antagonist. But again, this annoys me. The Doctor is an awesome character, don't get me wrong, but as a main antagonist... hmm. I'm not so sure. Firstly, he just doesn't visually fit with the style of the other antagonists. He's not a toy - he's literally just a computer. Visually, I feel like he just didn't really fit Chapter 4 just yet. I really wish they had just saved him for Chapter 5 (when presumably we meet the prototype & the tone will be much darker) Another issue with him as an antagonist is he didn't really build up any tension either, constantly yapping to us through the security cameras - i get that he's always watching us, but it could have been much more subtle (like how they did it with Catnap).

So I think that the strongest candidate is probably Yarnaby. I mean firstly, visually, Yarnaby fits with the other antagonists. I saw Yarnaby's design and actually got excited about it. he's awesome and that mouth opening thing!!! I mean, Wow! Literally the best designed character in this Chapter.

But then why why why did they not even bother to make him the main antagonist!!!!! He constantly stalks us throughout the whole game, he builds up enough tension... I mean like, they could have done so much with Yarnaby. But no, they just kill him off. Right after introducing him. I wish we had just focused on Yarnaby, and not all these other characters.

I mean, reading these files, there is such a missed opportunity here. I personally think they should have made the main antagonist Yarnaby, he stalks us the entire game. And then, they could have played into this “domesticated dog or cat” thing and maybe had us domesticate Yarnaby? And that could have been the big chapter plot twist- the player then going in to defeat the prototype with Yarnaby and Doey on our side...? Or if they didn't want to do that, why make his death so lame?? Why not cut him in half or something, it feels so obvious!! and then to have the twist be that The Doctor actually owns Yarnaby and he's pissed and that's the cliff hanger we leave Chapter 4 on!!!? Like SO MUCH POTENTIAL!!!!

But no, instead of just committing to one character, they decided to waste three. Justice for all three semi antags in this chapter:(

Up next, why I think the setting could have been much better. Stay tuneddd

[ilovetheriddler]

So um... I accidentally posted this unfinished and deleted the post, so I can't get the request thing back, so I included a picture of it above! I hope you enjoy it!

Good girl.

(Batman: The Caped Crusader) Oswalda Cobblepot x F!Reader.

Word Count: 1,211.

Contents: 🔞🔞🔞 NSFW 18+! Kissing, Praise Kink, Vaginal fingering.

The rain was coming down harshly outside of the Iceberg Lounge. It had been pretty stormy the past few days. On the downside, you'd end up missing work today. On the upside, you'd get to spend time with your girlfriend, Oswalda Cobblepot, the owner of the establishment. You were currently waiting in her dressing room, She had already finished tonight's performance, which was as flawless as ever, and was now preoccupied handling some matters involving the other side of her business. She was always so charismatic and charming when preforming, her stage presence was truly unrivaled. But everyone who knew what else she was involved in was fully aware of how ruthless and dangerous she could be if she felt it was necessary. You were snapped out of your train of thoughts as the door opened, Oswalda having returned.

"Welcome back, Ozzy! I hope that whatever matters you had to attend to went well!"

She walked over to the makeup table and sat down on the chair in front of it, setting down her Umbrella next to it. She let out a clearly somewhat frustrated sigh.

"Unfortunately, it could have gone better, Sweetheart. Regardless... I made sure it got taken care of..."

"Well... That's not surprising. I'd be more surprised if whatever required your attention wasn't taken care of after you had to attend to it...."

She let out a hum of acknowledgment as she touched up her lipstick some, careful not to smear it. She glanced over at you a bit before gesturing for you to come over to her. Which of course you immediately did, and walked over to stand next to her.

"Come here and sit down on my lap for a moment, Darling."

"O-okay!"

You carefully sat down on her lap. You felt your face heat up slightly as she wrapped one of her arms around your waist. She was quiet for a moment, as if she was pondering something briefly, before a sly grin crossed her face as she leaned her head closer to your ear.

"Tell me something, my dear... Did you rearrange the things that I asked you to while I was gone?"

"Y-yes! I rearranged all of your outfits by overall theme and then your wigs by color and length!"

"Hmm.... Good girl, I'm very pleased with what you've done."

She grasped your chin gently and turned your head slightly so that it was turned towards her. After staring into your eyes for a few seconds, she leaned in, your lips melting into hers in a sweet but passionate kiss. After what felt like an eternity but in actuality was only about a minute, she pulled away, allowing you to catch your breath.

"Mm... Now... I believe my good girl deserves a reward for doing such a fantastic job at what I asked, don't you agree?"

"O-oh! Um... I um... Really? I mean, I don't see how I could possibly ever say no to a reward from you..."

She let out an amused chuckle as she pushed a few strands of hair from your face, running her fingers along the side of it once tucking them behind your ear.

"Well.... I'll give you two options for your reward. Option One, I'll get you whatever dress or other item you've been eyeing recently...."

"A-and um... Option two?"

"Option Two, Sweetheart... Would be that I spend the rest of the free time I have before I'm needed again, making you feel good..."

"Um... I think I'll go with... Option two..."

You let out a somewhat surprised yelp as you felt her suddenly kissing the back of your neck, slowly moving down your neck to your shoulder. Leaving occasional love bites as she went. She lightly, teasingly traced her hand up your leg, painfully slow, Until it reached the hem of your dress, Carefully sliding it up.

You felt your heart rate speeding up, a strong feeling of anticipation and arousal settling in your abdomen as she pushed your dress up enough to be able to reach the waistband of your panties. She paused for a second, glancing at your face to make sure that you were still alright with what she was doing. Once she confirmed that you were fine with this, she hooked a few of her fingers around the waistband and pulled them off of you, tossing them to the floor next to the chair.

As she slowly ran her hand back up your thighs, she let out a mixture of between a pleased sigh and an amused hum, her hand coming to rest in between your inner thighs. She ran one of her fingers just barely through your folds. You let out a sharp inhale as your face flushed a vibrant, pinkish red hue.

"Oh! you're already dripping wet, and I've hardly done anything, darling. You really are such a good girl for me....."

You somehow felt even more flustered over her words if that was even humanely possible at this point! It was true. She had barely touched you so far. However, her words and her praise always made you weaker than anything else, so you weren't surprised that you were already so aroused.

You let out a weak and slightly frustrated whining sound as she continued to teasingly run her fingers over and around your folds, not yet putting one in. You were normally able to handle her teasing fairly well, but tonight you were too worked up, and needy from her praise, you needed her desperately.

"A-ah... Ozzy... Please....! I... I need you...."

"Oh? Well, I'm more than happy to oblige and give you what you so desperately need since you're being so good...."

A moan that came out way louder than you hoped it would escaped your lips as she slid a finger into you, placing more kisses on your neck as she started moving it in and out of you at a slow and agonizing pace. Gasps and moans fell from your lips as she started moving it slightly faster.

"A-ah... mm..... O-ozzy!"

"Good girl... that's it, let me hear how good I'm making you feel... you're doing so well, sweetheart..."

As she added a second finger, you whined and grasped onto her thighs underneath you. She moaned as you held onto her, clearly enjoying the feeling of you having to hold onto her as a result of the pleasure that she was giving you. You leaned your head back against her as you could feel the pressure building. With each precise movement of her fingers inside you, you were pushed closer and closer to the edge. Only being pushed there quicker once she moved her thumb to your clitours, rubbing it in steady circular motions.

"Ah! O-ozzy.... i-I'm so close... Ah!"

"Shh.... That's it, my dear. Let yourself fall apart under my touch.... be a good girl and come for me...."

After a few more seconds, you felt the tension inside you snap, your walls clenched around her fingers as a synthony of broken moans and gasps fell from your lips. She carefully pulled her fingers out of you as you came down from your high of pleasure, kissing your lips gently.

"See? I always know just how to reward you, don't I, darling?"

"A-absolutely... Gosh...."

[sugalovessugar]

My favorite outfits in EEnE (from seasons 5-6)!

Hi y'all! I'm pretty sure we all know by now that Ed Edd n Eddy is goated, but I haven't seen a lot of people talk about the fashion. And yeah, they don't change outfits that much in seasons 1-4 (unless it's for comedic effect or something). However, the last two seasons give the characters more room to switch up their styles (because of the changes in the months, weather, etc.). I think the show really uses this to their advantage as there're a lot of interesting fits!

I've organized this post into two categories: Number one is outfits I just really enjoyed, number two is outfits that I feel showcase the characters well as a whole (aka every outfit from May I Have This Ed).

Am I most likely overanalyzing this show? Yes. But do I enjoy overanalyzing things? Also yes. Now sit back, relax, and put on your reading glasses, because this will get long!

Category 1: The Charming

So the first outfit I'll be talking about is Nazz's pjs from Boom Boom Out Goes the Ed! I think this fit is really adorable (so is her bathroom, which kind of gives off Hannah Montana vibes to me)! Nazz has always been known as the "feminine" one in the show, but I feel like in season five they emphasized that aspect of her to a greater extent (with her going from wearing men's underwear and not being afraid of getting a little dirty to wearing panties and caring about her appearance more). I actually like this direction they took because they managed to make her cute without turning her into a dumb blonde/flanderizing her character. She's still pretty much herself, which is something I appreciate :)

P.S. How was she so comfortable going outside in only her underwear??? Not only are all the cul de sac boys down bad for her but this episode also takes place in, like, September! Poor girl must be freezing lol

Ok, the next fit is this one from Sarah while she's working at Jimmy's play salon in Cleanliness is Next to Edliness. Now realistically, this outfit would probably be a chop, but Sarah is just a kid who dressed herself up in something she deemed as pretty. That's why it works very well for this particular scene. Plus, she looks like she stepped straight out of the 80s, which I find endearing. Perhaps she took them from her mom's closet (that would also explain why the clothes look a few sizes too big)? Also, the fork in her hair!?!? What an iconic fashion moment. I'm a sucker for whenever the characters use the most random objects as makeshift hair accessories (I've noticed the Kankers do this a lot, but I'll get to them later).

Next is Nazz's back to school outfit in Out with the Old, In with the Ed! This is literally just her normal fit with a jacket and a hairbow, but I still think it's great. I wish they would have kept her bow for the entire season and not just one episode.

Next is Ed's newsboy fit from Truth of Ed. This is one of the only times we get to see him without his jacket!!! I think he looks adorable (as usual). Again, it’s technically just a variation of his regular outfit, yet I think it works well for him! Ed isn’t they type of character who needs to change his entire outfit to establish a new look, and I appreciate how they showcased that in this design (because it’s so iconic to me)!

Now we have Double Dee's school nurse assistant outfit from This Won't Hurt an Ed. I think this outfit is great and idk how hot of a take this is, but I’d go as far as to say that it’s better than his original fit. Dee's regular outfit is so atrocious to me! Whoooo thought it would be a good idea to give this boy an orange shirt, purple shorts, and red leggings??? That sounds horrible and it looks even worse (I'm probably doing too much, but again, we're here to overanalyze stuff so it's ok lol). With this outfit, the color scheme looks wayyy more coherent. His shirt and leggings stand out more against each other. His leggings match the little cross on his hat. His tie and his gloves also kind of match. There's just so much to love about this outfit!

Next is Eddy's Arbor Day party fit from 'Tween a Rock and an Ed Place. This has to be my favorite outfit in the entire series!!! The slicked back hair. The polka dot shirt. The drawn on chest hairs. The dollar sign belt. All the miscellaneous accessories. It's all perfect for him (loud and fun and obnoxious but in the best way possible)! Eddy may be a tiny menace, but you've gotta admit, he has incredible fashion sense.

Now the next three outfits are from the infamous episode Smile For the Ed!

Lee’s fit is very interesting to me. Just like with Sarah’s outfit I talked about earlier, if I saw this at the Met Gala or something, I would say “That’s a CHOP,” but it works for Lee. Despite Lee being the most butch out of her and her sisters, I feel like she’s also the most glamorous and we can definitely see that here with how loud and bold her fit is. Also, again with the random objects as hair accessories! The wrench looks so great on her and kind of adds to the whole “trailer trash” vibe that the Kankers give off.

Nazz’s outfit is lovely as usual! I absolutely adore the sweater (which I’m assuming is some kind of fur material based on the way it’s outlined) over the dress. Plus the matching hat is just too cute! And so is her smile. It just amazes me how much she was able to serve with such minimal effort; unlike someone else…

…Which leads me to Eddy. We all know what happens in this episode, and it’s so depressing considering he was so prepared. His smile wasn’t the only thing he cared about so much, but also his choice in clothing. We’ve already established how fashionable Eddy is, but his outfits are usually more flamboyant compared to this one, which gives off more “mama’s boy” energy. It makes me wonder if he would’ve chosen something more flashy to wear if he wasn’t trying to impress his mom. I also like how Eddy’s red pants match the red in the pin and the flag he pulls out in this scene. Since there isn’t any red in his actual fit, it’s a small detail that I really enjoy.

Category 2: The Character Significant (aka a May I Have This Ed analysis)

Welcome to the second category! Ever since I first watched May I Have This Ed, it’s been one of my favorite episodes for many reasons: The plot, the humor, and, you guessed it, the wardrobe. Although this is one of the final episodes, it’s still one of the most beginner friendly to me. You can tell what type of person each character is just by their dance outfits alone. Let me explain it like I'm watching MIHTE for the first time:

By Jonny's outfit (which is just his regular one plus a vest and a necklace), I can tell that he's kind of a hippie (and by Plank's super cool tie, I can see that he's the best character in the series /j).

Sarah's big frilly dress tells me that she acts cute but is kind of spoiled. Jimmy's fit conveys that he's fashionable but also childish (with the teddy bear chain and heart shaped sunglasses).

The massive sea creature that Rolf is wearing gives me the impression that he's literally a fish out of water (a very confident one at that), while Kevin's Peach Creek outfit kinda makes him look like he's peaking in middle school and cares a lot about his image as a jock.

Nazz's fit tells me she's supposed to be "the pretty one," and that she's there to genuinely have a good time.

The Kankers' looks are probably my favorites from this episode! I love how they all have uniting elements (again with the objects in their hair). It's a tiny detail, but it really shows their background. While Sarah most likely put that fork in her hair because she was just playing dress up, the Kankers are genuinely trying to look nice. Maybe they didn't have the money or the time to go out and buy nice accessories for their school dance, so they're just working with what they have. Even if it isn't that deep, they still look so silly and cute (which is right up this show's alley).

Their outfits also look really good while showcasing their individual styles! Lee's is cool and chic as usual. Marie looks like she got her fit straight out of Hot Topic. May's looks the most adorable to me, and I wish we got to see more shots of it. I'm in love with that extension cord in her hair!

And lastly, we have the Ed boys! Like with the Kankers, I like how their outfits have some unifying traits, mainly that fake facial hair (which I just know was Eddy's idea).

And once again, we can see a lot about them individually. Ed's mismatched boots and the way he's sagging lets me know he's messy but he's also there to have the time of his life. Double Dee's outfit is as tidy as he is, and low key looks old school (from the 70s-80s), which I really like! Of course, Eddy's fit is bold and loud as always. His look shares many similarities with his Arbor Day one. I still think the latter is more memorable, but this outfit conveys everything it needs to about his character so I don't mind.

Also, a small thing I noticed is that once Eddy's beard comes of while he's hiding in the punch, he doesn't put it back on for the rest of the episode. And then, Dee takes his mustache off shortly after (because he never wanted to go to the dance anyway). This was probably meant to be an obvious detail (or idk), but I like that in this scene, you can pinpoint the exact moment when the party goes to crap. It also shows that these boys aren't as mature as they think

(Also also, can we talk about how adorable Eddy looks in the punch bowl (but in the ugliest way possible)? He looks like a fetus lol)

Then, the dance ends in the worst way possible (and Ed still has his fake facial hair, because after all, nothing bad happened to him). Even though it was a very ghetto experience for everyone who attended, at least they looked stylish while doing it!

Ok, one more small observation and then I'll be done: Shoutout to the mannequin lady from earlier in the episode. I'm not the first one to point this out (credits to a YT account who pointed this out in the comment section of this video), but her fishing lure earrings are such a nice touch! It's like she's luring Double Dee in with her charm. ;)

So in conclusion, EEnE can actually be very stylish when it needs to be, and season 5 deserves more appreciation.

[holmesunenthusiast]

hypothetical: if you had to choose only one holmes adaptation to exist and all the others got wiped from existence. What would the one be

OH GOD THE FATE OF THE WORLD IS IN MY HANDS

Confession time I'm actually a fake ass fan cuz I fear I've never watched the famously beloved ones 💔💔 I saw some of the Granada and the Soviet shows but I never had the time to properly sit down and appreciate them!! All this to say I'm excluding them from my answer because I'm hashtag not informed.

I think the ones I find most impactful/most enjoyable are the Enola Holmes movies, the Rdj films, The Great Mouse Detective, Moriarty the Patriot, and BBC Sherlock. Honorable mention to Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd century but I cannot in good faith put it up there with these I'm sorry SH22 😓 Sooo I'm picking from those!

Cut cuz this may get long... You can ignore this and scroll all the way to the bottom for my answer I'm so sorry for this omg 😭😭

The RDJ films have all the makings of an adaptation I should seriously hate, but at the same time it's such a fun new angle for Holmes that I'm kind of impressed at the audacity and just loop right back to enjoying them LMFAO like sure I GUESS Sherlock Holmes can be an action hero if you want him to be 🤷🤷🤷 I mean he canonically boxes so... Good job?? On that?? I think the premise is absolutely ridiculous but the cinematography, the acting, and the soundtrack all work together so beautifully to create a series that I love against all odds. (Still waiting on the third btw 💔) HOWEVER... I can't keep it around because of what it does to my girl Irene Norton. I HATEEEEE Irene as a Holmes love interest with all my heart and soul. Bad premise. Idc if she died. It should've never happened in the first place. Rachel Macadams I'm sorry they did this to you you could've been so much better.

Enola Holmes is another one which I feel absolutely masters the aesthetic it's going for. Enola herself is so charming, the music is whimsical, the setting and costumes are perfectly colorful, it's a SUPER fun watch... For anyone who can ignore the major canon changes 💀 the most HEINOUS issue imo was how they massacred my man Mycroft because WHO is this obsessive, unintelligent misogynist???? That is NOT Mycroft Holmes pls he would not GAF if his sister was a genius or whatever he would probably RECOMMEND for her to go to school but if she fought THAT hard his ass would not fight back. Get real. If anything SHERLOCK would be the one who would be more in support of his sisters schooling/marriage for reasons of safety and whatnot bc he deals with crime all day. I hate Enolas Mycroft with a burning passion for God's sake there was no reason for them to be doing allat they could've just invented a father 🤦🤦

Another, slightly more nitpicky critique I had was the choice to racebend and genderbend Morairty... Now I'm the last mf to be pointing the racebend finger because I pull the woke forced diversity stunt every time I stylize ACD canon characters. a Netflix casting director hates to see me pull up to the forced diversity competition. HOWEVER. I think that given the sort of story that Enola Holmes is trying to tell about female empowerment while simultaneously ignoring how intersectionality plays into that... It's fine. It WOULD be fine if we were creating a verse where we don't think too hard about these things. But Professor Moriarty?? Being made a black woman? Professor Moriarty works from a place of privilege. He has a strong academic history and is someone that is difficult to mark down without HEAVY evidence. No one will believe you because he's established himself as just some MATHEMATICIAN! What's he gonna do threaten you with a quadratic formula?? He's too Smart and White and Rich to be a bad guy. He is THE Quintessential White Man to be villainizing in your very simple feminist narrative!! 😭 You had everything you could possibly want Enola HOW did you fuck this up oml 🤦‍♂️ and then to have Mira Troy just reveal her identity... WHEN THE ONLY WAY MORIARTY MANAGED TO OPERATE THE WAY HE DID IS CUZ NO ONE KNEW HIM😑. pls don't play with me if there's any character that gets more butchered in Holmes adaptations than Irene it's Moriarty.

Which is my perfect segue into Moriarty the Patriot. In terms of representing Moriarty as a figure no one in the public would ever expect as a criminal, they've done a stellar job. Easily one of the best adaptations in terms of understanding WHY it would be difficult to expose a guy like him. He's a PHILANTHROPIST. He HELPS people. How could someone like him also be a criminal??? So in all that, nice work. Making Moriarty the protagonist is a very creative choice. Now my problem here is Holmes (and not just his atrocious ass anime boy design I should kick this thing to the curb just for that). I. REALLY. Don't like the whole "finally my worthy opponent" dynamic being laced with like a love for the chase. Holmes was at his absolute LOWEST when he was going up against Moriarty and Moriarty was shitting his pants that The Sherlock Holmes was on his tail. I get that they needed their enemies to lovers yaoi but did we have to stoop to Sheri///arty territory 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️. It was bound to happen I'm just sad it happened in a series that actually puts Moriarty in the kind of position that'd make it hard for Holmes to take him down that goes beyond "he's caaaRAYZAYYYYY 🤪". Also the redemption arc was bullshitty and gay and I hate it. It had some really good elements and I enjoyed watching the first season but afterwards it just hurt to see them make MORIARTY more important to Holmes than fuckin DR JOHN H. WATSON. Don't play with me anime I am not the one 🙄

Aaaand now we're down to BBC and Disney. This truly seems bleak BUT I have to go back to your wording for this question cuz I feel like these two have DEEP roots and "wiped from existence" means I have to live with a lot less than just a bad Holmes adaptation. And this is about BBC specifically because TGMD is GOOD. Actually it's one of the adaptations that I think BEST represents Holmess mood. I know it's just a mouse who lives in his house who's like factkinning him but this mouse did his HOMEWORK okay? He perfectly captured holmess ups and downs, his moodswings, his recovery after moodswings, his tenderness and his ACTUAL CARE for the people hes working to help. And Dawson is the PERFECT WATSON!! He's a FANBOY. He's amazed at everything Basil is accomplishing, he finds him strange but brilliant and he is loyal and noble and SO KIND. The scene after Olivia gets kidnapped I think is my absolute favorite in terms of how it represents them. Basil is furious they lost the trail, he gets angry at Dawson for exactly a second but then he sees Dawson crying and immediately stops, reflects, and COMFORTS HIM. Oh my god you did it. You made Holmes smart and capable and calculating and brilliant and NOT AN ASSHOLE.

And I feel like just by describing TGMDs pros I've highlights all of BBCs shortcomings. The cases are not smart, not well thought out, and not interesting to follow. The characters are shallow and so too are their relationships. It only made it this far because I am replying to this message on the BBC Sherlock founded website. That's one of our forefathers unfortunately it was the kind of forefather you barely even consider sending a Christmas card to. It is undoubtedly influential and once I wiped the acd canon from my memory and also threw away my dignity and offense that a company is really trying to sell me the story that this is a smartly written character/series I had a great time! My go to quote about it is that it's a shitty early 2000s ooc chatfic. Objectively bad but sometimes you just LIKE that shit. it's fun in spite of and sometimes BECAUSE of its flaws. What do you mean the hound of the Baskervilles was a fucking hallucination. What do you mean you thought Victor Trevor was a dog. What do you mean Irene is a lesbian but her exception is... THAT 💀. That's hilarious. I hate you. Tell me more.

Also TGMD is the reason Disney as a company still exists. It gave them the funds to create The Little Mermaid and pushed them out of the Disney Dark Ages. We don't talk about what Disney does NOW but if it took Sherlock Holmes furry au to give us Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, it was worth it.

So The Great Mouse Detective is my winner! This is probably excluding a lot of great adaptations simply cuz I never watched them but TGMD will always have a special place in my heart and is usually my go to rec for when ppl want a fan adaptation. Basil is my pfp for a reason ig 🤭