#nightclub poll

[peachmoonn]

No one should ever let autism stop them from hitting the club. i like to hit the club in the most neurodivergent way possible. all i have to do is

- put all my important belongings (phone, keys, wallet) in my front pockets or in a fanny pack

- keep my hands in above pockets or on fanny pack AT ALL TIMES!!!!!! to make sure i’m not getting ROBBED!!!!!!! this helps alleviate some of the anxiety of being around so many strangers

- wear earplugs (the silicone kind that fit my ear holes and dont drive me fucking insane)

- stay completely sober the entire time (if i drink i get sleepy and then i want to go home)

- dance hard as fuck (it is dark so no one can judge how i behave inside my own skin) (you HAVE to go somewhere where the dj is halfway decent im begging you to support local djs who do cool music that makes you want to dance) (for me that is the only point of club)

and that is my play by play for enjoying the clurb as a sensory-seeking experience rather than a terrifying overstimulating nightmare !

[worstvideogamesong-poll]

Worst Video Game Song Tournament - Round 2 Match 30

Nightclub (Sabotaged) - Payday 3

VERSUS

Credtrap - Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill

FIGHT!

I would recommend listening to as much as you can of each song before voting, but how you choose is up to you! Remember to be civil in the tags and replies!

Propaganda under cut:

Nightclub (Sabotaged):

(none included)

Credtrap:

"JUST LISTEN TO IT. WHAT IS THIS."

"oh god I've never heard the Nancy Drew song before, it's truly terrible. Weird music in the background that sounds like when a pair of headphones is about to go, cringy white boy(?) rapper, trying to make Nancy Drew cool and hip..."

"#great so credtrap's so bad it went unused (well the vocals did). it's awkward in a way a bad parappa player can barely dream of"

"#craptrad"

Feel free to add more propaganda in the tags and replies, or send it to me in the ask box and I'll try to share it as soon as I can!

[skipppppy]

No offence but I feel like some people got a little too comfortable with telling people to touch grass and swung all the way round to just straight up shaming anyone who might have a less active social life than them to feel better about themselves. “She should be at the club” was a really funny meme until people started acting like fucking middle school bullies towards people who don’t go out with their friends a lot. All those drinking/drugs/sex milestone polls were fun to engage with until it became a wierd circlejerk making fun of people who haven’t done those things before. People on twitter are once again dogpiling someone for wanting queer social spaces that don’t revolve around alcohol or loud music and telling them it’s their own fault for not having friends.

Like I get that nightclubs and sex have strong ties to queer culture and are often the first targets in the hellscape of respectability politics. It’s important we remember our roots and protect these spaces from conservative scrutiny. I mean that. They are important. But just on a surface level it seems like people are starting to see having an inactive social life as some kind of moral failing which…it’s not. I feel like an insane person for feeling like I have to say this on the fucking queer autism website but like. You aren’t inherently a bad person if you don’t have friends. You aren’t “falling behind” if you haven’t had your first kiss in your 20s or never done drugs. The real world isn’t a movie. And if you see someone who doesn’t go out much and instinctually think “wow what a terminally online loser. I bet their social life sucks because they’re a sheltered creep and not because of systemic barriers beyond their control” you need to have a long hard look at why you feel that way.

There are very real barriers that prevent isolated people from finding community and connection. Do you think you’re superior for being able to breach them? Time, money, sobriety, accessibility, none of those factors were a problem for you, so it shouldn’t be for them, right? Right?

[doublism]

the "i've never been to a nightclub" sweep on that poll genuinely makes me sad...... never??? you don't like the club? untz untz???

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Marpessa Dawn (Black Orpheus)—She's like. fairy tale princess etheral pretty. truly eurydice realness. AND she's a singer AND she's a dancer. she used to be a governess/nightclub dancer, which isn't hot per say i just thought it was an interesting job combination. If you want to hear her sing just look up the Black Orpheus soundtrack

Irene Papas (Tribute to a Bad Man, Electra, Zorba the Greek)—"From the opening shot of Michael Cacoyannis's Electra, as the proud, implacable face emerges from encroaching shadows, it becomes impossible to imagine anyone else as Euripides's heroine. Erect, immutably dignified, dark eyes burning fiercely beneath heavy black brows, Irene Papas visibly embodies the sublimity of classical Greece, tragic yet serene." -Philip Kemp (film critic) Also she's a a badass.

This is round 4 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Marpessa Dawn:

Marpessa Dawn was an filipina/african american who became well known as an actress, singer and dancer in France. She is most famous for her role in 'Black Orpheus' in which she played Eurydice. It's difficult to find a picture where she and her husband, the actor Eric Vander, aren't kissing or hugging or laughing together, they are incredibly cute (and hot).

basically everyone and their mother will agree that marpessa dawn was one of THEE og vintage black women working in cinema (even if it was mostly in french cinema! the cross language barrier slay). mostly did her work in french cinema, and her smile in black orpheus is literally like the sun breaking over the sea

Irene Papas:

An amazing actress and singer, some may say a literal Greek goddess. Fought against military dictatorship in her home country and had an affair with Marlon Brando.

She literally played Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world in Greek mythology, what more could you want

[figtreeandvine]

Hey, everyone! You want to pull the ultimate prank against the Republican party? I mean this would be EPIC!

On November 5, 2024, all 50 million US citizens between 18 and 30 need to take to the streets and demonstrate against the erosion of civil rights for women, BIPOC, disabled, LBGTIAA+, and transgendered people. Take to the streets...and march right down to your polling station and vote! (Or, you know, early vote.)

This would be the flash mob to beat all flash mobs. The Republicans would never see you coming, because their whole strategy depends on keeping you depressed and disengaged.

Don't like the direction the Democrats are going? Take a page out of the Tea Party's book--they changed the direction of the Republican party by voting for it, and now they own it. Vote Democrat and nudge it leftward this election--then keep nudging it until you can take the wheel. Because the alternative is a hard right turn by the Republicans.

Not only would this be a lifesaver for countless people who are not "White male Christian Conservative Americans", it would also be funny as hell. Want to see Trump have a meltdown on international television? Want to see pollsters and political pundits say "What the fuck?!" Want to see the newspapers suddenly flock to gay nightclubs and college campuses to interview "average voters" instead of rural diners?

[devourable]

☹ the alt kids

sfw | tags : poly!nb!yans x gn reader (only prn used for reader is ‘you’), obsessive thoughts, slight manipulation, mentions of drinking

listen,,, i know melchior / nb demon yan beat these three in the poll but im itching to write about them. this goes out to my friend who wants to get piped by faust + lolita anon. love yall mmmmwah

also for reference, faust is they/he, delta is they/them, and anton is he/she/they !

please rb to support me 🫶

the alt kids were notorious for seeking out club newbies to play with. it was just something they did.

there was just something so adorable about the way someone totally out of their element dipping their toes into their scene! and the three had made it clear that fresh meat was off limits to anyone but them.

it was a simple cycle — someone new would enter the club, they'd swoop in and show them a good time, take them home at the end of the night if they're lucky, and repeat.

they thought it'd be no different when you came along, but...

oh, how wrong they were.

see, faust could practically feel the inexperience dripping off of you the moment you entered the nightclub.

all on your own, your eyes wide as you took in the flashing lights and loud music, the way you cautiously stepped around the sea of dancing bodies in attempt to find some place you could fit in comfortably? definitely another cute little freshie that'd soon join their ranks.

but faust didn't account for the zip of heat that ran through his body when you and him locked eyes from across the club. he didn't expect the unfamiliar feeling of his heart racing, a feeling only comparable to how he felt when he saw his partners — but why was it so much stronger? and when you offered up a shy little smile and averted your gaze, it damn near knocked him back.

who were you?

they had no clue, but they knew one thing. they needed to leave this club with you at the end of the night.

so faust all but ran to your side, appearing by you before you had even noticed their approach. god, you were even cuter up close... the way you looked up at them made their heart want to leap from their chest!

but they kept their cool. faust introduced themself, commenting on how they noticed you from across the bar and how they couldn't just let a sightly little thing like you venture around all on your own. the club could be so intimidating for newcomers — dangerous, even! but you didn't have a thing to worry about with them by your side.

they loved how demure you were, how you held your heating face when he complimented you, how you tried to wave off their advances but seemed to enjoy it just a bit too much to wave them off. were you intimidated by them? or… did you like them back? they wish they knew!

so you joined them, and accompanied them to the bar.

it was there you met one of their partners — a startlingly tall, reserved goth. you saw him well before you even got to the bar! between the major size difference, her icy gaze, and seemingly disinterested demeanor, it was safe to say you were intimidated. so you were incredibly surprised when faust strutted right up to them, pressed a kiss to his cheek, and waved you over to meet her. and it surprised you even further when they took one of your hands in theirs, pressed a kiss to your knuckles, and introduced themself after studying you silently.

unbeknownst to you and faust, anton was feeling that same intense fire in his chest that faust got when they first looked at you. he couldn’t help but let his eyes wander over your attire as you gave your name in turn.

you were so small compared to him. as was most other people, but… it was strangely endearing when he looked down at you. it’d be so easy to just scoop you up, wouldn’t it? and you wouldn’t be able to do a thing about it. he kept those thoughts to himself, but they flickered across his mind every time you came enough for him to take in the difference in your sizes.

the pair bought you drinks, got you a nice seat and showered you in attention. chatting you up, complimenting you, practically treating you like you were part of their polycule already. though they never mentioned it, faust and anton knew they had the same feelings towards you. the intense desire to just… have you. and not just for the night, either. you were so much more than all of their previous flings.

then delta came along. petite, sly delta who liked to play coy when it came to those they were interested in. they had pretended to be too busy dancing the entire time before joining their partners and you at the bar, but they were watching. and after witnessing how their boyfriends were all over you for so long, they had to join in. what were you doing to them?

they walked up to the three of you, pointedly looked you up and down, and… they understood in an instant. man, you were a looker! and even sweeter than the usual folk the three would usually play around with. they easily invited themself to the conversation, taking a seat right on faust’s lap and stuck up a chat with you as if they had been there the entire time.

they loved how flustered you were, so overwhelmed by all the attention the three were now pouring onto you. and despite your overstimulation, you were trying so hard to talk to them all anyway. you clearly had no clue what to do, poor thing… they had no choice but to take the lead for you!

“wanna dance? ..no? that’s fine~ let’s get another drink!”

“it’s so loud in here. let’s go somewhere quieter, yeah? i wanna hear that pretty voice more clearly.”

“aww, you wanna leave? you can sober up at our place! it’d be dumb if you got a ticket you could’a avoided.”

“you’ll stay the night with us, won’t you, darling? we’d hate for you to leave us so soon.”

[gaslightgatekeepgirlbosscombat]

Group H, Round 3, Poll 4:

Propaganda under the cut

Nadja of Antipaxos

Gaslights her fellow vampires when she knows she's wrong, gatekeeps info from familiar Guillermo, girlbosses by running her own doomed nightclub

She is the Girlboss, but also Girlloser of the show. Turned her own husband into a vampire (taking charge in a male-dominated field!) And further, in Season 3 she came out on top when her and Nandor were fighting over who would truly lead the Vampiric Council. Opened her own Vampire Nightclub! (Which she embezzled to death but shhh!) As for Gatekeep, she definitely gatekeeps both vampirism (Guillermo) and her friendship (The Guide). Does hypnosis count as Gaslight? I'm gonna count it in because she does hypnotize a lot of people. I could go on and on, but anyways Nadja is an icon and a queen and I love her.

Ianthe Tridentarius

She is trying so hard to be the main character by lying and manipulating her sister, her cavalier, her mentor, her ?love interests? (Spoiler???) And also god. Not sure how it's working out for her but she does love to lie and manipulate

Worstie Ianthe is the DEFINITION of gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss. She is one of a set of necromancer twins that are the heirs to their houses rule. Except wait, only she is a necromancer and she has spent their entire lives doing necromancy for the both of them. She is constantly mean to their cavalier, Naberius, who she occasionally nibbles on like a chew toy, before eventually killing and eating him to ascend to sainthood. She goes to gods spaceship with another woman who ascended to sainthood who she has a crush on, this other woman is like…. Both incredibly mentally unwell and also haunted by at least 211 ghosts. Ianthes method of flirting with her? Gaslighting her about the corpse that keeps moving around and hiding under her bed. For no real reason tbh. She is clearly plotting to overthrow god, and at the moment that consists of her manipulating him while he’s too sad about his long term partners betraying him and subsequently exploding to really care. She dresses in terrible outfits and makes soup by burning onions to the bottom of a pot, putting meat in and some vegetables and then it doesn’t taste like anything so she puts in a few teaspoons of salt so it tastes like a few teaspoons of salt. She had her crush amputate her arm and regrow her a new one out of bone and it’s one of the horniest things I’ve read in my life.

"Gaslight = told her lobotomized (she helped), schizophrenic girlobsession that there was no corpse under their bed, even tho there totally was. Gatekeep = girl did NOT share the secret to god-like ascension. She kept that shit to herself until it was time to eat her boytoy, and by then everyone knew already. Girlboss = she has a non-necromancer twin sister, and literally Everyone thinks they r both necromancers because Ianthe is so good at it. She reverse engineered ascending to the aforementioned ascension without even completing any of the supplementary tasks. She held her own in a fight against a 10k year old lyctor. She becomes the figurehead of her entire empire. "

She uses a man as a chewtoy in the first book, literally gaslights the protagonist of the second book about a corpse, and elder-abuses God when he gets depressed in the third book. Nobody is doing it like her.

Dives headfirst with no regrets while basically laughing and covered in blood into murdering her cavalier once she realizes what the gothic locked room mystery/competition leads to while everyone else is questioning it, helps perform lobotomy on harrow so she doesn't remember the person she loves, manipulates everyone to get to the top

idk just everything about her

her relationship with her sister is incredibly Bad, she fosters codependency and views Corona(the sister) as an extension of herself. This does not stop her from keeping up the con that Corona actually has magic (She doesn't, it was always just Ianthe) for 22ish years and every single person who interacts with them falls for it. She killed a man against his will (most dying for this purpose specifically go willingly) and she consumed him and she will be burning his soul for eternity. She's completely repulsive and still somehow incredibly hot.

she takes advantage of the fact that the main character is prone to hallucinations. at one point she gaslights the mc into believing that the corpse under her bed isn't real just because she can. she reverse engineered a set of very complex trials on her own without anyone realizing she had the skills to complete them normally. she's also babysat god through his drunk and pathetic era.

Artist: @starcanist

[lunar-years]

*pillow fight excluded because this was technically not a discussed option at the time of voting

[sapphirelightningbug]

Under the Starlit Night [Chapter 1: Sweaty Floors and Swivel Chairs]

credit to artcraawl

Summary: Nightwing owns the nightclub that Starfire dances at, they meet at her day job she doesn’t know it’s him but he knows it’s her, when she falls for both of them, drama ensues.

Word Count: 3k

Chapter Warnings: minor suggestive material, creeps, mentions of addiction, minor violence, blood, cigarettes

general masterlist | series masterlist

let me know if you want to be tagged!

The nightclub was dark except for the neon lights that gleamed brightly at Starfire as she danced onstage, her heels pressed deep into the hardwood. Brilliant blues, greens, and yellows danced across her brown skin, her pink hair and glossy green eyes shone a variation of colors as the lights bounced off her. She spun around the matte silver poll gracefully as she subtly looked around the club to look for the owner, a man only known as Nightwing. She looked into the faces of every dark-haired man in the room winking or blowing kisses sparingly until she finally landed on a familiar face, he sat in the back corner of the club watching with a cold gaze, she knew it was a façade, a look he put on for the public. He was a friend, a respectful and nice guy. She stifled a snicker as she saw his fake stern expression.

She blew him a kiss her glossy lips reflecting hues, he smirked, and she continued to dance her elegant movements, appealing to the men watching. This kind of banter between them was usual, they wouldn't call it flirting, of course they wouldn't but it was familiar and they both got a kick out of it.

Soon enough the song was over and it was her turn to mingle with the crowd. As per usual for a Saturday evening, the turnout was decently large which she would be pleased with when she counted her cash at the end of the night. Not that she did it for the money, it was nice of course but she had her day job, well paying, and what she had gone to college for. She was happy to say she was successful and kept her secret evening work under wraps. 

Men approached her as she walked off stage she looked for somebody she would be able to get a good sum out of that evening, even though she was very popular for her extraterrestrial features she had a small list of clients one of the men was sitting in his usual chair by the aisle, her heels clicked on the ground as she neared him, "Mr. Harper it's a pleasure to see you tonight, the normal?" She questioned, the man nodded he was simple, he smelt good, and kept himself in line so she never minded providing him with her services.

Still, Nightwing did, he watched as Starfire started her dance with her most loyal regular it was always the same, boring honestly. She looked uninterested but attempted to keep a smile on her face. He watched the older man hold her waist, and Nightwing grimaced. 

Star was Nightwing's favorite dancer in his club a sweet girl with eyes like no other and he wasn't even close to complaining about her other assets, she was all in all a beautiful woman, not that he'd say that to her. It would seem too inappropriate, and anyway, she was his friend, someone he cared about as more than just an employee. He watched her move like liquid on the man's lap, he wished it was him, her fuchsia locks were pulled into space buns and he imagined what it would be like to run his fingers through her soft hair. He silently scolded himself for thinking about her in such a way.

She stood up from the man's lap, and he slithered the money into her bra between the fabric and her skin, "Thanks darling, maybe next week you can wear that little pink get-up with the leather boots?" She giggled at him and pushed a curl behind her ear that fell in her face. He knew the exact outfit he was talking about barely any fabric and some pink leather cowboy boots he wasn’t kidding when he said little, she mentally scowled at the idea.

"Why? You don't like this one mister?" He ran his hand down the side of her waist brushing against the neon green body suit she wore. His touch sent a shiver of disgust down her spine. The man’s wrinkly hands are calloused and rough he clearly didn’t know how to handle a woman.

"Matches your eyes, baby, but you look better in pink," she nods before running her slim fingers through his hair and responding.

"I'll consider it," She smiles at the blonde-haired man, "But I better be off see you next week, love!" She strutted off to the back of the club where Dick sat.

"Hey Boss," She rested a hand on his bicep, he looked up at her through his mask, he nodded in her direction. He looked over her curvy body in the body suit she wore and smiled to himself she was gorgeous and he was her superior, nothing could ever happen. He brushed her hand off.

"Anyone causing you any trouble tonight?" She appreciates his caution, she shakes her head. 

“Other than you and that scowl?” She giggles, you looked like an upset toddler back here. Dick rolls his eyes behind his mask and slightly shakes his head chiding her.

"You gonna dance anymore tonight?" He asked pressing a piece of gum between his lips, he swore it kept him from smoking but he took notice of his habit getting worse and worse these days, one he picked up from his little brother.

"On stage?" He nods, "No, I'm starting to get tired but I think I made good money just then and I might do a few more dances I see some of my regulars look lonely," She giggles, his jaw clenches, and then relaxes.

"If you need anything call me over," He waves her off, and she walks down the aisle to a blonde-haired man.

"Hey, looking for some company?" A flash of recognition goes over his face, he nods before patting his knee. She sat distributing most of her weight onto her feet instead. 

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you sweet cheeks, got any exciting news?” He ran his hand over her back and she shook her head. “Hm, really nothing?” 

“Nothing too exciting I’ve been missing you though,” she smiled running a hand over the man’s shoulder, he slipped a 20 into her stocking at her thigh.

“Whatever that will do for me,” It wasn’t much but she’d give him a few minutes of her time, she smiled before starting to dance a little for him and she felt his hands start to wander on her body and she began to feel uncomfortable. Starfire looked over to the dark man in the corner where he still sat and her eyes pleaded at him showing her discomfort. 

He stiffened before standing up, he looked at her as if asking, “You sure?”, she nodded to confirm, and he waltzed down to her and the man who had gotten all the more handsy.

“Hey man,” Dick placed his hand on the man’s shoulder, but he didn’t budge his hands finding all the wrong places. Dick continued getting progressively irate and he continued to touch her. “So this is my club you know?” The man nodded giving him only a small amount of attention.

“I’ll leave you boys to chat,” she said, attempting to get up from the man, his hand around her waist stopped her.

“Stay dear,” he wasn’t asking he was commanding her. She hated how men thought they could do anything they wanted with her just because she did this line of work. She felt bile rise in the back of her throat, from disgust or nervousness she wasn’t sure which.

“I really should go sir,” she apologized to the blonde man in front of her before prying the man’s arm from around her waist. Her heels clicked on the ground as she walked to the back rooms, she grabbed her robe a fluffy black thing that contrasted her redish-pink tresses. Star wandered into Dick’s office and sat in his comfy rolling chair, she assumed this is where he handled finances and his paperwork. She spun around in the chair the dark room swirling around her. 

Nightwing’s office was a little messy, papers strewn across his dark wood desk, and a cup of light creamy coffee sat on a coaster of a cat. The velvety black chair sunk underneath her weight it was padded and he had a colorful knitted blanket sitting over the back of the seat. He had a case of, seemingly locked, drawers on the other side of the room, dark and shiny to fit the rest of his space, honestly it just felt like him.

On the other side of the building, Nightwing was escorting Mark Desmond out of his club. “You’re lucky she’s a lot nicer than I am,” Dick said as he walked him around the building to the alley beside it. “Cause I won’t put up with that kind of shit in my club, those girls should feel safe in their place of work and pieces of trash like you come in and act like you own the place,” his leather clad fist collided with the man’s knocking him down. It felt wrong, but good at the same time because he was protecting someone he cared for. He kicked Mark in the ribs letting the air escape from his lungs as he writhed on the damp dirty ground.

Dick Grayson wasn’t a villain, a cruel man sometimes sure, but he wasn’t evil. So as soon as he began wriggling around to free himself from under Dick’s boot, he let him go, “Don’t show your face around here again,” He trailed off before remembering the last thing he meant to say. “And stay away from Starfire,” he didn’t want her to feel small or timid, but if men wanted to treat her, or very well any one of the other girls, like that they’d have to deal with him. 

Dick was walking around to the entrance of his nightclub when he realized he was leaving red bootprints in a trail from the alley. Had he kicked the man that hard? He brushed his shoes off at the door on his black mat, the night air was crisp and cold at he was met with the thick smell of cigarette smoke as he returned to the door. 

Starfire was sitting, still swiveling around in Nightwing’s chair when the door flung open and she jumped. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was Nightwing, she started to speak and he approached her, she stood up, “Hey Boss I wanted to thank you for taking care of that creep for me, he is usually a kind man I don’t know why he was acting a fool like that.” He stood beside her his body heat admitting a warm aura around the two. 

His muscular body felt large compared to her she wasn’t short or thin by any stretch, in fact, she was taller than him with the heels she had on and she was confident in her fat, curvaceous body. Still with his strong torso and arms her soft body felt small, squishy compared to his solid frame. It was almost attractive, but she pushed the thought away as soon as it came, that was her boss it was inappropriate for her to be thinking of him that way. 

“I doubt you’ll be seeing much of him anytime soon,” he mumbled and his warm breath hit her face it smelt of that familiar sugary peppermint gum he often chewed around the club. It was always either that or cigarettes, she found it comforting, familiar.

"Thanks, Boss…" she trailed off looking down at her hands that were covered by the comfy black robe. "But you know Nightwing strikes again! You're a really good friend," She giggles that sweet harmonic sound that's music to his ears. He felt his chest heat, which was unusual, the sounds from the club behind them were noisy but muffled through the walls. It was silent for a few seconds, the only noise in the room was their breathing.

Nightwing was the first to break the silence, "You okay though?" She thought about it momentarily, was she okay? She nodded slowly, hesitantly.

"Yeah I'm fine, don't worry it comes with the line of work! You know it shouldn't but it's okay really," She smiles at Nightwing,  

“Why do you dance?” He asked not wanting to pry but he was curious.

“It makes me happy, obviously I don’t enjoy the creeps but I get to do what I enjoy and make money off of it,” she smiled at Nightwing, “But I dance here rather than other places, it’s safer, you make it a comfortable area,” she rambled out before stopping herself she didn’t want to sound annoying, she worried she did sometimes.

“I try, I mean it’s the least I could do,” he runs a hand through his dark hair. He looked at his watch it was almost midnight. “You leave at twelve?” He asked it as if it were a question. Still, she felt a pang of happiness when he mentioned her schedule, he’d noticed. Most of the girls left at different times, there were a few that left before her and a few when they closed at 3 a.m. She didn’t know when anyone else left exactly. Still, he remembered hers.

He probably just knew all of the girls' schedules, he was their boss. The moon hung high in the sky outside, she peered through the blinds, light gleaming on Starfire’s bright green eyes.

“Yeah I usually do, it looks pretty clear out,” She turned back to Nightwing he was rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. He pauses when she looks back at him, he admires her eyes they always look as if they are shining, he wishes to be able to look into them shamelessly, but he can’t. She wasn’t his, those eyes weren’t his to stare at.

Dick perked up and began speaking so as to not appear as awkward. “I can walk you to your car if you’d like?” She agreed with him, trudging to the door before heading over to her bag where she left her extra change of clothes. 

“I’m gonna change first okay?” She shouted to him in the other room, she walked over to one of the changing stations and when she closed the door behind her and slid the lock into place she untied her robe and it pooled on the floor as she dropped it.

She stood in the green bodysuit and her heels, yawning and stretching before leaning down to unclasp the strap to her heels slipping them off, and grabbing a pair of slippers from her bag. She rolled her thigh-high socks off which were once covered mostly by her heels, and slid her feet into the soothing pair of UGGs feeling that familiar, uncomfortable strain that comes with taking off heels after a long while. She grasped her hands around the fabric on her torso and slid it off, she yawned once again still she hadn’t realized how much her exhaustion was catching up with her. The neon green fabric hit the floor in a silent skid, she redressed in a lavender baggy shirt with colorful, orange and yellow, bubble letters that say "Space Whore" She didn't know what it meant when she bought it and just thought it was cute. Four years ago when her college roommate, Rachel, told her what it meant she was mortified, now it just seemed fitting, she giggled at the thought of it. She slid some underwear on before pulling up a pair of black shorts that hugged her thick thighs, still above all she was comfortable. 

She continued to think back to college and remembered everything that had got her there, she didn’t remember much of her home planet, her brain blocked it out. Still, she was an alien kid forced into the American school system and barely made it out of high school. College was freedom for her, meeting Rachel and her boyfriend Garfield, and becoming their friends was her favorite memory. When she graduated with her degree a close second, she'd felt so proud, she had come so far since she'd come to earth. Graduating with her business degree meant she could have a well-paying job and she didn't have to worry about not being able to afford commodities and necessities. She was satisfied to make something of herself, and have the ability to live comfortably.

Quickly, she was snapped out of her thoughts by Dick in the room next to her, Starfire scooped her clothes and shoes off the floor before forcing it into her pink and orange drawstring bag. She glided the lock on the door open before it swings open and she waltzes out, "Alright let's blast," she shouts out to Dick, and he meets her at the threshold to his office. They walk out of the door that connects the outside to the back rooms. The wind was whipping out in the cool September night. Starfire's red scuffed-up old 2009 Nissan Rouge sat not far outside the door, he walked her over to it before opening her diver's side door and she sat in her comfortably familiar seat.

"Make it home safe alright Star?" She nodded, putting her keys in the ignition and throwing her bag in the passenger seat. The seemingly ancient, horribly beat-up leather of her seat squealed as it lurched. 

"Alright, Boss, hope the rest of tonight is uneventful!" she chuckles, Star understood a quiet night was a good night here, she put her fist out for him to bump and she made a small explosion noise. They laughed, and she waved him off as he walked back to the building, undulating with each step. 

She backed out of the parking lot and felt a searing pain in her chest, ‘what was that?’ She thought, maybe she was just having heartburn but the way the black-haired man was on her mind told her otherwise. She brushed it off.

[in-death-we-fall]

Slipknot

Calculated Carnage: The Numbers Don’t Lie

By Paul Gargano (google drive link)

Ten years ago, the Limelight was a landmark for bands who performed in New York City. Women danced in cages suspended from vaulted ceilings, stained glass surrounded a stage elevated on what used to be an altar and men and women mingled in lines for the unisex bathrooms. Built as a church decades earlier, the site had since been deconsecrated, converted to a nightclub, and angel-shaped disco balls hung where a crucifix was once suspended. It was the perfect–not to mention haunting and eerie–setting for the inspired debauchery of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll that made the late ‘80s and early ‘90s such revered times. And almost a decade later, recently reopened, it was the perfect venue to host the live chaos that is Slipknot.

Had there still been cages, more timid members of the crowd may have fled for them, seeking sanctity from the madness that overwhelmed the mosh pit, a floor previously occupied by rows of pews. In stark contrast to the gothic styling of the stained glass that overlooked them, Slipknot’s red jumpsuits were bright and glaring, punching into the flashing strobes and lights that lit the stage and sold-out crowd. It was a venue far too small for Slipknot–who had made their network television debut only hours earlier on Late Night With Conan O’Brien–but what it lacked in size, it made up for in character, with fans occupying choir lofts that overlooked the insanity.

It’s been a whirlwind year for Slipknot, and post-show was no exception, where #1 and #2–drummer Joey and bassist Paul, who both founded the band with #6, custom-percussionist Shawn–took some time away from the post-show madness to offer their insight behind the band that has taken the world by storm over the past year. They left the following morning for a European tour that was ultimately cut short by a personal issue at home–says Joey, “When you get a call that brings you back to where your whole mind should be, you’ve gotta take care of that stuff first and foremost”–and in the midst of planning this summer’s anticipated Tattoo The Earth tour with Sevendust and Coal Chamber, are already at work on their sophomore album, which they hope to release early next year. Who knew Des Moines, Iowa could be so inspiring?

METAL EDGE: Looking at what’s going on with today’s hard rock/metal scene, it’s starting to look a bit like the rap industry, with all the separate camps and alliances. #1 (JOEY): Honestly, that type of shit disgust’s (sic) me. #2 (PAUL): We don’t need it. It’s not that we’re going out of our way, we just say what we feel, so either take it or leave it. Korn opened a lot of doors when they came out, and that’s that. Limp Bizkit, well, I’m not going to go there… Wes [Borland] is a good guitar player. It’s scary. I picked up a magazine yesterday with a “Slipknot vs. Limp Bizkit” poll for fans to vote on, and it came out to be Slipknot over Limp Bizkit like 70% to 30%. I don’t know how that happened and I’m very worried about… I mean, you got a magazine that caters to the teenybopper metal crowd, and you’ve got every fucking issue with Korn, Marilyn Manson, Limp Bizkit and Orgy. And now Slipknot’s in every issue–I don’t like that. The thing is, I guess I can’t help it because if it matters that much to the kids, I say, “thank you.” You know how appreciative we all are, you’ve hung out with the band. You know how humble we all are about what’s happening to all of us. But, when the next record comes out, our record label is not going to fucking hear it until it’s done. No one’s going to hear it. No studio reports. There’s not going to be anything done. We’re going back to our old, old, old fucking dingy practice room with my mom coming down and fucking doing laundry in the middle of practice. That’s the way it needs to be done because we’ve accomplished this on writing music that we thought filled our emotional need. Now, the emotional need has been magnified so much because of the experiences we’ve been through, so it’s just gonna be a massively, apocalyptic, totally sick and disgusting record.

ME: Do you realize the impact you’re having on your fans? I was at your instore in New York City and it was more enthusiastic than any I’d seen before. Your fans really seem to connect with you. #1: Yeah, well that’s the thing. People always talk about needing to branch out and try different things, and I’m okay with that. We want to get our music out to different crowds, but I sometimes don’t. I wanna make sure that we please the fans that were there from the beginning and understood every aspect when no one else understood. I wanna make sure that that fan remains happy for every record. We expected to sell maybe 150-200,000 records–And not until after two years of touring. Well, I guess we filled a void in those kids… They needed this band for awhile. That’s the whole thing, I don’t necessarily want to lump myself in with those bands because I feel we have nothing in common with them, but I give total respect to Korn because on their first fucking record they opened up so many doors and they did something completely original. You’ve got the mainstay, bands like Black Sabbath, and they’re got a bunch of imitators, but there’s only one Black Sabbath. I’m not a fan of Limp Bizkit, but there’s only one of them–Even though they came after Korn. You’ve got the Deftones and stuff, they all have very energetic and very, at times, liberating music. Limp Bizkit I can’t get into, I’m not a fan, and I think we’re the total opposite of a lot of that stuff that band stands for. It’s for some people, it’s not for some people, and I don’t want to be liked by everyone–That’s the scary thing. It’s so weird that so many people have identified with what we’re doing now–It’s very scary. #2: Yes! And it’s amazing, too, because we don’t get a lot of help from the radio and MTV like these other bands. We occasionally get our video played, and there are some radio stations, but it just proves that the kids need something different. They’re sick of the same old shit being pumped down their throats.

ME: There’s an extra psychological burden, “We’re not just a band anymore, we’re a cultural force.” Did you ever want that? #1: You know what? Yes, I have, and I love the fact, I’m very fucking fortunate and grateful. I do not want to decrease it in any way. I do want to make it bigger. I wanna make it bigger by keeping the fire real and by keeping the emotion and all that shit real. And not worrying about my record label breathing down my neck like they did last time for rough mixes and fucking, “Can you try and make…” No! Ther’s why the ante has been upped on making such a fucking… You could even say it’s overcompensated and fucking disjointed as far as our personalities are concerned. We were going to record in May, but we’re going to stay out and tour because the demand for the record and the demand for us to tour now is so huge in the States–We haven’t been there, we really haven’t toured since early January and that was only like two-and-a-half weeks. Our shows were sold-out, but now we’re selling 30,000 copies a week and we’re beating the system by being played on MTV–which I’m not a fan of–and radio stations like the L.A. K-Rock and the New York K-Rock. I guess I thank them for playing us–We could have it a lot worse–but the fact is, the next record probably wouldn’t turn out the same because we’ve been through a lot of experiences now. We’re going to work so hard on it and I think it’s going to be so ground-breaking for the fact that when you go through all the things we’ve just gone through, it will never be like this again. That’s why it’s very hard for a lot of bands to copy their first record and I love that people say that. Our first record is that good. It is a very pinnacle-type album. I’m so glad that people say that because I still have that hunger that I had when I was fucking playing in front of three people in Lincoln, Nebraska with a bartender and then a cat outside, grasshoppers and fucking crickets. We are maintaining that type of a focus. #2: When we started this band, I knew it was something kids needed. I didn’t think it would be like this, but I had a feeling. Nothing’s settled in yet. We’re on the road playing shows, and that’s basically all that’s settled in! Get up and play another show! [Laughing]

ME: But it’s not enough to just “play another show” every night, you guys are beating the crap out of each other and takin’ bumps. #2: Who wants to see a band up onstage staring at their shoes? That’s not entertaining. We definitely have our bruises and our sore body parts after shows, but once we get the masks and coveralls on, I could have a broken leg and still go out there. In Australia, I tore cartilage in my knee, I couldn’t bend it, and I just taped it up really well and went out there. Shawn’s played with broken ribs. We just don’t feel the pain.

ME: You need to look into some aspirin endorsements! #2: Advil would be real nice! [Laughing] It hurts, the masks aren’t comfortable at all–it would be awesome to play in shorts and a t-shirts (sic), but that’s not us. After the show we can rest all we want.

ME: There’s a definite sense of surprise in your stage show, you never know what’s happening next. Does anyone ever take it too far and cross the line? #1: No. It can never go too far. Never too over-the-top. For a band like us, that’s the first sign of us not being what we stand for.

ME: Joey, from your vantage point onstage what do you see looking out from behind your kit? What goes through your head? #1: Honestly, I can’t even put that in words. You’re the first person that ever asked me that, but it’s something that I think about every day. I guess I see the other side of when I was in the audience watching Slayer or Metallica. I’m usually the first person out onstage, and everytime I come out there are literally tears. I really can’t explain it, it’s so grand, it’s so bigger than words. Literally, I’m getting cracked up just talking about it.

ME: Did you anticipate this kind of success, this fast? #1: Well, sometimes, but that’s just society’s control. Welcome it. If it happens this fast, welcome it and use it to your advantage and make sure that you… Like I said, I thanks all of our fans so much for fucking supporting what we have done, because it’s made me not wanna fucking destroy myself. Back in Des Moines, I thought I was literally going to die if I didn’t get to do this. I get to do it now. But, the whole thing is, when you climb one mountain, it’s time to make sure the next mountain gets climbed and the next one .And you gotta re-evaluate the goal because we got this many people on our side now. It’s like Guns N’ Roses coming so fucking fast, the next thing you know, the dude hasn’t put out a record in like a decade. Like Mike Patton, probably one of the most fucking insane performers and songwriters of the decade–He is so underrated, went on to sell millions of albums in the early ‘90s, and continually turned around and spit in everyone’s faces by putting out albums with some of the most fucked up shit I’ve ever heard. We always say that if things get too big, too fast, if there’s no room for the band to grow because we’ve already accomplished so much, it’ll be time for the band to stop. Johnny Rotten said that the easiest thing to do is stop being a rock star if you don’t want to be one anymore–I thought that statement had so much integrity, and it’s had such an impact on me. I think about that quote every day. #2: It’s amazing. Just to be able to see the country and play these shows for kids all over the place, it’s the most amazing thing. I can’t believe people get paid to do this. I would pay to do this! It rules, I can’t ask for anything more. I just sit back, smile, and if there’s any bullshit, I just smile and let it go on by without bothering me.

ME: Do you think there’s a need for rock stars in society today? #1: Yes, because I needed them, and if I didn’t have them I wouldn’t be where I’m at. It’s like giving two cents back to the music that meant so much to me growing up–Black Sabbath, Slayer, Venom and Mercyful Fate. I showed up at the Clash of the Titans tour long before anyone else did because I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Tom Araya, and last summer, I got to hang out with him. That’s a weird thing, but I needed it to become who I am today. That’s why I’ll welcome it if it’s happened this fast, because people obviously needed it. When we were practicing for pre-production of our album, we were in the same rehearsal space as KISS. I was drawing their logos all over my books in school, now we were practicing next to them, we were standing outside listening to their whole set. The funny thing was, when they all left the room, we were stealing sticks and stuff! It’s being that fan, because we still are that. On OZZfest, I’d watch Slayer from the front row every day, not like a rock star standing on the side of the stage with a laminate.

ME: Has being from Des Moines had a lot to do with your development? #1: Absolutely. From day one. Had we come from L.A. or New York, we would not have the band that we have. Honestly, we grasped on to something early on that meant something so much, then you take that and revel in it, building, building and building, practicing, practicing and practicing, and creating, creating and creating. You magnify those three things, you keep it going and you network, and if you can do that coming from where we’ve come from, you can do it anywhere, because it was a virtual black hole that Corey describes as a graveyard with buildings. #2: It’s weird, it’s almost impossible to get A&R people to Iowa. Half the people don’t even know where it is–”Iowa, isn’t that the potato state?” No, it’s corn country. No one wants to go to Des Moines for their weekend! Finally, Ross Robinson came out and said that regardless of the label, he’ll do the record. Now there are people looking all over Iowa for bands, but there’s just the one and only… People were hoping it would be the “new metal Mecca,” but it’s only us! There area (sic) few good blues bands out here, though.

ME: How long was Slipknot in the making? #1: Ten years in the making. From the day I started playing drums, the day I started playing guitar. Me, Paul and Shawn started the band. Paul and I were playing in different side projects, and I met all those other guys because we’d set up shows with friends’ bands and we’d be playing for each other. There was no one in the audience. When you put up a flier you’d get fined $50. There’s no audience. Not a fucking person. And we had no money because we spent it all (sic) drum stands and guitar strings, struggling to buy that shit. There were no newspapers or radio stations that would tell you about the bands. No doubt, man, all this stuff that’s happened to the band? You don’t even hear about it there. We go home and it’s like we never left. A girl that was on Jenny Jones was big news, but Des Moines doesn’t recognize the gold album, selling out all our shows, being on Conan O’Brien, doing OZZfest. They do’t even write about it. You wouldn’t believe it, but it’s the truth. It just goes back to show me why that place is so fucking special, because it’s such an integral part of making music. I’m glad it’s still like that, because when I go back home, the only thing I want to do is get back on tour, work hard on writing music and stay doing that until the album’s finished.

ME: Was there a certain point where you had the vision that would evolve into Slipknot? #2: Well, it wasn’t planned, it definitely evolved. The lack of anything in Des Moines definitely fueled it, and we just went from there. When we got together, we didn’t have any rules about what it would be, we just got together and the nine people made it what it is. All day, every day, that’s what the band is. The band’s my life, it means everything, it’s my family. It’s what I love the most, and it’s what I hate the most.

ME: It sounds like you’ve accomplished more than you ever hoped to, what’s next? #2: For now, just doing our shows and being with my best friends. But in the long term, it’s going to be world domination. That’s what we’re trying to accomplish. #1: Once you climb one mountain you need to reevaluate and climb another one. We’re going to continue to tour and knock it out, all the way through Tattoo. Then we’d like to go into the studio. Then the next step is to take the most anticipated disjointed, apocalyptic, gross-sounding, disgusting type of exorcism you can imagine and put them all on one record. Every song will be twice what every song on the last album was. It’s all about the band maintaining the good attitude and integrity, and the same fire and hunger that we’ve had, and taking that and magnifying it and making a way better album. #2: Our next record is going to be over the fucking top. It’s going to be stupid!

ME: With things blowing up so fast, what are you proudest of as a band? #2: I’m proudest every day of just being in this band. What blows me away most of all is the fact that I get to do it. The fact that I’m in a band with my best friends, playing songs that we wrote in a basement, and seeing all the emotion from people who come out and get it every night. #1: Our middle finger attitude. How we’ve beaten the system in less than a year, all eyes have turned, and we’ve answered to nobody. That’s why I’m glad it happened as fast as it did. Hard work over time? Sure, good things come, but when it happens that fast it’s more poignant and people remember it more. It’s freaky and it’s very surreal, but that’s why I did welcome it. There’s a reason it happened so fast, because those kids need to stand for something. That’s why I think the next record may shun some people. Is it too over the top? No, it can’t be.

ME: Are you afraid of being “too metal”? #1: We’re fully metal, and we’ve always said that. People are afraid of that word because when Pearl jam and Nirvana came they were supposed to make music more open-minded, but they really made it more closed-minded than ever. We’ll always be a metal band.

ME: You were offered OZZfest this year, why not do it again? It’s a big risk headlining your own tour. #1: There are a lot of reasons why we didn’t do it. It was very cool to do it, but I don’t need an encore performance of it. The Tattoo tour wasn’t our concept, someone came up with it and brought it to us and it was something that we were into. We stepped in. It’s cool to start something from the ground up and not know if it’s going to work. I like everything to be very unpredictable, like playing a show.

ME: It seems like you guys have just gone out of your way to defy everyone in any position of power. Is that conscious? #1: No, because we’ve always done it and we still don’t make any money–There are nine people in this band! The stage manager will come up to us before the show and say, “Please don’t burn anything on the stage, don’t throw your drums, don’t break anything…” Well, that’s a bad thing to tell us, because we’re in debt anyway. Break it all, spend all the money! We’re not making any smart fucking business calls! That’s what lawyers and managers are for. It’s all about being in the moment and being in the vibe, and you can’t deny that. If you deny human feelings, you’re a fraud. #2: I think people are drawn to honesty. Who wants smoke blown up their ass? People want to know that we’re for real. People are drawn to it because they’re sick of all the other bullshit.

ME: We’ve heard about a lot of the bands that you don’t get along with, what are some of the bands you really respect? #1: Amen. They’re very good friends of ours and have the same type of fire even though they create a different style of music. I’m a very big fan of Mike Patton’s [Faith No More] projects and the Melvins. I respect all those guys because they don’t care. They make music just for themselves, they don’t let outside influences get to them.

ME: If you could leave your fans with any one message, what would it be? #2: Be yourselves and don’t fuckin’ worry about everyone else. Do your own shit… And, thanks! From the bottom of our hearts, we thank every kid who’s ever bought our album, checked the website out, or given us any support. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be doing this interview, so from the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

[oh-saints]

sweetest devotion (prologue)

it was only supposed to be another one night fling for mason. being married was never the aftermath he'd imagined himself to be, not when he's nothing but proud of his hit-and-run reputation around the town.

playboy!mason mount x princess!oc

word count: 1.5k

tw: as mentioned in the masterlist only

note: i know, i know. i'm not supposed to make this rabbit a bad guy but the tatler interview still rang well in my ears. and he won this poll anyway, so here it is. and the country name's taken from ana huang's twisted series teheeee but as usual, i happen to write at dawn so this is yet to be beta-read.

tag list: @mehrmonga who'd told me to do it anyway <3 (but lemme know if you wanna be added!)

this series' masterlist here part 1 here! >>

it all happened so fast.

as fast as the sound of his pen carving the cursive of his signature against the papers. as fast as the sound of mason mount giving what felt like his entire life away to a bunch of papers.

mason mount was only supposed to find another rebound to pale his heartache from being left behind by his girlfriend. he was only supposed to find another rebound to fuck before deserting them like a used piece of clothing that was covering his body against the cold of the night, and against the cold of his frozen heart.

he was only supposed to find another rebound to numb his recurring pain, just like a dozen of times before.

he thought he did exactly that in the morning, his modus operandi. and she never contacted him back either, despite knowing where to reach him. they were still following one another in Instagram anyway.

so of course, he didn’t expect anything drastic when the owner of the club he loves asked for his presence on one fine day at the cobham.

however, as he stepped inside the four walls made of glass, he certainly didn’t know what to make of himself. hell, he could guarantee any common living thing that they’d have no clue what to do when it was you and the king of eldorra himself.

a seething king of eldorra, mason should rather add.

the monarch didn’t waste a single breath as soon as the owner stepped out of the room for some privacy. “my daughter’s pregnant, mr. mount, and it’s yours.”

“I’m sorry?” mason had to mask his nervousness behind the pathetic excuse of a laughter. “I’m actually not following.”

“of course you are not,” the king sat up straighter, his posture telling everyone he wasn’t mad, except his eyes blaring fire so big it could burn down the amazon. “you don’t keep track of your one night stands, after all.”

if that was declan, mason would’ve heeded no mind. but coming from the man before him… mason couldn’t lie if that comment didn’t place a deep claw on his pride.

“father…”

“I suppose you might not remember her,” and mason couldn’t fault the king flaring his nostrils at each words spat. mason would probably be acting the same way, had this involved his own daughter. “you met her at a nightclub in london before you took her to your home and bed her.”

it didn’t escape mason, the disgust slipped into the last two words of the king’s sentence.

you’d be surprised to hear your daughter’s reaction to my cock was everything but disgust, mason smirked inwardly as he scanned the distinctive face of the said daughter. who, by the way, sported a faint hint of displeasure—at and of what, he didn’t know. he could only pray she wasn’t thrilled about the whole ordeal, so he could make a pity party out of them both.

of course, he remembered her—serena, final year student in king’s collage. he remembered her because no one as smart as her had pulled the same face card, and he was drawn in by the classic beauty she sported in her face and the royal elegance she exuded before he could help himself.

he remembered her because in bed, she was a beast long waiting for someone to wake her up. and mason loved nothing more than a duality striking on and off the bed.

“father, I appreciate if you grant us some space,” contrary to the faint warning she gave earlier, she was firm—rather stern, even—this time. “I’m sure it’s not an easy news for him either.”

the king spared his daughter a momentary glance before he stood up from his seat, buttoning the lapels of his suit back to its immaculate place. all while throwing lasers at mason’s way. if the footballer didn’t have his life at stake, he’d definitely succumb to the pressure.

there was a reason why the salt-and-paper man was the king, after all.

as soon as the powerful man went out of sight, mason shot his own daggers. “how are you so sure it’s mine?”

mason was only met by the profound proof that she was the king’s daughter and the princess. the woman in black slid a manila envelope towards his way ever so calm—as if the tension around them was as high as spending a mere summer together—without compromising his personal space. “your DNA test, as well as your contract.”

“contract?”

now, mason didn’t see this one coming.

“my father expects nothing less than you to man up and marry me,” shit, mason knew where this was heading. “it’s actually a crime in my country to be pregnant out of wedlock. combine that with the fact that you accidentally knocked up a princess, you can imagine the mess you’re about to ensue in my country,”

despite knowing the direction of this conversation, mason’s heart still dropped at the sight of marriage contract written in big, fat bold letters.

“however, I understand you have another life outside the well-being of your… child and mine,” if this wasn’t a dire situation in need of immediate attention, he’d praise her for how well she chose her words to simplify matters at hand. “so I took the liberty to construct this agreement so it will benefit us two. feel free to add your own terms.”

“what do you get out of this… arrangement?”

“I get to live another day, which means your child does too,” right, a punishable crime in the eyes of eldorran law. “and I get to provide only the best for my child. bar the father, of course, should you choose to walk away from the child’s life after this contract ends.”

dagnabit, she’d covered that part too under the agreement. she certainly had thoroughly thought about this. “is this what you both are planning from the beginning?”

“my father knows nothing of this existence and I wish to remain that way,” that’d explain why she asked for privacy for both of them, and somehow that relieved some parts of mason. “except for our lawyers, it’s only going to be between us until the end—whichever end may be—so I need you to put on some excellent acting when needed.”

rights and obligations… dang, mason should have a day off to discern all this. mason inwardly cursed himself for putting himself through this, all rooting from letting himself swayed and distracted by her sultry voice that he forgot to tap before he dabbed. wait, did I have a way out of this…

nope.

mason was raised better than to desert his own flesh and blood. and he was also certainly raised better than to have the mother of his child to be punished severely on her own when the child was obviously a joint creation of them both.

“we’ll figure out the nitty-gritty along the way,” sensing the footballer was weighing his thoughts, the princess stood up this time, reaching for her purse along the way. “after all, time is what we’re going to have until deaths do us part.”

mason could feel the tip of his mouth curving up slightly—credits when it’s due.

“have a thorough look at them and give me your answer when you’re ready. for now I will tell my father that you’re figuring out how to break the news to your kin first before saying yes.”

but before mason could bid her goodbye, the woman fourth in the throne line of eldorra had closed the mahogany door shut behind her, leaving mason alone dealing with the aftermaths of his rendezvous immediately and the tears of the girlfriend he recently rekindled later into the night.

“I promise you we can be together again, my love,” mason repeated those words like a mantra, in hope to soothe the heartbreaks both he and his girlfriend were respectively having inside. in hope it could build a foundation, a purpose for him to truck through a year of hell with a stranger he never dreamt of having to share his ultimate dream with. “I promise you that. we’ll figure it out meanwhile, okay?”

but mason didn’t get to hear whatever it was that came out of his ex’s mouth as a reply, as he took the hardest steps away from his girlfriend’s house. and he couldn’t seem to be able to recall them now, especially when the priest standing before him asked him the million-dollar question in front of thousands of people important for the existence of the eldorran kingdom.

“do you, mason mount, take serena, princess of eldorra, to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

his wife.

the woman standing in front of him, who was staring back at him with a pair of eyes he couldn’t read at all. the woman standing in front of him, who actually enticed a bit of fear in him for such uncomprehensive orbs she owned.

the woman standing in front of him, whom everyone dubbed as calm beauty like her name, was to be his wife.

the woman standing in front of him, who he had no idea about aside from her name and her reputation of a princess from a conservative country, was to be his wife.

all because a stupid, drunken one-night stint.

he let out a sigh that might be perceived as letting of the nervous steam. just when he wanted to organise his life and start fresh…

“I do.”

well, at least the princess was an exquisite sight to wake up to every day.

[worst-siblings-tournament]

Round 1, Match 8

Ianthe and Coronabeth Tridentarius (The Locked Tomb) vs Therese and Jeanette Voerman (Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines)

(Tridentarii art by @may12324)

Propaganda under break

Ianthe and Coronabeth Tridentarius

No propaganda submitted

Poll Runner's Note: They are incredibly messed up. They've never spent any time apart until the end of book 1, when they're in their 20s. Deeply codependent. In the first draft they were called apparently called "Cainabeth and Abella", which the author rejected because that would imply one was the good twin, instead of just a less bad twin.

Therese and Jeanette Voerman

The Vampire Baron of Santa Monica and her twin sister. Together they run a nightclub, The Asylum. Therese sees Jeanette as a depraved and immature brat who can't take care of herself. Jeanette wants her sister to respect her as an equal, but goes after it by foiling all her plans. They use the player character as a pawn in their schemes against each other.

"Your city? Last time I looked it was called Santa Monica, not Stuck Up Bitch."

"So vulgar. I can't even look at you sometimes, you jezebel."