sapphicsecrecy

[harundraws]

Van comes up with a killer pun 🐝🔪

(… it’s Super Effective?! 🐝💞)

…. i just wanted to draw TaiVan making out (and explore a different dynamic between tai and van ) 🫣

ALSO SURPRISE MISTYNAT to celebrate mistynat week ! not sure how much i can contribute but hope everyone else has fun !! ✨

[kiwanopie]

aki threatening to make us housewives………. the way i physically gasped 😭. he’s the worst—one year as your senpai and he’s already decided you’re his.

it’s so vile too bc you want it, want him more than anything. want aki to cream your cute pussy ‘til you’re bloated. wanna hold up chunky lil babies that giggle and pull at their daddy’s topknot :((

the way i immediately opened my docs this ask sent my brain into overdrive

Glutton.

cw: car sex. breeding. dumbification. overstimulation. choking (aki wraps his hand around your neck) creampie. 1.1k

You already know he’ll name it after his little brother.

Or his mom. Whatever her name was? You’ve been chalking up ideas since he put it in your head and now it feels like you can’t remember a thing. Just your hope that if it’s a boy it’ll look like him and if it’s a girl - for her sake - she won’t have her mother’s tendency to misbehave.

You’re nothing if not a glutton for punishment.

You know, you’ve always assumed that Aki was a smart guy. I mean he’s team leader for a reason? He’s level headed in most cases, stalwart when it counts, a little demented but conscious of the things he does, and stubborn. He’d walk on a plate of fire just to prove a point - but it’s not a bad thing to stay true to your own ideals. This is a guy who keeps his promises. Every single one of them.

He’s too ticked off to put two and two together. “It’s like you like pissing me off.”

Aki’s heated breaths burn sear marks into the crook of your throat, just over the open wing of your collar and love notes left by his lips from earlier. Your brain’s too mushy to do anything but pant into the air, blowing thicker tufts of condensation that have already turned his car windows misty.

He’s fucking you like he means to turn your guts around, pistoning into your poor overstimmed cunt like it’s all he’s meant to do. Not even faltering when the acrylics of your nails tear shallow gashes into his button up - If you had the half of mind, you could even say he enjoys it.

Feeling you cling to him so desperately as he grunts in the crook of your shoulder, tighten when he curses at you. Maybe he’s too blissed out. Maybe he’s not as smart as you took him for. But you seem to be taking the repercussions of your misbehavior in stride.

“Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” Aki hisses in your ear. “You’ve got a lot of fucking nerve going over my head after what I told you.”

You croon when he lifts one of your legs and fastens it over his arm to get you at a better angle - a deeper angle. God, his seats are probably ruined.

You already knew you were in trouble when he offered to drive you home. You knew the look in his eyes, and you knew Makima was obviously gonna tell the guy overseeing you that you requested clearance to be contracted with a new devil, especially one so substantial. You even pulled the extra stop of shoeing in a compelling argument. ‘The life of a hunter is short anyway. Why not make it mean something?’

Like getting knocked up by your boss in the back of his Lincoln. “P-…Please forgive me, senpai! I’m- fuck, m’so sorry-“

“You might as well get used to calling me by my first name.” He grunts. “It’d be pretty fucking confusing when we start sharing my last.”

Aki lets out a broken curse when you tighten up again. “God, I can’t believe you. Were you even gonna tell me? Was I just supposed to find out when you…”

He doesn’t even finish the thought. Instead he blows out a puff of air against your pulse that makes you shutter. Lifts his head to look at you more directly and stares at you for a moment. There’s a lot of emotions behind his eyes that you’re not exactly cognizant to decipher. A way the tendons in his jaw tense - that seems less angry and more ‘something else entirely.’ But before you can zero your misty eyes on what exactly that could be, he’s already pressing his lips against yours.

A slow kiss. Not messy and unrestrained like earlier but savory. Sensuous lip smacking all the more sultry when he tilts his head to follow the current of the kiss. His loose hair falls freely over your face, lax from all the tugging you’ve been doing since he started turning your insides to bisque. But a kiss like this is the kind you give when it means something. Goosebump and butterfly inducing - You moan in his mouth and he swallows it heartily.

And then he deepens it.

That earnest passionance becomes lustful and raunchy before you can even realize he’s sucking on your tongue. Deepening his thrusts until you’re feeling him in your stomach and groaning down your throat when your fingers start to dig into his scalp. If you didn’t know any better you’d say Aki was hoping for this kind of outcome just as much as you were. Especially when he starts to angle his thrusts for the spot that has you gushing around him like he likes.

The kiss leaves a gossamer trail of his spit when he pulls back for another look at you. Your pretty doe eyes have gone teary.

“Don’t even worry about your resignation, I fired you as soon as I found out.” Aki grunts. “We’ll figure out the living arrangements later.”

Your eyes roll back when he settles for a firm grip on your throat. “I’ll have to get a bigger car. Oh fuck - And a car seat.”

You babble something that sounds like a cross between “So good!” and “I’m cumming!” but it’s more a jumbled mess of moans and overstimulated whimpers. He’s stopped counting the amount of times your pretty pussy has gone into the process of milking him for all he’s got. But even as he follows you over the edge does he continue to fuck you brainless.

Aki peers down at the mess you’re making on his leather seats. “S-Shit. Quit wasting it. I’m not stopping till I know it’ll take.”

“S’good, senpai! A-Aki-senpai! So good! It’s s’good!”

He pulls your other leg up till you're folded in a mating press, groaning at the difference in angle. “You know - mhph - You’re even cuter when you’re all fucked out like this.”

His dick twitches at the way you start to drool. “Gonna be my pretty wife? Gimme some pretty babies?”

“Sso pretty…!” You slur. “G’nna make you a daddy!”

He gives you a blitzed smile that definitely says he’s as far gone as you are. “Yeah?”

Your mouth gapes as he bends over you, much too deep with your legs hooked over his shoulders and pressing his hips flat against your ass to grind in as thoroughly as possible.

“So stupid…” Aki skims his lips over yours. “You’re stupid if you think I’m done with you after that.”

He hums as he brings you into another kiss, briefly pulling away to murmur drunkenly. “Gimme a pretty family, baby.”

1 reblog = several Hayakawa babies

[i-cant-sing]

I feel like big brother dabi frequently checks little sister reader out from her preschool so that they can do stupid shit together and he can one up his siblings on who spends the most time with her

He does! And it's not him "checking her out" as much as it is "luring her out" or borderline kidnapping her, but he's done it so many times now that Enji officially gave your school the green light to let the "brooding, scary villain" take you.

The bigger the age gap between you two, the more softer he is towards you. Like in this scenario, Dabi is like 20 something, while reader is barely 5.

As soon as Dabi picks you from school, he's taking your pink bag and hanging it on his shoulder while letting your small hand hold his two fingers as you both walk, all while humming when you tell him about your day and how you learned what a "verb" is.

He'll take you to a convenience store first, to get you something to eat. And sure, mama Rei always makes the yummiest meals with the best organic ingredients and papa Enji always take you to Michelin starred restaurants and gourmet ice cream parlours, they still can't beat the addicting taste of cheap convenience store junk food, which is all Dabi can afford at the moment. And the best thing is, he doesn't say no. You want two ice creams? Fuck yeah, he'll get 4! That's just a fantastic idea and he won't say no to it.

Then later he'll tae you to a park, where you'll be playing more by yourself than have him play with you. However, you can't play with other kids either without his permission. If you see kids your age at the play ground, you'll have to come to Dabi and ask if you can play with them. Sometimes he'll say yes, mostly he says no. That's when you have to huff and guilt trip him with your small voice and complain how no one ever plays with you (because everyone is busy) and now Dabi is sitting in the sandbox at your pretend restaurant while you serve him a sand cake. (On the inside, he's crying because his inner child wants to give you all the love and affection and everything he never got)

After playing, you're tired and looking like a complete mess, so while you sit im Dabi's lap taking huge gulps from your water bottle, he's combing your hair with his hands and tying it into pretty braids with cute bows (that he absolutely does mot carry around with him and no, those are not your pink hair ties on his wrist. That's fashion), all while he's narrowing his eyes at you as you're inhaling your water.

"Hey, slow down, brat. You'll choke and I won't save you."

If he has time, he'll take you to McDonald's and get you a happy meal, not getting himself one cause again- he's poor. But he will steal your fries though, and your drink. Not that you mind. No, no. You love sharing your food with Dabi, in fact, you'll probably be feeding him with your own hands.

"Here comes the plane, Dabi! Say ahh!" As you poke his closed lips with a fry.

Sometimes you'll ask about his scars. You're still too young to understand it all, and you being a curious kid, you often ask about his appearance. With gentle hands, you'll be tracing his staples and burn marks, asking if they hurt.

He'll shrug. "They used to, but not anymore." But maybe his tone wasn't convincing enough, or maybe you just needed an excuse to your Hello Kitty bandaids, but you're pulling them out pf your bag and placing them haphazardly on Dabi before kissing each boo boo to "make the pain go away".

You don't notice the misty eyes of your brother while you're kissing his burns.

Before the sun sets, Dabi is taking you back home (or else Rei will have his head), and you're so tired that you fall asleep while he's carrying you, drooling slightly on his shoulder as you mumble about Dabi and him being the best (which he obviously recorded to piss off his siblings. Shotou and Fuyumi are 1000% convinced that this was a deep fame and not you).

He'll tuck you in bed, maybe kiss your forehead before leaving. On his way home, he's looking through all the photos he secretly took that day of you,and there are even some very shaky, badly taken photos of him by you (because you wanted to take photos of your big brother too🥺) before Dabi settles on the one picture where he's looking ominous (but his eyes are soft) and you're in his arms, all giddy and happy.

New wallpaper 🥺💖

[braidlottie]

chase you down until you love me.

pairing: nat scatorccio x pervert!transmasc!reader

summary: when you catch your friend relapsing, the only thing you could do is drive to his motel to talk him out of it. hopefully he won’t mind that you’ve been spying him with a hidden camera.

tags: smut, nsfw, 18+ (minors dni), dom!nat, age gap, fwb?,,, you're basically misty in this scenario lmao, humiliation, dirty talk, fingering, nat slaps you!!, crying, handjob, no aftercare

wc: 628 >:( this is so bad forgive me (the ending especially)

"what the fuck do you think you're doing?" you exclaimed, chest heaving from running into nat's motel room and throwing the cocaine out of his hands. nat was leaning against the kitchen counter, staring blankly at the wall.

"you just wasted $300 worth of blow." he stared at you now, making you sigh and look at the white powder scattered across the carpet. "look, i'll pay you back. but i couldn't just sit there and watch you destroy your life."

shit.

nat's eyebrows furrowed, watching you look back and forth between him and the owl. "watch me?"

he takes the statue in his hands and throws it down, smashing it on the ground and startling you. he picks up the wireless camera among the debris, holding it up to his face with an agonizing look.

"you were spying on me?" he tilted his head to the side.

"nat-"

"is that what you were doing, you little pervert?"

"i was just trying to protect you!" you lied terribly, digging yourself a deeper grave.

"stop it. how do i- how can i trust you? you're so full of shit!"

nat took a breath, gripping the roots of his hair. "knowing how fucking weird you are, you're probably getting off on this right now."

you didn't even try to protest. nat scoffed, a playful smirk playing on his face.

"you nasty little shit. c'mere." you didn't want to, but you knew nat would make you. you were walking a little too slow for his liking, making him push you up against the counter, your head almost hitting the cabinet behind you.

"you watched me all day, didn't you? i was your own little source of entertainment. watching me and kevyn fuck? i bet you liked that. i know you did." he hissed. "i want you to admit it."

when he got no answer, you weren't expecting a giant slap across the face. "answer me."

"mm- i did like it. seeing you fuck him. i- i wanted it to be me."

there was silence between the two of you before nat spoke again. "you sick little freak."

his words filled with venom and humiliation seemed to get to you, a tear making its way down your cheek. "oh, don't cry now. i thought you wanted this." he got even closer, your noses were almost touching. his hand reached your belt, the buckle as he loosened it, his green eyes staring you down like a hawk.

he felt you squirm, making him hold you firmer in place. once your pants were unbuttoned, he was met with your boner forming a tent in your boxers.

the waistband snapped back before he pulled down, you gasping from the cold air that hit your cock. "natty…"

"god, you're so fucking pathetic." he watched your tdick twitch up every so often from his words. he spit on his hand, coating your dick in it before stroking you.

"yeah… finally getting what you've always wanted. your little cock in my hand." your moans whiny and cracky at his words, trying to rock your hips into him. you sniffed, eyes still teary as the pressure in your stomach blew up like a balloon. "natty, 'm close.."

"aww, you gonna cum for me? gonna make a big mess?" he was so condescending, smiling at the tears streaming down your face. you just nodded, looking up at him with big, glossy eyes. "poor little boy, keeping this in for so long." he pinched your nipple, kissing around the bud. he stopped all of his movements when he heard your final cry, ruining your orgasm.

"what a fucking mess you are." nat looked at your cum stain that dripped onto your boxers. "now get out. and take your fucking camera with you."

taglist:@t4tnat @jaywritessometimes @girltwinklater @kessellluvr @lotties-ashwagandha @shipmanisms

[pipi-un-kaki-in-pipi-land]

bloody mary

summary: wednesday checks you out at the rave’n dance, and she falls in love with you at a dangerous pace

You sat alone at the white clothed table, taking a sip of your misty yeti-tini as you watched everyone having the time of their lives, while your date had unexpectedly got into an inevitable accident and had to take leave for the rest of the month. You couldn’t put this beautiful white dress you had newly purchased to waste, so you just came for the sake of enjoying the free food and drinks.

But what you didn’t know was that you had caught someone’s eye. The girl slowly approached you; your mind still not noticing her as your consciousness wandered somewhere else.

“Boo,” She jumped out right in front of you, your poor soul leaving your body for a split second. “Oh, shit- you gave me a jumpscare, Wednesday,” you gasped in shock, squeezing your eyes close to relax.

“It’s a pity I didn’t give you a heart attack,” the ravenette mocked, taking a seat beside you. “Why are you here? I thought you have a date to entertain,” you chuckled, taking a sip of the blue-colored drink.

“Those shoes were made for dancing with someone else, y/n. I can’t help but feel bad for it,” Wednesday glanced down at your meticulously crafted rhinestone heels, once which used to belong to your grandmother.

“But-” Wednesday took no responses from you as she took your hand and walked you to the dance floor. “I ditched him to dance with this gorgeous person in this gorgeous outfit. You better make it worthwhile, bella ragazza,” the girl looked at you from head to toe, placing her hand on your shoulder.

Your mind was too slow to process what was happening. Was she flirting with you, or did she come to you because her date ditched her instead? So many things were running through your train of thoughts; it was impossible for someone like her to fall in love with some lowly individual like you.

Or was it possible?

You didn’t care. You placed your hand on her waist, your other hand clasping with hers as you waltz danced the night away. You twirled her into your arm as your face leaned inches away from hers, like a kiss scene was about to happen.

You and her never really talked when she first arrived in Nevermore, but now words couldn’t describe how infatuated you were with her divine beauty. Wednesday was like the remaining enemy on the chessboard, and she was surrounded by all the white chess pieces in the ballroom.

The ravenette unexpectedly leaned up without warning, so her lips gently pecked against yours before your reflexes kicked in. Your eyes widened as you covered your face to contain the blush that was emerging on your cheeks, your nose holding in the bleed that came from kissing the infamous girl that was playing hard to get.

Wednesday smirked at your overwhelmed behavior as she hung her arms over your shoulders, tip-toeing to meet your gaze. “No paper no pen but you still draw my attention, y/n,” She inched closer to you, pulling your hands down to see your flustered face (wednesday unspoken rizz???)

You were left speechless by how desperate Wednesday wanted you for her own. “This ain’t smooth but I’m sure my lips are,” you laughed, tugging the girl closer. You were sure that your previous date would despise you for this, but you couldn’t care less.

“We’ll see about that,” She placed a heartfelt kiss on your lips, the music fainting out in the background as all you saw were her eyes that reflected the disco lights that hung over your head, and her lips on yours.

You could feel all eyes on you, but you really couldn’t give a shit nonetheless.

[frozenlight-gvf]

Strawberry Wine: Part Two

pairing: barn au: danny × fem!reader (enemies to lovers)

summary: after your first rendezvous with Daniel, tensions are high. he still gets under your skin like no one else can, but there’s something else there now— something that you refuse to let yourself feel.

(here's part one if you haven't read it already!)

word count: 4.8k

warnings: (for this part): language, dirty talk, explicit sexual content, angst (18+ MINORS DNI) [i chose not to include all the warnings to avoid spoilers, reader discretion is advised!]

a/n: new moodboard new moodboard! anyway this part was super fun to write hope u enjoy <3

***

The wind whipped through your hair as you urged Guinevere to a breakneck gallop across the field. You thought maybe the speed and the endless green vastness would wipe Daniel from your mind for at least a moment or two, but a voice like alarm bells blared relentlessly in your head: What the hell happened last night?

As the sun broke the line of the horizon, beginning its journey across the sky, you breathed in the crisp misty air of the dawn. The heat hadn’t yet gotten a chance to burn, so you savored the slight chill. You let Guinevere slow, as she had begun to pant and snort, and unwelcome thoughts seeped back into your mind. You thought of how willingly you fell under Daniel’s control, responding to his every whim. You thought of his warm breath against your ear. You thought of his hands, how they petted you… how his fingers curled and caressed…

You shook your head, the images dissolving. Guinevere was still plodding along under you. You leaned forward to pat her neck, trying to bring yourself back to the moment. Now, the only thing in your head was your mother, as you heard her voice ringing out across the field, calling you back to her.

You reentered your house – which you had so suddenly departed from just an hour ago with your riding helmet in hand and racing heart in your chest, still warm from just having thrown off your sheets in restless frustration – and you wiped your boots on the doormat under the scrutinizing eye of Susannah, who was making sure you didn’t track mud in her house.

“What’s up with you?” she asked in her accent stronger than your own. “You’re shaking like a leaf, honey.”

You hadn’t even realized it. “Adrenaline, I guess,” you mumbled.

She shrugged as she fussed around in the kitchen, making breakfast. You sat down obediently at the table, knowing after many years of trying that she would never accept your help when she was cooking.

“How’s things with Danny?” she asked, cutting strawberries into an old ceramic bowl painted with watercolors; a product of a childhood craft gone slightly awry, but too sentimental for your mother not to keep.

You scoffed, a bit put-off that she sounded like she was inquiring after a relationship. “Same as always.” You hoped the slight tremor in your voice didn’t give away the fact that things had, in fact, changed. Dramatically.

“You’re so mean to that poor boy,” she sighed, shaking her head. “Would it kill you to be nice to him?”

“He’s not nice to me, mama. And you know how I am with boys.”

“I know, I know. My little dragon,” she said affectionately. She cupped your cheek for a moment as she placed a plate of bacon on the table. “But I want you to at least try.”

You banished your mother’s old-fashioned ways; she thought the princess was always supposed to be saved by someone else, namely a man. She’d nicknamed you her “dragon” when you were little; you always pointed and squealed at the pictures of the dragons in the storybooks she read to you– the ones that destroyed kingdoms on fiery rampages, the ones that threatened the lives of well-meaning princes. You were always more the type to curl up in a cave somewhere rather than drape yourself out the window of a tall tower, calling for someone to rescue you.

But, you couldn’t fight that little voice inside you, the one that was begging for someone to take care of you, to hold you and kiss your lonely tears away. You rested your chin in your hand as you pushed your eggs around on your plate, your mother sitting across from you. 

“I’m not gonna force you into anything, hun,” Susannah said, taking a sip of her sweet-smelling coffee. “But, darlin’, it would settle my heart to know that there’s someone else in your life who would make you breakfast in the morning.”

Susannah meant well, and you knew it. Like all mothers with lonely daughters, she wanted to see you cared for and cherished. She’d tried to hire barn hands you might get along with, and a part of you felt bad for how poorly you always treated them. But it was your way. Isolation is an art, and you had practically perfected it.

After breakfast, you milled about the barn, so far its only human inhabitant. The sun was now steadily rising, no longer shy about its light and broiling heat. You were anxious for Daniel to arrive so you could assess what happened between you. If he didn’t look in your direction, it was safe to assume he was feeling the way you were, which was conflicted. If he flashed you his usual teasing grin and tipped his hat, it would mean that, to him, nothing had changed. And you weren’t sure which option you preferred.

As you surveyed the tack room, making sure every saddle and every bridle was in its assigned space, you heard familiar footsteps from behind you.

“Do you really not trust me to put everything back where it belongs?”

You whirled around to see Daniel leaning against the doorframe a couple yards in front of you. For a moment, there were no words exchanged between you two. In his eyes, you could see flashes of last night’s passion. You tensed up every muscle in your body, bracing for whatever impact that was about to come. 

You pointed over to the wall covered in tangled leather straps. “Ziggy’s bridle is where Tim’s should be.”

Daniel’s eyes widened imperceptibly as he noticed his mistake, and you felt a small swell of pride within you for having shaken him. But his signature roguish smirk soon spread across his face as he pushed off from the doorframe with his shoulder, uncrossing his ankles.

“My bad, heiress.”

He sauntered past you to switch the bridles, brushing close to your side. It almost felt like a static spark passed between the two of you, and you sucked in a breath. He turned back to you, his body now closer to yours than what would be considered “friendly.”

“However may I earn your forgiveness?”

You looked up at him, your breath catching. His curls were slightly damp, and he smelled of crisp pine and lemon. It was so rare for you to see him like this; usually when he was in your line of sight, he was flushed and sweating from heat and hard labor. But right now, he was almost glowing, fresh from a morning shower. Your mind wandered to imagine how he might look with nothing but a white towel wrapped around his waist with his chest damp and glistening, his wet curls draped over his broad shoulders–

“Something on your mind, sweetheart?”

“No,” you said quickly, shaking your head sharply and swallowing hard. Daniel’s smile only grew. 

“Oh, no? Because you seem a little… bothered.” He leaned in to whisper the last word, and his closeness and his clean scent made you want to fall into him. But you stood your ground.

You tilted your head towards the rack of bridles. “I’m only bothered because you can’t do your job right.”

He chuckled. “Is that so? Well…. I seemed to do my job pretty well last night, didn’t I?”

You bristled slightly at such a direct mention of your rendezvous. You figured you two would beat around the bush for a little while longer, but it seemed like he couldn’t wait to make you squirm again.

“That’s what you were thinking about, wasn’t it?” he said, leaning over you slightly.

Eager to prove him wrong, you straightened your spine and stared at him. “No. It was something else.”

“Alright. Whatever you say, heiress.”

You thought that with that, Daniel would leave and start on his morning chores, but he remained exactly where he was– too close for comfort.

“You have chores to do, Wagner.”

He tilted his head with a crooked smile.

“That I do, ma’am.”

Still, he made no move to leave the tackroom. You were starting to feel that anger he so loved to stir up in you.

“Then go do them!”

He flashed his eyebrows.

“I’m about to.”

And still– he stayed. You raised your voice to shout at him, but he reached one of his hands out and pulled you into him by your waist, planting a kiss on your lips. 

You wrestled away from him, the blush on your face betraying how much you enjoyed that.

“What are you doing?” you spat.

He smiled and crossed his arms. You had to tear your eyes away from the defined curves and edges of his muscles. “Do you not remember what I said last night?”

“You said a lot of things last night, Wagner,” you mumbled, straightening your shirt and turning away.

He leaned in once more to whisper in your ear, his breath fanning against your hair. You could feel your blush spreading, making your ears burn pink.

“I said, I was gonna put taking care of that needy little cunt of yours on my list of chores.”

Your lips parted slightly as a breath escaped them. He noticed. He pressed up behind you and started rubbing both of your arms up and down slowly. 

He hummed a contented noise. “You like that? Does that sound like a good way to start our morning?”

Our morning. 

He pressed a soft kiss to your ear, his lips then sensually traveling down to your neck, leaving a trail of kisses.

“Want me to take care of you, sweetheart?”

He was tearing down your walls brick by brick, stone by stone, but you didn’t want to let him make ruins out of you.

Your voice was breathy as you protested, not having much power behind your insistence. “Daniel, my students are gonna be here soon…”

“Darlin’,” he said, interrupting you, still kissing down your neck, “it’s barely nine in the morning. Your first class won’t be here until ten.” He switched to the other side of your neck and paused for a moment before speaking again. “It’s just you and me.”

“My mom–”

“--isn’t here right now.”

“But she might come here later…”

You felt his lips curl into a smile against your neck. He gave you a little nip right under your ear. “Then, I guess you better be quiet, then, huh? Think you can be quiet for me, sweetheart?”

His hands moved from your arms to your hips, caressing up and down your curves. 

“Answer me, baby.”

“Yes.”

His touch started to get bolder as his hands traveled inward, running up over your chest. Your eyes fluttered shut as he squeezed gently, massaging the tender flesh in his palms. His hands then slipped under the fabric of your shirt to feel you closer. His fingers teased along the top edge of your bra.

“I wanna see you in something prettier than this,” he mumbled in your ear, referring to the sturdy sports bra you were wearing. 

“I will never spend money on lace, Wagner.”

“Then I will,” he said with casual certainty as he tugged on the hem of your shirt, bringing it up over your head. He then turned you around to face him, his eyes staring disapprovingly at your choice of undergarment. He clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Pretty thing like you shouldn’t wear shit like this. Wanna see you in lace or nothing at all,” he mumbled again.

“Guess nothing at all will have to do for now,” you said, trying to keep the hopeful edge out of your voice.

He grinned as he reached forward to relieve you of your bra. His lips parted in an awestruck smile as soon as he saw you bare, his eyes sparkling.

“God, you’re gorgeous,” he rasped, skating his hands over your breasts, feeling your sensitive nipples hardening under his touch. Your hands started moving on their own as your fingers met with the metal of Daniel’s ornate silver belt buckle. You traced your fingertips over the minimal design at the center before you suddenly felt him take your hands and place them on his chest.

“Don’t touch the buckle, sweetheart,” he said quietly in your ear as he guided your fingers to the bottom of his tshirt, encouraging you to lift it off of him. 

You’d seen his bare chest many times; he rarely ever wore a shirt while working outside. But you’d never seen him like this. You noticed details you’d previously glossed over– the freckles that dotted his perfectly tanned skin, the sensual curve of his waist, and the trail of coarse hair that stretched up from beneath his jeans. You were practically dumbstruck. 

You weren’t exactly sure how or why you found yourself with your jeans undone infront of Daniel Wagner a second time, but there wasn’t much time to think about it before your pants were on the floor of the tackroom, and Daniel had your legs wrapped around his waist, pressing you into the wood-paneled wall. 

He took your mouth again in a fiery kiss, but this time, you didn’t stop him. You let him consume you, his tongue exploring your mouth feverishly.

“Seems I’m getting pretty good at getting you to shut up,” Daniel said, speaking breathlessly between punishing kisses. You could feel how riled up he was, like a bronco about to break loose.

Not once breaking the kiss, he reached down with one hand to remove his belt, the dexterity with which he did so making you melt even more. The leather snapped against the denim as the accessory fell to the ground, including his apparently precious buckle. 

“Not so worried about that thing now, are you?” You glanced at the piece of metal strewn on the floor.

Daniel growled into your mouth, pushing you harder into the wall, bringing your attention right back to him.

“The only part of you that’s allowed to touch my buckle is your pussy when you’re sitting on my lap. Are we clear on that?” He paused, taking your nod as an answer and continuing to kiss you passionately. 

His hardness began teasing at your center, rubbing back and forth and collecting the arousal that was dripping from you. You shivered with desperation in his arms, his hands gripping and squeezing your ass. 

“Oh, sweetheart…” he crooned, “you’re wetter than you were last night. Have you been thinking about me all morning? Is that why?”

You shook your head, but both of you knew you were lying.

“I bet you thought about me last night, too. Did you think about me in bed? Did you think about how good my fingers felt inside you and how badly you wanted to feel my cock?”

You couldn’t reply, as the tip of his cock had just barely nudged against you, and you already knew you were in for it. He felt big.

“I really hope you didn’t get your hands dirty in your bed last night,” he said, clucking his tongue patronizingly. “You know I’m the only one who can touch this pussy, right? It’s all mine, isn’t it, darlin’?”

You waited in heated anticipation to feel him buried inside you, but he didn’t move. His eyes burned into yours. He was waiting for an answer. And he wasn’t going to give you what you wanted until you gave him one. Until you submitted to him.

“It’s all yours, Danny.”

A voice.

“Danny?”

Both of you froze. Daniel’s fingers dug deeper into your ass, as if holding you tighter would make you somehow disappear.

“Where are you, hun? I need you to do something for me.”

You and Daniel looked at each other, eyes wide with terror. Susannah.

Her light footsteps were almost imperceptible, but you could tell you only had seconds to get out of the compromising position you were in. Daniel all but dropped you, rushing to get his shirt and belt back on, hissing urgent curses under his breath. You plucked your discarded clothes from the floor, racing to pull your bra and shirt back on and to tug your jeans over your hips and button them with shaking fingers.

When Susannah’s willowy silhouette appeared in the doorway, Daniel was reorganizing the saddle pads, and you were aimlessly fidgeting with the leather straps of the bridles lining the walls, silently kicking yourself for not having come up with something more convincing to be doing. 

“There you are, darlin’. Can you take a look at Rebel’s stall door? It was creaking somethin’ terrible yesterday.”

“Of course, ma’am.”

Daniel gave a polite bow of his head to Susannah as he sauntered past her, hands in his back pockets and whistling a little tune— like he wasn’t just mere moments from being caught thrusting deep inside you. You were left trembling; partly with fear, but mostly from the visceral anticlimax of having to stop right before what might have been the greatest moment of your life. 

Your mother turned to you, a hand on her hip. Her gentle, smile-lined face shifted to show a mild concern.

“You alright, sweetheart? You look awfully warm.”

Your blush only grew hotter. Your fingers let the reins you were inspecting too closely drop and gently swing against the wall.

“I’m fine, mama,” you said, grabbing a bucket full of grooming tools from the ground.

Susannah shrugged and turned to leave, ducking into the little room next door which classified as the barn’s office: a little area with an old hutch desk and an older computer. 

Exhaling deeply, you shook your head, unable to believe you didn’t get busted. And you were also unable to believe how nonchalant Daniel was afterwards. His inhuman speed at getting dressed and his lightning-quick ability to become otherwise occupied so he didn’t come off as suspicious— like he had a habit of fucking girls where people might intrude. Like he had a habit of fucking girls, period. It made you realize that whatever you had going on with Daniel had lower stakes for him than it did for you. And it was maddening.

You stared off into space during the morning lessons you were teaching. Luckily, the riders were slightly older than your afternoon students and didn’t need eagle-eyed supervision. You stood in the center of the ring, occasionally calling out for your riders to change their horse’s gait. The warm-up probably lasted a bit too long, but there was hardly any room left in your mind for anything else when Daniel was occupying it— especially not teaching. The horses cantering in a circle around you almost made you dizzy. 

”Miss Y/L/N?” a voice piped up. “Can we stop now?”

You turned to where the voice was coming from: a younger girl whose helmet almost seemed to swallow her whole head. You nodded, rubbing your temple.

“Walk,” you declared in a voice not as commanding as you would have liked, and the horses slowed around the ring. Originally, you were going to give the riders their first lesson in jumping, but you were in absolutely no state something as involved as that.

“How about a trail ride?”

The girls cheered, and you led the five-horse parade down from the ring to the barn so you could hop on a horse to guide the procession on the trail. You instructed your riders to wait as you headed into the stables and towards Guinevere’s stall. But it was empty. You huffed in frustration and marched into the office.

“Where’s Gwen?”

Susannah looked up at you from the boxy computer.“Danny took her out back to the pasture for a bath. Isn’t that sweet of him? Making sure your horse is all nice and clean for you,” your mother said with a wink.

You rolled your eyes. You knew Daniel wasn’t bathing Guinevere out of kindness. He would never do anything for you out of kindness. “I need her for a trail ride.“

“Trail ride? I thought y’all were jumping today. Do you need help getting the poles set up? I’ll go get Danny—“

“I don’t need him, mama!” you shouted suddenly, whirling around to face her. She startled a bit, her eyes fully focusing on you. 

“Y/N—“ she scolded, her surprise hardening into consternation.

“I don’t need him.” Your voice softer as you repeated. You knew your mother heard you the first time, so the second time you made the declaration was mostly as a reminder for yourself. You took a breath, calming yourself. “It’s hot today. The horses are feeling lazy, and they won’t want to jump.”

Susannah shrugged, her shoulders now cold. Her gaze turned back to her computer, wordlessly dismissing you. Her silence tugged at your heart, but you couldn’t let it affect you. 

With Guinevere preoccupied, Ares was the only horse left in the stable. He was off-limits for students. After bucking a rider off of his back and into a fence last spring, Susannah declared that Ares would never be used as a lesson horse again, only remaining in the barn for extremely advanced riders who refused any of the “easy” horses. And for Daniel, who somehow got the demon to bend to his will.

Although you’ve been riding your whole life, even you avoided Ares. He was sturdy and powerful, yet wildly skittish. Any sort of loud noise or quick movement would have him rearing and taking off running, endangering everyone on or around him. You stood there outside the horse’s stall, studying him for a moment. You wouldn’t have time to tack him up; the riders were waiting on you outside. The idea of having to ride him bareback on the trail— the place with the greatest potential for an unexpected spook— made your blood turn cold. As you opened Ares’ stall, you had the slight inclination to just forget the trail ride and get Daniel to help you set up the jumping poles in the lesson ring. But the more you considered it, the more vivid the image of his face in your mind became. You pictured the way he’d look down at you and smirk, teasing you for not being able to do anything by yourself, not being able to do anything without his help. Without him. He’d poke you and prod you, goading you for needing his assistance, for needing him. Needing him.

You met your riders in front of the barn atop the black horse with a less-than-confident smirk on your face. With no reins, saddle, or stirrups to hold onto, you felt truly vulnerable on Ares’ back. Ares’s energy felt potent and volatile as he shifted under you; it almost felt like he was just waiting to catch you with your guard down and buck you off into the dirt. You just hoped that Daniel couldn’t see your bubbling fear as you rode past the pasture towards the trailhead. 

Despite your immense anxiety, the notion of him seeing you riding his favorite horse was attractive, but all you could focus on right now was keeping Ares under your control. 

“Lookin’ good down there, ladies!”

Daniel waved from where he stood in the pasture, smiling charmingly. The young girls behind you giggled, enamored with the roguish barn boy who was currently shirtless as he bathed Guinevere, glistening with sweat and water. You shook your head. His flirtation meant nothing. He just wanted attention. Your riders waved back at him, and he tipped his hat gallantly. They crushed on him the same way one might crush on the older pool lifeguard in one’s youth, all blushing cheeks and smitten, innocent glances. And Daniel always responded in the way that lifeguard might: crooked smirks and harmless, playful quips.

You chose not to respond to Daniel, knowing it would only egg him on. Instead, you urged Ares forward. A few more yards and you’d disappear into the trees, shielded from Daniel’s piercing gaze and baiting words. But Ares stalled beneath you. Daniel noticed the way you clucked and kicked at the horse’s sides, trying to get Ares to budge.

“Is Ares too difficult for you, heiress?” 

Your students chucked a bit, and your face began to burn. You kicked at Ares harder now, but he only stamped his hoof into the gravel at the trailhead and huffed.

“Just switch with her!“ Daniel said, pointing at the girl riding Ziggy— the easiest horse in the barn. “I bet that little lady can handle Ares better than you.”

More giggles from behind you. The fury within you was reaching a peak, and it started to mix with your nervousness, creating a boiling concoction of intense emotions that left your fingers shaking. Ares could feel this as he pawed at the ground, flicking his head up and down. 

“Maybe I should just show you how it’s done, huh?”

“Show me how what’s done, Wagner?” you shot back. Your voice broke slightly, and you hoped Daniel would interpret it as anger rather than fear. Ares was getting antsy, and you didn’t like it at all.

“Riding,” he said with a chuckle. “You sure you’re the best person here to teach these young ladies?”

Before you could give Ares one more swift kick, the horse’s ears pinned back against his head.

A loud rustle came from the woods to your left. You saw flashes of spindly legs and streaks of white as a family of deer ran through the underbrush.

Ares startled, his hooves skittering on the gravel, the movement abruptly sending you forward as you clung to the horse’s neck. A loud whinny shocked your ears as wind started whipping against your face, the trees flying past your eyes.

 Ares was bounding down the trail, sprinting through the woods. Your heart was pounding harder than his hooves against the dirt. You gripped the coarse hair of his mane as tight as you could with trembling fingers. Your legs flailed with every one of Ares’ panicked strides. Your thighs and feet struggled to find purchase against his sleek body, clambering frantically. But you couldn’t stabilize yourself, and Ares was running wild.

You felt your hips slide as Ares rounded a sharp bend. The air was knocked from your lungs as you hit the ground, your vision going dark. 

~~~

“Shit, shit, shit.”

Your eyes fluttered open at the noise. 

“Shit, Y/N.”

Daniel swung off of Guinevere before she had even come to a stop. 

His face was blurry above yours. His urgent hands quickly inspected your arms, your legs, your torso. One of his hands came up to cup the back of your head.

“Fuck.”

Strong arms slid under your knees and your back as he lifted you up.

The next thing you knew, you were flying again. Sat sideways in front of him, your head jostled against his shoulder. One of Daniel’s hands was held tight to the reins, the other wrapped around your waist, keeping you right up against him. 

“Hold on, sweetheart. You’re ok.”

His voice was warm in your hair. 

You then winced as his voice rang out, calling your mother‘s name. The sound stabbed at your ears, sending tendrils of pain through your head.

Daniel slid off the horse with you in his arms. 

The worried voice of your mother drifted into your mind, her cold fingers shaking while pushing the hair out of your face.

You then found yourself tucked in the passenger seat of Daniel’s truck, The landscape was racing by outside the windows. You felt Daniel holding one of your hands tight. He gave it a squeeze.

“Stay awake for me, honey, ok? You can’t go to sleep.”

You squeezed his hand back.

The rest of the drive went by in a blur, as did the visit to the emergency room. Unfamiliar instruments were held up in front of you in dark rooms, and you answered as many questions as you could. As soon as a voice told you that you were allowed to rest, you closed your eyes and sank into sleep.

“Hi.”

You blinked awake to see Daniel right beside you, holding your hand. He was smiling sweetly, his face laced with concern. The fluorescent lights of the sterile room around you had been dimmed, but they still stung your eyes.

“You’ve only been out for an hour. The doctors said to ask you questions when you woke up. Can you tell me your name?”

You answered, hating how quiet and weak your voice sounded.

“Can you tell me my name?”

“Danny.”

He smiled, rubbing the back of your hand with his thumb.

“Good job, sweetheart.”

He paused for a moment, seemingly taking in the sight of your dazed eyes. He leaned in closer in his seat beside the cot, his elbows propped on his knees.

“You’ve got a pretty nasty concussion, but you’re ok. No broken bones or anything like that. They gave you some stitches for the cut on the back of your head.”

Your voice was croaky and hoarse. “Where’s my mom?”

He was quick to ease your stress. “She’s at the barn. She’s taking care of your students. She’ll be here as soon as she gets all the horses put away. I had to drive you so I could explain to the doctors what happened to you since Susannah didn’t see any of it.”

“You drove me?”

“You don’t remember?” He sighed a bit, shifting in his seat. “No ambulance would have gotten all the way out there quick enough,” he said quietly. “I had to make sure you were ok.”

You felt his fingers against your cheek. Bits and pieces of the car ride started coming back to you. The empty roads, the speed, Daniel’s worried face. But mostly, you remembered the way that he held your hand.

The way he was still holding it. 

***

Part Three

Taglist:

@sunandthemoontwinflames @brujamagick @lightsofthe-living-gvf @hellowgoodbye @thedaddydirection

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NOW PLAYING

IN ANOTHER LIFE PT. 2

If they weren’t sorcerers & murderers, where might you find them

Starring: Choso Kamo, Hiromi Higuruma, Takuma Ino, Toji Fushiguro

Warnings! fem!reader, fluff, kissing

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Choso Kamo: Elementary school teacher <3

Despite his intimidating appearance, Choso has a surprisingly soft demeanor around children. His students are never afraid of him; in fact, they find his calm voice and quiet presence comforting. He’s the kind of teacher who kneels down to a child’s level to speak to them gently when they’re upset. So so protective of his students, just as he is with his brothers. He’s quick to intervene in any bullying situations or if he feels like one of his kids is in danger. He makes sure his classroom is a safe space for all his students. 

He considers himself a very respectful man, he would never ogle at a woman, no matter how badly he wants to. Right? That’s what he keeps telling himself, but that respect is growing more precarious each day when you walk in with your little girl each day, her hand in yours, giving her a little hug, & waving goodbye. The looks you give that poor teacher are sinful. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Hiromi Higuruma: Writer <3

He writes late into the night when the world is quiet. He finds that the stillness allows him to focus and tap into his creative flow, often accompanied by a cup of strong coffee or tea. Loves crime fiction, regardless of the cliches. It comes to him so naturally; he’s so patient with it, hardly ever getting frustrated, even if it takes him weeks to get past his writer’s block. He appreciates that the story will come to him in time; forcing it won’t help. 

He’s respectful of all writers, even if they’re not always his cup of tea. He would’ve said, not too long ago, that romance wasn’t his thing. It was too overdone, too predictable, & hardly ever realistic. But you’ve got him chomping at the bit: of course, your writing is amazing, it doesn’t matter if it wasn’t his previous genre, it is now. But it helps, too, that he finds you so disturbingly attractive. 

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Takuma Ino: Soccer coach <3

He would be the perfect coach. He’s so skilled at what he does but he’s also so nice & encouraging. His enthusiasm is infectious, & he’s the type of coach who gets super hyped on the sidelines, cheering the kids on loudly during games & practices. Constantly getting yelled at by refs for yelling too loud or for being on the field. As someone who knows what it’s like to work hard and still feel overshadowed, he’d encourage every player to find their strengths, whether they’re the star forward or the quiet defender.

His pre-game pep talks would be half motivational, half comedic—trying to quote something profound but getting it a little wrong. Takuma wouldn’t hesitate to stand up for them, making sure they feel safe and supported both on and off the field.

When the team wins a particularly tough game, Takuma gets misty-eyed. He tries to hide it, but the girls totally notice and tease him about being a softie, which he accepts with an embarrassed laugh. You probably have some cliché meet cute, & he’d invite you to his games because he’s proud of his students (& he while definitely do some cool tricks at the end of the game).

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Toji Fushiguro: Line cook <3

Sweaty line cook, sweaty line cook, sweaty line cook. Probably at some family Italian restaurant, & he has no business being as hot & massive as he is, takes up half the kitchen. Probably asks the 18 year old college students for cigarettes, they don’t have any, but they’re so scared of him that they go out & buy some just to give him each shift. The owners hate him & so do all the managers, but he’ll never get fired ‘cause he’s too good at his job, he always trains all the new cooks to do things his way because efficiency over accuracy, right? When does he sleep? The world will never know, he is always in the kitchen of that goddamn restaurant, occasionally the walk in freezer, sticking his fingers down your pants & slobbering all over you. "C’mon, sweetheart, I know that boyfriend can’t fuck you like me." Will ghost you, then show up to work the next day, shamelessly. Probably texts you "u up?" at 2:00AM weekly, even after ghosting you.

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I know it’s called football in Japan, please flame me in the comments for being American, I would just love that :)

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[star-girl69]

Ultraviolence

Natalie Scatorccio x Fem!Reader

—-

a/n: such a silly chapter… i hope you all enjoy!!

warnings: drugs (shrooms), hallucinations, death, mentions of animal death, mentions of cannibalism, kissing, mention of knives, mention of blood, attempted murder… tell me if i missed anything!!

Chapter Seventeen - Doomcoming

Chapter Seventeen - Doomcoming

—-

1996-

The girls spend the next day making dried flower crowns and corsages, measuring and cutting out each small thing. You think it's like a replacement for the trophies they would have gotten at Nationals.

All of the girls pool their makeup together, since it's the end of world, not caring about getting things dirty. You grab the makeup that would look best with your silvery-purple dress, bought specifically to make you blend into the background- there only because you had been a part of the team, writing about them every spare chance, going to every game.

Eventually, night rolls around, and you think about putting your bandages back on- but you don’t. You aren’t sure if Natalie was lying about you being beautiful, but a part of you just doesn’t care. A part of you just wants to believe her.

—-

“Let the doomcoming begin!” Lottie shouts, and Javi bangs on a piece of scrap metal from the plane, and everyone slowly starts filing into the small clearing, passing through strings of paper hanging around the entrance. You had made a small wreath of flowers for yourself, lucky to find a few flowers that were still vibrant, purple on top of your head.

You walk in with Travis, which feels odd, and it’s entirely possible he just feels pity for the poor, sad girl who lost the girlfriend she never even had.

She stares at you, and you know it’s her, because no one ever makes you feel storms in your stomach like she does. When you finally find the courage to look over at her, telling yourself it’s just curiosity, it feels like the earth is shaking apart.

You’re the best thing at this party. In your light silvery dress, you feel like your being lost to the wind- but how long could you and Natalie be like this before you were gone forever?

And why would she even do anything for you? The girl who had just wanted just her so much, with a fierceness like you knew you would never really have her. Not here. Not in the wilderness.

You swallow and look away, listening to Javi and Travis talk quietly. Van and Taissa walk in together, wearing matching masks. To cover the scars on Van’s face, you realize after a moment. It’s obvious Van is nervous by the why she hides into Taissa, whether about the way they hold hands, or about her face, you don’t know.

They stop at the edge of the circle.

Taissa grabs Van’s face and kisses her hard, in front of everyone, not caring about anything.

Joking about the throuple was fun, but you doubt anyone actually ever thought you were together.

But maybe if Natalie hadn’t lied, maybe if Jackie had never even told you, then you would be kissing right next to them.

Everyone claps and cheers, and your eyes meet Natalie’s, but this time she looks away first.

—-

The soup they pass around is about as good as it normally is, with the addition of some nice mushrooms Misty was apparently saving for a special occasion, and you find yourself eating all of it quickly, wondering about seconds, knowing there won’t be any.

There won’t be any food soon.

You walk over to Travis, not sure what you’re going to say, but you just miss having someone to stand next to, and you’re sick of feeling alone.

“You look nice,” he says after a moment, and you chuckle. He smiles too, because both of you know that you still want her.

“You look nice too, Travis,” you say, and he goes to say something else before Jackie rests her hand on her shoulder. You look over your shoulder, and she’s only staring at Travis-

“Travis,” she smiles. “Come over here. You’re fine, right, Y/N?”

Travis looks at you awkwardly, confused like you, and you’re not exactly sure what to say.

“Um… ok?”

“Great!” she smiles, and squeezes your shoulder, giving you an unexpected kiss on the cheek.

It’s casual. Obviously platonic, since it’s obvious she’s been trying to sink her claws into Travis- but still. It’s unexpected.

Travis walks away after another moment of shifting on his feet, and you’re left there with the memory of her lips on your skin.

She was not Natalie. And no one ever would be. And maybe she lied to you- but maybe you’ve lied to her too. Maybe you’ve been lying to yourself.

Coach clinks his glasses together with Van and Tai’s, but Lottie rushes forward.

“Stop.” She looks around. “We should have a moment of silence for Laura Lee.”

And even the forest falls silent, the wind stopping, and you find yourself thinking about the way she held that stuffed bear, the way she gave him his own seat.

“To Laura Lee.” Tai says after a moment, raising her glass.

“Laura Lee,” everyone echoes.

And you let the bitterness slide down your throat, waiting to work up the courage to walk over to Natalie and apologize.

“What now?” someone asks.

“Now, we just need a DJ to pump up the volume,” Jackie smiles.

“What we need is a slow dance!” Misty pipes in, looking at Coach. He looks away.

“Ba-da-da, ba-da-da-da-da-da, ba-da-da,” Lottie sings, staring into the fire. A few of the girls chuckle, joining in on the vocals, until everyone is singing, and Taissa starts the first verse.

“There used to be a graying tower…” she starts, putting down her drink.

“…alone on the sea,” everyone joins in. “You became the light, On the dark side of me, Love remained…”

You look at Natalie, who watches the dancers and the singers with a smile, and you think about everything in your heart that remains for her.

Everyone shouts, singing the chorus, and Travis walks over to you.

“Thanks,” he says, holding his hand out.

You smile, and take his hand. “For what?”

“For not giving up on me. I know… I know I’ve been an asshole.”

He drags you out onto the dance floor, putting his hands casually around your waist, the way friends do.

“You’re a great person, Travis. I’m sorry that people were too stupid to see that before.”

You stop swaying, and he pulls you into a tight hug suddenly, and you laugh and hug him back. Being with Natalie is something you can never have with anyone else, but Travis is nice. He likes you as a friend, he likes you, and that is almost as nice as the way Natalie likes you.

“Spare a dance for me?” Jackie smiles, this time grabbing your wrist, trying to tug you away from Travis. Your mind feels a little hazy, but you just want to find Natalie. So, you mumble something and let her and Travis go off.

When you turn around, Natalie and Coach aren’t anywhere to be seen.

—-

The more the trees start to twist and curve, the less weird you find it and the more funny you think it is.

It’s like they’re all curving around you, making this little cocoon, this path, leading you straight where you want to go.

Antlers keep flashing all around you, and you get all excited, thinking about sinking your teeth into raw flesh, cooked flesh, anything that is food in your stomach.

But just as the antlers are there, they’re gone, and only the trees are left.

The forest guides you to wherever you want to go, but you can’t seem to remember where.

But a name keeps ringing in your mind, over and over again. Natalie, Natalie.

—-

By the time darkness falls, the wolves have started howling, but you can’t even find it scary. Everything is too much and not enough, the trees growing bigger and smaller and changing by the second, and you can’t keep up with which way you came and which you’re going.

You can’t stop laughing.

“Natalie,” you keep mumbling. “Natalie, Natalie.”

You find yourself back at the cabin.

No sign of Natalie, and for some reason, that feels like the most heartbreaking thing in the world. And the more you think about her, the more of what you wanted to say to her comes back, until the darkness starts scaring you again and you’re crying, wandering the woods, looking for a lost woman in the light of the full moon.

“Y/N?” someone asks, and you turn to find her silhouetted by the light of the moon, Natalie, your Natalie, her lipstick smeared and the straps of her cheetah print dress falling, revealing her bright red bra.

“Natalie!” you shout, smiling again, wiping away your tears. Her face is stricken with tears too, and she’s smiling so wide, and you’re not sure when you reach each other, but suddenly her arms are around you.

“I-I’ve been looking for you,” she mutters, running her hands through your hair.

You gasp. “I have been too!”

She places her hand against your face, her thumb rubbing your cheek.

“I think I have something to tell you, Nat, but I can’t remember- and, oh, have you noticed the trees? How they’re moving?”

“My hand moved weird. But, Y/N, I- why did Jackie kiss you? I don’t want her to kiss you. I want to kiss you.”

“Oh! That’s what I was going to tell you!” she starts rubbing your face, muttering about getting Jackie off of you. “I want to kiss you, too, and I know we did before, and I don’t care about anything anymore, because it’s Doomcoming! And we’re all gonna die soon-”

She stares into your eyes, her hands touching everywhere, and she leans in enough so all you can see is her. And Natalie is everything.

“And I-I wanna die with you, Natalie. I wanna die with you.”

She smiles in a lovesick way, happy and giddy.

She presses her lips against yours, and the trees fade into the background, the sounds of the animals calling out to each other, until you’re barely grasping onto each other and stumbling through the forest, gasping about the cabin, and she says nightshade over and over, and all you can do is stare at the moon and feel her lips on your neck.

She pulls back when you almost trip over each other, pressing her hands against your face, scrunching your lips together.

She stares at you, and you stare back, until she smiles again.

“I love you,” she says, like she’s just found the secret to the world.

“Help! Help!” someone shouts, from far away, and you look towards the noise, forgetting about what happened, the very human screaming and the passing time making the trees stop growing and shrinking.

“Natalie?” you ask, and she looks towards the directions of the screams.

“S’not- s’not me,” she mumbles.

“Snot,” you giggle, but she’s dragging you towards where you came from, the cabin, and someone starts screaming louder- or are you just closer?

Finally, she leaves you standing on the front porch, running inside, where you hear a lock click and a door creak open.

Jackie rushes out a few moments later, not even sparing you a glance, and Natalie follows soon after, her eyes wide and breathing heavy.

“I-I think we have to go…” she says.

“But, I want- I wanna-”

She stares at Jackie running into the woods.

“Where’s the other girls? Where’s Travis?”

“You’re here, though,” you say, confused as to why she’s talking about everyone else when she’s been looking for you all night. Doesn’t she want you now that she finally found you? “I want you-”

A howl cuts through the forest. Not an animal, you realize suddenly. But human.

Then, Natalie tugs on your wrist and you start running through the forest.

—-

The sprint made your head become a little clearer, and you kept thinking back to the mushrooms in the stew- but you didn’t know why they were so important. All you know is that something weird happened to all of you, and now something even worse is happening.

When you break through the clearing, Nat is the first to realize what’s going on.

“What the fuck?!” she yells, and your vision goes in and out of focus- “Stop!”

Travis is tied up to a stump, a pine cone in his mouth, with Shauna’s knife against his throat.

“Oh, my God!” you shout, running towards him and ripping the pine cone out of his mouth, practically throwing yourself on top of him as you scramble to find the knots holding him to the stump.

Something metal falls to the ground.

“Nat! The knife!” Jackie shouts, and both of you whip around to see Lottie going to the knife, but Natalie runs and throws herself to the ground, standing up and brandishing the knife towards Lottie.

Travis’s eyes droop, and he raises the one hand you’ve managed to untie to his neck. Bright red blood drips down onto his smooth skin.

“You’re bleeding!” you shriek- but something is wrong with him, something is deeply wrong with all of you- and he doesn’t answer.

Natalie turns around and reaches out towards him, but he pushes her away, and he pushes you away, even while you scramble to help him with his wound, Nat asking if he’s okay-

“I’m fine,” he breathes, and runs away from the two of you.

You watch him disappear into the forest, and the trees bend around him, so Natalie turns back around.

You stumble, unsure of what to do, when Lottie suddenly slams into Natalie and tries to grab the knife from her.

“It’s in all of us, you know. Even you.” She looks around Nat. “Even her.”

Natalie pushes her away, and she falls to the ground, and you have to lean against the stump, your breath heavy from running.

“That’s enough of your weird fucking bullshit, Lottie. Haven’t you done enough?!”

Lottie laughs, hysterically, slowly rising up from the ground, and Natalie holds the knife out with both hands, ready.

“It’s in all of us,” Lottie whispers, swaying on her feet. “You don’t see it yet, Natalie, but soon everyone will.” She raises a shaky hand towards you, taking a step forward. “Everyone will see it the way she sees it.”

Natalie looks back at you, and you stare at her with wide, horrified eyes, your lipstick and hers smeared over your face, the rotten berry booze dripping down your chest and your flower crown crooked.

She turns back to Lottie.

“Stay the fuck away from her!” she shouts, brandishing the knife, and Lottie steps back, laughing, laughing, falling to the ground again.

Natalie grabs your hand and you’re running again, except you’re staring at the full moon- at the doom, and the coming of it.

They were right. This night marks the start of it.

Winter is not coming. It is here. And with winter comes the hunger and the cold.

But doom- which much more than that, which is the release of everything you can’t hide here in the wilderness- is just starting.

—-

taglist:

@sweetdayme4427 @dreaming-for-an-escape @peachydoki @happysparklingshadows @zhivaxo @maraudeerrs @karsonromanoff

everything taglist:

@emilynissangtr

[mayasaurusss]

transmasc!reader with transfem!Misty is very dear to me,, do you have any headcanons/thoughts about transfem Misty with transmasc reader?

(could I be 🪓 anon?)

Welcome🪓anon!

A/N: Again, I want to say that I have not that much knowledge on this so if I get something wrong, feel free to correct me!

I wasn't sure if you wanted fully or partially transitioned Misty, so I decided to write the sex headcanons with a generic grammar, so you can read it as both.

I don't really like how this turned out (writer's block is a bitch) but regardless, enjoy!

When you tell Misty that you wish to transition she is ecstatic. Finally, there is someone whose experience is similar to hers and who she can take care of, as she always dreamt about.

The first thing she does is ask you if you'd prefer t-shots or gel. Depending on your answer, as soon as you tell her she's searching for the best brand of cream or the best syringe that won't hurt you too much.

If you choose t-gel, she decides to apply it herself. "I am not a child" you say, slightly embarrassed by how she babies you, but it's more than that to her. It's bonding: sharing a moment so intimate and important makes her feel closer to you.

If you choose testosterone shots she will go through a really long routine of checking if everything is ready for the injection. She meticulously checks if there are any bubbles in the syringe, if your skin is clean enough, if the needle goes too deep etc. If you are scared of syringes she will take extra steps to make you as comfortable as possible before injecting the substance.

Now for a silly headcanon I thought about. We all know Misty can be quite the character; she has no problems with threatening people. You guys argued hours prior and it's time for you to take your shots. Thing is, you can't do it without her: call it fear, call it laziness, you need her to be there for you. So, when she's about to insert the needle in your flesh, she will be rough, almost jamming it in you.

"Ouch! You fuc-" she shushes you, "Shut up and let me do my work". She realizes that maybe she was a little bit too rough on you and will apologize. Regardless of your reaction, Misty will try her best to make up for it, whether that is by threatening you to your favorite restaurant or simply by sex.

She will nurse you back to health after your operation, and is pretty darn good at it. She will take extra care in making sure your chest scars don't open by accident, will help you shower and will alway be there at your side whenever you need it.

Misty will also make a special diet plan for you. No more chips or fries for you mister: you will eat fish, eggs, meat, nuts and seeds and all kinds of vegetables.

And this will go on for months, with you asking, no, begging Misty to let you eat just one fry, just one. But she's immovable.

She will amaze at how your body changed during transition and after the operation. She will kiss your top surgery scars, play with the hair that has grown on your stomach and chest. She's truly enamored with how you look.

In bed, Misty is the personification of the saying 'two faces of the same coin'. You never know what to expect from Misty.

One day she will be very submissive and the other she will have you on all fours while touching your t-dick.

Misty as a sub strikes me as the pillow princess type. She'll writhe and moan into the bed while you touch her, trusting her hips towards your hands.

She's very much a service top. Your pleasure is far more important than hers.

She would be very vanilla the first time, not asking nor doing anything too kinky, but it all changes as your relationship goes on. Then, she will bring all different kinds of kinks and experiences to the table.

She mostly enjoys tying you up, delivering all sorts of pleasure to your poor body, while you can't even move an inch.

When you are the one that's on top, she likes for you to be rough. Not too much, not too hard, just a little bit. Play with her, make her beg for release.

The night ends with both of you laying on the bed, kissing and cuddling each other. Surprisingly, she falls asleep right away, her curly hair tickling your chest. How good it feels to sleep in her lover's arms.

[nevadas-night-time-novelist]

Pleaaaasse do you have any hc for my beautiful wife chopper Dave my sweet little British pilot

(The only British man I love)

Fuck you, I'm British >:( /light hearted

Chopper Dave general headcanons

CW: mentions of alcohol, British

He can and will cause problems on purpose, he finds it funny as hell, and has basically no fear. He's here for a fun time, not a long time.

Buddy buddy with Q-Bert, both bonded over their love for fine whiskey and the fact they're both from over the pond, even if they have petty disputes about whether England or Scotland is better. They have had physical fights over it before, but are still on good terms. Mostly.

Learned to fly just so he could be like his Dad. Plus he totally gets the best views in all of the state. Also the bomber jacket is fly as fuck (pun intended) and he loves sewing neat patches into it.

Has a photo of MPN SQ team that he keeps in his plane, they're his found family and he likes to keep the reminder close to him. He's also got pics of his real family.

Hates American candy, far too artificial in flavour, he deeply misses sweet from his home. You find some imported chocolate and give it to him, he will get misty eyed.

Once asked Chef for fish and chips, got an unbattered fish and crisps and he actually threw up from distress. God what he'd give for a proper pub meal.

Pansexual 100% He's got no preference, if you wanna romance him, he's on board no matter what you identify as, he's just happy for the company and love. Kissing him on the lips makes his knees actually weak, he will fall into your arms.

Starfish sleeper, all sprawled out, covers a mess and pillow has been yeeted to the ground. He snores a bit, but isn't too loud. Doesn't make his bed in the mornings and will probably never learn.

If romantically involved, he likes to have some part of him touching you while you both sleep. A hand on your arm/shoulder, foot on your foot/leg, you using his shoulder as a pillow, just anything to know you're still there with him :)

He's got thick arm hair, and that's about the only body hair he's got. He can't even grow a proper beard or moustache, which is sad coz he wants one of those old fashioned curly pilot ones. Not happening fam.

He's got short brown curls under his hat, which he shaves to a buzzcut now and then when its too long to handle. He has pretty poor self care, but he's happy enough.

Lil bit of chub to him, got that dad-bod vibe going on.

Drinks maybe a little too often, a chain smoker too. We've all got our vices baby, and a pack of cigs will get you all across Nevada with his whirly bird man.

[ryuichirou]

Replies

More replies~

Anonymous asked:

I know that we put a lot of emphasis on ignoring antis but sometimes there are days where I read one of their comments and get so disheartened and tired. I do try to report and block as many as I can but it's just really difficult to pull through when a majority of them are minors who are calling for us to drop dead or be assaulted or kill ourselves.

Anyway, I'm grateful for you and your art! It really brightens my day, especially when I'm going through it.

It could be tough sometimes, Anon, I get it. You’ve said it well – if anything, it’s tiring. Even if you know for a fact that it’s just some kid trying to hurt you because of their own issues, you (and none of us) shouldn’t be forced to tolerate it just because they didn’t figure their shit out yet. And they sound so deranged sometimes that it becomes obvious that they don’t really understand what they’re saying/implying and they don’t care.

Thank you so much for your support! I am happy it makes you feel better. We’ll do our best to keep posting as long as we’re having fun, and I hope you’ll keep having fun too <3

And don’t forget that whatever they do or say, it’s not really about you – it’s about them trying to earn favor with their lame-ass friends who do the same type of shit, because creating meaningful earnest connections is much more difficult than gathering an angry mob, as well as creating actual content that can make other people happy and helps you to express your love for the media.

Anonymous asked:

What do you think is the reason for the octatrio visiting the Scalding Sands, is it just a business trip? Or maybe Azul is organizing his wedding, and wants to share his happiness with his old friends by inviting them in person! I'm sure that this isn't also one last ditch effort to get Jamil to reconsider their "relationship" (Oh, but he looks so misty-eyed after hearing the news, is that maybe a tear they see?... Ah, wait... He's just yawning...)

Ohhh, of course Jamil wouldn’t be misty eyed over this loss, Idia basically took the bullet for him… Honestly, good riddance, these two deserve each other 😭 The line between the Mafia AU and the Marriage AU is a bit blurred, but I didn’t think it was the case with this particular sketch; THAT BEING SAID, Azul is absolutely going to invite Jamil (alright, Kalim too) in person. He just HAS to see Jamil’s face when he hears that Azul is getting married! (Jamil’s face: completely unimpressed…)

When I was sketching it, I was thinking that it was a business trip; whether he is a mafia man or just an enterpreneur, Azul always has a lot of business in the Scalding Sands. And if they’re there anyway, why not pay a visit to their dear former classmates? <3 Jade and Floyd are always excited for that lol Poor Jamil.

Anonymous asked:

i love your riddle smut (especially the stuff with trey it’s so good <3) but honestly i find any nsfw of riddle a bit funny bc i can imagine him thinking something as innocent as a kiss is how babies are made. take responsibility trey!

You heard them, Trey! Teach Riddle about the birds and bees! But in general I’m sure Trey feels very responsible and probably even guilty, Anon….

Thank you <3 I love drawing Riddle in smutty situation, he is my ultimate sheltered homeschooled kid at his first party lol I really like the contrast of his innocent easily embarrassed self and his deeply hidden desires.

Anonymous asked:

My sister thought Idia was Aoba, at first…

Gotta love them blue-haired twinks with funky boots and huge-ass jackets and headphones and 10 boyfriends one of which is an AI dog…

Anonymous asked:

I think 'Kalim Overblots' plots should take advantage of their surroundings more often. If Kalim is overblotting in Scarabia, there's no reason why the dorm can't turn into Octavinelle 2.0 thanks to Oasis Maker. Especially if the Octa Trio is involved.

Yeah, using the environment is a great way to make a scene way more engaging. I wonder if Kalim could drown his dorm completely by the time he’s all out of magic and filled with blot; it would be interesting to see underwater Scarabia… lots of space for the fishies to swim in…

Anonymous asked:

If Jamil has a best man/woman in his wedding, it would be Najma because while she is annoying to him at least it is better than any of his school mates. Floyd and Ace are too troublesome to take care of. Ruggie will only just busy with the food than being best man. Kalim, if he isn't who he wed, would feel much more troublesome to take care of and wouldn't care if Kalim wanted to be his best man.

I'm sure if Kalim wasn't wed to Jamil, he will be make him his best man. If not, I'm sure Silver, Cater, or Lilia will. Except Silver, I can picture Lilia and Cater fighting for position. Then again, there will be many weddings for Kalim and they took turns.

I can’t even add anything to that, Anon; I haven’t thought about this scenario at all, but everything that you’re saying makes sense. Honestly, this is just another reason for Jamil to never bother with getting married – the thole thing is going to be so fucking annoying lol but I’m all for Najma being a best woman.

I can also picture Kalim saying stuff like “ah don’t worry, I’ll make you my best man next time!”

Anonymous asked:

I have returned from the trenches of forgetting my password and then finding out I had no access to that email anymore. So now I come back bringing some foods for thought in what can be called a part 4 of my shenanigans.

Ruggie is the campus whore, don't know where the idea came from but I feel like he'd sell his body for some quick cash.

Rook x Idia has been inching its way into my brain, I feel like Rook would find him to be a straight up sexual conquest. Idia would be an unsuspecting deer in his eyes and I don't think Rook has much impulse control lmao

Random story time rabbit hole : Your ranking for their levels of whore inspired to give Divus a pretty bastard son because I feel like Divus wouldn't discriminate on gender in his teen age years. Which made me realize Divus is not dad material, and led me to this conclusion after a friend of mine mentioned it; he would probably sleep with his son on purpose or by mistake. If he's the one to raise the kid on the other hand, its more emotional incest. On that note, my pretty boy deserves justice against his daddy (not, he is used to it by now and probably can't function without it lol)

~ The one and only, 🐩 anon

Welcome back, 🐩 anon! I’m glad to see you again :)

Ruggie would definitely sell his body; I think the only reason he would stop is if he gets himself a deal with Leona and has to protect his exclusive rights and all lol Other than that, Ruggie doesn’t see this whole thing as anything other another business.

100% about the Rook/Idia thing, we love thinking about these two, god it’s such a pity I never finished our sketch with these two LOL but it’s exactly like you described: Idia is such a rare unsuspecting deer that’s so skittish and fearful and difficult to catch. At the same time, whenever they interact, if Rook manages to keep Idia around long enough for his initial scare to pass, he seems to know just the right stuff to say to Idia to keep him invested in a conversation. He’s working on it, he’s working on this deer~

Oh god, the Divus-the-dad scenario was the one I wasn’t expecting lol I’m not even sure which one is more cursed (=better); but I feel like Divus sleeping with his bastard son on accident is more plausable, at least at this point in his life. When he gets older, he might get into the emotional incest thing….

Divus and his emotional incest era…

[cdyssey]

Yellowjackets 2.04 Reactions:

Past!Taivan being divided over how they feel about Lottie. :(

Adult Tai experiencing whatever Shadow Tai is doing like an out-of-body, dissociative experience. So, so harrowing. The quick VHR static edits really help to emphasize the jarring nature of it too.

ALSO, Jessica Roberts, my beloved!!!! I miss her.

I SAW SOMEWHERE THAT ALANIS MORISSETTE COVERED THE NEW INTRO. ICONIC. SMASHING. STELLAR!! Lauren Ambrose and Simone in the intro now!! Yes!!!

Shauna not being able to look Jeff in the eye while she’s lying to him is so funny, lmao. And then Jeff lying to her about overhearing cops at the gym. Fail marriage. <3 They’re falling to their old habits of not communicating with each other.

“You’re right. I should have just run around in a ski mask—also in public. Blackmailing people.” Melanie Lynskey, I love you.

NATALIE LEANING IN THE DOOR JUMPSCARE, HELP. MA’AM. WHY ARE YOU STANDING LIKE THAT. Lmfao, Nat has been in that outfit for, like, three days now. Those leather pants cannot be comfortable. My god.

That lingering shot of Lottie and Nat’s hands as Lottie gave her the keys. 😵‍💫 I’m actually quite delusional about them now. I think they should tenderly kiss and/or hatefuck.

“If Taissa and Shauna have both been kidnapped, I’m going to be very, very annoyed.” ANDNNSSNSJWJSIDS.

“I’m honored that I seem to be your favorite Yellowjacket.” QKOQWKJDKWWJ.

YES AT MISTY BEING A SWEENEY TODD ENJOYER. That is so right.

I don’t think Walter is making it out of this season alive, lmfao, but what he and Misty have going on is so good. OH, GOD, Misty and Crystal singing the same song. 😭 For the record, I don’t think she’s making it out of the woods either.

NOT MARI ACCUSING COACH BEN. GIRL, YOU’RE NEVER BEATING THE PIT GIRL ALLEGATIONS.

Ben just straight up asking if the girls would have ate him.

Oooogh, more tensions in the cabin over the supernatural vs. rationality split. It’s important to note that Lottie is very uncomfortable at being thrust into the fore by Mari. This is also the first time that Shauna verbally stakes her claim in the skeptics side. God, poor Lottie—she doesn’t want this.

Nat being really gentle with Lisa and trying to help her see through some of the compound’s bullshit. Ugh, it reminds me of that moment last season when she coached Kevyn’s kid during his game. I love her.

Lottie at the therapist/psychiatrist’s(?) office. The way she so nervously plays with her fingers. The slight crack in her voice. The tears in her eyes. God, I’m so fucking unwell.

“Lottie doesn’t need a gun.” Mari, shut up. 😭

Both adult Lottie and teen Lottie being utterly unmoored the way they are in this episode is horribly sad. As of right now, some of the girls are looking to teen Lottie for guidance, while adult Lottie is desperately wanting something to ground her.

LMFAO, the cut from Shauna realizing that Callie’s been lying to her about going to Iliana’s to immediately snooping through her daughter’s closet. So dirty. So unhinged. Ooh, at her finding the burnt Adam ID.

Ugh, that fucking detective is still flirting with her, EVEN THOUGH HE KNOWS SHE’S UNDERAGED. I hope Shauna roasts him on a spit. He’s probably going to be the reason why Shauna/Jeff get away bc of how stupid he’s being.

Mommy-daughter bonding time!!! This is all I’ve ever wanted!!!!!!!!!

Misty being so disgusted by Walter’s condiment habits. So, so funny.

“Excuse me. Do you know about the cult with the purple people?” AKQKQKSJSNSJWIEDJSJ.

“Yes, they’re awful tippers.” KQOQOQOQIEDUDJDID.

Oh, God. Tai is just straight up walking the roads now. I fear for her. She is SO unwell. And I think about her progression from S1, Ep. 1 to now. She used to be the most outwardly put together of the core four. Had the family. Had the money. Had the lucrative career. And now look at her—you can see it in her lined eyes and the unfocused way that she walks. She has gone past the point of spiraling. She is in the abyss.

Mari continuing to hear things that the others don’t... love her and Akilah’s friendship. 🥺

A little mouse!!! Now Akilah has an animal emblem! Rabbits for Shauna. The moose for Nat. Wolves and Tai. Deers and Lottie. Birds and Misty?

Lottie making a blood sacrifice to the hollow. Hhhgh. That musical sting while she was doing so was brutal.

The Fourteenth Gilly!!! ANAJJDJDNSND, NATALIE CUPPING HER FACE ON THE COUCH.

Shauna taking her daughter out to the middle of nowhere with no cellphone reception. <33 Just mother-daughter things.

Shauna being truthful about killing Adam. God. HER TEMPORARILY FORGETTING THAT HE WASN’T THE BLACKMAILER. It’s kind of funny and kind of harrowing, the way that these events are blurred to her. It speaks so much to the way she processes trauma.

“Shoot, yes. Kind of.” AKQKWOOQOQOWJDJDJENS. Melanie Lynskey, we’re getting you that Emmy.

“They did… we did things out there that… we’re really ashamed of. And sorry, I know—maybe one day I can talk to you about it, but for now, um, can that just be enough?” Oh, God. This line. The way that Shauna distances herself from the Yellowjackets at first because compartmentalizing is historically how she copes, but then she revisits the statement. She includes herself, but it’s too hard to talk about. You can see the utter pain in her face as she looks away. And you can also see in Callie’s microgestures that this is genuinely one of the first—if not the very first—time her mother has every willingly broached what happened in those woods. And she’s so hurt for her mom. She’s one of the few people who has identified that Shauna is hurting. I’m sick.

God, poor Callie Sadecki. Her mom’s a killer and her father is a blackmailer. No one is allowed to hate this very normal teenaged girl with fucked up parents.

The symbol-marked trees aligning to actually form the symbol. Oh, God.

Ben and Paul. 😭 Oh, Paul is Ben’s first boyfriend. I’m so tender. LET COACH LIVE.

Lisa at her mom: “I love you even when you try to control me.” Jesus fucking Christ.

NAT FUCKING PUTTING THAT GOLDFISH IN HER FUCKING MOUTH. I LOVE AN UNHINGED QUEEN.

“Is this where the purple people are?” WKWKWOWOOWIEJDWJ.

“Tell her I didn’t want us to fucking starve!” GO, MISTY!!!

Leonard. 😭😭

The direction in this episode is so stunning. Lottie going through that arch of white light and then it become elevator doors closing. So good.

THE MUTED THEME SONG IN THE MALL. ALL THE GIRLS EATING TOGETHER. I’M SO UPSET,

LAURA LEE. THAT’S HER GIRLFRIEND.

“Lottie, if you don’t get out of here, you’re gonna die.” 😭 Laura Lee still trying to protect her beyond the grave. I actually have tears in my eyes.

GODDAMMIT, THE MOOSE. NATALIE CRYING. I’M SO FUCKED UP. SO FUCKED UP.

Natalie pushing away the shot. 😭 She’s invested in Lisa. Oh, I’m so, so tender.

MISTY AND WALTER SPLIT SCREEN PARALLELS. SO GOOD. I JUST KNOW THIS MAN ISN’T LIVING. GOD.

“We only have one kid, and as parents, it’s part of our job, we have to protect her, we have to shield her from making the same shitty mistakes we made, Shauna. To throw our fucking bodies in front of her if that’s what we have to do, and what, you’re telling me that you’ve… you’ve made her an accomplice?” THIS MAN DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT THE BABY IN THE WOODS. OTHERWISE, HE WOULDN’T BE FUCKING SAYING THAT, RIGHT? IF HE DOES KNOW, DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“We are lying to everyone, okay, everyone we know. I don’t want to do that to our own daughter.” The vulnerability in Shauna’s voice. So many fascinating layers here. Objectively, Jeff is right—making Callie an accomplice is harrowing. But what’s happening in the subtext is that Callie wants to desperately to connect with her parents, her mom especially, and vice fucking versa!! So it’s fucked up that it’s happening this way, and it’s fucked up that Shauna sounded more like a teenager in that conversation by the car, and it’s fucked up that Callie is so accepting, but that is the literal point here. This family was founded upon deep and unspeakable trauma, and they have to continually grapple with that.

Anyway, Sadecki family bonding moments. <33 I love a family who does crime together and they’re all messed up beyond comprehension.

Shauna tenderly filling Nat’s tub with water. 😭

Oh, my fucking God. The Lottie and Nat tub scene. Sobbing. They’re just kids.

Lottie having a reaction to a Queen card with the eyes scratched out. The girls 100% drew cards to see who the fuck was gonna be hunted.

LOTTIE, LOVE, WHERE ARE YOU TAKING THAT BIG ASS KNIFE?

OH, GOD, SHE’S OFFERING BLOOD SACRIFICES AGAIN. The tears in her eyes.

“Can this just be enough? Please?”

FUCKING JAVI?!

Van exposing Taissa’s preternatural ability. Hhhhgh. Things aren’t looking good for Vantai in the woods.

WHILE YOU WERE STREAMING. AaqkqkkwkqowsksniwiwJQJEJD.

Tai adjusting her hair, even though she clearly hasn’t seen a bed in a week. Go, girl failure. Get ur woman.

ADULT VAN. SOBBING. CRYING SCREAMING. SHE LOOKS SO GOOD.

[fluffnflightillustrations]

Hey! For your writing practice, mind if I request a drabble of Princess!Rukia helping Knight!Renji prepare for a jousting tournament? Thanks!

As the early rays of dawn filtered through the glass panes on the windows, Renji took a moment to stretch his muscles, flexing his joints and massaging his muscles with his fingers to warm up for the upcoming tournament. Another jousting tournament, this time, with Ikkaku as his opponent. His horse whinnied softly behind him at the sound of soft footsteps scuffing the dirt. He swiveled around, a grin spreading across his face at the familiar presence before him. Clad in a flowing summer gown, Rukia stood in all of her 144cm glory, hands on her hips and a strange knapsack tied to a belt hanging loosely from her hips. "Going to eat dirt tonight, too? Or do you have something different on the table?" Renji rolled his eyes. "I've actually gotten a lot better, and last week, I even knicked Kira's bad hair enough to make it tolerable, thank you." Rukia snorted, and walked behind him to pat his horse's snout. "And look at this. Poor Zabimaru has to suffer all the jeers just as well." She pouted, guiding the horse's face towards him as if to gain sympathy. "He's a bastard, if you aren't careful, he'll spit on you." Renji scoffed. Zabimaru was an asshole; sometimes the bastard would throw them off balance or start misbehaving just because he was bored. Unfortunately, it was the horse he was saddled with upon becoming a knight. Rukia continued to fake pout, and then pulled an apple from her knapsack and plopped it in Zabimaru's mouth. The horse headbutted her gently, and Renji shook his head. "You've gotta quit giving him a big head." Zabimaru only liked one person; not his rider, not his poop shoveler, not even Orihime, the maidservant from Prince Ichigo's family whom everybody loved. The only person he liked was Rukia, because she fed him apples and treats no matter how much a jackass he was acting. The horse would be the death of him, if Rukia wasn't first.

"Anyway, did you only come over here to make fun of me, or do you have something else you need?" He crossed his arms. Rukia finally released her attention from Zabimaru, skipping down off of her sitting spot on the stable fence to land beside him. "I just wanted to wish you luck for the tournament." Renji raised a brow skeptically. "....Really? No other reason...?" He found it uncanny, Rukia not having some ulterior motive. She was too much of a prankster by nature. Rukia smirked knowingly, and manually pulled his hands out, shaping them into a cup shape to empty the contents of her knapsack into.

And out fell a sticky, fancy, crumbly delicious pastry, one of those really expensive ones he would always beg her to grab him during her monthly banquets. "You saved this for me?" His eyes grew misty. Looking at the slightly sodden with water, covered in some stray hairs pastry in his hands, he had never loved someone more in that moment. He shoved it into his mouth so quickly, not wanting to deprive himself of another second of the delectable taste from gracing his tastebuds. Rukia laughed hard in response. "You couldn't take off some of the hairs, first?" He gave her a look. "Maybe you got some standards for what you put into your body when you got adopted here, but me? I've still got one hell of a hardy immune system." Rukia grinned in response, and stood on her tiptoes, pulling him down by the collar to press a quick kiss on his lips. His face flushed slightly, heart skipping a beat. "You'll do great, Renji. I can't wait to see you knock that guy into the dirt." She walked past him, waving to him from her way out. Renji watched silently, waving dreamily at her with his cheeks still puffed out like a chipmunk, mouth still full of pastry, and his heart fuller than it had been in weeks.

[dark9896]

Flufftober 2023

Day 19 Extra: Tender slow kiss [x Leo]

Requested by Anonymous (Soft Anon)

How and why Leo was currently here with you was beyond him. This whole party seemed a little too much, a little over the top for a simple Halloween party. Not helping the matter was how elegant the party was, a masquerade probably wasn't the most subtle type of party. Despite Leo having been told that this was supposed to be very lowkey.

This would, sadly not, be the last time the poor boy listened to Zapp about a party.

All the people at the party had you clinging to Leo more than normal, not that he minded in the slightest. It was just a little embarrassing for you given how it felt like a child. There wasn't enough shaking into reality to get out of this mindset, especially given the awkward way you two were standing on the side of the room.

"Maybe we shouldn't have tried coming to this." Leo's attempt at a joke fell flat in its awkward sarcasm, "Just standing on the side seems a little shady, don't cha think?"

"Yeah, a little." You mumbled back, "But how are we gonna sneak out of here?"

Leo groaned softly, "I... I wasn't being serious. It was supposed to be a joke."

"Oh."

Tapping his side, Leo tried thinking up something to say. This wasn't how he wanted to spend his first real day off. Most of the time he got the late evening, maybe a few hours at a time because he'd been called in so often. But if you weren't having any fun, then there wasn't any point in staying regardless. Though Leo was a bit worried about getting home safely, his little scooter was in the shop due to his front wheel being loose... nearly broken completely off. And Leo was waiting for a quick text from Patrick telling him the scooter was fixed.

"W-w-would you like to sit outside maybe?" Leo scratched his head, "At least get away from everyone?"

"Yeah, sounds like a plan."

You followed Leo without hesitation, glad for him taking your hand as you walked. Though you wiggled your fingers between Leo's, squeezing his hand in your own. Even if it meant Leo was blushing his face off, finding a quiet spot to sit and... Leo hadn't actually thought that far ahead, he was just trying to help ease both of your minds after pulling you into such a large party.

Sitting by the fountain, you couldn't help but stare at the cloudy, misty sky. There wasn't any kind of clear space to see the stars. Sure, it was more your thing than his, but star gazing was one of your favorite activities.

However, Leo had a much more promiscuous thought pattern. At least, it was a little bold for him, especially since the two of you were still technically in public. But Leo so very badly wanted to kiss you right now.

Toying with your fingers, having dropped your hand when you two sat down, Leo debated his approach. Should he try to just lean in and do it? Should he ask first? Maybe he should be a little coy about it? What was the best thing for him to do?

Looping your fingers around Leo's nervous toying, you didn't want to push Leo. But it was a nicely calm evening, one that practically screamed romance. The problem was still being in public and risking being 'caught'.

Not being able to take the tension, Leo cupped your face with both hands suddenly. Being bold and brash as he leaned in, you were half-blindsided as Leo kissed you.

But it was so soft, despite the suddenness. None of Leo's usual clumsiness was present, just a gentle tenderness. You scooted closer, leaning into Leo's embrace. Deeply enjoying the way his arms were wrapping around you, one arm slipping up your back while the other tightened behind your back.

There was nothing else happening, just yourself and Leo. Slowly kissing each other; soft, open-mouthed kisses while the rest of the world melted away. You couldn't help but try to pull Leo closer as well, holding onto his shoulders as he was the only real thing to you.

Slowly pulling away, just for air, you couldn't help grinning at him. Leo was so flushed it wasn't funny. What didn't help in the slightest was someone whooping. Causing both of you to jump clean away from each other. Though thankfully it was far from where you two were. Somewhere outside yes, but a decent way off... just extremely loud.

[heckyeahponyscans]

Thoughts and Spoilers for MYM #8

Episode summary:  Oh no, Sparky has gone missing!! 

Hitch is frantic and the ponies are searching everywhere . . . but unbeknownst to them Misty is hiding Sparky right under their noses, in a supply closet in the Crystal Brighthouse.  Opaline has promised her a cutie mark if she brings Sparky to the dark castle, but wrangling the baby dragon is harder than it seems!  In the end Misty doesn’t succeed in bringing Sparky to the castle, but she does capture some of his dragonfire in a jar for Opaline.

General Thoughts:  Hitch’s connection with Sparky and his worries about whether he’s being a good “dragon dad” were very heartfelt.  I like that we see a male character in a nurturing, child-care role, which is still pretty uncommon. The B-plot with his friends getting in each other’s way was a little too simple for me (it seems like they should be past that) but it didn’t take up too much time so it’s fine.

Misty was the standout of this episode.  You can really see how being raised by Opaline has influenced her.  She will do ANYTHING to get her cutie mark, but she’s also naive and blind Opaline’s true nature . . . Misty promises Sparky that she will return him to Maretime Bay later, as though Opaline would ever let him out of her sight again.

Her return to Opaline, empty-handed (except some dragonfire caught in a jar) is heartrending as she crawls across the floor, practically hyperventilating.  The dragonfire super-charges Opaline’s magic, but not to the extent she wants, and she unleashes on Misty like we’ve never seen before, screaming at her and calling her useless.  This feels like a pivotal moment, where the scales start to fall from Misty’s eyes.  Up to this point she has always been solidly in Opaline’s corner--believing that she is the rightful ruler of Equestria, trying to bond with her, trying to make her proud.  But here she ends up crying in her room.  “For somepony made of fire, I’ve never met a heart so cold.”

Other random thoughts:

- I liked Hitch’s Batman impression.  And he even got Zoom and Thunder in on it!

- Misty managing an incredible acrobatic feat (dodging Sparky’s Home Alone traps), only to berate herself for her one mistake (tripping afterwards) was apropos

- awwww!

- I do feel Sparky is cuter in 2D (like the Tell Your Tale shorts) and 3D.  Like, I don’t find him repellent or anything, but I dunno, his face could be better.  I like his horns a lot, though.

- I really like how strong light shines through the ponies’ ears, just like an actual animal with a thin ear

- Zipp’s stressing me out by leaving the nail polish hanging over the edge like that

- Pipp: “Ooo, that is a good point”

Zipp, instantly: “Is it though?”

- Pearl, the dog!  I assume she’ll be a pet in a future playset

- Hitch tells the seagulls to search “the old defense factory”, which implies that CanterLogic did shut down.  I hope we get an update on what Phyllis is doing at some point.

- the dramatic lighting in Hitch’s Batman scenes are *chef’s kiss*

- Her body language . . . Awww Misty :(

- Opaline says it’s been “hundreds of moons” since she last saw dragonfire; I’m going to assume a moon equals a year because it would be odd for someone to say they saw something “hundreds of months ago”

- The texturing on this tar is just really nice.  Like it has that oil-slick patterning on the top and everything.  Also, both tar and feathers are being stored in the basement.  Oh animators, you so sly!

- Not only does Opaline’s horn and wings fare up, but parts of her body become opalescent 

- Opaline’s speech is incredible.  “Alicorns ruling like they were meant to.”  “No more of this equality stuff.”  “The citizens of Equestria should fear and love their immortal rulers!”  

- This is basically a deconstruction of G4, where that was the role of alicorns.  I remember there was a lot of fan speculation about Sunny becoming the new ruler of Equestria after the G5 movie came out, before there was other media.

- Poor Misty, Opaline was terrifying when she lashed out.  What a great villain though!

- I liked Opaline’s simple, impatient toss of her head to activate her magic scrying pool

- Oh noooo, is that a childhood drawing of Opaline?  Oh nooooo.

[artificialqueens]

Masters of the Scene, Chapter 19 (Bitney Parent Trap AU) - Veronica

A/N: Thank you so much to @tumble4rpdr for being an incredible beta, and to both @aqalbatross and @artificialeevee for their help with the video game speak.

Click here for prequels and previous chapters, or here if you’d rather read on AO3. 

Chapter Summary: A month later. Courtney gets a surprise. 

***

Topanga Canyon, California. September. 

Courtney knelt in the garden, stabbing the cultivator into the ground, over and over, trying to loosen the soil enough to grab ahold of the weeds that were attempting to choke her poor onions. She attacked the ground, the weeds, with a violence that most people would probably think was unlike her, but she had to get the anger out somehow, and weeds and dirt seemed like a pretty benign target. 

She’d been out there since before sunrise, harvesting and planting and trying to get as much done as she could while the air was still cool and misty. If it was up to her, she’d be in the garden every day, but that just wasn’t usually possible during the week. The weekends, though, that was her time. It was a good way to focus, to try and keep her mind on a task, rather than spinning off the way it had been doing ever since she’d gotten into that car and pulled away from her daughter, watching Adore’s sad little face get smaller and smaller until she disappeared around the curve of the road. 

She hated leaving Adore, especially like that. And now she was back in school, and Courtney wished more than anything that she’d been wrong about how hard this school year was going to be. It wasn’t Bianca’s fault—New York Fashion Week, and the rest of September, was the most important time of the year for her, business-wise. Nobody expected her to be sitting down with Adore and helping her with homework every day. That’s why she had after-school help, and tutors, and why Courtney had completely rearranged her own schedule to be available on FaceTime when Adore got home in the afternoons. 

But it didn’t seem to matter. The workload was insane; granted, Courtney hadn’t finished University herself, but she couldn’t do half of what they were asking of Adore at that godforsaken school. And Adore had convinced herself almost immediately that everything was too hard, that she was stupid, that she’d never be able to keep up with her classmates or the rigorous level of college prep instruction that was expected of her. 

Adore’s psychiatrist wanted to increase her dosage of Adderall and put her on an antidepressant, but Bianca wanted to wait and see how she adjusted once she got used to the new schedule and teachers. Courtney wanted to cry and scream because she couldn’t fucking hold her child and kiss her and tell her that nothing, nothing, nothing was wrong with her and that fucking school shouldn’t be putting so much pressure on her in sixth fucking grade.

She stabbed the soil one more time, tears falling that she brushed away with her gloved hand, leaving behind streaks of dirt on her face, no doubt. 

Her frustration wasn’t just about what a hard time Adore was having. That was horrible, and of course she wished she could be there for her in person, more than just FaceTiming her, which she gladly did, as much as possible. It was also about how difficult it was to nail down visitation dates with Bianca. 

She understood that she was busy right now, but she got the distinct impression, especially in the last few weeks, that she was being brushed off. The whole thing was intensely frustrating, when all she wanted was a few confirmed long weekends with both children, and all Bianca had to do was say “yes” in writing. Surely no one was too busy to check a calendar and type a 3 letter word, right? 

Courtney was busy too: she had three different YouTube channels, which involved research, brand relationships, collabs, scripting, filming, editing, and approvals; her podcast; the studio and creative partnerships; overseeing her nonprofit, which included the hands-on work she did at the Carlotta House; her advocacy and activism work; appearances and social media content that she had to keep up with to stay ‘relevant’ as well as producing branded content; being on the PTA at Danny’s school. She also had employees, she also managed teams of people and multiple projects with multiple timelines. And just like Bianca, she’d been a single mother since their kids were 3 years old. 

Still, she managed to find the time to respond to emails about their children. 

So she just had a hard time believing that Bianca was too busy to respond—that couldn’t be the answer. There had to be another explanation. Was it a power thing? Was she punishing Courtney for their fight? Because that would be a new low, a new level of pettiness—they’d managed, somehow, not to let their children suffer because of their own bullshit so far (at least not directly), but this would make the kids suffer. They missed each other, and wanted to see each other and wanted to see their mothers and if Bianca was letting her own anger get in the way of that-

“Mum?” 

Courtney jumped, startled out of her thoughts, arm aching from how aggressively she’d been stabbing at the ground, the same spot over and over. Those poor weeds. She looked up at Danny, trying to plaster a benign smile on her face. 

“Hi, darling.” 

“Are you gonna be done up here soon?” he asked, shifting a little, biting his lip. 

Courtney swallowed. She’d been stressing so much about the child who wasn’t here with her—had she been neglecting the one who was? 

“I’m sorry, Danny. Are you alright? Are you hungry? What time is it?” 

“I’m okay, I made myself breakfast,” he said, giving her a smile and a pat on the shoulder. “I just, um, think you probably need a break, right? Cause, like, uh…you’ve been out here all morning, and it’s almost noon.” 

“Oh.” Courtney looked up at the sky, squinting. She had no idea. She’d been out here since sunrise, and had left her phone inside. The sun was high in the sky, and it was warmer than she’d realized, her t-shirt sticking to her, brow sweaty. She adjusted her hat. Where had all those hours gone? And why was she only now feeling how sore and tense her muscles were from the hours of bending over in the dirt? 

“Don’t…um, don’t you want to relax? Like, shower, change, maybe even like…put on a bra?” Danny asked, shifting again. 

Courtney turned and looked at him curiously, suddenly wondering just what he was up to, “A bra? Since when are you concerned with me wearing a bra?” 

“I’m not concerned,” he said defensively, crossing his arms, “I just think…you know, you should be comfortable. Wouldn’t that make you more comfortable?” 

“Is that the message you’re getting from society about boobs? That bras are comfortable?” Courtney asked, one eyebrow raised.

“Oh no, not society,” Danny groaned, slapping a hand against his forehead. “Please, please don’t start talking about society.”

“Okay, sorry. I just…” Courtney paused, recalling Bianca’s description of Danny dressed as Adore over the summer, how he’d worn a padded bra and, according to her, perhaps enjoyed it. “I do…want you to feel comfortable talking to me about this kind of thing, so if you have any questions, you can always ask. It’s very normal to talk about you body, or bodies in general, and breasts are-”

“I don't think it's normal for boys to talk to their mothers about boobs,” Danny said skeptically. 

“Well, ‘normal’ is kind of a loaded word, I should have chosen a better one. But it’s certainly natural to be curious. And maybe it’s not typical for boys to talk to their mothers…but…but…” Courtney remembered all too well what it was like to be Danny’s age, to be painfully curious, to the point of obsession, about women’s bodies, but look down at a flat-as-a-board chest and feel nothing but shame, emptiness and panic. She didn’t want Danny to feel a fraction of that. “But, I’m not exactly a typical mother, am I?”

“That’s true…” Danny paused thoughtfully before adding, “Typical mothers wear bras.”

“Touché,” Courtney laughed, shaking her head. “I just want you to know that it’s okay to ask me about-”

“Can we please be done with this conversation? Before my ears start bleeding?”

“Fine, Mr. Sassy Pants,” Courtney said, swatting him on the leg with her gardening gloves. “But I’m here to talk, or even just listen, if you change your mind. Okay?” 

“Fantastic,” he deadpanned, then turned to walk away, typing into his phone.

“But Danny-”

“Ughhhhh!” he looked up from his phone, irritated. 

“Alright, alright, alright!” Courtney held up her hands in surrender. “Look, I’ll finish up here. And then maybe you can even join me for lunch, if I promise no boob talk?” 

“Yes, fine.” 

Courtney cracked her neck, rubbing at the stiff muscles. 

“Great. Would you mind if I jump in the pool for a little bit first? I’m feeling sore and-”

“No, that’s a great idea!” he exclaimed, eyes lighting up.

“Okay. Thanks,” she said, taken aback. “I appreciate your enthusiasm.”  

“Just ‘cause like, I said I wanted you to relax, and I know that swimming helps you relax, especially on a nice day, so…uhh…” 

“Well, I do appreciate that,” she told him. “Although you know, I would get to the swimming a lot faster if you helped me out here.”

“I’ll help eat it, does that count?” he asked, giving her his cutest smile and a flutter of lashes.

“No,” she replied, grinning back and ruffling his hair. 

“Well…what if I carried some of the baskets in?” 

“Really?!” 

“Yeah, if it’ll help,” Danny said. 

This was an actual first, him volunteering to do any yard work at all. She wasn’t sure what had gotten into him. She decided not to question it, instead just gave him a big hug and kiss and then worked with him to bring in the day’s harvest and put away all the gardening tools in the shed. 

She hopped into the outdoor shower to rinse off the dirt and grime, then changed into her swimsuit before getting into the pool, while Danny stretched out on a lounge chair nearby, playing with his Nintendo Switch. 

Another only moderately successful method to turn off her chaotic mind was vigorous cardio. She was probably overdoing it—that was her usual MO when she found something that worked. She knew that some of the definition she had now hadn’t been there a month ago, some of the softness and curves gone and replaced with hard muscle tone. Most women would probably like that, but her body was starting to remind her of the way it looked years ago, pre-hormones, and she wasn’t thrilled about it. And yet, as uncomfortable as that was, she couldn’t stop. 

(She was probably the only one who would even perceive the changes that way, anyway. To most people, she probably just looked like she’d been to the gym a lot recently.) 

Swimming laps was great exercise, and perfect for the hottest part of the day, the weather still feeling like summer. But it wasn’t perfect. Because no matter what she did, how much she tried to focus on the movement and clear her head, Bianca’s words would always be there, bouncing around like a ping-pong ball in the depths of her mind. 

He just doesn’t seem all that anxious when he’s with me…

Of course he wasn’t anxious when he was with her. She got to be the fun one. She got to have him on vacations and weekends and holidays. She got to take him to Broadway shows and concerts at Madison Square Garden and Chinese restaurants where drag queens serenaded him while he ate crispy egg rolls. And of course, the source of Courtney’s deepest resentment…Bianca never had to be afraid, not for a second, of losing him. 

It wasn’t just that, though. If Courtney was honest with herself, truly honest—what Bianca said had sent her over the edge, not because it was wrong, but because it was right. Of course, she’d wondered the same thing many times. Was she contributing to Danny’s anxiety in some way? Were her own neurotic fears making things worse for him? 

She didn’t have any answers. Just question after question after question. No solutions, either, except to swim harder, to work her body to a breaking point, so that she couldn’t think, couldn’t worry, couldn’t do anything except exist. Some time after she began—she had no idea how long—she heard a distant voice calling out. It most likely wasn’t the first time. 

“Mum!”

She emerged from the water, gasping for air. 

“Mum, look!” 

Danny had jumped up from his chair, a big smile on his face. She paddled to the side of the pool and managed to grab the edge, panting, looking in the direction that he was pointing. A small, familiar figure was running towards them, across the grass, navy blue pigtails flying behind her. 

Courtney’s mouth dropped open, her heart bursting with joy as she hoisted herself out of the pool as quickly as possible, scrambling onto the stone patio. 

“MUM!” Adore cried, flinging herself into Courtney’s arms, apparently not caring that she was dripping wet. 

Courtney held her tightly, heart pounding, relieved and shocked that she was actually here, a lump rising in her throat. She clung to her, holding back tears, nose buried in her hair, barely able to believe it was real. Her baby girl, really in her arms, face pressed to her shoulder. 

Once she got over her initial shock, she turned her head to look at Danny, who was grinning wildly and jumping up and down with excitement. 

“Did you know that she was coming?!” she asked him. 

“Uh huh. It was a surprise!” he said. 

“Are you surprised?!” Adore croaked out, pulling her face away, cheeks wet with tears. 

“I am,” Courtney said, wiping her face tenderly with her thumbs. “And it’s the best surprise I’ve ever had in my whole life.” 

Adore smiled and Courtney hugged her tightly once more.

“Come here, love, get in,” Courtney said, beckoning Danny over. He bounded over on the balls of his feet and allowed Courtney to wrap him into the embrace. 

She sighed contentedly, squeezing her eyes shut, laying her cheek against Adore’s hair. There was no feeling on the planet as good as both of her babies safe in her arms.  

*

Bianca swallowed, taking a couple of deep breaths. She wanted to let Adore have her surprise moment before ruining everything with what she was pretty certain would be her own unwelcome presence. Which was why she was leaning against the side of the house, the key to the rental car digging into her palm, still not sure whether this was the worst idea she’d ever had in her life. Probably, yes. But either way, she couldn’t hide forever. 

Fuck. She wanted a cigarette. She closed her eyes. Not happening. Not here, not now. Instead, she dropped the key into her handbag and then took one last breath, realizing that her stupid heels had sunk into the grass. Why she thought that a pencil skirt and stilettos would be an appropriate outfit for today was anyone’s guess. 

Bianca turned around the corner and crossed the grass to the patio, where Courtney was embracing Adore, Danny beside them, his arms wrapped around them both. They all looked so happy. A lump rose up in her throat.

She slowed her pace, more uncertain than ever about coming here. Should she have just dropped Adore off and gone to the hotel? Was this going to be a disaster?

“Mama!” Danny spotted her first, waving and skipping over happily. At least one person there would be glad to have her around. 

“Hey, bunny,” Bianca hugged him, kissing the top of his head. “Did you get taller?” 

“You always say that,” he laughed. 

By now, of course, Courtney had realized that she was there. Bianca absolutely hated the stricken look on her face as she took Bianca in—like she was wounded by her mere presence. Well how the fuck else did she think Adore had appeared on her property? A spaceship? 

On the other hand, what Bianca didn’t hate was the sight of her fresh from the pool, skin glistening wet, hair in a fat braid over her shoulder. The red one-piece she wore was a simple cut, showing off her body to absolute perfection. Bianca tried not to get too distracted, but damn. 

“Um…hi,” Bianca said, giving her a tentative wave, letting Danny lead her closer by the hand. 

“Hi,” Courtney replied, swallowing, looking a little lost as Adobe slipped out of her arms to pull on Danny’s T-shirt sleeve. 

“Roach! I want to show you who I just invited to the camp. Raymond! I've got screenshots of him on the seesaw with Chief!” Adore said. She whipped out her phone to show him whatever godforsaken game they were obsessed with at the moment. 

“Awesome! And come check out Splatfest! Deep Cut sing Anarchy Rainbow, and Big Man’s boss fight is straight out of Super Mario Sunshine…” he said, leading her over to a lounge chair where his Nintendo was, both of them chattering happily in a language Bianca didn’t understand for the life of her. 

She stood awkwardly with Courtney, a strange and uncomfortable distance apart.

“What, um…what are you doing here?” Courtney asked, reaching for a towel. She wrapped it around her shoulders, taking on the appearance of a disaster victim, shivering after being pulled out of a sinking lifeboat.   

“I um, heard you have some really nice tomatoes,” Bianca told her, attempting to lighten the mood.

Courtney stared at her, unblinking. “Is that supposed to be funny?” 

“...yes?” Bianca said, trying not to let her voice shake with uncertainty.  

Courtney nodded, her expression unchanging, and Bianca sighed, defeated. Not a good start. 

“I’m looking at some retail space,” Bianca then explained, changing gears, as matter-of-fact as possible. “The investors want to go full speed ahead with the new stores, so…” 

“Oh. Oh, that’s great. I mean, good for you.” Courtney managed a smile, which Bianca supposed was very generous of her given the circumstances. 

“Thanks.” Bianca let out a little sigh of relief. Her attempt at levity had failed, but at least Courtney was being civil, now that she knew the real story. “I’m sorry for being cagey about the visitation dates, but Adore got it in her head to surprise you, and so-”

“No, I get it, that makes sense now,” Courtney said. Her grip on the towel had loosened. It now seemed less like a blanket protecting her from the elements, and more like a shawl. Bianca chose to see that as a good sign. 

“Mum!” Adore cried, skipping back towards them. “Can we go see my room?!” 

“That’s a great idea!” Courtney said, relieved. She put an arm around Adore. “Um, why don’t you guys take a minute and go use the restroom, get a drink? And I’ll go rinse off and throw something on, then meet you in the kitchen?”  

“Sure,” Bianca said. 

“Don’t take too long, I want to see it!” Adore cried, bouncing on the balls of her feet. 

“You can give her twenty minutes to get dressed, Adore,” Bianca said, shaking her head. 

“Five minutes,” Adore pouted, ignoring Bianca and looking up at Courtney with fluttering lashes.

“I’ll do my best!” Courtney gave her one more kiss and hurried towards a building next to the pool, straight for what Bianca had to assume was her bedroom. 

A separate building for the master suite? Interesting.

Meanwhile, Adore followed Danny towards the main house. 

Which was fucking massive. 

She hadn’t really taken it all in before, because she was too nervous, but the place was a sprawling compound, with a huge house, more like a damn mansion than a ‘farmhouse,’ along with several smaller buildings (which were still big, but it was all relative, Bianca supposed). It didn’t look like this on YouTube, that was for sure. 

She knew that there would be an extraordinary view. Courtney had been posting about #thisviewtho for years. It was the main reason she’d bought the property. And she knew that there was a big vegetable garden, and a lot of trees. But despite watching videos on her channel, not to mention seeing pictures of the kids there over the years, and FaceTiming them, Bianca had never even imagined the size of the house itself. 

The kitchen looked like something out of a magazine, with a 12-burner stove and 4 ovens. She’d seen Courtney’s cooking videos on YouTube, and she was confused as fuck, because it seemed much smaller there. Maybe they used angles that only showed half the room and appliances? Bianca shrugged, shaking her head. 

She drank a little of the ice water that Danny offered, and then went into a nearby powder room, where she was able to take a couple of minutes to herself to get her bearings. 

Bianca leaned over the sink, hands pressed into the sides of the reclaimed wood vanity, eyes closed. She had a plan. She’d discussed the whole thing with Shangie multiple times before she left New York. Apologize, fill her in, tell her what I want without being demanding, then leave it in her hands… 

Although, Shangie was sure to warn her that her plan needed to be flexible. 

“You have to make sure to listen as much as you talk,” Shangie warned, more than once. “Maybe more, knowing you. You know what? Definitely more. Listen first, in fact.” 

“What makes you think I’m not planning to listen?” Bianca had asked, and off Shangela’s pointed eyebrow raise, quickly followed up with, “Don’t answer that.” 

Bianca stared at her reflection. She knew that she looked terrible these days. She hadn’t been eating, and her skin was drawn and sallow. The bags under her eyes were practically suitcases, requiring layers and layers of heavy-duty color-correcting concealer and powder to cover up. She opened up her handbag and began the tedious task of touching up her makeup, making herself look as presentable as possible. 

When she was finally satisfied (or at least, as close as she was gonna get), she finished off with a light facial mist that promised to be both moisturizing and calming. It was probably bullshit, but since she couldn’t have a cigarette, she figured it wouldn’t hurt. 

She sighed heavily and went back into the kitchen, surprised to see Courtney already there, showing Adore something on her phone. She figured that she was going to shower and change, but it appeared that when she said “rinse off,” that was exactly what she meant. Her blonde hair was loose from the braid, drying in waves over her shoulders. She was also still wearing her bathing suit, the damp red material visible through her linen cover-up. Bianca didn’t hate the overall effect. 

“Hi,” Bianca said, adding, “that was fast.” 

“I didn’t want to keep you waiting,” Courtney explained. “So I just used the outdoor shower by the pool house.” 

“Ahh. Right.” Bianca nodded, as if ‘outdoor shower by the pool house’ was a normal phrase that regular people said in conversation. At least it explained why she was going for the smaller building earlier—the ‘pool house,’ which was probably the size of Bianca’s Hamptons house. 

“Can we go up now?!” Adore asked, hugging Courtney’s waist and batting her lashes. 

“Sure!” Courtney gave her shoulder a squeeze, and they headed in the direction of a staircase off the kitchen. “Your timing is perfect, actually! I was determined to be finished before your birthday, and we just hung your chandelier a few days ago. It’s pretty much all done now.”

“It is?! Why didn’t you send me pictures?!” Adore squealed.

“Well, you’re not the only one who likes surprises,” Courtney laughed, tickling her in the ribs. 

As they climbed the stairs, Danny slipped his hand into Bianca’s. She looked at him and smiled gratefully, squeezing his hand in return. What a good fucking kid. 

“She’s gonna be really excited,” Danny whispered, “Mum’s been working so hard on it.” 

“Yeah?” Bianca asked. 

Danny nodded, grinning, and Bianca smiled at him, impressed at how genuinely happy he seemed for his sister getting something nice. Not even a trace of resentment or rivalry. It certainly wasn’t anything like the relationship she’d ever had with her own sisters. 

They’d just reached the landing when Bianca heard Adore’s shrieks of joy coming from the bedroom. 

“I guess she likes it,” she commented drily, and Danny laughed, nodding. He led her into the room, and Bianca’s eyes widened. 

She wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but this was truly something else. Bianca could see Adore’s taste everywhere: the colors, which were mostly black and charcoal and deep, rich purple, with accents of violet and lavender; the big queen-sized bed with black velvet headboard in the middle of the room; the collection of ridiculous and impractical throw pillows; the zebra-print rug; the gothic, witchy touches like the antique dresser, the purple lace ribbons that held the blackout curtains open; the framed prints on the wall of SIX: The Musical and The Craft and the incredible smoke-glass chandelier that Adore had told her all about already.

Bianca could also see what was obviously Courtney’s own agenda: the quiet alcove where a computer desk sat, stacked with neatly labeled and organized school supplies, beside a beautiful, half-full bookcase. There were a few shelves on the wall which contained carefully placed knickknacks, souvenirs, and family photos, including some from camp, and one of Adore and Danny from this summer at Six Flags that Bianca had taken. 

Looking around, it was quite obvious how much time and care had gone into this room. It wasn’t just some slapdash design job. It was a labor of love, and Adore could tell too. She exclaimed over every detail, hugging Courtney over and over. When she opened one of the organizer boxes on the bookshelves, she started to cry, burying her face in Courtney’s chest and sobbing like a baby. 

Bianca swallowed. She wasn’t sure what the tears were about, but figured that whatever it was, she could safely blame herself for keeping them apart for so long. It was just more evidence that she was making the right decision. She took a deep breath through her nose. Small talk, apologize, explain, request...don’t get ahead of yourself, bitch. You’re still in small talk. 

She breathed slowly, walking forward to look closer at the bed, letting them have their moment. Courtney was whispering something to Adore, making her giggle, before taking her hand and leading her around the bed to the other side to show her something less emotional. 

“This looks really…incredible,” Bianca said, touching the duvet cover, plush charcoal velvet embroidered with moody gothic-looking roses in various shades of purple. She knew damn well how expensive that kind of fabric was. 

“It really does,” Danny said. 

“Jealous?” Adore asked. She stretched out on a plush, aubergine-colored chaise lounge in front of the window, slipping on a new pair of cat-eye glasses encrusted with rhinestones, her mood clearly lifted as she teased, “You still have that baby room.” 

“My room is cool too,” Danny said.

“Your room is full of dinosaurs,” Adore countered. 

“Dinosaurs are cool,” Danny volleyed back.

Adore scoffed, as if that was the most ridiculous statement she’d ever heard, but then smiled, looking at Courtney and saying, “Kids. Gotta love ‘em, amiright?” 

“Absolutely,” Courtney said, stifling a chuckle.

“We do,” Bianca chimed in. “Even when they’re 11-year-olds who talk like they have a martini in their hand.” 

“Almost 12,” Adore corrected her, and then gasped, jumping up to examine a vintage jewelry box on her nightstand. Courtney had really gone overboard.  

“Do you want to see my room?” Danny asked Bianca, almost shyly. 

“I’d love to,” Bianca said. 

“Ooh, we should take Mama on like, a whole house tour!” said Adore, suddenly showing more affection for Bianca than she had in several weeks. “She’s never been here.” 

Bianca exchanged a look with Courtney, brief but panicked, both of them clearly thinking the same thing. 

“Why don’t you guys do that, and I’ll put together some lunch?” Courtney suggested. “I assume everyone is gonna want to eat soon, yeah?”

“Omigod, yes, I’m starving!” 

“Great. Just come to the patio when you’re ready.” Courtney kissed the top of Adore’s head.

Bianca let out a sigh of relief. The small talk part of her plan could only go on for so long. She didn’t think she could handle an extended tour of however big this property was without things getting incredibly weird between them. There was too much, way too much, that she needed to say. 

For now, at least, all of that could wait.