#originally that was Walker's job

[nelkcats]

Secret Boyfriend

Jason met his boyfriend in a rather peculiar way: he was doing his usual rounds, disposing of the dregs of society with a couple of bullets and offering shelter to hapless victims when one of his victims began to...revive?

The easiest way to put it was that the bastard turned glowing green, and Jason had collaborated enough times with Justice League Dark to know that something supernatural was coming.

Before the whole process was complete, however, another portal opened and out stepped a pretty pissed off guy. The spirit that had just been born was intimidated by the new spirit and Jason could only watch dumbfounded as the twink destroyed the former serial killer with scathing words and scolding.

He was instantly smitten and began flirting with the rabid spirit. It wasn't long before Danny reciprocated his flirtations and well, Jason could tell it was the best thing that had happened to him all year.

On the other hand, the Batfamily was worried about Jason's constant disappearances and his sudden calmness. Fearing the worst (and seeing that they couldn't leave a matter unresolved) they decided to investigate, much to the chagrin of the Crime Lord who responded to their interrogations with deflections and continued to hide his boyfriend as best he could.

Danny thought it was a fun game and just went along with it. Tim was stressed and wanted to get it all over with.

[withoutyouimsaskia]

Sometimes It's Fated (Sandman Short Story Part 1)

Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

​GIF: Originally posted by @tavners

Pairing: Morpheus/Dream of the Endless x AFAB reader

Summary: Reader Self-Insert. After restoring the Dreaming and locating the missing dreams and nightmares, Morpheus turns his attention to finding you, the human he believes fate has chosen for him. (Title inspired by Placebo's "This Picture".)

Warnings: Minors DNI. Dark!Morpheus. Soulmates. Angst. Obsessive and possessive behaviour. Tension. Home invasion. Voyeurism. Implied masturbation. Dream manipulation.

Word Count: 2.6k

A/N: Wow, this took way longer to finish than I had originally planned. My head's been all over the place with trying (and thus far failing) to find a new job. The themes are very different to what I've written before; I hope it reads okay. Please let me know what you think. All my love, Saskia xx

Sandman Masterlist

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

Fate.

A phenomenon that governed every particle of matter within the known universe and even those beyond.

Some considered it a comforting concept that excused them from the burden of decision making, citing: "I'll leave it up to fate." For others the phrase was a cursory, throw-away comment or a romantic line they heard in the lyrics of a song.

The real truth of the matter was that Fate was a trio of immortal beings, goddesses, with sight so potent that they knew the past, present and future of every individual to have lived. The mythology of the Greeks, Romans and Norse hadn't been too far off with their stories of the Moirai, Parcae and Norns but of course, no humans really believed there to be any realism in myths. They were just stories. It didn't matter either way; they existed and had influence regardless of what the majority believed.

For beings such as The Endless siblings, the presence of Fate in the cosmos was not only real, but also something that affected even themselves.

For the King of Dreams, an eventuality had been prophesised long ago by The Kindly Ones that spoke of a bond that was to be forged between himself and a mortal.

Lord Morpheus, in his pride, had tried to be above such a foretelling, even questioning its validity because the notion of a mortal accepting his version of the universe seemed wholly implausible.

But he could not truly stop himself from wondering about you, reaching out to see if he could feel your presence in the minds of the dreamers he hosted.

It wasn't something he indulged in with frequency. More of a once-in a-decade interval. Enough to appease his curiosity.

Of course, this was put on hold during his imprisonment at Fawney Rig.

Morpheus had had much to contemplate during this period. The damage his absence caused to the collective subconscious, the decay of his realm, the loss of freedom and dignity. There was also a chance that you had been born and died in the 106 years he spent in captivity.

What if he was too late and had lost the chance of discovering who you were?

It was a nauseating prospect that scraped and scratched a space deep within his being; bleeding him of his remaining stores of hope that were so significantly depleted after the death of beloved Jessamy.

Despite the nasty emotional wound, finding you was a charge that he assigned at the end of his priorities after his escape.

Recovering his scattered tools, restoring the Dreaming, locating his absent creations, unravelling the mystery of Rose Walker and confronting Desire all had needed to come first.

The latter interaction had left Morpheus with a seething rage that was currently propelling him down the boards of the dock that sit above the Ocean of Dreams.

The dense mist in the air is buffeted by his movements and the only sounds are the tread of boots, the creak of wooden slats and the lap of water.

With each step, the liquid becomes choppier as it reacts to its master's mood and by the time he has reached the end of the dock, the surface of the water roils fervorously, completely in line with Morpheus' dangerous temperament.

The words of Desire's final silken-toned taunt echo in his mind with grating persistence.

"Oh, poor Dream. I really got under your skin this time, didn't I?"

He is loathe to admit there is truth in the question.

There are moments where Morpheus ponders the turn that the relationship between them has taken. How Desire went from being his favourite sibling to someone one shade shy of an adversary. Their faultless adeptness at provoking his temper and manipulating the events that encircle him would be impressive if not for the danger posed to humanity.

The agitated water eventually draws focus to how out of control he and his emotions have become. Morpheus knows he must get them in check, and quickly, for he knows the consequences all too well should he ignore it.

He clenches his fist and swallows it all down, pushing it deep inside his belly until the crackling entropy of the anger is fully dispelled.

Morpheus then sweeps his coat out behind him as he sinks lithely into a crouch. Trepidation nips at his heart and tugs his attention to a sobering thought.

This foray into the water may be fruitless.

You may be long gone and there would be no way of ever knowing you.

His nostrils flare as he takes a deep breath; he has run out of excuses to not look, even if he is afraid of the outcome.

Long, delicate fingers dapple the surface of the inky ocean. The waves still at the touch, obedient to him with instancy.

He repositions to full height and reaches into his coat to find the pouch of sand stashed in the pocket. A handful of twinkling grains slip off his palm into the ocean, lighting the water it touches to a luminous green.

"Find my soulmate," Morpheus commands silently.

The intention is set. He steps off the dock into the water.

At first, like every other prior attempt, there is no sign of you. Morpheus floats submerged in the tepid liquid, filtering through the hubbub of countless other dreams and nightmares.

Then there is a pull.

It is faint yet indisputable. Warmth explodes in his chest and he groans inwardly from the delicious sensation of relief.

You are alive, and you are dreaming.

A path of radiance appears in the water, a line that shows your connection, and provides a location for him to hone in on.

Morpheus dives deeper without hesitation.

As he reaches the edge of your subconscious, he rejoices that he got a handle on his emotions. He wouldn't want your first perception of him to be one tinged with rage, however unaware you were of him, with your soulmate being the source.

He hesitates for a moment before entering the dream you are in and is somewhat taken aback by what he finds.

A room comprising of four blank walls, a floor, a ceiling and a door. There is but one other feature; a window, and its view is as non-descript and inoffensive as the internal space.

You stand by said window, head turned from him.

Despite being unable to see your face, he sees your anxiety with immediacy. It is an aura hovering about your body, being sucked into your lungs with every fast-paced breath.

You begin to throw glances towards the door. Morpheus filters through the layers of the dream. No one is scheduled to come across the threshold.

The more he observes, the more questions arise in Morpheus' mind.

What was making you so affected? What were you expecting to happen?

There's nothing in the scene that is intended to be unpleasant yet you are reacting in a way that most observers would characterise as unsettled.

Morpheus, despite not yet knowing you, doesn't like to see you this way. His dominant instinct is to end the dream but he quashes the desire to review the bigger picture.

The empty room dream was symbolic of a beginning.

It clicks into place.

What you were feeling, even if on a purely instinctual level, was the anticipation of meeting your soulmate and starting your new life.

Morpheus steps into the frame, just a couple of paces behind you.

You feel his presence instantly, eyes full to the brim with tears as you whirl around with a soft gasp.

You see him.

The tears spill and patter onto the white floor.

Morpheus reaches out, overcome by his need to provide comfort.

You disappear.

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

Morpheus is sat on his throne. He pores over the book he had located in the Dreaming's library a little over a week ago that contains the details of your life. It is something he has taken to doing when the impatience of waiting for you to fall asleep becomes too keen.

Your subconscious has him enraptured, watching it every night as if it is a stage show. Each dream he delves into is like the tug of fingers on a loose thread, your psyche has begun to unravel before him.

Everything from whims to cravings, hopes to fears. Your temperament, the things that delight and irk you. What drives you and demotivates you. He consumes it all with an insatiable hunger.

Based on the projection of yourself that he sees, there is no doubt that he is attracted to you.

All that prior haughty disregard for the Fates' prophecy has been cast aside like a negative thought in a meditation session. Morpheus is a romantic. A believer. He is ashamed to have even doubted your coming.

He wonders if it would vex Desire to learn of him finding his soulmate and by extension, the prospect of companionship, perhaps even physical intimacy or love.

It is all too easy to imagine the sickly sweet grin they would smile at him, shown to be fake by the almost imperceptible contempt glinting in their golden eyes.

Would his triumph drive them to distraction?

It is this smug sentiment that spurs his next decision. He wants more. The next logical step is to find you in the waking world.

He rises from his throne, a sure hand ready to bring forth his pouch of sand when he falters.

Tears pool in his eyes.

His mind is suddenly marred with the memories of what happened in 1916. The agony, mortification and rage that followed. He couldn't go through that kind of treatment ever again and the waking world expanded the risk of it transpiring.

"No," he says resolutely. His sadness turns to resolve, the hard line of his grimace matching those set in his brows.

He will not let the actions of a group of mortals dissuade him from going to you. And besides, he has researched everything he can about you from within the safety of the Dreaming.

He takes a measure of sand and uses it to materialise within your bedroom.

It is obvious from a quick scan of it that deliberate attempts have been made to ensure the space is cosy and calming.

Two marshmallowy pillows support your head. The cotton sheets have been meticulously tucked to avoid drafts. A lavender reed diffuser fragrances the air with a subtle scent. There are no devices or screens visible.

Everything has its place. A coaster supported glass of water within reaching distance. Touch activated lamp in case of emergency. The diary lined up with the back left corner of the bedside table, pen placed parallel in the spine dent. All clothes are in the wardrobe or stashed in the laundry basket.

Morpheus moves to the curtain-shrouded window and delicately moves the dark, heavy fabric to catch a glimpse of the outside world.

The scene is sepia stained from an old streetlight positioned right outside your home. It explained the choice of curtains.

You stir slightly from the change in environment and Morpheus allows the curtain to fall back in place. He remains stationary until your breathing returns to its previous pace. It is imperative that his presence remains undisclosed. He knows that mortals do not take well to home invasion.

Then, your right hand slips out from the duvet cocoon revealing a cushion cut ruby ring on your middle finger.

He smiles exultantly. The similarity between the jewel and his own now-destroyed dreamstone was undeniable.

The Fates were making it transparent.

You were the one.

Morpheus approaches the side of your bed now. In your momentary discomfort, you had moved your head, making your whole face visible to your uninvited guest.

He bends gracefully so his face is closer to yours and observes you with an intent fascination.

Even in the gloom, Morpheus asserts that your features are even more captivating now that he is able to look upon them in person and is certain that if he could guarantee an absence of fear then he would fall to knees and worship you right there.

Fingers stroke a lock of hair splayed across the pillow and his thoughts turn darker still, imagining what he would do with you if he could get you alone in the Dreaming. How he would seduce you with words, and then pleasure your body with his own until you were senseless.

Getting you there would be so easy, all he needed to do was move his hand up and touch your skin and -

Morpheus stops himself, deciding that now is not the time for an introduction. He will wait until tomorrow. You need to rest. It will be quite the revelation for your sweet mortal heart.

Morpheus whispers a promise, "We will be together soon, my precious soulmate."

He leaves after taking one last look at your peaceful form.

When he returns to the Dreaming, Morpheus discovers that the visit has riled him way beyond what he thought possible.

It was supposed to sate his curiosity and answer some questions.

It has done the opposite.

His craving for you is sublimely intense, opiate-like in its ensnarement.

He needs to possess you. To have you all to himself. Everything would fall into place. Loneliness, disillusionment, jealousy; they would never darken his outlook again. You would heal him, he is certain of it.

He paces restlessly in the low light of his private chambers as heat ripples beneath the surface of his being, charging him with pure sexual lust.

He hungers for the moment when you feel the same about him.

For now, all he can do is stand and touch himself while thinking of your face, an act that has been carried out repeatedly in the days since he found you in the Ocean of Dreams.

An erotic idea enters his mind.

Your subconscious is still in the Dreaming; he knows the feeling of it intimately.

Perhaps he could bring you a dream mirroring his own current fantasy.

To give you a taste of what was to come.

A gift that only he could bestow.

The mere thought of it turns him on even more. His back arches and his eyes roll back as he choses the words through which he would deliver the offering.

"Dream of me," Morpheus murmurs breathlessly. "Dream of me."

He repeats the phrase until he is unable to continue, moans taking over the darkened space around him.

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

It is dusk the next day when Morpheus returns to the waking world.

The instant he touches down on the Earth's surface, he knows exactly where to go. The metaphysical connection between you is as strong as the energy pulsing through a ley line.

The city he is directed to is thrumming with life but the side street he stands in has been spared from the furore.

It is fortuitous that he is permitted to be unobserved for Morpheus is struggling now with the urge to get closer.

Providence is pulling him in and also locking him out.

He walks up to the door and then an invisible force makes him back away.

He doesn't even try to fight it.

The Fates hold all the cards. Morpheus is beholden to their each and every whim.

It is surprisingly liberating.

He is dancing in the cross hairs. Blinkered by the tie the universe has fashioned for you.

All he has to do is wait.

The door to the building is pushed open.

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

Taglist: @herfantasyworldd

"Fate. Up against your will. Through the thick and thin. He will wait until you give yourself to him."

[doubledash7]

I always love more variety in my game, and I love the conversion of The Sims careers to The Sims 2 by LientebollemeiS2I. I wanted to make them more integrated though, so with the permission of LientebollemeiS2I, here are my amendment's to these careers to include:

Chance cards (for every level)

Different career levels (since some of the levels match other careers)

Connection to University Majors

LifeTime wants! The only things they don't have are specific career rewards and Wants that will roll in the Wants and Fears panel.

Please see below for a list of the career levels (the first three levels are matched for Teen/Elder) and also links if you need information such as job descriptions, wages, work days and skill requirements:

Animal Care (https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/Animal_care)

SimFileShare or MediaFire

Level 1: Dog Walker Level 2: Obedience Trainer Level 3: Sheep Custodian Level 4: Aquarium Technician Level 5: Zoo Keeper Level 6: Dolphin TRainer Level 7: Animal Acting Coach Level 8: Alligator Relocator Level 9: Veterinarian Level 10: Pet Stylist

Circus (https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/Circus)

SimFileShare or MediaFire Level 1: Popcorn Vendor Level 2: Ticket Taker Level 3: Midway Carnier Level 4: Sideshow Barker Level 5: Clown Level 6: Human Cannonball Level 7: Acrobat Level 8: Trapeze Artist Level 9: Lion Tamer Level 10: Ringmaster

Fashion (https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/Fashion)

SimFileShare or MediaFire Level 1: Department Store Clerk Level 2: Tailor Level 3: Makeup Artist Level 4: Painter's Model Level 5: Fashion Photographer Level 6: Tradeshow Model Level 7: Runway Model Level 8: Supermodel Level 9: Fashion Columnist Level 10: Fashion Designer

Hacker (https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/Hacker)

SimFileShare or MediaFire Level 1: Beta Tester Level 2: Support Tech Level 3: Web Master Level 4: Hacker Level 5: Security Consultant Level 6: Software Designer Level 7: Internet Entrepreneur Level 8: Software CEO Level 9: Venture Capitalist Level 10: Information Overlord

Xtreme (https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/Xtreme)

SimFileShare or MediaFire Level 1: Daredevil Level 2: Bungee Jumper Instructor Level 3: Whitewater Rafting Guide Level 4: Extreme Circuit Recruit Level 5: Bush Pilot Level 6: Mountain Climber Level 7: Photo Journalist Level 8: Treasure Hunter Level 9: Grand Prix Driver Level 10: World Surfing Champion

There are four files per career (eg. AdultCareer_AnimalCare, AdultCareer_AnimalCare_Conditions, AdultCareer_AnimalCare_LTW and TeenElderCareer_AnimalCare).

All four files are required and can just be put straight into your downloads folder.

You will notice some of the above career levels do not match the original careers. Some of the levels are already represented in other careers in the game, so I decided to swap some around and include some new jobs.

These files have new GUID numbers, so they should not conflict with other downloads, even the original versions of these careers.

The Lifetime Wants are also compatible with @lamare-sims 50 New Lifetime Wants for Sims 2: https://modthesims.info/download.php?t=669675

I'd like to thank the following members of our community for their assistance in these updates:

@sims2idea-lientebollemeis2i for creating the converted careers to begin with and providing their permission to share my amendments. Their original careers can be found here: https://s2idownloads.blogspot.com/search/label/SFS%20-%201t2%20Maxis%27%20Careers

@lamare-sims for creating the 50 New Lifetime Wants for Sims 2 mod and providing me assistance in making the Lifetime Wants compatible with their mod.

@sharlasims for her assistance and support with creating the chance cards.

@teaaddictyt For her Photoshop skills and support with converting the career icons.

@episims for their assistance troubleshooting the career outfits.

@rio-sims & @palominocorn for creating a tutorial on how to create Lifetime Wants.

I hope you enjoy my version of these careers and please do not hesitate to contact me if you run into any trouble. 06/07/2023 - EDIT: Thank you to @lamare-sims who found some errors in the files. I have fixed the LTW and Conditions files to reflect some correct instance numbers and I have reuploaded the zip files to include up the amended files. Please replace these two files for each career if you have already downloaded it. 05/08/2023 - UPDATE: @bothersomecryptid has touched up the icons and been kind enough to share them! They made them with to work better with the Clean UI. You just need to replace the images in the career file through SimPE. You can download at this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q5j3AniepLh_lE_kgWgOYOkZkq9EzHNJ/view 03/09/2023 - EDIT: Thank you to @equinoxts2 and @lamare-sims for their further edits to the conditions files. I have reuploaded all files as new links, so feel free to replace the ones in your game. Children should no longer roll LTW's and you shouldn't get any errors when choosing these LTW's. 06/09/2023 - @venomander has been kind enough to create alternative icons for the careers. You can download them at these links: MediaFile 1

MediaFile 2

[loganbcrnes]

you are the bane of my existence and the object of my desires

pairing: Captain Syverson x fem!reader

Summary: Feral Alpha Sy moves to a cabin owned by one of his old army buddy Logan. over time a relationship with his Omega neighbor blossoms. One morning hes thrown into a rut and you help him through it.

Tags: 18+, ABO, feral Alpha Syverson, Omega fem!reader, smut, dom/sub, knotting, orgasm, angry feral Sy, hard sex, pussy eating, oral, language, slightly connected to the MCU, mention of The Red Room, though a different interpretation of it, mention of Logan Howlett (Wolverine)

words: 3.9k

Authors note: hiii, finally written an abo sy oneshot. there isnt enough abo fics in the Henry Cavill universe, but there should be imo. this is pure filth just so yall r warned. A bit of backstory on my version of Captain Syverson. Hes originally born in Norway, but moved to Texas, USA  when he was 2 years old when his father got a good job offer. hence why his name is Bjørn Syverson, though throughout this fic he just goes by Sy. It is mentioned that he has brothers which are August Walker, Walter Marshall, Sherlock Holmes and Clark Kent, all were separated from birth, but after the death of Sy's parents, he united with them. hopefully in future fics, i can delve more into their backstory. :)

Readers ethnicity and body type isn't mentioned as i want everyone to feel included, just that she is European.

For a few passing seconds, you’re frozen with fear. It was drilled into you at a young age that a feral alpha in rut were dangerous. That you should never let yourself be alone with one, in case the unthinkable happened. But this isn’t just some feral alpha, this is Sy, who takes care of you with a gentleness you never thought you would get, a gentleness you never thought anyone could posses, let alone a feral alpha.

Feral alphas weren’t rare, but they weren’t exactly common either. Feralness mostly only occurs in male Alphas that have experienced traumatic events in their life, mostly veterans. And unfortunately governments are unable to equip the right tools to help these men. Since WW2 they have become more and more common, but scientists are never able to find the right cure and treatments to help them.

They say the only thing that would reduce the symptoms are compatible omegas, preferably mated. betas can too, but not to the extent omegas can. Eventually they end up going rogue if they are apart of a pack, if not, well they distance themselves from society, they seek out to the wilderness where they can be in their true form.

Now with Sy, being a veteran and POW, made him more prone to go feral. When he was saved from an old unit he was apart of, he began his recovery in a hospital for vets and feral alphas.

Things weren’t easy in the beginning, losing a leg and not having his own independence put him on edge all the time, but once he got released, he didn’t hesitate to move to the mountains in Canada. An old army buddy and alpha mate to his brothers, Logan, owned a couple of cabins and lent one to him. His brothers were against it, continually reminding him that their pack could take care of him and his needs. They didn’t mind Sy being with their mates, but it wasn’t them he didn’t trust, it was himself.

Sy would hate himself for evermore if he hurt them, he didn’t want to risk it. When Sy moved to the small cabin, he noticed he had a neighbor not so far away. He avoided you as much as possible in the beginning, but over time he started chatting with you, walking past each other on morning runs with their dogs, and in the end they became friends.

He learned that you moved out here because you wanted to start over. You had a difficult childhood from losing your mother to cancer and moving to a foreign country not knowing anyone nor the language. And when you thought your life was getting a better hold of itself, everything came crumbling down when you were kidnapped and taken into human trafficking.

It took 4 years before you were free from The Red Room. A place where they would experiment on Omegas. You spent a year in a mental hospital for omegas to recover. You were alone with no friends and family. You were in a state of depression and hopelessness. You wanted to get away from everything, so you discovered an ad of cabins for sale in Canada and set foot.

That was now 2 years ago, and don’t regret your decision for a second. You both took solace in each other, having similar experiences made the connection between you even stronger. It was nice having someone that wouldn’t tiptoe around you or took pity in you.

It was hard getting close to Sy in the beginning. Some days he was more closed off than others, but you understood it, and remained patient. Over time friendly feelings turned into romantic and you knew that Sy would never hurt you and had to remind him that occasionally.

His brothers came for a visit one time to give him a talking, convincing him to let himself feel love for once.

—

“Sy?” You whisper, trying to shift in his arms once more. The scent of leather and wet forest reeked throughout the room, has slick already wetting your underwear, far more than you’re used to, and you know straight away hes gone into rut. You’ve never shared your heat with anyone before. The idea of being so vulnerable around another person always filled you with dread especially after what happened, but even with the looming rut of the Alpha that holds you in his strong arms, all you can feel is a sense of belonging.

“Alpha, wake up.”

Despite your soft tone, Sy wakes with a harsh gasp and digs his fingers into your soft flesh on instinct like he’s trying to drag you impossibly closer to him. A surprised moan falls from his lips as he grinds up against your ass. “Oh, god -”

“Shh, it’s okay, Alpha.” You coo, reaching back to carefully run your fingers through his shaved head. “It’s okay, I’m here.” “Fuck, ya’ smell so good…” Sy groans at your scent of sweet ripe peaches and you give a discontented cry at the idea of not getting to help your Alpha through his rut. “If I continue, I won’t be able to stop ‘mega.” He growls. “I don’t want you to stop,” You whine, carefully pressing back against him. There’s nothing more to Bjørn Syverson than his careful, shielded control over his instincts, and as much as you love that about him, you want nothing more than for him to let go and pound you mercifully into your bed. “Let me take care of you, Alpha. Please?” “I could claim you.” He grits out, his words and actions stark contrasts of each other as he keeps rolling his hips in sharp movements. “I-I can’t take that choice from you, sweet ‘mega.” “This is my choice, you’re my choice.” You’ve never heard yourself sound so sincere and desperate at the same time, but you can feel the tightening need curling low in your belly. His scent is singing through your veins, lighting up your inner Omega in a way you’ve never felt. “I’ve never wanted anyone before you, but this… this is right." You’re on your back before you can even blink, Sy’s strong hands pinning you beneath him. The expectation was for him to rush into a devastating kiss but he sat back slightly and simply… looked at you. He studies your face intently, looking at your beautiful reddened cheeks splattered with freckles and the odd spots from your unbalance hormones, an issue that has been bugging you for the past few weeks. He watches as your hips grind up in search of relief. When he finally leans down, you try to meet him halfway but he dodges your kiss to bury his face in your neck. A groan vibrates through his chest and into yours as he inhales deeply, and you happily curl your fingers in his hair to hold him there. “Oh, honey…” Sy kisses your pulse and nuzzles against you, his beard the perfect rough contrast to the soft press of his lips. “You goin’ into heat, ‘mega? Just needed you’re Alpha, didn’t ya?” “Yes, please!” You beg, your nails clawing his head, dragging him down to slot your lips with his in a sloppy kiss. Every touch, every hint of his scent, every breathy groan that came from his lips makes that warmth spread through your entire body. Sy kisses you eagerly, caging you underneath him. He feels impossibly bigger above you and your inner Omega blooms with comfort and love. So you let yourself revel in it, no longer fighting off the instincts that beckon for you. Sy almost yelps in surprise when your thighs hook around his waist to drag him down closer but he follows your lead happily and goes to grind his clothed cock against you - just like you were expecting. Mischief soars through your chest as you twist and grapple until he’s underneath you, your mind egging you to make him prove his strength. A flash of concern darts through those pretty blue eyes of his, as if he’s worried you’ve suddenly changed your mind, but the sight of your playful grin just makes him smile in return. He lets you grab at him for a moment, barely bothering to bat your hands away as you try - and fail - to pin his arms at his sides. Amusement rolls through him. Oh, his sweet, fierce Omega. If you want him to show you his true worth as your Alpha, he’s going to deliver. Sy grabs you by your waist and drags you beneath him once more, a low growl ripping through his lips as you erupt into excited laughter. Both of your wrists are secured in one of his hands where he pins them to the mattress above your head and you feel so… helpless. The man above you is the picture of Alpha - chest heaving with every breath, eyes wild with need yet perfectly in control, gray briefs tented with his impressive thick length. He exudes power and you can’t get enough. “Gonna be good for me, Omega?” Sy rumbles. “Yes! So good, I promise.” You’re on the verge of begging, but before the honeyed words can drip from your lips, Sy quickly and carefully strips your pajamas from your body before ripping his off as well. There’s no stopping the garbled groan you give at the sight he makes above you. With your newly freed hands, you let your fingers trail down his hairy chest and stomach, watching enraptured as goosebumps follow your touch. “Good girl,” He guides your hand to his thick engorged cock and rolls his hips to thrust into your fist, not bothering to hide the way he practically purrs. You can see the bright intensity that burns through his entire being in each clench of his jaw and ripple of his muscles. He’s holding back, though, tempering his movements like he’s afraid he’ll scare you. Feral alphas don’t have a good reputation, they have little control over themselves. They take what they want, leaving nothing behind. But you trust Sy, and you don’t trust easily, especially with alphas, but Sy is different. You watch him as he slowly climbs down your body, his lips never leaving your skin as he trails his hot kisses on you all the way down. He parts your legs further so he could get more comfortable between them, then when he presses a kiss at your nether lips, his fingers parting your folds so he could find your slick entrance and give a long, hungry lick right at where your desire is centered until you cry out. “Taste so fucking sweet ‘mega”. Sy growls as he licks your clit.

“So fucking hot, Darlin’.” Sy growls. “Been wanting to taste this sweet pussy since the day I met ya’. Kept holding myself back for so long, but not anymore ‘mega.” He said looking up at you.

You moan at the intensity of his words. “Yes!, please alpha don’t stop” you desperately beg him. Sy doesn’t waste any more time and goes down on you once again. His whole body is stretched out, his feet planted on the floor to hold himself in his position. You have never seen anything more beautiful.

You hear him moan and you open your eyes to look down at him, to see that his eyes are closed, totally blissed out as he sucks on your cunt, licking your entrance as if it’s the last meal he eats. You feel the hard tips of Sy’s fingers right at your opening, you moan when you feel two fingers parting your hot pussy, your walls instantly begin spasming around them, sucking them inside your depth.

He continues to tease you with his fingers for a few more seconds and then the warm rasp of his tongue sends a series of shivers trembling through your body. He licks across your sensitive bud leisurely, biding his time with his eyes on you to take in every single reaction you are giving him through every lick, every swirl of his tongue. He flicks his tongue from around your clit, down to your slit, moving back and forth as he continues to plunge his fingers into you. You begin to shake as you are nearing the edge. He must have felt it, because he continues to lick at your cunt, slick pouring out as he slurps it all up, growls deeply against your pussy. “Come for me, little ‘mega” You let out a whimper at his command but feel helpless to resist him. You can’t hold it in anymore as you come to your release. “Alpha!”. You moan out as you arch your back, Sy continues to milk through your orgasm and makes sure to gather every drop of cum.

It took a few minutes to come down from your intense orgasm. Sy moves up pressing soft kisses to your cheeks and down to your neck. “You did so good for me, Honey.” He praises as you. “Mmmm” you hum, keening to the praises.

After a few more moments, you’re a whimpering mess again, grinding your clit against Sy’s muscular thigh. Sy growls as he pulls back, “Alpha,” You whisper, cupping his jaw gently to get him to meet your eyes and drawing him close for one last soft kiss before you guide him to scent your neck. The pheromones that pour off of you has his breath stuttering. “Don’t hold back.” A desperate growl fills the air as Sy manhandles you onto your hands and knees, He doesn’t even have to say the words before you’re already presenting yourself for him, your back arching with your face buried in the sheets, and two big hands settle on your thighs to spread you out even more for him with your ass and pussy on full display. Your smell consumes him; all that he can think about is the taste of your arousal on his lips and how badly he needs to be inside you now. “Oh, pretty girl…” Sy groans, trailing his fingers along your slick cunt and smirking at the way you chase his touch with a needy whine. Two thick fingers tease your entrance in slow circles before sinking into you to the knuckle and Sy chuckled darkly as you writhed beneath him. “Gonna feel perfect ‘round my cock, aren’tcha?” “Pl-ease,” You stutter out and Sy seems to take pity in the desperation your voice holds for him. He hushes the disappointed sound you give at the loss of his fingers, his hands massaging at your hips soothingly. The scent of your heat and his rut permeate the air and curl around each other until they’re one, a combination of you both hanging in the air with a sense of finality. Of destiny. Sy knew he was right where he belonged, where he was always supposed to be. He just had to reach out and take it. Twin groans fall from you both when he finally presses his cock against you, only pausing a moment before pushing into you in one long, slow thrust. Fuck, you knew he was big, could tell by the way he fit in your hand alone that it would be a stretch to fit him inside of you, but you didn’t expect… this. To feel so full, like you could feel him in your stomach. Instinct has you arching further into him, enticing him to move, to fuck you quick and hard. A warm hand settles at the nape of your neck and squeezes, holding you firmly to the bed, and your body and mind both melt into a submissive haze. If the authority that he holds in that one simple movement wasn’t enough to have you following his every command, his words that follow definitely would’ve. “Stay still, little Omega.” He growls out, his chest plastered to your back as he settles his large frame over you. The sharp nip of his teeth against your shoulder makes you shudder. “I’ll give you what you need, don’t you worry. Gonna knot this pretty pussy, make you mine.” Sy fucks you just like that - towering over you with his hand clamped on your neck, kissing and licking and biting his fill of your soft skin. You were expecting him to fuck you rough and fast right from the jump, but his first thrusts are slow and precise, and it takes a moment for your heat crazed mind to realize he’s savoring this. He’s taking the time to memorize how your cunt feels around him while he still can, before his rut fully takes him from his careful and calculating self to a pussy-drunk and needy Alpha that wants nothing more than his sweet Omega underneath him. Slapping sounds fill the room as he quickens the pace, your slick coating his cock and making it easy for him to slide in and out of your velvety walls. You can feel his heavy balls slapping against your pussy, you let out pornographic moans and he continues to force your face into the bed by your neck. You’ve always wanted this, craved it ever since you were a hormonal teen, just wanting to be taken apart by a strong alpha. his fingers find your clit. A groan falls from his lips at the way your cunt flutters around him at his stimulation and you feel the first signs of his control crumbling in the way he thrusts into you sharply. “Alpha,” You whine, your voice low and pleading so very softly for him. “Please, I need you, need your knot -” The world falls out from under you as Sy pulls out suddenly, the exact opposite of what you were searching for, but you can’t voice your disdain before you’re on your back, blinking surprised up at a wild feral looking Sy. He doesn’t waste time slamming back inside you, fucking you hard without warning. “Perfect fuckin’ Omega,” Sy spits out like he’s enraged, but you keen beneath him nonetheless, pressing your legs to your chest as pleasure sparks across your skin. “Lettin’ me fill you up, takin’ me just like your s’posed to.” He growls, making you succumb deeper to a submissive state, making it known to Sy he can do whatever he wants, your body is his. Sy bends down sucking on one of your nipples, you moan as even more pleasure fills your body from the sensitivity of your nipples. You look down, watching as his fat cock thrusts in and out of you, his pubic hair getting wet from your slick. His balls tightening with each thrust. Thoughts of him rubbing his balls over your face fills your mind, but was quickly interrupted as Sy slightly changes the position. He holds your body closer, your tits pressed against his sweaty hairy chest. His tip is repeatedly hitting against the sensitive spot deep inside of you, you know he’s not ready to let up just yet, but you’re too on edge to hold on. “Sy, I-I’m gonna–” “I can smell it,” he groans, mouth your neck just above where your bond mark would be as he sucks harshly on it.  A string of cuss words falls from your lips as your eyes clamp shut, relishing in your release as your pussy spasms around his cock. His movements don’t slow either – his pace is still erratic, plummeting into you at an ungodly rate. His hand grips your jaw suddenly, not enough to hurt but enough to get your attention through the haziness overtaking your mind. “Gimme those eyes, thaaaat’s it… you love this, don’tcha? All cock drunk and pretty for me, huh?” The praise washes over you like a salve to your aches and you open your mouth when his thumb drifts over your bottom lip, watching the way his eyes darken as you lick the tip of his thumb. Sy eagerly lets you draw it between your lips, even sliding it in and out like he would if he were fucking your mouth, and he lets out a low, “ah, fuck,” You can feel the flare of his growing knot catching with his every thrust. “Cum for me again, Omega,” His voice carries the undeniable thread of Alpha dominance, a command that cannot be denied even if you wanted to. Your body shakes beneath him as his fingers threaten to send you directly into over-stimulation, unable to keep your eyes open under the fire of pleasure blazing through your body. Sy’s face falls to your neck where your head is thrown back into the pillows and he greedily takes in your pleasure-drenched scent. “That’s my good girl, so fuckin’ good for me. Fuck.” “Sy,” You whimper his name so sweetly as you tangle your fingers in his hair and it sends him over the edge into a devastating orgasm. His growl is more animal than man as his knot locks him inside of you. He buries his head and finds the crook of your neck, breaking the flesh as his sharp teeth sink into your skin, claiming you as his. Screams blow past your lips, your chest tightens in pain, loving and hating the sensation all at once. Relief takes over once his tongue meets the small incisions made on your skin, his saliva filling the holes and alleviating the wounds as he licks up the blood. “That’s it ‘mega. Doing so good for me. So perfect for your Alpha.” Your heart flutters at his claim, have never felt as close to anyone as you do right now. You start to get overwhelmed with emotion as tears begin to fill, the connection between you and Sy binding stronger than ever and you couldn’t be happier. It felt like you were floating in thin air. Your body is unable to focus on any pain right now. Sy sucks the bond mark, easing the pain. “C’mon, ‘mega, bite me. Gotta mark me, too, Darlin’, c’mon,” He urges and for a moment you think your muddled mind is making you hallucinate. It isn’t exactly unheard of, an Alpha accepting their Omega’s mark, but it isn’t common, either. An alpha accepting a bite mark showcases an alpha submission and devotion to their omega. Your heart flutters in your chest as you lean up to kiss his neck before giving him a matching mark, right above his collarbone. Sy lets his mind run on that primal instinct of cleaning and caring for his mate, carefully licking the mark he left seared into your skin. It takes a moment’s shuffling, but Sy shifts until he’s got you settled on his chest to wait out his knot. It’s endearing, the way his hands rub up and down your bare back soothingly. His balloon size knot spurting out warm cum inside of you, you moan at the sensation and Sy growls lightly. Soft kisses slowly turned into licks, you were a little confused “what are you doing?” “Cleaning you up,” he answers calmly, his even more heightened senses finding nothing strange with this method of aftercare. You’re too immersed in your thoughts to question him any further; if this is what his alpha side was telling him to do then so be it. It goes on like that for a few days. In between the desperate bouts of fucking and sucking, Sy insists you let him feed you. Little bites of fruits and the protein rich heat snacks you kept around for this very scenario, held up to your lips by your insistent Alpha. The one time you tried to sneak from your bed while he slept ended with you fucked and knotted over the kitchen island. And even though it was a slightly uncomfortable position to be stuck in… It’s everything you want, everything you’ve ever wanted without even realizing it.

[lopez-richter-fangirl]

The Tin Can Bros have launched a kickstarter to celebrate their 10 year anniversary with SEVEN new projects, and they need our help!

Read on to find out how:

This is Brian Rosenthal, Corey Lubowich and Joey Richter

You may know them from Team Starkid, or you may know them from their own group the Tin Can Brothers (creators of projects such as Spies Are Forever and the Solve it Squad), formed in 2014. To celebrate 10 years, they’re raising a goal of $200k in order to stage seven projects

They’re currently a week into their campaign and have raised almost $50k with 675 backers. But they still have a way to go! And to help, we need to spread the word

TINLIGHTENMENT PROMO SCHEDULE:

Saturday 10th - The Great Debate

What is it?

A live comedy game show featuring Joey, Brian, Corey and special guests pitted against each other to win a debate. It gets silly!

How will I be able to see it?

Live shows in LA (and potentially other places!) throughout the year, digital tickets, and eventually some ‘episodes’ on youtube!

What can I share?

If you’ve been lucky enough to see past great debates on Patreon, talk about favourite topics and moments!

If you haven’t, share moments and clips from the first public great debate livestream happening on Thursday! (I think - if plans are changed then they’re doing a terrible job letting me help them)

Talk about guests! They talked about a Dropout crossover which I know people have been asking for with Starkid. I don’t know what that is but tell the people that do!

Tuesday 13th - Gross Prophets

What is it?

A brand new comedy musical featuring Joey, Brian and Lauren with music by Ali Gordon and Angela Parrish (shitty broadway! https://youtu.be/AZ-bOPiDqo8?si=F6guq3Pk_lOkCB5B)

How will I be able to see it?

Live shows (some workshop-y) in LA leading up to a run at the Adelaide Fringe, with digital tickets and eventual youtube release

What can I share?

We don’t know a whole lot about this project yet, but we do know it’s got a great cast and creative team - talk about those people!

That it’s going to Adelaide!! Australia is frequently in the top backing countries on kickstarters, and those people finally get a chance to see a TCB show live!

Theories on what the show might involve!

Saturday 17th - SIS at the Fringe

What is it?

An Edinburgh Fringe run of the fucked up Scooby Doo parody, with the original cast!

How will I be able to see it?

Live shows throughout the entire Edinburgh Fringe run in August, or a digital ticket!

What can I share?

This is an existing TCB property, so talk about what you love from the original! Share art, gifs, edits, anything!

That it’s going to Edinburgh! As above, UK fans have been desperate for this for ages, now’s our chance! Make sure people know about it!

Tuesday 20th - Spy Another Day LA and London

What is it?

A live concert screening (Hollywood Bowl meets Rocky Horror!) of Spies with most of the original cast for LA and TCB plus Lauren for London!

How will I be able to see it?

A live show in LA in Spring (likely April) with a digital ticket option, and a live show in London in early September following their SIS fringe run

What can I share?

Like with SIS, anything and everything you love about the original show! Angsty fics, art, memes, it’s all good

Joe Walker. To me personally he’s just A Guy, but some people are still shocked to be learning he’s doing a show again! Get those OG fans to support this!

That it’s going to London. I need Joey doing a passable to decent depending on how much he’s practiced English accent in London! And again, an opportunity for one of the highest backing cities to see them LIVE

Saturday 24th - TCBoB at 54 Below

What is it?

The songs from their musical This Could Be on Broadway in concert at 54 Below in New York City, with Joey, Brian, Lauren, Esther, Bryce and Clark, plus more performers to be announced!

How will I be able to see it?

Live in NYC in November, with a digital ticket option

What can I share?

The first workshop only got a digital ticket release but if you caught that, share favourite parts! And the soundtrack is available, so talk about how fucking good the songs are

The fact that it’s an opportunity for people to hear these songs live!

Tuesday 27th - Intelligent Life

What is it?

A reading of TCB’s queer sci-fi comedy TV pilot

How will I be able to see it?

Live in LA in early Summer, or by digital ticket

What can I share?

Like with Gross Prophets, this is a brand new (to us) project so we don’t know a lot! But we do know it’s gays in space! We love space gays

Remember, these are just ideas. Share anything you personally are excited for and think other people might be interested in! The aim is to make sure people are aware of these projects, what they entail and why they need to happen! Any other way you have of getting the word out about the projects and the campaign in general is valuable!!

Join our discord for more ways to help or to ask questions! https://discord.gg/4VNEBzpA

And if you’re hearing about all this for the first time, check out the campaign! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tincanbros/tinlightenment-world-tour

[strong-with-the-sarcasm]

Part 7 - running from a crucifixion

Dp x DC AU: Regent!Jazz & Vigilante!Jazz

"Look, to you I'm different- it's 'cause I refuse to listen to all the stupid shit that you include in your opinion. I got enough issues trying to be a human living in a ruined system while I'm running from a crucifixion." -Monster in Me by From Ashes to New

Masterlist Part 6

Jazz felt a shiver run down her spine. 

Currently in her office sorting through another pile of paperwork, the Regent hadn’t been bothered by any denzien for the past few hours thanks to the guard outside her door barring all but a select few. It’d been nice to demolish one of the piles that weighed down her desk.

She had a feeling that Danny was doing something stupid. Or reckless, but she was betting on stupid.  

Her little brother had finally healed enough to transform into Phantom to join her nightly patrols, a welcome addition to her mostly routine nights so far, and Jason’s proto-core was healing at a decent rate. Frostbite’s original timeline for him to wake up probably was on point, if he continued to adjust to the pure ecto in his system as he had been so far. It was good news for the Fentons, soon they would be able to move Jason back to his haunt. And Jazz could get her bed back. 

(She ignored the part of her that would miss his firm presence at her back, the jumble of limbs she had to untangle herself from every time she left the bed.) 

(Jason seemed to gravitate to her proto-core’s warmth.)

(It did not make Jazz happy. Not at all.) 

(Frostbite had only offered her a secretive smirk at her questioning of how attracted attached she was to the once-revenant.)

(Damn Yeti.)

A moment taken to clear her head of such thoughts, Jazz stood up from her desk to stretch her heavy limbs. Life was settling, oddly enough, but when would that change? 

Witching Hours patrol was, admittedly, Jazz’s favorite time of night- Crime Alley was alive while the world outside slept. There were good people who called the Alley their home, their haunt if you will, and the Regent found herself gravitating towards the street walkers when she wanted company during the slow moments. 

They were people doing a job and Jazz had nothing but respect for them. Interwoven as a tight-knit community, a new vigilante hanging about was disconcerting. The Regent was a steadfast presence though and was gradually wearing them down, but Jazz was sure her willingness to beat down the assholes who push their luck helped her case. 

Armored to the teeth with her ecto-sword at her side, she kept a watchful eye during the Alley’s Witching Hours patrol. The big bat himself had refused to cross into the Hood’s territory, but a few of the birds and smaller bats had no such qualm. 

With the King and his Regent’s aid of the Haunt of the Red Hood, the Shades that claimed shelter from larger predators would eagerly warn of approaching intruders, especially those that came with less than neutral intent.

Robin was one such intruder. 

The  youngest of the flock, a fellow sword wielding vigilante, the Robin was a strange bird. 

He felt like Jason did now, but younger, less corrupt than the ecto in the once-Revenant. Perhaps it was due to his age, but there was little doubt that the baby bird would become a powerful baby ghost when it was his time. 

(Lady Gotham had no more of herself left to give, should one of her knights meet an end.) 

(She had given of herself for Jason, the once and Future Hope of Gotham.)

The Regent, brought to attention by a Shade, turned to the Bird in her presence. 

“Good Evening, Robin.” Her voice echoed with a soft cadence. “What brings you to the Hood’s Haunt?” 

The small bird scowled, irritation all but leaking from his very being, “Where is Red Hood?” 

Though he couldn’t see her expression from underneath her helmet, Jazz tried not to let her shock be obvious. 

(What had led the bird to her?)

“Pardon?” 

“Do not waste time, tell me where my brother is and I will not hurt you.” 

(Oh, wasn’t that adorable.) 

Jazz craned her neck farther downward as she stepped closer, not daring to raise her sword from its lowered position at her side. 

The Robin froze as she stood toe to toe with him, the Shades of the Alley surrounding them both as they hissed their displeasure with his threat. 

(Much later, Jazz would soak in the feeling of belonging she received from the Shades.) 

(The Regent was theirs.)

Robin was surely catching the charged energy in the air around them. 

“I do not deal with threats, young bird, when they come from children who should not be heroes.” Jazz hissed, before she softened her tone. “Enough children have died for the sins of their parents.” 

(Danny.) 

(Ellie.) 

(Dan.) 

(Jasmine.) 

“If there is anything I can tell you,” the bird was frozen in shock, perhaps fear, as Jazz continued once more, “Jason will return and he will be free from his corruption, Robin.” 

The Regent did not stick around, instead allowing gravity to bring her down once she jumped from the rooftop. Hopefully Robin would understand something of what she said, but Jazz wasn’t going to get her hopes up. 

Tim did not like mysteries so close to home. 

Home being his siblings, his family, and nothing got his hackles raised more than a mystery that threatened the safety of his people. 

Jason had vanished, no communication in or out prior to his disappearance almost two weeks prior. Usually not a concern, but the Outlaws were all accounted for and had no knowledge of where Red Hood was. 

Or what he had been up to. 

When trying to find a missing person, it usually helped to know what they had been doing beforehand, but Jason was a miser when it came to his personal interests- which included civilian and vigilante activities. Sure, he allowed Oracle to connect him to the main channel, but he had yet to use it. 

Then there were the trackers. 

Tim had three of his own in each of his siblings, one for mask and uniform and two that could be used to record vitals remotely. Bruce had approved of such paranoid foresight, of course he did, and his siblings had only accepted it and moved in, but Jason had adamantly refused Bat-monitoring of any kind- trackers included. 

Though Cass had seen fit to convince their wayward brother otherwise. 

Lo and behold, Tim had been given access to Jason’s only tracker- code withheld by their silent sister until it was clear that Red Hood was missing. 

The best part? 

It was embedded in his chest, in his very body and despite the interference of something making his vital records a rollercoaster of confusing read outs, it proved that Jason had been very much alive on the day of the last Arkham breakout. 

The same breakout that Joker had been abducted and (supposedly) killed during, his head mounted like a grotesque trophy for the world to witness. 

It wasn’t a coincidence that the vitals went haywire within the same timeframe as the Breakout Alarm, was it? 

Tim triple checked the two times and yep, eerily same, though the biggest concern wasn’t that it was during Joker’s abduction, but the fact that the only vital to be recorded thanks to the strange interference was Jason’s heart rate- it’s max number reaching a distressing 230 bpm, before either the tracker finally gave up the ghost or … Jason did. 

It was the sort of thing Tim could only keep to himself for fear of sending Bruce down the path of madness again. 

It was unfortunate that Bruce seemed to come to the worst conclusion possible without Tim’s input.

The incidental meeting with the Ghost Kid, Phantom as he preferred, had thrown everything Tim believed about Death and Not-Death into a depressing tailspin, especially when he finally worked up the courage to sort through the documents and files on the flash drive. 

(And don’t get him started on which was weirder- a ghost having a flash drive or pulling said thing out of his chest like it was normal to have that ability.)

Bruce had not taken Phantom well. 

Not the ghost nor the information he dropped on Batman like a boulder; be it the fact that it was a dead kid he was speaking to, said kid pleading to not send him to war against the living, or an impending war with the Dead thanks to the Government fucking around and finding out. 

(Bruce had been livid.) 

(There were several people immensely grateful that Batman had a no killing rule.) 

(Otherwise heads would be rolling.) 

In all honesty, Tim wasn’t surprised anymore that the dumbasses messed up. 

What he was surprised about, was the lore of the Infinite Realms at his fingertips. It was fascinating that anyone could call these entities non-sapient when they had so many cultures and traditions, the Realms even had a monarchy! 

A powerful being that held several interesting titles according to Phantom’s files: Great One, Defender of The Light, Vanquisher of the Dark, the Once and Future King of Stars….

(Later, a bewildered Constantine would confirm that ‘yes, those are correct and not even close to all of them, how did you get this? Bloody hell, is this color-coded?’) 

(The files were, in fact, color-coded.)

(Green, Teal, Black and Red)

There were so many powerful entities on file, organized by their known power sets, preferred name, and their ‘danger rating’… and they were kept in the green section. 

(Strangely, a small ghost dog with the preferred name ‘Cujo’ was listed with two danger ratings- one for ‘small’ and one for ‘big’.) 

Phantom himself was listed with a mind-boggling power set that included almost the entirety of the Justice League’s own. The only note where it concerned his rating was ‘Spirit of Protection’, which Tim suspected meant that Phantom wasn’t a fighter unless he had to be one, but the power set given made him concerned about what exactly Phantom could be protecting that needed all that. 

The last listed in the high rating category was named only as ‘The Regent’, with the titles of ‘Lady of the Acropolis’ and ‘Death-Claimed Champion’. The picture was of a tall knight in black and teal armor, helmet fully obstructing their face much like the ‘Fright Knight’, bearing a long sword of some intricate design…. And bracelets he’d only seen worn by none other than Wonder Woman. 

Oh yeah, Batman was gonna have a field day.

A/N: Forgot to mention that the song quotes at the beginning are more there for decoration or what songs I was listening to as I wrote. All of them are added to the Jazz/Jason playlist I have.

The idea for the files came from the AO3 fic 'Batman, Meet Team Phantom', this specific chapter. Also, an Anger management ship fic that I've reread several times now. Not a copy, but I really liked the idea.

[sharktic-waters]

Legal trouble Ra’s dcxdp AU

Because of how the dcxdp phandom treats Constantine, I feel like there’s a true untapped market for Ra’s too. To start with as far as I’m aware people don’t clown on Ra’s enough for basically being the Batman of DC’s immortal cast. Homie practically has a paid checkmark for immortality. No healing factor or actual youth abilities just skill and a pit that makes him younger. Anyway that’s to say this random self proclaimed immortal who in all of his wisdom named himself the demons head centuries ago, probably wasn’t super original. And whatever demons he likely named himself after probably aren’t too fond of the guy just like Constantine. But what’s this? A new High King of the infinite realms? With free access to the realm of the living? Well sounds like it’s time to give Ra’s the Constantine treatment; and give him a subpoena or a cease and desist.

Ra’s probably doesn’t believe it to be real, I mean don’t demons have better things to do than legal work? (“It’s probably just Tim, the detectives best child soldier.”) Probably not, because if any fic with Constantine is any indication, it seems that they are contract wielders, gossipers, and whiners. An excellent combination to spring on Mr diet immortal.

Now apparently failing to show up when served a subpoena can result in fines (and in extreme cases imprisonment) and because these guys are sneaky the fine print clearly states such fines or consequences exist, but the finer print says he doesn’t need to be informed so slowly his coffers get drained periodically. Alternatively, while he might not notice his coffers draining for a good while, he would definitely notice his pits draining. That’s one of the points where it could go a few ways.

Ra’s is not allowed to dodge the summons and Walker being Walker shows up to bring him to court, leaving everyone wondering where he went.

Ra’s dodging and thinking the prank is done with doesn’t notice for a while that either his coffers or his pits are slowly decreasing.

Situation One or Two happens and then while making his way to Ra’s, Danny realizes that while Constantine has the most overall paperwork, Ra’s has been the most consistent, making the two of them the sources of his greatest annoyance. Upon realizing that fact and discovering the pit exists he decides on some petty revenge giving him a second legal notice on the repossession of property of the infinite realms and while he’s the one who’s draining the pits, the others are draining his coffers.

Imagine Batman just going “The league of assassins has been quiet lately” with Dick saying “Yeah they’re always quiet it’s kind of their job” just for Talia to show up saying Ra’s is missing and the only clue they could find was a subpoena that they get Constantine to look at and confirm authenticity.

[junosbagel]

regular | charlie walker x gn!reader

summary: you are new to woodsboro and luckily landed a job at the local video store. charlie, a regular at the video store takes an interest in you

warnings: none!

a/n: a little story that came up in my head. i'm also open to receiving criticism!

-it had been only a few weeks since you moved into woodsboro

-luckily you got a job at the local video store so you can get a head start in making some decent money

-you found it easy and enjoyable to an extent as you also got to recognize and speak to the regulars that would usually purchase or rent movies

-along with keeping some movie posters and merch, and the discounts for yourself

-on a particularly slow day, you were simply doing homework at the register since you had already finished restocking items

-"hey um, i was wondering if you have the descent in stock, i couldn't find it at the shelves"

-you looked up, the boy whom you recognized from school stood on the opposite side of the counter

-"the descent, huh? let me check."

-you turned to the computer, searching if anyone had recently purchased or rented it

-"i'm sorry, our last copy had been purchased. we won't have the next copies arriving soon"

-before charlie could speak, you beat him to it

-"i could recommend you something though."

-"o-oh, sure"

-"since the descent is pretty much about these girls getting stuck in a cave and having to survive from these humanoid-cannibalistic creatures... how about a zombie film?"

-"zombie film's cool"

-"by the way, your name's charlie right?"

-"yeah," he looks at your name tag, "y/n," he read aloud. you gave him a simple nod

-"have you heard of 28 days later?"

-"i haven't seen it yet, but i heard it was really good"

-"trust me, it is. would you be interested in renting it?"

-charlie nods

-"DVD or blu-ray?" you ask

-"DVD"

-he paid the fee for renting the movie

-weeks turned into months and out of the other regulars, your interactions with charlie were the highlight your days at work

-he quickly found it easy to talk to you, and you did too. you and charlie became good friends fast

-he had quickly developed feelings for you

-something about the way your eyes light up when your favorite movies were mentioned, or the way you got excited when you got to talk about your interests, how effortlessly attractive you looked all the time, the way you looked at him when you were listening to him, everything about you was so attractive to charlie

-sometimes, the two of you would talk when no one else was in line at the register

-you and charlie would also give each other movie recommendations after learning how equally passionate you are about them

-the two of you would also talk in school, but you didn't have many classes with each other

-on days you didn't have work, you'd go to the cinema club meetings since charlie is the president of the club

-when the last bell rang, he went over to you as everyone exited the classroom

-"i was wondering if you wanted to catch a movie with me tonight. i was originally gonna go with robbie, but he had to do something with his mom, so i have an extra ticket"

-"sure thing. what movie?"

-"insidious."

-"ooh! i've been looking forward to seeing it."

-"cool. i can pick you up later if that's cool?"

-you smiled at his offer, "yeah, thanks. i'll text you my address."

-charlie bit down on his bottom lip to repress the idiotic smile that was about to form on his lips, "alright. be ready by 7, i'll see you later"

-the rest of the afternoon, charlie had been freaking out

-he was even surprised that he had the guts to ask you

-charlie was constantly checking himself in front of the mirror

-was his hair too messy? were his clothes not properly ironed? does he stand awkwardly? did his voice sound weird?

-well, it was too late to do anything now. he had to leave his house to pick you up

-following the address you sent him, he arrived in front of your house in minutes. he saw you approach the car

-he opened the passenger door for you too

-for some reason, charlie was very nervous

-whenever he was around you, he was still nervous, but not THIS nervous. sure the two of you have spoke numerous times, but in this particular setting, it made his hands all sweaty and his face felt like it was burning up

-however, you had kept things pretty casual like always

-he offered to be the one to buy your guys's food and drinks but you insisted on paying instead since he was the one who paid for the tickets

-the movie started and things were fine

-although charlie tried to focus on the massive screen in front of him, he couldn't help but sneak glances at you

-throughout the times where there were jump scares or suspenseful scenes, you would lean towards charlie or place your hand on his shoulder/arm or both

-thank goodness he was in a dark theater because the entire time his cheeks were painted with a deep red

-when the movie was over, you both decided to sneak in another theater to watch another movie and ended up watching despicable me

-pretty random movie, but the both of you were up for another movie, one that was lighter

-it was really late at night, but it was also a friday, meaning no school, so you and charlie grabbed some fast food and ate together in an empty parking lot, sitting on top of the front of the car

-the both of you talked about the movies you had just watched, shared funny stories, joked around with each other, playfully argue over random opinions, and even got into a few deep conversations

-eventually, it was time to go home. he dropped you off at your place

-before you got out of his car, you thanked him and gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek, then left

-he was completely shocked, cheeks red, and face on fire

-the next time you saw him, you had asked him out!!!!!

-obviously he said yes, so now the two of you are dating yayayay

-things were almost the same aside from being more affectionate and hanging out/going on dates more frequently

-he likes to visit you during work and sometimes brings you food that you can eat during your breaks

-sleepovers and movie nights together all the time too

a/n: this is kind of meh but like i said it was something small i thought of. ALSO i hope someone noticed that i referred to movies that were much older since scream 4 takes place in 2011. Insidious and Despicable Me both came out sometime in 2010 so yeahhh

[aequitas-if]

Genres: Superhero Fiction, Action, Mystery, Romance

Rating : 16+ for depictions of violence, drug use, mature themes and language.

[[DEMO]] [[RO Character Profiles]] [[Other Characters Profiles]] [[Timeline]] [[Pinterest]]

Aequitas. There was a time when it was a household name (...or there was six years ago). There was no way the team could have avoided attracting attention. A group of heroes, let alone a group of teenage heroes, was always going to attract the world's attention.

Whether it was stopping crimes, combating villains, or protecting civilians, heroics added a sense of completion that other things could not.

It is inevitable that all good things in life come to an end, including the group that once protected Metanoia.

Although the name has lost its renown, a part of you still feels a slight sense of pride whenever the name of the ragtag group of young heroes is uttered. On some level, you assume that's to be expected.

After all, you used to lead it.

• Play as a former(?) vigilante that is suddenly thrown back into the world of heroics. Once the (superpowerless) leader of an unstoppable group of heroes, you are now job-hopping in order to stay afloat.

• Train a new group of (unskilled) new young (far too young) heroes (not at all against your will)!

• Customize your MC’s current personality (their past personality is a different story…) and appearance!

• Reunite with your former teammates and look back on what exactly led to your team disbanding (and try not to repeat your past mistakes).

• Form bonds with new friends and rebuild bonds with old ones.

• Reminiscence on your past and remind yourself what led you down the path of heroics in the first place.

• Romance your former (friends) teammates

• Defeat the villains and save the world (again). Obviously.

The (Original) Team [ROs]

Alexandria “Alex” Andeno [She/Her]

Alias: Elysian

The former co-leader of Aequitas, Alexandria Andeno is a force to be reckoned with. With her tactical mind as well as her unbeatable strength and stamina, Alex acts as the perfect warrior as well as the perfect protector to both civilians and her fellow heroes.

With her diplomatic and compassionate disposition she easily fell into the role of the team “big sister” and it was a title she wore with pride. She is someone that had always given great advice so it is unsurprising that she went on to become a therapist. However, there seems to be shadows of discontentedness hiding in different aspects of both her personal life and career.

Napoleon Jasper “Jasp” Walker [He/Him]

Alias: Momentum

Your (former?) best friend. Loudmouthed and snarky, Jasper’s mouth runs almost as fast as him (a remarkable feat truly). Due to his (self-given) role as the goofball (moron) and prankster of the team, Jasper was not only a thorn in your side but also everybody elses.

Despite his rashness, Jasper is incredibly skilled and intelligent- a fact that is made abundantly clear from the awards hanging on his childhood bedroom wall as well as his job as a scientist at one of the most technologically advanced labs in the world. However despite his flaws you can always count on him to have your back (or that’s how it used to be).

Zhiuxzoe “Zoe” Smith [She/Her]

Alias: Onism

An alien from another planet, Zoe is truly an interesting being to be around. Despite her overly naive attitude, her bubbly and kind disposition make it truly difficult to be mad at her.

The most (openly) upset about the team disbanding, she is the only one who has went out of their way to keep in contact with all of the former members. Her overly inquistive and curious nature led her to journalism which she does exceptional job in despite it putting her in a position where her out of this world nature being revealed is at risk.

Rowan Parker [He/Him]

Alias: Kalon

Rowan Parker is the human embodiment of a forest fire- intense, pretty from a distance, and will 100% burn you if you get too close.

The former “bad boy” of Aequitas and currently a mechanic, his hot-headed demeanor is what led to him being the first to leave the team and was the main factor in his (initially one-sided) rivalry with you. Rowan is the only other (former) member of Aequitas that still fights crime, of course now and days he’s leaning more towards “anti-hero” then hero…

Vesper ??? [They/Them]

Alias: Lacuna

The kid that (forced) got you back in the game. An individual made up of all knowing smiles and snarky remarks, Vesper is an enigma that nobody can truly solve. They usually put up a hyperactive and occassionally “ditzy” attitude…although sometimes if you look close enough you can see something else lurking in the depths of their eyes.

Leonardo “Leon” Cabello [He/Him]

Alias: Curio

Compassionate yet uncertain, Leon is quite clearly the newest to the heroics business (of course that might be because of the ancient artifact forcing him into it…). With managing both schoolwork and heroics as well as being the only one on the team with any common sense, Leon has his work cut out for him.

Juniper “Juni” Kent [She/Her]

Alias: Apricity

Loud, hyperactive, and a bit obnoxious, Juniper Kent is about everything you would expect a teenage superhero to be. You’re more likely to find her playing on her phone then patrolling the city but behind her somewhat childish and excitable personality lies a truly kind and selfless indvidual that wants to help others.

Lenora “Nora” Croce [She/Her]

Alias: Moira

Painfully timid and incredibly kind, Nora is one of the most selfless people you will ever meet which is saying a lot considering she is in a group of other heroes. She would give you the clothes on her back and more if she needed to. Just make sure not to get on her bad side…

Sebastian Barrere [He/Him]

Alias: Calamity

The human version of the anti-christ, Sebastian Barrere is bratty, uptight, and just a little bit petty. Wanting nothing more than to prove himself both to the world and his mother, Sebastian focuses all his time on getting stronger. However there might be something kinder lurking beneath the surface of his prickly attitude.

[backmuscles21]

We Want You

Recoms x Reader

Summary: You're the only doctor set aside for the recom soldiers, as you start to work with them, they fall in love. Now they want you in on their secret arrangement. More of how things started, or how I'd imagine they'd start. I finished the entire thing only to then realize I forgot our boy Mansk. I couldn't believe it but I'm too lazy to fix it.

Warnings: implied sexual content, mild sexual content, explicit language, dom/sub undertones, friends with benefits.

They hated having meetings with General Ardmore, it was all a bunch of bullshit, and it was always something stupid. Usually, it was about something they did wrong or not up to her standards or something new she needed them to follow up with. They had their order and those orders were to kill Jake Sully. They didn’t need this bitch telling them what they can and can’t do, they are top-level marines, they are good at their job, and that’s why they were chosen.

They all sat facing the General, none of them could care less, she babbled on until they heard the door open. That made them sit up straighter and wake up a little, they noticed this other Na’vi body, another avatar.

“This is (y/n). She is a combat medic and has her PhD. She only studied in human biology until she got here, and now she holds another PhD in Na’vi biology. She will be your doctor and go with you on missions. We’ve given her an avatar to better treat you recom soldiers. She will at times be out of the avatar body acting as her original position of doctor.”

“And why do we need her when we got him?” Lopez pointed at Ja.

“Ja is just a combat medic. A medic for humans. Na’vi bodies are different and on top of that, I heal both,” you explained.

You were sassy, Miles took a liking to you right away.

And that’s how this all started, you were their doctor, on the field and off. They got hurt they went to you, they were having a problem with their bodies, you helped them. They all grew to love you for what you did for them, massaging their muscles after they worked them too hard in the gym or even better stitching a cut they got from a mission.

They loved your hands on them, they loved when they got a scrape or a cut because they knew your hands would be their skin. Your hands would touch their warm skin as you cleaned their cuts and bandaged them.

“Okay, we have to talk.”

“Whatever about Lyle,” Walker asked more sarcastically.

Lyle rolled his eyes, “about doc.”

“What about her?” Lopez asked sitting down next to Walker and wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

“We have to let her in,” Lyle proposed.

“What? Let the doctor in on our arrangement. The girl blushes at the smallest of things. I bet she’s still a virgin,” Zdog joined in.

“She is amazing. I know you all like her too so don’t pretend. I see the way all y’all stare at her or how y’all talk about her after visiting her. And you Lopez, you stare at her ass the most,” Lyle explained.

Lopez laughed, “yeah, I’m first after you then Quaritch.”

“What about me,” Miles said as he walked into the Recom-only common room.

“List of who stares at the doctor’s ass the most,” Lopez confesses.

Miles smirked and let out a scoff, “and where did you rank me.”

“Third,” Prager said cooking some food for everyone.

Miles let out a chuckle, “and where did Lyle rank?”

“It’s up for debate, Lopez says first,” Ja said helping Prager.

“Lyle is pussy whipped for that girl, I’d say first,” Miles said.

“Are you guys ganging up on me now?” Lyle said pointing to his chest.

“Not right now, but maybe later if you’re a good boy. So, why did we start talking about the pretty doctor?” Miles asked watching as Lyle blushed lightly.

“Lyle wants her in,” Walker said looking at Miles.

“What does everyone else think? Do we let (y/n) in?”

The room was silent for a moment as everyone thought.

After a moment of silence, Miles spoke again, “I mean I would say yes. We all know she’s pretty and we all talk about her every time we see her and after every mission. And don’t think I don’t hear y’all moaning her name while jerking off.”

“Then let’s do it. Let’s have her join,” Prager said from across the room.

“Why the fuck not, we need more girls anyways,” Zdog said.

“Then it’s settled, she’s in. We tell her tomorrow,” Miles said as he saw everyone in agreeance.

When the next day came around though, they couldn’t find you, they looked everywhere but you weren’t around.

“Ardmore did say she was still a human doctor too maybe she’s in the human wing?” Ja said trying to find a new spot to look for you.

So that’s where they headed, off to the human medical wing. As they moved in, they had their breathing masks but still, they didn’t see your big blue body.

“Where on earth is this girl?” Walker asked.

“You guys are idiots. She’s an avatar, she still links in and out. She handles humans and Na’vi. She is probably in there with the white coats as a human,” Miles said.

“Our little doctor is a human still. We are definitely doing stuff to her while she’s human.”

“Shut the fuck up Lyle,” Lopez said.

That’s when Miles caught sight of you, you were stitching up someone’s leg, and you were smiling and laughing. He felt the jealousy pool in his stomach, you shouldn’t be with anyone but him. Your hair was so pretty, you were so small and frail, he wanted to feel your small hands on him.

The recoms stood outside waiting for you to finish with your patient before running in. Once you were wrapping his leg, Miles opened the bay doors and you looked up at him. The only reason he knew you were it was because your face was so similar to your Na’vi body, he stared at your eyes a lot.

“Quaritch? What are you doing here? Are you alright?”

“We need to speak to you.”

“I can’t leave, I’m helping people. I’m at work.”

“What time are you done?”

“Give me a few hours. Can you wait that long? Is it urgent at all?”

“No, we’ll wait. Meet us in the recom common room.”

“Gotcha,” you winked at him as you turned around.

He watched as you went to check on more patients and he left the med bay.

“So, what happened,” Walker asked with her head against the wall and arms crossed.

“She’s meeting us in a few hours in our common room.”

“Perfect, so why don’t we get the party started.”

The recoms headed back to their territory and waited for you, turns out them getting bored wasn’t great for them. Because soon enough they had their mouths on each other and as Lopez and Lyle fucked Walker and everyone else watched.

You finished your shift early, and your coworkers told you to go see what the recoms needed, that they couldn’t handle things. Your kind heart told them if they needed you or anything to just call, you’d keep your pager on and with you. You started to walk towards the recom rooms, only to turn around and go to the science room to link in first, being in your avatar body would be better.

You woke up already in the recom wing, you were closer to the common room now. You remember when you first met these guys, you didn’t really care for them, orders were orders. Now, you wanted them around all the time, they became really good friends of yours. These people were nice to you after a while and you could always be yourself with them, it made your heart swell for them.

You were at the door to the common room; you opened the door not even hearing your surroundings or smelling them for that matter. You were lost in thought about the recoms, you just barged in and what you saw shocked you.

“Uh, I’m sorry. I didn’t- I was um. I just- I’ll just go now.”

You turned around to leave, your brain was trying to process what you just witnessed. You felt a hand wrap around your bicep and pull you back until you hit a large firm chest. You looked up and into the eyes of none other than Miles Quaritch.

“This is actually what we wanted to talk to you about, Cupcake.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s say we have an arrangement all of us. We just so happen to all have needs and we all are attractive people who just happen to be into each other.”

“So, you guys are all dating?”

“Sorta.”

“How long has this been going on?”

“Since before we became recoms. Not necessarily to this magnitude but we saw you and over time, we decided to let you in. if you want to, that is.”

“I-I um, I don’t know. I like all of you guys a lot. I learned to love being your doctor. And not that I found any of you unattractive or didn’t like any of you. In fact, I felt bad for harbouring multiple crushes on you guys and just knew nothing was going to come of it that it was a stupid dream.”

Miles' hands rested on your cheek, “It doesn’t have to be a stupid dream. We're right here Cupcake and all for you if you want in.”

“I want this. I want you guys. But I’m nervous. I’ve never done this. I don’t want to hurt anyone.” You were silent for a moment, “and I’ve never had sex before,” you whispered the last part so lowly but it didn’t matter, the sensitive Na’vi ears still picked it up.

“We know baby girl. I can read it all over your face,” Zdog smirks

You look down and blush with a large smile on your features, “I didn’t think I was that obvious.”

“You’re super fucking obvious,” Zdog said as she walked up to you and took your cheeks in her hands and kissed you.

You kissed back, pressing into her with force, you wanted more of her, God you hated to admit how into all of them you were.

“No, fair, Zdog got first dibs,” Lopez said.

“It was just a kiss Lopez relax.” Zdog looked down at your face in her hands. “Awe look at her, all flustered after one kiss, she’s going to be fun to fuck.”

Your eyebrows furrowed, and you looked at her with such doe eyes but they were filled with want.

“I had you pegged from day one, cupcake. You’re a subby brat. Zdog’s got a point, this will be fun,” Miles said as his hand came to rest on your hip.

“When did all this happen?” You asked stuttering over your words, your brain felt so cloudy.

“Before we became recom soldiers,” Miles answered.

“Why me?”

“Why not you, buttercup. I mean look at you, you’re gorgeous. Why wouldn’t we want to have you all to ourselves,” Lyle said with a smile as he walked up to you.

You hadn’t realized it but Lyle, Lopez and Walker had stopped what they were doing and got somewhat dressed. Lopez walked up to you as well, he placed his hands on your waist and looked down at you.

“We would never get better. If there was someone else that was going to join us, I’m glad it’s you.”

“I want in, I want to join. I want to be a part of this with you guys. I don’t want to dream it anymore, I want to be here with you guys,” your eyebrows furrowed as you basically whined in front of them. Your smile was wide, you saying it out loud made your brain realize what it wanted, you knew how much you wanted this.

“There she is, look at that dazzling smile,” Lyle said pulling you into a hug and kissing you.

“Lyle, take your hand off my butt, please and thank you.”

“What,” Lyle smirked as he took his hands off you, he had moved it down without you noticing.

“Come on, why not get started, let Lyle feel you up a bit,” Zdog said with a smirk.

“Let the poor girl settle in, we don’t have to fuck her right away,” Prager said from the couch.

“Look at the poor girl, she looks so embarrassed. Let her take her time to warm up and get a feel for the dynamic. It will take time before she is ready to engage in everything. I know it took me some time,” Ja agreed with Prager.

“Come on, Walker was the one that caught you two fucking, it wasn’t hard for you to adjust, you were already into dick,” Lopez smirked.

“You mean a dick,” Walker laughed.

“Real funny,” Ja said throwing a pillow at Lopez.

“Even better when we caught you two fucking,” Prager said.

“We barely kept that shit a secret,” Lopez said throwing the pillow back towards Ja and Prager.

“Yeah, ‘cause we caught you in a bathroom rearranging her guts,” Ja said blocking Lopez throwing the pillow back at him.

“You guys were fucking each other before the arrangement started?” You asked trying to piece everything together.

“Obviously. We didn’t just decide to fuck each other. It just happened that way because we all started breaking off to fuck each other usually in twos sometimes in threes. So, then we all knew that every one of us was fucking each other at some point. We figured why not make it more of an obvious thing, at this point we had all seen each other naked, it wasn’t any different. Maybe fucking while others watched was different but still,” Miles told you how everything started.

You nodded along.

“I came in after, they all started,” Zdog said joining in again.

“Yeah, you joined after we caught you eating Walker out in her room,” Lyle smirked.

“What can I say, I’m a lady’s woman,” Zdog said smiling.

“You’re a lesbian?”

“Obviously.”

“And you,” you said pointing to Walker.

“Bisexual.”

You nodded for a moment, “are any of you straight?” you said laughing slightly.

“Most of us are, we just happen to be casually fucking.”

“Casually fuc-“ you laughed, “you guys are crazy, but I still fucking love you guys. I don’t care how it started or why but I love everyone’s energy with each other.”

“Well, now that you’re in, stop fucking talking to that doctor that you were talking with in the lab when we came to see you,” Lopez said.

“What doctor?”

“With the grey hair and stupid face.”

“I don’t know who you’re talking about there are many guys with gray hair that I work with.”

“Well then all of them, none of them can have you,” Miles said pulling you into his chest.”

“None of them had me to begin with. Even if they wanted to, it was always you guys.”

“Good, you’re ours now. Take your time getting used to us, let it happen naturally. Hear that boys, don’t try anything right off the bat.”

The recom soldiers all snickered.

“Then let’s get settled. Anyone up for a movie?” Prager said trying to lighten the mood.

[tessa-liam]

Marabelle Series

Choices – The Royal Romance, AU 

Series Premise – An American teenager from New York City is introduced to the world of a small European country and its society of royalty, nobility, and commoners. How will her life story be transformed? Will this new adventure bring her happiness...or regret? 

Marabelle Series Masterlist 

Main Pairing – Prince Liam Rys x F!OC Lady Sophia (Sophie) Taylor 

Other Pairings – Maxwell Beaumont x M!OC Daniel (from NYC), Drake Walker x F!OC Melanie Smithson 

Most characters belong to Pixelberry Studios 

Series Rating – M*🔞Warnings: this series will have NSFW material, crude language & innuendo. 

Not Beta’d - Please excuse all errors. 

Category – Alternate universe/on-going series/angst/fluff 

Words: 2389

The Awakening, Chapter 9 

Chapter Summary – The Duke of Ramsford, Barthelemy Beaumont returns to House Beaumont. Liam prepares for the polo match charity fundraiser in support of disaster relief in Portavira. Sophie attends classes at the University of Cordonia. King Constantine reveals his illness. 

Music Inspiration: The Crown Prince, Waylon Jennings 

A/N1: Bethany Beaumont, Maxwell’s mother, is originally from the U.S. and is Barthelemy Beaumont’s second wife. Annabelle Beaumont (deceased) is Bertrand’s mother. 

A/N2: ‘Social Season’ in this AU series refers to a traditional period in the spring/summer for royalty and members of the court to take part in Balls, dinner parties and charity events. 

A/N3: My submission for Choices Flashfics @choicesflashfics, Week #68, prompt 1 - “Don’t start something you can’t finish.” 

 Personal Care Home, Vallenheim 

Standing in the waiting room, staring out of the window at the parking lot outside of the personal care home, the gray-haired man appeared aloof and unapproachable to anyone passing by. That was, until he spotted his wife and eldest son step out of the town car. The corners of his mouth upturned as he saw his auburn-haired wife gracefully step onto the curb and walk toward the building. His son, Bertrand, followed behind her, his back straight, his expression stoic. 

As the two approached the door, the man straightened his posture and smoothed his salt and pepper hair. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for the reunion he had been anxiously expecting after the years apart. 

The door swung open, and his wife entered, her dark eyes lighting up as they landed on him. "Barthelemy," she breathed, a smile spreading across her face. 

"Bethany," he replied, stepping toward her and taking her hands in his. "It is so good to see you." 

"And you," she said, squeezing his hands in return. 

Their moment was interrupted by their son, who cleared his throat. "Father," he said, inclining his head respectfully. 

"Bertrand," the man replied. "I trust you've been taking proper care of your mother." 

"Of course," Bertrand replied, a hint of defensiveness in his tone. "I wouldn't dream of doing otherwise." 

Bethany chuckled. "He's done a fine job, Barthelemy, along with Maxwell," she assured him. "I couldn't have asked for better sons." 

Barthelemy nodded, satisfied. "Good." 

He then turned his attention to the doctor, who had been watching the exchange silently. "Is everything in order, Doctor? I'd like to get home to Cordonia as soon as possible." 

"Yes, Your Grace," the doctor replied, handing him a thick folder. "Here are all the instructions and prescriptions you'll need. The nurse will be along shortly with the medication you need to take during your trip home. Just be sure to follow the dosage schedule carefully." 

"Of course," Barthelemy replied, a hint of irritation in his voice. He loathed being told what to do, even by medical professionals. Unbeknownst to Bethany and Bertrand, he was playing, along with the doctor and nurse, the role of a lifetime: The miraculously awakened coma patient. 

The doctor smiled apologetically. "Forgive me, Your Grace. I just want to make sure you have all the information you need."  

"I understand, Doctor. And I appreciate your thoroughness." 

The nurse entered the room with a wheelchair, which Barthelemy at once objected to. 

"Surely, that's not necessary," he protested. 

"It's just protocol, Your Grace," the nurse explained. "It's clinic policy.” 

"Very well," Barthelemy sighed, reluctantly settling into the chair. 

Bethany and Bertrand flanked him, each taking the handle of the wheelchair. 

"Are you ready, Father?" Bertrand asked. 

"As ready as I'll ever be," Barthelemy replied. 

The Cordonian Royal Polo Club 

"Hey, Liam, I thought I'd find you out here," Drake called out as he approached the stable, his boots crunching on the gravel. 

"Oh, hey Drake," Liam answered. "I didn't think you were coming until later." 

"Yeah, well, I finished my rounds early, and I thought I'd come by and see how you're doing. How was the New Year's Ball?"  

"It was excellent," Liam smiled, his mind flashing back to his romantic interlude with Lady Sophie. "We had a lot of fun." 

"I'll bet you did," Drake smirked, knowing that his 'smitten' best friend personally asked Sophie to attend.  

"It's not like that," Liam protested, though his ears turned slightly pink. 

"Mmm hmm.” 

"It's not ..." Liam started. 

"Whatever you say, Liam." Drake chuckled, shaking his head knowingly. 

"Anyway," Liam said, changing the subject, "I'm just getting started on the polo drills."

"Mind if I watch?" 

"Of course not." 

Drake sat on a bench while Liam mounted his horse. His crisp white polo shirt accentuated his tanned muscular physique with his riding breeches and boots. 

"All right, boy, let’s see what you can do," Liam calmly spoke, gently kicking the horse's flanks. 

The horse took off like a shot, galloping across the field at top speed. 

Liam leaned forward, urging the horse on. 

Drake watched, transfixed, as Liam and the horse moved as one, their bodies in perfect sync. 

"That was impressive! Excellent!" Drake called out, as Liam brought the horse to a halt in front of him. 

"Thanks," Liam replied, breathing heavily. "He's a dependable and efficient steed," giving the horse a pat on the neck. 

Liam dismounted and accepted a bottle of water and towel from an attendant. As Liam and Drake walked toward the clubhouse, the ranch hands steered the thoroughbred back to the barn. 

“That reminds me, Drake. Are you still available to join my polo team for the fund-raising event in Portavira next week?” 

 “Yes, Mel and I are looking forward to kicking noble ass." Drake grinned knowing that Neville was on the opposing team.

"I still need to find one more player since Rashad had to cancel."

“What about Sophie? Melanie tells me she played polo in New York.” 

“She mentioned she studied dressage back in the U.S. and was thrilled to learn that Marabelle was quite proficient. That skill could come in handy for the team.” Liam pondered aloud. 

“Sophie is a skilled rider, and she would be a terrific addition to the team, Li.” 

“I can't wait to see her ride again," Liam responded, smiling,

"Uh huh, I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun," Drake smirked. 

Liam sighed, shaking his head. "Not everything has to be a double entendre, Drake." 

"I know, but it's so much more fun that way," he cheekily responded.

University of Cordonia, Capital 

"I can't believe it's been a week since the New Year's Ball," Sophie exclaimed, taking a bite of her sandwich. "Time seems to be flying by." 

"I know," Maxwell replied, stirring his salad. "I feel like I need to plan the next Beaumont Bash already!" 

Sophie laughed. "Do you ever stop thinking about these events?" 

"Not when there's so much work to do to organize," Maxwell grinned. "But that's what makes me so good at it." 

"You certainly are, but Max, this is your last semester...don't start something you can't finish." 

“I don’t have to worry about my grades; I have already met the requirement to graduate with honors.” 

"I've been thinking," Maxwell said, a mischievous glint in his eye, "about a different theme for the next Beaumont Bash after my graduation." 

"And what theme were you thinking about having?" Sophie asked, knowing exactly what was coming. 

"I'm going to make it a costume ball!" 

"I knew it! That sounds like so much fun," Sophie grinned. 

"It will be, and you'll be celebrating your first-year anniversary as a Cordonian.” 

"Of course, I'll be there.” 

"So, how are things with Liam going?" Maxwell asked, his eyes twinkling. 

"Good," Sophie blushed. "We had a great time at the New Year's Ball." 

"Did you have a good time, or 'a good time'?" Maxwell waggled his eyebrows. 

"Maxwell!" 

"Okay, okay. I will not push."

"What did I miss?" Daniel asked, as he grabbed a chair to sit down. 

"Sophie was just telling me about her New Year's kiss with Liam," Maxwell winked. 

"Ooh, do tell." 

"There's nothing to tell," Sophie laughed, her cheeks burning. 

"Come on, Soph, give us all the deets," Daniel prodded. 

"Fine. We kissed. It was amazing." 

"I knew it!" Maxwell exclaimed. 

"So, when's the wedding?" Daniel joked. 

"Shut up," Sophie retorted, laughing. 

"Seriously, I'm happy for you. It's been a long time since I've seen you this happy, Squirrel." 

"Thanks, Daniel." 

"So, how are you doing with your Dad coming back tomorrow, Max?" Daniel inquired. 

"I'm okay. I mean, I am glad he is better. But I do not know if I am ready to face him yet.” 

"It's still so weird to me that you and Sophie are related." 

"Yeah, it's a small world," Maxwell chuckled. 

"No kidding. So, what is the deal with your Dad, anyway? What was he doing all that time?" 

"He was in a coma," Maxwell replied, his voice soft. 

"Oh, shit. I am so sorry, Max." 

"It's okay. It's just..." Maxwell paused, looking uncomfortably at his hands. 

"What?" 

"It's hard to know what to believe, you know? After everything he put us through." 

"I get that. But don't forget, he's still your Dad."

"He was a shit one, though," Maxwell pointed out. 

Sophie put her hand on Daniel’s arm, “Let’s change the conversation, Dan.” 

"It’s all right. I always knew that I would have to deal with it eventually. But right now, I just want to focus on graduating and figuring out my next steps." 

"That sounds like a good plan," Daniel agreed. 

"Yeah. It'll all work out in the end." 

"That's the spirit"  

Daniel slid his binder under his arm, "... see you guys later. Oh, and Max, just remember, you've got this." 

"Thanks, man." 

Maxwell watched his friend leave, feeling grateful for the support. 

"He's right, you know," Sophie began. 

"About what?" Maxwell looked at Sophie 

"You've got this. No matter what happens with your father, you will be okay. You're stronger than you realize." 

Maxwell sighed. "I know you are right. I am also grateful that Mom will be there as a buffer for you." 

Sophie wrapped her arm around him. 

"It will be fine. 

Now, let's get to class before we're late." 

Sophie and Maxwell walked together out of the dining hall to their next classes, feeling bolstered by each other's support. 

Cordonian Royal Palace 

King Constantine sat in his study, staring out the window.   

After hearing the devastating prognosis about his health from his personal physician, he directed his queen to track down and summon Leo as soon as possible. Regina, to her credit, tried to assuage her stepson’s concerns as to Constantine's urgency when she found him in the palace gymnasium.

However, Leo knew that his father would not have requested his presence so suddenly unless the news was dire. 

Constantine stood up as Leo and Regina walked into his office, his posture stiff, his face grim. 

Leo looked at his father and at once sensed the seriousness of the situation. 

"Father, you wanted to see me?" 

"Yes, son," Constantine said, his voice low. "I'm afraid I have received some rather unpleasant news." 

"What is it?" Leo asked, his concern piqued. 

"I've just come from a meeting with the royal doctors, and they've given me a prognosis." 

"Prognosis?" 

"Yes," Constantine said, his expression darkening. "They've determined that my health has deteriorated to the point where I can no longer carry out my duties as king." 

Leo's blood ran cold. He knew what was coming next.

"W-what are you saying?" 

"I'm saying that my time as king is over. And yours has begun." 

"What?" Leo swallowed loudly. 

"You're going to be crowned king, Leo. And you will ascend the throne immediately." 

"I have advised the Prime Minister to make the formal announcement tomorrow morning to the country." 

"I have begun preparations for your Royal wedding to Madeleine as well." Regina added. 

"What? No!" Leo shouted. 

"Calm yourself, Leo," Constantine admonished. 

"How can you ask me to calm down?" Leo demanded, his hands shaking. "You're asking me to give up my life, my freedom. My future." 

"As the Crown Prince, you know your duty to your country is paramount. It is what you have been preparing for since birth." 

"No. I won't do it." Shaking his head from this unexpected shock. 

"Don't be so dramatic, Leo," Regina said, her tone exasperated. "This is your birthright.” 

"It's not drama," Leo insisted. "I will not marry Madeleine. I don't love her. And she doesn't love me." 

"Love has nothing to do with it. You are betrothed to her noble house," Constantine stated. "This is about duty and honor." 

"And I won't be bound by either," Leo declared, his eyes blazing. "If I have to marry her, I'll abdicate. You can't make me be king." 

Constantine's jaw clenched, and he stared at Leo with a mixture of anger and disappointment. 

Leo turned and stormed out of the room, leaving his father and stepmother behind him, fuming. 

Constantine sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "He'll come around, Regina." 

‘It’s hard to be the crowned prince 

When it all hits home 

You can’t hide behind the wall 

Around the throne’ 

💕Thanks for reading

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[positivexcellence]

‘Walker’s Jared Padalecki Shares a Look at What’s to Come in Season 4

Collider: You’re four seasons into this TV series now, which isn’t the 15 seasons that Supernatural was on the air, but it’s a very respectable amount of time.

JARED PADALECKI: Thank you so much. Hopefully, we’ll have 40 more. But Season 4 is certainly bizarre and amazing and incredible, and I’m grateful and flattered and love the journey these characters have gone through.

What are you loving about Season 4 and about the Cordell Walker of Season 4? What are you most enjoying about this point of the journey?

PADALECKI: With Supernatural, we would flip between maybe the big bad guy and then the problems at home or with the brothers. But in the case of Walker, we will go from big bad guy to family stuff to bad guy of the week to family stuff. Just like life is, it gets big sometimes and it gets small sometimes, but there’s always some issue. And so, what I love about Season 4 is having a serial killer out there that is from our past and that haunted us back then and is sure to haunt us again this season, as The Jackal does, and also, there’s so much drama at home. Cordell has a daughter who’s a freshman in college and a son who’s a senior in high school. Mom and dad are trying to figure out what to do. His brother is trying to figure out what to do. It’s just that feeling that we all get, as humans and as adults, where it feels like, “Can’t just one part of my life calm down?” And sure as hell, it never does.

It feels like this show was originally brought back to television because there was a real hole in this type of programming at that time, and I’m glad the series is still on because it still feels like it’s really needed in that space.

PADALECKI: Agreed. What’s funny is that I grew up in Texas. I grew up in San Antonio. I’ve lived in Austin for 15 years. I grew up watching Walker, Texas Ranger with Sir Chuck Norris, himself, so that was a part of my childhood. For those who’ve seen the original and seen ours, this is obviously a very different show. I’m certainly a fan of action movies and action shows and action books and action stories, but I found myself, after 15 years on Supernatural, which was very much based in family as well, wanting something that anybody of any age could watch. I wanted something that wasn’t just about cutting off vampires’ heads, or killing God or the devil and everything in between, but was more like, “How can we make this as realistic as possible to what’s going on right now, and what has gone on in the past, and what is sure to go on in the future?” The commentary is oftentimes about how people have seen the original and love the re-imagining that we Walker put together. But more often than not, I love that I’ve had parents come up to me and talk about how Walker, though the situation is different because he’s a widower, is going through life and trying to figure out his kids while they’re changing, and he has to go to work because he has a job. There’s something universal about that struggle and that experience that seems to have really communicated and landed with people, no matter what their job is and what their family situation is.

Is it challenging to make this series with a shortened episode count, or does it feel like you can really just pack more into every episode?

PADALECKI: I get both. There’s a quote I heard one time about actors and writers and directors and producers and whatnot, and they used it in the form of an actor. They said, “If you give an actor three years to prepare, it’ll take three years. If you give him three months to prepare, it’ll take three months. If you give him three days, it’ll take three days. If you give him three minutes, it’ll take three minutes.” It’s one of those things where life imitates art. We’ve found such wonderful stuff, and kudos to our great writing team for making it possible, but it feels very like life. It feels very much like Cordell’s life would be. You find out sooner than you would’ve hoped, “Hey, this is coming up,” or “You’ve gotta do this or that.” While it’s certainly been different, if you could give me 30 days to do an episode, it’ll have its challenges. If you give me one day to do an episode, it’ll have its challenges. I think that goes from top to bottom, cast and crew alike. We’ve had a great time. Because of cross-boarding some episodes, we might be doing episodes one and two, and even if a character is only in episode two, since we will shoot two together, I still get to catch up with that human being during the filming, which is wonderful.

You’re kicking off this season with a lot of storylines happening for these characters. He’s stepped up his romance, his daughter is not coping well with things, and there’s a serial killer. I love that there’s really this balance where you have the romance and there are some good things on the horizon for the family, but then there’s also the dark and deadly aspect of a serial killer. What sort of balance will we see this season between the light and the dark? Will we get to a point where things get more dark and more intense, as things play out with The Jackal?

PADALECKI: You certainly will. Given what happened with the strikes, over the last 12 months, it didn’t make sense to do a direct pickup after Season 3. So much time has passed between the end of Season 3 and when Season 4 will air that it just didn’t make a lot of sense for our viewers and our lovely and wonderful loyal watchers. Kale [Culley] just turned 18 in May, and he’s almost my size now. If we picked up Season 4, episode one, directly after Season 3, the final episode, it wouldn’t make sense. You’d be like, “Oh, I guess August grew four inches overnight.” Our writers were very aware of that and tried to make every bit of that as real and human as possible. We certainly do see, as characters and as viewers, how this Jackal that haunted Captain James and Ranger Walker back in the day, five years ago, still has a stranglehold on them, and just how deep and dark they go while trying to keep all the other plates spinning in the other aspects of their lives.

It’s certainly never great to keep secrets from people you care about, especially when they’re big secrets. And on a TV series, those secrets are bound to come out, and likely at the worst possible time.

PADALECKI: Yep, that’s what our sadistic writers try to do. Teasing, teasing, teasing. No, they do it in such a wonderful way. Going back to before even the pilot, one of the things that Anna Fricke and I talked about before we’d even staffed the room and cast the characters and hired the crew was that we want this to be as real as possible. Although in a different arena, with Walker being a Texas Ranger and a widow, we want this to have universal problems and issues that every person goes through on different scales as they navigate this life.

Jensen Ackles directed an episode of the series. Do you think he’ll do that again?

PADALECKI: I sure hope so. Now and always, I will work with Jensen, wherever, whenever. He’s obviously a busy man. He’s got a wife and three kids of his own. He’s here, there, and everywhere. He’s been in Toronto, he’s been in Vancouver, and he’s been in New Mexico. He’s a very busy guy. He and I see each other a lot, obviously, with Supernatural conventions, and we text often. He certainly is up for it. It’s just like life and like Cordell Walker, trying to figure out when things will work out.

Do you see yourself directing an episode?

PADALECKI: Not to speak for Jensen, but to try to speak for Jensen, directing is something that he was always really passionate about, and producing is something that I was always really passionate about. I have a deep respect for directors, and the door is not closed. If the opportunity arises and I think, “Man, I really wanna direct,” then I will. But over 24 years in the industry, I’ve worked with so many talented directors who deserve the episode more than I do. Obviously, as the executive producer and the guy in the poster, I could probably make a phone call and say, “Hey, I want an episode,” and they might say, “Okay, you get one.” That’s not what Jensen did.

From day one, he was like, “Hey, I wanna direct some day.” That’s not where I was. And so, I don’t wanna take an episode away from a really deserving, talented director. I really love my job as an actor and as a storyteller, and as an executive producer, I help guide the storyline and help in the casting and help with the editing. So, I’m a pretty happy cat right now, where I stand. I love that puzzle. The director puts the puzzle pieces together. I like getting the puzzle pieces and figuring out how they can work even better. I think a lot of artists go, “Hey, I wanna guide this.” For me, I love the puzzle of acting and scene breakdown and story breakdown, and just trying to figure out how to make what’s already great on the page and great on the set, even better if I can.

You and Jensen Ackles have both talked about having interest in a possible revival of Supernatural. Is that something you’ve seriously considered doing? Have you had any real conversations about that, or are you just having conversations about having conversations?

PADALECKI: It’s not that I have seriously considered doing it, my single answer is yes. It’s timing. It’s availability. Jensen and I feel so strongly about our show that we had for 15 years together that we don’t wanna just do it just to do it. We don’t wanna go, “Hey, I have two weeks off in June. Let’s go ahead and shoot 10 pages a day, just so we can have some more content.” If and when Supernatural comes back, it’s going to be a labor of love, and we’re gonna put every hour in to make sure that it’s as true to the cannon and to the fandom and to the story and to the characters as possible. So, my short answer is it’s not a consideration, the answer is yes. I just don’t know when I’m available. I don’t know when he’s available. But again, my answer is yes.

Have you thought about all the different possibilities of what it could be, as far as whether you’d do a shortened season, whether you’d want to do a movie, or if none of it works, whether you’d do an animated series?

PADALECKI: Yeah. Honest to God, I don’t think about the medium in which it would air. I think about the story that I care about. If Jensen and I talk about where we would like to see Sam and Dean appear on screens again, and we think, “Cool, we like this, and we like this arc, and we like this conclusion,” then let’s do it. If they make it into a movie, great. If they make it into a limited series, great. If they make it into a flip book that’s available on Amazon, great. But at this point in time, I feel so protective of Supernatural that if the story’s fine, then I don’t care how it gets into the world.

Eric Kripke has also always made it known that he’d love to have you on The Boys anytime you were available. Would you like to make an appearance over there? Have you actually spoken to him about that? Would you even want to be in that world?

PADALECKI: Yeah, he has reached out to me and my response to him 90% of the time is, “Dude, I’m 41 now with three kids. I’m not 25 and working out three hours a day. I know you’re going to fucking make me get naked, so give me a heads up. I’m in, but let me get a nutritionist and a trainer and get in the hyperbaric chamber for eight months before you make me show up.” But yeah, it would obviously be a lot of fun to see Kripke again and to work on that show, which is a great show that I’m a fan of.

It certainly seems like a little wild break of fun.

PADALECKI: A little wild? Have you seen the show?!

Yes, and I love it very much. But I also have a sick sense of humor.

PADALECKI: I do, too. I love watching it, but imagine putting yourself in it. I’ve got kids. My mom and dad are still alive. I’ve got grandparents that are alive. I don’t know how to just unplug their electricity when the show airs.

collider

[gaysindistress]

Sad girl - fifteen

summary: James has an interesting new business proposal and one hell of a condition to deal with.

pairing: Mob!Bucky Barnes x Reader

warnings: cursing, Bucky’s smartass, the feelings, Walker has decided that he wants to be Joe Goldberg, blood

word count: 2.5k

a/n: I’m evil and I’m not at all sorry. 

part 14 | series masterlist

Taglist: @missvelvetsstuff @angelsincident @spencerreidisagorgman @goldensunflowe-r   @i-have-no-life-charlie @esposadomd @iateall-yourcookies  @alana4610 @kandis-mom @beware-my-thorns @ozwriterchick @littlelizardlizzie @unaxv @reader-without-a-story @wh0reforbucknasty @cjand10​  @katymae12344  @vickie5446

disclaimer: credits to original creator/poster of image/gif. found on google/Pinterest

Ping. 

Ping. 

Ping. 

The sound of her phone going off three times in a row is enough to make her want to throw it across the room. Having gotten back late from the party and being exhausted due to prior activities, the sound of her phone is the last thing she wanted to hear. The man next to her is fast asleep, not even budging when she shifts her weight to grab the iridescent rectangle on the side table. The overwhelming brightness of it doesn’t allow her to see the sender until she’s already unlocked it and looking at the horrifying pictures. 

The first photo contained her mother shopping in a grocery store, the boundaries of the photo blurred as if taken from behind something. The second photo is her mother getting into a black Range Rover from the same angle but the third is the most terrifying; her mother lying asleep in a bed. As she stared at the photos, another message came through, one that read: 

“You’re both mine.”

“Bucky, Bucky,” she says quietly as she reaches behind her to shake him awake. 

“Bucky, wake up, wake up,” her voice is starting to tremble as she shakes him even more, growing desperate. 

Groaning as he pushes onto his forearms, “what is it?” “It’s my mom, he’s going to hurt her. Oh my god, we have to get her out.”

The sound of her cries and pleading raises him fully from his sleep. He takes the phone from her hand to look at the messages himself while hauling her into him as she sobs. These types of photos are ones that he sees often himself but is usually in the context of his next mission. Seeing them on the phone of the woman he promised to protect and care for stung differently and he began to feel the hot bubble of anger grow in him. 

“Doll, I’ll see what I can do to protect her.”

“You have to get her out,” she pleads to him as she pushes against him. 

“Doll,” his fingers brush the hair from her forehead, “I’ll see what Steve can do but I can’t promise anything. We already know John is a loose cannon and I don’t want to push him too far. He’ll come after you again and I can’t have that.”

“Again? Because you’ve done so much to keep me safe since then. You haven’t done anything. You’ve even fucking left me alone while you galavant around like a toy with your puppet masters, the senators. If you really wanted to protect me then you would’ve killed him that day!”

“Hey, hey, these things take time,” his hand slides to grasp the back of her neck, “I’m doing everything I can to make sure he can’t get to you, and going after your mom will only push him closer to you.”

She swats at him, creating a gap between the two of them. Betrayal is written all across her face as she stares at him. 

“So you’re willing to let her get hurt? You’re willing to let my mother stay with a man who already threatened to kill me for what? Because you’re too much of a coward to do anything about it?” 

“That’s not what I said and you know that. My job is protect you and only you. Your mother isn’t included in that but I will do what I can within my means,” his anger has taken over his form, turning the concern he had moments again into a hardened and cold stare. 

She didn’t respond, only scoffing at him before turning over on the bed so she didn’t have to face him or his unwillingness to help. The bed shifts as he gets up and leaves the room, her quiet sobs and sniffles are the only evidence that she’s listening to him walk away. 

_______________________________________________

Voices filter into the cold room as she stirs awake. 

“Do we know how he got to Marianne?” Bucky’s voice asks. 

“From what I can tell, he found her after she showed up at Anthony’s,” Steve’s voice answers back. 

“Any indication that she’s there against her will?”

She can’t hear an answer but she can only assume that Steve is shaking his head no. 

“Goddamnit,” she can imagine Bucky rubbing his hand down his face in frustration, “We can’t go in. It’s not safe for her if we do it and her safety is my main concern here.”

“She’s not going to like that answer. You’re going to have to figure out a way to get to Marianne.”

“Let me just call her real quick,” the sarcasm drips from his voice as he tries to not take his anger out on his friend. 

“Don’t shoot the messenger. I can only tell you the circumstances but you’re more than welcome to go in if that’s what you think is best.”

Bucky goes to make a smart-ass comment back but the sound of the bedroom door opening pauses them both and they wait with bated breath to see if she will emerge. She does clad in her trusty college sweatshirt and running shorts, however, she ignores Bucky when she joins the men in the living room, sitting on the couch next to Steve. He offers her a good morning as she buries herself in the corner and sends a muffled ‘morning’ back. 

“How’d you sleep?” Bucky asks, hoping that the simple question will be seen as a peace offering. 

“Fantastic. I wasn’t at all worried about my mother’s safety considering she’s with an absolutely psychopath. And when I finally did fall asleep, I was woken up two assholes who started talking really loud.”

The men grimace at her response and give her half-hearted apologies for waking her up. The couch moves as Steve stands up, bidding them both a ‘see you guys in New York’ as he disappears into his own room. Bucky moves from his chair to take Steve’s place next to her. 

“How much did you hear?”

“Enough to know that your hands are tied but that doesn’t mean I’m not mad anymore.”

A gentle hand rests on her hip, “I know. I’ll see what Sam can find out. I might be able to get you a way to talk to her but that’s not a guarantee.”

“At this point, I just want to make sure she’s okay.”

“I want that too. The good news is that Steve made it seem like she’s not being hurt.”

She moves from the corner to lay on his shoulder, arms going around his middle in a side hug, “She’s just being stalked by a wannabe Joe Goldberg.”

“That is very true,” he laughs slightly, his own arms hugging her closer. 

A few minutes of silence pass before she speaks again, “I’m sorry for what I said last night. The whole situation is shitty but it’s not your fault and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. ”

“Doll, everything you said was justified. Marianne is not exactly safe and I don’t have a way of getting to her without putting you in jeopardy. You don’t have to apologize either. If anyone is going to, it’s me. I’m sorry, I just don’t know what to do and it’s terrifying to not know how this is all going to play out.”

He feels her nod against his side and grips him tighter. 

“Do you think it’s safe for me to have my own room anymore?”

“Are you asking if we should share a room?” his heart begins to hammer against his chest as he awaits her response. 

“I mean if John has access to Stark Towers and my mom, it wouldn’t be a stretch to suggest that he could get to me at our house. Wouldn’t it be safer if we shared a bedroom so that I’m not alone if he does try something?”

“He won’t be able to get that close but if it would make you feel safer, we can move you into my room.”

“Yeah I think that would make we feel better,” her own heart wanting to pound right out of her chest. 

“We can do that then,” he kisses the top of her head as they settle back into silence and into each other. 

_______________________________________________

“How many books do you have?” Steve is panting from carrying the millionth box of books from her room to Bucky’s. 

“You have a damn library here,” Sam is the next one to come into the room with another book box. 

“I like to read, so what?” She says, shrugging her shoulders and going back to putting the books on the shelf Bucky had installed. 

The moment they had landed back in New York, he’d invited everyone over under the guise of dinner but it was really to help move her into his room. Of course, there would be food afterward but that didn’t stop the men from complaining about the task at hand. He’d also been quick to have shelves installed for her books rather than putting them in his office. 

“It’ll make it feel more like our room,” was his reasoning. 

It did make the room feel more shared and comfortable than her previous room. She really hadn’t brought that much from her father’s house. A few pictures, her library as Sam put it, and mostly her clothes which were now taking over his massive walk-in closet. That was a feat in itself considering the number of suits, shoes, and gear he had. Regardless he welcomed all of the changes, content that she had decided that she wanted to share a room and start an actual relationship. 

“Yeah, but who reads this many books?” Sam had her favorite book, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, in his hand as he questioned her. 

“Someone smart and well-read,” Bucky answers for her, taking the book back and kissing Doll. 

Steve and Sam both roll their eyes as they head back to her room to make sure it’s clear. 

“Finally admitting I’m smarter than you?” 

“There was never doubt about that,” he says as he hands her more books to put away. 

She hums in agreement and takes the books from him. 

“Hey Buck, Vance just sent a file,,” Steve calls from the door as he and Sam head to the office. 

Bucky gives her an apologetic look as he kisses her forehead, “I promise to help after.”

“No, you won’t.” 

He laughs as he’s heading out the door, “it’s the thought that counts.” 

_______________________________________________

Being left alone allowed her to put on her own music and continue to put away her belongings. The obvious choice is Lana Del Rey so that’s what is playing in the room a few hours after the boys had left. When Bucky finished his meeting, he finds her sitting on the bed reading a book and hunched over in a position that’ll definitely lead her to have a sore back. 

“What book did you pick?” the sudden sound of his voice startles her as he leans against the door frame. 

“Oh um,” she turns the book over to look at the cover, “Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong. It’s the sequel to the book I was reading when I moved in.”

“Hmm I see, what’s it about?”

“It’s a retelling of Romeo and Juliet but in the 1920s Shanghai and the families are rival gangs.”

“Really?” he laughs as he approaches the bed. 

“Don’t laugh. It’s a good book!” 

He drops onto the bed next to her, “I’m not laughing at the book, I’m laughing at how ironic it is that you’re reading about mobs.”

Leaning over the side, she puts her book on the nightstand as she says, “I know, I know. Don’t I get enough in real life? But this is different; it’s a love story.”

“And this isn't?” He waves a hand around to gesture at their situation. 

“That would require us to be in love,” teasing him, she comes shoulder to shoulder with him. 

“Who says we’re not?”

“Who says we are? Neither of us have said those three words.”

“Just because we haven’t said it doesn’t mean it’s not true,” his hand takes a hold of her thigh, drawing her focus to that sight. 

“What are you trying to say?” She places her hand on top of his and looks over at him. 

He flips his hand over to hold hers, “What do you want me to say?”

She looks at him blankly, trying to find the words or anything at all to answer his question. Deep down she knows what she wants him to say but she can’t tell him that. Their struggle for control and power stalls her heart and refuses to let her give in first. Saying it first would be submission and she can’t do that. With their marriage being arranged, everything that comes with it feels stiff and arranged as well. They had no choice but to go into this and now they struggle to regain any morsel of control over their life. However no matter how controlled their marriage may be, this moment has to come naturally. There cannot be a power struggle, a fight to stay on top; this moment has to come when they’re equals. 

He takes a deep breath and changes the subject, “I hate to ruin the moment but I have a new mission that starts tomorrow. It’s supposed to be pretty simple, quick in and out so the boys and I should be back in a couple of days.”

“Oh,” is the only thing that comes to her mind as she rubs her thumb over the back of his hand. 

“I know we just got back yesterday but I promise I’ll make up to you.”

“Dinner,” the confused look on his face causes her to giggle and her mood to lighten, “You owe me dinner.”

“I can do that. Dinner at the finest restaurant, just you and me, I promise,” he kisses her cheek as he lets go of her hand and heads to the closet to start packing.

______________________________________________

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” the string of curses leaves Sam’s mouth as he races over to Steve who is kneeling beside Bucky’s stilling body. 

“Fuck! Where the fuck is the first aid kit?” Sam is moving as fast as he can as he dumps his backpack on the ground and throws the contents aside to find the kit in question. 

The blood from Bucky’s left side is pooling around them, streaming from his ripped shirt as Steve puts as much pressure as he can on the wound. The world is spinning and closing in on Bucky from the loss of blood and pain, his skin paling and chest moving in shallow motions. 

“Sam hurry the fuck up!” the shouts from Steve are distorted as Sam finally finds the first aid kit and rips it open. The clatter of various medical tools and supplies is softened by the grass and the wet blood. 

“Buck, hey Bucky, how are you feeling?” Sam is tapping the side of his face to regain his attention but it’s lost on the man. Through his lashes, he can see his two friends but can barely hear them or feel the pressure and pain radiating from his left side. 

“No no no no fuck! Bucky come on man! Come on stay with us! Shit,” are the last words he hears before it all goes black. 

[mistwhisperexpress]

I'm not Jewish myself but I do belong to a couple of minority demographics that receive denigration for one reason or another, along with people trying to speak for me.

My only real advice is that there comes a point where it's no longer "defending the oppressed" and more infantilization. There is such a thing as being too sensitive. This is a kid's game, not propaganda meant to encourage hatred. Same as any other demographic, Jewish people can speak on their own behalf. They don't need others' help, they only need a listening ear. To do anything else is risking spoiling the fun for everyone including those you're trying to speak for.

Also "goblin" as far as I've seen is as much an umbrella term as anything else. Jewish people don't hold a cultural copyright on financial greed and hooked noses. (may I direct you to dragons and stereotypical witches respectively) I could probably name a dozen other fairy tale and mythological creatures that have such traits.

Suggesting that SSO's new little green goblin (Grinch? Norman Osborn?) is a caricature of Jewish people makes as much sense as saying the orcs in Tolkien's legendarium represent black people or that the white walkers from ASOIAF represent white people, aka little to no sense once you look past the surface. The comparison of Jewish people and goblins alone could be deemed borderline antisemitic in itself. It's misguided, but forgivable.

Worry more about enjoying the game and less about whether SSO is offending a group who are more than capable of defending themselves in a kid's game. ❤️

Okay I don’t blame you for assuming I’m not Jewish because apparently I haven’t mentioned that here yet even though I (mis)remembered I had, but this still feels really weird to send? Telling someone who’s not part of a minority to not speak for them is absolutely okay, the job of people outside a minority is to raise up their voices, not add their own, so I have no issue with that aspect and I am genuinely sorry that’s been done to you, but why are you, someone who by your own words isn’t Jewish, speaking on if goblins antisemitic or not at all? You are speaking for/over us there, and you would be even if I wasn’t Jewish.

I am Jewish, and obviously while we aren’t a monolith, no group of people is, I personally find this depiction of goblins (green and greedy/thief) antisemitic, and with much of the world going mask off with their antisemitism right now I’m not as open to giving benefits of the doubt as I used to be. I do believe this was a mistake on SSO’s part and not intentional as I said in a reblog, but that doesn’t make it any less harmful or antisemitic.

I have done quite a bit of research into the history of goblins and when they began to be used as an antisemitic caricature (as early as the 1800s thanks to the Goblin Market poem, which is just classic blood libel) because I make dice as a job and I want to enjoy D&D without antisemitism and the whole dice goblin thing, and there is a very large connection. This isn't unfounded.

You’re right in that goblins are a bit of an umbrella term, they are, which is why it’s important to let the antisemitic version of them die. You can have goblins that are just mischievous, not green, big nosed, greedy, sneaky, and untrustworthy. It’s really easy to not have antisemitic goblins, but unfortunately the antisemitic version is a mainstream staple and that doesn’t just go away overnight.

If you apply harmful stereotypes to anything, even if it was completely harmless before, you’re going to get a harmful caricature. That’s what happened to goblins, and that’s what SSO did with the Snow Goblins. They took the popular depiction which is the antisemitic version, and applied it to the game without a thought because it’s been normalized to the point most people don’t even consider it may have less than great origins. Like Rapunzel and Hansel and Gretel. They’re so normal the vast majority of people don’t even realize they were created for antisemitic reasons. Antisemitism is sneakily within a lot of things. You don’t start recognizing it until you become familiar with the tropes and stereotypes.

I’m also going to bet if they’re European in origin, the “dozen other fairy tale and mythological creatures that have such traits” you could name also had that done to them if they weren’t antisemitic to begin with. And since you mentioned them, it’s also what was done to the stereotypical version of witches, which is antisemitic and has a very long history of such going back to accused women who were burned being forced to wear Jewish clothing of the time as further humiliation. It’s also where the classic pointy hat comes from, since a pointy cone hat was what we were forced to wear to signify we were Jewish. Witches actually share a lot with goblins in antisemitic traits and SSO also needs to address Pi hitting all but the green skin.

You clearly know a little about the issue, as you brought up The Nose when I didn't, but you also don't know nearly enough to speak about this at all as evidenced by you not knowing the antisemitic history regarding witches, so please don't. And I never said they were a Jewish caricature, I said they were antisemitic, there's a difference. A Jewish caricature is the happy merchant meme.

What we're also not going to do is the whole 'you're the antisemitic one for seeing Jewish people in goblins' thing. That has and always will be an utterly bullshit dismissive argument. The whole point of this kind of caricature is to normalize the stereotypes so when they're actually applied to people you don't blink an eye, like how very few goyim blinked an eye at Mother Gothel in Tangled. I'm currently sick so I really don't have all the smart brain power to go into that right now and I hope someone else can. It's not antisemitic to notice when antisemitic caricatures have been applied to something. That's a very good thing to notice actually, and I want more goyim to start noticing that.

So it does actually make more sense than someone saying those things (which I don't think I've ever seen someone argue??), which I'll get into under the cut to clear up any confusion about how SSO's Snow Goblins tie into the antisemitic depictions, since a couple people were confused in my initial post.

And I am worrying more about enjoying the game; that's the whole reason I brought this up, because I'd like to enjoy a game that's been with me for more than half my life and means a lot to me, and this is preventing me from fully doing that.

Again, I am genuinely sorry people have spoken over and for you. That is wrong and not at all okay. And I'm sorry if I misread the tone of your ask.

Okay !! Education with Mandy time. This has been a long post but I hope you'll all stick with me for just a little longer.

And real quick before we get into the specifics, I want to mention that Christmas time is one of the times where you want to be especially careful about things like this, given the history present with characters like Scrooge.

So for those who don't know what the Snow Goblin is, this is the creature in question:

The typical antisemitic goblin is green, greedy, big nosed, and some flavor or sneaky and untrustworthy.

The Snow Goblin quite obviously hits on the green. If this creature looked like a normal capran and was named something like Snow Imp or Mischievous Capran, there would be no issue. Because bastardy little guys stealing things on it's own isn't an antisemitic stereotype. It's when there's multiple things that are the problem, like green skin, or in this case fur, and calling them something with a very large history of antisemitism when combined with those very traits.

The whole schtick of this little guy is they steal your snowflakes if you don't catch them in time, so it also hits on the greedy and untrustworthy tropes. If the Snow Goblin looked like a normal capran but was still called a goblin, there would still be an issue because the antisemitic goblin isn't just green, it's also bastard of greedy kinds, like a thief not out of necessity but of pleasure. "Thief" isn't directly an antisemitic stereotype, but it's very much there as an undercurrent. The "Jewish people are unfairly taking my money!" implication from The Middle Ages when the stereotype began, when money lender was pretty much the only job we were allowed to have.

If the Snow Goblin was called something else but was still green, I wouldn't say its directly antisemitic, but I would side eye it and not feel comfortable. It's kinda like the Grinch, ignoring the fact Dr. Seuss may or may not have been Jewish depending on who you ask because there's conflicting information. It's not directly anything bad, but I'm going to be a little wary of the intention and engage with it extra carefully.

Its about the combination.

I can't tell you exactly when the mainstream antisemitic goblin came together, because I don't know and it's really hard to find information on that, but it's there, and you can't deny that. I don't necessarily blame SSO for contributing to it's perpetuation, because you don't think to look deeper into something when you have no reason to think it's harmful, but I do hope they change it. And hire some Jewish sensitivity readers because this wouldn't have happened with more Jewish people around to catch it, and with witches being a focus of the story now I am admittedly a little nervous about how that'll be handled.

Also, this is all unintentionally made worse by use of the capran model, because it also gets to hit on the whole fun we're in league with the devil thing and the Jewish people have horns thing. I don't know when exactly those started either (drawings of us with "devil features" have been around a long time), but I know the we have horns one was popularized when Michelangelo decided to give his sculpture of Moses horns, because that's what we look like apparently. There are still people who genuinely believe we have horns. I feel robbed. Horns a super cool, I want horns. Where are my horns?

And before someone says it, yes this is a lot of words for something low stakes in a kids game. There are a lot of more important things right now. But that's exactly why it's mattering to me right now. I don't want to be silent about antisemitism while it's on the rise, but I don't know enough about the current aspects of that to speak on it. I do however know a lot about how it applies to fantasy, and I have had about three work in progress essays about the goblin issue to prepare for this.

And also before someone says it, Snow Gremlin isn't exactly an acceptable new name either. It's basically Snow Goblin 2.0. Gremlins aren't goblins (though they have become a bit synonymous and interchangeable), but they were popularized by the massive and proud antisemite Roald Dahl, and I have a hard time believing he didn't put any of those beliefs into them.

[rainbowmoonstonestories]

Let Your Dreams Be Your Wings | Chapter 15

Chapters: 15/? Fandom: The Sandman (Netflix 2022, minor content from the Comics) Rating: Explicit Relationships Dream of the Endless/Morpheus x F!Reader  Characters: Dream of the Endless/Morpheus, Lucienne, Matthew the Raven, Mervyn Pumpkinhead, Hob Gadling, Death, Rose Walker, The Corinthian, other minor Sandman characters, Original Characters. Warnings: 18+ content (minors DNI), explicit sexual content, POV switching, very long chapters to read. Summary: You always dreamed of becoming a successful Fashion Designer, sharing your creations with the world and making your father proud. But with him being very ill and so many costs solely weighting on your shoulders, things didn’t go as planned and you had to take a different path instead. An interesting offer led you to the elder Alex Burgess and you were hired as a new housemaid for a very good pay. However, your kindness and outstanding empathy convinced the man to give you an additional task for a doubled compensation; gaining the trust of Dream Of the Endless, held captive into the basement for over a century. Despite the shock of finding such an ethereal entity stripped of all his clothes and contained into a confined space, you had to accept for the sake of your father. But the more you got to speak to the mysterious anthropomorphic personification who didn’t utter a single word, the more you were lost into his eyes that, conversely, seemed to contain the entire universe. A deep connection formed between the two of you, separated only by a thick layer of glass.

Little did you know, what started like a simple housemaid job was about to change your life forever.

Credits: The moon dividers were made by firefly-graphics

Tagging: @number-0-iz, @emarich7, @jaziona92. If anyone else wants to be tagged in the next updates, let me know! I noticed that Tumblr sometimes won't let me tag everyone for some unknown reason, so if it comes to that I can at least send you a message to notify you.

You can also read this on AO3 if you feel more comfortable!

Warning: This chapter includes some detailed smut.

As the upcoming fashion show loomed and your days became increasingly packed, you found scant time to contemplate anything else. However, the emergence of an unfamiliar figure unsettled you.

Note: I needed to write this now, as I won't have another opportunity later to include Desire again until a certain point. I used the Dreamcast audio as reference again for their interaction.

I honestly don't know if smut can be incorporated during the Vortex part, so I thought to add more of it here.

Hob's eyes widened while gripping his tea cup. Following a few moments of blinking to regain his bearings, he gingerly set his mug aside. Then, fueled by a playful energy, he simulated an explosion by placing his hands around his head and even supplied his own sound effects.

With a smile and a nod of your head, you echoed his sentiments. "It's mind-blowing, I know"

"I might be an immortal, Shortcake, but you have your fair share of supernatural roots.”

"We are definitely not your everyday humans," you agreed, bursting into hearty laughter.

"It must be tough though, isn't it? To know that your mother has been around all this time," he carried on, his tone shifting to a more serious one.

"It is. But, now that I can think about it from a different perspective, I can at least understand why they had to keep it a secret."

It took you several days to digest your newfound revelation, but despite everything, you couldn't stay upset with your father who was merely doing his utmost to protect and care for you.

"You know, Hob, sometimes it feels like I've quantum leaped. It’s as if the reality I'm experiencing now is not the one I used to live in. I know it sounds a bit Star Trek-y, but..."

"No, no, I understand. You've undergone such significant changes recently. It makes me wonder if our dear friend had a hand in all this," he mused.

"Maybe not directly. To be honest, I can't even imagine where I'd be without him.”

Hob gifted you a warm smile, looking at you with a blend of care and understanding. "You truly do love him, don't you?”

"Immensely," you affirmed, your voice teeming with genuine sincerity.

"I could see a remarkable change in him, but I'm certain that you're also to thank for that," He noted thoughtfully.

“I didn’t do anything, really.”

"The only time I tried to get him to confide in me, he shied away. I still don't know exactly how you two met, but he adores you. That much is clear.”

A faint blush quietly spread across your cheeks as you savored your tea. Even though Morpheus typically kept a guarded demeanor, it was comforting to realize that his affection for you was evident to others.

However, an abrupt thought caused you to falter, prompting a moment of hesitation before you ventured to raise the subject. You debated whether it could be inconsiderate to mention it, but your curiosity was as potent as the infamous curiosity that led to the cat's downfall, a sentiment frequently echoed by Ella.

And so, you chose to bring it up.

“Hob, can I ask you something?”

“Of course, Shortcake. What is it?”

You glanced downward, your grip on your cup tightening. "Wasn't it difficult for you, having to see the ones you loved grow old and pass away?"

You almost chastised yourself mentally when you saw a trace of sadness cross his eyes. Nevertheless, he composed himself and provided you with his answer.

"Yes, it was. But not once did I consider giving up on love."

"So you managed to move on, to fall in love again... and again."

"I know where this is going," Hob interjected, disrupting your whirlpool of emotional musings. "I speak from experience when I say that he will never truly be able to move on from you."

"I know that he won't forget. It's just..."

"It’s not comforting, I get it.”

You stared at the tea, its still surface seeming to mirror your somber expression.

"It's stupid. I made my choice fully aware of what I was signing up for.”

"We may understand the consequences, Y/N, but they won't be enough to deter us from getting what we want," Hob declared, his voice a blend of wisdom and melancholy. “Look at me. I could have left this city, even this entire Country, long ago. I could have avoided undue stress and accusations of practicing witchcraft. I could have ceased the charade of pretending to be my own descendant, and yet... I made the decision to stay. To meet new people, knowing that I would never get old.”

A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of your mouth as you listened.

"What's the purpose of immortality if it means spending your life alone? You could follow in my footsteps and ask to never die. Wouldn't that be an interesting adventure?" Hob suggested, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yes, you've brought that up before.”

"Have you given it any thought?”

"No, not yet. I just can't envision myself living forever.”

Could you even bear to remain stationary like Hob did? How would you maintain your friendships, career, and every other aspect of life without the incessant need to explain your lack of aging? You truly admired Hob's perseverance, although it was something you likely wouldn't be able to replicate. The idea of being Morpheus' sole love for all of eternity was enticing, yet the choice to accept immortality was not something you were ready to undertake.

Hob tenderly encircled your wrist with his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. His eyes sparkled with a joyful glint as he regarded you.“You never know, my friend. You never know.”

As more days began to turn into weeks, your workload steadily mounted. The preparations for the fashion show were progressing seamlessly and at a satisfactory pace, yet you could palpably sense the rising tide of disquiet in the atmosphere.

You lost track of the times you had to prevent Ella from nervously scratching her skin. As she repeatedly revised the lineup, her anxiety levels soared to unprecedented heights. The event bore great importance for the company, being the first major show in which the Corbyn&Jones brand was participating. You couldn't really blame her for feeling swamped, considering your situation was quite alike.

Your name was slated to be highlighted as the sole creator of the show's exclusive collection, and Ella had discussed the potential this could have in advancing your career as a designer, along with the enormity of the situation that was just now beginning to sink in.

At last able to take a respite from the organizing, you sauntered towards the lounge area with some coffee, hoping to replenish your energy. As you entered the room, you noticed one of your colleagues, Freya, absorbed in her tablet, barely acknowledging your arrival. She appeared to be immersed in deep thought, sighing from time to time, projecting an aura of concern and distress.

She was known for her vibrant energy in the office. Seeing her so dispirited now, you couldn't help but intervene.

"Hey Freya, are you okay?" You inquired, cautiously settling next to her.

Oh, Y/N," she responded, turning her head and managing to conjure up a strained smile. "Yes, I'm fine.”

Judging by the faint redness surrounding her eyes, barely concealed by her makeup, it was easy for you to tell that the truth was far from what she claimed.

"No, something's off. Would you like to talk about it?”

She let out another lengthy, wavering sigh. "I... it's nothing, really. It's ridiculous.”

“It’s not ridiculous if it makes you cry.”

Freya offered a self-deprecating chuckle, hastily blinking away the tears welling in her eyes before meeting your gaze squarely.

"I've received an invitation to a friend's wedding,” she disclosed. "It’s happening in two weeks. We've been close since middle school, you see… and I just know that if I decline the invite, she'll lash out at me.”

"Is there a specific reason behind your reluctance to attend her wedding?”

Freya sniffled, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. She then tapped on her tablet's screen and extended the device towards you.

"This is the dress she selected for all the bridesmaids, including me.”

You stared at the image in disbelief, taking in the red monstrosity displayed in front of you. The design itself wasn't inherently ugly, but to say that it was unsuitable for a bridesmaid would be a gross understatement.

"Wait. You’re joking, right? She expects her bridesmaids to wear this?”

She nodded. "I’d look like shit.”

"That’s not true. The problem here is that such a dress is far from an appropriate choice for a wedding. Does she really want her guests to be focused on you ladies when she's supposed to be the center of attention?”

"She's quite controlling and insists on having everything her way, regardless of others' feelings or opinions. She always had a thing for showy stuff, and her wedding is far from modest too.”

You placed the tablet down. "Have you talked to her about it? If her fashion choices diverge significantly from your style and make you feel uncomfortable, she should respect your sentiments.”

"Oh, I have, but she's as stubborn as a mule.”

She was justifiably upset, but beyond that, you could see how appalled she was at the prospect of potentially having to don an attire that simply wouldn't suit her, or any other bridesmaid with a shred of good taste.

"Freya, this isn't right. A good friend should consider the way you feel. I understand that this is her wedding, but she cannot expect all of you to comply without voicing any objections.”

She diverted her gaze, toying with the golden bracelet that adorned her wrist. "Y/N, have you really taken a good look at me?”

“Yes?”

"All my friends could easily pass for magazine models, while I've always been the black sheep in the group. Quite literally.”

You pursed your lips, feeling a surge of heat coursing through your body. "Freya, you don’t realize how incredible and beautiful you are, do you?”

“You don’t need to flatter me.”

Her voice bore a trace of irritation, indicating that she felt somehow offended.

"It's not a matter of needing to, it's simply how I see you.”

She lapsed into silence.

"Listen, if attending her wedding means that you have to wear something you hate, then don't go.”

“I can’t do that, Y/N.”

"Why? Just because she demands your presence? It's clear that she doesn't value your opinion, or you as a person. So why should you care about her reaction if you refuse?”

"It's..." she hesitated. "...not that simple.”

Witnessing her lack of self-assurance was heart-wrenching, especially considering she was one of the first members of the team who embraced you as part of the family from day one. Freya was kind-hearted, humorous, perpetually cheerful, and tackled her job with a positive attitude every single day. Despite her struggles to recognize her own beauty, you couldn't really pinpoint a single flaw in her.

Consequently, realizing that her supposed best friend was the source of her distress and suffering, fueled your resolve to take action, any action, to restore her joy and self-assurance.

"I assume she's chosen red as the color scheme for all of you?”

"Yes, she wants this thing in red."

"What if you opt for a different dress, one that maintains the elegant yet sexy style and color, but without being as revealing?”

"Oh no, she would absolutely go nuts. She's set on this dress, period. That's just how her mind functions.”

You huffed. "Look, Freya, whether you attend her wedding or not is entirely your choice. But you really shouldn't let her exert this level of control over you. Let me try something, I have an idea.”

Her eyes expanded in astonishment. "Wait, what? You're not planning to design something for me, are you?”

“Why not?”

“Uhh…. because you're already swamped with work between our new collections and the show?”

Getting up from the couch, you dismissed her concerns with a wave of your hand. "I can do it in my spare time, it's no trouble at all.”

"But...”

"No buts. Allow me to do this for you. And if you're not convinced, then I'll let the matter rest.”

Freya found herself flustered and at a loss for words, searching for an appropriate thing to say but failing to find one.

In the end, she acquiesced. "Okay.”

"Just give me a few days, I'll create something for you that will spark jealousy among all your friends. Even the bride.”

As you finished your coffee and exited the room, you picked up the sound of her voice uttering your name. She leaped from the couch with all the haste she could gather, bolting after you, her eyes ablaze with a fresh spark of hope.

"How do you do it?” She queried, her breath labored from the unexpected exertion.

You weren't entirely certain about the implication behind her question. “Do what?”

“You're always attentive and take everything to heart. Even when Maya did all those horrible things, you urged us to forgive her and uplifted our spirits.”

You quietly listened.

"How do you manage to be so compassionate in a world like this?”

You didn't require a moment's thought for that, as the answer was an innate response to you. Now, more than ever, you grasped the foundation of something you had always taken for granted, something that had been ingrained in your being since birth.

And for the first time, after many years of believing it to be your worst flaw that would bring nothing but disaster, you felt a wave of pride in possessing it.

Your smile broadened and your eyes shimmered under the soft lighting of the corridor. "It runs in the family.”

In the subsequent week, your inventive mind remained persistently active during your time at home, outside office hours. You functioned much like a machine at full throttle, failing to switch off, with only brief intermissions for meals or nightly rest. Serving as a maid for Alex Burgess had conditioned you for prolonged hours and demanding tasks. But now, your heart and mind were wholly immersed in the endeavor, and you found immense satisfaction in your accomplishments.

One night, you were so engrossed in your creation that you didn't notice Morpheus silently materializing behind you, moving with the stealth of a cat as he cautiously advanced towards your desk. He tuned into the sound of your pencil gliding across the paper with precision, observing how you swept your hair back and tucked it behind your ear, revealing a portion of your neck that he couldn't help but gaze at. He absorbed your occasional hums as you scrutinized your sketch, and the rhythm of your steady breathing that resonated directly with his heart.

When he softly murmured your name, in a low tone like a tender melody, you lifted your head and partially turned in your chair, discovering the King of Dreams standing near you, appearing contemplative and unsure.

The genuine happiness you felt upon seeing him reverberated throughout your room. "Hi!”

Morpheus pouted. As he typically did. Oh, how much you cherished that expression of his.

“You are not in bed.”

You shot him a puzzled glance. "Uh... no. Wait, what time is it?”

As you extended your hand to grasp your phone, unlocking the screen to inspect the LED, you emitted a startled gasp at the sight that greeted you. The white numbers at the top of the display glaringly read 3 AM.

How could you be so absorbed in what you were doing that you didn't even realize it was well past your bedtime?

"Sorry… I was distracted.”

You closed your sketchbook, pushing your chair back to stand up. Morpheus remained immobile, and as you rose to your full height, your lips came close to his.

“You were not in the Dreaming,” he murmured.

Although this wasn't his first time checking on you for burning the midnight oil, it was undeniably the longest you had kept awake in a considerable while. Knowing his worry about the possible repercussions for you, given his past experiences with Nada, a pang of guilt ebbed at you for not being more mindful.

"I know… I lost track of time. I'm getting ready now, promise. Could you wait for me?”

Morpheus nodded in agreement, but held his position without moving.

You brushed his cool fingers with your own, tenderly taking his hands into yours and placing a gentle kiss at the corner of his lips. As always, he softened at your touch, reciprocating your gesture and holding you tighter, his thumbs gently stroking your knuckles.

It was a repeated exchange to which you had become accustomed, but it never lost its charm. His scent, the paradoxical coolness and warmth he exuded, his voice, his mere presence. You craved all of it as much as the air you breathed.

"I'll see you in a bit," you announced, reluctantly releasing him and unzipping your hoodie. The moment you retreated to the bathroom, washing off your makeup, cleansing your face and slipping into the comfort of your nightgown, he had already vanished, evaporated, awaiting you in his realm.

The moment you sank into the mattress, turning off the light and being soothed by the softness of the covers, it was only a matter of minutes before sleep overtook you. You remembered those times when you failed to surrender to your fatigue, the insomnia that Morpheus' imprisonment had caused. It was all gone, nothing more than a distant memory, a story that you hoped no one would ever have to experience again.

You were eager to reunite with him, deep within the Dreaming. A world that felt like home.

When your eyes fluttered open, you found yourself still lying in your bed, your vision gradually adjusting to the darkness. The lights seeping in through the window began to illuminate parts of your room, but as you rolled over, something felt out of the ordinary.

You were unable to discern exactly what was wrong, as everything seemed to be positioned correctly. However, there was an indistinct fuzziness, a sensation of floating that left you questioning the authenticity of your wakefulness.

A dark silhouette emerged at the end of the bed, but before you could react with a heart-stopping scream, you quickly recognized Morpheus, watching you with a dignified posture. You held your breath, barely blinking, awaiting his next move or words.

Then, very quietly, he moved onto the mattress with the agility of a stealthy predator. Yet, you were far from feeling like a frightened prey.

You propped yourself up, the covers sliding down from your chest. "Am I dreaming?”

"You are," he responded, inching ever closer to your form, his right hand tracing the outline of your covered legs.

"You're not an illusion, are you?”

He offered you a faint smile. "No.”

“Good. I’d be disappointed otherwise.”

His hand reached the hem of the covers, shifting them down, further and further, until more of your body was exposed. The nightgown felt peculiarly warm, enveloping you like a cozy bath.

"I'm intrigued. Why choose this setting?”

"I wanted to offer you something more... familiar, for this occasion.”

You chuckled, biting your lower lip as you could already feel the arousal stirring within you. How could you lose your composure in such a way, just by watching his face inching closer to yours?

"And, what exactly is this occasion...?”

Morpheus looked intensely into your eyes, brimming with hunger and love for you.

"You desire me, Y/N," he revealed. "I can sense it.”

As much as you felt inclined to deny it, you realized just how fervently you needed to feel him against you. Given your work commitments and his responsibilities as the King of Dreams, the time you could allocate for each other was rather restricted, let alone for intimacy. Consequently, you were left to savor quick exchanges of affection that only intensified your craving for more.

It was truly maddening, but it couldn't be helped.

And in a way, it was somewhat exciting.

"I could claim that it's not true, but you're in my head right now," you stated, wearing a smile. "And quite frankly, I would never deny you.”

Morpheus moved closer, nudging you back against the mattress with a mere push of his fingers. Your body was under his enchantment, one that you didn't have the slightest wish to break.

"Please, allow me to attend to you.”

You swallowed, feeling your nightgown being lifted, its fabric brushing against your skin as it rolled up.

"What about you?”

"This is your dream," he replied. "All of this, is for you.”

His hands continued to guide the fabric upward until it reached your breasts, allowing it to rest just above your nipples, while he took in the sight of the rest of your body, completely bare, spread out before him like the most delectable of treats.

For a fleeting moment, you wondered about the whereabouts of your underwear, but you conjectured that he might have conveniently made it vanish. Regardless, you had no qualms about it.

“Morpheus-”

“Shh.”

His lips grazed your cheekbone, tracing a path along your jawline, chin, and down to your neck. You felt his middle and forefinger glide down your stomach, lightly tickling your navel and moving lower past your belly. You glanced down, admiring his long digits as they continued their exploration, but just when you anticipated they would venture directly to your sensitive center, they veered off course and moved towards your thigh.

Your breathing quickened, your heart pounded fiercely, and your legs instinctively parted for him when his hand encircled your knee. Your nipples were continuously rubbing against the nightgown, generating an exquisite friction between them and the silky material. His touch was tantalizing, deliberately slow and feather-light, escalating the tension you felt emanating from your core. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he was executing it impeccably well. Never before had you imagined a lustful dream could be so satisfying.

At last, his fingers began to glide forward, and his other hand slipped under the nightgown to cradle the curve of your breast. The sensation you experienced when his thumb just barely swiped over your nipple was electrifying, but the way your body jerked, quivered, and twitched didn't seem to faze him in the least.

Even though your senses were considerably amplified in your dream state, your body had always been especially receptive to a man's touch. Morpheus had ceaselessly demonstrated that your pleasure was paramount above all else, and yet, it continued to feel incredibly mesmerizing. You couldn't tell if it was owing to his magical essence or an exceptional degree of restraint, but his consistent focus on giving rather than receiving was truly exceptional.

Your fingers gripped the bedsheets when he explored your labia, outlining its shape yet not fully delivering the pleasure you wanted. As his other thumb maintained its attentive caress on your nipple, your back curved gracefully. The sensations were so vivid and intense that you feared you might awaken prematurely, preventing the dream from reaching its climax and interrupting what Morpheus had initiated.

You let out a moan, a curse forming between your teeth as his fingers found your clit, establishing a steady, gentle rhythm that you thought would never suffice, but soon produced that familiar tingle that signaled it wouldn't take long for you to let loose. Even with the most tender of touches, with his fingers lightly stroking your clitoris up and down, sweetly, gently, Morpheus was offering you the universe.

Your legs parted even further, his long coat billowing out behind him, as if intending to enfold the two of you. He paused, guiding one finger towards your entrance, probing it gently to reach your delicate spot inside, akin to pressing a switch to light you up. Your pleasure escalated, not quite enough to trigger your orgasm, but sufficient to make your clit pulse and your whole body tremble in ecstasy. He remained so tranquil, so concentrated, so solemn and silent. You felt as though you were one of his masterpieces, sculpted like a work of art, the most exquisite of dream creatures under his guardianship.

He moved back to your hood, lifting it and stroking his moistened fingers over the sensitive bud underneath, yet again, without increasing his pace or exerting any substantial pressure.

The familiar feeling of satisfaction was approaching, teetering on the brink of release, but just barely eluding your grasp. You brought your hand to his chest, feeling the fabric of his shirt, and moving to his collarbones. Your lips parted, silently pleading to be kissed, only to be instantly met by his own in a sensual and heated choreography.

The Moonstone pendant served as a beacon, enveloping both of you and your environment in its radiant blues and whites. It was so potent that tiny particles of light emanated from it, creating a protective halo around you.

"You're amazing," you confessed against his mouth. "Has anyone ever told you that?”

Morpheus seemed momentarily speechless, pausing his movements, but keeping his fingers connected to your core.

"That is not a word I have often heard used to describe me.”

Your head flopped back onto the pillow, feeling defeated. "Seriously, what's wrong with everyone?”

"You may be the first to see me as more than just the King of Nightmares.”

"Nightmares? What you’re giving to me right now is far from a nightmare.”

You kissed him again to emphasize your point, reaching for the hand that was securely cupping your breast. "You are Dream of The Endless. My Dream.”

He inhaled shakily as his eyes gleamed, and his fingers resumed their ministrations on your clit. Despite their touch maintaining a consistent tenderness, barely grazing your skin, the rhythm of his movements hastened. Processing it was unfeasible as the slick strokes rapidly kindled the sparks, triggering your orgasm to erupt beneath his fingertips. It surged up to the nipple he persistently stimulated, and dispersed into a serene state of bliss.

It might have been a dream, but it felt unequivocally spectacular.

He patiently waited for your pleasure to subside, and then, he retracted his hands from you. He grasped the wrinkled fabric of your nightgown, pulling it down, the creases miraculously straightening as it outlined the contours of your body.

Your haziness was intensifying, indicating that the Waking World was beginning to reclaim you. You resisted it, maintaining your focus on him as he observed you, clenching your hands into fists and drawing in a deep breath to anchor yourself.

You felt fulfilled, satisfied, and thoroughly cared for.

However, he did not.

Despite his desire to make everything solely about you, you couldn't accept it as fair. Therefore, you shifted yourself into a more vertical position, tugging the Endless towards you by his coat. This movement prompted him to position himself above you, taking care not to impose his entire weight on your smaller frame.

"Y/N-"

"Shh.”

This time, the roles were reversed, and it was you who hushed him to continue.

"I understand that you wanted this to be about me. But, despite it being my dream, we're still in your domain.”

You extended your hand towards the back of his neck, weaving your fingers through his short tresses. "I'm going to wake up soon, but before I do... let me give you something in return.”

You didn't wait for his reply. By the time he parted his lips, your hand was already making its way towards the button of his trousers.

He made no effort to stop you, allowing you to unfasten his garments, unveiling his eager arousal springing forth, ready and needy. How unfair would it be to leave him unattended, untouched, overlooked?

Morpheus was desperate for you, hungering for your touch.

Your nose brushed against his as you maintained your grip around his neck for support (and comfort), and your fingers promptly encircled the head of his member. His legs, straddling you, tensed and stiffened the moment you glided your hand down to the base, only to replicate the motion several more times. As much as it pained you, you couldn't afford the same level of tender and unhurried strokes. At any second, you could be thrust back into your real bed, and you didn't want to risk waking before he reached his own peak.

The way he groaned, so faintly, imperceptibly, holding himself back, was something you found incredibly appealing. You drew him even closer, accelerating your pace, ensuring that all his most sensitive regions were stimulated.

You continued your ministrations, increasing the speed, feeling the pull of the Waking World, akin to invisible ropes winding around you. You resisted once more, concentrating on the moist sounds your hand produced against his hardness, on his lips tenderly brushing yours as soft as a tender brush on a canvas.

You loved every single part of it.

And just when you thought you might not finish in time, that he would be left there alone, unsatisfied, forsaken in his desires, the perfect touch on his tense underside drove him to that delectable edge that you both longed for. His hips jerked forward repeatedly, his eyes clamped shut, his mouth letting out a few low grunts that intermingled with your breath.

In due course, your hand reduced its speed until it ceased entirely, but it remained connected to him as he softened. You gently scratched his scalp with your nails, playfully tousling his hair, and planted a kiss upon his forehead.

You released a joyful laugh when he curved his lips, looking absolutely content and thoroughly satisfied. You went on to pepper his face with even more kisses, whispering about your immense love for him, your fortune in having him, his talents in every possible way, and more.

It was the most delightful awakening you could ever wish for, a grin permanently etched at the corners of your lips as you left the Dreaming behind.

Freya was in absolute shock. She looked at the freshly tailored red dress laid out for her to see, designed specifically to her tastes and body size. Her eyes had sparkled with excitement when you showed her the initial sketch, but seeing her now, tears of joy streaming down her face, made you feel as though you'd accomplished an extraordinary feat. Unbeknownst to her, you had collaborated with the rest of your team to orchestrate this splendid surprise, with Ella's full backing.

You gently encouraged Freya to try the dress on, assuring her that only by wearing it could she appreciate the full beauty of the sophisticated design and velvety fabric. The moment she emerged from the restroom, you couldn’t believe your eyes. She was even more stunning than you had envisioned, making your own creation appear as if you were beholding it for the first time. The full-length sleeves and high neckline imparted the dress with a modest and elegant appearance, while the front opening tastefully showcased a generous portion of her cleavage. The lengthy gown gracefully traced her curves and swept the floor, and the slit on the right subtly revealed her leg.

She even let her voluminous hair down from the usual high bun she wore and touched up her lipstick, the high heels and earrings she selected that day appeared to be an impeccable match.

It was a day to be remembered, truly. The way she embraced and thanked you, as if you'd bestowed upon her the most anticipated reward. The confidence she exuded by agreeing to be photographed in the studio like a professional model, everyone thoroughly enjoying the occasion, showering praise and throwing a genuine party with drinks and snacks in her honor. All of this warmed your heart, filled you with happiness and fulfillment, and reaffirmed that you were exactly where you were meant to be.

Eventually, Freya mustered the courage to send one of her photos to her bride-to-be friend. She expressed her desire to wear the new dress at the wedding, which understandably caused quite a stir. The woman was adamant that all the bridesmaids should be clad in identical outfits. If she couldn't procure the same dress for the others, then Freya wouldn't be permitted to wear something distinctive. You were afraid that this might dampen her spirits and ruin her good mood, but to your surprise, Freya resolved that if she couldn't wear your dress, she wouldn't attend the wedding at all.

You had crafted it solely for her. She was the only one who had the right to decide when and where to wear it. After the party, she chose to reserve it for the night of the show, using it as publicity for both the Corbyn&Jones brand and you.

"You know, Y/N, I think what you do is quite magical," she told you. "You might not even realize it, but you literally create dreams that have the power to transform others.”

“Really?”

“Of course! I mean, just by trying out this dress today, I feel like a completely different person.”

You found it paradoxical that you, of all people, were being described as someone capable of making dreams a reality.

"Let's just say that I have some good inspiration in my life," you confessed with a smile.

Freya lifted her glass, clinking it against yours in a friendly toast. "Well then. Cheers to your good influence and genius!”

The night of the show was a mere two days away. While everyone was busy preparing and setting things up at the designated location for the event, Ella beckoned you to her side, the printed lineup practically attached to her hand. She looked distinctly terrified, while Oliver was able to maintain a more composed demeanor despite his own nerves.

You'd be lying if you said that the impending occasion wasn't impacting you in a similar way.

"I know this is somewhat last minute, but one of our sponsors would like to meet you in person this afternoon.”

You furrowed your brow. "One of the sponsors? Why?”

"Oh, that might be my doing. I may have boasted about you a tad excessively.”

You shook your head in playful disbelief. "Seriously, Ella.”

"I know! But you are literally our leading figure. It's only a matter of time before more prominent people decide to make their move.”

"I'm just a designer, I'm not the one in charge.”

"Our sales have seen a significant increase these past few months, thanks to you. Come on, let me sing your praises.”

You chuckled. "Fine. When should I expect them?”

"You're scheduled to meet the sponsor in the main hall around 4pm.”

“Noted.”

Ella let out a squeal, which she attempted to suppress due to the many people around, hailing from different brands and sectors.

"I'm genuinely proud of you. You truly deserve all the success that's coming your way.”

“Honestly, Ella, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for your call.”

"And I wouldn't have called if it weren't for your email. It's funny how life works, isn't it?”

You found yourself nodding with conviction, reflecting on all the remarkable things, whether challenging or rewarding, that had entered your life since you left the Burgess mansion.

Since you encountered Dream of the Endless. Your beloved Morpheus.

If only you had known that the person you were about to meet wasn't who you expected them to be.

By the time you made your way to the main hall, Ella had returned to the office to finalize the remaining details with Oliver. You had been constantly active all morning, barely managing to squeeze in time for an outdoor lunch, arranging the garments for the presentation, and refining the lineup. You were on the brink of being tardy for the appointment, and you left the backrooms in such a rush that you unintentionally left your phone behind.

Casting a quick glance around the luxurious space, you cleared your throat and adjusted your hair to ensure you looked presentable. You didn't spot anyone who seemed to be waiting, so you opted to sit on one of the vacant couches, taking a moment to observe your surroundings.

You found yourself completely zoned out, watching the staff bustling about and your competitors occasionally strolling past, until a voice jolted you from your trance.

"Why, hello there. You must be Y/N Y/LN.”

You raised your gaze to encounter a distinctive figure standing in front of you. They were attired in a white suit, which exposed a portion of their chest and highlighted an oval pendant suspended from a lengthy silver chain. Their blonde hair was flawlessly slicked back, a pair of round earrings graced their ears, and red lipstick accentuated what seemed to be a sincere, yet cryptic smile.

But what truly captivated you was the color of their eyes, which you couldn't pinpoint due to the lighting making them gleam gold.

"Oh, uh, yes. That's me," you stammered.

Their smile broadened. “It's quite a pleasure to meet you in person.”

Their voice was smooth, calm, and suave.

"Likewise," you responded, sitting up straighter and adopting a more professional tone.

"Do you mind if I join you?" They asked, gesturing towards the empty space on the couch beside you.

"Not at all, please have a seat.”

There was something inexplicably peculiar about this sponsor. They settled themselves next to you, a tad too close for your liking, you might add. Aiming not to appear overly nervous, you swiftly collected yourself and returned their smile.

"I'm surprised that you wanted to meet. Do you have any specific questions you'd like to ask me?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. You could say that I'm interested in your... desires.”

You required a moment to process their words.

"My desires...?”

"Look where you are," they declared, sweeping their impeccably manicured hand to indicate the place. "This must be like a dream come true for you, isn't it?”

You had the distinct feeling that they found this thought amusing, leaving you uncertain about whether they were mocking you or not.

"Well, yes. It certainly is. I've worked really hard to reach this point," you affirmed.

"And yet, I can see that you're still searching for something.”

What were they even hinting at?

"There's always scope for improvement," you elucidated. "I may have come a long way in this industry, but that doesn't mean I can't continue to learn as I progress.”

"Is that what you desire? Greater wealth and recognition?”

You were uncertain whether they were attempting to carry out an unconventional interview, or if their words held some concealed subtext. Was this genuinely the sponsor Ella had spoken to you about?

For a moment, a fear gripped you that you might have encountered the wrong person entirely, perhaps someone dispatched by your competitors to probe and expose your vulnerabilities. But as you threw a cursory look around the hall, you didn't notice anyone else seeking you out.

"I wouldn't say that, no. I engage in what I do because I love creating something that empowers the wearer to feel comfortable in their own skin."

They hummed in ponderation. "Well, I guess that's not too far off from what I do.”

“What is it that you do?”

"My dear, I am in search of individuals who are just like you, drawn to those objects of their desire like a butterfly to a candle's flame.”

That was quite an enigmatic and poetic way to respond. You inferred that as a sponsor, they were particularly discerning about the brand and company they decided to invest in. Possibly, as the one fundamentally in control of the main collections of Corby&Jones, they aimed to painstakingly scrutinize your intentions and authenticity.

It was entirely plausible, all things considered. Yet, there was an odd element that was making you feel uneasy.

“So tell me then, what is it that you want? Don't be shy. Or perhaps I should try to guess?”

Alarm bells started sounding in your mind the moment they edged even closer, their fingers lightly sweeping your hair away from your face.

“You want something sensual, or maybe something precious. Or... maybe someone special. Or maybe you want all three. Yes, I think that might just be the case. ”

The last thing you wanted was for your company to lose one of its most significant sponsors, but your patience was already stretched thin and you could not bear any more of it.

Sporting a nervous chuckle, you cautiously lifted your hand to gently move theirs away as diplomatically as you could, using your left leg to redistribute your weight and subtly distance yourself a bit further from them.

"I’m sorry, but I'm afraid your guess is inaccurate.”

“Is that so?”

"I have a boyfriend. I have no need to seek anything or anyone else, as I've already attained everything I've ever wished for.”

You could almost swear their expression transformed into a blend of disappointment and annoyance, even though they managed to somewhat retain their smile.

"Well, that's unfortunate," they proclaimed. "But you see, all humans are creatures of desire, twisting and bending to their whims.”

You were still unable to understand what all of that was about. Regardless of their motive, you had no interest in discerning it.

"I wouldn't want to come off as rude, but I really need to return to my work. Is there any particular matter you wanted to discuss with me?”

Your attempt to abruptly terminate the conversation and depart clearly took them by surprise, as you noticed them purse their red lips and squint their eyes to scrutinize you. The longer you gazed into those irises, the more the notion strengthened that they were indeed gold. But such an eye color was improbable for a human, wasn't it…?

Eventually, they reverted to their initial politeness. "But of course. I was merely curious to finally meet the famous Y/N Y/LN. Go ahead, continue with your work. I won't hold you here.”

With a simple nod of your head, you excused yourself, standing up from the couch and offering your hand in a professional manner, which they accepted. Their grip was firm, warm, and oddly comforting, yet at the same time, a chill ran through your entire body.

What you experienced in that moment was truly bizarre. A part of you felt as though you knew them, or at least, there was a familiarity in their presence that echoed Morpheus and Teleute. A distant voice in your head reassured you that there was no need for fear, that they could calm your spirit and provide the most exhilarating ride you could ever imagine.

And it terrified you.

The instant they released you, you practically dashed off, fumbling in your pocket for your phone to give Ella a piece of your mind about the situation, only to discover that you didn't have the device with you.

And you were oblivious to the way they continued to gaze at you until you were out of sight, narrowing their eyes and resting their fingers on their chin in profound thought.

"My, what a fascinating mortal being,” they commented with a broad grin, before releasing a prolonged, amused laugh through their perfectly white teeth.

The moment you reentered the backrooms, Freya hailed you and advanced with a brisk stride, extending her hand that was gripping your phone. "I found it on the table next to me. Ella sent you a message, I noticed her name flashing on the screen.”

Speak of the Devil…

"Thanks, Freya. I'll check it right away. I'll be back in a minute.”

She nodded in recognition and gave you a thumbs-up, before resuming her task of arranging the chosen outfits on their corresponding hangers.

You unlocked the screen and navigated straight to your friend's chat, freezing in place as soon as you read her message.

You could feel your blood chilling as you recognized that the person you had just interacted with was, in fact, not the one you were initially supposed to meet. You had found them strange, slightly ethereal even, but overall suitable for that specific setting, notwithstanding their flirtatious conduct.

And now, staring in utter disbelief at your phone screen, you could only conjecture about their real identity, how they knew your name, and most importantly, why they were there for you.

The only logical explanation you could arrive at was your initial assumption about a competitor sending one of their own, but you couldn't dismiss that nagging feeling in your gut that they were someone, or perhaps even something, entirely distinct.

Without a moment's hesitation, you tucked your phone into your pocket and sprinted for the main hall, hoping to still find them there and obtain an explanation. Regrettably, they were nowhere to be seen, as you couldn't spot their elegant attire, blonde hair, or golden eyes.

You came to the realization that they hadn't even introduced themselves to you. You had no name to associate with them, no concrete information about their profession or location whatsoever. You were left without any leads, while they appeared to have a clear understanding of who you were. Could you possibly be dealing with an admirer who had infiltrated the showroom solely to see you?

In the end, all you could do was return to your responsibilities and let the matter slide, even though it certainly nagged at you for the remainder of the day.

With all arrangements for the imminent show complete, Ella and Oliver gave their team a well-deserved day off before the grand event, ensuring that everyone could rejuvenate and approach the coming day with renewed energy. Capitalizing on this chance, you planned another visit to your father, as time with him had been scant since the revelation about your mother. The last time you awoke from the Dreaming, he implied there was something he wished to talk about, but assured you it wasn't pressing and could be postponed.

However, as soon as he opened the door to greet you, it was evident that something about him was off again. He appeared hesitant, leaving you lingering at the entrance without fully inviting you in, his countenance displaying unease.

"Dad? What's wrong? Can I come in or are we planning to have lunch here on your doorstep?”

He exhaled deeply, shifting his gaze towards something in the living room. "No, it's just.... there's someone here.”

"Oh... a guest? Would you prefer if I came back next week?”

"No, no, there's no need for that," he paused. "Actually... they're here for you.”

You attempted to conjure a mental image of who they might be. "Huh...?”

At last, he moved aside to let you in, closing the door behind you and assisting you with your jacket. But before you could proceed further, he gently grasped your arm and placed both his hands on your shoulders.

"Y/N, I didn't plan this. Whatever happens, know that I will understand if you decide to leave.”

“Dad, seriously. What’s going on here?”

Reflecting back, you should have realized that there was only one person who would potentially want to converse with you. You had barely interacted with his friends a few times, and he was the sole family you had left. There was no one else who would wish to see you in his house.

Except for someone you believed would never be allowed to come near the two of you, ever again.

When he remained silent, lowering his gaze, you pivoted and ventured into the living room. There, you noticed a woman stationed by the window, her eyes fixed outside, responding to your entrance with a slight flinch.

You couldn't instantly recognize her, but as she slowly swiveled around to face you, your heart abruptly stopped. You found yourself staring at the woman from your dream, the memory that Morpheus had transferred from your father's mind into yours. She nervously fiddled with her thumbs while clasping her hands over her lap, swallowing hard and blinking rapidly to clear her tear-filled eyes.

You felt a dizzy spell coming on, unable to react, as your father slowly moved to stand beside you, nervously anticipating some sort of response from you.

And then it came, your voice shaky, trembling, emerging as a whisper. "Mum....?"

Upon hearing that, she managed a smile in your direction, summoning the courage to take a step towards you. "Hello, Y/N.”

You began to hyperventilate, your ears filled with a loud ringing noise and a dreadful wave of nausea started to swell within you. She repeated your name, but it became inaudible. Her lips were moving, yet no sound was perceptible, as the unbearable ringing in your ears drowned everything else out.

You had reconciled with that she would only exist as a faint echo in the background of your existence, a distant figure you'd never have a chance to see or converse with. Caught completely off guard, you found yourself in her presence for the first time, a moment you had yearned for since your childhood years.

And you were petrified, completely paralyzed with fear.

Your father gently prodded you, trying to elicit a proper reaction that stubbornly refused to surface. Your breathing grew rapid and strained as you struggled to supply enough oxygen to your brain.

Until everything descended into darkness.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 (currently reading) Go to Chapter 16 (coming soon) ->

[asphyxiatedredherring]

Ok, so the Stone triplets, I have a lot to say.

Jacob Stone was raised by their biological father Isaac Stone. Stone being all of their original last names (I'll get to the name changes later). I think their biological mom died which is what caused the separation of the brothers. I'd say this happened at an age in which they remember their mom and growing up together, but still young enough to have spent some of their childhood apart. Isaac Stone is known to be an alcoholic and deadbeat, I'd also argue abusive so he separated the twins, keeping only Jacob, the most agreeable of the three who he thinks he can make carry on the family business.

Alex was taken in by his uncle Danny as stated in s1e7. Danny says his folks couldn't take care of him anymore and left Alex with him. Alex was subsequently raised in a life of crime, lying, cheating, and stealing. I think Danny is their mom's brother and Isaac dumped Alex off onto him and Alex changed his last name to Walker to match Uncle Danny's.

Although Eliot says he was dropped at a hopital as a baby and then adopted by Billy, I think this is a lie and Eliot came to them when he was older after the death of his biological mother. I believe the Spencer's found Eliot in the hospital in Oklahoma, where both the Stones and Billy lived and took him in from there. Eliot then changed his name to his adoptive parents. We can assume the house in Oklahoma City that Eliot visits and doesn't get an answer at in The Low Low Price Job is Billy's. In The Bucket Job, Eliot has a contact in his phone labeled Dad (Billy) and "J." He is shown to text J so it can be assumed that Eliot and Jacob have had a little bit of contact, but Eliot says that he hasn't had contact with his Dad since he was 18. Now we don't actually know that Spencer is Billy's last name. It could be an alias Eliot used after leaving the military and becomes a little less than legal in his activities. Billy's last name could be Carson (Eliot is seen wearing a Carson Hardware shirt, and we know Billy had a hardware store). This could make Eliot's legal last name Carson.

(Sorry, there is a lot more)

When Eliot was 18, he enlisted in the military and left. I think this is what stopped the contact between him and Jacob, and contact between Alex and the other two decreased and eventually stopped as Alex was with Uncle Danny.

In the Miracle Job Eliot mentions having a nephew. This could imply another sibling whither biological or adoptive, or that Evelyn Walker is trans and Eliot didn't know.

Eliot goes through his time in the military, then as a hitter and retrieval expert, his time with Moreau, and then eventually with Leverage. Alex gets married and has a daughter, becomes a well known DEA agent and eventually divorced and ends up in the Philippines. Alex works for Isaac Stone for a bit while amassing secret degrees eventually leaving the family business under the guise of working a similar job somewhere else when he is working for The Library.

Eliot hears about Alex's DEA fame through the crime grapevine and Alex catches wind of the notorious Eliot Spencer whom he suspects is his brother but can't seem to ever find enough information on to confirm. They however do not have contact. Eliot finds out about Jacob working for the Metropolitan Library as an art historian after Jacob gains the confidence to publish under his own name through Sophie who admires his work and would love to con him. This prompts the first contact since they were 18 from Eliot (with the help of Hardison's computer skills but Eliot asked Hardison not to ask questions). Eliot also establishes Jacob off limits as a mark for Sophie with no context.

Eve Baird knows about DEA legend Alex Walker. As previously mentioned, Sophie knows about Jacob Stone as an art historian. Sophie and Maggie die and pester Eliot once they find out he knows thee Jacob Stone, Dr Oliver Thompson, and all the other aliases Jacob has published under. Read more in another wonderful Stone Triplets post here.

Now, there are options about how this reconnection could go. A combo of a con and clippings book quest in the Philippines leading to Alex. Or a vacation in Portland for our Filipino friends where they and the LITs end up in the Portland brew pub (since that's where the annex is). Or they finally decide to reach out to each other.

I'm team Eliot decides he wants to reach out, especially after reconnecting with Billy and texting a bit with Jacob. So they all meet in a neutral location. Obviously, they bring their found families with them. And oh dear, it's Bisexual Disaster Polycule³. Kai and Ernesto are terrified to find out there are two more Alex's but they are actually cool, they are however trying to actively ignore the not quite legal business Alex's gruff looking brother Eliot seems to have going on. They've heard stories about The Eliot Spencer, but Alex trusts him, so they will too. Mostly. Ezekiel can not believe he is meeting THE Parker. And it's stealing for a good cause! He wants to work with Leverage immediately. Cassandra is so excited to meet Jacob's family (especially since meeting Isaac didn't go very well). She and Hardison are stoked to pick each other's brains. Jacob assures Eve that it's ok to tell his brothers the truth. Parker, Breanna, and Hardison both die a little upon finding out about the existence of magic. They all three have a billion and one questions and Breanna practically begs for an apprenticeship under Jenkins, wanting to learn more about the back door and his other inventions. (Jenkins decided best not to share his true identity for avoidance of the endless questions bound to erupt). The Filipino trio try not to think too hard about the magic stuff. Jacob is lightly concerned about the art theft, but he Sophie and Maggie immediately set up a brunch. Jacob and Ernesto talk martial arts, and Eliot compliments both of their styles. Alex and Parker talk about being raised in crime. Alex is amazed that he's the one who was raised in lying and stealing, but it's the other two brothers who do that now. Jacob is very offended and insists he is not a thief and that retrieving dangerous artifacts is not theft. When they part ways and Alex goes back to his gift shop, he is surprised to find out from Corey that rent has been paid for several months in advance. Also, upon meeting, it was noted of the stark similarity between Harry and Flynn only to find out that Flynn is Harry's estranged, eccentric cousin. What a small world.

They chat, they catch up on eachothers lives, and they agree to keep in touch. For real this time. They plan to spend holidays together, combining the three found families into a chaotic but loving mess.

It should also be noted that I haven't seen Angel yet, but Lindsay is a cousin. They also have a weird cousin from Texas named Lee Webb. Back to when I mentioned that we don't know that Spender is Billy's last name. Eliot could have taken inspiration from a family member with the last name Spencer. (It could be his mom if she and her brother Danny Walker have different last names or another family member). Thereby connecting Shawn Spencer to be a cousin. The thought of him at a family reunion with Eliot, Jacob, and Alex is too funny to ignore. Especially when you remember Parker's thing about psychics and how much Sophie would absolutely adore the long con game on the SBPD.