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#inked up merch
brokehorrorfan · 8 days
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In honor of Pride Month, Inked Up Merch is reminding you that Horror Is For Everyone. Baseball hats and dad hats designed by Steven Terr are available for $25, with proceeds benefiting the ACLU.
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fleouriarts · 9 months
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i missed lino carving so i busted out my supplies last night and made some hivemind block prints 🕺 theyre a little janky but i had fun
process pics under the cut ^___^
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the original block (forgot to take a pic before any carving so this is mid-cut)
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me making the two b&w ones. i somehow got these ones down just right but when i tried to print in my sketchbook i either overinked or underinked them. perplexing to be sure
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me putting down the different color layers! i basically just put masking tape over the letters i didn't want to print, inked the block, then ripped the tape off and printed. once again i forgot to take a pic before i put orange down on the bottom right one so that one's yellow layer is lost to the ether
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and just for fun here are the "duds" from the color layer prints. top one is fun but the aberration doesn't look as good as the other two's, and the bottom one is just incomprehensible. i over-inked the block and i KNEW i over-inked it but i just said fuck it and printed anyway LOL
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zuccnini · 2 years
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Pikachu (cool hat) - Cleffa - Smoliv and Budew (buddies) - Sylveon - Shiny Sylveon. All these designs are up as holographic stickers on my shop!
Etsy
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inkedmyths · 1 year
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Back at it again with the Cold Steel posting, this time regarding this image which is apparently for some kind of lottery thing and I just
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Important notes
Implication that this image is from some time in CS4. Deleted scene. What are they doing
"Rean's Trip to the Hot Springs" this man and his fucking HOT SPRINGS
Why does Rean look so grumpy. He loves hot springs. I mean I know he's having A TimeTM in CS4 but like seriously why is he doing his best to look like a Cool Mysterious Protagonist when we all know he's the worlds most sentimental softie of a man
What is this a family roadtrip
Silver haired crew and then. Just. Alisa's there too. Really does look like a family photo and then their friend
It's ok Alisa's cute she can stay
Actually I like how they all have just slightly different shades to their hair, it's a really neat detail to me and feels like vindication for how much time I spend dicking around with their hair shades if I draw them in a picture together
This image doesn't show it but Crow is in fact flipping that stupid 50 mira coin because of course he is
Speaking of Crow, why is he wearing his clothes like that. Feels like the "cover them up slut" meme
Altina's hairstyle is so CUTE I LOVE IT
Also her fan has Mishy on it....... she's so cute its criminal
Fie has food. Clearly her priorities are in order
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iam-os · 1 year
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Spring will melt the heart of even the Snow Queen🌺
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IG: @mercheater
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juniemunie · 3 months
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Its the kids turn!! ⸜(˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝
i put way too much effort in this
Don't worry they're still FAR from the conventional nuclear family lmao
PJ is by @/7goodangel
Gradient is by @/askcomboclub
Template by @/unu-nunu-art
Error and Fresh by @/loverofpiggies
Ink by @/comyet
Design notes under!
Design Notes for PJ:
-Error patches up the tears on his scarf! Very nice of him to do.
-All the art materials he has stashed on his belt are for food. He likes to snack on em often.
-Because of Error's..."tolerance" of him, he has more strings that he can use. He's got enough to form legs.
-Fresh gifts him magical ink durable Heely shoes! Instead of shedding footprints all over the place, he can instead heely/skate around and leave behind lines. He's creative on using it during battles. He would never admit it, but he appreciates the gift.
Design Notes for Gradient:
-I based his outfit off ye old web aesthetics like Cyber Grunge,,, I really liked the big pants look on him.
-I placed his scarf on his neck to match with his family, but also to match Template's scarf hehe, a little sign of his influence.
-You can't see it but his laptop bag has a ton of pins and merch of random dated internet references.
-His shoes looking old design Ink's shoes were complete accident but I liked it enough to keep anyway. Maybe Ink gave it to him and he spiced it up!
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pucksandpower · 8 months
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Inked
Charles Leclerc x Reader
Summary: Charles goes feral whenever he sees you wearing merch with his number so you decide to go one step further
Warnings: 18+ content heavily implied
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“Did you see my overtake at turn 10?” Charles asks as he steps into his driver’s room, drenched in champagne and sweat from celebrating his win.
You smile, the kind of genuine, radiant smile that you reserve only for him. “You were incredible. Congratulations, my love.”
“I always race harder knowing you’re watching.” He confesses, peeling off his gloves and moving closer. His gaze fixates on you like you’re the trophy he has yet to claim.
“That’s quite a lot of pressure for me then, isn’t it?” You tease, tilting your head slightly.
He reaches for you, wrapping an arm around your waist and pulling you close. “It’s the best kind of pressure.” He whispers, lips hovering above yours.
“Speaking of …” you trail off, pulling away just slightly to dance your fingers over the fabric of your dress. “I have something for you. A surprise.”
Charles raises an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards. “You know how much I love surprises.”
You take a deep breath. “Remember that spot on my thigh you’re so fond of?”
“How could I ever forget?” His voice drops an octave, his eyes darkening with memories of intimate moments shared. “It leads to my favorite place on earth.”
Taking another steadying breath, you slowly hike up your dress, revealing the fresh tattoo of the number “16” inked delicately on that very place. Charles’ eyes widen, a look of astonishment overtaking his features.
“You didn’t …” he breathes, reaching out to trace the tattoo with his fingertips.
“I did. For you.”
A choked laugh escapes him as you watch the bottom of his race suit suddenly become too tight. “I don’t even know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything,” you murmur, leaning into his touch. “I just wanted to show you how much you mean to me.”
Charles cups your face, his eyes searching yours for a long moment. “I love you so much. Do you know that?”
“I do. And I love you too.”
For a while, the two of you simply stand there, wrapped up in each other. The world outside seems to fade away, leaving only the two of you and the connection you share.
After what feels like an eternity, Charles finally breaks the silence. “Let’s get out of here,” his voice is husky with desire. “I would take you to bed right now but I promised Fred not to break the couch again after last time.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
***
Charles scoops you into his arms effortlessly as soon as you enter your suite, making you squeal in delight. “You have this unique ability,” Charles starts, laying you down gently on the plush bed, “to make everything more special.” He begins to place soft kisses along your collarbone, working his way up to your ear, whispering each word with deliberate intent.
“And you have this uncanny ability to always surprise me,” you murmur, running your fingers through his damp hair. “Just when I think I have you all figured out.”
“Isn’t that what keeps things interesting?” He pulls back to gaze deep into your eyes. “Your tattoo. It means the world to me. And I think, perhaps, I should thank you sixteen times for it.”
You bite your lip, heartbeat quickening. “Sixteen times?”
He nods, a smirk dancing on his lips. “For the number you’ve etched onto your skin for me.”
“You always are one to go above and beyond,” you note, trailing a finger down his chest and feeling his own heart race beneath your touch.
Charles chuckles, capturing your hand and placing a gentle kiss on your fingertips. “Only for you,” he admits. “Because you deserve nothing but the best.”
You smile, “And what makes you think I’m counting?”
His grin sends shivers down your spine. “Oh, believe me, you will be.”
***
The curtains barely keep the sun at bay when you wake up the next morning. You try to move but your legs refuse, reminding you of how thoroughly Charles thanked you … all … night … long. A soft, contented sigh escapes your lips as the memories flood back.
Behind you, Charles stirs, his arm pulling you closer. “Morning,” he mumbles, pressing a gentle kiss to your shoulder.
“Morning,” you echo, attempting to shift and sit up. But your legs wobble as they struggle to move after the intense night you had.
“Seems like I did a good job,” he teases, helping you sit up. The smug satisfaction in his voice is undeniable.
You shoot him a playful glare. “You’re far too pleased with yourself.”
He grins, “Can you blame me?” His fingers dance lightly over your skin, tracing patterns that threaten to make you pull him back under the covers. “You’re irresistible and knowing I’m the reason for that ... well it makes me want to go again for round seventeen.”
Your response is cut off by a sharp twinge in your lower half. Charles notices immediately, concern replacing his teasing. “You okay?”
“Just a bit sore,” you say with a sheepish smile.
He raises an eyebrow, that familiar playful glint returning. “Only a bit? I’ll have to fix that.”
Rolling your eyes, you give a mock huff. “Alright, maybe more than a bit.”
Charles stands up and stretches, immediately drawing your eyes to his delicious chest and abs. The smirk that stretches across his face tells you that he knows exactly what he does to you.
He reaches across the bed and scoops you up, carrying you effortlessly towards the bathroom. “Then let’s get you relaxed.”
The bathtub is already filled, steam rising in gentle tendrils. Charles must have gotten up early to prepare it and the thought sends warmth throughout your body.
He eases both of you into the warm water, settling you between his legs, his chest pressed against your back. The sensation of the water coupled with his touch immediately begins to soothe your aching muscles.
Charles reaches for a bottle of bath oil, pouring it into the water. The rich scent of lavender fills the air, adding to the calming atmosphere. He begins to massage your shoulders, working his way down your back, releasing any residual tension.
As his hands wander, the heat and his touch begin to reignite the flame from the previous night. The line between relaxation and arousal becomes increasingly blurred.
Charles senses the change, his breath hot against your ear. “Feeling better?”
You nod, leaning back against him, surrendering to the sensations he’s stirring. “Much better,” you whisper, turning your head to capture his lips in a languid kiss.
The bath sloshes around you as the two of you explore each other anew, proving that the passion between you knows no bounds. Time becomes irrelevant as you lose yourselves in each other once again, the world outside ceasing to exist.
There’s no water left in the bathtub by the time you’re done. You make sure to leave an extra heavy tip as an apology to the poor housekeeper who will have to clean the wet bathroom floor.
***
As you and Charles walk — or in your case, try to walk — towards the private jet, the afternoon sun glints off the sleek metal of the aircraft. Pierre Gasly, along with some members of the Ferrari team, are already waiting on the tarmac.
You try to maintain your dignity, but with each step, there’s a subtle wince on your face and your pace is undeniably slower than usual. Pierre raises an eyebrow when he notices your gait while the rest of the team exchange amused glances.
“Late-night celebrations?” Pierre quips, a knowing smirk on his face.
Charles slides an arm around your waist. “Just making the most of our time.”
You shoot Charles a playful glare with burning cheeks. “Stop being so smug,” you mutter under your breath.
He leans down, lips brushing against your ear. “Can’t help that I’m proud of my achievements. Both on and off the track.”
Charles’ protective and doting nature is at full force as he assists you with every step up to the jet, ensuring you’re comfortably seated next to him.
The hum of engines fills the cabin and you settle into your plush seat, snuggling under the soft blanket that Charles laid over both of you. He sits beside you, his fingers brushing against yours, eyes dark with that all-too-familiar desire.
The close quarters and presence of the team should have served as a deterrent, but with Charles, the line between boldness and recklessness was always blurred.
His hand, concealed by the blanket, slides up your thigh. You shoot him a warning look but his mischievous grin shows he’s not deterred. His fingers tease and explore, pushing boundaries while you bite your lip, trying to maintain your composure.
Every movement of his fingers sends a jolt of electricity through you, the thrill of potential discovery only making every sense feel heightened.
A sudden burst of turbulence rocks the plane and you grip the armrests, focus momentarily pulled away from Charles’ teasing. He takes the opportunity to press closer, his whispers in your ear almost drowned out by the engines.
“We’ll continue this later,” he promises, pulling his hand away and discretely licking his fingers before settling back in his seat, looking far more innocent than he has any right to.
***
“Close your eyes,” Charles commands gently as you both walk into your shared bedroom a few weeks later.
A smile touches your lips. “Again with the surprises?”
“Just trust me.”
You oblige without hesitation.
All you hear is the soft rustle of fabric and then his voice, “Okay, open them.”
Your eyes flutter open to find Charles shirtless. You take a moment to admire the beautiful man you get to call your own before your eyes make their way to his chest … where he is proudly showing off a fresh tattoo, the skin still raw, right above his heart. It takes a moment for you to recognize the series of numbers ��� the exact date that the two of you first met.
“You didn’t,” you breathe, stepping closer and allowing your fingertips to hover over the ink.
Charles captures your hand, pressing it against the tattoo. “Every beat of my heart is for you. I wanted a permanent reminder.”
Your eyes start to glisten with tears. “This is ... I don’t even have words.”
He grins, pulling you close. “We seem to be leaving each other speechless a lot lately.”
You laugh, “I think it’s your turn to be speechless.”
“Oh?” He challenges, raising an eyebrow.
Without warning, you push him gently onto the bed, straddling him. “I know a thing or two about surprises,” you whisper against his lips.
His hands find your hips. “Show me.”
You don’t hold back.
“Remember,” he murmurs between heated kisses, “this is forever.”
You nod, brushing your lips against his once more before making your way down his body. “Forever.”
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chrysanthemumskies · 5 months
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I’m part of the @cartoonistcoop and participating in the esims for Gaza initiative!! offering up a choice of a merch bundle ✨ or of a custom ink sketch!! E-Sims are really important ways for folks to stay connected, and this is one concrete way to help!
If you’d like art from me, go to this link: https://cartoonistcoop.notion.site/Cartoonist-Cooperative-Buy-an-E-Sim-for-Gaza-Donation-Drive-f847fc62557a46918f741c03ac3a2e72
and search for “michiums” from the artist list, follow the instructions and I’ll be in touch via email once I get your request!
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fuckyeahgoodomens · 3 months
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Good Omens graphic novel update: February 2024
Happy February 29th. A day that only happens once every four years deserves something special, so let’s dive right in.
ComicScene Awards win!
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Good Omens: The Official (and Ineffable) Graphic Novel won the award for Best Crowdfunder at the ComicScene Awards! We want to say a huge THANK YOU; it’s an award voted for entirely by comics fans, so we appreciate the continued enthusiasm and championing of the Kickstarter. You can read more about the award here. A nice companion to the Comedy.co.uk Award win for Season 2 as Best TV Comedy Drama, and the British Film Designers Guild Planet Positive Award. Wahoo.
PledgeManager.
We’re happy to say that the PledgeManager launch is coming in a few weeks. With our monthly update in March, we’re planning to move to the next stage of the campaign: here you’ll be able to add your shipping addresses, pay for shipping, and add any additional items that you might have missed during the campaign. We’ll have FAQs available once it is launched.
Now to the new stuff…
Ready to rep the world’s best antiquarian and unusual bookshop? The first of our A.Z. Fell & Co merch has arrived: bookmarks are here and looking tip top. 
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Our A.Z. Fell sample socks have, ironically, gone walkabout before we got a picture, however, here's a very quick snap of the Crowley pair.
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Artwork, artwork and… some more artwork.
The prints keep on coming and this time we’ve got four in one. Behold, Anna Morozova’s take on the four horsewomen of the apocalypse in one glorious image:
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The large-scale map of Tadfield (and the rest of the planet) by Julien Labit is underway, so here are a couple of sneak peeks at different locales from the world of Good Omens in their earlier design stages:
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When we say it’s large-scale, wait until you see the full one. Huge! So much to explore.
And, in terms of artwork, we’ll end on a few inked previews from the graphic novel by Colleen Doran of our favourite Angel and Demon:
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And… how would we describe it? A little mishap regarding losing the antichrist?
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More pins.
You didn't think we could go this whole update without pins, did you? You can see updates of the pins outside of Kickstarter at goodomenshq.com. But for now, here's a few:
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Future items…
Another ongoing thanks for sharing what you’d like to see in the eventual Good Omens merch store. We’ll have a few new things available via the PledgeManager directly from your suggestions - mainly alternative designs and variants for some add ons, with ambitions for plenty more on the official store. The list you’ve helped us put together is quite ambitious, but we’re up to the challenge *looks up how to make actual angel wings* 
(joking… we think?)
Moving forward, piece by piece. 
p.s. Another little preview.
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Until next time.
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xx-like-a-villian-xx · 4 months
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I Hate You | One
(So I've decided to finally start posting my works from ao3 on here eek. Here's a cheeky lil one shot about a very angry Noah and reader who hates his guts, enjoy x
My ao3 is https://archiveofourown.org/users/xX_like_a_villain_Xx
Also let me know if you want to be tagged in anything upcoming posts, I have so many WIPs)
CW: smut, angry sex, fingering, p in v unprotected sex, reader slaps Noah, use of derogatory terms, all around a good old hate bang
18+ MDNI | Noah Sebastian x Reader
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”Oh fuck off, Noah. Mr “I’m a big rockstar, I can’t do anything wrong”, you make me sick.” You huffed, throwing the t-shirt you had just folded back into the box of merch. “Always on my fucking case.”
Noah stared at you with fiery eyes, clenching his jaw. “You know what, if your brother wasn’t my best friend and drummer of this fucking band, you wouldn’t even get this opportunity.” He pointed, stepping closer.
”I fucking wish I never met you, asshole.”
That was it for Noah, he stormed out of the green room, the door slamming loudly.
Noah Sebastian, always making sure your day was ruined. You had no idea what his problem was but since Folio, your older brother, invited you on tour as a merch girl, he had been insufferable. Sure, every time you saw the guy you’d end up in some kind of altercation but it had become significantly worse since you stepped foot on the bus on the first day of tour. You could practically see the steam coming out of his ears when you placed your bags in your bunk. There was just something about him that pissed you off, his cocky attitude, his stupid hair, the stupid smirk that he always wore- he just really fucking ground your gears.
You groaned, throwing your hair into a claw grip before stacking the boxes on top of each other, ready to take them down to the merch area.
”Who pissed in Noah’s cereal this morning? He was kicking up a storm outside.” Jolly chuckled as he entered the green room.
You laughed. “Thanks for the great idea, I’ll add that to my list of shit I wanna do to him.”
“What are you even fighting about now?” He asked, throwing himself down onto the worn leather couch.
”Fuck knows, I just want this tour to be over so I don’t have to see him.”
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
“Where the fuck is Noah? It’s half an hour until showtime!” Matt was fretting, searching behind amps backstage like the 6’3” man would be behind them.
You rolled your eyes. It was always like this, fight with Noah then he disappears until the last second just to make everyone stressed. You put your phone away in your back pocket and groaned.
”I’ll find him, just stick to whatever you're doing.” You patted Matt’s shoulder.
”Is that a good idea, sis?” Nick raised an eyebrow, fed up with your arguing.
You shrugged at your brother. “You have shit to be doing, I’ll be fine.”
You weren’t fine, anxiety bubbled low in your stomach as you searched around the venue for the singer who was nowhere to be found. Fuck, where the hell would he be? You sighed in defeat after searching everywhere inside, pushing the back door to the venue open. The sky was turning dark, the crisp autumn air hitting your bare arms making you shiver as you pulled the sleeves down.
You wandered around the buses, looking for any sign of him, even searching their bus to no avail. You stepped back outside, losing your footing on the step, almost plummeting to the ground when strong arms caught you. You looked down at the inked skin that gripped your waist and jolted away, looking up into fiery coffee coloured eyes.
”Where the fuck have you been? Everyone’s been looking for you!” You snapped, folding your arms over your chest.
Noah chuckled darkly. “It doesn’t matter.”
You could smell the hint of whiskey on his breath as he spoke, towering over you. “Noah, have you been drinking?”
”Why does it matter?” You could now hear the slight slur in his voice.
You sighed. “Fuck, Noah. You have to perform in less than half an hour.”
“Jesus Christ, Y/N it was two drinks.”
You bit your tongue. “Okay, fine, whatever. Just get back in there.”
You turned to walk away, getting halfway towards the doors when you heard him say something under his breath, making your blood boil.
”What was that?” Your jaw clenched as you stormed back towards him.
He smirked. “That skirt makes you look like a hooker.” His eyes roamed down your body, stopping at the black miniskirt and fishnets that covered your legs.
Your open palm met his cheekbone before you could even think. The sound of the slap ricocheting off the buses. He stood there, stunned as you gritted your teeth in anger, your hand burning from the hit.
Before another word could be said, you were pushing your way back inside the venue, his dark eyes watching you.
“After tonight, I’m going the fuck home.” You yelled as you stomped past everyone to the merch area.
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
Thankfully Noah showed up for his set, cheek still red from your hit and you took some kind of pleasure in knowing that you were the reason for it, although the girls in the crowd swooned over him even more and it made you want to vomit. If you had to hear one more word about how gorgeous he was, you were sure you were going to flip the table.
The venue was finally cleared out and you exhaled the breath you didn’t even realise you had been holding. Busying yourself with putting the merch away was the only thing keeping your mind off the bullshit. You needed to look for plane tickets home so you rushed the job.
”You’re not serious about going home, right?” Your brother picked up a hoodie, folding it into a box.
You chuckled darkly. “If I spend one more second around that man things are gonna get ugly and I don’t think anyone wants that. It’s better if I go home.”
Nick sighed. “What if I talk to him?”
You looked up at your brother who’s eyebrows were furrowed in concern as he worked. “Nick, it’s been years and nothing has changed. If we stay around each other for one more second, we will end up ripping each other apart. Let’s just get this done so we can go back to the hotel and I can get a plane home tomorrow.”
”Fine.”
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
“Go on in, I need to grab a few things.” You told everyone. You were parked at the hotel and you just needed a few minutes of alone time before the others forced you to the hotel bar to say goodbye. You were adamant on going home no matter how much they asked you to stay. You tidied up the bus, knowing it would be a mess when you leave, it’s the least you could do when you were abandoning them for the rest of the tour.
Your mind reeled over the events of the night, replaying Noah’s words and his face when you slapped him. He deserved it, how dare he call you a hooker. You were still fuming about it, seething.
”I heard that you're leaving for LA in the morning?” You didn’t even hear the bus door open and the anger flowing through your veins only grew hotter, burning like poison through your body.
You slammed the trash bag down and turned to him. “Yeah, I am. Is that a problem?”
He sat on the small table, crossing his arms. “No, actually I’m quite excited about it.”
Your eyes rolled in frustration. “Great, fantastic, now fuck off.”
Silence was thick in the air. He didn’t move, he just watched you angrily throw trash into the plastic bag. You couldn’t stand his presence, it was like heavy fog in your mind and you were ready to see red.
”What’s your problem, Noah?” You finally span around, holding your hands out in exasperation.
He huffed a laugh. “I just think you’re the worst person to ever exist, is all.” He shrugged. “You have a weak slap too, it felt like being kissed by a butterfly.”
A scoff left your lips, your fingertips twitching. “Shut up, just shut the fuck up Noah.”
He smirked. “Why? Gonna hit me again?”
”I said shut up.” Your patience was wearing thin.
”You should get some lessons, I know a guy.”
“Shut the fuck up!”
He cocked his head to the side and pouted. “Oh no, is Little Miss Perfect getting frustrated, hm?”
That was it. You marched forward and gripped the front of his hoodie, breathing heavily through your nose. “Listen here, I don’t know what your fucking problem is but can you please just fuck off and leave me alone. I’ll be gone tomorrow, I won’t hang around when we’re home, we won’t have to see each other.” You growled.
His whiskey eyes turned almost black as he stared down at you, his lips curling into a sick smile. “What a shame, I was enjoying this game of cat and mouse.”
You could’ve screamed in his face, grip tightening on his hoodie. “I hate you.”
”Say it again.” His inked fingers wrapped around your wrist. He stood, towering above you, nostrils flaring.
”I hate you.”
He flipped the both of you over, pressing your back against the table, looming over you as if you were prey. You should’ve been scared but your thighs clenched when he stared down at you, chest heaving with anger.
“Say it again, Y/N.” He growled, face inches from yours.
You gulped, face reddening at the closeness and his dominating demeanour. “I fucking hate you.” You spat.
His lips urgently pressed to yours, taking your breath away as he kissed you with so much fire you thought you might die. The hand on his hoodie moved to his chestnut hair, grabbing it at the roots hard. He gasped into your mouth, lifting you up onto the table. His tongue slipped past your lips, sliding against yours, earning a soft groan from you.
He pulled away to pull the Bad Omens long sleeve from your body, eyes travelling down to your bare chest where you had decided to not wear a bra and he practically whined. His hot lips trailed down your chest, his large palm gripping your waist. Your eyes rolled back when his mouth wrapped around the hardened peak of your nipple, your head falling back against your shoulders. His tongue lapped against it, dark eyes looking up at you through long lashes and you were done for.
“Noah-“ you gasped when his hand trailed between your thighs, pushing them apart.
He huffed against your sensitive skin as his hands pushed your tiny skirt up and found the fishnets underneath, tearing a hole in the crotch. You went to protest, to push him away but his fingers gliding against the wet mess on your underwear had the words dying on your tongue.
”Fuck, do you get off on hating me, huh?” He kissed back up to your jaw, hot breath against the flesh of your throat. When you didn’t answer, too lost in the feeling of his hand against your clothed core he gripped your cheeks, forcing you to look at him. “Answer me.”
His fingers slid underneath the black lace, slipping between your folds to gather the arousal and you gasped. He quickly pulled his fingers out, holding them in front of you, showing you just how wet you were.
His fingers gripped your cheeks harder. “I said, do you get off on hating me, Y/N?”
You nodded, his fingers pressing against your lips. You opened your mouth, licking your sweet arousal from his fingertips and he groaned at the sensation, hips bucking into you. You slid your tongue against them, sucking the digits as far as you could into your throat, spit travelling down onto his palm. He was panting over you, his hard cock straining against his shorts, pressing against your throbbing cunt.
It was all too much. Your face was burning up, body yearning for his touch. You hated him so much yet all you wanted was for him to take you for all you have, to leave you a whimpering mess.
As if he could read your thoughts, he pulled his soaking fingers from your mouth, eyes never leaving yours as he ran them down your bare chest, down to where you needed him most. He tore the thin black lace of your underwear out of the way and trailed his hand between your folds, circling your clit at a torturous pace, basking in the sounds that left your lips.
It felt like hell how slow he was being, riling you up, frustrating you even more than he usually did. You needed more and your hips bucked, begging for friction but he wouldn’t let up on the torture, smirking down at you.
“What do you need, hm?” He pouted.
”Fuck-“ you whined. “Please.”
”Please what?” His long inked fingers pressed against your entrance before retreating back to circle your clit.
”I need more, please.”
”Look at you begging like a needy little slut.” A sly grin danced across his lips as he finally pressed a slim finger inside you, the wet sound filling the quiet bus.
Your mouth gaped open, back arching when he curled his fingers into the spot that had your vision blurring. His cock twitched at the feeling of you clenching against his hand and he added another finger, fucking you fast exactly where you needed him.
You were on cloud nine, the feeling of his fingers inside you sending you into a frenzy of whines and moans. You shouldn’t have enjoyed it the way you did, it should’ve felt wrong, it shouldn’t have been happening at all with how much you fucking hated him but all you wanted to do was cum around his fingers.
His free hand moved to the back of your head, gathering your hair in his palm to force you to look at him. His eyes were pits of darkness and lust, pupils blown wide, staring at you like he wanted to devour you. He could feel your walls fluttering around his fingers and he growled, pulling you into a filthy kiss. Your tongues slid around each other in an unholy dance of need and desperation.
You were close, the tightness in the pit of your stomach becoming too much to handle. Your moans were turning into incoherent rambling and you needed release.
”Fuck, I-I’m gonna, ah!” Before you could, he pulled his fingers from you, pushing his shorts down just enough to free his cock, achingly hard and leaking precum.
”Are you gonna show me how much you hate me and cum around my cock?” His hand in your hair gripped harder, making your eyes roll back as the tip of his cock slid between your folds, pressing against your clit.
“Please, please, I need it.” You whimpered.
”You fucking disgust me.” He gritted, pushing inside, filling you so perfectly.
Your eyes met his when he started to fuck into you, hard and fast, the head of his cock pressing against your cervix, making your scream. It felt so good, you didn’t know how you would ever recover from him ruining you. You were so fucked out and cock drunk that you didn’t care about the noises that left you, mixing with the sound of skin slapping on skin and the wet sound of him rutting into your pussy.
He lifted one of your legs over his shoulder, his hand on the back of your head as leverage, cock sliding in and out of you so wonderfully. Once again that coil in your stomach pulled taught, threatening to snap. You clenched around him and he grunted, needing more of you. He pushed as deep as he could until you squealed in a heavenly mix of pain and pleasure.
“Do you hate me?” He growled, pressing his forehead against yours.
”So fucking much.” You whined.
”Tell me you hate me.” He was panting, so close to the edge.
His free hand slid between your bodies and found you clit, rubbing it quickly with his thrusts, making you see stars.
”Fuck! I hate you. I hate you. I hate y-“ with a scream you came around him, soaking him, legs rattling as you clutched his arms. You were completely out of your mind, fucked out, overstimulated as he fucked you through the best orgasm you had ever experienced.
Your walls pulsed around him, sending into his own climax, filling you to the brim with his cum, your name leaving his mouth like a mantra, a forbidden song.
You were both panting, catching your breath. Silence filled the bus when he pulled out, tucking himself back into his underwear while you lay there on the table, his cum dripping out of you. You heard him go into the bathroom to get tissue and to your surprise he cleaned you up, wiping away the mess he made.
There was an air of awkwardness when you redressed yourself, digging around for a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that you threw on haphazardly. Noah was cleaning the table when you turned to him.
You cleared your throat. “I-uh, I’m going to find the others.”
Noah scratched the back of his neck. “Yeah.”
You nodded, turning to the door.
”Hey wait!” You span back around to see Noah approaching, pulling you into a searing kiss. He pulled back after a minute with furrowed eyebrows. “Don’t go home, yeah?”
You smirked, lifting you hand to brush his hair out of his face. “Remember that I still hate you.”
He rolled his eyes. “Fuck you.”
He pulled your lips back to his again.
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
3 days later…
”Leave before I tear your fucking throat out.” You screamed, throwing a t-shirt at the smug brown eyed idiot.
”You should’ve got on that plane back home, I can’t fucking deal with this!” Noah stormed away.
”Don’t come back!” You yelled down the hall, stomping your feet towards the couch where Jolly and Bryan were sitting.
”I’m surprised you didn’t go. He’s not gonna change you know.” Jolly nudged your shoulder when you huffed.
“Why did you stay anyway?” Bryan asked.
”I can’t leave you guys short staffed, can I?” You smiled, wrapping your arms around their shoulders. “Anyway, I gotta go find Matt.” You stood up, picking up your phone on the way, smiling at the message on the screen. You sauntered out of the room.
”Do you think she’s fucking Noah?” Jolly questioned.
Bryan chuckled. “Totally.”
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artbytesslyn · 2 months
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FACING THE SUN ISSUE #3 IS OUT! CHAPTER 3: SHE PRAISED ME Issue 3 is now up in my shop, along with restocks (notably issue #1), bundles, new merch, and original ink paintings and prints!
My stock is very limited as usual, especially bundles with originals and signed books!
>>> ARTBYTESSLYN.COM <<<
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brokehorrorfan · 3 months
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Inked Up Merch has released Final Girl dad hats ($25) and beanies ($20) from Proceeds will be donated to the National Organization for Women.
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da-shrimping-station · 4 months
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Mammon helps out with the House's budgeting as well as managing finances.
It started when he found Lucifer's notes on the expenses when they moved to HoL. Diavolo was generous enough to give them a monthly stipend but it was the brothers' first time having to deal with something like this. In the Celestial Realm, they really didn't have to spend much or ask for much. In the castle, everything was provided for after a simple request. But now they're on their own. Still with Diavolo's support of course but far more independent now.
So Mammon sits down on Lucifer's chair and starts poring over the papers. Lucifer's already got a preliminary budget drafted but it's not that thorough. His brother doesn't go out much with needing to juggle caring for everyone as well as fulfilling duties for the Demon Prince so some of the estimates are way off especially in terms of cost. He doubts his brother knows market prices for things like toiletries and groceries.
Time passed (that Mammon wasn't aware of) and he was waist deep in the process of fixing the budget. Lucifer eventually comes home and sees him at his desk and making a mess (in his opinion) of things.
"We're gonna need a bigger allowance." Mammon looks him dead in the eye, ink stains on his hands and papers filled with scribbles and calculations.
Lucifer makes the smart choice of shutting up and listening to him.
Over the next few days they manage to come up with a more feasible and more detailed budget plan for the family. The only thing left to do is to send a formal request to Diavolo to request a more flexible amount for the stipend.
Does this mean they all (Mammon especially) become more responsible with their finances? Of course not! It's just that Lucifer now has a more detailed report and estimate of everyone's spending! Mammon's transaction history and his maxed out Goldie. Levi and his online shopping for games and merch. Satan buying a cart full of books as well as random ingredients he may or may not use for curses. Asmo and the long bill for clothing, makeup, shoes, accessories. Beel being the reason the allocated budget for food is more than half of the stipend. Belphie and a purchase list of questionable but exorbitant items.
And of course Lucifer splurges here and there. Do you think this man buys anything cheap? NOPE. It has to be of good if not the highest quality possible. He justifies that it's a one time purchase (but the price tag is still hefty and how long do you think that item will last given you live in a house full of gremlins???)
"Here ya go, Lu. This month's summary."
"What do you mean we had to pay 40,000 grimm for damages to property?!"
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u3pxx · 5 months
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WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S 2024?!?!
next, you're gonna tell me it's gonna be some made-up year like "2025" next. tch, imagine that.
anyways, whoo! 2023! compared to both 2022 and 2021, i gotta say, my art style took a hard swerve in some direction this year. i mean, look at that klavier from january and that butch kim from just this december! (granted, i heavily referenced the portrait of butch kim but still, i didn't use to paint! mama mia!)
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the way i drew faces has definitely changed, that's what i get for getting into something that's live-action and into smth that has realistically proportioned art lol
OH! OH! HOW COULD I FORGET!!! IT WAS (and still will be) THE YEAR OF THE OLD MAN!! i really learned how to draw aged faces this year! ach fraulein, i have not stopped drawing people in their 40's-50's! i would say "send help" but i'm actually having a lot of fun ASKSKS
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i think a funny thing about these art summaries i've done is that they're mostly ace attorney but then there's just a month where i become a different type of ill LMAO this year it was four months for the price of two new interests!
cheers! here's to 2024!!! hope y'all have a fun art year!!!!
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i'm gonna ramble more below about like, other art things i did this year but i'm gonna put it under 'keep reading' bc this baby is getting way too wordy now WHEEZES
1. FAVORITE THINGS I'VE DRAWN THIS YEAR (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
⚖️ mea culpa comic [x]
drawing this one was so time-consuming and ambitious but boy, do i love the end result! i had fun doing the inks for this one but was it a lot! i usually color in lineart and render everything but i had to stop myself from doing it for this one bc man, i'll die asksks
this also has some of my favorite apollos i've drawn, definitely
also! the part about the lineart not being colored and no rendering ended up being a deliberate stylistic choice for this one bc i had like more freedom to do just shadows with inks without it looking too out of place.
💐 my lawfully wedded zine spread [x]
now this one isn't out yet but take my word for when i say that this is one of the most craxy things i've ever drawn for this year, on account of drawing a comic AND group shot all in one!
also literally one of the prettiest things i've rendered this year, lookit that klav...
🎉 aa4 redraw - 2022 anniversary [x]
kind of like my wedding zine piece, group photos are insane, and rendering like uhhh [looks at drawing] 11 CHARACTERS IS ALSO INSANE if i try and draw a group photo again you have to stop me DFGHDJ
🎨 my art fight stuff [x] [x]
was possessed in the month of july or smth bc i pumped out like how many drawings so quickly (before i got burnt out that is pftt)
pace yourselves and don't be like me pls ajshgdghhjk
💥 people park day [x]
my friend told me that it was very obvious i watched across the spiderverse when they saw this FDFGHJD
but yea! this is when i started getting really into like, thought bubbles or just like, panels or drawings within a drawing when coming up with layouts
i still love the colors on this one...
🪩 fem disco portraits
ok so i haven't uploaded these yet but you have to trust me when i say that something was in the water DFGHDJ
who knew that all it took for me to learn how to paint was butches
2. ALSO DID YOU KNOW THAT I SOLD STICKERS THIS YEAR IN OUR UNI'S ART MART?
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THE ONLY GOOD THING ABOUT THAT SCHOOL I SWEAR PFTTT this experience has also awaken the merch beast in me and i need to make more physical things for my brain to be happy, that's just how it be pfttt
hopefully next year i can actually start like a shopee shop or whatever lmao
3. ART FIGHT
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i'm actually quite happy i got to participate in art fight this year! very delighted for all the art i've gotten and very fun to have drawn for others too!!
4. ZINES
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i got invited and joined so many zines from 2022 continuing to 2023 that i kind of got burnt out from participating for now ngl ASKSKSKS not gonna be joining much this year oopsiessss! (unless i lose self-control [very likely])
5. SCHOOL
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i don't actually like a lot of the stuff i draw for art school bc i tend to cram and not have fun pftt <- adhd moment, tragic! but here are some that i actually kind of like lol
6. THAT'S IT!
i think that's it! thanks for reading all the way down here!! o(* ̄▽ ̄*)ブ
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buryustogether · 1 year
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-> THE SHADOWS OF STARS
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johnny silverhand x reader (not v)
word count: 8.5k
summary: despite being the newest groupie for samurai, you work hard to pull more than your weight and ensure gigs run smoothly. after a run in with a crazed fan goes awry, johnny silverhand offers you a bit of comfort.
warnings/tags: pre-relic johnny, reader is not v, violence, blood, age gap romance, non-penetrative sex, first kiss, first time, virgin!reader, mention of arranged marriage and running away, smut, swearing, alcohol consumption
author’s note: he may be a bit ooc but he’s my dreamboat so
If you’d have known how the night would have ended, you would have done things differently. You would have said more, said less, perhaps. Stepped further left, taken two more paces back. Anything and everything, you would have done differently.
Anything and everything would have been for nought - because the end of the night transported you to the stars invisible above your head, and beyond the crescent moon hanging from a weathered thread. You hadn’t known you could go that high - and you owed the jump to none other than Johnny fucking Silverhand.
It started with a woman - of course, that’s what all the old-world love stories say. But this woman wasn’t a princess waiting for a king to come down from his tower and save her and make her his; she was a plastered drunk with ugly-as-all-hell bangs on her forehead and a tank top so thin and skimpy her tits would have hung out even if she tried to keep them covered.
You had been watching her from the corner of your eye the entire show from your little perch beside the stage, headphones clasped over your ears and a tablet with the set list in hand. From the shadows, because that’s all you were, really in comparison to them, you had tracked her as she downed drink after drink and got closer and closer to the edge of the stage. Of course she was decked out in their merch - hell, everyone here was, but there were hearts inked onto the Samurai logo across her chest. Just what this gig needed - a crazy-ass fan hammered out of her mind.
It was when she’d disappeared to get herself another shot when you’d allowed yourself a glance up to the stage on your right. Christ above, they were so fucking cool. You didn’t care if that made you sound like an awestruck teenager; they were the only words you could conjure up at the moment. You’d never been one for poetics.
A band of rough and rowdy outcasts, torn at the edges in all the right places and ragged at the ends, they stuck out in a city like this. Especially the guitarist; god, you’d had a massive schoolgirl crush on Johnny Silverhand since you were sixteen and had first discovered their music. He was everything you found enticing; attractive, but without the superficial glamour Night City was held under; charismatic, charming, confident; maybe a bit full of himself, which you had discovered after being pulled into their crew as the newest groupie, but it didn’t phase you as much as you thought it would.
Your younger self would have fainted if she knew you were a groupie for Samurai these days. You were new - the youngest by far they’d ever taken on, but god above knew you pulled more weight than the older assistants who’d gotten used to the feeling of trailing in the shadows of stars. You stayed late into the night and early into the morning to clean up and pack after gigs, set up arrangements for desirable venues, arrived early to prepare so they only had to get up there and sing. Hell, you even cleaned their instruments when you had the time; you’d restrung Silverhand’s prized guitar enough times to have the same calluses on your fingers as his.
Of course, it had taken a snapped string, a sweat-inducing dash to the nearest music store, and an approaching meeting with a business partner for him to give it up to be repaired by someone else than him. Eurodyne had certainly had a hand in convincing him to part with the damned thing; he’d given you an appreciative nod and a charming wink when Silverhand had left his case at your little station.
Back in the present, you found your gaze pulled from your set list to watch as Silverhand kicked up a foot on a speaker to twist out a solo that left goosebumps trailing along your skin. Below him, fans hollered and screamed their approval; his lips quirked up in that Cheshire grin of his, the crinkle of his eyes hidden behind his aviators. You swallowed thick. Despite working for Samurai for nearly a month now, you’d never spoken to Silverhand once. He’d never even glanced in your direction, too caught up in his own business or too distracted by fans to pay you much mind.
You wondered what his voice would have sounded like feet from you, soft and gentle, instead of strained with his cries as he appeased his crowds.
Your spine straightening, your eyes at once flicked back to the woman you’d been watching as she reappeared at the front of the crowd. She was barely able to keep herself on her platform heels, eyelids drooped and movements sluggish. Your lips twisted themselves into a frown; some hangover she was going to have in the morning. You glanced back down at your tablet for a moment, then back to the chick. At once, your chest thundered.
She was leaning against the wall of the stage, hand outstretched in an attempt to touch Silverhand’s pant leg. He kept his cool - surprisingly - and continued the song as he took a step back so that he stood just out of her reach.
You cast a quick glance around the dim venue. Where the hell was security? The bodyguards you’d hired to keep a perimeter at the stage? You found them; they were both slumped at the bar. Perfect; this night was throwing in all kinds of elements that made for a perfect bomb. The question was - when was it all going to blow?
The rest of the gig, you kept your eye on the rowdy fan, never letting her stray too far from your vision. She paced back and forth about the stage, trying to touch even the boot or pants hem of one of the players. It raised the hair on your neck at end as a hot, lava-like sensation filled your stomach.
Were you… jealous?
God, no, you told yourself as the last song of the set came to a close. You didn’t get jealous of blackout drunks practically sobbing over a couple of rockstars who probably didn’t even know your name. And yet… every time she cried out Silverhand’s name, every time she blew him a kiss, that sensation worsened. It coiled like a serpent in your belly, forcing your jaw to clench and your blood to boil.
Shit. You needed to get a serious grip.
Slowly, as the bar began to clear out and final tabs were paid at the bar, you found yourself in conversation with the owner of the place. You sat at a table and watched as she did the math for the band’s share of the profits of the night, cradling an iced concoction you’d been dying for since you got here. Up on the stage, Silverhand and Eurodyne were speaking in hushed tones, motioning back and forth.
“You know,” said the owner as she tallied up her data, “you seem pretty young to be a manager for those fellas.”
You forced yourself to smile and chuckle softly. “Oh,” you said, “I’m not their manager. I’m actually a groupie. I just, you know, move their things back and forth and hook up their systems for them.”
“You seem to do a lot more than that.” With a flick of her hand, she deposited the eddies into your account; a moment later, they showed up on your vision screen. When you got the chance later tonight, you would divide up the earnings between the band, the hired muscle, and yourself. You didn’t think those meatheads had done anything to earn the scrap, but you were terrified to be the one to tell them so.
“I guess someone has to,” you murmured quietly.
“I mean it,” she said. She gave you a gentle, motherly smile, one that made your heart and ache and pang for home. “You’re playing practically every role in this little game of theirs. Movement, tech, cash flow. And I’d bet they don’t even know your name, do they?”
You felt yourself blanch a little. Casting a glance over toward the rockers, your stomach flipped slightly as Silverhand threw his head back and barked out an echoed laugh. “They do,” you lied.
“Sure, kid.” The woman patted your arm before hopping off her stool and taking your empty glass. “If you’re going to survive a life like that, at least make sure to claim the respect you deserve. You’re not a doormat, girl. Don’t act like one.”
With that she left you to your own clouded thoughts, mind a hell scape of troubles and conflicting wants and needs and desires. You pursed your lips and stared down at your lap. Maybe she was right; maybe you should talk to them. Ask for better pay. Throw in a couple set ideas you’d been saving for the past weeks. Yet as much as you wanted to, the queasy feeling in your belly kept you from advancing too far.
You’d always been an anxious kid; too scared to voice your opinions. Your parents said you were well-behaved. You thought ball of nerves was a better way to phrase it.
You had just begun to kick off your stool and begin the tedious task of packing up the equipment when a flash of movement caught your eye. That woman - the one who had tried to touch the band on the stage - was jittering across the floor toward Silverhand and Eurodyne as they made their way to the backstage entrance. Her tits swayed as she bounced in their direction, feet dragging in her drunken state.
Fuck - some people just didn’t know when to quit, did they?
Feeling that simmering boil arise in your chest again, you quickly stride across the floor to intercept her aim toward the men. She was just behind them when you reached her, her arm outstretched and palm open to grab a handful of Silverhand’s ass. The serpent in your belly flared.
“Hey.” You grabbed the woman’s wrist in an iron-fisted grip, stopping her fingers just inches from their prize. Her head drunkenly lolled over to glare daggers at you. “No touching, you got it?”
“Get the fuck off me, you fucking kid.” She ripped her hand from your grip, and the numerous rings slid along her fingers scratched along your skin. You refused to flinch at the pain, instead pulling yourself to your full height and clenching your fists. “What the hell’s your problem?”
Your eyes flickered to the door backstage. The men had disappeared, and you felt a short little something burst inside of you. Disappointment? Surely you weren’t thinking they would come to your aid? That Silverhand would tell this bitch to scram and then say, ‘Damn, kid, thanks a lot. Want to come backstage and sign to become our mascot?’ God, you were a fucking idiot.
“Go home before someone knocks you on your ass,” you said, trying to mimic some of things you’d heard street kids say in back alleys. “I’d hate for your lipgloss to smear any further.”
“And who the fuck do you think you are?” Now she was angry. Getting up in your face. And you were alone - the venue owner had vanished, and the band was backstage. You suddenly wished you knew how to mind your own business. “You know where you are? This is fucking Heywood. Lose an eye for saying something like that.” She sniffed and looked you up and down. God, those bangs were ugly as all hell. “What are you, sixteen? You better run home to mommy before you get smacked.”
To your dismay, and fury, and horrified embarrassment, you felt tears beginning to pool in your eyes. You could count on your fingers the number of times someone had yelled at you like this, and each and every one still made your heart thunder like a drum. You weren’t cut out for this kind of shit; you should have taken her advice and run home, begged your parents’ forgiveness.
But suddenly the owner’s words were resurfacing in your mind.
You’re not a doormat, girl. Don’t act like one.
Gathering what little courage hadn’t dwindled away, you squared your jaw and said, “Get out and don’t come back, or I’ll call the pol-“
You weren’t able to get anything else out before suddenly a fierce, solid fist connected with the side of your face. You went sprawling, sending a table a a stool clattering into their sides, your hands clutching at your nose. Hot, tangy copper flooded down from your nostril, dripping onto your shirt and staining your palms. Holy fuck - she’d just punched you. You’d never been struck before - is this what it actually felt like? Your nose throbbing, your eye aching in its socket, your lips open as you gasped for breath?
Vaguely, through the blood pumping in your ears, you felt the woman kick your foot and scoff before the door swung shut behind her. You were left in silence, still in place where you lay propped on your elbow on the floor, with nothing but the scarlet falling from your nose and a painful watering eye.
With a coarse gasp, you sat up. Your head pounded like someone had delivered a bullet to your temple and it had come out through your jaw. Now that they weren’t being held back, tears cascaded down your cheeks freely and fell from your chin. You touched your nose, the skin around your eye, and let out a small sob as the pain flared through your skull.
Your attention was pulled from your attack to the backstage door, where a peel of laughter reached your ears. The band - you could ask them for help. Explain what happened. They could clean you up, take you to a ripper doc to make sure everything was still intact.
“Fuck, no,” you whispered to yourself. You’d eat lead before you let them see you like this; before they realized that, shit, you may have had your nineteenth birthday a few months ago, but goddamit, you still were just a snotty-nosed kid who needed her hand held when things got rough on the playground. They couldn’t know that. No one could.
You felt yourself rising, using the bottom of your shirt to gingerly wipe off the excess blood on your face. You needed to pack up. Load the equipment into the truck. Call the venue for tomorrow’s gig and make sure the show was still on.
Then you would wander, see if any rippers were still open. And if there wasn’t, well… you’d just have to deal with it.
Your mother’s words rang in your ears, still as sharp as a razor as they were when you left home. “No one’s going to take care of you out there,” she had said. “No one will help you. No one will care about you. No one will love you. You’re going to be all by yourself.”
Fuck it - you didn’t need any help. You didn’t need anyone to take care of you, to love you. You’d do it all yourself.
The pain was too much to acknowledge that was a lie.
It wasn’t but a half hour later that you were winding up speaker cords and wrapping them in their protective cases, gritting your teeth against the panging ache blossoming from your face. You were nearly done with the front half of the stage, a small tower of equipment stacked behind you and waiting to be dragged to the truck out back. You were already sweating your ass off, not to mention that the scab in your nose kept breaking and bleeding. You were sure you weren’t looking like much of a model.
You exhaled a long, exhausted breath and took a seat on the edge of the stage. Your toes barely touched the ground. Head bowed, you fisted the material of your blood-stained shirt and bit your lip to keep a fresh wave of tears at bay. You failed; they escaped, trailing down your cheeks like twin rivers.
What the hell were you doing? You were miles from home, miles from anything you knew. You’d had a life, a future planned out for you. Money. Comfort. Everything you didn’t have now. And you’d run away from it all.
“Hey, kid,” said a voice from further down the stage. “You seen my pick around here? Dropped the fucker after the show.”
Oh, holy fuck. Johnny Silverhand was speaking to you - and you were sitting here crying about being smacked around once or twice.
You cleared your throat once, twice, that the same time turning away quickly and pawing away the tears clinging to your cheeks. “Uhm, yeah.” Keeping your face turned from him, because frankly, you couldn’t take one more thing going wrong tonight, you fished out the obsidian-colored guitar pick you’d found on the stage while packing up. You had planned on leaving it beside his case when he and the others went out for a drink like they always did; it had been burning a hole in your pocket since you’d stuck it there, knowing it was the very pick he often stuck between his teeth after songs.
You held it out in his direction, refusing to let him see your tear-streaked face. He took it from your outstretched palm with his cybernetic hand, the metal fingers clicking together as he accepted it. You began to pull your hand back before suddenly those metal fingers were wrapped around your wrist, keeping your palm turned upward.
“You cut yourself or something?” he asked. He was looking at the blood you’d wiped off with your hand; fuck. Couldn’t you do anything?
Sniffling again, you pulled your hand away a little more forcefully than you meant to and cradled it in your stomach. “Yeah,” you murmured quietly, but you knew he heard you. Your voice echoed here in the empty building. “I’m fine. Sorry for worrying you, Mister Silverhand.”
To your surprise, he released a mumble from the back of his throat as he came closer and settled himself on the edge of the stage beside you. You immediately stiffened, your wide eyes trained like a magnet to an empty spot in the corner. “Christ, kid, I’m not that old. Johnny’s fine, as long as my hair’s not grey and I can still piss on my own.”
You listened as he lit up a cigarette, the lip of his lighter clasping shut before he tucked it back into his pocket. Was this actually happening? Was Johnny fucking Silverhand actually sitting down with you? Maybe that chick had knocked you clean out after all.
“You’re the new one, aren’t you?” Johnny asked as he took a drag of his smoke. He said your name, and your heart sprang like a bird screaming to be free of its cage. He did know your name. “What do you think of this shitshow? Not exactly what you expected, right?”
You reached up to wipe your nose - and quickly hid your hand when you brushed off a fresh swatch of blood. “I don’t think it’s a shitshow,” you admitted in a shy voice. You sniffed. “I think it’s great. I think you all are.”
From the corner of your eye, you saw him tilt his wrist - he was offering you a drag of his smoke. You stared at it for a moment before gingerly taking it and holding it like a joint; you felt his gaze on you, you could see the edge of his faint smirk. Obviously you weren’t holding it right. Nevertheless, you hesitantly brought it to your lips. How bad could one drag be?
As soon as the smoke tumbled down your throat and into your lungs, you pitched forward and hacked out a number of dry coughs. It felt like ash was steamrolling down your spine, tasted like a bad dream you couldn’t wake from. You felt like you were going to be sick.
Beside you, his feet crossed at the ankles, Johnny gave that deep, drawling laugh you’d heard time and time again - and had practically fallen for - and took back his cigarette. “First smoke, kid?” You heard the smile in his voice as he placed it back between his lips. “When you throw up, just don’t do it here.”
You raised your hand to cover your mouth, your bleeding nose, but you were too late. You bent your head and coughed into your lap - with enough force to send a spattering few droplets across the tops of your thighs. Your hands scrabbled to wipe them away, but the man beside you was quicker.
“Jesus,” he said, all traces of amusement wiped like a slate from his voice. “Didn’t think it’d kill you.”
“Sorry,” you gasped.
There came a short, yet stifling moment of stillness, of silence. It felt as if the world had gone still, had come to a stop on its axel or the spinner or whatever the hell it rotated on. If it even did anymore.
But then it all came back full force, like a slap to the face, like a bullet to the chest. Johnny reached his hand out and grabbed your chin - gently, but commanding; forcefully, but gingerly - and forced you to turn your head and look at him. It was the first time you’d met his eyes since he’d walked into the stage - his aviators were pushed up on his head, his smoke dangling from his lips, his oak-colored eyes hard and steely and rough to disguise the shock lying beneath them.
“Fuck me.” He tilted your head slightly, his gaze traveling over your face. “Someone do this to you, kid?”
You felt as though you couldn’t speak. Even if you wanted to, you just couldn’t. His artificial fingers were cool against your flushed skin, his grip harsh but forgiving all at once. Fireworks were exploding across your face where he touched you, rendering you speechless. Did he… actually care? Give a shit you’d taken a clock to the skull?
When you didn’t answer, his fingers tightened slightly on your jaw. Your eyes found his again, lips parted and heart skipping beats. “Hey,” he said more firmly, then pulled his cigarette from his lips with his free hand. “Who did this shit to you, huh?”
Ignoring the thrumming and singing and screaming of your heart, you swallowed thick and averted your gaze. “No one,” you replied. When his grip didn’t let up, you finally caved. “Just… just a fan, a little bit ago. She was, uh…” You hesitated. “She was trying to catch a grope of you, so I stopped her. Guess I caught it instead.”
Your small, forceful chuckle wasn’t met with the kind of response you were hoping for; maybe a laugh, or at least a tug at the corner of the lips. But it did not happen. Instead, you were met with a stony glare. A hard gaze. A deeply-set frown that bordered on a scowl.
You became suddenly and deeply intimated of Johnny Silverhand, aware now of the tight grip he had on your jaw and how close he was to your face. You bowed your head to the side, and he at last let you go. “Sorry to ruin the after party,” you murmured, then swallowed thick and hopped off the stage. “I’m fine, really. I just need to finish packing up and I’ll get out of here.”
Attempting to hide the flush in your cheeks and the hammering of your heart in your chest, you bent over to gather up a speaker in your arms. When you stood straight again, you found Johnny standing just feet before you, his aviators clutched tight in his grip at his side.
“I’m not fuckin’ with you here, kid,” he said, bringing his face close again. You felt your knuckles paling around the speaker, clutching it tight to your chest. His hair framed his face in a darkened curtain, the stubble on his cheek pronounced in the dim lightning. “Nobody fucks with my band without feeling it later. You know what this bitch looks like?”
“There really isn’t a need for more violence.” Eyes down, head bowed, you shifted the speaker’s weight in your arms. You tried not to dwell on the sensation that arose in the pit of your belly over being included in his band. “I just want it to be over with.”
Johnny watched as you set down your load, reaching up to wipe at your bloody nostril. As he crossed his arms, his foot began to tap gently - a sign of agitation you’d come to recognize. “Fuck all, kid,” he rumbled, then pulled the bandanna from his back pocket and tossed it to you. Raising the cloth to you nose, you tried not to inhale deeply as his scent overpowered you. “If you’re not going down that road, you at least got liquor at your place to soften the blow that shiner’s going to give you tomorrow?”
You clenched your jaw, wrapped your free tightly over your chest. The blood from your nose was stained into the fabric of the bandana; your grip tightened around it. You murmured a soft reply.
Johnny cocked his head, hands planted on his hips. “Speak up, kid. Use that voice of yours like it’s meant to be used.”
“I live in my car,” you said again, louder, then immediately cleared your throat and began to drag a box toward the door. “Listen, uhm… Johnny, I appreciate it, but I really need to finish packing -“
“Fuck packing.” Johnny crossed the small distance you’d put between the pair of you, stopping so close you felt his breath fanning across your face. “Let those other dickwipes pull their weight for once.”
Your gaze tried to avert itself again, but something within the hallows of your chest forced your eyes to stay trained on his. Were those flecks of hazel in the brown of his irises? You blinked a few times; you’d never been this close to him before. Hell - you’d never been this close to a man before at all.
“I…” You hesitated, gripping the bandana so tightly you were sure you were about to tear it in two. “I didn’t think you cared so much.”
“I told you, kid,” he said, then reached up to grab your shoulder. Explosions; fireworks; detonations where he touched you. “I take care of my band.”
And that was how you found yourself holding an ice pack to your face in Johnny Silverhand’s apartment in Pacifica, with the night sky and the stars taking up the space between peering in on you from the windows across the room.
You brought a small glass of liquor to your lips as you took in the living space; it was quaint, but not a shitty little hole in the wall either. You knew he didn’t care for aesthetics or shows; he was a man of practicality. Whatever served him well - pretty or not - he kept around.
Maybe that was why you’d lasted this long so far tailing the band as their little runt groupie.
You shifted slightly in your seat on the couch, pulling the pack slowly from your face. A television was set against the far wall, where the news station spewed some commercial for the latest body mod people were just ‘dying for!’ Clothes lay discarded around the bed set in the alcove in the corner, and a trio of electric guitars stood by dutifully in the corner amongst a mountain of expensive speakers and stereoes. Mounted on the wall were half a dozen framed magazine covers that featured Samurai - and a few were only his face occupied the page. Photoshoots, interviews, covers… he had it all done and displayed.
The star himself stood at the miniature bar pouring himself a few fingers of vodka, hair tied up in a half knot at the crown of his head. He set the bottle down and crossed the room to take a seat on the opposite side of the couch, then kicked up his feet on the coffee table and crossed them at the ankle.
“So tell me,” said Johnny and sipped at his liquor. He extended an arm across the back of the couch, his fingers just a few inches from your head. “How’s a kid like you end up in this shit city? You certainly aren’t built to be a street kid, so you didn’t grow up here.”
Consciously, you reached up to touch the area around your eye. You’d used the bathroom when you first arrived here to clean the blood off your face, but the black eye steadily blossoming across your skin wasn’t going to wash away as easily. As if you didn’t already feel bad enough; you were sitting on fucking Johnny Silverhand’s couch in a bloodstained shirt and the confession off your lips that you lived in your damn car.
When he tilted his head to look at you expectantly, you felt your throat run dry. You knew how he - hell, how most of the street kids in Night City - felt about where you came from. Surely you didn’t have to tell him the entire truth. Besides - even if you lied, you were expecting him to come to his senses any time now and tell you, his month-new groupie, to get out of his house and scram.
“Well,” you said and gingerly placed the ice pack on the side table, “I guess you’re sort of right. My family was pretty… well-to-do. I grew up on the top floors of the snottiest buildings -“
“You used to be a corpo kid.”
Your blood ran cold in your veins. Fuck; this was it. Your run with Samurai was over. With any band, really. Surely word would spread you were a corpo brat trying to slum it as a street kid.
Johnny shrugged a shoulder and brought up his glass to take another sip. “You don’t hide it well, kid,” he told you bluntly. “The way you talk, walk, hold yourself. You reek of that high-brow lifestyle, no offense.” The corner of his lips quirked slightly. “But surely mom and dad didn’t drop their precious little darling on the street, now, did they?”
You couldn’t stop the zipping, electric sensation that pinged off the walls of your chest. “Not exactly.” You finished off your drink and set it aside, eyes focused on the corner of the television. You had no idea what the anchor was talking about; you didn’t really want to know. “My parents are oil investors. Old money types - they both came from countryside mansions and absent fathers - heh.” You smiled slightly to yourself. “They always told me I was a, as they called it, ‘soft soul.’ In their native tongue, that means weak. Not able to make those cutthroat decisions, you know? I don’t think they ever planned on including the stocks and the oil fields in their inheritance, so they went off and found the son of another tycoon who they could give it to.”
“Holy fuck,” said Johnny and lifted a stunned brow. “You’re telling me they arranged a marriage for you and this asshole?”
“They tried, I guess.” You hesitated, hand fidgeting with a stray loose end on your shirt. “I told them I’d rather splatter my brains on the wall - and they told me I could either do it their way, or leave and not come back at all.” You turned your head and gave him a wry, tight-lipped smile. “So I haven’t gone back.”
Johnny hissed out a breath through his teeth and tossed back the rest of his vodka. “You’ve got balls, kid, I’ll give you that,” he said and set aside his glass. “NC’s sure one hell of a place to hit the ground running.”
“Mm.” Maybe it was the liquor in your systems talking; or maybe it was the fact that slowly, as the evening went on, you were becoming more and more comfortable around him. “When I was younger, I heard your music for the first time and I just couldn’t get enough of it. My parents fucking hated it - tried to take away my vinyls, block the streaming websites, but I always found a way to keep listening. I guess… it was the only way I felt I could rebel.
“I got dragged to parties to be seen and not heard; I was given piano lessons at five, and when those didn’t stick, they put me in sports. They always wanted me to be some, I don’t know, incredible prodigy. Like I needed to be amazing to call myself their daughter. And I guess when they realized I wasn’t anything to be proud of, they just gave up.”
As soon as you shut your mouth, you regretted what you had said. When you’d left home, you had vowed to leave your past in the past. What the hell were you doing?
But then Johnny was barking out one of those laughs of his as he rolled his head back against the couch cushion. “Oh, come on,” he said and eyed you incredulously. “Nothing? You can handle your way around eddie negotiations - you sure they didn’t try to shape you into a corpo biz manager?”
“Believe me,” you said, finding yourself snickering along with him. “They tried everything. Nothing I ever did was good enough for them.” A loosened giggle escaped your lips as you gestured vaguely around the apartment. “Hell, I think they’d keel over and kick it if they knew I was at Johnny Silverhand’s place - the most infamous rockstar in Night City.”
He smirked coyly. “What?” he said and scratched at his throat. His eyes stayed trained on yours as you watched his tattoos move with his ministrations. “Your old man doesn’t like bad boys and tech fuckers?”
“Especially.”
There was another one of those still, silent moments between the pair of you, like the string attached to your fingers had pulled taunt. The television played quietly across the room. Car horns blared and wailed outside. Your gazes were locked together, unable to pull apart even if you wanted to.
Then he was moving. Pulling his feet off the table, standing to his full height. Stepping closer - resting a silver hand on the couch arm beside you and the other on the back near your head. Your breath hitched in your throat as he leaned over you, enveloping you against him and his ow shadow.
“Listen, kid,” he said, and you realized his voice had dropped a baritone. In the pit of your belly there came a fluttering, one that traveled further, lower, straight to your core. “I might be getting some off vibes here, but I’m not going to be a pussy and say I wouldn’t be disappointed if I was.” You felt your breath slam from your lungs as he leaned closer, closer, and dragged his tongue along the short expanse of your cheekbone; you swore your heart stopped. “Tell me if I’m wrong, but I think there’s a thanks in order for saving my ass earlier.”
Ice - your blood had frozen and turned to ice beneath your skin. Did he know you were holding your breath? Did he know you’d never been this close to anyone like this? Did he know you’d never kissed before, never fucked or gotten fucked or known what real, true devotion felt like?
After what seemed an eternity - a forever of him staring at you from inches away, awaiting your green light to advance - you at last found your voice. “I didn’t do it in exchange for this.”
“Yeah,” he said, “but let me spoil you, sweetheart.”
Then his lips were melded to yours, and your mind, your senses, your body - they all burst red and green and purple and every color across the spectrum you didn’t even know existed. His knees came to rest on either side of your legs and he bent down, so that he hovered over you and you stretched up in order to keep your mouths connected. His kiss was rough and demanding, the reins held tight in his hands, and he took up every last gasp of breath you had left in your lungs.
He pulled back for a quick inhale, leaving you shell shocked, but only for a moment before he was pushing his lips back against yours. “Fuck, honey,” he slurred between deep, passionate kisses, “you taste even fucking better than I thought.”
When his mouth moved down to the column of your throat, his touch anchoring your hips down beneath him, you realized this wasn’t supposed to be a one-man show. Your movements felt foreign, unknown, as you brought one hand to thread through his hair and the other to cradle the back of his neck. His tresses slipped through your fingers like feathers or silk or some other poetic shit - you didn’t care enough to think of the right metaphor.
Johnny found a spot on your skin where your neck met your shoulder, his hand moving your shirt collar out of the way, and attached his mouth to that area. He sucked and pulled at your vulnerable throat, using his sharp teeth to gently bite at the skin. You gasped aloud, your grip in his hair tightening, as he licked at the place he’d bitten, almost like apologizing or making up for the pleasurable pain.
And fuck, was it pleasurable. With every moment that ticked by with his mouth lavishing your neck, with his touch roaming across the planes of your body, you felt yourself growing wetter. Your belly was flip-flopping with nerves and excitement, your core suddenly aching from the attention you were receiving. And, if you shifted your hips just right, you felt the growing erection in his pants pressing against your thigh. You gave a hesitant, experimental buck of your hips against his - and your heart leaped when he pulled off your throat to groan low and gravelly into your collarbone.
“Oh, fuck, sweetheart,” Johnny growled as he sat up. He peered down at you with blown pupils and an almost animalistic gaze, his hands working the clasps and buckles of his bulletproof vest. “Keep playing games like that and you might get your prize sooner than you expect it.” At last, he lifted the vest over his head - and you didn’t stop yourself from staring. His stomach was a flat plane of muscle, riddled near the hip and the pec with a few puckered scars. His dog tags clinked against his chest, hanging like ornaments over the line of hair that began at his belly button and became thicker as it disappeared beneath his waistband.
“Impressed?” he crooned, drawing your eyes back up to his.
You felt yourself smiling, albeit a bit nervously, and slowly reaching out to touch his abdomen. “Maybe,” you murmured. Your fingers trailed over his chest, his nipples, his belly. His muscles flexed under your touch, and every few moments he let his head fall back and released a low-throated moans. They sent shivers up your spine and an ache down to your core, clenching around nothing.
“Come on, sweetheart,” Johnny said, coming to his senses and hooking his fingers beneath the hem of your shirt. “I can’t exactly do this the right way if I’m the only one playing skins.”
Your nerves jumped wildly as he began to pull up your shirt; you partially lifted yourself to aid him, but as the fabric began to clear your breasts, you felt your blood spiking. “Wait!” You grabbed his wrist, halting him in place. “Wait, Johnny, wait.”
Obediently, he paused where he was. He peered down at you questioningly, searching for a sign of whatever he’d done wrong. “Don’t get cold feet on me now, kid,” he drawled gently.
“No,” you said quickly, and you panicked because he looked like he was going to pull away, so you surged forward and kissed him hungrily. He gave a muffled grunt of surprise, but returned it nonetheless. When you finally leaned back again, you knew your face was flushed; how attractive you must have looked, with a violent blush and a black eye coming in. “I want to, Johnny, I really do. More than…” You shook your head slightly. “More than I think I’ve ever wanted anything?”
“More than you want to tell those fucking parents of yours where to shove it?”
A nervous, wobbly smile wound over your lips. “Yeah,” you replied. “More than that. But…” You swallowed thick and averted your gaze, letting your eyes fixate instead on his dog tags. “I, uhm… I haven’t exactly… done this before. At all.”
“Hmm.” It was all he said for a long, quiet moment. You could tell he was staring at you, but you didn’t want to know if his gaze was full of reproach or unease - or the wild, suddenly feral look some men got around virgins. He shifted his weight atop you slightly. He spoke again. “You’ve at least cum before, haven’t you? Used one of those toys you women like so much?”
For a fraction of a second, you realized the gravity of it all - you were lying beneath Johnny Silverhand, talking about your previous use of sex toys. But before you could begin to register the situation, you said, “I mean, I’ve used vibrators before. I didn’t ever… didn’t ever orgasm on those. It just wasn’t enough. And my mom always said I didn’t want to lose my virginity to a piece of silicone. So…” You gently tightened the grip you had on his wrist. “No. I haven’t. I didn’t… I hadn’t even kissed anyone before this.”
“Fuck me, kid.”
You waited for him to roll off you, to tell you that you were a nice kid, but he suddenly wasn’t feeling well. It seemed forever. Then, that feeling - that sensation that was growing familiar - of his metal fingers on your chin drew your attention back up to his face. He was gazing down at you with a look so understanding, yet so teasing and coy it seemed as though the painter who had sculpted his features changed his mind half way through.
“If I’d known that was your first,” he rumbled to you, “I’d have made sure to bite.”
With that he dipped down to recapture your lips, his artificial hand coming up to cradle your cheek affectionately. A tidal wave of relief flooded through your systems as you reached up to tangle your hands in his hair again, your body beginning to act on its own accord. Your leg twisted around his to pull his hips closer to yours, and you felt his erection bump against the apex of your thighs. You both groaned into one another’s mouths, sharing breaths and panting into throats.
“Hang on,” he ordered you, and once you had locked your legs around his waist, he braced you against him and hauled you up into his arms as if you weighed nothing. He continued to bite at your lips and shove his tongue into your mouth as he carried you toward the bed.
When your back hit the mattress, he pulled you further up toward the pillows and crawled over your form. “I’ve got an idea,” he drawled, nipping at your throat. When you made a noise of acknowledgement, he slowly began to undo the button of your trousers. “We’ll save the fucking for the next time. Tonight we’ll stick with basics - swear it’ll feel just as fucking good.”
You felt your heart rate pick up like a methodical tick. Your grip on his shoulders tightened, nails digging into his bare skin. “The next time?” you murmured, dammit, hopefully. You knew Johnny Silverhand was a womanizer, that a different girl fell into his arms every other night. A part of you felt stupid for hoping this would be different; now you weren’t feeling quite as foolish.
Johnny smirked down at you, his hair curtaining you both. “What?” he said. “Thinking this was going to be a one-time thing?”
“Well…”
“Let me tell you something, sweetheart.” He pressed his forehead to yours, his human hand trailing down to the space between your thighs. A small squeak escaped your lips, one that melted into a moan, when he pressed his thumb down on your trousers right above your clit. “I’d be fucking stupid to find a little thing like you and let you go.”
You hitched out a gasp. “Let me go?”
“Oh, yeah, baby.” He inched down until he was level with your exposed belly, then licked a stripe up to where your shirt was bunched just below your breasts. “You’re all mine now.”
Your world was flipped on its head, like you were watching the scene play out from above instead of from your own eyes. Johnny helped you pull off your shirt, and then your bra, and you finally let yourself moan unabashedly when he pulled the peaks of each breast into his mouth. Then he removed your pants, and your panties, and then he had practically picked you up and pulled you into a position that had your core aching like never before.
Johnny sat his back to the headboard with you seated between his legs so that your shoulder blades laid flat against his bare chest. He’d hooked his ankles around yours when your legs spread, keeping them apart and open for his touch that was slowly, torturously making its way down your body.
“Johnny,” you moaned as his metal hand cupped your breast, alternating between kneading and pinching the nipple. His warm, human hand was dragging his fingers over the tops of your naked thighs, occasionally dipping between them, but never where you needed him the most. “Johnny, please…”
“Ooh, my poor thing sounds so good when she cries for me,” he chuckled in your ear from behind. His voice was low and came from deep in his chest, sending goosebumps over your flesh. “I bet she’d sound even prettier singing.”
Without warning, his hand dipped toward your center and dragged a finger through your wet folds. In reply, as if obeying his command, you released a garbled cry and leaned your head back against his shoulder. Fuck, this was so goddamn good. You’d never known letting someone else touch you like this could feel so fucking amazing.
“That’s right,” growled Johnny, then found your clit and began to rub circles around it. “Cry for me, sweetheart.”
You squeezed your eyes shut in pleasure as he played with the bundle of nerves, your hands gripping onto his thighs for support. Your legs instinctively tried to snap closed, alleviate the heightened need for friction, but his ankles locked around yours kept you from doing so. Feeling your pull against his legs, he quickened the speed of his circles, increased the pressure ever so slightly.
“Oh, fuck!” you whimpered. Your pussy was clenching around nothing, your slick smearing across your thighs. “Oh, shit, Johnny. Oh, my god, please don’t stop.” Quickly becoming overwhelmed by the amount of pleasure and sensation, your body began to react on its own. You squirmed in his grasp, hips attempting to buck and feet kicking. There was a sort of coiling feeling building in your abdomen, like a pressure from within, and your body was chasing after it like it was the sun it had never seen.
“Feels good, doesn’t it?” With every buck of your hips, his own chased yours, practically humping up into you from behind.
You couldn’t reply, only whimpered and whined and buried your face into the musky-smelling crook of his neck.
Johnny applied just the smallest bit of more pressure, his free arm wrapped securely around your middle to keep you anchored to him. “Come on, kid,” he whispered against the shell of your ear. “Give it to me. Give me this first one.”
Whatever kind of effect his words had on your systems, it was immediate. That coil in your belly snapped, wound too tight, and your vision tore white as you threw your head back against him. “Oh, god, Johnny! Johnny, fuck!” Your words melted into hoarse cries and moans and gasps. You felt a warmth pooling from your entrance and his fingers gingerly gathering it up; if you had been able to open your eyes, you would have seen him suck your release off his own fingers and smirk to himself in satisfaction.
For a long, quiet few minutes, you simply sat there between his legs, feeling your chest rise and cave as you tried to regain your breath. Behind you, Johnny craned his neck to press open-mouthed kisses to the back of your neck, your shoulders, the jut of your spine. He unhooked his legs from yours, allowing you to draw them together and to your chest as you gripped his thigh with a grip that refused to let go.
“You with me still, kid?” Johnny shifted his weight a bit, then wrangled you until you were sat sideways in his lap and he cradled you against his front.
Your head rested against his bare pec, fingers unconsciously gripping onto the dog tags around his neck. “Mm,” you hummed, because you felt as though you couldn’t form words anymore even if you wanted to. A sudden and powerful tide of exhaustion had washed over you, leaving you feeling hollow and full all at the same time.
“Use that pretty voice of yours,” he insisted and flicked a piece of stray hair from your sweaty forehead. “Tell me you’re alight. That I didn’t go too hard.”
So - because you would do anything for him, after he just did everything for you - you scraped together what was left of your vocal cords and said, “I’m alright.” You skimmed your fingers along his chest, and again, his muscles flexed beneath your touch. “Johnny.”
“Yeah, kid.”
“You won’t…” The next words caught in your throat. You thought of your parents, who had tried to sell you off because they believed you were nothing. You thought of that woman who had clicked you like it was a second nature to her. You thought of your own doubts and fears that taunted you like bad dreams that wouldn’t go away even after you woke up. “You won’t leave me… will you?”
Johnny’s grip around you tightened, and he pet your hair soothingly. “Fuck, sweetheart,” he said, and there was something about his tone that made you believe this wasn’t just a promise to you, but to himself, as well. As if he’d loved and lost before; as if he refused to let this crash and burn, even if it killed him in the end. “I’m never letting you go.”
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🎭 masks & meaning 🎭
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Thank you, TWST merch, for giving me a clearer view of the masquerade mask designs 😂 Here’s what I noticed…!
Individual Character Masks
Riddle’s mask resembles the collars that appear when he uses his unique magic, Off With Your Head! It is also a recurring motif on his dorm uniform; note that the crown is on the same side on the mask as it is on Riddle’s dorm uniform sprite. Additionally, his lapels and boots have the split heart design incorporated into them. The checkered pattern inside the hearts looks the same as the background of Heartslabyul school uniform cards, which makes sense, as Riddle is their leader.
Deuce’s mask has a spade on it, but it just so happens to look like an inverted heart. This may represent his allegiance to Heartslabyul. The checkered pattern on the bottom half of the mask denotes his status as a card soldier; the checkerboard pattern recurs on his dorm uniform’s right sleeve.
Ruggie’s mask has rough edges, with the black part resembling an animal’s mane (I’m going to assume it’s a hyena’s mane since that’s what Ruggie is, but it could also be a lion’s mane to allude to his dormitory). The lower part of the mask looks like it could be sharp fangs or claws. Finally, the zigzag pattern reminds me of a jester’s hat: the points end in circles, which could be the bells. This would suit Ruggie’s playful but mischevious nature.
Azul’s mask is very intricate, with many swirls and what looks to be white pearls or rhinestones. The design and color are indicative of octopus tentacles and the ink they spill, with the jewels placed to represent the suction cups running along the tentacles. (Fun fact: Azul’s masquerade suit has several tailcoats, which also resemble an octopus’s tentacles. His necklace resembles the seashell one that Ursula wears.)
Jamil’s mask is very obviously a viper (the snake appears to have a hood) curling around one eye, so close to one of his ears... almost like it could turn and whisper to him. The mask also has red diamonds in the viper’s skin and around the eye area, which could be a reference to the infamous “diamond in the rough” quote from Aladdin.
Epel’s mask has a particular shape to it that resembles an apple. It’s also notably more of the color of an apple, rather than the deep violet associated with Pomefiore. (Maybe this is meant to show that Epel is “not like the other boys” in his dorm?) Then, of course, we have white flowers on both sides of the mask, which are likely young apple blossoms.
Rook’s mask has a golden part which forms a bow and an arrow nocked into it. These are items that are associated with his character, as he is a huntsman. Interestingly, his mask also contains the pattern that appears in the background of school uniform Pomefiore cards (the scattered moons and stars). Perhaps this denotes his loyalty to Pomefiore--and, more importantly, to its queen.
Idia’s mask has far less color than those of his peers. This suits him, as both he and the dorm he represents have a gloomy atmosphere about them. (His masquerade suit is also mainly black, with blue as the accent color.) Those skeletal hands that form Idia’s mask may very well be the cold, merciless claws of Death itself, come to claim another soul... which, very understandably, ties in deeply with Idia’s guilt related to his past (see episode 6 of the main story, you’ll know what I mean). The geometric pattern on the fingers resembles the jackets of Ignihyde dorm uniforms, and the prongs that stick up at the top of the mask looks similar to the lower halves of the skull which holds his magical gem.
Malleus’s mask is also predominantly black (as are the masks of his vassals), which, again, is likely associated with dreariness (though in Diasomnia’s case, it may also be tied to mystery or olden times and a lack of change). We’ve got the spikes and the glorious outstretched dragon wings, which are the very same wings that appear on Maleficent’s throne in Sleeping Beauty. The green gem set in the center might as well be Malleus’s crown, representing all the power and the responsibility he holds--and the dragon scales hiding behind his bangs.
Silver’s mask is done up to resemble a rose, true to his princely demeanor. It’s cool that the stem of the flower curves beneath his eye!! There’s exactly three green gems dripping off of the stem, and all three of them seem to be on thorns. These three could represent the fairies in his life: Malleus, Lilia, and Sebek (half fairy). Why do I think this? Because there is also a fourth item on the stem that stands out and doesn’t have a gem on it: the leaf, the one pure human in the Diasomnia quartet, Silver. And it is the leaf, Silver, that opens up to the petals of the rose--like many fan theories speculate that Silver is the key to a happy ending (ie “he is the sword that slays the dragon”).
Sebek’s mask is, perhaps, the harshest of them all. It’s very angular and point, likely to resemble thorns, as the latticework of the mask itself looks like a network of tangled briar. (It makes sense; Sebek is the most openly abrasive and “pointed” of Diasomnia.) The lattice pattern actually works with the solid parts of the mask to form what vaguely looks like a thunderbolt shape (do you see it?), which is Sebek’s motif. His mask tapers into a single green gem that is bigger than any of the gems on Silver’s. That gem? It’s symbolic of the young master that he has sworn to protect and serve.
Shared Dorm Features
Heartslabyul’s additional elements are straight laced and no-nonsense, just like the stern Queen of Hearts. It’s a simple combo of two ribbons in solid colors (with one always being black). Maybe that’s a nod to the “black and white” nature of Riddle’s interpretation of the rules!
Savanaclaw boasts beads and tassels! The beads resemble the ones that its leader, Leona, wears in his dorm uniform. The tassels may seem a little out of place at first, but then you realize that tassels look like a lion’s tail—just like that of the King of Beasts.
Octavinelle’s ribbon is a little twisty and tapers into a point, like the tentacle of a shady deal maker like Azul or the Sea Witch. It has the same white dotted pattern as the actual mask, which, again, mimics suction cups on a tentacle. The holding stick has a segment (where the mask and the ribbon connect) that forms the shape of plumes of ink dispersing through the water. *NOTE: this may just be Azul’s design, not Octavinelle’s design. We don’t have either of the twins to compare. See the final bullet point for more details.
Scarabia’s ribbons are more slim than that of the other dorms; the more serpentine look may be to make the ribbons more closely resemble the Sorcerer of the Desert’s famous staff. The red diamonds also show up again, promising worth and feelings that may not be apparent at first glance—not unlike the twisted story of Kalim and Jamil.
Pomefiore’s ribbons are two very different ones; they’re both done up in bows—a more traditional look befitting of the oldest dorm at NRC—but in very different shades and widths. Notice that one ribbon seems to be inside the other! Perhaps one represents the conventional definition for beauty, and the other represents alternative definitions for beauty. Vil and the Beautiful Queen can have them both: outer beauty and the strong will and to passionately pursue it.
Ignihyde’s holding stick is the most unique shape of all the dorms. It looks less like a holding stick and more like a torch, lighting up the dark path to the Lord of the Underworld’s domain. The sleek look of the ribbon makes me think of a gaming console, especially with the little color it has and the blue dots, true to Ignihyde’s high-tech dorm. The only element I’m not too sure about are the black feathers! I probably just lack knowledge on Hercules and Greek mythology, but all I can think of is maybe it’s pegasus feathers??? *NOTE: this may just be Idia’s design, not Ignihyde’s design. We don’t have Ortho’s to compare. See the final bullet point for more details.
Diasomnia also has two ribbons (simple yet elegant, like the Thorn Witch), one light and one dark. It’s a dorm that is associated with mystery (the dark), which we will soon receive revelations for (the light), particularly with Malleus opening up to others and learning more about the world. And of course a spinning wheel, representative of a pastime that is sacred in Malleus’s kingdom, is incorporated into the design of the holding stick!
I noticed that the characters with SSRs (Azul, Idia, and Malleus) have fancier holding sticks than everyone else. Their holding sticks are entirely different shapes than the SRs and Rs do. In the case of Malleus (who has Sebek and Silver for comparison), his holding stick has additional details (a gem, plus a black pattern snaking up his ribbons, and a ball of thread where the holding stick connects with the mask).
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